Abstract:
An endoscope includes: an insertion portion; a bending portion provided in the insertion portion; an operation portion connected to the insertion portion; a grasp-assistance portion provided on the operation portion, a bending operation knob provided on one side face of the operation portion and rotating centering on a rotation axis; a plurality of function switches that are provided on a face different from the one side face, and each upper-side side face protrudes further than an outermost diametrical path of the bending operation knob; and a switch root portion constituting a root portion of a function switch disposed at a position on the distal-most end side among the plurality of function switches, and disposed further on the proximal end side than an intersection point on the distal end side among two intersection points at which the outermost diametrical path and a switch-disposing face intersect.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation application of PCT/JP2014/050326 filed on Jan. 10, 2014 and claims benefit of Japanese Application No. 2013-043303 filed in Japan on Mar. 5, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an endoscope having an operation portion equipped with a bending operation knob that causes a bending portion provided in an insertion portion to perform a bending operation and a plurality of function switches that operate endoscope functions. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Endoscopes have been widely used in the medical field and industrial field in recent years. The available kinds of endoscopes include an optical fiber endoscope that uses image fibers as image transmitting means, and an electronic endoscope that contains an image pickup device in a distal end portion of an insertion portion. 
         [0006]    In the case of an electronic endoscope, an endoscope observation image of a site to be observed that is picked up by an image pickup device is displayed on an observation screen, and observation or the like is performed. On the other hand, in the case of an optical fiber endoscope, observation is performed directly with the naked eye through an ocular portion, or a camera is attached to an ocular portion and an optical image transmitted to the ocular portion is displayed on an observation screen and observation or the like is performed. 
         [0007]    An endoscope that is used in the medical field is configured to enable observation or the like to be performed by inserting a rigid insertion portion or a flexible insertion portion into the body. 
         [0008]    Some endoscopes include a bending portion on a distal end side of the insertion portion. The bending portion is configured to bend in two directions, namely, upward and downward, or in four directions, namely, upward, downward, left and right. In an endoscope in which the bending portion is provided, observation or the like can be performed over a wide range by changing the observation direction of an observation optical system provided in a distal end portion by causing the bending portion to perform a bending operation. 
         [0009]    A plurality of bending wires that correspond to bending directions are extended from the bending portion. A bending operation apparatus provided in the operation portion of the endoscope is connected to end portions of the extended bending wires. The bending operation apparatus is an apparatus that causes the bending portion to perform a bending operation. The bending portion is configured to perform a bending operation upon a bending wire being pulled or slackened by an operation of the bending operation apparatus. 
         [0010]    The bending operation apparatus and endoscope function switches are provided in the operation portion of an electronic endoscope. Examples of the bending operation apparatus include a bending operation knob, a bending operation lever, and a joystick. 
         [0011]    Fluid control buttons and electrical switches are provided as function switches. The fluid control buttons include an air/water feeding button and a suction button. The electrical switches include a release switch that generates a release signal when photographing, a freeze switch that generates a freeze signal, and an observation mode switching switch for issuing an instruction to switch an observation mode. 
         [0012]    An operator that operates the endoscope uses the fingers with which they grasp the operation portion to operate the bending operation apparatus and the various function switches. 
         [0013]    Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-58629 discloses an electronic endoscope having excellent operability with which, when performing endoscope operations, the operations can be performed without placing an excessive burden on the operator. In the electronic endoscope discussed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-58629, a bending operation knob, a suction button, an air/water feeding button and a control switch and the like are provided in an operation-portion operation region of the operation portion. A first hood portion is provided between the suction button and the air/water feeding button. A second hood portion is provided on the lower side of the air/water feeding button. The second hood portion forms a grasp-assistance portion with which the fingers of the operator which grasp the operation portion engage. 
         [0014]    Further, a first hood portion and a second hood portion that are constructed by providing a step portion in an operation portion  3  are also disclosed in FIG. 3 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-58629. 
