Endoscope

Abstract

To provide an endoscope that allows the cleaning performance of a distal end portion of the endoscope insertion part thereof to be improved.SOLUTION: The endoscope includes: a distal end portion 10 having an elevator housing chamber 28 and a lever housing chamber 56; an elevator 26 housed in the elevator housing chamber 28; a lever 54 housed in the lever housing chamber 56; an operation wire 66 connected to the lever 54; a first partition wall 22 provided in the distal end portion 10 and partitioning the elevator housing chamber 28 and the lever housing chamber 56; a rotary shaft 50 for linking the elevator 26 and the lever 54; a through-hole 52 provided in the first partition wall 22 and through which the rotary shaft 50 is inserted; and a sealing member 80 which is mounted on the rotary shaft 50 detachably from a lever housing chamber 56 side, and seals the through-hole 52 when the rotary shaft 50 is inserted into the through-hole 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an endoscope, and more particularly to an endoscope having a stand at the tip of an insertion section of the endoscope. [Background technology]

[0002] In an endoscope, various treatment tools are inserted from a treatment tool introduction port provided in the operation section and are led out from a treatment tool lead-out port opened at the tip of the insertion section for use in treatment. For example, a duodenoscope uses treatment tools such as a guide wire or a shaped tube. In order to treat a desired position inside a subject, it is necessary to change the lead-out direction of such treatment tools at the tip of the insertion section, and for this reason, a treatment tool standing mechanism (standing stand) is provided at the tip.

[0003] A known treatment tool erection mechanism is a mechanism (open type) in which a wire is attached to a stand and extended to the operating section of the endoscope, and the wire is pushed and pulled using an operating lever provided on the operating section to swing the stand around a rotation axis and change its position between an erect position and a collapsed position.

[0004] There is also known a mechanism (closed type) in which the rotation axis of the stand-up platform is connected to a lever housed through a partition, a wire is attached to the lever, and the wire is pushed and pulled using the operating lever of the operating unit to swing the stand-up platform around the rotation axis, thereby changing its position between an upright position and a lying position.

[0005] A distal end portion equipped with such a treatment tool erecting mechanism has a complex shape and structure, and therefore there is a demand for improved cleanability with a cleaning fluid.

[0006] Patent Document 1 discloses an endoscope equipped with a closed-type treatment tool erecting mechanism, in which a cleaning channel is formed between a through hole provided in a partition and a rotating shaft inserted into the through hole. According to the endoscope of Patent Document 1, a cleaning liquid flows into the cleaning channel and reaches the side of the erecting table, thereby cleaning the rotating shaft, the through hole, and the side of the erecting table. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] China Utility Model No. 209951207 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The endoscope in Patent Document 1 is configured such that a partition separates a stand housing section and a lever housing section provided at the tip of the endoscope insertion section, and a rotating shaft is inserted through a through hole provided in the partition to connect the stand and the lever. A cleaning channel for flowing a cleaning liquid is formed between the through hole and the rotating shaft.

[0009] Therefore, in the endoscope of Patent Document 1, liquids such as bodily fluids that have entered the stand housing section during use are likely to enter the lever housing section through the cleaning channel. As a result, the lever, wire, etc. housed in the lever housing section may become contaminated with the liquid. In such cases, the lever, wire, etc. must be disassembled from the tip to be cleaned, which makes the cleaning process complicated and makes complete cleaning difficult.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope that allows for improved cleanability of the tip of the endoscope insertion section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The endoscope of the first aspect comprises a tip portion having a stand-up platform housing section and a lever housing section, a stand-up platform housed in the stand-up platform housing section, a lever housed in the lever housing section, a wire connected to the lever, a partition wall provided at the tip portion separating the stand-up platform housing section and the lever housing section, a rotating shaft connecting the stand-up platform and the lever, a first through hole provided in the partition wall through which the rotating shaft is inserted, and a sealing member attached to the rotating shaft and sealing the first through hole when the rotating shaft is inserted through the first through hole, the sealing member being removable from the lever housing section side.

[0012] In the endoscope of the second aspect, in the first aspect, the lever has a second through hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted, and the rotating shaft has an edge portion having a flat circumferential surface parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft and an arc portion having a curved surface, the arc portion being in sliding contact with the inner surfaces of the first through hole and the second through hole, and a gap portion is provided between the edge portion and the inner surfaces of the first through hole and the second through hole, and the sealing member is inserted into the gap portion.

[0013] In the endoscope of the third aspect, in the second aspect, the sealing member has a base that is engaged with the lever so as not to rotate relative to it, and a protrusion that protrudes from the base, and the protrusion is fitted into the gap.

[0014] The endoscope according to a fourth aspect is the endoscope of the third aspect, wherein the base portion includes a fitting hole into which the rotation shaft is fitted so as not to rotate relatively.

[0015] In the first aspect, the endoscope of the fifth aspect comprises a first rotating shaft provided on a stand and constituting a rotating shaft, and a second rotating shaft provided on a lever and constituting a rotating shaft, one of the first and second rotating shafts being provided with an engaging portion, and the other rotating shaft different from the one rotating shaft being provided with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion.

[0016] A sixth aspect of the invention provides an endoscope according to the fifth aspect, wherein the sealing member is detachable from at least the second rotating shaft.

[0017] The endoscope according to a seventh aspect is the endoscope according to the fifth or sixth aspect, further comprising a knob portion protruding from an end portion of the sealing member on the lever housing portion side.

[0018] An endoscope according to an eighth aspect is the endoscope of the fifth aspect, wherein the sealing member is fixed to the second rotation shaft.

[0019] A ninth aspect of the present invention relates to the endoscope of the fifth aspect, wherein the sealing member and the second rotating shaft are integrally formed.

