An endoscope handle

Abstract

This invention discloses an endoscope handle, comprising a handle housing, a base, a damping ring, and a lever. A limiting rod is provided on the inner wall of the handle housing, and a limiting block is provided at the upper end of the limiting 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. A support arm capable of elastic deformation 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 assemble a damping assembly. The limiting block presses against the damping ring, and the lower end of the connecting seat presses against the support arm. The lever is located on the side of the base, and the end of the lever extends out of the handle housing. The support arm can deform downwards to adapt to the pressure applied to the damping ring by the handle mounting structure, facilitating the insertion of the damping ring and base onto the limiting rod, and ensuring a stable contact area between the limiting block and the damping ring, thereby ensuring consistent handle operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical devices, and more particularly to an endoscope handle. Background Technology

[0002] An endoscope is a commonly used instrument in clinical medical diagnosis and treatment. It is an instrument that enters the body through natural passages to perform examinations or treatments. An endoscope consists of an insertion part that goes into the body and an operating part that is operated from outside the body. By manipulating the operating part, the bending motion of the insertion part can be controlled, enabling the endoscope to examine different directions and areas within the body tissues.

[0003] The operating unit typically includes a handle and a control structure located within the handle. The control structure includes a rotating wheel and a traction cable connected to the wheel. When operating the endoscope, moving the wheel moves the traction cable, which in turn moves the curved tube at the front end of the insertion section, thus achieving the bending motion of the insertion section. Existing endoscope control structures usually require multiple fasteners and damping components to achieve the wheel's hovering function. The control structure has many parts and a complex structure; the more parts there are, the greater the assembly error, resulting in low endoscope handle assembly efficiency and a tendency for control components to be too large, affecting the feel of endoscope operation. Summary of the Invention

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

[0005] An endoscope handle is provided, including a handle housing, a base, a damping ring, and a lever. A limit rod is provided on the inner wall of the handle housing, and a limit block is provided at 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. A support arm capable of elastic deformation 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 assemble a damping assembly. The limit block abuts against the damping ring, and the connecting seat abuts against the support arm. The lever is located on the side of the base, and the end of the lever extends out of the handle housing.

[0006] The aforementioned endoscope handle has at least the following beneficial effects: the damping component is fitted onto the limiting rod, and the limiting block presses against the damping component to limit its movement. The friction between the limiting block and the damping ring generates damping for endoscope operation. When assembling the damping ring 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 downwards to adapt to the pressure applied to the damping ring by the handle housing, facilitating the installation of the damping ring and the base onto the limiting rod. It also ensures that the contact area between the limiting block and the damping ring is stable and the pressure is approximately the same, thereby ensuring consistent handle operation.

[0007] In some embodiments of the endoscope handle described above, the base is a rigid component, and the damping ring is a flexible component. The rigid material of the base ensures structural stability and provides stable support for the damping ring. The flexible material of the damping ring not only provides damping, but also allows the damping ring to deform when installed inside the endoscope handle, facilitating the installation of the base and the damping ring.

[0008] As a further improvement to the above solution, the damping ring and the base are integrally injection-molded structures. Molding the damping ring and base as a single unit reduces the assembly process and improves production and installation efficiency.

[0009] In some embodiments of the endoscope handle described above, the support arm is a cantilever extending outward from the support frame. The cantilever structure gives the support arm a certain deformation capability. This structure does not add any 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 several support seats, and the support arms are located at the ends of the support seats. The two support arms of two adjacent support seats are spaced apart, and the gap between the two support arms forms a support groove. The connecting seat is disposed within the support groove. The damping ring is placed on the support seat for assembly. The support groove of the support seat limits and installs the connecting seat. The support arms located at the ends increase stability, and the support groove limits the connecting seat in the lateral direction, preventing displacement of the damping ring and improving the connection strength between the damping ring and the base.

[0011] In some embodiments of the endoscope handle described above, the upper surface of the damping ring is provided with raised strip-shaped damping ribs. These strip-shaped damping ribs contact the handle's mounting structure, reducing the contact area between the damping ring and the handle, changing surface contact to line contact, and lowering the friction between the base and the damping ring during rotation. This ensures appropriate resistance during lever movement and facilitates operation.

[0012] In some embodiments of the endoscope handle described above, a raised mounting plate is provided on the lower surface of the base, and the bottom of the mounting plate is provided with several protrusions. The mounting plate can reduce the contact area between the base and the handle housing, and the protrusions further reduce the contact area between the mounting plate and the handle housing, changing the line contact to point contact, reducing the friction between the base and the handle housing when rotating, and ensuring that the resistance is moderate when the lever moves.

[0013] In some embodiments of the endoscope handle described above, a guide groove is provided on the base, and the damping ring is further provided with a downwardly extending guide strip, which is assembled by engaging the guide groove. The guide strip is inserted into the guide groove for installation and positioning, providing a horizontal limit to the damping ring when the base and damping ring rotate, preventing displacement between the base and the damping ring, and ensuring that the base and the damping ring can move simultaneously in the same direction.

[0014] In some embodiments of the aforementioned endoscope handle, the limiting rod includes at least two mutually spaced columns that enclose the limiting rod. A limiting block is disposed on the outer side of each column, such that the limiting block faces the periphery of the limiting rod. The limiting rod is formed by separate columns, the upper ends of which are movable. The size of the upper end of the limiting rod decreases to facilitate the passage of the base and damping ring. After passage, the columns return to their original positions, and the limiting block on the limiting rod secures the base and damping ring. This makes the installation of the damping assembly more convenient and quick, improving assembly efficiency.

[0015] The base has two protruding limiting seats, which are symmetrically arranged around the center of the base. The limiting seats have grooves on opposite sides along the tangent of the base. The limiting seats are used to fix the traction cable, which passes through the grooves and extends towards the curved tube. The limiting seats facilitate the fixing and installation of the traction cable, improving the assembly efficiency of the endoscope handle. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly explained below. Obviously, the described drawings are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Those skilled in the art can obtain other design schemes and drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0020] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the base structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the damping ring according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the 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.

[0024] It should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] Reference Figures 1 to 6 An embodiment discloses an endoscope handle comprising a handle housing 40, a base 10, a damping ring 20, and a lever 30. A limiting rod 410 is provided on the inner wall of the handle housing 40, and a limiting block 420 is provided at the upper end of the limiting 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 capable of elastic deformation 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 and assembled into a damping assembly. The connecting seat 210 presses against the support arm 111, and the limiting block 420 presses against the damping ring 20.

[0026] A baffle 140 is provided on the base 10, and the baffle 140 is arranged around the edge of the base 10. The lever 30 is fixed to the outer side of the baffle 140, and the end of the lever 30 extends out of the handle housing 40. The baffle 140 increases the connection area between the lever 30 and the base 10, and increases the connection strength between the lever 30 and the base 10, making it easier for the lever 30 to move the base 10. In addition, the baffle 140 also plays a role in shielding and protecting the lever 30 from the hole extending from the handle housing 40, thus optimizing the layout and structure of the handle housing 40.

[0027] In addition, to enable the control lever 30 to move the endoscope's curved tube, an endoscope traction cable mounting structure is provided on the base 10. One end of the traction cable is fixed to the base 10, and the other end extends and is fixed to the curved tube. Moving the lever 30 causes the base 10 to rotate, thereby moving the traction cable and realizing the bending movement of the endoscope's curved tube.

[0028] See attached document Figure 5 In this design, the lower surface of the base 10 is provided with two limiting seats 160, which are symmetrical to each other. Each limiting seat 160 is provided with a wire groove 161, which is located on opposite sides of the limiting seat 160 along the tangential direction of the base 10. The traction wire can be fixed in the limiting seat 160 by different methods such as glue application, welding, or fasteners. The traction wire passes through the wire groove 161 and extends towards the bending tube. The limiting seat 160 facilitates the fixing and installation of the traction wire and improves the assembly efficiency of the endoscope handle.

[0029] The control damping of the endoscope is mainly provided by a damping assembly, which includes a damping ring 20 fitted onto a limiting rod 410. A limiting block 420 presses against the damping ring 20 to limit its movement. The friction between the limiting block 420 and the damping ring 20 forms the damping for endoscope operation. After the damping ring 20 and the base 10 pass through the limiting rod 410 together, the support arm 111 can deform to facilitate the limiting block 420 pressing against the damping ring 20. The elastic deformation of the support arm 111 ensures that the contact area between the limiting block 420 and the damping ring 20 is stable and the pressure is approximately the same, thus ensuring the stability of the friction between the damping ring 20 and the limiting block 420 and guaranteeing consistent handle operation.

