JPH05199984A - Suction mechanism for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable holding an endoscope in such a manner that the fingers of a hand for making a changeover operation of a selector valve do not directly touch filth at the time of a suction operation and to obviate the generation of a negative pressure in a passage from a suction container at the time of non-operation. CONSTITUTION:The selector valve 20 connected with a suction passage 5 and a suction piping 9 is mounted to a connector 3a for connecting a universal 3 make the suction passage 5 and the suction piping 9 to communicate at all times. The suction piping 9 and an atm. releasing port 28 are allowed to communicate and shut off by a valve member 24. A pressure oil is supplied from an oil chamber 36 through a hydraulic piping 37 to a hydraulic working chamber 38 which is formed between the body part 21a of a casing 21 and a 1st valve body and acts on the 1st valve body when a piston 35 is pushed down by a manual operation. The suction piping 9 is changed over to the non-operation state communicating with the atm. and the suction state of maintaining the negative pressure on the suction passage 5 side by a valve changeover operating part 33.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope used for medical purposes, and more particularly to a suction mechanism of an endoscope for sucking bodily fluids and other contaminants from the inside of a body cavity or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an endoscope, as shown in FIG. 1, an insertion portion 2 to be inserted into a body cavity or the like is connected to a main body operation portion 1 and a light source device (in the case of an electronic endoscope). A universal cord 3 for connecting to the light source device and the processor)
It is composed of and. Here, the medical endoscope is provided with a suction mechanism for sucking the body fluid in the body cavity and other dirt and discharging it to the outside of the body. As shown in FIG. 2, this suction mechanism has a suction port 4 at the tip of the insertion section 2.
At the same time, the suction passage 5 is connected to the suction port 4 so that the suction passage 5 has a negative pressure and is sucked from the inside of the body cavity. Here, a suction valve 6 is inserted in the middle of the suction passage 5 so that the main body operation portion 1 of the endoscope can be operated by a finger of a hand, and the suction passage 5 is sucked by the suction valve 6. The first suction passage 5a on the side of the mouth 4 and the second suction passage 5b on the side of the negative pressure source are divided, and these suction passages 5a and 5b are connected by a suction valve 6. The second suction passage 5b extends to the connection connector 3a of the universal cord 3, and the connection connector 3a is connected to a suction pipe 9 connected to a suction container 8 leading to a negative pressure source 7 such as an air pump. It

When the suction valve 6 is not operated, the first
The negative pressure source 7 is operated in the unloaded state by blocking the communication between the suction passage 5a and the second suction passage 5b and opening the second suction passage 5b to the atmosphere. Then, in order to perform the suction work, the communication between the second suction passage 5b and the atmosphere is interrupted by a finger operation, and after that, the second suction passage 5b is communicated with the first suction passage 5a. Suction passage 5
A body fluid or the like is sucked by the action of the negative pressure generated in a and is collected in the suction container 8 through the suction pipe 9.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a suction valve 6 according to the prior art.
Shows the overall configuration of. As is clear from this figure, the suction valve 6 has a valve casing 10 mounted on the casing 1 a of the main body operating portion 1, and the valve casing 10 has a first casing.
Ports 11 and 12 to which the suction passage 5a and the second suction passage 5b are respectively connected are formed. In the valve casing 10, a valve body 13 is slidably provided in the valve casing 10 in order to connect and disconnect between the ports 11 and 12. The valve body 13 is made of a cylindrical member having an atmosphere communication passage 14 whose both ends are open, and the atmosphere communication passage 14 is always in communication with the port 12. Also,
A communication hole 15a that communicates with and blocks the port 11 and holes 15b and 15c that selectively communicate with the port 12 are formed in the peripheral body of the valve body 13. Furthermore, the valve body 1
A spring 16 as a returning means acts on the valve 3, and the valve body 13 is biased in a direction projecting from the valve casing 10 by this.

Since the valve body 13 is operated by fingers, the valve operating member 1 is provided at the upper end of the valve body 13.
7 is screwed. This valve operating member 17 is a valve body 1
3 is composed of a connecting portion 17a screwed to the operation portion 3 and a large-diameter operating portion 17b with which a finger abuts.
7b is opened on the surface, and the atmosphere opening port 18 can be closed by fingers.

