JP5030399B2 - Endoscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope having a light emitting diode unit as a light emitting unit and an imaging unit for converting an observation image into an electrical signal at a distal end portion.

  For example, in a medical endoscope, an illumination window and an observation window are provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity, and an air / water supply conduit and a treatment instrument insertion channel are inserted. The illumination window is optically connected to a light guide fiber as an illumination optical system, and the observation window is provided with an imaging unit including a solid-state imaging device that converts an observation image into an electrical signal.

  Then, while illuminating the inside of the body cavity with the illumination optical system, the inside of the body cavity is observed with the solid-state imaging device, and air is supplied and water is supplied through the air supply and water supply conduit as necessary, and treatment is performed through the treatment instrument insertion channel. A tool can be inserted for treatment.

  In addition, an endoscope in which a light emitting diode unit (hereinafter referred to as an LED unit) as a light emitting portion is provided at the distal end portion of an insertion portion instead of a light guide fiber that illuminates the inside of a body cavity is known (for example, Patent Documents). See 1.)

  However, although the LED unit generates heat, there is a limit to the outer diameter of the tip portion, and therefore, the LED unit must be arranged close to the imaging unit in terms of layout. When the solid-state imaging device constituting the imaging unit is heated to a certain temperature or higher, noise increases and the image becomes rough. Therefore, there is a problem that a sufficient current cannot be supplied to the LED unit in order to prevent the solid-state imaging element from being heated to a certain temperature or higher.

Therefore, in the endoscope shown in Patent Document 1, an air / water supply conduit is piped between the imaging unit and the LED unit, and heat is taken from the LED unit by the air or water supply, and the imaging unit is affected by heat. It is configured so as to be difficult, or a partition member is provided between the imaging unit and the LED unit to block heat from the LED unit so that the imaging unit is hardly affected by heat.
JP 11-216113 A

  However, in the case of the endoscope shown in Patent Document 1, an air / water supply conduit is piped between the imaging unit and the LED unit, and heat from the LED unit is taken away by the air or water supply to cause the imaging unit to have a thermal effect. Since it is configured to be difficult to receive, the effect cannot be obtained unless air or water is supplied at all times. In addition, in the case of providing a partition member that cuts off heat from the LED unit, it is only necessary to provide an air supply / water supply conduit and a treatment instrument insertion channel component together with an illumination window and an observation window at the distal end of the insertion portion. Therefore, there has been a problem that the outer diameter of the distal end portion of the endoscope becomes thick.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope in which an imaging unit is hardly affected by the heat generated by the LED unit and can flow a sufficient current to the LED unit. Is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is an endoscope having a light emitting diode unit as a light emitting unit and an imaging unit for converting an observation image into an electrical signal at a distal end portion, and the light emitting diode unit and the imaging unit. A box body having a vacuum inside is provided , a heat radiator is connected to the box body, and a rear end portion of the heat radiator is protruded from the base end of the main body of the front end portion to the rear of the main body. Features.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an endoscope having a light emitting diode unit as a light emitting unit and an imaging unit for converting an observation image into an electrical signal at a distal end portion, and the inside is evacuated between the light emitting diode unit and the imaging unit The box body is provided, the rear end portion of the box body is extended and protrudes from the base end of the main body of the distal end portion to the rear of the main body .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the endoscope according to the first or second aspect , a void portion is formed in the main body of the distal end portion, and the box body is disposed in the void portion via the gap. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, even if the LED unit and the imaging unit are arranged close to each other, the imaging unit is hardly affected by the heat generated by the LED unit, and there is an effect that a sufficient current can flow through the LED unit.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion 1 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 3 shows a configuration as a reference example, and is a longitudinal sectional view of a distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion 1 in the form as a reference example. FIG. 5 shows a modification of the first and second embodiments and is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion 1. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion 1, showing another modification of the first and second embodiments. FIGS. 7A and 7B show still another modification example of the first and second embodiments, and are side views of the LED unit.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a distal end body 3 made of a hard member is provided on the distal end side of the endoscope insertion portion 1 via a bending tube 2. A front end cover 4 made of a synthetic resin material is provided at the front end portion of the front end portion main body 3 so as to cover the front end portion of the front end portion main body 3.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the distal end body 3 is provided with an illumination window 5 and an observation window 6. The illumination window 5 has a lens 9 attached to the tip cover 4, and this lens 9 is provided with an LED unit 10 as an illumination light emitting part provided in the tip body 3 facing the lens 9. . The LED unit 10 is electrically connected to an external power source (not shown) via an electric wire 12 inserted into a channel 11a built in the endoscope insertion portion 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the observation window 6 has an objective lens 13 attached to the distal end cover 4, and a relay lens (not shown) provided on the distal end portion body 3 is attached to the objective lens 13. An imaging unit 15 having a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD is provided so as to face each other. The LED unit 10 and the imaging unit 15 are provided close to and parallel to each other inside the tip body 3. In addition, the imaging unit 15 is electrically connected to an external power supply device (not shown) through an electric wire 16 inserted into a channel 11b built in the endoscope insertion portion 1.

  In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the tip portion 3 is flat between the LED unit 10 and the imaging unit 15 and close to the units 10 and 15 in the axial direction. A space 25 is provided. A metal or glass box 26 having a vacuum inside is inserted into the gap 25.

  According to this configuration, the heat generated from the LED unit 10 is cut off by the vacuum box 26 interposed between the LED unit 10 and the imaging unit 15, and the heat is transferred from the LED unit 10 side to the imaging unit 15 side. Can be prevented. Therefore, the imaging unit 15 is not easily affected by the heat generated by the LED unit 10, and a sufficient current can flow through the LED unit 10.

  In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the tip body 3 is flat between the LED unit 10 and the imaging unit 15 and close to both the units 10 and 15 in the axial direction. A gap portion 25 is provided. A metal or glass box 26 whose inside is evacuated is provided in the gap 25 via a gap 27.

  According to this configuration, the heat generated from the LED unit 10 can be blocked by the gap 27 between the LED unit 10 and the imaging unit 15 and the vacuum box 26, and heat transfer to the imaging unit 15 can be prevented. Therefore, the imaging unit 15 is not easily affected by the heat generated by the LED unit 10, and a sufficient current can flow through the LED unit 10.

  In the reference example shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in the tip body 3, between the LED unit 10 and the imaging unit 15, and at a position close to both the units 10, 15, the base of the tip body 3. A slit 28 is provided in the axial direction from the end. One end of a heat radiating body 29 having excellent thermal conductivity such as a copper shield net is inserted and fixed in the slit 28. The other end of the radiator 29 protrudes rearward from the proximal end of the distal end body 3 and extends into the bending tube 2.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent heat generated from the LED unit 10 from being radiated to the inside of the bending tube 2 by the heat radiating body 29 and thermally transferred to the imaging unit 15. Therefore, the imaging unit 15 is not easily affected by the heat generated by the LED unit 10, and a sufficient current can flow through the LED unit 10.

  The radiator 29 may be attached to the rear end of the LED unit 10.

  FIG. 5 shows a modification of the first and second embodiments. A heat dissipating body 30 having excellent heat conductivity such as a copper shield net is attached to the rear end portion of the vacuum box 26, and the rear end portion of the heat dissipating body 30 projects rearward from the base end of the distal end portion main body 3 to be a curved tube. 2 is extended inside.

  FIG. 6 shows another modification of the first and second embodiments. In this configuration, the rear end portion of the vacuum box 26 protrudes rearward from the proximal end of the distal end main body 3 and extends into the bending tube 2.

  FIG. 7 shows still another modification of the first and second embodiments. This is because the LED unit 10 is made of a copper material, and as shown in FIG. 7A, the LED unit 31 is used as a cast body and a radiator 32 made of a copper mesh is cast into the LED unit 31 during casting. As a result, high-efficiency thermal contact can be expected without interposing a low thermal conductive material such as solder or adhesive. Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, ultrasonic vibration friction welding may be used instead of casting.

  The radiator 32 is not limited to a copper mesh, but may be made of aluminum, and may be coupled to an LED unit made of aluminum, or may be steel, stainless steel, or the like as long as it is similar, and the radiator is coupled to the LED unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a heat radiator may be coupled to the tip body 3.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Moreover, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, you may combine the component covering different embodiment suitably.

The cross-sectional view of the front-end | tip part of the endoscope insertion part of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The cross-sectional view of the front-end | tip part of the endoscope insertion part of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The longitudinal side view of the front-end | tip part of the endoscope insertion part of the reference form of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the same reference form and follows the BB line of FIG. The cross-sectional side view of the front-end | tip part of an endoscope insertion part which shows the modification of 1st, 2nd embodiment of this invention. The longitudinal side view of the front-end | tip part of an endoscope insertion part which shows the other modification of the 1st, 2nd embodiment of this invention. The further another modification of the 1st, 2nd embodiment of this invention is shown, (a) (b) is a schematic block diagram of an LED unit.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope insertion part, 3 ... Tip part main body, 10 ... LED unit (light emitting diode unit), 15 ... Imaging unit, 25 ... Gap part, 26 ... Box, 27 ... Gap.

Claims (3)

In an endoscope having a light emitting diode unit as a light emitting unit and an imaging unit that converts an observation image into an electrical signal at the tip,
A box having a vacuum inside is provided between the light emitting diode unit and the imaging unit, a heat radiator is connected to the box, and a rear end portion of the heat radiator is connected to a base end of the main body of the tip portion. An endoscope that protrudes toward the rear of the main body . In an endoscope having a light emitting diode unit as a light emitting unit and an imaging unit that converts an observation image into an electrical signal at the tip,
A box having a vacuum inside is provided between the light emitting diode unit and the imaging unit, and the rear end of the box is extended to protrude from the base end of the main body of the tip to the rear of the main body. Endoscope characterized by. The endoscope according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a gap is formed in a main body of the tip, and the box is disposed in the gap via the gap .

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