JPH0431041Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to an endoscope in which a flexible tube section and a curved tube section of an insertion section are connected using a connecting tube.

[Prior Art] Generally, an endoscope includes an operating section and an insertion section. The insertion section includes a flexible tube section, and a curved tube section and a distal end component that are sequentially provided at the distal end of the flexible tube section. The flexible tube section and the curved tube section are often connected using a connecting tube.

Conventionally, as a prior art for connecting a flexible tube section and a curved tube section, there is a technique as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 155502/1983. That is, the first prior art shown in FIG. 1 is a method in which the ends of a spiral pipe and a mesh pipe constituting a flexible tube section are fitted inside one end side of a fitting (connecting pipe) indicated by 4 in the figure. The mating parts are then fixed with solder. However, in such a structure, it is inevitable that the outer diameter of the connecting tube becomes larger than the outer diameter of the flexible tube section. Therefore, there is a drawback that a large step is formed on the outer circumferential surface of these connecting portions.

In order to eliminate such drawbacks, as a second prior art, as shown in Figure 2 of the same publication, the end surfaces of the spiral tube and the connecting tube are butted together, and the mesh tube is fitted over the outer circumferential surface of the connecting tube. , this part is fixed with solder.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] According to the second prior art, the outer diameter of the connecting portion can certainly be reduced. However, since the jacket tube made of an elastic material comes into direct contact with the soldered joint between the connecting pipe and the mesh pipe, the unevenness of the soldered surface appears on the jacket tube, degrading its appearance. In some connection means, it may be necessary to polish the part after soldering. Moreover, the wire constituting the mesh pipe protruding from the end face of the mesh pipe sometimes gets stuck in the jacket tube, damaging the jacket pipe.

This idea allows the connection between the connecting pipe and the flexible pipe section to be made without increasing the diameter of this connection part, and also to provide a good appearance.In addition, the wires of the mesh pipe forming the flexible pipe can damage the jacket pipe. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an endoscope that does not cause any damage.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] This invention covers the outer circumferential surface of the connecting portion between the flexible tube section 5 and the connecting tube 12 with a foil 13, and coats the inner circumferential surface of the foil 13 with a bonding agent. is provided to connect and fix the flexible tube section 5 and the connecting tube 12. The foil 13 prevents the uneven shape of the connection portion from appearing on the outside, and also prevents the wire of the mesh pipe 8 forming the flexible tube portion 5 from damaging the jacket tube 9 covering the mesh pipe 8. It was designed to do so.

[Example] The first example of this invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
This will be explained with reference to the figures. The endoscope shown in FIG. 2 has an operating section 1 and an insertion section 2 connected to the operating section 1. The operation section 1 is provided with an eyepiece section 3 and a bending operation lever 4, and the insertion section 2 is formed by providing a tip structure section 6a at the tip of a flexible tube section 5 via a bending tube section 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible tube portion 5 is a spiral tube 7 formed by spirally winding a band-like material having elasticity.
It is formed of a mesh tube 8 which is made by knitting wire into a tube shape and is fitted over the spiral tube 7, and a jacket tube 9 made of soft synthetic resin or the like which covers the mesh tube 8. The curved pipe section 6 has a plurality of nodal pipes 11.
(only one is shown) are rotatably connected and covered with the same jacket tube 9 as the flexible tube section 5.

One end surface of a connecting tube 12 having the same outer diameter as the helical tube 7 and mesh tube 8 of the flexible tube section 5 is joined to the end surfaces of the helical tube 7 and the mesh tube 8 of the flexible tube section 5. The outer peripheral surface of these joint parts is covered with foil 13, and this foil 13
The flexible tube section 5 and the connecting tube 12 are connected by. That is, when covering the joint portion between the connecting tube 12 and the flexible tube section 5 with the foil 13,
A bonding agent such as solder (not shown) is interposed on the inner peripheral surface of the foil 13. And foil 1
3 and then heat the joint to melt the solder and solidify it, the ends of the spiral tube 7 and the mesh tube 8 are fixed by the solder, and the connecting tube 1
Filling between one end surface of 2 and the end surfaces of the spiral pipe 7 and mesh pipe 8,
At the same time as being fixed, the foil 13 is fixed to the mesh 8 and the connection 12. That is, in addition to connecting the end surfaces of the spiral tube 7, the mesh tube 8, and the connecting tube 12, the flexible tube portion 5 is connected to one end side of the connecting tube 12 by the foil 13. Further, a stepped portion 14 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the other end of the connecting tube 12, and this stepped portion 1
4 is a distal nodal tube 11 constituting the curved tube portion 6.
are mated and connected. Therefore, the flexible tube section 5
and the curved pipe portion 6 are connected via a connecting pipe 12 and a foil 13.

According to such a connection structure, the maximum outer diameter of the connecting pipe 12 can be made the same as the outer diameter of the mesh pipe 8 of the flexible tube section 5, and the foil 13 provided on the outer peripheral surface of these Since it is extremely thin, there will be no large step difference on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting part. Also, on the inner peripheral surface side of the foil 13, this foil 13
Since the mesh pipe 8 and the connecting pipe 12 are connected by solder, the uneven shape caused by the solder is hidden by the foil 13 and hardly appears on the jacket pipe 9, resulting in a good appearance. moreover,
Since the end of the net pipe 8 is covered with the foil 13, the jacket tube 9 is not damaged by the wire forming the mesh pipe 8 that protrudes from this end.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of this invention, in which the connecting pipe 12 is made thick so that its end face only contacts the mesh pipe 8. In this way, the space in the connecting pipe 12 can be enlarged. Because you can
It becomes easier to store internal items. In this case,
Although not shown, the end surface of the spiral tube 7 may be positioned farther from the end surface of the connecting tube 12 than the end surface of the mesh tube 8, or conversely, the end surface of the spiral tube 7 may be positioned farther away from the end surface of the connecting tube 12 than the end surface of the mesh tube 8.
It may be fitted within the end of the.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of this invention, in which a step 16 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the end of the connecting pipe 12, and the foil 13 is placed on this step 16. By doing so, the outer peripheral surface of the connecting part can be made smooth. In this case, although not shown, the wall thickness of the connecting pipe 12 may be made so that only the end face of the mesh pipe 8 comes into contact with the wall, and the end of the spiral pipe 7 may be made thinner. Various settings are possible, such as a position where it fits into the end, or a position where a predetermined gap is created between it and the end surface of the connecting pipe 12.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of this invention, which has a stepped portion 17 into which the end of the mesh pipe 8 enters the end of the connecting pipe 12.
was formed.

FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of this invention, which has a first step 18 into which the mesh pipe 8 enters the end of the connecting pipe 12, and a second step 19 into which the foil 13 enters. In this way, the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion can be made sufficiently smooth.

FIG. 7 shows a sixth embodiment of this invention, in which one step 21 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the end of the connecting pipe 12 into which the mesh pipe 8 and the foil 13 enter.

FIG. 8 shows a seventh embodiment of this invention, in which the end of the mesh pipe 8 is fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of the end of the connecting pipe 12, and this part is also covered with foil 13. .

FIG. 9 shows an eighth embodiment of this invention, which is almost the same as the seventh embodiment, except that a step 22 into which the end of the mesh pipe 8 enters is formed at the end of the connecting pipe 12. The difference is that there is.

FIG. 10 shows a ninth embodiment of this invention, in which one step 23 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the end of the connecting pipe 12 into which the mesh pipe 8 and the foil 13 enter, and this step 23 is A protruding portion 24 is formed at the end, with which the end of the mesh pipe 8 engages. With this structure, the mesh pipe 8 and the connecting pipe 12 can be connected well.

In this invention, the bonding agent is not limited to solder, and various adhesives such as synthetic resin adhesives may be used.

[Effect of idea]

As described above, according to this invention, the outer circumferential surfaces of the flexible tube section and the connecting tube section are covered with foil, and a bonding agent is provided on the inner circumferential surface side of the foil to connect the flexible tube section and the connecting tube section. Fixed the connection. Therefore, the foil can prevent the uneven shape of the connection portion from appearing on the outside, and can also prevent the wire protruding from the end of the mesh pipe 8 from damaging the jacket tube covering the mesh pipe. It has the following advantages.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the connecting portion between the flexible tube section and the connecting tube section showing the first embodiment of this invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the endoscope, and FIGS. 3 to 10 are FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a connecting pipe portion showing second to ninth embodiments of this invention, respectively. 2... Insertion section, 5... Flexible tube section, 6... Curved tube section, 12... Connecting tube, 13... Foil.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In an endoscope in which a flexible tube section and a curved tube section of the insertion section are connected by a connecting tube, the outer circumferential surface of the connecting section between the flexible tube section and the connecting tube is covered with foil, and the An endoscope characterized in that a bonding agent is provided on the inner peripheral surface side to connect and fix the flexible tube portion and the connecting tube.