JPH1176143A - Endoscope cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently heat a liquid chemical up to a prescribed temperature by covering a wall surface of a cleaning tank with a heat insulating member. SOLUTION: After a waste pipe is blocked up by actuating a directional control valve in the center, a pump is actuated, and a liquid chemical stored in a liquid chemical tank is injected into a cleaning tank 18, and an endoscope is soaked in the liquid chemical, and a heater is turned on. A temperature of the liquid chemical is detected by a temperature sensor, and the heater is controlled so that the liquid chemical is held at a constant temperature. At this time, when a heat insulating material 34 is filled between an inner wall 30 and an outer wall 32, since a quantity of heat taken by the cleaning tank 18 reduces, the liquid chemical can be efficiently heated. Since the heater is arranged in the cleaning tank 18, the liquid chemical can be more efficiently heated. That is, it is because heat is not taken while the liquid chemical flows in the cleaning tank 18 from the liquid chemical tank like when the heater is arranged in the liquid chemical tank.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to an endoscope cleaning apparatus for disinfecting an endoscope with a heated chemical.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope used for inspection is housed in a cleaning tank of an endoscope cleaning device, and is sterilized by a chemical liquid injected from a water supply port of the cleaning tank. Since this chemical solution is activated at a temperature higher than normal temperature, it is heated to a set temperature to enhance the disinfecting effect.

[0003] As a method for heating the chemical solution, there is a method in which the chemical solution is heated in advance in the chemical solution tank by a heater provided in the chemical solution tank and injected into the cleaning tank, or a method in which the heater is provided in the cleaning tank and injected into the cleaning tank. There is a method of heating the applied chemical solution.

[0004]

However, in a conventional endoscope cleaning apparatus that heats a chemical solution in a chemical solution tank, heat of the chemical solution is supplied by a supply pipe or a washing tank on the way of supplying the chemical solution from the chemical solution tank to the cleaning tank. As a result, the temperature becomes lower than the set temperature, and the expected disinfection effect cannot be obtained.

In a conventional endoscope cleaning apparatus for heating a chemical solution injected into a cleaning tank, heat is taken away by the cleaning tank, and it takes time to heat the heater to a set temperature, which is inefficient. There is a disadvantage that. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to provide an endoscope cleaning device capable of efficiently heating a chemical solution to a predetermined temperature.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an endoscope cleaning apparatus for cleaning an endoscope contained in a cleaning tank of the endoscope cleaning apparatus with a cleaning liquid. The washing tank is characterized in that the wall surface is covered with a heat insulating member. According to the present invention, since the wall surface is covered with the heat insulating member, by the heat insulating effect of the heat insulating member,
Since the amount of heat taken by the cleaning tank is reduced, the chemical solution can be efficiently heated to a predetermined temperature.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, by providing a heater in the cleaning tank, the cleaning liquid can be heated more efficiently. That is, in the case where the heater is provided in the cleaning liquid tank, heat is taken away until the cleaning liquid flows from the cleaning liquid tank to the cleaning tank, but the present invention can prevent such a problem. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the ultrasonic transducer can be efficiently transmitted by attaching the ultrasonic transducer to the inner wall surface of the cleaning tank.

[0010] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since a cleaning solution activated at a predetermined temperature is used, a high cleaning effect can be obtained by heating the cleaning solution.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of an endoscope cleaning apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of the endoscope cleaning device. In the endoscope cleaning apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, an upper lid 14 is provided on a box-shaped apparatus main body 12 so as to be freely opened and closed. A cleaning tank 18 is formed on the upper surface of the apparatus body 12, and the used contaminated endoscope 16 is accommodated in the cleaning tank 18.

A water supply port 24 is formed on a side surface of the cleaning tank 18, and water and a chemical solution are injected into the cleaning tank 18 through the water supply port 24. A drain port 2 shown in FIG.
6 is formed, and the water and the chemical solution injected into the cleaning tank 18 are drained from the drain port 26 after use. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a cylindrical injection device 2 is provided at the center of the cleaning tank 18.
0 is provided, and a plurality of nozzles 2
2, 22, 22 are provided. In addition, the injection device 20
Is provided with a heater 21 as shown in FIG.
The chemicals injected into the cleaning tank 18 are heated by the heater 21 to a predetermined temperature (a temperature at which the chemicals are activated).

As shown in FIG. 2, the wall surface of the cleaning tank 18 is formed in a double structure by an inner wall 30 and an outer wall 32, and a heat insulating material 34 is filled between the inner wall 30 and the outer wall 32. Also, a part of the heat insulating material 34 is cut out, and the concave portion 36 is formed on the wall surface.
.. Are formed, and the ultrasonic vibrator 4 is
4, 44... Are provided. In each of the concave portions 36, the heat insulating material 3
4 is cut away and the wall surface is formed in a single layer. When the ultrasonic vibrator 44 is oscillated, the inner wall 30 of the cleaning tank 18 is ultrasonically vibrated, and the ultrasonic wave is transmitted to the cleaning tank 18. The endoscope 16 is ultrasonically cleaned.

As shown in FIG. 3, a water supply pipe 52 is connected to a faucet 50 provided outside the apparatus, and a water supply pipe 52 is connected to a valve 54 connected to the water supply port 24, as shown in FIG. It is extended until. A water supply valve 56 is provided in the water supply pipe 52.
When the faucet 50 and the valve 54 are opened, water flows through the water supply pipe 52 and is injected into the cleaning tank 18 through the water supply port 24.

A switching valve 60 is provided at a lower end of the drain port 26. When the switching valve 60 is moved rightward in FIG. 3, the drain port 26 is connected to the circulation pipe 62. When the switching valve 60 is moved to the left in FIG. 3, the drain port 26 is connected to the discharge pipe 64. When the switching valve 60 is further moved to the center (the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 3), the drain port 26 is opened. Closed.

One end of a circulation pipe 62 is connected to the switching valve 60. The circulation pipe 62 extends to the valve 54, and a chemical solution tank 66 and a pump 68 are provided in the middle of the same. As a result, the chemical solution stored in the chemical solution tank 66 is sucked by the pump 68 and injected into the cleaning tank 18 via the valve 54 and the water supply port 24. Also,
Since the chemical liquid injected into the cleaning tank 18 is returned to the chemical liquid tank 66 through the switching valve 60, the chemical liquid can be circulated and used. A drain pipe 70 is branched from the circulation pipe 62, and a drain 72 is connected to the drain pipe 70.

On the other hand, the drain pipe 64 extends to the outside of the apparatus,
A pump 74 is provided on the way. The water injected into the cleaning tank 18 is drained from the drainage pipe 6 via the switching valve 60 after use.
4 and is sucked by the pump 74 and drained out of the apparatus. Next, the operation of the endoscope cleaning device 10 configured as described above will be described. First, the endoscope 16 is housed in the cleaning tank 18, and the water supply valve 56 and the valve 54 shown in FIG.
And water is supplied from the water supply port 24 to the cleaning tank 18.
The endoscope 16 is pre-washed with the water, and the water used for the pre-wash is discharged from the discharge pipe 64 to the outside of the apparatus via the switching valve 60.

When the pre-cleaning is completed, the switching valve 60 is operated to the center to close the drain port 26, the water supply valve 56 is opened, water is poured into the cleaning tank 18, and the endoscope 16 is immersed in water. I do. The position of the liquid level is detected by a liquid level detection sensor 76, and when the liquid level rises to an appropriate position, the water supply valve 5
Close 6 to stop water storage. When the water storage is completed, the ultrasonic oscillator 44 is oscillated to apply ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning tank 18 to start ultrasonic cleaning. Thereby, the cleaning tank 18
Ultrasonic vibration is generated in the water stored therein, and the endoscope 16 is ultrasonically cleaned. At this time, the ultrasonic vibrator 44 is
The ultrasonic waves can be efficiently transmitted in the cleaning tank 18 by being attached to the cleaning tank 18.

