JPS63193121A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent other part from being damaged by an inserting part by constituting the inserting part by connecting plural joint bodies to each other through a joint part, providing an elastic actuator whose long axis length expands and contracts by supply/discharge of a fluid, in this inserting part, and providing a means for controlling a supply of the fluid to the actuator. CONSTITUTION:As for an inserting part 1 of an industrial endoscope, plural joint bodies 2... whose outside has been formed almost cylindrically are connected successively through joint parts 3.... A part between each joint body 2... connected by the joint parts 3... is covered airtightly with a bellows 3a consisting of a material having elasticity, for instance, rubber, etc. On the tip of the inserting part 1, a tip joint body 4 is provided, and on its tip part 4a, an illuminating lens 5a is provided, and on the inside of this lens 5a, the tip of a light guide fiber 6 being an illuminating light transfer device 5 is provided. Also, on the tip part 4a, a TV camera 7 for photographing an observed part illuminated by light from the fiber 6 is provided, and a transmission device of an image to be observed is constituted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope used by being inserted into, for example, various tanks or aircraft engines.

[Prior Art] Industrial endoscopes having a flexible insertion section are generally used to inspect the presence or absence of defective parts in gas pipes, water pipes, etc., for example. However, such industrial endoscopes
When inspecting relatively large spaces such as various tanks or the engine compartment of an aircraft, the insertion part is flexible and may sag in the direction of gravity due to its own weight.

In order to solve such problems, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1986-
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 146636, there is a cylinder and piston structure that uses fluid pressure to stiffen the curved state.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the structure of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 146636/1987 is complicated;
Furthermore, since it has no elasticity, it has the disadvantage that when it comes into contact with other surrounding objects, the object it comes in contact with is damaged.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and allows the insertion part to support its own weight to reliably observe the examination area, and furthermore, even if the insertion part may come into contact with other objects in the vicinity, It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope having elasticity that does not damage the object to be contacted.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] This invention has the following features:
In an endoscope that is provided with an illumination transmission device and an observed image transmission device throughout the insertion section, the insertion section is configured by connecting a plurality of joint bodies to each other via joints, and a fluid is supplied to the insertion section. Means for controlling the supply of fluid to the elastic actuator, including an elastic actuator whose long axis length expands and contracts by supply and discharge, and a mechanism that converts the expansion and contraction of the elastic actuator into mutual bending motion of the joint bodies at the joint. By providing an endoscope, it is possible to provide an endoscope that has sufficient holding force in a curved state to support the weight of the insertion section, and has elasticity to the extent that the insertion section does not cause damage when it comes into contact with other surrounding objects. It's about doing.

[Embodiments] First embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

In FIG. 1, numeral 1 is an insertion section of an industrial endoscope, for example. The insertion portion 1 is formed by connecting a plurality of joint bodies 2, each of which has a substantially cylindrical shape on the outside, sequentially through joint portions 3, which will be described later.

Here, each joint body 2 connected by the joint part 3...
... is airtightly covered with a bellows 3a made of an elastic material such as rubber.

A distal end joint body 4 is provided at the distal end of the insertion portion 1. An illumination lens 5a is provided at the distal end portion 4a of the distal joint body 4, and the distal end of a light guide fiber 6 serving as the illumination light transmission device 5 is provided inside the illumination lens 5a.

Furthermore, a TV camera 7 is provided at the tip 4a to photograph the observation site illuminated by the light supplied from the light guide fiber 6, and a camera cable 8 is connected to the TV camera 7. It constitutes an observation image transmission device.

Both the camera cable 8 and the light guide fiber 6 are inserted through the insertion section 1 from the base end to the distal end 4a.

The bending structure of the insertion section 1 will be described below. Since the bending structure of each of the joint bodies 2 is substantially the same, the structure of the mechanism for bending the joint part 3 provided in the distal joint body 4 will be explained below. I will only explain about.

As shown in the figure, a support body 9 is provided within the rear end of the distal joint body 4 . The rear end of the support body 9 and the front end of the front support body 10 face each other and are rotatably connected by a shaft 11 having a radial shaft portion. A first pulley 12 is provided coaxially with the shaft 11 between the rear and front ends of the support body 9 and the front support body 10, which face each other. This first pulley 12 is fixed to the support 9 and located within the bellows 3a.

