Patent Description:
An inserting unit, with at least lighting and shooting functions, of an endoscope enters the human body through a natural orifice or a surgical incision to detect the human body's cavity environment. The bending angle of an active bending portion located at the front end of the inserting unit is adjusted through a handle located outside the human body such that the active bending portion is deflected in a preset direction to provide a large visual angle for observation.

Typically, the inserting unit of the endoscope is provided with an instrument channel. Through the instrument channel, excess fluid is extracted from the internal tissue of the human body and exported out of body during the detection or treatment of the human body's cavity environment. In addition, through the instrument channel, external instruments such as biopsy forceps can be delivered into the body cavity to extract a target tissue for biopsy.

When the inserting unit is inserted into the human body, its external part and internal instrument channel are severely contaminated. Typically, after the use, the inserting unit and the handle are discarded as a whole, resulting in high equipment costs for patients. To address the cost issue, in the prior art, the handle is divided into a disposable part and a reusable part. However, the connecting process of the disposable part and the reusable part is complex, increasing the operational difficulty for doctors. Meanwhile, the disposable part needs a new structural design and has a complex force transmission process, resulting in high fabrication costs. <CIT> discloses an endoscope comprising a reusable hand-piece and separable disposable shaft assembly. The reusable hand-piece includes a housing having an articulation control mounted thereto and an electronics module mounted thereto. The articulation control includes control knobs and concentric drive shafts for articulation. The electronics module includes a battery, a control board, and an optical and/or electrical connector. The separable disposable shaft comprises a housing having an articulation wire actuating assembly mounted thereto and an optical and/or electrical connector mounted thereto. When the housing of the hand-piece and the housing of the separable disposable shaft assembly are joined together, the articulation control engages the articulation wire actuating assembly and the optical and/or electrical connector of the reusable hand-piece engages the optical and/or electrical connector of the disposable shaft assembly.

An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a disposable section of an endoscope handle, including:.

Preferably, the proximal end surface of the housing is provided with a guide groove that is adapted to the linear movement path; and the first connecting element is slidably provided in the guide groove.

Preferably, two ends of the guide groove are respectively provided with a first through-hole and a second through-hole; and the first traction wire and the second traction wire are respectively threaded through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.

Preferably, the two ends of the guide groove are further respectively provided with a first guide mechanism and a second guide mechanism; and the first traction wire and the second traction wire are respectively wound around the first guide mechanism and the second guide mechanism and respectively threaded through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.

Preferably, a proximal end of the housing is detachably provided with a packaging shell; the packaging shell is provided with an accommodating groove that is adapted to a shape of the guide groove and corresponds to the guide groove; and the packaging shell is abutted against the first connecting element along an axial direction of the packaging shell.

Preferably, a width of the guide groove is smaller than a width of the accommodating groove.

The present disclosure further provides an endoscope handle, including the above-mentioned disposable section and reusable section, where the disposable section and the reusable section are detachably connected.

Preferably, a distal end of the reusable section is provided with a second connecting element that is connected to the first connecting element in a matched manner; and the first connecting element is detachably connected to the second connecting element.

Preferably, a first one of the first connecting element and the second connecting element is a male connecting element, and a second one of the first connecting element and the second connecting element is a female connecting element.

The present disclosure further provides an endoscope, including the above-mentioned reusable section of the endoscope handle and the disposable section of the endoscope handle.

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure more clearly, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art. Apparently, the drawings in the following description show merely some embodiments of the present disclosure, and persons of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings from these drawings without creative efforts.

Reference Numerals:
<NUM>. disposable section; <NUM>. first traction wire; <NUM>. second traction wire; <NUM>. fixing portion; <NUM>. housing; <NUM>. packaging shell; <NUM>. accommodating groove; <NUM>. fixing hole; <NUM>. inserting unit; <NUM>. active bending portion; <NUM>. guide groove; <NUM>. first through-hole; <NUM>. second through-hole; <NUM>. first connecting element; <NUM>. slider; <NUM>. connecting rod; <NUM>. first guide mechanism; <NUM>. second guide mechanism; <NUM>. mounting hole; <NUM>. reusable section; <NUM>. lever; <NUM>. reusable section housing; <NUM>. second connecting element; and <NUM>. connecting hole.

