JP2013085755A - Conduit switching device of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conduit switching device of an endoscope preventing abrasion and damage of a check valve and improving cleaning properties.SOLUTION: A check valve unit 151 of this conduit switching device 100 includes: a check valve 153 that is opened/closed according to an internal pressure of the cylinder 111 to be closely stuck to the inner peripheral face of a cylinder 111 or separated from the inner peripheral face thereof; a contact member 155 to which the check valve 153 is stuck and that comes into contact with a contact face 111c; and a support member 157 that supports the check valve 153 and the contact member 155 such that, when a piston shaft part 123 moves with respect to the cylinder 111, the contact member 155 constantly contacts with the contact face 111c, and, when the contact member 155 comes into contact with the contact face 111c, the location of the check valve 153 is fixed relative to the cylinder 111.

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope conduit switching device that switches conduits in an endoscope.

  In general, an endoscope has an observation window for observing the inside of a body cavity. As the body fluid adheres to the observation window, the field of view of the observation window is narrowed. For this reason, the endoscope needs to supply air and water toward the observation window in order to secure a visual field. The endoscope has a switching device that switches between air supply and water supply. The switching device has a piston and a cylinder. As the piston moves relative to the cylinder, the pipeline for supplying air and the pipeline for supplying water are switched.

  Such an endoscope is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. In Patent Document 1, a check valve is disposed on the piston. The check valve can be in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder in order to increase the airtightness between the piston and the cylinder. The check valve has a ring shape, and the inner peripheral surface of the check valve is joined to the outer peripheral surface of the piston so that the piston penetrates the check valve. As the piston moves relative to the cylinder, the pipeline for supplying air and the pipeline for supplying water are switched.

  The endoscope described above is also disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example. In Patent Document 2, the check valve described above is arranged at the end of the piston so as to cap the end of the piston. The check valve is opened and closed by the gas sent from the air supply source, so that the air supply pipe and the water supply pipe are switched. These pipes are also arranged inside the piston.

  The endoscope described above is also disclosed in Patent Document 3, for example. In Patent Document 3, a vent hole is formed in the piston body, and the check valve described above is disposed so as to close the vent hole. The pipe line is also disposed inside the piston.

JP-A-9-1222069 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-172086 JP 2010-82394 A

  In Patent Document 1, in order to switch between a pipeline for air supply and a pipeline for water supply, the piston needs to move relative to the cylinder. However, as the piston moves relative to the cylinder, the check valve slides on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder. As a result, the check valve is worn and damaged, and the airtightness may be reduced. Further, when the check valve slides on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, the check valve may be bent. As a result, the check valve may not function sufficiently.

  In Patent Documents 2 and 3, the check valve does not slide, and the position of the check valve is fixed. However, since the pipe line is disposed inside the piston, the check valve is disposed, so that the cleaning liquid does not sufficiently flow into the pipe line, and the cleaning performance deteriorates.

  The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope channel switching device in which the check valve is prevented from being worn and damaged, and the cleaning performance is improved.

  In order to achieve the object, the present invention has a cylinder to which a plurality of pipes are connected, and a piston that is detachably inserted into the cylinder, and the piston is moved by the movement of the piston with respect to the cylinder. An endoscope pipe switching device that switches a communication state of pipes, and includes a check valve unit that is disposed in the piston and seals between the cylinder and the piston. A contact surface is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, and the check valve unit opens and closes according to the pressure inside the cylinder so that the check valve unit is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder or away from the inner peripheral surface. A stop valve, a check valve are provided, a contact member that contacts the contact surface, and the contact member always contacts the contact surface when the piston moves relative to the cylinder. The abutting member And a support member that supports the check valve and the contact member so that the relative position of the check valve with respect to the cylinder is fixed as the cylinder comes into contact with the surface. An endoscope duct switching device is provided.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the wear and damage of a non-return valve can be prevented, and the endoscope channel switching apparatus which improves a washability can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an endoscope according to the present invention. FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating the endoscope channel switching device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a cylinder. FIG. 2C shows the piston. FIG. 2D is a perspective view of the check valve unit. FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating the length of the support member when the piston is assembled. FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating the length of the support member immediately before the piston is attached to the cylinder. FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating the length of the support member and the force applied to the piston shaft portion and the contact member immediately after the piston is mounted on the cylinder, and is a diagram illustrating a non-operation state or an air supply state. is there. FIG. 3D is a diagram illustrating the length of the support member and the force applied to the piston shaft portion and the contact member when the piston is pushed into the cylinder, and is a diagram illustrating a water supply state. FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating the endoscope channel switching device in a non-operation state. FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating the endoscope channel switching device in an air supply state. FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating the endoscope channel switching device in a water supply state. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the length of the support member and the force applied to the piston shaft portion and the abutting member immediately after the piston is mounted on the cylinder, and shows a non-operation state or an air supply state. is there.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, and 2C.
As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope 1 includes an elongated insertion portion 10 that is inserted into a body cavity of a patient and an operation portion 60 that is connected to the proximal end portion of the insertion portion 10 and operates the endoscope 1. Have.

  The insertion portion 10 includes a distal end hard portion 21, a bending portion 23, and a flexible tube portion 25 from the distal end side of the insertion portion 10 toward the proximal end portion side of the insertion portion 10. The proximal end portion of the distal rigid portion 21 is connected to the distal end portion of the bending portion 23, and the proximal end portion of the bending portion 23 is connected to the distal end portion of the flexible tube portion 25.

The distal end hard portion 21 is the distal end portion of the insertion portion 10 and is hard and does not bend.
The bending portion 23 is bent in a desired direction such as up, down, left, and right, for example, by an operation of a bending operation unit 67 described later. When the bending portion 23 is bent, the position and orientation of the distal end hard portion 21 change, the observation object is captured in the observation field, and the illumination light is illuminated on the observation object.
The flexible tube portion 25 has desired flexibility. Therefore, the flexible tube portion 25 is bent by an external force. The flexible tube portion 25 is a tubular member that extends from a main body portion 61 described later in the operation portion 60.

  The operation unit 60 is connected to a main body unit 61 from which the flexible tube unit 25 extends, a gripping unit 63 that is connected to the base end of the main body unit 61 and is gripped by an operator who operates the endoscope 1, And a universal cord 65 connected to the portion 63.

