Endoscope insertion section and endoscope

Abstract

The application relates to the field of endoscope technology, in particular to an endoscope insertion part and an endoscope. The endoscope insertion part comprises a curved tube, the curved tube comprises a passive bending section and an active bending section, an instrument channel is arranged in the curved tube, a spiral tube is sleeved on the instrument channel, the spiral tube at least partially corresponds to the active bending section, and the distal end of the spiral tube and the distal end of the active bending section have a first preset interval. The spiral tube is sleeved on the instrument channel, the bending resistance of the instrument channel is increased by the spiral tube, the bending resistance of the proximal end of the active bending section corresponding to the spiral tube is greater than the bending resistance of the distal end of the active bending section, the distal end of the active bending section bends earlier than the proximal end, the bending radius is effectively reduced, the insertion part is beneficial to work in a narrow space, meanwhile, the spiral tube can be sleeved on the distal end of the instrument channel in the assembly process, the assembly limitation is small, the assembly is simple, the operation is stable, the production cost is effectively reduced, the production efficiency and the use stability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of endoscopy technology, and more particularly to an endoscope insertion part and an endoscope. Background Technology

[0002] As a commonly used medical device, flexible endoscopes generally consist of a flexible insertion part at the distal end and a control handle at the proximal end. Their working principle relies on optical or electronic imaging systems to transmit images inside the body to an external display screen via a beam guide or sensor, enabling minimally invasive and visual diagnosis and treatment.

[0003] When endoscopes are used in confined spaces, reducing the bending radius of the insertion section helps to reduce surgical harm to the human body and improve examination / surgery efficiency. However, in the process of realizing this invention, the applicant discovered that existing flexible endoscopes generally adopt a fixed radius or fixed bending trajectory design for the insertion section, which has poor adaptability in confined spaces, makes it difficult to accurately fit complex anatomical structures, and easily creates blind spots. Forced operation may cause tissue traction damage, and it is easy to get stuck in the tortuous lumen, increasing the risk of perforation and affecting the integrity and safety of examination or treatment. Some endoscopes, such as Chinese Patent Publication No. CN223403827U, use an elastic constraint corresponding to the traction rope inside a curved tube to change the bending radius of the curved tube, so that the distal end of the curved tube bends before the proximal end. However, this type of structural design requires precise control of the relative position between the traction rope and the elastic constraint during assembly, so that the elastic constraint and the traction rope are on the same radial direction of the curved tube to achieve the design purpose. However, the traction rope and the elastic constraint are slender components, and the assembly space in the insertion part is limited. In the mass production process, fine control of assembly is required to roughly meet the design requirements, which leads to the problems of high production assembly difficulty and high production cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide an endoscope insertion part and an endoscope, which at least solves the technical problem of high cost caused by the difficulty of assembling endoscopes with small bending radius.

[0005] This application is implemented as follows: In a first aspect, this application provides an endoscope insertion part, including a curved tube, the curved tube including a passively curved section located at the proximal end and an actively curved section located at the distal end, an instrument channel is provided axially inside the curved tube, the instrument channel is covered by a spiral tube, the spiral tube at least partially corresponds to the actively curved section, the distal end of the spiral tube and the distal end of the actively curved section have a first preset distance, the peripheral wall of the spiral tube and the inner wall of the actively curved section have a second preset distance, and a first stop portion is provided inside the curved tube, the first stop portion is located at the proximal end of the spiral tube, the first stop portion is used to abut against the proximal end of the spiral tube.

[0006] Secondly, this application provides an endoscope including a handle and the aforementioned insertion portion, wherein the distal end of the handle is connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion.

[0007] The technical solution provided in this application can achieve the following beneficial effects: This application utilizes a spiral tube fitted over the instrument channel to increase the bending resistance of the instrument channel. This makes the bending resistance at the proximal end of the active bending section of the spiral tube greater than that at the distal end, causing the distal end of the active bending section to bend before the proximal end. This effectively reduces the bending radius, facilitating the insertion part's operation in confined spaces. Furthermore, during assembly, the spiral tube can be simply fitted over the distal end of the instrument channel, minimizing assembly restrictions, simplifying assembly, ensuring stable operation, effectively reducing production costs, and improving production efficiency and operational stability. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present 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 only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the endoscope disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the insertion part disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle; Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the endoscope insertion section disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the endoscope insertion part after directional bending, as disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the endoscope insertion part after adjusting the initial bending radius, as disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0010] In the picture: 10. Handle; 110. Lever structure; 20. Insertion part; 210. Passive bending section; 220. Active bending section; 230. Instrument channel; 240. Spiral tube; 250. First stop part; 260. Second stop part; 270. Drive element; 300. Snake bone unit; S - Starting bending point. Detailed Implementation

[0011] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0012] In the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0013] In various embodiments of this application, "proximal end" and "distal end" refer to the position of the endoscope and its accessories relative to the user in the usage environment. The end closer to the user is designated as the "proximal end", and the end farther from the user is designated as the "distal end".

[0014] Example 1

[0015] This embodiment provides an endoscope, such as Figure 1 As shown, the endoscope includes a handle 10 and an insertion part 20. A lever structure 110 is provided on the handle 10. The lever structure 110 controls the directional bending of the distal end of the insertion part 20. The lever structure 110 is existing technology and is exemplary. The lever structure 110 includes a lever, a traction wheel, and a traction rope. The distal end of the traction rope is connected to the distal end of the insertion part, and the proximal end of the traction rope is connected to the traction wheel. The lever is connected to the traction wheel. By manipulating the lever, the traction wheel is rotated, pulling the traction rope on one side of the insertion part 20 towards the proximal end, while simultaneously pulling the traction rope on the other side of the insertion part 20 towards the distal end. Upon release, the traction ropes on both sides of the insertion part 20 move in opposite directions, thereby causing the distal end of the insertion part 20 to bend in a specific direction. In other examples, a single traction rope can be used to control the unilateral directional bending of the insertion part 20, or multiple traction ropes can be used to achieve four-way bending of the insertion part 20. The above examples of the lever structure 110 that realizes the directional bending function of the insertion part 20 can all directly adopt existing designs. An illumination unit and a camera module are provided on the distal end surface of the insertion part 20. The illumination unit is used to provide illumination light, and the camera module is used to acquire image information of the interior of the distal cavity of the insertion part 20.

[0016] like Figures 2-4As shown, the insertion part 20 includes a curved tube, which includes a passively curved section 210 at the proximal end and an actively curved section 220 at the distal end. An instrument channel 230 is axially disposed within the curved tube, and a spiral tube 240 is sleeved over the instrument channel 230. The spiral tube 240 at least partially corresponds to the actively curved section 220. The distal end of the spiral tube 240 and the distal end of the actively curved section 220 have a first preset distance, and the peripheral wall of the spiral tube 240 and the inner wall of the actively curved section 220 have a second preset distance. A first stop portion 250 is disposed within the curved tube, located at the proximal end of the spiral tube 240, and is used to abut against the proximal end of the spiral tube 240. Based on the above structural design, when controlling the endoscopic insertion part 20 to perform directional bending, as... Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, since the instrument channel 230 is fitted with a spiral tube 240, the spiral tube 240 increases the bending resistance of the corresponding instrument channel 230, making the bending resistance at the proximal end of the active bending section 220 greater than that at the distal end. This causes the distal end of the active bending section 220 to bend before the proximal end during directional bending, effectively reducing the bending radius and facilitating the operation of the insertion part 20 in narrow spaces. Simultaneously, the change in bending resistance is achieved through the cooperation of the instrument channel 230 and the spiral tube 240. Combined with the second preset distance between the peripheral wall of the spiral tube 240 and the inner wall of the active bending section 220, this ensures that the spiral tube 240 bends during the bending process. The design provides sufficient space for movement, effectively avoiding interference between the spiral tube 240 and the snake-bone units 300 in the active bending section 220. This allows the bending action of the distal end of the active bending section 220 to bend before the proximal end, ensuring smooth and orderly operation without the elastic constraint components being embedded between the snake-bone units 300 as in existing designs. This effectively improves the product's operational stability. Furthermore, during the assembly of the insertion part 20, the spiral tube 240 can be simply fitted onto the distal end of the instrument channel 230 without limiting the radial position of the spiral tube 240 within the bending tube. This reduces assembly restrictions, simplifies assembly, effectively lowers production costs, and improves production efficiency.

[0017] In some embodiments, the proximal port of the instrument channel 230 can be located on the handle 10, and the distal port of the instrument channel 230 can be located at the distal end of the insertion part 20. The instrument channel 230 is used to allow surgical instruments or perfusion fluid to pass through. The surgical instruments are existing technologies and can be injection needles, dilators, stents, stone retrieval baskets, optical fibers, biopsy forceps, hemostatic clips, etc., without specific limitations. The perfusion fluid can be physiological saline, a drug, or a gas, without specific limitations.

[0018] In some embodiments, to achieve smooth operation of the directional bending action of the active bending section 220, the pitch of the spiral tube 240 can be set to gradually increase from the proximal end to the distal end. Based on the above structural design, the spiral tube 240 can achieve progressive compression when subjected to axial force, so that the bending resistance enhancement effect of the spiral tube 240 on the instrument channel 230 gradually increases from the distal end to the proximal end during the bending process. This allows the active bending section 220 to bend first from the distal end during the directional bending process, then smoothly transition to gradually increasing the bending radius at the distal end, and finally bend at the proximal end. This avoids the bending action from being stuck or unstable due to local stress concentration. At the same time, the gradual pitch design helps to optimize the cooperation between the spiral tube 240 and the instrument channel 230 in a limited space, improving the maneuverability and bending consistency of the insertion part 20 in complex anatomical paths.

[0019] In some embodiments, to achieve smooth operation of the directional bending action of the active bending section 220, the axial cross-sectional length of the spiral tube 240 can be set to gradually decrease from the proximal end to the distal end. Thus, when the spiral tube 240 is deformed under pressure, the distal part is more prone to local deformation due to its smaller cross-sectional length, further reducing the bending resistance at the distal end and enhancing the effect of preferential bending at the distal end of the active bending section 220. At the same time, this structure helps to form a gradient stiffness distribution from far to near during the bending process, making the bending transition smoother and avoiding stress concentration or discontinuous movement caused by abrupt changes in stiffness, thereby improving the endoscope's passability and control precision in complex cavities.

[0020] In some embodiments, to reduce assembly difficulty, the inner diameter of the spiral tube 240 can be set to be larger than the outer diameter of the instrument channel 230, so that the spiral tube 240 can be easily fitted onto the outside of the instrument channel 230 without precise alignment or additional fixing structures, significantly reducing the operational complexity during assembly. At the same time, this gap design also provides the necessary radial floating space for the spiral tube 240 during bending, avoiding the smoothness of bending action due to excessive friction between the instrument channel 230 and the spiral tube 240, further improving the reliability and durability of the endoscope in actual use.

[0021] In some embodiments, to ensure that the spiral tube 240 stably changes the bending resistance of the proximal end of the active bending section 220, the inner diameter of the spiral tube 240 can be set to be equal to the outer diameter of the instrument channel 230, so that the two form a tight fit, thereby effectively transmitting the resistance change during bending and ensuring that the stiffness of the proximal end of the active bending section 220 is significantly higher than that of the distal end. This structural design not only improves the control accuracy of the spiral tube 240 on the bending behavior, but also avoids the spiral tube 240 from shifting or shaking due to excessive gap, thereby ensuring the structural stability and functional consistency of the endoscope during repeated bending operations.

