Medical device

Abstract

To provide a medical device capable of improving usability with respect to fixation and fixation release operation of a bending part.SOLUTION: A disk 52 is provided in a sawtooth part 102. The disk 52 is provided in an outer peripheral surface so as to be rotatable and integrated with a sprocket 50. A plunger 104 is provided, the plunger 104 being capable of making a transition between a lock position where a lock part 106 is locked to the sawtooth part 102 and a non-lock position where the lock part 106 is not locked to the sawtooth part 102. By rotation operation of a switch operation part 26 around a longitudinal axis B of an operation part 12, the plunger 104 is selectively switched between the lock position and the non-lock position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical device, and more particularly to a medical device in which a bending section provided in an insertion section is bent by a bending operation member of an operation section. [Background technology]

[0002] In an endoscope, which is one type of medical device, a bending portion of an insertion portion is bent by operating a bending operation lever provided in an operation unit. This allows the tip of the insertion portion to be oriented in a desired direction. Some endoscopes are provided with a locking mechanism that locks and unlocks the operation of the bending operation lever in order to fix and release the bending portion in a desired bent state (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an endoscope equipped with a bending operation lever that rotates a pulley around which a bending operation wire is wound, and a locking mechanism that locks the operation of the bending operation lever. The locking mechanism includes a locking lever, an eccentric locking plate that rotates together with the locking lever, and a locking tapered ring that is provided on the pulley rotating shaft and against which the locking plate abuts.

[0004] According to Patent Document 1, when the lock lever is operated in one direction to press the lock plate against the lock tapered ring, the operation of the bending operation lever is locked. When the lock lever is operated in the other direction to retract the lock plate from the lock tapered ring, the lock is released and the bending operation lever is free to be operated.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses an endoscope equipped with an operation knob for bending a bending portion and a locking mechanism (means) for locking the operation of the operation knob. The locking mechanism has a ratchet gear, a pair of claw members that mesh with the ratchet gear, one of which allows clockwise rotation and the other of which allows counterclockwise rotation, and a release member that separates one of the claw members from the ratchet gear by rotating the operation knob in one direction and separates the other claw member from the ratchet gear by rotating the operation knob in the other direction.

[0006] According to Patent Document 2, when operation is stopped, the pair of claw members and the ratchet gear engage, automatically locking the operation of the operation knob. During operation, the operation knob can be operated by a release member. When the operation knob is lowered, the engagement between the pair of claw members and the ratchet gear is completely released, and the operation knob becomes free to operate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-23064 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-54702 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the practitioner has to operate the lock lever each time to lock or release the operation of the bending operation lever, making it difficult to use.

[0009] In contrast, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 has the advantage of being easier to use than Patent Document 1, since the operation of the operation knob is automatically locked when the operation of the operation knob is stopped.

[0010] However, according to Patent Document 2, when the operation of the operation knob is to be freed, the complicated operation of lowering the operation knob is required, so again, there is the problem of poor usability for the practitioner, just like in Patent Document 1.

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a medical device that can improve usability with regard to the fixing and unlocking operations of a bending section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the medical device according to the first form of the present invention comprises an insertion section having a bendable bending portion, an operation section connected to the base end side of the insertion section and having a bending operation member, a rotational drive body arranged inside the operation section and rotated and driven by the bending operation member, a bending operation wire inserted into the insertion section and the operation section and moving forward and backward in conjunction with the rotational drive body to bend the bending portion, a rotating member that can rotate integrally with the rotational drive body and has an uneven portion on its outer circumferential surface, a locking portion main body that has a locking portion that can be engaged with the uneven portion and is capable of transitioning between a locking position where the locking portion engages with the uneven portion and a non-locking position where the locking portion does not engage with the uneven portion, and a switching operation section that is rotatably provided around the longitudinal axis of the operation section and selectively switches the locking portion main body between the locking position and the non-locking position.

[0013] In the medical device of the second form of the present invention, in the first form, the switching operation unit has a switching plate that rotates around a longitudinal axis, and the switching plate has a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface that are each arranged at different circumferential positions on the surface of the switching plate facing the rotating member, and the first abutment surface is provided at a position closer to the rotating member than the second abutment surface, and it is preferable that when the locking portion main body abuts against the first abutment surface, the locking portion main body is arranged in the locked position, and when the locking portion main body abuts against the second abutment surface, the locking portion main body is arranged in the non-locking position.

[0014] In the medical device of the third form of the present invention, in the second form, the switching plate has a third abutment surface on the surface of the switching plate facing the rotating member at a circumferential position different from the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface, and the third abutment surface is provided at a position closer to the rotating member than the first abutment surface, and it is preferable that when the locking portion main body abuts against the third abutment surface, the rotating member is rendered unable to rotate.

[0015] In the medical device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect, it is preferable that the locking body has a second biasing member that biases the locking body toward the switching plate.

[0016] A medical device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is preferably such that in any one of the second to fourth aspects, the locking portion main body has a roller body that rotates in contact with a surface of the switching plate on the side of the rotating member.

[0017] In the medical device of the sixth aspect of the present invention, in any of the first to fifth aspects, it is preferable that the locking portion main body has a ball-shaped locking portion provided on the side of the rotating member, and a first biasing member that biases the locking portion toward the side of the rotating member.

[0018] In the medical device of the seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect, it is preferable that the first biasing member has a biasing force that allows the locking portion to overcome the uneven portion when the rotating member rotates with the locking portion main body located in the locking position.

[0019] The medical device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the medical device of any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the rotational drive body is a sprocket.

[0020] The medical device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the medical device of any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the rotational driver is a pulley.

[0021] The medical device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the rotational drive body is a pinion.

[0022] The medical device according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the medical device of any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the rotation drive body and the rotating member are preferably integrated.

[0023] The medical device according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the concave-convex portion is preferably provided at a constant pitch on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating member.

