JP3226340B2 - Endoscope bending operation device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope bending operation device for inputting a bending direction of a bending portion of an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an elongated insertion portion is inserted into a body cavity to observe internal organs in the body cavity, and to perform various treatments using a treatment portion inserted into a treatment instrument channel as necessary. Medical endoscopes that can be used are widely used. Also, in the industrial field, industrial endoscopes capable of observing and inspecting internal scratches and corrosion of boilers, turbines, engines, chemical plants, and the like are widely used.

[0003] Such an endoscope has an observation optical system constituted by an objective lens group or the like at the distal end, and an image obtained by the observation optical system is viewed by the observer using a relay optical system or fiber glass. And an electronic endoscope in which an image pickup device such as a CCD is disposed on a focal plane of the observation optical system, and signals output from these devices are observed via a monitor or the like. Mirrors and the like are known.

[0004] In the endoscope as described above, an elongated insertion portion is extended from a hand operation portion, and the insertion portion is inserted into an observation body to perform observation. In order to correspond to the shape of the inserted portion of the observation body, a curved portion is provided in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion so as to bend and change the direction of the distal end of the insertion portion. In order to improve the operability of the bending operation, such an endoscope has been proposed that uses a motor or the like as a drive source for driving the bending of the bending portion of the insertion section.

As a bending operation switch which is a bending operation device for inputting a bending direction of a bending portion of the endoscope, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-106125 discloses a bending operation switch comprising a joystick. By operating the joystick, a bending operation in four directions of up, down, left, and right is performed. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the size of the bending operation switch including such a joystick structurally.

For this reason, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-164330 proposes a bending operation switch comprising a tiltable plate and a switch which is turned on when the plate is tilted, instead of the joystick. However, this bending operation switch has a drawback that the plate, which is a part to be pressed by a finger, is substantially flat, so that it does not fit the finger and is difficult to press.

Japanese Patent Application No. 3-250347 discloses a cross pad type bending operation switch. This bending operation switch uses a cross-shaped pad (hereinafter abbreviated as a cross pad) instead of the plate, and causes the four convex portions of the cross pad to correspond to the up, down, left, and right directions of the bending portion, respectively. The cross pad is formed in a curved shape by lowering the central portion of the cross pad so that the shape of the pressing surface fits the finger, and increasing the four ends of the four protruding portions.

[0008]

However, in the shape of the palm of the finger (eg, thumb) for operating the cross pad, the radius of curvature is large in the axial direction of the finger and small in the radial direction perpendicular to the finger. Therefore, the above-mentioned cruciform pad having a shape in which the center portion is simply lowered and the four ends of the four protruding portions are raised does not fit well even when a finger is put thereon, and there is a gap between the cross pad and the finger in the radial direction. Will occur.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, finger good fit with the operability of the good Ipa Tsu <br/> de, a bending operation device of the endoscope It is intended to provide.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, a bending operation device for an endoscope according to the present invention is provided for inputting four directions in which the bending portion of the endoscope is bent. Four ends respectively corresponding to four directions,
In bending operation device of the endoscope which comprises a pad having a four recesses substantially at the center surrounded by the end of the four ends Pas head of the bending operation device has, for each opposite
At least part of the surface connecting the two ends is
It is characterized by having a curved surface with a curvature approximately similar to the curvature.
Sign .

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 7 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a bending operation switch which is a bending operation device, FIG. 2 is an AA sectional view of the bending operation switch of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the retaining device, FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram showing the electronic endoscope device, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main part of a driving unit in the operation unit,
FIG. 6 is a front view, a plan view, and a side view illustrating the shape of the finger, and FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a fit state of the shape of the finger and the cross pad. In the first embodiment, an electronic endoscope is used as an endoscope.

As shown in FIG. 4, the electronic endoscope apparatus 1 comprises:
An electronic endoscope 2 internally provided with a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD, a light source device 3 for supplying illumination light to the electronic endoscope 2 and the solid-state imaging device are driven, and an imaging signal from the solid-state imaging device is transmitted. A video control device 4 for converting the video signal into a video signal, a monitor 5 for displaying the video signal output from the video control device 4,
A bending motor control device 6 for controlling the bending of the bending portion 10 of the electronic endoscope 2 described later.

The electronic endoscope 2 is provided with an operation section 7 and an elongated insertion section 8 connected to the operation section 7 and formed to be elongated so as to be inserted into an observation body.

The insertion portion 8 has a flexible portion 9, a curved portion 10, and a distal end portion 11 connected in this order from the operation portion 7 toward the distal end.

The bending section 10 is formed by connecting a plurality of bending pieces, and is configured to be able to bend in up, down, left, and right directions.

Further, an objective optical system including a solid-state image sensor, an illumination optical system, and the like are provided in the distal end portion 11.

A signal cable is electrically connected to the solid-state imaging device, and extends to a video controller connector 16 described later.

As an illumination optical system, a light guide fiber bundle extends to a light guide connector 14 described later. A side of the operation unit 7 is connected to a universal cord 12 that branches into two stages on the way.

At the end of the universal cord 12,
A motor control device connector 13 detachably connected to the bending motor control device 6 and a light guide connector 14 detachably connected to the light source device 3 are provided.

The light guide connector 14 has
A video control cord 15 extends from a side portion, and a video control device connector 16 detachably connected to the video control device 4 is provided at an end portion.

The operation unit 7 is provided with an air / water supply button 17 for cleaning the observation window and a suction button 18 for suctioning body fluids and the like.

By operating the air / water button 17, air or water is supplied, and by operating the suction button 18, a suction channel (treatment tool insertion channel) provided in the electronic endoscope 2 is operated. )).

The operation section 7 includes a bending operation switch 19 which is a bending operation device for performing a bending operation on the bending section 10.
Is provided.

In the operation section 7, as shown in FIG.
A drive motor 21 composed of a DC motor that drives the bending portion 10 to bend up and down, and a drive shaft 22 of the drive motor 21
The sprocket 23 fixed to the
3 and a chain 24 that meshes with the chain 3.

A bending operation wire 26 is connected to an end of the chain 24 via a connecting member 25. The bending operation wire 26 is inserted through the flexible portion 9 and the bending portion 10 and is connected to a bending piece at the tip of the bending portion 10.

By operating the bending operation switch 19, the drive motor 21 is driven, and the operation wire 26 is pulled to drive the bending portion 10 to bend up and down.

Here, the description has been given of the drive unit that performs the bending drive in the vertical direction. However, the drive unit that performs the bending drive in the horizontal direction is similarly configured.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bending operation switch 19
The cross pad 3 is inserted into the counterbore 31 provided in the operation unit 7.
2 are arranged to constitute the main part.

The counterbore 31 is provided with the cross pad 32
It is formed in a circular concave shape that is slightly larger than
A substrate 33 (see FIG. 2) is fixed to the bottom surface of the counterbore 31. U (upper), D (lower), R
Four tact switches 3 corresponding to (right) and L (left)
4, 35, 36, 37 are provided substantially symmetrically in four directions from the center of the substrate 33. In the center of the bottom surface of the counterbore 31, a pad shaft 3 having a ball portion 37 at the upper end is provided.
8 are planted upward.

The four protruding portions protruding from the cross pad 32 correspond to the respective bending operation directions of UDRL (up, down, left and right). As shown in FIG. 2, the cross pad 32 has a finger contact surface 4 on the upper end side opposite to the counterbore hole 31.
Reference numeral 1 denotes an arc-shaped concave portion having a curvature of UD in the RL direction.
The curvature is smaller than the curvature in the direction, and the height of the cross pad 32 is also higher in the RL direction (see FIG. 7). On the other hand, a concave portion 42 is provided upward in the center of the lower end surface of the pad 32. By inserting the spherical portion 37 of the pad shaft 38 into the concave portion 42, the pad 32 is supported so as to be tiltable around the spherical portion 37. Further, the spherical portion 37 is provided at the opening of the concave portion 42.
Eccentric hole 43a as shown in FIG.
Is fixed. The four ends of the cross pad 32 are chamfered.

On the counterbore 31 side of the cross pad 32, four pressing pins 45 for pressing the tact switches 34 to 37 are respectively protruded downward. When the cross pad 32 is tilted, each of the tactile switches 34 to 37 is viewed from the pad shaft 38 so as to be exactly at the center of the tactile switch to be pressed when the cross pad 32 is tilted.
Are provided so as to be slightly outside the center.

On the substrate 33, a pair of thick shaft detents 46 are fixed on the D side and a pair of thin shaft detents 47 are fixed on the U side so as to sandwich the projecting portion of the cross pad 32, respectively. The position of the cross pad 32 in the rotational direction is prevented.

Next, devices connected to the electronic endoscope will be described. The light source device 3 includes a light source (not shown) provided therein. Illumination light emitted from the light source is incident on an incident end face of the light guide of the light guide connector 14, and the light guide guides the endoscope insertion portion 8. Tip 1
The light is transmitted to the illumination optical system provided in 1 and is illuminated from the illumination optical system to an observation site or the like.

In the case of a single-chip RGB plane sequential type electronic endoscope, a light source device that outputs red, green and blue plane-sequential light is used, and a single-chip color chip simultaneous type electronic endoscope is used. If so, a light source device that outputs white light is used.

The video control device 4 has a video signal processing circuit (not shown) provided therein, and an input end of the video signal processing circuit is connected to a connector receptacle to which the video control device connector 16 is connected. An input terminal of the video signal processing circuit is connected to the monitor 5.

The video signal processing circuit outputs an image sensor drive signal, and the drive signal is transmitted via a signal line to drive the solid-state image sensor.

An image of a subject such as an observation site formed on the photoelectric conversion surface of the solid-state imaging device is photoelectrically converted by the solid-state imaging device and output as an imaging signal. The imaging signal transmitted by the signal line is It is input to the video signal processing circuit. Then, the image is converted into a standard TV image signal by the image signal processing circuit, and an image of a subject such as an observation site is displayed on the monitor 5.

In this embodiment, four tact switches corresponding to the UDRL direction are used. However, the tact switches are not limited to tact switches, and may be membrane switches, pressure-sensitive conductive rubber, or the like.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the shape of the human finger has a long axial length and a large radius of curvature on the palm side, while the length in the radial direction is short and the radius of curvature on the palm side is also large. It is getting smaller.

When the bending operation switch is operated, the tip side in the axial direction of the finger is U (up), the rear side in the axial direction is D (down), the right side in the radial direction is R (light), and the left side in the radial direction is L.
In general, it is common to perform the operation on the finger contact surface according to (left).

[0041] In view of the shape of the finger to manipulate such curved, as shown in FIG. 7, before Kipa head 32, RL direction of the finger contact surface 41 has a small curvature, and both sides high Is formed to be high. Here, the radial direction of the finger is
As described above, since the curvature is small and the length is short, the finger and the pad fit exactly.

[0042] Also, UD direction of the finger contact surface 41 of the Pas-head 32, the height of the curvature is large and both ends does not become too high when compared to the end of the RL direction. Here, in the axial direction of the finger, since the curvature is large and the length is long, the pad and the finger fit exactly. Thus, RL direction, 該Pa to match the shape of the pad and finger UD direction both head 32
Is formed.

[0043] Pressing the example U direction of the thus constructed Pas head 32, because of the snug fit the pad 32 and the finger as described above, the pad 32 is inclined smoothly U side, Tact switch 3 corresponding to this U direction
4 is pressed, and the output signal is transmitted to the bending motor control device 6 via a signal line (not shown). Then, the bending motor control device 6 supplies a current to a UD direction driving motor 21 which is a driving source for bending the bending portion in the UD direction via a circuit (not shown), and the UD driving motor 21 Rotate. Thus, the bending wire 26 is pulled through the sprocket 23, the chain 24, the connecting member 25, etc., and the driving force is transmitted, so that the bending portion bends in the U direction.

[0044] Incidentally, D direction, R direction of the pad 32,
In any of the L directions, the bending portion bends in a direction corresponding to the direction of the pressed switch by the same operation as when the U side is pressed.

According to the first embodiment, it is possible to obtain a bending operation switch having a cruciform pad which is well fitted to a finger and has good operability.

FIGS. 8 and 9 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the bending operation switch, and FIG. 9 is a view showing a cross section BB of the bending operation switch of FIG. Since the second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment, only the differences will be described.

As shown in FIG. 8, the bending operation switch 19
Is provided with a thick shaft rotation stopper 4 provided in the first embodiment.
6, a cylindrical rubber sheet 51 which is not provided with a thin shaft rotation stopper 47 but has a bellows portion 52 (see FIG. 9) provided on its peripheral surface and has a closed upper end surface. I have. The rubber sheet 51 is folded once along the shape of the counterbore 31 so as to cover the cross pad 32, and then the counterbore 31 is removed from the periphery of the upper end surface of the substrate 33 by means such as bonding.
Is fixed along the inner peripheral surface.

The cross pad 32, the substrate 33, and the operation unit 7 are provided with positioning holes 53, 54, and 55 for passing pins. At the time of assembling the switch, the pin 56 is inserted into these positioning holes 53, 54, and 55 to position the cross pad 32, and the rubber sheet 51 is adhered and fixed in the counterbore 31. 5
The switch is assembled by removing 6.

The operation of the second embodiment thus constructed is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, but different points will be described below. When cleaning the endoscope, the bending operation switch 1
Even if water or the like is applied from above, since the rubber sheet 51 and the counterbore 31 are adhered to each other to keep the switch 19 watertight, the bending operation switch 19
The cross pad 32, the substrate 33, and the like inside the inside are not wetted.

Next, the change in the operability of the bending operation switch 31 caused by covering the rubber sheet 51 will be described below. For example, when the R direction of the bending operation switch 19 is pressed, the cross pad 32 tilts to the R side, the opposite L side is lifted, and the L side of the rubber sheet 51 is stretched. However, since the rubber sheet 51 is provided with the bellows 52, only the L side of the folded bellows 52 is extended and linearized, and no tension such as pulling rubber is generated. Even when covered, the operability does not decrease, and a good pressing feeling can be obtained during operation.

According to the second embodiment, in addition to the effects described in the first embodiment, a waterproof function is further added, and the switch is washable.

FIGS. 10 and 11 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a positional relationship between a board of a bending operation switch and a tact switch arranged on the board in the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the board and the tact switch in the third embodiment. This third
The embodiment has substantially the same configuration as that of the above-described first embodiment, and only the differences will be described.

As shown in FIG. 10, the four tact switches 34 to 37 in the first embodiment are arranged symmetrically from the center O of the substrate 33.

Here, the tact switches are the cases 61 and 4
Of the case 6
Two pieces are projected in parallel from two opposing side surfaces of each.

Tact switches 34 to 3 having such a structure
7 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center O as shown in FIG. 10, it is necessary to increase the distance from the center O of the board 33 to the tact switch so that the foot 62 for connecting to the board 33 does not interfere. Yes, the substrate 33 was large.

FIG. 11 shows a configuration for solving such a problem. The tact switches 36 and 37 arranged in the RL direction
They are arranged in the same direction as the tact switches 34 and 35 arranged in the UD direction, that is, arranged so that the four feet 62 project left and right in the drawing. In such an arrangement, R
Comparing the two tact switches 36 and 37 arranged in the L direction (the horizontal direction in FIG. 11) and the two tact switches 34 and 35 arranged in the UD direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 11), The distance from the center O 'is different, and the arrangement direction of the tact switch is different from the center O' in the RL direction and the UD direction. These four tact switches are located closer to the center O 'than the tact switches shown in FIG.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the arrangement position and the orientation of the tact switch on the board 33 are different between those arranged in the UD direction and those arranged in the RL direction, and the symmetry of the arrangement is set. Instead of breaking the substrate 33
At the center O '. Although not shown, the position of the pressing pin 45 for pressing the tact switch provided on the cross pad 32 is also set corresponding to each tact switch so that the tact switches 34 to 37 having the above arrangement can be pressed. It has become.

The operation of the third embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment.

According to the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the size of the substrate 33 can be reduced, so that the bending operation switch 19 can be reduced in size.

FIGS. 12 to 14 relate to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a positional relationship between a bending section switch provided on an operation section and the thumb of an operator. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 12, and FIG.
It is DD sectional drawing of the bending part switch of. Since the fourth embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment, only differences will be described. In the fourth embodiment, the cross pad 3
By reducing only the curvature from the center to the U side,
Only on the U side, the height of the cross pad 32 was increased, and on the remaining DRL sides, the curvature was increased and the height was decreased, respectively.

FIG. 12 shows the state of a finger (thumb) on the bending operation switch 19. As can be seen from this figure, it is easy to push the D side with a finger, and it is relatively easy to push the LR side with the finger shifted left and right.
It is not easy to shift the finger forward, and it can be said that the U side of the bending operation switch is in a position where it is difficult to press.

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 13, the distance between O ″ and the R side from the center O ″ of the cross pad 32 and O ″ to
The radius of curvature between the L sides is formed to be large. At this time, the heights of the R-side end and the L-side end of the cross pad 32 are not so high.

Next, as shown in FIG.
The radius of curvature between the O ″ -D side from the center O ″ of the second pad 2 is also formed to have a large radius of curvature in the same manner as between the O ″ -R side and between the O ″ -L side. The height of the D-side end is not so high.

On the other hand, the radius of curvature is formed small between the O ″ and the U sides, that is, the end of the cross pad 32 on the U side is higher than in the above three directions.

That is, even if the distance between the finger and the U side of the pad 32 is large, the curvature on the U side is small and the height is high, so that the finger can be pressed to the tip side immediately. Then, the cross pad 32 can be pressed in the U direction.

In this embodiment, it is set that the U-side of the cross pad is hard to press, and the curvature on the U-side is reduced and the height is increased. However, the present invention is not limited to this. ,
In the case of one or more of the R and L sides, the hard-to-press direction may be raised. That is, for example, only the L side may be high, the two U and R sides may be high,
The three on the D, R, and L sides may be higher.

Next, the operation of the fourth embodiment thus configured will be described. When pressing the U side away from the finger on the cross pad 32 of the bending operation switch 19, O '' ~
Since the curvature between the U sides is small and the U side is high, the cross pad 32 is easily tilted to the U side and the bending portion 10 bends to the U side just by pressing the finger slightly to the U side. Other operations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

According to the fourth embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the difficulty of pushing the bending operation switch of the bending operation switch 19 on the operation unit 7 can be eliminated.

FIGS. 15 and 16 relate to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a cross pad and a finger, and FIG. 16 is an EE sectional view of the cross pad of FIG. Since the fifth embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment, only the differences will be described. In the fifth embodiment, the curvature of all the UDRL sides of the cross pad 32 is increased, and the heights of the ends of the four protruding portions are not increased so much. The member 71 was attached, and the heights of the R side and the L side were increased.

In FIG. 15, the cross pad 32 has the same curvature from the center O ″ ′ of the cross pad 32 to each UDRL end and the height of each end, and the curvature is large. That is, the height of each end is not so high.

Further, as shown in FIG.
A disc-shaped elastic member 71 is fixed to the upper end surface of the cross pad 32 on the R side and the L side of the pad 2 by means such as bonding.

As can be seen from FIG. 16, the elastic member 71 provided on the finger contact surface 41 is used to
The gap formed by the difference between the two curvatures is filled, and the cross pad 32 is tilted just by pressing the finger slightly against the cross pad 32.

It should be noted that the shape of the elastic member is not limited to a disk shape.
Other polygonal shapes may be used. In addition, the elastic member has the R side
However, the present invention is not limited to the arrangement provided on the side, and one or a plurality of necessary directions among the four directions may be selected and provided. For example, an elastic member may be attached in the U direction. Needless to say, the thickness of these elastic members may be changed depending on the direction to obtain the best operation feeling.

The operation of the fifth embodiment constructed as described above is almost the same as that of the first embodiment.

The fifth embodiment has the same effect as the first embodiment, and the cross pad 32 has a U-shape.
Since it is formed symmetrically in the DRL direction, assembling becomes easy. Also, by changing the material and form of the elastic member, the contact between the finger and the cross pad 32 can be freely adjusted,
Operation feeling can be improved.

By the way, the motor provided in the operation section in the first embodiment is moved into the bending motor control device 6 and the bending operation wire 26 is pulled from the bending motor control device 6. Such a configuration is shown in FIGS. FIG. 17 is an overall view showing the electronic endoscope apparatus, FIG. 18 is a side view of a main part of a drive unit provided in the bending motor control apparatus, and FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of wires in the branch box. is there.

In the bending motor control device 6 for controlling the bending of the bending section 10, a drive motor 21 for the UD direction which is driven by a bending operation switch 19 provided on the operation section 7 as shown in FIG. And the UD drive motor 21
A sprocket 23 fixed to the drive shaft 22 is provided, and a chain 24 meshing with the sprocket 23 is provided. A connecting member 25 is attached to the end of the chain 24.
, The bending operation wire 26 is connected.

The bending operation wire 26 is inserted from a bending motor control device 6 into a universal cord 81 described later, and is connected to a bending portion 10 via a pulley 83 in the operation portion 7.
Is connected to a not-shown bending piece at the tip of the.

By operating the bending operation switch 19 with such a configuration, the bending portion 10 bends in the vertical direction. The structure for bending and driving in the horizontal direction is the same as the structure in the vertical direction.

In the middle of the universal cord 81, there is provided a branch box 82 for branching the universal cord 81 into the light source device 3 and the bending motor control device 6. FIG. 19 shows a cross-sectional view of this branch box. Universal motor 8 from bending motor controller 6
The outer coil 85 is provided so as to cover the curved coil 86 through the inside 1 and to the branch box 82. The bending operation wire 2 is provided in the bending coil 86.
6 are communicated.

The coils 85 and 86 are provided with four coils corresponding to up (U), down (D), right (R), and left (L), respectively. It is shown for simplicity. The winding direction of the outer coil 85 and the winding direction of the curved coil 86 are opposite.

In the branch box 82, a light guide cable 87 connected to the light source device 3 and a video cable 88 connected to the video control device 4 are combined into an integral universal cord 81 to be connected to the endoscope 2. It is to be connected.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. Since the outer coil 85 suppresses the sag of the curved coil 86 inside the branch box 82 (holds it straight), the curved coil 86 does not buckle. It should be noted that the universal cord 81 other than the branch box 82 does not buckle because other internal organs are present.

According to the configuration described above, the bending coil 86 does not buckle inside the branch box 82.

Next, a modification of the configuration shown in FIG. 19 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, a rigid pipe 91 is fixed in a branch box 82. A curved coil 86 is inserted into the hard pipe 91.

The operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 20 will be described. Since the rigid pipe 91 suppresses the sagging of the bending coil 86 inside the branch box 82, the bending coil 86 does not buckle.

The configuration shown in FIG. 20 corresponds to the configuration shown in FIG.
This has the same effect as the configuration described above.

[0089]

According to the present invention as described in the foregoing, since the path head of the bending operation device and the operator's finger will fit well, the operability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a bending operation switch.

FIG. 2 is an AA sectional view of the bending operation switch of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a retaining member.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram showing an electronic endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a main part of a drive unit in the operation unit.

FIG. 6 is a front, plan, and side view illustrating the shape of a finger.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a fit state of the shape of a finger and a pad.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the bending operation switch.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of the bending operation switch shown in FIG. 8;

FIGS. 10 and 11 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a positional relationship between a substrate of a bending operation switch and a tact switch arranged on the substrate in the first embodiment. FIG.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a positional relationship between a board and a tact switch arranged on the board in the third embodiment.

12 to 14 relate to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12 shows a bending section switch provided on an operation section;
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a positional relationship with an operator's thumb.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the bending portion switch of FIG. 12 taken along the line CC.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the bending section switch of FIG. 12 taken along the line DD.

15 and 16 relate to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 15 is an enlarged plan view of a cross pad and a finger.

FIG. 16 is an EE sectional view of the cross pad of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is an overall view showing an electronic endoscope apparatus in which a drive motor is provided in a bending motor control device.

18 is a side view of a main part of a driving unit provided inside the bending motor control device shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing a state of a wire in the branch box.

FIG. 20 is a sectional view showing a state of a wire in a branch box according to a modification of the configuration shown in FIG. 19;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electronic endoscope apparatus 2 ... Electronic endoscope 7 ... Operation part 8 ... Insertion part 10 ... Bending part 19 ... Bending operation switch (bending operation device) 32 ... Cross pad (cross-shaped pad)

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32 G02B 23/24 H01H 23/00-23/30 Practical file (PATOLIS) Patent file (PATOLIS)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. Four end portions respectively corresponding to the four directions for inputting the four directions in which the bending portion of the endoscope bends.
And a recess having a recess at a substantially center surrounded by the four ends.
In bending operation device of the endoscope which comprises a head, of the four ends Pas head of the bending operation device having, each
At least part of the surface connecting the two opposite ends is manipulated.
Consist of a curved surface with a curvature approximately similar to the curvature of the author's finger
A bending operation device for an endoscope.