JP2006325690A - Distal end protective cap for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distal end protective cap for an endoscope capable of individually providing a color index for white balance without raising a cost. <P>SOLUTION: The distal end protective cap for the endoscope is formed by molding so as to be freely detachably attached to an insertion part distal end 1a in order to cover and protect the insertion part distal end 1a where an observation window 1b of the endoscope is arranged when keeping the endoscope. The composition of raw materials is prepared so that an image obtained through the observation window 1b at the insertion part distal end 1a of the endoscope in the state of being covered with the distal end protective cap 10 is suitable for adjusting the white balance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope tip protection cap that is attached to protect the tip of an insertion portion of an endoscope when the endoscope is stored.

  It is necessary to adjust the white balance before using the endoscope in order to obtain an accurate color reproduction that enables proper diagnosis in a so-called electronic endoscope that displays an endoscopic observation image on a television monitor. There is.

  However, in order to adjust the white balance of an endoscope, it is necessary to use a color index created with a reference color for white balance adjustment, and it is necessary to prepare such a color index so that it can always be used. It is quite troublesome.

Therefore, a color index is provided on the inner surface of the endoscope tip protection cap that is attached to protect the tip of the insertion portion of the endoscope when the endoscope is stored, and the tip protection cap is provided at the tip of the insertion portion of the endoscope. There is one in which white balance can be adjusted in a state of attaching (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-51968 A

  FIG. 10 shows an example of a distal end protective cap of a conventional endoscope provided with a color index 91. The color index 91 is painted or pasted in the distal end protective cap 90 formed of a resilient material. Etc. are provided.

  Then, the tip portion 1a of the endoscope insertion portion 1 is inserted into and engaged with such a tip protection cap 90, and the color index 91 is observed with an endoscope, and the white balance is adjusted on the video processor side (not shown). Is done.

  However, since the tip protection cap 90 is attached to each endoscope, adopting a structure in which the color index 91 is painted or pasted on the inner surface of all the tip protection caps 90 has a drawback that leads to an increase in manufacturing cost. is there.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope tip protection cap in which color indexes for white balance can be individually provided without increasing the cost.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the distal end protection cap of the endoscope according to the present invention is configured so that the distal end of the insertion portion is covered and protected at the time of endoscope storage where the observation window of the endoscope is disposed. An endoscope tip protection cap formed by molding so that it can be detachably attached to the endoscope, and the image obtained through the observation window at the tip of the insertion portion of the endoscope covered with the tip protection cap is white balance. The composition of the raw material is formulated so as to be suitable for adjusting the raw material, and the raw material is made of an elastic rubber material or plastic material and a coloring material for coloring the rubber material or plastic material in white. It may be included.

  The endoscope tip protection cap of the present invention can be detachably attached to the distal end of the insertion section in order to cover and protect the distal end of the insertion section where the observation window of the endoscope is disposed when the endoscope is stored. An endoscope tip protection cap formed by molding, and the image obtained through the observation window at the tip of the insertion portion of the endoscope covered with the tip protection cap is a predetermined state of the endoscope observation image The composition of the raw material is prepared so as to be suitable for checking, and the raw material may include a rubber material or plastic material having elasticity and a fluorescent material.

  Then, when the tip protection cap is attached to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope, the observation window of the endoscope may be in contact with the surface of the tip protection cap that faces the endoscope. Prevents the endoscope insertion section tip from slipping out of the tip protection cap when it is attached to the endoscope insertion section tip and the viewing window of the endoscope is in contact with the opposite face of the tip protection cap. A retaining member may be provided.

  In this case, when the endoscope insertion section tip is pulled back from the tip protection cap so that there is a gap between the observation window of the endoscope and the surface of the tip protection cap facing it, the tip protection cap There may be provided a locking member that elastically locks at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope, and the retaining member may also serve as the locking member.

