Four-direction bending endoscope

Abstract

The utility model discloses a four-direction bending endoscope, which comprises a shell, a working part and an operating part, the working part comprises a snake bone pipe mechanism capable of bending and deforming along at least one direction, and a flexible pipe used for connecting the snake bone pipe mechanism and the shell; the operation part comprises a rotation operation mechanism configured to drive the snake bone pipe mechanism to bend and deform towards at least one direction; and a rotation control mechanism configured to restrict a rotational degree of freedom of the rotation operation mechanism in a locked state so that the rotation operation mechanism cannot drive the serpentine tube mechanism and to enable the rotation operation mechanism to freely drive the serpentine tube mechanism in an unlocked state. Through the arrangement of the snake bone pipe mechanism, the rotation operation mechanism and the rotation control mechanism, a user can adjust the bending degree of the snake bone pipe mechanism through the rotation operation mechanism, then the rotation control mechanism is operated, the rotation operation mechanism is in a locked state, and the bending situation of the snake bone pipe mechanism is kept unchanged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of medical equipment technology, and in particular to a four-way curved endoscope. Background Technology

[0002] Endoscopes are used to examine various parts of the human body through natural cavities. During the examination, in addition to imaging and observing the area being examined through the camera built into the endoscope, treatment instruments such as biopsy forceps, electrosurgical excision devices, injection needles, lasers, and stone retrieval baskets are used to treat specific areas.

[0003] Because the human body's natural cavities have considerable curvature—whether it's the digestive, urinary, or respiratory systems—multiple bends exist. During examinations, the endoscope tip is often bent significantly to examine tissue surfaces and all corners in detail. This necessitates that the entire insertion tube respond promptly even when the tip is bent at a small radius and large angle. Furthermore, when the tip of the insertion tube is bent at a large angle, the rear section of the tube should not be bent excessively. Significant bending of the entire insertion tube can compress surrounding tissues, causing severe pain for the patient.

[0004] Currently, to achieve a large bending angle at the tip of the insertion tube, common methods include using a metal snake-shaped tube covered with a woven mesh and skin, or using a multi-lumen tube design. However, with multi-lumen tube designs, when the tip is bent at a large angle, the entire tube will be noticeably bent, making it difficult to respond promptly to the rotation of the handle at the rear end, and also increasing the physical burden on the patient being examined. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a four-way bending endoscope, which aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the prior art.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the purpose of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: providing a four-way bending endoscope, including a housing, a working part, and an operating part.

[0007] The outer casing has an internal mounting cavity;

[0008] The working part includes:

[0009] A serpentine tube mechanism configured to bend and deform in at least one direction;

[0010] A flexible tube, one end of which is connected to the snake-bone tube mechanism, and the other end of which is connected to the outer shell and communicates with the mounting cavity;

[0011] The operation section includes:

[0012] A rotating operating mechanism is at least partially disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing. The rotating operating mechanism extends along and through the flexible tube from one end of the flexible tube away from the snake tube mechanism and is connected to the snake tube mechanism. The rotating operating mechanism is configured to drive the snake tube mechanism to bend and deform in at least one direction.

[0013] A rotation control mechanism is configured to restrict the rotational degrees of freedom of the rotational operating mechanism in a locked state so that the rotational operating mechanism cannot drive the snake-shaped tube mechanism, and to allow the rotational operating mechanism to freely drive the snake-shaped tube mechanism in an unlocked state.

[0014] Furthermore, the rotation operating mechanism includes:

[0015] At least one cable runs along and passes through the flexible tube and is connected to the snake-bone tube mechanism;

[0016] A rotating operating component is connected to the at least one cable, the rotating operating component being configured to drive the snake-bone tube mechanism to bend and deform in at least one direction by tightening or releasing the at least one cable.

[0017] Furthermore, the rotation operation component includes:

[0018] A first rotating member is disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing and connected to a first pivot, the first rotating member being configured to rotate with the first pivot about a first pivot axis of the first pivot;

[0019] The second rotating member is disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing and connected to the second pivot. The second rotating member is configured to rotate with the second pivot about a second pivot axis of the second pivot. The first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are collinear.

[0020] The first rotating member and the second rotating member are configured to rotate independently of each other.

[0021] Furthermore, the rotation control mechanism includes:

[0022] The female locking component is movably disposed on one of the first pivot and the second pivot;

[0023] A male locking member is rotatably disposed on one of the first pivot and the second pivot, and the male locking member is configured to drive the female locking member to move along a first axial direction of one of the first pivot and the second pivot when the male locking member rotates by a certain rotation angle, so as to abut against and apply pressure along the first axial direction to one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

[0024] Furthermore, the male locking component includes:

[0025] The male lock body is rotatably mounted on one of the first pivot and the second pivot;

[0026] The male lock connecting bevel is provided on the end face of the male lock body facing the female lock component.

[0027] The main lock component includes:

[0028] The main lock body is movably disposed on one of the first pivot and the second rotating shaft;

[0029] The female lock connecting bevel is provided on the end face of the female lock body facing the male lock body;

[0030] The male lock connecting ramp is configured such that when the male lock component rotates by a certain rotation angle, it engages with the wedge of the female lock connecting ramp to drive the female lock body to move along the first axial direction.

[0031] Furthermore, the snake-bone tube mechanism includes at least one snake-bone unit, the snake-bone unit comprising:

[0032] The snake bone body is generally ring-shaped, having a first side disposed along the second axial direction of the snake bone body and a second side located opposite to the first side along the second axial direction;

[0033] At least one first hinge portion is disposed on the first side of the snake-bone body;

[0034] At least one second hinge portion is disposed on the second side of the snake bone body, and when viewed along the second axial direction, the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion do not intersect;

[0035] At least two threaded portions corresponding to the number of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion are provided on at least one of the first side and the second side of the snake bone body.

[0036] Furthermore, the snake-bone unit includes at least one of a first shape and a second shape;

[0037] The first shape includes a ring with a notch;

[0038] The second shape includes a hinge member adapted to the inner ring side of the annular body to form a hinged engagement.

[0039] Furthermore, an outer annular groove is formed on the first shape, the outer annular groove is located on the outer ring side of the inner ring body, and one end of the outer annular groove penetrates through the first side or the second side of the snake bone body;

[0040] The second shape is provided with an arc-shaped block, which is configured to be at least partially embedded in the outer annular groove.

[0041] Furthermore, the second shape has an inner arc-shaped groove, which is located on the inner ring side of the arc-shaped block, and the annular body on the first shape can be at least partially embedded in the inner arc-shaped groove.

[0042] Furthermore, the snake-bone body is recessed inward along the radial direction to form the threading portion, which is located on the opposite side of the first hinge portion or the second hinge portion along the second axial direction.

