An endoscope includes: an insertion portion including a bending portion bendable at least in a vertical direction on a distal end portion side; an operation portion to which a proximal end portion of the insertion portion is connected; a traction wire including a first end and a second end, connected to the insertion portion at the first end, and configured to bend the bending portion by being pulled; a fixing member fixed to the second end of the traction wire; a holding member configured to hold the fixing member; and a pulley turnably provided inside the operation portion and including a disposing portion where the holding member is disposed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an endoscope including a bending lever for pulling and loosening a bending wire in an operation portion.

2. Description of the Related Art

An endoscope which allows observation or the like by inserting an elongated insertion portion into a subject is widely utilized. There is a type of endoscope which includes a bending portion on a distal end side of the insertion portion. The bending portion is generally configured to perform a bending operation by pulling and loosening a bending wire by turning a bending lever, for example, which is a bending operation device provided in the operation portion.

For example, in an endoscope apparatus in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-218569, a bending wire configured by connecting a traction wire on one side and a traction wire on another side by a wire connecting mechanism is illustrated. The wire connecting mechanism is configured by a male screw pipe sleeve to which an end portion of the traction wire on one side is fixed, and a female screw pipe sleeve to which an end portion of the traction wire on the other side is fixed, and the bending wire is configured by uniting the male screw pipe sleeve and the female screw pipe sleeve by screwing.

According to the configuration, tension of the bending wire can be adjusted by adjusting a screwing amount of the male screw pipe sleeve and the female screw pipe sleeve.

In a case of providing the wire connecting mechanism provided in a drum portion illustrated in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-218569 inside the operation portion of the endoscope illustrated in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-190047 or inside the operation portion of the endoscope illustrated in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-189684 for example, disposition inside the operation portion illustrated in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-190047 is relatively easy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An endoscope of one aspect of the present invention includes: an insertion portion including a bending portion bendable at least in a vertical direction on a distal end portion side; an operation portion to which a proximal end portion of the insertion portion is connected; a traction wire including a first end and a second end, connected to the insertion portion at the first end, and configured to bend the bending portion by being pulled; a fixing member fixed to the second end of the traction wire; a holding member configured to hold the fixing member; and a pulley turnably provided inside the operation portion and including a disposing portion where the holding member is disposed, and the pulley includes a screw receiving member disposing space as the disposing portion including a notched surface where a screw receiving member as the holding member to which a screw member as the fixing member is screwed and arranged is arranged, and a through-hole including openings respectively on a bottom surface of a circumferential groove and the notched surface.

An endoscope of one aspect of the present invention includes: an insertion portion including a bending portion bendable at least in a vertical direction on a distal end portion side; an operation portion to which a proximal end portion of the insertion portion is connected; a traction wire including a first end and a second end, connected to the insertion portion at the first end, and configured to bend the bending portion by being pulled; a fixing member fixed to the second end of the traction wire; a holding member configured to hold the fixing member; and a pulley turnably provided inside the operation portion and including a disposing portion where the holding member is disposed, and the pulley includes a rotating body accommodating portion as the disposing portion where a rotation adjusting member in a columnar shape as the holding member configured to house a pin as the fixing member is turnably arranged, and a notch configured to notch a portion of a circumferential groove communicating the rotating body accommodating portion with an outside.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Note that, in some of the individual drawings used in following descriptions, a scale is made different for each component in order to turn the individual components to such sizes that the components can be recognized on the drawings. That is, the present invention is not limited only to quantities of the components, shapes of the components, ratios of the sizes of the components, and relative positional relationships of the individual components described in the drawings.

A first embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 1toFIG. 4C.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, an endoscope1is configured mainly including an insertion portion2, a grasping operation portion3, and a universal cable4. The grasping operation portion3is configured by integrally fixing an operation portion5and an extension portion6.

The insertion portion2is inserted into a nasal cavity, for example. The insertion portion2is configured by connecting, in order from the distal end side, a distal end portion2a, a bending portion2b, and a flexible tube portion2c. Inside the distal end portion2a, an image pickup apparatus (not shown in the figure) including an image pickup device such as a CCD or a C-MOS configured to pick up an image of a subject portion is incorporated.