  The gripping portion 63 has a bending operation portion 67 that performs a bending operation on the bending portion 23. The bending operation section 67 includes a left / right bending operation knob 67a for bending the bending section 23 left and right, a vertical bending operation knob 67b for bending the bending section 23 up and down, and a fixed knob for fixing the position of the curved bending section 23. 67c.

  The gripping part 63 has a switch part 69. The switch unit 69 includes a suction switch 69a and an air / water supply switch 69b. The suction switch 69a and the air / water supply switch 69b are operated by the operator's hand when the grip portion 63 is gripped by the operator. The air / water supply switch 69b is operated when air is supplied / water is supplied from an air / water supply channel (not shown) in order to secure an observation field of view of an imaging unit (not shown) in the distal end hard portion 21. The fluid includes water and gas.

  The gripping part 63 has various buttons 71 for endoscopic photography.

  The universal cord 65 has a connection portion 65 a that connects to a video processor (not shown), a light source device (not shown), an air supply device 81, and a water supply device 83. The video processor, the light source device, the air supply device 81, and the water supply device 83 are disposed, for example, outside the endoscope 1. The air supply device 81 is, for example, an air supply pump. The air supply device 81 is connected to the water supply device 83 by a pipe 85. The water feeding device 83 is a filling tank that fills water for water feeding.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, and FIG. 2C, the endoscope pipeline switching device (hereinafter, the pipeline switching device 100) in the present embodiment will be described. In the following, “upper side” indicates, for example, the outer side of the grip portion 63, and indicates the air / water supply switch 69 b side in the axial direction of the pipeline switching device 100. Further, the lower side indicates, for example, the inside of the gripping portion 63, and indicates the other end portion 111 b side of the cylinder 111 in the axial direction of the pipe switching device 100.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the pipeline switching device 100 includes an air supply / water supply switch 69b that is an operation unit operated when switching between air supply and water supply and when supplying air / water as described above. It has a cylinder 111 to which a plurality of pipes 101 are connected, and a piston 121 that is connected to an air / water supply switch 69 b and is detachably fitted to the cylinder 111. The pipe switching device 100 switches the communication state of these pipes 101 by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111.

The cylinder 111 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.
The cylinder 111 has, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape. The cylinder 111 is made of metal, for example. The cylinder 111 has an open end 111a and a closed other end 111b. The cylinder 111 is tapered from the one end 111a (opening) side toward the other end 111b (bottom) side along the axial direction of the cylinder 111 so that a step is formed in the cylinder 111. The cylinder 111 has a contact surface 111c formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 by being tapered and inclined with respect to the axial direction of the cylinder 111. The contact surface 111c is disposed between an air supply inflow tube 101a and an air supply / outflow tube 101b, which will be described later. The inclination angle of the contact surface 111c is not particularly limited. Such a cylinder 111 is formed by, for example, deep drawing press processing. It is not necessary to limit to this, and the cylinder 111 may be formed by, for example, cutting. Moreover, the molding method of the cylinder 111 of the present embodiment may be used for a suction pipe switching device.

  The cylinder 111 has holes for communicating with the plurality of pipes 101. One pipe line 101 is joined to one hole.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the plurality of pipelines 101 are constituted by, for example, an air supply inflow tube 101a, an air supply / outflow tube 101b, a water supply inflow tube 101c, and a water supply / outflow tube 101d. As shown in FIG. 2B, an air supply / outflow pipe 101b, an air supply / inflow pipe 101a, a water supply / outflow pipe 101d, and a water supply / inflow pipe 101c are arranged in order from the one end 111a to the other end 111b.

  The air supply inflow tube 101 a is disposed from the inside of the gripping portion 63 to the inside of the universal cord 65. The air supply / inflow tube 101 a is disposed along the universal cord 65 inside the universal cord 65. The air supply inflow pipe 101 a is connected to the connection portion 65 a via the universal cord 65. When the connecting portion 65 a is connected to the air supply device 81, the air supply inflow tube 101 a is connected to the air supply device 81 and gas is supplied from the air supply device 81. The air supply inflow pipe 101a functions as an air supply pipe.

  The air supply / outflow pipe 101b is disposed along the operation unit 60 and the insertion unit 10 inside the operation unit 60 and the insertion unit 10. The air supply / outflow pipe 101b communicates with an air / water supply nozzle (not shown) disposed in the distal end hard portion 21. The air supply / outflow tube 101b supplies the gas supplied from the air supply / inflow tube 101a to the air / water supply nozzle.

  The water supply inflow pipe 101 c is arranged from the inside of the gripping part 63 to the inside of the universal cord 65. Further, the water supply inflow pipe 101 c is disposed along the universal cord 65 inside the universal cord 65. The water supply inflow pipe 101 c is connected to the connection portion 65 a via the universal cord 65. When the connection portion 65 a is connected to the water supply device 83, the water supply inflow pipe 101 c is connected to the water supply device 83 and liquid is supplied from the water supply device 83. The water supply inflow pipe 101c functions as a water supply pipe.

  The water supply / outflow pipe 101 d is disposed along the operation unit 60 and the insertion unit 10 inside the operation unit 60 and the insertion unit 10. The water supply / outflow pipe 101d communicates with an air / water supply nozzle (not shown) disposed on the distal end hard portion 21. The water supply / outflow pipe 101d supplies the liquid supplied from the water supply / inflow pipe 101c to the air / water supply nozzle.

  The cylinder 111 is removably inserted into a hole 63 a provided in the grip portion 63 and is fixed to the grip portion 63. The outer diameter of the hole 63 a is larger than the outer diameter of the cylinder 111. The hole 63a includes a lower annular groove 63b in which the O-ring 103 is disposed, and an upper annular groove that is disposed above the lower annular groove 63b and into which a lower flange portion 107a of a base 107 described later is fitted. 63c. The lower annular groove 63b is smaller than the upper annular groove 63c and is disposed coaxially with the upper annular groove 63c. The lower annular groove 63 b is continuous with the upper annular groove 63 c in the thickness direction of the grip portion 63.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the cylinder 111 is fixed to the grip portion 63 through the hole 63a by the pressing member 105 and the base 107.

