JP3345180B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus in which an endoscope is freely connected to an essential device such as a light source device and a video processor which is indispensable for using the endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A light source device for an endoscope is necessary for supplying illumination light to an illumination light guide, and is an essential device for using the endoscope. In the case where the endoscope is a so-called electronic endoscope in which an observation image is converted into an electric signal by a solid-state image sensor and transmitted, a video processor for processing a video signal and the like sent from the solid-state image sensor is also essential. Device.

[0003] Such a light source device and a video processor are expensive in themselves, and at the same time, large in size, so that one device can be used for many endoscopes. The endoscope can be connected freely.

[0004]

An endoscope is a device that has a relatively high degree of wear, and is completely inspected after each use, for example, about 50 to 100 times, because of its specialty of being inserted into a human body.・ Maintenance is required.

However, as described above, an endoscope is used by replacing a large number of endoscopes with one light source device, a video processor, and the like. Cannot be integrated by a light source device or a video processor.

For this reason, it is impossible to know how many times each endoscope has been used since the first use or after the previous inspection and maintenance. And accidents.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope apparatus capable of knowing the number of times each endoscope is connected to an essential apparatus.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with an endoscope that can be freely connected to an essential device indispensable for using the endoscope. In the endoscope apparatus, an integrating means for integrating the number of times the endoscope is connected to the essential device is provided in the endoscope or the essential device, and the number of connections accumulated by the integrating means is stored. Is provided in the endoscope or the essential device.

[0009] The integrating means may perform the integrating operation after a predetermined time has elapsed since the endoscope was connected to the essential device. Further, the connection number display means for reading out and displaying the connection number stored in the connection number storage means may be provided in the essential device or the endoscope, and the connection number stored in the connection number storage means may be provided. If the number of connections exceeds the reference value and the number of connections exceeds the reference value, a connection number expiration display means may be provided to indicate the fact or to sound an alarm.

[0010] The number of times of connection of a plurality of endoscopes may be read out from the number-of-connections storage means provided in the essential device, and may be displayed in a list on a monitor.

[0011]

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
1 schematically illustrates an entire configuration of an endoscope apparatus, and an endoscope 10 includes:
An operation section 14 provided with various operation devices is connected to the base end side of a flexible insertion section 11 having a built-in objective optical system 12 and a solid-state imaging device 13 at the distal end 11a.
A connector 16 provided at the distal end of the light source 5 is detachably connected to the video processor / light source device 20.

A light guide fiber bundle (not shown) for transmitting illumination light for illuminating the subject, a signal cable 17 for transmitting a video signal from the solid-state imaging device 13, and the like are inserted through the connecting tube 15. Connector 16 has been reached. In the connector 16, for example, EEPR
A storage element 19 composed of an OM (rewritable read-only memory) is built in.

The video processor and light source device 20 includes:
A light source unit 22 for supplying illumination light to the light guide fiber bundle, a video signal processing unit 21 for processing a video signal sent from the solid-state imaging device 13, and a microcomputer for performing various control processes are used. The control unit 30 (hereinafter, referred to as a “microcomputer control unit”) is provided.

Therefore, in order to use the endoscope 10, the connector 16 must be connected to the video processor and light source device 20.
The endoscope 10 needs to be put in a disinfecting device or the like to be cleaned and disinfected after use, so that the connector 16 is connected to the video processor and light source device 2 each time it is used.
Removed from 0.

Reference numeral 50 denotes a monitor for reproducing an image signal sent from the solid-state imaging device 13 as a visible image. The endoscope apparatus further includes an air supply, water supply, suction device, and the like, but illustration thereof is omitted.

FIG. 2 shows a video processor / light source device 20 for controlling the brightness of the light source lamp 22a, adjusting the image displayed on the monitor 50, and controlling the imprinting of the date and time on the screen. The figure shows the microcomputer control unit 30 and its periphery.

