JP2001147381A - Endoscope photographic system and endoscope photographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope photographic system, with which illumination light of sufficient brightness is obtainable and handling facilitated. SOLUTION: An adapter 40 is provided with a cable junction 41, a solar battery 42, a stabilized power supply circuit 43 and an output cable plug 44 as a power source system and is provided with image transmission lenses 45 and 46 as an optical system. The cable junction 41 connects a second exit end 62 of a light guide fiber cable 60. The solar battery 42 is disposed at a position, where the illumination light from a second exit end 62 of the light guide fiber cable 60 is received. The stabilized power supply circuit 43 coverts the output of the solar battery 42 to a stabilized power-supply voltage and outputs the voltage. The output cable plug 44 is connected to a wireless television camera 30 and supplies electric power from the stabilized power supply system 43 to the wireless television camera 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope photographing system and an endoscope photographing apparatus for photographing an endoscope image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an endoscope photographing system in which a television camera is attached to an eyepiece of an endoscope and an endoscope image is projected on a television monitor has been widely used.

[0003] Such a conventional endoscope photographing system,
A light source device using a commercial power supply and the endoscope are connected by a light guide fiber cable, and illumination light from the light source device is emitted to a subject from the end of the endoscope.
In the case of this system, the operator holds and moves the endoscope or the television camera by hand.

However, in such an endoscope photographing system, two cables, that is, a cable of the television camera and a light guide fiber cable from the endoscope, extend to the outside, so that the endoscope and the television camera are not provided. The operation was very inconvenient to operate.

To cope with this, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-16536
In the television camera device for an endoscope described in JP-A No. 2 (1993) -1995, a light source device, a television camera, a video signal transmitting unit, and a battery that drives all of them are integrated to perform a wireless operation. Something that connects to an endoscope has been considered.

In such an endoscope television camera device capable of performing wireless operation, the battery capacity must be reduced as compared with a commercial power supply in order to maintain operability.
The brightness of the light source device is darker than when using a commercial power supply, it is difficult to obtain sufficient illumination light, and replacement and charging of the battery is complicated, and the battery may run out during shooting. was there.

[0007]

As described above, in the conventional television camera apparatus for an endoscope which can operate wirelessly, the capacity of a battery must be reduced as compared with a commercial power supply in order to maintain operability. However, the brightness of the light source device becomes darker than when a commercial power supply is used, the application range of this device is limited, and replacement and charging of the battery are complicated, and there is a concern that the battery may run out during shooting.

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and provides an endoscope photographing system and an endoscope photographing apparatus which provide illumination light of sufficient brightness and are easy to handle. With the goal.

Further, the present invention provides an illumination light having a sufficient brightness and, when a backlight type liquid crystal display is mounted on an endoscope imaging apparatus, consumes power of a battery of the endoscope imaging apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope imaging system capable of reducing the amount.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an endoscope imaging system, comprising: a light guide for transmitting illumination light from a light source device; An endoscope imaging device having a solar cell that receives at least a part of the illumination light of the guide and photoelectrically converts the received light, and that uses, as a power source, electric power photoelectrically converted by the solar cell. .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to obtain an illumination light having sufficient brightness and realize an endoscope imaging system which is easy to handle.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an endoscope photographing apparatus, wherein a connection portion to which a light guide for transmitting illumination light from the light source device is connected, and at least a part of the illumination light introduced from the connection portion is received. And a photovoltaic cell that performs photovoltaic conversion using the photovoltaic cell as a power source.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize an endoscope photographing apparatus which can provide illumination light having sufficient brightness and is easy to handle.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an endoscope imaging system.
A light guide that transmits illumination light from a light source device, an endoscope imaging device to which the light guide is connected, and illumination light is supplied, and illumination provided in the endoscope imaging device and guided from the light guide A liquid crystal display having at least a part of light as a backlight.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, illumination light of sufficient brightness can be obtained, and when a backlight type liquid crystal display is mounted on the endoscope photographing device, the battery of the endoscope photographing device can be used. An endoscope imaging system capable of reducing power consumption is realized.