  In addition, when the tip protection cap is attached to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope, the observation window and the tip protection cap opposed thereto are arranged so that the observation window of the endoscope does not contact the surface of the tip protection cap facing the endoscope. A stopper may be provided to ensure a space between the endoscope, and in this case, the tip protection cap is attached to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope, and the endoscope observation window and the tip protection cap surface To prevent the insertion end of the endoscope from coming out of the tip protection cap by elastically engaging the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope when the distance between the insertion point and the head is secured by the stopper. A retaining member may be provided side by side.

  Further, in that case, the stopper and the retaining member are each in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope and elastically engaged with the concavo-convex portion formed on the outer periphery at the rear thereof. You may protrude in the inner surface.

  Note that the endoscope has a distal end protective cap that is engaged with the distal end of the insertion portion, and an outer cylinder that is disposed so as to surround the inner cylinder with a space in the radial direction with respect to the inner cylinder. In this case, the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder may be connected on the insertion / removal port side of the distal end of the insertion portion with respect to the inner cylinder.

  Further, the inner cylinder may be formed in a tapered cylinder shape whose inner diameter gradually increases toward the insertion / removal opening side at the distal end of the insertion portion, and the outer cylinder is a tapered cylinder shape whose diameter gradually decreases toward the connecting portion side with the inner cylinder. It may be formed. Moreover, you may arrange | position in the position where the front-end | tip part of the inner cylinder was dived inside the outer cylinder.

  According to the present invention, since the tip protective cap itself formed by molding is a color index for white balance adjustment, the color index for white balance is provided on each tip protective cap without increasing the cost. Can do. Further, the tip protection cap can be inspected for a predetermined state of the endoscopic observation image other than the white balance adjustment.

  Endoscope tip protection cap formed by molding so that it can be detachably attached to the tip of the insertion part in order to cover and protect the tip of the insertion part where the observation window of the endoscope is placed during endoscope storage And the composition of the raw materials is prepared so that the image obtained through the observation window at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope covered with the distal end protection cap is suitable for adjusting the white balance.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an insertion portion of a flexible tubular endoscope, an observation window or the like is disposed at the distal end 1a of the insertion portion which is the most advanced portion, and a portion adjacent to the rear side of the insertion portion distal end 1a is operated. The bending portion 1w is bent by a remote operation from the portion 2.

  The operation unit 2 is coupled to the proximal end of the insertion unit 1, and a connector unit 3 connected to a video processor (also a light source device) 50 is attached to the distal end of a flexible coupling tube 4 extending from the operation unit 2. It has been.

  This endoscope is a so-called electronic endoscope in which a solid-state imaging device 5 is built in the insertion portion distal end 1a, and an endoscopic observation image captured by the solid-state imaging device 5 is processed by a video processor 50 to be used on a television. It is displayed on the monitor 51.

  The tip protection cap 10 is provided so as to be detachable with respect to such an insertion portion tip 1a. FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively expand the state before and after the tip protection cap 10 is attached to the insertion portion tip 1a. It shows.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an observation window 1b, an illumination window 1c, and the like are disposed on the distal end surface of the insertion portion distal end 1a of the endoscope, and an objective lens, a solid-state imaging device 5 and the like are located behind the observation window 1b. Built in. 1d is an outer tube projecting in the circumferential direction so as to cover the joint of the insertion portion 1 formed at the rear end portion of the curved portion 1w, and is formed of a metal pipe.

  The internal structure of the tip protection cap 10 is shown in detail in FIG. 5 which is a side sectional view of the tip protection cap 10 attached to the insertion portion tip 1a. FIG. 6 is a view taken along the arrow VI in FIG. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII.

  As shown in each of the above figures, the tip protection cap 10 includes a cylindrical inner cylinder 11 that is inserted into the insertion portion distal end 1a and engages with the insertion portion distal end 1a so as to cover the insertion portion distal end 1a. A cylindrical outer cylinder 12 disposed so as to surround the inner cylinder 11 with a space in the radial direction with respect to the inner cylinder 11 is formed by molding integrally with a rubber material or plastic material having appropriate elasticity. Are connected together.

  The inner cylinder 11 has a distal end wall 11b and is formed in a tapered cylindrical shape having an inner diameter that gradually increases toward the insertion / removal port 11a, which is the base end side. One end side is connected by a connecting wall 13. In the connecting wall 13 portion, for example, two drain holes 17 for cleaning are formed so as to allow the inside and the outside to pass therethrough.

  The distal end portion of the inner cylinder 11 is engaged with a state in which the insertion portion distal end 1a of the endoscope is elastically deformed in the diameter-expanding direction and is elastically tightened to the outer peripheral portion of the insertion portion distal end 1a of the endoscope. It is the elastic clamping part 14 to do.

  A distal end wall 11b is formed at the most distal end portion of the inner cylinder 11 so that the distal end surface on which the observation window 1b and the like are disposed when the insertion portion distal end 1a of the endoscope is inserted. However, the groove 15 having a V-shaped cross-section is formed at, for example, three locations at intervals of 120 ° from the outer peripheral wall of the elastic tightening portion 14 to the tip wall 11b side, and the elastic tightening portion 14 extends in the circumferential direction. It is divided into a plurality of pieces and is easily elastically deformed in the radial direction.

  Further, a retaining claw 16 (a retaining member) for elastically holding the insertion portion distal end 1a of the endoscope in the inner tube 11 projects inwardly in the middle portion of the inner tube 11. Has been. As shown in FIG. 7, the retaining claws 16 of this embodiment are provided in three circumferentially divided states with a space therebetween, and the inner cylinder 11 is formed by the member itself forming the inner cylinder 11. And is integrally molded.

  The retaining pawl 16 is formed so that the inner diameter at no load is smaller than the outer diameter of the outer tube 1d of the insertion portion 1, and when the distal end 1a of the insertion portion is inserted into the inner cylinder 11, the retaining pawl 16 is After overcoming the outer tube 1d while elastically deforming, it returns to its original shape by its own elasticity, and prevents the outer tube 1d from moving in the direction of removal.

  However, if the tip protection cap 10 attached to the insertion portion distal end 1a is pulled strongly against the insertion portion 1, the retaining claws 16 are elastically deformed and get over the outer tube 1d, and the insertion portion distal end 1a is moved over the inner cylinder 11 Can be extracted from the inside.

  The outer cylinder 12 is formed in a tapered cylinder shape that gradually decreases in diameter toward the connecting wall 13, and when dropped on the floor or hit against a desk, the outer cylinder 12 collides with the opening end 12 a side that is the end opposite to the connecting wall 13. Easy to shape.

  The inner cylinder 11 is disposed at a position where the distal end wall 11b is retracted inward from the opening end 12a of the outer cylinder 12 so that the distal end wall 11b is located inside the outer cylinder 12, and dropped on the floor. When it hits the desk, it is difficult for the impact to be transmitted to the distal end 1a of the insertion portion held in the elastic tightening portion 14.

  In the endoscope tip protection cap of the embodiment configured as described above, even if the tip protection cap 10 is attached to the insertion portion tip 1a and dropped on the floor or hit against a hard desk or the like, it is shown in FIG. As described above, since the impact is absorbed by the elastic deformation of the outer cylinder 12 that receives a direct impact, a large impact is not transmitted to the inner cylinder 11.

  Therefore, the insertion portion distal end 1a of the endoscope held in the inner cylinder 11 is not subjected to a large impact, so that the objective lens incorporated in the insertion portion distal end 1a, the solid-state imaging device 5 or the like is damaged. There is no failure.

  The tip protection cap 10 configured as described above is formed by molding using a raw material including a rubber material such as a Sirigon rubber material or an elastic plastic material and a coloring material for coloring the material white. Has been.

  The composition of the raw material is blended so that the surface color after molding is a white color suitable for adjusting the white balance of the endoscope observation image imaged by the solid-state imaging device 5 through the observation window 1b. .

  When performing white balance adjustment, as shown in FIG. 1, the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion 1 a is slightly pulled back from the distal end protection cap 10, and the distal end protection cap is placed on the outer peripheral surface of the outer tube 1 d of the insertion portion 1. The ten retaining claws 16 are elastically pressed.

  Then, a state in which there is a slight gap between the observation window 1b and the inner surface of the tip wall 11b of the inner cylinder 11 of the tip protection cap 10 facing the observation window 1b is maintained, and the video processor 50 can easily perform white balance adjustment. it can.

  Thus, in this embodiment, the retaining claw 16 and the outer tube 1d for preventing the insertion portion distal end 1a from coming out of the distal protective cap 10 are formed between the observation window 1b and the inner surface of the distal protective cap 10. It also serves as a locking member that elastically locks the tip protection cap 10 to the insertion portion tip 1a with a gap in between. However, such a locking member is not necessarily provided.

  FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. When the distal end protection cap 10 is attached to the insertion portion distal end 1a of the endoscope, the observation window 1b faces the distal end wall 11b of the distal end protection cap 10 facing it. The stopper 19 for ensuring the space | interval between the observation window 1b and the inner surface of the front-end | tip wall 11b is provided so that it may not contact | abut.

  The stopper 19 of this embodiment is formed so as to protrude inward over the entire inner surface of the inner cylinder 11, and comes into contact with the front edge side of the outer tube 1 d of the insertion portion 1 so that the insertion portion 1 is inside the tip protection cap 10. Can no longer be inserted.

  Further, in such a state where the stopper 19 is in contact with the outer tube 1d, the inner cylinder 11 so that the retaining claw 16 similar to the first embodiment is elastically engaged with the rear edge side of the outer tube 1d. The insertion portion tip 1a is prevented from coming out of the tip protection cap 10.

  Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and according to the second embodiment, the endoscope is stored between the observation window 1b and the inner surface of the tip wall 11b of the tip protection cap 10 facing the observation window 1b. Since there is a gap, white balance can be easily adjusted in the same state.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, by using a material in which a fluorescent material is mixed with a resilient rubber material or plastic material as a raw material of the tip protection cap 10, so-called fluorescence observation is performed. The scope of the present invention is also applicable to a case where a predetermined state of an endoscope observation image such as an endoscope or a confocal endoscope can be inspected before use, and the composition of raw materials is prepared so as to be suitable for such inspection. include.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the front-end | tip protection cap of 1st Example of this invention is attached to the insertion part front-end | tip of an endoscope, and white balance adjustment is performed. It is an external view which shows the whole structure of the endoscope and front-end | tip protection cap of 1st Example of this invention. It is a perspective view of the state before the front-end | tip protection cap of 1st Example of this invention is attached to the insertion part front-end | tip of an endoscope. It is a perspective view of the state after the front-end | tip protection cap of 1st Example of this invention was attached to the insertion part front-end | tip of an endoscope. It is side surface sectional drawing of the storage state in which the front-end | tip protection cap of the 1st Example of this invention was attached to the insertion part front-end | tip of an endoscope. It is a side view (view VI figure in FIG. 5) of the front-end | tip protection cap of 1st Example of this invention. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 5 of the tip protection cap of the first embodiment of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the use condition by which the front-end | tip protection cap of the 1st Example of this invention was attached to the insertion part front-end | tip of an endoscope. It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the front-end | tip protection cap of the 2nd Example of this invention was attached to the insertion part front-end | tip of an endoscope. It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the conventional front-end | tip protection cap was attached to the insertion part front-end | tip of an endoscope.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 1a Insertion part front-end | tip 1b Observation window 1d Outer tube 10 End | tip protection cap 11 Inner cylinder 11b End wall 12 Outer cylinder 16 Retaining claw (Retaining member)
19 Stopper

Claims (16)

End of the endoscope formed by molding so as to be detachably attached to the distal end of the insertion section in order to cover and protect the distal end of the insertion section where the observation window of the endoscope is disposed during storage of the endoscope A protective cap,
The raw material composition is prepared so that an image obtained through the observation window at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope covered with the distal end protection cap is suitable for adjusting white balance. Endoscope protective cap.   2. The endoscope tip protection cap according to claim 1, wherein the raw material includes an elastic rubber material or plastic material and a coloring material for coloring the rubber material or plastic material white. End of the endoscope formed by molding so as to be detachably attached to the distal end of the insertion section in order to cover and protect the distal end of the insertion section where the observation window of the endoscope is disposed during storage of the endoscope A protective cap,
The composition of the raw materials is prepared so that the image obtained through the observation window at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope covered with the distal end protection cap is suitable for checking the predetermined state of the endoscopic observation image. An endoscope tip protection cap characterized in that   The endoscope front-end protection cap according to claim 4, wherein the raw material includes an elastic rubber material or plastic material and a fluorescent material.   5. The device according to claim 1, wherein when the tip protection cap is attached to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope, the observation window of the endoscope contacts the surface of the tip protection cap facing the endoscope. Endoscope protective cap of the described endoscope.   The distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope is attached when the distal end protection cap is attached to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope and the observation window of the endoscope is in contact with the surface of the distal protection cap facing the endoscope. 6. The endoscope tip protection cap according to claim 5, further comprising a retaining member for preventing the tip from slipping out of the tip protection cap.   When the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope is pulled back out of the tip protection cap so that there is a gap between the observation window of the endoscope and the surface of the tip protection cap facing the endoscope, the tip protection cap 7. The endoscope distal end protection cap according to claim 6, further comprising a locking member that elastically locks the endoscope to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope.   The endoscope tip protection cap according to claim 7, wherein the retaining member also serves as the locking member.   When the tip protection cap is attached to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope, the observation window of the endoscope faces the observation window so that the observation window of the endoscope does not contact the surface of the tip protection cap facing the endoscope. The endoscope tip protection cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a stopper is provided for securing a space between the tip protection cap and the surface.   When the tip protection cap is attached to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope and the distance between the observation window of the endoscope and the surface of the tip protection cap is secured by the stopper, the endoscope The endoscope according to claim 9, further comprising a retaining member for elastically engaging the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion of the mirror to prevent the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope from coming out of the distal end protection cap. Mirror tip protection cap.   The inner surface of the tip protection cap so that the stopper and the retaining member are each elastically engaged with a concavo-convex portion formed in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope and on the rear outer periphery thereof. The endoscope front-end | tip protective cap of Claim 10 currently protrudingly provided by.   An outer cylinder in which the distal end protective cap of the endoscope is engaged with the distal end of the insertion portion covering the inner cylinder, and an outer cylinder disposed in a state of surrounding the inner cylinder with a space in the radial direction with respect to the inner cylinder The endoscope tip protection cap according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the endoscope is integrally connected to each other.   The endoscope distal end protection cap according to claim 12, wherein the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are connected to each other on an insertion / removal side of the insertion section distal end with respect to the inner cylinder.   The endoscope distal end protection cap according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the inner cylinder is formed in a tapered cylinder shape having an inner diameter gradually increasing toward an insertion / removal port side of the insertion section distal end.   The endoscope distal end protection cap according to claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein the outer tube is formed in a tapered tube shape whose diameter gradually decreases toward a connecting portion with the inner tube.   The endoscope distal end protection cap according to claim 12, 13, 14, or 15, wherein the distal end portion of the inner cylinder is disposed at a position where the distal end portion of the inner cylinder is hidden inside the outer cylinder.

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