JPH0426084Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an endoscope having a built-in tube for supplying fluid.

[Prior art] In recent years, the outer diameter of the insertion section (cable for insertion into a body cavity) of endoscopes has been made much thinner than before, and the pain for patients has decreased accordingly, but it is still painful. Since the diameter is so thick that it can be felt, it is desirable to make the diameter even smaller.

On the other hand, if the cable for connecting to an external device is thick,
When twisting the insertion part in an endoscope operation procedure, the external device connection cable has a large resistance and becomes difficult to twist, so it is desirable to form it as thin as possible.

By the way, various fluid supply pipes (tubes) are arranged inside the insertion portion and the external device connection cable. If the outer diameter of each tube can be made thinner, it is also possible to make the outer diameter of the insertion portion and the external device connection cable thinner.

However, it is actually not easy to reduce the outer diameter of each tube. That is, reducing the outer diameter of the tube means reducing the inner diameter of the conduit, which impairs the fluid supply function and is no longer possible. In addition, it is especially important to reduce the wall thickness of the tube, especially in the operation part of the endoscope, where the part leading out from the fluid flow switching device and before reaching the inside of the cable for connecting the insertion part and external device is connected to the insertion part and external device. Unlike the inside of a cable, there is no guide, so it is prone to buckling. If it buckles and bends, it will no longer be possible to supply fluid.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] For the above reasons, it has been difficult to reduce the outer diameter of the tube, which is determined by the inner diameter and wall thickness of the tube. For this reason, it has conventionally been considered that it is not easy to reduce the outer diameter of the various fluid supply pipes (tubes) disposed inside the insertion section and the external device connection cable. . Therefore,
Although it is desired to reduce the diameter of the insertion portion and the cable for connecting to an external device, it has been considered extremely difficult to reduce the diameter.

The present invention was developed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to prevent the conduit tube from buckling while reducing the diameter of the tube at the insertion point of the endoscope. Another possibility is to make the cable for connecting an external device even thinner.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the endoscope of the present invention connects an insertion section and an external device connection cable to an operation section having a fluid flow switching device, and connects an insertion section and an external device connection cable to A piping tube whose other end is inserted into the insertion section or the external device connection cable is connected to the flow switching device, and the connection opening end between the fluid flow switching device and the insertion section or the external device connection cable is connected. The portion of the piping tube located in between is covered with a protective member to prevent bending.

[Function] The portion of the piping tube located between the fluid flow switching device and the insertion portion or near the connection opening end of the external device connection cable is most likely to buckle, but a protective member is provided in this portion to prevent bending. Since it is externally packaged, the wall thickness of the piping tube can be made thinner. Therefore, the diameter of the insertion portion or the cable for connecting an external device can be reduced by the amount that can be made thinner.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention. The endoscope 1 shown in FIG. 3 is composed of an operating section 2, an insertion section 3, and a light guide cable 4. The insertion section 3 is formed by sequentially connecting a flexible tube 5, a curved tube 6, and a distal end component 7 from the proximal side. The operating section 2 includes a curved tube 6 of the insertion section 3.
A bending operation device 8 for remotely controlling the bending operation is provided.

The casing 10 of the operating section 2 is composed of three main body sections 11, 12, and 13. Main body part 1
1 constitutes the center portion of the casing 10. Moreover, the main body part 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the main body part 1
It is fixed at 1. In other words, the main body part 12 has two protrusions 13 formed symmetrically on the end face thereof on the main body part 11 side, and these protrusions 13 are fitted into and engaged with the recesses 14 formed on the main body part 11 side, thereby preventing rotation. The main body 13 is detachably attached to the main body 11, and the light guide cable 4 is connected to the main body 13.

Furthermore, a frame 15 is fixed within the central body portion 11 as shown in FIG.
A frame body 16 is fixed to the frame body 16 with screws. Then, the light guide cable 4 is connected to the frame 16.
An operating portion side cap 17 is fixed with a screw 18. A threaded portion 1 is provided on the outer periphery of the operation portion side cap 17.
9 is formed. A nut 20 screwed into this threaded portion 19 is a claw portion 2 provided on the main body portion 13.
It is in contact with 1. The threaded portion 19 has a thread shaped like a trapezoidal thread, and further includes:
The thread of the nut 20 that is threaded into the threaded portion 19 is also formed into a trapezoidal thread shape to increase play in threaded engagement.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
5. The cylinders 28, 29, and 30 of the suction switching operation valve 26 and the nonflammable gas supply operation valve 27 are attached and fixed. The cylinder 28 of the air/water switching operation valve 25 has an upstream air pipe tube 31 and an upstream water pipe tube 3.
2. One end of each of the downstream air supply pipe tube 33 and the downstream water supply pipe tube 34 is connected. The upstream air supply pipe tube 31 and the upstream water supply pipe tube 32 are guided into the light guide cable 4. Further, the tube 33 for the downstream air supply pipe and the tube 34 for the downstream water supply pipe are guided into the insertion portion 3 . Further, the cylinder 28 of the air/water switching operation valve 25 selectively communicates the upstream air pipe tube 31 with the downstream air pipe tube 33 , and connects the upstream water pipe tube 32 to the downstream air pipe tube 33 . A piston (not shown) is removably attached to the piston (not shown) for selectively communicating the water to the downstream water pipe tube 34.

Also, the cylinder 29 of the suction switching operation valve 26
One end of an upstream suction line tube 35 and a downstream side suction line tube 36 are respectively connected to. The upstream suction line tube 35 is connected to a channel tube (not shown) inserted into the insertion section 3. The downstream suction pipe tube 36 is connected to the light guide cable 4 mentioned above.
guided within. Further, a piston (not shown) for selectively communicating the upstream suction pipe tube 35 and the downstream suction pipe tube 36 is removably attached to the cylinder 29 of the suction switching operation valve 26. It's getting old.

