JP3485191B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides an endoscope provided with setting means for setting a drive control state to a state after switching when a plurality of bending drive operating means with respect to a drive means for driving a bending portion is switched. Regarding a mirror device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope is widely used in the medical field for observing a deep part in a body cavity by inserting it into a body cavity or the like, and performing a medical treatment by using a treatment tool if necessary. It came to be used. or,
In the industrial field, endoscopes are widely used for inspecting the inside of jet engines or the inside of plants.

This endoscope is formed with a flexible insertion portion so that it can be inserted into a bent body cavity, and also has a bending portion which can be bent by an operation on the hand side.
In order to easily bend the bending portion, an electric bending type endoscope is provided which can be bent in a desired direction by providing an electric drive unit for the bending portion and operating a switch or the like on the hand side. ing.

Some electric bending type endoscopes are provided with a plurality of bending operation means on the hand side so that the operator can easily use the endoscope. For example, a bending operation means such as a bending operation switch provided on the operation portion or the grip portion of the endoscope is provided together with a bending operation means formed by a remote control unit, and one of them is selectively selected by the operator. The bending state is set to the active state that can be used for the bending operation by the selected bending operation means.

In the case of a plurality of bending operation means, the selected bending operation means may be switched and used during use. For example, an operator who is not skilled in inserting an endoscope or the like operates one of the bending operation means (for example, the bending operation means on the endoscope side) to try to insert the insertion portion to a deep part in the body cavity. During the course of the operation, an operator who is more skilled in the bending operation switches to the other bending operation means (for example, a remote control unit) and tries to insert it smoothly at a site that requires a high degree of bending operation technique. It is possible.

[0006]

[0007]

THE INVENTION It is a problem to be solved point, however, curved
Not considered when switching operation means
Therefore, it is not possible to move quickly to the movement intended by the surgeon.
Or, there is a possibility of moving to a motion that the surgeon does not intend.
There was a problem that

[0008]

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and when switching from one bending operation means to the other bending operation means, the operator can quickly set the bending control state after the switching intended by the operator. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fast endoscopic device.

[0010]

[Means for Solving Problems ] Solving the above problems
Therefore, the endoscope apparatus of the present invention is provided with a bay provided in the insertion section.
Bendable bending portion and driving means for driving the bending portion to bend
A control means for controlling the drive of the drive means,
Independent operation signal for controlling the drive of the moving means.
At least two operation signal output means for outputting to the control means
Stage and one of the operation signal output means has priority.
The pre-setting means and one of the operation signal output means to the other one
If one is prioritized, the other will be prioritized after switching.
Setting means for setting one drive control state of
And are characterized. Also, in order to solve the above problems
The Ming endoscopic device is a flexible bending device provided in the insertion part.
Section, driving means for driving the bending section to bend, and the driving hand
Control means for controlling the drive of the stages, and drive control of the drive means
Control signals are output to the control means.
At least two operation signal output means for applying force, and the operation
Provided to one of the signal output means and prioritizing this one
Priority setting means and the other of the operation signal output means
And a priority setting means which is provided in the
Of the first setting means, the priority setting method operated later in time.
In the drive control state by the operation signal output means provided with steps
A setting means for setting is provided. further
In order to solve the above problems, the endoscope apparatus of the present invention is
A bendable bending portion provided in the insertion portion and the bending portion
Driving means for driving, and the insertion part with respect to the driving means
Control is performed by switching between automatic insertion and manual insertion of
A control unit and a drive unit for controlling the drive of the drive unit.
At least 2 for outputting a standing operation signal to the control means
Of the operation signal output means and the operation signal output means
Priority setting means for prioritizing one of the
If you switch from one of the columns to the other one,
Setting to set another drive control state that is prioritized after replacement
It is characterized in that a fixing means is provided. Moreover, the above question
In order to solve the problems, the endoscope device of the present invention is
A bendable bending portion provided and a bending drive for the bending portion.
Drive means, and automatic and manual insertion of the insertion part
And mode selecting means for switching the input Prefecture, the mode selecting manual stage
Means for controlling the drive of the drive means according to the setting of
And an independent operation for controlling the drive of the drive means.
At least two operations for outputting a production signal to the control means
A signal output means and one of the operation signal output means
One of priority setting means for giving priority and the operation signal output means
If you switch from one to the other,
Another one that is prioritized after switching according to the setting of the selection means
It is characterized in that setting means for setting the drive control state is provided.
And

