Endoscope handle

Abstract

The invention discloses an endoscope handle which comprises a handle shell, a base, a damping ring and a shifting rod. A limiting rod is arranged on the inner wall of the handle shell, and a limiting block is arranged at the upper end of the limiting rod. A through hole is formed in the center of the base, a protruding supporting frame surrounding the through hole is arranged on the base, and a supporting arm capable of conducting elastic deformation in the vertical direction is arranged on the supporting frame. The damping ring is provided with a connecting base, the damping ring is placed on the supporting frame to be assembled into a damping assembly, the limiting block abuts against the damping ring, and the lower end of the connecting base abuts against the supporting arm. The shifting rod is arranged on the side face of the base, and the tail end of the shifting rod extends out of the handle shell. The supporting arm can deform downwards to adapt to the pressure applied to the damping ring by the handle installation structure, the damping ring and the base can be conveniently installed on the limiting rod, it can be guaranteed that the contact area of the limiting block and the damping ring is stable, and therefore the consistency of handle operation is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] An endoscope is a commonly used instrument in clinical medical diagnosis and treatment. It is an instrument that enters the body through natural channels to perform inspections or treatments. An endoscope consists of an insertion portion that enters the body and an external operating portion that is manipulated. The operating portion controls the bending of the insertion portion, enabling the endoscope to examine different directions and areas within human tissue.

[0003] The operating unit typically includes a handle and a control structure within the handle. The control structure includes a rotating wheel and a traction wire connected to the rotating wheel. When operating the endoscope, the rotating wheel moves, which drives the traction wire, which in turn drives the bending tube at the front end of the insertion portion to move, achieving the bending movement of the insertion portion. Existing endoscope control structures typically require multiple fasteners and damping components to achieve the hovering function of the rotating wheel. The control structure has many parts and a complex structure. The more parts, the greater the assembly error, resulting in low assembly efficiency of the endoscope handle. It is also easy for the control component to become too large, affecting the feel of endoscope operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems of the prior art, the present invention provides an endoscope handle that is easy to produce and install, reduces assembly errors, and improves the operating feel.

[0005] An endoscope handle is provided, comprising a handle housing, a base, a damping ring, and a shift lever. A limit rod is provided on the inner wall of the handle housing, and a limit block is provided on the upper end of the limit rod. A through hole is provided at the center of the base, and a raised support frame surrounding the through hole is provided on the base, and a support arm that can elastically deform in the vertical direction is provided on the support frame. The damping ring is provided with a connecting seat, and the damping ring is placed on the support frame to be assembled into a damping assembly, the limit block presses against the damping ring, and the connecting seat presses against the support arm. The shift lever is provided on the side of the base, and the end of the shift lever extends out of the handle housing.

[0006] The aforementioned endoscope handle has at least the following beneficial effects: the damping assembly is sleeved onto the limit rod, the limit block presses against the damping assembly to limit the position of the damping assembly, and the friction between the limit block and the damping ring forms the damping for endoscope operation. When the damping ring is assembled with the support frame, the damping ring is mounted on the support frame, and the connecting seat is placed on the support arm. The support arm can deform downward to adapt the handle housing to apply pressure to the damping ring, facilitating the installation of the damping ring and base onto the limit rod. It also ensures that the contact area and stable pressure of the limit block and the damping ring are approximately the same, thereby ensuring consistency in handle operation.

[0007] In some embodiments of the aforementioned endoscope handle, the base is a hard member and the damping ring is a flexible member. The base's hard material ensures structural stability and provides stable support for the damping ring, while the damping ring's flexible material not only provides damping but also allows the damping ring to deform when installed within the endoscope handle, facilitating installation of the base and damping ring.

[0008] As a further improvement to the above solution, the damping ring and the base are an integrated injection-molded rubber-coated structure. Integrating the damping ring and the base can reduce the number of assembly steps and improve production and installation efficiency.

[0009] In some embodiments of the above-mentioned endoscope handle, the support arm is a cantilever extending outward from the support frame. The cantilever structure enables the support arm to have a certain deformation ability. This structure does not add parts and is convenient for production and installation, making the lever damping structure simpler and easier to assemble.

