JPH0482529A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve a bending action accurately with a larger angle of bending by moving a slide member longitudinally through a screwing of a first thread part rotatable by a rotation drive means down on a second thread part. CONSTITUTION:A motor 31U rotates clockwise, for instance, while a motor 31D rotates counterclockwise, by the same revolutions. Therefore, a male thread part 33U turns clockwise in a female thread part 34U and in response to the rotation thereof, a slide member 30U moves backward (in a direction of the arrow (b)) by a distance (x) to draw an angle wire 25U backward by the distance (x). At the same time, a male thread part 33D turns counterclockwise in a female thread part 34D and a slide member 30D moves forward (in a direction of the arrow (a)) by the same distance (x) with the slide member 30U. According to the moving distance (x), an angle wire 25D gets slack causing a bending part 10 to bend upward. Thus, a large angle of bending is obtained at a bendingpart with a relatively large diameter thereby achieving an accurate bending manipulation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope in which a rotation transmission means is provided in an insertion section to perform a bending operation on a bending section.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, endoscopes have been widely used, which allow the observation of internal organs within a body cavity by inserting an elongated insertion section into the body cavity, and the use of a treatment instrument inserted into a treatment instrument channel to perform various therapeutic procedures as necessary. It is being

By the way, in the conventional curved endoscope, a wire is stretched and fixed at the bending part from the bending operation mechanism, and the wire is pulled by the operation section on the hand side by manually operating the bending operation mechanism or using a motor or the like. - A device is known that curves the curved portion by relaxing it.

In such a bending device, when the length of the insertion portion of the endoscope is long, the wire cannot be pulled sufficiently, making it impossible to perform a reliable bending operation.

As a means to solve the inconvenience of not being able to perform the bending operation sufficiently, for example, a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator is placed in the curved part, and the actuator is heated with electricity to change the shape of the actuator, thereby bending the curved part. A mechanism to do this has been proposed.

In addition, as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 1-68001, an actuator consisting of a small ultrasonic motor that outputs a powerful driving force is placed behind the curved part, and this actuator pulls and relaxes the wire. A device has been proposed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, among the above-mentioned endoscopes, those using SMA actuators are suitable for downsizing, such as curving relatively small diameter insertion sections, but they are suitable for curving insertion sections with large diameters and heavy tips. In this case, a sufficient bending angle could not be obtained. That is, the SMA actuator has a characteristic that even if the actuator is increased in size, its output (the amount of force due to a change in shape) is not exactly proportionate and decreases. Therefore, even if a large SMA actuator is used, there are limitations in that it is inefficient, cannot exhibit sufficient characteristics, and cannot obtain a sufficient bending angle.

On the other hand, the bending device described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 1-68001 converts the rotation of a ring-shaped rotor into a traction motion using gears, so it has a drawback that the structure is complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and provides an endoscope that can obtain a large bending angle and perform reliable bending operations even when the curved part of the insertion section has a relatively large diameter. The purpose is to provide.

[Means to solve the problem]

The endoscope of the present invention has a curved portion in the insertion portion, and includes a rotational drive means fixed to the insertion portion, a first threaded portion rotated by the rotational drive means, and a first threaded portion rotated by the rotational drive means. A slide member having a second threaded portion that is screwed into the portion, and which moves back and forth in the ring direction of the insertion portion when the rotation drive means rotates, connects the tip side of the curved portion and the slide member to each other. A connecting member.

[Effect]

With the above-described configuration, the endoscope according to the present invention is configured to move the slide member back and forth through the rotation by the rotational drive means through the screw engagement between the first threaded part and the second threaded part, and to move the sliding member back and forth. It can move back and forth quickly, exhibits a large traction force, and curves to obtain a large bending angle and ensure a reliable bending action.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 to 11 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the bending mechanism of the endoscope, and FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B).
) is an explanatory diagram of the bending mechanism of the endoscope, and Figure 3 is Figure 2 (A).
A cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of
Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the vicinity of the curved part, and Figure 6 is A of Figure 1.
- A sectional view, Fig. 7 is a C-C sectional view of Fig. 5, Fig. 8
The figure is an explanatory diagram of a connecting portion of a curved portion, and FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 are explanatory diagrams showing a connecting member fixed to the distal end of an endoscope.

As shown in FIG. 4, the endoscope system includes an endoscope 1,
The video processor 2 has a built-in light source device and a signal processing circuit and is connected to the endoscope 1, and a monitor 3 to which the video processor 2 is connected.

