JP2003052610A - Scope holding member - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope sterilizing system which can take out an endoscope from an autoclave container without touching the endoscope by hand after the endoscope is sterilized in an autoclave. SOLUTION: This scope holding member 43 is used to take out the endoscope 35 which can be sterilized in an autoclave from the autoclave container 40. In such a scope holding member 43, when the endoscope 35 is taken out from the autoclave container 40, the scope holding member 43 is detachably attached to the endoscope 35 and grips the endoscope 35.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a scope for taking out an endoscope from an autoclave container for autoclaving an endoscope used for diagnosing the inside of a body cavity of a living body. Related to a holding member. 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an endoscope of this type includes an operation unit,
A flexible tube extending from the operation section and a bending tube provided at the distal end of the flexible tube are provided, and the flexible tube and the bending tube form an insertion portion. The flexible tube of such an endoscope is formed by covering a mesh tube called a blade on the surface of a spiral tube made of a band-shaped metal thin plate, and further covering a flexible tube made of polyethylene or the like on the surface of the mesh tube. It has moderate flexibility and elasticity. In such an endoscope, the flexibility and resilience of a flexible tube forming an insertion portion greatly affects the insertability into a body cavity, and makes the distal end side of the flexible tube flexible. It is conventionally known that by making the base end side relatively harder than the distal end side, the insertability into a body cavity can be improved. Therefore, conventionally, in order to improve the insertability of the flexible tube forming the insertion portion of the endoscope into the body cavity, a part of the flexible tube forming the outer skin of the flexible tube is formed into a two-layer structure to form the flexible tube. One in which the base end side is harder than the distal end side has been proposed (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-38961). [0004] By the way, after the endoscope is used, cleaned and disinfected, the entire endoscope is stored in an autoclave container and sterilized. No attempt was made to remove the endoscope from the autoclave container. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a scope holding member that can be taken out of an autoclave container without touching the endoscope after autoclaving the endoscope. Is to provide. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a scope holding member for taking out an autoclave-sterilizable endoscope from an autoclave container. When the mirror is taken out, the mirror is detachably attached to the endoscope so that the endoscope can be gripped and taken out. Therefore, after the endoscope is sterilized in an autoclave, it can be taken out of the autoclave container without touching the endoscope. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a first endoscope according to the present invention.
In the figures, reference numeral 1 denotes an operation unit, and 2 denotes a flexible tube extending from the tip of the operation unit 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the flexible tube 2 includes a spiral tube (flex) 3 made of a band-shaped metal thin plate, a mesh tube (blade) 4 attached to the outer periphery of the spiral tube 3, and the mesh tube. 4 and a flexible tube (outer skin) 5 that covers the surface, and has appropriate flexibility and elasticity. In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes a bending tube provided at the distal end of the flexible tube 2, and reference numeral 7 denotes a distal member provided at the distal end of the bending tube 6. The bending tube 6 and the distal member 7 are ,
The insertion section of the endoscope is formed together with the flexible tube 2 described above. In the figure, reference numeral 8 denotes a bending operation knob provided on the operation section 1. When the bending operation knob 8 is rotated, the bending tube 6 bends in the vertical and horizontal directions. I have. The operating section 1 is provided with a treatment instrument insertion port 9, and a treatment instrument such as forceps inserted from the treatment instrument insertion port 9 is provided with a flexible tube provided inside the flexible tube 2 and the bending tube 6. 10 (see FIG. 5), and is guided by an opening 11 formed at the distal end of the distal end member 7. An observation window 12 (see FIG. 5) is provided at the tip of the tip member 7, and an optical image from the observation window 12 is formed on a solid-state image pickup device (CCD) 21 behind the observation window 12. An objective lens system 13 for imaging is provided. As shown in FIG. 6, the objective lens system 13 includes a first lens 14 provided on the rear side of the observation window 12,
First lens holder 15 holding first lens 14
A rear group lens 16a, 16b, 16c disposed on the rear side of the first lens 14, and a rear group lens 16a, 1
6b, 16c, a second lens holder 17, the second lens holder 17 and the first lens holder 1
5 and a cylindrical insulator 18 for electrically insulating them from each other. A chamfer 19 is provided at the rear end of the insulator 18.
(See FIG. 7). The chamfered portion 19 is subjected to metal plating (not shown) for fixing the first lens holder 15 and the second lens holder 17 to the insulator 18 by soldering. I have. The first lens 14 includes a rear lens group 16a.
It is formed of plastic so that dew condensation does not occur due to a temperature difference on the lens surface 14a on the side opposite to. A glass plate 20 is provided on the front side of the first lens 14 so that the first lens 14 made of plastic is not corroded by chemicals. Note that instead of forming the first lens 14 from plastic, a hydrophilic coat may be applied to the lens surface 14a. A signal line 22 for transmitting an image signal from the solid-state imaging device 21 extends at the rear end of the solid-state imaging device 21. This signal line 22 is connected to the bending tube 6 and the flexible tube 2.
