Endoscope, endoscope tip and endoscope insertion section

Abstract

The endoscope includes: a camera module (61) having an optical axis that defines the field of view of the endoscope and is provided with electrical contacts; a cable (70) disposed at the base end of the camera module (61) for transmitting camera signals generated by the camera module; a treatment instrument channel (82) disposed alongside the camera module (61); and a movable base plate (50) for electrically connecting the electrical contacts to the cable (70) to transmit the camera signals, and having a movable part (52) capable of forming a bend (52a) that can be freely displaced in the direction of the optical axis, wherein the movable part (52) in the movable base plate (50) is disposed at a position where the distance between the bend (52a) and the treatment instrument channel (82) is greater than the distance between the bend (52a) and the optical axis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an endoscope, the front end of an endoscope and the insertion part of an endoscope, and more particularly to an endoscope having a camera module and a cable for transmitting camera signals from the camera module, the front end of the endoscope and the insertion part of the endoscope. Background Technology

[0002] Endoscopic systems, which are equipped with endoscopes that can photograph the inside of a subject and video processors that can perform prescribed image processing on the images of the subject captured in the endoscope and output them, are widely used in the medical and industrial fields.

[0003] The endoscope used in such an endoscope system generally has a slender insertion part for insertion into the body cavity of the subject. The insertion part is configured to have: a rigid front end provided at the front end; a flexible bending part provided at the rear end of the front end; and a long strip-shaped flexible tube provided at the rear end of the bending part.

[0004] Furthermore, the aforementioned front end of the endoscope insertion section is generally equipped with a camera optical system and a camera element unit for photographing the subject. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-042961 discloses an endoscope having a camera cable for transmitting camera signals from the camera element unit disposed at its base end, and an endoscope equipped with a connecting portion that connects the camera element unit and the camera cable.

[0005] However, conventionally known structures use, for example, resin to seal the connection between the camera element unit and the camera cable as described above. However, structures using resin-sealed connections suffer from problems such as increased rigidity of the camera element unit and difficulty in ensuring tilting accuracy during assembly.

[0006] On the other hand, it is also well known that an endoscope insertion section has a forceps channel for inserting a treatment instrument through it. In an endoscope with such a forceps channel, for example, when the endoscope insertion section is bent, the treatment instrument is inserted through the forceps channel. In this case, it is also contemplated that a load from the treatment instrument inserted through the forceps channel may be applied to the connection between the imaging element unit and the imaging cable as described above, and depending on the degree of load, image abnormalities may occur.

[0007] Furthermore, during the assembly of the endoscope insertion section, since the aforementioned connecting part is fixed, the camera unit is only slightly tilted, which becomes an obstacle during channel assembly or bending tube assembly. Depending on the situation, adverse conditions caused by interference may also occur.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide an endoscope that, by using a movable substrate to connect the camera element unit and the camera cable, supports the camera cable in a movable manner within the front end of the insertion section, thereby enabling reliable channel assembly and bending tube assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Methods for solving problems

[0010] An endoscope according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a camera module having an optical axis defining the field of view of the endoscope and having an electrical contact; a cable disposed at the base end of the camera module for transmitting a camera signal generated by the camera module; a treatment instrument channel disposed parallel to the camera module; a movable base plate electrically connecting the electrical contact to the cable for transmitting the camera signal and having a movable portion capable of forming a bendable surface that can be freely displaced in the optical axis direction; a first fixing portion disposed at a position opposite to one end of the movable base plate; and a second fixing portion. The movable part of the movable substrate is disposed at a position opposite to the other end of the movable substrate. The movable part of the movable substrate is disposed at a position where the distance between the bending surface and the treatment device channel is greater than the distance between the bending surface and the optical axis. One side of one end of the movable substrate is fixed to the first fixing part, and the one end is sandwiched between the first fixing part and the electrical contact of the camera module. One side of the other end of the movable substrate is fixed to the second fixing part, and the other end is sandwiched between the second fixing part and the electrical contact of the cable.

