JP2013005922A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope capable of eliminating clogging of a jet nozzle with filth.SOLUTION: A distal end section 15a of the endoscope includes: an air/water nozzle 33; a waterjet spout 35; an air/water pipe 38a for feeding washing water to the air/water nozzle 33; a waterjet pipe 39a for feeding a liquid to the waterjet spout 35; a coupling pipe 40 for coupling the air/water pipe 38 with the waterjet pipe 39a; a backflow valve 41 disposed inside the coupling pipe 40; and a liquid shutoff valve 45. When the air/water nozzle 33 is clogged with filth, the liquid shutoff valve 45 is put on a liquid shutoff position to shut off the liquid feed to the waterjet spout 35, while the liquid is fed to the air/water pipe 38a and the waterjet pipe 39a so that the liquid is fed into the air/water nozzle 33.

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope that ejects liquid from an ejection nozzle and an ejection hole of an insertion portion.

  Conventionally, an endoscope has an observation window for capturing image light of a subject at the distal end of an insertion portion inserted into the subject, an illumination window for irradiating the subject with illumination light, An injection nozzle for injecting cleaning water toward the observation window and an injection hole for injecting liquid such as cleaning water or chemical into the subject are provided. The observation window is generally provided at a position exposed from the distal end surface of the insertion portion, and the illumination window, the injection nozzle, and the injection hole are arranged around the observation window. Since bodily fluids and dirt in the subject adhere to the surface of the observation window, cleaning water is sprayed from the jet nozzle outlet to remove the dirt on the observation window, and air is jetted from the surface of the observation window. Blow away the wash water. A liquid feed pipe called a water jet pipe or the like is connected to the injection hole. This liquid supply line is connected to a liquid supply apparatus that vigorously feeds liquid by a liquid supply pump or the like, and the liquid sent from the liquid supply apparatus via the liquid supply line is ejected from the injection hole into the subject. (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2005-253543 A JP 2006-130076 A

  However, when observing with the endoscopes described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above, especially when performing treatment on a lesioned part, the observation window may be brought close to the surface of the subject. The spray nozzle is disposed at a position protruding toward the tip side from the surface of the observation window in order to spray the cleaning water onto the observation window, and dirt is likely to adhere to the nozzle. If dirt is attached to the spray nozzle and clogging occurs, the observation window cannot be cleaned, and observation cannot be continued. In the above Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is not considered that the injection nozzle is clogged during the use of the endoscope, and the filth clogged in the injection nozzle must be removed by pulling the insertion portion out of the subject. This is very time consuming.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said subject, and it aims at providing the endoscope which can eliminate the clogging of the injection nozzle by a filth during use.

  An endoscope according to the present invention is provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject, and is provided with an observation window for observing the inside of the subject and the distal end portion, and illuminating light in the subject. In an endoscope provided with an illumination window for irradiating, an injection nozzle for injecting liquid into the observation window, and an injection hole for injecting liquid into a subject, the liquid is supplied to the injection nozzle A first supply path for supplying liquid, a second supply path for supplying liquid to the injection holes, and a connection path for connecting the first and second supply paths.

  It is preferable to provide a backflow prevention valve that is provided in the connection path and prevents the liquid from flowing back from the first supply path to the second supply path. The backflow prevention valve is moved from the closed position to the inside of the first supply path by the pressure of the liquid supplied from the second supply path by closing the connection path to open the connection path. Preferably, the first valve member is provided so as to be movable between an open position and a first biasing member that biases the first valve member to the closed position. The first valve member is preferably a spherical member formed to have the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the connection path.

  The backflow prevention valve is made of an elastic material and is a first valve member that is deformed by the pressure of the liquid supplied from the second supply path, and closes the connection path and opens the connection path. The first valve member is preferably deformed between the open state.

  Provided between the second supply path and the injection hole, between a normal position allowing the liquid supply from the second supply path to the injection hole and a liquid blocking position blocking the liquid supply A second valve member that moves in a normal position, a second biasing member that biases the second valve member to a normal position, and the second valve against the biasing of the second biasing member It is preferable to provide a moving means for moving the member from the normal position to the liquid blocking position.

