JPH074374B2 - Ultrasound endoscope - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is incorporated in an insertion portion for observation with ultrasonic waves.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic transducer that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves is incorporated in a distal end constituent portion of an insertion portion and an ultrasonic wave is observed. In this type of ultrasonic endoscope, an objective optical system, an illumination optical system, a nozzle, a forceps port, and the like are incorporated in the distal end portion in addition to the ultrasonic oscillator. In particular, in the case of a perspective type or side-viewing type ultrasonic endoscope, an optical fiber bundle for image guide, an optical fiber bundle for light guide, an air / water supply tube, and a forceps channel which are led out from the rigid main body of the distal end forming portion. Pipes such as tubes and electric cables are smoothly bent at the lead-out portion, and then inserted side by side in the insertion portion.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the pipes such as the image guide optical fiber bundle, the light guide optical fiber bundle, the air / water supply tube and the forceps channel tube, the lead-out portion is smoothly bent. Therefore, the built-in member is biased to one side having the hard portion of the tip forming portion. Therefore, there is a problem that a space is taken in the radial direction inside the insertion portion, and the diameter is inevitably increased.

Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-158646, the optical system is provided with a prism or the like so that the optical fiber bundle is not bent smoothly. However, even in this configuration, the prism is provided, and the diameter is also increased. Will end up.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to effectively use a space inside a hard portion in a tip forming portion to reduce the diameter of the tip forming portion. .

[Means and Actions for Solving Problems]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an ultrasonic transducer and an observation optical system in the distal end constituent portion of the insertion portion, and an electric cable connected to the ultrasonic transducer in the insertion portion and the observation optical system. In an ultrasonic endoscope that is inserted through a built-in object such as an image guide connected to the system, the ultrasonic transducer is provided on the distal end side of the distal end component, and is located closer to the proximal side than this ultrasonic transducer. A tree observing optical system is provided, and an electric cable led out from the ultrasonic transducer is arranged in the insertion portion so as to cross the built-in object.

Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare a space for leading out the electric cable in a radial direction in addition to a space for leading out the built-in object while smoothly curving. Therefore, the diameter of the insertion portion can be reduced by this amount.

〔Example〕

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a distal end constituent portion 1 of an insertion portion in an ultrasonic endoscope. Hard body 2 of this tip forming part 1
An electronic sector scanning type ultrasonic transducer 3 which is located on the tip side and is directed to the side is embedded and fixed in the. Further, a balloon 4 is airtightly attached to the tip of the main body 2 to which the ultrasonic transducer 3 is attached so as to surround it. Inside the balloon 4, there is a groove-shaped mouth portion 5.
The water supply tube 6 and the suction tube 7 are connected to the mouth portion 5. And this water supply tube 6
And, the balloon 4 is inflated by supplying water from the suction tube 7 to the inside of the balloon 4 through the mouth 5.
The balloon 4 is deflated by sucking the water inside the balloon 4 from the suction tube 7 through the mouth 5. The water supply tube 6 and the suction tube 7 are guided to the hand side through the insertion portion.

An inclined surface portion 8 that is inclined toward the ultrasonic scanning range side of the ultrasonic transducer 3 is formed in a portion closer to the hand than the installation position of the ultrasonic transducer 3. The outer wall surface of the inclined surface portion 8 is inclined at an angle of 45 ° with respect to the long axis of the insertion portion. Also,
An opening 10 is provided in the wall portion of the inclined surface portion 8 for detachably fitting and mounting the optical system holder 9. The optical system holder 9 has a collar 11 formed on the outer peripheral edge thereof. The collar 11 is fitted into a large-diameter step portion 12 formed on the outer peripheral edge of the opening 10, and the optical system holder 9 is opened. It is tightly fitted in 10. The outer surface of the optical system holder 9 coincides with the outer wall surface of the inclined surface portion 8. Further, the groove 13 formed in the inner peripheral surface portion of the opening 10
The O-ring 14 as a seal member fitted in the above seals between the optical system holder 9 and the opening 10 in an airtight and watertight manner. Further, the optical system holder 9 is provided with a locking member 17 having a large head 15 for fixing the collar 11 to the sloped portion 8.
It is fastened and fixed to the wall of the. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the locking members 17 are provided at two positions on the left side and the upper side, are screwed into the main body 2 of the tip forming portion 1, and the head 15 of the locking member 17 holds the collar of the optical system holder 9. 13 is pressed down to fix the optical system holder 9.