, And further through a universal cord 23 extending from the side of the operation unit 1 to be connected to a connector 24 provided at the end of the cord 23. The connector 24 is connected to a connector section (not shown) of the control device 25, and the image signal supplied from the solid-state imaging device 21 to the control device 25 is subjected to signal processing by the signal processing section of the control device 25 to generate a video image. It is converted to a signal. Then, the video signal obtained by the signal processing unit of the control device 25 is
The information is displayed on a screen of a monitor TV 27 connected to the control device 25 via a cable 26. FIGS. 2 to 4 show the inside of the flexible tube 2.
As shown in FIG. 5, the first reinforcing member 28a having a length substantially equal to the entire length of the flexible tube 2 and the second reinforcing member 28b having a length substantially half the entire length of the flexible tube 2 are flexible. It is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the tube 2. These reinforcing members 28
a and 28b are formed of a metal pipe made of, for example, stainless steel or the like, and have appropriate flexibility and elasticity. The first reinforcing member 28a has a distal end fixed to a connecting pipe 30 that connects the flexible pipe 2 and the curved pipe 6,
A plurality of guide members 2 attached to the inner surface of the spiral tube 3
9 extends through the base end of the flexible tube 2. On the other hand, the distal end of the tubular member 28b is fixed to a guide member 29 provided at a substantially intermediate position of the flexible tube 2, and extends to the proximal end side of the flexible tube 2 through a plurality of guide members 29. Have been. That is, the reinforcing members 28a and 28b are disposed along the longitudinal direction of the flexible tube 2 such that their rear ends are aligned with the base end side of the flexible tube 2. FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which the endoscope 35 is housed in an autoclave sterilizer 36. An air supply tube 37 and a suction tube 38 are connected to the connector 24 of the endoscope 35. These tubes 37 and 38 are connected to a ventilator 39, and are configured to ventilate the humidity in the endoscope 35 by the suction force of the ventilator 39. Since the endoscope 35 has a watertight structure,
When the autoclave sterilization is performed, the curved portion rubber of the endoscope 35 may expand at the time of suction. However, the expansion of the curved portion rubber is prevented by reducing the internal pressure of the endoscope 35 by the ventilation device 39. can do. FIG. 9 is a view showing a carrying case type autoclave container 40 used when sterilizing the endoscope 35 by autoclave sterilization. The autoclave container 40 includes a container body 41 and an upper cover that covers an opening of the container body 41. 42
a and the upper lid 42b. A scope holding member 43 is detachably provided on the container body 41. The scope holding member 43 is formed in a U-shape as shown in FIG. 10, and the autoclave sterilized endoscope 35 can be taken out of the autoclave container 40 without touching by hand as shown in FIG. , So that it can be hung on a scope hanger as it is. The flexible tube 2 of the endoscope thus constructed
Since the proximal end is harder than the distal end and the elasticity of the proximal end is stronger than the elasticity of the distal end, it is not necessary to form the outer skin 5 of the flexible tube 2 into a two-layer structure. The insertability of the flexible tube 2 into the body cavity can be improved. Therefore, the durability can be improved without impairing the followability and the insertability of the flexible tube 2 with respect to the insertion operation. In the above-described first embodiment, the second reinforcing member 2 having a length substantially half of the entire length of the flexible tube 2 is used.
8b is provided in parallel with the first reinforcing member 28a.
As shown in FIG. 14, the first reinforcing member 28a may pass through the inside of the second reinforcing member 28b having a length substantially half of the entire length of the flexible tube 2. As described above, according to the present invention, when the endoscope is taken out of the autoclave container, the endoscope is gripped by the scope holding member detachably attached to the endoscope. Can be taken out. Therefore, after the endoscope is sterilized in an autoclave, it can be taken out of the autoclave container without touching the endoscope.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first embodiment of an endoscope according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exemplary sectional view showing the inside of the flexible tube according to the embodiment; FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a distal end portion of the endoscope shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of the objective lens system shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an insulator. FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an autoclave sterilizer. FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a portable autoclave sterilizer. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a scope holder. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a method of using the scope holder. FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a flexible tube showing a second embodiment of the endoscope according to the present invention. FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 13; FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a reinforcing member. [Description of Signs] 35 endoscope 40 autoclave container 43 scope holding member

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A scope holding member for taking out an autoclave-sterilizable endoscope from an autoclave container, wherein the scope holding member is detachable from the autoclave container when the endoscope is taken out from the autoclave container. A scope holding member attached to the endoscope for gripping the endoscope.