JPH09289967A - Packaging method for endoscope cover - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To compactly house an endoscope cover and to hardly curl an inserting part cover by folding the inserting part cover with the endoscope inserting path of a little thick part as the inside and housing it in a housing part. SOLUTION: A package 24 has a base member 25 and a lid member 26 and is formed from recycle enable plastic materials or paper. At the base member 25, a groove (housing part) 28 is formed so as to fix an inserting part cover part 10 almost in U shape while forming a bend part. Besides, the inserting part cover part 10 is fixed in the groove 28 with an endoscope inserting channel 15 of a little thick parts as the inside. Thus, since the side having a lot of thick parts 31, where a forceps channel 16 and an air/water feeding duct 17 or the like exist, is bent with R larger than the side of the endoscope inserting channel 15, the inserting part cover is comparatively hardly curled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a compact and proper storage of an endoscope cover mainly for covering the outer surface of an electronic endoscope, which is inserted into a body cavity to observe the inside of the body cavity. The present invention relates to a method of packaging an endoscope cover.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Endoscopes for observing the inside of body cavities play a major role in discovering various diseases and treating affected areas. Since this endoscope is used by inserting its insertion portion into a body cavity, it is necessary to wash and sterilize it in advance when using the same endoscope for another subject. However, sufficient cleaning and sterilization of the endoscope requires a lot of labor and time, and also requires a long time, so that there are many problems in the efficiency of using the endoscope in the medical field. Therefore, in recent years, an endoscope provided with only optical elements is provided with a cover that is provided with an air supply pipe, a water supply pipe, a suction pipe, a forceps channel, etc. necessary for endoscopic observation, and that is sufficiently sterilized. It has been proposed to use it by mounting it on. Since this cover is a disposable one, it is not necessary to consider hygiene of the endoscope itself.

In order for the endoscope cover as described above to be used in an appropriate condition, sufficient consideration must be given to its storage and storage methods. To this end, as means proposed so far, for example USP 4997
084. This relates to a method for packing an endoscope cover, and is a bag that can be stored while the cover is kept straight in a holding portion having a diameter larger than the diameter of the endoscope cover.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned conventional packing method has various problems. That is, since the endoscope cover is configured by combining a long conduit and a plurality of tube members in its configuration, at the time of storage, when storing the above-mentioned conduit while maintaining the cross-sectional shape when in use, There is a problem that the package becomes large. Also, since the endoscope cover is a disposable one in principle,
It is necessary to prepare a large number of endoscope covers in large hospitals, inspection institutions, etc. where there are many examinees. Then, when the packages are large, there is a problem that a large storage space is required even if they are stacked and stored.

On the other hand, in order to reduce the size of the package, a packaging method may be considered in which the endoscope cover is bent and stored in the package. However, if the package is bent and stored carelessly, the insertion portion cover portion will be bent and the inside of the body cavity will be bent. There is a problem in that the insertability into the device is hindered.

The present invention is proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the endoscope cover is compactly accommodated, the package is downsized, and the insertion cover is less likely to bend. It is intended to provide a method of packaging a cover.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an endoscope insertion passage through which an endoscope insertion portion is inserted, and an endoscope insertion passage provided in parallel with the endoscope insertion passage. In a packaging method of an endoscope cover in which an insertion section cover section having a smaller duct is housed in a storage section, the insertion section cover is bent in the endoscope insertion path having a small amount of meat and is stored in the storage section. It is a thing.

[0008]

As described above, since the insertion section cover is housed in the storage section by curving the endoscope insertion passage having a small amount of meat inward, the package can be downsized and the insertion section cover can be bent. Can be hardened.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an endoscope apparatus equipped with a channel-equipped endoscope cover (hereinafter abbreviated as a cover) that is a first embodiment of the present invention. Peripheral devices such as a video processor 3, a fluid control device 4, an endoscope cover extender with a channel (hereinafter abbreviated as an extender) 5, a monitor 6 and the like are housed. An endoscope 7 for an endoscope cover with a channel (hereinafter referred to as a cover endoscope) 7 is connected to the light source device 2. A cable 8 for connecting a signal output from an image pickup device (not shown) provided near the distal end of the insertion portion to the video processor 3 is connected to the cover endoscope 7.

