Patent ID: 7568735

Claim:
A fluid delivery adapter unit for selectively connecting fluid supply equipments to an endoscope comprising an operating headpiece, an elongated insertion tube extending from the operating headpiece, and fluid delivery passage means which extends from fluid inlet means which opens to the atmosphere at a proximal end of the operating headpiece and to fluid outlet means at a distal end of the elongated insertion tube and to which a fluid supply equipment is connected through the fluid inlet means so as to deliver fluid supplied from the fluid supply equipment to the fluid outlet means, said fluid delivery adapter unit comprising: a straight pipe having a first end being detachably coupled to said fluid inlet means; an elbow pipe having a lock component at a proximal end to which said fluid supply equipment is matingly coupled; and joining means for joining said elbow pipe to an opposing second end of said straight pipe so as to allow said elbow pipe to turn with respect to said straight pipe only when said elbow pipe is forced to turn and to keep said elbow pipe in a turned position with respect to said straight pipe while said elbow pipe is unforced and restricting the turning of the elbow pipe with respect to the straight pipe to a predetermined angular range, such that the elbow pipe can be adjusted to a rest position having any angular position with respect to the straight pipe within the predetermined range, wherein said elbow pipe comprises elastic sealing means disposed on a portion of said elbow pipe inserted in said straight pipe and compressed between said elbow pipe and said straight pipe so as to provide fluid tight seal between said straight pipe and said elbow pipe while said joining means allows said elbow pipe to turn with respect to said straight pipe against frictional force of said elastic sealing means.