A central processing unit (CP) for performing arithmetic processing
U) 31, a read only memory (ROM) 33 storing programs and the like,
A random access memory (RAM) 34 and a real-time clock (RTC) 35 are connected.

The CR connected to the system bus 32
Through the T controller (CRTC) 37, the display character data stored in the video random access memory (video RAM) 36 and the image data output from the video signal processing unit 21 are combined and output to the monitor 50. .

A panel switch 23 of the video processor / light source device 20, a lamp control circuit 22b for controlling the light source lamp 22a, and an external keyboard 24 are connected via input / output ports 40, 38 and 39, respectively. 41 is a programmable interrupt controller (P
IC) and 42 are programmable interval timers (PITs).

The input / output port 43 to which the connector 16 of the endoscope 10 is connected is connected to the storage element 19 in the endoscope 10 by connecting the connector 16 to transmit and receive data serially.

The switch 45 connected to the input / output port 43 is pushed by connecting the connector 16 to the video processor / light source device 20, and the corresponding terminal is set to low level. Thereby, the connection of the endoscope 10 is detected. 46 is a buzzer for warning.

A storage element 19 incorporated in the connector 16 of the endoscope 10 previously stores data indicating the type of the endoscope, and the connector 16 is connected to a video processor and light source device 20. The number of times is stored. Then, it is displayed on the monitor 50, and when the number of connections reaches the reference number, the alarm buzzer 46 is sounded. less than,
The operation and control will be described.

FIG. 3 shows the ROM 33 of the microcomputer control unit 30.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the contents of a main program stored in the program. S indicates a processing step. Note that u1 and u3 are variables for classifying the program, and u1 is the connector of the endoscope 10 connected to the video processor and light source device 2.
0 or not (u1 = 1 is connected, u1 =
0 indicates no connection), and u3 indicates whether or not to indicate that the number of times of connection of the endoscope has exceeded the reference number (u3 = 1 indicates display,
u3 = 0 indicates no display).

Here, initial settings such as u1 = 0 (S1)
After that, first, an endoscope-related process (S2) is performed. The contents will be described later in detail with reference to FIG. After the endoscope-related processing (S2) is completed, the processing (S3) related to the lamp control circuit 22b is performed, and then the processing (S4) set by the panel switch 23 is performed.

After the panel switch processing (S4) is completed,
After performing input processing (S5) from the keyboard 24, display processing of date and time (S6), and other processing (S7), the processing is repeated from the endoscope-related processing (S2).

FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing a first embodiment of the contents of the endoscope-related processing in S2. In this embodiment, the microcomputer controller 30 has an interrupt controller (P
The IC 41 and the interval timer (PIT) 42 are not required, and the hardware is simplified.

Here, first, the connector 16 of the endoscope 10 is used.
The state of the input / output port 43 to which is connected is input (S1
1). Then, it is determined whether the variable u1 is 0 (S12).

When u1 = 0 in S12, that is, when the connector 16 is not connected to the video processor and light source device 20 immediately after or before the initial setting, the connection input terminal of the input port 43 is at a high level. It is determined whether the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 depending on whether the connector 16 is present or at a low level (S13). If the connector 16 is not connected, the endoscope-related processing in S2 is terminated, and the process proceeds to the lamp-related processing in S3.

When the connector 16 is connected in S13, the variable u1 is set to u1 = 1 (S14), and the endoscope 1
The type and the number of connections of the endoscope 10 in use are read from the storage element 19 of 0 (S15). Then, +1 is added to the number of times (S16), and the value is written to the storage element 19 of the endoscope 10 (S17).

Subsequently, a variable u is set according to the type of the endoscope 10.
3 is set (S18 to S24). The setting of the variable u3 is performed by the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, and it is first checked whether or not the number of connections is equal to or more than the reference number (S41).

The reference number of times differs depending on the type of endoscope, and the type of endoscope is determined in S18 to S20, that is, for example, whether it is for the upper digestive tract, for the large intestine, for the bronchi, A different reference number is given depending on whether it is a special one other than the above.

If the number of connections has not reached the reference number, the variable u3 is set to u3 = 0 (S42), and if the number of connections has reached the reference number, u3 = 1 is set (S43).

Returning to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the setting of the variable u3 has been completed (S21 to S24), it is determined whether or not u3 = 1 (S25). If u3 = 1, the process proceeds to the lamp-related processing in S3. .

When u3 = 1, as shown in FIG. 7, the overuse of the endoscope 10 is displayed on the screen of the monitor 50 (S26), and at the same time, the alarm buzzer 46 is turned on for 5 seconds, for example. After performing the sounding process, the process proceeds to the lamp-related process in S3.

In this manner, the number of times of connection of the endoscope 10 is compared with the reference number of times corresponding to the type of the endoscope.
6 sounds (S27).

When u1 is not 0 in S12, that is, when the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 not immediately after the initial setting but in a check before the initial setting, the connector 16 is connected to the video processor as in S13. It is checked whether or not it is connected to the processor / light source device 20 (S28).

If the connector 16 is still connected, the process directly proceeds to the lamp-related processing in S3. If the connector 16 is not connected, u1 is set to 0 (S2).
9) The process proceeds to a lamp-related process in S3.

In this embodiment, the endoscope 1 in use is used.
The connection count of 0 can be displayed on the monitor 50,
The display is switched on / off by, for example, the eighth key F of a function key (not shown) of the keyboard 24.
8.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the contents of a program for turning on / off the display of the number of connections in the keyboard processing in S5. Here, it is first checked whether or not any of the keys of the keyboard 24 is turned on (S5).
1) If there is none, the keyboard processing in S5 is terminated as it is, and the processing shifts to the date and time related processing in S6.

If any of the keys on the keyboard 24 is turned on, it is checked whether or not the key is the F8 key (S52). If not, the process corresponding to the turned on key is performed. (S53) Then, the process proceeds to the date and time related processing in S6.

If the F8 key has been turned on, it is checked whether or not the number of connections has already been displayed on the monitor 50 at that time (S54). If so, it is turned off (S57). , S6, the process goes to the date and time related processing.

When the number of times of connection is not displayed on the monitor 50, the data of the number of times of connection is read from the storage element 19 of the endoscope 10 (S55), and the number of times is displayed on the monitor 50 (S56). Move on to date and time related processing.

Next, a description will be given of a second embodiment of the endoscope-related processing in S2. In this embodiment, a connection within 4 minutes is not counted as the number of connections so that a simple operation of attaching and detaching the connector 16 without using the endoscope 10 is not included in the number of connections. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the processing.

Here, first, the connector 16 of the endoscope 10 is used.
The state of the input / output port 43 to which is connected is input (S6).
1). Then, it is determined whether or not the variable u1 is 0 (S62).

When u1 = 0 in S62, that is, when the connector 16 is not connected to the video processor / light source device 20 immediately after or before the initial setting, the connection input terminal of the input port 43 is at a high level. It is determined whether the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 depending on whether it is present or at low level (S63). If the connector 16 is not connected, the endoscope-related processing in S2 is terminated, and the process proceeds to the lamp-related processing in S3.

When the connector 16 is connected in S63, the variable u1 is set to u1 = 1 (S64), and the counter of the interval timer (PIT) 42 is set so as to be interrupted after 4 minutes (S65). The interrupt mask of the interrupt controller (PIC) 41 is reset so that the interrupt is enabled (S66).

The interrupt processing is performed by the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, just in case, as in S13, it is determined whether the connector 16 of the endoscope is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 (S71). This step is just in case and can be omitted.

If there is no connection of the connector 16,
The interrupt processing is terminated without doing anything. If the connector 16 is connected, the number of connections stored therein is read from the storage element 19 of the endoscope 10 (S72), and +1 is added to the data (S72). (S73), the added new data is written to the storage element 19 in the endoscope 10 (S74). And finally, just in case, the interrupt controller (PI
C) 41 is set to the interrupt disabled state (S75).

Returning to FIG. 9, when u1 is not 0 in S62, that is, not immediately after the initial setting but before the check, the connector 16 is connected to the video processor and light source device 2.
If it is connected to 0, it is checked whether or not the connector 16 is connected to the video processor and light source device 20, as in S63 (S67).

If the connector 16 is still connected, the process directly proceeds to the lamp-related processing in S3. If the connector 16 is not connected, u1 is set to 0 (S6).
8) Further, interrupt processing is prohibited (S69), and S3
Move to lamp related processing.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, a part or all of the integrating means for integrating the number of times of connection may be arranged on the endoscope side. Further, the connection number storage means for storing the connection number may be provided on an essential device side such as a video processor and a light source device.

By doing so, the number of times of connection of each of a large number of endoscopes can be read out at once from the number-of-times-of-connection storage means without connecting each endoscope to an indispensable device. By displaying the information in a list, etc., it is possible to confirm at a glance. Such a monitor display is performed, for example, by pressing the F9 key on the keyboard 24.

For this purpose, the R in the microcomputer control unit 30
The storage area of the AM 34 may be expanded to provide an area for storing the number of times of connection corresponding to each endoscope number as exemplified in FIG. Then, S shown in FIG.
At the time of the control process of No. 17, the number of times of connection is also written in a storage area in the RAM.

In the present invention, the video processor and light source device may be a single light source device, a video processor, or any other essential device indispensable for using the endoscope. Not only a single system-like device such as
This is a concept that also includes devices or parts as constituent units.

The present invention can be applied to an optical endoscope apparatus for transmitting an observation image by using an image guide fiber bundle.

[0056]

According to the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the number of times each endoscope is connected to an essential device is stored in the storage element, so that the number of times of connection is displayed or the number of times of connection is set to the reference number. By displaying an alarm or sounding an alarm when it reaches, the endoscope is prevented from being overused, and inspections, maintenance, and replacement with new ones are properly performed to prevent breakdowns and accidents. can do.

Also, the manufacturer can easily grasp the correlation between the number of times the endoscope has been used and the occurrence of a failure, and can contribute to the improvement of quality by feeding back the data to the design.

If the connection number storage means is provided on the endoscope side, the connection number of the endoscope can be checked regardless of which essential device is connected to the endoscope. Is provided on the indispensable device side, the number of connections of a large number of endoscopes can be displayed in a list and confirmed at a glance without connecting each endoscope.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of an endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control circuit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a main program of a control process according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an endoscope-related processing program according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an endoscope-related processing program according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a partial flowchart of an endoscope-related processing program according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a monitor screen according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a keyboard processing program according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an endoscope-related processing program according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an interrupt processing program according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a storage area of a RAM according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 endoscope 19 storage element (connection number storage means) 20 video processor and light source device (essential device) 30 microcomputer control unit (integration means)

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-4831 (JP, A) JP-A-57-34829 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1 / 00-1/32

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An endoscope apparatus in which an endoscope is provided so as to be freely connectable to an essential device indispensable for using the endoscope, wherein the number of times the endoscope is connected to the essential device is integrated. co when the integrating means for Ru provided in the endoscope or the essential device
In the connection count storage means for storing the number of connections that are accumulated by the accumulating means provided in the endoscope or the essential apparatus, predetermined from the endoscope is connected to the above essential device time via
An endoscope apparatus, wherein the integrating means performs the integrating operation after an elapsed time. Wherein said number of connections connecting count display means for displaying by reading a connection count stored in the storage means, according to claim is provided in the required device or endoscope 1
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The connection count stored in the connection count storage means is compared with a reference value, and when the connection count exceeds the reference value, the fact is displayed or a connection count expiration display for sounding an alarm. 3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means. 4. A reads the connection number of the essential devices plurality of endoscopes from the connection count storage means provided in claim 1, 2 or 3 which is adapted to list them on the monitor
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1.