JPH04307025A - Measuring apparatus for light intensity distribution of light source - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable measurement of light intensity distribution on an incident surface of an image transmitting member in order to judge whether a light source device causes an LG yellowing in a light guide incident surface of an endoscope or the like or not. CONSTITUTION:Light from a light source lamp 2 on an incident surface 5 at one end is transmitted to an image guide 4 capable of transmitting an image and to an image sensing element 6 at the other end as image. An image sensing signal from the image sensing element 6 is processed with a signal processor to show a light intensity distribution on a display device 10.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a light intensity distribution measuring device for a light source that measures the intensity distribution of a light source that supplies light to an endoscope or the like.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a conventional example of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 6 to 8 relate to the conventional example, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a device for measuring light intensity distribution of a light source. , FIG. 7 is a light intensity distribution diagram showing the light intensity distribution on the input surface of a single fiber, and FIG. 8 is a light intensity distribution diagram showing the light intensity distribution on the output surface of the single fiber.

As shown in FIG. 6, a conventional light source light intensity measurement device 20 uses a light source lamp 22 in a light source device 21.
The light is received by the entrance surface 25 of the large-diameter single fiber 24, transmitted through the single fiber 24, and the light emitted from the output surface 26 of the single fiber 24 is received via the neutral density filter 27 and the diffuser plate 28. The signal irradiated onto the element 23 and photoelectrically converted by the light receiving element 23 is sent to the display device 3 via the cable 29.
0 and the total amount of light incident on the single fiber 24 can be measured. Note that an apparatus for measuring the light intensity of a light source using a light guide bundle (not shown) in place of the single fiber 24 has also been proposed.

The light from the light source lamp 22 has a certain intensity distribution on the center line of the entrance surface 25 of the large-diameter single fiber 24, for example, the intensity is high at the center of the entrance surface 25 as shown in FIG. The distribution is low at the periphery, or the distribution is uniform between the center and the periphery as shown in FIG. 7(b). This light is transmitted through a large-diameter single fiber 24, and the intensity distribution at the output surface 26 of the single fiber 24 corresponding to FIG. 7(a) becomes FIG. 8(a), and the intensity distribution corresponding to FIG. 7(b). is shown in FIG. 8(b). In this way, on the output surface 26, an averaged intensity distribution is created by transmitting through the single fiber 24, and the light receiving element 23 is irradiated with this averaged light, and the total amount of irradiated light is displayed on the display device. Is displayed. Note that a device for measuring the light intensity of a light source using a light guide bundle (not shown) works in the same way.

In this way, it is possible to determine whether or not the light source device causes thermal damage (hereinafter referred to as LG burn) on the light guide entrance surface of an endoscope, etc., based on the measured light intensity of the light source lamp. making decisions.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, although the above-mentioned light intensity measuring device can measure the intensity as a total amount of incident light, even if the total amount of light is equal, if the light intensity distribution is different, LG burnout may occur. Since the possibility of occurrence of LG burn also differs, it is not possible to accurately determine whether or not the light source device causes LG burn.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is intended to determine whether or not a light source device causes LG burn on the light guide entrance surface of an endoscope or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for measuring the light intensity distribution of a light source that can measure the light intensity distribution on a surface.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems The device for measuring the light intensity distribution of a light source of the present invention includes a light source, an image transmission member that transmits light from the light source, and an image of the light transmitted by the image transmission member. an imaging means for capturing an image formed by the imaging means; a signal processing means for processing an imaging signal from the imaging means; and a signal processing means for processing a signal processed by the signal processing means. and display means for displaying the information.

[0009]

[Operation] The intensity distribution of the light source on the entrance surface at one end of the image transmission member is determined by capturing an optical image on the entrance surface at one end of the image transmission member by the imaging means via the imaging means at the other end. Display on display means.

0010

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a light intensity distribution measuring device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The light intensity distribution measuring device 15 of the first embodiment includes a light source device incorporating a light source lamp 2, an image capturing section 3 for capturing an optical image of the light source lamp 2, and an image capturing section 3 for capturing an optical image of the light source lamp 2. It is comprised of a signal processing device 9 that processes an imaging signal to generate a video signal, and a display device 10 that displays an optical image using the video signal via a cable 8 that transmits the video signal.

The image pickup section 3 is provided with an image guide 4 and an image pickup device 6, such as a CCD, inside, and the light from the light source lamp 2 is focused on the entrance surface 5 at one end of the image guide 4. An imaging lens 7 is provided between the other end of the image guide 4 and the imaging device 6 so that an optical image from the image guide 4 is formed on the imaging device 6. There is. The image capturing unit 3 is configured such that the positional relationship between the entrance surface 5 of the image guide 4 and the light source lamp 2 is similar to the positional relationship between the entrance surface and the light source of a light guide plug of an endoscope (not shown) or the like. It can be connected to the light source device 1 at any time. It is assumed that the numerical aperture NA of the image guide 4 is larger than that of the light source lamp 2.

In the light intensity distribution measuring device 15 configured as described above, light from the light source lamp 2 having a certain intensity distribution is incident on the entrance surface 5 of the image guide 4. This light having a certain intensity distribution is all transmitted to the other end because the NA of the image guide 4 is larger than the NA of the light source lamp. The light transmitted to the other end is imaged on the image sensor 6 by the imaging lens 7. The luminance signal distribution about the center line of the image formed on the image sensor 6 is extracted from the image signal photoelectrically converted by the image sensor 7 and displayed on the display device 10.

