OVERTUBE FOR ENDOSCOPE AND ENDOSCOPE SYSTEM

Abstract

An overtube for an endoscope includes a tube body, a balloon, a first-communication-path, a second-communication-path, a first-mouthpiece, a second-mouthpiece, a first-connection-section which is provided on the first-mouthpiece, and a second-connection-section which is provided on the second-mouthpiece. The balloon is dilatably/deflatably provided on the tube body. The first-communication-path extends from a distal-end-portion toward a proximal-end-portion of the tube body in a state in which the first-communication-path communicates with the balloon. The second-communication-path extends from a hollow-portion toward the proximal-end-portion of the tube body. The first-mouthpiece projects from the tube body and includes a path communicating with the first-communication-path. The second-mouthpiece projects from the tube body and includes a path communicating with the second-communication-path. The first-connection-section is connected to a first-feed-portion of a fluid-feed-mechanism and is prevented from being connected to a second-feed-portion of the fluid-feed-mechanism. The second-connection-section is connected to the second-feed-portion and is prevented from being connected to the first-feed-portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an endoscope system including an endoscope and an overtube for the endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a schematic, partial longitudinal sectional view of the overtube for the endoscope in the endoscope system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2B schematically shows the overtube in a case where the overtube for the endoscope in the endoscope system according to the first embodiment is observed in a direction of arrow 2B in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a proximal-end-side part of the overtube for the endoscope in the endoscope system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which tube connection portions are connected to proximal-end-side connection sections of the overtube for the endoscope in the endoscope system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C schematically show overtubes for an endoscope in an endoscope system according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which an overtube is fitted over an insertion section of an endoscope of an endoscope system according to a third embodiment of the invention, and an additional balloon for an endoscope is mounted on a distal end portion of the insertion section.

Claims

1. An overtube for an endoscope comprising: a tube body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and including a hollow portion in which an insertion section of an endoscope is inserted;a balloon which is dilatably and deflatably provided on an outer peripheral surface of the tube body;a first communication path which extends toward the proximal end portion of the tube body in a state in which the first communication path communicates with the balloon;a second communication path which extends from the hollow portion toward the proximal end portion of the tube body in a state in which the second communication path communicates with the hollow portion;a first mouthpiece which projects from the outer peripheral surface of the tube body and includes a path communicating with the first communication path;a second mouthpiece which projects from the outer peripheral surface of the tube body and includes a path communicating with the second communication path;a first connection section which is provided on the first mouthpiece, the first connection section being connected to a first feed portion of a fluid feed mechanism and being prevented from being connected to a second feed portion of the fluid feed mechanism; anda second connection section which is provided on the second mouthpiece, the second connection section being connected to the second feed portion of the fluid feed mechanism and being prevented from being connected to the first feed portion of the fluid feed mechanism.

2. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the first connection section has one of a male configuration and a female configuration, and the second connection section has a female configuration when the first connection section has a male configuration, and has a male configuration when the first connection section has a female configuration.

3. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece are provided on mutually opposed sides with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tube body.

4. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece project from mutually adjacent positions on the tube body.

5. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece is connected via a flexible tube to the tube body.

6. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 5, wherein in a case where the flexible tubes are provided between the tube body and the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece, the flexible tubes have different lengths.

7. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece are provided on mutually opposed sides with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tube body.

8. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece project from mutually adjacent positions on the tube body.

9. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece is connected via a flexible tube to the tube body.

10. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 9, wherein in a case where the flexible tubes are provided between the tube body and the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece, the flexible tubes have different lengths.

11. The overtube for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the first connection section and the second connection section are different colors, by which the first connection section and the second connection section are recognized as being different.

12. An endoscope system comprising: an endoscope, the endoscope including:an insertion section having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and including a bend portion which is bendable; andan operation section which is connected to the insertion section and is capable of performing an operation of bending the bend portion; andan overtube, the overtube including:a tube body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and including a hollow portion in which the insertion section is detachably inserted such that the tube body covers a part of the insertion section;a balloon provided on an outer peripheral surface of the tube body;a first communication path which has one end communicating with the balloon and the other end extending toward the proximal end portion of the tube body along the outer peripheral surface of the tube body;a second communication path which has one end communicating with the hollow portion of the tube body and the other end extending toward the proximal end portion of the tube body;a first connection section which is provided on an outside of the tube body, includes a first mouthpiece communicating with the other end of the first communication path, is connectable to a first fluid feed mechanism which feeds and drains a fluid to and from the first communication path, and is prevented from being connected to a second fluid feed mechanism which feeds and drains a fluid to and from the second communication path; anda second connection section which is provided on the outside of the tube body, formed in a shape different from a shape of the first connection section, includes a second mouthpiece communicating with the other end of the second communication path, is connectable to the second fluid feed mechanism which feeds and drains a fluid to and from the second communication path, and is prevented from being connected to the first fluid feed mechanism.

13. The endoscope system according to claim 12, wherein the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece are provided on mutually opposed sides with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tube body.

14. The endoscope system according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece is connected via a flexible tube to the tube body.

15. The endoscope system according to claim 14, wherein in a case where the flexible tubes are provided between the tube body and the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece, the flexible tubes have different lengths.

16. The endoscope system according to claim 12, wherein the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece project from mutually adjacent positions on the tube body.

17. The endoscope system according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece is connected via a flexible tube to the tube body.

18. The endoscope system according to claim 17, wherein in a case where the flexible tubes are provided between the tube body and the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece, the flexible tubes have different lengths.

19. The endoscope system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece is connected via a flexible tube to the tube body.

20. The endoscope system according to claim 19, wherein in a case where the flexible tubes are provided between the tube body and the first mouthpiece and the second mouthpiece, the flexible tubes have different lengths.

21. The endoscope system according to claim 12, wherein the first connection section and the second connection section are different colors, by which the first connection section and the second connection section are recognized as being different.

22. The endoscope system according to claim 12, wherein the first connection section has one of a male configuration and a female configuration such that the first connection section is connected to the first fluid feed mechanism, and the second connection section is connected to the second fluid feed mechanism, has a female configuration when the first connection section has a male configuration, and has a male configuration when the first connection section has a female configuration.

23. The endoscope system according to claim 12, wherein a balloon, which is different from said balloon of the overtube, is provided at the distal end portion of the insertion section.