JP2015533300A - Multi-camera endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

Two distal ends of a multi-camera endoscope, a forward-facing camera and an individual forward illuminator associated with the camera, and two disposed at or near the distal end of the distal end A tip comprising: two or more side-facing cameras having individual side illuminators associated with each of the cameras, and a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool. Provide department. [Selection] Figure 5B

Description

  The present invention relates to a multi-camera endoscope.

  Endoscopes are widely accepted in the medical community because they provide a means for a surgeon to observe the internal structure of a patient while performing surgery with minimal patient trauma. Over the years, a number of endoscopes have been developed and classified according to specific applications such as cystoscopy, colonoscopy, laparoscopy, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The endoscope can be inserted into a human body specific opening or through a skin incision.

  An endoscope is typically a rigid or flexible elongated tubular shaft with a video camera or fiber optic lens assembly at the distal end. The shaft is connected to a handle, which may include an eyepiece for direct viewing. Observation is usually possible via an external screen. Various surgical tools can be inserted through the tool channel in the endoscope to perform various surgical procedures.

  The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the drawings with reference to this specification.

  The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated with respect to systems and methods intended to be exemplary and illustrative, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

  According to some embodiments, a tip of a multi-camera endoscope, with a forward-facing camera and an individual forward illuminator associated with the camera, at the distal end of the tip, or at the distal end Two or more side-to-side cameras positioned in close proximity and configured to insert two or more side-to-side cameras with individual side illuminators associated with each of the cameras and surgical tools A tip comprising a tool channel is provided.

  According to another embodiment, a multi-camera endoscope comprising an elongate shaft that terminates at a tip that is pivotable by a bend, said tip being associated with a forward-facing camera and the camera An individual front illuminator and two or more side-facing cameras positioned at or near the distal end of the tip, with individual side illuminators associated with each of the cameras A multi-camera endoscope is provided that includes two or more lateral cameras having a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool.

  The tip may further comprise a flow path fluid injector for inflating and / or cleaning the body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.

  The tip may further include a fluid injector configured to clean the front facing camera and / or the individual front illuminator. The tip may further include two or more fluid injectors configured to clean two or more side-facing cameras and / or individual side illuminators.

  The tip can include two lateral cameras. The tip can essentially include two side-facing cameras arranged in opposite directions.

  The tip is essentially three or more (eg, four, five, six or more) laterally spaced along the perimeter of the tip, essentially spaced equidistant from each other. A camera can be included.

  According to some embodiments, the individual front illuminator can include a light emitting diode (LED). According to some embodiments, each of the individual side illuminators can include a light emitting diode (LED). According to some embodiments, each of the individual front illuminator and the individual side illuminator can include a light emitting diode (LED).

  According to some embodiments, two or more side-facing cameras disposed at or near a distal end of a tip of a multi-camera endoscope Two or more side-facing cameras whose field of view provided by the camera extends forward and side view, one or more individual illuminators, a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool, A tip is provided with a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning of the body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.

  According to some embodiments, the tip of a multi-camera endoscope is three lateral cameras positioned at or near the distal end of the tip The field of view provided by the camera includes three lateral cameras that span forward and side views, one or more individual illuminators, a tool channel configured to insert surgical tools, and an endoscope inserted A tip is provided with a path fluid injector for inflating and / or irrigating the body cavity.

  According to some embodiments, the tip of a multi-camera endoscope is three lateral cameras positioned at or near the distal end of the tip The field of view provided by the camera includes three side-facing cameras that span forward and side views, three individual illuminators (such as LEDs) each associated with each of the three side-facing cameras, and surgical tools. A tip with a tool channel configured to be inserted is provided.

  According to some embodiments, the tip of a multi-camera endoscope is three lateral cameras positioned at or near the distal end of the tip The field of view provided by the three side-facing cameras includes three side-facing cameras that span forward and side views, one individual front illuminator (such as an LED), and a tool configured to insert a surgical tool. A tip with a channel is provided.

  The tip may further include a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning of the body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.

  According to some embodiments, a multi-camera endoscope comprising an elongate shaft that terminates in a tip that is pivotable by a bend, wherein the tip is at or at the distal end of the tip. Two or more side-facing cameras arranged in close proximity, the field of view provided by the cameras is two or more side-facing cameras that span forward and side views, and one or more individual illuminators A multi-camera endoscope is provided that includes a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool and a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning of a body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.

  According to some embodiments, a multi-camera endoscope comprising an elongate shaft that terminates in a tip that is pivotable by a bend, wherein the tip is at the distal end of the tip, or Three lateral cameras positioned proximate to the distal end, the field of view provided by the cameras is three lateral cameras spanning forward and side views, each with three lateral cameras. A multi-camera endoscope is provided that includes three individual illuminators (such as LEDs) associated with each of the cameras and a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool.

