JPH028247Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Purpose of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an ultra-thin endoscope that is used when inserted into a small-diameter hole or the like for observation.

(Prior Art) When observing through a small-diameter hole using an endoscope, the insertion portion of the endoscope used is formed to be extremely thin. A conventional ultra-fine endoscope is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the endoscope main body 100
The insertion portion 101 is integrally attached to the. An optical fiber bundle 102 is placed inside the insertion section 101, and a rod lens 1 is placed inside the optical fiber bundle 102.
03 is placed. Note that the term "rod lens" refers to a rod-shaped transparent body having a lens function.

The optical fiber bundle 102 passes inside the endoscope body 100 and is further connected to a light source device (not shown) through a light guide cable 105 connected to the endoscope body 100. Therefore, light from the light source device passes through the optical fiber bundle 102 and is irradiated from the tip of the insertion section 101.

The rod lens 103 is connected to a lens barrel 104 inside the endoscope body 100. Lens tube 1
The lens 106 in the lens 104 and the eyepiece in the eyepiece 107 constitute an image transmission optical system, and the image from the rod lens 103 can be observed from the eyepiece 107.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) When inserting the insertion section 101 of the ultra-thin endoscope into a small diameter hole, etc., the insertion section 101 is shaped like an ultra-thin tube, so it bends easily, and when it bends, the rod lens 103 inside
Sometimes it broke. If the rod lens 103 breaks, image transmission becomes impossible, so it is necessary to replace the rod lens 103, but in the conventional configuration described above, replacement is complicated and expensive. That is, since the endoscope main body 100 and the insertion section 101 are integrated, in order to replace the rod lens 103,
The entire endoscope had to be disassembled. In addition, the optical fiber bundle 102 that transmits the illumination light passes through the insertion section 101 and reaches its tip, so it is necessary to remove the optical fiber bundle 102 before replacing the rod lens 103, and in the end, the entire endoscope is damaged. It was also necessary to disassemble and replace the optical fiber bundle 102.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ultra-fine endoscope whose rod lenses can be easily replaced at low cost.

Structure of the invention (Means for solving the problem) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has an endoscope insertion section that includes an extremely thin insertion tube that can be detachably attached to the endoscope body, and an insertion tube inside the insertion tube. A cylindrical illumination light transmission member provided in the endoscope body and facing the end face of the optical fiber bundle for supplying illumination light inside the endoscope body; and an image transmission member that is detachably connected.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 1 and 2 show the distal end portion of the endoscope body 10 and the insertion portion 20. FIG. Note that the configuration of the rear part of the endoscope main body 10 (not shown) is the same as that of the conventional endoscope main body 100 shown in FIG. It is being

Inside the cylindrical endoscope body 10, there is a lens barrel 11 connected to the eyepiece at the rear end of the endoscope body 10.
is installed. The distal end of the lens barrel 11 is located further back than the distal end of the endoscope body 10. A small-diameter insertion hole 11a is formed at the tip of the lens barrel 11, and an O-ring 12 is provided on the inner circumference of the insertion hole 11a. A lens 13 is arranged in the lens barrel 11. The lens 13 constitutes an image transmission optical system together with the eyepiece of the eyepiece section. An optical fiber bundle 14 for transmitting illumination light from a light source device is arranged between the inner circumferential wall of the endoscope body 10 and the outer circumferential wall of the lens barrel 11. The optical fiber bundle 14 extends further than the tip of the lens barrel 11 and reaches near the tip of the endoscope body 10.
The tip of the optical fiber bundle 14 is bundled into a cylindrical shape. A female threaded portion 15 is formed at the distal end portion of the endoscope body 10 .

An insertion section 20 is detachably attached to the endoscope main body 10. The insertion section 20 has an extremely thin insertion tube 21. A male threaded portion 22 is formed at the rear end of this insertion tube 21, and this male threaded portion 22
is adapted to be screwed into the female threaded portion 15 of the endoscope main body 10. Furthermore, a transparent pipe 23 (illumination light transmission member) made of glass or the like is disposed within the insertion tube 21. The transparent pipe 23 is arranged along the entire length of the insertion tube 21. A thin metal pipe 24 is inserted into the transparent pipe 23. The axial length of the metal pipe 24 is longer than the axial length of the transparent pipe 23 and protrudes from the rear end surface of the insertion tube 21. A cover glass 25, a short rod lens 26 serving as an objective lens, and a long rod lens 27 (image transmission member) are inserted into the metal pipe 24 in order from the tip. The rear end surface 27a of the rod lens 27 substantially coincides with the rear end of the metal pipe 24.

