JPS6344004Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an improvement of a device for bending the tip of an insertion tube of an endoscope.

An endoscope whose distal end of an insertion tube can be bent is generally configured as follows. That is, a bending operation device is connected to the proximal end side of the insertion tube, and a drum is installed within the housing of the bending operation device. One end of at least a pair of wires is fixed to the drum, and the other end of the wire is fixed to the tip of the insertion tube. By rotating this drum, the tip of the insertion tube is curved via the wire.

By the way, when one of the pair of wires is in a tensioned state, the other is in a pushed state.
At this time, the wire on the push-in side sometimes twisted or untwisted due to the compressive force.

Recently, a system has been developed in which a sprocket is used instead of a drum, a chain is attached to the sprocket, and both ends of the chain are connected to one end of a wire. In this configuration, by turning the sprocket, the distal end of the insertion tube is curved via a chain and a wire, and when pushing in, the chain absorbs the compressive force, eliminating the above-mentioned disadvantage.

However, with this configuration, the wire and chain on the pushing side sometimes wobble sideways, the wire becomes crumpled and breaks, and the engagement between the chain and sprocket becomes unstable.

The present invention was developed based on these circumstances, and its purpose is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages by configuring the chain and wire to move on a straight track, and to simplify the assembly process. An object of the present invention is to provide a bending operation device for an endoscope.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG. 1 shows an overall view of the endoscope. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an insertion tube, and a bending operation device 2, which is a characteristic feature of the present invention, is connected to the proximal end side of the insertion tube 1. A plug 4 is connected to the bending operation device 2 via a light guide cable 3.
By connecting this plug 4 to a light source device (not shown), light is emitted from the tip of the insertion tube 1. The bending operation device 2 is provided with an eyepiece tube 5 so that the image captured at the tip of the insertion tube 1 can be observed.

Next, the bending operation device 2 will be explained in detail. Second
The figure is a plan view showing the lower half of the bending operation device 2, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof. In the figure, 11 indicates a housing that constitutes the outer shell of the bending operation device 2, and this housing 11 includes upper and lower housing members 12, 13, these housing members 12,
It is composed of end plates 14 and 15 that close the openings at both ends of 13. The proximal end of the insertion tube 1 is inserted and fixed into one end plate 14, and the eyepiece tube 5 is inserted and fixed into the other end plate 15. Further, a light guide cable 3 is inserted and fixed to the side portions of the housing members 12 and 13.

Each of the housing members 12 and 13 is a shaped material manufactured by drawing or extruding aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and has the same shape. Two rails 21a, 21b are integrally formed on the inner surface of each housing member 12, 13, respectively. Each rail 21a, 21b consists of two protrusions 23, 24, particularly as shown in FIG. The outer protrusion 23 has an L-shaped cross section, and the inner protrusion 24 has a T-shaped cross section.
For this reason, each rail portion 21a, 21b has a groove 25 and a slit 26 narrower than the groove 25.

A case 30 is fixed to the inner surface of one end (left end in FIG. 2) of the lower housing member 12. A sprocket 31 is supported within this case 30. Sprocket 31 is connected to knob 33 via a shaft 32 passing through upper housing member 13. A chain 34 is attached to the sprocket 31. One ends of wires 35a and 35b are connected to both ends of the chain 34, respectively.

The other ends of the wires 35a and 35b are fixed to the tip of the insertion tube 1. The wires 35a and 35b are inserted into flexible spiral tubes 36a and 36b, respectively. One end of these spiral tubes 36a, 36b is fixed to the proximal end of the curved distal end of the insertion tube 1, and the other end is inserted and fixed to a stop member 37. The stop member 37 is located at the right end (second
Figure) is fixed.

A slider 40 is connected near the end of the chain 34. In particular, the slider 40 has a connecting portion 41, an insertion portion 42, and a rib portion 43 that connects these together, as shown in FIG. Connecting part 4
1 includes a support hole 41a extending in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the lower housing member 12 and the support hole 4.
A slit 41b having a width narrower than the diameter of 1a is formed. In addition, a recess 4 is provided at the bottom of the connecting portion 41.
1c is formed. When the connecting pin 34a of the chain 34 is press-fitted through the slit 41b, the connecting portion 41 is elastically deformed and expanded, and when the connecting pin 34a is further pushed in, the connecting pin 34a reaches the support hole 41a. It returns to its original shape and becomes the supported state shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As described above, the chain 34 is connected to the slider 40 by inserting the connecting pin 34a into the support hole 41a. At this time, chain 34
The lower plate 34b is inserted into the recess 41c of the connecting part 41, and the upper plate 34c is arranged on the upper surface side of the connecting part 41.

The insertion portion 42 of the slider 40 has the same cross-sectional shape as the groove 25 of the rails 21a, 21b described above, and is inserted into the groove 25 so as to be freely movable, as shown in FIG. The rib portion 43 is the insertion portion 42
The width is narrower than that of the rails 21a, 2.
It is designed to be inserted through the slit 26 of 1b. In addition, 45 in FIG. 2 indicates a stopper, and this stopper 45 is adapted to restrict the movement stroke of the slider 40.

In the above configuration, when the knob 33 is turned, the sprocket 31 is rotated, and the chain 34 and the wires 35a, 3 that are connected to the sprocket 31 are rotated.
The distal end of the insertion tube 1 is bent through the insertion tube 5b. For example, when the knob 33 is turned counterclockwise in FIGS. 1 and 2, one wire 35a is pulled and the distal end of the insertion tube 1 is bent in the direction of the arrow X in FIG. When the wire 33 is turned clockwise, the other wire 35b is pulled and the distal end of the insertion tube 1 is bent in the direction of the arrow X'.

By the way, when one of the wires 35a and 35b is in a tensile state, the other is in a pushed state, but at this time, the chain 34 on the pushing side slacks, so no compressive force is applied to the wire 35a or 35b on the pushing side, and the wire It is possible to prevent twisting and untwisting of the parts 35a and 35b. Further, since the slider 40 connected to the chain 34 runs straight along the rails 21a, 21b, the chain 34 on the pushing side and the wires 35a, 3
5b does not wobble laterally, thereby preventing inconveniences such as the meshing between the chain 34 and the sprocket 31 becoming unstable or the wires 35a and 35b becoming crumpled and breaking.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various embodiments are possible. For example, the configuration may be as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Incidentally, members corresponding to the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same numbers and their explanations will be omitted. In the case of this embodiment, it is configured to perform a bending operation in four directions, and the seventh
As shown in the figure, rails 51a, 51b and rails 52a, 52b are formed to protrude in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the lower housing member 12. A slider 60 is movably inserted into each rail 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b, and this slider 60 is particularly constructed as shown in FIG. That is, 61 is a connecting part, 62 is an insertion part, 6
3 is a rib portion, 61a is a support hole, and 62b is a slit. This slider 60 is then connected to the chain in the same manner as in the previous embodiment.

Further, the rail on which the slider runs may not be formed integrally with the housing, but may be formed separately and installed in the housing.

As explained above, in the present invention, the wire for bending the tip of the insertion tube is driven by the sprocket via the chain, so the chain can absorb the compressive force on the pushing side, preventing twisting of the wire. , it is possible to prevent untwisting from occurring. In addition, since the slider connected to the chain runs straight along the rail, it is possible to prevent the chain and wire from wobbling sideways, allowing stable bending operations and preventing wire breakage due to folding of the wire. . Moreover, the chain can be connected to the slider simply by press-fitting the linking pin of the chain into the support hole of the slider using elastic deformation, making the connection work extremely simple.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire endoscope, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the lower half of the bending operation device, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the entire endoscope. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the connection relationship between the rail, slider, and chain; Fig. 5 is a view of the connection between the slider and chain as seen from the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. , FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the slider. 7 and 8 show other embodiments of the present invention, in which FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the bending operation device, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the slider. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Insertion tube, 2... Curving operation device, 11... Housing, 21a, 21b, 51a, 51b, 52
a, 52b...Rail, 25...Groove, 26...Slit, 31...Sprocket, 34...Chain, 35
a, 35b... wire, 40, 60... slider, 4
1, 61... Connecting part, 42, 62... Insertion part, 43,
63... Rib portion, 41a, 61a... Support hole, 41
b, 61b...slit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A sprocket is provided in the housing, a chain is attached to the sprocket, wires are connected to both ends of the chain, and by rotating the sprocket, the distal end of the insertion tube is manipulated to bend through the chain and the wire. In the operating device,
A straight rail is provided in the housing, a slider is inserted into this rail so that it can run freely, a support hole and a slit with a width narrower than the diameter of this support hole are formed in the slider, and the connecting pin of the chain is inserted through this slit into the slider. A bending operation device for an endoscope, characterized in that a chain is connected to a slider by inserting it into a support hole using elastic deformation.