JP2002143089A - Endoscope washing and disinfecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope washing and disinfecting device capable of carrying out priority ultrasonic washing of a distal end part to which dirt is stuck most and automatically selecting a detergent to be charged according to the sort of dirt. SOLUTION: The length of an insertion part 5 is added to a recording part 8 provided at an endoscope 1 itself. On the basis of this information, the setting position of the distal end part 5a of the insertion part 5 is determined to drive an ultrasonic vibrator 16 near the determined position to increase the amplitude or to drive only the ultrasonic vibrator 16 longer than other ultrasonic vibrators 16. The distal end part 5a of the insertion part 5 to which dirt is stuck most is subjected to ultrasonic washing with priority.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical device, and more particularly to an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus for cleaning and disinfecting an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the medical field, instruments for reuse and discards have been sterilized for a long time. Until now, various sterilization methods such as high-pressure steam sterilization by heat, gas sterilization, and electron beam sterilization have been proposed. The scheme was common. In this method, it is necessary to perform sufficient cleaning on the instrument before disinfecting the instrument.

[0003] Under such circumstances, an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus that cleans an endoscope using only a detergent solution is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-2 / 1994.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 96585, etc., an endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus that uses an ultrasonic wave to clean an endoscope has also been proposed. In the method of cleaning an endoscope using this ultrasonic wave, ultrasonic waves are applied to an endoscope immersed in a cleaning liquid, and dirt is removed using cavitation generated at that time.
Of these, ultrasonic waves are focused on the tip of the endoscope, which is the most dirty, so as not to apply an unnecessarily large load to a portion that is not so dirty.

In addition, the endoscope is provided with several conduits inside, such as a conduit for inserting a treatment instrument, and cavitation by ultrasonic waves sufficiently works up to the inside of these conduits. do not do. For this reason, when cleaning the inside of a pipeline, it was common to take into account the flow by a cleaning liquid using a detergent or the cleaning by immersion.

[0005]

However, there are many types of endoscopes in which the thickness and length of the insertion portion are different depending on the application site and the case. First, stomach / large intestine /
The length of the insertion portion (so-called serpentine tube) of the endoscope differs depending on the site to be used, such as the bronchi. In general, a colonoscope has a long insertion portion, and the next longest is a stomach endoscope,
Bronchial endoscopes are shorter than them.

Further, even endoscopes having the same application site, such as the stomach / colon / bronchi, have different thicknesses and lengths depending on the application cases. For example, there are many types of endoscopes for the large intestine alone depending on the intended use, and the lengths of the insertion portions are different from each other. The same applies to gastric endoscopes and bronchial endoscopes.

[0007] In other words, endoscopes are not all provided in the same length and thickness, and various endoscopes having an optimum length and thickness suitable for an application site and a case are provided.

In such a situation, it is necessary to set the position in the cleaning tank so that ultrasonic waves are applied mainly to the distal end of the insertion section of the endoscope. In order to cope with this, the structure of the endoscope holding portion of the cleaning tank becomes complicated. In addition, there is a problem that a user is required to perform a complicated operation.

Further, stains attached to the insertion portion of the endoscope differ for each application case. For example, the stomach contains saliva / gastric juice / blood, and the large intestine contains feces / blood. Therefore, as the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus, a method of using a detergent capable of coping with all stains in cleaning the endoscope should be adopted. This is particularly important when cleaning the interior of the endoscope, including the internal conduit.

[0010] Further, when cleaning with a detergent, it is necessary to perform cleaning for a long time in order to cope with all dirt. In addition, there is a case where there is another detergent that can be cleaned in a shorter time when limited to a specific stain, but conventionally, one type of detergent has been used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide an endoscope cleaning apparatus which mainly performs ultrasonic cleaning on a tip portion to which dirt adheres most. To provide an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device that provides a disinfecting device, and further automatically selects a detergent to be introduced according to the type of dirt, and obtains a high cleaning ability using a detergent suitable for dirt. It is in.

