JP4855769B2 - Endoscope insertion part, method for manufacturing the same, and endoscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope insertion portion having a bending portion that is operated to bend, and a manufacturing method thereof.

  A bending portion that is operated to bend is disposed in the insertion portion of the endoscope. In this curved portion, a plurality of cylindrical node rings are arranged in parallel with each other, and both adjacent node rings are connected to each other so as to be swingable by a pair of connection portions that are symmetrical with respect to the central axis. . These connecting portions are formed, for example, by projecting tongue pieces on both end faces of the node ring, and overlapping the tongue pieces of adjacent node rings so that they can be pivoted to each other.

Further, Patent Document 1 discloses that, in order to improve the assembling property of the curved portion, a connecting portion is formed by interposing a steel ball between both overlapping tongue pieces instead of riveting. ing.
JP 7-128599 A

  However, in the conventional bending part, even if it is a bending part like patent document 1, it is necessary to assemble a precise fine part with very high precision. For this reason, in manufacturing the bending portion, it depends on a highly skilled manpower or requires a large-scale high-performance automatic assembly device, and it is difficult to improve the manufacturing efficiency of the endoscope insertion portion.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to manufacture an endoscope insertion portion capable of improving manufacturing efficiency and an endoscope insertion portion having high manufacturing efficiency. Is to provide a method.

  An endoscope insertion portion manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of node rings arranged in parallel to each other, a hinge protrusion provided on one node ring of both adjacent node rings, A method of manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion, comprising: a hinge receiving portion provided on the other node ring of both node rings, wherein the hinge protrusion is rotatably inserted so that both node rings can swing with respect to each other. A step of forming a hinge protrusion preparation portion for forming the hinge protrusion on the plate material by pressing, and a hinge receiving portion preparation portion for forming the hinge receiving portion on the plate material by pressing. Forming a first nodal ring preparation portion having the hinge projection preparation portion on the plate material to form the one node ring by punching, and forming the hinge receiving member on the plate material. A second preparation portion for forming the other node ring Forming a ring preparation portion by punching, and moving one of the first and second node preparation portions by Z-bending to move the hinge protrusion preparation portion and the hinge receiving portion. Aligning the preparation part in a direction perpendicular to the plate member, and dropping the one of the first and second node ring preparation parts to make the hinge protrusion preparation part In order to pivotally insert the hinge receiving portion preparing portion into the first and second nodal ring preparing portions, the first and second nodal ring preparing portions are arranged at least once U A step of bending, and a step of O-bending the first and second node ring preparation portions that have been U-bent to form the first and second node ring preparation portions into a cylindrical shape. It is characterized by comprising.

  In a method for manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in all the steps, the first and second node ring preparation portions are simultaneously processed at a processing position where each step is performed. A process of performing the respective steps of the plate material in the order of a step of forming by pressing, a step of forming by punching, the step of aligning, the step of inserting, the step of bending the U, and the step of bending O. It is characterized by sequentially feeding to the position.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion, wherein at least one of the first and second node ring preparation portions of the first and second node ring preparation portions which are subjected to O-bending and abut each other. The method further includes the step of joining both ends.

  In a method for manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the node ring has a wire receiver for inserting a wire, and the manufacturing method is performed by slitting and bending the plate material. The method further includes the step of forming a wire receiving preparation portion for forming the wire receiver.

  In a method of manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the node ring has a wire receiver for inserting a wire, and the manufacturing method includes punching and bending of the plate material. The method further comprises a step of forming a wire receiving preparation portion for forming the wire receiver.

The endoscope insertion portion of another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of joint rings which are juxtaposed to each other, and a hinge protrusion is provided integrally with the one articulation wheel of the two articulation wheels adjacent , anda hinge receiving portion the hinge projections provided integrally is swingable together inserted and the two articulation wheels rotatably to the other articulation wheel of the articulation wheels, the plurality node ring is an endoscope insertion portion that is formed by pressing from a single plate material, the press working, press the hinge protruding portion preparing portion for forming the hinge protruding portions on the sheet material A step of forming the hinge receiving portion for forming the hinge receiving portion on the plate by pressing, a step of forming the hinge protrusion preparing portion on the plate and the one node ring The first node ring preparation part for forming the hole is formed by punching A step of forming a second node ring preparation portion for forming the other node ring having the hinge receiving portion preparation portion on the plate material, and the first and second steps. A step of moving one of the node ring preparation portions of the node ring preparation portion by Z-bending to align the hinge projection preparation portion and the hinge receiving portion preparation portion in a direction perpendicular to the plate material; And a step of pivotally inserting the hinge projection preparation part into the hinge receiving part preparation part by dropping the one node preparation part of the second node preparation part, and the first and A step of U-bending the first and second node ring preparation portions at least once in order to form the second node ring preparation portion into a cylinder; and the first and second node ring preparation portions as cylinders O-bending the first and second node ring preparation parts that have been U-bent And having the steps of engineering, the.

