JP2001095834A - Laser therapy device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser therapy device capable of always using a manipulator easy to handle for an operator. SOLUTION: This laser therapy device having a manipulator for oscillating a reflection mirror for reflecting laser beams toward a patient's eye is provided with a first mechanism for always returning the reflection mirror to the specified reference position when a hand is separated from an operating lever of the manipulator, a second mechanism for holding the oscillating position of the reflection mirror when the hand is separated from the operating lever, and a switching means for selectively switching the operating states of first mechanism and the second mechanism.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser treatment apparatus for treating a patient's eye, and more particularly, to a laser treatment apparatus having a manipulator for adjusting a laser irradiation position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A laser treatment apparatus used for photocoagulation treatment or the like has a manipulator that oscillates a reflection mirror that reflects laser light in order to enable fine adjustment when combining laser light with a treatment site. Many.

There are two types of manipulators: a type in which the reflection mirror returns to a reference position (a position where the laser beam reflected by the reflection mirror becomes the center of the field of view) when the hand is released from the operation lever, and a type in which the position is released There are two ways. These types of manipulators have different ease of use depending on the operator.

[0004]

However, since this type varies depending on the manufacturer providing the laser treatment apparatus, a manipulator of a type that the operator feels easy to handle may not be mounted. In such a case, the operator performs treatment while feeling inconvenience.

When a single laser treatment apparatus is used by a plurality of operators, the types of manipulators that are easy to handle for each operator are different. May come out.

[0006] In view of the above problems of the prior art, it is a technical object to provide a laser treatment apparatus that can always use a manipulator that is easy for an operator to handle.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration.

(1) In a laser treatment apparatus having a manipulator for swinging a reflection mirror for reflecting a laser beam toward a patient's eye, when the hand is released from an operation lever of the manipulator, the reflection mirror is moved to a predetermined position. A first mechanism for always returning to a reference position, a second mechanism for holding the swinging position of the reflection mirror when the hand is released from the operation lever, and selectively operating the first mechanism and the second mechanism. And switching means for switching to

(2) The laser treatment apparatus of (1) is further characterized by further comprising fixing means for fixing the swing of the reflection mirror at a reference position.

(3) The second mechanism of (1) is provided with frictional force loading means for applying a frictional force to the operation lever so as to enable the operation of the operation lever and stop the operation lever at the operated position. I do.

(4) In a laser treatment apparatus provided with a manipulator for swinging a reflecting mirror for reflecting a laser beam toward a patient's eye, an urging force for applying an urging force for always returning the reflecting mirror to a predetermined reference position. Means, a frictional force generating means installed on the manipulator for generating a frictional force larger than the urging force generated by the urging means, and a selecting means for selecting whether or not to use the frictional force of the frictional force generating means , Is provided.

(5) The laser treatment apparatus of (4) is characterized by comprising an operation fixing means for disabling the use of the manipulator.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing an external view of a laser treatment apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a schematic optical system of the apparatus.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a laser treatment apparatus main body, in which a laser light source for emitting a treatment laser beam, an aiming light source, and the like are incorporated. Reference numeral 2 denotes a control unit for setting and inputting laser irradiation output conditions, aiming light output, and the like. Reference numeral 3 denotes a slit lamp delivery having an illumination optical system and an observation optical system, and an irradiation optical system unit 40 for irradiating a treatment laser beam to a patient's eye is attached.

As shown in FIG. 2, laser light and aiming light from the apparatus main body 1 are guided to an irradiation optical system unit 40 through a fiber cable 4. The guided laser light includes a relay lens 41, a zoom lens 42 movable in the optical axis direction to change the spot size of the laser light,
After passing through the objective lens 43, it is reflected by the reflection mirror 19,
The light is irradiated to the affected part of the patient's eye E via the contact lens 44. Reference numeral 50 denotes an illumination optical system for projecting slit light, and includes an illumination light source, a condenser lens, a slit, a projection lens, and the like. An observation optical system 60 includes an objective lens, a variable power optical system, a protection filter, an erecting prism group, a field stop, an eyepiece, and the like.

The irradiation optical system unit 40 is provided with a manipulator 10 for swinging the reflection mirror 19 to finely adjust the irradiation position of the laser light guided by the fiber cable 4. Operation lever 11 (FIG. 3)
) Extend to the operator side of the slit lamp delivery 3. The manipulator 10 has two states: a first state in which the reflection mirror returns to the reference position (center of the field of view) when the hand is released from the operation lever 11, and a second state in which the position where the hand is released is maintained.
Each of the two operation states can be switched.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 denotes a foot switch for transmitting a trigger signal for laser irradiation. Reference numeral 6 denotes a joystick for moving the slit lamp delivery 3.

FIG. 3A is a view for explaining the mechanism of the manipulator 10 and schematically shows a state when viewed from the side of the apparatus. FIG. 3 (b) is a view of A- of FIG. 3 (a).
It is a figure which shows A sectional drawing.

