Endoscopic operating device and endoscope

Abstract

This invention discloses an endoscope operating device and an endoscope. The operating device includes: a housing having a gripping area for hand gripping and an operating area adjacent to one end of the gripping area; a bending function knob assembly capable of rotating about a rotation axis to bend a bending portion located in an insertion portion; a plurality of function button assemblies connected to the housing and located in the operating area; a support portion protruding from the first surface of the gripping area of ​​the housing, supporting the user's left thumb and index finger when gripping the gripping area, the support portion being closer to the front end of the housing than the bending function knob assembly; and a thumb-base fitting area formed by the continuous transition between the first surface of the gripping area and the adjacent surfaces of the support portion, including an index finger-side support area, a transition area, and a thumb-side covering area arranged sequentially along the gripping direction. By matching the natural curvature of the user's left hand with the thumb-base fitting area, fatigue accumulation can be reduced, and comfort during long-term operation can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to an endoscope operating device and an endoscope. Background Technology

[0002] Endoscopes used in the medical field are inserted into the body cavity of the subject through a slender insertion section, allowing observation of target tissues within the cavity. Various procedures can be performed as needed using instruments inserted through the endoscope's insertion channel. At the base of the endoscope's insertion section, there are operating devices such as function buttons and knobs for the user to hold and perform various endoscopic operations.

[0003] In the operating device, a holding area is formed on the insertion part side for the user to hold, and in the area of ​​the operating device that is farther away from the insertion part than the holding area, there are various operating devices such as a bending operation knob or bending operation lever for bending the bending part provided in the insertion part, a power switch button for the endoscope, a release switch button for recording the image captured by the camera unit, a freeze switch button for freezing the captured image, a zoom switch button for the camera unit, a switch button for supplying air and water, and a switch button for suction.

[0004] At this point, in order to insert the insertion part into the body being examined, the user, for example, holds the insertion part with their right hand and the operating device with their left hand, using the fingers of their left hand to operate the various operating components located within the operating device. However, traditional operating device housings are mostly designed primarily to house components, and the angle of the thumb-and-shoulder contact area when the left hand is gripping the device is not optimized according to the user's wrist rotation posture / angle, etc. The tilt angle and curvature of the area where the user's thumb and forefinger contact each other are often inconsistent with the natural gripping action and are difficult to adapt to the shape of the housing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To improve the comfort of long-term operation of endoscope operating devices, the present invention provides an endoscope operating device and an endoscope, the purpose of which is to provide an endoscope operating device that can automatically adapt to different hand shapes to achieve a thumb-and-shoulder fit.

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention is an endoscope operating device, comprising:

[0007] The housing has a gripping area for hand gripping and an operating area adjacent to one end of the gripping area;

[0008] A bending function knob assembly is provided in the operating area, which can be rotated about the rotation axis to bend the bending part provided in the insertion part.

[0009] Multiple function button components are connected to the housing and disposed in the operating area, and can be triggered by pressing individually by at least one finger of the left hand held in the operating area;

[0010] A support portion, protruding from the first surface of the grip area of ​​the housing, is supported between the thumb and index finger of the user's left hand when the grip area is held. The support portion is closer to the front end of the housing than the curved function knob assembly.

[0011] The tiger's mouth contact area is formed by the continuous transition between the first surface of the gripping area and the adjacent surfaces of the support portion, including the index finger side support area, the transition area and the thumb side covering area arranged sequentially along the gripping direction and with gradually increasing curvature.

[0012] Optionally, the outer surface of the thumb-side covering area is a convex curved surface, the outer surface of the index finger-side supporting area is a concave curved surface, and the transition area has a concave surface extending in a direction intersecting the length axis.

[0013] Optionally, the embracing support surface between the index finger-side support area, the transition area, and the thumb-side covering area is composed of a continuous composite curved surface, so that the tiger's mouth contact area has a continuous curved shape on any cross section intersecting the length axis of the insertion part.

[0014] Optionally, the curvature of the convex surface satisfy The curvature of the concave surface satisfy .

[0015] Optionally, the support portion is used to connect a universal cable, the universal cable having an interface cross-section at the connection point with the support portion, the distance from the center of the interface cross-section to the first surface being set to be no less than a preset distance threshold, the preset distance threshold being 11.1 mm.

[0016] Optionally, the function button component includes:

[0017] The first function button, which is located on the second surface of the housing, performs the first operation of the endoscope and is arranged at an angle away from the curved function knob assembly;

[0018] The second function button is vertically arranged on the second surface with the first switch button and is located on the distal side, which is farther from the support than the first function button, to perform the second operation of the endoscope. It is arranged at an angle away from the curved function knob assembly.

[0019] The center point of the surface of the first function button is not lower than the center point of the surface of the second function button;

[0020] The upper surfaces of the first function button and / or the second function button are inclined in the direction toward the curved function knob assembly, such that the edge of the upper surface closer to the curved function knob assembly is relatively high.

[0021] Optionally, a limiting ridge is provided on the fourth surface of the housing corresponding to the bending function knob assembly. The limiting ridge extends a preset length in the direction of the length axis of the insertion part and forms a preset width in the circumferential direction along the length axis of the insertion part.

[0022] Optionally, the function button component includes:

[0023] The fourth function button, located on the fifth surface of the housing, performs the fourth operation of the endoscope.

[0024] The fifth function button is located on the fifth surface alongside the fourth switch button, and is situated on the proximal side closer to the bend function knob assembly than the fourth function button, for performing the fifth operation of the endoscope.

[0025] The upper surface of the fourth function button is inclined in the direction toward the curved function knob assembly, so that the edge of its upper surface near the curved function knob assembly is relatively low.

[0026] The upper surface of the fifth function button is inclined toward the curved function knob assembly, such that the edge of its upper surface away from the curved function knob assembly is relatively low.

[0027] The fifth surface includes a user-facing surface that faces the user when operating the endoscope by holding the gripping area, and a button surface equipped with the fourth and fifth function buttons.

[0028] Optionally, the vertical height difference between the surface center point of the lower function button of the fourth and fifth function buttons and the reference plane of the step guide area is not less than 10mm; the step guide area is formed along the direction from the user-facing surface to the button mounting surface, and the radius of curvature of the step guide area is not less than 30mm.

[0029] Optionally, the bending function knob assembly includes a first bending function knob, which is maintained within a predetermined distance relative to the first surface, so that when the operator holds the operating device, his thumb can reach and drive the first bending function knob across the fifth surface in a natural bending direction.

[0030] Another embodiment of the present invention is an endoscope, including the operating device of the endoscope described in any of the preceding embodiments.

[0031] Therefore, the operating device of the endoscope according to the present invention forms a stable three-dimensional conforming structure between the surface of the operating device housing and the thumb and forefinger when gripped by the left hand. Through the natural conforming and matching of the web-mouth conforming area, it can accommodate different hand shapes and obtain stable support in the conforming area, forming a planar support contact grip force, thereby increasing the contact area and improving pressure distribution, reducing local pressure and slippage tendency, making the grip posture more stable and the movement path more natural. As a result, it can significantly reduce the compensatory load on the user's hand, improve the comfort of long-term operation, prevent accidental touches during fine adjustment operations, and improve control accuracy, resulting in significant improvements in ergonomic stability, reduced operator fatigue, and fine control capabilities. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the endoscope of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the operating device of the endoscope of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3 This is another schematic diagram of the operating device of the endoscope of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 This is another schematic diagram of the operating device of the endoscope of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tiger's mouth contact area of ​​the operating device of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the gripping area and the operating area of ​​the operating device of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 This is another structural schematic diagram of the gripping area and the operating area of ​​the operating device of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 8 This is another schematic diagram of the operating device of the endoscope of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the user-held operating device of the present invention in its usage state.

[0042] Figure Labels

[0043] 10: Endoscope; 11: Bending section; 12: Insertion section; 13: Universal cable; 14: Operating device; 20: Housing; 21: Grip area; 22: Operating area; 23: Anti-bending area; 24: Support section; 25: Bending function knob assembly; 26a: Suction button; 26b: Air / water delivery button; 35: Thumb-side contact area; 35a: Index finger side support area; 35b: Transition area; 35c: Thumb side coverage area; 41: ... 1. Surface; 42. Surface 2; 43. Surface 3; 44. Surface 4; 45. Surface 5; 30a. Function button 1; 30b. Function button 2; 30c. Function button 3; 30d. Function button 4; 30e. Function button 5; 51. User facing surface; 52. Switch mounting surface; 53. Step guide area; 441. Limiting edge; 442. Inclined curved surface; 441a. Narrow side segment; 441b. Edge portion. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the endoscope 10 includes: an insertion portion 12, which is inserted into the body of the patient; an operating device 14, which is disposed at the base end of the insertion portion 12; and a universal cable 13, which is disposed at the operating device 14 and connected to external devices such as the control device of the endoscope 10. The universal cable 13 connects external devices such as the display device and the control device to the operating device 14. Furthermore, the insertion portion 12 has a length axis L on its front end side and its base end side. The length axis L is coaxial with both the insertion portion 12 and the operating device 14.

