JP4274517B2 - Power source for endoscope light source - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a power source for an endoscope light source in which a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is disposed in an operation unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a portable endoscope such as a so-called bedside endoscope for performing endoscopy without moving a patient from a hospital room or the like, a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is disposed in an operation unit. Yes.
[0003]
However, the power source for such an endoscope light source must be replaced when the electromotive force of the battery becomes insufficient during endoscopy, and the illumination is darkened each time the endoscope is Since the mirror observation is interrupted, it is necessary to turn the illumination on again after replacing the battery and start observation from the middle.
[0004]
Therefore, conventionally, a plurality of types of power sources can be connected, and when the electromotive force of the battery decreases, an appropriate power source can be selected and used from a plurality of types of power sources according to the environment ( For example, Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-224906
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as described above, even when a power source that replaces the battery can be selected and used from among a plurality of types of power sources, when the electromotive force of the battery decreases during endoscopic observation, another power source is used instead of the battery. When switching to a power source, the lighting becomes dark, so it is still necessary to turn on the lighting and start observation from the middle.
[0007]
Therefore, the present invention can avoid a shortage of battery electromotive force without interrupting the endoscopic observation even if the illumination light source is lit for a long time, and also does not require special additional equipment. An object is to provide a power source for a light source.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the power source for an endoscope light source according to the present invention includes an operation unit connected to a proximal end of an insertion portion of an endoscope in which a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is disposed. In the power source for the light source of the endoscope, the battery includes a fuel storage unit that stores fuel that is a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, and a power generation unit that generates power using the fuel that flows from the fuel storage unit. The part is provided with a fuel supply port for supplying fuel from the outside.
[0009]
Note that an elastic O-ring may be disposed at the fuel supply port, and the fuel supply port may be closed by pressing the O-ring into a crushed state.
Further, the illumination light source may be disposed in the operation section, and a light guide for transmitting illumination light emitted from the illumination light source may be inserted and disposed in the insertion section, or the illumination light source may be disposed in the insertion section. The electrical conductor for electrically connecting the illumination light source and the battery may be inserted and disposed in the insertion portion.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 schematically shows the overall configuration of the portable endoscope. The operation section 2 is connected to the base end of the flexible insertion section 1, and the observation window 3 and the illumination window 4 are connected to the distal end of the insertion section 1. They are arranged side by side.
[0011]
An objective optical system 5 is disposed in the back of the observation window 3, and an incident end face of the image guide fiber bundle 6 is disposed at a projection position of the subject by the objective optical system 5.
[0012]
The image guide fiber bundle 6 is inserted and arranged over the entire length of the insertion portion 1, and the exit end face of the image guide fiber bundle 6 can be enlarged and observed at the eyepiece portion 7 protruding from the upper end of the operation portion 2. It can be done.
[0013]
The light guide fiber bundle 8 inserted and arranged alongside the image guide fiber bundle 6 in the insertion section 1 has an emission end face disposed on the back side of the illumination window 4, and an incident end face 8 a disposed on the operation section 2.
[0014]
An illumination light source 9 made of a light emitting diode or a bean lamp is arranged opposite to the incident end face 8a of the light guide fiber bundle 8, and a battery 10 as a power source of the illumination light source 9 is directly attached to the operation unit 2. It has been.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows a battery 10, and a fuel storage unit 20 that stores a fuel made of alcohol such as ethanol or methanol, which is a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, and power generation using the fuel that flows from the fuel storage unit 20. The power generation unit 30 is housed in a plastic cap-shaped housing 11 that is detachably screwed to the main body cover of the operation unit 2. However, the housing 11 may be fixed to the operation unit 2.
[0016]
The fuel storage unit 20 is formed by a space between the negative electrode portion 31 of the power generation unit 30 and the inner wall surface of the housing 11. A fuel supply port 21 that communicates with the fuel storage unit 20 and opens to the outer surface is provided in the housing 11. Is formed.
[0017]
A rubber O-ring 21a is disposed at the mouth opening of the fuel supply port 21, and a manual nut 21b that presses and crushes the O-ring 21a is screwed together. The fuel supply port 21 is closed by tightening 21b to keep the O-ring 21a crushed.
[0018]
The power generation unit 30 includes a negative electrode unit 31 that extracts hydrogen ions and electrons from the fuel flowing from the fuel storage unit 20, an electrolyte unit 32 that sends the hydrogen ions extracted by the negative electrode unit 31 to the positive electrode unit 33, and a The positive electrode part 33 that combines the generated hydrogen ions, oxygen in the air, and electrons to generate water is arranged in order, and is formed on the wall surface of the portion of the housing 11 that faces the positive electrode part 33. The air intake 34 is provided with a porous membrane that allows air and water vapor to pass through but not water.
[0019]
The negative electrode side conductive wire 36A led from the negative electrode part 31 through the insulating wall 35 to the inside of the operation part 2 is directly connected to the electrode of the light source 9 for illumination, and penetrates the insulating wall 35 from the positive electrode part 33 to the operation part 2. The positive-side conductive wire 36 </ b> B led to the inside can be freely connected / disconnected to the electrode of the illumination light source 9 by a manual switch 37.
[0020]
The manual switch 37 may have any configuration. In this embodiment, the manual switch 37 electrically connects / disconnects between the positive electrode side conductive line 36 </ b> B connected to the positive electrode portion 33 and the electrode of the illumination light source 9. In this way, the conductive piece 37a that is slidable in the direction of the arrow S is integrally connected to the slide operation piece 37b that protrudes from the housing 11, and the slide operation piece 37b is covered with a rubber cover 37c for sealing. ing.
[0021]
With this configuration, when the manual switch 37 is turned on, the illumination light source 9 is turned on by the electricity generated by the electrochemical reaction in the power generation unit 30 to illuminate the subject that is the observation target of the endoscope. Is supplied to the light guide fiber bundle 8 and the illumination light source 9 is turned off when the manual switch 37 is turned off.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 3, when the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel storage unit 20 decreases, the electromotive force of the battery 10 becomes insufficient to cause the illumination light source 9 to emit light. The fuel storage unit 20 is refueled from the external refueling device 40.
[0023]
The fuel supply device 40 shown in this embodiment has a substantially syringe-like shape, and after loosening the manual nut 21b of the fuel storage unit 20 a little, the non-pointed needle-like portion 41 is passed through the O-ring 21a and inside the fuel storage unit 20. The fuel is injected into the fuel storage unit 20 from the fuel supply device 40. After the injection, the fuel supply device 40 is removed from the fuel supply port 21, and the manual nut 21b is tightened as it is to close the fuel supply port 21.
[0024]
In this way, the fuel storage unit 20 is arbitrarily refilled at any time without turning off the illumination light source 9 and thus without interrupting the endoscopic observation, and the illumination light source 9 is continuously turned on. Can be extended.
[0025]
4 and 5 show an endoscope and its battery 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, an illumination light source 9 is arranged at the distal end of the insertion portion 1. A conductive wire 36 for electrically connecting the illumination light source 9 and the battery 10 is inserted into the insertion portion 1. Therefore, no light guide fiber bundles are provided.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 5, the two conductive wires 36 are connected to the negative electrode side conductive wire 36A and the conductive piece 37a of the manual switch 37 on the battery 10 side, and the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. It is the same. For refueling the fuel storage unit 20, a flexible plastic ampoule cartridge type fuel replenishment device 50 as illustrated in FIG. 5 and other various devices can be used.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source includes a fuel storage unit that stores fuel that is a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, and a power generation unit that generates power using the fuel flowing from the fuel storage unit. In addition, the fuel storage part is provided with a fuel supply port for replenishing fuel from the outside, so if the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel storage part decreases, refuel before the battery electromotive force becomes insufficient By refueling the fuel storage part from the mouth, the illumination light source can be kept on for a long time without interrupting the endoscopic observation, and no special additional equipment is required.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the battery in a state during refueling according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a battery in a state during refueling according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Operation part 9 Illumination light source 10 Battery 11 Housing 20 Fuel storage part 21 Fuel supply port 21a O-ring 21b Manual nut 30 Power generation part 31 Negative electrode part 32 Electrolyte part 33 Positive electrode part 36, 36A, 36B Conductive wire 37 Manual switch 37a Conductive piece 40, 50 Refueling device

Claims (3)

In the power source for an endoscope light source in which a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is arranged on the operation unit connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope,
The battery includes a fuel storage unit that stores fuel that is a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, and a power generation unit that generates power using the fuel that has flowed from the fuel storage unit. fuel supply port is provided for supplying,
An elastic O-ring is disposed at the fuel supply port, and a manual nut that presses and crushes the O-ring is screwed into the fuel supply port to tighten the manual nut. When the O-ring is crushed, the fuel supply port is closed by the O-ring, and the manual nut is loosened to weaken the pressing force acting on the O-ring. A power source for an endoscope light source, characterized in that fuel can be replenished into the fuel storage part through the fuel replenishing port . The illumination light source has been arranged on the operation unit, the endoscope of the light guide from the illumination light source for transmitting the illuminating light emitted the mounting according to claim 1 Symbol are inserted and arranged in the insertion portion Power supply for light source. The illumination light source has been arranged at the distal end of the insertion portion, No electrically conductive member for connecting the mounting according to claim 1 Symbol are inserted and arranged in the insertion portion and the illumination light source and the battery Power source for endoscope light source.

Images