JPH0771548B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention has a function of opening an observation window provided at the distal end of an insertion portion of an endoscope and cleaning the observation window by supplying air and water. And an endoscopic device having the

[Prior Art] In general, the endoscope body is provided with a fluid passage for air supply, water supply, and suction. Then, in the endoscopic examination, when the observation window provided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion is contaminated by dirt, mucus, or the like in the body cavity, the observation window is washed by the air / water feeding mechanism. However, even if the observation window is washed, water may remain in the observation window and obstruct the visual field. In such a case, a clear observation image cannot be obtained,
This is extremely dangerous because accurate diagnosis cannot be performed and there is a risk of damaging other than the affected area during treatment with, for example, a high-frequency treatment tool, a laser treatment tool, or the like.

Therefore, in the endoscopic examination, it is necessary to clean the observation window when it becomes dirty, and to completely remove the residual water in the observation window by draining after the cleaning to secure the visual field.

Therefore, after cleaning, high-pressure air is blown to blow off residual water on the observation window in order to ensure draining of the observation window. This high-pressure air supply is the most effective means for blowing off residual water, and has been conventionally performed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, since the high-pressure air supply as described above is performed inside the body cavity while observing the inside of the body cavity, there is a risk that the organ may over-expand and press other organs, or in the worst case, the organ may rupture. is there. Therefore, conventionally, from the viewpoint of safety, the air pressure could not be increased so much that sufficient drainage could not be achieved.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and the purpose thereof is that there is no fear of overexpansion of organs, and it is possible to reliably remove residual water in the observation window to secure a visual field,
An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscopic device capable of accurate diagnosis and safe treatment.

[Means and Actions for Solving Problems]

The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus having a water supply means capable of supplying water and an air supply means capable of supplying air toward an observation window provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope. A high-pressure air supply means for supplying air at a pressure higher than the pressure for a certain period of time, and a suction means for performing high-pressure air supply by the high-pressure air supply means to perform suction of an amount substantially equal to the air supply amount. It is characterized by having.

〔Example〕

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show a first embodiment, in which 1 is an endoscope and 2 is a control device such as an optical power supply device. The endoscope 1 includes an operation unit 3, an insertion unit 4, and a universal cord 5. An optical fiber bundle 6 for observation and an optical fiber bundle 7 for illumination are installed in the insertion section 4, and the optical fiber bundle 6 for observation is provided with an observation window 6a provided at a tip portion 8 of the insertion section 4.
In addition, the optical fiber bundles 7 for illumination face the illumination windows 7a, respectively. Further, the tip portion 8 is provided with a nozzle 9 opening toward the observation window 6a and a suction port 10. Further, the insertion portion 4 is internally provided with an air supply pipe line 11, a water supply pipe line 12 and a suction pipe line 13. The air supply pipe line 11 and the water supply pipe line 12 merge at the tip end side of the insertion part 4, and the nozzle It communicates with 9. Further, the suction pipe line 13 communicates with the suction port 10. And these air supply lines 11,
The water supply pipe line 12 and the suction pipe line 13 are connected to the connector 14 through the inside of the universal cord 5, and this connector
It communicates with the said control apparatus 2 via 14. Further, the operation section 3 of the endoscope 1 is provided with an air supply switch 15, a water supply switch 16, a suction switch 17 and a high pressure air supply switch 18.

Next, the control device 2 will be described. Reference numeral 20 is a device body. The device body 20 is provided with a normal air supply pump 21 and a high-pressure air supply pump 22. The normal air supply pump 21 and the high-pressure air supply pump 22 communicate with a first opening / closing valve 23, which is a three-way electromagnetic valve provided in the middle of the air supply pipeline 11, and is connected to the nozzle 9 and the normal air supply pump 21. An air supply unit 24 that selectively communicates the high pressure air supply pump 22 with the high pressure air supply pump 22 is configured. Similarly, the device body 20 is provided with a water pump 25.
25 communicates with a second opening / closing valve 27, which is a two-way electromagnetic valve provided in the middle of the water supply pipeline 12 via a water supply tank 26, and constitutes water supply means 28. Further, the apparatus body 20 is provided with a suction pump 29, and the suction pump 29 is a suction tank 30.
A suction means 32 is constituted by communicating with a third opening / closing valve 31 which is a two-way electromagnetic valve provided in the middle of the suction pipe line 31 via. Further, 33 is a control circuit, which is an air supply switch 15 and a water supply switch 1 provided in the operation section 3 of the endoscope 1.
6, electrically connected to the suction switch 17 and the high-pressure air supply switch 18. Further, the control circuit 33 controls the air supply means 24, the water supply means 28 and the suction means 32.