[0046] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the operating device 14 has a housing 20, on which a gripping area 21 for hand holding and an operating area 22 adjacent to one end of the gripping area 21 are provided. On the outer peripheral surface of the operating area 22, a bending function knob assembly 25, a suction button (fluid control button) 26a, an air / water delivery button (fluid control button) 26b, and first to fifth function buttons 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e are provided. The upper surfaces of the first to fifth function buttons 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, and 30e can protrude from the housing 20 and can be individually pressed by at least one finger of the left hand holding the gripping area 21 at the operating area 22 to trigger them.

[0047] The operating device 14 also has an anti-bending region 23 near the base end of the insertion part 12 to prevent the insertion part 12 from bending. In the operating device 14, the anti-bending region 23, the gripping region 21, and the operating region 22 are arranged sequentially along the length axis L of the insertion part 12 from the side near the insertion part 12 toward the side away from the insertion part 12. The anti-bending region 23 is connected to the base end of the insertion part 12. A support part 24 is formed protruding on the outer surface of the gripping region 21, and a universal cable 13 extends from the support part 24, which is supported between the user's left thumb and forefinger when the gripping region 21 is held. A bending function knob assembly 25 is disposed in the operation area 22 and can be rotated around a rotation axis to bend the bending portion 11 disposed in the insertion portion 12. The bending function knob assembly includes a first bending function knob 25a and a second bending function knob 25b. The first bending function knob 25a is positioned further away from the first surface in the housing 20 than the second function knob 25b.

[0048] like Figures 2 to 4As shown, the housing 20 has a first surface 41, a second surface 42, a third surface 43, a fourth surface 44, and a fifth surface 45 in the circumferential direction around the length axis L, including a user-facing surface 51 and a button-mounting surface 52. The outer circumferential surface of the gripping area 21 is formed in an annular shape relative to the length axis L by the cooperation of the first to fifth surfaces 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45. Therefore, the gripping area 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape by the cooperation of the first to fifth surfaces 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45 and is held by the user. In addition, the gripping area 21 is disposed between the insertion part 12 and the operation area 22 along the length axis L. The third surface is formed as a side surface disposed between the second and fourth surfaces. Therefore, the normal of the third surface 43 is inclined relative to the normals of the first surface 41, the second surface 42, the fourth surface 44, and the fifth surface 45. On the third surface 43 of the housing 20, vertically arranged suction buttons (fluid control buttons) 26a and air / water delivery buttons (fluid control buttons) 26b, as well as first function buttons 30a and 30b, are provided. The first function buttons 30a and 30b are closer to the first surface 41 than the suction buttons 26a and air / water delivery buttons 26b, which are also vertically arranged on the same surface. The first function buttons 30a and 30b are positioned on the second surface 42 closer to the first surface 41, allowing the operator to operate them with their thumb while their hand is closed. A third function button 30c is provided on the upper surface of the front end of the housing 20. A fourth function button 30d and a fifth function button 30e are arranged side-by-side on the fifth surface 45 of the housing 20.

[0049] In one embodiment, the support portion 24 is closer to the front end of the housing than the curved knob assembly 25. Specifically, the curved knob assembly 25 is rotatable by the operator, and its rotation center axis is the axis around which the curved knob assembly 25 rotates during operation. An imaginary axis passing through the center point of the geometric center section of the support portion 24 along the length axis L and extending along the length axis L is defined as the geometric center axis of the support portion 24. The axial projection of the geometric center axis in the length axis L direction is located at the front end of the rotation center axis of the curved knob assembly 25, closer to the upper end face of the housing 20. When the operator holds the operating device 1 with their left hand, the thumb and forefinger area can preferentially form a stable supporting contact with the support portion 24, while the curved knob assembly 25 is located in the rear area of ​​the support portion 24, allowing the operator to rotate the curved knob assembly 25 with their thumb without changing the thumb and forefinger's posture.

