JP2008029480A - Portable endoscope apparatus and portable endoscope system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable endoscope apparatus having superior operability. <P>SOLUTION: This portable endoscope apparatus is provided with an operation section 7, a light source unit 10 detachably mounted on the side face 7a of the operation section 7, and a radio communication section 8 provided in the rear end face 7b of the operation section 7. Image data acquired by the portable endoscope apparatus are transmitted to the outside from the radio communication section 8 and are projected on a monitor of a processor device. The light source unit 10 and the radio communication section 8 are spacedly disposed to prevent the deviation of the weight balance of the operation section and improve the operability. The radio communication section 8 projects from the hand of an operator to favorably retain the communication state of the radio communication section 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable endoscope apparatus that can be easily carried and used, and a portable endoscope system having the portable endoscope apparatus.

  There is known a portable endoscope apparatus that can be easily carried and used. This portable endoscope apparatus is used for emergency, for example. The portable endoscope apparatus includes an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject, an operation portion that is provided at the rear end of the insertion portion and that is operated by an operator, and is detachably attached to the operation portion and incorporates a battery. A light source unit and an eyepiece provided at the rear end of the operation unit (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

An image guide fiber is disposed inside the insertion portion and the operation portion, and one end portion of the image guide fiber is fixed to the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and the other end portion is fixed to the eyepiece portion. The operator operates the operation unit while looking into the eyepiece unit.
JP-A-8-19516 JP-A-8-10220

  In the conventional portable endoscope apparatus, since the operation unit has to be operated while looking through the eyepiece, the operability is not good. Further, in the conventional portable endoscope apparatus, the battery in the light source unit is heavy in order to secure the electric power necessary to keep irradiating illumination light for a certain period of time, and therefore the light source unit is attached. In addition, the weight balance of the operation unit was lost, and this loss of weight balance had an adverse effect on operability.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a portable endoscope apparatus having good operability and a portable endoscope system having the portable endoscope apparatus. To do.

  The present invention provides an operation unit provided at a rear end of an insertion unit to be inserted into a subject and operated by an operator, and is detachably attached to the operation unit and includes an illumination light battery, and illuminates the insertion unit. The present invention relates to a portable endoscope apparatus including an illumination light supply unit that supplies light, and includes an imaging unit that is provided at a distal end portion of the insertion unit and images an observation site in the subject, and a battery for wireless communication. A wireless communication unit that wirelessly transmits the image data to the outside in order to display the image data acquired by the imaging unit as an image, and the wireless communication unit is configured so that the weight balance of the operation unit is not offset. The operation unit is provided apart from the illumination light supply unit.

  Preferably, the illumination light supply unit is provided on a side surface of the operation unit, and the wireless communication unit is provided on a rear end of the operation unit. By providing the wireless communication unit at the rear end of the operation unit, since the wireless communication unit is separated from the part held by the operator, it is possible to perform good communication.

  It is preferable that power is exchanged between the illumination light battery and the wireless communication battery. When the power of one battery decreases, power can be supplied from the other battery.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable endoscope system that receives the image data wirelessly transmitted from the wireless communication unit of the portable endoscope apparatus and the portable endoscope apparatus and displays the image data as an image. It is comprised from an apparatus.

  According to the present invention, the image data acquired by the imaging unit provided at the distal end of the insertion unit is transmitted to the image display device via the wireless communication unit, and is displayed as an image on the image display device. Since the operation unit can be operated while viewing an image display device separate from the portable endoscope device, the operability is improved. In addition, since the wireless communication unit is provided in the operation unit apart from the illumination light supply unit, the wireless communication battery and the illumination light battery are arranged apart from each other, and the operation unit is less misaligned in weight balance. Operability is improved.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the portable endoscope system 2 includes a portable endoscope device (hereinafter referred to as an endoscope device) 3 and a processor device (image display device) 5 including a monitor 4. The Data transmission / reception is performed between the endoscope apparatus 3 and the processor apparatus 5 using wireless communication. The endoscope apparatus 3 and the processor apparatus 5 can be easily carried, and the portable endoscope system 2 is used for emergency, for example.

  The endoscope apparatus 3 includes an insertion unit 6, an operation unit 7 provided at the rear end of the insertion unit 6, a wireless communication unit 8 provided on the rear end surface 7 b of the operation unit 7, and a side surface of the operation unit 7. It comprises a light source unit (illumination light supply unit) 10 that is detachably attached to a light guide base 9 provided in 7a. Note that a light guide cable may be connected to the light guide base 9 instead of the light source unit 10.