[0011] In another embodiment of the invention, the anterior endoscope comprises: a camera module having an optical axis defining the field of view of the endoscope and provided with electrical contacts for electrical connection to a cable transmitting camera signals; a treatment instrument channel arranged parallel to the camera module; a movable base plate for transmitting the camera signals by electrically connecting the electrical contacts to the cable and having a movable portion capable of forming a flexible bending surface that can be moved freely in the optical axis direction; a first fixing portion disposed at a position opposite to one end of the movable base plate; and a second fixing portion disposed at a position opposite to the optical axis. The movable part of the movable substrate is positioned such that the distance between the bending surface and the treatment device channel is greater than the distance between the bending surface and the optical axis. One side of one end of the movable substrate is fixed to the first fixing part, and the first end is sandwiched between the first fixing part and the electrical contact of the camera module. One side of the other end of the movable substrate is fixed to the second fixing part, and the other end is sandwiched between the second fixing part and the electrical contact of the cable.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, the insertion portion of an endoscope comprises: a camera module having an optical axis defining the field of view direction of the endoscope and provided with electrical contacts; a cable disposed at the base end side of the camera module for transmitting camera signals generated by the camera module; a treatment instrument channel disposed parallel to the camera module; a movable base plate electrically connecting the electrical contacts to the cable for transmitting the camera signals and having a movable portion capable of forming a bendable surface that can be freely displaced in the optical axis direction; a first fixing portion disposed at a position opposite to one end of the movable base plate; and a second fixing portion. A fixed part is disposed at a position opposite to the other end of the movable substrate. The movable part in the movable substrate is disposed at a position where the distance between the bending surface and the treatment device channel is greater than the distance between the bending surface and the optical axis. One side of one end of the movable substrate is fixed to the first fixed part, and the one end is sandwiched between the first fixed part and the electrical contact of the camera module. One side of the other end of the movable substrate is fixed to the second fixed part, and the other end is sandwiched between the second fixed part and the electrical contact of the cable. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is an external view of an endoscope system having an endoscope (sub-endoscope) having a first embodiment of the present invention and a mother endoscope using the sub-endoscope.

[0014] Figure 2 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main part of the internal structure of the front end of the insertion section of the endoscope according to the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing the connection relationship between the sub-endoscope connector extending from the endoscope of the first embodiment and the video processor.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing the front end face of the sub-endoscope connector extending from the endoscope of the first embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the front end of the insertion section of the endoscope according to the first embodiment, perpendicular to its long axis.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a side cross-sectional view showing the state before the movable substrate for connecting the camera module and camera cable, which are disposed at the front end of the insertion part of the endoscope in the first embodiment, is assembled to the front end of the insertion part.

[0019] Figure 7 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main part of the internal structure of the front end of the insertion section of the endoscope according to the second embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described using the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Furthermore, in the figures used in the following description, in order to make each component size identifiable on the drawing, the scale is sometimes different for each component. The present invention is not limited to the number of components, the shape of the components, the size ratio of the components, and the relative positional relationship of the components shown in these figures.

[0022] <First Implementation Method>

[0023] The endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. However, in this embodiment, the endoscope is envisioned as a so-called cholangioscopy used for observation and treatment within the bile duct (including the common bile duct) or pancreatic duct. In addition, the endoscope (cholangioscopy) of this embodiment will be described as a daughter endoscope, which is used in the mother endoscope of a so-called mother-daughter endoscope system.

[0024] Figure 1 This is an external view of an endoscope system 1 having an endoscope (sub-endoscope) according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a mother endoscope using the sub-endoscope. Additionally, in Figure 1 In the diagram, arrow P indicates the basal side (proximal direction), and arrow D indicates the anterior side (distal direction).

[0025] Figure 1 In the endoscope system 1 of this embodiment shown, the mother endoscope 10 is, for example, a duodenal endoscope, and the daughter endoscope 20, which is the endoscope of this embodiment, is a narrow-diameter endoscope that penetrates the insertion channel 26 of the treatment instrument inserted into the mother endoscope 10. Moreover, the daughter endoscope 20 protrudes into the body cavity from the front end of the mother endoscope 10 inserted into the duodenum, and is selectively inserted only from the duodenal papilla into the bile duct (common bile duct) or pancreatic duct, thereby performing observation or treatment within the bile duct or pancreatic duct.

[0026] First, the structure of the mother endoscope 10 in the endoscope system 1 will be described. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the endoscope 10 has an elongated insertion portion 11 that is inserted into the subject and an operating portion 12 connected to the base of the insertion portion 11. Various operating components required for operating the endoscope 10 are provided in the operating portion 12.

[0027] The insertion part 11 is configured to connect the front end body 13, the bending part 14 and the flexible tube part 15 sequentially from the front end side toward the base end side.

[0028] The front end body 13 of the insertion section 11 is equipped with an illumination optical system that irradiates illumination light transmitted by a light guide beam (not shown), an objective lens optical system, and an imaging element. The imaging element in the female endoscope 10 is, for example, a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor.

[0029] The curved portion 14 of the insertion portion 11 is a first curved portion, for example configured to be able to bend in a full circumference direction around the insertion axis, including the up, down and left and right directions (up (U: UP) ~ down (D: DOWN) / right (R: RIGHT) ~ left (L: LEFT)).

[0030] The flexible tube section 15 of the insertion section 11 is composed of a flexible tubular component. Inside the flexible tube section 15 are disposed a treatment device through insertion channel 16, a camera cable (not shown), a light guide beam, and air / water supply pipes, etc.

[0031] The treatment instrument is disposed from the front end body 13 of the insertion part 11 to the operation part 12 through the insertion channel 16 (in the female endoscope 10). Furthermore, the treatment instrument through the insertion channel 16 has a base-side opening 16a at a position on the operation part 12 that is closer to the front end than the curved operation part 18 described later, and has a front-side opening 16b at the front end body 13 of the insertion part 11.

