JPH01285239A - Washing apparatus for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To again automatically continue a washing process even if the washing process is interrupted when a chemical liquid is increased, by temporarily interrupting the washing process when it is detected that a predetermined amount or more of the chemical liquid is present in a chemical liquid take 42 to discharge the chemical liquid and subsequently recovering and continuing the washing process. CONSTITUTION:Occasionally, there is such a case that the level of the chemical liquid in a chemical liquid tank 42 rises from that before a recovery process by recovering said chemical liquid in the chemical liquid tank 42 and the first contact part 58a of the second water level detector 57 is turned ON. That is, when a water level rises by the recovery of the washing water remaining in a washing tank 2 or the washing water adhered to an endoscope, a chemical liquid discharge process is performed. In this case, since the first contact part 58a is turned OFF by discharging the chemical liquid, the next rinsing process and air process are performed successively after discharge. When the water level in the chemical liquid tank 42 rises because of the trouble of the washing apparatus and said water level is not lowered even after the chemical liquid is discharged, the chemical liquid discharge process is performed. In this case, since the first contact part 58a is still in an ON-state even after the chemical liquid discharge process, the washing apparatus is stopped by the signal of the ON-state.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to an endoscope cleaning device capable of cleaning.

[Conventional technology]

In general, endoscope cleaning devices are known that are capable of not only simply cleaning the endoscope with cleaning water, but also disinfecting it with a chemical solution after cleaning.

As a cleaning device such as
We proposed what is shown in Publication No. 57438. In the prior art, a water supply tank in which cleaning water is stored in a cleaning tank and a chemical tank in which a chemical solution is stored are connected by piping, so that the cleaning water or the chemical solution can be selectively supplied to the cleaning tank. It has become. In addition, since the chemical solution is used repeatedly, it is possible to collect it from the cleaning tank to the chemical tank. When the chemical solution is recovered, if cleaning water flows into the cleaning tank due to equipment failure or the like, this is detected by a water level detection device provided in the chemical solution tank. That is, when the chemical solution is recovered, it is detected whether or not the chemical solution is diluted by washing water flowing into the cleaning tank based on the water level of the chemical solution collected in the chemical solution tank.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In Tohiro, in the above-mentioned prior art, when the amount of chemical liquid collected in the chemical liquid tank increases beyond a predetermined value and this is detected by the water level detection device, the cleaning device is activated by the detection signal No. 7! The cleaning process was interrupted. However, the amount of chemical liquid collected in the chemical liquid tank increases only when the cleaning device malfunctions, and the amount may increase due to water adhering to the cleaning tank or the endoscope being collected. In such a case, there is no problem in continuing the cleaning process in 1ζ, but in the past, the cleaning process was stopped if the water level in the chemical tank rose even slightly from a predetermined position. , it took a lot of time to tell people that they had to inspect it each time, and cleaning work couldn't be done efficiently.

The invention is expressed in the above-mentioned information 1, and its purpose is to temporarily stop the cleaning process when the amount of the chemical liquid that melts and is collected in the chemical liquid tank increases regardless of the failure of the cleaning device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope cleaning device that can be automatically continued even if it is temporarily interrupted.

[Means and Effects for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the invention provides a cleaning tank in which an endoscope to be cleaned is accommodated, and a chemical solution stored in a chemical solution tank in the above-mentioned cleaning II.
ξζ, a collection means for recovering the chemical liquid injected into the cleaning tank from the chemical liquid tank ξζ, and a detection means for detecting the amount of the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid tank. A control means is provided which, when it is detected that there is more than a fixed amount of chemical liquid, temporarily interrupts the cleaning process based on the detection signal, drains the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid tank, and then resumes and continues the cleaning process.

If the increase in the chemical solution is not due to a malfunction of the device, the water level in the chemical tank is lowered by discharging the chemical solution for a predetermined period of time, so that the cleaning process can be restarted and continued.

〔Example〕

A first embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. I in FIG. 2 is a main body of an endoscope cleaning device. Inside the device main body I, a cleaning tank 2 (shown in FIG. 1) having an open top is provided. The opening of the cleaning tank 2 is closed by a cover 3 that can be opened and closed. By installing an endoscope (the one shown in the figure) inside the septic tank 2, the endoscope is automatically cleaned and disinfected using cleaning water and chemical solutions as described below. is now possible.

