JP4338384B2 - Power source for endoscope light source - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a power source for an endoscope light source in which a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is disposed in an operation unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a portable endoscope such as a so-called bedside endoscope for performing endoscopy without moving a patient from a hospital room or the like, a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is disposed in an operation unit. Yes.
[0003]
However, the power source for such an endoscope light source must be replaced when the electromotive force of the battery becomes insufficient during endoscopy, and the illumination is darkened each time the endoscope is Since the mirror observation is interrupted, it is necessary to turn the illumination on again after replacing the battery and start observation from the middle.
[0004]
Therefore, conventionally, a plurality of types of power sources can be connected, and when the electromotive force of the battery decreases, an appropriate power source can be selected and used from a plurality of types of power sources according to the environment ( For example, Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-224906
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as described above, even when a power source that replaces the battery can be selected and used from among a plurality of types of power sources, when the electromotive force of the battery decreases during endoscopic observation, another power source is used instead of the battery. When switching to a power source, the lighting becomes dark, so it is still necessary to turn on the lighting and start observation from the middle.
[0007]
Therefore, if a fuel cell is used as the battery for the power source of the endoscope, the illumination light source is turned on for a long time by avoiding electromotive force shortage without interrupting the endoscopic observation by appropriately replenishing the fuel. Although it can be continued, if water generated by an electrochemical reaction in the fuel cell adheres to an electrical contact or the like of the operation unit while using the endoscope, it causes a trouble such as an electric leak.
[0008]
Therefore, the present invention can use a fuel cell as a battery so that the illumination light source can be kept on for a long time without interrupting the endoscopic observation, and the safety of the device is ensured. The purpose is to provide a power supply.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the power source for an endoscope light source according to the present invention includes an operation unit connected to a proximal end of an insertion portion of an endoscope in which a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is disposed. In a power source for a light source of an endoscope, a battery stores a fuel storage unit that stores fuel that is a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, a power generation unit that generates power using the fuel flowing in from the fuel storage unit, and electricity in the power generation unit A water storage unit for storing water generated by a chemical reaction is provided, and a water absorption unit that absorbs water stored in the water storage unit is detachably provided to the battery.
[0010]
Such a water absorption part was attached to the screw rod part screwed in the screw hole formed in the battery housing, the water absorption member attached to the distal end side of the screw rod part, and the base end side of the screw rod part A knob member may be provided, and a plurality of water absorbing portions may be provided, and at least one of the water absorbing portions may be detachable from the battery.
[0011]
The illumination light source may be disposed in the operation unit, and a light guide for transmitting illumination light emitted from the illumination light source may be inserted in the insertion unit, or the illumination light source may be inserted. A conductor for electrically connecting the illumination light source and the battery may be inserted and disposed in the insertion portion.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 schematically shows the overall configuration of the portable endoscope. The operation section 2 is connected to the base end of the flexible insertion section 1, and the observation window 3 and the illumination window 4 are connected to the distal end of the insertion section 1. They are arranged side by side.
[0013]
An objective optical system 5 is disposed in the back of the observation window 3, and an incident end face of the image guide fiber bundle 6 is disposed at a projection position of the subject by the objective optical system 5.
[0014]
The image guide fiber bundle 6 is inserted and arranged over the entire length of the insertion portion 1, and the exit end face of the image guide fiber bundle 6 can be enlarged and observed at the eyepiece portion 7 protruding from the upper end of the operation portion 2. It can be done.
[0015]
The light guide fiber bundle 8 inserted and arranged alongside the image guide fiber bundle 6 in the insertion section 1 has an emission end face disposed on the back side of the illumination window 4, and an incident end face 8 a disposed on the operation section 2.
[0016]
An illumination light source 9 made of a light emitting diode or a bean lamp is arranged opposite to the incident end face 8a of the light guide fiber bundle 8, and a battery 10 as a power source of the illumination light source 9 is directly attached to the operation unit 2. It has been.
[0017]
FIG. 1 shows a battery 10 and its surroundings, and a fuel storage unit 20 that stores a fuel made of alcohol such as ethanol or methanol, which is a raw material for generating hydrogen gas, and flows from the fuel storage unit 20 A power generation unit 30 that generates power with fuel is housed in a plastic cap-shaped housing 11 that is detachably screwed to the main body cover of the operation unit 2. However, the housing 11 may be fixed to the operation unit 2.
[0018]
The fuel storage unit 20 is formed by a space between the negative electrode portion 31 of the power generation unit 30 and the inner wall surface of the housing 11. A fuel supply port 21 that communicates with the fuel storage unit 20 and opens to the outer surface is provided in the housing 11. Is formed.
[0019]
A rubber O-ring 21a is disposed at the mouth opening of the fuel supply port 21, and a manual nut 21b that presses and crushes the O-ring 21a is screwed together. The fuel supply port 21 is closed by tightening 21b to keep the O-ring 21a crushed.
[0020]
Then, when the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel storage unit 20 decreases, an external fuel (not shown) is used before the electromotive force of the battery 10 becomes insufficient to cause the illumination light source 9 to emit light. A fuel supply unit 20 can be refueled by inserting a replenishment tool into the fuel supply port 21. However, the fuel storage unit 20 may be formed in a cartridge shape or the like so as to be detachable from the power generation unit 30.
[0021]
The power generation unit 30 includes a negative electrode unit 31 that extracts hydrogen ions and electrons from the fuel flowing from the fuel storage unit 20, an electrolyte unit 32 that sends the hydrogen ions extracted by the negative electrode unit 31 to the positive electrode unit 33, and a The positive electrode part 33 which couple | bonds the produced hydrogen ion, the oxygen in air, and an electron, and produces | generates water is arrange | positioned in order.
