JP2002078675A - Motor operated angle type electronic endoscope system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a motor operated angle type electronic endoscope system capable of utilizing a light source used in a manual angle type electronic endoscope and having excellent cleanability and medical electric safety. SOLUTION: A connector 2d is constituted of a first coupling part 31 and a second coupling part 32. A light guide connector 33 and an opening shielding member 34 for blocking an air connector 5 are projected from the proximal end of the part 31. A first electric connector 35, a suction connector 36a, a water sending mouthpiece 36b and an air connector 36c are provided at the part 31, and a coupling port 38 for detachably fixedly coupling a second electric connector 37 and a curved surface driver 7 is provided at the part 32. A pulley 62 integral with a wire side spur gear 61 is provided in the part 32. An idler 71 formed of a resin member of an insulating member is engaged with the gear 61, and a drive side spur gear 76 is engaged with the idler 71.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drive unit for driving an electric motor or the like provided on an external device based on an electric signal output from an operation switch of an operation unit. The present invention relates to an electric angle type electronic endoscope apparatus that performs a bending operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an elongated insertion portion has been inserted into a body cavity,
If necessary, insert the treatment tool into the treatment tool channel,
Endoscopes that can perform various examinations and treatments are widely used.
These endoscopes use a solid-state image pickup device such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) as an image pickup means, and convert a subject image formed on the CCD into an electric signal and further an image signal to display the subject image on a monitor screen. There is an electronic endoscope that is designed to be observed by observing.

[0003] This electronic endoscope has a flexible insertion portion, and a bending portion formed by connecting a plurality of bending pieces so as to be capable of bending in the vertical and horizontal directions. There is an object that can be inserted into a closed body cavity. The bending operation of the bending portion is performed, for example, by manually operating a bending operation knob provided on an operation portion also serving as a grip portion located at the proximal end of the insertion portion. The endoscope and one of the electric switches provided on this operation unit
There is an electric angle type electronic endoscope in which a bending operation switch is operated to drive an electric motor to drive an electric motor to bend a bending portion.

An electric angle type electronic endoscope provided with an electric motor for bending a bending portion is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-2 / 1991.
There is an endoscope disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 28728. In this endoscope, an electric motor is provided in an operation section, and a bending wire is pulled by a driving force of the electric motor to bend the bending section.

[0005] However, in this endoscope, since an electric part and a mechanical part such as an electric motor, an encoder, and a clutch, which serve as a driving part, are provided in the operation part, the operation part becomes large and heavy. In addition, when the endoscope is exposed to a high humidity environment such as washing, the characteristics of electric components and mechanical components are deteriorated. There has been a problem that the circuit configuration for separating the driving section from the patient circuit side to the secondary circuit side becomes complicated.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-22904 discloses an electric motor provided in, for example, a control device which is an external device, and the driving force of the electric motor is extended from the operation section of the electronic endoscope by a base end of a universal cord. There is disclosed an electric endoscope apparatus in which a bending wire is pulled by transmitting to a gear, which is a driving force transmission mechanism member in a connector provided in a section, to bend the bending section. According to this electric endoscope apparatus, the operation unit can be reduced in size, and the problem at the time of cleaning and the problem of the circuit configuration can be solved.

[0007]

However, in the electric endoscope apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-22904, for example, when replacing from a manual angle type electronic endoscope in which the bending portion is operated manually, the connector structure is not changed. Due to the difference, the light source device of the manual angle type electronic endoscope cannot be used. For this reason, an expensive light source device must be replaced. That is, there is a problem that the light source device used in the manual angle type electronic endoscope becomes unnecessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can use a light source device used in a manual angle type electronic endoscope, and is excellent in cleaning performance and medical electrical safety. It is an object to provide an electronic endoscope device.

[0009]

An electric angle type electronic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention includes an image pickup device at a distal end of an insertion section having a curved section, and an operation section disposed at a base end of the insertion section. An electric angle type electronic endoscope having a bending operation switch, an air supply switch, a water supply switch, and a suction switch for outputting an electric signal, and a coupling portion provided at a base end of a universal cord extending from the operation portion. A light source device to which the connecting portion is detachably connected and supplies illumination light for observation, a driving signal connected to the connecting portion and for driving the image sensor, and an image signal photoelectrically converted by the image sensor. An image processing device to be processed, and a drive control device that is connected to the coupling unit, receives an electric signal output from the bending operation switch, the air supply switch, the water supply switch, and the suction switch, and outputs a control signal. A fluid device that is connected to the connecting portion and performs air supply, water supply, and suction based on a control signal output from the drive control device, and generates a driving force based on the control signal output from the drive control device A driving unit that includes a driving unit, and a driving force transmission mechanism that is detachable from the coupling unit, transmits the driving force generated by the driving unit to a traction member that passes through the universal cord and the insertion unit, and performs a bending operation on the bending unit. And a bending drive device for performing the bending operation.

