Endoscope

Abstract

The invention discloses an endoscope which comprises a handle, a side mirror mechanism and a driving mechanism. A penetrating channel is formed in the handle, the side mirror mechanism is partially installed in the penetrating channel in a sliding mode, the cross section of the side mirror mechanism is a circular face, the side mirror mechanism comprises at least two side mirror assemblies, the cross section of each side mirror assembly is a fan-shaped face, and the adjacent side mirror assemblies are connected in a sliding mode through a sliding structure. The fan-shaped faces of the side mirror assemblies are spliced to form the circular face of the side mirror mechanism, the diameter of the side mirror mechanism composed of the side mirror assemblies is the same as that of a traditional endoscope, discomfort of a patient cannot be increased, and the smoothness of endoscope insertion operation cannot be affected. The driving mechanism is connected with the side mirror assemblies, the driving mechanism drives at least one side mirror assembly to move relative to the other side mirror assemblies along the sliding structure, so that different side mirror assemblies move to different observation planes, the different side mirror assemblies carry out imaging synchronously, and medical staff can know the collapse and blocking conditions of the different observation planes at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of sleep monitoring endoscopy technology, and in particular to an endoscope. Background Technology

[0002] Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a common sleep disorder characterized by repeated upper airway collapse during sleep, leading to apnea and hypopnea. This results in symptoms such as nocturnal hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, and daytime sleepiness, ultimately causing metabolic disorders and association with various diseases, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia. OSAHS is a major killer affecting human health and a key focus of national health initiatives. Its pathophysiological mechanisms are complex, involving multi-plane obstruction, including collapse or narrowing of the nasopharynx, soft palate, base of the tongue, tonsils, and epiglottis. Currently, the near-gold standard for monitoring obstruction planes is Pharmacotherapy-guided sleep monitoring endoscopy (DISE), which uses a traditional electronic laryngoscopy. Traditional endoscopes have only a single optical channel, allowing observation of only one anatomical plane per examination. However, OSAHS patients often experience simultaneous collapse of multiple planes. Single-channel observation requires switching between different times and locations, which may miss crucial instantaneous collapse processes, making it impossible to accurately distinguish between primary and secondary collapses and reflect the dynamic interactions between multiple planes. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. This application provides an endoscope capable of simultaneous observation of multiple planes.

[0004] The endoscope according to an embodiment of this application includes: The handle has a through-channel inside; A side mirror mechanism is slidably disposed in the through channel. The side mirror mechanism has a circular cross-section and includes at least two side mirror assemblies. The side mirror assemblies have a fan-shaped cross-section and are slidably connected to each other through a sliding structure. The fan-shaped cross-sections of each side mirror assembly form the circular surface. A drive mechanism connected to the side mirror assembly to drive the side mirror assembly to move.

[0005] The endoscope according to the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects: The endoscope of this application includes a handle, a side-scope mechanism, and a drive mechanism. The handle has a through-channel, and the side-scope mechanism is partially slidably mounted within the through-channel. The side-scope mechanism has a circular cross-section and includes at least two side-scope components, each with a fan-shaped cross-section. Adjacent side-scope components are slidably connected via a sliding structure. The fan-shaped cross-sections of the side-scope components combine to form the circular surface of the side-scope mechanism. The diameter of the side-scope mechanism as a whole is the same as that of a conventional endoscope, thus not increasing patient discomfort or affecting the smoothness of endoscope insertion. The drive mechanism is connected to the side-scope components to drive their movement within the through-channel. The drive mechanism drives at least one side-scope component to move relative to other side-scope components along the sliding structure, moving different side-scope components to different observation planes. The different side-scope components simultaneously image, allowing medical personnel to simultaneously observe the collapse or obstruction of different observation planes.

[0006] According to some embodiments of this application, the side mirror mechanism includes a first side mirror assembly and a second side mirror assembly, the first side mirror assembly and the second side mirror assembly being slidably connected by the sliding structure.

[0007] According to some embodiments of this application, each of the side mirror assemblies is provided with a groove and / or a slide rail, and adjacent side mirror assemblies are slidably connected by the cooperation of the groove and the slide rail.

