JP2003310538A - Endoscope fluid delivery device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] To provide a fluid delivery device for an endoscope that can easily clean a fluid delivery nozzle while being attached to an insertion portion. A fluid delivery device for an endoscope having a tapered fluid delivery nozzle that gradually reduces the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage from the fluid passage to the distal end at the end of a fluid passage built in the insertion portion. The fluid delivery nozzle maintains the tapered shape without being deformed by the pressure of the fluid passing therethrough, and the tip taper expands when an external force is applied by an insert having a cross-sectional area larger than the minimum cross-sectional area of the tip taper. It is made of an elastically deformable member that can be elastically deformed in diameter and returns to a tapered shape when an external force is released.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a fluid delivery device for an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Air and water are supplied to a structure such as an objective window (objective lens) provided at the tip of an insertion portion,
There is known an endoscope of a type capable of cleaning the structure and removing water droplets. Generally, in this type of air / water supply device, a fluid passage is arranged in the insertion portion, and a tapered nozzle is provided at the tip of the fluid passage.

By the way, when cleaning an endoscope, a brush is inserted into the fluid flow passage for brushing, but since the nozzle is made of a hard material such as metal and the opening is extremely small, the brush for the pipeline is used. Did not pass through the nozzle and could not be brushed. If the nozzle alone or the cap portion including the nozzle can be attached to and detached from the tip of the insertion portion, the nozzle can be detached for cleaning during cleaning. However, if the nozzle is attached or detached, there is a risk that it takes time to position the nozzle when reattaching it, or that the reattachment of the nozzle is forgotten and the inspection is hindered.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid delivery device for an endoscope in which the fluid delivery nozzle can be easily washed while being attached to the insertion portion.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an endoscope having a tapered fluid delivery nozzle at the tip of a fluid flow passage contained in an insertion portion, which gradually reduces the cross-sectional area of the flow passage from the fluid flow passage to the tip. In the fluid delivery device of No. 3, when the fluid delivery nozzle maintains a tapered shape without being deformed by the pressure of the fluid passing therethrough and an external force is applied by an insert having a cross-sectional area larger than the minimum cross-sectional area of the tip tapered portion, It is characterized in that it is composed of an elastically deformable member which can be elastically deformed such that the tip tapered portion expands in diameter and returns to a tapered shape when an external force is released.

According to the fluid delivery device of the present invention, it is possible to insert the brush for washing the fluid flow conduit into the fluid delivery nozzle, and the washing workability is improved.

The fluid delivery nozzle having the above characteristics can be obtained, for example, by forming it from polytetrafluoroethylene.

The fluid delivery nozzle may be formed as a separate member from the fluid flow conduit or may be an integral member.

The tip of the fluid delivery nozzle has a slender circular cross section in the free state, and can be expanded into a circular shape having substantially the same diameter as the fluid flow conduit by inserting an insert such as a brush.

The fluid delivery nozzle according to the present invention is, for example, opened toward the objective lens provided at the tip of the insertion portion and delivers the fluid to the objective lens.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a fluid delivery device for an endoscope according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a cross section near the distal end of an insertion portion 10 of a side-view type endoscope. A distal end body 11 made of a hard member is provided at the distal end of the insertion portion 10, and an objective window (objective lens) 12 and an illumination window (light distribution lens) 20 are adjacent to the opening formed in the distal end body 11. Have been fitted.

The objective window 12 constitutes an objective optical system of the endoscope, and the objective optical system is further located between the prism 13 located inside the objective window 12 and the prism 13 and the CCD 16. The first lens 14 and the second lens 15 are provided. The subject image by this objective optical system is CCD1
An image is formed on the light receiving surface of 6. The image of the observation target that has entered the light receiving surface of the CCD 16 is photoelectrically converted, and an image signal is generated via the control board 17. The image signal is sent to a processor (not shown) via the image signal transmission cable 18. The processor can display the electronic image on a monitor or record it on an image recording medium.

The light emitting end of the light guide fiber bundle 21 faces the inside of the illumination window 20. Illumination light from a light source provided in the processor enters an unillustrated light incident end portion of the light guide fiber bundle 21,
This illumination light is emitted toward the illumination window 20. Lighting window 2
0 illuminates the observation target by diffusing the illumination light.

Since the objective window 12 and the illumination window 20 are exposed on the outer surface of the endoscope, there is a possibility that dirt or water droplets may adhere during use. Particularly with respect to the objective window 12, if dirt or water drops adhere, the image may become unclear or unobservable, so an air / water supply device (fluid delivery device) is provided to remove these. . In the insertion part,
An air / water supply channel (fluid flow conduit) 25 connected to the air / water supply source is provided, and the tip of the air / water supply channel 25 is fixed to the tip body 11.
A relay through hole 26 that communicates with the air / water channel 25 is formed in the tip portion main body 11, and the relay through hole 26 communicates with the bottom surface of the nozzle housing recess 27. The nozzle accommodating recess 27 is opened toward the distal end direction of the insertion portion 10, and as shown in FIG. 1, the objective window 12 and the illumination window 20 are located on the extension of this opening direction.

