JPH0430719B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope connector that allows a plurality of endoscope bodies, each having a plug with a different outer diameter, to be connected to a single control device.

In general, an endoscope consists of an endoscope main body, which includes an insertion section into the observation target, a manual operation section, etc., and a control device containing a light source, power source, etc. In this case, a plug is provided at the tip of the connecting member attached to the hand operation part, and a socket is provided in the control device, and the control device is configured to be removably connected by a connector consisting of the plug and the socket. ing.

Incidentally, there are various types of endoscope bodies depending on their uses, functions, etc., and the shape of the plug also differs depending on the type. For example, in recent years, in order to easily and efficiently clean and disinfect endoscopes,
It has been proposed to have a structure that allows the plug to be held in a liquid-tight state so that the entire endoscope body, including this plug, can be immersed in the liquid. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to provide the plug with sealing members at various locations, and the plug becomes larger and has a larger outer diameter than a normal plug that does not have a liquid-tight structure. In conventional endoscopes, the socket provided on the control device side has a unique plug insertion port, and the structure is such that it cannot be changed depending on the type of plug. Therefore, when using different types of endoscope bodies, a dedicated control device must be prepared for each type.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is possible to change the size of the plug insertion opening in the socket on the control device side according to the shape of the plug in the endoscope body, thereby making it possible to use a general-purpose endoscope. The object of the present invention is to provide a connector for an endoscope that has the following characteristics.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the endoscope connector according to the present invention is provided with a socket on the control device side for removably connecting the plug provided on the endoscope main body side, and the socket is connected to the plug provided on the endoscope body side in a detachable manner. It is composed of a fixing ring into which a large-diameter plug is inserted, and a clamping member that clamps a small-diameter plug, and an operating ring is rotatably fitted into the fixing ring, and the operating ring and the clamping member are connected together. By rotating the operation ring, the inner circumferential edge of the clamping member is moved to a large diameter plug attachment position located outside the inner circumference of the fixed ring, and a small diameter plug attachment position located inside the inner circumference of the fixed ring. Its feature is that it is configured to be displaced between the two positions.

Embodiments of the endoscope connector according to the present invention will be described below, taking as an example a connector for an endoscope having a socket that can be used in common with a large-diameter plug having a liquid-tight structure and a small-diameter plug having a non-liquid-tight structure.

First, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of an insertion part 4 for inserting into the observation target part, a connecting member 5, etc., which is attached to the observation target part, and the connecting member 5 is detachably connected to a control device 6 containing a light source, a power source, etc. via a connector 7. It is configured.

The connector 7 consists of a plug attached to the tip of the connecting member 5 and a socket provided on the control device 6 side.
There are two types of plugs: a normal plug shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and a liquid-tight plug shown in FIG. 4.

Therefore, a normal plug 10 (hereinafter referred to as a small-diameter plug 1) that does not have a liquid-tight structure as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is used.
0) is the first plug 1 which has connection terminals 11 for power and signal cables, air pipe 12, etc.
3, and a light guide 1 consisting of a bundle of optical fibers for illumination.
A second rod-shaped sheath 15 covering the second
The casing 13a of the first plug 13 is provided with a mounting portion 17 through which the rod-shaped sheath 15 is inserted. This mounting part 17
A guide tube 18 installed on the distal end side of the casing 13a is fitted, and a holding mechanism 19 is provided on the proximal end side for fixing the second plug 16 with the rod-shaped sheath 15 attached and preventing it from coming off. The holding mechanism 19 includes a fixed cylinder 20 screwed onto the casing 13a, a sliding cylinder 21 is disposed inside the fixed cylinder 20, and an operating cylinder 22 is disposed outside the fixed cylinder 20.
These sliding tubes 21 and operation tubes 22 are fitted together.
are connected to the casing 1 by springs 23 and 24, respectively.
It is biased in a direction protruding from 3a toward the proximal end. Further, a receiving hole 25 is provided in the peripheral wall of the fixed cylinder 20.
A stopper ball 26 is inserted into the receiving hole 25, and the stopper ball 26 is inserted into the receiving hole 25.
6 has a diameter larger than the thickness of the fixed cylinder 20, and as shown in FIG. It is in contact with a tapered shoulder 27 formed on the inner peripheral side, and when the second plug 16 is attached as shown in FIG. The tip of the sliding tube 21 is pushed in a direction against the spring 23, and the fitting groove 2 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the engaging tube portion 28 is
9 is inserted to a position where it faces the receiving hole 25, a part of the stopper ball 26 fits into the fitting groove 29, and at the same time, the gap between the stopper ball 26 and the shoulder 27 of the operating barrel 22 is removed. When the engagement is released, the operating cylinder 22 is slid in the direction of protruding from the fixed cylinder 20 by the action of the spring 24, and the stopper ball 26 is inserted into the receiving hole 25 of the fixed cylinder 20 and the engaging cylinder part 28. The first plug 13 of the second plug 16 is held in an engaged state with the matching groove 29 .
The structure is designed to prevent deviation from the In response, the operating barrel 22 is pushed against the spring 24,
When the shoulder portion 27 is passed through the receiving hole 25 of the fixed cylinder 20, the engagement between the engagement cylinder part 28 and the fixed cylinder 20 by the stopper ball 26 is released, and the second plug 16 is moved to the second position. It can be attached and detached from the plug 13 of No. 1.