[0050] like Figures 4 to 6As shown, the support portion 24 is located on the first surface and is integrally formed with the first surface. The thumb-and-finger contact area 35 is formed by the continuous transition between the first surface 41 of the gripping area 21 and the adjacent surface of the lower side of the support portion 24 near the front end of the insertion portion 12 along the length axis L. The thumb-and-finger contact area 35 includes an index finger-side support area 35a, a transition area 35b, and a thumb-side covering area 35c arranged sequentially along the gripping direction with gradually increasing curvature. Each area is connected to the others by a continuous curved surface transition. The three continuous curved surfaces of the thumb-and-finger contact area 35 form an encircling support surface, so that the contact pressure when the user grips is distributed on the continuous curved surface, reducing local pressure and improving grip stability. When gripping with the left hand, the curvature of the outward convex area from the index finger side to the thumb-and-finger contact area gradually increases, forming a natural concave contact; until the thumb root area forms an inward concave curved surface, the curvature of the inward concave curved surface gradually increases along the gripping direction; the rate of change of curvature along the gripping direction is continuous, without a broken line or abrupt change. Following the user's left-hand grip direction, the curvature forms a continuous and smooth transition from the index finger side to the thumb side, ensuring comfort and even stress distribution during grip. This creates an ergonomic design that conforms to the user's natural hand posture when gripping the device.

[0051] When the user holds the device in the grip area 21 with their left hand, the user-facing surface 38 of the operating device 14 and the first surface of the grip area 21 face each other directly towards the user, with the support 24 resting on the user's left index finger. The user places their left thumb under the support 24 and onto the user-facing surface 51 of the operating device 42 or at the fourth function button 30d or the fifth function button 30e. The fifth surface 45 of the housing 20 includes the user-facing surface 51 and the switch mounting surface 52 for fixing the fourth function button 30c and the fifth function button 30d.

[0052] like Figure 6 As shown, the angle range of the geometric center normal O of the tiger's mouth fitting area 35 relative to the length axis L of the insertion part in the overall shape of the shell 20 is as follows: When using it, the user's left hand should be tilted at a 35-degree angle to the web of their thumb. In the main support section of the tiger's mouth fitting area 35, it meets the requirements. This allows the web of the hand to naturally conform to the outer surface of the contact area 35 while gripping, thereby reducing wrist rotation compensation without requiring additional adjustments to the wrist angle or changes in grip position. For example, on the index finger side... When approaching 7°, a gentle transition section corresponding to the upper edge of the support portion 24 near the index finger side is formed to avoid creating a sharp angle; on the thumb side, when When the angle approaches 66°, the protruding section at the lower edge of the support portion 24 near the thumb side, facing inward, enhances the embedded fixation effect in the web of the hand. This angle range conforms to the natural variation range of the human web opening angle, maintaining a stable fit under various hand shapes.

[0053] Specifically, the curvature of the convex surface formed by the index finger-side support area 35a satisfy Corresponding radius of curvature The gently convex, supportive surface supports the three joints of the index finger, ensuring sufficient contact area during longitudinal sliding, bending, and pressing movements. The transition zone 35b forms a continuous curvature that changes from convex to slightly concave, conforming to the natural extension direction of the index finger as it bends toward the thumb.

[0054] The curvature of the concave surface of the thumb-side covering area at 35° satisfy Corresponding radius of curvature The concave surface, with a depth of approximately 1-2 mm, creates an embedded contact at the base of the thumb. The thumb-side covering area 35c provides directional coverage to the proximal region of the thumb's metacarpophalangeal joint, improving grip stability and enhancing anti-slip capability when applying significant pushing, pulling, or twisting forces. When the user's left thumb moves within the function button area (such as function button 4 30d and function button 5 30e), the thumb-side covering area 35c provides return support, ensuring stable transmission of both lateral and axial operating forces generated by the thumb and preventing slippage during operation.

[0055] The transition zone 35b is located between the index finger-side support zone 35a and the thumb-side covering zone 35c. This transition zone 35b is formed as a composite concave surface with a curvature that continuously changes along the direction intersecting the length axis L, creating a natural groove-shaped fitting path. The presence of the transition zone 35b allows the middle part of the user's left hand's web (the muscle depression between the inner side of the thumb and the inner side of the index finger) to naturally abut against the housing 20, thereby achieving seamless insertion.