[0016]

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

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
It is an explanatory view showing an endoscope photography system concerning an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope photographing system 10 of the present embodiment includes an endoscope 20 and a wireless television camera 30 for photographing an endoscope image guided to an eyepiece of the endoscope 20. Endoscope 20 and wireless television camera 3
An optical connection between the adapter 40 and the light source device 50
And a light guide fiber cable 60 that has first and second emission ends 61 and 62 by branching the emission side into two branches and that transmits illumination light from the light source device 50. The endoscope photographing device of the system includes a wireless television camera 30 and an adapter 40. The light source device 50 uses, for example, a halogen lamp as a light source lamp, and is connected to a commercial AC power supply (not shown) by a connector 51. The light is guided to the entrance end of the cable 60.

The light guide fiber cable 60 is formed by covering a light guide fiber with a soft tube. In addition, the light guide fiber cable 60 has two cables 60a, 60b on the output side from the branch point 60c.
The ends of the cables 60a and 60b are the first and second emission ends 61 and 62, respectively.

The insertion section 21 of the endoscope 20 is covered with a rigid pipe. Inside the insertion section 21, a light guide fiber bundle 22 for illuminating a subject and an endoscope image for transmitting an endoscope image to an eyepiece section 23 are provided. Glass rod lens 24
And are arranged. Light guide fiber bundle 2
Reference numeral 2 is provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the glass rod lens 24.

An emission end 22a of the light guide fiber bundle 22 is disposed in a ring shape at the distal end 25 of the insertion portion 21. Inside the ring of the emission end 22a, a glass rod is used as an endoscope image of a subject. An objective lens 26 leading to the lens 24 is provided.

An intermediate portion 27 between the insertion portion 21 and the eyepiece portion 23
Is provided with a tubular cable connecting portion 28 toward the side, and this connecting portion 28 is detachably connected to the first emission end 61 of the light guide fiber cable 60.

The input end 22b of the light guide fiber bundle 22 extends laterally near the eyepiece 23 and is inserted into the connection portion 28 to be connected to the first output end 61 of the light guide fiber cable 60. Connected. Thereby, the illumination light from the first emission end 61 of the light guide fiber cable 60 can be radiated from the distal end 21 of the insertion portion via the light guide fiber bundle 22.

On the other hand, the eyepiece 23 of the endoscope 20 is provided with an eyepiece 29 for guiding an endoscope image from the glass rod lens 24 to the adapter 40. The eyepiece unit 23 connects the wireless television camera 30 via an adapter 40.

The adapter 40 is provided with a cable connection section 41, a solar cell 42, a stabilized power supply circuit 43 and an output cable plug 44 as a power supply system in a casing 40a formed of, for example, an aluminum alloy in a cylindrical shape, and an image system as an optical system. Transmission lens 4
5, 46 are provided.

The cable connecting portion 41 is formed in a tubular shape,
It is provided from the inside of the case 40a to the side outside the case 40a. In addition, the cable connection portion 41 is connected to the housing 40a.
The outer end is the second end of the light guide fiber cable 60.
Is connected in a detachable manner to the emission end 62, and a solar cell 42 is attached to an end inside the housing 40a. Then, the illumination light from the second emission end 62 of the light guide fiber cable 60 irradiates the light receiving surface of the solar cell 42 via the inside of the cable connection portion 41.
The solar cell 42 generates electric power by illumination light from the second emission end 62 of the light guide fiber cable 60, and outputs the generated electric power from its output terminal.

At a position closer to the wireless television camera 30 than the solar cell 42 inside the housing 40a, a stabilized power supply circuit 43 is provided. The output terminal of the solar cell 42 is
It is connected to the input terminal of the stabilized power supply circuit 43 via the cord 42a. The stabilized power supply circuit 43
Is converted into stable power having a substantially constant voltage value and output. The output terminal of the stabilized power supply circuit 43 is
It is connected to an input end of an output cable plug 44 via a cord 43a penetrating through one side wall. The output end of the output cable plug 44 is connected to the power input terminal of the wireless television camera 30, and supplies the power of the stabilized power supply circuit 43 to the wireless television camera 30.

At the front end of the housing 40a of the adapter 40,
An eyepiece attachment 40b that is detachable from the eyepiece section 23 of the endoscope 20 is provided.

Image transmission lenses 45 and 46 are provided side by side from the front end side in the center of the inside of the housing 40a. When the eyepiece 23 is attached to the eyepiece attachment 41b, the optical axis of the eyepiece 29 and the image The optical axes of the transmission lenses 45 and 46 match.