Further, the casing 13a of the first plug 13 is provided with a locking pin 30 at its distal end portion, and the locking pin 30 is connected to a through hole formed in the guide tube 18 at one end thereof by the action of a spring 31. The rod-shaped sheath 15 of the second plug 16 projects inwardly from the second plug 16 .
When the locking pin 30 is inserted into the guide cylinder 18, the locking pin 30 is pushed in a direction against the spring 31, and the other end is displaced to protrude from the ring 33 fitted to the casing 13a of the first plug 13. It is configured to do this.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a liquid-tight plug 40 (hereinafter referred to as
It is called a large diameter plug 40. ), and its basic configuration is the same as the non-liquid-tight structure shown in Figures 2 and 3, so parts with the same functions are given the same reference numerals and their explanations are omitted. It shall be. This large-diameter plug 40 is exposed from the plug 40 during cleaning and disinfection by connecting the eyepiece 2 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4) and the endoscope body 1, for example, by bayonet. It has a structure that can hold the connecting terminal 11 etc. in a liquid-tight manner, and for this purpose, sealing members 41 are arranged at various parts such as the connecting part to the eyepiece part 2 and around the rod-shaped sheath 15. . As a result, the casing 42a of the first plug 42 has a larger diameter than the non-liquidtight type shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the locking pin 4
3 is also provided at a position closer to the proximal end than the locking pin 30 of the small diameter plug 10.

Here, in the present invention, the socket provided on the control device 6 side is the small diameter plug 10 which does not have a liquid tight structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the large diameter plug 40 which has a liquid tight structure shown in FIG. The specific configuration is shown in FIG. 5 and subsequent figures.

First, FIGS. 5 to 8 show an example, in which reference numeral 50 indicates a socket provided in the control device 6,
The socket 50 is connected to the connection terminal 11 and the air pipe 12.
A fixing ring 52 is fixedly provided around the connecting portion 51. The fixing ring 52 is formed of a mounting cylinder 53 that is fastened to the connecting part 51 and a holding cylinder 55 that is connected to the mounting cylinder 53 via a lock pin 54, into which the large diameter plug 40 is inserted. It has an inner diameter. The holding cylinder 55 is composed of a connecting part 55a with the mounting cylinder 53 on the base end side, and a distal end cylinder part 55b formed with a locking part 56 into which the locking pin 43 of the plug 40 on the distal end side is inserted. 55a and the tip tube portion 55b are connected by connecting portions 55c, 55c. Then, the connecting portion 55a and the tip tube portion 5
A pair of clamping pieces 57 formed in an arc shape and serving as clamping members for clamping the small-diameter plug 10 are attached to the space formed between the small-diameter plug 10 and the small-diameter plug 10. Each clamping piece 57 has an inner peripheral surface formed in an arc shape with a curvature along the outer diameter of the small-diameter plug 10, and one clamping piece 57 has a tip of the locking pin 30 of the small-diameter plug 10. A locking portion 58 is formed into which the locking portion 58 is inserted. Furthermore, the clamping piece 57 is connected to the connecting portion 55a.
The cam surface 59 is supported by a rubber band 60 in pressure contact with the cam surface 59 at opposing positions.
It is adapted to be slidably guided along the cam surface 59.

Next, reference numeral 61 indicates an operating ring rotatably fitted to the holding cylinder 55, and the operating ring 61 has connecting pins 62, 62 protruding toward its inner circumference. Each of the connecting pins 62 is inserted into a pin insertion hole 63 formed in each clamping piece 57, so that when the operating ring 61 is rotated, each clamping piece 57 is rotated in conjunction with the operation ring 61. I'm learning to be able to move.

Thus, each clamping piece 57 is guided along a cam surface 59 formed on the connecting portion 55a of the connecting portion 55a, and this cam surface 59 is guided along the connecting portion 55c, 5.
In the arrangement position 5c, the clamping piece 57 is connected to the connecting part 55.
c, and in this position, the large diameter plug 40 is attached to the holding cylinder 5.
This is a large diameter plug mounting position that can be inserted into the 5. On the other hand, at a position on the cam surface 59 that is 90 degrees out of phase from the above-mentioned position of the connecting portion 55c, the clamping piece 57 protrudes inward from the inner circumferential surface of the connecting portion 55a, and its inner circumferential surface is attached to the connecting portion 55a. This position is a small-diameter plug mounting position where the small-diameter plug 10 can be connected while being held by the holding pieces 57.

This embodiment is constructed as described above, and in order to connect the large diameter plug 40 to the socket 50,
The operation ring 61 is rotated to slide and guide each clamping piece 57 along the cam surface 59.
7 to the large-diameter plug mounting position shown in FIG. 7, and the large-diameter plug 40 is inserted into the holding cylinder 55. When inserting the large-diameter plug 40, first insert the first plug 42 into the holding tube 5.
5, and then the second plug 16 is inserted into the first plug 42. As a result, the locking pin 43 provided on the first plug 42
is pushed by the rod-shaped sheath 15 of the second plug 16, and its tip part engages with the locking part 56 of the tip tube part 55b.
(See FIG. 8), the plug 40 is fixed to the socket 50 in an extremely stable state without swinging or coming off.

On the other hand, in order to connect the small-diameter plug 10 to the socket 50, the operating ring 61 must be moved 90 degrees from the above-mentioned position.
The small-diameter plug 10 may be inserted between the respective clamping pieces 57 by rotating the clamping pieces 57 to the small-diameter plug mounting position shown in FIG. In this case, as described above, first attach the first plug 13,
By subsequently attaching the second plug 16, the locking pin 30 fits into the locking portion 58 (see FIG. 6), and the small diameter plug 10 can be fixedly connected to the socket 50. .

As mentioned above, the small diameter plugs 1 having different outer diameters can be easily created by simply rotating the operating ring 61.
0, or the large-diameter plug 40 can be connected to the socket 50, and there is no need to remove members such as the clamping piece 57 and the operating ring 61 from the holding cylinder 55 forming the fixing ring 52. , there will be no inconvenience such as losing them.

Next, FIG. 9 to FIG. 12 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a fixing ring 71 constituting a socket 70 in this embodiment includes a holding cylinder 72 into which a large-diameter plug 40 is inserted, and a holding cylinder 72 into which a large-diameter plug 40 is inserted. Lock pin 7 to 72
The retaining cylinder 72 is configured to be fastened and fixed to the connecting part 75. Concave grooves 76, 76 are formed in the radial direction on the distal end surface of the connecting cylinder 74, and each concave groove 76 has a clamping piece 77, which serves as a clamping member.
77 are fitted to be slidably displaceable in the radial direction.

In the figure, reference numeral 78 indicates an operating ring fitted into the connecting tube 74, and the operating ring 78 has an annular projection 78a that projects inwardly at its distal end, and a proximal end thereof. When the lock ring 79 is tightened, the annular protrusion 78a and the lock ring 79 can rotate the connecting cylinder 74 and the clamping piece 77 installed in its groove 76 while clamping it. . A connecting pin 80 is protruded from the clamping piece 77, and the connecting pin 80 is inserted into a pin guiding long groove 81 formed in the annular projection 78a. 78, and when the operation ring 78 is rotated, the position of the long groove 81 changes, so that each clamping piece 77 can be displaced in a direction toward or away from each other along each concave groove 76. I'm starting to be able to do it.