The endoscope 1 includes a visible insertion section 4 , and an operation section 5 is connected to the rear end of the insertion section 4 .

The operation section 5 has a flexible universal cord 6 on the side.
The universal cord 6 is adapted to detachably connect a connector 7 provided at its tip to a connector receiver 8 of the video processor 2.

The insertion portion 4 has a hard tip portion 9 on its tip side,
and a bendable curved portion 1 adjacent to the rear side of the tip portion 9.
0, a rigid motor housing portion 11a, and an elongated flexible tube GLLB. Further, the insertion portion 4 has an outer peripheral portion 36 covered with a visible resin or the like.

The operation section 5 includes an air/water supply switch 12 and a suction switch 13, and also includes bending operation switches 14, 15, 16 degrees 17 for bending the bending section vertically and horizontally, and fixing the bending angle of the bending section 10. A changeover switch 18 is provided for switching operation to switch on or off. Also,
Curving operation switch 14 is downward operation, bending operation switch 15
can be operated upward, the bending operation switch 16 can be operated to the left, and the bending operation switch 17 can be operated to the right. explain. Fourth
The endoscope system shown in the figure uses an electronic endoscope, but a fiber endoscope is also used, and T.
An endoscope system may be configured by attaching a V-right camera.

The configuration of the bending mechanism of the endoscope 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

The curved portion 10 is constituted by a tubular body in which a plurality of short cylindrical joint pieces are alternately connected by connecting portions 21 and connecting portions 22. This tubular body is connected to arrow Y1 in FIG.
It is connected so that it can rotate in the left and right directions indicated by Y2 and in the up and down directions indicated by arrows z and z2. That is, at one end of the circumferential surface of this joint piece 19, a pair of connecting portions 21 are protruded at positions of 180 degrees in the circumferential direction, and at the other end of the circumferential surface, a pair of connecting portions 21 are provided at a position of 90 degrees with respect to the connecting portions 21. A pair of connecting parts 2 at the position of
2 is installed protrudingly. Further, the most advanced joint piece 2Oa has its main body connected to the distal end portion 9, and has a connecting portion 22 protruding from its circumferential surface, for example. On the other hand, the rearmost joint piece 20b has its main body connected to the motor housing portion 11a, and has a connecting portion 21 protruding from its circumferential surface. The connecting portion 21 and the connecting portion 22 are pivotally connected by a support shaft 23.

On the inner peripheral surface of the joint piece 20a, wire fixing parts 27 (2
It represents 7U, 27D, 27R, and 27L. ) are installed. This wire fixing portion 27 fixes one end of an angle wire 25 (representatively 25U, 25D, 25R, and 25L) as a connecting member. Further, the other ends of the angle wires 25 are respectively connected to wire connecting members 35 located inside a slide member 30, which will be described later, and which is provided inside the motor housing portion 11a.

At least one end of the aggle wire 25 is rotatably connected to prevent the wire from being twisted due to vibrations caused by rotation of a motor 31, etc., which will be described later.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 6, four rotation regulating members 29 are fixed at intervals of 90 degrees in the circumferential direction inside the motor housing portion 11a. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, these two rotation regulating members each have a square through hole 28, and a square column slide member 30 (30U ,30D,3
Represents 0R and 30R. ) are installed respectively.

Therefore, the two rotation regulating members prevent the slide member 30 from rotating and move the slide member 30 only in the axial direction of the insertion portion 4. Note that the through hole 28
In addition to a quadrangle, the shape may be any other polygon, ellipse, etc. Inside the motor housing portion 11a, there are rotary drive means arranged every 90 degrees in the circumferential direction. Motor 31 (310,
Represents 31D, 31R, and 31L.

) is fixed. Each of the motors 31 has a rotating shaft 32 having appropriate rigidity and visibility at one end thereof, and the rotating shaft is directed toward the endoscope distal end 9 (in FIG. 2,
(other 32.32.32 not shown). Further, the motor 31 is configured so that, for example, the curved portion 10 is directed upward (see FIG. 1).
When bending in the direction of arrow Z1 shown in FIG. 5, the motors 31L131D are synchronized and rotate in opposite directions. That is, the direction in which one pulls the angle wire 25 (the direction indicated by the arrow shown in FIG. 2);
The other one rotates in a direction that relaxes the angle wire 25 (in the direction of arrow a shown in FIG. 2). The same applies to the case of curving downward (arrow Z2 direction shown in FIGS. 1 and 5) (however, the direction of rotation is opposite to the case of curving upward). When the bending portion 10 bends in the left direction (arrow Y1 direction shown in FIG. 1), the motors 31U, 31D, and 31R.

31L are synchronously rotated in the required rotational directions. Even when the bending section 10 curves in an arbitrary direction, the motors 31U, 31 . D
, 31R, and 31L, the necessary motors are synchronously rotated in the required rotation directions.

The wire fixing part 27, the angle wire 25, the rotation regulating member 29, and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 31 are arranged in a straight line in the axial direction of the insertion part 4 when the curved part 10 is not bent. There is.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the motor 31 and the two rotation regulating members 29
It is arranged at a position shifted in the axial direction of the insertion section 4 with respect to the insertion section 4.

As shown in FIG. 2(A), the slide member 30 is
It has a through hole 37 penetrating through the inside thereof, and at least a part of the inner surface of the through hole 37 has a female screw portion 34 (34[J, and 34D, 34R, 34 not shown) as a second screw portion.
Represents L. ) is applied from the motor 31 side. Further, the through hole 37 has, on the side of the curved portion 10,
Wire connecting member 35 connecting the angle wires 25
and a part of the inner diameter of the wire connecting member 35
The wire connecting member 35 is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the through hole 37 so that the wire connecting member 35 cannot be pulled out from the through hole 37. In addition, other three wire connection members 35 and other three slide members 30
The same is true. Note that the wire connecting member 35 may be rotatably provided inside the slide member 30, or may be fixed.

Alternatively, the angle wire 25 may be directly connected to the slide member 30.

The rotary shaft 32 has a male screw portion 3 as a first screw portion.
3 (representative of 33U and 33D, 33R, and 33L (not shown)) is fixed. This male threaded portion 33 is
It is screwed into the female threaded portion 34 and rotates inside the male threaded portion 34 as the motor 31 rotates. The male threaded portion 33 rotates at a fixed position relative to the motor housing portion 11a, and depending on the direction of rotation, the slide member 30 moves forward (to the side of arrow a) or backward (to the side of arrow A). It has become. The slide member 30 has a male threaded portion 3
3, that is, the distance corresponding to the rotation speed of the motor 31. The slide member 30 pulls and relaxes the angle wire 25U by its movement. The same applies to the other three angle wires 25.

Note that a falling-off prevention member may be fitted into the through-hole 37 on the motor 31 side so that the male threaded portion 33 does not fall off.

As shown in FIG. 6, the insertion section 4 has an image guide fiber 38 (the illustrated example is a fiber endoscope, but in the case of an electronic endoscope, a signal cable) and an image guide fiber 38 in the center thereof. An air supply channel 41, a water supply channel 42, a solid-state imaging device cable (not shown), etc. are inserted between the light guide fiber 39 adjacent to the guide fiber 38 and the processing tool insertion channel 40, and the motor 3131, and It is placed effectively. In this way, the diameter of the insertion portion 4 is reduced.

Further, inside the motor housing portion 11a, the arrangement of the motor 31 is shifted as described above, so as to reduce the diameter of the motor housing portion 11a.

FIG. 7 shows details of the connecting portion of the joint piece 19.

The connecting portion 21 of one joint piece 19 and the connecting portion 22 of the other joint piece 19 are rotatably connected by a support shaft 23. The head of such a support shaft is usually higher than the other connecting parts 22. The support shaft 23 shown in FIG. 7 has a head formed in the same manner as the head of a countersunk screw, and the other end is formed into a plate shape so that the support shaft 23 does not fall off from the connecting portion. On the other hand, the other connecting portion 22 has a through hole, which is tapered so as to fit into the head of the support shaft 23. Therefore, even when the support shaft 23 is attached to another connecting part 22, the head thereof is at the same height as the inner end surface of the other connecting part 22.

For this reason, the joint piece 19 has a larger internal space than a normal one. That is, more things can be inserted or inserted into the inner part, or the diameter can be made smaller.

FIG. 8 also shows a connecting portion 45 and the connecting portion 2 rotatably connected using a supporting shaft 46 instead of the supporting shaft in FIG. 7.
1.

The support shaft 46 has flange portions formed at both ends thereof, while the connecting portion 45 is formed to fit into one end of the support shaft 46, and has the same effect as that shown in FIG. 7.

9 to 11, instead of connecting the angle wire 25 by the wire fixing part 27,
An angle wire is shown directly fixed to the connecting piece 20a.

In FIG. 11, the angle wire is connected to the connecting piece 20.
A general example is shown in which it is directly fixed to a. The tip of the angle wire 47 is fixed to the connecting piece 20a by brazing. That is, the tip of the angle wire 47 is covered by the brazing part 48, and the brazing part 48 is also in close contact with the through hole provided in the connecting piece 20a. Therefore, the tip of the angle wire 47 is firmly fixed to the connecting piece 20a. In this case, the inner surface of the connecting piece 20a protrudes by the thickness between the outer diameter of the angle wire 47 and the brazing portion 48, that is, the thickness tl shown in the figure.

9 and 10, instead of the tip of the angle wire 47 shown in FIG. 11 being fixed as it is,
The tip of the angle wire is loosened and fixed.

The tip of the stranded wire of the angle wire 47 is untwisted and separated into strands 49. In this state, the tip of the angle wire 47 is connected to the connecting piece 20a.
It is soldered to. On the inner surface of the connecting piece 20a, the outer diameter of the wire 49 and the thickness of the brazed portion 48, that is,
The illustrated thickness t2 is prominent. The thickness t2 in FIGS. 9 and 10 is thinner than the thickness tl shown in FIG. 11.

Therefore, the joint piece 20a shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 has a lower protruding portion on its inner surface than the one shown in FIG. It allows more things to be inserted or inserted into the inner thigh.

The operation of the above-described configuration will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

When the curved portion 10 is not curved, the slide member 30 is located in the middle of the female threaded portion 34, as shown in FIG. 2(A).

When bending the bending portion 10 upward (in the direction of arrow Z1 shown in FIG. 1), the upper operation switch 14 is pressed. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2(B), the motor 31U is
For example, it rotates clockwise when viewed from 1U. At the same time, when viewed from the motor 31D, the motor 31D, for example,
It rotates by the same number of rotations as 0, for example, counterclockwise. Therefore,
The male threaded portion 33U rotates clockwise inside the female threaded portion 34U, and in response to this rotation, the slide member 30U moves backward (in the direction of the arrow) by the illustrated distance X. The slide member 30U then pulls the angle wire 25U backward by a distance X.

At the same time, the male screw portion 33D rotates counterclockwise inside the female screw portion 34D, and the slide member 30D moves forward (in the direction of arrow a) by the same distance X as the slide member 30U. The angle wire 25D is relaxed in accordance with the moving distance X of the slide member 30D.

Towing of angle wire 25U and angle wire 25
The relaxation of D occurs simultaneously, and the curved portion 10 curves upward.

Note that the movement of the slide member 30U is restricted by a rotation restriction member 29 so that it can only move in the directions of arrows a and s. Therefore, the loss of the force for pulling and relaxing the angle wire 25U is extremely small, and the force is efficiently transmitted.

Further, the bending angle of the bending portion 10 curves depending on the moving distance X of the slide member 30, that is, the rotation speed of the motor 31. Further, the maximum bending angle is determined by the length of the female screw portion 34 and the pitch of the screw. For example, the upper maximum bending angle is a state in which the male threaded portion 33U is located at the most extreme end of the female threaded portion 34U in the direction of arrow a. Alternatively, the lower maximum bending angle is a state in which the male threaded portion 33U is located at the most extreme end in the direction of the arrow.

When the lower operation switch 15 is pressed, the motor 31U rotates to the left, the motor 31D rotates to the right, and the bending portion 10 curves downward (in the direction of arrow Z2 shown in FIG. 1), contrary to the above operation.

Similarly, the bending portion 10 is bent to the left or right by pressing the left operation switch 16 or the right operation switch 17, respectively.

Alternatively, for example, if you want to curve it in the middle direction between the top and the right, you can operate it by pressing the main operation switch 14 and the right operation switch 16 at the same time. When bending in other directions, the same operation as described above may be performed.

In addition to the above-mentioned operations, an operation switch, a jigoid stick, etc. for curving in the intermediate direction may be provided. In any case, the necessary motor 3 corresponding to the desired bending direction
1 is simultaneously rotated as much as necessary, the bending portion 10 can be bent in any direction. Therefore, the input means for the bending operation and the motor control means may be configured in any manner.

In this embodiment, the rotation of the motor 31 is converted into linear motion of the slide member 30 through the screw engagement between the male threaded portion 33 and the female threaded portion 34, and the motor 31 and the slide member 30 are moved near the curved portion 10. It is located in Therefore, the angle wire 25 can be pulled and relaxed quickly, has good responsiveness, can be reliably bent, and can easily obtain a large bending angle even at a relatively large-diameter curved portion. Further, the finer the pitch of the male threaded portion 33 and the female threaded portion 34, the greater the ability to pull and relax the angle wire 25.

Therefore, the motor 31 can be downsized, has good responsiveness even in a large-diameter curved portion, and can reliably obtain a large bending angle. Further, the motor 31 may be, for example, a stepping motor or the like, and the male threaded portion 33 may be given a slight rotation angle. With this minute rotation angle, the pulling and loosening of the angle wire 25 can be minutely adjusted.
The bending angle of the bending portion 10 can be adjusted more delicately than when the drive means moves linearly to directly pull and relax the angle wire.

Moreover, as mentioned above, if the arrangement of the motor 31 is shifted,
It is also possible to reduce the diameter of the motor housing portion 11a. Furthermore, as described above, the support shafts 23.46 and the angle wires 47 used for the connecting parts 21 and 22 of the curved part 19 are loosened and fixed to the curved part 20a, so that the tip part 9 Also, the diameter of the curved portion 10 can be reduced.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, instead of the two rotation regulating members, the rotation of the slide member 30 is regulated by an inner circumferential portion 50 provided inside the motor housing portion 11a.

The other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, are given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The inner circumferential portion 50 is made of metal, for example, and protrudes into the motor housing portion 11a. This protruding portion is adapted to fit into the slide member 30 and prevent the slide member 30 from rotating.

Other configurations and effects are the same as in the first embodiment.

Incidentally, the motor 31 includes, in addition to a normal electromagnetic motor,
A vibration wave motor such as an ultrasonic motor may also be used.

Moreover, instead of the male threaded part 33, a female threaded part is fixed to the rotating shaft 32 of the motor 31 as a first threaded part, and a male threaded part is screwed into this female threaded part as a second threaded part. However, the male threaded portion may be configured to be moved back and forth as a sliding member. In this case, the angle wire 25 is directly connected to the male screw portion serving as the slide member. and,
The rotation of the slide member is restricted by, for example, fixing a square piece to the angle wire 25, and fixing a rotation regulating member that fits into the square piece to the motor housing part 11a. With this configuration, the female screw part is prevented from rotating. The male threaded portion serving as a sliding member moves back and forth to pull and relax the angle wire 25.

In addition, if the rotating shaft 32 of the motor 31 is formed short, it can be shortened in the axial direction of the motor housing portion 11a.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is easy to obtain a large bending angle even in a curved portion having a relatively large diameter, and
The bending angle can be finely adjusted, and the bending operation can be performed reliably and with good responsiveness.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 11 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the bending mechanism of the endoscope, and FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B).
) is an explanatory diagram of the bending mechanism of the endoscope, and Figure 3 is Figure 2 (A).
A cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of
Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the vicinity of the curved part, and Figure 6 is A of Figure 1.
- A sectional view, Fig. 7 is a C-C sectional view of Fig. 5, Fig. 8
The figure is an explanatory diagram of the connecting part of the curved part, FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 are explanatory diagrams showing the connecting member fixed to the tip of the endoscope, and FIG. FIG. 4... Insertion part, 10... Curved part, 9... Tip part, 1
1a...Motor storage section, 19.22a, 22b...Joint piece, 21.22...Connection part, 32...Rotation shaft, 250.25
D, 25R, 25L... Angle wire, 27U, 27D, 27R, 27L... Wire fixing part,
29.29, 29.29・Rotation regulating member, 35.35.
35.35...Wire connection member, 30U, 30D, 3
0R, 30L...Slide member, 31U, 31D, 3
1R, 31L...Motor, 33U, 33D, 33R,
33L ・Male thread part, 34U, 34D, 34. R, 34
L...Female screw part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An endoscope having a curved portion in the insertion section, comprising: a rotational drive means fixed to the insertion section; a first threaded section rotated by the rotational drive means; and a first threaded section on the first threaded section. a sliding member that has a second threaded portion that is screwed together and that moves back and forth in the axial direction of the insertion portion as the rotation driving means rotates; and a connecting member that connects the tip side of the curved portion and the sliding member to each other. An endoscope comprising: and.