  In an endoscope insertion portion according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a bending tube that forms a bending portion to be bent and a flexible tube that forms a flexible flexible portion include the node ring, the hinge protrusion, It has the said hinge receiving part and is formed by press work from the single board | plate material, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  An endoscope according to still another embodiment of the present invention includes the endoscope insertion portion.

  According to the endoscope insertion portion of the present invention, it is possible to improve the manufacturing efficiency of the endoscope insertion portion.

  Moreover, according to the method for manufacturing the endoscope insertion portion of the present invention, the manufacturing efficiency is high.

  A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope 10 of the present embodiment has an elongated insertion portion 12 that is inserted into a body cavity. The insertion portion 12 is formed by sequentially connecting a distal end configuration portion 14, a bending portion 16 to be bent, and a long and flexible serpentine tube portion 18 from the distal end side. An operation unit 20 that is held and operated by an operator is connected to the proximal end portion of the insertion unit 12. The operation unit 20 has an up / down bending operation knob 22 a for bending the bending unit 16, a left / right bending operation. A knob 22b is provided.

  With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bending tube forming the skeleton of the bending portion 16 is formed by pressing from a single plate material, as will be described in detail later. In this curved tube, a plurality of thin-walled cylindrical node rings 26 are connected to each other coaxially. Note that FIG. 2 shows one node ring among the node rings 26 arranged side by side, and the illustration of the node ring after that is omitted.

  On one end face of the circumferential portion 27 of the node ring 26, a pair of protruding tongue pieces 28 project in the direction of the center axis at positions symmetrical to the center axis of the node ring 26. At the connection portion between the circumferential portion 27 of the node ring 26 and the tongue portion 28 for protrusion, a step corresponding to the thickness of the plate material is formed inward in the radial direction of the node ring 26, and the tongue portion for protrusion Reference numeral 28 denotes a small-diameter circumferential portion that is arranged radially inward of the circumferential portion 27 and substantially parallel to the circumferential portion 27. A substantially cylindrical hinge protrusion 30 projects outwardly in the radial direction on the radially outer surface of the protruding tongue piece 28. On the other hand, on the other end surface of the node ring 26, the pair of tongue portions 32 for receiving portions are centered at positions where the pair of tongue portions 28 for protrusions are rotated by approximately 90 ° as viewed in the central axis direction of the node ring 26. It protrudes in the axial direction. These receiving portion tongue pieces 32 are disposed substantially parallel to the circumferential portion 27 of the node ring 26 and have substantially the same diameter as the circumferential portion 27. A hinge hole 34 as a hinge receiving portion is formed in the receiving portion tongue piece 32 in the radial direction.

  Accordingly, in the group of node rings 26 that are connected to each other and arranged side by side, the adjacent node rings 26 are arranged so as to be shifted from each other by approximately 90 ° when viewed in the central axis direction of the bending portion 16. The protruding tongue piece 28 and the receiving tongue piece 32 of the adjacent joint rings 26 are overlapped with each other, and the hinge protruding portion 30 of the protruding tongue piece 28 is the receiving tongue piece 32. The hinge hole 34 is rotatably inserted. Here, the hinge protrusion 30 has a substantially cylindrical shape, the hinge hole 34 has a substantially elliptical column shape, and the outer diameter of the hinge protrusion 30 substantially matches the minor axis diameter of the hinge hole 34. Is fitted in the hinge hole 34. In addition, an enlarged diameter portion 68 a for preventing removal from the hinge hole 34 is formed at the protruding end portion of the hinge protrusion 30.

  The pair of hinge protrusions 30 are respectively rotated in the pair of hinge holes 34 between the adjacent joint rings 26, whereby the joint rings 26 are swung relative to each other. The swinging direction of the node ring 26 on the front end side with respect to the predetermined node ring 26 and the swinging direction of the node ring 26 on the rear end side with respect to the predetermined node ring 26 are substantially orthogonal to each other. The bending tube can be bent in any direction by combining swinging between the node rings 26.

