JP2004159825A - Power supply for light source of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power supply for a light source of an endoscope avoiding shortage of an electromotive force of a battery without interrupting an endoscopic observation, even if lighting a lighting source for a long period of time and dispensing with any special additional equipment. <P>SOLUTION: This power supply for the light source for the endoscope is provided with a battery 10 to be the light source of the lighting source 9 in an operation part 2 connected to the base end of an insertion part 1 of the endoscope. The battery 10 is provided with a fuel storage part 20 storing fuel to be a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, a power generating part 30 generating a power by the fuel inflowing from the fuel storage part 20 and a fuel supply port 21 supplying the fuel to the fuel storage part 20 from the outside. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a light source power supply for an endoscope in which a battery serving as a power supply for an illumination light source is disposed in an operation unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a portable endoscope such as a so-called bedside endoscope for performing an endoscopy without moving a patient from a hospital room or the like, a battery serving as a power source of an illumination light source is disposed in an operation unit. I have.
[0003]
However, the power source for such an endoscope light source must replace the battery if the electromotive force of the battery becomes insufficient during the endoscopic examination, and the lighting becomes black and dark each time the endoscope is used. Since the mirror observation is interrupted, the illumination must be turned on again after the battery is replaced, and the observation must be restarted from the middle.
[0004]
Therefore, conventionally, a plurality of types of power sources can be connected, and when the electromotive force of the battery decreases, an appropriate power source can be selected from the plurality of types of power sources according to the environment and used. For example, Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-224906
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as described above, even if a power source that replaces the battery can be selected and used from among a plurality of types of power sources, when the electromotive force of the battery decreases during endoscopic observation, another battery is used instead of the battery. When switching to the power supply, the lighting becomes completely dark, so the lighting must be turned on again and the observation must be restarted from the middle.
[0007]
Therefore, the present invention provides an endoscope that can avoid shortage of electromotive force of a battery without interrupting endoscopic observation even if the illumination light source is kept on for a long time, and furthermore, does not require special additional equipment. An object is to provide a power source for a light source.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a power source for a light source of an endoscope according to the present invention includes an operation unit connected to a base end of an insertion portion of the endoscope, in which a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is disposed. In a power source for a light source of an endoscope, a battery includes a fuel storage unit that stores fuel serving as a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, a power generation unit that generates power by using fuel flowing from the fuel storage unit, and a fuel storage unit. The unit is provided with a fuel supply port for supplying fuel from outside.
[0009]
An elastic O-ring may be arranged at the fuel supply port, and the fuel supply port may be closed by pressing the O-ring to a crushed state.
Further, the illumination light source may be disposed in the operation unit, and a light guide for transmitting the illumination light emitted from the illumination light source may be inserted through the insertion unit, or the illumination light source may be disposed in the insertion unit. And a conductor for electrically connecting the illumination light source and the battery may be inserted through the insertion portion.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 schematically shows the entire configuration of the portable endoscope. An operation unit 2 is connected to a base end of a flexible insertion unit 1, and an observation window 3 and an illumination window 4 are provided at a distal end of the insertion unit 1. They are arranged side by side.
[0011]
An objective optical system 5 is arranged behind the observation window 3, and an incident end face of the image guide fiber bundle 6 is arranged at a position where the object is projected by the objective optical system 5.
[0012]
The image guide fiber bundle 6 is inserted and arranged over the entire length in the insertion portion 1, and the exit end face of the image guide fiber bundle 6 can be enlarged and observed at an eyepiece 7 protruding from the upper end of the operation portion 2. I can do it.
[0013]
The light guide fiber bundle 8 inserted and arranged in the insertion section 1 alongside the image guide fiber bundle 6 has an emission end face arranged behind the illumination window 4 and an incidence end face 8 a arranged in the operation section 2.
[0014]
An illumination light source 9 such as a light emitting diode or a miniature lamp is disposed opposite to the incident end face 8a of the light guide fiber bundle 8, and a battery 10 as a power source of the illumination light source 9 is directly attached to the operation unit 2. Have been.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows a battery 10, which stores a fuel made of alcohol such as ethanol or methanol as a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, and a fuel storage unit 20. The power generation unit 30 is housed in a plastic cap-shaped housing 11 that is detachably screwed and connected to the main body cover of the operation unit 2. However, the housing 11 may be fixed to the operation unit 2 without any problem.
[0016]
The fuel storage unit 20 is formed by a space between the negative electrode unit 31 of the power generation unit 30 and the inner wall surface of the housing 11, and a fuel supply port 21 communicating with the inside of the fuel storage unit 20 and opening to the outer surface is provided in the housing 11. Is formed.
[0017]
A rubber O-ring 21a is disposed at the mouth opening of the fuel supply port 21, and a manual nut 21b for pressing the O-ring 21a to crush the O-ring 21a is screwed. The fuel supply port 21 is closed by tightening the O-ring 21a to crush the O-ring 21a.
[0018]
