JPH10113331A - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the operability of an endoscope, and also to provide a medical endoscope device. SOLUTION: An instructing device provided to an endoscope 1 outputs an instructing signal for executing at least one of the liquid supply through a liquid supply pipeline 652 or the air supply through an air supply pipeline 651. A solenoid controller 61 controls the solenoid open/close valves 641, 642, 643, 644 that have been arranged in the liquid supply pipeline 652 and the air supply pipeline 651 in a washing control part 64 that has been provided to the outside of the endoscope 1, on the basis of the instructing signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a medical endoscope apparatus, and more particularly, to cleaning of an air supply line, a liquid supply line, and the like by an instruction of an operation button of a hand-held operation unit. The present invention relates to a simple endoscope device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Electronic endoscopes are used in the duodenum, rectum, large intestine,
It is widely used for treating and examining living bodies such as the esophagus, otolaryngology, and bladder.

[0003] The endoscope apparatus functions to remove dirt and sticky substances adhering to the observation optical system at the distal end of the endoscope during the operation. That is, if dirt or sticky substance adheres to the observation optical system during the operation, the observation field of view of the endoscope is obstructed. After that, it is necessary to further supply the gas from the air supply path to the tip air supply nozzle to remove the liquid attached to the observation optical system.

[0004] However, after the operation, the endoscope is removed from the patient's body, and then the air and liquid supply lines of the endoscope are contaminated with dirt and sticky substances that have flowed back from the body and, in some cases, in contrast. Since a drug such as an agent is attached, it is further necessary to periodically clean or disinfect the inside of the pipeline.

Conventionally, as means for cleaning the observation optical system of the endoscope and the air supply / liquid supply line, an air supply line inserted in the operation section of the endoscope and an air supply line in the middle of the liquid supply line have been used. A switching valve for switching water supply is provided, and switching operation of air supply and water supply is performed by sliding operation of a piston connected to the switching valve.

[0006]

However, in the conventional endoscope cleaning means, since the switching valve and the like are provided in the endoscope (operation section), the operation section becomes heavy and large, and the operability is increased. Was not so good. In addition, since the air supply pipe and the liquid supply pipe are connected to the communication path provided in the piston for switching the air supply and water supply, not only the air supply and liquid supply pipe but also the communication path etc. Soil is easy to accumulate,
The endoscope becomes a source of infection such as bacteria, which is not preferable for hygiene.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to improve the operability of an endoscope and to provide a sanitary endoscope apparatus.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is provided in an endoscope, and is provided for performing liquid supply or gas supply of at least one of a liquid supply pipe and an air supply pipe. Instructing means for outputting an instruction signal, and opening and closing an on-off valve provided in the liquid sending pipeline and the air sending pipeline outside the endoscope,
Control means for controlling based on the instruction signal.

According to the present invention, on the basis of an instruction signal from an instruction means provided in the endoscope, the opening and closing of the on-off valve provided in the liquid supply pipe and the air supply pipe outside the endoscope is performed. By controlling, since there is no needless operation valve that can be a source of infection in the endoscope, the endoscope can be made hygienic,
The weight of the endoscope can be reduced, and the operability of the endoscope can be improved.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the endoscope apparatus of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view schematically showing an endoscope apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of an endoscope end portion in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a circuit explanatory view of an endoscope operating section. And FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a pipe / circuit connection showing a first embodiment of the cleaning control means in the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a pipe / circuit connection showing the second embodiment, and FIG. It is a pipe line and circuit connection explanatory view showing 3rd Example.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an endoscope, which is a distal end portion 2 having a solid-state image pickup device (hereinafter abbreviated as a CCD), an observation optical system, and the like, and is operated by an operator from the front end to the rear end. It is composed of a bent portion 3 that moves up and down, left and right, a guiding portion 4 and a main body portion E. The hand operation unit E includes an operation knob 5 for operating the bending portion 3 and various other operation buttons and a power supply unit (not shown). The air supply / liquid supply line 6 is connected to the operation knob E.

Further, one end of the air / liquid supply line 6 is connected to a liquid supply bottle 63 having an air supply pump 62, and the other end is provided with an air supply nozzle 23 of the endoscope distal end portion 2 shown in FIG. And a liquid supply nozzle 24.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes an observation optical system comprising a lens window having a built-in CCD or the like;
b is an illumination fiber, 25 is a forceps port used for biopsy or the like, and the air supply nozzle 23 and the liquid supply nozzle 24 are used.
Is used for cleaning and removing dirt and the like adhering to the surface of the observation optical system 21 during the operation.

The endoscope apparatus of the present invention having the above-described structure is provided with the cleaning control means 6 in the middle of the air / liquid supply line 6.
4, that is, a combination of an electromagnetic on-off valve and a timer circuit is provided.

Accordingly, the endoscope 1 used in the present invention has an overall circuit as shown in FIG.

That is, in FIG. 3, the operation section 7 and the power supply section 8 are connected to a light source section 9, an image processing section 10 by CCD and an air supply / liquid supply section 11, and these light source section 9, image processing section The air supply / liquid supply unit 11 is connected to the entire endoscope via a connector 12 respectively.

The gas supply / liquid supply unit 11 is further provided with a cleaning control unit 6 via an electromagnetic valve control unit 61 shown in FIG.
4 are connected to the respective solenoid on-off valves 641, 642, 643, and 644 (dotted lines in FIG. 4).

The cleaning controller 64, which is a feature of the present invention, comprises a gas supply line 651 and a liquid supply line 652, one end of which is provided in the liquid supply bottle 63 having the air supply pump 62, and the other end of which is provided with the gas supply nozzle 23 and the gas supply nozzle 23. A plurality of solenoid on-off valves are combined in the middle of the washing conduits connected to the liquid sending nozzles 24, respectively, and are linked to a timer circuit incorporated in the solenoid valve control unit 61.

That is, in FIG.
The first electromagnetic on-off valve 641 and the second electromagnetic on-off valve 642 are connected in series to the air supply line 651, and the third electromagnetic on-off valve 643 and the fourth electromagnetic on-off valve 644 are connected in series to the liquid supply line 652, respectively. The middle position between the first electromagnetic on-off valve 641 and the second electromagnetic on-off valve 642 in the air supply line 651, and the third electromagnetic on-off valve 643 and the fourth electromagnetic on-off valve 644 in the liquid supply line 652. The intermediate position is connected to the intermediate position by a communication pipe 653, and the operation of each of the solenoid on-off valves 641, 642, 643, and 644 is controlled by a timer circuit (not shown) incorporated in the solenoid valve control unit 61 as shown in the following table. It works like this.

[0021]

[Table 1] That is, in the intraoperative mode, the solenoid on-off valves 641, 6
When all of the valves 42, 643 and 644 are turned off, the air supply and liquid supply are stopped, and the solenoid valves 641 and 642 are turned off.
N, if the electromagnetic on / off valves 643 and 644 are turned off, only air supply to the air supply line 651 is performed, and if the electromagnetic on / off valves 641 and 642 are turned off and the electromagnetic on / off valves 643 and 644 are turned on, the liquid supply line 652 is provided. Only the liquid transfer to is performed.

In the postoperative cleaning mode, if the electromagnetic on / off valve 641 is turned off and the electromagnetic on / off valves 642, 643, and 644 are turned on, the liquid in the liquid feed bottle 63 is changed from the electromagnetic on / off valve 643 to the electromagnetic on / off valve 644. To the solenoid valve 6
From 43, the liquid flows through the communication pipe 653 to the electromagnetic on-off valve 642, and the liquid is sent through both the air supply pipe 651a and the liquid feed pipe 652a, and the two pipes are washed for a certain period of time.

Next, by automatically switching the timer and turning off the electromagnetic on-off valve 643 and turning on the electromagnetic on-off valves 641, 642 and 644, the gas sent from the air supply pump 62 is transmitted from the electromagnetic on-off valve 641 The gas flows to the electromagnetic on-off valve 642 and from the electromagnetic on-off valve 641 through the communication pipe 653 to the electromagnetic on-off valve 644, and the air supply line 651 a and the liquid supply line 65.
The air is sent to both of 2a, and both pipes are dried for a certain period of time.

Therefore, the above-described air supply / liquid supply operation is performed by:
If a timer circuit is set so as to be repeated a required number of times at a fixed time, a reliable pressurization operation can be performed automatically by pressing the cleaning operation button (not shown) of the operation unit once. It will be achieved in a short time.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, it is necessary to adjust the pressure of the air supply pump 62 so that gas and liquid do not flow back through the communication pipe 653. By providing a non-return valve (not shown) in the, it is possible to eliminate the risk of backflow.

The second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is different from the first embodiment in that a fifth solenoid on-off valve 645 is provided for the communication pipe 653, and the operation thereof is linked to a timer circuit. This is different from the embodiment.

In the second embodiment, by opening and closing the fifth solenoid on-off valve 645 in accordance with the air supply or liquid supply mode, the air supply and liquid supply in the communication pipe 653 can be made more reliable. In addition, the efficiency of pipe cleaning can be further enhanced.

Further, the third embodiment shown in FIG.
The point that the fourth solenoid on-off valve is omitted and that the first
And is different from the second embodiment.

That is, in FIG. 6, the cleaning control means 64
Is provided with a first electromagnetic on-off valve 641 in the air supply line 651, and a second electromagnetic on-off valve 642 in the liquid supply line 652, respectively.
The intermediate position between the first electromagnetic on-off valve 641 and the air supply nozzle 23 in the air supply line 651 and the intermediate position between the second electromagnetic on-off valve 642 and the liquid supply nozzle 24 in the liquid supply line 652 are: A third electromagnetic on-off valve 643 is provided on the communication pipe 653, and the operation of each of the electromagnetic on-off valves 641, 642 and 643 is controlled by a timer circuit incorporated in the electromagnetic valve control unit 61. (Not shown) and operates as follows.

That is, in the intraoperative mode, if all of the solenoid valves 641, 642 and 643 are turned off,
If the air supply / liquid supply is stopped and the electromagnetic on-off valve 641 is turned on and the electromagnetic on-off valves 642 and 643 are turned off, the air supply line 6
Only the air supply to 51a is turned on, and the solenoid on-off valve 642 is turned on.
If the electromagnetic on-off valves 641 and 643 are turned off, only liquid supply to the liquid supply pipe line 652a is performed.

Then, in the post-operative cleaning mode, if the electromagnetic on / off valve 641 is turned off and the electromagnetic on / off valves 642 and 643 are turned on, the liquid in the liquid feed bottle 63 will be discharged.
2 to the liquid sending nozzle 24, and from the electromagnetic on / off valve 642 to the air sending nozzle 23 through the communication pipe 653 and the electromagnetic on / off valve 643, and to the air sending line 651a and the liquid sending line 652.
The liquid is sent to both of them, and the two channels are washed for a certain period of time.

Next, the timer is automatically switched to turn off the electromagnetic on-off valve 642 and the electromagnetic on-off valves 641 and 643
Is turned on, the gas sent from the air supply pump 62 flows from the electromagnetic on / off valve 641 to the air supply nozzle 23 and from the electromagnetic on / off valve 641 to the liquid supply nozzle 24 through the communication pipe 653 and the electromagnetic on / off valve 643. Then, air is supplied to both the gas supply pipe 651a and the liquid supply pipe 652a, and drying of both pipes is performed for a certain period of time.

In the third embodiment, it is possible to reduce the size and labor of the apparatus as compared with the first and second embodiments.

In FIG. 1 described above, since the cleaning control unit 64 is provided outside the endoscope 1, that is, outside the hand operation unit E, the endoscope 1 is reduced in size and its weight. , The operability of the endoscope 1 can be improved, and a sanitary endoscope apparatus can be provided.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, an example has been described in which air is supplied or liquid is supplied to both the air supply pipe 651 and the liquid supply pipe 652 at the same time. Of course, it is also possible to repeat air supply or liquid supply to only one of the path 651 and the liquid supply pipe line 652.

The gas supply line 651 and the liquid supply line 6
In addition to the method of connecting to the air supply nozzle 23 and the liquid supply nozzle 24 as in each of the above-described embodiments, the distal end of the pipe 52 is connected to the ends of both conduits to supply liquid / air supply from a single nozzle. May be adopted.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the operation of cleaning the inside of the duct after the operation has been described. However, it is of course possible to use the present apparatus for cleaning the observation optical system during the operation.

[0038]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the operability of the endoscope can be improved and a sanitary endoscope apparatus can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view schematically showing an endoscope apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the distal end portion of the endoscope in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a circuit of an endoscope operation unit.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a conduit / circuit connection showing a first embodiment of a cleaning control means in the endoscope apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a pipeline / circuit connection showing the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a pipeline / circuit connection showing the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope 6 ... Air supply / liquid supply pipeline 7 ... Operation part 21 ... Observation optical system 23 ... Air supply nozzle 24 ... Liquid supply nozzle 61 ... Electromagnetic valve control part 64 ... Cleaning control part 641 ... First electromagnetic On-off valve 642... Second electromagnetic on-off valve 643... Third electromagnetic on-off valve 644... … Communication pipe E… Operation unit at hand

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Umeda 540-6 Bingo, Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture (72) Inventor Mitsuru Sato 1-14-3 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An instructing means provided in an endoscope for outputting an instruction signal for executing liquid supply or air supply of at least one of a liquid supply conduit and an air supply conduit; An endoscope apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls opening and closing of an on-off valve provided in the liquid supply pipe line and the air supply pipe line based on the instruction signal. 2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means has a setting means for setting an opening / closing time of said on-off valve.