[0020] The endoscope of the 10th aspect is, in any of the 5th to 7th aspects, a sealing member having a tubular shape through which a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft are inserted, and the sealing member has a first flange portion provided on the first rotating shaft side in the axial direction of the sealing member and protruding in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and a second flange portion provided on the second rotating shaft side in the axial direction and protruding in the radial direction.

[0021] An eleventh aspect of the invention is the endoscope of the tenth aspect, further comprising a knob portion protruding from an end portion of the second flange portion on the lever housing portion side.

[0022] A twelfth aspect of the invention is the endoscope of the tenth or eleventh aspect, in which the first flange is disposed in the first through hole and the second flange is disposed in the lever housing portion.

[0023] The thirteenth aspect of the endoscope is any one of the first to twelfth aspects, in which the standing base is provided with a third through hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted, and the rotating shaft is formed with a flat edge portion and a curved arc portion whose circumferential surface parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft is formed, and the third through hole is formed with a hole side edge portion on its inner periphery that faces and contacts the edge portion, and a hole side arc portion that faces the arc portion via a gap portion. Effect of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the cleanability of the tip of the endoscope insertion portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view showing the configuration of the tip portion of an endoscope insertion section. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the tip body. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the tip body. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an assembly diagram of the tip body. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the stand which is operated by operating a lever. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the appearance of the standing platform. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an assembled perspective view showing the connecting structure between the stand and the lever. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the connection structure shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a rotating shaft and a partition-side through-hole. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a gap defined by the through hole and the rotation shaft. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a sealing member attached to a rotating shaft. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a front view of the sealing member. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing three protrusions fitted into three gaps, respectively. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the rotation shaft and the stand-side through-hole. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of the connecting structure between the stand and the lever. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a sealing member employed in the connection structure of FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a front view of the base of the sealing member shown in FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a side view of the lever shown in FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a second modified example of the connecting structure between the stand and the lever. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a sealing member employed in the connection structure of FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view showing a main structure of the tip portion according to the second embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is an assembled perspective view of the connection structure shown in FIG. [Diagram 23] FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing member fixed to the lever side rotation shaft with an adhesive. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view in which the sealing member and the lever-side rotation shaft are formed as an integral part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] An endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0027] In the embodiment, a side-viewing endoscope used as a duodenoscope is illustrated as an example. This endoscope includes an operation unit operated by an operator, and an endoscope insertion unit (hereinafter, referred to as an "insertion unit") that is connected to the operation unit and inserted into a subject.

[0028] The insertion section is inserted into the subject via the oral cavity, and then further inserted through the esophagus and stomach into the duodenum, whereby a prescribed examination or treatment, etc., of the duodenum is performed using a treatment tool inserted into the insertion section.

[0029] Examples of treatment tools include biopsy forceps having a cup at the tip capable of collecting biological tissue, an EST (Endoscopic Sphincterotomy) knife, and an imaging tube.

[0030] [First embodiment] 1 is an assembled perspective view showing the configuration of a tip portion 10 according to the first embodiment. The tip portion 10 is provided on the tip side of an insertion section 12. The tip portion 10 is an example of the tip portion of the present invention.

[0031] The insertion section 12 has a long axis Ax extending from the base end connected to the operation section toward the tip end, and includes a flexible section, a bending section 14, and a tip section 10 in this order from the base end toward the tip end.

[0032] The bending portion 14 has a cylindrical member 16 that is configured to be bendable by providing cutouts in the circumferential direction, and the outer periphery of this cylindrical member 16 is covered with a mesh body woven with metal wires, which is further covered with a rubber outer cover. In addition, multiple wires extend from the angle knob of the operation unit to the bending portion 14, and the tips of these wires are fixed to the cylindrical member 16 that constitutes the bending portion 14. As a result, the bending portion 14 can be bent up, down, left, and right in response to the operation of the angle knob.

[0033] The tip portion 10 has a tip portion body 20 , a tip cover 100 that is detachable from the tip portion body 20 , and a cap 200 that is attached to the outside of the tip cover 100 .

[0034] The tip cover 100 has an opening 102 that opens an opening 30 on the upper surface side of the stand housing chamber 28 (see FIG. 3) described below when attached to the tip body 20. The tip cover 100 is made of a corrosion-resistant metal material.

[0035] Furthermore, the cap 200 has an opening window 202 that opens the above-mentioned opening 30 when attached to the tip body 20. The cap 200 has an engagement portion on its base end that engages with a groove formed in the tip body 20, and is detachably attached to the tip body 20. The cap 200 is made of an elastic or soft material, such as silicone rubber or polyethylene.

[0036] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tip body 20. Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the tip body 20.

[0037] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the tip body 20 has a pair of first and second partitions 22 and 24 which are part of the tip body 20 and face each other. Between the first and second partitions 22 and 24, a stand-up table accommodating chamber 28 is formed which is a slit-shaped space for accommodating a stand 26 (not shown in Figure 3). The opening on the upper surface side of the stand-up table accommodating chamber 28 in Figure 2 is formed as the opening 30. The tip body 20 is made of a metal material having corrosion resistance. The stand-up table 26 and the stand-up table accommodating chamber 28 are examples of the stand-up table and stand-up table accommodating section of the present invention.

[0038] In addition, a treatment tool insertion channel 32 is connected to the riser housing chamber 28 of the tip portion main body 20. The treatment tool insertion channel 32 is inserted into the insertion portion 12 and connected to the treatment tool introduction port of the operation portion. As a result, the treatment tool introduced from the treatment tool introduction port is led out to the riser housing chamber 28 through the treatment tool insertion channel 32.

[0039] The riser 26 is provided in the distal end main body 20, and is housed in the riser housing chamber 28. The riser 26 changes the direction of the treatment tool led out from the treatment tool outlet 32A, which is the distal end opening of the treatment tool insertion channel 32, to the riser housing chamber 28, and causes it to protrude from the opening 30. The riser 26 is attached to the through hole 52 of the first partition 22 via a rotation shaft 50 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later, so that the lead-out direction of the treatment tool can be controlled when the treatment tool is led out from the treatment tool outlet 32A.

