JP5673347B2 - Optical connector plug, optical probe and optical system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connector plug, an optical probe using the optical connector plug, and an optical system.

  Previously, after inserting an optical probe through the endoscope into the human body, the diagnostic site inside the human body was irradiated with excitation light through this optical probe, and the fluorescence generated by this excitation light was measured to examine the site. There are known diagnostic methods for performing inspection and analysis. In such an optical probe used for fluorescence measurement, a plurality of optical paths through which excitation light, illumination light, and fluorescence are transmitted are bundled in one tube, and a plurality of optical paths of an optical device are connected via an optical connector plug. Connected to. Therefore, the optical connector plug is preferably one that can connect a plurality of optical paths at a time. Further, since the optical probe is inserted into the human body, it is desired to replace the optical probe with a new one for each use. Therefore, it is required to further reduce the cost of the optical probe.

  Conventionally, several techniques have been proposed in which a plurality of single-core optical connector plugs are combined and a plurality of optical paths can be connected at a time. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a plurality of single-core optical connector plugs are combined into one by a fixing clip to form a multiple optical connector plug. In Patent Document 2, a connection mechanism is provided on the side surface of the housing of the single-core optical connector plug, and a plurality of single-core optical connector plugs are connected in parallel via this connection mechanism to form a multiple optical connector plug. Technology is disclosed.

  As a configuration on the receptacle side to which such multiple optical connector plugs are connected, a configuration in which single-core optical receptacles are similarly arranged in parallel is employed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-023902 JP-A-11-202160

  When a plurality of single-core optical connector plugs are arranged in parallel to form a multiple optical connector plug, an error occurs in the interval between the multiple single-core optical connector plugs, and the interval between the multiple single-core optical receptacles on the receptacle side. Deviation may occur. In this case, when inserting multiple optical connector plugs into the receptacle, there is a problem that the single single-core optical connector plug and the individual single-core optical receptacle are caught, making it difficult to connect the two. Arise.

  On the other hand, if the allowable error of the member that connects and bundles the individual single-core optical connector plugs is limited so that the above error does not occur, the manufacturing cost of the member increases with the improvement of molding accuracy. Or a problem that the yield of the member is lowered.

  In addition, off-the-shelf general single-core optical connector plugs are configured to be detached from the optical connector receptacle by pulling with a certain force or more. When the optical probe cable is pulled, there arises a problem that the optical connector plug is removed relatively easily.

  An object of the present invention is to connect a plurality of optical paths to a receptacle in a batch and easily using a plurality of optical connector plug units, and to prevent an increase in manufacturing cost. To provide a plug, an optical probe using the optical connector plug, and an optical system.

An optical connector plug according to the present invention includes a plurality of optical connector plug units each having a body for holding a ferrule and having grooves formed in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis on the outer surface of the body, and the plurality of optical connector plugs. A housing that surrounds the plurality of optical connector plug units in a state where the units are arranged in parallel and each tip portion of the plurality of optical connector plug units is exposed to the outside, and a flat plate-like member provided in the housing And a support member that supports the plurality of optical connector plug units in a state of being fitted in the grooves of the plurality of optical connector plug units, and the support member includes a tip end portion of the plurality of optical connector plug units. The plurality of optical connector plug units in a state in which the plurality of optical connector plug units can be displaced in the parallel direction. A configuration to support.

  According to the present invention, since a plurality of optical connector plug units are collected, a plurality of optical paths can be connected or disconnected at a time. Furthermore, since the plurality of optical connector plug units are supported so that at least the tip portions can be displaced in the parallel direction, even if there is a gap between the units on the plug side and the receptacle side, this deviation is caused by the above displacement. It can be absorbed and the connection of the optical connector plug does not become difficult. Furthermore, since the tolerance of the housing and the support member can be set relatively large, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

1 is a partially broken plan view showing an optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which shows the optical connector plug of embodiment of this invention The perspective view which shows the housing of an optical connector plug The perspective view which shows the support structure of the several plug unit in an optical connector plug Exploded perspective view showing a modification of the support flat plate that supports the plug unit The perspective view explaining the modification of the housing of an optical connector plug

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a partially broken plan view showing an optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The optical system of this embodiment includes an optical device 100 that inputs and outputs various types of light through three optical paths, and an optical probe 10 that transmits light between the optical device 100 and an inspection target. The optical probe 10 includes an optical connector plug 20 connected to the optical device 100, a probe cable 40 through which a plurality of optical fibers 11... The optical device 100 is provided with an optical connector receptacle 110 to which the optical connector plug 20 of the optical probe 10 is connected.

