KR20160133112A - Intraoral scanner having a plurality of optical path - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an oral scanner for dental treatment. Provided is an oral scanner having a plurality of optical paths, which includes: two or more light sources; optical systems of which the number is the same as the light sources, corresponding to the light sources in a one-to-one manner; imaging devices of which the number is the same as the optical systems, corresponding to the optical systems in a one-to-one manner; and a housing accommodating the light sources, the optical systems, and the imaging devices. The light radiated from each of the light sources has corresponding one of the optical systems, one point of an object to be photographed, and an optical path to corresponding one of the optical systems and corresponding one of the imaging devices.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an oral scanner having a plurality of optical paths,

The present invention relates to an oral scanner for dental use, and more particularly, to an oral scanner capable of acquiring accurate three-dimensional image data by photographing an object to be imaged at different viewing angles through two or more optical paths.

 The oral scanner is a device for acquiring a three-dimensional image in the oral cavity of a dentist or the like. In accordance with a three-dimensional image acquisition method, there is a confocal method, optical coherence tomography, stereo vision method, and triangulation method.

Since the oral scanner must be inserted into the oral cavity, the size miniaturization technique is very important.

Hereinafter, an example of a conventional oral scanner will be described with reference to FIG.

1, a conventional oral scanner has an optical path in which light emitted from a light source 10 is reflected by a target 22 to be imaged and then transmitted to the imaging element 30 through a prism 18 . The focus for the target 22 is adjusted by the lenses 14,20. At this time, images of different depths are obtained by varying the focus of each point of the target to form a three-dimensional image. The imaging element 30 is located at the final stage of the optical path to acquire an image by the light reflected by the target 22.

However, in the case of the above-described conventional oral scanner, a single light beam is irradiated in the same direction with respect to the target through the lenses 14 and 20, and a single light beam reflected by the target 22 and then reflected by the imaging element 30 The images acquired by the image pickup device are all images with the same viewing angle, even if confocal images are implemented. Therefore, there is a limit to increase the stereoscopic effect of the images. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a sophisticated image and difficult to perform elaborate dental treatment.

European patent publication EP 1 505 425 B 1 Speckle reduction method and apparatus (2008.08.20 announcement)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an oral scanner capable of acquiring accurate three-dimensional image data by photographing an object to be imaged at two or more viewing angles by forming two or more optical paths in the oral scanner .

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup apparatus including at least two light sources, a same number of optical systems corresponding one-to-one with the light sources, a same number of image pickup elements corresponding one- Wherein the light emitted from each of the light sources includes a plurality of light paths each having an optical path corresponding to each of the corresponding optical systems, one point of an object to be imaged, each corresponding optical system, Scanner.

The projector may further include a plurality of projectors for irradiating light emitted from each of the light sources to the respective optical systems. Preferably, each of the projectors converts the light emitted from each of the light sources into pattern light.

The optical path may have a plurality of optical paths reflected at a point of the object to be imaged, and the housing may be provided with a lens that focuses on one point of the object to be imaged between each of the projectors and each of the optical systems .

A first optical fiber which connects the respective light sources and the respective optical systems and a second optical fiber which connects the optical systems and the respective imaging elements to each other. At this time, the housing may be formed with a corrugated portion that surrounds the plurality of first optical fibers and the plurality of second optical fibers.

And a processing unit for digitizing the images photographed by the plurality of image pickup devices.

And a wireless communication unit for wirelessly transmitting data of the processing unit to the outside.

According to the present invention described above, it is possible to take an image of an object to be imaged through two or more light paths, and capture an image of the object with two or more viewing angles.

Further, according to the present invention, two or more optical paths can be flexibly implemented using optical fibers, and the size of the oral scanner can be reduced.

In addition, according to the present invention, since three-dimensional image analysis is easily performed when photographing is performed with a plurality of viewing angles, the processing time of three-dimensional data can be saved.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a process of acquiring a three-dimensional image by a conventional oral scanner,
2 is a schematic diagram schematically showing an embodiment of an oral scanner having a plurality of lenses according to the present invention,
3 is a schematic view schematically showing another embodiment of an oral scanner having a plurality of lenses according to the present invention, and Fig.
4 is a view showing an example of a housing to which the embodiment of FIG. 3 is applied.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The shape and the size of the elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings.

And throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as being "connected" to another part, it includes not only "directly connected" but also "electrically connected" with another part in between. Also, when a component is referred to as being "comprising" or "comprising", it is to be understood that this does not exclude other components, unless the context otherwise requires, do.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mouth scanner according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mouth scanner according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A first optical system 120 for directing the light irradiated from the first projector 150 toward the object T and reflecting the light reflected from the object T to the first optical path, A first image capturing device 160 for capturing light reflected from the object to be photographed T through the first optical system 120 along a first optical path, a second light source 142 for generating light, A second projector 152 for irradiating the light from the light source 142 toward the second optical path and a second projector 152 for reflecting the light emitted from the second projector 152 toward the object T A second optical system 122 for reflecting the light to the second optical path and a second imaging device 162 for taking light reflected from the object to be photographed T through the second optical system 122 along the second optical path, , And It includes a housing 110 that accommodates.