[0040] A concave lever accommodating chamber 56 that accommodates the lever 54 is formed on the surface of the first partition 22 opposite to the surface facing the stand accommodating chamber 28. That is, the tip portion 10 has the stand accommodating chamber 28 and the lever accommodating chamber 56. The tip portion 10 is also provided with a first partition 22 that separates the stand accommodating chamber 28 and the lever accommodating chamber 56. The lever 54, the lever accommodating chamber 56, and the first partition 22 are examples of the lever, the lever accommodating portion, and the partition of the present invention.

[0041] A storage chamber 58 for accommodating an optical system and the like is provided within the second partition 24. An irradiation window 60, an observation window 62, and an air and water nozzle 64 facing the observation window 62 are provided in the upper part of the storage chamber 58. The air and water nozzle 64 is connected to the air and water device via an air and water tube inserted into the insertion section 12. By operating an air and water button on the operation section, air or water is sprayed from the air and water nozzle 64 toward the observation window 62, thereby cleaning the observation window 62.

[0042] An illumination section and an imaging section are housed within the second partition 24. The illumination section includes an illumination lens installed inside the irradiation window 60, and a light guide arranged so that its tip faces the illumination lens. The light guide is inserted into the insertion section 12, and its base end is connected to the light source device. Thus, irradiation light from the light source device is transmitted via the light guide and irradiated from the irradiation window 60.

[0043] The photographing section includes a photographing optical system disposed inside the observation window 62, and a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) type or CCD (charge coupled device) type imaging element. The imaging element is connected to an image processing device via a signal cable inserted into the insertion section 12. An imaging signal of a subject image obtained by imaging with this photographing section is input to the image processing device via the signal cable, and the subject image is displayed on a monitor connected to the image processing device.

[0044] Fig. 4 is an assembled perspective view of the tip body 20. Note that in Fig. 4, the lever 54 is omitted, and the rotating shaft 50 connected to the lever 54 is shown.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 4, a through hole 52 is provided in the bottom surface of the concave lever accommodating chamber 56, which penetrates the first partition wall 22 and communicates with the stand accommodating chamber 28. A rotating shaft 50 that connects the stand 26 and the lever 54 is inserted into the through hole 52. That is, the first partition wall 22 is provided with the through hole 52 through which the rotating shaft 50 is inserted. Since the lever 54 in the lever accommodating chamber 56 swings around the rotating shaft 50, the lever accommodating chamber 56 is formed in a substantially sector shape with the rotating shaft 50 at its center. The rotating shaft 50 and the through hole 52 are an example of the rotating shaft and the first through hole of the present invention.

[0046] A detailed configuration will be described later, but one end of the lever 54 is connected to the stand 26 via the rotating shaft 50, and the other end is connected to an operating wire 66. The lever 54 swings integrally with the stand 26 around the rotating shaft 50 as the operating wire 66 is operated.

[0047] 2, the operating wire 66 has a connection portion 68 at its tip end which is connected to the lever 54 inside the lever housing chamber 56. The operating wire 66 has a base end which passes through an outlet 70 opening in the wall surface of the lever housing chamber 56 and a wire insertion passage 71, and is connected to the stand operating mechanism in the operating section. The operating wire 66 is an example of the wire of the present invention.

[0048] 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of the stand 26 which is operated by operating the lever 54. FIG.

[0049] As shown in VA of Fig. 5, when the operation wire 66 is pushed by operating the operation lever, the lever 54 swings in the direction A around the rotating shaft 50, and the stand 26 moves from the upright position to the lying position. On the other hand, as shown in VB of Fig. 5, when the operation wire 66 is pulled by operating the operation lever, the lever 54 swings in the direction B (opposite to the direction A) around the rotating shaft 50, and the stand 26 moves from the lying position to the upright position. In this way, the operation wire 66 can rotate the rotating shaft 50 via the lever 54 by operating the operation lever. This changes the position of the stand 26 between the upright position and the lying position.

[0050] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the exterior of the stand 26 housed in the stand housing chamber 28. As shown in FIG.

[0051] 6, the riser 26 has an arc-shaped guide surface G. The guide surface G faces the treatment tool outlet 32A of the treatment tool insertion channel 32 in the riser housing chamber 28, and guides the treatment tool led out from the treatment tool outlet 32A to the riser housing chamber 28 toward the opening 30.

[0052] The base end of the stand 26 is provided with a through hole 72 into which the rotating shaft 50 is inserted. By inserting the rotating shaft 50 into the through hole 72, the stand 26 is connected to the lever 54 via the rotating shaft 50. The rotating shaft 50 and the through hole 72 will be described later.

[0053] Here, the tip 10 of the insertion section 12 is a component that is exposed to liquids such as body fluids when the endoscope is in use. Therefore, liquid may flow from the stand housing chamber 28 into the through hole 52 of the first partition 22 and enter the lever housing chamber 56. If this happens, the rotating shaft 50, the through hole 52, the lever 54, etc. will become contaminated by the liquid, and these parts must be cleaned, but since these parts are small and have complex shapes, it is difficult to clean them completely.

[0054] Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem of cleanability and to improve the cleanability of the tip portion 10, the tip portion 10 of the first embodiment has the following configuration (connecting structure).

[0055] <Connection structure between the stand and the lever> Fig. 7 is an assembled perspective view showing the connection structure between the stand 26 and the lever 54. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the connection structure shown in Fig. 7.

[0056] <Rotation axis> First, the rotating shaft 50 will be described. The rotating shaft 50 is formed with side portions 50B, whose peripheral surface parallel to the axis 50A direction of the rotating shaft 50 is planar, and arc portions 50C, which are curved. More specifically, the rotating shaft 50 has three side portions 50B and three arc portions 50C alternately formed in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 50, and these side portions 50B and arc portions 50C extend along the axis 50A direction to form a substantially triangular prism shape. The rotating shaft 50, the side portions 50B, and the arc portions 50C are examples of the rotating shaft, the side portions, and the arc portions of the present invention.

