JPS62212614A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an observation from being impeded even owing to the clouding of a optical observation system by employing airtight structure of rat least part of the optical observation system. CONSTITUTION:A main endoscope body 1 is formed in airtight structure by using an adhesive, etc., and the optical observation system which extends from an objective 8 to an ocular 13 is formed in airtight structure by using adhesives 10 and 15 and 0 rings 16 and 17. This optical observation system is held airtight even when the ocular 13 is moved forth and back for, for example, focus adjustment. Consequently, even if vapor enters the main endoscope body 1 from respective connection parts, etc., of the external surface of the main endoscope body 1 when a germ reducing treatment is performed for the main endoscope body 1 by a high-pressure vapor germ reducing method, the vapor is prevented from entering the optical observation system. Consequently, an observation is not impeded owing to the clouding of the optical observation system.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope that can prevent fogging of a 12-detection optical system.

[Problems to be solved by conventional techniques and inventions] In recent years,
Endoscopes that have a wU-length insertion section inserted into a body cavity or the like have come to be widely used to allow observation of the inside of the body cavity and to perform treatment using a treatment tool.

As such an endoscope, for example, the Utility Model Publication No. 59-742
There are some as shown in Publication No. 2 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 165614/1983. Endoscopes used inside body cavities require waterproof and airtight structures due to the need for use in physiological saline and disinfection with chemical solutions.However, with conventional endoscopes,
Waterproofing and airtightness were only done on the exterior, and no particular consideration was given to the observation optical system. Therefore,
In the unlikely event that even the smallest amount of water vapor enters the external endoscope, it will reach the inside of the LQ detection optical system, and this water vapor may condense on the internal surface of the objective lens, causing clouding and making observation impossible. There was sex.

In particular, high-pressure steam sterilization, which is considered the most effective method for disinfection,
Since the endoscope uses high-temperature, high-pressure water vapor, the exterior of the endoscope is airtight, and there is a high possibility that a small amount of water or gas may infiltrate into the main body.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope that can prevent the observation optical system from fogging up and hindering observation.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] The endoscope according to the present invention has an airtight structure and an observation optical system is provided inside the main body, and at least a part of the observation optical system has an airtight structure. It is something that

In other words, even if water vapor should infiltrate the inside of the main body, this water vapor will be prevented from entering the optical system of the VA dormitory, and the observation optical system will become cloudy. There will be no disruption to the dormitory.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a rigid endoscope main body, and this endoscope main body 1 includes a rigid and narrow insertion section 2 and a hardened endoscope at the rear end of the insertion section 2 to maintain airtightness. It consists of a large-diameter operating section 3 and an eyepiece section 4 connected to the rear end of the operating section 3.

An inner tube 6 is inserted into the outer tube 5 of the insertion section 2, and a system tube 7 extending into the operating section 3 is fastened into the inner tube 6. Inside this system tube 7, an objective lens 8 and a relay lens 9 are housed from the distal end side. The outer circumferential surface of the objective lens 8 that is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the system tube 7 is brought into contact with the system duplex 7 by an adhesive 10, and airtightness between the objective lens 8 and the system tube 7 is maintained.

Further, a relay lens frame 11 is fixed to the rear end side of this system duplex 7, and this relay lens frame 11
is screwed onto a connecting tube 12, and via this connecting tube 12, the relay lens frame 11 and the eyepiece lens frame 14 housing the eyepiece lens 13 are connected. This eyepiece lens 13 is attached to the eyepiece frame 14 by the agent 15 whose entire circumferential surface is in contact with the eyepiece lens 13 and the eyepiece frame 1.
4 is maintained airtight.

Furthermore, between the circles of the relay lens frame 11 and the connecting tube 12 and between the connecting tube 12 and the eyepiece frame 14, there are O-rings 1G made of fluorine rubber, respectively.

17 is provided to maintain airtightness.

On the other hand, a light guide fiber 18 is inserted between the outer tube 5 and the inner tube 6 in the insertion section 2, and the base side of the light guide fiber 18 is bent inside the operating section 3 to form a main body of the operating section. It extends to the metal fitting 20 provided at the top 19.

Note that the gap between both ends of the light guide fiber 18 is filled with an adhesive to maintain airtightness.

Further, an objective cover glass 21 is provided at the tip of the inner tube 6.
An eyepiece cover glass frame 23 holding an eyepiece cover glass 22 is screwed to the rear end of the operating section main body 19. The space between the operating section main body 19 and the eyepiece cover glass frame 23 and the space between the eyepiece cover glass frame 23 and the eyepiece cover glass 22 are kept airtight by adhesive or the like.

Further, an eyepiece 24 is attached to the rear end of the operating section main body 19 and the outer periphery of the eyepiece cover glass frame 23.

Next, the operation of the embodiment configured as above will be explained.

The endoscope main body 1 has an airtight structure using an adhesive or the like, and includes an Ig detection optical system extending from the objective lens 8 to the eyepiece 13, an adhesive 10.15 and an O-ring 16.17 as described above. It has an airtight structure. This observation optical system is kept airtight by O-rings 16 and 17 even when the eyepiece 13 is moved back and forth for focus adjustment, for example.

Therefore, when the endoscope body 1 is sterilized using high-pressure steam sterilization, water vapor may infiltrate into the endoscope body 1 from the joints on the outer surface of the endoscope body 1. However, this water vapor is prevented from entering the observation optical system. Therefore, the viewing optical system will not become cloudy and will not cause any trouble to the dormitory. Furthermore, repair when water vapor enters the interior of the internal mirror main body 1 becomes easy.

