JP2011015782A - Air supply and water supply device for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide air supply and water supply for an endoscope, capable of increasing the pressure of a gas and water jetted from an insertion part distal end face regardless of the conduit structure of the endoscope, easily adjusting the pressure, and preventing water inside a container from flowing to the endoscope side unintentionally.SOLUTION: The air supply and water supply device for the endoscope includes: a cylinder 38 provided inside a container 31; a piston 43 provided with a communication through-hole 44 to be communicated with the first communication hole 40 and second communication hole 41 of the cylinder at both ends only when positioned at a prescribed position inside the cylinder; an energizing means S for turning the first communication hole and second communication hole of the piston to the state of not being communicated with a first water supply tube and a second water supply tube when the pressure of the air flowing into the cylinder from the gas communication hole 39 of the cylinder is lower than a prescribed value, and moving the piston to the prescribed position when the air pressure is equal to or larger than the prescribed value; and an energizing force adjustment means 47 for adjusting the strength of the energizing means.

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope air / water supply apparatus that is separate from an endoscope and supplies liquid such as water to a water supply conduit of the endoscope.

An endoscope generally includes an operation unit, an insertion unit extending from the operation unit, a universal tube extending from the operation unit in a direction opposite to the insertion unit, and a connector unit provided at an end of the universal tube. In the endoscope, an air supply conduit and a water supply conduit extending from the connector portion to the distal end surface of the insertion portion are provided. An air supply / water supply cylinder having one end (upper end) opened at the upper surface of the operation unit is provided inside the operation unit, and an intermediate portion between the air supply line and the water supply line is provided in the air supply / water supply cylinder. Are connected (communication). Further, inside the air / water supply cylinder, it is slidable (can be moved in and out) with respect to the air / water supply cylinder, and protrudes from the air / water supply cylinder by a biasing force of a spring (not shown) (upward) The air / water piston moved and energized is fitted. The air / water supply piston is provided with an air relief hole penetrating the air / water supply piston in the vertical direction and a circumferential groove formed on the peripheral surface of the air / water supply piston.
For example, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 disclose conventional air / water feeding devices that can be connected to the endoscope having such a structure.

The container of the air / water supply device of Patent Document 1 is filled with cleaning water, and the portion not filled with cleaning water is an air region. The air region is divided into two rooms by a restriction plate having fine holes fixed in the container, and the upper part of the air region is a normal compressed air source (normal air supply pump) arranged outside the container. The high-pressure compressed air source (high-pressure air pump), which is different from the compressed air source, and the air-feeding conduit of the endoscope are communicated. Further, the washing water filled in the region below the regulation plate communicates with the water supply conduit of the endoscope through the water supply tube. The resistance to the air flow of the fine holes is set to be larger than the pipe resistance from the upper part of the air region to the air supply pipe of the endoscope.
When a normal compressed air source is activated, the compressed air sent to the air region flows from the endoscope's air supply conduit to the air / water supply cylinder, and from the upper end opening of the air release hole of the air / water supply piston to the outside Exhausted. On the other hand, when the surgeon manually closes the upper opening of the air escape hole of the air / water supply piston provided in the endoscope, the compressed air that has flowed into the air / water supply cylinder is moved to the front of the air supply line (inside the insertion portion). Is sprayed from the front end opening of the portion) to an observation window provided on the distal end surface of the insertion portion. Furthermore, when the surgeon pushes the air / water supply piston into the air / water supply cylinder while closing the upper end opening of the air escape hole by hand, the air pressure in the air region of the container further increases, and as a result, the washing water in the container is increased. Since the water pressure increases, the cleaning water flows to the air / water supply cylinder via the water supply conduit of the endoscope. At this time, by the circumferential groove of the air / water supply piston, the rear part of the water supply pipe (the part located in the connector part, the universal tube and the operation part) and the front part of the water supply pipe (the part located in the insertion part) Therefore, the wash water is sprayed from the front end opening of the water supply pipe to the observation window.
When the insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted into the body cavity of the patient, bleeding or body fluid generated in the body cavity may come into contact with the observation window, and the operator may not be able to clearly observe the inside of the body cavity or the affected area. However, when the operator performs such an operation on the air / water supply piston, the blood and body fluid adhering to the observation window are washed away by the washing water, and further, the washing water remaining on the observation window is blown off by the compressed air. Thus, the surgeon can clearly observe the body cavity and the affected part through the observation window.

