JPH0410808B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope designed to improve the operability of an operation button and an operation knob provided on an operation section.

[Prior Art] Generally, the operating section of a conventional endoscope has an eyepiece section provided above a gripping section that can be held by the operator with one hand, and is located between the eyepiece section and the above-mentioned gripping section. A plurality of the operation buttons are provided on the side surface with the central axes of the push-in operation being perpendicular to the center axis of the gripping section. An operating knob is provided for positioning the central axis and curving the insertion section.

By the way, in the endoscope with the above configuration, the operator grasps the grip part with the third, fourth, and fifth fingers of the left hand, operates the operation knob with the first finger, and operates the operation knob with the second finger. The above operation buttons are operated. That is, in order to operate a plurality of operation buttons provided on the operation unit with one second finger, the opening angle from the third finger is changed around the third joint of the second finger to operate the plurality of operation buttons. Must be selected and operated.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional endoscope, the center axis of the push operation of the operation button is located above the center axis of the operation knob. Therefore, when operating the operating knob with the first finger while opening the second finger, the first finger must be moved below the second finger. In other words, since the second finger must be opened upward and the first finger must be moved in the opposite direction to the second finger, the movement of the first and second fingers becomes strained, resulting in poor operability. It was hot.

This invention was made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to: When operating the operating knob with the first finger while operating the operating button with the second finger,
To provide an endoscope that prevents excessive force from being applied to the first finger or the second finger.

[Means and operations for solving the problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a grip that can be held with one hand, and a plurality of operation buttons and operation knobs are provided above the grip. In the endoscope, the plurality of operation buttons are provided in the vicinity of the operation knob of the gripping portion, and at least one of the plurality of operation buttons located on the upper side is arranged diagonally upward. The push-in operation center axis of the operation button is located below the center axis of the operation knob. shall be. By doing so, the operation knob and the operation button can be operated without forcing the first finger that operates the operation knob to move lower than the second finger that operates the operation button. This is how it was done.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment, and numeral 1 in the figures represents an operating section. The operating section 1 has a grip section 2 whose substantially lower half is thinner than its upper half, and is inserted into the grip section 2 with its axis aligned with the central axis _O1 of the grip section 2 at its lower end. part 3 is connected, and an eyepiece part 4 is provided at the upper end. This eyepiece section 4 has a central axis O ₂ inclined at a predetermined angle, for example, at an angle of about 20 to 30 degrees, in the direction of one side surface 5 _of the operating section 1 with respect to the central axis O 1 of the grip section 2. I'm letting you do it. Further, the operation section 1 is provided with an operation knob 6 for bending the insertion section 3, and a universal cord 7 is connected to the one side surface section 5. Further, near the operation knob 6 on the other side surface 8 formed in the upper half of the operation section 1, there are a first operation button 9 for controlling air and water supply and a second operation button 10 for controlling suction. and forceps insertion port body 1
1 are provided sequentially from the bottom of this side surface portion 8. The first operation button 9 is provided such that the central axis O ₃ of the pushing operation forms an angle of 105 degrees with respect to the central axis O ₁ of the gripping part 2, and the second operating button 10 is located at the center of this pushing operation. The axis O ₄ is the central axis O ₁ of the grip part 2
These push-in operation central axes O ₃ and O ₄ intersect with the central axis O ₁ of the grip portion 2 at the same intersection S.

Further, the rotation center axis O ₅ of the operation knob 6 is the push operation center axis of the first and second operation buttons 9 and 10.
It is located above the operating section 1 than O ₃ and O ₄ .

As shown in FIG.
the first with three fingers, the fourth finger 13 and the fifth finger 14;
The grip portion 2 is gripped so that the side portion 8 on which the second operation buttons 9 and 10 are provided faces the farthest position from the operator, that is, the side opposite to the operator. Then, the user rotates the operating knob 6 with the first finger 15, bends the first joint and second joint of the second finger 16, and operates the first and second operating buttons 9, 10 with this fingertip. When operating the first operation button 9, the second
It is possible to operate the finger 16 with the third finger 12 hardly opened, and in this case, as shown in FIG. Since it almost coincides with the central axis O ₃ , there is no problem. Further, when the second finger 16 is opened with respect to the third finger 12 in order to operate the second operation button 10, the pushing direction B by the second finger 16 is
In this case, the second operation button 10 is located at the central axis of the grip part 2.
Since the pushing operation central axis _O4 is set at an angle of 125 degrees with respect to _O1 , it almost coincides with this angle. Therefore, the second operation button 10 can be pressed and operated without forcing the second finger 16 to move.