[0043] This utility model provides a four-way bending endoscope. By setting a snake-bone tube mechanism that can be bent and deformed in at least one direction, a rotation operation mechanism for driving the bending and deformation of the snake-bone tube mechanism, and a rotation control mechanism for locking or releasing the rotation operation mechanism, the user can adjust the bending degree of the snake-bone tube mechanism through the rotation operation mechanism, and then operate the rotation control mechanism to lock the rotation operation mechanism, so that the bending state of the snake-bone tube mechanism remains unchanged. Attached Figure Description

[0044] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the four-way bending endoscope provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 2 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure after removing part of the outer shell and an enlarged schematic diagram of part A;

[0047] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the operation part and an enlarged schematic diagram of part B provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between two adjacent snake-bone units provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 5 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the split structure of the two snake-bone units;

[0050] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the connection structure between the snake-bone tube mechanism and the front-end lens assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the head-end snake bone unit and the tail-end snake bone unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flexible tube provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the rotation control mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the rotating operating mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the cable fixing base provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the female lock component and the male lock component provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 13 This is a structural schematic diagram of the front-end lens assembly and end cap component provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Explanation of the markings in the image:

[0059] Front-end lens assembly; 11. Front-end cap; 111. End cap component; 111A. Front-end cavity; 111B. Front-end face; 112. First hole; 113. Second hole; 114. Third hole; 115. Fourth hole; 116. Guide component; 117. Guide element; 12. Optical imaging assembly;

[0060] Snake-bone tube mechanism; 21. Snake-bone unit; 211. Snake-bone body; 212. First hinge; 213. Second hinge; 214. Threading part; 215. Process groove; 22. First shape; 221. Ring-shaped body; 222. Outer annular groove; 223. First connecting part; 23. Second shape; 231. Arc-shaped block; 232. Inner arc-shaped groove; 233. Second connecting part; 234. Hinge component; 24. Head end snake-bone unit; 241. Head end body; 242. Head end hinge; 243. Thread fixing part; 25. Tail end snake-bone unit; 251. Tail end body; 252. Tail end hinge; 253. Positioning groove; 26. First side; 27. Second side;

[0061] Flexible tube; 31. Outer layer; 32. Middle layer; 33. Inner layer; 34. Inner liner tube;

[0062] Injection mechanism;

[0063] Mechanical travel mechanism;

[0064] Rotation operating mechanism; 61. First rotating component; 62. Second rotating component; 63. First pivot; 64. Second pivot; 65. First cable; 66. Second cable; 67. First rotating handle; 68. Second rotating handle; 69. Cable fixing seat; 691. Fixing component; 692. Threading hole; 693. Pressing hole; 610. Cable guide assembly; 610A. Cable guide base; 610B. Cable guide sheath;

[0065] Rotation control mechanism; 71. Female lock component; 711. Female lock body; 712. Female lock connecting slope; 713. First female lock surface; 714. Second female lock surface; 72. Male lock component; 721. Male lock body; 722. Male lock connecting slope; 723. First male lock surface; 724. Second male lock surface; 73. Friction component; 74. First elastic component; 75. Second elastic component; 76. Locking component;

[0066] shell. Detailed Implementation

[0067] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present 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 the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0068] It should be understood that, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "comprising" and "including" indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0069] It should also be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0070] It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0071] Figure 1 , Figure 2This invention provides an embodiment of a four-way flexible endoscope, which is a flexible endoscope that can pass through natural human cavities, such as the mouth, nose, urethra, and anus, to reach the inside of the human body and perform detailed examinations of different organs.

[0072] Please see Figures 1 to 5 This embodiment provides a four-way flexible endoscope, including a housing 8, a working part, and an operating part. The working part is a flexible section that can enter and bend repeatedly within the body's natural cavities to adapt to their varied shapes. The operating part is connected to the working part and is operated by medical personnel to control the working part according to treatment needs, causing it to bend or deform, or to control additional components on the working part, including components such as a front-end lens assembly 1 and instruments.

[0073] Specifically, the housing 8 has an internal mounting cavity configured to accommodate at least a portion of the working portion and at least a portion of the operating portion.

[0074] The working components include a front-end lens assembly 1, a snake-bone tube mechanism 2, a flexible tube 3, a liquid injection mechanism 4, and an instrument passage mechanism 5. Among these,

[0075] The snake-bone tube mechanism 2 is tubular in shape and is configured to bend and deform in at least one direction;

[0076] The front-end lens assembly 1 is configured to acquire image information in the natural cavities of the human body. The front-end lens assembly 1 is connected to one end of the snake tube mechanism 2 and is configured to move with the snake tube mechanism 2 and adapt to change the orientation of the front-end lens assembly 1 when the snake tube mechanism 2 bends and deforms.

[0077] The flexible tube 3 is also tubular in shape. One end of the flexible tube 3 is connected to the other end of the snake tube mechanism 2, and the other end of the flexible tube 3 is connected to the outer shell 8. The flexible tube 3 is configured to adapt to bending and deforming with the snake tube mechanism 2 when the snake tube mechanism 2 bends and deforms in at least one direction.

[0078] The injection mechanism 4 inserts the flexible tube 3, the snake bone tube mechanism 2 and the front lens assembly 1 sequentially from the installation cavity, and is configured to communicate with the human body's natural cavity environment via the front lens assembly 1.

[0079] The instrument passage mechanism 5 passes through the installation cavity in sequence, including the flexible tube 3, the snake bone tube mechanism 2, and the front lens assembly 1, and is configured to communicate with the human body's natural cavity environment via the front lens assembly 1.

[0080] The working part is constructed in such a way that the front lens assembly 1, the liquid injection mechanism 4, and the instrument passage mechanism 5 can be integrated into the tubular structure composed of the snake bone tube mechanism 2 and the flexible tube 3.

[0081] The operating part is located in the housing 8 and is operatively connected to the working part, including a rotation operating mechanism 6 and a rotation control mechanism 7. Among them,

[0082] The rotating operating mechanism 6 is at least partially disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing 8. The rotating operating mechanism 6 extends from the end of the flexible tube 3 away from the snake tube mechanism 2, passes through the flexible tube 3, and is connected to the snake tube mechanism 2. The rotating operating mechanism 6 is configured to drive the snake tube mechanism 2 to bend and deform in at least one direction.

[0083] The rotation control mechanism 7 is configured to restrict the rotational degree of freedom of the rotational operating mechanism 6 in the locked state so that the rotational operating mechanism 6 cannot drive the snake tube mechanism 2, and to allow the rotational operating mechanism 6 to freely drive the snake tube mechanism 2 in the unlocked state.

[0084] Please see Figures 5 to 11 The snake-bone tube mechanism 2 includes at least one snake-bone unit 21, and the snake-bone unit 21 includes:

[0085] The snake bone body 211 is generally ring-shaped and has a first side 26 arranged along the second axial direction of the snake bone body 211 and a second side 27 located on the opposite side of the first side 26 along the second axial direction.

[0086] At least one first hinge portion 212 is disposed on the first side 26 of the snake-bone body 211;

[0087] At least one second hinge portion 213 is disposed on the second side 27 of the snake bone body 211, and when viewed along the second axial direction, the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 do not intersect.

[0088] At least two threaded portions 214 corresponding to the number of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 are provided on at least one of the first side 26 and the second side 27 of the snake bone body 211.

[0089] In this embodiment, the snake bone unit 21 can be connected to the front lens assembly 1 or the flexible tube 3, or it can be connected to another adjacent snake bone unit 21 to form a snake bone tube mechanism 2 composed of at least two snake bone units 21.

[0090] Specifically, in one embodiment, the first hinge portion 212 extends from the first side 26 of the snake-bone body 211 along the second axial direction. The second hinge portion 213 extends from the second side 27 of the snake-bone body 211 along the second axial direction.

