Handle for endoscope

Abstract

A handle for an endoscope comprises a handle housing, an operating member (7) housed in said handle, at least one guide tube (16) adapted to surround and support at least one pull wire (17), and means for fixing at least a portion of the guide tube (16) in a predetermined position relative to the operating member (16). The means for securing at least a portion of the directional guide comprise an anchor block (15). The anchor block (15) comprises at least one aperture (20) adapted to be inserted into the at least one guide tube (16), and at least one inlet channel in fluid communication with the at least one aperture.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of an application with application number 201880014615.6 and entry date into the Chinese national phase on August 28, 2019.

[0002] The present invention relates generally to endoscopes and, more particularly, to a device for maintaining a tensioned pull wire in an endoscope.

[0003] An endoscope is a well-known device for visually inspecting inaccessible places such as the body cavity of the human body. Typically, an endoscope includes an elongated insertion tube, with a handle at the proximal end of the elongated insertion tube from the operator's perspective, and a visual inspection device such as a built-in camera at the distal end of the elongated insertion tube. This convention for the distal and proximal sides generally used for endoscopes (the proximal side is the end closest to the operator and the distal side is the end away from the operator) will apply to all components throughout the specification where applicable. Wires for the camera and other electronic devices (such as LED lighting devices) extend from the handle to the tip at the distal end along the interior of the elongated insertion tube. Instead of using a camera, the endoscope can also be fiber optic, in which case the optical fiber extends along the interior of the elongated insertion tube. Similarly, a working channel can extend from the handle to the tip along the interior of the insertion tube, for example, allowing liquid to be removed from the body cavity or allowing surgical instruments, etc. to be inserted into the body cavity.

[0004] In addition, to enable manipulation of the endoscope inside a body cavity, the distal end of the endoscope may include a section of increased flexibility, e.g., a hinged tip portion that allows the operator to bend this section. Typically, this is accomplished by tensioning or slackening a pull wire in a guide tube that also extends along the inside of the elongated insertion tube from the hinged tip portion to a control mechanism having a control knob in a handle in an arrangement commonly referred to as a Bowden cable.

[0005] The pull wire extending along the inner side of the guide tube of the Bowden cable normally extends a predetermined length on either end, thereby allowing an operating member to be attached to a free end (hereinafter referred to as a proximal end) and allowing an operated member to be attached to the other free end (hereinafter referred to as a distal end). When the ends of the guide tube remain stationary, the movement of the proximal end of the pull wire relative to the guide tube is transmitted to the distal end as a corresponding movement of the distal end of the pull wire relative to the guide tube, so as to achieve movement of the operated member.

[0006] A method of fixing the proximal end of a guide tube is disclosed in WO 2014 / 127780. Therein, the proximal end of the guide tube terminates in a terminal block which is located in a seat or recess provided on the inner side of a handle housing wall of an endoscope handle. More specifically, the proximal end of the guide tube terminates in a suitable hole in the terminal block. More specifically, the hole is stepped so as to provide a flange against which the end of the corresponding guide tube abuts, while the pull wire continues through the hole towards the operating member.

[0007] Another method of fixing the proximal end of the guide tube is disclosed in WO 2010 / 066789. Here, the proximal end of the guide tube terminates in a post that protrudes from the inside of the handle housing wall into the interior of the handle. The termination method is said to guide the cable toward its attachment point at the operating member, but the details of the termination method and how it is achieved are not disclosed.

[0008] Furthermore, US 3897775 describes a multi-purpose endoscope having an anchoring block in which two pairs of tubes are secured in four holes in a manner not disclosed or otherwise indicated.