An endoscope fixing part 4 consisting of a recess is provided at the left end of the front end of the upper surface of the device main body L, and the fixing part Iζ is used for cleaning an endoscope whose only insertion part can be washed. Before disinfecting, the control section is installed.

In addition, a plurality of supply ports 5 and 1ζ near the fixed part 4 are connected by a chain (not shown) to an operation part installed in the fixed part 4, and are used to supply cleaning water and chemical solutions to the channel of the endoscope. ... is provided. Furthermore, in an endoscope that can be completely cleaned, the operating section is also installed in the cleaning tank 2, so the supply ports 5 used at that time are provided in the cleaning tank 2.

Further, a main panel section 6 constituting an operation panel is provided at the right end portion of the front end of the top surface of the device main body l, and a sub-panel section 8 is provided at the upper front side of the device main body l below the main panel section 6. is set up. As shown in FIG. 3, the main panel section 6 is provided with switches and indicators that are used relatively frequently. As switches, a detergent switch 10, a disinfection switch II, an overnight switch 12, a stop switch 13, a start switch 14, and a leakage inspection switch 15 are provided. In addition, each switch 1 except the stop switch 13
Near the top of 0, 11, 12, 14.15, there are display lamps that display when each switch is operated. ! 0 is set. In addition, a display 8AS2 that displays the water washing process and air blowing process during the main panel section 6ζζ welfare cleaning.
1m, 21b, and display sections 216, 21d that display the water washing process and air blowing process during disinfection are provided, and display lamps 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 are provided above each of these display sections 21&~21d 1ζ. It is being Note that the display lamp 24 is for displaying the disinfection process. Furthermore, the main panel section 6 is provided with a time indicator 27 consisting of a four-digit LgD that displays the remaining time of the process operation, and the upper right side is equipped with a time indicator 27 that displays the remaining time of the process operation. An abnormality lamp 28 is provided to display the following.

All of the switches mentioned above are touch-type switches that can be operated simply by touching them, and are also sheet-type switches whose external shapes do not protrude from the surface of the main panel section 6. Further, the display devices are also provided so as not to protrude from the surface of the main panel section 6. The surface of the main panel section 6 has a flat shape as a whole.On the other hand, the sub-panel section 8 has a push-button power switch 31 as shown in FIG. Washing time setting timer 32 consisting of a click type dial switch
A disinfection time setting timer 33, a manual flushing switch 34 consisting of a two-axis switch, an air switch S5, and a discharge switch 36 for discharging the chemical solution in the cleaning tank 2 are provided. The above-mentioned two-axis switch is designed so that the first operation turns it on, and the second operation turns it off. As shown in the figure, since the sub-panel section 8 is mainly installed with items that are used less frequently, even if the sub-panel section 8 is located in a recessed part of the front part of the main body of the device, it will not interfere with use. There is no.

Next, the internal structure of the device main body l will be explained based on diagram g1.・Device main body! There is a water tank 40 and a detergent tank 4 inside.
1 and a chemical tank 42 are provided. The upper part of the water supply tank 40 is connected to a tap water faucet 45, which is a water supply source, via a filter 43 and a first switching valve 44. In addition, a first water level detection device 46 is installed in the water supply tank 40.
is provided. The first water level detection device 46 has first to third contact portions 471 that detect water levels at different heights.
．． 47b and 47e.

Also, one end of the upper lζ of the water tank 40 is connected to a communication pipe 48. The other end of the communication pipe 48 communicates with the cleaning tank 2, and is designed to vent air in the water tank 40 and to release the cleaning water to the cleaning tank 2 when too much cleaning water is supplied to the water tank 40. J In addition, water tank 4
The water supply pipe 49 is connected to the bottom number ζ of 0. The water supply pipe 49 with a! It communicates with the first liquid pump 5z via the second switching valve 50. Further, the midway portion of the water supply pipe 49 is connected to the detergent tank 41 via a third switching valve 52 and an orifice 53, and is further provided in the cleaning tank 2 via a second liquid pump 54 and a filter 55m. It is connected to a rotating nozzle 55. The rotating nozzle 55 with
It is designed to be rotationally driven by a motor 56.

