JP2003210388A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the draining property of an observation window. <P>SOLUTION: The endoscope having the observation window, lighting windows and a nozzle for air supply and water supply at the distal end of an insertion portion is equipped with a distal end cover 21 which is disposed at the distal end of the insertion portion 6 and has a flat portion 22 at its distal end surface, the observation window 15 which projects to a prescribed height from the flat portion 22, an inclined portion 23 which is disposed between the peripheral edge at the distal end face of the observation window 15 and the flat portion 22, the lighting windows 17 and 18 which have a lighting lens and project to the same prescribed height as the projecting height of the observation window 15 from the flat portion 22, and the nozzle 19 for air supply and water supply which is disposed to face the observation window 15 from the flat portion 22 and discharges fluid toward the inclined portion 23 around the observation window 15 to supply the fluid to the surface of the observation window 15 and to clean the window. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope, and more particularly, to a structure of a distal end surface of an insertion portion. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an observation window including an objective lens, an illumination window including an illumination lens, and a height of an air / water nozzle from the above-mentioned distal end surface are provided on the distal end surface of an insertion portion of an endoscope. The structure of the positional relationship described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-4801 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 3-56402 are known. In the structure of the distal end of the endoscope disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-4801, a concave portion is formed in the distal end surface of the endoscope insertion portion, an objective lens and a nozzle are provided in the concave portion, and illumination is performed. The lens is provided on the distal end surface which is not the concave portion, and the suction port is arranged at a position where the lens partially covers the concave portion. The structure of the endoscope disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 3-56402 includes a rising position of a water supply nozzle provided on a distal end surface of an insertion portion of the endoscope and an edge of an objective lens. The recessed end face is recessed from the other front-end constituent surface, and the recess is opened to the side surface of the front-end constituent part. [0005] The above-mentioned actual fair 7-480
In the endoscope disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1 while water is being suctioned from the suction port, water on the objective lens surface or mucus in the body cavity is sucked from the suction port. In addition, water on the objective lens surface and mucus in the body cavity can be removed. However, when the endoscope is inserted, suction is not always applied, and when performing air supply / water supply operation, the operation of applying suction requires an operator's technique, Poor operability. In addition, since water or mucus in the body cavity which is jetted from the nozzle has a certain surface tension, if there is a concave portion, it is easy to stay at that position. In the configuration shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-4801, Except when suction is being applied, residual water tends to remain on the objective lens surface, and the air supply / water supply operation alone is poor in drainage. In the structure disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 3-56402, the rising position of the water supply nozzle is concave, so that the residual water near the water supply nozzle flows into the concave portion and the endoscope insertion portion. It flows out to the side surface of the tip surface, and the drainage property can be improved. However, residual water easily accumulates in the lower part of the opening of the water supply nozzle and around the water supply nozzle, and the water drainage property is good until the water is accumulated around the water supply nozzle. Each time, the water around the water supply nozzle was rolled up, resulting in poor water drainage. In addition, the air supply from the water supply nozzle opening is
Since the flow velocity is faster than the surroundings, the surroundings where the air supplied from the water supply nozzle is flowing are reduced in pressure. Therefore, when the residual water accumulates around the water supply nozzle, the residual water moves so as to be sucked into the air supply, and the residual water is forever sent even though the air is supplied to cut off the residual water on the objective lens surface. There was a problem of being supplied. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to improve the drainage of an observation window including an objective lens. [0011] An endoscope according to the present invention comprises:
In an endoscope provided with an observation window, an illumination window, and an air / water nozzle at a distal end of an insertion portion, a distal end cover disposed at a distal end of the insertion portion and having a flat portion on a distal end surface, and an objective lens An observation window having a predetermined height from the flat portion,
An inclined portion provided between the periphery of the distal end surface of the observation window and the flat portion, an illumination lens, an illumination window projecting from the flat portion at the same predetermined height as the observation window, and from the flat portion. An air / water supply nozzle that is provided to face the observation window and supplies the fluid to the surface of the observation window for cleaning by discharging the fluid to an inclined portion around the observation window. It is characterized by having. [0012] Water is supplied from an air / water supply nozzle to the observation window on the distal end surface of the endoscope insertion portion to wash the observation window.