A ring-shaped rotating member 21 is held at the lower end of the irradiation optical system unit 40 so as to be rotatable about the optical axis L of the objective lens 43. Pass through. A support member 22 extending rearward is provided on a side surface of the rotating member 21.
A mirror mount 20 for fixing and holding the reflection mirror 19 is fixed to the support member 22. Therefore, the reflecting mirror 19 swings right and left around the optical axis L,
It is possible to swing back and forth with the screw 22a as a fulcrum, thereby changing the reflection direction of the laser beam.

On the other hand, the operation lever 11 for swinging the reflection mirror 19 is provided within a cylindrical member 31 provided in a switching section 30 (detailed mechanism will be described later) for switching between the first state and the second state. The cylindrical member 31 is swingably inserted, and is fixed to an arm 23 that is fixedly attached to the rear end of the housing of the irradiation optical system unit 40 and extends. The front side of the operation lever 11 is bent and extends upward, and its upper end is joined to the support plate 12. The support plate 12 is provided for the irradiation optical system unit 4
The supporting plate 12 is attached to a fixing member 14 fixed to the inner wall of the housing via a cylindrical spring member 13.
3 can be moved in the same direction using the attachment portion as a fulcrum. The operation lever 11 and the arm 23
Although it is curved and extends from the irradiation optical system unit 40 so as to avoid interference with the housing of the slit lamp delivery 3, it is schematically shown in FIG.

A connecting rod 15 is fixed on the front side of the support plate 12 to which the operating lever 11 is joined, and an operation transmission table 16 is fixed on the connecting rod 15. The operation of the support plate 12 is controlled by the connecting rod. The information is transmitted to the operation transmission table 16 through 15. The operation transmitting table 16 has a pin 17a extending downward from above and a pin 17b extending laterally.

Also, three pins 18a, 18b and 18c are provided on the rear side of the upper portion of the mirror mount 20 as described above.
a and the pin 17b. That is, as shown in FIG. 3B, the pins 18a and 18c extending in parallel in the left-right direction are engaged so as to sandwich the pin 17a, and the pins 18a and 1
8b are mounted on the mirror mounting base 20 in a positional relationship where they are engaged so as to sandwich the pin 17b.

With the above configuration, for example, when the operating lever 11 is moved downward, the pin 17b moves upward via the support plate 12, the connecting rod 15, and the operation transmitting table 16, and the pin 1
One of the pins 18a sandwiching the pin 7b is pushed upward. As a result, the mirror mount 20 is fixed to the screw 22a.
The laser beam swings rearward with the fulcrum as a fulcrum, and the laser beam reflected by the reflection mirror 19 is swung in the same downward direction as the operation lever 11. Conversely, when the operation lever 11 is moved upward, the reflection mirror 19 swings forward with the screw 22a as a fulcrum, so that the laser light reflected by the reflection mirror 19 is also swung upward.

When the operation lever 11 is moved left and right, the pin 17a moves right and left and the reflection mirror 1 is moved.
The laser beam 9 swings right and left around the optical axis L together with the mirror mount 20 and the rotating member 21, so that the laser beam is swung in the same direction as the operation direction of the operation lever 11.

Next, the configuration of the switching unit 30 for switching between the first state and the second state will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view for explaining an internal mechanism of the switching unit 30.

The switching section 30 has a large-diameter knob 30a and a small-diameter knob 30b. When the knob 30a is used in a tightened state, the reflection mirror 19 is kept in its position even if the hand is released from the operation lever 11. Can be used in the second state in which
When the knob 30a is loosened, it can be used in the first state in which the knob 30a always returns to the reference position when the hand is released. Further, by tightening the knob 30b, the operation lever 11
It is possible to make it impossible to move at all.

As shown in the drawing, a female screw portion is formed inside the knob 30a, and a male screw portion is formed in the cylindrical member 31. Since the screw member is screwed together, turning the knob 30a causes an arrow. The knob 30a itself can move in the direction. As shown in FIG. 4B, three springs 31a, 31b and 31c are provided on the inner wall of the cylindrical member 31 by the operation lever 1.
The cylindrical member 31 is attached in such a manner as to divide the cylindrical member 31 into three parts around the center 1. Therefore, even if the operation lever 11 is driven up, down, left and right, the operation lever 11 is always positioned at the center of the cylindrical member 31.
The urging force works to return. When the operation lever 11 is at the center position (reference position) of the inner cylinder 31, the laser beam reflected by the reflection mirror 19 is applied to the center of the visual field of the observation by the observation optical system 60.
The mechanism of the manipulator 10 described above is configured.

Behind the operation lever 11 held by the springs 31a to 31c, a disk plate 32 used to hold the position of the operation lever 11 is fixed. A friction plate 33 for contacting the disk plate 32 is mounted on the inner wall of the knob 30a via a spring 34 so as to be movable rearward. Both surfaces of the disc plate 32 and the friction plate 33 that are in contact with each other are formed to have the same curved surface so that the operation lever 11 can easily swing even in the contact state.

At the rear side of the disk plate 32, a fixing member 35 having a male screw portion is fixed on the lever 11. The male screw portion of the fixing member 35 is screwed with a female screw portion provided on the knob 30b, and by rotating the knob 30b,
The knob 30b itself can move forward and backward on the lever 11. At the front end of the knob 30b, a pressing portion 36 having a size to abut against the friction plate 33 is integrally formed.
The mechanism is such that the friction plate 33 is sandwiched between the disk plate 32 and the pressing portion 36 by rotating (tightening) the knob 30b.

Next, the switching operation of the switching unit 30 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), when both the knobs 30a and 30b are loose, the friction plate 33 is separated from the disk plate 32 and is placed in a non-contact state. In this state, the operation lever 11 is controlled only by the biasing force of the springs 31a to 31c. Therefore, when the operation lever 11 is moved and then released, the operation lever 11 is returned to the reference position.

To switch to a state in which the lever 11 is held at a position where the hand is released, the knob 30a is rotated in a tightening direction. By tightening the knob 30a and moving forward,
The friction plate 33 is also moved forward. When the knob 30a is completely tightened to the limit at which the female image portion is formed, FIG.
As shown in (a), the friction plate 33 is pressed against the disk plate 32 by the urging force of the spring 34. At this time, the urging force of the spring 34 is such that the friction plate 33
The operation lever 11 is set so as to work properly in a state where the operation lever 11 is pressed, so that the operation lever 11 can be operated up, down, left, and right. On the other hand, when the operator releases the hand after moving the operation lever 11, the spring 31a
A frictional force larger than the urging force of .about.31c is generated, and the state is maintained without returning to the reference position. Thereby, the reflection mirror 19 can be held at a desired swing position.

When the knob 30b is completely tightened in a state where the operation lever 11 is returned to the home position, FIG.
As shown in (b), the friction plate 33 is fixedly pressed against the disk plate 32 by the pressing portion 36.
As a result, the operation lever 11 is fixed so as not to move, and the reflection mirror 19 is also fixed at the reference position.

In the apparatus having the above configuration,
The operation will be briefly described.

The operator observes the fundus illuminated by the illumination light from the illumination optical system 50 through the observation optical system 60. The aiming light is turned on by an aiming switch (not shown).

The surgeon operates the joystick 7 and the lever 11 of the manipulator unit 10 to adjust the position to the affected part while observing the aiming light irradiated on the fundus. At this time, the operation state of the manipulator 10 is selected according to the operator's preference. If it is desired that the reflection mirror 19 returns to the reference position when the hand is released from the operation lever 11, the knobs 30a and 30b are loosened and used. Also, if you want to return to the reference position even if you release your hand,
Use only by tightening the knob 30a. Further, when the fine adjustment function of the reflecting mirror 19 by the manipulator unit 10 is not required, the operation lever 11 is fixed by closing both the knobs 30a and 30b, and the operation lever 11
There is no danger of moving when touched.

When the position adjustment of the aiming light to the patient's eye is completed, the foot switch 5 is used to emit laser light.

In the embodiment described above, the operation lever 11 is fixed by tightening the knob 30b in order to prevent careless erroneous operation of the lever 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this. To avoid this, a mechanism that directly fixes the reflection mirror 19 may be used.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the operation states of a plurality of manipulators can be selected, a manipulator that is easy for the operator to handle can always be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an appearance of an apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an optical system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a driving mechanism of the manipulator.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an internal mechanism of a switching unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a switching unit 30.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Device main body 2 Control part 3 Slit lamp delivery 4 Fiber cable 5 Foot switch 6 Joystick 10 Manipulator 11 Lever 19 Reflection mirror 30 Switching part 30a Knob 30b Knob

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A laser treatment apparatus comprising a manipulator for swinging a reflection mirror for reflecting a laser beam toward a patient's eye, wherein the reflection mirror is set to a predetermined reference when a hand is released from an operation lever of the manipulator. A first mechanism that always returns to the position, a second mechanism that maintains the swinging position of the reflection mirror when the hand is released from the operation lever, and selectively operates the first mechanism and the second mechanism. Switching means for switching. 2. The laser treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising fixing means for fixing the swing of said reflection mirror at a reference position. 3. The second mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second mechanism is configured to enable operation of the operation lever and stop at an operated position.
A laser treatment apparatus comprising a frictional force loading means for applying a frictional force to an operation lever. 4. A laser treatment apparatus comprising a manipulator for oscillating a reflection mirror for reflecting a laser beam toward a patient's eye, wherein an urging means for applying an urging force for always returning the reflection mirror to a predetermined reference position. A frictional force generating means installed on the manipulator to generate a frictional force greater than the urging force generated by the urging means, and a selecting means for selecting whether to use the frictional force of the frictional force generating means, A laser treatment apparatus comprising: 5. The laser treatment apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising operation fixing means for disabling use of said manipulator.