Locking mechanism and endoscope

Abstract

The present application 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 accurately locked at the required angle in the prior art. The locking mechanism comprises: a steering control wheel having a rotation axis and a matching ring extending circumferentially around the rotation axis, the steering control wheel being arranged rotatably on an operation portion housing of the endoscope to steer the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope; and a dial locking member comprising a dial portion and a locking portion, the dial portion being movably connected to the operation portion housing, and the locking portion being drivingly connected to the dial portion; when the dial portion is dialled to drive the locking portion to approach the rotation axis, the locking portion axially abuts against the matching ring, so as to lock the steering control wheel relative to the operation portion housing.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 2023104119057, filed on April 10, 2023, entitled "Locking Mechanism and Endoscope", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of endoscope technology, and in particular to a locking mechanism and an endoscope. Background Technology

[0003] In recent years, with the development of minimally invasive endoscopic diagnostic and treatment technologies, many diseases can be diagnosed and treated minimally invasively by entering the body through natural orifices or surgical incisions. Currently, the use of endoscopes has gradually gained market acceptance. For example, in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), the camera attached to the endoscope can be used to observe lesions and stones within the bile duct, significantly improving the accuracy of biliary tract disease treatment and reducing the incidence of complications.

[0004] In clinical practice, when using an endoscope, it is necessary to adjust and control the bending direction of its insertion section (i.e., the orientation of the distal end of the insertion section), and after adjustment, the distal end of the insertion section needs to be locked in the current position. However, existing locking mechanisms typically include a locking member with locking teeth and multiple grooves formed on the outer periphery of a steering member. When the locking member is operated radially closer to the steering member, the grooves of the steering member engage with the locking teeth to lock the steering member; and when the locking member is operated radially away from the steering member, the grooves of the steering member disengage from the locking teeth to release the steering member, which is then used to maneuver the distal end of the insertion section.

[0005] However, existing locking mechanisms cannot achieve locking at any angle due to gaps between the tooth grooves. Specifically, the steering component in existing mechanisms must be rotated until the tooth groove and the locking teeth of the locking component are perfectly aligned to achieve engagement and locking. But in practical applications, after the orientation of the distal end of the insertion part is adjusted to the desired angle, the tooth groove of the steering component is unlikely to be perfectly aligned with the locking teeth. This requires slight rotation (tightening or loosening) of the steering component to achieve locking, resulting in the distal end of the insertion part not being precisely locked at the desired angle. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a locking mechanism for an endoscope that solves the problem in the prior art that the orientation of the distal end of the insertion part cannot be precisely locked at the required angle. Furthermore, this application also aims to provide an endoscope that can be used as an interventional device, is low in cost, and is convenient for use as a disposable endoscope.

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of the present invention disclose a locking mechanism for an endoscope, comprising:

[0008] A steering control wheel, having a rotation axis and a mating ring extending circumferentially around the rotation axis, is used to rotatably mount the operating housing of the endoscope to manipulate the distal end of the endoscope's insertion section; and

[0009] The toggle locking element includes a toggle part and a locking part. The toggle part is movably connected to the operating part housing, and the locking part is driven to connect with the toggle part. When the toggle part is toggleed to drive the locking part closer to the rotation axis, the locking part axially presses against the mating ring to lock the steering control wheel relative to the operating part housing.

[0010] Using the above technical solution, when the distal end of the insertion part is turned by manipulating the steering control wheel to orient the distal end of the insertion part toward the desired angle, the operator only needs to move the actuating part to drive the locking part close to the rotation axis of the steering control wheel. This allows the locking part to axially press against the mating ring of the steering control wheel, locking the steering control wheel relative to the operating part housing. At this time, the steering control wheel cannot rotate relative to the operating part housing, thereby fixing the distal end of the insertion part at the desired angle. In other words, because the steering control wheel of this application has a mating ring for the locking part to press against, the locking mechanism of this application can directly lock the steering control wheel when it is rotated to any angle, without having to continue rotating the steering component to make the tooth groove and the locking tooth fully align and engage as in the prior art; that is, the locking mechanism of this application can accurately lock the distal end of the insertion part at the desired angle.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this application, when the actuating part is actuated to drive the locking part away from the rotation axis, the locking part disengages from the mating ring, thereby releasing the steering control wheel from the operating part housing.

[0012] Compared with the solution that requires additional reset components, the structure of the toggle locking component in this application is simplified by adopting the above technical solution, which helps to reduce manufacturing costs and is more suitable for the cost requirements of disposable endoscopes.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this application, the actuating portion of the toggle locking member is rotatably disposed in the operating part housing, wherein when the actuating portion is actuated to rotate forward relative to the operating part housing, the locking portion is driven by the actuating portion to move closer to the rotation axis; and when the actuating portion is actuated to rotate in the opposite direction relative to the operating part housing, the locking portion is driven by the actuating portion to move away from the rotation axis.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this application, the rotation axis of the toggle part is parallel to the rotation axis of the steering control wheel.

[0015] Using the above technical solution, the locking part can be driven by the actuating part to move in the radial plane of the steering control wheel, so as to move closer to or further away from the steering control wheel from the radial direction, and then press against the mating ring of the steering control wheel from the axial direction of the steering control wheel to achieve precise locking at any angle.

[0016] According to one embodiment of this application, the locking portion has a locking surface that extends axially obliquely from the outside to the inside; the axial position of the mating ring is located between the axial position of the inner edge of the locking surface and the axial position of the outer edge of the locking surface.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the inclined locking surface on the locking part can continuously apply axial force to the steering control wheel during the process of pressing against the mating ring of the steering control wheel, so that even if the steering control wheel moves axially, it can lock the steering control wheel better.

[0018] According to one embodiment of this application, the steering control wheel includes a first control wheel that provides a mating ring; the first control wheel includes a hollow shaft and an annular flange that projects radially from the outer peripheral surface of the hollow shaft, the mating ring being located on the axial end wall of the annular flange.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, compared with the control wheel without annular flange, the locking surface of the locking part can more easily press against the mating ring on the annular flange, which helps to increase the length of the locking lever arm, so as to achieve reliable locking of the steering control wheel by applying a smaller pressure to the first control wheel.

[0020] According to one embodiment of this application, the mating ring is the outer periphery of the axial end wall of the annular flange or an axially inclined annular conical surface on the axial end wall of the annular flange.

[0021] Using the above technical solution, the axially inclined annular conical surface can guide the locking part to rotate closer to or further away from the rotation axis of the steering control wheel, and increase the contact area between the locking part and the first control wheel when rotating closer to the rotation axis, which helps to increase the friction between the two and facilitates better locking of the steering control wheel.

