JP2002301028A - Endoscope washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope washing machine properly performing washing according to the shape of endoscopes, without manual input of the data. SOLUTION: An endoscope 10 is provided with a washing portion item storage means 9 for storing items about the portion of the endoscope 10 to be washed. The endoscope washer 20 is provided with a washing portion reading means 31 for reading the contents stored in the storage means 9 from the endoscope 10 contained in the endoscope washer 20, and a washing action control means 33 for automatically controlling the action of a plurality of washing means 34, 35 and 36 according to the contents read by the reading means 31.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope cleaning apparatus in which an endoscope is housed in a cleaning device for cleaning.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope used for a clinical examination is cleaned by an endoscope cleaning device. At this time, the operation of the cleaning device is performed appropriately in accordance with the structure of the endoscope. There is a need.

Therefore, conventionally, the length of the insertion portion of the endoscope to be cleaned, the number, the inner diameter, and the length of the fluid conduit to be cleaned can be input from the operation panel of the endoscope cleaning device. I was

[0004]

However, since there are various types of endoscopes to be cleaned by one endoscope cleaning device, it is extremely complicated and troublesome to input different data from the operation panel each time. This not only puts a burden on the operator, but also may cause damage to the endoscope due to erroneous input.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an endoscope cleaning apparatus in which an endoscope cleaning device appropriately performs a cleaning operation according to a difference between endoscopes to be cleaned without manually inputting data. The purpose is to do.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope cleaning apparatus according to the present invention has an endoscope housed in an endoscope cleaning device and is provided in the endoscope cleaning device. In an endoscope cleaning apparatus in which each part of an endoscope is automatically cleaned by a cleaning means, a cleaning part specification storage means for storing and storing specifications of a part to be cleaned of the endoscope is provided in the endoscope. Along with
A cleaning part specification reading means for reading stored contents of the cleaning part specification storage means from the endoscope housed in the endoscope cleaning device; and a plurality of cleaning part specification reading means based on the contents read by the cleaning part specification reading means. Cleaning operation control means for automatically controlling the operation of the cleaning means is provided in the endoscope cleaning device.

An endoscope is provided with an electric signal connector connected to the light source device, and a detachable waterproof cap is provided on the endoscope washer for the electric signal connector. May be read from the electrical signal connector via the waterproof cap to the cleaning part specification reading means.

The specifications of the part to be cleaned of the endoscope stored in the cleaning part specification storage means include the length of the insertion portion of the endoscope, the number of fluid lines to be cleaned, and the fluid lines. Internal diameter size, length of fluid line, possibility of brushing of fluid line,
Whether or not ultrasonic cleaning can be applied, types of usable chemicals, and a plurality of flow paths in a fluid conduit may be included.

When the waterproof cap is not attached to the electrical signal connector, the cleaning operation control means may stop all operations of the plurality of cleaning means.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an example of an electronic endoscope 10 to be cleaned by the endoscope cleaning device of the present invention, and a treatment disposed near a connecting portion between a flexible tubular insertion portion 11 and an operation portion 12. A forceps plug 13 is detachably attached to the tool insertion port.

Then, the forceps channel 1 extends from the treatment instrument insertion port to which the forceps stopper 13 is attached to the distal end of the insertion section 11.
4 is inserted through the insertion portion 11, and the suction tube 15 branched from the forceps channel 14 near the treatment instrument insertion port.
Is pointing into the operation unit 12.

A flexible connecting pipe 16 extending from the operating section 12
A light guide entrance end 18 connected to a light source lamp of a light source device (not shown) is connected to a connector 17 provided at an end of the light source device. An electric signal connector 19 for transmitting and receiving an imaging signal and the like is protruded.

FIG. 3 shows an endoscope cleaning device 20. A cleaning tank 21 for storing the electronic endoscope 10 is disposed at an upper end portion thereof. A lid 22 is attached.

Inside the washing tank 21, an operation section holding section 23 and a connector holding section 24 for holding the operation section 12 and the connector 17 of the electronic endoscope 10 in an appropriate state are arranged. An operation button 2 is provided on the front panel of the cleaning device 20.
5 and a display 26 for display using, for example, a liquid crystal or the like.
Etc. are arranged.

