JPH0237167B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an operating knob for a double knob of an endoscope.

For example, an angle operation knob that changes the field of view of the distal end of an endoscope in four directions (up, down, left and right), and a double knob used to operate the angle in two directions and the direction of forceps have conventionally been used as the
It has the structure shown in the figure. In the figure, 1 is the handle of the endoscope, 2 and 3 are concentric knobs, the inner knob 2 has a large diameter, and the outer knob 3 has a small diameter.
The shaft 4 of the knob 2 is connected within the handle 1 to a drive device, usually a combination of a rack and pinion, a wire winding drum, or the like, to operate an angle operation wire or the like.

In addition, since the shafts 4 and 5 of the knobs 2 and 3 are concentric shafts, the shaft 5 of the knob 3 is connected to the same drive device as above through the center of the shaft 4 of the knob 2, and the angle operation wire etc. It is becoming easier to operate.

In the knobs 2 and 3 constructed in this way, the outer knob 3 has a smaller diameter than the inner knob 2, but this is because the handle 1
When operating the outer knob 3 with the hand holding the holder, the inner knob 2 blocks the fingers and makes the operation difficult, making it unsuitable for operation with only one hand. Therefore, one idea is to make the outer knob larger in diameter than the inner knob, which allows operation with the hand holding the handle, but requires the inner knob to be operated with the other hand. When pressed, the large diameter outer knob gets in the way and makes it difficult to operate the inner knob, which is impractical.

Furthermore, in these cases, since the diameters of both knobs are different, the operating force is different, and it is difficult to operate both knobs equally.

Therefore, setting two knobs on concentric axes is a structure that is not convenient for both one-handed and two-handed operation, but having concentric axes has the advantage that the drive device can be miniaturized within the handle.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and in an endoscope having two knobs, one knob is attached to one of the concentric shafts, a gear is provided to the other shaft, and the other knob is attached to one of the concentric shafts. is attached to a support shaft, this support shaft is eccentric to the above-mentioned shaft, supported on the handle, and the gear attached to the support shaft is meshed with the gear, so that the two knobs are positioned eccentrically, and both knobs are The handle can be easily and evenly operated using only the fingers of the hand holding the handle.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 2 is a side view, Figure 3 is a plan view, Figure 4 is a sectional side view of the main part, and Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the main part. In the drawings, 6 is the handle of the endoscope, which is usually An eyepiece portion 7 is located at the rear end, a flexible tube 8 is connected to the tip, and a guide tube 9 such as a light guide is connected to the side.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a knob, which is attached to a hollow shaft 11. This hollow shaft 11 is connected within the handle 6 to a drive device 12, and this drive device may be a combination of a rack and pinion, a drum, or the like. , a drum is shown in this example. An operating wire 13 is connected to this drive device 12 .

14 is a shaft passing through the center of the hollow shaft 11, and a gear 15 is attached to the end. This shaft 14
Similarly to the hollow shaft 11, there is another one inside the handle 6.
It is connected to two drive devices 16 similar to those described above.
An operating wire 17 is also connected to this drive device 16.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a support frame, which includes a support frame portion 19 and a foot portion 20.
A hollow leg portion 20 is fixed within the handle 6 through the hollow shaft 11, and a support frame portion 19 is located outside the knob 10. This support frame part 1
The shaft 14 projects through the hollow foot 20 in the support frame 19, and the gear 15 is located in the support frame 19.

A knob 21 is rotatably supported on the support frame 18 by a support shaft 22. A gear 23 is attached to the support shaft 22, and the gear 23 is meshed with the gear 15 of the shaft 14. It is connected. The support position of the support shaft 22 may be a position where the knob 21 can be easily operated, and is determined depending on conditions such as the shape and size of the handle.

According to the above configuration, since both knobs 10 and 21 are eccentrically located, both knobs 10 and 21 are at a position where the fingers of the hand gripping the handle 6 can reach sufficiently, and both knobs 10 and 21 are in the same position. Under certain conditions, it is possible to operate with one hand, and the operation can be performed evenly.

Note that the diameters of both the knobs 10 and 21 may be the same, but the diameters may be changed as necessary. Further, the gear ratios of both gears 15 and 23 may be the same, but may be changed in consideration of the relationship with the diameter of the knob, etc.

6 and 7 show a second embodiment, in which a knob 21 and a gear 2 are attached to a support frame portion 19 of a support frame 18.
This is an embodiment in which a support shaft 22 with a support shaft 22 attached thereto is movably attached, and an arc-shaped elongated hole 25 centered on the shaft 22 is formed in the lid 24 of the support frame 18. 26
is a tubular body having a flange 27 at the end and a screw 28 cut into it, and the positioning lever 2
9 are screwed together. This pipe body 26 is inserted into the elongated hole 25.
The support shaft 22 is inserted into the tube body 26 with the flange 27 inside.

According to the above configuration, by tightening the positioning lever 29, the positioning lever 29 and the flange 2
7, the position of the tube body 26 passing through the support shaft 22 can be fixed with the lid body 24 in between.

Therefore, the user can move the tube body 26 along the arcuate long hole 25 by loosening the positioning lever 29, thereby moving the gear 1.
The position of the support shaft 22 in which the gear 23 and the gear 23 are meshed can be arbitrarily changed, and as a result, the position of the knob 21 can be set at a desired position.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a third embodiment, in which the user can change the position of the knob 21 similarly to the second embodiment. In the figure,
Reference numeral 18 denotes a support frame, and the support frame portion 19 and foot portion 20 are separable. The foot portion 20 is fixed inside the handle 6 as in the above embodiment. A gear 30 is fixed to the end. Reference numeral 19 denotes a support frame portion, and a hole 32 having teeth 31 that mesh with the gear 30 is bored at the bottom.
By engaging the foot portion 20 and the support frame portion 1,
9 are fixed together. A support shaft 22 with a knob 21 attached to the end passes through the lid 24 of the support frame 19, as in the above embodiment, and a gear 23 is located inside the support frame 19. It meshes with a gear 15 attached to a shaft 14 through which it passes.

According to this configuration, the position of the knob 21 can be changed as appropriate by changing the engagement angle between the gear 30 of the foot part 20 and the hole 32 of the support frame part 19.

It should be noted that the expression "gear" in the description of each of the above embodiments and the claims includes the concept of a combination of a pulley and a belt, and everything is expressed as a gear.

According to the present invention described above, the front field of view can be adjusted vertically and
A double knob for controlling the angle in four directions (left and right), a knob for controlling the angle in two directions, and a shaft connected to one drive device and a shaft connected to the other drive device, used for controlling the direction of forceps, etc. In an endoscope operation knob using a double knob with concentric axes, both concentric axes protrude from the handle, one knob of the double knob is attached to one of the axes, and a gear is attached to the other axle. Attach the other knob to this gear, mesh the gears attached to the support shaft supported on the handle, and position both knobs eccentrically, allowing the knobs to be placed side by side without being located on a concentric axis. This means that the position and size of the knobs can be set arbitrarily, and both knobs can be fully operated using only the fingers of the hand holding the handle. Coupled with this, the operability can be greatly improved, and it becomes easy to operate both knobs equally.

Furthermore, according to the second and third embodiments, the user can move the position of one of the knobs as needed, allowing the user to adjust the knob according to conditions such as the size of his or her hands. Since the knob can be set at a desired position, the operability of the knob is further improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side view showing a conventional example, Fig. 2 is a side view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of main parts, and Fig. 5 is FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts, FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main parts showing the second embodiment, FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts, FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main parts showing the third embodiment, and FIG. The figure is an exploded perspective view of the main parts. 6... Endoscope handle, 10... Knob, 11... Hollow shaft, 12... Drive device, 14... Shaft, 15...
Gear, 16... Drive device, 18... Support frame, 21
...knob, 22 ... support shaft, 23 ... gear.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Used for four-way angle operation, two-way angle operation, directional operation of forceps, etc., with a shaft connected to one drive device and a shaft connected to the other drive device. In a knob for operating an endoscope with a double knob having concentric axes, both concentric axes protrude from the handle, one knob of the double knob is attached to one of the axes, and a gear is attached to the other axis, A knob for operating an endoscope, characterized in that the other knob is attached to this gear, and the gears attached to a support shaft supported by a handle are engaged with each other so that both knobs are positioned eccentrically. 2. The operating knob for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that the support shaft to which the knob and the gear are attached is movable.