[0022] According to one embodiment of this application, the mating ring is an axially perpendicular annular plane on the axial end wall of an annular flange.

[0023] Using the above technical solution, when the locking part rotates close to the rotation axis of the steering control wheel to press against the axially perpendicular annular plane, the steering control wheel is locked; at this time, even if the force applied to the actuating part is removed, the axially perpendicular annular plane can still restrict the locking part from rotating in the opposite direction, so as to ensure that the steering control wheel is stably in the locked state.

[0024] According to one embodiment of this application, the steering control wheel includes a second control wheel coaxially disposed with the first control wheel; the first control wheel is located between the toggle locking member and the second control wheel; when the locking member axially presses against the mating ring of the first control wheel, the first control wheel is pressed by the locking member to axially squeeze the second control wheel, so that the first control wheel and the second control wheel are locked simultaneously.

[0025] Using the above technical solution, the inclined locking surface on the locking part can axially push the first control wheel when it presses against the mating ring of the first control wheel, so that the first control wheel axially squeezes the second control wheel to achieve locking. This allows the first control wheel and the second control wheel to be locked simultaneously with a single toggle locking element, unlike the prior art which requires two independent locking mechanisms to lock the two control wheels.

[0026] According to one embodiment of this application, the first control wheel and the second control wheel are axially fitted together.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the first control wheel and the second control wheel can maintain good coaxiality, avoiding radial misalignment between the first control wheel and the second control wheel, without the need for an additional through-center shaft, which helps to reduce the number of parts and facilitates disassembly and assembly.

[0028] According to one embodiment of this application, the mating ring is an annular inclined surface that extends axially from the outside to the inside; the axial position of the locking portion is located between the axial position of the inner periphery of the annular inclined surface and the axial position of the outer periphery of the annular inclined surface.

[0029] By adopting the above technical solution, even if the locking surface on the locking part is not arranged at an angle, the locking part can still lock by axially pressing against the steering control wheel when pressing against the mating ring of the steering control wheel.

[0030] According to one embodiment of this application, the toggle part is located on the outside of the operating part housing, the steering control wheel is located on the inside of the operating part housing, and the locking part slidably passes through the guide channel of the operating part housing to extend from the outside of the operating part housing into the inside of the operating part housing.

[0031] Using the above technical solution, the operator only needs to use one hand to move the lever outside the operating unit housing to lock and unlock the steering control wheel, which is convenient for operation.

[0032] According to one embodiment of this application, the locking part includes an insert arm and a locking arm, the insert arm extending from the actuating part in a direction parallel to the rotation axis for slidably inserting into the guide channel, and the locking arm extending from the insert arm in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

[0033] According to one embodiment of this application, the locking portion further includes a limiting arm that extends from the insert arm in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

[0034] According to one embodiment of this application, the locking part further includes a limiting groove provided in the housing of the operating part, and a limiting arm is matched with the limiting groove to be inserted into the limiting groove in a limiting manner; the limiting groove has a first groove bottom near the axis of rotation, a second groove bottom away from the axis of rotation, 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 to form a stepped groove.

[0035] Using the above technical solution, when the toggle locking member is moved to lock the steering control wheel, the limiting arm corresponds to the bottom of the first groove of the limiting groove. At this time, the limiting arm is restricted by the limiting surface to prevent the limiting arm from sliding from the bottom of the first groove to the bottom of the second groove. The steering control wheel can only be unlocked by manually moving the toggle locking member.

[0036] According to one embodiment of this application, when the toggle locking member is toggled to lock the steering control wheel, the limiting arm is abutted against the bottom of the first groove of the limiting groove; when the toggle locking member is toggled to unlock the steering control wheel, the limiting arm is abutted against the bottom of the second groove of the limiting groove; wherein the contact area of ​​the limiting arm when it is abutted against the bottom of the first groove is greater than the contact area of ​​the limiting arm when it is abutted against the bottom of the second groove.

[0037] Using the above technical solution, when the actuating part is actuated to drive the locking part closer to the rotation axis, the locking arm of the locking part moves radially to contact the mating ring of the steering control wheel and apply axial force to the steering control wheel. At this time, the contact area between the limiting arm and the bottom of the limiting groove will increase to improve the support strength of the limiting groove for the locking arm.

[0038] According to one embodiment of this application, the guide channel extends gradually toward the rotation axis of the actuating part.

[0039] Using the above technical solution, during locking, as the actuating part gradually approaches the rotation axis, the limiting arm gradually slides from the bottom of the second groove along the limiting surface to the bottom of the first groove; as the actuating part further approaches the rotation axis, the contact area between the limiting arm and the bottom of the first groove gradually increases, thereby increasing the supporting force provided by the limiting arm to the locking arm; during unlocking, as the actuating part moves away from the rotation axis, the limiting arm gradually slides from the bottom of the first groove along the limiting surface to the bottom of the second groove; as the actuating part moves further away from the rotation axis, the contact area between the limiting arm and the bottom of the second groove gradually decreases; thus, after unlocking, this actuating locking component will not rotate in reverse under non-human operation, preventing the locking arm from resetting and affecting the subsequent rotation steering control wheel to change the bending direction of the curved part; in addition, after the limiting arm gradually slides from the bottom of the first groove along the limiting surface into the bottom of the second groove, the actuating part only needs less force to rotate, thereby achieving a labor-saving effect.

[0040] According to one embodiment of this application, the limiting arm includes a connecting end integrally connected to the interlocking arm and a free end that extends gradually from the connecting end.

[0041] By adopting the above technical solution, the deformation capacity of the free end of the limiting arm is greater than that of the connecting end of the limiting arm, so that when unlocking, only the free end of the limiting arm contacts the bottom of the second groove of the limiting groove, which helps to reduce the friction with the bottom of the second groove and saves effort; in addition, when locking, both the free end and the connecting end of the limiting arm contact the bottom of the first groove of the limiting groove, which helps to enhance the support strength provided by the limiting arm to the locking arm.

[0042] According to one embodiment of this application, the locking arm of the locking part includes a plurality of locking heads spaced apart from the through arm.

[0043] By adopting the above technical solution, the end faces of the multiple locking heads arranged at intervals can serve as the locking surfaces of the locking part, which helps to reduce the contact area between the locking arm and the steering control wheel, reduce the friction between the two, and facilitate the locking part to rotate closer to or away from the rotation axis of the steering control wheel.

