Endoscope and hydraulically driven snake bone for endoscope

Abstract

The present application relates to an endoscope and a hydraulically driven snake bone for the endoscope, the snake bone comprising: a joint assembly comprising a plurality of intermediate joints; the adjusting assembly comprises a channel and a plurality of bag bodies, the bag bodies are arranged between the adjacent middle joints, the channel is communicated with the bag bodies, the channel and the bag bodies form a driving unit, each driving assembly is at least provided with two driving units capable of being in linkage, one of the two driving units is filled with liquid, and the other driving unit is used for discharging liquid. The two driving units are oppositely arranged on the joint assembly. According to the snake bone, fluid hydraulic drive bending is achieved through the bag body, no traction rope is arranged, snake bone bending is achieved by controlling deformation of the bending bag body through hydraulic pressure, the snake bone can be controlled to be bent step by step from one end, the bending radius is reduced, and operation of an endoscope body in a narrow space is facilitated; the arrangement position of the driving unit is flexible, and fluid flows quickly in the driving unit, so that the bending direction of the snake bone is controlled more accurately.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of endoscopes, and in particular to an endoscope and a hydraulically driven snake bone for an endoscope. Background Art

[0002] Medical endoscope is a high-end medical device that integrates traditional optics, ergonomics, precision machinery, modern electronics, mathematics, software and other multidisciplinary knowledge. It enters the human body through natural cavities or small incisions in minimally invasive surgery to help doctors diagnose diseases or assist in surgery. The endoscope system consists of three modules: endoscope body, image processing center and monitor. It is not only worthy of continuous market attention in terms of technological development, clinical needs and policy guidance, but also widely used in different specialties in the medical field, such as digestive endoscopy, urological endoscopy, gynecological endoscopy, etc., for the examination, diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, such as gastric ulcer, colitis, cancer, uterine fibroids, etc. With the advancement of technology, the clarity of endoscopic images has been continuously improved, achieving 4K ultra-high definition, exploring 3D imaging applications, and composite imaging technology has been developed. Products such as fluorescent endoscopes, ultrasonic endoscopes, and confocal microendoscopy continue to meet diverse clinical needs.

[0003] At present, most endoscopes are driven by rope traction, which has technical bottlenecks such as high mechanical wear rate, low operational flexibility, and poor autonomous controllability, which limits the application and development of endoscopes in clinical practice. The bending part of the endoscope is composed of multiple snake bone joints connected to each other, and the tip is controlled to deflect in any direction by four steel wire ropes of the traction operation part. The snake bone structure is an important component for realizing bending movement on the endoscope body, and is widely used in various flexible endoscopes (such as gastroscopes, colonoscopes, etc.). In the traditional structure, the snake bone is a structure formed by connecting multiple snake bone joints. Four traction ropes are usually passed through each joint. The four traction ropes are divided into two groups, and each group of traction ropes is controlled in pairs. Pulling one of the traction ropes in a group can realize the bending of the snake bone at a certain angle along the pulling direction.

[0004] However, the existing snake-bone structure has several technical problems: due to the ductility of the steel wire rope, after long-term use, the length of the steel wire rope becomes longer, resulting in a period of empty travel when using the bending snake bone, and even causing the bending angle to fail to meet the standard, affecting the accuracy of the snake bone movement control. In addition, the existing endoscope snake bone generally begins to bend from the middle and rear end under the pulling action of the traction rope, and cannot be controlled to bend gradually from the head of the snake bone to the root, resulting in a large bending radius of the snake bone, which is not conducive to the operation of the endoscope in a narrow space. Moreover, in related technologies, complex mechanical structures are required to achieve snake bone bending. These mechanical structures not only increase the weight and manufacturing cost of the endoscope handle, but also bring many difficulties to achieving the sealing of the product. Summary of the invention

