JP2940329B2 - Treatment tool - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a treatment tool which is inserted into a body cavity or the like of a patient via a guide means such as an endoscope to perform an appropriate treatment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope used for medical or industrial purposes is provided with a treatment tool insertion channel through which various treatment tools are inserted, and an insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted into a body cavity or the like. In this state, various treatment tools can be inserted. Here, examples of the treatment tool include forceps, a high-frequency knife, an electric scalpel, and the like. These various treatment tools have a treatment tool main body at an end thereof and an operation member for operating the treatment tool main body. The treatment instrument main body and the operation member are connected via a flexible cable. In addition, among the treatment tools, for example, the forceps are provided with a gripping claw that can be opened and closed as a treatment tool main body, and this gripping claw is opened and closed by remote operation by operating an operation member. For this purpose, the cable has an operation wire having one end connected to the gripping claw and the other end connected to the operation member, and the operation wire is inserted into a flexible sleeve made of a close-wound coil formed by winding a metal wire. Have been. One end of the flexible sleeve is fixed to the operation member, and a connecting cylinder is connected to the operation member to fix the flexible sleeve. Further, in order to protect the portion of the flexible sleeve near the connecting portion to the operating member from being broken or damaged, a reinforcing coil made of a metal wire having a diameter larger than that of the flexible sleeve is used. In order to protect the portion of the connecting cylinder, a flexible sleeve is provided. The end of the reinforcing coil is also fixed to the connecting cylinder of the operating member.

Conventionally, the flexible sleeve and the reinforcing coil are fixed to the connecting cylinder by soldering means. For this purpose, an opening is provided in the connecting cylinder and the inside of the opening is provided. The solder is poured. In addition, if the flexible sleeve and the reinforcing coil are overlapped and soldered, they cannot be firmly fixed. Therefore, a step is provided on the inner surface of the connecting cylinder to allow the flexible sleeve to be inserted into the small diameter portion, and to be reinforced. The coil is designed to be inserted through the large diameter part, and these small diameter parts and large diameter parts are provided with openings respectively,
Each is soldered separately.

[0004]

However, as described above, it is difficult to perform soldering simultaneously at two places spaced apart from each other to some extent. For this reason, it is necessary to perform soldering separately. There must be. However, when performing the second soldering, the first soldered portion may be heated again to be in a molten state, and the fixing force at this portion may be weakened. In order to avoid such a situation, it is necessary to use a solder having a different melting temperature, first solder using a solder that melts at a high temperature, and then perform soldering at a low temperature. If different types of solder are used, there are drawbacks in that not only the process becomes complicated but also the material cost increases. In addition, in order to increase the fixing force, the diameter of the opening for soldering needs to be considerably large, which results in an increase in the length of the connecting cylinder in the axial direction, thereby increasing the operability of the treatment tool. There is also the problem of getting worse.

[0005] From the above, if the flexible sleeve and the reinforcing coil are fixed by using laser spot welding means instead of using soldering means in order to fix the flexible sleeve and the reinforcing coil to the connecting tubular body of the operating member, it is possible to locally Since only the two members are heated, the two members can be fixed to each other without the mutual influence of heat. However, according to the laser spot welding means,
Since the welding spot diameter is extremely small, a laser may be driven into a portion between adjacent metal wires in a flexible sleeve and a reinforcing coil in which a metal wire is spirally wound. When welded, the adhesion becomes weak. In particular, since the wire diameter of the reinforcing coil is larger, the interval between the wires becomes larger, and there is a problem that it is impossible to prevent the variation in the fixing strength of the reinforcing coil from occurring.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to securely fix a reinforcing coil by laser spot welding means.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a treatment tool main body such as a gripping claw at the tip, and an operation wire for operating the treatment tool main body is formed by a tightly wound coil. The other end of the flexible sleeve is fixed to the connecting cylinder by connecting the other end to the operating member, and connecting the connecting cylinder to the operating member. A treatment tool which is provided near the end of the flexible sleeve with a reinforcing coil for covering the end of the flexible sleeve, and is inserted through guide means such as an endoscope,
The reinforcing coil is fixed to the connecting cylinder by laser spot welding, and the circumferential body of the connecting cylinder has a diameter smaller than the wire diameter of the reinforcing coil to enable estimation of a laser spot position. The feature is that a large laser sniper opening is opened.