The rear end of the front support body 10 is connected to the front part of the joint body 2. Furthermore, a rear support body 13 is coupled within the rear end portion of this joint body 2.

One end of each of two rubber actuators 14 and 15 as elastic actuators is coupled to the front side of the rear support 13 symmetrically with the center thereof in between.

Both rubber actuators 14 and 15 have the same structure and are constructed as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, there is a tube 16 made of synthetic rubber in the inner layer.
This tube 16 is covered with a reticular tube 17, and caps 18 are connected to both ends of the reticular tube 17.

Ends of the same wire 19 are connected to the other ends of the rubber actuators 14 and 15, respectively. This wire 19 has its middle part wound around a second pulley 20, 20 provided on the front support 10'' and the first pulley 12, and a part thereof is connected to the first pulley 12. has been done.

Further, a rubber actuator 1 is attached to the rear support body 13.
4. Through hole 21 a s 22 to the rear from the joint part of 15
As shown in FIG. 3, the fluid conduits 21.22 inserted from the proximal end of the insertion portion 1 connect to one end of the rubber actuator 14.15 through the through holes 21a and 22a. are airtightly connected.

Other joint bodies 2 sequentially connected to the rear of this joint body 2 are connected in the same manner as described above.

The rear ends of the fluid conduits 21 and 22, which increase for each joint body 2, are collectively led out from the base end of the endoscope 1.

The light guide fiber 6 and the camera cable 8 are both collectively led out as a light guide cable 23, as shown in FIG. 5, from the base end of the insertion portion 1 constructed in this manner. The light guide fiber 6 is connected to the light source device 24 by branching from the middle of the light guide cable 23, and the camera cable 8 is connected to the camera controller 25. Further, this camera controller 25 is connected to a TV monitor 26.

Further, a plurality of fluid conduits including the fluid conduits 21 and 22 are combined into a fluid supply tube 27, led out from the insertion section 1, and connected to a fluid control device 28.

A fluid supply device 29 and a bending operation device 3° are connected to this fluid control device 28. The fluid control device 28, fluid supply device 29, and bending operation device 30 constitute a control means 30a.

Furthermore, a hole 32 for inspection of a tank 31 as an object to be inspected.
For example, a pedestal 34 having a plurality of rollers 33 is provided. Then, the amount of rotation of the roller 33 is detected by the insertion amount detection section 36 via the potentiometer 35, and the detected amount can be displayed on a part of the image on the TV monitor 26 via the camera controller 25. It is configured.

The endoscope configured in this manner transmits light from the light source device 24 to the insertion section 1 through the light guide fiber 6.
Illuminates the tip side of the

Then, an image is reflected on the TV camera 7 by this illumination, and is transmitted to the TV via the observed image transmission device 37 consisting of the TV camera 7, camera cable 8, and camera controller 25.
The image is displayed on the monitor 26 as an image.

Further, the insertion portion 1 is curved as described below.

First, the bending state input from the bending operation device 30 is converted into a control signal and supplied to the fluid control device 28. Then, the amount of fluid, such as air, supplied from the fluid supply device 29 is controlled. This controlled fluid is supplied to the rubber actuator 14.1 via the fluid line 21.22.

At this time, the fluid control device 28 includes a pair of rubber actuators 14 and 15, as shown in FIG.
Fluid is supplied to either one of them. Then, the diameter of one rubber actuator 14 to which the fluid is supplied increases as shown in FIG. 2, and as the diameter increases, the length of its major axis decreases. Here, rubber actuator 1
4 expands only in the outer circumferential direction because the mesh tube 17 is covered. This shortening causes the wire 19 to be drawn toward the rubber actuator 14 and at the same time cause the first pulley 12 to follow. In this way, the tip joint body 4 is bent toward the rubber actuator 14 side.

At this time, the other rubber actuator 15 is controlled so that fluid is not supplied to the fluid control device 28, and discharge pressure is applied to one rubber actuator 14 by being stretched in the longitudinal direction, and the fluid is transferred to the fluid pipe 22. It is discharged to the outside of the rubber actuator 15 via.

In addition, when the distal end joint body 4 is brought into a neutral state, fluid of the same pressure is supplied to both rubber actuators 14 and 15, so that both rubber actuators 14 and 15 are expanded to some extent in the circumferential direction, and when the maximum bending occurs, One is configured to be in the shortest state and the other is in the longest state.

Each of the other joint bodies 2... is also bent by a mechanism similar to the above structure.

With this configuration, even if the insertion section 1 is inserted into a large space, such as a tank, the insertion section 1 has the rigidity to support its own weight, making it possible to reliably observe the desired region. Also. Since the stiffening force of the insertion section 1 is due to the pressure of fluid such as air, it has elasticity, and even if the insertion section 1 comes into contact with another object, it can be prevented from being damaged.

Furthermore, since the structure is relatively simple, it is lightweight, and since fluid is used as a driving source, it can be safely operated even in gas.

In the first embodiment, a TV camera 7, a camera cable 8, etc. are provided as the observed image transmission device 37, but the device is not limited to this, and a device using a CCD solid-state image sensor, an image guide fiber, etc. It also includes what you use. Furthermore, although the curvature of the insertion section 1 is two-dimensional,
It also includes a structure in which joint bodies 2 having a similar structure can be curved three-dimensionally by changing the connection angle in the circumferential direction.

Furthermore, the wire 19 is not limited to this, and may also include a chain or the like. Further, in the first embodiment, the fluid supplied to the elastic actuators 14 and 15 is air, but the fluid is not limited to this, and any fluid suitable for bending the insertion portion 1 may be used. Furthermore, it also includes an endoscope that is configured to memorize a predetermined curve pattern under microcomputer control and perform a uniform examination by repeating the same operation for each predetermined insertion amount while detecting the insertion amount.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 6, but since its basic structure is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, description of the same components will be omitted. Only the structure of the parts will be explained.

In the figure, 38 is a rubber actuator as an elastic actuator provided in the joint body 2, and this rubber actuator 38 is made of a plurality of materials such as stainless steel wire or polyester fiber in the long sleeve direction within the wall surface of the tube body 39. The wire rods 40 are buried in parallel and spaced apart from each other without intersecting each other. The both ends thereof are tightened from the outside and the inside by the first cap 41 and the second cap 42, thereby being airtightly connected to the fluid conduit 43.

With this configuration, the rubber actuator 38 as an elastic actuator can have its longest dimension in the longitudinal direction set to a constant dimension, and can easily expand in the circumferential direction.

Note that this invention is not limited only to the above embodiments. For example, in each of the above embodiments, the elastic actuator is provided as a pair of rubber actuators 14 and 15 for bending one joint 3, but the invention is not limited to this, and there may be only one or three or more elastic actuators. This also includes those in which more than one is provided. In addition, although substantially the entire insertion section 1 is formed to be bendable, the present invention is not limited to this, and includes endoscopes that are configured so that only the distal end side of the insertion section can be bent depending on the purpose. .

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when observing inside a large space, the insertion section can be reliably inserted through a plurality of joint bodies via joints and an elastic actuator that stiffens the bending state of these bodies. In addition to being able to maintain the curved state of the insertion section. The elastic force of the elastic actuator can prevent damage to the object even when the insertion portion comes into contact with another object, for example. Furthermore, it is possible to provide an endoscope that is lighter in weight than other folding structures.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the insertion section, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. 1, and FIG. ■−■ in Figure 1
4 is a side view showing the structure of the elastic actuator, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing each operating device of the endoscope, and FIG. 6 is the structure of the elastic actuator in the second embodiment. FIG. 1... Insertion part, 2... Joint body, 3... Joint part, 5
... Illumination light transmission device, 14.15... Rubber actuator (elastic actuator), 28... Fluid control device, 37... Image transmission device to be observed. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Atsushi Tsuboi 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an endoscope in which an illumination light transmission device and an observed image transmission device are provided throughout the insertion section, the insertion section includes a plurality of joint bodies sequentially connected to each other via joints;
an elastic actuator that is provided within the insertion portion and expands and contracts its long axis length by supplying and discharging fluid; a mechanism that changes the expansion and contraction of the elastic actuator into a mutual bending motion of the joint bodies in the joint; 1. A control means for controlling the supply of fluid.