[0010] As a further improvement to the above solution, the support frame is formed by a plurality of support seats, the support arms are located at the ends of the support seats, the two opposing support arms of two adjacent support seats are spaced apart, and the gap between the two support arms forms a support groove, and the connecting seat is disposed within the support groove. The damping ring is placed on the support seat for assembly, and the support groove of the support seat limits and mounts the connecting seat. The support arms located at the ends can increase stability, and the support groove can limit the connecting seat in the left and right directions, preventing displacement of the damping ring and improving the connection strength between the damping ring and the base.

[0011] In some embodiments of the aforementioned endoscope handle, the upper surface of the damping ring is provided with raised, strip-shaped damping ribs. The strip-shaped damping ribs contact the mounting structure of the handle, reducing the contact area between the damping ring and the handle, converting surface contact into line contact, and reducing the friction between the base and the damping ring during rotation, thereby ensuring appropriate resistance during the movement of the lever and facilitating easy operation.

[0012] In some embodiments of the aforementioned endoscope handle, a raised mounting plate is provided on the lower surface of the base, and a plurality of raised points are provided on the bottom of the mounting plate. The mounting plate reduces the contact area between the base and the handle housing, and the raised points further reduce the contact area between the mounting plate and the handle housing, converting line contact to point contact. This reduces friction between the base and the handle housing during rotation, ensuring moderate resistance during movement of the lever.

[0013] In some embodiments of the aforementioned endoscope handle, a guide groove is provided on the base, and the damping ring is further provided with a downwardly extending guide bar, which is snapped into the guide groove for assembly. The guide bar is inserted into the guide groove for installation and position limiting. When the base and damping ring rotate, the guide bar provides horizontal position limiting for the damping ring, preventing displacement between the base and the damping ring, and ensuring that the base and the damping ring can move simultaneously and in the same direction.

[0014] In some embodiments of the aforementioned endoscope handle, the limit rod comprises at least two separate columns that enclose the limit rod, and the limit block is disposed on the outside of each column, such that the limit block faces the limit rod. The limit rod is formed by separate columns, the upper ends of which are movable. The upper end of the limit rod is reduced in size to facilitate the passage of the base and damping ring. After passing through, the columns return to their original position, and the limit block on the limit rod secures the base and damping ring. This makes installation of the damping assembly more convenient and quick, improving assembly efficiency.

[0015] The base is equipped with two raised stoppers, symmetrically arranged along the center of the base. Wire grooves are provided on opposite sides of the stoppers along the tangent line of the base. The stoppers are used to secure the traction wire, which passes through the wire grooves and extends toward the curved tube. The stoppers facilitate the securing and installation of the traction wire, improving the assembly efficiency of the endoscope handle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following is a brief description of the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Those skilled in the art can also derive other design solutions and drawings based on these drawings without inventive effort: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 ; Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a base in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a damping ring according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0018] It should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0019] Reference Figures 1 to 6 The embodiment of the invention discloses an endoscope handle including a handle housing 40, a base 10, a damping ring 20 and a shift lever 30. A limit rod 410 is provided on the inner wall of the handle housing 40, and a limit block 420 is provided on the upper end of the limit rod 410. A through hole 150 is provided at the center of the base 10, and a raised support frame 110 surrounding the through hole 150 is provided on the upper surface of the base 10. A support arm 111 that can be elastically deformed in the vertical direction is provided on the support frame 110. The damping ring 20 is provided with a connecting seat 210. The damping ring 20 is placed on the support frame 110 to be assembled into a damping assembly. The connecting seat 210 presses against the support arm 111, and the limit block 420 presses against the damping ring 20.

[0020] The base 10 is provided with a baffle 140, which surrounds the edge of the base 10. The lever 30 is fixed to the outer side of the baffle 140, and the distal end of the lever 30 extends outside the handle housing 40. The baffle 140 increases the connection area between the lever 30 and the base 10, enhancing the connection strength between the lever 30 and the base 10, making the lever 30 more labor-efficient in moving the base 10. The baffle 140 also serves as a shield and protection, obscuring the hole through which the lever 30 extends from the handle housing 40, thereby optimizing the layout and structure of the handle housing 40.

