Guide tube, guide tube device and endoscope system

The present invention relates to a guide tube, a guide tube device having the guide tube, and an endoscopic system having the guide tube.

The endoscope device has an insertion portion, and an imaging portion such as a CCD is arranged at the tip of the insertion portion. The user inserts the insertion part to the target position and observes the target in the field of view from the tip part by the CCD.

Further, in Non-Patent Document 1, a ciliary tape is wound around the outer periphery of the endoscope insertion portion, and the insertion portion is vibrated by a vibration motor so that the insertion portion advances in the longitudinal direction of the self-propelled endoscope. The device is disclosed.<nplcit num="1"><text>Kazuya Izaki, et al., Proceedings of the 11th Robotics Symposia Lecture (Development of Active Cords Driven by Ciliary Movement Mechanism), Japan, March 16, 2006, pp. 414-419.</text></nplcit>

<p> However, once the cilia tape is wound around the outer periphery of the endoscope insertion portion, the cilia tape must be removed when the endoscope is used as a normal endoscope device, which is complicated.</p><p> Therefore, a guide tube capable of inserting the tip portion to a target predetermined position, a guide tube device having the guide tube, and an endoscope system having the guide tube have been desired.</p>

<p> The guide tube according to the present embodiment is provided on the tube body, a cilia portion provided on the outer peripheral portion of the tube body and composed of a large number of cilia inclined in the longitudinal direction of the tube body, and the tube body. Further, it is characterized by having a vibrating portion that vibrates the cilia portion so as to advance the tubular body in the longitudinal direction.</p><p> The guide tube device according to the present embodiment is arranged on the tubular body, a tubular body, a fiber hair portion provided on the outer peripheral portion of the tubular body and composed of a large number of fibers inclined in the longitudinal direction of the tubular body, and the tubular body. The endoscope operating unit that operates a guide tube having a vibrating portion that vibrates the ciliated portion so as to advance the tubular body in the longitudinal direction, and a vibration control unit that controls the vibrating portion. It is characterized by including a detachable vibration operation unit and a power receiving connector for receiving driving power of the vibration unit from the power supply unit.</p><p> The endoscope system according to the present embodiment includes an insertion portion having an imaging means at the tip portion, an endoscope operation portion for operating the insertion portion arranged on the base end portion side of the insertion portion, and a power supply unit. An endoscopic device having a main body portion in which the tube is arranged, a tube body, and a fiber section composed of a large number of fibers inclined in the longitudinal direction of the tube body provided on the outer peripheral portion of the tube body. Attached to and detached from the guide tube provided on the tubular body and having a vibrating portion that vibrates the ciliary portion so as to advance the tubular body in the longitudinal direction, and the endoscope operating portion that operates the vibrating portion. It includes a possible vibration operation unit and a connector for receiving driving power of the vibration unit from the main body unit.</p>

<p> It is possible to provide a guide tube capable of inserting the tip portion into a predetermined position of a target, a guide tube device having the guide tube, and an endoscopic system having the guide tube.</p>

&lt;First embodiment&gt; Hereinafter, the endoscope system 1 of the first embodiment, the guide tube 10 of the first embodiment, and the guide tube device 20 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, the endoscope system, the guide tube, and the guide tube device will be referred to as an endoscope system and the like.

