Locking mechanism and endoscope

Abstract

The present invention provides a locking mechanism and an endoscope, which can solve the problem that the orientation of the distal end of the insertion portion cannot be stably locked at a desired angle. The locking mechanism includes: an operating portion housing having a locking position, an unlocking position, and a limiting position located in a path between the locking position and the unlocking position; a steering control wheel rotatably arranged on the operating portion housing, wherein the radial distance between the rotation axis of the steering control wheel and the locking position is smaller than the radial distance between the rotation axis of the steering control wheel and the unlocking position; and a toggle locking member including a toggle portion and a locking portion rotatably arranged on the operating portion housing, wherein the locking portion includes a connecting arm connected to the toggle portion and a locking arm axially extending from the connecting arm to slide between the locking position and the unlocking position; the radial distances between the locking position and the unlocking position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion are both smaller than the radial distance between the limiting position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of endoscopes, and in particular to a locking mechanism and an endoscope. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the development of minimally invasive endoscopic diagnosis and treatment technology, many diseases can be diagnosed and treated minimally invasively through the body's natural orifices or surgical incisions. Currently, the use of endoscopes has gradually been recognized by the market. For example, during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, the endoscope's built-in camera can be used to observe lesions and stones in the bile duct, significantly improving the accuracy of biliary disease treatment and reducing the incidence of complications.

[0003] When using an endoscope clinically, it is necessary to adjust the bending direction of its insertion portion (i.e., the orientation of the distal end of the insertion portion) and lock the distal end of the insertion portion in the current position after adjustment. However, existing locking mechanisms generally include a locking member having latching teeth and a plurality of tooth grooves formed on the outer periphery of a steering member. When the locking member is operated to radially approach the steering member, the tooth grooves of the steering member engage with the latching teeth to lock the steering member.

[0004] However, the curved insertion portion continuously applies torque to the steering member, causing it to rotate in the opposite direction. At this point, the steering member applies an outward thrust to the locking member, which can easily cause the locking member's teeth to disengage from the steering member's grooves, rendering the steering member unable to remain stably locked. To ensure that the distal end of the insertion portion is locked in its current position, the operator must continuously push the locking member to keep the teeth engaged in the steering member's grooves. This increases the operator's difficulty and greatly inconveniences the operation of the endoscope. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a locking mechanism for an endoscope that can solve the problem in the prior art that the orientation of the distal end of the insertion portion cannot be stably locked at a desired angle. In addition, the present application also aims to provide an endoscope that can be used as an interventional instrument, is low in cost, and is convenient for use as a disposable endoscope.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a locking mechanism, comprising:

[0007] An operating portion housing has a locking position, an unlocking position, and a limiting position located in a path between the locking position and the unlocking position;

[0008] a steering control wheel rotatably disposed on the operating portion housing, wherein a radial distance between a rotation axis of the steering control wheel and a locked position is smaller than a radial distance between the rotation axis of the steering control wheel and an unlocked position; and

[0009] The toggle locking member includes a toggle portion and a locking portion rotatably arranged on the operating portion housing, the locking portion includes a connecting arm connected to the toggle portion and a locking arm axially extending from the connecting arm to slide between a locking position and an unlocking position; the radial distances between the locking position and the unlocking position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion are both smaller than the radial distance between the limiting position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion.

[0010] With this arrangement, the locking arm of the locking mechanism will pass through the limit position when sliding between the locked position and the unlocked position, and the locking arm of the locking part will undergo a large elastic deformation when sliding through the limit position; in other words, the operator needs to apply a large toggling force to the toggle part before it can slide through the limit position to slide from the locked position to the unlocked position, so that the locking arm can be stably maintained in the locked position without accidentally unlocking the steering control wheel, thereby stably fixing the distal end of the insertion part at the desired angle.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present application, the restricting position is arranged adjacent to the locking position.

[0012] With this arrangement, the locking arm in the locked position requires a larger push force to move beyond the limit position to move away from the locked position, so that the locking mechanism in the locked state requires a larger pulling force to release the lock, thereby preventing accidental unlocking.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present application, a radial distance between the locking position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion is greater than a radial distance between the unlocking position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion.

[0014] With this arrangement, the elastic deformation of the locking arm in the locked position is greater than the elastic deformation of the locking arm in the unlocked position, so that the extrusion force and friction force between the locking arm in the locked position and the operating part shell are greater, preventing the locking arm from loosening in the locked position and ensuring that the steering control wheel can be reliably locked in the desired position.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present application, the rotation axis of the steering control wheel is parallel to the rotation axis of the toggle portion.

[0016] With this arrangement, the locking portion can be driven by the toggle portion to move in the radial plane of the steering control wheel so as to approach or move away from the steering control wheel in the radial direction, and then contact the steering control wheel in the radial direction to achieve locking.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present application, the locking mechanism has a guide surface for guiding the locking arm to slide from the unlocking position to the restricting position.

[0018] Such an arrangement ensures that the locking arm of the locking portion can smoothly pass the limiting position to slide between the locking position and the unlocking position.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present application, the guide surface is provided on the operating portion housing, and the guide surface extends in a curved manner from the unlocking position to the limiting position.

[0020] With this arrangement, when the toggle portion is toggled to drive the locking portion to move between the unlocking position and the locking position, the locking arm of the locking portion will slide along the guide surface to smoothly slide through the limiting position and move smoothly from the unlocking position to the locking position.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present application, the guide surface is provided on the locking portion, and the guide surface is a chamfered arc surface provided on the locking arm.

[0022] With such an arrangement, the locking arm can still be guided to slide smoothly through the limiting position and move between the unlocking position and the locking position.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present application, the operating portion housing has a radially extending insertion channel, and the connecting arm of the locking portion passes through the insertion channel so that the locking arm extends into the operating portion housing.

[0024] With this arrangement, the locking portion can be fixedly connected to the toggle portion outside the operating portion housing through the connecting arm, and can also slide radially along the insertion channel under the drive of the toggle portion to move the locking arm closer to or away from the steering control wheel inside the operating portion housing.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present application, the rotation axis of the steering control wheel is parallel to the rotation axis of the toggle part; the steering control wheel includes a first control wheel and a second control wheel arranged coaxially; the operating part shell includes an upper shell with an insertion channel, a lower shell detachably connected to the upper shell, and a barrier installed between the upper shell and the lower shell, and the barrier is arranged between the first control wheel and the second control wheel to separate the first control wheel and the second control wheel.

[0026] With such a configuration, the locking portion can be driven by the toggle portion to move within the radial plane of the steering control wheel, so as to approach or move away from the steering control wheel from the radial direction of the steering control wheel, and then achieve locking by contacting the steering control wheel from the radial direction of the steering control wheel; the barrier can prevent one control wheel from causing another control wheel to rotate when rotating, which helps to improve the stability, precision and flexibility of the locking mechanism when manipulating the distal steering of the insertion portion.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present application, the locking position, the unlocking position and the limiting position are correspondingly set on the barrier member.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present application, the barrier member is provided with a sliding channel for the locking arm to pass through and slide, and the locking position, the unlocking position and the limiting position are correspondingly located on the side walls of the sliding channel.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present application, the sliding channel includes a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove connected to the first sliding groove, the first sliding groove gradually extends from the unlocking position to the limiting position, and the second sliding groove gradually extends from the limiting position to the locking position.

[0030] This arrangement ensures that the locking arm can slide smoothly through the limit position while making the width of the locking arm slightly smaller than the width of the second slide groove at the locking position, which is convenient for limiting the displacement of the locking arm at the locking position and is conducive to obtaining a good locking effect.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present application, the first slide groove has a curved side wall as a guide surface; the second slide groove has a straight side wall as a locking surface, the locking arm has a mating surface matching the locking surface, and when the locking arm slides to the locking position, the mating surface fits against the locking surface.

[0032] With this arrangement, when the locking arm slides to the locked position, the mating surface of the locking arm closely aligns with the locking surface of the second chute, increasing the contact area between the locking arm and the barrier, thereby increasing the friction between them and helping to improve the locking stability of the control wheel. Furthermore, the contact between the locking surface and the mating surface increases the difficulty of unlocking, forcing the limit arm to release its restriction first during unlocking. After a certain amount of deformation, the locking arm then slides from the locked position past the limit position to the unlocked position, achieving unlocking.

[0033] According to one embodiment of the present application, the radial distance between the guide surface and the rotation axis of the toggle portion gradually increases from the unlocking position to the limiting position.

[0034] With such arrangement, the locking arm gradually deforms under the guidance of the guide surface so as to smoothly slide through the limiting position and reach the locking position for locking.

[0035] According to one embodiment of the present application, the operating part shell further includes a mounting column protruding from the upper shell or the lower shell and a reinforcing rib having a bearing surface, the reinforcing rib is fixedly connected to the mounting column, and the barrier is mounted on the mounting column and contacts the bearing surface of the reinforcing rib.

[0036] This arrangement prevents the barrier from being pulled by the steering control wheel and rotating, thereby effectively separating the first control wheel and the second control wheel, and also facilitates determining the installation position of the barrier between the upper shell and the lower shell.

[0037] According to one embodiment of the present application, the first control wheel and the second control wheel are rotating wheels with a toothed disc; the locking arm is convexly provided with locking teeth that match the toothed disc.

[0038] According to one embodiment of the present application, the first control wheel and the second control wheel are rotating wheels covered with rubber rings or belts.

[0039] Such an arrangement, in which the first control wheel and the second control wheel are locked by friction braking, helps to solve the problem of accuracy in locking the gear disc, thereby improving the locking accuracy of the steering control wheel.

[0040] According to one embodiment of the present application, the operating portion housing includes an upper shell having an insertion channel and a lower shell detachably connected to the upper shell, and the locking position, the unlocking position and the limiting position are correspondingly set on the lower shell.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the present application, the locking portion further includes a limiting arm extending radially from the connecting arm; the operating portion housing further has a limiting groove matching the limiting arm, and the limiting arm can be inserted into the limiting groove in a limitable manner; the limiting groove has a first groove bottom close to the rotation axis, a second groove bottom away from the rotation axis, and a limiting surface extending obliquely from the first groove bottom to the second groove bottom; the depth of the limiting groove at the first groove bottom is greater than the depth of the limiting groove at the second groove bottom.

