JP3019689B2 - Air / water supply channel connecting pipe of endoscope and method of assembling the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air supply / water supply mechanism provided for cleaning an observation window of an endoscope, and a structure of a connection pipe of the air supply / water supply passage and a straight pipe constituting the connection pipe. And a method of connecting a curved section with a curved section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An endoscope is provided with an illumination window and an observation window at a distal end of an insertion portion thereof, so that the inside of a body cavity can be observed through the observation window. Since the observation window is contaminated by body fluids, etc., a fluid supply nozzle is provided toward the observation window to clean it and to supply air into the body cavity to inflate the body cavity and secure the observation field of view. Can be Then, cleaning water or pressurized air is supplied to the fluid supply nozzle. For this purpose, the endoscope is provided with an air / water supply mechanism.

[0003] The air / water supply mechanism generally has an air / water supply valve provided in a main body operation unit.
The air supply flow path and the water supply flow path each having one end connected to the pressure source and the water supply source are connected, and the air supply flow path and the water supply flow path are connected to each other, between the air supply flow path and the air supply flow path, and between the water supply flow path. The passage and the water supply passage are configured so as to communicate with each other and shut off. Therefore, by operating the air supply / water supply valve, the air supply flow path is opened to the atmosphere and the supply stop state in which the water supply flow path and the water supply flow path are shut off, and the air supply flow path and the air supply flow path are connected to each other. The three positions are switched between an air supply state in which the flow path and the water supply flow path are shut off, and a water supply state in which the air supply flow path and the air supply flow path are shut off and the water supply flow path and the water supply flow path are communicated.

Here, only one fluid supply nozzle is provided at the tip of the insertion section. Therefore, the air supply flow path and the water supply flow path are joined at an intermediate position in the insertion section to form a combined flow path. A fluid supply nozzle is connected to the junction flow path. Here, the merging flow path is in a straight line with one of the air supply flow path or the water supply flow path, and the other is bent so as to open to the side of the flow path in the linear state.

[0005] The air supply flow path and the water supply flow path are joined at a position near the distal end of the insertion portion, and a connecting pipe is used to join the flow paths. The connecting pipe is composed of a bifurcated pipe line that has two pipe parts on the upstream side in the flow direction of the fluid and one pipe part on the downstream side. The air supply flow path and the water supply flow path are connected to the upstream side, and the merge flow path is connected to the downstream side. here,
The connecting pipe usually comprises a straight pipe section and a curved pipe section, and the straight pipe section is provided with an opening for merging at an intermediate portion thereof, and the curved pipe section has a straight pipe from the end to the middle. It is parallel to the part, is bent at a predetermined angle from the middle, and is connected to the opening.

[0006]

