A disinfecting and brushing device for digestive endoscopes

Abstract

This invention discloses a disinfection and cleaning device for digestive endoscopes, relating to the field of medical device disinfection equipment. It includes a combined disinfection machine and a handheld cleaning assembly. The disinfection machine is a main unit housing with a main disinfection chamber and a top-mounted, hinged, and closable cover. The outer wall has a hanging rack and a consumables compartment. The front side has a touch panel, a secondary disinfection chamber, and a disinfectant storage chamber. The secondary disinfection chamber contains a pull-out disinfection drawer. The handheld cleaning assembly includes a grip end and a first and second head located at its two ends. The first head is equipped with a detachable arc-shaped wiping ball and a miniature vibration motor. The second head is equipped with a rotating roller brush and an auxiliary spray nozzle for liquid supply. The grip end is connected to the main unit housing via an integrated flexible hose. This device integrates a handheld dual-head composite cleaning unit with both vibration wiping and roller brush spray modes for coordinated operation. Integrated with the disinfection machine, it achieves precise cleaning of curved crevices in the endoscope, quick consumable replacement, zoned disinfection of accessories, and seamless integration of the cleaning and disinfection processes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to medical device disinfection equipment technology, specifically to a disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope. Background Technology

[0002] Digestive endoscopes are essential medical devices used clinically for the diagnosis and treatment of digestive tract diseases. After use, they come into direct contact with the patient's digestive tract mucosa, making them highly susceptible to contamination with blood, mucus, and various pathogenic microorganisms. If cleaning and disinfection are not thorough, residual pathogens and viruses can spread between different patients through the endoscope, leading to iatrogenic cross-infection. In recent years, with the widespread application of digestive endoscopic diagnostic and treatment technologies and the increasing awareness of medical safety among patients, the quality of endoscope cleaning and disinfection has become an important indicator for evaluating the infection control level of medical institutions.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream method for cleaning and disinfecting endoscopes is a step-by-step process involving both manual cleaning and disinfection using an endoscope cleaning and disinfection machine. First, medical staff manually wipe and rinse the surface of the endoscope to remove visible contaminants, then place it in the disinfection machine for immersion disinfection. While this procedure has become a standard clinical practice, it still suffers from problems such as incomplete cleaning, low disinfection efficiency, and inconvenient handling of accessories.

[0004] A search revealed several improved methods for disinfection of digestive endoscopes in the existing technology. For example:

[0005] 1) Patent application CN113633806A discloses a medical gastroenterology endoscope disinfection device. This patent application includes: a disinfection box, a lid, a cleaning brush, a first rotary drive mechanism, a placement platform, and a second rotary drive mechanism. The disinfection box stores disinfectant. The top of the disinfection box is opened and closed by the lid. The first rotary drive mechanism is mounted on the lid and connected to the cleaning brush. The placement platform is mounted on the lid for the gastroenterology endoscope to pass through. The cleaning brush surrounds the gastroenterology endoscope passing through the placement platform. The second rotary drive mechanism is mounted on the placement platform to drive the gastroenterology endoscope located within the placement platform to rotate. This medical gastroenterology endoscope disinfection device solves the problem in the prior art that causes water to enter the connecting wires of the gastroenterology endoscope.

[0006] 2) Publication No. CN114432474A discloses a medical gastroenterology endoscope disinfection device. This patent application includes a disinfection body, a first disinfection chamber, and a second disinfection chamber. The first and second disinfection chambers are symmetrically located inside the disinfection body along its centerline, and are separated by a partition. This invention has a reasonable structure. The flow velocity on the smaller diameter side of the liquid guiding channel and the spray channel gradually increases, allowing the water flow inside the spray channel to spray onto the surface of the endoscope placed inside the second disinfection chamber. This washes away the mucus on the endoscope surface and fills the second disinfection chamber with the mucus, thus solving the problem of uneven cleaning caused by the inability to clean the contact surface between the clamping assembly and the clamped object, resulting in a large amount of viscous material adhering between the clamped object and the clamping assembly.

[0007] 3) Publication No. CN114798624B discloses a medical gastroenterology endoscope disinfection device. This patent application includes a disinfection tank with a connecting mechanism at the bottom. The connecting mechanism includes a fixed connector, a rotating seat, a first lifting seat, a filling mechanism, and a connecting joint. The fixed connector is fixedly disposed at the bottom of the disinfection tank; the rotating seat is disposed below the disinfection tank; the first lifting seat is embedded in the rotating seat corresponding to the fixed connector position, and the first lifting seat has multiple positioning rods corresponding to the distal end port of the gastroenteroscope; the filling mechanism is disposed on the rotating seat, including a second lifting seat embedded in the rotating seat, multiple filling slots disposed on the second lifting seat corresponding to the distal end port of the gastroenteroscope, and a lifting mechanism disposed at the bottom of each filling slot; the connecting joint is disposed on the rotating seat. In summary, this invention has the advantages of novel structure, convenient use, and more thorough disinfection.