[0008]

When the reinforcing coil is fixed to the connecting cylinder by laser spot welding, in order to have sufficient strength, a laser is applied to a portion in contact with the inner surface of the reinforcing coil to the connecting cylinder. Need to be typed. Since the laser sniper opening is provided near the portion of the connecting cylinder that is to be laser-welded, the position of the reinforcing coil can be determined by looking at this opening, and the reinforcing coil contacts the connecting cylinder. Laser can be driven into the most accurate position. Here, the reinforcing coil must be inserted into the connecting cylinder for a certain length from the viewpoint of maintaining strength, and the laser sniper opening has an opening area slightly larger than the wire diameter of the reinforcing coil. Therefore, even if this opening is provided, the special connecting cylinder does not become long.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. First, FIGS. 1 and 2 show forceps as an example of a treatment tool. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a gripping claw, 2 denotes an operation member, and 3 denotes a cable. The gripping claws 1 are composed of a pair, the operating member 2 is configured to open and close the gripping claws 1 by remote control, and the cable 3 transmits the operating force of the operating member 2 to the gripping claws 1. It is for doing.

The operating member 2 is provided with a finger ring 4a, and a rod-shaped main body 4 having an insertion passage through which an operation wire 6 to be described later is inserted. And a slider 5 capable of sliding displacement. The cable 3 is pushed and pulled in accordance with the sliding operation of the slider 5, and an operation wire 6 for driving the gripper 1 to open and close, and a metal wire as a flexible sheath tube through which the operation wire 6 is inserted. And a flexible sleeve 7 formed by winding in a close-wound coil shape. The distal end of the operation wire 6 is fixed to a well-known link mechanism (not shown) of the gripping claw 1, and its base end is guided into the main body 4 of the operation member 2 and provided in the main body 4. The connecting rod 6a is connected to the connecting rod 6a, and the slider 5 is connected to the connecting rod 6a. The proximal end of the flexible sleeve 7 is fixed to a connecting cylinder 8 provided continuously with the main body 4 of the operation member 2.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a reinforcing coil.
Is provided for protecting the connecting portion of the flexible sleeve 7 to the connecting cylinder 8 so as not to be broken. Like the flexible sleeve 7, the flexible sleeve 7 is formed by winding a metal wire. Here, the reinforcing coil 9 is a portion that is not inserted into the treatment tool insertion channel of the endoscope, and has a wire diameter of the flexible sleeve 7 in order to sufficiently exhibit the function of preventing the flexible sleeve 7 from breaking. It is thicker than the wire diameter. The base end of the reinforcing coil 9 is fixed to the connecting cylinder 8, and the front end thereof is held in a non-fixed state.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting cylinder 8 is composed of a small-diameter portion 8a on the proximal end and a large-diameter portion 8b on the distal end, and the reinforcing coil 9 is provided inside the large-diameter portion 8b. And the flexible sleeve 7 extends into the small diameter portion 8a. The flexible sleeve 7 and the reinforcing coil 9 are both fixed to the connecting cylinder 8 by laser welding. Thus, both the flexible sleeve 7 and the reinforcing coil 9 are made of a metal wire coil.
Its cross-sectional shape is circular, and is in line contact with the connecting cylinder 8. Since the laser spot diameter is extremely small, it cannot be fixed sufficiently depending on the position of the laser spot to be shot. That is, as shown by the part a in FIG. 2, when the laser is injected into the position between the lines, the two materials cannot be sufficiently melted, and the fixing force is weakened. However, as shown by the part b in the figure, if a laser is injected into a portion where the wire is in contact with the inner surface of the connecting cylinder 8, both materials are sufficiently melted, and both are firmly strengthened. It is fixed.

