Abstract:
A portable endoscope has a liquid supplying tube that transmits liquid to the tip of the endoscope, a container that is spatially connected to the liquid supplying tube and stores the liquid, a gas supplying tube that is connected to an inside space of the container and transmits gas to the tip of the endoscope, a liquid and gas supplier that supplies the liquid in the container to the liquid supplying tube and supplies the gas to the gas supplying tube, and a holder that holds the container such that the container generally keeps a horizontal position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an endoscope with a liquid and gas supply apparatus that supplies liquid and gas, such as water and air, to the tip of an endoscope.  
           [0003]    2.Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    A liquid and gas supply apparatus, which has a bottle and pump, is usually incorporated in a light source apparatus for a fiber-scope or an electronic endoscope system including a video-scope with an image sensor and a video-processor. In the video-scope/fiber-scope, a liquid (water) supplying tube and a gas (air) supplying tube are provided. The bottle is spatially connected to the liquid supplying tube and the pump is spatially connected to the gas supplying tube. Generally, water is stored in the bottle, whereas the pump takes in and compresses fresh air and sends the compressed air to the tip.  
           [0005]    To wash an objective lens provided in the tip of the fiber-scope/video-scope, or to remove obstructions on an observed portion, the air or water is discharged from the tip of the fiber-scope/video-scope. When supplying the air, the compressed air flows in the air supplying tube and is then discharged from the tip of the fiber-scope/video-scope. On the other hand, when supplying the water, the compressed air is directed to the inside of the bottle, where the water surface is pressed due to the pressure of the compressed air. The water in the bottle is pumped out, and flows in the water supplying tube so that the water is discharged from the tip of the fiber-scope/video-scope.  
           [0006]    Further, medicinal liquid for inspecting the diseased portion, nitrogen for expanding the inside of the digestive organ, and oxygen for the bronchial tubes are dischargeable via the water supplying tube or the air supplying tube.  
           [0007]    In the case of the conventional construction of the liquid and gas supply apparatus, when the bottle inclines, water can flow through the air supplying tube and can be unexpectedly discharged from the tip. Further, a conventional liquid and gas supply apparatus mounted on a desk or table is not suitable for a portable endoscope having an internal light source, because the portability is greatly reduced.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable endoscope that is capable of supplying liquid and gas without restricting portability, and that prevents unexpected discharge of liquid.  
           [0009]    A portable endoscope according to the present invention has a liquid supplying tube, a container, a gas supplying tube, a liquid and gas supplier, and a holder. The liquid supplying tube transmits liquid to the tip of the endoscope so that the liquid is discharged from the tip of the endoscope. The container is spatially connected to the liquid supplying tube and stores the liquid. For example, the container is formed as a bottle having a narrow neck and mouth. The gas supplying tube is connected to an inside space of the container and transmits gas to the tip of the endoscope so that the gas is discharged from the tip of the endoscope. The liquid and gas supplier supplies the liquid in the container to the liquid supplying tube and supplies the gas to the gas supplying tube. The holder supports or holds the container such that the container generally keeps a horizontal position. The horizontal position indicates a position in a situation that the container is placed on a level surface. When the container is formed in a bottle, the bottom of the bottle is a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction so that the bottom surface is always parallel to the level surface.  
           [0010]    Preferably, the holder allows the container to be pivotable in accordance with gravity, which operates on the container with the liquid. For example, the holder has a flexible tube, a universal joint, or a ball joint.  
           [0011]    A portable endoscope according to another aspect of the present invention has a liquid supplying tube that transmits liquid to the tip of the endoscope, a container that is spatially connected to the liquid supplying tube and stores the liquid, a gas supplying tube that is connected to an inside space of the container and transmits gas to the tip of the endoscope, a liquid and gas supplier that supplies the liquid in the container to the liquid supplying tube and supplies the gas to the gas supplying tube, and a holder that holds the container. While the operator manipulates the endoscope, the holder holds or supports the container such that the container keeps one predetermined position with respect to the vertical direction. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The present invention will be better understood from the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention set fourth below together with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a portable endoscope according to the first embodiment.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing an inner construction of the fiber-scope.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a view showing the position of the water and air supply apparatus and the position of the bottle.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a view showing the position of the water and air supply apparatus and the position of the bottle in a situation that the position of the endoscope is changed.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a view showing a connecting portion of the bottle and the water and air supply apparatus according to the second embodiment.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a view showing a section view of the connecting portion shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a view showing a connecting portion of the bottle and the water and air supply apparatus according to the third embodiment.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a view showing a section view of the connecting portion shown in FIG. 7. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]    Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the attached drawings.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a portable endoscope according to a first embodiment.  
         [0023]    A fiber-scope  10  is a portable type endoscope with an internal light source, and has a tip portion  15 , a bending portion  14 , an inserting portion  16 , an operating portion  12 , an eyepiece  19 , and a connecting arm  18 . Further, the fiber-scope  10  has a water and air supply apparatus  25 , which is connected to the connecting arm  18 . When an operation or inspection is started, the inserting portion  16  is inserted into an inner organ, such as the stomach.  
