JP5297901B2 - End structure of endoscope insertion part - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a distal end portion structure of an endoscope insertion portion.

An observation window (objective lens) and an air / water supply nozzle having an opening facing the observation window are provided on the flat distal end surface of the insertion portion of the endoscope of Patent Document 1. The observation window protrudes forward from the distal end surface (uneven plane) of the insertion portion. The distal end surface is located around the observation window and projects forward from the outer peripheral side toward the inner peripheral side (observation window side). An annular inclined portion in which the angle increases increases.
When cleaning water is sprayed from the air / water supply nozzle, the cleaning water moves from the opening of the air / water supply nozzle toward the observation window, and cleans the entire surface of the observation window while spreading radially by contacting the inclined portion.
Further, when air is ejected from the air / water feeding nozzle after this, the air flow is directed toward the observation window from the opening of the air / water feeding nozzle and hits the entire surface of the observation window while spreading radially by contacting the inclined portion. Therefore, the washing water remaining on the surface of the observation window is removed by the jetted air flow.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-210388

In the endoscope of Patent Document 1, since the inclined portion is formed around the observation window, when the distance from the air / water supply nozzle to the observation window is long, the air jet is ejected from the opening of the air / water supply nozzle. The washing water and the air flow come into contact with the inclined portion while losing momentum at the initial stage of injection. For this reason, the cleaning water and the air flow cannot be blown onto the surface of the observation window vigorously, and the observation window cannot be reliably cleaned and the cleaning liquid can be removed.
On the other hand, if the distance from the air / water supply nozzle to the observation window is extremely shortened, the cleaning water and the air flow contacting the inclined portion reach the surface of the observation window in an insufficiently diffused state. For this reason, it is difficult to inject the cleaning water and the airflow onto the entire surface of the observation window, although it can be injected vigorously onto the observation window.
Furthermore, since the observation window protrudes forward from the distal end surface (deviation plane) of the insertion portion, and the air / water supply nozzle protrudes further forward from the distal end surface (deviation plane) than the observation window, When the distance between the nozzle for observation and the observation window is short, there is a possibility that the air / water feeding nozzle enters the observation field of view of the observation window (vignetting) or flare due to the reflected light of the air / water feeding nozzle occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the distance between the air / water supply nozzle and the observation window, and the diameter of the distal end portion of the insertion portion increases.
In addition, the observation window and the air / water supply nozzle may interfere with the insertion operation into the body cavity.

  The present invention provides a distal end of an endoscope insertion portion capable of ejecting fluid discharged from a nozzle to an objective lens in a wide range and vigorously, and capable of suppressing the protrusion amount from the distal end surface of the insertion portion of the objective lens and the nozzle as much as possible. An object is to provide a partial structure.

The structure of the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion of the present invention includes an observation window provided on the distal end surface of the insertion portion of the endoscope , and fluid flowing from the opening facing the observation window side to the observation window. A nozzle that radiates, and an annular recess that is recessed in the tip surface and has an annular surface that surrounds the periphery of the nozzle in a front view and has an inclined surface that increases in the amount of dent toward the inner circumferential direction. At least a part of the opening is positioned on the proximal end side of the insertion portion with respect to the distal end surface and faces the inclined surface.

  An adhesive may be applied to a region of the inclined surface that does not face the opening to fix the inclined surface and the nozzle.

  Further, the adhesive located on both sides of the opening may be in contact with the fluid ejected from the opening, thereby defining the ejection range of the fluid.

According to another aspect, the distal end structure of the endoscope insertion portion of the present invention includes an observation window provided on the distal end surface of the insertion portion of the endoscope , and an opening that protrudes from the distal end surface and faces the observation window side. a nozzle for emitting fluid to the observation window from and recessed into the opening facing portions of the front-end surface, a substantially circular arc shape around the nozzle in a front view, and, towards the said nozzle side An arcuate recess having an inclined surface with an increased dent amount , and at least a part of the opening of the nozzle is positioned on the proximal side of the insertion portion with respect to the distal end surface and faces the inclined surface. It is characterized by.

