JPH10328132A - Check valve and internal pressure adjusting device for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) An object of the present invention is to provide a check valve and an internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope in which a valve element of a check valve does not get caught in a cam groove for opening a valve and the valve element operates smoothly. thing. An axial fitting portion (18) of a valve body-side member (18) fitted to an inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical member (14b) at a portion where a cam groove (22) for forcibly opening a valve body (15) is formed.
The length b was formed longer than the axial length of the cam groove 22.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a check valve and an internal pressure adjusting device provided in an endoscope which may be sterilized by an autoclave or ethylene oxide gas (EOG).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to sterilize an endoscope by using an ethylene oxide gas or an autoclave, it is necessary to reduce the pressure in a sterilization chamber accommodating the endoscope. The structure must be able to withstand.

[0003] At that time, a problem arises when the most flexible portion of the endoscope exterior, for example, a sheath tube of a curved portion generally formed of rubber swells and ruptures when decompressed. There is that.

Therefore, a check valve is provided to allow gas to pass from the inside of the endoscope to the outside and to prevent gas from passing from the outside to the inside of the endoscope. The internal pressure is reduced by being removed, and at the time of sterilization or cleaning, there is no possibility that steam, gas, cleaning water or the like may enter the endoscope.

However, with such a structure, the sterilization of the endoscope is completed and the check valve adapter is removed from the endoscope. At the same time, the internal and external communication valves are closed. Remain lower than the atmospheric pressure (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-253168).

[0006] Then, the covering tube of the bending portion, which is the most flexible in the exterior of the endoscope, is in a state of being cut into between the articulation rings inside the endoscope. Applying force may cause a failure.

Therefore, a valve opening adapter for forcibly opening the valve body of the check valve from the outside is provided, and the check valve is forcibly opened from the outside by mounting the valve opening adapter on the check valve. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-518)
No. 72).

FIG. 12 shows an internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-51872. When the valve opening adapter 30 is attached to the check valve 10, the valve body 15 is turned off. A cam groove 22 for forcibly opening is formed in a wall portion of the cylindrical member 14b of the check valve 10.

Then, the valve body 1 is engaged with the cam groove 22 to be engaged therewith.
A pin 19 for moving the position of the valve 5 protrudes from a side surface of a spring receiver 18 provided integrally with the valve body 15, and as shown in FIG. Is attached, the valve element 15 is turned around the axis, and the pin 19 rotating therewith is connected to the cam groove 2.
The valve element 15 moves in the axial direction by moving in the inside 2.

[0010]

However, the check valve 10 is provided with a compression coil spring 17 for urging the valve body 15 in the closing direction. Cannot be fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 14.
Only the portion of the spring receiver 18 on which the pin 19 protrudes is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the portion b.

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 12, when the check valve 10 is provided with the valve opening adapter 30 and is being sterilized (ie, in a vacuum atmosphere), the spring receiver 18 is in a state of being sterilized.
The portion is caught by the cam groove 22, the valve body 15 is inclined and the opening thereof becomes insufficient, and the internal pressure of the endoscope cannot be reduced completely, so that the coating tube of the curved portion may be ruptured. Further, there is a possibility that the valve body 15 does not close as it is and the check action of the check valve 10 does not function.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, when the spring receiver 18 is caught in the cam groove 22 during the removal of the valve opening adapter 30 from the check valve 10 after the end of the sterilization processing, the internal pressure of the endoscope can be completely increased. Without this, the coating tube of the bending portion may bite between the node rings inside the bending portion, and if the bending operation is performed as it is, the bending mechanism may be damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope internal pressure adjusting device in which a valve element of a check valve does not get caught in a cam groove for opening the valve and the valve element operates smoothly. .

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, an internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to the present invention is provided in an endoscope in which all partitions partitioning from the outside are hermetically sealed. A check valve having a valve element inserted in the cylindrical member so as to be able to advance and retreat in the axial direction so as to allow gas to pass from inside the mirror to the outside and not to allow gas to pass from the outside to the inside of the endoscope. A valve opening adapter provided with an engagement member for engaging the valve body and forcibly opening the check valve from the outside from the outside; When the opening adapter is attached to the check valve, a cam groove for moving the valve body in the axial direction to forcibly open the valve body is formed in the wall of the cylindrical member. In the adjusting device, an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member at a portion where the cam groove is formed The axial fitting portion length of the valve body side member to be fitted, characterized in that formed longer than the axial length of the cam groove.

The valve may be biased in the closing direction by an elastic member. The elastic member is a compression coil spring, and the valve body-side member fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the tubular member at a portion where the cam groove is formed is a receiving member that receives one end of the compression coil spring. There may be.