The following description provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different features of the present disclosure. The elements and arrangements described in the following specific examples are only intended to concisely express the present disclosure, and are only for illustration purposes, rather than to limit the present disclosure.

In order to make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, rather than all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. On the basis of the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the protection scope of the present disclosure, but merely represent the selected embodiments of the present disclosure. On the basis of the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified, the terms "installation", "interconnection", "connection" and "fixation" etc. are intended to be understood in a broad sense. For example, the "connection" may be a fixed connection, removable connection or integral connection; may be a mechanical connection or electrical connection; may be a direct connection or indirect connection using a medium; and may be a communication or interaction between two elements. Those of ordinary skill in the art may understand specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure based on a specific situation. In addition, the terms such as "first", "second", and "third" are used only for the purpose of description and cannot be understood to indicate or imply relative importance.

In the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified, when it is described that a first feature is "above" or "under" a second feature, it may indicate that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature and the second feature are not in direct contact with each other but are in contact via another feature between them. Moreover, "a first feature is above and on a second feature" includes "the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature" or simply means that "the first feature is higher than the second feature". "A first feature is under and below a second feature" includes "the first feature is directly under or obliquely under the second feature" or simply means that "the first feature is lower than the second feature".

In addition, in the present disclosure, for the convenience of describing and understanding the positional relationship between components, "proximal end" and "distal end" refer to proximal and distal positions of a structure for in-vivo operation in an operating environment. For the same component, "proximal end" and "distal end" refer to the relative rather than absolute positional relationship of the component. Therefore, the understanding of "proximal end" and "distal end" should be based on the principles of the present disclosure, without deviating from the essence of the present disclosure.

As shown in <FIG>, the present disclosure provides disposable section <NUM> of an endoscope handle.

The disposable section includes housing <NUM>. The housing <NUM> is provided with a connecting portion. The connecting portion is detachably connected to reusable section <NUM> of the handle.

Specifically, the connecting portion can be connected to the reusable section <NUM> of the handle through a clamping area or a clamping element. Alternatively, the connecting portion is connected to the reusable section <NUM>, and the disposable section <NUM> and the reusable section <NUM> are connected through a connecting element that can be a threaded collar.

The disposable section includes inserting unit <NUM>. A proximal end of the inserting unit <NUM> is located at a distal end of the housing <NUM>. A distal end of the inserting unit <NUM> is provided with active bending portion <NUM>. The active bending portion <NUM> is bent to detect an internal environment of a human body at different angles.

As shown in <FIG>, the disposable section includes a first transmission assembly. The first transmission assembly includes: first traction wire <NUM>, second traction wire <NUM>, and first connecting element <NUM>. The first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are located in the inserting unit <NUM>. Distal ends of the first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are connected to the active bending portion <NUM> at the distal end of the inserting unit <NUM>. The first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are movable in opposite directions synchronously to deflect and bend the active bending portion <NUM> in a preset direction, as shown in <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, in the disposable section <NUM> of the endoscope handle provided by the present disclosure, proximal ends of the first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are connected to the first connecting element <NUM>. A proximal end surface of the housing <NUM> forms a linear movement path. The linear movement path is orthogonal to an axial direction of the proximal end surface. The first connecting element <NUM> is movable along the linear movement path. It should be noted that the first traction wire <NUM>, the second traction wire <NUM>, and the first connecting element <NUM> form a closed force transmission circuit. Therefore, when the first connecting element <NUM> is forced to move in a forward direction of the linear movement path, the first connecting element <NUM> drives the first traction wire <NUM> to move synchronously, thereby driving the second traction wire <NUM> to move synchronously in the same direction. On the contrary, when the first connecting element <NUM> is forced to move in a reverse direction of the linear movement path, the first connecting element <NUM> drives the second traction wire <NUM> to move synchronously, thereby driving the first traction wire <NUM> to move synchronously in the same direction.

It should be noted that the linear movement path can be achieved through a structure such as the following implementation.

The proximal end surface of the housing <NUM> is provided with guide groove <NUM> that is adapted to the linear movement path. The first connecting element <NUM> is slidably provided in the guide groove <NUM>. A shape of the guide groove <NUM> restricts a sliding path of the first connecting element <NUM> in the guide groove <NUM>. Specifically, the guide groove <NUM> can be a straight groove, an arc-shaped groove, or a groove of other shape, which is not limited herein. The guide groove <NUM> is designed to form a trajectory that facilitates the sliding of the first connecting element <NUM> along the linear movement path and facilitates the mounting of the first connecting element <NUM>. Further, two ends of the guide groove <NUM> are respectively provided with first through-hole <NUM> and second through-hole <NUM>. The first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are respectively threaded through the first through-hole <NUM> and the second through-hole <NUM>.

Compared with traditional structures, in the present disclosure, the first connecting element <NUM> moves along a linear movement path formed at the proximal end surface of the housing <NUM> to transmit a driving force of the reusable section <NUM> of the endoscope handle. The present disclosure has the following advantages.

In the present disclosure, after the first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are threaded through the first through-hole <NUM> and the second through-hole <NUM>, there is a friction between the first traction wire and a wall surface of the first through-hole <NUM> as well as between the second traction wire and a wall surface of the second through-hole <NUM>. In order to reduce the friction, preferably, the two ends of the guide groove <NUM> are respectively provided with first guide mechanism <NUM> and second guide mechanism <NUM>. The first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are respectively wound around the first guide mechanism <NUM> and the second guide mechanism <NUM> and respectively threaded through the first through-hole <NUM> and the second through-hole <NUM>. Specifically, the first guide mechanism <NUM> and the second guide mechanism <NUM> can be roller structures, with respective rollers provided on a side wall of the guide groove <NUM>. The first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are wound around the first guide mechanism <NUM> and the second guide mechanism <NUM> before they are threaded through the first through-hole <NUM> and the second through-hole <NUM>. The design changes the direction of force transmission between the first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM>. In addition, the first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are only threaded through the first through-hole <NUM> and the second through-hole <NUM>, reducing the friction between the first traction wire <NUM> and the first through-hole <NUM> as well as between the second traction wire <NUM> and the second through-hole <NUM>. Of course, in other embodiments, the first guide mechanism <NUM> and the second guide mechanism <NUM> may be smooth arc-shaped surfaces or rods, for the purpose of reducing the friction between the first traction wire <NUM> and the first guide mechanism <NUM> as well as between the second traction wire <NUM> and the second guide mechanism <NUM> and playing a guiding role. When rods are used for guidance and friction reduction, each rod is inserted and fixed in the guide groove <NUM> through radial mounting hole <NUM> provided at a proximal end portion of the housing <NUM>, such that the first traction wire <NUM> and the second traction wire <NUM> are respectively threaded through the first through-hole <NUM> and the second through-hole <NUM> after they are wounded around the rods.

Further, the proximal end of the housing <NUM> is detachably provided with packaging shell <NUM>. The packaging shell <NUM> is provided with accommodating groove <NUM> that is adapted to the shape of the guide groove <NUM> and corresponds to the guide groove. The packaging shell <NUM> is abutted against the first connecting element <NUM> along an axial direction of the packaging shell <NUM>. Specifically, the packaging shell <NUM> is provided with fixing hole <NUM>. The proximal end surface of the disposable section is provided with fixing portion <NUM>, and the packaging shell <NUM> is bolted to the fixing portion <NUM> on the proximal end surface of the disposable section. It should be noted that the packaging shell <NUM> helps to fix the first connecting element <NUM> along the axial direction of the disposable section <NUM>, preventing it from being detached. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the first connecting element <NUM> includes slider <NUM> and connecting rod <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the connecting rod <NUM> extends along an axial direction of the slider <NUM> to the proximal end of the disposable section <NUM> and extends out of the accommodating groove <NUM> of the packaging shell <NUM>. In this embodiment, a width of the guide groove <NUM> is adapted to a width of the slider <NUM> to prevent the slider <NUM> from moving along a width direction of the guide groove <NUM>. In addition, width b of the accommodating groove <NUM> is smaller than width a of the guide groove <NUM>. Thus, after the packaging shell <NUM> and the proximal end of the housing <NUM> are closed, a side wall of the packaging shell <NUM> facing the first connecting element <NUM> is abutted against a proximal end wall surface of the slider <NUM> along the axial direction of the packaging shell <NUM>. The design can prevent the first connecting element <NUM> from detaching along the axial direction of the disposable section <NUM>, improving the stability of the first connecting element <NUM> on the housing <NUM> such that the first connecting element can only move along the direction of the guide groove <NUM>. It should be noted that in the present disclosure, the first connecting element <NUM> may also only include the slider <NUM>. The slider <NUM> is a female connecting element, and the reusable section <NUM> of the handle is provided with a male connecting element that is matched with the female connecting element to achieve a matched connection.

In addition, in the present disclosure, the active bending section of the disposable section <NUM> can be bent in four directions, namely F1, F2, F3, and F4 shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. For this purpose, the proximal end of the disposable section <NUM> is provided with two first transmission assemblies, and the proximal end surface of the housing <NUM> forms two linear movement paths. The two first connecting elements <NUM> are respectively movable along the two linear movement paths. Specifically, there are two guide grooves <NUM> on the proximal end of the disposable section <NUM>. The two guide grooves <NUM> are independent of each other. The reusable section <NUM> of the handle is provided with two second connecting elements <NUM>. The two second connecting elements <NUM> are separately driven to achieve the bending of the active bending section in the four directions.

Based on the above-mentioned disposable section <NUM> of an endoscope handle, the present disclosure further provides an endoscope handle. The disposable section <NUM> is detachably provided on the reusable section <NUM> of the handle.

Specifically, the structure of the reusable section <NUM> of the endoscope handle is as follows.

A distal end of the reusable section <NUM> is provided with the second connecting element <NUM> that is connected to the first connecting element <NUM> in a matched manner, and the first connecting element <NUM> is detachably connected to the second connecting element <NUM>.

Preferably, one of the first connecting element <NUM> and the second connecting element <NUM> is a male connecting element, and the other of the first connecting element <NUM> and the second connecting element <NUM> is a female connecting element. Further, the distal end of the reusable section <NUM> is provided with another linear movement path that is adapted to the linear movement path at the disposable section <NUM>. Specifically, second guide groove <NUM> is provided at the distal end of the reusable section <NUM>. The second connecting element <NUM> is located in the second guide groove <NUM> and slidable along the second guide groove <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, corresponding to an embodiment of the first connecting element <NUM> of the above-mentioned disposable section <NUM>, the second connecting element <NUM> is a female connecting element, and a center of the second connecting element <NUM> is provided with connecting hole <NUM> that is connected to the connecting rod <NUM> of the disposable section <NUM> in a matched manner. In this way, after the disposable section <NUM> is connected to the reusable section <NUM>, the second connecting element <NUM> drives the first connecting element <NUM> to move, causing the active bending section of the disposable section <NUM> to bend in a preset direction.

A driving force for driving the second connecting element <NUM> comes from lever <NUM>, a wheel or other driving component provided on reusable section housing <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A disposable section of an endoscope handle, comprising:
a housing (<NUM>), wherein the housing (<NUM>) is provided with a connecting portion, and the connecting portion is detachably connected to a reusable section (<NUM>) of the endoscope handle;
an inserting unit (<NUM>), comprising a proximal end located at a distal end of the housing (<NUM>); and
a first transmission assembly, comprising: a first traction wire (<NUM>), a second traction wire (<NUM>), and a first connecting element (<NUM>), wherein the first traction wire (<NUM>) and the second traction wire (<NUM>) are located in the inserting unit (<NUM>); and the first traction wire (<NUM>) and the second traction wire (<NUM>) comprise distal ends connected to an active bending portion (<NUM>) at a distal end of the inserting unit (<NUM>) and proximal ends connected to the first connecting element (<NUM>), characterized in that
a proximal end surface of the housing (<NUM>) forms a linear movement path, the linear movement path is orthogonal to an axial direction of the proximal end surface; and the first connecting element (<NUM>) is movable along the linear movement path.