[0012]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus in which ultrasonic waves are applied to an endoscope immersed in a cleaning liquid stored in a cleaning tank for cleaning, an endoscope holding an endoscope installed in the cleaning tank. Means, an ultrasonic vibrator for applying ultrasonic waves to the endoscope installed in the cleaning tank, an ultrasonic driving means for driving the ultrasonic vibrator, and cleaning based on various information stored in the endoscope. Control means for setting conditions and controlling the operation state of the ultrasonic vibrator based on the cleaning conditions.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the control means controls the operation state of the ultrasonic transducer based on the endoscope length information received from the endoscope. An endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to claim 1.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the control means determines the position of the distal end portion of the endoscope from the length information of the endoscope, and determines the ultrasonic transducer closest to the position or a plurality of ultrasonic transducers near the position. 3. The endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the driving condition of the ultrasonic vibrator is set to control the operating state of the ultrasonic vibrator.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of detergent tanks capable of storing different detergents, and a detergent used in a cleaning step based on the use status information, wherein the use status of the endoscope is received from the endoscope. The endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, further comprising a control unit for selecting the endoscope.

With the above-described structure, ultrasonic waves can be applied to a portion to which dirt is most likely to adhere, so that cleaning can be performed without waste and cleaning processing ability can be improved. In addition, since cleaning can be performed by adding a detergent suitable for dirt, cleaning can be realized in a short time as a result. Further, since there is no need to largely change the setting of the apparatus in accordance with various types of endoscopes, it is possible to reduce the complexity of use.

[0017]

(First Embodiment) An endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus of the present embodiment is a proposal of a type in which an ultrasonic transducer is fixed to the bottom of a cleaning tank and a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are provided.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing a form of a main part of the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 viewed from above with the cover 9 removed. The cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 has a cleaning tank 11, which is not shown in FIG. 1. In the cleaning tank 11, a holding net 12 as shown in FIG. 2 is provided as endoscope holding means for holding the endoscope 1. Have been. The entire endoscope 1 is floated from the bottom of the cleaning tank 11 by the holding net 12 and held at a specific position.

The holding net 12 is a holding unit 1 for holding the operation unit 2 and the LG (light guide) connector unit 3 of the endoscope 1.
3 and a plurality of guides 14 that regulate the arrangement of the flexible tube (the insertion portion 5 and the light guide cable 6) of the endoscope 1 are provided. Thus, the endoscope 1 in the cleaning tank 11 is
The positions of the operation unit 2 and the LG connector unit 3 are determined, and
The G (image guide) flexible tube or insertion portion 5 and the flexible tube between the operation portion 2 and the LG connector portion 3 or the light guide cable 6 are arranged so that they do not overlap each other around the central tower 15 in the cleaning tank 11 as much as possible. It is to be set.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 16 are provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank 11 in correspondence with the installation position of the endoscope 1. In the present embodiment, seven ultrasonic transducers 16 are concentrically arranged around the central tower 15 at equal intervals.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a water supply port 21 for supplying water, a disinfectant liquid port 22 for supplying a disinfectant, and a detergent port 23 for supplying a detergent are provided at side portions of the cleaning tank 11. In addition, a drain port 24 for draining water from the cleaning tank 11 is provided at the deepest part of the cleaning tank 11.

The endoscope 1 has a storage unit 8 for storing information such as an application case, the length of the IG coil tube of the insertion unit 5 and the end date and time of use of the endoscope. In this embodiment, the storage unit 8 is provided in the LG connector unit 3,
Thus, an ID function is constructed. The storage unit 8 records the type of the endoscope 1, the date of manufacture, and the like.

The storage section 8 is connected to a waterproof connection cable 7 for electrically connecting to the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 side. The connection cable 7 is connected to the cleaning tank 1 as shown in FIG.
1 and is connected to an information reading unit 31 to be described later via a wall portion. This connection type is a detachable structure that is electrically and waterproofly connected to the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 side.

The connection cable 7 is fixedly provided on the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 side, and the connection cable 7 is detachably connected to the endoscope 1 side, or the endoscope 1 side and the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 side. The connection cable 7 may be detachably connected to both of them.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view schematically showing a configuration including a control system in a form in which the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is viewed from the side. The information reading unit 31 is provided in the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10. Furthermore, endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device 1
The control unit 32 is provided in 0. This control unit 32
Sets the cleaning conditions based on the data of the information reading unit 31 which has read the information from the storage unit 8 of the endoscope 1, controls the ultrasonic driving unit 33 based on the cleaning conditions, and controls the respective ultrasonic transducers 16 Can be individually driven.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus 10, the water supply port 21 is connected to a water supply source via a water supply valve 41. The disinfectant liquid port 22 is for the cleaning and disinfecting device 1
The cleaning tank 11 is connected to a disinfecting solution tank 42 incorporated in the cleaning tank 11 via a pump 43 so that the disinfecting solution can be injected into the cleaning tank 11. Drainage valves 44a and 44b
And a drain line 46 is connected via a pump 45.

