JP2007061523A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope where steam or volatile substance does not enter the end surface of an optical fiber bundle under the environment of autoclave sterilization or high-level disinfection, etc., using a highly volatile disinfectant, and the function of the optical fiber bundle is not deteriorated due to moisture condensation or clouding. <P>SOLUTION: The endoscope is constituted so that a fiber ferrule receiving frame body is divided into a front fiber ferrule receiving frame body 6A and a rear fiber ferrule receiving frame body 6B, wherein a through-hole where a fiber binding cap 5 is put through is formed for each of them and they are fitted to each other. A cover lens 7 is fixed onto the surface of the distal end of the front fiber ferrule receiving frame body 6A. A fitting part between the through-hole of the front fiber ferrule receiving frame body 6A and the fiber binding ferrule 5 is sealed with the use of an adhesive 12. A fitting part between the rear fiber ferrule receiving frame body 6B and the front fiber ferrule receiving frame body 6A and a fitting part between the through-hole of the rear fiber ferrule receiving frame body 6B and the fiber binding cap 5 are respectively joined (13) by airtight with the use of an inorganic material. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope.

  Steam or volatilization on the end face of the optical fiber bundle by autoclave sterilization (high-temperature high-pressure steam sterilization) performed after using the endoscope to prevent infection via the endoscope, or advanced disinfection using a highly volatile disinfectant When a substance or the like enters, dew condensation or clouding occurs, and the function of the optical fiber bundle is significantly deteriorated.

Therefore, in a conventional endoscope, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a cover lens 92 disposed to face the end surface 91 a of the optical fiber bundle 91 is soldered or bonded to the fiber cap receiving frame 93. By joining by metal joining such as contact, entry of vapor, volatile substances, or the like into the end face 91a of the optical fiber bundle 91 from the cover lens 92 side is prevented (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-107121 A

  The exterior 94 of the flexible insertion portion of the endoscope is formed of a microporous elastomer such as polyurethane resin, fluorine rubber, silicon rubber, or the like. In an autoclave sterilization environment, the arrow P As shown in FIG. 8, it is impossible to prevent vapor or volatile substances from entering the endoscope through the exterior 94 portion.

  Then, the vapor or volatile material that has entered the endoscope through the exterior 94 passes through the insertion portion of the fiber binding base 95 of the optical fiber bundle 91 with respect to the fiber base receiving frame 93 as indicated by an arrow Q. In other words, the end surface 91a of the optical fiber bundle 91 may be reached from the rear, causing condensation or fogging.

  The insertion portion of the fiber binding base 95 with respect to the fiber base receiving frame 93 is filled with an adhesive 96, but the organic adhesive 96 cannot completely stop the passage of vapor and volatile substances. Such a phenomenon will occur.

  Therefore, the present invention does not allow vapor or volatile substances to enter the end face of the optical fiber bundle in an environment such as autoclave sterilization or high-level disinfection using a highly volatile disinfectant. An object is to provide an endoscope that does not occur.

  In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope according to the present invention has a through hole in which an end portion of an optical fiber bundle is inserted and fixed in a metal cylindrical fiber binding base, and the fiber binding base is inserted and fixed. In an endoscope having a structure in which a cover lens is fixed to the distal end face of a metal fiber base receiving frame formed with a fiber base, the through hole into which the fiber binding base is inserted is formed in each of the fiber base receiving frame. The front fiber base receiving frame body and the rear fiber base receiving frame body which are fitted to each other are divided and formed, and a cover lens is fixed to the front end surface of the front fiber base receiving frame body to penetrate the front fiber base receiving frame body. The fitting portion between the hole and the fiber binding cap is sealed with an adhesive, and the fitting portion between the rear fiber cap receiving frame and the front fiber cap receiving frame and the penetration of the rear fiber cap receiving frame. It is obtained by hermetically bonded by each inorganic material the fitting portion between the fiber bundling die with.

  After the fitting portion between the through hole of the front fiber base receiving frame body and the fiber binding base is sealed with an adhesive, the rear fiber base receiving frame body is connected to the front fiber base receiving frame body and the fiber. It is good to be airtightly joined to the binding cap by an inorganic material.

  The front fiber base receiving frame may be formed of a metal material having a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of the cover lens, and the front fiber base receiving frame is formed of an alloy containing iron-nickel-cobalt as a main component. It may be.

