JPS6041209Y2 - Endoscope cleaning nozzle - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an improvement in a cleaning nozzle for an endoscope that cleans the observation window of the endoscope by supplying water and air to the observation window.

In general, when the insertion section of an endoscope is inserted into a patient's body cavity,
Foreign matter such as blood, body fluids, and dirt adheres to the outer surface of the observation window provided at the tip of the insertion portion, thus hindering clear observation.

Therefore, it is necessary to clean the outer surface of the observation window during use, and in conventional endoscopes, a nozzle that opens toward the outer surface of the observation window is installed at the tip of the insertion section, and washing water is passed through this nozzle. After this, air is blown to remove water droplets remaining on the outer surface of the observation window and dry it.

By the way, in recent endoscopes, the objective lens is becoming wider and the diameter of the insertion tube is becoming smaller, so the distance between the objective cover glass and the air and water supply pipe (the center of the nozzle) is increasing due to the arrangement. It tends to become shorter and shorter.

In addition, to prevent the tip of the nozzle from entering the observation field of view,
The height of the nozzle's protrusion and the distance from the center of the nozzle to the tip of the jet nozzle had to be made as short as possible.

Furthermore, in order to prevent water droplets from remaining after water supply and gradually scattering during air supply, the nozzle had to have good drainage.

Therefore, it has been proposed that a nozzle 1 formed in the shape of a pipe is attached to the tip of an air/water supply conduit 2, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

This is made by flattening one end of a pipe 3 and curving this flat tip to form a spout 4.

However, when manufacturing this nozzle 1, the inner bent part 5 of the flat tip part strongly enters the inside of the pipe 3, forming a very narrow part 6.

This narrow portion 6 tends to become clogged with foreign matter such as dirt during use, which is a drawback.

Furthermore, when this nozzle 1 is attached to the tip component 7,
A stepped portion 8 is formed between the spout portion 4 and the outer surface of its tip portion 7, where water tends to accumulate, and when air is supplied, water droplets scatter and adhere to the outer surface of the observation window 9, obstructing the observation window field of view. There were drawbacks.

Furthermore, in order to make such a nozzle 1, it is necessary to use a pipe 3 with a very thin wall, and for this reason, there is no choice but to use a metal pipe.

For this reason, electrical insulating means must be incorporated to ensure electrical safety.

Therefore, an improved nozzle 1 was considered (unpublished, see Japanese Patent Application No. 55-118288).

This has a structure in which the inner bent portion 5 is removed, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

Although this method has certainly solved the above-mentioned drawbacks, a flow A is generated that directly penetrates through the removed opening, and this blows into the flow B in the original jetting direction of the air and water from below, The disadvantage is that it causes turbulence in the jet flow.

For this reason, water tends to scatter during water supply, and it is difficult to sufficiently remove water droplets remaining on the outer surface of observation window 9 during air supply.

The present invention was developed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to have a simple structure that prevents foreign matter such as dirt from clogging the inside of the nozzle, and to prevent the inside of the nozzle or the To provide a cleaning nozzle for an endoscope that can quickly restore a good observation field by having a structure that prevents water from remaining around the periphery, smooth air and water supply.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 7 to 12.

Reference numeral 21 in FIG. 7 is an endoscope, and this endoscope 21 has an operating section 22 connected to an insertion section 23. The operating section 22 includes a bending operation knob 24, an eyepiece section 25, an air supply and water Switching operation valve button 26, suction operation valve button 27, and forceps insertion port 28
is provided.

Further, a light guide cable 29 is connected to the operation section 22, and a light source device (not shown) is attached to the tip of the light guide cable 29.

) is attached with a connector 30 that can be attached to the connector.

Further, the connector 30 is provided with a socket 32 to which a water tank 31 can be connected.

The insertion section 23 is formed by connecting a distal end component 35 to the distal end of a flexible tube 33 via a bending tube 34, and the bending tube 34 can be bent remotely by operating the bending operation knob 24 of the operation section 22. It is designed to be manipulated.

The tip forming portion 35 is configured as shown in FIG.

That is, an illumination window 38 and an observation window 39 are provided on the distal end surface 37 of the main body 36, and furthermore, a cleaning nozzle 40 is provided on the side of the observation window 39.

The illumination window 38 is provided with a cover glass 41, and the tip of a light guide 42 made of an optical fiber bundle is arranged inside the cover glass 41.

This light guide 42 reaches the guide tube 43 of the connector 30 through the insertion section 23, the operating section 22, and the light guide cable 29.

The observation window 39 also includes a cover glass 44 forming a lens.
The outer surface 45 of the cover glass 44 coincides with the distal end surface 37 of the main body 36]1, and is a continuous flat surface.

Furthermore, an objective lens 46 is provided inside the cover glass 44.
... is installed, and this objective lens 46...
The visual field image seen through the observation window 39 is formed on the distal end surface of an image guide 47, which will be described later.

The image guide 47 is composed of an optical fiber bundle, which is guided to the eyepiece section 25 through the insertion section 23 and the operation section 22, and is connected to the eyepiece optical system of the eyepiece section 25.

On the other hand, the nozzle 40 is constructed as shown in FIGS. 9 to 12.

That is, one end of the nozzle body 49 made of, for example, a metal pipe 48 is used as a protruding tip 50, and this protruding tip 50 is smoothly and continuously curved toward the observation window 39 to form a jet nozzle 51. Furthermore, this curved inner portion is cut out to form an opening 52.

Furthermore, an electrically insulating protection pipe 53 shown in FIG. 11 is tightly fitted around the outer periphery of the nozzle body 49 except for the protruding tip 50, and the opening 52 is covered by this protection pipe 53.

In addition, protection pipes 5 facing both sides of the nozzle body 49
As shown in FIG. 11, a pair of notches 54 and 54 are provided on both sides of the upper end of the holder 3 to provide elasticity.

As shown in FIG. 12, the nozzle body 49 is tightly fitted into the hole 55 formed on the body 36 of the tip component 35 through the protective pipe 53, and is also bonded, for example, to serve as a filler. The attachment is tightly fixed with adhesive.

Further, in this mounting state, the tip of the protective pipe 53 is aligned with the tip surface 37 of the tip component 35, and the protection pipe 53 is attached so as not to create a gap or a stepped portion.

Further, the tip of the spout 51 protrudes outside the protective pipe 53 and the mounting hole 55, and the upper edge 56 of the opening 53 is connected to the tip surface 37 of the tip component 35 as shown in FIG. Joined (matched).

In other words, the spout portion 51 in which the tip of the protruding tip portion 50 opens
It constitutes.

Note that the angle α of the outer portion of the curved protruding tip portion 51 is 3.
It is set at about 00 to 35 degrees.

Further, a protection pipe 53 that covers a part of the cut out opening 52 is fitted onto the nozzle body 49, and the straight extension line connecting the lower end of the cut out opening 52 and the upper end of the protection pipe 53 is It is formed so as to be in contact with the protruding tip portion 50.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the nozzle 40 is connected to a connecting pipe 57.
It is connected to the air/water supply tube 58 through the .

This air/water supply tube 58 is connected to the water supply tank 31 and the air supply pump on the light source device side.

The supply of cleaning water and air to the nozzle 40 is controlled by operating the button 26 of the air/water supply switching valve described above.

Therefore, while the endoscope 21 is in use, the observation window 39
When foreign matter such as blood, body fluids, or dirt adheres to the cover glass 44, the observation field of view is obstructed.

Therefore, when cleaning water is first supplied by operating the button 26 of the air/water supply switching operation valve, the nozzle body 4
9 and is guided along the inner surface of the curved outer portion of the protruding tip portion 50, and is blown downward from the spout portion 51,
The outer surface 45 of the cover glass 44 of the observation window 39 is cleaned.

Note that at this time, there are no narrow areas within the nozzle 40, so that the fluid flows smoothly.

Furthermore, since the cut opening 52 is covered with the protection pipe 53, there is no flow that blows directly from the opening 52 toward the spout 51 side, and the flow is not disturbed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12, all the flow is a concentrated smooth flow guided along the inner surface of the curved outer portion.

In other words, the jet can be powerfully blown toward the observation window 39 without disturbing the original jet flow.

In addition, since there are no narrow parts or stepped parts in the flow path, water drains easily after water supply, and it is extremely rare for water droplets to remain in the nozzle 40 and its surroundings. If you are careful, it will disappear quickly.

On the other hand, after the above-mentioned water supply, the air supply is switched to blow air from the nozzle 40 onto the outer surface 45 of the cover glass 44 to blow away and remove water droplets remaining on the outer surface 45 and dry it.

When this air is supplied, it is possible to intensively blow the air onto the observation window 39 while creating a smooth and powerful flow without turbulence, as in the case of water supply.

In the above embodiment, the protective pipe 53 is made of an electrically insulating material, so even if the nozzle body 49 is made of a metal pipe, the electrical insulation properties can be improved to a distant extent.

Therefore, it is safe even when using a high frequency treatment instrument.

However, the entire or part of the nozzle body 49 may be made of an electrically insulating material, and the protective pipe may be made of metal if electrical insulation can be achieved.

Alternatively, only the protruding tip portion of the nozzle body may be formed by molding, and the other portions may be fixed by adhesive or the like.

As explained above, the present invention curves smoothly so that the protruding tip of the nozzle body faces the observation window, and
Since the inner curved portion is cut off, no narrow portion is formed in the inner curved portion.

Therefore, it is difficult to get clogged with foreign matter such as dirt, and it is possible to prevent the device from becoming unusable due to foreign matter clogging during use.

Furthermore, the flow during air and water supply is smooth, and since there are no parts where water tends to accumulate, drainage is good, and the problem of water droplets continuing to fly after water supply is eliminated.

Furthermore, the inside of the nozzle in the present invention is smoothly curved, so the flow of cleaning water is smooth, there is no pressure loss due to pipe resistance, and the water comes out vigorously, resulting in a high cleaning effect.

Moreover, there are no books left.

Further, a protective pipe that covers a part of the cut out opening in the curved inner part of the nozzle body is fitted onto the nozzle main body, and a straight extension line connecting the lower end of the opening of the cut out part and the upper end of the protective pipe protrudes. Since it is formed so as to hit the tip, the flow that blows directly from the opening to the spout side is blocked, so all the flow is guided along the inner surface of the curved outer part of the protruding tip, resulting in a concentrated and smooth flow. It can be blown out from the nozzle as a stream.

Therefore, cleaning can be quickly performed by intensively spraying a powerful stream toward the observation window.

Since a good visual field for observation is restored in a short time, the clinical time can be shortened and the burden on the surgeon and patient can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view of a conventional nozzle, Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of the nozzle, Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the installation state of the nozzle, and Fig. 4 is a front view of the nozzle according to the earlier application. 5 is a side sectional view of the nozzle, FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the nozzle installed, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an endoscope to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the distal end component of the endoscope, FIG. 9 is a front view of the nozzle of this embodiment, FIG. 10 is a side view of the nozzle, and FIG. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the protection pipe in this embodiment, and a side sectional view showing how the nozzle is installed in this embodiment. 21... Endoscope, 23... Insertion section, 3
5...Tip component, 36...Main body, 3
7...Tip surface, 39...Observation window, 40
...Nozzle, 44...Cover glass,
45...Outer surface, 48...Pipe, 4
9...Nozzle body, 50...Protruding tip, 51...Ejection port, 52...Opening, 53...Protection Pipe, 55... Installation is through the hole.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a cleaning nozzle for an endoscope that sprays cleaning water and air toward the outer surface of the observation window of an endoscope, the protruding tip of the nozzle body formed in a pipe shape is smoothly curved toward the observation window, and the inside part of this curve is A protective pipe covering a part of the resected part is fitted onto the nozzle body, and a straight line connecting the lower end of the opening of the resected part and the upper end of the protective pipe is the protruding tip. A cleaning nozzle for an endoscope, characterized in that the nozzle is formed so as to hit the endoscope.