  The insertion part 6 is a part to be inserted into a body cavity and is formed in an elongated cylindrical shape. A light guide fiber 11 for guiding illumination light from the light source unit 10 is provided inside the insertion portion 6. One end portion of the light guide fiber 11 is fixed to the light guide base 9 (see FIG. 2), and the other end portion is fixed to the distal end portion of the insertion portion 6. Illumination light from the light source unit 10 is guided to the distal end portion of the insertion portion 6 via the light guide fiber 11 and emitted from the distal end portion of the insertion portion 6.

  A forceps insertion port 12 into which a forceps is inserted is provided at the front of the operation unit 7. The forceps insertion opening 12 is normally closed with a forceps plug. A central portion of the operation unit 7, that is, a portion between the forceps insertion opening 12 and the light guide base 9 is a grip portion 13 that is gripped by the operator.

  At the rear of the operation unit 7, a freeze button 14 that is operated when the endoscope image is stopped and a release button 15 that is operated when the still image is recorded on the recording medium are provided. In addition, an angle knob 16 extending in the depth direction of the paper surface, which is operated when the distal end portion of the insertion portion 6 is bent in the vertical direction, is provided at the rear portion of the operation portion 7.

  A vent connector 17 to which a vent adapter (not shown) is connected is provided behind the release button 15. By connecting the ventilation adapter to the ventilation connector 17, the inside and the outside of the endoscope apparatus 3 can be communicated with each other. The airtightness of the endoscope apparatus 3 can be inspected by sending compressed air into the endoscope apparatus 3 through the ventilation adapter and the ventilation connector 17 and examining the temporal change in pressure. The ventilation connector 17 also plays a role of releasing the pressure to the outside when the internal pressure of the endoscope apparatus 3 increases during gas sterilization.

  The operation unit 7 may be provided with a suction button so that a suction operation can be performed, or the operation unit 7 can be provided with an air supply / water supply button so that an air supply / water supply operation can be performed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the light guide base 9 has a holding cylinder 20 that holds the light guide fiber 11, and a fixed ring 21 that is fixed to the outer surface of the holding cylinder 20. A condensing lens 22 is incorporated at the tip of the holding cylinder 20, and the light guide fiber 11 is disposed in the hollow part of the holding cylinder 20 so as to abut against the end surface of the condensing lens 22. A male screw 21 a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed ring 21.

  The light source unit 10 includes a cylindrical unit main body 23 and a bottom cover 24 that hermetically closes the bottom surface of the unit main body 23. Inside the light source unit 10, an LED 25 serving as a light source and a light source battery 26 for supplying power to the LED 25 are arranged.

  A condenser lens 27 is incorporated in the unit main body 23. The illumination light emitted from the LED 25 is condensed by the condenser lens 27 and emitted to the outside of the unit body 23. It should be noted that a shutter mechanism is arranged on the illumination light emitting side of the condenser lens 27 so that the shutter is closed when the light source unit 10 is removed and the shutter is opened when the light source unit 10 is attached. Also good. With this configuration, when the light source unit 10 in a state of emitting illumination light is mistakenly removed, the shutter is closed and the illumination light does not leak to the outside.

  A connection ring 28 that is rotatable with respect to the unit main body 23 is provided on the outer surface of the front end portion of the unit main body 23. A female screw 28 a is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connection ring 28, and the female screw 28 a is screwed into the male screw 21 a of the fixed ring 21.

  The light source battery 26 is held by a bottom cover 24, and the bottom cover 24 is detachable from the unit main body 23 while holding the light source battery 26. A male screw 24 a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the bottom cover 24, and a female screw 23 a is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the unit body 23. The bottom cover 24 can be attached to the unit main body 23 by rotating the bottom cover 24 about the axis and fitting the male screw 24a and the female screw 23a together. When the bottom cover 24 is further rotated from this mounted state, the positive electrode of the light source battery 26 comes into contact with the positive electrode contact piece 30 provided on the fixed plate 29, and the electric power including the light source battery 26 and the LED 25 is obtained. The circuit is closed and the LED 25 emits light.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wireless communication unit 8 includes a cylindrical base 31 fixed to the rear end of the operation unit 7, a support plate 32 fixed to the base 31, and a removable base 31. A bottomed cylindrical protective cover 33, a communication battery 34, 35, an electric circuit board 36, and an antenna 37. The protective cover 33 covers the base 31 in an airtight manner.