[0015] From this display content, the peak value of the light intensity and furthermore, the state of the light intensity distribution can be measured, so for example,
It is determined whether the light source device 1 causes LG burn.

Although the content displayed on the display device 10 is the luminance signal distribution about the center line of the image formed on the image sensor 6, the first embodiment is not limited to this, and for example,
It may be an equal intensity line connecting luminance signals of the same level, or it may be a surface luminance distribution on the surface of the image sensor. That is, any display content that shows the peak value of the light intensity and the state of the intensity distribution may be used.

Further, the image guide 4 may be an image fiber or a relay lens, and furthermore, this image fiber may be a conduit or a bundle, and in order to measure the distribution state more accurately, it is preferable to have a large number of wires. .

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of an image pickup section according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the second embodiment, the image capturing section 3 of the first embodiment is
In this embodiment, an optical filter 11 is provided between the imaging lens 7 and the image sensor 6, and the other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0020] The light intensity distribution measuring device 15 composed of such an image pickup section 3 cuts the entire wavelength region of the light from the light source lamp 2 by a certain percentage using the optical filter 11, The wavelength range of interest, e.g.
Only light in the long wavelength range is allowed to pass through. Other operations are the same as in the first embodiment.

As a result, even when a high-intensity light source lamp 2 is used, measurement can be performed without causing thermal damage to the image sensor 6. Furthermore, since the intensity distribution only in the wavelength region involved in LG burn can be measured, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the light source device 1 causes LG burn. Other effects are the same as in the first embodiment.

3 to 5 relate to the third embodiment, in which FIG. 3 is a light intensity distribution diagram illustrating the relationship between the NA of the image guide and the light intensity distribution, and FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the image capturing section. , FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a modified example of the image capturing section.

As shown in FIG. 3, the NA of the image guide
is larger than the NA of the light source lamp, an accurate intensity distribution can be obtained as shown by the dashed line, but the N of the image guide
If A is smaller than the NA of the light source lamp, the intensity distribution will be depressed near the center due to the characteristics of the light source lamp, as shown by the solid line.

[0024] The NA of the image guide is the NA of the light source lamp.
In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, in order to prevent the center of the intensity distribution from falling even when
In the image capturing section 3 of the first embodiment, the light source lamp 2 (FIG. 1
Image guide 4 with a smaller NA than the NA of
and a diffuser plate 12 provided in close contact with the incident section 5 of the image guide 4. The other configurations are the same as the first embodiment.

In the light intensity distribution measuring device 15 composed of such an image capturing section 3, the light from the light source lamp 2 is diffused by the diffuser plate 12 provided on the incident surface 5 of the image guide 4, and is uniform in all directions. Of this uniform light, the image guide 4 transmits only light having an NA smaller than the NA of the image guide 4 (light having an incident angle that can be transmitted within the image guide 4). The other configurations are the same as the first embodiment.

As a result, even if the NA of the image guide 4 is smaller than the NA of the light source lamp, a light intensity distribution can be obtained in which the center of the intensity distribution does not fall.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the image pickup section 3 of the third embodiment. In the image pickup section 3 shown in FIG. The image capturing section 3 is provided in close contact with the incident surface 5 of the image capturing section 3. The shape of the concave lens 13 is determined so that the light incident on the entrance surface 5 has an incident angle that allows it to be transmitted within the image guide 4.

The light intensity distribution measuring device 15 constituted by such an image capturing section 3 detects the inside of the image guide 4 by passing through the concave lens 13 when the light has an incident angle so large that it cannot be transmitted inside the image guide 4. The light is converted into light having an incident angle that allows transmission of the light, and is incident on the incident surface 5 of the image guide 4. All of this incident light is transmitted by the image guide 4.

According to this modification, compared to the image pickup section 3 shown in FIG. 4 described above, all the information of the light incident on the incident surface 5 can be taken in, so that a more accurate intensity distribution can be obtained.

Note that in the image pickup section 4 of the third embodiment, an optical filter (not shown) may be provided between the imaging lens 7 and the image pickup element 6, and as a result, the effect of the third embodiment is improved. In addition, the effects of the second embodiment can also be obtained.

[0031]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
A device for measuring light intensity distribution of a light source according to the present invention includes: a light source; an image transmission member that transmits light from the light source; an imaging means that forms an image of the light transmitted by the image transmission member; The apparatus includes an imaging means for imaging an image formed by the imaging means, a signal processing means for processing an imaging signal from the imaging means, and a display means for displaying the signal processed by the signal processing means. Therefore, it is possible to accurately measure the light intensity distribution on the light guide entrance surface of an endoscope or the like in order to determine whether the light source device causes LG burn or not.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a light intensity distribution measuring device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of an image capturing section according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a light intensity distribution diagram illustrating the relationship between the NA of the image guide and the light intensity distribution according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of an image capturing section according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a modified example of the image capturing section according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional light intensity distribution measuring device for a light source.

FIG. 7 is a light intensity distribution diagram showing the light intensity distribution on the incident surface of a single fiber according to a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a light intensity distribution diagram showing the light intensity distribution at the exit surface of a single fiber according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Light source device 2...Light source lamp 3...Image capturing unit 4...Image guide 5...Incidence surface 6...Image sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light source, an image transmission member that transmits light from the light source, an imaging means for forming an image of the light transmitted by the image transmission member, and an image formed by the imaging means. Light intensity of a light source characterized by comprising an imaging means for taking an image, a signal processing means for processing an imaging signal from the imaging means, and a display means for displaying a signal processed by the signal processing means. Device for measuring distribution.