JP2006068449A - Endoscope apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope apparatus, in which insertion characteristics of an endoscope insertion tube are improved, and the endoscope insertion tube is easily wound and stored in the storing members, and the main body is reduced in size. <P>SOLUTION: The endoscope apparatus is equipped with a drum part which winds and stores the flexible insertion tube, a tube body to be inserted in the insertion tube and having at least one lumen, and a fluid adjustment means for supplying and draining a fluid into or out of the lumen. The fluid adjustment means can change flexibility of the insertion tube by supplying and draining the fluid into or out of the lumen for changing the internal pressure of the lumen therethrough. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus in which a flexible endoscope insertion portion is wound around an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical member and stored in the apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, endoscope apparatuses having a long endoscope insertion portion have been widely used in the medical field and the industrial field.
A medical endoscope apparatus used in the medical field observes an organ in a body cavity by inserting an elongated insertion portion into a body cavity, or inserts a treatment tool inserted into an insertion channel of a treatment tool as necessary. It can be used for various treatments.

  An endoscope apparatus used in the industrial field has an elongated flexible insertion portion of about several meters to 10 meters. The insertion portion is inserted into a pipe having a small diameter such as a boiler, a gas turbine engine, an automobile engine body, and various plants in various factories. Thus, the industrial endoscope apparatus can observe and inspect, for example, scratches and corrosion of a structure located several meters to 10 meters ahead by an insertion portion inserted in a pipe or the like.

  In this industrial endoscope apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as an endoscope apparatus), a long flexible endoscope insertion portion is wound around a rotatable drum portion in a storage case and is compact. Some devices can be stored inside the device. Therefore, the operator can easily move and carry to each place where the endoscope apparatus is used.

  In addition, when the endoscope apparatus is used, the endoscope insertion portion is pulled out from the inside of the storage case and inserted to the test site. A bending portion and a distal end portion are provided at the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion. The operator pulls and relaxes a pulling member such as an operation wire extending from a bending portion inserted into the endoscope by a predetermined operation when the insertion portion is inserted into a pipe or the like and reaches the test site. Let

  In this way, the operator bends the bending portion, changes the observation direction of the objective lens of the objective optical system disposed in the distal end portion, and makes the insertion portion distal end portion reach the test site to perform various examinations. In addition, the operator rotates the handle portion in a predetermined direction after use to interlock the drum portion, winds the endoscope insertion portion around the drum portion, and stores it in the storage case.

  By the way, in the insertion process of the endoscope insertion part, when there are adverse effects such as bent parts, steps and spaces in the piping to the structure to be examined, the operator performs a twisting operation while holding the endoscope insertion part. In addition, it is necessary to pass the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion with respect to a bent portion, a step, a space, and the like while performing a hand operation such as a forward / backward movement operation.

  Therefore, in order to transmit the operation force from the hand operation by the twist operation and the forward / backward movement operation to the distal end portion, the endoscope insertion portion needs to have a certain degree of hardness, that is, a certain degree of rigidity while maintaining flexibility. Therefore, the endoscope insertion portion having a certain degree of rigidity is set to be difficult to bend due to the influence of the rigidity.

  As a result, the drum portion having the cylindrical portion that winds and houses the endoscope insertion portion needs to be formed with a diameter corresponding to the flexible tube portion, so that the entire endoscope apparatus Will become bigger.

  In addition, the endoscope insertion portion having low flexibility floats up from the winding surface during winding and storing in the drum portion, and the phenomenon occurs that the endoscope insertion portion is scattered inside the apparatus. In order to suppress this phenomenon, a guide mechanism for preventing swelling of the endoscope insertion portion is provided on the outer peripheral side of the drum portion.

  On the other hand, if the outer diameter of the drum part is reduced to reduce the size of the device and the elasticity of the endoscope insertion part is set so that it can be wound tightly around the drum part, the rigidity of the endoscope insertion part cannot be maintained. In addition, it becomes difficult to insert the insertion portion into the pipe at the time of endoscopy.

  Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 describe an endoscope according to an insertion time that requires a certain degree of rigidity in the endoscope insertion portion and a storage time that requires a certain degree of flexibility in the endoscope insertion portion. There has been a proposal to change the flexibility of the insertion portion.

