An electronic endoscope

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope, which belongs to the field of medical endoscopes and comprises an insertion part and a handheld part, wherein the insertion part comprises a support tube, a movable front end and an adjustment rod, an image acquisition unit is provided in the movable front end, a proximal side surface of the movable front end is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed open grooves, and a spherical groove is provided in the open groove; a plurality of mounting through holes are provided on the outer wall of the support tube, the adjustment rod is movably installed in the mounting through holes, a connecting ball head is provided on the distal end surface of the adjustment rod, and the connecting ball head is movably installed in the spherical groove, the proximal end of the support tube is connected to the handheld part, and the structural design of the adjustment rod and the movable front end can realize the angle adjustment of the movable front end, thereby making the endoscope have higher flexibility in complex diagnosis and treatment processes, and can perform inspection and treatment more accurately, especially in parts requiring fine operation, which greatly improves the flexibility and accuracy of operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of medical endoscopes, and in particular relates to an electronic endoscope. Background Art

[0002] In modern medicine, endoscopic technology is widely used for diagnosis and treatment, especially in minimally invasive surgery. Traditional optical endoscopes, due to their optical systems, typically have a fixed viewing angle and cannot be adjusted as needed. This makes them less practical in complex surgical environments, particularly those involving narrow, confined spaces.

[0003] Although the viewing angle of traditional electronic endoscopes can be adjusted electronically, they usually have a fixed viewing angle range. When adjusting the viewing angle, the bending radius is too large, making it difficult to adapt to the narrow space of the lesion area. Especially when inspecting and treating small joints such as joint cavities, there are problems such as limited field of view and inconvenient operation.

[0004] Therefore, the existing technology still has limitations in the application of endoscopes in narrow lesion areas. In order to overcome these problems, an electronic endoscope is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic endoscope which improves the visual field of surgical operations in narrow spaces.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] An electronic endoscope comprises an insertion portion and a handheld portion, wherein the insertion portion comprises a support tube, a movable front end and an adjustment rod, an image acquisition unit is disposed within the movable front end, a proximal side surface of the movable front end is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed open slots, and a spherical groove is disposed within the open slots;

[0008] The outer wall of the support tube is provided with a plurality of mounting holes, the adjusting rod is movably mounted in the mounting holes, the distal end surface of the adjusting rod is provided with a connecting ball head, the connecting ball head is movably mounted in the spherical groove,

[0009] The proximal end of the support tube is connected to the handheld part.

[0010] Beneficial effects:

[0011] The electronic endoscope disclosed herein is capable of adjusting the angle of the movable front end by providing an adjustment rod and a structural design of the movable front end. Through the movement of the adjustment rod, the direction of the movable front end can be accurately adjusted within the angle range of -15° to 15°, thereby making the endoscope more flexible in complex diagnosis and treatment processes, and capable of more accurate inspection and treatment, especially in areas requiring delicate operations, greatly improving the flexibility and accuracy of operation.

[0012] Of course, any product implementing the present invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0014] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of the handle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the adjustment module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a handle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the insertion part of an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 6 A diagram showing the structure of the positioning column installed in the embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the adjustment rod according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] It should be noted that the "distal end" here refers to the end away from the operator, and the "proximal end" refers to the end close to the operator.

[0023] Example 1, Figure 5Schematic diagram of the structure of an adjustable lens for an electronic endoscope in some embodiments. The adjustable lens for an electronic endoscope provided by the present disclosure is used for endoscopic surgery, primarily to address the limitations of the endoscope's viewing angle in narrow lesion areas. In some embodiments, the adjustable lens for an electronic endoscope includes an insertion portion 2, which includes a support tube 21, a movable front end 22, and an adjustment rod 5. An image acquisition unit 23 is disposed within the movable front end 22. Three circumferentially distributed opening slots 221 are formed on the proximal side of the movable front end 22, and a spherical groove 222 is disposed within the opening slot 221.

[0024] Three mounting holes 211 are provided on the outer wall of the support tube 21, and the adjusting rod 5 is movably installed in the mounting holes 211; this provides sufficient support for the adjusting rod 5, and at the same time the adjusting rod 5 can slide in the mounting holes 211 to complete the adjustment; further, the processing method of the mounting holes 211 can be plastic one-piece injection molding, or metal material can be used. When using metal material, for the convenience of processing, the three thin tubes containing the mounting holes 211 can be set on the outside or inside of the support tube 21 body by welding, and the fixing method can be welding or gluing.

