JP4338257B2 - Endoscope flexible tube - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an endoscope flexible tube that sheathes an insertion portion or the like of an endoscope.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A flexible tube of an endoscope is generally made of a synthetic resin having a mesh tube formed by braiding a plurality of wire bundles in which a plurality of fine metal wires are juxtaposed, and the outer periphery of the spiral tube being covered, and the outer periphery thereof being flexible. The outer skin is covered and formed.
[0003]
In the case of the insertion tube flexible tube, it is desirable to change the flexibility in the middle in order to improve the insertion property for the patient undergoing endoscopy. Therefore, a plurality of outer skin materials having different hardnesses are flexible. Covered by tube area.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as described above, covering a plurality of outer skin materials having different hardnesses according to the region of the flexible tube not only increases the cost of the manufacturing process, but also peels off at the boundary between adjacent outer skin materials. May occur and the flexible tube may be damaged.
[0005]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flexible tube for an endoscope that has flexibility that changes midway, is easy to manufacture, is inexpensive, and has high durability.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the flexible tube of the endoscope of the present invention has a mesh tube formed by braiding a plurality of wire bundles in which a plurality of fine metal wires are juxtaposed, and the outer periphery of the spiral tube is covered. A coating made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is applied to at least one of the strands that form a strand of strands of the mesh tube, and the outer periphery is coated with a flexible synthetic resin sheath. In a flexible tube of an endoscope that has been melted and welded to the outer skin, by varying the number of strands to which the coating is applied among the strands that form the strand bundle of the mesh tube by region The flexibility is changed in the middle.
[0007]
In the endoscope flexible tube of the present invention, a mesh tube formed by braiding a plurality of wire bundles in which a plurality of fine metal wires are juxtaposed is covered on the outer periphery of the spiral tube, and the outer periphery is made flexible. And a coating made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is applied to at least one of the strands forming the bundle of strands of the mesh tube, and the coating portion is melted to coat the sheath. In the flexible tube of the endoscope welded to the wire, the flexibility was changed in the middle by changing the thickness of the coating applied to the wire forming the wire bundle of the mesh tube depending on the region. It is characterized by.
[0008]
The coating may be made of a synthetic resin material having a lower melting point than the outer skin.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of the endoscope. A bending operation knob 3 provided in the operation unit 2 is provided at the distal end portion of the insertion unit flexible tube 1 that covers the insertion unit connected to the operation unit 2. A curved portion 4 that is bent remotely by turning is formed.
[0010]
A distal end body 5 incorporating an objective optical system and the like is connected to the distal end side of the bending portion 4. Further, a connector 7 connected to a light source device (not shown) is connected to the end of the connecting flexible tube 6 connected to the operation unit 2.
[0011]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an insertion portion flexible tube 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 10 denotes a metal band such as stainless steel or a copper alloy with a uniform diameter and a spiral space. It is a spiral tube formed by opening and winding, and is formed by winding in a single winding or multiple times of double or more.
[0012]
20 (20A, 20B) is a mesh tube coated in close contact with the outer periphery of the spiral tube 10, and includes a plurality of strands 21a (for example, about 4 to 12 wires) made of fine metal wires such as stainless steel or copper alloy. A plurality of wire bundles 21 arranged in parallel are formed by braiding.
[0013]
Reference numeral 30 denotes a flexible outer skin that is in close contact with the outer periphery of the mesh tube 20 and is formed by, for example, mainly covering a polyurethane resin-based synthetic resin material by extrusion molding.
[0014]
FIG. 3 partially shows three strands 21a in the strand bundle 21 used for braiding the mesh tube 20, for example, one strand 21a of the strand 21a A coating 21b made of a plastic synthetic resin is applied over the entire length.
[0015]
The coating 21b is melted by heat when the outer skin 30 is extruded, and is integrally welded (fused) with the outer skin 30, and is also welded to the adjacent surfaces of the adjacent strands 21a.
[0016]
When such a process is taken, the coating 21b is melted from the side close to the outer skin 30 by the heat of the outer skin 30. Accordingly, as the material of the coating 21b, the same material as that of the outer skin 30 may be used, but a synthetic resin having a melting point lower than that of the outer skin 30 may be used. For example, a polyamide-based resin such as nylon (trade name) is used. Good.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 4, the reticulated tube 20 of this embodiment includes a soft region portion 20A in which one strand 21a in one strand 21 is coated with a coating 21b, and two strands. As shown in FIG. 1, the hard region portion 20 </ b> B in which the coating 21 b is applied to 21 a is used in different regions (regions different in the axial direction) of the insertion portion flexible tube 1.