On the other hand, the air region of the air / water supply container of Patent Document 2 also communicates with the compressed air source (pump) located outside the container and the air supply conduit of the endoscope. The cleaning water in the inside communicates with the water supply conduit of the endoscope through a water supply tube. Furthermore, a cylinder having a lower end opened in the air region and an upper end opened outside the container is fixed to the container, and a piston movably urged upward by a spring provided in the cylinder is slidable in the cylinder. Is fitted.
Therefore, if the compressed air source is activated and the air / water supply piston and air escape hole are operated in the same manner as in Patent Document 1, the air supply line and the water supply line are compressed to the observation window. Air and washing water can be sprayed.
Further, when the operator feels that the water pressure of the washing water sprayed from the distal end of the air supply conduit of the endoscope to the observation window or the pressure of the compressed air is small, the piston is pushed against the biasing force of the spring. Then, since the atmospheric pressure in the air region of the container increases, it is possible to increase the water pressure of the washing water sprayed on the observation window and the pressure of the compressed air.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-46721 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-17445

Although the air / water supply device of Patent Document 1 can blow high-pressure compressed air onto the observation window by operating the high-pressure compressed air source, it cannot increase the water pressure of the washing water. Therefore, there is a possibility that blood or the like adhering to the observation window cannot be surely washed away. Further, it cannot be used for an endoscope having an air supply conduit having a resistance to an air flow larger than that of a fine hole.
On the other hand, the air / water supply device of Patent Document 2 is difficult to adjust the pressure of the air region by the piston, so that it is difficult to adjust the pressure of the cleaning water or air sprayed on the observation window. Furthermore, if the air pressure in the air region in the container is increased by pushing the piston, the water pressure of the cleaning water also increases, so when the air / water supply button provided on the endoscope is not pressed, the cleaning water travels through the water supply tube. There is a risk of flowing to the endoscope side.

  The present invention can increase the pressure of gas and liquid ejected from the distal end surface of the insertion section regardless of the endoscope pipe line structure, and can easily adjust the pressure, and unintentionally in the container. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscopic air / water supply device capable of preventing liquid from flowing to the endoscope side.

  In the endoscope water supply / air supply / water supply apparatus according to the present invention, a part of the internal space is filled with a liquid, and the region not filled with the liquid constitutes a gas region communicating with a compressed gas source disposed outside. An air supply tube having one end communicating with the gas region and the other end connected to an inlet side end of an air supply conduit of the endoscope, and one end passing through the inside of the air supply tube A first water supply tube that protrudes from the one end of the tube into the gas region and has the other end connected to the inlet side end of the water supply conduit of the endoscope, one end is located in the liquid, and the other end is the above A second water supply tube located in the gas region, and the other end of the first water supply tube and the other end of the second water supply tube provided in the container are communicated with each other in their watertight state with respect to their own internal space. A first communication hole and a second communication hole, a gas communication hole communicating with the gas region, And a through-hole for communicating, which is slidably inserted into the cylinder, and whose both ends communicate with the first communication hole and the second communication hole in a watertight state only when positioned at a predetermined position in the cylinder. And when the pressure of the gas flowing into the cylinder from the gas communication hole is smaller than a predetermined value, the piston is moved and urged toward the gas communication hole to move the first communication hole and the second communication hole. And a biasing means for allowing the piston to move to the predetermined position when the atmospheric pressure is equal to or higher than the predetermined value. And an urging force adjusting means for adjusting the magnitude of the predetermined value by adjusting the strength of.