[0032] A clamp 16c, for example equipped with a check valve (backflow prevention valve), is installed in the base end side opening 16a of the operating section 12.

[0033] Furthermore, in the insertion channel 16 for the treatment device, not only can the insertion part 21 of the sub-endoscope 20, which is the endoscope of this embodiment, be inserted through the forceps bolt 16c, but other treatment devices can also be inserted through it.

[0034] A bending operation section 18 for bending the bending section 14 is provided at a position near the base end side of the opening 16a on the operation section 12. The bending operation section 18 includes a UD bending operation button 18a, an RL bending operation button 18b, a UD brake lever 18c, and an RL brake knob 18d. In addition, the RL brake knob 18d has a disc portion 18d1 and a rectangular portion 18d2 protruding from the disc portion 18d1.

[0035] Additionally, a universal cable 17 extends from the side of the base end of the operation unit 12. An endoscope connector 17a is provided at the extended end of the universal cable 17. By connecting the endoscope connector 17a to an external device (processor, light source device, etc., not shown), power, drive signals, illumination light, etc. are supplied to the female endoscope 10, and the external device processes the images captured by the female endoscope 10.

[0036] <Instructions for use of the 20-inch endoscope>

[0037] Next, besides Figure 1 In addition, refer to Figure 2 The sub-endoscope 20, which is the endoscope (cholangioscope) of this embodiment, will be described. Figure 2 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main part of the internal structure of the front end of the insertion section of the endoscope according to the first embodiment.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, the sub-endoscope 20 has: an elongated insertion portion 21 that can be inserted into the instrument penetration channel 16 of the parent endoscope 10; and an operation portion 22 that is connected to the base end of the insertion portion 21. Various operating components required for operating the sub-endoscope 20 are provided in the operation portion 22.

[0039] The insertion portion 21 is configured to have: a rigid front end portion 23 provided on the front end side; a flexible bending portion 24 provided on the rear end of the front end portion 23; and an elongated and flexible tube portion 25 provided on the rear end of the bending portion 24.

[0040] like Figure 2 As shown, the front end 23 of the insertion part 21 is provided with an LED light source (which may also be a structure that uses a light guide to transmit the illumination light from the light source device) that generates illumination light, an illumination optical system that illuminates the generated illumination light, and a camera module 61 that has a built-in objective lens optical system and a camera element 62.

[0041] In this embodiment, the imaging element 62 is composed of a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor. Furthermore, the imaging module 61 is fixedly disposed on the front frame portion 83 of the front end portion 23, and has an electrical contact 61a at one end for inputting drive signals to the imaging element 62, etc. The structures of the imaging element 62 and the imaging module 61 will be described in detail later.

[0042] The front end 23 is also provided with a front end of a camera cable 70 for transmitting camera signals generated by the camera element 62 in the camera module 61. The camera cable 70 is also disposed on the base end side of the camera module 61. Furthermore, a processing device through insertion channel 82 is provided parallel to the camera module 61 at the front end 23, allowing a specified processing device to be inserted. The camera cable 70 and the processing device through insertion channel 82 will be described in detail later.

[0043] Furthermore, a movable substrate 50 is provided at the front end 23, which electrically connects the electrical contact 61a in the camera module 61 to the camera cable 70, transmits the camera signal from the camera element 62, and has a movable portion 52 capable of forming a bending surface 52a that can freely shift in the optical axis direction. The movable substrate 50 will be described in detail later.

[0044] return Figure 1 The bent portion 24 in the insertion portion 21 is configured, for example, to be able to bend in a circumferential direction around the insertion axis, including the up-down and left-right directions (UD / RL).

[0045] The flexible tube section 25 of the insertion section 21 is composed of a flexible tubular component. Inside this flexible tube section 25, a treatment device penetration insertion channel 26 (denoted as 82 in the front end section 23, see reference 26) is formed. Figure 2 In addition to the above, it is also equipped with a camera cable 70 (see reference). Figure 2 This includes power lines for LED light sources and pipes for supplying air and water. Here, the flexible tube section 25 is configured such that the bending stiffness at the base end is higher than that at the front end.

[0046] The treatment device through insertion channel 26 is a treatment device through insertion channel disposed from the front end 23 of the insertion part 21 to the operation part 22. Furthermore, the treatment device through insertion channel 26 has a base end side opening 26a in the operation part 22 and a front end side opening (not shown) in the front end 23 of the insertion part 21.

[0047] An interface 26b is provided, for example, at the base end side opening 26a of the operating section 22.

[0048] Furthermore, a treatment device or the like can be inserted through the treatment device insertion channel 26 via the interface 26b. Additionally, the treatment device insertion channel 26 can also be used for injecting contrast agents, etc.