  The endoscope described in Patent Document 1 can be obtained by fixing a coil pipe through which a flexible adjustment wire is inserted into the endoscope insertion portion, compressing the coil pipe by the pulling force of the wire, and linearizing the entire insertion portion. A technique for changing the rigidity of flexibility is disclosed.

In the endoscope described in Patent Document 2, the elastic tube is covered with a net-like body, and the elastic tube is compressed in the longitudinal direction by being pressurized with fluid, and the elastic tube is expanded in the radial direction. A technique is disclosed in which a fluid pressure artificial muscle that is tensioned from a relaxed state is arranged in an endoscope flexible insertion portion to change the flexibility rigidity.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-43802 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-237056

  However, the endoscope described in Patent Document 1 is variable in rigidity depending on the pitch interval of the coil pipes, and requires an operator to adjust the force while applying force on the hand side. Furthermore, in an insertion portion having a long insertion length, there is a problem that the amount of force that an operator has to apply to the endoscope insertion portion increases, and the actual operation becomes complicated.

  In addition, since the endoscope described in Patent Document 2 is provided with an elastic tube together with other built-in objects in the insertion portion, the other built-in objects are compressed as the elastic tube expands. There is a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and allows an operator to easily change the flexibility of an endoscope insertion portion, and improves the insertability of the insertion portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope apparatus that can easily wind and store an insertion portion in a storage member and that can realize downsizing of the apparatus main body with downsizing of the storage member.

  An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is an endoscope apparatus that includes a drum portion that winds and stores a flexible insertion portion, and is a tube that is inserted into the insertion portion and in which at least one lumen is disposed. A body and fluid adjusting means for supplying or discharging a fluid to or from the lumen, the fluid adjusting means supplying or discharging the fluid into the lumen to change the internal pressure of the lumen, The flexibility of the insertion part is changed.

  According to the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the insertability of the endoscope insertion portion is improved, the endoscope insertion portion is easily wound around and stored in a storage member, and the apparatus main body is reduced in size. Can do.

(First embodiment)
The configuration of the endoscope apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1 to 5 relate to the first embodiment, FIG. 1 is an external perspective view for explaining the overall configuration of the endoscope apparatus, FIG. 2 is a side view of the endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the internal configuration of the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible tube portion of the endoscope insertion portion cut in the lateral direction, and FIG. 5 is the inside of the air supply portion. It is a block diagram for demonstrating a structure.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a storage case 8 including a box body 8a and a lid body 8b that form an apparatus main body, and a front panel that closes an opening on the upper surface of the box body 8a. 5.

  On the upper surface of the front panel 5, a remote controller (hereinafter abbreviated as “remote controller”) 6 detachably connected via a cable 6 a and a retractable or telescopic pole (not shown) are rotatably supported. The monitor 7, the AC cable 5a, and the insertion portion packing portion 10 are disposed. Further, an elongated insertion portion 2 extends from an insertion portion packing portion 10 for preventing buckling disposed on the front panel 5.

The insertion portion 2 is configured by connecting a rigid distal end portion 11 in order from the distal end side, a bendable bending portion 12 that directs the distal end portion 11 in a desired direction, and a flexible tube portion 13 having an elongated flexibility. Has been.
In the distal end portion 11, the distal end side of the light guide 24 disposed in the insertion portion 2 is fixed and held. The distal end portion 11 includes an illumination optical system 11a for illuminating the test site with illumination light transmitted from the light guide 24, which is an optical fiber bundle, and reflection of the test site illuminated by the illumination optical system 11a. Built-in imaging unit 11c having an objective optical system 11b that captures light as a subject image, a CCD (solid-state imaging device) that captures the subject image captured by the objective optical system 11b, a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor), and the like. Has been.
Note that various optical adapters (not shown) that convert optical characteristics such as a viewing direction and a viewing angle can be detachably attached to the distal end portion 11 of the insertion portion 2.

  The remote controller 6 includes an image button for inputting an operation instruction such as a release operation for a CCU (Camera Control Unit), which will be described later, and a bending operation input unit 15 such as a joystick or a trackball for inputting an operation instruction for bending the bending unit 12. Various switches 16 such as buttons are provided.

  A frame portion (not shown) whose outer wall is covered with a cushioning material is disposed inside the box 8a. A drum portion 3 that is a storage member of the insertion portion 2 is rotatably held in the frame portion. The drum portion 3 includes a cylindrical portion 3a having a cylindrical shape, and two disk-shaped side portions 3b that close both end openings of the cylindrical portion 3a.

