JPH04801Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an air/liquid feeding device for an endoscope that is capable of cleaning the air passage by sending liquid to the air passage provided in the endoscope.

Generally, when an endoscope is used, dirt such as mucus adheres to the observation window, often obstructing the observation field of view. For this purpose, water is supplied from the liquid supply path of the endoscope to the tip nozzle and sprayed onto the surface of the observation window to clean it, and then air is supplied from the air supply path to the tip nozzle, causing the water to adhere to the observation window. By removing the contaminated water, observations can be made better.

Incidentally, in recent years, nosocomial infections due to the use of endoscopes have become a problem. Therefore, after using the endoscope, the insertion portion thereof is immersed in a chemical solution, or a chemical solution is passed into the forceps channel to disinfect the inside of the channel. In addition, since water or a chemical solution can be easily sent to the liquid feeding path in the same manner as the forceps channel, the liquid feeding path is cleaned and disinfected.

However, in order to ensure that the entire endoscope is sterilized, it is necessary to clean and disinfect the air passage as well, as dirt may flow back into the air passage from the tip nozzle. However, due to the structure of the endoscope, it is not easy to clean and disinfect it. As a result, the air passages were not cleaned and disinfected, and there was a risk that the dirt adhering to the air passages would lead to in-hospital infections.

This idea was made based on the above circumstances,
The object thereof is to provide an air/liquid feeding device for an endoscope that has a simple configuration and is capable of feeding liquid to an air path to clean and disinfect the air path.

Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained in Figures 1 to 3.
This will be explained with reference to the figures. Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 is an endoscope consisting of an operating section 2 and an insertion section 3. As shown in FIG. Above operation part 2
A universal cord 4 is connected to the universal cord 4, and a connector 6 connected to a light source device 5 is provided at the end of the universal cord 4. The above endoscope 1 and universal cord 4
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an air supply passage 7 and a liquid supply passage 8 are provided over the entire length thereof. A midway portion between the air supply path 7 and the liquid supply path 8 is connected to a first switching operation valve 9 in the operation section 2 . As shown in FIG. 2, this first switching operation valve 9 includes a cylinder 10, a piston 11 slidably inserted into this cylinder 10, and this piston 11.
The spring 12 is biased in the direction of protruding from the cylinder 10. The cylinder 10 has an upstream side 7a of the air supply path 7 at the lower end of its peripheral wall.
and the downstream side 7b are connected, and above the air supply path 7, the upstream side 8a and downstream side 8b of the liquid supply path 8 are connected. Further, the piston 11 is provided with a leak hole 13 that passes through the piston 11 in its axial direction, and a circumferential groove 14 is formed on the outer periphery. When the piston 11 is urged by the spring 12 in the direction of protruding from the cylinder 10 as shown in FIG. The upstream side 8a and the downstream side 8b of the liquid feeding path 8 are cut off by the piston 11. Also,
When the piston 11 is pushed in against the urging force of the spring 12, the upstream side 7a and the downstream side 7b of the air supply path 7 are cut off by the piston 11, and the upstream side 8a and the downstream side 8b of the liquid supply path 8 are separated. is the circumferential groove 14 of the piston 11
It is now possible to communicate through the Note that the piston 11 is provided with O to maintain airtightness between it and the cylinder 10.
A ring 15 is provided.

One end of each downstream side 7b, 8b located on the distal end side of the insertion section 3 of the air supply passage 7 and the liquid supply passage 8 join together and communicate with a nozzle 16 provided on the distal end surface of the insertion section 3. . Further, the other end of the air supply path 7, which is the upstream side 7a, which is led to the connector 6, opens into a connection mouthpiece 17 that projects from the end surface of the connector 6. Furthermore, the upstream side 8a, which is the other end of the liquid feeding path 8 led to the connector 6, opens into a connecting portion 18 formed on the side surface of the connector 6. In addition, this connection part 1
8, a pressurizing path 19 branched from the upstream side 7a of the air supply path 7 is opened. The connection part 18 has a double pipe 21 with a connection cap 20 at one end.
are airtightly connected via the connection base 20. The double pipe 21 is composed of an inner tube 22 and an outer tube 23, with the inner tube 22 communicating with a central hole 24 formed in the connection base 20, and the outer tube 23 communicating with a peripheral hole 25. Then, connect the connection base 20 to the connection part 18.
, the inner tube 22 communicates with the liquid feeding path 8 through the center hole 24, and the outer tube 23 communicates with the pressurizing path 19 through the peripheral hole 25. Also,
The other end of the double pipe 21 is airtightly connected to a liquid sending tank 26 containing the liquid L via a cap 27, the outer pipe 23 opens into the upper space inside the liquid sending tank 26, and the inner pipe 22 opens into the upper space inside the liquid sending tank 26. Immersed in liquid L.