[0009] Based on this prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for fixing the end of a guide tube in a given position relative to an operating member of an endoscope, in particular relative to a handle housing accommodating the operating member.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, this object is achieved by a handle for an endoscope, the handle comprising: a handle shell; an operating member housed in the handle; at least one guide tube, the at least one guide tube being suitable for surrounding and supporting at least one pull wire over a first portion of its length; an anchor block, the anchor block being used to fix at least a portion of the guide tube in a predetermined position relative to the operating member, the anchor block comprising at least one hole suitable for inserting the at least one guide tube, wherein the anchor block comprises at least one inlet channel being in fluid communication with the at least one hole.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, this object is achieved by an endoscope having a handle, the handle comprising: a handle shell; an operating member accommodated in the handle; at least one guide tube, the at least one guide tube being suitable for surrounding and supporting at least one pull wire over a first portion of the length of the pull wire; an anchor block, the anchor block being used to fix at least a portion of the guide tube in a predetermined position relative to the operating member, the anchor block comprising at least one hole suitable for inserting the at least one guide tube, wherein the anchor block comprises at least one inlet channel that is in fluid communication with the at least one hole.

[0012] By providing such an anchor block, it is very easy to position the free end of the guide tube relative to the handle and, in turn, relative to the operating member to which the pull wire is attached during manufacture. At the same time, by pouring the correct amount of a suitable glue or adhesive into the anchor block, it is very easy to fix the free end of the guide tube in this position. Furthermore, the use of glued parts in this way makes the entire structure of the endoscope more suitable for single use, since parts that must be mounted in a removable manner for replacement in a reusable endoscope can simply be fixed by gluing. Thus, complex structures for allowing disassembly and replacement are avoided.

[0013] According to a first embodiment of the invention, the at least one hole is a through hole allowing the guide tube to pass through. This allows the free end of the guide tube to protrude visibly from the anchor block towards the operating member, thereby allowing verification of whether the guide tube is properly inserted into the anchor block.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the invention, the anchor block comprises a transparent or translucent plastic material. This allows the use of glue, or the use of a resin that cures or solidifies under light (especially ultraviolet light). In a further specific embodiment, the anchor block is made of a transparent or translucent material.

[0015] According to a further embodiment, the handle housing comprises a receptacle adapted to receive the anchor block. Compared to manufacturing the anchor block as an integral part of the handle housing, this allows the anchor block to be provided as a separately manufactured item, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the anchor block and the handle housing.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the anchor block is adapted to be inserted into the receptacle in the handle housing. Being adapted to be inserted allows the anchor block to be easily placed in the receptacle.

[0017] According to a further preferred embodiment, the receptacle is formed integrally with the handle housing. This allows good control of the position of the anchor block relative to the operating member when the anchor block is correctly inserted into the receptacle.

[0018] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the anchoring block comprises a substantially cylindrical protrusion. This cylindrical protrusion is advantageous when the correct tension has to be applied to the pull wire during assembly of the endoscope.

[0019] The invention will now be explained in more detail based on non-limiting exemplary embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 A perspective view of an endoscope with a handle according to the present invention is shown,

[0021] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a handle of an endoscope according to the present invention,

[0022] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the handle along line III-III,

[0023] Figure 4 Shows Figure 2 A perspective view of a handle with portions of the handle housing removed to better view the internal components,

[0024] Figure 5 Shows Figure 2 Another perspective view of the handle, wherein the handle housing is like Figure 3 The same is removed for another view of the internal components,

[0025] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of an anchor block with a Bowden cable and an operating member attached to the Bowden cable,

[0026] Figure 7 a partially exploded view showing details of the bearing of the operating member, and

[0027] Figure 8 Details of the mounting of the operating member and bearing in the handle housing are shown.

[0028] First go to Figure 2 , shows a stereoscopic view of a handle 1 of an endoscope according to the present invention. An insertion tube 2 extends from the handle. The insertion tube 2 is only Figure 2 The details are not shown in part because they are not important to the present invention and are well known in the art as such. Figure 1 Details of the insertion tube can be found, for example, in the aforementioned WO 2014 / 127780, which is incorporated herein by reference. The handle 1 comprises a handle housing having a cover part 3 and a body part 4, as well as several secondary housing parts. The cover part 3 comprises an elongated aperture 5 through which a control knob 6 of an operating member 7 protrudes at a certain angle relative to the cover so as to allow the operator's thumb to easily manipulate the knob. The operating member 7 is Figure 2 The main body part 4 is not visible in itself, but its shield 35 is visible through the orifice 5. The main body part 4 is suitable for accommodating most of the fixed and movable internal components of the endoscope handle, such as the aforementioned operating member 7. When closed by the cover part 3, the main body part 4 and the cover part 3 form a generally tubular handle housing. The handle housing is further closed by an end piece 8 at the proximal end of the endoscope. At the opposite end, the tubular handle housing is closed by a transition part 9, which provides a transition from the handle 1 to the insertion tube 2. The end piece 8 is preferably equipped with an access port 10 for the internal working channel 14 (at Figure 2 ), which leads in a well-known manner to the distal tip 34 of the endoscope (only visible in FIG. Figure 1The main body 4 also preferably accommodates an introducer 11 and a button 12, the introducer being used to connect a vacuum suction hose to an internal suction channel 13 in the endoscope (in the Figure 2 ), which button controls a valve to activate suction from the distal end of the insertion tube 2 through the suction channel 13 of the endoscope.

[0029] Now go to Figure 3 In the cross section in FIG. 1 , some of the internal components housed and held by the main part 4 of the handle housing can be seen. These components include in particular the operating member 7 and the working channel 14 already mentioned, but also include an anchor block 15 for a guide tube 16 for a pull wire 17 of a Bowden cable, which leads from the operating member 7 to the hinged distal tip part 36 of the endoscope at the distal end of the insertion tube (only in FIG. 1 ). Figure 1 ). The details of the hinged distal tip portion 36 are well known in the art and are not of interest to the present invention and will not be described in detail. Examples can be found in the aforementioned WO2014 / 127780. In a preferred embodiment, there are two pull wires 17, but it is well known to those skilled in the art that there may be only one, but there may also be more than two, such as three or four.

[0030] In the preferred embodiment shown, the anchor block 15 is a separate element which is retained in a fixed position relative to the handle housing by being inserted into a receptacle 18. The receptacle 18 is preferably formed integrally with the body member 4, more specifically as one or more protrusions on the inner side wall thereof. The anchor block 15 may be secured in the receptacle by an adhesive or the like, or the anchor block may simply be clamped by one or more appropriately engaged protrusions or the like, provided on the inner side wall of the cover member 3 when the cover member 3 is in place. As can be seen from Figure 3 As can be seen in the preferred embodiment shown, only a single engagement projection is provided in the form of a transverse rib 19, which extends vertically from the inner side wall of the cover member 3. In order to further ensure the position of the anchor block 15 in the receptacle 18, the anchor block 15 may include a groove 25 (see Figure 6 ) in the form of a guide means, the groove being adapted to engage with a corresponding rib provided on the inner side wall of the body part 4. In a preferred embodiment, the anchor block 15 comprises a body member which is generally rectangular or square in shape, i.e. a sheet or plate having two opposing large sides and four smaller sides connecting the large sides. Typically, the pairs of opposing sides are parallel to each other, but to ensure the correct position, it is preferred that one side 26 is adapted to engage the inner side wall of the body part and therefore has a matching curvature and angle. The angle provides a wedge which not only facilitates insertion into the receptacle, but also indicates to the assembler the correct orientation of the anchor block when inserting the anchor block into the receptacle.

[0031] The anchor block 15 comprises at least a plurality of holes 20, corresponding to the number of Bowden cables used in a particular endoscope, i.e. two in the present embodiment. The hole 20 is a through hole and generally has an inner diameter that allows the guide tube 16 to pass all the way through, so that the proximal end of the guide tube 16 protrudes significantly from the anchor block 15. It is of course possible to have through holes with different diameters, in particular stepped, so as to allow the guide tube 16 to abut against a flange in the hole 20 inside the anchor block 15, so that only the pull wire passes all the way through the anchor block 15. This provides the advantage of better fixing the guide tube 16 to the anchor block 15. However, this is considered less desirable because it carries the risk of introducing unnecessary friction from the anchor block 15, which, unlike the guide tube 16, is not necessarily optimized for low friction.