FIG. 1 is an external view showing the appearance of an endoscope device used in combination with a so-called self-propelled guide tube device of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an external view showing the appearance of the guide tube device of the present embodiment. 3 is an external view showing the appearance of the endoscope system of the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the endoscope system of the present embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows an endoscope device 2 used in combination with the guide tube device 20 of the present embodiment. The basic configuration of the endoscope device 2 is the same as that of a general-purpose endoscope device, and includes a main body portion 3, an endoscope operation portion 7, and an elongated insertion portion 8. CCD9, which is an imaging unit, is arranged at the tip portion 8A of the insertion portion 8. The main body 3 contains a power supply unit 4 for supplying electric power and a processing unit 3A (see FIG. 4) composed of various processing boards (not shown). The LCD5, which is a display unit for displaying an endoscopic image or the like, is detachably arranged from the main body unit 3, and the LCD 5 operates by receiving power from the power supply unit 4 of the main body unit 3. Further, in the endoscope device 2, the power supply unit 4 has a connector 6 which is a power transmission connector for supplying power not only to the LCD 5 but also to the guide tube device 20. The connector 6 has a structure for branching the transmission line 4E from the power supply unit 4. That is, the endoscope device 2 replaces the power transmission connector that supplies power to the LCD 5 of the general-purpose endoscope device with the connector 6 having a branch structure, and connects the power transmission line 5A to the LCD 5 to the connector 6.

On the other hand, the guide tube device 20 shown in FIG. 2 has a guide tube 10 and a vibration operation unit 12. The guide tube 10 has an elongated shape with a tube body 24 having an inner diameter insertion hole 24A through which the insertion portion 8 of the endoscope device 2 can be inserted as a so-called core, and a large number of cilia on the outer peripheral portion of the tube body 24. A ciliated portion 30 having 31 is provided.

The vibration operation unit 12 is connected to the connector 15 which is a power receiving connector for receiving electric power via the power supply line 15A, and the vibration motor 21 of the vibration unit 29 connected via the signal line 12A by the operation of the switch unit 13 is connected. Drive. The vibration operation unit 12 is provided with a fixing jig 12B for attaching / detaching to / from the endoscope operation unit 7.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the endoscope system 1 is configured by integrating the guide tube device 20 and the endoscope device 2. That is, the insertion part 8 of the endoscope device 2 is inserted into the insertion hole 24A of the guide tube 10, and the vibration operation part 12 of the guide tube device 20 is the endoscope operation part 7 of the endoscope device 2 by the fixing jig 12B. The connector 15 which is the power receiving connector of the guide tube device 20 is connected to the connector 6 which is the power transmitting connector of the endoscope device 2. The power transmission connector may be arranged in the endoscope operation unit 7.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the vibration operation unit 12 has a vibration control unit 14 that controls vibration and a switch unit 13 that selects a vibrating vibration motor 21. The guide tube device 20 can drive only a part of the vibration motors 21 selected by the switch unit 13 among the plurality of vibration motors 21 arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the tube body 24. That is, the vibration motor 21 of the guide tube 10 illustrated in FIG. 4 is roughly divided into a vibration motor group 21A on the base end side, a vibration motor group 21B in the center part, and a vibration motor group 21C on the tip end side, respectively. It can be driven for each vibration motor group. Each vibration motor group is composed of n vibration motors (integer of n 2), for example, 21A1 to 21An. Therefore, in the endoscope system 1 and the like, the user can selectively vibrate a part of the guide tube 10.

The vibration motor 21 is not limited to the vibration motor group (21A, 21B, 21C), and a single vibration motor 21 may be arranged at a plurality of places, and each vibration motor can be controlled independently. There may be. Further, the number of vibration motors 21 in the vibration motor group (21A, 21B, 21C) may be different from each other.

Next, the structure of the vibrating portion 29 of the guide tube 10 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. 5 and 6 are transparent perspective views for explaining the structure of the vibrating portion of the present embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a schematic assembled cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of the vibrating portion of the present embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the vibrating portion 29 is a semi-cylindrical metal case in which the vibrating motor 21 and the inner peripheral portion in which the vibrating motor 21 is housed are in close contact with the pipe body 24. It has a motor case 22 and is mechanically fixed to the tube body 24. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, in the motor case 22, a metal fixing jig 26 having a semicircular cross section is arranged on the opposite side of the motor case 22 so as to be in close contact with the pipe body 24, and screws are used. It is fixed to the tube body 24 using 27.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the power line 21D that supplies electric power to the vibration motor 21 is spirally wound around the tube body 24. Therefore, in the endoscope system 1 and the like, the power line 21D is unlikely to be broken because the tube body 24 is not subjected to particularly strong deformation when it is curved in a specific direction.

The vibration motor 21 is a combination of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet, and a weight is arranged at a position deviated from the center of the rotation axis of the shaft of the motor that rotates by electromagnetic force. When the shaft rotates, it vibrates due to the centrifugal force of the weight. Since the vibrating portion 29 of the present embodiment has the above configuration, vibration can be transmitted more efficiently than the vibrating portion fixed to the tube body 24 using resin.

Next, the step reducing portion 23 of the guide tube 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 is a perspective view for explaining the step reduction portion of the present embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIG.

As described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the guide tube 10 of the present embodiment has a structure in which the motor case 22 protrudes from the outer peripheral portion of the tubular body 24. However, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the guide tube 10 has a step reducing portion 23 for reducing a step in the circumferential direction between the motor case 22 and the outer peripheral portion of the tubular body 24. In other words, the step reducing portion 23 has an action of setting the size of the ciliated tape 30A (see FIG. 10) in the vicinity of the motor case 22 to be the size of the motor case 22. The step reduction portion 23 is composed of a front portion 23A, a rear portion 23B, and an intermediate portion 23C, and is designed to form an inclination from the size of the pipe body 24 to the size of the motor case 22 and to make a gentle transition. There is. Therefore, in the endoscope system 1 and the like, the ciliated tape 30A can be uniformly wound around the tube body 24.

Here, the step reducing portion 23 shown in FIG. 9 is made of a flexible resin and can be opened on both sides at the lower part, so that it can be attached to and detached from the pipe body 24. The step reducing portion 23 is not limited to the one having an inclined structure, and if the structure is such that the cilia tape 30A can be easily wound, for example, a structure in which a spiral step corresponding to the width of the cilia tape 30A is formed. It may be made of metal or rubber.

Next, the ciliated tape 30A of the guide tube 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 10 is a perspective view for explaining how to wind the ciliated tape in the step reduction portion of the present embodiment, and FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. Although the cilia of the cilia tape 30A are not shown in FIG. 10, they are shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 10, the cilia portion 30 is formed by spirally winding the cilia tape 30A around the tube body 24. The cilia 31 of the cilia tape 30A is made of nylon with a diameter of 0.01 mm and a cilia length of 7 to 10 mm, and is about 2500 pieces / cm.²It is formed with the density of. Then, the cilia tape 30A inclined at a desired angle, for example, 60 degrees, is a cilia tape having upright cilia 31 at a temperature equal to or higher than the thermoplastic deformation temperature of the material of the cilia 31 in a state where the cilia are inclined and deformed. It can be obtained by performing heat treatment and temperature lowering treatment. The cilia 31 may be an inorganic substance such as a metal wire or a metal plate as long as it is a columnar structure.

Then, by winding the cilia tape 30A having the inclined cilia 31 around the tube body 24, the cilia portion 30 having the cilia 31 inclined in the longitudinal direction of the tube body 24 is formed. Here, in order for the guide tube 10 to self-propell toward the tip end, it is preferable that the cilia 31 are inclined toward the proximal end portion. When the cilia 31 inclined in the longitudinal direction of the cilia tape 30A are spirally wound around the tubular body 24, the cilia 31 are inclined by the spiral angle from the longitudinal direction of the tubular body 24. That is, the inclination direction of the cilia 31 does not have to completely coincide with the longitudinal direction of the tubular body 24, and it is sufficient that the cilia have a longitudinal component. For example, the cilia are inclined by about 45 degrees from the longitudinal direction of the tubular body 24. You may be.

The ciliated tape 30A of the guide tube 10 is fixed in the vibrating portion 29 by using the tube body 24 and the screw 29A which is a mechanical fixing member. Therefore, in the endoscopic system 1 and the like, the cilia tape 30A is less likely to be detached from the tube 24 even under stress, as compared with the case where the cilia tape 30A is fixed to the tube 24 by the adhesive tape. It is easy to replace the ciliated tape 30A when it becomes dirty.