[0049] A bending operation section 28 for bending the bending section 24 is provided at the base end of the operation section 22. The bending operation section 28 is a second bending operation section including a UD bending operation button 28a, an RL bending operation button 28b, and a brake lever 28c. These UD bending operation buttons 28a, RL bending operation buttons 28b, and brake lever 28c are configured as rotational operation components capable of coaxial rotation.

[0050] The UD bending operation button 28a is a rotary operation component used to bend the bending part 24 in the up and down direction. By rotating it in one direction, the bending part 24 bends in the U direction (upward direction), and by rotating it in the other direction, the bending part 24 bends in the D direction (downward direction).

[0051] The RL bending operation button 28b is a rotating operation component used to bend the bending part 24 in the left and right directions. By rotating it in one direction, the bending part 24 bends in the R direction (right direction), and by rotating it in the other direction, the bending part 24 bends in the L direction (left direction).

[0052] Furthermore, by combining bending in the UD direction based on the UD bending operation button 28a and bending in the RL direction based on the RL bending operation button 28b, it is possible to bend in the full circumference direction around the insertion axis as described above.

[0053] The brake lever 28c is used to brake the rotational operation of the UD bending operation button 28a and the RL bending operation button 28b, and is configured to shift between a braking position that brakes the rotation and a release position that does not brake the rotation. This brake lever 28c can be, for example, a friction-based brake, and by controlling the braking force, not only can the rotation of the UD bending operation button 28a and the RL bending operation button 28b be prohibited, but also fine adjustments to the rotational position can be made, as described above.

[0054] Cables / pipes 27 extend from the base of the operating unit 22 (one is shown for simplicity, but multiple can be provided). Cables / pipes 27 include cables for camera operation, power supply, etc., air / water supply pipes, suction pipes, etc., and connect to external devices (e.g., processors, see...). Figure 3 (e.g., air supply and water supply devices). These cables / pipes 27 are secured to the front end of the operating part 22, for example, an anti-bend part, by means of retaining members 31 such as clips, bands, or straps.

[0055] Here, refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The connection relationship between the sub-endoscope connector at the front end of the camera, power supply, and lighting supply cables in the above-mentioned cable / pipe type 27 and the processor connected to the sub-endoscope connector will be explained.

[0056] Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing the connection relationship between the sub-endoscope connector extending from the endoscope of the first embodiment and the video processor. Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional view showing the front end face of the sub-endoscope connector.

[0057] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the sub-endoscope connector 27a connects to the receptacle 31 of the processor 30. Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of electrical contacts 27b are provided on the front end face of the sub-endoscope connector 27a. On the other hand, a plurality of connecting pins 31b are provided in the socket 31 of the processor 30. When the sub-endoscope connector 27a is connected to the socket 31, the plurality of electrical contacts 27b in the sub-endoscope connector 27a are connected to the corresponding plurality of connecting pins 31b in the socket 31. Thus, the processor 30 provides a predetermined power supply to the sub-endoscope 20, and the sub-endoscope 20 transmits a predetermined imaging signal to the processor 30.

[0058] The connecting pin 31b in the socket 31 is composed of a movable probe pin with a retractable front end, generally referred to as a pogo pin or spring pin. Additionally, in this embodiment, one or more grounding pins 31c (see reference 31b) are part of a plurality of connecting pins 31b. Figure 3 It protrudes further into the opening of socket 31 than other pins.

[0059] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, all of the multiple connecting pins 31b are configured as spring pins of the same type, but the grounding pin 31c is configured by covering the front end of the spring pin with a conductive component, thereby forming a protruding shape compared to the other connecting pins. In addition, the protruding pin is not limited to the grounding pin 31c, but may also include a power pin, and the height of the grounding pin, power pin and other pins may be set to a desired height.

[0060] By configuring the connecting pin 31b, which includes the grounding pin 31c, as described above, when connecting the sub-endoscope connector 27a to the socket 31, for example, the grounding pin 31c is connected first, followed by the other pins. Thus, for example, even when the processor 30 is powered on and the sub-endoscope connector 27a in the sub-endoscope 20 is connected to the socket 31, the ground potential of the circuit of the imaging element 62 in the sub-endoscope 20 can be maintained at zero potential (0V) through the grounding pin 31c. That is, in addition to the power supply to the imaging element 62, various signals such as imaging signals and communication signals can operate stably.

[0061] On the other hand, when the sub-endoscope connector 27a is removed from the socket 31, the grounding pin 31c is also disconnected after the other connecting pins, so it can be removed while the circuit of the imaging element 62 is stable. Furthermore, based on the above structure, a structure in which the grounding pin 31c is thicker than the other pins can also be adopted.

[0062] <Structure within the front end 23>

[0063] Next, besides Figure 2 In addition, refer to Figure 5 The internal structure of the front end portion 23 of the insertion portion 21 in the sub-endoscope 20 will be described. Figure 5 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the front end of the insertion section of the endoscope in the first embodiment, perpendicular to its major axis.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the front end portion 23 of the insertion portion 21 in the sub-endoscope 20 is provided with a flexible multi-lumen tube 80 having multiple lumens.

