JP3260192B2 - Light source device for endoscope - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention enables various endoscopes to be selectively connected to each other, and to manually adjust the illuminating light flux (brightness) to be incident on the light guide fiber bundle. The present invention relates to a light source device for an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an endoscope light source device, generally,
A stop for adjusting the luminous flux of the illumination light incident on the light guide fiber bundle from the light source is disposed between the light source and the incident end of the light guide fiber bundle, and the aperture of the stop is switched (brightness setting switch). Manual adjustment is possible by operation.

[0003] Such adjustment can be made to, for example, five brightness levels. However, the relationship between the setting state of the brightness setting switch and the aperture is always constant. When "3", the throttle opening is 60
%, When the brightness setting switch is “4”, the aperture is 80
The relationship of% could not be changed.

[0004]

However, if the relationship between the aperture setting and the state of the brightness setting switch is always constant, when a large-diameter endoscope having a large light guide fiber bundle is connected, Since the brightness of the endoscope becomes brighter than when a small-diameter endoscope having a thin light guide fiber bundle is connected, the switch must be adjusted each time the connected endoscope is changed. Operation becomes complicated.

Accordingly, the present invention requires that the illumination brightness change of the endoscope be small even if the endoscope connected to the light guide receiver is changed, and that the manual adjustment switch of the illumination brightness must be readjusted. It is an object of the present invention to provide a light source device for an endoscope.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a light source device for an endoscope according to the present invention comprises a light guide receiver to which an incident end of a light guide fiber bundle of an endoscope is detachably connected. A light source for causing illumination light to be incident on an incident end of the light guide fiber bundle connected to the light guide receiver; and a light source for controlling a light flux of the illumination light incident on the incident end of the light guide fiber bundle from the light source. Incident light flux control means, manual adjustment means for manually changing the state of the incident light flux control means, and connection endoscope determination means for determining the type of endoscope connected to the light guide receiver; Incident light flux correcting means for changing a state of the incident light flux controlling means corresponding to a state of the manual adjusting means in response to a result of determination by the connected endoscope determining means. It is characterized in.

When the thick endoscope of the light guide fiber bundle is connected to the light guide receiver, the manual adjustment means is in the same state as when the thin endoscope of the light guide fiber bundle is connected. In this case, it is preferable that the luminous flux of the illumination light incident on the incident end of the light guide fiber bundle is reduced by the incident luminous flux correcting means.

[0008]

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 shows a light source device 1 for an endoscope. Reference numeral 2 denotes a light guide receiver to which an incident end of an illumination light guide fiber bundle of the endoscope can be detachably inserted and attached.

The light guide receiver 2 has an incident end of a light guide fiber bundle 82 of a fiberscope 80 for transmitting an observation image by an image guide fiber 81 as shown in FIG. ,
Either the incident end of the illumination light guide fiber bundle 92 of the video scope 90 that converts an observation image into an electric signal and transmits the electric signal by the solid-state imaging device 91 built in the distal end of the insertion portion can be inserted and attached.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which an illumination light guide fiber bundle 92 of a video scope 90 is connected, and FIG. 6 shows an illumination light guide fiber bundle 82 of a fiber scope 80 connected. Is shown.

As shown in FIG. 3, four terminals 2a to 2d are provided in the light guide receiver 2 portion. 2
Reference numeral a denotes a brightness signal output terminal for receiving and outputting a brightness signal obtained by measuring the brightness of an observation image transmitted to the eyepiece side of the fiber scope 80, and
Are connected.

Reference numeral 2b denotes an image sensor signal output terminal for receiving and outputting a video signal of the video scope 90, and only the signal line 93 of the video scope 90 is connected. Reference numeral 2c denotes a data signal output terminal for receiving and outputting data stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 95 or 85 provided in the endoscope. ,
85 is also connected.

In the ROMs 85 and 95 in the endoscope, three kinds of illumination characteristics of a manual adjustment mode, an average value photometry automatic adjustment mode, and a maximum value photometry automatic adjustment mode, and the type of the endoscope are identified. The identification data is stored. As described above, since the data of the illumination characteristics is stored in the ROMs 85 and 95 in the endoscope, the data can be easily rewritten, and can be replaced according to the user's preference.

