JPH04312439A - Endoscope cleaning/disinfecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To remove the waterdrops stuck to an endoscope nearly completely without extending the time of the drying process by a heater by providing a solenoid applying vibrating force to a rack supporting the endoscope. CONSTITUTION:An air feed pump 7 is driven, the air sucked from an intake pipe 6 is heated by a heater 4 and fed into the channel of an endoscope A as the drying air through the air feed pump 7, an air feed pipe 8, a selector valve 9 and a tube 10. A solenoid 16 is driven to vertically vibrate a rack 2 at this time. The hydrogen peroxide gas from a hydrogen peroxide gas generating unit 11 is guided into a cleaning/disinfecting tank 1 via a gas guide pipe 12, and the surface of the endoscope A is sterilized/disinfected by the hydrogen peroxide gas. A suction pump 13 is driven, the hydrogen peroxide gas is sucked into the channel of the endoscope A to sterilize and disinfect it.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device for cleaning and disinfecting endoscopes.

0002

[Prior Art] In recent years, endoscope cleaning and disinfection devices using disinfectant gases such as hydrogen peroxide gas (VPHP) and ethylene oxide gas (ETO) have been proposed as a means of sterilizing endoscopes. . This type of endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device is
Compared to endoscope cleaning and disinfecting devices that use disinfectant as a disinfection method, this device has the advantage of reducing the time required to clean and disinfect endoscopes, but if water droplets adhere to the endoscope,
The disinfecting gas is decomposed and absorbed by the water droplets adhering to the endoscope, making it impossible to obtain a sufficient disinfecting effect.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, the endoscope is heated and dried using a heater after being washed with washing water, but the water droplets that adhere to the endoscope are completely removed using the heater. It took a long time to do this, and timely cleaning and disinfection could not be carried out. Also, by shortening the drying time,
Since some water droplets remain on the endoscope, the disinfection effect is slightly reduced.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to remove almost all water droplets adhering to an endoscope without prolonging the drying process using a heater. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope washer/disinfector that can be completely removed and obtain a sufficient disinfection effect.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a cleaning and disinfecting tank for cleaning and disinfecting an endoscope, and an internal structure that is provided in the cleaning and disinfecting tank and supports the endoscope. An endoscope support means, a cleaning means for cleaning the endoscope supported by the endoscope support means with cleaning water, and a disinfection means for disinfecting the endoscope cleaned by the cleaning means with a disinfection gas. The endoscope cleaning and disinfecting apparatus includes a vibration means for vibrating the endoscope support means at least during disinfection.

[0006]

[Operation] In the present invention, by providing a vibration means for vibrating the endoscope support means at least during disinfection, water droplets adhering to the endoscope can be shaken off by the vibration means. Therefore, water droplets adhering to the endoscope can be almost completely removed without prolonging the drying process using the heater, and the disinfecting gas is not decomposed and absorbed by the water droplets adhering to the endoscope. Since there is no disinfectant, sufficient disinfection effect can be obtained.

[0007]

[Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an endoscope washer/disinfector according to an embodiment of the present invention. A rack 2 for supporting an endoscope A is provided, and a cleaning nozzle 3 is provided above the rack 2. The cleaning nozzle 3 sprays cleaning water toward the endoscope A placed on the rack 2 to clean and remove dirt adhering to the endoscope A, and is connected to a water supply pipe (not shown). ing.

[0008] Furthermore, a heater 4 is provided below the rack 2 in the cleaning/disinfecting tank 1 . This heater 4 heats and dries the endoscope A placed on the rack 2, and is connected to a power source (not shown). Note that a part of the intake pipe 6 is wound around the heater 4 in a coil shape as shown in FIG. 2(a). This intake pipe 6 takes in air through a filter device 5, and a heater 4 is installed in the intake pipe 6.
The heated air is transferred to the air pipe 8, the switching valve 9, and the tube 10.
An air supply pump 7 for supplying air into the channel of the endoscope A is connected through the channel.

On the other hand, a hydrogen peroxide gas generation unit (hereinafter abbreviated as VPHP generation unit) 11 is provided outside the cleaning and disinfecting tank 1. This VPHP generation unit 11 sterilizes the endoscope A with hydrogen peroxide gas, and is connected to the side wall of the cleaning/disinfecting tank 1 via a gas introduction pipe 12 . Note that the VPHP generation unit 11
One end of a gas return pipe 14 is connected to. A switching valve 9 is connected to the other end of the gas return pipe 14 via an intake pump 13.
is connected, and the hydrogen peroxide gas introduced from the VPHP generating unit 11 into the cleaning disinfection tank 1 via the gas introduction pipe 12 is sucked into the channel of the endoscope A by the suction force of the suction pump 13. , further passes through the tube 10, the switching valve 9, the intake pump 13, and the gas return pipe 14 to the VPHP.
It returns to the generating unit 11.

[0010] Also, a temperature sensor 15 is installed in the cleaning/disinfecting tank 1.
is provided, and the solenoid 16 is connected to the rack 2.
It is located below. This solenoid 16 vibrates the rack 2 in the vertical direction, and is driven by a drive signal from a control device (not shown).

[0011] The temperature sensor 15 detects the temperature inside the cleaning/disinfecting tank 1, and the detection signal output from the temperature sensor 15 is input to a high temperature warning device 17 provided outside the cleaning/disinfecting tank 1. It looks like this.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram showing the operating states of each device from the cleaning process to the disinfection process of the endoscope washer/disinfector constructed as described above. As shown in the figure, in the cleaning process, cleaning water is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 3 through a water supply pipe (not shown) to clean the endoscope A.

Next, in the drying process, electricity is started to be applied to the heater 4, and the surface of the endoscope A is heated and dried by the heater 4. At this time, the air pump 7 is driven, the air taken in from the intake pipe 6 is heated by the heater 4, and the air pump 7 is heated.
, the air supply pipe 8, the switching valve 9, and the tube 10, and are supplied as drying air into the channel of the endoscope A. Also, at this time, the solenoid 16 is driven to vibrate the rack 2 in the vertical direction.

Next, in the disinfection step, hydrogen peroxide gas from the hydrogen peroxide gas generation unit 11 is introduced into the cleaning and disinfection tank 1 through the gas introduction pipe 12, and the surface of the endoscope A is covered with hydrogen peroxide gas. Sterilize and disinfect. At this time, the rack 2 is vibrated in the vertical direction by the solenoid 16 following the drying process. Also, at this time, the suction pump 13 is driven to suck hydrogen peroxide gas into the channel of the endoscope A, thereby sterilizing and disinfecting the inside of the channel of the endoscope A with the hydrogen peroxide gas.

As described above, in the above embodiment, by vertically vibrating the rack 2 with the solenoid 16 during the drying process and the disinfection process, water droplets adhering to the endoscope A can be removed from the endoscope A. . Therefore, the water droplets attached to the endoscope A can be almost completely removed without increasing the heating time of the heater 4, and the hydrogen peroxide gas is decomposed and absorbed by the water droplets attached to the endoscope A. Since there is no such problem, a sufficient disinfecting effect can be obtained. Further, in the embodiment described above, a high temperature warning device 17 is provided to notify that the inside of the cleaning/disinfecting tank 1 is at a high temperature, so that a warning can be given to the user.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the rack 2 is used as a means for supporting the endoscope A, but instead of the rack 2, a wall-mounted support means or the like may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, the solenoid 16 is used as a means for vibrating the rack 2.
However, instead of the solenoid 16, a vibration means using a cam or the like may be used. Furthermore, although the rack 2 was vibrated in the vertical direction in the above embodiment, the rack 2 may be vibrated in the lateral direction.

Further, in the above embodiment, the rack 2 is vibrated from the drying process to the disinfection process, but the rack 2 may be vibrated only during the disinfection process. Further, in the above embodiment, a part of the intake pipe 6 is wound around the heater 4 in a coil shape, but the intake pipe 6 may be attached along the heater 4 as shown in FIG. 2(b).

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the inside of the cleaning disinfection tank 1 becomes high temperature, the user is notified by the high temperature warning device 17. However, when the inside of the cleaning disinfection tank 1 becomes high temperature, The first opening/closing door may be locked by a locking mechanism. Further, in the above embodiment, the temperature sensor 15 is provided inside the cleaning and disinfecting tank 1, but if the cleaning and disinfecting tank 1 is transparent, the temperature inside the cleaning and disinfecting tank 1 may be detected using a thermolabel.

[0019]

As explained above, the present invention provides a cleaning and disinfecting tank for cleaning and disinfecting an endoscope, an endoscope support means provided in the cleaning and disinfecting tank for supporting the endoscope, An endoscope cleaner comprising a cleaning means for cleaning the endoscope supported by the endoscope support means with cleaning water, and a disinfection means for disinfecting the endoscope cleaned by the cleaning means with disinfectant gas. The disinfection device is provided with a vibration means for vibrating the endoscope support means at least during disinfection. Therefore, since the water droplets attached to the endoscope can be shaken off by the vibration means, the water droplets attached to the endoscope can be almost completely removed without prolonging the drying process using the heater. A disinfecting effect can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of the intake pipe in the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram showing the operating state of each device in the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Cleaning disinfection tank, 2...Rack, 3...Cleaning nozzle, 4...Heater, 11...Hydrogen peroxide gas generation unit, 16...Solenoid.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning and disinfecting tank for cleaning and disinfecting an endoscope, an endoscope support means provided in the cleaning and disinfection tank and supporting the endoscope, and an endoscope supported by the endoscope support means. An endoscope washer/disinfector comprising a cleaning means for cleaning the endoscope with cleaning water, and a disinfection means for disinfecting the endoscope cleaned by the cleaning means with a disinfectant gas, wherein the endoscope support An endoscope cleaning/disinfecting device characterized by being provided with a vibrating means for vibrating the means at least during disinfection.