[0057] When such a rotating shaft 50 is inserted into the through hole 52 to connect the stand 26 and the lever 54, as shown in the cross-sectional view of the rotating shaft 50 and the through hole 52 in FIG. 9, the arc portion 50C of the rotating shaft 50 is in sliding contact with the inner surface 52A of the through hole 52, which is a round hole, but the side portion 50B of the rotating shaft 50 does not contact the inner surface 52A. Therefore, a gap 53 is formed between the side portion 50B and the inner surface 52A. In this example, the gap 53 is formed at three places in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 50. The gap 53 is an example of the gap of the present invention.

[0058] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the gap 53 provided between the side portion 50B of the rotating shaft 50 and the inner surface 52A of the through-hole 52. As shown in FIG.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 10, gap portion 53 is a space defined by side portion 50B and inner surface 52A, and is formed in an approximately crescent shape having gap side edge portion 53A along side portion 50B and gap side arc portion 53B along inner surface 52A.

[0060] Since the gap 53 thus formed serves as a flow path for the fluid from the stand housing chamber 28 toward the lever housing chamber 56, it is necessary to close the gap 53 and seal the through hole 52 in order to improve the cleanability of the tip portion 10. Therefore, the tip portion 10 of the first embodiment is provided with a sealing member 80 (see FIG. 11) for sealing the through hole 52 in the connection structure between the stand 26 and the lever 54. The sealing member 80 will be described below.

[0061] <Sealing member> FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the sealing member 80 attached to the rotating shaft 50 shown in FIGS.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 11, the sealing member 80 is configured in a generally cylindrical shape having an axis 80A. The sealing member 80 includes a base 82 and three protruding portions 84 protruding from the base 82. As will be described later, the three protruding portions 84 are configured to be able to fit into the three gaps 53 shown in Fig. 10. The sealing member 80 is made of a plastic such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), or a rubber such as fluororubber or silicone rubber. The sealing member 80 is an example of a sealing member of the present invention.

[0063] Specifically, the base 82 of the sealing member 80 is configured in a disk shape. The three protruding parts 84 protrude parallel to one another from the base 82 along the axis 80A direction. The outer peripheral surfaces of the base 82 and the three protruding parts 84 are flush with each other without any steps, and the three protruding parts 84 are configured in a plate shape extending from the outer peripheral surface of the base 82 in the axis 80A direction. The three protruding parts 84 protrude at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis 80A via three slits 86 along the axis 80A.

[0064] FIG. 12 is a front view of the sealing member 80 as viewed from the direction of the axis 80A.

[0065] 12, the sealing member 80 has a shaft accommodating space 88 surrounded by three protrusions 84. The rotating shaft 50 is accommodated in the shaft accommodating space 88. In this case, the rotating shaft 50 is accommodated in a state in which the axis 50A of the rotating shaft 50 is aligned with the axis 80A of the sealing member 80. In this way, the sealing member 80 is attached to the rotating shaft 50.

[0066] The protruding portion 84 has a protruding side edge portion 84A on its inner periphery that faces and comes into contact with the edge portion 50B of the rotating shaft 50, and a protruding side arc portion 84B on its outer periphery that faces and comes into sliding contact with the inner surface 52A of the through hole 52. As a result, the protruding portion 84 is formed in a generally half-moon shape having the protruding side edge portion 84A along the gap side edge portion 53A shown in Fig. 10 and the protruding side arc portion 84B along the gap side arc portion 53B.

[0067] Such a shape of the protrusion 84 enables the protrusion 84 to fit into the gap 53. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 50 is inserted into the through hole 52, the three protrusions 84 of the sealing member 80 attached to the rotating shaft 50 are fitted into the three gaps 53, respectively. Fig. 13 shows a cross-sectional view in which the three protrusions 84 are fitted into the three gaps 53, respectively.

[0068] As a result, the three gaps 53 are closed by the three protrusions 84, respectively, and the through-hole 52 can be sealed. Therefore, the flow of fluid from the stand accommodating chamber 28 toward the lever accommodating chamber 56 can be blocked by the sealing member 80.

[0069] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 8, the lever 54 is also provided with a through hole 74. The sealing member 80 attached to the rotating shaft 50 is inserted into the through hole 74 as well. The through hole 74 has an inner diameter slightly smaller than that of the through hole 52. The positional relationship between the rotating shaft 50 and the through hole 74 is similar to the positional relationship between the rotating shaft 50 and the through hole 52 shown in Fig. 9, although there is a difference in the inner diameter as described above.

[0070] Therefore, the positional relationship between the rotating shaft 50 and the through hole 74 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, the arc portion 50C of the rotating shaft 50 is in sliding contact with the inner surfaces 52A, 74A of the through hole 52 and the through hole 74, respectively. Then, gaps 53, 75 are provided between the side portion 50B of the rotating shaft 50 and the inner surfaces 52A, 74A of the through hole 52 and the through hole 74, respectively. Then, three protrusions 84 of the sealing member 80 are fitted into the gaps 53, 75. The through hole 74 is an example of a second through hole of the present invention.

[0071] Since the connecting structure of this example includes the sealing member 80, the rotation (swing) force of the lever 54 is once transmitted to the sealing member 80, and then transmitted from the sealing member 80 to the rotating shaft 50. For this reason, in the connecting structure of this example, in order to transmit the rotation force of the lever 54 to the rotating shaft 50, for example, the lever 54 (through hole 74) and the sealing member 80 (projection 84) are fitted with a dimensional relationship (interference) that prevents relative rotation between the lever 54 and the sealing member 80. This makes it possible to prevent the lever 54 and the sealing member 80 from rotating freely relative to each other, and therefore makes it possible to transmit the rotation force of the lever 54 to the rotating shaft 50 via the sealing member 80. Note that, on the through hole 52 side, in order to smoothly rotate the rotating shaft 50 (including the sealing member 80) relative to the through hole 52, it is also possible to coat the inner surface 52A of the through hole 52 with a lubricant or fill the gap between the inner surface 52A and the sealing member 80 with a lubricant.