Note that airtightness may be maintained between the relay lens frame 11 and the connecting tube 12 and between the connecting tube 12 and the eyepiece frame 14 with a silicone-based or epoxy-based adhesive instead of the O-ring 16,17. . The relay lens frame 1
1. By fixing the connecting tube 12 and the eyepiece frame 14 with an enclosing agent, the assembly work becomes easier, and the optical system at the end of the lens may be distorted due to the influence of external vibrations. There will be fewer things.

Further, the relay lens frame 11, the connecting tube 12, and the eyepiece frame 14μ may not be separate members, but may be an integral structure. In this case, the assembly work becomes easier and the airtightness is improved.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, the same S as in the first embodiment shown in FIG.
The same reference numerals are given to the T-materials, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, a ventilation hole 25 is provided in the eyepiece frame 14, and a relay lens holder 2 is provided between the objective lens 8 and the system tube 7, and at the terminal end of the relay lens 9.
By tightly sealing the gates 6 with adhesives 10 and 27, the illumination extending from the objective lens 8 to the terminal end of the relay lens 9 is
The optical system part of the J-dormitory optical system is airtight (Δ).

With such a configuration, even if water vapor intrudes into the interior of the endoscope body 1, the I? Intrusion into the observation optical system up to the end portion is prevented. Furthermore, since air flows in and out between the inner space of the eyepiece frame 14 and the open space between the eyepiece frame 14 and the operating unit main body, humidity does not become particularly high in the inner space of the eyepiece frame 14. This prevents fogging on the inside of the eyepiece lens 13 and on the end surface of the relay lens 9.

In addition, in this embodiment, the relay lens frame 11 and the connecting tube 12
Also, there is no need to provide an O-ring between the connecting tube 12 and the eyepiece frame 14, which simplifies the assembly work.

What about the ventilation hole 25? It is 12 numbers and b is good.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, one operation unit main body is provided with a ventilation hole 28 and a plug 29 for sealing this ventilation hole 27, so that in the unlikely event that water vapor enters the inside of the endoscope main body 1, teeth,
The plug 29 may be closed and dry air may be sent into the endoscope body 1 through the ventilation hole 28 to dry the inside.

Other functions and effects are similar to those of the first embodiment.

4 and 5 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view of the endoscope, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the distal end side of FIG. 4.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a flexible endoscope that uses an image guide made of a fiber bundle in the I2 sensing optical system.

In the figure, a flexible endoscope 31 includes an elongated and flexible insertion section 32, a large-diameter operation section 33 fixed to the rear end of the insertion section 32 to maintain airtightness, and Operation unit 3
3 and an eyepiece part 34 connected to the rear end of the eyepiece 3, and the rest has an airtight structure.

As shown in FIG. 5, the insertion section 32 has a rigid distal end component 36 housing an objective lens system 35, etc., and a bendable bending section 37 that are successively connected from the distal end side. .

The distal end component 36 is provided with an observation window 39, an illumination window 40, an air/water supply port 41, and a forceps port (not shown) on the distal end surface of the distal end component main body 38.

A cover lens 42 is installed in the observation window 39,
A filter 43 and the objective lens system 35 held by a lens frame 44 are connected to the rear of the cover lens 42 . An image guide 46 covered with a soft dixi-no 45 is disposed so that its distal end faces the image forming position of the objective lens system 35, and the distal end side of the image guide 46 is bound and fixed by a base 47. is fixed within the lens frame 44 via a spacer 48.

On the other hand, the illumination window 40 includes a cover lens 49 for illumination.
A light guide 52 is provided behind the h-bar lens 49 and is covered with a soft duplex 50 and whose tip end is bound by a base 51.

Further, the air and water supply port 41 is provided with a jet nozzle 53 that opens toward the vA detection window 39 and the illumination window 40 , and this jet nozzle 53 is connected to the air supply channel provided in the insertion portion 32 . 54.

In the wooden embodiment, airtightness is maintained between the cover lens 42 and the tip structure body 38 and between the filter 43 and the tip structure body 38 by adhesives 55 and 56, and the objective lens system 35 and the lens frame 44 and between the spacer 48 and the lens frame 44 are also kept airtight by adhesives 57 and 58.

In the figure, J59 is the forceps insertion port, and 60 is the air supply/
A water supply button, 61 is a suction button, and 62 is a light guide cable.

With such a configuration, even if water vapor should enter the interior from the cover lens 42 side, this water vapor will be prevented from entering the objective lens system 35, and fogging will not occur within the objective lens system 35. This is prevented and repairs become easier.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. For example, the present invention can be applied to a rigid endoscope using an image guide made of a fiber bundle in the observation optical system.

[Effects of the Invention] As described below, according to the present invention, even if water vapor should infiltrate into the main body, it is possible to prevent the WA observation optical system from fogging up and hindering observation. There is an effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of main parts showing modifications, and FIGS. 4 and 5 relate to the third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view of the endoscope, and FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the distal end side of FIG. It is a diagram. 1... Endoscope main body 2... Insertion section 3... Operation section 4... Eyepiece section 5... Outer tube
6...Inner tube 7...System tube 8...Objective lens 9...Relay lens 10.
15...Adhesive 13...Eyepiece lens 14...Eyepiece frame 16.17...O ring 18...Light guide fiber 19...Operation unit body 21...Objective cover glass 22.・・Eyepiece cover glass Fig. 4 Fig. 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] What is claimed is: 1. An endoscope in which an observation optical system is provided within a main body having an airtight structure, wherein at least a portion of the observation optical system has an airtight structure.