Bending adjustment driving apparatus and endoscope

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bending adjustment driving apparatus, and in particular, to bending control of an endoscope. The bending adjustment driving apparatus comprises: a mounting base body; a driving wheel, rotationally assembled on the mounting base body; and at least two traction wires arranged in pairs. The two traction wires arranged in pairs are respectively configured to be arranged on different sides of a snake bone to drive the snake bone to deflect towards two opposite directions. The driving wheel is provided with at least two wire winding areas. The two wire winding areas comprise at least one first wire winding area and at least one second wire winding area. The first wire winding area and the second wire winding area are located on different radial sides of the driving wheel. The wire winding radius of at least one first wire winding area is different from the wire winding radius of at least one second wire winding area. The main technical problem solved by the present invention is how to enable the bending adjustment driving apparatus to meet the bending control requirements of an adjustable bending section.

Description

Bending drive device and endoscope Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a bending drive device, in particular to bending control of an endoscope. Background Art

[0002] An endoscope is a testing instrument that integrates traditional optics, ergonomics, precision mechanics, modern electronics, mathematics, and software. With the rapid advancement of science and medical technology in recent years, the use of endoscopes for minimally invasive or non-invasive medical examinations or treatments has become widespread. An endoscope generally consists of a handle assembly and an insertion tube assembly. The insertion tube assembly can be equipped with a camera module, enabling insertion and imaging of the target area. The proximal end of the insertion tube assembly is connected to the distal end of the handle assembly, which drives the insertion tube assembly for movement and / or rotation.

[0003] In particular, the distal end of a medical flexible endoscope insertion tube assembly includes a bendable, adjustable section (i.e., a snake). As those skilled in the art will appreciate, an adjustable section typically comprises a plurality of sequentially arranged bending segments, with an articulated structure between adjacent bending segments. Adjacent bending segments are capable of relative deflection along a hinge axis formed by the articulated structure, thereby achieving bending of the adjustable section. During examination or treatment, doctors can utilize the flexible front end of the flexible endoscope to bend the adjustable section via a bending drive mechanism located on the operating handle, allowing the flexible endoscope to enter the body through natural orifices with minimal damage to the patient, thereby enabling a comprehensive examination of diseased tissue.

[0004] The bending of the adjustable segment is controlled by pull wires, which are typically arranged in pairs. Each pull wire is parallel to the axis of the insertion tube assembly and located perpendicularly to the hinge axis of the adjustable segment. A bending actuator on the handle assembly tightens one pull wire while loosening the other, causing the adjustable segment to bend toward the tightened pull wire.

[0005] However, different insertion tube assemblies may have different bending control requirements, and the bending drive device on the handle assembly also needs to meet different bending control requirements. Technical issues

[0006] The main technical problem solved by the present invention is how to make the bending drive device meet the bending control requirements of the adjustable bending section. Technical Solutions

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a bending drive device.

[0008] A bending drive device, comprising:

[0009] Install the base;

[0010] a driving wheel, the driving wheel being rotatably mounted on the mounting base;

[0011] and at least two traction wires arranged in pairs, the two traction wires being respectively arranged on different sides of the snake bone to drive the snake bone to swing in two opposite directions;

[0012] At least two wire winding areas are provided on the driving wheel, and the two wire winding areas include at least one first wire winding area and at least one second wire winding area. The first wire winding area and the second wire winding area are located on different radial sides of the driving wheel, and the wire winding radius of at least one first wire winding area is different from the wire winding radius of at least one second wire winding area.

[0013] In one technical solution, at least two winding areas are arranged in layers along the rotation axis of the driving wheel.

[0014] In one technical solution, a slot is provided on the radial outer side of the driving wheel, and the wire winding area is formed by the slot.

[0015] In one technical solution, the driving wheel includes an anti-slip protrusion, which is arranged on the side wall of the slot and located at the notch of the slot. The anti-slip protrusion is used to prevent the traction wire from escaping from the slot along the radial direction of the driving wheel.

[0016] In one technical solution, the anti-slip protrusion is arranged on one side wall of the slot, and an escape opening is provided on the other side wall of the slot. At least a part of the anti-slip protrusion extends into the escape opening, and there is a gap between the anti-slip protrusion and the inner side wall of the escape opening.

[0017] In a technical solution, the bottom wall of the slot and the inner side wall of the escape opening are located on the same plane.

[0018] In one technical solution, the driving wheel includes an arc portion and a notch portion, the wire winding area is arranged on the arc portion, at least a portion of the end face of the arc portion is exposed in the notch portion, and the traction wire of the bending drive device is wound onto the arc portion through the notch portion.

[0019] In one technical solution, the driving wheel includes only one circular arc portion and one notch portion, the circular arc portion is a major arc, and the notch portion is located between two ends of the major arc.

[0020] In one technical solution, the driving wheel is circular, the notch portion forms a thinning area on the driving wheel, the thinning area has a slope portion, the thickness of the slope portion gradually decreases from the side close to the rotation axis of the driving wheel to the radial outside of the driving wheel, and the slope portion forms a smooth curved surface for supporting the traction wire.

[0021] In one technical solution, a fixing groove is provided on the end face of the driving wheel, a traction block is fixed to the end of the traction wire, the traction block is embedded in the fixing groove, and a channel for leading out the traction wire is provided on the groove wall of the fixing groove.

[0022] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an endoscope.

