JPH0411683Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an endoscope having an insertion section formed by connecting a distal end component to the distal end of a curved tube section.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, a bending tube section in an insertion section of an endoscope is provided with a bending core member formed by rotatably connecting a plurality of bending pieces. The distal end portion of the most advanced bending piece is fitted into and fixed to the rear end portion of the main body member of the distal end constituting portion. By the way, since the connecting parts of built-in components such as the imaging unit and various channels are provided in the most advanced curved piece immediately after the distal end component, this part takes up the most space and increases rigidity. Therefore, the outer diameter of this portion of the insertion portion locally becomes thicker, which tends to cause pain to the patient.

Therefore, in the Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-16601, the built-in material is thickened at the proximal end side (operating section side) of the most advanced bending piece, excluding the part that fits into the main body member of the distal end component. By cutting out the corresponding parts, we are trying to make the diameter as small as possible.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

In the method disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 59-16601, the most advanced bending piece is cut out on the operating section side, so that the end edge of the mesh pipe that fits into the bending piece is located within the cutout. Each of the wires constituting the network pipe is likely to come apart within this notch opening. For this reason, there was a risk that the ends of the loose wires could damage the built-in components or pierce the outer rubber covering the mesh pipe, causing water leakage.

The present invention was developed with attention to the above problems, and its purpose is to securely fix the tip of the mesh tube, prevent variations in the strands, and prevent the internal wires from dispersing while ensuring the diameter of the insertion section is reduced. The object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope that can avoid damage to the skin and outer skin.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention has fitted a mesh pipe only to the operation part side portion of the most advanced bending piece that is connected to the main body member of the tip component among the bending pieces that constitute the core material of the bending part. A notch was formed in the most distal end portion that was not fitted to allow the bulk of the built-in material to escape.

[Effect]

The mesh pipe does not fit into the notch, so that the wires of the mesh pipe do not fray in the notch, and the built-in components and the outer skin are not damaged.

〔Example〕

1 to 7 show a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the entire endoscope 1.
is composed of a long insertion section 2, an operation section 3, and a light guide cable 4. The insertion section 2 has a curved tube section 6 at the tip of a flexible tube section 5 connected to the operating section 3.
The bending tube section 6 is configured to be connected to the tip forming section 7 via the bending tube section 6, and the bending tube section 6 can be bent remotely by operating angle knobs 8, 8 provided on the operation section 3, as described later. The operation section 3 is provided with an air/water supply button 9, a suction button, a forceps port 11, and an eyepiece section 12. Furthermore, an observation window 13, a pair of illumination windows 14, 14, a nozzle 15, and a forceps opening 16 are provided on the distal end surface of the distal end forming portion 7.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the bending pipe section 6 is formed by fitting a mesh pipe 22 made of a plurality of wires into the outer periphery of a bending core material 21 consisting of a plurality of bending pieces 20, and further, The outer periphery of this mesh pipe 22 is covered with a rubber outer cover 23. The bending core material 21 is formed by connecting a plurality of bending pieces 20 arranged along the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion 2 so as to be rotatable in sequence, so that the bending core material 21 can be bent vertically and horizontally as a whole. It's getting old.

In addition, the most advanced curved piece 20 constituting the core material 21
is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the base end portion 24 located on the operating section 3 side is connected to the mesh pipe 2.
The distal end portion of the mesh tube 22 is tightly fitted and fixed to the proximal end portion 24 . Furthermore, a plurality of notches 26 are formed at the distal end portion continuing through the intermediate portion 25. Attachment holes 28 are formed at the tips of each piece 27 remaining at this tip. and,
As shown in FIG.
The main body member 29 is fitted into a recess 30 formed on the outer periphery of the rear end of the main body member 9, and is fixed to the main body member 29 by a set screw 31 passing through the mounting hole 28 as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, the proximal end portion 2 of the most advanced bending piece 20
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a pair of notches 32, 32 are formed in each of the upper, lower, left, and right locations of 4 to form inwardly protruding protrusions 33, and each of the protrusions 33... The respective tips of the bending operation wires 34 are inserted into the respective ends, and are brazed and fixed with silver solder 35. Each of the above bending operation wires 3
4 are respectively guided to the operating section 3 through the insides of the curved tube section 6 and the flexible tube section 5 of the insertion section 2, and are connected to a wire push/pull operation mechanism (not shown) operated by the angle knobs 8, 8. has been done.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, a cylindrical lens frame 41 incorporating an objective lens system 40 facing the observation window 13 is fitted into the main body member 29 of the tip component 7. Furthermore, the tip portion of an image guide 42 made of an optical fiber bundle is fitted and fixed into the lens frame 41 via a first connecting tube 43. Also,
Protective tube 44 covering image guide 42
The distal end of the first connecting tube 43 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the rear end of the first connecting tube 43 and fixed with a thread.

