JPH0138565Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention relates to industrial endoscopes, and is particularly useful for the maintenance and inspection of chemical plant equipment, machinery, etc., by removing impurities attached to the inspection area such as the inner walls of pipes.
The present invention relates to a channel tube holding device for an industrial endoscope that removes foreign matter that obstructs observation such as rust and deposits, thereby making it possible to effectively maintain and inspect these inspection parts.

In general, endoscopes have an illumination optical system and an observation optical system built into a flexible insertion section, and are used inside body cavities (biological endoscopes), pipes of chemical plant equipment, and machines (industrial endoscopes). It is designed to be able to be inserted into a device, etc., and supply illumination light to the inside of the device for observation and inspection. By the way, the latter of these endoscopes, that is, industrial endoscopes, is inserted into the pipes of chemical plants and the inside of various machines such as engines to observe and inspect the insides of these machines. Foreign substances such as impurities, rust, and deposits are often adhered to the interior of the device, and these foreign substances obstruct observation of the test area and sometimes prevent effective maintenance and inspection.

This invention was made in view of these circumstances, and allows for the external channel tube to be easily and securely attached to the axial outer circumference of the endoscope insertion section, and the endoscope can be inserted by inserting forceps into this channel tube. It is possible to remove foreign matter adhering to a pipe or other test member while observing it, or to collect it as a sample.Also, the channel tube can be removed from the outer periphery of the endoscope insertion part, so the endoscope can be used alone. At this time, the holding device that holds the channel tube can be removed so that it does not remain on the outer periphery of the endoscope insertion section.
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a channel tube holding device for an industrial endoscope, which prevents the flexibility of the insertion portion from being impaired even when the channel tube is attached and held in the direction of the outer circumferential axis of the endoscope insertion portion. The purpose is

In order to achieve the above object, this invention provides an endoscope in which an observation optical system and an illumination optical system are incorporated in a flexible insertion section, and an external channel tube is attached and held in the direction of the outer circumferential axis of the endoscope. a holder that is attached to the base side and the distal side of the endoscope insertion section and holds and fixes the channel tube integrally to the base side and the distal side of the endoscope insertion section; An intermediate member that holds a channel tube attached between the distal end sides and attached in the axial direction of the outer circumference of the endoscope insertion part so as to be slidable in the axial direction so as to be able to follow the bending movement of the endoscope insertion part. holder.

This invention will be specifically explained below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show an embodiment of this invention. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes an industrial endoscope, which includes an operating section 2, a flexible insertion section 3, a tip structure section 4, and an interposed device connected between the tip structure section 4 and the insertion section 3. It is composed of a curved portion 5. The operation section 2 has an eyepiece section 6 and an operation knob 7 for bending the bending section 5, and a light guide fiber cable 8 is connected to the insertion section 3, and a light guide fiber (not shown) is connected to the insertion section 3. An image guide fiber is inserted therethrough, and an output end 9 of the light guide fiber and an objective lens system 10 disposed at the input end of the image guide fiber are provided on the side surface of the tip component 4, and the side has a lateral field of view. It constitutes a visual endoscope.

A channel tube 11 is attached to the insertion section 3 or the tip structure section 4 of the industrial endoscope 1 on the outer periphery in the axial direction so as to be removable and to follow the bending of the insertion section 3 and the curvature of the curved section 5. There is. This channel tube 11 has a first fixed holder 12 and a second fixed holder 1 at its base and tip, respectively.
3 are attached and fixed with screws, adhesive, etc., and the first fixed holder 12 and the second fixed holder 1
3 are inserted through the base of the endoscope insertion section 3 and the rear of the distal end component 4, respectively, and are fixed with screws 14. The second fixed holder 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a through hole 15 in the axial direction, and the rear part of the distal end component 4 of the endoscope is inserted into the through hole 15 so that the distal end thereof projects forward. Further, this second fixed holder 13 has a window portion 16 formed on its outer periphery that communicates with the tip of the channel tube 11. On the other hand, in the middle of the channel tube 11, a plurality of intermediate holders 17...
is loosely inserted. This intermediate holder 17... is
Channel insertion hole 1 as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
7a and an endoscope insertion hole 17b, and the channel insertion hole 17a is formed to have a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the channel tube 11.
is slidably inserted into the endoscope insertion section 3 so that it can follow the bending motion of the endoscope insertion section 3. Also, this intermediate holder 17
has an L-shaped or V-shaped notch 18 along the center direction of the endoscope insertion hole 17b on its outer periphery, and a thread extending from the notch 18 to the inner periphery of the endoscope insertion hole 17b in the center direction of the endoscope insertion hole 17b. A hole 19 is formed, and a screw 14 is screwed into this screw hole 19 to press the outer periphery of the endoscope insertion portion 3 and press against the inner periphery of the opposite side insertion hole 17b to be fixedly attached.

