JP3345183B2 - Endoscope tip - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a distal end portion of an endoscope in which a distal end cap formed of an elastic member is detachably provided to a distal end body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 schematically shows a distal end portion of such a conventional endoscope. The outer diameter of a distal end cap 50 is the maximum diameter of the distal end main body 1 so as not to deteriorate the insertability of the endoscope. The outer diameter is substantially the same as the outer diameter.

[0003] Since the distal end cap 50 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, the outer diameter of the distal end body 1 is small at the portion where the distal end cap 50 is covered.
The outer diameter d at the tip of the cylinder also has its maximum outer diameter D
It is formed thinner.

[0004]

As shown in FIG. 6, a cover lens 37 is fitted into the illumination window 12 of the endoscope, but the outer edge of the cover lens 37 is in consideration of other components. Is often arranged as close as possible to the outer edge side of the tip body 1.

However, since the outer edge of the distal end portion of the distal end body 1 is rounded to ensure safety, the edge of the cover lens 37 is prevented from partially protruding from the distal end body 1. For this reason, the cover lens 37 must be arranged inwardly, avoiding the chamfered portion.

Therefore, if the outer diameter of the distal end portion of the distal end body 1 is formed smaller than the maximum outer diameter as described above,
The cover lens 37 must be made smaller by that amount.
The light guide fiber bundle 100 for illumination arranged inside 7 has also become thinner, and as a result, the illumination performance has been reduced. In addition, the same situation has occurred in the forceps channel and the like, and there has been a disadvantage that the effective inner diameter of the channel is reduced.

Therefore, the present invention provides a distal end portion of an endoscope in which a distal end cap having the same outer diameter as the outer diameter of the distal end portion body is made detachable without sacrificing the size of an illumination window, a forceps channel and the like. The purpose is to do.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the distal end of the endoscope according to the present invention is provided with a distal end cap which is detachable from the distal end main body at the distal end of the insertion portion, and an elastic member. Thereby, a convex portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tip cap is formed in a cylindrical shape having an outer diameter dimension substantially the same as the maximum outer diameter of the distal end body, and a concave portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end body. In the distal end portion of the endoscope that is to be engaged, the outer diameter of the distal end portion of the distal end portion main body is formed to have the same size as the maximum outer diameter, and a part of the distal end portion has the distal end cap and It is characterized in that at least one notch portion to be engaged is formed.

[0009] A band-like portion that partially covers the distal end surface of the distal end body is formed continuously from a portion that engages with the cutout portion, and is formed on the surface of an observation window provided in the distal end body. A nozzle for spraying a fluid may be formed in the strip.

[0010]

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a front view of the distal end portion of the endoscope, and FIG. 3 is a side view thereof.
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a combination of sections so as to include an observation optical system and an air supply nozzle.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a distal end body 1 is connected to a distal end portion of a curved portion 2 which is provided at the distal end of an insertion portion formed by an elongated flexible tube by a remote operation so as to be freely bent. Have been. Reference numeral 6 denotes an outer cover rubber tube that covers the curved portion 2.

The endoscope according to the present embodiment is a so-called forward-looking type endoscope for observing the front of the tube axis. As shown in FIG. 11, an illumination window 12, and a forceps channel exit hole 13 are arranged, and an air supply nozzle 14 and a water supply nozzle 15 that open toward the observation window 11 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, the distal end surface of the distal end portion main body 1 is formed so that only the observation window 11 is raised as compared with other portions in order to prevent optical vignetting. ing.

Inside the observation window 11, an objective optical system 16 is fixedly mounted in a lens frame 17. Reference numeral 18 denotes an aperture stop, 19 denotes a spacer between objective lenses, and 20 denotes a metal shield tube.

The outer peripheral surface of the lens frame 17 is fitted into a hole formed in the distal end body 1, and the fitting portion has an O for sealing.
A ring 23 is mounted. On the other hand, a metal shield pipe 25 is fitted and joined to the rear outer peripheral portion of the lens frame 17.

In the shield pipe 25, a solid-state image pickup device 26 composed of, for example, a charge-coupled device (CCD) is fixed with its image receiving surface facing forward, and an observation light image is received by the objective optical system 16 from the solid-state image pickup device 26. Image on the surface. 27
Is a transparent cover glass, and 29 is a light shielding mask.

Electronic components 31 for processing signals input to and output from the solid-state image sensor 26 are provided in the shield pipe 25.
Are attached to the wiring board 32, and a signal cable is led backward from there.

Insulating tapes 34 and 35 are wound around the outer peripheral surface of the components arranged in the shield pipe 25 and the outer peripheral surface of the shield pipe 25, respectively, to electrically insulate the shield pipe 25 from the inside and outside thereof. ing.

The present invention relates to such a solid-state imaging device 2.
Instead of the electronic image transmission means using the optical fiber 6, the present invention may be applied to an endoscope using an optical image transmission means such as an image guide fiber bundle, or may be applied to a rigid endoscope.

The output end of the illumination light guide fiber bundle is arranged inside a cover lens 37 formed of a concave lens attached to the illumination window 12 shown in FIG. 2 in order to widen the light distribution angle of the illumination light. .