When air is supplied from the air supply / water supply nozzle to dry the observation window, the supplied water and the supplied air are applied to the entire front end surface of the observation window projected from the flat portion through the inclined portion, and
Since the protruding observation window moves from the front end surface to the flat portion through the inclined portion, the adhering matter and residual water are cleanly removed. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to the illustrated example. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope apparatus 1 having an endoscope of the present invention. Endoscope device 1
Includes an endoscope 2 to which the present invention is applied, a light source device 3 for supplying illumination light, a video processor 4 for generating an electric signal for driving an imaging device into a video signal, The main part is constituted by a monitor 5 which is a display device for displaying an endoscope image. The endoscope 2 comprises an insertion section 6 to be inserted into a body cavity, an operation section 7, and a universal cord 8. A connector 9 is provided at the distal end of the universal cord 8 having a base end coupled to the operation unit 7 and is detachably connected to the light source device 3. The connector 9 is connected to the video processor 4 from this connector 9. An electric cable 11 having an electric connector 10 at a tip portion extends. The insertion portion 6 is formed by sequentially connecting a distal end portion 12, a bending portion 13, and a flexible portion 14 in order from the distal end side. FIG. 2 is a front view of the distal end portion 12 as viewed from the distal end surface side. An observation window 15 made of an objective lens is provided on the distal end surface of the distal end portion 12 near one side in FIG.
Suction channels 16 are respectively arranged near the other side,
A large illumination window 1 composed of a large illumination lens is located near the upper side.
7 is a small illuminating window 1 made of a small illuminating lens near the lower side.
8 are provided respectively. The air / water supply nozzle 19 is disposed adjacent to the large illumination window 17 with its discharge port facing the observation window 15, and the small illumination window 18 is provided obliquely below the observation window 15. It is provided adjacently. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, showing a cross section from the air / water supply nozzle 19 to the observation window 15. As shown in FIG.
Has a hard tip member 2 to which the objective lens support barrel 33 is fixed.
No. 0 is provided, and the tip cover 21 is placed thereon. A flat portion 22 forming a reference surface is provided on the front end surface of the front end cover 21, and the flat portion 22 occupies most of the front end surface of the insertion section 6. With respect to the flat portion 22, the observation window 15
Is projected about 0.3 mm, for example, and the front end cover around the observation window 15 is provided with an inclined portion 23 from the flat portion 22 toward the front end surface of the observation window 15.
In short, the tip cover around the observation window 15 is the observation window 1
5 is tapered toward the outer peripheral edge. The opening 2 of the air / water supply nozzle 19
4 is installed so as to ride on the flat part 22. Also,
The suction channel 16 is provided in the flat part 22 as shown in FIG. An image pickup unit including a lens group (not shown) of the observation optical system and an image pickup device (not shown) is provided in the insertion portion at the back of the observation window 15. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BOB in FIG. 2, and shows a cross section from the large illumination window 17 to the small illumination window 18 via the observation window 15. The large illumination window 17 and the small illumination window 18 protrude, for example, by about 0.3 mm with respect to the flat portion 22 forming the reference plane, and have the same height as the observation window 15. The front end cover 21 around the large illumination window 17 and the small illumination window 18 is also, for example, 0.3 m from the flat portion 22.
m and form a plano-convex surface 25. This flat convex surface 25 is chamfered in an R-shape at the boundary with the outer periphery of the front end cover 21, and the boundary with the flat portion 22 is formed on the inclined wall 26. In the endoscope 2 of the present invention configured as described above, the air supply / water supply operation is performed as follows. FIG. 5 shows a state in which water is jetted from the air / water supply nozzle 19. In this case, the water supply 27 is provided by the air / water supply nozzle 19.
Immediately after exiting from the opening 24, it hits the inclined part 23 and spreads greatly, and the entire front surface of the observation window 15 is hit with water. Then, the water supply 27 that has passed over the observation window 15 is
On the way down, the opening 2 of the air / water supply nozzle 19
4 converges to the same level as the width. Small lighting window 18
The peripheral inclined wall 26 is formed so as to follow the flow of the water supply 27 and has a shape that does not impede the water flow of the water supply 27 at all. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the mode is switched from water supply to air supply, and air is supplied from the air supply / water supply nozzle 19. At the time of air supply, the residual water 28 on the tip surface of the observation window 15 moves as shown in FIG. That is, the air supplied from the air supply / water supply nozzle 19 collides with the inclined portion 23 as in the case of the water supply 27, and once spreads over the entire distal end surface of the observation window 15. There is a tendency to converge when going down section 23. Therefore, when switching from water supply to air supply,
The water droplets on the tip surface of the observation window 15 spread radially while moving in the traveling direction, move down the inclined portion 23 to the flat portion 22, and the remaining water 28 remains on the tip surface of the observation window 15. Hateful. As described above, the observation window 15 is protruded from the distal end surface of the insertion section 6 of the endoscope 2 and the inclined section 23
Is formed, the water supply 27 easily spreads over the entire distal end surface of the observation window 15, the water contact on the distal end surface of the observation window 15 is good, and the body fluid and mucus attached to the distal end surface of the observation window 15 are not washed away. Can be reduced. In the observation window 15, since the water supply 27 spreads and then converges, it is difficult for water droplets to ride on the illumination windows 18 and 17, so that illumination unevenness and fluctuation of illumination light hardly occur and stable distribution is achieved. You can get light. Further, when the operation is switched from the water supply operation to the air supply operation, the residual water 28 on the distal end surface of the observation window 15 passes through the inclined portion 23 of the distal end cover 21 from the distal end surface, and the distal end cover 2 moves.
1 is easy to move to the flat portion 22, and the remaining water 28 does not remain on the distal end surface of the observation window 15. FIG. 8 shows the observation window 15 and the small illumination window 1.
Together showing the 8 positional relationship, the non-irradiation range B ₀ of the irradiation range A ₀ and the illumination light of the illumination light is also illustrates. As shown in FIG. 8, the distal end surface of the observation window 15 and the distal end surface of the small illumination window 18 are at the same height, and have a height protruding from a flat portion 22 which is a reference surface of the distal end cover 21. Has become. The tip surface of the large illumination window 17 is also at the same height. A gap with the inclined portion 23 is filled around the distal end surface of the observation window 15 with the adhesive 29. The illumination light from the small illumination window 18 has an angle of view 140
The illumination range is about 160 ° so that the entire observation range of the observation window 15 can be illuminated.
_Indicated by ₀ . The illumination light in this range is quite strong. The over hand, the portion indicated by the non-irradiation range _{B 0} is
There is almost no strong light, and weak light generated from the configuration of the small illumination window 18 leaks in the horizontal direction. In such a configuration, almost no illumination light enters the observation window 15 and almost no flare is generated. FIG. 7 shows a conventional configuration compared to the configuration of FIG. 8 according to the present invention. Observation window 15 and small illumination window 1
2, the observation window 15 protrudes from the flat portion 22 forming the reference surface in the configuration shown in FIG. Window 18
Are provided at substantially the same height as the flat portion 22. In this case, the irradiation range A ₀ interferes around the observation window 15. That is, the periphery of the observation window 15 is
3 is filled with an adhesive 29. Accordingly, strong light irradiation range A ₀ falls on the adhesive 29. However, the perfectly shield the strong light in the adhesive 29 traces is that very difficult, irradiation range A ₀ intense light observation window of 15
Get into it. In such a configuration, since strong light enters the observation window 15, flare is likely to occur. However, as in the present invention, when the observation window 15 and the small illumination window 18 are made to protrude from the flat portion 22 at the same height to form the distal end surface of the insertion portion 6 of the endoscope 2, the small illumination window 18
There is no possibility of light entering the observation window 15 except for weak light outside the irradiation range of the small illumination window 18, and even if the light enters, the light amount is small and the possibility of occurrence of flare is low. As shown in FIG. 8, the observation window 15 of the endoscope 2 according to the present invention has a flare stop 30
, And further provided with a second lens 31 behind.
The second lens 31 has a plate shape, and is abutted and adhered to the abutting surface 32 of the objective lens support tube 33. FIG. 9 shows FIG.
13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG.
1 shows a cross-sectional shape. With this configuration, when the observation window 15 formed of the objective lens is damaged, only the observation window 15 needs to be destroyed and the flare stop 30 needs to be removed. That is, even if this operation is performed, dust, dust, and the like do not enter the lens group deeper than the second lens 31 because the second lens 31 is adhered to the abutting surface 32. Therefore, the observation window 15 including the new flare stop 30 and the new objective lens is moved to the objective lens support cylinder 33.