The wireless television camera 30 includes an imaging lens 31, a solid-state image sensor 32, an antenna 33, a signal processing circuit for extracting a video signal from an image signal output from the solid-state image sensor 32, A transmission unit and the like for transmitting on radio waves are provided.

The front end of the wireless TV camera 30
A mount that connects to the rear end of the adapter 40 is provided. An imaging lens 31 and a solid-state imaging device 32 are provided side by side in order behind the front end of the wireless television camera 30. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, when the wireless television camera 30, the adapter 40, and the endoscope 20 are connected, the endoscope image passing through the eyepiece 29 is transmitted by the image transmission lenses 45 and 46 to form an imaging lens. 31
Thereby, an image is formed on the light receiving surface of the solid-state imaging device 32.

With such a configuration, in the endoscope imaging system 10 of the present embodiment, the light guide (light guide fiber cable 60) for transmitting the illumination light from the light source device 50 and the light guide are connected. A solar cell 4 that receives a part of the illumination light of the light guide and performs photoelectric conversion
Endoscope imaging device (wireless television camera 3
0 and an adapter 40).

Further, the endoscope photographing apparatus includes a light source device 5
A connection portion (cable connection portion 41) to which a light guide for transmitting illumination light from 0 is connected, and a solar cell 42 that receives at least a part of the illumination light introduced from the connection portion and performs photoelectric conversion. The power that is obtained by photoelectrically converting the solar cell 42 is used as a power source.

The endoscope photographing system 10 having such a configuration is described.
The operation of is described below.

The endoscope image is obtained by using the objective lens 2 of the endoscope 20.
6. An image is formed on the light receiving section of the solid-state imaging device 32 by the glass rod lens 24, the eyepiece 29, the image transmission lenses 45 and 46 of the adapter 40, and the imaging lens 31 in the wireless television camera 30.

On the other hand, the illumination light from the light source device 50 is transmitted from the incident end of the light guide fiber cable 60 to the branch point 60.
c, the cable 60a, the light is radiated to the subject from the end of the endoscope 20 via the light guide fiber bundle 22 of the endoscope 20, and a part of the light is branched from the branch point 60c of the light guide fiber cable 60 and 60
b, the light is emitted to the solar cell 42 in the adapter 40 via the cable connection part 41. The solar cell 42 generates power by this irradiation light. The electric power generated by the solar cell 42 is converted into electric power whose voltage value is stabilized by the stabilized power supply circuit 43, and the electric power is supplied to the wireless television camera 30 by the output cable plug 44.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope photographing system 10 obtains illumination light of the endoscope end portion from the light source device 50 through the light guide cable 60, Since the solar battery 42 is generated by the light via the guide cable 60 and the wireless TV camera 30 is driven using the solar battery 42 as a power source, there is no need to worry about running out of the battery, and illumination light of sufficient brightness can be obtained. Since only the light guide cable 60 extends to the outside from the imaging device and the endoscope 20, handling becomes easy.

(Second Embodiment) FIGS. 2 and 3 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the entire configuration of an endoscope photographing system, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which expands and shows the connection part of a mirror and a light guide fiber cable. 2 and 3, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the endoscope photographing system 110 of the present embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that a power supply system is not provided in the adapter 140, but the connection section 28 of the endoscope 20 is provided. And light guide fiber cable 7
A power supply system using a solar cell is provided in the lens adapter 80 between the lens adapter 80 and the output end of the wireless television camera 30. The plug 86 of the output cable 85 extending from the lens adapter 80 is connected to the wireless television camera 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lens adapter 80 has light distribution lenses 81 and 82 having substantially the same outer diameter as the light guide fiber 22 in the endoscope 20. A ring-shaped solar cell 83 having substantially the same outer diameter as the light guide fiber 71 in the light guide fiber cable 70 is provided around the incident side of the light distribution lens 81. Solar cell 8
The output terminal 3 is connected to an output cable 85 via a stabilized power supply circuit 84 provided in the lens adapter 80.

A part of the illumination light from the light guide fiber 71 passes through the light distribution lenses 81 and 82, is transmitted to the light guide fiber 22 in the endoscope 20, and is emitted from the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope 20. . In addition, the remaining illumination light is applied to the solar cell 83, and the solar cell 83 generates power using the irradiation light. The output of the solar cell 83 is
Through an output cable 85 and a plug 86 as shown in FIG.
Is supplied to the wireless television camera 30.

