JP3462620B2 - Endoscope conduit switching device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope conduit switching device for switching the communication state of a fluid conduit for passing a fluid. 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an endoscope, in order to inflate an organ in a body cavity for examination or to clean a surface of an observation window at a distal end of an insertion portion, an air supply pipe and a water supply pipe are used. Two fluid lines are required. [0003] In order not to complicate the air supply / water supply operation, the air supply line and the water supply line are connected to one cylinder, and one piston-like operating valve which is operated to advance and retreat in the cylinder. The communication state of the air supply pipe and the communication state of the water supply pipe can be controlled and operated. [0004] However, in the above-described conventional apparatus, in order to completely open the pipe opening on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, the operation valve is moved beyond the diameter of the pipe opening. Need to be done. In general, since an O-ring for sealing is mounted on the outer periphery of the operation valve, it is necessary to move the operation valve by a distance obtained by adding the wire diameter. As a result, the operation stroke of the operation valve becomes long, and quick operation cannot be performed. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope tube switching device with good operability that can switch the communication state between two fluid lines by operating one operation valve having a short operation stroke. And SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a pipe line switching device for an endoscope according to the present invention is provided in the middle of a first fluid pipe and the middle of a second fluid pipe. A cylinder switching device for an endoscope configured to switch a communication state of each of the fluid pipelines by operating a piston-like operation valve in the cylinder in the axial direction by connecting one cylinder to the cylinder. The cylinder is formed with a large-diameter portion having a large inner diameter and tapered portions having a gradually decreasing diameter on both front and rear sides of the large-diameter portion, and the first fluid conduit is connected to the rear tapered portion by opening. And the second fluid conduit is openly connected to the front tapered portion, and the operation valve is closed after closing the opening of the first fluid conduit when moved rearward in the cylinder. Side tapered surface and the second fluid line when moved to the front side. A front tapered surface for closing the opening is formed. An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a pipeline switching device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
A piston-like operation valve 21 is inserted into a cylinder 11 formed in the operation section 1 of the endoscope so as to be able to advance and retreat in the axial direction. The inside diameter of the cylinder 11 is changed in the middle, and the inside diameter of the rear side (the lower side in the figure) is formed to be large, and a bottom cover 12 is hermetically attached to the rear end portion.
The bottom cover 12 is made of elastic plastic and can be attached to and detached from the rear end of the cylinder 11 by elastically deforming. The front narrow portion 16 opens straight on the front surface of the operation unit 1. The front and rear ends of the large-diameter portion 13 near the rear end of the cylinder 11 are formed in tapered portions 14 and 15 having a gradually decreasing diameter, and the rear tapered portion 15 is formed in the bottom lid 12. Have been. [0010] The rear taper portion 15 is openly connected to the middle of the air supply line 17, and the front taper portion 14 is openly connected to the middle of the water supply line 18. The air supply line 17a of the air supply line 17 is connected to an external air supply pump, and the air supply side line 17b communicates with the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope. The water supply pipe 18a of the water supply pipe 18 is connected to an external air supply tank, and the water supply pipe 18b communicates with the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope. The operating valve 21 has a portion that fits inside the large diameter portion 13 of the cylinder 11 and a portion that fits inside the small diameter portion 16 extends forward, and its front end is outside the front end opening of the cylinder 11. It protrudes in the direction. The operation valve 21 has a portion in the large diameter portion 13 of the cylinder 11 formed to be slightly shorter than the space on the cylinder 11 side.
Taper surface 2 having the same angle as front and rear taper portions 14 and 15
2,23. Therefore, when the operating valve 21 is moved forward (upward in the figure), as shown in FIG.
The water supply pipeline 18 is closed by the front tapered surface 22 of
When the operating valve 21 is pushed into the cylinder 11 and moved rearward (downward in the figure), as shown in FIG.
The air supply duct 17 is closed by the rear tapered surface 23. Returning to FIG. 1, a leak hole 24 for communicating the bottom of the cylinder 11 with the outside atmosphere is formed at an axial position of the operation valve 21 so as to penetrate therethrough. 25 is an O-ring for sealing. A bellows-like operation button 27 made of elastic rubber or the like is provided at a protruding end of the operation valve 21 with a connection fitting 28.
The other end of the operation button 27 is detachably locked to a flange portion 29 protruding from the opening of the opening of the cylinder 11. As a result, in the standby state, the operation valve 21 is urged forward by the operation button 27 as shown in FIG. 1, and the front tapered surface 22 comes into contact with the front tapered portion 14 of the cylinder 11 to feed the cylinder. The connection opening of the water pipe 18 is closed. As shown in FIG. 2, when the operating valve 21 is pushed into the cylinder 11 against the urging force of the operating button 27, the rear tapered surface 23 contacts the rear tapered portion 15 of the cylinder 11. And closes the connection opening of the air supply line 17. In the apparatus of the first embodiment constructed as described above, the water supply line 18 is closed by the operation valve 21 in the standby state as shown in FIG. Communicating. However, leak hole 2
Since 4 communicates the cylinder 11 with the outside atmosphere,
The air sent into the cylinder 11 from the supply-side pipe line 17a is discharged outside through the leak hole 24. When the outlet of the leak hole 24 is closed with a fingertip, the air that has lost its escape to the outside is sent into the air-supply-side pipe 17b, and the air is sent from the tip of the insertion portion. . Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when the operation valve 21 is pushed into the cylinder 11 with a fingertip, the air supply line 17 is closed by the operation valve 21 and the water supply line 1 is closed.
8 communicates via the cylinder 11. As a result, the water fed into the cylinder 11 from the water supply pipe 18a is fed into the water supply pipe 18b, and the water is supplied from the distal end of the insertion portion. Release the finger pressing the operation valve 21 and the operation button 2
Due to the resiliency of 7, the system returns to the standby state shown in FIG. Since the connection opening of the air supply line 17 and the water supply line 18 is oblique to the direction of movement of the operation valve 21, the connection opening of the air supply line 17 or the water supply line 18 is connected to the operation valve. From the state closed by 21, the operation valve 2
Since the flow path having a large area can be formed in front of these openings only by slightly moving 1, the switching operation can be performed with a short operation stroke. FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. A gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the operation valve 21 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 11 in the large diameter portion 13 of the cylinder 11. In this way, the outer diameter of the operation valve 21 is formed slightly thinner. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, when the operation valve 21 is stopped at the intermediate position, the water supply line 17a of the air supply line 17 and the water supply side line 18a of the water supply line 18 The sent air and water are mixed in the cylinder 11, and the mixed liquid can be sent out from the air supply line 17 b of the air supply line 17 and the water supply side line 18 b of the water supply line 18. At both ends of the operation range, the air supply state and the water supply state are obtained in exactly the same manner as in the first embodiment. In order to make the operator sense that the operation valve 21 is at the right position of the intermediate position, a groove for engaging with the O-ring 25 at that position may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the operation valve 21. . FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the cylinder 11 is formed in the shape of a stepped cylinder having a large front side, and the air supply side pipe line 17a of the air supply pipe line 17 is
Is connected coaxially to the cylinder 11 at the bottom of the cylinder. As a result, instead of the bottom cover 12 of the first embodiment, a front cover 31 is attached to the front opening of the cylinder 11, and the operation button 27 is attached to the front cover 31. Further, an O-ring 32 is attached so as to be in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 13 of the cylinder 11, and
And the water supply line 18 are completely shut off. Instead of the O-ring 32, an umbrella-like projection for sealing projecting from the outer peripheral surface of the operation valve 21 may be formed integrally with the operation valve 21. According to the present invention, the connection openings of the two fluid conduits are each formed in a tapered surface, and the switching of the communication state of each fluid conduit is performed on the tapered surface. Accordingly, a passage having a large area can be formed in front of the opening only by moving the operation valve operated in the axial direction by a small distance, so that the switching operation of the communication state of each fluid conduit can be quickly performed with a short operation stroke. Operability can be greatly improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment in a standby state and an air supply state. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the first embodiment in a water supply state. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a fluid mixing state according to a second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a third embodiment in a standby state. [Description of Signs] 11 Cylinder 13 Large-diameter portion 14, 15 Tapered portion 17 Air supply line 18 Water supply line 21 Operating valves 22, 23 Tapered surface

Claims (1)

(57) [Claim 1] One cylinder is connected in the middle of the first fluid pipeline and the middle of the second fluid pipeline, and a piston-like operating valve is connected in the cylinder. In an endoscope conduit switching device configured to switch the communication state of each of the fluid conduits by operating in the axial direction, the cylinder includes a large-diameter portion having a large inner diameter and front and rear sides of the large-diameter portion. A first fluid conduit is connected to the rear taper portion by opening, and the second fluid conduit is connected to the front taper portion by opening. The operating valve has a rear tapered surface that closes the opening of the first fluid conduit when moved rearward in the cylinder, and an opening of the second fluid conduit that moves forward when moved in the cylinder. to form a front tapered surface for closing, after the
Between the side taper surface and the front taper surface
A conduit switching device for an endoscope, wherein a gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder and an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder .