JP2015136514A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope capable of removing water droplets that easily move to an illumination window.SOLUTION: An air/water sending nozzle 33, a treatment tool outlet 38, an observation window 45, a pair of illumination windows 46, 47, and a groove part 55 are arranged on the flat surface 50 of an insertion part of an endoscope. The air/water sending nozzle 33 selectively injects air and washing water from an injection opening 72 toward the observation window 45. The groove part 55 is formed long in a direction crossing a direction from the observation window 45 toward the air/water sending nozzle 33. In the groove part 55, one end 55a is connected to the treatment tool outlet 38. The other end 55b is located on a line E extending from one end 72a of the injection opening 72 opposite from the treatment tool outlet 38 in the injection direction of fluid. Since water droplets of the washing water which do not reach the observation window 45 are captured by the groove part 55, air injection prevents the water droplets from being sent to the illumination window 46.

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope provided with a fluid ejection nozzle that ejects fluid toward an observation window.

  The endoscope includes an observation window, an illumination window, and a fluid ejection nozzle (air supply / water supply nozzle) at the distal end of an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject. These observation window, illumination window, and fluid ejection nozzle are formed on a flat tip surface (hereinafter referred to as “flat surface”). The observation window captures image light of the subject. The illumination window emits illumination light toward the subject. The fluid injection nozzle has an injection port at the tip, and selectively injects a liquid such as water or cleaning water, or a gas such as air or carbon dioxide. For example, the cleaning water sprayed by the water supply wash away dirt on the observation window. Moreover, the air injected by air supply blows off the water droplets remaining on the surface of the observation window. If dirt or water droplets remain in a part of the observation window, observation may be difficult.

  In order to prevent water droplets from remaining on the observation window after air supply, an endoscope having a groove provided on the outer periphery of the observation window has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1). In the endoscope of Patent Document 1, of the cleaning water ejected from the fluid ejection nozzle, the cleaning water remaining on the flat surface is accumulated in the groove on the outer periphery of the observation window, and the cleaning water accumulated in the groove is stored inside the tip portion. It is discharged to the outer periphery of the tip.

  On the other hand, an endoscope in which a groove is provided on the opposite side of the observation window from the fluid ejection nozzle and the groove and the suction port are connected has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 2). In the endoscope of Patent Document 2, the cleaning water after passing over the observation window is collected in a groove and discharged to the suction port.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-158825 JP 2012-50512 A

  In the endoscopes described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the fluid ejected from the fluid ejecting nozzle has a flow velocity in the vicinity of the center in the longitudinal direction (hereinafter referred to as the “width direction”) of the horizontally elongated ejection port. It is fast, and the flow velocity becomes slower from the center to the end of the injection port. When the liquid and the gas are selectively ejected from the ejection port using the same fluid ejection nozzle, the ejection range varies depending on, for example, the difference in viscosity, specific gravity, pressure, or the like. In the case of liquid, the ejection range (hereinafter referred to as “liquid ejection range”) hardly spreads on both sides. On the other hand, in the case of gas, the injection range (hereinafter referred to as “gas injection range”) tends to spread on both sides. In addition, when the liquid droplets remaining in the observation window are blown off by gas injection, the flow velocity of the gas flow blown out from the end portion is slower than that near the center of the injection port. Therefore, although the water adhering to the observation window can be blown off by the gas flow near the center, the gas flow near the end of the injection port is not sufficient to blow off the water due to the slow flow rate. For this reason, the moisture swept away from the liquid ejecting range of the fluid ejecting nozzle tends to stay in the illumination window disposed beside the observation window. The retention of water droplets becomes more prominent as the distance from the ejection port increases in the range at both ends excluding the liquid ejection range in the gas ejection range.

  If water droplets stay in the illumination window, it causes halation, flare, etc., and degrades the endoscopic image. Further, in recent endoscopes in which the observation field of view is becoming wider, water drops are reflected in the observation field of view, and the observation field of view is narrowed accordingly. In order to prevent water droplets from staying on the flat surface, the observation window and the illumination window may be separated from each other. In this case, the water droplet passes between the observation window and the illumination window and flows out of the flat surface. Further, even if water drops remain on the flat surface, the observation field is not observed, and the observation image is hardly affected. However, there is a demand for reducing the diameter of the insertion portion including the flat surface in order to reduce the burden on the subject. On the other hand, there is a demand for increasing the diameter of the observation window and the illumination window as the image quality of the observation image increases. For this reason, it is inevitable that the observation window and the illumination window are arranged close to each other. In consideration of these circumstances, it is required that water droplets do not remain in the illumination window.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an endoscope that can remove water droplets that are likely to remain in an illumination window.