[0008] According to some embodiments of this application, the first side mirror assembly is provided with a slide rail, and the second side mirror assembly is provided with a slide groove.

[0009] According to some embodiments of this application, the first side mirror assembly is provided with a first side mirror cable and a first lamp cable.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this application, the second side mirror assembly is provided with a second side mirror cable, a second lamp cable, and a directional steel wire.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this application, the slide rail is provided with a first abutting portion, and the slide groove is provided with a second abutting portion. The cooperation between the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion is to make the slide rail fasten into the slide groove.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, the cross-sections of both the slide rail and the slide groove are arcs larger than a semicircle.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this application, the through channel includes a first channel and a second channel, the first channel is used to accommodate the first side mirror assembly, the second channel is used to accommodate the second side mirror assembly, the first end of the first channel and the first end of the second channel are connected and merged, and the orientation of the second end of the first channel is different from the orientation of the second end of the second channel.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, the driving mechanism includes a rolling component and a clamping component. The clamping component is provided with a clamping portion for clamping the side mirror assembly. The clamping component is provided with a rack in the axial direction. The rolling component is rotatably mounted on a handle. The circumferential side of the rolling component is provided with teeth that mesh with the rack. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A structural diagram from another angle; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Another structural diagram from a different angle; Figure 4 for Figure 3 An enlarged view of part A; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a first side mirror assembly according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 for Figure 8 An enlarged view of part B; Figure 10 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the second side mirror assembly according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 for Figure 10 An enlarged view of part C; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a partial internal structure of an endoscope according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 13 for Figure 12 An enlarged view of part D; Figure 14 This is a partial internal structure diagram of an endoscope according to one embodiment of this application from another angle; Figure 15 for Figure 14 An enlarged view of part E; Figure 16 for Figure 1 Another structural diagram from another angle; Figure 17 for Figure 16An enlarged view of part F.

[0016] Figure label: Handle 1; Side mirror mechanism 2; side mirror assembly 21; sliding structure 22; first side mirror assembly 23; first side mirror cable 231; first lamp cable 232; second side mirror assembly 24; second side mirror cable 241; second lamp cable 242; adjusting wire 243; slide rail 25; first abutment part 251; slide groove 26; second abutment part 261; second end of first channel 27; second end of second channel 28; Drive mechanism 3; rolling component 31; tooth 311; clamping component 32; clamping part 321; rack 322; 41 lever; 42 rotating structure. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0018] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the use of terms such as "center," "middle," "longitudinal," "transverse," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" to indicate orientation or positional relationships is based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0019] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0020] The following reference Figures 1 to 17 The endoscope in the embodiments of this application is described.

[0021] according to Figures 1 to 3 As shown, an embodiment of the endoscope in this application includes a handle 1, a side-scope mechanism 2, and a drive mechanism 3. The handle 1 is the operating end of the endoscope, used for gripping and operation by medical personnel, and has an axial through-channel (not shown). The side-scope mechanism 2 is partially slidably mounted in the through-channel. (Continuing to the previous section...) Figures 4 to 11 The side mirror mechanism 2 has a circular cross-section. The side mirror mechanism 2 includes at least two side mirror components 21, each of which can independently image and acquire images from different directions and planes. The cross-section of each side mirror component 21 is a fan-shaped surface. Adjacent side mirror components 21 are slidably connected by a sliding structure 22. The fan-shaped surfaces of each side mirror component 21 are combined to form the circular surface of the side mirror mechanism 2. The diameter of the side mirror mechanism 2 composed of each side mirror component 21 is the same as the diameter of a traditional endoscope. Therefore, the endoscope insertion of this application will not increase patient discomfort or affect the smoothness of the endoscope insertion operation.

[0022] The drive mechanism 3 can be installed on the handle 1 and connected to the side mirror assembly 21 to drive the side mirror assembly 21 to move in the through channel. The drive mechanism 3 drives at least one side mirror assembly 21 to move relative to other side mirror assemblies 21 along the sliding structure 22, so that different side mirror assemblies 21 can be precisely moved to different observation planes and the different side mirror assemblies 21 can image synchronously, so that medical staff can understand the collapse and blockage of different observation planes at the same time.

[0023] In use, medical staff first insert the endoscope into the upper airway through the patient's mouth or nose. Once the endoscope is inserted into the target area, the medical staff uses the drive mechanism 3 to slide each side-scope assembly 21 along the sliding structure 22, causing relative displacement of the side-scope assemblies 21 within the side-scope mechanism 2, which was originally assembled into a circular cross-section. Through this relative sliding, different side-scope assemblies 21 are positioned on different preset observation planes, thereby achieving simultaneous observation on two or more planes.

[0024] In similar technologies, some multiplanar sleep monitoring endoscopes that use multiple independent endoscopes inserted into the same cavity are complex in structure, costly, and bulky. The parallel insertion of multiple independent endoscopes significantly increases the insertion diameter, causing patient discomfort, and is complex to operate, making it difficult to use flexibly in clinical practice. Furthermore, it fails to fundamentally solve the technical bottleneck of simultaneous multiplanar observation. This application provides a novel endoscope structure. Based on the simultaneous observation of different observation planes by multiple side-scope components 21, the fan-shaped surfaces of each side-scope component 21 collectively form a circular cross-section. The overall diameter of the side-scope mechanism 2 is the same as that of traditional endoscopes, resulting in a compact structure that ensures smooth insertion and patient comfort. This fundamentally solves the technical bottleneck of simultaneous multiplanar observation and has significant potential for widespread application.

[0025] In some embodiments, a control mechanism (not shown) is also included, which is connected to the side mirror mechanism 2 and is used to optimize the image acquired from the side mirror mechanism 2 to clearly display the complete image.

[0026] In some embodiments, a display mechanism (not shown) is also included, which is connected to the side mirror mechanism 2 and is used to display an image acquired from the side mirror mechanism 2. The display mechanism can be a display device such as a smartphone, computer, or monitor.

[0027] according to Figure 4 , Figures 8 to 17 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, the side mirror mechanism 2 includes two side mirror assemblies 21, including a first side mirror assembly 23 and a second side mirror assembly 24. The cross-sections of the first side mirror assembly 23 and the second side mirror assembly 24 are both semi-circular fan-shaped and are spliced ​​together to form a circular surface. The first side mirror assembly 23 and the second side mirror assembly 24 are slidably connected by a sliding structure 22.

[0028] In some embodiments, during use, after the observation end of the side mirror mechanism 2 is inserted into the target area, the drive mechanism 3 can slightly move the first side mirror assembly 23 upwards, so that the observation end of the first side mirror assembly 23 faces the soft palate plane; while the observation end of the second side mirror assembly 24 can face the tongue root plane. At this time, the two side mirror assemblies 21 can simultaneously acquire images of the soft palate plane and the tongue root plane, and transmit them to the display mechanism for synchronous display through the imaging system.

[0029] In some embodiments, see Figure 5 The side mirror mechanism 2 includes three side mirror assemblies 21, which are slidably connected to each other by a sliding structure 22.

[0030] In some embodiments, see Figure 6 and Figure 7 The side mirror mechanism 2 includes four side mirror assemblies 21, which are slidably connected to each other by a sliding structure 22.

[0031] In some other embodiments, the side mirror mechanism 2 may also include five, six or more side mirror assemblies 21.

[0032] according to Figures 4 to 11 , Figure 17 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, each side mirror assembly 21 is provided with a sliding groove 26 and / or a sliding rail 25, and adjacent side mirror assemblies 21 are slidably connected by the cooperation of the sliding groove 26 and the sliding rail 25.

[0033] according to Figure 4 , Figures 8 to 11 , Figure 17As shown, in one embodiment of this application, when the side mirror mechanism 2 includes two side mirror assemblies 21, only one sliding structure 22 is provided, wherein the first side mirror assembly 23 is provided with a slide rail 25, and the second side mirror assembly 24 is provided with a slide groove 26. In some other embodiments, the first side mirror assembly 23 is provided with a slide groove 26, and the second side mirror assembly 24 is provided with a slide rail 25.