[0091] When two adjacent snake-bone units 21 are connected, the first hinge portion 212 on one snake-bone unit 21 is connected and cooperated with the second hinge portion 213 on the other snake-bone unit 21 to form a hinge unit.

[0092] In the above description, the shapes of the first hinge portion 212 on the first side 26 and the second hinge portion 213 on the second side 27 of the same snake-bone unit 21 are not distinguished. In other words, the shapes of the first hinge portion 212 on the first side 26 and the second hinge portion 213 on the second side 27 of the same snake-bone unit 21 can be the same or different. However, when two adjacent snake-bone units 21 are connected, the first hinge portion 212 on the first side 26 of one snake-bone unit 21 and the second hinge portion 213 on the second side 27 of the other snake-bone unit 21 must be able to cooperate with each other to form a hinge unit.

[0093] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first hinge portion 212 on the first side 26 and the second hinge portion 213 on the second side 27 of each snake bone unit 21 have the same shape, but the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 on the opposite side of two adjacent snake bone units 21 have different shapes and can cooperate with each other to form a hinge unit.

[0094] The shape and structure of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 are described in detail below. For ease of description, one of the two adjacent snake-bone units 21 is referred to as the first snake-bone unit, and the other is referred to as the second snake-bone unit.

[0095] In this embodiment, the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 of the first snake-bone unit have the same shape, and the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 of the second snake-bone unit also have the same shape. However, the shapes of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 on opposite sides of the first and second snake-bone units are different. For ease of description, the shapes of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 on the first snake-bone unit are collectively referred to as the first shape 22, and the shapes of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 on the second snake-bone unit are collectively referred to as the second shape 23. The first shape 22 and the second shape 23 can be combined to form a hinge unit.

[0096] Specifically, the first shape 22 includes an annular body 221 with a notch, and the second shape 23 includes a hinge member 234 adapted to the inner ring side of the annular body 221 to form a hinged engagement. The hinge member 234 may be a columnar body or a spherical body.

[0097] To ensure the connection stability between the first shape 22 and the second shape 23, the included angle of the notch of the annular body 221 is set to an acute angle, so that the first shape 22 and the second shape 23 are not easy to separate along the second axial direction of the snake bone unit 21.

[0098] In a further embodiment, an outer annular groove 222 is provided on the first shape 22. The outer annular groove 222 is located on the outer ring side of the ring body 221. One end of the outer annular groove 222 penetrates the first side 26 or the second side 27 of the snake bone body 211.

[0099] Taking the aforementioned first snake-bone unit as an example, firstly, an outer annular groove 222 is formed on the first snake-bone body of the first snake-bone unit. The outer annular groove 222 is located on the outer ring side of the annular body 221, and one end of the outer annular groove 222 penetrates through the first side 26 or the second side 27 of the first snake-bone body. Taking the first side 26 of the first snake-bone unit as an example, its outer annular groove penetrates through the first side 26 of the first snake-bone body; taking the second side 27 of the first snake-bone unit as an example, its outer annular groove penetrates through the second side 27 of the first snake-bone body.

[0100] Secondly, two annular grooves 222 of the first snake-bone unit are symmetrically arranged about a line of symmetry passing through the center of the annular body and parallel to the second axial direction of the first snake-bone unit. Thus, a first connecting portion 223 is formed between the two annular grooves 222, extending along the second axial direction of the snake-bone unit 21, and one end of the first connecting portion 223 is connected to the annular body. In this way, the aforementioned first shape 22 is formed on the first snake-bone unit.

[0101] Furthermore, the first side 26 and the second side 27 of the second snake bone body of the second snake bone unit are both provided with arc-shaped blocks 231, and when the first snake bone unit is connected to the second snake bone unit, the arc-shaped blocks 231 are at least partially embedded in the outer annular groove 222.

[0102] Secondly, the second snake-bone unit has an inner arc-shaped groove 232 on its second snake-bone body. The inner arc-shaped groove 232 is located on the inner ring side of the arc-shaped block 231. One end of the inner arc-shaped groove 232 passes through the first side 26 or the second side 27 of the second snake-bone unit. When the first snake-bone unit is connected to the second snake-bone unit, the annular body 221 on the first snake-bone body is at least partially embedded in the inner arc-shaped groove 232 on the second snake-bone body. Taking the first side 26 of the second snake-bone unit as an example, its inner arc-shaped groove 232 passes through the first side 26 of the second snake-bone body; taking the second side 27 of the second snake-bone unit as an example, its inner arc-shaped groove 232 passes through the second side 27 of the second snake-bone body.

[0103] In addition, there are two arc-shaped blocks 231 on the second snake bone unit, which are symmetrically arranged about the above-mentioned symmetry line. The two arc-shaped blocks 231 are at least partially embedded in the two outer annular grooves 222.

[0104] The second serpentine unit also has two inner arc-shaped grooves 232 symmetrically arranged about the aforementioned line of symmetry, thereby forming a second connecting portion 233 between the two inner arc-shaped grooves 232. The second connecting portion 233 extends along the second axial direction of the serpentine unit 21, and one end of the second connecting portion 233 is connected to the hinge member 234 of the second shape 23. The hinge member 234 can be a columnar body or a spherical body. In this way, the second shape 23 is formed on the second serpentine unit.

[0105] As described above, in this embodiment, the first shape 22 is only provided on the first snake-bone unit, and the second shape 23 is only provided on the second snake-bone unit. Of course, in other embodiments, the first shape 22 can be formed on the first side 26 of both the first and second snake-bone units, and the second shape 23 can be formed on the second side 27 of both the first and second snake-bone units. Alternatively, the first shape 22 and the second shape 23 can be formed simultaneously on the first side 26 of the first snake-bone unit, and the first shape 22 and the second shape 23 can also be formed simultaneously on the second side 27. The first side 26 of the second snake-bone unit corresponds to the first shape 22 and the second shape 23 that are hinged to the first snake-bone unit, and the same applies to the second side 27. Regarding the shapes of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 on the first side 26 and the second side 27 of the snake-bone unit 21, this application does not impose any particular restrictions, as long as the combination of the shapes of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 allows adjacent snake-bone units 21 to hinge together to form the aforementioned hinge unit. In summary, the snake-bone unit 21 includes at least one of the first shape 22 and the second shape 23.

[0106] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the first side 26 of the first snake bone unit is provided with two first shapes 22, the second side 27 is provided with two first shapes 22, the first side 26 of the second snake bone unit is provided with two second shapes 23, and the second side 27 is provided with two second shapes 23.

[0107] The two first shapes 22 of the first side 26 of the first snake bone unit are arranged along the first radial direction, and the two first shapes 22 of the first side 26 are arranged symmetrically about the center of the end face where the first side 26 is located.

[0108] The two first shapes 22 of the second side 27 of the first snake bone unit are arranged along the second radial direction, and the two first shapes 22 of the second side 27 are arranged symmetrically about the center of the end face where the second side 27 is located.

[0109] Furthermore, when viewed along the second axial direction of the first snake-bone unit, none of the four first shapes 22 overlap.

[0110] Furthermore, when viewed along the second axial direction of the first snake-bone unit, the first radial direction is orthogonal to the second radial direction.

[0111] The second shape 23 of the second snake bone unit is set in the same way as the first snake bone unit, and will not be described again here.

