JP3469863B2 - Attitude lock device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a posture lock device used in an industrial endoscope or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An industrial endoscope apparatus is used for inspecting the inside of a pipe that communicates with a special environment such as a nuclear reactor. In addition, when inspecting the inside of a thin pipe such as a water and sewer pipe or a gas pipe, observation with an industrial endoscope device is possible.

In this type of industrial endoscope apparatus, a camera head is provided at the tip and an operation section for controlling the orientation of the camera head is provided at hand. The camera head section and the operation section are connected by a camera cable.

In order to turn the camera head portion vertically and horizontally, two dials provided on the operation portion at hand are rotated to operate the direction. The mechanism is such that when the first dial is rotated, the camera head can change its direction in the vertical direction, and when the second dial is rotated, the camera head can change its direction to the left and right.

[0005]

In the conventional industrial endoscope apparatus, the first and second dials are latched in order to lock the posture in the state where the direction of the camera head is changed in the oblique direction. It was necessary to prevent it from rotating depending on the parts. For this reason, the operation is inconvenient, and the locked state cannot be easily and quickly obtained.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a posture lock device which is extremely excellent in operability and can easily lock its posture when the direction of the head is changed.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a core wire coaxially arranged at a central position of an exterior body and an axial direction of the core wire at an end portion of the exterior body. Supporting means movably supported, a plurality of wires arranged in parallel around the core wire, a rod attached to each of the plurality of wires for increasing the diameter, and an inner peripheral wall of the outer casing. The rod is movable between the first and second guide members that project toward the center and movably support the rod in parallel with the axis, and the first and second guide members. It corresponds to a slide cam that penetrates and has a locking portion that interlocks with the axial movement of the core wire, and when the slide cam is pressed by one of the first and second guide members. Part (or front) of the guide member When a part of the slide cam enters into the tapered recess provided in the corresponding slide cam (or the guide member), the pressing component in the free state is pressed by the wall surface of the recess, so that the rod is pressed against the rod. A lock mechanism that abuts and presses to regulate the movement of the wire, and a direction in which a part of the guide member (or a part of the slide cam) enters the recess of the slide cam (or the guide member) or the opposite direction. One of them is provided with a spring that elastically presses the slide cam.

According to this means, it is possible to easily obtain the movement locked state (or unlocked state) of the wire by the spring and the lock mechanism, and it is easy to move the core wire forward or backward. In addition, the lock release state (or the lock state) can be quickly established.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a general view of a main part of an industrial endoscope apparatus to which the present invention is applied. Reference numeral 11 denotes a head portion, in which parts such as a camera and a lens are incorporated. The head portion 11 includes a bendable portion 12 covered with a bellows-shaped clothing member.
It can be turned upside down, left and right, or diagonally. Reference numeral 13 denotes a connecting portion surrounded by a rigid cylindrical body, which connects one end of the bendable portion 12 and one end of the cable 20.

The bendable portion 12 is operated by a plurality of wires which will be described later. For example, the plurality of wires penetrate a flexible cylinder to pull or loosen a plurality of places around the head portion 11. By doing so, the direction of the head portion 11 can be changed. Alternatively, the same mechanism as the operation unit described later may be used.

The other end of the cable 20 is connected to the operation section 30 according to the present invention or a wire lock section 40.

The operation unit 30 has a structure as shown in FIG. 2, for example.

The operating section 30 includes a core wire (300) and a plurality of balls (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, ..., 3g) attached to the core wire 300 with a space therebetween.
And the plurality of balls (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3
e, 3f, ..., 3g) are respectively sandwiched, and the plurality of plate type spacers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4) in which the core wire (300) freely penetrates the center thereof.
f, ..., 4g, 4h) and a plurality of the plate type spacers (4
a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, ..., 4g, 4h)
, A plurality of operation wires (5a, 5b, ...) (two wires are shown in the drawing) penetrating through a plurality of places around the center of the plate, and a plurality of plate type spacers (4a, 4).
b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, ..., 4g, 4h), the first and second tubular shapes in which the peripheries of the first and second plate type spacers (4a, 4h) at the end are fixed. Fixing members (6a, 6)
b) and a stopper (7) for locking the ends of the plurality of operation wires so as not to come off from the first plate type spacer.
a), 7b, ...) (corresponding to the wires 5a, 5b are shown in the drawing) and the remaining plate-shaped gaps arranged between the first and second plate-shaped spacers. And a flexible clothing body 8 which surrounds the periphery of the child.

