Patent Publication Number: US-2015073218-A1

Title: Endoscopic device including cleaning mechanism

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No. PCT/JP2013/067543, filed Jun. 26, 2013, which was published under PCT Article 21(2) in Japanese. 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior the Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-216301, filed Sep. 28, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by references. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an endoscopic device including a direct-viewing observation port used to directly view the front, and a side-viewing observation port used to observe the lateral circumference by using a cylindrical lens which are provided at a tip of an insertion part, and provided with a cleaning mechanism configured to clean the observation ports. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In an endoscopic device generally used, a direct-viewing observation port used to carry out imaging in the insertion direction (axial direction) in a predetermined visual field region, illumination port through which illuminating light for observation is applied, forceps hole used to extend forceps or the like, and so on are arranged on the tip face of an insertion section. 
     Further, in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2010-169792, an endoscopic device provided with a side-viewing observation port employing a cylindrical optical element configured to form an image of an observation object in the lateral circumference (surroundings around the axis) orthogonality to the axial direction is proposed. 
     For example, in the observation based on a large intestine endoscopic device, a large intestine which is the observation object has many folds, and there is the possibility of an oversight occurring unless observations are made carefully by turning the bending part. Thus, by providing a side-viewing observation port, it is possible to make the visual field region wider, and more securely prevent an oversight from occurring. Furthermore, an endoscopic device provided with a direct-viewing observation port configured to make direct-viewing observations, and side-viewing observation port configured to make side-viewing observations of the lateral circumference as shown in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2009-15252 is proposed. 
     Further, normally, the insertion section of the endoscope is inserted into the body cavity of a patient, and hence a foreign substance remaining in the body cavity adheres to the observation port provided at the tip thereof. Adhesion of the foreign substance to the observation port hinders the observations, and hence as proposed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 05-103752, a nozzle is arranged in the vicinity of the observation port, and a gaseous body and/or a liquid body is gushed as the need arises, whereby the foreign substance is removed, and the observation port is cleaned. 
     When the aforementioned direct-viewing observation port, and the side-viewing observation port are to be provided on the tip face of the insertion section, if the configuration for producing an image based on direct-viewing, and side-viewing utilizing the same imaging element is employed, a cylindrical lens structure is conceivable in which a side-viewing observation port is arranged on the tip face in the axial direction, and a direct-viewing observation port is arranged on the front side of the side-viewing observation port to overlay it. Further, a nozzle used to wash the direct-viewing observation port is required, and hence a structure configured to arrange a nozzle at a position reaching the height of the direct-viewing observation port should be formed. Furthermore, it is also necessary to arrange a nozzle used to wash the side-viewing observation port. 
     The present invention provides an endoscopic device including a direct-viewing observation port, and side-viewing observation port which are provided on a tip face of an insertion section, and provided with a cleaning mechanism configured to clean the observation ports. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an endoscopic device including a cleaning mechanism comprising: an insertion section of an endoscope; a lens unit which is provided at a tip section of the insertion section, and is provided in such a manner that the lens unit protrudes from the tip section, and includes a laterally circumferential face formed into a conical shape provided with tailing-off taper at the circumference thereof in the lateral direction intersecting the axial direction which is the insertion direction of the insertion section; a pedestal section provided at the tip section of the insertion section in such a manner that the pedestal section abuts on the lens unit; and wash nozzles each of which is provided on each of two lateral faces of the pedestal section obliquely extending toward the central side of the lens unit to face toward the lens unit, and is configured to clean the lens unit. 
     Advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a view showing the external configuration of an endoscopic device provided with a cleaning mechanism configured to clean an imaging unit including a direct-viewing observation port, and side-viewing observation port according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2A  is a view showing the external configuration of an insertion section tip. 
         FIG. 2B  is a view showing the configuration of the insertion section tip viewed from the front. 
         FIG. 2C  is a view showing a configuration example of a wash nozzle. 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing a configuration example of gas-sending/water-sending pathways incorporated in the endoscopic device. 
         FIG. 4  is a view used to explain cleaning at a lens unit and cleaning mechanism of the embodiment based on a cleaning liquid gushed from the wash nozzles. 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing a configuration example of a gas-sending/liquid-sending mechanism of the embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a view showing a relationship between a distance X from a straight line passing through the lens along the central axis thereof, and angle β between the lens central axis and water-gushing direction. 
         FIG. 7  is a view used to explain cleaning at a generally conceivable lens unit, and cleaning mechanism based on a cleaning liquid gushed from a wash nozzle. 
         FIG. 8  is a view conceptually showing the configuration of an optical system of an imaging section. 
         FIG. 9A  is a view showing the external configuration of an insertion section tip of an endoscopic device according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 9B  is a view showing the configuration of the insertion section tip viewed from the front. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a view showing the external configuration of an endoscopic device provided with a cleaning mechanism configured to clean an imaging unit including a direct-viewing observation port, and side-viewing observation port according to a first embodiment. 
     The endoscopic device of this, embodiment is roughly constituted of an endoscope main body  1 , and endoscopic apparatus  7  mounted on a movable trolley  2 . In the following description, although a description will be given by taking a flexible scope as an example, a rigid scope can also be provided. 
     The endoscope main body  1  is constituted of an insertion section (flexible tube)  4  to be inserted into a body cavity which is an observation object, bending section  5  which is provided on the tip side of the insertion section  4 , and to which a lens unit to be described later is provided at the tip thereof, and operation section  3  configured to make the bending section  5  carry out a bending operation. In the following description, the bending section  5  side is referred to as the tip side, and the operation section  3  side is referred to as the proximal end side, while the insertion section  4  is regarded as the center. 
     The endoscopic apparatus  7  include a light-source unit configured to create illumination light used to illuminate the observation object part, video processor configured to subject an image signal acquired by imaging to predetermined image processing, monitor configured to display an image signal as an observation image, keyboard serving as an input section, and the like. 
     Furthermore, a bottle  8  used to retain a liquid (cleaning liquid: for example, a liquid mainly constituted of water such as physiological sodium chloride solution or the like) used for cleaning or the like is detachably attached to a supporting column of the trolley  2 . Further, inside the endoscopic apparatus  7 , a gas-sending pump unit  34  (see  FIG. 3 ) is arranged. Furthermore, on a shelf of the trolley  2 , a suction unit  10  configured to suck a liquid or gas gushed into the body cavity from a wash nozzle to be described later in the body cavity is provided. 
     The endoscope main body  1 , and the light-source unit are connector-connected to each other with a universal cable  6 . The universal cable  6  includes, in addition to a light guide constituted of an optical fiber, a plurality of signal lines configured to transmit an image signal, and the like, and supply routes (gas-sending/liquid-sending channels) and exhaust routes of a gaseous body and liquid body constituted of tubes. A connector of the universal cable  6  configured to connect the cable  6  to the endoscopic apparatus  7  side branches the cable  6  into the signal lines, tubes, and light guide, and connects these branched members to their corresponding configuration parts. 
       FIG. 2A  is a view showing the external configuration of the insertion section tip.  FIG. 2B  is a view showing the configuration of the insertion section tip viewed from the front.  FIG. 2C  is a view showing a configuration example of a wash nozzle.  FIG. 3  is a view showing a configuration example of a gas-sending/liquid-sending mechanism of this embodiment.  FIG. 7  is a view conceptually showing the configuration of the optical system of the imaging section of the endoscope. In the following description, a direction of movement of the insertion section in the body cavity is referred to as an insertion direction or an axial direction, the face of the insertion section viewed from the axial direction is referred as the front face (tip face), and the face of the insertion section orthogonality to the axial direction thereof is referred to as a lateral face or a laterally circumferential face. 