         [0015]    According to the above-described electronic endoscope, by placing their left hand on one side face and the other side face of the operation portion and on the lower side of the second hood portion, the operator can hold the operation portion in a stable state and perform an operation to insert the insertion portion into a body cavity. Further, by checking the first hood portion, the operator can prevent an erroneous operation of a button that is different to an intended button. 
         [0016]    On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-141331 discloses an endoscope operation apparatus that facilitates operations with respect to a conduit control operation member and various function switches that are disposed on an operation portion using fingers of one hand that grasps the operation portion. In this endoscope operation apparatus, a suction operation valve, an air/water feeding operation valve, a first function switch and a second function switch are disposed side by side on one side face of an operation portion constituted by a single case body, and operational upper faces of these switches and the like are disposed at approximately the same distance r from a rotational axis center Oa of an angle operation knob. 
         [0017]    According to this configuration, an operation in which an operator grasps an operation portion shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-141331 from the rear side in the drawings and operates a left/right angle knob (corresponds to a bending operation knob of the present invention) and an upward/downward angle knob or the like using the thumb, and also operates the suction operation valve, the air/water feeding operation valve, the first function switch and the second function switch using the index finger and middle finger is made exceptionally easy. Further, the index finger reaches the suction operation valve, the first function switch and the second function switch without any strain. In addition, since the operation members are centered around the suction operation valve that has the highest height in a configuration such that the heights of the other operation members become progressively lower in sequence from the suction operation valve and, furthermore, the heights of the operation members are set in a circular arc shape, it is easy for the operator to distinguish the respective operation members. Further, the operator can hold the operation portion in a stable state by placing the cable on the crotch between the thumb and index finger of the left hand, placing the palm of the left hand on the one side face and the other side face of the operation portion, and placing the middle finger or ring finger of the left hand on a portion on the rear side of the operation portion discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-141331 that corresponds to the second hood portion discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-58629. 
         [0018]    In the endoscope operation apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-141331, as shown in  FIG. 1A , the respective operational upper faces provided on the operation portion side face are approximately the same distance from the rotational axis center of the angle operation knob, as shown by a chain double-dashed line. 
         [0019]    An operation that rotates a bending operation knob is not limited to an operation performed using the thumb of the left hand of the operator, and is also commonly performed using the middle finger or ring finger of the left hand. In addition, depending on the operator, the rotation operation may be performed with two fingers, namely, the thumb and, for example, ring finger of the left hand. By performing an operation to rotate the bending operation knob with two fingers, fine adjustment of the bending amount of the bending portion can be performed with ease. 
         [0020]    In a case where a knob  16  shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-141331 is, for example, as shown in  FIG. 1B , pinched between the thumb and ring finger and rotated in the direction of an arrow Y 1 B (counterclockwise rotation) as indicated by a broken line, accompanying the rotational movement of the knob  16 , a state is entered in which the ring finger passes across a button (designated by reference numeral  20 ) to operate the knob  16 . 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1C , by moving the air/water feeding valve  21 , the suction operation valve  20 , the first function switch  22  and the second function switch  23  in the direction of an arrow Y 1 C on the operation portion side face, an operation in which the ring finger passes across a button no longer arises. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    An endoscope according to one aspect of the present invention includes: an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; a bendable bending portion provided in the insertion portion; an operation portion that has a distal end side connected to the insertion portion, and that an operator grasps to perform an operation to bend the bending portion; a grasp-assistance portion that is provided on a distal end side of the operation portion and on which a finger of a hand with which the operator grasps the operation portion is to be disposed; a bending operation knob that is provided on one side face of the operation portion and that, by a rotational operation centering on a rotation axis, causes the bending portion to bend; a plurality of function switches that, at a position that is further on a proximal end side than the grasp-assistance portion of the operation portion, are provided so as to protrude toward one side from a face that is different to the one side face, and are formed so that an upper-side side face of each function switch protrudes further than an outermost diametrical path formed by an outermost circumferential portion of the bending operation knob that is projected onto a plane having a normal line along the rotation axis of the bending operation knob; and a switch root portion that constitutes a root portion of a function switch disposed at a position that is furthest on the distal end side among the plurality of function switches, and that is disposed further on the proximal end side than an intersection point that is positioned on the distal end side among two intersection points at which the outermost diametrical path of the bending operation knob and a face on which the plurality of function switches are disposed intersect. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIG. 1A  is a diagram illustrating a configuration example in which switches having the same heights are arranged according to the endoscope discussed in Patent Literature 2. 