Further, a second water level detection device 5 is installed in the chemical tank 42.
7 is provided. The second water level detection device 51 with
It has first to third contact parts 5B&, 58b, and 58e that detect different water levels of the chemical liquid stored in the chemical liquid tank 42, and various devices can be connected depending on the on/off state of these contact parts 5g&, 58b, and 58c. is controlled as described below. The bottom of the chemical solution tank 42 is connected to a fourth switching valve 5.
It communicates with the first liquid pump 5I via 9.

Further, a fifth switching valve 61 with three positions is connected to the upper part of the chemical tank 42 and is switched by a second motor 60 via a cam (not shown). That is, the fifth switching valve 61 is formed with two outflow ports and one inflow port, and the chemical solution tank 42 is connected to one of the outflow ports. The other outflow port lζ is connected to a drain pump 62, and the inflow port is connected to the bottom of the cleaning tank 2.

The fifth switching valve 61 is connected to the cleaning tank 2 and the chemical tank 4.
8g1 state in which 2 are in communication with each other, a second state in which the outflow of liquid from the cleaning tank 2 is blocked, and the cleaning tank 2 and the drain pump 6
The state is switched to a third state in which the device communicates with the device 2.

Further, a sixth switching valve 63 is connected to the discharge side of the first liquid pump 5I. The switching valve 63 of @6 is 2
has two outflow ports, one of which communicates with the cleaning tank 2,
The other end is connected to a mixing header 65 via a first check valve 64 . The mixing header 654ζ with the second check valve 6
6 is connected to the discharge side of the second liquid pump 54, and the first air pump 68 is connected through a third check valve 67. and the first air pump 68 and the gl! There is $I7 between the check valve 67 of 3.
A seventh switching valve 69 is connected to the seventh switching valve 69 .
Compressed air is supplied to the mixing header 65 only when the mixing header 65 is operated in a closed state. Furthermore, the mixing header 65 is provided with a supply port 5 similar to the supply port 5 provided outside the device main body 2, and the supply port 5 is provided when cleaning the endoscope, which is entirely washable. A channel 10 of an endoscope is connected to the mouth 5.

Further, a third water level detection device 11 is provided within the cleaning Miz. The third water level detection device 71/d has a first contact portion 72IL and a contact portion 72b @2 for detecting water levels at different heights.

On the other hand, the first to third contact sections 58m, 58b, and 58e of the second water level detection device Wt57 are connected to the CPUy6, which is a control section, as shown in FIG. 1st with
The contact part 58m indicates that the water level in the chemical tank 42 has risen abnormally (
This is a device that detects when something has happened (such as due to the inflow of cleaning water).
When the first contact portion 58a with the first contact portion 58a is on before operating the cleaning device, the disinfection process cannot be started by the signal ζζ from the CPUr6.

In addition, when it is turned on when collecting the chemical solution during the disinfection process, the first liquid pump 51 is stopped due to the signal from the CPU, and the fifth switching valve 61 is activated by the second motor 60#, thereby cleaning the liquid. The state is such that the outflow of the chemical solution from the tank 2 is blocked. Then, when a predetermined time period for stopping the timer managed by the CPU 161ζ has elapsed, the second motor 60 is activated to bring the fifth switching valve 6I into a state where the cleaning tank 2 and the drain pump 62 are in communication with each other. In addition to driving this,
The first liquid pump 51 and the drain pump 62 are driven,
Furthermore, the fourth switching valve 59 and the sixth switching valve 63 are switched, and the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid tank 42 is discharged.

As in, the first step is to wait for the discharge of the chemical solution for a predetermined time.
If the contact section 5B& turns off once and then turns on again or does not turn off, it is because cleaning water continues to flow into the chemical tank 42 or the cleaning device is malfunctioning. Because of this, the cleaning bag'-- is stopped.

Further, even if the first contact portion 58m is turned on in a process other than the time of recovering the chemical liquid, this is because the cleaning water has flowed into the system liquid tank 42, so the cleaning device is stopped.

