초록 ▼

An air and liquid supplying device for an endoscope has a main body with a connecting portion and an air pump arranged in the main body. A first switch control valve is connected to an air supply channel and a liquid supply channel of the endoscope. A universal cord is connected at one end to a cont

An air and liquid supplying device for an endoscope has a main body with a connecting portion and an air pump arranged in the main body. A first switch control valve is connected to an air supply channel and a liquid supply channel of the endoscope. A universal cord is connected at one end to a control section of the endoscope and at the other end to the connecting portion through a connector. A first air feed path extends from the first valve to the end of the connector through the universal cord. A liquid feed path extends from the first valve through the universal cord and communicates with a first liquid supply tank. The air pump is connected to the connecting portion through a second air feed path. A second liquid supply tank including second liquid is connected to the second air feed path. A second switch control valve is connected to the second air feed path to switch between the supply of air and the supply of the second liquid to the second air feed path. When the connector is not connected to the connecting portion, leakage of the second liquid through the connecting portion is prevented by a leakage preventing device.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An air and liquid supplying device for an endoscope which includes a control section, an insertion section extending from the control section, and an air supply channel and a liquid supply channel extending from the control section to the distal end of the insertion section, said device comprisin

1. An air and liquid supplying device for an endoscope which includes a control section, an insertion section extending from the control section, and an air supply channel and a liquid supply channel extending from the control section to the distal end of the insertion section, said device comprising: a main body with a connecting portion; an air pump arranged in the main body; a first liquid supply tank holding a first liquid therein; first switching means connected to the air supply channel and the liquid supply channel; communicating means having one end connected to the control section and the other end detachably connected to the connecting portion; connecting means having a first air feed path which has one end connected to the first switching means and the other end opening to the other end of the communicating means and which extends inside the communicating means, a second air feed path connecting the air pump and the connecting portion, a compressed air path branching from the first air feed path and communicating with the first liquid supply tank, and a liquid feed path connecting the first liquid supply tank and the first switching means; said first switching means being switchable between a first position at which the switching means communicates the first air feed path with the air supply channel to allow the supply of air from the air pump to the air supply channel and a second position at which the switching means communicates the liquid feed path with the liquid supply channel to allow the supply of the first liquid to the liquid supply channel; a second liquid supply tank holding a second liquid therein and connected to the second air feed path; second switching means, connected to the second air feed path at a position intermediate between the second liquid supply tank and the connecting portion, for switching between the supply of air and the supply of the second liquid to the second air feed path; and leakage preventive means for communicating the first and second air feed paths when the other end of the communicating means is connected to the connecting portion and for preventing leakage of at least the second liquid through the second air feed path when the other end of the communicating means is not connected to the connecting portion. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting portion has a receptacle member fixed to the main body, an insertion hole which is formed in a receptacle member and has one end exposed to the outside of the main body, a storage chamber which is formed in the receptacle member and which communicates with the second air feed path, and a through hole which is formed in the receptacle member and communicates the insertion hole and the storage chamber; the communicating means has a universal cord which has one end connected to the control section and a connector connected to the other end of the universal cord, the connector having a connecting mouthpiece extending from the end face of the connector and detachably inserted in the insertion hole of the connecting portion; and the other end of the first air feed path opens to an extended end of the connecting port. 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said leakage preventive means includes a valve stem which is slidably inserted in the through hole of the connecting portion, a valve which is mounted at that end of the valve stem which is at the side of the storage chamber and which is capable of closing the through hole, a press member which is mounted at that end of the valve stem which is at the side of the insertion hole and which is pressed by the connecting mouthpiece when the connecting mouthpiece is inserted in the insertion hole, and a biasing member which is arranged in the storage chamber and biases the valve in a direction to close the through hole. 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said main body has another connecting portion to which the other end of the communicating means can be connected, and the second air feed path includes a branch path connected to the another connecting portion; and which further comprises another leakage preventive means for communicating the branch path and the first air feed path when the other end of the communicating means is connected to the another connecting portion and for closing the branch path when the other end of the communicating means is not connected to the another connecting portion. 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting portion has a receptacle member fixed to the main body, an insertion hole formed in the receptacle member and has one end exposed outside of the main body, and a communication path formed in the receptacle member and communicating with the insertion hole; the second air feed path is connected to the communication path; the communicating means has a universal cord having one end connected to the control section, and a connector connected to the other end of the universal cord, the connector having a connecting mouthpiece which extends from the end face thereof and which can be inserted into the insertion hole; and the other end of the first air feed path opens to an extending end of the connecting mouthpiece. 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said leakage preventive means has a drive circuit connected to the air pump, and a switch which is connected to the drive circuit and arranged inside the main body, which energizes the drive circuit upon being turned on by the connector when the connector is connected to the connecting portion, and which deenergizes the drive circuit upon being turned off when the connector is not connected to the connecting portion. 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said switch has an actuator which is actuated by the connecting mouthpiece of the connector. 8. A device according to claim 5, wherein said connecting portion has a through hole which is formed in the receptacle member and which crosses the insertion hole; the second switching means has an electromagnetic valve which can be switched between a first position at which the electromagnetic valve allows the supply of air to the second air feed path and a second position at which the electromagnetic valve allows the supply of the second liquid to the second air feed path; and the leakage preventive means has a light source which is arranged near one end of the through hole, and a sensor which is arranged near the other end of the through hole and which detects incident light from the light source through the through hole and switches the electromagnetic valve to the first position when the connector is not connected to the connecting portion and which detects a connection of the connector to the connecting portion and switches thereupon the electromagnetic valve to the second position. 9. A device according to claim 1, wherein said second switching means has a second switch control valve, and a lifting tube which has one end submerged in the second liquid in the second liquid supply tank and the other end connected to the second switch control valve; and the second switch control valve being switched between a first position at which the second switch cotnrol valve allows the supply of air from the air pump to the second air feed path and a second position at which the second switch control valve communicates the second air feed path with the lifting tube to allow the supply of the second liquid to the second air feed path. 10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said second switch control valve has a cylinder, a piston which is slidably arranged in the cylinder and which has an annular groove formed in an outer surface thereof, and biasing means for biasing the piston in a direction such that the piston projects outward from the cylinder; the second air feed path and the other end of the lifting tube communicate with the cylinder; and when the second switch control valve is at the first position, the piston closes the lifting tube and opens the second air feed path, and when the second switch control valve is at the second position, the piston closes an upstream end of the second air feed path and communicates the lifting tube and a downstream end of the second air feed path through the annular groove. 11. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first switching means has a first switch control valve; the first switch control valve having a cylinder which is connected to downstream ends of the first air feed path and the liquid supply path and upstream ends of the air supply channel and the liquid supply channel, a piston which is slidably arranged inside the cylinder and which has an annular groove formed on an outer surface thereof, and biasing means for biasing the piston in a direction such that the piston projecs outward from the cylinder; and the piston being switched between a first position at which the first switch control valve communicates the first air feed path and the air supply channel and a second position at which the piston closes the first air feed path and communicates the liquid feed path and the liquid supply channel through the annular groove. 12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said first switch control valve is arranged in the control section (2) of the endoscope. 13. A device according to claim 9, which further comprises a third liquid supply tank holding a third liquid therein; and wherein said second switching means includes an air supply branch pipe communicating the third liquid supply tank and the second air feed path, a third switch control valve, a lifting tube having one end connected to the third switch control valve and the other end submerged in the third liquid in the third liquid supply tank, a liquid supply tube having one end connected to the third switch control valve and the other end connected to the second air feed path at a position intermediate between the second switch control valve and the connecting portion; and the third switch control valve being switched between a first position at which the third switch control valve closes the lifting tube and a second position at which the third switch control valve communicates the lifting tube and the liquid supply tube to allow the supply of the third liquid to the second air feed path. 14. A device according to claim 1, which further comprises a third liquid supply tank holding a third liquid therein; and wherein said second switching means includes a switch control valve, a first lifting tube having one end connected to the switch control valve and the other end submerged in the second liquid in the second liquid supply tank, air supply branch tube communicating the third liquid supply tank and the second air feed path, and a second lifting tube having one end connected to the switch control valve and the other end submerged in the third liquid in the third liquid supply tank; and the switch control valve being switched among a first position at which the switch control valve closes the second lifting tube and opens the second air feed path, a second position at which the switch control valve closes an upstream end of the second air feed path and the first lifting tube and communicates a downstream end of the second air feed path and the second lifting tube to allow the supply of the third liquid to the second air feed path, and a third position at which the switch control valve closes the upstream end of the second air feed path and the second lifting tube and communicates the downstream end of the second air feed path and the first lifting tube to allow the supply of the second liquid to the second air feed path.