In the first embodiment, the high pressure air supply switch
Although 18 is provided in the operation unit 3 of the endoscope 1, it may be provided in a place other than the operation unit 3, for example, in the device body 20 of the control device 2,
It may also be a foot switch.

Next, the operation of the endoscope device configured as described above will be described.

When the air supply switch 15 is pressed, an operation signal is input to the normal air supply pump 21 and the first opening / closing valve 23 via the control circuit 22, and the normal air supply pump 21 and the nozzle 9 communicate with each other via the air supply conduit 11. To do. Therefore, the gas sent from the air sending pump 21 is sent from the nozzle 9 via the air sending conduit 11.

When the water feed switch 16 is pressed, an operation signal is input to the water feed pump 25 and the second opening / closing valve 27 via the control circuit 33, and the water feed tank 26 and the nozzle 9 communicate with each other via the water feed conduit 12. Therefore, the liquid in the water supply tank 26 is supplied from the nozzle 9 through the water supply conduit 12 by the operation of the water supply pump 25.

When the suction switch 17 is pressed, an operation signal is input to the suction pump 29 and the third opening / closing valve 31 via the control circuit 33, and the suction tank 30 and the suction port 10 communicate with each other via the suction pipeline 13. Therefore, the gas and liquid in the body cavity are sucked from the suction port 10 by the suction force of the suction pump 29, sucked into the suction tank 30 via the suction pipe line 13, and the liquid is stored in the suction tank 30.

Next, the operation when the high-pressure air supply switch 18 is pressed will be described based on the timing chart in FIG.
First, when the high-pressure air supply switch 18 is pressed, an operation signal is input to the high-pressure air supply pump 22 and the first opening / closing valve 23 via the control circuit 33, and the high-pressure pump 22 and the air supply pipe line for a certain fixed time (T).
11 and communicate. Therefore, the high-pressure air sent from the high-pressure air supply pump 22 is strongly blown from the nozzle 9 toward the observation window 6a via the air supply conduit 11. At the same time, an operation signal is input from the control circuit 33 to the suction pump 29 and the third opening / closing valve 31 to perform the suction operation described above. Therefore, an amount substantially equal to the air supply amount is sucked from the observed organ.

In this way, the observation window 6a
Since the residual water above is removed, a visual field is secured, and since suction is performed during this high-pressure air supply, overexpansion of the observed organ can be prevented.

FIGS. 3 to 5 show the second embodiment, in which a pressure-sensitive sensor electrically connected to the control circuit 33 is provided at the distal end portion 8 of the insertion portion 4 of the endoscope 1. 1 is different from the first embodiment.

The pressure sensor 34 is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, 35 is a hollow pipe, and this hollow pipe
An optical fiber bundle 36 is installed in the 35. Further, a pressure receiving plate 37 is provided at one end of the hollow pipe 35 so as to face one end surface of the optical fiber bundle 36. Also, the optical fiber bundle
The other end of 36 is divided into two parts, one end surface of which faces the light source 38 and the other end surface of which faces the light receiving element 39 electrically connected to the control circuit 33.

According to the endoscope apparatus configured as described above, its operation will be described based on the timing chart of FIG. 4. During high-pressure insufflation, the control internal pressure of the observed organ before the high-pressure insufflation is controlled.
It is stored in 33 and the internal pressure of the organ at the time of high-pressure air supply is detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor 34. And the high-pressure air supply pump 22
Is operated to perform high-pressure air supply, and at the same time, the third on-off valve 31 is operated to perform suction, and the pressure-sensitive sensor 34 detects internal organ pressure, and suction is continued until the internal pressure reaches before high-pressure air supply. Then, the third on-off valve 31 is controlled.

Therefore, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, after the high pressure air supply, the observed organ is surely in the same pressure state as before the air supply, and for example, during the high pressure air supply, there is air supply from the other part communicating with the observed organ. However, that amount can be reliably sucked in, and it is more safe.

In the first and second embodiments, the air supply line 11
The water supply conduit 12 and the water supply conduit 12 are merged near the tip of the insertion portion 4 and communicated with the nozzle 9, but as shown in FIG.
The structure may be such that two nozzles 9a and 9b opening toward the observation window 6a are provided, the air supply conduit 11 is communicated with the nozzle 9a, and the water supply conduit 12 is communicated with the nozzle 9b.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment, in which the air feeding means 24 is
The first consists of a high pressure air supply pump 22 and an electric automatic throttle valve
It is different from the first embodiment in that it is composed of an on-off valve 40.