[0065] like Figure 5As shown, in addition to the cavity 81 for observing the optical system and the cavity 82 for inserting the treatment instrument, the multi-cavity tube 80 also has cavities 85U, 85D, 85L, and 85R for bending operations.

[0066] The front end of a camera cable 70 extending within an insertion portion 21 is inserted through the cavity 81 for the observation optical system. Additionally, a camera module 61 is disposed on the front end side of the cavity 81 for the observation optical system. The cavity 82 for inserting a treatment device has an internal tube on its inner surface, functioning as a treatment device insertion channel 86.

[0067] The lumens 85U, 85D, 85L, and 85R used for bending operations are respectively the lumen for inserting the upper traction wire, the lumen for inserting the lower traction wire, the lumen for inserting the left traction wire, and the lumen for inserting the right traction wire.

[0068] When the camera module 61 is assembled to the front end portion 23, it is fixedly disposed on the front frame portion 83 which is provided on the front end side of the front end portion 23. The front frame portion 83 is formed of a rigid component, which is at least as rigid as the multi-cavity tube 80 described above.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the aforementioned device penetration insertion channel 86 is positioned parallel to the camera module 61. That is, the device penetration insertion cavity 82 (containing the device penetration insertion channel 86), which is one cavity of the multi-cavity tube 80, is positioned close to the aforementioned observation optical system cavity 81, which is also one cavity of the multi-cavity tube 80. This means that the space within the device penetration insertion cavity 82 and the position of the camera cable 70 disposed within the observation optical system cavity 81 are also close.

[0070] On the other hand, the camera module 61 includes: an objective lens optical system (not shown) containing a lens that incident on the image of the subject; and an imaging element 62 disposed at the imaging position of the objective lens optical system. The camera module 61 is configured such that, when assembled at the front end 23, its axis is coaxial with the optical axis of the direction of the field of view of the endoscope insertion portion. Furthermore, an electrical contact 61a for inputting drive signals to the imaging element 62, etc., is provided at one end of the camera module 61.

[0071] In this embodiment, the imaging element 62 is composed of a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the imaging surface of the imaging element 62 is positioned perpendicular to the axis of the objective lens optical system. The imaging element 62 is driven by a predetermined drive signal input via the electrical contact 61a to perform photoelectric conversion on the incident image of the subject and output it to the subsequent stage.

[0072] like Figure 2As shown, the camera cable 70 has a cable body 72 (cover portion) and an electrical contact portion 71 (core portion) formed at the front end of the cable body 72. It extends within the flexible tube portion 25 of the insertion portion 21 and transmits the camera signal generated by the camera element 62 in the camera module 61. In addition, the front end of the camera cable 70 is inserted through the observation optical system cavity 81 in the multi-cavity tube 80, and the electrical contact portion 71 formed at the front end is connected to the electrical contact portion formed at the base end side end 53 of the movable substrate 50.

[0073] In addition, a movable substrate 50 is provided at the front end 23. The movable substrate 50 electrically connects the electrical contact 61a in the camera module 61 to the electrical contact portion 71 in the camera cable 70 and transmits the camera signal from the camera element 62.

[0074] <Structure of movable substrate 50>

[0075] Here, besides Figure 2 In addition, refer to Figure 6 The movable base plate 50 that connects the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70 will be described.

[0076] Figure 6 This is a side cross-sectional view showing the state before the movable base plate 50, which connects the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70 disposed at the front end of the insertion part of the endoscope in the first embodiment, is assembled to the front end 23 of the insertion part. Thus, Figure 6 This indicates the state before the movable base plate 50, which connects the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70, is assembled into the front end 23. On the other hand, Figure 2 This indicates the state after the camera modules 61, camera cables 70, and movable base plates 50 are assembled into the front end 23.

[0077] The movable substrate 50 is a thin, flexible circuit board that can be moved freely in at least the optical axis direction. It has one end 51 connected to the electrical contact 61a in the camera module 61, another end 53 connected to the electrical contact portion 71 in the camera cable 70, and a movable portion 52, which is the portion between the one end 51 and the other end 53, and can be moved freely in the optical axis direction.

[0078] When the movable part 52 is assembled into the front end portion 23, a bent surface 52a that can be freely displaced in the optical axis direction is formed between one end portion 51 and the other end portion 53. The bent surface 52a will be described in detail later. Furthermore, in this embodiment, no electrical components are mounted on the bent surface 52a, but electrical components may also be mounted on the portion with a smaller curvature within the range of the bent surface 52a.

[0079] In addition, in this embodiment, a first fixing part 54 is fixed to one side of one end 51 of the movable substrate 50 to enhance the strength of that end 51. In addition, a second fixing part 55 is fixed to one side of the other end 53 to enhance the strength of that other end 53.

[0080] Here, before the movable substrate 50 is assembled to the front end 23, as... Figure 6 As shown, with the movable part 52 extending approximately linearly along its length, one end 51 is connected to the electrical contact 61a in the camera module 61. At this time, the end 51 is fixed to the first fixing part 54 and sandwiched between the first fixing part 54 and the electrical contact 61a in the camera module 61. Furthermore, the axial direction of the camera module 61 (the axial direction of the built-in objective lens optical system) is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the movable substrate 50.

[0081] On the other hand, the movable substrate 50, also extending in a generally straight line along its long side, connects its other end 53 to the electrical contact portion 71 in the camera cable 70. At this time, the other end 53, while being fixed to the second fixing portion 55, is sandwiched between the second fixing portion 55 and the electrical contact portion 71 in the camera cable 70. Thus, the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70 are electrically connected via the movable substrate 50, enabling the transmission of camera signals from the camera element 62 to the subsequent stage.

[0082] As mentioned above, Figure 2 This indicates the state after the camera module 61 and camera cable 70, connected via the movable base plate 50, are assembled into the front end 23.

[0083] like Figure 2 As shown, when the camera module 61 is assembled within the front end portion 23, the axis of the built-in objective lens optical system is configured to align with the optical axis of the field of view of the endoscope insertion portion. Furthermore, the camera module 61 is fixed to the rigid front frame portion 83 at the front end of the front end portion 23. Additionally, as described above, the front frame portion 83 is formed of a component that is at least as rigid as the multi-cavity tube 80 described above.

[0084] Furthermore, the camera cable 70 is positioned within the front end portion 23 at a location that is approximately defined in the optical axis direction. That is, the position of the electrical contact portion 71 in the camera cable 70 in the optical axis direction is also approximately defined within the front end portion 23.

[0085] Here, it is set that when the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70 are assembled into the front end 23, the distance along the optical axis between the electrical contacts 61a in the camera module 61 and the electrical contact portions 71 in the camera cable 70 is, for example... Figure 6 The distance is short when the movable substrate 50 shown is in a state of extending in a roughly straight line.

[0086] Thus, when the movable substrate 50, which is connected to the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70, is assembled to the front end 23, the movable part 52, which can be moved freely, is housed in the space formed in front of the cavity 81 for the observation optical system with a bent surface 52a.

[0087] In particular, in this embodiment, one end 51 of the movable substrate 50 is reinforced by the first fixing portion 54, and the other end 53 is reinforced by the second fixing portion 55. Therefore, a bending portion such as the bending surface 52a described above is reliably formed in the movable portion 52 located between the one end 51 and the other end 53.

[0088] Thus, a movable part 52 that can be moved freely in at least the optical axis direction is provided in the movable base plate 50 that connects the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70, and the camera module 61 connected to one end of the movable base plate 50 is fixed to the front frame part 83 of the front end part 23. Therefore, the camera cable 70 connected to the other end of the movable base plate 50 can have a certain degree of freedom.

[0089] Furthermore, as described above, in the movable substrate 50 of this embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the bent surface 52a formed on the movable part 52 is positioned such that the normal 52b of the maximum curvature of the bent surface 52a faces a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis O, i.e., the maximum curvature faces the side of the front end portion 23, and the bent surface 52a is positioned away from the optical axis O. This configuration is achieved by using a position where the distance between the bent surface 52a and the central axis of the front end portion 23 is greater than the distance between the bent surface 52a and the optical axis O. In other words, this configuration is achieved by using a position where the distance between the bent surface 52a and the treatment device channel 82 is greater than the distance between the bent surface 52a and the optical axis O.

[0090] Furthermore, in the movable substrate 50 according to this embodiment, the width of the curved surface 52a formed on the movable portion 52 (the width in the direction perpendicular to the length direction of the movable substrate 50) is formed to be smaller than the width of the first fixing portion 54 or the second fixing portion 55. As a result, the movable substrate 50 is easier to deform.

[0091] In this way, the bending surface 52a is formed in the orientation described above (the normal 52b of the maximum curvature faces in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the optical axis O) and is positioned away from the optical axis O. Therefore, even if some external force is applied to the camera cable 70 or the movable substrate 50 itself, the effects of these external forces can be mitigated.

[0092] In particular, as described above, in the front end 23 of this embodiment, a treatment device through insertion channel 82 is provided side by side near the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70. Therefore, it is easily affected by treatment devices that penetrate and are inserted into the treatment device through insertion channel 82. However, even if external forces are applied from these treatment devices, the applied external forces can be absorbed in the movable part 52 that forms the bending surface 52a.

[0093] As explained above, according to the structure of this embodiment, by using a movable base plate 50 with a movable portion 52 that is shifted as described above to connect the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70, the camera cable 70 can be supported movable within the front end 23, and the application of external force can be absorbed in the movable portion 52. Therefore, even if an unexpected external force is applied to the processing device or the like that inserted into the processing device insertion channel 82, the impact on the circuits of the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70 can be minimized, and adverse conditions such as image abnormalities will not occur.

