JPH06105797A - Curving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a curving device with which the radius of curvature of the curving part is made variable, the amount of curving can be restricted according to the part it serves and the purpose of use, and which presents a high degree of freedom and excellent easiness in handling. CONSTITUTION:A curving device comprises a plurality of curving pieces 2 coupled together with possibility of rotating, joints 4 formed by cutting aslant the two ends of each curving piece 2, a curving operation wire 6 which is installed at the inside circumference of the curving pieces 2 and whose one end is coupled with the foremost of the group of curving pieces. and a curving operation mechanism 7 which is connected with the at-hand side of the wire 6. The joint part 4 is provided with a balloon 8 which changes the radius of curvature by changing the spacing of the pieces 2 in the axial direction, and the spacing of the pieces 2 is changed by inflating and shrinking this balloon 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bending device used in a flexible tube of a medical endoscope or an industrial endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a flexible tube of an industrial endoscope for inspecting and repairing a flexible tube of a medical endoscope or an industrial pipeline such as a gas pipe has a plurality of flexible portions. It is composed of a flexible tube.

Generally, in a flexible tube, a plurality of bending pieces are rotatably connected by a connecting pin to form a joint portion, and a bending operation wire is routed on the inner circumference of the bending piece, and one end side of the bending operation wire is arranged. Is attached to the bending piece on the distal end side, and a bending operation mechanism for applying a pulling force to the bending operation wire is provided on the proximal side.

By applying a pulling force to the bending operation wire by the bending operation mechanism, each bending piece is rotated little by little around the connecting pin so that the entire bending portion can be bent in a desired direction.

Further, in the bending tube of the endoscope, a light guide fiber, an image guide fiber, a forceps channel, an air / water feeding tube, etc. are inserted inside the bending piece group, and a blade is provided on the outer circumference of the bending piece group. It is covered by the outer skin.

Both ends of each of the bending pieces are notched obliquely, and the degree of bending of the joint portion, that is, the radius of curvature is determined by the notch angle. The amount of bending is regulated.

[0007]

However, as described above, when the curvature of the bending portion is determined by the notch angles of both ends of each bending piece, it bends in a narrow space like the insertion portion of the endoscope. When inserting into the lumen, it is difficult to insert it into the target site because the curvature is regulated even if a pulling force is applied to the bending operation wire by the bending operation mechanism, which affects operability and observability.

Further, if the notch angles at both ends of the bending piece are made large to design the curvature radius of the bending portion to be large, when the bending portion is bent by operating the bending operation mechanism, the bending portion is excessively bent and becomes a flexible tube. There is a risk that the internal components such as the inserted light guide fiber and image guide fiber may be broken.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to make it possible to change the radius of curvature of a bending portion, to regulate the bending amount according to the site to be used and the purpose of use. It is intended to provide a bending device having high operability and excellent operability.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a plurality of rotatably connected bending pieces,
A joint portion formed by cutting out at least one of the bending pieces, a bending operation wire disposed on the inner circumference of the bending piece and having one end connected to the distal end side of the bending piece group, and a bending operation wire on the proximal side. In a bending device including a bending operation mechanism connected to the bending device, a bending restricting member that changes the radius of curvature by changing the axial interval of the bending pieces is provided in the joint portion.

[0011]

When a pulling force is applied to the bending operation wire by the bending operation mechanism, the bending piece rotates around the connecting pin as a fulcrum and bends from the joint portion. At this time, when it is desired to bend the flexible tube with a large radius of curvature, air is supplied to the balloon located on the bending direction side. When air is supplied to the balloon, the balloon is inflated to narrow the notch of the joint, the rotation angle of each bending piece is restricted and becomes smaller, and even if a pulling force is applied to the bending operation wire by the bending operation mechanism. Since the rotation angle is regulated by the balloon interposed between the bending pieces and the bending piece is not bent further, the radius of curvature of the flexible tube can be maintained in a large state.

On the contrary, when it is desired to bend the flexible tube with a small radius of curvature, when the air of the balloon located on the bending direction side is sucked and the air is discharged, the balloon contracts and the notch of the joint becomes wide, When a pulling force is applied to the bending operation wire, the bending piece rotates to a rotation angle for holding the deflated balloon and bends, so that the radius of curvature of the flexible tube becomes small.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment, and 1 is a flexible tube as an insertion portion of an endoscope. Reference numeral 2 denotes a plurality of bending pieces, which are formed by a cylindrical short tube. Both ends of the bending piece 2 in the axial direction are rotatably connected by a connecting pin 3. Both ends of the bending piece 2 in the axial direction are notched obliquely, and the joints 4 of the flexible tube 1 are formed by the notches.

