JPH105172A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope which can smooth a movement of an enclosed object when a curved part 13 curved and can prevent buckling damage of the enclosed object. SOLUTION: This endoscope is constituted so as to have a curved part 7 inside which an enclosed object such as an observing optical system is housed by rotatably connecting plural curved pieces 31 in order to each other as well as to have curving operation wires 34 to curve the curved part 7 by towing the other end to the near end side of the curved part 7 by fixing one end to the distant end side of this curved part 7. In this case, at least a part of the curving operation wires 34 in the curved part 7 are covered with a soft tubular body 35.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope having a curved portion in which a plurality of articulating rings are sequentially connected in a freely rotatable manner and in which a built-in component such as an observation optical system is housed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An insertion portion of an endoscope includes a flexible portion, a bending portion, and a distal end portion. A plurality of articulation rings are sequentially connected to the bending portion in a freely rotatable manner. Covered by a jacket. Further, built-in components such as an image guide fiber, a light guide fiber, various tubes, and a signal line are inserted into the inside of the curved portion. Further, one end of a traction member is fixed to the distal end side of the bending portion, and the other end is connected to the operating portion, and the bending portion is bent by being pulled toward the proximal end side of the bending portion, The distal end component can be guided to a target site.

[0003] This type of endoscope is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model 4-1.
922 and the like. In this bending device for an endoscope, a wire guide made of a pipe is provided inside a node ring constituting a bending portion, and an operation wire as a traction member is inserted through the wire guide.

[0004]

However, in the bending device for an endoscope disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-1922, when a bending portion is bent, an image guide fiber, a light guide fiber, various tubes and the like in the bending portion are provided. , Signal wires and the like move in the axial, radial, and circumferential directions.
Therefore, when these built-in components are pressed against the wire guide and receive a force in the axial direction, the edges of the wire guides become indented, restricting the movement of the built-in components. Without release, buckling damage of built-in components such as the image guide fiber and the light guide fiber may occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to smooth the movement of the built-in object when the towing member is pulled to bend the curved portion, and the seat of the built-in object is seated. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope capable of preventing bending damage.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a plurality of articulation rings are sequentially connected rotatably,
It has a curved portion in which a built-in object such as an observation optical system is housed, and has one end fixed to the distal end side of the curved portion and the other end pulled toward the proximal end side of the curved portion to bend the curved portion. In an endoscope having a traction member for bending a portion, at least a part of the traction member in the bending portion is covered with a flexible tubular body.

[0007] By covering the traction member in the bending portion with the soft tubular body, even if the built-in object moves due to bending, the traction member does not directly contact the traction member, and the traction member operates smoothly, so that the bending operability is ensured. it can.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment, FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a bending portion, FIG. 2 is a radial sectional view of the bending portion, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the entire endoscope, FIG. Is a sectional view in the axial direction of the bending portion when bending, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the operation portion.

First, the overall configuration of the endoscope will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, an endoscope 1 is formed at an elongated insertion section 2 having flexibility and at a rear end of the insertion section 2. An operation unit 3,
A universal code portion 4 extending from the operation portion 3, and a connector 5 connected to a light source device (not shown) is provided at an end of the universal code portion 4.

The insertion portion 2 is formed from a distal end side to a hard distal end portion 6, formed adjacent to a rear end of the distal end portion 6, and is a bendable bending portion 7, and a rear end of the bending portion 7. And a flexible tube portion 8 which is formed adjacent to the operating portion 3 and has bending flexibility. By rotating a bending knob 9 serving as a bending operation means provided on the operation portion 3, the bending portion 7 is rotated. Can be bent in a desired direction.

