JP3702983B2 - Ophthalmic equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an ophthalmologic apparatus in which a measurement unit is moved up and down by a turning operation around an axis of an operation lever.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, ophthalmic devices such as a fundus camera, a refractometer, a slit lamp, and a corneal endothelial cell photographing device have a movable base placed on a pedestal by an operation lever (joystick lever) that can be tilted in any direction. Those that can be moved back and forth and left and right are widely known.
[0003]
Further, it is known that the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotating body that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the operation lever are detected by a potentiometer, and the vertical movement of the measuring unit of the ophthalmic instrument is controlled based on the detection result. It has been.
[0004]
By the way, in such an ophthalmologic apparatus, using the torsion spring wound around the rotating shaft of the rotating unit, the rotating unit returns to the initial position even if the rotating unit is rotated in any direction. Things that are designed to do so are known.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the torsion spring has a problem that a dead zone is easily generated due to its structure, and the operation lever cannot be reliably returned to the initial position.
[0006]
Further, in the above-described fundus camera, refractometer, slit lamp, corneal endothelial cell photographing apparatus, and the like, the friction generated between the lower end of the operation lever and the gantry because the weight of the measurement unit attached to the movable base is different. The power is different. For this reason, it is difficult to overcome this frictional force and return the timing pulley to the initial position with the same return torque, and it is necessary to change this return torque for each ophthalmic apparatus. However, the change of the return torque of the timing pulley by the torsion spring cannot be changed unless the spring constant of the torsion spring is changed.
[0007]
Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide an ophthalmologic apparatus capable of easily and accurately adjusting the initial position of the detection means to the initial position around the axis of the operation lever.
[0008]
A second object of the present invention is to provide an ophthalmologic apparatus capable of performing return torque of an operation lever with a spring having the same spring constant.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the first object, the invention of claim 1 includes an operation lever provided so as to be rotatable about an axis, and a rotation detecting means for detecting the rotation of the operation lever about the axis. In an ophthalmologic apparatus comprising movement control means for moving the measurement part up and down based on the detection result of the rotation detection means, the peripheral part of the rotating body that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the operation lever about the axis Alternatively, the ophthalmic apparatus is characterized in that one end of a tension coil spring is connected to the peripheral portion of the operation lever and the other end is connected to a stationary portion that is stationary even while the operation lever is rotating.
[0010]
In order to achieve the second object, the invention of claim 2 is characterized in that the fixing portion is provided so as to be capable of advancing and retracting with respect to the operation lever or the rotating body.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
In FIG. 8, reference numeral 1 denotes a fixed base with a built-in power source, and 2 denotes a photographing apparatus main body mounted on the fixed base 1. The imaging device main body 2 is disposed on a movable base 3 (frame) disposed on the fixed base 1, an alignment mechanism storage unit 4 disposed on the movable base 3, and the alignment mechanism storage unit 4. A measurement optical system storage unit 5 is provided. 6 is a chin rest for a subject attached to the fixed base 1, and 7 is a forehead for the subject.
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 9, the movable base 3 includes a bottom plate 8 and a cover 9 that covers the bottom plate 8. The bottom plate 8 is mounted on the fixed base 1 so as to be able to move back and forth and to move left and right via rails and wheels (not shown). Further, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B and FIG. 2, a lever mounting case 10 that opens downward is fixed on the rear portion of the bottom plate 8.
[0014]
A circular hole 11 is formed in the center of the upper wall 10a of the case 10, and a notch 12 is formed in the front wall 10b of the case 10 so as to open to the lower end. 1A and 2, reference numeral 8 a denotes an insertion hole formed in the bottom plate 8 so as to face the case 10.
[0015]
A spherical bearing 13 is disposed in the case 10. The spherical bearing 13 is composed of a disc 14 and a timing gear 15 that are concentrically coupled with each other by a bolt (not shown). The disk 14 is rotatably held in the case 10 via a bearing 16. The spherical bearing 13 is formed with a spherical bearing hole 17 straddling the disc 14 and the timing gear 15, and a spherical body 19 provided below the operation lever 18 is rotatably held in the spherical bearing hole 17. ing. Thereby, the operation lever 18 is provided so that it can be tilted in any direction.
[0016]
Further, the spherical body 19 is formed with a semicircular rotation restricting groove 20 that extends vertically in an arc shape, and the tip of the rotation restricting pin 21 is engaged with the rotation restricting groove 20. The base of the rotation restricting pin 21 is sandwiched (held) between the disc 14 and the timing gear 15. Thereby, the spherical bearing 13 and the spherical body 19 are not rotatable relative to each other around the axis of the operation lever 18. Reference numeral 22 denotes a photographing switch attached to the upper end portion of the operation lever 18, and 23 denotes a spherical contact portion provided at the lower end of the operation lever 18. The contact portion 23 is in contact with the upper surface of the fixed base 1 and generates a frictional force with the upper surface of the fixed base 1. Therefore, when the operation lever 18 is tilted, the movable base 3 is finely operated in the tilting direction by the action of the contact portion 23.
[0017]
In FIGS. 1A and 1B, reference numeral 24 denotes a lever rotation operation detection unit (rotation detection unit) disposed on the bottom plate 8 so as to be close to the front wall 10 b of the case 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the lever rotation operation detection unit 24 includes a shaft mounting base 25 mounted on the bottom plate 8, a fixed shaft 26 projecting integrally with the shaft mounting base 25 upward, and a fixed shaft. A timing gear (rotary body) 27 disposed concentrically with the shaft 26, a bearing 28 that rotatably supports the timing gear 27 on the fixed shaft 26, and a mounting plate 29 disposed above the timing gear 27. . The attachment plate 29 is attached to the bottom plate 8 via bolts 30, nuts 31, and spacers 32 as shown in FIG. The bolt 30 passes through the mounting plate 29 and the bottom plate 8, the nut 31 is screwed to the lower end portion of the bolt 30, and the spacer 32 is inserted through the bolt 30 and interposed between the mounting plate 29 and the bottom plate 8. It is disguised. Reference numeral 27 a denotes a mounting hole for the timing gear 27.
[0018]
The lever rotation operation detection unit 24 includes a shuttle switch 33 disposed below the attachment plate 29 as rotation detection means. The shuttle switch 33 includes a casing-shaped switch body 34 that opens upward, a lid body 35 that closes an upper portion of the switch body 34, a rotary cylinder 36 that penetrates a bottom wall 34 a of the switch body 34, and a rotary cylinder 36. The bearing 37 is rotatably held on the bottom wall 34 a, the slit disk 38 is concentrically attached to the rotary cylinder 36, and the photoelectric detector 39 is attached to the switch body 34. The photoelectric detector 39 has a light emitting portion 39a and a light receiving portion 39b, and the edge of the slit disk 38 is disposed between the light emitting portion 39a and the light receiving portion 39b. As shown in FIG. 6, the slit disk 38 has a large number of slits 38a for light transmission extending in the radial direction at equal pitches in the circumferential direction.
[0019]
The switch main body 34 is formed with ear portions 34b at three locations in the circumferential direction, and the ear portions 34b are fixed to the lower surface of the mounting plate 29 via bolts 40, nuts 41, and spacers 42. Further, the lower end portion of the rotary cylinder 36 is fitted in the mounting hole 27 a of the timing gear 27. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a rotation restricting slit 43 that opens to the lower end is formed at the lower end portion of the rotating cylinder 36, and the rotation restricting slit 43 has a base portion fixed to the timing gear 27. The tip of the pin 44 is engaged. As a result, the rotary cylinder 36 can rotate in the circumferential direction integrally with the timing gear 27.
[0020]
A timing belt 45 is stretched between the timing gear 27 and the timing gear 15 described above, and a tension roller 46 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the timing belt 45. Although not shown, the tension roller 46 can be attached to the bottom plate 8 so as to be adjustable in advance and retreat with respect to the peripheral surface of the timing belt 45, or can be pressed against the peripheral surface of the timing belt 45 by the elastic force of a spring (not shown). Is attached to the bottom plate 8.
[0021]
Further, a pair of plate-like fixed side stoppers 47, 48 project from the shaft mounting base 25 at an interval of about 144 ° in the circumferential direction, and fixed side stoppers 47, 48 are formed on the lower surface of the peripheral edge of the timing gear 27. A pin-like movable stopper 49 is provided between the pins. The movable side stopper 49 can be rotated within a range of about 144 °.