[0042] With such a configuration, the limit arm can clamp the locking arm of the locking part inside the operating part shell, preventing the locking part from escaping or falling off from the insertion channel; it is convenient to limit the reverse rotation of the limit arm, further ensuring that the steering control wheel remains stably in the locked state: when the toggle locking piece is toggled to lock the steering control wheel, the limit arm is located at the first groove bottom of the limit groove. At this time, the limit arm is restricted by the limiting surface to prevent the limit arm from sliding from the first groove bottom to the second groove bottom, until the toggle locking piece is manually toggled to unlock the steering control wheel.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the present application, the locking arm is axially connected to the connecting arm in an offset manner, the limiting arm is radially connected to the connecting arm as a whole, and the radial distance between the limiting arm and the rotation axis is greater than the radial distance between the locking arm and the rotation axis.

[0044] With this arrangement, when the locking arm is in the locked position, even if the knob of the control wheel is shaken, the limiting arm and the second sliding groove cooperate and restrain each other, and the limiting arm will not be loosened or unlocked until an external force acts on the toggle part, and the limiting arm will be separated from the bottom of the first groove, and then the locking arm will slide away from the locked position to achieve unlocking.

[0045] According to another aspect of the present application, the present application further provides an endoscope, comprising:

[0046] an insertion portion; and

[0047] The operating portion connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion includes any of the above-mentioned locking mechanisms to control the steering of the distal end of the insertion portion through the locking mechanism.

[0048] By adopting the above technical solution, the endoscope can use a locking mechanism to stably control the distal end steering of the insertion part, so that the distal end direction of the insertion part can be reliably locked at any desired angle, without the problem that the operator has to continuously push the locking part because the distal end of the insertion part cannot be locked in the current position, which helps to reduce the operating difficulty of the operator and brings convenience to the operation of the endoscope. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the conventional technology, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the conventional technology descriptions. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0050] Figure 1 A schematic three-dimensional diagram of an endoscope provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 2 An exploded schematic diagram of a locking mechanism in an endoscope according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0052] Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a barrier member in the locking mechanism according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0053] Figure 4 A perspective schematic diagram of an upper shell in a locking mechanism according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0054] Figure 5 A schematic side view of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0055] Figure 6 Shown as Figure 5 The AA cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism shown is in the unlocked state;

[0056] Figure 7 Shown as Figure 5 The AA cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism shown is in a locked state;

[0057] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing a state of the locking mechanism before locking according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0058] Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing a locking state of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0059] Figure 10 shows a three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiment of the present application before locking;

[0060] Figure 11 shows a three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiment of the present application after locking;

[0061] Figure 12 shows a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the locking mechanism before locking according to the above embodiment of the present application;

[0062] Figure 13 shows a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiment of the present application after locking;

[0063] Figure 14 A modified example of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0064] Reference numerals: 1, locking mechanism; 10, operating portion housing; 101, locking position; 102, unlocking position; 103, limiting position; 104, insertion channel; 105, limiting groove; 1051, first groove bottom; 1052, second groove bottom; 1053, limiting surface; 11, upper housing; 12, lower housing; 13, barrier member; 130, sliding channel; 131, first slide groove; 132, second slide groove; 1320, locking surface; 14, mounting post; 15. Reinforcement rib; 150. Bearing surface; 20. Steering control wheel; 200. Rotation axis; 21. First control wheel; 22. Second control wheel; 30. Toggle locking member; 300. Rotation axis; 31. Toggle portion; 311. Pivot end; 312. Toggle end; 313. Drive end; 32. Locking portion; 321. Connecting arm; 322. Locking arm; 3220. Mating surface; 323. Limiting arm; 40. Guide surface; 2. Insertion portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description sets forth many specific details to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0066] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "near" and "far" are relative positional relationships. When an operator operates an instrument to process a target object, the side of the instrument closer to the operator is "near" and the side closer to the target object is "far".

[0067] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another component, it may be directly on the other component or there may be a central component. When a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it may be directly connected to the other component or there may be a central component at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in the specification of this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0068] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features being referred to. Thus, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one feature. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0069] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it can mean that the first feature is directly in contact with the second feature, or the first feature and the second feature are indirectly in contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0070] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in the specification of this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" used in the specification of this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0071] Considering that in actual use, existing locking mechanisms are prone to causing the locking teeth of the locking member to disengage from the locking grooves of the steering member, resulting in the steering member being unable to stably maintain a locked state, resulting in the inability to stably lock the orientation of the distal end of the insertion portion at a desired angle. To address this problem, the present application provides a locking mechanism and an endoscope that can solve the problem in the prior art of the inability to stably lock the orientation of the distal end of the insertion portion at a desired angle.

[0072] Specifically, see Figures 1 to 14One embodiment of the present application provides an endoscope, which may include an operating portion and an insertion portion 2, wherein the operating portion is connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion 2, and the operating portion includes a locking mechanism 1 for controlling the distal steering of the insertion portion 2, so as to facilitate the distal end of the insertion portion 2 to be stably locked at a desired angle by the locking mechanism 1. It is understandable that the endoscope of the present application may be, but is not limited to, implemented as a choledochoscope; of course, in other examples of the present application, the endoscope may also be implemented as other types of endoscopes, which will not be described in detail in the present application. In addition, the distal end of the insertion portion 2 mentioned in the present application refers to the end away from the operating portion; the insertion portion 2 of the present application is continuously provided with a front end portion, a bending portion, and a flexible tube portion from far to near.

