JPS63160631A - 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]

[Industrial Application Field 1] The present invention relates to an endoscope that is suitably used for removing or crushing relatively large lump-like foreign bodies in body cavities, such as biliary stones. be. [Prior art] In conventional endoscopes, in order to remove gallstones, etc., a treatment tool such as forceps is led out from a forceps opening formed at the tip of the insertion section, and the removal, crushing, etc. However, due to limitations on the caliber of the forceps mouth, there was an inconvenience in that it was not possible to attach a treatment instrument that could extract or crush a very large object. Therefore, in order to enable extraction and crushing of large lumps as described above, the present applicant et al. provided a pair of gripping claws at the distal end of the endoscope, and by opening and closing the gripping claws, the above-mentioned We proposed a system that can extract and crush such lumps. In this endoscope, in order to open and close the gripping claw, a wire for opening and closing the gripping claw is inserted through the insertion section, and the tip of the wire is guided to the operating section main body. The gripping claws are opened and closed by operating the push-pull operation means to push and pull the wire.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The endoscope configured as described above uses larger gripping claws than forceps, etc., so it is possible to remove and crush large lumps such as stones extremely smoothly. Although it has the advantage of being able to do so, it is not without problems when opening and closing the gripping claws. That is, when extracting a lump with the gripping claw, a certain force must be applied to the operating means of the operating wire to press the gripping claw against the lump and hold it so that it does not fall off midway through. Therefore, when operating the endoscope with one hand, this extraction operation is difficult. Further, since the observation window formed at the distal end of the insertion portion is disposed between the gripping claws, the observation field is limited by the gripping claws. Therefore, by holding the gripping claws in an expanded state, the field of view can be enlarged to almost the same extent as with a normal endoscope, but the operation of holding the gripping claws in the expanded state is troublesome. There is also the problem of becoming. Furthermore, in order to prevent the wire from causing friction with other built-in objects in the insertion section when the insertion section is bent, the wire is given a predetermined amount of slack in advance. However, this results in play in operating the operating wire, and there is also the problem that the angle of the gripping claws cannot be precisely controlled. The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and its object is to provide an endoscope with good operability in opening and closing the gripping claw attached to the tip of the insertion section. It is about providing. [Means for Solving Problems J] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention includes a pair of gripping claws attached to the distal end of the insertion section, and an opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the gripping claws. The opening/closing mechanism includes a liquid chamber formed in the insertion part, an actuating piston that reciprocates in the axial direction of the insertion part by supplying and discharging liquid pressure to and from the liquid chamber, and a liquid chamber formed in the liquid chamber by manual operation. It is characterized in that it has a hydraulic pressure supply/discharge means for supplying and discharging hydraulic pressure, and is configured so that the gripping claws are opened and closed by reciprocating movement of the operating piston. [Function] Since the gripping claws are operated using hydraulic pressure, the ability to follow the opening and closing of the gripping claws by the operation of the hydraulic pressure supply/discharge means is extremely good. fine control is possible. Furthermore, if the liquid chamber is locked with a predetermined amount of working fluid supplied, the gripping claws can be brought into pressure contact with the lump to be removed, which is convenient for removing it from the body cavity. Since the gripping claws are held at a predetermined angle, it is possible to maintain a good observation field of the endoscope. [Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. First, in Fig. 1, which shows the overall configuration of an endoscope, 1 indicates the operation section main body, 2 indicates the insertion section into the body cavity, and the insertion section 2 has a pair of gripping claws 3 at the tip. 3 is provided. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the gripping claws 3, 3 are pivotally fixed to the distal end main body 2a of the insertion section 2 by a support shaft 4.4, and the attachment portions to the respective support shafts 4. The more forward part is the claw part 3
a, and the rear part is a lever part 3b. A crank plate 5.5 is pivotally attached to the base end position of each lever part 3b, 3b by a pivot pin 5a, 5a, respectively, and the other end of each crank plate 5, 5 is connected to a guide cylinder 6. The mounting connected to the actuating piston 7 which is slidably inserted along the axial direction of the member 8 is pivotally connected to the member 8 by means of a pivot pin 5b. Further, a light guide 8 and an image guide 10 are attached to the tip body 2a, and an illumination window 11 and an observation window 12 are formed on the tip surface of the tip body 2a, as shown in FIG. has been done. Here, as is clear from FIG. 3, the observation window 12 is disposed at a rear position of the gripping claw 3 due to the request for a smaller diameter insertion portion 2 of the endoscope. The claw 3 is arranged to be within the observation field of view. Next, the opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the aforementioned gripping claws 3, 3 is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, a flexible tube 13 is connected to the guide tube 6 into which the actuating piston 7 is inserted, and the other end of the tube 13 extends from the insertion section 2 to the opening/closing operation section formed on the operation section main body 1. 14 (see FIG. 1), and is connected to a cylindrical body 15 attached to the opening/closing operation section 14. A cylinder 16 is installed inside the cylindrical body 15, and a valve seat 17 is formed at the end of the cylinder 16 on the side where the tube 13 is installed. The part on the side up to the guide cylinder 8 becomes the liquid chamber 18, and the part from the valve seat 17 to the cylinder 16 side becomes the pressure chamber 113a. The valve body 19 of the on-off valve can be seated on and removed from the valve seat 17.