The ciliated tape 30A is wound after the vibrating portion 29 and the step reducing portion 23 are arranged on the outer peripheral portion of the tubular body 24. Therefore, in the place where the vibrating portion 29 or the step reducing portion 23 of the tubular body 24 is provided, the ciliated portion 30 is arranged on the outer surface of the vibrating portion 29 or the step reducing portion 23, and the vibrating portion 29 or the step reducing portion 23 is provided. The ciliated portion 30 is not arranged on the tubular body 24 in contact with the portion 23.

Then, as shown in FIG. 11, in the guide tube 10, the length of the cilia 31 of the cilia tape 30A wound around the motor case 22 and the close portion of the motor case 22 is shorter than that of the cilia 31 of the other parts, and the guide tube The maximum outer diameter R1 of 10 is the same as the other parts. The maximum outer diameter R1 is the outer diameter of the guide tube 10 including the tip portion of the cilia 31 as shown in FIG. In the endoscope system 1 and the like, the guide tube 10 has a self-propelled characteristic, for example, a high running speed because the tip of the cilia 31 is in uniform contact with the surrounding ground and the like.

Next, FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the structure near the tip of the guide tube of the present embodiment. FIG. 12 (A) shows the cross-sectional structure of the guide tube 10 in the longitudinal direction, and FIG. 12 (B) shows the state observed from the tip of the guide tube 10.

As shown in FIG. 12A, a tip metal fitting 25 having a microphone 28A and a speaker 28B is arranged at the tip of the guide tube 10.

As described above, in the guide tube 10, the lengths of the cilia 31B of the motor case 22 part and the cilia 31C of the adjacent part of the motor case 22 are shorter than those of the cilia 31A of the other parts, in other words, the guide tube 10 The maximum outer diameter R1 of is the same as other parts.

Next, the usage pattern of the endoscope system 1 of the present embodiment will be described as an example of searching for a victim from the rubble at a disaster site. As shown in FIG. 3, since the user can handle the general-purpose endoscope device 2 and the guide tube device 20 as one endoscope system 1 by integrating them, the endoscope system 1 Has excellent portability. Further, in the endoscope system 1 and the like, it is not necessary to separately prepare a power supply for the guide tube device.

The user inserts the guide tube 10 through the gap in the rubble in the direction of the position where the victim may be present. Then, the switch unit 13 of the vibration operation unit 12 is operated to vibrate only the vibration motor group 21C on the tip side. Then, the tip of the cilia 31 of the cilia portion 30 vibrated by the vibration motors 21C1 to 21Cn performs an elliptical motion due to the repulsive force generated by friction with the surrounding rubble, and a propulsive force in the longitudinal direction, that is, the tip direction is generated. Therefore, the guide tube 10 into which the insertion portion 8 is inserted advances by itself through the gap of the rubble to the deep part in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the vibrating portion 29 vibrates the cilia portion 30 so as to advance the tubular body 24 in the longitudinal direction.

The user can check the endoscopic image taken by the CCD9 arranged at the tip 8A of the insertion portion 8 of the endoscope device 2 on the LCD5 even while the guide tube 10 is self-propelled, and if necessary. Then, the insertion portion 8 is bent. Even if the user holds the base end side of the long guide tube 10 in his hand, the base end side does not vibrate, so that the endoscope system 1 and the like have good operability.

When the guide tube 10 self-propells in the rubble and the central portion of the guide tube 10 enters the rubble, the user operates the switch portion 13 to start the vibration of the vibration motor group 21B in the central portion. In the guide tube device 20, since the vibration operation unit 12 is integrated with the endoscope operation unit 7 by the fixing jig 12B, the user can perform the endoscope operation and the vibration operation at the same time.