[0024] In the medical device of the 13th form of the present invention, in any of the first to 12th forms, it is preferable that the rotational drive body, the rotating member, and the locking portion main body are each provided in pairs, and the switching operation unit selectively switches at least one of the pair of locking portion main bodies between a locked position and a non-locking position. Effect of the Invention

[0025] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve ease of use with regard to the fixing and unlocking operations of the bending portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of the operation unit of the ultrasonic probe as viewed from above. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a bending operation mechanism. [Figure 4] 11 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the bending operation mechanism taken along an XY plane perpendicular to the Z direction. FIG. [Diagram 5] 13 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the bending operation mechanism taken along an XZ plane perpendicular to the Y direction. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connection structure between a sprocket and a disk. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connection structure between an operation ring and a switching plate. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the switching plate as viewed from the Y(+) direction side. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing three positions of the plunger. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a switching plate of another embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a switching plate of another embodiment. [Figure 12] 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of operation of a switching operation unit. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a pulley is used as a rotational drive body. [Figure 14]FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a pinion is used as a rotational drive body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a medical device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an ultrasonic probe 10 according to an embodiment to which the medical device of the present invention is applied.

[0029] In the following, when describing the configuration of each part of the ultrasonic probe 10, a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system of X, Y, and Z will be used for convenience of description. The Z direction in the drawing indicates the up-down direction, with the Z(+) direction side indicating the upper direction and the Z(-) direction side indicating the lower direction. The X direction in the drawing indicates the left-right direction perpendicular to the Z direction, with the X(+) direction side indicating the right direction and the X(-) direction side indicating the left direction. The Y direction in the drawing indicates the direction perpendicular to both the Z direction and the X direction, with the Y(+) direction side indicating the tip side direction and the Y(-) direction side indicating the base side direction. Note that each of the above directions indicates the direction when the practitioner sees the ultrasonic probe 10 from above when the practitioner holds the operation unit 12 of the ultrasonic probe 10.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic probe 10 includes a tubular insertion portion 14 having a longitudinal axis A along the Y direction, and a cylindrical operation portion 12 connected to the base end side (Y(-) direction side) of the insertion portion 14.

[0031] The insertion section 14 has an insertion section main body 16, a bending section 18 provided on the tip side (Y(+) direction side) of the insertion section main body 16, and a probe 20 provided on the tip side of the bending section 18. The insertion section main body 16 in this example is rigid. The insertion section 14 and the operation section 12 are an example of the insertion section and operation section of the present invention.

[0032] The bending portion 18 is configured to be bendable, for example, by arranging multiple ring-shaped bending pieces in series along the longitudinal axis A, and is bent in the left-right direction (X direction) and the up-down direction (Z direction) by the forward and backward movement of a bending operation wire described below.

[0033] The probe 20 is a linear type with a flat ultrasonic emission surface 20A, and has a plurality of transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves between the imaging site (organ, for example, the liver) of the subject. The probe 20 is connected to an ultrasonic imaging device (not shown) via wiring inserted in the insertion section 14 and the operation section 12. The probe 20 is not limited to a linear type, and may be a convex or radial type probe.

[0034] Fig. 2 is a top view of the operation unit 12 of the ultrasonic probe 10 as viewed from above (Z(+) direction side). As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the operation unit 12 has a longitudinal axis B aligned with the longitudinal axis A of the insertion unit 14, and has a connecting portion 22, a lever attachment portion 24, a switching operation portion 26, and a grip portion 28 from the tip end side (Y(+) direction side) of the longitudinal axis B toward the base end side (Y(-) direction side).

[0035] A base end of the insertion portion main body 16 is connected to the connecting portion 22. A left-right bending lever 30 and an up-down bending lever 32, which are bending operation members, are attached to the lever attachment portion 24 so as to be able to swing.

[0036] The switching operation part 26 is configured in a ring shape, and is provided rotatably about the longitudinal axis B with respect to the non-rotatable connecting part 22, the lever attachment part 24, and the grip part 28. The tip side and base end side of the switching operation part 26 are rotatably connected to the lever attachment part 24 and the grip part 28 via airtight seals (e.g., O-rings: not shown), respectively. The switching operation part 26 is provided with a finger hook part 34 in the form of a convex stripe extending along the Y direction on part of its outer circumferential surface.

[0037] The gripping portion 28 is a portion that is gripped by the palm of the practitioner's right or left hand. While gripping the gripping portion 28, the practitioner can insert and remove the insertion portion 14 into and from the body of the subject, and can also operate the left-right bending lever 30, the up-down bending lever 32, and the switching operation portion 26 with, for example, the thumb.

[0038] The left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32 are disposed at positions shifted from each other by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction of the lever attachment portion 24, and are formed into an L shape that is line-symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis B. When the left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32 are viewed from the Z(+) direction side, the upper end portions 30A, 32A of the left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32 are disposed along the X direction. The practitioner can swing the left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32 with the pads of their thumbs in contact with the upper end portions 30A, 32A.

[0039] [Bending operation mechanism] Next, a bending operation mechanism for bending the bending portion 18 will be described.

[0040] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the bending operation mechanism. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the bending operation mechanism cut along an XY plane perpendicular to the Z direction. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the bending operation mechanism cut along an XZ plane perpendicular to the Y direction.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a tubular body 40 is provided inside the operation unit 12 along a longitudinal axis B, and a pair of operation areas 42, 44 are provided on both sides of the tubular body 40 in the X direction.

[0042] A shaft support part 46 (see FIG. 4) arranged along the longitudinal axis B is removably attached to the base end opening 40A of the tubular body 40. A shaft 48 which serves as a support shaft for sprockets 50, 70 described below is fixed to and passes through this shaft support part 46. This shaft 48 is arranged along the X direction, with one end 48A arranged on the operation area 42 side and the other end 48B arranged on the operation area 44 side.

[0043] The above-mentioned sprockets 50, 70 are respectively attached to one end 48A and the other end 48B of the shaft 48, and these sprockets 50, 70 are attached rotatably with respect to the shaft 48. A detailed description will be given below.

[0044] Sprocket 50 (see Figures 4 and 5) is rotatably mounted on shaft 48 by fitting a bearing hole 50A of sprocket 50 to one end 48A of shaft 48. A disk 52 is disposed on the X(-) direction side of sprocket 50. Disk 52 is rotatably mounted on shaft 48 by fitting a bearing hole 52A of disk 52 to one end 48A that passes through bearing hole 50A.

[0045] Fig. 6 is an assembly diagram showing the sprocket 50 and the disk 52 spaced apart from each other. As shown in Fig. 6, the sprocket 50 and the disk 52 are connected by engaging with each other a pair of arc-shaped recesses 54 and a pair of arc-shaped protrusions 56 formed on the opposing surfaces 50B, 52B of the sprocket 50 and the disk 52. This allows the sprocket 50 and the disk 52 to rotate integrally with each other about the shaft 48.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 5, the left / right bending lever 30 is disposed on the X(-) direction side of the disk 52. The left / right bending lever 30 and the disk 52 are connected by fitting a hole 60 formed in the circular base 30B of the left / right bending lever 30 into a protrusion 58 protruding from the X(-) direction side of the disk 52. With such a connection configuration, the left / right bending lever 30 is configured to be swingable around the shaft 48 as a swing axis. When the left / right bending lever 30 is swung by the practitioner, the sprocket 50 and the disk 52 are rotated integrally in the same direction by the left / right bending lever 30.

[0047] A chain 62 (see FIG. 3) is wound around the sprocket 50. One end 62A and the other end 62B of the chain 62 are connected to the base ends of a pair of wires 66A and 66B via connectors 64A and 64B, respectively. The pair of wires 68A and 66B are inserted into the operation section 12 and the insertion section 14 in FIG. 1, and their respective tip ends are fixed to a pair of fixed ends (not shown) for left and right bending provided on the bending section 18. These fixed ends are provided at positions 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the bending section 18.

[0048] Sprocket 70 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) is rotatably mounted on shaft 48 by fitting bearing hole 70A of sprocket 70 to the other end 48B of shaft 48. A disk 72 is disposed on the X(+) direction side of sprocket 70. Disk 72 is rotatably mounted on shaft 48 by fitting bearing hole 72A of disk 72 to the other end 48B that passes through bearing hole 70A.

[0049] The sprocket 70 and the disk 72 are connected by an engagement structure similar to that shown in Fig. 6 (each of which is formed by a pair of arc-shaped recesses 54 and a pair of arc-shaped protrusions 56). This allows the sprocket 70 and the disk 72 to rotate integrally with each other about the shaft 48. Note that the engagement structure between the sprocket 70 and the disk 72 is the same as that shown in Fig. 6 as described above, and therefore is not shown in the figure.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 5, the up-down bending lever 32 is disposed on the X(+) direction side of the disk 72. The up-down bending lever 32 and the disk 72 are connected by fitting a hole 80 formed in the circular base 32B of the up-down bending lever 32 into a protrusion 78 protruding from the X(+) direction side of the disk 72. With this connection configuration, the up-down bending lever 32 is configured to be swingable around the shaft 48 as a swing axis. When the up-down bending lever 32 is swung by the practitioner, the sprocket 70 and the disk 72 are rotated integrally in the same direction by the up-down bending lever 32.

[0051] A chain 82 (see FIG. 3) is wound around the sprocket 70. One end 82A and the other end 82B of the chain 82 are connected to the base ends of a pair of wires 86A and 86B via connectors 84A and 84B, respectively. The pair of wires 86A and 86B are inserted into the operation section 12 and the insertion section 14 in FIG. 1, and their respective tip ends are fixed to a pair of fixed ends (not shown) for up and down bending provided on the bending section 18. These fixed ends are fixed to positions shifted by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the bending section 18, and are provided at positions shifted by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction from the pair of fixed ends for left and right bending.

[0052] According to the bending operation mechanism configured as described above, when the left / right bending lever 30 is swung, the sprocket 50 is rotated, and one of the pair of wires 66A, 66B is pulled in the Y(-) direction via the chain 62 in conjunction with the rotation of the sprocket 50, and the other wire is paid out. This causes the bending portion 18 to bend in the left / right direction.

[0053] Similarly, when the vertical bending lever 32 is swung, the sprocket 70 is rotated, and one of the pair of wires 86A, 86B is pulled in the Y(-) direction via the chain 82 in conjunction with the rotation of the sprocket 70, and the other wire is unwound. This causes the bending portion 18 to bend in the vertical direction.

[0054] The sprockets 50 and 70 are an example of a rotational driver of the present invention. The pair of wires 66A and 66B and the pair of wires 86A and 86B are an example of a bending operation wire of the present invention.

[0055] [Locking mechanism] Next, a locking mechanism that fixes and releases the bending portion 18 in a desired bent state will be described. In the embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, a pair of locking mechanisms 100, 200 for left / right bending and up / down bending are provided as the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism 100 is disposed on the operation area 42 side, and the locking mechanism 200 is disposed on the operation area 44 side.

[0056] In this example, the locking mechanisms 100 and 200 have the same configuration, so here, the locking mechanism 100 for left-right bending will be mainly described. Note that for the locking mechanism 200 for up-down bending, the same reference numerals may be used for the same or similar members as the locking mechanism 100, and the description may be omitted.

[0057] The lock mechanism 100 includes a disk 52, a plunger 104, and a switching operation unit 26 (see FIG. 1). The switching operation unit 26 is also used with the lock mechanism 200.

[0058] As described above, the disk 52 can rotate integrally with the sprocket 50. The outer peripheral surface of this disk 52 is provided with a saw-tooth portion 102 having tooth tips 102A and tooth grooves 102B formed at a constant pitch.

[0059] Here, the uneven portion refers to a portion in which a raised portion (tooth tip 102A) and a lowered portion (tooth groove 102B) are continuously formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the disk 52. In this case, the difference in height between the tooth tip 102A, which is a raised portion, and the tooth groove 102B, which is a recessed portion (the radius of the circumscribing circle of the tooth tip 102B - the radius of the inscribing circle of the tooth groove 102B) and the pitch of the uneven portion are appropriately determined in relation to the size (diameter) of the locking portion 106 and the urging force of the spring 112, which will be described later, according to the required accuracy for the latch state, which will be described later. Note that the constant pitch of the uneven portion is not limited to a strictly constant pitch and includes an approximately constant pitch. In other words, the constant pitch includes, for example, a processing error that occurs when processing the tooth tip 102A and the tooth groove 102B of the sawtooth portion 102. Note that the disk 52 is an example of a rotating member of the present invention.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 4, the plunger 104 has a locking portion 106 that can be locked to the sawtooth portion 102 (tooth groove 102B side). The plunger 104 is configured to be able to transition between three stages: a locking position (see IXA in FIG. 9) in which the locking portion 106 is locked to the sawtooth portion 102, a non-locking position (see IXB in FIG. 9) in which the locking portion 106 is not locked to the sawtooth portion 102, and a locked position (see IXC in FIG. 9) in which the plunger 104 is pressed further against the sawtooth portion 102 than the locking position. The switching operation unit 26 selectively switches the plunger 104 between the locking position, the non-locking position, and the locked position. First, the plunger 104 will be described. Note that FIG. 9 will be described later.

[0061] The plunger 104 is attached to a plunger support portion 108. The plunger 104 has a lock pin 110 arranged along the Y direction, an engagement portion 106 provided on the side of the lock pin 110 facing the disk 52 (the Y(+) direction side), a spring 112 that urges the engagement portion 106 toward the disk 52 side with respect to the lock pin 110, a cylindrical sleeve 114 that holds the lock pin 110 and is movable along the Y direction together with the lock pin 110, a spring 116 that urges the lock pin 110 together with the sleeve 114 toward a side of a switching plate 122 (described later) (the Y(-) direction side), and a rolling element 118 rotatably provided in a base end opening 115 of the sleeve 114.

[0062] Here, the plungers 104 of the pair of locking mechanisms 100, 200 are disposed at positions shifted from each other by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction of the plunger support part 108. The plunger support part 108 has the above-mentioned shaft support part 46 on the tip side. That is, the plunger support part 108 is detachably attached to the tubular body 40 via the shaft support part 46.

[0063] The locking portion 106 is configured in a ball shape. A spring accommodating groove 111 capable of accommodating a spring 112 is provided inside the lock pin 100 along the axial direction (Y direction) of the lock pin 110. The spring accommodating groove 111 opens to the tip side of the lock pin 110, and the locking portion 106 is disposed in the opening of the spring accommodating groove 111 (the tip of the lock pin 110). A spring 112 that biases the locking portion 106 toward the disk 52 is disposed in the spring accommodating groove 111. The plunger 104 and the locking portion 106 correspond to the locking portion main body and the locking portion of the present invention.

[0064] The lock pin 110 is fixed inside a sleeve 114. The sleeve 114 is inserted through a spring 116 that is attached to the plunger support portion 108 along the Y direction, and is biased toward the switching plate 122 by the biasing force of the spring 116.

[0065] The rolling element 118 is rotatably attached to the base end opening 115 of the sleeve 114 via a shaft 120 (see FIGS. 4 and 9) disposed along the X direction. The entirety of the rolling element 118 is not accommodated inside the base end opening 115, and a portion of the rolling element 118 on the base end side (a portion on the Y(-) direction side from the shaft 120) is disposed so as to protrude in the Y(-) direction from the base end surface 115A of the sleeve 114. This portion (hereinafter referred to as the abutment portion 118A) is pressed against a surface 122A (see FIG. 9; hereinafter referred to as the front surface 122A) on the disc 52 side of the switching plate 122 by the biasing force of the spring 116.

[0066] When the switching plate 122 is rotated around the longitudinal axis B as described below with the contact portion 118A pressed against the front surface 122A, the rolling element 118 rotates around the axis 120 due to the frictional resistance between the contact portion 118A and the front surface 122A. This allows the switching plate 122 to rotate smoothly. The rolling element 118 is an example of a roller element of the present invention, and is formed of, for example, a miniature bearing.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the switching operation unit 26 is a portion that receives a switching operation for selectively switching the position of the plunger 104 to the above-mentioned three positions (the engaging position, the non-engaging position, and the locked position).

[0068] The switching operation unit 26 is provided rotatably around the longitudinal axis B of the operation unit 12. Specifically, the switching operation unit 26 has a ring-shaped operation ring 121 (see FIG. 7) constituting the outer periphery of the operation unit 12, and this operation ring 121 receives the above-mentioned switching operation, and is provided rotatably around the longitudinal axis B of the operation unit 12. The switching operation unit 26 also has a switching plate 122 that rotates around the longitudinal axis B (see FIG. 4). The switching operation unit 26 and the switching plate 122 are an example of the switching operation unit and the switching plate of the present invention.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 4, the switching plate 122 is disposed on the base end side (Y(-) direction side) of the plunger support portion 108. A bush 124 is attached to a bearing hole 122B of the switching plate 122, and the bush 124 is fixed to a screw hole 108A of the plunger support portion 108. As a result, the switching plate 122 is rotatably attached to the plunger support portion 108 via the bush 124. The screw hole 108A is formed along the longitudinal axis B. Therefore, the switching plate 122 is rotatable around the longitudinal axis B relative to the plunger support portion 108. Furthermore, the switching plate 122 is prevented from falling off from the plunger support portion 108 by a bolt 126 screwed into the screw hole 108A via the bush 124.