     On the tip face of the bending section  5  of the insertion section, a lens unit  11  constituted of a direct-viewing observation port  14 , and side-viewing observation port  15  to be described later, pedestal  13  which is a tip structure having a front face flush with the face of the direct-viewing observation port  14  (face having a height identical to the forward-protrusion height of the direct-viewing observation port  14 ), wash nozzle  16  arranged on the front face side of the pedestal  13  in close proximity to the direct-viewing observation port  14 , two wash nozzles  17  arranged on both lateral faces of the pedestal  13 , aperture section  19  of a forceps hole used to insert forceps (not shown) or the like, direct-viewing observation port  14  used to carry out imaging in the insertion direction (axial direction) in a predetermined visual field region, and illumination port  18  arranged on the front face of the pedestal  13 , and used to apply illumination light for the direct-viewing observation port  14  are arranged. In the lens unit  11 , the direct-viewing observation port  14  is arranged on the front face when viewed from the axial direction, and the side-viewing observation port  15  is arranged on the rear side (proximal end side) of the port  14 . The lens unit  11  is a part of the imaging optical system of the endoscope as shown in  FIG. 8 , is arranged in front of an imaging element (not shown), and is constituted of a plurality of lenses, and lens groups, and lens frames ( 12   a,    12   b )  12  supporting the lenses in order to form a captured image. 
     In this example, the direct-viewing observation port  14  are constituted of a circular concave lens  41  (first lens) , first lens group ( 42   a,    42   b )  42 , and second lens group ( 43   a,    43   b,    43   c,    43   d,    43   e )  43 . The light flux L1 incident on the direct-viewing observation port  14  passes through the lenses  41 , and  42   a,  is collected at the lens  42   b  serving as a focal point, then further passes through the second lens group, and is guided to the imaging element (not shown) as a light figure. 
     Further, the side-viewing observation port  15  is constituted of a cylindrical lens  42   a.  The cylindrical lens  42   a  is arranged in such a manner that the lateral face (referred to as a laterally circumferential face) of the circumference thereof is exposed, and is a lens the front side and back side of which are formed into a convex and concave. The light flux L2 incident on the laterally circumferential face from the lateral circumference is reflected from the concave, and is directed to the convex side. The light flux L2 further reflected from the convex surface passes through the concave, then is collected at the lens  42   b  serving as a focal point, then passes through the second lens group, and is further guided to he imaging element (not shown) as a light figure. By the lens configuration described above, an image or a constructed image based on each of direct viewing, and side viewing is created by utilizing the same imaging element. 
     Further, regarding both of or one of the cylindrical lens frames  12   a,  and  12   b  each having a cylindrical shape, the whole or part of the circumferential face corresponding to a place at which the cylindrical lens is exposed to the outside is formed of a light guiding member (translucent member). At least part of (not shown) the lens frame  12   b  guides the illumination light branched from the light guide. The guided illumination light is applied as the illumination light in the laterally circumferential direction to illuminate the observation visual field of the side-viewing observation port from each lens frame surface. 
     Inside the pedestal  13 , a liquid-sending route, and gas-sending route to be connected to the wash nozzles are formed and, furthermore an optical fiber cable is arranged in order to guide the illumination light to the illumination port  18  arranged on the front face. As the shape of the pedestal  13 , an approximately triangular shape as indicated by alternate long and short dash lines in  FIG. 4  is assumed, the part which virtually becomes the base of the triangle becomes the circular arc surface identical to the circumferential surface of the tip of the bending section  5 , and the parts which become the oblique sides of the triangle become the two lateral faces directed from both ends of the base to the central part of the direct-viewing observation port  14 . At this central part, more specifically, a perpendicular line vertically passing through the center m of the direct-viewing observation port  14  is assumed, and assuming that the perpendicular line, and the base vertically intersect each other, the virtual intersection point of the two lateral faces is on the perpendicular line. Furthermore, the triangle, and the lens unit  11  overlap each other in such a manner that the crowning part of the triangle including the virtual intersection point of the two lateral faces is positioned within the direct-viewing observation port  14  and, substantially, the pedestal  13  is formed into approximately a fan shape adhering closely to the lens unit  11 . 
