Jet nozzle for washing observation window of endoscopic insertion instrument

• US 20020026097A1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Akiba, Haruo
• Granted Patent: US 6,595,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00091 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/127 with means for preventing fogging A61B1/253 takes precedence

Abstract

A jet nozzle for spurting a wash fluid toward an observation window of an optical image pickup system fitted in a rigid tip end section of the insertion instrument for cleaning the observation window. The jet nozzle includes an inlet passage portion which is provided at a proximal end of the jet nozzle coaxially in communication with an axial wash fluid passage in the rigid tip end section of the insertion instrument, a jet spout passage portion which is located on a distal end face of the rigid tip end section and terminating with a jet spout opening of a predetermined width. The jet spout passage portion is provided with a straight flow rectifying passage of a predetermined length toward the jet outlet opening. The jet nozzle further includes a turn passage portion which is connected between the wash fluid inlet passage and the jet spout passage portion to turn a flow passage of the wash fluid in a radially diverting direction from the axial wash fluid passage, and connected to the jet spout passage portion in a radially diverted position on the distal end face of the rigid tip end section.

Claims

1. A jet nozzle connected to a distal end of a wash fluid passage in a narrow and elongated endoscopic insertion instrument for spurting a wash fluid toward and on an observation window of an optical image pickup system fitted in a rigid tip end section of said insertion instrument, said jet nozzle comprising:

a wash fluid inlet passage provided at a proximal end of said jet nozzle coaxially in communication with an axial wash fluid passage in said rigid tip end section of said insertion instrument;

a jet spout passage portion located on a distal end face of said rigid tip end section and terminating with a jet spout opening of a predetermined width, said jet spout passage portion being provided with a straight flow rectifying passage of a predetermined length to said jet outlet opening; and

a turn passage connected between said wash fluid inlet passage and said jet spout passage portion to turn a flow passage of said wash fluid in a radially diverting direction from said axial wash fluid passage and connected to said jet spout passage portion in a radially diverted position on said distal end face of said rigid tip end section.

2. A jet nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein said flow rectifying passage is a straight or a forwardly diverging passage of a predetermined width and said diverting turn passage is curved in shape.

3. A jet nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein part of lenses of said optical objective lens system are movable lenses adapted to be moved in the direction of optical axis by a lens drive means fitted in said insertion instrument, said axial wash fluid passage in said rigid tip end section is located on an axial extension line from said drive means, and said diverting turn passage is curved in a radially diverting direction from said wash fluid passage and connected to said jet spout passage portion on a distal end face of said rigid tip end section at an evasive position with respect to other component parts on said distal end face of said rigid tip end section, permitting said jet spout passage portion to direct jets of said wash fluid straight toward a center of said observation window free of interference with said other component parts.