  According to the endoscope of the present invention, the first supply path for supplying the liquid to the injection nozzle and the connection path for connecting the second supply path for supplying the liquid to the injection hole are provided. Nozzle clogging can be eliminated during use.

It is an external appearance perspective view of an electronic endoscope system. It is a top view which shows the structure of the front-end | tip part of an endoscope. It is sectional drawing along an injection nozzle and an injection hole. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a backflow prevention valve. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a liquid cutoff valve. It is explanatory drawing explaining discharge | emission of the waste clogged up with the injection nozzle. It is a perspective view which shows 2nd Embodiment using the duckbill-shaped backflow prevention valve.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic endoscope system 2 includes an electronic endoscope 10, a processor device 11, a light source device 12, an air / water supply device 13, a liquid supply device 14, and the like. The air / water supply device 13 is built in the light source device 12 and is a well-known air supply device (pump or the like) 13a for supplying air, and a washing water tank that is provided outside the light source device 12 and stores washing water. 13b. The electronic endoscope 10 is connected to a flexible insertion portion 15 that is inserted into a subject, an operation portion 16 that is connected to a proximal end portion of the insertion portion 15, a processor device 11, and a light source device 12. Universal cord 17.

  The insertion portion 15 is provided at the distal end thereof, and includes a distal end portion 15a in which an imaging element (not shown) for in-subject imaging is incorporated, and a bendable bending portion that is connected to the proximal end of the distal end portion 15a. 15b and a flexible tube portion 15c having flexibility, which is connected to the base end of the bending portion 15b. Hereinafter, the distal end side of the insertion portion 15 is simply referred to as “distal end side”, and the proximal end side of the insertion portion 15 is simply referred to as “proximal end side”.

  A connector 18 is attached to the tip of the universal cord 17. The connector 18 is a composite type connector to which the processor device 11, the light source device 12, and the air / water supply device 13 are connected. The liquid delivery device 14 is connected to the connector 18 via a connecting tube 19.

  The processor device 11 performs various kinds of image processing on the image signal input from the image sensor via the universal cord 17 and the connector 18 to convert the image signal into a video signal, and transmits a drive control signal for controlling the drive of the image sensor. . The video signal converted by the processor device 11 is displayed as an endoscopic image on a monitor 20 connected to the processor device 11 by a cable. In addition, the processor device 11 is electrically connected to the light source device 12 and comprehensively controls the operation of the entire electronic endoscope system 2.

  The operation unit 16 is provided with a forceps port 21 through which various treatment instruments having an injection needle, a high-frequency knife and the like are inserted, a bending operation knob 22, an air / water supply button 23, a changeover switch 24, and the like. Yes. When the air supply operation is performed by the air supply / water supply button 23, the air generated by the air supply device 13a is sent to the air supply / water supply conduit 38 (see FIG. 3), and when the water supply operation is performed, the air supply device 13a is The cleaning water is sent from the cleaning water tank 13b to the air / air / water supply conduit 38 by the generated air pressure. The air / water supply nozzle 33 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) selectively injects air and cleaning water supplied via the air / water supply conduit 38.

  When the bending operation knob 22 is operated, the wire inserted in the insertion portion 15 is pushed and pulled, whereby the bending portion 15b is bent in the vertical and horizontal directions. Thereby, the front-end | tip part 15a is orient | assigned to the desired direction in a body cavity. The changeover switch 24 is operated when operating a liquid shut-off valve 45 described later.

