JPH0118734B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope cleaning device, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an endoscope cleaning device that cleans the inside of a conduit provided in an endoscope and a mouthpiece connected thereto, and cleans the outer periphery of the mouthpiece. The present invention relates to an endoscope cleaning device that can also clean surfaces.

Because endoscopes are used to observe diseased parts of body cavities and remove parts of them, cleaning them after use is essential.
It is extremely dangerous to use the device on another patient without performing this cleaning process as there is a risk of disease infection. However, conventionally, when cleaning the inside of an endoscope's duct, a diameter tube was attached to the endoscope's mouthpiece connected to the duct, or a cleaning mouthpiece was screwed on. Even if the inside of the conduit and the mouthpiece can be cleaned, it has been impossible to clean the outer circumferential surface of the endoscope mouthpiece because cleaning water cannot be applied to the outer circumferential surface of the endoscope mouthpiece. Therefore, the outer circumferential surface of the endoscope cap was cleaned separately after the cleaning process was completed, which made the cleaning process twice and was complicated. There is a drawback in that the operating section of the endoscope, which has been cleaned in this manner, may be touched and contaminated.

The present invention has been made to eliminate these drawbacks, and it is possible to clean the outer circumferential surface of the endoscope base together with the endoscope conduit to which the base is connected in a single cleaning operation. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an endoscope cleaning device that can clean the endoscope. The features of the present invention include a cleaning mouthpiece for supplying cleaning water to the mouthpiece of the endoscope connected to the conduit of the endoscope; A cover for connecting the respective caps and covering their connecting ends by being locked by a locking portion provided on the other of the caps, and a cover for connecting the caps when the caps are connected. By increasing the water supply pressure or by intermittently supplying water, each cap is separated against the elastic force of the resilient means, and the endoscope is This is where cleaning water is also applied to the outer circumferential surface of the cap to clean it.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an endoscope 1 to be cleaned, and this endoscope 1 includes an operating section 2, an insertion section 3 that is inserted into a body cavity and remotely controlled by the operating section 2, and a light source device ( (not shown) via a connector 4.
A nozzle 6 protrudes from the distal end surface of the insertion section 3, and this nozzle 6 extends into the endoscope 1 from the insertion section 3 through the operation section 2 to the connector 4 of the light guide cable 5. It is connected to the confluence end of the provided air supply pipe 7 and water supply pipe 8. The air supply pipe line 7 branches when it reaches the connector 4, and the branch ends are connected to an air supply mouthpiece 9 and an air and water supply mouthpiece 10 provided on the connector 4, respectively. Moreover, when the water supply conduit 8 reaches the connector 4, it is connected to the air and water supply mouthpiece 10 in parallel with the air supply conduit 7. When the connector 4 is attached to the light source device (not shown), the air supply cap 9 is connected to an air pump (not shown) in the light source device, and thereby the air supply pipe 7 Air is sent into one branch end 7a of the. The air and water supply mouthpiece 10 is connected to the connection member 12 of the water supply tank 11, and at this time, the air supply tube 13 of the water supply tank 11 is located corresponding to the other branch end 7b of the air supply pipe line 7. On the other hand, the water supply tube 14 of the water supply tank 11 is positioned corresponding to the water supply conduit 8 to supply cleaning water thereto. An air/water supply opening/closing control valve 15 is provided on the path of the air/water supply pipeline 7 and the water supply pipeline 8 in the operating section 2. By operating , either air or cleaning water can be selected and ejected from the nozzle 6 toward the distal end surface of the insertion portion 3 . Further, inside the endoscope 1, there is a channel for inserting a treatment instrument, which has one end opened at the distal end surface of the insertion section 3, the other end opened at the operation section 2, and a forceps plug 16 provided therein. 