However, the curved pipe portion forming the connecting pipe is bent from the middle thereof, and since the bent portion is connected to the straight pipe section, it is integrally formed. It is extremely difficult to do. Therefore, the curved pipe portion must be formed separately from the straight pipe portion, and both must be connected. For this reason, a seam is naturally formed in the connection portion, and the seam causes the inner surface portion to have irregularities. If there is a portion that protrudes inward on the inner surface of the joint portion, it acts as a restrictor, and the cross-sectional area of the flow path decreases. Further, the connection pipe is provided in the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion, for example, in a state where the insertion portion is arranged in the patient's body, when the supply is stopped in a state where neither air nor water is supplied,
For example, when the pressure in the body cavity fluctuates due to, for example, burping of the patient, contaminants such as bodily fluids may enter the connection pipe from the fluid supply nozzle via the merging flow path. The endoscope is cleaned each time it is used to prevent secondary infection and the like, and the air supply and water supply routes are naturally cleaned. However, as described above, when the dirt enters the connection pipe, and the dirt is attached to the uneven portion of the joint between the straight pipe portion and the curved pipe portion of the connection pipe, the cleaning liquid is circulated inside. By itself, it is impossible to completely eliminate it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to prevent an uneven portion from being formed at a connecting portion between a straight pipe portion and a curved pipe portion of a connecting pipe, thereby providing an air / water supply path. An object of the present invention is to provide a flow path having a large cross-sectional area, and to be able to clean the whole of the flow path reliably, smoothly and quickly.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, an air supply / water supply flow path connecting pipe of an endoscope is provided with an air supply provided in an operation section of a main body of the endoscope. The air supply flow path and the water supply flow path connected to the water supply valve are joined at the vicinity of the distal end of the insertion portion to form a merge flow path, and these air flow paths are used to supply the fluid from the merge flow path to the fluid ejection section. And a connecting pipe to which the water supply flow path and the merging flow path are connected, respectively, a straight pipe portion provided substantially linearly, and an end portion substantially parallel to the straight pipe portion, being bent from an intermediate position to form a straight pipe. A curved pipe portion connected to the opening formed in the straight pipe portion. The inner peripheral surface of the curved pipe portion is fixed around the opening formed portion on the surface of the straight pipe portion so as to correspond to the opening diameter. By making the peripheral wall of the opening forming portion of the pipe portion an inclined surface having substantially the same angle as the inclination angle of the curved pipe portion, So as to be substantially continuous with the inner surface of the curved pipe portion
No brazing, and no brazing inside the joint between these curved and straight pipes
The brazing intrusion prevention member with poor wettability
To prevent the solder from entering the interior more,
It is characterized in that it is configured to form a fixed portion where no solder exists .

Further, as a method of assembling the straight pipe portion and the curved pipe portion constituting the connecting pipe according to the present invention, the straight pipe portion is inclined obliquely from an angle substantially coinciding with the inclination angle of the curved pipe portion. An opening having approximately the same size as the inner surface of the joint in the curved pipe portion is formed, and a brazing intrusion prevention member having poor wettability to brazing is inserted into the joint so that the curved pipe portion is connected to the straight pipe portion. Is characterized by being joined so as to surround the opening of the joint and brazing from the outer surface side of the joint.

[0010]

Since the connecting pipe is configured to connect the curved pipe to the straight pipe, a seam is formed. The curved tube is joined to the surface of the straight tube in order to prevent unevenness from occurring at the seam. In addition, in order to prevent unevenness from occurring at the joint portion of the curved tube portion to the straight tube portion, when the curved tube portion is joined to the opening provided in the straight tube portion, the inner surface of the curved tube portion is projected. It is formed so as to follow a curved line. In addition, the peripheral wall of the opening is inclined at an angle substantially matching the inclination angle of the curved pipe portion. With such a configuration, the inside of the straight pipe portion and the inner surface of the joint portion between the straight pipe portion and the curved pipe portion have no irregularities, so that there is no restriction on the flow path, and it is easier to wash, Moreover, the waste can be removed smoothly and reliably,
It is extremely advantageous from a hygiene point of view.

As a method of assembling the connecting pipe composed of the curved pipe section and the straight pipe section, when the end face of the curved pipe section is joined to the straight pipe section in advance, a shape in which the entire periphery thereof comes into surface contact is used. To be molded. On the other hand, an opening is formed in the straight pipe portion at a position where the bent pipe portion is joined, and this opening is formed obliquely from an angle substantially equal to the inclination angle of the bent pipe portion. And the size is almost the same as the size of the inner surface of the joint portion. In order to form such an opening, for example, a laser cutter is used, and if this laser cutter emits a laser beam at an angle that matches the inclination angle of the curved tube portion with respect to the straight tube portion, a shape that meets the above-described conditions is obtained. Is formed. The curved tube is connected to the straight tube to fix the curved tube. The curved tube is fixed from the outer surface by brazing.
During the brazing, when the brazing enters the inside from the joint, irregularities due to the brazing occur. Therefore, in order to prevent the intrusion of the solder into the inner surface, for example, a solder intrusion prevention member having poor wettability to the solder, such as a tungsten wire or an aluminum wire without removing an oxide film, is filled therein. Do. As a result, the function of blocking the solder is exerted, and it is possible to reliably prevent the solder from entering the inside.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows an entire configuration of an air supply / water supply mechanism of an endoscope. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an endoscope, and the endoscope 1 has an insertion section 3 inserted into a body cavity of a main body operation section 2 and a light guide flexible section 4 connected to a light source device. I have. An observation window 5 is provided at the distal end of the insertion section 3, and an air / water nozzle 6 for supplying a cleaning fluid toward the observation window 5 is provided. The air / water supply nozzle 6 is provided with an air / water supply mechanism for supplying a cleaning fluid comprising cleaning water and pressurized air. Therefore, the configuration of the air / water supply mechanism will be described below.

Reference numeral 10 denotes an air pump, 11 denotes a water supply tank, and the air pump 10 has a pressurized air supply pipe 12.
However, a water supply pipe 13 is connected to the water supply tank 11. Here, the water supply tank 11 does not have an independent driving source for supplying water, but pressurizes the liquid surface by pressurized air from the air pump 10 and sends the cleaning water to the water supply pipe 13 by applying pressure to the liquid surface. It is configured to be.
For this purpose, a tank pressurizing pipe 14 branches off from the pressurized air supply pipe 12.

An air supply channel 15 for supplying pressurized air and a water supply channel 16 for supplying cleaning water are inserted through the flexible light guide 4 of the endoscope 1. The supply pipe 12 and the water supply passage 16 are connected to the water supply pipe 1.
3 is detachably connected. The air supply channel 15 and the water supply channel 16 extend to the main body operation unit 2, and the main body operation unit 2 is provided with an air supply / water supply valve 17. Further, an air supply channel 18 and a water supply channel 19 are connected to the air supply / water supply valve 17, and the air supply channel 18 and the water supply channel 19 extend into the insertion portion 3. 3
The two flow paths 18 and 19 are merged at a position near the front end of the flow path to form a merged flow path 20. The other end of the merging flow path 20 is connected to the air / water supply nozzle 6.

As is well known, the air supply / water supply valve 17 is for communicating and blocking between the air supply passage 15 and the air supply passage 18 and between the water supply passage 16 and the water supply passage 19. The air supply channel 15 and the air supply channel 18
An open air passage 17b is provided to communicate the air with the atmosphere. The air / water supply valve 17 can be operated by the fingers of the hand holding the main body operation unit 2, and when the air / water supply valve 17 is not touched, the water supply flow path 16 and the water supply flow path 19 Is shut off, and the air supply passage 15 and the air supply passage 18 communicate with each other. However, since the atmosphere opening passage 17b is also open, the air from the air pump 10 is opened to the atmosphere.
The pressurized air supply pipe 12 is maintained in a state where no pressure is generated, that is, in a state open to the atmosphere.

When the atmosphere opening path 17b of the valve element 17a is closed by a finger or the like, pressure is generated in the pressurized air supply pipe 12, and
From the air supply channel 15 to the air supply channel 18, and further to the merge channel 20
The air supply state is such that pressurized air is supplied to the air supply / water supply nozzle 6 via the air supply nozzle. When the valve element 17a of the air / water supply valve 17 is pushed in, the space between the air supply flow path 15 and the air supply flow path 18 is shut off,
The water supply passage 16 and the water supply passage 19 communicate with each other. As a result, pressure is generated in the pressurized air supply pipe 12, and this pressure is guided into the water supply tank 11 through the tank pressurization pipe 14, and the liquid level of the water supply tank 11 is pressurized. Wash water is supplied to the merge flow path 20 via the water supply pipe 13, the water supply flow path 16, and the water supply flow path 19, and the state is switched to a water supply state in which the cleaning water is jetted from the air / water supply nozzle 6.