By connecting the pipe between the drain valves 44a and 44b and the disinfectant tank 42, the disinfectant injected into the cleaning tank 11 can be collected in the disinfectant tank 42 without draining. Become. The detergent port 23 is connected to a plurality of detergent tanks 47a, 47b,..., Valves 48a, 48b,. Although not shown,
Each of the valves and pumps is automatically controlled by the control unit 32, and the disinfecting solution and each detergent can be injected and collected from outside the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus 10.

Hereinafter, the operation of each unit will be described in detail. First, the endoscope 1 is attached to the holding net 1 provided in the cleaning tank 11.
2 is set so as to have a predetermined positional relationship. Thereafter, the endoscope 1 and the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 are electrically connected via the connection cable 7. Thereafter, the cover 9 of the cleaning tank 11 is closed, and although not shown, a start switch provided in the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus 10 is pressed to start the cleaning and disinfecting process.

When the cleaning / disinfecting process is started, first, the control unit 32 opens the water supply valve 41 to supply water to the cleaning tank 11, and from the storage unit 8 of the endoscope 1 via the information reading unit 31, ie, inserts an IG snake tube. The information of the length of the section 5 and the application case of the endoscope 1 is taken in.

The storage unit 8 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-27643.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4 (1993) -204, a connection to a light source or the like can be made via a connection cable 7, and information on an applied case and a case end date and time is written in a case. The setting of the ultrasonic drive and the selection of the detergent, which will be described later, are not shown, but the table is stored in a memory provided in the control unit 32 in advance, and the length of the IG flexible tube, that is, the length of the insertion unit 5 obtained through the connection cable 7, You may make it perform on this table by CPU etc. from the information of a case. Further, the type of detergent to be used and the setting of ultrasonic drive may be written in the endoscope 1 in advance. In this case, information corresponding to the table includes a light source and the like.
The information is stored in a device having a function of writing various information to the endoscope 1 during a case.

Next, a case where the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 sets the operating conditions will be described. The control unit 32 first determines the tip 5a of the insertion unit 5 from the length information of the IG coil, that is, the insertion unit 5.
Position is determined. Then, the control unit 32 determines the ultrasonic vibrator 16 closest to the distal end portion 5a, and controls the ultrasonic drive unit 33 so that the vibration amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrator 16 becomes larger than the normal amplitude.

If there is an error in the position of the distal end portion 5a due to the setting method, a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators 16 are provided so as to cover an area where the distal end portion 5a of the insertion section 5 is located, instead of one ultrasonic vibrator 16. Are similarly driven. At this time, the other ultrasonic transducers 16 may or may not be driven. The reason why this may be performed is that the generated ultrasonic waves are reflected in the cleaning tank 11, so that weak cavitation acts on other parts of the endoscope 1. However, it is preferable to drive with a small amplitude in order to prevent uneven cleaning.

Since the endoscope 1 has not only the length of the flexible tube of the insertion portion 5 but also various thicknesses, the frequency of the ultrasonic wave may be changed according to each type. More specifically, the ultrasonic transducer 16 having two resonance frequencies may be used to drive at two frequencies, and one of the frequencies may be selected according to the thickness of the IG coil.

Next, the control unit 32 determines the driving time of each ultrasonic transducer 16 and the type of detergent to be supplied from the information of the applied case and the case end date and time. For example, for the endoscope 1 used for the stomach, an enzyme-based detergent containing a large amount of blood decomposition components should be selected, and for the endoscope 1 used for the large intestine, an alkaline detergent suitable for washing stool should be selected. .

When ultrasonic cleaning and cleaning with a detergent cannot be performed at the same time due to the resistance of the endoscope 1 or the like, the detergent may be introduced after applying the ultrasonic wave.