[0044] According to one embodiment of this application, the actuating part includes a pivot end pivotally connected to the housing, an actuating end extending radially from the pivot end, and a driving end extending radially from the pivot end, the driving end being integrally connected to the through arm of the locking part.

[0045] According to one embodiment of this application, the radial extension length of the actuating end is greater than the radial extension length of the driving end.

[0046] By adopting the above technical solution, the actuating part can form a force-saving lever, which makes it easy to apply a small actuating force to the actuating end to enable the driving end to obtain a large driving force, thus achieving the locking and unlocking of the steering control wheel with less effort.

[0047] According to one embodiment of this application, the locking mechanism further includes a spacer that is axially slidably disposed between the first control wheel and the second control wheel to form a rotational isolation between the first control wheel and the second control wheel.

[0048] Using the above technical solution, the spacer between the first control wheel and the second control wheel can not only separate the first control wheel from the second control wheel to form rotational isolation, but also slide axially together with the first control wheel and / or the second control wheel. Therefore, when the locking part of the locking member is axially pressed against the mating ring of the first control wheel, the first control wheel axially presses the spacer, so that the spacer axially presses the second control wheel, and the first control wheel and the second control wheel can still be locked simultaneously by the corresponding frictional force.

[0049] According to one embodiment of this application, the partition is rotatably mounted on the operating part housing.

[0050] The above technical solution is adopted to prevent the partition from being rotated by the control wheel, so as to better isolate the rotational movement between the first control wheel and the second control wheel.

[0051] According to one embodiment of this application, the locking mechanism further includes a damping element, which is correspondingly disposed on the second control wheel or the partition.

[0052] Using the above technical solution, when the locking part of the locking member presses against the mating ring of the first control wheel from one side of the rotation axis, the second control wheel, which is axially compressed by the partition member, can be tightly attached to the lower shell by the damping member provided on the second control wheel to increase the friction between the second control wheel and the lower shell; or, the second control wheel, which is axially compressed by the partition member, can be tightly attached to the partition member and the second control wheel by the damping member to increase the damping between the second control wheel and the partition member. Both methods facilitate the simultaneous locking of the first control wheel and the second control wheel.

[0053] According to one embodiment of this application, the damping element is one of fluoropolymer, silicone, and rubber.

[0054] According to one embodiment of this application, the second control wheel includes a steering wheel body and an axle end cap plate snapped onto the steering wheel body, and a damping element is bonded and fixed to the axle end cap plate on the side opposite to the steering wheel body.

[0055] According to another aspect of this application, this application further provides an endoscope, comprising:

[0056] Operating unit housing;

[0057] The insertion part, the proximal end of which is connected to the housing of the operating part; and

[0058] The locking mechanism described above is correspondingly provided in the operating part housing so as to control the distal end rotation of the insertion part.

[0059] By adopting the above technical solution, the endoscope can use a locking mechanism to precisely control the distal end of the insertion part to rotate, so that the distal end of the insertion part can be precisely locked at any desired angle, without the problem of having to continue rotating the steering component due to misalignment of the groove and the locking teeth.

[0060] According to one embodiment of this application, the operating unit housing includes an upper shell with a guide channel, a lower shell detachably connected to the upper shell, and a mounting post protruding from the upper shell. The central axis of the mounting post is parallel to the rotation axis of the steering control wheel, and the blocking member of the locking mechanism is slidably fitted onto the mounting post.

[0061] By adopting the above technical solution, while allowing the partition to slide along the axial direction of the mounting column, the rotation of the partition is restricted around the rotation axis, thereby achieving rotational isolation while ensuring that the first control wheel and the second control wheel are locked simultaneously.

[0062] According to one embodiment of this application, the operating part housing further includes a reinforcing rib that fixes the mounting post and the upper shell, the reinforcing rib having a bearing surface that contacts the partition.

[0063] When the above technical solution is adopted, the bearing surface contacts the partition to support it when the partition is installed on the mounting column, which makes it easier to determine the installation position of the partition between the upper and lower shells. Attached Figure Description

[0064] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0065] Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of an endoscope provided for one embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 2 An exploded view of the locking mechanism in an endoscope according to the above embodiments of this application is shown;

[0067] Figure 3 A perspective view of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiments of this application after the lower shell has been removed is shown;

[0068] Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiments of this application before locking is shown;

[0069] Figure 5 As shown Figure 4 A schematic sectional view of the locking mechanism shown in Figure AA;

[0070] Figure 6 A bottom view of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiments of this application is shown after removing the lower shell and the steering control wheel;

[0071] Figure 7 As shown Figure 6 A schematic BB-section view of the locking mechanism shown;

[0072] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiments of this application in its state before locking is shown;

[0073] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiments of this application after locking is shown;

[0074] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiments of this application before and after locking is shown;

[0075] Figure 11 Examples of variations of the locking mechanism according to the above embodiments of this application before and after locking are shown;

[0076] Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of an endoscope according to a modified embodiment of this application;

[0077] Figure 13 An exploded view of the locking mechanism in an endoscope according to the above-described modified embodiment of this application is shown;

[0078] Figure 14 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above-described modified embodiment of this application is shown before locking;

[0079] Figure 15 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to the above-described modified embodiment of this application after locking is shown;

[0080] Figure 16 A partial cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism according to the above-described modified embodiment of this application is shown before locking;

[0081] Figure 17 A partial cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism according to the above-described modified embodiment of this application is shown after locking.

[0082] Reference numerals: 1. Locking mechanism; 10. Operating part housing; 100. Guide channel; 11. Upper shell; 12. Lower shell; 13. Mounting column; 14. Reinforcing rib; 140. Bearing surface; 20. Steering control wheel; 200. Mating ring; 201. Annular cone surface; 202. Annular plane; 21. First control wheel; 211. Hollow shaft; 212. Annular flange; 22. Second control wheel; 221. Steering wheel body; 222. Shaft end sealing plate; 30. Actuating locking element; 31. Actuating part; 32 1. Pivot end; 312. Actuating end; 313. Driving end; 314. Mating end; 32. Locking part; 320. Locking surface; 3201. Inner edge; 3202. Outer edge; 321. Insertion arm; 322. Locking arm; 3220. Locking head; 323. Limiting arm; 3231. Connecting end; 3232. Free end; 324. Limiting groove; 3241. Bottom of first groove; 3242. Bottom of second groove; 3243. Limiting surface; 40. Partition; 50. Damping element; 2. Insertion part. Detailed Implementation

[0083] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0084] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0085] Considering that in practical applications, after the orientation of the distal end of the insertion part is adjusted to the required angle, the teeth of the steering component in existing locking mechanisms often cannot be perfectly aligned with the teeth of the locking component. This requires slight rotation (tightening or loosening) of the steering component to achieve locking, resulting in the distal end of the insertion part not being accurately locked at the required angle. To solve this problem, this application provides a locking mechanism and endoscope that can solve the problem of the distal end of the insertion part not being accurately locked at the required angle in the prior art.