  The endoscope of the present invention includes a flat surface, an observation window arranged on the flat surface, a fluid ejection nozzle, an illumination window, a suction port, and a groove. The flat surface is formed at the distal end portion of the insertion portion that is inserted into the subject. The observation window is for observing the inside of the subject. The fluid ejecting nozzle ejects fluid toward the surface of the observation window. The illumination window is arranged adjacent to the observation window and illuminates the illumination light toward the subject. The suction port is disposed adjacent to the illumination window, the observation window, and the fluid ejection nozzle, and sucks the fluid. The groove portion is arranged on a flat surface between the fluid ejection nozzle and the observation window, intersects the fluid ejection direction, and one end is connected to the suction port.

  In addition, in the state which looked at the flat surface from the axial direction of the insertion part, it is preferable that the lower end edge of the injection port of a fluid injection nozzle is located above a groove part.

  It is preferable that the groove portion is formed long from one end to the other end, and the other end is located on a line extending in the fluid ejection direction from the end of the ejection port opposite to the suction port.

  The fluid ejection nozzle selectively ejects gas and liquid, and the gas ejection range extends on both sides compared to the liquid ejection range, the observation window is within the liquid ejection range, and part of the illumination window Is preferably included in the gas injection range. The groove is preferably formed deeper toward one end. Moreover, it is preferable that a groove part has an inclined surface where the cross section orthogonal to the groove | channel center line which goes to an other end from one end becomes V shape.

  The observation window is preferably formed so as to protrude from the flat surface, has a frustoconical peripheral surface protruding from the flat surface at the periphery of the observation window, and a part of the groove is preferably connected to the peripheral surface.

  It is preferable that the suction port has a fluid guide inclined surface with a part of the edge chamfered, and one end of the groove portion is connected to the fluid guide inclined surface. Moreover, it is preferable that the suction port also serves as a treatment instrument outlet through which the distal end of the treatment instrument enters and exits.

  The endoscope of the present invention is a cleaning liquid droplet from a fluid ejection nozzle by a groove portion that intersects the fluid ejection direction on a flat surface between the fluid ejection nozzle and the observation window, and that has one end connected to the suction port. Can be captured. The remaining droplets are not sent to the illumination window due to the jet of gas from the fluid jet nozzle after cleaning. There are no reflections in the observation field due to the attachment of droplets to the illumination window, and no halation or flare due to scattering of illumination light.

It is a perspective view showing one embodiment of an endoscope system. It is sectional drawing which shows the pipe line inside the electronic endoscope shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the front-end | tip part of the electronic endoscope shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the IV-IV line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the longitudinal direction of the groove part shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the VI-VI line of FIG. It is a top view which shows the flat surface shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows another embodiment which connected a part of slope of the observation window to the groove part. It is sectional drawing which follows the IX-IX line of FIG. It is a top view which shows another embodiment which connected the groove part to the fluid guide inclined surface.

It is sectional drawing which follows the XI-XI line of FIG. It is a top view which shows another embodiment which connected the slope of the illumination window to the groove part. It is sectional drawing which follows the XIII-XIII line | wire of FIG. It is a top view which shows other embodiment which provided one illumination window. It is sectional drawing which shows another embodiment whose cross section of a groove part is a home base shape. It is a perspective view of the groove part shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows another embodiment which made the groove part the two-step structure of the 1st groove | channel and the 2nd groove | channel. It is a perspective view of the groove part shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows embodiment of the other 2 step | paragraph structure which provided the 2nd groove | channel in a part of groove part. It is a perspective view of the groove part shown in FIG.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an endoscope system 8. As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope system 8 includes an electronic endoscope 9, a processor device 10, a light source device 11, an air / water supply device 12, and a suction device 13. The air / water supply device 12 includes an air supply device 14 and a washing water tank 15. The washing water tank 15 stores washing water. In addition to supplying air to the electronic endoscope 9, the air supply device 14 supplies cleaning water to the electronic endoscope 9 by supplying air to the cleaning water tank 15. The air supply device 14 is built in the light source device 11. The electronic endoscope 9 is connected to a flexible insertion portion 16 that is inserted into a subject, an operation portion 17 that is connected to a proximal end portion of the insertion portion 16, and a processor device 10 or a light source device 11. Universal cord 18 is provided. The fluid sent by the air / water supply device 12 includes air and washing water. Air is an aspect of gas, and wash water is an aspect of liquid.

  The insertion portion 16 includes a distal end portion 20, a bendable bending portion 21, and a flexible flexible tube portion 22 in order from the distal end. The distal end portion 20 incorporates an imaging unit 19 that images the inside of the subject. The bending portion 21 is configured by connecting a plurality of bending pieces 21a in the axial direction AL of the insertion portion 16, and can bend freely in the vertical and horizontal directions. The flexible tube portion 22 has flexibility in order to follow the insertion path in the subject.