As described above, the flexible sleeve 7 and the reinforcing coil 9 are fixed to the connecting cylinder 8 as shown in FIG. 3 in order to aim the laser at a position where it can be fixed most firmly. Openings 10 and 11 for laser sniper are formed in the vicinity of the laser spot position. Each of the openings 10 and 11 has a diameter larger than at least the wire diameter of the metal wire constituting the flexible sleeve 7 and the reinforcing coil 9.

By providing the openings 10 and 11 in this manner, the positions of the flexible sleeve 7 and the reinforcing coil 9 can be visually observed from the outside, and it is possible to estimate a portion where those wires come into contact with the inner surface of the connecting cylinder 8. It becomes possible, and it becomes possible to adhere most strongly. As shown in FIG. 3, the openings 10 and 11 have an opening diameter of one or more wire rods, so that the openings 10 and 11 allow the flexible sleeve 7 and the metal forming the reinforcing coil 9 to be formed. Since the wire is at least half or more, that is, the central part can be seen from the outside,
The laser is driven at a position on the extension or an adjacent position. Thereby, the flexible sleeve 7 and the reinforcing coil 9
The laser spot welding is performed on the part where the wire rod is in contact with the connecting cylinder 8, and the two materials to be bonded to each other are surely melted and fixed very firmly by welding. Moreover, since the heat generated by the laser reaches only a very narrow range, when laser welding is performed on one part and then the laser is driven on the other part, the part that has already been welded deteriorates due to the influence of the heat. There is no fear. Here, openings 10,
11 only needs to have an opening diameter slightly larger than one wire, and from the viewpoint of strength and the like, the length of insertion of the flexible sleeve 7 and the reinforcing coil 9 into the connecting cylinder 8 is increased to some extent. These openings 10, 1
By providing 1, there is no possibility that the connecting cylinder 8 becomes longer.

Since the wire of the reinforcing coil 9 has a larger diameter than that of the flexible sleeve 7, the distance between the wires becomes considerably large. Therefore, it is necessary to control the laser driving position very strictly. Therefore, the laser spot position of the reinforcing coil 9 must be particularly accurately estimated. By providing the opening 11, the laser spot position can be accurately estimated. However, since the flexible sleeve 7 has a relatively small wire diameter, it is possible to perform welding to a certain extent without necessarily strictly estimating the laser spot position. In addition, it is possible to weld not only one laser spot but also a plurality of spots.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the reinforcing coil is fixed to the connecting cylinder by laser spot welding, it is possible to estimate the position of the laser spot on the peripheral body of the connecting cylinder. Therefore, since the laser sniper opening larger than the wire diameter of the reinforcing coil is opened, the reinforcing coil can be very firmly fixed to the connecting cylinder, and when this fixing is performed, the flexible sleeve is This has the effect that the influence of heat or the like on the fixed portion is eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a forceps as a treatment tool according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a connecting portion of a flexible sleeve and a reinforcing coil to a connecting cylinder.

FIG. 3 is an external view of a connecting cylinder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gripping claw 2 Operation member 3 Cable 4 Main body 5 Slider 6 Operation wire 7 Flexible sleeve 8 Connecting cylinder 9 Reinforcement coil 10, 11 Opening

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Mitsuo Kondo 1-324 Uetakecho, Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture Fuji Photographic Equipment Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-4-193169 (JP, A) Sho 62-270146 (JP, A) Sho 61-63210 (JP, U) Sho 61-67709 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A61B 1 / 00 A61B 17/00-17/41 B23K 26/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A treatment tool main body such as a grasping claw is provided at a distal end, and an operation wire for operating the treatment tool main body is inserted into a flexible sleeve composed of a close-wound coil, and the other end is connected to an operation member. A connecting cylinder is connected to the operating member, the other end of the flexible sleeve is fixed to the connecting cylinder, and a reinforcing member is provided near the end of the flexible sleeve to prevent the flexible sleeve from breaking. A treatment tool which is provided with a coil mounted thereon and is inserted through a guide means such as an endoscope, wherein the reinforcing coil is fixed to the connecting cylinder by laser spot welding. A treatment tool, characterized in that a laser sniper opening larger than the wire diameter of the reinforcing coil is opened in the peripheral body of the connecting cylinder so as to enable estimation of the laser spot position.