[0086] Specifically, please refer to Figures 1 to 11 One embodiment of this application provides an endoscope, which may include an insertion portion 2, an operating housing 10 connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion 2, and a locking mechanism 1 correspondingly disposed on the operating housing 10. The locking mechanism 1 controls the distal end of the insertion portion 2 to rotate, facilitating precise locking of the distal end of the insertion portion 2 at the desired angle. It is understood that the endoscope of this application may, but is not limited to, be implemented as a cholangioscope; of course, in other examples of this application, the endoscope may also be implemented as other types of endoscopes, which will not be elaborated upon here. Furthermore, the insertion portion 2 of this application is sequentially provided with a front end, a curved portion, and a flexible tube portion from distal to proximal.

[0087] It is understood that the distal end of the insertion part 2 mentioned in this application refers to the end away from the operating part housing 10; the endoscope of this application may further include an operating body (not shown in the figure) disposed in the operating part housing 10, which will not be described in detail here.

[0088] More specifically, such as Figures 2 to 10As shown, the locking mechanism 1 of this application may include a steering control wheel 20 and a toggle locking member 30. The steering control wheel 20 has a rotation axis L and a mating ring 200 extending circumferentially around the rotation axis L. The steering control wheel 20 is rotatably mounted on the operating housing 10 to manipulate the distal end of the insertion part 2. The toggle locking member 30 includes a toggle part 31 and a locking part 32 drivenly connected to the toggle part 31. The toggle part 31 is movably connected to the operating housing 10. When the toggle part 31 is actuated to drive the locking part 32 closer to the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20, the locking part 32 axially presses against the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20, thereby locking the steering control wheel 20 relative to the operating housing 10. Thus, as... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, when the distal end of the insertion part 2 is turned by the steering control wheel 20 to make the distal end of the insertion part 2 face the desired angle, the operator only needs to turn the actuating part 31 to drive the locking part 32 close to the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20. This allows the locking part 32 to axially press against the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20 to lock the steering control wheel 20 relative to the operating part housing 10. At this time, the steering control wheel 20 cannot rotate relative to the operating part housing 10, thereby fixing the distal end of the insertion part 2 at the desired angle.

[0089] It is worth noting that, such as Figure 2 and Figure 10 As shown, because the locking part 32 of this application can approach the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20 under the drive of the actuating part 31 to axially press against the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20, the steering control wheel 20 is locked to the operating part housing 10. Therefore, the locking mechanism 1 of this application can directly lock the steering control wheel 20 when it is rotated to any angle, without having to continue rotating the steering component to make the tooth groove and the locking tooth fully aligned and engaged as in the prior art. In other words, because the steering control wheel 20 of this application has a mating ring 200 for the locking part 32 to press against, the locking mechanism 1 of this application can precisely lock the distal end of the insertion part 2 at the required angle. It is understood that the steering control wheel 20 of this application can control the bending of the curved part of the insertion part 2 by rotating itself to pull the traction line (not shown in the figure) connected to the curved part of the insertion part 2, thereby controlling the direction of the distal end of the insertion part 2. This will not be described in detail here.

[0090] Optionally, in the above embodiments of this application, as Figures 9 to 10As shown, when the actuating part 31 is actuated to drive the locking part 32 away from the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20, the locking part 32 disengages from the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20, so that the steering control wheel 20 is unlocked relative to the operating part housing 10, that is, the steering control wheel 20 can rotate relative to the operating part housing 10, so that the rotation of the steering control wheel 20 can control the far end of the insertion part 2 to turn. This helps to simplify the structure of the actuating locking part 30 and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0091] It is understood that in other embodiments of this application, the toggle locking member 30 may also include a reset part for resetting the locking part 32. When the external force applied to the toggle part 31 is removed, the locking part 32 can automatically move away from the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20 under the action of the reset part, so as to disengage from the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20, and can still realize the locking release of the steering control wheel 20. This application will not elaborate further on this.

[0092] For example, such as Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the actuating part 31 of the toggle locking member 30 is rotatably disposed in the operating part housing 10. When the actuating part 31 is actuated to rotate forward relative to the operating part housing 10, the locking part 32 is driven by the actuating part 31 to move closer to the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20 to lock the steering control wheel 20; and when the actuating part 31 is actuated to rotate in the opposite direction relative to the operating part housing 10, the locking part 32 is driven by the actuating part 31 to move away from the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20 to unlock the steering control wheel 20. It is understood that the forward rotation and reverse rotation mentioned in this application are relative. For example, forward rotation refers to... Figure 4 The clockwise rotation shown refers to the counterclockwise rotation as shown. Figure 4 The rotation is shown to be counterclockwise.

[0093] It is worth noting that in other examples of this application, the actuating part 31 may also be radially slidably disposed on the operating part housing 10 so that the locking part 32 can be driven to approach the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20 by pressing, and the locking part 32 can still axially press against the steering control wheel 20 to lock the steering control wheel 20.

[0094] Optionally, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the rotation axis of the actuating part 31 is parallel to the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20, so that the locking part 32 is driven by the actuating part 31 to move in the radial plane of the steering control wheel 20, so as to move closer to or further away from the steering control wheel 20 in the radial direction, and then axially press against the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20 to achieve precise locking at any angle.

[0095] Optionally, such as Figure 7 and Figure 10 As shown, the locking portion 32 has a locking surface 320 extending obliquely from the outside to the inside, and the axial position of the mating ring 200 is located between the axial position of the inner edge 3201 of the locking surface 320 and the axial position of the outer edge 3202 of the locking surface 320. In this way, the oblique locking surface 320 on the locking portion 32 can continuously apply axial force to the steering control wheel 20 while pressing against the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20, so that even if the steering control wheel 20 moves axially, it can be locked more effectively.