[0112] This configuration allows for a reasonable arrangement of the positions of the first hinge 212 and the second hinge 213. It also ensures that the two deformation directions of the snake bone unit 21 are orthogonal. This allows the snake bone tube mechanism 2, composed of at least two snake bone units 21, to bend and deform in the second radial direction when the first hinge 212 is operated alone, and the snake bone tube mechanism 2, composed of at least two snake bone units 21, to bend and deform in the first radial direction when the second hinge 213 is operated alone. This gives the snake bone tube mechanism 2 the ability to bend and deform in at least the left and right and up and down directions.

[0113] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 8 The snake-bone body 211 is recessed inward along the radial direction to form a threading portion 214, which is disposed on the opposite side of the first hinge portion 212 or the second hinge portion 213 along the second axial direction. In other words, the threading portion 214 can be disposed on the first side 26 or the second side 27. When disposed on the first side 26, the threading portion 214 is located on the opposite side of the second hinge portion 213 along the second axial direction, and when disposed on the second side 27, the threading portion 214 is located on the opposite side of the first hinge portion 212 along the second axial direction.

[0114] Specifically, in this embodiment, a threading part 214 is provided on the opposite side of each first hinge part 212 and each second hinge part 213, and the position of each threading part 214 corresponds one-to-one with the position of each first hinge part 212 and each second hinge part 213.

[0115] Furthermore, a process groove 215 is provided between at least one of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 and the threading portion 214, and the process groove 215 extends circumferentially along the snake-bone body 211. The provision of the process groove 215 makes the processing of the threading portion 214 easier and avoids problems such as cracking and deformation of the snake-bone body 211 during processing.

[0116] Furthermore, at least one of the first hinge portion 212 and the second hinge portion 213 is provided with a positioning point on the opposite side along the second axial direction. In this embodiment, each first hinge portion 212 and each second hinge portion 213 is provided with a positioning point extending along the second axial direction on the opposite side. The positioning point can contact the cable when the snake tube mechanism 2 turns, so as to limit the maximum turning angle of the snake tube mechanism 2 and prevent the snake unit from disengaging.

[0117] Please see Figures 9 to 11 In one embodiment, the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 further includes a head-end snake-bone unit 24, which includes:

[0118] The head end body 241 has at least one wire fixing part 243 provided on its circumferential surface;

[0119] The head end hinge portion 242 is provided on the side of the head end body 241 facing the outer shell 8, and the head end hinge portion 242 is configured to be hinged to the first hinge portion 212 or the second hinge portion 213 on the adjacent snake bone unit 21.

[0120] Specifically, in this embodiment, the head-end snake-bone unit 24 has a structure that is basically the same as the aforementioned snake-bone unit 21, and the structure of the head-end hinge portion 242 is the same as the structure of the first hinge portion 212 or the second hinge portion 213. The difference is that the end of the head-end snake-bone unit 24 connected to the front-end lens assembly 1 does not need to be provided with the first hinge portion 212 and / or the second hinge portion 213. For the sake of simplicity, the same structure of the head-end snake-bone unit 24 and the aforementioned snake-bone unit 21 will not be described again here. In addition, the head-end body 241 is configured to connect the front-end lens assembly 1 and the snake-bone unit 21, and the wire fixing portion 243 is configured to fix the cable passing through the wire threading portion 214. This cable is a flexible cable. The flexible cable can be fixed in the wire fixing portion 243 by screwing, bonding, or welding.

[0121] More specifically, in this embodiment, four wire fixing parts 243 are provided, and the four wire fixing parts 243 are arranged at circumferential intervals along the circumferential surface of the head end body 241.

[0122] Preferably, in order to optimize the tension and the deformation effect of the snake tube mechanism 2, the four fixed parts 243 correspond one-to-one with the positions of the threading parts 214 on the snake unit 21 in the circumferential direction. In other words, when the snake tube mechanism 2 maintains a straight shape, each fixed part 243 and the corresponding threading part 214 are on the same straight line.

[0123] In this embodiment, the wire fixing part 243 can have different structural designs. For example, it can be a through hole through which the cable can pass and be fixed by knotting or screwing. The wire fixing part 243 can also be a wire pressing groove structure. The wire pressing groove is formed by the downward indentation of the circumferential surface of the head body, and a groove wall that can contact the circumferential side of the cable is formed in the indentation. The cable can be fixed to the wire pressing groove by bonding or welding.

[0124] In another embodiment, the snake-bone mechanism 2 further includes a tail-end snake-bone unit 25, which includes:

[0125] The tail end body 251 has at least one positioning groove 253 arranged circumferentially on its circumferential surface, and the positioning groove 253 is configured to fix the cable.

[0126] The tail end hinge portion 252 is provided on the side of the tail end body 251 opposite to the outer shell 8, and the tail end hinge portion 252 is configured to be hinged to the first hinge portion 212 or the second hinge portion 213 on the adjacent snake bone unit 21.

[0127] Specifically, in this embodiment, the tail-end snake-bone unit 25 has a structure that is basically the same as the aforementioned snake-bone unit 21, and the structure of the tail-end hinge portion 252 is the same as the structure of the first hinge portion 212 or the second hinge portion 213. The difference is that the end of the tail-end snake-bone unit 25 connected to the front-end lens assembly 1 does not need to be provided with the first hinge portion 212 and / or the second hinge portion 213. For the sake of simplicity, the same structure of the tail-end snake-bone unit 25 and the aforementioned snake-bone unit 21 will not be described again here. The tail-end body 251 is configured to connect the snake-bone unit 21 and the flexible tube 3.

[0128] Furthermore, in this application, the cable includes a rigid shell with a certain bending deformation capability and a pull wire passing through the rigid shell. The specific structure of the cable can be referenced to the Bowden cable, which is similar to it. In this application, the bending deformation of the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 is achieved by pulling or releasing the aforementioned cable. The specific principle can be referenced to the application principle of the Bowden cable.

[0129] Specifically, in this embodiment, the rigid outer shell 8 can be fixed to the positioning groove 253 by means of bonding or welding, while the pull wire passing through the rigid outer shell 8 continues to pass through the snake bone tube mechanism 2 and is fixed in the wire fixing part 243 of the head end snake bone unit 24.

[0130] Preferably, to optimize the tensile force and the deformation effect of the snake-bone tube mechanism 2, the four positioning grooves 253 correspond one-to-one with the positions of the threading portions 214 on the snake-bone unit 21 in the circumferential direction. In other words, when the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 maintains a straight shape, each fixing portion 243 and the corresponding threading portion 214 are on the same straight line. That is, in this embodiment, when the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 maintains a straight shape, the positioning grooves 253, the threading portions 214, and the fixing portions 243 are all on the same straight line.

[0131] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 12 One end of the flexible tube 3 is connected to the tail end snake bone unit 25 of the snake bone tube mechanism 2, and the other end is connected to the outer shell 8.

[0132] The flexible tube 3 comprises an outer layer 31, a middle layer 32, and an inner layer 33. The outer layer 31 is made of a soft material such as rubber or Pebax, allowing for a certain degree of bending deformation. The middle layer 32 is a metal layer, which can be made of woven metal wire, a spiral spring tube made of wound metal wire, or a laser-engraved perforated metal tube. The middle layer 32, composed of a metal layer, provides support, preventing the flexible tube 3 from breaking during bending and also preventing significant folding during the pushing process. The inner layer 33 is a flexible inner tube, which can also undergo a certain degree of bending deformation. The flexible inner tube essentially forms a channel through which cables, instrument passage mechanisms 5, liquid injection mechanisms 4, and the wires of the front-end lens assembly 1 can pass.