[0008] Although the aforementioned existing technologies have made improvements for different stages of endoscope disinfection, in actual clinical use, there is still a lack of a component that is easy to operate by hand and has a composite cleaning function for fine cleaning of complex parts such as the curved sections of the endoscope and the gaps in the biopsy site. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a disinfection and cleaning device for digestive endoscopes, in order to solve the problem that the existing technology lacks an integrated handheld fine cleaning method for complex parts such as the curved section of the endoscope and the gap of the biopsy site, resulting in incomplete pretreatment and easy damage to the endoscope surface.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope, comprising a disinfection machine and a cleaning handheld assembly arranged in combination, wherein:

[0011] The sterilizer is a main unit housing with a main sterilization chamber inside and a top hinged cover that can be opened and closed. A hanging rack is fixed on the outer wall of the main unit housing. A touch panel and buttons are set on the upper part of the front side of the main unit housing. A secondary sterilization chamber and a sterilization liquid storage chamber are set on the lower part of the front side of the main unit housing. A pull-out sterilization drawer is set on the inner side of the secondary sterilization chamber.

[0012] The handheld cleaning assembly includes a cleaning unit suspended on a bracket on the main unit housing and a consumables compartment fixed to the outer wall of the sterilizer. The cleaning unit has a grip end and a first head connected to the front end of the grip end. The grip end is engaged and fixed with the bracket, and the rear end of the head is connected to the main unit housing via an integrated flexible hose.

[0013] Furthermore, the first head is equipped with a wiping ball head and a vibrating element. The vibrating element is a miniature vibration motor built into the first head, and the wiping ball head is detachably installed at the front end of the first head. This configuration allows the miniature vibration motor to drive the wiping ball head to generate high-frequency micro-vibrations, creating a reciprocating vibration wiping effect when the wiping ball head contacts the surface of the microscope body. This effectively removes contaminants such as mucus and blood stains adhering to complex areas such as curved sections, crevices, and biopsy sites on the microscope body. Compared to simple manual static wiping, the cleaning is more thorough, and the vibration assistance reduces the operator's manual wiping force, thus reducing hand fatigue.

[0014] Furthermore, the consumables compartment is used to store the wiping ball head. The wiping ball head is a porous antibacterial sponge ball structure with an internal rigid support frame. The outer contour of the wiping ball head is an arc-shaped surface, which can fit the endoscope body, corners and gaps for wiping.

[0015] Furthermore, the cleaning unit also includes a second head, which is connected to the rear end of the grip and is positioned opposite to the first head. The second head is a roller brush head with a built-in drive motor and a rotating roller brush at the front end. Both ends of the cleaning unit have two different cleaning functions: vibration wiping and rotating roller brushing. The operator can easily switch between the two cleaning modes simply by changing the grip direction, without needing to change instruments or plug / unplug the head during operation. This significantly improves the continuity and efficiency of the cleaning operation, and is especially suitable for treating various contaminants with different surface properties and varying degrees of dryness and wetness on the microscope body.

[0016] Furthermore, the secondary disinfection chamber is a concave groove, with a disinfection drawer slidably embedded inside. The inner side of the drawer has a partition grid for separating and placing accessories, dividing the interior into multiple independent placement areas. During cleaning, biopsy valves, cleaning brushes, mouth pads, and other digestive endoscope accessories can be categorized and placed in different independent areas, achieving organized storage and zoned disinfection of accessories. This prevents accessories from stacking and obstructing each other during disinfection, thus avoiding interference with disinfectant contact. It also facilitates quick retrieval of corresponding accessories by medical staff, reducing search time and improving the orderliness and efficiency of clinical operations.

[0017] Furthermore, the hanger includes a mounting base plate fixedly connected to the outer wall of the main unit housing and a retaining arm disposed on the mounting base plate. The gripping end is locked within the retaining arm, and the inner side wall of the retaining arm is provided with an anti-slip pad. The cleaning unit can be securely placed on the hanger during usage breaks or after cleaning is completed. The anti-slip pad increases the friction between the retaining arm and the gripping end, preventing the cleaning unit from slipping and falling due to equipment vibration or accidental contact, ensuring stable and reliable storage. At the same time, the external hanger design facilitates quick access and placement, conforming to the usage habits of clinical operations where items are readily available for use.

