JP2005052455A - Focusing electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a focusing electronic endoscope capable of obtaining a clear close-up observation image by easily and accurately performing subtle focusing operation for resting an image by slightly changing the state of focus. <P>SOLUTION: A first switch 31 for the focusing operation of an objective optical system 13 and a second switch 32 for freezing or recording an endoscopic observation image are disposed in an operation part 20 of the focusing electronic endoscope. The operation part 20 has a push button switch 30 in which the first switch 31 and the second switch 32 are disposed in line. When the push button switch 30 is operated, the first switch 31 is turned on first and the focusing operation is started. Then, as the push button switch 30 is further pressed, the second switch 32 is turned on, and the endoscopic observation image is frozen or recorded. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a focusing electronic endoscope.

Generally, in electronic endoscopes, a push button switch for performing a freeze operation for making an endoscopic observation image under observation a still image, a push button switch for performing an image recording operation, and the like are arranged side by side on the operation unit. (For example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-330916, paragraph [0010], FIG.

  When the electronic endoscope has an electrically driven focusing function, a push button switch for performing a focusing operation for moving the objective optical system back and forth in the optical axis direction is also arranged in the operation unit along with the other push button switches. The

  In such a focusing electronic endoscope, when the push button switch is pressed once, the motor that moves the objective optical system in the optical axis direction is driven, and when the push button switch is pressed again, the motor stops and the focus at that time The state is maintained.

  However, focusing operation in endoscopic observation is mainly in the close-up magnification observation state where the observation distance is 1 to 3 mm, and there are many cases where it is desired to observe a still image at a position where the focus state is slightly changed. If the pushbutton switch is pressed twice, the focus state may go too far in the meantime, and only a defocused image may be obtained.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a focusing electronic endoscope that can easily and accurately perform a delicate focusing operation that changes the focus state slightly to make the image still and can obtain a clear close-up magnified observation image. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, a focusing electronic endoscope according to the present invention includes a first objective optical system for performing a focusing operation of an objective optical system in which an objective optical system having a focusing function by electric drive is disposed at a distal end of an insertion portion. In a focusing electronic endoscope in which a switch and a second switch for performing an operation of freezing or recording an endoscope observation image are arranged in an operation unit, the first switch and the second switch are connected in series. The arranged push button switch is provided in the operation unit, and when the push button switch is pushed in, the first switch is turned on first to start the focusing operation, and further, the push button switch is pushed down to move the second switch. It is turned on to freeze or record the endoscopic observation image.

  The focusing operation may be stopped when the second switch is turned on. If the focusing operation is started when the first switch is turned on for a predetermined time or longer, the second switch is turned on. Only the operation can be performed without any problems.

  According to the present invention, when the push button switch is pushed in, the first switch is first turned on to start the focusing operation. When the push button switch is pushed further, the second switch is turned on and the endoscope is turned on. Since the observation image is frozen or recorded, it is possible to obtain a clear close-up magnified observation image by easily and accurately performing a delicate focusing operation for changing the focus state slightly and keeping the image stationary.

  A state in which the first switch for performing the focusing operation of the objective optical system and the second switch for performing the operation of freezing or recording the endoscopic observation image are each urged in the off direction by the urging member. In series.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of the focusing electronic endoscope. As shown in FIG. 3, an observation window 11 and an illumination window 12 are arranged side by side at the distal end 10 a of the flexible insertion portion 10. Yes.

  Then, a screw hole that engages with a screw rod 17 that is driven to rotate by a motor 16 is formed in the lens frame 14 to which the objective optical system 13 is attached and which can be moved back and forth in the optical axis direction. By rotating the screw rod 17 at 16, the objective optical system 13 advances and retreats in the optical axis direction, and the distance to the subject imaged on the imaging surface of the solid-state imaging device 15 changes.

  Returning to FIG. 2, on the front side of the upper half of the operation unit 20 connected to the base end of the insertion unit 10, a push button switch 30 for performing a focusing operation for moving the objective optical system 13 back and forth in the optical axis direction. Are arranged at positions that are easy to operate.

  A light guide connector 42 and an electrical connector 43 connected to the video processor 50 are arranged side by side on a connector portion 41 attached to the distal end of the connecting flexible tube 40 extending from the operation portion 20.

  A video processor 50 that also serves as a light source device includes a light source lamp 51 that serves as an illumination light source, a circuit unit 60 that performs processing of an endoscopic observation image captured by the solid-state imaging device 15 and various controls, and the like. ing.

  FIG. 4 shows the push button switch 30 arranged in the operation unit 20. The push button switch 30 includes a first switch 31 and a second switch 32 arranged in series, and the first switch 31 and the second switch 32 are arranged in series. The switch 31 and the second switch 32 are each biased in the off direction by the elasticity of the rubber cover 33 and the compression coil spring 34, and are both turned off in the standby state.

  When the push button switch 30 is pushed in from the outside with a fingertip or the like, the rubber cover 33 is first bent and the first switch 31 is turned on. Then, when the push button is pushed, the compression coil spring 34 is compressed and the first switch 31 is compressed. 2 switch 32 is also turned on. If the pushing operation is stopped, the second switch 32 is turned off first, and then the first switch 31 is turned off.

  FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration of a portion related to the push button switch 30 of the focusing electronic endoscope. The circuit section 60 of the video processor 50 processes a video signal obtained by imaging with the solid-state imaging device 15. The video signal processing circuit 61 is provided, and the output signal is processed by the display circuit 63 and output to the monitor 70, whereby the endoscopic observation image is displayed on the monitor 70.

  The memory 62 is arranged for temporarily storing image data for performing frame sequential imaging processing, and is also used as a recording unit for recording image data of a designated frame. be able to.

  64 has a built-in MPU (microprocessor) that determines the on / off signal of each of the first switch 31 and the second switch 32 in the push button switch 30 and outputs a corresponding control signal. This is a signal determination circuit.

  The output signal from the signal determination circuit 64 is sent to the memory 62 described above and a focusing operation circuit 65 that receives a high-frequency component of the signal from the video signal processing circuit 61 and performs an operation for focusing processing. In response to the control signal output from 65, a driving current is sent from the lens driving circuit 66 to the motor 16.

  An operation related to the push button switch 30 in the focusing electronic endoscope of the embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. 5 showing the contents of software executed in the signal determination circuit 64. S in the figure indicates a processing step.

  This process starts when the video processor 50 is turned on or the connector 41 is connected to the video processor 50, and the determination of whether or not the first switch 31 is on is repeated (S1). When turned on, a timer built in the signal determination circuit 64 is activated (S2).

  Then, it is determined whether or not the elapsed time t from the start of the timer has become equal to or longer than a predetermined time T set in advance (S3). If t has not reached T, is the second switch 32 still on? It is determined whether or not (S4).

  On the other hand, when t reaches T, the motor 16 is driven to start a focusing operation for moving the objective optical system 13 in the optical axis direction, and then the process proceeds to the determination process of the second switch 32 in S4. (S5).

  In this way, when the push button switch 30 is pushed down to the ON position of the second switch 32 at once, the endoscope observation image can be frozen (freeze) without performing the focusing operation.

  If the second switch 32 is turned on in S4, a processing signal that freezes the endoscope observation image displayed on the monitor 70 is output to the memory 62 (or the display circuit 63) and simultaneously to the motor 16. Current supply is stopped to stop focusing, and the process returns to the determination process of the second switch 32 in S4 (S6). It should be noted that the same still image is displayed on the monitor 70 until it is reset no matter how many times the process in S6 is repeated.

  In this way, even immediately after the push button switch 30 is pushed in and the focusing operation is started, if the push button switch 30 is pushed further, the endoscopic observation image can be immediately stopped. Therefore, a clear close-up magnified observation image can be obtained.

  If the second switch 32 is off in S4, it is next determined whether or not the first switch 31 is off. If the first switch 31 is not off, the process from S3 is repeated (S7). If the first switch 31 is off, the timer, focusing, and freeze are all reset to the initial state (S8), and the process from the first S1 is repeated.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, instead of making the endoscopic observation image displayed on the monitor 70 stand still (freeze), the second When the switch 32 is turned on, the endoscope observation image at that time may be recorded in the memory 62 or an external recording device (not shown).

  Further, the circuit configuration of the circuit unit 60 can take various embodiments different from the above-described embodiment, and the focusing operation in the insertion unit 10 can be performed by moving the solid-state imaging device 15 forward and backward in the optical axis direction. Good.

  When the objective optical system 13 is advanced and retracted in the optical axis direction, an image guide fiber bundle is used in place of the solid-state image sensor 15, and the endoscopic observation image transmitted by the image guide fiber bundle is transmitted by the solid-state image sensor 15. It does not matter even if it takes an image.

It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the focusing electronic endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is an external view of the whole structure of the focusing electronic endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is a perspective view of the insertion part front-end | tip of the focusing electronic endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the pushbutton switch of the focusing electronic endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is a software flowchart which shows operation | movement of the Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the focusing electronic endoscope of the other Example of this invention. It is a software flow figure showing operation of other examples of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Insertion part 13 Objective optical system 14 Mirror frame 15 Solid-state image sensor 16 Motor 20 Operation part 30 Pushbutton switch 31 1st switch 32 2nd switch 50 Video processor 60 Circuit part 70 Monitor

Claims (3)

An objective optical system having a focusing function by electric drive is disposed at the distal end of the insertion portion, and a first switch for performing the focusing operation of the objective optical system and an operation for freezing or recording an endoscope observation image In the focusing electronic endoscope in which the second switch is arranged in the operation unit,
A push button switch in which the first switch and the second switch are arranged in series is provided in the operation unit, and when the push button switch is pushed in, the first switch is first turned on to perform a focusing operation. A focusing electronic endoscope, which is started, and further, when the push button switch is pushed in, the second switch is turned on to freeze or record the endoscopic observation image. 2. The focusing electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the focusing operation is stopped when the second switch is turned on. The focusing electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the focusing operation is started when the first switch is turned on for a predetermined time or more.

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