[0022] In some embodiments, to limit the axial travel of the spiral tube in the instrument channel, a second stop portion 260 can be provided inside the curved tube. The second stop portion 260 is located at the distal end of the spiral tube 240 and is used to abut against the distal end of the spiral tube 240, thereby preventing the spiral tube 240 from excessively displacing axially during bending or operation, and ensuring that it is always in the effective working area corresponding to the active bending section 220. This structural design not only improves the positioning reliability of the spiral tube 240 under dynamic working conditions, but also avoids the imbalance of bending resistance distribution caused by the sliding of the spiral tube 240, further ensuring that the endoscope insertion part 20 achieves stable and controllable preferential distal bending behavior in complex paths.

[0023] In some embodiments, to achieve control over the initial bending radius when the distal end of the active bending segment 220 bends first, such as... Figures 2-5 ,as well as Figure 7 As shown, the second stop portion 260 can be axially slidably connected to the instrument channel 230. The bending tube also includes a drive component 270, the power output end of which is connected to the second stop portion 260. The drive component 270 drives the second stop portion 260 to move axially on the instrument channel 230, thereby dynamically adjusting the position of the distal end of the spiral tube 240 and changing the position where the spiral tube 240 increases bending resistance to the instrument channel 230. Furthermore, by controlling the stroke of the drive component 270, the starting bending point S and the initial bending radius can be precisely set, enabling the endoscope to achieve adaptive bending in different anatomical structures, improving operational flexibility and path fit. The drive component 270 can be a drive rope or a miniature motor.

[0024] In some embodiments, to increase the range of adjustment of the initial bending radius when the distal end of the active bending section 220 bends first, the first stop portion 250 can be disposed in the passive bending section 210, so that the proximal end of the spiral tube 240 is restricted within the passive bending section 210, thereby extending the effective working length of the spiral tube 240 within the active bending section 220. This arrangement not only expands the axial range of the spiral tube 240's stiffness adjustment of the active bending section 220, but also improves the assembly stability and stress reliability of the overall structure by disposing the stop structure in the more rigid passive bending section 210, further enhancing the ability to adjust the initial bending radius, and enabling the endoscope to more flexibly adapt to cavity environments with different curvatures.

[0025] In some embodiments, to improve the flexibility of the insertion section 20, the spiral tube 240 can be configured to include a first state and a second state. In the first state, the proximal end of the spiral tube 240 corresponds to the passive bending section, and the distal end of the spiral tube 240 corresponds to the middle or distal end of the active bending section 220. In this state, the distal end of the active bending section 220 bends before the proximal end. In the second state, the proximal end of the spiral tube 240 corresponds to the passive bending section 210, and the distal end of the spiral tube 240 is axially compressed to completely correspond to the passive bending section 210. In this state, the active bending section 220 retains the traditional directional bending radius and trajectory, thereby switching bending modes in different clinical scenarios, taking into account both the high adaptability of complex paths and the stability of routine operations. This dual-state design achieves functional switching through the variability of the structure itself, without the need for additional drive mechanisms or complex control systems, which simplifies the overall structure and expands the applicability of the endoscope.

[0026] In some embodiments, to improve the flexibility of use of the insertion section 20, the spiral tube 240 can be configured to include a first state and a second state. In the first state, the proximal end of the spiral tube 240 corresponds to the passive bending section 210, and the distal end of the spiral tube 240 corresponds to the middle or distal end of the active bending section 220. In the second state, the proximal end of the spiral tube 240 corresponds to the passive bending section 210, and the distal end of the spiral tube 240 corresponds to the proximal end of the active bending section 220. Accordingly, in the second state, when the distal end of the active bending section 220 bends first, the initial bending radius is greater than that in the first state, so as to adapt to different scenario requirements. By switching the axial position state of the spiral tube 240 at different stages of use, the bending behavior of the insertion section 20 can be dynamically adjusted, taking into account both the high flexibility under narrow and tortuous paths and the operational stability in open cavities, thereby improving the endoscope's adaptability to diverse clinical scenarios.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first stop portion 250 may be connected to the peripheral wall of the instrument channel 230 to restrict the axial movement of the spiral tube 240 towards the proximal end, ensuring that its effective working length within the active bending section 220 is stable; the connection method may be welding, bonding or snap-fit ​​structure to ensure assembly firmness.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first stop portion 250 may be connected to the inner wall of the curved tube to restrict the spiral tube 240 from moving axially toward the proximal end, ensuring that its effective working length within the active bending section 220 is stable; the connection method may adopt an integral molding, riveting or threaded fastening structure, taking into account both ease of assembly and structural reliability in long-term use.

[0029] In some embodiments, to ensure the stability of directional bending control, a protrusion can be provided at the distal end of the spiral tube 240. The protrusion abuts against the inner wall of the bending tube and / or the peripheral wall of the instrument channel 230, thereby constraining the radial displacement of the spiral tube 240 during bending, preventing it from deflecting or twisting within the active bending section 220, and ensuring the axial consistency of the bending resistance distribution. At the same time, the protrusion can also serve as a cooperating structure with the second stop portion 260, providing a reliable limiting reference when the spiral tube 240 is axially compressed or extended, further improving the repeatability and controllability of the distal-end priority bending action.

[0030] Specifically, the protrusion is a ring structure, or the protrusion can be set as multiple protrusions located on the same circumference to achieve stable enhancement of the bending resistance of the spiral tube 240 to the instrument channel 230.

[0031] The endoscope provided in this application embodiment can be a nephroscope, or a bronchoscope, esophagoscope, gastroscope, colonoscope, otoscope, rhinoscope, oral endoscope, laryngoscope, colposcope, laparoscope, arthroscope, etc. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the type of endoscope.

[0032] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0033] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An endoscope insertion section characterized by comprising: The device includes a curved tube comprising a passive bending section at the proximal end and an active bending section at the distal end. An instrument channel is axially arranged within the curved tube, and a helical tube is sleeved over the instrument channel. The helical tube at least partially corresponds to the active bending section. A first preset distance exists between the distal end of the helical tube and the distal end of the active bending section. A second preset distance exists between the peripheral wall of the helical tube and the inner wall of the active bending section. A first stop portion is provided within the curved tube, located at the proximal end of the helical tube. The first stop portion abuts against the proximal end of the helical tube. The first preset distance is used to induce a bending resistance difference at the distal end of the active bending section, enabling the distal end to bend before the proximal end. The second preset distance is used to provide radial movement space for the helical tube to avoid interference between the helical tube and the snake-bone unit.

2. An insertion section of an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that The pitch of the spiral tube gradually increases from the near end to the far end; And / or, the axial cross-sectional length of the spiral tube gradually decreases from the proximal end to the distal end.

3. An endoscope insertion part according to claim 1, characterized in that, The curved tube is provided with a second stop part, which is located at the far end of the spiral tube and is used to abut against the far end of the spiral tube.

4. An endoscope insertion part according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second stop portion is slidably connected to the instrument channel along the axial direction. The curved tube also includes a driving member. The power output end of the driving member is connected to the second stop portion. The driving member is used to drive the second stop portion to move axially on the instrument channel.

5. An endoscope insertion part according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first stop portion is located in the passive bending section.

6. An endoscope insertion part according to claim 5, characterized in that, The helical tube includes a first state and a second state. In the first state, the proximal end of the helical tube corresponds to the passive bending section, and the distal end of the helical tube corresponds to the middle or distal end of the active bending section. In the second state, the helical tube is axially compressed to correspond entirely to the passive bending section, or the distal end of the helical tube corresponds to the proximal end of the active bending section.

7. An endoscope insertion part according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first stop portion is connected to the peripheral wall of the instrument channel or the inner wall of the curved tube.

8. An endoscope insertion part according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The distal end of the spiral tube is provided with a protrusion, which abuts against the inner wall of the curved tube and / or the peripheral wall of the instrument channel.

9. An endoscope insertion part according to claim 8, characterized in that, The protrusion has a ring-shaped structure.

10. An endoscope, characterized in that, It includes a handle and an insertion part as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the distal end of the handle is connected to the proximal end of the insertion part.

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