JP3686143B2 - Endoscope joint ring manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a nodal ring, which is a constituent member of a bending tube installed in a bending portion of an endoscope.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Regarding a method for manufacturing a node ring as a constituent member of a bending tube, a technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-195931 is disclosed as a method for forming an angle ring for an endoscope. This technique will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an apparatus for forming the angle ring 102. In the figure, reference numeral 111 denotes a metal pipe as a material of the angle ring 102. The metal pipe 111 is chucked by chuck means 112, and a drive control mechanism (not shown) such as an NC machine tool having a numerical control device and a drive mechanism. )), It is possible to perform drive control of rotation and forward / backward movement.
[0003]
While the metal pipe 111 is rotated and moved back and forth by the chuck means 112, the metal pipe 111 may be thermally melted along the outline of the angle ring 102 by the laser light emitted from the laser device 113. It is configured to be able to. Further, in order to prevent the dross generated during the fusing from adhering to the inner surface of the angle ring 102, a dross collecting rod 114 made of iron or brass is inserted into the metal pipe 111. It has become so. Here, when forming the angle ring 102, since it is necessary to process so that the cutting line of the metal pipe 111 is continuous, as the laser device 113, a carbon dioxide laser, a He—Ne laser capable of continuous oscillation is used. A YAG laser or the like can be used, but a YAG laser suitable for precision machining is most preferable from the viewpoint of laser output and oscillation wavelength.
[0004]
Next, a method for forming the angle ring 102 by the processing mechanism having such a configuration will be described. First, the chuck unit 112 chucks the end of the metal pipe 111 and inserts the rod 114 into the metal pipe 111. Then, the metal pipe 111 is carried into a work station provided with the laser device 113 by the chuck means 112 and positioned at a predetermined processing start position.
[0005]
Therefore, by operating the laser device 113 and rotating the chuck means in accordance with an operation sequence set in advance in the drive control device and moving it back and forth, the metal pipe 111 is connected from the line A forming the main body portion of the angle ring 102. Is continuously melted along the line B (that is, along the outline of the angle ring 102). Further, when the cutting process of the outline is completed, the line C along the portion constituting the pin insertion hole 103 is thermally fused. Thereby, the cutting process of one angle ring 102 is completed. Next, the metal pipe 111 is fed by a predetermined amount by the chuck means 112, and the angle ring 102 can be sequentially processed in the second, third,...
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above prior art has the following problems. When forming an angle ring, it is best to use a laser processing apparatus from the viewpoint of processing accuracy, but in laser processing, dross due to metal flaws occurs when the metal melts. In order to prevent this dross from adhering to the inner surface of the angle ring, when the rod is inserted, the shape of the waste material part of the metal pipe between the angle ring and the angle ring becomes an annular shape, and the waste material is placed on the rod together with the angle ring. To remain. For this reason, it is necessary to separate the angle ring and the waste material in a process after the angle ring is recovered from the rod.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the invention according to claim 1, 2 , 3 or 4 is an endoscope capable of separating waste material simultaneously with laser processing of a metal pipe. It is to provide a method for manufacturing a joint ring.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1, 2 , 3 or 4 inserts a core material for removing dross formed of molten metal soot that is generated at the time of fusing, into the metal pipe. While rotating the pipe and reciprocating in the axial direction, laser light is irradiated from the outer surface side of the metal pipe along the outline of the node ring for endoscope to melt the metal pipe. In the method for manufacturing a nodal ring for an endoscope, the laser beam irradiation is performed so that the waste part of the metal pipe does not have an annular shape, in addition to the outline of the nodal ring for the endoscope, and the outer diameter provided in the waste part. A plurality of fusing lines connecting the tip end side and the base end side of the wire, or a plurality of fusing lines connecting the outer shape line and the end side end surface of the metal pipe are formed .
[0009]
In the operation of the invention according to claim 1, 2 , 3 or 4 , the laser beam irradiation is applied to the waste material portion in addition to the outline of the endoscope node ring so that the waste material portion of the metal pipe does not become an annular shape. By forming multiple fusing lines connecting the distal end side and proximal end side of the provided outer diameter wire, or multiple fusing lines connecting the outer shape line and the end side end surface of the metal pipe, the waste material is removed from the metal pipe. It is beaten and separated and falls due to its own weight. In the operation of the invention according to claim 2, since the fusing line is formed substantially parallel to the center line of the metal pipe , the waste material is cut by the fusing line, and the waste material portion does not become an annular shape. It becomes a plurality of pieces. In the operation of the invention according to claim 3, since the fusing line is a curve, the waste material is cut by the fusing line, and the waste material portion is formed into a plurality of pieces without becoming an annular shape . In the operation of the invention according to claim 4, since the fusing line is formed to be inclined with respect to the center line of the metal pipe, the waste material is cut by the fusing line, and the waste material portion becomes an annular shape. There are multiple pieces.