[0034] In some embodiments, see Figures 5 to 7 When the side mirror mechanism 2 includes three or more side mirror assemblies 21, it is provided with a corresponding number of sliding structures 22 for each side mirror assembly 21. See also Figure 6 Each side mirror assembly 21 may be provided with a sliding groove 26 and a sliding rail 25, and the sliding rail 25 of the side mirror assembly 21 is slidably connected to the sliding groove 26 of the adjacent side mirror assembly 21. See Figure 7 Some side mirror assemblies 21 may be provided with two sliding grooves 26, and some side mirror assemblies 21 may be provided with two sliding rails 25.

[0035] according to Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, the first side mirror assembly 23 is provided with a first side mirror cable 231 and a first lamp cable 232. The first side mirror cable 231 is an image transmission channel used to transmit the image signal acquired by the observation end to the signal processing unit inside the handle 1 or the external display mechanism. The first lamp cable 232 is an illumination channel used to provide illumination to the observation end to illuminate the observation plane.

[0036] In some embodiments, see Figure 9 There is one first side mirror cable 231 and two first light cables 232, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the first side mirror cable 231.

[0037] according to Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, the second side mirror assembly 24 includes a second side mirror cable 241, a second lamp cable 242, and a steering wire 243. Similarly, the second side mirror cable 241 serves as an image transmission channel, used to transmit the image signal acquired by the observation end to the signal processing unit inside the handle 1 or an external display mechanism. The second lamp cable 242 serves as an illumination channel, used to provide illumination to the observation end to illuminate the observation plane. The steering wire 243 is used to control the movement direction of the front end of the second side mirror assembly 24.

[0038] In use, the first side mirror assembly 23 and the second side mirror assembly 24 together form the side mirror mechanism 2. The side mirror mechanism 2 can be driven to move in the same direction by the adjusting wire 243. When the side mirror mechanism 2 moves to the target area, the second side mirror assembly 24 is driven to move by the drive mechanism 3. At the same time, the direction of movement of the second side mirror assembly 24 is controlled by the adjusting wire 243, so that the second side mirror assembly 24 moves to other preset observation planes.

[0039] In some embodiments, see Figure 11 There is one second side mirror cable 241 and two second light cables 242. The two second light cables 242 are respectively arranged on both sides of the second side mirror cable 241. There are two adjusting steel wires 243. The two adjusting steel wires 243 are respectively arranged on the outermost sides inside the second side mirror assembly 24 for easy adjustment.

[0040] according to Figure 4 , Figure 9 and Figure 11 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, the slide rail 25 is provided with a first abutting part 251, and the slide groove 26 is provided with a second abutting part 261. The cooperation of the first abutting part 251 and the second abutting part 261 allows the slide rail 25 to be fastened in the slide groove 26.

[0041] In some other embodiments, the slide rail 25 has protrusions on both sides (not shown), and the inner wall of the slide groove 26 has recesses that mate with the protrusions (not shown). The slide rail 25 can be configured as a T-shaped slide rail 25, and the slide groove 26 can be configured as a slide groove 26 that mates with the T-shaped slide rail 25.

[0042] according to Figures 4 to 11 , Figure 17 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, the cross-sections of the slide rail 25 and the slide groove 26 are both arc-shaped larger than a semicircle, so that the slide rail 25 is fastened in the slide groove 26.

[0043] according to Figure 13 , Figure 15 As shown, in one embodiment of this application, the through-channel includes a first channel (not shown) and a second channel (not shown). The first channel is used to accommodate a first side mirror assembly 23, and the second channel is used to accommodate a second side mirror assembly 24. The first end of the first channel and the first end of the second channel converge and connect at a preset position. The first side mirror assembly 23 and the second side mirror assembly 24 are spliced ​​at the preset position to form a side mirror mechanism 2, which facilitates medical personnel to insert the side mirror mechanism 2 as a whole into the airway for detection. The orientation of the second end 27 of the first channel is different from that of the second end 28 of the second channel, which facilitates the insertion of the first side mirror assembly 23 and the second side mirror assembly 24 into the handle 1 respectively, avoiding interference caused by wire crossing.

