JPH0938024A - Tip part structure of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove cleaning liquid stuck on the surface of an observation window completely by setting the lower edge of an ejecting port of an air/water feed nozzle placed at the hard tip part of an inserting part of an endoscope at a position flush with the surface of an observation window or making water drops not stay on the observation window by setting a step at the edge part opposite to the spray port at an opening edge of the observation window. SOLUTION: The lower end 32A of a spray port 32 of an air/water feed nozzle 24 is installed at an upper position of a hard tip part 10 from an observation window surface 16A. The outer wall face 10A from the spray port 32 to a lighting window 12 is formed tilted. The spray port 32 and an outer wall face 10B opposing thereto are formed to make a step on the observation window 16 putting the observation window between them. Since compressed air from the spray port 32 is flowed on the observation window surface 16A along the outer wall face 10A and the outer wall face is formed in a step on the observation window surface 16A, water drops are not accumulated thereon but flowed toward the lighting window 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of a distal end portion of an endoscope, and more particularly, to a observing window or an illumination window provided at a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion portion for cleaning liquid or compressed air from an air / water nozzle. The present invention relates to a structure of a distal end portion of an endoscope adapted to eject a liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a structure of a distal end rigid portion of a conventional side-viewing endoscope. As shown in the figure, an observation window 2 and an illumination window 3 are arranged on the side surface of the rigid tip portion 1. The subject light incident from the observation window 2 is reflected by the triangular prism 4
After being turned to the rear at a right angle by means of the objective optical system 5, an image is formed on the image plane of the image guide 6 by the objective optical system 5, and then, through the image guide 6, on the eyepiece portion of the endoscope hand operation unit (not shown). Be guided.

An air supply / water supply nozzle 7 is arranged near the observation window 2. This air / water feeding nozzle 7 is provided with a tube 8 from an air / water feeding valve provided in the operation section of the endoscope.
The cleaning liquid or compressed air supplied via the spraying device is sprayed toward the surface 2A of the observation window 2. First, the cleaning liquid is sprayed to clean the observation window surface 2A, and then compressed air is sprayed for observation. The cleaning liquid adhering to the window surface 2A is removed, and the observation window surface 2A is dried.

[0004]

However, in the structure of the distal end portion of the conventional endoscope, the observation window surface 2A has the distal end hard portion 1 as shown in FIG. 6 due to the assembly error of the observation window 2 and the like.
May fall from the side surface or may protrude from the side surface as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, when the observation window 2 is assembled at the depressed position, the compressed air ejected from the air / water supply nozzle 7 flows on the observation window surface 2A and then inside the observation window opening 1A. Since it collides with the wall surface 1B, even if compressed air is blown, the observation window surface 2A
There is the drawback that water drops 9 remain on top.

When the observation window 2 is assembled at a projecting position as shown in FIG. 7, the compressed air ejected from the air / water feeding nozzle 7 has the observation window 2 facing the air / water feeding nozzle 7. Since it collides with the outer peripheral surface 2B, the flow of the compressed air changes upward, or the flow velocity decreases, and the water droplets 9 on the observation window surface 2A cannot be removed even if the compressed air is sprayed.

Therefore, in the conventional endoscope tip structure,
The cleaning liquid attached to the observation window surface 2A cannot be completely removed. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a distal end structure of an endoscope capable of completely removing the cleaning liquid adhering to the observation window surface with compressed air ejected from an air / water feeding nozzle. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a cleaning liquid or a compression liquid from an air / water supply nozzle on the surface of an observation window provided in a distal end hard portion of an endoscope insertion portion. In the structure of the tip of an endoscope adapted to eject air, the lower edge of the ejection port of the air / water feeding nozzle is flush with the surface of the observation window or above the observation window surface. In addition to being provided at a position, a step is provided at an edge portion of the opening edge supporting the observation window on the side opposite to the ejection port so that water droplets do not collect on the observation window.

According to the present invention, since the lower edge of the ejection port of the air / water feeding nozzle is provided on the same plane as the surface of the observation window or at a position above the surface of the observation window, the air / water feeding is performed. The compressed air ejected from the nozzle flows on the observation window surface without colliding with the outer peripheral surface of the observation window. Further, since the step is formed at the edge of the opening edge supporting the observation window on the side opposite to the ejection port, the water droplets on the observation window are completely removed.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the distal end structure of an endoscope according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a distal end hard portion 10 to which an endoscope distal end structure according to the present invention is applied. As shown in the figure, an illumination window 12 is provided on the front side surface of the rigid tip portion 10, and an emission end 14A of a light guide 14 is fixed to the lower portion of the illumination window 12. Light guide 1
The proximal end portion of 4 is connected to the light source portion via an insertion portion (not shown) of the endoscope, a hand operation portion, and a connecting tube. As a result, the illumination light from the light source section is emitted from the light guide 1
The light is emitted toward the subject from the illumination window 12 via the light source 4.

Further, an observation window 16 is arranged on the side surface of the rigid tip portion 10 in the vicinity of the illumination window 12. The lighting window 1
The subject light of the subject illuminated in 2 enters through the observation window 16 and is reflected by a triangular prism 18 disposed below the observation window 16 to change its direction by 90 ° to the rear, and then the objective optical system An image is formed on the image forming surface 22A of the image guide 22 by the image forming lens group 20. Image plane 22A
The subject light (subject image) imaged in (1) is guided to the eyepiece portion of the hand operation unit (not shown) via the image guide 22, and is observed from this eyepiece portion.

