JP2000019351A - Light source device for medical equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely prevent a laser beam from being radiated from an adaptor when a plug connected to an optical fiber cable is not connected to the adaptor connected to a light source. SOLUTION: The adaptor 6 connected to a semiconductor laser 2 is provided with a plug insertion hole 6f for inserting the plug 8 connected to the optical fiber cable 7, and a light guiding hole 6g intersecting with the plug insertion hole 6f is formed on a nut press part 6c. A light emitter 9a and a light receiver 9b are arranged on both side parts of the nut press part 6c, and the light receiver 9b detects whether or not the plug 8 is connected to the adaptor 6 by whether or not infrared rays from the light emitter 9a are received. The detection result of the light receiver 9b is sent to a control circuit 10, and the control circuit 10 allows the emission of the laser beam from the semiconductor laser 2 when the plug 8 is connected to the adaptor 6 is detected by the light receiver 9b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a light source device used for medical equipment for guiding laser light to an affected part by an optical fiber cable, such as a photodynamic therapy (PDT) device for treating cancer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A PDT device is a medical device for guiding a laser beam generated by a light source of a light source device to an affected part via an optical fiber cable. When actually performing treatment using such a PDT device, body fluids and mucous membranes may adhere to the output end face of the optical fiber cable, which may be burned by the laser beam. Also, with an optical fiber cable introduced into the end of the endoscope, a crack or break may occur in the optical fiber cable when the end of the endoscope is bent. When an optical fiber cable is used for a medical device as described above, it is necessary to frequently replace the optical fiber cable.

For this reason, a conventional general PDT device fixes, for example, an adapter connected to a light source device via a fiber optic cable to a housing of the light source device, and plugs a plug into another fiber optic cable whose distal end is located at an affected part. The plug can be attached to and detached from the adapter. In this case, if laser light is emitted from the light source in a state where the plug is not connected to the adapter, the laser light is emitted from the adapter, which is dangerous.

Therefore, conventionally, a detector for detecting whether the plug is connected to the adapter is provided,
Emission of laser light from the light source is controlled according to the detection result. As such a conventional technique, for example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-110439 is known.

[0005]

In the above prior art, when the plug is connected to the adapter, the optical signal from the detector is blocked and reflected by the plug, and when the plug is not connected to the adapter. , The light signal from the detector goes straight without being interrupted by the plug. Therefore, whether or not the plug is connected to the adapter can be detected based on whether or not the optical signal is received by the detector.

However, even when the plug is not connected to the adapter, if a finger is applied to the adapter, for example,
Since the optical signal from the detector is blocked by the finger, it is determined that the plug is connected to the adapter. In this case, although the plug is not connected to the adapter, laser light is emitted from the adapter, which may affect the human body.

An object of the present invention is to provide a medical device capable of reliably preventing laser light from being emitted from an adapter when a plug connected to an optical fiber cable is not connected to the adapter connected to the light source. To provide a light source device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a light source for generating a laser beam, an optical fiber cable having a plug attached to one end, and a light source and another optical fiber cable. An adapter that is connected and has a plug insertion hole for inserting a plug and a light guide hole that intersects with the plug insertion hole, and a shaft corresponding to the light guide hole of the adapter sandwiching the axis of the adapter. Detecting means having a light emitting device and a light receiver arranged, and detecting whether the plug has been inserted into the plug insertion hole by whether or not light from the light emitting device can be received by the light receiving device,
A light source device for a medical device, comprising: control means for controlling not to emit a laser beam from the light source when the detection means does not detect that the plug is inserted into the plug insertion hole. .

By forming the light guide hole intersecting with the plug insertion hole in the adapter as described above and arranging the light emitter and the light receiver at positions corresponding to the light guide hole with the axis of the adapter interposed therebetween, Since the diameter of the plug insertion hole is small and it is impossible to insert a finger, it is impossible to block the laser light emitted from the light emitting device with the finger. Therefore, in a state where the plug is not connected to the adapter, it is not determined that the plug is connected to the adapter, and the emission of laser light from the adapter is reliably prevented.

