Endoscope

• US 8,777,845 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Toshiyuki, Ohki, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nia, Alireza
• Application Number:
  US13/403,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 600/127, 600/129, 600/157, 600/171, 600155-156, 600/158, 600/175
• US Class Current: 600/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00091 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00119 Tubes or pipes in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0607 for annular illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/12 with cooling or rinsing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/126 provided with means for cleaning in-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/127 with means for preventing fogging A61B1/253 takes precedence

Abstract

A distal end portion successively provided from an insertion part distal end of an endoscope is provided with an air supply and water supply nozzle, an observation window, and illumination windows, and are formed with mutually parallel first and second flat surfaces. The surface of the observation window is disposed at the same position as the second flat surface. An inclined surface that connects the first flat surface and the second flat surface together is formed at a position that faces the air supply and water supply nozzle. Fluid guide surfaces are formed on both sides of the inclined surface. The fluid guide surfaces incline toward the illumination windows. A fluid jetted from the air supply and water supply nozzle impacts against the inclined surface, spreads to the observation window, and is guided to the fluid guide surfaces, and flows to the illumination windows.

Claims

1. An endoscope, comprising:

a first flat surface formed at a distal end portion of an insertion part to be inserted into a subject, and is orthogonal to an axial direction of the insertion part;

an observation window allowing image light of the subject to be taken therethrough, provided at the distal end portion with a surface of the observation window as a light incidence plane protruding from the first flat surface in a predetermined height;

a pair of illumination windows provided at the distal end portion to irradiate a subject with illumination light;

a fluid jetting nozzle arranged at the first flat surface to jet a fluid toward the observation window;

an inclined surface formed around the observation window and arranged at a position that faces the fluid jetting nozzle; and

a fluid guide surface formed continuously with the inclined surface to guide a fluid to the illumination window,

wherein the pair of illumination windows are positioned on the first flat surface and in a side of an intersection part of the first flat surface and the fluid guide surface, such that a shortest distance between a center of each of the pair of illumination windows and the intersection part is less than a shortest distance between the center of said each of the pair of illumination windows and a perimeter of the first flat surface.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the fluid guide surface inclines toward the illumination window from a distal end to a proximal end.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a rising angle of the fluid guide surface with respect to the first flat surface increases gradually toward an outer peripheral surface side of the distal end portion from a central side of the distal end portion.

4. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein a rising angle of the fluid guide surface with respect to the first flat surface increases gradually toward an outer peripheral surface side of the distal end portion from a central side of the distal end portion.

5. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the distal end portion is provided with a protruding portion disposed at a position opposite to the fluid jetting nozzle with the observation window interposed therebetween, and contacts to a fluid riding over the observation window jetted from the fluid jetting nozzle.

6. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the distal end portion is provided with a protruding portion disposed at a position opposite to the fluid jetting nozzle with the observation window interposed therebetween, and contacts to a fluid riding over the observation window jetted from the fluid jetting nozzle.

7. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the fluid guide surface includes a guide groove formed by cutting away a portion of the fluid guide surface to guide a fluid toward the illumination window from a perimeter of the observation window.

8. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the fluid guide surface includes a guide groove formed by cutting away a portion of the fluid guide surface to guide a fluid toward the illumination window from a perimeter of the observation window.

9. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the distal end portion is formed with a second flat surface arranged on the distal end side of the first flat surface and is parallel to the first flat surface, and

wherein the inclined surface and the fluid guide surface include surfaces that connect the first flat surface and the second flat surface together.

10. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the distal end portion is formed with a second flat surface arranged on the distal end side of the first flat surface and is parallel to the first flat surface, and

wherein the inclined surface and the fluid guide surface include surfaces that connect the first flat surface and the second flat surface together.

11. The endoscope according to claim 9, wherein one of the illumination windows is disposed at the first flat surface, and another one of the illumination windows is disposed at the second flat surface.

12. The endoscope according to claim 10, wherein one of the illumination windows is disposed at the first flat surface, and another one of the illumination windows is disposed at the second flat surface.

13. The endoscope according to claim 11, wherein said another one of the illumination windows is arranged within a range surrounded by two straight lines that do not cross a straight line passing through a jetting direction at positions closer to a downstream side than the fluid jetting nozzle, and the two straight lines pass through both ends of the jetting port and a peripheral edge of the observation window.

14. The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein said another one of the illumination windows is arranged within a range surrounded by two straight lines that do not cross a straight line passing through a jetting direction at positions closer to a downstream side than the fluid jetting nozzle, and the two straight lines pass through both ends of the jetting port and a peripheral edge of the observation window.

15. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the distal end portion is formed with a protruding strip protruding from the first flat surface to the distal end and arranged so as to extend from the observation window toward the illumination window, and

wherein the fluid guide surface is formed at the protruding strip and inclines toward the illumination window from the distal end to the proximal end.

16. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the fluid guide surface is disposed at a position where the fluid guide surface surrounds ⅓

or more and ¾

or less of an entire circumference of the illumination window.

17. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the fluid guide surface is disposed at a position where the fluid guide surface surrounds ⅓

or more and ¾

or less of an entire circumference of the illumination window.

18. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the distal end portion comprises a distal end portion body and a cap-shaped distal end protective cap mounted on a distal end side of the distal end portion body, and

wherein the inclined surface and the fluid guide surface are formed at the distal end protective cap.

19. The endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the distal end portion comprises a distal end portion body and a cap-shaped distal end protective cap mounted on a distal end side of the distal end portion body, and

wherein the inclined surface and the fluid guide surface are formed at the distal end protective cap.

20. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a rising angle of the fluid guide surface with respect to the first flat surface continuously increases toward an outer peripheral surface side of the distal end portion from a central side of the distal end portion.