[0056] In one embodiment, the transition area 35b between the index finger-side support area 35a and the thumb-side covering area 35c forms a composite curved surface that fits the web of the thumb in a manner with a gradual change in curvature.

[0057] In one embodiment, the connecting surface between the index finger-side support area 35a, the transition area 35b, and the thumb-side covering area 35c is composed of multiple NURBS / spline composite surfaces obtained by fitting a control lattice. The thumb-grip contact area 35 exhibits a continuous curved shape on any cross-section intersecting the length axis L, thereby achieving planar contact support for the user's left thumb-grip area. At this point, the connection boundaries of adjacent surfaces appear as a continuous transition without abrupt changes in both visual and tactile perception, achieving a grip effect with low pressure and high stability, thus forming a natural geometric transition between the index finger and thumb sides.

[0058] In one embodiment, the support portion 24 is connected to a universal cable 13. The universal cable 13 has an interface section at the connection point with the support portion 24. The distance from the center of this interface section to the first surface 41 of the housing 20 is set to be no less than a preset distance threshold, which is 11.1 mm. This causes a bearing offset to be formed in the thumb-side covering area 35c of the thumb-grip contact area 35 in a direction perpendicular to or approximately perpendicular to the length axis L in the circumferential support surface formed by the support portion 24 and the first surface 41. The presence of this bearing offset allows the thumb-grip contact area 35 to form a larger area of ​​planar contact with its circumferential support surface. When the user grips the operating part, the contact force in the thumb-grip area changes from a concentrated distribution to a dispersed distribution, thereby reducing local unit pressure, alleviating fatigue caused by prolonged operation, and improving overall grip stability and comfort.

[0059] Furthermore, the distance from the center of the interface section to the first surface 41 of the housing 20 is set to 11.1mm~19.1mm. When the user holds the operating device 10 with their left hand: the knuckle of the user's left index finger forms a planar support along the convex curved surface of the index finger side support area 35a; the middle section of the thumb's web naturally slides into the concave path of the transition area 35b; the root of the thumb's metacarpophalangeal joint is received and locked by the concave curved surface of the thumb side covering area 35c; the composite curved surfaces together form a closed planar covering, making the grip a stable three-sided contact relationship.

[0060] like Figure 7As shown, the function button assembly 30 includes: a first function button 30a, which is disposed on the second surface 42 of the housing, for performing the first operation of the endoscope 10, and is arranged at an angle away from the curved function knob assembly 25; and a second function button 30b, which is vertically arranged on the second surface 42 with the first switch button 30a to form a longitudinal operation sequence, and is located on the distal side farther from the support portion 24 than the first function button 30a, for performing the second operation of the endoscope 10, and is also arranged at an angle away from the curved function knob assembly 25. The surface center point P1 of the first function button 30a is not lower than the surface center point P2 of the second function button 30b. By forming a height difference, the user can distinguish the positions of the two function buttons by touch during operation, avoiding misoperation. The normal of the surface center point P1 of the first function button 30a and the normal of the surface center point P2 of the second function button 30b have a focal point. The upper surfaces of the first function button 30a and / or the second function button 30b are inclined toward the curved function knob assembly 25, so that the edge of the upper surface near the curved function knob assembly 25 is relatively high, so that the user's left thumb can reach it when it swings naturally. At the same time, this inclined design can reduce the stress concentration when the left index finger slides in the operating posture, and guide the left index finger to fall back to the center area of ​​the button naturally, improving the stability and comfort of operation.

[0061] like Figure 8 As shown, a limiting ridge 441 and an inclined curved surface 442 are provided on the fourth surface 44 of the housing corresponding to the bending function knob assembly 25. The limiting ridge 441 is a narrow side segment 441a formed by a ridge-like protrusion extending along the length axis L of the insertion portion 21, and its extension dimension in the length axis L direction is a preset length. It adopts a linear ridge with a slightly convex shape, which rises relative to the reference plane of the fourth surface 44. The limiting ridge 441 also has an edge portion 441b formed by the edge of the limiting ridge 441 near the base end of the length axis L, and the edge portion 441b is formed between the limiting ridge 441 and the inclined curved surface 442. The limiting ridge 441 forms a preset width W1 in the circumferential direction of the insertion part length axis L, so that there is a protruding limiting boundary on the side of the fourth surface 44 of the housing 20 near the third surface 43. Specifically, the inclined curved surface 442 is a finger groove curved surface that transitions from a part of the fourth surface 44 near the side of the curved function knob assembly 25 toward the third surface 43. The finger groove curved surface is a slightly arc-shaped concave surface, so that the ring finger and little finger can obtain a receiving space when they wrap from the third surface 43 to the fourth surface 44. The finger pads of the ring finger and little finger can fit in the finger groove curved surface over a large area, which can significantly reduce the local pressure caused by long-term operation and improve grip stability.