With this configuration, when the air supply switch 15 is pressed, the opening degree of the first opening / closing valve 40 is adjusted to a level at which normal air supply is performed by the electric signal output from the control circuit 33, and the high pressure air supply switch 18 is pressed. By the output signal from the control circuit 33, the opening degree of the first opening / closing valve 40 can be adjusted to a level at which high-pressure air is supplied for a certain period of time.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the normal air supply pump 21 is not necessary, and the control device 2 can be miniaturized and weighed.

FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment, in which a high pressure air supply pump 41 and a first on-off valve 23 which can electrically vary the output of the air supply means 24.
It is composed of and.

With such a configuration, when the air supply switch 15 is pressed, the first on-off valve 23 is opened by the electric signal output from the control circuit 33, and the high pressure air supply pump 41 is set to the output for performing normal air supply and the high pressure air supply is performed. When the air switch 18 is pressed, an output signal from the control circuit 33 causes the first opening / closing valve for a certain period of time.
23 can be opened, and the high-pressure air supply pump 41 can be increased to an output for high-pressure air supply to perform high-pressure air supply.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, similarly to the third embodiment, the normal air supply pump 21 is not required, and the control device 2 can be made smaller and lighter.

FIGS. 9 to 14 show the fifth embodiment. Instead of the electrical control of the air supply, water supply and suction of the first to fourth embodiments, mechanical control is performed. The same parts as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 9, 51 indicates a high-pressure air supply / suction control mechanism, 52 indicates a normal air supply / water supply control mechanism, which are provided in the operation section 3 of the endoscope 1. First, the normal air supply / water supply control mechanism 52 will be described. Reference numeral 53 is a first cylinder, and an air supply / water supply piston 54 is axially movably inserted into the first cylinder 53. A first through hole 55 and a second through hole 56, which are opposed to each other in the radial direction, are provided on the side wall of the first cylinder 53, and the first through hole 55 is connected to the water supply pipe line 12a communicating with the nozzle 9, The second through holes 56 are respectively connected to the water supply pipelines 12b communicating with the water supply tank 26. Further, a third through hole 57 and a fourth through hole 58 are provided in the side wall of the first cylinder 53 located below the first and second through holes 55 and 56, which are opposed to each other in the radial direction. .

The third through hole 57 is provided for the high pressure air supply / suction control mechanism 51.
And the fourth through hole 58 is connected to the normal air supply conduit 11b communicating with the normal air supply pump 21, respectively.

The air / water feeding piston 54 is urged outward by a spring 59, and a through hole 60 is formed in the shaft center portion. Further, a circumferential groove 61 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the air / water feeding piston 54, and the first through holes 55 and 56 or the third through hole 57 and the third through hole 57 and the third through hole 57 are formed depending on the position change of the air / water feeding piston 54 in the axial direction. It is designed to communicate with the through hole 59 of No. 4. 62
... is an O-ring.

Next, the high-pressure air supply / suction control mechanism 51 will be described. Reference numeral 63 is a second cylinder, and the second cylinder 63
A rotary body 64, which is rotatable in the circumferential direction, is inserted in this. Then, on the side wall of the second cylinder 63, a first through hole 65, a second through hole 66, and a third through hole 67 that face each other in the radial direction are provided.
A fourth through hole 68 and a fifth through hole 69 and a sixth through hole 70 are provided. The first through hole 65 is connected to the normal air supply conduit 11c communicating with the nozzle 9, and the second through hole 66 is connected to the normal air supply conduit 11a. The third through hole 67 is for the high-pressure air supply line 7 connected to the middle part of the normal air supply line 11c.
In 1a, the third through holes 68 are respectively connected to the high pressure air supply pipeline 71b communicating with the high pressure air supply pump 22. Furthermore, the fifth
The through hole 69 is connected to the suction conduit 13a communicating with the suction port 10, and the sixth through hole 70 is connected to the suction conduit 31b communicating with the suction tank 30.

The upper end of the rotating body 64 is rotatably supported by the rolling bearing 73 with respect to the main plate 72, and the lower end thereof is the second cylinder.
Rolling bearings 74 are rotatably supported on the bottom of 63. Further, a pin 75 is provided so as to project from the lower end of the rotating body 64 at a position away from the center of rotation, and a tension spring 77 is provided between the pin 75 and the pin 76 projecting at the main plate 72. There is. Further, the rotating body 64 has the first and second
The first communication passage 78, which connects the through holes 65, 66 of the
Second communication passage 79 for communicating the through holes 67, 68 of the first and third and fourth communication passages for communicating the fifth and sixth through holes 69, 70
80 and 81 are provided so as to penetrate in the radial direction. Check valves 78a to 81a are provided in the first to fourth communication passages 78 to 81, respectively. Further, a cylindrical member 82 is coaxially protruded from the upper end of the rotating body 64, and a ratchet 83 is engraved on a part of this outer peripheral surface (a range wider than 180 °). A rack 85 provided on the shaft of the air button 84 is engaged. The high pressure air supply button 84 is urged outward by a spring 86, and the rotary body 64 can be rotated by pushing the high pressure air supply button 84 against the urging force of the spring 86. Furthermore, a ratchet 87 is also engraved on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body 64, and this ratchet 87 has a suction button.
The tip 89 of the shaft portion of 88 abuts. The suction button 88 is biased outward by a spring 90, and the rotor 64 can be rotated by pushing the suction button 88 against the biasing force of the spring 90. In addition, reference numerals 91 ... are seal members for liquid tightness and air tightness.