17 extends from the insertion section 3 to the operation section 2. The channel 17 also serves as a suction conduit, and one end of the suction conduit 18 extending inside the operating section 2 and the light guide cable 5 is connected via a suction opening/closing control valve 19. The other end of the conduit 18 is connected to a suction cap 20 provided on the connector 4. The suction cap 20 is connected to a suction device (not shown), and by operating the suction on/off control valve 19, the suction pipe 18 is connected to the open end of the channel 17 of the insertion section 3 inserted into the body cavity. After that, the filth inside the body cavity can be suctioned out. Further, on the outer circumferential surface of the suction cap 20, two series of chevron-shaped protrusions 21, which serve as locking portions, are formed.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the suction cap 20 of the endoscope 1 described above. A cleaning cap 2 for supplying cleaning water to the suction cap 20
2 has a collar portion 23 at its tip, an inner diameter is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the suction cap 20, and an outer diameter is formed to approximately match the outer diameter of the suction cap 20. (not shown). Two O-rings 24 and 25 for preventing water leakage are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning cap 22 at a predetermined interval.
is fixed liquid-tight. In addition, it is formed in a cylindrical shape, and bent portions 2 at both ends are bent toward the axis.
6 and 27, the cover 28 has the bent portion 26
is loosely fitted between the O-rings 24 and 25. The cover 28 has a bent portion 26
Due to the elastic force of the coil spring 29, which is an elastic means disposed between the flange 23 and the flange 23, the bent portion 26 is normally positioned in pressure contact with the O-ring 25. On the other hand, each O-ring 24, 2
5 and can move relatively in the axial direction. Further, the cover 28 is made of plastic and has elasticity, and when the cleaning cap 22 is arranged so that the tip surfaces of the cleaning cap 22 and the suction cap 20 are in contact with each other, the bent portion 27 is formed of the suction cap 20. The chevron protrusion 21 is connected to its tapered surface 21.
It is guided by a and climbs over, and is locked to the rear end surface of the chevron-shaped protrusion 21. Therefore, the cleaning mouthpiece 22 and the suction mouthpiece 20 are connected, and the connecting ends of the respective mouthpieces 22 and 20 are covered. In this connected state, the caps 22 and 20 are pressed together by the elastic force of the coil spring 29. In addition, in order to release the connected state of each cap 22, 20, press the outer circumferential surface of the cover 28 toward its axis, move the inner diameter edge of the bent portion 27 away from the rear end surface of the chevron-shaped projection 21, What is necessary is to deform the bent portion 27 into a tapered shape and then pull out the cover 28 so that the cleaning mouthpiece 22 is separated from the suction mouthpiece 20.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. In the state shown in FIG. 2a in which the cleaning mouthpiece 22 and the suction mouthpiece 20 are in pressure contact with each other, if cleaning water is supplied with a low water pressure that is weaker than the elastic force of the coil spring 29, the respective mouthpieces 22 and 20 will not separate. Therefore, the cleaning water flows from the cleaning mouthpiece 22, through the suction mouthpiece 20, and into the suction conduit 18 and channel 17 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the interiors of the suction cap 20, the suction conduit 18, and the channel 17 can be cleaned.
During this cleaning, if cleaning water is supplied with a high water pressure that is stronger than the elastic force of the coil spring 29, the impact force on the end surface of the suction mouthpiece 20 that is generated when the cleaning water flows from the cleaning mouthpiece 22 into the suction mouthpiece 20, Due to the inner diameter resistance of the suction cap 20, the cleaning cap 22 moves away from the suction cap 20 against the elastic force of the coil spring 29. Therefore, the O-ring 24 is connected to the bent portion 2 of the cover 28.
6 (see FIG. 2b), the cleaning water flows out from the gap between the cleaning mouthpiece 22 and the suction mouthpiece 20 toward the outer peripheral surface of the suction mouthpiece 20. This cleaning water can further clean the outer circumferential surface of the suction mouthpiece 20 by causing the bent portion 27 to move slightly away from the rear end surface of the chevron-shaped protrusion 21 and flowing out of the cover 28. By providing the O-ring 24 that prevents water leakage, the cleaning water flows through the bent portion 28 of the cover 28.
All of the cleaning water is moved toward the outer circumferential surface of the suction cap 20 without leaking from the end, and cleaning can be performed efficiently.