Under normal conditions, a spring 21 is compressed between a spring seat 20 formed on the cylindrical body 15 and the valve body 18, and urges the valve body 19 in a direction to seat the valve body 19 on the valve seat 17. Further, a pushing piston 22 is slidably inserted into the cylinder 1B, and a pusher 23 is connected to the pushing piston 22, and the pusher 23 is connected to the opening/closing operation section 14.
The endoscope is protruded to the outside so that the operator of the endoscope can manually push and pull the endoscope. Further, a spring 24 is acting on the pusher 23 as well, which biases the pusher 23 in a direction to project it to the outside. Here, the pushing piston 22
The diameter of is formed smaller than the diameter of the working piston 7,
Thereby, there is a difference in pressure receiving area between the pushing piston 22 and the working piston 7, and the working piston 7 can be pushed and displaced with a light operating force. On the other hand, in order to enable the aforementioned valve body 19 to be opened manually, a rod 25 as a valve opening member is connected to the valve body 19 . The rod 25 is connected to the cylindrical body 15
It extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical body 15, is led out through a through hole 15a formed in the sliding part of the cylindrical body 15, and is bent parallel to the axis; Together with the pusher 23, it is led out to the outside of the opening/closing operation section 14, so that it can be pushed and operated from the outside. In order to prevent the working fluid from leaking from the through hole 15a, the through hole 15a is
a is sealed by an elastic member 26 such as rubber so that the rod 25 can be pushed or pulled. This embodiment is constructed as described above, and its operation will be explained next. First, insert the insertion section 2 into a body cavity such as a human body, and
The distal end portion of the gripper 3 is guided to a predetermined location such as the inside of the biliary tract, but at this time, the grasping claws 3 are held in a closed state in order to smoothly guide the guide toward the location. That is, pusher 2
3 in an unloaded state, the pushing piston 22 is moved into the pressure chamber le of the cylinder 1B by the action of the spring 24.
The pressure chamber 113a and the liquid chamber 18 are in a protruding state from a.
Create a low pressure state inside. As a result, the actuating piston 7 enters the guide cylinder 8, and as a result, the gripping claws 3, 3 are in a closed state. In order to remove a lumpy object such as a calculus from the site, the gripping claw 3 is guided to a position close to the calculus, and the pusher 23 is pushed against the spring 24. The piston 22 enters the pressure chamber tea, and the pressure chamber 1
The pressure in f3a increases, and this pressure acts on the valve body 18, causing the valve body 18 to separate from the valve seat 17 and the pressure in the pressure chamber 113a to be supplied to the liquid chamber 18. , the liquid chamber 18 becomes high pressure. Therefore, this pressure acts on the actuating piston 7, displacing the actuating piston 7 in the direction of protruding from the guide cylinder 6, and displacing the link plates 5, 5 connected to the actuating piston 7 in the protruding direction. , the gripping claws 3, 3 are expanded. Then, the above-mentioned push piston and stone 2
When the pressure chamber lea and the liquid chamber 18 are stopped from entering the pressure chamber lea and held at that position, the pressure chamber lea and the liquid chamber 18 become equal pressure, so the biasing force of the spring 21 acting on the valve body 18 is seated on the valve seat 17, and the liquid chamber 18 is closed in this state. As a result, the gripping claws 3.degree. 3 are locked while maintaining the predetermined expansion angle state. Therefore, the gripping claws 3, 3 are displaced to a position where a lump such as a stone is inserted between them, and the rod 25 is pushed in to forcibly open the valve body 18, and the pusher 23 is pulled out. , the pressure chamber lea and the liquid chamber 18 communicating with the pressure chamber lea become in a negative pressure state, and a force acts on the actuating piston 7 in the direction of entering the guide cylinder 6. For this purpose, a link plate 5 connected to the actuating piston 7
, 5 are pulled into the insertion section 2 side, the gripping claws 3, 3 are closed, and the lumps located between them are gripped,
It will be possible to crush it. Here, the pressure receiving area of the pushing piston 22 is equal to the pressure receiving area of the operating piston 7.