Although not shown, a tube made of rubber or the like is provided on the inner peripheral side of the clothing body 8.

The core wire 300 is displaceable but has a certain degree of rigidity. For example, a wire in which many small-diameter wires are twisted together, or a coil spring-like wire is used. The balls 3a to 3g are hard spheres. The wires 5a and 5b have a diameter of about 0.45 mm.

Plate type spacers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4
As shown in FIG. 2B, e, 4f, ..., 4g, 4h are, for example, disk-shaped, but the outer shape is not limited to this. It may be square, triangular or polygonal. In this example, a circular one is shown. FIG. 2B shows the plate type spacer 4b as a representative. A hole 4b0 for free penetration of the core wire 300 is provided at the center, and for example, holes 4b1, 4b2, 4 for free penetration of four wires are provided around the hole 4b0.
b3 and 4b4 are formed.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the clothing 8 is made of, for example, a stainless braid and is formed into a tubular shape, and surrounds the plate type spacers 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, ... 4g. You can Rigid rings 8a and 8b are attached to the ends of the clothing body 8, respectively. The rigid rings 8a and 8b not only perform the terminal treatment of the stainless braid but also function as mounting fittings. For example, one ring 8a is inserted into a ring-shaped groove provided in the thickness surface of the end of the cylindrical fixing member 6a, and is fixed with solder or an adhesive material. The other ring 8b is
For example, it is inserted into a ring-shaped groove provided on the disc surface of the plate-type spacer 4h and fixed by solder or adhesive.

The operation section 30 is constructed as described above, and the operation for changing the direction of the head section 11 is extremely easy.
Operability is good.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the operation section 30 is operated. The example of FIG. 3 is an example in which the operation unit 30 is modified. When deformed in this way, the wires 5a and 5b are
Then, the pulling length is different, and the head portion 11 faces in the direction opposite to the direction in which the operating portion 30 is deformed.
This is because the head portion 11 is also provided with a similar structure. As shown in FIG. 3A, when the operation unit 30 is directed downward, the head unit 11 faces upward, and the operation content and the head unit 11
The sense of the operator who points the will match. As shown in FIG. 3 (B), the operation unit 30 can be operated so as to rotate the rear end, and the head unit 11 can be freely oriented in any of vertical, horizontal, and diagonal directions. You can

Next, the structure of the wire lock portion 40 will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a part of the wire lock portion 40 in cross section. In particular, the lock mechanism of the wire 5a is taken out and shown. The lock mechanism for the other wires has the same configuration and operates in synchronization, so the lock mechanism for the wire 5a will be described as a representative. Figure 4
4A shows the unlocked state, and FIG. 4B shows the locked state.

Reference numeral 400 is a cylindrical outer casing of the wire lock portion 40. The wire 5 is attached to the inner peripheral wall of the exterior body 400.
Guide members 401 and 402 protruding toward the a side are formed at intervals. Each of the guide members 401 and 402 has a hole that is parallel to the shaft and through which a rod 501 that is externally mounted on the wire 5a and that is integrated with the wire is freely penetrated. Since the wire diameter of the wire 5a is small, the rod 501 cannot sufficiently transmit the tightening force of the lock ball described later if this is left. Therefore, the rod 501 is provided to have a large diameter so that the tightening force of the lock ball is sufficiently transmitted. Furthermore, this rod 501
Also protects the wire 5a. Furthermore, the wire 5a also has a purpose of reinforcing the wire 5a so as not to buckle in the lock portion 40.