Then, with the second finger 16, the first and second operation buttons 9,
When operating the operation knob 6 with the first finger 15 while operating the operation knob 10, the rotation center axis _O5 of the operation knob 6 is the first,
The central axis O ₃ of the pushing operation of the second operation buttons 9 and 10,
Because it is located above the operation part 1 than O ₄ ,
The operating knob 6 can be operated in a natural state with the first finger 15 positioned above the second finger 16. In other words, the operation knob 6 can be operated without forcibly bending the first finger 15, which improves operability and prevents the operator from becoming fatigued early.

Also, the intersection point S of the central axis O ₃ and O ₄ of the push operation of the first and second operation buttons 9 and 10 and the central axis O ₁ of the grip part 2 is
Since this intersection point S almost coincides with the rotational fulcrum of the second finger 16, the pushing directions A and B by the second finger 16 correspond to the center axis of the pushing operation of the second operation button 10.
It is easy to match with O ₄ , and this also provides good operability.

Furthermore, since the eyepiece 4 is inclined toward the operator with respect to the grip 2, this makes it easier for the operator to look into the eyepiece 4, improving operability.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the _first
The angle formed by the central axis O ₃ of the push operation button 9 is
90 degrees, and the center axis of the push operation of the second operation button 10
The angle formed by O ₄ was set to 110 degrees. Further, the central axis O ₂ of the eyepiece 4 was made to substantially coincide with the central axis O ₁ of the gripping portion 2 . Further, the rotation center O ₅ of the operation knob 6 is set to the push operation center axis O ₃ , O ₄ of the first and second operation buttons 9 and 10.
The point that it is provided above is the same as in the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the configuration is almost the same as the _second embodiment. Third operation button 17 for controlling etc.
is provided at an angle of about 130 degrees with the center axis O ₆ of the pushing operation relative to the center axis O ₁ of the gripping portion 2 . Also in this embodiment, the rotation center axis _O5 of the operation knob 6 is provided above the push operation center axes _O3 , _O4 , _O6 of each operation button 9, 10, 17,
The aim was to improve operability.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention provides a plurality of operation buttons near the operation knob of the grip, and at least one of the plurality of operation buttons located on the upper side projects diagonally upward. The center axis of the push-in operation is inclined with respect to the center axis of the grip portion, and the center axis of the push-in operation of the operation button is located below the center axis of the operation knob.

Therefore, when operating multiple operation buttons with the second finger, by rotating the second finger around the base, the pushing direction of the second finger can be aligned with the direction of the central axis of the pressing operation of each operation button. Since they can be made to almost match, the operation button can be pressed and operated without forcing the second finger to move, thereby improving operability and reducing fatigue of the operator. In addition, since the center axis of the push-in operation of the operation button is located below the center axis of the operation knob, when operating the operation knob with the first finger and the operation button with the second finger, the first finger is moved to the second finger. Since the operation knob can be operated without forcing the finger to move downward, this also improves operability and reduces operator fatigue. The lower part of the grip part can be gripped securely with the little finger, ring finger, and middle finger.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 1 being a side view of the operator gripping the operating section, and Figure 2 showing the arrangement of the operating buttons with respect to the central axis of the gripping section. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the operator's left hand, FIG. 4 is a side view of the operating section showing the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the operating section showing the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view of the operation unit showing the third embodiment. 1... Operating unit, 2... Gripping unit, 4... Eyepiece unit,
6...operation knob, 9,10,17...operation button.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an endoscope that has a grip that can be held with one hand and has a plurality of operation buttons and an operation knob provided above the grip, a portion of the grip that is located near the operation knob of the grip is Provided with the plurality of operation buttons mentioned above,
At least one of the plurality of operation buttons located on the upper side is formed to protrude obliquely upward so that the center axis of the push-in operation is inclined with respect to the center axis of the grip part, and the push-in operation of the operation button is An endoscope characterized in that the central axis is located below the central axis of the operation knob.