[0094] Furthermore, it does not cause any obstacles when assembling the channel at the front end of the insertion part or the curved tube, and can achieve simple assembly.

[0095] <Second Implementation Method>

[0096] Next, the endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Furthermore, regarding the endoscope of the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, a so-called cholangioscope is envisioned, and a daughter endoscope within the mother endoscope of a mother-daughter endoscopic system is envisioned.

[0097] Specifically, the endoscope of this second embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that the arrangement directions of the camera module 61, the movable substrate 50, and the camera cable 70 within the front end of the insertion section are different. Other structures are the same as in the first embodiment; therefore, only the differences from the first embodiment will be described here, omitting descriptions of the identical parts.

[0098] <Description of the sub-endoscope 20 in the second embodiment>

[0099] Figure 7 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main part of the internal structure of the front end of the insertion section of the endoscope according to the second embodiment.

[0100] In the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the sub-endoscope 20 has: an elongated insertion portion 21 that can be inserted into the treatment instrument through insertion channel 16 of the mother endoscope 10; and an operation portion 22 that is connected to the base end side of the insertion portion 21.

[0101] Furthermore, in the sub-endoscope 20 of the second embodiment, the insertion part 21 is configured to have: a rigid front end part 23A, which is provided at the front end side; a flexible bending part 24, which is provided at the rear end of the front end part 23A; and a flexible tube part 25, which is provided at the rear end of the bending part 24, and is elongated and flexible.

[0102] like Figure 7 As shown, in the second embodiment, a flexible multi-lumen tube 80 with multiple lumens is provided at the front end 23A of the insertion portion 21 in the sub-endoscope 20. The front end of a camera cable 70, which extends and is inserted into the insertion portion 21, is inserted through the observation optical system lumen 81 of this multi-lumen tube. Furthermore, a camera module 61 is provided at the front end of the observation optical system lumen 81. Also, at the front end 23A, a treatment instrument insertion lumen 82 is formed as another lumen in the multi-lumen tube 80, similar to the first embodiment.

[0103] In this second embodiment, the camera module 61, the movable substrate 50, and the camera cable 70 are also formed with the same structure as in the first embodiment. For example, these camera modules 61, the movable substrate 50, and the camera cable 70 are assembled to the front end 23A, such as... Figure 4 As shown, it is constructed with the same connection relationships as the first embodiment.

[0104] On the other hand, in this second embodiment, when assembling these camera modules 61, movable substrate 50, and camera cables 70 to the front end 23A, such as Figure 3 As shown, it is positioned at a position that has been rotated 90 degrees about the axis relative to the first embodiment.

[0105] That is, the camera module 61 is fixed to the front frame portion 83 of the front end portion 23A in the same manner as in the first embodiment, but this time it is positioned at a position rotated 90 degrees around the axis. Hereinafter, the movable board 50 and the camera cable 70 connected to the camera module 61 are also positioned at a position rotated 90 degrees around the axis in the same manner as the camera module 61.

[0106] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the movable portion 52 in the movable substrate 50 also has a bent surface 52a formed in the same way as in the first embodiment. That is, when the movable portion 52 is assembled into the front end portion 23, a bent surface 52a that can be freely moved in the optical axis direction is formed between one end portion 51 and the other end portion 53.

[0107] Furthermore, in this second embodiment, the movable substrate 50 is also fixed with a first fixing part 54 on one side of one end 51 to enhance the strength of the one end 51, and a second fixing part 55 is fixed on one side of the other end 53 to enhance the strength of the other end 53.

[0108] Thus, in the second embodiment, when the movable substrate 50, which is connected to the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70, is assembled to the front end 23A, the movable part 52, which can be moved freely, is housed in the space formed in front of the cavity 81 for the observation optical system with a bent surface 52a formed.

[0109] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the bending surface 52a formed on the movable part 52 is... Figure 3 The middle is also hidden, but it is positioned such that the normal 52b of the maximum curvature of the bent surface 52a is oriented in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the optical axis O, and the bent surface 52a is positioned away from the optical axis O.

[0110] Thus, in the second embodiment, a movable part 52 that can be moved freely in at least the optical axis direction is also provided in the movable base plate 50 that connects the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70. Furthermore, the camera module 61, which is connected to one end of the movable base plate 50, is fixed to the front frame portion 83 of the front end portion 23. Therefore, the camera cable 70, which is connected to the other end of the movable base plate 50, can have a certain degree of freedom.

[0111] Furthermore, since the bent surface 52a is formed in the orientation described above (the normal 52b of the maximum curvature faces in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the optical axis O) and is positioned away from the optical axis O, the effects of external forces can be mitigated even if some external forces are applied to the camera cable 70 or the movable substrate 50 itself.

[0112] As explained above, according to the structure of this second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70 are connected by a movable base plate 50 having a movable portion 52 that is shifted as described above. This allows the camera cable 70 to be supported movably within the front end portion 23, and the movable portion 52 can absorb the application of external forces. Thus, even if an unexpected external force is applied to a device or the like that inserted through the device through the insertion channel 82, the impact on the circuits of the camera module 61 and the camera cable 70 can be minimized, and adverse conditions such as image abnormalities will not occur.

