JPS6254004B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in endoscopes, and in particular, to an endoscope main body and a control device improved so that the endoscope main body and a control device not exclusively used for the endoscope main body can be used as a pair. This relates to an adapter for connection with a device.

As is well known, many improvements have been made to the endoscope body A, which has been mainly used recently.
As shown in FIG. 1, there is an operating section 1, a flexible insertion section 2 connected to the operating section 1 and used for insertion into a living body cavity, and a It consists of a flexible cable 4 that is connected to a control device B that has a built-in light source and various other control members.
In this case, the exit end face of the distal end is opposed to the illumination window provided in the rigid distal end portion 3 of the insertion portion 2 in the flexible jacket tube, and the incident end face is a concentrator of the light source installed in the control device B. In addition to the optical fiber bundle for illumination (hereinafter simply referred to as a light guide) that is aligned with the light surface, air from an air pump also provided in the control device B is applied to the rigid tip portion 3 as described above. Various control members such as flexible tubes (hereinafter referred to as air supply tubes) for ejecting air from the air outlet and solenoid valves of the air supply pump are controlled by operation buttons provided on the operation unit 1. Lead wires, etc. for remote control are arranged together and enclosed by cable 4, etc., and the entrance end face of the light guide, the connection ports of various tubes, and the terminals of various lead wires, etc. are connected to cable 4. is aligned and fixed at the end of the control device B and is configured as a so-called plug 5.
It can be inserted into a socket 6 provided in the holder, and these constitute a connecting part.

This endoscope main body A is paired with a control device B, thereby making it an endoscope that is suitable for its intended use.As a medical device, its excellent functionality has been highly evaluated and it has become necessary. As indispensable products, the demand for them has grown rapidly, and because their history of development is short, they have not yet reached the stage of standardization, and each manufacturer has their own method or format. There are also relationships that are taken,
Needless to say, the structure of the above-mentioned connecting part, that is, the plug and socket, as well as the detailed structure of various control members,
For example, the operation type of air and water supply pumps, suction pumps, etc.
Or there were differences in the air/water supply, suction systems, etc.

Therefore, when using an endoscope, there will be no inconvenience if the endoscope main body and a control device dedicated to this main body are used, but if the endoscope is not a dedicated device, the light source may In most cases, it cannot be used because it is not built into the control device, or even though the light source is built in, the position of the light converging surface is different, or the control components have the above-mentioned differences. There was a huge inconvenience and difficulty in that it was difficult to use.

In order to eliminate these inconveniences and deficiencies, we have made it possible to use the control devices as a pair with the endoscope body A, even though they could not be used as a pair with the endoscope body A until now. In order to provide this, a method of connecting the endoscope main body A and a control device not exclusively used for this endoscope main body A via an adapter has been developed, and has recently come to be used in some cases. However, this adapter has a so-called rod-shaped sheath that introduces and contains a light guide, as described above, is also integrally fixed to the plug 5 at the tip of the connecting cable 4 in the endoscope main body A. The light guide also incorporates a light guide, and the light guide's entrance end surface is aligned with a light condensing surface built into a control device that is not a dedicated machine, and its output end surface is arranged to face the entrance end surface of the light guide. As described above, transmitting illumination light through a light guide inevitably suffers from a significant loss in the amount of light, which is far from the intended purpose.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention incorporates an optical fiber bundle for illumination, that is, a light guide, flexible tubes, several lead wires, etc., and provides an optical fiber bundle for illumination, a light guide, flexible tubes, and several lead wires. The flexible cable that connects the control device in which the necessary light source and various control members are built-in is separated, and the first cable does not contain the optical fiber bundle for illumination and the optical fiber bundle for illumination. The second cable contains
The end of the cable is a first plug equipped with various tube connection ports, terminal pins, etc., and the end of the second cable is a second plug equipped with a rod-shaped sheath into which a bundle of optical fibers for illumination is introduced and fixed. together with the first
The plug includes an endoscope main body having an insertion hole for guiding the rod-shaped sheath of the second plug, a plug insertable into a socket provided in a control device not exclusive to the endoscope main body, and the first and second plugs. 2, each having a separate socket into which each of the second plugs can be inserted;
Into the socket into which the plug can be inserted, the incident end face of the illumination optical fiber bundle introduced and fixed into the rod-like sheath of the second plug is placed on the condensing surface of the light source installed in the non-dedicated control device. The adapter is provided with an insertion hole for guiding the rod-like sheath for matching, and the adapter can be used in conjunction with the endoscope body by interposing it between the endoscope body and the control device that is not exclusive to the endoscope body. As in,
As a result, when operating the endoscope main body, not only the control device paired with the endoscope main body, but also the control device that has some differences in its control method and control type, can be used. It also enables compatibility with the endoscope body, which is the main component of the endoscope structure, and also eliminates the above-mentioned inconveniences and difficulties as well as the above-mentioned detractors. could,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope main body and an adapter for connecting the endoscope that can fully demonstrate its true value as a medical device at all times. will be explained in detail.

