Inner structure of endoscope

• US 5,667,477 A
• Filed: 01/29/1996
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Segawa, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US08/593,681
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 600/101, 600/104, 600/106, 600/130, 600/131, 600/153, 600/154, 600/156, 604/280, 604/283
• US Class Current: 600/153
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments

Abstract

A tube is inserted into a second connecting member and the second connecting member is moved toward a joint ring along the tube. Then the second connecting member is housed in a housing space of the joint ring to secure a length L2 required for a connecting operation. Next, the first connecting member is pushed into the tube. Then the second connecting member is moved from the housing space along the tube so as to be coupled with the second connecting member. The tube is held between the first and the second connecting members. As a result, the length L2 of the space for connecting the pipe and the tube can be larger than the conventional length L1 by the length L3 by which the second connecting member is housed in the housing space.

Claims

1. An inner structure for an endoscope for use with a medical treatment means, the structure comprising:

an operation section including an opening for inserting the medical treatment means;

a pipe, provided inside the operation section, for guiding the inserted medical treatment means into the operation section;

a tube, provided inside the operation section, for guiding the medical treatment means into an insertion part of the endoscope;

connecting means for connecting the tube to the pipe;

a joint member, provided inside the operation section, for jointing the insertion part to the operation section; and

a housing space, included inside the joint member, for housing the connecting means.

2. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of the housing space is the same as the length of the connecting means.

3. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 2, wherein the housing space has a shape fitting a part of an external shape of the connecting means.

4. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connecting means comprises:

a first connecting member secured to an end of the pipe; and

a second connecting member being coupled with the first connecting member, the second connecting member being movable along the tube passing therethrough to be housed in the housing space.

5. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 4, wherein the length of the housing space is the same as the length of the second connecting member.

6. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 5, wherein the housing space has a shape fitting a part of an external shape of the second connecting member.

7. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second connecting member has a cylindrical shape with a radius of curvature, and wherein the housing space has a round shape of which radius of the curvature is slightly larger than the radius of curvature of the second connecting member.

8. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 7, wherein a center of the curvature for the housing space is shifted from a center of a curvature for an inner space of the joint member by a predetermined distance.

9. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 8, wherein an axis of the second connecting member is on an extension of an axis of the first connecting member when the second connecting member is housed in the housing space.

10. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 9, wherein the first connecting member is cylindrical and includes a tapered forward end, the tapered forward end being inserted into an end of the tube, and wherein the second connecting member includes a conical inner wall, the tube being held between the tapered forward end and the conical inner wall when the first connecting member is coupled with the second connecting member.

11. The inner structure of an endoscope as set forth in claim 10, wherein the first connecting member includes a male screw part, and wherein the second connecting member includes a female screw part, the first connecting member being screwed into the second connecting member.