[0022]
An outside air inlet 34 for taking in air from the outside is formed in a portion facing the positive electrode portion 33 of the housing 11, and a porous membrane that allows air and water vapor to pass but not water is attached thereto. . Therefore, the air necessary for the electrochemical reaction in the positive electrode portion 33 is introduced into the housing 11 through the air.
[0023]
Further, in that portion, the positive electrode portion 33 is formed in a shape depressed from the inner wall of the housing 11, and the space between the housing 11 and the positive electrode portion 33 formed by the depression is formed by an electrochemical reaction in the positive electrode portion 33. It is the water storage part 40 which stores the produced | generated water.
[0024]
45 is a water absorption part that absorbs water accumulated in the water storage part 40, and a water absorption member 45b in which a sponge or the like is formed in a spherical shape is attached to the tip of a screw rod part 45a on which a male screw is formed. A picking member 45c that can be picked is formed at the base end of the screw rod portion 45a.
[0025]
Such a water absorption part 45 is normally positioned in the water storage part 40 by screwing a screw rod part 45a into a screw hole formed in a part of the housing 11 facing the water storage part 40. Thus, the water accumulated in the water storage section 40 is absorbed, and no water leaks to the outside from the screw hole closed by the screw rod section 45a.
[0026]
Then, by picking and rotating the knob member 45c located outside the housing 11, the screw rod portion 45a is detached from the screw hole of the housing 11, and the water absorbing member 45b attached to the tip of the screw rod portion 45a. Can be pulled out via the screw hole, and the water absorbing member 45b can be returned into the water storage section 40 by performing the reverse operation.
[0027]
The negative electrode side conductive wire 36A led from the negative electrode part 31 through the insulating wall 35 to the inside of the operation part 2 is directly connected to the electrode of the light source 9 for illumination, and penetrates the insulating wall 35 from the positive electrode part 33 to the operation part 2. The positive-side conductive wire 36 </ b> B led to the inside can be freely connected / disconnected to the electrode of the illumination light source 9 by a manual switch 37.
[0028]
The manual switch 37 may have any configuration. In this embodiment, the manual switch 37 electrically connects / disconnects between the positive electrode side conductive line 36 </ b> B connected to the positive electrode portion 33 and the electrode of the illumination light source 9. In this way, the conductive piece 37a that is slidable in the direction of the arrow S is integrally connected to the slide operation piece 37b that protrudes from the housing 11, and the slide operation piece 37b is covered with a rubber cover 37c for sealing. ing.
[0029]
With this configuration, when the manual switch 37 is turned on, the illumination light source 9 is turned on by the electricity generated by the electrochemical reaction in the power generation unit 30 to illuminate the subject that is the observation target of the endoscope. Is supplied to the light guide fiber bundle 8 and the illumination light source 9 is turned off when the manual switch 37 is turned off.
[0030]
And when water accumulates in the water storage part 40, the water absorption part 45 is removed from the battery 10, and water is squeezed out from the water absorption member 45b (or replaced with a new water absorption part 45). It can be attached to the battery 10 to continue the endoscopy.
[0031]
In this way, the water generated by the electrochemical reaction in the power generation unit 30 is not inadvertently sprinkled to the outside, so that troubles such as leakage of electrical contacts do not occur and accumulate in the water storage unit 40 as necessary. Water can be removed.
[0032]
FIG. 3 shows a battery 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which two water absorbing portions 45 as described above are arranged side by side. By comprising in this way, even if one water absorption part 45 is removed, the water in the water storage part 40 is absorbed by the remaining water absorption part 45, so the possibility of inadvertent water leakage is reduced. can do.
[0033]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, as in the third embodiment shown in FIG. The light guide fiber bundle can be omitted by electrically connecting the light source 9 with the conductive wire 36.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, by using a fuel cell as a battery, an illumination light source can be kept on for a long time without interrupting endoscopic observation, and water generated by an electrochemical reaction in a power generation unit can be achieved. By providing a water storage part for storing water and a detachable water absorption part for absorbing the water stored in the water storage part, water generated by an electrochemical reaction in the battery is stored in the water storage part and is inadvertent Therefore, the safety of the apparatus is ensured without causing trouble such as leakage of electrical contacts.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a battery in use according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an endoscope according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Operation part 8 Light guide fiber bundle 9 Illumination light source 10 Battery 11 Housing 20 Fuel storage part 30 Power generation part 31 Negative electrode part 33 Positive electrode part 40 Water storage part 45 Water absorption part 45a Screw rod part 45b Water absorption member 45c Picking member

Claims (4)

In the power source for an endoscope light source in which a battery serving as a power source for an illumination light source is arranged on the operation unit connected to the proximal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope,
A fuel storage unit that stores fuel as a raw material for generating hydrogen gas in the battery, a power generation unit that generates power from the fuel that flows in from the fuel storage unit, and an electrochemical reaction in the power generation unit that water reservoir for storing is arranged to Rutotomoni,
A water absorption part that absorbs water stored in the water storage part is detachably provided to the battery ,
The water absorption portion is attached to a screw rod portion screwed into a screw hole formed in the battery housing, a water absorption member attached to a distal end side of the screw rod portion, and a proximal end side of the screw rod portion. A power source for a light source of an endoscope. The water portion is not provided in a plurality, of which at least one water-absorbing unit power source for the endoscope according to claim 1 Symbol mounting is detachable from the battery. The internal view according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the illumination light source is disposed in the operation unit, and a light guide for transmitting illumination light emitted from the illumination light source is inserted and disposed in the insertion unit. Power supply for mirror light source. The illumination light source has been arranged at the distal end of the insertion portion according to claim 1 or 2, wherein conductors for electrically connecting the the illumination light source and the battery is inserted and arranged in the insertion portion Power source for endoscope endoscopes.

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