[0030] The upper end of the limiting rod 410 is provided with two mutually separated columns 411, which together form the upper half of the limiting rod 410. A limiting block 420 is disposed on the outer side of each column 411, facing the outer periphery of the limiting rod 410. The upper ends of the separated columns 411 are movable. When the base 10 and damping ring 20 pass through the limiting rod 410, the columns 411 move closer together, reducing the size of the upper end of the limiting rod 410, facilitating the passage of the base 10 and damping ring 20. After the base 10 and damping ring 20 are installed in place, the columns 411 separate and return to their original positions. The limiting block 420 on the limiting rod 410 presses against the damping ring 20, limiting the position of the base and 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, improving assembly efficiency.

[0031] The damping ring 20 is assembled on the support frame 110. The support arm 111 provides upward support to the connecting seat 210 of the damping ring 20. After the damping ring 20 and the base are installed on the handle, the limiting block 420 on the limiting rod 410 is located above the support arm 111. The limiting 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 limiting block 420, and adjusting the contact area between them. This adaptive assembly structure not only facilitates the installation of the damping ring 20 and the base 10 with 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.

[0032] During operation, the lever 30 is moved, causing the base 10 and damping ring 20 to rotate in the same direction. During this rotation, the base 10 and damping ring 20 rub against the handle, generating damping resistance. This frictional resistance affects the feel of the lever 30. In this embodiment, the damping ring 20 and the elastic support arm 111 can deform and compress to prevent excessive tightness, ensuring smooth rotation. Simultaneously, the damping ring 20 and the limiting block 420 remain in contact, and the resistance between them stops the base 10 from rotating, keeping it stationary and maintaining the bending tube at the front end at a constant angle. This achieves stepless damping adjustment, and the lever 30 provides the function of hovering and controlling the angle of the bending tube.

[0033] The base 10 is a rigid component, which can be made of rigid materials such as plastic, metal, or composite materials. The rigid base 10 has high hardness and is more robust, providing stable support for the damping ring 20 and enabling stable transmission of the power from the lever 30. The damping ring 20 is a flexible component, which can be made of different flexible materials such as plastic or porous materials. The damping ring 20 has elastic deformation characteristics, facilitating the installation of the base 10 and the damping ring 20. The high friction of flexible materials reduces the contact area while still ensuring that the damping allows the base 10 to remain suspended.

[0034] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the damping ring 20 and the base 10 are integrally injection-molded and coated. The soft damping ring 20 is formed onto the rigid base 10 in one step using a two-color injection molding machine, or it is coated onto the rigid base 10 in a second injection molding process using a coating injection molding machine. The resulting base 10 and damping ring 20 form an integral damping component. During the injection molding and coating process, the support arm 111 of the base 10 provides a limit for the damping ring 20. After production, the integral damping component formed by the damping ring 20 and the base 10 is installed into the handle housing 40. This integral structure of the damping ring 20 and the base 10 reduces the assembly of the base 10 and the damping ring 20, and also reduces the assembly steps between the base 10, the damping ring 20, and the handle housing 40, thus improving the production and installation efficiency of the handle. Moreover, the one-piece molding reduces the assembly gap, the damping ring 20 and the base 10 are more firmly connected, and their movements are more synchronized and integrated. Both the rotational force of the base 10 and the frictional force of the damping ring 20 will reduce transmission loss, making the control operation more effortless.

[0035] The support arm 111 is a cantilever extending outward from the support frame 110. The cantilever structure allows one end of the support arm 111 to be movable, and the support arm 111 has a certain deformation capacity in the vertical direction. The cantilever structure does not require changing the material of the support arm 111, nor does it add any additional connecting parts or structures, achieving integral molding of the support arm 111 and the base 10. This facilitates the production and installation of the base 10, making the lever damping structure simpler and easier to assemble.

[0036] According to the structure of the support frame 110, the support arm 111 can be set on the outer wall of the support frame 110 or on the inner wall of the support frame 110. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a limit rod 410 is erected on the handle housing 40, the base 10 is annular, and 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 annular, and the support frame 110 includes two arc-shaped support seats 112. The two support seats 112 have the same curvature and are evenly spaced, and the two support seats 112 surround each other to form an annular support frame 110. In other embodiments, the support seats 112 can be set to a different number, such as 3 or 4, and the support seats 112 are spaced apart, with gaps between the support seats 112. The support frame 110 is also provided with several reinforcing ribs connected to the base 10. The reinforcing ribs are located on the outer 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, so as to prevent the support frame 110 from deforming.

[0037] Each support base 112 has a support arm 111 at both ends. The support arm 111 extends outward from the support base 112 body in a suspended structure. The support arm 111 includes a connecting section 1111 connected to the support base 112 and a suspended elastic section 1112. At the end of the elastic section 1112 adjacent to the support base 112 of the support frame 110, the two support arms 111 are separated from each other, and the gap between the two spaced-apart support arms 111 forms a support groove 113.

[0038] The connecting seat 210 includes a first part 211 on the outer side of the damping ring 20 and a second part 212 on the bottom of the damping ring 20 connected to the first part of the connecting seat. There are two connecting seats 210. When the damping ring 20 is placed on the support frame 110, the first part 211 of the connecting seat is located on the connecting section 1111 and the elastic section 1112 of the support arm 111, and the second part 212 of the connecting seat at the bottom of the damping ring 20 is detachably inserted into the support groove 113.

[0039] The support arm 111 provides vertical support to the damping ring 20, while the support groove 113 provides horizontal limitation to the connecting seat 210 of the damping ring 20. When the base 10 rotates, the support groove 113 allows the damping ring 20 to be circumferentially limited. The support groove 113 of the base 10 clamps the connecting seat 210, causing the damping ring 20 to rotate. The support groove 113 limits the connecting seat 210 to the left and right. Regardless of whether the base 10 and the damping ring 20 are separate structures or injection-molded integral structures, the support groove 113 can 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.

[0040] To improve the connection strength between the base 10 and the damping ring 20, a vertical guide groove 130 is provided on the base 10, and the damping ring 20 is also provided with a downwardly extending guide strip 230, which is assembled by engaging with the guide groove 130. The guide strip 230 is inserted into the guide groove 130 for installation and positioning, providing a horizontal limit for the damping ring 20 when the base 10 and the damping ring 20 rotate, 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.

[0041] The upper surface of the damping ring 20 is provided with raised strip-shaped damping ribs 220, which surround the upper surface of the damping ring 20. The cross-section of the damping ribs 220 is arc-shaped. The strip-shaped damping ribs 220 contact the limiting block 420 of the handle, and the bottom surface of the limiting block 420 presses against the top surface of the damping ribs 220. The damping ribs 220 reduce the contact area between the damping ring 20 and the handle, changing the surface contact to a line contact, reducing the frictional force of the rotation of the damping ring 20 and the base 10, thereby ensuring that the resistance of the lever 30 is appropriate and easy to operate. Depending on the requirements, the cross-section of the damping ribs 220 can also be set to different shapes such as square or triangular, to reduce the contact area.

[0042] In addition, a plurality of raised dots 121 are provided on the lower surface of the base 10 that contacts the handle housing 40. The raised dots 121 are spherical, and the raised dots 121 reduce the contact area between the base 10 and the handle housing 40, changing the surface contact to point contact, reducing the friction between the base 10 and the handle housing 40 when rotating, avoiding excessive resistance when the lever moves, ensuring smooth rotation, and further improving the operating feel of the lever 30 when moving.

[0043] The above is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Other embodiments that can be obtained are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An endoscope handle, characterized in that: include: A handle housing (40) is provided with a limit rod (410) on the inner wall of the handle housing (40), and a limit block (420) is provided at the upper end of the limit rod (410). A base (10) has a through hole (150) at its center. A support frame (110) with a protrusion around the through hole (150) is provided on the base (10). A support arm (111) that can elastically deform in the vertical direction is provided on the support frame (110). The support frame (110) is formed by a number of support seats (112). The support arm (111) is located at the end of the support seat (112). The support arm (111) is a cantilever that extends outward. Damping ring (20), the damping ring (20) is provided with a connecting seat (210), the damping ring (20) is placed on the support frame (110) and assembled into a damping assembly, the limiting block (420) presses against the damping ring (20), and the connecting seat (210) presses against the support arm (111); A lever (30) is disposed on the side of the base (10), and the end of the lever (30) extends out of the handle housing (40).

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

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

4. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two adjacent support seats (112) have two opposing support arms (111) spaced apart from each other, and the gap between the two support arms (111) forms a support groove (113). The connecting seat (210) is disposed in the support groove (113).

5. 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).

6. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower surface of the base (10) is provided with a raised mounting plate (120), and the bottom of the mounting plate (120) is provided with several protrusions (121).

7. The endoscope handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base (10) is provided with a guide groove (130), and the damping ring (20) is also provided with a downwardly extending guide strip (230), which is assembled by being inserted into the guide groove (130).

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

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

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