The operating section 3 is provided on the extension of the insertion section 2 in the axial direction. The operation section 3 has one end opened to the bending knob 9 and the distal end forming section 6 and communicates with a pipe extending inside the insertion section 2. Dimming switch 11, which is one of endoscope operation instruction switches for adjusting the brightness of an endoscope image by a solid-state image pickup device arranged at the treatment tool insertion port 10 and the distal end component 6 which are located on the axial extension of FIG.
The connecting portion 12 is provided at a position on the axial extension of the inserting portion 2, the connecting portion 12 is formed at an acute angle with the inserting portion 2, and the grip portion 13 is connected to the universal cord portion 4.

The angle between the insertion part 2 and the grip part 13 is 3
Desirably, it is about 0 ° to 70 °. The bending knob 9 is located near the intersection of the center axis of the insertion section 2 and the center axis of the grip section 13.
In addition, a spherical portion 14 having a spherical outer surface shape that can be gripped so as to be wrapped by hand is formed in the gripping portion 13.

On the surface of the spherical portion 14 facing the connecting portion 12, a freeze switch 15 of an endoscope image, which is one of endoscope operation instruction switches, faces the connecting portion 12 of the spherical portion 14. An air supply switch 16 for instructing ejection of air or water from the distal end of the distal end component 6, which is an endoscope operation instruction switch, and a bodily fluid from the distal end of the distal end component 6 For example, a suction switch 17 for instructing suction is provided. A release switch 18 of an endoscope image, which is one of endoscope operation instruction switches, is provided at a portion of the grip 13 from the connection portion 12.

In general, an endoscope is, for example,
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 171403, the insertion portion 2 and the grip portion 1
The central axes of 3 intersect at an obtuse angle. Therefore, the weight of the insertion portion 2 is quite heavy, and when the insertion length in the body cavity is short, the insertion portion 2 tends to tilt vertically downward. At this time, if the insertion portion 2 and the grip portion 13 intersect at an obtuse angle, the necessary force is large and the fatigue is large for stable holding. However, as described above, when the grip portion 13 is gripped in front of the body of the gripper by making the central axis of the insertion portion 2 and the central axis of the grip portion 13 acute, the insertion portion 2 faces downward from the horizontal. Extend. Therefore, since the rotational moment going downward in the vertical direction by the own weight can be reduced, there is an effect that the user can easily grasp the object.

The distal end portion 6 and the bending portion 7 are shown in FIG.
And it is comprised as shown in FIG. That is, the light guide fiber 19 for transmitting the illumination light is inserted into the insertion section 2, and the rear end side of the light control switch 11 reaches the light guide connector 20 of the connector 5 via the universal cord section 4. When the light guide connector 20 is connected to the light source device, illumination light is supplied from a lamp in the light source device, and the supplied illumination light is transmitted by the light guide fiber 19 to form the distal end constituting the distal end forming section 6. The light is emitted from the distal end surface fixed to the component member 21 via the base 22.

An illumination lens system 23 is attached to an illumination window of the distal end component 21 via a lens frame 24 so as to face the distal end surface of the light guide fiber 19, and expands forward through the illumination lens system 23. To illuminate a subject such as an affected part in front. An objective lens is attached to an observation window (not shown) formed adjacent to the illumination window, and an image pickup device is arranged at an image forming position to form an image pickup unit.

The signal cable 25 shown in FIG. 2 connected to the image pickup device reaches the electrical connector section 26 of the connector 5 via the insertion section 2, the operation section 3, and the universal cord section 4.
By connecting to a video processor via a scope cable connected to the electric connector unit, signal processing is performed on an image pickup signal photoelectrically converted by the image pickup device, an image signal is generated, and an endoscope image is displayed on a monitor (not shown). Can be displayed.

A treatment instrument insertion channel 27 communicating with the treatment instrument insertion port 10 is formed in the insertion portion 2 by a channel tube 28, and the distal end of the channel tube 28 is fixed to a channel hole of the distal end component 21. Is fixed to the base 29 by thread binding or the like. The treatment instrument insertion channel 27 is also connected to a suction tube (not shown) for performing suction, and is also used as a suction channel.

