Endoscope apparatus having valve device for supplying water and gas

Claim 1

A valve device having at least two valve bodies arranged side by side for supplying and drawing water and supplying gas, said device comprising: a valve body having a tubular cap; at least two cylinders provided in said valve body, said at least two cylinders each having an open lower end; a plurality of inlet ports corresponding in number to said at least two cylinders, said inlet ports communicating with a first one of said at least two cylinders, said inlet ports extending substantially perpendicular to an axis of said first one of said at least two cylinders and being spaced apart in an axial direction of said first one of said at least two cylinders; at least one outlet port communicating with a second one of said at least two cylinders opposing said first one of said at least two cylinders, said second one of said at least two cylinders being connected to said tubular cap of said valve body; valve means slideably mounted in said at least two cylinders for opening and closing a flow of fluid from at least one of said inlet ports to said at least one outlet port; and one cap removably coupled to said valve body, said one cap including: (i) seal members for closing the open lower ends of said at least two cylinders, respectively, and (ii) at least one partition dividing said first one of said at least two cylinders into one of: (a) a passage and a groove and (b) a passage and a second inlet port.