[0005] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an endoscope with efficient and convenient bending and high control accuracy, as well as a hydraulically driven snake bone for the endoscope to address the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0006] In one aspect, there is provided a hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope, the snake comprising:

[0007] a condyle assembly comprising a plurality of intermediate condyles; and

[0008] An adjustment component, comprising a channel and a plurality of capsules, wherein the capsules are arranged between adjacent intermediate joints, the channel passes through the intermediate joints to connect the plurality of capsules, and the capsules are configured to be filled with liquid or released with liquid through the channel to change their own volumes;

[0009] The channel and the plurality of capsules constitute a driving unit, each driving assembly is provided with at least two driving units that can be linked together, one of the two driving units is filled with liquid and the other is drained of liquid, and the two driving units are arranged opposite to each other on the joint assembly.

[0010] In one embodiment, the adjustment component further comprises:

[0011] A liquid storage cylinder, connected to the driving unit, the liquid storage cylinder is connected to the two driving units respectively, and a fluid is arranged in the liquid storage cylinder; and

[0012] A piston rod is movably arranged in the liquid storage cylinder and is used to separate the fluid in the liquid storage cylinder into two parts. The piston rod can move in the liquid storage cylinder to drive the fluid to fill one of the two drive units with liquid and discharge the other one with liquid.

[0013] In one embodiment, the liquid storage cylinder includes a first barrel portion and a second barrel portion respectively connected to the two drive units, and the first barrel portion and the second barrel portion are separated and formed by the piston rod; the drive assembly includes a first drive unit and a second drive unit, a channel of the first drive unit and a plurality of capsules form a first channel, and the first channel is connected to the first barrel portion, and a channel of the second drive unit and a plurality of capsules form a second channel, and the second channel is connected to the second barrel portion.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first barrel portion, the second barrel portion and the piston rod are arc-shaped, and two ends of the piston rod are movably disposed in the first barrel portion and the second barrel portion, respectively.

[0015] In one embodiment, the piston rod is connected to an operating knob, and the operating knob is used to drive the piston rod to move.

[0016] In one embodiment, the driving assembly is provided with at least two, the two driving units of the same driving assembly are arranged at an interval of 180°, and the interval between different driving assemblies is a preset angle, and the preset angle is less than or equal to 90°.

[0017] In one of the embodiments, the driving unit is provided with a fluid inlet, and the wall thickness of each of the capsules decreases as it approaches the fluid inlet.

[0018] In one embodiment, the middle condyle has a circular cross-section, and the channel is disposed in a circular wall of the middle condyle.

[0019] In one embodiment, the condyle assembly further comprises:

[0020] A snake-bone rear connecting ring is located downstream of the middle joint, and the snake-bone rear connecting ring is provided with a fluid inlet; and

[0021] The snake bone front connecting ring, the middle bone joint is located between the snake bone front connecting ring and the snake bone rear connecting ring.

[0022] In one aspect, an endoscope is provided, comprising:

[0023] An insert portion, comprising the snake bone as described above; and

[0024] The operating part is connected to the inserting part and is provided with an operating knob connected to the adjusting component.

[0025] The above-mentioned snake bone realizes fluid hydraulically driven bending through a capsule, and no traction rope is set. The snake bone bending is realized by hydraulically controlling the deformation of the bending capsule, and the snake bone can be controlled to be gradually bent from one end, thereby reducing the bending radius, which is beneficial to the operation of the endoscope body in a narrow space; the setting position of the drive unit is flexible, and the fluid flows quickly in the drive unit, so that the control of the bending direction of the snake bone is more precise; no traction rope is set, which reduces the complexity of the endoscope body and improves the sealing performance, and is suitable for the structure of various snake bone joints. The design requirements of the snake bone joints are reduced, thereby reducing the product maintenance rate and the overall processing cost of the structure; the provision of the capsule reduces the number of parts in the operating part, reduces the weight of the endoscope body, and is more convenient for doctors to operate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope in one embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an endoscope in one embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the front view.

[0029] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Schematic horizontal section view of .

[0030] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of a condyle component in one embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment component in one embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of a driving system in one embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0034] 1. Endoscope; 2. Drive system; 10. Insertion part; 20. Operation part; 21. Operation knob; 22. Rotating shaft; 30. Hydraulic pump; 40. Main unit; 50. Light guide part; 100. Snake bone; 101. First channel; 102. Second channel; 110. Joint assembly; 111. Middle joint; 112. Snake bone rear connecting ring; 113. Snake bone front connecting ring; 120. Adjustment assembly; 121. Channel; 1211. Middle through hole; 1212. Inlet pipe; 1213. Blind hole; 1214. Hose connector; 1215. Inlet pipe; 122. Capsule; 130. Liquid storage cylinder; 131. First cylinder; 132. Second cylinder; 140. Piston rod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0036] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0037] In addition, if the terms "first" or "second" appear, these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, if the term "plurality" appears, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0038] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like appear, these terms should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if there is a description that a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, etc., or similar descriptions appear, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0040] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0041] Research has found that there are multiple technical problems with the existing snake-bone structure: due to the ductility of the steel wire rope, after long-term use, the length of the steel wire rope becomes longer, resulting in a period of empty travel when using the bending snake bone, and even causing the bending angle to fail to meet the standard, affecting the accuracy of the snake bone movement control. In addition, under the pulling action of the traction rope, the existing endoscope snake bone generally begins to bend from the middle and rear end, and cannot be controlled to bend gradually from the head of the snake bone to the root, resulting in a large bending radius of the snake bone, which is not conducive to the operation of the endoscope in a narrow space. Moreover, in related technologies, in order to achieve snake bone bending, complex mechanical structures are required. These mechanical structures not only increase the weight and manufacturing cost of the endoscope handle, but also bring many difficulties to achieving the sealing of the product.

[0042] For example, in a certain technology, the snake bone is made of multiple snake bone joints formed by cutting thin-walled steel pipes and riveted with connecting shafts. The end faces of the snake bone joints are cut into bevels at a certain angle. One section of four steel wire ropes is welded to the front connecting ring of the snake bone, and metal guide tubes are welded to the remaining joints. The four steel wire ropes are divided into two groups and pass through the corresponding guide tubes respectively to control the up and down and left and right directions. The snake bone joints are driven to rotate around the connecting shaft by pulling the two groups of steel wire ropes to achieve angle bending. This technology has the following defects: it is necessary to cut and stamp to obtain multiple bone segments, and then rivet the multiple bone segments together through connecting shafts. The overall process is complicated and the processing cost is relatively high; complex mechanical structures are required to achieve the angle bending of the snake bone. These mechanical structures not only increase the weight and manufacturing cost of the endoscope handle, but also bring many difficulties to achieving the sealing of the product; the bending in the up and down and left and right directions has a coupling effect. When adjusting the up and down angles, the left and right directions may also move, affecting the accuracy of the snake bone motion control; the wire rope guide tube welded on the inside of the snake bone will produce friction with the pipes or cables bundled in the snake bone, and there is a risk of wearing out the pipes and cables and causing them to fail.

[0043] For example, in a certain technology, the snake bone is formed by laser cutting a thin-walled steel tube into a structure with multiple interlocking joints. The end faces of the joints are cut at a certain angle, and the angle bending is achieved by pulling two sets of steel wire ropes. This technology has the following defects: the interlocking structure between the joints is very fragile, prone to dislocation, dislocation and jamming, and there are great safety hazards during surgery; similarly, the snake bone is bent at a certain angle by pulling with steel wire ropes, and this process requires the cooperation of complex mechanical structures. These mechanical structures not only increase the weight and manufacturing cost of the endoscope handle, but also bring many difficulties to achieving the sealing of the product; the snake bone also has bending coupling in the up and down and left and right directions. When adjusting the angle in the up and down directions, the left and right directions may also follow, affecting the accuracy of the snake bone motion control.