  Each node ring 26 is formed with a pair of wire receivers 36 into which operation wires for bending the bending portion 16 are inserted. These wire receivers 36 have a configuration in which a portion between both slits juxtaposed in the circumferential direction in each node ring 26 protrudes in a radial shape toward the inside in the radial direction of the node ring 26. Then, each pair of wire receivers 36 of each node ring 26 is sequentially arranged in the axial direction of the bending portion 16 with respect to the observation field of the endoscope 10 in the vertical position, the horizontal position, the vertical position, the horizontal position, ... so that the formation positions are alternately arranged. In the present embodiment, the pair of wire receivers 36 are arranged in parallel with the protruding tongue piece portion 28 of the node ring 26 in the axial direction of the bending portion 16. An operation wire for up / down / left / right bending operation is inserted into each of the wire receivers 36 in the up / down / left / right positions, and the bending portion 16 can be bent in the up / down / left / right direction.

  As will be described in detail later, the node ring 26 is formed by deforming the long-plate-shaped node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b (see FIGS. 4A to 4D) into a cylindrical shape and projecting both end surfaces of both end portions thereof. It is formed by joining two places of the abutted part in a spot shape by laser welding or the like. Instead, one portion of the abutting portion may be joined in a spot shape by laser welding or the like, or the abutting portion is joined by laser welding or the like, so that the joint portion 38 is joined in the axial direction of the curved portion 16. It may be formed over the entire length of 26.

  Next, the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part 12 of this embodiment is demonstrated. With reference to FIG. 3, the outline of the manufacturing method of a bending tube is demonstrated. A plate member 24 is used for manufacturing the bent tube. As the plate member 24, a metal plate member such as a stainless steel plate member, a spring plate member, a non-ferrous spring plate member such as phosphor bronze, a resin plate member, or these materials are used as main elements. A composite plate material in which layers to be laminated are laminated, or a composite plate material further containing a reinforcing material is used. The plate material 24 is wound and held on an uncoiler 40, and the plate material 24 led out from the uncoiler 40 is corrected to a flat surface by a leveler 42. The plate material 24 led out from the leveler 42 is introduced into the progressive die 46 of the press machine by the feeding device 44.

  The progressive die 46 is formed by an upper punch holder 48 and a lower die holder 49. The punch plate 50 of the punch holder 48 includes first to twenty-third punches 52a,. The first to twenty-third dies 55a,..., 55w are arranged in parallel at equal intervals on the die plate 54 of the die holder 49. The first to twenty-third punches 52a, ..., 52w and the first to twenty-third dies 55a, ..., 55w are opposed to each other to form first to twenty-third processing positions P1, ..., P23, respectively. ing. The plate member 24 is intermittently sent by the feeding device 44 at intervals between the processing positions P1,..., P23, and is sequentially fed from the first to the 23rd processing positions P1,. .

  With reference to FIG. 4A to FIG. 4E, the manufacturing method of a bending tube is demonstrated in detail divided into each process. In the present embodiment, the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b are simultaneously used to form adjacent first and second node rings 26 that are connected to each other at each processing position P1,. Process.

Step 1 (first machining position P1)
The first pair of pilot holes 58 and the second pilot holes 60 are formed by punching. These pilot holes 58 and 60 are for positioning the plate member 24 at the processing positions P1,..., P23 in the following processing steps. The first pair of pilot holes 58 are formed at both ends in the width direction of the plate member 24 and are used in various processes from step 2 to step 18. On the other hand, the second pilot hole 60 is formed by shifting a predetermined distance from the center line in the width direction of the plate member 24, and is used in various processes from step 19 to step 23.
At the same time, the first pair of protrusion tongue piece preparation portions 62a and 62b for forming the first pair of protrusion tongue piece portions 28 of the first node ring 26 and the second node ring 26 In the second pair of protrusion tongue piece preparation portions 62c and 62d for forming the second pair of protrusion tongue piece portions 28, the aperture of the hinge protrusion preparation portion 66 for forming the hinge protrusion portion 30 A lancing portion 64 for processing is formed.
The first pair of protrusion tongue piece preparation portions 62a and 62b are arranged in parallel in the width direction of the plate member 24, and the second pair of protrusion tongue piece preparation portions 62c and 62d are the first pair. Are arranged in the width direction of the plate member 24 behind the tongue portion preparation parts 62a and 62b. One protrusion tongue piece preparation part 62d of the second pair of protrusion tongue piece preparation parts 62c, 62d with respect to the width direction of the plate member 24 is the first pair of protrusion tongue piece preparation parts 62a. , 62b. Here, the length between the first pair of protruding tongue piece preparation portions 62a and 62b in the width direction of the plate member 24 (the length between the second pair of protruding tongue piece preparation portions 62c and 62d). Corresponds to the length between the first pair of protruding tongue pieces 28 in the circumferential direction of the node ring 26 (the length between the second pair of protruding tongue pieces 28).

Step 2 (second processing position P2)
In Step 2 to Step 8, the hinge protrusion preparation portions 66 are formed on the protrusion tongue piece preparation portions 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d, respectively.
In step 2, a hemispherical concave portion 88 that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface side of the node ring 26 to the outer peripheral surface side (from the front side to the back side of the paper) is formed by drawing.

Step 3 to Step 5 (Third to Fifth Processing Positions P3, P4, P5)
In Step 3 to Step 5, the hemispherical concave portion 88 formed in Step 2 is sequentially deformed by drawing into a cylindrical concave portion 90 whose end is closed.

Process 6 (6th processing position P6)
In step 6 and step 7, the enlarged diameter portion preparation portion 68 for forming the enlarged diameter portion 68 a of the hinge protrusion 30 is formed.
In step 6, a hole 92 is formed by punching at substantially the center of the end wall of the recess 90 formed in steps 2 to 5.

Step 7 (seventh machining position P7)
The peripheral edge of the hole 92 formed in step 6 is extended from the inner peripheral surface side of the node ring 26 to the outer peripheral surface side (from the front side to the back side of the paper surface) by burring, thereby forming the concave portion 90. A substantially cylindrical enlarged diameter portion preparing portion 68 is projected from the end wall (see FIG. 4E).

Step 8 (eighth processing position P8)
In order to form the hinge hole 34 of the first pair of tongue portions 32 for receiving portions in the vicinity of the distal ends of the second pair of tongue portion portions for projections 62c and 62d with respect to the longitudinal direction of the plate member 24. The hinge hole preparation part 70 as a hinge receiving part preparation part is formed by punching. At the same time, with respect to the longitudinal direction of the plate member 24, in the vicinity of the distal end side of the first pair of protruding tongue piece preparation portions 62a and 62b in Step 7, the hinge holes of the second pair of receiving tongue pieces 32 are provided. The hinge hole preparation part 70 for forming 34 is formed by punching.

Process 9 (9th processing position P9)
In step 9 and step 10, the first pair of wire receiving preparation portions 72 a and 72 b for forming the first pair of wire receivers 36 of the first node ring 26 and the second pair of the second node rings 26 are formed. A second pair of wire receiving preparation portions 72c and 72d for forming two pairs of wire receiving 36 are formed.
In step 9, the first and second pair of wire receivers are respectively disposed behind the first and second pair of protruding tongue piece preparation portions 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d with respect to the longitudinal direction of the plate member 24. First and second pairs of slits 75a, 75b, 75c, and 75d that define the front end surface and the rear end surface of 36 are formed. The slit sets 75a, 75b, 75c, and 75d are formed by two slits that extend in the width direction of the plate member 24 and are arranged in parallel. Here, the length of the slit in the width direction of the plate member 24 corresponds to the length of the wire receiver 36 in the circumferential direction of the node ring 26, and the interval between the slits in the slit sets 75a, 75b, 75c, 75d is the node. This corresponds to the length of the wire receiver 36 in the axial direction of the ring 26.

Step 10 (tenth machining position P10)
The portion between the slits in the first and second pair of slits 75a, 75b, 75c, 75d is changed from the outer peripheral surface side to the inner peripheral surface side of the node ring 26 (from the back side to the front side). The first to fourth wire receiving preparation portions 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d are completed by bending into a square shape.

  In addition, you may be made to perform the process 9 and the process 10 by one process by the cutting and bending process which performs a slit formation and a bending process simultaneously.

Step 11 (11th machining position P11)
In step 11, first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b for forming the first and second node rings 26 are formed by punching.
The first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b respectively form a circumferential portion 27 of the node ring 26 and have a long plate shape first and second circumferences extending in the width direction of the plate member 24. It has part preparation parts 74a and 74b. The first and second pair of protrusions for forming the first and second pair of tongue portions 28 for protrusion, respectively, from the distal end sides of the first and second circumferential portion preparation portions 74a and 74b. Tongue piece preparation parts 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d are extended in the longitudinal direction of the plate member 24, and these first and second protrusion tongue piece preparation parts 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d The above-described hinge protrusion preparation portions 66 are formed. On the other hand, from the rear end sides of the first and second circumferential portion preparation portions 74a and 74b, the first and second pairs of receiving portion tongue pieces 32 are formed, respectively. A pair of tongue portion preparation portions 76a, 76b, 76c, and 76d for receiving portions are extended, and these first and second pair of tongue portion preparation portions 76a, 76b, 76c, and 76d for receiving portions are provided. Each of the above-described hinge hole preparation portions 70 is formed.
Further, the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b and both edges of the plate member 24 are connected by a first and second pair of support portions 78a, 78b, 78c, and 78d, respectively. These support portions 78a, 78b, 78c, and 78d extend from both edges of the plate material 24 inward in the width direction of the plate material 24, and then extend from the front end side to the rear end side in the longitudinal direction of the plate material 24, and again the plate material 24 Extending inward in the width direction and connected to the ends of the first and second circumferential portion preparation portions 74a and 74b of the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b. Here, the portions on both ends of the support portions 78a, 78b, 78c, and 78d are referred to as connecting portions, and the middle portion is referred to as the raised portion 80.

Process 12 (12th processing position P12)
Step bending is performed at the connecting portion between the circumferential part preparing parts 74a, 74b and the protruding tongue piece preparing parts 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d, and the protruding tongue piece preparing parts 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d are It arrange | positions substantially parallel to the circumference part preparation parts 74a and 74b by the side (paper surface side) used as the inner peripheral surface of the node ring 26 rather than the circumference part preparation parts 74a and 74b.

Step 13 (13th machining position P13)
In step 13 and step 14, the rising portions of the second pair of support portions 78c and 78d are formed by Z-bending in the second pair of support portions 78c and 78d supporting the second node ring preparation portion 56b. 80 is raised from the plate member 24 from the outer peripheral surface side to the inner peripheral surface side (from the back side of the drawing to the front side) and the front end side, and the second node ring preparation portion 56b is moved to the node ring 26. Are moved from the outer peripheral surface side to the inner peripheral surface side (from the back side to the front side) and to the front end side. As a result, with respect to the vertical direction of the plate member 24, the second pair of projection tongue piece preparation portions 62c and 62d on the distal end side of the second node ring 26 are provided with the hinge projection preparation portions 66, respectively. It is aligned with the hinge hole preparation portion 70 of the first pair of receiving portion tongue piece preparation portions 76a and 76b on the rear end side of the ring 26.
In step 13, the first half of the necessary Z bending is performed.

Process 14 (14th processing position P14)
Perform the second half of the required Z-bending process.

Process 15 (15th processing position P15)
The second node ring preparation portion 56b is separated from the plate member 24 by dropping from the inner peripheral surface side of the node ring 26 to the outer peripheral surface side (from the front side to the back side). As a result, the hinge protrusion preparation portion 66 of the second node ring preparation portion 56b is rotatably inserted into the hinge hole preparation portion 70 of the first node ring preparation portion 56a. The second node ring preparation portion 56b is separated from the second pair of support portions 78c and 78d.
At the same time, by the expansion process, the substantially cylindrical enlarged diameter portion preparing portion 68 of the extending end portion of the hinge projection preparing portion 66 is moved from the outer peripheral surface side to the inner peripheral surface side of the node ring 26 ( The die is pushed in and pushed open (from the back side of the drawing to the front side) to form the enlarged diameter portion 68a.
In FIG. 5, the 1st and 2nd node ring preparation parts 56a and 56b after completion | finish of the process 15 are shown.

Step 16 (16th machining position P16)
In step 16 and step 17, the rising portions of the first pair of support portions 78a and 78b are formed by Z-bending in the first pair of support portions 78a and 78b that support the first node ring preparation portion 56a. 80 rises from the outer peripheral surface side of the node ring 26 to the inner peripheral surface side (from the back side of the drawing to the front side) and the front end side with respect to the plate member 24, and the first and second node rings The preparation portions 56a and 56b are both moved from the outer peripheral surface side of the node ring 26 to the inner peripheral surface side (from the back side to the front side) and to the tip side.
In step 16, the first half of necessary Z bending is performed.

Step 17 (17th machining position P17)
Perform the second half of the required Z-bending process.

Process 18 (18th processing position P18)
In the vertical direction of the plate member 24, the first pair of protrusion tongue piece preparation parts 62a, 62b on the tip side of the first node ring preparation part 56a are arranged on the tip side, respectively. Alignment is performed with the hinge hole preparation portion 70 of the second pair of receiving tongue piece preparation portions 76c and 76d on the rear end side of the second node ring preparation portion 56b. Subsequently, similarly to the fifteenth step, the first node ring preparation portion 56a is connected to the second node ring preparation portion 56b disposed on the distal end side by drop processing and expansion processing.

Step 19 to Step 22 (19th to 22nd machining positions P19, P20, P21, P22)
In Step 19 to Step 22, the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b including the first and second protrusion tongue piece preparation portions 62a, ..., 62d serve as the outer peripheral surface of the node ring 26. The U-bending process is gradually performed from the side to the inner peripheral side (from the back side to the front side) until the final R (curvature).
The second pilot hole 60, which serves as a reference for positioning the plate member 24, is disposed on each first node ring preparation portion 56a on a line passing through the center of the pair of tongue portion preparation portions 62a and 62b for protrusions. The U-bending of the plate material 24 is performed with this line as the bottom line.

Step 23 (23rd processing position P23)
O-bending is further performed on the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b subjected to the U-bending process to form cylindrical first and second node rings 26. At this time, both end surfaces of the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b are faced and abutted against each other.

Step 24
Through step 1 to step 23, a plurality of substantially cylindrical node rings 26 are connected to each other and arranged side by side, and the abutting portions abutted on each node ring 26 are substantially the same position in the circumferential direction of each node ring 26. The curved tube is discharged from the press machine in a state where it is disposed in the position. And two places of the butted part of the node ring 26 are joined in a spot shape by laser welding or the like. Thereafter, in order to obtain a curved tube having a desired length corresponding to the length of the curved portion, a protrusion tongue piece portion 28 at both ends of the node ring 26 connected by a predetermined number, and a receiving section portion 32. Is cut and removed so that it can be fitted and fixed to the rear end portion of the tip constituting portion 14 and the tip portion of the serpentine tube portion 18. Alternatively, the hinge protrusion 30 is formed by punching the protrusion tongue pieces 62a and 62b for each of a predetermined number of protrusion tongue pieces 62a and 62b corresponding to the desired number of coupled node rings before Step 10. By not doing so, a bending tube having a desired length corresponding to the length of the bending portion may be automatically obtained.

  Therefore, this embodiment has the following effects. In the bending tube of this embodiment, the node ring 26, the hinge protrusion 30 and the hinge receiving portion 34 are formed from a single plate material 24 by pressing. That is, in the manufacturing method of the bending tube of the present embodiment, the hinge projection preparing portion 66 and the hinge receiving portion preparing portion 70 are formed on the plate member 24 by press working, and the hinge protruding portion preparing portion 66 or the hinge receiving portion preparing portion 70 is formed. The first or second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b having the above are formed by punching. Then, one of the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b is moved by Z-bending to make the hinge projection preparation portion 66 and the hinge receiving portion preparation portion 70 a plate material. 24, and the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b are dropped and machined to drop the hinge protrusion preparation portion 66 into the hinge receiving portion 66. It is inserted in the part preparation part 70 so that rotation is possible. In addition, the node preparation parts 56a and 56b are U-bent and further O-bent to manufacture a bending tube. As described above, it is possible to form the bending tube only by pressing, and the manufacturing efficiency of the endoscope insertion portion 12 is improved.

  Further, in all the processes described above, the first and second node ring preparation parts 56a and 56b are simultaneously processed at the processing positions where the respective processes are performed, and the plate material 24 is sequentially transferred to the processing positions where the respective processes are performed. Are processed continuously. For this reason, the manufacturing efficiency of the endoscope insertion part 12 is further improved.

  In addition, the node ring 26 of the present embodiment has a continuous cylindrical shape in which both end portions of the first and second node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b that are O-bent and are abutted with each other are joined. The resistance of the node ring 26 to the external force is improved.

  Furthermore, in the manufacturing process of the bending tube of the endoscope insertion portion 12 of the present embodiment, the wire receiving preparation portions 72a, 72b, 72c and 72d are formed by slitting and bending the plate material 24. For this reason, it is possible to continuously form the wire receiver 36 together with the node ring 26 at the same time by the same press machine, and the manufacturing efficiency of the endoscope insertion portion 12 is dramatically improved.

  6 and 7 show a first modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. Components having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the node ring 26 of the bending tube of the present modified example, a pair of receiving piece tongue portions 32 are disposed on one end surface as viewed in the central axis direction of the node ring 26. A pair of wire receivers 36 is disposed at a position where the receiving tongue piece 32 is rotated by 90 °. That is, the pair of wire receivers 36 are juxtaposed on the protruding tongue piece 28 in the axial direction of the node ring 26. The pair of wire receivers 36 has a form in which a wire insertion hole 84 is formed through a wire tongue piece 82 protruding radially inward of the node ring 26 in the central axis direction of the node ring 26.

  With reference to FIG. 7, the manufacturing method of the bending tube of the endoscope insertion part 12 of this modification is demonstrated. Steps 1 to 8 are the same as steps 1 to 8 until the wire receiver preparation parts 72a, 72b, 72c, and 72d are formed in the first embodiment. In step 9, a wire insertion hole preparation portion 86 for forming the wire insertion hole 84 of the wire receiver 36 is formed by punching. In step 10, first and second node ring preparation portions 56 a and 56 b for forming the first and second node rings 26 are formed by punching. As shown in FIG. 7, from the rear end side of the first and second circumferential part preparation parts 74a and 74b of the first and second node ring preparation parts 56a and 56b, respectively, the first and second First and second pair of wire receiving preparation portions 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d for forming the first and second pair of wire receiving portions 36 of the node ring 26 are extended, and these wire receiving preparations are provided. The wire insertion hole preparation portion 86 described above is formed in each of the portions 72a, 72b, 72c, and 72d. The first and second pair of wire receiving preparation parts 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the plate member 24 to the first and second pair of protruding tongue piece preparation parts 62a, 62b, 62c, 62d. It is installed side by side. In step 11, the first and second pair of wire receiving preparation portions 72a, ..., 72d are moved from the outer peripheral surface side of the node ring 26 to the inner peripheral surface side (from the back side to the front side). Bend. The subsequent steps are the same as the steps from the Z bending process from step 12 to step 23 in the first embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, after the bending tube is discharged from the press, the bending tube is in a butted state in which both end surfaces of the node ring preparation portions 56a and 56b are pressed against each other without joining the butting portions of the node ring 26. End of production. For this reason, the manufacturing of the bending tube can be completed only by pressing, and the manufacturing process of the bending tube is simplified.

  The third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the present embodiment, the serpentine tube forming the serpentine tube portion 18 has the same configuration as the curved portion 16 of the first embodiment, and the bent tube and the serpentine tube are formed from a single plate material by pressing. However, the wire receiver 36 is not used in the serpentine tube. In the present embodiment, the bending tube and the serpentine tube can be continuously manufactured at a time only by pressing, and the manufacturing process of the endoscope insertion portion 12 is simplified.

  In the above-described embodiment, the curved tube is formed by progressive pressing. However, the curved tube can also be formed by press processing other than progressive pressing. For example, all the node rings 26 forming the bending tube may be collected, the first mold is performed in step 1 of the first embodiment, and the second mold is performed in step 2. In addition, the process up to the U-bending process of the first embodiment is performed by progressive pressing, and the U-bending process and the O-bending process are performed collectively for all the node rings 26 forming the bending tube 22. May be.

  In the above-described embodiment, a hinge hole having a through hole shape is used as the hinge receiving portion, but a concave hinge recess portion into which the hinge projection portion is rotatably inserted may be used.

  The present invention provides an endoscope insertion portion having a bending portion that can be bent and capable of improving manufacturing efficiency, and an endoscope insertion portion having a bending portion that can be bent and has high manufacturing efficiency. Provide a method.

The perspective view which shows the endoscope of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the node ring of the bending tube of the endoscope of 1st Embodiment of this invention. Schematic which shows the press used for the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The 1st figure for demonstrating the press work of the board | plate material in the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The 2nd figure for demonstrating the press work of the board | plate material in the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The 3rd figure for demonstrating the press work of the board | plate material in the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The 4th figure for demonstrating the press work of the board | plate material in the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the burring process of the board | plate material in the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the node ring of the semi-finished product in the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the node ring of the bending tube of the endoscope of the modification of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the press work of the board | plate material in the manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part of the modification of 1st Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Insertion part, 24 ... Plate material, 26 ... Node ring, 30 ... Hinge projection part, 34 ... Hinge receiving part, 56a ... Node ring preparation part, 56b ... Node ring preparation part, 66 ... Hinge projection part preparation part, 70 ... Hinge receiving part preparation part.

Claims (8)

A plurality of node rings arranged in parallel to each other, a hinge protrusion provided on one of the adjacent node rings, and a hinge protrusion provided on the other node ring of the both node rings. A hinge receiving portion that is movably inserted to allow the two joint rings to swing relative to each other, and a method of manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion,
Forming a hinge projection preparation portion for forming the hinge projection on a plate material by pressing; and
Forming a hinge receiving part preparation part for forming the hinge receiving part on the plate material by pressing; and
Forming the first node ring preparation portion for forming the one node ring by punching the plate member with the hinge protrusion preparation portion; and
Forming the second node ring preparation portion for forming the other node ring by punching the plate member with the hinge receiving portion preparation portion;
One of the first and second node ring preparation parts is moved by Z-bending to align the hinge protrusion preparation part and the hinge receiving part preparation part in a direction perpendicular to the plate material. And a process of
Inserting the hinge protrusion preparation portion into the hinge receiving portion preparation portion in a pivotable manner by dropping one of the first and second node ring preparation portions.
A step of U-bending the first and second node ring preparation portions at least once in order to form the first and second node ring preparation portions into a cylindrical shape;
In order to make the first and second node ring preparation portions cylindrical, the step of O-bending the first and second node ring preparation portions subjected to U bending;
The manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part characterized by comprising. In all the steps, in order to simultaneously process the first and second nodal ring preparation parts at the processing position where each step is performed, the step of forming by the press processing, the step of forming by the punching, the position In order of the step of aligning, the step of inserting, the step of U-bending, the step of bending the O, the plate material is forwarded to the processing position where each step is performed.
The method for manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion according to claim 1. Further comprising the step of joining both ends of at least one node ring preparation portion of the first and second node ring preparation portions that have been O-bent and abutted against each other;
The manufacturing method of the endoscope insertion part according to claim 1 or 2. The node ring has a wire receiver for inserting a wire,
This manufacturing method further comprises a step of forming a wire receiving preparation part for forming the wire receiver by slit processing and bending to the plate material,
The method for manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion according to claim 1. The node ring has a wire receiver for inserting a wire,
This manufacturing method further comprises a step of forming a wire receiving preparation part for forming the wire receiver by punching and bending the plate material,
The method for manufacturing an endoscope insertion portion according to claim 1. A plurality of node rings arranged in parallel with each other ,
A hinge projection integrally provided on one node ring of both adjacent node rings;
Anda hinge receiving portion which can swing the two articulation wheels to each other the hinge projections provided integrally is inserted rotatably in the other articulation wheel of the articulation wheels,
Wherein the plurality of node rings is an endoscope insertion portion that is formed by pressing from a single plate material,
The press working is
Forming a hinge protrusion preparation portion for forming the hinge protrusion on the plate by press working; and
Forming a hinge receiving part preparation part for forming the hinge receiving part on the plate material by pressing; and
Forming the first node ring preparation portion for forming the one node ring by punching the plate member with the hinge protrusion preparation portion; and
Forming the second node ring preparation portion for forming the other node ring by punching the plate member with the hinge receiving portion preparation portion;
One of the first and second node ring preparation parts is moved by Z-bending to align the hinge protrusion preparation part and the hinge receiving part preparation part in a direction perpendicular to the plate material. And a process of
Inserting the hinge protrusion preparation part into the hinge receiving part preparation part in a pivotable manner by dropping the one node preparation part of the first and second node preparation parts;
A step of U-bending the first and second node ring preparation portions at least once in order to form the first and second node ring preparation portions into a cylindrical shape;
In order to make the first and second node ring preparation portions cylindrical, the step of O-bending the first and second node ring preparation portions subjected to U bending;
An endoscope insertion portion characterized by comprising: The endoscope insertion portion according to claim 6 , wherein a bending tube forming a bending portion to be bent and a flexible tube forming a flexible flexible tube portion have the plurality of node rings. An endoscope characterized by comprising the endoscope insertion portion according to claims 6 7.

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