  One end of the cylinder is opened outside the container, and the urging force adjusting means is an adjusting member fitted to the opening of the one end so as to be movable in the axial direction of the cylinder. A compression coil spring that is inserted between the adjustment member and the piston and contracted between the piston and the piston may be used.

  Furthermore, a male screw groove may be formed on the peripheral surface of the adjusting member, and a female screw groove that is screwed with the male screw groove may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the one end of the cylinder.

  The diameter of both ends of the communication through hole may be larger than the diameter of the corresponding one of the first communication hole and the second communication hole.

  The container includes a container main body having an upper opening, and a lid portion that closes the upper opening by connecting to the upper portion of the container main body, and the lid includes the first water supply tube and the second water supply tube. The cylinder integrated with the above may be fixed.

According to the present invention, if the pressure of the compressed gas of the compressed gas source is increased, the pressure of the gas region of the container and the pressure of the liquid are increased. A high-pressure gas or liquid can be ejected from the endoscope to the outside. Moreover, since the urging force of the urging means can be adjusted by operating the urging force adjusting means in accordance with the pressure of the compressed gas from the compressed gas source, the pressure adjustment of the gas or liquid is easy.
Furthermore, since the position of the piston in the cylinder can be controlled in accordance with the pressure of the compressed gas from the compressed gas source, the liquid in the container is unexpectedly invisible when attempting to eject gas from the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope. It can be prevented from flowing to the mirror side.

  If comprised like Claim 2, it becomes possible to make an urging | biasing force adjustment mechanism which consists of an urging means and an adjustment member into a simple structure.

  According to the third aspect, since the adjustment member is moved using the screw mechanism, the urging force can be adjusted with high accuracy.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the communication through hole can be communicated with the first communication hole and the second communication hole even if the position accuracy of the piston in the cylinder is somewhat poor.

  If it comprises like Claim 5, if a cover part will be removed from a container main body, a container main body can be easily filled with a liquid, and an air supply / water supply apparatus can be completed only by attaching a cover part to a container main body.

It is a vertical front view of the air / water supply apparatus in the air supply state of one embodiment of the present invention. It is an enlarged view of the fixed parameter | index provided in the adjustment member and the cover part. It is a vertical front view of the air / water supply apparatus in the water supply state. It is a figure which shows an endoscope and an air supply / water supply apparatus.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The endoscope 10 shown in FIG. 4 includes an operation unit 11, an insertion unit 12 extending forward from the operation unit 11, a universal tube 13 extending rearward from the operation unit 11, and a connector unit provided at the rear end of the universal tube 13. 14. As shown in the drawing, an air supply conduit 15 and a water supply conduit 16 extending from the connector portion 14 to the distal end surface of the insertion portion 12 are provided inside the endoscope 10. The rear ends of the air supply conduit 15 and the water supply conduit 16 are both open in a connecting cylinder portion 17 projecting from the connector portion 14, and the air supply conduit 15 and the water supply conduit 16 are connected to each other. Both front end portions are open at the distal end surface of the insertion portion 12.
In addition, an air / water supply cylinder 19 having one end (upper end) opened on the upper surface of the operation unit 11 is provided inside the operation unit 11, and the air / water supply line 15 is connected to the air / water supply cylinder 19. The intermediate portions of the water supply conduit 16 are connected (communication). Further, inside the air / water supply cylinder 19, the air / water supply cylinder 19 is slidable (can be moved in and out) and protrudes from the air / water supply cylinder 19 by a biasing force of a spring (not shown). An air / water supply piston 20 that is urged to move in the direction (upward) is fitted. The air / water supply piston 20 is provided with a gas escape hole 21 penetrating the air / water supply piston 20 in the vertical direction and a circumferential groove 22 formed in the peripheral surface of the air / water supply piston 20. When the surgeon does not push the air / water supply piston 20 into the air / water supply cylinder 19, the air / water supply piston 20 is positioned at the protruding position shown in FIG. 4 by the biasing force of the spring. On the other hand, when the surgeon pushes down the air / water supply piston 20 against the biasing force of the spring, the air / water supply piston 20 moves to a pushing position (not shown). When the air / water supply piston 20 is located at the protruding position, the peripheral opening of the water supply pipe 16 is closed by the peripheral surface of the air / water supply piston 20 (the opening connected to the air / water supply cylinder 19). On the other hand, the peripheral surface of the air / water supply piston 20 does not block the intermediate opening of the air supply line 15 (the opening connected to the air / water supply cylinder 19). On the other hand, when the air / water supply piston 20 is located at the pushing position, the circumferential groove 22 of the air / water supply piston 20 communicates the two intermediate openings of the water supply pipe 16 with each other. The circumferential surface of the piston 20 closes the intermediate opening of the air supply conduit 15.

