JP3993500B2 - Capsule endoscope - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a capsule endoscope in which an outer shape is formed in a capsule shape and is inserted into a body cavity as a single unit to take an image of the inside of the body cavity.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventional fiberscopes and electronic endoscopes have a configuration in which a scanning unit or an image monitor device arranged on a human body and an imaging head portion introduced into the human body are connected by a flexible tube. In such an apparatus, even if the imaging head is reduced in size or diameter to reduce the pain of the subject, the pain that the tube passes through the throat of the subject cannot be fundamentally eliminated.
[0003]
Therefore, in recent years, an electronic endoscope apparatus called a capsule endoscope having a tube-like capsule-shaped imaging head and an image monitor unit isolated from the capsule-like imaging head has been proposed. However, the proposal content of such a conventional capsule endoscope is only an idea and has not yet reached the stage of actual manufacture and use.
[0004]
In particular, as the capsule endoscope, a side-view or direct-view observation optical system has been proposed since the side surface of the capsule contacts the inner wall of the body cavity in the body cavity (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-112709 A (page 2-4, FIG. 1-11)
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a conventional capsule endoscope technology, the imaging device is a planar CCD chip or a MOS image sensor, and an illumination system is also provided in the vicinity thereof, but the field of view is narrow and the imaging range is limited. When the field of view is enlarged, the increase in the area of the planar CCD chip or the MOS image sensor leads to an increase in the outer diameter of the capsule endoscope, resulting in increased pain for the subject.
[0007]
As an illumination system for a conventional capsule endoscope, a means for illuminating by installing a light emitting diode of a light emitting element around a planar CCD chip or a MOS image sensor has been proposed, but a light emitting diode is installed around the imaging element. Therefore, the outer diameter of the capsule is further increased, which is not preferable. Furthermore, since the capsule outer diameter is the sum of the planar area of the image sensor and the area of the surrounding light emitting diodes, the number of light emitting diodes is limited, and sufficient illumination intensity cannot be obtained and sufficient observation cannot be performed. It was.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a practically usable capsule endoscope that is easy to assemble, is miniaturized, and obtains a 180 ° visual field range.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the capsule endoscope according to claim 1 includes an observation optical means made of an optical material provided with an entrance surface shaped into a substantially hemispherical shape on which a subject image from a subject is incident, and a substantially spherical shape. An imaging means configured to receive the subject image transmitted through the observation optical means and configured to generate an imaging signal; and provided in a substantially hemispherical portion of the imaging means on the observation optical means side, A hemispherical surface having a light receiving surface formed in a substantially hemispherical shape for receiving the subject image transmitted through the observation optical means, and outputting an electrical signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the subject image received by the light receiving surface. Provided in a substantially hemispherical portion continuous to the photoelectric conversion unit and the hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit of the imaging means, and performs predetermined signal processing on the electrical signal output from the hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit and outputs it as an imaging signal I will do it Characterized by comprising a semispherical signal processor that is configured.
[0010]
A capsule endoscope according to a second aspect is the capsule endoscope according to the first aspect, wherein the hemispherical signal processing unit is generated by further performing predetermined signal processing on the imaging signal. And a wireless transmission unit that wirelessly transmits the wireless imaging signal.
[0011]
A capsule endoscope according to a third aspect of the present invention is the capsule endoscope according to the first or second aspect, wherein the observation optical means can make the subject image incident on substantially the entire surface of the light receiving surface. It consists of the comprised aspherical lens, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a capsule endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
(Constitution)
In FIG. 1, a capsule endoscope 1 is a capsule-type cover 10 that contains a ball semiconductor 11, an iron core 12, a spring coil 13, an electromagnet 14, and a light emitting diode (LED) 15.
[0013]
The capsule cover 10 includes a main body cover 21 and a transparent cover 22.
The main body cover 21 has a circular opening 23 at one end and a dome shape at the other end. An iron core 12, a spring coil 13, and an electromagnet 14 are attached in the opening 23 of the main body cover 21. The ball semiconductor 11 is attached to one end of the iron core 12. A transparent cover 22 is attached to the opening 23 of the main body cover 21.
[0014]
The ball semiconductor 11 obtains a field of view of 180 ° by setting the hemisphere on the transparent cover 22 side as the CCD image pickup device pixel surface 31.
[0015]
The other hemisphere 32 of the ball semiconductor 11 includes an integrated circuit including a scanning unit that controls scanning, a signal unit that processes an output signal, and a wireless transmission unit that performs predetermined transmission on the imaging signal of the ball semiconductor 11 and wirelessly transmits the signal. It has become.
