JP2003339618A - Endoscope apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope apparatus by which non-endoscopical observation such as microscopical observation can be performed with inexpensive constitution and by easily using an endoscope. <P>SOLUTION: The endoscope apparatus 1 is provided with: an endoscope working part 2 provided with an observation window 11a and an illumination window 11b at the distal end face of a linear insertion part 2a; a high magnification adaptor 20 which is provided with at least an observation optical system and used for non-endoscopical observation; and a connector 30 which is used in common as a holding part and provided on the adaptor 20 and the endoscope working part 2 in an attachable and detachable manner. The connector 30 comprises: an adaptor connection part 31 to be connected detachably at the proximal end part of the adaptor 20; a connection part main body part 34 where an observation image transmission optical part 32 is arranged; an endoscope connection part 35 which having a through-hole 35a wherein the insertion part 2a of the endoscope working part 2 is freely attachably and detachably inserted and arranged; and a cover member 36 rotatable to the connection part main body part 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus which has a wide range of uses for endoscopes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, endoscopes have been widely used in the medical field or industrial field. This endoscope has an elongated insertion portion, and by inserting this insertion portion into a body cavity, an engine, or the like, for example, it can be displayed on the screen of a monitor for observation, inspection, and the like. In other words, the application of the endoscope was limited to a specific field.

[0003]

However, for example, when an engine inside is inspected using an industrial endoscope and a defect is found in the engine, the engine is disassembled once and the abnormal portion is detected. Parts that seemed to be present were brought into an inspection room, etc., and fine inspections were performed with a microscope. For this reason, when the examination room is not near, the examination by the endoscope cannot be performed effectively, and the work efficiency is extremely deteriorated.

In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to bring in a microscope, a microscope, or the like for magnifying observation to the inspection site for the work, but for the user, in addition to the endoscope, the microscope or the microscope is used. There is a problem that purchasing a new one will increase the cost.

On the other hand, an endoscope was purchased because it is an indispensable device, but companies or hospitals that use it relatively infrequently wanted to provide more efficient use of the endoscope. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an endoscope apparatus having an inexpensive structure and capable of easily performing non-endoscopic observation such as microscope observation using an endoscope. It is intended to be provided.

[0007]

The endoscope apparatus of the present invention comprises:
An endoscope including an observation window that captures an optical image and an illumination window that emits illumination light toward an observation site on the distal end surface of the elongated endoscope insertion portion, and at least an observation optical system. Insertion of the endoscope having an optical adapter used for dynamic observation, and an observation image transmission optical system for transmitting at least the optical image captured by the observation optical system to the observation window, the optical adapter being detachably connected And a connecting member which is also detachably covered and arranged on the tip side of the portion.

The connector is an adapter connector that is detachably connected to the base end of the optical adapter, a connector main body in which the observation image transmission optical system is disposed, and the endoscope. The endoscope connecting portion has a hole in which a distal end side portion of the inserting portion is detachably inserted and arranged, and a cover member rotatable with respect to the connecting portion main body portion. In addition, the cover member is provided with a cover that also serves as a gripping part and covers up to the endoscope connecting part.

According to these configurations, by connecting the optical adapter to the endoscope through the connecting tool, the endoscope can perform observation according to the optical characteristics of the observation optical system provided in the optical adapter. Can be done through.

Further, since the connecting tool also serves as a grip portion, and the cover member constituting the connecting tool is rotatable with respect to the connecting portion main body, it is larger than the endoscope. It is possible to prevent undesired force from being applied to the endoscope when the optical adapter is attached to or detached from the endoscope or when the optical adapter is used in a connected state.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 11 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an endoscope apparatus,
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a state in which a high-magnification optical adapter is arranged on the distal end side portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope via a coupling tool, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. 3, FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. FF of FIG.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line GG in FIG. 3, FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by an arrow H, and FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by an arrow J.