  According to some embodiments, a multi-camera endoscope comprising an elongate shaft that terminates in a tip that is pivotable by a bend, wherein the tip is at the distal end of the tip, or Three lateral cameras positioned proximate to the distal end, the field of view provided by the cameras is three lateral cameras that span forward and side views and one forward individual illuminator ( A multi-camera endoscope is provided that includes an LED, etc.) and a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool.

  The multi-camera endoscope can further include a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning of the body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.

  According to some embodiments, two or more side-facing cameras disposed at or near a distal end of a tip of a multi-camera endoscope Each of the cameras has an individual illuminator associated with the camera, and the field of view provided by the two or more side-facing cameras includes two or more side-facing cameras that span forward and side views. A tip is provided that includes a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool and a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning of a body cavity into which an endoscope is inserted.

  According to some embodiments, a multi-camera endoscope is provided with an elongated shaft that terminates at a distal end rotatable by a bent portion, the distal end being Two or more lateral cameras positioned at or near the distal end of the tip, each of the cameras having an individual illuminator associated with it, the two The field of view provided by the above lateral cameras includes two or more lateral cameras that span forward and lateral views, a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool, and a body cavity into which an endoscope is inserted. A multi-camera endoscope is provided comprising a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning.

  The tip may further include two or more side fluid injectors configured to clean the two or more side-facing cameras and / or the individual side illuminators. Two or more side-facing cameras can point in opposite directions. The tip can include more than two lateral cameras. According to some embodiments, three or more side-facing cameras can be positioned approximately equidistant from each other along the outer periphery of the tip.

  According to some embodiments, a front end of a multi-camera endoscope that cleans at least one of the front-facing camera and associated individual front illuminator, and the front-facing camera and the individual front illuminator. A tip comprising a forward fluid injector configured as described above, a side-facing camera, a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool, and a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning of a body cavity into which an endoscope is inserted Department is provided.

  According to some embodiments, a multi-camera endoscope comprising an elongate shaft that terminates in a tip that is pivotable by a bend, wherein the tip is at the distal end of the tip, or Two or more lateral cameras positioned proximate to the distal end, each of the cameras having a separate illuminator associated with it, the field of view provided by the two or more lateral cameras Two or more lateral cameras spanning forward and lateral views, a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool, and a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning of a body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted And a multi-camera endoscope. The tip can further include an individual side illuminator associated with the side-facing camera. The tip may further include a lateral fluid injector configured to clean the side-facing camera and / or the individual side illuminator.

  According to one embodiment, a multi-camera endoscope comprising an elongate shaft that terminates at a distal end pivotable by a bend, wherein the distal end is a forward-facing camera and an associated front illuminator A forward fluid injector configured to clean at least one of the forward-facing camera and the individual front illuminator, a side-facing camera and associated individual side illuminator, the side-facing camera, and the individual side illuminator. A lateral fluid injector configured to clean at least one of the illuminators, a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool, a path fluid injector for inflation and / or cleaning of a body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted; A multi-camera endoscope is provided.

  According to one embodiment, a multi-camera endoscopic inspection system includes an endoscope having an elongated shaft that terminates at a distal end rotatable by a handle and a bent portion, the distal end facing forward A camera and associated individual front illuminator; a forward fluid injector configured to clean at least one of the forward-facing camera and the individual front illuminator; a side-facing camera and associated individual side illuminator; A lateral fluid injector configured to clean at least one of the lateral camera and the individual side illuminator; a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool; and an expansion of a body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted; An endoscope having a path fluid injector for cleaning, and a controller connected to the handle of the endoscope by a utility cable And La, multi-camera endoscopy system with the a display configured to be connected to the controller to display the video stream received from the forward facing cameras and lateral-out camera is further provided.

  In some embodiments, the forward-facing camera and the side-facing camera are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other.

  In some embodiments, the forward-facing camera and the side-facing camera are oriented between about 100 ° and 145 ° relative to each other.

  In some embodiments, the center of the lateral camera is positioned about 7-11 mm from the distal end of the tip.

  In some embodiments, each of the individual front illuminators and the individual side illuminators includes a light emitting diode (LED).

  In some embodiments, at least one of the individual front illuminator and the individual side illuminator is configured to emit white light.

  In some embodiments, at least one of the individual front illuminator and the individual side illuminator is configured to emit ultraviolet light.

  In some embodiments, at least one of the individual front illuminator and the individual side illuminator is configured to emit infrared light.

  In some embodiments, at least one of the individual front illuminator and the individual side illuminator is configured to emit near infrared light.

