JPH0732759B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus having an improved structure for bending a bending portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional structure for bending a curved portion, for example, as shown in JP-A-55-101240, a motor is built in a rigid portion provided at the tip of the curved portion. There is a structure in which the rotation of the motor is transmitted to a wire suction mechanism, and the wire inserted into the curved portion is sucked by the suction mechanism to bend the curved portion.

This wire suction mechanism comprises a motor, an electromagnetic clutch connected to the motor, a magnetic drum having an electromagnetic brake, and a curved wire winding drum connected to the magnetic drum. Normally, the electromagnetic clutch and the magnetic drum are separated from each other, and the magnetic drum is fixed by an electromagnetic brake to prevent the curved wire winding drum from rotating. Then, when the bending operation button is pressed, the electromagnetic brake of the magnetic drum is released, the electromagnetic clutch and the magnetic drum are connected, the driving force of the motor is transmitted to the curved wire winding drum, and the wire is sucked.

[0004]

In the prior art, when the bending operation is not performed, the magnetic drum is fixed by the electromagnetic brake and the bending wire winding drum is in the locked state. Therefore, the curved portion is in a locked state particularly when the insertion portion is removed from the body cavity. If it is removed in this state, it cannot follow and bend in the meandering lumen, which damages the lumen wall and, in some cases, punctures the lumen wall.

The present invention has been made with this problem in mind, and the bending portion can be appropriately switched to the locked or free state during operation , and the configuration thereof can be simplified. The purpose is to provide a device.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, a driving means having a vibration wave motor for bending the bending portion of the endoscope and the bending portion are provided. At least a control means for controlling the vibration wave motor to be in a locked or free state is provided.

[0007]

With the above construction, the bending portion can be appropriately switched to the locked or free state by the control means for controlling the vibration wave motor so that the bending portion is locked or freed.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, in an endoscope apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of annular joint pieces 1 provided so as to be connected in the axial direction of an insertion portion and the joint pieces 1 are bent by driving them. Driving means 3 for bending the portion 2 is provided in the bending portion 2. Then, the control means 4 for controlling the voltage supplied to the drive means 3
Is provided.

The control means 4 controls the voltage supplied to the driving means 3 to drive the joint piece 1 by the driving means 3 to bend the bending portion 2.

Hereinafter, detailed description will be given based on each embodiment.

2 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which an endoscope 10 has an insertion portion 11, an operating portion 12 connected to a proximal end portion of the insertion portion 11, and an operation portion 12 extending from the operating portion 12. The universal cord 13 is provided so as to extend and the connector 14 provided at the end of the universal cord 13. Insertion part 11 is the tip
It is composed of 15, a curved portion 16 and a flexible tube portion 17. The operation unit 12 includes an eyepiece unit 18, air / water supply, suction switches 19, 20 and a bending operation switch, 21 (DOWN), 22 (UP), 23 (LEFT),
24 (RIGHT), a changeover switch 25 for switching between angle lock / free is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the curved portion 16 is configured so that the joint piece 26, which is composed of a large number of short cylindrical tubular members, can be rotated in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow a and the horizontal direction indicated by the arrow b. It is connected. In other words, from both end faces of each joint piece 26,
The pair of connecting pieces 27 are displaced from each other by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction, and the pair of connecting pieces 27 are protruded from both end surfaces by being shifted by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction. Are respectively pivoted by the support shafts 28. The joint pieces 27 project from only one end surface of the joint pieces 26a and 26b at the most distal end and the rearmost end of the curved portion 16. Therefore, the bending portion 16 to which the joint piece 26 is connected in this way is indicated by the arrow a as described above.
It is freely bendable in the up-down direction and in the left-right direction indicated by the arrow b orthogonal to the up-down direction. Cutting-edge joint piece
On the outer peripheral surface of 26a, cylindrical wire fixing portions 29 are provided at four positions which are displaced by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction corresponding to the bending direction of the bending portion 16. One end of the bending wire 30 is inserted into each through hole 29a of the wire fixing portion 29, and is firmly fixed by soldering or the like. The other ends of the four bending wires 30 are drawn into four wire driving portions 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d provided on the outer peripheral surface of the joint piece 26b at 90 ° intervals (only 31d is not shown). ). Here, the bending wire and the wire driving portion constitute a driving means for driving the joint piece.

The outer portion 32 of the wire driving portion 31a is formed of a cylindrical pipe member, and four fixing members 33 are provided on the inner peripheral surface thereof at intervals of 90 degrees in the circumferential direction and over the entire axial length. . The fixing member 33 supports and fixes the fitting member 34 made of an elastic vibrating body from four directions. The fitting member 34 is
It has a length substantially the same as the axial length of the outer casing 32, and its circumferential cross section is substantially U-shaped. That is, the fitting groove 34a is axially formed.
Is provided. The two arms 34b of the fitting member 34 are inwardly slanted to each other, that is, slightly bent toward each other.
It is designed to sandwich 30 from both sides, and fit groove 34a
The inner peripheral surface and the curved wire 30 are in close contact with each other and fixed. A large number of electrostrictive elements 35a, 35b are axially bonded alternately to the three planes provided on the outer periphery of the fitting member 34 at intervals most suitable for generating a standing vibration wave described later. There is. Electrostrictive elements 35a and 35b are electric wires, 36a and 37a, respectively.
It is connected to the. An electric wire 38a is connected to the fitting member 34. Other wire drive units 31b, 31c, 31
Since d has the same configuration, the description will be omitted.

A control circuit as a control means for controlling each wire drive section will be described with reference to FIG. A switch control circuit provided corresponding to the bending operation switches 21 to 24.
Each of 39 to 42 is interlocked with ON / OFF of a switch and outputs a high level (H) / low level (L) voltage. The output terminals of the switch control circuits 39 to 42 are connected to the control input terminals of the switch boxes 43 to 46 and the input terminal of the OR circuit 47.

A switch control circuit 48 provided corresponding to the changeover switch 25 outputs an H level by an angle free operation and an L level by an angle lock operation, and its output terminal is an OR circuit 47. It is designed to be input to the input end. The output terminal of the OR circuit 47 is connected to the control input terminal of the switch box 49.

The driving power source 50 supplies a voltage of V = Vo sin ωt, one end of which is connected to the wires 38a to 38d and the other end of which is connected to the input end of the 90 ° phase shifter 51 and a switch. Connected to each input of boxes 43-46. The output terminals of the switch boxes 43, 46, 44, 45 are connected to the electric wires 36c, 36d, 36a, 36b, respectively. The 90-degree phase shifter 51 advances the phase of the input voltage by 90 degrees,
Its output end is connected to the input end of the switch box 49. The output end of the switch box 49 is the electric wire 37a or
Connected to 37d. Switch boxes 43 to 46 and 49
When the voltage at the control input terminal is at H level, the input terminal and the output terminal are conducted, and when at L level, they are disconnected.

Here, the fitting member 34 of the wire driving unit,
The operation principle of a vibration wave motor (also referred to as a piezoelectric motor, an ultrasonic motor or the like) constituted by the bending wire 30 and the electrostrictive elements 35a and 35b will be described by taking the wire driving unit 31a as an example.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 30 is a bending wire as a moving body which is pressed by the force F, and 34 is a fixed body which elastically vibrates by an electrostrictive element (such as PZT) as an electric-mechanical energy converting means. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the fitting member of FIG. 4, where the X axis is the direction on the surface of the fixed body 34 and the Z axis is the normal direction thereof. When a bending vibration is applied to the surface of the fixed body 34 by the electrostrictive element, a traveling vibration wave is generated and propagates on the surface of the fixed body 34. This traveling oscillatory wave is a surface wave accompanied by a longitudinal wave and a transverse wave, and the motion of its mass point draws an elliptical orbit. Focusing on the mass point A, an elliptic motion with a vertical amplitude u and a lateral amplitude w is performed, and assuming that the traveling direction of the surface wave is the X-axis direction, the elliptic motion is a clockwise direction. This surface wave has vertices A, A '... For each wavelength, and the vertex velocity is only the X component, and ν = 2πfu (f is the frequency). Therefore, when the surface of the moving body 30 is brought into frictional contact with the surface of the fixed body 53, the surface of the moving body 30 contacts only the vertices A, A '...
The moving body 30 is driven in the direction of arrow N by the frictional force.

The speed of the moving body 30 is proportional to the frequency f. Further, because of frictional drive by pressure contact, it depends not only on the longitudinal vibration u but also on the lateral vibration w. That is, the speed of the moving body 52 is proportional to the size of the elliptical movement. Therefore, the moving body 30
The speed of is proportional to the voltage applied to the electrostrictive element.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the generation of a traveling vibration wave and a standing vibration wave. When the electrostrictive elements 35a and 35b operate independently, they are arranged in a state in which the fixed body 34 resonates, that is, in a position where a standing vibration wave exists, and the standing vibration wavelength and the electric current generated by the electrostrictive element 35a are different from each other. The distorted element 35b is arranged so as to have the same standing vibration wavelength and a 90-degree phase shift (the physical position is shifted by a quarter wavelength). The driving power source 50 supplies a voltage V = Vo sin ωt. Electrostrictive element 35a
The voltage Vo is directly supplied from the driving power source 50 by the line 36a.
sin ωt is applied, and the voltage Vo sin (ωt ± π / 2) is applied to the electrostrictive element 35b through the 90 ° phase shifter 51 and the line 37a. The voltage Vo sin (ωt ± π / 2) ± is switched depending on the direction in which the moving body 30 is moved. A in Figure 3
F shows the state of the vibration wave when the voltage Vo sin (ωt + π / 2) is applied. B shows a state where a standing vibration wave is generated only by the electrostrictive element 35a, and B shows a state where a standing vibration wave with a 90 ° phase lead is generated only by the electrostrictive element 35b. Two electrostrictive elements 35
It shows a state in which traveling vibration waves are generated by simultaneously operating a and 35b. C is time t = 0 + 2n π / ω, d is time t = π / 2ω + 2nπ / ω, and e is time t = π / ω +
2nπ / ω indicates the phase of the traveling vibration wave of 3π / 2ω + 2nπ / ω. Although the traveling vibration wave travels to the left in FIG. 8, any mass point on the frictional contact surface of the fixed body 34 makes an elliptic motion in the clockwise direction. Therefore, the moving body 30 moves to the right.

In the generation state of the standing vibration waves of a and b,
At the mass points other than the nodes on the friction contact surface of the fixed body 34, only lateral vibration, that is, vertical movement in FIG. Therefore, the moving body 30
The frictional contact between the fixed body 34 and the fixed body 34 is not a static friction state but a dynamic friction state, the friction coefficient is small, and the contact area is also small. Therefore, the moving body 30 can be easily moved by an external force.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.
First, a case where the changeover switch 25 is operated in an angle lock will be described by way of an example in which the bending portion is operated in an UP operation.
When the bending operation switch 22 (UP) is turned on, the switch control circuit 40 outputs the H level, so the switch box
The input and output ends of 44 and 49 are conducted. As a result, a voltage V = Vo sin ωt is supplied to the electric wire 36a, and a voltage V = Vo sin (ωt + π / 2) is supplied to the electric wires 37a to 37d. At this time, no voltage is supplied to the electric wires 36b to 36d. Therefore, a standing vibration wave is generated in the fitting member composed of the elastic vibrator of the wire driving portions 31b to 31d, and the wire driving portions 31b to 31d can be easily moved by an external force. On the other hand, the wire drive unit 31
A traveling vibration wave in the wire pulling direction is generated in the fitting member 34 of a. Therefore, when the wire in the UP direction is pulled, the bending portion 16 bends smoothly in the UP direction. When the bending operation switch 22 is turned off, no voltage is applied to the fitting members of the wire drive units, so that the wire drive unit stops in the bent state and does not move easily even if an external force is applied to the bending unit. Also, when the bending operation switches 21, 23, 24 are turned on, the bending is performed in the DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT directions, respectively, but the description thereof is omitted. When the change-over switch 25 is operated in an angle-free manner, the switch control circuit 48 outputs an H level signal, so that the input / output terminals of the switch box 49 become conductive. Therefore, since the voltage of V = Vosin (ωt + π / 2) is constantly applied to the fitting member of each wire driving unit, the standing vibration wave is always generated. In this state, for example, when the bending operation switch 22 is turned on, it bends in the UP direction as in the above-described angle lock operation.

In the above embodiment, the wire driving portion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the joint piece. However, the wire driving portion may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the joint piece so that the bending wire can also pass through the inside of the joint piece. The wire driving unit may be provided on the tip forming unit side.
In addition, if the wire driving portions are provided on both the tip forming portion side and the hand operation portion side and the bending wires are bent by pulling each other, quick bending is possible. Instead of providing the electrostrictive element on the fitting member (fixed body), it may be provided on the curved wire (moving body) side. A magnetostrictive element may be used instead of the electrostrictive element. Further, if the curved portions of the above-mentioned embodiment are provided in appropriate numbers in appropriate portions of the endoscope insertion portion and are operated separately, complicated bending is possible. Further, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a wire driving unit 61 is provided for each joint piece 60,
By providing the wires 62 between the adjacent joint pieces and controlling the pushing and pulling of the wire for each wire driving unit, it is possible to perform the bending operation of the bending unit in a complicated manner. Reference numeral 63 is a wire fitting portion made of an elastic vibrating body and having an electrostrictive element attached thereto.

11 to 14 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The structure of the curved portion 16 and the drive circuit for driving the vibration wave motor provided in the curved portion are different from those of the first embodiment. ing. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 11, the bending portion 16 is formed by connecting a large number of joint pieces 70 so that they can be bent vertically and horizontally.
The joint pieces 70 are alternately connected by connecting portions 71 and 72 as driving means. Here, the connecting portion 71 is involved in the vertical bending drive, and the connecting portion 72 is involved in the horizontal bending drive.
As shown in FIG. 13, the connecting portion 71 includes a connecting arm 71a protruding from the joint piece on the front end side and a connecting arm 71 protruding from the joint piece on the rear end side.
b and a pivot shaft 71c for fixing the connecting arms 71a, 71b. Similarly, the connecting portion 72 also includes connecting arms 72a and 72b and a shaft 72c. The connecting arm 71a is composed of an elastic vibrating body, and as shown in FIG. 12, electrostrictive elements 73a and 73b are attached to the outer peripheral surface of the connecting arm 71a at intervals most suitable for generating a standing vibration wave. Connecting arm
72a is also composed of an elastic vibrating body, and electrostrictive elements 74a and 74b are attached to the outer peripheral surface thereof at the same intervals.

FIG. 14 shows a control circuit as a control means for controlling the driving of the driving means. Switch control circuit 39, 4
0, 41 and 42 are connected to the input terminals of the OR circuit 47 and the control input terminals of the switch boxes 80, 81, 82 and 83, respectively. The switch control circuit 48 is connected to the input terminal of the OR circuit 47. The output end of the OR circuit 47 is a switch box
Connected to control inputs 84 and 85. The drive power source 50 is V =
A voltage of Vo sin ωt is generated, one end of which is the connecting arm 71.
a and 72a, and the other end is connected to the input ends of the 90-degree phase shifters 51 and 51 'and the switch boxes 84 and 85. The 90-degree phase shifter 51 advances the phase of the input voltage by 90 degrees, and its output end is connected to the input ends of the switch boxes 80 and 82.
The 90-degree phase shifter 51 'delays the phase of the input voltage by 90 degrees, and its output end is connected to the input ends of the switch boxes 81 and 83. The output terminals of the switch boxes 84 and 85 are connected to the electrostrictive elements 73a and 74a, respectively. The output terminals of the switch boxes 80 and 81 are commonly connected to the electrostrictive element 73b,
The output terminals of the switch boxes 82 and 83 are commonly connected to the electrostrictive element 74b.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. First, a case where the changeover switch 25 is operated in an angle lock will be described by way of an example in which the bending portion is bent in the vertical direction. When the bending operation switch 22 is turned on, the switch control circuit 40 outputs the H level, so that the input / output terminals of the switch boxes 81, 84, 85 become conductive. As a result, a voltage of V = Vo sin ωt is supplied to the electrostrictive elements 73a and 74a, and a voltage of V = Vosin (ωt −π / 2) is supplied to the electrostrictive element 73b. Therefore, a traveling vibration wave is generated in the connecting arm 71a in a direction in which the bending portion is operated for UP operation, so that the bending portion is UP. Next, when the bending operation switch 21 is turned on, the switch control circuit 39 outputs the H level, so that the input / output terminals of the switch boxes 80, 84, 85 are turned on. As a result, the voltage V = Vo sin ωt is supplied to the electrostrictive elements 73a and 74a, and the voltage V = Vo sin (ωt + π / 2) is supplied to the electrostrictive element 73b. Therefore, a traveling vibration wave in the opposite direction to the previous direction is generated in the connecting arm 71a, and the curved portion DOWN. A description of bending the bending portion in the left-right direction is omitted.

When the change-over switch 25 is operated in an angle-free manner, the switch control circuit 48 outputs an H level signal, so that the input / output terminals of the switch boxes 84, 85 become conductive.
Therefore, a voltage of V = Vo sin ωt is constantly applied to the connecting arms 71a and 72a, so that a standing vibration wave is always generated. Therefore, for example, even when the endoscope is pulled out from the body cavity, it can be pulled out smoothly.

Further, if the connecting arm is controlled separately for each joint piece, a complicated bending operation is possible.

According to the second embodiment, since the bending wire is not required, the structure can be simplified.

[0030]

According to the present invention, since the curved portion can be appropriately locked or switched to the free state, the curved portion can be locked during the bending operation for good observation.
When removing the insertion portion, the curved portion can be freed and safely removed without damaging the inside of the lumen. Also,
Since the vibration wave motor is used, the configuration can be simplified.
The endoscope system can be downsized and has excellent operability.
It

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an endoscope of a first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a curved portion of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a wire driving unit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a wire driving unit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a circuit for driving and controlling the wire driving unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a driving principle of a vibration wave motor used for a wire driving unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating generation of a traveling vibration wave and a standing vibration wave in the vibration wave motor.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a curved portion showing a modified example of the first embodiment.

10 is a cross-sectional view showing the joint piece in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a curved portion of the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a view showing a connecting arm of the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing a connecting portion of the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a circuit for driving and controlling a connecting portion of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Endoscope 16 Curved part 25 Angle lock / free switch 26 Joint piece 30 Curved wires 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d Wire drive part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An oscillating wave for bending a bending portion of an endoscope.
An endoscope apparatus comprising: a drive unit having a motor; and a control unit for controlling the vibration wave motor so that at least the curved portion is in a locked or free state.