JPS63135143A - Ultrasonic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic endoscope that is capable of carrying out ultrasonic observation by incorporating an ultrasonic transducer into the distal end portion of the insertion section.

[Conventional technology]

This kind of super? For example, the 7-wave 1-view mirror is published in JP-A-57-2.
It is known from the publication No. 00136. This has one electronic scan 99 ultrasonic transducer embedded in the side surface of the hard part at the tip of the insertion part. Furthermore, this electronic scanning type probe has its vibrator arranged so as to transmit and receive ultra-n waves in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the insertion section. Therefore, this ultrasonic transducer part occupies approximately 14 minutes of this cross section in the hard part of the distal end of the insertion tube, and is built into the endoscope, including the image guide, light guide, air and water supply tube, suction tube, etc. The object is -1- ultrasonic vibration r
The remaining space occupied by the part is used for insertion. Therefore, it has been difficult to narrow the distal end of the insertion portion.

Furthermore, recently, as known from Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-53625, two electronic scanning type, sector-type ultrasonic transducers are installed in the hard part of the distal end of the insertion tube, and the scanning direction is J.
Ultrasonic endoscopes are provided that are installed back-to-back with their angles different by 90 degrees. This type of ultrasonic endoscope incorporates two ultrasonic transducers into the rigid distal end of the insertion section, so a portion of the two ultrasonic vibrations r almost clutters the rigid distal end. , there is no room to guide the internal objects beyond this point. Therefore, this type of endoscope has no choice but to be a so-called side-view type endoscope, which is installed on the side surface in front of the endoscope functional component or the location where the ultrasonic transducer is installed.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Two super i′? When incorporating a wave oscillator,
In conventional ultrasonic endoscopes, it is particularly difficult to reduce the diameter of the distal end component of the insertion section, and the endoscope cannot be constructed as a direct viewing endoscope. For this reason, the usage win T was poor and a change in k was desired.

The present invention is directed to the above jj! The reason for this is that although it is equipped with IU ultrasonic transducers, the insertion part can be made smaller in diameter, and it has a built-in endoscope function. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic endoscope that can guide a member from its ultrasonic transducer portion to the distal side.

[L stage and operation for solving the problems] In order to solve the above problems, the ultrasonic endoscope of the present invention has a plurality of ultrasonic transducers facing back to back and installed together. A damper member is interposed between the wave transducers, and the damper member is provided with an insertion space that penetrates in the longitudinal axis direction of the insertion part, and a built-in part for endoscope functions such as an image guide is inserted through this space. It is designed to be guided toward the tip side.

With this configuration, built-in components for endoscope functions, such as an image guide, can be placed on the distal end side by using the nail part of the ultrahigh-wave probe, and, for example, an observation objective optical system can be incorporated at the distal end of the insertion section. Since it is not necessary to separately provide a space for insertion to guide the built-in member for endoscope function to the distal end side, the diameter of the insertion portion can be reduced.

〔Example〕

1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows this ultrasonic endoscope, which consists of an operating section 1 and an insertion section 2 for insertion into a body cavity.The operating section 1 also has a light guide cable 3 and an electric cable 4. It is connected. At the extending end of the light guide cable 3 is a connector 5 that connects to a light source device (not shown).
is provided. Furthermore, an electrical connector 7 connected to an observation device 6 is provided at the extending end of the electrical cable 4 . '' The bipedal insertion section 2 is formed by connecting the distal end component 1 ( ) to the distal end of the Ill flexible tube section 8 via the curved tube section 9 .

The bending tube part 9 is configured to be bent by operating an angle knob 11 of the operating part 1.

':j51 Figure 1-51 shows the configuration of the end configuration section 10. The wooden cup 12 of the distal end component 10 is made of hard metal, and the distal end member 14 into which the endoscope function section 13 is installed is installed at the distal end of the main body 12. This tip member 14 includes a direct viewing objective optical system 15, a direct viewing illumination lens 17,
A forceps port 18 and a nozzle 19 are provided. An image guide 21 made of an optical fiber is connected to the observation objective optical system 15. In addition, the direct viewing illumination lens 17 also includes a light guide 2 made of optical uA fibers.
2 are connected. The image guide 21 and the light guide 22 are each covered by an outer tube 2-3° 24. Further, a forceps channel tube 25 is connected to the forceps port 18 . And nozzle 1
9 is connected to an air/water supply tube 26.

Furthermore, an image guide 21, a light guide 22, exterior tubes 23, 24, a forceps channel tube 25,
Each built-in member for the endoscope function of the air and water supply tube 26 is 1
The ultrasonic probe unit 27 is assembled into a bundle, as will be described later.
, and is further guided to the operating section 1 side through the insertion section 2.

The image guide 21 is optically connected to an eyepiece section 28 provided on the operation section 1. Further, the light guide 22 and the air/water supply tube 26 are connected to the connector 5 through the light guide cable 3. forceps
- The channel/l/tube 25 communicates with the forceps/insertion port of the operating section 1 (not shown).

On the other hand, the ultrasonic probe section 27 is located at the main body 1 of the tip structure section 1°.
It is installed inside this by hollowing out 2. namely, a pair of electronic sector oscillations-J'-31.

32 are arranged one above the other back to back, and each of the electronic sector transducers 31 and 32 is shifted by 90' in the arrangement direction of the transducer elements, that is, in the scanning direction, and the transducer transmitting/receiving surface or the tip component 10 It is attached so that the side faces outward. Each electronic sector vibrator 31, 32 is connected to a signal line 33, 34 that transmits a signal of a reflected wave to which a driving pulse is applied or received. The signal lines 33 and 34 are led through the insertion section 2, the operating section 1, and the light guide cable 3, and are connected to the observation device M116. In addition, K"J lenses 35 are installed on the transmitting and receiving surfaces of each electronic sector vibrator 31 and 32, respectively.
．． 36 is attached.

2. Between each of the electronic sector vibrators 31 and 32, there is a block of tampering material 37 for absorbing and attenuating ultrasonic vibrations radiated toward the back side of each of the electronic sector vibrators 31 and 32.
This valley-shaped r-sector vibration J'-31.

It is provided in a state where it is in contact with the back surface of 32.

In other words, the entire length of the tampering material 37 can be used to absorb and attenuate the ultrasonic vibrations radiated toward the back side of the electronic sector vibrations r-31 and 32.

Further, the damper 4-37 is provided with an insertion space 38 that penetrates in the direction of the central axis of the tip component 10. The insertion space 38 has a circular cross-sectional shape as shown in FIG. ° It is arranged obliquely (parallel to the 1st wave) with respect to the 1st wave vibrator surface. Therefore, at the boundary of this insertion space 38, 6
The ultrasonic vibrations radiated toward the back side of the electric r-sector vibrator 31.32 are scattered and reflected to the side, and the ultrasonic vibrations are prevented from reaching the electric r-sector vibration r-31.32 of itself or the other as much as possible. Reduce. Therefore, noise due to reflected waves can be reduced. Note that the insertion space '38 is for each electric sector vibrator 31. '32, respectively, are provided at equal distances from each other. Therefore, 1-Ki Danba Shrine '37
The absorption and damping effect of ultrasonic vibration can be made equal.

1' in the space 38 for inserting the tamper material 37.

The built-in parts for each of the endoscope functions described above, namely the image guide 21 and the Li!・Guide 22, exterior tube 23, 2
4. Built-in members for the endoscope function of the forceps tunnel tube 25 and the air/water supply tube 26 are inserted in a bundle.

However, in the above configuration, the insertion space 38 is inserted into the damper material 37.
In this insertion space 38, the built-in parts for each endoscope function as described above, that is, the image guide 2
1. Since the light guide 22, exterior tubes 23, 24, forceps channel tube 25, and air/water supply tube 26 can be inserted in one bundle, the endoscope function is built into the part other than the mg wave probe section 27. There is no need to prepare a space for inserting the subassembly. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the diameter of the insertion part z5, especially the tip +14 part 10. Furthermore, the pair of electronic sector vibrators 1 and 32 are arranged back to back, and the damper material 37 of each of the electronic sector vibrators 31 and 32 is (Because of this structure, the ultrasonic probe section 27 can be simplified and miniaturized.

Furthermore, even if the insertion space '38 is provided in the tamper material 37, the ultrasonic vibrations radiated toward the back surface of each electric r-sector vibrator 31, 32 are scattered and reflected to the side at the peripheral surface boundary of the insertion space '38. etc.) j's electronic sector activation 1. 'U2: We will minimize the reach of ultrahigh wave vibrations, so
The damper effect of the member 4'37 is not reduced.

In addition, in the embodiment described in Section 1, the shape of the insertion space 8 formed in the damper (37) was circular, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the cross-sectional shape as shown in FIG. is formed into a four (q) shape, each side of which corresponds to each electronic sector vibration r3
1. : It may be arranged diagonally with respect to the back of the other side. In addition to this, any other shape may be used as long as it is not parallel to the back surface of the vibrator 31, 32. Furthermore, three or more vibrators may be installed, and these may be provided on the backs of each other.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in 1-1 above, according to the present invention, the ultrasound endoscope in which the endoscope function part is disposed on the distal end side and the ultrasound probe part on the rear end side does not have to be made thicker, and the structure of that part can be improved. It is possible to achieve the simplification of

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the tip component in the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the ultrasonic probe part in the first embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic probe section in the second embodiment. 2... Insertion part, 10... Tip $1.7 part, 13.
...Endoscope function section, 21...Image guide, 22.
...Light guide, 25.26...Tube, 27.
...Ultrasonic probe section. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Atsushi Tsuboi Figure 4

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of ultrasonic transducers are installed back-to-back, and a damper member is interposed between the ultrasonic transducers, and the damper member is provided with a damper member for insertion in the longitudinal axis direction of the insertion part. An ultrasonic endoscope characterized by providing a space and guiding a built-in member for endoscope functions such as an image guide to the distal end side through the space. (2) The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the insertion space is oblique with respect to the plane of the ultrasonic transducer.