JPH08224211A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a pipeline switching device to which plural pipelines are connected and an endoscope capable of easily washing the pipelines after the endoscope is used. CONSTITUTION: This endoscope provided with the pipeline switching device 20 to switch the communicating state of plural fluid pipelines 2, 3 arranged by inserting to the insertion part 1 of the endoscope with external pipelines 26, 27 connected to the outside of the endoscope is formed so that the whole pipeline switching device 20 can freely be attached/detached on an operating part 5 connected to the base terminal of the insertion part 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope provided with a conduit switching device for switching the communication state between a plurality of fluid conduits inserted through an insertion portion and an external conduit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A plurality of fluid conduits such as an air supply pipe, a water supply pipe, and a suction pipe are inserted through an insertion portion of an endoscope to reach an air supply / water supply device and a suction device outside the endoscope. A pipe line switching device for switching the communication state between the external pipe line and each fluid pipe line in the insertion portion is provided in the operation unit.

Such a pipe line switching device is generally composed of a cylinder body to which a pipe line is connected and a piston body which is inserted into the cylinder body so as to be moved forward and backward in the axial direction.

Each time the endoscope is used once, it is necessary to sufficiently clean and disinfect not only the inside of the conduit but also the inside of the conduit switching device. The piston body can be freely attached and detached.

[0005]

However, even if the piston body is removed from the cylinder body, since the cylinder body is fixed to the operating portion, the inside of the cylinder body and the inside of a plurality of pipe lines connected to the cylinder body are not removed. It was not easy to completely clean it, and it took a long time to complete the next endoscopic examination.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pipe line switching device to which a plurality of pipe lines are connected and an endoscope in which the inside of the pipe line can be easily washed after using the endoscope.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the endoscope of the present invention is connected to a plurality of fluid conduits inserted through an insertion portion of the endoscope and the outside of the endoscope. In an endoscope provided with a pipeline switching device for switching a communication state with an external pipeline, the entire pipeline switching device is detachably provided in an operation section connected to a proximal end of the insertion section. It is characterized by that.

It should be noted that it is preferable that the pipe line switching device and the plurality of fluid pipe lines are connected and disconnected as the pipe line switching device is attached to and detached from the operation portion. The connection ends of the plurality of fluid pipelines may be opened to the outer surface of the operation portion when the pipe switching device is removed from the operation portion.

[0009]

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which an air supply tube 2 and a water supply tube 3 are inserted and arranged in an insertion portion 1 of an endoscope which is covered with an elongated flexible tube. Has been done.
A nozzle 4 that projects the air supply tube 2 and the water supply tube 3 outward is provided at the tip of the insertion portion 1 so as to project therefrom.

An operating portion 5 is connected to the base end portion of the insertion portion 1, and the lower half thereof is a grip portion 5a. A bending operation knob 6 is projectingly provided on the right side surface of the upper half of the operation section 5, and a conduit switching device 20 is detachably attached to the left side surface. 7 is an eyepiece.

The pipe line switching device 20 is formed of plastic into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a cylinder body 21 that opens forward (left side in FIG. 1) is oriented substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the operating portion 5. Has been drilled. An air supply passage 22 and a water supply passage 23, which are formed in communication with the upper side surface of the cylinder body 21 from above, reach the rear surface.

At the ends of the air supply passage 22 and the water supply passage 23, an air supply tube 26 is connected to an air supply / water supply device (not shown) provided outside the endoscope via connecting pipes 24, 25. And a water supply tube 27 are connected, and pressurized air and water are sent.

An air supply passage 32 is provided on the lower surface of the cylinder body 21.
And a water supply passage 33 are formed so as to communicate with each other from below, and the lower end outlet thereof is communicated with the air supply tube 2 and the water supply tube 3 and pressed against the inlets of the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe 29 fixed in the operation portion 5. Connected. The structure of the connecting portion will be described later.