[0044] See also Figure 1-7 , Figure 1-7The structure diagram of the hydraulic driven snake bone 100 for the endoscope 1, the endoscope 1 and the driving system 2 in one embodiment of the present application is shown. The snake bone 100 provided in one embodiment of the present application includes a joint component 110 and an adjustment component 120. On the one hand, one embodiment of the present application provides an endoscope 1, including an insertion part 10, including the snake bone 100 as described above; and an operating part 20, connected to the insertion part 10, and provided with an operating knob 21 connected to the adjustment component 120.

[0045] The joint assembly 110 includes a plurality of intermediate joints 111. The adjustment assembly 120 includes a channel 121 and a plurality of capsules 122, wherein the capsules 122 are arranged between adjacent intermediate joints 111, and the channel 121 passes through the intermediate joints 111 to connect the plurality of capsules 122, and the capsules 122 are configured to be filled with liquid or discharged through the channel 121 to change their own volumes. The channel 121 and the plurality of capsules 122 constitute a driving unit, and each driving assembly is provided with at least two driving units that can be linked, one of the two driving units is filled with liquid and the other is discharged, and the two driving units are arranged opposite to each other on the joint assembly 110.

[0046] The above-mentioned snake bone 100 is bent by fluid hydraulic drive through the capsule 122, and no traction rope is set. The bending of the snake bone 100 is achieved by hydraulically controlling the deformation of the bending capsule 122, which can realize the control of the snake bone 100 to gradually bend from one end, reduce the bending radius, and is conducive to the operation of the endoscope 1 in a narrow space; the setting position of the drive unit is flexible, and the fluid flows quickly in the drive unit, so that the bending direction of the snake bone 100 can be controlled more accurately; no traction rope is set, which reduces the complexity of the endoscope 1 body and improves the sealing performance. It is suitable for the structure of various snake bone 100 joints, and the design requirements of the snake bone 100 joints are reduced, thereby reducing the product maintenance rate and reducing the overall processing cost of the structure; the capsule 122 is set to reduce the mass of the snake bone 100 and the weight of the endoscope 1 body, which is more convenient for doctors to operate.

[0047] The joint component 110 is cylindrical in shape as a whole, and its cross section is circular. The adjustment component 120 is arranged inside the wall surface of the snake bone 100 component, that is, the adjustment component 120 is arranged on the outer periphery of the circle, and the linear drive unit formed by the channel 121 and the capsule 122 is located at the generatrix of the cylinder. The two drive units are arranged relatively on the joint component 110, which means that one of the two drive units is located at a position corresponding to the first direction in which the snake bone 100 needs to be bent, and the other is located at a position corresponding to the second direction in which the snake bone 100 needs to be bent. The two drive units correspond to different generatrixes respectively, and the direction in which the generatrix is ​​located at the center line of the cylinder is the bending direction of the snake bone 100.

[0048] For example, one of the two driving units is located at the 0° position of the circular condyle component 110, and the other is located at the 90° position of the circular condyle component 110. For another example, one of the two driving units is located at the 0° position of the circular condyle component 110, and the other is located at the 180° position of the circular condyle component 110.

[0049] In one embodiment, the driving assembly is provided with at least two, the two driving units of the same driving assembly are arranged at an interval of 180°, and the interval between different driving assemblies is a preset angle, and the preset angle is less than or equal to 90°.

[0050] Specifically, in Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, two drive assemblies are provided, and the preset angle is 90°. The two drive units of the same drive assembly are arranged at an interval of 180°, so that the four drive units are evenly arranged at an interval of 90°. In this way, the two drive units in one group control the bending of the snake bone 100 in the "up" and "down" directions, and the two drive units in the other group control the bending of the snake bone 100 in the "left" and "right" directions. In this way, the bending of the snake bone 100 can be guaranteed to cover the required direction to the minimum extent, and the remaining angles are adjusted by the rotation of the snake bone 100.