[0133] In addition, the flexible tube 3 also includes an inner liner tube 34, which is disposed on the inner side of the end of the flexible tube 3 near the tail-end snake-bone unit 25. When the flexible tube 3 is connected to the tail-end snake-bone unit 25, the outer wall of the inner liner tube 34 abuts against the inner layer 33 of the flexible tube 3, and the inner wall of the inner liner tube 34 abuts against the outer wall of the tail-end body 251 of the tail-end snake-bone unit 25. At this time, the cable is located between the tail-end body 251 of the tail-end snake-bone unit 25 and the inner wall of the inner liner tube 34, making the installation of the cable more stable and reliable.

[0134] Specifically, in this embodiment, the inner liner tube 34 is made of PEEK heat shrink tubing. Due to the arrangement of the inner liner tube 34 and the flexible tube 3, to prevent the outer diameter of the connection between the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 and the flexible tube 3 from being larger than the overall outer diameter of the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 or the flexible tube 3, a tail-end neck is provided on the tail-end body 251. The diameter of the tail-end neck is smaller than the overall outer diameter of the snake-bone tube mechanism 2, ensuring that when the inner liner tube 34 and the flexible tube 3 are installed on the tail-end body 251, the overall outer diameter of the connection is consistent with the overall outer diameter of the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 or the flexible tube 3.

[0135] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 13 The rotating operating mechanism 6 is configured to drive the snake tube mechanism 2 to bend and deform in at least one direction.

[0136] Specifically, the rotation operating mechanism 6 includes a rotation operating component configured to drive the snake tube mechanism 2 to bend and deform in at least one direction by tightening or releasing at least one cable. The rotation operating mechanism 6 includes:

[0137] The first rotating member 61 is disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing 8 and connected to the first pivot 63. The first rotating member 61 is configured to rotate with the first pivot 63 about the first pivot axis of the first pivot 63.

[0138] The second rotating member 62 is disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing 8 and connected to the second pivot 64. The second rotating member 62 is configured to rotate with the second pivot 64 about the second pivot axis of the second pivot 64. The first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are collinear. The first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62 are configured to rotate independently of each other.

[0139] The first cable 65 is connected at one end to the first rotating member 61 and at the other end to the snake tube mechanism 2. The first cable 65 is configured such that when the first rotating member 61 rotates, the first cable 65 can pull the snake tube mechanism 2 to bend and deform along the first deformation direction.

[0140] The second cable 66 is connected at one end to the second rotating member 62 and at the other end to the snake tube mechanism 2. The second cable 66 is configured such that when the second rotating member 62 rotates, the second cable 66 can pull the snake tube mechanism 2 to bend and deform along the second deformation direction.

[0141] Specifically, in this embodiment, the snake tube mechanism 2 has two sets of bending degrees of freedom in the up and down and left and right directions. One set is called the first deformation direction, and the other set is called the second deformation direction. That is, the first cable 65 can drive the snake tube mechanism 2 to bend and deform in one of the left and right and up and down directions, and the second cable 66 can drive the snake tube mechanism 2 to bend and deform in the other of the left and right and up and down directions.

[0142] In addition, the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 is provided with four corresponding positioning grooves 253, four threading parts 214 and four fixing parts 243. That is, in this embodiment, four cables are provided, and the four cables pass through the corresponding positioning grooves 253, threading parts 214 and fixing parts 243 in sequence, so that the four cables can control the bending deformation of the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 along the first deformation direction and the second deformation direction respectively.

[0143] Therefore, two of the four cables are connected to the first rotating member 61, and these two cables are collectively referred to as the first cable 65. This allows the first rotating member 61 to control the bending deformation of the snake tube mechanism 2 in one of the left-right and up-down directions. The other two of the four cables are connected to the second rotating member 62, and these other two cables are collectively referred to as the second cable 66. This allows the second rotating member 62 to control the bending deformation of the snake tube mechanism 2 in another of the left-right and up-down directions.

[0144] Furthermore, the rotating operating mechanism 6 also includes a first rotating handle 67 and a second rotating handle 68. The first rotating handle 67 is connected to one end of the first pivot 63 extending outside the housing 8. By turning the first rotating handle 67, the first pivot 63 can be driven to rotate around a first pivot axis, thereby causing the first rotating member 61 to rotate and control the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 to deform in one direction. The second rotating handle 68 is connected to one end of the second pivot 64 extending outside the housing 8. By turning the second rotating handle 68, the second pivot 64 can be driven to rotate around a second pivot axis, thereby causing the second rotating member 62 to rotate and control the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 to deform in another direction.

[0145] Please continue reading. Figure 13 The rotating operating mechanism 6 further includes at least one cable fixing seat 69, which is rotatably mounted on at least one of the first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62. The cable fixing seat 69 is configured to fix the end of the cable so that the cable is connected to at least one of the first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62.

[0146] Specifically, the cable fixing base 69 includes a fixing member 691 and a wire hole 692. The fixing member 691 is rotatably mounted on at least one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member. The wire hole 692 is disposed on the fixing member 691 and passes through the circumferential side of the fixing member 691. The cable is configured to be connected and fixed to the fixing member 691 through the wire hole 692.

[0147] In this embodiment, by rotatably mounting the cable fixing seat 69 on the first rotating member 61 and / or the second rotating member 62, the cable fixing seat 69 can rotate with the rotation of the first rotating member 61 and / or the second rotating member 62 when the cable is pulled or released, thereby reducing the friction between the cable and the cable fixing seat 69 and effectively preventing the cable from being broken by friction.

[0148] Specifically, in this embodiment, four cable fixing seats 69 are provided, and two of the cable fixing seats 69 are symmetrically installed on the first rotating member 61 about the first pivot axis, and the other two cable fixing seats 69 are symmetrically installed on the second rotating member 62 about the second pivot axis. Two of the four cables are respectively connected to the two cable fixing seats 69 on the first rotating member 61, and the other two of the four cables are respectively connected to the two cable fixing seats 69 on the second rotating member 62.

[0149] Preferably, the cable fixing base 69 further includes a wire clamping hole 693 and a wire clamping element.

[0150] The wire pressing hole 693 is provided on the fixing member 691. The axis of the wire pressing hole 693 is not parallel to the axis of the wire threading hole 692. In this embodiment, the axis of the wire pressing hole 693 and the axis of the wire threading hole 692 are preferably orthogonal.

[0151] A wire clamping element is disposed in a wire clamping hole 693 and is configured to clamp a portion of the cable to the bottom of the wire clamping hole 693.

[0152] Thus, by setting the wire clamping hole 693 and the wire clamping component, the cable can be fixed on the cable fixing seat 69, and the user can adjust the tightness of the cable by adjusting the length of the cable passing through the wire hole 692, thereby adjusting the operating feel of the snake tube mechanism 2. Specifically, in this embodiment, the wire clamping hole 693 is set as a threaded hole, and the wire clamping component is set as a wire clamping threaded component (also called a wire clamping screw). The wire clamping threaded component is threadedly connected to the wire clamping hole, and the user can adjust the tightness of the cable by turning the wire clamping screw.