[0023] An endoscope comprising:

[0024] An insertion tube assembly, the insertion tube assembly comprising an adjustable bending section, the adjustable bending section comprising sequentially hinged bending adjustment segments, a hinge portion being provided between two adjacent bending adjustment segments, the hinge portion forming a yaw axis for relative yaw of the two adjacent bending adjustment segments, the hinge portion between the two adjacent bending adjustment segments being located on two opposite radial sides of the adjustable bending section;

[0025] A handle assembly is connected to the proximal end of the insertion tube assembly. A bending drive device is provided in the handle assembly. The bending drive device is the bending drive device described in any of the above technical solutions.

[0026] In one technical solution, the axis extension direction of the bending adjustment segment is a first direction, the extension direction of the yaw axis is a second direction, the bending adjustment segment has a third direction that is perpendicular to both the first and second directions, and the traction wire channel includes a first traction wire channel and a second traction wire channel respectively located on both sides of the yaw axis in the third direction, and at least one of the first traction wire channel and the second traction wire channel is offset on the bending adjustment segment along the second direction.

[0027] In one technical solution, the perpendicular line from the first traction wire channel to the yaw axis passes through the axis of the bending adjustment segment, and the second traction wire channel has an offset relative to the symmetrical position of the first traction wire channel at least in the second direction. The symmetrical position of the first traction wire channel is the mirror image position of the first traction wire channel with the plane where the axis of the bending adjustment segment and the yaw axis are located as the symmetry plane.

[0028] In one technical solution, a working channel is provided on the bending adjustment segment, and the working channel forms a channel distribution area, or at least two working channels are provided on the bending adjustment segment, and the part of the bending adjustment segment located between the working channels and the working channels together form a channel distribution area; the first traction wire channel is located outside the channel distribution area in the third direction, and the second traction wire channel is located outside the channel distribution area in the second direction. Beneficial effects

[0029] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0030] By setting different winding areas on the driving wheel, different winding radii can be formed. The two paired traction wires can be respectively wound on the corresponding winding areas and have different winding radii. When the driving wheel rotates, different traction wires can achieve different length changes by relying on different winding radii, thereby meeting the corresponding bending control requirements of the adjustable bending section. There is no need to set up bending drive devices separately for the paired traction wires. The structure is simple, the operation is convenient, and it is conducive to cost saving.

[0031] Furthermore, when there are more wire winding areas on the driving wheel, one bending drive device can meet the control requirements of different bending angles of different adjustable bending sections, so that different endoscope products can share the same drive device, which is easy to assemble and implement, and can effectively reduce the types of materials and reduce product costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG1 is an exploded view of a handle assembly in one embodiment of an endoscope;

[0033] FIG2 is a front view of the bending drive device in FIG1 ;

[0034] FIG3 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting structure of the drive wheel in FIG1 ;

[0035] FIG4 is a perspective schematic diagram of the driving wheel in FIG1 ;

[0036] FIG5 is a second perspective schematic diagram of the driving wheel in FIG1 ;

[0037] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the traction wire in FIG3 ;

[0038] FIG7 is a front view of the driving wheel in FIG1 ;

[0039] FIG8 is a cross-sectional view of the driving wheel taken along line AA in FIG1 ;

[0040] FIG9 is a BB sectional view of the driving wheel in FIG1 ;

[0041] FIG10 is a perspective view of a snake bone in an embodiment of an endoscope;

[0042] FIG11 is a partial enlarged view of FIG10;

[0043] FIG12 is a front cross-sectional view of FIG10;

[0044] FIG13 is a right side view of FIG12;

[0045] FIG14 is a partial enlarged view of FIG12;

[0046] FIG15 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the snake bone of the present invention;

[0047] FIG16 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement position of the traction wire channel on the bending adjustment segment in FIG15 .

[0048] List of feature names corresponding to the reference numerals in the figures:

[0049] 110, lower housing; 120, upper housing;

[0050] 200, driving wheel; 210, boss; 211, square hole; 221, fixing slot; 222, channel; 231, first wire winding area; 232, second wire winding area; 233, anti-slip protrusion; 234, avoidance opening; 241, arc portion; 242, notch portion; 250, zero-position positioning notch;

[0051] 300, power input member; 310, transmission column; 311, square end; 312, operating rod; 313, screw;

[0052] 410, distal connection portion;

[0053] 420, proximal connection;

[0054] 430, bending adjustment segment; 431, working channel; 432, first traction wire channel; 433, second traction wire channel; 434, connecting wire channel; 435, slot;

[0055] 440, hinge part; 441, yaw axis;

[0056] 450, connecting wire;

[0057] 460, traction wire; 461, protective sleeve; 462, traction block. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0058] The present invention will be further described in detail below by means of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Similar elements in different embodiments are numbered with associated similar elements. In the following embodiments, many detailed descriptions are provided to enable the present application to be better understood. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that some of the features may be omitted in different circumstances, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, some operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid the core portion of the present application being overwhelmed by excessive descriptions, and for those skilled in the art, it is not necessary to describe these related operations in detail. They will fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and the general technical knowledge in the art.

[0059] In addition, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification may be combined in any appropriate manner to form various embodiments. Furthermore, the steps or actions in the method description may be reordered or adjusted in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various sequences in the specification and drawings are provided solely for the purpose of clearly describing a particular embodiment and are not intended to be mandatory, unless otherwise specified.