[0018]
Specifically, the soft region portion 20A in which the coating 21b is applied to one strand 21a is used in a portion near the tip of the insertion portion flexible tube 1, and the coating 21b is applied to the two strands 21a. The hard region portion 20B to which is applied is used in a portion near the base end.
[0019]
The adhesion between the outer skin 30 and the reticular tube 20 is different between the one portion and the two portions of the strand 21a to which the coating 21b is applied due to the difference in the welding area between the outer skin 30 and the reticular tube 20. To do.
[0020]
As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the insertion portion flexible tube 1 has a flexible portion 1A near the distal end and a hard portion 1B near the proximal end, thereby obtaining good insertion properties. In addition, the outer skin 30 may be simply coated on the entire surface, so that it is easy to manufacture and does not cause problems such as peeling.
[0021]
FIG. 5 shows a soft region portion 20A and a hard region portion 20B of the reticulated tube 20 of the second embodiment of the present invention, and a coating 21b is applied to both the soft region portion 20A and the hard region portion 20B. The number of the formed strands 21a is the same, for example, and the thickness of the coating 21b of the hard region portion 20B is thicker than the coating 21b of the soft region portion 20A.
[0022]
As a result, as in the first embodiment described above, the welding area between the outer skin 30 and the mesh tube 20 is different, so that the adhesion between the outer skin 30 and the mesh tube 20 is different, and the insertion portion flexible tube 1, the portion near the distal end is soft and the portion near the proximal end is hardened, so that good insertability can be obtained.
[0023]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the number of the strands 21a to which the coating 21b is applied and the thickness of the coating 21b can be inserted. The flexibility of the insertion portion flexible tube 1 is changed in three stages for each region of the flexible tube 1 by providing an intermediate hardness region portion 20C between the soft region portion 20A and the hard region portion 20B. May be changed in three or more stages in the axial direction.
[0024]
Alternatively, the outer skin 30 formed in a tubular shape may be coated on the outer surface of the mesh tube 20, and then the outer skin 30 and the coating 21b may be heated and melted to form a flexible tube. It may be applied to the flexible tube 6.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the flexibility of the flexible tube is changed in the middle by changing the number of coated wires or the thickness of the coating among the strands forming the strand of the mesh tube. Since it is changed, it is easy to manufacture a flexible tube whose flexibility changes midway, and it does not cost, and excellent durability that does not cause peeling of the outer skin can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partial side view showing a part of a flexible tube according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of an example of an endoscope to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 3 is a partial perspective cross-sectional view of a mesh tube constituting a flexible tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a mesh tube constituting the flexible tube according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a mesh tube constituting a flexible tube according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a mesh tube constituting a flexible tube according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a mesh tube constituting a flexible tube according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part flexible tube 10 Spiral tube 20 Reticulated tube 20A Soft region part 20B Hard region part 20C Intermediate hardness region part 21 Strand bundle 21a Strand 21b Coating 30 Outer skin

Claims (3)

A mesh tube formed by braiding a plurality of wire bundles in which a plurality of fine metal wires are juxtaposed is coated on the outer periphery of the spiral tube, and further, a flexible synthetic resin sheath is coated on the outer periphery. In the flexible tube of the endoscope, a coating made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is applied to at least one of the strands forming the strand of the wire, and the coating portion is melted and welded to the outer skin.
An endoscope characterized in that the flexibility is changed in the middle by changing the number of the coated strands of the strands forming the strand of the mesh tube depending on the region. Flexible tube. A mesh tube formed by braiding a plurality of wire bundles in which a plurality of fine metal wires are juxtaposed is coated on the outer periphery of the spiral tube, and further, a flexible synthetic resin sheath is coated on the outer periphery. In the flexible tube of the endoscope, a coating made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin is applied to at least one of the strands forming the strand of the wire, and the coating portion is melted and welded to the outer skin.
A flexible tube for an endoscope, wherein the flexibility is changed in the middle by changing the thickness of the coating applied to the strand forming the strand of the mesh tube depending on the region. The flexible tube for an endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coating is made of a synthetic resin material having a melting point lower than that of the outer skin.

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