[0113] Furthermore, it does not cause any obstacles when assembling the channel at the front end of the insertion part or the curved tube, and can achieve simple assembly.

[0114] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and alterations can be made without changing the spirit of the invention. For example, the first and second embodiments envision a daughter endoscope for use in a mother-daughter type endoscope system, but a treatment instrument with a camera (e.g., biopsy forceps) can be used instead of the daughter endoscope. In this case, the camera module and camera cable from the first and second embodiments can be connected using a movable base plate in the structure of the camera device provided in the treatment instrument. Thus, even if the camera device in the treatment instrument with the camera device is subjected to loads caused by deformation of the body of the treatment instrument (e.g., biopsy forceps), the impact on the circuitry such as the camera module and camera cable can be minimized.

Claims

1. An endoscope, characterized in that, have: The camera module has an optical axis that specifies the field of view of the endoscope and is equipped with electrical contacts; A cable, configured at the base of the camera module, transmits the camera signal generated by the camera module; A treatment equipment channel is arranged side-by-side with the camera module; A movable substrate that connects the electrical contacts to the cable to transmit the camera signal, and has a movable part that can form a flexible bending surface that can be moved freely in the optical axis direction; The first fixing part is disposed at a position opposite to one end of the movable base plate; as well as The second fixing part is disposed at a position opposite to the other end of the movable base plate. The movable portion in the movable substrate is positioned such that the distance between the bending surface and the treatment instrument channel is greater than the distance between the bending surface and the optical axis, and the distance between the bending surface and the central axis of the front end portion of the endoscope is greater than the distance between the optical axis and the central axis of the front end portion of the endoscope. One end of the movable substrate is fixed to the first fixing part, and the one end is sandwiched between the first fixing part and the electrical contact of the camera module. One side of the other end of the movable substrate is fixed to the second fixing part, and the other end is clamped between the second fixing part and the electrical contact of the cable.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The imaging surface of the imaging element disposed in the imaging module is arranged perpendicular to the optical axis.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cable is disposed in a first cavity, which is one of a plurality of cavities formed in a flexible multi-cavity tube. The camera module is disposed at the front end of the first cavity and fixed to a front end component that is more rigid than the multi-cavity tube.

4. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable substrate is formed such that the width of the bending surface formed on the movable portion is smaller than the width of the portion other than the movable portion in the movable substrate in that direction: the direction is perpendicular to the length direction of the movable portion and perpendicular to the normal direction of the maximum curvature of the bending surface.

5. The tip of an endoscope, characterized in that, have: The camera module has an optical axis that specifies the field of view of the endoscope and is equipped with electrical contacts that are electrically connected to the cable for transmitting camera signals. A treatment equipment channel is arranged side-by-side with the camera module; A movable substrate that connects the electrical contacts to the cable to transmit the camera signal, and has a movable part that can form a flexible bending surface that can be moved freely in the optical axis direction; The first fixing part is disposed at a position opposite to one end of the movable base plate; as well as The second fixing part is disposed at a position opposite to the other end of the movable base plate. The movable portion in the movable substrate is positioned such that the distance between the bending surface and the treatment instrument channel is greater than the distance between the bending surface and the optical axis, and the distance between the bending surface and the central axis of the front end portion of the endoscope is greater than the distance between the optical axis and the central axis of the front end portion of the endoscope. One end of the movable substrate is fixed to the first fixing part, and the one end is sandwiched between the first fixing part and the electrical contact of the camera module. One side of the other end of the movable substrate is fixed to the second fixing part, and the other end is clamped between the second fixing part and the electrical contact of the cable.

6. An insertion portion of an endoscope, characterized in that, have: The camera module has an optical axis that specifies the field of view of the endoscope and is equipped with electrical contacts; A cable, configured at the base of the camera module, transmits the camera signal generated by the camera module; A treatment equipment channel is arranged side-by-side with the camera module; A movable substrate that connects the electrical contacts to the cable to transmit the camera signal, and has a movable part that can form a flexible bending surface that can be moved freely in the optical axis direction; The first fixing part is disposed at a position opposite to one end of the movable base plate; as well as The second fixing part is disposed at a position opposite to the other end of the movable base plate. The movable portion in the movable substrate is positioned such that the distance between the bending surface and the treatment instrument channel is greater than the distance between the bending surface and the optical axis, and the distance between the bending surface and the central axis of the front end portion of the endoscope is greater than the distance between the optical axis and the central axis of the front end portion of the endoscope. One end of the movable substrate is fixed to the first fixing part, and the one end is sandwiched between the first fixing part and the electrical contact of the camera module. One side of the other end of the movable substrate is fixed to the second fixing part, and the other end is clamped between the second fixing part and the electrical contact of the cable.

Images