[0016]
On the rear end side of the ball semiconductor 11, the iron core 12 is disposed along the optical axis direction of the transparent cover 22. The iron core 12 is attached to the main body cover 21 so as to be slidable along the optical axis direction of the transparent cover 22. A protrusion 16 is fixedly provided at a position on the rear side of the iron core 12 inside the main body cover 21. A spring coil 13 is provided on the iron core 12. The spring coil 13 has a core 12 inserted in a winding shaft. One end of the spring coil 13 is attached to the ball semiconductor 11, and the other end of the spring coil 13 is attached to the protrusion 16.
[0017]
The spring coil 13 always urges the ball semiconductor 11 rearward and presses the iron core 12 against the positioning protrusion 16. As a result, the spring coil 13 always urges the ball semiconductor 11 rearward and presses the iron core 12 against the positioning protrusion 16.
[0018]
A ring-shaped electromagnet 14 is provided in the outer peripheral direction of the iron core 12. The electromagnet 14 adjusts the focus by sliding the ball semiconductor 11 back and forth.
[0019]
In the rear space 17 where the ball semiconductor 11 of the capsule endoscope 1 is disposed, a power source, a tank for a chemical solution, a pump for sending the chemical solution, or other devices are provided.
[0020]
A light emitting diode (LED) 15 is provided between the ball semiconductor 11 and the rear space 17, and a base end side opening of a cylindrical light guide 24 is provided on the outer periphery of the LED 15. The LED 15 is driven by a power source from the rear space 17.
[0021]
The front of the opening on the front end side of the light guide 24 is provided at the edge of the transparent cover 22. Thereby, the light from the LED 15 can be irradiated into the body cavity via the transparent cover 22.
[0022]
The transparent cover 22 is formed of a transparent material as an aspheric lens, and is also used as the objective optical system of the CCD image pickup device pixel surface 31.
The light beam from the light guide 24 is incident on the outer peripheral end of the transparent cover 22, and the incident light beam is configured to converge toward the observation site in the body cavity by the optical performance of the transparent cover 22. On the other hand, the observation image reflected from the observation site is configured to pass through the central portion of the transparent cover 22 and to be focused on the ball semiconductor 11. Specifically, such an optical characteristic is obtained by configuring the transparent cover 22 as an aspheric lens.
[0023]
The transparent cover 22 is provided with a light shielding portion 25 at the boundary between the portion through which the illumination light beam passes and the portion through which the observation image passes to solve flare caused by the illumination light beam.
[0024]
With such a configuration, the transparent cover 22 serves as an observation optical unit made of an optical material provided with an incident surface formed in a substantially hemispherical shape on which a subject image from a subject is incident.
[0025]
The ball semiconductor 11 is formed in a substantially spherical shape, and is an imaging unit configured to generate an imaging signal by receiving the subject image transmitted through the observation optical unit.
[0026]
The CCD image pickup device pixel surface 31 is provided in a substantially hemispherical portion on the observation optical means side of the imaging means, and has a light receiving surface formed in a substantially hemispherical shape for receiving the subject image transmitted through the observation optical means. The hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit outputs an electrical signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the subject image received by the light receiving surface.
[0027]
The hemisphere 32 is provided in a substantially hemispherical portion continuous to the hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit of the imaging unit, and performs predetermined signal processing on the electrical signal output from the hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit and outputs it as an imaging signal. The hemispherical signal processing unit is configured as described above.
[0028]
Further, the hemisphere 32 includes a wireless transmission unit that wirelessly transmits a wireless imaging signal generated by further performing predetermined signal processing on the imaging signal.
[0029]
The transparent cover 22 is composed of an aspheric lens configured to allow the subject image to be incident on substantially the entire surface of the light receiving surface.
[0030]
(Function)
In the first embodiment, the illumination light of the LED 15 illuminates the subject via the light guide 24 and the transparent cover 22 in a state where the capsule endoscope 1 is inserted into the body cavity. The reflected light from the subject irradiated with the illumination light is imaged on the CCD image pickup device pixel surface 31 by the transparent cover 22, photoelectrically converted into an electric signal, and the body cavity of the subject by the radio transmission means of the hemisphere 32. It is transmitted from inside to a medical device outside the body and displayed on a monitor or the like.
[0031]
(effect)
As described above, according to the first embodiment, since the transparent cover 22 also serves as an optical means for illumination and observation, it is easy to assemble and is miniaturized. Since the field of view of 180 ° is obtained by the pixel surface 31, it is possible to provide a highly practical capsule endoscope. Further, since the capsule endoscope 1 can be downsized and the observation range can be widened, there is an effect that the capsule endoscope 1 does not need to be remotely controlled from outside the body with respect to the observation position.
[0032]
Since the illumination light of the LED 15 of the light emitting element arranged at the center of the capsule cover 10 is guided to the transparent cover 22 via the light guide 24, a large number of light emitting elements and large area light emitting elements can be installed, There is an effect that a sufficient amount of illumination light can be secured.
