JPH08201705A - Guide tube for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a guide tube for an endoscope which improves insertability without impairing the characteristic of an insertion part formed of a flexible changing coiled hose by making combination use of the guide tube with the endoscope having the insertion part formed by using the flexible changing coiled hose. CONSTITUTION: A front end constituting part 51 constituting the insertion part 5 of the endoscope 1, a curving part 52 and a highly flexible part 54 and flexible changing part 55 forming a flexible tube pipe part 53 project from the front end of the guide tube 110. The highly flexible part 54 and variable changing part 55 forming the flexible pipe part 53 are projected at a length of about 1 to 2m from the guide tube 110 by mounting the guide tube 110 at the insertion part 5 of the endoscope 1 and, therefore, the endoscope 1 is smoothly and successively inserted down into a large-diameter pipeline, etc., at the time of inspecting such pipeline, etc.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a guide tube for an endoscope, which is mounted and used so as to cover a flexible insertion portion of the endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a medical instrument for observing internal organs in a body cavity by inserting a slender insertion portion into the body cavity and inserting a treatment tool into a treatment tool channel as necessary to perform various treatments / treatments An endoscope is used.

Also in the industrial field, an industrial endoscope having a slender and flexible insertion portion (hereinafter referred to as an endoscope) for observing and inspecting scratches and corrosion inside boilers, turbines, engines, chemical plants, etc. It is used as an endoscope).

In the endoscope used in the industrial field, if the elongated and flexible insertion portion is particularly long, it is formed of a pipe having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the insertion portion. When the endoscope is inserted into the duct, the flexible insertion portion may meander against the force to push the endoscope, and the insertion portion may not be pushed to a desired position.

For this reason, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-42646 discloses a guide tube for inserting an endoscope which improves the insertability of the endoscope into a curved pipe.

Further, a guide tube is mounted so as to cover the flexible tube portion forming the flexible insertion portion of the endoscope, and the flexible tube portion is provided with a certain degree of rigidity to improve the insertability. There are things I tried to improve.

Further, in order to improve the insertability into the conduit of the endoscope, particularly the curved pipe, the flexible tube portion forming the long insertion portion of the endoscope is formed with high flexibility at the distal end portion. The flexible flexible corrugated tube including the flexible flexible portion and the flexible flexible portion whose flexibility is gradually reduced from the rear end of the highly flexible portion toward the hand side is used. is there.

[0008]

However, when the guide tube is attached to the flexible insertion portion so as to have a certain degree of rigidity so as to improve the insertability, the guide tube serves as the insertion portion. Since it was designed to cover the vicinity of the curved portion located on the distal end side, if a guide tube is attached to the insertion section that uses a flexible variable flexible tube for the flexible tubular section of the endoscope, flexible flexible flexible tube can be installed. The flexibility changing portion and the highly flexible portion are also covered by the guide tube, which may adversely affect the insertability into the curved tube.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is formed as a flexible variable flexible tube by being used together with an endoscope having an insertion portion formed by using a flexible flexible flexible tube. It is an object of the present invention to provide a guide tube for an endoscope that improves insertability without impairing the characteristics of the inserted portion.

[0010]

A guide tube for an endoscope of the present invention is flexible including a highly flexible portion located on the distal end side and a flexibility changing portion connected to the highly flexible portion. A guide tube for an endoscope having a flexible tube portion mounted on an insertion portion of an endoscope having a flexible tube portion formed by using a sex changing flexible tube, wherein the flexible tube portion mounted on the insertion portion of the endoscope. The distal end side is projected from the flexibility changing portion of the flexible changing flexible tube used for the flexible tube portion forming the insertion portion of the endoscope.

[0011]

According to this structure, when the endoscope guide tube having the flexible tube portion using the flexible variable flexible tube is attached to the insertion portion of the endoscope, the endoscope can be inserted by itself. Not only is it possible to insert the insertion part into a place where it is meandering, but also the highly flexible part and the flexibility changing part of the flexible variable flexible tube protruding from the tip of the guide tube can be easily bent. The observation range expands by passing through the tube.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 8 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of an industrial endoscope system, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a storage drum for storing a long endoscope, 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the storage drum is stored in a storage case, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where the storage drum is standing, and FIG.
Is an explanatory view showing a method for fixing the distal end portion of the endoscope stored in the storage drum, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing another method for fixing the distal end portion of the endoscope stored in the storage drum, and FIG. 7 is a guide tube. FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a mounting state on the endoscope, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an action of the endoscope in which the guide tube is mounted on the insertion portion.

