Mechanical- and electrical-mode changeable endoscope conduit controller

• US 6,334,844 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Akiba, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): MULCAHY, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/637,635
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 600/156-159, 604/30, 604/33
• US Class Current: 600/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00068 Valve switch arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/12 with cooling or rinsing arrangements

Abstract

An endoscope conduit controller makes it possible to selectively use both fluid control by a mechanical valve and fluid control by a solenoid-valve unit in one system. The controller is constituted so that both a mechanical suction member and an electrical suction member having a solenoid-valve opening/closing switch can be removably set to a catching port of a catching part provided for a case body of an endoscope operation part. Moreover, the controller is configured so that an operation signal of the electrical suction member is transmitted to a solenoid-valve unit by electrical connection unit set in an endoscope or through an external signal cable or the like. Furthermore, the same is true for the case of air supply/water supply. Thereby, it is possible to selectively perform fluid control by a mechanical valve or fluid control by a solenoid-valve unit in one endoscope.

Claims

1. A mechanical- and electrical-mode changeable endoscope conduit controller, comprising:

a mechanical operation member for controlling the flow of a fluid in an endoscope conduit in accordance with a mechanical valve configuration;

an electrical operation member for securing the flow of the fluid in the conduit and controlling the flow by an electrical switch;

an operation member catching part on which the conduit is formed and which makes it possible to selectively set or remove both the mechanical operation member and the electrical operation member; and

electrical connection means for electrically connecting the electrical switch to the body side when the electrical operation member is set to the operation member catching part.

2. The endoscope conduit controller according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical operation member and the electrical operation member are applied to a suction member for controlling a fluid in a suction tube serving as an endoscope conduit.

3. The endoscope conduit controller according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical operation member and the electrical operation member are applied to an air-supply/water-supply operation member for controlling fluids in an air-supply tube and a water-supply tube serving as endoscope conduits.

4. An endoscope conduit controller, comprising:

a mechanical operation member for controlling the flow of a fluid in an endoscope conduit in accordance with a mechanical valve configuration;

a catching part to which the mechanical operation member is removable fitted and on which the conduit is set;

an electrical operation member which is configured so as to be removable from the catching part and which secures the flow of the fluid in the conduit and controls the flow with an electrical switch; and

signal transmission means for inputting an operation signal of the electrical operation member to an electrical fluid supply part through the outside of an endoscope.

5. The endoscope conduit controller according to claim 4, wherein the mechanical operation member and the electrical operation member are applied to a suction member for controlling a fluid in a suction tube serving as an endoscope conduit.

6. The endoscope conduit controller according to claim 4, wherein the mechanical operation member and electrical operation member are applied to an air-supply/water-supply operation member for controlling fluids in an air-supply tube and a water-supply tube serving as endoscope conduits.