[0070] Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a connection structure between the operation ring 121 and the switching plate 122, as viewed from the Y(-) direction side. As shown in Fig. 7, a convex portion 27 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the operation ring 121, and a concave portion 123 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the switching plate 122, and the operation ring 121 and the switching plate 122 are integrally connected by engaging the convex portion 27 and the concave portion 123 with each other. As a result, when the operation ring 121 of the switching operation unit 26 is rotated around the longitudinal axis B, the switching plate 122 is rotated integrally with the operation ring 121 in the same direction.

[0071] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the switching plate 122, as viewed from the Y(+) direction side. As shown in Fig. 8, the switching plate 122 is configured in a disk shape. The front surface 112A of the switching plate 122 is the surface against which the abutting portion 118A of the rolling element 118 is pressed by the biasing force of the spring 116, and three abutting surfaces are arranged on this front surface 122A for selectively switching the position of the plunger 104 to three positions (locking position, non-locking position, lock position). The height positions (Y direction positions) of these three abutting surfaces are different from one another. A detailed explanation will be given below.

[0072] On the front surface 122A of the switching plate 122, three abutment surfaces, that is, an engagement abutment surface 130, a non-engagement abutment surface 132, and a lock abutment surface 134, are arranged. The engagement abutment surface 130, the non-engagement abutment surface 132, and the lock abutment surface 134 are arranged at different circumferential positions on the front surface 122A. By rotating the switching plate 122 in response to a switching operation (rotation operation) of the switching operation unit 26 on the operation ring 121, it is possible to switch the abutment surface arranged at a position facing the plunger 104 (specifically, the abutment surface 118A of the rolling body 118) from among the three abutment surfaces (the engagement abutment surface 130, the non-engagement abutment surface 132, and the lock abutment surface 134) on the switching plate 122.

[0073] The locking abutment surface 130 occupies most of the area of ​​the front surface 122A and is formed in a flat shape along the XZ plane. The non-locking abutment surface 132 is formed as a concave surface recessed in the Y(-) direction side relative to the locking abutment surface 130. The locking abutment surface 134 is formed as a convex surface protruding in the Y(+) direction side relative to the locking abutment surface 130. The locking abutment surface 130 and the non-locking abutment surface 132 are examples of the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface of the present invention. The locking abutment surface 134 is an example of the third abutment surface of the present invention.

[0074] Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing three positions of the plunger 104. Fig. 9 shows how the position of the plunger 104 changes in three stages according to the rotational position of the switching plate 122, thereby switching to a latched state, a free state, and a locked state, which will be described later.

[0075] First, as shown in FIG. 9A, when the locking abutment surface 130 is located at a position facing the abutment portion 118A of the rolling element 118, the abutment portion 118A of the rolling element 118 abuts against the locking abutment surface 130 against the biasing force of the spring 116. As a result, the plunger 104 is placed at the locking position. In this case, the locking abutment surface 130 is provided at a position where the distance (distance in the Y direction) from the disk 52 is shorter than that of the non-locking abutment surface 132, so that the plunger 104 placed at the locking position is closer to the disk 52 than the plunger 104 placed at the non-locking position described later. Also, when the plunger 104 is placed at the locking position, the locking portion 106 is locked to the sawtooth portion 102. Hereinafter, this state is also referred to as a latched state.

[0076] In the latched state, the locking portion 106 is locked to the sawtooth portion 102, so that the disk 52 and the sprocket 50 cannot rotate unless a predetermined operating force (operating torque) is applied to the left / right bending lever 30. As a result, the bending portion 18 can be fixed in a desired bending state.

[0077] On the other hand, in the latched state, when the left / right bending lever 30 is swung with a force equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the disk 52 and the sprocket 50 are rotated in the same direction as the swinging direction of the left / right bending lever 30 against the biasing force of the spring 112.

[0078] When the disk 52 starts to rotate in the latched state, the locking portion 106 is moved in the Y(-) direction from the tooth groove 102B side toward the tooth tip 102A side against the biasing force of the spring 112. Then, when the locking portion 106 gets over the tooth tip 102A, the locking portion 106 is moved in the Y(+) direction by the biasing force of the spring 116 and is locked by the sawtooth portion 102 again.

[0079] That is, in the latched state (state in which the plunger 104 has transitioned to the locking position), the spring 112 has a biasing force that allows the locking portion 106 to overcome the tooth tip 102A when the disk 52 rotates.

[0080] By the spring 112 having such a biasing force, the left / right bending lever 30 can perform a latch operation (operation that produces a clicking sound) in which the lever stops and swings repeatedly at each pitch of the concave / convex portion (the tooth tips 102A and the tooth grooves 102B). As a result, the bending portion 18 is bent at each angle corresponding to the above-mentioned pitch, and is fixed in the bent state at that time. The spring 112 corresponds to the first biasing member of the present invention.

[0081] Next, as shown in FIG. 9B, when the non-locking abutment surface 132 is located at a position facing the abutment portion 118A of the rolling element 118, the abutment portion 118A of the rolling element 118 abuts against the non-locking abutment surface 132 against the biasing force of the spring 116. This causes the plunger 104 to be placed in the non-locking position. In this case, the non-locking abutment surface 132 is provided at a position that is longer from the disk 52 (distance in the Y direction) than the locking abutment surface 130, so that the plunger 104 placed in the non-locking position is farther from the disk 52 than the plunger 104 placed in the locking position. Also, when the plunger 104 is placed in the non-locking position, the locking portion 106 is retracted from the sawtooth portion 102. Hereinafter, this state is also referred to as a free state.

[0082] In the free state, the locking portion 106 retreats toward the Y(-) direction side relative to the sawtooth portion 102, and is released from the locking with the sawtooth portion 102, allowing the disk 52 and the sprocket 50 to freely rotate. This allows the left / right bending lever 30 to continuously bend the bending portion 18. The spring 116 is an example of a second biasing member of the present invention.

[0083] Next, as shown in FIG. 9C, when the locking abutment surface 134 is located at a position facing the abutment portion 118A of the rolling element 118, the abutment portion 118A of the rolling element 118 abuts against the locking abutment surface 134 against the biasing force of the spring 116. This causes the plunger 104 to be placed at the locked position. In this case, the locking abutment surface 134 is provided at a position where the distance (distance in the Y direction) from the disk 52 is shorter than that of the locking abutment surface 130, so that the plunger 104 placed at the locked position is closer to the disk 52 than the plunger 104 placed at the locked position. Also, when the plunger 104 is placed at the locked position, the tip portion 110A of the lock pin 110 is pressed against the sawtooth portion 102. Hereinafter, this state is also referred to as the locked state.

[0084] In the locked state, the engaging portion 106 is pressed against the sawtooth portion 102 with a force stronger than the biasing force of the spring 112, and the tip portion 110A of the lock pin 110 is pressed against the sawtooth portion 102, so that the disk 52 and the sprocket 50 are completely unable to rotate. As a result, the left / right bending lever 30 is in a locked state in which bending operation is not possible. In this case, the bending portion 18 is reliably fixed in the desired bending state.

[0085] In addition, the switching plate 122 of this example is provided with a pair of non-locking abutment surfaces 132 and a pair of locking abutment surfaces 134 corresponding to the pair of plungers 104 (see FIG. 8). The pair of non-locking abutment surfaces 132 and the pair of locking abutment surfaces 134 are disposed at positions shifted from each other by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction of the switching plate 122.

[0086] When the switching plate 122 configured in this manner is rotated by the switching operation unit 26, the rolling elements 118 of the pair of plungers 104 are simultaneously abutted against the locking abutment surface 130 at a first rotation position, simultaneously abutted against a pair of non-locking abutment surfaces 132 at a second rotation position different from the first rotation position, and simultaneously abutted against a pair of locking abutment surfaces 134 at a third rotation position different from the first and second rotation positions. This allows the pair of plungers 104 to be selectively switched simultaneously to the locking position, non-locking position, and locking position. As a result, the left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32 are selectively switched simultaneously to the latched state, free state, and locked state. Note that the locking abutment surface 130 occupies most of the front surface 122A, so there is no need to arrange them in pairs like the non-locking abutment surface 132 and the locking abutment surface 134.

[0087] [Usage example of Ultrasound Probe 10] Next, an example of how the ultrasonic probe 10 configured as above is used will be described.

[0088] First, the practitioner grasps the gripping portion 28 of the operation unit 12 of the ultrasonic probe 10, and inserts the insertion portion 14 into the inside of the subject, for example, via a trocar. At this time, the pair of plungers 104 have been shifted to the non-locking position (free state) in advance by the rotation operation about the longitudinal axis B of the switching operation unit 26. This allows the left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32 to be freely (continuously) swung.

[0089] Then, the practitioner appropriately swings the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32 to bend the bending portion 18 of the insertion portion 14 in the left / right direction (X direction) and the up / down direction (Z direction), thereby bringing the ultrasound emission surface 20A of the probe 20 into contact with or close to the surface of the imaging site (an organ, for example the liver).

[0090] Next, in order to fix the bent state of the bending portion 18, the practitioner rotates the operation ring 121 around the longitudinal axis B with the thumb of the hand holding the grip portion 28, thereby rotating the switching plate 122 and transitioning the pair of plungers 104 to the engaging position (latched state) or the locking position (locked state). This makes it possible to fix the bending portion 18 in a desired bent state.

[0091] When the pair of plungers 104 are transitioned to the locking position by the switching operation unit 26, the latch operation by the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32 becomes possible. When the pair of plungers 104 are transitioned to the locking position by the switching operation unit 26, the swing operation of the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32 becomes completely disabled. At this time, even if an inadvertent force is applied to the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32, the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32 will not move.

[0092] Next, a driving signal is supplied from the transmitting section of the ultrasonic imaging device to the probe 20, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the probe 20 to the imaging site. The ultrasonic waves generated from the imaging site are received by the probe 20 as reflected echo signals. The reflected echo signals output from the probe 20 are subjected to processing such as amplification by the receiving section of the ultrasonic imaging device, and then image processing is performed by the image processing section of the ultrasonic imaging device, and an ultrasonic image is displayed on the display section. While referring to the displayed ultrasonic image, for example, another practitioner inserts a biopsy needle into the body cavity to sample tissue from the imaging site.

[0093] Thereafter, in order to release the fixed bent state of the bending portion 18, the practitioner operating the ultrasonic probe 10 rotates the switching operation portion 26 around the longitudinal axis B with the thumb of the hand holding the grip portion 28 (rotating the switching plate 122), thereby transitioning the pair of plungers 104 to the unlocked position. This allows the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32 to be freely swung. Thereafter, the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32 are swung to return the bending portion 18 to a straight state, for example, and then the insertion portion 14 is pulled out from the subject. The above is one example of how to use the ultrasonic probe 10.

[0094] As described above, according to the ultrasonic probe 10 of the embodiment, at least two abutment surfaces (locking abutment surface 130 and non-locking abutment surface 132) having different height positions (Y direction positions) are provided on the front surface 122A of the switching plate 122 that rotates integrally with the switching operation unit 26. Then, by rotating the switching plate 122 by rotating the switching operation unit 26 to change the positional relationship between the two abutment surfaces and the plunger 104, the position of the plunger 104 that abuts on the two abutment surfaces is switched to two positions (locking position and non-locking position) using the biasing force of the spring 116, and the state of the bending lever (left-right bending lever 30 and up-down bending lever 32) can be selectively switched to two states (latched state and free state). This makes it possible to improve the usability of the fixing and unlocking operations of the bending section 18.

