JPH06181881A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the insertion of an insertion part without giving pains to a patient and to maintain the water tightness thereof by applying solder on the outer peripheral surface of a blade near the joint part of a first sheath and a second sheath to form a hard part and applying a packing material on the outer periphery thereof. CONSTITUTION:The insertion part 2 is constituted of a flexible part 8, a curved part 9 and a front end constituting part 10. This curved part 9 consists of a first curved part 14 and a second curved part 15. The first curved part 14 is constituted by using plural turnable curvilinear pieces 16 as core materials, coating these curvilinear pieces 16 with blades 12 formed by knitting metallic wires to a cylindrical shape and further, coating this blade 12 with a curved part sheath 17 which is an elastic resin softer than an flexible part insert 13. The second curved part 15 has core materials extending from the flexible part 8 and the blades 12 and is constituted by coating the outer periphery thereof with a sheath 17. The solder is applied on the blades 12, by which the hard part is formed. The adhesive is applied over the entire surface of the hard part to eliminate cavities. The adhesive acts as a packing material as well.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a bending portion of an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG.
In the case of 00, the outer circumference of the core material 104 formed by spirally winding a metal plate is covered with a blade formed by knitting a metal wire into a tubular shape, and further the outer circumference is covered with an outer cover made of an elastic material. Further, the insertion portion 100 is formed of a flexible portion 101 having a relatively hard outer casing and a curved portion 102 having a relatively soft outer casing. In a conventional endoscope, in order to increase the strength of the joint, solder 106 is applied to the blade at the joint to form a hard portion. However, just applying the solder creates a nest portion where the solder is not placed, so that the watertightness of the joint cannot be maintained. Therefore, the metal foil 105 is wrapped around the solder 106 to ensure water tightness.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional endoscope, by wrapping a metal foil around the outer periphery of the solder in the vicinity of the connecting portion, the outer diameter in the vicinity of the connecting portion is smaller than the outer diameter of other portions. As a result, the patient was distressed when the insertion part was inserted into the patient's body. Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can be inserted without causing pain to the patient by making the outer diameter near the joint of the exterior of the insertion portion smaller than the conventional one, and maintaining the watertightness. An object is to provide an endoscope insertion portion.

[0004]

The endoscope according to the present invention comprises:
An insertion part formed by joining a portion formed by coating the blade with at least a first outer cover and a portion covered with a second outer cover having a hardness different from that of the first outer cover;
The outer peripheral surface of the blade in the vicinity of the joint between the outer skin and the second outer skin is coated with solder to form a hard portion, and a filler is applied to the outer periphery of the hard portion.

[0005]

In the endoscope of the present invention, the solder applied to the blade improves the strength of the joint at the portion where the first outer cover and the second outer cover are joined. The filler which is secured and further applied to the solder application portion prevents invasion of moisture from the outside at the joint portion.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 7 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and an endoscope is composed of an operation section 1 and an insertion section 2 as shown in FIG. A bending operation lever 3, an eyepiece 4, an air / water supply button 5, a suction button 6, and a forceps insertion port 7 are attached to the operation unit 1. The insertion section 2 is composed of a flexible section 8, a bending section 9 attached to the tip of the flexible section 8, and a tip forming section 10 attached to the tip of the bending section 8.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible portion 8 has a core 11 formed by spirally winding a metal plate, a blade 12 formed on the outer periphery of the core 11 by knitting a metal wire, and a blade 12. It is composed of a flexible part exterior 13 which is an elastic resin. The bending portion 9 is composed of a first bending portion 14 on the distal end side and a second bending portion 15 on the flexible portion side. The first bending portion 14 has a plurality of rotatable bending pieces 16 as core materials,
The curved top 16 is covered with a blade 12 formed by knitting a metal wire into a tubular shape, and further, the blade 12 is covered with a curved portion exterior 17.

The second bending portion 15 is connected to the first bending portion by a connecting member 19 and extends from the flexible portion 8 to the core member 11.
And a blade 12, and the outer periphery thereof is covered with the same outer casing 17 as the first curved portion. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the main part of FIG. 1, in which the hard portion 20 is formed on the blade 12 by applying solder, and solder is applied to the flexible portion 8 side of the hard portion 20. ing. However, since the nest 21 is formed because the solder does not spread, the adhesive 22 is applied to the entire surface of the hard portion 20 so that the nest 21 disappears. The adhesive 22 is the nest 21
It also works as a filling material by penetrating inside. Then, after that, the flexible portion exterior 13 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the blade 12 of the second bending portion 15.
Are covered and fixed. Then, the adhesive 2 applied previously
The end portion of the flexible portion exterior 13 is adhered and fixed onto the blade 12 by 2. Reference numeral 23 is a portion where the solder is raised.