When the inner circumferential edge of the holding piece 77 is in the state shown in FIG. 9, which is located on the outer circumferential side than the inner circumferential surface of the holding tube 72, the large-diameter plug 40 is inserted into the large-diameter plug mounting position. At this position, a locking portion 82 for fitting the locking pin 43 of the large-diameter plug 40 is provided on the holding piece 77 to prevent the plug 40 from coming off. on the other hand,
As shown in FIG.
2 and positioned concentrically with the holding cylinder 72, the small diameter plug 10 can be inserted between the respective clamping pieces 77, and the small diameter plug 10 is inserted into the small diameter plug mounting position. A locking portion 83 into which a locking pin 30 is inserted to prevent it from slipping out.
is provided on the clamping piece 77. Furthermore, in order to position and fix the clamping piece 77 in the two positions mentioned above, a click ball 85 biased by a spring 84 is provided on the connecting cylinder 74, and a click ball 85 is provided on the connecting cylinder 74, and
Click grooves 86a and 86b into which click balls 85 are inserted are formed at each of the aforementioned positions.

Even with the above-mentioned configuration, by appropriately rotating the operating ring 78, the respective clamping pieces 77 can be displaced in the direction toward or away from each other.
When the click ball 85 fits into the click groove 86b, the large diameter plug 40 can be connected, and when the click ball 85 fits into the click groove 86a, the small diameter plug 10 can be connected.

Furthermore, FIGS. 13 to 16 show the third embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, a fixing ring 92 with an inner diameter into which a large-diameter plug 40 is inserted is fastened to the connection part 91 of nine sockets, and the fixing ring 92 has a support at an opposite position. Shafts 93, 93 are provided, and a swing member piece 94 is swingably supported on each support shaft 93. Each of the swinging pieces 94 has an arc-shaped clamping part 95 formed on one side thereof, the inner peripheral surface of which has a curvature that matches the outer diameter of the small-diameter plug 10.
On the other side, an arcuate portion 96 having a curvature that almost matches the curvature of the large diameter plug 40 is formed, and the clamping portion 95
The portion between the large-diameter plug 40 and the circular arc portion 96 has a circular arc shape having a larger curvature than the large-diameter plug 40. Each of these swinging pieces 94 is connected to the support shaft 93 as described above.
It is supported by the fixing ring 92 and can come into contact with an abutting surface 97 formed on the fixing ring 92. An operating ring 98 is rotatably fitted into the fixed ring 92, and a pair of operating portions 99a and 99b are formed in the operating ring 98 with each support shaft 93 in between. 99a and 99b can be selectively brought into contact with the outer surface of the swinging piece 94.

Then, by rotating the operation ring 98, the 15th
As shown in the figure, when the acting portion 99b is brought into contact with the swinging piece 94, the inner circumferential surface of the arcuate portion 96 coincides with the inner circumferential surface of the fixed ring 92, as shown in FIG. This is the large-diameter plug mounting position where the large-diameter plug 40 can be inserted. In this state, the extended portion of the arcuate portion 96 is connected to the abutting surface of the fixing ring 92.
7, and the swinging piece 94 is fixed at this position. On the other hand, when the operating portion 99a of the operating ring 98 is brought into contact with the swinging piece 94 as shown in FIG. As shown, the clamping part 95 is displaced inside the fixing ring 92,
Its inner circumferential surface is concentric with the inner circumferential surface of the fixing ring 92, and serves as a small-diameter plug mounting position into which the small-diameter plug 10 can be inserted. In this state, the extended portion of the clamping portion 95 comes into contact with the contact surface 97, and the swinging piece 94 is fixed there. here,
In order to enable the operating parts 99a, 99b of the operating ring 98 to selectively abut the outer surface of the swinging piece 94, the swinging piece 94 has a support shaft 93 thereof.
A thin wall portion 100 is formed near the attachment portion. In order to position the operating ring 98 in the two positions described above, click balls 102a and 102b each of which is biased by a spring 101a and 101b are provided in each operating portion 99a and 99b, respectively.
The swinging piece 94 also has these click balls 10.
Click groove 103 into which 2a and 102b are inserted
a, 103b are formed. Furthermore, a locking portion 10 into which a locking pin 43 of a large-diameter plug 40 is inserted
As shown in FIG.
The locking portions 105 into which the 0 is inserted are respectively formed on the clamping portions 95 as shown in FIG.

Even with the configuration described above, the small diameter plug 10 and the large diameter plug 40 can be connected by a simple operation of rotating the operating ring 98.

