Valve slide for a valve unit used as an insufflation and purging valve, valve unit having a corresponding valve slide, and method for producing a valve slide

A valve slide for a valve unit, serving as an insufflation and purging valve, of a medical endoscope, which valve slide can be inserted by way of a distal control section into a receiving bore which is configured at least indirectly in a manual actuation part of the endoscope and is connected to air inlet channels and air outlet channels and to purging liquid inflow channels and purging liquid outlet channels, the valve slide having a proximal actuating section which is guided through a retaining ring and is provided with an actuating button, the actuating button being supported firstly on the retaining ring via a compression spring, and secondly an annular projection of the valve slide interacting as a stop which acts in the axial direction with the retaining ring, and sealing rings being provided on the distal control section of the valve slide, which sealing rings project radially beyond the valve slide and are provided to seal at least one control space of the valve unit in a manner which slides on an inner circumferential face of the receiving bore, wherein an outer circumferential face of the distal control section is of smooth-walled configuration apart from the projection and radial guide sections which are possibly provided on said outer circumferential face, and wherein the sealing rings are connected in an integrally joined manner to the smooth-walled outer circumferential face.

A valve unit of a medical endoscope, which valve unit serves as an insufflation valve and a purging valve with a common valve slide which is arranged by way of a distal control section in a receiving bore of a valve housing such that it can be displaced, an air inlet channel which is connected to a compressed air source and a purging liquid inflow channel which is connected to a liquid supply opening into the receiving bore, and an air outlet channel and a purging liquid outlet channel emanating from said receiving bore, which channels lead to a distal end of the endoscope, the valve slide being provided with a proximal actuating section which projects axially beyond a retaining ring which encloses the valve slide, which actuating section is connected at its end to an actuating button, the actuating button being supported firstly on the retaining ring via a compression spring, and secondly an annular projection of the valve slide interacting as a stop which acts in the axial direction with the retaining ring, sealing rings being provided on the distal control section of the valve slide, which sealing rings project radially beyond the valve slide and are guided in a sliding manner on an inner circumferential face of the receiving bore, in order to seal control spaces of the valve unit with respect to one another, characterized in that at least one outer circumferential face is of smooth-walled configuration in the region of the distal control section, apart from radially projecting guide sections which are possibly provided on said outer circumferential face, and wherein the sealing rings are connected in an integrally joined manner to the smooth-walled outer circumferential face.