JP2003199706A - Conduit selecting device of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conduit selecting device of an endoscope capable of properly stopping a piston body in a prescribed intermediate forced-in position in the range of the movement with a simple and therefore low-cost structure to be stably operated and easily washed after the use. <P>SOLUTION: The conduit selecting device has an elastic member 50 for returning the piston body 43 from the forced-in state to the waiting state, and the section of the elastic member is formed in the shape of the figure eight with two hollow parts, whose thicknesses are different from each other, superposed in the vertical direction. As the piston body 43 is forced in, the elastic member 50 is pressed down in the vertical direction. When the thinner hollow part of the two hollow parts is completely pressed down, the position is identical with the prescribed intermediate forced-in position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a conduit switching device for an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope is provided with a plurality of fluid conduits for performing air / water supply and suction operations, and a conduit switching device for switching the connection relationship of the plurality of fluid conduits is operated. It is located in the section.

In such an endoscope conduit switching device, a piston body is generally inserted in a cylinder body to which a plurality of fluid conduits are connected so as to advance and retract in the axial direction, and the piston body is pushed from a standby state. The connection relation of the fluid pipelines is switched by operating the fluid pipes.

Then, in order to switch the connection relationship of the fluid pipelines to a plurality of states other than the standby state by one switching device,
There is one in which the connection relationship of the fluid conduits is switched between the intermediate pushing position and the maximum pushing position in the movement range of the piston body (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0005]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-154588, No. 3
Figure

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-5130

[0006]

In order to operate the piston body so that it is properly stopped at a predetermined intermediate pushing position in the moving range, the hand operating the piston body has a clear change in resistance at the intermediate pushing position. It needs to be felt.

Therefore, in the conventional endoscope line switching devices described in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2, two compression coil springs are used as elastic members for returning the piston body to the standby state. Are arranged in different operating positions.

However, in such a structure, since two springs and a receiving member for each spring are required, the number of parts is increased, the apparatus is complicated, the cost is high, and the operation failure is likely to occur. It is also difficult to completely clean.

Therefore, the present invention is an endoscope capable of correctly stopping the piston body at a predetermined intermediate pushing position in the movement range by a simple structure, which is low in cost, stable in operation, and easy to clean after use. An object of the present invention is to provide a pipeline switching device.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a conduit switching device for an endoscope according to the present invention is provided in a cylinder body to which a plurality of fluid conduits connected to the endoscope are connected. By connecting the piston body so that it can move back and forth in the axial direction and pushing the piston body from the standby state, a plurality of fluid conduits are connected at a predetermined intermediate pushing position and maximum pushing position in the movement range of the piston body. In an endoscope pipe line switching device configured to switch the relationship, an elastic member for returning a piston body from a pushed state to a standby state is formed by vertically overlapping two hollow portions having different wall thicknesses. The elastic member is crushed in the vertical direction as the piston body is pushed in, and the hollow part with the smaller wall thickness of the two hollow parts is completely formed. The position when it becomes crushed Is the intermediate depressed position that is matched.

In addition, it is preferable that a ventilation hole for communicating the inside of the elastic member with the outside thereof is formed in the outer wall portion of the elastic member,
In that case, it is preferable that the vent hole is formed in the thicker hollow part of the two hollow parts of the elastic member, and the two hollow parts when the thicker hollow part is completely crushed. A ventilation path for letting air in and out between the hollow portions may be formed between the two hollow portions.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 shows an endoscope used for gastrointestinal examinations of the stomach and the like, 2 is an operating portion, and 3 is an insertion portion made of a flexible tube. A tip portion main body 5 having an objective optical system and the like built therein is connected to the tip of the insertion portion 3.

The operation section 2 is provided with an air supply / suction switching operation valve 40 on the front side, and an eyepiece section 8 is projectingly provided on the upper end. A connector (not shown) that is detachably connected to the light source device is attached to the tip of the connection flexible tube 9 connected to the operation unit 2.