The driving force transmitting mechanism is formed of an insulating member for interrupting a leakage current from a driving unit of the bending driving device, and the connecting portion is attached to and detached from a light source device having an air supply pipe. A pipe closing member that enables the air supply pipe to be in a closed state is provided.

According to this configuration, the operability can be improved by reducing the size and weight of the operation unit, and reliable medical electrical safety can be ensured. Further, the configuration of the electric angle-type electronic endoscope device can be realized by using the light source device of the manual angle-type electronic endoscope having the air supply conduit.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 relate to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a view for explaining the configuration of an electric angle type electronic endoscope device, and FIG. 2 is a configuration example of a connector portion of the electric angle type electronic endoscope. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a connecting portion and a bending driving device, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a bending driving device, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a watertight cap is attached to the connecting portion. FIG. 6 is a view showing a bending wire in a bent state between an insertion portion and a universal cord. FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a connection state in which a bending driving device is connected to a second connection portion, and FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a bending wire and a wire-side spur gear.

An electric angle type electronic endoscope device (hereinafter abbreviated as an electronic endoscope device) 1 of the present embodiment shown in FIG.
For example, a medical electric angle type electronic endoscope (hereinafter abbreviated as an endoscope) 2, a light source device 3, an image processing device 4,
It mainly includes a drive control device 5, a fluid device 6, and a bending drive device 7. The video signal generated by the image processing device 4 is output to a display device (not shown) via the video cable 4a, and an endoscopic image is displayed on the screen of the display device.

The endoscope 2 includes an elongated insertion section 2a inserted into a body cavity, an elongated operation section 2b serving also as a grip section provided on the proximal end side of the insertion section 2a, 2b and a universal cord 2c extending from the base 2b.

The insertion portion 2a has a rigid distal end portion 21 having a built-in image pickup device 21a in order from the distal end side, and a bending portion 2 formed by connecting a plurality of bending pieces so as to be capable of bending vertically and horizontally.
2. A flexible tube portion 23 having flexibility is continuously provided.

The operation section 2b is an electric switch for outputting an electric signal. The operation section 2b is operated to bend the bending section 22 in a desired direction. For example, a joystick type bending operation switch 24 such as a potentiometer or a pressure-sensitive sensor is instructed. Suction button 25, air supply button 2 for instructing air supply
6. An operation switch such as a water supply button 27 for instructing water supply is provided in a watertight manner. An endoscope connector 2d composed of a first connecting portion 31 and a second connecting portion 32 is provided at a base end of the universal cord 2c.

Reference numeral 41 denotes a curved wire which is a pulling member for transmitting a driving force, reference numeral 42 denotes an imaging cable extending from the image pickup device 21a to transmit and receive signals, reference numeral 43 denotes a light guide fiber for transmitting illumination light, Reference numeral 44 denotes a signal cable that extends from the bending operation switch 24, the suction button 25, the air supply button 26, and the water supply button 27 and that collects signal lines for transmitting an instruction signal. Insertion section 2
a, a suction tube, a water supply tube, and an air supply tube (not shown) are inserted into the universal cord 2c.

The light source device 3 has a lamp (reference numeral 51 in FIG. 2) for generating illumination light for observation.
Is transmitted to the distal end portion 21 via the light guide fiber 43, passes through an illumination window (not shown), and irradiates the observation site.

The image processing device 4 includes a signal processing unit (reference numeral 4a in FIG. 2) electrically connected to the imaging cable 42.
And outputs a drive signal for driving the image pickup device 21a, and generates a video signal by receiving an image signal of an optical image that is formed on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 21a and photoelectrically converted into an electric signal. And output it to the display device.

The drive control unit 5 includes a control unit (reference numeral 5a in FIG. 2) electrically connected to signal lines extending from the bending operation switch 24, the suction button 25, the air supply button 26, and the water supply button 27, respectively. Control unit 5).
a, a control signal is output to the fluid device 6 and the bending drive device 7.