In addition, the configuration may be such that an image guide fiber is provided in the distal end portion2ainstead of the image pickup device.

The bending portion2bis configured to bend in a vertical direction for example. The flexible tube portion2chas such flexibility that the flexible tube portion2cis deformable along the nasal cavity in a state that the insertion portion2is inserted into the nasal cavity.

On a proximal end side of the insertion portion2, the operation portion5is connected. The operation portion5is provided with a bending lever7. The bending lever7is positioned near the extension portion6which is the proximal end side of the operation portion5.

The bending lever7is configured in a roughly L shape, and includes a lever body7aand a finger pad7b. The lever body7aincludes a first end and a second end, and one end portion of a turning shaft member7dis integrally fixed to a first end portion7c. Then, the lever body7ais turnably disposed on one side face side of the operation portion5.

By rotationally moving the finger pad7bof the bending lever7in a direction of an arrow Yf, a bending wire8is pulled and loosened and the bending portion2bis bent in the direction of an arrow Yu (an upper side of the drawing).

Note that the configuration may be such that the bending portion2bis bent in an upper direction by rotationally moving the bending lever7in a direction opposite to the direction of the arrow Yf.

In addition, the bending lever may be a so-called joystick-like lever. In a case of the joystick-like lever, the lever can be tilted in all directions including not only the vertical direction but also a horizontal direction.

In addition, the bending portion may be bendable in all the directions including not only the vertical direction but also the horizontal direction.

The bending wire8described above is one traction wire including the first end and the second end. In the present embodiment, the bending wire8is two of an upper bending wire8uand a lower bending wire8d. Then, the first ends of the bending wires8uand8dare respectively connected to a predetermined position of a most distal end piece (not shown in the figure) configuring the bending portion2bof the insertion portion2.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the bending wires8uand8dare guided into the operation portion5.

A support plate12is provided inside the operation portion5, and a wire guide member20and a pulley30are mainly disposed on the support plate12. The support plate12is fixed inside the operation portion5, and divides a space inside the operation portion into a space portion where the bending wires8uand8dare inserted and arranged, and a space portion where an image pickup cable, a signal cable and various kinds of tubes not shown in the figure are inserted and arranged.

The wire guide member20is integrally fixed on one surface of the support plate12by a fixing screw13. On the wire guide member20, an upper wire guide groove (may be a guide hole)21and a lower wire guide groove22are formed.

Inside the guide grooves21and22, proximal end portions of wire guide pipes9uand9dfor example are fixed. Center lines21aand22aof the guide grooves21and22are inclined at a predetermined angle to a longitudinal axis5aof the operation portion5.

The bending wires8uand8dled out from an inside of the wire guide pipes9uand9dof the guide grooves21and22are wound and arranged along a circumferential groove31of the pulley30after wire middle portions are brought into contact with the circumferential groove31.

The pulley30is turnably arranged on one surface of the support plate12. Specifically, the pulley30is integrally fixed to a middle portion of the turning shaft member7d. The turning shaft member7dis turnably held by the support plate12.

Therefore, by rotating the bending lever7clockwise or counterclockwise, the turning shaft member7dintegrally fixed to the lever body7aand the pulley30integrally fixed to the turning shaft member7dare rotated in the same direction.

As illustrated inFIG. 3A, the pulley30is a pulley member including a roughly V-shaped notched portion on a disk.

The pulley30includes the circumferential groove31, a shaft hole32, a notched portion33, and an adjustment hole34.

The circumferential groove31is a recessed groove formed on an outer peripheral surface of the pulley30. The middle portions of the bending wires8uand8dare wound and arranged in the circumferential groove31, and the wires8uand8dare prevented from falling out from the pulley30.

The shaft hole32is a center through-hole, and the middle portion of the turning shaft member7dis arranged and integrally fixed to the pulley30.

The notched portion33is a disposing portion, and is a screw receiving member disposing space for fixing a pair of screw receiving members35aand35bto be described later. Notched surfaces33aand33bconfiguring the notched portion33are disposing surfaces, and one surface in a longitudinal direction of the screw receiving members35aand35bis fixed and arranged.

The adjustment hole34is a through-hole including a first opening34h1on a bottom surface of the circumferential groove31and including a second opening34h2respectively on the notched surfaces33aand33b. Inside the adjustment hole34, second ends of the bending wires8uand8dincluding screwing members40are inserted and arranged.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the screwing member40is fixed beforehand as a fixing member to the second end of each of the respective bending wires8uand8d. The screwing member40is a columnar body provided with a male screw40mon the outer peripheral surface, and is set to a predetermined length.

As illustrated inFIG. 3B, the screwing member40is provided with a wire disposing hole41which is a through-hole formed along a center axis. Each of the second ends of the bending wires8uand8dis arranged inside the wire disposing hole41, and integrally bonded to the screwing member40by solder for example.

As illustrated inFIG. 3C, the screw receiving members35aand35bare holding members, are hexagonal pillar members for example, and are set to the predetermined length. At each of the screw receiving members35aand35b, a female screw35fto which the screwing member40is to be screwed is formed over an entire length in the longitudinal direction.

Note that the screwing member40is loosely arranged to the adjustment hole34. In addition, the screw receiving members35aand35bare not limited to a hexagonal shape, and may be a columnar shape or a quadrangular prism shape or the like. In the columnar shape, one plane and another plane positioned on an opposite side of the one plane are provided on the outer peripheral surface.

Here, assembly of the bending wires8uand8dto the pulley30will be described.

Note that a procedure of assembling the upper bending wire8uto the pulley30will be described here, and for the assembly of the lower bending wire8dto the pulley30in a similar assembly procedure, the description is omitted.

An operator first inserts the screwing member40fixed to the second end of the upper bending wire8ufrom an opening on a side of the circumferential groove31into the adjustment hole34. Then, as illustrated inFIG. 4A, the second end of the upper bending wire8uincluding the screwing member40is led out from an opening on the side of the notched surface33ainto the notched portion33.

Next, the operator screws the screw receiving member35ato the screwing member40and attaches the upper bending wire8uto the pulley30as illustrated inFIG. 4B. Thus, the upper bending wire8uis prevented from falling out from the pulley30.

Next, the operator leads out the second end of the lower bending wire8dincluding the screwing member40from the opening on the side of the notched surface33asimilarly to the above description, screws the screw receiving member35bto the screwing member40and attaches the lower bending wire8dto the pulley30as illustrated inFIG. 4C.

Thereafter, while adjusting an arranging position of the screwing member40by rotationally moving the screw receiving member35ato the screwing member40as illustrated by a broken line and adjusting tension of the upper bending wire8u, the operator adjusts the arranging position of the screwing member40by rotationally moving the screw receiving member35balso as illustrated by the broken line and also adjusts the tension of the lower bending wire8d.

Next, after tension adjustment of the bending wires8uand8dis completed, the operator applies an adhesive agent for example. As a result, the screw receiving members35aand35bare integrally fixed to the notched surfaces33aand33b, and the screwing members40fixed to the bending wires8uand8dare integrally fixed to the screw receiving members35aand35b.

As a result, the assembly of the bending wires8uand8dto the pulley30is completed.

In this way, by screwing and arranging the screwing members40fixed to the second ends of the bending wires8uand8dto the screw receiving members35aand35bprovided inside the notched portion33of the pulley30, the bending wires8uand8dcan be easily attached to the pulley30regardless of a length of the operation portion5.

In addition, by rotating the screw receiving members35aand35band adjusting the arranging positions of the screw receiving members35aand35band the screwing members40, the tension of the bending wires8uand8dcan be set to a predetermined state.

Note that, in the above description, an aspect of fixing the bending wire to the pulley is described. However, when the bending lever is a joystick-like lever, the bending wire is fixed to a predetermined position of a plate member to be tilted accompanying a tilting operation of the joystick-like lever. In this case, by bonding the screw member to an end portion of the bending wire, inserting the bonded screw member to a hole provided on the plate member, and screwing the screw member to the screw receiving member, the bending wire can be assembled to the plate member while adjusting the tension of the bending wire.

In the embodiment described above, after the tension adjustment of the bending wires8uand8dis completed, the adhesive agent is applied, the screw receiving members35aand35bare integrally fixed to the notched surfaces33aand33b, and also the screwing members40are integrally fixed to the screw receiving members35aand35b. However, as illustrated inFIG. 5B, heat-shrinkable tubes36may be provided to perform integral fixation.

In the case of using the heat-shrinkable tubes36, as illustrated inFIG. 5A, recessed portions33cand33dare provided on a periphery a predetermined distance away from the center of the adjustment hole34of the pulley30, and projected portions37aand37bfor tube installation are formed.

According to the configuration, after the tension adjustment of the bending wires8uand8dis completed, the operator installs the heat-shrinkable tubes36at the screw receiving members35aand35band the projected portions37aand37bfor the tube installation, and shrinks the heat-shrinkable tubes36by blowing hot air to the heat-shrinkable tubes36for example in the installation state.

As a result, by using the heat-shrinkable tubes36, the screw receiving members35aand35bcan be integrally fixed to the projected portions37aand37bfor tube installation, and also the screwing members40can be integrally fixed to the screw receiving members35aand35b.

Then, according to the configuration, in the case that the bending wires8uand8dstretch due to secular change, the operator can easily perform readjustment of the tension or the like by opening the operation portion5and cutting off the heat-shrinkable tubes36.

A second embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 6toFIG. 8C.

In the embodiment described above, the fixing member is the screw member, the holding member is the screw receiving member, and the screw receiving member to which the screw member is screwed and arranged is fixed to the notched surface.

However, the pulley, the fixing member and the holding member may be configured as illustrated inFIG. 6toFIG. 8below.

Note that, in the following description, same signs are attached to same members as the members in the embodiment described above, and the description is omitted.

As illustrated inFIG. 6, a pulley60in the present embodiment is provided with a pair of rotating body accommodating portions61which are circular recessed portions. The rotating body accommodating portion61is a disposing portion, and a rotation adjusting member70in a columnar shape which is a holding member is disposed inside the rotating body accommodating portion61. The rotation adjusting member70is fixed to the rotating body accommodating portion61by a fixing screw71.

An inner diameter of the rotating body accommodating portion61is set to be larger than an outer diameter of the rotation adjusting member70by a predetermined dimension. Therefore, inside the rotating body accommodating portion61, the rotation adjusting member70is turnable.

Note that a sign62is a notch, and a portion of the rotation adjusting member70is exposed to an outside. For the notch62, a portion of the circumferential groove31is notched so as to communicate the rotating body accommodating portion61with the outside.

The rotation adjusting member70includes a lid body72in a columnar shape and a rotating main body73in a columnar shape as illustrated inFIG. 6andFIG. 7, and the rotation adjusting member70is configured by mounting and uniting the lid body72on a surface of the rotating main body73.

InFIG. 6, a sign72is the lid body, a sign73is the rotating main body73, and a state is that the lid body72of the rotation adjusting member70is detached and the surface of the rotating main body73is exposed.

An outer diameter of the lid body72and an outer diameter of the rotating main body73are same diameters.

As illustrated inFIG. 7, on the rotating main body73, a fixing member disposing hole74having an opening on a surface, and female screw holes75which are a pair of through-holes having openings on the surface and a back surface are formed. On the outer peripheral surface of the rotating main body73, a step portion76ato be a wire disposing groove76where the bending wires8uand8dare to be wound is formed.

Inside the female screw holes75, fixing screws71are screwed and arranged.

Inside the fixing member disposing hole74, a stepped pin45which is a fixing member and is illustrated inFIG. 8Ais disposed. The stepped pin45includes a large diameter portion46and a small diameter portion47, and the small diameter portion47is communicated with the outside by notching the bottom surface of the step portion76a.

The stepped pin45includes the wire disposing hole41. Note that a columnar pin without a step may be used instead of the stepped pin45.

In the present embodiment, the stepped pin45is integrally bonded to the second end of each of the bending wires8uand8dsimilarly to the screwing member40described above.

As illustrated inFIG. 7, the fixing member disposing hole74includes a large diameter recessed portion74aand a small diameter recessed portion74b. The small diameter portion47of the stepped pin45is arranged at the small diameter recessed portion74b, and the large diameter portion46is arranged at the large diameter recessed portion74a.

On the other hand, on the surface of the lid body72, a groove77of a predetermined width and a pair of screw holes78are provided. The groove77is formed such that a center line of the groove77passes through a center72o. At the groove77, a distal end of a flathead screwdriver for example used when rotating the rotation adjusting member70is arranged.

The screw hole78includes a large diameter hole78aand a small diameter hole78b. A head portion (sign71ainFIG. 8C) of the fixing screw71is arranged in the large diameter hole78a, and a male screw portion (sign71binFIG. 8C) is inserted and arranged in the small diameter hole78b.

On the back surface of the lid body72which is a mounting surface to be mounted on the surface of the rotating main body73, a recessed portion79for housing the large diameter portion46of the stepped pin45is formed. The recessed portion79is a recessed portion for positioning the lid body72and the rotating main body73.

Here, the assembly of the bending wires8uand8dto the pulley60will be described.

Note that a procedure of assembling the upper bending wire8uto the pulley60will be described here, and for the assembly of the lower bending wire8dto the pulley60in the similar assembly procedure, the description is omitted.

The operator first disposes the stepped pin45fixed to the second end of the upper bending wire8uinside the fixing member disposing hole74of the rotating main body73as illustrated inFIG. 8A. Then, a portion of the large diameter portion46of the stepped pin45is turned to the state of protruding from the surface of the rotating main body73as illustrated inFIG. 8B.

Next, the operator mounts the lid body72on the surface of the rotating main body73. At the time, the recessed portion79is put on the large diameter portion46of the stepped pin45protruding from the surface of the rotating main body73. As a result, the rotation adjusting member70is configured in which the small diameter hole78band the female screw hole75are in an opposing positional relation and the stepped pin45is housed.

In addition, the step portion76ais configured as the wire disposing groove76as illustrated inFIG. 8C, and the upper bending wire8uis arranged inside the wire disposing groove76.

Next, the operator screws the two fixing screws71to the two female screw holes75of the rotating main body73through the screw holes78of the lid body72respectively. Thereafter, the operator disposes the rotation adjusting member70inside the rotating body accommodating portion61. Thus, the upper bending wire8uis attached to the pulley30.

Next, the operator attaches the lower bending wire8dto the pulley30similarly to the above description.

Thereafter, the operator adjusts the tension by arranging the distal end of the flathead screwdriver for example at the groove77, rotating one rotation adjusting member70in the direction of an arrow Y6ainFIG. 6, rotating the other rotation adjusting member70in the direction of an arrow Y6b, and winding the bending wires8uand8d.

As a result, the tension of the upper bending wire8uand the tension of the lower bending wire8dcan be adjusted to the predetermined state.

Next, after the tension adjustment of the bending wires8uand8dis completed, the operator fastens the fixing screws71. Then, the fixing screw71is moved to a position indicated by the broken line inFIG. 8C, a sharp distal end71centers the bottom surface of the rotating body accommodating portion61, and the rotation adjusting member70is integrally fixed to the pulley60.

As a result, the assembly of the bending wires8uand8dto the pulley60is completed.

In this way, the stepped pins45fixed to the second ends of the bending wires8uand8dare disposed to the rotation adjusting members70, and the rotation adjusting members70are disposed to the rotating body accommodating portions61of the pulley60. As a result, the bending wires8uand8dcan be easily attached to the pulley60regardless of the length of the operation portion5.

In addition, by rotating the rotation adjusting members70and increasing, decreasing and adjusting the winding amount of the bending wires8uand8dwound and arranged in the wire disposing grooves76, the tension of the bending wires8uand8dcan be set to the predetermined state.

Further, in the case that the bending wires8uand8dstretch due to the secular change, the operator can easily readjust the tension of the bending wires8uand8dby opening the operation portion5, loosening the fixing screws71to cancel an integrally fixed state, then rotating the rotation adjusting members70and increasing the wire winding amount.