As shown in FIG. 4, air supply and water supply holes 41 and 42 are formed inside the air supply and water supply nozzles 14 and 15 in a direction parallel to the pipe axis. The air supply and water supply pipes 43 and 44 are connected to each other from the rear.

The tip cap 50 is made of a non-conductive and elastic material such as polyurethane rubber, for example, and is detachably attached to the outer peripheral surface of the tip body 1 from the tip side of the tip body 1. Attached to. Note that all the ridge lines of the tip cap 50 are smoothly rounded so as not to damage the mucous membrane in the body cavity of the patient.

The distal end cap 50 is formed in a cylindrical shape whose outer diameter is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the distal end body 1, and its rear end is opened in a cylindrical shape.
Only the upper half side is tightly covered with the front end surface of the tip body 1 in a belt shape, and the air supply and water supply nozzle 1 is placed there.
4 and 15 are formed. However, the observation window 11 is a through hole.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 in which the tip cap 50 is viewed from the back side in order to accurately position the air and water nozzles 14 and 15 with respect to the air and water holes 41 and 42.
As shown in FIG. 5, the projections 51, 51 fitted into the air and water supply holes 41, 42 are such that they do not completely block the inside of the air and water supply holes 41, 42.
Are formed integrally.

As a result, the air or water sent through the air and water supply pipes 43 and 44 does not leak on the way, and passes through the air and water supply holes 41 and 42 to supply the air and water nozzles 1.
Jets 4 and 15 are ejected toward the surface of the observation window 11.

FIG. 4 and the tip cap 5 from the tip body 1
As shown in FIG. 1 showing a state where 0 is removed, a concave groove 9 is formed in a circumferential direction in an intermediate portion of the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body 1.

The outer diameter dimension of the front end portion of the tip main body 1 on the front side of the concave groove 9 is formed to be the same as the maximum outer diameter portion on the rear side. Arc-shaped notch 10, 1 cut out to a certain depth from the outer edge
0 is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the illumination window 1
2 and the forceps channel outlet hole 13 are notches 10, 1
It is arranged inside a portion where there is no zero, that is, a portion having the same dimension as the maximum outer diameter of the tip end portion main body 1.

Therefore, the illumination window 12 and the forceps channel exit hole 13 can be arranged as close to the outside as possible, and as a result, the thick light guide fiber bundle and the thick forceps channel are built in, so that the endoscope can be used. High basic performance can be obtained.

The tip cap 50 is positioned in the rotational direction by engaging the notches 10, 10 of the tip body 1, and the front face of the tip cap 50 in which the air supply and water supply nozzles 14, 15 are formed. The belt-shaped portion is connected to the cylindrical portion on the side via the engagement portion with the notches 10, 10.

On the inner surface side of the cylindrical portion of the tip cap 50,
A projection 52 having a size just fitted into the concave groove 9 of the distal end portion main body 1 is provided to project inward. Therefore, the protrusion 52 of the tip cap 50 is fitted into the concave groove 9 of the tip body 1 by pushing the tip cap 50 from the tip side of the tip body 1 so as to push it along the outer peripheral surface of the tip body 1. Put in.

In this state, the distal end cap 50 returns to its original shape by its own elastic force, and is locked so as not to come out of the distal end body 1. In this state, as shown in FIG. 3, the end cap 50 is configured such that only the band-shaped portion provided with the air supply and water supply nozzles 14 and 15 wraps forward from the cylindrical portion engaged with the concave groove 9. Thus, it is attached to the distal end main body 1, does not rotate at all with respect to the distal end main body 1, and does not project at all from the surface of the distal end main body 1 in the circumferential direction.

After use, the tip cap 50 is pushed forward from the rear so as to be turned from the rear.
Can be removed from the distal end body 1, whereby the inside of the air supply and water supply holes 41 and 42 can be cleaned by brushing. The tip cap 50 may be disposable.

[0034]

According to the present invention, while the tip cap having the same outer diameter as the outer diameter of the tip body is made detachable with respect to the tip body, the tip portion of the tip body is removed except for the notch. The outer diameter of the lens is the same as the maximum outer diameter at the rear, so that the illumination window or the forceps channel exit hole can be arranged as far as possible, so a large light guide fiber bundle and a large forceps channel are built in. Thus, high basic performance as an endoscope can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a tip cap is removed from a tip body of the embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the tip cap of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tip main body 10 Notch part 14, 15 Nozzle 50 Tip cap

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tip cap detachable from a tip end body at the tip end of an insertion portion is formed by a resilient member into a cylindrical shape having an outer diameter substantially equal to the maximum outer diameter of the tip end body, In the distal end portion of the endoscope, the convex portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the distal end cap is engaged with the concave portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body. The distal end of the endoscope, wherein an outer diameter is formed to be the same as the maximum outer diameter, and at least one cutout portion that engages with the distal end cap is formed at a part of the distal end portion. Department. 2. A belt-like portion which partially covers the distal end surface of the distal end portion main body from a portion engaging with the notch portion is formed on the distal end cap, and is provided on the distal end portion main body. 2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a nozzle for spraying a fluid to the surface of the observation window is formed in the strip.