  The drum unit 3 includes an electric bending device 14 including a light source unit 17 that supplies illumination light to the light guide 24, a CCU 18 that performs signal processing on the imaging unit 11c, and a drive mechanism that drives the bending unit 12 to bend. And an electric bending circuit section 19 for controlling the bending state of the bending section 12 by controlling the electric bending apparatus 14 based on an operation signal from the bending operation input section 15 provided in the remote controller 6, and from the AC cable 5a. The air supply part 4 which is a fluid adjustment means which also serves as a power supply part to which electric power is supplied is incorporated. The electric bending device 14 and the air supply unit 4 are connected to the base end of the insertion unit 2 and are detachable from the drum unit 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a rotating plate 20 is disposed on one side surface of the box 8a. The rotating plate 20 is connected to the drum unit 3 inside the apparatus. As the rotating plate 20 rotates, the drum unit 3 rotates in conjunction with it. The rotating plate 20 has a handle housing recess 20a on the outer surface side. A handle portion 21 is disposed in the handle storage recess 20a.

  The handle portion 21 is a tiltable lever whose one end is fixed to the rotating plate. The handle portion 21 is housed in the handle housing recess 20a by being tilted. Further, the handle portion 21 is raised from the handle housing recess 20a and rotated, whereby the rotating plate 20 is rotated, and the drum portion 3 is rotated in conjunction with it.

Next, based on FIG.3 and FIG.4, the internal structure of the insertion part 2 is demonstrated.
As shown in FIG. 3, the insertion portion 2 has an illumination window 9 a and an observation window 9 b on the distal end surface of the distal end portion 11. The illumination optical system 11a such as an illumination lens is disposed in the illumination window 9a. The observation window 9b is provided with the aforementioned objective optical system 11b such as an observation lens and an objective lens.

  Inside the bending portion 12, a frame receiving portion 25 a and a plurality of bending pieces 25 are connected in order from the proximal end surface of the distal end portion 11. The bending portion 12 is configured by covering the frame receiving portion 25a and the plurality of bending pieces 25 with a not-shown bending blade in which a thin wire or the like is knitted in a cylindrical shape, and covering the bending blade with a resin coating to maintain watertightness. Is done. Four angle wires 22 for pulling the bending portion 12 from the distal end side and bending it in four directions are inserted into the plurality of bending pieces 25.

  The four angle wires 22 pass through a wire cover pipe (hereinafter referred to as a wire CP) 22 a in the flexible tube portion 13, respectively, so that the base end portion of the flexible tube portion 13, that is, the base of the insertion portion 2. It is inserted to the end. Further, one end of each of the four angle wires 22 is connected to the electric bending device 14 described above, and the other end is connected to the frame receiving portion 25a.

  Inside the flexible tube portion 13, there is an internal coil 27 through which the electric wire 23, the light guide 24, and the four wires CP 22 a electrically connected to the imaging unit 11 c disposed at the distal end portion 11 are inserted. Arranged. The internal coil 27 is a helical tube that is inserted into an air tube 29 that is a tube body and is made of a metal having a predetermined rigidity and strength. The electric wire 23 and the light guide 24 are inserted through the plurality of bending pieces 25 and the frame receiving portion 25a to the tip portion 11.

The air tube 29 has a tip end surface attached to an annular sealing member 28, and is formed in a three-layer structure with a resin and a flex tube, which will be described later, on the outer periphery. Is laid over. The sealing member 28 hermetically seals the end of each lumen of the air tube 29 described later.
Next, based on FIG. 4, the air tube 29 and the coating | coated part 30 of the flexible tube part 13 are demonstrated in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the covering portion 30 includes a first covering portion 30 a that is an outer layer, a flex tube 30 b that is a middle layer and braided a thin wire or the like, and a second covering portion 30 c that is an inner layer. Become. That is, the covering portion 30 has a three-layer structure in which the first stomach portion 30a, the flex tube 30b, and the second covering portion 30c are laminated in order from the outer periphery. The flex tube 30b is for protecting various members inside against external pressure.