Hereinafter, the case where the ultrasonic cleaning and the cleaning with the detergent are performed simultaneously will be described. The control unit 32 determines the lapse of time from the end of the case based on information on the case end date and time and a calendar function (not shown) built in the control unit 32. In addition to this, from the information of the applied case, the control unit 32 supplies a predetermined detergent in accordance with the preset ultrasonic driving time and detergent type information, circulates and immerses the cleaning liquid in the pipeline for a predetermined time, and The valves, pumps, and ultrasonic drive unit 33 are controlled so as to drive the sound waves for a predetermined time. After the lapse of both predetermined times, the valves 44a and 44b are opened, the pump 45 is driven, and the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 11 is drained. Thereafter, rinsing with tap water, disinfection with a disinfectant solution, and rinsing with tap water are performed, and the cleaning and disinfecting process is completed.

According to the present embodiment, the most appropriate detergent is selected in consideration of the type of dirt adhering to the endoscope 1 and the dry state.
In addition, the outer surface of the distal end portion of the endoscope which is most contaminated can be mainly ultrasonically cleaned, so that reliable cleaning can be realized. Also,
Since the detergent and the ultrasonic drive are optimized according to the condition of the contamination, the cleaning time can be reduced as compared with the conventional case.
In addition, shortening the time is advantageous in terms of economy, such as reduction in power consumption. Further, no special work is required for setting the endoscope 1, and no complicated work is required for the user. Therefore, it is possible to provide a cleaning and disinfecting apparatus 10 that is gentle to humans, can perform reliable cleaning in a short time, is economically advantageous, and is less likely to damage the endoscope 1.

(Second Embodiment) An endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the upper part 51 of the central tower 15 provided in the washing tank 11 is configured to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, and the ultrasonic vibrator 53 is disposed at the tip of a rotating arm 52 attached to the upper part 51. Things. By rotating the upper part 51 on the basis of the central tower 15, the rotary arm 52 also rotates, and the ultrasonic transducer 53 moves around the central tower 15 and can be stopped at an arbitrary position.

As shown in FIG. 6, the rotary arm 52 is constructed so as to be drawn into a notch 54 provided in the central tower 15 and housed therein. The storage of the rotating arm 52 is automatically performed by the control unit 32 after the completion of the cleaning process. Further, the ultrasonic vibrator 53 is electrically connected to an ultrasonic driving unit 33 controlled by the control unit 32.

Further, as in the case of the first embodiment, one or more ultrasonic transducers 16 may be fixedly installed at the bottom of the cleaning tank 11. Other configurations are the same as those of the first
This may be the same as in the embodiment.

Also in the case of the present embodiment, the endoscope 1 is set in a predetermined state by the holding net 12. Then, as in the case of the first embodiment, the connection cable 7 is connected to the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 so as to read various information from the storage unit 8 inside the endoscope 1.

Hereinafter, the operation of each section will be described in detail.
When the endoscope 1 is set in the cleaning tank 11, the rotary arm 52 is retracted and stored in the notch portion 54 as shown in FIG. Never be. Hereinafter, the operation is the same as that of the first embodiment until the start switch of the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 10 is pressed.

Then, when the start switch is pressed,
Water is supplied to the cleaning tank 11. At the same time, the rotary arm 52 automatically extends and projects as shown in FIG.

When a predetermined amount of water is injected into the cleaning tank 11,
As in the first embodiment described above, the control unit 32 determines the location of the distal end portion 5a from the length information of the IG flexible tube, that is, the insertion portion 5, and the ultrasonic transducer at the distal end of the rotary arm 52 at that position. The upper part 5 of the central tower 15 until 53 is located
Rotate 1 After the rotation arm 52 moves to a predetermined position, the ultrasonic vibrator 53 is driven with a large amplitude. Further, the rotation arm 52 and the central tower 15 may be reciprocated slightly during the application of the ultrasonic wave to eliminate an error in setting the endoscope 1.

Also, preferably, the central tower 1 during the ultrasonic cleaning is used.
It is preferable to rotate the upper part 51 of 5 so as to reliably apply cavitation to portions other than the tip 5a. In this case, it is preferable to reduce the amplitude of the ultrasonic transducer 53 in a region where the distal end portion 5a of the insertion section 5 is not located.

Further, a plurality of rotary arms 52 may be provided, and an ultrasonic vibrator 53 may be provided for these. In this case, it is not necessary to configure the upper part 51 of the central tower 15 to make one rotation. The rotating arm 52
Only the ultrasonic vibrator 53 disposed at the tip of the actuator is driven with a large amplitude, and the other ultrasonic vibrators 16 are driven with a small amplitude.
The upper part 51 of the central tower 15 may be made to reciprocate within this rotation range by allowing the rotation at 0 °.