  The liquid feeding device 14 stores a device main body 25 having a motor and a control circuit, a liquid feeding pump 26 disposed on the front surface of the device main body 25, a foot switch 27 for performing a liquid feeding operation, and liquids such as water and cleaning liquid. A liquid feeding tank 28 is provided. When the liquid feeding pump 26 is operated by operating the foot switch 27, the liquid is sent out from the liquid feeding tank 28 to the connection tube 19.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the distal end portion 15 a includes a distal end rigid portion 29, a distal end cap 30 attached to the distal end side of the distal end rigid portion 29, an observation window 31, illumination windows 32 a and 32 b, air supply / water supply. A nozzle 33 (jet nozzle), a forceps outlet 34, and a water jet spray hole (hereinafter referred to as a WJ spray hole) 35 are provided. The rear end of the distal end hard portion 29 is connected to a bending piece 36 on the distal end side that constitutes the bending portion 15b. The distal end hard portion 29 is formed of, for example, a hard metal, and holds an objective optical system, an air / water supply conduit 38, a light guide, a forceps channel, and a water jet conduit (hereinafter referred to as a WJ conduit) 39, which will be described later. To do.

  The tip cap 30 is made of a material softer than the tip hard portion 29, such as resin or rubber, and includes a tip plate portion 30 a that covers the tip side of the tip hard portion 29 and a cylindrical portion 30 b that covers the outer peripheral surface of the tip hard portion 29. It is integrally formed. The outer skin layer 37 covering the outer peripheral surface of the curved portion 15b extends to the distal end hard portion 29, the distal end of the outer skin layer 37 and the rear end of the cylindrical portion 30b are brought into contact with each other, and the end portions are fixed by an adhesive or the like. .

  When viewed from the distal end side, the distal end plate portion 30a has through holes 30c to 30f, forceps outlets 34, and WJ injection holes 35 that expose the observation window 31, the illumination windows 32a and 32b, and the air / water feeding nozzle 33, respectively. Is formed.

  The observation window 31 is a state-of-the-art objective lens that constitutes the objective optical system, and also serves as a cover glass. A CCD as an imaging device is attached to the back of the objective optical system. Note that the image sensor is not limited to a CCD, and may be a CMOS. The observation window 31 is fitted in the through hole 30 c of the tip cap 30 at the outer peripheral surface. Note that the observation window 31 may be a cover glass having no lens effect.

  The illumination windows 32a and 32b are arranged at substantially symmetrical positions with the observation window 31 in between, and the light guide (not shown) exit end faces the back side. The light guide is formed by bundling a large number of optical fibers, passes through the insertion portion 15, the operation portion 16, the universal cord 17, and the connector 18, and illuminates the illumination light from the light source device 12 with the illumination window 32 a, 32b. The illumination windows 32a and 32b also serve as irradiation lenses, and irradiate illumination light from the light source device 12 to an observation site in the subject.

  The air / water supply nozzle 33 is formed integrally with an injection cylinder portion 33a on the distal end side and a connection cylinder portion 33b on the proximal end side. The connecting cylinder part 33 b is connected to the air / water supply conduit 38. The injection cylinder part 33 a is formed in a cylindrical shape that is smoothly bent from the connection cylinder part 33 b to the injection port 33 c at the tip, and is exposed to the outside through the through hole 30 f of the tip cap 30.

  The air supply / water supply nozzle 33 injects air and wash water supplied from the air supply / water supply device 13 via the air supply / water supply conduit 38 (first supply passage) toward the observation window 31, Dirt and the like adhering to the observation window 31 can be washed away. The WJ injection hole 35 injects a liquid (such as water or a cleaning liquid) supplied from the liquid feeding device 14 via the connection tube 19 and the WJ pipe 39 (second supply path) into the subject.

  The air / water supply conduit 38 and the WJ conduit 39 are an air / water supply pipe 38a and a WJ pipe 39a made of a hard material such as a metal pipe, and base ends of the air / water supply pipe 38a and the WJ pipe 39a. And a flexible air / water supply tube 38b and WJ tube 39b, respectively. The air / water supply tube 38 b and the WJ tube 39 b pass through the insertion portion 15, the operation portion 16, and the connector 18.

  The connecting tube portion 33b of the air / water supply nozzle 33 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface on the front end side of the air / water supply pipe 38a so that the air / water supply conduit 38 and the air / water supply nozzle 33 are connected. The connecting tube portion 33 b and the air / water supply pipe 38 a are fitted in the through hole 29 a of the distal end hard portion 29. Further, the WJ pipe 39 a is disposed in alignment with the WJ injection hole 35 of the tip cap 30 and is fitted in the through hole 29 b of the tip hard portion 29.

  The distal end hard portion 29 incorporates an air / water feed pipe 38a, a WJ pipe 39a, a connection pipe 40 for connecting the air / water feed pipe 38a and the WJ pipe 39a, and a backflow prevention valve 41. The air / water supply pipe 38a and the WJ pipe 39a are fixed to the distal end hard portion 29 and arranged in parallel to each other.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the connection pipe 40 is made of a hard material such as a metal pipe, and is near the tips of the air / water supply pipe 38a and the WJ pipe 39a and to the air / water supply pipe 38a and the WJ pipe 39a. Arranged at right angles, both ends are connected to the air / water pipe 38a and the WJ pipe 39a by bonding or welding. Thereby, the connection pipe 40 communicates with the air / water supply pipe 38a and the WJ pipe 39a, and the liquid supplied to the air / water supply pipe 38a and the WJ pipe 39a is sent to the connection pipe 40.

  The backflow prevention valve 41 includes a spherical member 42 (first valve member) disposed in the connection pipe 40 and the air / water supply pipe 38a, and a spring 43 (first biasing member). The spherical member 42 is a member having a frictional force against the connecting pipe 40 and an elastic force, and is made of, for example, a rubber ball. The spherical member 42 is formed to have the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the connecting pipe 40 and closes the inside of the connecting pipe 40. Here, “same” includes substantially the same outer diameter with respect to the inner diameter of the connecting pipe 40.

  The spring 43 is arranged in parallel with the axial direction of the connection pipe 40, one end is fixed to the air / water supply pipe 38 a, and the other end is fixed to the spherical member 42. The spherical member 42 is in a closed position (see FIG. 6 (A)) that closes the inside of the connection pipe 40 by the frictional force and the biasing force of the spring 43 when not receiving pressure from the liquid fed into the connection pipe 40. When the pressure exceeds a predetermined value, the inside of the connecting pipe 40 moves against the frictional force and the biasing force of the spring 43.

  The urging force of the spring 43 is set to a size that allows the spherical member 42 to move within the connection pipe 40 and the air / water supply pipe 38a and does not separate toward the WJ pipe 39a. Thereby, when the backflow prevention valve 41 receives the pressure more than predetermined value from the liquid sent from the WJ pipe 39a to the connection pipe 40, the spherical member 42 is supplied from the closed position in the connection pipe 40 to the air / water supply pipe 38a. It moves against the urging force of the spring 43 to the open position (see FIG. 6B), and the liquid is sent from the WJ pipe 39a to the air / water supply pipe 38a. On the other hand, since the spherical member 42 does not move from the inside of the connection pipe 40 to the WJ pipe 39a by the pressure of the cleaning water or air sent from the air / water supply pipe 38a to the connection pipe 40, the air supply / water supply pipe 38a to the WJ It is possible to prevent the liquid from flowing back to the pipe 39a.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a liquid shut-off valve 45 is provided between the distal end hard portion 29 and the distal end cap 30. The liquid shut-off valve 45 includes a liquid shut-off plate 46 (second valve member), a spring 47 (second biasing member), and a wire 48 (moving means). The liquid blocking plate 46 is a thin plate-like member disposed at a position sandwiched between the WJ injection hole 35 and the WJ pipe 39a. And a connection portion 46c to which the spring 47 and the wire 48 are connected.

  A slide groove 49 into which the liquid blocking plate 46 is slidably fitted and a wire groove 51 adjacent to the slide groove 49 are formed at the tip of the tip hard portion 29. The slide groove 49 is formed at a position surrounding the tip of the WJ pipe 39a, and is arranged to extend along a direction orthogonal to the WJ pipe 39a. The liquid blocking plate 46 is slid along the slide groove 49, whereby the through hole 46a is positioned at the tip of the WJ pipe 39a and the liquid blocking portion 46b is allowed to supply the liquid to the WJ injection hole 35. Is located and is movable between a liquid blocking position that blocks the supply of liquid to the WJ injection hole 35.