  The air tube 29 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second covering portion 30 c of the covering portion 30, and is inserted into the covering portion 30. The air tube 29 is made of, for example, a stretchable synthetic resin material such as silicon, polyurethane, or fluororesin having a hardness of about 40 to 60 degrees. The air tube 29 has four lumens, which are through-holes having a longitudinal cross section formed in an arc shape over the entire length.

  These four lumens are formed on substantially the same circumference in the air tube 29, and include a first lumen 29a, a second lumen 29b having substantially the same arc length as the first lumen 29a, It consists of two third lumens 29c having a shorter arc length than the second lumens 29a, 29b. Further, the positional relationship between the lumens 29a to 29c is such that one third lumen 29c is disposed between the arc-side end portions of the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b.

  Further, as described above, the lumens 29a to 29c are sealed by the sealing member 28 (see FIG. 2), and the base ends of the lumens 29a to 29c are connected to a base described later.

  Each of the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b has a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction in a short direction, that is, approximately in the center of the arc, at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of bridge portions 29A and 29B for preventing crushing are provided.

  The insertion portion 2 includes a first lumen 29a on the outer peripheral side of the drum portion 3 and a second lumen 29b on the drum portion 3 in a state where the proximal end portion of the flexible tube portion 13 is wound and accommodated in the drum portion 3. The electric bending device 14 and the air supply unit 4 are connected so as to be positioned on the cylindrical unit 3 a side of the unit 3. In other words, in the state where the insertion portion 2 is pulled out from the storage case 8, the flexible tube portion 13 has the first lumen 29a inside and the second lumen 29b below in the insertion direction. It becomes. The vertical direction in the following description will be described as the vertical direction with respect to the insertion direction.

  As described above, in the air tube 29, the four coils CP22a through which the angle wires 22 are inserted, the internal coil 27 through which the electric wires 23 and the light guide 24 are inserted are inserted. .

Next, the structure of the air supply part 4 is demonstrated based on FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the air supply part 4 which is fluid adjusting means, first to third pressure sensors 41 to 43 which are detection means and first and second electromagnetic valves 44 and 45 which are fluid control means. In addition, first and second exhaust valves 46 and 47 that are fluid discharge means, an air cylinder 49 that is a fluid supply source, and a control unit 50 that is control means are incorporated. In the present embodiment, the first and second electromagnetic valves 44 and 45 and the first and second exhaust valves 46 and 47 are, for example, electromagnetic valves using electromagnetic solenoids.

  The air cylinder 49 is connected to one end of the air supply conduit 51. On the other hand, the other end of the air supply pipe 51 is connected to a pipe joint 48 that divides air into a first pipe 52 on the first exhaust valve 46 side and a second pipe 53 on the second exhaust valve 47 side. Has been.

  A third pressure sensor 43 is disposed in the middle of the air supply pipe 51. The third pressure sensor 43 detects the pressure in the air supply pipe 51, that is, the pressure in the air cylinder 49. Thereby, the remaining amount of compressed air in the air cylinder 49 is detected.

  A first exhaust valve 46 and a first electromagnetic valve 44 are disposed in series in the first pipe line 52 in order from the pipe joint 48 side, and a first pressure is provided on the air output side of the first electromagnetic valve 44. A sensor 41 is connected. One end of the first pipe line 52 is connected to the pipe joint 48, and the other end is connected to a base part 54 a provided at the base end of the insertion part 2.

  A second exhaust valve 47 and a second electromagnetic valve 45 are arranged in series on the second pipe 53 in order from the pipe joint 48 side, and a second pressure is provided on the air output side of the second solenoid valve 45. A sensor 42 is connected. Similar to the first pipe line, the second pipe line 53 has one end connected to the pipe joint 48 and the other end connected to a base part 54 b provided at the base end of the insertion part 2.

  The cap portions 54a and 54b disposed at the proximal end of the insertion portion 2 respectively connect the first conduit 52 and the first lumen 29a of the air tube 29, and connect the second conduit 53 and the air tube. 29 second lumens 29b are communicated with each other.

  Accordingly, the compressed air from the air cylinder 49 passes through the air supply pipe 51 and is branched into the first pipe 52 and the second pipe 53 by the pipe joint 48. The compressed air output to the first pipe 52 is supplied into the first lumen 29a through the first exhaust valve 46, the first electromagnetic valve 44, and the base part 54a. The compressed air output to the second pipe 53 is supplied into the second lumen 29b through the second exhaust valve 47, the second electromagnetic valve 54b, and the base part 54b.

  The exhaust valves 46 and 47 are three-way valves for reducing the pressure in the lumens 29a and 29b of the air tube 29, and exhaust the air in the lumens 29a and 29b from the discharge port to the atmosphere. .

  The control unit 50 is electrically connected to the pressure sensors 41 to 43 and the electromagnetic valves 44 to 47. That is, the control unit 50 receives detection signals from the pressure sensors 41 and 42 and supplies drive signals to the electromagnetic valves 44 to 47. The control unit 50 is also electrically connected to the remote controller 6 and the monitor 7.

  Further, the control unit 50 stores set values of pressures in the lumens 29a and 29b corresponding to various modes to be described later for changing the rigidity of the insertion unit 2.

  Various modes are selected by operating the switch 16 of the remote controller 6. Further, on the screen of the monitor 7, various mode states of the insertion unit 2 and the remaining air amount of the air cylinder 49 can be displayed together with the endoscope image.

  The remote controller 6 is also electrically connected to the electric bending device 14. As described above, the electric bending portion 14 is connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion 2, and the angle wire 22 is inserted into the bending portion 12 in the insertion portion 2.

  The various modes for changing the rigidity of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above include three modes, ie, a curing mode, a softening mode, and a bending mode. These modes can be selected and operated by the remote controller 6.

Here, various modes will be described below.
In the curing mode, the pressure in the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b of the air tube 29 is increased to a predetermined pressure setting value to increase the pressure in the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b. It is a state to do. In this state, the outer periphery of the air tube 29 is covered with the covering portion 30, and the inside of the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b is in a high-pressure state without swelling to the inner and outer peripheral sides by the inserted internal coil 27. Is done. Therefore, in this curing mode, the flexible tube portion 13 is cured substantially linearly as shown in FIG.

  The predetermined pressure setting value described above is the maximum pressure value in each of the lumens 29a and 29b that can hold the flexible tube portion 13 in a substantially linear state.

  The bending mode is a state in which the flexible tube portion 13 has a certain degree of rigidity by adjusting the pressure in the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b of the air tube 29. In this bending mode, the flexible tube portion 13 can be in various bending states by changing the pressure setting values in the lumens 29a and 29b.

  For example, when the rigidity of the flexible tube portion 13 is small, that is, when it is desired to increase the flexibility, the pressure in each of the lumens 29a and 29b may be set to a small value. When it is desired to lower the pressure, the pressure in each lumen 29a, 29b may be increased. Various pressure set values in the lumens 29 a and 29 b can be changed by operating the remote controller 6.

Further, the operator can input a predetermined pressure set value in the lumens 29a and 29b by the remote controller 6, and can perform various settings for holding the flexible tube portion 13 in various curved states.
For example, the operator prescribes and registers the pressure in the first lumen 29a to the maximum pressure value in the above-described curing mode and prescribes and registers the pressure in the second lumen 29b to the same pressure state as the atmospheric pressure by the remote controller 6. 7, due to the force that the upper first lumen 29 a is going to be straight, as shown in FIG. 7, a large curved state in which the distal end side of the flexible tube portion 13 faces downward (state A in FIG. 7). Can be set.

  Further, the operator prescribes and registers the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a to the same maximum pressure value as that in the above-described curing mode by using the remote controller 6, and makes the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b smaller than the maximum pressure value in the curing mode. By setting and registering a pressure state larger than the atmospheric pressure, the upper first lumen 29a becomes straight and the straight pressure corresponding to the pressure in the second lower lumen 29b becomes lower. As shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to perform setting so that the distal end side of the flexible tube portion 13 is held in various curved states (B and C states in FIG. 7). .

  The operator uses the remote controller 6 to reverse the set values of the internal pressures of the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b to the above-described pressure state, so that the distal end side of the flexible tube portion 13 is moved. It is possible to perform setting to be held in various curved states directed upward.

  The softening mode is a state in which the pressure in the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b of the air tube 29 is equal to the atmospheric pressure. In this softening mode, as shown in FIG. 8, the flexible tube portion 13 is in a state of high flexibility, that is, low stiffness and low stiffness.

  Next, the operation in which the control unit 50 drives and controls the electromagnetic valves 41 to 47 will be described based on the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a main routine of the control unit 50 for changing the internal pressures of the lumens 29a and 29b of the air tube 29 in the curing mode and in the bending mode, and FIG. 10 shows the first routine in step S1 in FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit 50 for controlling the internal pressure of the lumen 29a. FIG. 11 shows the operation of the control unit 50 for controlling the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b of the air tube 29 in step S1 in FIG. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit 50 in the softening mode.

  In addition, each exhaust valve 46 and 47 exhausts the air in each lumen | rumen 29a, 29b from an exhaust port by opening a valve. Further, the electromagnetic valves 44 and 45 and the exhaust valves 46 and 47 are in a state in which the valves are closed except during the pressure adjustment control (when the control unit 50 shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 is controlled). That is, the electromagnetic valves 44 and 45 and the exhaust valves 46 and 47 are normally closed.

  When the remote controller 6 performs a curing mode, a bending mode, or a setting value selection operation arbitrarily set by the operator, the control unit 50 performs control based on the procedure of each step (S) shown in the flowchart of FIG. Do.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the control unit 50 changes the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a based on the set value (S1), and changes the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b based on the set value (S2). ). Although details of each step will be described later, step S1 and step S2 may be interchanged, or may be performed simultaneously.

  First, a procedure for changing the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a based on a set value from the remote controller 6 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the remote controller 6 is operated, the control unit 50 reads the pressure setting value that is input in each mode or directly (S 11), and based on the detected value from the first pressure sensor 41, It is determined whether or not the internal pressure value of one lumen 29a is larger than the set value (S12).

  Here, the control unit 50 that has determined that the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a is larger than the set value opens the first exhaust valve 46 (S14), and decreases the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a. Meanwhile, the detection value from the first pressure sensor 41 is input to the control unit 50, and it is determined whether the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a has reached the set value (S15). That is, the air stored in the first lumen 29a passes through the first conduit 52 through the base 54a and is exhausted to the outside by the first exhaust valve 46 until the set pressure is reached. .

  When the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a reaches the set value, the control unit 50 closes the first electromagnetic valve 44 (S16), then closes the first exhaust valve 46 (S17), and ends the routine. To do.

  On the other hand, if the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a is not greater than the set value in step S12, the control unit 50 proceeds to step S13 and determines whether the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a is smaller than the set value. It is determined whether or not (S13).

  If the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a is not smaller than the set value, the control unit 50 determines that the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a is the same value as the set value, and ends the routine.

  Further, the control unit 50 that has determined that the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a is smaller than the set value opens the first electromagnetic valve 44 (S18), and increases the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a. Meanwhile, the detection value from the first pressure sensor 41 is input to the control unit 50, and it is determined whether the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a has reached the set value (S19). That is, in the first lumen 29a, the air from the air cylinder 49 passes through the air supply pipe 51 and is output to the first pipe 52 through the tube joint 48, and the first exhaust valve 46, the first It is supplied via the electromagnetic valve 44 and the base part 54a.

  When the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a reaches the set value, the control unit 50 closes the first electromagnetic valve 44 (S20) and ends the routine.

  As a result, the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a is maintained at the set value arbitrarily set by the curing mode, the bending mode, or the operator.

  Next, a procedure by the control unit 50 that changes the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b based on the set value will be described based on FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the control unit 50 reads the pressure setting value input in each mode or directly (S21), and based on the detected value from the second pressure sensor 42, the internal pressure value of the second lumen 29b. Is greater than the set value (S22).

  The control unit 50 that has determined that the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b is larger than the set value opens the second exhaust valve 47 (S24), and decreases the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b. Meanwhile, the detection value from the second pressure sensor 42 is input to the control unit 50, and it is determined whether the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b has reached the set value (S25). That is, the air stored in the second lumen 29b passes through the second conduit 53 through the base 54b and is exhausted to the outside by the second exhaust valve 47 until the set pressure is reached. .

  When the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b reaches the set value, the control unit 50 closes the second electromagnetic valve 45 (S26), then closes the second exhaust valve 47 (S27), and ends the routine. To do.

  On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b is not larger than the set value in step S22, the control unit 50 proceeds to step S23, and whether the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b is smaller than the set value. It is determined whether or not (S23).

  If the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b is not smaller than the set value, the control unit 50 determines that the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b is the same value as the set value, and ends the routine.