In the cylinder body 21, a piston body for switching the communication state of the air supply passage 32 and the water supply passage 33 to the air supply passage 22 and the water supply passage 23 through which air and water are sent,
It is inserted so that it can move back and forth in the axial direction. Since its specific structure is widely known, its detailed description is omitted.

The operation button 36 attached to the tip of the piston body projects forward from the cylinder body 21, and by operating the operation button 36 with a fingertip, the piston body is moved forward and backward in the cylinder body 21. , It is possible to switch the communication state of the pipeline.

Next, the conduit switching device 20 is connected to the operation unit 5.
The structure for attaching and detaching the will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, steps 20a and 20b are formed on the upper and lower end surfaces of the conduit switching device 20 formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape so that the walls on the side in contact with the wall surface of the operating portion 5 are raised. .

Then, the step 20a of the pipe switching device 20,
As shown in FIG. 2, the portion 20b is fitted into the groove portion formed on the operation portion 5 side from the front, and the bank portions 5a and 5b of the groove on the operation portion 5 side are provided with the step 20 of the conduit switching device 20.
The a and 20b are elastically pressed from the side surface so that the conduit switching device 20 does not rattle.

Then, the operating portion 5 is provided in each of the recesses 38 and 39 formed on the upper wall surface of the pipe line switching device 20 at intervals.
The head of the locking pin 42 biased by the compression coil spring 41 from the side is fitted.

The head of the locking pin 42 is formed into a hemispherical round shape. Therefore, by pushing and pulling the conduit switching device 20 with a little force in the front-back direction, the locking pin 42
Can be engaged with and disengaged from the recesses 38, 39.

When the locking pin 42 is engaged with the recesses 38 and 39, the conduit switching device 20 is positioned at a predetermined position and is pressed and fixed downward in a so-called click state. .

Further, since stoppers 44 and 45 which come into contact with the rear end of the conduit switching device 20 are formed at two upper and lower positions on the operating portion 5, the conduit switching device 20 goes too far behind the predetermined position. There is no such thing.

As shown in the drawings, the conduit switching device 20
32a, 33a of the air supply path 32 and the water supply path 33 on the lower surface of the
The portion is formed in a hemispherical shape so as to project downward. Then, the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe 2 on the side of the operation unit 5 that come into contact with it
The inlets 28a and 29a of 9 are formed in a hemispherical shape so as to come into close contact with the protruding portion on the side of the conduit switching device 20 on the surface.

Therefore, the pipe line switching device 20 is operated by the operating portion 5.
In the state of being attached to, the outlets 32a, 33a of the air passage 32 and the water passage 33 on the side of the switching device which are in contact with each other on the hemispherical surface.
Inlet 28 of the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe 29 on the part and the operating portion side
The portions a and 29a are in close contact with each other and fluid leakage does not occur.

Then, a little force is applied to the conduit switching device 20.
If the pipe is moved forward, the conduit switching device 20 can be removed from the operating portion 5 as shown in FIG. Further, the conduit switching device 20 can be attached to the operation unit 5 by performing the reverse operation.

In this way, when the conduit switching device 20 is removed from the operation section 5, the entire conduit switching device 20 together with the air supply tube 26 and the water supply tube 27, the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe on the operation part 5 side. Separated from 29.

Therefore, the pipe line switching device 20 and other parts removed from the operating portion 5 can be easily and thoroughly washed. In addition, if the pipe line switching device 20 that has already been cleaned and disinfected is prepared, the next endoscopic inspection can be performed as soon as the cleaning and disinfection of the operation unit 5 side is completed.

FIG. 4 shows the flow path switching device 20 thus configured.
2 shows the operation unit 5 in a state where the operation unit 5 is removed, and the inlets 28a, 29a of the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe 29 on the operation unit side are exposed obliquely upward to the outer surface of the operation unit 5.

Therefore, the cleaning brush 100 is installed therein.
Can be directly inserted very easily, and brushing can be easily performed over the entire length into the air supply tube 2 and the water supply tube 3.