In each of the above embodiments, the large-diameter plug 40 with a liquid-tight structure and the small-diameter plug 10 with a non-liquid-tight structure are connected to the sockets 50, 70, and 90, but the fixing ring and the clamping member are not included. By appropriately designing the connector according to the shape of the plug, it is possible to provide a connector to which plugs other than those described above can be connected.

As detailed above, in the endoscope connector according to the present invention, in order to connect plugs with different outer diameters, the socket is composed of a fixing ring for inserting the large-diameter plug and a holding member for holding the small-diameter plug. Since the gripping member is configured to be displaced between the large-diameter plug mounting position and the small-diameter plug mounting position by rotating the operating ring fitted to the fixing ring, the operating ring is rotated. An endoscope main body equipped with a large-diameter plug and an endoscope main body equipped with a small-diameter plug can be connected to a single control device with just a simple operation. Furthermore, since there is no need to remove the clamping member and the operating ring, handling is convenient and the possibility of loss or the like can be reliably prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an external view showing the entire endoscope, Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view showing how the first and second small-diameter plugs are attached and detached, and Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing how the first and second small-diameter plugs are attached and removed. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the large diameter plug showing a state similar to that shown in FIG. 3, and FIGS. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are a cross-sectional view and an A-A half cross-sectional side view of the socket at the small-diameter plug installation position, respectively, and FIG.
Figures 9 and 8 are a sectional view and a half sectional view taken along the line B-B, respectively, showing the socket in the position where the large-diameter plug is installed, and Figures 9 to 12 show a second embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 9 and 12 show a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a front view of the socket at the large diameter plug installation position and its C-C.
11 and 12 are respectively a front view of the socket in the small-diameter plug mounting position and a half sectional view taken along the line DD, and FIGS. 13 to 16 show a third embodiment of the present invention, Figures 13 and 14 are a sectional view and a half sectional view taken along the line E-E at the large-diameter plug installation position, respectively, and Figures 15 and 16 are a sectional view and an F-F half sectional view taken at the small-diameter plug installation position, respectively. It is. 1...Endoscope main body, 3...Hand control unit, 4...
Insertion section, 6... Control device, 7... Connector, 10
...Small diameter plug, 13,42...First plug,
16... Second plug, 30, 43... Locking pin, 40... Large diameter plug, 50, 70, 90...
Socket, 52, 71, 92...Fixing ring, 5
5, 72...holding cylinder, 56, 58, 82, 83,
104, 105... Locking portion, 57, 77... Holding piece, 59... Cam surface, 61, 78, 98... Operation ring, 62, 80... Connection pin, 81... Long groove, 93... Support shaft, 94... Swinging piece, 95...
Clamping part, 99a, 99b... acting part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plug is provided on the side of the endoscope main body that is equipped with an insertion section to be inserted into the observation target area, a manual operation section, etc., and a socket to which the plug is removably connected is provided to the endoscope main body. A light source, a power source, etc. are provided on the internal control device side, and the socket is composed of a fixing ring into which the larger diameter plug is inserted, and a clamping member that clamps the smaller diameter plug, and an operating ring is attached to the fixing ring. are rotatably fitted together, and the operating ring and the clamping member are interlocked, and by rotating the operating ring, the inner peripheral edge of the clamping member is positioned outside the inner peripheral edge of the fixed ring. A connector for an endoscope, characterized in that the endoscope connector is configured to be displaced between a large-diameter plug mounting position and a small-diameter ring mounting position protruding inward from the inner periphery of the fixing ring. 2. The clamping member is formed of a pair of clamping pieces facing each other, each clamping piece is connected to the operating ring via a connecting pin, and each clamping piece is connected to the fixed ring. The endoscope connector according to claim 1, further comprising a cam surface for sliding guidance. 3. The clamping member is formed of a pair of clamping pieces facing each other, each clamping piece has a connecting pin protrudingly provided, and a long groove for guiding each connecting pin is formed in the operating ring. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping pieces are moved in a direction toward and away from each other by guiding a connecting pin along the long groove. connector. 4. The clamping member is formed of a pair of swinging pieces having a circular arc-shaped clamping part having a curvature corresponding to the outer diameter of the small-diameter plug that is pivotally supported by the fixed ring, and the operating ring has the Forms a pair of acting parts that are disposed on both sides of the spindle of each swinging piece, and selectively abut the swinging piece by rotating the operating ring to swing and displace it. An endoscope connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: