JPS6152689B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope with an improved structure of a curved portion.

Generally, the insertion section of an endoscope consists of a distal end component connected to the distal end of a flexible tube section via a curved section, and the curved section can be bent by operating a hand control section to change the direction of the distal end component. It is now possible to choose. That is, the curved portion is provided with a plurality of joint rings rotatably connected to each other, and the tips of a plurality of operating wires inserted through the insertion portion are connected to the most advanced joint ring. . The curved portion is curved by pushing and pulling the operation wire at the hand operation section. Furthermore, each of the above-mentioned operating wires is guided through a metal pipe (wire holder) that is brazed and fixed to the inner surface of the node ring, so that the operating wires can be curved smoothly and stably without any unnecessary convergence. operations can be performed.

However, the work of brazing the metal pipe to the inner surface of each node ring is extremely troublesome. In other words, the inner diameter of the nodal ring is at most ten-odd millimeters,
Furthermore, each metal pipe must be attached with particular precision in order to reduce friction with the operating wire, making the work extremely troublesome.

The present invention has been made focusing on the above circumstances,
The object thereof is to provide an endoscope in which a wire receiver can be easily and accurately attached to a node ring of a curved portion.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 is an endoscope main body, and this endoscope main body 1 has an insertion section 3 connected to a hand operation section 2. As shown in FIG. The insertion section 3 is formed by connecting the distal end component 6 to the distal end of a flexible tube section 4 via a curved section 5. The curved section 5 is bent by remote control from the hand control section 2, and It is now possible to select the orientation.

That is, the curved portion 5 is formed by covering the outer periphery of a freely bendable core material 7 with a cylindrical covering member 8, and the core material 7 has a plurality of joint rings 10 rotatably connected to each other by pins 9... It is composed of...
As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate node rings 10a are formed by a pair of supporting pieces 12, 12, 13, 13 integrally protruding in the axial direction from each end of a short and long cylindrical main body 11. Furthermore, the supporting pieces 12, 12, 13, and 13 on the same side are 180 degrees apart from each other.
The support pieces 12, 12 and the support pieces 13, 13 are offset from each other by 90 degrees with respect to the axis. The support pieces 12, 12 on the rear end side protrude downwardly inward by the thickness of the main body 11. Connection holes 14 are formed at the tips of each of the support pieces 12, 12, 13, 13, respectively.
Then, for each node ring 10a..., align the support pieces 12, 12 on the rear end side with the support pieces 13, 13 on the tip side of the node ring 10 on the rear end side, and insert the pin 9 into each connection hole 14... They are rotatably connected.

Further, the most advanced node ring 10b does not have the supporting pieces 13, 13 on the distal end side, and the supporting pieces 12, 12 on the rear end side.
It has only one. Also, the last node ring 1
0c, on the other hand, does not have the support pieces 12, 12 on the rear end side, and only has support pieces 13, 13 on the front end side. The support pieces 12, 12, 13, 13 of these node rings 10b, 10c are connected to the intermediate node ring 10a by pins 9, respectively, in the same manner as described above.
...is connected to... However, each of the above nodes 10
...can be rotated up, down, left and right. Therefore, the core material 7 can be bent vertically and horizontally over its entire length.

On the other hand, a pair of rectangular slits 15, 15 are provided on each rear end edge of the intermediate node ring 10a, which are offset by 90 degrees from the support pieces 12, 12 on the rear end side.
It is formed along the axial direction. A wire receiver 16 as shown in FIG. 4 is attached to each of the slits 15, 15, respectively. That is, the wire receiver 16 has an insertion hole 1 through which operating wires 17, which will be described later, are inserted and guided.
8, and a pair of engagement grooves 20, 20 into which both edges 19, 19 of the slit 15 are fitted.
It has been established. And the above-mentioned engagement groove 20,
20 into the slit 15, it can be attached as shown in FIG.
At this time, the insertion hole 18 is arranged along the axial direction of the curved portion 5 and located inside the node ring 10. Further, the wire receivers 16, which are positioned and fixed in the slits 15, are fixed to the node ring 10 by, for example, brazing. Since the brazing process at this time only needs to be carried out on the portion exposed on the outer periphery of the joint ring 10, the brazing process is easy regardless of the size of the joint ring 10.

Then, the insertion holes 18 of the wire receivers 16...
Operation wires 17 are inserted through each of them. That is, each operating wire 17... is guided through the insertion hole 18... of the wire receiver 16..., respectively. The tip of each of the operating wires 17... is connected to the most advanced node ring 10b. Further, the proximal end side of each operating wire 17 is guided through a wire guide 21 within the flexible tube section 4 and connected to the operating means of the hand operating section 2. The operating means includes, for example, two pulleys (not shown) around which the left and right operating wires 17, 17 and the upper and lower operating wires 17, 17 are wound separately, and two knobs that rotate each pulley separately from the outside. It consists of 22. By rotating the pulley with each knob 22, the left and right or top and bottom operation wires 1 are connected.
By pushing and pulling 7..., the curved portion 5 is operated to curve.

In the above embodiment, the slit 15 is formed into a rectangular shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. You can make it larger. In this way, the friction between the wire receiver 16 and the engagement groove 20 is increased, and it is possible to prevent displacement before brazing. Moreover, if the frictional force is increased considerably, the brazing process can be omitted.

Moreover, FIG. 7 is expected to have the same effect as above, and this is achieved by narrowing only the width of the entrance of the slit 15.

FIG. 8 shows yet another embodiment, in which the circumferential surface portion 23 of the node ring 10 in which the slit 15 is provided is depressed inward. The depth of the recess is such that the wire receiver 16 does not protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface of the node ring 10. In this way, an increase in the diameter of the curved portion 5 can be suppressed, and the curved portion 5 can be prevented from increasing in diameter.
can make the surface smooth.

In addition, FIG. 9 shows a cut 25 along the innermost end of the slit 15 when the peripheral surface portion 24 is depressed inward.
are provided, and both edges 26, 2 in the circumferential direction of the slit 15 are provided.
Only part 7 has caved in. In this way, for example, as shown in FIG.
It is possible to form the position of the insertion hole 29 of No. 8 higher than the position of the engagement grooves 20, 20. That is, the insertion hole 29 can be formed as close to the inner wall of the node ring 10 as possible. Therefore, wire receiver 2
8 can be made as thin as possible, and the inside of the joint ring 10 can be used widely, so that the wire receiver 28 does not put pressure on built-in items such as the optical fiber bundle and the forceps guide tube packed inside the joint ring 10. It is possible to make the built-in parts large.

In addition, the above-mentioned node ring 10 and wire receivers 16, 2
The material 8 is not limited to metal, and may be made of other materials such as synthetic resin. In addition, wire receivers 16, 28
can be easily mass-produced by drawing or the like.

As explained above, in the present invention, a slit is provided in the joint ring of the curved part, and the engagement groove of the wire receiver is engaged with this slit to position and fix the wire. Unlike those fixed by brazing, it can be easily positioned and fixed from the outside. Therefore, the wire receiver can be attached very easily and accurately. Furthermore, since the wire receiver is attached with high precision, friction with the operating wire can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the operating section of an endoscope showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the curved portion thereof, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wire receiver, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the wire receiver fixed to the node ring, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are different embodiments. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a state in which a wire receiver is attached to a node ring in still another embodiment, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a slit portion showing still another embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a wire receiver attached to the slit. 3... Insertion part, 5... Curved part, 7... Core material, 1
0... node ring, 11... body, 15... slit,
16...Wire receiver, 17...Operation wire, 18
...Insertion hole, 20...Engagement groove, 28...Wire receiver.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an endoscope in which a plurality of joint rings are provided in a curved part of the insertion part and are rotatably connected to each other, and a manipulation wire inserted into the insertion part is connected to the joint ring on the distal end side, the manipulation wire is guided. a wire receiver having an insertion hole formed parallel to the axial direction of the node ring and an engagement groove formed parallel to the insertion hole; and a slit for positioning and fixing the wire receiver to the node ring by engaging the engagement groove.