JP3215778B2 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope provided with a pipeline switching device for switching a communication state between a plurality of fluid pipelines inserted through an insertion portion and an external pipeline.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an insertion portion of an endoscope, a plurality of fluid conduits such as an air supply pipe, a water supply pipe, and a suction pipe are inserted and arranged to reach an air supply / water supply apparatus and a suction apparatus outside the endoscope. A conduit switching device for switching a communication state between the external conduit and each fluid conduit in the insertion section is provided in the operation unit.

[0003] Such a pipeline switching device generally comprises a cylinder body to which a pipeline is connected, and a piston body inserted into the cylinder body so as to be operated in the axial direction.

[0004] Each time the endoscope is used, it is necessary to sufficiently clean and disinfect not only in the pipeline but also in the pipeline switching device. The piston body can be freely attached and detached.

[0005]

However, even if the piston body is removed from the cylinder body, the cylinder body is fixed to the operation part, so that the inside of the cylinder body and the inside of a plurality of conduits connected to the cylinder body are removed. Thorough cleaning was not easy and time-consuming, making it difficult to move on to the next endoscopy.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a pipeline switching device to which a plurality of pipelines are connected, and an endoscope which can easily clean the interior of the pipeline after using the endoscope.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope according to the present invention is connected to a plurality of fluid conduits inserted through an insertion portion of the endoscope and to the outside of the endoscope. In the endoscope provided with a pipeline switching device for switching a communication state with an external pipeline to be connected, the entire pipeline switching device is detachably provided on an operation unit connected to a base end of the insertion unit. It is characterized by having.

It is preferable that the pipe switching device is connected to and disconnected from the plurality of fluid pipes as the pipe switching device is attached to and detached from the operation unit. In a state where the pipeline switching device is removed from the operation unit, it is preferable that connection ends of the plurality of fluid pipelines open to the outer surface of the operation unit.

[0009]

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which an air supply tube 2 and a water supply tube 3 are inserted and arranged in an insertion portion 1 of an endoscope which is covered with an elongated flexible tube. Have been.
A nozzle 4 that opens the air supply tube 2 and the water supply tube 3 outward is protruded from the distal end of the insertion portion 1.

An operating portion 5 is connected to a base end of the insertion portion 1, and a lower half thereof is a grip portion 5a. A bending operation knob 6 protrudes from the right side of the upper half of the operation unit 5, and a pipeline switching device 20 is detachably attached to the left side. Reference numeral 7 denotes an eyepiece.

The pipeline switching device 20 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape by plastic, and a cylinder body 21 opening forward (to the left in FIG. 1) is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the operation unit 5. Has been drilled. Then, an air supply passage 22 and a water supply passage 23 which are formed to communicate with the upper side surface of the cylinder body 21 from above reach the rear surface.

At the ends of the air supply passage 22 and the water supply passage 23, an air supply tube 26 is connected via connection pipes 24 and 25 to an air supply / water supply device (not shown) provided outside the endoscope. And the water supply tube 27 are connected, and pressurized air and water are sent.

An air passage 32 is provided on the lower surface of the cylinder body 21.
And the water supply passage 33 are formed from below, and the lower end outlet thereof is pressed by the inlets of the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe 29 which are connected to the air supply tube 2 and the water supply tube 3 and are fixed in the operation unit 5. Connected. The structure of the connecting portion will be described later.

In the cylinder body 21, there is provided a piston body for switching a communication state between an air supply passage 32 and a water supply passage 33 with respect to an air supply passage 22 and a water supply passage 23 to which air and water are sent.
It is inserted so as to be able to advance and retreat in the axial direction. Since the specific structure is widely known, detailed description is omitted.

An operation button 36 attached to the protruding end of the piston body projects forward from the cylinder body 21. By operating the operation button 36 with a fingertip, the piston body is advanced and retracted in the cylinder body 21. The communication state of the pipeline can be switched.

Next, a line switching device 20 is
The structure for attaching and detaching is described. As shown in FIG. 3, steps 20 a and 20 b are formed on both upper and lower end surfaces of the pipeline switching device 20 formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. .

The steps 20a, 20a,
As shown in FIG. 2, the portion 20b is fitted from the front into a groove formed on the operation portion 5 side, and the bank portions 5a and 5b of the groove on the operation portion 5 side are connected to the step 20 of the pipeline switching device 20.
a, 20b is elastically pressed from the side so that the pipeline switching device 20 does not rattle.

The operating portions 5 are respectively provided in recesses 38 and 39 formed at intervals on the upper wall surface of the pipeline switching device 20.
The head of the locking pin 42 urged by the compression coil spring 41 from the side is fitted.

The head of the locking pin 42 is formed in a hemispherical round shape. Therefore, by slightly pushing and pulling the pipeline switching device 20 in the front-rear direction, the locking pin 42
Can be disengaged from the recesses 38 and 39.

When the locking pin 42 is engaged with the recesses 38 and 39, the pipeline switching device 20 is positioned at a predetermined position, and is pressed down and fixed in a clickable state. .

Further, since the operation unit 5 has stoppers 44 and 45 formed at two upper and lower positions which are in contact with the rear end of the pipeline switching device 20, the pipeline switching device 20 is too far behind a predetermined position. Never.

As shown in each figure, the pipeline switching device 20
Outlets 32a, 33a of air supply passage 32 and water supply passage 33 on the lower surface of
The portion is formed so as to protrude downward in a hemispherical shape. Then, the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe 2 on the operation unit 5 side that come into contact therewith.
The inlets 28a and 29a of the 9 are formed in a hemispherical recess so as to be in close contact with the protruding portion on the pipeline switching device 20 side.

Therefore, the pipe line switching device 20 is
In the state attached to the air supply passage 32 and the outlets 32a, 33a of the water supply passage 33 on the switching device side, which are in contact with the hemisphere.
Part and the inlet 28 of the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe 29 on the operation unit side
The portions a and 29a are tightly adhered to each other, so that fluid leakage does not occur.

Then, a little force is applied to the pipeline switching device 20.
Is shifted forward, the pipeline switching device 20 can be removed from the operation unit 5 as shown in FIG. Further, the pipeline switching device 20 can be attached to the operation unit 5 by performing the reverse operation.

When the pipeline switching device 20 is removed from the operation unit 5 in this manner, the pipeline switching device 20 as a whole, together with the air supply tube 26 and the water supply tube 27, the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe on the operation unit 5 side. 29.

Therefore, it is possible to easily and thoroughly clean the pipe switching device 20 and other parts removed from the operation unit 5. If the pipeline switching device 20 that has already been cleaned and disinfected is prepared, the next endoscope inspection can be performed as soon as the cleaning and disinfection of the operation unit 5 is completed.

FIG. 4 shows the pipeline switching device 20 in this manner.
Shows the operation unit 5 in a state in which is removed, and the air supply pipe 28 on the operation unit side and the inlets 28a and 29a of the water supply pipe 29 are exposed to the outer surface of the operation unit 5 obliquely upward.

Therefore, the cleaning brush 100
Can be directly inserted very easily, and can be easily brushed over the entire length of the inside of the air supply tube 2 and the inside of the water supply tube 3.

The operation section 5 has a lower (thin) portion 5u of the left side wall, which is located above the mounting portion of the pipe line switching device 20, so that the air supply pipe 28 and the inlet 28 of the water supply pipe 29 are formed.
a, 29a, the cleaning brush 100 can be easily inserted.

It should be noted that the pipeline switching device 20 of this embodiment may be provided with a suction pipeline switching section similar to that of the second embodiment described below. Can be brushed.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, a pipe line switching device 20 according to the first embodiment is further provided with a suction pipe switching cylinder 121 and a syringe. A sub water supply base 122 for connection is also provided.

Reference numeral 124 denotes a suction tube connected to an external suction device, and reference numeral 125 denotes a suction tube communicating with the distal end of the insertion section 1 of the endoscope.
Is in communication with Reference numeral 126 denotes a sub water pipe for jetting water injected into the sub water mouthpiece 122 from the distal end of the insertion section 1.

The configuration of the other parts of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except that the upper part 5u of the left side wall of the operation part 5 above the mounting part of the pipeline switching device 20 is not formed low (thin). The configuration is the same as that of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the piping route of the pipeline from the pipeline switching device 20 to the insertion section 1 is once directed sideways and then bent downward. The other configuration is the same as that of the second embodiment.

A gas supply mouthpiece for transmitting carbon dioxide gas may be provided in addition to the pipeline switching device 20 of the second embodiment. FIG. 8 shows such a pipeline switching device 2 of the fourth embodiment.
0 is a bottom view, and in addition to the switching device-side air supply passage 32 and the switching device-side water passage 33, the respective outlets of the suction pipe 131, the auxiliary water supply pipe 132, and the gas supply pipe 133 are open, and their mouth portions Are each formed in a hemispherical projection.

FIG. 9 shows an air supply tube 26 and a water supply tube 2 with a compression piece 222 that moves in conjunction with an operation button 221.
A fifth embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an endoscope of a system in which air and water are switched by directly crushing 7 is shown.

In such an apparatus, when the air supply tube 26 or the water supply tube 27 loses the restoring force and remains crushed, it is necessary to replace the tube. However, by applying the present invention, the tube replacement is extremely difficult. There is a merit that becomes easy.

[0038]

According to the present invention, since the entire pipeline switching device to which a plurality of pipelines are connected is detachably provided to the operation unit, the entire pipeline switching device is used after the endoscope is used. By detaching from the operation unit, the inside of the pipeline switching device and the pipeline can be easily and sufficiently cleaned.

If the pipe switching device and the plurality of fluid pipes are connected to and disconnected from each other as the pipe switching device is attached to and detached from the operating section, On the other hand, the pipeline switching device can be easily attached and detached, and when the pipeline switching device is removed from the operation unit, the connection ends of the plurality of fluid pipelines are opened to the outer surface of the operation unit, so that the insertion unit Brushing cleaning can be performed by easily inserting a cleaning brush into the side conduit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front sectional view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pipeline switching device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front cross-sectional view of the operation unit in a state where the pipeline switching device of the first embodiment is removed.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side sectional view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a pipeline switching device according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic side sectional view of a fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Air supply tube 3 Water supply tube 5 Operation part 20 Pipe line switching device 21 Cylinder body 26 Air supply tube 27 Water supply tube 28 Air supply pipe 29 Water supply pipe 32 Air supply path 33 Water supply path

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A conduit switching device for switching a communication state between a plurality of fluid conduits inserted through an insertion portion of an endoscope and an external conduit connected to the outside of the endoscope. in the endoscope with the entire said conduit switching apparatus detachably attached by resilient clicking engagement against the operating device coupled to the proximal end of the insertion portion, the tube-path switching to said operating portion As the device is attached and detached, the pipeline switching device is connected to and disconnected from the plurality of fluid pipelines inserted through the insertion section, and the pipeline is connected to the operation section. The switching device takes
In the attached state, the pipeline opening of the pipeline switching device
The opening of the fluid line is tightly closed by the above-mentioned biasing force.
The endoscope, wherein the connection ends of the plurality of fluid pipelines are opened to the outer surface of the operation unit when the tube is switched and the pipeline switching device is removed from the operation unit.