WO2018230131A1 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is provided with: an insertion part that is equipped with an imaging part and that is long along the longitudinal axis; an operating part that is provided connected to the proximal end of the insertion part along the longitudinal axis; an image display panel 33 that is provided on the proximal end side of the operating part, displays images acquired by the imaging part, and has a rectangular peripheral edge part 33g; a frame member 32 that covers the periphery of the peripheral edge part 33g; and a plurality of operating buttons 40 provided in a row on the frame member 32 along a first edge 33a of the peripheral edge part 33g, wherein the position of the first edge 33a of the image display panel 33 is disposed in a position that is closer to a central axis S of the operating part than a second edge 33b that faces the first edge 33a.

Description

Endoscope

The present invention includes an image display panel that is provided on the base end side of the operation unit and displays an image acquired by the imaging unit and has a rectangular peripheral edge, and a frame member that covers the periphery. It relates to the endoscope.

In recent years, endoscopes are widely used in the medical field and the industrial field. After the operator inserts the elongated insertion portion of the endoscope into the subject, the image acquired by the imaging unit provided in the insertion portion is displayed on the monitor in the external device to which the endoscope is connected. As a result, the site to be examined in the subject can be observed from the monitor.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-239520 provides a monitor unit including an image display panel and a frame member that covers the peripheral edge of the image display panel on the proximal end side of the operation unit in the endoscope. Thus, without connecting the endoscope to an external device, a portable endoscope that allows an operator to observe a region to be examined in the subject using an image display panel provided in the operation unit. A configuration is disclosed. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-239520 also discloses a configuration in which various operation buttons are provided on a frame member.

Here, as in the endoscope disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-239520, when a plurality of operation buttons are provided on the frame member of the monitor unit, the arrangement space of the plurality of operation buttons is reduced to the frame member. In order to ensure this, the frame member must be enlarged. Furthermore, there is a problem that the monitor unit is increased in size and weight, and portability and portability are reduced.

Also, the increase in the height of the center of gravity and the increase in weight due to the increase in the size of the monitor unit may cause a decrease in operability for the operator and fatigue of the operator.

In addition, if the display area of the image display panel is to be increased, the frame member must be enlarged to secure the space for arranging the plurality of operation buttons in the frame member, which increases the size and weight of the monitor unit. There was a problem such as.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and without increasing the size of the frame member that covers the peripheral edge of the image display panel provided on the base end side of the operation unit, the large image display panel and the plurality of operation buttons are provided. An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope having a configuration that can be disposed on a frame member.

An endoscope according to an aspect of the present invention includes an imaging unit and an elongated insertion unit along the longitudinal axis, and an operation unit that is continuously provided along the longitudinal axis at the proximal end of the insertion unit; An image display panel provided on the base end side of the operation unit, on which an image acquired by the imaging unit is displayed and having a rectangular peripheral part, a frame member covering the periphery, and a peripheral part A plurality of operation buttons provided in a row on the frame member along a first side that can be positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the image display panel The position is disposed at a position closer to the central axis of the operation unit along the longitudinal axis than the second side facing the first side.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the endoscope of this Embodiment The perspective view which shows the state which the monitor unit of the endoscope of FIG. 1 rotated from FIG. 1, and stood up 1 is a top view of the monitor unit of FIG. 1 as viewed from the III direction in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematic, and it should be noted that the relationship between the thickness and width of each member, the ratio of the thickness of each member, and the like are different from the actual ones. Of course, the part from which the relationship and ratio of a mutual dimension differ is contained.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the endoscope of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the monitor unit of the endoscope of FIG. 1 is rotated from FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the endoscope 1 includes an endoscope main body 2 and a monitor unit 34 fixed to the endoscope main body 2. Endoscope.

The endoscope body 2 includes an insertion portion 12 that is elongated along the longitudinal axis N inserted into the subject, and an operation portion 13 that is provided along the longitudinal axis N at the base end of the insertion portion 12. The main part is configured by including a holding base 31 connected to the base end side of the operation part 13.

The insertion portion 12 is located on the distal end side and includes a distal end portion 15 provided with an imaging unit 7 therein, a bending portion 16 that is connected to the proximal end of the distal end portion 15 and can be bent in a plurality of directions, The main part is comprised including the flexible tube part 17 which is connected to the base end of the bending part 16 and has flexibility.

The scissors operating portion 13 includes a gripping portion 18 gripped by an operator and an operation portion main body 19 connected to the proximal end of the gripping portion 18 to constitute a main portion.

The grasping portion 18 is provided with a treatment instrument insertion port 20 for inserting and removing a treatment instrument such as forceps with respect to a treatment instrument channel (not shown) provided in the endoscope body 2.

In addition, the operation unit main body 19 is provided with an aspiration base 21 that is used when a liquid such as a body fluid or a sputum is aspirated from within the subject. A suction device can be connected to the suction base 21 via a tube (not shown).

Further, the operation unit body 19 is provided with a bending operation lever 23 for bending the bending portion 16 in the vertical direction, for example.