The fluid device 6 includes a plurality of solenoid valves (see reference numerals 6a, 6b, and 6c in FIG. 2) which are controlled based on a control signal output from the drive control device 5.
Supply air and water.

The bending driving device 7 includes an electric motor 70 serving as a driving unit for generating a driving force based on a control signal output from the driving control device 5. The driving force of the electric motor 70 is transmitted to the bending wire 41 via a driving force transmission mechanism, which will be described later, which is detachable from the second connecting portion 32. Thus, the bending section 22 performs a bending operation in accordance with the instruction signal of the bending operation switch 24.

Reference numeral 8a denotes a first signal transmission cable for electrically connecting the first connecting portion 31 from which the imaging cable 42 extends to the image processing device 4, and reference numeral 8b denotes the signal cable 4.
Reference numeral 8c denotes a first electric cable for transmitting a control signal from the drive control device 5 to the fluid device 6 by electrically connecting the extended second connection portion 32 to the drive control device 5. , Reference numeral 8d denotes a second electric cable for transmitting a control signal from the drive control device 5 to the bending drive device 7,
Reference numerals 9a, 9b, and 9c denote tubes for connecting the fluid device 6 and the first connection portion 31. Specifically, reference numeral 9a denotes a suction tube, reference numeral 9b denotes a water supply tube, and reference numeral 9c denotes an air supply tube.

Here, the configurations of the endoscope connector 2d and the bending drive device 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that the light source device 3 of the electronic endoscope device 1 of the present embodiment is a light source device used in a manual angle type electronic endoscope, and as shown in FIG. 51, a condenser lens 52 for condensing illumination light emitted from the lamp 51 on a base end surface of a light guide connector 33 protruding from the first connecting portion 31, an air supply pump 53 for air supply, and an air supply pipe. A path 54 and an air supply mouthpiece 55 are provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, the endoscope connector (hereinafter, simply referred to as a connector) 2d includes a first connecting portion 31 and a second connecting portion 32. The light guide fiber 43 is provided at the base end of the first connecting portion 31.
And an opening blocking member 34 for closing the opening of the air supply mouthpiece 55.

A first signal transmission cable 8a is electrically connected to a side peripheral surface of the first connecting portion 31.
Electric connector 35, suction base 36a to which suction tube 9a is connected, and water supply base 3 to which water supply tube 9b is connected.
6b, an air supply base 36c to which the air supply tube 9c is connected is provided.

On the other hand, a second electrical connector 37 for electrically connecting the second signal transmission cable 8b is provided at an end of the second connecting portion 32, and the bending drive device 7 is provided on a side peripheral surface. A connection port 38 serving as a connection mechanism that is detachably connected and fixed is provided. A pulley 62 integrated with the wire-side spur gear 61 is provided in the second connecting portion 32, and the curved wire 41 is arranged so as to be advanced and retracted by the pulley 62.

An idler 71 formed into a predetermined size and shape by a resin member, which is an insulating member, as a driving force transmission mechanism provided in the bending driving device 7 meshes with the wire side spur gear 61. Has become. The drive side spur gear 76 of the bending drive device 7 meshes with the idler 71.

For this reason, the connecting portion 7 of the bending driving device 7
b is integrally fixed to the connection port 38 of the second connection portion 32 by, for example, screwing, so that the rotational driving force of the drive side spur gear 76 is rotated by the idler 71 to the wire side spur gear 61.
Wire 41 transmitted to the pulley and disposed on the pulley 62
Moves forward and backward, and the second connecting portion 32 and the bending drive device 7
Are separated by a predetermined distance by an idler 71 to prevent a leakage current from an electric component described later in the bending drive device 7 from flowing to the second connecting portion 32.

[0030] As shown in FIG.
1 has a vertical wire and a left and right wire.
1a is arranged on the pulley 62a for up and down, and the bending wire 41b for left and right is arranged on the pulley 62b for left and right, respectively. Reference numeral 63 denotes a potentiometer for detecting the amount of rotation of the wire-side spur gear 61. Potentiometers 63a and 63b for detecting the amount of rotation of the wire-side spur gears 61a and 61b and controlling the amount of wire movement are provided, respectively. I have.

Referring to FIG. 4, the structure of the bending driving device 7 will be described. As shown in the figure, an outer case 7a provided with a connecting portion 7b constituting the bending drive device 7 is formed of, for example, a resin member having an insulating property. This outer case 7a
A vertical driving unit 70a for operating the vertical bending wire 41a is provided therein, and the left and right bending wires 41a.
b and a left and right drive unit 70b for operating b.