[0033]
Further, by providing the light shielding portion 25 on the transparent cover 22, it is possible to prevent flare due to the illumination light beam of the light guide 24 from being reflected on the pixel surface 31 of the CCD image sensor, and to improve the image quality.
[0034]
(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a capsule endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0035]
(Constitution)
In FIG. 2, the capsule endoscope 2 includes a pair of front and rear ball semiconductors 51 and 61, a pair of front and rear iron cores 52 and 62, a pair of front and rear spring coils 53 and 63, and a pair of front and rear electromagnets 54. 64, a plurality of LEDs 55 and a power source 57 are accommodated.
[0036]
The capsule cover 50 includes a main body cover 71 and transparent covers 72 and 82.
[0037]
The main body cover 71 is formed in a short cylindrical shape, and one end and the other end are circular front and rear openings 73 and 83.
[0038]
In the openings 73 and 83 of the main body cover 71, iron cores 52 and 62, spring coils 53 and 63, and electromagnets 54 and 64 are attached, respectively. Ball semiconductors 51 and 61 are attached to one ends of iron cores 52 and 62, respectively. Transparent covers 72 and 82 are attached to the openings 73 and 83 of the main body cover 71.
[0039]
The ball semiconductors 51 and 61 have a hemisphere on the transparent covers 72 and 82 side as the CCD image pickup device pixel surface 31 similar to that in FIG. 1, and the other hemisphere 32 has the same configuration as in FIG.
[0040]
On the rear end sides of the ball semiconductors 51 and 61, iron cores 52 and 62 are arranged along the optical axis direction of the transparent covers 72 and 82, respectively. The iron cores 52 and 62 are attached to the main body cover 71 so as to be slidable along the optical axis direction of the transparent covers 72 and 82, respectively. Projections 56 and 66 are fixedly provided at positions on the inner side of the iron cores 52 and 62 inside the main body cover 71, respectively. Spring coils 53 and 63 are provided on the iron cores 52 and 62, respectively.
[0041]
The spring coils 53 and 63 always urge the ball semiconductors 51 and 61 backward, respectively, and press the iron cores 52 and 62 against the positioning protrusions 56 and 66, respectively.
[0042]
Ring-shaped electromagnets 54 and 64 are provided in the outer peripheral direction of the iron cores 52 and 62, respectively. The electromagnets 54 and 64 adjust the focus by sliding the ball semiconductors 51 and 61 back and forth, respectively.
[0043]
Between the positioning protrusions 56 and 66, there is provided a power transmission unit 57 and a wireless transmission unit that performs predetermined transmission on the imaging signal and wirelessly transmits it.
[0044]
An LED 55 for illuminating the affected area is provided in the middle of the front and rear devices including the ball semiconductors 51 and 61. On the outer periphery of the LED 55, openings on the base end side of the optical fibers 74 and 84 are provided.
[0045]
The distal ends of the optical fibers 74 and 84 are adhered and fixed to the outer peripheries of the transparent covers 72 and 82, respectively. Thereby, the light from LED55 can be irradiated now in a body cavity.
[0046]
A power supply 57 for driving the LEDs 55 or the ball semiconductors 51 and 61 is provided between the plurality of LEDs 55.
[0047]
The transparent covers 72 and 82 are formed of a transparent material as an aspheric lens, and are also used as the objective optical system of the CCD image pickup device pixel surface 31 of the ball semiconductors 51 and 61.
[0048]
(Function)
In the second embodiment, in a state where the capsule endoscope 2 is inserted into the body cavity, the illumination light of the LED 55 passes around the capsule endoscope 2 via the optical fibers 74 and 84 and the transparent covers 72 and 82. It spreads throughout and illuminates the subject. Reflected light from the subject irradiated with bright light is imaged on the CCD image sensor pixel surface 31 of the ball semiconductors 51 and 61 by the transparent covers 72 and 82, respectively, photoelectrically converted into electric signals, and wireless transmission means Is transmitted from the body cavity of the subject to a medical device outside the body and displayed on a monitor or the like.
[0049]
(effect)
As described above, according to the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and a 360 ° field-of-view range can be obtained. It becomes possible to provide.
[0050]
Since the illumination light of the LED 55 of the light emitting element disposed in the center of the capsule cover 50 is guided to the transparent covers 72 and 82 via the optical fibers 74 and 84, a large number of light emitting elements and large area light emitting elements can be installed. There is an effect that a sufficient amount of illumination for illuminating the body cavity can be secured.
[0051]
[Appendix]
According to the embodiment of the present invention described in detail above, the following configuration can be obtained.
