JPH063523Y2 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to an endoscope having a twistable insertion portion.

[Prior Art] When inserting an insertion portion of an endoscope into a body cavity, particularly a lower digestive organ, not only pushing and pulling of the insertion portion but also twisting operation of the insertion portion are important, and this operation is frequently performed. Done.
Then, in the conventional endoscope, this twisting operation is a manual work in which the operator grips the insertion portion with his hand and twists it.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, although the operation of twisting the insertion portion of the endoscope is frequently performed, the operator directly grasps the insertion portion by hand,
Since it is necessary to twist, it is a very laborious and troublesome work, and particularly this is performed while observing the inside of the body cavity, which particularly impairs the operability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the purpose thereof is that an operator can easily perform a twisting operation without directly grasping the insertion part of the endoscope, which is labor intensive. The object is to provide an endoscope that is easy to operate and does not take up.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention connects an insertion portion to an operation portion, and the insertion portion connects the distal end portion to the distal end of a flexible tube via a bending portion. In the endoscope formed as described above, a built-in object that is inserted through the inside of the operation portion, the bending portion, and the flexible tube, and a rotating portion that makes the flexible tube rotatable with respect to the operation portion and the bending portion. The endoscope is provided at both ends of the flexible tube, and both rotating parts are simultaneously driven by a vibration wave motor to rotate the flexible tube.

[Operation] Therefore, since the flexible tube portion of the insertion portion is rotationally driven from both end portions by the vibration wave motor, the operator does not have to directly grasp and twist the insertion portion by hand, and the twisting operation is easy. In addition, it is possible to improve the operability without labor.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. The endoscope 1 shown in FIG. 2 is configured by connecting an insertion portion 3 to an operation portion 2, and the insertion portion 3 is configured by connecting a distal end portion 6 to a distal end of a flexible tube 4 via a bending portion 5. There is. The operation unit 2 is provided with a bending operation knob 8 in addition to a switching operation button 7 for supplying air, water, suction, and the like. A light guide cable 9 is connected to the operation unit 2. A channel port 12 is provided at an end portion of the operation portion main body 11 located on the insertion portion 3 side of the grip portion 10 of the operation portion 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible tube 4 of the insertion portion 3 is formed by fitting a blade 16 on the outer circumference of a flex 15 and covering the outer circumference of the blade 16 with an outer cover 17. Further, in the bending portion 5, a blade 20 is fitted on the outer periphery of a core member formed by pivotally attaching a plurality of joint pieces 18 by a shaft 19, and the blade 2
The outer periphery of 0 is covered with an outer skin 21. Then, the bending portion 5 can be bent in the pulled direction by pulling the bending operation wires 22, 22 arranged vertically and horizontally in the insertion portion 3.

Further, the flexible tube 4 of the insertion portion 3 is configured to rotate around the longitudinal center axis of the insertion portion 3. That is,
The base end portion of the flexible tube 4 is concentrically fixed to the annular base member 25. Further, an annular base member 27 that holds the folding tube 26 is screwed and fixed to the operation portion main body 11. An annular bearing member 28 that rotatably supports the base member 25 for supporting the flexible tube is provided on the inner surface of the base member 27. A ball bearing 29 is interposed between the bearing member 28 and the base member 25.

Then, the flexible tube 4 is rotationally driven by an ultrasonic motor 30 described later. That is, in the ultrasonic motor 30, the mouthpiece member 25 that supports the flexible tube 4 is also used as the rotor 31, and the stator 32 is screwed and fixed to the inner surface of the mouthpiece member 27 for the stop tube. The stator 32 is made of a piezoelectric element made of piezoelectric ceramics or the like, and is formed in an annular shape concentric with the rotor 31. The stator 32 is the rotor 31
The ultrasonic vibrating surface 34 is joined to the passive surface 33 of. Then, by driving the stator 32, an elastic traveling wave in which a longitudinal wave and a transverse wave are combined is formed on the ultrasonic vibration surface 34, and the rotor 31 is rotated.

On the other hand, both the flexible tube 4 and the bending portion 5 of the insertion portion 3 can freely rotate with respect to each other. That is, the mouthpiece member 41 attached and fixed to the tip of the flex 15 of the flexible tube 4 is fitted and inserted into the inner surface of the connecting tube 40 attached to the joint piece 18 at the most proximal end in the bending portion 5, and the ball bearing 52. It is rotatably supported via. Further, another ultrasonic motor 53 is provided on the shaft support, and the ultrasonic motor 30
The flexible tube 4 is rotationally driven in synchronization with the above.
That is, in this ultrasonic motor 53, the mouthpiece member 41 on the flexible tube 4 side serves as a rotor 54, and the stator 55 is attached and fixed to the connection tube 40. The stator 55 is composed of a piezoelectric element made of piezoelectric ceramics or the like, and has an ultrasonic vibrating surface 57 that is bonded to the passive surface 56 of the rotor 54. Then, by driving the stator 55, an elastic traveling wave in which longitudinal waves and transverse waves are coupled is formed on the ultrasonic vibration surface 57, and the elastic traveling wave causes the rotor 5 to move.
It is designed to rotate 4.

Further, a pulse oscillator as an ultrasonic power source is connected to each of the ultrasonic motors 30 and 53 via a control circuit. The pulse oscillator and the control circuit are installed outside the endoscope, and are driven through a drive cable inserted in the endoscope 1.

The ultrasonic motors 30 and 53 operate by operating the operation switch button provided on the operation unit 2.