In addition to increasing the water pressure of the cleaning water, by intermittently supplying water, it is possible to separate the suction cap 20 and the cleaning cap 22 due to the above-mentioned impact force and inner diameter resistance caused by the cleaning water. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface of the suction mouthpiece 20 can also be cleaned by this method.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the suction cap 20 as well. The cover 30 in this embodiment is made of highly elastic plastic and has a cylindrical shape. A bent portion 31 bent toward the axis is formed at one end of the cover 30, and is fixed to the back side of the flange portion 23 of the cleaning mouthpiece 22 by this bent portion 31. Further, at the other end of the cover 30, a diameter-reducing taper part 32 formed to gradually reduce the diameter, and a diameter-enlarging taper part 33 whose diameter gradually increases following the diameter-reducing taper part 32 are continuously formed. is formed. When the cleaning mouthpiece 22 is arranged so that the tip surfaces of the cleaning mouthpiece 22 and the suction mouthpiece 20 are in contact with each other, the cover 30 has two series of chevron-shaped protrusions 21 whose enlarged diameter tapered portions 33 are locking portions.
In addition to being guided by the tapered surface 21a of the ferrule, the diameter-reducing taper portion 32 is elastically engaged with the ridge portion of the chevron-shaped protrusion 21, thereby connecting the caps 22, 20. It is a pressure contact. That is, in this embodiment, the elastic force of the cover 30 itself constitutes the elastic means for pressing the caps 22, 20 together. In addition, in this embodiment, each of the caps 22,
20, by moving the cover 30 against its elastic force so as to separate the cleaning cap 22 from the suction cap 20.
It can be easily removed by being guided by the diameter-reducing tapered portion 32.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. When the cleaning mouthpiece 22 and the suction mouthpiece 20 are in pressure contact with each other in the state shown in FIG.
0. The insides of the suction conduit 18 and channel 17 (see FIG. 1) can be cleaned. on the other hand,
When cleaning water is supplied with high water pressure to clean the outer peripheral surface of the suction cap 20, the cleaning water acts in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above, and resists the elastic force of the cover 30 itself. While expanding the diameter of the diameter-reducing taper portion 32, the cleaning mouthpiece 22 moves away from the suction mouthpiece 20, and the diameter-reduction taper portion 32
When the elastic force of the cover 30 itself, which has been increased by the diameter expansion, and the water pressure of the cleaning water are balanced, the cleaning mouthpiece 22 stops moving (see FIG. 3b). In this way, a gap is created between the suction cap 20 and the cleaning cap 22, and the cleaning water flowing out from this gap cleans the outer peripheral surface of the suction cap 20, and then expands the diameter-reducing taper part 32 slightly. It radiates, passes through the diameter-expanding taper portion 33, and flows out of the cover 30. Note that, similarly to the first embodiment described above, it is also possible to wash the outer circumferential surface of the suction mouthpiece 20 by intermittently supplying washing water.

According to this embodiment, since the elastic means is configured by the elastic force of the cover 30 itself, the entire device is simplified, and the suction mouthpiece 20 is Cleaning cap 22
It is extremely easy to attach and detach the device.

In addition, in the second embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. may be configured to be locked to the flange portion 23 of the cleaning mouthpiece 22. In this case, the flange portion 23 serves as a locking portion.

In this embodiment, when cleaning the outer circumferential surface of the suction nozzle 20, the outflow portion of the cleaning water from the cover 30 is directed not toward the suction nozzle 20, but toward the cleaning nozzle 20.
The second embodiment has the same function as the second embodiment described above, except that it operates in two directions. Also, cover 30
By providing a through hole in the bent portion 31 of the suction mouthpiece 31 to allow cleaning water to flow out, the cleaning water used when cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the suction mouthpiece 20 described above can flow out from the direction of the suction mouthpiece 20. Wash water can flow out of the cover 30 more smoothly.

In each of the embodiments described above, a case has been described in which the locking portion is formed of a protruding portion such as the chevron-shaped projection 21 or the collar portion 23, but it may also be formed of a recessed portion such as a groove. Further, the cap of the endoscope to which the present invention is applied is the suction cap 2 described above.
Needless to say, it is not limited to 0.

As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, cleaning of the outer circumferential surface of the endoscope base and the inside of the pipe connected thereto can be completed in one cleaning operation. , it is possible to achieve the effect that cleaning work can be performed efficiently.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figures show a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the pipes of an endoscope to be cleaned; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment, a is a normal cleaning state, and b is a cleaning state of the outer circumferential surface of the cap. FIG. FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a normal cleaning state in another embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Endoscope, 7...Air supply pipe, 8...Water supply pipe, 9...Air supply mouthpiece, 10...Air and water supply mouthpiece, 17...Channel, 18...For suction conduit,
20...Suction cap, 21...Chevron protrusion, 22...
Cleaning cap, 23...Brim part, 26, 27...Bending part, 28...Cover, 29...Coil spring, 3
0... Cover, 31... Bent part, 32... Diameter reducing taper part, 33... Diameter expanding taper part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an endoscope cleaning device for cleaning the inside of a conduit provided in an endoscope, a cleaning device for supplying cleaning water to a mouthpiece of an endoscope connected to the conduit. a base having a base, one end that fits loosely into one base, and the other end that removably locks onto the other base, and is used to cover the connecting ends when the respective bases are connected. When the cover and each cap are connected,
An endoscope cleaning device comprising a resilient means for pressing these into contact. 2. The endoscope cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the resilient means is constituted by the resilient force of the cover itself. 3. Cleaning of an endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that one end of the cover is provided on the mouthpiece of the endoscope, and the other end is locked on a locking part provided on the cleaning mouthpiece. Device.