JPH0420612B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an air and water supply device for an endoscope that is capable of removing water remaining in a water supply pipe.

[Prior Art] Generally, in an endoscope, water can be sent out from a nozzle through a water pipe in order to clean dirt on the surface of an observation window. However, bacteria and viruses can easily enter the water remaining in the water pipe from within the patient's body cavity, so if the remaining water is left and used for the next patient, infection may occur. Therefore, it is necessary to drain the water inside the water pipe after use.

Therefore, in the past, a switching valve was installed in the water tank that stored water for water transmission, and by switching the switching valve to the drain state and operating the water supply, air was sent into the water pipe, and the flow was carried out. (Special Publication No. 63-48540).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the water tank is generally attached to a light source device, etc., and is located away from the operation section of the endoscope. Therefore, it is very difficult to perform the draining operation when the endoscope is inserted into the patient's body cavity, so it is necessary to remove the endoscope from the patient's body cavity and clean it. It was normal to go to However, when air is sent into the water pipe, the water in the water pipe is forcefully ejected from the nozzle and eventually becomes a spray and scatters.
Therefore, if the water is contaminated with bacteria or viruses, the bacteria may be dispersed to the surrounding area, causing in-hospital infections.

Until now, little attention has been paid to this phenomenon, and nothing has been done about it. However, the inventor noticed the magnitude of this problem, and in order to solve the problem, he came up with this air and water supply device for an endoscope.

That is, an object of the present invention is to provide an air/water supply device for an endoscope that allows residual water in a water pipe to be drained easily and with a simple device without fear of in-hospital infection.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the air and water supply device for an endoscope of the present invention includes a cylinder provided in the operating section of the endoscope, and a cylinder for supplying air into the cylinder. an air supply pipe for supplying air, a water supply pipe for supplying water, an air supply pipe for sending out air from within the cylinder, a water supply pipe for sending out water, and an air supply pipe that is slidably inserted into the cylinder, and the water supply pipe and the water supply pipe. and an air supply switching valve that is slidably inserted into the water supply switching valve and switches the communication state between the air supply pipe and the air supply pipe, and in a standby state,
The air supply pipe, the air supply pipe, the water supply pipe, and the water supply pipe are mutually isolated by the air supply switching valve and the water supply switching valve, and when the air supply switching valve is pushed into the cylinder, the supply When the trachea and the air pipe communicate with each other to enter the air supply state, and further push the water supply switching valve together with the air supply switching valve into the cylinder, the space between the air supply pipe and the air supply pipe is closed, while the air supply pipe is closed. The water supply pipe and the water supply pipe communicate with each other to enter a water supply state, and when the water supply switching valve is further pushed into the cylinder together with the air supply switching valve from the water supply state, the air supply pipe and the water supply pipe communicate with each other. It is characterized by being in a drained state.

[Function] When the air supply switching valve is pushed into the cylinder from the standby state, the air in the air supply pipe is sent into the air supply pipe and becomes the air supply state. Furthermore, when the water supply switching valve is pushed together with the air supply switching valve, the water supply pipe is turned off. Water is sent into the water pipe and becomes water supply state. Then, when the air supply switching valve and the water supply switching valve are further pushed in, the air in the air supply pipe is sent into the water supply pipe, and the water is turned off.

[Example] Examples will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 shows the overall configuration of the air and water supply device. In the figure, 1 is an endoscope main body, which is constructed by connecting an insertion section 3 and a flexible connecting tube 4 to an operating section 2. A connector 5 is provided at the tip of the flexible connecting tube 4, and the connector 5 can be detachably connected to an air pump 7 provided in the light source device 6. 8 is the air pump 7
This is a water tank that can be pressurized by a tank to send out the water inside.

An air and water supply conduit 9 is installed inside the endoscope body 1, and a switching valve device 10 provided in the operating section 2
is interposed in the middle of the air and water supply pipe line 9. 9
a and 9b are an air supply pipe that supplies air to the switching valve device 10 and a water supply pipe that supplies water;
a is connected to the air pump 7, and the water supply pipe 9b is connected to a tube that opens into water in the water tank 8. Further, 9c and 9d are an air pipe that sends out air from the switching valve device 10, and a water pipe that sends out water. ing. This nozzle 11 opens toward the surface of an objective lens (not shown). Note that the nozzles may be provided separately in the water pipe 9d and the air pipe 9c.

FIG. 1 shows the switching valve device 10 in a standby state. 20 is a cylinder, and the side wall thereof has an air supply pipe 9a, a water supply pipe 9b, an air supply pipe 9c, and a water supply pipe 9.
d is connected, and the bottom of the cylinder 20 is sealed with a lid 21. Nut 22 fixes the cylinder 20 to the operating section 2. 23 is a cover tube surrounding the head of the cylinder 20.

An intermediate stopper 24 is protruded on the lid 21 at the bottom of the cylinder to stop the switching valve bodies 50, 30 in the water supply state when the switching valve bodies 50, 30 for air supply and water supply are pushed into the cylinder 20. It is set up. This intermediate stopper 24 is made of, for example, a pair of springy bars (or plates) 24a whose one end is fixed to the lid 21 and whose upper part is slightly bent inward.
and a stainless steel ball 24b fixed near the bent portion.

Inside the cylinder 20, a water supply pipe 9b and a water supply pipe 9d are provided.
A water supply switching valve body 30 that switches the communication state between the air supply pipe 9a and the air supply pipe 9c, and an air supply switching valve body 50 that switches the communication state between the air supply pipe 9a and the air supply pipe 9c are provided so as to be freely slidable in the axial direction. The water supply switching valve body 30 is connected to the cylinder 20
It is a cylindrical valve body that is fitted inside, and first to fourth O-rings 31, 32, 33, and 34 are attached to the outer peripheral surface. And in the standby state,
The first and second O-rings 31 and 32 are connected to the water pipe 9d.
The second and third O-rings 32, 33 seal the opening of the water pipe 9d from both sides, and the second and third O-rings 32, 3 seal the opening of the water pipe 9d from both sides.
A water supply communication groove 35 for communicating the water supply pipe 9b and the water supply pipe 9d in the water supply state is formed between the water supply pipes 3 and 3. Also, the third and fourth O-rings 3
3 and 34 and on the back side (lower side) of the first O-ring 31, there are draining communication holes 36 and 37 that serve as air flow paths when the drainer is in the draining state.

The tip of the water supply switching valve body 30 protrudes from the cylinder 20. A water supply operation button 38 is screwed to the tip of the water supply switching valve body 30.
and the water supply operation button 38 form a water supply switching valve. Further, the water supply switching valve body 30 is connected to the cylinder 20 by a first coil spring 39 having a strong spring force.
It is constantly biased in the direction of flying out. 40
is a stopper that prevents the water supply switching valve body 30 from jumping out from the cylinder 20.

The air supply switching valve body 50 is slidably inserted into the water supply switching valve body 30, and an O-ring 51 for sealing is attached to the fitting portion. The lower end of the air supply switching valve body 50 fits into the inner wall of the cylinder 20 and closes each opening of the air supply pipe 9a and the air supply pipe 9c. The tip of the air supply switching valve body 50 protrudes from the water supply switching valve body 30. And at its tip,
The air supply operation button 52 is screwed to protrude from the water supply operation button 38, and the air supply switching valve body 50 and the air supply operation button 52 form an air supply switching valve. 53 indicates that the air supply switching valve body 50 is connected to the water supply switching valve body 3.
This is a second coil spring that urges in a direction that jumps out from zero, and a weaker spring than the first coil spring 39 is used. Note that the air supply switching valve body 5 of this embodiment
0, the cylinder 2 fed from the air supply pipe 9a
A leak hole for constantly leaking the air in the air into the atmosphere is not provided, and is sealed by the air supply operation button 52. Moreover, since the air supply pipe 9a is closed by the lower end of the air supply switching valve body 50, the dirty liquid in the body cavity will not flow back into the cylinder 20 through the air supply pipe 9c, Liquid does not splash outside.

Reference numeral 54 denotes a draining communication groove formed on the outer periphery of the air supply switching valve body 50 so that air in the air supply pipe 9a passes during the draining state.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 1 shows a standby state, in which the air supply pipe 9a and the air supply pipe 9c are closed by the air supply switching valve body 50, and the water supply pipe 9b and the water supply pipe 9 are closed.
d is closed by a water supply switching valve body 30. Therefore, neither air nor water is supplied.

As shown in FIG. 2, press the air supply operation button 5 with your fingertip.
2, the first coil spring 39 is stronger than the second coil spring 53, so the water supply operation button 38 is not pushed in and only the air supply operation button 52 is pushed in. As a result, the air supply switching valve body 50 is pushed into the water supply switching valve body 30 and the cylinder 20, and as a result, the air supply pipe 9a and the air supply pipe 9c are communicated with each other, and the air in the air supply pipe 9a is is fed into the air supply pipe 9c through the cylinder 20, and enters the air supply state.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the air supply switching button 52 is pushed further with force with the fingertip, the first coil spring 39 is compressed, and the water supply switching button 38 is moved into the cylinder 20 together with the air supply switching button 52. Pushed in.
Then, the water supply switching valve body 30 is pushed into the cylinder 20, and the bottom of the air supply switching valve body 50 hits the intermediate stopper 24 and stops. Then, the space between the air supply pipe 9a and the air supply pipe 9c is closed by the water supply switching valve body 30. On the other hand, the water supply pipe 9b and the water supply pipe 9d
The water in the water supply pipe 9b is fed into the water supply pipe 9d, and the water supply pipe 9d is in a water supply state.

As shown in FIG.
When 2 and 38 are pushed in, the intermediate stopper 24 is pushed at the bottom of the air supply switching valve body 50 and flexed inward to retreat, and the air and water supply switching valves 50 and 30 are further pushed into the cylinder 20. Then, water supply pipe 9b
The openings of the air supply pipe 9c and the water supply pipe 9c are closed by the water supply switching valve body 30, and the air supply pipe 9a and the water supply pipe 9d are connected to the draining communication holes 36, 37 and the draining communication groove 54.
The air in the air supply pipe 9a is sent into the water supply pipe 9d. As a result, water pipe 9d
The residual water inside is discharged from the nozzle 11 at the tip of the insertion section.

Note that by shifting the position of the air supply pipe 9c to the same level as the air supply pipe 9a, when the water is drained, the air supply pipe 9c
Air may also be sent to c.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the air and water supply device for an endoscope of the present invention, the air in the air supply pipe can be sent into the water supply pipe to drain the water in the water supply pipe, and the operation can be performed by providing the operation section with a This can be done using a switching valve device for air and water supply. Therefore, after the examination of one patient is completed, the endoscope can be easily drained while remaining in the patient's body cavity, and the residual water can be drained into the patient's body. It is possible to completely eliminate the phenomenon of indoor dispersion and prevent nosocomial infections, and even if sterilized with ETO gas, it is difficult to completely sterilize the inside of narrow water pipes etc. that have been contaminated. This has excellent effects such as being free from the problem of.

In addition, as for the device, there is no need to change the positional relationship or water/air supply operation at all, just by slightly improving the air/water switching valve device that has been used in the past. can be used as is, and there is no need to provide a key mechanism to prevent rotation of each switching valve body for air and water supply, and the device is simple and can be easily realized.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 4 are sectional views of an embodiment of the air and water supply device for an endoscope according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the air and water supply device of the embodiment. 1... Endoscope, 2... Operation section, 3... Insertion section,
9a...Air supply pipe, 9b...Water supply pipe, 9c...Air supply pipe, 9d...Water pipe, 10...Switching valve device, 11
... Nozzle, 20 ... Cylinder, 30 ... Water supply switching valve body, 36, 37 ... Draining communication hole, 38 ...
...Water supply operation button, 50...Air supply switching valve body, 52...
Air supply operation button, 54... Communication groove for draining.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1: a cylinder provided in the operating section of the endoscope; an air supply pipe that supplies air into the cylinder; and a water supply pipe that supplies water; an air supply pipe that sends air from inside the cylinder; and a water supply pipe that sends out water, a water supply switching valve that is slidably inserted into the cylinder and switches the communication state between the water supply pipe and the water supply pipe, and a water supply switching valve that is slidably inserted and inserted into the water supply switching valve. , an air supply switching valve for switching the communication state between the air supply pipe and the air supply pipe, and in the standby state, the air supply pipe, the air supply pipe, the water supply pipe and The water supply pipes are cut off from each other, and when the air supply switching valve is first pushed into the cylinder, the air supply pipe and the air supply pipe communicate with each other to enter the air supply state, and then the water supply switching valve is switched to the air supply switching valve. When it is pushed into the cylinder together with the valve, the space between the air supply pipe and the air supply pipe is closed, while the water supply pipe and the water supply pipe are communicated with each other to enter the water supply state, and the water supply state is further switched from the water supply state to the water supply state. When the valve is pushed into the cylinder together with the air supply switching valve,
An air and water supply device for an endoscope, characterized in that the air supply pipe and the water supply pipe communicate with each other to be in a drained state. 2. The air/water supply device for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the air supply switching valve closes the air supply pipe in a standby state. 3. The air and water supply device for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the air supply switching valve and the water supply switching valve close all of the air supply pipe, the air supply pipe, the water supply pipe, and the water supply pipe in a standby state.