JPH03128024A - Angle for curving operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently transmit the pulling operation of an operating wire to the curving operation of a bellows by fixing a regulating member, in opposition to the radial direction of the bellows partially, partially in the circumferential direction of the bellows, at least on one side between the inside and outside of the uneven part of the bellows. CONSTITUTION:A bellows 2 has a cylindrical form having a circular section, and has an uneven part 2c having a wave-shaped longitudinal section, and has a vacant part 3 inside. Metal spheres (regulating member) 4 are installed in one row in the axis line direction of the bellows 2 over the whole length at the part opposed to the radial direction, keeping the center of the bellows 2 interposed. Accordingly, the bellows 2 is not curved in the lateral direction and can be curved only in the direction crossing at right angle with the paper surface. Further, two operating wires 5 and 5 are inserted into the vacant part 3 of the bellows 2, and each operating wire 5 is arranged at the position separated by 90 deg. in the circumferential direction of the bellows 2 for each metal shere 4, and set oppositely.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an angle used in a bending operation device such as an endoscope.

[Prior Art] Generally, an endoscope has a flexible insertion section extending from its operating section, and a curved section is provided at the distal end of the insertion section. A tip component is provided at the tip of the curved portion, and the tip component is provided with an observation window, an illumination window, and the like. The operation section is provided with an operation dial, and by operating this operation dial, an operation wire inserted inside is pulled, and a bending section connected to this operation wire is bent. This allows the tip component to be directed in the desired direction.

An angle for a bending operation device is used in the bending portion of the endoscope. Some angles of this type use bellows in the angle body.

As is well known, a bellows has a cylindrical shape with a substantially circular cross section and a wavy vertical section.The wavy shape allows it to expand and contract, and as a result, it can be bent freely. . Since the bellows itself has a water-sealing property, it is extremely convenient when a water-sealing structure is required, such as an angle used in a curved part of an endoscope. By the way, if the angle body is made of something that does not have water-sealing properties itself, such as a coil, a water-sealing exterior tube is placed over the outside of the angle body to prevent liquid from seeping through the gaps. .

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Despite having such advantages, angles that employ bellows as the angle body have hardly been put into practical use. The biggest reason for this is that the pulling operation of the operating wire could not be effectively converted into the bending operation of the bellows. In other words, when the bellows is bent by pulling the operating wire connected to the tip of the bellows toward the proximal end, normally only the portion located on the same side as the operating wire that was pulled should be contracted, but this Since the part located on the opposite side also contracts, the bellows contracts as a whole. Therefore, the degree of curvature of the bellows was small compared to the tensile dimension of the operating wire, resulting in poor conversion efficiency.

On the other hand, if the rigidity of the bellows itself was increased so that the entire length of the bellows would not shrink when the operating wire was pulled, it would become difficult to bend and a large operating force would be required, which was inconvenient.

This invention was made in view of the problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to use a bellows in the angle body, and to change the pulling operation of the operating wire to the bending operation of the bellows. An object of the present invention is to provide an angle for a bending operation device that can efficiently transmit information.

[Means for solving the problem] This invention was made to achieve the above object,
The gist is as follows: (1) A curved angle body comprising a bendable angle body having a hollow portion with a substantially circular cross section inside, and at least one operating wire that curves the angle body by pulling it toward the proximal end. In the angle for an operating device, the angle body is made of a bellows, and a regulating member is fixed to at least one of the inside and outside of the uneven portion of the bellows, partially in the circumferential direction of the bellows and facing in the radial direction of the bellows. (2) An angle for a bending operation device characterized in that the bellows cannot be contracted at a portion where the regulating member is fixed; 2. The angle for a bending operation device according to claim 1, wherein a through hole is provided in the shape of a shape, and the operation wire is inserted through the through hole.

[Operation] The bellows cannot bend in the radial direction of the bellows connecting the opposing regulating members in the region where the regulating member is fixed, but can curve in a direction intersecting this direction.

Furthermore, since the bellows cannot be contracted at the portion where the regulating member is fixed, the overall length of the bellows is prevented from shrinking even if it is bent. Therefore, the pulling operation of the operating wire can be efficiently converted into the bending operation of the bellows.Furthermore, if a through hole is provided in the uneven portion of the bellows and the operating wire is inserted through the hole, the inside of the bellows can be The storage space is expanded, and since the operating wire is guided and does not enter the cavity, the object stored in the cavity is not compressed by the operating wire.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings from FIG. 1 to FIG. 7. Incidentally, the angle for the bending operation device in this embodiment is a mode used for the bending part of an endoscope.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a first embodiment of an angle IA for a bending operation device (hereinafter abbreviated as angle IA).

The angle main body of the angle IA is composed of a bendable metal bellows 2 formed by electroforming. The bellows 2 has a cylindrical shape with a circular cross section, has an uneven portion 2c having a corrugated vertical cross section, and has a hollow portion 3 inside. Metal balls (regulating members) 4 are attached in a line in the axial direction of the bellows 2 over the entire length of the bellows 2 at portions facing each other in the radial direction across the center thereof. The metal ball 4 is located in the outer concave portion 2a of the concave and convex portion 2C of the bellows 2.
and the inner recess 2b, and are fixed by spot welding. Note that the method of fixing the metal ball 4 is not limited to spot welding, and may be fixed using elastic adhesive, brazing, or the like. Uneven part 2 of bellows 2
By fixing the metal ball 4 to a part of C, the bellows 2 cannot contract in the part where the metal ball 4 is fixed, and can only contract in the part where the metal ball 4 is not fixed. becomes. As a result, the bellows 2 cannot be bent in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, but can only be bent in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. Furthermore, even when the bellows 2 is bent, the total length of the bellows 2 will not be shortened.
The total length of the bellows 2 does not change in any curved state, and remains the same as the total length when it is in a straight state.

The distal end of the bellows 2 is connected to the frame 10 of the distal end component, and the base of the bellows 2 is connected to the distal end (not shown) of the insertion section of the endoscope.

Moreover, two operating wires 5, 5 are installed in the hollow part 3 of the bellows 2.
(For convenience of illustration, only one operating wire is shown in the drawing.

) is inserted. Each operating wire 5 is arranged at a position spaced apart from each metal ball 4 by 90° in the circumferential direction of the bellows 2, and faces each other. The tip of each operating wire 5 is connected to the frame IO of the tip component.

In the angle IA having the above-mentioned configuration, by pulling one of the operating wires 5 toward its base end, the bellows 2 is bent in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper toward the side where the operating wire 5 that has been pulled is located. [Can be made 1il. In other words, the presence of the metal ball 4 gives the bellows 2 a curvature directionality. Therefore, the bending direction of the bellows 2 can be specified, and the distal end component of the endoscope can be directed in a desired direction.

Further, as described above, even if the bellows 2 is bent by pulling the operating wire 5, the bellows 2 cannot be contracted in the area where the metal balls 4 are arranged, so the total length of the bellows 2 will not be reduced. Therefore, the pulling operation of the operating wire 5 is converted into the bending operation of the bellows 2 very efficiently.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the angle 1B in another embodiment. In this embodiment, a corrugated plate 6 is used as a regulating member instead of the metal ball 4. The corrugated plate 6 is disposed facing the outside of the uneven portion 2C of the bellows 2, and the convex portion 6a of the corrugated plate 6 is fitted into the recess 2a on the outside of the uneven portion 2C and fixed by appropriate means. As a result, bellows 2
becomes unable to contract at the portion where the corrugated plate 6 is fixed. The configuration, operation, and effect other than the corrugated plate 6 are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are given to the same parts and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

Figures 3 and 4 show an angle IC in yet another embodiment.
FIG. Angle IA of the first and second embodiments described above
, IB are so-called two-way angles in which the angles can be curved on one plane, but in the case of this embodiment, they are so-called omnidirectional angles in which the angles can be curved three-dimensionally in all directions. Therefore, in this embodiment, the arrangement of the regulating members is different from that of the eleventh second embodiment.

In the first and second embodiments, the regulating members (metal ball 4, corrugated plate 6) were arranged in a line over the entire length of the coil 2 at the same radial position of the bellows 2, but in this embodiment, the regulating members 7a ,7
The opposite direction along the radial direction of the bellows 2 of b is the bellows 2
It changes by 90' in the circumferential direction of the bellows 2 at predetermined intervals along the axial direction of the bellows 2. Therefore, for example, in Fig. 3, the Q section of the bellows 2 can be bent in the Y direction in Fig. 4, and the Q7 section can be bent in the X direction, and by combining these, the Curving is possible.

This embodiment is also different from the first and second embodiments in that the regulating members 7a, 7b are bullet-shaped. The regulating member 7a is fixed to the outer recess 2a of the uneven portion 2C of the bellows 2, and the regulating member 7b is fixed to the inner recess 2b of the uneven portion 2C by appropriate means.

Further, this embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that the regulating member 7b protrudes slightly beyond the inner surface of the concavo-convex portion 2c, and the operating wire 5 is inserted through a through hole provided in the protruding portion. . In this way, the operating wire 5 is connected to the bellows 2.
If it is guided by the regulating member 7b in the cavity 3, the operating wire 5 will not press the forceps channel etc. accommodated in the cavity 3 when it is bent, which is convenient.

The structure, operation, and effect of the angle IC of this embodiment other than those described above are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are given to the same parts and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

In each of the above embodiments, the operating wire 5 is inserted into the cavity 3 of the bellows 2, but it is also possible to arrange the operating wire 5 outside the bellows 2. FIGS. 5 to 7 show examples thereof. Angle I of Fig. 5 embodiment
Both D and the angle IE of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 have the same basic configuration as the angle IA of the first embodiment, except that the insertion location of the operating wire 5 is different, and the bellows 2 is slightly modified accordingly. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that there are two points. Each will be explained below.

In the angle 1D of the embodiment shown in FIG.
90 in the circumferential direction of the bellows 2 from the regulating member 4 at C.
'The separated portions are cut out in a straight line along the 1PIII line direction of the bellows 2 and have a substantially semicircular cross section from the outside of the uneven portion 2c, and the operating wire 5 is accommodated in this cutout portion 2d. ing.

In the angle lE of the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7, the notch 2d is not cut out from the outside in the angle ID, and approximately the center of the uneven portion 2c is concentrically aligned along the axial direction of the bellows 2. A through hole 2e passing through is provided, and the operating wire 5 is inserted through this through hole 2e. The through hole 2e functions as a guide for the operating wire 5.

At these angles ID and IE, holes are formed in the bellows 2, so the water sealing property of the bellows 2 is lost. Therefore, when the bellows 2 is used in a device that requires water-tightness, an exterior tube may be attached to the outside of the bellows 2. In particular, angle I
In the case of D, if the outer tube is attached, the operating wire 5
can be prevented from coming off from the notch 2d.

In the case of the above-mentioned angles ID and lE, since the operating wire 5 is not inserted into the cavity 3 of the bellows 2, the cavity 3
The accommodation space is widened, and since the operating wire 5 does not move into the cavity 3, there is no pressure on the forceps channel etc. accommodated in the cavity 3 when the angle is bent.

This invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various embodiments can be adopted.

For example, it goes without saying that the shape of the regulating member is not limited to that of the embodiment. Alternatively, the regulating member may be made of a slightly hard rubber-like elastic material, and may be embedded in the outer and inner recesses of the concavo-convex portion of the bellows.

In addition, this device can only move from a straight state to one side 4
It is also applicable to a so-called unidirectional angle that can be bent. In that case, only one operating wire is required.

Furthermore, although the above-mentioned embodiment uses the angle at the curved portion of the endoscope, it is also possible to apply it to a catheter.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention has the excellent effects described below.

In other words, by fixing the regulating member to the bellows and making the bellows incapable of contracting at the portion where the regulating member is fixed, the bellows is given directionality when bending, and the direction in which the bellows curves can be specified. Excellent effects are achieved.

Further, the regulating member prevents the overall length of the bellows from being shortened even when the bellows is bent, and as a result, an excellent effect is achieved in that the pulling operation of the operating wire can be extremely efficiently converted into the bending operation of the bellows. be done.

Furthermore, if a through hole is provided in the uneven portion of the bellows and the operating wire is inserted through the hole, the accommodation space inside the bellows will be expanded, and the operating wire will be guided and will not enter the cavity. There is no possibility that the contents inside the unit will be compressed by the operating wire.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings from FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 show embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the angle for the bending operation device in the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same angle, FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same angle in the third embodiment, FIG.
FIG. 6 is a 1-yellow sectional view of the angle in the fourth embodiment and the fifth embodiment, respectively, and FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the angle in the fifth embodiment. IA, IB, IC, ID, IE... Ankle for bending operation device, 2... Bellows (angle body), 2C...
...Uneven part, 2e...Through hole, 3...Cavity part, 4
... Metal ball (regulating member), 5 ... Operation wire, 6
... Corrugated plate (regulating member), 7a, 7b... regulating member.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An angle for a bending operation device comprising a bendable angle main body having a hollow portion with a substantially circular cross section inside, and at least one operating wire that bends the angle main body by pulling it toward the proximal end. In the above, the angle main body is made of a bellows, and a regulating member is fixed to at least one of the inner and outer sides of the uneven portion of the bellows, partially in the circumferential direction of the bellows and facing in the radial direction of the bellows, and the regulating member An angle for a bending operation device, characterized in that the bellows cannot be contracted at the part where the bellows are fixed. (2) A through hole is provided concentrically in the uneven portion of the bellows along the entire length along the axial direction of the bellows, and the operating wire is inserted through the through hole. Angle for bending operation device.