[0022]
A spring locking pin 50 projects from the lower surface of the timing gear 27, and a pin mounting plate 51 is disposed on the bottom plate 8 adjacent to the shaft mounting base 25. The spring locking pin 50 is provided on the timing gear 27 with a 180 ° interval from the movable side stopper 49.
[0023]
A long hole 52 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) is formed at one end of the pin mounting plate 51, and a spring locking pin 53 is planted and fixed as a spring holding member at the other end of the pin mounting plate 51. ing. The lower end portion 53 a of the spring locking pin 53 passes through the mounting plate 51 and engages with the key groove 8 b of the bottom plate 8. The key groove 8b and the long hole 52 extend in parallel with a line connecting the rotation centers O1 and O2 of the timing gears 15 and 27. The bolt 54 inserted through the long hole 52 is screwed into the screw hole 8 c of the bottom plate 8. Therefore, by loosening the bolt 54, the mounting plate 51 can be moved and adjusted in a direction parallel to the line connecting the rotation centers O1 and O2 of the timing gears 15 and 27. That is, the mounting plate 51 can be moved and adjusted with respect to the rotation center O1 of the timing gear 27.
[0024]
A tension coil spring (tensile coil spring) 55 is interposed between the spring locking pins 50 and 53 to bias the timing gear 27 to a predetermined position in the circumferential direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 7A, the coil spring 55 has spring locking pins 50 and 53 and a movable side stopper 49 arranged in a straight line, and the movable side stopper 49 is the center of the fixed side stoppers 47 and 48. The timing gear 27 is urged to rotate in the direction of the position.
[0025]
An alignment mechanism I (driving means) used when auto-aligning the eye to be examined is disposed in the above-described alignment mechanism storage unit 4. The alignment mechanism I is composed of an elevating mechanism, a lateral movement mechanism, and a longitudinal movement mechanism.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 9, the elevating mechanism has a motor 60 (vertical movement control means) fixed to the upper part of the movable base 3 and can move in the vertical direction (Y direction) relative to the movable base 3 (can be moved up and down, that is, vertically moved). Possible). In addition, the motor 60 and the column 61 which are the vertical driving means are coupled to a pinion and rack (not shown), and the column 61 is moved up and down (lifted and lowered) by the motor 60. A table 62 is fixed to the upper end of the column 61.
[0027]
The lateral movement mechanism includes a column 63 fixed on the table 62 and a motor 64 (lateral drive means), and a table 65 held on the upper end of the column 63 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction (X direction). The lateral movement mechanism includes a rack 66 provided at the rear end of the table 65 and a pinion 67 provided on the output shaft of the motor 64 as shown in FIGS. Moreover, the pinion 67 is meshed with the rack 66.
[0028]
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the forward / backward movement mechanism has a motor 68 and a column 69 fixed to the upper part of the table 65, and is arranged on the pinion 70 and the column 69 provided on the output shaft of the motor 68. It has an optical measuring unit 5 '. In this optical measuring unit 5 ′, an optical system for corneal endothelial cell observation and photographing (not shown) is housed as a measuring means, and an arithmetic control circuit 71 is housed. The optical measurement unit 5 ′ is disposed in the optical system storage unit 5.
[0029]
This optical measuring unit 5 ′ is slidably held in the front-rear direction. In addition, a rack 72 is provided on the side of the optical measuring unit 5 ′, and the rack 72 is engaged with the pinion 70.
[0030]
The motors 60, 64, and 68 constitute a driving means for the optical measuring unit 5 'based on the detection output of the light detection surface of the corneal endothelial cell observation photographing optical system. Moreover, the motor 60 is used to automatically perform the Y-direction alignment of the optical measurement unit 5 ′ with respect to the eye E, and the motor 64 automatically aligns the X-direction alignment of the optical measurement unit 5 ′ with respect to the eye E. The motor 68 is used for automatically aligning the optical measuring unit 5 ′ with respect to the eye E in the Z direction. As the motors 60, 64, and 68, stepping motors capable of position control, that is, pulse motors are used.
[0031]
In FIG. 8, M is a monitor screen of the ophthalmologic apparatus, E ′ is an image of the anterior ocular segment that is displayed on the surface M, and P is a bright spot image in the cornea of the anterior ocular segment that is displayed on the monitor screen M. , S1 indicates the auto-alignable range displayed on the monitor screen M, and S2 indicates the auto-photographable range displayed on the monitor screen M. The bright spot image P is detected by the bright spot image detection means in the optical measurement unit 5 ′, and the anterior eye image E ′ of the eye to be examined is photographed by the anterior eye image imaging means in the optical measurement part 5 ′. Is done. Then, when the bright spot image P enters the auto-alignable range S1, the arithmetic control circuit 71 controls the motors 60, 64, and 68 to automatically control the optical measuring unit 5 ′ with respect to the eye E. It is designed to align. As a configuration for this purpose, for example, the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-41346 can be employed.
[0032]
Next, the operation of the ophthalmologic apparatus having such a configuration will be described.
[0033]
In the configuration described above, when the operation lever 18 is tilted, the movable base 3 is finely operated in the tilting direction by the action of the contact portion 23. By this operation, the movable base 3 is moved to the front and rear (Z direction) and left (X direction). As a result, the optical measuring unit 5 'is moved forward and backward and left and right. Such a movement operation is performed while viewing the anterior eye image E ′ of the eye to be examined and the bright spot image P in the eye cornea to be examined displayed on the monitor screen M of FIG.
[0034]
When the operation lever 18 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise about the axis, the rotation is transmitted to the timing gear 27 via the rotation restricting pin 21, the timing gear 15, and the timing belt 45. At this time, the timing gear 27 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise against the elastic force of the coil spring 55. This rotation can be performed until the movable side stopper 49 comes into contact with the fixed side stopper 47 or 48.
[0035]
The rotation of the timing gear 27 at this time is transmitted to the rotary cylinder 36 via the rotation restricting pin 44 to rotate the slit disk 38. The rotation angle of the slit disk 38 at this time is detected by the photoelectric detector 39.
[0036]
That is, when the light emitted from the light emitting unit 39a and transmitted through the slit 38a is detected by the light receiving unit 39b as the slit disk 38 rotates, the detection signal is output in a pulse form from the light receiving unit 39b. This pulse detection signal is input to the arithmetic control circuit 71. Then, the arithmetic control circuit 71 determines how many pulses the pulse detection signal from the light receiving unit 39b has, and if the number of pulses is less than a predetermined number, the turning operation of the operation lever 18 about the axis is a fine movement operation. If the number of pulses is greater than or equal to a predetermined number, it is determined that the turning operation of the operation lever 18 around the axis is a coarse operation. For example, when the number of pulse detection signals is less than 5, it is determined that the operation is fine movement, and when the pulse detection signal is 5 or more, it is determined that the operation is coarse movement. The number of such detections varies depending on the amount of rotation of the operation lever 18 about the axis.
[0037]
When the arithmetic control circuit 71 determines that the rotation operation is a fine movement operation, the calculation control circuit 71 controls the motor 60 to rotate at a low speed and moves the column 61 in a vertical direction at a low speed, while the rotation operation is a coarse operation. If it is determined that there is, the motor 60 is controlled to rotate at high speed, and the support 61 is moved up and down at high speed. The driving of the motor 60 is continuously performed while the operation lever 18 is rotated by a predetermined amount around the axis line. Thereby, the optical measuring unit 5 ′ is moved up and down. This moving operation is also performed while viewing the anterior eye image E ′ of the eye to be examined and the bright spot image P in the eye cornea to be examined displayed on the monitor screen M of FIG.
[0038]
When the turning operation force about the axis is released from the operation lever 18, the timing gear 27 returns to the initial position by the elastic force of the tension coil spring 55, and the movable side stopper 49 is moved as shown in FIG. It is located at the center of the fixed side stoppers 47 and 48. As in this embodiment, the end of the tension coil spring 55 is attached to an edge away from the center of rotation of the timing gear 27, and a restoring force is applied to the timing gear 27, whereby the timing gear 27 is shown in FIG. Even if the tension coil spring 55 is rotated from the initial position a) as shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the tension coil spring 55 can always generate a torque for returning the timing gear 27 to the initial position. Moreover, with this configuration, the position where the return torque is not generated is only the initial position in FIG. 7A, and so-called dead zone (play) is reduced.
[0039]
Moreover, when the timing gear 27 returns to the initial position, the slit disk 38 also rotates together with the timing gear 27 and returns to the initial position, and this rotation is detected by the photoelectric detector 39. Then, when the arithmetic control circuit 71 releases the rotational operation force about the axis from the operation lever 18 based on the output from the photoelectric detector 39, the operation of the motor 60 is stopped.
[0040]
Such an operation lever 18 is used to move the optical measurement unit 5 ′ back and forth, left and right, up and down, etc., and rough alignment with respect to the eye E is performed.
[0041]
When the rough alignment of the optical measuring unit 5 ′ with respect to the eye E is performed and the luminescent spot image P enters the auto-alignable range S1, the arithmetic control circuit 71 controls the operation of the motors 60, 64, and 68. Then, the optical measuring unit 5 ′ is automatically aligned with the eye E.
[0042]
In the embodiment described above, the timing gear 27 is provided as a rotating pair, and the timing gear 27 is spring-biased by a coil spring 55 toward a predetermined position in the circumferential direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. . For example, the timing gear 15 may be a rotating body and the coil spring 55 may be urged in the circumferential direction similarly to the timing gear 27, or the operation lever 18 may be urged by the coil spring 55 in the same manner as the timing gear 27. .
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the invention according to claim 1 is an operation lever provided so as to be rotatable about an axis, a rotation detection means for detecting a rotation of the operation lever about the axis, and the rotation detection means. In an ophthalmologic apparatus comprising movement control means for moving the measurement unit up and down based on a detection result, a peripheral portion of a rotating body or a peripheral portion of the operation lever that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the operation lever about an axis Since one end of the tension coil spring is connected to the part and the other end is connected to the stationary part that is stationary even while the operation lever is rotating, the detection means is located at the initial position around the axis of the operation lever. The initial position can be easily and accurately adjusted. In addition, the measurement unit can be easily moved to the desired height even when the amount of rotation of the operation lever around the axis is small, and the return of the operation lever to the rotation operation direction is automatically ensured with a simple configuration. Can be done. Moreover, the play for generating the return torque in the direction around the axis of the operating lever by the coil spring is reduced, and the return torque can be easily adjusted. .
[0044]
In the invention of claim 2, since the fixing part is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the operation lever or the rotating body, for example, a fundus camera, a refractometer, a slit lamp, a corneal endothelium Even if the weight of the object to be moved differs depending on the ophthalmologic apparatus such as the cell photographing apparatus, the return torque of the operation lever can be performed by the coil spring (spring) having the same spring constant. In addition, the elastic force (return torque) of the coil spring can be optimally adjusted according to the weight.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 (a) is a side view showing an essential part of an ophthalmic apparatus according to the present invention, (b) is a plan view of (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of (b). is there.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional explanatory diagram of a cross section taken along line BB in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 1 (b).
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a part of FIG. 3 as viewed from the D direction.
6 is a plan view showing a relationship between the slit disk of FIG. 3 and a photoelectric detector. FIG.
7A to 7C are operation explanatory views showing the relationship between the timing gear and the stopper shown in FIG. 3 and the urging means.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an ophthalmologic apparatus having the structure of FIGS.
9 is an explanatory diagram of an automatic alignment mechanism in a state where an alignment mechanism storage cover and an optical system storage cover of the ophthalmologic apparatus shown in FIG. 8 are removed. FIG.
FIG. 10 is a partial plan view of FIG. 9;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fixed base 2 ... Imaging device main body 3 ... Movable base (mounting base)
5 ... Measurement optical system storage 5 '... Optical measurement unit 8 ... Bottom plate (mounting member)
18 ... Control lever 24 ... Lever rotation operation detection unit (rotation detection unit)
25 ... tension coil spring 27 ... timing gear (rotating body)
53 ... Spring locking pin (spring holding member)
60 ... Motor (movement control means)

Claims (2)

An operation lever provided so as to be rotatable about an axis, rotation detection means for detecting rotation about the axis of the operation lever, and movement control of the measurement unit up and down based on the detection result of the rotation detection means In an ophthalmologic apparatus comprising a movement control means,
One end of a tension coil spring is connected to the peripheral portion of the rotating body that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the operation lever about the axis, or the peripheral portion of the operation lever, and the other end is rotated during the rotation of the operation lever. An ophthalmic apparatus characterized by being connected to a stationary part that is stationary. The ophthalmologic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is provided so as to be able to advance and retract with respect to the operation lever or the rotating body.

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