JP2000296101A - Biological fluorescence observation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a biological fluorescence observation apparatus having a television monitor mounted on a wagon in no danger of being broken by a dual-purpose television camera unit suspended on the end of a rotary support arm. SOLUTION: A rotation range limiting stopper is provided for limiting the range of rotation of a rotary support arm 20 so that, when the rotary support arm 20 is rotated, a dual-purpose television camera unit 10 suspended on the end thereof does not collide with a television monitor 52 placed on a wagon 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for observing fluorescence of a living body which enables normal observation and fluorescence observation using an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Fluorescence diagnosis using an endoscope is performed by utilizing the fact that a living body emits fluorescence when irradiated with light (excitation light) in a specific wavelength region.

[0003] An endoscope used for performing such a fluorescence diagnosis connects an observation image obtained by an objective optical system arranged at the distal end of an insertion section with an image guide fiber bundle inserted into the insertion section. This is the same as that for normal observation that is transmitted to the eye and observed.

[0004] A connecting mechanism for connecting an eyepiece of an endoscope is provided to a dual-use television camera unit provided at a lower end of the endoscope for capturing a normal image through the eyepiece. A television camera and a television camera for imaging a fluorescence image with an image intensifier for amplifying the intensity of light of a fluorescence observation image passing through the eyepiece for imaging are provided.

[0005] Such a dual-use television camera unit includes:
It is suspended at the tip of a rotating support arm to which a rotating joint is attached, and the base of the rotating support arm is attached to a wagon for mounting equipment necessary for endoscopy, and in a dual-use TV camera unit. A television monitor for displaying a captured image is mounted on a wagon.

[0006]

It is desirable that the rotating support arm, which suspends the dual-use television camera unit, can rotate as wide as possible so that the dual-use television camera unit can be freely moved. It was necessary to pay attention to the operation so as not to hit the television monitor on which the endoscope observation image was displayed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for observing fluorescence of a living body in which a dual-use television camera unit suspended at the tip of a rotation support arm does not collide with a television monitor mounted on a wagon. I do.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a living body fluorescence observation apparatus according to the present invention comprises a connecting mechanism for connecting an eyepiece of an endoscope provided at a lower end thereof. TV camera for normal image capturing for capturing a normal observation image passing through the section and fluorescence with an image intensifier for amplifying the light intensity of the fluorescence observation image passing through the eyepiece section for capturing A normal / fluorescent television camera unit with a built-in TV camera for image capture, and a base mounted on a wagon for mounting equipment required for endoscopy, with a rotating joint between both ends A rotating support arm having the dual-purpose television camera unit suspended at the tip thereof, and a television monitor mounted on the wagon for displaying an image captured by the dual-purpose television camera unit. In the fluorescence observation apparatus of a living body to be,
Rotation for restricting the rotation range of the rotation support arm so that the dual-use TV camera unit suspended at the tip when the rotation support arm rotates does not hit the television monitor. A range limiting stopper is provided.

A plurality of rotary joints rotatable about a vertical axis may be provided on the rotation support arm, and each of the rotary joints may be provided with the rotation range restricting stopper.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the entire configuration of a biological fluorescence observation apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing an eyepiece 2 of an endoscope 1.
An eyepiece 2 is provided in a normal / fluorescent television camera unit 10 provided with a connection mechanism 3 for connecting
Image capturing television camera for capturing a normal observation image passing therethrough, and fluorescent light with an image intensifier for amplifying the intensity of light of the fluorescence observation image passing through the eyepiece 2 for imaging. An image pickup television camera is integrally incorporated.

An optical path switching optical system for switching the light passing through the eyepiece 2 of the endoscope 1 to which imaging surface of the two television cameras is disposed in the dual use television camera unit 10. The switching operation can be arbitrarily performed by the operation knob 11.

Reference numeral 50 denotes a light source device 51 and a television monitor 52.
It is a wagon on which other necessary equipment for normal endoscope observation and fluorescence observation are mounted, and wheels 58 are attached to four corners at the bottom, so that the wagon can be freely moved. Reference numeral 59 denotes a wagon moving handle.

The rotation support arm 20 disposed above the wagon 50 has a plurality of rotation joints 24, 2 between both ends thereof.
5 and 26 are arranged, and the dual-use television camera unit 10 is suspended from the tip thereof.

Specifically, at the upper end of the wagon 50, a thick and durable rod-shaped stand pole 60 is erected in the vertical direction, and the first stand arm 21 facing the side is provided with a base rotary joint. 24, it is connected to the protruding end of the stand pole 60 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis and tiltable up and down. Reference numeral 24a is a base rotation fixing knob that can fix the rotating state by manually tightening.

Further, a second stand arm 22 horizontally oriented above the first stand arm 21 is rotatable around the vertical axis at an end of the first stand arm 21 by an intermediate rotary joint 25. It is connected to.
Reference numeral 25a is an intermediate rotation fixing knob that can fix the rotation state by manually tightening.