The air / water supply device 30 of the present embodiment has the following structure.
The container 31 is colorless and transparent and has a container main body 32 having an open top surface, and is detachable with respect to the upper part of the container main body 32, and a lid 33 that closes the upper surface opening of the container 31 by being connected to the container main body 32 in an airtight state. And have. The lower part of the internal space of the container body 32 is filled with cleaning water W, and the upper part of the cleaning water W in the internal space of the container 31 is a gas region A. One end of an air supply tube 34 for supplying compressed air generated by a compressed air source (electric pump) P (see FIG. 4) to the gas region A is connected to the lid 33. Furthermore, one end of an air supply tube 35 made of a flexible material is connected to the opening formed at the upper end of the lid portion 33 in an airtight state, and the other end of the air supply tube 35 is connected to the endoscope 10. The tube part 17 is connected in an airtight state. A first water supply tube 36 made of a flexible material having a smaller diameter than the air supply tube 35 is inserted into the air supply tube 35. One end of the first water supply tube 36 is located in the gas region A, and the other end of the first water supply tube 36 is in a watertight state at the end of the water supply conduit 16 in the connection tube portion 17 of the endoscope 10. Connected.

A circular through hole is formed on the side surface of the lid 33, and a substantially cylindrical cylinder 38 is fitted and fixed in the airtight state in the through hole. As shown in the drawing, one end surface in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder 38 is opened outside the container 31, and a gas communication hole 39 having a smaller diameter than the outer shape of the cylinder 38 is formed as a through hole at the other end. A first communication hole 40 and a second communication hole 41, both of which are through holes, are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the cylinder 38. One end of the first water supply tube 36 is connected to the first communication hole 40 in a watertight state. On the other hand, the second communication hole 41 has the same material and the same cross-sectional shape as the first water supply tube 36, and the lower end of the second water supply tube 37 positioned in the cleaning water W is connected in a watertight state. .
In the internal space of the cylinder 38, a piston 43 that is a rotating body centering on the axis of the cylinder 38 is disposed. The outer peripheral surface of the piston 43 is slidable in the axial direction with respect to the cylinder 38 while contacting the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 38 in an airtight state. The piston 43 is formed with a communication through hole 44 that penetrates the piston 43 in the radial direction and has the same cross-sectional shape as the first communication hole 40 and the second communication hole 41. In addition, a slide fitting protrusion 45 having a smaller diameter than that of the portion slidably in contact with the cylinder 38 protrudes from one end of the piston 43.
A female thread groove 42 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the opening end of the cylinder 38 opposite to the gas communication hole 39. Further, an adjustment member (biasing force adjustment means) 47 is fitted to the opening end, and a male screw groove 48 formed as a left screw on the outer peripheral surface of the adjustment member 47 is screwed with the female screw groove 42. Therefore, when the adjustment member 47 is rotated about its axis, the adjustment member 47 advances and retreats in the axial direction of the cylinder 38 with respect to the cylinder 38. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a movement index 49 composed of numbers “1” to “5” is formed on the outer surface of the adjustment member 47, and the lid 33 is fixed around the adjustment member 47. An index M is provided. Accordingly, by visually observing which movement index 49 is located at the same circumferential position as the fixed index M, the operator can recognize the slide position of the adjustment member 47 relative to the cylinder 38. In this embodiment, when the number “1” is located at the same circumferential position as the fixed index M, the amount of protrusion of the adjustment member 47 from the cylinder 38 is the maximum, and the number “5” is the same circumferential position as the fixed index M. When the adjustment member 47 is in the position, the fitting amount of the adjustment member 47 to the cylinder 38 is maximized.
A recess formed in the piston 43 side surface of the adjustment member 47 is formed with a female thread groove. In this female thread groove, a right-hand thread is provided at the end of the retainer 50 guided linearly by the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 38. The male thread groove formed as is screwed together. The retainer 50 is guided linearly by the inner surface of the cylinder 38, and a support recess 51 is formed on the end surface of the retainer 50 on the piston 43 side, so that the slide fitting protrusion 45 can slide in the support recess 51. It is mated. Further, since the compression coil spring S whose axis extends in the same direction as the axis of the cylinder 38 is contracted between the piston 43 and the retainer 50, an external force other than the compression coil spring S is applied to the piston 43. When the piston 43 is not present, the end face on the gas communication hole 39 side of the piston 43 is positioned at an initial position where it abuts on the end face of the cylinder 38 on the gas communication hole 39 side, as shown in FIG. Further, when the slide position of the retainer 50 with respect to the cylinder 38 is changed by rotating the adjusting member 47, the compression amount of the compression coil spring S is changed. When the number “5” (movement index 49) is positioned at the same circumferential position as the fixed index M, the compression coil spring S has a minimum compression amount (biasing force). The compression amount (biasing force) of the spring S is maximized.