  A composite connector 23 is attached to the tip of the universal cord 18. The composite connector 23 includes a plurality of connectors respectively connected to the processor device 10, the light source device 11, and the air / water supply device 12, and a connector for connecting a connecting tube 24 to which the suction device 13 is connected.

  The processor device 10 supplies power to the electronic endoscope 9 via the universal cord 18 or a transmission cable inserted into the insertion unit 16 and controls the imaging unit 19. The imaging unit 19 sends an imaging signal to the processor device 10 via a transmission cable. The processor device 10 performs various types of image processing on the imaging signal to generate image data. A monitor 25 is connected to the processor device 10 via a cable 25a. The monitor 25 displays an observation image based on the image data.

  The operation unit 17 includes a treatment instrument inlet 26, an air / water supply button 27, a suction button 28, and a bending operation knob 29. When the bending operation knob 29 is operated, the wire 30 inserted in the insertion portion 16 is pushed and pulled, and the bending portion 21 is bent in the vertical and horizontal directions. By this bending, the distal end portion 20 is directed in a desired direction within the subject.

  FIG. 2 shows a pipe line inside the electronic endoscope 9 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, an air / water supply channel 31 and a treatment instrument insertion channel 32 are arranged inside the insertion portion 16 and the operation portion 17. One end of the air / water supply channel 31 communicates with an air / water supply nozzle 33 provided at the tip portion 20. The other end of the air / water supply channel 31 is branched into an air supply line 34 and a water supply line 35. The air supply line 34 and the water supply line 35 are connected to an air / water supply button 27 provided in the operation unit 17. The air / water supply nozzle 33 is an embodiment of a fluid ejection nozzle.

  In addition to the air supply pipe 34 and the water supply pipe 35, the air supply / water supply button 27 includes one end of an air supply source pipe 36 that leads to the air supply device 14 and one end of a water supply source pipe 37 that leads to the cleaning water tank 15. And are connected. The air supply device 14 supplies air at the time of endoscopy by the electronic endoscope 9.

  When an air supply operation is performed with the air / water supply button 27, air is sent from the air supply device 14 to the air / water supply nozzle 33. When the water supply operation is performed, air is sent from the air supply device 14 to the wash water tank 15, and the wash water is sent to the air supply / water supply nozzle 33 by the air. The air / water supply nozzle 33 selectively injects air and wash water supplied via the air / water supply channel 31.

  The treatment instrument insertion channel 32 has one end communicating with the treatment instrument outlet 38 and the other end connected to the treatment instrument inlet 26. In the treatment instrument inlet 26, for example, a treatment instrument having an injection needle or a high-frequency knife attached to the tip is inserted. The plug 39 is closed except when the treatment instrument is inserted. Various treatment tools protrude from the treatment tool outlet 38, and various treatments can be performed on the subject. Further, a suction conduit 40 is connected to the treatment instrument insertion channel 32. The suction line 40 is connected to the suction button 28.

  In addition to the suction conduit 40, the suction button 28 is connected to the other end of the suction source conduit 41 whose one end communicates with the suction device 13 via the connecting tube 24. The suction device 13 always operates at the time of endoscopy by the electronic endoscope 9 and generates negative pressure. When a suction operation is performed by the suction button 28, suction is performed from the treatment instrument outlet 38 by the negative pressure generated by the suction device 13. Further, when the blocking operation is performed, the negative pressure is blocked and the suction from the treatment instrument outlet 38 is stopped. The treatment instrument outlet 38 is an aspect of the suction port. The suction port is for sucking, for example, washing water or a residue in the subject.

  FIG. 3 shows the distal end portion 20 of the electronic endoscope 9. As shown in FIG. 3, the distal end portion 20 includes a distal end portion main body 43, a distal end cap 44, a pair of illumination windows 46 and 47 that illuminate the subject, and light that is reflected from the subject is guided to the imaging unit 19. It has an observation window 45, an air / water supply nozzle 33, and a treatment instrument outlet 38. The distal end cap 44 includes a distal end plate portion 48 that covers the distal end side of the distal end portion main body 43, and a cylindrical portion 49 that covers the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body 43. The surface of the tip plate portion 48 constitutes the flat surface 50 of the tip portion 20. The flat surface 50 is a flat surface orthogonal to the axial direction AL. In addition, a flat surface is not restricted to when orthogonal to the axial direction AL, What is necessary is just an intersecting surface. In addition, the flat surface includes a nearly flat curved surface in which the central portion bulges slightly outward and is curved in a cross-sectional arc shape. Note that the tip body 43 and the tip cap 44 may be integrally formed.