First, Fig. 2 shows an overview of the endoscope main body _A1 based on the present invention, and shows the plugs 20 and 40 of the cable in this endoscope main body _A1 , and the endoscope main body A1.
In the partial diagram of FIG _. 3, which shows a part of the socket 50 of the control device B ₁ exclusively for A 1, and in FIG. 4, which shows the connected state, the same parts as in FIG. The applicant has submitted a utility model registration application dated September 10, 1980 [Utility Model Application No. 128690 (Utility Model Application No. 128690)].
No. 57-51502)] with a configuration substantially equivalent to that described in the specification and drawings attached to the application filed.
Although there is a risk of simplification, 10 indicates a cable corresponding to the cable 4 shown in FIG. The first and second cables 12 and 13 on the control device side are separated into two branches.

In the operation section side cable 11, as explained based on FIG. 1, in addition to the light guide, there are of course flexible tubes such as an air tube and a water tube, as well as various lead wires, etc. are enclosed together. All other tubes, lead wires, etc. other than the light guide are introduced into the first cable 12 from the cable 11, and the end thereof [see A in FIG. 3] is enclosed in the first cable 12. The first plug 20 provided on the free end side of
Each connection port of the tubes aligned and fixed on the end face of the first plug-forming shell 21 (hereinafter, to avoid complicating the explanation, the reference numeral 22 will be used to represent the connection port of the air supply tube). (hereinafter, to avoid complicating the explanation, the terminal pin for controlling the air supply pump will be referred to as tube connection port 22, and the explanation of other connection ports will be omitted) and terminal pins for various lead wires. This is referred to as the terminal pin 23 and the explanation of the other terminal pins will be omitted). Only the light guide is introduced into the second cable 13 from the cable 11, and
Its end [see Figure 3 B] is the second cable 1
3 of the second plug 40 provided on the free end side of the second plug 40.
It extends to the outer end surface of the rod-shaped sheath 45 held by the rod-shaped sheath holding cylindrical part 42 in the plug-forming shell 41, and serves as an entrance end surface.

The configuration of the first plug 20 and the second plug 40 described above is changed to a socket ₅ provided in a dedicated control device B1 into which both plugs 20 and 40 are inserted.
To explain in more detail in connection with the configuration of the socket 50, as shown in FIG.
is a first plug fixed connection provided on the side wall of the control device _B1 containing a light source and other various control members necessary for the endoscope, and attached to the socket body 51 in the form of a hood. The ring 52 is the main constituent part, and the socket body 5
1 includes a connection hole 53 and a terminal pin insertion hole 54 for fitting and connecting the tube connection port 22 and terminal pin 23 that are aligned and fixed to the first plug 20, and a rod-shaped sheath 45 of the second plug 40. accept,
Guide holes 55 and the like for aligning the incident end surface of the light guide 15 inserted and fixed into the rod-shaped sheath 45 with the light condensing surface of the light source installed in the control device B ₁ maintain a predetermined positional relationship. The inner periphery of the ring 52 is provided with a groove 56 for engagement with a lock pin 39 provided on the first plug 20, which will be described later.

