Suction button assembly for endoscope
OwnerKenji YAMANEinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An endoscope includes an operation unit, an elongated tube, a distal opening, a suction channel, and a discharge conduit. A suction button assembly has a valve structure for changing over between the discharge conduit and the suction channel for communication and shut-off. The suction button assembly includes a plunger, a first stem end, and a valve opening of the plunger. A cap device is coupled to the first stem end and to the first cylinder end of a cylinder housing in the operation unit, and around the first stem end. A first regulating device prevents the plunger from rotating in the cap device. A second regulating device prevents the cap device from rotating about an axis of the cylinder housing, to keep the valve opening aligned with a flow opening of a cylinder passage of the cylinder housing.
Claims19
A suction button assembly for an endoscope including an operation unit, a section of an elongated tube for entry in a body cavity, and a suction channel and a discharge conduit disposed with said operation unit, wherein a distal opening is formed in a distal end of said elongated tube, said suction channel is disposed to extend to said distal opening, said discharge conduit is connected to a negative pressure source, said suction button assembly comprising:
- a cylinder housing, disposed on said operation unit, and including a cylinder passage, a valve engaging surface and a flow opening, said cylinder passage being formed through said cylinder housing, said valve engaging surface being disposed in said cylinder passage, said flow opening formed in a wall of said cylinder passage, said cylinder passage having first and second cylinder openings, said first cylinder opening being connected to said suction channel, said valve engaging surface being tapered with an inner diameter decreasing from said first cylinder opening toward said second cylinder opening, said discharge conduit extending from said flow opening;
- a plunger, contained in said cylinder passage in a slidable manner, and including a stem end, a valve head and a flow channel, said stem end protruding from said second cylinder opening, said valve head being movable to and from said valve engaging surface for contact, said flow channel being opposed to said flow opening, wherein said plunger is in a closed position when said stem end is free from being depressed, and is in an open position when said stem end is depressed, and said valve head, when said plunger is in said closed position, contacts said valve engaging surface for interruption between said suction channel and said discharge conduit, and when said plunger is in said open position, leaves from said valve engaging surface for communication between said suction channel and said discharge conduit in cooperation with said flow channel aligned with said flow opening;
- a cap device, secured to said stem end and said cylinder housing, for covering said stem end;
- a first regulating device for preventing said plunger from rotating in said cap device;
- and
- a second regulating device for preventing said cap device from rotating about an axis of said cylinder housing, whereby keeping said flow channel aligned with said flow opening.
A suction button assembly of a valve structure for an endoscope, comprising:
- a cylinder housing;
- a cylinder passage formed through said cylinder housing;
- a plunger, contained in said cylinder passage, and slidable between open and closed positions;
- a suction channel formed with said cylinder housing to extend in an upstream direction from said cylinder passage;
- a discharge conduit formed with said cylinder housing to extend in a downstream direction from said cylinder passage;
- a flow opening formed in a wall of said cylinder passage, said discharge conduit extending from said flow opening;
- a flow channel, formed in said plunger, for communicating said suction channel with said discharge conduit through said flow opening when said plunger is in said open position;
- a cap device, secured to an upper end of said plunger, for covering said plunger over said cylinder housing;
- a first regulating device for preventing said plunger from rotating in said cap device;
- a second regulating device for preventing said cap device from rotating about an axis of said cylinder housing, to keep said flow channel aligned with said flow opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.