A regulation wall may be formed at both ends of the inclined surface of the arcuate recess, and the regulation wall may be in contact with the fluid ejected from the opening to define the fluid ejection range.

  In any aspect, the nozzle may include a water supply nozzle and an air supply nozzle which are independent from each other.

According to the present invention, when the fluid is ejected vigorously from the opening of the nozzle, the fluid comes into contact with the inclined surface, so that the fluid is largely diffused by the inclined surface. Therefore, even when the fluid can be ejected vigorously from the nozzle by narrowing the opening width of the nozzle, the fluid can be ejected over the entire surface of the objective lens. In addition, since the inclined surface is opposed to the nozzle opening (distance is short), the fluid instantaneously contacts the inclined surface after being ejected from the nozzle, so that the fluid moves toward the objective lens without losing its momentum. . Therefore, even when the distance between the nozzle and the objective lens is long to some extent, the fluid can be ejected vigorously over the entire surface of the objective lens.
In addition, since the rear part of the nozzle opening is located on the base end side of the insertion part from the front end surface of the insertion part, and there is no need to project the objective lens forward of the front end face, insertion of the objective lens and the nozzle It is possible to suppress the protrusion amount from the tip surface of the portion as much as possible. Therefore, even if the tip of the insertion portion is made small in diameter, there is no risk of the nozzle entering the observation field of the objective lens (vignetting) or flare due to the reflected light of the nozzle, and the objective lens or nozzle is inserted into the body cavity. There is no hindrance to the operation.

  If comprised like Claim 2, it becomes possible to raise the fixed strength of the nozzle with respect to the front-end | tip part of an insertion part.

  If comprised like Claim 3 or Claim 5, the injection range of the injected fluid can be controlled accurately.

1 is an overall view of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the front-end | tip part of an insertion part. It is a front view of the front-end | tip part of an insertion part. It is a vertical side view of the front-end | tip part of an insertion part. It is a front view of the nozzle for water supply and its peripheral part. It is a vertical side view of a part of the distal end portion of the insertion portion for explaining the observation field of view of the objective lens. It is a front view similar to FIG. 5 of a modification. It is a front view similar to FIG. 5 of another modification.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the front-rear direction defines the front end surface 16 side of the insertion portion 12 of the electronic endoscope 10 as “front” and the connector portion 14 side as “rear”.
The electronic endoscope 10 is fixed to the operation unit 11, the insertion unit 12 that extends forward from the operation unit 11, the universal tube 13 that extends from the operation unit 11 to the opposite side of the insertion unit 12, and the rear end of the universal tube 13. , And a connector unit 14 connected to a processor (light source / image processing apparatus) (not shown). The portion excluding the distal end portion of the insertion portion 12 is flexible and can be bent, and the distal end portion is made of a hard distal end portion 15 made of a hard material (for example, synthetic resin such as modified PPO) and cannot be deformed. The distal end surface 16 of the distal end hard portion 15 is a circular flat surface in a front view perpendicular to the axis of the insertion portion 12, and the distal end hard portion 15 is formed with six through passages extending in the axial direction.
At the rear end of the treatment instrument pipe line 20, which is one of the through paths, a treatment instrument extending forward from the treatment instrument insertion protrusion 17 projecting from the front end of the operation section 11 through the internal space of the insertion section 12. The front end of the insertion tube (not shown) is connected. An illumination lens L1 is fitted and fixed to each of the front end portions of two other through passages having a smaller diameter than the treatment instrument pipe line 20. The front end portion of the light guide fiber (not shown) is inserted in the rear part of the two through passages to which the illumination lens L1 is fixed, and the rear end part of each light guide fiber is the insertion part. 12, the operation part 11 and the universal tube 13 are extended to the inside of the connector part 14. Therefore, when the connector portion 14 is connected to the processor, the illumination light generated by the light source built in the processor is supplied to the pair of illumination lenses L1 through the light guide fiber, and forward of the distal end hard portion 15 from each illumination lens L1. Is irradiated.

