JP2871788B2 - Endoscope device for flaw detection - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flaw detection endoscope apparatus with improved flaw detection timing and imaging timing.

[Prior art] In recent years, by inserting an elongated insertion portion into a body cavity,
2. Description of the Related Art Endoscopes (scopes or fiberscopes) capable of diagnosing and examining internal organs and the like are widely used. In addition to being used for medical purposes, it is also used for observing and inspecting an object in a pipe of a boiler, a machine, a chemical plant, or the like, or in a machine, for industrial use.

Further, various types of electronic endoscopes using a solid-state imaging device such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) as an imaging unit have been used.

In addition, an eddy current flaw detection device (EC device) that generates a magnetic field at the distal end of an industrial endoscope and detects, for example, a flaw in a pipeline by changing the magnetic flux density of the magnetic field has been used.

An endoscope apparatus for flaw detection in which the above-described endoscope and the eddy current flaw detection apparatus are combined has been proposed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-33313 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-38558.

In the flaw detection endoscope apparatus described above, for example, an image of a subject is transmitted from the distal end to the base side of the endoscope using an image guide fiber.

In recent years, instead of using the image guide fiber, a solid-state imaging device such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) is provided at the end of the endoscope, and the solid-state imaging device converts an image of an object or the like into an imaging signal that is an electric signal. An endoscope device for flaw detection that transmits a signal to a base side through a signal line has been considered.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in an endoscope apparatus for flaw detection using a solid-state imaging device, an image signal from the solid-state imaging device and an electric signal for eddy current detection interfere with each other, and an image is disturbed. Alternatively, there is a problem that a false signal is erroneously detected as a flaw or the like by a pseudo signal.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide an endoscope apparatus for flaw detection in which an endoscopic observation image and an eddy current flaw detection signal do not interfere with each other.

[Means for Solving the Problems] An endoscope apparatus for flaw detection according to the present invention is an endoscope apparatus for flaw detection constituted by flaw detection means for detecting flaws by electrical means, and imaging means for imaging a subject image. In the above aspect, the driving timing of the flaw detection unit and the imaging timing of the imaging unit are shifted based on a synchronization unit that connects the flaw detection unit and the imaging unit.

[Operation] With the above-described configuration, the imaging process is stopped while the flaw detection process is being performed, and the flaw detection process is stopped while the imaging process is being performed.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an endoscope device for flaw detection, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a distal end portion of the endoscope for flaw detection, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing signal timings of imaging and flaw detection.

As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope device for flaw detection includes an endoscope 10 inserted into a subject such as a conduit, a light source device 21 for supplying illumination light to the endoscope 10, A camera control unit that drives a CCD (charge-coupled device), which is a solid-state imaging device described later, provided in the endoscope 10, obtains an imaging signal from the CCD, and converts the imaging signal into a standard video signal. (Hereinafter referred to as CCU) 31, a monitor 32 for displaying the standard video signal described above, an image recording device 33 such as a VTR device for recording the standard video signal under the control of the CCU 31, and the endoscope. A flaw detection coil (hereinafter referred to as an EC device) that drives a flaw detection coil (described later) provided at the tip of the device 10 and electrically detects a flaw or the like based on a signal from the flaw detection coil and can display the flaw on a display device described later. 36 and this
A display device 37 that displays a detection signal from the EC device 36 as, for example, an image, a waveform recording device 38 that records the detection signal from the EC device 36 on recording paper, the CCU 31, and the EC device 3
6 and synchronize the CCU 31 with the EC device 36,
It comprises a CCU 31 and a synchronizing means 1 for controlling the EC device 36.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the endoscope 10 includes an elongated insertion portion 12 and a distal end portion 11 connected to the distal end of the insertion portion 12.

An illumination optical system 13 and an objective optical system 15 are provided on the distal end surface of the distal end portion 11. Further, in the longitudinal direction of the distal end surface, an eddy current inspection coil (hereinafter, referred to as an eddy current inspection coil) for detecting flaws or the like by eddy current.
An EC coil 18 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope 10 includes a light guide 14 having an emission end face disposed on a rear end face of the illumination optical system 13 for guiding illumination light, and the objective optical system 15. For example, a CCD 16 which is a solid-state imaging device disposed on the image forming surface, an imaging signal line 17 connected to the CCD 16, and the EC coil 1
8 and a flaw detection signal line 19 connected to the EC coil 18 are provided therein.

The light guide 14 is connected to the light source device 21.

The CCU 31 is connected to the CCD 16 via the imaging signal line 17.
, The synchronization means 1, the monitor 32, and the image recording device 33 are connected.

The EC device 36 is connected to the EC device 36 via the flaw detection signal line 19.
EC coil 18, the synchronization means 1, the display device 37,
The waveform recording device 38 is connected.

The illumination light from the light source device 21
Is guided, and is irradiated from the distal end portion 11 to a test portion (not shown).

As described above, the image of the test portion or the like irradiated with the illumination light is
An image is formed on the photoelectric conversion surface of the CCD 16 by the objective optical system 15, photoelectrically converted into an image signal, and input to the CCU 31.

The imaging signal input to the CCU 31 is converted into a standard video signal by the CCU 31, and is output to the monitor 32 and the image recording device 33.

The EC device 36 drives the EC coil 18, processes a change in a signal due to the EC coil 18, outputs the signal to the display device 37 so that it can be displayed, and outputs the recordable waveform to the waveform recording device 38. It has become.

The synchronization means 1 synchronizes the imaging timing of the CCU 31 with the flaw detection timing of the EC device 36.

The operation of the thus configured endoscope apparatus for flaw detection will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the synchronization means 1 outputs a control signal to the EC device 36 so as to drive the EC coil 18 and perform the flaw detection process at the fall of the horizontal synchronization signal of the CCU 31.

The synchronizing means 1 further stops the drive of the EC coil 18 to the EC device 36, that is, stops the control signal so as to stop the flaw detection processing, at the rise of the horizontal synchronization signal of the CCU 31.

Therefore, the EC device 36 is controlled by the control signal of the synchronizing means 1, as shown in FIG.
The drive or stop of 18, that is, whether or not flaw detection processing is performed is controlled.

When the EC device 36 is controlled to perform the flaw detection process by the synchronization means 1, the EC device 36 drives the EC coil 18 and a third
The signal change by the EC coil 18 shown in FIG. 9E is processed and output to the display device 37 so that it can be displayed, and also output to the waveform recording device 38 so that it can be recorded.

The display device 37 displays the signal from the EC device 36 on, for example, a screen, and the waveform recording device 38 records the signal from the EC device 36 on, for example, recording paper.

The CCD 31 drives the CCD 16 during a period other than the horizontal synchronization signal, that is, a period when the control signal of the synchronization unit 1 is not output to the EC device 36, obtains an imaging signal from the CCD 16, and outputs a standard image. The signal is converted into a video signal and output to the monitor 32 and the image recording device 33.

That is, during the period when the CPU 31 is acquiring the imaging signal from the CCD 16, the EC device 36 does not drive the EC coil 18, and the drive signal to the EC coil 18 is the drive signal to the CCD 16 and the drive signal to the CCD 16. It is possible to prevent the imaging signal from being superimposed as noise on the image signal, and to superimpose the driving signal to the CCD 16 and the imaging signal from the CCD 16 on the signal between the EC device 36 and the EC coil 18 as noise. There is no effect.

4 to 6 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the endoscope device for flaw detection, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram relating to control of imaging and flaw detection, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing timings of signals for imaging and flaw detection. Note that the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the endoscope device for flaw detection is an endoscope 10
The EC probe 26 fixed to the endoscope 10 by a wire 27 and the endoscope 113 are detachably connected to an opening of the conduit 22 for inserting the endoscope 113 into, for example, a conduit 22 which is a subject. Insertion jig 23, a compressor 25 for pressure-feeding a fluid, for example, air, to the conduit 22 through the insertion jig 23, and a tube for connecting a fluid outlet of the compressor 25 to the insertion jig 23. 24, the light source device 21, the CCU 31, and the monitor 32
, An image recording device 33, an EC device 36, a display device 37, a waveform recording device 38, and the synchronizing means 1.

The endoscope 10 has an illumination optical system (not shown) at the distal end portion 11,
An imaging optical system and a CCD are provided, and a light guide 14 and an imaging signal line 17 are provided in the insertion section 12.

In the endoscope 10, the diameter of the distal end portion 11 is slightly larger than the diameter of the insertion portion 12.

In addition, in front of the distal end of the endoscope 10 in the conduit 22, the outer shape is substantially the same as the inner shape of the conduit 22, for example, on a substantially cylindrical column.
The EC probe 26 is inserted.

In the EC probe 26, an EC coil 18 is disposed on the outer periphery of a circumferential surface in the longitudinal direction, and one end of a flaw detection signal line 19 and one end of a pulling wire 27 are fixed to a rear end.

At the other end of the pulling wire 27, a ring-shaped portion 28 substantially equal to the outer diameter of the insertion portion 12 and slightly smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of the distal end portion is formed. The loop portion 28 is located above the circumference of the insertion portion 12, and is caught by the distal end portion 11 by inserting the EC probe 26 as described later, thereby moving the endoscope 10 into the conduit 22. The EC probe 26 is pulled out from the duct 22 by guiding the endoscope 10 and pulling the endoscope 10.

The other end of the flaw detection signal line 19 is connected to the EC device 36.

The light guide 14 is connected to the light source device 21, and the imaging signal line 17 is connected to the CCU 31.

The insertion jig 23 has a connection portion 23a that can be inserted into the opening of the conduit 22 and can be connected thereto, and an insertion opening 23b through which the endoscope 10 is inserted.
The center point of the opening of the connection part 23a and the center point of the insertion port 23b are substantially collinear in the longitudinal direction, and the pumping port 23c to which the tube 24 can be connected is in the longitudinal direction. And a substantially right angle.

The EC probe 26 is inserted into the conduit 22 by pumping the fluid from the compressor 25 to the insertion jig 23 through the tube 24.

The operation of the thus configured endoscope apparatus for flaw detection will be described.

The EC probe 26 is inserted from the opening of the conduit 22 into which the connection jig 23 has been inserted, for example, a distance of the length of the insertion section 12 by the fluid pumped from the compressor 25.

Insert the EC probe 26 inserted as described above into the insertion section.
When pulling back 12, the synchronizing means 1 starts from the step (hereinafter referred to as S) 100 shown in FIG.
36 is controlled as shown in S101 to S111 described later.

In S101, the EC device 36 continuously drives the EC probe. That is, control is performed so as to continuously transmit a flaw detection signal to the EC coil 18 and detect a change in the flaw detection signal.

As described above, if the signal of the continuously driven EC probe 26 does not change and no flaw or the like is detected (NO), the processing from S101 is repeated, and if the signal of the EC probe 26 changes (YES), In S103, an imaging start signal is output.

In step S104, the driving of the EC probe 26 described above is stopped by the above-described imaging start signal, and the CCD is driven in one horizontal scanning line period in step S105.

After S106 in which the driving of the CCD has been completed, it is determined in S107 whether or not scanning for one screen, that is, imaging has been completed. If scanning for one screen has not been completed (NO), the processing in S108 After driving the EC coil 18 of the EC probe 26 at the moment corresponding to the horizontal synchronizing signal period, the processing from S104 is repeated, and when scanning for one screen is completed (YES), the position at which a scratch or the like is detected in S109 Is displayed on a monitor, and a freeze process is performed to produce a still image, and an image capture screen monitor output process is executed. In step S110, the frozen image is recorded on a still video camera, a magneto-optical disk, or the like.

Thereafter, the imaging start signal described above is stopped in S111, and
Is repeated.

Therefore, the synchronizing means 1 outputs an imaging start signal as shown in FIG. 6 (c) based on a detection signal of a flaw or the like by the EC device 36 shown in FIG. 6 (b).

After the imaging start signal is output as described above, for example, from the fall of the first horizontal synchronization signal shown in FIG. 6 (d), the CCU 31 outputs the imaging signal shown in FIG. 6 (e). At the same time, a video signal shown in FIG. 6 (f) is obtained from a CCD (not shown).

Further, the synchronizing means 1 drives the EC coil 18 to the EC device 36 by the fall of the horizontal synchronizing signal of the CCU 31 shown in FIG. Output a control signal to perform processing.

The synchronizing means 1 further stops the drive of the EC coil 18 to the EC device 36, that is, stops the control signal so as to stop the flaw detection processing, at the rise of the horizontal synchronization signal of the CCU 31.

Therefore, during the period in which the above-mentioned imaging start signal is being output by the control signal of the synchronizing means 1, the EC device 36, as shown in FIG. Or stop, that is, whether or not to perform the flaw detection process is controlled.

In addition, the CCU 31 performs a period other than the horizontal synchronization signal, that is, a period during which the image pickup signal of the synchronization unit 1 is output and the control signal of the synchronization unit 1 is not output to the EC device 36, FIG. Driving the CCD as shown in (e),
As shown in FIG. 6 (f), an image signal is obtained from the CCD, and when the image signal reaches the number of horizontal scanning lines, the image signal is converted into a standard video signal, and the image is converted to a still image. And outputs it to the image recording device 33.

As a result, an image of the detected part where the flaw or the like is detected is displayed on the monitor 32, and an image of the detected part where the flaw or the like is detected is recorded on the image recording device.

Note that the synchronizing means 1 is used to insert the EC probe 26 by pumping the fluid by the compressor 25.
The above-described processing may be performed.

Further, for example, an image of a subject is displayed on the distal end portion 11 of the endoscope 10.
Alternatively, the light may be transmitted to the base side of the insertion section 12 using an image guide fiber.

That is, when a flaw or the like is found, the image of the found part to be detected is displayed as a still image and can be recorded in an image recording device, so that the operator can reliably recognize the part to be tested, and There is an effect that the amount of recording on one image recording medium of the image recording device can be increased.

Other configurations, operations and effects are the same as those of the above-described embodiment.

The flaw detection means for detecting a flaw or the like is not limited to the EC device, and may be, for example, a non-destructive flaw detection device using ultrasonic waves.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a clear endoscope image can be obtained without interference between an endoscopic observation image and an eddy current flaw detection signal, and a defect of a subject can be obtained. Etc. can be reliably detected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an endoscope device for flaw detection, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a distal end portion of the endoscope for flaw detection, FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the timing of signals for imaging and flaw detection, FIGS. 4 to 6 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an endoscope apparatus for flaw detection, FIG. Is an explanatory diagram relating to control of imaging and flaw detection, FIG.
The figure is an explanatory diagram showing the timing of the signals of imaging and flaw detection. 1 ... Synchronization means 31 ... CCU 36 ... EC device

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Minoru Okada 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo O-limpus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Morihide 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo O-limpus Inside Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuwa Tojo 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo O-limpus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Miya ▲ saki ▼ Atsuyuki 2-43 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takeaki Nakamura 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Hiromasa Suzuki 2-43 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-61-38558 (JP, A) JP-A-62-161340 (JP, A) JP-A-63-180850 (JP, A) 60-33313 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G02B 23/00 G02N 27/90 G02N 21/88

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An endoscope apparatus for flaw detection comprising flaw detection means for detecting flaws by electrical means, and imaging means for imaging a subject image, wherein a synchronizing means connecting said flaw detection means and said imaging means. Wherein the drive timing of the flaw detection means and the imaging timing of the imaging means are shifted based on the following.