The optical system holder 9 includes an objective lens 18 and illumination lenses 19,1.
9, a forceps port 20 and a nozzle 21 facing the outer surface of the objective lens 18 are provided. Further, the optical system holder 9 has an image guide optical fiber bundle 22 optically connected to the objective lens 18, and two light guides optically connected to the illumination lenses 19 and 19, respectively. The optical fiber bundles 23, 23 are attached and fixed. Further, a connection tube 24 communicating with the forceps port 20 is attached to the optical system holder 9 and a tube 25 communicating with the nozzle 21 is connected. A channel tube 26 is connected to the connection tube 24. That is, the optical fiber bundle 22 for the image guide,
Optical fiber bundle 23,23 for light guide, connecting tube 24, tube 2
The 5 and the channel tube 26 are all attached to the optical system holder 9, and if the optical system holder 9 is removed, these can also be integrally removed. Further, each of these members is guided to the hand side through the insertion portion of the endoscope. And optical fiber bundle for image guide
Reference numeral 22 is connected to an eyepiece section in the hand operation section. Also,
The two optical fiber bundles 23, 23 for the light guide reach the connector section through the handy operation section and the universal cord. The same applies to the tube 25 that communicates with the nozzle 21. Furthermore, the channel tube 26 is connected to the forceps port of the hand-held operation unit.

The image guide optical fiber bundle 22, the light guide optical fiber bundles 23, 23, the connecting tube 24, and the tube 25 are 45 ° with respect to the axial direction of the insertion portion, that is, the inclined surface, as shown in FIG. It begins to be drawn out at a right angle to the inclined surface of the portion 8, bends smoothly in the insertion portion, particularly in the inner hollow portion 28 of the tip forming portion, and finally becomes parallel along the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion.

On the other hand, the electric cable 27 led out from the ultrasonic transducer 3
Is also guided to the operator's side through the insertion portion of the endoscope and is also connected to the connector portion through the operator's operation portion and the universal cord. Then, a large number of electric cables 27 led out from the ultrasonic transducer 3 are guided backward along the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion through one side of the inner cavity portion 28 of the distal end forming portion thereof, and immediately after that, the built-in member is bent. It intersects with this at a portion, reaches a portion on the opposite side in the inner hollow portion 28 of the tip forming portion, and is guided rearward along the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion. That is, a large number of electric cables 27 led out from the ultrasonic transducer 3 are arranged in the inner hollow portion 28 of the tip forming portion while avoiding the built-in members. The large number of electric cables 27 are divided into two, and are guided to the rear of the insertion portion through the left and right of the built-in object group so as to sandwich it. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the electric cable 27 and the built-in object intersect each other in the vertical bending direction.

As described above, since a large number of electric cables that are led out from the ultrasonic transducer 3 intersect with the built-in member in the empty space of the insertion portion, the space inside the tip forming portion can be effectively used, so that the tip forming portion can be effectively used. The diameter of the part can be reduced. Further, since a large number of electric cables derived from the ultrasonic transducer 3 and the built-in member are intersected with each other, a large space can be taken up by the curved portion of the built-in member in the empty space of the insertion portion, so that abrupt bending is alleviated. However, the damage to the built-in objects can be reduced.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment uses an electronic linear scanning type ultrasonic transducer 3,
Further, the optical observation direction is side view. Other than this, it is the same as that of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the shape of the tip portion of the body 2 of the tip forming portion 1 where the ultrasonic transducer 3 is provided and the mounting direction of the ultrasonic transducer 3 are changed from the side view to the perspective view. . No balloon is provided.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and includes, for example, those in which the scanning direction of the ultrasonic transducer faces the tip side, those without a groove for mounting a balloon, and the like. Further, the present invention is not limited to the electronic scanning method, but may be a mechanical scanning method, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the space in the tip forming portion can be effectively used, so that the diameter of the tip forming portion can be reduced. Further, since a large number of electric cables derived from the ultrasonic transducer and the built-in member are intersected with each other, a large space can be taken up by the curved portion of the built-in member in the empty space of the insertion portion, so that abrupt bending is alleviated. , The damage of the built-in objects can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the distal end forming portion of the ultrasonic endoscope of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is the optical view of the distal end forming portion of the ultrasonic endoscope of the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a front view of the observation end face, Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the vicinity of the tip portion of the ultrasonic endoscope of the second embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is an ultrasonic view of the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the distal end configuration portion of the endoscope. 1 ... Tip component, 2 ... Main body, 3 ... Ultrasonic transducer,
22,23 ...... Optical fiber bundle, 27 ...... Electrical cable, 28 ...... Inner part of tip component.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic transducer and an observation optical system are provided in a distal end portion of the insertion portion, and an electric cable connected to the ultrasonic transducer is connected to the observation optical system in the insertion portion. In an ultrasonic endoscope that is inserted through a built-in object such as an image guide, the ultrasonic transducer is provided on the tip side of the tip-constituting portion, and the observation optical system is located closer to the hand than the ultrasonic transducer. An ultrasonic endoscope, characterized in that an electric cable, which is provided and is led out from the ultrasonic transducer inside the insertion portion, traverses the built-in object. 2. The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the electric cable is divided into two parts in the distal end constituent part of the insertion part.