[0044] according to Figures 12 to 15As shown in one embodiment of this application, the drive mechanism 3 is mounted on the handle 1 and includes a rolling component 31 and a clamping component 32. The clamping component 32 is installed within the through channel and has a clamping portion 321 for clamping and fixing the side mirror assembly 21. The clamping component 32 has a rack 322 along its axial direction. The rolling component 31 is rotatably mounted on the handle 1, and its periphery has teeth 311 that mesh with the rack 322. In use, medical personnel can rotate the rolling component 31 by rolling it. The teeth 311 on the rolling component 31 mesh with the rack 322, pushing the rack 322 to move. The rack 322 and the clamping component 32 move as a whole, thereby driving the side mirror assembly 21 clamped by the clamping portion 321 to move.

[0045] In some embodiments, see Figure 15 The handle 1 is equipped with a lever 41, which is connected to the side mirror mechanism 2 through a rotating structure 42. Medical staff can use the lever 41 to bend and adjust the side mirror mechanism 2.

[0046] The endoscope of this application, through the coordinated sliding and synchronous imaging of different side-scope components 21, can simultaneously capture the collapse states of multiple planes in the airway, avoiding the omission of transient collapse events due to sequential observation, thereby achieving accurate identification of the primary collapse site. Specifically, the endoscope of this application, by setting a sliding structure 22 composed of a slide rail 25 and a slide groove 26, allows the first side-scope component 23 and the second side-scope component 24 to slide relatively smoothly. The cross-sections of the two side-scope components 21 are fan-shaped, and when they are connected in a sliding state, they are spliced ​​together to form a circular cross-section, ensuring that the overall outer diameter is consistent with that of traditional endoscopes, while also enabling adjustable dual-plane observation angles, achieving compatibility between compact structure and multi-plane visualization. Therefore, under the same insertion conditions, medical personnel can simultaneously observe key areas such as the soft palate plane and the tongue base plane, achieving a synchronous imaging effect that was previously impossible with single-scope endoscopy techniques.

[0047] In the description of this specification, the use of terms such as "an embodiment," "some examples," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" indicates that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0048] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of this application.

Claims

1. An endoscope, characterized by: Comprising a handle, a through channel is arranged in the handle; a side mirror mechanism, the side mirror mechanism is slidingly arranged in the through channel, a cross section of the side mirror mechanism is a circular surface, the side mirror mechanism comprises at least two side mirror assemblies, a cross section of the side mirror assembly is a sector surface, adjacent side mirror assemblies are slidingly connected through a sliding structure, the sector surface of each side mirror assembly constitutes the circular surface; a driving mechanism, the driving mechanism is connected with the side mirror assembly to drive the side mirror assembly to move.

2. The endoscope of claim 1, wherein: The side mirror mechanism comprises a first side mirror assembly and a second side mirror assembly, the first side mirror assembly and the second side mirror assembly are slidingly connected through the sliding structure.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Each side mirror assembly is provided with a sliding groove and / or a sliding rail, adjacent side mirror assemblies are slidingly connected through cooperation of the sliding groove and the sliding rail.

4. The endoscope of claim 2, wherein: The first side mirror assembly is provided with a sliding rail, and the second side mirror assembly is provided with a sliding groove.

5. The endoscope of claim 2, wherein: The first side mirror assembly is provided with a first side mirror cable and a first lamp cable.

6. The endoscope of claim 2, wherein: The second side mirror assembly is provided with a second side mirror cable, a second lamp cable and a steering wire.

7. The endoscope of claim 3, wherein: The sliding rail is provided with a first abutting portion, the sliding groove is provided with a second abutting portion, and the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion cooperate to enable the sliding rail to be buckled in the sliding groove.

8. The endoscope of claim 7, wherein: Cross sections of the sliding rail and the sliding groove are both arc shapes greater than half a circle.

9. The endoscope of claim 2, wherein: The through channel comprises a first channel and a second channel, the first channel is used for accommodating the first side mirror assembly, the second channel is used for accommodating the second side mirror assembly, a first end of the first channel and a first end of the second channel are connected in communication, and a second end of the first channel is oriented differently from a second end of the second channel.

10. The endoscope of claim 2, wherein: The driving mechanism comprises a rolling component and a clamping component, the clamping component is provided with a clamping portion for clamping the side mirror assembly, the clamping component is provided with a rack along an axial direction, the rolling component is rotationally arranged on the handle, and a circumferential side of the rolling component is provided with a tooth engaging with the rack.

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