Front end structure of endoscope

• US 5,725,476 A
• Filed: 09/12/1996
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Iwata, Hiroshi, Ito, Keiji, Ogino, Takayuki, Yasui, Naoki, Katsurada, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US08/712,866
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 600/121, 600/123, 600/125, 600/127, 600/129, 600/153, 600/156, 600/157, 600/158, 600/203, 600/187, 600/205, 600/188
• US Class Current: 600/127
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00091 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00101 the distal tip features being detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/127 with means for preventing fogging A61B1/253 takes precedence

Abstract

A cap assembly of a front end of an inserting portion of an endoscope and a cap to be attached to the front end of the endoscope, comprising; a first engaging portion provided on the front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope; and, a second engaging portion provided on the cap being disengageably engaged with the first engaging portion of the endoscope. The front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope is provided with a projection whose diameter being smaller than a diameter of the front end, the projection being connected to the front end through a stepped portion.

Claims

1. A front end structure of an endoscope comprising:

a front end body, a front end surface of said front end body, a plurality of fluid outlet ports opening on said front end surface, a recess extending rearwardly from said front end surface disposed on an outer edge of said front end surface and an engageable shield projection extending forwardly from said front end surface to a projection front end surface, said engageable shield projection having a viewing window and an illuminating window substantially flush on said projection front end surface; and

an end cap formed of a resilient material, said end cap having an end cap front surface, an end cap rear surface and a through hole extending therethrough from said end cap rear surface to said end cap front surface into which said engageable shield projection is inserted when said end cap is mounted on said front end body whereby said projection front end surface aligns substantially with said end cap front surface when said end cap rear surface abuts said front end body front end surface;

an end cap projection extending rearwardly from an outer edge of said end cap rear surface, said end cap projection being configured to mate with said front end body recess and disposed to fit into said recess when said engageable shield projection is inserted in said through hole; and

a nozzle passage extending though said end cap, said nozzle passage aligning with said plurality of fluid outlet ports and discharging onto said window when said end cap is mounted on said front end body.

2. A front end structure according to claim 1, further comprising a specific portion at which said end cap can be detached from said front end body with a force smaller than a normal force necessary to detach said end cap from said front end body at said remaining portion.