JP2001174897A - Ccd camera for dentistry - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To confirm a rotational angle by making a coupling part between a camera main body and a lens part rotatable and forming the outer diameter of the coupling part to be small. SOLUTION: At a connection part 7 between the camera main body 1 incorporating a CCD element and a lens part main body 2, a through-hole 10 on the camera main body 1 side and a circumferential groove 12 on the lens part 2 side are rotatably connected through a steel ball 11 and a sleeve 14. An origin 17 is displayed on the camera main body 1 side at the coupling part 7 and angle scales 19 are displayed on the lens part main body 2 side at the coupling part 7, so that the rotational angle can be confirmed. By disposing an O-ring 22 between the coupling parts 7, the rotational angle is fixed by the frictional resistance of the O-ring 22.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dental CCD camera which is inserted into an oral cavity and displays an observation image of the oral cavity on a TV monitor, and in particular, a side view lens is connected to a camera body having a built-in CCD element. It is related to the connecting portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional CCD camera, as shown in FIG. 4, a side view lens 2a or a side view lens 2a having a prism 4 for guiding incident light and a fiber 5 is attached to a camera body 1 having a CCD element 6 built therein. A lens unit 2 such as a direct-view lens unit 2b as shown in FIG. 5 is selected and connected depending on the observation direction in the oral cavity, and the incident light of the observed image is
What is projected on a V monitor is common. In addition, there is another type in which the lens unit 2 is integrated with the camera body 1 and the lens unit 2 cannot be replaced.

[0003]

The above-mentioned conventional CCD camera is of a type in which the lens unit 2 is detachable from the camera body 1 as well as the one in which the lens unit 2 is integrated with the camera body 1. Also in this case, as shown in FIG. 6, a projection 10 is provided on the connection portion, and the projection 10 is hooked to the other side so that the connection portions cannot be rotated.

For this reason, when alternately observing both side surfaces of the upright image 7 with the side-view lens unit 2a as shown in FIG. 7, for example, when the side-view lens unit 2a is turned rightward, the TV monitor 9 is used. Assuming that the projected image is an erect image 7a, the TV when the side-viewing lens unit 2a is turned to the left and observed.
The image on the monitor 9 becomes an inverted image 7b, and the top and bottom are reversed. The left and right images are also reversed in the upper and lower images.

[0005] By the way, the teeth grow upward from the lower side or downward from the upper side. However, when photographing with the lens portion of the camera in the oral cavity sideways, the teeth grow upward from the upper side due to the above phenomenon. Since the teeth are projected on the TV monitor as if they were growing sideways, there is a problem that it is difficult for a person who has no knowledge of the CCD camera to understand.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. When observing the inside of the oral cavity, even if the camera is rotated in order to facilitate communication with a patient, the TV monitor has a desired structure. An object of the present invention is to provide a CCD camera capable of projecting in a direction, stabilizing an image by fixing a rotated position, and confirming a rotated angle.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention relates to a camera body having a built-in CCD element and a lens unit such as a side-view lens unit or a direct-view lens unit connected to a camera body. In the CCD camera, the connection between the camera body and the lens unit is relatively rotatably connected, and the rotation angle can be confirmed, and the camera can be fixed at an arbitrary rotation angle. It is characterized by comprising.

[0008] The rotatable connecting portion has a circular shape corresponding to the through hole with respect to the inner diameter of the camera body in which a plurality of through holes are formed on the circumference for inserting steel balls. Fit the lens part with engraved peripheral groove, and simultaneously lock the through hole and the circumferential groove with steel balls thrown into multiple through holes,
The steel ball is configured to be slidable in the circumferential direction in the circumferential groove.

In addition, the rotation angle is displayed on the camera body side with an origin, an angle scale corresponding to the origin is displayed on the lens unit side, and a deviation of a relative position with respect to the origin is confirmed on the angle scale. It was configured to be able to.

[0010] Further, a resistance member capable of generating rotational resistance between the connection portions is provided in the connection portion, and the position of the connection portion is fixed by restricting the freedom of rotation by the resistance member. Enabled. Further, as this resistance member, an O-ring having required elasticity and frictional resistance was used.

According to the CCD camera of the present invention, the lens portion is rotatably connected to the camera body having the built-in CCD element. An image in a desired direction can be projected. In addition, the angle at which the CCD camera is rotated at the connecting portion can be confirmed by an angle scale provided between the connecting portions, and the angle rotated by the frictional resistance of the fixing member can be fixed at that position. The rotation angle stabilizes.

[0012]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view showing a connecting portion between a camera body and a lens unit of a CCD camera, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view, and FIG. 3 is a side view showing the entire CCD camera.

The CCD camera according to the present invention comprises a connecting portion 7.
In the above, the outer diameter of the lens unit 2 is fitted to the inner diameter of the camera body 1 for connection. The configuration of the connecting portion 7 in this case is the same as that of the cylindrical connecting portion 7 of the camera body 1.
In FIG. 1, a plurality of tapered through holes 10 (FIG. 2) each having a smaller diameter from the outer diameter side toward the inner diameter side are formed along the circumference, and steel balls 11 are put into the through holes 10. on the other hand,
On the lens portion 2 side, an arc-shaped circumferential groove 12 is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole 10 on the camera body 1 side on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical connecting portion 7 fitted to the inner diameter of the camera body 1 side. .

Then, the lens unit 2 with respect to the camera body 1
The steel ball 11 inserted into the through hole 10 is dropped into the circumferential groove 12 on the lens unit 2 side while the sleeve 14 is fitted, and at the same time, the sleeve 14 pressed against the lens unit 2 side by the spring 13 (FIG. The steel ball 11 is pressed into the groove 12 at the inner diameter portion 15b of (2).

