JPH0884701A - End of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] An object is to provide a distal end portion of an endoscope in which the distal end cap can be easily and surely attached to the distal end portion main body in the correct direction. [Structure] In a cylindrical tip body 1, an L-shaped groove 16 is formed on the outer peripheral surface and opens at the tip edge portion and extends rearward from the tip edge portion, and a fluid outlet 5 is opened at the tip surface. ，
A front end wall 31 is formed at a position facing the fluid outlets 5 and 6 by forming a convex portion 13 that surrounds 6 and protrudes forward from the tip end surface, and is formed in a cylindrical shape for fitting into the tip end body 1. On the formed tip cap 30, a projection 32 that engages with the L-shaped groove 16 of the tip body 1 is provided so as to project inwardly on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion, and the tip body 1 is formed. Convex part 1
A recess 33 into which 3 is fitted is formed on the inner surface side of the front end wall 31.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tip portion of an endoscope in which a tip cap is attached to and detached from a tip portion main body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after use. For that purpose, it is necessary to insert a cleaning brush into the inside of the air / water supply pipe line for brushing.

Therefore, in a front-viewing endoscope or the like, the tip cap is formed by forming a nozzle for bending the jetting direction of air and water into a rubber tip cap that is detachable from the tip body. If you remove it, the air / water supply pipe opens straight in the tip body, and you can insert the cleaning brush into it.

In the case of the distal end portion of such an endoscope, conventionally, a circumferential groove is formed in the latter half of the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion main body formed in a cylindrical shape, and a distal end cap formed in a cylindrical shape is formed. The inner diameter in the vicinity of the rear end portion is formed thin so as to engage with the circumferential groove of the front end body.

Further, since it is necessary to exactly face the nozzle portion formed on the tip cap to the opening of the air / water supply conduit of the tip body, the tip body and the tip cap should be positioned in the rotational direction. To form a concave portion and a convex portion that engage with each other.

[0006]

When attaching the above-mentioned tip cap to the tip body, generally, the tip cap is put on the tip body by inserting the tip body into the tip cap. .

At this time, it is necessary to simultaneously align the concave portion and the convex portion for positioning in the rotational direction, but the operation has no correlation with the operation of attaching the tip cap to the tip body. However, it is not easy to smoothly perform positioning in the rotation direction.

Further, when the tip cap is attached to the tip body, the tip cap is attached to the outer circumference of the tip body until the narrow inner diameter portion of the tip cap reaches the position where it engages with the circumferential groove of the tip body. Since it is pushed out by the surface, a considerable force needs to be applied to attach the tip cap to the tip body.

Therefore, it is not possible to judge from the sense of the hand whether or not the concave portion and the convex portion for positioning in the rotational direction are accurately engaged, so that the tip cap is eventually attached to the tip portion main body. It was sometimes used without being attached correctly.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a distal end portion of an endoscope in which the distal end cap can be easily and surely attached to the distal end portion main body in the correct orientation.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the distal end portion of the endoscope of the present invention has a cylindrical column-shaped distal end portion body having an opening at the distal end edge portion and rearward from there. Is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the L-shaped groove, and a protrusion projecting forward from the tip surface is formed around the fluid outlet opening on the tip surface. The front end wall is formed on the front end wall at a position facing the fluid outlet, and a protrusion that engages with the L-shaped groove of the front end body is directed inward toward the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion. And a concave portion into which the convex portion of the tip portion main body is fitted is formed on the inner surface side of the front end wall.

[0012]

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
FIG. 2 shows a state before the distal end cap 30 is attached to the distal end body 1 of the forward-looking endoscope, and FIG.
It shows a state in which the tip cap 30 is attached to.

The tip body 1 is formed in a cylindrical shape,
The flexible tube is provided at the tip of the insertion portion of the endoscope, and the observation window 2, the illumination window 3, the forceps outlet hole 4, the air supply hole 5, and the water supply hole 6 are arranged on the end surface 1a. .

As shown in FIG. 2, an observation objective optical system 7 is arranged inside the observation window 2, and an image incident end of an image guide fiber bundle 8 is placed at an image forming position of an object by the objective optical system 7. Are arranged. As a result, the front of the tip body 1 can be observed. Also, the air supply hole 5
An air supply pipe 11 and a water supply pipe 12 which communicate with the water supply hole 6 are arranged so as to extend straight rearward from the air supply hole 5 and the water supply hole 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tip surface 1a of the tip body 1 is provided with a convex portion 13 that surrounds the air supply hole 5 and the water supply hole 6 and projects forward. The convex portion 13 has a circular shape when viewed from the front, and the side surface thereof is formed in a tapered shape in which the front side is narrowed. A nozzle groove 14 is formed in the convex portion 13 from the opening of the air supply hole 5 and the water supply hole 6 toward the center of the observation window 2.

An L-shaped groove 16 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion main body 1 and opens to the tip edge portion and extends rearward therefrom. The straight groove portion 16a opening to the tip edge portion is a tip portion body. It is formed in the same direction as the axis of No. 1, and the circumferential groove portion 16b is formed in a direction bent at a right angle to the straight groove portion 16a.