The connector 6 also includes an upstream side 7a between an air supply path 7 and a liquid supply path 8 formed in the connector 6.
A second switching operation valve 28 is provided in the middle of 8a. This second switching operation valve 28 is connected to the connector 6
A cylinder 29 is formed with an opening on its side.
The piston 30 is slidably inserted into the cylinder 29, and the spring 31 biases the piston 30 in the direction of protruding from the cylinder 29. A regulating groove 32 is formed along the axial direction on the outer circumferential surface of the piston 30, and a guide pin 33 protruding from the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 29 engages with this regulating groove 32, causing rotation of the piston 30. is regulated. Furthermore, a circumferential groove 34 whose width dimension along the axial direction of the piston 30 varies is carved on the outer circumferential surface of the piston 30. This circumferential groove 3
The width dimension of 4 is 180 in the circumferential direction of the piston 30.
The maximum and minimum widths are at different positions, with the minimum width facing toward the connection base 17 of the connector 6. Further, the cylinder 29 is formed in the middle of the upstream sides 7a and 8a of the air supply passage 7 and the liquid supply passage 8, and the cylinder 29 is formed in the upstream side 7a, 8a of the air supply passage 7 and the liquid supply passage 8.
The distal end side 7a-1 and the rear end side 7a-2 of the liquid feeding path 8 are connected at the same height position, and the distal end side 8a-1 and the rear end side 8a- 2 are connected at different height positions, that is, the front end side 8a-1 is higher than the rear end side 8a-2. When the piston 30 protrudes from the cylinder 29 as shown in FIG. At the same time, the front end side 8a-1 and the rear end side 8a of the upstream side 8a of the liquid feeding path 8 are
-2 are in communication with each other through the internal space of the cylinder 29. Further, when the piston 30 is pushed in against the biasing force of the spring 31, the tip side 7a-1 of the air supply path 7
is blocked by the piston 30, and the front end side 8a-1 of the liquid supply path 8 and the rear end side 7a of the air supply path 7 are
-1 communicate with each other via the circumferential groove 34.

Further, when the connector 6 is connected to the light source device 5, the upstream side 7a of the air supply path 7 opened to the connection base 17 of the connector 6 supplies air to the discharge side of the air pump 35 built in the light source device 5. tube 36
It is now possible to communicate through the

The piston 30 of the second switching operation valve 28 is provided with an O-ring 3 that maintains airtightness between the piston 30 and the cylinder 29.
7 is provided.

Next, the operation of the air/liquid feeding device will be explained. First, when using the endoscope 1 for normal observation, etc., the air supply pump 35 is turned on without any operation of the first and second switching operation valves 9 and 28, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Activate. Then, the air from the air pump 35 flows from the air tube 36 to the air path 7 opened to the connection mouthpiece 17 of the connector 6.
flows into the cylinder 10 of the first switching valve 9 through the circumferential groove 34 of the piston 30 of the second switching valve 28, and from there through the leak hole 13 of the piston 11. Dissipated into the atmosphere. Therefore, if the leak hole 13 of the piston 11 of the first switching operation valve 9 is closed with a finger, air is ejected from the nozzle 16 through the downstream side 7b of the air supply path 7. In addition, when sending liquid to the liquid feeding path 8, the piston 11 of the first switching operation valve 9 is pushed in to block the upstream side 7a and the downstream side 7b of the air feeding path 7, and the upstream side of the liquid feeding path 8 is 8a and the downstream side 8b are communicated. By blocking the air supply path 7, the air flowing into the upstream side 7a of the air supply path 7 flows from the pressurization path 19 through the outer pipe 23 of the double pipe 21 and into the liquid supply tank 26, and this air flows into the liquid supply tank 26. Pressurize the liquid L inside. Therefore, the liquid L flows through the inner pipe 22 of the double pipe 21 to the upstream side 8a of the liquid feeding path 8, and flows into the internal space of the cylinder 28 of the second switching operation valve 28 and the piston of the first switching operation valve 9. It flows to the downstream side 8b through the 11 circumferential grooves 14 and flows out from the nozzle 16.