  The flat surface 50 has a through-hole 51 in which the observation window 45 is opened, through-holes 52 and 53 in which the illumination windows 46 and 47 are opened, an attachment through-hole 54 for attaching the air / water feeding nozzle 33, a groove 55, and a treatment. A tool outlet 38 is provided. The pair of illumination windows 46 and 47 are arranged on both sides of the observation window 45 and are adjacent to the observation window 45.

  The illumination windows 46 and 47 also serve as irradiation lenses. The illumination lens projects illumination light guided by the light guides 56 and 57 toward the subject. The light guides 56 and 57 are arranged in the insertion unit 16, the operation unit 17, the universal cord 18, and the composite connector 23 (both see FIG. 1) in a form in which a large number of optical fibers are bundled. 11 is guided to the illumination windows 46 and 47. The light guided from the light source device 11 may be excitation light such as laser light. In this case, it is preferable that the excitation light from the light source device 11 is guided by a single optical fiber, and the phosphor disposed on the tip portion 16a emits light to irradiate illumination light.

  The groove part 55 is provided between the air / water supply nozzle 33 and the observation window 45. The groove 55 is formed long in a direction orthogonal to the direction from the air / water supply nozzle 33 toward the observation window 45. In addition, what is necessary is just to cross not only in the case of orthogonally crossing. The groove portion 55 has a V-shaped cross section in which the bottom 55c is recessed from the flat surface 50, for example, a cross section perpendicular to the groove center line. The groove 55 has a length (hereinafter referred to as “longitudinal direction”), and one end 55 a of the opposite ends is connected to the treatment instrument outlet 38, and the other end 55 b is close to the one illumination window 47. The length is extended.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross section taken along line IV-IV in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, a through hole 60 that holds a connection pipe 58 to which the air / water supply nozzle 33 is connected and a through hole 59 to which the imaging unit 19 is attached are formed in the distal end main body 43 along the AL direction. Has been. The rear end of the distal end portion body 43 is connected to the bending piece 21b on the distal end side among the plurality of bending pieces 21a.

  The outer peripheral surface of the curved portion 21 is covered with an outer skin layer 62. The outer skin layer 62 covers the outer periphery of the front end portion main body 43, and the front end of the outer skin layer 62 and the rear end of the cylindrical portion 49 are abutted and fixed to each other, for example, with an adhesive.

  The imaging unit 19 includes an objective lens unit 63 and an imaging element 64. The objective lens unit 63 includes an objective lens group 65 and a prism 66. The objective lens group 65 is attached in such a posture that the optical axis OP is parallel to the AL direction. The prism 66 causes the subject light passing through the objective lens group 65 to be bent in the direction intersecting the optical axis OP and to enter the imaging element 64.

  The observation window 45 is an objective lens 67 exposed on the flat surface 50 in the objective lens group 65, and also serves as a cover glass. The objective lens 67 has a disk shape, and the surface 68 as a light incident surface is formed as a convex lens surface or flat, but in this embodiment is formed as a convex lens surface. The through hole 51 through which the observation window 45 is opened is provided in a protruding surface 69 that protrudes from the flat surface 50. Around the projecting surface 69, a slope 70 is formed which is a frustoconical circumferential surface connected to the flat surface 50. The inclined surface 70 is provided over the entire periphery of the observation window 45, and is inclined so that the height gradually increases from the flat surface 50 toward the protruding surface 69.

  The air / water supply nozzle 33 is connected to the air / water supply channel 31 via a connection pipe 58. An injection cylinder portion 71 is formed on the distal end side of the air / water supply nozzle 33. The injection cylinder portion 71 is formed in a cylindrical shape protruding from the base end portion of the air / water supply nozzle 33, for example, in a direction that bends at 90 degrees, and has an injection port 72 at the tip.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the injection port 72 is, for example, a substantially rectangular opening that is long horizontally. Between the ejection port 72 and the projecting surface 69, a groove portion 55 and an ejection port flat surface 73 are provided. The ejection port flat surface 73 is disposed between the groove portion 55 and the inclined surface 70, and constitutes a part of the flat surface 50 at the same height as the flat surface 50. Further, the injection port 72 is directed to inject the cleaning water toward the surface 68 by jumping over the groove portion 55 and the injection port flat surface 73 in order to spread the cleaning water over the entire surface 68. For this reason, it is desirable that the lower end 72e closest to the flat surface 50 of the injection port 72 has a length (height) in the AL direction from the flat surface 50 that is higher than the height of the slope 70 or the protruding surface 69. . Further, when the air / water supply nozzle 33 is viewed from the AL direction in a plan view, the lower end 72e is the same as the upper end 72f in the projecting direction of the injection cylinder 71 or retracts to the base side of the injection cylinder 71 from the upper end 72f. Yes. Furthermore, in order to capture the water droplets that remain on the ejection port 72 and drop, the groove portion 55 is one side of both side ends that face each other in the short direction (hereinafter referred to as “AW direction”) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The end 55f is provided at a position including the intersection of the line J extending in the AL direction from the lower end 72e and the flat surface 50. The lower end 72e of the injection port 72 is an aspect of the lower end edge.