  2 is a perspective view showing the optical connector plug 20, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the housing of the optical connector plug 20, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for supporting a plurality of plug units in the optical connector plug 20. The perspective view showing the structure is shown respectively.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the optical connector plug 20 includes three plug units (optical connector plug units) 21, a housing 31 that integrally covers the periphery of the three plug units 21, and a housing 31. Are provided with support flat plates 35 and 35 (see FIG. 4) as support members for supporting the three plug units 21.

  The plug units 21 are plug-side units of an off-the-shelf optical connector manufactured according to a predetermined standard such as an SC connector. The plug units 21... Have a ferrule 22 in which the end face of the optical fiber 11 is arranged in the center, and the ferrule 22 in a state where the tip of the ferrule 22 is exposed to the outside and the optical fiber 11 is led out from the back. And a body 23 that holds the optical fiber 11 and a lock mechanism 24 that can be attached to and detached from the receptacle side or the adapter side by being pushed and pulled with a force of a certain level or more.

  The body 23 of the plug unit 21 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a plurality of grooves 25 running in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis are formed on the four side surfaces of the body portion. The plurality of grooves 25 are formed adjacent to each other at a predetermined interval in the optical axis direction. Further, on one side surface of the body 23, a convex portion 26 protruding laterally is formed on the tip side from the grooves 25. The protrusions 26 are for defining the vertical and horizontal directions of the plug unit 21 when the plug unit 21 is inserted into the receptacle-side guide frame.

  The housing 31 is configured to cover the bottom surface, the top surface, and both side surfaces of the arrangement space of the three plug units 21 and the optical fibers 11 with a planar member. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 31 includes a first housing member 31 </ b> A and a second housing member 31 </ b> B having substantially the same shape, and the integrated housing 31 is configured by fitting and fastening them. It has become. The first housing member 31A and the second housing member 31B are formed by, for example, injection molding of a thermoplastic resin.

  In the housing 31, although not particularly limited, the front surface that exposes the distal ends of the plug units 21 to the outside and the back surface that leads the probe cable 40 through the optical fibers 11 to the outside are open. Further, on both side surfaces of the housing 31, there are provided locking pieces 32, 32 that engage with the optical connector receptacle 110 (for example, snap fit) when the connector is connected. These locking pieces 32, 32 are fixed at the base side so that the distal end side can be displaced inward and outward by bending, and are further locked outwardly at both ends of the locking pieces 32, 32. Claws 32a and 32a are provided, respectively.

  The support flat plate 35 is made of metal, for example, and is integrally formed so as to project vertically from the bottom surface of the first housing member 31A to the inside of the housing 31 as shown in FIG. Similarly, the other support flat plate 35 is integrally formed so as to project vertically from the upper surface portion of the second housing member 31 </ b> B of the housing 31 to the inside of the housing 31. The pair of support flat plates 35 and 35 are provided at a height that sandwiches the plug units 21 from above and below as shown in FIG. 4 when the first housing member 31A and the second housing member 31B are fitted together. Yes. When the pair of support flat plates 35, 35 sandwich the three plug units 21, the edge portions 35 a, 35 a of the pair of support flat plates 35, 35 are fitted in the grooves 25 of the three plug units 21. The three plug units 21 are lightly pressed to support the three plug units 21. Therefore, the three plug units 21... Held by the housing 31 are not displaced along the support plates 35 and 35 with a light force.

  Such a support structure of the three plug units 21... Prevents the plug units 21 from moving in the front-rear direction. Further, when a force in the left-right direction (the direction in which the plug units 21 are arranged) is applied to the distal end portion of each plug unit 21, the support flat plates 35 and 35 are bent and the distal end portion of the plug unit 21 can be displaced in the left-right rotational direction. It has become. Further, when a predetermined force in the left-right direction is applied to each plug unit 21, each plug unit 21 can be translated along the edges 35 a, 35 a of the support plates 35, 35.

  The probe cable 40 is configured by passing three optical fibers 11 connected to the three plug units 21 in the tube. The distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers 11 are fixed to the distal end portion 41 of the probe cable 40 in a state where light can enter and exit.

  The optical apparatus 100 is an apparatus that performs output of illumination light, output of excitation light necessary for fluorescence analysis, and input and measurement of fluorescence emitted from an inspection target. Input / output of illumination light, excitation light, and fluorescence is performed through three optical paths of the optical connector receptacle 110 and the optical probe 10.

  The optical connector receptacle 110 surrounds the three receptacle units 111, a fixing frame 112 that fixes the three receptacle units 111 in a row at a predetermined interval, and the three receptacle units 111. The receptacle case 114 is configured.

  The receptacle unit 111 is a receptacle-side or adapter unit of a ready-made optical connector manufactured according to a predetermined standard such as an SC connector, and can be connected to the plug unit 21 by adjusting the optical axis. The optical axes of the receptacle units 111 are connected to an optical path (for example, an optical fiber) 115 that guides light to an optical system in the apparatus.

  The receptacle case 114 is engaged with an opening portion into which the distal end portion of the optical connector plug 20 is fitted, and a pair of locking pieces 32 and 32 of the optical connector plug 20 disposed on the left and right sides of the opening portion. Locked portions 114a and 114a are provided.

  Next, the operation of the optical system configured as described above will be described. The optical system of the present embodiment performs fluorescence analysis on a medical examination site inside a human body. Since the optical probe 10 is inserted into the human body, the optical probe 10 is replaced with a new one for each use. In the preparation stage of the fluorescence analysis process, an operator such as a doctor first connects the optical connector plug 20 of the optical probe 10 to the optical connector receptacle 110 of the optical device 100.

  When the optical connector plug 20 is connected, if the gap between the three plug units 21 and the gap between the three receptacle units 111 are slightly shifted, the optical connector plug 20 is connected as follows. That is, when the insertion of the optical connector plug 20 is caught due to the above deviation, the operator slightly swings the tip of the optical connector plug 20 in the left-right direction (the direction in which the plug units 21 are arranged). At that time, the distal ends of the individual plug units 21 are swung to the left and right due to the bending of the support flat plates 35 and 35 and are inserted into the guide frames of the corresponding receptacle units 111. When the optical connector plug 20 is inserted as it is, the individual plug units 21... Receive a relatively large force in the left-right direction from the guide frames of the receptacle units 111. Then, the plug units 21 are slightly shifted in the left-right direction along the edges 35a, 35a of the support plates 35, 35, and the arrangement of the plug units 21 is adjusted. As a result, the three plug units 21 can be pushed into the three receptacle units 111 until they are locked to connect them. When both are connected, the locking claws 32a, 32a of the two locking pieces 32, 32 of the optical connector plug 20 are engaged with the locked portions 114a, 114a of the receptacle case 114, and both are firmly tightened. Is done.

  If the assembly accuracy of the optical connector receptacle 110 is high and the arrangement intervals of the three receptacle units 111 are always uniform, the optical connector plug 20 is once adjusted in the adjustment process before the factory shipment of the optical probe 10. And the optical connector receptacle 110 may be connected. By this connection process, the arrangement of the three plug units 21 of the optical connector plug 20 is adjusted to match the receptacle side as described above, so that a smooth connection is realized at the user use stage.

  The optical probe 10 connected to the optical device 100 as described above is inserted into the human body through the distal end side of the probe cable 40 through the tube of the endoscope. Then, the doctor moves the tip of the endoscope to the examination site inside the human body while viewing the video of the endoscope, and when the doctor reaches the examination site, the tip 41 of the probe cable 40 is moved from the tip of the endoscope to the outside. And start the fluorescence analysis process. When the fluorescence analysis process is started, the illumination of the endoscope is turned off and switched to the illumination of the optical probe 10. Illumination light is output, for example, via the central plug unit 21. Further, in this state, when the doctor performs a fluorescence analysis start operation, the illumination of the optical probe 10 stops for a moment, and excitation light passes through the plug unit 21 on the left side of the optical probe 10 and the optical fiber 11 during that time. Irradiate the examination site. Further, immediately after this, the fluorescence emitted from the examination site due to the excitation light is sent to the optical device 100 via the other optical fiber 11 of the optical probe 10 and the right plug unit 21. Then, the amount of the fluorescence is measured in the optical device, and the examination site is analyzed. Thereafter, the probe cable 40 is pulled out from the endoscope, and the locking pieces 32 and 32 are pushed inward to remove the optical connector plug 20 from the optical device 100, whereby the fluorescence analysis process is completed.

  5 is an exploded perspective view showing a modified example of the support flat plate 35 that supports the three plug units 21. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the housing 31 of the optical connector plug 20. Each is shown. As shown in FIG. 5, the support flat plates 35 and 35 are configured not to be integrated with the first and second housing members 31A and 31B but to be attached to the first and second housing members 31A and 31B later. May be. For example, the first and second housing members 31A and 31B are provided with mounting frames 36 and 36, respectively, and the support plates 35 and 35 are fitted into the grooves 36a of the mounting frames 36 and 36 and fixed. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, pedestal portions 37 and 37 for supporting the three plug units 21 are provided inside the first and second housing members 31A and 31B so that the plug units 21 are arranged in the vertical direction (plug unit). 21 in a parallel direction and a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction). Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a holding frame 39 that holds the three optical fibers 11 led out from the back surface of the three plug units 21. You may make it connect with.

