JPH0314162Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to an endoscope, and particularly to a small-diameter endoscope such as a bronchoscope.

[Background of the idea]

In a small-diameter endoscope such as a bronchoscope, the space within the distal end curved portion is narrow, and the distal end connection portion of the spring protection tube through which the bending operation wire is inserted is also subject to severe restrictions due to space issues. FIG. 5 shows the structure of a connection part of a conventionally used spring protection tube. In Figure 5, 2 is the node ring, 4
Insertion parts 4 and 6 are formed by forming notches 2A and 2A parallel to this nodal ring 2, and applying a pressing force to these notches 2A and 2A from the outside toward the inside in the radial direction to form a concave part in a protruding manner. A bending operation wire is disposed within 4, and 8 is a spring protection tube through which this wire 6 is inserted. As shown in the figure, the tip of the spring protection tube 8 is in contact with the end surface of the insertion portion 4 of the final node ring 2 of the curved portion.

However, such a spring protection tube 8
As shown in Fig. 6, in the abutting structure, the entire circumference of the spring protection tube 8 is not in contact with the end face of the insertion part 4, but only a part thereof, so the force received when bending is uneven. . Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the tip end surface 8A of the spring protection tube 8 is formed into an arc shape due to the spring structure, and therefore the tip surface tends to slip when bent.
The abutting force becomes unstable, and as shown by the broken line in FIG.
There is a risk of it getting inside. Spring protection tube 8
If the distal end surface of the spring protection tube 8 enters the insertion portion 4, sufficient abutting force will not be obtained against the spring protection tube 8, and there is also a risk that the wire 6 may break.

[Purpose of invention]

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope in which sufficient abutting force of the spring protection tube can be obtained and the wire will not break.

[Summary of the idea]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention constitutes a curved distal end portion of an endoscope insertion section, and includes a plurality of joint rings connected to each other so as to be freely curved, and a pair of notches parallel to each joint ring. An endoscope consisting of an operating wire that is passed through an insertion part protrudingly formed inside the nodal ring and that bends the nodal ring by a pulling or pushing operation, and a spring protection tube through which the operating wire is inserted. The present invention is characterized in that a ring is interposed between the insertion portion end surface of the rear end node ring of the node rings constituting the curved portion and the distal end surface of the spring protection tube.

[Example of idea]

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the endoscope according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows the general shape of the endoscope, with reference numeral 10 indicating an endoscope insertion section, 12 indicating a hand-operated section including a water supply button, a suction button, an eyepiece, etc., and 14 indicating a light source, etc. This is a connecting portion that connects the control unit 16 and the hand operation section 12. A curved section 18 is formed at the distal end of the endoscope insertion section 10, and the structure of this curved section 18 is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the internal structure of the curved portion 18 is shown, and the curved portion 18 is composed of a plurality of node rings 20, 20, .
4, and are connected so as to be freely curved. node ring 20
The overall shape is shown in FIG. 3, and insertion portions 26, 26 are formed on both sides. The insertion portion 26 has a pair of notches 26A, 26 parallel to the outer periphery of the node ring 20.
A is inserted and a pressing force is applied to the inside using the notches 26A, 26A, whereby a recess that will become the insertion portion 26 is formed in a protruding manner, and the insertion portion 26 is formed. Two such insertion portions 26 are formed at opposing positions on both sides, or four insertion portions are formed at 90 degree intervals. An operating wire 28 is inserted through this insertion portion 26 .
The operating wire 28 has its distal end fixed to the distal end node ring (not shown) of the articulated rings 20 constituting the bending section, and its rear end connected to a bending operation knob of a hand operation section (not shown), so that the bending operation knob can be operated. By operating, the node rings 20, . . . can be curved in a desired direction.

This wire 28 is passed through a spring protection tube 30, and the spring protection tube 30 provides a repulsion holding force when the wire is pulled in and bent, and also covers and protects the wire 28. As shown in FIG. 2, the spring protection tube 30 is formed up to the rearmost node ring 20A of the node rings 20, and is not formed from this node ring 20A to the tip end. In FIG. 4, the abutment structure of the spring protection tube 30 is shown. As shown in FIG. 4, a ring 32 is interposed between the end surface of the insertion portion 26 and the distal end surface of the spring protection tube 30. As shown in FIG. Due to this ring 32, the entire circumference of the tip of the spring protection tube 30 comes into contact with the ring 32, and the ring 32 does not enter into the insertion part 26 even when it is bent, so that the abutting state of the spring protection tube 30 can be stabilized. can. This can prevent the operating wire 28 from breaking, which conventionally occurs.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, there is a gap between the insertion portion 26 of the rearmost node ring 20A of the node rings 20 constituting the bending portion of the endoscope and the abutting tip of the spring protection tube 30. Since the ring 32 is interposed, the tip of the spring protection tube 30 stably contacts the ring 30, and the tip of the spring protection tube does not enter the insertion portion 26 as in the conventional case.

[Effect of idea]

As explained above, according to the endoscope according to the present invention, since the ring is interposed between the end surface of the wire insertion part of the rearmost node ring and the abutting end surface of the spring protection tube covering the wire, The abutting state of the tip of the spring protection tube is stable, and the tip of the spring protection tube does not enter into the wire insertion portion of the node ring during bending, so that the wire does not break.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the general shape of the endoscope, Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the curved part of the insertion section of the endoscope, and Fig. 3 is the structure of the curved part of the endoscope. A perspective view of the node ring, FIG. 4 shows the main parts related to the present invention,
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the spring protection tube abutment structure, FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the spring protection tube abutment structure of a conventional endoscope, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the top line in FIG. 5. , FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged shape of the tip end surface of the spring protection tube. 10... Endoscope insertion part, 18... Curved part, 20
... Node ring, 26 ... Insertion part, 28 ... Wire, 3
0...Spring protection tube, 32...Ring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A curved distal end portion of the endoscope insertion section is composed of a plurality of nodal rings connected to each other so as to be freely curved, and a pair of notches parallel to each nodal ring to form the inside of the nodal ring. An endoscope comprising: an operating wire that is passed through an insertion portion protrudingly formed on the body and curves the nodal ring by a pulling or pushing operation; and a spring protection tube through which the operating wire is inserted. The half-moon-shaped rear end surface of the insertion part of the final end node ring of the node rings constituting the section and the tip of the spring protection tube abuts the rear end surface and has approximately the same diameter as the spring protection tube. An endoscope characterized by having a ring interposed therebetween that abuts the distal end surface and the entire circumference.