Rigidity-adjustable bending structure, endoscope and endoscope system

Abstract

The invention provides a rigidity-adjustable bending structure, an endoscope and an endoscope system. The endoscope system comprises an image processing device, a light source device, a display device and an endoscope. The endoscope comprises a connecting part, an operating part and an inserting part, wherein the inserting part comprises a bending part, a front end part and a rigidity-adjustable bending structure; the rigidity-adjustable bending structure comprises an inner pipe and an outer pipe arranged outside the inner pipe in a sleeving mode, and a cavity is formed between the inner pipe and the outer pipe in a spaced mode. A first matching part is formed on the side, facing the outer pipe, of the inner pipe, and a second matching part is formed on the side, facing the inner pipe, of the outer pipe. Both the inner pipe and the outer pipe are bendable channels; when the cavity is inflated or deflated, the inner pipe and / or the outer pipe can deform under the action of air pressure, so that different matching degrees are formed between the first matching part and the second matching part. The rigidity of the insertion part can be adjusted, so that the insertion part does not touch the intestinal tract wall when passing through the intestinal tract with a complex form, and the insertion part can be smoothly inserted into a natural cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of medical devices, and more specifically, to a bending structure with adjustable stiffness, an endoscope, and an endoscope system. Background Art

[0002] Doctors often use endoscopes in situations such as digestive tract inspection, respiratory tract inspection, and therapeutic surgery. Endoscopes are generally composed of three major parts: a connecting part, an operating part, and an insertion part. The insertion part includes a flexible part, a curved part, and a front end that are connected in sequence, and the flexible part is connected to the operating part. On the one hand, when the endoscope is inserted into the human body, in order to ensure that the force used by the doctor to operate the endoscope can be transmitted to the insertion part, and in order to ensure that the insertion part can be smoothly inserted into the natural cavity, the insertion part needs to have sufficient rigidity; on the other hand, the natural cavity of the human body, especially the structure of the intestine, is complex. Excessive rigidity of the insertion part will cause the insertion part to hit the intestinal wall, causing discomfort to the patient and affecting the user experience of the endoscope.

[0003] Therefore, an insert with adjustable stiffness is needed to meet practical needs. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a bending structure with adjustable stiffness, an endoscope and an endoscope system to solve the technical problem in the prior art that an insertion portion with adjustable stiffness is required to meet actual needs.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted in the present application is: in the first aspect, a stiffness-adjustable bending structure is provided, comprising an inner tube and an outer tube sleeved outside the inner tube, wherein a cavity is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube; a first matching portion is formed on the side of the inner tube facing the outer tube, and a second matching portion is formed on the side of the outer tube facing the inner tube; the inner tube and the outer tube are both bendable channels; when the cavity is inflated or deflated, the inner tube and / or the outer tube can be deformed under the action of air pressure to form different degrees of matching between the first matching portion and the second matching portion.

[0006] In one embodiment, the inner tube has different deformation degrees under different air pressures;

[0007] And / or, the outer tube may be deformed to different degrees under different air pressures.

[0008] In one embodiment, the degree of fit includes a depth at which the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are embedded in each other;

[0009] And / or, the degree of fit includes a degree of interference compression between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first matching portion includes a plurality of first protrusions and a plurality of first recesses, and each of the first protrusions and each of the first recesses are sequentially spaced along the axial direction of the inner tube;

[0011] The second matching portion includes a plurality of second protrusions and a plurality of second recesses, and each of the second protrusions and each of the second recesses are sequentially spaced apart along the axial direction of the outer tube;

[0012] Each of the first protrusions and each of the second recesses are arranged in one-to-one correspondence and can form a plug-in fit;

[0013] Each of the second protrusions is arranged in one-to-one correspondence with each of the first recesses, and can form a plug-in fit.

[0014] In one embodiment, when the cavity is evacuated to a preset degree, at least one side surface of the first protrusion along the axial direction of the inner tube is in interference contact with at least one side surface of the second protrusion along the axial direction of the outer tube.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first protrusion has at least one first inclined surface along the axial direction of the inner tube, which forms an obtuse angle with the inner wall surface of the inner tube; the second protrusion has at least one second inclined surface along the axial direction of the outer tube, which forms an obtuse angle with the inner wall surface of the outer tube.

[0016] In one embodiment, at least one of the first matching portion and the second matching portion can be deformed under the action of an external force.

[0017] In one embodiment, the inner tube has a first end and a second end that are relatively set, and the outer tube has a third end and a fourth end that are relatively set; the stiffness-adjustable bending structure also includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member; the first connecting member is sealed on the first end and the third end; the second connecting member is sealed on the second end and the fourth end.

[0018] In one embodiment, an air inlet and an air outlet are provided on the first connecting member or the second connecting member, the air inlet is used to connect to an external inflation unit, and the air outlet is used to connect to an external air extraction unit.

[0019] In one embodiment, at least one first channel is further formed on the inner tube, and opposite ends of the first channel respectively penetrate opposite ends of the first matching portion along the axial direction;

[0020] And / or, at least one second channel is formed on the outer tube, and opposite ends of the second channel penetrate opposite ends of the second matching portion along the axial direction.

[0021] The beneficial effect of the adjustable stiffness bending structure provided by the present application is that: the adjustable stiffness bending structure provided by the embodiment of the present application, by setting an inner tube and an outer tube, a cavity is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, and a first matching part and a second matching part are formed on the inner tube and the outer tube respectively, so that when the cavity is inflated or evacuated, the inner tube and / or the outer tube can be deformed under the action of air pressure so that the first matching part and the second matching part have different degrees of proximity, so as to adjust the degree of matching between the first matching part and the second matching part, thereby adjusting the total stiffness of the inner tube and the outer tube. In an embodiment of the present application, when air is inflated in the cavity between the inner tube and the outer tube, the inner tube and the outer tube are spaced apart, and both the inner tube and the outer tube are bendable channels, so that the stiffness-adjustable bending structure can be inserted into a channel with complex bends; when the gas between the inner tube and the outer tube is pumped out, the first matching portion and the second matching portion cooperate with each other, thereby enhancing the total stiffness of the inner tube and the outer tube, so that the bending portion and the front end portion can maintain directional stability when passing through a complex channel, ensuring that the force used by the doctor to operate the endoscope can be transmitted to the insertion portion, ensuring that the insertion portion can be smoothly inserted into the natural cavity, so that the image observed by the doctor can achieve the expected effect; in addition, the degree of air extraction can be selected according to actual needs, so that the first matching portion and the second matching portion have different degrees of cooperation, thereby adjusting the total stiffness between the inner tube and the outer tube.

[0022] In a second aspect, the present application further provides an endoscope, comprising a connecting portion, an operating portion and an insertion portion, wherein the insertion portion comprises a bending portion, a front end portion and the stiffness-adjustable bending structure described in any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0023] In some embodiments, one end of the inner tube and one end of the outer tube are respectively connected to the bending portion, and the other end of the inner tube and the other end of the outer tube are respectively connected to the operating portion; a connecting port is provided on the operating portion or the connecting portion, the cavity is connected to the connecting port, and the connecting port is used to connect an external gas source device.

[0024] The beneficial effect of the endoscope provided by the present application is that the endoscope provided by the embodiment of the present application, by using the above-mentioned adjustable stiffness bending structure as the flexible part in the insertion part, makes the stiffness of the insertion part adjustable, so that the insertion part can be smoothly inserted into the natural cavity and touch the intestinal wall of the complex channel, thereby improving the user experience.

[0025] In a third aspect, the present application also provides an endoscope system, including an image processing device, a light source device, a display device and the above-mentioned endoscope.

[0026] The beneficial effect of the endoscope system provided by the present application is that: the endoscope system provided by the embodiment of the present application, through the setting of the above-mentioned endoscope, makes the image display accuracy of the endoscope system high, is conducive to the success of the operation, and improves the user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the bending structure with adjustable stiffness provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of a bending structure with adjustable stiffness provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the interference extrusion state of the first matching part and the second matching part in the medium stiffness adjustable bending structure;

[0031] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of an outer tube in a medium stiffness adjustable bending structure;

[0032] Figure 5 for Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of an inner tube in a medium stiffness adjustable bending structure;

[0033] Figure 6 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the inner tube in the medium stiffness adjustable bending structure;

[0034] Figure 7 for Figure 2 Axial schematic diagram of the inner tube in the medium stiffness adjustable bending structure;

[0035] Figure 8 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the second connecting member in the medium stiffness adjustable bending structure;

[0036] Fig. 9 for Figure 8 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the second connecting member;

[0037] Fig.10 for Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of a first connecting member in a medium stiffness adjustable bending structure;

[0038] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0039] Among them, the reference numerals in the figure are:

[0040] 1. Insertion portion; 100. Stiffness adjustable bending structure; 110. Inner tube; 111. First matching portion; 1111. First convex portion; 1112. First concave portion; 1113. First inclined surface; 1114. First connecting surface; 112. First end; 113. Second end; 114. First channel; 120. Outer tube; 121. Second matching portion; 1211. Second convex portion; 1212. Second concave portion; 1213. Second inclined surface; 1214. Second connecting surface; 122. Third end; 123. First Four ends; 124, second channel; 130, first connecting piece; 131, first slot; 132, second slot; 133, fifth slot; 134, first through hole; 140, second connecting piece; 141, air inlet; 142, air outlet; 143, third slot; 144, fourth slot; 145, sixth slot; 146, second through hole; 150, cavity; 200, bending part; 300, front end; 2, operating part; 201, first connecting port; 202, second connecting port; 3, connecting part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0042] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0043] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do 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 should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0044] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0045] As mentioned in the background technology, doctors often use endoscopes in situations such as digestive tract inspection, respiratory tract inspection and therapeutic surgery. Endoscopes are generally composed of three major parts: a connecting part, an operating part and an insertion part. The insertion part includes a flexible part, a curved part and a front end. On the one hand, when the endoscope is inserted into the human body, in order to ensure that the force used by the doctor to operate the endoscope can be transmitted to the insertion part, and in order to ensure that the insertion part can be smoothly inserted into the natural cavity, the insertion part needs to have sufficient rigidity; on the other hand, the natural cavity of the human body, especially the structure of the intestine, is complex. Excessive rigidity of the insertion part will cause the insertion part to hit the intestinal wall, causing discomfort to the patient and affecting the user experience of the endoscope.

[0046] Therefore, an insert with adjustable stiffness is needed to meet practical needs.

[0047] To this end, on the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a stiffness-adjustable bending structure 100, which is used as the flexible portion of the insertion portion 1 in the endoscope, so that the insertion portion 1 in the endoscope has sufficient stiffness to ensure that the force applied by the doctor to operate the endoscope can be transmitted to the insertion portion 1, and to ensure that the insertion portion 1 can be smoothly inserted into the natural cavity; at the same time, the stiffness of the insertion portion 1 can be adjusted, so that when the insertion portion 1 encounters a complex intestine, the stiffness can be reduced so that the insertion portion 1 does not touch the intestinal wall, thereby improving the user experience.

[0048] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 The stiffness adjustable bending structure 100 includes an inner tube 110 and an outer tube 120 sleeved outside the inner tube 110, and a cavity 150 is formed between the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120; a first matching portion 111 is formed on the side of the inner tube 110 facing the outer tube 120, and a second matching portion 121 is formed on the side of the outer tube 120 facing the inner tube 110; the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 are both bendable pipes; when the cavity 150 is inflated or deflated, the inner tube 110 and / or the outer tube 120 can be deformed under the action of air pressure to form different degrees of matching between the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121.

[0049] In the embodiment of the present application, an inner tube 110 and an outer tube 120 are provided, a cavity 150 is formed between the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120, and a first fitting portion 111 and a second fitting portion 121 are formed on the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120, respectively, so that when the cavity 150 is inflated or deflated, the inner tube 110 and / or the outer tube 120 can be deformed under the action of air pressure so that the first fitting portion 111 and the second fitting portion 121 have different degrees of proximity, so as to adjust the degree of fit between the first fitting portion 111 and the second fitting portion 121, thereby adjusting the total stiffness of the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120.

[0050] In the embodiment of the present application, when the cavity 150 between the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 is inflated, the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 are spaced apart, and both the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 are bendable channels, so that the stiffness-adjustable bending structure 100 can be inserted into a channel with complex bends without touching the intestinal wall; when the gas between the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 is evacuated, the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 cooperate with each other, thereby enhancing the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 1 The total stiffness of 20 enables the bending portion 200 and the front end portion 300 to maintain directional stability when passing through complex channels, ensuring that the force used by the doctor to operate the endoscope can be transmitted to the insertion portion, ensuring that the insertion portion can be smoothly inserted into the natural cavity, and that the image observed by the doctor can achieve the expected effect; in addition, the degree of vacuuming can be selected according to actual needs, so that the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 have different degrees of matching, thereby adjusting the total stiffness between the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120.

[0051] In one embodiment, the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 are both made of a material with a certain degree of softness and elastic deformation, which can be bent and deformed under the action of external force and can recover the deformation after the external force disappears. Among them, the certain degree of softness allows the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 to bend to adapt to the complex passages of the human body without causing collisions and scratches on the intestinal wall. The elasticity can ensure that the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 can recover the deformation after passing through the complex passages of the human body, and can have a certain support effect on themselves to avoid soft collapse.

[0052] In one embodiment, the rigidity of the outer tube 120 is greater than that of the inner tube 110, and the inner tube 110 is deformed toward the outer tube 120 under the action of air pressure so that the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 are interlocked. The rigidity of the outer tube 120 is set to be larger, so as to provide basic rigidity for the entire rigidity adjustable bending structure 100; while the rigidity of the inner tube 110 is set to be smaller, so that the inner tube 110 can produce a larger deformation under the action of air pressure so that the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 are interlocked. It can be understood that in other embodiments of the present application, the rigidity of the outer tube 120 can be the same as that of the inner tube 110, or the rigidity of the outer tube 120 is smaller than that of the inner tube 110; in addition, the inner tube 110 can be deformed under the action of air pressure, and the outer tube 120 can also be deformed under the action of air pressure.

