EP0075153A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air-liquid supplying device for an endoscope
Assignee: Olympus Corp
•
Filing: 1982-09-02
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2002-09-02
Abstract
Abstract An endoscope air-liquid supplying device comprises an air tube (7) connected to an air supplying source (16) to guide air, a liquid tube (6) connected to a vessel (15) to guide liquid, a changeover control valve (9) provide in the control section (3) of the endoscope (1) connected to the intermediate part of the air tube and liquid tube, and effecting the selective flow of air and liquid delivered from the air and liquid tube, a float (23) kept buoyant by a liquid held in the vessel, a movable member (25) which projects from the liquid level and rises or falls with the vertical shifting of the liquid level, a stationary member (21) which is fixed to the vessel and allows for the insertion of the movable member in a vertically movable state, first and second contact members (26, 27) which are respectively fitted to said movable and stationary members and brought into electric contact when the movable member descends due to the fall of the liquid content of the vessel from a prescribed level.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasuhiro Ueda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 13:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/12; G; G01; G01F; G01F23/00; G01F23/30; G01F23/56; G01F23/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
An endoscope air-liquid supplying device which comprises: an air supplying source (16); an air tube (7) connected to the air supplying source to guide air; a vessel (15) for holding a liquid; a liquid tube (6) connected to the vessel to guide liquid; and a changeover control valve (9) provided in the control section (3) of the endoscope (1) connected to the intermediate part of the air tube (7) and liquid tube (6), and effecting the selective flow of air and liquid delivered from the air and liquid tube, characterized by comprising: detection means (19) which detects that the liquid content of the vessel falls from a prescribed level and issues a signal denoting the result of said detection; and display means which is provided to the control section (3) to indicate upon receipt of an output signal from the detection means (19) that the liquid content of the vessel has decreased from a prescribed level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
An endoscope air-liquid supplying device which comprises: an air supplying source (16); an air tube (7) connected to the air supplying source to guide air; a vessel (15) for holding a liquid; a liquid tube (6) connected to the vessel to guide liquid; and a changeover control valve (9) provided in the control section (3) of the endoscope (1) connected to the intermediate part of the air tube (7) and liquid tube (6), and effecting the selective flow of air and liquid delivered from the air and liquid tube, characterized by comprising: detection means (19) which detects that the liquid content of the vessel falls from a prescribed level and issues a signal denoting the result of said detection; and display means which is provided to the control section (3) to indicate upon receipt of an output signal from the detection means (19) that the liquid content of the vessel has decreased from a prescribed level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
118 words
The endoscope air-liquid supplying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection means (19) comprises: a float (23) kept buoyant by a liquid held in the vessel; a movable member (25) which projects from the liquid level and rises or falls with the vertical shifting of the liquid level; a stationary member (21) which is fixed to the vessel and allows for the insertion of the movable member in a vertically movable state; and first and second contact members (26, 27) which are respectively fitted to said movable and stationary members and brought into electric contact when the movable member descends due to the fall of the liquid content of the vessel from a prescribed level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
120 words
The endoscope air-liquid supplying device according to claim 2, characterized in that the vessel (15) comprises an opening formed in the upper portion and a cap (17) for closing said opening; the fixed member (21) comprises a cylindrical member which vertically extends through the cap and whose lower end is provided with a closed wall; the movable member (25) comprises a shaft which vertically projects from the float, penetrates the closed wall, extends through the cylindrical member in a vertically movable state, and is provided with a flange (24) at the projecting end; and the first and second contact members are respectively provided inside of the closed wall and on the underside of the flange in a mutually facing state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
142 words
The endoscope air-liquid supplying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection means (19) comprises: first and second movable members (34, 39) which are kept buoyant by the liquid held in the vessel, project from the liquid level, and vertically move with the rise and fall of the liquid level, said first movable member being so arranged as to be vertically moved relative to the second movable member; and ' first and second contact strips (26, 27) which are respectively formed on the first and second movable members and electrically contact each other, when the fall of the liquid content of the vessel from a prescribed level causes the downward movement of the first movable member to be obstructed by the bottom wall of the vessel, and the second movable member is moved downward relative, to the first movable member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
The endoscope air-liquid supplying device according to claim 4, characterized in that the second movable member (34) comprises a box-shaped member whose upper wall lies above the liquid level; the first movable member (39) comprises a shaft which vertically extends from the liquid level, and whose extended end is positioned in the box-shaped member and provided with a flange (38); and the first and second contact members are respectively mounted on the surface of the flange of the shaft and on the underside of the upper wall of the box-shaped member in a mutually facing state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
The endoscope air-liquid supplying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection means (19) comprises a fixed member (41) and a spring (43) for elastically holding the vessel (15) so as to let it vertically move between the first and second positions in accordance with the weight of a liquid held in the vessel; the first and second contact members (26, 27) are respectively fitted to the vessel and fixed member in a mutually facing state; and when the vessel assumes the second position due to the substantial withdrawal of a liquid from the vessel, the first and second contact members are electrically connected together.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The endoscope air-liquid supplying device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display means (31) comprises an illuminating member for emitting a light upon receipt of a detection signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The endoscope air-liquid supplying device according to claim 7, characterized in that the illuminating member is so set in the control section as to be observed from the outside thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The endoscope air-liquid supplying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the display means is a sound-producing member (52).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.