JPS6319042Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an endoscope bending operation device with an improved braking mechanism.

Generally, a bending operation device for an endoscope is provided with a braking mechanism for holding and fixing a curved portion of an endoscope insertion portion in a curved state. This braking mechanism is
When an endoscope is used to take photographs or guide treatment instruments, the curved portion is held and fixed in a curved state. However, since the body cavity wall actually moves, it becomes necessary to readjust its curved state.

Conventionally, a device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 144787/1983 is known as a device capable of readjusting the curved state after the curved portion of the endoscope insertion portion is curved.
In this system, the braking drum and the bending control knob are connected by the meshing of gears and pawls, so once the brake is set, readjustment is done by rotating the bending control knob by at least one tooth interval. Therefore, it was not possible to make delicate adjustments. In addition, when re-adjusting the bending operation knob, the rotation of the bending operation knob is performed by first rotating a plate member provided under the bending operation knob in order to release the connection with the brake drum. There was a discrepancy between the operation and the actual change in curvature, and the curvature control knob had to be gripped deeply in order to be operated. Furthermore, in an endoscope, a camera and a treatment instrument must be operated at the same time, making the operation that much more complicated.

This invention was made with attention to the above circumstances,
The purpose is to provide an endoscope curvature operating device capable of reliably and delicately adjusting the curvature state with a simple operation after the curvature part is once held and fixed in the curved state.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 is an endoscope insertion section, and an operating section 2 is connected to the proximal end of the endoscope insertion section 1. The endoscope insertion section 1 is formed by connecting a distal end component 5 to the distal end of a flexible tube section 3 via a curved section 4,
The bending section 4 is configured to be operated remotely by a bending operation device 6 provided in the operating section 2, as will be described later.

The bending operation device 6 is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, an operating drum 7 as a bending operation drive body is rotatably installed in the operating section 2 of the endoscope, and the base end sides of a pair of operating wires 8 and 9 are connected to the operating drum 7 in opposite directions. wrapped from the side. The operating wires 8 and 9 are guided through the endoscope insertion section 1 to the distal end component 5 side via wire guides (not shown), and by rotating the operating drum 7, the pair of operating wires 8 and 9 are moved forward and backward alternately to curve the curved portion 4. Further, the rotation shaft 10 of the operation drum 7 is connected to the base plate 1 in the operation section 2.
1 and a cover 12, and furthermore, one end of the rotating shaft 10 penetrates the cover 12 of the operating section 2 and projects to the outside, and a curved operating knob 13 is attached to this projecting end. Fixed. Thus, by rotating the bending operation knob 13, the operating drum 7 is rotated, and the bending operation device 6 is configured to push and pull the operating wires 8 and 9 according to the direction of rotation.

On the other hand, a plurality of pins 14 are implanted in the substrate 11 around the operating drum 7, and a magnetic plate 15 is attached to each pin 14 so as to be vertically movable. Also, each pin 14
A collar 16 is formed on each of the ribs 16 to restrict the upward position of the magnetic plates 15. Furthermore, each magnetic plate 15... is urged upward by a compression coil spring 17... wound around the pin 14..., and comes to a standstill when it comes into contact with the collar 16.... The protruding ends of each of the magnetic plates 15 extend to face the upper surface of the operating drum 7, and the lower surface of the protruding ends is provided with a brake made of a material with a high friction coefficient, facing the upper surface of the operating drum 7. Members 18... are attached and fixed. Further, a ring-shaped brake receiving member 19 against which the brake members 18 are pressed is attached and fixed to the upper surface of the operating drum 7 that the brake members 18 are opposed to.

In addition, an operation drum 7 is provided facing each magnetic plate 15...
Electromagnets 20... are installed around each of the electromagnets 20..., and these electromagnets 20... are simultaneously excited as described later, and at this time, they attract the magnetic plate 15... and pull it down against the restoring force of the compression coil spring 17... It's becoming like that. As a result of this operation, the braking members 18 come into contact with the braking receiving members 19, and the rotation of the operating drum 7 can be prevented by frictional force.

On the other hand, on the circumferential surface of the curved operation knob 13 of the operation unit 2, a plurality of easy-to-grip parts, for example, four parts, are selected.
A brake release switch 21 is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, each brake release switch 21... is provided with a pressure-sensitive member 24 exposed to the outside between a pair of electrodes 22, 23, and by pressing this pressure-sensitive member 24, the resistance value can be changed. change, electrodes 22, 23
It is designed to function as a switch by changing the voltage value between them.

Further, a switch 25 for switching the electromagnets 20 is provided at the center of the outside of the bending operation knob 13. This changeover switch 25 has a conductive piece 28 on the inside of a switch operation knob 27 that is screwed into a screw 26, and a pair of electrodes 28 on the side of the screw 26 opposite to this.
9 and 30 are provided, and the switch operation knob 27
When screwed in, the conductive piece 28 comes into contact with both the electrodes 29 and 30, and can be removed by rotating the switch operating knob 27 in the opposite direction.

