JP4481674B2 - Endoscope light source device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope light source device that includes a main light source that supplies light to an endoscope at all times and an auxiliary light source that supplies light to the endoscope in an emergency when the main light source is turned off due to a failure. .

  The endoscope is connected to the light source device via a light guide fiber (fiber bundle) that penetrates the endoscope. The incident end face of the light guide fiber faces a main light source lamp disposed in the light source device, and the exit end face of the light guide fiber leads to an illumination optical system provided at the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope. It is connected. The light emitted from the main light source lamp is guided to the incident end face of the light guide fiber through the main light source condensing lens, and is guided to the illumination optical system through the light guide fiber. It is emitted toward the outside of the endoscope and illuminates the inside of the body cavity and the inside of the machine (for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, if the main light source lamp is not lit due to a failure in a state where the insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted into the body cavity or the machine, it becomes impossible to work inside the body cavity or the machine. Therefore, the light source device is usually provided with an auxiliary light source that is turned on when the main light source lamp is not lit due to a failure.

In a light source device including an auxiliary light source, a lens holder that supports the main light source condensing lens is generally movable, and the auxiliary light source is integrated with the lens holder.
When the main light source is turned on, the main light source condensing lens is positioned on a straight line connecting the main light source and the incident end face of the light guide fiber to enable condensing by the main light source condensing lens, and the auxiliary light source is guided. It is located at a retracted position that does not face the optical fiber. On the other hand, when the main light source is turned off due to a failure, the lens holder is moved to retract the main light source condensing lens from the straight line, and the auxiliary light source is moved to a use position facing the light guide fiber. When the auxiliary light source moves to the use position in this way, light is supplied from the auxiliary light source to the incident end face of the light guide fiber, so that it is possible to continue working in the body cavity or inside the machine.
JP-A-11-305148

  Since the auxiliary light source emits a large amount of heat when it is turned on, if the auxiliary light source is directly fixed to the lens holder, the lens holder may be heated to adversely affect the condenser lens for the main light source. For this reason, conventionally, a heat sink for efficiently radiating the heat transmitted from the auxiliary light source to the outside is interposed between the auxiliary light source and the lens holder.

However, if a heat sink is interposed between the auxiliary light source and the lens holder, the number of parts increases and the structure becomes complicated.
Furthermore, when the auxiliary light source is attached to the lens holder via a heat sink, there is a problem that it is difficult to increase the positional accuracy of the auxiliary light source with respect to the lens holder. If the positional accuracy is low, when the main light source lamp is extinguished due to failure, the auxiliary light source and the incident end face of the light guide fiber do not face each other with high accuracy, and the light of the auxiliary light source can be efficiently guided to the incident end face of the light guide fiber. It will disappear.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope light source device that has a small number of parts, has a simple structure, and can easily attach an auxiliary light source to a lens holder while increasing its positional accuracy.

The endoscope light source device of the present invention is moved to a position where the light is converged on the incident end face of the light guide fiber, and the white light LED is opposed to the incident end face when the main light source is not turned on due to a failure. an apparatus, the rotational operable single lens holder about the axis, and is positioned concentrically around the shaft, and a through hole for holding the main light source condenser lens, the white a substrate of the same dimensions of the LED, the substrate to form a fitting fixed notch on the back of the notch is characterized by forming the heat radiation fins integral with the lens holder.

A translucent cover member that covers the white LED may be provided on the substrate .

You may provide the condensing lens which consists of a positive lens between the said white LED and a translucent cover member .

  According to the present invention, since a heat sink that has been necessary in the past is not required, the number of parts is reduced and the structure is simplified compared to the conventional case, and the heat transferred from the auxiliary light source to the lens holder is efficiently transmitted from the heat radiation fin. We can exhaust heat well. Furthermore, since the auxiliary light source is directly fixed to the lens holder, it is easy to increase the positional accuracy of the auxiliary light source with respect to the lens holder.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
An electronic endoscope (endoscope) 10 shown in FIG. 1 has an operation unit 11 and an insertion unit 12, and the distal end portion of the insertion unit 12 corresponds to an operation of a bending operation device 13 provided in the operation unit 11. A bending portion 12a that is bent in the vertical and horizontal directions is provided. An observation window (object window) and an illumination optical system (not shown) are provided on the distal end surface of the bending portion 12a.

  A universal tube 14 extends from the operation portion 11, and a light carrying bundle sleeve 14 b is projected from a connector portion 14 a provided at the tip of the universal tube 14. Furthermore, a light guiding fiber 15 is disposed inside the light carrying bundle sleeve 14b, the connector portion 14a, the universal tube 14, the operation portion 11 and the insertion portion 12, and the emission end face formed at the tip thereof is inserted. The tip of the part 11 is connected to the illumination optical system inside.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the processor 20 is an insertion for inserting the light carrying bundle sleeve 14b of the connector portion 14a into the front surface 21a of the casing 21 (the right side in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the front and the left side is the rear). An opening 22 is provided, and an upright member 23 located immediately after the insertion port 22 is provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate 21 b of the casing 21, and at a position facing the insertion port 22 of the upright member 23. A support hole 23a is formed. Further, a housing H is fixed to the upper surface of the bottom plate 21 b of the casing 21, and a main light source lamp (main light source) ML composed of a xenon lamp located in the housing H is a daylight drilled in the front surface of the housing H. The insertion port 22 and the support hole 23a are opposed to each other in the front-rear direction through the hole H1. The main light source lamp ML is turned on when a switch (not shown) provided on the outer surface of the casing 21 is turned on and turned off when turned off. When the insertion portion 12 is inserted into a body cavity or a machine, the main light source lamp ML is always turned on. It is something to be made.

  A pair of front and rear fixed pieces 30 and 31 that are L-shaped in a side view are fixed to the upper surface of the bottom plate 21b of the casing 21 between the upright member 23 and the main light source lamp ML. , 31, a pivot shaft (shaft) 32 facing in the front-rear direction is supported so as to be rotatable about its axis. Further, the lower end portion of the lens holder 33 is fixed to the pivot shaft 32. The lens holder 33 has a substantially triangular prism shape that faces in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of plate-shaped heat radiation fins 33 b that face in the front-rear direction are formed side by side at intervals. These heat radiation fins 33b are for efficiently radiating the heat of the lens holder 33 to the outside.

A motor M is fixed to the fixed piece 31, and one end of a link member 34 is fixed to a rotating shaft M <b> 1 of the motor M. An engagement pin 35 protruding forward from the other end of the link member 34 is movably engaged with a long hole 33 a formed in the rear surface of the lens holder 33.
As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a lens support hole (through hole) 33c is formed as a through hole in the lens holder 33. As shown in FIG. 9, an annular spacer is formed in the lens support hole 33b. Two condensing lenses (condensing lenses for main light source) L1 and L2 are fixed via a holding ring 37 and a holding ring 37.

A part of the front surface of the lens holder 33 is a fixing surface for fixing the white LED (auxiliary light source) 40, and a notch 33d is formed on the fixing surface. A substrate 41 of a white LED (auxiliary light source) 40 is fitted and fixed to the notch 33d. The cutout 33d and the substrate 41 have the same dimensions, and a translucent cover member 42 made of a translucent material that covers the white LED 40 is provided on the front surface of the substrate 41. The translucent cover member 42 Inside, a condensing lens L3 made of a positive lens located immediately before the white LED 40 is provided. The white LED 40 is always turned off (when the main light source lamp ML is turned on), and is turned on when the main light source lamp ML is turned off due to a failure. As shown in FIG.7 and FIG.8, the said heat radiating fin 33b is located behind the fixed surface (notch part 33d).
As shown in FIG. 2, the main light source lamp ML, the motor M, and the white LED 40 are all connected to the control circuit CC. When this control circuit CC detects a failure of the main light source lamp ML, it sends a signal to the motor M and the white LED 40.

