JP2007190118A - Air and water duct of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air and water duct of an endoscope, which is connected to an air and water nozzle and also to an air duct and a water duct in the vicinity of the distal end of an insertion section which prevents a backflow of water to the air duct during water supply operation, reduces the amount of water droplets discharged together with the air during subsequent air supply operation, and has an improved water draining property. <P>SOLUTION: The cross-section (s) of an opening of the air duct 15 to the air and water duct 14 is smaller than the area (N) of an opening of the air and water nozzle 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an air / water supply piping of an endoscope.

  The observation window placed at the tip of the insertion part of the endoscope is frequently soiled by internal sewage during endoscopy, and each time the surface of the observation window is sprayed with water to wash away the sewage. After the water supply operation is performed, an air supply operation is performed in which the water remaining on the surface of the observation window is blown off with air.

Therefore, an air / water supply nozzle is arranged at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope toward the surface of the observation window. However, if the air supply nozzle and the water supply nozzle are provided separately, the air supply ejection path and the water supply nozzle are provided. Since there is a case where water droplets adhering to the surface of the observation window cannot be sufficiently blown out due to the incompatibility with the ejection path, there are many cases where an air supply / water supply nozzle is provided that ejects air and water from the same opening ( For example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-4-307022

  FIG. 9 shows the distal end of an insertion portion of a conventional endoscope, and an air / water feeding nozzle with a narrowed opening area at the distal end toward the surface of an observation window 91 provided at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope. 92 is arranged to be opened.

  The connection pipe 93 that leads to the air / water supply nozzle 92 is bifurcated in the latter half, and the tip of the air supply tube 94 and the tip of the water supply tube 95 that are inserted into the insertion portion are connected to the connection pipe 93. The two rear end parts are connected separately.

  However, in such a configuration, since the opening area of the air / water supply nozzle 92 is narrowed down and the pipe line resistance there is large, as shown in FIG. 10, water is supplied to the air supply tube 94 during the water supply operation. It will flow into the state of flowing backward. Then, during the next air supply operation, water droplets are ejected from the air supply / water supply nozzle 92 together with the air, so that the so-called “water drainage is bad” state and the endoscopic observation image may not be clear.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an air supply / water supply pipe of an endoscope in which an air supply line and a water supply line are connected to each other in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion to an air supply / water supply pipe leading to an air supply / water supply nozzle. It is an object of the present invention to provide an air / water supply pipe of an endoscope which does not flow back to the air supply pipe side, and therefore has few water droplets ejected together with air during the next air supply operation and has good water drainage.

  In order to achieve the above object, the air / water supply piping of the endoscope of the present invention reduces the opening area (N) of the distal end toward the surface of the observation window provided at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope. A throttled air / water supply nozzle is arranged, and the air / water supply line connected to the air / water supply nozzle is connected to the air supply line and the water supply line connected to each other in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion part. Further, in the air / water supply pipe of the endoscope, the cross-sectional area (s) of the opening of the air / water supply pipe with respect to the air / water supply pipe is formed smaller than the opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle.

  The tip of the water supply tube is connected to the rear end of the connection pipe forming the air / water supply conduit, and a branch pipe having an inner diameter smaller than the opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle is branched and connected in the middle of the connection pipe. The tip of the air supply tube may be connected to the rear end of the branch pipe.

  In addition, an air supply conduit and a water supply conduit are provided in a portion closer to the rear side of the distal end portion main body forming the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and an air supply / water supply conduit is provided in a portion closer to the front side of the distal end portion main body. The water supply line and the air / water supply line are communicated through a hole having a cross-sectional area larger than the opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle, and the air supply line and the air / water supply line are connected to each other. May be communicated through a hole having a cross-sectional area (s) smaller than the opening area (N).

  Note that the opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle is smaller than the flow path cross-sectional area (S) of the air / water supply pipe, and therefore S> N> s, and specifically, S: N: s. = (2.5-4.4): 1: It is good in the range of (0.3-0.9).

  According to the present invention, the air supply conduit and the water supply conduit are connected to each other in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion to the air supply / water supply conduit leading to the air supply / water supply nozzle having a narrowed opening area (N) at the tip. In the air / water supply pipe of the endoscope, the cross-sectional area (s) of the opening of the air / water supply pipe with respect to the air / water supply pipe is formed to be smaller than the opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle. Water does not flow backward to the air supply conduit side, and therefore, there are few water droplets ejected together with air during the subsequent air supply operation, and an excellent water drainage ability can be obtained, and a clear endoscopic observation image can be obtained quickly.

  An air / water supply nozzle having a small opening area (N) at the tip is arranged toward the surface of the observation window provided at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope, and the air / water supply pipe communicates with the air / water supply nozzle. In the air / water supply pipe of the endoscope in which the air supply line and the water supply line inserted and arranged in the insertion part are respectively connected in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion part, the air supply line with respect to the air / water supply line The sectional area (s) of the opening is formed smaller than the opening area (N) of the air / water feeding nozzle. And when the flow-path cross-sectional area of an air / water supply pipe line is set to S, it is the range of S: N: s = (2.5-4.4): 1: (0.3-0.9). Good.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 5 is an internal piping diagram for air supply and water supply of the endoscope, and an operation unit 2 is connected to a proximal end of the insertion unit 1 of the endoscope, and a distal end body provided at the distal end of the insertion unit 1 An air / water supply nozzle 4 is disposed at 3.

  An air supply tube 5 and a water supply tube 6 that are inserted and arranged in parallel in the insertion portion 1 are connected to the air supply / water supply nozzle 4 in a single conduit near the tip body 3. The proximal ends of the air supply tube 5 and the water supply tube 6 are connected to an air / water supply operation valve 7 disposed in the operation unit 2. Reference numeral 8 denotes an air supply pump provided outside the endoscope, which is also provided with a water supply tank (not shown).

  Such a configuration is known, and in the standby state where the air / water supply operation valve 7 is not operated, neither air nor water is sent to either the air supply tube 5 or the water supply tube 6, and the air / water supply operation is performed. When the valve 7 is operated to be in the air supply state, pressurized air is sent to the air supply / water supply nozzle 4 via the air supply tube 5, and when the air supply / water supply operation valve 7 is set to the water supply state, the air is supplied via the water supply tube 6. Then, the pressurized water is sent to the air / water feeding nozzle 4. In the air supply state, the proximal end of the water supply tube 6 is sealed with the air / water supply operation valve 7, and in the water supply state, the proximal end of the air supply tube 5 is sealed with the air / water supply operation valve 7. Yes.

  FIG. 6 shows the distal end surface of the distal end main body 3, and the nozzle port 4 a of the air / water feeding nozzle 4 is arranged to open toward the surface of the observation window 9. Reference numeral 10 denotes an illumination window, and reference numeral 11 denotes a treatment instrument protrusion that is an outlet opening of the treatment instrument insertion channel.

  FIG. 1 shows a distal end portion of the insertion portion 1. Stainless steel is formed on the rear end side of the air / water supply passage hole 13 formed in a state of communicating with the air / water supply nozzle 4 and penetrating the front end portion main body 3 in the front-rear direction. The front half of the connection pipe 14 (air / water supply conduit) made of steel pipe material is inserted and fixedly connected, and the tip of the water supply tube 6 is connected and fixed to the rear end of the connection pipe 14. The air / water passage hole 13 and the connection pipe 14 are formed to have the same inner diameter as the water supply tube 6.

  A branch pipe 15 (air supply conduit) having the same outer diameter as that of the connection pipe 14 and a small inner diameter (and thus a thick wall) is branched and connected to the intermediate portion of the connection pipe 14. The tip of the air supply tube 5 is connected and fixed to the rear end. The branch pipe 15 of this embodiment is smoothly bent at a right angle, the front end portion is connected perpendicularly to the connection pipe 14, and the rear end portion is oriented parallel to the connection pipe 14.

  And the nozzle opening 4a of the air / water supply nozzle 4 is formed in the shape narrowed flatly as shown in FIG. 2, and the opening area N is a figure which illustrates the III-III cross section in FIG. 3 is formed to be about half or less (for example, about one-third to one-fourth) of the flow path cross-sectional area S of the connection pipe 14 shown in FIG.

  Further, the flow path cross-sectional area s of the branch pipe 15 shown in FIG. 4 illustrating the IV-IV cross section in FIG. 1 is formed smaller than the opening area N of the nozzle port 4 a of the air / water supply nozzle 4. That is, S> N> s. Since the branch pipe 15 has a constant inner diameter, the flow path cross-sectional area s of the branch pipe 15 is the cross-sectional area of the opening of the branch pipe 15 with respect to the connection pipe 14.

Preferably, the relationship between S and s when N = 1 is in the range of S: N: s = (2.5 to 4.4): 1: (0.3 to 0.9). For example, when S = 1.5 mm ² , N = 0.4 mm ² and s = 0.2 mm ² .

  With such a configuration, the air sent through the air supply tube 5 passes through the branch pipe 15 and then passes through the front half of the connection pipe 14 and the air supply / water supply passage hole 13. Water ejected from the nozzle port 4a toward the surface of the observation window 9 and sent through the water supply tube 6 passes through the connection pipe 14 and the air / water supply passage hole 13 to the surface of the observation window 9. Then, it is ejected from the nozzle port 4a.

  During such a water supply operation, the opening area N of the nozzle port 4a is narrowed down and a large pipe resistance occurs there. However, the flow path cross-sectional area of the branch pipe 15 (that is, the branch pipe 15 relative to the connection pipe 14). Since the sectional area of the opening) s is formed to be smaller than the opening area N of the nozzle port 4a of the air / water feeding nozzle 4, the pipe line resistance of the branch pipe 15 portion is further larger. Pressurized water hardly enters the branch pipe 15 side.

  Therefore, when air is sent to the air / water supply nozzle 4 via the air supply tube 5 during the next air supply operation, there are few water droplets ejected together with the air from the nozzle port 4a, and the water droplets are quickly blown off from the surface of the observation window 9. It is possible to obtain an excellent water draining ability.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said Example, For example, like the 2nd Example shown by FIG. 7, the pipe with an internal diameter comparable as the air / water supply passage hole 13 is used as the branch pipe 15. FIG. Then, the portion 14a behind the branch portion of the connection pipe 14 is formed to have a channel cross-sectional area s smaller than the opening area N of the nozzle port 4a of the air / water supply nozzle 4, and the tip of the air supply tube 5 is connected and fixed to the rear end thereof. It may be the configuration.

  Further, as in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the air supply connection hole 13 </ b> A communicated with the air supply / water supply passage hole 13 and formed in parallel with the rear side portion of the tip end body 3 and the water supply connection. The tip of the air supply tube 5 and the tip of the water supply tube 6 are connected and fixed to the hole 13W, and the air supply connection hole 13A and the air / water supply passage hole 13 are opened from the opening area N of the nozzle port 4a of the air / water supply nozzle 4. The air supply communication hole 13a having a small cross-sectional area s communicates through the air supply communication hole 13a, and the water supply connection hole 13W and the air supply / water supply passage hole 13 have a cross-sectional area larger than the opening area N of the nozzle port 4a of the air supply / water supply nozzle 4. A configuration may be adopted in which communication is made through the hole 13a.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the insertion part front-end | tip of the endoscope of 1st Example of this invention. It is a front view of the air / water supply nozzle of the 1st example of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention. It is IV-IV sectional drawing in FIG. 1 of 1st Example of this invention. It is an internal piping figure for the air supply / water supply of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is a front view of the front end surface of the front-end | tip part main body of the Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the insertion part front-end | tip of the endoscope of 2nd Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the insertion part front-end | tip of the endoscope of the 3rd Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the insertion part front-end | tip of the conventional endoscope. It is side surface sectional drawing explaining the operation | movement at the time of the water supply operation of the air / water supply piping of the conventional endoscope.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 3 Tip part main body 4 Air supply / water supply nozzle 4a Nozzle port 5 Air supply tube 6 Water supply tube 12 Observation window 13 Air supply / water supply passage hole 13A Air supply connection hole 13a Air supply communication hole (hole)
13W Water supply connection hole 13w Water supply communication hole (hole)
14 Connection pipe (air / water supply pipeline)
15 Branch pipe (air supply line)

Claims (5)

An air / water supply nozzle having a small opening area (N) at the distal end is arranged toward the surface of the observation window provided at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope, and the air / water supply tube communicates with the air / water supply nozzle. In the air supply / water supply piping of the endoscope in which the air supply conduit and the water supply conduit inserted and disposed in the insertion portion are connected to each other in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion,
An air / water supply pipe for an endoscope, wherein a cross-sectional area (s) of an opening of the air / water supply line with respect to the air / water supply line is formed to be smaller than an opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle. .   The tip of the water supply tube is connected to the rear end of the connection pipe forming the air / water supply conduit, and a branch pipe having an inner diameter smaller than the opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle is branched and connected in the middle of the connection pipe The air supply / water supply piping of an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a distal end of an air supply tube is connected to a rear end of the branch pipe.   The air supply conduit and the water supply conduit are provided in a portion near the rear side of the distal end portion main body forming the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and the air supply / water supply tube is provided in a portion closer to the front side of the distal end portion main body. A channel is provided, and the water supply conduit and the air / water supply conduit are communicated via a hole having a cross-sectional area larger than the opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle, and the air supply conduit and the air / supply conduit The air / water supply piping of an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the water pipe is communicated with a hole having a cross-sectional area (s) smaller than an opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle.   4. The endoscope according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein an opening area (N) of the air / water supply nozzle is smaller than a flow path cross-sectional area (S) of the air / water supply pipe line, and therefore S> N> s. Air / water piping.   The endoscope air / water supply piping according to claim 4, which is in a range of S: N: s = (2.5 to 4.4): 1: (0.3 to 0.9).

Images