On the other hand, if the first contact portion 58 & is off from the beginning, the water level of the chemical solution in the chemical solution tank 42 is normal. Further, after the chemical liquid is discharged from the chemical liquid tank 42 as described above, the above #! When the first contact portion 58m is turned off, it means that the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid tank 42 has temporarily increased and has not increased after being discharged. That is, this is a normal phenomenon in which the water level temporarily rises due to the inflow of cleaning water remaining in the cleaning tank 2 and cleaning water adhering to the endoscope during the collection of the chemical solution. Therefore, these normal times are followed by the next step, the rinsing step.

It is normal when the second contact part ssb is turned on before the chemical solution in the chemical solution tank 42 is transferred to the cleaning tank 2 and the immersion sterilization process is started, but after the immersion sterilization process is started, the chemical solution recovery process Toki number ζ on l (na-5 & toki Iζ
This is because the chemical liquid leaks from the chemical liquid tank JJJζ cleaning slide 2 and the water level rises, so at that time the cleaning device stops, the abnormality lamp 28 lights up, and the pudder sounds. However, at this time, the drain pump 62 is stopped and the fifth switching valve 61 is placed in a state where the cleaning tank 2 and the chemical solution tank 42 are communicated with each other, that is, the disinfection process is interrupted and the chemical solution is recovered. Furthermore, if the second contact point ssb is off from the beginning, it means that there is not enough chemical solution in the chemical solution tank 42 to sterilize the endoscope by immersing it in the chemical solution tank 42.
The disinfection process cannot be started by a signal from Uyg.

Furthermore, the third contact part 5IJe is turned on when the water level of the chemical tank 42 reaches a predetermined level or higher during the disinfection process, that is, after supplying a predetermined amount of the chemical solution for cleaning mziζ and once turned off, the cleaning tank 42 is turned on. When the chemical liquid leaks from 2 into the chemical liquid tank 42, the operation of the cleaning device is stopped by a signal from the CPUyg.

During normal operation, the cleaning device configured as shown in FIG. (supplying air and discharging the remaining cleaning water), disinfection process, recovery process, rinsing process,
□Air steps are performed in order, thereby cleaning and disinfecting the endoscope in the cleaning tank 2.

In the above-mentioned collection process, by collecting the chemical liquid into the chemical liquid tank 42, the water level may rise even before the collection process, and the contact portion 5B& of tXl of the second water level detection device 51 may turn on. In that case, the chemical liquid discharging process shown in the time chart of FIG. 7 or 8 is performed. That is, when the cleaning water remaining in the cleaning tank 2 or the cleaning water adhering to the endoscope is collected and the water level rises, the chemical liquid discharge process is performed based on the time chart of FIG. 7. In such a case, the first contact portion 58& is turned off by discharging the chemical solution, so that the next rinsing process and the air process are performed successively after discharging the chemical solution. In the same figure, in the case a, in which the first contact portion 58m is turned off, the chemical solution is discharged for a certain period of time, and in the case b, the chemical solution is discharged when the liquid level is monitored. This is the timing when the discharge is performed until the first contact portion 58a stops being turned off.

On the other hand, if the water level in the chemical liquid tank 2 rises due to a failure of the cleaning device and the water level does not fall even after the chemical liquid is discharged, a chemical liquid discharge process is performed based on the time chart of FIG. 8. In this case, the first contact portion 58 is
Since & remains on, that signal causes the cleaning device to stop.

That is, according to the cleaning device configured as described above, when the water level of the chemical solution collected in the chemical solution tank 42 rises due to a cause that requires inspection such as a failure of the cleaning device, the ON signal from the first contact portion 58a is received. Then, the CPU 26 stops the cleaning device. However, if the liquid level of the chemical liquid collected in the chemical liquid tank 42 rises while the normal cleaning process is being performed regardless of a failure of the cleaning device, the next process will continue to be performed.

FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of the invention, in which a flow meter 81 is connected to the pipe connecting the cleaning tank 2 and the sixth switching valve 63.
will be established. Then, the flow rate of the chemical liquid discharged from the chemical liquid tank 42 through the cleaning tank 2 is detected by the flow meter 81, and the chemical liquid is discharged until the flow rate reaches a predetermined amount.

