JPH0146848B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope connector for connecting a light guide of an endoscope to a light source device.

Generally, the end of the light guide cable of an endoscope is provided with a tip plug that connects to a socket on the light source device side, and this tip plug is provided with a tube body that houses the light guide. When the tip plug is connected to the socket, it penetrates and protrudes to the rear of the socket, and is positioned at the focal point of the light source lamp.

However, since the tube protrudes to the rear of the socket, it requires a considerable length, and therefore has the following disadvantages. In other words, in the normal state when the tip plug is pulled out of the socket,
When the tip of the tube hits a table, etc., a large stress is applied to the base of the tube, and it is likely to be damaged.In this case, the entire light guide must be replaced, making the replacement process troublesome and uneconomical. It had become a thing. Furthermore, when attaching the tip plug to a socket, if you insert or remove it at an angle or twist it, the tube body or socket may be easily damaged, and the tip of the light guide may be damaged by heat from the light source lamp. However, the same inconvenience as mentioned above was caused.

Further, since the tube also serves as a guide when inserted into a socket, its length becomes large, and the work of inserting the light guide is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the object thereof is to connect a tube body to a support tube provided in the tip plug, and to connect the tube body to the tip of the support tube in a detachable manner. and a guide tube protruding from the support tube, the distal end of the light guide is inserted into and supported by the support tube, and an optical member is included in the guide tube to guide the light beam from the light source lamp to the light guide. To provide a connector for an endoscope which does not apply unreasonable stress to a light guide and prevents heat damage caused by a light source lamp to the light guide when inserted.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 3. In the figure, 1 is an endoscope, and 2 is a light source device. The endoscope 1 includes an operating section main body 3 and an insertion section 4, and a flexible light guide cable 5 is attached to the operating section 3. Inside this light guide cable 5, a light guide 6 made of an optical fiber bundle is provided as shown in FIG.
An electric cord 7 and the like are inserted therethrough. The light guide 6 includes the operating section main body 3 and the insertion section 4.
This guides the illumination light to an illumination window 4a provided at the distal end of the insertion portion 4.

Furthermore, a tip plug 9 is attached to the tip of the light guide cable 5, which is connected to the socket 8 of the light source device 2. This tip plug 9
is tightened and fixed to the main body 11 of the socket 8 by a tightening ring 10. That is, the tightening ring 10 is screwed into the outer periphery of the main body 11 of the socket 8, and its inner edge 12 presses against the protrusion 13 of the tip plug 9, thereby tightening and fixing it. The main body 11 of the socket 8 is attached and fixed in such a manner that it passes through the device main body 14 of the light source device 2, and the inner end surface of the device main body 14 of the main body 11 is connected to the light source lamp 15 of the light source device 12.
It is installed to face the.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a guide tube 16 and a plurality of contact pins 17 are provided protruding from the tip end surface of the tip plug 9. As shown in FIG. The guide tube 16 includes a single fiber 18 and a lens 18 as optical members.
The guide tube 16 is removably screwed to the tip of a support tube 19 which is provided in the tip plug 9 and which internally supports the tip of the light guide 6.

Further, each contact pin 17 is connected to the electric cord 7, respectively.

On the other hand, a fitting hole 20 into which the protruding tube 16 is inserted is provided through the socket 8 . Further, the socket 8 is provided with a contact pin connecting member 21 for connecting each of the contact pins 17.
1... has a connection hole 22 into which the contact pin 17... is inserted.
...is provided. The contact pin connecting members 21 are connected to the electrical cords 23 on the light source device 2 side.
is connected.

Therefore, when attaching the tip plug 10 to the socket 8, first insert the guide tube 16 into the insertion hole 2.
At the same time, the tip plug 9 is inserted into each connection hole 22 so that the contact pin 17 is inserted into the contact pin 17.
Push the end face of the socket 11 into the outer end face of the socket 11 until it comes into contact with it. Then, insert the tightening ring 10 into the socket 11.
, and then tighten the tip plug 9.

Further, in the above-described configuration, when the lamp 15 of the light source device 2 is turned on, the light passes through the single fiber 18 in the guide tube 16 and the lens 18a to the light guide 6.
The light is sent to the observation section from the illumination window 4a of the endoscope insertion section 4.

As described above, the support tube 19 into which the tip of the light guide 6 is inserted and supported is provided in the tip plug 9, and the guide tube 16 is detachably connected to the tip of the support tube 19 to allow the light guide 6 to be inserted and supported from the tip plug 9. In order to provide a single fiber 18 that protrudes and guides the luminous flux of the light source lamp 15 to the light guide 6 in this guide tube 16, when the tip plug 9 is pulled out from the socket 8 or when the tip plug 9 is attached to and removed from the socket 8. Even if a large external force acts on the guide tube 16, the support tube 19 into which the light guide 6 is inserted and supported is not subjected to a large stress and will not break. Therefore, if the guide tube 16 is damaged due to external force, only the guide tube 16 will be damaged, and there is no need to replace the entire light guide 6.

In addition, since the tip of the light guide 6 is simply inserted into the support tube 19 whose length is small,
The insertion work is also easy.

Furthermore, in front of the light guide 6, a single fiber 18
2, the end face of the light guide 6 is not exposed to heat damage caused by the light source lamp 15.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 4, a self-locking device 31 may be incorporated as an optical member within the guide tube 16. In this embodiment, there is no need to provide a lens within the guide tube 16.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the tip of the guide tube 16 is positioned inside the socket 8, and the light source lamp 15 is
A chamfered portion 32 may be formed in the socket 8 so that the light beam is sufficiently focused on the end face of the single fiber 18.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the thickness of the guide tube 16 may be made larger than the diameter of the single fiber 18 without chamfering the socket 8.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the chamfered portion 33 may have a counterbore shape.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 described above, the length of the guide tube 16 can be made small, and even if an external force acts on the guide tube 16, it will not be applied to the guide tube 16 or the socket 8. It has low stress, is less likely to break, and has excellent durability. Furthermore, the light source lamp 15 and the socket 8 can be placed close to each other, allowing the light source device 2 to be made more compact.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a single fiber or a self-locking member as an optical member may be brought into contact with the light guide, thereby eliminating the need for a lens.

As explained above, the present invention provides a support tube for inserting and supporting the tip of the light guide in the tip plug, and inserts into the tip of the support tube an optical member that guides the luminous flux of the light source lamp to the light guide. Since the guide tube protruding from the tip plug is detachably connected, even if a strong external force is applied to the guide tube when the tip plug is removed from the socket or when the tip plug is attached to or removed from the socket, the support tube will not be affected. The applied stress is small and does not damage the light guide inserted into the support tube. Therefore, if the guide tube is damaged due to external force, only the guide tube will be damaged, so it is economical as there is no need to replace the entire light guide as in the past, and it is easy to replace just the guide tube. is also easy. In addition, since the optical member inserted into the guide tube is located in the front part of the light guide, the light source lamp does not cause heat damage to the light guide, which has the effect of extending the life of the light guide. be.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an endoscope and a light source device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connector, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a connector. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state connected to a socket, FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a third other embodiment of the invention. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a fourth alternative embodiment of the invention, FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a fifth alternative embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a sixth alternative embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1... Endoscope, 15... Light source lamp, 2... Light source device, 5... Cable, 6... Light guide,
9... Tip plug, 19... Support tube, 16... Guide tube, 18, 18a, 31... Optical member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tip plug provided at the tip of the cable that inserts the light guide of the endoscope and connected to a socket on the side of the light source device containing a built-in light source lamp, and a tip plug provided inside this tip plug that connects the tip of the light guide. The guide tube includes a support tube that is inserted and supported, and a guide tube that is detachably connected to the tip of the support tube and has an optical member inserted therein that projects from the tip plug and guides the light beam from the light source lamp to the light guide. An endoscope connector characterized by: