Endoscope

Abstract

An endoscope according to the present invention includes a cylinder, a first moving member, a second moving member, and an opening / closing mechanism. The cylinder has an inner cavity, and the inner cavity is formed along a first axis extending from the distal end toward the proximal end. The first moving member moves in the inner cavity along the first axis and has a first coupling member. The first coupling member has at least two projections for hooking and holding the second moving member. The second moving member moves in the inner cavity along the first axis and has a second coupling member. The second coupling member includes a head part held by the first coupling member, and a neck part provided on the distal end side of the head part and formed thinner than the head part. The opening / closing mechanism changes the state of the first coupling member between a state in which the first coupling member is opened to open the second coupling member, and a state in which the first coupling member is closed to hold the second coupling member.

Description

Endoscopy

[0001] This invention relates to an endoscope having a treatment instrument elevator stand at the tip of the insertion section, and having a treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism that allows a treatment instrument elevator wire that contributes to the raising and lowering operation of the treatment instrument elevator stand to be attached and detached.

[0002] Conventionally, endoscopes have been widely used in, for example, the medical field, industrial field, etc. Medical endoscopes used in the medical field are configured to include an insertion section formed in the shape of an elongated tube and equipped with an imaging unit and the like at the tip, and an operation section connected to the base end side of the insertion section and equipped with various operation members and the like on the outer surface.

[0003] Conventional endoscopes of this type have a function of inserting an insertion portion into a body cavity of a living body (subject) to acquire, display, and record images of the inside of organs, etc. A user observes and examines lesions, etc. of organs, etc. based on the images acquired and displayed by the endoscope.

[0004] In addition, in this type of conventional endoscope, a conduit (a so-called treatment tool insertion conduit) through which a treatment tool or the like is inserted is provided in the insertion section, and the distal end of the treatment tool inserted in the conduit is protruded outward from the distal end of the conduit to use the treatment tool. Furthermore, in this type of endoscope, a treatment tool raising stand is provided at the distal end of the insertion section to change the protruding direction of the treatment tool.

[0005] Here, the treatment tool is an instrument that has forceps or the like at the tip and is used to perform various treatments such as a biopsy to collect a portion of biological tissue in a body cavity, or excision of a lesion in a body cavity.

[0006] The treatment instrument elevator is driven in response to the operation of an operating member (such as an operating lever) provided in the operating section, and is configured to be able to raise or lower the treatment instrument. This treatment instrument elevator is provided at the tip of the insertion section of the endoscope. The tip of a treatment instrument elevator wire is connected to this treatment instrument elevator. The base end side of this treatment instrument elevator wire is connected to an operating lever provided in the operating section. Here, the treatment instrument elevator wire is a member that is inserted through the inside of the insertion section, is provided so as to be slidable in the longitudinal axis direction of the insertion section, and is formed from a flexible, thin linear member.

[0007] With this configuration, the treatment instrument elevator base is configured to perform a predetermined raising and lowering operation in response to a predetermined operation of the operating lever.

[0008] In conventional endoscopes equipped with such a treatment instrument elevator, various ideas for fixing the end of the treatment instrument elevator wire have been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-38181.

[0009] In recent years, various endoscopes equipped with a treatment instrument elevator stand, in which the treatment instrument elevator wire is configured to be detachable, have been proposed, for example, in European Patent Publication EP 1759626 B1, etc. For this reason, conventional endoscopes of this type are provided with various mechanisms for detachably fixing or releasing the end of the treatment instrument elevator wire to a predetermined member.

[0010] However, in conventional endoscopes disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2022-38181 and the above-mentioned European Patent EP1759626B1, the mechanism for fixing and releasing the end of the treatment instrument elevator wire to a predetermined member is configured using multiple parts, which poses a problem in that, for example, the work of attaching and detaching the treatment instrument elevator wire becomes cumbersome.

[0011] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope equipped with a treatment instrument elevator base, which is equipped with a coupling mechanism that allows for easy attachment and detachment of a treatment instrument elevator wire with a simple mechanism.

[0012] In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cylinder, a first movable member, a second movable member, and an opening / closing mechanism. The cylinder has an inner cavity. The inner cavity is formed along a first axis extending from the distal end to the proximal end. The first movable member is configured to be movable within the inner cavity along the first axis and includes a first connecting member. The first connecting member has at least two protrusions that hook and hold the second movable member. The second movable member is configured to be movable within the inner cavity along the first axis and includes a second connecting member. The second connecting member is held by the first connecting member. The second connecting member includes a head portion held by the first connecting member and a neck portion provided on the distal side of the head portion and formed thinner than the head portion. The opening / closing mechanism changes the state of the first connecting member between a state in which the first connecting member is opened to release the second connecting member and a state in which the first connecting member is closed to hold the second connecting member.

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an endoscope equipped with a treatment instrument elevator base, which is equipped with a coupling mechanism that allows for easy attachment and detachment of a treatment instrument elevator wire using a simple mechanism.

[0014] an external view showing the general configuration of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention; a cross-sectional view of the operating portion of the endoscope taken along a plane along the imaginary plane indicated by the arrow symbol [2] in FIG. 1; an external perspective view showing only the treatment instrument control lever in the endoscope in FIG. 1; an exploded perspective view of the essential parts showing the treatment instrument control lever in FIG. 3 and some of the components (frame shaft, link body) in its drive mechanism; a diagram showing the operation of the treatment instrument control lever in the endoscope in FIG. 1, showing a first state of the treatment instrument control lever; and a diagram showing the operation of the treatment instrument control lever in the endoscope in FIG. 1, showing a second state of the treatment instrument control lever. 2 , a cross-sectional view of each component of the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 7 in an exploded state; a cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 7 when enlarged and viewed obliquely; an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a first connecting member and a second connecting member in the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 7 (in a state where the first connecting member is closed); an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a first connecting member and a second connecting member in the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 7 (in a state where the first connecting member is open); 10A and 10B are enlarged cross-sectional views of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism in an endoscope according to a third embodiment of the present invention; an enlarged perspective view of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism in an endoscope according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, showing a first connecting member and a second connecting member; and an enlarged cross-sectional view of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism in an endoscope according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. The drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and scales of the components may be different for each component in order to show each component at a size that allows it to be recognized on the drawing. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments in terms of the number of components shown in the drawings, the shapes of the components, the size ratios of the components, the relative positional relationships of the components, and so on.

[0016] First, the general configuration of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is an external view showing the general configuration of the endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic view showing a treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism provided in the operation section of the endoscope shown in Figure 1. Note that Figure 2 conceptually shows a cross section of the operation section of the endoscope taken along a plane along an imaginary plane indicated by arrow [2] in Figure 1.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope 1 includes an insertion section 2, an operation section 3, a universal cable 4, and the like.

[0018] The insertion section 2 is a long member having a thin, tubular shape that can be inserted into a lumen (inside an organ, etc.) of a subject such as a living body. The insertion section 2 is configured to have a tip section 5, a bending section 6, and a flexible tubular section 7.

[0019] In the following description, the side where the distal end 5 of the insertion section 2 is located will be referred to as the distal end side of the endoscope 1. Also, the side where the operation section 3 is located will be referred to as the proximal end side of the endoscope 1.

[0020] The tip portion 5 is disposed at the tip of the insertion portion 2. Although not shown, the tip portion 5 is provided with an imaging unit including an imaging optical system and an image sensor, an illumination unit including an observation optical system, an air and water supply nozzle, an air and water supply pipe, etc. In addition, a treatment tool elevator 50 is disposed at the tip portion 5.

[0021] Here, the treatment tool raising stand 50 is a structural unit that is provided to change the protruding direction of a treatment tool (not shown) that protrudes outward from the tip portion 5 after being inserted into a treatment tool insertion channel (not shown) that is inserted into the insertion portion 2.

[0022] 2, the treatment instrument elevator 50 is connected to the treatment instrument control lever 10 via various components such as the treatment instrument elevator wire 27, the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism 20, and the drive mechanism 30 (details will be described later). With this configuration, the treatment instrument elevator 50 rotates in a predetermined direction in response to the operation input of the treatment instrument control lever 10.

[0023] 2, the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 and the drive mechanism 30 are disposed inside the operation section 3. The treatment tool elevator wire 27 is inserted through a treatment tool elevator wire insertion conduit 33 (not shown in FIG. 1; see FIG. 3, etc.) that is disposed between the insertion section 2 and the operation section 3.

[0024] The bending portion 6 has a distal end connected to the proximal end of the distal end portion 5. The bending portion 6 is a tubular member that is configured to be actively bendable in response to an operation input of a bending operation knob 9, which will be described later.

[0025] The flexible tube section 7 has a distal end connected to the proximal end of the bending section 6. The flexible tube section 7 has a proximal end connected to the distal end of the operation section 3. The flexible tube section 7 is formed of a flexible soft tube.

[0026] The operation section 3 is connected to the base end of the insertion section 2. In other words, the insertion section 2 is provided on the distal end side of the operation section 3. The operation section 3 is configured to include a treatment tool insertion port 8, a bending operation knob 9, a treatment tool operation lever 10, a bending fixing lever 11, a plurality of operation members 12, etc.