The first imaging device 160 is an imaging device capable of acquiring a photographed image such as a CCD or CMOS as digital data.

The first optical path includes a first light source 140, a first projector 150, a first optical system 120, a subject to be photographed T, a first optical system 120, And the second optical path includes a second light source 142, a second projector 152, a second optical system 122, a photographing target T, a second optical system 122, 162) in this order.

When a photographing target T is photographed through these two optical paths, one point can be photographed at two different viewing angles, so that it is easy to obtain a three-dimensional image using the obtained image.

In this embodiment, a lens 130 is provided on the first and second optical paths. The lens 130 is shaped and positioned such that its focal point is formed at one point on the object T to be photographed through the first and second optical systems 120 and 122. [ For example, the lens 130 includes at least one convex lens, and the light of the first and second projectors 150 and 152 is horizontally incident on the lens 130, T, the light emitted from the first and second projectors 150 and 152 travels along the first and second light paths, and then, at one point of the object T, And then proceeds to the first and second image pickup devices 160 and 162, respectively. Therefore, it is possible to focus on one point of the shooting target T and shoot the point at different viewing angles.

The aforementioned first and second optical systems 120 and 122 may include a prism or a mirror having a reflecting surface inclined with respect to the optical path.

The first and second image pickup devices 160 and 162 are connected to the data processing unit 170 to digitize the acquired image.

The first and second projectors 150 and 152 can form a pattern on the irradiated light. For example, a pattern beam having a grid pattern or a concentric circle pattern capable of forming the coordinates of the object T can be irradiated onto the object T to be photographed.

This embodiment is an oral scanner that can be used wirelessly and includes a wireless communication unit 180. [ It also includes a power supply 190 that supplies power to the aforementioned components housed within the housing 110.

3 is a configuration for minimizing the volume occupied by a plurality of optical paths in the housing 110 as a second embodiment of the present invention. To this end, in this embodiment, instead of the lens 130 of the first embodiment, an optical fiber cable 200 capable of transmitting light to a desired point is provided. The optical fiber cable 200 includes a first optical fiber 201 that guides the light emitted from the first projector 150 to the first optical system 120 and a second optical fiber 201 that is reflected from the image pickup target T and passes through the first optical system 120 A second optical fiber 202 for guiding one light to the first image sensing device 160, a third optical fiber 203 for guiding the light emitted from the second projector 152 to the second optical system 122, And a fourth optical fiber 204 for guiding the light that has been reflected from the object T and passed through the second optical system 122 to the second image pickup device 162.

Since the optical fiber does not scatter the light passing through the inside through the total reflection, the light can be guided in a predetermined direction along the optical fiber, and since the optical fiber itself can be flexibly rotated, the first and second optical fibers 201, 202 form the first optical path and the third and fourth optical fibers 204, 204 form the second optical path. Therefore, the volume for the optical path in the housing 110 can be minimized.

Fig. 4 is a specific embodiment of the housing 110 in the form of a corrugated pipe in the second embodiment.

Since the optical fiber can be flexed flexibly, the housing 210 can be deformed according to the attitude of the photographer and the oral structure and the body structure of the patient. In this embodiment, the housing 210 is formed as a corrugated tube made of a resilient material to facilitate such deformation.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It will be clear to those who have.

110: head 121: light source
122, 123: image pickup element 130: housing
140: Wireless communication module T: Shooting target

Claims (9)

At least two light sources,
An optical system of the same number as the one corresponding to the light source,
The same number of imaging elements corresponding one-to-one to the optical system,
And a housing for accommodating the light source, the optical system, and the imaging element,
The light emitted from each of the light sources,
And an optical path extending to each of the corresponding optical system, the object to be imaged, each corresponding optical system, and each corresponding imaging element
An oral scanner having a plurality of optical paths.
The method according to claim 1,
And a plurality of optical paths, each of the optical paths further including a projector that irradiates light emitted from each of the light sources to the respective optical systems.
The method of claim 2,
Wherein each of the projectors has a plurality of optical paths for converting the light emitted from each light source into pattern light and irradiating the pattern light.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Wherein the light path has a plurality of light paths reflected at a point of the object to be imaged.
The method of claim 4,
Wherein the housing has a plurality of optical paths including lenses that focus on one point of the object to be imaged between each of the projectors and the respective optical systems.
The method of claim 4,
A first optical fiber which connects the respective light sources and the respective optical systems and a second optical fiber of the same number that connects the optical systems and the respective imaging elements,
An oral scanner having a plurality of optical paths.
The method of claim 6,
Wherein the housing includes a plurality of first optical fibers and a plurality of second optical fibers,
An oral scanner having a plurality of optical paths.
The method of claim 4,
Further comprising a processing unit for digitizing an image photographed by the plurality of imaging elements
An oral scanner having a plurality of optical paths.
The method of claim 8,
And a wireless communication unit for wirelessly transmitting data of the processing unit to the outside.

Images