JPS6327684Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to an endoscope with an improved mounting structure for an air/water supply nozzle provided on the distal end surface of the endoscope insertion section.

The observation window provided at the tip of the endoscope gets dirty with bodily fluids, so an air and water nozzle is installed at the tip and the observation window is cleaned by supplying air and water to ensure a clear field of view. . Therefore, air and water nozzles are generally made from processed metal pipes in order to ensure mechanical strength and to form internal holes that allow good gas and liquid passage. .

However, when performing high-frequency ablation treatment within a transendoscope, if the conductor part is exposed on the outer surface of the endoscope, high-frequency current flows from this exposed part to the body cavity wall that comes into contact, causing burns to the body cavity wall. There is a risk of this happening. Note that the high-frequency current flowing into the body cavity wall forms a path through the human body to an electrode placed in contact with the patient's body.

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 1, exposed conductor parts such as the outer circumferential surface of the tip component 1 and the protrusion of the air/water nozzle 2 have been covered with an insulating material 3. However, as described above, if the tip component 1 and the air/water nozzle 2 are coated with the insulating material 3, the nozzle opening of the air/water nozzle may be adjusted after coating to increase the cleaning effect. or
There is a major structural flaw in the manufacture of endoscopes in that if the air/water supply nozzle becomes clogged with body fluids, it is impossible to replace the nozzle, and repairs or adjustments cannot be made without destroying the insulating coating. Therefore, the applicant fixed the air and water supply nozzle via an insulating member,
An endoscope whose air and water supply nozzles can be easily adjusted and replaced has already been filed as Utility Model Application No. 54318/1983. This is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, numeral 11 in the figure is a distal end component provided at the distal end of the insertion section of the endoscope, and this distal end component 11 is provided with an illumination window and an observation window 12 (not shown). This observation window 12 consists of an optical fiber bundle 13, an objective lens 14 provided at its tip, and a cover glass 15.
It consists of , and is designed to allow observation of the inside of the body cavity. Further, in the drawing of the distal end component 11, an insertion channel 16 through which a high-frequency ablation treatment tool, forceps, etc. is inserted is provided at the lower part, and an air/water supply nozzle 17 is attached to the upper part by means described later. Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the tip component 11 is covered with a covering member 18 made of an electrically insulating material such as rubber or synthetic resin material.

Further, to explain the fixing structure of the air/water supply nozzle 17, reference numeral 19 is an air/water supply channel bored in the distal end component 11, and the distal end side thereof is formed to have a slightly larger diameter. An electrically insulating member such as a synthetic resin material, such as an insulating tube 21, is inserted into the large diameter portion 20, and the base of the air/water nozzle 17 is inserted and fixed into the insulating tube 21 integrally with an adhesive or the like. ing. A nozzle opening 17a of the air/water nozzle 17 protrudes from the tip of the tip component 11 and faces the observation window 12. Furthermore, a screw hole 22 is bored in the side wall of the tip component 11 in a direction perpendicular to the large diameter portion 20, and the side wall of the insulating tube 21 is pressed into the screw hole 22 to cause the insulating tube 21 to elastically deform. A fixing screw 23 is screwed in to fix 21 to the tip component 11. The head of the fixing screw 23 is closed by an insulating plug 24 press-fitted into the screw hole 22 with an adhesive.

With the above configuration, the air/water supply nozzle 17 is formed of a metal pipe, but is fixed in an electrically insulated state from the tip component 11.
In addition, if the air/water nozzle 17 is clogged with body fluids or damaged and needs to be replaced, the insulating plug 24 can be removed and the fixing screw 23 can be loosened to remove the air/water nozzle 17 together with the insulating tube 21. can.

However, the insulating cylinder 21 is weak in strength, and if the fixing screw 23 is strongly tightened, it will break, and bodily fluids will enter from the broken part, causing a loss of insulation. In addition, strong local compressive force may be applied to the tightened portion of the insulating tube 21 by the fixing screw 23, so when the insulating tube 21 is made of a synthetic resin material, when sterilized with ethylene oxide gas, The synergistic effect of the chemical corrosive power of ethylene oxide gas and the heating effect during gas sterilization causes cracks in the screwed parts, and when water enters through the cracks, insulation is lost. Furthermore, when removing the air/water nozzle 17 when replacing the air/water nozzle 17, if the air/water nozzle 17 is broken and some of its fragments are left behind in the tip component 11, it is a very troublesome task to remove the residue. It was hot.

This idea was devised in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to fit the air/water nozzle into an electrically insulating member and to provide reinforcement fitted to the inner surface of the air/water channel. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope whose electrical insulation is highly reliable by being fixed to the distal end component via a member, and whose air/water supply nozzle can be easily replaced.