[0032] As in Figures 3 to 7 As can be seen in the figure, the diameter of the hole 20 generally exceeds the outer diameter of the guide tube 16. This allows sufficient space for an adhesive in the form of glue (such as a curable resin) to enter the guide tube 16 and fix it relative to the anchor block 15.

[0033] Now go to Figures 2 to 7 , the main body part 4 with the anchor block 15 is shown from another angle. From this angle, it can be seen that a cutout is formed in the anchor block 15, which leads to the hole 20, thereby providing an inlet channel 21 in fluid communication with the hole 20. The inlet channel 21 is located more or less in the middle of the length of the hole 20. This allows the adhesive for fixing the guide tube 16 to be simply poured into the hole 20, so that the adhesive itself is distributed around the guide tube 16 and in either direction towards the opening at the respective end of the hole 20. When the adhesive solidifies, the guide tube 16 is fixed relative to the anchor block 15. Because the anchor block 15 is inserted and retained in a receptacle formed on the inner side wall of the main body 4, the guide tube 16 is fixed in a predetermined desired position relative to the handle housing, and thus relative to the operating member 7. This in turn ensures that the adhesive is preferably a UV curable resin that cures under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Therefore, the anchor block is preferably made of a transparent or translucent material, in particular a transparent or translucent plastic material.

[0034] from Figure 5 and Figure 6 As can be seen in FIG. 1 , when the anchor block 15 is correctly inserted into the receptacle 18 , the orientation of the hole 20 in the anchor block is carefully chosen to point the guide tube 16 towards the attachment point 37 at the operating member 7 .

[0035] By properly fixing the guide tube 16 in the anchor block 15 in the correct orientation, the guide tube 16 can be cut at a suitable location and the remaining portion removed so as to expose the interior of the pull wire 17. Now, the location where the guide tube 16 is cut provides a free proximal end of the guide tube 16. A small portion of the guide tube protrudes from the anchor block 15, namely between the anchor block 15 and the proximal end of the guide tube 16. Therefore, now, an exposed length of the pull wire 17 extends from the proximal end of the guide tube 16. Since the proximal end of the guide tube 16 is pointed toward the attachment point 37, the pull wire can be pulled to the attachment point 37 in a generally straight form, thereby forming a tangent to the outer cylindrical surface 23 of the operating member 7, especially without any kinks or discontinuities at the proximal end of the guide tube 16. Such kinks or discontinuities may increase the wear of the guide tube 16, the pull wire 17 or even the anchor block 15, but are thus avoided. Furthermore, because the length of the guide tube 16 extending from the anchor block in the correct direction is short, the exact location of the guide tube cut is less important, thus facilitating and facilitating the manual assembly process of the handle. Because accuracy is not so important, it may be advantageous to cut the guide tube 16 to a certain length before securing or even inserting it into the anchor block 15.

[0036] At the attachment point 37, the pull wire 17 is attached to the operating member 7. There is a transition surface from the attachment point 37 to the outer cylindrical surface 23. The cylindrical surface ensures that when the operating member is turned, the pulling force remains proportional to the torque applied to the control knob 6 and at the same time maintains the desired direction of the pull wire 17 toward the proximal end of the guide tube 16. The cylindrical surface also helps to ensure the attachment of the pull wire 17 to the operating member 7. More specifically, preferably, the remaining portion 17' of the pull wire 17 is pulled back along itself toward the proximal end of the guide tube 16 to form a loop, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As best seen in the drawing, somewhere between the operating member 7 and the proximal end of the guide tube 16, the remainder 17' of the pull wire is attached to the pull wire 17 itself. Attachment by crimping using an open or closed tube 22 is preferred, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that other methods of attaching the pull wire 17 to itself may be used instead. Apart from the transition, the outer cylindrical surface 23 is preferably smooth, i.e., without any grooves. The absence of any grooves maximizes the diameter of the cylindrical surface 23, and therefore the lever, thereby maximizing the displacement of the pull wire 17, and thereby maximizing the maximum excursion of the hinged tip portion 36.

[0037] In order for the Bowden cable to function properly in the operation of the articulated tip section, it is important to be able to well control the tension of the pull wire 17. Both slack and excessive tension are undesirable.

[0038] To this end, the endoscope includes a direction guide 24. In a preferred embodiment, the direction guide 24 is a cylindrical protrusion formed integrally with the anchor block 15, and thus the guide tube 16 is fixed relative to the handle housing near the first position. As described above, the anchor block 15 in the preferred embodiment is generally a rectangular or square body member, that is, a sheet or plate having two opposite large sides and four smaller sides connecting the large sides. Figure 5 20 is a cylindrical projection extending vertically from a large side, and the inlet passage 21 leading to the hole 20 is located on a relatively large side. The hole 20 extends in parallel with the large plane in the first plane between the two smaller sides, between the large sides, and generally. The holes 20 extend at an angle to each other usually so that each hole points to a corresponding connection point 37 on either side of the diameter of the operating member 7. The outer surface of the direction guide 24 comprises an outer surface extending substantially perpendicular to the first plane, wherein at least one pull wire is located in the first plane. In a preferred embodiment, the outer shell of the cylinder is therefore perpendicular to the large side and perpendicular to the first plane, and the hole 20 is located in the first plane.

[0039] The projection of the housing on the first plane preferably coincides with the through holes 20. If the holes 20 are straight, they thus form a tangent to the circular projection of the housing on the first plane. However, it should be noted that the holes 20 may be curved, and in that case, the imaginary linear extension of the linear portion of the pull wire 17 between the operating member and the proximal end of the guide tube 16 should be tangent to the projection of the direction guide 24.

[0040] During assembly of the endoscope, the direction guide 24 is used to maintain direction and tension on a portion of the pull wire 17, which is pulled back along itself (i.e., along the remaining portion 17'). More specifically, the free end of the pull wire 17 is pulled through the direction guide 24 and partially around the direction guide to fix a straight line from the attachment point 37 to the direction guide 24. Figure 6The remaining part 17' to be cut off later is shown in dotted lines in the figure for explanation. Starting from the directional guide 24, the remaining part 17' of the cable 17 is pulled in the other direction towards the tensioning device, to which the cable is temporarily attached. The tensioning device ensures the correct tension on the cable 17 when the ring is fixed by attaching the cable 17 to itself (for example, by crimping the tube 22 thereon). Typical tension values ​​are in the range of 1N to 4N. Moreover, the clamping mechanism leaves the hands of the assembler free for crimping operations, etc. The free end of the cable 17 is then cut off and the remaining part of the cable, i.e. the unused part, can be released from the clamping device. Preferably, the same directional guide 24 can be used for two cables 17. That is, the diameter of the cylinder is adapted to match the position of the two holes 20, so that for one hole 20, the cable 17 is partially pulled out around the directional guide 24 in the clockwise direction, and for the other hole 20, the cable 17 is partially pulled out around the directional guide 24 in the counterclockwise direction. Of course, more direction guides can also be used, for example, one direction guide per hole 20. In addition, of course, it is not excluded to use only one direction guide 24 and pull the two pull wires around it in the same direction. Of course, this will give a less precise direction of the pull wires during the attachment process, but in some configurations, this compromise may be acceptable. One such configuration can be a direction guide 24 that is a cylinder of smaller diameter and does not match the hole 20 at any position.

[0041] According to another preferred embodiment, the operating member can be retained in a new bearing arrangement. Figures 6 to 8 ) can be implemented in the endoscope handle regardless of the manner in which the guide tube 16 is secured to the handle housing, and the full line tensioning and pointing of the operating members.

[0042] But first turn to Figure 5 , the double fork column 27 can be seen. Figure 8Another similar two-pronged column 27 visible in FIG is arranged on the other side of the operating member 7. The bifurcation of the column 27 is provided by a groove arranged in the free end of each column. The groove is suitable for receiving a bearing element 28 made of a suitable low-friction material, that is, selected to provide low friction for the shaft 30 of the operating member 7. An example of a suitable material can be POM (polyoxymethylene). The bearing element 28 has a cylindrical blind hole 29, which is suitable for receiving one end of the shaft 30 of the operating member. The shaft 30 is preferably made integrally with the operating member 7 and adopts the same material, such as by injection molding, so that it rotates with the operating member 7. The bearing element 28 has a suitable protrusion 31 engaged on either side of the two-pronged column 27 to prevent translational movement relative to the two-pronged column 27 in the axial direction of the shaft 30. Alternatively or additionally, the bearing member has suitable protrusions 32, which are engaged on either side of a rib 33, which is arranged on the inner side wall of the main body part 4. The engagement between the protrusion 32 and the rib 33 prevents a rotational movement of the bearing element 28 relative to the body part 4, in particular relative to the bifurcated column 27. It is thus ensured that the shaft 30 does not rotate the bearing element 28, but rather rotates itself in the bearing element 28, thereby fully utilizing the selected friction characteristics. If this were not the case, when the operator's thumb rotates the operating member 7, unnecessary noise and undesirable tactile feedback may be generated, which in turn may lead to the operator's perception of a reduced quality of the endoscope.

[0043] For the same reason, the dimensions of the shaft 30 and the bearing element 28 are carefully considered to prevent any play. More specifically, when the blind hole of the bearing element 28 is properly located in the two-pronged column 27, the length of the shaft 30 is slightly greater than the distance between the bottoms of the blind hole 29 of the bearing element. Therefore, the two-pronged column 27 will bend slightly away from the operating member 7 in an elastic manner, so that no play remains between the shaft 30 and the bearing element 28. Similarly, the dimensions of the portion of the bearing element 28 located between the two-pronged column 27 and the body part 4 are also slightly greater than the distance between the inner side wall of the body part 4 and the bearing part (where they engage each other), so that in the assembled state, the bearing element 28 presses the walls of the body part and causes these walls to be slightly separated. Therefore, the elasticity of the body part 4 helps to press the bearing element 28 and make it engage with the shaft 30.

[0044] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention as described above is not limited to the exemplary embodiments, but that many variations and implementations are possible without departing from the scope of the claims. In particular, the features of the embodiments may be implemented individually or in combination. Moreover, different sizes and materials may be selected for endoscopes for specific purposes, etc. In particular, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the widespread use of glued parts results in low manufacturing costs, which in turn makes the endoscope suitable for single use. In this regard, it should be noted that single use means involving a single patient, and in particular, does not mean that the endoscope may be used only in a single procedure involving that person. Therefore, it may be well used repeatedly in the same or different procedures for examining and / or treating a patient.

Claims

1. A handle for an endoscope, the handle comprising: Handle housing, an operating member accommodated in the handle, at least one guide tube adapted to surround and support at least one puller wire over a first portion of its length, a one-piece anchor block for fixing at least a portion of the guide tube in a predetermined position relative to the operating member, wherein The one-piece anchor block includes at least one hole adapted to be inserted into the at least one guide tube, wherein The one-piece anchor block includes at least one inlet channel in fluid communication with the at least one aperture, in, The at least one access channel allows glue or adhesive to be poured into the one-piece anchor block to secure the guide tube relative to the handle housing and the operating member via the poured glue or adhesive.

2. The handle according to claim 1, wherein: The inlet channel is located midway along the length of the bore.

3. The handle according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one hole is a through hole that allows the guide tube to pass through.

4. A handle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The one-piece anchor block comprises a transparent plastic material.

5. The handle according to claim 1, wherein: The handle housing includes a receptacle adapted to receive the one-piece anchor block.

6. The handle according to claim 5, wherein: The one-piece anchor block is adapted to be inserted into a receptacle in the handle housing.

7. The handle according to claim 5, wherein: The receptacle is integrally formed with the handle housing.

8. The handle according to claim 1, wherein: The one-piece anchor block includes a substantially cylindrical protrusion.

9. The handle according to claim 1, wherein: The hole has a curvature.

10. The handle according to claim 1, wherein: The one-piece anchor block includes two holes that are angled with respect to each other.

11. An endoscope comprising a handle according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. The endoscope according to claim 11, wherein: The endoscope is suitable for single use.

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