  Further, the controller 50 that has determined that the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b is smaller than the set value opens the second electromagnetic valve 45 (S28), and increases the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b. Meanwhile, the detection value from the second pressure sensor 42 is input to the control unit 50, and it is determined whether the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b has reached the set value (S29). That is, in the second lumen 29b, the air from the air cylinder 49 passes through the air supply pipe 51 and is output to the second pipe 53 through the tube joint 48, and the second exhaust valve 47, the second It is supplied via the electromagnetic valve 45 and the base part 54b.

  When the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b reaches the set value, the control unit 50 closes the second electromagnetic valve 45 (S30) and ends the routine.

  As a result, the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b is maintained at a setting value arbitrarily set by the curing mode, the bending mode, or the operator.

  In other words, as described above, in the curing mode, the pressure in the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b of the air tube 29 is increased to a predetermined pressure set value, whereby the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29a. The pressure in the second lumen 29b is increased. Therefore, the flexible tube portion 13 is cured substantially linearly by setting the first lumen 29a and the second lumen 29b to a high pressure state.

  Further, in the bending mode, the flexible tube portion 13 can be brought into various bending states by changing the pressure value in each lumen 29a, 29b.

  In the above-described curing mode and bending mode, the outer periphery of the air tube 29 to which the internal pressure of each lumen 29a, 29b is pressurized is covered with the covering portion 30, and the inner coil 27 is inserted to the inner and outer peripheral sides. It is prevented that other built-in objects are pressed without swelling.

  Next, a control procedure performed by the control unit 50 in the softening mode will be described based on each step (S) shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the control unit 50 opens the first electromagnetic valve 44 (S51) and opens the second electromagnetic valve 45 (S52). Next, the control unit 50 opens the first exhaust valve 46 (S53), opens the second exhaust valve (S54), and ends the routine.

Therefore, the air in the first lumen 29 a is discharged into the atmosphere by the first exhaust valve 46 through the base part 54 a and the first pipe line 52 and the first electromagnetic valve 44. Similarly, the air in the second lumen 29b is discharged into the atmosphere by the second exhaust valve 47 through the base part 54b and the second pipe 53, through the second electromagnetic valve 45.
As a result, the pressure value in each lumen 29a, 29b becomes the same pressure as the atmospheric pressure. That is, as described above, in the softening mode, the flexible tube portion 13 is in a highly flexible state, that is, in a weak state.

  As a result of the above, the endoscope apparatus 1 adjusts the rigidity of the flexible tube portion 13 in various modes and with changes in the internal pressure of the lumens 29a and 29b of the air tube 29 inserted into the flexible tube portion 13. The pressure can be changed according to an arbitrary pressure set value by the operator.

  Therefore, when the pipe to the structure to be examined has a harmful effect such as a bent portion, a step, and a space, the operator selects the curing mode by using the remote controller 6 so that the flexible tube of the insertion portion 2 is operated. Since the portion 13 is cured substantially linearly, the insertion portion 2 can be easily inserted into a bent portion, a step, a space, or the like. Further, the operator can hold the flexible tube portion 13 of the insertion portion 2 in a desired state by selecting and operating the bending mode using the remote controller 6 in accordance with the bending state of various pipes.

  Note that, for example, by pressing the internal pressure of the first lumen 29a and setting the internal pressure of the second lumen 29b to the same state as the atmospheric pressure, the distal end portion of the flexible tube portion 13 of the insertion portion 2 is downward. It is curved to face. In this state, when the insertion portion 2 is wound around and stored in the drum portion 3, twisting or the like hardly occurs, and the insertion portion 2 is wound and stored in the drum portion 3 in an aligned manner. Further, since the distal end portion of the insertion portion 2 faces downward, the insertion portion 2 at the time of winding and storing becomes easy to approach the drum portion 3 and is easily wound and stored in the drum portion 3. .

  Furthermore, when the insertion unit 2 is wound and stored in the drum unit 3, the operator selects and operates the softening mode using the remote controller 6, thereby causing the flexible tube unit 13 of the insertion unit 2 to be highly flexible. It can be in a state without. Therefore, the insertion portion 2 is easily wound and housed in close contact with the cylindrical portion 3a of the drum portion 3, and is prevented from being lifted off from the winding surface and is prevented from being scattered inside the apparatus.

