阅读说明：本技术 ***装置用管 (Tube for insertion device ) 是由 三田村祐树 于 2018-09-07 设计创作，主要内容包括：插入装置用管配置在插入于被检体的插入装置的插入部的外周,能够绕所述插入部的长度轴旋转,其中,该插入装置用管具有：锥形部,其形成于前端部,外径朝向前端变小；以及加固部,其设置于所述锥形部的前端,刚性比所述锥形部的前端高。(An insertion device tube is arranged on the outer periphery of an insertion portion of an insertion device inserted into a subject and is rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion, and the insertion device tube includes: a tapered portion formed at the front end portion, the outer diameter of which becomes smaller toward the front end; and a reinforcing portion provided at the tip of the tapered portion, the reinforcing portion having higher rigidity than the tip of the tapered portion.)

1. A tube for an insertion device, which is arranged on the outer periphery of an insertion portion of an insertion device inserted into a subject and is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion,

the tube for an insertion device has:

a tapered portion formed at the front end portion, the outer diameter of which becomes smaller toward the front end; and

and a reinforcing portion provided at the tip of the tapered portion and having higher rigidity than the tip of the tapered portion.

2. The tube for an insertion device according to claim 1,

the thickness of the tapered portion becomes smaller toward the front end.

3. The tube for an insertion device according to claim 1 or 2,

the maximum thickness of the reinforcing part is greater than the thickness of the front end of the tapered part.

4. The tube for an insertion device according to claim 3,

the reinforcing portion has a convex portion protruding radially inward from a tip of the tapered portion.

5. The tube for an insertion device according to claim 4,

the cross-sectional shape of the convex portion on a plane including the length axis is a circle or a triangle having an apex directed radially inward.

6. The tube for an insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the reinforcing portion is made of the same resin material as the tapered portion, and has a higher hardness than the tapered portion by surface treatment.

7. The tube for an insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the tapered portion is composed of a1 st resin material,

the reinforcing portion is composed of a2 nd resin material having a higher hardness than the 1 st resin material.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a tube arranged on the outer periphery of an insertion device inserted into a subject.

Background

In the medical field or the industrial field, for example, an insertion device having a flexible insertion portion inserted into a subject such as a living body or a structure is used for observation or treatment in the subject. The insertion device includes, for example, an endoscope as disclosed in japanese patent No. 4513825. As described in japanese patent No. 4513825, a tube covering an insertion portion of an insertion device may be disposed on the outer periphery of the insertion portion. The tube has flexibility and is bent together with the insertion portion inserted through the inside.

Further, as disclosed in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016-54841, there is known an insertion device that can apply a propulsive force to an insertion portion inside a subject by providing a spiral fin on an outer peripheral surface of a tube covering the insertion portion and rotating the tube with respect to the insertion portion. When such an insertion device and a tube are used, a lubricant is filled between the insertion portion and the tube.

In the insertion device disclosed in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016-. When the opening of the tube is expanded in diameter, the lubricant filled inside leaks out, and the sliding resistance between the tube and the insertion portion may increase. On the other hand, if the rigidity of the tube is increased in order to prevent the opening of the tube from being expanded, the contact pressure between the insertion portion and the tube when the insertion portion is bent increases, and therefore there is a possibility that the sliding resistance between the tube and the insertion portion increases.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a tube for an insertion device capable of keeping a sliding resistance with an insertion portion of the insertion device small.

Disclosure of Invention

Means for solving the problems

An insertion device tube according to an aspect of the present invention is an insertion device tube that is disposed on an outer periphery of an insertion portion of an insertion device inserted into a subject and is rotatable around a longitudinal axis of the insertion portion, the insertion device tube including: a tapered portion formed at the front end portion, the outer diameter of which becomes smaller toward the front end; and a reinforcing portion provided at the tip of the tapered portion, the reinforcing portion having higher rigidity than the tip of the tapered portion.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an endoscope.