  An observation window L2a is fitted and fixed to the front end portion of the through path located between the pair of illumination lenses L1. Further, two lenses L2b and L2c positioned behind the observation window L2a are fixed in the through passage, and the objective lens group is configured by the observation window L2a and the lenses L2b and L2c. Further, an imaging element (not shown) located immediately after the lens L2c is provided in the pipe line, and a signal line extending backward from the imaging element is provided inside the insertion unit 12, the operation unit 11, and the universal tube 13. It extends through the connector part 14. Therefore, when the image pickup device picks up an observation image obtained through the observation window L2a and the lenses L2b and L2c, the image data converted into an electric signal by the image pickup device is stored in the processor through the signal line. The image is sent to the processing device and processed by the image processing device. The processed image is displayed on a television monitor (not shown) connected to the processor.

The remaining two through passages adjacent to each other are a water supply conduit 21 and an air supply conduit 22, and the front end peripheral portions of the water supply conduit 21 and the air supply conduit 22 are from the outer peripheral side to the inner peripheral side. It becomes the annular recessed parts 23a and 24a which have the inclined surfaces 23 and 24 from which the amount of dents from the front end surface 16 increases gradually as it goes. A water supply nozzle 25 and an air supply nozzle 27, which are tubular members made of, for example, stainless steel, are fitted to the front ends of the water supply pipe 21 and the air supply pipe 22, respectively. The water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 have the same shape, and both the rear end are open, but the front end face is closed. The front end portions of the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 protrude slightly forward from the front end surface 16 of the distal end hard portion 15 (see FIGS. 4 and 6), and the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 Openings 26 and 28 facing the observation window L2a are formed on the peripheral surface of the front end. As shown in FIG. 4, the front portions of the openings 26 and 28 are positioned slightly forward of the front end surface 16, and the rear portions of the openings 26 and 28 are positioned rearward of the front end surface 16. As shown in the drawing, a part of the inclined surface 23 faces the rear part of the opening 26 (positions in the front-rear direction match), and a part of the inclined surface 24 faces the rear part of the opening 28 (front and rear). The direction position matches.) As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 are respectively fixed to the inclined surface 23 and the inclined surface 24 with an adhesive S (for example, epoxy resin). As shown in the figure, the adhesive S is applied to a region of the inclined surface 23 that does not face the opening 26 and a region that does not face the opening 28 of the inclined surface 24.

  A front end of a water supply pipe (not shown) is connected to the rear end of the water supply pipe 21, and the rear end of the water supply pipe passes through the insertion portion 12, the operation portion 11, and the universal tube 13 to connect the connector portion 14. It extends to the inside. On the other hand, the front end of an air supply pipe (not shown) is connected to the rear end of the air supply pipe line 22, and the rear end of the air supply pipe passes through the insertion portion 12, the operation portion 11, and the universal tube 13 to be a connector. It extends to the inside of the part 14. An intermediate portion between the water supply pipe and the air supply pipe is connected to an air / water supply cylinder (not shown) provided inside the operation unit 11. The air / water supply cylinder has a hollow cylindrical shape, and is provided with an air / water supply button B that can be moved into and out of the air / water supply cylinder and the operation unit 11, and a piston provided on the air / water supply button B (Not shown) is in sliding contact with the inner surface of the cylinder. Further, the other end of a water supply tube (not shown) whose one end is located in a water supply bottle (not shown) is connected to the rear end of the water supply pipe (the end on the connector part 14 side). Furthermore, one end of an air supply tube (not shown) is positioned in the air reservoir in the water supply bottle, and the other end of the air supply tube is connected to the rear end of the air supply tube (the end on the connector part 14 side). doing. Further, compressed air (fluid) is constantly sent from a compressed air source (not shown) to the air reservoir of the water supply bottle, and this compressed air is always supplied via an air supply tube, an air supply pipe, and an air supply / water supply cylinder. Thus, air leaks to the outside through the air escape hole formed on the upper surface of the air / water feed button B.

