A micro snake bone component

Abstract

The present invention discloses a micro snake bone assembly, belonging to the technical field of flexible endoscope accessories. The micro snake bone assembly includes a plurality of snake bone ring segments connected end to end. At least two upwardly protruding buckle positions are symmetrically arranged at the upper end of each snake bone ring segment; buckle grooves matching the buckle positions are symmetrically arranged at the lower end of the snake bone ring segment; corner positioning ribs are arranged on the inner wall of the buckle position, and the lower ends of both sides of the corner positioning ribs are smoothly transitioned with the upper end of the snake bone ring segment; a corner positioning groove for accommodating the corner positioning ribs is arranged on the inner wall of the buckle groove; during assembly, the buckle position of one snake bone ring segment is snap-fitted into the buckle groove of the next snake bone ring segment, and the corner positioning rib is clamped in the corner positioning groove, so that every two adjacent snake bone ring segments are rotatably connected. The micro snake bone assembly of the present invention can realize the bending and turning function in a thinner flexible endoscope, has a small volume, a thin diameter, flexible corners, does not need to be riveted and connected by rivets, is convenient for assembly, and can effectively prevent loosening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of flexible endoscope accessories, and particularly relates to a micro snake bone assembly applicable to medical flexible endoscopes and industrial flexible endoscopes. Background Art

[0002] With the popularization of minimally invasive surgery, various flexible endoscopes with bendable heads are used in various surgeries, which well reduce the pain of patients. When the existing flexible endoscopes realize the bending and turning of the head at the bending angle, the difficulty of bending the head is very high, especially in the case of a soft endoscope with a small diameter where the structure is very limited. The existing flexible endoscopes are all bent by pulling the steel wire ropes connected to the snake bones through the built-in snake bones. The snake bones in the prior art are all connected by riveting. Due to this riveting connection method, the following defects are likely to occur: First, if the axis of the riveting tooling and the rivet is not on the same axis or the riveting force is too large, the riveting joint of the middle ring of the snake bone will be deformed; Second, during the riveting process, if the riveting pressure is too large, the surface of the workpiece is likely to be damaged or the rivet is deformed or the rivet head cracks; Third, the riveted workpiece is likely to have an incomplete riveting or an insecure riveting; Therefore, the requirements for the riveting process skills of workers are relatively high, resulting in low production efficiency, difficulty in large-scale production, and relatively easy occurrence of unqualified riveting quality. Sometimes, the phenomenon of rivet falling off also occurs, resulting in many defects and a high rejection rate of the final product, thus increasing the production cost.

[0003] Particularly, in clinical use, thinner medical flexible endoscopes are required in the fields of human nasal cavity, bladder, pediatrics, etc. Since the existing snake bones are relatively thick, thinner snake bones cannot be manufactured, nor can thinner endoscopes be manufactured; the existing medical endoscopes are relatively thick, causing greater pain to patients during use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a micro snake bone assembly. The micro snake bone assembly of the present invention can realize the bending and turning function in a thinner flexible endoscope, has a small volume, a thin diameter, flexible turning angles, does not require riveting connection, is convenient for assembly, and can effectively prevent loosening.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the technical solutions adopted by the present invention are as follows:

[0006] A micro snake bone component, which includes a plurality of snake bone joint rings connected end to end. At least two upwardly protruding buckling positions are symmetrically arranged at the upper end of each snake bone joint ring; buckling grooves matching the buckling positions are symmetrically arranged at the lower end of the snake bone joint ring; corner positioning ribs are arranged on the inner wall of the buckling position, and the lower ends of both sides of the corner positioning ribs are smoothly transitioned with the upper end of the snake bone joint ring; a corner positioning groove for accommodating the corner positioning ribs is arranged on the inner wall of the buckling groove; during assembly, the buckling position of one snake bone joint ring is snap-fitted into the buckling groove of the next snake bone joint ring, and the corner positioning rib is clamped in the corner positioning groove, so that every two adjacent snake bone joint rings are rotatably connected.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an anti-slip wall is formed between the corner positioning rib and the inner wall of the buckling position; an anti-slip retaining rib matching the anti-slip wall is arranged between the corner positioning groove and the buckling groove; when every two adjacent snake bone joint rings are assembled, the anti-slip retaining rib is attached to the anti-slip wall.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, two wire holes for a steering wire to pass through are symmetrically arranged on the inner wall of the snake bone joint ring.

