JPH0422326A - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To give fine rotational- or parallel-motional vibration to an endoscope and have smooth insertion by furnishing a magnetic field generating means on the endoscope side and also outside of the endoscope, and changing the magnetic field of at least one of the generating means. CONSTITUTION:Sheet form coils 21a, 21b, 21c; 22a, 22b, 22c are installed at the periphery of a flexible part 13 near the tail of a curving part 12 and the tip 11 of the insert part 5 of endoscope, and the coil ends on each side are connected by common lead 23, 23. When current is flowed to the coils, a magnetic field is generated in the vertical direction to the coil surface, and a magnetic field approx. equivalent to a permanent magnet arranged on the surface is generated, so that the polarity of the magnetic field generated when current is fed to the coils from an AC power supply 3 will be inverted. Accordingly driving forces as shown by a' and b' act on the coils 21a and 21b, respectively, and the insert part 5 makes fine rotational vibration about the center axis, which ensures smooth inserting.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope device that applies micro vibrations and the like generated by a magnetic field generating means to an endoscope to facilitate insertion thereof.

[Prior art] In recent years, by inserting an elongated insertion part into a body cavity, the inside of this body cavity can be observed and, if necessary, treatment can be performed using a treatment instrument, or the insertion part can be inserted into a boiler or the like. Endoscope devices that can be inserted into a lumen to observe the inner wall of the lumen and inspect for defects such as cracks are widely used.

The insertion section is inserted into the insertion port of the subject to be observed.
! A length of conduit that is longer than the length of the conduit leading to the inspection site is used. Therefore, if the site to be observed is located deep in the conduit, the work of inserting the insertion section to the site to be examined and the work of removing it become complicated.

In order to deal with this, the present applicant has filed Japanese Patent Application No. 1-230
No. 235 proposes an endoscope device provided with means for slightly vibrating the insertion section.

By applying the above-mentioned microvibration, the contact resistance when the curved rubber covering the curved section on the distal end side of the insertion section comes into contact with the body cavity wall can be reduced, thereby improving insertability.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] If the above-mentioned micro-vibrating means is configured with a motor within the operating section, the operating section becomes larger, has a more complicated structure, becomes heavier, etc., and operability deteriorates. do.

Further, it cannot be applied to an endoscope whose curved portion is manually curved.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and provides an endoscope device that can improve insertability by imparting slight vibration/slight rotation to the insertion portion without reducing the four-way performance of the endoscope. The purpose is to

[Means and effects for solving the problem] In the present invention, the first magnetic field generating means provided in the insertion section of the endoscope, the second magnetic field generating means disposed around the insertion section, and the first magnetic field generating means provided in the insertion section of the endoscope. By providing a control means for changing the magnetic field generated by at least one of the first and second magnetic field generating means and forming a minute displacement drive means for minutely displacing the insertion portion, the ease of grinding the endoscope is reduced. Microvibrations etc. are applied to the endoscope insertion section to improve insertion efficiency.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

Figures 1 to 3 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows the endoscope in the first embodiment, Figure 2 shows the entire device in the first embodiment, and Figure 30 shows an explanatory diagram of the operation in the state of use. The example endoscope device 1 includes an endoscope 2, supplies illumination light to the endoscope 2, and supplies illumination light to the endoscope 2.
It is composed of a light source device 4 that has a built-in AC power supply 3 that supplies power for generating a magnetic field to the endoscope 2, and a permanent magnet 6 that serves as a magnetic field generator and is disposed around the site where the insertion section 5 of the endoscope 2 is inserted. Ru.

As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope 2 has a large operating section 7 formed at the rear end of an elongated visible insertion section 5, and an eyepiece section 8 at the rear end of the operating section 7. A light guide cable 9 extends from the side, and a connector 10 at the tip thereof can be detachably attached to the light source device 4.

The insertion section 5 includes a hard tip 11 and a hard tip 11.
It is composed of a bendable part 12 formed adjacent to the operating part 7 and a long visible part 13 extending from the rear end of the bending part 12 to the front end of the operating part 7. By operating a bending knob 14 provided at the top, it can be bent vertically or horizontally.

A light guide is inserted into the insertion portion 5 and the line 1 to the guide cable 9, and by attaching the connector 10 to the light source device 4, the illumination light from the lamp 16 in the light source device 4 is collected by the condenser lens 17. illuminated, the lamp 16
The end face facing the is irradiated. The irradiated illumination light is transmitted by the light guide and emitted forward from the output end face fixed to the tip portion 11. A region to be examined, such as the inside of a body cavity, illuminated by the illumination light emitted from the output end surface is imaged by the objective lens 18 on the distal end surface of an image guide (not shown) disposed at its focal plane. The optical image formed on this tip surface is transmitted to the end surface on the eyepiece S side and can be observed with the naked eye through an eyepiece (not shown).