  According to the present invention, the fiber base receiving frame body is divided into a front fiber base receiving frame body and a rear fiber base receiving frame body which are formed with through holes into which the fiber binding bases are inserted and are fitted to each other. In addition, the fitting portion between the rear fiber base receiving frame body and the front fiber base receiving frame body and the through hole of the rear fiber base receiving frame body and the fitting portion between the fiber binding bases are hermetically bonded with an inorganic material. As a result, no vapor or volatile material enters the end face of the optical fiber bundle in an environment such as autoclave sterilization or advanced disinfection using a highly volatile disinfectant, and the front end face of the front fiber cap receiving frame The cover lens is fixed to the front and the fitting portion between the through hole of the front fiber cap receiving frame and the fiber bundling cap is sealed with an adhesive, so that a frame for airtight bonding with an inorganic material is used. Since hex steam or the like, will not get into the end face of the optical fiber bundle, it is possible to completely prevent degradation of the performance of the optical fiber bundle by condensation or fogging.

  The end of the optical fiber bundle is inserted and fixed in a metal cylindrical fiber binding base, and the end face of the metal fiber base receiving frame is formed with a through hole into which the fiber binding base is inserted and fixed. In an endoscope having a configuration in which a cover lens is fixed, a front-side fiber base receiving frame body and a rear-side fiber, each having a through hole into which a fiber binding base is inserted, are fitted to each other. It is divided into a base receiving frame, and a cover lens is fixed to the front end face of the front fiber base receiving frame, and the fitting portion between the through hole of the front fiber base receiving frame and the fiber binding base is sealed with an adhesive. In addition, the fitting portion between the rear fiber base receiving frame body and the front fiber base receiving frame body and the fitting portion between the through hole of the rear fiber base receiving frame body and the fiber binding base are each made of an inorganic material. It joined to the air-tight by the fee.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A rigid distal end main body 2 is connected to the distal end of a flexible insertion portion 1 to be inserted into the body. The exterior 3 is made of a flexible elastomer such as polyurethane resin, fluorine rubber, or silicon rubber.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes an optical fiber bundle formed by bundling thousands of optical fibers having a thickness of several hundredths of a millimeter to transmit illumination light. The optical fiber bundle 4 has an emission end face 4a on the front side. It is attached to the front-end | tip part main body 2 in the state which faced. The present invention can be applied not only to the portion where the optical fiber bundle 4 for illumination is disposed, but also to the portion where the image guide fiber bundle for image transmission is disposed.

  A metal cylindrical fiber binding base 5 made of, for example, a stainless steel pipe material or the like is attached to the exit end of the optical fiber bundle 4, and the optical fiber bundle 4 is inserted into the fiber binding base 5 at that portion. Are in a state of being bonded and fixed.

  6A and 6B are a metal cylindrical front fiber base receiving frame body and a rear fiber base receiving frame body in which a through hole into which the fiber binding base 5 is inserted and fixed is formed, and the front fiber base receiving frame body 6A. The back surface of the cover lens 7 made of an optical glass concave lens or the like is airtightly bonded and fixed to the front end surface of the lens.

  The cover lens 7 is bonded and fixed to the front fiber cap receiving frame 6A by applying metal plating to the flat portion formed in an annular region in the inner region along the outer edge of the back surface of the cover lens 7, The front end of the front-side fiber cap receiving frame 6A is hermetically sealed over the entire periphery with a joining means made of an inorganic material such as a low contact. 11 is the hermetic joint. “Inside” means the side near the exit end face 4a of the optical fiber bundle 4 (hereinafter the same).

  As a result, steam, volatile substances, and the like do not enter the interior of the joint portion between the front fiber cap receiving frame 6A and the cover lens 7 even in an autoclave sterilization or highly disinfecting environment using a highly volatile disinfectant. . Further, as a material of the front fiber cap receiving frame 6A, a nickel-containing alloy material having a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of the optical glass forming the cover lens 7, for example, iron-nickel-cobalt as a main component is used. Even if there is a large environmental temperature change due to soldering or autoclave sterilization, the hermetic joint 11 is not destroyed.

  The front fiber cap receiving frame 6A is formed to have a length that allows the front half of the fiber binding cap 5 to pass therethrough. After the cover lens 7 is joined to the front end surface of the front, the optical fiber bundle 4 is attached to the back surface of the cover lens 7. The fiber binding cap 5 is inserted into the through hole of the front fiber cap receiving frame 6A from the rear with the injection end face 4a facing, and an adhesive such as a silicon-based adhesive or an epoxy-based adhesive at the fitting portion. 12, the front-side fiber cap receiving frame 6 </ b> A and the fiber binding cap 5 are joined.

  The rear fiber base receiving frame 6B is formed to have a length that allows the rear half of the fiber binding base 5 to pass therethrough, and is formed by expanding the inner diameter at a portion near the tip of the rear fiber base receiving frame 6B. A small-diameter portion formed by cutting the outer diameter of the portion near the rear end of the front fiber cap receiving frame 6A is inserted into and connected to the countersunk portion.

  The fitting portion between the front fiber cap receiving frame body 6A and the rear fiber cap receiving frame body 6B and the fitting portion between the rear fiber cap receiving frame body 6B and the fiber binding cap 5 are both in low contact. Alternatively, it is performed in a state of being hermetically sealed over the entire circumference by a joining means made of an inorganic material such as welding. Reference numeral 13 denotes an airtight joint, and after the front fiber base receiving frame 6A and the fiber binding base 5 are joined, airtight joining with such an inorganic material is performed.

  According to the endoscope configured as described above, the front fiber base receiving frame body 6A and the rear fiber base receiving frame body 6B can be used in an autoclave sterilization or highly disinfecting environment using a highly volatile disinfectant. Since steam and volatile substances do not enter the inside portion from the joined portion between the joined portion and the rear fiber base receiving frame body 6B and the fiber binding base 5, the steam and the volatile material pass through the exterior 3 and the insertion portion 1. Even if it enters the inside, it does not enter the exit end face 4a of the optical fiber bundle 4, and the functional degradation of the optical fiber bundle 4 due to condensation or fogging can be completely prevented.

  In addition, a gap between the outer peripheral surface of the fiber binding cap 5 and the inner peripheral surface of the front-side fiber cap receiving frame body 6 </ b> A located inside the hermetic joint 13 made of such an inorganic material is sealed with the adhesive 12. Therefore, even when soldering or the like is used as the airtight joint portion 13, flux vapor or the like does not enter the exit end face 4 a side of the optical fiber bundle 4.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the rear fiber is fitted at the fitting portion between the front fiber base receiving frame 6A and the rear fiber base receiving frame 6B. You may comprise so that the nozzle | cap | die receiving frame body 6B side may be formed thinly and the part may be inserted and inserted in 6A of front side fiber cap receiving frame bodies.

  Further, the front fiber cap receiving frame body 6A and the rear fiber cap receiving frame body 6B do not necessarily have a cylindrical shape as in the above embodiments, and at least through holes into which the fiber binding caps 5 are inserted are formed. As long as they are fitted and connected to each other. Further, the present invention can also be applied to portions other than the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the endoscope of 1st Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the endoscope of the 2nd Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the conventional endoscope.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Front-end | tip part main body 3 Exterior 4 Optical fiber bundle 4a Ejection end surface 5 Fiber bundling cap 6A Front side fiber cap receiving frame body 6B Rear side fiber cap receiving frame body 7 Cover lens 11 Airtight junction 12 Adhesive 13 Airtight junction

Claims (4)

The end face of the metal fiber base receiving frame in which the end of the optical fiber bundle is inserted and fixed in a metal cylindrical fiber binding base, and the through hole into which the fiber binding base is inserted and fixed is formed In an endoscope having a configuration in which a cover lens is fixed to
The fiber base receiving frame body is divided into a front fiber base receiving frame body and a rear fiber base receiving frame body, each of which is formed with a through hole into which the fiber binding base is inserted, and the front side. The cover lens is fixed to the front end surface of the fiber base receiving frame body, and the fitting portion between the through hole of the front side fiber base receiving frame body and the fiber binding base is sealed with an adhesive, and the rear side fiber base holder A fitting portion between the frame body and the front fiber base receiving frame body and a fitting portion between the through hole of the rear fiber base receiving frame body and the fiber binding base are hermetically bonded with an inorganic material. Endoscope.   After the fitting portion between the through hole of the front fiber base receiving frame body and the fiber bundling base is sealed with the adhesive, the rear fiber base receiving frame body is the front fiber base receiving frame. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the body and the fiber binding cap are airtightly bonded with an inorganic material.   The endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front fiber cap receiving frame is formed of a metal material having a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of the cover lens.   The endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the front fiber cap receiving frame is formed of an alloy mainly composed of iron-nickel-cobalt.

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