JPS6285214A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a connection part in diameter and facilitate assembly, and to prevent a fixed part from being peeled off by fixing the tip of a guide tube through which an operation wire is run to the peripheral wall of a cylinder body and inserting the guide tube into a cut groove formed in a fitting-in part which is fitted in the cylinder body of the connecting tube. CONSTITUTION:The operation wire 14 is fixed to tip parts of many node rings 12 which are coupled rotatably to bent a curvature part 5. A couple of upper and lower cut grooves 21 are formed in the connecting tube 20 consisting of large- and small-diameter parts 20a and 20b and the small-diameter part 20b is fixed to the rear-end node ring 12. The operation wire guide tube 22 is run in the cut grooves 21, so the projection into the internal cave of the connecting part 7 is small and its dead space 23 is reduced. Therefore, an incorporated body is stored effectively and the connecting part is decreased in diameter to fix the tip of the operation wire tightly and prevent it from being peeled off, thereby facilitating the assembly.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an endoscope used for observing the inside of a living body cavity or a machine, and particularly relates to an endoscope that is used to observe the inside of a living body cavity or a machine, and in particular, the invention relates to an endoscope that is used to observe the inside of a living body cavity or a machine. This invention relates to an endoscope with an improved structure.

[Prior Art] A connecting portion between an insertion tube portion of an endoscope and a curved portion connected to its distal end tends to have the largest diameter in order to perform the connection.

However, especially for endoscopes inserted into bronchi and other small hollow organs, it is desirable that the diameter be as small as possible, and it is important to consider how to make the connecting part between the insertion tube part and the curved part as small as possible. This had become an issue.

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a connecting tube d provided at the tip of the insertion tube section C is fitted into a cylindrical body provided at the rear end of the curved section a. , a curved portion a is connected to the tip of the insertion tube portion C, and notched grooves e, e are formed in the rear half of the connecting tube d, and a bending operation wire f is inserted into the notched grooves e, e.

Insert the guide tube g of f into the tip of g, and fill it with hard stone material, so that it is firmly fixed and the dead space in the inner cavity of the connecting part is reduced by 1 tl, thereby effectively storing the built-in contents j. The diameter of the connecting part was reduced by
69024).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional endoscope described above has a cutout groove e formed in the connecting tube d.
The tip of the guide tube g of the bending operation wire f was fitted and fixed therein. However, in order to reduce the diameter of the connecting part, the connecting pipe d
The wall thickness of 7 must be made as thin as possible (for example, about 0.15 mm), and since the guide tube g is fixed to the side surface k of the thin wall 7, sufficient adhesion strength cannot be obtained, and the bending operation is difficult. When strong force is applied by
It had the disadvantage of being separated by l.

In addition, if the guide tube g or the fixing material is fixed in a state in which it protrudes outward from the notch groove e even slightly, the connecting tube d cannot be inserted and fixed at the tip of the insertion tube section, and conversely, the guide tube If g is fixed inwardly, it will not be possible to insert the built-in component j, and in either case it will be impossible to assemble. Therefore, when fixing the guide tube g, the position of It is small and essential.

With the above-mentioned conventional endoscope, it is not easy to perform delicate positioning in the radial direction, so it takes a lot of time and effort to adjust the combination A.

The present invention solves these conventional drawbacks, improves the m-diameter ratio of the connection part between the insertion tube part and the curved part, and provides an endoscope that is easy to assemble and does not cause peeling of the fixed part. The purpose is to

Means for Solving Problem U] The endoscope of the present invention for achieving the above object will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 3 corresponding to the embodiments. A cylindrical body 12a is provided at the rear end of the curved portion 5 that is bent by this, and a connecting tube 20 is provided at the tip of the insertion tube portion J. By fitting and fixing the connecting tube 20 into the cylindrical body 12a, the insertion tube A curved portion 5 is connected to the tip of the portion 1. Then, the operation wire 14
．． The tips of the guides v22, 22 through which the guides 14 are inserted are fixed to the inner circumferential wall of the cylindrical body 12a constituting the curved portion 5, and the notch grooves 21, 21 are formed in the fitting portion 20b of the connecting pipe 20 into the cylindrical body 12a. is formed, and 4-
The recording guides 'R22, 22 are inserted.

[Function] The operating wire guide tube 22° 22, which creates a dead space 23 in the inner cavity of the connecting portion 7 between the insertion tube portion 1 and the bending portion 5, is formed in the notch groove 21.22 formed in the connecting tube 20. Pass through the inside of zl and connect to the connecting part 7
Since the protrusion into the inner cavity is small, the dead space 23 is small, so that internal objects can be stored effectively.

Furthermore, since the tip of the guide 722.22 of the operating wire is fixed to the inner circumferential wall of the cylindrical body 12a, a sufficient fixing area can be obtained, and therefore a large fixing force can be obtained.
Furthermore, the fixed position can be determined in the radial direction reliably and easily.

[Example] A first example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 4 shows the overall configuration of an endoscope that has not yet been implemented, in which a flexible insertion upper part 10 has a proximal end connected to an eyepiece 2 and an operating section 3 equipped with various operating devices. A bending part 5 that can be freely bent by rotating a bending operation knob 4 provided on a 12-operating part 3 is connected to the tip of the insertion tube part l, and a tip main body 6 is connected to the tip of the bending part 5. connected.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the vicinity of the curved portion 5 of this embodiment, and FIG.
The figure shows a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ of the connecting portion 7 between the curved portion 5 and the insertion tube portion 1, and the tip body 6 connected to the tip of the curved portion 5 has an objective lens 8 and an illumination The output end of the light guide fiber 9 is disposed, and the objective lens 8 is
The image guide fiber 10 and the illumination light guide fiber 9 whose end faces are arranged at the imaging position of Component J.In some cases, other built-in components such as a forceps channel and an air/water supply tube 7 are provided.