Both the operation part holding part 23 and the connector holding part 24 have a function of inserting and removing a cleaning brush into and out of a fluid conduit piped in the electronic endoscope 10 and injecting a cleaning liquid and drying air. Is incorporated. Such an apparatus is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-275918.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a waterproof cap which is detachably mounted on the electric signal connector 19 so that washing water does not enter the electric signal connector 19 of the electronic endoscope 10. It is attached to the distal end of a flexible tube 28 that protrudes.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which such a waterproof cap 27 is positioned so as to face the electric signal connector 19, and the electric signal connector 19 has a large number of contact pins 192 protruding from an outer cylinder 191. The structure has been.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the electronic endoscope 10 is accommodated in the cleaning tank 21 of the endoscope cleaning device 20. The operation unit 12 and the connector 17 of the electronic endoscope 10 are connected to the cleaning tank. 21
The operation cap holding part 23 and the connector holding part 24 are fixed in a predetermined state, and the waterproof cap 27 is attached to the electric signal connector 1.
9 is covered.

FIG. 5 shows the fluid conduits (the conduits for air supply, water supply, suction, etc.) in the electronic endoscope 10 by broken lines, and as described above, these fluid conduits. The connection unit 100 for inserting and removing the cleaning brush and injecting the cleaning liquid and the drying air to the operation unit holding unit 23 and the connector holding unit 24 is disposed in each of the operation unit holding unit 23 and the connector holding unit 24.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which the electric signal connector 19 is covered with the waterproof cap 27. Only the cross section on the waterproof cap 27 side is hatched. Waterproof cap 2
7, a lead wire 28 inserted through the flexible tube 28 is disposed.
A plurality of connection terminals 271 connected to 1 are arranged.

When the waterproof cap 27 is put on the electrical signal connector 19, the connection terminal 27 of the waterproof cap 27 is
1 and a part of the connection pins 192 on the side of the electrical signal connector 19 are connected, and the lead wires 28 in the flexible tube 28 are connected.
Signals are exchanged between the electronic endoscope 10 side and the endoscope cleaning device 20 side via 1.

The cover cylinder 272 constituting the outer wall of the waterproof cap 27 has an O-ring 273 for sealing between the outer cylinder 191 of the electric signal connector 19 and the outer cylinder 191 mounted on the inner peripheral surface thereof. Is connected to the flexible tube 28. An O-ring 275 seals a fitting portion between the cover cylinder 272 and the connection cylinder 274.

The flexible tube 28 is formed by a flexible tube such as a polyurethane tube or the like.
The end 28 a is passed through a hole formed in the center of the end surface of the connection tube 274, and is pressed and fixed to the inner end surface wall of the connection tube 274 by a nut 276 screwed into an inner portion of the connection tube 274.

The end 28a of the flexible tube 28 is pressed in the axial direction by a nut 276 so as to be spread outward in an umbrella shape and pressed between the inner end wall of the connecting tube 274. Crushing, thereby preventing the ingress of moisture from outside.

An annular projection 277 projecting from the edge of the hole formed in the center of the end surface of the connection tube 274 toward the inside of the connection tube 274 projects into the peripheral surface of the end portion 28a of the flexible tube 28. Even when the flexible tube 28 is pulled, the connection tube 274
It functions as a retainer to prevent the connection state from coming off.

An elastic sealant A is applied to the boundary between the nut 276 and a member adjacent thereto,
Increases the watertight effect. In this case, the sealing agent A may completely cover the nut 276. Nut 27
An epoxy-based adhesive or the like may be applied to the threaded portion between the tube 6 and the connection tube 274 or the gap B on the back side of the nut 276.

FIG. 1 shows the electronic endoscope 10 and the endoscope washer 20 connected by a lead wire 281 in a flexible tube 28.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electric circuit on the side, and a memory circuit 9 including, for example, a ROM (read-only memory) is built in a connector 17 on the electronic endoscope 10 side.

The ROM of the memory circuit 9 stores and stores specifications of a portion to be cleaned of the electronic endoscope 10 in the endoscope cleaning device 20, and the contents thereof are, for example, as shown in FIG. In addition, the length of the insertion portion 11 of the electronic endoscope 10, the number of fluid conduits to be cleaned, the inner diameter size and length, the availability of ultrasonic cleaning, the type of usable chemical liquid, and the like, It may include a channel structure, such as how the conduit branches, or some of such content.

The least significant bit of the four bits of the memory for the inner diameter of the fluid line for air supply, water supply, suction, etc. is used to set a flag as to whether or not the line can be brushed. Used.

Returning to FIG. 1, the endoscope washer 20 has C
A system controller 31 including a PU or the like (cleaning portion specification reading means) is provided, and data stored in the memory circuit 9 is read by the system controller 31 via a lead 281. Further, an input signal from the operation button 25 and the like are also input to the system controller 31 and processed.

The output signal from the system controller 31 is sent to a display control unit 32 for controlling the display operation of the display 26 and a control unit 33 (cleaning operation control means) for controlling the cleaning operation for the electronic endoscope 10. Sent.

The control unit 33 includes an MPU and the like, and a cleaning brush driving motor 34 in the endoscope cleaning device 20 so that a cleaning operation conforming to the conditions read from the memory circuit 9 is performed. , Cleaning solution delivery liquid delivery pump 35,
The operation of the cleaning means such as the air supply pump for sending out the drying air and the vibrator for ultrasonic cleaning 37 is automatically controlled.

Thus, the cleaning liquid suitable for the electronic endoscope 10 to be cleaned can be used to clean the electronic endoscope 10.
Of the electronic endoscope 10 requiring cleaning at the same time as the outer surface of the electronic endoscope 10 needs to be cleaned, and after appropriate brushing of an appropriate range with a cleaning brush of an appropriate size, Injection of an appropriate amount of an appropriate cleaning liquid and injection of drying air are performed.

As shown in FIG. 8, for example, the display 26 controlled by the display control unit 32 includes the contents read from the memory circuit 9 and the endoscope cleaning performed by automatic control corresponding thereto. The steps are displayed side by side.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of software for performing a control operation in the endoscope washer 20 of the above embodiment. S indicates a step. Here, when the operation switch of the endoscope washer 20 is turned on, first, it is determined whether or not the waterproof cap 27 is covered on the electric signal connector 19 (S1).

Although a contact or the like for making the determination may be provided on the waterproof cap 27, the determination can be made easily depending on whether data is read from the memory circuit 9, and the like. If it is determined that the cap 27 is not covered, an error is displayed on the display 26 and the cleaning operation is not performed at all (S
2).

The waterproof cap 27 is attached to the electric signal connector 19.
If the data is covered, the data is read from the memory circuit 9 (S3), the operation for the corresponding predetermined cleaning operation is started (S4), and when the operation is completed, the fact that the cleaning is completed is displayed. 26 and the process is terminated (S5).

[0038]

According to the present invention, the specifications of the part to be cleaned of the endoscope are read from the endoscope into the endoscope cleaning device, and the operations of the plurality of cleaning means are automatically controlled based on the contents. By doing so, the endoscope washer can be appropriately cleaned in accordance with the difference in the endoscope to be cleaned without manually inputting data, so that the operation is not bothersome. In addition, damage to the endoscope due to erroneous input can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electric circuit of an endoscope cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of an example of an electronic endoscope to be cleaned by the endoscope cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the endoscope cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a connection portion between the electric signal connector and the waterproof cap according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which the electronic endoscope is housed in the endoscope cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a state where a waterproof cap is put on the electric signal connector of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a table illustrating the contents of data stored and stored in a memory circuit of the electronic endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a display example on a display according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of software for performing a control operation in the endoscope cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 9 memory circuit (cleaning part specification storage means) 10 electronic endoscope 19 electrical signal connector 20 endoscope cleaning device 27 waterproof cap 28 flexible tube 31 system controller (cleaning part specification reading means) 33 control unit (cleaning operation) Control means) 34 Motor (cleaning means) 35 Liquid pump (cleaning means) 36 Air supply pump (cleaning means) 37 Vibrator (cleaning means)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3B116 AA12 AB01 BA02 BA25 BB02 BB75 BB83 CC03 4C061 GG04 JJ18 NN09 YY14 5E087 EE13 LL02 LL17 MM08 RR12

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope cleaning apparatus in which an endoscope is housed in an endoscope cleaning device and each part of the endoscope is automatically cleaned by cleaning means provided in the endoscope cleaning device. In the endoscope, a washing part specification storage means for storing and storing the specification of the part to be cleaned of the endoscope is provided in the endoscope, and the endoscope is stored in the endoscope cleaning device. Cleaning part specification reading means for reading the stored contents of the cleaning part specification storage means, and cleaning operation control means for automatically controlling the operations of the plurality of cleaning means based on the contents read by the cleaning part specification reading means. And the endoscope cleaning device provided in the endoscope cleaning device. 2. An endoscope further comprising: an electric signal connector connected to the light source device; and a waterproof cap detachably mounted on the electric signal connector, provided on the endoscope washer. 2. The endoscope cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage contents of the specification storage means are read from the electric signal connector via the waterproof cap to the cleaning part specification reading means. 3. The specifications of the part to be cleaned of the endoscope stored in the cleaning part specification storage means include the length of the insertion portion of the endoscope, the number of fluid conduits to be cleaned, The inner diameter size of the fluid conduit, the length of the fluid conduit, the possibility of brushing the fluid conduit, the application of ultrasonic cleaning, the type of usable chemical, the flow path structure of the fluid conduit The endoscope cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the endoscope cleaning device includes a plurality. 4. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning operation control means stops all operations of said plurality of cleaning means when said waterproof cap is not attached to said electric signal connector. Mirror cleaning device.