JP4531548B2 - 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 failure (for example, Patent Document 2).

In a light source device having an auxiliary light source, a fitting hole formed in a lens holder that supports the condenser lens for the main light source is usually provided around the rotation axis on a rotation axis parallel to the optical axis of the main light source and the auxiliary light source. The lens holder can be rotated with respect to the rotation axis by fitting so as to be capable of relative rotation and relative path in the direction of the rotation axis, and an auxiliary light source is provided integrally with the lens holder.
When the main light source is turned on, the lens holder is positioned at the main light source use position so that the main light source condenser lens can condense the light beam emitted from the main light source onto the incident end face of the light guide fiber. The auxiliary light source is positioned at a retracted position that does not face the light guide fiber. On the other hand, when the main light source is turned off due to a failure, the lens holder is moved to the auxiliary light source use position, the main light source condenser lens is retracted from the straight line, and the auxiliary light source is opposed to the light guide fiber. Move to. 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 JP 2004-141408 A

In a light source device having a conventional auxiliary light source, the lens holder is held at the main light source use position at all times (when the main light source can be turned on) to accurately guide the light beam of the main light source to the incident end face of the light guide fiber. There is a need to. For this reason, a torsion spring is provided between the rotation shaft and the lens holder to urge the lens holder to rotate toward the main light source use position, and a rotation direction stopper is provided to restrict the rotation of the lens holder at the main light source use position. It was.
Further, since the lens holder can move relative to the rotation axis in the longitudinal direction of the rotation axis, the rotation of the lens holder becomes unsmooth as it is, and the light beams of the main light source and auxiliary light source cannot be guided to the incident end face of the light guide fiber. End up. For this reason, a compression spring that linearly moves and urges the lens holder in one direction in the longitudinal direction of the rotation shaft with respect to the rotation shaft is provided, and further, a linear direction that restricts linear movement of the lens holder by the compression spring at a predetermined position Stopper was provided.

  However, if two springs (biasing means) are provided to hold the lens holder in a predetermined position in this way, the structure and assembly become complicated, and the manufacturing cost increases. Furthermore, since a large space is required to provide the two springs, the light source device is increased in size.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope light source device that can securely hold a lens holder in a predetermined position while having a small number of parts, simple structure and assembly, and capable of further downsizing. There is.

  An endoscope light source device according to the present invention is emitted from a main light source that supplies light to a distal end of an insertion portion of the endoscope via a light guide fiber disposed in the endoscope, and the main light source A condensing lens for a main light source that guides light to an incident end face of the light guide fiber; an auxiliary light source that is turned off when the main light source is turned on, and is turned on when the main light source is turned off due to a failure; And a lens holder capable of rotating around a rotation axis parallel to the optical axis of the main light source and auxiliary light source and linearly moving along the rotation axis, and the lens holder is turned on when the main light source is turned on. The main light source condensing lens rotates and moves to the main light source use position for condensing the emitted light beam of the main light source on the incident end face of the light guide fiber, and when the main light source is not turned on, the auxiliary light source is connected to the incident end face. Endoscope light source device that rotates to the opposite auxiliary light source usage position A linear direction stopper that restricts the linear movement end of the lens holder, a rotation direction stopper that restricts the rotation end of the lens holder at the main light source use position or the auxiliary light source use position, and the lens holder as the rotation axis. On the other hand, a single torsion compression spring that urges linear movement toward the linear direction stopper side and urges rotation toward the rotational direction stopper side is provided.

  It is practical that one end of the rotating shaft is supported on a fixed piece fixed to the casing, one end of the torsion compression spring is hooked on the fixed piece, and the other end is hooked on the lens holder.

  A fitting hole that penetrates the lens holder is fitted to a small diameter portion that forms a part of the rotating shaft so as to be relatively rotatable, and the linear direction stopper is a part of the rotating shaft and has a cross-sectional diameter. It is preferable that the large diameter portion is larger than the inner diameter of the fitting hole and the cross-sectional diameter of the small diameter portion.

  The lens holder has a long hole at a position eccentric with respect to the rotation shaft, and the lens holder is moved in the long hole while the engagement pin rotating around the drive shaft of the motor moves in a sliding manner. It is practical to rotate between the light source use position and the auxiliary light source use position.

  You may comprise the said stopper for rotation directions with the said long hole and an engagement pin.

  In view of power consumption, it is preferable to use a white LED as the auxiliary light source.

  According to the present invention, the lens holder can be securely held at a predetermined position while the number of parts is small, the structure and the assembly are simple, and the size can be further reduced.

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 positioned immediately after the insertion port 22 is fixed to 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 fixing 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 so as to be positioned between the upright member 23 and the main light source lamp ML. Further, between the front and rear fixed pieces 30, 31, a stepped columnar rotary shaft 32 facing in the front-rear direction is supported so as to be rotatable around the axis. As shown in FIG. 9, the rotating shaft 32 includes a small-diameter portion 32 a that is fitted and fixed in the fixing hole 30 a of the fixing piece 30, a large-diameter portion (straight direction stopper) 32 b that forms the rear portion of the rotating shaft 32, A protrusion 32 c that protrudes rearward from the diameter portion 32 b and is fitted and fixed to the fixing hole 31 a of the fixing piece 31 is provided. As shown in FIG. 9, a cylindrical fitting hole 33 f that penetrates the lower end portion of the lens holder 33 in the front-rear direction is formed in the small diameter portion 32 a of the rotation shaft 32 and can rotate around the rotation shaft 32. It is fitted so that it can move linearly in the direction. The cross-sectional diameter of the large-diameter portion 32b is set larger than the cross-sectional diameter of the small-diameter portion 32a and the inner diameter of the fitting hole 33f. The lens holder 33 has a substantially triangular prism shape whose axis is directed in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of plate-like heat radiation fins 33 b facing in the front-rear direction are formed on a part of the circumferential surface with a gap therebetween. 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 rotational drive shaft M 1 of the motor M. An engagement pin (rotation direction stopper) 35 protruding forward from the other end of the link member 34 is formed in the rear surface of the lens holder 33 and is eccentric with respect to the rotation shaft 32. (Rotatable direction stopper) 33a is fitted so as to be relatively movable while sliding.
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, two pieces of lens support holes 33c are formed in the lens support hole 33c. Condensing lenses (condensing lenses for main light source) L1 and L2 are fitted and fixed.

  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 board 41 supporting 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).

A concave portion 33g having a substantially fan shape when viewed from the front is formed in the lower end portion of the front surface of the lens holder 33. Further, a winding portion S1 of the torsion compression spring S is positioned on the outer peripheral side of the large diameter portion 32b of the rotary shaft 32 so as to be relatively movable, and a locking projection S2 formed at the front end of the torsion compression spring S is The retaining piece 30 is latched in the retaining groove 30b (see FIGS. 4 and 7). The front end of the winding portion S1 of the torsion compression spring S is in contact with the rear surface of the standing portion 30c of the fixed piece 30, and the rear end of the winding portion S1 is in contact with the front surface of the recess 33g. Furthermore, the fitting protrusion S3 formed at the rear end of the torsion compression spring S is fitted into (engaged with) an engagement hole 33h facing the front-rear direction formed on the front surface of the recess 33g. The torsion compression spring S has an urging force in the front-rear direction and a rotating urging force around the rotation shaft 32. Accordingly, the rear surface of the lens holder 33 that is moved and urged rearward by the torsion compression spring S is in contact with the front surface of the large-diameter portion 32b, thereby restricting rearward movement. Further, the lens holder 33 is urged to rotate clockwise by the torsion compression spring S in the front view. When the lens holder 33 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 8 (auxiliary light source use position), the engagement pin 35 is moved into the long hole 33a. The lens holder 33 is held at the position shown in FIG.
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 shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 7 by the engagement pin 35 coming into contact with the inner surface of the long hole 33 a when the switch is turned off and when the main light source lamp ML is turned on by turning on the switch. It is held at the main light source use position. 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 of the long hole 33a, and the lens holder 33 moves to the auxiliary light source shown in FIGS. It moves to the use position and is held at the auxiliary light source use position by the rotational biasing force of the torsion compression spring S and the engagement force (contact force) between the engagement pin 35 and the long hole 33a. 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, since the control circuit CC does not send a signal to the motor M when the main light source lamp ML is OFF and when the main light source lamp ML is lit, the lens holder 33 is positioned at the main light source use position shown in FIGS. 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 at the main light source use 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 rotation shaft 32 in the clockwise direction of FIGS. 7 and 8, and the lens holder 33 moves to the auxiliary light source use position shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 8.
When the lens holder 33 moves to the auxiliary light source use 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. The light that has passed through the condenser lens L3 and the translucent cover member 42 enters the incident end face 15a of the light guide fiber 15, 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 is returned to the main light source use position and is held at the position (the white LED 40 is returned to the retracted position).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the lens holder 33 is moved and urged to the rear moving end by the single torsion compression spring S, and the lens holder 33 is rotated and urged to the auxiliary light source use position side. Yes. Therefore, as compared with the conventional case where the linear movement biasing force and the rotation biasing force are obtained from two springs (biasing means), the structure and assembly are simpler, and the manufacturing cost can be kept low. Furthermore, since there is one spring, the space for providing the spring can be reduced. As a result, the light source device for endoscope (particularly, the lens holder 33, the rotating shaft 32, the fixed piece 30, the fixed piece 31). , And a portion formed by these peripheral members).