[0027] The treatment tool insertion port 8 is an opening that connects to a treatment tool insertion channel (not shown) that is inserted through the insertion section 2. The treatment tool insertion port 8 is provided with a forceps plug 8a.

[0028] The bending operation knob 9 is an operation member for performing bending operations on the bending portion 6. The bending operation knob 9 consists of two operation members, one for up-down bending operation and the other for left-right bending operation. The two operation members of the bending operation knob 9 are arranged in an overlapping form on the outer surface of the operation unit 3. In this case, the two operation members of the bending operation knob 9 are arranged to be rotatable around the same central axis, the rotation axis Ax. The bending operation knob is also called an angle knob.

[0029] The treatment tool operation lever 10 is an operating member that inputs an operating force for raising and lowering the treatment tool elevator 50 provided at the distal end portion 5. The treatment tool operation lever 10 is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined range around the same rotation axis Ax as the bending operation knob 9.

[0030] The treatment tool operating lever 10 is connected to the treatment tool elevator 50 via a drive mechanism 30 (not shown in FIG. 1; see later-described FIGS. 2 and 3) disposed inside the operation section 3 and a treatment tool elevator wire 27 (not shown in FIG. 1; see later-described FIGS. 2 and 3) inserted through the insertion section 2.

[0031] With this configuration, the operation input of the treatment tool operating lever 10 is transmitted to the treatment tool elevator 50. As a result, the treatment tool elevator 50 is configured to be able to change the protruding direction of the tip of a treatment tool (not shown) inserted and arranged in a treatment tool insertion conduit (not shown).

[0032] As described above, the treatment tool control lever 10 is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined range around the same rotation axis Ax as the bending operation knob 9. In this case, the treatment tool control lever 10 has a mechanism for arbitrarily switching between a plurality of rotation range settings, such as a normal operation range setting corresponding to normal endoscope use and a maintenance operation range setting that allows operation in a maintenance operation range that exceeds the normal operation range.

[0033] Here, the normal operation range setting of the treatment instrument control lever 10 is a setting that allows rotation of the treatment instrument control lever 10 within a predetermined normal operation range and restricts rotation beyond this normal operation range. Moreover, the operation range setting during maintenance of the treatment instrument control lever 10 is a setting that allows rotation of the treatment instrument control lever 10 beyond the predetermined normal operation range. This operation range setting during maintenance is set when performing a predetermined task, such as replacing the treatment instrument raising wire 27. The mechanism for switching the operation range setting of the treatment instrument control lever 10 will be described later.

[0034] The bending fixing lever 11 is an operating member that acts on the bending operation knob 9 to fix the bending state of the bending portion 6 at a desired position. The bending fixing lever 11 is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined range around the same rotation axis Ax as the bending operation knob 9.

[0035] The bending and fixing mechanism of the bending section 6 using the bending and fixing lever 11 is not directly related to the present invention. Therefore, the configuration of the bending and fixing lever 11 and the bending and fixing mechanism is assumed to be similar to that applied to conventional endoscopes, and detailed configurations and illustrations thereof will be omitted.

[0036] The multiple operation members 12 include, for example, operation switches for appropriately performing predetermined operations on image data acquired by the endoscope 1. The predetermined operations on image data include, for example, switching between displaying moving images and still images, enlarging an image, recording an image, and editing an image.

[0037] The multiple operating members 12 also include operating members for performing, for example, an air / water supply operation and a suction operation. Here, the air / water supply operation refers to an operating member that controls the fluid delivery operation from a fluid delivery section (not shown) provided at the distal end portion 5. The suction operation refers to an operating member that controls a negative pressure inside a treatment tool insertion conduit (not shown). By performing this suction operation, for example, mucus or the like adhering to the distal end portion 5 can be sucked and removed through an opening (not shown) of the treatment tool insertion conduit provided at the distal end portion 5.

[0038] The universal cable 4 is a composite cable extending from one side of the operation unit 3. A scope connector 14 is disposed at the tip of the universal cable 4. This scope connector 14 is a connector member that is connected to a video processor (not shown), which is an external device that includes a light source device. The scope connector 14 is configured to include a light guide connector 13 in addition to electrical contacts and the like.

[0039] A light guide bundle 15 and various signal lines 16 are inserted between the scope connector 14, the universal cable 4, the operation unit 3, and the distal end 5 of the insertion unit 2. The light guide bundle 15 is a component that transmits a light beam emitted from a light source device included in a video processor (not shown) to the distal end 5 of the insertion unit 2. The light beam transmitted by the light guide bundle 15 to the distal end 5 is emitted from an illumination unit (not shown) provided in the distal end 5 as illumination light that illuminates an object to be observed.

[0040] The various signal lines 16 include, for example, an imaging cable that transmits image signals (image data) acquired by an imaging unit (not shown) provided in the distal end portion 5 to a video processor (not shown), and a control signal cable that transmits control signals issued from the video processor to components such as the imaging unit.

[0041] The configuration of the switching mechanism for setting the operation range of the treatment tool control lever 10 will now be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Figure 3 is an external perspective view showing only the treatment tool control lever in the endoscope of Figure 1. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the treatment tool control lever of Figure 3 and some of the components (frame shaft, link body) in its drive mechanism. Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams showing the operation of the treatment tool control lever in the endoscope of this embodiment. Of these, Figure 5 shows the treatment tool control lever in a first state. Figure 6 shows the treatment tool control lever in a second state.

[0042] The treatment tool control lever 10 in the endoscope 1 of this embodiment is an operating member that receives an operation input from a user and transmits the input to a drive mechanism 30 provided inside the operation unit 3. The treatment tool control lever 10 is the central axis of an internal fixed member (not shown) of the operation unit 3, and is provided so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis Ax. The treatment tool control lever 10 is composed of a lever member 51 and a finger rest member (not shown).

[0043] 3 to 6, the finger rest member is omitted from the drawings to avoid complication of the drawings. The configuration of the finger rest member of the treatment tool control lever 10 in this embodiment is substantially the same as that of the same member in a conventional endoscope.

[0044] The lever member 51 is formed by bending a thin metal plate, for example, and has a main body 51a, an operating arm 51b, a shaft insertion hole 51c, and two through-hole screw grooves 51d, as shown in Figure 3 .

[0045] The main body portion 51a is formed with a shaft insertion hole 51c, and is a portion that is fixed to a link main body 35 (see FIG. 4) described later.

[0046] The operating arm 51b is an arm-shaped portion that protrudes radially outward from a portion of the outer peripheral edge of the main body 51a. A step 51f is formed near the tip of the operating arm 51b by bending. A cover mounting portion 51g having a surface parallel to the planes of the main body 51a and the operating arm 51b is formed on the tip side of this step 51f. Note that the step 51f is not necessarily an essential component.

[0047] The shaft insertion hole 51c is a hole formed in a substantially central region of the main body 51a. The shaft insertion hole 51c is formed by connecting the first hole O1 and the second hole O2 in a substantially arc shape. The shaft insertion hole 51c is a portion through which the frame shaft 36 is inserted and which functions as a bearing that holds the treatment tool control lever 10 rotatably around the rotation axis Ax.

[0048] 3, the reference symbol Z1 indicates the central axis of the first hole O1, the reference symbol Z2 indicates the central axis of the second hole O2, and the reference symbol 21x indicates a connecting arc portion connecting the first hole O1 and the second hole O2.

[0049] The two through-screw grooves 51d are grooves formed on the outer edge portions of the two connecting arc portions 51x of the shaft insertion hole 51c. The through-screw grooves 51d are formed in an arc shape that follows the connecting arc portions 51x. The through-screw grooves 51d are slots through which fastening screws (not shown) are inserted to secure the lever member 51 to the link body 35, which will be described later. The through-screw grooves 51d also function as guide grooves for the movement of the lever member 51, as will be described later.

[0050] The treatment tool operating lever 10 configured in this manner is disposed on the exterior surface of the operating section 3, as shown in FIGS.

[0051] In this case, in the first state (normal use state), the treatment tool control lever 10 is disposed at a position where the central axis Z1 of the first hole O1 of the lever member 51 coincides with the rotation axis Ax. At this time, the treatment tool control lever 10 is held at the central axis Z1 of the first hole O1 of the lever member 51 so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis Ax.

[0052] In the second state (maintenance state), the treatment tool control lever 10 is disposed at a position where the central axis Z2 of the second hole O2 of the lever member 51 coincides with the rotation axis Ax. At this time, the treatment tool control lever 10 is held at the central axis Z2 of the second hole O2 of the lever member 51 so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis Ax.

[0053] When the treatment tool control lever 10 receives an operation input from the user, the treatment tool control lever 10 rotates in the direction of arrow R in Fig. 4 in each state. When the treatment tool control lever 10 rotates in this manner, the driving mechanism 30 and the treatment tool elevator wire 27 act to move the movable member (treatment tool elevator base 50) provided at the distal end portion 5 in a predetermined direction.

[0054] The rotation range of the treatment tool control lever 10 in the direction of arrow R is defined by a part of a finger rest member (not shown) of the treatment tool control lever 10 abutting against a predetermined wall surface of the operation unit 3. In this case, the wall surface of the operation unit 3 serves as a stopper that defines the normal operation range (rotation range) of the treatment tool control lever 10.

[0055] Next, the configuration of the drive mechanism 30 of the treatment instrument elevator 50 will be briefly described below with reference to FIG.