  The optical axis OP of the objective lens unit 63 is bent by the prism 66. For this reason, a dead space 76 in which no member can be disposed between the flat surface 50 of the periphery of the objective lens unit 63 and the circuit board 75 on which the imaging element 64 is mounted is provided in the distal end portion main body 43. Has occurred. The area of the flat surface 50 above the dead space 76 becomes an empty space because the parts exposed through the tip body 43 cannot be arranged. In this embodiment, since the groove part 55 is made in the empty space, the tip part 20 can be maintained in a small diameter by effectively using the space.

  In FIG. 4, the thickness of each member in the radial direction is emphasized in order to illustrate each member. For this reason, the size of the air / water supply nozzle 33 and the observation window 45 is shown smaller than the actual size, and is not compatible with the perspective view of FIG. Hereinafter, the same is shown in the sectional views.

  FIG. 5 shows a cross section along the longitudinal direction of the groove 55 shown in FIG. 3 (hereinafter referred to as “AL1 direction”). As shown in FIG. 5, the other end 55 b of the groove 55 is a surface perpendicular to the flat surface 50. Further, the bottom 55c of the groove portion 55 has an inclination that becomes lower (deeper) from the other end 55b toward the one end 55a.

  6 shows a cross section taken along line VI-VI in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the treatment instrument outlet 38 is connected to the treatment instrument insertion channel 32 via a connection pipe 78 that fits into a through hole 77 provided in the distal end body 43, and the suction device 13 (see FIG. 2). ). A groove 55 is connected to the edge of the treatment instrument outlet 38. The washing water collected in the groove part 55 is discharged by suction from the treatment instrument outlet 38.

  FIG. 7 is a plan view of the flat surface 50 shown in FIG. 3, and the direction in which the upward direction in which the bending portion 21 is curved (hereinafter referred to as “UL direction”) coincides with the upward direction in the drawing. A flat surface 50 is shown. As shown in FIG. 7, the observation window 45 is disposed above the center A of the contour outline of the distal end portion 20. A treatment instrument outlet 38 is disposed below the observation window 45. The air / water supply nozzle 33 is arranged on the left side of the treatment instrument outlet 38 as close as possible to the treatment instrument outlet 38. In the present embodiment, the treatment instrument outlet 38 has a maximum diameter. Further, the diameter of the observation window 45 and the mounting through hole 54 of the air / water feeding nozzle 33 is smaller than the diameter of the treatment instrument outlet 38 and has substantially the same diameter. For this reason, the treatment instrument outlet 38, the observation window 45, and the air / water supply nozzle 33 are attached so that the center A of the distal end portion 20 enters the triangle surrounded by the lines D, K, and L connecting these centers. A through hole 54 is provided to reduce the diameter of the distal end portion 20. The treatment instrument outlet 38 is disposed adjacent to the air / water supply nozzle 33, the observation window 45, and the illumination window 46.

  The air / water supply nozzle 33 selectively ejects a gas containing air or carbon dioxide and a liquid containing cleaning water. For example, the gas ejection range (the range between 72d, hereinafter referred to as "gas ejection range 72d") is compared with the liquid ejection range (the range between 72c, hereinafter referred to as "liquid ejection range 72c"). Spread on both sides. The observation window 45 is in the liquid ejection range 72c, and the illumination windows 46 and 47 are partially outside the liquid ejection range 72c and in the gas ejection range 72d.

  Of the fluid ejected from the air / water feed nozzle 33, the wash water is sprayed linearly toward the observation window 45 disposed in the liquid ejection range 72c. As shown in the gas injection range 72d, the air is gradually spread and blown away from the air / water supply nozzle 33 toward the observation window 45. The fluid ejected from the air / water feeding nozzle 33 is either a liquid or a gas, and the fluid ejected from the vicinity of the center of the laterally long ejection port 72 in the AL1 direction has a high flow velocity. Becomes slower.