     On each of the two lateral faces of the pedestal  13 , a wash nozzle  17  is provided. A cleaning liquid gushed from the wash nozzle  17  flows in contact with the lateral face of the side-viewing observation port  15 , and further flows to go around the top part of the lens unit  11 . The side-viewing observation port  15  is cleaned by such a liquid current. As shown in  FIG. 2C , in each of the wash nozzles  16 , and  17 , a face thereof facing the observation port is made the aperture face (ejection hole)  20   a,  and the inside thereof is made hollow. In the hollow part of the wash nozzle  16  or  17 , an aperture  20   b  of the gas-sending/liquid-sending route is formed on the pedestal face. When cleaning is carried out, a cleaning liquid or a gaseous body gushed from the gas-sending/liquid-sending aperture  20   b  is gushed from the nozzle aperture face  20   a,  and is blown against each observation port. 
       FIG. 3  is a view showing a configuration example of a gas-sending/liquid-sending mechanism of this embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 3 , in the gas-sending/liquid-sending mechanism  21 , a liquid serving as the cleaning liquid is contained in a bottle  8 , and the liquid is sent from the bottle  8  to the endoscope  1  through the tube, connector  9 , and universal cable  6 . Inside the insertion section of the endoscope  1 , a liquid-sending tube (channel)  22 , and gas-sending tube  23  are provided, and a confluence section  25  at which these tubes join each other through a cylinder section  24  provided in the operation section  3  is arranged. Furthermore, a gas-sending/liquid-sending tube  26  used to send the merged gas-supply/liquid-supply is provided on the tip side of the confluence section  25 , and is then branched into at least three paths at a position near the tip section of the bending section, and the branched paths are connected to the wash nozzles  16 , and  17 . It should be noted that in order to enhance the moving speed of the fluid current gushed from the aperture  20   b  obtained by mixing the cleaning liquid, and gaseous body or of only the liquid or of only the gaseous body as the need arises, a throttle is provided to the aperture  20   a  or  20   b.    
     Further, the gas-sending tube  23  connected to the cylinder section  24  is branched at a valve  27  arranged in the operation section  3 , and the branched gas-sending tube  23  is inserted into the externally provided bottle  8 . The gaseous body sent from the gas-sending pump unit  34  inside the endoscopic apparatus  7  can be switched to only the cylinder section  24  side, to only the bottle  8  side or to both the cylinder section  24  side, and the bottle  8  side. These switching operations are carried out in accordance with the operation of the cylinder section  24 , and the cleaning liquid mixed with the gaseous body, only the cleaning liquid or only the gaseous body is selected by a button operation, and is gushed from the wash nozzles. 
     When air is used as the gaseous body, the gaseous body is sent from the gas-sending pump unit  34  into the inside of the endoscope through the connector  9 , and universal cable  6 . In the case where a gaseous body other than air is to be employed, a gas cylinder or the like is used. 
     The shape of the pedestal on which the wash nozzles used to clean the lens unit  11  are arranged will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 4 to 7 .  FIG. 4  shows the state of the cleaning liquid gushed from the wash nozzle flowing with respect to the pedestal.  FIG. 5  is a view showing the positional relationship between the wash nozzles, and lens unit  11 .  FIG. 6  is a view showing a relationship between a distance X from a straight line passing through the central axis of the lens, and angle β between the lens central axis and water-gushing direction. 
       FIG. 7  shows the state of the cleaning liquid gushed from the wash nozzles flowing with respect to the pedestal examined previously. 
     First, cleaning of the observation port using a cleaning liquid or a gaseous body will be described below. 
