JP2003339624A - Distal end part of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distal end part of an endoscope by which a prescribed quantity of fluid is surely jetted from a fluid jetting nozzle formed at a distal end cap when a distal end cap made from elastic material is fitted to a distal end part main body. <P>SOLUTION: At the distal end part of the endoscope, the distal end cap 10 which is to be attached and detached to and from the distal end part main body 1 constituting the distal end of an insertion part by being deformed elastically is formed of the elastic material, the fluid jetting nozzle communicated with the exit of a fluid pipeline 6 opened at the distal end face of the distal end part main body 1 is formed integrally with the distal end cap 10, and a channels communicated with the fluid jetting nozzle is formed at a connecting protrusion 11 projectingly formed on the side of the inner surface of the cap 10 so as to fit into the exit opening 5 of the fluid pipeline 6. The part of the protrusion 11 at the cap 10 is formed of hard material. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a distal end portion of an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an endoscope is provided with a fluid ejection nozzle for cleaning the surface of an observation window arranged at the tip of an insertion portion, the opening being formed toward the surface of the observation window.

[0003] Such a fluid ejecting nozzle was generally fixedly provided on the distal end body connected to the distal end of the insertion portion, but in recent years, due to the cleanability after use of the endoscope, etc. Is formed on the tip cap that is detachable from the tip body.

The tip cap is often made of an elastic material that is elastically deformed so as to be engaged with and disengaged from the tip body. The tip cap of the fluid pipe opening to the tip surface of the tip body is often used. A flow path communicating with the fluid ejection nozzle is formed in a connection protrusion that is provided on the inner surface side of the tip cap so as to fit into the outlet opening.

[0005]

However, since the tip cap is attached to the body of the tip portion by elastically deforming the tip cap, the connecting pipe portion formed on the tip cap is elastically deformed to form a fluid pipe. When it is fitted into the outlet opening of the passage, a gap may be generated in the fitting portion, and the fluid may leak from the gap and a sufficient amount of fluid may not be ejected from the nozzle.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when a tip cap made of an elastic material is attached to the tip body, a predetermined amount of fluid is surely ejected from a fluid ejection nozzle formed in the tip cap. The purpose is to provide a tip.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the distal end portion of the endoscope of the present invention is disengaged by elastically deforming the distal end portion main body constituting the distal end of the insertion portion. The cap is made of elastic material,
A fluid ejection nozzle communicating with the outlet of the fluid conduit formed in the tip end surface of the tip body is integrally formed with the tip cap, and the inner surface side of the tip cap is fitted so as to fit into the outlet opening of the fluid conduit. In the distal end portion of the endoscope in which the flow path communicating with the fluid ejection nozzle is formed in the connection projection that is provided on the projection, the connection projection portion of the distal end cap is formed of a hard material.

The fluid ejection nozzle may be made of the same material as the connecting projection and formed integrally with the connecting projection.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a front view of the tip of the insertion portion of the endoscope,
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view taken along the ABCDEFGH section.

The tip portion main body 1 constituting the tip of the insertion portion is formed in a substantially columnar shape with a block material made of metal or plastic, and an observation window 2 is arranged on the tip surface thereof, and is arranged inside the observation window 2. The image pickup surface of the solid-state image pickup device 4 is arranged at the projection position of the object by the objective optical system 3 thus formed. It should be noted that illustration of a lens frame or the like for supporting the objective optical system 3 and the solid-state image pickup device 4 is omitted.

An air / water supply conduit 6 is connected from the rear to an air / water supply port 5 (outlet opening) formed adjacent to the observation window 2 on the front end surface of the front end body 1. The air supply / water supply conduit 6 (fluid conduit) may be provided with separate air supply and water supply conduits as shown in FIG. 1, or both air supply and water supply (or one of them). (Only) can be passed through a single conduit. Reference numeral 8 shown in FIG. 2 is an illumination window, and 9 is a suction port.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a tip cap detachably attached to the tip body 1 by an elastic rubber material or the like. The tip cap 10 surrounds the tip outer edge of the tip body 1 and is connected to the air / water supply port 5. In order to cover the entire surface and not cover the observation window 2 at all, it is formed in a cap shape partially facing the front end surface of the front end main body 1.

The tip cap 10 is locked to the tip body 1 by engaging projections 13 formed inwardly from the inner surface of the latter half of the cylindrical tip cap 10.
Is engaged with the concave groove 7 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip body 1, and the tip cap 10 can be elastically deformed to engage and disengage.

On the back surface of the tip cap 10 facing the air / water supply port 5, a connection projection 11 is formed so as to fit into the air / water supply port 5 exactly. And the tip cap 10
An air / water supply nozzle 12 (fluid ejection nozzle) that opens toward the surface of the observation window 2 is formed integrally with the tip cap 10 on the outer surface side of that portion so as to project forward, and inside the air / water supply port 5. A flow path that communicates with the air / water supply nozzle 12 is formed in the connection protrusion 11.

The tip cap 10 constructed as described above is made of an elastic material, but at least the portion of the connecting projection 11 that fits into the air / water supply port 5 of the tip body 1 is made of hard plastic. It is made of wood.

Reference numeral 10a in the drawing denotes a portion formed of a hard plastic material. In this embodiment, the portion of the air / water supply nozzle 12 adjacent to the connection protrusion 11 is also connected to the connection protrusion 11 and is hard. It is made of plastic material. In FIG. 2, the part is illustrated in the shape of a grain.

Since the connecting projection 11 is formed of a hard plastic material as described above, the connecting projection 11 is hardly elastically deformed when the distal end cap 10 is attached to the distal end body 1, so that the connecting projection 11 is fed by air. If it is fitted into the water port 5, no gap more than a predetermined amount is generated in the fitted portion, and a predetermined amount of air and water is reliably sent from the air and water supply nozzle 12 toward the surface of the observation window 2.

Further, even if the tip cap 10 is attached to the tip body 1 slightly in the circumferential direction, the connecting projection 11 is properly fitted into the air / water supply port 5, so that the attachment is nervous. You don't have to
It can be installed easily.

It should be noted that from the engaging tip position of the concave groove 7 of the tip body 1 and the engaging protrusion 13 of the tip cap 10 to the tip surface position of the tip body 1 (that is, the back surface position of the tip cap 10). Regarding the distance L, if the dimension of the tip cap 10 side is set to be smaller than the dimension of the tip body 1 by a dimensional tolerance, the back surface of the tip cap 10 is closely adhered to the tip surface of the tip body 1. Air leaks are better suppressed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and any material may be used as long as the connecting projection 11 is integrally formed with the tip cap 10 by a hard material, at least the connecting projection 11 part. Need only be formed of a hard material.

[0021]

According to the present invention, of the tip caps made of an elastic material that is elastically deformed to engage with and disengage from the tip body, an opening is formed in the tip surface of the tip body. By forming the connecting protrusion that is provided on the inner surface side so as to fit into the outlet opening of the fluid conduit by using a hard material, the connecting protrusion hardly undergoes elastic deformation. If it fits in, there is no gap more than a predetermined amount in the fitted part, a certain amount of fluid is surely ejected from the fluid ejection nozzle, and the attachment of the tip cap to the tip body is slightly displaced in the circumferential direction But it ejects correctly from the fluid ejection nozzle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view (ABCDEFGH sectional view in FIG. 2) of a distal end portion of an endoscope of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the distal end portion of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Tip body 2 Observation window 5 Air / water inlet (outlet opening) 6 Air / water supply pipeline (fluid pipeline) 10 Tip cap 10a Part made of hard plastic 11 Connection protrusion 12 Air / water nozzle (fluid ejection nozzle)

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Naoya Ouchi             2-36 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahikou             Gaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Motoko Kawamura             2-36 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahikou             Gaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takashi Sawai             2-36 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahikou             Gaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H040 BA00 DA17 DA57                 4C061 CC06 FF35 GG05 JJ01 LL02

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tip cap that is engaged and disengaged by elastically deforming a tip body that constitutes the tip of an insertion portion is formed of an elastic material, and has an opening formed in the tip surface of the tip body. A fluid ejection nozzle communicating with the outlet of the fluid conduit is formed integrally with the tip cap, and a connection projection is provided on the inner surface of the tip cap so as to fit into the outlet opening of the fluid conduit. A distal end portion of the endoscope in which a flow path communicating with the fluid ejection nozzle is formed, wherein a portion of the connection protrusion of the distal end cap is formed of a hard material. 2. The distal end portion of the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the fluid ejection nozzle is formed of the same material as the connection protrusion and is connected to the connection protrusion.