Next, operations of the air / water supply device 30 and the endoscope 10 when the air / water supply device 30 is connected to the endoscope 10 will be described.
The compressed air source P of the present embodiment can adjust its pressure in five stages. For example, when the pressure level of the compressed air source P is set to the smallest “1”, the number “1” of the movement index 49 of the adjustment member 47 is matched with the fixed index M of the lid 33 in accordance with this, and the compression coil spring The biasing force of S is set to the smallest.
After adjusting the compressed air source P and the adjustment member 47 in this way, when the compressed air source P is operated and compressed air is sent to the gas region A of the container 31 through the air supply tube 34, the atmospheric pressure in the gas region A and The water pressure of the washing water W becomes high. Therefore, if the upper surface opening of the gas escape hole 21 is not blocked by hand, the compressed air in the gas region A is supplied to the air / water supply cylinder 19 via the air supply tube 35 and the air supply line 15. From the lower end opening of the gas escape hole 21 of the air / water supply piston 20 through the inside of the gas escape hole 21, the air is exhausted from the upper end opening of the gas escape hole 21 to the outside of the endoscope 10.
On the other hand, if the surgeon plugs the upper surface opening of the gas escape hole 21 without pushing the air / water supply piston 20 of the endoscope 10 into the pushing position, the compressed air in the gas region A is supplied to the air supply tube 35. In addition, the gas is injected from the front end opening (the front end surface of the insertion portion 12) of the air supply conduit 15 through the air supply conduit 15, and blown to an observation window (not shown) formed on the front end surface of the insertion portion 12. Since the air-injection air pressure, which is the air pressure in the gas region A at this time, is smaller than the biasing force (predetermined value) of the compression coil spring S, the piston 43 does not move from the initial position. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the communication between the first water supply tube 36 (first communication hole 40) and the second water supply tube 37 (second communication hole 41) is blocked by the cylinder 38. Even if it moves to the cylinder 38 side through the two water supply tubes 37, the wash water W does not flow to the first water supply tube 36 side.
If the surgeon pushes the air / water supply piston 20 to the above pushing position while closing the upper surface opening of the gas escape hole 21 by hand, the air supply / water supply piston 20 will insert the compressed air into the air supply / water supply cylinder 19 (inserted). Since the flow to the portion 12 side is regulated, the water pressure of the cleaning water W becomes high. Then, the washing water injection pressure, which is the pressure in the gas region A at this time, becomes equal to or greater than the urging force (predetermined value) of the compression coil spring S, so that the pressure in the gas region A applied to the piston 43 via the gas communication hole 39 The cylinder 38 moves to the communication position (predetermined position) shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the first water supply tube 36 (first communication hole 40) and the second water supply tube 37 (second communication hole 41) communicate with each other via the communication through hole 44 of the cylinder 38 (communication). Since the cleaning water W communicates with the communication through hole 44 in a watertight state, the cleaning water W is supplied with the second water supply tube 37 (second communication hole 41), the communication through hole 44, the first communication hole 40 (first water supply tube 36), and the water supply. It flows to the air / water supply cylinder 19 side through the pipeline 16 and is blown to the observation window from the front end opening of the water supply pipeline 16.
When the insertion portion 12 is inserted into the patient's body cavity, and the observation window of the insertion portion 12 is contaminated with the blood or body fluid of the patient, the washing water W is sprayed onto the observation window and the blood is washed away. If the water droplets adhering to the window are blown away with compressed air, the operator can clearly observe the body cavity and the affected part.