[0062] Specifically, the limiting ridge 441 can be integrally formed from the shell 20, or formed by insert or overmolding, which is not limited here.

[0063] like Figure 6 As shown, the function button assembly 30 includes: a fourth function button 30d, which is disposed on the fifth surface of the housing for performing the fourth operation of the endoscope 10; and a fifth function button 30e, which is disposed on the fifth surface alongside the fourth switch button 30d and located on the proximal side closer to the bending function knob assembly 25 than the fourth function button, for performing the fifth operation of the endoscope 10; the upper surface of the fourth function button 30d is inclined in the direction toward the bending function knob assembly 25, such that the upper surface edge on the side closer to the bending function knob assembly 25 is relatively low; the upper surface of the fifth function button 30e is inclined in the direction toward the bending function knob assembly 25, such that the upper surface edge on the side away from the bending function knob assembly 25 is relatively low. This tilted arrangement allows the thumb to make a natural downward transition when sliding from the 4th function button 30d to the 5th function button 30e, reducing unnecessary torque and sliding resistance, ensuring smooth operation and preventing accidental touches, while also preventing accidental touches and facilitating the use of the fingertips to sense direction during operation.

[0064] The fifth surface includes a user-facing surface facing the user when operating the endoscope 10 by holding the gripping area, and a button-mounted surface equipped with the fourth function button 30d and the fifth function button 30e. The center point of the surface of the fourth function button 30d and the center point of the surface of the fifth function button 30e have a height difference. This height difference further enhances the sense of distinction, creating a clear tactile differentiation and improving the user's efficiency in recognizing different function buttons. Figure 9 As shown, in the gripping state, the user's left hand's thumb and forefinger rests against the thumb-and-forefinger contact area 35 formed by the housing 20 and the support portion 24. The spatial distance Lth between the geometric center P3 of the thumb-and-forefinger contact area 35 and the geometric center P4 of the fifth function button 30e on the fifth surface is set to no more than 55mm. This ensures that the user can reach the fifth function button 30e with a natural extension movement while maintaining the gripping posture. No more than At this time, the user needs to noticeably rotate their wrist or release the grip. Preferably, for .

[0065] When the user holds the grip area 21 with their left hand, the movement trajectory of their thumb when switching between the 4th function button 30d and the 5th function button 30e can be approximated as an arc centered on the metacarpophalangeal joint of the left hand. After the switch surfaces of the 4th function button 30d and the 5th function button 30e are matched with this arc, the thumb remains at a relatively natural extension angle as it slides from the 4th function button 30d to the 5th function button 30e, effectively reducing the burden on the left hand. This makes the resultant force of the pressing direction and the grip direction point near the normal N1 direction of the 1st surface 30a, resulting in stable operation and clear feedback.

[0066] like Figure 6 As shown, a step difference H1 is formed between the button mounting surface 52 on the fifth surface 45 of the housing 20 and the user facing surface 51. The step difference H1 is 8mm to 20mm, preferably 12mm to 16mm. This step difference H1 puts the button mounting surface 52 in a relatively concave position, which can prevent accidental touch under normal grip posture.

[0067] Furthermore, to ensure that the user's thumb can smoothly move along a natural sliding trajectory from the user-facing surface 51 to the button-mounted surface 52 during operation, and accurately contact the fourth function button 30d and the fifth function button 30e, a stepped guide area 53 is provided between the user-facing surface 51 and the button-mounted surface 52. The stepped guide area 53 is formed in a direction approximately perpendicular to the length axis L of the insertion part 21, and its cross-section is a concave arc transition surface. To ensure the naturalness of the thumb pressing action and the comfort of the grip, the radius R of the concave arc transition surface is set to be not less than... Preferably, With a larger radius of curvature, it can avoid the feeling of the thumb getting stuck or local pressure during the sliding process due to excessive concavity, making the contact and sliding of the thumb smoother.