  A spring accommodating chamber 52 is formed in the tip plate portion 30 a of the tip cap 30 at a position facing the slide groove 49. The spring 47 is housed in the spring housing chamber 52 with one end fixed to the connecting portion 46 c of the liquid blocking plate 46 and the other end in contact with the inner wall surface of the spring housing chamber 52. The liquid blocking plate 46 is biased to the normal position by biasing from the spring 47.

  The wire 48 has flexibility and is inserted into the protective sheath 53. The wire 48 is accommodated in the wire groove 51 together with the protective sheath 53. The wire groove 51 is smoothly connected from the slide groove 49 toward the outer peripheral surface of the distal end hard portion 29, and continues to the proximal end of the distal end hard portion 29. The wire 48 and the protective sheath 53 protrude from the proximal end of the distal end hard portion 29 and are arranged inside the insertion portion 15 and the operation portion 16.

  One end of a wire 48 is fixed to the connection portion 46 c of the liquid blocking plate 46. The other end of the wire 48 is connected to the changeover switch 24 provided in the operation unit 16, and pulls the liquid blocking plate 46 by moving in conjunction with the operation of the changeover switch 24. When the changeover switch 24 is in the initial position, the liquid blocking plate 46 is in the normal position. When the changeover switch is switched from the initial position to the changeover position, it moves against the bias of the spring 47 and the liquid blocking plate 46 moves from the normal position to the liquid blocking position.

  A process for discharging the clogged substances in the air / water supply nozzle 33 during the inspection using the electronic endoscope 2 to eliminate the clogging will be described. In the examination using the electronic endoscope 2, the operator inserts the insertion portion 15 into the subject and observes the observation image captured from the observation window 31 on the monitor 20. In the initial state, the spherical member 42 of the check valve 41 is in the closed position, and the liquid blocking plate 46 of the liquid blocking valve 45 is in the normal position. As shown in FIG. 6A, when the tip 15a is brought close to the surface in the subject, the air / water supply nozzle 33 may be clogged with the filth 55.

  When the air supply / water supply nozzle 33 is clogged with the filth 55, it becomes impossible to inject cleaning water or air into the observation window 31, so the operator first switches the changeover switch 24 to place the liquid blocking plate 46 in the normal position. To the liquid blocking position. As a result, the tip of the WJ conduit 39 is blocked and the liquid is not ejected from the WJ ejection hole 35.

  Next, when the foot switch 27 of the liquid feeding device 14 is operated to feed the liquid into the WJ pipe 39, the liquid flows into the connecting pipe 40. At this time, since the tip of the WJ conduit 39 is blocked, almost all of the liquid fed into the WJ conduit 39 flows into the connecting pipe 40. The spherical member 42 of the backflow prevention valve 41 is moved from the closed position to the open position by the pressure of the liquid flowing into the connection pipe 40, and the liquid flows into the air / water feeding nozzle 33. Further, the air / water supply button 23 is operated to supply water to supply air to the air / water supply conduit 38. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), the liquid from the WJ pipe 39 and the washing water from the air / water pipe 38 flow into the air / water feed nozzle 33, so that filth is generated at a high pressure. 55 can be pressed, and the filth 55 can be discharged from the air / water supply nozzle 33 to eliminate clogging.

  As described above, since the filth clogged in the air / water supply nozzle 33 can be easily discharged while the insertion portion 15 of the electronic endoscope 10 is inserted into the subject, the electronic endoscope 10 It is possible to eliminate clogging during use, and the surgeon does not have to spend time and effort on the clogging.

  In the above-described embodiment, liquid is supplied to both the air / water supply pipe 38 and the WJ pipe 39 and the liquid is supplied to the air / water supply nozzle 33 when the clogging of the air / water supply nozzle 33 is eliminated. However, since the pressure for supplying the liquid to the WJ line 39 is generally higher than the pressure for supplying the liquid to the air / water supply line 38, Only the operation of supplying the liquid to the WJ conduit 39 and the operation of supplying the liquid to the air / water supply conduit 38 may not be performed.