  In some embodiments, the individual front illuminator and the individual side illuminator are configured to emit light of different wavelengths.

  In some embodiments, the tip further comprises an additional individual front illuminator configured to emit light having a different wavelength than the individual front illuminator.

  In some embodiments, the additional individual front illuminator and the individual front illuminator are each configured to emit light of different wavelengths simultaneously.

  In some embodiments, the tip further comprises an additional individual side illuminator configured to emit light having a different wavelength than the individual side illuminator.

  In some embodiments, the additional individual side illuminator and the individual side illuminator are each configured to emit light of different wavelengths simultaneously.

  In some embodiments, each of the front-facing camera and / or the side-facing camera includes a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.

  In some embodiments, the front fluid injector and the side fluid injector are connected to the same fluid supply channel.

  In some embodiments, the pathway fluid injector is connected to the fluid supply channel along with the forward fluid injector and the lateral fluid injector.

  In some embodiments, at least one of the front-facing camera and the side-facing camera includes a lens assembly that provides a field of view of 90 ° or greater.

  In some embodiments, at least one of the front-facing camera and the side-facing camera includes a lens assembly that provides a field of view of 120 ° or greater.

  In some embodiments, at least one of the front-facing camera and the side-facing camera includes a lens assembly that provides a field of view of 150 ° or greater.

  In some embodiments, the forward facing camera includes a lens assembly that provides a focal length of about 3 millimeters to 100 millimeters.

  In some embodiments, the side-facing camera includes a lens assembly that provides a focal length of about 2 millimeters to 33 millimeters.

  In some embodiments, the tip further comprises a reverse-facing camera that faces in a direction generally opposite to the lateral camera.

  In some embodiments, the tip further comprises a vertical camera oriented in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to the lateral camera.

  In some embodiments, the endoscope is a colonoscope.

  In some embodiments, the field of view of the forward-facing camera and the side-facing camera is while the tip is directed toward the object of interest viewed through the lateral-facing camera and at least the object of interest is the forward-facing camera. The object of interest is at least partially overlapping so that the object of interest remains in the lateral camera field of view until it can be seen through.

  In some embodiments, the utility cable includes a flow path for supplying fluid to at least one of the injectors, a data cable for receiving video signals from the forward-facing camera and the side-facing camera, and power to the power cable. And a power cable for supplying the front-facing camera and the side-facing camera and the individual front and side illuminators.

  In some embodiments, the controller is configured to process and combine video signals received from the forward and side-facing cameras into a single panoramic video view.

  In addition to the illustrative aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by studying the following detailed description.

  Exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The dimensions and features of the illustrated components are generally selected for convenience and are not necessarily shown to scale. It is intended that the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive of the present invention. The drawings are shown below.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art endoscope. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a multi-camera endoscope according to some embodiments. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a multi-camera endoscope according to some embodiments. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a curved portion of a multi-camera endoscope according to some embodiments. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of the distal end of a multi-camera endoscope, according to some embodiments. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a multi-camera endoscope system according to some embodiments. 7A-7D are perspective views of multiple tip configurations, according to some embodiments. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a multi-camera endoscope according to some embodiments. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a multi-camera endoscope according to some embodiments.

  Aspects according to some embodiments relate to an endoscope having a distal end provided with two or more cameras. According to one embodiment, one of the cameras is disposed at the distal end of the tip and facing forward, and the remaining one or more cameras are disposed further rearward of the tip and facing sideways. .

  According to another embodiment, one of the cameras is positioned distally (front) of the tip and facing forward, and the remaining one or more cameras are positioned further rearward of the tip and laterally. It is suitable.

  According to another embodiment, two or more (eg, three, four, or more) cameras are positioned at or near the distal end of the tip, and the field of view provided by the camera is forward It faces to the side to reach vision and side view. In such a configuration, according to some embodiments, the side camera is not positioned at the distal (front) end face of the tip (in other words, the camera is not facing directly in front). This field of view still allows observation of the tip, ie, in the forward direction of the endoscope.

  This configuration may advantageously allow an increased detection rate of pathological objects present in the body cavity in which the endoscope operates, compared to conventional configurations.

  Unique scale and configuration so that the camera and possibly other elements (light source, tool channel, fluid injector, etc.) present at the tip fit within the smallest space available within the tip while providing beneficial results And packaging. The camera at the tip and possibly other elements (light source, tool channel, fluid injector, etc.) are unique so as to fit within the smallest space available in the tip while providing beneficial effects. It is composed of the scales.

  Referring now to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a prior art endoscope for use within a patient's colon 120, in this example a colonoscope 100. FIG. The human colon in this figure includes a series of annular muscles that project from the inner surface 124 of the colon and look like folds 122.

  Endoscope 100 includes a forward-facing camera 104 located at the distal end 102 of the colonoscope. The camera 104 typically has a wide field of view 106. When the endoscope 100 is used in a body cavity such as the colon 120, the operator advances the endoscope 100 while observing an image (generally a video feed) transmitted from the camera 104. When a polyp 110 or 112 or the like is found in the wall of the colon 120, the operator inserts a surgical tool (not shown) through the tool channel 105 to remove the polyp sample for biopsy or the entire polyp, treat, and And / or can be removed.

  However, in some cases, when the polyp 114 or the like is located inside the ridge 126, the polyp 114 is out of the visual field 106 of the camera 104. According to general statistics, this phenomenon is said to cause as much as 12% to 24% of polyps are missed during colonoscopy. Missed polyps, or “false negative” diagnoses, can lead to delays in finding cancer.

  Referring now to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a multi-camera endoscope 200 according to one embodiment. The endoscope 200 can include an elongate shaft 203 (not shown) that terminates at a distal end 202 that is rotatable by a bend 204. Advantageously, the tip may include a front facing camera 206 and a side facing camera 210. The forward-facing camera 206 can detect polyps 218, 220, etc. based on its field of view 208, while the side-facing camera 210 can further detect polyps that are normally hidden from the forward-facing camera, such as polyps 216. is there. By rotating the endoscope 200 around its longitudinal axis, the lateral camera 210 can detect polyps in the circumferential direction at 360 ° around the endoscope. This may allow detection of polyps 216, polyps 222, etc. located inside the heel. In other configurations (not shown), there may be more than one lateral camera at the tip, each having a different (or somewhat overlapping) field of view.

Advantageously, the fields of view of the forward-facing camera 206 and the side-facing camera 210 at least partially overlap so that the tip is directed to the target of interest and at least through the front-facing camera. The object of interest observed through the side-facing camera remains in the field of view of the camera until it can be observed.
This is because a polyp is discovered by the side-facing camera 210 and an operator inserts a surgical tool inserted through a tool channel (not shown) having an opening in the distal end face of the tip 202 next to the forward-facing camera 206. And is advantageous when it is desired to perform surgery on the polyp. In order to perform a surgical operation, it is necessary to point the tip 202 toward the polyp. If the polyp remains visible throughout the tip rotation and the fields of view of the forward-facing camera 206 and side-facing camera 210 overlap to some extent so that the operator does not lose register, this is Can greatly help the operator.

  Referring now to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 illustrates in more detail a perspective view of a multi-camera endoscope 300 according to one embodiment. Endoscope 300 can include an elongated shaft (not shown), a bend (partially shown) 302, and a tip 304 at the end of the endoscope.

  The bend 302 may include a plurality of links such as links 302a-302c that allow the tip 304 to rotate in various directions. In different configurations (not shown), the bends can have different configurations as long as they allow the tip to rotate in various directions. The bend 302 can be covered with an elastic sheath (not shown) that can also extend to cover the elongated shaft.

  The tip 304 can include a forward-facing camera 304 that can be imaged through a hole in the distal end surface 306 of the tip. Optionally, an individual forward illuminator 308, which is a light emitting diode (LED), can be used in association with the forward facing camera 304 to illuminate its field of view through another hole in the distal end face 306. The LED can be a white light LED, an infrared light LED, a near infrared light LED, or an ultraviolet light LED. The term “individual” with respect to the front illuminator 308 may refer to an illumination source that generates light internally, as opposed to non-individual illuminators, such as, for example, optical fibers that only transmit remotely generated light. . In different configurations (not shown), there may be more than one individual front illuminator at the tip, such as to provide a stronger overall illumination and / or to increase the angular effective range of illumination. These two or more individual front illuminators can be placed side by side so as to share the same protective window at the distal end face of the tip.

  The forward fluid injector 310 can be used to clean at least one of the forward-facing camera 304 and the individual forward illuminator 308. The forward fluid injector 310 is slightly raised from the distal end surface 306 so that fluid can be ejected from its side 310a to the forward facing camera 304 and the individual forward illuminator 308. The forward fluid injector 310 can be configured to inject fluids such as water, air and the like.

  The distal end surface 306 can further include a hole defining a tool channel 312. Tool channel 312 is a hollow tube configured to insert surgical tools used in various tissue surgeries. For example, a small forceps can be inserted through the tool channel 312 to remove a biopsy polyp or sample thereof.