[0009] Further preferably, the connecting line of the centers of the two wire holes is perpendicular to the connecting line of the centers of the two buckling positions.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a relief slope is arranged at the upper end of the snake bone joint ring corresponding to the position of the wire hole, and the relief slope is smoothly transitioned with the upper end face of the snake bone joint ring.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the buckling position includes a circular handle body and a handle rod, and the circular handle body and the handle rod are integrally formed; the buckling groove is a circular groove with an opening, and the minimum width of the opening of the circular groove is smaller than the minimum width of the handle rod.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, symmetrically downwardly protruding guiding buckles are formed on both sides of the opening.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the snake bone joint ring is made of plastic or metal.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the micro snake bone component of the present invention further includes a fixing bracket arranged at the end of the snake bone component, and the buckling position is arranged at one end of the fixing bracket; the fixing bracket is snap-fitted with the snake bone joint ring at the end of the snake bone component.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the micro snake bone assembly of the present invention further includes a lens bracket, and the buckle groove is provided at the end of the lens bracket; the lens bracket is buckled with the snake bone ring at the front end of the snake bone assembly.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0017] The micro snake bone assembly of the present invention enables the axial rotational connection of multiple snake bone rings through the cooperation of the buckle position and the buckle groove. The connection strength of the snake bone assembly can be enhanced through the corner positioning rib and the corner positioning groove, effectively preventing the loosening of the snake bone ring; further, the radial movement between two adjacent snake bone rings can be effectively prevented through the cooperation of the anti-slip wall and the anti-slip rib; through the above-mentioned small structural design, the present invention quickly assembles the micro snake bone rings together without riveting connection, saving material costs and facilitating assembly, enabling the head of the flexible endoscope to rotate flexibly, improving production efficiency, and greatly reducing production and processing costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the micro snake bone assembly of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the snake bone ring of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 is another three-dimensional structural diagram of the snake bone ring of the present invention from a different angle;

[0021] Figure 4 is the front view of the snake bone ring of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the snake bone ring of the present invention cut along its axis;

[0023] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the snake bone ring of the present invention cut along its radius;

[0024] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the micro snake bone assembly of the present invention cut along its axis;

[0025] Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings: 1. Snake bone ring; 2. Buckle position; 3. Buckle groove; 4. Corner positioning rib; 5. Anti-slip wall; 6. Anti-slip rib; 7. Corner positioning groove; 8. Wire hole; 9. Introduction buckle; 10. Avoidance inclined plane; 11. Circular handle body; 12. Handle rod; 13. Pipeline channel; 14. Fixing bracket; 15. Lens bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0027] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 7 For the micro snake bone assembly of the present invention, it includes a snake bone assembly, a fixing bracket 14 for connecting the soft endoscope body, and a lens bracket 15 serving as the front end of the soft endoscope; the fixing bracket 14 is detachably arranged at the end of the snake bone assembly, and the lens bracket 15 is detachably arranged at the front end of the snake bone assembly.

[0028] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 to 6 , the snake bone assembly includes a plurality of snake bone ring segments 1 connected end to end. The snake bone ring segment 1 is a ring structure. A plurality of snake bone ring segments 1 are connected end to end in pairs to form the snake bone assembly. A pipeline channel 13 is formed on the inner wall of the snake bone assembly. The pipeline channel 13 is used for pipelines such as the working channel, electric wire, or light guide beam in the soft endoscope to pass through and connect with the lens bracket 15. At least two vertically upward protruding buckle positions 2 are symmetrically arranged at the upper end of each snake bone ring segment 1. The end face of the connecting end of the buckle position 2 is an arc surface. More specifically, the buckle position 2 is composed of a circular handle body 11 and a handle rod 12 connected to the circular handle body 11. The circular handle body 11 and the handle rod 12 are integrally formed. The handle rod 12 is smoothly transitioned with the circular handle body 11 and the upper end face of the snake bone ring segment 1 respectively. Correspondingly, two buckle grooves 3 matching the buckle positions 2 are symmetrically arranged at the lower end of the snake bone ring segment 1, and the buckle groove 3 is located directly below the buckle position 2. The buckle groove 3 is composed of a circular groove with an opening. During assembly, the buckle position 2 of one snake bone ring segment 1 is snapped into the buckle groove 3 of the next snake bone ring segment 1, so that every two adjacent snake bone ring segments 1 are rotationally connected through the cooperation of the buckle position 2 and the buckle groove 3. Preferably, the minimum width of the opening of the buckle groove 3 is slightly smaller than the minimum width of the handle rod 12, so that when every two adjacent snake bone ring segments 1 are assembled, the buckle position 2 can be snapped into the buckle groove 3 through the deformation force of the snake bone ring segment 1. In the natural state, the handle rod 12 is clamped at the opening of the buckle groove 3, thereby realizing the axial fixation of the snake bone ring segment 1 and effectively preventing the snake bone ring segment 1 from loosening. Further preferably, symmetrically protruding guiding buckles 9 are formed downward on both sides of the opening of the buckle groove 3, making the snake bone ring segment 1 easy to install and effectively preventing it from coming off. At the same time, due to the protrusion of the guiding buckles 9, there is a gap between the assembled snake bone ring segments 1, providing a rotation space for the bending of the snake bone assembly.

[0029] Furthermore, corner positioning ribs 4 are provided on the inner wall of each buckle 2. The corner positioning ribs 4 extend downward along the axial direction of the snake bone joint ring 1, and the two sides of the lower end of the corner positioning ribs 4 are smoothly transitioned with the upper end surface of the snake bone joint ring 1, so that two anti-slip walls 5 are formed between the corner positioning ribs 4 and the inner walls of the circular handle body 11 and the handle rod 12. A corner positioning groove 7 for accommodating the corner positioning ribs 4 is provided on the bottom wall of the buckle groove 3, and the internal contour of the corner positioning groove 7 matches the external contour of the corner positioning ribs 4. Two anti-slip ribs 6 matching the anti-slip walls 5 are symmetrically arranged between the corner positioning groove 7 and the circular groove. When every two adjacent snake bone joint rings 1 are assembled, the buckle 2 of one snake bone joint ring 1 is clamped in the buckle groove 3 of the next snake bone joint ring 1, and the corner positioning ribs 4 are clamped in the corner positioning groove 7, so that every two adjacent snake bone joint rings 1 are rotatably connected, and at the same time, the structural strength of the snake bone assembly is further enhanced; when every two adjacent snake bone joint rings 1 are assembled, the anti-slip ribs 6 are attached to the anti-slip walls 5, and the radial movement between the two snake bone joint rings 1 can be effectively prevented through the cooperation of the anti-slip ribs 6 and the anti-slip walls 5. Preferably, the width of the corner positioning groove 7 is greater than the width of the corner positioning ribs 4, which is convenient for the bending and turning of the snake bone assembly.

[0030] Two wire holes 8 for the steering wire to pass through are symmetrically arranged on the inner wall of each snake bone joint ring 1, so that the steering of the snake bone assembly can be adjusted by the steering wire. Preferably, the connecting line of the centers of the two wire holes 8 is perpendicular to the connecting line of the center points of the two buckles 2, so as to provide the maximum corner space for the bending of the snake bone assembly. Furthermore, a relief inclined surface 10 is provided on the upper end surface of the snake bone joint ring 1 corresponding to the position of the wire hole 8. The relief inclined surface 10 is smoothly transitioned with the upper end surface of the snake bone joint ring 1. The relief inclined surface 10 can avoid the lower end surface of the snake bone joint ring 1 when the snake bone assembly is bent, and further improves the corner angle of the snake bone assembly; preferably, the angle between the relief inclined surface 10 and the upper end surface of the snake bone joint ring 1 is 30 to 60°.

[0031] Specifically, a buckle 2 is provided at one end of the fixing bracket 14. When the fixing bracket 14 is assembled with the snake bone assembly, the buckle 2 on the fixing bracket 14 is snapped onto the buckle groove 3 on the snake bone joint ring 1 at the end of the snake bone assembly, thereby realizing the connection and fixation between the two. The fixing bracket 14 is buckled to the snake bone joint ring 1 at the end of the snake bone assembly through the cooperation of the buckle 2 and the buckle groove 3. Similarly, a buckle groove 3 is provided at the end of the lens bracket 15. When the lens bracket 15 is assembled with the snake bone assembly, the buckle 2 on the snake bone joint ring 1 at the front end of the snake bone assembly is snapped onto the buckle groove 3 of the lens bracket 15, thereby realizing the connection and fixation between the two. During assembly, one end of the steering wire is fixed to the lens bracket 15, and the other end sequentially passes through the wire hole 8 of the snake bone assembly, the fixing bracket 14 and the flexible endoscope body and then is connected to the flexible endoscope handle; during steering, when pulling the left steering wire first, the first snake bone joint ring 1 is steered to the left and reaches a predetermined angle, then the second snake bone joint ring 1 is steered to the left, and in this order each snake bone joint ring 1 is sequentially steered to the left, thereby realizing the steering of the snake bone assembly to the left and a predetermined angle. When it is fully steered to the left, if it is necessary to steer to the right, then release the left steering wire and pull the right steering wire. The first snake bone joint ring 1 is first steered to the right to a predetermined angle, then the second snake bone joint ring 1 is then steered to the right, and in this order each snake bone joint ring 1 is sequentially steered to the right, realizing the right side and a predetermined angle. Further preferably, the snake bone joint ring 1 is made of plastic or metal.

[0032] When the above snake bone assembly is bent, gaps are likely to occur between adjacent snake bone joint rings 1, and it is easy for liquids such as body fluids to enter the snake bone assembly and corrode components such as the working channel. In order to avoid the above problems, a bending hose can be coated on the outer surface of the snake bone assembly by means of gluing, etc., which plays a role in sealing and protecting the snake bone assembly. Preferably, the length of the bending hose is greater than the length of the snake bone assembly, and the two end portions of the bending hose respectively cover the connection between the lens bracket 15 and the snake bone assembly and the connection between the snake bone assembly and the flexible endoscope body, further strengthening the connection strength between the lens bracket 15 and the snake bone assembly and between the snake bone assembly and the flexible endoscope body. Similarly, in order to strengthen the connection strength between the bending hose and other components, the connection between the lens bracket 15 and the bending hose and the connection between the bending hose and the flexible endoscope body are coated with heat shrinkable tubes by means of heat shrinkage; further, heat shrinkage grooves can be respectively opened on the outer surfaces of the lens bracket 15 and the flexible endoscope body to strengthen the fastening and sealing effects of the heat shrinkable tubes.

[0033] As can be seen from the above solution, in the micro snake bone assembly of the present invention, the cooperation of the buckle 2 and the buckle groove 3 enables the axial rotational connection of multiple snake bone rings 1. The connection strength of the snake bone assembly can be enhanced through the corner positioning rib 4 and the corner positioning groove 7, effectively preventing the loosening of the snake bone ring 1. Further, the cooperation of the anti-slip wall 5 and the anti-slip rib 6 can effectively prevent the radial movement between two adjacent snake bone rings 1. Through the above-mentioned small structural design, the present invention quickly assembles the micro snake bone rings 1 together without riveting connection, saving material costs and facilitating assembly. It can make the head of the flexible endoscope rotate flexibly, improve production efficiency, and greatly reduce production and processing costs.

[0034] The above embodiments are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention cannot be limited thereby. Any non-substantive changes and substitutions made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention fall within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

Claims

1. A micro snake bone component, characterized in that: it includes a plurality of snake bone section rings connected end to end, and at least two upwardly protruding buckling positions are symmetrically arranged at the upper end of each snake bone section ring; buckling grooves matching the buckling positions are symmetrically arranged at the lower end of the snake bone section ring; corner positioning ribs are arranged on the inner wall of the buckling position, and the two sides of the lower end of the corner positioning ribs are smoothly transitioned with the upper end of the snake bone section ring; a corner positioning groove for accommodating the corner positioning ribs is arranged on the inner wall of the buckling groove; during assembly, the buckling position of one snake bone section ring is snapped into the buckling groove of the next snake bone section ring, and the corner positioning rib is snapped into the corner positioning groove, so that every two adjacent snake bone section rings are rotationally connected; an anti-slip wall is formed between the corner positioning rib and the inner wall of the buckling position; an anti-slip rib matching the anti-slip wall is arranged between the corner positioning groove and the buckling groove; when every two adjacent snake bone section rings are assembled, the anti-slip rib is attached to the anti-slip wall; two wire holes for allowing steering wires to pass through are symmetrically arranged on the inner wall of the snake bone section ring; the connecting line of the centers of the two wire holes is perpendicular to the connecting line of the centers of the two buckling positions; an avoidance inclined surface is arranged at the upper end of the snake bone section ring corresponding to the position of the wire hole, and the avoidance inclined surface is smoothly transitioned with the upper end surface of the snake bone section ring.

2. The micro snake bone component according to claim 1, characterized in that: the buckling position includes a circular handle body and a handle rod, and the circular handle body and the handle rod are integrally formed; the buckling groove is a circular groove with an opening, and the minimum width of the opening of the circular groove is smaller than the minimum width of the handle rod.

3. The micro snake bone component according to claim 2, characterized in that: symmetrically protruding downward on both sides of the opening to form symmetrically arranged guiding buckles.

4. The micro snake bone component according to claim 1, characterized in that: the snake bone section ring is made of plastic or metal.

5. The micro snake bone component according to claim 1, characterized in that: it further includes a fixing frame arranged at the end of the snake bone component, and the buckling position is arranged at one end of the fixing frame; the fixing frame is buckled with the snake bone section ring at the end of the snake bone component.

6. The micro snake bone component according to claim 1, characterized in that: it further includes a lens bracket, and the buckling groove is arranged at the end of the lens bracket; the lens bracket is buckled with the snake bone section ring at the front end of the snake bone component.

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