The detergent and the ultrasonic driving time are the same as those in the first embodiment. When the washing process is completed, the washing liquid is drained from the drain port 24, and the upper part 51 of the central tower 15 moves to a predetermined position, and then the rotating arm 52 is stored in the central tower 15. Thereafter, rinsing, disinfection, and rinsing are performed, and the cleaning / disinfecting process is completed.

According to the second embodiment, it is not always necessary to provide a plurality or a number of ultrasonic vibrators, and a reduction in cost can be realized. In addition, since the ultrasonic transducer can be moved, cavitation can be applied intensively to the distal end of the insertion section, and the distal end of the insertion section can be more reliably cleaned than in the first embodiment. Further, since the arm for holding and moving the ultrasonic vibrator is automatically stored in the central tower 15 after the completion of the cleaning process, the arm does not become an obstacle when setting the endoscope, so that the user is not disturbed. There is no need for complicated work.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

[0050]

As described above, according to the present invention, the information storage function of the endoscope is utilized, and the state when the endoscope is set in the cleaning tank is limited by the holding means. For example, by judging the position of the end portion of the endoscope to which the most dirt adheres, for example, and applying ultrasonic waves to this portion in a focused manner, the outer surface of the most dirty portion is effectively cleaned. In addition, it is possible to prevent unnecessary application of ultrasonic waves to other parts.

Further, the type of dirt is determined from the application case of the endoscope, and a predetermined detergent is selected from a plurality of detergents to be washed, whereby the inner tube of the endoscope is cleaned. It is possible to effectively clean the dirt in the road and the dirt on the outer surface, and to judge the dryness of the dirt from the elapsed time from the end of the case, thereby performing the cleaning process for a preset time. By doing so, reliable cleaning can be realized.

In addition, an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus which can reduce the burden on the endoscope as a whole, and which can reduce the cost by shortening the cleaning time and the amount of power consumption, and does not require the user to perform complicated operations. It is possible to provide.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic configuration of an endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to a first embodiment as viewed from above.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a holding net of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view of a plumbing system of a water supply / drainage and a detergent / disinfectant of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a main part of an endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of a central tower and a rotating arm provided in a cleaning tank of an endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope, 2 ... Endoscope operation part, 3 ... LG connector part, 5 ... Endoscope insertion part, 6 ... Endoscope light guide cable, 8 ... Storage part, 10 ... Washing and disinfecting device , 11 ... washing tank, 12 ... holding net, 14 ... guide, 15 ... central tower, 16
... Ultrasonic vibrator, 23 ... Detergent port, 31 ... Information reading unit, 3
2 ... Control unit, 33 ... Ultrasonic drive unit, 42 ... Disinfectant tank, 47a, 47b ... Detergent tank.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Maiko Shiga 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Nobuyuki Nakanishi 2-34-2-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical (72) Inventor Masahito Goto 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo F-term in Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (reference) 3B201 AA47 AB42 BB84 BB85 BB92 CD43 4C058 AA15 BB02 BB07 DD05 DD13 EE26 JJ06 KK07 4C061 GG07 GG09 GG10

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus for applying ultrasonic waves to an endoscope immersed in a cleaning liquid stored in a cleaning tank to clean the endoscope. Endoscope holding means, an ultrasonic transducer for applying ultrasonic waves to the endoscope installed in the cleaning tank, ultrasonic driving means for driving the ultrasonic transducer, and stored in the endoscope. An endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus comprising: a control unit that sets a cleaning condition based on various information and controls an operation state of the ultrasonic vibrator based on the cleaning condition. 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the operation state of the ultrasonic transducer based on the length information of the endoscope received from the endoscope. Endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device. 3. The control means judges the position of the endoscope tip from the length information of the endoscope, and determines the ultrasonic transducer closest to the position or a plurality of ultrasonic transducers near the position. The endoscope cleaning / disinfecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a driving condition is set to control an operation state of the ultrasonic vibrator. 4. A plurality of detergent tanks each capable of storing a different detergent, and the use status of the endoscope is received from the endoscope,
4. The endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising control means for selecting a detergent to be used in a cleaning step based on the use status information.