A wire guide 5 is provided on the inner wall of the bending piece 2, and a bending operation wire 6 is inserted through the wire guide 5 so as to be movable in the axial direction. This bending operation wire 6
One end of is fixed to the bending piece 2 on the distal end side of the flexible tube 1, and the other end is connected to a bending operation mechanism 7 provided on the proximal side. Then, a bending force is applied to the bending operation wire 6 by the bending operation mechanism 7 so that the bending piece 2 is connected to the connecting pin 3.
Is used as a fulcrum to rotate the flexible tube 1 to bend.

Further, a balloon 8 as a bending regulating member is provided at the joint portion 4 between the bending pieces 2.
These balloons 8 are connected to an air tube 9 attached to the inner circumference of the bending piece 2, and this air tube 9 is connected to a syringe 10 provided on the proximal side.

The syringe 10 is connected to a bending radius adjusting mechanism 11, and by this bending radius adjusting mechanism 11, the syringe 1
By operating 0, the air pressure supplied to each balloon 8 is adjusted.

The outer periphery of the bending piece 2 is covered with an outer cover 12 made of a resin tube, and inside the bending piece 2, a light guide fiber, an image guide fiber, a forceps channel, an air supply / water supply tube, etc., which are not shown. Is interpolated.

Next, the operation of the bending device constructed as described above will be described. When a pulling force is applied to the bending operation wire 6 by the bending operation mechanism 7, the bending piece 2 rotates around the connecting pin 3 as a fulcrum and bends from the joint 4.

At this time, when it is desired to bend the flexible tube 1 with a large radius of curvature, as shown in FIG. 2B, each of the balloons located on the side of the bending direction is operated by operating the syringe 10 by the bending radius adjusting mechanism 11. Supply air to 8. When air is supplied to the balloon 8, the balloon 8 expands to narrow the notch of the joint portion 4, and the rotation angle of each bending piece 2 is regulated and becomes smaller. That is, even if a pulling force is applied to the bending operation wire 6 by the bending operation mechanism 7, the rotation angle is regulated by the balloon 8 interposed between the bending pieces 2 and the bending operation is prevented from further bending. The radius of curvature can be kept large.

On the contrary, when it is desired to bend the flexible tube 1 with a small radius of curvature, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the bending radius adjusting mechanism 11 operates the syringe 10 to position each of them on the bending direction side. The air in the balloon 8 is sucked. When the air is discharged from the balloon 8, the balloon 8 contracts and the notch of the joint 4 becomes wider. That is, when a pulling force is applied to the bending operation wire 6 by the bending operation mechanism 7, the bending piece 2 rotates and bends to a rotation angle that holds the deflated balloon 8 and thus the radius of curvature of the flexible tube 1 is reduced. be able to.

As described above, the rotation angle of the bending piece 2 can be regulated by the air pressure supplied to the balloon 8, the radius of curvature of the flexible tube 1 can be varied, and the bending can be performed in a limited space like an endoscope. It is possible to improve the operability in the case of operating, and it is possible to prevent breakage of the built-in components such as the light guide fiber and the image guide fiber that are inserted due to excessive bending. FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment, and the same components as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

Inside the bending piece 2, a first bending operation wire 13, a second bending operation wire 14 and a third bending operation wire 15 are coaxially and slidably arranged in the axial direction. ing.

The distal end of the first bending operation wire 13 is fixed to the bending piece 2a on the distal end side of the flexible tube 1, and the second bending operation wire 14 is fixed to the intermediate bending piece 2b of the flexible tube 1. ,
The third bending operation wire 15 is fixed to the bending piece 2c on the proximal end side.

Therefore, when the first bending operation wire 13 is pulled toward the hand side, the bending piece 2 between the bending pieces 2a and 2b is pulled.
Rotates around the connecting pin 3 as a fulcrum, and the distal end side of the flexible tube 1 bends. When the second bending operation wire 14 is pulled toward the hand side, the bending piece 2 between the bending pieces 2b and 2c rotates around the connecting pin 3 as a fulcrum, and the intermediate portion of the flexible tube 1 bends. Third
When the bending operation wire 14 is pulled toward the hand side, the bending piece 2c
The bending piece 2 on the proximal side rotates around the connecting pin 3 as a fulcrum, and the proximal side of the flexible tube 1 bends.

By thus bending the flexible tube 1 in three steps by the first to third bending operation wires 13 to 15, it is possible to selectively bend the portion of the flexible tube 1 to be bent. . In addition, the first to third bending operation wires 1
By arranging 3 to 15 coaxially, the structure of the bending portion can be simplified and the diameter can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to improve operability when performing a bending operation in a limited space like an endoscope. FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment, and the same components as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

A coil sheath 16 is provided inside the bending piece 2 along the axial direction, and one end of the coil sheath 16 is open to the inside of the most advanced bending piece 2. A pulley 17 is provided inside the frontmost bending piece 2 facing the opening of the coil sheath 16.