According to the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained, and a conventional product can be used by using the lens adapter 80. In addition, an increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed as compared with the first embodiment.

(Third Embodiment) FIGS. 4 and 5 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the entire configuration of an endoscope imaging system, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which expands and shows. 4 and 5, the same components as those in FIGS. 2 and 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 4, an endoscope photographing system 210 of the present embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIG.
The light guide fiber cable 285 for the backlight is extended from the lens adapter 280 during this period, and the light guide fiber cable 285 for the backlight is connected to the digital still camera 230, for example.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lens adapter 280 has light distribution lenses 281 and 282 having substantially the same outer diameter as the light guide fiber 22 in the endoscope 20. In the periphery of the light distribution lens 281 on the incident side, the incident end of the backlight light guide fiber 283 is arranged in a ring shape having substantially the same outer diameter as the light guide fiber 71 in the light guide fiber cable 70.

Light guide fiber 28 for backlight
3 is a light guide fiber cable for backlight 2
85, a backlight exit base 286 is provided. The end of the backlight emission base 286 and the emission end of the backlight light guide fiber cable 285 are flush with each other.

On the other hand, a liquid crystal display 232 is provided on the rear end face of the housing 230a of the digital still camera 230, and the reflection member 23 is provided on the back side of the liquid crystal display 232.
1 is attached.

The backlight emitting base 286 is attached to a position near the rear of the upper surface of the housing 230 a of the digital still camera 230. This backlight emission base 2
The attachment position of 86 is a position where the illumination light from the emission end of the backlight light guide fiber cable 285 irradiates the reflection member 231 of the digital still camera 230. The reflection member 231 is formed in a shape such that the illumination light from the emission end of the backlight light guide fiber cable 285 is evenly reflected on the liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display 232.

A part of the illumination light from the light guide fiber 71 in the light guide fiber cable 70 is transmitted to the light guide fiber 22 in the endoscope 20 through the light distribution lenses 281 and 282, and the end of the endoscope 20 Emitted from The remaining illumination light enters the backlight light guide fiber 283, passes through the backlight light guide fiber cable 285, exits from the backlight exit base 286, and is reflected by the reflection member 231 of the digital still camera 230. The liquid crystal display 232 is evenly illuminated and serves as a backlight for the liquid crystal display 232.

With such a configuration, the endoscope imaging system 210 of the present embodiment is configured such that the light guide (light guide fiber cable 70) for transmitting the illumination light from the light source device 50 and the light guide are connected. Endoscope photographing apparatus to which illumination light is supplied (endoscope 20, adapter 14
0, a digital still camera 230), and a liquid crystal display 232 provided in the endoscope imaging apparatus and having at least a part of the illumination light guided from the light guide as a backlight.

According to the third embodiment, a part of the illumination light from the light guide fiber 71 is used for the backlight of the liquid crystal display provided in the digital still camera 230, so that the The power consumption of the battery of the still camera 230 can be reduced, and the frequency of battery replacement and charging can be reduced. In addition, since there is no frame member or the like at the connection portion between the backlight light guide fiber 283 and the reflection member 231, heat generation due to illumination light is reduced, and an easy-to-use endoscope imaging system can be provided.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a wireless television camera is used as the photographing device, and in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a digital still camera is used as the photographing device. The imaging apparatus according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 can be applied to various imaging apparatuses such as a digital still camera, a wireless television camera, and a cable output video camera. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a rigid arthroscope is shown as an endoscope, but various rigid endoscopes such as a rectoscope and a thoracoscopy may be used, and a flexible endoscope using an image guide fiber may be used. Endoscope may be used.

The endoscope photographing system of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Appendix] According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention as described in detail above, the following configuration can be obtained.

(Additional Item 1) A light guide for transmitting illumination light from a light source device, and a solar cell connected to the light guide and receiving at least a part of the illumination light of the light guide and performing photoelectric conversion. An endoscope imaging apparatus that uses electric power that has been photoelectrically converted by the solar cell as a power source.

(Additional Item 2) A connection portion to which a light guide for transmitting illumination light from the light source device is connected, and a solar cell that receives at least a part of the illumination light introduced from the connection portion and performs photoelectric conversion. An endoscope imaging apparatus comprising: a power source that uses electric power photoelectrically converted by the solar cell.

