Endoscope and rotary cable tension adjustment device

Abstract

An endoscope and its rotary cable tension adjustment device are disclosed. The rotary cable tension adjustment device is used to adjust the cable tension of the endoscope and includes a tensioning body, an elastic element, a second limiting adjustment element, and a knob. The tensioning body has a protruding first limiting adjustment element at its bottom and an elastic element placement groove at its top. The side wall of the tensioning body has a cable adjustment surface for the cable to abut against. The elastic element is located within the elastic element placement groove. The second limiting adjustment element is located below the tensioning body and engages with the first limiting adjustment element. The latching end of the knob connects to the top of the tensioning body or the bottom of the second limiting adjustment element, and the lifting end of the knob protrudes. When the lifting end is subjected to external force, it causes the tensioning body to rotate, displacing the cable on the cable adjustment surface and generating different tensions, thereby improving the operational flexibility and reliability of the endoscope.

Claims

1. A rotary cable tension adjustment device for adjusting the tension of two cables of an endoscope, the rotary cable tension adjustment device comprising: A tension body, the bottom of which has a protruding first limiting adjustment member, the top of which has an elastic member placement groove, and the side wall of which has a steel cable adjustment surface for two steel cables to abut against; wherein the tension body is a geometric shape, and the geometric shape is a symmetrical shape, an asymmetrical shape, or an eccentric structure; an elastic member is disposed in the elastic member placement groove; a second limiting adjustment member is disposed below the tension body, and the second limiting adjustment member is movably engaged with the first limiting adjustment member; and a knob, a snap-fit ​​end of which is connected to the top of the tension body or the bottom of the second limiting adjustment member, and a pull-out end of which is protruding; When the knob and the elastic element are rotated and pressed or pulled upward by an external force, the first and second limiting adjustment elements disengage from their engaged state, causing the stretching body to rotate by an angle. This stretches the two steel cables along the wide side of the geometric shape, and the two steel cables displace on the cable adjustment surface of the side wall, thereby generating different tensions. When the external force is released, the knob and the elastic element keep the first and second limiting adjustment elements engaged, thus maintaining the tension generated by the two steel cables.

2. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 1, wherein, The first and second limit adjustment components are a toothed disc structure that cooperates with each other.

3. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 1, wherein, The top of the second limiting adjustment member is provided with a protruding guide post, and the bottom of the stretching body and the center of the first limiting adjustment member are recessed with a guide hole. The guide post passes through the guide hole, so that the second limiting adjustment member and the first limiting adjustment member are engaged with each other along the guide post and the guide hole.

4. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 1, wherein, In the state where the latch end of the knob is connected to the top of the stretching body; in the state where the lifting end is rotated and pulled upward by an external force, causing the elastic member to be compressed, and the first limiting adjustment member and the second limiting adjustment member are simultaneously in a toothed disc disengagement state; and in the state where the lifting end releases the external force and is driven to reset by the elastic member, and the first limiting adjustment member and the second limiting adjustment member are simultaneously in a toothed disc engagement state.

5. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 1, wherein, When the knob is connected to the bottom of the second limiting adjustment member with one snap-on end; when the lifting end is rotated and pressed by an external force, causing the elastic member to be compressed, and the first limiting adjustment member and the second limiting adjustment member are simultaneously disengaged from the toothed disc; and when the lifting end releases the external force and is reset by the elastic member, and the first limiting adjustment member and the second limiting adjustment member are simultaneously engaged with the toothed disc.

6. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 1, wherein, The knob is connected to the top of the stretch body via a fastener, a snap-fit ​​structure, or an adhesive layer.

7. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 1, wherein, The knob has a spring washer at the snap-on end.

8. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 1, wherein, The geometric shape can be a rectangle, square, ellipse, rhombus, or S-shape.

9. A rotary cable tension adjustment device for adjusting the tension of two cables of an endoscope, the rotary cable tension adjustment device comprising: A tensioning body has an elastic element placement groove at its bottom and a cable adjustment surface on its side wall for two steel cables to abut against. The tensioning body is a geometric shape, which can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, or eccentric. A drive motor has one end located in the elastic element placement groove. A control unit is connected to the drive motor, which controls the drive motor to rotate the tensioning body by an angle, causing the wide side of the geometric shape to stretch the two steel cables, and displacing the two steel cables on the cable adjustment surface on the side wall, thereby generating different tensions.

10. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 9, further comprising: A switching device is connected to the control unit. When the switching device is operated, the control unit controls the drive motor to drive the rotation angle or direction of the stretching body.

11. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 9, further comprising: A light-emitting device is connected to the control unit, and the light-emitting device outputs a light source to display the tension of the two steel cables.

12. The rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in claim 9, wherein, The geometric shape can be a rectangle, square, ellipse, rhombus, or S-shape.

13. An endoscope, comprising: Two steel cables; An insert tube is provided, connecting one end of the two steel cables; a direction control assembly is connected to the other end of the two steel cables; a rotary cable tension adjustment device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 is provided between the insert tube and the direction control assembly, the rotary cable tension adjustment device is located between the two steel cables and spreads the two steel cables apart, and the cable adjustment surface of the tension body is provided for the two steel cables to abut against; and a first housing and a second housing are provided, the first housing is connected to the second housing to define an accommodating space, the accommodating space contains the two steel cables, the direction control assembly, and the rotary cable tension adjustment device, one end of the first housing and the second housing is connected to the insert tube, the first housing has a through hole, the knob of the rotary cable tension adjustment device passes through the through hole, and the lifting end of the knob protrudes and is located on the surface of the first housing.

14. The endoscope as claimed in claim 13, wherein, The first housing is provided with an upper guide structure, which is arranged around the through hole and protrudes toward the accommodating space, and is fitted onto the top of the stretching body.

15. The endoscope as claimed in claim 13, wherein, With the snap-on end of the knob connected to the top of the stretching body, the second housing is connected to the second limiting adjustment member.

16. The endoscope as claimed in claim 13, wherein, With one snap-fit ​​end of the knob connected to the bottom of the second limiting adjustment member, the second housing connects the elastic member to the top of the stretching body.

17. An endoscope, comprising: Two steel cables; An insert tube is provided, connecting one end of the two steel cables; a direction control assembly is connected to the other end of the two steel cables; a rotary cable tension adjustment device, as described in any one of claims 9 to 12, is disposed between the insert tube and the direction control assembly, the rotary cable tension adjustment device being located between the two steel cables and spreading the two steel cables apart, and the cable adjustment surface of the tension body being used by the two steel cables to abut against each other; and a first housing and a second housing, the first housing being connected to the second housing to define an accommodating space having the two steel cables, the direction control assembly, and the rotary cable tension adjustment device therein, one end of the first housing and the second housing being connected to the insert tube.

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