The brake release switches 21 and the changeover switches 25 are connected to a logic circuit 32, which will be described later, through conductive wires 31, respectively. Logic circuit 3 above
2 is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, each brake release switch 21...
The output side of this NOR circuit 33 and the changeover switch 25 are connected to an AND circuit 34. In addition, the above NOR circuit 3
3 is designed to output "1" when no pressure is applied to any of the pressure sensitive members 24 of the bending operation knob 13. Furthermore, the output side of the AND circuit 34 is inputted to the semiconductor switch 35 shown in FIG.
The electromagnets 20... are activated.

Next, the operation of the bending operation device 6 having the above configuration will be explained.

First, operate the operation knob 27 of the changeover switch 25 to turn the changeover switch 25 into the OFF state. In this state, the AND circuit 34 does not output any output, so the electromagnet 20 is not energized regardless of the state of the brake release switch 21. Therefore, the bending operation knob 13 is rotated to guide the endoscope insertion part 1 into the body cavity while bending the bending part 4. When attempting to maintain the curved state of the curved portion 4 in the body cavity, the operation knob 27 of the changeover switch 25 is operated, and the changeover switch 2
Turn on 5. At this time, the pressure sensitive member 24 of the brake release switch 21 of the bending operation knob 13
If none of the... is touched, the output of the NOR circuit 33 is "1", so the AND circuit 34 outputs,
The electromagnets 20 are energized. Therefore, the electromagnets 20 are energized and attract the magnetic plates 15 toward the operating drum 7, and the braking members 18 are pressed against the brake receiving member 19 of the operating drum 7 to brake the operating drum 7. That is, the endoscope insertion section 1
The curved portion 4 of can be maintained in its curved state.

Further, when the body cavity wall moves after that and the bending angle of the bending section 4 is adjusted, when the bending operation knob 13 is grasped by hand and an attempt is made to rotate it in the bending operation direction, the pressure sensitive member 24 of the brake release switch 21... Since a force is applied to the electromagnets 20, the power to the electromagnets 20 is cut off, the magnetic plates 15 are released, and are raised by the compression coil springs 17, thereby retracting the braking member 18. Therefore, by lightly turning the bending operation knob 13 to rotate the operating drum 7, the bending state of the bending portion 4 can be finely adjusted. Further, as soon as the hand is released from the bending operation knob 13, the electromagnets 20 are energized and the operation drum 7 is braked. Therefore, when making fine adjustments in a braking state, the braking is automatically released,
The bending operation knob 13 can be rotated with just the force of pushing and pulling the operation wires 8 and 9.

Figure 4 shows a reference example related to the present invention.
In this case, a changeover switch 36 is installed directly on the outer surface of the operating portion 2, and a brake release switch 37 is provided only at one location on the bending operation knob 13.

As explained above, in the present invention, a brake release switch made of a pressure-sensitive member is provided on the curved operation knob, and by operating this brake release switch, the electromagnet that operates the brake member is released. . Therefore, when a further bending operation is performed after controlling the bending operation driving body, the operation can be performed easily and reliably, and fine adjustment is also possible. Furthermore, since the bending operation knob is provided with multiple switches made of pressure-sensitive members, compared to the case where a single push button type switch is provided, the bending operation knob can be rotated to control the switch. After that, when the user releases his/her hand and operates the curved operation knob again, the operator can freely grasp the operation knob without having to worry about the position of the control release switch and without having to press the switch. The control state can be canceled quickly and easily. On the other hand, if the curved operation knob is equipped with a single push button switch, in order to release the braking state, the hand should be positioned in advance so that the push button is touched and the push button is pressed. There is a problem in that it is unsuitable for work that requires speed, as it has to be adapted to suit the user's needs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an endoscope showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of the bending operation device thereof, Fig. 3 is an electric circuit diagram thereof, and Fig. 4 is related to the present invention. It is a perspective view of the operation part of the endoscope showing a reference example. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Endoscope insertion part, 2... Operation part, 4... Curved part, 6... Curved operation device, 7... Operation drum,
8, 9...operation wire, 13...curved operation knob,
15... Magnetic plate, 18... Braking member, 19... Brake receiving member, 20... Electromagnet, 21... Brake release switch, 25... Changeover switch, 36...
Changeover switch, 37... Brake release switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A bending operation device for an endoscope that operates a bending operation drive body linked to a bending operation knob of an operating section to advance and retreat an operation wire and bend a curved portion of an endoscope insertion portion, the bending operation drive body being opposed to the bending operation drive body. A braking member, a magnetic plate holding the braking member, an electromagnet installed near the magnetic plate and actuated to press the braking member against the bending operation drive body to brake the bending operation drive body, and an electromagnet provided on the bending operation knob. a plurality of switches made of a pressure-sensitive member, and detects that any one of the plurality of switches is pressed by a hand operating the curved operation knob, and outputs a signal to operate the electromagnet to release the brake. An endoscope bending operation device characterized by comprising a circuit.