Bending mechanism for controlling endoscope and endoscope

Abstract

The bending mechanisms of endoscopes currently available on the market do not meet the requirements for degree of freedom in changing direction, degree of freedom in rotation, mechanical properties in bending, structural strength, etc. [Solution] The present invention provides a bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope and an endoscope. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope has a hollow tube. The hollow tube has a plurality of gap groups extending sequentially along the axial direction of the hollow tube. Each of the plurality of gap groups has a first gap portion and a second gap portion. The first gap portion is arranged in a first circumferential direction of the hollow tube. The second gap portion is arranged in a second circumferential direction of the hollow tube. The first gap portion has two gaps each having a length of 1 / 2 the circumference. The second gap portion has two gaps each having a length of 1 / 2 the circumference. There is a specific relative position difference between the two gaps of the first gap portion and the two gaps of the second gap portion along the circumferential direction of the hollow tube. The gaps are olive-shaped along the length of the gaps. According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve a degree of freedom in changing direction, a degree of freedom in rotation, and bending responsiveness.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of endoscopy, and more particularly to a bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope and an endoscope. [Background technology]

[0002] In a conventional technique, multiple pipe sections are cut out of a hollow steel pipe using a laser. Each pipe section has a connecting device that is combined with the connecting device of an adjacent pipe section to ultimately form a curved section for remote control of the endoscope insertion tube (also known as a "snake-bone"). The bending mechanisms of endoscopes currently available on the market are divided into structures with and without pins. Regarding the structure with pins, for example, a snake bone with flexible rotation and good bending mechanical properties can be manufactured using a rivet pin structure, but the presence of rivet pins makes the bending mechanism larger in radial size, less smooth, and the manufacturing process more difficult and expensive. Regarding pinless structures, for example, snake bones cut into different patterns from hollow steel pipes using a laser cannot change direction freely when bending in two directions, and when bending in four directions, the rotational freedom, bending mechanical properties, structural strength, etc. do not meet the requirements. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] In order to solve the problems of the prior art, in which the degree of freedom in changing direction, the degree of freedom in rotation, the bending mechanical properties, the structural strength, etc. do not meet the requirements, the present invention provides a bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope and an endoscope. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The present invention for solving the above problems is as follows. A first aspect of the present invention provides a bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope, the bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope having a hollow tube, the hollow tube having a plurality of gap groups extending sequentially along the axial direction of the hollow tube. Each of the plurality of gap groups has a first gap portion and a second gap portion, the first gap portion being arranged in a first circumferential direction of the hollow pipe, and the second gap portion being arranged in a second circumferential direction of the hollow pipe. The first gap portion has two gaps each having a length equal to half the circumference, i.e., the length of the gap is close to but less than half the circumference. The second gap portion has two gaps each having a length equal to half the circumference, i.e., the length of the gap is close to but less than half the circumference. There is a specific relative position difference between the two gaps of the first gap section and the two gaps of the second gap section along the circumferential direction of the hollow tube.

[0005] Preferably, the gap is curved about the axis of the axial direction so as to have a specific arc length. When both sides of the gap are in contact, the contact position forms two parallel straight lines.

[0006] Preferably, the particular arc length is equal to the gap width at one-half the length of the gap.

[0007] Preferably, stress relief cuts are provided at both ends of the gap.

[0008] Preferably, the stress relief cuts are fan-shaped cuts with arcs pointing outward.

[0009] Preferably, the centres of the fan-shaped cuts are located in the corresponding circumferential direction.

[0010] Preferably, the portion of the fan-shaped cut toward the center is not cut, so that a certain area is provided for supporting the structure.

[0011] Preferably, there is a specific relative position difference between the two gaps of the first gap section and the two gaps of the second gap section along the circumferential direction of the hollow tube, where the specific relative position difference is a relative position difference of 1 / 4 of a circumference between the two gaps of the first gap section and the two gaps of the second gap section, respectively. Preferably, the gap width of the gap is greater than a specified gap width.

[0012] Preferably, the axial distance between the first stitching gap and the second stitching gap is smaller than a specific axial distance.

[0013] A second aspect of the present invention provides an endoscope, the endoscope having any one of the bending mechanisms for controlling an endoscope described above.

[0014] According to the bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope and the endoscope of the present invention, the gap has an olive-shaped structure along the longitudinal direction, which improves axial support and radial bending flexibility while ensuring a larger bending arc length or bending angle, thereby improving rotational freedom.

[0015] The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope and the endoscope of the present invention have a specific relative position difference between the two gaps in the first gap section and the two gaps in the second gap section, thereby achieving rotational freedom and bending responsiveness. In addition, the mechanism of the present invention is easy to process, has high connection reliability, high wear resistance, low manufacturing cost, and is convenient to use.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gap is curved around the axial center to have a specific arc length, and when both sides of the gap come into contact, the contact points form two parallel straight lines, which has a guiding effect and improves the snake bone's directional freedom and consistency.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gap width at both ends of the olive-shaped gap is narrow, and stress relief cuts are provided at both ends of the gap to relieve stress, in order to improve the stress relief effect at both ends.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gap width of the gap is determined according to the bending radius. By adjusting the gap width of the gap, the bending radius of the snake bone can be changed as desired, and a curved snake bone with a variable radius can be formed. The larger the gap width, the smaller the bending radius. The axial distance between the two gaps is determined according to the bending rigidity. By adjusting the axial distance between the two gaps, the bending flexibility of the snake bone can be adjusted. The smaller the axial distance, the easier it is to bend.

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are merely illustrative of the present invention and may be modified by those skilled in the art. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a hollow tube according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a circumferential development of a portion of a hollow tube according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a pair of gaps in part A of FIG. 2; [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a circumferential development of a portion of a hollow tube according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments are merely illustrative, that various modifications are possible, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0022] In the specification of the present invention, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "upper", "lower", "upper end", "lower end", "lower surface", and "upper surface" are used merely to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0023] In the present specification, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes and do not imply any significance or quantity. Thus, a "first" feature and a "second" feature may include one or more features.

[0024] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" refers to a number such as two, three, four, etc.

[0025] In the specification of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the term "connection" and the like may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communicative connection. Furthermore, "connection" may refer to a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate, an internal connection between two elements, or an interaction between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the meaning of the above terms based on specific circumstances.

[0026] The technical features of the present invention will be described in detail below by disclosing examples, but each example may be combined, and the description of the same or similar concepts or steps may be omitted.

[0027] 1, 2, and 3, one embodiment provides a bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope includes a hollow tube. The hollow tube has a plurality of gaps extending sequentially along the axial direction of the hollow tube.

[0028] The description will be made with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Each of the gap groups has a first gap portion 1 and a second gap portion 2. The first gap portion 1 is arranged in a first circumferential direction of the hollow pipe. The second gap portion 2 is arranged in a second circumferential direction of the hollow pipe.

[0029] This will be explained with reference to Figure 2. The first gap section has two gaps 11 and 12, each having a length of 1 / 2 the circumference. That is, the length of the gap is close to but less than half the circumference. The second gap section has two gaps 21 and 22, each having a length of 1 / 2 the circumference. That is, the length of the gap is close to but less than half the circumference. Along the circumferential direction of the hollow tube, there is a specific relative position difference between the two gaps in the first gap section 1 and the two gaps in the second gap section 2. This will be explained with reference to Figure 3. The gaps form an olive shape 3 along the length direction of the gap.

[0030] In the bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to the above embodiment, the gap is olive-shaped, improving the degree of freedom of rotation. This is because in most prior art, the cut edge is rectangular, i.e., the gap is rectangular, so when the hollow tube is bent and both sides of the gap come into contact, it always results in point contact, which lacks axial support and prevents free rotation. In the present invention, the gap is olive-shaped, so when the hollow tube is bent and both sides of the gap come into contact, it results in more stable line contact, improving axial support and improving the degree of freedom of rotation. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope of the present invention has a symmetrical structure and does not have a pulling wire groove formed by laser cutting, which effectively increases the number of bending sections and the bending angle. The pulling wire groove may be formed at any pipe section position in the figure by subsequent press processing. If the pulling wires are arranged symmetrically in a 1 / 2 circumferential direction, two-way bending control can be achieved, and if they are arranged symmetrically in a 1 / 4 circumferential direction, four-way bending control can be achieved.

[0031] In one embodiment, the gap is curved around the axial center to have a specific arc length. When the two sides of the gap meet, the contact point forms two parallel straight lines, which has a guiding effect and improves the snake bone's directional freedom and consistency. The contact point between the two sides of the gap may also be two parallel arc lines instead of a straight line.

[0032] In one embodiment, the particular arc length is equal to the gap width at 1 / 2 the gap length.