  As described above, according to the optical system, the optical probe 10 and the optical connector plug 20 of this embodiment, since the plurality of plug units 21 are integrated in the optical connector plug 20, a plurality of optical paths are connected at a time. And can be separated. Furthermore, since the plurality of plug units 21... Are supported by being inserted into the grooves 25 in the support plate 35, and can be displaced along the edge 35 a of the support plate 35. Even if there is a gap between the units 21..., The gap can be absorbed and connected to the optical connector receptacle 110 normally. In addition, from the above, since the molding accuracy of the housing 31 of the optical connector plug 20 can be somewhat lowered, the manufacturing cost of the optical connector plug 20 and the optical probe 10 can be reduced.

  Further, according to the optical system, the optical probe 10 and the optical connector plug 20 of this embodiment, the locking pieces 32 are provided on the housing 31 of the optical connector plug 20, and the optical connector plug 20 is connected to the optical connector receptacle 110. At this time, the locking pieces 32, 32 are engaged with the locked portions 114a, 114a of the receptacle case 114. Therefore, the optical connector plug 20 is not easily detached even if the probe cable 40 is pulled.

  The optical connector plug 20 of the above embodiment has a configuration in which three plug units can be combined and three optical paths can be connected or separated at a time, but two or four or more plug units can be combined into two in a similar manner. It may be configured such that four or more optical paths can be connected or separated at a time. Further, a plurality of plug units for a plurality of cores may be combined instead of the plug unit for a single core.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the support member latched by the groove | channel 25 of plug unit 21 ... was made into the flat plate-shaped member, if the edge part which contact | connects the groove | channel 25 is the thickness latched by the groove | channel 25, the whole May have any shape. Moreover, it is good also as a form which has several edge part latched to the groove | channel 25 ... of multiple rows at once. In the above embodiment, the groove 25 of the plug unit 21 is sandwiched from above and below by the two support flat plates 35, 35, but only one side of the plug unit 21 is engaged with the groove 25 by the support flat plate 35. For example, the other side may be supported by a planar member.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the edge part 35a of the support flat plate 35 showed the flat example over the arrangement range of three plug units 21 ..., the form of the edge part 35a was changed as follows. Also good. In other words, an extension frame is provided on the edge 35a of the support flat plate 35 so as to project between the plug units 21 and partition the plug units 21, while a gap is provided between each plug unit 21 and the extension frame. Even with such a configuration, each plug unit 21 can be supported so as to be displaceable in the left-right direction (the parallel direction of the plug units 21). In addition, the details shown in the embodiments can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

  The present invention can be applied to, for example, an optical probe used in a medical fluorescence detection apparatus, an optical connector plug thereof, and an optical system.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Optical probe 11 Optical fiber 20 Optical connector plug 21 Plug unit 22 Ferrule 25 Groove 31 Housing 32 Locking piece 32a Locking claw 35 Support plate 40 Probe cable 100 Optical device 110 Optical connector receptacle 111 Receptacle unit 112 Fixing frame 114 Receptacle case 114a Locked part

Claims (6)

A plurality of optical connector plug units each having a body for holding a ferrule and having grooves formed in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis on the outer surface of the body ;
A housing that encloses the plurality of optical connector plug units in a state in which the plurality of optical connector plug units are arranged in parallel, and each tip portion of the plurality of optical connector plug units is exposed to the outside,
A flat member, and a support member that is provided in the housing and supports the plurality of optical connector plug units in a state of being fitted in the grooves of the plurality of optical connector plug units.
The support member supports the plurality of optical connector plug units in a state in which respective tip portions of the plurality of optical connector plug units are displaceable in a parallel direction in which the plurality of optical connector plug units are arranged. Optical connector plug. The support member is
2. The optical connector plug according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical connector plug units are supported so as to be movable in the parallel direction.   2. The optical connector plug according to claim 1, further comprising a locking piece that is provided in the housing and can be locked to a connection counterpart optical connector receptacle. A plurality of optical fibers;
A tube through which these optical fibers are passed;
The optical connector plug according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , provided on the rear end side of the tube,
With
The ends of the plurality of optical fibers are fixed to the distal end side of the tube so that light can enter and exit, and the rear ends of the plurality of optical fibers are connected to the optical connector plug. Optical probe. An optical probe according to claim 4 ,
An optical device having an optical connector receptacle to which the optical probe is connected;
The optical connector receptacle is
A plurality of receptacle units to which the plurality of optical connector plug units can be respectively connected;
An optical system comprising: a fixing frame that fixes the plurality of receptacle units in a parallel state. An optical probe having the optical connector plug according to claim 3 ;
An optical device having an optical connector receptacle to which the optical connector plug is connected,
The optical connector receptacle is
A plurality of receptacle units to which the plurality of optical connector plug units can be respectively connected;
A fixing frame for fixing the plurality of receptacle units in a state of being aligned in a row;
A locked portion to which the locking piece of the optical connector plug is locked;
An optical system comprising:

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