JP2004135718A - Internal pressure regulating device of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an internal pressure regulating device of an endoscope, capable of reducing the internal pressure in a decompression sterilization chamber because air inside the endoscope is securely discharged to the outside even if failure of a check valve occurs, without a possibility of rupture of a coating tube etc. of a curved part as the coating tube etc. is inflated. <P>SOLUTION: The check valve 10 is mounted in the endoscope whose partition walls separating the inside from the outside are all air-tight for allowing gas to permeate from the inside to the outside of the endoscope but prohibiting gas to permeate from the outside to the inside of the endoscope to make the internal pressure regulating device. The internal pressure regulating device also has an auxiliary check valve 30 for allowing gas to permeate from the inside to the outside of the endoscope but prohibiting gas from permeating from the outside to the inside of the endoscope. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an internal pressure adjusting device provided in an endoscope that is sterilized by an autoclave, ethylene oxide gas (EOG), or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
To perform ethylene oxide gas or autoclave to sterilize the endoscope, it is necessary to depressurize the sterilization chamber containing the endoscope, and make the endoscope a structure that can withstand such a low-pressure environment There is a need.
[0003]
The problem at that time is that the most flexible part of the exterior of the endoscope, for example, the covering tube of the curved portion generally formed of rubber material may swell and burst when decompressed. It is.
[0004]
Therefore, a check valve that allows gas to pass from inside the endoscope to the outside and does not allow gas to pass from the outside to the inside of the endoscope is provided. (For example, Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-317896
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if such a sterilization process is repeatedly performed, disinfectant, vapor dregs, and other debris adhere to and accumulate between the check valve and the valve seat, and as a result, the operation of the check valve is reduced. In some cases, the sheath tube or the like of the curved portion swells and bursts when placed in a vacuum sterilization chamber.
[0007]
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for controlling a check valve, in which even if a malfunction of a check valve occurs, air in an endoscope is reliably discharged to the outside in a decompression sterilization chamber, the internal pressure is reduced, and a covering tube or the like of a curved portion expands and bursts. An object of the present invention is to provide an internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope that does not have a risk of being endangered.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to the present invention is configured such that a gas barrier passes from the inside of the endoscope to the outside to the endoscope in which all partitions partitioning from the outside are airtightly configured. In an endoscope internal pressure adjusting device provided with a check valve that does not allow gas to pass from the outside of the endoscope to the inside, the gas passes from the inside of the endoscope to the outside and the gas passes from the outside of the endoscope to the inside. Auxiliary check valve that does not pass through is provided.
[0009]
It is preferable that the auxiliary check valve is set so as to start opening at an operating pressure higher than the operating pressure of the check valve.
Further, display means may be provided for continuously displaying that the auxiliary check valve has been opened, irrespective of the subsequent open / closed state of the auxiliary check valve. In this case, the display means may be an auxiliary check valve. It may be a spring-like member that resiliently engages and is held on the outer surface of the valve and is pushed outward by the auxiliary check valve to be displaced when the auxiliary check valve is opened.
[0010]
Further, a valve opening adapter for forcibly opening the check valve during the attachment / detachment to / from the check valve may be provided detachably with respect to the check valve.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 6 shows the entire configuration of the endoscope. A bending portion which is bendable by remote operation by an operation lever 3 provided on the operation portion 1 is provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion 2 connected to the operation portion 1. 4 are provided. The curved portion 4 is covered with a flexible rubber tube.
[0012]
A light guide connector 7 that is detachably connected to a light source device (not shown) is attached to a distal end of a flexible connection tube 6 extending from the operation unit 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes an eyepiece.
[0013]
In this endoscope, all partitions partitioning from the outside are hermetically sealed by packing, an O-ring, and the like, and the inside communicates with each other. The light guide connector 7 is provided with a check valve 10 for adjusting the pressure inside the endoscope at the time of sterilization with an ethylene oxide gas, an autoclave, or the like. Further, when the check valve 10 malfunctions, An auxiliary check valve 30 for automatically adjusting the pressure inside the endoscope is provided instead of the check valve 10.
[0014]
The check valve 10 allows gas to pass from the inside of the endoscope to the outside and does not allow gas to pass from the outside to the inside of the endoscope. A valve-opening adapter 50 for opening the valve in an open state is provided detachably with respect to the check valve 10.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows a check valve 10 and an auxiliary check valve 30. A mounting seat 11 for the check valve 10 and an auxiliary check valve are provided on the outer surface of an outer wall of a light guide connector 7 that separates the endoscope from the outside. The mounting seat 11 of the valve 30 is screwed and protruded at a position substantially symmetrical by 180 degrees. Reference numerals 13 and 33 are O-rings for sealing.
[0016]
First, the check valve 10 will be described. An engagement pin 12 for engaging an engagement groove 53 of a valve opening adapter 50 described later is laterally provided on a side surface of a mounting seat 11 formed in a cylindrical shape. It is protruding.
[0017]
The base end of a cylindrical valve seat forming member 14 that protrudes outward is fixed to the mounting seat 11 by screwing, so that the valve seat forming member 14 extends outward in the vicinity of the outer end of the valve seat forming member 14. The formed tapered surface portion serves as a valve seat 14a. 23 is an O-ring for sealing.
[0018]
The valve body 15 is disposed in the valve seat forming member 14 so as to be movable in the axial direction and rotatable around the axis, and has an O-ring 16 formed in a circular groove formed in a tapered surface portion facing the valve seat 14a. Is installed.
[0019]
Therefore, when the O-ring 16 is pressed against the valve seat 14a, the check valve 10 is closed, and the space between the inside and the outside of the endoscope is completely closed. When the O-ring 16 is moved away from the valve seat 14a, the inside and the outside of the endoscope communicate with each other through the gap.
[0020]
A groove 15a for ventilation is formed in an intermediate portion of the valve body 15, and a valve opening adapter 50 to be described later is engaged with an outer end of the valve body 15 so that the valve body 15 is rotated around the axis. A ventilation hole 25 is formed on the outer surface, which also serves as a drive groove for rotation.
[0021]
The valve body 15 is urged inward by the compression coil spring 17 (that is, in the direction in which the check valve 10 is closed), and pushes up the valve body 15 against the urging force of the compression coil spring 17 to check. A drive pin 19 for forcibly opening the valve 10 from outside is protrudingly provided on a side surface near the inner end of the valve body 15.
[0022]
A spring receiving cylinder 18 is connected and fixed to an inner end portion of the valve body 15 by a drive pin 19. The spring receiving cylinder 18 is loosely fitted in the valve seat forming member 14, but is capable of moving forward and backward in the axial direction integrally with the valve body 15, and has a ventilation groove 18a formed in an outer surface portion thereof in a direction parallel to the axial line. One end of the compression coil spring 17 is received on the end face of the spring receiving cylinder 18.
[0023]
A cam groove 22 for driving the drive pin 19 is formed in a side wall of the cylindrical portion of the valve seat forming member 14. As shown in a development view of FIG. 2, the cam groove 22 has a mountain-shaped cam surface on which the drive pin 19 is pressed by the urging force of the compression coil spring 17.
[0024]
In the check valve 10 configured as described above, when the valve body 15 is not rotated, the O-ring 16 of the valve body 15 is pressed against the valve seat 14a by the urging force of the compression coil spring 17 and closed. When the external pressure is lower than the internal pressure by a certain amount or more, the valve body 15 is pushed outward by the differential pressure, and the valve body 15 is opened with a gap formed between the valve seat 14a and the O-ring 16.
[0025]
Also, at a position where the valve body 15 is being rotated by a predetermined angle θ (a position where the rotation angle is near θ / 2), the driving pin 19 is pushed up by the cam surface of the cam groove 22 and the O-ring 16 is moved. The check valve 10 is forcibly opened away from the valve seat 14a, and the inside and outside of the endoscope are in communication.