On the other hand, when the endoscope 1 is finished using, the second switching operation valve 28 is operated while the air supply pump 35 is operated.
Push in the piston 30 of the upstream side 7 of the air supply path 7.
while blocking the front end side 7a-1 and the rear end side 7a-2 of
-1 and the rear end side 7a-2 of the upstream side 7a of the liquid feeding path 7 are communicated. Then, the air sent from the air pump 35 to the distal end side 7a-1 of the air supply path 7 flows into the pressurization path 1.
9 to the liquid sending tank 26 and pressurizes the liquid L, this liquid L flows through the inner pipe 22 of the double pipe 21.
It flows through the distal end side 8a-1 of the liquid feeding path 8 and the circumferential groove 34 of the piston 30 of the second switching operation valve 28 to the rear end side 7a-2 of the upstream side 7a of the air feeding path 7. Since the liquid L flows into the cylinder 10 of the first switching valve 9, if the leak hole 13 of the piston 11 of the first switching valve 9 is closed,
The air flows out from the nozzle 16 through the downstream side 7b of the air supply path 7. Therefore, almost the entire length of the air supply path 7 can be cleaned by such a flow of the liquid L, and if the liquid L is a chemical solution, the air supply path 7 can be disinfected.

After cleaning the air passage 7 in this way, if air is sent to the air passage 7 as described above, the liquid L remaining in the air passage 7 can be removed. Moreover, according to the above configuration, since the liquid can be sent to the air supply path 7, even if the liquid feed path 8 is clogged or otherwise malfunctions, the air and liquid can be sent using the air supply path 7. , normal observation can be performed well.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in the state of the air supply path 7 in the connector 6. That is, the upstream side 7a of the air supply path 7
The distal end side 7a-1 of the pressurizing path 40 has one end opened to the connection cap 17 of the connector 6 and the other end opened to the circumferential surface of the connector 6, and one end opened to the connection part 18 of the connector 6. The outer pipe 23 of the heavy pipe 21 was connected to the outer pipe 23 through the peripheral hole 25 of the connection mouthpiece 20, and the other end was divided into a communication path 41 connected to the cylinder 29 of the second switching operation valve 28. One end of a pressurizing tube 43 is connected to the other end of the pressurizing path 40 via a connector 42, and the other end of the pressurizing tube 43 opens into the upper space of the liquid feeding tank 26. Also, the second
The width of the circumferential groove 34 formed in the piston 30 of the switching operation valve 28 is uniform over the entire length in the circumferential direction, and the piston 30 is urged by the spring 31 to protrude from the cylinder 29. When the communication path 41 of the air supply passage 7 and the rear end side 7a-2 of the upstream side 7a communicate with each other via the circumferential groove 34, the upstream side 8a of the liquid supply passage 8 communicates with the rear end side 7a-2 of the upstream side 7a through the internal space of the cylinder 29. The leading end side 8a-1 and the rear end side 8a-2 are in communication.

Further, when the piston 30 is pushed in, the distal end 8a of the upstream side 8a of the liquid feeding path 8 passes through the circumferential groove 34.
-1 and the rear end side 7a-2 of the upstream side 7a of the air supply path 7 are communicated with each other.