[0068] Furthermore, the concave arc transition surface of the step guide area 53 gradually expands in the width direction perpendicular to the length axis L. The width of the step guide area 53 gradually expands from the narrower section of the user-facing surface 51 to the wider section of the button-mounted surface 52, thereby forming a guide transition zone that can cover the entire natural movement trajectory of the user's thumb as it moves from the grip area to the operation area.

[0069] Furthermore, specifically, the vertical height difference between the center point of the surface of the lower function button in the fourth function button 30d and the fifth function button 30e and the reference plane of the step guide area 53 is not less than 10mm, so that the operator can clearly perceive the existence of the step guide area 53 when sliding his finger along the surface of the housing 20 or blindly touching it, which significantly improves the user's controllability in the blind operation environment.

[0070] When the user holds the housing 20 with their left hand, their thumb first contacts the user-facing surface 51. When pressing the button, the thumb can naturally slide down the concave arc transition surface of the step guide area 53 to the button mounting surface 52 without changing the wrist angle or readjusting the grip position. The guiding function of the step guide area 53 can significantly reduce the range of changes in the user's posture during the pressing process, while avoiding the jumping displacement of the thumb caused by excessive step difference, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of the pressing action.

[0071] The specific usage process includes:

[0072] When using the operating device 10 of the endoscope 10, the user holds the endoscope 10 with their left hand in the grip area 21, with the web of their thumb resting against the web of their thumb in the grip area 35. The index and middle fingers are supported by the support part 24. The index finger can reach around the support part 24 to operate the first function button 30a and the second function button 30b on the second surface 42. The middle finger can reach around the second surface 42 and the third surface 43 to operate the curved function knob assembly 25. The ring and little fingers reach around the third surface 43 and form a stable support at the fourth surface 44 of the housing, making the grip posture fixed and reliable.

[0073] like Figure 6 As shown, the bending function knob assembly 25 includes a first bending function knob 25a. The first bending function knob 25a is maintained within a predetermined distance range relative to the first surface 41, so that when the operator holds the operating device 1, their thumb can reach and drive the first bending function knob 25a across the fifth surface in a natural bending direction. This predetermined distance range is set to 51.7mm to 61.7mm. When it is less than 51.7mm, the first bending function knob 25a is too close, which can easily cause the thumb to over-flex during operation, affecting the rotation accuracy. When it is greater than 62mm, the operator often needs to lift their thumb or change the wrist angle to complete the operation, thereby disrupting the thumb-knuckle contact state and increasing hand fatigue. By setting the first bending function knob 25a within the aforementioned predetermined distance range, the overall layout of the operating device 1 can be coordinated, and the operator, especially the operator with a smaller hand size, can avoid having to change their original grip posture or adjust their wrist angle when operating the first bending function knob 25a at a distance of 52mm to 54mm. This reduces the local stress concentration at the base of the thumb and the web area, alleviates fatigue during long-term operation, and improves the continuity and stability of the bending operation.

[0074] Another embodiment of the present invention is an endoscope, including the operating device of the endoscope described in any embodiment, which improves the comfort of the user when operating the endoscope for a long time.

[0075] In this invention, multiple function button components 30 are respectively arranged on different surfaces of the housing 20, and are tilted or height-differentiated to accommodate the natural movement trajectory of the thumb and / or index finger, ensuring that the multiple function button components 30 are in a naturally accessible position under a grip posture. Furthermore, by optimizing the tilt direction and height difference of the multiple function button components 30 with the thumb-and-finger contact area 35 as a geometric reference, the thumb and / or index finger can easily reach and operate the device along their natural trajectory, reducing finger movement distance, improving operational continuity, and making triggering actions easier and more reliable. The continuous composite curved surface of the thumb-and-finger contact area 35 creates a surface contact between the entire contact area, including the base of the user's index finger and thumb, and the support portion 24, significantly improving grip stability and providing a larger surface support area for the user in a natural grip posture. Therefore, based on the thumb-and-finger contact area as the reference for the geometric layout of the operating device, the thumb and index finger can be placed in a more suitable operating position under a natural grip posture when adjusting button positions, button heights, and button spacing. At this point, users can operate the main function buttons on the control device without adjusting their grip position, thereby reducing the distance their fingers need to move, reducing fatigue accumulation, improving the continuity and smoothness of operation, helping users maintain a stable operating state, and improving overall operating efficiency.