[0006] Normally, the communication hole 15 in the valve body 13
b communicates with the port 12, and the port 11 and the communication hole 15a are blocked from each other. Therefore, the first suction passage 5a and the second suction passage 5b are cut off from each other, and the second suction passage 5b is opened to the atmosphere opening port 18 of the valve operating member 17 through the communication hole 15b and the atmosphere communication passage 14 in this order. Open to the atmosphere. As a result, the negative pressure source 7 operates in an unloaded state. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the fingers of the hand holding the main body operating portion 1 are brought into contact with the operating portion 17b of the valve operating member 17 so that the atmosphere opening port 1 is opened.
8 is closed and the valve body 13 is pushed into the valve casing 10 against the action of the spring 16, the port 12 becomes the communication hole 15
The port 11 is switched to a state in which it communicates with c, and the port 11 communicates with the communication hole 15a. As a result, the first and second suction passages 5a and 5b are communicated with each other, so that body dirt or the like is sucked from the suction port 4.

[0007]

By the way, when the suction valve 6 having the above-mentioned structure is used, it is necessary to directly close the atmosphere opening port 18 with a finger at the time of suction operation, and moreover, the filth to be sucked into the atmosphere communication passage 14. Because it will get in
There is a problem in that the finger directly touching the finger closing the atmosphere opening port 18 will stain the finger. Further, the length of the pipe path from the suction container 8 to the atmosphere opening port 18 is the total length of the entire length of the suction pipe 9 and the second suction passage 5b provided at least over the entire length of the universal cord 3. Since it is extremely long, even if the atmosphere opening port 18 is opened, the atmosphere cannot be effectively sucked due to the resistance of the conduit, etc., and the negative pressure source 7 cannot be operated in a completely unloaded state. .. Furthermore, after performing the suction operation, the entire suction path must be washed, but the suction path in the suction valve 6 is complicatedly bent,
Since almost the entire suction valve 6 comes into contact with body waste, it is extremely difficult to clean it completely.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems in the prior art, and its object is to directly contact the finger of the hand for switching the switching valve with the dirt during the suction operation. Another object of the present invention is to provide a suction mechanism for an endoscope, which can be held so as not to do so and which can be easily washed after a suction operation.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a switching valve at the position of a connector to a light source device in a universal cord of an endoscope, and the switching valve is provided with a suction container. The suction passage from the suction port and the suction pipe from the suction container are connected, and the suction passage and the suction pipe are always connected to each other, and a valve member for connecting / disconnecting the suction pipe to the atmosphere is attached, and The main body operation part of the endoscope is characterized in that a valve switching operation part for switching the valve member of the switching valve is provided.

[0010]

[Function] When the suction pipe is kept in communication with the atmosphere by the switching valve at all times and the valve switching operation section provided in the main body operation section is operated by fingers, the valve member of the switching valve is connected to the atmosphere. The state is switched to the blocking state, the inside of the suction passage is in a negative pressure state, and the body dirt is sucked from the suction port and sent to the suction container through the suction passage and the suction pipe. As described above, the main body operation part is provided with the valve switching operation part, and this valve switching operation part is operated by the fingers, but this valve switching operation part does not have a path through which body waste flows, and There is no opening to the atmosphere. Therefore, even if the valve switching operation portion is operated with fingers, the in-body dirt does not touch the fingers. Further, the switching valve is provided at the position of the light source connector of the universal cord, and since the suction passage from this position to the universal cord, the main body operation portion and the insertion portion is significantly longer than the suction pipe, the suction passage and the suction passage As long as the suction pipe is in communication with the atmosphere as long as it is in communication with the pipe, even if the negative pressure source is kept in an operating state, the inside of the suction passage will become a negative pressure and body waste will not be sucked. Absent. Further, since the suction pipe is in a state of communicating with the atmosphere almost directly, by shortening the length of this suction pipe, the resistance when sucking from the atmosphere can be reduced, and the suction of the atmosphere is smooth and efficient. As a result, the negative pressure source can be reliably operated in the unloaded state.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
Will be described in detail based on. In the following description, the same or equivalent members as those in the above-described conventional technique are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a switching valve, and a casing 21 of the switching valve 20 is attached to a connecting connector 3a of a universal cord 3 and has a main body 2
1a, the connecting portion 21b, and the pipe connecting portion 21c. The pipe connecting portion 21c is screwed into the connecting portion 21b, the connecting portion 21b is fitted into the cap nut 22 screwed to the main body portion 21a, and is brought into a connected state by the O-ring 23 housed inside the cap nut 22. It is held and the connecting portion 21b can be detached from the main body portion 21a by bending the O-ring 23. Then, the suction passage 5 is drawn from the suction port 4 at the tip of the insertion portion 2 through the insertion portion 2, the main body operation portion 1 and the universal cord 3 and extends to the connection connector 3a.
It is connected to a connecting portion 24 provided on the main body portion 21a of the switching valve 20. The suction pipe 9 is connected to the pipe connecting portion 21c.

