JP4827631B2 - Connector part of electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector part of an electronic endoscope.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the signal connector provided in the connector portion of the electronic endoscope is generally provided with a contact group 91 electrically connected to the video processor in the connection tube 92. A cylindrical engagement roller 95 that freely engages and disengages with a guide groove provided on the video processor side is rotatable on a support shaft 94 whose base portion is screwed and fixed to a screw hole 93 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the video processor. It has the structure supported by the shaft (for example, patent document 1).

The screw hole 93 of the connector part of such a conventional electronic endoscope is formed so as to penetrate the connecting tube 92, and an adhesive is used to prevent and seal the base part of the support shaft 94 screwed therein. Is applied.
JP-A-2005-58548

  In recent years, in order to completely prevent infection via an endoscope, an endoscope is often sterilized by high-temperature and high-pressure steam sterilization (autoclave) every time an endoscopic examination is completed. .

  However, when autoclaving is repeated, the adhesive applied to the screw holes 93 deteriorates due to high-temperature and high-pressure steam. The member may be damaged.

  Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a waterproof cap 96 that is detachably attached to the opening of the connection tube 92 to seal the contact group 91 from the outside when autoclaving is performed, It was formed to be large (and therefore heavy) so as to surround the water tightly.

  As a result, the waterproof cap 96 is very difficult to handle and store, such as being difficult to attach and detach, and being easily damaged when dropped. Reference numeral 97 denotes a sealing O-ring provided on the waterproof cap 96.

  Therefore, the present invention has no possibility of vapor entering the connector from the screw hole into which the support shaft is screwed even if the autoclave process is performed. Therefore, the electronic endoscope can be used even in an environment where the autoclave process is repeated. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector part of an electronic endoscope that can obtain a long life and can easily reduce the size of a waterproof cap to improve handling and storage.

  In order to achieve the above object, the connector part of the electronic endoscope of the present invention is a screw formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connection cylinder, in which a contact group electrically connected to the video processor is arranged in the connection cylinder. In a connector portion of an electronic endoscope having a configuration in which a cylindrical engagement roller that engages with a guide groove provided on the video processor side is rotatably supported on a support shaft screwed into a hole. The hole is formed so as not to penetrate between the outer surface and the inner surface of the connecting cylinder, and a vent hole penetrating in the axial direction is formed in the support shaft.

  Note that an adhesive may be applied to the screw hole, and a space is formed between the end of the support shaft located in the screw hole and the bottom of the screw hole, and the ventilation hole is formed in the space. The end may be open.

  In addition, when the waterproof cap for sealing the contact group from the outside is attached to the opening of the connecting cylinder, the engagement roller portion pivotally supported by the support shaft is not covered with the waterproof cap, The cap can also be reduced in size.

  According to the present invention, the screw hole formed in the outer peripheral surface of the connection tube for screwing and fixing the support shaft that rotatably supports the cylindrical engagement roller is provided between the outer surface and the inner surface of the connection tube. Since it is formed so as not to penetrate, even if autoclave processing is performed, there is no possibility of vapor entering the connector from the screw hole into which the support shaft is screwed. Therefore, even in an environment where autoclave processing is repeated The electronic endoscope can have a long life, and the waterproof cap does not need to seal the engagement roller, so it can be downsized to improve handling and storage, and it penetrates the support shaft in the axial direction. By forming the vent hole, air that expands when the adhesive applied to the screw hole is heat-cured is exhausted to the outside through the vent hole, so that it adheres to the rotating part of the engagement roller. Invading agent Without the engagement rollers can be satisfactorily rotate when disengaged the guide groove of the video processor.

  A contact group electrically connected to the video processor is disposed in the connection tube, and a guide groove provided on the video processor side is provided on a support shaft screwed into a screw hole formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connection tube. In a connector portion of an electronic endoscope having a configuration in which a cylindrical engaging roller to be engaged is rotatably supported, a screw hole is formed so as not to penetrate between an outer surface and an inner surface of a connection tube. A vent hole penetrating in the axial direction is formed in the support shaft.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of an electronic endoscope that incorporates a solid-state imaging device at the distal end of the insertion portion 1. A connector portion 4 that is detachably connected to the video processor 50 is attached to the tip of the tube 3.

  5 is a light guide connector for receiving illumination light emitted from a light source lamp built in the video processor 50, and 6 is a signal connector electrically connected to a signal processing circuit built in the video processor 50. It is.

  An engagement roller 7 projecting from the outer periphery of the signal connector 6 is detachably engaged with the signal connector receiver 51 provided in the video processor 50 so that the signal connector 6 can be removably received. A guide groove 52 is formed.

  FIG. 1 shows a portion of the signal connector 6, in which a contact group 11 electrically connected to the video processor 50 side is fixedly projected on the front side of the connector portion 4. It is arranged in the vicinity of the tip. Reference numeral 12 denotes a fixing nut that presses and fixes the contact seat 13 to which the base of the contact group 11 is attached to the inner portion of the connection cylinder 10, and reference numeral 14 denotes a conducting wire connected to the contact group 11.

  A screw hole 16 is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder 10 in a direction perpendicular to the axis. The screw hole 16 is formed from the outer surface side so as not to penetrate between the outer surface and the inner surface of the connection tube 10. In addition, the screw holes 16 are provided at two places with a 180 ° interval in the circumferential direction of the connecting cylinder 10.

  The male screw portion formed at the base portion of the support shaft 17 for rotatably supporting the engagement roller 7 formed in a cylindrical shape is tightly screwed into each screw hole 16 and the screwed portion Is coated with an adhesive for preventing loosening.

  A vent hole 18 penetrating the support shaft 17 in the axial direction is formed at the axial position of the support shaft 17. A space is formed between the end portion of the support shaft 17 located in the screw hole 16 and the bottom portion of the screw hole 16, and the end portion of the vent hole 18 is open to the space.

  In the connector part 4 of the electronic endoscope of the embodiment configured as described above, the screw hole 16 does not penetrate between the outer surface and the inner surface of the connection tube 10, so that the screw hole 16 part at the time of autoclave processing Therefore, there is no possibility of high-temperature and high-pressure steam from entering the connector portion 4 from the inside, and therefore, even in an environment where autoclaving is repeated, the built-in members constituting the electronic endoscope are not deteriorated and a long life can be obtained. it can.

  Since the vent hole 18 that penetrates the support shaft 17 in the axial direction is formed, the adhesive applied to the screw hole 16 is heated and cured in the manufacturing process. Even if the air in the bottom space is thermally expanded, the air is released to the outside through the vent hole 18, so that the adhesive does not enter the rotating portion side of the engagement roller 7, and the engagement roller 7 is video. When engaging / disengaging with the guide groove 52 of the processor 50, it can be rotated well and lightly engaged / disengaged.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which a waterproof cap 20 for sealing the contact group 11 from the outside during autoclave processing or the like is detachably attached to the opening of the connection tube 10. 21 is an O-ring for sealing.

  In this state, since the screw hole 16 does not penetrate between the outer surface and the inner surface of the connection tube 10, the engagement roller 7 in which the waterproof cap 20 is pivotally supported by the support shaft 17 as shown in FIG. 3. It is not necessary to cover the portion, and the waterproof cap 20 only needs to seal the protruding end opening of the connection tube 10. Accordingly, the waterproof cap 20 can be configured in a small size, and handling and storage can be greatly improved.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the signal connector part of the connector part of the electronic endoscope of the Example of this invention. 1 is a side view showing an overall configuration of an electronic endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the waterproof cap was attached to the signal connector of the Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the signal connector part of the connector part of the conventional electronic endoscope. It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the waterproof cap was attached to the conventional signal connector.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 4 Connector part 6 Signal connector 7 Engagement roller 10 Connection cylinder 11 Contact group 16 Screw hole 17 Spindle 18 Vent hole 20 Waterproof cap 50 Video processor 52 Guide groove

Claims (4)

A group of contacts electrically connected to the video processor is disposed in the connection cylinder, and a guide provided on the video processor side is provided on a support shaft screwed into a screw hole formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connection cylinder. In a connector portion of an electronic endoscope having a configuration in which a cylindrical engagement roller that engages with a groove is rotatably supported,
The screw hole is formed so as not to penetrate between the outer surface and the inner surface of the connecting cylinder, and a vent hole penetrating in the axial direction of the support shaft is formed in the support shaft. Connector part of electronic endoscope.   The connector part of the electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive is applied to the screw hole.   2. A space is formed between an end portion of the support shaft located in the screw hole and a bottom portion of the screw hole, and an end portion of the vent hole is open to the space. 3. The connector part of the electronic endoscope according to 2. The engagement roller portion pivotally supported by the support shaft is not covered by the waterproof cap when a waterproof cap for sealing the contact group from the outside is attached to the opening of the connecting cylinder. The connector part of the electronic endoscope as described in 1, 2, or 3.

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