[0073] More specifically, if Figures 2 to 13 As shown, the locking mechanism 1 of the present application may include an operating portion housing 10, a steering control wheel 20, and a toggle lock member 30. The operating portion housing 10 has a locking position 101, an unlocking position 102, and a limiting position 103 located in a path between the locking position 101 and the unlocking position 102. The steering control wheel 20 is rotatably disposed on the operating portion housing 10, and the radial distance between the rotation axis 200 of the steering control wheel 20 and the locking position 101 is smaller than the radial distance between the rotation axis 200 of the steering control wheel 20 and the unlocking position 102. The toggle lock member 30 includes a toggle portion 31 and a locking portion 32. The toggle portion 31 is rotatably mounted on the operating unit housing 10. The locking portion 32 includes a connecting arm 321 connected to the toggle portion 31 and a locking arm 322 extending axially from the connecting arm 321 to slide between a locked position 101 and an unlocked position 102. The radial distances L1 and L2 between the locked position 101 and the unlocked position 102, respectively, and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle portion 31 are both less than the radial distance L3 between the limiting position 103 and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle portion 31. It will be understood that the extension direction of the locking arm 322 herein refers to the extension direction of the rotation axis 200 of the steering control wheel 20, i.e., the locking arm 322 is parallel to the rotation axis 200.

[0074] Thus, when the toggle portion 31 is toggled to drive the locking portion 32 to rotate around the rotation axis 300, the locking arm 322 slides between the locking position 101 and the unlocking position 102. Figure 7 、 Figure 9 as well as Figure 13 As shown, when the locking arm 322 moves from the unlocking position 102 to the locking position 101, the locking portion 32 approaches the rotation axis 200 to contact the steering control wheel 20, so that the steering control wheel 20 is locked relative to the operating portion housing 10 and cannot rotate, thereby fixing the distal end of the insertion portion 2 at a desired angle; Figure 6 、 Figure 8 as well as Figure 12As shown, when the locking arm 322 moves from the locking position 101 to the unlocking position 102 , the locking portion 32 moves away from the rotation axis 200 to disengage from the steering control wheel 20 , so that the steering control wheel 20 is unlocked relative to the operating portion housing 10 .

[0075] It is worth noting that Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, since the limit position 103 is located in the sliding path between the locking position 101 and the unlocking position 102, and the radial distance L3 between the limit position 103 and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle part 31 is greater than the radial distances L1 and L2 between the locking position 101 and the unlocking position 102 and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle part 31 respectively, the locking arm 322 will pass through the limit position 103 when sliding between the locking position 101 and the unlocking position 102, and the locking arm 322 of the locking part 32 will undergo a larger elastic deformation when sliding through the limit position 103; in other words, the operator needs to apply a larger toggle force to the toggle part 31 before it can slide past the limit position 103 to slide from the locking position 101 to the unlocking position 102, so that the locking arm 322 can be stably maintained in the locking position 101 without accidentally unlocking the steering control wheel 20, thereby stably fixing the distal end of the insertion part 2 at the desired angle.

[0076] It is understood that when the steering control wheel 20 needs to be unlocked, the toggle portion 31 needs to be toggled in the opposite direction with great force to enable the locking arm 322 to pass the limit position 103 and slide from the locked position 101 to the unlocked position 102. In addition, after unlocking, the locking arm 322 of the toggle lock member 30 will not pass the limit position 103 and slide to the locked position 101 without human intervention, thus preventing the locking arm 322 from resetting and affecting the subsequent rotation of the steering control wheel 20 to change the bending direction of the insertion portion 2.

[0077] Alternatively, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the rotation axis 300 of the toggle portion 31 is parallel to the rotation axis 200 of the steering control wheel 20. In this way, the locking portion 32 can be driven by the toggle portion 31 to move in the radial plane of the steering control wheel 20, so as to approach or move away from the steering control wheel 20 in the radial direction of the steering control wheel 20, and then contact the steering control wheel 20 in the radial direction of the steering control wheel 20 to achieve locking.

[0078] Preferably, if Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the limiting position 103 is arranged adjacent to the locking position 101, so that the distance between the limiting position 103 and the locking position 101 is smaller than the distance between the limiting position 103 and the unlocking position 102. In this way, the locking arm 322 in the locking position 101 requires a greater pushing force to move past the limiting position 103 and away from the locking position 101. In other words, the locking mechanism 1 in the locked state requires a greater pulling force to be unlocked, thereby preventing accidental unlocking.

[0079] Alternatively, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the radial distance L1 between the locked position 101 and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle portion 31 is greater than the radial distance L2 between the unlocked position 102 and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle portion 31. Thus, the elastic deformation of the locking arm 322 in the locked position 101 is greater than the elastic deformation of the locking arm 322 in the unlocked position 102. This results in greater squeezing and frictional forces between the locking arm 322 in the locked position 101 and the operating portion housing 10, preventing the locking arm 322 from loosening in the locked position 101 and ensuring that the steering control wheel 20 can be securely locked in the desired position.

[0080] It is worth noting that Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, in order to ensure that the locking arm 322 of the locking portion 32 can smoothly cross the limiting position 103 to slide between the locking position 101 and the unlocking position 102, the locking mechanism 1 of the present application may have a guide surface 40 for guiding the locking arm 322 to slide from the unlocking position 102 to the limiting position 103, ensuring that the locking mechanism 1 can smoothly switch between the locked state and the unlocked state.