Fig. 2 is an external view of the tube for an insertion device according to embodiment 1 as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the tube for an insertion device according to embodiment 1 on a plane including the longitudinal axis.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the tube for an insertion device according to embodiment 2 on a plane including the longitudinal axis.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the tube for an insertion device according to embodiment 3 on a plane including the longitudinal axis.

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings used in the following description, the scale is different for each component so that each component has a size that can be recognized in the drawings, and the present invention is not limited to the number of components, the shapes of the components, the size ratios of the components, and the relative positional relationship between the components described in the drawings.

(embodiment 1)

An endoscope 1 as an insertion device shown in fig. 1 has an elongated insertion portion 2 that can be introduced into a subject such as a human body, and has a structure for observing the inside of the subject through the insertion portion 2. The subject to be introduced into the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 is not limited to a human body, and may be other living bodies, or may be an artificial object such as a machine or a building.

The endoscope 1 of the present embodiment is mainly configured by an elongated insertion portion 2 to be introduced into a subject, an operation portion 3 located at a proximal end of the insertion portion 2, a universal cable 4 extending from the operation portion 3, and the like

The insertion portion 2 is configured to be provided with: a distal end portion 2a disposed at the distal end, a bendable portion 2b disposed at the proximal end side of the distal end portion 2a, and a flexible tube portion 2c having flexibility and connecting the proximal end side of the bendable portion 2b and the distal end side of the operation portion 3.

A power transmission section 7 is disposed in the middle of the flexible tube section 2 c. The outer peripheral surface of the flexible tube portion 2c on the distal end side of the power transmission portion 7 is cylindrical. The power transmission portion 7 is coupled to an insertion device tube 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as a tube) disposed on the outer periphery of the flexible tube portion 2 c. The power transmission unit 7 transmits power generated by an actuator 8 such as an electric motor included in the endoscope 1 to the tube 10 for an insertion device. The tube 10 is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the flexible tube portion 2c with respect to the flexible tube portion 2c by the power generated by the actuator 8. The actuator 8 can be switched to the generation of the non-power in accordance with the operation of a switch not shown.

The power transmission between the power transmission part 7 and the pipe 10 may be performed by a coupling by mechanical engagement of both, a coupling by friction between both, or a coupling by magnetic force between both.

The distal end portion 2a is provided with a structure for observing the inside of the subject. For example, an imaging unit including an objective lens and an imaging element for optically observing the inside of the subject is disposed at the distal end portion 2 a. Further, an illumination light emitting portion that emits light for illuminating the object of the imaging unit is provided at the distal end portion 2 a. In addition, an ultrasonic transducer for acoustically observing the inside of the subject using ultrasonic waves may be disposed at the distal end portion 2 a.

An angle operation knob 6 for operating the bending of the bending portion 2b is provided on the operation portion 3 disposed at the proximal end of the insertion portion 2. An endoscope connector 5 is provided at a proximal end portion of the universal cable 4, and the endoscope connector 5 is configured to be connectable to an external device not shown. The external device connected to the connector 5 includes a camera control unit and the like that controls an imaging unit provided in the distal end portion 2 a.

Next, the structure of the tube 10 will be explained. Fig. 2 is an external view of the tube 10 as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the tip end portion of the tube 10 on a plane including the length axis L.

The tube 10 has a cylindrical shape into which the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 can be inserted. Hereinafter, the hole of the tube 10 through which the insertion portion 2 can be inserted is referred to as a through hole 11. One end of the tube 10 in the direction along the longitudinal axis L is referred to as a distal end 10a, and the other end is referred to as a proximal end 10 b. In addition, regarding the direction along the longitudinal axis L, the direction from the base end 10b toward the tip end 10a is referred to as the tip end direction, and the opposite direction is referred to as the base end direction. In fig. 2 and 3, the left side is the front direction and the right side is the base direction, which are directly opposite to the drawings.

In the present embodiment, the longitudinal axis L of the tube 10 is the central axis of the through hole 11, and the through hole 11 opens in the distal direction and the proximal direction at the distal end 10a and the proximal end 10b of the tube 10, respectively. In fig. 2, the longitudinal axis L is drawn as a straight line, but at least a part of the tube 10 has flexibility, and the actual longitudinal axis L may be curved.