  The groove portion 55 has a length in a direction intersecting a line D connecting the center B of the mounting through hole 54 of the air / water feeding nozzle 33 and the center C of the observation window 45. Note that the direction intersecting the line D includes an orthogonal direction. One end 55 a of the groove 55 is connected to the treatment instrument outlet 38. The other end 55b is formed on a line extending from the one end 72a in the width direction of the ejection port 72 in the liquid ejection direction, for example, to a position on the line E passing through the one end 72a and parallel to the line D. The other end 55b may be formed to extend to a position exceeding the line E. Further, one side end 55f of the groove portion 55 is provided in a range including a position coinciding with the lower end 72e of the injection port 72 in plan view. Since the groove portion 55 is positioned below the ejection port 72 in a plan view, water droplets dripping from the ejection port 72 can be captured. In addition, the space | interval L1 of the outer periphery of the slope 70 of planar view and the injection port 72 becomes 4 to 10 times the length with respect to the space | interval L2 of the air / water supply nozzle 33 and the treatment tool exit 38, for example. Yes. The length (width) of the groove portion 55 in the short direction is preferably about 0.5 to 0.9 times the distance L1 between the outer periphery of the slope 70 and the injection port 72, for example. It is.

  The illumination window 47 is disposed on the opposite side to the treatment instrument outlet 38 with respect to the groove portion 55, and the other illumination window 46 is disposed on the opposite side to the illumination window 47 with respect to the observation window 45.

  The operation of the above configuration will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the surface 68 of the observation window 45 is cleaned by injecting cleaning water from the injection port 72 by a water supply operation. The surface 68 and the inclined surface 70 are located in the liquid jetting range 72c of the cleaning water jetted from the jetting port 72. A part of the cleaning water sprayed from the injection port 72 directly hits the surface 68 of the observation window 45, and the rest collides with, for example, the upper part of the inclined surface 70 and spreads in the circumferential direction of the observation window 45, and the expanded cleaning water. A part of them goes up the slope 70, so that the whole surface 68 of the observation window 45 is spread.

  After the cleaning water is injected, the cleaning water remaining in the vicinity of the injection port 72 and in the air / water supply channel 31 at the time of gas injection may be dripped and stay on the flat surface 50 as water droplets. These water droplets can be blown away by air in the range where the flow velocity near the center is fast among the air jetted from the ejection port 72 by the air supply operation, but the lighting window 46 is not blown away by air having a slow flow velocity near both ends. , 47 in the direction of stagnation. However, a groove 55 is provided between the slope 70 of the observation window 45 and the injection port 72. The groove portion 55 is disposed in the gas injection range 72d. The water droplets that are likely to stay in the lighting windows 46 and 47 and the water droplets that are easy to move are captured by the groove portion 55, so that the water droplets are not blown off or moved toward the lighting windows 46 and 47 by the air supply operation. . For example, the water flow drops at the beginning and the end when the cleaning water is jetted and drops from the jet port 72 to the flat surface 50 below, so that one side end 55f of the groove portion 55 is on the lower end 72e of the jet port 72 in a plan view. Since it is provided in a range including the matching position, it is captured by the groove 55. Further, the water droplets that drip from the left end of the ejection port 72 to the flat surface 50 are provided so that the other end 55b of the groove portion 55 extends from the one end 72a of the ejection port 72 to a position on the line extending in the liquid ejection direction. Captured at 55.

  The groove part 55 of this embodiment is linear, and intersects a line D connecting the center C of the observation window 45 and the center B of the air / water supply nozzle 33. Accordingly, for example, water droplets staying inside the groove portion 55 are less likely to blow off in the left-right direction of the observation window 45 as compared with a conventional one having an arcuate groove structure provided on the outer periphery of the observation window 45.

  Since the other end 55b of the groove portion 55 is formed on a wall surface perpendicular to the flat surface 50, water droplets captured by the groove portion 55 by the air injected by the air supply operation get over the other end 55b and enter the illumination window 47. It will not be skipped.

  Further, the water droplets adhering to the inside of the groove portion 55 are sucked from the treatment instrument outlet 38 and removed by performing a suction operation with the suction button 28.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 8 shows another embodiment in which a part of the slope 81 provided on the outer periphery of the observation window 45 is connected to the groove 55. The observation window 45, the illumination windows 46 and 47, the treatment instrument outlet 38, the groove portion 55, and the air / water supply nozzle 33 shown in FIG. 8 are arranged in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The difference is that the slope 81 is expanded and a part of the slope 81 is connected to the groove 55.