A first valve body 25a is slidably mounted in the main body portion 21a, and a second valve body 25b is slidably mounted in the connecting portion 21b. Two
The valve member 25 is constituted by 5a and the second valve body 25b. A communication passage 26 is provided in the valve member 25, and the suction passage 5 is always in communication with the suction pipe 9 by the communication passage 26. An air opening port 28 is formed in the connecting portion 21b, and the suction pipe 9 communicates with the air through the air opening port 28. The valve member 25 shuts off the suction pipe 9 from the atmosphere opening port 28 in the non-operating state (state of FIG. 6) in which the suction pipe 9 communicates with the atmosphere via the atmosphere opening port 28, and the inside of the suction passage 5 is closed. This is for switching to a suction state (state of FIG. 7) in which a negative pressure is generated to suck body waste.

Here, in the non-operating state of FIG. 6, the suction pipe 9 communicates with the atmosphere through the atmosphere opening port 28 and also with the suction passage 5. However, the suction passage 5
Has the entire length of the universal cord 3, the main body operation portion 1 and the insertion portion 2, and has a relatively small flow passage cross-sectional area.
The atmosphere opening port 28 is formed on the side surface of the connecting portion 21b, and a considerably large opening area can be secured. Therefore, in the suction passage 5, although the connecting portion to the switching valve 20 is in a slightly negative pressure state, suction is performed. It does not affect mouth 4. Therefore, there is no possibility that body dirt will enter into the suction passage 5 while being held in the non-operating state. Further, by arranging the suction container 8 in a position close to the connection connector 3a, the suction pipe 9 can be considerably shortened and the passage cross-sectional area thereof can be made large to some extent. The atmosphere can be sucked in, and thus the negative pressure source 7 can be reliably operated in an unloaded state. Further, when the valve member 24 is displaced to the suction state, the atmosphere opening port 28 is closed by the second valve body 25b. At this time, in order to reliably close the atmosphere opening port 28, the tip of the second valve body 25b. An elastic seal member 30 is attached to the portion.

In normal times, the return spring 31 acting on the first valve body 25a and the return spring 32 acting on the second valve body 25b are urged to the non-actuated state of FIG. Further, in order to switch from this non-operating state to the suction state of FIG. 7, the main body operating section 1 is provided with a valve switching operating section 33. This valve switching operation part 33
Has a piston 35 slidably mounted in the housing 34, and the piston 35 defines an oil chamber 36 in the housing 34. When the piston 35 is pressed,
By supplying pressure oil from the oil chamber 36 to the hydraulic working chamber 38 formed between the main body portion 21a of the casing 21 and the first valve body 25a through the hydraulic pipe 37, the first valve body 25
a slides in the direction against the return spring 31, and in conjunction with this, the second valve body 25b also slides in the direction against the return spring 32, and the valve member 25 changes from the non-operating state to the suction state. Switch. In order to allow the piston 35 to be operated by the finger of the hand holding the main body operation unit 1, the piston 3
A pushing operation unit 39 is connected to the unit 5. Further, the pushing operation portion 39 is always held in the projecting position by the action of the return spring 40.

The present embodiment has the above-mentioned structure. When the pushing operation portion 39 is opened, the pushing operation portion 39 is held in a protruding state by the action of the return spring 40, and the oil The chamber 36 is expanded, the hydraulically actuated chamber 38 is contracted, and the valve member 25 is held inactive. Therefore, the suction pipe 9 is connected to the atmosphere opening port 28 through the communication hole 27.
Communicate with. As a result, even if the negative pressure source 7 is held in the activated state, it is operated in a no-load state by sucking air from the atmosphere. Here, the atmosphere opening port 28
The distance from the negative pressure source 7 to the negative pressure source 7 can be made quite short, and the cross-sectional area of the passage can be made large to some extent, so that the atmosphere can be sucked without much resistance and the negative pressure source 7
Can be operated almost completely under no load.

When the pushing operation portion 39 of the valve switching operation portion 33 is pushed down against the return spring 40 with the finger of the hand holding the main body operating portion 1, the piston 35 descends inside the housing 34,
The hydraulic working chamber 38 shrinks. As a result, pressure oil is supplied into the oil chamber 36 through the hydraulic pipe 37, and this pressure causes the first valve body 25a to be displaced in the direction against the return spring 31,
Following this, the second valve body 25b slides and displaces to the position where the elastic seal member 29 comes into contact with the end face of the pipe connecting portion 21c, and closes the atmosphere opening port 28 to the suction state of FIG. Switch. As a result, a negative pressure acts on the suction passage 5 to suck body waste from the suction port 4,
And body waste is sent to the suction container 8 through the suction pipe 9. The suction state continues as long as the pushing operation portion 39 is continuously pushed, and when the pushing force on the pushing operation portion 39 is released, the piston 2 is acted by the action of the return spring 40.
5 returns to the original position, and with this, the return spring 3
By the action of 1, 32, the first valve body 25a and the second valve body 25
The valve member 25 made of b is switched to the inoperative state.