[0060] Component numbers used herein, such as "first" and "second," are used solely to distinguish the components being described and do not convey any sequential or technical meaning. References to "connection" and "coupling" herein, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (couplings).

[0061] The terms "proximal" and "distal" appearing in this article are conventional terms in the medical field. For an instrument to be operated, the proximal end is the end closest to the instrument operator, and the distal end is the end away from the instrument operator. In Figure 1, the proximal and distal ends are indicated by arrows.

[0062] In the present invention, the driving wheel 200 of the bending drive device is provided with winding areas with different winding radii. Two pairs of traction wires for driving the snake bone to swing in two opposite directions can be wound around the driving wheel 200 in different winding areas, thereby having different winding radii. When the driving wheel 200 rotates the same angle, different traction wires can achieve different length changes, thereby meeting different bending requirements.

[0063] An embodiment of a bending drive device in the present invention:

[0064] Please refer to Figure 1. In one embodiment, a bending drive device is provided on a handle assembly of an endoscope. The handle assembly includes a lower shell 110, an upper shell 120, a driving wheel 200, a power input member 300 and a traction wire 460.

[0065] The lower housing 110 and upper housing 120 can be fixed together, forming a mounting cavity for mounting corresponding components. The lower housing 110 and upper housing 120 can be fixed together using methods such as ultrasonic welding, snap-fit ​​connections, fastener connections, and adhesive bonding. The lower housing 110 also forms the mounting base for the bending drive device, capable of mounting the drive wheel 200, power input member 300, and traction wire 460.

[0066] The drive wheel 200 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base and is driven by a manual operating member to rotate. When the drive wheel 200 rotates, it can wind and release the traction wire 460, thereby changing the length of the traction wire 460 located between the endoscope's serpentine and the drive wheel 200 to achieve endoscope bending. Specifically, the traction wires 460 can be arranged in pairs, with the two traction wires 460 arranged in a pair being respectively positioned on different sides of the serpentine. When one of the two traction wires 460 is wound and tensioned, while the other is released and relaxed, the serpentine can be driven to deflect in two opposite directions.

[0067] In one embodiment, a transmission structure is provided on one axial side of the drive wheel 200, which is configured to connect to the power input member 300 to achieve forward and reverse rotation of the drive wheel 200. In a specific embodiment, referring to Figures 3, 5, and 7, a boss 210 is provided on the side of the drive wheel 200 near the lower housing 110. The boss 210 has a square hole 211, and the power input member 300 is a shift lever. The shift lever includes an operating rod 312 and a transmission post 310 connected to one end of the operating rod 312. The transmission post 310 has a square end 311 that can be inserted into the square hole 211 to transmit driving force. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the lower housing 110 has a mounting hole. The transmission post 310 of the shift lever passes through the mounting hole and is secured to the drive wheel 200 inside the lower housing 110 via screws 313. The shift lever and the drive wheel 200 are positioned together on the lower housing 110 and are rotatable on the lower housing 110.

[0068] In other embodiments, the transmission structure can be replaced with any other form that can achieve power transmission, such as providing a square end on the drive wheel 200 and a square hole on the power input member 300. Another example is replacing the square hole 211 and the square end 311 with a hexagonal or triangular shape, or using a cylinder with a flat outer surface. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the drive wheel 200 is manually driven by the operator. In some cases, the drive wheel 200 can also be driven electrically. Furthermore, the drive wheel 200 and the shift lever can also be connected by other means, such as an interference fit, a snap connection, or an adhesive connection.

[0069] The proximal end of the traction wire 460 is fixed to the drive wheel 200. In one embodiment, a fixing groove 221 is provided on the end surface of the drive wheel 200. A traction block 462 is fixed to the distal end of the traction wire 460. The traction block 462 is embedded in the fixing groove 221. The wall of the fixing groove 221 is provided with a channel 222 for the traction wire 460 to be led out, thereby securing the proximal end of the traction wire 460 to the drive wheel 200. To prevent the traction block 462 from falling out of the fixing groove 221, in one embodiment, glue can be injected into the fixing groove 221. After the glue solidifies, the traction block 462 is bonded to the drive wheel 200. Of course, in other embodiments, the traction wire 460 can also be fixedly connected to the drive wheel 200 using other methods, such as crimping with screws. By adjusting the mounting position of the traction block 462 on the traction wire 460, the traction wire 460 can be ensured to be tensioned in the winding area of ​​the drive wheel 200 after the traction block 462 is installed on the drive wheel 200. The traction wire 460 and the traction block 462 may be fixed in any manner, for example, by interference fit, crimping, bonding, set screw connection, etc. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the fixing slots 221 corresponding to the two traction wires 460 may be repositioned, for example, to be positioned within the notch, or the fixing slots 221 may be combined into a larger slot structure capable of simultaneously mounting two traction blocks 462 .

[0070] In order to ensure the smooth movement of the traction wire 460, in one embodiment, the traction wire 460 is wound onto the driving wheel 200 and then passes through the protective sleeve 461. The traction wire 460 can slide in the protective sleeve 461, and the lower shell 110 is provided with a positioning structure for fixing the protective sleeve 461, such as a card slot.