  Moreover, since the flexible tube part 13 of the insertion part 2 at the time of softening mode can be made into a state with high flexibility and no stiffness, the cylindrical part 3 of the drum part 3 can be reduced in diameter. Accordingly, the endoscope apparatus 1 can reduce the size of the drum unit 3 and the storage case 8 for storing the drum unit 3, and thus can reduce the size of the apparatus main body.

  As a result, the endoscope apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment allows the operator to easily change the flexibility of the insertion portion 2, improves the insertability of the insertion portion 2, and the insertion portion 2 is a drum. The unit 3 can be easily wound and stored, and the apparatus body can be downsized.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the first lumen 29 a and the second lumen 29 b may be divided into two, and a total of four lumens may be provided in the air tube 29. At this time, in addition to the first and second pipes 52 and 53, the air supply unit 4 is further provided with two pipes each provided with an electromagnetic valve and an exhaust valve, and the internal pressure of each lumen is reduced. You may make it the structure which can be adjusted separately. As a result, the flexible tube portion 13 can change flexibility in four directions. Further, the number of lumens may be four or more.

Further, in place of the air cylinder 49, the pressure in each lumen 29a, 29b using a liquid using a fluid pump may be changed.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of an endoscope apparatus. It is a side view of an endoscope apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the internal structure of the front-end | tip part of an endoscope insertion part. It is the cross-sectional view which cut | disconnected the flexible tube part in the transversal direction. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the internal structure of an air supply part. It is a perspective view of the endoscope apparatus for demonstrating the state of the endoscope insertion part in hardening mode. It is a figure for demonstrating the endoscope insertion part hold | maintained in the several state in bending mode. It is a perspective view of the endoscope apparatus for demonstrating the state of the endoscope insertion part in softening mode. It is a flowchart figure which shows the main routine of the control part which changes the internal pressure of each lumen | rumen of an air tube. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the control part which controls the internal pressure of a 1st lumen | rumen in step S1 in FIG. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the control part which controls the internal pressure of the 2nd lumen | rumen of an air tube in step S2 in FIG. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the control part at the time of softening mode. It is the cross-sectional view which cut | disconnected the flexible tube part in the transversal direction.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope apparatus, 2 ... Endoscope insertion part, 3 ... Drum part, 4 ... Air supply part, 6 ... Remote control, 13 ... Flexible tube part, 29 ... Air tube, 29a ... first lumen, 29b ... second lumen, 41 ... first pressure sensor, 42 ... second pressure sensor, 43 ... third pressure sensor 44 ... 1st solenoid valve, 45 ... 2nd solenoid valve, 46 ... 1st exhaust valve, 47 ... 2nd exhaust valve, 48 ... Pipe joint, 49 ... Air cylinder , 50... Controller, 51... Air supply pipe, 52... First pipe, 53... Second pipe, 54 a, 54 b.
Agent Patent Attorney Susumu Ito

Claims (3)

An endoscope apparatus including a drum portion that winds and stores a flexible insertion portion,
A tube body that is inserted into the insertion portion and in which at least one lumen is disposed;
Fluid adjusting means for supplying or discharging fluid to the lumen;
Comprising
The endoscope apparatus characterized in that the fluid adjusting means changes flexibility of the insertion portion by supplying or discharging the fluid into or out of the lumen and changing an internal pressure of the lumen. An endoscope apparatus including a drum portion that winds and stores a flexible insertion portion,
A tube body inserted into the insertion portion;
At least one lumen disposed in the tube body;
A conduit communicating with the lumen;
A fluid supply source for supplying fluid to the conduit;
A fluid control means disposed in the conduit for controlling the supply of the fluid from the fluid supply source;
A fluid discharging means disposed in the pipe and discharging the fluid in the pipe out of the pipe;
Detecting means for detecting pressure in the lumen;
Control means for outputting a drive signal to the fluid control means and the fluid discharge means;
Comprising
The control means controls the fluid control means and the fluid discharge means based on the input set value and the pressure value detected by the detection means, and supplies the fluid into the lumen or discharges it out of the lumen. An endoscope apparatus characterized in that the flexibility of the insertion portion is changed by changing the internal pressure of the lumen. At least two lumens are disposed on the tube body,
The control unit controls the fluid control unit and the fluid discharge unit so that the at least two lumens have different internal pressures, thereby holding the insertion portion in a curved state. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

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