JP4338381B2 - 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 a power source for a light source of an endoscope, a battery includes a fuel storage unit that stores a 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. The fuel storage unit can be exchanged while power generation is being performed in the power generation unit.
[0009]
A plurality of fuel storage units may be provided, and at least one of them may be exchangeable while power generation is being performed in the power generation unit.
Further, the illumination light source may be disposed in the operation unit, and a light guide for transmitting illumination light emitted from the illumination light source may be inserted and disposed in the insertion unit, or the illumination light source is inserted. 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. 3 shows the battery 10 and its surroundings, and a fuel storage unit 20 that stores fuel made of alcohol such as ethanol or methanol, which is a raw material for generating hydrogen gas in the power generation unit 30 of the battery 10, The power generation unit 30 is detachably attached to the outer surface portion of the housing 11.
[0016]
The power generation unit 30 that generates power using the fuel flowing in from the fuel storage unit 20 includes a negative electrode unit 31 that extracts hydrogen ions and electrons from the fuel flowing in from the fuel storage unit 20, and a positive electrode unit 33 that converts the hydrogen ions extracted in the negative electrode unit 31. And a positive electrode portion 33 that generates water by combining hydrogen ions sent from the electrolyte portion 32, oxygen in the air, and electrons, and is formed in a cap shape. The housing 11 is housed in the housing 11.
[0017]
The fuel storage unit 20 is configured such that fuel is enclosed in a thin plastic cartridge case, and a hollow needle-like fuel introduction pipe 38A that protrudes outward from the negative electrode unit 31 is stored in the fuel. By piercing the portion 20, the inside of the fuel storage portion 20 communicates with the negative electrode portion 31, and at the same time, the fuel storage portion 20 is held by the outer surface portion of the housing 11. Reference numeral 22 denotes a knob that protrudes laterally from the fuel storage unit 20.
[0018]
A porous membrane that allows air and water vapor to pass through but does not allow water to pass therethrough is attached to the air intake 34 formed on the wall surface of the housing 11 facing the positive electrode portion 33. Although the housing 11 is detachably screwed to the main body cover of the operation unit 2, the housing 11 may be fixed to the operation unit 2.
[0019]
The negative electrode-side conductive wire 36A led from the negative electrode portion 31 of the power generation unit 30 to the inside of the operation unit 2 through the insulating wall 35 is directly connected to the electrode of the illumination light source 9 and penetrates the insulating wall 35 from the positive electrode portion 33. Thus, the positive electrode side conductive wire 36 </ b> B led to the inside of the operation unit 2 can be contacted / disconnected with respect 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. 1, when the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel storage unit 20 decreases, before 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 quickly removed and a new fuel storage unit 20 is installed. Since the fuel introduction pipe 38A is merely pierced into the fuel storage section 20, the attachment can be performed very quickly.
[0023]
In this way, the lighting time of the illuminating light source 9 can be changed continuously by replacing the fuel storage unit 20 with a new one at any time without turning off the illuminating light source 9 and without interrupting the endoscopic observation. Can be extended.
[0024]
FIG. 4 shows a battery 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a plurality of fuel storage units 20 are detachably provided for one power generation unit 30. The other parts are the same as in the first embodiment.
[0025]
In this way, even after the fuel in one fuel storage unit 20 is completely exhausted, the fuel storage unit 20 is individually replaced with a new one before the luminance of the illumination light source 9 is reduced at all. The lighting time of the illumination light source 9 can be continuously extended.
[0026]
FIG. 5 shows a battery 10 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which fuel is injected into the fuel storage unit 20 after the fuel has been removed and removed by forming the fuel storage unit 20 into a syringe shape. And can be reused.
[0027]
In this embodiment, a male thread is formed in the fuel introduction pipe 38B that receives the fuel storage unit 20 and is screwed to the fuel storage unit 20. It can be used. Further, a plurality of fuel storage units 20 may be provided as in the second embodiment.
[0028]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the illumination light source 9 is disposed at the tip of the insertion portion 1, and the battery 10 and the illumination are illuminated. The light guide fiber bundle can be omitted by electrically connecting the light source 9 with the conductive wire 36.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the fuel storage unit of the battery serving as the power source of the illumination light source is detachably provided to the power generation unit, and the fuel storage unit can be replaced while power generation is being performed in the power generation unit. As a result, even if the illumination light source is turned on for a long time, the fuel storage part can be replaced without interrupting the endoscopic observation, and a shortage of battery electromotive force can be avoided. No equipment is required.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a battery when a fuel storage unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention is replaced.
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 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a battery according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an endoscope according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Operation part 8 Light guide fiber bundle 9 Illumination light source 10 Battery 11 Housing 20 Fuel storage part 30 Electric power generation part 31 Negative electrode part 32 Electrolyte part 33 Positive electrode part 36 Conductive wire 38A, 38B Fuel introduction pipe

Claims (4)

In the power source for the light source of the endoscope in which the battery serving as the power source of the illumination light source is arranged in the operation unit in which the base end of the insertion portion of the endoscope is connected to the lower end portion ,
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,
A plurality of the fuel storage units are arranged in parallel along the lower surface of the housing of the power generation unit, and each of the fuel storage units is individually detachably attached to the power generation unit, and power generation is performed in the power generation unit. A power source for an endoscope light source , wherein any one of the plurality of fuel storage portions can be replaced while the fuel is stored. The power source for an endoscope light source according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of fuel storage parts are arranged so as not to protrude substantially outward from the side edges of the power generation part . The internal view according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light source is disposed in the operation unit, and a light guide for transmitting illumination light emitted from the illumination light source is inserted and disposed in the insertion unit. Power supply for mirror light source. The said light source for illumination is arrange | positioned at the front-end | tip of the said insertion part, and the conductor for electrically connecting the light source for illumination and the said battery is penetrated and arrange | positioned in the said insertion part. Power source for endoscope endoscopes.

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