JP3069110B2 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an endoscope in which a bending tube portion of an insertion section is operated to bend.

[Prior Art] Generally, as shown in JP-B-61-37925, JP-B-61-60690, etc., a bending tube portion is provided in an insertion portion of an endoscope. The distal end of the operation wire inserted into the insertion portion is connected to the distal end of the bending tube portion, and the proximal end of the operation wire is connected to a bending operation mechanism provided in the proximal operation portion of the endoscope. Then, the bending operation mechanism is operated by the bending knob, and the bending tube portion is remotely bent by pushing and pulling the operation wire.

Various methods have been proposed as the bending operation mechanism. For example, a method using a drum that winds a pulling wire that pushes and pulls the operation wire, a method that uses a sprocket that winds a pulling roller chain that pushes and pulls the operation wire, and a method that moves a rack that pushes and pulls the operation wire with a pinion Etc. are generally known.

By the way, this bending operation mechanism is operated by an operation knob provided outside the hand-side operation unit of the endoscope. In this case, operating the operation knob with one hand is extremely clinically effective because the other hand can be used for another procedure.

Therefore, in the prior art, for example,
The outer shape of the operation knob is devised as in the case of Japanese Patent Publication No. 01, and in particular, the height and shape of the operation knob are devised in the case where two operation knobs are provided to bend in the up, down, left and right directions. Thus, the operability of one-handed operation is enhanced.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in each case, the focus is only on improving the operability when operating the operation knob with one hand.

However, the maximum bending angle of the bending tube portion in the insertion portion of the endoscope needs to be about 180 ° as shown in FIG.

In the above conventional one, up to its maximum bending angle,
It was not enough to easily and effectively operate the operation knob with one hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to easily and effectively operate up to a maximum bending angle of a bending tube portion with one operation of a thumb of a hand gripping an operation knob. An endoscope is provided.

[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention rotates a rotating body by operating an operation knob in an operation unit on a hand side, and displaces a pair of rotating bodies by a displacement of a peripheral portion of the rotating body. In an endoscope in which a bending tube portion of an insertion portion is remotely bent by pushing and pulling an operation wire, an effective diameter of the rotating body is set to a distance between a pair of operation wires at a portion acting on the bending tube portion. The operation knob is rotated by an angle in the range of a maximum of 135 degrees to 150 degrees with one operation of the thumb of the hand gripping the operation section, and the curved tube section is substantially shifted from a straight state by forming the operation section at 1.2 to 1.33 times. It can be 180 degrees curved.

Embodiment FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the endoscope 1 has an operation part 2 and an insertion part 3, and the insertion part 3 to be inserted into the body cavity is a flexible tube part 4, a bending tube part 5 from the hand side. , And the tip component 6 are sequentially connected. A light guide cable 7 is connected to the operation unit 2. A connector (not shown) is provided at the extension end of the light guide cable 7, and is connected to a light source device (not shown) via the connector. The operation unit 2 is provided with an eyepiece 8, an air / liquid switching valve device 9, a suction switching valve device 10, a processing tool insertion port 11, and the like. It has become. The eyepiece 8 receives a visual field image from an observation window provided at the distal end portion 6 of the insertion section 3 through an image guide fiber bundle 8a shown in FIG. 3, and can observe the visual field. 8b is a light guide fiber bundle.

Further, the operation section 2 is provided with an operation knob 12 for forcibly operating the bending section 5 of the insertion section 3. That is, the operation knob 12 operates the bending drive mechanism M, and pushes and pulls bending operation wires 17, 17 described later. Also, the operation knob 12 shows a case where four claws 12a,...

The bending drive mechanism M is formed by winding a continuous member 15 on a pulley 14 as a winding rotary member continuous with a rotary shaft 13 of an operation knob 12 thereof. One end of each of the bending operation wires 17, 17 is connected to each other via an intermediary.

The other end portion of each of the bending operation wires 17 is inserted into the insertion portion 3. In this case, the flexible tube 4 of the insertion portion 3 is guided by being inserted through the guide tubes 18. Furthermore, it is attached to the fixing portions 20, 20 of the distal end component 6 through wire guides 19, 19 provided on the inner surface of the bending piece 5a in the bending tube portion 5. The fixing portions 20, 20 of the distal end portion 6 are curved tube portions 5.
In the direction of bending, in this embodiment, are biased toward each end in the vertical direction. Therefore, if one of the operation wires 17, 17 is pulled, the bending tube portion 5 can be bent in that direction.

The bending tube section 5 is provided with a blade 21 on the outer circumference of the bending piece 5a, and the outer circumference of the blade 21 is covered with an outer skin 22.

By the way, the effective diameter l of the pulley 14 in the bending drive mechanism M is set to 4/3 times the distance a of the opposing operation wires 17 in the bending tube portion 5. In this embodiment, the distance a between the operation wires 17, 17 is different from that of the operation wires 17, 17.
Is the distance between the fixing portions 20 and 20 for fixing the tip ends.

Thus, in the above configuration, the curved tube portion 5 of the insertion portion 3
In the case where is remotely bent, the operation unit 2 is bent as shown in FIG.
With one hand and the thumb of the hand
Hang it on 12 nails 12a. Then, the bending drive mechanism M is operated by rotating the operation knob 12. That is, a pulley 14 as a winding member connected to the rotation shaft 13 of the operation knob 12
Rotates accordingly to wind up one end of the wound connection member 15 and to pay out the other end. For this reason, the bending operation wires 17, 17 can be pushed and pulled through the connecting members 16, 16 connected to the connecting member 15, and the bending tube portion 5 can be bent in the pulled direction.

Generally, it has been clinically confirmed that the endoscope 1 needs about 180 ° as shown in FIG. 4 when the bending tube portion 5 is bent to the maximum. At this time, the bending radius r of the bending tube portion 5 depends on the length c of the bending tube portion 5, but the amount q of the operation wire 17 pulled toward the operation portion 2 inside the bending is q from FIG. = C- (r + b) π... I formula In addition, b is each distance from the fixing portions 20 and 20 to the side peripheral surface of the insertion portion 3 as shown in FIG.

Further, from FIG. 1, it is clear that c = (r + b + a / ₂ ) π... II formula.

From the above formulas I and II, it can be understood that q = a / ₂ · π formula III. In order to bend the bending tube portion 5 to the maximum, the operation wires 17, 17 are retracted by a / ₂ · π. That is, it is necessary to wind the connecting member 15 by a / ₂ · π by the pulley 14.

Next, in order to easily perform this by one-handed operation, the bending tube portion 5 can be changed from the straight state to the maximum bending state by one operation from a) to b) or b) to b) as shown in FIG. That is indeterminate.

If the maximum bending state is to be obtained with a smaller movement, the movement of the distal end component 6 becomes too large with respect to the movement of the thumb, and it is difficult to perform a delicate bending operation during the operation. Also, a movement larger than this clearly imposes a heavy load on the shape of the operation unit 2.

By the way, when the operation knob 12 has a shape as shown in FIG.
The range that can be reliably operated by the above movement is the range from d to d ', that is, the range of the angle x. This angle x is 360 ° × (3/8). Accordingly, when the effective diameter of the pulley 14 is 1, the amount S that can be wound by one operation is S = (3/8) · πl... Here, if q = S in the formulas III and IV, the maximum bending angle (180 °) can be obtained in one operation.

Therefore, the relation between l and a is: l = (4/3) · a That is, the effective diameter l of the pulley 14 is (4/3) of the distance a between the opposing operation wires 17, 17 in the curved tube portion 5. If it is doubled, the maximum bending (180 °) can be given to the bending tube portion 5 by one operation of operating the operation knob 12.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.
The maximum bending angle (180 °) can be given to the bending tube part 5 by one operation of (b) to (b) or (b) to (a). For this reason, the bending operability with one hand is improved.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a modified example of the operation knob 12 is shown.
Numeral 12 is provided with five claws 12a for hanging the thumb of the hand holding the operation unit 2 at regular angular intervals. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

By the way, in the case where five claws 12a of the operation knob 12 are provided, e is e 'in one operation from a) to b) as described above.
The operation of the angle y to rotate to can be performed. That is, y = 360 ° × (2/5). At this time, only the fact that the effective diameter l of the pulley 14 is l = (5/4) · a is different from that of the first embodiment. different.

Therefore, if the angle y is applied to the angle x in the first embodiment, the above-mentioned a) to b) or b) to b) can be obtained.
With one operation, the maximum bending angle (180
゜) can be given. This improves the operability of bending with one hand.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment also shows a modification of the operation knob 12, and this operation knob
Numeral 12 is provided with six claws 12a for holding the thumb of the hand holding the operation unit 2 at regular intervals. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

By the way, in the case where the operation knob 12 is provided with six claws 12a as described above, in one operation from a) to b), the operation f can be performed at the angle z that rotates to f '. . That is, z = 360 ° × (5/12), and at this time, the effective diameter l of the pulley 14 is l = (6/5) · a. It is different from that of the embodiment.

Therefore, the angle x in the first embodiment or the second angle x
If the angle z is applied to the angle y in the embodiment of the present invention, the maximum bending angle (180 °) can be given to the bending tube portion 5 by one operation from the above a) to b) or from b) to b). This improves the operability of bending with one hand.

FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the bending drive mechanism M provided in the operation unit 2. In this embodiment, a sprocket 23 is used instead of the pulley 14.
In place of the connecting member 15, a chain 24 wound around the sprocket 23 was used. In addition, each operation wire 17, 17 is connected to each end of the chain 24 via a connection tool 16, 16, respectively. The effective diameter of the sprocket 23 is l
In addition, the configuration of the insertion section 3 side is the same as that of the first embodiment. These functions are the same as those in the first embodiment.

The chain 24 is guided by the guide member 25 without swinging. A chain guide around the sprocket 23 prevents the chain 24 wound around the sprocket 23 from coming off.
26 are arranged. A spacer 27 is provided between the sprocket 23 and the guide member 25.

The guide member 25, (chain) guide 26, and spacer 27 can be used in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is also a modification of the bending drive mechanism M provided in the operation unit 2. In this embodiment, a pinion 31 connected to the rotation shaft 13 of the operation knob 12 and a pair of racks 32 and 32 meshing on both sides of the pinion 31 so as to sandwich the pinion 31 are provided. Connect Wire 3
Connect 3,33. Further, the above-described operation wires 17, 17 are connected to the connection wires 33, 33 via connecting tools 34, 34, respectively. The connectors 34, 34 are provided with a slack removing function in which play is formed in a direction to absorb the slack when the slack is applied. The effective diameter of the sprocket 23 is l, and the configuration of the insertion portion 3 side is the same as that of the first embodiment. Reference numeral 35 denotes a back pressing roller.

Thus, when the bending drive mechanism M rotates the operation knob 12, the pinion 31 rotates together with the rotation shaft 13, and the pinion 31 moves the pair of racks 32, 32 in opposite directions. Thus, by pushing and pulling the operation wires 17, 17 connected to the racks 32, 32 via the connect wires 33, 33, respectively, the same bending operation as in the above embodiment is performed.

FIGS. 11 to 14 show a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, in particular, the bending tube portion 5 of the insertion section 3 of the endoscope 1 is configured to bend in four directions, up, down, left and right, and the operation section 2 has an up / down bending operation knob 41 and a left / right bending operation knob 42. Are provided coaxially. The up / down bending operation knob 41 is disposed below the left / right bending operation knob 42. Each of the operation knobs 41 and 42 is provided with four claws 41a and 42a, and the operation knob 41 for up and down bending is an operation knob for left and right bending.
It is slightly larger than 42. The diameter h of the up / down bending operation knob 41 is 60 to 80 mm, and the diameter i of the left / right bending operation knob 42 is 40 to 60 mm. Also, as shown in FIG. 14, there is a step 2c at the boundary between the main body 2a and the grip 2b of the operation unit 2, and at this time,
Interval t between the extension of 2c and the outer diameter of the vertical bending operation knob 41
Is set to 0 to 10 mm for easy operation.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, a pair of operation wires 17, 17 are inserted through the insertion portion 3 in the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively.
The distance between the operation wires 17, 17 facing each other in the curved tube portion 5 is the distance p between the fixing portions 20, 20 with the tips of the operation wires 17, 17.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
The fixed shaft 46 is provided upright on the substrate 45. A first sleeve 51 and a second sleeve 52 are fitted over the outer periphery of the fixed shaft 46 in an overlapping manner. First sleeve 51
The right and left bending operation knob 42 is connected so as to rotate integrally, and the second sleeve 52 is connected with the vertical bending operation knob 41 so as to rotate integrally. First sleeve 51
A first sprocket 53 is connected to the inner end of the second sleeve 52 so as to rotate integrally, and a second sprocket 54 is connected to the inner end of the second sleeve 52 so as to rotate integrally.

When the effective diameter of the first sprocket 53 is m and the effective diameter of the second sprocket 54 is n, m and n are 1.2 to 1.33 times the distance p of the operation wires 17 and 17 shown in FIG. Is set in the range.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 described above, the maximum bending angle (180 °) can be given to the bending tube portion 5 by one operation from the above a) to b) or from b) to b). . For this reason, the bending operability with one hand is improved.

In addition, the operation knob 41 for up and down bending and the operation knob 42 for left and right bending
Are provided with lock operation bodies 55 and 56, respectively, and can be fixed at a predetermined rotation position by operating the lock operations 55 and 56.

In the above embodiment, l, m, and n are respectively set to 1.2 to 1.33 times of a corresponding to the number of the claw portions of the bending operation knob. However, it is not necessary to strictly satisfy the numerical values, but it is sufficient to approximately satisfy the numerical values. . Further, the bending operation mechanism is not limited to the system shown in each of the above embodiments as long as the rotation of the operation knob is directly transmitted.

FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 show a seventh embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is an example in which the endoscope 1 in the sixth embodiment is changed to an electronic endoscope, and the others are the same as those in the above embodiment. That is, an element (not shown) that captures an observation visual field image is provided at the distal end configuration section 6 of the insertion section 3, and a signal line 61 inserted into the endoscope 1 is connected to this element. The imaging signal is transmitted by 61. A video processor cable 62 extends from the light guide cable 7, and a connector 64 for connecting to the video processor 63 is provided at the end of the video processor cable 62.
Then, the signal of the element capturing the observation visual field image is processed by the video processor 63, and the observation visual field image is displayed on the monitor 65.
To be projected on the screen. In the endoscope 1 of this type, the operation unit 2 is not provided with an eyepiece unit, but is provided with a video switch unit 67 instead. Reference numeral 68 denotes an illumination light source.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily and effectively operate the bending tube portion up to the maximum bending angle by one operation of the thumb of the hand gripping the operation knob, and its bending operability. Can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a bending operation system, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an endoscope, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the bending tube portion, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the bending of the bending tube portion in the insertion portion, FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram showing the movement of the thumb for operating the operation knob, and FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a turning operation when operating an operation knob according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is an operating knob according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of a rotation operation when operating the ninth embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the structure of an operation mechanism according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the structure of an operation mechanism according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the endoscope, and FIG.
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the bending tube portion in the insertion portion, FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the bending operation mechanism, FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram when operating the operation knob, and FIG. 15 to FIG. FIG. 15 is an external perspective view of the endoscope, and FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a bending tube portion. 1 endoscope, 3 insertion section, 5 ... bending tube section, 12 ...
Operation knob, 14 Pulley, 15 Connection member, 17 Operation wire, 23 Sprocket, 24 Chain, 31
Pinion, 32 ... Rack, 42, 42 ... Operation knob, 53, 54 ...
…sprocket.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A rotating body is rotated by operating an operating knob in an operating section on a hand side, and a pair of operating wires are pushed and pulled by displacement of a peripheral portion of the rotating body to remotely move a curved tube section of an insertion section. In the endoscope configured to bend, the effective diameter of the rotating body is formed to be 1.2 to 1.33 times the interval between the pair of operation wires in the portion acting on the bending tube portion, thereby gripping the operation portion. The above operation knob can be up to 135 with one operation of the thumb of the hand
An endoscope, characterized in that the endoscope can be rotated by an angle in a range from 150 degrees to 150 degrees so that the bending tube portion is bent from a straight state to approximately 180 degrees.