Further, the hard portion 20 on the second curved portion side is coated with the silicon-based filler 24 instead of the adhesive 22, so that the filler 24 is the same as when the adhesive 22 is coated. It enters the nest 22 at. The rear end portion 25 of the curved portion exterior 17 extends to above the hard portion 20,
It has a length that abuts on the tip portion 26 of the flexible portion exterior 13. The curved portion exterior 17 is fixed on the hard portion 20 by a spool portion 27.

Explaining the bending piece 16, FIG. 4 is a side view of the bending piece 16, in which a view above the center line is seen from the outside and a view below the center line is seen from the inside.
The bending portion is formed by swaging a plurality of bending pieces 16 by means of a rivet 28 so as to be rotatable. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the bending piece 16 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
The inside of 6 is four bending operation wires 29, two light guide fibers 30, and image guide fiber 3
1, channel 32 is running.

Each bending piece 16 is connected to the bending operation lever 3 of the endoscope and is provided with a wire diaphragm 33 for guiding the bending operation wire 29 pushed and pulled by the bending operation lever 3. In addition, the wire diaphragm 3 of the curved top 16
A protruding portion 34 protruding outward from the center of the bending piece 16 is provided at a position where the wire 29 other than 3 passes.

By operating the operating lever 3, the bending operation wire 29 is pushed and pulled to bend the bending portion 9.
At this time, the wire 29 is pressed by the forceps channel 32, the light guide fiber 30, the image guide fiber 31, etc., but can escape into the overhanging portion 34. As a result, the bending operation wire 29 is prevented from being pressed by the built-in object by the projecting portion 34, the durability of the bending operation wire 29 is improved, and the damage to the built-in object itself is also reduced. Further, since the overhanging portion 34 is provided, the shoulders 16a of the bending piece 16 adjacent to the bending piece 16 hit each other when the bending piece 16 is bent, so that the bending piece 16 enters the inside of the adjacent bending piece 16. Can be prevented.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the gas / water supply button 5.
The air supply / water supply button 5 is pressed on the right side of the center line, and the left side is not pressed on the left side. Air / water button 5
When not pressed, it is connected to an air supply tube 35 connected to an air supply pump (not shown) and an air supply tube 36 connected to a connection adapter. When the air / water supply button 5 is pressed, the air / water supply button 5 is connected to the water supply tube 37 connected to a water supply tank (not shown) and the water supply tube 38 connected to the connection adapter.

When the opening 39 of the air / water supply button 5 is closed with a finger, the air sent out from the air supply pump (not shown) is sequentially transferred to the air supply tube 35, the air / water supply button 5, and the air supply tube 36. Flow to. Further, when the air / water supply button 5 is pushed in that state, the physiological saline solution sent out from the water supply tank (not shown) sequentially flows to the water supply tube 37, the air / water supply button 5, and the water supply tube 38.

The air supply tube 36 and the water supply tube 38 are connected to each other as shown in FIG.
It joins the air / water supply tube 41. The air / water supply tube 41 joins the forceps channel 32 connected to the forceps insertion port 7 via the suction button 6. Further, the channel 32 extends inside the insertion portion 2 to the tip of the insertion portion 2 and communicates with the outside.

Next, the passage of the air / water supply tube 41 through the suction button 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The suction button 6 is connected to a suction pump (not shown) through a suction pipe line 42, is connected to the connection adapter 40 by an air / water supply tube 41, and is connected to the forceps insertion port 7 by a forceps channel 32. When the operation button 43 is not pressed, the suction pipe line 42 communicates with the outside through the suction button 6 and the opening 44, and suction is always performed from a suction pump (not shown). Sucks outside air from the opening 39. Therefore, in this state, suction by the forceps channel 32 cannot be performed. Further, since the air / water supply tube 41 communicates with the forceps channel 32 via the suction button 6, the forceps channel 32 can supply air and water.