     It is ideal that in the side-viewing observation port  15  of the lens unit  11 , the observation visual field range covers the entire circumference. However, as described previously, a pedestal is required to arrange a wash nozzle for each of the direct-viewing observation port  14 , and side-viewing observation port  15 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 7 , an idea of arranging a pedestal beside the lens unit  11  in the shape of a keyhole is conceivable. 
     In this arrangement, when the rectangular pedestal  32  is made to abut on the side-viewing observation port  15 , an idea of forming the keyhole shape in a constricted style by obliquely removing the corner of the part at which the pedestal  32  abuts on the side-viewing observation port  15  is conceivable in order to secure the observation visual field of the side-viewing observation port  15 . In the case of a shape having such “constriction”, wash nozzles  31  are to be arranged on the lateral faces parallel to each other. Each of the wash nozzles  31  on the parallel lateral faces is to gush the cleaning liquid  21  not in the direction to the center (position identical to the center of the direct-viewing observation port  14  in  FIG. 4 ) of the side-viewing observation port  14 , but in the tangential direction of the circumferential face of the observation port. 
     Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 7 , although part of the flow of the cleaning liquid  33  gushed from each of the wash nozzles  31  flows into the inside of the constricted part, the branched flow cannot thereafter join the flow of the cleaning liquid  33  which is the mainstream, and a situation in which the part of the flow is retained at the constricted part occurs. That is, it is conceivable that a foreign substance adhering to the constricted part will become hardly removable. In general, it is known that dirt is liable to collect at a constricted part, and it is difficult to remove the collected dirt. 
     Although it is sufficient if a wash nozzle is arranged at the constricted part, it is difficult to arrange a liquid-sending route or a gas-sending route at the constricted part. Further, although it is also possible to make the flow of the cleaning liquid go around via the constricted part by providing an auxiliary member such as a rectification board or the like upstream from the constricted part, when such an auxiliary member is provided at the tip part of the insertion section to be inserted into the body cavity, a situation in which a foreign subject gets jammed in the constricted part to thereby hinder the flow of the cleaning liquid is also conceivable. Thus, arranging such an auxiliary member is not desirable. 
     In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the pedestal is formed into such a shape that the cleaning liquid gushed from the wash nozzle is immediately passed through the constricted part, and is then directed toward the circumferential face of the side-viewing observation port  15  by forming the lateral face on which the wash nozzle is to be arranged in an oblique direction, i.e., in a direction to the center of the side-viewing observation port  15 . Here, the gushing angle, and the gushing position of the wash nozzle that make the gushed cleaning liquid flow along the circumferential face of the side-viewing observation port  15  become important. 
     Thus, as an examination example shown in  FIG. 5 , it is assumed that the diameter 2R of the cylindrical lens of the side-viewing observation port  15  is σ6.2 mm, and the amount of the cleaning liquid to be gushed is 37.5 mL. Further,  FIG. 5  is shown by assuming that the lens diameter 2R of the side-viewing observation port  15  is identical to the diameter of the lens frame  12 . As the angle β becomes larger, the size of the pedestal  13  becomes larger, and hence the visual field from the side-viewing observation port  15  is largely interrupted. For this reason, the angle β is made smaller than or equal to 45°. When the angle β exceeds 45°, the cleaning liquid  21  begins not to flow uniformly along the circumferential face of the lens. Further, when the angle α is greater than or equal to 180°, the cleaning liquid  21  can sufficiently go around via the top n. That is, the cleaning liquid can travel along the entire circumferential face of the lens. The result of the experiment carried out in this examination example is shown in  FIG. 6 . Here, the X-axis indicates the angle β shown in  FIG. 5 , and the Y-axis indicates the distance X shown in  FIG. 5 . By this examination, the following result has been obtained. The angle β is greater than or equal to 5°, and smaller than or equal to 45°, and desirably smaller than or equal to 30°. The distance X from an oblique line passing through the central point of the lens having an angle of β to the lateral face is 1 mm to 3 mm, and desirably 1.5 mm to 3 mm. That is, a result indicating that a distance corresponding to 1 to ½ of the radius R of the lens is desirable has been obtained. It goes without saying that in this examination example, in the detailed part, a somewhat different result is conceivable depending on the lens diameter, and the amount of the liquid to be sent, and hence it is desirable that each of the detailed matters be verified at the time of design. 
