Liquid supplying apparatus and endoscope reprocessing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016270646-A1
Application number	US-201615171180-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A liquid supply apparatus includes: a storing tank configured to store a liquid; a supply conduit through which the liquid remained inside the supply conduit flows reversely into the storing tank by a predetermined amount over time, the supply conduit having a first end portion connected to the storing tank; a liquid feeding section which is arranged at the storing tank or the supply conduit, and which is configured to feed the liquid from the storing tank to a second end portion of the supply conduit; a time measuring section which measures an elapsed time from stop of the liquid feeding by the liquid feeding section; and a control section which is connected to the liquid feeding section and the time measuring section and which is configured to drive the liquid feeding section for a predetermined time based on a length of the elapsed time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A liquid supply apparatus comprising:
a storing tank configured to store a liquid; a supply conduit through which the liquid remained inside the supply conduit flows reversely into the storing tank by a predetermined amount over time, the supply conduit having a first end portion connected to the storing tank; a liquid feeding section which is arranged at the storing tank or the supply conduit, and which is configured to feed the liquid from the storing tank to a second end portion of the supply conduit; a time measuring section which measures an elapsed time from stop of the liquid feeding by the liquid feeding section; and a control section which is connected to the liquid feeding section and the time measuring section and which is configured to drive the liquid feeding section for a predetermined time based on a length of the elapsed time.

2 . The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising,
a liquid flow detection section which is configured to detect a flow of the liquid in the supply conduit, wherein the time measuring section measures an elapsed time from a clock time at which the stop of the liquid feeding by the liquid feeding section is detected by the liquid flow detection section.

3 . The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the supply conduit includes a first connection portion connected to the storing tank, and further includes a first conduit arranged at a position lower than the storing tank in a direction of gravitational force, and a second conduit which connects the first conduit and the second end portion and which is arranged at a position upper than the first connection portion in the direction of gravitational force.

4 . The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the supply conduit includes a third connection portion which is arranged at a position upper than the storing tank in a direction of gravitational force and which is connected to the storing tank, and a third conduit arranged at a position upper than the third connection portion in the direction of gravitational force, and the supply conduit includes, at a position apart by a predetermined distance from the third connection portion, a constriction section that constricts the third conduit.

5 . The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the constriction section is a check valve that causes the liquid of a predetermined flow rate to flow reversely.

6 . The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the liquid feeding section is a pump including therein the constriction section.

7 . An endoscope reprocessing apparatus comprising:
the liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1 ; and a processing basin in which an endoscope can be arranged and into which the liquid supplied from the liquid supply apparatus is introduced.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Yashima Taiki
• Komiya Takaaki

Classifications

• A61L2103/15

  Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps · CPC title

• G05D7/0676

  by action on flow sources (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence) · CPC title

• B67D7/763

  of air separators · CPC title

• B67D7/62

  power operated · CPC title

• B08B3/08

  the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect · CPC title