[0095] In the embodiment, in addition to the above two abutment surfaces, a lock abutment surface 134 is further provided on the front surface 122A of the switching plate 122. Then, by rotating the switching plate 122 by rotating the switching operation unit 26 and switching the position of the plunger 104 that abuts against the lock abutment surface 134 to the lock position by the biasing force of the spring 116, it is possible to switch the bending levers (the left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32) to the locked state. This can further improve the ease of use regarding the fixing and unlocking operations of the bending portion 18.

[0096] [Variations] Some modified examples will be described below.

[0097] [First Modification] In the embodiment, a configuration in which three abutment surfaces (the engaging abutment surface 130, the non-engaging abutment surface 132, and the locking abutment surface 134) are arranged on the front surface 122A of the switching plate 122 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which the engaging abutment surface 130 and the non-engaging abutment surface 132 are arranged among the three abutment surfaces, as in the switching plate 140 and the switching plate 150 of different configurations shown in Figs. 10 and 11, can also be applied.

[0098] The switching plate 140 shown in Figure 10 has a pair of non-locking abutment surfaces 132 arranged at positions shifted from each other by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction of the switching plate 122, but is arranged at positions shifted in the circumferential direction of the switching plate 122 from the pair of non-locking abutment surfaces 132 shown in Figure 9.

[0099] According to this switching plate 140, when the switching operation part 26 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 12 XIIA, the pair of rolling elements 118 abut against the pair of non-locking abutment surfaces 132, respectively, and the pair of plungers 104 are positioned at the non-locking positions, respectively. As a result, both the left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32 are in a free state.

[0100] 12, the pair of rolling elements 118 come into contact with the locking abutment surfaces 130, and the pair of plungers 104 are positioned at the locking positions. As a result, both the left-right bending lever 30 and the up-down bending lever 32 are latched.

[0101] On the other hand, a switching plate 150 shown in FIG. 11 has a pair of non-locking abutment surfaces 132 disposed closer to each other than 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction of the switching plate 122 .

[0102] According to this switching plate 150, when the switching operation part 26 is rotated to the position shown in XIIA in Fig. 12, the rolling element 118 on the lock mechanism 100 side abuts against the non-locking abutment surface 132, and the rolling element 118 on the lock mechanism 200 side abuts against the locking abutment surface 130. As a result, the plunger 104 on the lock mechanism 100 side is located at the non-locking position, and the plunger 104 on the lock mechanism 200 side is located at the locking position, so that the left-right bending lever 30 is in a free state, and the up-down bending lever 32 is in a latched state.

[0103] 12, the rolling element 118 on the lock mechanism 100 side comes into contact with the locking abutment surface 130, and the rolling element 118 on the lock mechanism 200 side comes into contact with the non-locking abutment surface 132. As a result, the plunger 104 on the lock mechanism 100 side is located at the locking position, and the plunger 104 on the lock mechanism 200 side is located at the non-locking position, so that the left-right bending lever 30 is in the latched state, and the up-down bending lever 32 is in the free state.

[0104] By changing the positions of the locking abutment surface 130 and the non-locking abutment surface 132 on the switching plate 122 in this manner, the switching operation unit 26 becomes able to selectively switch at least one of the pair of plungers 104 between the locking position and the non-locking position.

[0105] It should be noted that the above-described form shown in Figures 10 and 11 is a form in which two abutment surfaces (an engaging abutment surface 130 and a non-engaging abutment surface 132) are arranged, but from the viewpoint of reliably fixing the curved portion 18 in a desired curved state, it is preferable to also arrange a locking abutment surface 134 as in the embodiment.

[0106] [Second modified example] In the embodiment, the sprockets 50 and 70 are used as the rotary drive bodies, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the pulley 160 shown in FIG. 13 may be used instead of the sprockets 50 and 70. When the pulley 160 is used, two linear members 162A and 162B such as wires are wound around the pulley 160, and bending operation wires are connected to the ends of the linear members 162A and 162B. Locking members 164A and 164B are attached to the ends of the linear members 162A and 162B on the pulley 160 side. The locking members 164A and 164B are locked to locking holes (not shown) formed in the pulley 160, so that the linear members 162A and 162B are connected to the pulley 160.

[0107] [Third Modification] Also, a pinion 170 shown in FIG. 14 may be used as the rotation drive body. When the pinion 170 is used, the bending operation wires may be connected to the ends of a pair of racks 172A, 172B that mesh with teeth 170A provided on the outer circumferential surface of the pinion 170. When the pinion 170 is used, the teeth 170A of the pinion 172 can also be used as the uneven portion that the locking portion 106 locks. As a result, by using the pinion 170, it is possible to integrate the rotation drive body and the rotating member.

[0108] [Fourth Modification] In the embodiment, the sawtooth portion 102 in which the tooth tips 102A and tooth grooves 102B are formed at a constant pitch is exemplified as the uneven portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating member, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the uneven portion may be one in which the recesses and protrusions are formed at an indefinite pitch. However, from the viewpoint of performing regular latch operations, it is preferable that the uneven portion has a constant pitch.

[0109] [Fifth Modification] In the embodiment, a pair of bending operation members (the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32) is exemplified as the bending operation member, but this is not limited thereto. For example, one of the left / right bending lever 30 and the up / down bending lever 32 may be provided.

[0110] [Sixth Modification] In the embodiment, the ball-shaped locking portion 106 is exemplified as the locking portion, but is not limited thereto. For example, the shape of the locking portion may be cylindrical, and the outer surface viewed from the X direction may be arc-shaped corresponding to the shape of the tooth grooves 102B of the sawtooth portion 102.