As shown in FIG. 1, an industrial endoscope system 10 includes an endoscope 1 having an elongated and flexible elongated insertion portion, and a distal end portion of the endoscope 1. A light source device 2 that supplies illumination light to an illumination optical system (not shown), and a camera control unit (hereinafter referred to as CCU) that generates an optical image obtained by an observation optical system (not shown) provided at the tip of the endoscope 1 into an image signal. (Abbreviation) 3 and a monitor 4 for displaying the image signal generated by the CCU 3.

The endoscope 1 has a long insertion portion 5, an operating portion 6 which also serves as a grip portion at the proximal end of the insertion portion, and a universal cord 7 extending from the side of the operating portion 6. It is formed by.

The elongated insertion portion 5 has a rigid tip forming portion 51 in order from the tip side, a bending portion 52 connected to the tip forming portion that is bendable in up, down, left and right directions, and a flexible portion connected to the bending portion 52. It is formed with the tube portion 53. This flexible tube section 5
3 is a highly flexible portion 54 formed on the curved portion side with a high degree of flexibility, and a highly flexible portion 54, which is disposed at the rear end of this highly flexible portion 54 and gradually becomes closer to the hand side. A flexible portion including a flexibility changing portion 55 having a low flexibility and a low flexibility portion 56 formed at a rear end of the flexibility changing portion 55 and having a low flexibility. It is a sex change serpentine tube.

Further, the operation portion 6 is provided with a bending operation knob 61 for bending the bending portion 52 in a predetermined direction. Further, a light source connector 71 detachably connected to the light source device 2 is provided at an end of the universal cord 7 extending from the operation portion 6, and a CCU cable 72 extends from the light source connector 71. A CCU connector 73 that is detachably connected to the CCU 3 is provided at the tip of the CCU cable 72.

In the endoscope 1 having the elongated insertion portion as described above, the insertion portion 5 is elongated, so that the trunk which is generally used as a storage case for a medical endoscope or the like. Not easy to store in the mold case. Therefore, in order to store the endoscope 1 having the elongated insertion portion 5, a winding drum type storage device (hereinafter abbreviated as storage device) 8 as shown in FIG. 2 is used.

In the storage device 8, a drum portion 82 is rotatably formed with respect to a base member 81, and a space portion (not shown) in the drum portion having a lid 83 fixed by a fixing knob 84 has the internal view. Operation unit 6, universal cord 7, light source connector 71, CCU cable 7 provided in the mirror 1
2 and the CCU connector 73 are accommodated, and the drum portion 82
A long insertion part 5 is wound around the.

The lid 83 is provided with a retractable handle 85, and when the drum portion 82 is rotated, the handle 85 is used in an upright state, and the storage case 8 shown in FIG. At the time of storing, the handle 85 is tilted outward with respect to the center of the drum portion and is housed in the cutout portion 88 formed in the interior material 87 of the storage case 86 to prevent the drum portion 82 from rotating inside the storage case 86. There is.

When the winding drum type storage device 8 is set upright, the winding drum type storage device 8 is rolled by tilting the handle 85 outward as shown in FIG. It is kept in a standing state without being lost. This is the drum center 89 and the handle mounting portion 8.
The operation part 6, the universal cord 7, the light source connector 71, the CCU cable 72, and the CCU connector 73 of the endoscope 1 are housed in the space of the drum part so that the center of gravity 90 of the entire drum part is positioned between the 5A and the 5A. This is because

Further, at the tip of the insertion portion 5 wound around the drum portion 82, the grip portion 1 as shown in FIG.
By attaching the protective cap 100 having 01, the grip portion 101 of the protective cap 100 is stored in the storage device 8
By fitting the lid 83 onto the outer peripheral portion of the lid 83, the long insertion portion 5 can be stably held on the drum portion 82 without being influenced by the length of the insertion portion 5 or the winding method. As the protection cap 100 for fixing the insertion portion 5, as shown in FIG.
The gripping portion 1 is attached to the insertion portion 5 wound around the drum portion 82.
It may be configured to grip and hold 01A.

When an examination is performed with the endoscope 1 configured as described above, the duct, which is the subject through which the endoscope 1 is inserted, has a large diameter with respect to the insertion portion 5 of the endoscope 1. At some time, the insertion part 5 of the endoscope 1 can be made to have a certain degree of rigidity to improve the insertability into the duct.