As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope apparatus 1 of the present invention.
Is an industrial endoscope (hereinafter referred to as an endoscope) 2 having a slender insertion portion 2a having flexibility, and a cylinder that winds the insertion portion 2a of the endoscope 2 around an outer peripheral surface portion 3a. A drum part 3 having a shape, a frame part 4 for rotatably holding the drum part 3, a front end provided on the upper end of the frame part 4 and provided with various switches and connectors, a storage part, and an air supply / exhaust duct. Panel 5 and this front panel 5
A remote controller (hereinafter, abbreviated as a remote controller) 6 which is a remote operation device removably connected to the camera via a cable, a monitor 7 which is an observation device rotatably supported by a telescopic pole, and is housed. Connected to the front panel 5 and a storage case 8 including a box body 8a and a lid body 8b provided with a cushioning material or the like for suppressing an impact force applied to a device.
It is mainly configured with an AC cable 5a capable of supplying commercial power.

The insertion portion 2a is provided with the front panel 5
It extends through a buckling prevention rubber member 5b disposed in the. The insertion section 2a includes an objective optical system (see reference numeral 10a in FIG. 3), an imaging optical system (see reference numeral 10b in FIG. 3) provided with a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD, and a light guide (see FIG. 3) in this order from the front end side. (See reference numeral 10c), and a bendable bending portion formed by connecting a distal end main body portion 11 and a bending piece provided on the proximal end side of the distal end main body portion 11 and directing the distal end main body portion 11 in a desired direction. 12 and a flexible tube portion 13 which is elongated and has flexibility, are continuously provided.

An observation window 11a constituting an observation optical system is arranged on the tip surface of the substantially D-shaped convex portion of the tip body 11.
An illumination window 11b for emitting illumination light is provided on the tip end surface of the step portion which is recessed from the tip surface on which the observation window 11a is arranged. Therefore, the optical image of the observation site illuminated by the illumination light emitted from the illumination window 11b is the observation window 11a.
An image is formed on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device through the through, and an endoscopic image of the observed region is displayed on the screen of the monitor 7.

The endoscope apparatus 1 of this embodiment has the following:
Removably and directly attached to the tip body 11,
Various endoscopic observation adapters 14 that convert optical characteristics such as the viewing direction and viewing angle of the observation optical system, and magnifying observation that is microscope-like observation, for example, 500 times,
A high-magnification optical adapter (hereinafter abbreviated as high-magnification adapter) 20 that is larger than 2a in the insertion portion having a magnifying observation optical system set to a desired magnification, such as 1000 times, 50 times to 200 times changeable, etc. 20 A connecting tool 30 for connecting the high-magnification adapter 20 to the distal end side portion of the insertion portion 2a is provided.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the high-magnification adapter 20 is arranged at the distal end side portion of the insertion portion 2a of the endoscope 2 via the coupling tool 30, that is, the high-magnification adapter 20 is inserted inside. By attaching it to the endoscope 2,
By disposing the inspection member 15 in, for example, the transparent cover member 21 provided at the tip of the high-magnification adapter 20, the surface optical image of the inspection member 15 captured by the magnifying observation optical system of the high-magnification adapter 20 is described above. The image is transmitted to the observation window 11a, and an enlarged image of the surface of the inspection member is displayed on the screen of the monitor 7 so that the endoscope apparatus 1 can perform microscopic observation.

As shown in FIG. 3, the high magnification adapter 20
Is a magnifying observation optical system section 22 for arranging a plurality of optical lenses (not shown) to magnify the optical image of the observation region to a predetermined magnification.
Is provided. Then, this magnifying observation optical system unit 22
A light guide fiber group 23, which constitutes an illumination optical system for transmitting illumination light for illuminating an observation site, is arranged in the periphery of the above in a concentric shape with the magnifying observation optical system section 22.

Here, the structure of the connector 30 will be specifically described. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 11, the connector 3
Reference numeral 0 denotes an adapter connection portion 31 having a male screw portion 31a formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and an observation image transmission optical unit 3 serving as an observation image transmission optical system.
2 and a connecting portion main body portion 34 provided with a transmission optical portion 33 serving as a transmission optical system, and a through hole 35a into which the distal end side portion of the insertion portion 2a is detachably inserted and arranged in the central axis longitudinal direction. It is mainly configured by a mirror connecting portion 35 and a substantially tubular cover member 36 rotatably arranged with respect to the connecting portion main body portion 34.

The cover member 36 and the connecting portion main body 3
A pipe member 40 formed of a resin member such as polyacetal or Teflon (registered trademark) for improving the slipperiness between both members is arranged between the pipe member 40 and the member 4. Therefore, the cover member 36 smoothly rotates with respect to the connecting portion main body 34.