[0051] In other embodiments, the linear driving unit formed by the channel 121 and the capsule 122 can be obliquely arranged on the circular periphery, or the driving unit can be spirally arranged on the circular periphery, or the driving unit can be segmentedly arranged on the circular periphery, so that the snake bone 100 can achieve "S"-shaped deflection.

[0052] In one embodiment, the adjustment component 120 also includes: a liquid storage cylinder 130, which is connected to the driving unit, and the liquid storage cylinder 130 is respectively connected to the two driving units, and a fluid is arranged in the liquid storage cylinder 130; and a piston rod 140, which is movably arranged in the liquid storage cylinder 130 and is used to separate the fluid in the liquid storage cylinder 130 into two parts, and the piston rod 140 can move in the liquid storage cylinder 130 to drive the fluid to fill one of the two driving units with liquid and discharge the other one with liquid.

[0053] Specifically, Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the piston rod 140 is movably provided in the middle of the liquid storage cylinder 130 to separate the liquid storage cylinder 130 into two parts. The piston rod 140 can move toward the direction where one part of the fluid is located, and the space of this part becomes smaller to compress the fluid in this part. After the fluid is compressed, it flows to the corresponding capsule 122 to achieve liquid filling, and the space of the other part becomes larger to achieve liquid discharge. On the contrary, it can also move toward the direction where the other part of the fluid is located to compress the fluid in this part.

[0054] In one embodiment, the liquid storage cylinder 130 includes a first cylinder portion 131 and a second cylinder portion 132 respectively connected to the two driving units, and the first cylinder portion 131 and the second cylinder portion 132 are separated and formed by the piston rod 140; the driving assembly includes a first driving unit and a second driving unit, the channel 121 and a plurality of capsules 122 of the first driving unit form a first channel 101, and the first channel 101 is connected to the first cylinder portion 131, and the channel 121 and a plurality of capsules 122 of the second driving unit form a second channel 102, and the second channel 102 is connected to the second cylinder portion 132.

[0055] Specifically, the piston rod 140 is movably arranged in the middle of the liquid storage cylinder 130 to separate the liquid storage cylinder 130 into a first cylinder portion 131 and a second cylinder portion 132 which are not connected to each other. The piston rod 140 can move toward the first cylinder portion 131, and the space for storing fluid in the first cylinder portion 131 becomes smaller to compress the fluid in this part to flow to the first channel 101 of the first drive unit, that is, to flow to the corresponding capsule 122 through the channel 121 to achieve liquid filling. At this time, the space of the second cylinder portion 132 becomes larger, and the fluid flows back from the second channel 102 of the second drive unit to the second cylinder portion 132 to achieve the discharge of the corresponding capsule 122; on the contrary, the piston rod 140 moves toward the second cylinder portion 132, and the second drive unit can also be filled with liquid. The flow directions of the media in the first channel 101 and the second channel 102 are opposite. For example, when the medium in the first channel 101 flows into the capsule 122, the medium stored in the capsule 122 of the second channel 102 flows out to the liquid storage cylinder 130 synchronously.

[0056] In one embodiment, the first cylinder portion 131 , the second cylinder portion 132 and the piston rod 140 are arc-shaped, and two ends of the piston rod 140 are movably disposed in the first cylinder portion 131 and the second cylinder portion 132 , respectively.

[0057] Specifically, the liquid storage cylinder 130 is a continuous or segmented structure. When the liquid storage cylinder 130 is a continuous structure, the liquid storage cylinder 130 is in an arc shape, and the first barrel portion 131 and the second barrel portion 132 are two parts of the arc-shaped liquid storage cylinder 130; when the liquid storage cylinder 130 is a segmented structure, the first barrel portion 131 and the second barrel portion 132 are arranged at intervals, and the first barrel portion 131 and the second barrel portion 132 are independent arc structures, and both ends of the piston rod 140 do not separate from the ends of the first barrel portion 131 and the second barrel portion 132. Regardless of the structure, the two ends of the piston rod 140 are respectively consistent with the arc shape of the first barrel portion 131 and the second barrel portion 132, and half of the length of the piston rod 140 is greater than or equal to the length of the first barrel portion 131 (the second barrel portion 132), so that the piston rod 140 can press enough (or all) fluid out of the liquid storage cylinder 130.

[0058] Furthermore, the first channel 101 formed by the channel 121 of the first driving unit and the plurality of capsules 122 is arranged parallel to the second channel 102 formed by the channel 121 of the second driving unit and the plurality of capsules 122. The liquid outlet ends of the arc-shaped first barrel portion 131 and the second barrel portion 132 are close to each other, which facilitates the docking of the first channel 101 and the second channel 102 arranged in parallel, thereby saving the overall structural size.

[0059] In one embodiment, the driving unit is provided with a fluid inlet, and the wall thickness of each of the capsules 122 decreases as it approaches the fluid inlet.

[0060] Specifically, a fluid inlet is provided at one end of the channel 121 close to the piston rod 140 and the liquid storage cylinder 130, and the end of the closed channel 121 is far from the fluid inlet. The capsule 122 close to the fluid inlet is filled and expanded first. In order to avoid excessive expansion and affect the subsequent fluid flow, and to avoid deformation too quickly and affect the changes between the middle joints 111, resulting in uncontrollable bending, the wall thickness of the capsule 122 decreases as it approaches the fluid inlet. By adjusting the wall thickness of the liquid capsule between different joints, the deformation of the capsule 122 is optimized and controlled, thereby realizing the control of the bending sequence of different joints of the snake bone 100. For example, the wall thickness of the capsule 122 at the front end is controlled to be the smallest, and the wall thickness of the capsule 122 increases in sequence, and the wall thickness of the capsule 122 at the rear end is the largest. Therefore, when the capsule 122 flows into the liquid medium, the capsule 122 at the front end begins to expand and deform first, and then in sequence, until the desired bending angle is reached. The change in wall thickness can be linear, and a linear relationship is established with parameters such as the material of the capsule 122 and the fluid flow rate.

[0061] In the present application, the snake bone 100 can be controlled to bend from the head by controlling the wall thickness, while the traction-type snake bone 100 cannot control which node the snake bone 100 starts to bend from. Assuming that the maximum rotation angle between each two joints of the two types of snake bones 100 is 15 degrees, and the snake bone 100 is now required to bend 30 degrees, since the snake bone 100 in the present application starts from the head, only 2-3 joints of the snake bone 100 are required to bend 30 degrees, and the center of rotation is approximately at the third joint. In actual use, the traction-type snake bone 100 is mostly bent from the middle and rear sections, and multiple joints need to be linked to achieve a 30-degree bend, and the center of rotation is in the middle and rear sections of the snake bone 100. Therefore, in this case, the bending radius of the snake bone 100 can be reduced by controlling the wall thickness of the capsule 122.

[0062] In one embodiment, the volume of the capsule 122 increases as it approaches the fluid inlet, or the capsule 122 and the channel 121 are detachably connected so that the capsule 122 can be replaced. Specifically, the length of the capsule 122 between the intermediate condyles 111 (the dimension in the extension direction of the condyle assembly 110) can be determined according to demand, and the number of folds of the capsule 122 is proportional to the length. The longer the length, the more folds there are, and the greater the maximum extension length of the capsule 122. Therefore, the rotation angle between the two joints can be controlled by changing the number or length of folds. In the case where the bending radius requirement is relatively small, the length of the capsule 122 in the snake bone 100 can be controlled to decrease from the front end to the rear end in sequence, and the wall thickness of multiple capsules 122 is increased, so that the desired angle can be achieved when the bending radius is relatively small.