In the operation section 5, the portion 5u of the left side wall above the section for mounting the conduit switching device 20 is formed low (thin), so that the inlet 28 of the air supply pipe 28 and the water supply pipe 29 is formed.
The cleaning brush 100 can be easily inserted into a and 29a.

The pipe line switching device 20 of this embodiment may be provided with a suction pipe line switching portion similar to that of the second embodiment, which will be described below. Can be brushed on.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the pipe line switching device 20 of the first embodiment is further provided with a cylinder body 121 for switching the suction pipe line, a syringe and the like. The auxiliary water supply cap 122 for connection is provided side by side.

Reference numeral 124 is a suction tube connected to an external suction device, 125 is a suction tube communicating with the tip of the insertion portion 1 of the endoscope, and the suction tube path switching cylinder body 121.
Is in communication with. Reference numeral 126 is a sub water supply pipe for ejecting the water injected into the sub water supply mouthpiece 122 from the tip of the insertion portion 1.

The configuration of the other parts of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except that the upper part 5u of the left side wall of the operation part 5 above the pipe path switching device 20 attachment part is not formed low (thin). The configuration is the same as that of the above embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the pipe route of the pipe line from the pipe line switching device 20 to the insertion portion 1 is once turned to the side and then bent downward. The other configuration is the same as that of the second embodiment.

The pipe line switching device 20 of the second embodiment may be further provided with a gas delivery cap or the like for feeding carbon dioxide gas. FIG. 8 shows such a pipeline switching device 2 of the fourth embodiment.
0 is a bottom view of the switching device side air supply passage 32, the switching device side water supply passage 33, the suction pipe 131, the sub water supply pipe 132, and the gas supply pipe 133, and the outlets thereof are open. Are each formed to have a hemispherical shape.

FIG. 9 shows a pressure piece 222 that moves in conjunction with the operation button 221 and includes an air supply tube 26 and a water supply tube 2.
A fifth embodiment is shown in which the present invention is applied to an endoscope of a system in which a switching operation of air supply and water supply is performed by directly crushing 7.

In the apparatus of such a system, when the air supply tube 26 or the water supply tube 27 loses the restoring force and remains crushed, it is necessary to replace the tube. However, by applying the present invention, the tube replacement is extremely difficult. There is a merit to be easy.

[0038]

According to the present invention, since the entire pipe line switching device to which a plurality of pipe lines are connected is detachably attached to the operating portion, the entire pipe line switching device is used after the endoscope is used. The pipe line switching device and the inside of the pipe line can be easily and sufficiently cleaned by removing the pipe line from the operation unit.

If the conduit switching device and the plurality of fluid conduits are connected and disconnected as the conduit switching device is attached to and detached from the operating part, the operating part On the other hand, the conduit switching device can be easily attached and detached, and when the conduit switching device is detached from the operating part, the connecting ends of the plurality of fluid conduits are opened to the outer surface of the operating part, so that the insertion part A brush for cleaning can be easily inserted into the pipe on the side for brushing cleaning.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front sectional view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pipeline switching device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front cross-sectional view of the operation unit in a state where the conduit switching device of the first embodiment is removed.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side sectional view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the conduit switching device of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic side sectional view of a fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Insertion Part 2 Air Supply Tube 3 Water Supply Tube 5 Operation Section 20 Pipeline Switching Device 21 Cylinder Body 26 Air Supply Tube 27 Water Supply Tube 28 Air Supply Pipe 29 Water Supply Pipe 32 Air Supply Path 33 Water Supply Path

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A conduit switching device for switching a communication state between a plurality of fluid conduits inserted through an insertion portion of an endoscope and an external conduit connected to the outside of the endoscope. In the endoscope, the whole of the conduit switching device is detachably provided on an operation portion connected to a base end of the insertion portion. 2. The pipe line switching device and the plurality of fluid pipe lines are connected and disconnected as the pipe line switching device is attached to and detached from the operation portion. An endoscope characterized by. 3. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the connection ends of the plurality of fluid conduits are open to the outer surface of the operation portion when the conduit switching device is removed from the operation portion.