           [0024]      FIG. 1B  is a diagram illustrating a state in which a knob of the endoscope discussed in Patent Literature 2 is rotationally operated using the thumb and ring finger. 
           [0025]      FIG. 1C  is a diagram illustrating a configuration example in which an operation in which a finger passes across a button no longer arises with respect to the endoscope discussed in Patent Literature 2. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  to  FIG. 6  relate to one embodiment of the present invention, of which  FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an endoscope of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 3A  is a diagram that illustrates the configuration of an operation portion body of an operation portion of the endoscope, and also illustrates a relation between an outermost diametrical path that is projected onto a plane having a normal line along a rotation central axis of a bending operation knob and a side face on one side. 
           [0028]      FIG. 3B  is a diagram illustrating an example of grasping the operation portion of the endoscope. 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a state in which an up/down knob of the endoscope is pinched between a thumb and a ring finger and is being subjected to a rotational operation. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which function switches having different heights are arrayed on a fluid control button arrangement portion of the operation portion body. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which three function switches are arrayed between a first intersection point P 1  and a second intersection point P 2  that are formed between an outermost diametrical path and an upper-side side face. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0032]    An embodiment of the present invention is described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , an endoscope  1  mainly includes an insertion portion  2 , an operation portion  3  and a universal cord  4 . 
         [0034]    The insertion portion  2  is inserted into a duct in the body such as the stomach or the large intestine. The insertion portion  2  includes a rigid distal end portion  2   a,  a bending portion  2   b,  and a flexible tube portion  2   c  having flexibility that are connected in series in that order from the distal end side. The bending portion  2   b,  for example, is configured to be bendable in the upward and downward directions. 
         [0035]    An image pickup device (not illustrated in the drawings) is provided as observation means (not illustrated in the drawings) in the distal end portion  2   a  of the insertion portion  2 . A nozzle (not illustrated in the drawings) and a treatment instrument channel opening (not illustrated in the drawings) from which a treatment instrument is led out and the like are also provided in the distal end portion  2   a.    
         [0036]    The operation portion  3  is provided on a proximal end side of the insertion portion  2 . The operation portion  3  includes a grasping portion  3 A and an operation portion body  3 B in that order from the distal end side. The universal cord  4  extends from a side portion of the operation portion body  3 B. An endoscope connector (not illustrated in the drawings) is provided at a proximal end portion of the universal cord  4 . The endoscope connector is electrically connected to an external apparatus that includes a light source and a camera control unit and the like. 
         [0037]    An up/down knob  5  that is a bending operation apparatus and a plurality of function switches are provided on the operation portion body  3 B. The function switches are fluid control buttons and electrical switches  7 . The fluid control buttons are, for example, an air/water feeding button  6   a  and a suction button  6   b.  The electrical switches  7  are, for example, an observation mode switching switch  7   a,  a release switch  7   b  and a freeze switch  7   c.    
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 3A , a bending operation apparatus arrangement portion  31 , a fluid control button arrangement portion  32 , and an electrical switch arrangement portion  33  are provided in the operation portion body  3 B. Reference numeral  34  denotes a first grasp-assistance portion. Reference numeral  35  denotes a second grasp-assistance portion. 