Since it is smaller, if the spring force of the spring 24 is made strong, the aforementioned pressure receiving area difference can be used when pushing the pusher 23, and the spring force of the spring 24 can be used when pulling out the pusher 23, so it is lighter. The pusher 23 can now be pushed or pulled using the operating force. Moreover, in order to hold the lump between the gripping claws 3.3, the valve body 18 must be seated on the valve seat 17 while the pushing piston 22 is held at a predetermined position within the pressure chamber 18a. If this is done, the inside of the liquid chamber 18 is maintained at a predetermined pressure state, and this liquid pressure allows the gripping claws 3, 3 to obtain a gripping force on the lump. Further, when observing the inside while the first gripping claws 3, 3 are inserted into the body cavity with the gripping claws 3, 3 closed, the rod 25 and the pusher 23 are pushed and operated as appropriate.
By moving the actuating piston 7 connected to the gripper 3 along the guide tube 6, the angle between the gripping claws 3, 3 is adjusted. Then, when the gripping claws 3, 3 are at the optimum angle, if the operating force on the rod 25 and pusher 23 is released, the gripping claws 3.3 will be held in that angular state. Therefore, observation of the inside of the body cavity by expanding the gripping claws 3, 3 can be performed extremely smoothly. As mentioned above, since the opening and closing operations of the gripping claws 3, 3 are performed using hydraulic pressure, the ability of the gripping claws 3, 3 to follow the pushing stroke of the pusher 23 is extremely good, and the minute It becomes possible to perform control, etc. In the above embodiment, when the pusher 23 is pushed, the gripping claws 3, 3 are expanded; however, on the contrary, when the pusher 23 is pushed, It goes without saying that the gripping claws 3, 3 can also be configured to be displaced in the closing direction. [Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, the endoscope according to the present invention is configured such that the gripping claw attached to the tip of the insertion section is opened and closed by an opening/closing mechanism operated by hydraulic pressure. The opening and closing operations can now be performed extremely easily and minutely, making it convenient for grasping and crushing lumps such as stones, and for observing the inside of body cavities by expanding the grasping claws at a predetermined angle. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope showing an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tip of the insertion tube, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along ■--■ in Figure 2, Figure 4 is an external view of the tip with the gripping claws expanded, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tip of the insertion tube. FIG. 2 is a configuration explanatory diagram of an opening/closing mechanism. 1: Operating unit main body, 2: Insertion unit, 2a: Tip main body, 3
: Grip claw, 3a: claw part, 3b part of lever, 5: crank plate, 8 guide cylinder, 7: operating piston, 12: observation window, ! 4: Opening/closing operation part, 16: Cylinder, 17: Valve seat,!
9: Valve body, 22: iP dynamic meston 23: Pusher, 2
5: arad.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A pair of gripping claws attached to the tip of the insertion section, and an opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the gripping claws, the opening/closing mechanism is connected to a liquid chamber formed in the insertion section, and a liquid chamber formed in the insertion section. The actuating piston is composed of an actuating piston that reciprocates in the axial direction of the insertion portion by supplying and discharging hydraulic pressure to and from the chamber, and a hydraulic pressure supplying and discharging means that supplies and discharges hydraulic pressure to and from the liquid chamber by manual operation. An endoscope characterized in that the gripping claws are opened and closed by reciprocating movement of the endoscope. (2) The hydraulic pressure supply/discharge means includes a cylinder that communicates with the liquid chamber, an on-off valve that communicates/cuts off communication between the cylinder and the liquid chamber, and a working liquid that is inserted into the cylinder and that operates within the cylinder. a pushing piston for supplying liquid to the liquid chamber; a pusher for pushing the pushing piston in the operation section main body; and a pusher connected to the on-off valve for manually opening the on-off valve. The endoscope according to claim (1), characterized in that the endoscope is configured to include a valve opening member. (3) Each of the gripping claws is attached to a support shaft provided at a predetermined distance from the central axis of the insertion portion at the tip of the insertion portion, and the gripping claws are connected to the operating piston. The endoscope according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the endoscope is configured to be connected via a link mechanism.