[0053] In one embodiment, the inner tube 110 is deformed to different degrees under different air pressures; and / or the outer tube 120 is deformed to different degrees under different air pressures. When the cavity 150 is evacuated or deflated to different degrees, the inner tube 110 and / or the outer tube 120 are deformed to different degrees, so that the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 form different matching degrees, thereby achieving the stiffness adjustment of the adjustable stiffness bending structure 100.

[0054] Optionally, the inner tube 110 may be made of rubber, silicone or polymer material.

[0055] Optionally, the outer tube 120 may be made of rubber, silicone or polymer material.

[0056] In one embodiment, the degree of fit includes the depth of mutual embedding of the first fitting portion 111 and the second fitting portion 121 ; and / or, the degree of fit includes the degree of interference compression between the first fitting portion 111 and the second fitting portion 121 .

[0057] When the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 are embedded in each other, the structural density of the adjustable stiffness curved structure 100 along the axial direction is increased, thereby increasing the stiffness of the adjustable stiffness curved structure 100 along the axial direction. When the embedding depth of the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 is adjusted, the stiffness of the adjustable stiffness curved structure 100 along the axial direction can be adjusted.

[0058] When the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 are embedded in each other and the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 are mutually interfered and squeezed, force can be transmitted between the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121, and the structural rigidity of the adjustable rigidity curved structure 100 can also be improved. The rigidity of the adjustable rigidity curved structure 100 along the axial direction can be adjusted by adjusting the interference and squeezing degree between the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121.

[0059] In addition, when the embedding depth of the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 and the interference extrusion degree between the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 are adjusted simultaneously, the axial stiffness of the adjustable stiffness bending structure 100 can also be adjusted.

[0060] In one embodiment, at least one of the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 can be deformed under the action of an external force. When the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 are embedded in each other, the first matching portion 111 is deformed under the extrusion of the second matching portion 121, or the second matching portion 121 is deformed under the extrusion of the first matching portion 111, or the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 are deformed under the interaction, so as to ensure that the first matching portion 111 and the second matching portion 121 can be smoothly embedded in each other and produce interference extrusion.

[0061] In one embodiment, the inner tube 110 and the first matching portion 111 are an integrally connected structure, that is, the inner tube 110 is integrally formed of the same material. When subjected to air pressure, the inner tube 110 and the first matching portion 111 deform to the same extent.

[0062] In another embodiment of the present application, the materials of the inner tube 110 and the first matching portion 111 are different. When subjected to air pressure, the inner tube 110 and the first matching portion 111 deform to different degrees.

[0063] In another embodiment of the present application, the inner tube 110 and the first matching portion 111 are an integrally connected structure, and a cavity is formed at the connection between the inner tube 110 and the first matching portion 111. When subjected to air pressure, the inner tube 110 and the first matching portion 111 produce different degrees of deformation.

[0064] In one embodiment, the outer tube 120 and the second matching portion 121 are an integrally connected structure, that is, the outer tube 120 is integrally formed of the same material. When subjected to air pressure, the outer tube 120 and the second matching portion 121 deform to the same extent.

[0065] In another embodiment of the present application, the materials of the outer tube 120 and the second matching portion 121 are different. When subjected to air pressure, the outer tube 120 and the second matching portion 121 deform to different degrees.

[0066] In another embodiment of the present application, the outer tube 120 and the second matching portion 121 are an integrally connected structure, and a cavity is formed at the connection between the outer tube 120 and the second matching portion 121. When subjected to air pressure, the outer tube 120 and the second matching portion 121 produce different degrees of deformation.

[0067] In one embodiment, please refer to Figures 2 to 6The first matching portion 111 includes a plurality of first convex portions 1111 and a plurality of first concave portions 1112, and each of the first convex portions 1111 and each of the first concave portions 1112 are sequentially spaced along the axial direction of the inner tube 110; the second matching portion 121 includes a plurality of second convex portions 1211 and a plurality of second concave portions 1212, and each of the second convex portions 1211 and each of the second concave portions 1212 are sequentially spaced along the axial direction of the outer tube 120; each of the first convex portions 1111 and each of the second concave portions 1212 are arranged one-to-one correspondingly and can form a plug-in fit; each of the second convex portions 1211 and each of the first concave portions 1112 are arranged one-to-one correspondingly and can form a plug-in fit.

[0068] It should be noted that please refer to Figure 2 The inner tube 110 has a first end 112 and a second end 113 that are oppositely arranged. The portion between the first end 112 and the first convex portion 1111 adjacent to the first end 112 is the first concave portion 1112; the portion between the second end 113 and the first convex portion 1111 adjacent to the second end 113 is the first concave portion 1112.

[0069] Similarly, the outer tube 120 has a third end 122 and a fourth end 123 arranged opposite to each other, and the portion between the third end 122 and the second protrusion 1211 adjacent to the third end 122 is the second concave portion 1212; the portion between the fourth end 123 and the second protrusion 1211 adjacent to the fourth end 123 is the second concave portion 1212.

[0070] In this embodiment, the first matching portion 111 includes a plurality of first convex portions 1111 and a plurality of first concave portions 1112 sequentially arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the inner tube 110, and the second matching portion 121 includes a plurality of second convex portions 1211 and a plurality of second concave portions 1212 sequentially arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the outer tube 120, and each first convex portion 1111 corresponds to each second concave portion 1212 to form a plug-in fit; each second convex portion 1211 corresponds to each first concave portion 1112 to form a plug-in fit, thereby improving the uniformity of the stiffness distribution of the adjustable stiffness bending structure 100 along the axial direction and improving the ability of the external driving force to be transmitted along the axial direction of the adjustable stiffness bending structure 100. In addition, by providing a plurality of first convex portions 1111 and a plurality of second convex portions 1211, the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 can be embedded and pressed to different degrees under the condition of a limited outer diameter. It can be understood that in other embodiments of the present application, the above-mentioned first matching portion 111 can also be a groove formed on the inner tube 110, and the groove extends along the axial direction of the inner tube 110. The second matching portion 121 is a protrusion formed on the outer tube 120, and the protrusion extends along the axial direction of the outer tube 120. The protrusion and the groove are embedded in each other and / or form an interference fit to adjust the stiffness.

[0071] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 and Figure 3When the cavity 150 is evacuated to a preset degree, at least one side surface of the first protrusion 1111 along the axial direction of the inner tube 110 is in interference contact with at least one side surface of the second protrusion 1211 along the axial direction of the outer tube 120 .

[0072] For details, please refer to Figure 3 After the first convex portion 1111 and the second concave portion 1212 form a plug-in fit, when the first convex portion 1111 along the first symmetric axis in the axial direction of the inner tube 110 and the second concave portion 1212 along the second symmetric axis in the axial direction of the outer tube 120 deviate from each other, when the cavity 150 is evacuated to a preset degree, one side surface of the first convex portion 1111 along the axial direction of the inner tube 110 and one side surface of the second convex portion 1211 along the axial direction of the outer tube 120 are in interference contact. In other embodiments of the present application, when the first convex portion 1111 along the first symmetric axis in the axial direction of the inner tube 110 and the second symmetric axis in the axial direction of the second concave portion 1212 coincide with each other, when the cavity 150 is evacuated to a preset degree, two opposite side surfaces of the first convex portion 1111 along the axial direction of the inner tube 110 are in interference contact with two opposite side surfaces of the second convex portion 1211 along the axial direction of the outer tube 120, respectively.

[0073] In addition, it should be noted that when the cavity 150 is filled with gas, the first protrusion 1111 and the second protrusion 1211 are radially spaced apart; when the cavity 150 is evacuated to a preset degree, the first protrusion 1111 and the second protrusion 1211 will be embedded in each other and produce interference fit.

[0074] In one embodiment, see Figure 3 The first convex part 1111 has at least one first inclined surface 1113 forming an obtuse angle with the inner wall surface of the inner tube 110 along the axial direction of the inner tube 110; the second convex part 1211 has at least one second inclined surface 1213 forming an obtuse angle with the inner wall surface of the outer tube 120 along the axial direction of the outer tube 120. The first inclined surface 1113 and the second inclined surface 1213 are arranged to guide the first convex part 1111 and the second convex part 1211 to be embedded in each other, and after the first convex part 1111 and the second convex part 1211 are embedded in each other, they are mutually pressed by interference.

[0075] In one embodiment, see Figure 3, the first inclined surface 1113 and the second inclined surface 1213 have the same inclination angle, and the first inclined surface 1113 and the second inclined surface 1213 can cooperate with each other to guide the first convex portion 1111 and the second convex portion 1211 to embed with each other, and can produce interference abutment. In other embodiments of the present application, the inclination angles of the first inclined surface 1113 and the second inclined surface 1213 can also be different. Then, when the first convex portion 1111 and the second convex portion 1211 are embedded with each other, the first inclined surface 1113 and the second inclined surface 1213 can respectively produce interference abutment along the axial direction and the radial direction to improve the overall structural rigidity.

[0076] In one embodiment, see Figure 3 The first convex part 1111 has two first inclined surfaces 1113 arranged opposite to each other, and the second convex part 1211 has two second inclined surfaces 1213 arranged opposite to each other. When the first convex part 1111 and the second convex part 1211 are embedded in each other, the two first inclined surfaces 1113 and the two second inclined surfaces 1213 correspond to each other to form an interference fit; or one of the first inclined surfaces 1113 and one of the second inclined surfaces 1213 form an interference fit, and the other first inclined surface 1113 and the other second inclined surface 1213 are spaced apart from each other.

[0077] In one embodiment, see Figure 3 The first convex portion 1111 is trapezoidal, and the two first inclined surfaces 1113 are connected by a first connecting surface 1114. The first connecting surface 1114 can be a plane or a curved surface that is concave relative to the inner wall surface of the inner tube 110. In addition, in other embodiments, the two first inclined surfaces 1113 can also be connected by a plurality of surfaces that are connected in sequence.

[0078] In one embodiment, see Figure 3 The second convex portion 1211 is trapezoidal, and the two second inclined surfaces 1213 are connected by a second connecting surface 1214. The second connecting surface 1214 can be a plane or a curved surface that is concave relative to the inner wall surface of the outer tube 120. In addition, in other embodiments, the two second inclined surfaces 1213 can also be connected by a plurality of surfaces that are connected in sequence.

[0079] In another embodiment of the present application, the first convex portion 1111 is triangular, and the two first inclined surfaces 1113 are connected to each other at one end away from the inner wall of the inner tube 110. The second convex portion 1211 is triangular, and the two second inclined surfaces 1213 are connected to each other at one end away from the inner wall of the outer tube 120.

[0080] In another embodiment of the present application, the first convex portion 1111 has a first inclined surface 1113 and a first straight surface that are arranged opposite to each other, and the first straight surface is arranged perpendicularly to the inner wall surface of the inner tube 110. The second convex portion 1211 has a second inclined surface 1213 and a second straight surface that are arranged opposite to each other, and the second straight surface is arranged perpendicularly to the inner wall surface of the outer tube 120. When the first convex portion 1111 and the second convex portion 1211 are embedded in each other, the first inclined surface 1113 and the second inclined surface 1213 form an interference fit, and the first straight surface and the second straight surface are arranged at a distance from each other.

[0081] In one embodiment, the inner tube 110 has a first end 112 and a second end 113 disposed oppositely, and the outer tube 120 has a third end 122 and a fourth end 123 disposed oppositely; the adjustable stiffness bending structure 100 further includes a first connector 130 and a second connector 140; the first connector 130 is sealed on the first end 112 and the third end 122; the second connector 140 is sealed on the second end 113 and the fourth end 123. The arrangement of the first connector 130 and the second connector 140 can not only seal and connect the opposite ends of the inner tube 110 to the opposite ends of the outer tube 120, but also realize the connection of the adjustable stiffness bending structure 100 along other structures, for example, the connection with the bending portion 200 is realized through the first connector 130, and the connection with the operating portion 2 is realized through the second connector 3. It can be understood that in other embodiments of the present application, the opposite ends of the inner tube 110 can also be directly sealed and connected with the opposite ends of the outer tube 120, which is not limited here.

[0082] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The first connecting member 130 or the second connecting member 140 is provided with an air inlet 141 and an air outlet 142, the air inlet 141 is used to connect to an external air filling unit, and the air outlet 142 is used to connect to an external air extraction unit, so that the cavity 150 can be inflated or exhausted through the position of the first connecting member 130 or the second connecting member 140, avoiding opening a hole in the outer tube 120. In addition, it is convenient to connect the trachea at the first connecting member 130 and the second connecting member 140, and extend the trachea to the operating part 2 or the connecting part 3 of the endoscope. It can be understood that in other embodiments of the present application, only one vent may be formed on the first connecting member 130 or the second connecting member 140, and the external air source device may exhaust or deflate air into the inner cavity through the vent.

[0083] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 and Fig.11The first connector 130 is generally annular, and a first through hole 134 is formed at the center of the first connector 130. The first through hole 134 is communicated with the inner cavity of the inner tube 110. The first connector 130 is formed with a first slot 131 and a second slot 132 at one end thereof facing the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120. The first slot 131 and the second slot 132 are both annular, and the second slot 132 is arranged outside the first slot 131. The first end 112 of the inner tube 110 is inserted into the first slot 131 by interference, and the third end 122 of the outer tube 120 is inserted into the second slot 132 by interference.

[0084] In one embodiment, see Fig.11 A fifth slot 133 is formed inwardly at one end of the first connecting member 130 away from the inner tube 110 . The inner diameter of the fifth slot 133 is greater than the inner diameter of the first through hole 134 . The fifth slot 133 is used to connect the first connecting member 130 with the curved portion 200 .