  In the first embodiment, the backflow prevention valve 41 includes a spherical member 42 that closes the connection pipe 40 and a spring 43 (first biasing member) that biases the spherical member 42 to the closed position. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is made of an elastic material such as rubber, as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. Alternatively, a duckbill-shaped backflow prevention valve 60 (first valve member) that is deformed in step 1 may be used. In addition, in FIG. 7, about the thing using the same components as the said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted. When the liquid is not supplied from the WJ pipe 39a to the connection pipe 40, the backflow prevention valve 60 maintains a closed state (state indicated by a two-dot chain line), and the pressure of the liquid supplied from the WJ pipe 39a to the connection pipe 40 is a predetermined value. In the above case, it is deformed to an open state (state indicated by a solid line). On the other hand, since the backflow prevention valve 60 is not deformed from the closed state to the open state with the pressure of the washing water or air sent from the air / water pipe 38a to the connecting pipe 40, the air / water pipe 38a to the WJ pipe 39a. It is possible to prevent the liquid from flowing backward.

  In each of the above embodiments, a wire 48 for pulling the liquid blocking plate 46 is provided as a moving means for moving the liquid blocking plate 46 from the normal position to the liquid blocking position against the bias of the spring 47. For example, a driving unit such as a solenoid is provided at the tip as a moving means, and the driving unit presses the liquid blocking plate 46 to move the liquid blocking plate 46 from the normal position to the liquid blocking position. Also good.

  In the above-described embodiment, an electronic endoscope for observing an image obtained by imaging the state of a subject using an image sensor has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an optical image is used. The present invention can also be applied to an endoscope that employs a guide and observes the state of a subject.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Electronic endoscope system 10 Electronic endoscope 13 Air supply / water supply apparatus 14 Liquid supply apparatus 15 Insertion part 15a Tip part 31 Observation window 32a, 32b Illumination window 33 Air supply / water supply nozzle (injection nozzle)
35 Water jet injection hole 38 Air supply / water supply pipeline (first supply channel)
39 Waterjet pipeline (second supply channel)
41, 60 Backflow prevention valve 42 Spherical member (first valve member)
43 Spring (first biasing member)
45 Liquid shut-off valve 46 Liquid shut-off plate (second valve member)
47 Spring (second biasing member)

Claims (6)

An observation window for observing the inside of the subject, provided at the distal end of the insertion portion to be inserted into the subject, and an illumination window for irradiating illumination light into the subject; In an endoscope provided with an injection nozzle for injecting liquid into the observation window and an injection hole for injecting liquid into the subject,
A first supply path for supplying liquid to the spray nozzle;
A second supply path for supplying liquid to the injection hole;
An endoscope comprising: a connection path that connects the first supply path and the second supply path.   The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a backflow prevention valve that is provided in the connection path and prevents a liquid from flowing back from the first supply path to the second supply path. The backflow prevention valve is moved from the closed position to the inside of the first supply path by the pressure of the liquid supplied from the second supply path by closing the connection path to open the connection path. A first valve member provided movably between an open position to be brought into a state;
The endoscope according to claim 2, further comprising a first urging member that urges the first valve member to a closed position.   The endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the first valve member is a spherical member formed to have the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the connection path.   The backflow prevention valve is made of an elastic material and is a first valve member that is deformed by the pressure of the liquid supplied from the second supply path, and closes the connection path and opens the connection path. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the endoscope is a first valve member that is deformed between the open state and the open state. Provided between the second supply path and the injection hole, between a normal position allowing the liquid supply from the second supply path to the injection hole and a liquid blocking position blocking the liquid supply A second valve member moving at
A second biasing member for biasing the second valve member to a normal position;
6. A moving means for moving the second valve member from a normal position to a liquid blocking position against the urging of the second urging member. The endoscope according to 1.

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