  A male screw 31 a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the base 31. A female screw 33 a is formed at the front portion of the inner peripheral surface of the protective cover 33. The protective cover 33 can be attached to the base 31 by screwing the male screw 31a and the female screw 33a.

  An electric circuit board 36 and an antenna 37 are fixed to the rear surface of the support plate 32. A transmission circuit 38 and a power control circuit 39 (see FIG. 4), which will be described in detail later, are mounted on the electric circuit board 36. The antenna 37 is electrically connected to the transmission circuit 38.

  In addition, on the rear surface of the support plate 32, a negative electrode contact piece 40 that contacts the negative electrode of the communication battery 34 is provided, and a rectangular tube-shaped holding member 41 that holds the communication battery 34 is also provided. On the rear surface of the support plate 32, a negative electrode contact piece 41 and a holding member 44 are provided at positions that face the pole contact piece 40 and the holding member 41 in the radial direction. The communication batteries 34 and 35 are exchangeable. The protective cover 33 is provided with positive contact pieces 42 and 45 that come into contact with the positive electrodes of the communication batteries 34 and 35 when the protective cover 33 is attached.

  In the endoscope apparatus 3, the light source battery 26 and the communication batteries 34 and 35 occupy a large weight. However, the light source battery 26 is arranged on the side surface 7 a of the operation unit 7 and the communication batteries 34 and 35. Is disposed away from the light source battery 26 on the rear end surface 7b of the operation unit 7 so that the weight balance of the operation unit 7 is not offset.

  In the endoscope apparatus 3, the wireless communication unit 8 that performs wireless transmission with the processor device 5 is arranged on the rear end surface 7 b of the operation unit 7. Since it protrudes, the communication state of the radio | wireless communication part 8 is maintained favorable.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the entire operation of the endoscope apparatus 3 is comprehensively controlled by the CPU 49. A freeze button 14 and a release button 15 are connected to the CPU 49. The CPU 49 stores a program for controlling the operation of the endoscope apparatus 3, and controls the operation of the endoscope apparatus 3 by referring to the program based on the operation of the buttons 14 and 15.

  The illumination light emitted from the LED 25 of the mounted light source unit 10 illuminates the body cavity through the light guide fiber 11 and the illumination lens 50 provided at the distal end of the insertion portion 6. Electric power is supplied to the LED 25 from a light source battery 26 built in the light source unit 10.

  An objective lens 51 is provided at the distal end of the insertion portion 6, and a CCD image sensor 52 is disposed behind the objective lens 51. The CCD image sensor 52 converts the subject image in the body cavity imaged by the objective lens 51 into an electrical imaging signal, and outputs this imaging signal. The objective lens 51 and the CCD image sensor 52 constitute an imaging unit.

  The signal processing circuit 53 performs correlated double sampling, amplification, A / D conversion, and the like on the imaging signal input from the CCD image sensor 52 to convert the imaging signal into digital image data. The modulation circuit 54 modulates the image data input from the signal processing circuit 53 and then outputs the image data.

  The transmission circuit 38 transmits the image data input from the modulation circuit 54 to the processor device 5 through the antenna 37 as a radio wave. Power is supplied to the transmission circuit 38 from the communication batteries 34 and 35. The power control circuit 39 is connected to the light source battery 26 and the communication batteries 34 and 35, and measures the remaining power of these batteries. The power control circuit 39 performs control to supply power from the communication batteries 34 and 35 to the light source battery 26 when the remaining power of the light source battery 26 is equal to or less than the threshold value. When the remaining power of 35 becomes equal to or less than the threshold, control is performed to supply power from the light source battery 26 to the communication batteries 34 and 35.

  The CPU 49, the signal processing circuit 53, and the modulation circuit 54 may be mounted on the above-described electric circuit board 36, or an electric circuit board is arranged in the operation unit 7 separately from the electric circuit board 36, and this electric circuit You may mount on a board | substrate. Electric power is supplied from the communication batteries 34 and 35 to the CCD image sensor 52, the CPU 49, the signal processing circuit 53, and the modulation circuit 54.

  The overall operation of the processor device 5 is comprehensively controlled by the CPU 55. The CPU 55 stores a program for controlling the operation of the processor device 5.

  The antenna 56 receives radio waves from the endoscope apparatus 3. The receiving circuit 57 amplifies the received radio wave. The demodulation circuit 58 demodulates the signal input from the reception circuit 57 and returns the image data before being modulated by the endoscope apparatus 3.

  The image data demodulated by the demodulation circuit 58 is sent to the monitor 4 via the monitor control unit 59 and displayed on the monitor 4 as an endoscopic image. When the freeze button 14 of the endoscope apparatus 3 is operated, a freeze image is displayed on the monitor 4. When the release button 15 is operated, the captured image is written in the storage unit 60 of the processor device 5.

  The portable endoscope system 2 configured as described above can be easily carried and can be used anywhere. When using the portable endoscope system 2, the light source unit 10 is attached to the light guide base 9. When the bottom cover 24 of the light source unit 10 is rotated, the positive electrode of the light source battery 26 comes into contact with the positive electrode contact piece 30, and the LED 25 emits illumination light. The illumination light is emitted from the distal end of the insertion portion 6 through the light guide fiber 11 and the illumination lens 50. When the power of the processor device 5 is turned on, the portable endoscope system 2 can be used.

  When the insertion part 6 of the endoscope apparatus 3 is inserted into the body cavity, the illumination light emitted from the distal end of the insertion part 6 illuminates the body cavity. Further, the image data of the site to be observed in the body cavity is acquired by the CCD image sensor 52 of the insertion unit 6, and this image data is transmitted from the antenna 37 as a radio wave. In the processor device 5, the received radio wave is converted into image data, and an endoscopic image based on this image data is displayed on the monitor 4.

  The operator grasps and operates the operation unit 7 of the endoscope apparatus 3 and observes the endoscope image on the monitor 4. Since the operator can operate the operation unit 7 while looking at the monitor 4 that is separated from the endoscope apparatus 3, the operation unit 7 is easy to operate. When the operation unit 7 is operated, the wireless communication unit 8 provided at the rear end of the operation unit 7 protrudes from the operator's hand, so that the communication state by the wireless communication unit 8 is kept good. Further, since the weight balance of the operation unit 7 is maintained, the operator can easily operate the operation unit 7.

  In the above embodiment, the light source unit 10 is disposed on the side surface 7 a of the operation unit 7 and the wireless communication unit 8 is disposed on the rear end surface 7 b of the operation unit 7. 7b and the wireless communication unit 8 may be arranged on the side surface 7a of the operation unit 7.

  In the above embodiment, the description has been made using the portable endoscope apparatus for observing the inside of the body cavity. However, the subject is not limited to this, and the present invention is applied to, for example, a portable endoscope apparatus used for inspection of piping. You may apply.

It is a schematic block diagram of a portable endoscope system. It is principal part sectional drawing of an endoscope main body and a light source unit. It is sectional drawing of the radio | wireless communication part cut | disconnected by radial direction. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of a portable endoscope system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Portable endoscope system 3 Endoscope apparatus 4 Monitor 5 Processor apparatus 7 Operation part 8 Wireless communication part 10 Light source unit 26 Light source battery 34,35 Communication battery

Claims (4)

An operation unit provided at the rear end of the insertion unit to be inserted into the subject and operated by the operator, and is detachable from the operation unit and has an illumination light battery, and supplies illumination light to the insertion unit. In a portable endoscope apparatus provided with an illumination light supply unit,
An imaging unit that is provided at a distal end of the insertion unit and images an observation site in the subject;
A wireless communication unit having a wireless communication battery, and wirelessly transmitting the image data to the outside in order to display the image data acquired by the imaging unit as an image;
A portable endoscope apparatus, wherein the wireless communication unit is provided in the operation unit so as to be separated from the illumination light supply unit so that a weight balance of the operation unit is not shifted.   The portable endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light supply unit is provided on a side surface of the operation unit, and the wireless communication unit is provided at a rear end of the operation unit.   The portable endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein power is exchanged between the illumination light battery and the wireless communication battery.   The portable endoscope apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and an image display apparatus that receives image data wirelessly transmitted from the wireless communication unit of the portable endoscope apparatus and displays the image data as an image. A portable endoscope system comprising:

Images