By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, sheet-like coils (hereinafter abbreviated as sheet coils) 21a, 2] are provided around the outer periphery of the flexible portion 13 near the distal end portion 11 and the rear end of the curved portion 12 in the insertion portion 5, respectively. , b, 21c; 22a, 22b, 2
2c is installed, each sheet coil 21i and 22i
(Both ends of i=a, b(:) are connected to the common wire 23, 23 as shown in FIG. 3.
3 and 23 are inside the insertion section 5 and the lie I/guide cable 9
By connecting the connector 10 to the light source device 4, for example, an alternating current can be generated via the foot switch 24. It is designed to be electrically connected to the power supply 3.

The sheet coil 21i or 221 is, for example, a coil formed by spirally winding a conducting wire in a square shape within a plane, or a coil printed on a flexible substrate, and both ends thereof are connected to the leads 1I23, 23. Therefore,
When a current is passed through each sheet coil 21i or 22i,
A magnetic field is generated in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the sheet coil 211 or 22i, and a magnetic field almost equivalent to that of a permanent magnet arranged perpendicular to the plane is generated. In this first embodiment, each sheet coil 21i or 22i is supplied with alternating current from the alternating current power source 3, so each sheet coil 2Li or 22
The magnetic field generated at i has its polarity reversed. If a commercial power source is used as this AC power source 3, the frequency will be 50Hz or 60H2.
Therefore, the polarity of the magnetic field generated by each sheet coil 21i or 22i is also reversed at 50H2 or 60H2.

The endoscope 2 is used with a permanent magnet 6 disposed around the distal end side of the insertion section 5, as shown in FIG. 2, for example.

A patient 32 lies on a bed 31, and an operator 33 performs an operation to insert the distal end of the insertion section 5. Permanent magnets 6 placed on a table 34 are arranged around the patient 32.

In the case of an insertion operation, for example, when the contact resistance is large, when the foot switch 24 is pressed and AC current from the AC power source 3 is supplied to each sheet coil 21f and 22i, for example, at a certain time t1, the sheet coil 21a is inserted as shown in FIG. The outer periphery of the portion 5 is the S pole, and the sheet coil 21b
In this case, the outward direction of the outer periphery generates a magnetic field equivalent to the N pole. In this case, the sheet coil 21a is attracted to the N pole of the permanent magnet 6, as shown by arrow a, while the sheet coil 21
b is repelled as shown by the arrow. For this reason, a driving force is applied to the insertion portion 5 to rotate it in the direction of 10 times. At time t2, which is slightly after time t1, the direction of the current is reversed, so the magnetic field generation directions of the sheet coils 21a and 21b are reversed, and therefore the sheet coils 21a and 21
Driving forces as shown by a and b' act on b, respectively. In other words, the portion of the insertion portion 5 to which the Sea I coils 21a and 21b are attached is subject to slight rotational vibrations around the central axis of the insertion portion 5, and the portions with large contact resistance are subject to this rotational slight vibration. When a timing or condition occurs where the contact area becomes small, if the insertion operation is performed at that time, the insertion can be performed smoothly.

According to this first embodiment, two magnetic field generating means are provided,
Among them, one of the magnetic field generating means is provided on the endoscope 2 side, and the sheet coils 21a, 21b, etc. and the lead wire 2 can be attached without increasing the outer diameter of the insertion section 5.
3. Since only 23 is provided on the endoscope 2 side,
The insertability can be improved by applying slight vibration to the endoscope M2 without reducing the operability of the endoscope ML.

In FIG. 3, a driving force acts on the sheet coil 21c in the vertical direction within the plane of the paper of FIG. In other words, a driving force acts in directions c and c' in FIG. 3, causing slight vibrations. Due to this slight vibration, insertion resistance can be reduced, especially when the sheet coil 21c portion is in contact with the inner wall of the body cavity.

Note that although three are provided in the circumferential direction, one or two may be provided.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the main parts of the second embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 5 shows an explanatory diagram of the operation.

As shown in FIG. 4, sheet coils 4 are arranged around the outer periphery of the insertion section 42 of the endoscope 41 at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction.
3a, 43b, 43c, ---, 43a', 43b'
, 43c, - are attachments.

As shown in FIG. 5, the sheet coil 43a.

43a'; 43b, 43b';- are respectively mounted on the same outer periphery at opposing positions, that is, when one is rotated 180° around the central axis, it overlaps with the other.

The insertion section 42 is set to perform the insertion maneuver in a state where the permanent magnet 44 is set near the center of both ai (for example, ρI) N and N. Each sheet/coil 4
3a, 43b, -43', 43b'... are connected to a lead wire 45.45, and the lead wire 45.45 is connected to an AC power source 46.

In this second embodiment, as shown in FIG. In the arranged state, each sheet coil 43a, 43b is supplied from the alternating current 46.

...When alternating current is supplied to 43', 43b'...,
The insertion portion 42 can be slightly vibrated in its longitudinal direction.

For example, during a certain half cycle of the AC power supply 46, the sheet coils 43a and 43a' generate a magnetic field such that the outer direction (radially outward direction) of the insertion section 42 becomes Si, while the sheet coils 43b and 43b' A magnetic field is generated such that the outer direction is Ni. Therefore, the sheet coil 43a
, 43b are attracted by the magnetic poles N and N of the permanent magnet 44, Ca and fa', and sheet coils 43b and 43b' are acted on by forces fb and fb' that are repelled from the magnets 4IIN and N, and the total The insertion portion 42 has a longitudinally rearward (1
1 (becomes a force that moves to the right (Ilff) in Figure 5).