The first plug 20 is connected to the tube connection port 22 described above.
and the terminal pin 23, as shown in FIG.
Insertion hole 2 for inserting the rod-shaped sheath 45 of the second plug 40 and guiding it to the guide hole 55
4, a guide tube 26 fixed to the shell 21 concentrically with the through-hole 25 for forming 4, and a guide tube 26 fixed to the shell 21 concentrically with the through-hole 25 for adjusting the length of the rod-like sheath 45. Fixed cylinder 27 (part 26,
27 may be integral with the shell 21), and is pushed outward by the sliding tube 28 when not in use. A stopper ball 31 is movably held in a stopper ball receiving hole 30 bored in the fixed cylinder 27 so that the stopper ball 31 is slidable along the outer periphery of the fixed cylinder 27, and is always attached to the fixed cylinder 27 by a spring 34.
between the outer end of the operation barrel 32 and the fixed barrel 27 and the stopper ball receiving hole 30, which are pushed toward the outer end of the operating barrel 32 and the stopper ball 31 is locked with the tapered shoulder 33. It is held in a groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed cylinder 27, and as described later,
When the rod-shaped sheath 45 of the second plug 40 is completely inserted into the insertion hole 24, the tapered shoulder 33 of the operation tube 32
a stopper ring 35 made of an elastic material for abutting and locking the operation tube 32; a fixing ring 3 having an outer peripheral surface that is slidably fitted into the ring 52 for forming the socket 50 on the outer periphery of the shell body 21;
6. Furthermore, a large-diameter through hole 3 in the center is formed through the guide tube 26, the shell 21, and the ring 36.
7, and is constantly connected to the insertion hole 24 by the spring 38.
Although the tip is exposed inside, the second plug 4
By inserting the rod-shaped sheath 45 of 0, the rear end becomes the ring 3.
6, and is provided with a lock pin 39, etc., which extends outside and fits into the engagement groove 56 provided on the inner periphery of the ring 52 of the socket 50 constituting portion, and is provided for fixed connection of the first plug 20. There is.

As shown in FIG. On the outer periphery of the shaped portion 42, a light guide 15 is inserted into the guide hole 55 of the socket 50 through the insertion hole 24 of the first plug 20, and the light guide 15 is inserted and fixed into the rod-shaped sheath 45. When the incident end face of is made to coincide with the condensing surface of the light source installed in the control device _B1 ,
The stopper ball 31 is fitted (see FIG. 4), and this fitted state is maintained by the operation tube 32,
A stopper ball insertion groove 43 is provided to prevent the rod-shaped sheath 45 from being inserted or removed, and an indicator band 44 made of fluorescent paint or the like is provided to confirm the degree of insertion of the rod-shaped sheath 45. A part of the plug 45 has a small diameter so that the lock pin 39 falls in while the rod-shaped sheath 45 is pulled out from the insertion hole 24 of the first plug 20 and the second plug 40 can be kept attached to the first plug 20. A section 46 is provided.

Note that the part labeled 20a in FIG. 2 is the attachment port for the water supply cable or intake cable attached to the first plug 20.
Explanation regarding this will be omitted.

Endoscope main body A ₁ as described above and dedicated control device B ₁
When using the controller (see Figure 4), first fit the first plug 20 into the socket ₅₀ , and then connect the various tubes, lead wires, etc. The first plug 20 and the socket 50 are organically connected to the control member, and the first plug 20 and the socket 50 are connected to the fixing ring 36 of the first plug 20.
The outer circumferential surface of the socket 50 and the inner circumferential surface of the first plug fixing connection ring 52 of the socket 50 frictionally engage with each other, thereby establishing a fixed connection state. Next, the rod-shaped sheath 45 formed in the long length of the second plug 40
is inserted into the guide hole 55 of the socket 50 through the insertion hole 24 of the first plug 20 whose length is adjustable as a whole including the fixed cylinder 27, and the rod-shaped sheath 4 is inserted into the guide hole 55 of the socket 50.
The entrance end face of the light guide 15 in 5 is the control device.
During _this process, the rod-shaped sheath 45 resists the biasing force of the spring 38 and pushes the rear end of the lock pin 39 into the ring 3.
6 Push out the ring 5 for configuring the socket 50
The first plug 2 is inserted into the engagement groove 56 of the first plug 2.
0 is completely fixedly connected to the socket 50,
Further, the rod-like sheath holding cylindrical portion 4 of the second plug 40
2 pushes down the sliding tube 28 slidably fitted into the fixed tube 27 of the first plug 20 against the biasing force of the spring 29, and the stopper ball 31 is pushed down by the spring 34. The second plug 40 is completely fixedly connected to the first plug 20 when pushed by the biased operation tube 32 and inserted into the stopper ball insertion groove 43.
At this time, the operating barrel 32 is pushed by the spring 34,
The tapered shoulder part 33 is the stopper ring 35
The sliding surface with the fixed cylinder 27 prevents the stopper ball 31 from moving. In this way, the endoscope is ready for use.