The guide member 401 has a thickness in the axial direction, and a rod 501 is provided on the surface facing the guide member 402.
It has a substantially conical recess centered on the through hole. As a result, a tapered surface 411 tapering in the thickness direction is formed in this recessed portion.

Next, between the guide members 401 and 402, a slide cam 450 through which a rod 501 freely penetrates is provided.
Is provided. The slide cam 450 is formed by integrally molding a flange portion 451 on the guide member 402 side and a cylindrical portion 452 on the guide member 401 side.

Further, a coil spring 421 is arranged around the rod 501 and between the guide member 402 and the flange 451. Usually, a slide cam 450 is provided.
Is pressed against the guide member 401 side.

Here, holes are formed at a plurality of positions of the cylindrical portion 452 so as to penetrate the cylindrical wall, and the balls a and b are press-fitted therein.

On the other hand, on the core wire 300, a locking piece 311 projects in the outer peripheral direction, and the locking piece 311 is locked to the flange portion 451 of the slide cam 450.

Although the locking piece 311 is shown as being provided directly on the core wire 300, in reality, an outer cylinder is integrally attached to the core wire 300, and the locking piece 31 is attached to the outer cylinder.
1 is formed. Although the core wire 300 is not shown,
It is movably supported in the axial direction by supports provided at both ends of the exterior body 400.

In the state of FIG. 4A, the locking piece 31 is pushed by the rod 300 being pushed (operated) in the direction of the arrow X1 shown in the figure.
1 shows a state in which the slide cam 450 is moved to the guide member 402 side against the coil spring 421. In this state, the balls a and b of the slide cam 450 are not pressed by the tapered surface 411 of the guide member 401. That is, it is in the unlocked state.

FIG. 4B shows a state in which the rod 300 moves in the direction of the arrow X2 shown in the figure, and the slide cam 450 is pressed against the guide member 401 by the coil spring 421 for this purpose. At this time, the balls a and b are pushed axially by the tapered surface 411 of the guide member 401, locking the rod. That is, the movement of the wire 5a is locked.

Therefore, when it is desired to operate the previous operation unit 30, the core wire 300 is pushed in the direction of arrow X1, the lock is released, and the operation unit 30 is operated to orient the head unit 11 in the desired direction. To keep the observation in that state, release the core wire 300 in the direction of the arrow X2 in the drawing,
The wire may be locked.

The wire lock section 40 may have the above-mentioned structure alone or may be used in combination with the wire lock section shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the wire lock portion 40, and may be used integrally with the structure of FIG.

FIG. 5A shows the unlocked state.
(B) shows the locked state.

Reference numeral 400 denotes a tubular outer body of the wire lock portion 40. The wire 5 is attached to the inner peripheral wall of the exterior body 400.
Guide members 601 and 602 protruding toward the a side are formed at intervals. Each of the guide members 601 and 602 is formed with a hole that is parallel to the shaft and through which a rod 501 that is externally mounted on the wire 5a and integrated with the wire is freely penetrated.

The guide member 601 has a tubular portion 611 protruding toward the guide member 602, and the tubular portion 611 is provided with a plurality of holes penetrating the tubular wall. The balls a and b are press-fitted into the holes, respectively.

On the other hand, a slide cam 650 is provided between the guide members 601 and 602, and the rod 501 freely penetrates the slide cam 650. Further, a coil spring 621 is arranged between the slide cam 650 and the guide member 602, and normally acts so as to press the slide cam 650 toward the guide member 601 side.

The slide cam 650 is a guide member 601.
On the surface facing to, there is a substantially conical recess centered on the through hole of the rod. As a result, a taper surface 651 tapering in the thickness direction is formed in this recessed portion.

On the other hand, a locking piece 311 is provided on the core wire 300 so as to project in the outer peripheral direction, and the locking piece 311 is locked to the slide cam 650.