It can be easily reproduced by adhering to. At this time, since the excess adhesive flows into the gap 34, the adhesive does not protrude from the surface of the second lens 31. Also, the flare aperture 30
Have different thicknesses, and can be selected when the observation window 15 is replaced. Therefore, observation window 1
5 can be easily replaced even if it is damaged, and the best focus can be secured even after replacement. [Appendix] According to the embodiment of the present invention described in detail above, the following configuration can be obtained. 1. In an endoscope provided with an observation window composed of an objective lens and an illumination window composed of an air / water supply nozzle and an illumination lens at the distal end of the endoscope insertion section, the objective lens surface of the observation window is referred to as a reference surface of the distal end. More protruding, mounted so that the air or water supply nozzle opening rides on the reference surface, while raising the periphery of the objective lens surface with an inclination from the reference surface,
An inner congratulatory mirror, characterized in that the illumination lens surface and the periphery of the illumination lens protrude from the reference surface, and the distal end surface of the objective lens and the distal end surface of the illumination lens have the same height. 2. An endoscope in which a distal end cover is placed on a distal end hard portion of an endoscope insertion portion and an observation window formed of an objective lens and an illumination window formed of an air / water nozzle and an illumination lens are provided on the distal end cover. The objective lens surface is projected from the reference surface of the distal end cover, and the air / water supply nozzle opening is mounted on the reference surface, and the distal end cover around the objective lens surface is tilted and raised from the reference surface, An endoscope, wherein an illumination lens surface and a distal end cover around the illumination lens are protruded from a reference surface, and the distal end surface of the objective lens and the distal end surface of the illumination lens are made equal in height. 3. In an endoscope in which a distal end cover is placed on the distal end hard portion of the endoscope insertion portion, and an observation window formed of an objective lens, an air supply / water supply nozzle, and an illumination window formed of an illumination lens and a channel opening are provided on the distal end cover, The objective lens surface of the observation window is projected from the reference surface of the tip cover, and the air / water supply nozzle opening is mounted on the reference surface, and the suction channel opening is fully or partially opened in the reference surface. On the other hand, the tip cover around the tip surface of the objective lens is
The tip of the illumination lens and the tip cover around the illumination lens protrude from the reference plane, and the tip of the objective lens and the tip of the illumination lens are at the same height. An endoscope characterized by the following. 4. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the inclined portion around the illumination lens is formed in a shape that does not hinder the flow of water and air ejected from the air / water supply nozzle. 5. The inner congratulatory mirror according to claim 1, wherein the bulge in the front end cover around the illumination lens is formed in a shape that does not hinder the flow of water and air ejected from the air / water supply nozzle. As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an endoscope in which an observation window including an objective lens has improved drainage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of an endoscope apparatus, FIG. 2 is a front view of a distal end face of an insertion portion of an endoscope showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BOB in FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of the observation window shown, FIG. 6 is a front view of the observation window showing a situation where air is supplied from the air / water supply nozzle, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing a conventional arrangement relationship between the observation window and the small illumination window. FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view showing an arrangement relationship between the observation window and the small illumination window according to the present invention; FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 8; [Description of Signs] 15 ・ ・ ・ Observation window (objective lens) 17 ・ ・ ・ Large illumination window (illumination lens) 18 ・ ・ ・ Small illumination window (illumination lens) 19 ・ ・ ・ Air / water nozzle 21 ・ ・ ・Tip cover 22: flat portion (reference surface) 23: inclined portion

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. An endoscope having an observation window, an illumination window, and an air / water supply nozzle at a distal end of an insertion portion, wherein the endoscope is disposed at a distal end of the insertion portion, and has a distal end surface. A front end cover having a flat portion, an observation window having an objective lens, protruding from the flat portion by a predetermined height, and an inclined portion provided between a periphery of a front end surface of the observation window and the flat portion, An illumination window having an illumination lens, protruding from the flat portion at the same height as the observation window, and being provided to face the observation window from the flat portion, and having a fluid with respect to an inclined portion around the observation window. An air supply / water supply nozzle for supplying the fluid to the surface of the observation window for washing by discharging the air.