The power generation unit 30 includes a negative electrode unit 31 that extracts hydrogen ions and electrons from the fuel flowing from the fuel storage unit 20, an electrolyte unit 32 that sends the hydrogen ions extracted by the negative electrode unit 31 to the positive electrode unit 33, And a positive electrode part 33 that combines the hydrogen ions, oxygen in the air, and the electrons to generate water is arranged in order, and is formed on the wall surface of the portion of the housing 11 facing the positive electrode part 33. A porous membrane that allows air and water vapor but does not allow water to pass is attached to the air intake 34.
[0019]
The negative conductive line 36 </ b> A penetrating from the negative electrode part 31 through the insulating wall 35 and guided to the inside of the operation part 2 is directly connected to the electrode of the illumination light source 9, and penetrates from the positive electrode part 33 through the insulating wall 35 to operate the operation part 2 The positive conductive line 36 </ b> B guided inside can be freely connected to and disconnected from the electrode of the illumination light source 9 by a manual switch 37.
[0020]
The manual switch 37 may have any configuration. In this embodiment, the manual switch 37 electrically connects / disconnects between the positive electrode-side conductive wire 36B connected to the positive electrode section 33 and the electrode of the illumination light source 9. As described above, the conductive piece 37a slidable in the direction of the arrow S is integrally connected to the slide operation piece 37b protruding from the housing 11, and the slide operation piece 37b is covered with a rubber cover 37c for sealing. ing.
[0021]
With this configuration, when the manual switch 37 is turned on, the illumination light source 9 is turned on by the electricity generated by the electrochemical reaction in the power generation unit 30 to illuminate the subject to be observed by the endoscope. Is supplied to the light guide fiber bundle 8 and the illumination light source 9 is turned off when the manual switch 37 is turned off.
[0022]
When the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel storage unit 20 becomes small, as shown in FIG. 3 before the electromotive force of the battery 10 becomes insufficient to cause the illumination light source 9 to emit light. The fuel is supplied from the external fuel supply device 40 to the fuel storage unit 20.
[0023]
The fuel supply device 40 shown in this embodiment is substantially syringe-shaped, and after slightly loosening the manual nut 21b of the fuel storage unit 20, the blunt needle 41 is passed through the O-ring 21a and the fuel supply device And fuel is injected into the fuel storage unit 20 from the fuel supply device 40. After the injection, the fuel supply device 40 is removed from the fuel supply port 21 and the manual nut 21b is tightened as before to close the fuel supply port 21.
[0024]
In this manner, the fuel storage unit 20 can be arbitrarily refueled at any time without turning off the illumination light source 9, and thus without interrupting the endoscope observation, so that the illumination light source 9 can be continuously turned on. Can be extended.
[0025]
FIGS. 4 and 5 show an endoscope and a battery 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, an illumination light source 9 is disposed at the distal end of the insertion section 1. In addition, a conductive wire 36 for electrically connecting the illumination light source 9 and the battery 10 is inserted through the insertion portion 1. Therefore, no light guide fiber bundle is provided.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 5, the two conductive wires 36 are connected to the negative conductive wire 36A and the conductive piece 37a of the manual switch 37 on the battery 10 side, and other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The same is true. For fuel supply to the fuel storage unit 20, an ampule cartridge type fuel supply device 50 as shown in FIG. 5 and other various devices can be used.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a battery serving as a power source of an illumination light source includes a fuel storage unit that stores fuel serving as a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, and a power generation unit that generates power using fuel flowing from the fuel storage unit. In addition to this, a fuel supply port for refueling the fuel from outside is provided in the fuel storage unit, so if the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel storage unit becomes low, refuel before the battery electromotive force becomes insufficient. By refueling the fuel storage unit from the mouth, the illumination light source can be continuously turned on for a long time without interrupting endoscopic observation, and no special additional equipment is required.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an entire configuration of the endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the battery in a state at the time of refueling according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an entire configuration of an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a battery in a state of refueling according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Operation part 9 Illumination light source 10 Battery 11 Housing 20 Fuel storage part 21 Fuel supply port 21a O-ring 21b Manual nut 30 Power generation part 31 Negative part 32 Electrolyte part 33 Positive parts 36, 36A, 36B Conductive wire 37 Manual switch 37a Conductive pieces 40, 50 Fuel supply equipment

Claims (4)

In an operation unit connected to the base end of the insertion unit of the endoscope, a light source power supply of an endoscope in which a battery serving as a power supply of an illumination light source is disposed
The battery has a fuel storage unit that stores fuel serving as a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, and a power generation unit that generates power by using fuel flowing from the fuel storage unit. A power source for a light source of an endoscope, which is provided with a fuel supply port for supplying fuel. 2. The light source for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an elastic O-ring is disposed at the fuel supply port, and the fuel supply port is closed by pressing the O-ring to a crushed state. Power supply. 3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light source is arranged on the operation unit, and a light guide for transmitting illumination light emitted from the illumination light source is inserted through the insertion unit. 4. Power supply for mirror light source. The said illumination light source is arrange | positioned at the front-end | tip of the said insertion part, The conductor for electrically connecting the illumination light source and the said battery is inserted and arrange | positioned in the said insertion part. Power supply for endoscope light source.

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