[0096] It is worth noting that, since the actuating part 31 is usually located on the outside of the operating part housing 10 for being actuated, while the steering control wheel 20 is usually located on the inside of the operating part housing 10 for controlling the distal end steering of the insertion part 2, therefore, as Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 6 As shown, the operating housing 10 of this application may have a radially extending guide channel 100, and the locking part 32 slidably extends through the guide channel 100 to extend from the outside of the operating housing 10 into the inside of the operating housing 10. In this way, the locking part 32 can both drive the actuating part 31 located outside the operating housing 10 and slide radially along the guide channel 100 under the drive of the actuating part 31 to press against the steering control wheel 20 located inside the operating housing 10.

[0097] Optionally, such as Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the locking part 32 may include an insert arm 321 and a locking arm 322. The insert arm 321 extends from the actuating part 31 in a direction parallel to the rotation axis L to be slidably inserted into the guide channel 100. The locking arm 322 extends from the free end of the insert arm 321 in a direction parallel to the rotation axis L to protrude from the inner wall of the operating part housing 10, so as to facilitate contact with and press against the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20.

[0098] It is worth noting that, such as Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the connecting end of the through arm 321 of the locking part 32 in this application can be integrally connected to the actuating part 31. That is, the actuating locking member 30 has an integral structure, so that the locking part 32 is directly driven by the actuating part 31 to lock and unlock. Of course, in other examples of this application, the connecting end of the through arm 321 of the locking part 32 can also be fixedly connected or loosely fitted with the actuating part 31. That is, the actuating locking member 30 can also have a separate structure. However, as long as it can be driven by the actuating part 31 to lock and unlock, this application will not elaborate further.

[0099] Optionally, such as Figure 2 , Figure 5 as well as Figure 6As shown, the locking part 32 may further include a limiting arm 323, which extends from the free end of the insert arm 321 in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis L. In this way, the limiting arm 323 of this application can lock the locking arm 322 of the locking part 32 inside the operating part housing 10, preventing the locking part 32 from dislodging or falling out of the guide channel 100.

[0100] Optionally, the locking part 32 may further include a limiting groove 324 provided in the operating part housing 10, and the limiting arm 323 is matched with the limiting groove 324 to be inserted into the limiting groove 324 in a limited manner, so as to restrict the reverse rotation of the limiting arm 323 and ensure that the steering control wheel 20 is stably kept in the locked state.

[0101] For example, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the limiting groove 324 has a first groove bottom 3241 near the rotation axis L, a second groove bottom 3242 away from the rotation axis L, and a limiting surface 3243 extending obliquely from the first groove bottom 3241 to the second groove bottom 3242; the depth of the limiting groove 324 at the first groove bottom 3241 is greater than the depth of the limiting groove 324 at the second groove bottom 3242, so as to form a stepped groove. In this way, when the toggle locking member 30 is toggleed to lock the steering control wheel 20, the limiting arm 323 corresponds to the first groove bottom 3241 of the limiting groove 324. At this time, the limiting arm 323 is restricted by the limiting surface 3243 to prevent the limiting arm 323 from sliding from the first groove bottom 3241 to the second groove bottom 3242, until the toggle locking member 30 is manually toggle to unlock the steering control wheel 20. It is understood that the first groove bottom 3241 of the limiting groove 324 is lower than the second groove bottom 3242 of the limiting groove 324 in the extension direction along the rotation axis L, so as to form an inclined extending limiting surface 3243 between the first groove bottom 3241 and the second groove bottom 3242 to limit the limiting arm 323.

[0102] Optionally, when the locking member 30 is actuated to lock the steering control wheel 20, the limiting arm 323 is in contact with the first groove bottom 3241 of the limiting groove 324; when the locking member 30 is actuated to unlock the steering control wheel 20, the limiting arm 323 is in contact with the second groove bottom 3242 of the limiting groove 324; wherein the contact area of ​​the limiting arm 323 when in contact with the first groove bottom 3241 is greater than the contact area of ​​the limiting arm 323 when in contact with the second groove bottom 3242. Thus, when the actuating part 31 is actuated to drive the locking part 32 closer to the rotation axis L, the locking arm 322 of the locking part 32 moves radially to contact the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20 and apply axial force to the steering control wheel 20. At this time, the contact area between the limiting arm 323 and the groove bottom of the limiting groove 324 will increase, thereby improving the support strength of the locking arm 322.

[0103] Optionally, the guide channel 100 extends gradually toward the rotation axis of the actuating part 31. Thus, during locking, as the actuating part 31 gradually approaches the rotation axis L, the limiting arm 323 gradually slides from the second groove bottom 3242 along the limiting surface 3243 toward the first groove bottom 3241; as the actuating part 31 further approaches the rotation axis L, the contact area between the limiting arm 323 and the first groove bottom 3241 gradually increases, thereby increasing the supporting force provided by the limiting arm 323 to the locking arm 322; during unlocking, as the actuating part 31 moves away from the rotation axis L, the limiting arm 323 gradually slides from the first groove bottom 3241 along the limiting surface 3243 toward the second groove bottom 3242. As the actuating part 31 moves further away from the rotation axis L, the contact area between the limiting arm 323 and the second groove bottom 3242 gradually decreases. Thus, after unlocking, the actuating locking member 30 will not rotate in reverse without human intervention, preventing the locking arm 322 from resetting and affecting the subsequent rotation steering control wheel 20 to change the bending direction of the insertion part 2. In addition, after the limiting arm 323 gradually slides from the first groove bottom 3241 along the limiting surface 3243 into the second groove bottom 3242, the actuating part 31 only needs less force to rotate, thereby achieving a labor-saving effect.

[0104] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the limiting arm 323 includes a connecting end 3231 integrally connected to the insert arm 321 and a free end 3232 extending from the connecting end 3231 in a gradually thinning manner. Thus, the deformation capacity of the free end 3232 of the limiting arm 323 is greater than that of the connecting end 3231, so that during unlocking, only the free end 3232 of the limiting arm 323 contacts the second groove bottom 3242 of the limiting groove 324, which helps reduce friction with the second groove bottom 3242 and facilitates effortless operation. Furthermore, during locking, both the free end 3232 and the connecting end 3231 of the limiting arm 323 contact the first groove bottom 3241 of the limiting groove 324, which helps enhance the support strength provided by the limiting arm 323 to the locking arm 322. It is understandable that in other examples of this application, when unlocking, in addition to the free end 3232 of the limiting arm 323 contacting the second groove bottom 3242 of the limiting groove 324, a portion of the connecting end 3231 of the limiting arm 323 can also contact the second groove bottom 3242, which can still reduce the friction with the second groove bottom 3242 to a certain extent and achieve the effect of saving effort.