[0018] Furthermore, the bristles of the rotating roller brush are made of nylon or silicone. Nylon bristles have moderate hardness and elasticity, making them suitable for removing stubborn, dried dirt; silicone bristles are soft and chemically resistant, making them suitable for gently cleaning coated areas or crevices on the lens surface, avoiding scratches. The two materials can be flexibly selected according to actual cleaning needs, balancing cleaning effectiveness and lens protection.

[0019] Furthermore, the integrated flexible tube is a composite tube bundle with an outer corrugated tube and an internal power supply harness and a liquid supply pipeline. The power supply harness is electrically connected to the power output terminal of the sterilizer and the vibration motor, and the liquid supply pipeline is connected to the disinfectant storage chamber at the lower front side of the main unit. The housing of the second head is provided with a liquid supply auxiliary spray hole, which is connected to the liquid supply pipeline through an internal flow channel. The liquid supply auxiliary spray hole is used to spray disinfectant when the rotating roller brush cleans the digestive endoscope.

[0020] Furthermore, the grip end is a cylindrical shell, and the outer wall of the cylindrical shell is equipped with switches and buttons for controlling the liquid supply and the opening and closing of the first and second heads. The operator can complete the cleaning action and mode switching simultaneously with one hand, without having to use the other hand to operate the sterilizer panel.

[0021] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention provides a disinfection and cleaning device for digestive endoscopes. On the one hand, by integrating a disinfection machine and a handheld cleaning component, it constructs a composite workstation integrating cleaning, consumable replacement, and accessory disinfection, seamlessly connecting the handheld pre-cleaning process with the machine-washed deep disinfection process, resulting in a more coherent and efficient operation. On the other hand, by setting a first head with a vibration wiping function and a second head with a rotating roller brush and liquid spraying function, it forms a dual-head composite cleaning unit, allowing the operator to flexibly switch cleaning modes according to the type of contaminant, achieving targeted removal of contaminants of different properties without changing instruments. Specific technical effects include:

[0022] 1. This invention combines a detachable arc-shaped wiping ball head with high-frequency micro-vibration technology. The wiping ball head can closely fit the complex surfaces of the endoscope, such as the body, corners, and gaps. Through vibration, it effectively removes adhering contaminants, solving the problem that traditional manual wiping cannot thoroughly clean curved sections and small gaps.

[0023] 2. The present invention is equipped with a vibrating wiping head and a rotating roller brush head at both ends of the cleaning unit, and integrates liquid supply auxiliary spray holes to realize the dual-mode collaborative operation of vibration wiping and roller brush spraying. The switching can be quickly achieved by turning the grip direction, which significantly improves the flexibility of cleaning operation and the removal efficiency of stubborn dirt.

[0024] 3. This invention enables convenient storage and quick replacement of wiping heads by setting up a consumables compartment, and enables the classified storage and centralized disinfection of digestive endoscope accessories by setting up a secondary disinfection chamber with a partition grid, effectively standardizing accessory management. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the wiping ball head in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning unit in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 1. Main unit housing; 101. Opening and closing cover; 2. Hanging bracket; 3. Touch panel; 4. Disinfection drawer rack; 5. Cleaning unit; 501. Grip end; 502. First cleaning head; 503. Second cleaning head; 504. Wiping ball head; 505. Integrated flexible hose; 6. Consumables compartment. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 3 As shown:

[0034] Example 1:

[0035] The present invention provides a disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope, comprising a disinfection machine and a handheld cleaning component arranged in combination.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sterilizer is a main unit housing 1 with a main sterilization chamber inside and a top hinged cover 101. A hanging bracket 2 is fixed on the outer wall of the main unit housing 1. A touch panel 3 and buttons are provided on the upper part of the front side of the main unit housing 1. A secondary sterilization chamber (not shown in the figure) is provided on the lower part of the front side of the main unit housing 1. A pull-out sterilization drawer 4 is provided inside the secondary sterilization chamber.