  FIG. 9 shows a cross section taken along line IX-IX in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the slope 81 of the observation window 45 is connected to a groove slope 55 d having a V-shaped cross section of the groove 55. By connecting the inclined surface 81 to the groove inclined surface 55d, water droplets flow along the inclined surface 81 and flow into the groove portion 55, thereby improving water collection. The slopes of the groove slope 55d and the slope 81 may not be the same. When changing the slope, it may be either a direction in which the slope increases or a direction in which the slope decreases.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in which the fluid guide inclined surface 90 provided at the edge of the treatment instrument outlet 38 is connected to the groove portion 55. As shown in FIG. 10, the fluid guide inclined surface 90 is formed by chamfering a part of the edge of the treatment instrument outlet 38. For example, the fluid guide inclined surface 90 has a chamfered chamfer shape so that the slope length on the line H connecting the center F of the illumination window 46 and the center G of the treatment instrument outlet 38 is the longest. It is formed in a crescent shape. A part of the fluid guide inclined surface 90 is connected to the groove portion 55.

  The fluid guide inclined surface 90 is partially included in the gas injection range 72 d in which the cleaning water is injected from the injection port 72, and is disposed between the illumination window 46 and the treatment instrument outlet 38. A part included in the gas injection range 72 d is different from a part connected to the groove 55. The fluid guide inclined surface 90 flows, for example, water droplets that flow backward from the inclined surface 70 and stay in an area surrounded by the observation window 45, the illumination window 46, and the treatment instrument outlet 38, or water droplets that have not been ejected to the inclined surface 70. It acts as a guide that flows into 38. By providing the fluid guide inclined surface 90, water droplets staying in a range surrounded by the observation window 45, the illumination window 46, and the treatment instrument outlet 38 do not move and reach the illumination window 46.

  FIG. 11 shows a cross section taken along line XI-XI in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, one end 55 a of the groove portion 55 is connected to the fluid guide inclined surface 90. The groove portion 55 collects water droplets that easily move toward the illumination window 47 (see FIG. 10), for example, water droplets that tend to stay between the air / water supply nozzle 33 and the inclined surface 70 of the observation window 45, and flows them to the treatment instrument outlet 38. .

<Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 12 shows an embodiment in which the illumination windows 46 and 47 are protruded from the flat surface 50 and slopes 91 and 92 are formed around the illumination windows 46 and 47. As shown in FIG. 12, a part of the inclined surface 91 of the illumination window 46 is connected to the fluid guide inclined surface 90. A part of the slope 92 of the illumination window 47 is connected to the other end 55 e of the groove 55. The other end 55 e of the groove 55 is formed to extend to a position exceeding the line E parallel to the line D through the one end 72 a of the injection port 72. Further, one side end 55f of the groove portion 55 is provided in a range including a position coinciding with the lower end 72e of the injection port 72 in plan view.

  FIG. 13 shows a cross section taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, the other end 55 e of the groove 55 is a slope connected to the slope 92 of the illumination window 47. The inclined surface of the other end 55 e can collect the cleaning water that does not reach the illumination window 47 and the cleaning water that flows from the inclined surface 92 in the groove portion 55.

  Note that the slope of the other end 55e and the slope 92 of the illumination window 47 may be the same or may be changed. In addition, the slope 91 of the illumination window 46 and the fluid guide inclined surface 90 may have the same slope, or the slope may be changed. When changing the slope, it may be either a direction in which the slope increases or a direction in which the slope decreases. The height of the illumination windows 46 and 47 is preferably the same height as the observation window 45 or lower than that.

<Fifth Embodiment>
In each of the above embodiments, the pair of illumination windows 46 and 47 are provided. However, as shown in FIG. FIG. 14 is a plan view in a posture in which the UL direction when the bending portion curves upward is matched with the upward direction of the drawing. On the flat surface 50, an observation window 45 is disposed above the center A of the contour outline of the distal end portion 20. A treatment instrument outlet 38 is disposed below the observation window 45, and an air / water supply nozzle 33 is disposed on the right side of the treatment instrument outlet 38. An illumination window 94 is disposed on the left side of the observation window 45 and above the treatment instrument outlet 38. The observation window 45 is a flat surface having the same height as the flat surface 50. The groove 95 is formed long in a direction intersecting a line D connecting the center B of the mounting through-hole 54 for attaching the air / water feeding nozzle 33 and the center C of the observation window 45, and one end 95a is at the outlet of the treatment instrument. 38. The other end 95 b of the groove portion 95 is located on a line I parallel to the line D through the other end 72 b opposite to the treatment instrument outlet 38 side of both ends in the width direction of the ejection port 72. One side end 95f of the opposite side ends in the AW direction of the groove portion 95 is provided in a range including a position coinciding with the lower end 72e of the injection port 72 in plan view. One end 95a of the groove portion 95 is compared to the other end 95b so that water drops that hang down on the flat surface 50 from the end of the injection port 72 are not blown toward the illumination window 94 by the air injected by the air supply operation. Widely formed. In addition, as the groove part 95, the other end 95b may be wider than the one end 95a. Further, the central portion of the groove portion 95 in the AL1 direction may be wider than the one end 95a or the other end 95b. The width of the groove portion 55 in each of the above embodiments may also be changed.

<Sixth Embodiment>
The groove portions 55 and 95 of each of the above embodiments have a V-shaped cross section, but other than this, the groove portions may be formed in, for example, a U-shaped cross section, an angular cross section, and a circular arc shape. 15 and 16 show an embodiment in which the groove portion 100 is formed in a home base type having a pentagonal cross section. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the groove portion 100 is formed such that one end 100 a is connected to the treatment instrument outlet 38 and the other end 100 b extends to the vicinity of the illumination window 47. The bottom surface 100c of the groove part 100 has an inclination that decreases from the other end 100b toward the one end 100a. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the groove portion 100 has a cross-sectional home base shape, and thus has, for example, vertical surfaces 100 d on both sides in the AW direction as compared with the groove portion having a V-shaped cross section. Thereby, it is difficult for water droplets to jump out from the inside of the groove portion 100 to the flat surface 50 and the flat flat surface 73 of the injection port due to the injected air.

<Seventh embodiment>
17 and 18 show another embodiment in which the groove portion is constituted by the first groove 104 and the second groove 105. The first groove 104 is formed in a cross-sectional home base shape. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the second groove 105 is provided at the bottom of the first groove 104, and has a narrower cross-sectional shape than the first groove 104. The slope 104a of the first groove 104 and the bottom surface 105a of the second groove 105 are inclined so as to decrease from the other end 103b of the groove 103 toward the one end 103a. In the seventh embodiment, since the second groove 105 functions to store and flow the wash water flowing down from the inclined surface 104a of the first groove 104, the discharge performance is improved as compared with the groove portion 55 having a V-shaped cross section.

<Eighth Embodiment>
19 and 20 show an embodiment in which the second groove 109 is provided in a part of the groove portion 107 in the AL1 direction. As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the groove 107 has a first groove 108 having a V-shaped cross section at a midway position 107 c in the AL1 direction from the other end 107 b. Thus, the cross-sectional shape is formed by connecting the second groove 109 having an angular cross section to the bottom 108b of the first groove 108 from the midway position 107c to the one end 107a. The slope 108a of the first groove 108 and the bottom surface 109a of the second groove 109 are inclined to be lowered from the other end 107b toward the one end 107a. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, compared with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 in which the second groove 105 is provided in the entire AL1 direction, the bottom surface 109a is directed from above to below in the inclination direction. As a result, the width of the bottom of the groove 107 becomes wider, so that the cleaning water flows smoothly.

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

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention described in the claims. It can be modified and changed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 9 Electronic endoscope 20 Tip part 33 Air supply / water supply nozzle 38 Treatment tool exit 45 Observation window 46, 47, 94 Illumination window 50 Flat surface
55, 95, 100, 103, 107 Groove 72 Injection port

Claims (9)

A flat surface formed at the distal end of the insertion portion to be inserted into the subject;
An observation window disposed on the flat surface for observing the inside of the subject;
A fluid ejection nozzle disposed on the flat surface and ejecting fluid toward the surface of the observation window;
An illumination window located within the fluid ejection range ejected from the fluid ejection nozzle, disposed on the flat surface adjacent to the observation window, and irradiating illumination light toward the subject;
A suction port disposed on the flat surface adjacent to the illumination window, the observation window and the fluid ejection nozzle;
A groove portion disposed on the flat surface between the fluid ejection nozzle and the observation window, intersecting the fluid ejection direction, and having one end connected to the suction port;
An endoscope comprising:   2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a lower end edge of an ejection port of the fluid ejection nozzle is located above the groove when the flat surface is viewed from the axial direction of the insertion portion.   The groove is formed long from the one end to the other end, and the other end is located on a line extending in the fluid ejection direction from the end of the ejection port opposite to the suction port. The endoscope according to claim 2. The fluid ejection nozzle selectively ejects gas and liquid,
The gas injection range extends on both sides compared to the liquid injection range,
The observation window is within the liquid ejection range;
The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a part of the illumination window is included in an injection range of the gas.   The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the groove is formed deeper toward the one end.   The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the groove portion has an inclined surface having a V-shaped cross section orthogonal to a groove center line from the one end toward the other end.   The observation window is formed so as to protrude from the flat surface, and has a peripheral surface of a truncated cone protruding from the flat surface at a peripheral edge of the observation window, and a part of the groove portion is connected to the peripheral surface. The endoscope according to any one of 1 to 6. The suction port has a fluid guide inclined surface with a part of the edge chamfered,
The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein one end of the groove portion is connected to the fluid guide inclined surface.   The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the suction port also serves as a treatment instrument outlet through which a distal end of a treatment instrument enters and exits.

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