[0072] Next, the procedure for connecting the stand 26 and the lever 54 using the connecting structure of this example will be described. First, the sealing member 80 is attached to the rotating shaft 50. Next, the sealing member 80 is attached to the through hole 74 of the lever 54. Thereafter, the rotating shaft 50 is inserted into the through hole 52 while the sealing member 80 is being attached to the through hole 52 from the lever housing chamber 56 side, and the rotating shaft 50 that has passed through the through hole 52 is inserted into the through hole 72 of the stand 26. By this procedure, the stand 26 and the lever 54 can be connected.

[0073] As other connection procedures, the following two connection procedures are exemplified. In the first other connection procedure, first, the rotating shaft 50 is inserted through the through hole 52 and inserted into the through hole 72. Next, the rotating shaft 50 is inserted into the through hole 74. In this state, the sealing member 80 is attached to the through hole 74 and the through hole 52 from the lever 54 side. This procedure can also be used to connect the stand 26 and the lever 54. In the second other connection procedure, first, the stand 26 is accommodated in the stand accommodation chamber 28, and the rotating shaft 50 is inserted through the through hole 52 from the lever accommodation chamber 56 side and inserted into the through hole 72 to attach and fix the rotating shaft 50 to the stand 26. After that, the rotating shaft 50 is inserted into the through hole 74 to attach the lever 54 to the rotating shaft 50, and the lever 54 is accommodated in the lever accommodation chamber 56. Finally, with the lever 54, the rotating shaft 50 and the stand 26 assembled together, the sealing member 80 is attached to the through-hole 74 and the through-hole 52 from the lever 54 side. The stand 26 and the lever 54 can also be connected by this procedure.

[0074] Next, the procedure for separating the stand 26 and the lever 54 using the connection structure of this example will be described. First, the lever 54 is removed from the lever housing chamber 56. This causes the sealing member 80 to be removed from the lever housing chamber 56 together with the lever 54. After this, the rotating shaft 50 is removed from the lever housing chamber 56. This procedure allows the stand 26 and the lever 54 to be separated. That is, the sealing member 80 of this example is detachable from the lever housing chamber 56. Then, when the separation operation is completed, the inner surface 52A of the through hole 52 is exposed, making it possible to clean the inner surface 52A with a cleaning liquid.

[0075] Next, a description will be given of the connection structure between the rotating shaft 50 and the stand 26. As shown in Fig. 7, the stand 26 has a through hole 72 into which the rotating shaft 50 is inserted. As described above, the rotating shaft 50 is formed with the side portion 50B and the arc portion 50C.

[0076] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating shaft 50 and the through hole 72.

[0077] 14, through hole 72 is formed on its inner periphery with hole-side edge portion 72B that faces and contacts side portion 50B, and hole-side arc portion 72C that faces arc portion 50C across gap 77. Through hole 72, hole-side edge portion 72B, and hole-side arc portion 72C are examples of the third through hole, hole-side edge portion, and hole-side arc portion of the present invention.

[0078] According to the above-described connecting structure, side portion 50B of rotating shaft 50 and hole-side side portion 72B of through-hole 72 are in contact with each other, so that the rotational force transmitted from lever 54 to rotating shaft 50 can be transmitted to stand 26. Also, gap 77 formed between arc portion 50C and hole-side arc portion 72C can be used as a cleaning channel for passing cleaning liquid, so that the cleanability of arc portion 50C and hole-side arc portion 72C exposed in gap 77 can be improved.

[0079] As described above, according to the tip portion 10 of the first embodiment, the sealing member 80 is attached to the rotating shaft 50 that connects the stand 26 and the lever 54, and when the rotating shaft 50 is inserted into the through hole 52, the through hole 52 is sealed by the sealing member 80, so that it is possible to prevent liquid such as bodily fluids from entering the lever accommodating chamber 56 through the through hole 52. In addition, since the sealing member 80 is detachable from the lever accommodating chamber 56 side, it is possible to wash the inner surface 52A of the through hole 52 with a cleaning liquid. This makes it possible to improve the washability of the tip portion 10.

[0080] <Modification> Next, several modified examples (first and second modified examples) of the tip portion 10 of the first embodiment will be described. In describing the modified examples, the same or similar members as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0081] First Modified Example Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of the connecting structure between the stand 26 and the lever 54. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a sealing member 180 applied to the connecting structure of Fig. 15.

[0082] 15 and 16, the sealing member 180 includes a base 182 and three protruding portions 84 protruding from the base 182. These three protruding portions 84 are fitted into the three gaps 53 shown in Fig. 10, respectively, to seal the through-holes 52. This is the same as the sealing member 80 of the first embodiment.

[0083] The difference between the configuration of sealing member 180 and sealing member 80 is that while base 82 of sealing member 80 is disk-shaped, base 182 of sealing member 180 is configured to be polygonal (octagonal in this example) in the front view seen from the direction of axis 180A shown in Fig. 17, and that it has a substantially triangular fitting hole 184 into which rotation shaft 50 can be fitted. Note that in Fig. 17, protruding portion 84 is shown in cross section in order to distinguish between base 182 and protruding portion 84.

[0084] 18, the side view of the lever 54, the base 182 is fitted into a fitting hole 186 formed in the lever 54. The fitting hole 186 is formed in the opposite surface of the lever 54 opposite to the surface facing the first partition 22, and is connected to the through hole 74.