[0026]
When the valve body 15 is further rotated to a predetermined angle θ, the valve body 15 gradually approaches the valve seat 14a, and the O-ring 16 of the valve body 15 is pressed against the valve seat 14a by the urging force of the compression coil spring 17. As a result, the check valve 10 returns to the closed state, and the drive pin 19 moves away from the cam surface of the cam groove 22.
[0027]
Next, the auxiliary check valve 30 will be described. The base end of a cylindrical valve seat forming member 34 protruding outward is screwed and fixed to the mounting seat 31. A valve seat 34a is formed near the outer end. 32 is an O-ring for sealing.
[0028]
The valve body 35 is disposed movably in the axial direction within the valve seat forming member 34, and an O-ring 36 is mounted in a circumferential groove formed in an outer peripheral portion located inside the valve seat 34a. The O-ring 36 has a function of completely sealing the space between the valve body 35 and the valve seat 34 a and at the same time, preventing dust from entering the auxiliary check valve 30.
[0029]
Therefore, in a state where the O-ring 36 is pressed against the valve seat 34a, the auxiliary check valve 30 is closed and the space between the inside and the outside of the endoscope is completely closed, and the valve body 35 moves outward. Then, when the O-ring 36 is separated from the valve seat 34a, a state is established in which the inside and the outside of the endoscope are communicated with each other through a gap at that portion.
[0030]
A spring receiving cylinder 38 is threadably connected to the inner end portion of the valve body 35, and the valve body 35 is urged inward by the compression coil spring 37 (that is, the direction in which the auxiliary check valve 30 is closed). I have.
[0031]
The spring receiving cylinder 38 is loosely fitted in the valve seat forming member 34, but is able to advance and retreat in the axial direction integrally with the valve body 35, and has a ventilation groove 38a formed in an outer surface portion thereof in a direction parallel to the axial line. One end of the compression coil spring 37 is received on the end surface of the spring receiving cylinder 38.
[0032]
Further, since the spring receiving cylinder 38 comes into contact with the step formed on the inner peripheral surface of the valve seat forming member 34, the valve body 35 cannot be protruded further outward. It functions as a 15 stop.
[0033]
Reference numeral 40 denotes an index in which four leg-shaped spring pieces that elastically sandwich the outer peripheral surface of the valve seat forming member 34 from the outside are integrally connected by a connecting portion that abuts on the protruding end surface of the valve seat forming member 34. This is a member (display means), which is normally held in a state of being in close contact with the head of the valve seat forming member 34 from the outside as shown in FIG.
[0034]
With such a configuration, in the auxiliary check valve 30, the valve body 35 is drawn inward by the urging force of the compression coil spring 37, the O-ring 36 is in close contact with the valve seat 34a, and the external pressure is reduced. When the internal pressure drops below a certain level, the valve body 35 is pushed outward by the differential pressure and is opened.
[0035]
However, the urging force of the compression coil spring 37 per effective pressure receiving area on the valve body 35 of the auxiliary check valve 30 is greater than the urging force of the compression coil spring 17 per effective pressure receiving area on the valve body 15 of the check valve 10. It is set large.
[0036]
As a result, the auxiliary check valve 30 is opened for the first time by an operating pressure larger than the operating pressure of the check valve 10 (the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the endoscope). And the auxiliary check valve 30 does not open.
[0037]
However, when the check valve 10 has a malfunction due to accumulation of dust or other abnormalities, when the pressure outside the endoscope falls below the internal pressure by a certain amount or more, as shown in FIG. Before the valve body 35 is pushed outward due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the endoscope, and before the covering rubber tube of the curved portion 4 ruptures, a gap is formed between the valve seat 34a and the O-ring 36, and the inside and outside of the endoscope communicate. To open.