  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.

The twist direction of the torsion compression spring S is reversed, the lens holder 33 is moved and urged to the main light source use position side by the torsion compression spring S, and a long hole (for the rotation direction) of the lens holder 33 is used. The lens holder 33 may be restricted in rotation at the position where the main light source is used by the engaging force between the stopper 33a and the engaging pin (rotating direction stopper) 35.
In addition, if power consumption and lifetime are ignored, it is needless to say that 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 movement mechanism and white LED at the time of the main light source lamp lighting which abbreviate | omits a torsion compression spring. 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 30a 31a Fixing hole 30b Locking groove 30c Standing portion 32 Rotating shaft 32a Small diameter portion 32b Large diameter portion (Linear direction stopper)
32c Projection 33 Lens holder 33a Slot (stopper for rotation direction)
33b Radiation fin 33c Lens support hole (through hole)
33d Notch 33f Fitting hole 33g Recess 33h Engagement hole 34 Link member 35 Engagement pin (rotation direction stopper)
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 Condensing lens M Motor M1 Rotation drive shaft ML Main light source lamp (main light source)
S torsion compression spring S1 winding part S2 locking protrusion S3 fitting protrusion

Claims (6)

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;
The main light source condensing lens that guides the light emitted from the main light source to the incident end face of the light guide fiber, and when the main light source is turned on, it is turned off and the main light source is turned off due to a failure. And a lens holder capable of rotating around a rotation axis parallel to the optical axis of the main light source and the auxiliary light source and linearly moving along the rotation axis,
When the main light source is turned on, the lens holder is rotated to the main light source use position where the main light source condensing lens condenses the emitted light beam of the main light source on the incident end face of the light guide fiber, and the main light source is not damaged. At the time of lighting, in the endoscope light source device in which the auxiliary light source rotates and moves to the auxiliary light source use position facing the incident end surface,
A linear direction stopper for regulating the linear movement end of the lens holder, and a rotation direction stopper for regulating the rotation end of the lens holder at the main light source use position or the auxiliary light source use position;
A single torsion compression spring that urges the lens holder to move linearly toward the linear direction stopper side with respect to the rotation axis and urges the rotation toward the rotational direction stopper side. Endoscope light source device. In the endoscope light source device according to claim 1,
Support one end of the rotating shaft with a fixed piece fixed to the casing,
An endoscope light source device in which one end of the torsion compression spring is hooked on the fixed piece and the other end is hooked on a lens holder. In the endoscope light source device according to claim 2,
A fitting hole that penetrates the lens holder is fitted to a small diameter portion that forms a part of the rotating shaft so as to be relatively rotatable,
An endoscope light source device in which the linear stopper is a large-diameter portion that forms a part of the rotating shaft and whose cross-sectional diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the fitting hole and the cross-sectional diameter of the small-diameter portion. The light source device for endoscopes according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The lens holder has a long hole at a position eccentric from the rotation axis, and the lens holder is moved in the long hole while the engagement pin rotating around the drive shaft of the motor moves in a sliding manner. An endoscope light source device that rotates between a light source use position and an auxiliary light source use position. In the endoscope light source device according to claim 4,
An endoscope light source device in which the rotation direction stopper is constituted by the elongated hole and an engagement pin. In the endoscope light source device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An endoscope light source device in which the auxiliary light source is a white LED.

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