In the insertion section 3 behind the curved section 5 of the endoscope 1,
A sample collection holder 21 having a storage chamber 20 with an open end face is attached with screws 14 . This sample collection holder 21 is formed into a cylindrical shape and has an insertion hole 21a into which the channel tube 11 is loosely inserted, and an endoscope insertion hole 21b, and a screw hole formed from the outer periphery to the endoscope insertion hole 21b is formed into a cylindrical shape. screw 14
is screwed into the hole 21b to press and fix the endoscope insertion portion 3 against the inner periphery of the hole 21b. Moreover, the opening of the storage chamber 20 is
It is formed on the same side as the window portion 16 of the fixed holder 13.

The channel tube 11 attached to the axial outer circumference of the endoscope 1 as described above has a forceps insertion port 22 with a wide end at its base.
The scraping forceps 23 are inserted through the window 16 of the second fixed holder 13. The scraping forceps 23 are composed of a gripping part 24 on the proximal side, a sheath 25 flexibly formed of a tightly wound coil, and a spatula-shaped scraping part 26 as a tip component.

In such a configuration, the industrial endoscope 1 is placed inside the object member 27 such as a pipe or machine of chemical plant equipment.
When inserting the insertion section 3 and performing observation/inspection, it is impossible to observe/inspect if foreign matter 28 such as impurities, rust, or deposits that obstructs observation is attached to the inner wall of the object member 27. In such a case, the second
As shown in the figure, insert the scraping forceps 23 into the channel tube 11 and insert the gripping part 2 on the outside hand side.
4, move the forceps 23 back and forth in the axial direction to
The foreign matter 28 is scraped off and removed by a spatula-shaped scraping portion 26 at the tip protruding from the window portion 16 of the fixed holder 13, thereby exposing the test portion. In this case, since the scraping operation can be performed while observing with the endoscope 1, even if the test part is configured to be easily damaged, the test part will not be damaged.

In addition, as mentioned above, foreign matter 2 that simply obstructs observation.
8 can be scraped off and removed, but the inside of the object member 27 such as a pipe can be cleaned while being observed with the endoscope 1.

Furthermore, the scraped foreign matter 2 is placed in the storage chamber 20 of the sample collection holder 21 arranged behind the curved part 5.
It is also possible to store enough foreign matter 8 and analyze the attached foreign matter 28. In this case, sample collection holder 2
1 is positioned below the second fixed holder 13 from which the spatula-shaped scraping portion 26 protrudes.

Further, with this invention, each holder can be removed from the endoscope 1 and the channel tube 11 can be easily removed, and in this way, the industrial endoscope can be used alone.

In addition, in this invention, a sample collection chamber may be formed on the outer periphery of the second fixed holder, and in this way, a foreign object can be collected with the insertion section 3 inserted laterally. Further, in this invention, each holder is made of plastic, metal such as aluminum, or a material coated with resin such as Teflon, and the structure thereof is not limited. Further, the configuration and type of the endoscope and scraping forceps are not limited.

As explained above, according to this invention, the external channel tube can be easily and securely attached to the axial outer circumference of the endoscope insertion section, and the forceps can be inserted into this channel tube and observed with the endoscope. However, it is possible to remove foreign matter that has adhered to the inside of the test member such as a pipe or to collect it as a sample.Also, it can be removed from the outer periphery of the channel tube endoscope insertion section and used as a standalone endoscope. It is possible to remove the holding device so that it does not remain on the outer periphery of the endoscope insertion part, and even when the channel tube is attached and held in the axial direction of the outer circumference of the endoscope insertion part, the flexibility of the insertion part is maintained. It has the effect of keeping your sexuality intact.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a channel tube holding device for an industrial endoscope according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective cutaway view showing the state of use, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are a cross-sectional view and a perspective view showing an example of the intermediate holder. 2... Operation section, 3... Insertion section, 11... Channel tube, 23... Scraping forceps.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In an endoscope in which an observation optical system and an illumination optical system are incorporated in a flexible insertion section, an external channel tube is attached and held in the direction of the outer circumferential axis of the endoscope, the base side and the distal end of the endoscope insertion section. a holder attached to the side and integrally holding and fixing the channel tube on the base side and distal side of the endoscope insertion section; and a holder attached between the base side and the distal side of the endoscope insertion section and fixed therein; The present invention is characterized by comprising an intermediate holder that holds a channel tube attached to the outer periphery of the endoscope insertion portion in the axial direction so as to be slidable in the axial direction so as to be able to follow the bending movement of the endoscope insertion portion. Channel tube holding device for industrial endoscopes.