Further, a pin for engaging with the cam groove to move the position of the valve body may be protruded from the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member. The fitting surface of the receiving member with respect to the tubular member may be formed by extending an outer portion of a receiving portion that receives one end of the compression coil spring in an axial direction, and the receiving member may have its axis lined. The cross-sectional shape at the passing position may be formed in an H shape.

A check valve of an endoscope according to the present invention is a tubular member provided on an endoscope in which all partitions partitioning from the outside are provided in an airtight manner and a cam groove is formed in a side wall portion. A valve body having a contact portion inscribed in the cylindrical member; and a valve body rotatable about an axis of the cylindrical member, engaged with the cam groove, and advanced and retracted in the axial direction of the cylindrical member. A check valve for an endoscope having a driving pin, wherein the axial length of the contact portion of the valve body is formed longer than the axial length of the cam groove.

[0018]

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a check valve 10. Reference numeral 1 denotes a partition that separates the outside and the inside of the endoscope, for example, an operation unit of the endoscope or an outer wall of a light guide connector unit. In this endoscope, partition walls 1 that partition between the outside and the outside are all airtightly configured by packing, an O-ring, or the like.

A mounting seat 11 for a check valve 10 is screwed into and protruded from the outer surface of the partition 1. A side surface of the cylindrical mounting seat 11 has a valve opening adapter 3 to be described later.
The locking pin 12 for engaging with the 0 engaging groove 33 is provided in a protruding manner. 13 is an O-ring for sealing.

A base half of a cylindrical valve seat forming member 14 (cylindrical member) protruding outward is inserted into and fixed to the inside of the mounting seat 11 with screws. A tapered surface portion formed on the protruding end side of the seat forming member 14 so as to expand outward is a valve seat 14a. 23 is an O-ring for sealing.

The valve body 15 is disposed in the valve seat forming member 14 so as to be movable in the axial direction, and an O-ring 16 is mounted in a circular groove formed in a tapered surface portion facing the valve seat 14a. ing.

Therefore, the O-ring 16 is connected to the valve seat 14.
a, the check valve 10 is closed and the inside and outside of the endoscope are completely closed, and when the O-ring 16 moves away from the valve seat 14a, the O-ring 16 The inside and the outside of the endoscope communicate with each other through a gap between the endoscope and the valve seat 14a. Thus, the O-ring 16
The part is a valve.

A spring receiver 18 is provided at the rear end of the valve body 15.
(Receiving member) is a drive pin 19 screwed into the valve body 15.
And is provided integrally with the valve body 15. One end of a compression coil spring 17 disposed in the valve seat forming member 14 is received by the spring receiver 18, and the valve body 15 is axially moved toward the back side by the compression coil spring 17 (that is, reversely). (The stop valve 10 is closed).

A cylindrical portion 14b having a constant inner diameter is formed in a portion of the valve seat forming member 14 farther from the valve seat 14a, and a spring receiver 18 slides on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 14b. It is movably fitted and arranged.

As shown in FIG. 3 showing a cross section taken along the line III-III, the spring receiver 18 is formed with wide ventilation grooves 18a in the axial direction at 90 ° intervals over the entire length in the axial direction. Four portions between the air passage groove 18a and the ventilation groove 18a form a fitting portion 18b fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion 14b of the valve seat forming member 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the spring receiver 18 has an H-shaped cross-section at a position passing through the axis, and the fitting portion 18b to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 14b is a compression coil spring. The outer portion of the receiving portion that receives one end of 17 is formed to extend in both directions in the axial direction. However,
A gap is provided between the mounting seat 11 and the bottom surface.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 8 and the like, the axial length of the fitting portion 18b of the spring receiver 18 fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 14b of the valve seat forming member 14 is equal to the cam groove. The length of the spring receiver 18 is longer than that of the cam groove 22 when the spring receiver 18 moves in the axial direction.

The drive pin 19 is provided for the compression coil spring 1.
7, the valve body 15 is pushed up against the urging force of the check valve 10,
The head of the drive pin 19 is engaged with the cam groove 22 formed on the side wall of the valve seat forming member 14 so as to protrude laterally from the side surface of the spring receiver 18. ing.

A flange 15a is provided on the head of the valve body 15 outwardly of the O-ring 16 in a direction perpendicular to the axis. The flange 15a is also shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
An engagement groove 24 for engaging the (engagement member) is formed.

Further, a ventilation groove 25 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the flange portion 15a at a position where it does not interfere with the engagement groove 24.
In this embodiment, the engagement groove 24 is formed in a U-shape, but may be a circular hole or another shape.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the drive pin 19 and the cam groove 22 taken along the line III-III. FIG. 4 shows the cam groove 22 in an unfolded state. The drive pin 19 with respect to the cam groove 22 when the valve opening adapter 30 is attached to the check valve 10 is shown.
Are shown in the following order.

This state is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.
11 is shown in FIG. 11, the state is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and the state is shown in FIG.

The drive pin 19 rotates about the axis of the check valve 10 together with the valve element 15 that rotates by attaching the valve opening adapter 30 to the check valve 10 and rotating about the axis. The cam surface 22a is formed in a mountain shape so as to push up the drive pin 19 against the urging force of the compression coil spring 17 in an intermediate portion of the rotation range (angle θ).

The cam groove 22 is formed so that the drive pin 19 is separated from the cam surface 22a at both ends of the rotation range so that the check valve 10
The opening is formed in the valve seat forming member 14 in a window shape having a wide opening width in the axial direction so that the valve seat forming member 14 can be moved in the axial direction.

FIG. 5 shows the valve opening adapter 30. The valve opening adapter 30 is a mounting seat 1 for the check valve 10.
A cylindrical inner cylinder 31 removably fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the first cylinder 1;
A cap-shaped outer cylinder 32 covered so as to cover the outer end side of the inner cylinder 31 is connected and fixed with small screws. Reference numeral 34 denotes an O-ring for sealing between the mounting seat 11 and the outer peripheral surface.

An engagement groove 33 for engaging with the locking pin 12 of the check valve 10 is formed at the open end of the inner cylinder 31. The engagement groove 33 is, as shown in FIG.
1 is formed in an L-shape that can rotate the inner cylinder 31 by the angle θ, and has a click groove 33 for lightly locking the locking pin 12 at the end.
a is formed to be concave.

Returning to FIG. 5, between the inner cylinder 31 and the outer cylinder 32, a ventilation space 37 communicating with the outside through a ventilation hole 39 formed in the outer cylinder 32 is formed all around. And inner cylinder 3
It communicates with the inside of the inner cylinder 31 through a ventilation hole 38 formed in the side wall of the inner cylinder 1.

In the ventilation space 37, a thin porous member 35 having no air permeability but having air permeability is formed and arranged in a cylindrical shape. The porous member 35 is pressed and fixed at both upper and lower ends by ring-shaped fixing members 36, and is joined to the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 31 with an adhesive so that no gap is formed between the fixing portions.

As shown in FIG. 7, the porous member 35 is formed by an elongated pressing plate 40 and an elongated rubber packing 41 which are pressed inward by a plurality of small screws screwed into the outer cylinder 32. , Is pressed and fixed to the inner cylinder 31 side over the entire length in a direction parallel to the axis of the valve opening adapter 30. The porous member 35 is disposed in the air in the ventilation space 37 so that the other portions do not touch the wall surfaces of the inner cylinder 31 and the outer cylinder 32.

Since the porous member 35 is arranged so as to partition the inside of the ventilation space 37 into the inside and the outside, the porous member 35 passes through the ventilation hole 39, the ventilation space 37 and the ventilation hole 38 from the outside, and enters the valve opening adapter 30. Incoming and outgoing air always passes through the porous member 35.

On the other hand, since the porous member 35 has no water permeability, even if the endoscope to which the valve opening adapter 30 is attached is immersed in a cleaning solution or the like, the endoscope passes through the porous member 35 and enters the inside of the endoscope. There is no intrusion of liquid.

In the middle position of the inner surface of the inner cylinder 31,
A pair of rotation transmission pins 43 for engaging the engagement groove 24 formed in the flange portion 15a of the valve body 15 on the check valve 10 side and transmitting the rotation of the inner cylinder 31 to the valve body 15 as it is is provided. , Projecting toward the opening perpendicular to the axis.

FIG. 8 shows a check valve 10 with a valve opening adapter 30.
Shows that the valve opening adapter 3 is attached.
0 is mounted so as to cover the check valve 10. At the time of attachment, the locking pin 12 may be guided into the engaging groove 33 formed in the shape shown in FIG.

For the sake of simplicity, the locking pin 12 and the driving pin 19 having different cross sections are illustrated as if they are on the same cross section. The same applies to FIGS. 10 and 11.

When the locking pin 12 is guided into the engagement groove 33, the rotation transmitting pin 43 is first inserted into the engagement groove 24 of the valve body 15. Then, by rotating the valve opening adapter 30 by the angle θ from the state shown in FIG. 9 showing the IX-IX cross section immediately before rotating about the axis, the rotational motion is applied to the valve body 15 via the rotation transmitting pin 43. As a result, the valve body 15 rotates around the axis by the angle θ.

When the valve element 15 rotates in this manner, the drive pin 19 rotates around the axis, and the drive pin 19 is moved in the middle of the rotation range by the cam surface 22a of the cam groove 22 shown in FIG. Once pushed up.

Therefore, at this time, the valve body 15 is forcibly pushed up, so that the O-ring 16 is separated from the valve seat 14a and the check valve 10 is opened, as shown in FIG. The inside and the outside of the endoscope communicate with each other. And
8, the drive pin 19 returns to the original position again, and the check valve 10 closes.

When the endoscope in which the valve opening adapter 30 is attached to the check valve 10 as described above is placed in a vacuum or low-pressure environment such as in a sterilizer, the internal endoscope becomes as shown in FIG. The state is brought about by the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the endoscope, and the valve element 15 is pushed open against the urging force of the compression coil spring 17.

As a result, the gas in the endoscope is released from the vent holes 38,
The air is discharged through the air passage 39 and the ventilation space 37 and the like, and the pressure inside the endoscope becomes low. Note that the drive pin 19 is
The open state of the valve body 15 is limited to a constant by contacting the upper side of the valve body 15.

At the time of such an operation, since the axial length of the fitting portion 18 b of the spring receiver 18 is formed longer than the axial length of the cam groove 22, the spring receiver 18 is not caught by the cam groove 22. Therefore, the valve body 15 is reliably opened without tilting, and the pressure in the endoscope quickly becomes low.

When the endoscope is taken out of the sterilizer, the inside of the endoscope is at a low pressure. However, when the valve opening adapter 30 is removed from the check valve 10, the cam groove is located at an intermediate position. Since the drive pin 19 is pushed up by 22 and the check valve 10 is temporarily opened as shown in FIG.
External air is sent into the low-pressure endoscope, and the pressure in the endoscope is restored to a state close to the atmosphere.

In this operation, the spring receiver 18 is not caught by the cam groove 22 because the axial length of the fitting portion 18b of the spring receiver 18 is longer than the axial length of the cam groove 22. The valve body 15 is reliably opened without tilting, and the pressure in the endoscope is quickly restored to a state close to the atmosphere.

[0053]

According to the present invention, the axially fitting of the valve body side member to be fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the tubular member at the portion where the cam groove for forcibly opening the valve body is formed. By forming the joint length longer than the axial length of the cam groove,
The valve element side member does not get caught in the cam groove, the valve element opens and closes smoothly and reliably, the pressure inside the endoscope quickly becomes close to the outside, and the rubber tube covering the curved part of the endoscope is damaged etc. Can be prevented beforehand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a check valve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the check valve according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a development view of a cam groove according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the valve opening adapter according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a development view of an engagement groove according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a VII-VII sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a valve opening adapter is attached to the check valve according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX when the valve opening adapter is attached to the check valve according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation in a state where the valve opening adapter is attached to the check valve according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation in a state where the valve opening adapter is being removed from the check valve according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional check valve.

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional check valve.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 Check valve 14 Valve seat forming member (cylindrical member) 14a Valve seat 14b Cylindrical portion 15 Valve body 16 O-ring (valve portion) 18 Spring receiver (receiving member) 18a Vent groove 18b Fitting portion 30 Valve opening adapter 43 Rotation transmission pin (engagement member)

Claims (7)

[Claims] An endoscope in which all partitions partitioning from the outside are hermetically sealed so as to allow gas to pass from the inside of the endoscope to the outside and not to pass gas from the outside of the endoscope to the inside. In order to provide a check valve having a valve body inserted and retracted in the axial direction with respect to the cylindrical member, and to engage the valve body to forcibly open the check valve from outside. A valve opening adapter provided with the engaging member is detachably provided to the check valve, and when the valve opening adapter is attached to the check valve, the valve body is moved in the axial direction to forcibly. An internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope in which a cam groove for opening the cam groove is formed in a wall portion of the cylindrical member, wherein the cam groove is formed at a portion where the cam groove is formed and fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. The length of the fitting portion in the axial direction of the valve body-side member to be formed is determined by the axial length of the cam groove. An endoscope internal pressure adjusting device characterized by being formed longer. 2. An endoscope internal pressure adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein said valve body is urged in a closing direction by an elastic member. 3. The compression member of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a compression coil spring, and the valve body-side member fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member at a portion where the cam groove is formed receives one end of the compression coil spring. The internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to claim 2, which is a receiving member. 4. An internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to claim 3, wherein a pin for engaging with said cam groove to move the position of said valve body protrudes from an outer peripheral surface of said receiving member. . 5. The fitting surface of the receiving member to the cylindrical member is formed by extending a portion outside a receiving portion for receiving one end of the compression coil spring in an axial direction. Endoscope internal pressure adjustment device. 6. The internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope according to claim 5, wherein said receiving member has an H-shaped cross section at a position passing through an axis thereof. 7. A tubular member having a cam groove formed in a side wall portion provided in an endoscope in which all partitions partitioning from the outside are hermetically sealed, and a contact portion inscribed in the tubular member. A check valve for an endoscope, comprising: a valve element having a pin that is rotatable about an axis of the cylindrical member and engages with the cam groove to drive the valve element to advance and retract in the axial direction of the cylindrical member. 2. The check valve for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an axial length of the contact portion of the valve body is formed longer than an axial length of the cam groove.