JP2018068869A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope configured to enter illumination light applied from an illumination window to an observation window without lowering washing/disinfection properties of a distal surface or observation properties by the observation window.SOLUTION: The endoscope includes: an observation window 20 provided at a distal surface 11s of an endoscope insertion section to be inserted into a subject for observing the subject; an illumination window 30 provided at the distal surface 11a and applying illumination light to the inside of the subject; and a light-shielding wall W having such a shape as to expose a peripheral edge 20g of the observation window 20 to the outside, between the observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 in a radial direction K of the endoscope insertion section, and projected to a same surface M as an exit plane 30a of the illumination window 30g located at a peripheral edge 30g side of the illumination window 30, in an insertion direction S of the endoscope insertion section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope in which an observation window and an illumination window are provided on a distal end surface of an endoscope insertion portion that is inserted into a subject.

  In recent years, endoscopes inserted into a subject have been widely used in the medical field and the industrial field. The endoscope can observe the inside of the subject by inserting an elongated insertion portion into the subject.

  In addition, an imaging unit that images the inside of the subject, an illumination unit that supplies illumination light to the inside of the subject, and the like are provided in the distal end provided on the distal end side of the insertion portion of the endoscope.

  In addition, the imaging unit and the illumination unit are exposed from the cover that covers the distal end portion of the imaging unit and the illumination unit for observing the inside of the subject in the imaging unit and the illumination window that irradiates illumination light into the subject in the illumination unit. To be fixed. The tip of the cover constitutes the tip surface of the tip.

  Here, a configuration is known in which the incident surface of the observation window is positioned to protrude forward from the distal end surface of the distal end portion. This is because if the incident surface is recessed behind the tip surface and the wide-angle lens is used for the observation window, the cover is reflected in the observation window. Furthermore, since it is difficult to fix the entrance surface to the tip surface so that it is the same surface with high positional accuracy, it is easier to fix the entrance surface with the projection surface protruding forward with respect to the tip surface. is there.

  However, if the observation window protrudes forward from the illumination window, the illumination light emitted from the illumination window enters the observation window, and flare or the like occurs in the subject image observed in the observation window. There was a problem such as.

  In view of such a problem, in Patent Document 1, the entrance surface of the observation window and the exit surface of the illumination window are flush with each other, and a light-shielding adhesive is raised and applied between the observation window and the illumination window. Thus, a configuration for preventing illumination light from entering the observation window by the adhesive is disclosed.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, a light shielding wall having a step shape projecting forward from the incident surface of the illumination window is provided on the distal end surface of the distal end portion at the peripheral edge portion of the observation window projecting forward from the illumination window. A configuration for preventing illumination light from being incident on an observation window by a wall is disclosed.

JP 2006-239185 A JP 2012-125424 A

  By the way, as for an observation window and an illumination window, the structure by which each peripheral part is being fixed with the epoxy-type adhesive agent etc. with respect to the cover is common. Therefore, it is well known that each peripheral portion is chamfered so as to be easily bonded.

  Here, when the position of the observation window and the illumination window is far in the radial direction of the distal end surface, the low intensity light of the illumination light emitted from the illumination window is applied to the chamfered peripheral portion of the observation window In some cases, the light is incident on the agent, but since the strength is weak, the adhesive does not pass through the adhesive and enter the observation window.

  However, when the observation window and the illumination window are close to each other in the radial direction, strong light out of the illumination light irradiated from the illumination light passes through the adhesive applied to the chamfered peripheral edge of the observation window. As a result, there is a problem that light may enter the observation window.

  This problem becomes more noticeable when a wide-angle lens is used for the observation window, since the irradiation range of the illumination light emitted from the illumination window is widened and the strength is increased, and the adhesive is thinly applied. Even in the case where it is closed, the illumination light easily passes through the adhesive.

  In the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the illumination light can surely be blocked by the adhesive, but the adhesive is accurately applied to the limited space between the observation window and the illumination window. Difficult to apply to the thickness. Furthermore, when a wide-angle lens is used for the observation window, not only the adhesive is reflected, but also there is a problem that the cleaning and disinfecting of the front end surface such as wiping property and drainage by the adhesive is reduced.

  Further, even in the step-shaped light shielding wall provided in Patent Document 2, although the illumination light can be blocked by the light shielding wall, a step shape is formed on the front end surface. There was a problem that the cleaning and disinfection of the surface was reduced.

  Note that the above problem is not limited to the direct-viewing endoscope in which the observation window observes the front in the insertion direction of the insertion portion, but also in a side-viewing endoscope that observes the side in the insertion direction. It is.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and reduces the disinfection and disinfection of the distal end surface and the observation property by the observation window that the illumination light irradiated from the illumination window enters the observation window. An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope having a configuration that can be realized without any problem.