When the normal air supply pump 21 operates, the gas supplied from the normal air supply pump 21 enters the first cylinder 53 through the normal air supply pipe line 11b and is discharged to the atmosphere through the through hole 60. Therefore, when the through-hole 60 is closed by the fingers, the gas in the first cylinder 53 normally flows through the first communication passage 7 via the air supply pipe 11a.
Then, the gas is discharged from the nozzle 9 toward the observation window 6a via the normal air supply conduit 11c. Further, when the air / water feeding piston 54 is pushed against the urging force of the spring 59, the normal air feeding pipelines 11a and 11b are shut off and the water feeding pipelines 12a and 12b are closed.
Communicate with each other through the circulation groove 61. Therefore, the water tank
The liquid in 26 flows through the water supply pipes 12b and 12a in this order, and the nozzle 9
Is emitted toward the observation window 6a. Further, as shown in FIG. 13, when the suction button 88 provided on the second cylinder 63 is pushed in with the fingers, the rotor 89 is rotated by a predetermined angle due to the engagement between the tip 89 and the ratchet 87, and the suction conduit 13a. And 13b
Communicate with each other via the fourth communication passage 81. Therefore, the liquid and gas in the observed organ are sucked from the suction port 10 to the suction conduit 13a,
The fluid flows through the fourth communication passage 81 and the suction conduit 13b in this order and is sucked into the suction tank 30.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14, when the high-pressure air supply button 84 is pushed in, a rotational force is applied to the rotating body 64 by the engagement of the rack 85 and the ratchet 83. And the rotating body 64 is 180 °
When rotating to a larger angle, the rotating body 64 rotates due to the elastic force of the spring 77 that imparts the rotating force to the rotating body 64.
At this time, the second communication passage 79 communicates the high-pressure air supply pipelines 71a and 71b only for a certain period of time, and the high-pressure air sent from the high-pressure air supply pump 22 receives the high-pressure air supply pipeline 71b and the second communication passage 79. Then, high-pressure air is blown from the nozzle 9 toward the observation window 6a while flowing in the order of the high-pressure air supply pipe 71a. At this time, the third communication passage 80 connects the suction conduits 13a and 13b for a certain period of time to perform suction from the suction port 10.

With such a configuration, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, since the control can be performed by a mechanical structure, the control circuit 33 of the control device 2 becomes simple, and the size and weight of the control device 2 can be reduced. .

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, high-pressure water is sent for a certain period of time to remove residual water on the observation window, so that the field of view is secured and suction is performed during this high-pressure air supply, so that the observed organ It is possible to reliably prevent overexpansion of

[Brief description of drawings]

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram, FIG. 2 is a timing chart diagram, and FIGS. 3 to 5 are diagrams of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram, FIG. 4 is a timing chart diagram, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a pressure-sensitive sensor, and FIG. 6 is a diagram of the first and second examples. FIG. 7 is a constitutional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a constitutional view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 to FIG. FIG. 9 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention, FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a partial cross-section of the entire structure, FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional front view showing a part of a normal air / water supply control mechanism, and FIG. The figure shows a partially cross-sectional front view showing the state of support of the rotating body, Fig. 12 is a schematic side view of the high-pressure air supply / suction control mechanism, and Fig. 13 is the rotating body when the suction button is operated. FIG. 14 is an operation explanatory view of the rotating body when the high pressure air supply button is operated.
13 (A) to 14 (F) are arrow views of the respective parts in FIG. 12, and (1) to (6) show operation processes. 1 ... Endoscope, 2 ... Control device (control means), 4 ... Insertion part, 6a ... Observation window, 8 ... Tip part, 9 ... Nozzle, 24
…… Air supply means, 28 …… Water supply means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope apparatus having a water supply means capable of supplying water and an air supply means capable of supplying air toward an observation window provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope, wherein the air supply means supplies air. A high-pressure air supply means for supplying air at a pressure higher than the pressure of air for a certain period of time, and a suction means for performing high-pressure air supply by the high-pressure air supply means, and performing suction by an amount substantially equal to the air supply amount. An endoscopic device comprising: