JPH0687838B2 - Medical light guide cable - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a light guide cable for medical use, which is provided with a means for preventing water vapor from invading during steam sterilization under high temperature and high pressure.

[Prior Art] In recent years, in the medical field, an elongated insertion portion is inserted into a body cavity, and illumination light is transmitted from an end surface of a light guide fiber as an illumination light transmission means inserted through the insertion portion to a target site such as a diseased portion in the body cavity. An endoscope that emits light and is capable of observing an optical image of an illuminated target portion using an observation optical system has been widely used. In particular, since a medical endoscope is used by inserting it into a body cavity, it needs to be sufficiently disinfected before use.

The light guide fiber is extended from the side of the operation unit to the outside, or via a light guide cable detachably attached to the operation unit, a light guide connector formed at the end of the light guide cable is used as a light source device. It is formed so that the illumination light is irradiated to the fiber bundle portion on the end face of the light guide connector by mounting the light guide connector on the fiber bundle portion.

In the conventional light guide cable, the end surface on the light source side is fixed with a highly heat-resistant adhesive such as glass resin that withstands high heat.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the above-mentioned conventional fixing with an adhesive exhibits a property of passing water vapor. Therefore, when the above light guide cable is subjected to high temperature and high pressure steam sterilization (hereinafter referred to as autoclave), the water vapor passing through the silicon tube covering the light guide fiber on the way to the end is further admitted to the blade (mesh tube) inside thereof. ) And a flex (spiral tube) to penetrate into the fiber bundle. The water vapor that has entered the fiber bundle passes through the glass resin (incident) of the light guide connector.
It reaches the end face. This end face has weak resistance to water vapor, and therefore the end face deteriorates, and the amount of light that transmits the illuminated illumination light to the emission end side decreases, causing a problem of insufficient illumination light intensity. Further, if the efficiency of transmission of the light radiated to the incident end face is reduced, the amount of heat generated at the end face is increased, and the life of the end face is shortened.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medical light guide cable capable of sufficiently suppressing deterioration of an end surface that causes a decrease in transmitted light amount even when steam sterilization at high temperature and high pressure. And

[Means and Actions for Solving Problems] In the present invention, by fixing the vicinity of the end of the light guide fiber bundle installed in the light guide cable with a steam resistant adhesive and a heat resistant adhesive, The end surface is prevented from deteriorating due to water vapor.

EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows a connector portion connected to a light source device in a light guide cable of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment. Shows the whole.

As shown in FIG. 2, the (medical) light guide cable 1 of the first embodiment is formed with an elongated and flexible light guide cable portion 2 and one end portion of the light guide cable portion 2. The (hard) endoscope-side connector 5 that can be connected to the light guide connector 4 of the endoscope 3 and the light source device 6 formed at the other end of the light guide cable portion 2.
And a light source side connector 7 that can be connected to.

The endoscope 3 includes an elongated insertion portion 8, a large-diameter operation portion 9 continuously provided on the rear end side of the insertion portion 8 and a rear end of the operation portion 9 and is internally provided with an eyepiece lens. Eyepiece 11 containing
Consists of.

On the other hand, an illumination lamp (not shown) is housed in the light source device 6 to which the light source side connector 7 is connected, and the converging lens condenses and illuminates the incident end face of the connected connector 7. The illumination light that has been focused and emitted is transmitted to the endoscope 3 side via the light guide cable 1, and can be emitted from the light guide emission end at the tip of the insertion portion 8 toward the object.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, the light guide cable portion 2 of the light guide cable 1 of the first embodiment is covered with a silicon tube 12, and a net tube (blade) 13 formed by knitting fibers on the inside thereof, a strip plate shape. The spiral tube (flex) 14 formed by spirally winding metal is installed.
The light guide fiber bundle 15 is inserted inside the.

One end of the light guide fiber bundle 15 is fixed in the through hole of the endoscope side connector 5, and the light source side connector 7 to which the light source side end is fixed has a structure as shown in FIG. .

The connector 7 is attached to a base portion 21 which is fitted and mounted in the base receiver of the light source device 6, a connection frame 22 which is connected to the base portion 21 by soldering or brazing, and a screw portion of the connection frame 22. The grip 23 is screwed on.

The end portion side of the light guide fiber bundle 15 inserted through the spiral tube 14 is bound and fixed in the pipe 24, and the pipe 24 is fitted and fixed in the through hole of the connection frame 22 through the through hole of the grip portion 23. ing.

The fiber bundle 15 that is bound and fixed in the pipe 24 (light guide) has a heat-resistant adhesive zone (heat-resistant adhesive zone) formed by a heat-resistant glass resin adhesive at a length LA from the end side, and this heat-resistant adhesive is also provided. Almost length L adjacent to area 15A
The water-resistant adhesive area 15B is formed by the water vapor-resistant and water-resistant epoxy resin adhesive at the B portion, and even if water vapor enters through the silicon tube 12 on the rear side, this water-resistant adhesive area is formed.
The feature is that it is prevented from penetrating into the front end portion side by 15B.

The heat-resistant adhesive area 15A is fixed by pouring a glass resin from the end surface side, while the water-resistant adhesive area 15B made of water vapor resistant and water resistant epoxy resin is the epoxy from the hole 25 provided in the middle of the pipe 24. It is formed by pouring resin.

The rod lens 26 fitted and fixed in the through hole of the base 21 faces the front of the end face of the fiber bundle 15, and the inner diameter of the front end of the base 21 of the rod lens 26 is enlarged to cover glass 27. Is inserted, and the inserted portion is fixed with a heat resistant adhesive.

A peripheral groove is formed in the through hole of the mouthpiece portion 21 in which the rod lens 26 is fitted, and an O-ring 28 is annularly mounted so as to be watertight and airtight. Therefore, even if water vapor penetrates through the adhesive having the cover glass 27 fixed, the O-ring 28
Thus, the invasion of water vapor into the inner part of the fiber bundle 15 is prevented and deterioration of the end face of the fiber bundle 15 is prevented.

By the way, the end of the spiral tube 14 that covers the outer circumference of the fiber bundle 15 is fitted into the through hole of the connection frame 22 and is fixed with an adhesive or the like. Further, the mesh tube 13 covering the outer circumference of the spiral tube 14 and the silicon tube 12 on the outer circumference of the mesh tube 13 are externally fitted to the small diameter portion at the rear end of the connection frame 22 and fixed by an adhesive or the like, and the outer circumference thereof is gripped. It's covered with 23.

According to the first embodiment configured in this way, the light guide fiber bundle 15 is used even when autoclaving is performed.
A rod lens 26 is provided on the front side of the end face of the above, and an O-ring 28 is interposed between the rod lens 26 and the inner circumference of the base 21 to prevent water vapor from entering. Further, a cover glass 27 fixed with an adhesive is provided. Further, since a heat resistant adhesive area 15A and a water resistant adhesive area 15B are formed in the vicinity of the end of the light guide fiber bundle 15, even if water vapor penetrates through the silicon tube, the mesh tube 13 and the spiral tube 14, it is water resistant. The bonding area 15B prevents water vapor from entering the end face side from this portion through the gaps between adjacent fibers. Therefore, since the water vapor is prevented from reaching the end surface of the fiber bundle 15, the end surface is not deteriorated by the water vapor. Incidentally, the fixing of the outer periphery of the pipe 24 is also performed in the two bonding areas 15A and 15B.

FIG. 3 shows the connector portion of the second embodiment of the present invention.

In the connector 31 of the second embodiment, the cover glass 32 is fixed to the front part of the end face of the fiber bundle 15 without using the rod lens 26 in the first embodiment. A peripheral groove is formed on the outer periphery of the cover glass 32, and an O-ring 33 is attached to form a watertight and airtight structure. In the vicinity of the end portion of the light guide fiber bundle 15, for example, a heat resistant adhesive area 15A 'having a length LA' and a water resistant adhesive area 15B 'having a length LB' are formed as in the first embodiment.

The operation and effect of the second embodiment are almost the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a connector portion in the third embodiment of the present invention.

In the connector 41 in the third embodiment, the length LB of the water resistant adhesive area 15B is increased in the first embodiment, and the length L is increased.
The water resistant adhesion area of C is 15C.

A ring-shaped void is provided in the inner peripheral wall of the connecting portion 22 in the middle of the water resistant adhesive region 15C to accommodate the moisture absorbent 42 therein.
The moisture absorbent 42 can be stored through a hole 43 communicating with the outside, and is closed with a glass stopper after the storage. Further, the hygroscopic agent 42 is mixed with a hygroscopicity indicator such as cobalt chloride, the color of which changes due to moisture absorption, so that the degree of hygroscopicity can be known through a glass stopper.

The pipe 24 is provided with holes 44, 44, ... Locally at the outer peripheral portion of the moisture absorbent 42, and the inner fiber bundle 15 is exposed by the holes 44, 44 ,. Others are the same as those in the first embodiment.

Under normal conditions of use, a water-resistant adhesive can prevent the ingress of water vapor, but it can be used for a very long time,
According to the third embodiment, even if a minute amount of water vapor enters, such as in the case of overuse, it is possible to prevent the water vapor from reaching the end face side by being absorbed by the hygroscopic agent 42. It can be surely prevented. If the amount of moisture absorption exceeds the appropriate value, the glass stopper may be destroyed, the moisture absorbent 42 inside may be sucked and discharged, and a new moisture absorbent may be converted.

The heat resistant adhesive is not limited to the glass resin, and any other adhesive may be used as long as it can withstand the heat of the condensed light.

The water vapor resistant adhesive is not limited to the epoxy resin, and other adhesives may be used as long as they have water vapor resistance.

The present invention can be applied not only to medical applications but also to industrial endoscopes, and can also be applied to other than endoscopes.

Incidentally, the connector on the endoscope side is not limited to the one formed with both adhesive regions, but may be simply fixed with a water vapor resistant adhesive.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the end portion side of the light guide fiber bundle in the light guide cable is fixed with the steam-resistant adhesive and the heat-resistant adhesive, and water vapor enters the end surface. Since it is prevented, deterioration of the end face can be prevented even when autoclaving is performed. Therefore, the illumination light emitted from the light source device side can be efficiently transmitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 and 2 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a light source side connector portion in the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a light guide cable of the first embodiment. A side view, FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a connector portion in a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a part of a connector portion in a third embodiment of the present invention. 1 ... Light guide cable, 2 ... Light guide cable section 3 ... Endoscope, 7 ... Light source side connector 12 ... Silicon tube 13 ... Net tube, 14 ... Spiral tube 15 ... Light guide fiber bundle 15A ...... Heat resistant adhesive area, 15B …… Water resistant adhesive area 21 …… Base part, 22 …… Connection frame 23 …… Grip part, 24 …… Pipe 25 …… hole, 26 …… Rod lens 27 …… Cover glass, 28 …… O-ring

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light guide cable for medical use in which a light guide fiber bundle is installed and which is covered with a resin tube, wherein a portion of the light guide fiber bundle near the illumination light incident end is closer to the end face with a heat-resistant adhesive. Stuck,
A light guide cable for medical use, characterized in that adjacent portions are fixed to each other with a water vapor resistant adhesive agent to be sealed and a sealed cover glass is provided on the front part of the end surface of the light guide fiber bundle.