     Hereinafter, items which provide results and tendencies that are universal to all the cases even when different lens diameters and amounts of the cleaning liquid to be sent are employed will be described below. 
     a. The lateral faces are arranged oblique in such a manner that the direction of the cleaning liquid gushed from the aperture face (ejection hole) of each of two wash nozzles forms an acute angle greater than or equal to 5°, and smaller than or equal to 45° with a straight line passing through the center (center m of the side-viewing observation port  15 ) around which the flow of water is made to go along the circumferential face of the observation port  15 . Accordingly, the angle between the gushing directions of the cleaning liquid gushed from the two wash nozzles intersecting each other is about 10 to 90°. 
     b. When the lateral face (nozzle arrangement face) of the pedestal has an inclination of, for example, 45° or less, the first straight line along the lateral face, and the second straight line passing through the center m of the lens, and having an inclination identical to the inclination of the lateral face are parallel to each other, and the distance between the first and second straight lines is X, and the radius of the lens is R, the following relationship is obtained. ½R≦X&lt;R 
     According to this embodiment described above, it is possible to secure a space in which a liquid-sending route, gas-sending route, and various parts are to be arranged, and carry out cleaning in such a manner that a foreign substance adhering to the faces of the observation ports including the joint part between the cylindrical lens serving as the side-viewing observation port, and pedestal is efficiently and completely removed. 
     Next, a second embodiment will be described below. 
       FIG. 9A  is a view showing the external configuration of an insertion section tip of an endoscopic device according to the second embodiment, and  FIG. 9B  is a view showing the configuration of the insertion section tip viewed from the front. It should be noted that in the configuration parts of this embodiment, configuration parts identical to the configuration parts of the first embodiment described previously are denoted by identical reference symbols and their detailed description are omitted. 
     A lens unit  51  of this embodiment has a shape of a circular truncated cone, whereas the lens unit  11  in the first embodiment is cylindrical. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9A , the lens unit  51  is constituted by laying a lens frame  52   a,  truncated cone lens  53 , and lens frame  52   b  one on top of the other, and is formed into a shape of a circular truncated cone smoothly tapered off. 
     On the tip face which is the top face of the circular truncated cone, a direct-viewing observation port  14  is arranged. 
     A pedestal section  54  is joined to the lens unit  51  in such a manner that the joint part between the pedestal section  54 , and lens unit  51  forms oblique lines directed toward the direct-viewing observation port  14  side. Further, as in the first embodiment, in both of or one of the lens frames  52   a,  and  52   b,  the whole or part of the circumferential face corresponding to a place at which the lens is exposed to the outside is formed of a translucent member. 
     The lens frames  52   a,  and  52   b  guide the illumination light branched from the light guide, and applies the illumination light in the laterally circumferential direction from the lens frame surfaces. 
     According to this embodiment, a function, and advantage identical to the first embodiment are produced. The joint part between the side-viewing observation port  53 , and pedestal section  54  is in an oblique direction with respect to the direction in which the cleaning liquid or the gaseous body is gushed, and hence when the insertion section is moved, a foreign substance adhering to the insertion section moves in flux, and becomes hardly sticky. Furthermore, the gushed cleaning liquid or gaseous body continuously flows along the joint part in the oblique direction toward the tip side or the rear end side, and hence cleaning can be carried out by removing the dirt or the like more thoroughly. 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an endoscopic device in which a direct-viewing observation port, and side-viewing observation port are provided on the tip face of the insertion section, and which includes a cleaning mechanism configured to clean each of the observation ports. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.