[0021] In order to enable the control lever 30 to drive the endoscope bending tube to move, a mounting structure for an endoscope pull wire is also provided on the base 10. One end of the pull wire is fixed to the base 10, and the other end of the pull wire extends and is fixed to the bending tube. Turning the control lever 30 drives the base 10 to rotate, thereby driving the pull wire to move, achieving bending of the endoscope end bending tube.

[0022] Refer to the attached Figure 5 In the embodiment, two limit seats 160 are provided on the lower surface of the base 10. The two limit seats 160 are symmetrical to each other and are provided with wire grooves 161. The wire grooves 161 are located on opposite sides of the limit seats 160 along the tangent direction of the base 10. The traction wire can be fixed in the limit seats 160 by various means such as dispensing glue, welding, and fasteners. The traction wire passes through the wire grooves 161 and then extends toward the bending tube. The limit seats 160 facilitate the fixation and installation of the traction wire and improve the assembly efficiency of the endoscope handle.

[0023] The control damping of the endoscope is mainly provided by the damping assembly, which includes a damping ring 20 mounted on a limit rod 410. The limit block 420 presses against the damping ring 20 to limit the position of the damping ring 20. The friction between the limit block 420 and the damping ring 20 forms the damping of the endoscope operation. After the damping ring 20 and the base 10 pass through the limit rod 410 together, the support arm 111 can deform to facilitate the limit block 420 to press against the damping ring 20. The elastic deformation of the support arm 111 ensures that the contact area between the limit block 420 and the damping ring 20 is stable and the pressure is roughly the same. The friction between the damping ring 20 and the limit block 420 is stable, thereby ensuring the consistency of the handle operation.

[0024] The upper end of the limiting rod 410 is provided with two separated columns 411, which enclose the upper half of the limiting rod 410. The limiting blocks 420 are provided on the outside of each column 411 so that the limiting blocks 420 face the outer periphery of the limiting rod 410. The upper ends of the separated columns 411 are movable. When the base 10 and the damping ring 20 pass through the limiting rod 410, the columns 411 approach each other so that the size of the upper end of the limiting rod 410 becomes smaller, making it easier for the base 10 and the damping ring 20 to pass through. After the base 10 and the damping ring 20 are installed in place, the columns 411 separate from each other and return to their original positions. The limiting blocks 420 on the limiting rod 410 press against the damping ring 20 to limit the base and the damping ring 20. The movable mechanism at the upper end of the limiting rod 410 makes the installation of the damping assembly more convenient and quick, thereby improving assembly efficiency.

[0025] The damping ring 20 is placed on the support frame 110 for assembly. The support arm 111 provides an upward support force to the connecting seat 210 of the damping ring 20. When the damping ring 20 and the base are installed in the handle, the limit block 420 on the limit rod 410 is located above the support arm 111. The limit block 420 applies downward pressure to the damping ring 20 and the base 10. At this time, the deformable support arm 111 can adaptively deform downward, automatically adjusting the interference fit between the damping ring 20 and the limit block 420, and adjusting the contact area between the two. Such an adaptive assembly structure not only facilitates the installation of the damping ring 20, the base 10 and the handle, but also ensures the consistency of the gap and pressure between the damping ring 20 and the handle housing 40 for damping rings 20 with different production precision, thereby ensuring the consistency of the operating feel of the lever 30.

[0026] During operation, the lever 30 is moved, causing the base 10 and the damping ring 20 to rotate in the same direction. During rotation, friction between the base 10 and the damping ring 20 and the handle creates damping. This frictional resistance affects the operating feel of the lever 30. In this embodiment, the damping ring 20 and the elastic support arm 111 deform and compress to prevent overtightening, ensuring a smooth rotation. Simultaneously, the damping ring 20 maintains contact with the stop block 420. The resistance between the two stabilizes the base 10 when it stops rotating, keeping the bending tube at its front end at a constant angle. This allows for infinite damping adjustment, while the lever 30 provides hovering control to maintain a fixed angle for the bending tube.

[0027] The base 10 is a hard component and can be made of a hard material such as plastic, metal, or composite materials. A hard base 10 is harder and more durable, providing stable support for the damping ring 20 and ensuring stable transmission of the power from the lever 30. The damping ring 20 is a flexible component and can be made of a variety of flexible materials such as plastic and porous materials. Its elastic deformation properties facilitate installation of the base 10 and the damping ring 20. Flexible materials have high friction, reducing the contact area while still ensuring damping, enabling the base 10 to hover.