[0153] Furthermore, since the first pivot 63 and the second pivot 64 are coaxially arranged, and in order to optimize the internal component layout of the mounting cavity of the housing 8, the first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62 are spaced apart along the first axial direction.

[0154] Please see Figure 4The four-way bending endoscope also includes at least one cable guide assembly 610, which is disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing 8 and located on the cable arrangement path on one side of the rotating operating mechanism 6.

[0155] Specifically, the cable guide assembly 610 includes:

[0156] The cable guide base 610A is disposed in the mounting cavity and on the cable arrangement path on one side of the rotating operating mechanism 6;

[0157] A cable guide sleeve 610B is disposed on a cable guide base 610A, and the cable guide sleeve 610B is provided with a guide hole for the cable to pass through.

[0158] Therefore, the cable guide component 610 can extend the cable in a predetermined direction, and in practical applications with multiple cables, such as the four cables used in this embodiment, it can effectively prevent the multiple cables from getting tangled or even knotted.

[0159] In a more specific embodiment, two cable guide bases 610A are provided, and the two cable guide bases 610A are spaced apart along the extension direction of the cable. Each cable guide base 610A is provided with two cable guide sleeves 610B, and the two cable guide sleeves 610B are both located at the same height position of the cable guide base 610A, that is, the height of the two cable guide sleeves 610B relative to the bottom of the mounting cavity is the same, but the height of the cable guide sleeve 610B on one cable guide base 610A is greater than the height of the cable guide sleeve 610B on the other cable guide base 610A.

[0160] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 13 The specific structure of the rotation control mechanism 7 is described below. The rotation control mechanism 7 is located in the housing 8 and is configured to restrict the rotational freedom of the rotational operating mechanism 6 in a locked state, preventing the rotational operating mechanism 6 from driving the snake-like tube mechanism 2, and to allow the rotational operating mechanism 6 to drive the snake-like tube mechanism 2 in an unlocked state. Thus, after the user adjusts the bending angle of the snake-like tube mechanism 2, the rotational operating mechanism 6 can be locked, thereby fixing the bending angle of the snake-like tube mechanism 2 and preventing it from being easily changed.

[0161] Specifically, the rotation control mechanism 7 includes:

[0162] The female locking component 71 is movably disposed on one of the first pivot 63 and the second pivot 64;

[0163] The male locking member 72 is rotatably disposed on one of the first pivot 63 and the second pivot 64, and the male locking member 72 is configured to drive the female locking member 71 to move along a first axial direction of one of the first pivot 63 and the second pivot 64 to abut against and apply pressure along the first axial direction to one of the first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62 when the male locking member 72 rotates by a certain rotation angle.

[0164] As can be seen from the above technical solution, when the user drives the male lock component 72 to rotate, the female lock component 71 moves along the first axial direction and abuts against one of the first rotating component 61 and the second rotating component 62. Due to the increase in pressure, the friction between the female lock component 71 and the first rotating component 61 or the second rotating component 62 increases, and the friction between the first rotating component 61 and the second rotating component 62 also increases, so that the first rotating component 61 and the second rotating component 62 remain stationary relative to the male lock component 72 and the female lock component 71, and the user cannot drive the first rotating component 61 or the second rotating component 62 to rotate.

[0165] Furthermore, the male locking component 72 includes:

[0166] The male lock body 721 is rotatably mounted on one of the first pivot and the second pivot;

[0167] The male lock connecting ramp 722 is provided on the end face of the male lock body 721 facing the female lock component 71.

[0168] The female lock component 71 includes:

[0169] The main lock body 711 is movably mounted on one of the first pivot and the second pivot;

[0170] The female lock connecting inclined surface 712 is provided on the end face of the female lock body 711 facing the male lock body 721;

[0171] The male lock connecting ramp 722 is configured to engage with the female lock connecting ramp 712 wedge when the male lock member 72 rotates by a certain rotation angle to drive the female lock body 711 to move along the first axial direction.

[0172] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first rotating member 61 is positioned closer to the male locking member 72 than the second rotating member 62. The first pivot 63 is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the second pivot 64. The male locking member 72 is rotatably mounted on the first pivot 63, meaning that when one of the male locking member 72 and the first pivot 63 rotates, it will not drive the other of the male locking member 72 and the first pivot 63 to rotate. The female locking member 71 is movably disposed on the first pivot 63 and located on the axial side of the male locking member 72, and the female locking member 71 is configured to always be in contact with the male locking member 72.

[0173] Of course, in other embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily conceive of connecting both the male locking member 72 and the female locking member 71 to the second pivot 64 located inside the first pivot 63, or connecting one of the male locking member 72 and the female locking member 71 to the first pivot 63 and the other to the female locking member 71, to achieve the same function. This application does not impose any specific limitations here.

[0174] Furthermore, the male locking component 72 also includes:

[0175] The first male lock surface 723 is disposed on the end face of the male lock body 721 facing the female lock component 71;

[0176] The second male lock surface 724 is disposed on the end face of the male lock body 721 facing the female lock component 71;

[0177] The male lock connecting ramp 722 is configured such that one end is connected to the first male lock face 723 and the other end is connected to the second male lock face 724.

[0178] The female lock component 71 also includes:

[0179] The first female lock face 713 is disposed on the end face of the female lock body 711 facing the male lock member 72;

[0180] The second female lock face 714 is provided on the end face of the female lock body 711 facing the male lock member 72;

[0181] The female lock connecting ramp 712 is configured such that one end is connected to the first female lock surface 713 and the other end is connected to the second female lock surface 714.

[0182] The first male locking face 723 is configured to engage with the first female locking face 713 when the male locking member 72 is rotated to the first angle, and to engage with the second female locking face 714 when the male locking member 72 is rotated to the second angle.

[0183] The second male locking face 724 is configured to engage with the second female locking face 714 when the male locking member 72 is rotated to the first angle, and to engage with the first female locking face 713 when the male locking member 72 is rotated to the second angle.

[0184] Furthermore, the first male lock face 723, the second male lock face 724, the first female lock face 713, and the second female lock face 714 are all planar.

[0185] Furthermore, a friction element 73 is provided between the first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62. The friction element 73 is configured to apply frictional force to the first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62 when the locking member 71 applies pressure to one of the first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62.

[0186] Furthermore, a first elastic member 74 is provided between the locking member 71 and the first rotating member 61. The first elastic member 74 is configured to always apply an elastic force pointing towards the locking member 71 in the first axial direction to the locking member 71. A second elastic member 75 is provided between the second rotating member 62 and the outer casing 8. The second elastic member 75 is configured to apply an elastic force pointing towards the second rotating member 62 in the first axial direction to the second rotating member 62.

[0187] In a more specific embodiment, the first male locking surface 723 is closer to the female locking member 71 in the first axial direction than the second male locking surface 724, and the first female locking surface 713 is closer to the male locking member 72 in the first axial direction than the second female locking surface 714.

[0188] The friction element 73 is generally circular, and the friction element 73 has a fixed end. The fixed end extends outward in the radial direction from the outer ring side of the friction element 73, and the fixed end is connected to the outer shell 8 to restrict the rotational freedom of the friction element 73 about the first pivot 63.

