Endoscope inserting section with case, and method for removing endoscope inserting section

Abstract

An endoscope inserting section with a case comprises: an inserting section including a flexible inserting section main body to be inserted into a body cavity, having a distal end rigid section at its distal end part, and a rotatable barrel body which is rotatably fitted on the inserting section main body and has a helical part with a helical convex-concave structure; and a housing case, including, an inserting section housing case main body for housing the inserting section, and an insertion assisting tool through which the inserting section is inserted to be guided into a body cavity. The insertion assisting tool retracts the inserting section to a position where an image of the distal end part of the insertion assisting tool can be picked up, when the inserting section is retracted.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an entire structure of a first embodiment of a rotatable self-propelling endoscope system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional diagram showing a part of a distal end section, a bending section, an inserting section main body, and a rotatable barrel body of an inserting section according to the first embodiment of an endoscope;

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing an insertion assisting tool of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective diagram showing an insertion assisting tool to which a guide tube is connected according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional diagram showing an insertion assisting tool having a guide tube connected thereto according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional diagram showing a proximal end part of an insertion assisting tool having a guide tube connected thereto according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional diagram showing an insertion assisting tool taken along a line VII-VII of FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional diagram showing a distal end part of an insertion assisting tool into which an inserting section is inserted according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective diagram showing a housing case main body according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional diagram showing a housing case main body according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a plan diagram showing a housing case main body seen from one side according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged diagram showing one side of a housing case main body to which a guide tube fixing member is mounted according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged plan diagram showing the housing case main body of FIG. 12 with a guide tube fixing member mounted to one side thereof according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective diagram showing a guide tube fixing member to which an impelling force generating member is provided according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary cross sectional diagram showing a guide tube fixing member to which an impelling force generating member is provided, seen from a vertical direction of a housing case main body according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary cross sectional diagram showing a guide tube fixing member to which an impelling force generating member is provided, seen from a horizontal direction of a housing case main body according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a plan diagram showing an impelling force generating member according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a cross sectional diagram illustrating an action of an impelling force generating member in a guide tube fixing member, with a rotatable barrel body being inserted therethrough, according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a plan diagram showing a modified impelling force generating member according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 20 is cross sectional diagram illustrating an action of the impelling force generating member of FIG. 19, with a rotatable barrel body being inserted therethrough, according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary cross sectional diagram showing a guide tube fixing member toward an operating section according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 22 is across sectional diagram showing a connection between a guide tube toward an operating section and a connector cover according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a cross sectional diagram showing a part of a connector cover to which a guide tube toward an operating section is connected according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a cross sectional diagram showing a cross section of a connector box taken along a line XXIV-XXIV of FIG. 23 according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a cross sectional diagram showing a rotatable barrel body of an inserting section which is inserted into a guide tube according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a cross sectional diagram showing a rotatable barrel body of an inserting section in a housing case main body according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a cross sectional diagram of a modified example of the insertion assisting tool, showing a distal end part of the insertion assisting tool to which an impelling force generating member is provided according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating a method for removing an inserting section, and showing an action of an insertion assisting tool inserted into the rectum per anus of a patient according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 29 a diagram illustrating an action of an inserting section which is inserted into the large intestine, having reached the sigmoid colon according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating an action of an inserting section which is inserted into the large intestine, having reached near the cecum;

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating an action of an inserting section having reached a removal end position near the rectum according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing an example of a monitor display when an inserting section has reached the removal end position shown in FIG. 31 according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 33 is a perspective diagram showing a structure of an insertion assisting tool through which an inserting section is inserted according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a cross sectional diagram showing the insertion assisting tool of FIG. 33 according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 35 is a diagram showing an example of a monitor display when an inserting section has reached the removal end position shown in FIG. 34 according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 36 is a perspective diagram showing a modified example of the cylinder-shaped member of the second embodiment, and shows a structure of an insertion assisting tool through which an inserting section is inserted;

FIG. 37 is a cross sectional diagram showing a structure of an insertion section which is inserted through an insertion assisting tool according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 38 is a block diagram showing an electrical structure of the control device 3 which is electrically connected to an inserting section main body according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 39 is a block diagram showing a structure of a main component circuit block for controlling a retraction of an inserting section according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 40 is a diagram showing an insertion assisting tool which is inserted through an inserting section, and a structure of a main component circuit block in a controlling device which is electrically connected to the insertion assisting tool according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 41 is a top view showing an inserting section with a case seen from the top thereof according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 42 is a cross sectional diagram showing a distal end part of an insertion assisting tool to which an impelling force generating member is provided according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An endoscope inserting section with a case, comprising: an inserting section, including, a distal end rigid section which has a first image pickup section,an inserting section main body which has a distal end part provided with the distal end rigid section and is flexible to be inserted into a body cavity, anda rotatable barrel body which is rotatably fitted on the inserting section main body and has a helical-surface shaped part with a helical convex-concave structure; anda housing case, including, an inserting section housing case main body for housing the inserting section, andan insertion assisting tool through which the inserting section derived from the housing case main body is inserted to be guided into the body cavity, whereinthe insertion assisting tool is configured to retract the inserting section to a position where an image of the distal end part of the insertion assisting tool can be picked up, when the inserting section is retracted.

2. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 1, wherein the insertion assisting tool is able to cause the inserting section to be retracted to a position where an image of an inner circumferential surface of the insertion assisting tool can be picked up.

3. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 1, wherein the insertion assisting tool has at the distal end part provided with a projecting part which projects in the inserting direction of the insertion assisting tool.

4. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 3, wherein the projecting part is a projected cylindrical member with an arc-shaped distal end part, the projecting part being formed by extending a part of the distal end part of the insertion assisting tool in the inserting direction of the insertion assisting tool.

5. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 3, wherein the projecting part is a tapered barrel-shaped member which is formed by extending the entire or a part of the outer circumferential part at the distal end part of the insertion assisting tool to be flared toward the opening of the insertion assisting tool.

6. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 5, wherein the barrel-shaped member is configured to include a plurality of parts which are divided in the inserted direction of the insertion assisting tool and notches between the plurality of parts.

7. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 3, wherein the projecting part is formed of a flexible member.

8. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 4, wherein the projecting part is formed of a flexible member.

9. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 5, wherein the projecting part is formed of a flexible member.

10. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 6, wherein the projecting part is formed of a flexible member.

11. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 3, wherein the outer diameter of the projecting part is larger than the outer diameter of the insertion assisting tool.

12. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 4, wherein the outer diameter of the projecting part is larger than the outer diameter of the insertion assisting tool.

13. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 5, wherein the outer diameter of the projecting part is larger than the outer diameter of the insertion assisting tool.

14. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 6, wherein the outer diameter of the projecting part is larger than the outer diameter of the insertion assisting tool.

15. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 7, wherein the outer diameter of the projecting part is larger than the outer diameter of the insertion assisting tool.

16. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 1, wherein the insertion assisting tool has an impelling force generating section for causing the rotatable barrel body to generate an impelling force.

17. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 2, wherein the insertion assisting tool has an impelling force generating section for causing the rotatable barrel body to generate an impelling force.

18. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 3, wherein the insertion assisting tool has an impelling force generating section for causing the rotatable barrel body to generate an impelling force.

19. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 4, wherein the insertion assisting tool has an impelling force generating section for causing the rotatable barrel body to generate an impelling force.

20. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 5, wherein the insertion assisting tool has an impelling force generating section for causing the rotatable barrel body to generate an impelling force.

21. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 6, wherein the insertion assisting tool has an impelling force generating section for causing the rotatable barrel body to generate an impelling force.

22. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 7, wherein the insertion assisting tool has an impelling force generating section for causing the rotatable barrel body to generate an impelling force.

23. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 11, wherein the insertion assisting tool has an impelling force generating section for causing the rotatable barrel body to generate an impelling force.

24. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 1, wherein the inserting section has a second image pickup section at the distal end section.

25. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 1, wherein the inserting section has an identification mark at a predetermined position.

26. The endoscope inserting section with a case according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable barrel body has a locking member between the convex and concave parts.

27. A method for removing an endoscope inserting section, which is a method for removing an inserting section having a flexible inserting section main body, a rotatable barrel body that is rotatably fitted on the inserting section main body to make the inserting section main body self-propelled through a body cavity, a distal end rigid section having an image pickup section, and a bending section, from the body cavity, comprising: rotating the rotatable barrel body so that the inserting section is retracted, and housing a predetermined part of the inserting section into an inner bore of the insertion assisting tool which is inserted in the body cavity;stopping the rotation of the rotatable barrel body; andremoving the inserting section from the body cavity with the insertion assisting tool.

28. The method for removing an endoscope inserting section according to claim 27, comprising: checking that the distal end part of the inserting section has reached a predetermined position during the removal,stopping the rotation of the rotatable barrel body; andremoving the inserting section from the body cavity with the insertion assisting tool.

29. The method for removing an endoscope inserting section according to claim 27, comprising: rotating the rotatable barrel body so that the inserting section is retracted;checking that the predetermined part of the inserting section is housed into the inner bore of the insertion assisting tool which is inserted in the body cavity, by using a monitor which displays an endoscope image;stopping the rotation of the rotatable barrel body; andremoving the inserting section from the body cavity with the insertion assisting tool.

30. The method for removing an endoscope inserting section according to claim 27, further comprising: checking that the predetermined part of the inserting section is housed into the inner bore of the insertion assisting tool, by using an image of a distal end of the insertion assisting tool which is picked up by an image pickup section provided at a distal end of the inserting section and is displayed on an endoscope image display section.

31. The method for removing an endoscope inserting section according to claim 28, further comprising: checking that the predetermined part of the inserting section is housed into the inner bore of the insertion assisting tool, by using an image of a distal end of the insertion assisting tool which is picked up by an image pickup section provided at a distal end of the inserting section.

32. The method for removing an endoscope inserting section according to claim 29, further comprising: checking that the predetermined part of the inserting section is housed into the inner bore of the insertion assisting tool, by using an image of a distal end of the insertion assisting tool which is picked up by an image pickup section provided at a distal end of the inserting section and is displayed on an endoscope image display section.