The cylinder 30 of the nonflammable gas supply operation valve 27 is connected to one end of an upstream gas supply pipe tube 38 and a downstream gas supply pipe tube 39, respectively. And tube 3 for upstream gas supply pipe
8 is led into the light guide cable 4. Further, the tube 39 for the downstream gas supply line is guided into the insertion portion 3 . Further, the cylinder 30 of the nonflammable gas supply operation valve 27 has a piston (not shown) that selectively communicates the upstream gas supply pipe tube 38 and the downstream gas supply pipe tube 39. It is designed to be attached and detached at will.

In addition, the tube 31 for the upstream air supply pipe and the tube 32 for the upstream water supply pipe are used as protective members to prevent bending from the cylinder 28 of the air/water switching operation valve 25 to the mouth of the light guide cable 4. Closely wound coils 41 and 42 are respectively wound.

Furthermore, the cylinder 30 of the nonflammable gas supply operation valve 27 is attached to the upstream gas supply pipe tube 38.
The part from the end to the mouth of the light guide cable 4 is a tightly wound coil 43 as a protection member to prevent bending.
is wrapped.

In the operating section 2, the upstream air pipe tube 31, the upstream water pipe tube 32, and the upstream gas pipe tube 38 are each sealed as a protective member to prevent bending. Since they are each wound with the winding coils 41, 42, and 43, bending in these parts is prevented. Further, within the light guide cable 4, there is a bending effect due to the guiding action of the inner hole of the light guide cable 4 and other built-in objects. Therefore, each of the tubes 31, 32, 3
8 can be expected to have a folding effect over the entire length. In particular, a sufficient bending effect can be expected in the operating part 2, which is the most easily broken part. Therefore, the wall thickness of each tube 31, 32, 38 over its entire length can be reduced. The diameter of the light guide cable 4 can be reduced by the amount that can be reduced.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the protective tubes 51 and 5 are used instead of tightly wound coils as the protective members for preventing bending.
2 and 53 in the portions located in the operating section 2 of the upstream air supply pipe tube 31, the upstream water supply pipe tube 32, and the upstream gas supply pipe tube 38, as in the first embodiment. It is exteriorized.
With these protective tubes 51, 52, and 53, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be expected.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the first embodiment, this embodiment uses closely wound coils 41, 42, 4 as protection members to prevent bending.
3 is wound, but these tightly wound coils 41, 42,
43 is extended to the inside of the light guide cable 4, and the inner diameter of the light guide cable 4 is changed depending on the part where the tightly wound coils 41, 42, and 43 are present and the part where it is not. In other words, the tightly wound coil 41,
The inner diameter of the light guide cable 4 is increased at the part where 42, 43 is located, and the coils 41, 42, 4 are tightly wound.
The inner diameter of the light guide cable 4 at the portion without the numeral 3 is made smaller.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It can also be applied to the tube 33 for the downstream air supply pipe, the tube 34 for the downstream water supply pipe, the tube 35 for the upstream suction pipe, and the tube 39 for the downstream gas supply pipe, which are inserted into the insertion part (cable). In this case, the diameter of the insertion portion 3 can be reduced. Moreover, it can also be applied to other pipe tubes.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, the present invention connects an insertion part and a cable for connecting an external device to an operation part having a fluid flow switching device, and the fluid flow switching device has the other end connected to the insertion part or the external device connection cable. A portion of the piping tube that connects the piping tube inserted into the inside of the external device connection cable and is located between the fluid flow switching device and the insertion portion or the vicinity of the connection opening end of the external device connection cable. It is equipped with a protective member to prevent bending. The part of the piping tube located between the fluid flow switching device and the insertion part or near the connection opening end of the external device connection cable is most prone to buckling, but this part is covered with a protective member to prevent bending. Therefore, the wall thickness of the piping tube can be reduced over almost the entire length.
Therefore, the diameter of the insertion portion or the cable for connecting an external device can be reduced by the amount that can be made thinner. Therefore, the operability of the insertion section etc. can be improved. Also, it is better to cover the tube with a protective member to prevent it from breaking than to increase the wall thickness of the tube.
Buckling resistance can be increased. Furthermore, buckling of the conduit tube inside the operation unit can be effectively prevented, so
The degree of freedom in arrangement within the operating section is increased, and the operating section can be made more compact.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 are side sectional views showing the piping structure near the operating section of the endoscope, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the endoscope. 4 is a side sectional view showing the piping structure near the operating section of an endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the endoscope according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the piping structure near the operating section of FIG. 1... Endoscope, 2... Operation section, 3... Insertion section,
4...Light guide cable, 25, 26, 27
...Fluid flow switching device, 31, 32, 33, 3
4, 35, 36, 38, 39...Tube, 4
1, 42, 43...Coil, 51, 52, 53...
…Protective tube.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) An operating section having a fluid flow switching device, an insertion section connected to the operating section, a cable for connecting an external device, and a cable having one end connected to the fluid flow switching device. a piping tube whose end is inserted into the insertion section or the cable for external device connection; and the piping located between the fluid flow switching device and the vicinity of the connection opening end of the insertion section or the cable for external device connection. What is claimed is: 1. An endoscope comprising a protective member for preventing bending, which is externally wrapped around a portion of the tube. (2) The insertion tube or external device connection cable is
The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the endoscope has an enlarged inner diameter portion near the connecting portion with the operating portion, and one end of the protective member is located in the enlarged inner diameter portion.