[0038]
Then, the index member 40 is pushed up by the head of the valve body 35 so as to float outward from the head of the valve seat forming member 34, and the index member 40 is elastically pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the valve seat forming member 34. Therefore, even when the pressure inside and outside the endoscope approaches and the valve body 35 returns to the original inward position, the index member 40 maintains the state where it is pushed up, and the auxiliary check is performed. Continue to indicate that valve 30 is open.
[0039]
In order to stably stand still in such a state that the auxiliary check valve 30 is opened, a circumferential click engaging with the index member 40 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the valve seat forming member 34. A groove 41 is formed.
[0040]
In this way, it is continuously displayed that the auxiliary check valve 30 is opened (that is, the malfunction of the check valve 10 has occurred), and when returning the index member 40 to the original position, the index member 40 is returned. May be pushed with a fingertip or the like.
[0041]
FIG. 4 shows a state in which the valve opening adapter 50 is attached to the check valve 10. The tubular main body 52 of the valve opening adapter 50 is fitted to the attachment seat 11 of the check valve 10, and The engaging pin 12 protruding from the side surface of the cylindrical body 52 can be guided into an L-shaped guide groove 53 (see FIG. 5) formed in the cylindrical main body 52 and can be detached.
[0042]
When the cylindrical main body 52 is attached to or detached from the mounting seat 11 of the check valve 10 while rotating about the axis by the angle θ, the valve body 15 is rotated around the axis by the valve driving pin 54 protruding from the cylindrical main body 52. The check valve 10 (that is, the valve body 15) is forcibly once opened by the action of the cam groove 22 during the rotation. Reference numeral 55 denotes a porous member that allows air to pass but does not allow water to pass.
[0043]
Therefore, when the endoscope is inserted into the sterilizer, the valve opening adapter 50 is attached to the check valve 10 and the operation of removing the valve opening adapter 50 from the check valve 10 after the sterilization process is performed. Regardless of the state of 30, the inside and outside of the endoscope always communicate with each other once, and the inside of the endoscope returns to the state of the atmospheric pressure equal to the outside atmospheric pressure.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in addition to the check valve that allows gas to pass from the inside of the endoscope to the outside and does not allow gas to pass from the inside of the endoscope to the inside, the valve opens at an operating pressure greater than the operating pressure of the check valve. When the check valve malfunctions, the auxiliary check valve is activated and the air in the endoscope is released to the outside in the decompression sterilization chamber to reduce the internal pressure. Therefore, there is no possibility of breakage such as the covering tube of the curved portion expanding and bursting.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a development view of a cam groove of the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an open state of an auxiliary check valve of the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a state in which a valve opening adapter is attached to the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a development view of a guide groove of the valve opening adapter of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an external view of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
4 Bending portion 7 Light guide connector 10 Check valve 30 Auxiliary check valve 34 Valve seat forming member 34a Valve seat 35 Valve body 37 Compression coil spring 40 Indicator member 50 Valve opening adapter

Claims (5)

A non-return valve is provided on the endoscope, in which all partitions separating the outside are airtight, and gas is passed from the inside of the endoscope to the outside and gas is not passed from the outside of the endoscope to the inside. In the endoscope internal pressure adjusting device,
An internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope, further comprising an auxiliary check valve that allows gas to pass from inside to outside of the endoscope and does not allow gas to pass from outside to inside the endoscope. The internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary check valve is set to start opening at an operating pressure greater than an operating pressure of the check valve. The internal pressure adjustment of an endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising display means for continuously displaying that the auxiliary check valve has been opened, irrespective of the subsequent opening / closing state of the auxiliary check valve. apparatus. The display means is a spring-like member which is elastically engaged with and held on the outer surface of the auxiliary check valve, and when the auxiliary check valve is opened, it is pushed outward to be displaced. Item 4. The internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to Item 3. 5. A valve opening adapter for forcibly opening the check valve in the middle of attachment / detachment to / from the check valve, wherein the valve opening adapter is detachably provided to the check valve. An internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to claim 1.

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