[0056] The drive mechanism 30 in the endoscope 1 of this embodiment is a link mechanism that receives an operation input from the treatment tool control lever 10 and converts it into a force for moving the treatment tool elevator wire 27 forward and backward in the longitudinal direction of the insertion section 2. The treatment tool elevator wire 27, which is moved forward and backward through this drive mechanism 30, rotates the treatment tool elevator base 50 in a predetermined direction to raise it.

[0057] The drive mechanism 30 is a structural unit that is attached and fixed to an internal fixed member (frame; not shown) of the operation unit 3. As shown in Fig. 4, the drive mechanism 30 is made up of a frame shaft 36, a link body 35, and other structural members (such as a lever connecting member 31 and a link rod 32; see Fig. 7).

[0058] The frame shaft 36 is a shaft-shaped member that stands approximately upright with respect to the frame plane of the operation unit 3. The frame shaft 36 is fixed to the frame plane by, for example, screws. Here, the frame shaft 36 is disposed so that its central axis coincides with the rotation axis Ax that is the center of rotation of the treatment tool operation lever 10.

[0059] 4, a notch 36a is formed in a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the frame shaft 36. Here, the cross section of the frame shaft 36, which is approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis Ax at the portion where the notch 36a is located, is formed in an approximately D-shape.

[0060] 4, the link body 35 is generally annular in shape and is disposed so as to be rotatable around the frame shaft 36 (in the direction of arrow R in FIG. 4). To this end, the link body 35 is formed with a through-hole 35a in its approximate central region, which fits onto the frame shaft 36.

[0061] A link portion 35b is formed on a part of the outer periphery of the link body 35 so as to protrude outward. The base end of the link rod 32 shown in FIG. 7 is connected to this link portion 35b.

[0062] Furthermore, a plurality of screw holes 35c are formed in the annular region of the link body 35. These screw holes 35c are portions into which stepped guide screws 38a1, 38a2, which are a plurality of fastening screws for fixing the lever member 51 of the treatment tool control lever 10, are fastened.

[0063] The operation of the treatment tool operating lever 10 configured in this manner is as follows.

[0064] First, in a normal use state, the treatment tool operating lever 10 is assembled into the operating portion 3 as shown in FIGS.

[0065] In the normal use state (first state), the treatment tool operating lever 10 (lever member 51) is assembled to the link body 35 and the frame shaft 36 with the central axis Z1 of the first hole O1 aligned with the rotation axis Ax, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0066] As a result, the treatment tool control lever 10 (lever member 51) is held rotatably about the rotation axis Ax (direction of arrow R in FIG. 4) on the central axis Z1. At this time, the lever member 51 is fastened at one end of each of the two through-hole screw grooves 51d to the screw holes 35c of the link body 35 by the guide stepped screws 38a1, 38a2.

[0067] That is, the lever member 51 and the link body 35 are fastened together with a clearance provided by the two guide stepped screws 38a1 and 38a2 at the through screw grooves 51d, so that the lever member 51 can always move relative to the link body 35 in the direction of arrow R shown in Fig. 4 and the direction of arrow M (M1 and M2 directions) shown in Figs.

[0068] Here, the screw designated by reference numeral 38a1 passes through a through-hole screw groove 51d provided on the inside of the lever member 51. The screw designated by reference numeral 38a2 passes through a through-hole screw groove 51d provided on the outside of the lever member 51.

[0069] At this time, when the lever member 51 receives an operational input and rotates in the direction of the arrow R1 shown in Figure 5, the guide stepped screw 38a1 of the lever member 51 acts on one end of the inner through-hole screw groove 51d, causing the link body 35 to rotate.

[0070] On the other hand, in the above-described state (the state in FIG. 4 ), the treatment tool control lever 10 (lever member 51) is pulled in the direction of arrow M1 in FIG. 5. Then, the treatment tool control lever 10 (lever member 51) enters a state in which the central axis Z2 of the second hole O2 coincides with the rotation axis Ax (second state), as shown in FIG.

[0071] At this time, when the lever member 51 receives an operational input and rotates in the direction of the arrow R1 shown in Figure 6, the guide stepped screw 38a2 of the lever member 51 acts on the other end of the outer through-hole screw groove 51d, causing the link body 35 to rotate.

[0072] In addition to the configuration using the guide stepped screw, the lever member 51 and the link body 35 may be fastened together with a slightly loosened screw.

[0073] As a further different configuration, for example, instead of the guide stepped screw, a normal fastening screw is used to fasten the lever member 51 to the link body 35. Then, the fastening screw may be loosened each time the lever member 51 is moved in the direction of arrow M shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0074] As a result, the treatment tool control lever 10 (lever member 51) is held rotatably about the rotation axis Ax on the central axis Z2. At this time, the lever member 51 is fixed to the link body 35 with screws at the other ends of the two through-hole screw grooves 51d.

[0075] With the above-described configuration, the treatment tool operating lever 10 is configured to be displaceable between a state in which the central axis Z1 of the first hole O1 coincides with the rotation axis Ax (first state) and a state in which the central axis Z2 of the second hole O2 coincides with the rotation axis Ax (second state).

[0076] In the second state, when the treatment tool control lever 10 is rotated, the finger rest member (not shown) is configured not to come into contact with the wall surface of the operation unit 3. As a result, in the second state, the treatment tool control lever 10 is allowed to rotate up to the maintenance operation range, which is a rotation range that exceeds the normal operation range.

[0077] When the treatment tool control lever 10 is in the first state (the state in FIG. 5; the normal operation range), the first connecting member (chuck 24) is located in the first portion (the small diameter portion 21b). When the treatment tool control lever 10 is in the second state and in the maintenance operation range, the first connecting member (chuck 24) is located in the second portion (the large diameter portion 21c).

[0078] Next, the detailed configuration of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 in the endoscope 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism in the endoscope of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the region designated by the reference symbol [7] in FIG. 2. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of each component of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 7 in an exploded state. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 7, viewed obliquely. Note that FIG. 9 omits some of the components of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism (e.g., part of the cylinder). FIGS. 10 and 11 are enlarged perspective views of the main components, showing the first and second connecting members of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 7. Of these, FIG. 10 shows the first connecting member in a closed state. FIG. 11 shows the first connecting member in an open state.

[0079] The treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 in the endoscope of this embodiment is provided between the drive mechanism 30 including the treatment tool operating lever 10 and the treatment tool raising base 50, and is a mechanism that enables the connection and disconnection between the two (30, 50) as desired.

[0080] The provision of this treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 ensures that, when the endoscope is in use, the drive mechanism 30 and the treatment tool elevator 50 are securely connected together. Therefore, in this state, the treatment tool operating lever 10 can be used to reliably perform operations such as raising and lowering the treatment tool elevator 50.

[0081] On the other hand, when the endoscope is not in use, for example, during maintenance or cleaning of the endoscope, the provision of the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 makes it possible to easily separate the drive mechanism 30 from the treatment instrument elevator base 50 by simply performing a simple operation between them. Therefore, in this case, predetermined operations such as replacing the treatment instrument elevator wire 27 can be easily performed.

[0082] For this reason, the treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 in the endoscope 1 of this embodiment is provided inside the operation section 3, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 includes a cylinder 21, a first moving member 22, a second moving member 25, and an opening / closing mechanism.

[0083] The cylinder 21 is made up of a first cylinder 21P and a second cylinder 21T. Both the first cylinder 21P and the second cylinder 21T are formed into a hollow, generally cylindrical shape as a whole.

[0084] The first cylinder 21P is a member that guides the movement of the first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25 in a predetermined direction by arranging a part of the first moving member 22 and a part of the second moving member 25 inserted therein. For this purpose, the first cylinder 21P has a first inner space 21m.

[0085] The second cylinder 21T is a member through which a portion of the second moving member 25 is inserted and disposed, thereby guiding the movement of the second moving member 25 in a predetermined direction. The second cylinder 21T also has a portion of the treatment tool elevator wire insertion conduit 33 (see FIG. 7, etc.) inserted therethrough, thereby fixing and holding the proximal end of the treatment tool elevator wire insertion conduit 33. For this purpose, the second cylinder 21T is provided with a second inner space 21n.

[0086] The first cylinder 21P and the second cylinder 21T are connected together. In addition, when the first cylinder 21P and the second cylinder 21T are integrated together, the second cylinder 21T is fixed to a fixing portion 34 inside the operation unit 3.

[0087] To this end, a threaded portion 21e is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tip of the first cylinder 21P. Corresponding to this threaded portion 21e, a threaded portion 21f is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the second cylinder 21T near the base end. Then, the first cylinder 21P and the second cylinder 21T are integrally connected by threaded portion 21e and threaded portion 21f being screwed together.

[0088] The second cylinder 21T is also fixed with screws to a fixed portion 34 inside the operation unit 3. To this end, a first adjustment screw portion 21g is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the second cylinder 21T in a central portion thereof. A threaded portion 34a is formed on the fixed portion 34 corresponding to the first adjustment screw portion 21g. The second cylinder 21T is fixed to the fixed portion 34 of the operation unit 3 by threading the first adjustment screw portion 21g into the threaded portion 34a.