In addition, in the present embodiment, on a portion of the operation portion5corresponding to an outer side of the pulley60, an attachable and detachable cover portion of about the same outer diameter as the outer diameter of the pulley60is provided. As a result, by detaching the cover portion from the operation portion5, the rotation adjusting member70can be easily accessed, the tension of the bending wire can be readjusted, and repairability is improved.

Note that, after the adjustment, the fixing screws71are fastened similarly to the above description. At the time, since the rotation adjusting member70is rotationally moved, the distal end71cof the fixing screw71enters a different position of the bottom surface of the rotating body accommodating portion61, and the rotation adjusting member70is integrally fixed to the pulley60.

In addition, in the embodiment described above, the configuration that the lid body72is provided with the recessed portion79is illustrated. However, need of the recessed portion79may be eliminated by making it possible to house the large diameter portion46inside the large diameter recessed portion74awithout letting a portion protruding from the surface of the rotating main body73.

In addition, the lid body72and the rotating main body73may be united and the fixing member disposing hole may be formed through the united member.

A modification will be described with reference toFIG. 9AandFIG. 9B.

As illustrated inFIG. 9A, the lid body is turned to a lid body72A with a ratchet gear in which a plurality of tooth portions72gare arrayed in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface, a pulley60A is provided with a step portion65, a stop claw66is turnably provided in the step portion65, and the configuration including a ratchet mechanism is attained.

Note that the stop claw66is urged in a predetermined direction by a torsion spring (not shown in the figure) for example which is an urging member, is engaged with the tooth portions72g, and restricts rotation in the predetermined direction.

Then, as illustrated inFIG. 9B, a rotating main body73A is configured by providing a projected portion73con a main body back surface center. The projected portion73cis arranged in a recessed portion60cformed on the bottom surface of the pulley60A and configures a turning shaft.

The lid body72A with the ratchet gear and the rotating main body73A are integrally fixed by a fixing screw71A and configure a rotation adjusting member70A.

Note that a distal end of the fixing screw71A is arranged inside the female screw hole75of the rotating main body73A. The other configuration is similar to the configuration illustrated inFIG. 8AtoFIG. 8C, same signs are attached to same members and the description is omitted.

Here, the assembly of the bending wires8uand8dto the pulley60A will be described.

Note that a procedure of assembling the upper bending wire8uto the pulley60A will be described here, too, and for the assembly of the lower bending wire8dto the pulley60A in the similar assembly procedure, the description is omitted.

The operator first disposes the stepped pin45fixed to the second end of the upper bending wire8uinside the fixing member disposing hole74of the rotating main body73A. Next, the operator mounts the lid body72A with the ratchet gear on the surface of the rotating main body73A. As a result, the small diameter hole78band the female screw hole75are turned to the opposing positional relation and the rotation adjusting member70A is configured. In addition, the step portion76ais configured as the wire disposing groove76, and the upper bending wire8uis arranged inside the wire disposing groove76.

Next, the operator disposes the rotation adjusting member70A configured by screwing the two fixing screws71A to the two female screw holes75of the rotating main body73A through the screw holes78of the lid body72A with the ratchet gear respectively inside the rotating body accommodating portion61

At the time, by disposing the projected portion73cin the recessed portion60cas illustrated inFIG. 9B, the rotation adjusting member70A including the upper bending wire8uis turnably attached to the pulley60A.

Next, the operator turnably attaches the rotation adjusting member70A including the lower bending wire8dto the pulley60A similarly to the above description.

Thereafter, the operator adjusts the tension by arranging, for example, the distal end of the flathead screwdriver in the groove77, rotating the rotation adjusting member70A and increasing and decreasing the winding amount of the bending wires8uand8d. As a result, the tension of the upper bending wire8uand the tension of the lower bending wire8dcan be adjusted to the predetermined state.

Then, in the present embodiment, the position after the tension adjustment is stably held by the ratchet mechanism, and the assembly of the bending wires8uand8dto the pulley60A is completed.

Note that the present invention is not limited only to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be executed without departing from a subject matter of the invention.

According to the present invention, the endoscope capable of adjusting the tension of the bending wire while setting the length of the operation portion body short can be realized.