[0071] The operator's finger moves the power input member 300 of the snake-bone bending actuator, which rotates the drive wheel 200 inside. This rotation causes the attached traction wire 460 to change length, thereby driving the snake-bone bending. To facilitate operation by medical personnel and reduce the force required to operate the lever, the rotation angle of the power input member 300 in the snake-bone bending actuator is generally selected to be ergonomically suited to the maximum operable angle. The rotation angles of the levers of endoscopes with different maximum bending angles are essentially the same. Given a certain rotation angle of the lever, the maximum bending angle of the snake-bone can be determined by the wire winding radius of the drive wheel 200. The wire winding radius is the radial dimension of the outer circumference of the drive wheel 200 where the traction wire 460 is wound. Different wire winding radii can achieve different maximum bending angles for the snake-bone. By designing multiple wire winding radii on the drive wheel 200, the present invention can achieve different maximum bending angles for the snake-bone by selecting different wire winding radii.

[0072] One consideration for designing multiple winding radii on the drive wheel 200 is that the performance, reliability, and cost of the serpentine, a key component in endoscope products, are of great concern. Existing serpentines can be broadly divided into two categories: metal serpentines and non-metallic serpentines. The bending adjustment segments of metal serpentines are typically manufactured through processes such as blanking, cutting, and grooving. This process requires high precision, resulting in low production efficiency and high cost per segment. Non-metallic serpentines, on the other hand, are primarily plastic serpentines. Plastic serpentines are integrally formed through injection molding, offering high production efficiency and low cost. However, the production and processing of plastic serpentines requires molds, which come with high mold costs and lengthy processing cycles. However, the required bending angles vary between different endoscope products. Customizing serpentines to achieve these varying bending angles, whether metal or non-metallic, would incur high costs. The present invention, by designing the bending drive mechanism, utilizes multiple winding radii on the drive wheel 200 to enable the same serpentine to achieve varying bending angles.

[0073] Specifically, the drive wheel 200 is provided with at least two wire winding areas, a first wire winding area 231 and a second wire winding area 232. The first wire winding area 231 and the second wire winding area 232 are located on different radial sides of the drive wheel 200 and have different wire winding radii. In a specific embodiment, to prevent the traction wire 460 from escaping from the drive wheel 200 and improve operational reliability, a retaining groove is provided on the radial outer surface of the drive wheel 200, and the wire winding areas are formed by the retaining groove.

[0074] In one embodiment, in order to accommodate more bending requirements, at least two winding areas are arranged in layers along the rotation axis of the drive wheel 200 to form a stepped structure. In a specific embodiment, referring to Figures 4 and 7 to 9, the drive wheel 200 is provided with three first winding areas 231 and three second winding areas 232. The three first winding areas 231 are located on the lower side of the drive wheel 200 in Figure 7, and the three second winding areas 232 are located on the upper side of the drive wheel 200 in Figure 7. From the side of the drive wheel 200 where the fixing groove 221 is provided to the opposite side of the side, the winding radius of the three first winding areas 231 increases successively, and the winding radius of the three second winding areas 232 also increases successively. Furthermore, each first wire winding area 231 is connected to a corresponding second wire winding area 232 along the circumference of the drive wheel 200 to form a complete circular arc. This structure facilitates the processing of the drive wheel 200 and ensures that the traction wire 460 is still wound when the drive wheel 200 rotates at a large angle, thereby achieving a longer traction stroke. In fact, the first wire winding area 231 and the second wire winding area 232 connected along the circumference of the drive wheel 200 can also be considered to have an overlapping section, and the first wire winding area 231 and the second wire winding area 232 can share this overlapping section.

[0075] It should be noted that, in some other embodiments, the number of first wire winding areas 231 and second wire winding areas 232 can be increased or decreased, and the number of first wire winding areas 231 can also be different from the number of second wire winding areas 232; in addition, the first wire winding area 231 and the three second wire winding areas 232 located at the same position along the axial direction of the driving wheel 200 can also be separated from each other along the circumference of the driving wheel 200.

[0076] Referring to Figures 4, 5, and 7, in one embodiment, the drive wheel 200 is circular. A first winding area 231 and a second winding area 232, which are connected along the circumference of the drive wheel 200, form an arc portion 241 and a notch portion 242 on the drive wheel 200. The winding area is provided on the arc portion 241, with at least a portion of the end surface of the arc portion 241 exposed in the notch portion 242. The traction wire 460 of the bending drive device is wound around the arc portion 241 through the notch portion 242. The fixing groove 221 and the notch portion 242 on the end surface of the drive wheel 200 are located on opposite sides of the drive wheel 200. A channel 222 provided on the groove wall of the fixing groove 221 near the notch portion 242 allows the traction wire 460 to extend to the notch portion 242 and then enter the winding area through the notch portion 242, thereby facilitating assembly of the traction wire 460 on the drive wheel 200. The initial state of the traction wire 460 when assembled on the driving wheel 200 may be as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 .

[0077] In the illustrated embodiment, the arc portion 241 is a major arc, and the notch portion 242 is located between the two ends of the major arc, depending on the rotation angle of the drive wheel 200. However, in other embodiments, depending on the rotation angle of the drive wheel 200, the arc portion 241 may also be a minor arc, and a notch portion 242 may be provided between the two corresponding ends of the first and second wire winding areas 231, 232.

[0078] In one embodiment, the notch 242 forms a thinned area on the drive wheel 200. The thinned area has a sloped portion, the thickness of which gradually decreases from the side closest to the rotation axis of the drive wheel 200 toward the radially outer side of the drive wheel 200. The sloped portion forms a smooth curved surface for supporting the traction wire 460. The provision of the smooth curved surface protects the traction wire 460, preventing sharp edges and corners on the drive wheel 200 from causing wear or even breakage of the traction wire 460.

[0079] In some other embodiments, the notch portion 242 may also penetrate the driving wheel 200 along the axial direction of the driving wheel 200 to form a completely empty opening. In addition, the various layers of wire winding areas distributed along the axial direction of the driving wheel 200 may also extend along the circumference of the driving wheel 200. When the various layers of wire winding areas distributed along the axial direction of the driving wheel 200 extend along the circumference of the driving wheel 200, in order to allow the traction wire 460, whose end is fixed to the end face of the driving wheel 200, to enter the groove serving as the wire winding area, the channel 222 for the traction wire 460 to pass through may be extended from the fixing groove 221 to the corresponding wire winding area.

[0080] To ensure that the traction wire 460 remains engaged with the drive wheel 200, the drive wheel 200 includes an anti-slip protrusion 233. The anti-slip protrusion 233 is disposed on the sidewall of the slot and located at the slot opening. The anti-slip protrusion 233 is used to prevent the traction wire 460 from escaping from the slot in the radial direction of the drive wheel 200. In some embodiments, the anti-slip protrusion 233 can be disposed on one sidewall of the slot, and a clearance opening 234 is provided on the other sidewall of the slot. At least a portion of the anti-slip protrusion 233 extends into the clearance opening 234, and a gap is formed between the anti-slip protrusion 233 and the inner sidewall of the clearance opening 234. During assembly, the traction wire 460 can be inserted into the slot along the circumference of the drive wheel 200. Furthermore, the bottom wall of the slot and the inner wall of the avoidance opening 234 are located on the same arc surface, which can facilitate the forming of the driving wheel 200 and also facilitate the observation of the assembly status of the traction wire 460 in the slot. In some other embodiments, the bottom wall of the slot and the inner wall of the avoidance opening 234 can also be located on different surfaces.

[0081] To facilitate accurate determination of the initial position of the drive wheel 200, a zero-position positioning notch 250 is also provided on the drive wheel 200. The zero-position positioning notch 250 can be located at the axis of symmetry between the first wire winding area 231 and the second wire winding area 232. In one embodiment, the zero-position positioning notch 250 can be provided on the sidewall of the slot farthest from the fixing slot 221.

[0082] It should be noted that in the illustrated embodiment, there is only one anti-slip protrusion 233 on each wire winding area, and it is provided on both sides of the first wire winding area 231 and the second wire winding area 232 in a symmetrical distribution direction. In some other embodiments, the number of anti-slip protrusions 233 may be greater. In addition, anti-slip protrusions 233 may also be provided on the sidewalls of both sides of the slot.

[0083] The above-mentioned bending drive device can achieve different maximum bending angles for the same snake bone, meet the bending requirements of different endoscopes, and enable multiple endoscope products to share one snake bone bending drive device, avoiding the high cost caused by remaking the snake bone.

[0084] When the snake bone is assembled or matched with other parts, the problem of interference between the traction wire 460 and other parts often occurs. In order to solve the interference problem, the size of the snake bone is usually made larger. In the field of endoscopy, the size parameter of the part entering the human body is a key parameter indicator, and its numerical value directly affects the scope of application of the product, the patient's experience during the examination or treatment process, and the market competitiveness of the product. For this reason, unlike the structure of the snake bone in the prior art that symmetrically distributes the traction wire channels on both sides of the yaw axis, it can be considered to distribute the first traction wire channel and the second traction wire channel of the snake bone asymmetrically relative to the yaw axis of the bending adjustment segment. This can make room for the corresponding parts, thereby helping to reduce or avoid the problem of interference between the traction wire 460 and other component structures when the bending adjustment segment is assembled with other parts, avoiding the need to increase the radial dimension in order to avoid the traction wire 460, and helping to control the radial external dimensions of the snake bone.

[0085] Another consideration for designing multiple winding radii on the drive wheel 200 is that for the aforementioned snake bone with asymmetrically arranged traction wires 460, the displacement of the traction wires 460 during bidirectional bending is different: for the traction wires 460 on the side close to the serpentine's yaw axis, the displacement of the traction wires 460 during bending is relatively small, and the traction force is relatively large; for the traction wires 460 on the side away from the serpentine's yaw axis, the displacement of the traction wires 460 during bending is relatively large, and the traction force is relatively small. If a traditional drive wheel 200 were used to drive the asymmetric serpentine yaw, the bidirectional bending of the serpent would result in inconsistent driving force or jamming (for example, if the winding radius of the drive wheel 200 is arranged to accommodate the traction wires 460 with relatively small displacement, the traction wires 460 with relatively large displacement would not be able to achieve sufficient displacement and would jam). In the present invention, a first winding area 231 and a second winding area 232 with different winding radii are provided. The winding areas with corresponding winding radii are designed on both sides of the driving wheel 200 to balance the displacement and traction force differences of the traction wire 460 during the bidirectional bending of the serpent bone caused by the asymmetric arrangement of the traction wire 460. A smaller driving size is used for the traction wire 460 on the side close to the yaw axis of the serpent bone, and a larger driving size is used for the traction wire 460 on the side away from the yaw axis of the serpent bone. The size of the winding radius on both sides of the driving wheel 200 is directly related to the distance from the traction wire 460 on both sides of the serpent bone to the yaw axis. By designing a suitable winding radius, the same operating feel and smooth bending can be achieved when the serpent bone is bent in both directions.

[0086] It should be noted that for the above-mentioned snake bone with an asymmetrical arrangement of the traction wires 460, the driving wheel 200 may be provided with only one first winding area 231 and one second winding area 232. The first winding area 231 and the second winding area 232 may be located at the same position along the axial direction of the driving wheel 200, or at different positions along the axial direction of the driving wheel 200. Of course, for the driving wheel 200 provided with more than two first winding areas 231 and second winding areas 232, if the bending requirements of the asymmetric snake bone are met, two of the winding areas may be selected to drive the two traction wires 460 of the asymmetric snake bone respectively.

[0087] An embodiment of an endoscope in the present invention:

[0088] An endoscope includes an insertion tube assembly and a handle assembly; the insertion tube assembly includes an adjustable bending section, the adjustable bending section includes bending adjustment segments hinged in sequence, a hinge portion is provided between two adjacent bending adjustment segments, the hinge portion forms a deflection axis for relative deflection of the two adjacent bending adjustment segments, and the hinge portion between the two adjacent bending adjustment segments is located on two opposite sides of the radial direction of the snake bone; the handle assembly is connected to the proximal end of the insertion tube assembly, and a bending adjustment drive device is provided in the handle assembly, and the bending adjustment drive device is the bending adjustment drive device of any of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0089] The following will mainly introduce the structure of the above-mentioned asymmetric snake bone.

[0090] In one embodiment, the snake bone serves as an important component of the insertion tube assembly of the endoscope. Please refer to Figures 10 and 13. It includes a distal connecting portion 410, a proximal connecting portion 420, a bending adjustment segment 430 and a hinge portion 440 arranged between the proximal connecting portion 420 and the distal connecting portion 410, and a connecting wire 450 passing through the bending adjustment segment 430 and the hinge portion 440.

[0091] Please refer to Figures 10 to 13. The snake bone is integrally formed using an injection molding process. The material can be plastic or other materials used for injection molding. The connecting wire 450 can be directly molded into the snake bone as a pre-embedded insert during injection molding, and can pass through each bending segment 430 and the hinge 440. The connecting wire 450 can be made of metal wire or non-metal wire, and has a certain strength and toughness. It can play a role in enhancing reliability and preventing the two adjacent bending segments 430 of the snake bone from failing during repeated deflection and bending. Of course, the above-mentioned connecting wire 450 may be a non-essential structure. The connecting wire 450 is located on the symmetrical center line of the outer contour of the snake bone body, which facilitates the formation of a stable deflection axis 441 for each bending segment 430. In some other embodiments, the connecting wire 450 can also be assembled into the bending segment 430 and the hinge 440 after the bending segment 430 and the hinge 440 are formed.

[0092] The number of bending adjustment segments 430 can be increased or decreased as needed, and each bending adjustment segment 430 is arranged along the axis of the serpentine. The axis of the serpentine undergoes a curvature change as the bending adjustment segments 430 deflect during use of the endoscope. Initially, the serpentine is generally straight, with its axis being a straight line. As the serpentine bends, its axis also curves accordingly.

[0093] The bending deflection of each bending segment 430 is achieved through a hinge 440. The hinge 440 is connected between two adjacent bending segments 430. The hinge 440 is located on two opposite sides of the radial direction of the serpentine. Please refer to Figure 13. The hinge 440 forms a deflection axis 441 for the relative deflection of the two adjacent bending segments. The deflection axis 441 can be considered as the line connecting the two hinges 440 located on two opposite sides of the radial direction of the serpentine. It should be noted that the deflection axis 441 can be a virtual axis or a physical axis. For example, for the serpentine formed by integral injection molding in this embodiment, the deflection axis 441 of each bending segment is a virtual axis; while for the assembled serpentine, the hinge 440 of each bending segment will form a deflection axis 441 of a physical structure. As an example, an ear plate protruding from the end face can be provided at one axial end of the bending adjustment segment 430, and a rotating shaft perpendicular to the axis of the bending adjustment segment 430 can be provided on the ear plate, and a rotating matching hole can be provided at the other axial end of the bending adjustment segment 430, and the rotating shaft can be rotatably embedded in the rotating matching hole to achieve hinged connection.

[0094] In order to achieve the passage of instruments and / or the arrangement of lines, a working channel 431 is provided on the bending segment 430. The working channel 431 extends along the axis of the serpentine and is located in the middle area of ​​the cross section of the bending segment 430. It should be noted that the number of working channels 431 can be configured as one or more than two. Any one working channel 431 can pass only one instrument / line or pass two or more different instruments / lines at the same time. In addition, the shape of the working channel 431 can be set as needed and is not limited in the present invention. When there is only one working channel on the bending segment 430, this working channel can form a channel distribution area, and the channel distribution area corresponds to the edge contour of the working channel. In some other embodiments, at least two working channels can also be provided on the bending segment 430, and the portion of the bending segment 420 located between the working channels and the working channels together form a channel distribution area.

[0095] To achieve bending control of the serpentine, the bending adjustment segment 430 is provided with a traction wire channel. The traction wire channel is located outside the working channel 431 and also extends along the axis of the serpentine. The traction wire channel includes a first traction wire channel 432 and a second traction wire channel 433. The first traction wire channel 432 and the second traction wire channel 433 are respectively arranged on different sides of the bending adjustment segment 430 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the serpentine. Each traction wire channel can be provided with a traction wire 460. By tightening one of the traction wires 460, the serpentine can bend toward the side where the traction wire 460 is tightened. Those skilled in the art will understand that the traction wire channel can allow the traction wire 460 to move, and the distal end of the traction wire 460 can be fixed to the distal end of the serpentine.

