Endoscope cleaning system

• US 5,902,413 A
• Filed: 08/27/1996
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PSK Connectors Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Phillips Ormonde & Fitzpatrick
• Inventors: Puszko, Zbigniew, Puszko, Grazyna Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyon, Harold Y.
• Application Number:
  US08/702,519
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 134/18, 134/22.12, 134/21, 134/22.18, 134/22.11, 134/26, 134/56 R, 134/102.2, 134/166 R, 134/168 C, 134/169 C, 134/170, 134/186, 604/15, 604/267, 422/112, 422/33, 422/292, 422/295
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/122 using cleaning tools, e.g. brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/125 using fluid circuits

Abstract

A cleaning system for an endoscope is disclosed wherein the inlets of respective channels of the endoscope are connected to a suction pump through a connecting device enabling the endoscope to be cleaned by aspirating fluid through the channels under operation of the pump. The connecting device includes as passage arrangement having a plurality of first connecting ports and at least one second connecting port. The device further includes control means to control fluid flow through the passage arrangement enabling individual channels in the endoscope to be isolated from the suction.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning an endoscope having a plurality of individual internal channels, each individual internal channel having an inlet and an outlet, the method comprising:

(i) providing connecting means having a plurality of first connecting ports and at least one second connecting port, each of the first connecting ports being able to be in fluid communication with the at least one second connecting port, the connecting means further including control means operable to inhibit fluid communication between different parts of the connecting device so as to selectively inhibit fluid communication between the at least one second connecting port and respective ones of the first connecting ports;

(ii) connecting each of the inlets of the endoscope to a respective one of the first connecting ports;

(iii) causing fluid to flow through the endoscope and the connecting means between the outlet of the respective internal channels and the at least one second connecting port; and

(iv) cleaning the respective individual internal channels of the endoscope by operating the control means to establish different fluid paths in the connecting means by selectively inhibiting fluid communication between different parts of the connecting means to thereby regulate the flow of fluid in the respective internal channels of the endoscope.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(i) locating the outlets of the channels in fluid; and

(ii) applying suction to at least one of the second connecting ports to aspirate said fluid through the respective individual internal channels of the endoscope.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(i) connecting at least one of the second connecting ports to a fluid source; and

(ii) causing fluid from said fluid source to flow through the respective individual internal channels of the endoscope.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of fluids are caused to flow through the respective individual internal channels of the endoscope.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the fluid caused to flow through the respective individual channels is selected from the group comprising:

water, cleaning solution, air and disinfectant.

6. A connecting device to interconnect an endoscope to a pump, the endoscope incorporating a plurality of individual internal channels each having a respective inlet, the connecting device including passage means formed from a plurality of interconnected individual conduits, first connecting ports located at respective ones of the individual conduits each being secured to a respective one of each of the inlets of the endoscope, and at least one second connecting port connected to the pump, the at least one second connecting port being formed in said passage means and arranged in fluid communication with each of the first connecting ports, the connecting device further including control means operable to inhibit fluid communication between selective ones of the plurality of conduits so as to selectively inhibit fluid communication between the at least one second connecting port and respective ones of the first connecting ports to establish different fluid paths in the connecting device to thereby regulate the flow of fluid in the individual internal channels of the endoscope under operation of the pump.

7. The connecting device according to claim 6, wherein the passage means include viewing means enabling visual inspection of fluid in the passage means.

8. The connecting device according to claim 6, further including coupling elements located at the respective first connecting ports, each coupling element enabling the first connecting port to which it is associated with to be sealingly connected to a respective one of the inlets of the endoscope.

9. The connecting device according to claim 6, wherein the passage means is formed from elastomer tubing.

10. The connecting device according to claim 6, wherein the device includes a plurality of second connecting ports.

11. The connecting device according to claim 6 wherein the control means includes at least one valve operable to prevent fluid flow through a selected one conduit of the plurality of conduits.

12. The connecting device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of conduits interconnect at a junction and wherein said valve is located at the junction and is operable to control fluid flow through the respective individual conduits intersecting at said junction.

13. The connecting device according to claim 11, wherein the valve comprises a stopcock.

14. A cleaning apparatus for an endoscope incorporating a plurality of individual internal channels each having an outlet located at a distal end of the endoscope, and an inlet, the cleaning apparatus comprising:

a connecting device,

a pump,

a fluid bath,

the connecting device connecting in fluid communication the individual internal channels to the pump,

wherein the distal end of the endoscope is located in fluid communication with the fluid bath, and

wherein the connecting device comprises;

passage means formed from a plurality of interconnected individual conduits,

first connecting ports located at respective ones of the individual conduits each being secured to a respective one of the inlets of the endoscope, and at least one second connecting port secured to the pump the at least one second connecting port being formed in said passage means and arranged in fluid communication with each of the first connecting ports, and

control means operable to inhibit fluid communication between selective ones of the plurality of conduits so as to selectively inhibit fluid communication between the at least one second connecting port and respective ones of the first connecting port,

the cleaning apparatus being arranged such that on operation of the pump, fluid from the bath is caused to flow from the distal end through the individual internal channels of the endoscope, the control means being operable to establish different fluid flow paths in the connecting means by selectively inhibiting fluid communication between different parts of the connecting device so as to regulate the flow of fluid in the individual internal channels of the endoscope.

15. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the connecting device is connected to the respective inlets of the individual internal channels, and wherein the pump is a suction pump such that fluid from the fluid bath is aspirated from the distal end through the individual internal channels of the endoscope.