An embodiment of this invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 3, which shows a direct-viewing endoscope in which the same components as in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Reference numeral 25 in FIG. 3 denotes a reinforcing member, such as a stainless steel pipe, and this stainless steel pipe 25 is fitted onto the outer circumferential wall of the insulating cylinder 21 via an adhesive. In addition, the above-mentioned insulating tube 2
1 is also fitted onto the outer circumferential wall of the air and water supply nozzle 17 via an adhesive, so the air and water supply nozzle 17, the insulating cylinder 21 and the stainless steel pipe 25 are integrated, and the large diameter portion of the air and water supply channel 19 20 in a removable manner. This stainless steel pipe 25 is fixed to the tip component 11 by a fixing screw 23. Further, the end surfaces of the insulating tube 21 and the stainless steel pipe 25 are coated with an adhesive 26 having electrical insulation properties.

Note that the end surface of the nozzle port 17a of the air/water supply nozzle 17 does not need to be covered with an electrically insulating member.

In the endoscope configured as described above, when the air/water supply nozzle 17 is clogged with body fluids or damaged and needs to be replaced, the insulating plug 24 is removed, the fixing screw 23 is loosened, and the adhesive 26 is removed. After peeling off, the air/water supply nozzle 17, the insulating cylinder 21, and the stainless steel pipe 25 can be easily replaced by pulling them out. Also,
Even when the fixing screw 23 is tightened, almost no tightening force is applied to the insulating cylinder 21, so the air/water supply nozzle 17 is not destroyed. Furthermore, since each tip of the stainless steel pipe 25 and the insulating tube 21, which are reinforcing members, is coated with adhesive 26, even if ethylene oxide gas is sterilized, the ethylene oxide gas will not reach the screwed part. No cracks occur.

Next, FIG. 4, in which the same components as in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals, shows another embodiment applied to a perspective type endoscope. In this case, since the distal end surface of the distal end component 11 is inclined in the axial direction, the arrangement of the observation window 12 and the insertion channel 16 is exchanged, so that the air and water supply nozzle 17 intersects with the insertion channel 16, and the stainless steel pipe 25 is exposed in the insertion channel 16 as shown in FIG. 5, but no problem occurs.

The insulating tube 21 is extended as long as possible toward the tip of the air/water nozzle 17, and the outer peripheral surface of the tip of the air/water nozzle 17 and the exposed tip of the stainless steel pipe 25 are covered with an adhesive 26. Therefore, the nozzle port 17a of the air/water supply nozzle 17
It is not necessary to cover the end face with an electrically insulating member.

As in the above embodiment, the air/water supply nozzle 17 is fitted onto the inner circumferential surface of the insulating cylinder 21 via an adhesive, and the stainless steel pipe 25 is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface thereof via an adhesive as well. Therefore, even if the endoscope is sterilized with ethylene oxide gas, there is no risk that the insulating tube 21 will be attacked by the ethylene oxide gas and destroyed.

As explained above, in this idea,
The air/water supply nozzle made of an electrical conductor was fitted with an electrically insulating member, and the electrically insulating member was inserted into the reinforcing member and fixed to the air/water channel of the tip component. The air/water supply nozzle can be electrically insulated, ensuring safety even when performing high-frequency ablation, and also preventing destruction of the electrically insulating member that fits the air/water supply nozzle. This has the effect that the water nozzle can be easily adjusted and replaced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are longitudinal side views showing the distal end components of a conventional endoscope, FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view showing one embodiment of this invention, and FIG. 4 is another embodiment of this invention. An example is a vertical side view, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the insertion channel of FIG. 4 viewed from direction A. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11...Tip component, 17...Air/water supply nozzle, 18...Coating member, 19...Air/water supply channel, 2
1... Insulating cylinder (electrical insulating member), 25... Stainless steel pipe (reinforcing member).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Consisting of a tip component made of an electrical conductor having an air supply channel, a covering member made of an electrical insulator that covers the outer surface of this tip component, and an electrical conductor inserted into the air supply channel. An endoscope comprising an air/water nozzle, and an electrically insulating member that covers an outer surface and an end surface of the air/water nozzle facing the air/water channel between the air/water nozzle and the air/water channel. , the air/water supply nozzle is fitted with the electrically insulating member, and the electrically insulating member is inserted and fixed into the air/water channel of the tip component through a substantially cylindrical reinforcing member; An endoscope characterized in that at least the exposed tip end surface of the reinforcing member is coated with an adhesive having electrical insulation properties.