JP4413037B2 - Flexible endoscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a flexible endoscope having a flexible insertion portion.

  When inserting a flexible endoscope into a luminal organ or the like in the body, the frictional resistance between the mucosal surface and the insertion part increases at the part where the shape of the organ is curved, making it impossible to insert smoothly. If you try to insert it forcibly, it will cause great pain to the patient.

  Therefore, it is common to apply a lubricating liquid for reducing the frictional resistance between the insertion part and the mucosal surface of the body to the surface of the insertion part, but most of the lubricating liquid applied to the surface of the insertion part is in the body. It is scraped off to the mucosal surface at a position not far from the entrance.

  Therefore, conventionally, a flexible coated tube formed with a plurality of through holes is loosely coated over the entire length of the insertion portion, and an injection port for injecting a lubricant into the gap between the coated tube and the insertion portion is provided. Provided on the hand side, the lubricating liquid can be allowed to flow out from the through-hole as needed during use of the endoscope (for example, Patent Document 1).

However, if the endoscope is inserted while the lubricating liquid is allowed to flow out in the body, there is a disadvantage that the mucosal surface that is the site to be inspected is soiled by a large amount of lubricating liquid. There is one in which resistance is reduced (for example, Patent Document 2).
Shoko 109-1965 JP-A-4-2319

  However, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, the bending portion formed near the distal end of the insertion portion is structured to vibrate via an operation wire by the operation of a motor disposed on the proximal end side of the insertion portion. Actually, the fine vibration generated on the proximal end side is absorbed by the long operation wire, and the distal end of the insertion portion cannot be finely vibrated to a desired state.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a flexible endoscope that can insert the insertion portion smoothly into the body without applying a lubricating liquid by reliably microvibrating the distal end portion of the flexible insertion portion to a desired state. The purpose is to provide a mirror.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the flexible endoscope of the present invention includes an electromagnetic coil and an electromagnetic force generated by energization of the electromagnetic coil, which is disposed movably in the axial direction of the electromagnetic coil in the distal end of the insertion portion. And a coil spring with one end connected to the insertion part and the other end connected to the weight so as to expand and contract in the axial direction of the electromagnetic coil, so that the electromagnetic coil can be expanded and contracted. Then, when a current is applied, the weight resonates so that the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion slightly vibrates.

  A pressure receiving sensor for detecting the movement of the weight and the expansion / contraction state of the coil spring is attached to one end of the coil spring, and the electromagnetic coil is turned on / off in response to an output signal from the pressure receiving sensor. Off may be controlled.

  According to the present invention, since the weight provided in the distal end of the flexible insertion portion resonates, the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion vibrates slightly. The insertion portion can be smoothly inserted into the body without applying a lubricating liquid.

  An electromagnetic coil, a weight that is movably disposed in the axial direction of the electromagnetic coil and that receives an electromagnetic force generated by energization of the electromagnetic coil, and an end that extends and contracts in the axial direction of the electromagnetic coil are inserted into the distal end of the insertion portion. The coil spring is connected to the coil and the other end is connected to the weight, and a current is passed through the electromagnetic coil in response to the expansion and contraction of the coil spring. Vibrates slightly.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an insertion portion of a flexible endoscope covered with a flexible tube, and an operation portion 2 is connected to the base end thereof.

  In the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion 1, an electromagnetic coil 3 and a pressure receiving sensor 4 for finely vibrating the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion 1 are built in, and a detection signal output from the pressure receiving sensor 4 is transmitted. A signal line A and a drive line B for sending a drive current to the electromagnetic coil 3 are connected to the control unit 10 via a connector 5.

  In the control unit 10, a coil driving power source 11 for outputting a driving current for driving the electromagnetic coil 3, a control circuit 12 for controlling the operation of the coil driving power source 11, and the like are disposed. A is connected to the input terminal of the control circuit 12, and the drive line B is connected to the output terminal of the coil drive power supply 11.

  FIG. 1 shows the internal structure in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion 1, the electromagnetic coil 3 is arranged so that its axis coincides with the axis of the insertion portion 1, and the pressure receiving sensor 4 covers the distal end portion of the insertion portion 1. It is fixed to the tip body 6 to be formed.

  Moreover, the cylindrical cylinder 7 inserted in the electromagnetic coil 3 is disposed in a state of extending from the electromagnetic coil 3 to the distal end side in a mode in which the axis thereof coincides with the axial line of the insertion portion 1, and the distal end is the distal end. It is fixed to the body 6.

  In the cylinder 7, for example, a weight 8 made of a magnetic material such as iron or ferrite is loosely inserted at a position where an electromagnetic force generated by energization of the electromagnetic coil 3 acts so as to be movable in the axial direction. .

  A coil spring 9 is arranged between the pressure receiving sensor 4 fixed to the tip end body 6 and the weight 8, and an end portion on the tip end side of the coil spring 9 is connected to the pressure receiving sensor 4, and an end on the rear end side. The part is connected to the weight 8.

  With such a configuration, when a drive current is applied to the electromagnetic coil 3, the weight 8 is attracted to the rear electromagnetic coil 3 side by the electromagnetic force generated thereby, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. If 9 is stretched and the energization of the electromagnetic coil 3 is stopped there, the weight 8 moves in the direction of the tip and compresses the coil spring 9 with that momentum, as shown by the solid line in FIG.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, in the control circuit 12 of the control unit 10, when the detected value of the pressure receiving sensor 4 becomes minimum after energization of the electromagnetic coil 3 (that is, the coil spring 9 is in the most extended state). ) When the energization to the electromagnetic coil 3 is turned off, and the energization to the electromagnetic coil 3 is turned on when the detected value of the pressure sensor 4 reaches a maximum (that is, when the coil spring 9 is in its most contracted state). By controlling to do so, the weight 8 resonates in accordance with the energization state of the electromagnetic coil 3.

  In this way, when the weight 8 resonates at the axial position near the distal end of the insertion portion 1, the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion 1 slightly vibrates in the axial direction following this, so that the insertion portion 1 and the mucous membrane in the body The frictional resistance of the contact portion is reduced, and the insertion portion 1 can be smoothly inserted into the body.

It is a schematic sectional drawing near the front-end | tip of the insertion part of the flexible endoscope of the Example of this invention. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a flexible endoscope and a control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows operation | movement of the front-end | tip vicinity of the insertion part of the flexible endoscope of the Example of this invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a control operation of the flexible endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 3 Electromagnetic coil 4 Pressure sensing sensor 6 Tip part main body 7 Cylinder 8 Weight 9 Coil spring 10 Control unit 11 Coil drive power supply 12 Control circuit

Claims (2)

An electromagnetic coil, a weight that is movably disposed in the axial direction of the electromagnetic coil and that receives an electromagnetic force generated by energization of the electromagnetic coil, and expands and contracts in the axial direction of the electromagnetic coil in the distal end of the insertion portion. A coil spring having one end connected to the insertion portion and the other end connected to the weight is disposed, and a current is applied to the electromagnetic coil in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the coil spring, whereby the weight is A flexible endoscope characterized in that it resonates and the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion slightly vibrates. A pressure sensor for detecting the movement of the weight and the expansion / contraction state of the coil spring is attached to one end side of the coil spring, and energization of the electromagnetic coil in response to an output signal from the pressure sensor. The flexible endoscope according to claim 1, wherein on / off of the head is controlled.

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