The dual-purpose TV camera unit 10 is suspended from the distal end of the second stand arm 22 (ie, the distal end of the rotation support arm 20) via a universal joint 26 that can rotate in all directions. Have been.

Here, the universal joint 2
As No. 6, a pair of universal joints of a universal joint having a horizontal axis and a universal joint having a vertical axis are used in combination.

With such a structure, the stand pole 6
The dual-use television camera unit 20 can be largely rotated about the 0 axis, and the universal joint 26 can be freely moved in all directions on the spherical moving surface around the universal joint 26 which is a fulcrum of suspension. Can be moved.

With such a configuration, a dual-use television camera unit 1 having a built-in heavy image intensifier
0 is supported by the tip of the rotation support arm 20, and the operator can easily operate the endoscope 1 without putting a heavy load on the endoscope 1.

The wagon 50 has several shelves,
In addition to the television monitor 52 fixed to the uppermost stage by the fixing belt 52a, the light source device 51, the normal image television camera control device 53 for controlling the normal image imaging television camera, and the control of the fluorescent image imaging television camera are controlled. A fluorescent image television camera controller 54, a color video tape recorder 55, and a video printer 56 for making a hard copy of an image are mounted. At the bottom of the wagon 50, a medical insulation transformer 57 is mounted.

In order to transmit signals between various devices mounted on the wagon 50 and the rotation support arm 20, a plurality of signal cables 30 are bundled and arranged along the rotation support arm 20. . Hereinafter, 30 is a signal cable bundle.

The distal end portion of the signal cable bundle 30 is connected to the upper surface of the dual-use television camera unit 10, and the proximal end portion is disposed along a stand pole 60, and further includes a wagon 5.
The inside of the wagon 50 is drawn from along the upper surface of the wagon 50.

The signal cable bundle 30 is bundled together at a portion along the first stand arm 21 and at a portion closer to the wagon 50 therethrough through a slit tube 31 having a slit extending over its entire length in the longitudinal direction. A soft synthetic resin tape 32 is spirally wound around the intermediate rotary joint 25 and a portion closer to the front end thereof to be bundled.

The signal cable bundle 30 includes a wagon 50
Band 33 with respect to the top wall, the stand pole 60, the first stand arm 21 and the second stand arm 22.
And is loosely inserted into a guide ring 34 attached to the top of the universal joint 26.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the tube 31 with a slit, and FIG.
Is formed, for example, in a bellows shape as shown in FIG. 3 so as not to break when bent.

In the longitudinal direction of the slit tube 31, one slit 31a is formed over the entire length. By opening the slit 31a, the signal cable bundle 30 can be formed at any stage of the assembly process.
The tube 31 with a slit can be covered easily. In addition, since the internal signal cable bundle 30 is not exposed, the external appearance is adjusted.

Returning to FIG. 1, the tape 32 is in the form of a soft band, and it takes time and effort to wind the tape 32. However, the signal cable bundle 30 in which the tape 32 is spirally wound and bound.
Is easy to bend, follows a bending with a small radius of curvature or repeated bending without resistance, and hardly causes deterioration and damage.

Therefore, as in this embodiment, the tape 32 is spirally wound around the portion near the front end where the bending is sharp when the rotation support arm 20 is rotated, so that the signal cable bundle 30 is united. By bundling and bundling the portion near the base end where the bending is not sharp, the assembling work of the bundling is relatively simple as a whole, and the signal cable bundle 30 is rotated by the rotation support arm 20. It does not become a resistance for dynamic operation.

The distal end of the signal cable bundle 30 is connected to the upper surface of the dual-purpose TV camera unit 10, and its position on the dual-purpose TV camera unit 10 is set at the front of the endoscope 1 attached to the dual-purpose TV camera unit 10. This is the side 1a (therefore, the back side with respect to the side facing the operator who operates the endoscope 1), and the signal cable bundle 30 does not hinder the person who operates the endoscope, and is preferable in appearance.

The dual-use television camera unit 10 is suspended by a universal joint 26 at the tip of the rotation support arm 20 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. The signal cable bundle 30 is connected to the dual-use television camera unit 10 after turning the portion near the distal end into a U-shape so as not to disturb. 30a is the U-shaped turn part.

The signal cable bundle 30 is fixed to the side wall of the dual-use television camera unit 10 with a band 33 at a portion closer to the tip than the U-shaped turn portion 30a. Therefore, the U-shaped turn part 30a does not swing and its shape is maintained.

FIGS. 5 to 12 show the rotation support arm 20.
The operation of FIG. 5 and 6 show the rotation support arm 2.
0 shows a state in which the dual-use television camera unit 10 is rotated by 180 ° around a vertical line at the universal joint 26 in a state where the universal joint 26 is straightened, and the signal cable bundle 30 is By being passed through the guide ring 34 arranged at the top, it does not become entangled with surrounding members.

As shown in FIG. 7, by providing the guide ring 34 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis, when the dual-use television camera unit 10 is rotated around a vertical line, the signal cable bundle 30 becomes more rigid. I can move smoothly without resistance.

FIG. 8 shows a state where the first stand arm 21 is tilted up and down with the base rotary joint 24 as a fulcrum. In the first stand arm 21, a coil spring having a spring strength that balances the total weight of the rotation support arm 20, the dual-use television camera unit 10, the endoscope 1, and the like is inserted. As a result, the first stand arm 21 is balanced and stationary in any state unless an external force is applied, and can be easily moved by hand.

The dual-use television camera unit 10 can also swing about the universal joint 26 in the direction of rotation about the second stand arm 22 as the center axis.
FIG. 9 shows a state in which the dual-use television camera unit 10 is rotated in such a manner. The signal cable bundle 30 is entangled with the surrounding members even with such a movement of the dual-use television camera unit 10. Never.

FIG. 10 shows a state in which the rotation support arm 20 is folded and the first stand arm 21 and the second stand arm 22 overlap each other. FIG. 11 shows the state of the second stand arm 22 in that state. It shows a rotatable range around a vertical line. The rotation range of the second stand arm 22 is restricted to the range shown by a stopper mechanism described later.

FIG. 12 shows the rotatable range around the vertical line of the first stand arm 21 and the second stand arm 22 in a combined manner. The TV monitor 52 mounted on the wagon 50 has a dual-use television. The rotatable range is restricted so that the camera unit 10 does not hit.

FIG. 13 shows a stopper mechanism for restricting the rotation range in the base rotary joint 24. The stopper mechanism is rotatable in a hole 241 formed at an axial position at the top of the stand pole 60. The shaft 242 that fits into the first
Is protruded from the stand arm 21 side.

When the shaft 242 is inserted into the hole 241 and rotated (that is, when the first stand arm 21 rotates about the stand pole 60), the stopper pins 71 and 72 that come into contact with each other are One is provided on the first stand arm 21 side and two are provided on the stand pole 60 side.

Stopper pin 72 on stand pole 60 side
Are protruded in a ring-shaped groove 61. FIG. 14 shows the positions of the two stopper pins 72. The first stopper arm 71 on the side of the first stand arm 21 contacts the two stopper pins 72 on the stand pole 60, and the first stopper pin 72 is positioned within the first range. The stand arm 21 can rotate.

Although not shown, the intermediate rotary joint 2
5 is also provided with a similar stopper mechanism, so that the movement range of the second stand arm 22 is restricted, so that the dual-use television camera unit 10 does not hit the television monitor 52.

Any specific structure of any of the stopper mechanisms may be employed.

[0043]

According to the present invention, a rotation range restricting stopper for restricting the rotation range of the rotation support arm is provided.
When the rotation support arm rotates, the dual-purpose TV camera unit suspended at the tip of the rotation support arm does not have a risk of hitting the television monitor mounted on the wagon, and the operation can be safely performed without care. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a biological fluorescence observation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the biological fluorescence observation apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the slit tube according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the slit tube according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory view of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory view of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an operation explanatory view of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a front sectional view of a stopper mechanism of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a partial plan view of a stopper mechanism of the rotation support arm according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Endoscope 10 Dual use television camera unit 20 Rotation support arm 21 First stand arm 22 Second stand arm 24 Base rotation joint 25 Intermediate rotation joint 26 Universal joint 50 Wagon 52 TV monitor 60 Stand pole 71, 72 Stopper pin 241 Hole 242 axis

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2G043 AA03 BA16 CA03 EA01 GA21 GB01 GB19 LA03 4C061 AA00 BB02 BB05 CC07 DD00 FF02 GG11 GG13 JJ11 LL03 LL08 NN01 NN05 QQ04 VV01 WW17 XX02

Claims (2)

[Claims] A connection mechanism for connecting an eyepiece of an endoscope provided at a lower end of the endoscope and a television camera for imaging a normal image for capturing a normal observation image passing through the eyepiece; A normal / fluorescent TV camera unit integrally incorporating a fluorescent image capturing TV camera with an image intensifier for amplifying the light intensity of the fluorescence observation image passing through the eye, and A rotation support arm whose base is attached to a wagon for mounting equipment necessary for endoscopy, a rotating joint is arranged between both ends, and the dual-use TV camera unit is suspended at the tip, In a biological fluorescence observation apparatus having a television monitor mounted on the wagon for displaying an image captured by the dual-use television camera unit, when the rotation support arm is rotated, A living body provided with a rotation range restricting stopper for restricting a rotation range of the rotation support arm so that the dual-use television camera unit suspended at the tip does not hit the television monitor. Fluorescence observation device. 2. The living body according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of rotary joints rotatable around a vertical axis are provided on said rotary support arm, and said rotary joints are each provided with said rotary range restricting stopper. Fluorescence observation device.