[0028] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the damping ring 20 and the base 10 are an integrated injection-molded rubber-coated structure. The soft damping ring 20 is molded on the hard base 10 in one step by a two-color injection molding machine during production, or the soft damping ring 20 is covered on the hard base 10 by a rubber-coated injection molding machine through secondary injection molding. The processed base 10 and the damping ring 20 are an integrated damping component. During the injection molding and rubber-coating process, the support arm 111 of the base 10 provides a limit for the damping ring 20. After production is completed, the integrated damping component formed by the damping ring 20 and the base 10 is installed in the handle housing 40. The integrated structure formed by the damping ring 20 and the base 10 can reduce the assembly of the base 10 and the damping ring 20, and also reduce the assembly process between the base 10, the damping ring 20 and the handle housing 40, thereby improving the production and installation efficiency of the handle. Moreover, the one-piece molding reduces the assembly gap, the connection between the damping ring 20 and the base 10 is more firmly, and the movement of the two is more synchronized and integrated. Both the rotational force of the base 10 and the friction force of the damping ring 20 will reduce the transmission loss, which can make the control operation more labor-saving.

[0029] The support arm 111 is a cantilever extending outward from the support frame 110. This cantilever structure allows for movable end movement, allowing the support arm 111 to deform vertically to a certain degree. This cantilever structure eliminates the need to change the material of the support arm 111 or add additional connecting components or structures. This allows the support arm 111 to be integrally formed with the base 10, facilitating production and installation of the base 10 and making the lever damping structure simpler and easier to assemble.

[0030] According to the structure of the support frame 110, the support arm 111 can be arranged on the outer wall of the support frame 110, or on the inner wall of the support frame 110. In the embodiment of the accompanying drawings, a limit rod 410 is erected on the handle housing 40, and the base 10 is annular. The base 10 and the damping ring 20 are inserted into the limit rod 410 for fixation. The support frame 110 of the base 10 is also an annular structure. The support frame 110 includes two arc-shaped support seats 112. The two support seats 112 have the same curvature and are evenly spaced. The two support seats 112 are surrounded by each other to form an annular support frame 110. In other embodiments, the support seats 112 can be set to different numbers such as 3 or 4. The support seats 112 are all spaced apart, and there is a gap between the support seats 112. The support frame 110 is also provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs connected to the base 10. The reinforcing ribs are located on the periphery of the support frame 110. The reinforcing ribs increase the strength of the support frame 110 and provide inward support to the support frame 110 when the base 10 passes through the limiting rod 410 to prevent the support frame 110 from deformation.

[0031] Each support seat 112 is provided with a support arm 111 at both ends, and the support arm 111 extends outward from the support seat 112 body to form a suspended structure. The support arm 111 includes a connecting section 1111 connected to the support seat 112 and a suspended elastic section 1112. The elastic section 1112 is separated from the two support arms 111 at the end of the support seat 112 adjacent to the support frame 110, and the gap between the two support arms 111 spaced apart from each other constitutes a support groove 113.

[0032] The connecting seat 210 includes a first connecting seat part 211 on the outside of the damping ring 20, and a second connecting seat part 212 at the bottom of the damping ring 20 connected to the first connecting seat part. The connecting seat 210 is provided with two. When the damping ring 20 is placed on the support frame 110, the first connecting seat part 211 is located on the connecting section 1111 and the elastic section 1112 of the support arm 111, and the second connecting seat part 212 at the bottom of the damping ring 20 can be detachably inserted into the support groove 113.

[0033] The support arms 111 provide vertical support for the damping ring 20, while the support grooves 113 provide horizontal positioning for the connecting base 210 of the damping ring 20. When the base 10 rotates, the support grooves 113 circumferentially constrain the damping ring 20. The support grooves 113 of the base 10 clamp the connecting base 210, driving the damping ring 20 to rotate. The support grooves 113 provide left and right positioning for the connecting base 210. Whether the base 10 and damping ring 20 are separate structures or an integral injection-molded structure, the support grooves 113 provide positioning for the damping ring 20 and increase the contact surface between the base 10 and the damping ring 20, thereby improving the connection strength between the base 10 and the damping ring 20.

