JPH024885B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a camera adapter device for a rigid endoscope, which is an improved endoscope camera adapter for attaching a camera or a television camera to an endoscope.

Generally, a camera or television camera is attached to a rigid endoscope, and in order to observe or photograph the inside of a body cavity, the camera or television camera is attached to the eyepiece of the endoscope via a camera adapter.

A conventional example in which a camera is attached to a rigid endoscope using this camera adapter is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the connection relationship between the rigid endoscope, camera adapter, camera, and light source unit.
The figure is a front view of FIG. 1. In these figures, the camera adapter 1 includes a focusing lens 2, a beam splitter 3 that transmits most of the observation light and splits a small amount of photometry, and a light receiving element 4 connected to the beam splitter 3. A signal cord 5 connected to the output end of the light receiving element 4 is installed inside the adapter 1, and a focus ring 6 for moving the focus adjustment lens 2 back and forth in the axial direction is provided on the outer periphery of the adapter 1. An endoscope fixing/release lever 8 for fixing/releasing the endoscope 7 is provided. A camera 9 is detachably attached to the rear end of the camera adapter 1, and the observation light transmitted through the beam splitter 3 is sent thereto. The signal cord 5 is connected to a light source unit 10 extending from the camera adapter 1 to the outside. This light source unit 10 includes an exposure calculation circuit 11 to which the signal cord 5 is connected to the input terminal.
, a flash lamp control circuit 12 connected to the output end of this exposure amount calculation circuit 11 , and a flash lamp 13 for photography whose light is turned off or whose light amount is set by the output signal of this flash lamp control circuit 12 .
and an observation illumination lamp 14 are installed inside.
A light guide cord 15 connected to the light guide of the rigid endoscope 7 is connected to the light source unit 10 so that observation illumination light and photography illumination light are supplied to the rigid endoscope 7. In the figure, reference numeral 16 is an X, EP contact code.

However, in the conventional camera adapter 1 as described above, two cords, the photometric signal cord 5 and the light guide cord 15, are placed around the surgeon as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. hand,
There may be inconveniences such as these two cords touching or intertwining during operation, or getting caught in the operator's hand during operation, interfering with operation and making quick operation impossible. Ta. Also, camera adapter 1 for shooting
It was difficult to deal with these two cords when cleaning, and the cleaning work could not be facilitated.

Furthermore, with conventional adapters, the rigid endoscope often rotates during use due to the weight of the light guide or when a hand touches the light guide, making it difficult to rotate the rigid endoscope in the direction the surgeon intended. There was an inconvenience when observing in different directions.

This invention was made in view of these circumstances, and aims to improve operability for the operator and facilitate cleaning by integrating the signal cord and light guide, and also to integrate the signal cord and the light guide into the main body of the rigid endoscope. As a result, the structure within the endoscope body is not complicated and manufacturing difficulties are not increased, and the rigid endoscope is not rotated with respect to the camera adapter. When using the view type or oblique view type, the viewing direction of the rigid endoscope is uniquely determined relative to the direction of the camera, and even when looking through the viewfinder of the camera, the field of view can be oriented in relation to the insertion direction of the rigid endoscope. It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera adapter device for a rigid endoscope that allows accurate recognition of whether a rigid endoscope is being used.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a camera adapter for detachably attaching a camera or television camera to a rigid endoscope through which illumination light for observation and photographing is transmitted via a light guide. A camera adapter has a recess into which the rear end of the endoscope is inserted and fixed, and a signal line connection is provided at the distal end of the recess, and the distal end is attached to the light guide base of the rigid endoscope. is connected and has its rear end connected to the light source device so that it can be attached to and detached from the rigid endoscope and the light source device, and has a built-in signal line, and when attached to the camera adapter of the rigid endoscope, and an independent light guide having a signal line connection part that is detachably connected to the signal line connection part of the camera adapter when connected to the rigid endoscope.

The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

3 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the connection relationships among a camera adapter, a rigid endoscope, a camera, and a light source unit in this embodiment. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the camera adapter and the unified cord connected to the rigid endoscope, and Figure 5 is the connection diagram of the unified cord connected to both the rigid endoscope and the camera adapter. It is a partially cutaway sectional view showing the section.

In these figures, the camera adapter device is
A camera adapter 24 has a recess 22 on the distal end side into which the rear end of the rigid endoscope 21 is inserted and fixed, and a signal line connection part 23 is provided on the outer periphery of the distal end where the recess 22 is formed. When the mirror 21 is attached to the camera adapter 24, the light guide base portion 26 protrudes from the side of the eyepiece portion 25 of the rigid endoscope 21.
A signal line connection member 2 having a tip end connected to the signal line and a convex portion on the side of the connected tip end.
The signal line built-in light guide 27 is integrated into a single signal line built-in light guide 27 provided with 7A, and the other end of this signal line built-in light guide 27 is connected to a light source unit 28.