The lens holder 33 is in the inoperative position shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 7 when the switch is turned off and when the main light source lamp ML is turned on when the switch is turned on. At this time, the optical axes of the condenser lenses L1 and L2 are located on a straight line passing through the centers of the main light source lamp ML, the support hole 23a, and the insertion port 22. On the other hand, the white LED 40 is located at a retracted position that does not face the incident end face 15 a of the light guide fiber 15.
On the other hand, when the main light source lamp ML is turned off due to a failure, a normal rotation signal is sent from the control circuit CC to the motor M. Then, the motor M rotates forward, and the engagement pin 35 of the link member 34 moves while pressing the peripheral surface in the long hole 33a, and the lens holder 33 is moved to the operating position shown in FIGS. Move to. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the optical axes of the condensing lenses L1 and L2 deviate laterally from a straight line passing through the centers of the main light source lamp ML, the support hole 23a, and the insertion port 22, and are white. The LED 40 moves to a use position facing the incident end face 15a of the light guide fiber 15.
Of the constituent members shown in the drawing of the processor 20, members other than the casing 21 and the upright member 23 are constituent elements of the endoscope light source device.

Next, the operation of the endoscope system having such a configuration will be described.
When the light carrying bundle sleeve 14b is inserted into the insertion port 22 and the support hole 23a of the processor 20 in the state where the switch is OFF, the incident end face 15a of the light guide fiber 15 disposed inside the light carrying bundle sleeve 14b becomes the daylight hole H1. Is opposed to the main light source lamp ML in the front-rear direction. Further, when the main light source lamp ML is OFF and the main light source lamp ML is lit, the control circuit CC does not send a signal to the motor M, so that the lens holder 33 is in the inoperative position shown in FIGS. In addition, the optical axes of the condenser lenses L1 and L2 are located on a straight line connecting the main light source lamp ML and the incident end face 15a of the light guide fiber 15. When the switch is turned on in this state, no signal is sent from the control circuit CC to the motor M, so the lens holder 33 is held in the non-operating position and the main light source lamp ML is lit. The light beam O emitted from the main light source lamp ML is guided to the incident end face 15a of the light guide fiber 15 through the light collection hole H1 and the condenser lenses L1 and L2, and further sent to the illumination optical system through the light guide fiber 15. It is done. When the subject illuminated by the illumination optical system is observed through the observation window at the distal end of the insertion portion 12, an image of the subject is displayed on a television monitor (not shown) connected to the processor 20.
During the lighting of the main light source lamp ML, the lighting signal is not sent from the control circuit CC to the white LED 40, and the white LED 40 is in the off state and is located at the retracted position.

When the main light source lamp ML is extinguished due to a failure, the control circuit CC detects this, sends a lighting signal to the white LED 40 to emit light, and sends a normal rotation signal to the motor M for normal rotation. Then, the lens holder 33 rotates about the pivot shaft 32 in the clockwise direction in FIGS. 7 and 8, and the lens holder 33 moves to the operation position shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 8.
When the lens holder 33 moves to the operating position, the white LED 40 moves to the use position shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 8, and the white LED 40 faces the incident end face 15 a of the light guide fiber 15 and is emitted from the white LED 40. Light enters the incident end face 15a of the light guide fiber 15 through the condenser lens L3 and the translucent cover member 42, and an image of the subject illuminated by the light is displayed on the television monitor. The white LED 40 that is lit emits a large amount of heat, and this heat is transmitted to the lens holder 33. The heat transmitted to the lens holder 33 is efficiently radiated from the heat radiation fins 33b to the outside efficiently.
On the other hand, the condenser lenses L1 and L2 are deviated laterally from a straight line connecting the main light source lamp ML and the incident end face 15a of the light guide fiber 15.

  When the switch of the processor 20 is turned off after the insertion portion 12 is completely pulled out from the body cavity or the machine, a turn-off signal is sent from the control circuit CC to the white LED 40 and a reverse signal is sent to the motor M. The white LED 40 is turned off, and the lens holder 33 returns to the non-operating position (the white LED 40 returns to the retracted position).