  The pressing member 105 has a ring shape, and the inner peripheral surface of the pressing member 105 is joined to the outer peripheral surface on the one end 111a side. The pressing member 105 has a flange portion 105 a formed outward in the radial direction of the pressing member 105. The flange portion 105 a is disposed inside the grip portion 63. Further, the inner peripheral surface of the hole and the outer peripheral surface of the pressing member 105 each have a thread groove (not shown). Since the pressing member 105 is provided with the flange portion 105 a, the pressing member 105 is screwed into the hole 63 a from the inside to the outside of the grip portion 63. When the pressing member 105 is screwed into the hole 63 a, the flange portion 105 a is caught on the inner surface side of the grip portion 63. Thereby, the cylinder 111 is prevented from coming off from the gripping portion 63. At this time, a part of the outer peripheral surface of the pressing member 105 contacts the O-ring 103.

  The inner peripheral surface of the base 107 has a thread groove, and the base 107 is screwed into the pressing member 105. The base 107 has a lower flange portion 107a that fits into the upper annular groove 63c, and an upper flange portion 107b that is disposed above the lower flange portion 107a in the axial direction of the base 107. . The lower flange portion 107 a and the upper flange portion 107 b are formed outward in the radial direction of the base 107. The lower flange portion 107 a and the upper flange portion 107 b are disposed outside the grip portion 63. When the lower flange portion 107a is fitted into the upper annular groove 63c, the flange portion 105a and the lower flange portion 107a sandwich the grip portion 63 in the vertical direction in the axial direction of the cylinder 111, so that the cylinder 111 is held by the grip portion 63. Fixed to.

  When the base 107 is screwed into the pressing member 105, the lower flange portion 107a is fitted into the upper annular groove 63c and compresses the O-ring 103. Thereby, infiltration of the gas and the liquid from the outside to the inside of the endoscope 1 is prevented.

Next, the piston 121 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2C, and 2D.
The piston 121 is thinner than the cylinder 111, and includes a hard piston shaft portion 123 that is a main body portion of the piston 121, and an attachment portion 137 that attaches the piston shaft portion 123 to the grip portion 63.

  The piston shaft portion 123 has an elongated shape along the axial direction of the piston 121. The piston shaft portion 123 is inserted into the cylinder 111 and can move with respect to the cylinder 111 along the axial direction of the cylinder 111. Since the piston shaft portion 123 is thinner than the cylinder 111, the piston shaft portion 123 moves relative to the cylinder 111 without sliding relative to the cylinder 111. Since the piston shaft portion 123 is thinner than the cylinder 111, a flow path portion through which fluid flows is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the piston shaft portion 123 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111.

  As shown in FIG. 2C, the piston shaft portion 123 is disposed so as to surround the air / water supply switch 69 b, and has one end portion 123 a disposed outside the cylinder 111 (gripping portion 63) and the inside of the cylinder 111. And the other end portion 123b. The one end 123a is screwed with, for example, an air / water supply switch 69b.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2C, the piston shaft portion 123 is disposed inside the piston shaft portion 123 and is connected to the communication passage 125 disposed on the central axis of the piston shaft portion 123, and the piston shaft portion 123. It further has a through hole 127 that is disposed on the other end 123 b side and penetrates the piston shaft portion 123 in the radial direction of the piston shaft portion 123. The communication path 125 has one end 125 a that opens at one end 123 a of the piston shaft 123, and the other end 125 b that communicates with the through hole 127. As described above, the communication path 125 communicates with the outside. The communication path 125 does not penetrate the piston shaft portion 123 but communicates with the outside and the through hole 127. As shown in FIG. 2A, the through hole 127 is located inside the cylinder 111 when the piston shaft portion 123 is inserted into the cylinder 111.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, FIG. 3C, and FIG. 4A, when the one end 125a is opened, the communication path 125 and the through hole 127 allow the gas supplied from the air supply inflow pipe 101a to the inside of the cylinder 111. , Function as a flow path part for discharging to the outside through the one end part 125a.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, when the one end portion 125a is blocked by, for example, a finger, the through hole 127 allows the gas supplied from the air supply / inflow tube 101a to the inside of the cylinder 111 to be supplied to the air supply / outflow tube 101b. It functions as a channel part for supplying air to the air.

  2A and 2C, when the piston shaft portion 123 is inserted into the cylinder 111, the piston shaft portion 123 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111, and the piston shaft portion 123, the cylinder 111, It further has a plurality of sealing members 129 for sealing between the two. The sealing member 129 is, for example, a packing formed of an elastic body. The sealing member 129 has, for example, a ring shape.

  The sealing member 129 includes, for example, a sealing member 129a disposed at the other end 123b of the piston shaft 123, and the other end 123b of the piston shaft 123 and the through hole 127 in the axial direction of the piston shaft 123. A sealing member 129b disposed between the end portion 123a of the piston shaft portion 123 and the through hole 127 in the axial direction of the piston shaft portion 123, In the axial direction of the piston shaft portion 123, the sealing member 129d is disposed further on the one end portion 123a side of the piston shaft portion 123 than the sealing member 129c.

  The piston shaft 123 and the sealing member 129 are closely adhered to each other without any gap between the interface of the piston shaft 123 and the interface of the sealing member 129, so that dirt and germs do not adhere between these interfaces and the cleaning property is improved. So that they are welded together. For this welding, the piston shaft 123 and the sealing member 129 are formed by, for example, two-color molding or insert molding. Specifically, for example, the piston shaft portion 123 is disposed in a mold for molding the sealing member 129. Next, the sealing member 129 is disposed in the mold, and the sealing member 129 is melted by heat, and this heat melts the surface of the piston shaft portion 123. The sealing member 129 is solidified by being cooled and welded to the piston shaft portion 123. As described above, the piston shaft portion 123 and the sealing member 129 are integrated.

  Since the piston shaft portion 123 and the sealing member 129 are cleaned with chemicals or the like, they are formed of a material having chemical resistance. The piston shaft 123 is, for example, at least one of polypropylene, polycarbonate, nylon, a sulfone-based resin such as polysulfone / polyphenylsulfone, a liquid crystal polymer, a modified polyphenylene ether, and a polyether / ether / ketone. Formed by. The sealing member 129 is made of, for example, at least one of silicon rubber and a styrene / olefin elastomer.

  As shown in FIG. 2C, the piston shaft portion 123 includes a guide member 131 disposed between the sealing member 129 a and the sealing member 129 b in the axial direction of the piston shaft portion 123, and the piston shaft portion 123. A notch 133 is disposed between the sealing member 129c and the sealing member 129d in the axial direction, and is disposed closer to the one end 123a than the sealing member 129d in the axial direction of the piston shaft 123. And a retaining portion 135.

  The guide member 131 is integral with the piston shaft portion 123. The guide member 131 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 in order to prevent the piston shaft portion 123 from moving in the radial direction of the cylinder 111 with respect to the cylinder 111. Accordingly, when the piston shaft portion 123 is inserted into the cylinder 111, the guide member 131 guides the piston shaft portion 123 so that the piston shaft portion 123 can move the cylinder 111 along the axial direction of the cylinder 111. When the piston shaft portion 123 is inserted into the cylinder 111, the guide member 131 slides on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 along the axial direction of the cylinder 111.

  The notch 133 is formed in an annular shape. The notch 133 is provided with a check valve unit 151 described later.

  The retaining portion 135 has, for example, a ring shape and is integrated with the piston shaft portion 123. The retaining portion 135 abuts on a retaining contact portion 139 described later disposed on the attachment portion 137.

  As shown in FIG. 2C, the attachment portion 137 is disposed on the one end portion 123 a side of the piston shaft portion 123. The mounting portion 137 has a cylindrical shape, a rigid retaining contact portion 139 disposed so as to surround the one end portion 123a side of the piston shaft portion 123, and a cylindrical shape. And a soft mounting main body 141 disposed so as to surround the retaining contact part 139.

  The retaining contact part 139 is disposed so as to be in close contact with the entire inner peripheral surface of the mounting body part 141. The retaining contact portion 139 has a cylindrical shape having a bottom surface 139a on one side. The bottom surface 139a has an insertion hole 139b through which the piston shaft portion 123 is inserted. The bottom surface 139a contacts the retaining portion 135. In the axial direction of the piston 121, the bottom surface 139a is disposed below the air / water supply switch 69b. When the pipe switching device 100 is assembled, as shown in FIG. 2A, the bottom surface 139 a contacts the one end 111 a of the cylinder 111, the edge of the pressing member 105, and the edge of the base 107.

  In the axial direction of the piston 121, an urging member 109 is disposed between the bottom surface 139a and the air / water supply switch 69b. The urging member 109 is disposed so as to wind around the one end portion 123 a side of the piston shaft portion 123. The biasing member 109 is, for example, a metal winding spring. The urging member 109 can be expanded and contracted in the axial direction of the piston 121. The urging member 109 urges the piston shaft portion 123 upward via the air / water supply switch 69b and urges the retaining contact portion 139 (bottom surface 139a) downward (the retaining portion 135). have. When the urging member 109 is in a natural state, the urging member 109 urges the piston shaft portion 123 upward via the air / water supply switch 69b, and lowers the retaining contact portion 139 (bottom surface 139a). Part 135). At this time, the retaining portion 135 and the bottom surface 139a are in contact with each other and pressed against each other. Thereby, the retaining portion 135 prevents the piston shaft portion 123 from coming off from the mounting portion 137. The urging member 109 is surrounded by a retaining contact portion 139.

  The attachment main body 141 is, for example, rubber. The attachment main body portion 141 is engaged with the upper flange portion 107 b of the base 107 and is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the grip portion 63.

2A, 2C, and 2D, the pipe switching device 100 is disposed in a notch 133 of the piston 121 and seals between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft 123. It has a valve unit 151.
The check valve unit 151 has a ring shape with the check valve 153. The check valve 153 has a contact member 155 that is bonded to the contact surface 111c and has a cylindrical shape. The check valve 153 has a ring shape. And a support member 157 for supporting the contact member 155.

  The check valve 153 is formed by an elastic member, for example. The check valve 153 has a hollow truncated cone shape. In the check valve 153, the hollow portion is gradually reduced in diameter in the axial direction of the check valve 153 from one end of the check valve 153 toward the other end of the check valve 153. doing. Such a check valve 153 has, for example, any one of a substantially umbrella shape and a dome shape. The surface of the check valve 153 is disposed at the other end 123b so that one end of the check valve 153 is disposed at the one end 123a and the other end of the check valve 153 is disposed at the other end 123b. The reverse side of the check valve 153 faces the one end 123a side. For example, the edge side of the other end of the check valve 153 is bonded to the contact member 155.

  The check valve 153 opens or closes according to the internal pressure of the cylinder 111, thereby closely contacting the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 or leaving the inner peripheral surface. As shown in FIG. 2C, the edge at one end of the check valve 153 is larger than the inner diameter of the cylinder 111 in the natural state. Therefore, when the piston shaft 123 is inserted into the cylinder 111, as shown in FIGS. 2A, 3B, 3C, and 4A, the edge at one end of the check valve 153 is compressed by the cylinder 111, As a result, the check valve 153 seals the space between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, when one end portion 125a of the communication path 125 is blocked by, for example, a finger in a state where gas is supplied from the air supply inflow pipe 101a to the inside of the cylinder 111, the pressure inside the cylinder 111 is increased. The check valve 153 closes and moves away from the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111. At this time, between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123 functions as a flow path portion for supplying the gas supplied from the air supply inflow tube 101a to the inside of the cylinder 111 to the air supply / outflow tube 101b.

  The contact member 155 is made of, for example, a hard material. The contact member 155 passes through the support member 157 in the radial direction of the contact member 155. Further, the contact member 155 and the support member 157 are joined by, for example, adhesion. As illustrated in FIG. 2C, the contact member 155 includes a retaining portion 155 a that prevents the contact member 155 from coming off the support member 157. The retaining portion 155 a is disposed on the inner peripheral edge of the contact member 155 and is located in the notch portion 133. The retaining portion 155a is disposed so as to stand up from the front surface and the back surface of the contact member 155, and is disposed along the sliding direction of the contact member 155. The retaining portion 155a is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the support member 157 and the bottom of the notch 133, and is sandwiched between the piston shaft portion 123 and the support member 157 in the radial direction.