An air / water supply nozzle (fluid delivery nozzle) 30 is fixed in the nozzle housing recess 27. The air / water nozzle 30 is made of a material that is elastically deformable and has a shape-restoring property, specifically, polytetrafluoroethylene or the like, and as shown in FIGS.
7. A large-diameter portion 30a on the base end side that fits tightly in 7 and a tip tapered portion 30b having a flat elongated circular cross-section that gradually reduces the flow passage cross-sectional area from the large-diameter portion 30a to the distal end are integrally molded. Has been done. In the free state, the flow passage cross-sectional area of the tip portion 30b of the air / water feeding nozzle 30 is smaller than the flow passage cross-sectional area of the air / water feeding channel 25. The fluid such as cleaning water and air sent to the tank is increased in pressure when passing through the tip portion 30b and is ejected toward the objective window 12 and the illumination window 20. As a result, it is possible to clean the dirt attached to the objective window 12 and the illumination window 20 and blow off the water droplets. The air / water nozzle 30 has such hardness that it is not elastically deformed by the pressure during the fluid delivery.

As shown in FIG. 5, the air / water supply channel 2
5 and the air / water supply nozzle 30 are cleaned with the air / water supply nozzle 30 attached. Air / water channel 25
On the other hand, when the cleaning brush 33 is inserted from the side of the operation part of the endoscope (right side in FIG. 5), the passage area of the cleaning brush 33 is cleaned and the inside of the air / water supply channel 25 is cleaned. When the cleaning brush 33 is further inserted in the distal end direction of the insertion portion, it passes through the relay through hole 26 and enters the air / water feeding nozzle 30.
Here, since the cross-sectional area of the cleaning brush 33 is larger than the minimum cross-sectional area of the tip portion 30b, the cleaning brush 33 cannot be inserted if the air / water supply nozzle 30 is a hard member, but the cleaning brush 33 of the present embodiment cannot be inserted. Since the air / water supply nozzle 30 is made of an elastically deformable member, the tip tip portion 30b is expanded and elastically deformed in accordance with the insertion of the cleaning brush 33, and the inside of the air / water supply channel 25 is continuously cleaned by the cleaning brush 33. Can be washed. When the cleaning brush 33 is removed after the cleaning is completed, the air / water supply nozzle 30 returns to the tapered flat shape shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 due to its shape restoring property.

FIG. 6 shows the tip end portion 30b in a state of being spread by the cleaning brush 33 by a solid line and the tip end portion 30b in a free state by an alternate long and two short dashes line. As shown in FIG. 1, when the air / water feeding nozzle 30 is in a free state, a predetermined empty space is secured between the inner surface of the nozzle housing recess 27 and the tip tapered portion 30b.
The diameter expansion of the tip tapered portion 30b within 7 is allowed. Therefore, when the tip tip portion 30b is expanded, the tip tip portion 30b does not interfere with the tip portion main body 11.

As described above, in the endoscope of this embodiment,
The air / water nozzle 30 provided at the tip of the air / water channel 25 is not deformed by the passage pressure of the fluid, and the tip portion 30b is expanded according to the insertion force of the cleaning brush 33, which is a solid insert having a large cross-sectional area. Since it is formed as an elastically deformable member that has a diameter and returns to a tapered shape when the external force is released, the air / water feeding nozzle 30 can be easily washed together with the air / water feeding channel 25 without removing it from the endoscope. .

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 in that an air / water supply channel and an air / water supply nozzle at its tip are integrally formed as a nozzle-equipped channel 35. The nozzle-equipped channel 35 is made of an elastically deformable member similar to the air / water supply nozzle 30 of the first embodiment, and does not deform the nozzle portion 35a by the pressure of the fluid, so that the nozzle portion 35a can be cleaned by elastic deformation. It has the property of allowing the insertion of a brush and returning to a tapered shape after the brush is removed. With the integration of the nozzle and the channel, the channel 3 with the nozzle is attached to the tip end main body 11.
A through hole 36 having a uniform inner diameter size is formed so that 5 can be inserted therethrough. Also in the structure of the second embodiment, cleaning can be easily performed without removing the nozzle.