Thus, since the internal body dirt does not enter the valve switching operation section 33 provided in the main body operation section 1, there is no possibility that the internal body dirt adheres to the operator's fingers, which is extremely preferable from the viewpoint of hygiene. . Also, after performing the suction operation, the entire suction path must be washed, but the entire suction path from the suction port 4 through the suction passage 5 and the suction pipe 9 to the suction container 8 is a continuous path, Since there is no part, the suction port 4 is located in the cleaning liquid container and the switching valve 20
By switching to the suction state, the cleaning liquid can be spread over the entire suction path, and cleaning after suction can be performed extremely easily, efficiently, and completely.

In the above-described embodiment, the switching operation of the switching valve 20 is performed by the action of hydraulic pressure. However, for example, this switching valve is formed by an electromagnetic valve,
The valve switching operation unit provided in the main body operation unit may be configured to control the operation of the solenoid of the solenoid valve. Further, the position where the switching valve is provided does not necessarily have to be the position of the connection connector 3a of the universal cord 3 and may be provided in the middle of the suction path. further,
Although the valve member 25 is composed of the first valve body 25a and the second valve body 25b, they may be formed integrally. Furthermore, in the non-operating state, the atmosphere opening port 28
In order to surely take in the atmosphere from the inside and hold it so that the suction passage 5 side does not become a negative pressure almost completely on the suction passage 5 side, as shown in FIG. 8, the atmosphere opening port 28 in the communication passage 26 has a spring property. A rectifying plate 50 is provided so that an inflow passage from the atmosphere opening port 28 to the suction pipe 9 can be surely formed in an inoperative state by the rectifying plate 50, and when the valve member 24 closes the atmosphere opening port 28. May be configured so that the current plate 50 can be deformed along the inner surface of the connecting portion 21b of the casing 21.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the suction passage from the suction container to the suction port and the suction pipe from the suction container are provided at the position of the connector to the light source device in the universal cord of the endoscope. A switching valve is connected to connect the suction passage and the suction pipe at all times, and a valve member for connecting and disconnecting the suction pipe to the atmosphere is attached. A valve switching operation unit for switching the valve member of the valve is provided, and this valve switching operation unit is configured to be operated by the finger of the hand holding the endoscope, so that the valve switching operation unit is sucked. Since body dirt does not enter, there is no risk of body dirt or the like adhering to the fingers, and the suction route can be easily cleaned after performing the suction operation. Exhibits various effects such as may be the narrowing have very smoothly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a structure of a suction mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art suction valve.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a suction operation state of the suction valve of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a structural explanatory view of a suction mechanism showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the suction switching mechanism showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a sectional view showing a suction operation state of a switching valve in the suction switching mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a switching valve showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Suction passage 7 Negative pressure source 8 Suction container 9 Suction piping 20 Switching valve 21 Casing 21a Main body portion 21b Connection portion 21c Pipe connection portion 25 Valve member 25a First valve body 25b Second valve body 25 Communication passageway 26 Cylindrical partition wall 27, 27 'communication hole 28, 28' atmosphere opening port 29 annular projection 33 valve switching operation part 35 piston 36 oil chamber 37 hydraulic piping 38 hydraulic working chamber 39 pushing operation part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A switching valve is provided at a position of a connector for connecting to a light source device in a universal cord of an endoscope, and the switching valve is connected to a suction passage from a suction container to a suction port and a suction pipe from the suction container. The suction passage and the suction pipe are always communicated with each other, and a valve member for connecting / disconnecting the suction pipe to the atmosphere is attached. A suction mechanism for an endoscope, wherein a valve switching operation unit for performing an operation is provided. 2. A structure in which the switching valve is always kept in a state of communicating with the atmosphere by a returning means, and is switched to a state of being shut off from the atmosphere by a fluid pressure supplied from the valve switching operation section. The suction mechanism of the endoscope according to claim 1. 3. A straightening plate for smoothly sucking air from the atmosphere when the suction pipe is in communication with the atmosphere in a communication passage connecting the suction pipe from the suction container in the switching valve. 2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein when the valve member is provided, and when the valve member shuts off the atmosphere and the suction pipe, the rectifying plate can be pushed and displaced by the valve member. Suction mechanism of endoscope.