  In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope according to an aspect of the present invention includes an observation window for observing the subject, provided on a distal end surface of an endoscope insertion portion to be inserted into the subject, and the distal end surface. A peripheral portion of the observation window is exposed to the outside between the provided illumination window that irradiates illumination light into the subject and the observation window and the illumination window in the radial direction of the endoscope insertion portion. A light-shielding wall that has a shape and protrudes to the same surface as the exit surface of the illumination window in the insertion direction of the endoscope insertion portion, which is positioned on the peripheral edge side of the illumination window.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize that the illumination light emitted from the illumination window enters the observation window without cleaning and disinfecting the front end surface and observability by the observation window. An endoscope can be provided.

The figure which shows the external appearance of the endoscope of this Embodiment FIG. 1 is a front view of the distal end surface of the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope shown in FIG. Partial sectional view of the tip along the line III-III in FIG. Partial sectional view of a conventional tip FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a modification in which a plurality of illumination windows are provided on the front end surface of FIG. The fragmentary sectional view of the front-end | tip part which shows the modification of the cover member of FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, the endoscope will be described by taking a direct-view type endoscope as an example.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of the endoscope according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the distal end surface of the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope of FIG. 1 as viewed from the II direction in FIG. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope 1 includes an endoscope insertion portion (hereinafter simply referred to as an insertion portion) 2 to be inserted into a subject, and a proximal end side in the insertion direction S of the insertion portion 2. The main part is configured by including the operation unit 3 provided continuously, the universal cord 8 extending from the operation unit 3, and the connector 9 provided at the extended end of the universal cord 8.

  Note that the endoscope 1 is electrically connected to an external device such as an image processing device or a lighting device via the connector 9.

  The operation section 3 is provided with an up / down bending operation knob 4 for bending a bending section 12 described later of the insertion section 2 in the up / down direction and a left / right bending operation knob 6 for bending the bending section 12 in the left / right direction.

  The operation unit 3 is provided with a fixed lever 5 for fixing the rotation position of the up / down bending operation knob 4 and a fixing knob 7 for fixing the rotation position of the left / right bending operation knob 6.

  The insertion portion 2 includes a distal end portion 11, a bending portion 12, and a flexible tube portion 13 in order from the distal end side, and is formed in an elongated shape.

  The bending portion 12 is described later, which is provided on the distal end surface 11s of the distal end portion 11 by being bent in, for example, four directions, upper, lower, left, and right, by turning the up / down bending operation knob 4 or the left / right bending operation knob 6. The observation direction of the observation window 20 can be changed, or the insertability of the distal end portion 11 in the subject can be improved.

  Further, the flexible tube portion 13 is connected to the proximal end side in the insertion direction S of the bending portion 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an observation window 20, an illumination window 30, a treatment instrument insertion channel opening 40, and a fluid supply nozzle 50 are provided on the distal end surface 11 s.

  The observation window 20 is for observing the inside of the subject. For example, the observation window 20 is for observing a front position in the insertion direction S with respect to the observation window 20 in the subject.

  The illumination window 30 irradiates the subject with illumination light. For example, the illumination light irradiation range includes a front position in the insertion direction S with respect to the observation window 20.

  The illumination window 30 may be a lens provided so as to face the tip of a known light guide inserted into the endoscope 1, or a light emitting element such as an LED provided in the tip. It may be a lens covering the surface portion or the surface portion of the light emitting element itself.

  The treatment instrument insertion channel opening 40 is an opening in the distal end surface 11 s of a treatment insertion channel (not shown) provided in the insertion section 2 and the operation section 3.

  The fluid supply nozzle 50 removes dirt and moisture attached to the incident surface 20a by supplying fluid to at least the incident surface 20a of the observation window 20.

  The fluid supply nozzle 50 may remove dirt and moisture attached to the exit surface 30a by supplying fluid to the exit surface 30a of the illumination window 30 together with the entrance surface 20a of the observation window 20.

  The arrangement positions of the observation window 20, the illumination window 30, the treatment instrument insertion channel opening 40, and the fluid supply nozzle 50 on the distal end surface 11s shown in FIG. 2 are merely examples, and are not limited thereto.

  Next, the configuration of the distal end surface 11s will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the tip portion along line III-III in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the conventional tip portion.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the distal end portion 11 includes a distal end hard member 80 to which an observation window 20, an illumination window 30, and the like are fixed, and the outer peripheral surface and the distal end surface of the distal end rigid member 80 are a cover member. 70. Note that the distal end of the cover member 70 in the insertion direction S constitutes a distal end surface 11s.

  The observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 are fixed to the distal end hard member 80 and the cover member 70 so that the incident surface 20a and the exit surface 30a are exposed at the distal end surface 11s.

  Specifically, the observation window 20 has a chamfered portion 20h formed on the outer side of a peripheral edge portion 20g, which is an edge of the outer peripheral portion of the incident surface 20a. For example, an epoxy adhesive applied to the chamfered portion 20h. 62 is bonded and fixed to the distal end hard member 80. Thus, the incident surface 20a is positioned so as to protrude from the reference surface B in the distal end surface 11s in the insertion direction S by the amount of the chamfered portion 20h.

  Further, the illumination window 30 also has a chamfered portion 30h formed on the outer side of the peripheral portion 30g, which is the edge of the outer peripheral portion of the emission surface 30a. It is adhesively fixed to the hard member 80. As a result, the emission surface 30a is positioned so as to protrude by a chamfered portion 30h ahead of the reference surface B in the distal end surface 11s in the insertion direction S.

  Therefore, the entrance surface 20a of the observation window 20 and the exit surface 30a of the illumination window 30 are located on the same plane M.

  Furthermore, the cover member 70 located between the observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 in the radial direction K of the insertion portion 2 has a shape that exposes the peripheral edge portion 20g of the observation window 20 to the outside on the distal end surface 11s. In addition, the light shielding wall W protrudes from the reference surface B to the same surface M as the emission surface 30a of the illumination window 30 positioned on the peripheral edge 30g side of the illumination window 30.

  That is, the light shielding wall W is configured by a part of the tip surface 11s. The light-shielding wall W has an inclined surface C that is, for example, an arcuate shape that inclines smoothly toward the rear side in the insertion direction S, specifically, the reference surface B as it goes from the illumination window 30 to the observation window 20 in the radial direction K. doing.

  The light shielding wall W is also formed on the cover member 70 located on the outer peripheral surface side of the distal end portion 11.

  The above-described adhesive 61 is filled at the same height as the surface M so as to fill the recesses between the light shielding wall W and the peripheral edge 30g of the illumination window 30 in the radial direction K.

  The shape in which the peripheral edge portion 20g of the cover member 70 is exposed to the outside refers to a shape that does not cover the peripheral edge portion 20g in the radial direction K at all. That is, the peripheral edge 20g being exposed to the outside means a state in which the peripheral edge 20g is not covered at all in the radial direction K.

  In the light shielding wall W, the transmitted light T that has passed through the adhesive 61 from the peripheral portion 30g of the illumination window 30 passes through the adhesive 62 as in the conventional tip surface 11s without the light shielding wall W shown in FIG. This prevents light from entering the observation window 20 from the portion 20g.

  In addition, since the structure of the other front end surface 11s is the same as the structure of the conventional front end surface 11s shown in FIG. 4, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the cover member 70 located between the observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 in the radial direction K of the insertion portion 2 on the distal end surface 11s has the peripheral edge portion 20g of the observation window 20. It has a shape that is exposed to the outside, and has a light shielding wall W that protrudes from the reference plane B to the same surface M as the emission surface 30a of the illumination window 30 located on the peripheral edge 30g side of the illumination window 30. Indicated.

  That is, it is shown that the cover member 70 has a shape in which the light shielding wall W is provided on the peripheral edge 30g side of the illumination window 30 with respect to the configuration of the conventional tip surface 11s shown in FIG.

  Moreover, it showed that the output surface 30a of the illumination window 30 and the incident surface 20a of the observation window 20 are arranged on the same plane M.

  According to this, in the light shielding wall W, the transmitted light T transmitted through the adhesive 61 from the peripheral portion 30g of the illumination window 30 is adhesive like the tip surface 11s without the light shielding wall W shown in FIG. It is possible to prevent the light from passing through 62 and entering the observation window 20 from the peripheral edge 20g.

  Further, even when the positions of the observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 are brought closer in the radial direction K, the incident surface 20a and the exit surface 30a are formed on the same plane M, and thus the light is emitted from the exit surface 30a. Direct light is not incident on the incident surface 20a.

  Therefore, unlike the prior art, it is not necessary to provide a light-blocking adhesive or a step between the observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 in the radial direction K. Furthermore, it is ensured that the direct light and the transmitted light T emitted from the illumination window 30 are incident on the observation window 20 by a simple configuration in which the light shielding wall W is provided on the peripheral edge 30g side of the cover member 70. Can be prevented.

  In addition, since the light shielding wall W is formed on the illumination window 30 side and protrudes to the same surface M as the emission surface 30a, even if a wide-angle lens is used for the observation window 20, it is within the observation range of the observation window 20. The light shielding wall W does not enter. That is, the light shielding wall W does not appear in the observation window 20.