  Thus, according to this embodiment, since the white LED 49 is directly fixed to the lens holder 33 of the condenser lenses L1 and L2, the number of parts is small compared to the conventional light source device, and the structure is simple. In addition, since the heat transferred from the white LED 40 to the lens holder 33 is efficiently exhausted to the outside from the heat radiation fins 33b, the lens holder 33 does not become so high as to adversely affect the condenser lenses L1 and L2.

In addition, since the white LED 40 is directly fixed to the lens holder 33, compared with the conventional case where a heat sink is interposed between the white LED 40 and the lens holder 33, the white LED 40 is accurately positioned at a predetermined position of the lens holder 33. Easy to install. Thus, if the mounting position accuracy of the white LED 40 is increased, the light emitted from the white LED 40 can be efficiently guided to the incident end face 15 a of the light guide fiber 15.
In addition, in this embodiment, the notch 33d of the lens holder 33 has the same dimensions as the substrate 41 of the white LED 40, and the white LED 40 is positioned at a predetermined position of the lens holder 33 by fitting the substrate 41 into the notch 33d. Therefore, it is very easy to improve the positional accuracy of the white LED 40 with respect to the lens holder 33.

Furthermore, since the white LED 40 is used as an auxiliary light source, the power consumption of the auxiliary light source can be reduced and the life can be extended as compared with the case where a xenon lamp or the like is used.
Of course, if power consumption and lifetime are ignored, a light source other than the white LED 40 such as a xenon lamp can be adopted as an auxiliary light source.

It is an external view which shows the whole structure of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which fractures | ruptures and shows a part of processor. It is a top view which shows the moving mechanism at the time of the main light source lamp lighting, white LED, and a light guide fiber. It is a top view which shows the moving mechanism at the time of white LED lighting, white LED, and a light guide fiber. It is a side view which shows the moving mechanism, white LED, and light guide fiber at the time of the main light source lamp lighting. It is a side view which shows the moving mechanism and white LED at the time of white LED lighting. It is a front view of the moving mechanism and white LED at the time of the main light source lamp lighting. It is a front view of the movement mechanism at the time of white LED lighting and white LED. It is sectional drawing which follows the IX-IX arrow line of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 Electronic endoscope (endoscope)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Operation part 12 Insertion part 12a Bending part 13 Bending operation apparatus 14 Universal tube 14a Connector part 14b Light carrying bundle sleeve 15 Light guide fiber 15a Incident end face 20 Processor 21 Casing 22 Plug 23 Standing member 23a Supporting hole 30 31 Fixed piece 32 Pivoting shaft (axis)
33 Lens holder 33a Long hole 33b Heat dissipation fin 33c Lens support hole (through hole)
33d Notch 34 Link member 35 Engagement pin 40 White LED (auxiliary light source)
41 Substrate 42 Translucent cover member C Case CC Control circuit H Housing H1 Daylighting hole L1 L2 Condensing lens (condensing lens for main light source)
L3 condenser lens M motor M1 rotation axis ML main light source lamp (main light source)

Claims (3)

A main light source for supplying light to the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope via a light guide fiber disposed in the endoscope;
A main light source condensing lens for guiding light emitted from the main light source to the incident end face of the light guide fiber;
A white LED that is an auxiliary light source that is turned off when the main light source is turned on and turned off when the main light source is turned off due to a failure;
When the main light source is turned on, the condenser lens for the main light source is moved to a position where the emitted light beam from the main light source is condensed on the incident end face of the light guide fiber, and when the main light source is not turned on, the white LED is turned on. An endoscope light source device that faces the incident end face,
A single lens holder that can rotate around an axis is positioned concentrically around the axis, and has a through hole that holds the condenser lens for the main light source, and the white LED substrate. Forming a notch portion that is a size and fitting and fixing the substrate ,
A light source device for an endoscope, wherein a heat radiating fin is formed integrally with the lens holder on the back surface of the notch . In the endoscope light source device according to claim 1,
An endoscopic light source device in which a translucent cover member that covers the white LED is provided on the substrate . In the endoscope light source device according to claim 2,
An endoscope light source device in which a condenser lens made of a positive lens is provided between the white LED and the translucent cover member .

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