Endoscope apparatus

• US 8,221,313 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Noda, Kenji, Oyama, Masatsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): KASZTEJNA, MATTHEW JOHN
• Application Number:
  US12/180,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 600156-159, 604 23- 25, 604/118
• US Class Current: 600/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation

Abstract

A gas supply source for supplying gas and a channel along which the gas is supplied can be easily switched by providing an instrument channel for passing an endoscope treating tool, a gas and water supply channel for supplying carbon dioxide etc. to the inside of a body, a gas supply source for a visceral cavity capable of supplying gas at a predetermined pressure, a gas supply source for a lumen capable of supplying gas at an optional pressure, and a switch device for switching from any of and an instrument channel and a gas and water supply channel to any of the gas supply source for a visceral cavity and the gas supply source for a lumen.

Claims

1. An endoscope apparatus, comprising:

an endoscope insertion unit to be inserted into a body;

a first pipe path, provided in the endoscope insertion unit, for passing an endoscope treating tool;

a second pipe path, provided in the endoscope insertion unit, for supplying gas and a liquid in a tank to the body;

a first gas supply device capable of supplying gas at a predetermined pressure or a predetermined flow rate;

a second gas supply device capable of supplying gas at an optional pressure or an optional flow rate;

a switch unit, provided between the first pipe path and the second pipe path, and between the first gas supply device and the second gas supply device, for switching supply of gas from one of the first gas supply device and the second gas supply device to one of the first pipe path and the second pipe path;

a selection device selecting one of the first gas supply device and the second gas supply device, and selecting one of the first pipe path and the second pipe path; and

a control unit controlling the switch unit depending on output from the selection device, wherein

the switch unit comprises;

a first electromagnetic valve, connected to the first gas supply device, for turning on and off supply of gas from the first gas supply device;

a second electromagnetic valve, connected to the second gas supply device, for turning on and off supply of gas from the second gas supply device;

a third electromagnetic valve, provided between the first pipe path, and the first electromagnetic valve and the second electromagnetic valve, for turning on and off supply of gas to the first pipe path; and

a fourth electromagnetic valve, provided between the second pipe path, and the first electromagnetic valve and the second electromagnetic valve, for turning on and off supply of gas to the second pipe path, and

the control unit turns on and off supply of gas using the first electromagnetic valve, the second electromagnetic valve, the third electromagnetic valve, and the fourth electromagnetic valve.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a display unit displaying operation state information indicating whether or not the first gas supply device is supplying gas, whether or not the second gas supply device is supplying gas, whether or not gas is being supplied to the first pipe path, and whether or not gas is being supplied to the second pipe path.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the display unit is a touch panel, and the selection device can select supply of gas from the first gas supply device or the second gas supply device, and can select supply of gas to the first pipe path or the second pipe path on the touch panel.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first gas supply source connection detection device detecting whether or not the first gas supply device is connected to the first electromagnetic valve;

a second gas supply source connection detection device detecting whether or not the second gas supply device is connected to the second electromagnetic valve 44; and

a gas supply source identification circuit identifying which is connected to each connection port provided for the switch unit, the first gas supply device or the second gas supply device, on a basis of detection results of the first gas supply source connection detection device and the second gas supply source connection detection device, wherein

a first switch device and a second switch device in the switch unit are associated with the first gas supply device and the second gas supply device depending on output from the gas supply source identification circuit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the first gas supply source connection detection device is a first resistor detecting whether or not the first gas supply device is connected to the first electromagnetic valve by detecting an electric resistance value between two electrodes; and

the second gas supply source connection detection device is a second resistor detecting whether or not the second gas supply device is connected to the second electromagnetic valve 44 by detecting an electric resistance value between two electrodes.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

connection portions of the first gas supply device and the first electromagnetic valve can be engaged in shape with each other, connection portions of the second gas supply device and the second electromagnetic valve can be engaged in shape with each other, the first gas supply device and the second electromagnetic valve cannot be engaged in shape with each other, and the second gas supply device and the first electromagnetic valve cannot be engaged in shape with each other;

the first gas supply source connection detection device detects that the first gas supply device is connected to the first electromagnetic valve by engaging the first gas supply device with the first electromagnetic valve; and

the second gas supply source connection detection device detects that the second gas supply device is connected to the second electromagnetic valve by engaging the second gas supply device with the second electromagnetic valve.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first pipe path connection detection device detecting whether or not the first pipe path is connected to the third electromagnetic valve;

a second pipe path connection detection device detecting whether or not the second pipe path is connected to the fourth electromagnetic valve; and

a pipe path identification circuit which is connected to each connection port provided for the switch unit, the first pipe path or the second pipe path, on the basis of detection results of the first pipe path connection detection device and the second pipe path connection detection device, wherein

a third switch device and a fourth switch device in the switch unit are associated with the first pipe path and the second pipe path depending on output from the pipe path identification circuit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the first pipe path connection detection device is a third resistor for detecting whether or not the first pipe path is connected to the third electromagnetic valve by detecting an electric resistance value between two electrodes; and

the second pipe path connection detection device is a fourth resistor for detecting whether or not the second pipe path is connected to the fourth electromagnetic valve by detecting an electric resistance value between two electrodes.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein;

connection portions of the first pipe path and the third electromagnetic valve can be engaged in shape with each other, connection portions of the second pipe path and the fourth electromagnetic valve can be engaged in shape with each other, the first pipe path and the fourth electromagnetic valve cannot be engaged in shape with each other, and the second pipe path and the third electromagnetic valve cannot be engaged in shape with each other;

the first pipe path connection detection device detects that the first pipe path is connected to the third electromagnetic valve by engaging the first pipe path with the third electromagnetic valve; and

the second pipe path connection detection device detects that the second pipe path is connected to the fourth electromagnetic valve by engaging the second pipe path with the fourth electromagnetic valve.