[0076] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0077] It is further understood that although the operations are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, this should not be construed as requiring these operations to be performed in the specific order or serial order shown, or requiring all the operations shown to obtain the desired result. In certain environments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0078] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features, or different combinations of the above technical features can be made. These modifications, substitutions and combinations do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An operating device for an endoscope, characterized in that, include: The housing has a gripping area for hand gripping and an operating area adjacent to one end of the gripping area; A bending function knob assembly is provided in the operating area, which can be rotated about the rotation axis to bend the bending part provided in the insertion part. Multiple function button components are connected to the housing and disposed in the operating area, and can be triggered by pressing individually by at least one finger of the left hand held in the operating area; A support portion, protruding from the first surface of the grip area of ​​the housing, is supported between the thumb and index finger of the user's left hand when the grip area is held. The support portion is closer to the front end of the housing than the curved function knob assembly. The tiger's mouth contact area is formed by the continuous transition between the first surface of the gripping area and the adjacent surfaces of the support portion, including the index finger side support area, the transition area and the thumb side covering area arranged sequentially along the gripping direction and with gradually increasing curvature.

2. The operating device for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The embracing support surface between the index finger-side support area, the transition area, and the thumb-side covering area is composed of a continuous composite curved surface, so that the tiger's mouth contact area has a continuous curved shape on any cross section intersecting the length axis of the insertion part.

3. The operating device for an endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer surface of the index finger-side support area is a convex curved surface, the outer surface of the thumb-side covering area is a concave curved surface, and the transition area forms a concave surface extending in a direction intersecting the length axis; the curvature of the convex curved surface is... satisfy The curvature of the concave surface satisfy .

4. The operating device for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support portion is used to connect a universal cable. The universal cable has an interface section at the connection point with the support portion. The distance from the center of the interface section to the first surface is set to be no less than a preset distance threshold, which is 11.1 mm.

5. The operating device for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The function button component includes: The first function button, which is located on the second surface of the housing, performs the first operation of the endoscope and is arranged at an angle away from the curved function knob assembly; The second function button is vertically arranged on the second surface with the first switch button and is located on the distal side, which is farther from the support than the first function button, to perform the second operation of the endoscope. It is arranged at an angle away from the curved function knob assembly. The center point of the surface of the first function button is not lower than the center point of the surface of the second function button; The first function button and the second function button are arranged on the second surface on the side close to the first surface; the upper surface of the first function button and / or the second function button is inclined in the direction toward the curved function knob assembly, so that the edge of the upper surface on the side close to the curved function knob assembly is relatively high.

6. The operating device for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, A limiting ridge is provided on the fourth surface of the housing corresponding to the bending function knob assembly. The limiting ridge extends a preset length in the direction of the length axis of the insertion part and forms a preset width in the circumferential direction along the length axis of the insertion part.

7. The operating device for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The function button component includes: The fourth function button, located on the fifth surface of the housing, performs the fourth operation of the endoscope. The fifth function button is located on the fifth surface alongside the fourth switch button, and is situated on the proximal side closer to the bend function knob assembly than the fourth function button, for performing the fifth operation of the endoscope. The upper surface of the fourth function button is inclined in the direction toward the curved function knob assembly, so that the edge of its upper surface near the curved function knob assembly is relatively low. The upper surface of the fifth function button is inclined in the direction toward the curved function knob assembly, so that the edge of its upper surface away from the curved function knob assembly is relatively low. The fifth surface includes a user-facing surface that faces the user when operating the endoscope by holding the gripping area, and a button surface equipped with the fourth and fifth function buttons.

8. The operating device for an endoscope according to claim 7, characterized in that, A stepped guide area is formed along the direction from the user-facing surface to the button mounting surface, and the radius of curvature of the stepped guide area is not less than 30mm; the vertical height difference between the surface center point of the lower function button of the fourth and fifth function buttons and the reference plane of the stepped guide area is not less than 10mm.

9. The operating device for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bending function knob assembly includes a first bending function knob, which is maintained within a predetermined distance relative to the first surface, so that when the operator holds the operating device, his thumb can reach and drive the first bending function knob across the fifth surface in a natural bending direction.

10. An endoscope, characterized in that, The operating device for the endoscope as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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