(Additional Item 3) A light guide for transmitting illumination light from the light source device is connected to the light guide,
An endoscope imaging apparatus to which illumination light is supplied, and a liquid crystal display provided in the endoscope imaging apparatus and having at least a part of the illumination light guided from the light guide as a backlight. Endoscope imaging system.

(Additional Item 4) A connection portion to which a light guide for transmitting illumination light from the light source device is connected, and a liquid crystal display having at least a part of the illumination light introduced from the connection portion as a backlight. 4. The endoscope imaging apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

(Additional Item 5) A light guide fiber that transmits illumination light from the light source device to the endoscope end, and a solar cell that receives a part of the light from the light guide fiber, generate power by the solar cell. An endoscope imaging system, wherein the obtained power is used as a power source of an imaging device.

(Additional Item 6) An endoscope, a photographing device, an adapter for connecting the endoscope and the photographing device, and an emission end divided into two branches for transmitting illumination light from the light source device. A light guide fiber cable, and the adapter has a cable connection portion to which one of the emission ends of the light guide fiber cable can be connected, and a solar cell provided at a position for receiving illumination light from the light guide fiber cable. An endoscope photographing system, comprising: a stabilized power supply circuit connected to an output of the solar cell; and an output cable plug for supplying an output of the stabilized power supply circuit to a photographing device.

(Additional Item 7) An endoscope, a photographing device, a light guide fiber cable for transmitting illumination light from the light source device, and a lens adapter provided between the endoscope and the light guide fiber cable. The lens adapter is connected to the lens group that transmits the illumination light to the endoscope with an appropriate light distribution, a solar cell provided around the lens group, and the output of the solar cell. An endoscope imaging system, comprising: a stabilized power supply circuit; and an output cable plug for supplying an output of the stabilized power supply circuit to an imaging device.

(Additional Item 8) An endoscope, a first light guide fiber cable for transmitting illumination light from the photographing device and the light source device, and a light guide fiber cable between the endoscope and the first light guide fiber cable. Consisting of a lens adapter provided,
The lens adapter has a lens group that transmits the illumination light to the endoscope with an appropriate light distribution, and an incident end provided around the lens group, and a second light guide fiber cable. An endoscope photographing system, wherein an exit end of the second light guide cable is connected to a backlight entrance of a liquid crystal display of the photographing device.

[0063]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an endoscope imaging system which can provide illumination light having sufficient brightness and is easy to handle.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an endoscope imaging apparatus which can provide illumination light having sufficient brightness and is easy to handle.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, illumination light of sufficient brightness can be obtained, and when a backlight type liquid crystal display is mounted on the endoscope photographing apparatus, the endoscope photographing apparatus can be used. An endoscope imaging system capable of reducing power consumption of a battery can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an endoscope imaging system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an endoscope imaging system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged connection portion between the endoscope and the light guide fiber cable in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an endoscope imaging system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged main part of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Endoscope imaging system 20 ... Endoscope 30 ... Wireless television camera 40 ... Adapter 41 ... Cable connection part 42 ... Solar cell 43 ... Stabilized power supply circuit 44 ... Output cable plug 50 ... Light source device 60 ... Light guide fiber cable

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H040 BA00 CA02 CA09 CA11 CA28 DA02 GA01 GA11 4C061 AA00 BB02 CC07 DD01 FF02 FF46 FF50 GG01 JJ19 LL03 NN01 NN03 NN05 QQ02 UU06 VV03 5C054 BA10 CC05 CC07 BA01 5

Claims (3)

[Claims] A light guide that transmits illumination light from a light source device; and a solar cell that connects the light guide and receives at least a part of the illumination light of the light guide and performs photoelectric conversion. An endoscope photographing system, comprising: an endoscope photographing device that uses electric power obtained by photoelectric conversion by a solar cell as a power source. 2. A connection portion to which a light guide for transmitting illumination light from a light source device is connected, and a solar cell that receives at least a part of the illumination light introduced from the connection portion and performs photoelectric conversion. An endoscope photographing apparatus characterized in that electric power photoelectrically converted by the solar cell is used as a power supply. 3. A light guide for transmitting illumination light from a light source device, an endoscope photographing device to which the light guide is connected and supplied with illumination light, and a light provided in the endoscope photographing device, An endoscope imaging system, comprising: a liquid crystal display having at least a part of illumination light guided from a guide as a backlight.