When the guide tube 10 further self-propells in the rubble and the base end side of the guide tube 10 enters the rubble, the user operates the switch portion 13 to vibrate the vibration motor group 21A on the base end side. To start. Further, the user may drive only a part of the vibration motor group depending on the surrounding conditions of the guide tube 10. Since the guide tube device 20 can drive only the necessary vibration motor, it can be used for a long time even when a battery is used as a power source.

The user may self-propell the guide tube 10 without inserting the tip of the insertion portion 8 into the tube body 24 up to the tip 10A of the guide tube 10, depending on the condition of the rubble. In this case, the guide tube 10 in the portion where the insertion portion 8 is not inserted has excellent flexibility and is easily curved, so that it is easy to enter the deep portion along the path that can be advanced in the curved space. In addition, the guide tube 10 at the portion where the insertion portion 8 is inserted is rigid to some extent, so that it is easy for the user to handle when operating it by hand.

Then, in the guide tube device 20, when the victim can be confirmed in the rubble by the endoscopic image, the victim can talk with the victim by using the microphone 28A or the speaker 28B at the tip 10A. Further, in the guide tube device 20, the insertion portion 8 of the endoscope device 2 can be removed from the tube body 24, and a supply tube for supplying air, water, or the like to the victim can be inserted into the tube body 24.

That is, since the endoscope system 1 has the guide tube 10, not only is it easy to insert the tip 8A of the endoscope device 2 to the target position, but also the tip 10A is indwelled at the target position. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to the relief of the victims by inserting the tool according to the situation of the site into the tube body 24 instead of the insertion part 8.

In a self-propelled endoscope in which a ciliary portion is provided on the insertion portion itself, the outer diameter of the insertion portion becomes large and it may not be possible to insert the insert into a narrow gap. However, although the endoscope system 1 needs to be manually inserted by the user, the endoscope device 2 can be used alone depending on the situation.

&lt;Second embodiment&gt; Hereinafter, the endoscope system and the like according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the endoscope system 1B and the like of the present embodiment are similar to the endoscope system 1 and the like of the first embodiment, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the endoscope system 1B of the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 13, the endoscope system 1B of the present embodiment includes one endoscope device 2 and a plurality of guide tube devices 20A to 20C. The guide tube devices 20A to 20C each have power supply units 4A to 4C. Although FIG. 13 shows an example in which the power supply units 4A to 4C are integrated with the vibration operation unit 12, even if the power supply units 4A to 4C are housed inside the respective vibration operation units 12. Good. Further, it is preferable that the specifications of the electric power supplied by the power supply units 4A to 4C are the same as the electric power supplied by the power supply unit 4 of the endoscope device 2 to the LCD 5 and the like. Depending on the situation, not only can the guide tube devices 20A to 20C receive power from the power supply unit 4, but conversely, the guide tube devices 20A to 20C supply power to LCD5 and the like of the endoscope device 2. Because it can also be done.

The guide tube devices 20A to 20C can be used independently. Therefore, the user can use the guide tube devices 20A to 20C in different places, in other words, each guide tube can be inserted in a different target position. It takes time to insert the guide tube to the target position, but the user can insert the guide tube into the tube body 24 of the guide tube device, which has been inserted into the target position, among the plurality of guide tube devices 20A to 20C. The insertion portion 8 of the endoscope device 2 can be inserted to confirm the endoscopic image at the target position.

That is, since the endoscope device 2 is expensive, it is economically problematic to prepare a large number of endoscope devices 2. However, since the endoscope system 1B has one endoscope device 2 and a plurality of relatively inexpensive guide tube devices 20A to 20C, the work can be performed efficiently.

In particular, since the guide tube devices 20A to 20C are self-propelled guide tube devices, the operator does not need to operate them at all times. The operator can operate each of the guide tubes 10 until the start of self-propelling, leave the guide tubes 10 unattended after the start of self-propelling, and perform the self-propelling start operation of other guide tube devices.

Of course, a plurality of users operate the respective guide tube devices 20A to 20C, and the insertion operation to the target position is completed. The insertion portion 8 of the endoscope device 2 is inserted into one of the guide tube devices. You may check the endoscopic image of the target position. Further, the insertion portion 8 of the endoscope device 2 may be inserted into any of the plurality of guide tube devices 20A to 20C from the start of self-propelling.

As described above, the endoscope system of the present embodiment operates an insertion portion having an imaging means at the tip portion and the insertion portion arranged on the proximal end side of the insertion portion for endoscopy. An endoscope device having a mirror operation unit, a main body unit in which a power supply unit is arranged, a power transmission connector for transmitting power from the power supply unit, and a tubular body having an inner diameter through which the insertion unit can be inserted. A ciliary portion provided on the outer peripheral portion of the tubular body and composed of a large number of fibers inclined in the longitudinal direction of the tubular body, and the tubular body arranged on the tubular body so as to advance in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of guide tubes having a vibrating portion that vibrates the ciliated portion, a vibrating operating portion that operates the vibrating portion and is detachable from the endoscope operating portion, and a power receiving connector that can be connected to the power transmitting connector. It is an endoscope system characterized by comprising a guide tube device of the above.

When using the endoscope system 1B to search for victims in rubble, the microphone at the tip 10A of the guide tube 10 should stop self-propelling when, for example, a human voice is detected. By controlling the vibration control unit 14, the workability can be further improved.

In the above description, an example in which a vibration motor 21 that generates vibration by electromagnetic force is used as the vibration unit 29 has been described, but a vibration unit using a piezoelectric element, a vibration unit using an ultrasonic vibrator, or magnetostriction has been described. A vibrating part or the like using an element can be used. When a vibrating portion having an elongated structure is used, it is preferable that only a part of the vibrating portion can be vibrated.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various modifications and modifications can be made without changing the gist of the present invention.

<figref num="1">It is an external view which shows the appearance of the endoscope apparatus used in combination with the guide tube apparatus of 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="2">It is an external view which shows the appearance of the guide tube apparatus of 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="3">It is an external view which shows the appearance of the endoscope system of 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="4">It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the endoscope system of 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="5">It is a transmission perspective view for demonstrating the structure of the vibrating part of the guide tube apparatus of 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="6">It is a perspective view for demonstrating the structure of the vibrating part of the guide tube apparatus of 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="7">It is an assembly sectional schematic diagram for demonstrating the structure of the vibrating part of the guide tube apparatus of 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="8">It is a perspective view for demonstrating the step reduction part of the 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="9">It is sectional drawing of the guide tube of FIG. 8 by IX-IX line.</figref><figref num="10">It is a perspective view for demonstrating how to wind a ciliary tape in the step reduction part of 1st Embodiment.</figref><figref num="11">It is the cross-sectional schematic diagram by XI-XI line of FIG.</figref><figref num="12">It is a figure for demonstrating the structure near the tip part of the guide tube of 1st Embodiment, FIG. 12A is a sectional view in a longitudinal direction, and FIG. 12B is an observation view from the tip part. It is an external view which shows the appearance of.</figref><figref num="13">It is an external view which shows the structure of the endoscope system of 2nd Embodiment.</figref>

Code description

1, 1B ... Endoscopic system 2 ... Endoscope device 3 ... Main body 4 ... Power supply 6 ... Connector 7 ... Endoscope operation unit 8 ... Insert 10 ... Guide tube 12 ... Vibration operation unit 13 ... Switch section 14 ... Vibration control unit 15 ... connector 20 ... Guide tube device 21 ... Vibration motor 22 ... Motor case 23 ... Step reduction part 24 ... tube 24A ... Insertion hole 26 ... Fixing jig 29 ... Vibration part 29A ... Bis 30 ... cilia 30A ... ciliated tape 31, 31A ~ 31C ... Cilia