The heel bending operation lever 23 is configured in, for example, an L-shape having a finger hooking portion 23a on which an operator's finger is hung and an arm portion 23b connected to the finger hooking portion 23a.

Further, the pressure is released to the operation unit body 19 when the pressure in the operation unit body 19 is larger than the pressure outside the operation unit body 19, and the gas flows from the operation unit body 19 to the outside of the operation unit body 19 in one direction. A base 22 having a check valve (not shown) inside is provided.

The holding table 31 is connected to the base end of the operation unit main body 19 through a columnar neck 30 that is rotatable around the longitudinal axis N. Therefore, the holding base 31 is rotatable around the longitudinal axis N with respect to the operation portion main body 19 via the neck portion 30.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the holding base 31 is eccentric from the central axis S along the longitudinal axis N of the operation unit 13 in the direction X to the side opposite to the operation buttons 40 described later. The operation unit main body 19 is connected to the base end position.

Further, the holding stand 31 is provided with an activation button 27 for switching the imaging unit 7 between activation and deactivation. The activation button 27 is not limited to the holding base 31 and may be provided at another part of the endoscope body 2.

The monitor unit 34 has a predetermined frictional force with respect to the holding base 31 and is fixed so as to be rotatable via a rotation shaft 50.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the monitor unit 34 stands up approximately 90 degrees with respect to the holding table 31 as shown in FIG. It is fixed so as to be rotatable between the upright position.

The holding unit 31 is connected to the base end position of the operation unit main body 19 that is eccentric to the opposite side of the plurality of operation buttons 40 in the direction X from the central axis S of the operation unit 13. 34 is also eccentrically positioned in the direction X from the central axis S of the operation unit 13 on the opposite side of the plurality of operation buttons 40.

That is, a center point Mu of the monitor unit 34, which is a center point Mp of the image display panel 33 to be described later, is eccentrically located on the opposite side of the operation buttons 40 side in the direction X from the center axis S of the operation unit 13. ing.

The monitor unit 34 includes an image display panel 33 that displays an image acquired by the imaging unit 7 and has a rectangular peripheral portion 33g, and a frame member 32 that covers the periphery 33g. Has been.

Note that the image display panel 33 may have a peripheral portion 33g other than the rectangle as shown in FIG. 3, for example, a peripheral portion 33g such as a square, an octagon, a circle, or an ellipse. Even in this case, the center point Mp coincides with the center point Mu.

Next, the configuration of the monitor unit 34 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a top view of the monitor unit of FIG. 1 viewed from the III direction in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the image display panel 33 has a first side 33a and a first side that can be positioned along a direction Y parallel to the longitudinal axis N in the standing state as shown in FIG. The peripheral portion 33g is rectangular from the second side 33b facing the side 33a, and the third side 33c and the fourth side 33d along the direction X connecting the first side 33a and the second side 33b. Is formed.

Specifically, a peripheral portion 33g is formed in a rectangular shape that is horizontally long in the direction X in which the first side 33a and the second side 33b are formed in shorter sides than the third side 33c and the fourth side 33d. ing.

As described above, since the monitor unit 34 is eccentrically positioned on the opposite side of the plurality of operation buttons 40 in the direction X from the central axis S of the operation unit 13, the first side in the direction X The position of 33a is disposed at a position closer to the central axis S of the operation unit 13 than the second side 33b (X1 <X2).

In the frame 32, a plurality of operation buttons 40 made of, for example, push switches are provided in a row in the region A along the first side 33a.

Note that the plurality of operation buttons 40 are preferably composed of at least three, but in the present embodiment, a case where the plurality of operation buttons 40 are composed of five will be described as an example.

It should be noted that the plurality of operation buttons 40 may be composed of any number of buttons as long as the number is three or more.

The plurality of operation buttons 40 are input buttons for the image display panel 33. For example, the MENU / BACK button 41, the PLAY button 42, the upward movement button 43, and the downward movement button 44 are provided. And an OK (execute) button 45.

Each button 41 to 45 is formed in a shape having circular peripheral edges 41g, 42g, 43g, 44g, and 45g so as to improve waterproofness.

Further, as long as waterproofness can be ensured for each of the buttons 41 to 45, the peripheral portions 41g to 45g may be formed in a shape other than a circle, and the size, shape, and color of each button 41 to 45 may be May be at least partially different.

Furthermore, the plurality of operation buttons 40 are divided into three groups according to function so that the operator can easily operate the buttons intuitively. In addition, the MENU / BACK button 41 and the PLAY button 42 are set as the first group E, and the upward movement button 43 and the downward movement button 44 are set as the second group F. Buttons 45 are divided as a third group G. Further, the first group E and the second group F adjacent in the direction Y are separated in the direction Y, and the second group F and the third group G adjacent in the direction Y are separated in the direction Y. Yes.

Note that the MENU / BACK button 41 and the PLAY button 42 of the first group E may be integrally formed from a seesaw switch, and the upward movement button of the second group F 43 and the downward movement button 44 may be integrally formed from a seesaw switch.

In addition, the function of each switch described above is merely an example, and it goes without saying that other functions may be assigned.