The adapter connecting portion 31 and the cover member 36 are fixed by screwing so as to rotate integrally. Then, this screwed state is held in a predetermined state by the first fixing screw 51.

The observation image transmitting optical section 32 has a substantially T-shaped frame member 32a, a proximal frame member 32c arranged on the endoscope 2 side of the frame member 32a, and the frame members 32a, 32a.
It is mainly configured by a plurality of optical members 32b arranged in 32c.

On the other hand, the transmission optical section 33 constitutes each of the light guide fiber group 23 and the endoscope side fiber 33a which is the first transmission optical system for transmitting the illumination light emitted from the illumination window 11b. An adapter-side fiber 33b that is a second transmission optical system that transmits illumination light facing the light guide fiber bundle, and the illumination light guided through the endoscope-side fiber 33a is efficiently transmitted to the adapter-side fiber 33b. For example, it is configured with a fiber connecting portion 33c configured by providing an optical member (not shown).

The connecting portion main body portion 34 is arranged on the side of the endoscope 2 and the distal end portion arranging member 37 on which the distal end main body portion 11 of the endoscope 2 is arranged. A connecting portion main body 38 integrally fixed to the endoscope 2 side by a fixing screw 52 (see FIGS. 3, 8 and 9), and a third fixing screw 53 (see FIG. 3) on the proximal end side of the connecting portion main body 38. And a guide member 39 integrally fixed by (see FIG. 5). Then, the endoscope connecting portion 35 is integrally fixed to the distal end portion disposing member 37 via a fourth fixing screw 54 (see FIGS. 3 and 9).

As shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 11, the tip placement member 37 is provided on the tip end surface of the stepped portion and the observation window 11a provided on the D-shaped convex portion of the tip body 11. The concave portion 37a for the endoscope in which the illumination window 11b is arranged, the concave portion 37b for the optical portion in which the base end side frame member 32c of the observation image transmitting optical portion 32 is arranged, and the fiber 33 for the endoscope side.
An illumination recess 37c in which the tip of a is disposed is formed.

The observation window 11 is formed in the through hole which connects the recess 37b for the optical section and the recess 37a for the endoscope.
A lens cover 37d that faces a is provided, and a through hole having a predetermined diameter dimension that connects the illumination recess 37c and the endoscope recess 37a is provided in the illumination window 11b and the tip of the endoscope-side fiber 33a. The surfaces are arranged so as to face each other.

An inclined surface 37e for guiding the distal end main body 11 is formed in the endoscope recess 37a.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 5 to 8 and 11, the connecting portion main body 38 includes a large diameter portion 38a and a small diameter portion 38.
b. Then, the distal end portion disposing member 37 is integrally disposed at the distal end portion of the small diameter portion 38b.

In the longitudinal direction of the central axis of the connecting portion main body 38, there is a through hole 38 having a step portion in which the observation image transmitting optical portion 32 and a small diameter portion 39b of the guide member 39 described later are arranged.
c, an elongated first fiber guide portion 38d partially communicating with the distal end portion of the through hole 38c through which the endoscope side fiber 33a is inserted, the insertion hole 38e, and the fiber connecting portion 33c are arranged. A hole portion 38f and a second fiber guide portion 38g having a substantially fan-shaped cross section are formed to extend the adapter-side fiber 33b. Then, the frame member 32a constituting the observation image transmitting optical portion 32 inserted through the through hole 38c is integrally fixed to the connecting portion main body 38 by the fifth fixing screw 55 (see FIGS. 3 and 6). It is like this.

The guide member 39 has a through hole through which the frame member 32a is inserted, and a large diameter portion 39a and a small diameter portion 3 are provided.
And 9b are provided. This small diameter portion 39b
The third fixing screw 53 is integrally fixed to the connecting portion body 38. And the adapter side fiber 3
3b is loosened substantially uniformly in the space formed by the small diameter portion 39b and the adapter connecting portion 31, and the small diameter portion 39 is formed.
b around the large diameter portion 39a as shown in FIG.
Are aligned on the outer peripheral surface of the.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the end face of the adapter-side fiber 33b and the end face of the light guide fiber group 23 face each other, and the illumination light emitted from the illumination window 11b passes through the transmission optical section 33. It is transmitted to the light guide fiber group 23 via the light guide fiber group 23. The small diameter portion 39b
By arranging the adapter-side fiber 33b in the periphery of, the illumination light transmitted through the adapter-side fiber 33b is prevented from entering the observation image transmitting optical unit 32. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the magnifying observation optical system portion 22 of the high-magnification adapter 20 does not directly contact the positioning member 32d.