[0189] The first elastic element 74 and the second elastic element 75 are rubber / silicone rings. At least one of the end face of the first rotating member 61 facing the locking member 71 and the end face of the locking member 71 facing the first rotating member 61 has a first mounting groove that can at least partially accommodate the first elastic element 74. At least one of the end face of the second rotating member 62 facing away from the locking member 71 and the inner bottom wall of the outer casing 8 opposite the end face of the second rotating member 62 has a second mounting groove that can at least partially accommodate the second elastic element 75. Thus, the first elastic element 74 and the second elastic element 75 are stably installed in their respective positions.

[0190] As can be seen from the above technical solution, when the user drives the male lock component 72 to rotate a first angle along the first direction, the male lock connecting inclined surface 722 and the female lock connecting inclined surface 712 wedge together, driving the female lock component 71 to move away from the male lock component 72 along the first axial direction. When rotated to the first angle, the first male lock surface 723 engages with the first female lock surface 713, and the second male lock surface 724 engages with the second female lock surface 714. At this time, the female lock component 71 moves to the position furthest away from the male lock component 72, which is the locked position. In the locked position, the female lock component 71 forces the first elastic element 74 to change. In this configuration, the first elastic member 74 generates a larger axial elastic force pointing towards the female locking member 71, and the first rotating member 61 applies pressure to the friction member 73 to generate a greater frictional force between the first rotating member 61 and the friction member 73, and between the friction member 73 and the second rotating member 62 than in the unlocked state. By setting the fit between the first male locking surface 723 and the first female locking surface 713, and the fit between the second male locking surface 724 and the second female locking surface 714 as a planar fit, a stable self-locking effect can be formed, enabling the male locking member 72 and the female locking member 71 to remain locked without applying sufficient external force.

[0191] When the user drives the male locking component 72 to rotate a second angle in a second direction opposite to the first direction, it moves towards the male locking component 72 under the wedge engagement of the male locking connecting inclined surface 722 and the female locking connecting inclined surface 712, and under the action of the axial elastic force of the first elastic member 74 pointing towards the female locking component 71. When rotated to the second angle, the first male locking surface 723 engages with the second female locking surface 714, and the second male locking surface 724 engages with the first female locking surface 713. At this time, the female locking component 71 moves to the position closest to the male locking component 72, that is, the non-locked position of the unlocked state. In the non-locked position, the female locking component 71 does not apply axial pressure to the first rotating member 61, and the friction between the first rotating member 61 and the second rotating member 62 is non-existent or negligible, so as not to affect their independent rotation. The planar fit between the first male lock surface 723 and the second female lock surface 714, and the planar fit between the second male lock surface 724 and the first female lock surface 713, can form a stable self-locking effect, so that the male lock component 72 and the female lock component 71 can remain in an unlocked state without applying obvious external force.

[0192] This configuration ensures that the male locking component 72 and the female locking component 71 are located on the same side of the first rotating component 61 and the second rotating component 62 along the second axial direction. The rotation control mechanism 7 directly locks the first rotating handle 67 and the second rotating handle 68 through the press fit between the female locking component 71 and the first rotating component 61 or the second rotating component 62, the friction fit between the first rotating component 61 and the second rotating component 62, and the self-locking fit between the male locking component 72 and the female locking component 71. Even if the rotation control mechanism 7 malfunctions, it will not affect the use of the rotation operation mechanism 6.

[0193] In a more specific embodiment, the rotation control mechanism 7 further includes a locking element 76 connected to the male locking member 72. The locking element 76 is at least partially disposed outside the housing 8 and is configured to drive the male locking member 72 to rotate. The user can rotate the locking element 76 to rotate the male locking member 72, thereby selectively placing the rotation operation mechanism in a locked and unlocked state.

[0194] Please refer to the following: Figure 5 and Figure 9 The front-end lens assembly 1 (also known as the front-end head) includes a front-end cover 11 and an optical imaging assembly 12.

[0195] The front cover 11 includes:

[0196] The end cap component 111 has a front end cavity 111A, a front end face 111B, and an inner end face 111C disposed in the front end cavity 111A and located on the opposite side of the front end face 111B. The optical imaging component 12 is disposed in the front end cavity 111A.

[0197] A guide member 116 is disposed on the inner end face of the front cavity 111A. The guide member 116 is configured to guide and fix the fiber optic beam and / or the light source.

[0198] The light emitted by the fiber optic beam guide and the lamp source can pass through the front face 111B.

[0199] In this embodiment, the light source can be an LED light source or other light source suitable for assisting the imaging of the optical imaging component 12. The light emitted by the fiber optic beam and the light source can pass through the front end face 111B, which means that the light can pass through the wall of the front end face 111B or through the hole on the front end face 111B. When it is set so that the light can pass through the wall of the front end face 111B, the wall is at least partially made of a high light transmittance material, such as acrylic.

[0200] In the above design, the guide component 116 enables the front end to be compatible with fiber optic beam guides or light sources (LED light sources), allowing users to select the appropriate light source according to the actual usage scenario.

[0201] Furthermore, the guiding member 116 includes a plurality of guide members 117, which together form a guiding hole. The fiber optic beam and the light source can be inserted into the guiding hole and extend to the inner end face. In this embodiment, the guide members 117 are arc-shaped members, and the plurality of arc-shaped members are arranged at circumferential intervals to form a circular guiding hole. The circular guiding hole can accommodate most fiber optic cables or LED light source wires, facilitating the fixing of the fiber optic cables and electrical wires to the end cap member 111.

[0202] Furthermore, it also includes a fourth hole 115, which is disposed through the front end face 111B and communicates with the guide hole. The light emitted by the fiber optic beam and the lamp source can pass through the fourth hole 115, which is beneficial for imaging.

[0203] Furthermore, the front cover 11 also includes:

[0204] The first hole 112 is disposed on the front end face 111B of the end cap member 111 and communicates with the front end cavity 111A. The first hole 112 is configured to allow the optical imaging component 12 to image.

[0205] At least one second hole 113 is provided on the front end face 111B of the end cap member 111 and communicates with the front end cavity 111A. The second hole 113 is configured for liquid injection.

[0206] The third hole 114 is provided on the front end face 111B of the end cap member 111 and communicates with the front end cavity 111A. The third hole 114 is configured to allow the instrument to pass through.

[0207] When viewed along a third axial direction perpendicular to the front end face 111B, at least one second hole 113 is on one side of the line connecting the center of the first hole 112 and the center of the third hole 114, and at least one fourth hole 115 is on one side of the line connecting the two holes.

[0208] Furthermore, when viewed along a direction perpendicular to the line connecting the holes, the second hole 113 at least partially overlaps with the third hole 114.

[0209] Furthermore, when viewed along a direction perpendicular to the line connecting the holes, the fourth hole 115 at least partially overlaps with the first hole 112.

[0210] Furthermore, when viewed along a direction perpendicular to the connecting line, the fourth hole 115 does not overlap with the second hole 113 and the third hole 114.

[0211] Furthermore, it also includes an astigmatic lens, which is installed at the opening of the fourth hole 115 located on the front face 111B.

[0212] Furthermore, the diameter of the third hole 114 is larger than the diameter of any one of the first hole 112, the second hole 113, and the fourth hole 115.