Next, FIG. 2 shows the air supply passage 18 and the water supply passage 1.
9 shows a configuration of a connection part between the junction 9 and the merging channel 20. In the drawing, reference numeral 21 denotes a connection pipe for joining the air supply flow path 18 and the water supply flow path 19 to communicate with the merge flow path 20, and the air supply flow path 18 is connected upstream of the connection pipe 21. A first upstream connecting portion 21a to be connected and a second upstream connecting portion 21b to which the water supply flow path 19 is connected, and the downstream side is a downstream connecting portion 21c to which the joining flow path 20 is connected. ing. Here, the first upstream connection portion 21a to the downstream connection portion 21
c is almost linear, while the second
The upstream connection portion 21b is located at a position in line with the first upstream connection portion 21a, and is bent at a predetermined angle in the middle from this position to form a merging opening formed at an intermediate position between the straight pipe portions. 22.

The connecting pipe 21 configured as described above includes a straight pipe section 23 extending from the first upstream connecting section 21a to the downstream connecting section 21c, and an opening 22 extending from the second upstream connecting section 21b.
Is connected and fixed to the curved tube portion 24 leading to the above. As a structure of a connecting portion of the curved pipe portion 24 to the straight pipe portion 23, the curved pipe portion 24 is joined so as to abut the outer surface of the straight pipe portion 23, and the opening 22 is formed in the curved pipe portion 2.
4 is almost the same size as the inner surface. Moreover,
The peripheral wall forming the opening 22 is inclined at an angle that substantially matches the angle of the curved tube portion 24. And the curved tube part 24
Is adapted to be fixed to the straight pipe portion 23 by brazing, and the brazing 25 is supplied only to the outer periphery and enters inside from between the joint portion between the curved pipe portion 24 and the straight pipe portion 23. Not to be.

Next, a method of assembling the connecting pipe 21 by connecting the straight pipe section 23 and the curved pipe section 24 will be described.

When the end portion of the curved tube portion 24 is brought into contact with the outer surface of the straight tube portion 23, it is formed in advance so that the end surface comes into contact with the entire circumference. An opening 22 is formed in the straight pipe portion 23. For this purpose, as shown in FIG.
0, the laser beam from the laser cutter 30 is emitted from the straight tube portion 23 in the direction of the inclination angle of the curved tube portion 24 so as to follow the same circular locus as the inner surface of the curved tube portion 24. The laser cutter 30 is rotated. As a result, when the curved tube portion 24 is joined, the opening 22 having a shape substantially matching the inner surface shape is formed. Moreover, the peripheral wall of the opening 22 is an inclined surface that is continuous with the inner surface of the curved tube portion 24.

The curved tube portion 24 is assembled so as to be joined to a predetermined position of the straight tube portion 23, and the two are fixed. This fixing is performed by brazing. At the time of this brazing, if there is even a slight gap at the joint of the curved tube portion 24 to the straight tube portion 23,
There is a possibility that the solder 25 may enter the inside from this gap. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, a wire 26 as a solder intrusion prevention member is inserted from the second upstream connection portion 21b to the downstream connection portion 21c via the opening 22. This wire 26
Is made of a material having low solder adhesion, such as a tungsten wire or an aluminum wire from which an oxide film is not removed. By performing brazing in a state where the wire 26 is inserted, even if a gap is formed in the joint portion between the curved tube portion 24 and the straight tube portion 23, the brazing material 2 is used.
5 can be blocked from entering the inside. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of a situation in which the solder 25 supplied to fix the end of the curved tube portion 24 to the surface of the straight tube portion 23 enters the inside of the portion where the opening 22 is formed, thereby causing irregularities. be able to. Then, after the brazing operation is completed, if the wire 26 is pulled out, even if the brazing 25 extends to the gap between the bent portion 24 and the straight portion 23, the wire 26 is removed from the brazing 25. It can be easily peeled off and pulled out.

