JPH08140923A - Tip part of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a tip part of an endoscope which facilitates the loading or unloading of a tip cap body with a nozzle on or from the body of the tip part without breaking the cap. CONSTITUTION: This tip part of an endoscope is provided with a tip cap 50 freely detachably from a tip part body 1 having a nozzle formed thereon to blow a fluid to the surface of an observation window 11 provided on the tip part body 1 at the tip of an inserting part and concave/convex parts 9 and 51 to be mated with each other are formed on the tip part body 1 and on the tip cap 50 respectively to lock slipping off when the tip cap 50 is mounted on the tip part body 1. Then, the tip cap 50 is provided with a non-deformation part 50a made of a non-elastic material to hold the shape thereof when covering the tip part body 1 while the concave/convex part 51 of at least the tip cap is made of an elastic material 50b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a distal end portion of an endoscope in which a nozzle is formed in a distal end cap detachably attached to a distal end portion main body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A tip cap is generally made of a plastic material and is detachably attached to the tip body.

In the past, the tip cap was sometimes made of rubber. However, if the tip cap is made thinner to reduce the outer diameter, the rubber tip cap becomes messy, and Since it becomes very difficult to attach, it is made plastic as the thickness decreases.

Further, the nozzle for spraying a fluid such as water or air on the surface of the observation window was once provided so as to project from the tip end main body, but cleaning of the inside of the nozzle which is contaminated by the use of an endoscope is not possible. Due to difficulties, nozzles are being formed on the tip cap.

In order to detachably attach such a tip cap with a nozzle to the tip body, generally, when the tip cap is attached to the tip body, a concavo-convex portion that engages with each other as a stopper is attached to the tip body. It is formed on the tip cap, and is attached to and detached from the tip body while elastically deforming the tip cap.

[0006]

However, when the plastic tip cap is elastically deformed and attached to and detached from the tip body in this manner, there is relatively no problem during mounting work, but during removal work, there is an uneven surface. In some cases, the tip cap was pulled too strongly to remove the gap, and the tip cap was deformed beyond its elastic limit and could be damaged.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a distal end portion of an endoscope which can be easily attached to and detached from a distal end body without damaging a distal end cap with a nozzle.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the distal end portion of the endoscope of the present invention is for spraying fluid on the surface of an observation window provided in the distal end body of the insertion portion distal end. A tip cap formed with a nozzle is detachably provided on the tip body, and an uneven portion that engages with each other as a stopper when the tip cap is attached to the tip body is provided on the tip body and the tip body. In the distal end portion of the endoscope formed with the distal end cap, the distal end cap is provided with a non-deformable portion formed of an inelastic material so as to maintain the shape covered by the distal end portion main body, and at least the distal end portion. The uneven portion of the cap is formed of an elastic material.

[0009]

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a front view of the tip portion of the endoscope, and FIG. 1 is its ABCDEF.
The GH section is shown. FIG. 3 is a perspective view.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tip body 1 is
The distal end of an insertion portion formed by an elongated flexible tube is connected to a distal end portion of a bending portion 2 that is provided to be bendable by remote control.

The bending portion 2 has a large number of node rings 3 rotatably connected by a rivet 4, a mesh tube 5 is covered on the outer periphery of the bending portion 2, and is covered with a rubber tube 6 or the like. It is configured by binding and bonding to the outer peripheral surface of the main body 1. Reference numeral 7 is an operation wire.

The tip body 1 is made of stainless steel metal block 1a which is connected to the tip of the curved portion 2 and is not exposed to the outside, and a plastic block which is fixed to the front side of the metal block 1a and is exposed to the outside. And 1b.

The endoscope of the present embodiment is a so-called front-viewing endoscope for observing the front of the tube axis, and as shown in FIGS. The observation window 11, the illumination window 12, and the forceps channel outlet hole 13 are arranged in the observation window 11, and the air / water supply nozzle 14 that opens toward the observation window 11 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, an objective optical system 16 is disposed inside the observation window 11 so as to be fixed inside a lens frame 17 made of metal. The first lens 16a on the surface is fixed to the lens frame 17 by caulking at a step portion formed midway on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Reference numeral 18 is an aperture stop, and 19 is a spacer.

An insulating ring 21 made of an electrically insulating plastic material is joined to the outer peripheral portion of the front half of the lens frame 17, and is detached in a recess formed so that the front end portion of the lens frame 17 is not exposed. It is filled with the foamed epoxy adhesive 22. The outer peripheral surface of the insulating ring 21 is fitted in the hole formed in the plastic block portion 1b of the tip body 1,
An O-ring 23 for sealing is attached to the fitting portion.

A shield pipe 25 made of metal is fitted and joined to the outer periphery of the rear portion of the lens frame 17, and a solid-state image pickup device 26 made of, for example, a charge coupled device (CCD) serves as an image receiving surface in the shield pipe 25. It is fixed facing forward.

On the front side, a transparent cover glass 27 is arranged in close contact, and a YAG laser light cut filter 28 is further attached on the front surface thereof. An observation light image is formed on the image receiving surface of the solid-state image sensor 26 by the objective optical system 16 through the transparent members 27 and 28. Two
Reference numeral 9 is a light-shielding mask.

Inside the shield pipe 25, an electronic component 31 for processing a signal input / output to / from the solid-state image pickup device 26 is mounted behind a solid-state image pickup device 26 and attached to a wiring board 32, and a signal cable 33 is provided. Has been pulled backwards from there.

Insulating tapes 34 and 35 are respectively wound around the outer peripheral surface of the components arranged inside the shield pipe 25 and the outer peripheral surface of the shield pipe 25 to electrically insulate the shield pipe 25 from the inside and outside thereof. ing. The rear end of the insulating tape 35 on the outer surface side of the shield pipe 25 continuously covers the outer peripheral surface of the front end of the signal cable 33.

The present invention is directed to such a solid-state image pickup device 2
It may be applied to an endoscope using an optical image transmitting means using an image guide fiber bundle instead of the electronic image transmitting means using 6, and may be applied to a rigid endoscope.

The illumination window 12 is used to widen the light distribution angle of the illumination light.
The light guide fiber bundle 3 for illumination which is passed through the endoscope insertion portion is provided inside the concave lens 37 attached to the
8 emission ends are arranged.

Reference numeral 50 denotes a tip cap which is detachably attached to the tip body 1, and is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the plastic block portion 1b of the tip body 1 so as to cover from the tip side of the tip body 1. ing. 10 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 0 is a removal jig used to remove the tip cap 50 from the tip body 1, which will be described later together with the description of the attachment / detachment operation.

The tip cap 50 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having an outer diameter dimension substantially the same as the outer diameter dimension of the tip portion main body 1, and its rear end is open in a tubular shape, but its front end is an air supply. The water supply nozzle 14 portion is formed on the end face portion, and the tip portion main body 1
Covers the front end face of. Further, all the ridge lines of the tip cap 50 are smoothly rounded so as not to damage the mucous membrane in the body cavity of the patient.

FIG. 4 shows a cross section taken along the line IJ in FIG. 2. The tips of the air feeding tube 41 and the water feeding tube 42 inserted into the insertion portion are bored straight in the axial direction of the tip end main body 1. It is inserted into the hole from the rear and fixed.

Both tubes 41, 42 are made of a tetrafluoroethylene resin tube, and a spiral groove is formed on the outer circumference of each of them in the bending portion 2, and a thin spring wire 43 for preventing buckling is used. 44 is wound along the spiral groove.

As shown in FIG. 4, the air supply hole 46 and the water supply hole 47, which are formed in the tip portion main body 1 and communicate with the air supply tube 41 and the water supply tube 42, merge into one at the most distal end. As shown in FIG. 5, which is a front view of the tip body 1 with the tip cap 50 removed, the tip body 1 has an oval cross-section opening toward the front.

On the other hand, the portion of the air / water supply nozzle 14 of the tip cap 50 is formed so as to project in front of the tip cap 50 as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. An air / water supply passage 15 that connects the hole 47 to the air / water supply nozzle 14 is formed on the back side thereof.

As shown in FIG. 4, the tip cap 50 has a portion in which the air / water supply passage 15 is formed protruding rearward, and is fitted into the hole on the tip body 1 side. 52 is the protrusion. Therefore, no water leak or air leak occurs from this portion.

With this structure, the air supply tube 41
The air and water selectively sent through the water supply tube 42 are sprayed from the air supply / water supply nozzle 14 toward the surface of the observation window 11.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7 showing the state in which the tip cap 50 is removed from the tip body 1, a concave groove (engagement) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the plastic block portion 1b of the tip body 1. A stopper groove 9 is formed in the circumferential direction, and a projection (locking projection) of a size just fitted into the locking groove 9 is formed on the rear half of the inner peripheral surface of the tip cap 50. 51 is provided so as to project inward in a circumferential shape.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8 which is a partial side sectional view of the tip cap 50, the tip cap 50 is formed.
Is formed on the outer periphery of the distal end body 1 near the distal end surface on the outer periphery by a plastic material having almost no elasticity, such as polycarbonate resin (plastic material portion 50a), and the latter half with the locking projection 51. The portion is formed of a rubber material having elasticity such as polyurethane rubber (rubber material portion 50b). 9 and 10
[Fig. 3] is a front view and a rear view of the tip cap 50.

The plastic material portion 50a and the rubber material portion 50b forming the tip cap 50 are engaged with each other in a hook shape so as to be firmly connected, and are joined at that portion. It should be noted that both parts may be integrally formed with the same mold.

When attaching such a tip cap 50 to the tip body 1, the locking projection 51 on the inner surface of the tip cap 50 is arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the tip body 1 so that the rubber material of the tip cap 50 is made. The portion 50b is elastically deformed so as to be expanded and pushed into the tip portion main body 1 from the tip.

At this time, the plastic material portion 50a of the tip cap 50 does not deform and retains the original cross-sectional shape that covers the outer peripheral surface of the tip body 1, so the tip cap 5
The tip body 1 can be easily covered with 0.

As a result, the elastic tip cap 50 is provided.
With the locking projection 51 of the locking projection 5 being pushed out, the distal end body 1 enters the distal end cap 50, and the locking projection 5
When 1 is fitted in the locking groove 9 on the outer peripheral surface of the tip body 1, the tip cap 50 returns to its original shape as shown in FIG. It is locked in the absence. In this state, the outer surface of the tip cap 50 does not protrude from the outer surface of the tip body 1.

In the latter half of the outer peripheral surface of the tip cap 50,
A pair of recesses 55, 55 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. When viewed from the front, the shape of each of the recesses 55, 55 is an L-shape with smoothly rounded corners as shown in FIG.

When the recesses 55, 55 are viewed from the side,
As shown in FIG. 1, a wall surface 55a forming a step substantially perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface of the tip cap 50 is formed at the front end, and the rear end reaches the rear end of the tip cap 50 in a recessed shape. ing.

Then, the tip cap 50 is attached to the tip body 1
When attaching and detaching to and from this, the recesses 55, 55 are the tip body 1
5 and 7 are attached to the tip body 1 so as not to interfere with
As shown in FIG.
Recesses 8 having the same cross-sectional shape as the portion are formed straight rearward from the tip surface.

Although the recess 55 is not formed in the front half of the tip cap 50, the inner peripheral surface of the tip cap 50 fits into the recess 8 on the surface of the tip body 1,
It is formed in the same shape as the recessed portion 55 so as to project inward.

With this configuration, when the tip cap 50 is attached to the tip body 1, the tip cap 50 is positioned by aligning the positions of the recesses 55 and 8 with each other. In the state of being attached to, the end cap 50 serves as a rotation stopper that prevents the tip cap 50 from rotating around the axis with respect to the tip body 1 by being fitted and engaged with each other.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the recesses 55, 55 of the tip cap 50, the tip 1 of the removing jig 100 for removing the tip cap 50 from the tip body 1 is shown.
01 and 101 are engaged.

The removing jig 100 is made of metal or hard plastic, and is formed so that the tips 101, 101 are projected so as to just fit in the recesses 55, 55 of the tip cap 50.

In order to remove the tip cap 50 from the tip portion main body 1 with such a removing jig 100, the tips 101, 101 of the removing jig 100 are attached to the tip cap 5.
In the state of being engaged in the recesses 55, 55 of 0, the rear half of the tip body 1 may be pinched with a fingertip or the like and pulled backward.

Then, the tip cap 50 whose axial movement is restricted by the removing jig 100 does not move, but only the tip body 1 moves backward, so that the tip cap 50 comes off the tip body 1.

When the tip cap 50 is disengaged from the tip body 1, a locking projection 51 on the inner peripheral surface of the tip cap 50 is provided.
Passes over the outer peripheral surface of the tip body 1, so that the rubber material portion 50b of the tip cap 50 is elastically deformed.

11 to 13 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the distal end portion of a side-view type endoscope,
FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of the same, FIG. 12 shows the tip body 1 with the tip cap 50 removed, and FIG. 13 shows the tip cap 50.

In this embodiment, since the observation direction is lateral, the shape of each member is different from that of the first embodiment, but since there is almost no functional difference, each member has the first shape. The same reference numerals as those in the embodiment are given and the detailed description thereof is omitted. However, the tip body 1 is entirely made of metal.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but the present invention may be applied to, for example, the distal end portion of a perspective type endoscope, and the observation window 11 is provided in the endoscope. In addition to providing the air / water supply nozzle 14 directed to the surface, the so-called jet injection nozzle for ejecting water forward may be provided.

[0049]

According to the present invention, the tip cap is provided with a non-deformable portion formed of an inelastic material so as to retain the shape covered with the tip body, and prevents the tip cap from coming off. Since the concavo-convex part of the tip cap that engages as is formed of an elastic material, the concavo-convex part is easily deformed and the cross-sectional shape of the tip cap is not deformed when the tip cap is attached to or detached from the tip body. Since the portion maintains the original shape, the tip cap can be easily attached to and detached from the tip body without damaging the tip cap.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the present invention (ABCDEFG).
H) is a sectional view.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an IJ sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the tip body of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an EK sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state in which a tip cap is removed from the tip body of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial side sectional view of the tip cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the tip cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the tip cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side surface partial cross-sectional view of a distal end portion main body according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of a tip cap according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tip body 9 Locking groove 11 Observation window 14 Air / water nozzle 50 Tip cap 50a Plastic material portion 50b Rubber material portion 51 Locking protrusion

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tip cap having a nozzle for spraying a fluid formed on a surface of an observation window provided on a tip end main body of an insertion tip is detachably provided on the tip end main body, and the tip is provided. A distal end portion of an endoscope in which a concavo-convex portion is formed on the distal end body and the distal end cap to prevent mutual engagement when the cap is attached to the distal end body. A non-deformable portion formed of an inelastic material is provided so as to maintain the shape to be covered with, and at least the concavo-convex portion of the tip cap is formed of an elastic material. Tip.