As shown in FIG. 3, at the base end portion of the endoscope connecting portion 35 having the through hole 35a, a thin hole 35b into which a plurality of O-rings 42 are inserted and a female screw portion are provided. A stepped recess 35d having a diameter hole 35c is formed. A fixing block 41 having a small diameter portion 41a and a large diameter portion 41b is arranged in the stepped recess 35d. The diameter of the small diameter portion 41a of the fixing block 41 is smaller than that of the small diameter hole 35b, and the large diameter portion 41b is screwed into the female screw portion provided in the large diameter hole 35c. A male screw part is provided. Further, in the longitudinal direction of the central axis of the fixing block 41, the insertion portion 2a of the endoscope 2 is provided.
Is formed with a through hole 41c having an inclined surface for smoothly inserting.

Therefore, for example, 3 is provided in the small diameter hole 35b.
With the two O-rings 42 arranged, the stepped recess 35
The insertion portion 2a is arranged at a predetermined position of the through hole 35a through the through hole 41c of the fixing block 41 and the holes of the O-rings 42 arranged in d, and then the knob portion 41 is formed.
By operating d, the male screw portion formed on the large diameter portion 41b is screwed into the female screw portion of the large diameter hole 35c and moved forward. Then, the tip end surface of the small diameter portion 41b advances and gradually crushes the O-ring 42, and the hole portion of the O-ring 42 gradually comes into close contact with the flexible tube portion 13 forming the insertion portion 2a. 2a is pressed and fixed.

A female screw portion 24 that is screwed into the male screw portion 31a of the adapter connecting portion 31 is formed at the base end portion of the high-magnification adapter 20. Therefore, by rotating the cover member 36, the adapter connecting portion 3
1 integrally rotates, and the male screw portion 31a and the female screw portion 24 are screwed together without applying an external force to the endoscope 2 arranged in the endoscope connecting portion 35. Can be adjusted.

Reference numeral 44 is an O-ring having an elastic force for adjusting the amount of turning force of the cover member 36, and the O-ring is adjusted by adjusting the screwing state of the cover member 36 with respect to the adapter connecting portion 31. The crushed amount of 44 is changed, and the turning power amount can be adjusted.

The operation of the endoscope apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described. First, the insertion portion 2a of the endoscope 2 is inserted into, for example, an engine for inspection. If a defective part is found in the engine during this inspection, disassemble the engine once and remove any parts that may have an abnormal part. On the other hand, the insertion portion 2a is attached to the connector 30 through the through hole 41c of the fixing block 41, and the connector 30
Attach the high-magnification adapter 20 to.

Next, the inspection of the parts is performed by the endoscope 2 to which the high-magnification adapter 20 is attached via the connector 30 as shown in FIG. As a result, a magnified image can be displayed on the screen of the monitor 7 for microscopic observation without bringing it into an examination room or the like.

As described above, the endoscope device is provided with the connector for connecting the high-magnification adapter larger than the insertion portion of the endoscope used for non-endoscopic observation to the insertion portion of the endoscope. With the above configuration, the high-magnification adapter used in non-endoscopic observation can be used for observation in addition to one of the optical adapters for endoscopic observation. Also, by operating the endoscope with the high-magnification adapter attached while holding the endoscope connection part of the connector, the weight and uneasy force of the high-magnification adapter are applied to the insertion part of the endoscope. It is possible to surely prevent the malfunction of the endoscope.

Further, since the connecting member is provided with a rotatable cover member and the cover member and the adapter connecting portion are integrally formed, an inconvenient force is exerted during the connecting work between the endoscope and the optical adapter. Be sure to prevent it from joining the endoscope,
It is possible to reliably prevent the malfunction of the endoscope.

The optical adapter used for non-endoscopic observation is not limited to the high-magnification adapter, and may be an optical adapter of a type that emits special light. The connection tool may be integrally provided.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the cover member 36 is provided with a cover 50 that also serves as a gripping portion and covers the endoscope connecting portion 35, so that the endoscope 2 and the optical adapter can be connected only during the connecting operation. Of course, during the work of connecting the endoscope 2 and the optical adapter, an uneasy force is applied to the endoscope 2.
It is possible to reliably prevent problems that occur in addition to.