[0034] To enhance the connection strength between the base 10 and the damping ring 20, a vertical guide groove 130 is provided on the base 10. The damping ring 20 is also provided with a downwardly extending guide bar 230, which is snapped into the guide groove 130 for assembly. The guide bar 230 is inserted into the guide groove 130 for installation and position limiting. When the base 10 and the damping ring 20 rotate, the guide bar 230 provides horizontal position limiting for the damping ring 20, preventing displacement between the base 10 and the damping ring 20 and ensuring that the base 10 and the damping ring 20 can move simultaneously and in the same direction.

[0035] The upper surface of the damping ring 20 is provided with a raised, strip-shaped damping rib 220 that surrounds the upper surface of the damping ring 20. The damping rib 220 has an arcuate cross-section and contacts the handle's stopper 420, with the bottom surface of the stopper 420 pressing against the top surface of the damping rib 220. The damping rib 220 reduces the contact area between the damping ring 20 and the handle, converting surface contact into line contact, and lowering the friction between the damping ring 20 and the base 10 during rotation, thereby ensuring appropriate resistance during movement of the lever 30 and ease of operation. The cross-section of the damping rib 220 can also be configured in various shapes, such as square or triangular, as needed to reduce the contact area.

[0036] In addition, the lower surface of the base 10 that contacts the handle housing 40 is provided with a plurality of raised bumps 121. The bumps 121 are spherical and reduce the contact area between the base 10 and the handle housing 40, changing the surface contact to point contact. This reduces the friction between the base 10 and the handle housing 40 during rotation, avoids excessive resistance during the movement of the lever, ensures smooth rotation, and further improves the operational feel of the lever 30 during movement.

[0037] The above is a specific description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, technical personnel familiar with the field can also make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without violating the spirit of the present invention. Other embodiments that can be obtained all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An endoscope handle, characterized in that: include: A handle housing (40), wherein a limit rod (410) is provided on the inner wall of the handle housing (40), and a limit block (420) is provided on the upper end of the limit rod (410); A base (10), wherein a through hole (150) is provided at the center of the base (10), a raised support frame (110) surrounding the through hole (150) is provided on the base (10), and a support arm (111) capable of elastic deformation in a vertical direction is provided on the support frame (110); A damping ring (20), wherein the damping ring (20) is provided with a connecting seat (210), the damping ring (20) is placed on the support frame (110) to be assembled into a damping assembly, the limit block (420) is pressed against the damping ring (20), and the connecting seat (210) is pressed against the support arm (111); A shift rod (30) is provided on a side surface of the base (10), and a distal end of the shift rod (30) extends outside the handle housing (40).

2. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base (10) is a hard part, and the damping ring (20) is a flexible part.

3. The endoscope handle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The damping ring (20) and the base (10) are an integrated injection-molded rubber-coated structure.

4. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support arm (111) is a cantilever extending outward from the support frame (110).

5. The endoscope handle according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support frame (110) is formed by a plurality of support seats (112), the support arms (111) are located at the ends of the support seats (112), the two support arms (111) opposite to each other of two adjacent support seats (112) are spaced apart from each other, and the gap between the two support arms (111) forms a support groove (113), and the connecting seat (210) is arranged in the support groove (113).

6. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the damping ring (20) is provided with raised strip-shaped damping ribs (220).

7. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A raised mounting piece (120) is provided on the lower surface of the base (10), and a plurality of raised points (121) are provided on the bottom of the mounting piece (120).

8. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A guide groove (130) is provided on the base (10), and the damping ring (20) is further provided with a guide bar (230) extending downward, and the guide bar (230) is snapped into the guide groove (130) for assembly.

9. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting rod (410) comprises at least two mutually separated columns (411), and the limiting block (420) is arranged on the outside of each column (411), such that the limiting block (420) faces the outer periphery of the limiting rod (410).

10. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two limiting seats (160) are provided on the base (10), the two limiting seats (160) are symmetrical along the center of the base (10), and wire grooves (161) are provided on both sides of the limiting seats (160).

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