8 and 9 show a third embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an endoscope of a type different from the first and second embodiments. The endoscope shown in the figure has an objective window (objective lens) 40.
Is a front-viewing type (direct-viewing) endoscope that faces forward in the extending direction of the insertion portion 39. The tip portion main body 41 has an opening for holding the objective optical system 42 including the objective window 40,
Inside the objective optical system 42, a CCD 43, a control board 44,
An image signal transmission cable 45 is provided. CCD4
Electrical parts such as 3 are similar to those in the first embodiment.
Further, a tip end of an air / water supply channel (fluid flow conduit) 46 is fixed to the tip end body 41, a relay through hole 47 communicating with the air / water supply channel 46, and a nozzle continuing to the relay through hole 47. A storage recess 48 is formed.
An air / water feeding nozzle (fluid delivery nozzle) 60 formed as a member separate from the air / water feeding channel 46 is inserted into the nozzle housing recess 48. The air / water feeding nozzle 60 has a tip portion projecting from the tip body 41 bent substantially at right angles to the extending direction of the air / water feeding channel 46.
The fluid can be ejected toward the objective window 40. The air / water supply nozzle 60 is not deformed by the pressure when the fluid is ejected.

Since the tip portion of the air / water feeding nozzle 60 is narrowed and bent to reduce the flow passage cross-sectional area as compared with the air / water feeding channel 46, it is assumed that it is made of a rigid member. The cleaning brush 33 cannot be inserted. However, similar to the above-described air / water feeding nozzle 30, the air / water feeding nozzle 60 is made of an elastically deformable member, and as shown in FIG. 9, the air / water feeding nozzle 60 extends the bent portion in a straight line, In addition, the cleaning brush 33 inserted into the air / water supply channel 46 can be inserted by elastically deforming in such a manner that the diameter increases. Therefore, the air / water nozzle 6 is not removed from the endoscope.
0 can be washed. If you remove the cleaning brush 33,
The air / water nozzle 60 returns to the initial shape shown in FIG. 8 and 9, the air / water feeding nozzle 60 and the air / water feeding channel 46 are separate members, but they can be formed as an integral channel with nozzle as in the second embodiment.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. For example, unlike the embodiment, the fluid delivery nozzle may perform only one of water supply and air supply. The present invention can also be applied to an endoscope of the type in which channels for air supply and channels for water supply are provided separately.

[0023]

As is apparent from the above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a fluid delivery device for an endoscope in which the fluid delivery nozzle can be easily washed while it is attached to the insertion portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a side-view endoscope having an air / water supply nozzle to which the present invention is applied, in the vicinity of a distal end of an insertion portion.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a single shape of an air / water supply nozzle of the endoscope of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the air / water supply nozzle of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tip end portion of the air / water supply nozzle, which is taken along the line IV-IV in FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a cleaning brush is inserted into an air / water supply channel and a nozzle of the endoscope of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a tip end portion of the air / water feeding nozzle in a state in which a cleaning brush is inserted.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion of the side-view endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion of the front-view endoscope according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a cleaning brush is inserted into an air / water supply channel and a nozzle of the front-view endoscope of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 39 insertion part 11 41 Tip body 1240 Objective window (objective lens) 16 43 CCD 17 44 Control board 18 45 Image signal transmission cable 20 Illumination window (light distribution lens) 21 Light Guide Fiber Bundle 25 46 Air / water channel (fluid distribution line) 26 47 Relay through hole 27 48 Nozzle housing recess 30 60 Air / water supply nozzle (fluid delivery nozzle) 30a large diameter part 30b Tip details 33 cleaning brush 35 channel with nozzle 35a nozzle part 36 through holes 42 Objective Optical System

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Motoko Kawamura             2-36 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahikou             Gaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Naoya Ouchi             2-36 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahikou             Gaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takayuki Ogino             2-36 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahikou             Gaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H040 BA00 DA57 EA01                 4C061 FF42 JJ01

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A fluid delivery device for an endoscope having a tapered fluid delivery nozzle at a tip of a fluid flow channel contained in an insertion portion, the taper fluid delivery nozzle gradually reducing a flow channel cross-sectional area from the fluid flow channel to the tip. In the above, the fluid delivery nozzle maintains its tapered shape without being deformed by the pressure of the fluid passing therethrough, and when an external force is applied by an insert having a cross-sectional area larger than the minimum cross-sectional area of the tip, the tip is Elastic deformation that expands the details is possible,
A fluid delivery device for an endoscope, comprising an elastically deformable member that returns to a tapered shape when an external force is released. 2. The fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein
The insert is a fluid delivery device for an endoscope, which is a brush for cleaning a fluid flow conduit. 3. The fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery nozzle is made of polytetrafluoroethylene. 4. The fluid delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fluid delivery nozzle is formed as a member separate from the fluid flow conduit. 5. The fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery nozzle is integrally formed with a fluid flow conduit. 6. The fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the fluid delivery nozzle has an elongated circular cross-section in a free state, and the fluid is formed by inserting the insert. A fluid delivery device for an endoscope, the diameter of which is expanded into a circular shape having substantially the same diameter as the flow conduit. 7. The fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery nozzle of the endoscope is opened toward an objective lens provided at the tip of the insertion portion in a free state. Fluid delivery device.