An air supply / suction / forceps channel 6 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "channel 6") that is open outward in the tip portion main body 5 is inserted from the inside of the operation portion 2 into the inside of the insertion portion 3.

The base end side of the channel 6 is connected to the bottom portion of the air supply / suction switching operation valve 40. Further, an air supply pipe 11 and a suction pipe 12 connected to an external air supply device and a suction device (not shown) are connected to the side surface of the air supply / suction switching operation valve 40 through the connecting flexible tube 9. There is.

FIG. 1 shows a standby state of the air supply / suction switching operation valve 40, in which a cylinder body 41 is provided in the operation portion 2 and its mouth is open to the outside of the operation portion 2.
The channel 6 is connected to the central axis position of the bottom of the cylinder body 41, and the air supply pipe 11 and the suction pipe 12 are connected to the side surface of the cylinder body 41. Further, a leak hole 42 that communicates with the atmosphere is formed on the side surface of the cylinder body 41.

A piston body 43 made of metal or plastic is fitted in the cylinder body 41 so as to be movable back and forth in the axial direction, and at the axial position of the piston body 43, a shaft hole 45 (passage) extending over the entire length is provided. It is drilled through.

On the outer peripheral surface of the piston body 43, the air supply pipe 11
A wide communication groove 46 communicating with the suction pipe 12 and the leak hole 42 is formed on the circumferential surface. A narrow circumferential groove 47 is formed on the proximal side (mouth side) of the communication groove 46, and a communication hole 48 connects the circumferential groove 47 and the shaft hole 45. Before and after each groove 46, 47, a piston body 43 is formed.
An O-ring for sealing is attached to the outer periphery of the.

The head of the piston body 43 projects outward from the mouth of the cylinder body 41, and the projection end of the projecting portion is
An elastic operation button 50 (elastic member) made of, for example, rubber is attached.

The tip of the operation button 50 is on the piston body 4 side.
3 is detachably attached to a flange-like portion 43a protruding from the protruding end of the cylinder 3, and the base portion of the operation button 50 is detachably attached to a flange-like portion 41a protruding from the mouth of the cylinder body 41. There is.

The operation button 50 is formed in a shape of a figure 8 in which two hollow portions are vertically stacked in series, and an air passage 5 for communicating the upper and lower chambers is formed in the middle portion thereof.
1 is formed between the piston body 43 and the piston body 43.

In the operation button 50, the thickness of the base-side half 50a near the cylinder 41 is smaller than that of the head-side half 50b. Therefore, the piston body 4
Operation button 50 in the direction of pushing 3 into cylinder body 41.
When is pressed with the tip of the finger from the tip end side, the base half 50a is first crushed as shown in FIG. 2, and when the operation button 50 is further pressed, the head half 50b is crushed as shown in FIG. .

When the pushing force of the fingertip is relaxed, the elasticity of the operation button 50 first restores the head side half portion 50b as shown in FIG. 2, and then the base side half portion as shown in FIG. The part 50a is restored.

Reference numeral 52 denotes an operation button 5 for such an operation.
In order to move the air in 0 to the outside, the head side half 5
0b is a ventilation hole formed on the outer wall surface. 53 is also
As shown in FIG. 3, when the head side half part 50b is crushed, it is a ventilation groove 53 for letting in and out air between the head side half part 50b and the base side half part 50a.

A finger rest 54 for placing an operating finger is formed on the tip end of the operation button 50. The finger rest 54 is normally closed at the center and is opened by inserting the treatment instrument 100 when the instrument 100 is inserted. The "-shaped slit is formed, and that portion is a so-called forceps plug.

In the thus constructed embodiment device, in the standby state, as shown in FIG. 1, the air sent from the air feed pipe 11 into the cylinder body 41 passes through the communication groove 46 and the suction pipe. The air having a difference between the air supply amount and the suction amount is sucked into 12, and is sent or sucked from the leak hole 42.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the finger rest 5
4 of the operation button 50 on the proximal side half 5
When the piston body 43 is pushed to the position where 0a is completely crushed, the circumferential groove 47 faces the opening of the air feeding pipe 11, and the air feeding pipe 11 is inserted into the shaft hole 45 via the circumferential groove 47 and the communication hole 48. Further, the air is supplied from the air supply pipe 11 to the tip of the insertion portion through the channel 6. The atmosphere is sucked into the suction pipe 12 through the leak hole 42 and the communication groove 46.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the piston body 43 is pushed until the operation button 50 is completely crushed, the circumferential groove 47 faces the opening of the suction pipe 12, and the circumferential groove 47 and the communication hole 48. The suction tube 12 communicates with the shaft hole 45 via the, and suction is performed from the tip of the insertion portion to the suction tube 12 via the channel 6. The air sent into the cylinder body 41 from the air supply pipe 11 is released to the atmosphere through the ventilation path 51, the ventilation groove 53, and the ventilation hole 52.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the treatment tool 100 is inserted into the slit of the forceps plug 55 from the outside in the standby state, the treatment tool 100 pushes the slit and is formed on the piston body 43. It is guided through the shaft hole 45 into the channel 6 and protrudes from the opening at the tip of the insertion portion.

After the end of the endoscopic examination, the operation button 50 is removed from the cylinder body 41 and the piston body 43, the piston body 43 is pulled out from the cylinder body 41, and the inside of the cylinder body 41, the piston body 43 and the forceps plug 55 are removed. Etc. can be easily washed at the same time.

[0031]

According to the conduit switching device for an endoscope of the present invention, an elastic member for returning the piston body to the standby state is formed by vertically stacking two hollow portions having different wall thicknesses. Formed in a V-shaped cross-section, the elastic member is crushed in the vertical direction as the piston body is pushed in, and the hollow part with the thinner wall thickness of the two hollow parts is completely crushed. By matching the position at the time of becoming the predetermined intermediate push-in position with the predetermined intermediate push-in position, a clear change in resistance can be felt at the intermediate push-in position by the hand operating the piston body, so operation is simple and therefore at low cost. With a structure that is stable and easy to clean after use, the piston body can be correctly stopped at a predetermined intermediate pushing position in the movement range.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a standby state according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the air supply state of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the suction state of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the treatment tool of the embodiment is used.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the endoscope of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

6 channels (fluid conduit) 11 Air supply pipe (fluid conduit) 12 Suction pipe (fluid conduit) 41 Cylinder body 43 Piston body 50 operation buttons (elastic member)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A piston body is inserted in a cylinder body, which is connected to a plurality of fluid pipelines connected to an endoscope, so as to be able to move back and forth in the axial direction, and the piston body is pushed in from a standby state. With this, in the endoscope channel switching device configured to switch the connection relationship of the plurality of fluid channels at a predetermined intermediate pushing position and maximum pushing position in the moving range of the piston body, The elastic member for returning from the pushed state to the standby state is formed into an 8-shaped cross-sectional shape in which two hollow portions having different wall thicknesses are vertically overlapped, and the piston body is pushed in. With the elastic member is crushed in the vertical direction, the position when the hollow part having the smaller wall thickness of the two hollow parts is completely crushed is referred to as the predetermined intermediate pressing position. Characterized by matching And a conduit switching device for an endoscope. 2. The conduit switching device for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a ventilation hole that communicates the inside of the elastic member with the outside thereof is formed in the outer wall portion of the elastic member. 3. The endoscope line switching device according to claim 2, wherein the vent hole is formed in a hollow portion having a larger wall thickness of the two hollow portions of the elastic member. 4. A ventilation path for letting air in and out between the two hollow portions when the thick hollow portion is completely crushed is formed between the two hollow portions. The conduit switching device for an endoscope according to claim 3, wherein