In the next half cycle, each sheet coil 43a, 43b,...
- 43a, 43b', . . . generate magnetic fields in opposite directions, so the forces fa, fa, fb, fb' are in opposite directions, and in this case become forces that move the insertion portion 42 forward.

Therefore, the insertion portion 42 is subjected to a force that moves it back and forth every half cycle of the AC power source 46, and the insertion portion 42 slightly vibrates back and forth (moves forward and backward).

In FIG. 5, for example, when the permanent magnet 44 side is rotated by 90 degrees and an alternating current is applied, it is possible to give a slight vibration that causes it to pulsate in the longitudinal direction.

The effects of this second embodiment are almost the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the main parts of a third embodiment of the present invention.

In this third embodiment, permanent magnets 53aa and 53b are provided in the insertion portion 52 of an endoscope 51, an electromagnet 54 is provided around the insertion portion 52, and a coil 55 of the electromagnet 54 is connected to an AC power source 56. It supplies alternating current.

For example, during a half cycle of the AC power supply 56, when the upper side of the electromagnet 54 becomes the N pole and the lower side becomes the S pole, the permanent magnets 53a, 5
A force that rotates the insertion portion 52 acts on the permanent magnets 53a and 53b as shown by arrows a and b, and in the next half cycle, the polarity of the electromagnet 54 is reversed, so a force that rotates the insertion portion 52 in the opposite direction is applied to the permanent magnets 53a and 53b. act.

In this way, the insertion section 52 is subjected to slight rotational vibration around its axial direction.

The effects of this third embodiment are almost the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows the main part of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, for example, in place of the electromagnet 54 in the 60th third embodiment, an electromagnetic coil 61 consisting of four sheet-shaped coils 61a, 61b, 61c, and 61d shown on a stand 60 is used. This electromagnetic coil 61 is connected to the bed 62
A pair of sheet coils 61a and 61b are arranged to face each other in the vertical direction, while sheet coils 61c and 61d are arranged to face each other in the left and right direction.

Leads connected to the sheet coils 61a and 61b!
Lead wires 65 and 65 connected to 64 and 64 and the sheet coils 61c and 61d are connected to an AC power source 56.

The lead wires 64, 64; 65, 65 are connected to the electromagnetic coils so that the current and phase flowing through the pair of sheet coils 61a, 61b and 61c, 61d can be changed through, for example, phase variable means or current variable means. The magnetic field distribution of 61 can be changed, and the amplitude of the rotational vibration can also be varied.

Note that the fourth embodiment can be combined with the first or second embodiment.

Furthermore, an insertion assisting function can be provided by superimposing alternating current on direct current.

It is also possible to control temporal changes in the magnetic field generated through means for varying the frequency of the AC power supply or means for varying the output waveform.

Furthermore, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, at least one of the magnetic field generating means provided on the endoscope side and the endoscope external side is formed of a sheet coil or an electromagnet, and an alternating current is used as a power supply to these. , has the functions of generating a magnetic field and changing the magnetic field, but instead of using an AC power source, a DC power source may be used and the generated magnetic field may be controlled to be changed by a switch or the like.

Alternatively, a permanent magnet or the like may be used, and the permanent magnet may be rotated or vibrated by a motor or the like, or it may be moved or vibrated mechanically or electrically to change the magnetic field. good.

Further, as the magnetic field generating means outside the body, a magnetic field generating means for giving minute vibrations and a magnetic field generating means for moving the endoscope forward and backward may be provided.

It is clear that the endoscope is not limited to a fiberscope, but may also be an electronic endoscope in which a TA image element such as a COD is disposed on the distal end side of the insertion section.

[5! Effects of Brightness] As described above, according to the present invention, magnetic field generating means are provided on the endoscope side and on the outside of the endoscope, and the magnetic field generated by at least one of the magnetic field generating means can be changed.
Since translational or rotational slight vibrations can be applied to the endoscope, insertion operations etc. can be performed smoothly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a perspective view showing the endoscope in the first embodiment, Figure 2 is an overall view of the first embodiment, Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the first embodiment, and Figures 4 and 5 are according to the present invention. Regarding the second embodiment, the fourth
The figure is a perspective view showing the main parts of the second embodiment, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the second embodiment, FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of main parts of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 1... Endoscope device 3... AC power supply 5... Insertion section 21a 21b Coil 2... Endoscope 4... Light source device 6... Permanent magnets 21c, 22a, 22b... Sea Figure 2 Figure 2 Figure 6 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] a first magnetic field generating means provided in the insertion section of the endoscope, a second magnetic field generating means disposed around the insertion section, and a magnetic field generated by at least one of the first and second magnetic field generating means. 1. An endoscope apparatus comprising: a control means for changing the insertion portion to form a minute displacement drive means for minutely displacing the insertion section.