JPS6138691B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope in which the structure of the distal end portion to which an observation window or the like is attached is improved.

The distal end of the endoscope is provided with an observation window, an illumination window, a suction port, and an air/water supply nozzle for cleaning the outer surface of the observation window. In order to increase the cleaning effect, this air/water supply nozzle has its injection port protruding forward from the outer surface of the observation window and sprays cleaning water toward the observation window from a slightly oblique front.
However, when the nozzle protrudes as described above, there is a risk that the nozzle may touch the body cavity wall and injure the mucous membrane in the case of an endoscope that does not have a hood at the distal end component.

In addition, observation lens systems have recently tended to have wider angles, and one way to prevent the nozzle from entering the field of view was to move the nozzle away from the observation window. The cleaning effect will be reduced because the force of the cleaning will be weakened. Therefore, we suppressed the amount of nozzle protrusion as much as possible,
It is also possible to move the nozzle closer to the observation window, but
In this case, there was a drawback that water droplets adhering to the tip of the nozzle entered the field of view and obstructed observation. Also,
As mentioned above, conventional nozzles have to spray cleaning water obliquely in front of the observation window, so the nozzle must be bent at a steep angle toward the observation window with a small curvature, which results in high flow path resistance. The force of air and water supply tends to weaken, and the cleaning effect is low.
There were drawbacks such as difficulty in molding the nozzle.

This invention was made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to prevent damage to the body cavity wall caused by the air and water supply nozzle, to have a high cleaning effect, and to prevent the nozzle from entering the field of view and to reduce the molding of the nozzle. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an endoscope that is easy to use.

The first embodiment of this invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
This will be explained with reference to the figures. 1 in the figure indicates an endoscope,
Reference numeral 2 indicates an operation section of this endoscope 1, and reference numeral 3 indicates an insertion section.
Further, 4 is a flexible portion constituting the insertion portion 3, 5 is a curved portion, and 6 is a side end portion.

An observation window 7 is provided on the end face of the tip 6. The outer surface 7a of this observation window 7 has a distal end 6
It is formed in a diagonal shape slightly inclined to the end face of the
An air/water supply nozzle 8 is provided on the lower side, ie, the thinner side, of this slanted outer surface 7a. The air/water supply nozzle 8 has its injection port opened toward the observation window 7, so that the cleaning water and air can be injected from the lower side of the observation window 7 toward the upper side.
An air feeding tube 9 and a water feeding tube 10 are connected to the nozzle 8, and air feeding and water feeding can be selected by operating buttons 11, 11 provided on the operating section 2.

Further, 12 is an observation lens provided in the observation window 7, and 13 is an image guide fiber for transmitting images obtained by these observation lenses 12. Further, illumination windows 14, 14 and a suction port 15 are provided on the end surface of the tip portion 6.
Illumination light is transmitted to the illumination windows 14, 14 through a light guide fiber (not shown). Reference numeral 16 denotes a distal end cover made of synthetic resin or the like, and the peripheral edge of the distal end of the distal cover 16 is rounded so as not to damage the body cavity wall.

In the endoscope 1 configured as described above, the insertion section 3 is inserted into the body cavity, and the body cavity wall and the like are observed through the observation window 7. During the observation, dirt such as mucus and blood that adheres to the observation window 7 is removed by the air and water nozzle 8.
This can be removed by alternately spraying cleaning water and air from the screen, ensuring visibility.

According to the endoscope 1 of this embodiment, the outer surface 7a of the observation window 7 is formed obliquely and the air/water supply nozzle 8 is provided on the lower side of the outer surface 7a. Even with a small nozzle protrusion, cleaning water and air can be sprayed diagonally toward the observation window 7 without protruding greatly from the end face and bending it with a small curvature and at a steep angle toward the observation window. This makes it possible to obtain high cleaning effects. Since the amount of protrusion of the nozzle 8 can be reduced in this way, it is possible to prevent the body cavity wall from being damaged by the nozzle 8 when inserting the insertion section 3 into the body cavity. Moreover, since there is no need to bend the nozzle at a steep angle with a small curvature as in the past, flow path resistance is reduced, the force of air and water supply is increased, and the cleaning effect is enhanced. Furthermore, molding of the nozzle 8 is also facilitated.

Furthermore, since the outer surface 7a of the observation window 7 is formed obliquely, the optical axis m is aligned with the observation window 7 as shown in FIG.
The beam is refracted in a direction away from the nozzle 8 with respect to the center line x of the nozzle 8. Therefore, even if the nozzle 8 is brought quite close to the observation window 7, the tip of the nozzle 8 will not enter the field of view, and water droplets adhering to the nozzle 8 will also be difficult to enter the field of view, so that a good field of view can be ensured.

3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, an inclined surface 9a is formed on a part of the end surface of the tip portion 6, and the observation surface is flush with this inclined surface 6a. A slanted outer surface 7a of the window 7 is provided.
The air/water supply nozzle 8 is arranged on the inclined surface 6 such that it does not protrude further forward than the end surface of the tip 6.
It is provided on the lower side of a. Therefore, according to this second embodiment, the nozzle 8 does not protrude forward at all from the end surface of the distal end portion 6, which is extremely advantageous in preventing damage to the body cavity wall.

Further, FIGS. 5 and 6 show a case where the present invention is applied to a side-viewing endoscope as a third embodiment,
A part of the side surface of the tip 6 to which the observation window 7 is attached,
Slanted surface 6a such that the air/water supply nozzle 8 side is lowered
A slanted outer surface 7a of the observation window 7 is provided flush with this slanted surface 6a. That is, this slanted outer surface 7a is the outer surface (2) of the tip portion to which the observation window 7 is attached.
(indicated by a dotted chain line).
Therefore, even when applied to such a side-viewing endoscope, the same effects as those of the above-mentioned direct-viewing endoscope can be obtained. In each of these embodiments, one nozzle 8 is used as both the air supply nozzle and the water supply nozzle, but the air supply nozzle and the water supply nozzle may be provided separately.

As explained above, the present invention is configured such that the outer surface of the observation window is formed obliquely with respect to the outer surface of the tip portion to which the observation window is attached, and the air and water supply nozzles are provided on the lower side of this oblique outer surface. Because of this, even if the nozzle protrusion is small, cleaning water can be sprayed diagonally into the observation window.
Since the cleaning effect can be enhanced and the amount of protrusion of the nozzle can be kept low, damage to the body cavity wall can be prevented. In addition, since there is no need to bend the nozzle at a steep angle as in the conventional case, molding becomes easier and cleaning water can be sprayed vigorously. In addition, since the optical axis is refracted in the direction away from the nozzle, it can prevent part of the nozzle from entering the field of view and water droplets attached to the nozzle from entering the field of view, making it possible to maintain a good field of view. It has a great effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the endoscope, FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of the distal end, and FIG. 3 is a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line - in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a plan view of the endoscope tip showing a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Figure 6 is the fifth
It is a sectional view taken along the line - in the figure. 1... Endoscope, 6... Tip, 7... Observation window,
7a... Slanted outer surface, 8... Air and water supply nozzle.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an endoscope equipped with an observation window at the distal end and an air/water supply nozzle that sprays cleaning water onto the outer surface of the observation window, the outer surface of the observation window is attached to the outer surface of the distal end to which the observation window is attached. What is claimed is: 1. An endoscope characterized in that the air and water supply nozzle is provided on the lower side of the oblique outer surface.