To take out the endoscope main body A ₁ from the control device B ₁ from the above state, first push down the operation tube 32 against the biasing force of the spring 34, and then the stopper ball 3
1 can be removed from the stopper ball insertion groove 43. Therefore, the rod-shaped sheath 4 of the second plug 40
5 is pulled out from the insertion hole 24 of the first plug 20, the lock pin 39 is pushed by the spring 38, and when its tip is exposed into the insertion hole 24, the first plug 20 is removed from the socket 50. The state becomes possible, and the first plug 20 and the second plug 4
0, and although it is separated from the socket 50, the small diameter portion 4 of the rod-like sheath 45 of the second plug 40
If you leave the lock pin 39 inserted in 6,
The first plug 20 and the second plug 40 temporarily maintain an engaged state.

Now, the main points of the present invention, which enables the above-mentioned endoscope main body A ₁ to be used as a pair with the above-mentioned non-dedicated control device B ₂ , will be explained based on the drawings from FIG. 5 onwards. do.

First, in Fig. 5 showing an exploded view, A ₁ is the aforementioned endoscope body, and B ₂ is the aforementioned control device.
Although it is almost the same as B ₁ , it has built-in control components that differ in the position of the light source's condensing surface, the operation type of the air and water supply, and the suction pump, etc., and the air and water supply and suction systems, and A control device is provided with a socket 60' in which the arrangement of a connection hole 63', a terminal insertion hole 64', a guide hole 65', etc. is slightly different from that of the socket 50 described above, and C is the endoscope body for convenience of explanation. An adapter divided into a part C ₁ for connecting A ₁ and control device B ₂ , a part C ₂ for actuation of control device B ₂ , and a cable C ₃ for connecting both parts C ₁ and C ₂ , D is a suction Pump E is a water tank.

By the way, the endoscope main body A ₁ is as described above, the control device B ₂ can be a known one, and the intake pump D and the water supply tank E can also be existing ones, so the explanation about the adapter C is as follows. The following will be mainly explained, and the others will be explained supplementarily during the explanation of adapter C. In order to avoid complicating the explanation, in the following explanation, we will introduce the air supply tube connection port and the terminal pin for controlling the air supply pump from among the various tubes and terminal pins. An example will be explained, and other explanations will be omitted.

In the control device B ₂ shown in FIG.
0' is the socket, 61' is the socket body, 62' is the plug fixing connection ring,
63' is an air supply tube connection hole, 64' is a terminal pin insertion hole, and 65' is an incident end surface of the light guide 15 which is introduced and fixed into the rod-shaped sheath 45 of the second plug 40 in the endoscope main body _A1 . Control device B ₂
This is a guide hole for aligning with the condensing surface of the light source installed and built into the interior, and 66' is an operating knob, which is an existing one.

Now, in addition to the above-mentioned Fig. 5, Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view to enable an explanation of the main parts of the connecting part _C1 in the adapter C, and also an explanation of the arrangement of the main parts of the connecting part _C1 . The explanation of the adapter C will be explained with reference to FIG. 7, which has a special representation to enable the explanation of the adapter _C , and FIG. do.

In the connecting part C ₁ , the part marked with 100 is a container box, 101 is its front plate, and 102 is its rear plate, and this rear plate 102 is paired with a control device B ₂ , and this control Above socket 6 of device B ₂
0' is equipped with a plug 60 that can be connected as shown in _FIG . Socket 5 approximately equivalent to socket 50
0' is installed at a position shifted from the installation position of the plug 60 in consideration of the distance between the front plate 101 and the rear plate 102, and is formed in a continuous manner with the guide hole 65 in the plug 60, as described above. Endoscope body A ₁
The insertion hole 24' of the rod-shaped sheath 45 of the second plug 40 is bored, and another socket 58 having a fixed connection portion component of the rod-shaped sheath 45 is mounted. That is, another socket 58 in which the insertion hole 24' is bored and is provided with a fixed connection part component for the rod-like sheath 45 is such that the insertion side of the rod-like sheath 45 can insert the rod-like sheath holding cylindrical part 42 therein. The insertion side of the fixed tube 27', which is the insertion hole 24' of the rod-like sheath 45, is made with a slightly larger diameter hole, considering the positions of the light converging surfaces of the dedicated and non-dedicated control devices _B1 and _B2 . A rod-shaped sheath 45 formed by
is made to protrude from the front plate 101 in consideration of the length of the
The part forming the insertion hole 24' extends to the guide hole 65 of the plug 60 and forms a series, and the part forming the fixed connection part includes the first plug 20 described above.
Add a dash to the code used to explain the
The explanation will be omitted. However, it goes without saying that the length of the rod-like sheath 45 may be adjusted by including the thickness of the connecting portion _C1 .

Furthermore, in the instrument box 100, there is an electrical converter for matching the output signal from the non-dedicated control device _B2 to the input signal level required for exposure control during photographing by the camera attached to the endoscope body _A1 . A power switch 106 is installed between the circuit and a battery box 110 to be described later, and a ball 108 rotatably supported on the free end of a contact operating piece 107 for operating the contact is bored in a fixed tube 27'. Through hole 109
The rod-like sheath 45 is exposed through the insertion hole 24', and is retracted when the rod-shaped sheath 45 is inserted.
The power switch 106 is closed via the contact operating piece 107. 105' and 105
The part marked with is a flexible air supply tube connected to the connection hole 53' and the tube connection port 63, and these are connected to the necessary lead wires from the entrance/exit 104 provided in the side plate 103 of the container box 100. The operating part is introduced into the connecting cable C ₃ together with the
Guided within C ₂ . In addition, the lead wires etc. from the terminal pin insertion hole 54' are often connected directly to the terminal pin 64, but like the air supply tube, the operating part
It may also lead to C ₂ .

In this way, the air supply tube 10 is guided into the operating section _C2 provided with the battery box 110.
5' and 105 are air supply solenoid valves 11 that are operated by an operation button attached to the operation unit 1.
1, and the actuating part as described above.
The lead wire connecting the terminal pin insertion hole 54' introduced into _C2 and the terminal pin 64 may be short-circuited by an operation button mounted on the operation section 1. Further, the actuating portion _C2 designated by the reference numeral 112 is disposed in a known manner between the suction pump designated by the reference numeral D in FIG. 5 and the plug 20. suction tube 114,
114' is a suction solenoid valve that controls communication and isolation of the valve 114', and can also be operated by an operation button provided on the operation section 1.

Therefore, the endoscope body _A1 and its endoscope body
When pairing A ₁ with a non-dedicated control device B ₂ , first connect the socket 60' of the control device B ₂ with the connecting portion C ₁ provided on the rear plate 102 of the adapter C according to the present invention. The plug 60 is inserted and fixed, and the first plug 20 of the endoscope main body _A1 is inserted and fixedly connected to the socket 50' provided on the front plate 101 of the connecting part _C1 , and the rod-shaped sheath 45 of the second plug 40 is inserted and fixed. is inserted into the insertion hole 24' from the insertion side of the fixed tube 27' of the socket 58 and connected and fixed, the endoscope body _A1 and the control device _B2 , which is not a dedicated machine, are connected to the endoscope body _A1 . Once it is ready for use, you can operate it as before.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, not only the control device paired with the endoscope main body but also the
Even if there are control devices that cannot be used as a pair due to considerable or slight differences in their control methods or control formats, it is possible to use them as a pair. In addition to these inconveniences and difficulties, it has now become possible to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide an endoscope that can truly demonstrate its true value as a medical device at all times.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overview of a conventional endoscope consisting of an endoscope main body and its control device, FIG. 2 is an overview of an embodiment of only the endoscope main body according to the present invention, and FIG. A is a front view with a part of the first plug cut away, B is a front view with a part of the second plug cut away, and C is a control exclusively for the endoscope main body according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view for explaining the structure of the socket in the device, FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view for explaining the fixed connection state of each of the plugs and sockets, and FIG. An explanatory exploded view of a control device not exclusively used for the endoscope main body, a connecting adapter for these two parts, and an attached member. 7 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the main parts of the connecting part using a special expression means to enable explanation of the arrangement of the main parts of the connecting part, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the operating part of the connecting adapter. It is a sectional view taken longitudinally to enable explanation. In FIG. 1, A: endoscope body, B: control device exclusively for A, 1;
Operating section, 2; Insertion section, 3; Hard tip section, 4; Cable, 5; Plug, 6; Socket In Fig. 2, A ₁ ; Endoscope main body, 10; Cable, 11; Operating section side cable, 12 ; 1st cable, 13; 2nd cable, 20; 1st plug, 40; 2nd plug, 45; rod-shaped sheath, in Figure 3 A, 21; shell body, 22; tube connection port, 23; terminal pin , 24; Through hole, 25, 37; Through hole, 2
6; Guide tube, 27; Fixed tube, 28; Sliding tube, 2
9, 34, 38; spring, 30; stopper ball receiving hole, 31; stopper ball, 32; operating tube, 33; tapered shoulder, 35; stopper ring, 36; fixing ring, 39; lock pin, In Fig. 3 B, 15; light guide, 41; shell body, 42; cylindrical part for holding the rod-shaped sheath, 43; groove for inserting the stopper ball, 45; rod-shaped sheath, in C of Fig. 3, B ₁ ; Control device; 50; Socket; 51; Socket body; 52; First plug fixing connection ring;
53; Connection hole; 54; Terminal pin insertion hole; 55; Ooid hole; _{56 ;} Engagement groove;
C; Adapter, C ₁ ; Connection part, C ₂ ; Operating part, C ₃ ; Cable, D; Suction pump, E; Water supply tank, 50', 58, 60'; Socket, 5
1', 61'; Socket body, 52', 62'; Plug fixing connection ring, 53', 63'; Connection hole, 5
4', 64'; Terminal insertion hole, 65', 65; Guide hole, 24'; Insertion hole, 27'; Fixed tube, 28'; Sliding tube, 29', 34'; Spring, 30'; Stopper Ball receiving hole, 31'; stopper ball, 3
2'; Operation barrel, 33'; Tapered shoulder, 35';
Stopper ring, 60; Plug, 61; Plug body, 62; Fixing ring, 63; Connection port, 6
4; Terminal pin, 100; Container box, 101; Front plate, 1
02; Rear plate, 103; Side plate, 104; Doorway, 1
05, 105'; Air supply tube, 106; Power switch, 107; Contact operating piece, 108; Ball,
109; Through hole, 110; Battery box, 111;
Air supply solenoid valve, 112; Suction solenoid valve, 113;
Suction tube attachment port, 114, 114'; Suction tube.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Contains optical fiber bundles for illumination, flexible tubes, several lead wires, etc., and contains the endoscope body and the light source and various control members necessary for operating the endoscope body. A flexible cable connecting a control device with a built-in controller is separated into a first cable that does not include an optical fiber bundle for illumination and a second cable that includes an optical fiber bundle for illumination. The end of the first plug is equipped with various tube connection ports and terminal pins, and the end of the second cable is a second plug that has a rod-like sheath into which a bundle of illuminating optical fibers is introduced and fixed. an endoscope body in which the first plug has an insertion hole for guiding the rod-shaped sheath of the second plug; a plug that can be inserted into a socket provided in a control device not exclusive to the endoscope body; and separate sockets into which the second plugs can be inserted, and each of the sockets into which the second plugs can be inserted has a bundle of optical fibers for illumination introduced and fixed into the rod-like sheath of the second plug. The adapter has an insertion hole for guiding a rod-shaped sheath so that the entrance end surface coincides with the condensing surface of the light source installed in the non-dedicated control device. An endoscope characterized in that the adapter is interposed between the control device not exclusively used for the mirror body so that the endoscope can be used in conjunction with the control device.