Similar to the conventional example described above, the camera adapter 24 includes a focus adjustment lens 31, a lens for transmitting most of the observation light and supplying it to the camera 32 or television camera mounted on the rear end side, and a small amount of photometry. A beam splitter 34 that splits the light and supplies the light to a light receiving element 33 provided on the side is housed therein. On the outer periphery of the camera adapter 24, there is a focus ring 35 for moving the focus adjustment lens 31 back and forth in the axial direction, and a fixation release lever 3 for fixing and releasing the camera adapter 24 from the rigid endoscope 21.
6, and an X and an FP contact cord 37 are provided on the outer periphery of the rear end.

The camera adapter 24 in this embodiment includes:
The signal cord 38 connected to the output end of the light receiving element 33 is connected to the opening recess 22 of the camera adapter 24.
The contacts 4 of the connecting portion 23 are formed by fixing the contacts 40, 40 in the notch recess 39 on the outer periphery of the front end.
0, 40, and when this camera adapter 24 is attached to the rigid endoscope 21, the connection part 23
is located on the side of the light guide base portion 26.

In this case, in the light guide 27 with a built-in signal line in this embodiment, when the connecting member 27A at the tip is connected to the light guide base part 26, the convex part 41 protruding from the side of the connecting member 27A is connected to the notch. It fits into the recess 39 (for example, by sliding the notch recess 39 from below and into a predetermined position as shown in FIG. Contact point 4 fixedly formed
2 and 42 are configured to be in contact with the contacts 40 and 40 to enable electrical connection.

Contacts 40, 4 provided in the notch recess 39
0 is formed by gluing and fixing elongated plate-shaped conductor pieces in parallel to the notch recess 39, as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. Parallel conductor pieces are also fixed to a protrusion 41 provided on the side of the connection member 27A of the light guide 27 with a built-in signal line to form contacts 42, 42.

The connecting member 27A at the tip of the signal line built-in light guide 27 has a concave portion loosely fitted into a stepped convex portion provided on the outer periphery near the tip of the signal line built-in light guide 27, and a fixing screw hole on the tip side. A connecting ring 43 is provided, and this connecting ring 43 is screwed with a threaded portion formed at the end of the light guide cap portion 26, and when screwed and fixed, both of the contacts 40, 4 are screwed together.
0, 42, and 42 are configured so that they are in contact with each other and conductive. Note that reference numeral 44 denotes a fixing claw that fixes the rigid endoscope 21 by coming into contact with the outer periphery near the end of the eyepiece 24 by operating a fixing release lever 36 provided on the outer periphery of the camera adapter 24. It can be fixed or moved apart to release the fixation.

On the other hand, at the other end of the light guide 27 with a built-in signal line, the built-in signal line is separated near the end and inserted into the light guide connector and signal line connector provided in the light source unit 28, respectively. configured to be connected. This light source unit 28 includes an exposure calculation circuit 45 connected to the signal line connector section, as in the conventional example described above.
, a flash lamp control circuit 46 connected to the output end of this exposure amount calculation circuit 45 , a flash lamp 47 for photography whose light is turned off or whose light amount is set by the output signal of this flash lamp control circuit 46 , and an observation flash lamp 47 . An illumination lamp 48 is installed inside.

In the embodiment configured as described above, the recess 22 of the camera adapter 24 in this embodiment is fitted onto the eyepiece 24 of the rigid endoscope 21, and the rigid endoscope is opened by operating the fixing release lever 36. The mirror 21 is fixed with a fixing claw 44. A camera 32 or the like is attached to the camera adapter 24 from the rear end side. After that, connect the connecting member 27 of the light guide 27 with a built-in signal line to the light guide cap part 2 from below, for example.
6 and rotate the connecting ring 43 to screw and fix the connecting member 27A, the contacts 42, 42 and the camera adapter 24 that protrude from the side of the connecting member 27A
The notch recess 39 is slid upward from below, and comes into contact with the contacts 40, 40 fixed to the notch recess 39 at a predetermined position.

The other end of the signal line built-in light guide 27 is
When connected to the signal line connector and light guide connector of the light source unit 28, the camera 32
You will be able to take pictures at etc.