         [0039]    The bending operation apparatus arrangement portion  31  is one side face of the operation portion body  3 B. The up/down knob  5  for performing an operation to bend the bending portion  2   b  is provided on the bending operation apparatus arrangement portion  31 . The up/down knob  5  is configured to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise around a rotating shaft portion  5   a.    
         [0040]    If an operator rotates the up/down knob  5  in, for example, the counterclockwise direction that is the direction indicated by an arrow Y 2  in  FIG. 2  from the state indicated by a solid line, the bending portion  2   b  performs a bending operation in the upward direction that is one direction as shown by a chain double-dashed line in  FIG. 2 . On the other hand, if the operator rotates the up/down knob  5  in the clockwise direction that is the opposite direction to the aforementioned direction, the bending portion  2   b  performs a bending operation in the downward direction that is the other direction. 
         [0041]    Note that, in the present embodiment, a center position of the rotating shaft portion  5   a  is set at a predetermined position within the one side face that is the bending operation apparatus arrangement portion  31 . 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 3A , the fluid control button arrangement portion  32  is a side in one direction (hereunder, referred to as “upper-side side face”) of the one side face of the operation portion body  3 B. In the fluid control button arrangement portion  32 , an air/water feeding cylinder  21  and a suction cylinder  22  are disposed along a longitudinal axis of the operation portion  3 . 
         [0043]    Note that, the air/water feeding cylinder  21  and the suction cylinder  22 , for example, may also be arrayed in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the operation portion  3 . The air/water feeding button  6   a  is detachably mounted in the air/water feeding cylinder  21 . The suction button  6   b  is detachably mounted in the suction cylinder  22 . 
         [0044]    The suction button  6   b  is slidably mounted with respect to the suction cylinder  22 . Upon the operator performing an operation to switch the position of the button  6   b  from the natural state thereof to a predetermined position, a state is obtained in which dirt or the like is sucked from the treatment instrument channel opening. 
         [0045]    The air/water feeding button  6   a  is slidably mounted with respect to the air/water feeding cylinder  21 . Upon the operator gradually switching the position of the button  6   a  from the natural state thereof to a predetermined position, a state is obtained in which a gas such as air is ejected from the nozzle or in which a liquid such as water is ejected from the nozzle or the like. 
         [0046]    In the present embodiment, a protruding height from the upper-side side face of the air/water feeding button  6   a  mounted in the air/water feeding cylinder  21  to the upper face of the cylinder and a protruding height from the upper-side side face of the suction button  6   b  mounted in the suction cylinder  22  to the upper face of the cylinder are set to the same height. 
         [0047]    The electrical switch arrangement portion  33  is a proximal-end-side portion of the operation portion body  3 B. The electrical switch arrangement portion  33  includes, for example, a first switch arrangement face  33   a,  a second switch arrangement face  33   b,  and a third switch arrangement face  33   c.  For example, an observation mode switching switch  7   a  is arranged on the first switch arrangement face  33   a.  For example, a release switch  7   b  is arranged on the second switch arrangement face  33   b.  For example, a freeze switch  7   c  is arranged on the third switch arrangement face  33   c.  The arrangement positions of the respective switches  7   a,    7   b,  and  7   c  is not limited to the aforementioned arrangement faces  33   a,    33   b  and  33   c.    
         [0048]    The observation mode switching switch  7   a  is a switch for issuing an instruction to switch the observation mode. The release switch  7   b  is a switch that generates a release signal when photographing. The freeze switch  7   c  is a switch that generates a freeze signal. 
         [0049]    The first grasp-assistance portion  34  is constituted by a root portion of a bend preventer  4   a  that is included in the universal cord  4 , and a lower-side side face  32 D that is an opposite face to the upper-side side face of the operation portion body  3 B. As shown in  FIG. 3B , the crotch between the thumb and index finger of the left hand with which the operator grasps the operation portion  3 , as well as the peripheral region of the crotch, are disposed on the first grasp-assistance portion  34 . 