Next, a method of using the endoscope 1 will be described. When inserting the insertion portion 3 into the lower digestive organ, not only pushing and pulling of the insertion portion 3 but also twisting operation of the insertion portion 3 is important. When it becomes necessary to twist the insertion section 3 while inserting it into the lower digestive organ, the operator selects the operation switch button of the operation section 2 and operates it. Then, the ultrasonic motors 30 and 53 incorporated in the insertion portion 3 are driven, and the rotors 31 and
54 rotates. Since this operation is synchronously driven by the control circuit, the flexible tube 4 rotates over its entire length without twisting. That is, the flexible tube 4 of the insertion portion 3 can be twisted in the required direction. And the flexible tube 4
Since it is driven to rotate from both end sides at the same time, it is not twisted on the way, and therefore the built-in object is not twisted.

Then, according to the endoscope 1, the operator manually operates the endoscope 1
The insertion portion 3 can be easily twisted without directly grasping the insertion portion 3. Therefore, the endoscope 1 with low operability and good operability is obtained.

By the way, if the drive signals input to the stators 32 and 55 are controlled to generate only longitudinal waves on the ultrasonic vibration surfaces 33 and 57, elastic traveling waves are not formed. That is, it can be in a free state. Therefore, it can be easily rotated by an external force.

3 and 4 show the first disclosed example.
In this disclosed example, the base member 2 for holding the folding tube 26
The stator 32 of the ultrasonic motor 30 is provided on the inner surface of 7 as in the above embodiment, and the base end of the flex 15 of the flexible tube 4 is attached to the rotor 31 of the ultrasonic motor 30. Then, by driving the ultrasonic motor 30, the flex 15 can be twisted to change the spiral density of the flex 15. FIG. 4 shows that the torsional density of the flex 15 is increased by driving the ultrasonic motor 30. In this way, the flexibility of the flexible tube 4 can be changed by changing the twist density of the flex 15.

FIG. 5 shows the second disclosed example. In this disclosed example, a distal end hood 50 fitted on the outer periphery of the distal end portion 6 of the insertion portion 3 is driven forward and backward by an ultrasonic motor 51 incorporated in the distal end portion 6. That is, the tip hood 50 is screwed onto the outer circumference of a rotor 51 composed of a rotating ring, and the rotor 51 is formed by joining an ultrasonic vibration surface 53 of a stator 52 and a passive surface 54 thereof. Then, by driving the stator 52, a traveling wave generated by the coupling of the longitudinal wave and the transverse wave is generated on the ultrasonic vibration surface 53, and the rotor 51 is rotated. Therefore, the tip hood 50 moves forward or backward depending on the direction in which the rotor 51 rotates. In other words, you can switch between short food and long food.

FIG. 6 shows a third disclosed example. In this disclosed example, a connection member 62 of a light source device 61 for connecting the connector 60 of the light guide cable 9 of the endoscope 1 is rotatably provided.
This connecting member 62 can be rotationally driven by an ultrasonic motor 63. The ultrasonic motor 63 attaches a stator 64 to the main body 61 of the light source device 61, while using the connecting member 62 as a rotor. When a twisting force is applied to the connector 60 of the light guide cable 9,
When the size is detected by the stator 64 and reaches a certain size, the connector 60 rotates. The connector 60
The light guide 65 provided at the same position is provided so as to coincide with the rotation center of the connector 60. Therefore, even if the connector 60 rotates, it does not deviate from the optical axis of the light source lamp 66.

FIG. 7 shows a fourth disclosed example. In this disclosed example, the operator does not perform the insertion operation by directly holding the endoscope 1 with his / her hand, but uses the ultrasonic motor 70 to rotate the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1. The surgeon can be operated remotely from another room.

[Effect of the Invention] As described above, the present invention rotatably connects the flexible tube portion of the insertion portion to the built-in object, and the operation portion and the bending portion.
It is an endoscope in which a rotatable portion of the insertion portion is rotationally driven by a vibration wave motor. Therefore, the operator can easily perform the twisting operation without directly gripping the insertion portion of the endoscope with his / her hand, and can improve the operability without labor.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the essential part showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same endoscope, and FIG.
4 is a side sectional view of an essential part of the disclosed example, FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of an essential part of the first disclosed example, and FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of an essential part of the second disclosed example. Is a side sectional view of an essential part of the third disclosed example,
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the fourth disclosed example. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope, 2 ... Operation part, 3 ... Insertion part, 4 ... Flexible tube, 5
... Bending part, 6 ... Tip part, 30, 53 ... Ultrasonic motor, 3
1 ... Rotor, 32 ... Stator, 33 ... Passive surface, 34 ... Ultrasonic vibration surface.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Koji Kanbara 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Takeaki Nakamura 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Michio Sato 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Masaaki Hayashi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideo Adachi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Within Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-55-45426 (JP, A) Kai 53-117416 (JP, A) JP 59-181122 (JP, A) JP 55-42657 (JP, A) JP 57-76601 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An endoscope in which an insertion portion is connected to an operation portion, and the insertion portion is connected to a distal end of a flexible tube via a bending portion, the distal end portion being connected to the operation portion, the bending portion, and the flexible portion. A built-in member that is inserted through the inside of the flexible tube and a rotating portion that makes the flexible tube rotatable with respect to the operating portion and the bending portion are provided at both end portions of the flexible tube, and both rotating portions vibrate. An endoscope characterized in that the flexible tube is rotated by being simultaneously driven by a wave motor.