If the surgeon feels that the pressure level of the compressed air source P is “1” and the pressure of the compressed air sprayed on the observation window or the water pressure of the cleaning water W is small, the pressure level of the compressed air source P is set to “2”. The adjustment member 47 is further rotated in accordance with this, and the number “2” of the movement index 49 is matched with the fixed index M of the lid portion 33.
After performing such adjustment, the compressed air source P is actuated, and if the surgeon closes the upper surface opening of the gas escape hole 21 without pushing the air / water supply piston 20 into the pushing position, the air supply tube Stronger compressed air can be blown from the opening at the front end of the path 15 to the observation window (compared to the case where the pressure level of the compressed air source P is set to “1”). However, since the pressure (pressure at the time of air injection) of the gas region A at this time is smaller than the urging force (predetermined value) of the compression coil spring S whose compression amount is adjusted by the adjusting member 47, the piston 43 is positioned at the initial position. It remains. Therefore, even if the cleaning water W moves to the cylinder 38 side through the second water supply tube 37, the cleaning water W does not flow to the first water supply tube 36 side.
Further, if the surgeon closes the upper surface opening of the gas escape hole 21 with his / her hand and pushes the air / water supply piston 20 into the pushing position, the pressure in the gas region A (pressure at the time of washing water injection) is reduced to the compression coil spring S. Therefore, the washing water W having a stronger water pressure can be sprayed onto the observation window (compared to the case where the pressure level of the compressed air source P is set to “1”).