In the state of FIG. 5 (A), the rod 300 is pushed (operated) in the direction of the arrow X1 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 1 shows a state in which the slide cam 650 is moved to the guide member 602 side against the coil spring 621.
In this state, the tapered surface 6 of the slide cam 650
51 does not press the balls a and b. That is, it is in the unlocked state.

FIG. 5B shows a state in which the rod 300 moves in the direction of the arrow X2 shown in the figure, and the slide cam 650 is pressed against the guide member 601 by the coil spring 621 for this purpose. At this time, the guide member 601
The elastic springs a1 and b1 are axially pressed by the tapered surface 651 of the slide cam 650. Then, the rods are locked in order to press the balls a and b against the rod 501. That is, the movement of the wire 5a is locked.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which the lock mechanism of the method of FIG. 4 and the lock mechanism of the method of FIG. 5 are provided in tandem. Figure 4
In the lock mechanism of FIG. 5, the slide cam 450 has a lock ball, and in the lock mechanism of FIG. 5, the guide member 601 has a lock ball. Therefore, when two lock mechanisms are arranged in a row, it is not necessary to provide two guide members 401, 402, 601, 602 independently for each lock mechanism.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the guide member 40
2 (FIG. 4) and the guide member 601 (FIG. 5) can be integrated into a guide member 700. By doing so, there is an advantage that the length of the lock portion 40 can be configured to be shorter than that when each lock mechanism is provided independently.

FIG. 7 shows a lock mechanism operating section 50 for controlling the locked state and the released state of the previous lock mechanism.

The lock mechanism operating portion 50 has a cylindrical exterior body 800, a circular opening 801 is provided at the bottom of the exterior body 800, and an operation button 810 is inserted into the opening 801. There is. And this operation button 810
Of the opening 801 is locked by the locking portion 811 of the opening 801.
You can't get out of it.

At the center of the operation button 810, the core wire 300
The ends of are fixed. A locking portion 802 is formed inside the opening of the exterior body 800. This locking portion 802
A coil spring 830 is provided between the operation button 810 and the operation button 810, and the operation button 810 is always pressed backward (in the direction of arrow X2). In this state, FIG. 4 and FIG.
The wire will be locked as described above.

Therefore, when the operation section 30 is operated to change the direction of the head section 11, the operation button 81
Press 0 and operate with the wire locked.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications are possible. For example, the operation of the lock mechanism operation unit 50 is in the unlocked state when the operation button is pressed, but may be in the locked state when the operation button is pressed.
Further, the number of wires is not limited to four, and the number may be larger. Further, although the operation unit 30, the lock unit 40, the cable 20, and the head unit 11 are shown in FIG. 1,
A line branched from the middle of the cable is provided, and a monitor means for monitoring a signal from the camera of the head unit 11 and an optical image from the lens is provided. Also rod 50
The ball that presses 1 is not limited to such a shape, and may be a pressing part that is pressed by the spring and presses the rod.

[0050]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The operability is extremely excellent, and the posture can be easily locked when the direction of the head is changed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall view of an industrial endoscope to which the present invention is applied.

2A and 2B are views for explaining the operation unit of FIG. 1, in which FIG. 2A is a sectional view, FIG. 2B is a plate type spacer, and FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram shown for explaining the operation of the operation unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a lock unit in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing another configuration example of the lock unit in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing still another configuration example of the lock unit in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a lock mechanism operating unit in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Head part, 20 ... Cable, 30 ... Operation part, 40
... Wire lock part, ball ... 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d,
3e, 3f, ..., 3g, plate type spacers ... 4a, 4b, 4
c, 4d, 4e, 4f, ..., 4g, 4h, wire ... 5
a, 5b, fixing member ... 6a, 6b, stopper ... 7a,
7b, clothing ... 8,300 ... core wire, 400 ... exterior body, 4
01, 402, 601, 602 ... Guide member, 421,
621 ... Coil spring, 450, 650 ... Slide cam, 501 ... Rod.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP 2000-121956 (JP, A) JP 11-244225 (JP, A) JP 2000-135197 (JP, A) JP 11-216103 ( JP, A) JP-A-6-54795 (JP, A) JP-A-2000-316803 (JP, A) Actual Kaihei 1-130702 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB) Name) G02B 23/24

