JP3758787B2 - Endoscope fluid line switching device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an endoscope fluid conduit switching device for performing switching operation of a communication state of a fluid conduit of an endoscope.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Many endoscopes are provided with fluid lines such as an air / water supply line and a suction line. The operation portion of the endoscope is provided with a switching operation valve for switching the communication state of the fluid conduit.
[0003]
Such a switching operation valve generally has a structure in which a piston body is fitted in a cylinder body to which a fluid pipe line is connected so as to advance and retract in the axial direction. And the connection state of a fluid pipe line is switched by stopping a piston body in a plurality of predetermined positions by operation with a fingertip.
[0004]
Moreover, in such a switching operation valve, it is necessary to prevent fluid leakage from the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder body and the outer peripheral surface of the piston body. A seal member is attached to the outer periphery of the piston body.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since such a seal member is used in a crushed state in order to exhibit a seal function, it acts as a resistance against sliding operation of the piston body within the cylinder body. For this reason, the amount of operation force for switching the fluid line becomes heavy, which is one of the causes of the operator who performs the endoscope operation getting tired.
[0006]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope fluid conduit switching device that can reduce the amount of fluid conduit switching operation force and reduce the fatigue of an operator who operates the endoscope. .
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-described object, an endoscope fluid pipe switching device according to the present invention is connected to a fluid pipe of an endoscope and includes an endoscope for switching the communication state of the fluid pipe. A fluid line switching device comprising: a cylinder body to which the fluid line is connected; and connection of the fluid line by being inserted into the cylinder body so as to be movable forward and backward in an axial direction and stopped at a plurality of predetermined positions. An internal view having a piston body for switching states and a seal member provided on the outer peripheral portion of the piston body so as to prevent fluid leakage by being in close contact with the inner surface of the cylinder body, which is made of a resilient annular member In the mirror fluid pipe switching device, the inner diameter of the cylinder body through which the seal member passes when the piston body moves between the plurality of predetermined positions, and the piston body at the predetermined position. Characterized by being formed to a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the cylinder body portion where the sealing member is in close contact when.
[0008]
In the portion where the inner diameter of the cylinder body is formed large, the seal member may not touch the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder body, and the above-mentioned piston body is compared with the case where the piston body is in the predetermined position. The amount of collapse of the seal member may be reduced.
[0009]
The fluid line switched by the piston body may be an air / water supply line or a suction line.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows an endoscope. Reference numeral 1 denotes an insertion unit, and 2 denotes an operation unit connected to the proximal end of the insertion unit 1.
[0011]
The distal end of the channel tube 3 inserted through the entire length of the insertion portion 1 is open to the distal end surface of the insertion portion 1, which is an air / water feeding / suction port 4. The proximal end of the channel tube 3 is connected in communication with an air / water supply switching operation valve 20 and a suction operation valve 40 arranged in the operation unit 2.
[0012]
21 and 22 are the cylinder body and operation buttons of the air / water supply switching operation valve 20. Reference numerals 41 and 42 provided so as to protrude to the outside are the cylinder body and operation buttons of the suction operation valve 40.
[0013]
An air supply tube 6 for supplying air and a water supply tube 7 for supplying water are connected to the cylinder body 21 of the air / water supply switching operation valve 20. A suction tube 8 communicating with a suction device arranged outside is connected to the cylinder body 41 of the suction operation valve 40. Reference numeral 9 denotes a connecting pipe disposed so as to connect the side portions of both cylinder bodies 21 and 41.
[0014]
FIG. 1 shows an enlarged view of the air / water supply switching operation valve 20 and the suction operation valve 40. However, the suction operation valve 40 side is shown in a state in which the mechanism disposed in the cylinder body 41 is removed.
[0015]
The cylinder bodies 21 and 41 of the air / water supply switching operation valve 20 and the suction operation valve 40 are fixed to the operation unit 2 by fixing nuts 23 and 43, respectively, and are arranged to open to the outer surface of the operation unit 2. Yes. Reference numerals 24 and 44 are O-rings for sealing.
[0016]
The air supply tube 6 and the water supply tube 7 are connected to the side surface of the cylinder body 21 of the air / water supply switching operation valve 20 with a space therebetween. The suction tube 8 is connected to the side surface of the cylinder body 41 of the suction operation valve 40.
[0017]
Further, the bottoms of the cylinder bodies 21 and 41 communicate with each other through the communication pipes 10 and 11, and the base end of the channel tube 3 is connected to one end of the communication pipe 10.
[0018]
A piston body 26 is slidably inserted in the axial direction in the cylinder body 21 of the air / water supply switching operation valve 20. The outer end of the piston body 26 protrudes outside from the opening of the cylinder body 21, and the operation button 22 is attached thereto.
[0019]
Reference numeral 34 denotes a stopper for preventing the piston body 26 from slipping out of the cylinder body 21, and is detachably locked to the fixing nut 23 by an integrally molded plastic cover 35.
[0020]
A compression coil spring 36 is interposed between the operation button 22 and the stopper 34, and thereby, the piston body 26 is urged in a direction protruding from the cylinder body 21.
[0021]
In FIG. 1, the right half of the air / water supply switching operation valve 20 is in a first predetermined position where it is fully pushed outward by the compression coil spring 36 until the piston body 26 hits the stopper 34. The left half of the figure shows a state where the piston body 26 is in the second predetermined position where it is fully pushed into the cylinder body 21.
[0022]
The vent hole 31 formed at the axial position of the piston body 26 opens to the outside at a leak hole 32 formed at the center of the protruding end of the operation button 22. The vent hole 31 is provided with a communication hole 27 that communicates with the connection pipe 9 and a communication hole 25 that communicates with the air supply tube 6 in the standby state shown in the right half.
[0023]
A check valve 28 made of an elastic rubber material is disposed in the recess formed in the communication hole 27 that communicates with the connection pipe 9, and is connected to the piston body 26 from the connection pipe 9 side. Blocks fluid flow.
[0024]
On the bottom side of the piston body 26, a water passage hole 33 is formed at the axial position, and opens to the bottom surface of the piston body 26. As shown in the left half, a communication hole 29 communicating with the water supply tube 7 is formed when the piston body 26 is fully pushed into the cylinder body 21.
[0025]
In the air / water supply switching operation valve 20 configured as described above, in a standby state in which nothing is operated, the air fed from the air supply tube 6 passes through the vent hole 31 and is released from the leak hole 32 to the atmosphere.
[0026]
When the leak hole 32 is closed with the fingertip, the air sent from the air supply tube 6 into the vent hole 31 passes through the connection pipe 9 and is sent out to the channel tube 3 through the cylinder body 41 of the suction operation valve 40. Then, air is supplied from the air / water suction port 4.
[0027]
Then, as shown in the left half, when the operation button 22 is fully pushed in with the leak hole 32 closed with a fingertip, the water fed from the water supply tube 7 passes through the water passage hole 33 and the channel tube 3. The water is fed from the air / water suction port 4.
[0028]
However, in the mechanism in which the piston body 26 is slid in the cylinder body 21 and the fluid pipe is switched, the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder body 21 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston body 26 is increased. It is necessary to prevent fluid leakage.
[0029]
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, circumferential grooves are formed on both sides of the outer periphery of the piston body 26 with the communication holes 25, 27, 29, etc. sandwiched between them, and seals are provided in the circumferential grooves. O-ring 30 is attached.
[0030]
Each O-ring 30 is formed of an elastic material such as rubber, and is fully in the cylinder body 21 when the piston body 26 is in the first predetermined position where it is fully pushed outward. When in the second predetermined position pushed in, the cylinder body 21 is crushed in close contact with the inner peripheral surface.
[0031]
As a result, when the piston body 26 is in the first and second predetermined positions, fluid leakage from the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder body 21 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston body 26 is completely prevented. .
[0032]
However, the cylinder body 21 has an inner diameter of a portion 38 through which the O-ring 30 passes when the piston body 26 moves between the first and second predetermined positions, and the piston body 26 has the first or second predetermined position. The O-ring 30 is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the portion in close contact therewith.
[0033]
As a result, when the O-ring 30 passes through the large-diameter portion 38, the O-ring 30 does not touch the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder body 21 at all, so that resistance to movement of the piston body 26 does not occur.
[0034]
However, the O-ring 30 may be in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 38, and in that portion, the amount of crushing of the O-ring 30 is small, so that the adhesion of the O-ring 30 to the cylinder body 21 is reduced. The resistance to the movement of the piston body 26 is reduced.
[0035]
Therefore, as shown in the right half and the left half of FIG. 1, when the piston body 26 is in the first and second predetermined positions, each O-ring 30 causes the cylinder body 21 and the piston body 26 to be separated from each other. Since the fluid is prevented from leaking and the piston body 26 moves between the first and second predetermined positions, the amount of collapse of the O-ring 30 is reduced. The push-in operation can be performed easily with a light force.
[0036]
In the above embodiment, the example in which the present invention is adopted for the air / water supply switching operation valve 20 has been shown, but the present invention may be applied to the suction operation valve 40 and the like.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the inner diameter of the cylinder body where the seal member passes when the piston body moves between the predetermined positions is the same as the inner diameter of the cylinder body where the seal member is in close contact when the piston body is in the predetermined position. By forming the diameter larger than the inner diameter, the amount of crushing of the sealing material during the operation of moving the piston body is reduced. Therefore, the operating force of the operator who operates the endoscope is reduced by reducing the amount of operation force for switching the fluid conduit. Fatigue can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fluid conduit switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an overall schematic diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
21 Cylinder body 26 Piston body 30 O-ring 38 Large diameter part

Claims (4)

An endoscope fluid conduit switching device connected to a fluid conduit of an endoscope for switching the communication state of the fluid conduit, wherein the cylinder body is connected to the fluid conduit, and A piston body, which is inserted into the cylinder body so as to be able to advance and retract in the axial direction and stops at a plurality of predetermined positions, is connected to the fluid pipe line connection state, and an elastic annular member, and is in close contact with the inner surface of the cylinder body. In an endoscope fluid line switching device having a seal member provided on the outer periphery of the piston body so as to prevent fluid leakage by
The inner diameter of the cylinder body where the seal member passes when the piston body moves between the plurality of predetermined positions, and the portion of the seal member that is in close contact with the piston body when the piston body is in the predetermined position. In a portion where the cylinder body is formed to have a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the cylinder body and the inner diameter of the cylinder body is larger, the collapse amount of the seal member is smaller than when the piston body is in the predetermined position. An endoscope fluid conduit switching device characterized by that. The fluid conduit switching device for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the seal member does not touch an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder body at a portion where the inner diameter of the cylinder body is formed to be large. The fluid conduit switching device for an endoscope according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the fluid conduit switched by the piston body is an air / water feed conduit. The fluid conduit switching device for an endoscope according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the fluid conduit switched by the piston body is a suction conduit.

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