JP2000070287A - Laser distribution device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser distribution device capable of safely and surely switching the transmission destination of the laser of high output without loss. SOLUTION: This laser distribution device 20 is provided with a pentagonal prism 30 attached to a supporting body 34 to be moved along a guide rail 32 and plural laser emission ports 26. When a screw shaft 38 screwed to the supporting body 34 is rotated by a step motor 40, the pentagonal prism 30 is moved to a position facing a desired laser emission port 26. In this case, when the laser is made incident on the pentagonal prism 30, the laser is reflected by changing a direction by 90 degrees and led to the desired laser emission port 26.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser distribution device capable of switching the destination of a high-power laser for dental treatment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, laser treatment machines are used in dental treatments and the like in order to instantaneously heat and evaporate an affected part. FIG. 3 shows a conventional laser treatment machine. In a conventional laser treatment machine, a laser is guided from a laser treatment machine body 1 to a handpiece 3 by an optical fiber 2, and the handpiece 3
The laser is applied to the affected area from above. In addition, a caster 7 is attached to the lower surface of the laser treatment machine main body 1 so as to be able to move to a treatment table to be used.

When not in use, the handpiece 3 is held by a handpiece holder 5 attached to a handpiece bracket 4 erected on the upper surface of the laser treatment machine. At this time, the excess portion of the optical fiber 2 is rounded in a loop shape and is hung on a spiral hook 6 formed at the tip of the handpiece bracket 4. An operation panel 10 and an accessory storage case 11 are provided on an upper surface of the laser treatment machine main body 1.
A foot switch hanger 12 is provided at the lower part of the front of the laser treatment machine main body 1, and a foot switch 14 with a guard 13 can be hung on the foot switch hanger 12 when not in use.

[0004]

In the conventional laser treatment machine as described above, it was necessary to move the laser treatment machine to a position near the treatment table each time it was used. Therefore, in order to improve work efficiency, as shown in FIG. 2, each treatment table 8 is provided with a handpiece, and an optical fiber 2, an air hose, and a control cable are provided between the laser distribution device 20 and each treatment table 8. Thus, there has been a demand for a laser treatment table system which is connected by the above-described method and can switch the laser and air delivery destinations according to the treatment table 8 to be used.

[0005] However, although there are conventional distributors for distributing low-power optical communication light to a plurality of optical communication devices (see, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 61-76415), high-output devices such as laser treatment machines are used. Since there was no laser distribution device for switching the laser destination, the laser treatment table system could not be realized. For this reason,
There has been a demand for a laser distribution device capable of switching the destination of a high-power laser safely and without loss.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of laser emission ports are provided.
A reflector for redirecting the laser emitted from the laser generator to the laser emission port, the reflector being movable along the optical path of the incident laser, and guiding the reflected laser to a desired laser emission port. Can be stopped. Claim 2
In the invention according to the first aspect, in the invention according to the first aspect, the reflector is a pentaprism. In the invention according to claim 3, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, the support body to which the reflector is attached is supported by a guide rail and screwed to a screw shaft that is rotationally driven by a motor. . In the invention according to claim 4, claim 1, 2, or 3
In the invention according to the invention, an optical sensor is provided to face the laser emission port, and the optical sensor detects a displacement of the laser with respect to the laser emission port, and controls the reflector to eliminate the displacement. It is moving.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A laser distribution device 20 according to the present invention
As shown in FIG. The laser distribution device 20 includes a solid-state laser generator 22 and a semiconductor laser generator 24 inside, and a large number of laser emission ports 26 on the outer surface. The laser is emitted only from one laser emission port 26. Of course, both laser generators 22 and 24 may be provided outside the laser distribution device, and the laser may be guided to the laser distribution device by an optical fiber or the like.

FIG. 2 shows a laser treatment table system using the laser distribution device of the present invention. The optical fiber 2 is connected between the laser output port 26 of the laser distribution device 20 and the laser input port of the treatment table 8, so that the laser can be sent to a handpiece provided on the treatment table 8.
An air hose, a control cable, and the like are also connected between the laser distribution device 20 and the treatment table 8, so that cooling air can be sent to the handpiece. And the destination of the air can be switched.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the laser distribution apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail. The solid-state laser generator 22 generates a high-output infrared laser and emits the laser from a laser head 23. The semiconductor laser generator 24 generates a red visible light laser that guides an operator to properly irradiate an infrared laser to an affected part. The infrared laser and the visible light laser are combined into one as a coaxial laser beam, reflected by two mirrors 28, incident on a pentaprism 30, and turned 90 degrees by the pentaprism 30 to form a laser emission port 26. , And further guided by the optical fiber 2 to a handpiece provided on the treatment table 8.

Depending on the positional relationship between the laser generators 22 and 24 and the pentaprism 30, two mirrors 28 may not be used. Although an appropriate reflector such as a mirror or a triangular prism may be used instead of the pentaprism 30, the pentaprism preserves the angle between incident light and reflected light even if it is inclined. Even if there is an error in the attachment of the 30, the reflected laser can be reliably guided to the laser emission port 26.

The pentaprism 30 is attached to a support 34 slidably supported on a guide rail 32 so that it can move along the optical path of the incident laser. A female screw is screwed into the support 34. This female screw is screwed with a screw shaft 38 with a male screw,
This screw shaft 38 is driven to rotate by a step motor 40. Although an ordinary motor may be used instead of the step motor 40, it is desirable to use a step motor suitable for digital control.

By controlling the rotation of the stepping motor 40 by a control device (not shown), the pentaprism 30 is moved to a position where the reflected laser can be guided to a desired laser emission port 26 and stopped there. ing. Since the support 34 and the screw shaft 38 are screwed together, the pentaprism 30 can be reliably held at the stop position when the stepping motor is stopped without providing a stopper. The control device sets the laser emission port 26 in use to
An alarm lamp provided on the treatment table 8 to be used is turned on so that the information is displayed on the operation panel 10 and the treatment table 8 to which the laser beam is guided is understood.

An optical sensor 42 comprising a two-division position sensor 43 such as a two-division photodiode and a dichroic mirror 44 is provided directly opposite the laser emission port 26. The dichroic mirror 44 transmits an infrared laser and most visible light lasers, but reflects a part of the visible light laser toward the two-division position sensor 43. The pentaprism 30 is the laser emission port 2
When there is a misalignment with respect to No. 6, 43
Since one output is larger than the other output, the optical sensor 42 can detect a displacement of these lasers with respect to the laser emission port 26 and sends the displacement to a control device (not shown). The control device rotates the step motor 40 in accordance with the displacement, and moves the position of the pentaprism 30 so that the infrared laser and the visible light laser reflected by the pentaprism 30 are always guided to the laser emission port 26. Let me. Thus, both lasers can be reliably guided to the laser emission port 26.

Further, in order to enhance safety, first, a visible light laser for guidance is first emitted, and after confirming that there is no displacement, a high-output infrared laser is emitted. It is configured to control laser emission.

According to the laser distribution device 20 of this embodiment,
Since only the laser emission port 26 is selected by moving the pentaprism 30, the destination of the high-power laser can be switched safely and securely with little loss.
Further, by using the laser distribution device 20 of the present embodiment, a laser treatment table system capable of switching the destination of the laser from the laser distribution device 20 to the desired treatment table 8 can be realized. According to such a laser treatment table system, it is not necessary to move the laser treatment machine to the vicinity of the treatment table unlike the related art, so that work efficiency can be improved.

[0016]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to safely and reliably switch the destination of the high-power laser with little loss. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the pentaprism is used to control the incident laser beam.
Since the angle between the incident laser and the reflected laser is preserved by the surface reflection, even if there is an error in mounting the pentaprism, the reflected laser can be reliably guided to the laser emission port. According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the support of the reflector and the screw shaft are screwed together, the reflector can be reliably held at the stop position when the motor is stopped without providing a stopper. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the optical sensor is provided, the laser can be more reliably guided to the laser emission port.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a laser distribution device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a laser treatment table system using the laser distribution device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conventional laser treatment machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 laser distributor 22 solid-state laser generator (laser generator) 24 semiconductor laser generator (laser generator) 26 laser emission port 30 pentaprism (reflector) 32 guide rail 34 support 38 screw shaft 40 step motor (motor) 42 Optical Sensor

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A laser output device comprising: a plurality of laser emission ports; and a reflector for redirecting a laser emitted from the laser generator to the laser emission port, the reflector being movable along an optical path of an incident laser, And a laser distributing device which can be stopped at a position where the reflected laser is guided to a desired laser emission port. 2. The laser distribution device according to claim 1, wherein said reflector is a pentaprism. 3. The support according to claim 1, wherein the support to which the reflector is attached is supported by a guide rail and is screwed to a screw shaft driven to rotate by a motor. Laser distribution device. 4. An optical sensor is provided to face the laser emission port, and the optical sensor detects a displacement of the laser with respect to the laser emission port, and controls the reflector to eliminate the displacement. 4. The laser distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the laser distribution device is moved.