  The contact member 155 is fitted into the notch 133 so that the piston shaft portion 123 penetrates the contact member 155. When the piston shaft portion 123 moves along the axial direction of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111, the contact member 155 is supported by the support member 157 so that the contact member 155 always contacts the contact surface 111c. Yes. Since the contact member 155 always contacts the contact surface 111c, the retaining portion 155a slides inside the notch 133 along the axial direction of the piston 121 as the piston 121 moves. That is, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121. In other words, the abutting member 155 does not slide on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 and slides only on the piston 121 when the piston shaft portion 123 moves relative to the cylinder 111. In addition, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the piston 121 is changed by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111.

  Since the contact member 155 always contacts the contact surface 111 c, the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. In other words, the check valve 153 does not slide on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111. Further, the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the piston 121 changes due to the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. In addition, since the contact member 155 always contacts the contact surface 111c, the check valve 153 is always disposed above the contact surface 111c.

  As shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D, the contact member 155 has a vent hole 155b. The ventilation hole 155b is open even if the contact member 155 is in contact with the contact surface 111c. As shown in FIG. 2A, the vent hole 155 b allows the internal space of the cylinder 111 below the contact member 155 to communicate with the internal space of the cylinder 111 above the contact member 155. As shown in FIG. 4B, when the one end portion 125a of the communication path 125 is closed by, for example, a finger, the vent hole 155b allows the gas supplied from the air supply inflow pipe 101a to the inside of the cylinder 111 to be transferred to the cylinder 111. It functions as a flow path part for supplying air to the air supply / outflow pipe 101b through the space between the piston shaft part 123 and the piston shaft part 123.

When the piston shaft 123 moves with respect to the cylinder 111, the support member 157 always contacts the contact surface 111c with the contact member 155, and the cylinder comes along with the contact member 155 contacting the contact surface 111c. The contact member 155 is supported so that the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to 111 is fixed.
Further, the support member 157 has the contact member 155 always in contact with the contact surface 111c, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed, and the retaining portion 155a slides inside the notch portion 133. The contact member 155 is supported so that it can do.

  The support member 157 has an annular shape so as to cover the notch 133 over the entire circumference, and is bonded to the piston shaft 123. The support member 157 and the notch 133 form a sliding path where the support member 157 covers the notch 133, and the retaining portion 155 a slides inside the notch 133. For this reason, the inner diameter of the support member 157 is larger than the outer diameter of the notch 133 so that the contact member 155 can slide inside the notch 133. The outer diameter of the support member 157 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the piston shaft portion 123, and the outer peripheral surface of the support member 157 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston shaft portion 123 are continuous. Therefore, the support member 157 does not contact the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111.

  Such a support member 157 is formed of, for example, a thin film elastic member that expands and contracts along the axial direction of the piston 121. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3C, 3D, 4B, and 4C, the support member 157 has the retaining portion 155a cut when the piston shaft portion 123 moves the cylinder 111 along the axial direction of the piston 121. The inside of the notch 133 can slide, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111, and the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed. The position can be expanded and contracted along the axial direction of the support member 157 so that the position is fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 relative to the cylinder 111. The support member 157 expands and contracts to absorb the displacement between the contact member 155 and the check valve 153 accompanying the movement of the piston 121 relative to the cylinder 111.

  The support member 157 is formed by an upper support member 157 a disposed above the contact member 155 and a lower support member 157 b disposed below the contact member 155 in the axial direction of the piston shaft portion 123. Has been. The upper support member 157a and the lower support member 157b have the same hardness. The upper support member 157a and the lower support member 157b are bonded to the piston shaft portion 123. The upper support member 157a and the lower support member 157b may be integrated or separated.

  The upper support member 157a supports the check valve 153 and the contact member 155 from above. The upper support member 157a presses the contact member 155 toward the contact surface 111c so that the contact member 155 contacts the contact surface 111c when the piston shaft portion 123 is attached to the cylinder 111. As shown in FIGS. 2A, 3C, and 4A, the upper support member 157a contracts such that the upper support member 157a is squeezed so that the thickness of the upper support member 157a expands in the radial direction of the support member 157. As shown in FIGS. 3D and 4C, the upper support member 157 a contracts so that the entire upper support member 157 a expands outward in the radial direction of the support member 157 when the support member 157 is crushed. Further, the upper support member 157a is contracted so that a sliding path is formed and the sliding of the contact member 155 is not hindered.

  The lower support member 157b supports the check valve 153 and the contact member 155 from below. The lower support member 157b pulls the contact member 155 toward the contact surface 111c so that the contact member 155 contacts the contact surface 111c when the piston shaft portion 123 is attached to the cylinder 111. . As shown in FIGS. 3C, 3D, 4B, and 4C, the lower support member 157b extends straight along the axial direction of the support member 157, for example.

Next, referring to FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, FIG. 3C, and FIG. 3D, the assembling method of the pipe switching device 100 in this embodiment, the length of the support member 157 at the time of assembly, and the magnitude of the force at the time of assembly. Sato will be explained.
(Step 1 and FIG. 3A)
As shown in FIG. 3A, the attachment portion 137 is assembled so that the retaining contact portion 139 comes into close contact with the entire inner peripheral surface of the attachment main body portion 141.
Next, the mounting portion 137 is attached to the piston shaft portion 123 so that the piston shaft portion 123 passes through the insertion hole 139b in the bottom surface 139a and the bottom surface 139a of the retaining contact portion 139 contacts the retaining portion 135.

  The one end portion 123a is supplied with air so that the urging member 109 is wound around the one end portion 123a side of the piston shaft portion 123 and the urging member 109 is disposed between the bottom surface 139a and the air / water supply switch 69b. -Screwed into the water supply switch 69b. At this time, the urging member 109 urges the piston shaft 123 upward via the air / water supply switch 69b, and urges the retaining contact portion 139 (bottom surface 139a) downward (the retaining portion 135). To do. The retaining portion 135 and the bottom surface 139a of the retaining contact portion 139 are in contact with each other and pressed against each other.

Thereby, the piston 121 is assembled.
The assembly of the attachment portion 137 and the assembly of the piston 121 are not necessarily limited to the above.

  In Step 1, the length of the upper support member 157a is L1, and the length of the lower support member 157b is l1. Both the upper support member 157a and the lower support member 157b are not stretched and are in a natural state.

(Step 2, Fig. 3B)
Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the piston 121 is gradually inserted into the cylinder 111 so that the contact member 155 contacts the contact surface 111c. At this time, the upper flange portion 107 b is not engaged with the mounting main body portion 141, the mounting main body portion 141 is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the gripping portion 63, and the bottom surface 139 a of the retaining contact portion 139 is the one end portion 111 a of the cylinder 111. And the edge of the pressing member 105 and the edge of the base 107 are not in contact with each other and are separated from the retaining portion 135.

  In Step 2, the length of the upper support member 157a is L2, and the length of the lower support member 157b is l2. The upper support member 157a and the lower support member 157b are not expanded or contracted from the state of Step 1, and are in a natural state. That is, L1 = L2 and l1 = l2.

  Thus, in this embodiment, in Step 2, when the contact member 155 contacts the contact surface 111c, the attachment portion 137 is not attached to the grip portion 63.

(Step3, Fig. 3C)
Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, the upper flange portion 107 b engages with the mounting main body portion 141, the mounting main body portion 141 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the gripping portion 63, and the bottom surface 139 a of the retaining stopper contact portion 139 is the cylinder 111. The piston shaft portion 123 is pushed into the cylinder 111 so as to come into contact with one end portion 111 a of the first end portion 111, the edge portion of the pressing member 105 and the edge portion of the base 107. Thereby, the pipe switching device 100 is assembled.

  Thus, in this embodiment, in Step 3, the attachment portion 137 is attached to the grip portion 63 in a state where the contact member 155 is in contact with the contact surface 111c.

  At this time, the piston 121 slightly moves downward with respect to the cylinder 111 from the state of Step 2. As a result, the upper support member 157a is slightly pressed toward the contact member 155 by the piston shaft portion 123, and the lower support member 157b is slightly pulled downward by the piston shaft portion 123. The shrunk upper support member 157a presses the piston shaft portion 123 and the contact member 155 in order to return to the natural state. Further, the extended lower support member 157b pulls the piston shaft portion 123 and the contact member 155 in order to return to the natural state.

  As a result, the contact member 155 is pressed against the contact surface 111c by the upper support member 157a, and is pulled to the contact surface 111c by the lower support member 157b. In Step 3, the contact member 155 continues to contact the contact surface 111c from the Step 2 state.

At this time, the piston shaft 123 moves relative to the cylinder 111, and the contact member 155 continues to contact the contact surface 111c, so that the contact member 155 slides relative to the piston 121. That is, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed.
Further, since the contact member 155 is always in contact with the contact surface 111c, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed. Therefore, the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. In other words, the check valve 153 does not slide on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111.

As described above, in Step 3, the upper support member 157 a is slightly compressed toward the contact member 155 by the piston shaft portion 123, so that the upper support member 157 a is slightly contracted with respect to Steps 1 and 2. Further, the lower support member 157b is slightly pulled downward by the piston shaft portion 123, so that it extends slightly relative to the state of Steps 1 and 2.
In Step 3, the length of the upper support member 157a is L3, and the length of the lower support member 157b is l3. At this time, L3 is shorter than L1 and L2, and l3 is longer than l1 and l2.

Further, the upper support member 157a contracted as described above presses the piston shaft portion 123 and the contact member 155 in order to return to the natural state. Further, the extended lower support member 157b pulls the piston shaft portion 123 and the contact member 155 in order to return to the natural state.
In Step 3, the force applied to the piston shaft 123 and the contact member 155 is F3, and the force pulling the piston shaft 123 and the contact member 155 is f3.

  As described above, the upper flange portion 107b is engaged with the mounting main body portion 141, and the flange portion 105a of the retaining contact portion 139 and the retaining portion 135 are brought into contact with each other and pressed against each other by the biasing force of the biasing member 109. Yes. At this time, the force F1 acts on the upper flange portion 107b and the attachment main body portion 141, and acts on the flange portion 105a and the retaining portion 135. This F1 is larger than the sum of F3 and f3. Therefore, in Step 3, the piston 121 does not move the cylinder 111 by F3 and f3, but is positioned with respect to the cylinder 111 by F1.

  This Step 3 indicates that either the non-operation state where the air supply / water supply is not performed and the pipe switching device 100 is not operated, or the air supply state where the pipe switching device 100 is operated and air is supplied. .

(Step4, Fig. 3D)
Next, as shown in FIG. 3D, the piston shaft 123 is further pushed into the cylinder 111 from the state of Step 3 for water supply. At this time, the piston shaft portion 123 moves greatly downward with respect to the cylinder 111 from the state of Step 3. Accordingly, the upper support member 157 a is further pressed against the contact member 155 by the piston shaft portion 123, and the lower support member 157 b is further pulled downward by the piston shaft portion 123. Then, the contracted upper support member 157a presses the piston shaft 123 and the contact member 155 with a force larger than the force F3 in Step 3 in order to return to the natural state. Further, the extended lower support member 157b pulls the piston shaft 123 and the contact member 155 with a force larger than the force f3 in Step 3 in order to return to the natural state.

  Therefore, the contact member 155 is further pressed against the contact surface 111c by the upper support member 157a, and further pulled by the contact surface 111c by the lower support member 157b. In Step 4, the contact member 155 continues to contact the contact surface 111c from Steps 2 and 3.

At this time, similarly to the state of Step 3, the piston shaft portion 123 moves relative to the cylinder 111, and the contact member 155 continues to contact the contact surface 111 c, so that the contact member 155 slides against the piston 121. Move. That is, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is continuously fixed from the state of Step 3.
Further, the contact member 155 always contacts the contact surface 111c, and the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed. Therefore, the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. In other words, the check valve 153 does not slide on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111.

Further, as described above, in Step 4, the upper support member 157 a is further pressed against the contact member 155 by the piston shaft portion 123 and further contracts from the state of Step 3. Further, the lower support member 157b is pulled further downward by the piston shaft portion 123, and further extends from the state of Step3.
In Step 4, the length of the upper support member 157a is L4, and the length of the lower support member 157b is l4. L4 is shorter than L3, and l4 is longer than l3.

Further, as described above, the contracted upper support member 157a presses the piston shaft 123 and the contact member 155 with a force larger than the force F3 in Step 3 in order to return to the natural state. Further, the extended lower support member 157b pulls the piston shaft 123 and the contact member 155 with a force larger than the force f3 in Step 3 in order to return to the natural state.
In Step 4, the force applied to the piston shaft 123 and the contact member 155 is F4, and the force pulling the piston shaft 123 and the contact member 155 is f4.

  In Step 4, the bottom surface 139 a of the retaining contact part 139 and the retaining part 135 are separated from each other, but a pushing force F <b> 2 for pushing the piston 121 acts on the piston 121. F2 is larger than the sum of F4 and f4. Therefore, in Step 4, the piston 121 is positioned relative to the cylinder 111 by F2 without moving the cylinder 111 by F4 and f4.

  Step 4 indicates a water supply state in which the pipe switching device 100 is operated and water is supplied.

In summary,
L1 = L2> L3 >> L4
l1 = l2 <l3 << l4,
F4 >> F3
f3 << f4,
F1 >> F3 + f3,
F2 >> F4 + f4.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C, the operation | movement method of the pipe line switching apparatus 100 containing the non-return valve unit 151 in this embodiment is demonstrated. 4A and 4B correspond to Step 3 and FIG. 3C. FIG. 4C corresponds to Step 4 and FIG. 3D.
The no-operation state shown in Step 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 4A.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 4A, the sealing member 129d is disposed above the air supply / outflow pipe 101b, is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111, and between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123. Is sealed. The contact member 155 is disposed between the air supply / outflow tube 101b and the air supply / inflow tube 101a, and is in contact with the contact surface 111c. Accordingly, the check valve 153 is disposed between the contact surface 111c and the air supply / outflow pipe 101b. The check valve 153 is open and is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 to seal between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft 123. Therefore, the internal space of the cylinder 111 on the air supply / outflow pipe 101b side is sealed by the sealing member 129d and the check valve 153.

  Further, the sealing members 129 a and 129 b are in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 and seal between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123. The sealing member 129a is disposed between the water supply inflow pipe 101c and the water supply outflow pipe 101d. The sealing member 129b is disposed between the water supply / outflow pipe 101d and the air supply / inflow pipe 101a. Thereby, the internal space of the cylinder 111 on the water supply inflow pipe 101c side is sealed by the sealing member 129a. The internal space of the cylinder 111 on the water supply / outflow pipe 101d side is sealed by sealing members 129a and 129b.

  One end 125a is open, and the communication path 125 communicates with the outside. Further, as described above, the contact member 155 contacts the contact surface 111c, the check valve 153 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111, and the sealing member 129b is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111. . Thus, the air supply inflow tube 101a communicates with the outside through the through hole 127 and the communication path 125. Therefore, the gas is supplied from the air supply device 81 and is released to the outside through the air supply inflow pipe 101a, the through hole 127, and the communication path 125.

  The sealing member 129c is disposed between the air supply / outflow pipe 101b and the water supply / inflow pipe 101c, is separated from the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111, and seals between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123. Not.

Next, the air supply state shown in Step 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 4B.
The grip part 63 is gripped by the operator from the state shown in FIG. 4A. Then, the open one end portion 125a is blocked by the operator's finger. The gas supplied from the air supply inflow pipe 101 a to the inside of the cylinder 111 and the communication path 125 is filled into the cylinder 111 including the communication path 125. At this time, the gas also flows to the check valve 153 side through the vent hole 155b. The pressure is increased inside the cylinder 111. Thereby, the check valve 153 is closed as the pressure increases. Then, the check valve 153 is separated from the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111. Therefore, the gas flows through the space between the check valve 153 and the cylinder 111 and between the piston shaft 123 and the cylinder 111 into the internal space of the cylinder 111 on the air supply / outflow pipe 101b side.

  At this time, the sealing member 129 d described above continues to seal between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123. Therefore, the gas flows into the air supply / outflow pipe 101b. Thereby, gas is discharge | released outside from an air supply / water supply nozzle.

Next, the water supply state shown in Step 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 4C.
The air / water supply switch 69b is pushed by the operator's finger in a state where the one end 125a is blocked by the operator's finger. As a result, the urging member 109 contracts and the piston shaft 123 is pushed into the cylinder 111. Further, the retaining portion 135 is separated from the bottom surface 139a of the retaining contact portion 139.

  The sealing member 129d slides downward on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111. The sealing member 129d is disposed above the air supply / outflow pipe 101b, and seals between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123.

  The upper support member 157a is further pressed against the contact member 155 by the piston shaft portion 123, and further contracts from the state of Step3. Further, the lower support member 157b is further pulled by the piston shaft portion 123, and further extends from the state of Step3.

Thereby, the contact member 155 continues to reliably contact the contact surface 111c. Since the contact member 155 continues to contact the contact surface 111c, the contact member 155 slides with respect to the piston 121. That is, the relative radial position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is stable. Therefore, the check valve 153 is not eccentric with respect to the inner periphery of the cylinder 111 and seals between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123 in a stable position without being eccentric.
Since the contact member 155 always contacts the contact surface 111c, the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. In other words, the check valve 153 does not slide on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111.

  The sealing member 129c moves downward as the piston shaft 123 moves. The sealing member 129c is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 between the air supply inflow tube 101a and the air supply / outflow tube 101b, and seals between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123.

  Thereby, the internal space of the cylinder 111 on the air supply / outflow pipe 101b side is sealed by the sealing members 129c and 129d.

  Further, the sealing member 129b slides downward on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111 as the piston shaft portion 123 moves. The sealing member 129 b is disposed below the air supply inflow tube 101 a and seals between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123.

  Thereby, the internal space of the cylinder 111 on the air supply inflow pipe 101a side is sealed by the sealing members 129b and 129c.

  Further, the sealing member 129 a moves downward with the movement of the piston shaft portion 123, and leaves the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111. Therefore, the sealing member 129 a does not seal between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123.