  Further, unlike the prior art shown in FIG. 4, it is not necessary to manage the application amount of the adhesive 61 applied to the peripheral portion 30g of the illumination window 30 in consideration of the light shielding property, so that no repair work after application is required. The workability is improved.

  Further, since the light shielding wall W has, for example, an arcuate inclined surface C that smoothly inclines to the reference plane B as it goes from the illumination window 30 to the observation window 20 in the radial direction K, as shown in FIG. In addition, when the fluid R is supplied from the fluid supply nozzle 50 to the incident surface 20a, the fluid R exits smoothly without being blocked by the light shielding wall W via the inclined surface C as shown in FIG. Supplied to the surface 30a.

  From this, it is possible to ensure the same fluid supply property to the exit surface 30a as shown in FIG. 4, and thus it is possible to ensure the cleaning / disinfecting and draining performance at the tip surface 11s as in the conventional case shown in FIG. it can.

  As described above, the illumination light emitted from the illumination window 30 can enter the observation window 20 without cleaning and disinfecting the distal end surface 11s and observing by the observation window. An endoscope 1 can be provided.

  Hereinafter, a modification will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a modification in which a plurality of illumination windows are provided on the distal end surface of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when a plurality of illumination windows 31 to 33 are provided on the tip surface 11 s, the light shielding wall W is the illumination window 33 closest to the observation window 20 in the radial direction K (c <b <a). And the observation window 20 may be provided. Also in this case, the exit surface of the illumination window 33 may be disposed on the same plane M as the entrance surface 20a.

  According to this, as described above, the closer the positions of the observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 in the radial direction K are, the easier the transmitted light T or direct light enters the observation window 20. Even if the light shielding wall W is provided only between the illumination window 33 and the observation window 20 that are closest to each other, the same effect as that of the present embodiment described above can be obtained.

  Of course, the light shielding walls W are also arranged between the illumination window 31 and the observation window 20 and between the illumination window 32 and the observation window 20 so that the incident surface 20a and the respective emission surfaces are on the same plane M. It doesn't matter.

  Hereinafter, another modification will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the tip portion showing a modification of the cover member of FIG.

  In the present embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover member 70 is not only between the observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 in the radial direction K, but also outside in the radial direction K, that is, the distal end portion 11. The case where the light shielding wall W is also formed on the outer peripheral surface side is shown as an example.

  This is because when the light shielding wall W is formed, the workability of the light shielding wall W with respect to the cover member 70 is better when the light shielding wall W is also formed on the outer peripheral surface side of the distal end portion 11.

  However, since the light shielding wall W is to prevent the transmitted light T from entering the observation window 20 from the illumination window 30, as shown in FIG. May not be formed on the outer peripheral surface side of the tip portion 11.

  Further, in the present embodiment described above, the endoscope 1 has been described by taking a direct-view type endoscope as an example, but is not limited thereto, and can also be applied to a side-view type endoscope. .

  Specifically, if the light shielding wall W described above is provided between the observation window 20 and the illumination window 30 provided on the surface formed by cutting a part of the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion 11. good.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope 2 ... Endoscope insertion part 11s ... End surface 20 ... Observation window 20a ... Incident surface of observation window 20g ... Peripheral part of observation window 30 ... Illumination window 30a ... Output surface 30g ... of illumination window Peripheral part 33 ... Illumination window closest to the observation window 70 ... Cover member K ... Radial direction M ... Same plane S ... Insertion direction W ... Shading wall

Claims (6)

An observation window for observing the subject, provided on a distal end surface of an endoscope insertion portion to be inserted into the subject;
An illumination window for illuminating illumination light in the subject provided on the tip surface;
The inner window located on the peripheral edge side of the illumination window and having a shape that exposes the peripheral edge of the observation window to the outside between the observation window and the illumination window in the radial direction of the endoscope insertion portion A light shielding wall protruding to the same surface as the exit surface of the illumination window in the insertion direction of the endoscope insertion portion;
An endoscope comprising:   The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the exit surface of the illumination window and the entrance surface of the observation window are arranged on the same plane.   The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an illumination range of the illumination window includes a front position in the insertion direction with respect to the observation window.   A plurality of the illumination windows are provided on the front end surface, and among the plurality of illumination windows, the light shielding wall is provided between the illumination window closest to the observation window and the observation window, and The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein at least the nearest illumination window is disposed on the same plane as the incident surface of the observation window.   The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding wall is configured by a part of the distal end surface. The endoscope according to claim 5, wherein the light shielding wall is a part of a cover member constituting the distal end surface.

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