Further, the transmission optics, which is the transmission optics,
This is a configuration corresponding to an optical adapter connected to an endoscope. For this reason, in the case of the type in which the illumination optical system is not provided in the optical adapter, the transmission optical system is not provided in the connector, and the illumination optical system of the optical adapter is arranged in parallel with the observation image transmission optical system. Thus forms the adapter-side fiber. In that case, the endoscope-side fiber and the adapter-side fiber may be configured by the same member.

When the high-magnification adapter accommodates a wide variety of magnifications, the lens section relating to the magnification can be replaced with another lens section.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

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

(1) An endoscope having an observation window that captures an optical image and an illumination window that emits illumination light toward an observation site on the distal end surface of the elongated endoscope insertion portion, and at least an observation optical system. And an optical adapter used for non-endoscopic observation,
The optical adapter is detachably connected, and at least has an observation image transmission optical system for transmitting an optical image captured by the observation optical system to the observation window, and detachably covers the distal end side portion of the endoscope insertion portion. An endoscope apparatus, comprising: a connector that also serves as a grip portion to be arranged.

(2) The connector is an adapter connector that is detachably connected to the base end of the optical adapter, a connector main body in which the observation image transmission optical system is disposed, and the internal connector. 2. The appendix 1 comprising an endoscope connecting portion having a hole into which a distal end side portion of the mirror inserting portion is detachably inserted and arranged, and a cover member rotatable with respect to the connecting portion main body portion. Endoscopic device.

(3) When the optical adapter has an illumination optical system, a transmission optical system for transmitting the illumination light emitted from the illumination window to the illumination optical system is provided in the connecting portion main body. Endoscopic device.

(4) The transmission optical system includes a first transmission optical system corresponding to the illumination window and a second transmission optical system corresponding to the illumination optical system.
The endoscope apparatus according to appendix 3, which is configured with a transmission optical system.

(5) The endoscope apparatus according to appendix 2, wherein the cover member is provided with a cover that also serves as a grip and covers the endoscope connecting portion and also serves as a grip.

(6) The endoscope connecting portion is provided with a fixing block for integrally fixing the distal end side portion of the insertion portion, and this fixing block constitutes an endoscope insertion portion inserted and arranged in the hole portion. The endoscope apparatus according to appendix 2, wherein the flexible tube portion located on the proximal end side of the distal end main body portion and the bending portion is fixed.

(7) The endoscope apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the connecting tool is provided integrally with the optical adapter.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided an endoscope apparatus having an inexpensive structure and capable of easily performing non-endoscopic observation such as microscope observation using an endoscope. can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 to FIG. 11 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an endoscope device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a high-magnification optical adapter is arranged on a distal end side portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope via a connecting tool.

3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line DD of FIG.

7 is a sectional view taken along line EE of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line FF of FIG.

9 is a sectional view taken along line GG of FIG.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by an arrow H.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by an arrow J.

FIG. 12 is a view for explaining another configuration of the connector.

[Explanation of symbols] 2 ... Endoscope 2a ... insertion part 20 ... High magnification optical adapter 30 ... Coupling 31 ... Adapter connection part 32 ... Observation image transmission optical unit 34 ... Connection part main body part 35 ... Endoscope connection part 36 ... Cover member

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope having an observation window that captures an optical image and an illumination window that emits illumination light toward an observation site, at the distal end surface of an elongated endoscope insertion portion, and at least an observation optical system. An optical adapter used for non-endoscopic observation, and an observation image transmission optical system that detachably connects the optical adapter and transmits at least the optical image captured by the observation optical system to the observation window. An endoscope apparatus comprising: a connector that also detachably covers the distal end side portion of the endoscope insertion portion and that also serves as a grip portion. 2. The adapter comprises an adapter connecting portion detachably connected to a base end portion of the optical adapter, a connecting portion main body portion in which the observation image transmitting optical system is disposed, and the endoscope. An endoscope connecting portion having a hole portion into which a distal end side portion of the insertion portion is detachably inserted and arranged, and a cover member rotatable with respect to the connecting portion main body portion are provided. The endoscope apparatus according to Item 1. 3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cover member is provided with a cover that also serves as a grip and covers the endoscope connecting portion as well as the grip.