In the above light source device for a medical device, preferably, the adapter has a screw portion having a male screw formed at an axial end, and a light guide hole is formed at a portion adjacent to the screw portion. The plug has a plug portion inserted into the plug insertion hole, and a nut portion rotatable with respect to the plug portion, formed with an internal thread on the inner wall, and screwed into the screw portion. Thus, the plug can be securely connected to the adapter by inserting the plug into the plug insertion hole and screwing the nut into the screw.

In this case, preferably, the stopper is located at a position not to cross the light guiding hole when the nut is not screwed into the screw, and is closed when the nut is screwed into the screw. It has a length that traverses. Thereby, the laser light is emitted from the light source only when the plug is securely connected to the adapter, and the safety is improved.

[0012] Preferably, the light source is a semiconductor laser. Thereby, the size of the light source device can be reduced.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a light source device used in a photodynamic therapy (PDT) device for cancer treatment in this embodiment. The light source device 100 includes a semiconductor laser (LD) 2 provided in a housing 1. The semiconductor laser 2 is, for example, 100 mW when a semiconductor laser power supply 3 is turned on.
レ ー ザ 1 W of laser light is generated. One end of an optical fiber cable 4 is connected to the semiconductor laser 2, and a plug 5 is attached to the other end of the optical fiber cable 4, and the plug 5 is connected to an adapter 6 attached to the housing 1. A plug 8 attached to an optical fiber cable 7 having, for example, a distal end introduced into a cannula of an endoscope can be attached to and detached from the adapter 6. Here, the plug 5, the adapter 6, and the plug 8 constitute an optical fiber connector.

The light source device 100 includes a manual switch 1
1, an infrared sensor 9 including a light emitting device 9 a and a light receiving device 9 b disposed on both sides of the adapter 6, and a control circuit 10 disposed in the housing 1. The manual switch 11 is a switch that instructs the semiconductor laser 2 to emit laser light.

The light emitting device 9a of the infrared sensor 9 sends out infrared rays according to a signal from the control circuit 10, and the light receiving device 9b determines whether the plug 8 is connected to the adapter 6 depending on whether or not the infrared light sent out from the light emitting device 9a is received. Detect if.

The control circuit 10 controls the semiconductor laser power supply 3 in accordance with signals from the manual switch 11 and the light receiver 9b, while controlling to transmit infrared rays to the light emitter 9a. The control of the semiconductor laser power supply 3 is specifically performed as follows.

That is, emission of laser light is instructed by the manual switch 11, and the plug 8 is connected to the adapter 6 by the light receiver 9b.
When the connection to the semiconductor laser is detected,
Is turned on to emit laser light from the semiconductor laser 2. When the manual switch 11 does not instruct the emission of the laser beam, and when the manual switch 11 instructs the emission of the laser beam but the plug 8 is not connected to the adapter 6, the semiconductor laser power supply 3 is turned off. Control is turned off so that laser light is not emitted from the semiconductor laser 2.

It should be noted that an alarm device and a display device are provided in addition to the above configuration. For example, when the plug 8 is not connected to the adapter 6 while the light source device 100 is powered on,
An alarm may be issued or a light emitting diode may be turned on.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the structure of the optical fiber connector. The adapter 6 includes a long screw portion 6a and a short screw portion 6b having male screws formed at both ends in the axial direction, and a hexagonal nut holding portion 6c located between the screw portions 6a and 6b.
A plug insertion hole 6f penetrating in the axial direction for connecting the plugs 5, 8 is provided. The nut holding portion 6c is formed with a light guiding hole 6g that intersects the plug insertion hole 6f in a direction orthogonal to the axis. The adapter 6 is fixed to the housing 1 by inserting the long screw portion 6a into the hole 1a of the housing 1 from the outside, inserting the washer 6d into the long screw portion 6a, and screwing the nut 6e.

The plug 8 is connected to the optical fiber cable 7 and has a plug portion 8a whose tip is inserted into a plug insertion hole 6f of the adapter 6, and a nut portion 8b rotatable with respect to the plug portion 8a. ing. The nut portion 8b is provided with an insertion hole 8d for inserting the central portion of the plug portion 8a, and a screw hole 8e having a diameter larger than the insertion hole 8d and having a female screw formed on an inner wall. A flange 8g and a notch 8h are formed in the center of the plug 8a.
is inserted into the insertion hole 8d from the screw hole 8e side, and then the stopper 8i is attached to the notch 8h, whereby the plug 8a is inserted.
Restricts the movement in the axial direction with respect to the nut portion 8b.

When connecting the plug 8 to the adapter 6,
The tip of the plug 8a of the plug 8 is inserted into the plug insertion hole 6f, and then the nut 8b is screwed into the short screw 6b. Thus, the plug 8 can be reliably connected to the adapter 6.

Although the plug 5 is not described in detail, it has the same structure as the plug 8, and the tip of the plug 5a is inserted into the plug insertion hole 6f, and the nut 5b is screwed into the long screw 6a. Have been.

The light-emitting device 9a and the light-receiving device 9b of the infrared sensor 9 are connected to the side surface of the nut holding portion 6c or the housing 1 so as to close the light guide hole 6g provided in the nut holding portion 6c of the adapter 6. Mounted on the wall. The mounting position of the light emitting device 9a and the light receiving device 9b is not particularly limited to this, and may be disposed at a position corresponding to the light guide hole 6g of the adapter 6 with the axis interposed therebetween.

In the present embodiment configured as described above, when the power of the light source device 100 is turned on, an infrared ray is transmitted from the light emitter 9a by a signal of the control circuit 10. At this time, as shown in FIG.
When the plug 8a of the plug 8 connected to the plug 8 is not inserted into the plug insertion hole 6f of the adapter 6, the infrared light emitted from the light emitting device 9a is not blocked by the plug 8a and is inserted into the light guide hole 6g. , And is received by the light receiver 9b. Then, the control circuit 10 turns off the semiconductor laser power supply 3 in response to the signal from the light receiver 9b so that the semiconductor laser 2 does not emit laser light. Thus, no laser light is emitted from the adapter 6.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
When the plug 8a is inserted into the plug insertion hole 6f of the adapter 6, the infrared light emitted from the light emitting device 9a is blocked by the plug 8a, so that the light receiving device 9b does not receive the infrared light. At this time, when the emission of the laser beam is not instructed by the manual switch 11, the control circuit 10 controls the light receiver 9b.
The semiconductor laser power supply 3 is kept off irrespective of the signal from the semiconductor laser 2 so that the semiconductor laser 2 does not emit laser light.

When the laser switch is instructed by the manual switch 11, the control circuit 10 turns on the semiconductor laser power supply 3 according to the signal from the light receiver 9b.
A laser beam is emitted from the semiconductor laser 2.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional light source device. The adapter 56 used in the present light source device differs from the adapter 6 of the present embodiment in that the light guide hole that intersects with the plug insertion hole 56f is not formed in the nut holding portion 56c.
Further, the light emitting device 9a and the light receiving device 9b are arranged at positions away from the end of the adapter 56 on the short screw portion 56b side.

In such a configuration, for example, when a finger is applied to the end on the short screw portion 56b side, the infrared light emitted from the light emitting device 9a is blocked by the finger, so that the light receiving device 9b does not receive the infrared light. Therefore, a control circuit (not shown) determines that the plug 8 is connected to the adapter 56 based on a signal from the light receiver 9b, and turns on a semiconductor laser power supply (not shown). In this case, plug 8
Is connected, the laser light of 100 mW to 1 W is emitted from the adapter 56, which may affect the human body.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a light guide hole 6g intersecting with the plug insertion hole 6f is provided in the nut holding portion 6c of the adapter 6, and the light emitting device 9a and the light receiving device 9b are provided on the side surface of the nut holding portion 6f. Adapter 6
It is possible to surely prevent the laser light from being emitted in a state where the plug 8 is not connected to the light source. That is, since the plug insertion hole 6f has a small diameter of, for example, 3 mm, it is impossible to insert a finger, and it is impossible to block infrared light emitted from the light emitting device 9a with the finger. Therefore, laser light is reliably prevented from being emitted from the adapter 6 in a state where the plug 8 is not connected to the adapter 6, and safety is improved.

Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Members equivalent to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state where the plug is not connected to the adapter of the light source device according to the present embodiment and a state where the plug is connected. The light source device 100A includes plugs 5A and 8A in place of the plugs 5 and 8, and the plug 5Aa of the plug 5A is a plug 5A shown in FIG.
The plug portion 8Aa of the plug 8A is shorter than the plug portion 8a shown in FIG. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5A, the tip of the plug 8Aa is slightly inserted into the plug insertion hole 6f of the adapter 6, and the nut 8b is screwed into the short screw 6b. If not,
When the nut portion 8b is completely screwed into the short screw portion 6b as shown in FIG. 5B, the length is set so as to cross the light guide hole 6g. Have.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the laser light is emitted from the semiconductor laser 2 only when the plug 8A is securely connected to the adapter 6, and the safety is improved. Thus, the manual switch 11 shown in FIG. 1 is not necessarily provided, and in this case, the configuration of the light source device can be simplified.

In this embodiment, the light source device for a PDT device in which the light source is a semiconductor laser has been described. , K
The present invention can be applied to various medical devices such as a laser scalpel using a TP YAG laser and an optical fiber having good operability for guiding a laser beam to an affected part.

Although an adapter having a hexagonal nut holding portion is used as the adapter, the present invention is not particularly limited to this and can be applied to other adapters.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, by shortening the plug portion of the plug, when the nut portion 8b is not screwed into the short screw portion 6b, the nut portion 8b does not cross the light guide hole 6g, Is configured to cross the light guide hole 6g when screwed into the short screw portion 6b.
This may be dealt with by shifting the formation position of the light guide hole 6g toward the long screw portion 6a.

[0037]

According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent laser light from being emitted from the adapter when the plug connected to the optical fiber cable is not connected to the adapter connected to the light source. , Safety is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a light source device for a medical device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a structure of the optical fiber connector shown in FIG.

3A and 3B are diagrams showing a state where a plug is not connected to the adapter shown in FIG. 2 and a state where the plug is connected.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an optical fiber connector portion of a conventional light source device for medical equipment.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state where a plug is not connected to an adapter of a light source device for a medical device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and a state where the plug is connected.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 semiconductor laser (light source) 3 semiconductor laser power supply (control means) 4 optical fiber cable 6 adapter
6b: short screw portion, 6c: nut holding portion, 6f: plug insertion hole, 6g: light guide hole, 7: optical fiber cable,
8, 8A: plug, 8a, 8Aa: plug, 8b: nut, 9: infrared sensor (detection means), 9a: light emitter, 9
b: photodetector, 10: control circuit (control means), 11: manual switch (control means), 100, 100A: light source device.

Claims (4)

[Claims] A light source for generating a laser beam; an optical fiber cable having a plug attached to one end thereof; a plug insertion hole connected to the light source via another optical fiber cable for inserting the plug; An adapter in which a light guide hole intersecting with the plug insertion hole is formed, and a light emitting device and a light receiver are arranged at positions corresponding to the light guide hole of the adapter with the axis of the adapter interposed therebetween. Detecting means for detecting whether or not the plug is inserted into the plug insertion hole depending on whether or not light from the light emitting device can be received by the light receiving device; and wherein the plug is inserted into the plug insertion hole by this detecting means. A light source device for medical equipment, comprising: a control unit configured to control not to emit a laser beam from the light source when the light source is not detected. 2. The adapter has a threaded portion formed with an external thread at an axial end, and the light guide hole is formed at a portion adjacent to the threaded portion. 2. The medical device according to claim 1, further comprising: a plug inserted into the insertion hole; and a nut rotatable with respect to the plug, a female screw formed on an inner wall, and screwed into the screw. Light source device for equipment. 3. The plug portion is located at a position not to cross the light guide hole when the nut portion is not screwed into the screw portion, and the light guide is provided when the nut portion is screwed into the screw portion. 3. The light source device for a medical device according to claim 2, wherein the light source device has a length so as to cross the hole. 4. The light source device for medical equipment according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a semiconductor laser.