[0213] Furthermore, the diameter of the fourth hole 115 is smaller than the diameter of any one of the first hole 112, the second hole 113, and the third hole 114.

[0214] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first hole 112 is a square hole, while the second hole 113, the third hole 114, and the fourth hole 115 are all circular holes. Two of each of the second holes 113 and the fourth hole 115 are provided, and when viewed along the third axial direction of the front end face 111B, the two fourth holes 115 are located on either side of the first hole 112, and the two second holes 113 are located on either side of the connecting line. The lens body uses a CMOS module, model OVM6946. The diameter of the third hole 114 is φ1.8mm, and the diameter of the second hole 113 is φ0.6mm.

[0215] In another embodiment, the peripheral side of one end of the end cap member 111 connected to the snake bone tube mechanism 2 is provided with a front end constriction neck. The outer diameter of the front end constriction neck is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the head end body 241 of the head end snake bone unit 24 of the snake bone tube mechanism 2, so that the front end constriction neck can be inserted into the head end body 241, and the outer diameter of the end cap member 111 is similar to the outer diameter of the head end body 241.

[0216] Please see Figures 1 to 3 The working part also includes the injection mechanism 4 and the instrument passage mechanism 5.

[0217] Specifically, the injection mechanism 4 includes an injection tube that passes sequentially through the flexible tube 3 mechanism and the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 from the mounting cavity of the outer shell 8, and finally through the second hole 113 of the end cap member 111 of the front lens assembly 1. The outlet end of the injection tube is fixed at the second hole 113, allowing the medicine or other liquid to be injected into the human body through the injection tube via the second hole 113. In this embodiment, two injection tubes are provided, each extending and fixed at one of the two second holes 113. Based on the bending deformation requirements of the flexible tube 3 and the snake-bone tube mechanism 2, the injection tube is also made of a material with a certain deformation capacity, such as rubber or silicone.

[0218] The instrument passage mechanism 5 includes a flexible instrument tube. One end of the instrument tube passes through the mounting cavity of the housing 8 and is exposed outside the housing 8. The other end of the instrument tube passes sequentially through the flexible tube mechanism 3 and the snake-bone tube mechanism 2 from the mounting cavity, and finally passes through the third hole 114 of the end cap member 111 of the front lens assembly. The exit end of the instrument tube is fixed at the third hole 114. Thus, instruments such as biopsy forceps, electrosurgical dissectors, and injection needles enter from the end of the instrument tube exposed outside the housing 8 and exit from the third hole 114, facilitating user operation of the instruments for treatment procedures.

[0219] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A four-way flexible endoscope, comprising a housing (8), a working part, and an operating part, characterized in that: The outer casing (8) has an internal mounting cavity; The working part includes: The snake-bone tube mechanism (2) is configured to bend and deform in at least one direction; A flexible tube (3) is connected at one end to the snake-bone tube mechanism (2) and at the other end to the outer shell (8) and communicates with the mounting cavity; The operation section includes: A rotating operating mechanism (6) is at least partially disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing (8). The rotating operating mechanism (6) extends from one end of the flexible tube (3) away from the snake tube mechanism (2) along and through the flexible tube (3) and is connected to the snake tube mechanism (2). The rotating operating mechanism (6) is configured to drive the snake tube mechanism (2) to bend and deform in at least one direction. The rotation control mechanism (7) is configured to restrict the rotational degree of freedom of the rotational operating mechanism (6) in a locked state so that the rotational operating mechanism (6) cannot drive the snake tube mechanism (2) and to allow the rotational operating mechanism (6) to freely drive the snake tube mechanism (2) in an unlocked state.

2. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating operating mechanism (6) includes: At least one cable runs along and passes through the flexible tube (3) and is connected to the snake tube mechanism (2); A rotating operating component is connected to the at least one cable, the rotating operating component being configured to drive the snake tube mechanism (2) to bend and deform in at least one direction by tightening or releasing the at least one cable.

3. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotation operation component includes: A first rotating member (61) is disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing (8) and connected to a first pivot (63). The first rotating member (61) is configured to rotate with the first pivot (63) about a first pivot axis of the first pivot (63). The second rotating member (62) is disposed in the mounting cavity of the housing (8) and connected to the second pivot (64). The second rotating member (62) is configured to rotate with the second pivot (64) about the second pivot axis of the second pivot (64), wherein the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are collinear. The first rotating member (61) and the second rotating member (62) are configured to rotate independently of each other.

4. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotation control mechanism (7) includes: The female locking component (71) is movably disposed on one of the first pivot (63) and the second pivot (64); The male locking member (72) is rotatably disposed on one of the first pivot (63) and the second pivot (64), and the male locking member (72) is configured to drive the female locking member (71) to move along a first axial direction of one of the first pivot (63) and the second pivot (64) to abut against and apply pressure along the first axial direction to one of the first rotating member (61) and the second rotating member (62) when the male locking member (72) rotates by a certain rotation angle.

5. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 4, characterized in that; The male locking component (72) includes: The male lock body (721) is rotatably disposed on one of the first pivot and the second pivot; The male lock connecting ramp (722) is provided on the end face of the male lock body (721) facing the female lock component (71); The female lock component (71) includes: The main lock body (711) is movably disposed on one of the first pivot and the second pivot; The female lock connecting ramp (712) is disposed on the end face of the female lock body (711) facing the male lock body (721); The male lock connecting ramp (722) is configured to engage with the female lock connecting ramp (712) wedge when the male lock member (72) rotates by a certain rotation angle to drive the female lock body (711) to move along the first axial direction.

6. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The snake-bone tube mechanism (2) includes at least one snake-bone unit (21), the snake-bone unit (21) comprising: The snake bone body (211) is generally ring-shaped and has a first side (26) arranged along the second axial direction of the snake bone body (211) and a second side (27) located on the opposite side of the first side (26) along the second axial direction. At least one first hinge portion (212) is disposed on the first side (26) of the snake-bone body (211); At least one second hinge portion (213) is disposed on the second side (27) of the snake bone body (211), and when viewed along the second axial direction, the first hinge portion (212) and the second hinge portion (213) do not intersect; At least two threaded portions (214) corresponding to the number of the first hinge portion (212) and the second hinge portion (213) are provided on at least one of the first side (26) and the second side (27) of the snake bone body (211).

7. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 6, characterized in that: The snake-bone unit (21) includes at least one of a first shape (22) and a second shape (23); The first shape (22) includes an annular body (221) with a notch; The second shape (23) includes a hinge member (234) adapted to the inner ring side of the annular body (221) to form a hinged engagement.

8. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first shape (22) has an outer annular groove, the outer annular groove (222) is located on the outer ring side of the inner ring body, and one end of the outer annular groove (222) penetrates the first side (26) or the second side (27) of the snake bone body (211); The second shape (23) is provided with an arc-shaped block (231), which is configured to be at least partially embedded in the outer annular groove (222).

9. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second shape (23) has an inner arc groove (232) located on the inner ring side of the arc block (231), and the annular body (221) on the first shape (22) can be at least partially embedded in the inner arc groove (232).

10. The four-way curved endoscope according to claim 6, characterized in that: The snake-bone body (211) is recessed inward along the radial direction to form the threading portion (214), which is located on the opposite side of the first hinge portion (212) or the second hinge portion (213) along the second axial direction.

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