[0052]
(Additional Item 1) Observation optical means made of an optical material provided with an incident surface shaped into a substantially hemispherical shape on which a subject image from a subject is incident;
An imaging means that is formed in a substantially spherical shape and configured to generate an imaging signal by receiving the subject image transmitted through the observation optical means;
A light-receiving surface provided in a substantially hemispherical portion of the imaging means on the observation optical means side and formed in a substantially hemispherical shape for receiving the subject image transmitted through the observation optical means; A hemispherical photoelectric converter that outputs an electrical signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the subject image;
Provided in a substantially hemispherical portion continuous to the hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit of the imaging means, configured to perform predetermined signal processing on the electrical signal output from the hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit and output as an imaging signal Hemispherical signal processing unit,
A capsule endoscope characterized by comprising:
[0053]
(Additional Item 2) The hemispherical signal processing unit includes a wireless transmission unit that wirelessly transmits a wireless imaging signal generated by further performing predetermined signal processing on the imaging signal. The capsule endoscope according to 1.
[0054]
(Additional Item 3) The inside of the capsule according to Additional Item 1 or 2, wherein the observation optical unit includes an aspheric lens configured to allow the subject image to be incident on substantially the entire surface of the light receiving surface. Endoscope.
[0055]
(Claim 4) In a capsule endoscope in which a sealing capsule contains imaging means for imaging the inside of a body cavity and transmission means for imaging and outputting the image signal output by the imaging means to the outside of the body.
The imaging means includes
CCD integrated circuit image sensor provided on the arc portion of the ball semiconductor;
Signal processing means (including scanning means) for processing the output signal of the image sensor on the arc portion opposite to the ball semiconductor and / or transmission means for wirelessly transmitting an image signal;
An imaging lens provided in front of the CCD integrated circuit imaging device;
A light guide for illumination that makes a light beam that irradiates a body cavity enter the imaging lens;
A light source that makes a light beam incident on the illumination light guide;
A capsule endoscope characterized by comprising:
[0056]
(Claim 5) The capsule endoscope according to claim 4, wherein the illumination light guide is a cylindrical body that also serves as a casing of the capsule endoscope.
[0057]
(Claim 6) The capsule endoscope according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the imaging lens serves as both an imaging lens and an illumination lens.
[0058]
(7) The capsule endoscope according to (6), wherein the imaging lens that serves as the imaging lens and the illumination lens also serves as a cover glass.
[0059]
(Claim 8) The capsule endoscope, wherein the imaging lens is provided with a light shielding portion at a boundary portion through which the illumination light beam and the imaging light beam pass.
[0060]
(Claim 9) In a capsule endoscope in which a sealing capsule contains imaging means for imaging the inside of a body cavity and transmission means for imaging and outputting the image signal output by the imaging means to the outside of the body.
The imaging means includes
CCD integrated circuit image sensor provided on the arc portion of the ball semiconductor;
Signal processing means (including scanning means) for processing the output signal of the image sensor on the arc portion opposite to the ball semiconductor and / or transmission means for wirelessly transmitting an image signal;
An imaging lens provided in front of the CCD integrated circuit imaging device;
A fiber bundle for illumination that makes a light beam that irradiates a body cavity enter the imaging lens;
A light source for causing the luminous flux of the illumination fiber bundle to enter;
A capsule endoscope characterized by comprising:
[0061]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the assembly is good, the size is reduced, and the 180 ° field of view is obtained, so the practicality is high, and the capsule endoscope can be downsized and the observation range can be widened. There is an effect that it is not necessary to control the posture of the capsule by remote control from outside the body with respect to the observation position of the capsule endoscope.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a capsule endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a capsule endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Capsule endoscope 10 ... Capsule-type cover 11 ... Ball semiconductor 12 ... Iron core 13 ... Spring coil 14 ... Electromagnet 15 ... Light emitting diode (LED)
17 ... rear space 18 ... wireless transmission means 21 ... main body cover 22 ... transparent cover 24 ... light guide 25 ... light shielding part 31 ... CCD image pickup device pixel surface 32 ... hemisphere

Claims (3)

An observation optical means made of an optical material provided with an incident surface shaped into a substantially hemispherical shape on which a subject image from a subject is incident;
An imaging means that is formed in a substantially spherical shape and configured to generate an imaging signal by receiving the subject image transmitted through the observation optical means;
A light-receiving surface provided in a substantially hemispherical portion of the imaging means on the observation optical means side and formed in a substantially hemispherical shape for receiving the subject image transmitted through the observation optical means; A hemispherical photoelectric converter that outputs an electrical signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the subject image;
Provided in a substantially hemispherical portion continuous to the hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit of the imaging means, configured to perform predetermined signal processing on the electrical signal output from the hemispherical photoelectric conversion unit and output as an imaging signal Hemispherical signal processing unit,
A capsule endoscope characterized by comprising: The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the hemispherical signal processing unit includes a wireless transmission unit that wirelessly transmits a wireless imaging signal generated by further performing predetermined signal processing on the imaging signal. Endoscope. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the observation optical unit includes an aspheric lens configured to allow the subject image to be incident on substantially the entire surface of the light receiving surface.

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