The vertical drive unit 70a and the left and right drive unit 70b are composed of electric motors 73a and 73b having drive shafts for driving force transmitting spur gears (hereinafter simply referred to as spur gears) 72a and 72b, respectively. The clutches 75a and 75b are connected to the gears 72a and 72b by gear trains 74a and 74b constituting a reduction mechanism, and transmit driving force, and a drive, for example, a spur gear provided on the clutches 75a and 75b and outputting driving force. It is composed of side spur gears 76a and 76b.

The idler 71 also has a vertical drive and a horizontal drive, and the vertical drive idler 71a meshes with the drive vertical spur gear 76a.
The right and left idlers 71b are engaged with each other. The electric motors 73a and 73b are driven in accordance with a control signal input from the drive control device 5 via the second electric cable 8d. Reference numeral 56 denotes a rigid support plate, for example, made of metal, which is disposed integrally with the light source device 3 and supports the second connecting portion 32 of the connector 2d.

The operation of the electronic endoscope apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described. First, a light guide connector 33 protruding from an end of a connector 2d provided at an end of a universal cord 2c extending from the operation unit 2b of the endoscope 2 is attached to a predetermined position of the light source device 3. Then
The end face of the light guide connector 33 is arranged at a predetermined position on the optical axis of the lamp 51, and an opening block member 34 protruding from the vicinity of the light guide connector 33 is provided in the light source device 3. The opening of the base 55 is closed. At this time, the second connecting portion 32 is in a state of being supported by the support plate 56.

In this state, the connector 2d, the image processing device 4, the drive control device 5, and the fluid device 6 are connected to the first signal transmission cable 8a, the second signal transmission cable 8b, and the suction tube 9.
a, the connection is made via the water supply tube 9b and the air supply tube 9c, and finally, the bending drive device 7 provided at the distal end of the second electric cable 8d is connected to the second connection portion 32. At this time, since the second connection portion 32 is supported by the support plate 56, the bending drive device 7 including the drive portions 70a and 70b is in a mechanically and electrically stable connection state. The drive control device 5 and the fluid device 6 are electrically connected in advance by the first electric cable 8c.

Next, the operator inserts the insertion portion 2a into the body cavity. At this time, the surgeon inserts the distal end portion 21 of the insertion section 2a toward the observation site while observing the endoscope image displayed on the screen of the display device. At this time, the operator operates the bending operation switch 24 with the finger of the left hand holding the operation unit 2b to perform the bending operation on the bending unit 22 as necessary.

Then, an instruction signal is output from the bending operation switch 24 to the drive control device 5 via the signal cable 44 and the second signal transmission cable 8b. Then, a predetermined drive unit of the bending drive device 7, for example, the vertical drive unit 70 a, is transmitted from the drive control device 5 via the second electric cable 8 d.
Control signal is output to the electric motor 70a.

As a result, the electric motor 70a is driven to rotate, and the driving force of the electric motor 70a is a driving force transmitting spur gear 72a, an up / down gear train 74a, an up / down clutch 75a, and an up / down driving side spur gear 76a. Is transmitted to the wire side spur gear 61 in the second connecting portion 32 via the up / down idler 71a, and the curved wire 41a disposed on the pulley 62 integrated with the wire side spur gear 61 is moved by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction. It moves and the bending portion 22 performs a bending operation.

When the operator operates operation buttons such as the suction button 25, the air supply button 26, and the water supply button 27 (here, the air supply button 26 is operated), a signal is sent from the air supply button 26. An instruction signal is output to the drive control device 5 via the cable 44 and the second signal transmission cable 8b, and a control signal is output from the drive control device 5 to the fluid device 6 via 8c.

Thus, the electromagnetic valve 6 of the fluid device 6
With c opened, the air from the air supply pump 6d passes through the air supply tube 9c, the air supply base 36c, and the air supply tube, and is jetted from a nozzle (not shown) provided at the distal end portion 21.

After the inspection, the connector 2d
The first signal transmission cable 8a, which has been connected to the image processing device 4, the drive control device 5, and the fluid device 6,
The signal transmission cable 8b, the suction tube 9a, the water supply tube 9b, the air supply tube 9c, and the bending driving device 7 are removed, and the watertight cap 77a is attached to the connection port 38 as shown in FIG.
And the watertight caps 77b and 77c are attached to the first electrical connector 35 and the second electrical connector 37, respectively.
And wash it.