         [0024]    A plurality of LEDs (herein, one LED is shown)  17  for illuminating a subject S is provided at the tip portion  15 . When a lamp switch button  27  is turned ON, the plurality of LEDs  17  emits light, which is radiated from the tip portion  15 . Consequently, the subject S is illuminated by the light. Light reflected on the subject S passes through an objective lens (not shown) provided in the tip portion  15 , and reaches an incident surface of an image fiber-optic bundle (not shown). Thus, the subject image is formed on the incident surface. The image fiber-optic bundle is provided for optically transmitting the subject image and extends from the tip portion  15  to the eyepiece  19 . The optically transmitted subject image is formed at the eyepiece, thus the operator can observe the subject S via the eyepiece  19 .  
         [0025]    To wash the objective lens and remove a dart, or any obstructions on the subject S, water and air supplying tubes (herein, not shown) are provided in the fiber-scope  10 . They extend from the tip portion  15  to a water and air supplying switch button  13 A, to discharge the water or air from the tip portion  15  of the fiber-scope  10 . The water and air supply apparatus  25  supplies the water/air to the water and air supplying tubes. A bottle  30  is cylindrical and is connected to the connecting portion  32  of the water and air supply apparatus  25  via a flexible tube  40 . When a pump switch button  28  provided on the water and air supply apparatus  25  is pressed, a pump (herein, not shown) operates. Then, as described later, when the water and air supplying switch  13 A is operated, air or water in the bottle  30  is discharged from the tip portion  15 .  
         [0026]    A forceps channel (not shown) is further provided in the fiber-scope  10 , and is connected to an absorbing, or suction unit (not shown) via an inlet  29  of the connecting arm  18 . When an absorbing switch button  13 B is operated, the obstruction on the subject S is sucked up and is then fed to the absorbing unit. While the fiber-scope  10  is operated by the operator, the longitudinal direction LB of the fiber-scope  10  generally becomes parallel to the vertical direction VD.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing an inner construction of the fiber-scope  10 .  
         [0028]    A battery  36  provided in the water and air supply unit  25  supplies electric power to an LED driving circuit  38  for driving the LEDs  17 , and to a pump driving circuit  34  for driving the pump  35 . When the lamp switch button  27  is turned ON/OFF, the LED driving circuit  38  turns ON/OFF the LEDS  17 . When the pump switch button  28  is pressed, the pump driving circuit  34  drives/suspends the pump  35 .  
         [0029]    The water and air supplying tubes  26  have water supplying tubes  26 A,  26 B,  26 C and air supplying tubes  26 D,  26 E,  26 F, and  26 G. The air supplying tube  26 D extends from the pump  35  to the inside of the bottle  30 , which is spatially connected to the air supplying tube  26 D via the air supplying tube  26 E in the flexible tube  40 , the air supplying tube  26 F in the connecting arm  18 , and the water and air supplying switch button  13 A.  
         [0030]    The water supplying tube  26 A extends from the tube connecting portion  32  to the inside of the bottle  30 , and is spatially connected to the water supplying tube  26 C via the bottle  30 , the water supplying tube  26 B in the connecting arm  18 , and the water and air supplying switch button  13 A. The flexible tube  40  is formed along the circumference of the air supplying tube  26 E such that the flexible tube  40  coats the air supplying tube  26 E. In the air supplying tube  26 E, the water supplying tube  26 A and the air supplying tube  26 D extend to the bottle  30 . The bottle  30  is cylindrical, and a mouth  32 D of the bottle  30  is covered with a cap  32 C. The water supplying tube  26 A passes through the center of the bottle  30  and extends to the bottom of the bottle  30 .  
         [0031]    The pump  35  takes in fresh air and discharges compressed air. An intake tube  37  extends to a hole (not shown) formed in an outer surface of the operating portion  12 . A discharging tube  31 , from which the compressed air is discharged, is spatially connected to the air supplying tube  26 D. When the pump  34  operates, the compressed air flows in the air supplying tube  26 D toward the bottle  30 .  
         [0032]    A valve  33  is provided at the water and air supplying switch button  13 A. When the water and air supplying switch button  13 A is not covered by the thumb of the operator, the valve  33  intercepts, or closes the spatial connection between the air supplying tube  26 G and the air supplying tube  26 F, and discharges the compressed air, transmitted from the pump  34 , from the top portion  13 T of the water and air supplying switch button  13 A. Namely, the compressed air is not supplied to the tip portion  15 . Further, the valve  33  closes the spatial connection between the water supplying tube  26 C and the water supplying tube  26 B, hence water is not supplied.  
         [0033]    When supplying air, the thumb of the operator is placed on the top portion  13 T of the water and air supplying switch button  13 A. The position of the valve  33  is shifted toward the opposite side of the top portion  13 A by the backflow of air, so that the air supplying tube  26 F is spatially connected to the air supplying tube  26 G. Thus, the compressed air flows through the air supplying tube  26 G and is discharged from the tip portion  15 .  