The through hole 10 into which the steel ball 11 is inserted is
In order to prevent the steel ball 1 from falling off to the inner diameter side of the cylindrical portion when the lens portion 2 is not connected to the camera main body 1 side, the diameter of the small diameter side is formed into a tapered hole smaller than the diameter of the steel ball 11. Let me.

Then, the camera body 1 in the connecting portion 7
A cylindrical portion 16 not covered by the sleeve 14 is extended at an end of the cylindrical portion 16, and an origin 17 of rotation is displayed on a circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 16. A cone-shaped inclined surface 18 is provided at a portion corresponding to the origin 17 of the camera, and an angle scale 19 obtained by dividing the circumference into 360 degrees is displayed on the inclined surface 18. It should be noted that the angle scale 19 is displayed with + and-directions on the left and right around the origin O.

An inclined surface 20 is provided on the end surface of the cylindrical portion 16 of the camera body 1, and the lens portion 2 corresponding to the inclined surface 20 is provided.
An arc-shaped circumferential groove 21 is formed on the side, and a fixing member 22 having desired elasticity and frictional resistance is disposed between the inclined surface 20 and the circumferential groove 21. It is configured such that a required frictional resistance is generated by pressing the base 22. In this case, as the fixing member 22, an O-ring 22 made of oil-resistant rubber was used.

The operation of the CCD camera having this configuration will be described below. First, a side-view lens is connected to the camera body 1 as the lens unit 2 for observing the inside of the oral cavity. In this connection, the sleeve 14 of the camera body 1 is retracted by hand against the elastic force of the spring 13. As a result, the steel ball 11 is located at the position of the inner diameter indicated by the large diameter portion 15a of the sleeve 14, and the steel ball 11 is free in the radial direction. It becomes possible to insert and fit into the inner diameter of the part 7.

After the lens portion 2 has been fitted to the camera body 1, when the sleeve 14 is released from the hand, the sleeve 14 advances by the elastic force of the spring, and the steel ball has an inner diameter indicated by the small diameter portion 15b of the sleeve 14. 11 is pressed into the lens unit 2 side, and falls into the groove 12 on the lens unit 2 side. This makes steel ball 1
Reference numeral 1 simultaneously engages the through hole 10 and the circumferential groove 12 to complete the connection.

When the lens section 2 is to be detached from the camera body 1, the steel ball 11 is retreated against the elastic force of the spring so that the steel ball 11 has an inner diameter indicated by the large diameter section 15a of the sleeve 14. And becomes free in the radial direction and is released from the engagement of the groove 12 on the lens unit 2 side. As a result, the lens unit 2 can be pulled out.

[0021]

According to the present invention, since the connecting portion between the camera body and the lens portion in the CCD camera is configured to be rotatable, an image observed at an arbitrary angle can be converted into a desired direction to convert the image into a desired direction. Can be reflected on the monitor. Further, since the rotation angle can be fixed at an arbitrary position, the angle is stabilized, and the rotated angle can be checked on an angle scale. Thus, if the image is taken with the rotation angle of the CCD camera set in the same manner as in the previous time, it is possible to reproduce the same image as in the previous time. Also, communication with the patient can be facilitated by displaying the image converted in the desired direction on the TV monitor.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a connecting portion between a camera body and a lens unit of a CCD camera of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a connecting portion.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the entire CCD camera.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional CCD camera.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a direct-view lens unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating fixing of a connecting portion between a camera body and a side-view lens unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between an observation angle and an image angle by a CCD camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera main body 2 Lens part 7 Connecting part 9 TV monitor 10 Through hole 11 Steel ball 12, 21 Circular groove 13 Spring 14 Sleeve 15a Large diameter part 15b Small diameter part 16 Cylindrical part 17 Origin 18, 20 Inclined surface 19 Angle scale 22 Resistance Element

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) G03B 15/00 G03B 15/00 U 17/17 17/17 19/02 19/02 H04N 5/225 H04N 5/225 C D

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A CCD camera for connecting a lens unit such as a side-viewing lens unit or a direct-viewing lens unit to a camera body having a built-in CCD element to project an observation image on a TV monitor. A dental CCD camera, characterized in that the connecting portions are connected so as to be relatively rotatable. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable connecting portion has an outer diameter corresponding to the through hole with respect to an inner diameter of a camera body having a plurality of through holes formed on a circumference for inserting steel balls. A lens part with a circumferential groove is fitted, and the through-hole and the circumferential groove are simultaneously hooked with steel balls inserted into a plurality of through-holes, and the steel ball is circumferentially inserted in the circumferential groove. 2. The dental CCD camera according to claim 1, wherein the dental CCD camera is configured to be slidable. 3. A connection portion between the camera body and the lens portion is relatively rotatably connected, and an origin is displayed on the camera body side to check a relative rotation angle;
3. The dental CCD camera according to claim 1, wherein an angle scale is displayed on the lens unit side so as to confirm a relative position shift corresponding to the origin. 4. A connecting portion between the camera body and the lens portion is rotatably connected to each other, and a rotational resistance is generated between the connecting portions to fix a relative position of the connecting portion. 3. The dental CCD camera according to claim 1, further comprising a resistance member. 5. A connecting portion between the camera body and the lens portion is rotatably connected, and a rotational resistance is generated between the connecting portions to fix a relative position of the connecting portion. 4. The dental CCD camera according to claim 1, further comprising a resistance member. 6. The dental CCD camera according to claim 1, wherein said resistance member is an O-ring having desired elasticity and frictional resistance. 7. A configuration in which a connection portion between the camera body and the lens portion is relatively rotatably connected, a relative rotation angle can be checked, and the camera body and the lens portion can be fixed at an arbitrary rotation angle. Claims 1, 2, 3, and 3
7. The dental CCD camera according to 4, 5 or 6.