Surgery – Endoscope – Having auxiliary channel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2001-07-17
Nasser, Robert L. (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Endoscope
Having auxiliary channel
C600S560000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261227
ABSTRACT:
SPECIFICATION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air feeding device for an endoscope to feed air into body cavity.
Conventionally, an air feeding device for an endoscope has been known. The air feeding device has an air compressor which compresses the air within a sealed space, and by opening/closing a valve connected to the sealed space, the air is fed to the human body cavity through a tube such as a forceps channel of an endoscope. In such an air feeding device, in order to measure the pressure of the air, a Y-shaped tube is provided to branch off a path of the air, and a pressure gauge is connected to the branched path. It is known that, if the length of the tube extending inside the human body cavity and the length of the tube extending toward the pressure gauge are made substantially the same, the pressure of the air discharged from the channel of the endoscope toward the body cavity can be detected accurately by the pressure gauge connected to the Y-shaped tube.
When the pressure of the discharged air (hereinafter, referred to as a discharge pressure) is to be changed, the pressure in the sealed space should be adjusted so that the desired discharge pressure is obtained. In the conventional air feeding device, in order to measure the discharge pressure, the air should actually be discharged. Therefore, the pressure within the sealed space should be adjusted by comparing the, actual discharge pressure with a desired discharge pressure (i.e., a target discharge pressure to be achieved). Due to such a configuration, it is impossible to set the pressure within the sealed space to a value corresponding to the desired discharge pressure in advance, and a large amount of air is discharged uselessly until the actual discharge pressure is adjusted to be a desired value. Further, since the Y-shaped tube is used and the amount of discharged air is increased, once the pressure in the sealed space is reduced, it takes time to raise the pressure in the sealed space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved air feeding device in which the pressure of the sealed space can be set to an appropriate pressure at which the air is discharged at a desired discharge pressure, without discharging the air during the adjustment.
For the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an air feeding device for an endoscope system in which air is compressed in a sealed space and discharged from an outlet of a tube connected to the sealed space, provided with: a pressure sensor that detects a pressure of the air in the sealed space, a pressure adjusting system that adjusts the pressure of air in the sealed space; a pressure setting device through which an operator is capable of setting a discharge pressure; a memory storing a relationship between a discharge pressure and a pressure in the sealed space; and a pressure controller that controls the pressure adjusting system in accordance with (1) the air pressure detected by the pressure sensor, (2) the discharge pressure set by the pressure setting device and (3) the relationship stored in the memory.
Since the relationship between the pressure of the sealed space and the discharge pressure is stored in the memory, the pressure of the sealed space to be achieved can be determined from the target discharge pressure set through the pressure setting device. Accordingly, it is not necessary to actually discharge the air when the air feeding device is adjusted to discharge the air at the target desired pressure.
Specifically, the relationship includes an approximate expression, and the pressure controller determines the pressure in the sealed space in accordance with the approximate expression and the discharge pressure set through the pressure setting device.
The approximate expression is a polynomial, a linear expression, or a quadratic. If the changeable range of the discharge pressure is limited, a look up table can be used.
Optionally, the pressure adjusting system may include a compressor for feeding external air into the sealed space. In such a case, the pressure adjusting system may be provided with a pressure control valve connected to the sealed space. The pressure control valve is used for discharging the air in the sealed space to reduce the pressure in the sealed space.
Preferably, the pressure adjusting system may be provided with a second pressure sensor for measuring a pressure discharged from the sealed space.
Further, the air feeding device may be provided with an air discharge valve connected between the sealed space and the tube. The air discharge valve is operated to open to discharge the air from the tube such as a forceps channel of an endoscope.
Further optionally, the air feeding device may be provided with a display system which displays the target discharge pressure set through the pressure setting device and the actual discharge pressure detected by the second pressure sensor.
Preferably, the target discharge pressure set through the pressure setting device and the pressure detected by the second pressure sensor are displayed vertically aligned.
Optionally, the discharge pressure set through the pressure setting device is displayed in a first display condition when the discharge pressure is being set but not established or in a second display condition, which is different from the first display condition, when the discharge pressure has been established and is not being set.
Further optionally, a predetermined mark is displayed together with the discharge pressure set through the pressure setting device in the first display condition, while the predetermined mark is extinguished in the second display condition.
Still optionally, the pressure setting device includes a first switch for increasing the discharge pressure and a second switch for decreasing the discharge pressure. The discharge pressure is changed by a predetermined amount upon each operation of the first or second switch, while the discharge pressure is changed subsequently and quickly when the first or second switch is held depressed for longer than a predetermined period.
In a particular case, a mark indicating subsequent change of the discharge pressure is displayed together with the discharge pressure set through the first or second switch when the first or second switch is held depressed for the predetermined period.
Preferably, a latest discharge pressure set by the pressure setting device is displayed as the target discharge pressure set by the pressure setting device until the discharge pressure is set by the pressure setting device.
Further preferably, a latest pressure measured by the second pressure sensor is displayed as the actual discharge pressure measured by the second pressure sensor.
Yet optionally, one of a plurality of units is selectable for displaying the discharge pressure set through the pressure setting device and the pressure measured by the pressure sensor.
The plurality of units may include [mmHg], [Pa] and [Kgf/cm
2
].
Still optionally, the relationship includes an approximate expression, and the pressure controller determines the pressure in the sealed space in accordance with the approximate expression and the discharge pressure set through the pressure setting device.
The approximate expression can be a polynomial, a linear expression or a quadratic.
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patent: 5249579 (1993-10-01), Hobbs et al.
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patent: 5377688 (1995-01-01), Aviv et al.
patent: 5431150 (1995-07-01), Yabe et al.
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patent: 5643302 (1997-07-01), Beiser et al.
patent: 5676155 (1997-10-01), Novak et al.
Takahashi Noriaki
Takami Satoshi
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Marmor II Charles
Nasser Robert L.
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