According to such a configuration, if the liquid level in the chemical liquid tank 42 rises due to a failure of the cleaning device, even if a predetermined amount is discharged by the flow meter 81, the liquid level will not drop sufficiently. First, since the first contact portion 5B& is not turned off, it is possible to determine whether the rise in the liquid level in the chemical tank 42 is due to a failure of the cleaning device or is temporary.

In addition, in the case of , the chemical solution may be discharged not for a predetermined amount but for a certain period of time. If you do as follows, flow meter 8
Similar effects can be obtained without using 1.

FIG. 1θ shows a third embodiment of the invention, in which an auxiliary tank 82 containing a surfactant is connected to a water supply pipe 49 connected to the bottom of a water tank 40 via an auxiliary switching valve 83. do. By supplying a surfactant to the cleaning tank 2 before the disinfection process with the chemical solution Iζ, the water removal effect of the cleaning water adhering to the cleaning tank 2 and the endoscope is enhanced.

This prevents the first contact portion 511m from turning on due to an excessive rise in the liquid level in the chemical tank 42 due to a cause other than a failure of the cleaning device when the chemical liquid is recovered after the disinfection process.

FIG. 11 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention, in which the discharge side of the seventh switching valve 69 and the rotary nozzle 55 are connected to the check valve 8.
4, and the compressed air from the first air pump 68 is ejected from the rotary nozzle 55 before the disinfection process), to remove water adhering to the cleaning tank 2 and the endoscope. I tried to increase the effect.

Further, in the configuration shown in the first embodiment, when injecting the chemical solution into the chemical solution tank 42 during the disinfection process or when discharging the chemical solution after the disinfection process, the fifth switching valve 6
If the chemical solution is discharged by operating I to the discharge side for a certain period of time, the natural increase in the chemical solution collected in the chemical solution link 42 can be prevented, and the first contact section 5 can be
8m can be prevented from turning on.

In addition, when draining liquid, as the liquid approaches i after draining, there is not enough liquid in the pipe line, and the drain pump 62 discharges air, which increases the pressure in the pipe line and cleans it. Tank 2
The remaining water inside becomes difficult to drain.

Therefore, at the end of draining, the drain pump 62 is stopped for a predetermined period of time, and after the remaining water in the cleaning tank 2 flows into the pipe, the drain pump 62 is operated again. The remaining water in the cleaning tank 2 can be reduced.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the case where the chemical liquid collected in the chemical liquid tank temporarily increases due to a failure of the cleaning device, the cleaning process is temporarily interrupted and a part of the chemical liquid is discharged. , the cleaning process is automatically resumed and continued. Therefore, there is no need to inspect the cleaning device every time the water level in the chemical tank rises and this is detected, and the cleaning process will automatically continue unless the cleaning device has malfunctioned. Can be done efficiently.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 8 show a first embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a piping system diagram of the cleaning device, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the exterior of the cleaning device, and Figure 3 is the main panel section. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the sub-panel, Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the water level detection device in the chemical tank, Fig. 6 is a time chart of the cleaning process, and Fig. 7 is a diagram showing when the chemical liquid is FIG. 8 is a time chart when the chemical solution increases due to a failure of the cleaning device, and FIGS. 9 to 11 are the second to fourth inventions of the respective inventions. FIG. 2 is a piping system diagram of a cleaning device showing an embodiment of the invention. 2...Cleaning tank, 42...Medical solution tank, 5I...Second liquid pump (injection means), 51...Second water level detection device (detection means), 6I...Fifth liquid pump switching valve (recovery means), 16... CPU (control means);

Claims (1)

[Claims] a cleaning tank in which an endoscope to be cleaned is accommodated; an injection means for injecting a chemical solution stored in the chemical tank into the cleaning tank; and a recovery means for recovering the chemical solution injected into the cleaning tank into the chemical tank; and a detection means for detecting the amount of the chemical solution in the chemical solution tank. A cleaning device for an endoscope, comprising a control means for returning and continuing the cleaning process after discharging the chemical solution.