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, the endoscope guide tube 110 housed in the case upper lid of the housing case 86 for housing the housing 8 is flexed in the insertion portion 5 of the endoscope 1. A flexible tube portion 112 formed so as to have a lower flexibility than the low-flexible tube portion 56 that constitutes the tube portion 53.
Then, it is mounted so as to cover the insertion portion 5. At this time, from the tip of the endoscope guide tube 110, a distal end forming portion 51 that forms the insertion portion 5 of the endoscope 1, a bending portion 52, and a highly flexible portion 54 that forms a flexible tube portion 53. The flexibility changing portion 55 is configured to project. That is, the entire length of the endoscope guide tube 110 is a length that covers up to the distal end side portion of the low flexible tube portion 56 forming the flexible tube portion 53 of the endoscope 1. In addition, the endoscope guide tube 110 described above.
Is integrally fixed to the operation portion 6 by a scope holder 111 with a stop screw arranged at the base end portion of the endoscope guide tube 110.

As described above, the insertion portion formed by including the flexible tube portion using the flexible variable flexible tube is arranged so that the highly flexible portion and the flexible variable portion protrude by a length of about 1 to 2 m. Since the guide tube for an endoscope is attached to the insertion part of the endoscope, when inspecting a large-diameter duct or the like, not only is the endoscope smoothly inserted into the depth of the duct, Even when the endoscope 1 reaches the curved pipe portion 115 as shown in FIG. 8, the flexible insertion portion can be inserted into the curved pipe portion to inspect the curved pipe portion, so that the inspection range is greatly increased. Expand to.

As shown in FIG. 9, the flexible flexible tube portion 112 of the endoscope guide tube 110 attached to the insertion portion 5 of the endoscope 1 is replaced with the flexible tube portion of the endoscope 1. Similarly to 53, by forming a flexible changeable flexible tube configured by connecting the high flexible portion 116, the flexible change portion 117, and the low flexible tube portion 118, only the insertion portion 5 of the endoscope 1 is formed. In addition, since the distal end side of the guide tube 110 can also be provided with flexibility, by combining the endoscope 1 and the endoscope guide tube in which the flexible tube 112 is formed with the flexible variable flexible tube, Since it has both rigidity and flexibility, the insertability when inserting the endoscope into a duct having a large diameter and many curved portions is further improved, and the observation range becomes wider.

By the way, conventionally, a guide tube for an endoscope (hereinafter referred to as a guide tube) which is mounted so as to cover a flexible insertion portion has guide tube protection and insertability at the flexible flexible tube tip. The tip base for the purpose of improving the performance was fixed with adhesive, swaging, and screwing. However, if the adhesive agent that fixes the tip base to the flexible tube end is peeled off or the screw is broken, the tip base may fall off the guide tube. Therefore, it is necessary to securely fix the tip base to the flexible tube end of the guide tube.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, a flex 121 formed by spirally winding a band-shaped metallic material from the inside.
And a guide tube 11 composed of a braid 122 directly knitted on the outer circumference of the flex 121 and a resin layer 123 covering the outer circumference of the blade 122.
A tip ferrule 126 having a protrusion 125 as shown in the drawing is arranged at the tip of 0. That is, first,
As shown in FIG. 10, the tip base 126 is arranged immediately after the resin layer 123 is formed, and subsequently, as shown in FIG.
25 is embedded in the resin layer 123. In addition, the protrusion 12
5 may be provided on the entire circumference or may be provided at a plurality of locations dispersedly.

By thus embedding the protrusions provided inside the tip cap in the resin layer, the tip cap can be reliably fixed to the tip portion of the guide tube.

The method of securely fixing the tip mouthpiece to the tip end portion of the guide tube is not limited to the method of embedding the projection formed on the tip mouthpiece in the resin layer as described above, and as shown in FIG. In advance, the tip base 132, in which the cover 131 is loosely mounted, is fixed to the guide tube 110 with an adhesive, and after the tip base 132 is fixed, it is connected to the through hole provided in the guide tube 110 and the base 132. The flanged pin 134, which is a member, is inserted, the cover 131 is covered so as to cover the flanged portion of the flanged pin 134, and the adhesive 133 is filled and fixed.

As described above, the flanged pin is passed through the tip cap and the guide tube, and the flange of the flanged pin is covered with the cover, so that the pin can be securely fixed to the tip end of the guide tube.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, a flexible connecting member 136 such as a string, a wire or a resin is adhered and fixed to the tip cap 135 which is fixed to the guide tube 110 by an adhesive or a swaging process. Connection member 13
The other end of 6 may be adhesively fixed to the inner surface of the guide tube 110. As a result, even if the adhesive fixing portion between the tip cap 135 and the guide tube 110 is detached in the subject, the flexible connecting member 136 will cause the tip cap 1 to move.
35 and the guide tube 110 are connected,
The tip base can be securely fixed to the tip of the guide tube to prevent it from falling off.