An air / water feeding nozzle 24 is arranged on the right side of the observation window 16 in FIG. This air / water nozzle 24
Is formed by fixing the nozzle cap 28 with the set screw 30 to the air / water supply port 26 formed in the tip rigid portion 10. An injection port 32 is formed at the tip of the nozzle cap 28, and the injection port 32 communicates with the air / water supply port 26 through a groove 34 formed on the back surface of the nozzle cap 28. In addition, the air / water supply port 26
Is connected to a tube 38 through a conduit 36 formed integrally with the air / water supply port 26, and the tube 38 is connected to an air / water supply valve of a hand operation unit (not shown).
Therefore, the cleaning liquid or compressed air supplied from the air / water supply valve is jetted from the tube 38 through the conduit 36, the air / water supply port 26 and the groove 34 to the observation window surface 16A from the injection port 32. Be done. The nozzle cap 28
After being fixed to the air / water supply port 26, the outer surface is covered with a rubber cover member 40.

By the way, the injection port 32 of the air / water supply nozzle 24 has a lower edge 32A in the figure at a position higher than the observation window surface 16A in the figure. Further, the outer wall surface (opening edge supporting the observation window 16) 10A of the hard tip portion from the injection port 32 to the illumination window 12 is formed so as to be inclined in the lower left direction in the figure. Of the outer wall surface 10A, the outer wall surface 10 on the left side of the drawing (the edge portion on the side opposite to the injection port 32) with the observation window 16 interposed therebetween
B is formed to have a step with respect to the observation window surface 16A.

In the case of cleaning the observation window 16 with the structure of the distal end portion of the endoscope constructed as described above, first, a cleaning liquid is supplied from an air supply / water supply valve (not shown), and this cleaning liquid is supplied to the air supply / water supply nozzle. It spouts from the injection port 32 of 24. The sprayed cleaning liquid has an inclined outer wall surface 10 as shown in FIG.
It flows along A and passes over the observation window surface 16A. As a result, the observation window surface 16A is washed with the washing liquid.

Next, compressed air is jetted from the jet port 32. The jetted compressed air flows along the outer wall surface 10A like the cleaning liquid, and flows on the observation window surface 16A without colliding with the outer peripheral surface 16B of the observation window 16. The compressed air flowing on the observation window surface 16A flows toward the illumination window 12 as it is without accumulating water droplets because the outer wall surface 10B is formed in a step shape with respect to the observation window surface 16A. As a result, in this embodiment, the cleaning water adhering to the observation window surface 16A can be completely removed. Further, in this embodiment, since the injection port 32 and the outer wall surface 10A are formed to be inclined, the adhered substances such as blood adhered to the observation window surface 16A can be efficiently washed off with the washing water, and the observation window The cleaning liquid adhering to the surface 16A can be efficiently removed by compressed air.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a tip rigid portion in which the tip structure of the endoscope of the present invention is applied to a direct-viewing endoscope, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. is there. An air / water feed port 54 communicating with the tube 52 is formed on the end surface 50A of the tip rigid portion 50 shown in FIG. 4, and a nozzle cap 56 is fixed to the air / water feed port 54. The injection port 58 of the nozzle cap 56 is directed toward the observation window 60 and
It is located on the same plane as the observation window surface 60A. Also,
An end face 50 facing the injection port 58 with an observation window 60 sandwiched therebetween.
A groove 62 is formed in a part of A so as to form a step with respect to the observation window surface 60A.

According to the second embodiment constructed as described above, the compressed air jetted from the jet port 58 has the end face 50A.
And flows on the observation window surface 60A without colliding with the outer peripheral surface of the observation window 60. Then, the compressed air flowing on the observation window surface 60A flows toward the groove 62 as it is. Therefore, also in the second embodiment, like the first embodiment, the cleaning water adhering to the observation window surface 60A can be completely removed.

In FIG. 3, reference numerals 64 and 66 are illumination windows, and reference numeral 68 is a forceps channel. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower edge 32A of the ejection port 32 of the air / water feeding nozzle 24 is arranged above the observation window surface 16A, but is arranged on the same plane as the observation window surface 16A. Alternatively, in the second embodiment, the jet port 58 of the air / water feeding nozzle is arranged on the same plane as the observation window surface 60A.
Therefore, it may be arranged outside the tip rigid portion 50.

[0018]

As described above, according to the tip structure of the endoscope according to the present invention, the lower edge of the injection port of the air / water feeding nozzle is located at the same plane as the surface of the observation window or is observed. Since it is provided above the surface of the window and a step is formed at the edge of the opening edge supporting the observation window on the side opposite to the jet port, water droplets on the observation window can be completely removed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tip rigid portion to which a tip portion structure of an endoscope of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the hard tip portion shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a direct-view type endoscope tip portion to which the endoscope tip portion structure of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a tip portion of a conventional side-viewing endoscope.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a state in which cleaning water adhering to an observation window is removed by a conventional endoscope tip structure.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the cleaning water adhering to the observation window is removed by the conventional endoscope tip structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 50 ... Tip hard part 16, 60 ... Observation window 24 ... Air / water nozzle 32, 58 ... Jet port 62 ... Groove

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tip structure of an endoscope in which a cleaning liquid or compressed air is jetted from an air / water feeding nozzle onto the surface of an observation window provided in a rigid end portion of an endoscope insertion portion. In addition, the lower edge of the jet port of the air / water feeding nozzle is provided on the same plane as the surface of the observation window or at a position above the surface of the observation window, and the jet of the opening edge supporting the observation window is provided. A distal end structure of an endoscope, characterized in that a step is provided at an edge portion on a side opposite to a mouth to prevent water droplets from accumulating on the observation window. 2. The jet port of the air / water feed nozzle and the opening edge of the observation window following the jet port are inclined with respect to the observation window, and the cleaning liquid and the compressed air are obliquely above the observation window. The distal end structure of the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the distal end structure is ejected.