The cover endoscope 7 is covered with a cover 9 for covering the cover endoscope 7. This cover 9
Is composed of an insertion section cover section 10, an operation section cover 11, and a universal cover 12. In addition, the cover 9 is provided with a cover holder 13 that holds the cover 9
The insertion portion cover portion 10 is attached to the cover endoscope 7. Further, the expansion device 5 is provided with an expansion tube 14.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the insertion portion cover portion.
An endoscope insertion channel 15 into which the insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted, a forceps channel 16, and an air / water feeding conduit 17 are formed in the insertion portion cover portion. Further, a proximal suction tube 18 communicating with the forceps channel 16, an air supply tube 19 communicating with the air supply / water supply conduit 17, and a water supply tube 20 are connected to the insertion section cover section.
The hand side suction tube 18, the air supply tube 19, and the water supply tube 20 are connected to a suction device, an air supply source, and a water supply source (not shown) via the fluid control device 4 as shown in FIG. There is.

Further, on the hand side of the insertion section cover section, there is provided an endoscope operation section fixing mouth section 21 for fixing the insertion section cover section to the operation section of the endoscope (not shown). There is. A treatment instrument insertion opening 22 branched from the forceps channel 16 of the insertion portion cover portion is integrally formed on the endoscope operation portion fixing opening portion 21. In the present embodiment, the mouthpiece portion 21 for fixing the endoscope operation portion, the treatment instrument insertion mouth portion 2
2 is made of resin instead of metal.

Further, the kink prevention member 23 is inserted into the endoscope insertion channel 15 in advance and housed in the package. This kink prevention member 23
It is formed of a stainless steel coil or a rod member made of a silicon resin which is highly flexible but is hard to be crushed, and is detachably attached to the endoscope insertion channel 15.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the insertion portion cover portion 10 is housed in the package 24 and the lid is opened. The package 24 has a base member 25 and a lid member 26, which are each formed of a recyclable plastic material or paper classified into PET (polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE (high density polyethylene) or the like. . The base member 25 and the lid member 26
Has a ventilation hole of 0.2 μm or less that is permeable to bacteria but at least partially permeable to bacteria. Further, the base member 25 and the lid member 26 allow gas to pass through, but do not allow bacteria to pass through.
It is adapted to be covered with a film-like member 27 having a ventilation hole of 2 μm or less.

Next, a groove (accommodation portion) 28 is formed in the base member 25 so that the insertion portion cover portion 10 can be placed in a substantially U-shape while forming one curved portion. The insertion portion cover portion 10 is housed in the groove 28 so as to be fitted therein. In this case, a kink prevention member is inserted in each of the endoscope insertion channels and the like of the insertion portion cover portion 10.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3, and is an explanatory view showing a state in which the insertion portion cover portion 10 is stored and fixed. As shown here, the insertion section cover section 10 includes an endoscope insertion channel 15 for inserting the insertion section of the cover endoscope, a forceps channel 16 for inserting forceps, and a feeding channel. An air / water supply conduit 17 is formed. Then, kink prevention members 23, 29, and 30 are inserted into the endoscope insertion channel 15, the forceps channel 16, and the air / water supply conduit 17, respectively, and the kink prevention members 23, 29, and 30 are placed inside the groove 28 with the endoscope insertion channel 15 inside. Has been done.

In this way, after the insertion portion cover portion 10 is housed and fixed in the package 24, it is gas sterilized and conveyed to the user. Insert part cover part 10 packaged 24
Is usually packed in a cardboard box or the like and transported as one set, but if the contents such as the type and size of the insertion portion cover section 10 are displayed on the package 24, the cardboard box, etc. Needless to say, it is convenient for the members. When a plurality of packages 24 are placed in a cardboard box, gas sterilization can be performed in that state.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the insertion portion cover portion 10 can be compactly accommodated, the package can be downsized, and the lumens of the insertion portion cover portion 10 of the cover 9 can be respectively kinked. Preventing member 2
Since 3, 29 and 30 are inserted, even if the cover 9 is bent in a small radius and placed in the groove 28, the lumen will not collapse. In this case, the kink prevention member 23 may be inserted only in the endoscope insertion channel 15 without inserting the kink prevention member into the forceps channel 16 and the air / water supply conduit 17 having many meat portions 31. Good. This is because the endoscope insertion channel 15 tends to be crushed and the inside of the endoscope insertion channel 15 has a large diameter and is easy to sterilize.
This is because the sterilization procedure after the insertion is easy.

Further, since the insertion portion cover portion 10 is placed in the groove 28 with the endoscope insertion channel 15 having a small amount of meat inside, it is fixed in the forceps channel 16 and the air / water supply conduit 1.
Endoscope insertion channel 1 is on the side where there are many meat parts 31 with 7 etc.
Since it is curved with a radius R larger than that on the 5 side, it is relatively difficult to bend, and it is possible to prevent the operability of the endoscope when using the endoscope from being adversely affected. Package 2
4 at least a part of the base member 25 and the lid member 26 of
Since it is made of a polymer material or paper that is breathable but impermeable to bacteria, it can be sterilized by gas sterilization and has good sterilization efficiency. Furthermore, since the base member 25 and the lid member 26 are covered with a film-like member 27 that allows gas to pass but does not allow bacteria to pass, the package 24 can be gas sterilized and the sterilized state can be maintained until the package 24 is opened. The cover 9 can be properly stored.

By the way, the insertion portion cover portion 10 is required to have various sizes according to the type of cover endoscope to be used in combination. Therefore, the size of the package 24 varies depending on the size, which poses a problem in storage at medical sites. Therefore, it is necessary to store the packages 24 having different sizes in a space-efficient manner. FIG. 5 shows a package 24 of two or more types of insert cover sections 10 in which the height and width are equal and the length is the minimum, and other packages are integral multiples thereof. Is.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the insertion portion cover portions 10a, 10b, 10c are respectively housed in three types of packages 24a, 24b, 24c of different lengths. In this way, the packages 24a, 24b, 24c are
The width W and the height H are the same, but the lengths are different from L1, L2, and L3, respectively, and the minimum length L1 is L2 = 2L1 and L3 = 3L1 between L1, L2, and L3. There is a relationship that is an integral multiple with respect to. With this configuration, the plurality of packages 24a, 24a
When b and 24c are stacked and stored, it becomes possible to stack them efficiently while adjusting the size of the packages.

[0022]

As described above, since the insertion section cover is bent and stored in the storage section with the endoscope insertion passage having a small amount of meat inside, the package can be miniaturized. In addition, since the conduit formed in a portion having a large thickness with a diameter smaller than that of the endoscope insertion passage is curved with R larger than that of the endoscope insertion passage, the bending tendency of the entire insertion portion cover is relatively large. It is hard to stick and prevents the operability of the endoscope when it is inserted into the body cavity from being adversely affected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an entire endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an insertion portion cover portion.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inside of the package showing a state in which an insertion portion cover portion is stored.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship of packages of various sizes that accommodate the insertion-portion cover portions having different lengths.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Insert Part Cover Part 24 Package 25 Base Member 26 Lid Member 27 Film Member 28 Groove (Storage Part)

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoshio Tashiro 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshihiro Iida 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Within Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Minoru Yamazaki 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Osamu Mizuta 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ichiro Nakamura 2-34-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An accommodating portion for an endoscope insertion passage through which an endoscope insertion portion is inserted, and an insertion portion cover portion that is provided in parallel with the endoscope insertion passage and has a duct smaller than the endoscope insertion passage. In the method of packaging an endoscope cover to be housed in, the insertion section cover is curved so that the endoscope insertion passage having a small amount of meat is inward, and is stored in the storage section. Package method