[0085] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The air inlet 141 and the air outlet 142 are both formed on the second connecting member 140. The second connecting member 140 is generally annular, and a second through hole 146 is formed at the center of the second connecting member 140, and the second through hole 146 is communicated with the inner cavity of the inner tube 110. A third slot 143 and a fourth slot 144 are formed at one end of the second connecting member 140 facing the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120, and the third slot 143 and the fourth slot 144 are both annular, and the fourth slot 144 is arranged outside the third slot 143, and the second end 113 of the inner tube 110 is inserted into the third slot 143 by interference, and the fourth end 123 of the outer tube 120 is inserted into the fourth slot 144 by interference.

[0086] In one embodiment, see Fig. 9 10, the air inlet 141 and the air outlet 142 are respectively formed between the third slot 143 and the fourth slot 144, and the air inlet 141 and the air outlet 142 are spaced apart. The end of the second connecting member 140 away from the inner tube 110 is concavely formed with a sixth slot 145, the inner diameter of the sixth slot 145 is larger than the inner diameter of the second through hole 146, and the sixth slot 145 is used to achieve the connection between the second connecting member 140 and the operating part 2. Two positioning columns are also formed at the bottom of the sixth slot 145, and the air inlet 141 and the air outlet 142 are respectively penetrated through the two positioning columns, and the two positioning columns are respectively used to form a connection with an external pipe fitting.

[0087] In one embodiment, see Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 7At least one first channel 114 is formed on the inner tube 110, and the opposite ends of the first channel 114 respectively penetrate the opposite ends of the first matching portion 111 along the axial direction; and / or at least one second channel 124 is formed on the outer tube 120, and the opposite ends of the second channel 124 respectively penetrate the opposite ends of the second matching portion 121 along the axial direction. The first channel 114 and / or the second channel 124 are arranged so that the gas entering the cavity 150 from the air inlet 141 can enter each position of the cavity 150 evenly, ensuring that the pressure distribution of the gas on each part of the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120 is even, which is beneficial to the overall stiffness adjustment of the inner tube 110 and the outer tube 120.

[0088] In one embodiment, see Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the first channel 114 penetrates the first matching portion 111 along the axial direction of the inner tube 110, and the second channel 124 penetrates the second matching portion 121 along the axial direction of the outer tube 120. In other embodiments of the present application, the first channel 114 extends in a Z-shape, S-shape, W-shape or other irregular linear shapes; the second channel 124 extends in a Z-shape, S-shape, W-shape or other irregular linear shapes, which are not limited here.

[0089] In one embodiment, see Figure 7 , four first channels 114 are formed on the inner tube 110, and each first channel 114 is sequentially spaced along the circumference of the inner tube 110; four second channels 124 are formed on the outer tube 120, and each second channel 124 is sequentially spaced along the circumference of the outer tube 120; each first channel 114 is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with each second channel 124. It can be understood that in other embodiments of the present application, the number of first channels 114 on the inner tube 110 can also be one, two, three, five or more than five, the number of second channels 124 on the outer tube 120 can also be one, two, three, five or more than five, and each first channel 114 and each second channel 124 can be staggered or partially staggered with each other, which is not limited here.

[0090] Second, see Fig.11The present application also provides an endoscope, including a connecting portion 3, an operating portion 2 and an insertion portion 1, wherein the connecting portion 3 is connected to the operating portion 2; the insertion portion 1 includes a bending portion 200, a front end portion 300 and a bending structure 100 with adjustable stiffness, one end of the inner tube 110 and one end of the outer tube 120 are respectively connected to the bending portion 200, and the other end of the inner tube 110 and the other end of the outer tube 120 are respectively connected to the operating portion 2; a connecting port is provided on the operating portion 2 or the connecting portion 3, and the cavity 150 is connected to the connecting port, and the connecting port is used to connect an external gas source device. In the embodiment of the present application, the flexible portion of the insertion portion 1 in the endoscope is formed by the above-mentioned bending structure 100 with adjustable stiffness, so that the flexible portion not only has sufficient stiffness, but also can ensure that the force of the doctor operating the endoscope can be transmitted to the insertion portion 1, and ensure that the insertion portion 1 can be smoothly inserted into the natural cavity; at the same time, the stiffness of the flexible portion is also made adjustable, so that when the flexible portion is inserted into a complex intestinal tract, it will not touch the intestinal wall, will not make the patient feel uncomfortable, and improve the user experience.

[0091] In one embodiment, see Fig.11 Two connection ports are formed on the operating part 2, namely a first connection port 201 and a second connection port 202. The first connection port 201 and the second connection port 202 are respectively connected to the air inlet 141 and the air outlet 142 through two pipes. The external air source device includes an inflation unit and an exhaust unit. The inflation unit inflates air into the cavity 150 through the first connection port 201, the pipe and the air inlet 141, and the exhaust unit exhausts air into the cavity 150 through the second connection port 202, the pipe and the air outlet 142.

[0092] The inflation unit may be an air pump, and the exhaust unit may be a vacuum pump. In other embodiments, only one connection port is formed on the operating portion 2, and one vent is formed on the second connecting member 140, and the external air source device is a device capable of inflation and deflation.

[0093] In a third aspect, the present application also provides an endoscope system, including an image processing device, a light source device, a display device, and an endoscope. The light source device is used to provide a light source for the endoscope to ensure that the endoscope can obtain images of the lesion site of the human body, the image processing device is connected to the endoscope for communication, the image processing device is used to receive the image information transmitted by the endoscope and process the image information, and the display device is connected to the image processing device for communication, and the display device is used to display the processed image for the doctor to observe and assist the operation.

[0094] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A bending structure (100) with adjustable stiffness, characterized in that: It comprises an inner tube (110) and an outer tube (120) sleeved outside the inner tube (110), A cavity (150) is formed between the inner tube (110) and the outer tube (120); A first matching portion (111) is formed on a side of the inner tube (110) facing the outer tube (120), and a second matching portion (121) is formed on a side of the outer tube (120) facing the inner tube (110); The inner tube (110) and the outer tube (120) are both bendable tubes; When the cavity (150) is inflated or deflated, the inner tube (110) and / or the outer tube (120) can be deformed under the action of air pressure to form different degrees of fit between the first fitting portion (111) and the second fitting portion (121).

2. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner tube (110) produces different degrees of deformation under different air pressures; And / or, the outer tube (120) produces deformation degrees that are not completely the same under the action of different air pressures.

3. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The degree of matching includes the depth of mutual embedding of the first matching portion (111) and the second matching portion (121); And / or, the degree of fit includes a degree of interference compression between the first fitting portion (111) and the second fitting portion (121).

4. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first matching portion (111) comprises a plurality of first convex portions (1111) and a plurality of first concave portions (1112), and each of the first convex portions (1111) and each of the first concave portions (1112) are sequentially spaced apart along the axial direction of the inner tube (110); The second matching portion (121) comprises a plurality of second convex portions (1211) and a plurality of second concave portions (1212), and each of the second convex portions (1211) and each of the second concave portions (1212) are sequentially spaced apart along the axial direction of the outer tube (120); Each of the first protrusions (1111) and each of the second recesses (1212) are arranged in one-to-one correspondence and can form a plug-in fit; Each of the second protrusions (1211) and each of the first recesses (1212) are arranged in one-to-one correspondence and can form a plug-in fit.

5. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the cavity (150) is evacuated to a preset degree, at least one side surface of the first protrusion (1111) along the axial direction of the inner tube (110) is in interference fit with at least one side surface of the second protrusion (1211) along the axial direction of the outer tube (120).

6. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first protrusion (1111) has at least one first inclined surface along the axial direction of the inner tube (110) and the inner wall surface of the inner tube (110) forms an obtuse angle with each other; the second protrusion (1211) has at least one second inclined surface along the axial direction of the outer tube (120) and the inner wall surface of the outer tube (120) forms an obtuse angle with each other.

7. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: At least one of the first matching portion (111) and the second matching portion (121) can be deformed under the action of an external force.

8. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The inner tube (110) has a first end (112) and a second end (113) that are arranged opposite to each other, and the outer tube (120) has a third end (122) and a fourth end (123) that are arranged opposite to each other; the stiffness-adjustable bending structure (100) further comprises a first connecting member (130) and a second connecting member (140); the first connecting member (130) is sealed on the first end (112) and the third end (122); and the second connecting member (140) is sealed on the second end (113) and the fourth end (123).

9. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first connecting member (130) or the second connecting member (140) is provided with an air inlet (141) and an air outlet (142), wherein the air inlet (141) is used to connect to an external inflation unit, and the air outlet (142) is used to connect to an external air extraction unit.

10. The adjustable stiffness bending structure (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that: At least one first channel (114) is also formed on the inner tube (110), and opposite ends of the first channel (114) respectively penetrate opposite ends of the first matching portion (111) along the axial direction; And / or, at least one second channel (124) is further formed on the outer tube (120), and opposite ends of the second channel (124) penetrate opposite ends of the second matching portion (121) along the axial direction.

11. An endoscope, characterized in that: It comprises a connecting portion (3), an operating portion (2) and an inserting portion (1), wherein the inserting portion (1) comprises the stiffness-adjustable bending structure (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. An endoscope system, characterized in that: It comprises an image processing device, a light source device, a display device and the endoscope as claimed in claim 11.

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