JPH0346B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope that can be cleaned by being immersed in a chemical solution.

Generally, as shown in FIG. 1, a flexible endoscope has a bending part 3 connected to a distal end 2 of an insertion part 1, and a bending operation lever of a bending operation device provided in an operation part 4. (Bending operation member) By rotating the bending operation member 5 with fingers, the bending portion 3 can be operated to bend. FIG. 2 shows the structure of the bending operation device, in which 6 is the operating section main body, and 7 is a support member fixed to the operating section main body 6 in an airtight manner. A fixed bearing 8 is attached to this support member 7, and a rotating shaft 9 is attached to this fixed bearing 8 so as to be freely rotatable. A bending operation lever 5 is fixed to one end of the rotating shaft 9, and a pulley 10 is fixed to the other end. This pulley 1
Operation wires 11, 11 are wound around the wires 0 and fixed to each other. These wires 11,1
1 is fixed to the tip 2, and by rotating the bending operation lever 5, the rotation shaft 9 and the pulley 10 rotate together with the bending operation lever 5, and the operation is performed. The bending portion 3 is remotely deformed into a bend via wires 11, 11. Further, the bending operation device is covered by a cover 12 that is integrally provided with the support member 7. This cover 12 has a bending operation lever 5.
Also, through holes 14 and 15 are provided, which are cut out within the range in which the fixed lever 13 that fixes the bending portion 3 in a state of curving to a desired degree of curvature is rotated. Each operating end portion is led out from through holes 14 and 15. Furthermore, a pair of rotation restriction members 16, 16 are provided within the cover 12 to restrict the rotation range of the bending operation lever 5. These rotation regulating members 16, 16 are
As shown by the imaginary line in the figure, the turning angle is regulated by bringing the bending operation lever 5 into contact. Further, arc-shaped long grooves 17, 17 are formed in the rotation regulating members 16, 16, respectively.
It is attached by set screws 18, 18 inserted into the holes 7. And each rotation regulating member 16,
16 is by loosening the setscrews 18, 18,
It can be moved appropriately along the long grooves 17, 17, and by adjusting the rotation angle of the bending operation lever 5, the bending portion 3 can be bent to a desired degree of curvature.

Incidentally, once used endoscopes are immersed in a chemical solution or the like to be cleaned and then reused. However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional structure, when the operation section main body 6 is immersed in the chemical liquid, the chemical liquid enters into the cover 12 through the narrow through holes 14 and 15.
When wiping the endoscope with a dry cloth after immersing it in a chemical solution, there was a problem in that it was difficult to wipe off the chemical solution adhering to the operating section main body 6, and it was not possible to completely wipe off the chemical solution that had gotten into the cover 12. . Therefore, there was a risk that the chemical solution remaining in the cover 12 would leak out and adhere to the user's fingers and the like during use of the endoscope. Further, rotation regulating members 16, 16 are installed inside the cover 12, and when the chemical liquid enters the cover 12, the setscrews 18, 18
was easily corroded. And set screw 18,1
8 corroded, the rotation regulating members 16, 16 could not be firmly fixed, and there was a risk that the rotation regulating members 16, 16 would move when the bending operation lever 5 came into contact with them. In addition, the rotation regulating member 1
6 and 16, the user can relatively easily adjust the mounting position by loosening the setscrews 18 and 18, so there is a risk that the degree of curvature of the curved portion 3 will become larger than necessary, and in this case There is a risk that the optical fiber bundles, forceps channels, etc. that form the image guide and light guide may break.
This was a problem when trying to improve durability.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an endoscope that is easy to wipe off the chemical after being immersed in the chemical and is advantageous in terms of improving durability.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 21 denotes an operating section main body, and a disc-shaped support member (fixing member) 22 is attached to this operating section main body 21. An O-ring 23 is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the support member 22, and the O-ring 23 fixes the support member 22 to the operating section main body 21 in an airtight manner. Further, a cover member 24 is airtightly fixed to the support member 22 by an O-ring 25 fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the cover member 24. and,
An airtight chamber 26 is formed between the cover member 24 and the support member 22. Furthermore, a pair of circular holes are formed in the cover member 24, and bearings 27 and 28 are hermetically fixed to both circular holes with an adhesive or the like, and the support member 22 is also provided with both circular holes of the cover member 24. A pair of circular holes are formed that face the holes, and a bearing 29 is also fixed to the circular hole of the support member 22 that faces the circular hole in which the bearing 27 is provided. Then, the support member 22 and the cover member 2
Each pair of circular holes of 4 has a first and a second rotation shaft 3.
0 and 31 are respectively inserted, and the first rotation shaft 30
are rotatably supported by bearings 27 and 29, and second rotation shaft 31 is rotatably supported by a bearing 28, respectively. In addition, each of the first and second rotation shafts 30, 3
O-rings 32 and 33 are fitted on the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 27 and the first rotating shaft 30, and between the bearing 28 and the second rotating shaft 31, respectively. maintained in the state. A bending operation lever (curving operation member) 34 disposed outside the cover member 24 is fixed to one end of the first rotating shaft 30 with a fixing screw 35, and the other end is attached to the operation section main body. A pulley 36 disposed within 21 is secured by a fixing screw 37. Operating wires 38, 38 are wound around and fixed to this pulley 36. The other ends of the operating wires 38, 38 are inserted into the insertion portion and fixed to the distal end, and as the bending operating lever 34 is rotated, the bending portion is remotely deformed into a curve via the operating wires 38, 38. It is becoming more and more common. And the first of these
A rotary member is formed that is rotatably attached to the support member 22 by the rotation shaft 30 and the bending operation lever 34, and is rotatably operated to bend the curved portion formed in the insertion portion. has been done. Also,
A fixing lever 39 disposed outside the cover member 24 is attached to one end of the second rotating shaft 31 with a fixing screw 40.
A first gear 41 disposed inside the operating section main body 21 is fitted to the other end. This first gear 41 is an annular second gear 4
It is meshed with 2. A threaded portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the second gear 42, and this threaded portion is screwed into a feed screw 43 provided on the bearing 29. Further, 44 is a disc spring, 45 is a friction member, and when the fixed lever 39 is rotated to the fixed side, the second gear 42 is rotated by the first gear 41, and the second gear 42 is rotated by the first gear 41. 42 is screwed forward and displaced along the feed screw 43 of the bearing 29 toward the left in FIG. It is becoming fixed.

On the other hand, inside the airtight chamber 26, as shown in FIG.
6, and a pair of locking members 48, 4 attached to the support member 22 by setscrews 47, 47, respectively.
A rotation regulating mechanism 49 consisting of 8 is provided. Each locking member 48 is disposed on the rotational path of the pin 46, and each locking member 48 is formed with an arcuate long groove 50. The set screw 47 is inserted into this long groove 50, and by loosening the set screw 47, the locking member 48 can be moved along the long groove 50 and the mounting position of the locking member 48 can be adjusted. There is. Therefore, by bringing the pin 46 into contact with each of the locking members 48 as shown by the imaginary lines in FIG.
The range of rotation is restricted, the degree of curvature of the curved portion is restricted, and the degree of curvature of the curved portion can be adjusted by appropriately adjusting the mounting position of each locking member 48. When assembling, attach an appropriate jig to the first rotating shaft 30, rotate the first rotating shaft 30, and adjust the curved portion to the desired degree of curvature in advance. What is necessary is to fix the locking member 48 to the support member 22 at the position where it abuts the locking member 46, then remove the jig, fix the cover member 24, and then attach the bending operation lever 34 and the fixing lever 39.

Therefore, in the case of the structure described above, only the bending operation lever 34 and the fixed lever 39 are exposed to the outside of the cover member 24, and there is no possibility that the chemical liquid will enter when immersed in the chemical liquid as in the conventional case. Since there are no parts, it is possible to easily wipe off the chemical after immersing the endoscope in the chemical. Furthermore, since the rotation regulating mechanism 49 is disposed within the airtight chamber 26, there is no risk that the setscrews 47, 47, etc. will be corroded by the chemical solution, and the locking members 48, 48 cannot be attached after assembly. Since the position cannot be easily changed, there is no risk of the user adjusting the degree of curvature of the curved part more than necessary.
Damage to the optical fiber bundle, forceps channel, etc. can be reliably prevented, which is advantageous in improving durability.

Note that this invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the locking member 48 is provided with a guide groove 61 into which the pin 46 can be inserted, and by bringing the pin 46 into contact with the end of the guide groove 61, the first rotation shaft 30 can be rotated. A configuration may be adopted in which the range is restricted. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the first rotating shaft 30 is rotated by a regulating groove 62 formed along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface and a locking arm 63 inserted into the regulating groove 62. The movement regulating mechanism 64 is configured by providing an arc-shaped long groove 65 in the locking arm 63, and inserting a set screw 66 into the long groove 65 to close the long groove 6.
The locking arm 63 may be attached in a manner adjustable to a desired position along the line 5. Further, a fixing lever for fixing the curved portion at a desired degree of curvature is not necessarily required, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the periphery of the rotation regulating mechanism that regulates the rotation angle of the rotating member that is rotatably attached to the fixed member fixed to the operating unit main body. A cover member is provided to form a surrounding airtight chamber, and there is no part where the chemical liquid can enter the rotation regulating mechanism, making it easier to wipe off the chemical liquid adhering to the outer surface after immersing it in the chemical liquid and cleaning it. In addition, after assembly, the rotation regulating mechanism can be prevented from being erroneously adjusted to a state where the degree of curvature of the curved portion is increased more than necessary, which is advantageous in terms of improving durability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 show conventional examples.
The figure is a perspective view showing the overall appearance, Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the main part, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the - line in Figure 2,
6 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the main part, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 shows a locking member. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment. 21... Operation unit main body, 22... Support member (fixing member), 24... Cover member, 26... Airtight chamber,
30... First rotation shaft (rotating member), 34... Curving operation lever (rotating member), 49, 64... Rotation regulating mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A fixing member fixed to the operation section main body, and a fixing member rotatably attached to the fixing member and rotatably operated to bend a curved portion formed in the insertion section. a rotating member having a pulley at one end of the rotating shaft and a curved operating member at the other end; and a rotation regulating member provided between the fixed member and the rotating shaft to regulate the rotation angle of the rotating member. What is claimed is: 1. An endoscope comprising: a mechanism; and a cover member forming an airtight chamber surrounding a portion in which the rotation regulating mechanism is disposed. 2. The rotation restriction mechanism is composed of a pin protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the rotation shaft and a locking member attached to a support member so that its mounting position can be adjusted, and the pin is brought into contact with the locking member. 2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the rotation range of the rotation shaft is restricted by the rotation axis. 3. The rotation restriction mechanism consists of a restriction groove formed along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the rotation shaft, and a locking arm that is attached to the support member so that its mounting position can be adjusted and inserted into the restriction groove. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein each end of the regulating groove is brought into contact with the locking arm to regulate the rotation range of the rotation shaft. .