[0096] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments and technical solutions of the present invention, please refer to Figures 11 and 13 below. The direction extending along the axis of the bending adjustment segment 430 is defined as the first direction, the direction extending along the yaw axis 441 is defined as the second direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions on the bending adjustment segment 430 is defined as the third direction. Of course, these orientations are defined in the embodiments merely to more clearly illustrate the positional relationships between the various components and do not limit the actual spatial positions of the present invention.

[0097] In one embodiment, the outer contour of the cross section of the snake bone is circular, and the outer contour dimension in the second direction is equal to the outer contour dimension in the third direction. However, in other embodiments, the outer contour of the cross section of the snake bone may also be other shapes, such as an ellipse, so that the outer contour dimension of the snake bone in the second direction is not equal to the outer contour dimension in the third direction.

[0098] Since the traction wire 460 easily interferes with the serpentine when assembled with other components, if this problem is solved by increasing the radial size of the serpentine, it will affect the applicable range of the endoscope and reduce the patient's comfort during examination and treatment. In the present invention, at least one of the first traction wire channel 432 located on one side of the yaw axis 441 in the third direction and the second traction wire channel 433 located on the other side of the yaw axis 441 in the third direction is offset along the second direction to the bending adjustment segment 430. This can avoid forming an avoidance position by increasing the radial size of the serpentine, thereby achieving radial size control of the serpentine. It should be noted that those skilled in the art should understand that the above-mentioned offset refers to deviating from the middle part of the bending adjustment segment 430 in the corresponding direction. The middle part of the bending adjustment segment 430 in the corresponding direction is located on the straight line with the largest outer contour size of the serpentine along the third direction.

[0099] In one embodiment, only the second traction wire 460 may be offset. Referring to FIG. 13 , in one embodiment, a perpendicular line from the first traction wire channel 432 to the yaw axis 441 passes through the axis of the bending adjustment segment 430, and the second traction wire channel 433 is offset relative to a symmetrical position of the first traction wire channel 432 at least in the direction of extension of the yaw axis 441. The symmetrical position of the first traction wire channel 432 is a mirror image position of the first traction wire channel 432 with the plane of symmetry common to the axis of the bending adjustment segment 430 and the yaw axis 441 as the plane of symmetry.

[0100] In a specific embodiment, the distance between the first traction wire channel 432 and the yaw axis 441 is greater than the distance between the second traction wire channel 433 and the yaw axis 441 , so that a larger avoidance space can be formed at the symmetrical position of the first traction wire channel 432 .

[0101] In one specific embodiment, as shown in FIG13 , the working channel 431 has different dimensions along the second direction on both sides in the third direction, with the side farther from the first traction wire channel 432 having a smaller dimension. Accordingly, the first traction wire channel 432 is aligned with the working channel 431 along the third direction, i.e., the first traction wire channel 432 is located outside the channel distribution area in the third direction, while the second traction wire channel 433 is aligned with the working channel 431 along the second direction, i.e., the second traction wire channel 433 is located outside the channel distribution area in the second direction. In some other embodiments, if the second traction wire channel 433 deviates from the symmetrical position of the first traction wire channel 432 by a small distance, and a portion thereof extends beyond the working channel 431 along the third direction, then the second traction wire channel 433 can also be considered to be aligned with the working channel 431 along the third direction.

[0102] In one embodiment, in the third direction, please refer to Figure 13, the side of the bending segment 430 with the first traction wire channel 432 is the first side, and the side with the second traction wire channel 433 is the second side. The thickness of the first side of the side wall of the working channel 431 is greater than the thickness of the second side, so that the arrangement of the second traction wire channel 433 can be met while striving for a larger cross-section of the working space, and the size of the snake bone can be avoided from increasing.

[0103] To maximize the size of the working channel 431, in one embodiment, the cross-sectional profile of the working channel 431 on the side away from the first traction wire channel 432 is arc-shaped, thereby achieving greater space utilization. Of course, in a specific embodiment, the cross-sectional profile of the working channel 431 on the side away from the first traction wire channel 432 can also be a straight line. Furthermore, in some other embodiments, the working channels 431 can also be arranged symmetrically along the yaw axis 441.

[0104] In the above embodiment, the outer contour of the cross section of the snake bone is circular; in some other embodiments, the outer contour of the cross section of the snake bone may also be other shapes, such as an ellipse, with the long axis of the ellipse arranged along the third direction, so that a smaller circumferential size can be achieved.

[0105] In the above embodiment, the bending adjustment segment 430 and the hinge portion 440 are integrally injection molded. In some other embodiments, please refer to Figures 15 and 16, the serpentine bone is a metal serpentine bone. Specifically, the bending adjustment segment 430 of the metal serpentine bone is an annular structure, and a groove 435 is formed by local stamping and deformation of the ring body. The groove 435 protrudes toward the inner cavity of the ring body, thereby forming a traction wire channel. In order to achieve the hinged swing of two adjacent bending adjustment segments 430 in the metal serpentine bone, a physical yaw axis 441 can be formed by processing corresponding grooves and hinge pieces at both ends of the metal ring, or a rivet structure can be used between the bending adjustment segments 430 to form a physical yaw axis 441. The molding method of the bending adjustment segment 430 of the above-mentioned metal serpentine bone can adopt existing technology, and only the setting positions of the first traction wire channel 432 and the second traction wire channel 433 need to be changed.