[0089] In this case, by adjusting the state of engagement between the first adjustment screw portion 21g and the screw portion 34a, it is possible to adjust the position of the second cylinder 21T relative to the fixed portion 34. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the position of the cylinder 21T inside the operation unit 3.

[0090] A circumferential groove 21h (see FIGS. 8 and 9) is formed along the outer circumferential surface of the second cylinder 21T near the tip end. An O-ring 29 is disposed in this circumferential groove 21h. This O-ring 29 is provided to seal the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the first cylinder 21P and the outer circumferential surface of the second cylinder 21T.

[0091] When the first cylinder 21P and the second cylinder 21T are connected together, the cylinder 21 has an inner space 21a in which the first inner space 21m and the second inner space 21n are connected. The inner space 21a is formed along a first axis Ax1 extending from the tip to the base end. The inner space 21a penetrates the cylinder 21 in the direction along the first axis Ax1.

[0092] As described above, a part of the first moving member 22 and a part of the second moving member 25 are inserted and disposed in the inner space 21a. At this time, the first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25 are disposed within the inner space 21a so as to be movable along the first axis Ax1 in the direction of the arrow X in Figure 7, etc.

[0093] The first moving member 22 includes a piston rod 23 and a chuck 24, which is a first connecting member. The piston rod 23 is a rod-like member having an overall cylindrical shape. The base end of the piston rod 23 is fixed to the drive mechanism 30. For this purpose, a second adjustment screw portion 23a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the base end of the piston rod 23. A threaded portion 31b is formed on a lever connecting member 31 (described below) of the drive mechanism 30 corresponding to the second adjustment screw 23a. The piston rod 23 is fixed to the drive mechanism 30 by threading the second adjustment screw portion 23a into the threaded portion 31b. In this case, the relative position of the piston rod 23 and the drive mechanism 30 can be adjusted by adjusting the threaded state of the second adjustment screw portion 23a and the threaded portion 31b.

[0094] A chuck 24 is disposed at the tip of the piston rod 23. For this purpose, a flange-shaped engaged portion 23b (see FIGS. 8 and 9) is formed at the tip of the piston rod 23. As will be described later, this engaged portion 23b is a portion that is engaged with an engaging portion 24d of the chuck 24. The engaged portion 23b is engaged with the engaging portion 24d of the chuck 24, whereby the piston rod 23 and the chuck 24 are integrated.

[0095] A circumferential groove 23c is formed along the outer circumferential surface of the piston rod 23 near the tip. An O-ring 28 is disposed in this circumferential groove 23c. This O-ring 28 is provided to seal the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the inner space 21a of the cylinder 21 and the outer circumferential surface of the piston rod 23.

[0096] 10 and 11, the chuck 24 is a first connecting member that is formed into a generally cylindrical shape as a whole and has a tapered tip portion 24a, claw portions 24b, a notch portion 24c, an engaging portion 24d, a holding portion 24e, and a through hole 24f. The chuck 24 is formed using a material such as metal.

[0097] The chuck 24 illustrated in this embodiment is formed by dividing a substantially cylindrical member into two parts along a plane including the first axis Ax1.

[0098] 10 shows a state in which the two integrated members of the chuck 24 are joined together at a joint along the first axis Ax1. The state shown in FIG. 10 is referred to as the closed state of the chuck 24.

[0099] 11 shows a state in which the two integrated members of the chuck 24 are separated at a joint along the first axis Ax1. The state shown in FIG. 11 is referred to as the open state of the chuck 24.

[0100] The tip tapered portion 24a is formed at the tip of the chuck 24. The inner surface of the tip tapered portion 24a is tapered so that it widens toward the tip side. When the chuck 24 is in a closed state (see FIGS. 9 and 10 ), a through hole 24f is formed along the first axis Ax1 in the center of the base end of the tip tapered portion 24a. When the chuck 24 is in a closed state (see FIGS. 9 and 10 ), a neck portion 26b of the second connecting member 26, which will be described later, engages with this through hole 24f.

[0101] The claw portion 24b is a portion formed at the base end portion of the tip tapered portion 24a so that its cross section projects in the radial direction of the first axis Ax1. The claw portion 24b is formed to hook and hold a portion of the second moving member 25 (a head portion 26a of the second connecting member 26; described later) when the chuck 24 is in a closed state. In this embodiment, the chuck 24 is formed of two members, and therefore the chuck 24 has at least two claw portions 24b.

[0102] The holding portion 24e is formed to have a space for accommodating a portion (head 26a; described later) of the second moving member 25 when the chuck 24 is in a closed state and the claw portion 24b is hooked onto and holding the portion (head 26a; described later) of the second moving member 25. The holding portion 24e is a portion facing the claw portion 24b of the chuck 24 and is formed at a position closer to the base end than the claw portion 24b.

[0103] The engaging portion 24d is a portion formed to engage with the engaged portion 23b of the piston rod 23, thereby arranging the chuck 24 integrally at the tip of the piston rod 23. The engaging portion 24d is a portion adjacent to the holding portion 24e and is formed at a portion closer to the base end than the holding portion 24e.

[0104] The notch 24c is formed at the base end of the chuck 24. When the two integrated members of the chuck 24 are opened (the state shown in FIG. 11), the two members of the chuck 24 move apart (open) so as to rotate along the line indicated by the symbol O in FIG. 11 around the center of rotation at the position indicated by the symbol P in FIG. 11. The notch 24c is formed to allow the chuck 24 to rotate at this time.

[0105] As can be seen from the above description, the chuck 24 serving as the first connecting member is located closer to the tip end than the bending operation knob 9 (angle knob) and the drive mechanism 30 .

[0106] The second moving member 25 is configured to include a second connecting member 26 and a treatment tool raising wire 27 .

[0107] The second connecting member 26 is a member provided to connect the first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25 by having a portion (head 26a) on the base end side held by the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24 (first connecting member).

[0108] The second connecting member 26 has a head portion 26a and a neck portion 26b. When the chuck 24 is closed, the head portion 26a is housed in the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24. At this time, the two claw portions 24b hook and hold the head portion 26a.

[0109] The neck portion 26b is formed connected to the tip side of the head portion 26a and is thinner than the head portion 26a. When the chuck 24 is closed with the head portion 26a held by the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24, the neck portion 26b engages with the through-hole 24f at the base end of the tapered tip portion 24a. This configuration makes it impossible for the head portion 26a to easily come out of the holding portion 24e. Therefore, at this time, the head portion 26a is securely held by the two claws 24b and the holding portion 24e.

[0110] The treatment tool elevator wire 27 is composed of a wire 27a and a covering tube 27b. The wire 27a is fixed to the distal end of the second connecting member 26. The wire 27a is formed of a flexible, elongated linear member made of, for example, metal. The outer periphery of the wire 27a is covered with the covering tube 27b. The covering tube 27b is formed of, for example, a heat-shrinkable tube or a coil.

[0111] The reason why the treatment tool raising wire 27 is configured in such a manner that the wire 27a is covered with the covering tube 27b is as follows.

[0112] Generally, when the wire 27a is inserted, for example, alone through the treatment instrument elevator wire insertion conduit 33, a gap is formed between the inner surface of the treatment instrument elevator wire insertion conduit 33 and the outer surface of the wire 27a. If such a gap exists within the treatment instrument elevator wire insertion conduit 33, the wire 27a may meander when it advances or retreats through the treatment instrument elevator wire insertion conduit 33. If such meandering occurs, this may cause problems with the raising and lowering operation of the treatment instrument elevator stand 50, which is performed in conjunction with the advancement and retreat of the wire 27a.

[0113] Therefore, in this embodiment, the treatment instrument elevator wire 27 is configured such that the wire 27a is covered with a covering tube 27b. With this configuration, when the treatment instrument elevator wire 27 is inserted into the treatment instrument elevator wire insertion conduit 33, it is possible to fill the gap between the inner surface of the treatment instrument elevator wire insertion conduit 33 and the outer surface of the treatment instrument elevator wire 27. Therefore, with this configuration, the treatment instrument elevator wire 27 does not meander within the treatment instrument elevator wire insertion conduit 33, and reliable advance / retract movement can be ensured.

[0114] As described above, the treatment tool raising wire 27 is inserted into the treatment tool raising wire insertion conduit 33 (see Figure 7, etc.) that is inserted between the insertion section 2 and the operating section 3, and is arranged so that it can move freely back and forth in the direction along the long axis (first axis Ax1) of the treatment tool raising wire insertion conduit 33 (arrow X direction).

[0115] The opening / closing mechanism is a mechanism that changes the state of the chuck 24 between a state in which the chuck 24 is closed and holds the second connecting member 26 (see Figure 10) and a state in which the chuck 24 is opened and the second connecting member 26 is released (see Figure 11).

[0116] The opening / closing mechanism of the treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 exemplified in this embodiment is formed in at least a part of the cylinder 21. That is, the opening / closing mechanism is formed, for example, in a part of the inner space 21a of the cylinder 21, in a part of the first inner space 21m of the first cylinder 21P.

[0117] In detail, as shown in Figure 7, the first inner space 21m of the first cylinder 21P is formed with a small diameter portion 21b as a first portion, a large diameter portion 21c as a second portion, and a tapered portion 21d as a third portion.

[0118] The small diameter portion 21b has a first cross-sectional area. Here, the first cross-sectional area is a cross-sectional area determined by the diameter indicated by the symbol D1 in FIG. 8 when the cross-sectional shape of the small diameter portion 21b of the first inner space 21m is, for example, circular. The first cross-sectional area of ​​the small diameter portion 21b is set to a size that does not allow the chuck 24 to open the second connecting member 26.

[0119] That is, when the chuck 24 in the closed state is placed on the small diameter portion 21b with the head portion 26a of the second connecting member 26 held by the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24, the chuck 24 does not allow the second connecting member 26 to be opened. In other words, when this state is reached, the opening and closing mechanism prevents the chuck 24 from being opened.

[0120] The large diameter portion 21c is provided on the tip side of the small diameter portion 21b. The large diameter portion 21c has a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area. Here, the second cross-sectional area is a cross-sectional area determined by the diameter indicated by symbol D2 in FIG. 8 when the cross-sectional shape of the large diameter portion 21c of the first inner space 21m is, for example, circular. The second cross-sectional area of ​​the large diameter portion 21c is set to a size that allows the chuck 24 to open the second connecting member 26.

[0121] That is, when the chuck 24 in a closed state is placed on the large diameter portion 21c with the head portion 26a of the second connecting member 26 held by the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24, the chuck 24 allows the second connecting member 26 to be opened. Therefore, at this time, the chuck 24 can be in an open state.

[0122] The tapered portion 21d is a portion that connects the small diameter portion 21b and the large diameter portion 21c, and has a tapered shape that widens from the tip of the small diameter portion 21b toward the tip side where the large diameter portion 21c is located.

[0123] With this configuration, when the chuck 24 moves from the large diameter portion 21c to the small diameter portion 21b in the direction along the first axis Ax1, when the tapered tip portion 24a of the chuck 24 passes the tapered portion 21d of the first cylinder 21A, the open chuck 24 moves with the outer surface of the tapered tip portion 24a in contact with the inner surface of the tapered portion 21d. This allows the chuck 24 to close smoothly.

[0124] Furthermore, the cylinder 21 is formed with a fourth portion. Specifically, the fourth portion is a receiving portion 21k provided at the base end of the second cylinder 21T. The receiving portion 21k is installed in the large diameter portion 21c. The receiving portion 21k is formed in a tapered shape that widens toward the tip side.

[0125] With this configuration, when the chuck 24 moves from the small diameter portion 21 b to the large diameter portion 21 c in the direction along the first axis Ax1, the inner surface of the tapered tip portion 24 a of the chuck 24 moves while contacting the receiving portion 21 k, thereby allowing the chuck 24 to be opened smoothly.

[0126] On the other hand, the drive mechanism 30 is a structural unit that transmits the amount of operating force of the treatment tool operating lever 10 to the treatment tool elevator base 50 via the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 .

[0127] As shown in Figure 7, etc., the drive mechanism 30 is configured to include a lever connecting member 31, a link mechanism (not shown) including a link rod 32, and a treatment tool operating lever 10 (not shown in Figure 7; see Figure 1, etc.).

[0128] Here, for example, the tip of a link rod 32 is connected to the link coupling shaft 31a of the drive mechanism 30. The base end of the link rod 32 is connected to a predetermined link mechanism (not shown). The treatment tool operating lever 10 is connected to the link mechanism.

[0129] As described above, the base end (second adjusting screw portion 23a) of the piston rod 23 is connected to the tip end (screw portion 31b) of the lever connecting member 31.

[0130] With this configuration, when the treatment tool control lever 10 is rotated in a predetermined direction, the lever connecting member 31 and the piston rod 23 move in a direction along the first axis Ax1 (the direction of arrow X). Thus, when the piston rod 23 (first moving member 22) moves in the direction of arrow X, the second moving member 25 also moves in the same direction. As a result, the treatment tool elevator wire 27 raises or lowers the treatment tool elevator base 50.

[0131] The configurations of the treatment instrument elevator 50, the drive mechanism 30, the treatment instrument operation lever 10, etc. are substantially the same as the corresponding configurations in a conventional endoscope, and therefore, detailed illustrations and descriptions of the configurations will be omitted.

[0132] The operation of the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 in the endoscope 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described below with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the operation of the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism in the endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0133] First, it is assumed that the treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 is in the state shown by the reference symbol [12A] in Fig. 12. At this time, the head 26a of the second connecting member 26 is held by the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24, and the chuck 24 is in a closed state. In other words, at this time, the first moving member 22 (chuck 24) and the second moving member 25 (second connecting member 26) are in a connected state.

[0134] In this state, the base end portion of the chuck 24, including at least the holding portion 24e, is disposed in the small diameter portion 21b of the first inner space 21m, thereby preventing the chuck 24 from opening.

[0135] At this time, the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 securely connects the first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25. In other words, at this time, the operating force of the treatment tool control lever 10 can be transmitted to the treatment tool elevator base 50 through the drive mechanism 30, the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20, and the treatment tool elevator wire 27.

[0136] Therefore, when the treatment instrument raising wire connecting mechanism 20 is in the connected state shown by reference numeral [12A] in Fig. 12, the treatment instrument operating lever 10 can be arbitrarily operated within a predetermined normal operating range to raise or lower the treatment instrument elevator 50. In other words, when the endoscope 1 is in the use state, the treatment instrument raising wire connecting mechanism 20 is in the state shown by reference numeral [12A] in Fig. 12.

[0137] In this way, when the treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 is in the connected state shown by reference numeral [12A] in Fig. 12, the treatment tool control lever 10 is normally set to operate within the normal operation range. Here, when performing maintenance work on the endoscope 1, such as replacing the treatment tool raising wire 27, for example, a predetermined operation of the treatment tool control lever 10 is performed to switch the treatment tool control lever 10 to a maintenance operation range setting in which it operates up to the maintenance operation range.

[0138] In this state, the treatment tool control lever 10 is operated in a predetermined direction. The treatment tool control lever 10 then rotates to the maintenance operation range, which is beyond the normal operation range. At this time, the operating force of the treatment tool control lever 10 acts on the first moving member 22 of the treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 via the drive mechanism 30.

[0139] As a result, the first moving member 22 is moved, for example, along the first axis Ax1 in the direction of the arrow X1 in Fig. 12 by a predetermined distance L. Here, the predetermined distance L refers to the distance that the tip surface of the piston rod 23 moves from the position indicated by reference numeral [12A] in Fig. 12 to the position indicated by reference numeral [12B] in Fig. 12, as shown in Fig. 12.

[0140] In this case, the chuck 24 also moves the same distance in the direction of the arrow X1. Due to this movement of the chuck 24, the tip tapered portion 24a, which was located in the small diameter portion 21b in the state shown by reference numeral [12A] in Figure 12, moves to a position where it is located in the large diameter portion 21c.

[0141] As the chuck 24 moves in the direction of arrow X1, the tip of the receiving portion 21k comes into contact with the inner surface of the tapered tip portion 24a of the chuck 24. When the chuck 24 moves further in the direction of arrow X1 in this state, the inner surface of the tapered tip portion 24a is pressed against the receiving portion 21k and opened. At the same time, the outer surface of the holding portion 24e moves while coming into contact with the inner surface of the tapered portion 21d. As a result, the tapered tip portion 24a of the chuck 24 gradually opens.

[0142] In this way, the chuck 24 is placed in the large diameter portion 21 c (the state shown by reference numeral 12B in FIG. 12), and at the same time, the chuck 24 is opened by the receiving portion 21 k. At this time, the chuck 24 is in a state that allows the head 26 a of the second connecting member 26 to be released.

[0143] Here, for example, when the treatment tool elevator wire 27 is pulled toward the distal end (in the direction of arrow X1), the head 26a of the second connecting member 26 is removed from the holding portion 24e, and the connection between the first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25 is released. This makes the treatment tool elevator wire 27 ready to be removed.

[0144] After the treatment tool elevator wire 27 is pulled out (in the direction of arrow X1), the endoscope 1 is cleaned, for example. After that, a new treatment tool elevator wire 27 (second moving member 25) having the second connecting member 26 attached to its proximal end is inserted into the treatment tool elevator wire insertion conduit 33.

[0145] Then, when the second moving member 25 inserted into the treatment tool elevator wire insertion conduit 33 reaches the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 and is further pushed in (in the direction of arrow X2), the head 26a of the second connecting member 26 moves while abutting against the inner surface of the distal tapered portion 24a of the chuck 24. Then, the head 26a opens the distal tapered portion 24a and enters the holding portion 24e through the through-hole 24f.

[0146] When the treatment tool control lever 10 is operated in a predetermined direction, the operating force of the treatment tool control lever 10 moves the first moving member 22 in the direction of arrow X2 in Figure 12. As a result, the chuck 24 moves from the large diameter portion 21c to the small diameter portion 21b via the tapered portion 21d. At this time, the chuck 24 moves while the outer surface of the holding portion 24e contacts the inner surface of the tapered portion 21d. Therefore, the chuck 24 smoothly moves to a closed state.

[0147] When the chuck 24 is placed on the small diameter portion 21b and reaches the state shown by the reference numeral [12A] in FIG. 12, the chuck 24 is restricted from opening.

[0148] Meanwhile, during the manufacture of the endoscope 1, the procedure for attaching the treatment instrument raising wire is roughly as follows.

[0149] First, assume the state shown by symbols [12A] or [12B] in Figure 12 above, in which the second moving member 25 (the second connecting member 26 and the treatment instrument raising wire 27) is not attached inside the endoscope 1.

[0150] In this state, by a predetermined operation of the treatment tool operation lever 10, the first moving member 22 is moved in the direction of the arrow X1 in Fig. 12 along the first axis Ax1. At the same time, the chuck 24 moves from the small diameter portion 21b to the large diameter portion 21c. When the chuck 24 is positioned in the large diameter portion 21c, the chuck 24 is allowed to be in an open state.

[0151] As the chuck 24 continues to move in the direction of arrow X1, the tapered tip portion 24a of the chuck 24 eventually comes into contact with the receiving portion 21k of the second cylinder 21T. As the chuck continues to move in this state in the direction of arrow X1, the tapered tip portion 24a is eventually pressed against the receiving portion 21k, and the chuck 24 enters an open state.

[0152] Here, the second moving member 25 is inserted into the treatment tool raising wire insertion channel 33. In this case, the second moving member 25 is advanced from the distal end portion 5 side in the direction of the arrow X2 along the first axis Ax1.

[0153] Then, the head 26a of the second connecting member 26 of the second moving member 25 reaches the treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20. Then, the head 26a abuts against the distal tapered portion 24a of the chuck 24. When the second moving member 25 is further advanced in the same direction (the direction of arrow X2) from this state, the head 26a passes from the distal tapered portion 24a through the through-hole 24f and enters the holding portion 24e.

[0154] From this state, when the second moving member 25 is further advanced in the same direction (arrow X2 direction), the head 26a comes into contact with the tip of the engaged portion 23b of the piston rod 23 and presses the piston rod 23 in the same direction (arrow X2 direction). At the same time, the chuck 24 also moves in the same direction (arrow X2 direction).

[0155] When the chuck 24 moves in the direction of arrow X2, the outer surface of the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24 comes into contact with the inner surface of the tapered portion 21d of the first cylinder 21A and moves in the same direction (arrow X2 direction) along the inner surface. This causes the chuck 24 to gradually close. This causes the head 26a to be housed within the holding portion 24e. Also, a portion of the head 26a becomes hooked by the two claws 24b.

[0156] The first moving member 22 is then pushed by the head 26a, and the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24 is positioned in the small diameter portion 21b, thereby closing the chuck 24. At this time, the first connecting member (chuck 24) and the second connecting member 26 are connected to each other.

[0157] As described above, according to the first embodiment, in the endoscope 1 equipped with the treatment instrument elevator base 50, the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 including the treatment instrument elevator wire 27 is provided between the drive mechanism 30 including the treatment instrument operation lever 10 and the treatment instrument elevator base 50. In this case, the treatment instrument elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 includes the cylinder 21, the first moving member 22, the second moving member 25, and an opening / closing mechanism.

[0158] The cylinder 21 has an inner space 21a formed along a first axis Ax1 extending from the tip end to the base end. The first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25 are movable within the inner space 21a along the first axis Ax1.

[0159] The first moving member 22 includes a first connecting member (chuck 24) having at least two claw portions 24b that hook and hold a part of the second moving member 25 (head portion 26a of second connecting member 26).

[0160] The second moving member 25 is equipped with a second connecting member 26 which is formed to include a head 26a which is held by the first connecting member (chuck 24) and a neck 26b which is provided at the tip side of the head 26a and is formed thinner than the head 26a.

[0161] The opening / closing mechanism changes the state of the first connecting member (chuck 24) between a state in which the first connecting member (chuck 24) is opened to release the second connecting member 26 (head 26a), and a state in which the first connecting member (chuck 24) is closed to hold the second connecting member 26 (head 26a).

[0162] Here, the opening / closing mechanism is formed in at least a part of the inner space 21a of the cylinder 21. That is, the inner space 21a includes a first portion (small diameter portion 21b) having a first cross-sectional area and a second portion (large diameter portion 21c) having a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area. The second portion (large diameter portion 21c) is provided on the tip side of the first portion (small diameter portion 21b).

[0163] The first cross-sectional area is a size that does not allow the first connecting member (chuck 24) to open (the head 26 a) of the second connecting member 26. The second cross-sectional area is a size that allows the first connecting member (chuck 24) to open (the head 26 a) of the second connecting member 26.

[0164] Furthermore, when the inner space 21a is formed to further include a third portion (tapered portion 21d), the third portion (tapered portion 21d) forms a taper connecting the first portion (small diameter portion 21b) and the second portion (large diameter portion 21c). This taper contacts the first connecting member (chuck 24) to close the first connecting member (chuck 24).

[0165] The cylinder 21 has a fourth portion (receiving portion 21k). The fourth portion (receiving portion 21k) is provided in the second portion (large diameter portion 21c) and has a receiving portion formed in a shape that widens toward the tip side. The receiving portion 21k comes into contact with the tip tapered portion 24a of the first connecting member (chuck 24) to open the first connecting member (chuck 24).

[0166] The treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20 configured as described above has a simple configuration with a small number of parts, but when the endoscope is in use, it can reliably ensure the connected state between the first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25. On the other hand, during endoscope maintenance, etc., the connected state between the first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25 can be easily released, which can simplify, for example, the attachment and detachment work of the treatment tool elevator wire 27.

[0167] In the first embodiment described above, the components of the opening and closing mechanism are exemplified as including all of the first portion (small diameter portion 21b), the second portion (large diameter portion 21c), the third portion (tapered portion 21d), and the fourth portion (receiving portion 21k), but are not limited to this configuration.

[0168] For example, the opening / closing mechanism may be configured without the third and fourth portions from the above-described embodiment. In this case, a step is formed at the connection between the first and second portions. Therefore, in this case, when the chuck 24 moves from the second portion to the first portion within the inner space 21a, the chuck 24 is suddenly opened and closed at the step at the connection between the first and second portions.

[0169] In contrast, if the third portion is included in the configuration, the chuck 24 moves along the third portion when moving from the second portion to the first portion, thereby allowing the chuck 24 to close smoothly.

[0170] Furthermore, when the fourth part is added, when the chuck 24 moves from the first part to the second part, the inner surface of the tapered tip part 24a of the chuck 24 comes into contact with the receiving part 21k and is pressed against the receiving part 21k, thereby smoothly displacing the chuck 24 into an open state.

[0171] On the other hand, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the chuck 24 is provided on the first moving member 22 (piston) side, but this configuration is not limited to this. For example, the chuck 24 may be provided on the second moving member 25 side.

[0172] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part (a connecting portion between a first connecting member and a second connecting member) of a treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism in an endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 13 shows a state in which the first connecting member and the second connecting member are connected.

[0173] The configuration of this embodiment is basically substantially the same as that of the first embodiment described above. The treatment instrument erection wire connecting mechanism 20A in this embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment described above in the configuration of the second connecting member 26A and the receiving portion 21kA provided at the base end of the second cylinder 21TA in the cylinder 21A. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above. Therefore, among the configurations of this embodiment, the same components as those of the first embodiment described above are assigned the same reference numerals and their description is omitted, and only the different parts will be described in detail below.

[0174] As shown in FIG. 13, a treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20A in the endoscope of this embodiment includes a cylinder 21A, a first moving member 22, a second moving member 25A, and an opening / closing mechanism.

[0175] Of these, the cylinder 21A is composed of a first cylinder 21P and a second cylinder 21TA. The second cylinder 21TA has a receiving portion 21kA at its base end with a different base end shape from that of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the base end of the receiving portion 21kA does not have a tapered shape. That is, the base end of the receiving portion 21kA has a cylindrical shape, for example.

[0176] The second moving member 25A includes a second connecting member 26A and a treatment tool raising wire 27. The second connecting member 26A has a head 26Aa and a neck 26b. The tip of the head 26Aa is connected to the neck 26b.

[0177] The head 26Aa has a first inclined portion 26aa and a second inclined portion 26ab. The first inclined portion 26aa is an inclined portion formed in a shape that tapers toward the neck 26b. The second inclined portion 26ab is an inclined portion formed in a shape that widens from the base end side of the first inclined portion 26aa toward the tip end side. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above.

[0178] The operation of the second embodiment of the present invention configured as above will be briefly described below. First, as shown in Fig. 13, when the first connecting member 22 and the second connecting member 25A are connected, the base end portion of the chuck 24, including the holding portion 24e, is disposed in the small diameter portion 21b of the first inner space 21m. At this time, the chuck 24 is restricted from opening.

[0179] Here, it is assumed that the treatment tool control lever 10 is set to operate within the operation range during maintenance. When the treatment tool control lever 10 is operated in a predetermined direction, the operating force of the treatment tool control lever 10 acts on the first moving member 22 of the treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 via the drive mechanism 30.

[0180] As a result, the first moving member 22 moves a predetermined distance in the direction of arrow X1 in FIG. 13 along the first axis Ax1. At the same time, the chuck 24 also moves the same distance in the same direction. As a result, the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24 passes through the tapered portion 21d and is positioned in the large diameter portion 21c. The chuck 24 then enters a state in which it is able to release the head 26Aa of the second connecting member 26A.

[0181] Here, for example, when the treatment tool elevator wire 27 is pulled toward the distal end (in the direction of the arrow X1), the second connecting member 26A moves together with the treatment tool elevator wire 27 in the same direction.

[0182] At this time, the first inclined portion 26aa of the head 26Aa of the second connecting member 26A comes into contact with the two claws 24b. As the head 26Aa moves in the direction of arrow X1, the first inclined portion 26aa opens the chuck 24 and pushes open the through-hole 24f. This causes the head 26Aa to be removed from the holding portion 24e. The connection between the first moving member 22 and the second moving member 25A is then released.

[0183] On the other hand, when the first connecting member 22 and the second connecting member 25A are connected to each other, the operation is as follows.

[0184] The second connecting member 26A attached to the proximal end of the treatment tool elevator wire 27 is inserted into the treatment tool elevator wire insertion conduit 33 in the direction along the arrow X2 in Figure 13. When the proximal end of the second connecting member 26A reaches the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20A, the second inclined portion 26ab of the head 26Aa of the second connecting member 26A abuts against the inner surface of the distal tapered portion 24a of the chuck 24, opening the chuck 24. This allows the head 26Aa to enter the holding portion 24e through the through-hole 24f. At this time, the provision of the second inclined portion 26ab allows the head 26Aa to move smoothly into the holding portion 24e.

[0185] Then, the treatment tool operating lever 10 is operated in a predetermined direction to move the first moving member 22 in the direction of arrow X2 in Figure 13. Then, the chuck 24 is moved from the large diameter portion 21c through the tapered portion 21d to the small diameter portion 21b. This causes the chuck 24 to move to a closed state. When the chuck 24 is thus positioned in the small diameter portion 21b, the chuck 24 is restricted from opening.

[0186] As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment.

[0187] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism further includes at least a portion of the head 26Aa. Here, the head 26Aa includes a first inclined portion 26aa and a second inclined portion 26ab. The first inclined portion 26aa is formed in a shape that tapers toward the neck. The second inclined portion 26ab is formed in a shape that widens from the base end side of the first inclined portion 26aa toward the tip end side.

[0188] Then, the two claws 24b of the first connecting member (chuck 24) come into contact with the first inclined portion 26aa to open the first connecting member (chuck 24). Also, the tip tapered portion 24a of the first connecting member (chuck 24) comes into contact with the second inclined portion 26ab to open the first connecting member.

[0189] With this configuration, the chuck 24 can be opened smoothly without providing the fourth part (receiving portion 21k) of the cylinder 21, and the second connecting member 26A can be inserted and removed smoothly into and from the chuck 24.

[0190] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part (a connecting portion between a first connecting member and a second connecting member) of a treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism in an endoscope according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 14 shows a state in which the first connecting member and the second connecting member are connected.

[0191] The configuration of this embodiment is basically similar to that of the first and second embodiments. The treatment tool erection wire connecting mechanism 20B in this embodiment differs from that of the first and second embodiments in the configuration of the first moving member 22B.

[0192] The configuration of the second connecting member 26 is the same as that of the first embodiment described above. The configuration of the receiving portion 21kA provided at the base end of the second cylinder 21TA in the cylinder 21A is the same as that of the second embodiment described above. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same components as those of the first and second embodiments described above, and descriptions thereof are omitted. Only the differences will be described in detail below.

[0193] As shown in FIG. 14, a treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20B in the endoscope of this embodiment includes a cylinder 21A, a first moving member 22B, a second moving member 25, and an opening / closing mechanism.

[0194] The first moving member 22B is configured to include a piston rod 23B, a chuck 24, and an elastic member 41. Of these, the elastic member 41 is a member that functions as a part of the opening and closing mechanism. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the elastic member 41 is configured as being included in the first moving part rod 22B.

[0195] The piston rod 23B is similar to the first and second embodiments in that a chuck 24, which is a first connecting member, is disposed at the tip of the piston rod 23B. To this end, a flange-shaped engaged portion 23b is formed at the tip of the piston rod 23. This engaged portion 23b is engaged with an engaging portion 24d of the chuck 24. In this way, the engaged portion 23b and the engaging portion 24d are engaged with each other, thereby integrating the piston rod 23B and the chuck 24.

[0196] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an elastic member 41 is attached to the engaged portion 23b inside the engaging portion 24d.

[0197] The elastic member 41 is formed of, for example, a coil spring having extensible elastic force. The elastic force of the elastic member 41 acts in a direction that always opens the tapered tip portion 24a of the chuck 24 of the first connecting member 22B.

[0198] For this reason, the elastic member 41 is arranged in the engaging portion 24d so as to stretch in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis Ax1 (the direction of arrow S in FIG. 14). As a result, the elastic force of the elastic member 41 acts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis Ax1 (the direction of arrow S in FIG. 14). Therefore, an elastic force in the opening direction is always applied to the chuck 24. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above.

[0199] The operation of the third embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be briefly described below. First, as shown in Figure 14, when the first connecting member 22B and the second connecting member 25 are connected, the base end portion of the chuck 24, including the holding portion 24e, is positioned in the small diameter portion 21b of the first inner space 21m. At this time, the chuck 24 is restricted from opening. Also, the elastic member 41 is in a contracted state within the engaging portion 24d.

[0200] Here, it is assumed that the treatment tool control lever 10 is set to operate within the operation range during maintenance. When the treatment tool control lever 10 is operated in a predetermined direction, the operating force of the treatment tool control lever 10 acts on the first moving member 22B of the treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20 via the drive mechanism 30.

[0201] As a result, the first moving member 22B moves a predetermined distance in the direction of the arrow X1 in Figure 14, along the first axis Ax1. At the same time, the chuck 24 also moves the same distance in the same direction. As a result, the engaging portion 24d of the chuck 24 passes through the tapered portion 21d and is positioned in the large diameter portion 21c.

[0202] When the engaging portion 24d of the chuck 24 is positioned on the large diameter portion 21c, the chuck 24 opens under the elastic force of the elastic member 41, allowing the head 26a of the second connecting member 26 to be released.

[0203] Here, for example, if the treatment tool raising wire 27 is pulled toward the tip (in the direction of arrow X1), the head 26a of the second connecting member 26 is removed from the holding portion 24e, and the connection between the first moving member 22B and the second moving member 25 is released.

[0204] In this way, when the treatment tool elevator wire 27 is pulled in the direction of the arrow X1, the second connecting member 26 moves in the same direction together with the treatment tool elevator wire 27. As a result, the head portion 26a is removed from the holding portion 24e.

[0205] On the other hand, when the first connecting member 22B and the second connecting member 25 are connected to each other, the operation is as follows.

[0206] The second connecting member 26 attached to the proximal end of the treatment tool elevator wire 27 is inserted into the treatment tool elevator wire insertion conduit 33 in the direction of arrow X2 in Fig. 14. When the proximal end of the second connecting member 26 reaches the treatment tool elevator wire connecting mechanism 20B, the head 26a of the second connecting member 26 enters the holding portion 24e of the chuck 24 in the open state.

[0207] Then, the treatment tool operating lever 10 is operated in a predetermined direction to move the first moving member 22B in the direction of arrow X2 in Figure 14. This moves the chuck 24 from the large diameter portion 21c through the tapered portion 21d to the small diameter portion 21b. This causes the chuck 24 to displace to a closed state against the elastic force of the elastic member 41. When the chuck 24 is thus positioned in the small diameter portion 21b, the chuck 24 is restricted from being opened.

[0208] As described above, according to the third embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first and second embodiments.

[0209] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism includes an elastic member 41. In this case, the elastic member 41 is provided as part of the first moving member 22B. The elastic member 41 has an elastic force in a direction to open the first connecting member 22B. The elastic member 41 is disposed on the base end side of the two claw portions 24b.

[0210] In this way, by including the elastic member 41 in the opening / closing mechanism, the chuck 24 is automatically displaced to an open state by the elastic force of the elastic member 41 as it moves from the small diameter portion 21b to the large diameter portion 21c. This makes it even easier to release the connection between the chuck 24 and the second connecting member 26. Furthermore, when the chuck 24C and the second connecting member 26 are connected, the connection can be reliably maintained.

[0211] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a first coupling member and a second coupling member in a treatment tool raising wire coupling mechanism for an endoscope according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 15 shows a state in which the first coupling member and the second coupling member are coupled to each other.

[0212] The configuration of this embodiment is basically similar to the above-described embodiments. The treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20C in this embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in the configuration of the first connecting member (chuck 24C) of the first moving member 22C. The other configurations are similar to the above-described embodiments. Therefore, among the configurations of this embodiment, the same components as those of the above-described embodiments are assigned the same reference numerals and their description is omitted, and only the different parts will be described in detail below.

[0213] As shown in FIG. 15, in a treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20C in an endoscope of this embodiment, a first moving member 22C is configured to include a piston rod 23 and a chuck 24C.

[0214] The chuck 24C is formed to include a magnet 42. The magnet 42 generates a magnetic force that keeps the chuck 24 open at all times. To this end, the magnet 42 is disposed at a predetermined position on each of the two members of the chuck 24C.

[0215] That is, when the two parts of the chuck 24C are closed as shown in FIG. 15, a magnet 42 is provided from the base end to the tip along the joint area (see symbol D in FIG. 15) where the two parts face each other.

[0216] In this case, the magnets 42 provided on each of the two members of the chuck 24C have the same polarity. As a result, the repulsive force of the magnets 42 acts between the two members of the chuck 24, causing a force to constantly separate the two members. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above.

[0217] The magnet 42 is a member that functions as a part of the opening and closing mechanism. In this embodiment, the magnet 42 is included in the first moving member 22C.

[0218] The operation of the fourth embodiment of the present invention configured as above is substantially the same as that of the third embodiment described above.

[0219] As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the above-described embodiments.

[0220] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism includes a magnet 42. The magnet 42 is provided on the chuck 24C, which is the first connecting member of the first moving member 22C. The magnet 42 generates a magnetic force that constantly opens the chuck 24C by repulsion.

[0221] At least two magnets 42 are disposed at positions facing each other on the two members of the chuck 24. The repulsive force of the magnets 42 always acts on the chuck 24 in the opening direction.

[0222] With this configuration, when the first moving member 22C is moved from the small diameter portion 21b to the large diameter portion 21c, the chuck 24C is automatically displaced to an open state by the magnetic force of the magnet 42. Therefore, the connection between the chuck 24C and the second connecting member 26 can be easily released. Furthermore, when the chuck 24C and the second connecting member 26 are connected to each other, the connection can be reliably maintained.

[0223] Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part (a connecting portion between a first connecting member and a second connecting member) of a treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism in an endoscope according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 16 shows a state in which the first connecting member and the second connecting member are connected.

[0224] The configuration of this embodiment is basically similar to the above-described embodiments. The treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20D in this embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in the configuration of the cylinder 21D. The other configurations are similar to the above-described embodiments. Therefore, among the configurations of this embodiment, the same components as those of the above-described embodiments are assigned the same reference numerals and their description is omitted, and only the different parts will be described in detail below.

[0225] As shown in FIG. 15, in a treatment tool raising wire connecting mechanism 20D in an endoscope of this embodiment, a cylinder 21D is composed of a first cylinder 21PD and a second cylinder 21TA.

[0226] Of these, the first cylinder 21PD has a magnet 43. Here, the magnet 43 is provided in at least one of the second portion (large diameter portion 21c) and the third portion (tapered portion 21d). In this case, the magnets 43 are provided in positions in the first cylinder 21PD that face each other across the first internal space 21m (21a). Furthermore, each magnet 43 is provided in a position that faces each of the two members of the chuck 24.

[0227] As described above, the chuck 24 is made of a material such as metal, etc. Therefore, the magnetic force of the magnet 43 always exerts a force on the chuck 24 in the opening direction.

[0228] On the other hand, in the second cylinder 21TA, as in the second, third, and fourth embodiments, the base end of the receiving portion 21kA is cylindrical, for example, and does not have a tapered shape. The other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0229] The magnet 43 is a member that functions as a part of the opening and closing mechanism. In this embodiment, the magnet 43 is included in the first cylinder PD of the cylinder 21D.

[0230] The operation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention configured as above is substantially the same as that of the third and fourth embodiments described above.

[0231] As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effects as the above-described embodiments.

[0232] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism includes a magnet 43. The magnet 43 is provided on at least one of the second portion (large diameter portion 21c) and the third portion (tapered portion 21d). The attractive force of the magnet 43 opens the chuck 24.

[0233] With this configuration, when the first moving member 22C is moved from the small diameter portion 21b to the large diameter portion 21c, the chuck 24 is automatically displaced to an open state by the magnetic force of the magnet 42. Therefore, the connection between the chuck 24D and the second connecting member 26 can be easily released. Furthermore, when the chuck 24D and the second connecting member 26 are connected to each other, the connection can be reliably maintained.

[0234] In the above-described embodiments, the chuck 24, which is the first connecting member, is configured by two separate members, but the configuration is not limited to the example. For example, the chuck may be configured by multiple members.

[0235] In the endoscopes of the above-described embodiments, a treatment instrument raising wire connecting mechanism is provided between the treatment instrument operating lever and the treatment instrument raising base, thereby realizing a mechanism that allows the treatment instrument raising wire to be easily attached and detached.

[0236] This realizes a configuration in the endoscope that allows, for example, the treatment instrument elevator base and treatment instrument elevator wire to be replaced easily and with a simple operation. With such a configuration, it becomes easy to realize a configuration in which the treatment instrument elevator base and treatment instrument elevator wire are replaced each time the endoscope is used. The endoscopes exemplified in the above-mentioned embodiments are assumed to have such a configuration.

[0237] However, the present invention is not limited to the forms exemplified by the above-described embodiments, and can be similarly applied to, for example, an endoscope in which only the treatment instrument erection wire is replaced after each use of the endoscope.

[0238] The present invention can also be applied to an endoscope in which the distal end portion including the treatment instrument elevator and the treatment instrument elevator wire are replaced each time the endoscope is used, and further, to an endoscope in which the entire insertion section is replaced each time the endoscope is used.

[0239] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and applications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining the disclosed multiple constituent elements. For example, if the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved and the effects of the invention can be obtained even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in one embodiment, the configuration from which these constituent elements are deleted can be extracted as the invention. Furthermore, constituent elements from different embodiments may be appropriately combined. The present invention is not limited by specific embodiments other than as limited by the appended claims.

[0240] This application claims priority from U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 536,782, filed in the United States on September 6, 2023. The contents disclosed in the above-mentioned prior application are incorporated herein by reference in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising: a cylinder, a first moving member, a second moving member, and an opening / closing mechanism; the cylinder has an inner space, the inner space being formed along a first axis extending from the tip to the base end; the first moving member is configured to be movable within the inner space along the first axis, and is provided with a first connecting member, the first connecting member having at least two protrusions for hooking and holding the second moving member; the second moving member is configured to be movable within the inner space along the first axis, and is provided with a second connecting member, the second connecting member being held by the first connecting member; the second connecting member comprises a head held by the first connecting member, and a neck portion provided on the tip side of the head and formed thinner than the head; and the opening / closing mechanism changes the state of the first connecting member between a state in which the first connecting member is opened to open the second connecting member, and a state in which the first connecting member is closed to hold the second connecting member.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening / closing mechanism is at least a part of the cylinder, the inner space includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion has a first cross-sectional area, the first cross-sectional area is of a size that does not allow the first connecting member to open the second connecting member, and the second portion is provided on the tip side of the first portion and has a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area, and the second cross-sectional area is of a size that allows the first connecting member to open the second connecting member.

3. The endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that the inner space further includes a third portion, the third portion being a taper connecting the first portion and the second portion, and the taper contacting the first connecting member to close the first connecting member.

4. The endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that the cylinder has a fourth portion, the fourth portion has a receiving portion provided on the second portion and formed in a shape that widens toward the tip side, and the receiving portion comes into contact with the first connecting member to open the first connecting member.

5. The endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening / closing mechanism further includes at least a part of the head, the head including an inclined portion formed in a shape tapering toward the neck, and the first connecting member contacts the inclined portion to open the first connecting member.

6. The endoscope according to claim 5, characterized in that the head further includes a second inclined portion, the second inclined portion being formed in a shape that widens from the base end side of the inclined portion toward the tip end side, and the first connecting member comes into contact with the second inclined portion to open the first connecting member.

7. The endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening / closing mechanism further includes an elastic member, the elastic member being provided on the first moving member and having an elastic force in a direction to open the first connecting member.

8. The endoscope according to claim 7, characterized in that the elastic member is disposed on the base end side of the two protrusions.

9. The endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening / closing mechanism further includes a magnet, the magnet being provided on the first moving member and generating a magnetic force to open the first connecting member.

10. The endoscope according to claim 9, characterized in that at least two of the magnets are arranged on the first connecting member so as to have opposing components, and the first connecting member is opened by the repulsive force of the magnets.

11. The endoscope according to claim 3, characterized in that the opening / closing mechanism further includes a magnet, the magnet being provided in at least one of the second part and the third part, and the first connecting member being opened by the attractive force of the magnet.

12. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that the endoscope includes an operation section and an insertion section, the insertion section being provided on the tip side of the operation section, and the operation section having a cylinder, a first moving member, a second moving member, and an opening / closing mechanism.

13. The endoscope according to claim 12, characterized in that the insertion section includes a bending section, the operation section has an angle knob, the bending section is actively bent by operating the angle knob, and the first connecting member is located closer to the tip than the angle knob.

14. The endoscope according to claim 12, characterized in that the first moving member is provided with a lever on the base end side of the first connecting member, and the first connecting member moves in the inner space when the lever rotates.

15. The endoscope according to claim 14, characterized in that the second moving member comprises a wire and a lifting base, the wire is provided on the distal end side of the neck, the lifting base is provided on the distal end side of the wire, and the lifting base rotates in accordance with the rotation of the lever.

16. The endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that the first moving member is provided with a lever on the base end side of the first connecting member, the lever rotates to move the first connecting member within the internal space, and a switching mechanism is provided which switches the range in which the lever rotates between a normal operation range and a maintenance operation range that exceeds the normal operation range, and when the lever is in the normal operation range, the first connecting member is located in the first part, and when the lever is in the maintenance operation range, the first connecting member is located in the second part.

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