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows an outer appearance of an endoscope apparatus of the first embodiment, FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration of the first embodiment, and FIG. The control content of the control circuit with respect to the bending operation means in the first embodiment is shown.

As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope apparatus 1 of the first embodiment supplies an electronic endoscope (hereinafter referred to as an electronic scope) 2 having a built-in image pickup means and illuminating light to the electronic scope 2. From the light source device 3, a video processor (hereinafter, referred to as VP) 4 that performs signal processing, a motor control unit (hereinafter, referred to as MCU) 5 that controls the electric bending driving means of the electronic scope 2, and the VP 4. It is composed of a monitor 6 such as a CRT that displays a standard video signal that is output.

The electronic scope 2 has an elongated and flexible insertion portion 7 so that it can be inserted into a body cavity and the like, and a wide-width gripping portion (operation portion) 8 connected to the rear end of the insertion portion 7. When,
A universal cable 9 extending from a side portion of the grip portion 8 and a connector 11 attached to an end portion of the universal cable 9 can be detachably connected to the light source device 3.

The insertion portion 7 has a hard tip portion 1 from the tip side.
2, a bendable bending portion 13, and a flexible flexible tube portion 14
Consists of. The connector 11 can be detachably connected to the VP 4 via the connection cable 15. Connectors 15a and 15b are provided at both ends of the connection cable 15, and can be connected to the connector 11 and VP4, respectively. This VP4 is connected to the MCU5 via the connection cord 16.
Detachably connected to. In other words, this connection cord 16
Connectors 16a and 16b are provided at both ends of the connector and can be detachably connected to the VP4 and the MCU5, respectively.

A remote control unit (hereinafter abbreviated as a remote controller) 17 serving as a second operating means can be detachably connected to the MCU 5 through a connector 18a provided at an end of a remote controller cable 18. ing. The video output of the VP 4 is input to the monitor 6 via the connection cable 19.

Connector 1 of the universal cable 9
By connecting 1 to the light source device 3, white light of a lamp (not shown) in the light source device 3 is applied to the end surface of the light guide, and the illumination light transmitted by the light guide is supplied to the tip portion 12 of the insertion portion 7. The light is emitted forward from the side end face and illuminates a subject (not shown) in front.

The illuminated object is imaged by the objective lens 23 shown in FIG. 2 provided at the tip 12 on a CCD 24 as a solid-state image pickup element arranged on the focal plane thereof, and photoelectrically converted by the CCD 24.

The image signal photoelectrically converted by the CCD 24 is amplified by the amplifier 25 and then input to the video process circuit 26 in the VP4, and the video process circuit 26 processes the signal to generate a standard video signal. Then, the subject image is displayed on the display screen of the monitor 6.

The bending portion 13, which is formed adjacent to the rear end of the tip portion 12 and is bendable, has a large number of bending pieces (not shown).
The upper and lower bending wires 27 and the left and right bending wires 28 are formed by vertically connecting them vertically and horizontally so as to be vertically connected to each other, and the tip ends of the up and down bending wires 27 and the left and right bending wires 28 are fixed to a leading edge bending piece or the like. The bending wires 27 and 28 are inserted through the bending portion 13 and the flexible tube portion 14, and the rear ends thereof are wound around pulleys 29 and 31 inside the grip portion 8, respectively.