         [0050]    As shown in  FIG. 3A , the second grasp-assistance portion  35  is a step portion that is provided on a distal end side of the upper-side side face of the operation portion  3 . The second grasp-assistance portion  35  has a grasp-assistance face  35   a.  As shown in  FIG. 3B , a finger other than the thumb and index finger of the left hand with which the operator grasps the operation portion  3 , for example, the ring finger, is disposed on the grasp-assistance face  35   a.    
         [0051]    When the operator grasps the operation portion  3  with their left hand, the vicinity of the crotch between the thumb and index finger of the left hand is disposed on the first grasp-assistance portion  34 , and, for example, the ring finger of the left hand is disposed on the grasp-assistance face  35   a.  With the aforementioned fingers disposed in this state, the palm of the left hand is disposed on the grasping portion  3 A of the operation portion  3 . With the left hand disposed in this state, the operator can hold the operation portion  3  in a stable state. 
         [0052]    Note that reference numeral  8  denotes a treatment instrument insertion port. A treatment instrument such as a grasping forceps is inserted into a treatment instrument channel (not illustrated in the drawings) from the treatment instrument insertion port  8 , and is led out from the treatment instrument channel opening. 
         [0053]    The air/water feeding cylinder  21  and the suction cylinder  22  that are illustrated in  FIG. 3A  are previously embedded in the operation portion body  3 B. One end portion of the air/water feeding cylinder  21  and one end portion of the suction cylinder  22  are exposed to the outer side of the upper-side side face. The exposed one end portion of the air/water feeding cylinder  21  constitutes a root portion  6   ar  of the air/water feeding button  6   a.  The exposed one end portion of the suction cylinder  22  constitutes a root portion  6   br  of the suction button  6   b.    
         [0054]    In the present embodiment, a cross-sectional shape that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the air/water feeding cylinder  21  is an annular shape. A cross-sectional shape that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the suction cylinder  22  is also an annular shape. 
         [0055]    The root portion  6   ar  of the air/water feeding button  6   a  and the root portion  6   br  of the suction button  6   b  are disposed between a first intersection point P 1  and a second intersection point P 2 . The first intersection point P 1  and the second intersection point P 2  are intersection points between an outermost diametrical path  5 S, which is indicated by a chain double-dashed line, that the outermost circumferential portion of the up/down knob  5  forms, and the upper-side side face that is the fluid control button arrangement portion  32 . The intersection points P 1  and P 2  are two intersecting points formed when the outermost diametrical path  5 S and the upper-side side face are projected onto a plane having a normal line along the central axis of the rotating shaft portion  5   a  of the up/down knob  5 . 
         [0056]    According to the above-described configuration, as shown by a solid line in  FIG. 4 , the operator, for example, pinches the up/down knob  5  between the thumb and middle finger. Thereafter, the operator starts to rotate the knob  5 . When the up/down knob  5  is rotated, the positions of the thumb and middle finger change accompanying the rotation. 
         [0057]    Subsequently, when the operator rotates the up/down knob  5 , for example, until entering the state indicated by a dashed line, the operator holds the knob  5  with the ring finger and changes the position at which the thumb contacts the up/down knob  5 . Next, the operator holds the knob  5  with the thumb, and changes the position at which the middle finger contacts the up/down knob  5 . Thereafter, the operator repeatedly rotates the up/down knob  5  in the same manner as described above. Thus, the operator can place the bending portion  2   b  in a state of maximum bending with respect to the upward direction. 
         [0058]    At this time, an operation in which the operator pinches the up/down knob  5  with the middle finger by passing the middle finger across the air/water feeding button  6   a  does not arise. 