[0010]
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1
1 to 2 show a first embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a node ring for an endoscope, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a manufacturing apparatus for the node ring.
[0011]
In FIG. 1, the node ring 1 of the bending tube for an endoscope includes an annular main body portion 51, a connecting portion 52 protruding from both openings of the main body portion 51, and a pin inserted in the connecting portion 52. The hole 53 is formed. A plurality of the node rings 1 are connected to form a bending tube.
[0012]
First, a schematic configuration of a node ring manufacturing apparatus will be described. In FIG. 2, 1 a, 1 b,..., 1 n indicate node rings to be sequentially manufactured, and the node rings 1 a, 1 b... 1 n are manufactured by fusing the pipe material 2 with the laser device 12. Reference numeral 3 denotes a dross collecting rod made of an iron material or a brass material, and is inserted through the inner diameter of the pipe material 2. The pipe material 2 is gripped by the chuck means 4, and a pulley 5 for rotating the chuck means 4 is provided on the rotation shaft 4 </ b> A of the chuck means 4. The pulley 5 receives the rotational force from the pulley 7 by the belt 6. The pulley 7 is fixed on the rotating shaft of the motor 8, and the motor 8 drives and controls the chuck means 4 while rotating. Reference numeral 10 denotes a motor for controlling the back and forth movement of the chuck means 4. The rotation of the motor 10 is converted into the back and forth movement by the ball screw 9 to drive and control the movement of the chuck means 4 in the direction of the rotation axis 4 </ b> A. Reference numeral 11 denotes a drive control device that controls the drive of the motor 8 and the motor 10, and is electrically connected to the motor 8 and the motor 10.
[0013]
Next, a processing part of the node ring 1a will be described. The distal end side of the pipe member 2 gripped by the chuck means 4 is the fusing line 13a of the main body portion of the node ring 1a that is the locus of fusing, and the fusing line 15a of the main body portion is on the proximal end side. is there. Moreover, what exists in the front end side of the pipe material 2 is the fusing line 14a of a connection part, and what exists in the base end side is the fusing line 16a of a connection part. There is a pin insertion hole fusing line 17a in the vicinity of the fusing line 14a of the connecting portion, and a pin insertion hole fusing line 18a in the vicinity of the fusing line 16a of the connecting portion. 19a is a waste material on the tip side of the pipe material 2, and 19b is a waste material between the node ring 1a and the node ring 1b. On the waste materials 19a and 19b, there are fusing lines 20a and 20b substantially parallel to the central axis of the pipe material 2, respectively, and there are fusing lines 20a 'and 20b' at symmetrical positions corresponding to hidden portions in the drawing. By the fusing lines 13a, 14a, 20a, and 20a ', the waste material 19a on the tip side is melted into two pieces and does not become an annular shape. Further, the waste material 19b between the node rings 1a and 1b is also melted into two pieces by the fusing lines 15a, 16a, 20b and 20b ', and does not become an annular shape. Here, the fusing lines 20a, 20a ′, 20b, and 20b ′ are provided at two locations on the outer periphery of the waste materials 19a and 19b, respectively, but may be three or more as required.
[0014]
A method for manufacturing a node ring using the above-described manufacturing apparatus will be described. The pipe member 2 is gripped by the chuck means 4 and the rod 3 is inserted through the inner diameter of the pipe member 2. Next, the rotational movement of the motor 10 is converted into a back-and-forth motion by the ball screw 9, and the chuck means 4 is controlled in the back-and-forth motion and positioned at the machining start position. Then, while the laser device 12 is operated, the chuck means 4 is controlled to move back and forth by the motor 10, and at the same time, the rotation of the chuck means 4 is controlled by the motor 8, thereby fusing the pipe material 2.
[0015]
Next, the fusing order will be described. First, the fusing lines 20a and 20a ′ for preventing the waste material 19a from becoming an annular shape are cut, and then the pin insertion hole 17a is cut. Further, when the fusing line 13a of the main body part and the fusing line 14a of the connecting part are fused, the waste material 19a falls as individual pieces. Then, when the pin insertion hole 18a is melted and the melt wire 15a of the main body and the melt wire 16a of the connecting portion are melted, the completed node ring 1a remains on the rod 3 and is sent to a subsequent process. Next, when the fusing lines 20b and 20b 'that prevent the waste material 19b from becoming an annular shape are melted, and the node ring 1b is blown in the same manner as the node ring 1a, the waste material 19b falls as individual pieces. By repeating such operations, the waste material can be separated simultaneously with the processing up to the node ring 1n.
[0016]
According to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, waste materials can be separated simultaneously with laser processing of a metal pipe. Further, since only the operation of putting two fusing lines substantially parallel to the central axis of the metal pipe into the waste material portion is added, a node ring can be manufactured without significantly changing the conventional machining program.
[0017]
In the first embodiment of the present invention, the fusing line of the waste material portion is a straight line substantially parallel to the central axis of the metal pipe, but an appropriate curve may be used instead of the straight line. Moreover, it is not necessarily provided substantially parallel to the central axis of the metal pipe, and may be a fusing line that is inclined as necessary.
[0018]
Second Embodiment of the Invention
FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention and is a schematic configuration diagram of a node ring manufacturing apparatus. Since the node ring manufacturing apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the first embodiment of the present invention, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. In the second embodiment of the present invention, the method for collecting the node ring from the metal pipe is different from that of the first embodiment of the invention, and only that portion will be described.
[0019]
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 30 denotes an end face of the metal pipe 2 on the front end side that is not gripped by the chuck means 4. The processing position of the node ring 1a on the metal pipe 2 is determined at the position where the end surface 30 of the metal pipe 2 and the fusing line 14a of the connecting portion of the node ring 1a contact. Further, the fusing line 15a of the main body of the node ring 1a and the fusing line 14b of the connecting part of the node ring 1b, and the fusing line 16a of the connecting part of the node ring 1a and the fusing line 13b of the main part of the node ring 1b are combined. The processing position of the node ring 1b on the metal pipe 2 is determined so that at least one of the two contacts with each other.
[0020]
The manufacturing method of the node ring in the second embodiment of the present invention is basically the same as that of the first embodiment of the present invention, and therefore only the fusing order will be described. First, the pin insertion hole 17a is blown, and then the fusing line 13a of the main body part and the fusing line 14a of the connecting part are cut off, and the waste material 19a continues when the end surface 30 and the fusing line 14a of the connecting part overlap. Since it disappears, it is no longer in an annular shape, and is separated from the node ring 1a and falls as a piece. Then, when the pin insertion hole 18a is melted and the melt wire 15a of the main body and the melt wire 16a of the connecting portion are melted, the completed node ring 1a remains on the rod 3 and is sent to a subsequent process. Next, when the node ring 1b is blown in the same manner as the node ring 1a, the waste material 19b is not continuous when the fusing line between the node ring 1a and the node ring 1b overlaps. Separate and fall into individual pieces. By repeating such operations, the waste material can be separated simultaneously with the processing up to the node ring 1n.
[0021]
According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the waste material can be separated simultaneously with the laser processing of the metal pipe, and the waste material portion of the metal pipe is minimized by overlapping the fusing lines of the node rings. Can be saved.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first, second , third, or fourth aspect of the present invention, the waste material is beaten and separated from the metal pipe and falls due to its own weight, so that the waste material can be separated simultaneously with the laser processing of the metal pipe. Thereby, the separation work in a post process can be abolished. According to the invention according to claim 2, in addition to the above-described effect, the waste material is cut by a fusing line formed substantially parallel to the center line of the metal pipe and becomes a plurality of individual pieces. A node ring can be manufactured without significantly changing the. According to the invention of claim 3, since the waste material is cut by a fusing line made of a curve and becomes a plurality of pieces, the same effect as the invention of claim 2 is achieved. According to the invention of claim 4, the waste material is cut by the fusing line that is inclined with respect to the center line of the metal pipe and becomes a plurality of pieces, so that the same effect as that of the invention of claim 2 is achieved. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a node ring of a bending tube for an endoscope.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a node ring manufacturing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a node ring manufacturing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for forming a prior art angle ring.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1a, 1b Node ring 2 Metal pipe 3 Core material 12 Laser apparatus 19a, 19b Waste material 20a, 20b Fusing line

Claims (4)

Inside the metal pipe, insert a core material for removing dross made of molten metal soot that is generated at the time of fusing, rotate the metal pipe, and reciprocate in the axial direction of the metal pipe. In the method for manufacturing an endoscope joint ring by irradiating a laser beam along the outline of the endoscope joint ring from the above and fusing the metal pipe,
In addition to the outline of the endoscope node ring, the irradiation of the laser beam includes a distal end side and a proximal end side of an outer diameter wire provided in the waste material portion so that the waste material portion of the metal pipe does not have an annular shape. A method for manufacturing an endoscopic node ring, comprising forming a plurality of fusing lines to be connected, or a plurality of fusing lines connecting an outer shape line and an end face of the metal pipe . 2. The method for manufacturing an endoscope node ring according to claim 1 , wherein the fusing line is formed substantially parallel to a center line of the metal pipe . The method for manufacturing an endoscope node ring according to claim 1 , wherein the fusing line is a curve . The method for manufacturing an endoscope node ring according to claim 1, wherein the fusing line is formed to be inclined with respect to a center line of the metal pipe.

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