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A core wire coaxially arranged at a central position of an outer package, a support means for supporting the core wire axially movably at an end of the outer package, and a core wire parallel to the core wire around the core wire. A plurality of wires arranged in a plurality of wires, a rod attached to each of the plurality of wires to increase the diameter, a protrusion from the inner peripheral wall of the exterior body toward the center, the rod in parallel with the axis. A first and a second guide member that are movably supported, and a rod that is disposed between the first and the second guide member, movably penetrates the rod, and interlocks with the axial movement of the core wire. A slide cam having a locking portion, and a part of the corresponding guide member (or a part of the slide cam) when the slide cam is pressed by one of the first and second guide members ) Is the corresponding slide When entering the tapered recess formed in the hole (or the guide member), the pressing member in the free state is pressed against the wall surface of the recess and abuts and presses against the rod to regulate the movement of the wire. The lock mechanism to be performed and the slide cam elastically in either the direction in which a part of the guide member (or a part of the slide cam) enters the recess of the slide cam (or the guide member) or the opposite direction. A posture locking device comprising: a spring that presses against. 2. A core wire coaxially arranged at a central position of the exterior body, a support means for axially movably supporting the core wire at an end portion of the exterior body, and a core wire parallel to the core wire around the core wire. A plurality of wires arranged in a plurality of wires, a rod attached to each of the plurality of wires to increase the diameter, a protrusion from the inner peripheral wall of the exterior body toward the center, the rod in parallel with the axis. A first, a second, and a third guide member movably supported, and a rod that is disposed between the first and second guide members, movably penetrates the rod, and axially moves the core wire. A first slide cam having a locking portion interlocked with, and when the first slide cam is pressed toward the first guide member, a part of the first slide cam is
When entering the tapered recess provided in the first guide member, the pressing component in the free state is pressed by the wall surface of the recess to abut and press the rod, thereby restricting movement of the wire. A first lock mechanism for performing, a first spring that elastically presses the first slide cam toward the first guide member side, and a first spring mechanism arranged between the second and third guide members, A second slide cam having a locking portion that movably penetrates the rod and is interlocked with the axial movement of the core wire; and the second slide cam is pressed toward the second guide member. When a part of the second guide member intrudes into the second slide cam tapered recessed portion, the pressing component in the free state is pressed by the wall surface of the recessed portion, so that the rod Abutting and pressing against the wire movement rule The performing a second lock mechanism, the second posture lock device the slide cam, characterized by comprising a second spring for elastically pressed toward the second guide member. 3. The plurality of wires and the core wire are introduced into an operation section connected to the exterior body, and the operation section includes a plurality of balls attached to the core wire at intervals, and the plurality of balls. A plurality of plate type spacers, which are arranged so as to sandwich each of them, the core wire passing through the center in a free manner, and a plurality of the plate type spacers, which freely pass through a plurality of places around the center of the plurality of plate type distancers An operating wire, first and second tubular fixing members that fix the periphery of the first and second plate type spacers at the end of the plurality of plate type spacers, and a plurality of the operating wires Of the remaining plate-shaped spacers arranged between the first and second plate-shaped spacers, and the stopper for locking the end of the plate-shaped spacers so as not to come off from the first plate-shaped spacers. It is composed of a flexible clothing surrounding the circumference. The features according to claim 1 or 2
Posture lock device described. 4. The core wire from the operating portion is introduced,
An operation button holding this core wire, and a lock mechanism operation part exterior body holding the operation button axially movably in the rear part and having one end of the clothing body attached to the front part. The posture lock device according to claim 3.