[0111] In the embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the contact surfaces (the engaging contact surface 130, the non-engaging contact surface 132, and the locking contact surface 134) are arranged by forming a recess and a protrusion on the front surface 122A of the switching plate 122, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the contact surfaces may be arranged by providing two protrusions at different height positions (Y direction positions) on the front surface 122A of the switching plate 122 without providing a recess. Also, the contact surfaces may be arranged by providing two recesses at different height positions (Y direction positions) on the front surface 122A of the switching plate 122 without providing a protrusion.

[0112] [Seventh Variation] In the embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 10 is exemplified as an application of the medical device of the present invention, but the present invention can be applied to various medical devices without being limited to the ultrasonic probe 10. That is, the present invention can be applied to medical devices having a curved portion in the insertion portion, such as a laparoscope and an endoscope having a soft insertion portion.

[0113] Although the embodiment of the medical device according to the present invention has been described above, the present invention may be improved or modified in several ways without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 10 Ultrasound probe 12 Control section 14 Insertion section 16 Insertion section body 18 Curved section 20 transducer 20A ultrasonic emission surface 22 Connecting part 24 Lever mounting part 26 Switching operation section 27 Convex 28 Gripping part 30 Left and right bending lever 30A upper end 30B Circular base 32 Up and down bending lever 32A Upper end 32B Circular base 34 Finger grip 40 Tubular body 40A proximal opening 42 Operation area 44 Operation area 46 Shaft support part 48 Axis 48A One end 48B Other end 50 sprocket 50A bearing hole 50B Opposite surface 52 Discs 52A Bearing hole 52B Opposite surface 54 Circular recess 56 Arc-shaped convex part 58 Convex 60 Hole 62 Chain 62A One end 62B Other end 64A Connector 64B Connector 66A Wire 66B Wire 70 Sprocket 70A bearing hole 72 Discs 72A Bearing hole 78 Convex 80 Hole 82 Chain 82A One end 82B Other end 84A Connector 84B Connector 86A Wire 86B Wire 100 Locking mechanism 102 Sawtooth 102A Tooth tip 102B Tooth groove 104 Plunger 106 Locking part 108 Plunger support 108A screw hole 110 Lock pin 111 Spring receiving groove 110A tip 112 Spring 114 Sleeve 115 Proximal opening 115A Proximal surface 116 Spring 118 Rolling elements 118A Contact part 120 Axis 121 Operation Ring 122 Switching Plate 122A Front 122B Bearing hole 123 Recess 124 Bush 126 volts 130 Locking contact surface 132 Non-locking contact surface 134 Locking contact surface 140 Switching Plate 150 Switching Plate 160 Pulley 162A Linear members 162B Linear members 164A Locking member 164B Locking member 170 Pinion 170A Teeth 172A Rack 172B Rack 200 Locking mechanism A Longitudinal axis B Longitudinal axis

Claims

1. An insertion section having a bendable bending portion; An operation section connected to a base end side of the insertion section and having a bending operation member; a rotation drive body that is disposed inside the operation unit and is rotationally driven by the bending operation member; A bending operation wire that is inserted into the insertion section and the operation section and advances and retreats in conjunction with the rotation drive body to bend the bending section; a rotating member that is rotatable integrally with the rotary drive body and has an uneven portion provided on an outer circumferential surface; a locking portion body having a locking portion that can be locked to the uneven portion and that can transition between a locking position where the locking portion is locked to the uneven portion and a non-locking position where the locking portion is not locked to the uneven portion; a switching operation unit that is rotatably provided around a longitudinal axis of the operation unit and selectively switches the locking portion main body between the locking position and the non-locking position; A medical device comprising:

2. The switching operation unit has a switching plate that rotates around the longitudinal axis, the switching plate has a first contact surface and a second contact surface that are respectively disposed at different circumferential positions on a surface of the switching plate facing the rotating member, the first contact surface is provided at a position closer to the rotating member than the second contact surface, When the locking portion main body abuts against the first abutment surface, the locking portion main body is disposed at the locking position, and when the locking portion main body abuts against the second abutment surface, the locking portion main body is disposed at the non-locking position.

2. The medical device of claim 1.

3. the switching plate has a third contact surface at a circumferential position different from the first contact surface and the second contact surface on a surface of the switching plate facing the rotating member, the third contact surface is provided at a position closer to the rotating member than the first contact surface, When the locking portion main body abuts against the third abutment surface, the rotating member is rendered unable to rotate.

3. The medical device of claim 2.

4. The locking portion main body is The ball-shaped locking portion is provided on the rotating member; a first biasing member that biases the locking portion toward the rotating member; having 3. The medical device of claim 2.

5. The locking portion main body has a second biasing member that biases the locking portion main body toward the switching plate.

5. The medical device of claim 4.

6. The locking portion main body has a roller body that rotates in contact with a surface of the switching plate on the side of the rotating member.

6. The medical device of claim 5.

7. the first biasing member has a biasing force that allows the locking portion to overcome the uneven portion when the rotating member rotates in a state in which the locking portion main body is located at the locking position.

5. The medical device of claim 4.

8. The rotary drive body is a sprocket.

2. The medical device of claim 1.

9. The rotary drive body is a pulley.

2. The medical device of claim 1.

10. The rotary drive body is a pinion.

2. The medical device of claim 1.

11. The rotary drive body and the rotary member are integral with each other.

2. The medical device of claim 1.

12. The uneven portion is provided at a constant pitch on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating member.

2. The medical device of claim 1.

13. The rotation drive body, the rotation member, and the locking portion main body are each provided in pairs, The switching operation unit selectively switches at least one of the pair of locking portion bodies between the locking position and the non-locking position.

13. A medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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