[0085] The fitting hole 186 is configured in a polygonal (octagonal) shape, similar to the base 182. By fitting the base 182 into the fitting hole 186, the sealing member 180 is connected to the lever 54 so as not to rotate relatively thereto. In other words, the sealing member 180 includes the base 182 which fits into the lever 54 so as not to rotate relatively thereto. The base 182 is an example of the base of the present invention.

[0086] The end of the rotating shaft 50 on the lever 54 side is fitted into the fitting hole 184 of the base 182. That is, the base 182 has the fitting hole 184 that is fitted into the rotating shaft 50 so as not to rotate relative to the rotating shaft 50. The fitting hole 184 is an example of the fitting hole of the present invention.

[0087] According to the first modified example provided with such a sealing member 180, the base 182 of the sealing member 180 is fitted into the fitting hole 186 of the lever 54, and the rotating shaft 50 is fitted into the fitting hole 184 of the base 182, so that the rotational force of the lever 54 can be reliably transmitted to the sealing member 180 and the rotating shaft 50. Moreover, like the sealing member 80, the sealing member 180 is detachable from the lever accommodating chamber 56 side.

[0088] The sealing member 180 can be manufactured by a known insert molding method when the base 182 is made of metal and the protruding portion 84 is made of resin or rubber. By making the base 182 of metal, the strength of the base 182 can be increased, and by making the protruding portion 84 of resin or rubber, the adhesion of the protruding portion 84 to the through holes 52, 74 can be increased.

[0089] <Second Modification> Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a second modified example of the connecting structure between the stand 26 and the lever 54. Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a sealing member 280 applied to the connecting structure of Fig. 19.

[0090] 19 and 20, the sealing member 280 includes a base 282 and three protruding portions 84 protruding from the base 282. These three protruding portions 84 are fitted into the three gaps 53 shown in Fig. 10, respectively, to seal the through-hole 52. This is the same as the sealing member 80 of the first embodiment.

[0091] The differences in configuration between the first embodiment and the second modified example are that, as shown in FIG. 19, lever 54 does not have a through hole 74 (see FIG. 8), but has a fitting hole 284 that fits onto the rotating shaft 50 instead of the through hole 74, and that while base 82 of sealing member 80 is positioned so as to pass through through hole 74, base 182 of sealing member 280 is positioned in the gap between the first partition 22 and lever 54.

[0092] The fitting hole 284 is configured in a substantially triangular shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the rotating shaft 50. The end of the rotating shaft 50 on the lever 54 side is fitted into this fitting hole 284. In other words, the lever 54 has a fitting hole 284 that is fitted into the rotating shaft 50 so as not to rotate relative to the rotating shaft 50.

[0093] According to the second modified example provided with such a lever 54, since the rotating shaft 50 is fitted in the fitting hole 284, it is possible to reliably transmit the rotational force of the lever 54 to the rotating shaft 50. Also, the sealing member 280 can be attached together with the lever 54 from the lever accommodating chamber 56 side. Also, the sealing member 280 can be removed from the lever accommodating chamber 56 side by removing the lever 54 from the lever accommodating chamber 56 side. In this case, the base portion 282 exposed in the lever accommodating chamber 56 is pinched to remove the sealing member 280 from the through hole 52. That is, the sealing member 280 is detachable from the lever accommodating chamber 56 side.

[0094] In the first embodiment (including the first and second modified examples), the sealing members 80, 180, 280 are described as having three protrusions 84 to correspond to the shape of the rotation shaft 50, which is approximately triangular prism-shaped, but this is not limited to this.

[0095] For example, when the rotating shaft 50 is semi-cylindrical, the protruding portion 84 may be configured in a semi-cylindrical shape. The protruding portion 84 is formed with one side portion and one arc portion. When the rotating shaft 50 is cylindrical, the protruding portion 84 may be configured in a cylindrical shape. In either case, the protruding portion 84 (semi-cylindrical and cylindrical) can be inserted into the gap formed between the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 50 and the inner surface 52A of the through hole 52. This makes it possible to seal the through hole 52. Note that the through hole 72 on the side of the stand 26 may have a shape (semicircular, round hole) and size that can be fitted with the rotating shaft 50 (semi-cylindrical and cylindrical) with a dimensional relationship (interference) that prevents relative rotation.

[0096] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described. In describing the second embodiment, the same or similar members as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0097] Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view showing the main structure of the tip portion 300 according to the second embodiment, and in particular, shows the connecting structure between the stand 26 and the lever 54. Fig. 22 is an assembled perspective view of the connecting structure shown in Fig. 21.

[0098] Both the first and second embodiments have a rotating shaft that connects the stand 26 and the lever 54, and the through hole 52 through which the rotating shaft is inserted is sealed with a sealing member, but the configurations of the rotating shaft and the sealing member are different. The following mainly describes the differences.

[0099] First, the rotating shaft will be described. The rotating shaft 50 in the first embodiment adopts a connection structure in which the stand 26 and the lever 54 are connected by a single rotating shaft 50. In contrast, the second embodiment adopts a connection structure in which one rotating shaft is formed by connecting two rotating shafts to each other, and the stand 26 and the lever 54 are connected by this single rotating shaft.

[0100] A more specific description will be given. As shown in Fig. 21 and Fig. 22, in the second embodiment, the stand 26 is provided with a stand-up side rotation shaft 302, and the lever 54 is provided with a lever-side rotation shaft 304. In this example, the stand 26 and the stand-up side rotation shaft 302 are integrally formed, and the lever 54 and the lever-side rotation shaft 304 are also integrally formed. The stand-up side rotation shaft 302 and the lever-side rotation shaft 304 are examples of the first and second rotation shafts of the present invention.

[0101] A rectangular column portion 306 having a smaller diameter than the lever side rotation shaft 304 is protruded from the lever side rotation shaft 304. The rectangular column portion 306 is an octagonal column, and is provided coaxially with the lever side rotation shaft 304. That is, the lever 54 in the second embodiment is provided with the lever side rotation shaft 304 having the rectangular column portion 306. The rectangular column portion 306 is an example of the fitting portion of the present invention.

