JP3869700B2 - Endoscope with sheath - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
In the present invention, in order to prevent infection from patient to patient via an endoscope, the endoscope insertion portion can be covered at the time of examination and can be disposable after each use. The present invention relates to an endoscope with a sheath.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an endoscope with a sheath, in order to smoothly insert and remove the endoscope insertion portion into and from the sheath, there is an endoscope in which air is inflated into the sheath at the time of insertion and removal.
[0003]
Such a conventional endoscope with a sheath is generally formed of a resilient material in a cylindrical shape, and is inflated by supplying air to the inside to cover the entire endoscope insertion portion, and a sheath And a sheath cover that is detachably attached to the sheath so as to surround the sheath with a gap in order to restrict excessive swelling.
[0004]
An inlet of an air supply conduit for supplying air into the sheath is disposed at a proximal end portion of either the sheath or the sheath cover.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In order to reliably prevent infection between patients due to an endoscope, it is desirable to dispose the sheath and the sheath cover after each use.
[0006]
However, as described above, in the conventional endoscope with a sheath, since the inlet of the air supply conduit for supplying air into the sheath is arranged in either the sheath or the sheath cover, Since the entrance cap, packing, and the like are also made disposable, it is extremely uneconomical and costly for endoscopy.
[0007]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope with a sheath that reduces the cost of a disposable part and has a small cost burden even if the sheath and the sheath cover are disposable.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope with a sheath according to the present invention is formed in a cylindrical shape that is thinner than an endoscope insertion portion by an elastic material and swells by supplying air into the endoscope. A sheath that covers the entire insertion portion, and a sheath cover that is detachably attached to the sheath so as to surround the sheath with a gap in order to restrict overswelling of the sheath. An air supply conduit for feeding the air is inserted into the endoscope insertion portion, and an inlet of the air supply conduit is disposed only at the endoscope operation portion connected to the proximal end of the endoscope insertion portion. is there.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows a state before the sheath 10 is attached to the endoscope 1, and the sheath 10 side is a sectional view.
[0010]
The endoscope 1 has a configuration in which an operation section 3 (endoscope operation section) is connected to a proximal end of a flexible insertion section 2 (endoscope insertion section). An air supply line 4 for supplying gas into the sheath 10 is inserted and arranged.
[0011]
An air supply base 5 that is an inlet of the air supply pipe 4 protrudes from the operation unit 3, and an air supply opening 6 that is an outlet of the air supply pipe 4 opens to the outer surface at the distal end of the insertion part 2. Therefore, the air supply tube 30 or the like can be connected to the air supply base 5 so that air or the like can be blown out from the air supply opening 6.
[0012]
The sheath 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape by an elastic material such as silicon rubber, for example, and only the base end side is opened. The distal end of the sheath 10 is sealed, and at least only that portion is formed to be transparent.
[0013]
The sheath 10 is set so that the inner diameter is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1 and is in close contact with the surface of the insertion portion 2 when covered with the insertion portion 2. A transparent cap-like member may be attached to the distal end of the sheath 10 as a separate part in an airtight manner.
[0014]
A single cylindrical sheath base end cap 11 that engages with a sheath receiver 7 formed at a connecting portion between the insertion portion 2 and the operation portion 3 of the endoscope 1 is connected and fixed to the base end of the sheath 10. Yes.
[0015]
The sheath base end cap 11 is detachably fitted to the outer surface of the sheath receiver 7 of the endoscope 1 and is fixed thereto by tightening a manual fixing screw 12. The minimum inner diameter of the sheath base end cap 11 is formed larger than the maximum outer diameter of the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 1.
[0016]
Reference numeral 20 denotes a plastic sheath cover for restricting the sheath 10 from being swollen too much, having a strength capable of resisting the force with which the sheath 10 is swollen, and is formed in a cylindrical shape whose tip is sealed. ing.
[0017]
The base end of the sheath cover 20 is connected to and secured to a base end cap 21 made of plastic that can be freely engaged with and disengaged from the base end cap 11 of the sheath. By deforming, the outer surface of the sheath base end cap 11 can be lightly engaged and disengaged.
[0018]
In preparation for use of the endoscope with a sheath of the embodiment configured as described above, first, as shown in FIG. 2, the sheath 10 is passed through the sheath cover 20 and the sheath proximal end cap 11 is inserted into the sheath proximal end cap 11. 21 is engaged.
[0019]
Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the insertion portion 2 is pushed into the sheath 10 while the air supply tube 30 is connected to the air supply base 5 of the endoscope 1 and air is sent out from the air supply opening 6.
[0020]
Then, since air is sent out from the air supply port 6 into the sheath 10 and the sheath 10 swells, the insertion portion 2 can be smoothly pushed into the sheath 10. The air sent into the sheath 10 is discharged to the outside from the sheath base end cap 11 side while expanding the sheath 10.
[0021]
FIG. 1 shows a state in which the insertion portion 2 is fully inserted into the sheath 10 as described above, and the sheath base end cap 11 is locked to the sheath receiver 7 by tightening the manual fixing screw 12. The
[0022]
Subsequently, the cover base end cap 21 was removed from the sheath base end cap 11 and the sheath cover 20 was removed from the sheath 10 as shown in FIG. 4, so that only the sheath 10 was tightly coated on the outer surface of the insertion portion 2. It will be in use. In FIGS. 1 and 4, the sheath 10 is illustrated away from the insertion portion 2 in order to make the drawings easy to see.
[0023]
When the endoscopic examination is completed, the sheath 10 is removed from the insertion portion 2 by a procedure reverse to the above. In that case, the sheath 10 is covered with the sheath cover 20, so that the dirt attached to the outer surface of the sheath 10 does not move to the periphery, and the sheath 10 and the sheath cover 20 are removed together from the endoscope 1 and discarded. Can do.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, an endoscope in which an air supply conduit for feeding gas into the sheath is inserted and disposed in the endoscope insertion portion, and an inlet of the air supply conduit is connected to the proximal end of the endoscope insertion portion. By disposing the sheath and the sheath cover only by being disposed only in the operation part, it is not necessary to dispose the air supply conduit, the air supply base, etc., and the cost burden is greatly reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a state in which a sheath of an endoscope with a sheath according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to an endoscope.
FIG. 2 is a side view partially showing in cross section a state before the sheath of the endoscope with sheath of the embodiment of the present invention is attached to the endoscope.
FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state where the sheath of the endoscope with a sheath according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached to the endoscope.
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the endoscope with sheath of the embodiment of the present invention in use.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Endoscope 2 Insertion Section (Endoscope Insertion Section)
3 Operation part (Endoscope operation part)
4 Air supply line 5 Air supply cap (inlet)
6 Air supply port 7 Sheath receiver 10 Sheath 11 Sheath base end cap 12 Manual fixing screw 20 Sheath cover 21 Cover base end cap

Claims (1)

A sheath that is formed of a flexible material in a cylindrical shape that is thinner than the endoscope insertion part and bulges by supplying air to the inside, and covers the entire endoscope insertion part, and restricts excessive expansion of the sheath A sheath cover provided detachably with respect to the sheath so as to surround the sheath with a gap therebetween,
The base end of the sheath cover is provided with only a cover base end cap that can be elastically deformed to engage with and disengage from the outer surface of the sheath base end cap provided at the base end of the sheath.
An endoscope operation section in which an air supply conduit for sending gas into the sheath is inserted and disposed in the endoscope insertion portion, and an inlet of the air supply conduit is connected to a proximal end of the endoscope insertion portion An endoscope with a sheath, characterized in that it is disposed only on the endoscope.

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