Endoscope reprocessor, endoscope cleaning tube, and endoscope reprocessing unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017238794-A1
Application number	US-201715592303-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 11, 2017
Priority date	Dec 1, 2015
Publication date	Aug 24, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An endoscope reprocessor includes: a connector to which an endoscope is connected; a fluid supplying section that supplies fluid to the connector; an electromagnet arranged at the connector and including a magnetic material and a coil wound around the magnetic material; a current supplying section; a magnetic force switching portion configured to switch a strength of a magnetic force to at least one of a first strength and a second strength weaker than the first strength; and a control section configured to switch the strength of the magnetic force by controlling the magnetic force switching portion while driving the fluid supplying section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An endoscope reprocessor comprising:
a connector to which an endoscope is connected directly or through a tube; a fluid supplying section that supplies fluid to the connector; an electromagnet arranged at the connector and including a magnetic material and a coil wound around the magnetic material; a current supplying section that applies current to the coil; a magnetic force switching portion connected to the electromagnet, and configured to switch a strength of a magnetic force to at least one of a first strength and a second strength weaker than the first strength; and a control section connected to the magnetic force switching portion and the fluid supplying section, and configured to switch the strength of the magnetic force by controlling the magnetic force switching portion while driving the fluid supplying section.

2 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic force switching portion includes a voltage switching portion that switches a voltage.

3 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 , wherein the control section repeatedly switches the strength of the magnetic force by controlling the magnetic force switching portion while driving the fluid supplying section.

4 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a processing tank in which the endoscope is placed; a lid portion for opening and closing the processing tank; and an open/close detection portion for detecting opening and closing of the lid portion, the open/close detection portion being connected to the control section, wherein the connector is arranged on the processing tank, the magnetic force switching portion is capable of switching the strength of the magnetic force to a third strength weaker than the second strength, and the control section sets the strength of the magnetic force to the third strength by controlling the magnetic force switching portion during detection of the opening of the lid portion by the open/close detection portion.

5 . An endoscope cleaning tube comprising:
an endoscope-side connection portion connected to an endoscope; a connector-side connection portion connected to the connector of the endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 ; a tube body connecting the endoscope-side connection portion and the connector-side connection portion; and an electromagnet attraction portion made of metal and arranged at the connector-side connection portion.

6 . An endoscope reprocessing unit comprising the endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 and the endoscope cleaning tube according to claim 5 ,
wherein the connector-side connection portion includes an insertion port into which the connector is inserted, and
the connector includes, on the outer wall thereof, a flow passage and a watertight portion, the flow passage being separated from an inner wall of the connector-side connection portion and discharging, from the insertion port, the fluid supplied from the fluid supplying section when the strength of the magnetic force is the second strength, the watertight portion being brought into close contact with the inner wall of the connector-side connection portion and closing the flow passage when the strength of the magnetic force is the first strength.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Iwanaga Naoki
• Nakao Tomohiko

Classifications

• B08B9/0323

  Arrangements specially designed for simultaneous and parallel cleaning of a plurality of conduits · CPC title

• B08B9/0325

  Control mechanisms therefor · CPC title

• B08B3/12

  by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations · CPC title

• B08B9/023

  Cleaning the external surfaces {(B08B9/021 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61B1/121 Primary

  provided with means for cleaning post-use · CPC title