In the frame 32, the plurality of operation buttons 40 are provided in the region A along the first side 33a for the following reason.

Normally, when inserting into a subject, the insertion unit 12 is gripped by the operator's right hand, the operation unit 13 is gripped by the operator's left hand, and a button of the plurality of operation buttons 40 is used when changing the setting. The operation is performed by, for example, the thumb of the operator's right hand.

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3, when provided along the second side 33b and the fourth side 33d, the image display panel 33 is covered with the right hand when a button is operated with the right hand. This is to prevent the image acquired by the imaging unit 7 from being difficult to see.

Further, the reason why the third side 33c is not provided along the third side 33c is that the third side 33c is located in the vicinity of the rotary shaft 50, so that the rotary shaft 50 is arranged on the monitor unit 34. This is because the vicinity of the third side 33c of the frame body 32 is formed with a small thickness, so that it is difficult to arrange the plurality of operation buttons 40.

In addition, if a plurality of operation buttons 40 are provided along the third side 33c and the fourth side 33d, the monitor unit 34 becomes large in the direction Y, so that the balance of the center of gravity of the monitor unit 34 is the first. This is because it becomes biased toward the side 33d of 4 and it becomes difficult to grip the operation unit 13 for a long time.

That is, the plurality of operation buttons 40 are provided along the first side 33a because the image display panel 33 is not blocked by the right hand of the operator when the buttons are operated, and the frame 32 is provided. This is because the plurality of operation buttons 40 can be easily arranged, and the operator can hold the operation unit 13 with a good balance of the center of gravity.

Note that the above is the same even when the monitor unit 34 is formed large in the direction X in order to secure a larger area of the image display panel 33.

As described above, the position of the first side 33a in the direction X is disposed closer to the central axis S of the operation unit 13 than the second side 33b (X1 <X2).

From this, even when the plurality of operation buttons 40 provided at positions close to the central axis S of the operation unit 13 are operated with the right finger of the operator while the operation unit 13 is gripped by the left hand finger, The operating moment is reduced. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the monitor unit 34 from wobbling, so that the operability of the plurality of operation buttons 40 is improved.

This is because if the plurality of operation buttons 40 are located away from the central axis S of the operation unit 13 in the direction X, the operation moment when the plurality of operation buttons 40 are operated increases. For this reason, the left finger that holds the operation unit 13 cannot withstand the operation moment, the monitor unit 34 is easily wobbled, and it is difficult to operate the plurality of operation buttons 40 while looking at the image display panel 33. Because.

As described above, in the present embodiment, it is indicated that the plurality of operation buttons 40 are provided in a line in the region A along the first side 33a in the frame 32.

に よ According to this, since the plurality of operation buttons 40 are provided in a line, the area of the image display panel 33 in the frame 32 can be made larger than in the conventional case.

Further, since it is provided along the first side 33 a, when operating the plurality of operation buttons 40 with the right hand, the image display panel 33 is hidden with the right hand and displayed on the image display panel 33. It is prevented that the image is blocked.

In the present embodiment, since the monitor unit 34 is located eccentrically in the direction X from the central axis S of the operation unit 13, the position of the first side 33a in the direction X is the second position. It is shown that (X1 <X2) is disposed at a position closer to the central axis S of the operation unit 13 than the side 33b.

According to this, the position of the first side 33a in the direction X is disposed closer to the central axis S of the operation unit 13 than the second side 33b (X1 <X2).

From this, even when the plurality of operation buttons 40 provided at positions close to the central axis S of the operation unit 13 are operated with the right finger of the operator while the operation unit 13 is gripped by the left hand finger, The operating moment is reduced. For this reason, since it can prevent that the monitor unit 34 wobbles, it becomes easier to perform the button operation of the several operation button 40 with a right finger.

From the above, the large image display panel 33 and the plurality of operation buttons 40 are arranged on the frame member 32 without increasing the size of the frame member 32 covering the peripheral edge portion 33g of the image display panel 33 provided on the proximal end side of the operation unit 13. An endoscope 1 having a configuration that can be provided can be provided.

This application is filed on the basis of the priority claim of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-117992 filed in Japan on June 15, 2017, and the above content includes the present specification, claims, and drawings. Is quoted in

Claims (6)

An insertion section having an imaging section and elongated along the longitudinal axis;
An operation unit provided along the longitudinal axis at the base end of the insertion unit;
An image display panel provided on a base end side of the operation unit, on which an image acquired by the imaging unit is displayed and having a rectangular peripheral edge;
A frame member covering the periphery of the peripheral edge;
A plurality of operation buttons provided in a row on the frame member along a first side that can be positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the peripheral edge;
Have
The image display panel is arranged such that the position of the first side is closer to the central axis of the operation unit along the longitudinal axis than the second side facing the first side. An endoscope characterized by that. In the image display panel, the first side and the second side of the peripheral part connect the first side and the second side, and the third side and the fourth side of the peripheral part. The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a rectangle formed on a shorter side. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of operation buttons is at least three. 4. The endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of operation buttons is five. The endoscope according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of operation buttons are divided into three groups for each function. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of operation buttons have a circular peripheral edge.

Images