The pipe 10 is connected along the longitudinal axis L from the base end 10b to the distal end 10a with a connector portion 12, an intermediate tube portion 13, and a distal end portion 14.

Connector portion 12 has a proximal end side opening 11b of through hole 11 formed therein. The connector portion 12 is coupled to the power transmission portion 7 in a state where the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 is inserted into the through hole 11. That is, the connector portion 12 is a portion to which power generated by the actuator 8 is transmitted.

The intermediate cylindrical portion 13 has flexibility. Therefore, the intermediate tube section 13 is bent together with the insertion section 2 of the endoscope 1 inserted into the through hole 11. More specifically, the intermediate cylindrical portion 13 includes a cylindrical portion 13a having a cylindrical shape and a fin 13b protruding from an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 13 a. The cylindrical portion 13a and the fins 13b are made of an elastically deformable resin material that is bent together with the insertion portion 2. The cylindrical portion 13a has substantially the same outer diameter in the entire longitudinal direction.

The fin 13b has a spiral shape with the longitudinal axis L as a central axis. That is, the fin 13b has a shape corresponding to the tooth portion of the male screw. In the illustrated embodiment, the fin 13b is a single continuous spiral, but the fin 13b may be divided into a plurality of pieces. The fin 13b may be a double or triple helix.

The insertion portion 2 with the tube 10 disposed on the outer periphery is inserted into the subject, and the tube 10 is rotated about the longitudinal axis L by the actuator 8, whereby the spiral fin 13b is rotated about the longitudinal axis L in the subject. By rotating the fins 13b in a state of being in contact with the inner wall of the subject, the tube 10 applies a propulsive force in the distal end direction or the proximal end direction to the insertion portion 2. By applying this propulsive force, the mobility of the insertion portion 2 in the longitudinal axis direction within the subject is improved.

The distal end portion 14 has a distal end side opening 11a of the through hole 11. That is, the distal end portion 14 is disposed at the distal end 10a of the tube 10. The tip end portion 14 has a cylindrical shape, and has a tapered portion 14a whose outer diameter is reduced toward the tip end, and a reinforcing portion 14b provided at the tip end 14a1 of the tapered portion 14 a.

The tapered portion 14a is made of an elastically deformable resin material that is bent together with the insertion portion 2. The base end 14a2 of the tapered portion 14a is connected to the distal end of the cylindrical portion 13a of the intermediate cylindrical portion 13, and the outer diameter at the base end 14a2 of the tapered portion 14a is substantially the same as the outer diameter at the distal end of the cylindrical portion 13 a. The outer diameter at the leading end 14a1 of the taper 14a is smaller than the outer diameter at the base end 14a2 of the taper 14 a.

The inner diameter of the tapered portion 14a, that is, the inner diameter of the through hole 11 in the tapered portion 14a may be constant in the direction along the longitudinal axis L, may be smaller in the direction toward the distal end, or may be larger in the direction toward the distal end.

The tapered portion 14a is preferably formed such that the thickness in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, that is, the thickness in the radial direction becomes smaller toward the distal end. In the present embodiment, the thickness of the tapered portion 14a is changed so as to decrease toward the distal end by making the inner diameter of the through hole 11 in the tapered portion 14a substantially constant in the direction along the longitudinal axis L.

By making the thickness of the tapered portion 14a smaller toward the distal end as in the present embodiment, the distal end portion 14 can be easily deformed in accordance with the curved shape of the insertion portion 2 inserted into the through hole 11.

Since the through hole 11 is formed at the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a, the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14 has an annular shape centered on the longitudinal axis L.

The reinforcing portion 14b is an annular portion that projects from the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a in the tip direction and is centered on the longitudinal axis L. The reinforcing portion 14b is a portion constituting the distal end 10a of the tube 10, and surrounds the distal end side opening 11a of the through hole 11.

The reinforcing portion 14b has higher rigidity than the front end 14a1 of the tapered portion 14 a. Here, the rigidity of the reinforcing portion 14b and the rigidity of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a mean difficulty in deformation of the cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the respective longitudinal axes L. As described above, the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing portion 14b and the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a on the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L is a circular ring shape. In the present embodiment, the higher the rigidity is, the smaller the amount of deformation and the amount of change in the inner diameter of the cross-sectional shape of the annular reinforcing portion 14b or the tip 14a1 from a perfect circle in a state where no stress is applied.

The rigidity of the reinforcing portion 14b is compared with the rigidity of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a in a state where the two are separated from each other. That is, the rigidity of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a refers to the rigidity of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a in the case where the reinforcing portion 14b is not provided.

The structure for making the rigidity of the reinforcing portion 14b higher than the rigidity of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a is not particularly limited. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, for example, the maximum thickness of the reinforcing portion 14b is larger than the thickness of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14 a. Here, the rigidity of the reinforcing portion 14b and the thickness of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a mean the thickness in the radial direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the respective longitudinal axes L. In the present embodiment, the reinforcing portion 14b is made of the same material as the tapered portion 14a, and is integrally molded with the tapered portion 14 a.

As shown in fig. 3, the reinforcing portion 14b of the present embodiment has a convex portion 14b1 that protrudes radially inward with respect to the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a, thereby obtaining a thickness greater than the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14 a. That is, the inner diameter of the reinforcing portion 14b is smaller than the inner diameter of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a, and the outer diameter of the reinforcing portion 14b is substantially the same as or larger than the outer diameter of the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14 a.

By making the inner diameter of the reinforcing portion 14b disposed at the distal end 10a of the tube 10 smaller than the inner diameter of the member disposed in the proximal direction of the reinforcing portion 14b as in the present embodiment, leakage of the lubricant filled between the tube 10 and the insertion portion 2 from the distal end side opening 11a can be suppressed.

In the present embodiment, the convex portion 14b1 of the reinforcing portion 14b has a ridge shape having a radially inward apex. In the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the convex portion 14b1 on a plane including the longitudinal axis L is substantially circular or substantially triangular. Therefore, the reinforcing portion 14b is in line contact with the outer periphery of the insertion portion 2 inserted through the inside.

The reinforcing portion 14b is a portion where the distal end side opening 11a, which is one end of the through hole 11, is formed, and therefore is a portion that is easily brought into contact with the insertion portion 2 inserted into the through hole 11. In the present embodiment, the reinforcing portion 14b is formed in a shape in line contact with the insertion portion 2, so that the contact area between the reinforcing portion 14b and the insertion portion 2 can be reduced, and the sliding resistance of the tube 10 with respect to the insertion portion 2 can be suppressed.

In the pipe 10 having the above-described configuration, by providing the reinforcing portion 14b at the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a of the tip portion 14, the difficulty of deforming the tip-side opening 11a of the through-hole 11 can be made higher than in a conventional pipe in which the reinforcing portion 14b is not provided.

When the portion of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 inserted into the through hole 11 is bent, a force is applied to the tube 10 in a direction to expand the inner diameter of the distal end side opening 11a of the through hole 11. Here, in the present embodiment, since the distal end side opening 11a is not easily deformed by providing the reinforcing portion 14b, the diameter expansion of the distal end side opening 11a in the case where the insertion portion 2 is bent can be suppressed as compared with the conventional case. Therefore, according to the tube 10 of the present embodiment, the diameter of the distal end side opening 11a can be suppressed from being enlarged as compared with the conventional case, and leakage of the lubricant filled between the tube 10 and the insertion portion 2 can be suppressed.

In the present embodiment, by providing the reinforcing portion 14b at the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a of the tip portion 14, the ease of deformation of the tapered portion 14a in response to bending of the insertion portion 2 can be maintained without increasing the rigidity of the tapered portion 14a itself.

As described above, in the tube 10 of the present embodiment, compared to the conventional art, by suppressing the diameter expansion of the distal end side opening 11a while maintaining the ease of deformation of the tapered portion 14a, the lubricant can be suppressed from leaking out while preventing an increase in the contact pressure between the tube 10 and the insertion portion 2, and therefore the sliding resistance between the tube 10 and the insertion portion 2 can be kept small.

(embodiment 2)

Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be explained below. Only the differences from embodiment 1 will be described below, and the same components as those in embodiment 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted as appropriate.

In the pipe 10 of the present embodiment shown in fig. 4, only the structure of the reinforcing portion 14b is different from that of embodiment 1.

The reinforcing portion 14b of the present embodiment is made of the same material as the tapered portion 14a, and is the same as the embodiment 1 in that it is integrally molded with the tapered portion 14a, but the reinforcing portion 14b of the present embodiment has higher rigidity than the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a by the surface treatment 14c (the portion indicated by hatching in fig. 4).

The surface treatment 14c for improving the rigidity of the reinforcing portion 14b is not particularly limited as long as the hardness of the reinforcing portion 14b made of a resin material is improved. The surface treatment 14c is, for example, plating or coating. The surface treatment 14c may be a modification treatment for increasing the hardness of the reinforcing portion 14 b. As the modification treatment of the resin material, for example, modification treatment with a chemical solution and modification treatment with plasma are known.

In the tube 10 of the present embodiment as well, as in embodiment 1, by providing the reinforcing portion 14b at the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a of the tip portion 14, it is possible to suppress the diameter expansion of the tip-side opening 11a while maintaining the ease of deformation of the tapered portion 14a, and to suppress the leakage of the lubricant while preventing the increase in the contact pressure between the tube 10 and the insertion portion 2, compared to the conventional one, and therefore, it is possible to keep the sliding resistance between the tube 10 and the insertion portion 2 small.

In the present embodiment, a convex portion that protrudes inward in the radial direction may be provided on the reinforcing portion 14b, as in embodiment 1.

(embodiment 3)

Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described below. Only the differences from embodiment 1 will be described below, and the same components as those in embodiment 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted as appropriate.

The pipe 10 of the present embodiment shown in fig. 5 differs from the pipe of embodiment 1 only in the structure of the reinforcing portion 14 b.

The reinforcing portion 14b of the present embodiment is made of a2 nd resin material different from the 1 st resin material making up the tapered portion 14 a. The 2 nd resin material constituting the reinforcing portion 14b has a higher hardness than the 1 st resin material constituting the tapered portion 14 a. The reinforcing portion 14b of the present embodiment is made of a material having a higher hardness than the tapered portion 14a, and therefore has a higher rigidity than the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14 a.

The method of joining the reinforcing portion 14b and the tapered portion 14a is not particularly limited. The reinforcing portion 14b and the tapered portion 14a may be joined by adhesion, or may be joined by two-color molding, insert molding, or the like at the time of molding.

In the tube 10 of the present embodiment as well, as in embodiment 1, by providing the reinforcing portion 14b at the tip 14a1 of the tapered portion 14a of the tip portion 14, it is possible to suppress the diameter expansion of the tip-side opening 11a while maintaining the ease of deformation of the tapered portion 14a, and to suppress the leakage of the lubricant while preventing the increase in the contact pressure between the tube 10 and the insertion portion 2, compared to the conventional one, and therefore, it is possible to keep the sliding resistance between the tube 10 and the insertion portion 2 small.

In the present embodiment, a convex portion that protrudes inward in the radial direction may be provided on the reinforcing portion 14b, as in embodiment 1. In the present embodiment, the reinforcing portion 14b may be subjected to a surface treatment for increasing the hardness, as in embodiment 2.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate within a range not departing from the spirit or scope of the invention read from the claims and the specification as a whole.

The present application is applied on the basis of the priority claim of japanese patent application No. 2017-230646 applied in japan at 11/30/2017, and the above-mentioned disclosures are cited in the present specification, claims and drawings.