The L-shaped groove 16 is formed at two locations on the outer peripheral surface of the tip end main body 1, but the two grooves 16 and 16 are mutually attached so that the tip cap 30 may be installed in the correct direction. It is formed at a position that does not have a 180 ° symmetrical positional relationship.

The tip cap 30 is made of elastic plastic, is formed in a cylindrical shape to be fitted into the tip body 1, and is located at a position facing the air supply hole 5 and the water supply hole 6 of the tip body 1. Only, the front end wall 31 is formed so as to protrude inward from the edge portion.

On the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion of the tip cap 30, a projection 32 that engages with the L-shaped groove 16 of the tip body 1 is provided so as to project inward. Two protrusions 32 are provided in accordance with the L-shaped groove 16.

The projection 32 is formed so that the length m in the circumferential direction is fitted to the width M of the straight groove portion 16a of the L-shaped groove 16, and the axial length n is the circle of the L-shaped groove 16. Circumferential groove 1
It is formed to have a size that fits exactly into the width N of 6b, and is formed at a position where it fits deepest in the circumferential groove 16b when the tip cap 30 is attached to the tip body 1.

On the inner surface side of the front end wall 31 of the tip cap 30, a concave portion 33 having a size to which the convex portion 13 of the distal end surface of the distal end portion main body 1 is just fitted is formed in conformity with the position of the convex portion 13. ing.

When attaching the tip cap 30 thus formed to the tip body 1, from the state shown in FIG. 1, hold the tip body 1 and the tip cap 30 with each hand and make two protrusions. While inserting 32 into the L-shaped groove 16, the tip body 1 is inserted straight into the tip cap 30 in the axial direction.

When the tip body 1 is inserted all the way into the tip cap 30, the tip cap 30 is rotated with respect to the tip body 1. Then, the protrusion 32 advances in the circumferential groove portion 16b of the L-shaped groove 16, and when the protrusion 32 reaches the end of the circumferential groove portion 16b, the rotation stops.

During the rotation, the front end wall 31 of the front end cap 30 rides on the convex portion 13 of the front end portion body 1 and is elastically deformed, and at the final position, the concave portion 33 on the inner surface of the front end wall 31. The convex portion 13 is fitted in the. Therefore, the sensation of fitting is conveyed to the hand.

As a result, in the final state, the tip cap 3
The protrusion 32 of 0 fits into the circumferential groove portion 16b of the L-shaped groove 16 to prevent slipping out in the front-rear direction. 13 is fitted to fix the rotation direction.

When the tip cap 30 is attached to the tip body 1 in this manner, the front end wall 31 of the tip cap 30 closes the surface open portion of the nozzle groove 14 of the tip body 1, and the nozzle groove 14 is used as an observation window. Open only towards 2.
As a result, the air and water discharged from the air supply hole 5 and the water supply hole 6 are jetted toward the surface of the observation window 2.

To remove the tip cap 30 from the tip body 1, the tip cap 30 may be rotated with respect to the tip body 1 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the tip cap 30 is attached, and then may be pulled straight ahead. When 30 is removed,
The air supply hole 5 and the water supply hole 6 are opened in the tip end surface of the tip end main body 1, and a cleaning brush can be inserted into the air supply pipe 11 and the water supply pipe 12 from there.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the elastic rubber packing 35 is provided on the front end wall 31 of the tip cap 30 and the convex portion 13 of the tip body 1 is provided.
It is added so as to be in close contact with the surface of. By doing so, the packing 35 is pressed against the surface of the convex portion 13 of the tip portion main body 1, and air is supplied from that portion,
Leakage of water supply can be reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, the air supply hole 5 and the water supply hole 6 may be surrounded by separate convex portions 13.

[0030]

According to the present invention, the tip cap can be attached so as not to come off from the tip body by simply engaging the protrusion of the tip cap with the L-shaped groove formed in the tip body. As a result, the convex portion of the tip body engages with the concave portion on the front wall surface of the tip cap and fixes in the rotational direction at the same time, so that the tip cap can be easily and surely mounted in the correct direction without applying force to the hand. It is possible to easily judge from the feeling of the hand that it is correctly attached.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment before a tip cap is attached.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a state in which the tip cap of the first embodiment is attached.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a state in which a tip cap of the second embodiment is attached.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 tip part main body 5 air supply hole 6 water supply hole 13 convex part 16 L-shaped groove 30 tip cap 31 front end wall 32 protrusion 33 recess

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical body of a tip portion is provided with an L-shaped groove, which opens at a tip edge portion and extends rearward from the tip edge portion, on an outer peripheral surface thereof, and has a fluid outlet opening at the tip surface. The tip cap, which surrounds and forms a protrusion protruding forward from the tip end surface, is formed in a cylindrical shape to be fitted into the tip end body and has a front end wall formed at a position facing the fluid outlet, A protrusion that engages with the L-shaped groove of the tip portion main body is provided so as to project inward on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion, and a concave portion into which the convex portion of the tip portion main body is fitted is formed on the inner surface of the front end wall. The distal end portion of the endoscope formed on the side.