         [0059]    In the present embodiment, the outermost diametrical path  5 S shown in  FIG. 3  is set based on three points, namely, a distalmost position of an outermost diametrical path P 3  that is set at a predetermined position within the one side face that is the bending operation apparatus arrangement portion  31 , the first intersection point P 1  and the second intersection point P 2 . By setting the outermost diametrical path  5 S based on these points P 1 , P 2  and P 3 , rotation of the up/down knob  5  can be continuously performed by appropriately changing the positions at which the up/down knob  5  is pinched by the thumb and middle finger, without performing a knob operation in which the middle finger or the like passes across a button. 
         [0060]    Note that, the distalmost position of an outermost diametrical path P 3  is provided at a location that is separated by a distance L in the distal end direction of the longitudinal axis of the operation portion  3  from the first intersection point P 1 . 
         [0061]    In the configuration in which the up/down knob  5  as well as the air/water feeding button  6   a  and suction button  6   b  are provided as two function switches on the operation portion  3  having the grasp-assistance face  35   a  in this manner, the root portion  6   ar  of the air/water feeding button  6   a  and the root portion  6   br  of the suction button  6   b  are disposed between the first intersection point P 1  and the second intersection point P 2  that are intersection points between the outermost diametrical path  5 S and the fluid control button arrangement portion  32 . Consequently, an operation to continuously rotate the up/down knob  5  can be performed while pinching the up/down knob  5  between the thumb and middle finger or between the thumb and ring finger. 
         [0062]    Further, the protruding height from the upper-side side face of the air/water feeding button  6   a  and the protruding height from the upper-side side face of the suction button  6   b  can be set to a same height h. 
         [0063]    Note that, in the above described embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the protruding height of the air/water feeding button  6   a  and the protruding height of the suction button  6   b  are set to the same height h. However, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a configuration may also be adopted in which a protruding height of an air/water feeding button  6   a A is set so as to be lower than the protruding height of the suction button  6   b  by a predetermined dimension  1 . 
         [0064]    As a result, without visually checking the positions of the buttons  6   a A and  6   b  of the operation portion  3 , the operator can, for example, move the middle finger that operates the up/down knob  5  to confirm the difference in the heights of the buttons, and thereby easily distinguish the respective buttons. 
         [0065]    In the above described embodiment, the air/water feeding button  6   a  and the suction button  6   b  are arranged as two function switches. However, the function switches provided on the upper-side side face are not limited to the air/water feeding button  6   a  and the suction button  6   b,  and may also be other function switches. 
         [0066]    In addition, in the above-described embodiment, two function switches are arranged on the upper-side side face. However, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a configuration may also be adopted in which, in addition to the root portion  6   ar  of the air/water feeding button  6   a  and the root portion  6   br  of the suction button  6   b,  for example, a root portion  7   ar  of the observation mode switching switch  7   a  that is another function switch is arranged between the first intersection point P 1  and the second intersection point P 2  that are formed between the outermost diametrical path  5 S and the upper-side side face. That is, the number of function switches arranged between the first intersection point P 1  and the second intersection point P 2  is not limited to two, and may be three or more. 
         [0067]    Note that, in the above described embodiment, in a configuration in which two function switches are arrayed on the upper-side side face, the two function switches may also be disposed as described above, and arrayed in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the operation portion  3 . However, in the case of a configuration in which three or more function switches are arrayed on the upper-side side face, a configuration may be adopted in which two function switches that are disposed on the grasp-assistance face  35   a  side are arrayed on a straight line in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the operation portion, and the other function switches are disposed on the aforementioned straight line or are disposed at positions that deviate from the straight line. 
         [0068]    Furthermore, in the above described embodiment, the up/down knob  5  is adopted as the bending operation apparatus. However, the bending operation apparatus may also have a configuration in which, in addition to the up/down knob, a left/right knob (not illustrated in the drawings) is rotatably provided in an overlapping manner on the same axis with respect to the up/down knob  5 . 
         [0069]    It should be understood that the present invention is not limited only to the above described embodiment, and various modifications thereof can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.