[0102] On the other hand, the stand-up platform side rotation shaft 302 is provided with a square hole portion 308 that fits with the square column portion 306. The square hole portion 308 is an octagonal hole with a bottom, and is provided coaxially with the stand-up platform side rotation shaft 302. That is, the stand-up platform 26 in the second embodiment is provided with the stand-up platform side rotation shaft 302 having the square hole portion 308. The square hole portion 308 is an example of a fitted portion of the present invention.

[0103] According to the connection structure of the second embodiment configured in this manner, when the stand-up platform side rotation shaft 302 and the lever side rotation shaft 304 are inserted into the through-hole 52 from both sides of the through-hole 52 with the first partition wall 22 in between, the square column portion 306 and the square hole portion 308 fit together. As a result, the stand-up platform 26 and the lever 54 are connected by one rotation shaft 310 consisting of the stand-up platform side rotation shaft 302 and the lever side rotation shaft 304, and the rotation force of the lever 54 can be transmitted to the stand-up platform 26 via the rotation shaft 310.

[0104] Next, the sealing member will be described. The sealing member 80 of the first embodiment employs a sealing structure in which a protrusion 84 provided on a base 82 is fitted into a gap 53 formed in the through hole 52 to seal the through hole 52.

[0105] In contrast, the sealing member 320 of the second embodiment includes a cylindrical portion 322 that is inserted into the through hole 52, and flange portions 324, 326 provided on both sides of the cylindrical portion 322. Then, the flange portion 324 is positioned inside the through hole 52, and the flange portion 326 is positioned in the lever accommodating chamber 56, thereby adopting a sealing structure that seals the through hole 52.

[0106] A more specific description will be given. The sealing member 320 has a cylindrical portion 322 having a tubular shape, through which the stand-side rotation shaft 302 and the lever-side rotation shaft 304 are inserted. The outer surface 302A of the stand-side rotation shaft 302 is in sliding contact with the inner surface 322A of the cylindrical portion 322.

[0107] Furthermore, the sealing member 320 has a flange portion 324. The flange portion 324 is provided on the side of the stand-side rotation shaft 302 and protrudes in a radial direction perpendicular to the direction of the shaft 320A. The sealing member 320 also has a flange portion 326. The flange portion 326 is provided on the side of the lever-side rotation shaft 304 and protrudes in the radial direction. Furthermore, the flange portion 326 is configured to have a larger diameter than the flange portion 324.

[0108] The flange portion 324 is located in the through hole 52, and an outer peripheral surface 324A of the flange portion 324 is in contact with an inner surface 52A of the through hole 52. The flange portion 326 is located in the lever accommodating chamber 56, and is in contact with a bottom portion 56A of the lever accommodating chamber 56. A knob portion 328 is provided to protrude from an end portion of the sealing member 320 on the lever accommodating chamber 56 side, specifically, an end portion 326A of the flange portion 326 on the lever accommodating chamber 56 side. The knob portion 328 protrudes toward the lever accommodating chamber 56 side. The flange portion 324, the flange portion 326, and the knob portion 328 are examples of a first flange portion, a second flange portion, and a knob portion of the present invention.

[0109] <Method of attaching sealing member to through hole> The sealing member 320 is pushed into the through hole 52 from the lever accommodating chamber 56 side, with the flange portion 324 at the front. This allows the sealing member 320 to be attached to the through hole 52. At this time, the flange portion 324 is located inside the through hole 52, and the flange portion 326 is located in the lever accommodating chamber 56. Thereafter, as described above, when the stand 26 and the lever 54 are connected by the rotating shaft 310, the outer surface 302A of the stand-side rotating shaft 302 comes into sliding contact with the inner surface 322A of the cylindrical portion 322. This allows the through hole 52 to be sealed.

[0110] <Method of Removing Sealing Member from Through Hole> First, the lever 54 is removed from the lever accommodating chamber 56. Thereafter, the knob portion 328 is pinched and the sealing member 320 is removed from the through-hole 52. This makes it possible to clean the inner surface 52A of the through-hole 52.

[0111] Therefore, in the tip portion 300 of the second embodiment, as in the tip portion 10 of the first embodiment, the through hole 52 is sealed by the sealing member 320, so it is possible to prevent liquid such as body fluid from entering the lever accommodating chamber 56 through the through hole 52. In addition, since the sealing member 320 is detachable from the lever accommodating chamber 56 side, it is possible to wash the inner surface 52A of the through hole 52 with a cleaning liquid. This makes it possible to improve the washability of the tip portion 300.

[0112] <Attachment and Detachment of Sealing Member> The sealing member 320 of the second embodiment is preferably detachable from at least the lever side rotation shaft 304. This makes it possible to insert the lever side rotation shaft 304 and the sealing member 320 together into the through hole 52 in a state in which the sealing member 320 is attached to the lever side rotation shaft 304 in advance. The sealing member 320 may be provided detachably on the stand side rotation shaft 302.

[0113] <Fixing Form of Sealing Member> The sealing member 320 may be fixed to the lever side rotation shaft 304. Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view in which the sealing member 320 is fixed to the lever side rotation shaft 304 with an adhesive 330. Even in this case, it becomes possible to insert the lever side rotation shaft 304 and the sealing member 320 together into the through hole 52. It also becomes possible to remove the lever side rotation shaft 304 and the sealing member 320 together from the through hole 52.

[0114] (Integral Formation of Sealing Member) Moreover, the sealing member 320 and the lever side rotation shaft 304 may be formed as an integral part. Fig. 24 is a cross-sectional view in which the sealing member 320 and the lever side rotation shaft 304 are formed as an integral part 332. In this case, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the above-mentioned fixing form.