[0063] In one embodiment, the piston rod 140 is connected to an operating knob 21, and the operating knob 21 is used to drive the piston rod 140 to move. Specifically, based on the arc shape of the first barrel 131, the second barrel 132 and the piston rod 140, the operating knob 21 controls the movement of the piston rod 140 by rotation. The operating portion 20 of the endoscope 1 is provided with a housing, and further, the piston rod 140 is provided on the housing through a rotating shaft 22, and the operating knob 21 is transmission-connected to the piston rod 140 to control the rotation of the piston rod 140 around the rotating shaft 22, and the forward rotation compresses the fluid in the first barrel 131, and the reverse rotation compresses the fluid in the second barrel 132.

[0064] When there are at least two drive assemblies, the number of operating knobs 21 corresponds to the number of drive assemblies, and the number of liquid storage cylinders 130 corresponds to the number of drive assemblies. Each liquid storage cylinder 130 is arranged in parallel in the center line direction of the rotating shaft 22, and each operating knob 21 is arranged in parallel in the center line direction of the rotating shaft 22 to share the same rotating shaft 22. For example, Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, two operating knobs 21 are provided, and the two operating knobs 21 can be identified and distinguished by size or shape.

[0065] Furthermore, the liquid storage cylinder 130 is fixed to the shell through a connecting frame, and can be especially connected to the rotating shaft 22 together with the piston rod 140, and the coaxial rotation is coaxially arranged. The two ends of the connecting frame are respectively fixedly connected to the liquid storage cylinder 130 and the rotating shaft 22, and a plurality of connecting frames are provided, which respectively connect the first cylinder portion 131 and the second cylinder portion 132 to the rotating shaft 22.

[0066] In one embodiment, the joint assembly 110 further includes: a front snake ring 113, located upstream of the intermediate joint 111; and a rear snake ring 112, located downstream of the intermediate joint 111, the rear snake ring 112 is provided with a fluid inlet, and the intermediate joint 111 is located between the front snake ring 113 and the rear snake ring 112.

[0067] Specifically, the snake bone rear connecting ring 112 is provided with a through hole, the channel 121 passes through the snake bone rear connecting ring 112, the snake bone front connecting ring 113 is provided with a receiving groove, and the end of the channel 121 is arranged in the receiving groove, so that the end of the channel 121 is closed in the receiving groove. The width of the snake bone front connecting ring 113 and the snake bone rear connecting ring 112 can be greater than the width of the middle bone joint 111, so that the positioning of the end can be controlled.

[0068] In one embodiment, the middle bone segment 111 has a circular cross section, and the channel 121 is provided in the circular wall of the middle bone segment 111. A plurality of middle bone segments 111 are arranged with equal width and spacing, and each middle bone segment 111 is provided with a through hole, and the channel 121 passes through the middle bone segment 111 to connect the capsules 122 on both sides. The end surface of the middle bone segment 111 may be provided with a notch, or the end surface may be straight, which is not limited here.

[0069] The channel 121 includes a pipeline part and a through hole part. The pipeline part is arranged outside the joint component 110 and is an external pipeline. The through hole part is formed in the structure of the joint component 110 and is a hole processed on the structure. The through hole part is used to connect multiple capsules 122. The through hole structure is used to facilitate the processing of the joint component 110. In one embodiment, the channel 121 includes a blind hole 1213 that passes through the front ring 113 of the snake bone, a middle through hole 1211 that passes through the middle joint 111, and an inlet pipe 1212 located in the rear ring 112 of the snake bone. The other end of the inlet pipe 1212 is connected to the liquid storage cylinder 130. The inlet pipe 1212 includes a pipeline part and a through hole part, and the pipeline part can extend into the through hole part. Alternatively, the channel 121 also includes an introduction pipe 1215 that is detachably connected to the inlet pipe 1212. The introduction pipe 1215 and the inlet pipe 1212 are connected by a hose connector 1214, so that the insertion part 10 and the operation part 20 are detachable from each other. The middle through hole 1211 is used for the tube to pass through the middle bone joint 111 and connect the capsules 122 on both sides. The middle through hole 1211, the blind hole 1213 and the inlet tube 1212 constitute the through hole part. One end of the blind hole 1213 is connected to the capsule 122 and is set in the receiving groove of the snake bone rear ring 112.

[0070] In one embodiment, if Figure 7As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a driving system 2 connected to an endoscope 1, and the driving system 2 includes a hydraulic pump 30, an electronic control system, a light guide 50, and a host 40. The host 40 is used to receive a state signal of the operating knob 21 to control the hydraulic pump 30, and the hydraulic pump 30 is connected to the piston rod 140 to drive the piston rod 140 to move. The user only needs to operate on the side of the operating part 20 to achieve bending control. The light guide 50 is used to achieve the shooting, lighting, etc. required for the operation of the endoscope 1, and the images collected or the lighting emitted by the light guide 50 are controlled by the host 40.

[0071] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0072] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope, characterized in that: The snake bones include: a condyle assembly comprising a plurality of intermediate condyles; and An adjustment component, comprising a channel and a plurality of capsules, wherein the capsules are arranged between adjacent intermediate joints, the channel passes through the intermediate joints to connect the plurality of capsules, and the capsules are configured to be filled with liquid or released with liquid through the channel to change their own volumes; The channel and the plurality of capsules constitute a driving unit, each driving assembly is provided with at least two driving units that can be linked together, one of the two driving units is filled with liquid and the other is drained, and the two driving units are arranged opposite to each other on the joint assembly.

2. The hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment component also includes: A liquid storage cylinder, connected to the driving unit, the liquid storage cylinder is connected to the two driving units respectively, and a fluid is arranged in the liquid storage cylinder; and A piston rod is movably arranged in the liquid storage cylinder and is used to separate the fluid in the liquid storage cylinder into two parts. The piston rod can move in the liquid storage cylinder to drive the fluid to fill one of the two driving units with liquid and discharge the other one with liquid.

3. The hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that: The liquid storage cylinder includes a first barrel portion and a second barrel portion respectively connected to the two drive units, and the first barrel portion and the second barrel portion are separated and formed by the piston rod; the drive assembly includes a first drive unit and a second drive unit, the channel of the first drive unit and a plurality of capsules form a first channel, and the first channel is connected to the first barrel portion, and the channel of the second drive unit and a plurality of capsules form a second channel, and the second channel is connected to the second barrel portion.

4. The hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first barrel portion, the second barrel portion and the piston rod are arc-shaped, and two ends of the piston rod are movably disposed in the first barrel portion and the second barrel portion, respectively.

5. The hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that: The piston rod is connected to an operating knob, and the operating knob is used to drive the piston rod to move.

6. The hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The driving components are provided with at least two, the two driving units of the same driving component are arranged at an interval of 180°, and the different driving components are spaced at a preset angle, which is less than or equal to 90°.

7. The hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The driving unit is provided with a fluid inlet, and the wall thickness of each of the capsules decreases as it approaches the fluid inlet.

8. The hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The middle bone segment has a circular cross section, and the channel is arranged in the circular wall of the middle bone segment.

9. The hydraulically driven snake for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The condyle assembly further comprises: A snake-bone rear connecting ring is located downstream of the middle joint, and the snake-bone rear connecting ring is provided with a fluid inlet; and The snake bone front connecting ring, the middle bone joint is located between the snake bone front connecting ring and the snake bone rear connecting ring.

10. An endoscope, characterized in that: include: An inserting portion, comprising a snake bone as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9; as well as The operating part is connected to the inserting part and is provided with an operating knob connected to the adjusting component.

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