The distal end side of a bending piece 31, which is the most advanced node ring forming the bending portion 7, is fitted to the rear end side of the outer peripheral surface of the distal end member 21 and fixed by brazing or the like.
The rear end of the next-stage bending piece 31 is rotatably connected to the front end of the next-stage bending piece 31 by a connecting shaft 32. The rear end of the next-stage bending piece 31 is further connected to the front end of the next-stage bending piece 31 by a connecting shaft 32. A plurality of bending pieces 31 are rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction of the bending portion 7 so that they are rotatably connected to each other. The three to five connection shafts 32 on the rear end side are crimped as compared to the front side, so that the front and rear connection shafts 32 are hard to rotate.
The rear end of the bending piece 31 at the rear end is fitted into a connection opening 33 for connection to the flexible tube portion 8 and fixed by brazing or the like.

A bending operation wire 34 as a pulling member is inserted along the inner peripheral surface of the bending portion 7, and the distal ends of these bending operation wires 34 are fixed to the most advanced bending piece 31 by brazing or the like. Have been. In addition, each bending operation wire 34
Is fixed to a pulley or a sprocket (not shown) attached to a rotating shaft of the bending knob 9. By rotating the bending knob 9, one of the pair of bending operation wires 34 is pulled, The bending piece 31 constituting the bending portion 7 can be bent toward the bending operation wire 34 pulled by pulling the other side loose.

A portion of the lens frame 24 located at the curved portion 7 is covered with a flexible tubular body 35 made of a resin tube such as polytetrafluoroethylene or polyimide. A portion of the lens frame 24 located at the flexible tube portion 8 is covered with a guide 30 made of a coil pipe or a resin tube. The inner diameter of the flexible tubular body 35 is preferably larger than the outer diameter of the bending operation wire 34 by about 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, and the thickness of the flexible tubular body 35 is preferably about 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm. The total length 1 of the flexible tubular body 35 is the bending operation wire 34 from the distal end of the bending operation wire 34 to the distal end of the guide 30.
Is shorter by about 0 to 20 mm than a value m (minimum) when the distance m along the curve becomes minimum due to the bending of the bending portion 7. Most preferably, it is as short as 0 to 3 mm. The proximal end of the flexible tubular body 35 is fixed to the bending piece 31 on the proximal end side by bonding or the like. The flexible tubular body 35 need not be fixed to the bending piece 31 as long as it is in the vicinity of the proximal side ring such as the connection opening 33. The sequentially connected bending pieces 31 are water-tightly covered with a mesh tube 36 made of metal or resin and a curved coating 37 made of an elastomer material such as fluoro rubber.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in the radial direction of the bending portion 7. The inner space of the bending piece 31 is a signal cable 25, a light guide fiber 19, a treatment tool insertion channel 27, a flexible tubular body 35, an air supply / water supply conduit. 38 is almost completely buried.

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view when the bending portion 7 is bent. When the bending portion 7 is bent, the bending operation wire 34 is a flexible tubular portion at a portion where the bending radius is minimum (portion A in FIG. 4) and at a position where the position in the endoscope axial direction is the same (portion B in FIG. 4). It is covered by the body 35. The flexible tubular body 35 is in contact with other internal components such as the signal cable 25 and the treatment instrument insertion channel 27, and hardly moves in the radial and circumferential directions.

FIG. 5 is a cross section of the operation unit 3 and mainly shows a mechanism for setting the maximum bending angle of the bending unit 7. A bending operation device 40 is built in the connecting portion 12 which is an extension of the insertion portion central axis. A substrate 41 of the bending operation device 40 is formed in a long shape, and one end thereof is an inner metal fitting of an inner metal fitting 42 and an outer metal fitting 43 which is a metal body fixed by sandwiching one side wall of a casing 39 made of plastic. A pair of tongue pieces 44, 44 bent at 42 are connected and fixed.
A frame 45 has one end fixed to the other end of the substrate 41, and a connecting cylinder (not shown) for connecting the insertion section 2 to the operation section 3 is attached to the other end of the frame 45. ing.

A shaft 47 protrudes from the upper surface on one end side of the substrate 41, and an inner sleeve 48 and an outer sleeve 49 are rotatably fitted on the shaft 47. One end of each of the sleeves 48 and 49 is vertically positioned in the axial direction of the shaft 47 and a pair of sprockets 50 rotatably provided.
50 (only one is shown), and the other end protrudes from the casing 39 and is connected to the bending knob 9.

A partition member 51 having a U-shaped cross section is provided on the upper surface on the other end side of the substrate 41 via a middle side thereof.
2 is attached and fixed along the longitudinal direction of the substrate 41. On the outer sides of both sides of the partition member 51, a passage 54 is defined by a partition wall 53 in two upper and lower stages. The partition wall 53 is divided into an inner partition wall 53a and an outer partition wall 53b in the width direction of the passage 54, and each of the partition walls 53a and 53b has an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction and an end on the sprocket 50 side formed on the substrate 41. It is supported and fixed to the first and second support portions 55a and 55 which are erected.

A mounting plate 56 is provided upright on the end face of the partition member 51 on the side opposite to the sprocket 50.
A plate-like holding member 57 having a larger width dimension than the partition wall member 51 is joined and fixed to 6. Two notches 58 are formed at both ends in the width direction of the holding member 57 so as to correspond to the passages 54, respectively. The notch 58 is provided with a hollow cylindrical regulating member 59 having a small-diameter stepped portion 59a formed at an intermediate portion in the axial direction in a state where the movement in the axial direction is regulated by engaging the stepped portion 59a. .

The regulating member 59 is held by the end of the outer partition wall 53b so as not to come off the notch 58. Further, a flexible guide 30 composed of a close-wound coil or the like inserted through the entire length of the insertion portion 2 is fitted into the regulating member 59 and is fixed by brazing with a brazing material 61 with its base end inserted. A bending operation wire 34 is inserted through the guide 30. This bending operation wire 3
The distal end of 4 is connected and fixed to the bending piece 31 (see FIG. 1) constituting the bending portion 7, and the base end is guided to the passage 54. A connecting member 62 is connected to the proximal end of the bending operation wire 34 guided to the passage 54, and a chain 63 having an intermediate portion engaged with the sprocket 50 is connected to the connecting member 62.
Are connected.

The connecting member 62 includes a wire 3 for bending operation.
The collision member 64 is implanted in a state perpendicular to the axis of the fourth. A part of the collision member 64 protrudes outward in the width direction of the substrate 41, and the outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion is formed as a slope 65 that forms an acute angle with the end surface thereof.

On the other hand, between the first supporting portion 55a and the second supporting portion 55 erected on the substrate 41, a wall portion formed by bending a part or another member of the substrate 41 into an L-shape. 66 are provided. A support hole 67 is formed in one side of the wall portion 66 along the width direction of the substrate 41, and a screw 68 having a receiving portion 68c between the screw portion 68a and the head portion 68b is formed in the support hole 67. It is rotatably supported via a portion 68c.

That is, the screw 68 has its axis parallel to the axis of the bending operation wire 34 and is parallel to the bending operation wire 3.
The screw portion 68 a is provided outside the substrate 41 in the width direction with respect to the axis 4, and the end of the screw portion 68 a is engaged with a support hole 69 formed in the second support portion 55. A stopper 70 is screwed into the screw portion 68a of the screw 68. Since the height of the stopper 70 is formed slightly smaller than the height of the passage 54, when the screw 68 is rotated, the stopper 70 does not rotate and moves back and forth in the passage 54. I have.

Further, the passage 54 where the screw 68 is provided is defined by the outer partition wall 53b. On one side of the stopper 70 facing the partition member 51 side, a slope 71 having an angle corresponding to the slope 65 of the collision member 64 is formed, and the slope 7 of the stopper 70 is formed.
1, the running of the bending operation wire 34, that is, the maximum bending angle in the vertical and horizontal directions of the bending portion 7 is regulated.

On the other hand, the head 68b of the screw 68 is provided with, for example, a cross-shaped locking slit 72. One end of a locking member 73 is locked to the locking slit 72. That is, the locking member 72 is formed of a rigid metal plate, a locking portion 74 bent in a U-shape is provided at one end thereof, and a through hole 7 is formed at a plate surface at the other end.
5 are drilled.

The locking portion 74 of the locking member 73 is locked by a locking slit 72 provided on the head 68b of the upper and lower two-step screw 68. The locking member 73 is inserted into the through hole 75. A screw 76 is screwed into a screw hole 77 formed in the wall portion 65 in a direction perpendicular to the screw 68 to be fastened and fixed. Accordingly, the rotation and the movement of the screw 68 in the axial direction (the direction in which the screw 68 comes out of the support hole 67) are restricted by the single locking member 73.

Next, the operation of the endoscope configured as described above will be described. When the bending knob 9 of the operation section 3 is operated to pull the bending operation wire 34 to bend the bending section 7, the bending section 7 bends as shown in FIG. At this time, since the inside of the bending piece 31 is almost buried with various built-in objects, the bending operation wire 34 covered with the flexible tubular body 35 almost moves radially and circumferentially to come into contact with other built-in objects. There is no stable curvature.

Further, since there is no edge portion in the portion where the bending radius is minimized as in the conventional wire guide, the light guide fiber 19, the signal cable 25, the treatment tool insertion channel 27, and the air / water supply conduit 38 are provided. Does not locally hinder the axial movement even if it comes into contact with the flexible tubular body 35.

Further, since the soft tubular body 35 is made of a material having a small friction coefficient, the sliding resistance is small. Therefore, the light guide fiber 19, the lens frame 25, the treatment tool insertion channel 27, and the air / water supply conduit 38 are hardly damaged. From the length of the bending operation wire 34 located between the distal end fixing portion of the bending operation wire 34 and the distal end of the guide 30 in the flexible tube portion 8 of the insertion portion 2 in a state where the bending portion 7 is bent. Also, since the length of the flexible tubular body 35 is short, the distal end of the flexible tubular body 35 does not come into contact with the distal end fixing portion of the bending operation wire 34, so that good bending can be obtained. Further, since the free end of the flexible tubular body 35 is on the distal end side, there is little axial movement of the other built-in components due to bending, and the flexible tubular body 35 does not interfere with the other built-in components.

When the grip 13 is gripped, the insertion portion 2
Hangs vertically downward, so that the rotational moment due to its own weight is small. The outer surface of the grip 13 is spherical and can be firmly gripped so as to enclose it.

In the bending operation device 40 configured as described above, when the sprocket 50 is rotated by the bending knob 9 to bend the bending portion 7 and the chain 63 is run, one of the passages 54 in the width direction of the substrate 41 is formed. The bending operation wire 34 on the side is pulled, and the bending operation wire 34 on the other passage 54 side is pushed. Therefore, the bending portion 7 is bent in the direction of the bending operation wire 34 to be pulled. Then, the bending operation wire 34
Is further towed, the slope 65 of the collision member 64 provided on the connecting member 62 connecting the base end of the bending operation wire 34 and the chain 63 collides with the slope 71 of the stopper 70. The wire 34 cannot be pulled any further. That is, the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7 is regulated by the stopper 70.

When the collision member 64 collides with the stopper 70, the screw 68 is pressed toward the second support portion 55 via the stopper 70. However, since the end face of the head 68b of the screw 68 abuts against the side surface of the wall portion 66, and this abutment prevents the stopper 68 from moving in the axial direction, the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7 is initially reduced. There is no danger that the angle becomes larger than the set angle.

On the other hand, in order to change the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7, the screw 77 is loosened to remove the locking member 73, and the locking portion 74 is once extracted from the engaging slit 72 of the head 68b of the screw 68. Next, after rotating the screw 68 to shift the stopper 70 to the second support portion 55 side, the bending knob 9 is rotated to bend the bending portion 7 to a predetermined bending angle.

In this state, the bending knob 9 is fixed,
The screw 68 is rotated in a direction opposite to the above direction until the slope 71 of the stopper 70 contacts the slope 65 of the collision member 64.
Next, the locking member 7 with the locking member 74 of the locking member 73 locked in the locking slit 72 of the head 68b of the screw 68.
By fixing 3, the stopper 70 is fixed at a predetermined position via the screw 48, so that the maximum bending angle of the bending portion 7 is set by the stopper 70.

As a second embodiment of the present invention, instead of fixing the proximal end of the flexible tubular body 35 that covers the bending operation wire 34 to the proximal bending piece 31, the distal end of the flexible tubular body 35 is remoted. It may be fixed in the vicinity of the distal end side bending piece 31 such as the distal end side bending piece 31 and the distal end configuration portion 6.

As a third embodiment of the present invention, instead of fixing the proximal end of the flexible tubular body 35 to the proximal end bending piece 31, the flexible tubular body 35
May be fixed midway.

FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
The flexible tubular body 35 is made of an elastomer material such as polytetrafluoroethylene stretched and stretched in the axial direction, polytetrafluoroethylene stretched and formed in a bellows shape, and a stretchable fluororubber or silicone rubber. Flexible tubular body 3
The proximal end 5 is fixed near the proximal end bending piece 31, and the distal end is fixed near the distal end bending piece 31.

Since the both ends of the flexible tubular body 35 are fixed as described above, the end of the flexible tubular body 35 does not move in the axial direction and interferes with other built-in components, and damages other built-in components. I will not give.

As a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the flexible tubular body 35 may be divided into a plurality of pieces instead of being integrated. According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the following configuration is obtained. (Supplementary Note 1) A plurality of articulation rings are sequentially connected in a freely rotatable manner, and a curved portion accommodating a built-in component such as an observation optical system is internally provided. One end is fixed to a distal end side of the curved portion, and In an endoscope having a traction member that bends the bending portion by pulling an end toward a proximal end side of the bending portion, at least a part of the traction member in the bending portion is covered with a flexible tubular body. Endoscope.

(Supplementary Note 2) The portion of the traction member having the same position in the axial direction of the endoscope as the portion where the bending radius is minimized when the bending portion is bent is formed by a flexible tubular body and is continuously continuous in the axial direction. Supplementary note 1 characterized by being coated
The endoscope as described. (Supplementary note 3) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein at least a part of the flexible tubular body is fixed near an end of the curved portion. (Supplementary note 4) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is fixed near the proximal side node ring near the proximal end of the curved portion.

(Supplementary note 5) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is fixed to the proximal side ring near the proximal end of the curved portion. (Supplementary Note 6) The flexible tubular body is fixed to the flexible tube distal end side mouth body of the insertion portion near the proximal end of the curved portion.
The endoscope as described. (Supplementary note 7) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is fixed near the distal end node ring near the distal end of the curved portion. (Supplementary note 8) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is fixed to the distal end node ring near the distal end of the curved portion.

(Supplementary note 9) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is fixed to the distal end portion in the vicinity of the distal end of the curved portion. (Supplementary note 10) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is fixed to the node ring located in the middle of the curved portion. (Supplementary Note 11) The endoscope according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is capable of expanding and contracting in the axial direction of the bending portion. (Supplementary note 12) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is fixed to the proximal end node ring and the distal end node ring of the curved portion.

(Supplementary note 13) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is polytetrafluoroethylene that is stretchable in the axial direction. (Supplementary note 14) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body has a bellows shape that can expand and contract in the axial direction. (Supplementary note 15) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is an elastomeric material such as fluororubber or silicone rubber. (Supplementary Note 16) The flexible tubular body is longer than the length of the traction member located between the distal end fixing portion of the traction member and the distal end of the guide of the traction member in the flexible tube of the insertion portion when the bending portion is curved. 3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the length of the endoscope is short.

(Supplementary note 17) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the outer surface of the flexible tubular body is in contact with other internal components in the curved portion when the curved portion is curved. (Supplementary note 18) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is divided into a plurality of pieces. (Supplementary note 19) The endoscope according to supplementary note 1, wherein the flexible tubular body is a resin tube of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, or the like.

(Supplementary Note 20) In an endoscope having a grip portion and having an insertion portion of the endoscope and an operation portion main body connected at the base end thereof, the center axis of the grip portion and the center axis of the insertion portion are different from each other. An endoscope, wherein the angle formed is an acute angle. (Supplementary note 21) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 20, wherein the bending operation unit is disposed near a connection part between the grip unit and the insertion unit. (Supplementary note 22) The endoscope according to supplementary note 20, wherein the means for regulating the amount of traction of the traction member that bends the bending portion is disposed on an extension of the central axis of the insertion portion.

(Supplementary Note 23) The hand end of the hollow conduit extending into the insertion portion is opened as a treatment instrument insertion port on the extension of the central axis of the insertion portion near the connection portion between the grip portion and the insertion portion. 20. The endoscope according to Supplementary Note 20. (Supplementary note 24) The endoscope according to supplementary note 20, wherein the endoscope operation instruction switch is provided in the vicinity of a connection portion between the insertion portion and the grip portion. (Supplementary note 25) The endoscope according to supplementary note 20, wherein the endoscope operation instruction switch is provided on the grip portion. (Supplementary note 26) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 20, wherein the endoscope operation instruction switch is provided on a surface of the grip unit facing the insertion unit.

(Supplementary note 27) The endoscope according to supplementary note 20, wherein the endoscope operation instruction switch is provided on a surface which is displaced in a circumferential direction by about 90 ° from a surface of the grip portion facing the insertion portion. (Supplementary note 28) The endoscope according to supplementary note 20, wherein the endoscope operation instruction switch is provided on the extension of the central axis of the insertion portion. (Supplementary note 29) The endoscope according to Supplementary note 20, wherein the outer surface of the grip portion has a spherical portion. (Supplementary note 30) The endoscope according to supplementary note 20, wherein an endoscope operation instruction switch is provided on the spherical portion. (Supplementary note 31) The endoscope according to supplementary note 20, wherein an angle formed by a central axis of the insertion portion and a central axis of the grip portion is 30 ° to 70 °.

[0056]

According to the present invention, by covering the traction member in the curved portion with the flexible tubular body, even if the built-in object moves due to the bending, it does not directly contact the traction member. , Which smoothly operate, can secure the operability of bending, smoothly move the built-in object when the bending portion is bent, and prevent buckling of the built-in object.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an axial cross-sectional view of a bending portion according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a radial cross-sectional view of the bending portion of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary perspective view of the entire endoscope according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an axial cross-sectional view of the bending portion when bending according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the operation unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an axial sectional view of a bending portion according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope 2 ... Insertion part 3 ... Operation part 7 ... Bending part 9 ... Bending knob 31 ... Bending piece (node ring) 34 ... Bending operation wire (traction member) 35 ... Soft tubular body

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A curved portion in which a plurality of articulation rings are sequentially connected rotatably and a built-in component such as an observation optical system is housed therein.
An endoscope having a pulling member that bends the bending portion by fixing one end to a distal end side of the bending portion and pulling the other end toward a proximal end side of the bending portion. An endoscope wherein at least a part of a member is covered with a flexible tubular body.