[0025] like Figure 7 As shown, the movable front end 22 is supported and installed by three adjusting rods 5. The distal end face of the adjusting rod 5 is provided with a connecting ball head 51, and the connecting ball head 51 is movably installed in the spherical groove 222. By setting the open groove 221, the connecting ball head 51 and its adjusting rod 5 can be given more adjustment angles; the adjusting rod 5 is an elastic rod that can be slightly deformed, and the material of the adjusting rod 5 can be stainless steel, nickel-titanium alloy, titanium alloy and the like.

[0026] The three adjustment rods 5 support the movable front end 22, and the angle of the movable front end 22 can be adjusted by adjusting the relative positions of the three adjustment rods 5. Specifically, the connection points between the three adjustment rods 5 and the spherical groove 222 are divided into three points a, b, and c. When a, b, and c are in the same plane, the movable front end 22 is in a horizontal position.

[0027] When point a moves distally relative to points b and c, points b and c move backward synchronously, and the movable front end 22 rotates toward point a; similarly, when point b or point c moves distally, the movable front end 22 will also rotate toward point b or point c; when point a moves proximally relative to points b and c, points b and c move forward synchronously, and the movable front end 22 rotates in the opposite direction toward point a; similarly, when point b or point c moves proximally, the movable front end 22 will also rotate in the opposite direction toward point b or point c; it can be understood that the adjusting rod 5 has a certain elasticity, and when the movable front end 22 rotates, the position deviation caused by the change in angle can be corrected by elastic deformation.

[0028] In some embodiments, the rotation angle of the adjustment rod 5 toward points a, b, and c is -15°-15°, which can ensure that a suitable viewing angle is obtained while ensuring the support effect of the adjustment rod 5 on the movable front end 22 without causing excessive deformation of the adjustment rod 5.

[0029] In some embodiments, a heat shrink tubing 3 is provided on the outside of the insertion portion 2, and the heat shrink tubing 3 covers the support tube 21 and the movable front end 22. Such a design can ensure insulation while completing the sealing of the gap between the support tube 21 and the movable front end 22. Furthermore, the heat shrink tubing 3 can also assist in supporting and fixing the movable front end 22 to ensure the stability of the movable front end 22.

[0030] like Figure 1-Figure 2 As shown, the support tube 21 serves as a support component, and the proximal end of the support tube 21 is connected to the connecting end 14 provided on the handheld part 1; it should be noted that the fixing method of the support tube 21 and the connecting end 14 can be selected from threads, glue, interference fit, etc.

[0031] An adjusting device is installed on the handheld part 1, and the adjusting device is used to control the movement of the adjusting rod 5. The adjusting device can drive the adjusting rod 5 through direct or indirect migration.

[0032] In some embodiments, the adjusting rod 5 is as follows Figure 7 As shown, the adjusting rod 5 is in the shape of a thin rod, a connecting ball head 51 is provided at the distal end of the adjusting rod 5 , a connecting column 52 is provided near the proximal end of the adjusting rod 5 , and a side slider 53 is provided on the side of the connecting column 52 .

[0033] like Figure 2-Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the handheld portion 1 is provided with an adjustment device mounting groove 11, a mounting through hole 13 is provided below the mounting groove 11, a plurality of clearance through holes 12 are provided on the side of the mounting through hole 13, and a mounting positioning column 7 is fixedly installed in the mounting through hole 13;

[0034] Figure 4 、 Figure 7 As shown, the installation positioning column 7 is composed of a distal section 73, an intermediate section 71 and a proximal section 72 in sequence. The intermediate section 71 is provided with a proximal mounting hole 711, and the proximal end of the adjustment rod 5 is movably mounted in the proximal mounting hole 711; the distal section 73 is provided with three circumferentially distributed first through holes 731, and the side surfaces of the first through holes 731 are provided with side opening grooves 732; the connecting column 52 is movably set in the first through holes 731, and the side slider 53 is movably set in the side opening groove 732; the side slider 53 is connected to the traction wire 45, and the traction wire 45 is controlled to apply tension so as to move the connecting column 52 connected thereto toward the proximal end. It should be noted here that the traction wire 45 can be made of a flexible nickel-titanium wire that only provides tension, or it can be made of a titanium alloy that provides both tension and thrust.

[0035] Figure 2-Figure 6 As shown, it is a technical solution that only provides tension. Specifically, the proximal section 72 is a mounting ball, and an adjustment module 4 is provided in the mounting groove 11. The adjustment module 4 includes an adjustment disk 42. A spherical mounting groove 43 is provided in the center of the adjustment disk 42. The spherical mounting groove 43 is movably installed on the proximal section 72. Three evenly distributed connection points are provided on the adjustment disk 42. The connection points are connected to the side slider 53 through a traction rope 45. The traction rope 45 can be made of high-strength materials such as titanium alloy, nickel titanium wire, and stainless steel wire.

[0036] When in use, the traction rope 45 is pulled by rotating the adjusting disk 42 to drive the adjusting rod 5 to move. The specific movement steps can be as follows: when the adjusting disk 42 moves toward the distal end relative to points b and c, points b and c move backward synchronously, and the movable front end 22 rotates toward point a; the movement of points b and c is driven by the rotation of the movable front end 22.

[0037] In some embodiments, a positioning disk 6 is provided on the middle section 71, and three circumferentially distributed guide opening grooves 61 are provided on the positioning disk 6. Three circumferentially distributed arc-shaped bosses 44 are provided below the adjusting disk 42. The arc-shaped bosses 44 are movably installed in the guide opening grooves 61 after passing through the clearance holes 12, and the connection point for connecting the traction rope 45 is set at the front end of the arc-shaped boss 44; through such a setting, the adjustment angle of the adjusting disk 42 can be adjusted in only three directions through the cooperation between the guide opening grooves 61 and the arc-shaped bosses 44, which does not avoid the movement direction of the adjusting disk 42 and the traction rope 45 being too large, resulting in breakage and failure; further, the proximal end of the adjusting disk 42 is provided with a pushing knob 41 for conveniently pushing the adjustment disk 42 to move.

[0038] In some publications, the handheld portion 1 is provided with a control circuit board 16, which includes an electronic gyroscope. By configuring the electronic gyroscope, directional calibration, and algorithms, the display image is always vertical, preventing disorientation during operation. The handheld portion 1 is provided with a membrane button mounting slot 15, within which a membrane button 17 for operation is mounted.

[0039] Throughout this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "example," or "specific example" indicate that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with that embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of these terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0040] The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are intended only to help illustrate the present invention. These preferred embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the present invention to the specific embodiments described. Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible based on the content of this specification. These embodiments are selected and described in detail in this specification to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the present invention. The present invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope, comprising an insertion portion and a handheld portion, characterized in that; The insertion portion includes a support tube, a movable front end and an adjustment rod. The movable front end is provided with an image acquisition unit. The proximal side surface of the movable front end is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed open grooves, and a spherical groove is provided in the open grooves. The outer wall of the support tube is provided with a plurality of mounting holes, the adjusting rod is movably mounted in the mounting holes, the distal end surface of the adjusting rod is provided with a connecting ball head, the connecting ball head is movably mounted in the spherical groove, The proximal end of the support tube is connected to the handheld part.

2. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment angle range of the adjustment rod is -15° to 15°.

3. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: A heat shrink tubing is provided on the outside of the inserting portion, and the heat shrink tubing covers the supporting tube and the movable front end.

4. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjusting rod is made of stainless steel, nickel-titanium alloy or titanium alloy, has a certain elasticity, and elastic deformation corrects the position deviation caused by angle change.

5. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The handheld portion is provided with an adjusting device, which is used to drive the movement of the adjusting rod to adjust the angle of the movable front end.

6. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: A connecting column is provided near the proximal end of the adjusting rod, a side slider is provided on the side of the connecting column, and a mounting positioning column is provided in the handheld portion; The installation positioning column is composed of a distal section, an intermediate section and a proximal section in sequence. The intermediate section is provided with a proximal mounting hole, and the proximal end of the adjusting rod is movably installed in the proximal mounting hole; the distal section is provided with three circumferentially distributed first through holes, and the side of the first through hole is provided with a side opening groove; the connecting column is movably set in the first through hole, and the side slider is movably set in the side opening groove.

7. The electronic endoscope according to claim 6, characterized in that: The handheld portion is provided with an adjustment device installation slot, and an adjustment module is provided in the installation slot; The proximal end section is a mounting ball; The adjustment module includes an adjustment disk, a spherical mounting groove is provided in the center of the adjustment disk, and the spherical mounting groove is movably installed on the proximal section. The adjustment disk is provided with multiple connection points, which are connected to the side sliders through traction wires. The rotation of the adjustment disk can drive the traction wires to pull the adjustment rod to move.

8. The electronic endoscope according to claim 7, characterized in that: A positioning plate is provided on the middle section, and three circumferentially distributed guide opening grooves are provided on the positioning plate. Three circumferentially distributed arc bosses are provided below the adjustment plate. The arc bosses are movably arranged in the guide opening grooves, and the connection point for connecting the traction rope is arranged at the front end of the arc boss.

9. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: An electronic gyroscope is arranged in the handheld part.

10. The electronic endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: A membrane button is provided on the handheld portion.

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