         [0034]    When supplying water, the water and air supplying switch button  13 A is pressed by the thumb of the operator. The position of the valve  33  is further shifted by the pressing, which spatially closes the air supplying tube  26 G and the air supplying tube  26 F, and spatially connects the water supplying tube  26 C and the water supplying tube  26 B. Consequently, the compressed air from the pump  34  flows to the inside of the bottle  30 . The water W in the bottle  30  is pressed by the compressed air so that the water W flows in the water supplying tubes  26 A,  26 B, the water and air supplying switch button  13 A, and the water supplying tube  26 C, and is then discharged from the tip portion  15 .  
         [0035]    Note that, the construction of the water and air supplying switch button  13 A having the valve  33 , described above, is well known in the prior art.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 3 is a view showing the position of the water and air supply apparatus  25  and the position of the bottle  30 . FIG. 4 is a view showing the position of the water and air supply apparatus  25  and the position of the bottle  30  in a situation where the position of the endoscope is changed.  
         [0037]    The flexible tube  40  is composed of soft plastic (for example, silicon). The upper portion of the flexible tube  40  is fixed to the tube connecting portion  32 . On the other hand, the lower portion of the flexible tube  40  is fixed to an attachment portion  32 A of the cap  32 C. The air supplying tubes  26 D,  26 E and the water supplying tube  26 A are also composed of flexible plastic member.  
         [0038]    The flexible tube  40  extends along the vertical direction VD, and the bottle  30  is pivotable around the tube connecting portion  32  in accordance with the gravity that operates the bottle  30  including the water W. Accordingly, while the operator manipulates the fiber-scope  10 , the bottle  30  always keeps the horizontal position regardless of the position of the water and air supply apparatus  25 , namely, the position of the operating portion  12  (See FIG. 4). The bottom of the bottle  30  is always parallel to the level surface LS. In this embodiment, the horizontal position indicates a position in a situation that the bottle  30  is placed on the level surface LS.  
         [0039]    In this way, in this embodiment, the bottle  30  is attached to the water and air supply apparatus  25  via the flexible tube  40 , which allow the bottle  30  to be pivotable. While the operator manipulates the fiber-scope  10 , the bottle  30  keeps the horizontal position so that the water is not discharged erroneously. Thus, the conventional construction according to the water-supply and the air-supply can be directly applied to the portable endoscope.  
         [0040]    The flexible tube  40  may be composed of rubber elastic member. The bottle  30  may be attached to a side surface of the operating portion  12  in place of the water and air supply apparatus  25 .  
         [0041]    In this embodiment, the water-supply and the air-supply are independently controlled by using the water and air supplying switch button  13 A with the valve  33 . However, other constructions may be applied. For example, the flow of the compressed air may be controlled by a solenoid valve.  
         [0042]    With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a second embodiment is explained. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a universal joint (coupling) is applied.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 5 is a view showing a connecting portion associated with the bottle. In this embodiment, the bottle  30  is connected to the water and air supply apparatus  25  via a universal joint  50 . The universal joint  50  has a first connector  54 , which is formed on the body of the water and air supply apparatus  25 , a cross-shaped pivot member  56 , and a second connector  52 , which is connected to the pivot member  56 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 6 is a section view along line A-A′ shown in FIG. 5. The air supplying tube  26 D and the water supplying tube  26 A extend through the air supplying tube  26 E such that the air supplying tube  26 D and the water supplying tube  26 A do not hit against pivot member  56 . A first axial member  56 A is rotatably attached to the first connector  54 , whereas a second axial member  56 B perpendicular to the first axial member  56 A is rotatably attached to the second connector  52 . Accordingly, while the operator manipulates the fiber-scope  10 , the bottle  30  is pivotable along a first direction and a second direction. Note, the first direction indicates a direction parallel to the paper (A-A′) and the second direction indicates a direction perpendicular to the paper.  
         [0045]    With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, a third embodiment is explained. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a ball joint is applied.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 7 is a view showing a connecting portion associated with the bottle according to the third embodiment. The bottle  30  is attached to the water and air supply apparatus  25  via a ball joint  60 . which has a ball member  62  and ball supporter  64 .  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 8 is a section view along line B-B′ shown in FIG. 7. The water supplying tube  26 A and the air supplying tube  26 D extend through the air supplying tube  26 E. The bottle  30  is pivotable in any direction around a center of the ball member  62 .  
         [0048]    As for the air-supply, nitrogen or oxygen may be discharged from the tip portion  15  in place of air. In this case, a nitrogen cylinder or oxygen cylinder may be connected to the inlet of the pump  34 . Further, as for the water-supply, medicinal liquid may be stored in the bottle  30  in place of water.  
         [0049]    In the first, second, and third embodiments, the bottle  30  is attached such that the bottle  30  maintains a level position. However, the bottle  30  may be attached such that the bottle  30  does not incline past a tolerable angle to the vertical direction. Note that, the tolerable angle indicates a maximum angle at which the water is not discharged.  
         [0050]    Finally, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing description is of preferred embodiments of the device, and that various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.  
         [0051]    The present disclosure relates to subject matters contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-263039 (filed on Aug. 31, 2001) which is expressly incorporated herein, by reference, in its entirety.