The curved portion 5 has a large number of cylindrical node rings 12 connected to a connecting shaft 13.
..., and one end of a pair of upper and lower operating wires 14.14 is fixed to the node ring 12 at the tip, and by rotating the curved operating knob 4 provided on the operating section 3. Either one of the operating wires 14.degree. 14 is pulled to bend the bending portion 5. Reference numeral 15 denotes a reticular tube made of thin metal wire provided so as to cover the outer periphery of the node rings 12, and 16 an outer skin made of a flexible tube provided so as to cover the outer periphery thereof.

The insertion tube portion 1 is formed by, for example, a wire tube 17 made of stainless steel band, the outer periphery of which is coated with a reticular tube 18 made of thin metal wire, and a flexible outer skin 19 on the outer periphery. A large diameter portion 20a and a small diameter portion 20b as shown in
A stepped cylindrical connecting tube 20 is provided, and the ends of the conduit tube 17 and the mesh tube 18 are fitted and fixed to the large diameter portion 20a of the connecting tube 20 by soldering or the like.

The narrow diameter portion 20b of the connecting pipe 20 has a pair of upper and lower notch grooves 2.
1.21 is formed, and this narrow diameter part 20b is fitted into the joint ring 12a, which is a cylinder provided at the rear end of the curved part 5, to form a fitting part, and the joint is fixed by soldering or the like here. ring 1
2a to connect the insertion tube portion l and the curved portion 5.

On the other hand, the above-mentioned pair of upper and lower operating wires 14.14 are each inserted into flexible guide tubes 22.
It is fixed to the inner peripheral wall by brazing or the like, and the notched grooves 21, 2
1 and passes through the insertion tube section 1, and its proximal end is fixed within the operating section 3.

In this embodiment, as described above, since the guide tubes 22.22 are inserted into the notch grooves 21, 21 formed in the connection v20, the protrusion of the guide tubes 22.22 into the inner cavity of the connection portion 7 is small. As shown in FIG. 2, the dead space 23.23 of the connecting portion 7 is reduced. Furthermore, when the bending operation knob 4 is rotated to pull the operation wire 14.14, a reaction force is applied to the fixed portions at both ends of the guide tube 22.22.
In the above embodiment, the tip side of the guide tube 22.22 has a node ring 1.
Since it is fixed to the inner peripheral wall of 2a, the fixed area to the node ring is large, so a large fixed force is obtained, and there is no risk of peeling, and the fixed position does not shift in the radial direction.
It is always fixed without any variation in position.

5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a connecting pipe 30 is connected to a central large diameter portion 3 as shown in FIG.
0a is formed into a stepped cylindrical shape having narrow diameter portions 30b and 30C on both sides, one of the narrow diameter portions 30b is fitted into and fixed to the tube wire tube 17 of the insertion tube portion 1, and the other narrow diameter portion 30c is curved. The insertion tube portion l is inserted into and fixed to the node ring 12a at the rear end of the portion 5.
and the curved portion 5, and the front and rear narrow diameter portions 30b.
, 30c are formed with cutout grooves 21.21 into which the guide tubes 22.22 are inserted, and the present invention may be configured in this way.

In each of the above embodiments, the operating wires of the bending portion are provided as one pair on the upper and lower sides, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, two pairs may be provided on the upper and lower sides and on the left and right sides. Just form it. Further, although the guide tube of the bending operation wire is fixed to the node ring at the rear end of the bending portion, it may be fixed to the intermediate node ring if necessary.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the endoscope of the present invention, the punt space of the lumen at the connection portion between the insertion tube portion and the curved portion is small, and therefore internal objects can be stored effectively. It is possible to reduce the diameter of the connecting part, which tends to be the thickest, and in addition, the tip of the guide tube of the bending operation wire is fixed within the bending part with sufficient adhesion force, so there is no risk of it peeling off. Since directional positioning is reliable and easy, assembly is extremely easy.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention near the curved part, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-H, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a schematic overall view of the endoscope of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the vicinity of the curved part of the second embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 is a perspective view of the connecting pipe;
Figure 7 is a side sectional view of the vicinity of the curved part of a conventional endoscope;
The figure is a cross-sectional view (-■ line), and Figure 9 is the connecting pipe (
This is a perspective view. I... Insertion tube part 5... Curved part 7... Connecting part 12a... Rear end node ring (cylindrical body) 14... Operating rod 20... Connecting tube 20b... Small diameter part (inset part)
21... Notch groove 22... Guide tube 30...
(Patent applicant: Asahi Optical Industry Co., Ltd.? Agent: Patent attorney: Mitsui Wapu') Vl! [4th figure oblique reading figure 1 figure 2 figure 3 figure 7

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A connecting tube provided at the tip of the insertion tube portion is fitted and fixed into a cylinder provided at the rear end of the curved portion that bends when the operating wire is pulled, thereby forming the insertion tube portion. In the endoscope, the tip of the guide tube through which the operating wire is inserted is fixed to the inner circumferential wall of the cylindrical body constituting the cylindrical part, and the connecting tube has a fitting part into the cylindrical body. An endoscope characterized in that a notch groove is formed in the endoscope, and the guide tube is inserted into the notch groove. 2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the connecting tube has a narrow diameter portion and a large diameter portion, and a notch groove is formed in the narrow diameter portion. 3. The connecting pipe has a central large diameter part and narrow diameter parts on both sides,
The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein notch grooves are formed in the narrow diameter portions on both sides thereof.