[0081] For example, Figures 3 to 7 As shown, the guide surface 40 is provided on the operating portion housing 10, wherein the guide surface 40 extends from the unlocking position 102 to the limiting position 103. At this time, the maximum radial distance between the guide surface 40 and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle portion 31 is greater than the radial distances between the locking position 101 and the unlocking position 102 and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle portion 31, respectively.

[0082] In this way, when the toggle portion 31 is toggled to drive the locking portion 32 to move from the unlocking position 102 to the locking position 101 , the locking arm 322 of the locking portion 32 will slide along the guide surface 40 to smoothly slide through the limiting position 103 .

[0083] Optionally, the radial distance between the guide surface 40 and the rotation axis 300 of the toggle portion 31 gradually increases from the unlocking position 102 to the limiting position 103. In this way, the locking arm 322 will elastically deform under the guidance of the guide surface 40 when sliding along the guide surface 40, and its elastic deformation will gradually increase, so that the force (including squeezing force and friction force) between the locking arm 322 and the guide surface 40 will gradually increase, ensuring that the locking arm 322 can stably remain in the locking position 101 after smoothly sliding through the limiting position 103 without accidentally unlocking the steering control wheel 20, thereby stably fixing the distal end of the insertion portion 2 at a desired angle.

[0084] Optionally, the guide surface 40 can be, but is not limited to, implemented as a curved surface provided on the operating part housing 10, that is, the guide surface 40 can extend curvedly from the unlocking position 102 to the limiting position 103 so as to guide the locking arm 322 to slide smoothly through the limiting position 103 and move from the unlocking position 102 to the locking position 101.

[0085] It is worth noting that in the modified example of this application, Figure 14 As shown, the guide surface 40 may also be provided on the locking portion 32. For example, Figure 14 As shown, the guide surface 40 can be implemented as, but is not limited to, a chamfered arc surface of the locking arm 322, so as to guide the locking arm 322 to smoothly pass the limit position 103 and slide between the locking position 101 and the unlocking position 102. It is understandable that the guide surface 40 of the present application can also be implemented as other types of surface shapes, as long as it can guide the locking arm 322 to smoothly pass the limit position 103, and this application will not elaborate on this.

[0086] In addition, since the toggle portion 31 is usually located outside the operating portion housing 10 so as to be toggled, and the steering control wheel 20 is usually located inside the operating portion housing 10 so as to control the distal end steering of the insertion portion 2, Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the operating unit housing 10 of the present application can have a radially extending insertion channel 104, and the connecting arm 321 of the locking portion 32 extends through the insertion channel 104 so that the locking arm 322 extends into the operating unit housing 10. In this way, the locking portion 32 can be fixedly connected to the toggle portion 31 located outside the operating unit housing 10 through the connecting arm 321, and can also be driven by the toggle portion 31 to slide radially along the insertion channel 104 to move the locking arm 322 closer to or away from the steering control wheel 20 located inside the operating unit housing 10.

[0087] Alternatively, as Figure 2 As shown, the connecting arm 321 of the locking portion 32 of the present application can be integrally connected to the toggle portion 31, that is, the toggle locking member 30 has an integrated structure, so that the locking portion 32 is directly driven by the toggle portion 31 to lock and unlock.

[0088] Alternatively, as Figure 2 、 Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 As shown, the locking portion 32 may further include a limiting arm 323, which extends radially from the connecting arm 321. In this way, the limiting arm 323 of the present application can clamp the locking arm 322 of the locking portion 32 inside the operating portion housing 10, preventing the locking portion 32 from escaping or falling out of the insertion channel 104.

[0089] Alternatively, as Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the operating part housing 10 can further have a limiting groove 105 matching the limiting arm 323, and the limiting arm 323 can be inserted into the limiting groove 105 in a limitable manner to facilitate limiting the reverse rotation of the limiting arm 323, further ensuring that the steering control wheel 20 is stably maintained in a locked state.

[0090] For example, Figures 8 to 11 As shown, the limiting groove 105 has a first groove bottom 1051 close to the rotation axis 200, a second groove bottom 1052 away from the rotation axis 200, and a limiting surface 1053 extending obliquely from the first groove bottom 1051 to the second groove bottom 1052. The depth of the limiting groove 105 at the first groove bottom 1051 is greater than the depth of the limiting groove 105 at the second groove bottom 1052, thereby forming a stepped groove. In this way, when the toggle locking member 30 is toggled to lock the steering control wheel 20, the limiting arm 323 is located at the first groove bottom 1051 of the limiting groove 105. At this time, the limiting arm 323 is restricted by the limiting surface 1053 to prevent the limiting arm 323 from sliding from the first groove bottom 1051 to the second groove bottom 1052. The steering control wheel 20 can only be unlocked when the toggle locking member 30 is manually toggled. It can be understood that the first groove bottom 1051 of the limiting groove 105 is lower than the second groove bottom 1052 of the limiting groove 105 in the extension direction along the rotation axis 200, so as to form an inclined extending limiting surface 1053 between the first groove bottom 1051 and the second groove bottom 1052 to limit the limiting arm 323.

[0091] Alternatively, as Figure 9 and Figure 11 As shown, when the locking member 30 is toggled to lock the steering control wheel 20, the limiting arm 323 is attached to the first groove bottom 1051 of the limiting groove 105; Figure 8 and Figure 10As shown, when the toggle locking member 30 is toggled to unlock the steering control wheel 20, the limiting arm 323 abuts against the second groove bottom 1052 of the limiting groove 105; the contact area of ​​the limiting arm 323 when abutting against the first groove bottom 1051 is greater than the contact area of ​​the limiting arm 323 when abutting against the second groove bottom 1052. Thus, when the toggle portion 31 is toggled to drive the locking portion 32 toward the rotation axis 200, the contact area between the limiting arm 323 and the groove bottom of the limiting groove 105 increases, thereby increasing the friction between the two and improving the anti-loosening effect of the locking arm 322.

[0092] Alternatively, as Figure 2 、 Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 As shown, the locking arm 322 is axially connected to the connecting arm 321 in a staggered manner, while the limiting arm 323 is radially connected to the connecting arm 321. The radial distance between the limiting arm 323 and the rotation axis 300 is greater than the radial distance between the locking arm 322 and the rotation axis 300. Thus, when the locking arm 322 is in the locked position 101, even if the control wheel knob is shaken, the limiting arm 323 and the locking position 101 cooperate and restrain each other, preventing the locking arm 322 from loosening or unlocking. Only when an external force is applied to the toggle portion will the limiting arm 323 disengage from the bottom of the first groove, and the locking arm 322 will then slide away from the locked position 101, thereby unlocking the lock. In other words, during unlocking, the limiting arm 323 first releases its restraint, and then, after undergoing a certain amount of deformation, the locking arm 322 slides from the locked position 101, past the limiting position 103, to the unlocked position 102, thereby unlocking the lock.

[0093] It can be understood that the locking arm 322 is axially connected to the connecting arm 321 in an offset manner, which not only increases the deformation capacity of the locking arm 322, but also better plays the role of cooperation between the limiting arm 323 and the locking position 101, so that only when the external force pushes the toggle part 31 along the predetermined direction, the limiting arm 323 is unlocked first, and then the locking arm 322 can be driven to move from the locking position 101 to the unlocking position 102.

[0094] In addition, the locking portion 32 mentioned in the present application can be, but is not limited to, implemented as a plastic part, preferably implemented as an ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) part, so as to increase its elastic deformation ability and obtain an excellent locking effect.

[0095] According to the above embodiments of the present application, Figure 2As shown, the toggle portion 31 of the toggle locking member 30 may include a pivot end 311 pivotally connected to the operating portion housing 10, a toggle end 312 radially extending from the pivot end 311, and a driving end 313 radially extending from the pivot end 311, wherein the driving end 313 is integrally connected to the connecting arm 321 of the locking portion 32. Thus, when the toggle end 312 is toggled to rotate about the pivot end 311, the driving end 313 is driven to drive the locking portion 32 to rotate synchronously about the pivot end 311, so that the locking portion 32 moves closer to or farther away from the rotation axis 200 of the steering control wheel 20.

[0096] Alternatively, as Figure 2 As shown, the included angle between the toggle end 312 and the driving end 313 is between 0° and 180°, that is, the toggle end 312 and the driving end 313 are arranged in a non-linear manner to adapt to the structural requirements of the endoscope.

[0097] It is worth noting that Figure 2 As shown, in order to control the distal end steering of the insertion portion 2 in two directions, the steering control wheel 20 in the locking mechanism 1 of the present application generally includes a first control wheel 21 and a second control wheel 22 arranged coaxially. When the toggle lock member 30 is toggled so that the locking portion 32 approaches the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22, the locking arm 322 of the locking portion 32 simultaneously unlocks the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22, thereby locking the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 at the same time.

[0098] It is understood that the first control wheel 21 of the present application is used to control the steering of the distal end of the insertion portion 2 in a first direction, and the second control wheel 22 is used to control the steering of the distal end of the insertion portion 2 in a second direction. For example, the first direction mentioned in the present application may refer to the up-down direction, and correspondingly, the second direction mentioned in the present application may refer to the left-right direction. Of course, in other examples of the present application, the steering control wheel 20 may also be implemented as a control wheel, in which case this control wheel can be directly locked by the locking portion 32, and this application will not elaborate on this.

[0099] For example, Figure 2 、 Figures 8 to 11 As shown, the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 can be, but are not limited to, rotating wheels with toothed discs. In this case, the locking arm 322 of the locking portion 32 can be provided with protruding locking teeth that match the toothed discs. In this way, when the toggle lock member 30 is toggled so that the locking portion 32 approaches the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22, the locking teeth of the locking arm 322 can simultaneously engage with the toothed discs on the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22, thereby achieving the effect of simultaneously locking the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22.

[0100] It is worth noting that in other examples of the present application, the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 can also be implemented as rotating wheels with rubber rings, or as rotating wheels with belts, so that when the toggle locking member 30 is toggled to make the locking portion 32 close to the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22, the locking arm 322 is pressed against the rubber ring or the belt to lock the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 by friction braking, which helps to solve the accuracy problem of the gear wheel locking, so as to improve the locking accuracy of the steering control wheel 20.

[0101] In addition, since the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 are coaxially arranged, when one control wheel is rotated to control the distal end of the insertion portion 2 in a certain direction, it is easy to cause the other control wheel to rotate, resulting in that the distal end direction of the insertion portion 2 is difficult to accurately control. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, Figures 2 to 9 As shown, the operating part shell 10 of the present application may include an upper shell 11 with an insertion channel 104, a lower shell 12 detachably connected to the upper shell 11, and a barrier 13 installed between the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12. The barrier 13 is arranged between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 to separate the first control wheel 21 from the second control wheel 22, which can reduce the risk of one control wheel causing the other control wheel to rotate when rotating to a certain extent.

[0102] Alternatively, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the barrier 13 is mounted on the upper shell 11 or the lower shell 12 in a restricted rotational manner to prevent the barrier 13 from being driven by the control wheel to rotate, thereby better isolating the rotational movement between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22, preventing one control wheel from causing the other control wheel to rotate when rotating, and helping to improve the stability, precision and flexibility of the locking mechanism 1 when manipulating the distal steering of the insertion portion 2.

[0103] Alternatively, as Figures 8 to 11 As shown, the toothed discs on the first and second control wheels 21, 22 are arranged adjacent to the barrier 13, i.e., the toothed discs are located on the side of the first and second control wheels 21, 22 that is closest to the barrier 13. This allows the locking teeth of the locking arm 322 to more stably and simultaneously engage the toothed discs on the first and second control wheels 21, 22, thereby improving locking stability. It is understood that a layer of oil is applied to the toothed discs of the present application, which not only reduces the risk of abnormal noise during the locking process of the locking mechanism 1 but also provides a certain lubricating effect, ensuring smooth engagement of the teeth.

[0104] Alternatively, as Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the operating portion housing 10 may further include a mounting post 14 protruding from the upper housing 11 or the lower housing 12. The barrier 13 is mounted on the mounting post 14. The mounting post 14 limits the barrier 13 from rotating about the rotation axis 200, preventing the barrier 13 from being pulled by the steering control wheel 20 and rotating, thereby effectively separating the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22. It is understood that in other examples of the present application, the barrier 13 can also be installed between the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12 in other ways, as long as it can prevent the barrier 13 from rotating about the rotation axis 200. This application will not elaborate on this.

[0105] For example, in one embodiment of the present application, the number of mounting posts 14 can be one or more, and the central axis of the mounting post 14 is parallel to the rotation axis 200 of the steering control wheel 20, so that the mounting post 14 can limit the rotation of the barrier 13. It is understood that the mounting post 14 of the present application can have a cylindrical structure or a non-cylindrical structure such as a prism, as long as it can limit the rotation of the barrier 13. This application will not elaborate on this.

[0106] Alternatively, as Figure 4 As shown, the operating unit housing 10 further includes a reinforcing rib 15 fixedly connected to the mounting post 14. The reinforcing rib 15 has a bearing surface 150 that contacts the barrier 13. When the barrier 13 is mounted on the mounting post 14, the bearing surface 150 contacts the barrier 13 to support the barrier 13, thereby facilitating the installation position of the barrier 13 between the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12.

[0107] Alternatively, as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the locking position 101, the unlocking position 102, and the limiting position 103 are correspondingly provided on the barrier 13, so that the locking position 101, the unlocking position 102, and the limiting position 103 are away from the insertion channel 104. This allows the desired locking and unlocking effects to be achieved through the barrier 13 while also maintaining the stability of the locking arm 322. It is understood that in other examples of the present application, the operating portion housing 10 may also not include the barrier 13. In this case, the locking position 101, the unlocking position 102, and the limiting position 103 may be provided by the lower housing 12, and the desired locking and unlocking functions can still be achieved.

[0108] For example, Figure 3 、 Figure 6 as well as Figure 7As shown, the barrier 13 defines a sliding channel 130 through which the locking arm 322 passes and slides. The locking position 101, the unlocking position 102, and the limiting position 103 are correspondingly located on the sidewalls of the sliding channel 130. It will be understood that the sliding channel 130 defined in the barrier 13 not only allows the locking arm 322 to pass through, but also allows the locking arm 322 to slide, thereby simultaneously contacting or disengaging the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 located on opposite sides of the barrier 13 to achieve simultaneous locking or unlocking.

[0109] Alternatively, as Figure 3 As shown, the sliding channel 130 may include a first sliding groove 131 and a second sliding groove 132 connected to the first sliding groove 131. The first sliding groove 131 gradually expands from the unlocking position 102 to the limiting position 103, and the second sliding groove 132 gradually contracts from the limiting position 103 to the locking position 101. In this way, while ensuring that the locking arm 322 can slide smoothly through the limiting position 103, the width of the locking arm 322 is slightly smaller than the width of the second sliding groove 132 at the locking position 101, which facilitates limiting the displacement of the locking arm 322 at the locking position 101 and facilitates achieving a good locking effect.

[0110] Alternatively, as Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the first slide groove 131 has a curved sidewall that serves as a guide surface 40 extending from the unlocking position 102 to the limiting position 103, thereby better guiding the locking arm 322 to slide from the unlocking position 102, past the limiting position 103, and into the locking position 101. The second slide groove 132 has a straight sidewall that serves as a locking surface 1320 for the locking position 101. The locking arm 322 has a mating surface 3220 that matches the locking surface 1320. When the locking arm 322 slides to the locking position 101, the mating surface 3220 abuts the locking surface 1320. Thus, when the locking arm 322 slides to the locking position 101, the mating surface 3220 of the locking arm 322 can closely abut the locking surface 1320 of the second slide groove 132, increasing the contact area between the locking arm 322 and the barrier 13, thereby enhancing the friction between the two and helping to improve the locking stability of the control wheel.

[0111] It is worth noting that Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the operating portion of the present application includes, in addition to the locking mechanism 1, a knob disposed outside the operating portion housing 10, wherein the steering control wheel 20 located within the housing is correspondingly connected to the knob so as to be driven to rotate by the knob, so that the user can twist the knob to drive the steering control wheel 20 to rotate, thereby pulling or loosening the corresponding traction wire to control the distal steering of the insertion portion 2. It is understandable that the operating portion mentioned in this application may also include other operating entities related to the endoscope, which will not be described in detail in this application.

[0112] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined without changing the basic principles of the present invention. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0113] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art could make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of patent protection for the present application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Locking mechanism, characterized in that, include: An operating portion housing has a locking position, an unlocking position, and a limiting position located in a path between the locking position and the unlocking position; a steering control wheel rotatably disposed on the operating portion housing, wherein a radial distance between a rotation axis of the steering control wheel and the locking position is smaller than a radial distance between the rotation axis of the steering control wheel and the unlocking position; as well as The toggle locking member includes a toggle portion and a locking portion rotatably arranged on the operating portion housing, the locking portion including a connecting arm connected to the toggle portion and a locking arm axially extending from the connecting arm to slide between the locking position and the unlocking position; the radial distances between the locking position and the unlocking position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion are both smaller than the radial distance between the limiting position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion.

2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: A radial distance between the locking position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion is greater than a radial distance between the unlocking position and the rotation axis of the toggle portion.

3. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The locking mechanism has a guide surface for guiding the locking arm to slide from the unlocking position to the limiting position; The guide surface is provided on the operating portion housing, and the guide surface extends in a curved manner from the unlocking position to the limiting position; or the guide surface is provided on the locking portion, and the guide surface is a chamfered arc surface provided on the locking arm.

4. The locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The operating portion housing has a radially extending insertion channel, and the connecting arm of the locking portion passes through the insertion channel so that the locking arm extends into the operating portion housing.

5. The locking mechanism according to claim 4, wherein: The rotation axis of the steering control wheel is parallel to the rotation axis of the toggle part; the steering control wheel includes a first control wheel and a second control wheel arranged coaxially; the operating part shell includes an upper shell with the insertion channel, a lower shell detachably connected to the upper shell, and a partition installed between the upper shell and the lower shell, and the partition is arranged between the first control wheel and the second control wheel to separate the first control wheel and the second control wheel.

6. The locking mechanism according to claim 5, wherein: The locking position, the unlocking position and the limiting position are correspondingly arranged on the barrier member; The barrier member is provided with a sliding channel for the locking arm to pass through and slide, and the locking position, the unlocking position and the limiting position are correspondingly located on the side walls of the sliding channel; The sliding channel includes a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove connected to the first sliding groove, the first sliding groove gradually extending from the unlocking position to the limiting position, and the second sliding groove gradually extending from the limiting position to the locking position; The first chute has a curved sidewall serving as a guide surface; The second sliding groove has a straight side wall serving as a locking surface, the locking arm has a mating surface matching the locking surface, and when the locking arm slides to the locking position, the mating surface abuts against the locking surface; A radial distance between the guide surface and the rotation axis of the toggle portion gradually increases from the unlocking position to the limiting position.

7. The locking mechanism according to claim 5, wherein: The operating portion housing further includes a mounting post protruding from the upper shell or the lower shell and a reinforcing rib having a bearing surface, the reinforcing rib is fixedly connected to the mounting post, and the barrier is sleeved on the mounting post and contacts the bearing surface of the reinforcing rib.

8. The locking mechanism according to claim 5, wherein: The first control wheel and the second control wheel are rotating wheels with toothed discs; the locking arm is convexly provided with locking teeth matching the toothed discs; And / or, the first control wheel and the second control wheel are rotating wheels covered with rubber rings or belts.

9. The locking mechanism according to claim 4, wherein: The operating portion housing includes an upper shell provided with the insertion channel and a lower shell detachably connected to the upper shell, and the locking position, the unlocking position and the limiting position are correspondingly arranged on the lower shell.

10. The locking mechanism according to claim 6, wherein: The locking portion further includes a limiting arm extending radially from the connecting arm; the operating portion housing further includes a limiting groove matching the limiting arm, and the limiting arm is limitably inserted into the limiting groove; The limiting groove has a first groove bottom close to the rotation axis, a second groove bottom away from the rotation axis, and a limiting surface extending obliquely from the first groove bottom to the second groove bottom; the depth of the limiting groove at the first groove bottom is greater than the depth of the limiting groove at the second groove bottom; The locking arm is axially connected to the connecting arm in a staggered manner, and the limiting arm is radially connected to the connecting arm in an integral manner; the radial distance between the limiting arm and the rotation axis is greater than the radial distance between the locking arm and the rotation axis.

11. An endoscope, characterized in that include: Insertion; and The operating portion connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion comprises the locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 10, so as to control the steering of the distal end of the insertion portion through the locking mechanism.

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