  When the pressure level of the compressed air source P is set to “3” to “5”, the same number in the movement index 49 is adjusted to the fixed index M by rotating the adjustment member 47. If such adjustment is performed, the pressure of the compressed air blown to the observation window and the water pressure of the cleaning water W are further increased, and when the gas is supplied to the observation window (the gas of the air / water supply piston 20 located at the protruding position). It is possible to prevent the cleaning water W from flowing to the first water supply tube 36 side when the upper surface opening of the escape hole 21 is closed by hand.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on the said embodiment, this invention can be implemented, giving various changes.
For example, instead of the adjustment member 47, an adjustment member that slides in the axial direction of the cylinder 38 may be provided with respect to the cylinder 38 (the male member is not formed on the peripheral surface of the adjustment member, and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 38 Does not form a female thread groove). In this case, when the slide position of the adjustment member with respect to the cylinder 38 reaches a plurality of specific positions (for example, five locations), a click stop mechanism that temporarily holds the position of the adjustment member is provided between the cylinder 38 and the adjustment member. Further, it is preferable that a movement index corresponding to the movement index 49 is provided on the adjustment member, and a fixed index corresponding to the fixed index M is provided on the lid 33.
Further, the biasing means provided in the cylinder 38 may be other than the compression coil spring S. For example, a tension spring that moves and urges the piston 43 toward the gas communication hole 39 may be provided between the cylinder 38 and the piston 43.
Further, the diameter of the communication through hole 44 of the piston 43 may be larger than the diameters of the first communication hole 40 and the second communication hole 41. In this way, even if the communication position of the piston 43 is slightly deviated from the predetermined position, the first water supply tube 36 and the second water supply tube 37 can be communicated.
Further, instead of the washing water W, another liquid may be filled in the container 31.
Carbon dioxide gas (CO ² ) may be used as a compressed gas instead of compressed air.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Endoscope 11 Operation part 12 Insertion part 13 Universal tube 14 Connector part 15 Air supply line 16 Water supply line 17 Connection cylinder part 19 Air supply / water supply cylinder 20 Air supply / water supply piston 21 Gas relief hole 22 Circumferential direction Groove 30 Air / water supply device 31 Container 32 Container body 33 Lid 34 Air supply tube 35 Air supply tube 36 First water supply tube 37 Second water supply tube 38 Cylinder 39 Gas communication hole 40 First communication hole 41 Second communication hole 42 Female thread Groove 43 Piston 44 Communication through hole 45 Slide fitting protrusion 47 Adjustment member (biasing force adjustment means)
48 Male thread groove 49 Movement index 50 Retainer 51 Support recess A Gas area S Compression coil spring (biasing means)
M Fixed index P Compressed air source (compressed gas source)
W Wash water (liquid)

Claims (5)

A container in which a part of the internal space is filled with a liquid and a region not filled with the liquid constitutes a gas region communicating with a compressed gas source disposed outside;
An air supply tube having one end communicating with the gas region and the other end connected to an inlet side end of an air supply conduit of the endoscope;
A first water supply tube having one end protruding from the one end of the air supply tube to the gas region through the inside of the air supply tube, and the other end connected to an inlet side end of the water supply conduit of the endoscope;
A second water supply tube having one end located in the liquid and the other end located in the gas region;
A first communication hole and a second communication hole, which are provided in the container and communicate with the other end of the first water supply tube and the other end of the second water supply tube in their watertight state with respect to their own internal space, A cylinder having a gas communication hole communicating with the gas region;
A piston slidably inserted into the cylinder, having a communication through hole whose both ends communicate with the first communication hole and the second communication hole in a watertight state only when positioned at a predetermined position in the cylinder;
When the pressure of the gas flowing into the cylinder from the gas communication hole is smaller than a predetermined value, the first communication hole and the second communication hole are moved to the first communication hole by biasing the piston toward the gas communication hole. An urging means for disengaging the water supply tube and the second water supply tube and allowing the piston to move to the predetermined position when the atmospheric pressure is equal to or higher than the predetermined value;
An urging force adjusting means for adjusting the magnitude of the predetermined value by adjusting the strength of the urging means;
An air supply / water supply apparatus for an endoscope, comprising: In the endoscope water / air supply / water supply device according to claim 1,
One end of the cylinder opens outside the container;
The biasing force adjusting means is an adjusting member fitted to the one end opening so as to be movable in the axial direction of the cylinder,
An endoscope water supply / air supply / water supply apparatus, wherein the urging means is a compression coil spring inserted into the cylinder and contracted between the adjustment member and a piston. In the endoscope water supply / air supply apparatus according to claim 2,
Forming a male screw groove on the peripheral surface of the adjusting member;
An endoscope water supply / air supply / water supply apparatus in which an internal thread groove that is screwed into the external thread groove is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the one end of the cylinder. In the endoscope water / air supply / water supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An endoscope water supply / air supply / water supply apparatus in which the diameters of both ends of the communication through hole are larger than the diameter of the corresponding one of the first communication hole and the second communication hole. In the endoscope water / air supply / water supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The container includes a container main body having an upper opening, and a lid that closes the upper opening by connecting to the upper portion of the container main body,
An endoscope water supply / air supply / water supply apparatus in which the cylinder integrated with the first water supply tube and the second water supply tube is fixed to the lid.

Images