[0033] Referring to Figure 2, in one embodiment, there is a specific relative position difference between the two gaps in the first gap section and the two gaps in the second gap section along the circumferential direction of the hollow tube, where the specific relative position difference is a quarter of a circumference between the two gaps in the first gap section and the two gaps in the second gap section, respectively.

[0034] This will be explained with reference to Figure 4. In one embodiment, the relative position difference between the gap of the first gap portion and the gap of the second gap portion can be adjusted as needed. When manufacturing a two-way bending snake bone, the relative position difference can be adjusted to be less than 1 / 4 of the circumferential length. This maintains the flexibility of direction change while ensuring the freedom and consistency of direction change in two-way bending, and improves the insertability of the endoscope.

[0035] In one embodiment, the olive-shaped gap is narrow at both ends and has stress relief cuts at both ends of the gap to reduce stress.

[0036] This will be explained with reference to Figure 3. In one embodiment, the stress relief cuts are fan-shaped cuts with arcs pointing outwards. The fan-shaped cuts can reduce stress.

[0037] In one embodiment, the centers of the fan-shaped cuts are located in the corresponding circumferential direction.

[0038] Referring to Figure 3, in one embodiment, the fan cuts are not cut towards the center, so that there is a certain area to support the structure.

[0039] In one embodiment, the gap width of the gap is determined according to the bending radius, and the gap width is greater than a specific gap width. The larger the gap width, the smaller the bending radius and the more flexible the direction change. Conversely, the smaller the gap width, the larger the bending radius.

[0040] In one embodiment, the axial distance between the first gap and the second gap is determined according to the bending stiffness, and the axial distance is smaller than a specific axial distance. The smaller the axial distance, the easier it is to bend. Conversely, the larger the axial distance, the harder it is to bend.

[0041] In other embodiments, the gap width and axial distance can be adjusted depending on the bend radius, but the following considerations must be taken into account: 1. Fatigue failure due to elastic deformation 2. Wall thickness to maintain support 3. Bending length such as half a turn or full turn 4. Elasticity of the material

[0042] In one embodiment, in order to effectively utilize the space inside the snake bone, a traction wire gland relief hole may be provided at the tip of the hollow tube.

[0043] In one embodiment, there is provided an endoscope having the bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0044] In the specification of the present invention, the features, structures, materials, etc. in "one embodiment," "specific implementation method," "one example," etc. are not limited to the same embodiment, and can be appropriately combined. Although the above embodiments are disclosed to illustrate the present invention, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any equivalent modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the above embodiments are included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1 First gap 11 Gap 12 Gap 2 Second gap 21 Gap 22 Gap 3 Olive-shaped 4 Fan-shaped cut

Claims

1. A bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope having a hollow tube, the hollow tube has a plurality of gap groups extending sequentially along the axial direction of the hollow tube; Each of the plurality of gap groups has a first gap portion and a second gap portion, the first gap is disposed in a first circumferential direction of the hollow tube; the second gap is disposed in a second circumferential direction of the hollow tube, The first gap portion has two gaps each having a length equal to 1 / 2 of the circumference, The second gap portion has two gaps each having a length equal to half the circumference, a specific relative position difference between the two gaps of the first gap portion and the two gaps of the second gap portion along the circumferential direction of the hollow tube; Each gap has an olive shape along the length of the gap. Bending mechanism for endoscope control.

2. the gap is curved about an axis in the axial direction to have a specific arc length; When both sides of the gap are in contact, the contact position forms two parallel straight lines. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to claim 1 .

3. the particular arc length is equal to the gap width at half the length of the gap; The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to claim 2.

4. A stress relief cut is provided at each end of the gap. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to claim 1 .

5. The stress relief cut is a fan-shaped cut with an arc facing outward. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to claim 1 .

6. The centers of the fan-shaped cuts are located in the corresponding circumferential direction. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to claim 5.

7. The portion of the fan-shaped cut toward the center is not cut. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to claim 6.

8. a specific relative position difference between the two gaps of the first gap portion and the two gaps of the second gap portion along the circumferential direction of the hollow tube; the specific relative position difference is a relative position difference of ¼ circumference between the two gaps of the first gap portion and the two gaps of the second gap portion, respectively; The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to claim 1 .

9. The gap width of the gap is greater than a specific gap width; The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The axial distance between the first stitching gap and the second stitching gap is smaller than a specific axial distance. The bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A bending mechanism for controlling an endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 10, Endoscope.

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