[Additional Notes] 1. Formed using a flexible change flexible tube with a highly flexible part located on the tip side, a flexible change part connected to the high flexible part, and a low flexible part connected to the flexible change part In a guide tube for an endoscope having a flexible tube part mounted on an insertion part of an endoscope having a flexible tube part, the inner tube is inserted from the tip end surface of the flexible tube part mounted on the insertion part of the endoscope. A guide tube for an endoscope in which a distal end side projects from a flexibility changing portion of a flexibility changing flexible tube used for a flexible tube portion forming an insertion portion of an endoscope.

2. The tube for an endoscope according to appendix 1, wherein the length of the flexible tube portion is set to a length that covers up to the vicinity of the distal end portion of the low flexible tube portion of the flexible tube portion that constitutes the insertion portion of the endoscope.

3. The guide tube for an endoscope according to appendix 1 or 2, wherein the flexible tube is configured by a flexible flexible flexible tube similar to the insertion portion of the endoscope.

4. An endoscope guide which is attached from the distal end surface of the flexible tube portion so that the distal end side projects from the flexible variable portion of the flexible flexible tube forming at least the flexible tube portion forming the insertion portion of the endoscope. How to install the tube.

5. The endoscope according to appendix 1, wherein a fixing means is provided at a tip of the flexible tube portion for securely fixing the guide tube to a tip end portion of a tip mouthpiece provided for the purpose of improving insertability into an insertion portion of the endoscope and protecting the guide tube. Guide tube.

6. The guide tube for an endoscope according to appendix 5, wherein the fixing means embeds the protrusion formed on the tip base in a resin layer forming the flexible tube.

7. The guide tube for an endoscope according to appendix 5, wherein the fixing means is a connecting member that is inserted into the flexible tube and the tip base.

8. The guide tube for an endoscope according to appendix 5, wherein the fixing means is a soft connecting member that connects the flexible tube and the tip base.

9. A container for an endoscope having a flexible, elongated, and elongated insertion portion, which includes an operating portion of the endoscope, a universal cord extending from a side portion of the operating portion, a light source connector, and a CCU. A take-up drum type storage device comprising: a space portion for accommodating a connector; and a rotatable drum portion for taking up a long insertion portion of the endoscope.

10. 10. The winding drum type storage device according to appendix 9, wherein a handle provided on the winding drum type storage device for rotating a drum part is a flexible handle which tilts outward with respect to the center of the drum part.

11. 11. The winding drum type storage device according to appendices 9 and 10, wherein the interior material of the storage case for storing the winding drum type storage device is provided with a cutout portion for storing a handle that is tilted outward.

12. 10. The take-up drum type storage device according to appendix 9, wherein a detachable protective cap is formed at a distal end portion of the insertion portion wound around the drum portion, and a grip portion for fixing the insertion portion to the drum portion is formed.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the flexible variable flexible tube is formed by using the flexible variable flexible tube in combination with the endoscope having the insertion portion. It is possible to provide a guide tube for an endoscope that improves insertability without impairing the characteristics of the insertion section.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 9 relate to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an industrial endoscope system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a storage drum that stores a long endoscope.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a storage drum is stored in a storage case.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a standing state of the storage drum.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a method for fixing the tip portion of the endoscope stored in the storage drum.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing another fixing method of the distal end portion of the endoscope stored in the storage drum.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a method of mounting the guide tube on the endoscope.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the endoscope with the guide tube attached to the insertion portion.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a guide tube.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show a fixing means for the tip base, and FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a structure of the guide tube and the fixing means.

FIG. 11 is a view showing the action of the fixing means.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing another structure of the fixing means.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing another structure of the fixing means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope 5 ... Insertion part 53 ... Flexible tube part 54 ... Highly flexible part 55 ... Flexibility change part 56 ... Low flexible tube part 110 ... Guide tube

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A flexible tube portion formed by using a flexible changeable flexible tube having a highly flexible portion located on the distal end side and a flexible variation portion connected to the highly flexible portion. In an endoscope guide tube having a flexible tube part that is mounted on an insertion part of an endoscope, from a tip end surface of the flexible tube part that is mounted on the insertion part of the endoscope,
A guide tube for an endoscope, wherein a distal end side projects from a flexibility changing portion of a flexible changing flexible tube used for a flexible tube portion forming an insertion portion of the endoscope.