When the ultrasonic cleaning is completed, the switching valve 60 is operated to the discharge pipe 64 side, and the water stored in the cleaning tank 18 is drained out of the apparatus through the discharge pipe 64. When drainage ends,
After the drain valve 28 is closed by operating the switching valve 60 at the center, the pump 68 is operated to inject the chemical solution stored in the chemical solution tank 66 into the cleaning tank 18 to immerse the endoscope 16 in the chemical solution. Then, the heater 21 is turned on. The temperature of the chemical is detected by a temperature sensor 40, and the heater 21 is controlled so that the chemical is maintained at a constant temperature. At this time, by filling the heat insulating material 34 between the inner wall 30 and the outer wall 32, the amount of heat taken by the washing tank 18 is reduced, so that the chemical solution can be efficiently heated. Further, since the heater 21 is provided in the cleaning tank 18, the chemical solution can be heated more efficiently. That is, the chemical solution tank 6
In the case where the heater is provided in 6, the heat is taken until the chemical flows from the chemical tank 66 to the cleaning tank 18, but such a problem can be prevented in the present embodiment.

The liquid level of the chemical is detected by a liquid level detection sensor 76, and when the liquid level rises to an appropriate position, the pump 68
To stop. In this state, the endoscope 16 is disinfected while oscillating the ultrasonic transducer 44 to ultrasonically vibrate the chemical. When the chemical solution disinfection is completed, the switching valve 60 is operated to the discharge pipe 64 side, and the chemical solution injected into the cleaning tank 18 is discharged to the discharge pipe 6.
4. Drain the liquid outside the device.

After the chemical is drained, the water supply valve 56 is opened,
Water is supplied from the water supply port 24 to the cleaning tank 18 through the water supply valve 56 and the valve 54 to rinse the endoscope 16, and the water used for the rinse is discharged from the switching valve 60 to the outside of the apparatus. After the drainage of the rinse, the endoscope 16 is dried by a drying device (not shown).
Is dried. Thus, the cleaning of the endoscope 16 by the endoscope cleaning device 10 is completed.

In the present embodiment, the heater 21 is provided inside the injection device 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the heater 21 may be provided on the side wall of the cleaning tank 18 as shown in FIG. .

[0021]

As described above, according to the endoscope cleaning method using the endoscope cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the amount of heat taken by the cleaning tank is reduced by the heat insulating effect of the heat insulating member provided on the wall surface. Therefore, the chemical can be efficiently heated to the predetermined temperature. Further, by providing a heater in the cleaning tank, the cleaning liquid can be heated more efficiently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an endoscope cleaning device.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a structure of a cleaning tank of the endoscope cleaning device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a piping diagram of the endoscope cleaning device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a structure of a cleaning tank provided with a heater on a side wall portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Endoscope washing | cleaning apparatus 12 ... Device main body 16 ... Endoscope 18 ... Cleaning tank 21 ... Heater 24 ... Water supply port 26 ... Drainage port 30 ... Inner wall 32 ... Outer wall 34 ... Heat insulating material 44 ... Ultrasonic vibrator 60 ... Switching valve

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope cleaning apparatus for cleaning an endoscope housed in a cleaning tank of the endoscope cleaning apparatus with a cleaning liquid, wherein a wall surface of the cleaning tank is covered with a heat insulating member. An endoscope cleaning device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The endoscope cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning tank is provided with a heater for heating the cleaning liquid injected into the cleaning tank. 3. An ultrasonic vibrator for applying vibration to the cleaning tank and ultrasonically cleaning the endoscope is attached to an inner wall surface of the cleaning tank. The endoscope cleaning device according to claim 1. 4. The endoscope cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning liquid is a chemical activated at a predetermined temperature.