Thus, the connecting pipe 21 is assembled. The connection pipe 21 assembled in this manner has a flow path from the first upstream connection part 21a to the downstream connection part 21c that constitutes the straight pipe part 23, as well as the second upstream connection part. Since the wall defining the flow path from the part 21b to the downstream connection part 21c is formed almost completely without irregularities, the flow path for flowing a cleaning fluid such as cleaning water or pressurized air is used. A fluid can flow smoothly at a large flow rate without forming a throttle at an intermediate position in the above, and the observation window 5 can be efficiently cleaned and the like.
In addition, the washing that is performed each time the washing is performed can also smoothly and reliably wash the entire flow path, and there is no possibility that filth or the like stays in a part.

[0023]

According to the present invention, the connection pipe provided for connecting the air supply flow path and the water supply flow path to the merging flow path has no irregularities inside the connection pipe. And other fluids for cleaning consisting of air and pressurized air can be flowed smoothly at a large flow rate without any restriction or the like, so that operations such as cleaning the observation window can be performed efficiently, and the patient's body can be cleaned. Even if contaminants such as body fluids have penetrated into the connecting pipe when the test and diagnosis were performed by inserting the disinfectant or cleaning fluid through the air / water supply path, It is possible to easily and surely remove dirt and the like that have entered, and to achieve various effects such as being extremely advantageous from the viewpoint of hygiene.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of an air / water supply mechanism of an endoscope.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a merging connection pipe that connects an air feeding channel, a water feeding channel, and a merging channel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a step of forming an opening in a straight pipe portion.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a step of connecting and fixing a curved pipe portion to a straight pipe portion.

[Description of Signs] 1 Endoscope 2 Main body operation unit 3 Insertion unit 5 Observation window 6 Air supply / water supply nozzle 17 Air supply / water supply valve 18 Air supply flow path 19 Water supply flow path 20 Merging flow path 21 Connection pipe 21a First upstream side Connection 21b Second upstream connection 21c Downstream connection 22 Opening 23 Straight tube 24 Curved tube 25 Brazing 26 Wire

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-U 2-63804 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An air supply flow path and a water supply flow path connected to an air supply / water supply valve provided in an operation section of a main body of an endoscope are merged near an end of an insertion portion to form a merge flow path. In order to supply the fluid to the fluid jet from the fluid supply channel, the water supply channel and the connection channel are connected to each other, a straight pipe portion provided in a substantially straight line, A curved pipe portion which is substantially parallel to the straight pipe portion, is bent from an intermediate position, and is connected to the opening formed in the straight pipe portion, and the inner peripheral surface of the curved pipe portion is made to match the opening diameter. By fixing the peripheral wall of the opening forming portion of the straight pipe portion to an inclined surface having substantially the same angle as the inclination angle of the curved pipe portion. inner surface and no so as to be substantially continuous, and among the joints of these songs pipe portion and the straight tube portion
Place a brazing prevention member with poor wettability on the side
This prevents the penetration of solder into the interior,
An air supply / water supply flow path connection pipe for an endoscope, wherein a connection portion having no solder therein is formed . 2. An air supply flow path and a water supply flow path connected to an air supply / water supply valve provided in a main body operation section of the endoscope are merged at a portion near a distal end of the insertion section to form a merge flow path. A straight pipe portion provided to supply fluid to the fluid ejection portion from the nozzle, and a straight pipe portion provided substantially in a straight line, and an opening formed in the straight pipe portion by bending from a middle position at an end side parallel to the straight pipe portion In a method of assembling a connection pipe having a curved pipe part connected to the straight pipe part by connecting and fixing the bent pipe part to the straight pipe part, the straight pipe part is formed from an angle substantially matching the inclination angle of the bent pipe part. In an oblique direction, an opening having a size substantially equal to the size of the inner surface of the joint in the curved pipe portion is formed, and then a solder intrusion prevention member having poor wettability to brazing is inserted into the joint. Join the curved pipe so as to surround the opening of the straight pipe, and braze from the outer surface side of this joint A method for assembling an air / water supply channel connecting pipe.