When the insertion portion 12 of the electronic endoscope 10 is inserted into the body cavity of the patient and the inside of the body cavity is observed, if the surface of the observation window L2a becomes dirty with the patient's body fluid or the like, an observation image displayed on the television monitor Becomes unclear. Therefore, in such a case, the air / water supply button B is pushed in while closing the air escape hole. Then, since the pressure of the compressed air is applied to the cleaning water (fluid) W in the water supply bottle, the cleaning water W is supplied to the water supply tube, the rear part of the water supply pipe, the air supply / water supply cylinder, the front part of the water supply pipe, and the water supply line. 21 and the water supply nozzle 25, and then sprayed from the opening 26 to the observation window L 2 a side. Since the opening 26 is formed to be small, the washing water W is ejected vigorously from the opening 26, and immediately after being ejected, the washing water W vigorously contacts the inclined surface 23 facing the opening 26 (close to the distance). Then, by contacting the inclined surface 23 and diffusing in a fan shape in a front view with almost no loss of its momentum, it goes to the observation window L2a side, so even if the distance between the opening 26 and the observation window L2a is long to some extent The cleaning water W is ejected vigorously over the entire surface of the observation window L2a. Therefore, the body fluid adhering to the surface of the observation window L2a is surely removed by the washing water W.
Subsequently, when the air escape hole is closed without pushing the air / water supply button B to the operation unit 11 side, the supply of the cleaning water W from the water supply bottle to the electronic endoscope 10 is cut off instead of the compressed air source. Compressed air passes through the air supply tube, the rear part of the air supply pipe, the air supply / water supply cylinder, the front part of the air supply pipe, the air supply line 22, and the air supply nozzle 27, from the opening 28 to the observation window L2a side. Is injected into. Since the opening 28 of the air supply nozzle 27 is formed to be small, this compressed air is ejected vigorously from the opening 28, and after being ejected, the compressed air is instantaneously opposed to the inclined surface 24 (which is close in distance). Contact well. Then, by coming into contact with the inclined surface 24 toward the observation window L2a while diffusing in a fan shape in a front view with almost no loss of its momentum, even if the distance between the opening 28 and the observation window L2a is long to some extent. The compressed air is jetted vigorously over the entire surface of the observation window L2a. Accordingly, the cleaning water W remaining on the surface of the observation window L2a is removed by the compressed air.

As described above, in the electronic endoscope 10 of the present embodiment, even when the distance between the water supply nozzle 25 (opening 26), the air supply nozzle 27 (opening 28) and the observation window L2a is long to some extent, The washing water W and the compressed air can be jetted vigorously over the entire surface of the window L2a.
Further, the rear portion of the opening 26 of the water supply nozzle 25 and the opening 28 of the air supply nozzle 27 are located behind the distal end surface 16 of the distal end hard portion 15 and the amount of projection from the distal end surface 16 of the observation window L2a. Is smaller than the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, even if the distal end hard portion 15 has a small diameter (even if the distance from the observation window L2a to the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 is not long), the water is supplied to the observation field of view of the observation window L2a. There is no possibility that the nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 enter (vignetting) or flare due to the reflected light of the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 occurs. Furthermore, the observation window L2a, the water supply nozzle 25, and the air supply nozzle 27 do not hinder the insertion operation of the electronic endoscope 10 into the body cavity.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on the said embodiment, this invention can be implemented, giving various changes.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, both end positions of the application region with respect to the inclined surface 23 (inclined surface 24) of the adhesive S may be closer to the opening 26 (opening 28) side. If it does in this way, since the washing water W (compressed air) injected to the both ends of the adhesive S will contact, the injection range (diffusion range) of the washing water W (compressed air) will be accurately determined by the both ends of the adhesive S. Can be regulated.
Further, as shown in FIG. 8, instead of the annular recesses 23 a and 24 a having circular (annular) -shaped inclined surfaces 23 and 24 on the front end surface 16, a water supply nozzle 25 (air supply nozzle 27) in front view. Arc-shaped recesses 23'a and 24'a having inclined surfaces 23 'and 24' having an arc shape (substantially arc-shaped, that is, not necessarily an exact arc) centered on the opening 26 (opening 28). You may form so that it may oppose. The curvature and the cross-sectional shape of the inclined surfaces 23 ′ and 24 ′ in the front view are the same as those of the inclined surfaces 23 and 24. In such a configuration, the sprayed cleaning water W (compressed air) contacts the fifteen restriction walls 15a located at both ends of the arc-shaped recesses 23'a and 24'a ( inclined surfaces 23 'and 24' ). Therefore, the jetting range (diffusion range) of the cleaning water W (compressed air) can be accurately regulated by both the regulating walls 15a. In this case, by setting the outer diameter of the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 to be slightly larger than those of the water supply pipe 21 and the air supply pipe 22, the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 are used. The water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 may be fixed to the water supply line 21 and the air supply line 22 by the fitting force to the water supply line 21 and the air supply line 22. An adhesive may be applied to the peripheral portions of the nozzle 25, the air supply nozzle 27, the water supply conduit 21, and the air supply conduit 22 so as to avoid the inclined surfaces 23 ′ and 24 ′.
Although not shown in the drawings, the front end surfaces of the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 are positioned at the same front and rear positions as the front end surface 16 of the hard tip portion 15 so that the whole or front portion of the openings 26 and 28 is located. The inclined surfaces 23, 24, 23 ′, and 24 ′ may be opposed (positions in the front-rear direction may be matched).
Further, instead of the water supply nozzle 25 and the air supply nozzle 27 which are independent from each other, a nozzle (not shown) having a water supply function and an air supply function is provided, and the inclined surfaces 23, 24, 23 ′, 24 are provided around the nozzles. 'May be formed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electronic endoscope 11 Operation part 12 Insertion part 13 Universal tube 14 Connector part 15 Tip hard part 15a Restriction wall 16 Tip surface 17 Treatment tool insertion protrusion 20 Treatment tool pipe 21 Water supply pipe 22 Air supply pipe Road 23 24 23 '24' Inclined surface
23a 24a annular recess
23'a 24'a Arc-shaped recessed part 25 Nozzle for water supply (nozzle)
26 Opening 27 Nozzle for air supply (nozzle)
28 Opening B Air / Water Supply Button L1 Illumination Lens L2a Observation Window (Objective Lens Group)
L2b lens (objective lens group)
L2c lens (objective lens group)
S Adhesive W Wash water (fluid)

Claims (6)

An observation window provided on the distal end surface of the insertion portion of the endoscope ;
A nozzle that projects from the tip surface and radiates fluid to the observation window from an opening facing the observation window side ;
An annular recess having an inclined surface that is recessed in the tip surface and has an annular shape that surrounds the periphery of the nozzle in a front view and increases in the amount of recess as it goes in the inner circumferential direction ;
With
At least a part of the opening of the nozzle is positioned on the proximal end side of the insertion portion with respect to the distal end surface and faces the inclined surface, The distal end structure of an endoscope insertion portion, The distal end structure of the endoscope insertion portion according to claim 1,
A distal end structure of an endoscope insertion portion in which an adhesive is applied to the inclined surface to fix the inclined surface and the nozzle. The distal end structure of the endoscope insertion portion according to claim 2,
A distal end structure of an endoscope insertion portion that defines an ejection range of the fluid when the adhesive located on both sides of the opening comes into contact with the fluid ejected from the opening. An observation window provided on the distal end surface of the insertion portion of the endoscope ;
A nozzle that projects from the tip surface and radiates fluid to the observation window from an opening facing the observation window side ;
An arcuate recess having a substantially arcuate shape centered on the nozzle in a front view and having an inclined surface in which the amount of dent increases toward the nozzle side. When,
With
At least a part of the opening of the nozzle is positioned on the proximal end side of the insertion portion with respect to the distal end surface and faces the inclined surface, The distal end structure of an endoscope insertion portion, The distal end structure of the endoscope insertion portion according to claim 4,
Restriction walls are formed at both ends of the inclined surface of the arcuate recess ,
A distal end structure of an endoscope insertion portion that defines an ejection range of the fluid when the restriction wall contacts the fluid ejected from the opening. In the front-end | tip part structure of the endoscope insertion part of any one of Claim 1 to 5,
A distal end structure of an endoscope insertion portion in which the nozzle includes a water supply nozzle and an air supply nozzle that are independent of each other.

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