A bending operation wire 18 is slidably inserted in the coil sheath 16 in the axial direction. The bending operation wire 18 is led out from the opening of the coil sheath 16 and is stretched around a pulley 17 through the pulley 17. It is folded back and fixed to the bending piece 2 on the proximal side.

Therefore, when the bending operation wire 18 is pulled, a pulling force is applied to the bending piece 2 on the distal end side of the flexible tube 1 by the pulley 17, and the flexible tube 1 is bent. in this way,
Since a tensile force is applied to the distal end side of the flexible tube 1, even if the bending portion begins to bend, the force transmitted to the distal end side does not decrease due to friction. As a result, it is possible to improve the operability in the case where the flexible tube 1 is bent from the distal end side and is bent in a limited space like an endoscope.

5 and 6 show shape memory alloys (hereinafter, S
It is a bending device using MA). The manipulator 20 composed of a multi-lumen tube is provided with a curved portion 21, and the curved portion 21 is divided into four portions at 90 ° intervals in the circumferential direction.
Two bending mechanisms 22 are provided.

The bending mechanisms 22 have the same structure. One of them will be described. 23 is an outer casing inserted in the bending portion 21 along the axial direction. It is formed and has flexibility. An inner cable 24 having conductivity is inserted in the outer casing 23 so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and an SMA wire 25 that is bent by energization is coaxially connected to the tip portion of the inner cable 24.

Inner cable 24 and SMA wire 2
5 is covered with an insulating coating layer 26 except for the tip of the SMA wire 25.
Wire moving device 2 having a rolling roller 27 on the hand side of
8 are provided.

An energization device 29 for energizing the SMA wire 25 is provided between the base end side of the outer casing 23 and the base end side of the inner cable 24, and the inner cable 24, the SMA wire 25, and the outer cable 24 are connected to each other. Casing 2
3, a closed circuit of the energization device 29 and the inner cable 24 is formed.

Therefore, the inner cable 24 integrally connected to the SMA wire 25 can be independently advanced and retracted inside the outer casing 23 inserted in the bending portion 21, and the bending portion 21 is moved by the wire moving device 28. The position of the SMA wire 25 with respect to can be changed.

Therefore, the wire moving device 28 on the bending side is driven to move the inner cable 24 forward and backward,
By positioning the SMA wire 25 with respect to the bending portion 21 and energizing the SMA wire 25 with the energizing device 29, the bending portion 21 can be bent by the SMA wire 25, and the bending portion 21 is bent at any position in the axial direction. it can.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, the radius of curvature of the bending portion can be changed by providing the joint portion with the bending restricting member which changes the radius of curvature by changing the axial distance of the bending piece. Can be used, the amount of bending can be regulated according to the site to be used, the degree of freedom is high, the operability is excellent, and by adopting a flexible tube for medical endoscopes and industrial endoscopes,
There is an effect that operability and observability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a bending device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view of the bending device of the same embodiment,

FIG. 3 shows a bending device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a partially cutaway perspective view, and (b) is a in (a).
-A sectional view taken along the line a.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view of a bending device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a bending device using an SMA.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional side view showing a bending mechanism of the device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Flexible tube, 2 ... Bending piece, 4 ... Joint part, 6 ... Bending operation wire, 7 ... Bending operation mechanism, 8 ... Balloon (bending regulation member).

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] January 28, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0015

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

A wire guide 5 is provided on the inner wall of the bending piece 2, and a bending operation wire 6 is inserted through the wire guide 5 so as to be movable in the axial direction. This bending operation wire 6
One end is fixed to the bending piece 2 on the distal end side of the flexible tube 1, and the other end is connected to a bending operation mechanism 7 provided on the proximal side. Then, a bending force is applied to the bending operation wire 6 by the bending operation mechanism 7 so that the bending piece 2 is connected to the connecting pin 3.
Is used as a fulcrum to rotate the flexible tube 1 to bend.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takahiro Kishi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsuya Suzuki 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tatsuya Yamaguchi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuhiro Ueda 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideyuki Adachi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Yuichi Ikeda 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaaki Hayashi 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus In Manabu Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of bending pieces rotatably connected to each other,
A joint portion formed by cutting out at least one of the bending pieces, a bending operation wire disposed on the inner circumference of the bending piece and having one end connected to the distal end side of the bending piece group, and a bending operation wire on the proximal side. A bending device comprising a bending operation mechanism connected to the bending device, wherein the joint portion is provided with a bending restricting member that changes a radius of curvature by changing an axial distance between the bending pieces.