[0105] Optionally, such as Figure 3 , Figure 7 as well as Figure 8As shown, the locking arm 322 of the locking part 32 includes a plurality of locking heads 3220 spaced apart from the through arm 321; in other words, the end faces of the plurality of locking heads 3220 serve as the locking surfaces 320 of the locking part 32, which helps to reduce the contact area between the locking arm 322 and the steering control wheel 20, reduce the friction between the two, and facilitate the locking part 32 to rotate closer to or away from the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20.

[0106] According to the above embodiments of this application, as Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the actuating portion 31 of the actuating locking member 30 may include a pivot end 311 pivotally connected to the operating part housing 10, an actuating end 312 extending radially from the pivot end 311, and a driving end 313 extending radially from the pivot end 311. The driving end 313 is connected to the through arm 321 of the locking member 32. Thus, when the actuating end 312 is actuated to rotate about the pivot end 311, the driving end 313 is driven to drive the locking member 32 to rotate synchronously about the pivot end 311, causing the locking member 32 to move closer to or further away from the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20.

[0107] Optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, in the actuating part 31 of this application, the radial extension length L1 of the actuating end 312 is greater than the radial extension length L2 of the driving end 313, so that the actuating part 31 forms a force-saving lever, which makes it easier to apply a small actuating force to the actuating end 312 to enable the driving end 313 to obtain a large driving force, and to achieve locking and unlocking of the steering control wheel 20 with less effort.

[0108] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the actuating part 31 may further include a mating end 314 extending radially from the pivot end 311. The mating end 314 and the driving end 313 are arranged opposite each other on both sides of the rotation axis L in order to enhance the structural strength of the actuating locking member 30 and ensure that the actuating locking member 30 can be stably actuated.

[0109] It is worth noting that, such as Figure 2 , Figure 5 as well as Figure 10 As shown, in order to control the distal end of the insertion part 2 in two directions, the steering control wheel 20 in the locking mechanism 1 of this application typically includes a first control wheel 21 and a second control wheel 22 coaxially arranged. The first control wheel 21 is located between the actuating locking member 30 and the second control wheel 22, so that the locking part 32 directly abuts the first control wheel 21 by providing a mating ring 200. When the locking part 32 of the actuating locking member 30 abuts the mating ring 200 of the first control wheel 21 axially, the first control wheel 21 axially compresses the second control wheel 22, so as to lock the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 simultaneously by the corresponding frictional force.

[0110] It is understood that the first control wheel 21 of this application is used to manipulate the steering of the distal end of the insertion part 2 in a first direction, and the second control wheel 22 is used to manipulate the steering of the distal end of the insertion part 2 in a second direction. For example, the first direction mentioned in this application may refer to the up-down direction, and correspondingly, the second direction mentioned in this application may refer to the left-right direction. In addition, in other examples of this application, the steering control wheel 20 may also be implemented as a control wheel (such as the first control wheel 21), in which case this control wheel is axially pressed by the locking part 32 to lock the control wheel by the corresponding frictional force, which will not be described in detail in this application.

[0111] Optionally, such as Figure 2 and Figure 10 As shown, the first control wheel 21 includes a hollow shaft 211 and an annular flange 212 that protrudes radially from the outer peripheral surface of the hollow shaft 211. A mating ring 200 is located on the axial end wall of the annular flange 212. Thus, compared to a control wheel without an annular flange, the locking surface 320 of the locking portion 32 can more easily press against the mating ring 200 on the annular flange 212, which helps to increase the length of the locking lever arm, so that reliable locking of the steering control wheel 20 can be achieved by applying a smaller resistance force to the first control wheel 21.

[0112] For example, such as Figure 10 As shown, the mating ring 200 can be, but is not limited to, an axially inclined annular conical surface 201 on the axial end wall of the annular flange 212. In this way, the axially inclined annular conical surface 201 can guide the locking part 32 to better rotate closer to or away from the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20, and increase the contact area between the locking part 32 and the first control wheel 21 when rotating closer to the rotation axis L, which helps to increase the friction between them and facilitates better locking of the steering control wheel 20. It is understood that in other examples of this application, the mating ring 200 can also be implemented as the outer periphery of the axial end wall of the annular flange 212, which can still cooperate with the inclined locking surface 320 to achieve locking of the steering control wheel 20.

[0113] It is worth noting that, in one modified example of this application, such as Figure 11As shown, the mating ring 200 can also be implemented as an axially perpendicular annular plane 202 on the axial end wall of the annular flange 212, that is, the mating ring 200 is perpendicular to the rotation axis L, and it can still cooperate with the inclined locking surface 320 to lock the steering control wheel 20. In this way, when the locking part 32 rotates close to the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20 to press against the axially perpendicular annular plane 202, even if the actuating force applied to the actuating part 31 is removed, the axially perpendicular annular plane 202 can still restrict the locking part 32 from rotating in the opposite direction, so as to ensure that the steering control wheel 20 is stably in the locked state. It can be understood that in the above-described modified example of this application, the axial end wall of the annular flange 212 can also be provided with an axially inclined annular inclined surface to guide the locking arm 322 close to the rotation axis L, so as to facilitate the effortless screwing of the locking arm 322 into the annular plane 202 for pressing.

[0114] Furthermore, in other examples of this application, when the mating ring 200 of the steering control wheel 20 is implemented as an annular inclined surface extending axially from the outside to the inside, the axial position of the locking portion 32 can be located between the axial position of the inner circumferential edge of the annular inclined surface and the axial position of the outer circumferential edge of the annular inclined surface. Thus, even if the locking surface 320 on the locking portion 32 is not arranged at an inclination, the locking portion 32 can still achieve locking by axially pressing against the steering control wheel 20 when pressing against the mating ring 200 on the steering control wheel 20.

[0115] Optionally, such as Figure 2 , Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 As shown, the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 are axially fitted together, which locks the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 to maintain good coaxiality and avoid radial misalignment between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22. At the same time, there is no need to set an additional through-center shaft, which helps to reduce the number of parts and facilitates disassembly and assembly.

[0116] Understandably, to further increase the frictional force during locking, the annular flange of the first control wheel 21 and / or the annular flange of the second control wheel 22 may be provided with mating textures (not shown in the figure) to increase the frictional force between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 during locking. Of course, the area on the operating part housing 10 corresponding to the annular flange of the second control wheel 22 may also be provided with mating textures to increase the frictional force between the second control wheel 22 and the operating part housing 10 during locking, thereby achieving stable and reliable locking.

[0117] According to the above embodiments of this application, as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the operating unit housing 10 of this application can be implemented as the outer shell of the operating unit, so that the operator can hold the operating unit to perform locking and unlocking operations of the locking mechanism 1. At the same time, the operating unit of the endoscope typically includes a knob disposed outside the operating unit housing 10, and a steering control wheel 20 located inside the housing is correspondingly connected to the knob so as to be rotated by the knob, so that the user can turn the knob to drive the steering control wheel 20 to rotate, thereby pulling or releasing the corresponding traction cable to control the distal end of the insertion part 2 to turn.

[0118] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the operating unit housing 10 may include an upper housing 11 with a guide channel 100 and a lower housing 12 detachably connected to the upper housing 11, so as to protect the steering control wheel 20 by placing it between the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12.

[0119] It is worth noting that in the above embodiments of this application, since the coaxially arranged first control wheel 21 and second control wheel 22 will contact each other, and in order to maintain coaxiality and prevent radial misalignment, the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 will also have an axial concave-convex fit; therefore, when rotating one of the control wheels in the unlocked state to manipulate the distal end of the insertion part 2 in a certain direction, it is easy to cause the other control wheel to rotate, making it difficult to accurately adjust the orientation of the distal end of the insertion part 2. To solve this problem, this application further provides a modified embodiment of the endoscope according to the above embodiments of this application.

[0120] Specifically, such as Figures 12 to 17 As shown, compared to the above embodiments according to this application, the endoscope according to the modified embodiments of this application differs in that: the locking mechanism 1 further includes a partition 40, which is axially slidably disposed 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, so as to form a rotational isolation between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22, preventing one control wheel from pulling the other control wheel to rotate when it rotates, and helping to improve the stability, precision and flexibility of the locking mechanism 1 in manipulating the distal turning of the insertion part 2.

[0121] It is worth noting that although the spacer 40 disposed between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 can separate the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 to form rotational isolation, the spacer 40 can slide axially together with the first control wheel 21 and / or the second control wheel 22. Therefore, when the locking part 32 of the locking member 30 is axially pressed against the mating ring 200 of the first control wheel 21, the first control wheel 21 axially presses the spacer 40, so that the spacer 40 axially presses the second control wheel 22, and the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 can still be locked simultaneously by the corresponding frictional force.

[0122] More specifically, such as Figures 13 to 17 As shown, the partition 40 is mounted on the operating part housing 10 with restricted rotation to prevent the partition 40 from being rotated by the control wheel, so as to better isolate the rotational movement between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22.

[0123] For example, such as Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the operating housing 10 may further include a mounting post 13 protruding from the upper housing 11. The central axis of the mounting post 13 is parallel to the rotation axis L of the steering control wheel 20. A spacer 40 is slidably fitted onto the mounting post 13 to allow the spacer 40 to slide axially along the mounting post 13 while restricting the spacer 40 from rotating about the rotation axis L, thereby achieving rotational isolation while ensuring simultaneous locking of the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22. It is understood that in other examples of this application, the mounting post 13 may also protrude from the lower housing 12, as long as it can restrict rotation while allowing axial sliding; this application will not elaborate further on this.

[0124] Optionally, such as Figure 13 As shown, the number of mounting posts 13 in this application can be two or more, with multiple mounting posts 13 spaced apart on the upper shell 11 to prevent the spacers 40 fitted onto the mounting posts 13 from undergoing significant axial tilting. This ensures that the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 maintain good coaxiality, thereby preventing radial misalignment between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22. It is understood that the mounting posts 13 mentioned in this application can have a cylindrical structure or a non-cylindrical structure such as a prism. Furthermore, in other examples of this application, the number of mounting posts 13 can also be only one.

[0125] It is worth noting that, in order to ensure that the spacer 40 can slide smoothly axially along the mounting post 13, the spacer 40 and the mounting post 13 need to be in clearance fit, and there must be a certain gap between them. At the same time, due to machining accuracy and other reasons, there will be axial clearance between the control wheel and the rotating shaft. Therefore, when the second control wheel 22 cannot move axially relative to the rotation axis L, when the locking part 32 of the locking member 30 presses against (single-sided compression) the first control wheel 21 from one side of the rotation axis L, the first control wheel 21 will tilt axially. This causes the spacer 40 to tilt slightly axially under the action of the first control wheel 21, and then the spacer 40 will drive the second control wheel 22 to tilt slightly axially. However, the slightly tilted control wheel can allow the second control wheel 22 to be pressed tightly against the lower shell 12 without radial misalignment, so as to achieve simultaneous locking of the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 through greater damping.

[0126] To further enhance the locking effect of the second control wheel 22, such as Figures 12 to 17 As shown, the locking mechanism 1 of this application may further include a damping member 50, which is correspondingly disposed on the side of the second control wheel 22 facing the lower housing 12. Thus, when the locking part 32 of the locking member 30 is actuated to press against the mating ring 200 of the first control wheel 21 from one side of the rotation axis L, the second control wheel 22, axially compressed by the partition member 40, will be tightly pressed against the lower housing 12 by the damping member 50, thereby increasing the damping between the second control wheel 22 and the lower housing 12, facilitating the simultaneous locking of the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22.

[0127] Optionally, the damping element 50 may be implemented as, but is not limited to, a fluororubber component, a silicone component, or a rubber component. It is understood that, in terms of the damping performance provided, the fluororubber component offers the best performance, followed by the silicone component, and the rubber component offers the worst performance.

[0128] Optionally, such as Figure 13 , Figure 16 as well as Figure 17 As shown, the damping element 50 may have an annular structure to form a damping ring or damping ring, which facilitates bonding and fixing to the shaft side wall of the second control wheel 22. It is understood that in other examples of this application, the damping element 50 may also have a sheet-like structure to form a damping sheet bonded and fixed to the second control wheel 22.

[0129] For example, such as Figures 13 to 17As shown, the second control wheel 22 may include a steering wheel body 221 and an axle end cap 222 snapped onto the steering wheel body 221. The damping element 50 is bonded and fixed to the axle end cap 222 on the side opposite to the steering wheel body 221. It is understood that in other examples of this application, the damping element 50 may also be bonded and fixed to the axle side end face of the steering wheel body 221, or the damping element 50 may also be bonded and fixed to the lower shell 12 at a position corresponding to the second control wheel 22, both of which can increase damping to better lock the steering control wheel 20.

[0130] It is worth noting that in some variations of this application, the damping element 50 can also be disposed on the side of the partition 40 facing the second control wheel 22, thereby locking the second control wheel 22 by increasing the damping between the partition 40 and the second control wheel 22. Optionally, the partition 40 can be provided with a groove for placing the damping element 50 to ensure reliable installation of the damping element 50.

[0131] Of course, in other variations of this application, the damping element 50 can be provided on the side of the second control wheel 22 facing the partition 40; at the same time, the damping element 50 can also be provided on the side of the first control wheel 21 facing the partition 40, as long as the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 can be locked simultaneously through damping, which will not be elaborated further in this application.

[0132] According to the above-described modified embodiments of this application, such as Figure 13 As shown, the operating unit housing 10 may further include a reinforcing rib 14 that fixes the mounting post 13 and the upper housing 11. The reinforcing rib 14 has a bearing surface 140 that contacts the partition 40. When the partition 40 is fitted onto the mounting post 13, the bearing surface 140 contacts the partition 40 to support it, facilitating the determination of the partition 40's installation position between the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12. It is worth noting that in the above-described modified embodiments of this application, since there is no convex-concave fit between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22, adding a partition 40 between the first control wheel 21 and the second control wheel 22 does not require increasing the length of the knob shaft or changing the original endoscope housing structure, thus reducing the endoscope's manufacturing cost.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism for an endoscope, characterized in that, include: A steering control wheel having a rotation axis and a mating ring extending circumferentially around the rotation axis, the steering control wheel being rotatably mounted on the operating housing of the endoscope to manipulate the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope to turn; and A toggle locking member is provided, comprising a toggle part and a locking part. The toggle part is movably connected to the operating part housing, and the locking part is drivenly connected to the toggle part. When the toggle part is toggleed to drive the locking part closer to the rotation axis, the locking part axially presses against the mating ring to lock the steering control wheel relative to the operating part housing. When the actuating part is actuated to drive the locking part away from the rotation axis, the locking part disengages from the mating ring, thereby releasing the steering control wheel from the housing of the operating part. The actuating portion of the actuating locking member is rotatably disposed in the operating part housing, wherein when the actuating portion is actuated to rotate forward relative to the operating part housing, the locking portion is driven by the actuating portion to move closer to the rotation axis; and when the actuating portion is actuated to rotate in the opposite direction relative to the operating part housing, the locking portion is driven by the actuating portion to move away from the rotation axis. The rotation axis of the actuating part is parallel to the rotation axis of the steering control wheel; The locking part includes an insert arm and a locking arm. The insert arm extends from the actuating part in a direction parallel to the rotation axis, and the locking arm extends from the insert arm in a direction parallel to the rotation axis. The locking part further includes a limiting arm that extends from the inserting arm in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The locking part further includes a limiting groove provided in the housing of the operating part, and the limiting arm matches the limiting groove to be inserted into the limiting groove in a limited manner; the limiting groove has a first groove bottom near 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 to form a stepped groove; When the toggle locking member is moved to lock the steering control wheel, the limiting arm is in contact with the first bottom of the limiting groove; when the toggle locking member is moved to unlock the steering control wheel, the limiting arm is in contact with the second bottom of the limiting groove; wherein the contact area of ​​the limiting arm when in contact with the first bottom of the groove is greater than the contact area of ​​the limiting arm when in contact with the second bottom of the groove.

2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking part has a locking surface that extends axially inclined from the outside to the inside; the axial position of the mating ring is located between the axial position of the inner edge of the locking surface and the axial position of the outer edge of the locking surface. The steering control wheel includes a first control wheel that provides the mating ring; the first control wheel includes a hollow shaft and an annular flange that projects radially from the outer peripheral surface of the hollow shaft, and the mating ring is located on the axial end wall of the annular flange.

3. The locking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mating ring is the outer periphery of the axial end wall of the annular flange or an axially inclined annular conical surface on the axial end wall of the annular flange. Alternatively, the mating ring is an axially perpendicular annular plane on the axial end wall of the annular flange.

4. The locking mechanism according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The steering control wheel further includes a second control wheel coaxially arranged with the first control wheel; the first control wheel is located between the toggle lock and the second control wheel; when the locking part axially presses against the mating ring of the first control wheel, the first control wheel is pressed by the locking part to axially squeeze the second control wheel, so that the first control wheel and the second control wheel are locked at the same time; The first control wheel and the second control wheel are axially fitted together.

5. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mating ring is an annular inclined surface that extends axially from the outside to the inside; the axial position of the locking part is located between the axial position of the inner circumference of the annular inclined surface and the axial position of the outer circumference of the annular inclined surface.

6. The locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 5, characterized in that, The actuating part is located on the outside of the operating part housing, the steering control wheel is located on the inside of the operating part housing, and the locking part slidably passes through the guide channel of the operating part housing to extend from the outside of the operating part housing into the inside of the operating part housing; The guide channel extends gradually toward the rotation axis of the actuating part; The limiting arm includes a connecting end integrally connected to the interlocking arm and a free end that gradually thins out from the connecting end.

7. The locking mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The locking arm of the locking part includes a plurality of locking heads arranged at intervals in the through arm; The actuating part includes a pivot end for pivotally connecting to the housing of the operating part, an actuating end extending radially from the pivot end, and a driving end extending radially from the pivot end, the driving end being integrally connected to the through arm of the locking part. The radial extension length of the actuating end is greater than the radial extension length of the driving end.

8. The locking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The locking mechanism further includes a spacer member, which is axially slidably disposed between the first control wheel and the second control wheel to form a rotational isolation between the first control wheel and the second control wheel; The partition is mounted on the housing of the operating part in a way that restricts rotation.

9. The locking mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The locking mechanism further includes a damping element, which is correspondingly disposed on the second control wheel or the partition.

10. The locking mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, The damping component is one of fluororubber, silicone, and rubber components; The second control wheel includes a steering wheel body and an axle end cap plate snapped onto the steering wheel body. The damping element is bonded and fixed to the axle end cap plate on the side opposite to the steering wheel body.

11. An endoscope, characterized in that, include: Operating unit housing; An insertion portion, the proximal end of which is connected to the operating portion housing; as well as The locking mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 10 is correspondingly disposed in the operating part housing to control the distal end rotation of the insertion part via the locking mechanism.

12. The endoscope according to claim 11, characterized in that, The operating unit housing includes an upper shell with a guide channel, a lower shell detachably connected to the upper shell, and a mounting post protruding from the upper shell. The central axis of the mounting post is parallel to the rotation axis of the steering control wheel, and the blocking member of the locking mechanism is slidably fitted onto the mounting post. The operating part housing further includes a reinforcing rib that fixes the mounting post and the upper shell together, the reinforcing rib having a bearing surface that contacts the partition.

Images