As described above, the pulley on which the bending wire is disposed is integrated, and the wire-side spur gear which removably meshes with the idler of the bending driving device is disposed in the connector for the endoscope. A first electric connector, a suction base, a water supply base, an air supply base, a second electric connector and a connection port are provided, and a light guide connector and an opening block member are provided at an end of the connector to form an endoscope connector. By configuring the electric angle type electronic endoscope, that is, by providing the drive unit to the external device,
The structure and weight of the endoscope operation section can be simplified and the endoscope cleaning workability after using the endoscope can be improved. Thus, by appropriately operating an electric switch provided on the operation unit, a bending drive device or a fluid device as an external device is driven to perform a bending operation of the endoscope insertion unit, suction, air supply, water supply, or the like. Various operations can be performed.

Further, by providing a light guide connector and an opening blocking member at the end of the endoscope connector, the endoscope connector can be used in a light source device used in a manual angle type electronic endoscope. It can be attached for endoscopic observation. As a result, when replacing the manual angle type electronic endoscope with the electric angle type electronic endoscope, there is no need to replace an expensive light source device, thereby reducing the financial burden.

Further, the drive force of the bending drive device is transmitted from the drive side spur gear to the wire side spur gear by an idler formed of a predetermined size by an insulating member, and the outer case covering the drive unit is insulated. By forming the member, a malfunction that the leakage current generated from the bending drive device is transmitted to the electric angle type electronic endoscope through the second connecting portion is prevented, and the medical electrical safety is easily secured. Can be.

The bending wire passing through the insertion portion is
As shown in FIG. 6, the pulley 28 disposed on the lower end side of the operation section 2b bends from the universal cord 2c toward the insertion section 2a. Thus, even when the bending angle becomes an acute angle, the bending wire 41 slides and moves smoothly, and the driving force is transmitted. Further, the arrangement positions of the operation switches, the bases, and the like are not limited to the positional relationships shown in the drawings.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to only the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, the light source device used in the manual angle type electronic endoscope can be used, and the electric angle type electronic device excellent in cleaning performance and medical electrical safety can be used. An endoscope device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 relate to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electric angle type electronic endoscope device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a connector portion of an electric angle type electronic endoscope.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a connecting portion and a bending drive device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a bending drive device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a watertight cap is attached to a connecting portion.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a bending wire in a bent state between an insertion portion and a universal cord.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric angle type electronic endoscope apparatus 2 ... Electric angle type electronic endoscope 2a ... Insertion part 2b ... Operation part 2c ... Universal cord 2d ... Endoscope connector 3 ... Light source device 38 ... Connection port 4 ... Image processing apparatus 5 Drive control device 6 Fluid device 7 Bending drive device 7a Exterior case 7b Connection portion 31 First connection portion 32 Second connection portion 61 Wire side spur gear 70 Electric motor 71 Idler 76 Drive Side spur gear

Claims (3)

[Claims] An image pickup device is provided at a distal end of an insertion portion having a bending portion, and a bending operation switch, an air supply switch, a water supply switch, which outputs an electric signal to an operation portion disposed at a base end of the insertion portion, An electric angle-type electronic endoscope having a suction switch and provided with a connecting portion at a base end of a universal cord extending from the operating portion, wherein the connecting portion is detachably connected to provide illumination light for observation. A light source device to be supplied; an image processing device connected to the connection unit for processing a drive signal for driving the image pickup device and an image signal photoelectrically converted by the image pickup device; and the bending operation connected to the connection unit. An electric signal output from a switch, an air supply switch, a water supply switch, or a suction switch is input, and a drive control device that outputs a control signal; and a drive control device that is connected to the coupling unit and output from the drive control device. A fluid device that performs air supply, water supply, and suction based on a control signal, and a drive unit that generates a drive force based on a control signal output from the drive control device, and a detachable drive force transmission to the coupling unit. A bending drive device configured to transmit a driving force generated by the driving unit to a traction member inserted through the universal cord and the insertion unit by a mechanism unit to perform a bending operation on the bending unit; Angle type electronic endoscope device. 2. The electric angle type electronic endoscope device according to claim 1, wherein the driving force transmission mechanism is formed of an insulating member that blocks a leakage current from a driving unit of the bending driving device. . 3. The connecting portion is provided with a pipe line closing member that is detachable from a light source device having an air line and that closes the air line. The electric angle type electronic endoscope device according to claim 1.