  A pathway fluid injector 314 defined by another hole in the distal end surface 306 can be used to inflate and / or clean the body cavity into which the endoscope 300 is inserted. Inflation can be performed by flowing air or another gas through the pathway fluid injector 314, which is useful when a body cavity such as the colon is contracted or otherwise cannot be efficiently examined. Washing can be accomplished, for example, by spraying a liquid such as water or saline into an unclean area of the body cavity. In addition, aspiration can be provided using a pathway fluid injector 314 (or a different tube, not shown) to expel various fluids and / or solids that are present in the body cavity and interfere with the examination.

  The tip 304 can further include a side-facing camera 316 that can image through a hole in the cylindrical surface 305 of the tip. Optionally, an individual side illuminator 322 similar to the individual front illuminator 308 can be provided in association with the forward facing camera 304 and used to illuminate the field of view through another hole in the cylindrical surface 305. In different configurations (not shown), more than one individual side illuminator may be provided at the tip to provide a generally stronger illumination and / or to increase the effective angle range of the illumination, etc. Good. These two or more individual side illuminators can be arranged next to each other so as to share the same protective window on the cylindrical surface of the tip.

  Side fluid injector 320 can be used to clean at least one of side-facing camera 316 and individual side illuminator 322. In order to prevent tissue damage when the cylindrical surface 305 of the tip 304 contacts the side wall of the body cavity, a lateral fluid injector 320 and a side-facing camera 316 can be placed in the recess 318 in the cylindrical surface. As described above, the side fluid injector 320 can protrude from the recess 318, but cannot protrude greatly from the height of the cylindrical surface 305. The elevation of the side fluid injector 320 may allow the side fluid injector 320 to eject fluid from its side 320a to the side-facing camera 316. In an alternative configuration (not shown), one or more individual side illuminators may also be included in the recess so that fluid ejected from the side fluid injectors reaches them. In yet another configuration (not shown), the side-facing camera, one or more side illuminators, and the side fluid injector are not located in the recess, but are approximately the same height as the cylindrical surface of the tip. Can be arranged.

  Next, referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the bent portion 400 of the multi-camera endoscope 300 of FIG. A plurality of operation cable eyes such as four eyes 408 are arranged on the inner wall of the bent portion 400. The bent portion 400 can be operated by operating cables through these eyes 408. The bend 400 is a tool channel 402 through which surgical tools can be inserted, a fluid channel 406 through which fluid and / or liquid can be injected, and power to transmit video signals from the camera and to the camera and individual illuminators. An electrical channel 404 through which a plurality of electrical cables can be passed to provide

  For simplicity of illustration, only a single tool channel 402 is shown in FIG. 4, but in different configurations (not shown), there may be more than one tool channel for simultaneous insertion of multiple surgical tools. May be possible. Similarly, although only one fluid channel 406 is shown, in different configurations (not shown), one or more fluid channels are used to at least one of the front fluid injector, the side fluid injector, and / or the flow channel fluid injector. One can be supplied separately, or a separate suction can be provided via the flow channel fluid injector. Further, although FIG. 4 only shows a single electrical channel 404, in other configurations (not shown), e.g., an elongated shaft and a cable that causes magnetic induction away from cables that can be affected by this phenomenon. One or more of the electrical cables inserted into the bends can be separated into a plurality of tubes.

  Referring now to FIG. 5A, FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional view of the distal portion 500a of the multi-camera endoscope according to one embodiment. The tip 500a can include a forward-facing image sensor 502, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The forward-facing image sensor 502 can be mounted on an integrated circuit board 506 that can be rigid or flexible. The integrated circuit board 506 can supply the necessary power to the forward-facing image sensor 502 and can extract still images and / or video feeds captured by the image sensor. The integrated circuit board 506 can be connected to a set of electrical cables (not shown) that can be routed through an electrical channel that extends through the elongated shaft of the endoscope. The forward-facing image sensor 502 can have a lens assembly 504 that is mounted on top of it to provide the necessary optics to receive the image. The lens assembly 504 may include a plurality of static or movable lenses that can provide a field of view of at least 90 ° and approximately up to 180 °. The lens assembly 504 can provide a focal length between about 3 millimeters and 100 millimeters. The forward-facing image sensor 502 and the lens assembly 504 can be referred to as a “front-facing camera” with or without the integrated circuit board 506.

  One or more individual front illuminators 508 can be placed next to the lens assembly 504 to illuminate its field of view. In some cases, the individual forward illuminator 508 can be attached to the same integrated circuit board 506 on which the forward-facing image sensor 502 is mounted (this configuration is not shown).

  The tip 500a may include a lateral image sensor 512, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The forward-facing image sensor 502 can be mounted on an integrated circuit board 516 that can be rigid or flexible. The integrated circuit board 516 can supply the necessary power to the lateral image sensor 512 and can extract still images and / or video feeds captured by the image sensor. The integrated circuit board 516 can be connected to a set of electrical cables (not shown) that can be routed through an electrical channel that extends through the elongated shaft of the endoscope.

  The side-facing image sensor 512 can have a lens assembly 514 that is mounted on top of it to provide the necessary optics to receive the image. The lens assembly 514 may include a plurality of static or movable lenses that can provide a field of view of at least 90 ° and approximately up to 180 °. The lens assembly 514 can provide a focal length of about 2 millimeters to 33 millimeters. The lateral image sensor 512 and the lens assembly 514 can be collectively referred to as a “lateral camera” with or without the integrated circuit board 516.

  One or more individual side illuminators 518 can be positioned next to the lens assembly 514 to illuminate its field of view. In some cases, the individual front illuminator 518 can be attached to the same integrated circuit board 516 on which the side-facing image sensor 512 is mounted (this configuration is not shown).

  In another configuration (not shown), integrated circuit boards 506 and 516 may be a single integrated circuit board on which both forward-facing image sensor 502 and side-facing image sensor 512 are mounted. For this purpose, the integrated circuit board can be substantially L-shaped.

  The forward-facing image sensor 502 and the lateral image sensor 512 can be similar or identical with respect to, for example, field of view, resolution, light sensitivity, pixel size, focal length, focal length, and the like.

  In some cases, the lateral image sensor 512 and the lens assembly 514 are advantageously positioned relatively close to the distal end face of the tip 500a. For example, the center of the lateral camera (which is the central axis of the lateral image sensor 512 and lens assembly 514) is located approximately 7-11 millimeters from the distal end of the tip. This is made possible by the advantageous miniaturization of the front-facing camera and the side-facing camera, which allows an internal space at the tip sufficient for angular positioning of the camera without collision.

  Referring now to FIG. 5B, FIG. 5B shows a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion 500b of the multi-camera endoscope according to another embodiment of the present invention. A tip 500b similar to the tip 500a shown in FIG. 5A can include a forward-facing image sensor 502, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The forward-facing image sensor 502 can be mounted on an integrated circuit board 506 that can be rigid or flexible. The integrated circuit board 506 can supply the necessary power to the forward-facing image sensor 502 and can extract still images and / or video feeds captured by the image sensor. The integrated circuit board 506 can be connected to a set of electrical cables (not shown) that can be routed through an electrical channel that extends through the elongated shaft of the endoscope. The forward-facing image sensor 502 can have a lens assembly 504 that is mounted on top of it to provide the necessary optics to receive the image. The lens assembly 504 may include a plurality of static or movable lenses that can provide a field of view of at least 90 ° and approximately up to 180 °. The lens assembly 504 can provide a focal length between about 3 millimeters and 100 millimeters. The forward-facing image sensor 502 and the lens assembly 504 can be referred to as a “front-facing camera” with or without the integrated circuit board 506. One or more individual front illuminators 508 can be placed next to the lens assembly 504 to illuminate its field of view. In some cases, the individual forward illuminator 508 can be attached to the same integrated circuit board 506 on which the forward-facing image sensor 502 is mounted (this configuration is not shown).

  The tip 500b may include other side image sensors 512b in addition to the side image sensors 512a. The lateral image sensor 512a and the lateral image sensor 512b may include a lateral image sensor 512, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. Side-facing image sensors 512a and 512b may be mounted on integrated circuit boards 516a and 516b, which may be rigid or flexible. The integrated circuit boards 516a and 516b can supply the necessary power to the side-facing image sensors 512a and 512b and can extract still images and / or video feeds captured by the image sensor. The integrated circuit boards 516a and 516b can be connected to a set of electrical cables (not shown) that can be routed through an electrical channel that extends through the elongated shaft of the endoscope.

  Side-facing image sensors 512a and 512b may have lens assemblies 514a and 514b that are mounted on top of each other to provide the necessary optics to receive the image. The lens assemblies 514a and 514b may include a plurality of static or movable lenses that can provide a field of view of at least 90 ° and approximately up to 180 °. Lens assemblies 514a and 514b can provide a focal length of about 2 millimeters to 33 millimeters. The lateral image sensors 512a and 512b and the lens assemblies 514a and 514b can be collectively referred to as “lateral cameras” with or without integrated circuit boards 516a and 516b.

  Each of the individual side illuminators 518a and 518b can be positioned next to the lens assemblies 514a and 514b to illuminate its field of view. In some cases, the individual front illuminators 518a and 518b can be attached to the same integrated circuit boards 516a and 516b on which the side-facing image sensors 512a and 512b are mounted (this configuration is not shown).

  In another configuration (not shown), the integrated circuit boards 506, 516a and 516b may be a single integrated circuit board on which both the forward-facing image sensor 502 and the side-facing image sensors 512a and 512b are mounted. it can.

  The forward-facing image sensor 502 and the side-facing image sensors 512a, 512b can be the same or different, for example, with respect to the field of view, resolution, light sensitivity, pixel size, focal length, focal length, and the like.

  In some cases, the lateral image sensors 512a, 512b and lens assemblies 514a, 514b are advantageously located relatively close to the distal end face of the tip 500b. For example, the center of the lateral camera (which is the central axis of the lateral image sensors 512a, 512b and lens assemblies 514a, 514b) is located approximately 7-11 mm from the distal end of the tip. This is made possible by the advantageous miniaturization of the front-facing camera and the side-facing camera, which allows an internal space at the tip sufficient for angular positioning of the camera without collision.

  According to some embodiments, the front-facing camera and the side-facing camera are all located on the same (imaginary) plane that bisects the tip 500b along the length. According to some embodiments, each of the side-facing cameras is perpendicular to the forward facing camera.

  Referring now to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 shows a multi-camera endoscopy system 600 for semi-picture painting. The system 600 may include a multi-camera endoscope 602 such as the endoscope of FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and / or 5. Multi-camera endoscope 602 can include a handle 604 from which an elongated shaft 606 exits. The elongated shaft 606 terminates at a tip 608 that can be rotated by a bent portion 610. The handle 604 can be used to manipulate the elongate shaft 606 within a body cavity, and the handle includes a bend 610 and one or more knobs and / or switches 605 that control functions such as fluid ejection and suction. obtain. The handle 604 may further include a tool channel opening 612 through which a surgical tool can be inserted.

  A utility cable 614 can connect the handle 604 and the controller 616. Utility cable 614 may include one or more fluid channels and one or more electrical channels. The one or more electrical channels include at least one data cable for receiving video signals from the front-facing and side-facing cameras and at least one power cable for supplying power to the camera and individual illuminators. be able to.

  The controller 616 can manage power transmission to the distal end portion for the camera, illuminator, and the like of the distal end portion 608 of the endoscope 602. The controller 616 can further control one or more fluids, liquids, and / or suction pumps that provide corresponding functionality to the endoscope 602. One or more input devices, such as a keyboard 618, can be connected to the controller 616 for the purpose of interacting between the human and the controller. In another configuration (not shown), an input device such as a keyboard may be integrated in the same housing as the controller.

  A display 620 can be connected to the controller 616 and configured to display images and / or video streams received from the cameras of the multi-camera endoscope 602. Display 620 can be further operative to display a user interface so that a human operator can set various features of system 600.

  In some cases, video streams received from various cameras of multi-camera endoscope 602 can be individually displayed on display 620 side-by-side or interchangeably (ie, an operator can manually view views from various cameras). Can be switched). Alternatively, these video streams can be processed by the controller 616 and combined into a single panoramic video frame based on overlap between camera views.

  In another configuration (not shown), two or more displays, each displaying video streams from different cameras of a multi-camera endoscope, may be connected to the controller 616.

  7A-7D, FIGS. 7A-7D illustrate a plurality of tip configurations 700, 720, 740, and 760. FIG.

  In configuration 700, forward-facing camera 702 and side-facing camera 704 are generally perpendicular to each other and have a corresponding vertical field of view.

  In configuration 720, the forward-facing camera 722 is substantially perpendicular to the first side-facing camera 724 and the second side-facing camera 726. The first side-facing camera 724 and the second side-facing camera 726 are perpendicular to each other, and are disposed approximately 90 ° apart from each other on the cylindrical surface of the tip. In another configuration (not shown), the first side-facing camera and the second side-facing camera are more than 90 ° on the cylindrical surface of the tip, such as 120 ° to 150 ° apart or 150 ° to 180 ° apart. You may arrange | position with a big space | interval. For example, the first side-facing camera and the second side-facing camera may be arranged at 180 ° intervals on both sides of the cylindrical surface of the tip so as to face in opposite directions. In yet another configuration (not shown), more than two side-facing cameras, eg, three cameras having an angle of 120 ° between each other, may be placed on the cylindrical surface of the tip.

  In configuration 740, the side-facing camera 744 is slightly facing backwards to form an angle greater than 90 ° with respect to the forward-facing camera 742. As an example, an angle of 120 ° is illustrated. In another configuration (not shown), the angle is between 100 ° and 145 °.

  In configuration 760, two opposite side cameras 764 and 766 are shown that are slightly facing backwards so that each forms an angle greater than 90 ° with respect to the forward-facing camera 762. . As an example, an angle of 120 ° is illustrated. In another configuration (not shown), the angle is between 100 ° and 145 °.

  Similarly, in other configurations (not shown), more than two side-facing cameras, each facing slightly rearward and having a specific angle between them, may be placed on the cylindrical surface of the tip. Good. In the case of three cameras, they may have an angle of 120 ° between each other.

  Referring now to FIG. 8, FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a multi-camera endoscope according to some embodiments. Endoscope 800 includes an elongated shaft 802 that typically includes a bend (not shown) and a distal end 804 at the end of the endoscope. The tip 804 includes three lateral cameras 816A, 816B (not shown), and 816C (not shown). Individual side illuminators (eg, LEDs), not shown, can be associated with them to illuminate the fields of view 817A-817C of the side-facing cameras 816A-816C, respectively. The tip 804 further includes a tool channel 812 that may be a hollow opening configured to insert a surgical tool for various tissue surgeries. For example, a small forceps can be inserted through the tool channel 812 to remove a biopsy polyp or sample thereof.

  The tip 804 includes a fluid injector (s) for cleaning the camera and / or its illuminator, a path fluid injector (s) for inflation and / or cleaning of the body cavity into which the endoscope 800 is inserted, etc. , May further include other elements / components (eg, as described above in accordance with various embodiments).

  Reference is now made to FIG. 9, which shows a perspective view of a multi-camera endoscope according to some embodiments. Endoscope 900 is similar to endoscope 800 but does not include a tool channel. The elongated shaft 902, the distal end 904, the lateral cameras 916a, 916b (not shown), and 916c (not shown), and their respective fields of view 917a to 917c are the elongated shaft 802 and the distal end of the endoscope 800. 804, side-facing cameras 816a, 816b (not shown), and 816c (not shown), and their respective fields of view 817a-817c.

  While several exemplary aspects and embodiments have been described above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain changes, substitutions, additions, and subcombinations thereof. Accordingly, the claims are to be construed as including all such modifications, substitutions, additions, and subcombinations as falling within their true spirit and scope.

  In the description and claims of this application, the words “comprising”, “including” and “having” and variations thereof are not necessarily limited to the elements in the list with which the word may be associated.

Claims (22)

The tip of the multi-camera endoscope,
A forward-facing camera and an individual front illuminator associated with the camera;
Two or more side-to-side cameras positioned at or near the distal end of the tip, two or more with separate side illuminators associated with each of the cameras A side-facing camera,
A tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool;   The distal end according to claim 1, further comprising a channel fluid injector for inflating and / or cleaning the body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.   The tip of claim 1, further comprising a fluid injector configured to clean the front-facing camera and / or the individual front illuminator.   The tip of claim 1, comprising two or more fluid injectors configured to clean the two or more side-facing cameras and / or the individual side illuminators.   The tip portion according to claim 1, comprising two side-facing cameras.   2. A tip according to claim 1, essentially comprising two lateral cameras arranged opposite to each other.   The tip of claim 1, comprising three or more lateral cameras arranged essentially equidistant from each other along the perimeter of the tip.   The tip according to claim 1, wherein the individual front illuminator is a light emitting diode (LED).   The tip portion according to claim 1, wherein each of the individual side illuminators includes a light emitting diode (LED).   The tip portion according to claim 1, wherein each of the individual front illuminator and the individual side illuminator includes a light emitting diode (LED).   The distal end portion according to claim 1, wherein the endoscope is a colonoscope. A multi-camera endoscope,
Equipped with an elongate shaft that can be turned by a bent part and that terminates at the tip part,
The tip is
A forward-facing camera and an individual front illuminator associated with the camera;
Two or more side-to-side cameras positioned at or near the distal end of the tip, two or more with separate side illuminators associated with each of the cameras A side-facing camera,
A multi-camera endoscope comprising: a tool channel configured to insert a surgical tool.   The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the distal end portion further includes a flow channel fluid injector for inflating and / or cleaning the inside of a body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.   The endoscope according to claim 12, further comprising a fluid injector, wherein the tip is configured to clean the front-facing camera and / or the individual front illuminator.   13. The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the tip is configured to wash the two or more side-facing cameras and / or the individual side illuminators. An endoscope comprising:   13. The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the distal end portion includes one side-facing camera.   13. An endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the tip comprises essentially two side-facing cameras arranged essentially opposite to each other.   13. The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the distal end portions are arranged at substantially equal distances from each other along the perimeter of the distal end portion. An endoscope comprising:   13. The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the individual front illuminator is a light emitting diode (LED).   13. The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein each of the individual side illuminators includes a light emitting diode (LED).   The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein each of the individual front illuminator and the individual side illuminator includes a light emitting diode (LED).   The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the endoscope is a colonoscope.

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