Further, a pair of second connecting pipes 46, 46 are connected and fixed to the through hole 45 communicating with the nozzle 15 in communication with the through hole 45. And one second connecting pipe 4
The tip of the air supply tube 47 is fitted into the rear protruding portion of 6, and the tip of the water supply tube 48 is fitted into the other second connecting pipe 46, and these fitted parts are tightened with threads. It's fixed. Note that the ends of the rearward protruding portions of the second connecting pipes 46 and 47 are tapered to prevent them from coming off.

Additionally, a third hole is provided in the through hole 48 communicating with the forceps port 16.
connection pipe 49 is connected, and this third connection pipe 49
There is a forceps channel tube 50 on the rear protrusion of the
The tip is fitted and secured by thread tightening.
Further, the rearward projecting end of the third connecting pipe 49 is also tapered to prevent it from coming off.

Further, the light guides 51, 51 connected to the illumination windows 14, 14 are connected to the main body member 29 through different fourth connecting tubes 52, 52, respectively, similarly to the image guide 42 described above, and the protective tubes The distal end of the fourth connecting pipe 52 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the protruding rear end of the fourth connecting pipe 52 and fixed with a thread. Note that the outer periphery of the rear end of the fourth connecting pipe 52 is tapered to prevent it from coming off.

Thus, the air supply tube 47 and the water supply tube 48 are connected to the second connection pipes 46 and 47, respectively, and the forceps channel tube 50 is connected to the third connection pipe 49. Furthermore, the light guides 51, 51 are connected to the main body member 29 via fourth connecting pipes 52, 52, and the tips of the protective tubes 53 are connected to the respective fourth connecting pipes 52, 52.
They are respectively fitted onto and connected to the outer peripheries of the protruding rear end portions of the two. For this reason, each of these connecting portions locally becomes thicker and stiffer.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
... to avoid increasing the diameter of the insertion section 2 by locating it inside and letting it escape. In other words, insertion section 2
The diameter can be reduced by the amount that the outer portion of each connecting portion located around the notch portion 26 enters into the notch portion 26 .

Furthermore, the voids within each of the notches 26 and their surrounding areas are filled with a filler 55 made of, for example, a silicone adhesive. This increases the strength around the connection. For example, when an external force is applied from the direction C in FIG. 3, the light guide 42 is prevented from breaking by absorbing the external force. Note that the filling material 55 may also be filled up to the vicinity of the center of the insertion portion 2 .

On the other hand, in the above configuration, the mesh pipe 22 of the curved pipe section 6
The tip does not reach the notch 26...
It fits only into the proximal end portion 24. Therefore,
The tip of the net pipe 22 is securely fixed, and the wires do not come apart. Therefore, the ends of the loose wires may damage the internal components or cause damage to the outer skin23.
There will be no inconveniences such as water leakage caused by bumping the pipe.

FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, attachment holes 28, 28 are bored at two or more locations in different axial directions at the tip of each piece 27 of the most advanced bending piece 20 constituting the core material 21. Then, each mounting hole 28, 2
8 through the set screws 31, 31 to the main body member 29.
Each piece 27 is fastened to. In this way, it is possible to prevent the most extreme bending piece 20 and the main body member 29 from shifting.

[Effect of idea]

As is clear from the embodiments described above, according to the present invention, the tip of the mesh tube can be reliably fitted into the most advanced bending piece while ensuring the diameter of the insertion portion is reduced, and the tip of the mesh tube can be Prevents wires from fraying. Therefore, the ends of the loose wires will not damage the built-in components or puncture the outer skin, causing water leakage.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion section in the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion section in the first embodiment, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1,
5 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the most advanced bending piece in the first embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a distal end in the first embodiment. A perspective view of the main body member of the component, and FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing the main part of the second embodiment of the present invention. 1... Endoscope, 2... Insertion section, 3... Operation section,
6... Curved tube part, 7... Tip component part, 20... Curving piece, 21... Core material, 22... Net pipe, 24... Base end portion, 25... Middle part, 26... Notch part ,2
7... Piece, 29... Main body member, 31... Set screw, 42... Image guide, 43... First connecting tube, 44... Protective tube, 46... Second connecting tube, 47... ... Air supply tube, 48 ... Water supply tube, 49 ... Third connection tube, 50 ... Forceps channel tube, 51 ... Light guide, 52
...Fourth connecting pipe, 55...Filling material.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A state-of-the-art bending piece that comprises a plurality of bending pieces rotatably connected to constitute a core material in a bending tube section of an insertion section whose base end is connected to an operating section. is connected and fixed to the main body member of the distal end component of the insertion section, and the outer periphery of the core material is covered with a mesh tube, and the outer periphery of the mesh tube is covered with an outer skin. The distal end portion of the net pipe is fitted only in the operating portion side portion excluding the operating portion, and the distal end portion where the mesh pipe is not fitted is formed with a notch portion for allowing the large part of the built-in substance to escape. mirror. (2) The endoscope according to claim 1, which is a registered utility model, characterized in that the gap in the notch is filled with a filler.