  Accordingly, the water supply inflow pipe 101c communicates with the water supply outflow pipe 101d through the internal space of the cylinder 111 disposed below the sealing member 129b. Then, the gas is supplied from the air supply device 81 to the water supply device 83 via the conduit 85. When the internal pressure of the water feeding device 83 increases, the liquid filled in the water feeding device 83 flows to the water feeding inflow pipe 101c. Then, the liquid flows from the water supply inflow pipe 101c to the water supply outflow pipe 101d through the internal space of the cylinder 111 disposed below the sealing member 129b. Thereby, a liquid is discharge | released outside from an air / water supply nozzle.

  The gas flowing from the air supply device 81 also flows into the cylinder 111 through the air supply inflow pipe 101a. However, since the sealing members 129b and 129c seal the internal space of the cylinder 111 on the air supply / inflow tube 101a side, the gas surely flows into the water supply device 83.

  Next, cleaning of the pipeline switching device 100 will be described.

  The piston 121 is removed from the cylinder 111 and cleaned. At this time, the outer peripheral surface of the piston shaft 123, the communication passage 125, the through hole 127, and the vent hole 155b are not covered by the check valve 153, and are reliably exposed as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C. As a result, the cleaning liquid flows sufficiently without being influenced by the check valve 153.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 is fixed by the support member 157 without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. Thereby, in this embodiment, the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the cylinder 111 can be fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. In other words, in this embodiment, the communication state of the conduit 101 can be switched without sliding the check valve 153 relative to the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the piston shaft portion 123 moves with respect to the cylinder 111, wear and damage of the check valve 153 can be prevented. And in this embodiment, the fall of airtightness can be prevented, the check valve 153 can be prevented from bending, and the check valve 153 can function reliably.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the flow path portion is formed between the cylinder 111 and the piston shaft portion 123, the communication passage 125 indicating the inside of the cylinder 111 shaft portion, the through hole 127, and the vent hole 155b. Therefore, in this embodiment, a cleaning liquid can be easily flowed to a flow path part, without being influenced by the check valve 153, and a cleaning property can be improved.

  In this embodiment, the contact member 155 contacts the contact surface 111c, so that the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the cylinder 111 is reliably influenced by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. It can be fixed.

  In the present embodiment, the support member 157 is formed by an elastic member that expands and contracts along the axial direction of the piston 121. Thereby, in this embodiment, the relative position of the contact member 155 with respect to the cylinder 111 can be fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. Therefore, in this embodiment, the relative position of the check valve 153 with respect to the cylinder 111 can be fixed without being affected by the movement of the piston 121 with respect to the cylinder 111. In this embodiment, the check valve 153 can be prevented from being worn and damaged without sliding on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111.

  In this embodiment, the upper support member 157a presses the contact member 155 toward the contact surface 111c, and the lower support member 157b pulls the contact member 155 toward the contact surface 111c. Thereby, in this embodiment, the contact member 155 can reliably contact the contact surface 111c, and the check valve 153 does not slide on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 111. Therefore, in this embodiment, wear and damage of the check valve 153 can be prevented.

  In the present embodiment, the check valve 153, the contact member 155, and the support member 157 are separate from each other. However, it need not be limited to this. For example, the check valve 153 may be formed of the same material as the support member 157 and may be configured integrally with the support member 157.

  Thereby, in this embodiment, the freedom degree of design can be improved. Further, when the check valve 153, the contact member 155, and the support member 157 are integrated, the piston 121 can be easily assembled.

  In the present embodiment, the contact member 155 is not necessarily provided. For example, it is sufficient that at least one of the support member 157 and the check valve 153 has the function of the contact member 155. Specifically, it is only necessary that a part of the support member 157 protrudes in the radial direction of the support member 157 so as to contact the contact surface 111c, for example. Further, the other end of the check valve 153 is directly bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the support member 157 so as to contact the contact surface 111c.

  In this embodiment, in Step 3 shown in FIGS. 3C, 4A, and 4B, the piston shaft portion 123 slightly moves downward with respect to the cylinder 111 from the Step 2 state shown in FIG. 3B. However, it is not necessary to limit to this. When the pipeline switching device 100 is assembled, for example, the force F1 does not act and the support member 157 may not expand and contract, and the contact member 155 may contact the contact surface 111c. That is, in Step 3, the upper support member 157a and the lower support member 157b do not expand and contract from the state of Step 1, and may remain in a natural state.

This
L1 = L2 = L3 >> L4
l1 = l2 = l3 << l4.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Further, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope, 10 ... Insertion part, 21 ... Hard tip part, 23 ... Bending part, 25 ... Flexible pipe part, 60 ... Operation part, 61 ... Main part, 63 ... Grasping part, 69b ... Air supply / water supply Switch, 100 ... Pipe switching device, 111 ... Cylinder, 111c ... Contact surface, 121 ... Piston, 123 ... Piston shaft, 125 ... Communication path, 127 ... Through-hole, 151 ... Check valve unit, 153 ... Check Valves, 155 ... contact members, 157 ... support members, 157a ... upper support members, 157b ... lower support members.

Claims (4)

An endoscope that includes a cylinder to which a plurality of pipes are connected, and a piston that is detachably fitted to the cylinder, and that switches a communication state of the pipes by movement of the piston with respect to the cylinder. A conduit switching device,
A check valve unit that is disposed on the piston and seals between the cylinder and the piston;
The cylinder has a contact surface on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder,
The check valve unit is
A check valve that closes or departs from the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder by opening and closing according to the pressure inside the cylinder;
The check valve is disposed, and a contact member that contacts the contact surface;
When the piston moves relative to the cylinder, the abutting member always abuts against the abutting surface, and as the abutting member abuts against the abutting surface, the check valve for the cylinder A support member that supports the check valve and the contact member such that a relative position is fixed;
An endoscope line switching device characterized by comprising:   The endoscope conduit switching device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is formed by an elastic member that expands and contracts along an axial direction of the piston. The support member is disposed above the contact member and supports the check valve and the contact member from above, and the support member is disposed below the contact member and the check valve. A lower support member that supports the contact member from below;
The upper support member presses the contact member toward the contact surface so that the contact member contacts the contact surface when the piston is attached to the cylinder;
The lower support member pulls the contact member toward the contact surface so that the contact member contacts the contact surface when the piston is attached to the cylinder. The endoscope channel switching device according to claim 2.   The endoscope conduit switching device according to claim 3, wherein the contact member slides only with respect to the piston when the piston moves with respect to the cylinder.

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