The pulleys 29 and 31 are fixed to shafts 32a and 33a of, for example, DC motors 32 and 33 as electric bending driving means, respectively.
The rotation of the C motors 32 and 33 causes the pulley 2 to rotate.
9 and 31 will also be rotated, and pulleys 29 and 3
By the rotation of 1, one of the bending wires 27 and 28 is pulled and the other is loosened, and the bending portion 13 is pulled to the pulled side.
Is curved.

Rotary encoders 34 and 35 are attached to the shafts of the bending drive DC motors 32 and 33 which project to the opposite side from the pulleys 29 and 31, respectively, so that the rotation amounts of the DC motors 32 and 33 can be detected. There is. The operation section 8 has a bending switch section 36 and a switch unit section 37 as a first bending operation means.
Is provided. The bending switch unit 36 includes a vertical bending switch 38 and a horizontal bending switch 39.

When the DC motors 32 and 33 are driven (via the control circuit 48) by operating the bending switch section 36 and outputting a bending operation signal, the rotary encoders 34 and 35 cause the DC motors to rotate. 32 and 3
The rotation amount of 3 is detected and input to the bending angle detection circuits 40 and 50, respectively. Then, the bending angle detection circuits 40 and 50 convert the bending angle data into the bending angle data, and the control circuit 48
Entered in.

On the other hand, the switch unit portion 37 includes a speed setting switch 41 for setting the bending speed and the bending portion 13.
Vibration (AV) ON / OFF switch 42 for vibrating the robot in a small angle range, AV setting switch 43 for setting the angular range of vibration, AV cycle setting switch 44 for setting the cycle of vibration, AV mode for setting the mode of vibration It comprises a setting switch 45 and a straight switch 46 for setting the bending portion 13 in a straight state.

The switch signals of the bending switch section 36 and the switch unit section 37 are input to the control circuit 48 via the input / output interface (I / O) 51 in the MCU 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the contacts on the I / O 51 side of each of the switches 38, 39, 41 to 46 are pulled up by a resistor to the power source end, respectively.
When it is N, an ON signal of "0" is output.

The control circuit 48 controls the forward / reverse rotation of the motor 32, that is, the up / down bending through the I / O 51 and the driver 52, and also controls the I / O 51 and the driver 54.
The forward / reverse rotation of the motor 33, that is, the right / left curve is controlled via the. The drive currents that drive the motors 32 and 33 are detected by the current detection circuits 57 and 58 via the current probes 55 and 56, respectively, and the A / D converter 5 is detected.
It is output to the control circuit 48 via 9. This control circuit 4
By the control of 8, for example, the driver 52 supplies the motor 32 with positive power in the case of up-curving and negative power in the case of down-curving. This supplied power is detected by the current probe 55, and further by the current detection circuit 57,
After being converted into a current value and A / D converted, the control circuit 48
Is output to.

The output of the control circuit 48 is input to the control circuit 61 in the VP4, and the control circuit 61 controls the video process circuit 26. For example, when a freeze switch (not shown) is operated, the operation signal of the freeze switch is input to the control circuit 61 in the VP4 via the control circuit 48, and the control circuit 61 writes the frame memory in the video process circuit 26. The still image is displayed on the monitor 6 by setting the prohibition state. In addition, the control circuit 48 outputs information indicating the bending control state to the video process circuit 26 via the control circuit 61, and displays the information in the corner of the display screen of the monitor 6, for example, and the surgeon can control the current bending control. I am able to know the condition.

The remote controller 17 as the second operating means includes a bending switch portion 36a and a switch unit portion 37a.
Is provided. The bending switch portion 36a is formed of joysticks 64 and 65 for performing bending operations in four directions. The joysticks 64 and 65 (equivalently shown by two potentiometers in FIG. 2) tilt the operating rod upward or downward, or to the left or right, and the like. ) Changes its resistance value, and the potential divided by the resistance value is input to the control circuit 48 via the A / D converter 59. In the example of FIG. 2, the side with higher potential is up (up) or right (light).
The operation signal is an instruction signal for instructing the bending in the direction, and the side having a lower potential is an operation signal for instructing the bending in the down (down) or left (left) direction.

On the other hand, the switch unit portion 37a has the same switches as those provided in the switch unit portion 37 of the grip portion 8, that is, the speed setting switch 41a, AV ON / OFF switch 42a, AV.
Setting switch 43a, AV cycle setting switch 44a, A
V mode setting switch 45a, straight switch 46
In addition to a, a priority switch 66 is provided. In FIG. 2, the switches 41a to 46a and 66 are pulled up, for example, by the symbol ∇.

When the priority switch 66 is turned on, the operating means on the remote controller 17 side, that is, the setting of the various switches 41a to 46a and the setting of the bending switch portion 36a have priority over the setting of the operating means on the electronic scope 2 side. The control circuit 48 controls various switches 41 on the remote controller 17 side.
The control corresponding to the setting of Nos. 46 to 46 and the bending operation (operation related thereto) set by the bending switch section 36a is performed. When the priority switch 66 is turned off, the operation means on the electronic scope 2 side, that is, (various switches 41 to 46)
The switch unit portion 37 (comprising) and the bending switch portion 36 (comprising the up / down bending switch 38 and the left / right bending switch 39) have priority over the operating means on the remote controller 17 side.

In the first embodiment, the control circuit 48 is composed of, for example, a CPU, a ROM and a RAM not shown, and when the priority switch 66 is switched in the control circuit 48,
The setting state of one of the bending operation means that is preferentially used, that is, the setting state of the switch unit portion 37 or 37a and the setting state of the bending switch portion 36 or 36a is read, and the bending driving operation is performed so as to obtain the read new bending setting state. Is controlled so that the priority switch 66 can quickly respond to the setting contents of the bending operation means prioritized.

For example, when the preferentially used bending operation means is switched by switching the priority switch 66 (when the bending operation means on the electronic scope 2 side is switched to the remote controller 17 side or vice versa), the switching is performed. The priority switch 66
It is detected at the output level of
The control circuit 48 drives the bending of the motors 32 and 33 so that the bending portion 13 is in a bending state corresponding to the operation information of the switch unit portion 37 or 37a and the bending switch portion 36 or 36a from the bending operation means that is prioritized after the switching. Take control.

The operation of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the connection is made as shown in FIG. 1 and the power switch (not shown) is turned on to be in use, the control circuit 48 causes the control circuit 48 to perform step S1 in FIG.
As shown in, it is determined whether the first or second (bending) operation means is selected by determining whether the priority switch 66 is ON.

For example, when the priority switch 66 is ON (that is, YES), the remote controller 17 side as the second operating means is selected. On the other hand, if it is OFF (that is, NO), the grip portion 8 side as the first operation means is selected. As shown in step S2a, when the grip portion 8 side as the first operating means is selected, the control circuit 48 prohibits the input (operation) on the remote controller 17 side, and then, as shown in step S3a, the grip portion 8 side. After the input information (setting) is read, the bending drive corresponding to this setting operation is controlled, and as shown in step S4a, the input on the gripping portion 8 side is permitted, and this processing is ended.

Thereafter, when the priority switch 66 is further switched, it is determined in step S1 that the switch has been performed, and the same operation is performed. For example, on the gripping part 8 side,
When the AV setting switch 43 is used as OFF and then switching to select the remote controller 17 side is performed, if the AV setting switch on the remote controller 17 side is ON, after switching, the AV setting switch is ON control state (operating state) And the response to the switching is fast. After that, A on the remote control 17 side
When the V setting switch 43a is pressed again to turn off the AV setting switch, the AV setting switch is turned off.
It becomes the operation of.

On the other hand, in step S1, the remote controller 1
If it is determined that the 7 side is selected, as shown in step S2b, after the input on the grip portion 8 side is prohibited, the step S3 is performed.
As shown in b, the setting on the remote control 17 side is read, the bending drive control corresponding to this reading is performed, and further, as shown in step S2b, when the input from the remote control 17 side is permitted and the input is changed, The curving drive corresponding to the input is controlled. When the priority switch 66 is further switched, it is determined in step S1 that the switch has been performed.

According to this first embodiment, the priority switch 6
When 6 is switched and the operation signal of the other bending operation means is prioritized from one of the bending operation means, an operation signal corresponding to a new setting of the other bending operation means is fetched immediately after the switching, and the bending is performed according to the fetched contents. Since the drive is controlled, the bending portion 13 can be quickly set to the state corresponding to the setting state of the bending operation after the switching.

In the first embodiment, the control circuit 48 monitors the contents of each port to which the outputs of the I / O 51, the A / D converter 59 and the priority switch 66 are input, in a time division manner, and switches each of them. The present invention is not limited to the one that controls the bending drive according to the (change), and stores the operation state of the prioritized bending operation means side or the operation state of the two bending operation means sides. Alternatively, the control circuit 48 may control the bending drive according to the stored contents on the bending operation means side, which is prioritized by the priority switch 66.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In this second embodiment, the bending drive DC motors 32 and 33 and the rotary encoders 34 and 35 are MCUs.
5, which are provided in the shafts 5a and 3a, respectively.
The transmission gears 71 and 72 attached to 3a transmit the driving force to the transmission gears 75 and 76 provided in the connector of the electronic scope 2. These transmission gears 75
And 76 are pulleys 29 and 31, respectively, on shaft 73
And 74.

The bending wires 27 and 28 wound around the pulleys 29 and 31, respectively, are the universal cord 9,
The grip portion 8, the flexible tube portion 14 , and the bending portion 13 are inserted and fixed to the tip portion 12. Further, in this embodiment, the second remote controller 77 is used instead of the bending switch portion 36 and the switch unit portion 37 provided in the grip portion 8 in the first embodiment.
Can be detachably connected to the MCU 5 like the other remote controller 17 (referred to as a first remote controller).

The second remote controller 77 has a switch unit section 37b having the same function as the switch unit section 37 provided in the grip section 8 and a joystick 64a similar to the joysticks 64 and 65 of the first remote controller 17.
And 65a form a curved switch portion 36b, and the switch unit portion 37b is connected to the control circuit 48 via the I / O 51.
Joysticks 64a and 65a are input to A /
It is input to the control circuit 48 via the D converter 59.

In this embodiment, for example, the electronic scope 2 has the grip portion 8, but it may have a structure without the grip portion 8. (In the case of the structure not having it, the flexible tube portion 14 is extended, and the connector having the transmission gears 75 and 76 and the like built therein is attached to the rear end thereof.) Further, the first remote controller 17 has the first embodiment. A priority switch 66 is provided similarly to the above. The outputs of the bending angle detection circuits 38 and 39 are input to the control circuit 48 via the I / O 51. The operation of this embodiment is similar to that in FIG. 3 in which the expression "second remote controller" is used instead of the "holding portion side" in steps S2b and S3a, and therefore the description thereof is omitted. The effect of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, and this endoscope apparatus has an automatic insertion function. In the third embodiment, the bending switch portion 36 provided on the grip portion 8 is composed of an up / down bending joystick 64c and a left / right bending joystick 65c. A priority switch 66 is provided on the switch unit portion 37 provided on the grip portion 8. In this embodiment, the bending switch section 36 of the remote controller 17 is used.
a and the signals of the switch unit section 37a are multiplexed by a signal multiplexing circuit 91, and the I / F 9 in the MCU 5 is multiplexed.
Entered in 2. After being restored by the I / F 92, it is input to the control circuit 48.

The output of the video process circuit 26 in the VP4 is input to the curving direction detecting circuit 93, and the curving direction detecting circuit 93 detects the direction of the darkest dark portion in the output image of the video process circuit 26, and the dark portion is detected. To the control circuit 48 via the I / O 51 in the MCU 5. The control circuit 48 outputs a control signal for controlling the operation of the driver 52 and / or 53 so as to bend the bending portion 13 in the direction of the dark portion, based on the signal indicating the position direction of the dark portion, and the motor 32 and / or The rotational drive of 33 is controlled, for example, so that the position of the dark part is located near the center of the image.

Further, although not shown in FIG. 5, this embodiment has a motor for rotationally driving a pulley that comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion 7, and the control circuit 48 controls the rotational operation of this motor via a driver. In the automatic insertion (auto insertion) mode, control is performed so that the position of the dark portion is located near the center of the image, and this motor is rotated so that the insertion portion 7 can be automatically inserted. There is.

A mode selection switch 94 for switching between an automatic insertion mode for performing automatic insertion and a manual insertion mode for performing manual insertion is provided. The mode selection switch 94 may be provided in the switch unit section 37, for example. In this embodiment, the mode selection switch 9
When 4 is set to the manual insertion mode, the control operation of the control circuit 48 for the gripping section 8 side operating means and the remote controller 17 side operating means becomes the same as that of the first embodiment by switching the priority switch 66.

On the other hand, the priority switch 66 is turned on or off.
When the mode selection switch 94 is switched in the state of 1
The same control operation is performed between the 7-side or gripping section 8-side operating means (that is, the manual bending operating means) and the automatic bending operating means. Further, the control circuit 48 monitors not only the switching of the priority switch 66 but also the switching of the mode selection switch 94.

The bending direction detection circuit 93 is V in FIG.
Although it is provided in P4, it may be a separate body. The operation of this embodiment will be described below. As described above, the switching of the priority switch 66 is similar to that of the first embodiment, and therefore,
The operation for switching the mode selection switch 94 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

When this device is set to the operating state, the control circuit 48 determines whether it is manual or not, as shown in step S1, for example, by turning the mode selection switch 94 ON (or OFF) to the level "0" (or "0"). 1 ") to judge. If it is determined to be manual, input of the automatic input to the control circuit 48 is prohibited, that is, input from the bending direction detection circuit 93 is prohibited, as shown in step S2a.

Then, as shown in step S3a, the manual input, that is, the setting information of the operating means on the remote controller 17 side or the gripping portion 8 side, which is prioritized by the priority switch 66, is read, and the bending corresponding to the read content is performed. The bending portion 13 is driven to bend in the driving state, and further, step S
As shown in 4a, the input of the manual operation for changing the bending drive state is permitted, and when there is the input, the control is performed so as to perform the operation according to the input content.

For example, when the operating means on the side of the grip portion 8 is prioritized, the setting states of the bending switch portion 36 and the switch unit portion 37 are read, and when this reading is completed, the bending drive state corresponding to the operation is read. Is set to
After that, an operation signal for changing the setting state is permitted.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S1 is automatic, manual input is prohibited as shown in step S2b. For example, the operating means (bending switch portion 3) on the gripping portion 8 side is prohibited.
6 and the switch unit section 37) are prohibited, and as shown in step S3b, the automatic input, that is, the input (setting) from the bending direction detection circuit 93 is read,
The bending drive state corresponding to this read content is set,
After that, as shown in step S4a, the automatic input (for example, changing the setting state) is permitted. That is, the control circuit 48 controls to perform the bending operation according to the input signal from the bending direction detection circuit 93.

In the first and second embodiments, the bending operation signals from the first bending operation means and the second bending operation means are input to the control circuit 48, and the bending operation on the side selected by the priority switch 66 is performed. When the bending drive is controlled according to the signal and the priority switch 66 is switched, the bending drive is promptly controlled to the set state after the switching, whereas in the third embodiment, in addition to the function, A manual bending operation signal and an automatic bending operation signal are input to the control circuit 48, and the same operation is performed on the two bending operation signals according to the switching of the mode changeover switch 94. Therefore, the effect of the third embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, and in addition, when the manual bending operation and the automatic bending operation are switched, the bending portion 13 can be promptly set to the setting state after the switching. .

Although the third embodiment has been described as having a motor for insertion, it has an automatic bending mode for automatically bending without the motor and a manual bending mode for manually bending. Can also be applied to.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned one, but various modified examples can be constructed. For example, the first
In the embodiment, AC is used instead of the DC motors 32 and 33.
A motor, a stepping motor, an ultrasonic motor or the like may be used. In addition, the rotary encoders 34, 35
A potentiometer may be used instead of. Further, a trackball may be used instead of the joysticks 64 and 65. Further, the present invention can be applied to a case having three or more bending operation means. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be partially combined.

Incidentally, for example, in the first embodiment, the priority switch 66 is set to which of the switch unit parts 37 and 37.
For example, the switch unit 37 or 37a, which is operated later in time, may be prioritized. Further, the present invention is not limited to electrically bending driving, but may be bending driving by expanding and contracting the shape memory member, or may be bending driving using fluid.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention, when one of the at least two independent bending operation signals is switched to be prioritized to the other, the bending operation is performed in the setting state corresponding to the bending operation signal after the switching. Since the means for driving is provided, when the switching is performed, the bending state of the bending portion can be promptly set to correspond to the new bending operation signal state, and a device with good response can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a specific configuration of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of a control circuit for the two bending operation means in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a specific configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a specific configuration of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing contents of a control circuit for a plurality of bending operation signals.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Endoscopic device 2 ... Electronic scope 4 ... VP (video processor) 5 ... MCU (motor control unit) 6 ... Monitor 7 ... insertion part 8 ... Grip 13 ... Curved part 17 ... Remote control 27, 28 ... Curved wire 32, 33 ... Motor 36, 36a ... Curved switch section 37, 37a ... Switch unit 41 ... Speed setting switch 42 ... AV (angle vibration) switch 48 ... Control circuit 64, 65 ... Joystick 66 ... Priority switch

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A bendable bending portion provided in an insertion portion, a driving means for bending and driving the bending portion, a control means for controlling the driving of the driving means, and a driving control for the driving means. Of at least two operation signal output means for outputting independent operation signals to the control means, priority setting means for giving priority to one of the operation signal output means, and one of the operation signal output means to another. And a setting means for setting another one of the drive control states that are prioritized after the switching. 2. A bendable bending portion provided in the insertion portion.
Drive means for driving the bending portion to bend, and the drive means
Means for controlling the driving of the driving means, and driving control of the driving means
Outputs an independent operation signal to the control means for performing
At least two operation signal output means, and the operation signal
Is provided on one of the signal output means, and this one is prioritized
Priority setting means and the other of the operation signal output means
Priority setting means provided for prioritizing the other, and the priority
Of the setting means, the priority setting means operated later in time
Is set in the drive control state by the operation signal output means
Endoscope device characterized by having setting means for setting
Place 3. A bendable bending portion provided in the insertion portion.
Drive means for driving the bending portion to bend, and the drive means
For automatic insertion and manual insertion of the insertion part
Control means for switching and controlling, and drive control of the drive means
Control signals are output to the control means.
At least two operation signal output means for applying force, and the operation
Priority setting means for giving priority to one of the signal output means,
A switch that prioritizes one of the operation signal output means to another.
In case of replacement, another drive control which is prioritized after switching
It is characterized in that a setting means for setting the control state is provided.
Endoscopic device. 4. A bendable bending portion provided in the insertion portion.
Drive means for driving the bending portion to bend, and the insertion portion of the insertion portion.
Mode selector to switch between automatic and manual insertion
Stage, and the drive means according to the setting of the mode selection means
Means for controlling the driving of the driving means, and driving control of the driving means
Outputs an independent operation signal to the control means for performing
At least two operation signal output means, and the operation signal
No. output hand A priority setting means for prioritizing one of the steps;
Switching from one of the operation signal output means to another one with priority
If you change the setting, switch according to the setting of the mode selection means.
Setting to set another drive control state that is prioritized later
An endoscopic device comprising means.