Reference numeral 2e denotes a sensor for detecting whether the light guide fiber bundle of the endoscope is attached to the light guide receiver 2 or not. Reference numeral 2d denotes an endoscope for outputting a detection signal. This is a detection signal output terminal.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a light source lamp incorporated in the light source device 1. Illumination light emitted from the light source lamp 3 is focused by a condenser lens 4 at the position of the incident end face of the light guide fiber bundle.

On the illumination light path between the light source lamp 3 and the condenser lens 4, a stop 6 (incident light flux control means) driven by a motor 5 and capable of changing the opening area of the illumination light path is arranged. .

Reference numeral 7 denotes a control unit for controlling the operation of the aperture, which receives an output signal from each of the terminals 2a to 2d of the light guide receiver 2 and a signal from the front panel 8 and so on. And a control signal to the display unit of the front panel 8 and the like.

The rotation angle of the aperture driving motor 5 is detected by a displacement detection sensor 9, and the detection signal is input to the control unit 7 to perform feedback control. FIG.
A front panel 8 is shown. Reference numeral 16 denotes a mode changeover switch for changing over a brightness control mode of the illumination. From the left side, a manual adjustment mode switch 16a, an average value metering automatic adjustment mode switch 16b, and a maximum value metering automatic adjustment mode are shown. Three switches of the switch 16c are arranged, and a mode indicator 17 is disposed immediately above each of the switches 16a, 16b, 16c.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a brightness setting switch for setting a lighting brightness state in each mode.
Two switches, an upper brightness increase switch 18a and a lower brightness decrease switch 18b, are arranged, and a five-level brightness indicator light 19 is arranged beside the two switches.

FIG. 8 shows a circuit configuration for controlling the operation of the diaphragm 6. A microcomputer 20 provided in the control unit 7 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 21
A read-only memory (ROM) 22, a random access memory (RAM) 23, and an input / output interface (I
/ O) 24 and a digital / analog converter (D / A) 25 are connected.

A mode changeover switch 16 and a brightness setting switch 18 of the front panel 8 are connected to an input terminal of the input / output interface 24, and a mode indicator of the front panel 8 is connected to an output terminal of the input / output interface 24. A drive circuit for driving the first selection switch 31 and a drive circuit for the brightness indicator lamp 19 and the brightness indicator light 19 are connected. The output terminal of the digital / analog converter 25 is connected to the input terminal of the adder 32.

The first selection switch 31 has three selection terminals to be selected. Only one of the three selection terminals is selected by a control signal from the input / output interface 24 of the microcomputer 20. Is the adder 32
Is connected to the input terminal of Then, an output signal from the displacement detection sensor 9 is input to the first selection terminal of the selection switch 31 via the first amplifier 33.

The brightness signal of the observation image of the fiber scope and the video signal of the video scope output from the brightness signal output terminal 2a and the image sensor signal output terminal 2b of the light guide receiver 2 are converted into a brightness signal processing circuit 36 and After predetermined processing is performed by the video signal processing circuit 37, the average and maximum values of the screen brightness are detected by the average value detection circuits 38 and 40 and the maximum value detection circuits 39 and 41, respectively. The signals are input to the input terminals of the third selection switches 42 and 43.

The second and third selection switches 4
In steps 2 and 43, the input of the microcomputer 20 determines which of the average value detection circuits 38 and 40 and the maximum value detection circuits 39 and 41 is to be selected as the selection terminal of the first selection switch 31 via the amplifiers 45 and 46. Control is performed according to an output signal from the output interface 24.

The adder 32 compares the signal input from the digital-to-analog converter 25 of the microcomputer 20 with the signal input from the selection switch 31, and outputs the output signal from the adder 32 to the motor 5. The stop position of the motor 5 is input to the drive circuit (driver) 5a to control the stop position of the motor 5, whereby the aperture state of the aperture 6, that is, the luminous flux (brightness) of the illumination light emitted from the light source lamp 3 to the light guide receiver 2 Controlled.

With such a circuit configuration, the operation of the diaphragm 6 is controlled by the microcomputer 20, and the first to third selection switches 31, 42, and 43 are switched according to the state of the mode switch 16, so that the endoscope is used. The luminous flux of the illuminating light incident on the light guide fiber bundle of the mirror can be controlled in three different modes: a manual adjustment mode, an average value photometry automatic adjustment mode, and a maximum value photometry automatic adjustment mode.

In this case, in the manual adjustment mode, when the brightness setting switch 18 is set to "5", the light flux entering the light guide fiber bundle is the largest, and when the brightness setting switch 18 is "1", the light flux is minimized. The light beam incident on the guide fiber bundle can be fixedly changed in five stages.

In the automatic adjustment mode of the average value photometry and the maximum value photometry, the brightness of the screen obtained by the fiber scope 80 or the video scope 90 is kept constant.
The light flux incident on the light guide fiber bundle is automatically adjusted, and the brightness of the screen can be changed to five levels by the brightness setting switch 18.

FIG. 9 shows an address map of the microcomputer 20 for performing the above-mentioned control. The ROM 8 in the endoscope is stored at an address lower than the control program area of the ROM 22 and the variable area of the RAM 23.
5,95 illumination characteristic data areas and endoscope discrimination data areas are provided.

FIG. 10 is a detailed map of the characteristic data area of the ROMs 85 and 95 in the endoscope, which is a reference table in three selection modes, and has a label "TABLE1" as a head address from a lower address. The reference signal data for the manual adjustment mode, the reference signal data for the average value photometry mode starting with the label “TABLE2”, and the reference signal data for the maximum value photometry mode starting with the label “TABLE3” are stored.

Each reference signal is a voltage value corresponding to the brightness setting switch 18 which can be adjusted in five steps. FIG.
For example, data in the case of a large intestine fiberscope having a large number of light guide fiber bundles is shown as an example.In the case of the automatic light control mode, the average value photometry mode is more suitable for the endoscope image than the maximum value average value mode. Brightness can be adjusted widely.

In the automatic adjustment mode, even if the distance between the end of the endoscope and the subject changes, the aperture of the aperture 6 is controlled so that the brightness of the screen is constant. Can operate from a fully opened state to a state close to a fully closed state.

On the other hand, in the manual adjustment mode, the opening of the aperture 6 is fixed by the setting position of the brightness setting switch 18. FIG. 1 shows the case of an endoscope having a large light guide fiber bundle such as a large diameter colon examination scope, and the case of an endoscope having a thin light guide fiber bundle such as a small diameter bronchial examination scope. It is a comparison with.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the case of a large-diameter endoscope having a thick light guide fiber bundle, while the brightness setting switch 18 changes five steps from "1" to "5", the stop 6 Increases exponentially. That is, in the range where the aperture of the aperture 6 is small, the change in the aperture of the aperture 6 when the brightness setting switch 18 is changed by one step is small, and in the range where the aperture of the aperture 6 is large, the brightness setting switch 18 is small. Is changed by one step, the change in the opening degree of the throttle 6 is large.

As a result, in a range where the light beam incident on the light guide fiber bundle from the light source lamp 3 is small, the light beam incident on the light guide fiber bundle when the brightness level is changed by operating the brightness setting switch 18 is changed. In a range where the amount of change is small and the amount of light incident on the light guide fiber bundle is large, the amount of change in the amount of light incident on the light guide fiber bundle when the brightness level of the brightness setting switch 18 is changed is large, so In this case, when the brightness setting switch 18 is changed by one step, the change in screen brightness is felt to be uniform in each step.

However, when this large-diameter endoscope is connected, even if the brightness setting switch 18 is set to "5", the aperture 6
Is set to open only 60%. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent burnout of the incident end face of the light guide fiber bundle and burns on the output end side.

On the other hand, when a small-diameter endoscope having a thin light guide fiber bundle is connected, unless the brightness setting switch 18 is "1" and the aperture 6 is fully closed, In the whole range, the stop 6 is opened more than when a large-diameter endoscope is connected.

As described above, even when the brightness setting switch 18 is at the same position, the aperture of the diaphragm 6 is made different depending on the type of endoscope connected to the light source device 1. Even when endoscopes of different numbers of light guide fiber bundles are connected, the brightness setting switch 18
The relationship between the setting state and the brightness of the screen does not greatly differ.

In the case of a small-diameter endoscope, when the brightness setting switch 18 is changed from "1" to "2", the opening rapidly increases from 0 to 40%, and then changes from "2" to "4". Between 20
%, And further increases by 20% between "4" and "5". At "5", the opening degree reaches the maximum of 80%.

When the endoscope is not connected to the light guide receiver 2 in the embodiment apparatus configured as described above, the CPU 21 causes the endoscope detection signal output terminal 2d to output an endoscope signal from the endoscope detection signal output terminal 2d. , The first selection switch 31 is set to the manual adjustment state as shown in FIG. 8, and the reference signal is set to 0V. As a result, the aperture 6 is fully closed.

When the endoscope is connected to the light guide receiver 2, the CPU 21 determines from the output signal from the endoscope detection signal output terminal 2d that the endoscope is connected, and connects the data signal output terminal 2c to the endoscope. Then, the scope identification data is read from the ROM 85 or 95 in the endoscope, and the type of the connected endoscope is determined.

The user operates the mode changeover switch 16 on the front panel 8 to use the light flux of the illumination light incident on the light guide fiber bundle in the manual adjustment mode or in the average value photometry automatic adjustment mode. Select whether to use it or use it in the maximum value metering automatic adjustment mode.

Further, the brightness setting switch 18 is operated to select the brightness of the illuminating light (the light flux incident on the light guide fiber bundle in the manual adjustment mode, and the screen brightness in the automatic adjustment mode).

When the manual adjustment mode is selected, the CP
U21 reads the characteristic data in the manual adjustment mode as shown in FIG. 1 via the data signal output terminal 2c, and converts the data (reference signal) corresponding to the setting state of the brightness setting switch 18 into a digital-to-analog signal. It outputs to the driver 5a of the motor 5 for controlling the opening degree of the throttle 6 through the device 25.

The CPU 21 sets the first selection switch 31 via the input / output interface 24 to the manual adjustment state shown in FIG. In this way, R in the endoscope
In accordance with the manual adjustment mode data stored in the OM 85 or 95, the opening of the aperture 6 is fixed.

When the automatic adjustment mode based on the average value photometry or the maximum value photometry is selected, the states of the three selection switches 31, 42, and 43 are switched accordingly, and are stored in the ROM 85 or 95 in the endoscope. The aperture 6 is controlled so that the luminance of the observation screen of the endoscope becomes constant according to the average value photometry mode data or the maximum value photometry mode data. However, details of the operation of the automatic adjustment mode are omitted because they are not directly related to the present invention.

FIGS. 11 to 14 are processing flowcharts of the microcomputer 20 for performing the above-described operation. S indicates a processing step. However, a processing flowchart of the control functions such as the overall panel switch processing and the monitor display processing is omitted.

In this case, when indicating the contents of the variables, the variable names are shown in parentheses with []. If only the variable name is used, it indicates the address in the memory where the variable exists. For example, [V1] indicates the contents of the variable V1, and V2 indicates the address where the variable V2 is stored.

Each variable is determined as follows. [V1]: Variable indicating the adjustment method, manual adjustment: 00h, average value photometry: 01h, maximum value photometry: 02h.

[V2]: Variable indicating the type of endoscope, fiber scope: 00h, video scope: 01h, scope not inserted: 02h.

[V3]: a variable indicating the brightness setting level,
The value is set as (luminance level-1). [V4]: A variable that stores a value converted into a reference signal voltage by the D / A converter 25.

The control process, as shown in FIG.
First, an initial setting is performed in step S1. FIG. 12 shows the initial setting process. First, in S1a, the manual adjustment mode ([V
1] = 00h) and set the brightness to an intermediate setting level 3 ([V
3] = 03) Variables V1 and V3 in the RAM 23 are determined.

Next, in S1b, it is determined whether or not the endoscope has been inserted into the light guide receiver 2. If not inserted, [V2] is set to 02h in S1c, and the first selection switch 31 is set in S1d. To the same as the manual adjustment mode,
In S1e, the data of 0V which is the minimum value of the reference signal is converted to D / A.
Output to converter 25.

When the endoscope is inserted in S1b,
In S1f, the endoscope discrimination data in the ROM 85 or 95 in the endoscope is read and stored in a variable V2. Next, in S1g, the first to third selection switches 31, 4
Control the states of the front panel 8 and the front panel 8 in S1h.
And outputs signals for mode display and brightness display to the displays 17 and 19.

Then, in S1i, a reference signal value for controlling the aperture ratio of the diaphragm 6 is set and stored in a variable V4.
At 1j, the reference signal value data stored in the variable V4 is output to the D / A converter 25.

As shown in FIG. 14, the control of the first to third selection switches 31, 42 and 43 of S1g depends on whether the value of [V1] is 00h, 01h or 02h. (S31, S32) and [V1]
Is 01h or 02h, that is, in the automatic adjustment mode, the state of the first to third selection switches is selected according to whether [V2] is 00h or 01h, that is, whether it is a fiberscope or a videoscope (S35 to S35). S3
9).

The setting of the reference signal value in S1i is performed by the equation ([V1] × offset +
[V3]) Determined from the lookup table using + TABLE1.

For example, in the fiber scope, the offset amount of the area for storing the characteristic data of each photometric method in the reference table is set to “offset” = 10 h, the luminance level is set to 5 levels, and the luminance is set to the maximum value photometric method ([V1] = 02 h). To extract the digital data V4 at level 3 ([V3] = 02h), first, the address of “TABLE1” is set to the existing value (= 3000h), and the start address of “TABLE3” is determined to be 3200h (= 3000h + 10h × 02h).
Since the contents of the address correspond to the luminance level 1, the contents of the variable of V3 are added to this address, and 3202h (3200h +
02h) The contents of the address will be required.

Returning to FIG. 11, after the initial setting of S1, it is determined in S2 whether the mode switch 16 has been pressed. When the mode change switch 16 is pressed, the manual adjustment switch 16a is set in S3 to S7.
When [V1] is set to 00h, [V1] is set to 01h when the average value photometric mode switch 16b is set, and [V1] is set to 02h when the maximum value photometric mode switch 16c is set. The state of the first to third selection switches SW1 to SW3 is controlled, and the process proceeds to S13.

If it is determined in S2 that the mode changeover switch 16 has not been pressed, it is determined in S9 whether or not the brightness setting switch 18 has been pressed.
Returning to step 2, it is repeatedly determined whether or not the switches 16 and 18 have been pressed.

If the brightness setting switch 18 is pressed in S9, the value of [V3] is corrected in S10 to S12. Subsequently, in S13, the indicator 1 on the front panel 8
Signals for mode display and brightness display are output to 7 and 19, the reference signal value shown in FIG. 13 is set in S14, and it is stored in a variable V4. The stored reference signal value data is output to the D / A converter 25, and the process returns to S2.

[0062]

According to the light source device for an endoscope of the present invention, the state of the incident light beam control means corresponding to the state of the manual adjustment means is changed according to the type of the endoscope connected to the light guide receiver. Then, since the luminous flux of the illumination light incident on the light guide fiber bundle from the light source changes, no matter what endoscope is connected to the light guide receiver, the endoscope in the case where the state of the manual adjustment means is the same The illumination brightness can be made uniform, and the operation is very easy without having to readjust the manual adjustment means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a characteristic diagram of a manual adjustment mode according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram of a manual adjustment mode and an automatic adjustment mode of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a light source device for an endoscope according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a fiberscope according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a video scope according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the light guide receiver according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a front panel of the endoscope light source device of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a circuit block diagram of the light source device for an endoscope according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an address map of the microcomputer of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an address map of a ROM in the endoscope of the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a control processing flowchart of the microcomputer of the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a control processing flowchart of the microcomputer of the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a control processing flowchart of the microcomputer of the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a control processing flowchart of the microcomputer of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Endoscope light source device 2 Light guide receiver 3 Light source lamp 6 Aperture (incident light flux control means) 18 Brightness setting switch (manual adjustment means) 20 Microcomputer 80 Fiber scope 82,92 Light guide fiber bundle 85,95 ROM 90 Video scope

Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Katsuhiko Furuya 2-36-9 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahi Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Masaaki Nakajima 2-36-9 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahi Kogaku (56) References JP-A-57-64036 (JP, A) JP-A-63-271217 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 23 / 26 A61B 1/06 G02B 23/24

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light guide receiver to which an incident end of a light guide fiber bundle of an endoscope is detachably connected, and illumination light is incident on an incident end of the light guide fiber bundle connected to the light guide receiver. and a light source, a diaphragm for controlling the luminous flux of the illumination light incident on the incident end of the light guide fiber bundle from the light source, and manual adjustment means because changing a plurality of steps manually opening of the throttle Connecting endoscope determining means for determining the type of endoscope connected to the light guide receiver; and opening of the diaphragm with respect to one-step change of the manual adjusting means.
An endoscope light source device, comprising: an incident light beam correcting means for changing a degree of the degree change in response to a determination result of the connected endoscope determining means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said incident light beam correcting means includes a manual adjusting means.
The degree of change in the opening of the throttle with respect to one step change
The endoscope light connected to the light guide receiver
The light source device for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the light source device is changed according to the thickness of the guide fiber bundle .