When the operation button 43 is pressed, the opening 44 is closed and the suction conduit 42 is connected to the forceps channel 32. Further, the air / water supply tube 41 is closed. Therefore, in this state, air cannot be sent through the forceps channel 32, but suction can be performed. In addition, in this embodiment, the second bending portion 15 is not as curved as the first bending portion 14, but is slightly bent as compared with the flexible portion 8, so that the insertion portion 2 is inserted into the body.
It is easy to insert.

In this way, air supply, water supply, suction and forceps insertion are performed by one channel, which is useful for reducing the diameter of the endoscope insertion portion 2. As described above, according to this embodiment, in the flexible portion 8 having the second curved portion, the watertightness of the joint portion 18 between the flexible portion 8 and the curved portion 9 is improved, and the joint portion 18 is It has become possible to reduce the outer diameter.

Next, an endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram relating to the second embodiment, and the endoscope of the present embodiment has exactly the same structure except the portion except the second bending portion 15 in the first embodiment. Therefore, the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. The present embodiment is similar to the first embodiment with respect to the insertion portion of the conventional endoscope which does not have the flexible bending portion exterior 17 and the second bending portion 15 made of the blade 12 as compared with the flexible portion exterior 13. It is an adaptation of the structure.

Therefore, it becomes possible to improve the watertightness of the joint portion 18 between the flexible portion 8 and the bending portion 9 and to reduce the outer diameter of the joint portion 18 as in the first embodiment.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, the solder is applied to the blade inside the vicinity of the joint portion of the outer skin of different hardness of the endoscope insertion portion, and the filler is further applied onto the blade. The watertightness can be improved without increasing the outer diameter of the joint by filling the nest generated by.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a joint between a bending portion and a flexible tube portion of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a main part diagram of FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a curved top according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bending piece. According to the first embodiment of the present invention, a cross-section near a connection adapter for joining an air supply tube and a water supply tube. Figure

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an operation valve for supplying air and water according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a connection adapter for joining an air supply tube and a water supply tube according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a suction button according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the joint between the bending portion and the flexible tube portion of the endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view in the vicinity of a joint between a bending portion and a flexible portion of a conventional endoscope.

[Explanation of sign]

 4 Insertion part 7 Flexible part 8 Bending part 10 Core material 11 Blade 20 Solder application part 21 Adhesive 22 Nest 25 Filler 26 Connection part

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 1, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0004]

The endoscope according to the present invention comprises:
The blade includes an insertion portion formed by joining a portion formed by coating the blade with at least a first outer cover and a portion covered with a second outer cover different from the first outer cover, and the first outer cover and the first outer cover. The outer peripheral surface of the blade in the vicinity of the joint with the outer skin of No. 2 is coated with solder to form a hard portion, and a filler is applied to the outer periphery of the hard portion.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 7 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and an endoscope is composed of an operation section 1 and an insertion section 2 as shown in FIG. A bending operation lever 3, an eyepiece 4, an air / water supply button 5, a suction button 6, and a forceps insertion port 7 are attached to the operation unit 1. The insertion section 2 is composed of a flexible section 8, a bending section 9 attached to the tip of the flexible section 8, and a tip forming section 10 attached to the tip of the bending section 9 .

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0007

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible portion 8 has a core 11 formed by spirally winding a metal plate, a blade 12 formed on the outer periphery of the core 11 by knitting a metal wire, and a blade 12. It is composed of a flexible part exterior 13 which is an elastic resin. The bending portion 9 is composed of a first bending portion 14 on the distal end side and a second bending portion 15 on the flexible portion side. The first bending portion 14 has a plurality of rotatable bending pieces 16 as core materials,
The bending piece 16 is covered with a blade 12 formed by knitting a metal wire into a tubular shape, and the blade 12 is covered with the flexible portion exterior 1
It is configured by being covered with a curved portion exterior 17 which is an elastic resin softer than 3 .

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0013

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the gas / water supply button 5.
The air supply / water supply button 5 is pressed on the right side of the center line, and the left side is not pressed on the left side. Air / water button 5
When not pressed, the air supply tube 35 connected to an air supply pump (not shown) and the connection adapter
The air supply tubes 36 are connected to the air supply tubes 40 , respectively. When the air / water supply button 5 is pressed, the air / water supply button 5 is connected to the water supply tube 37 connected to a water supply tank (not shown) and the water supply tube 38 connected to the connection adapter 40 . .

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0014

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

When the opening 39 of the air / water supply button 5 is closed with a finger, the air sent out from the air supply pump (not shown) is sequentially transferred to the air supply tube 35, the air / water supply button 5, and the air supply tube 36. Flow to. When the air / water supply button 5 is further pushed in that state, the liquid sent out from the water supply tank (not shown) flows in order to the water supply tube 37, the air / water supply button 5, and the water supply tube 38.

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0016

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Next, the passage of the air / water supply tube 41 through the suction button 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The suction button 6 is connected to a suction pump (not shown) through a suction pipe line 42, is connected to the connection adapter 40 by an air / water supply tube 41, and is connected to the forceps insertion port 7 by a forceps channel 32. When the operation button 43 is not pressed, the suction pipe line 42 communicates with the outside through the suction button 6 and the opening 44, and suction is always performed from a suction pump (not shown). Sucks outside air from the opening 44 . Therefore, in this state, suction by the forceps channel 32 cannot be performed. Further, since the air / water supply tube 41 communicates with the forceps channel 32 via the suction button 6, the forceps channel 32 can supply air and water.

[Procedure Amendment 8]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Next, an endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram relating to the second embodiment, and the endoscope of the present embodiment has exactly the same structure except the portion except the second bending portion 15 in the first embodiment. Therefore, the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. The present embodiment is similar to the first embodiment with respect to the insertion portion of the conventional endoscope which does not have the flexible bending portion exterior 17 and the second bending portion 15 made of the blade 12 as compared with the flexible portion exterior 13. It is an adaptation of the structure. The invention of the present application
In the case of the flexible part exterior 13 and the curved part exterior 17,
Although different elastic resins are described in the examples, the flexible part
Exterior 13 and curved exterior 17 have chemical 6 resistance, heat resistance, load
Resistance, radiation resistance, UV resistance, infrared resistance, laser
Even two outer skins with different properties such as light resistance can be used.
I don't know. Further, in the present invention, the two outer surfaces to be joined are joined together.
The skin is described in the embodiment as the flexible part exterior 13 and the curved part exterior 17.
The outer skin is Teflon resin, vinyl chloride resin,
Kuril resin, FRP, CFRP, carbon resin, glass
Hard resin such as fiber resin, glass, ceramic
It may be stainless steel or metal.

[Procedure Amendment 9]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0021

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, the solder is applied to the blade inside the vicinity of the joint portion of the outer skin of the endoscope insertion portion, and the filler is applied on the blade to form the solder. By filling the nest, watertightness can be improved without increasing the outer diameter of the joint.

[Procedure Amendment 10]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 2

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Fig. 2] ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] September 24, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0013

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the gas / water supply button 5.
The air supply / water supply button 5 is pressed on the right side of the center line, and the left side is not pressed on the left side. Air / water button 5
When not pressed, the air supply tube 35 is connected to an air supply pump (not shown) and the air supply tube 36 is connected to the connection adapter 40. When the air / water supply button 5 is pressed, the air / water supply button 5 is connected to the water supply tube 37 connected to a water supply tank (not shown) and the water supply tube 38 connected to the connection adapter 40. .

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Next, an endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram related to the second embodiment,
The endoscope of this embodiment has the second bending portion 15 of the first embodiment.
Except for the part except for, the structure is exactly the same. Therefore, the first
The same components as those in the embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the second curved portion 15 made of the curved outer casing 17 and the blade 12 is softer than the flexible portion outer casing 13.
The same structure as that of the first embodiment is applied to the insertion portion of a conventional endoscope which does not have such a structure. In the invention of the present application, the flexible portion exterior 13 and the curved portion exterior 17 are described in the embodiment as elastic resins having different hardnesses. However, the flexible portion exterior 13 and the curved portion exterior 17 have chemical resistance, heat resistance, and load. It may be two different skins having properties such as resistance, radiation resistance, ultraviolet resistance, infrared resistance, and laser beam resistance. Further, in the present invention, the two outer skins to be joined are described in the embodiment as the flexible part exterior 13 and the curved part exterior 17, but the outer skins are Teflon resin, vinyl chloride resin, acrylic resin, FRP, CFRP, carbon resin. ，
It may be hard resin such as glass fiber resin, glass, ceramics or metal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A portion formed by covering a blade with at least a first outer cover and a second outer cover having a different hardness.
In an endoscope having an insertion portion formed by joining a portion covered with the outer skin of the above, solder is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the blade in the vicinity of the joining portion between the first outer skin and the second outer skin. An endoscope characterized in that a hard part is formed and a filler is applied to the outer periphery of the hard part.