[0106] When assembling the insertion tube assembly of the endoscope, the proximal and distal ends of the snake bone need to be connected to corresponding components, and the outer diameter and wall thickness of the internal channel of these components are limited. By setting the first traction wire channel 432 and the second traction wire channel 433 as an asymmetric structure, at least one is offset on the bending adjustment segment 430 along the second direction, the corresponding components can be avoided more flexibly, and there is no need to reduce or avoid interference by assembling by increasing the radial size of the insertion tube, thereby achieving a smaller radial size of the insertion tube.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the hinged parts are arranged along the extension axis of the adjustable bending section, each bending section forms a same-direction bending section with the same yaw direction, the yaw axes of each bending section are parallel to each other, and the adjustable bending section can only swing back and forth in two opposite directions. In some other embodiments, for an adjustable bending section that needs to bend in four directions, the bending sections on both sides of the middle bending section in the three adjacent bending sections can have a 90-degree position difference in the circumferential direction, and the two groups of hinged parts on both sides of the axial direction of the bending section, which are arranged at 90 degrees in the circumferential direction of the adjustable bending section, respectively realize the swinging motion with the cross-axis. In this case, two pairs of traction wires are provided, and two driving wheels can be provided on the bending drive device to drive a pair of traction wires respectively.

[0108] The above examples are used to illustrate the present invention, which are only used to help understand the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make several simple deductions, modifications or substitutions based on the concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bending drive device, characterized in that, Comprising: An installation base; A driving wheel rotatably assembled on the installation base; And at least two pairs of traction wires arranged in pairs, and the two pairs of traction wires arranged in pairs are respectively used to be arranged on different sides of the snake bone to drive the snake bone to yaw in two opposite directions; At least two wire winding regions are provided on the driving wheel, and the two wire winding regions include at least one first wire winding region and at least one second wire winding region. The first wire winding region and the second wire winding region are located on different sides in the radial direction of the driving wheel, and the wire winding radius of at least one of the first wire winding regions is different from the wire winding radius of at least one of the second wire winding regions.

2. The bending drive device according to claim 1, wherein At least two wire winding regions are arranged in layers along the rotation axis of the driving wheel, and a card slot is provided on the radially outer side of the driving wheel, and the wire winding region is formed by the card slot.

3. The bending drive device according to claim 2, wherein The driving wheel includes an anti-detachment protrusion provided on the groove side wall of the card slot and located at the notch of the card slot, and the anti-detachment protrusion is used to prevent the traction wire from coming out of the card slot along the radial direction of the driving wheel.

4. The bending drive device according to claim 3, characterized in that The anti-detachment protrusion is provided on one of the groove side walls of the card slot, and an avoidance opening is provided on the other groove side wall of the card slot. At least a part of the anti-detachment protrusion extends into the avoidance opening, and there is a gap between the anti-detachment protrusion and the inner side wall of the avoidance opening.

5. The bending drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The driving wheel includes an arc portion and a notch portion, the wire winding region is provided on the arc portion, at least a part of the end face of the arc portion is exposed in the notch portion, and the traction wire of the bending adjustment driving device is wound around the arc portion through the notch portion.

6. The bending drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that A fixing groove is provided on the end face of the driving wheel, a traction block is fixed at the end of the traction wire, the traction block is embedded in the fixing groove, and a channel for leading out the traction wire is provided on the groove wall of the fixing groove.

7. An endoscope, characterized in that, Comprising: An insertion tube assembly, the insertion tube assembly includes an adjustable bending section, the adjustable bending section includes bending adjustment sections hinged in sequence, a hinge portion is provided between two adjacent bending adjustment sections, the hinge portion forms a yaw axis for the two adjacent bending adjustment sections to relatively yaw, and the hinge portion between two adjacent bending adjustment sections is located on two opposite sides in the radial direction of the adjustable bending section; A handle assembly connected to the proximal end of the insertion tube assembly, and a bending adjustment driving device is provided in the handle assembly, and the bending adjustment driving device is the bending adjustment driving device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein, The extending direction of the axis of the bending adjustment section is the first direction, the extending direction of the yaw axis is the second direction, the bending adjustment section has a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, the traction wire channel includes a first traction wire channel and a second traction wire channel respectively located on both sides of the yaw axis in the third direction, and at least one of the first traction wire channel and the second traction wire channel is offset on the bending adjustment section along the second direction.

9. The endoscope according to claim 8, characterized in that, The perpendicular line from the first wire-drawing channel to the yaw axis passes through the axis of the bending adjustment section. The second wire-drawing channel has an offset at least in the second direction relative to the symmetric position of the first wire-drawing channel, and the symmetric position of the first wire-drawing channel is the mirror image position of the first wire-drawing channel with the plane where the axis of the bending adjustment section and the yaw axis are located together as the symmetric plane.

10. The endoscope according to claim 8, characterized in that, One working channel is provided on the bending adjustment section, and the working channel forms a channel distribution area. Alternatively, at least two working channels are provided on the bending adjustment section, and the portions of the bending adjustment section between the working channels and the working channels together form a channel distribution area. The first wire-drawing channel is located outside the channel distribution area in the third direction, and the second wire-drawing channel is located outside the channel distribution area in the second direction.

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