In this case, since the only cord extending outside from the camera adapter 24 is the light guide 27 with a built-in signal line, the operator can easily attach the signal line and light guide, and it is easier to take pictures than with conventional devices. Operations etc. can be performed easily. Further, when cleaning, since there is only one cord, the cleaning work can be easily performed.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment in which the camera adapter 24 of the first embodiment is applied to a television camera adapter 52 that houses a television camera 51 therein.

That is, in this embodiment, a television camera 51 is disposed and housed behind the beam splitter 34 in the camera adapter 24 in the first embodiment to constitute a television camera adapter 52, and the television signal radar 53 of this television camera adapter 52 is is connected to the light source unit 2 via the signal line built-in light guide 27.
8.

That is, the television signal cord 53 is connected to a contact fixed in parallel to the notch recess formed at the front end of the television camera adapter 52, as in the case of the signal cord 38, and on the other hand, the signal line built-in light in this embodiment The guide 54 is a light guide for transmitting illumination light, and has a built-in signal line connected to the signal cord 38 of the light receiving element 33 and a television signal cord 53 of the television camera 51. As in the case of the first embodiment described above, this light guide 54 with a built-in signal line has a connecting ring 55 attached to the connecting member 54A at the tip, and a convex portion on the side thereof that abuts the side wall of the notch recess. Signal code 38 in section 56
A contact point is provided that makes contact with the contact point at each end of the television signal cord 53 to conduct electricity. The other end of this light guide with a built-in signal line 54 is inserted into and connected to the light guide connector part and the signal line connector part of the light source unit 28 as described above, and also receives a TV camera signal branched near the end part. The line is connected to a television receiver 57 for monitoring. A video tape recorder 58 can be connected to the television receiver 57, and the television receiver 57 is configured to reproduce information recorded by the video tape recorder 58.

In this second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, only one cord is extended from the television camera adapter 52 to the light guide 54 with a built-in signal line, so the operator is more comfortable than the conventional device. It is easy to operate, and cleaning work is also easy.

As described above, according to the present invention, the signal cord and the light guide are integrated to improve operator operability and facilitate cleaning, and the signal line is built into the rigid endoscope body. As a result, the structure within the endoscope body is not complicated and manufacturing difficulties are not increased, and the rigid endoscope is prevented from rotating with respect to the camera adapter, so that it can be used for side-viewing and oblique-viewing. When using a mold, the observation direction of the rigid endoscope relative to the camera orientation is uniquely determined, making it possible to accurately determine which direction the field of view is facing relative to the insertion direction of the rigid endoscope, even while looking through the camera viewfinder. It has the effect of being able to be recognized.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 and 2 show conventional examples, and Figure 1 shows
An explanatory diagram showing the connection relationship between a rigid endoscope, a camera adapter, a camera, and a light source unit, FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 to 5 are diagrams showing a first embodiment of the present invention. An example is shown in FIG. 3, which is an explanatory diagram showing the connection relationship between a rigid endoscope, a camera adapter, a camera, and a light source unit, and FIG. 4 is an illustration of the rigid endoscope and the camera adapter device of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway sectional view showing the main connection parts between the rigid endoscope and camera adapter and the light guide with a built-in signal line, and FIG. 6 is an explanation showing the second embodiment. It is a diagram. 21... Rigid endoscope, 22... Concavity, 23...
Connection part, 24... Camera adapter, 25... Eyepiece part, 26... Light guide cap part, 27, 54...
...Light guide with built-in signal line, 28...Light source unit, 31...Lens, 32...Camera, 33...
Light receiving element, 34... Beam splitter, 38...
Signal code, 39... Notch recess, 40, 42...
... Contact, 41, 56 ... Convex portion, 43, 55 ... Connection ring, 45 ... Exposure amount calculation circuit, 46 ... Flash lamp control circuit, 51 ... TV camera, 52 ... TV camera adapter, 53 ...TV signal code, 57...TV receiver,
58...Video tape recorder.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A camera adapter for detachably attaching a camera or a television camera to a rigid endoscope through which illumination light for observation and photographing is transmitted via a light guide, comprising: a rigid endoscope on the distal end side; A camera adapter has a recess into which the rear end is inserted and fixed, and a signal line connection is provided at the distal end formed with the recess, and the distal end is connected to the light guide base of the rigid endoscope. The rear end portion is connected to the light source device and is detachable from the rigid endoscope and the light source device, and
A signal line connection part that has a built-in signal line and is detachably connected to the signal line connection part of the camera adapter when the rigid endoscope is attached to the camera adapter and connected to the rigid endoscope. What is claimed is: 1. A camera adapter device for a rigid endoscope, comprising: an independent light guide having an independent light guide;