Surgery – Endoscope – Having flexible tube structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-22
2002-10-29
Dvorak, Linda C. M. (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Endoscope
Having flexible tube structure
C600S139000, C600S141000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06471641
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Art
This invention relates to an insertion instrument of an endoscope for medical use, and more particularly to a joint construction for connecting an angle section to a flexible body section of an endoscopic insertion instrument.
2. Prior Art
Generally, endoscopes which are in use in medical fields have a construction as shown in FIG.
8
. In that figure, indicated at
1
is a manipulating head assembly, at
2
an insertion instrument and at
3
a universal cable of an endoscope. A major part of the insertion instrument
2
consists of an elongated flexible body
2
a
which is extended out from the manipulating head assembly
1
. Connected successively to the fore end of the flexible body
2
a
are an angle section
2
b
and a rigid tip end section
2
c
which is provided with an observation window in its housing along with illumination windows. The angle section
2
b
is interposed for the purpose of turning the rigid tip end section
2
c
into aimed directions. The elongated flexible body
2
a
is arranged to have a flexible structure which is bendable in arbitrary directions along a path of insertion.
Illustrated in
FIG. 9
is a joint portion through which the angle section
2
b
is connected to the flexible elongated body
2
a
of the insertion instrument
2
. Generally, the flexible body
2
a
, which is required to have flexibility in bending directions, is internally provided with a coil tube as a flexible spinal structure, which is formed by helically winding metal strips of a predetermined width. The coil tube
10
is normally in the form of a double coil tube consisting of two metal coils which are wound in different directions and overlapped one on the other. A mesh layer
11
and an outer skin layer
12
are successively wrapped on and around the coil tube
10
of the flexible body
2
a.
The angle section
2
b
is arranged to be bent into an angular direction by remote control from an angle knob
4
which is provided on the manipulating head assembly
1
. The angle section
2
b
has a flexible structure which is constituted by a series of flexibly connected angle rings
13
. Adjacent angle rings
13
are pivotally connected with each other by a pair of pivoting pins
14
which are located at 180 degrees positions relative to each other. Therefore, the angle rings
13
can be turned about the pivoting pins
14
in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the pivoting pins
14
. The angle rings
13
are successively connected by the paired pivoting pins
14
the positions of which are shifted alternately by 90 degrees, so that the angle section
2
b
can be turned vertically in upward and downward directions and at the same time laterally in rightward and leftward directions. Similarly to the flexible body portion
2
a
, a mesh layer
15
and an outer skin layer
16
are successively wrapped on the pivotally connected angle rings
13
.
The flexible body
2
a
and the angle section
2
b
of the insertion instrument are different from each other in construction, so that it is the usual practice to fabricate these parts separately and join them together in a later stage. For the purpose of joining the flexible body
2
a
and the angle section
2
b
together, connector rings
17
and
18
are attached to the fore end of the flexible body
2
a
and the proximal end of the angle section
2
b
, respectively. After being fitted one on the other, the connector rings
17
and
18
are securely fixed with each other. Indicated at
17
is the connector ring on the side of the flexible body
2
a
. This connector ring
17
is securely fixed to a fore end of the coil tube
10
of the flexible body
2
a
by spot welding or by other fixation means. On the other hand, indicated at
18
is the connector ring on the side of the angle section
2
b
. This connector ring
18
is inserted into a rearmost angle ring
13
and likewise securely fixed to the latter by spot welding or by other suitable fixation means. Part of the connector ring
18
on the side of the angle section
2
b
is fitted into the connector ring
17
on the side of the flexible body
2
a
. The connector ring
17
which is fitted on the outer periphery of the connector ring
18
is provided with a plural number of perforations
19
. Solder is poured into these perforations
19
to fix the outer connector ring
17
to the inner connector ring
18
. The outer skin layers
12
and
16
of the flexible body
2
a
and the angle section
2
b
are extended to meet on the outer connector ring, and their meeting ends are fixed in position by line wrapping or by the use of an adhesive.
Fitted in or threaded through the endoscopic insertion instrument
2
are various component parts, including a light guide consisting of a bundle of fiber optics for transmission of illumination light, a signal cable in the case of an electronic endoscope (or an image guide consisting of a bundle of fiber optics in the case of an optical endoscope), a biopsy channel for insertion of a biopsy or surgical instrument or the like, and an air/water feed channel. Further, operating wires
21
are threaded internally of the insertion instrument
2
for angularly bending the angle section
2
b
by remote control. The operating wires
21
include a pair of operating wires which are so arranged and connected as to turn the angle section
2
b
angularly in upward and downward directions, and another pair of operating wires which are so arranged and connected as to turn the angle section
2
b
angularly in lateral direction, that is to say, in rightward and leftward directions. The fore ends of these operating wires
21
are securely fixed either to a foremost angle ring of the angle section
2
b
or to the rigid tip end section
2
c
. Within the angle section
2
b
, the operating wires
21
are threaded through the pivoting pins
14
of the angle rings
13
(or through lancing arches which are provided on the angle rings
13
). Further a flexible guide tube in the form of a tightly closed coil tube
22
is fitted in the elongated flexible body
2
a
, and the above-mentioned operating wires
21
are passed through this tightly closed coil
22
. The fore end of the tightly closed coil
22
is fixed to a joint portion of the flexible body
2
a
with the angle section
2
b.
Illustrated in
FIG. 10
is the construction of a fore end portion of the flexible body
2
a
where the fore end portion of the tightly closed coil
22
is fixed in position. As clear therefrom, by caulking, anchor pins
23
are planted as anchor members in the connector ring
18
on the side of the angle section
2
b
. A wire passage hole
24
is formed in a head portion
23
a
of each anchor pin
23
, which is located on the inner side of the connector ring
18
. Fixedly fitted in the wire passage hole
24
is a pipe member
25
to which the fore end of the tightly closed coil
22
is securely fixed. The fixed pipe member
25
is of a stepped shape having a large diameter portion
25
a
and a small diameter portion
25
b
. The fore end of the tightly closed coil
22
is inserted into and securely fixed by soldering to the large diameter portion
25
a
of the fixed pipe member
25
, which is located on the side of the flexible body
2
a
. The small diameter portion
25
b
is fitted in the wire passage hole
24
, and one operating wire
21
alone is passed through the small diameter portion
25
b.
As described above, various component parts are fitted in or threaded internally of the endoscopic insertion instrument
2
. Nevertheless, in the event of a trouble with one of the fitted or threaded component parts, namely, in case any one of the fitted component parts is damaged or deformed, it becomes necessary to inspect the interior parts of the insertion instrument and to replace a damaged or deformed part if any. Besides, it may also become necessary to separate the angle section from the flexible body at the time of inspection or troubleshooting. On such an occasion, it has been the usual practice to remove the solder which fixes the connector r
Dvorak Linda C. M.
Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
Schopfer Kenneth G
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