In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, when the endoscope main body 10 and the insertion section 20 are connected by screwing the female threaded section 15 and the male threaded section 22, the rear end surface of the transparent pipe 23 The metal pipe 24 and the rod lens 27 are inserted into the insertion hole 11a of the lens barrel 11, with the metal pipe 24 and the rod lens 27 facing each other so as to be close to or in contact with the distal end surface 14a of the optical fiber bundle 14. Therefore, the illumination hole passing through the optical fiber bundle 14 is irradiated to the outside from the transparent pipe 23, and the image of the specimen illuminated by this light is transmitted from the cover glass 25 to the rod lenses 26, 27 and the lens 13 in the lens barrel 11. transmitted through the camera and observed at the eyepiece.

During the above lighting and image transmission, the metal pipe 24
is interposed between the rod lens 27 and the transparent pipe 23, so that the illumination light passing through the optical fiber bundle 14 and the transparent pipe 23 can be prevented from entering the rod lens 27 side. Moreover, since the rear end surface 27a of the rod lens 27 and the opposing surfaces 14a, 23a of the optical fiber bundle 14 and the transparent pipe 23 are deviated in the axial direction, the rod lens 27 can be inserted more reliably.
It is possible to prevent illumination light from entering. As a result, a clear image can be obtained.

If the rod lens 27 breaks during use of the endoscope, the insertion section 20 is removed from the endoscope body 10, as shown in FIG. Then, the rod lens 27 inside the metal pipe 24 is replaced, and the endoscope body 1 is replaced again.
Attach the insertion section 20 to the 0. At this time, if replacing the rod lens 27 is troublesome, the entire insertion portion 20 may be replaced.

Further, even if there is dirt on the rear end surface of the rod lens 27, the dirt can be easily removed by removing the insertion portion 20.

In the embodiments described above, the space between the transparent pipe and the rod lens was shielded by a metal pipe, but the shielding means is not limited to the embodiments, such as forming a metal coating on the outer periphery of the rod lens.

Further, as the illumination light transmission member, an optical fiber bundle whose at least both ends are bundled into a cylindrical shape may be used instead of the illustrated transparent pipe.

Furthermore, instead of the illustrated rod lens, a conduit fiber may be used as the image transmission member. A conduit fiber is a bundle of glass fibers that is heated, softened, and stretched to form a thin material.

Effects of the Invention As explained above, the present invention configures the insertion section of an endoscope to be detachable, and retains the optical fiber bundle for transmitting illumination light within the endoscope body.
Illumination light is transmitted within the insertion section using a transparent pipe. Therefore, if the rod lens inside the insertion tube breaks, you can remove only the insertion tube and replace the rod lens, or you can replace the entire insertion tube without having to disassemble the entire endoscope as in the past. Replacement work can be performed easily and at low cost. Furthermore, even if there is dirt on the rear end surface of the image transmission member, the dirt can be easily removed by removing the insertion section.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 2 are cross-sectional views of an ultra-fine endoscope that is an embodiment of the present invention. Each is shown removed from the mirror body. FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing a conventional ultra-fine endoscope. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Endoscope main body, 13... Lens (image transmission optical system), 14... Optical fiber bundle for illumination light transmission, 20... Insertion section, 21... Insertion tube, 23...
...Illumination light transmission member (transparent pipe), 27... Image transmission member (rod lens).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] An ultra-slim endoscope consisting of an endoscope body and an ultra-slim insertion section that is inserted into a specimen, in which the insertion section has the following configurations (a) to (c). Features an ultra-fine endoscope. (b) An ultra-thin insertion tube that can be detachably attached to the endoscope body. (b) A cylindrical illumination light transmission member provided within the insertion tube and facing the end surface of the optical fiber bundle for supplying illumination light within the endoscope body. (c) An image transmission member provided within the illumination light transmission member and detachably connected to the image transmission optical system within the endoscope body.