According to such a configuration, the second switching operation valve 2
8 is not operated, air from the air pump 35 flows from the pressurizing path 40 through the pressurizing tube 43 into the liquid feeding tank 26, and the double pipe 21
The air flows to the rear end side 7a-2 of the air supply path 7 through the outer tube 23, the communication path 41, and the circumferential groove 34 of the piston 30. Moreover, the upstream side 7a and the downstream side 7b of the air supply path 7
When the flow is shut off by operating the first switching operation valve 9, the liquid is transferred from the pressurizing tube 43 to the liquid sending tank 2.
The air sent into the outer pipe 23 of the double pipe 21
Since the liquid stops flowing, the liquid L is pressurized and flows through the inner pipe 22, the front end side 8a-1 of the upstream side 8a of the liquid feeding path 8, and the internal space of the cylinder 29 to the rear end side 8a-2. . In addition, when sending liquid to the air supply path 7, the piston 3 of the second switching operation valve 28
0 is pushed in and the circumferential groove 34 connects the leading end side 8a-1 of the upstream side 8a of the liquid feeding path 8 and the rear end side 7a-2 of the upstream side 7a of the air feeding path 7,
The tip side 7a-1 of the air supply path 7 is blocked by the piston 30. Then, the air sent from the pressure tube 43 into the liquid supply tank 26 stops flowing through the communication path 41, so the liquid L is pressurized and the double pipe 2
1 and the distal end side 8 a - 1 of the liquid feeding path 8 , and flows through the circumferential groove 34 of the piston 30 to the distal end side 7 a - 1 of the air feeding path 7 . Therefore, almost the entire length of the air supply path 7 can be cleaned with the liquid L.

5 and 6 show a third embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment in the state of the air supply path 7 in the connector 6. That is, the tip side 7a-1 of the upstream side 7a of the air supply path 7 is divided into a pressurizing path 40 and a communication path 41 as in the second embodiment, but the other end of the pressurizing path 40 is divided into a pressurizing path 40 and a communication path 41. This embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that it opens in the connecting portion 18 of the connector 6 and communicates with the outer tube 23 of the double pipe 21 via the peripheral hole 25 of the connection base 20. The inside of the outer tube 23 of the double pipe 21 is divided into a first passage 51 and a second passage 52 by a partition wall 50, as shown in FIG. The second passage 52 communicates with the communication passage 41 .

According to this configuration, the first passage 51 of the double pipe 21 exhibits the same function as the pressure tube 43 shown in the second embodiment, so that the air supply passage 7 is operated similarly to the second embodiment. This air supply path 7 can be cleaned by flowing the liquid L over almost the entire length.

As described above, the present invention provides a second switching operation valve at the connector at the end of the universal cord connected to the operating section of the endoscope, and by operating the second switching operation valve, the endoscope The liquid in the liquid supply tank can be made to flow through the air supply path formed between the mirror and the universal cord. Therefore, not only can the air supply path be cleaned and disinfected with the liquid in the liquid supply tank, but also the conventional air and liquid supply device can be used almost as is by simply providing a second switching operation valve on the connector. , the configuration does not become complicated. In addition, since the connection part that connects the tank and the second switching operation valve are provided in different directions, the connector does not become unnecessarily large in the axial direction, and even when the second switching valve is operated, the tank is It doesn't get in the way.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the first switching valve, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the connector portion. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a connector portion showing a second embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a connector portion showing a third embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a connector portion showing a third embodiment of the present invention. - FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the double pipe along the line. 1...Endoscope, 2...Operation unit, 4...Universal cord, 6...Connector, 7...Air supply path, 8
...Liquid feeding path, 9...First switching operation valve, 26...
Liquid sending tank, 28... Second switching operation valve, 35...
...Air pump.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An endoscope, a universal cord connected to the operating section of the endoscope, a connector provided at the end of the universal cord, an air supply path provided between the endoscope and the universal cord, and A liquid feeding path, an air pump connected to the air feeding path, a connecting portion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the connector and communicating with the air feeding path and the liquid feeding path, and a connecting portion removably connected to the connecting portion. A liquid sending tank containing a liquid inside and a switching operation of the liquid feeding tank provided in the above-mentioned operation section supply air to the air feeding path and pressurize the liquid in the liquid feeding tank with air from the air feeding pump to supply liquid to the liquid feeding path. a first switching operation valve that sends liquid to the air passage; and a second switching valve that is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the connector in a direction different from the protruding direction of the connecting portion and that sends liquid to the air passage by switching operation. An air/liquid feeding device for an endoscope, characterized in that it is equipped with a switching operation valve.