[0037] In one embodiment of the present invention, the handheld cleaning assembly includes a cleaning unit 5 suspended on a bracket 2 of the main unit housing 1 and a consumables compartment 6 fixed to the outer wall of the disinfection machine. The cleaning unit 5 has a gripping end 501 and a first head 502 connected to the front end of the gripping end 501. The gripping end 501 is engaged and fixed with the bracket 2, and the rear end of the head is connected to the main unit housing 1 via an integrated flexible hose 505.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, a wiping ball head 504 and a vibrating element are provided on the first machine head 502. The vibrating element is a miniature vibration motor built into the first machine head 502. The wiping ball head 504 is detachably installed on the front end of the first machine head 502.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present invention, the consumables compartment 6 is used to store the wiping ball head 504. The wiping ball head 504 is a porous antibacterial sponge ball structure with a rigid support skeleton inside. The outer contour of the wiping ball head 504 is an arc-shaped surface, which is adapted to the endoscope body, corners and gaps for wiping.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, the secondary disinfection chamber is a concave groove, and the disinfection drawer 4 is slidably embedded inside the secondary disinfection chamber. The inner side of the disinfection drawer 4 is provided with a partition grid for separating the placement of accessories, and the partition grid divides the interior of the disinfection drawer 4 into multiple independent placement areas.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present invention, the bracket 2 includes a mounting base plate fixedly connected to the outer wall of the main unit housing 1 and a holding arm disposed on the mounting base plate, the gripping end 501 being engaged and limited within the holding arm, and the inner side wall of the holding arm being provided with an anti-slip pad layer.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, the integrated flexible tube 505 is a composite tube bundle with an outer corrugated tube and an internal power supply harness, wherein the power supply harness is electrically connected to the power output terminal of the sterilizer and the vibration motor.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gripping end 501 is a cylindrical shell, and the outer wall of the cylindrical shell is provided with a switch button for controlling the liquid supply and the opening and closing of the first head 502.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, one or more combinations of ultraviolet irradiation disinfection, ozone disinfection, high-temperature steam disinfection, or chemical disinfectant immersion disinfection are used.

[0045] Working principle: Example 1 integrates a disinfection machine and a handheld cleaning brush assembly to construct a composite cleaning and disinfection workstation with functions of soaking disinfection in the main disinfection chamber, partitioned processing of accessories in the secondary disinfection chamber, and handheld vibration wiping. It controls the arc-shaped wiping ball head 504 at the front end of the first head 502 to perform high-frequency micro-vibration wiping through the grip end 501, so that the wiping ball head 504 can closely fit the endoscope body, corners and gaps of the digestive endoscope, and achieve efficient vibration peeling and wiping removal of contaminants on complex surfaces. At the same time, the consumables compartment 6 facilitates the quick and easy replacement of the wiping ball head 504, and the disinfection drawer 4 realizes the classified storage and centralized disinfection of accessories.

[0046] As attached Figure 4 As shown:

[0047] Example 2:

[0048] This embodiment is basically the same as the previous embodiment, except that the cleaning unit 5 also includes a second head 503. The second head 503 is connected to the rear end of the grip end 501 and is arranged opposite to the first head 502. The second head 503 is a roller brush head with a built-in drive motor and a rotating roller brush at the front end. The bristles of the rotating roller brush are nylon bristles or silicone bristles.

[0049] In one embodiment of the present invention, a disinfectant storage chamber (not shown in the figure) is also provided on the lower front side of the main unit housing 1. The integrated hose 505 is a composite tube bundle with an outer corrugated pipe and a power supply harness and a liquid supply pipeline inside. The power supply harness is electrically connected to the power output terminal of the disinfection machine and the vibration motor, and the liquid supply pipeline is connected to the disinfectant storage chamber on the lower front side of the main unit housing 1.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing of the second head 503 is provided with a liquid supply auxiliary spray hole, which is connected to the liquid supply pipeline through an internal flow channel. The liquid supply auxiliary spray hole is used to spray disinfectant when the rotating roller brush cleans the digestive endoscope.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gripping end 501 is a cylindrical shell, and the outer wall of the cylindrical shell is provided with a switch button for controlling the liquid supply and the opening and closing of the first head 502 and the second head 503.

[0052] Working Principle: Due to the diverse types of contaminants on the surface of digestive endoscopes, simple vibration wiping has limited effectiveness in removing stubborn, dried contaminants. Therefore, in Example 2, a second head 503 is added, positioned opposite the first head 502, to construct a handheld dual-head composite cleaning unit 5. The front end of this unit is wiped with high-frequency vibration by the first head 502, while the rear end is cleaned by a rotating roller brush from the second head 503, which simultaneously sprays disinfectant through auxiliary nozzles. This dual-mode operation of vibration wiping and roller brush spraying allows the operator to easily switch between the two cleaning methods simply by changing the grip direction, without needing to change instruments. This enables targeted removal of contaminants of different properties, further improving the thoroughness of cleaning and the continuity of operation.

[0053] In conjunction with Embodiments 1 and 2 above, the present invention also provides a method for using a disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope, comprising the following steps:

[0054] 1) Preparation before use: Take the wiping ball head 504 to be used from the consumables compartment 6 and install it to the front end of the first head 502. Sort the accessories of the digestive endoscope or the accessories removed from the digestive endoscope into the disinfection drawer rack 4 of the secondary disinfection chamber and place them in their respective independent placement areas.

[0055] 2) Handheld cleaning brush: Remove the cleaning unit 5 from the hanger 2, hold the holding end 501, and depending on the dirt condition of the area to be cleaned, select the vibration wiping mode of the first head 502 to wipe the curved section and gaps of the lens body, or turn the direction to select the rotating roller brush mode of the second head 503 and open the liquid supply auxiliary spray hole to spray disinfectant while rotating and brushing the stubborn dirt area.

[0056] 3) Disinfection upon entry: After cleaning, remove and discard the used wiping ball head 504, hang the cleaning unit 5 back in the hanger 2, open the cover on the top side of the main unit housing 1, put the digestive endoscope that has been hand-cleaned into the main disinfection chamber, close the cover and start the deep disinfection program.

[0057] It should be noted that, in Embodiments 1 and 2 above, the specific layout of the auxiliary disinfection chamber and the disinfectant storage chamber on the lower front side of the main unit housing 1 can be arranged side-by-side or layered vertically according to actual needs, and their specific positional relationship does not affect the implementation of the technical solution of the present invention. Furthermore, the activation sequence and switching method of the first head 502 and the second head 503 in the cleaning unit 5 are not limited to the usage method described above. The operator can flexibly choose to use a single head or alternately use both heads for cleaning operations according to the actual degree of contamination and type of dirt on the digestive endoscope.

[0058] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope, comprising a disinfection machine and a handheld cleaning assembly arranged in combination, characterized in that: The sterilizer is a main unit housing (1) with a main sterilization chamber inside and a top hinged cover (101). A hanging bracket (2) is fixed on the outer wall of the main unit housing (1). A touch panel (3) and buttons are provided on the upper part of the front side of the main unit housing (1). A secondary sterilization chamber and a sterilization liquid storage chamber are provided on the lower part of the front side of the main unit housing (1). A pull-out sterilization drawer (4) is provided inside the secondary sterilization chamber. The handheld cleaning assembly includes a cleaning unit (5) suspended on a bracket (2) of the main unit housing (1) and a consumables compartment (6) fixed to the outer wall of the disinfection machine. The cleaning unit (5) has a grip end (501) and a first head (502) connected to the front end of the grip end (501). The grip end (501) is engaged and fixed with the bracket (2). The rear end of the head is connected to the main unit housing (1) via an integrated hose (505).

2. The disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first head (502) is provided with a wiping ball head (504) and a vibrating element. The vibrating element is a miniature vibration motor built into the first head (502). The wiping ball head (504) can be detachably installed at the front end of the first head (502). The consumables compartment (6) is used to store the wiping ball head (504). The wiping ball head (504) is a porous antibacterial sponge ball structure with a rigid support skeleton inside. The outer contour of the wiping ball head (504) is a curved surface.

3. The disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning unit (5) also includes a second head (503), which is connected to the rear end of the grip end (501) and is arranged opposite to the first head (502). The second head (503) is a roller brush head with a built-in drive motor and a rotating roller brush at the front end. The housing of the second head (503) is provided with a liquid supply auxiliary spray hole.

4. The disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The secondary disinfection chamber is a concave groove, and the disinfection drawer (4) is slidably embedded inside the secondary disinfection chamber. The inner side of the disinfection drawer (4) is provided with a partition grid for separating and placing accessories.

5. The disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bracket (2) includes a mounting base fixedly connected to the outer wall of the main unit housing (1) and a holding arm disposed on the mounting base. The gripping end (501) is engaged and limited within the holding arm, and the inner wall of the holding arm is provided with an anti-slip pad layer.

6. The disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bristles of the rotating roller brush are made of nylon or silicone.

7. The disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The integrated hose (505) is a composite tube bundle with an outer corrugated tube and an internal power supply harness and a liquid supply pipeline. The power supply harness is electrically connected to the power output terminal of the sterilizer and the vibration motor, and the liquid supply pipeline is connected to the disinfectant storage chamber at the lower front side of the main unit housing (1).

8. The disinfection and cleaning device for a digestive endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grip end (501) is a cylindrical shell, and a switch button is provided on the outer wall of the cylindrical shell.

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