[0115] In the second embodiment, the stand-up platform side rotation shaft 302 is provided with a square pillar portion 306 as a fitting portion, and the lever side rotation shaft 304 is provided with a square hole portion 308 as a fitted portion, but this is not limited to this. The stand-up platform side rotation shaft 302 may be provided with a square hole portion 308, and the lever side rotation shaft 304 may be provided with a square pillar portion 306.

[0116] In the second embodiment, the fitting form between the fitting portion and the fitted portion is described as being between the rectangular column portion 306 and the rectangular hole portion 308. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any fitting form that can reliably transmit the rotational force of the lever 54 to the stand 26 may be used, for example, between a cylindrical portion and a circular hole portion.

[0117] In the second embodiment, the stand 26 and the stand-up side rotating shaft 302 are integrally formed, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the stand 26 and the stand-up side rotating shaft 302 may be formed as separate bodies, and the stand 26 and the stand-up side rotating shaft 302 may be connected by the connection structure already described in Fig. 14. That is, a connection structure may be adopted in which the stand 26 is provided with a through hole 72, and the stand-up side rotating shaft 302 is formed with a side portion 50B and an arc portion 50C.

[0118] In each of the above embodiments, a side-viewing endoscope has been used as an example, but the present invention can be applied to various endoscopes, such as ultrasonic endoscopes and direct-view endoscopes, which are provided with a stand at the tip of the insertion section for changing the direction in which a treatment tool is ejected.

[0119] Although the endoscope according to the embodiment 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]

[0120] 10 Tip 12 Insertion section 14 Curved section 16 Cylindrical member 20 Tip body 22 1st bulkhead 24 Second bulkhead 24A Tip surface 26 Standing platform 28 Standing Platform Storage Room 30 aperture 32 Treatment tool insertion channel 32A Treatment tool outlet 50 Rotational Axis 50A shaft 50B side part 50C arc 52 Through hole 52A Inner surface 53 Cavity 53A Gap side part 53B Gap side arc part 54 Lever 56 Lever Containment Room 58 Containment Room 60 Irradiation window 62 Observation window 64 Air and water supply nozzle 66 Control wire 68 Connection 70 exit 71 Wire passage 72 Through hole 72B Hole side 72C Hole side arc part 74 Through hole 74A Inner surface 75 Cavity 77 Cavity 80 Sealing member 80A axis 82 Base 84 Protrusion 84A Projecting side part 84B Projecting side arc part 86 Slit 88 Axis accommodation space 100 Tip cover 102 Open area 180 Sealing member 182 Base 184 Fitting hole 186 Mating hole 200 Cap 202 Opening window 280 Sealing member 282 Base 284 Fitting hole 300 Tip 302 Standing platform side rotation axis 302A Exterior 304 Lever side rotating shaft 306 Square column 308 Square hole part 310 Rotational axis 320 Sealing member 320A axis 322 Cylindrical section 322A Inner surface 324 Flange part 326 Flange part 330 Adhesive 332 Integral structure Ax long axis direction G Guide surface

Claims

1. a tip portion having a stand receiving portion and a lever receiving portion; A stand to be accommodated in the stand accommodation section; A lever accommodated in the lever accommodating portion; A wire connected to the lever; a partition wall provided at the tip portion and separating the stand housing portion from the lever housing portion; a rotation shaft connecting the stand and the lever; a first through hole provided in the partition wall and through which the rotation shaft is inserted; a sealing member attached to the rotating shaft and configured to seal the first through hole when the rotating shaft is inserted into the first through hole, the sealing member being detachable from the lever accommodating portion; An endoscope comprising:

2. the lever includes a second through hole through which the rotation shaft is inserted, The rotation shaft has a side portion having a flat peripheral surface parallel to the axial direction of the rotation shaft and an arc portion having a curved peripheral surface, the arc portion is in sliding contact with the inner surfaces of the first through hole and the second through hole, a gap portion is provided between the side portion and an inner surface of each of the first through hole and the second through hole, The sealing member is fitted into the gap. The endoscope according to claim 1 .

3. The sealing member is a base portion that is fitted to the lever so as not to rotate relative to the lever; A protrusion protruding from the base portion; Equipped with The protrusion is fitted into the gap. The endoscope according to claim 2.

4. The base portion has a fitting hole into which the rotation shaft is fitted so as not to rotate relative to the rotation shaft. The endoscope according to claim 3.

5. A first rotation shaft provided on the stand and constituting the rotation shaft; a second rotation shaft provided on the lever and constituting the rotation shaft; Equipped with One of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft is provided with a fitting portion, and the other rotating shaft different from the one rotating shaft is provided with a fitted portion that is fitted with the fitting portion. The endoscope according to claim 1 .

6. The sealing member is detachable from at least the second rotating shaft. The endoscope according to claim 5.

7. A knob portion is provided protruding from an end portion of the sealing member on the lever accommodating portion side. The endoscope according to claim 5.

8. The sealing member is fixed to the second rotating shaft. The endoscope according to claim 5.

9. The sealing member and the second rotating shaft are integrally formed. The endoscope according to claim 5.

10. the sealing member has a cylindrical shape through which the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are inserted, The sealing member has a first flange portion provided on the first rotating shaft side in the axial direction of the sealing member and protruding in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and a second flange portion provided on the second rotating shaft side in the axial direction and protruding in the radial direction. The endoscope according to claim 5.

11. A knob portion is provided protruding from an end portion of the second flange portion on the lever accommodating portion side. The endoscope according to claim 10.

12. The first flange portion is disposed in the first through hole, The second flange portion is disposed in the lever accommodating portion. The endoscope according to claim 10.

13. The stand includes a third through hole into which the rotation shaft is inserted, The rotation shaft has a side portion having a flat peripheral surface parallel to the axial direction of the rotation shaft and an arc portion having a curved peripheral surface, the third through hole has an inner periphery having a hole-side edge portion that faces and contacts the side portion and a hole-side arc portion that faces the arc portion with a gap therebetween; An endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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