Endoscope reprocessor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018064324-A1
Application number	US-201715807637-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 9, 2017
Priority date	May 21, 2015
Publication date	Mar 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An endoscope reprocessor includes a concentration sensor including a concave section in which a sensing section is housed and a permeable membrane configured to cover the concave section, a medicinal solution tank, to an inside of which at least the permeable membrane is exposed and on the inside of which a disinfection solution is stored, and a heating section configured to heat at least the permeable membrane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An endoscope reprocessor comprising:
a concentration sensor including a concave section in which a sensing section is housed and a permeable membrane configured to cover the concave section; a medicinal solution tank, at least the permeable membrane being exposed to an inside of the medicinal solution tank and a medicinal solution being stored in the inside of the medicinal solution tank; and a heating section configured to heat at least the permeable membrane.

2 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 , wherein
an internal solution is sealed in the concave section by the permeable membrane, and the sensing section includes an electrode, at least a part of the electrode being immersed in the internal solution.

3 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 , wherein the medicinal solution tank includes:
a main body section in which the medicinal solution is stored; a concentration measurement chamber, a capacity of the concentration measurement chamber being smaller than a capacity of the main body section, the concentration sensor being disposed on an inside of the concentration measurement chamber to expose at least the permeable membrane; and a medicinal-solution lead-in section configured to introduce the medicinal solution into the concentration measurement chamber from the main body section.

4 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 3 , wherein
the medicinal solution tank further includes a medicinal-solution lead-out section configured to introduce the medicinal solution into the main body section from the concentration measurement chamber, the medicinal-solution lead-in section includes a medicinal-solution transfer section configured to transfer the medicinal solution in the main body section, and the medicinal solution is circulated between the main body section and the concentration measurement chamber via the medicinal-solution lead-in section and the medicinal-solution lead-out section according to driving of the medicinal-solution transfer section.

5 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 3 , wherein, in the medicinal-solution lead-in section or the concentration measurement chamber, the heating section further heats the medicinal solution to thereby heat the permeable membrane via the medicinal solution and heats the medicinal solution to a temperature higher than a service temperature of the medicinal solution.

6 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 , wherein the heating section directly heats the permeable membrane in the medicinal solution tank.

7 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 , wherein the heating section is a heater.

8 . The endoscope reprocessor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a dryness detecting section configured to detect a dryness degree of the permeable membrane; and a control section connected to the heating section and the dryness detecting section, wherein when the dryness degree of the permeable membrane detected by the dryness detecting section is equal to or larger than a reference value, the control section performs control for driving the heating section.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp
• Horiba Advanced Techno Co Ltd

Inventors

• Onishi Hideto
• AKAHORI Hiromasa
• AWAU Yumiko
• Ogawa Akihisa
• Suzuki Shintaro
• Kawaguchi Yoshihiko
• Kai Satoko

Classifications

• A61L2103/15

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

• A61L2/18 Primary

  Liquid substances · CPC title

• B08B9/023

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

• A61L2202/14

  Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs · CPC title

• A61L2202/17

  Combination with washing or cleaning means · CPC title