JPH0480366B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope camera that is connected to an eyepiece of an endoscope and photographs the field of view observed by the endoscope.

Conventionally, a bayonet method has been adopted as a means for connecting an endoscope camera to an eyepiece of an endoscope. Contact points such as a power supply line and a synchro line are provided at the connecting portions of the two, and these contacts are designed to be electrically connected only when the connection of the endoscope camera is completed. In other words, the contacts do not align and connect with each other only after the connecting cylinder part of the endoscope camera is fitted into the eyepiece part of the endoscope and rotated until it stops. However, since the bayonet part rotates slowly when connected, it may not rotate all the way to the end. If a photograph is taken in this unfinished state, even if the shutter of the endoscope camera is turned off, the strobe of the light source device will not emit light in sync, resulting in the photograph being underlit and useless.

On the other hand, the endoscope camera is not provided with a locking mechanism because it is repeatedly attached and detached during the examination. Therefore, if you are concentrating on an endoscopy, you may accidentally rotate the endoscope camera slightly. If the user continues to take a photograph without knowing that the contact has come off, the photograph will fail in the same way as described above.

The present invention has been made focusing on the above circumstances,
The purpose of this is to detect that the endoscope camera is securely connected to the endoscope, so that normal photography can always be carried out without unnecessary photography. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a camera for endoscopes with a high level of performance.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 is an operating section of an endoscope 2, and this operating section 1 is provided with an eyepiece section 3. Eyepiece 3
An endoscope camera 4 is detachably connected to the endoscope via a connection mechanism which will be described later. The endoscope camera 4 has a lens barrel portion 5 as shown in FIG.
A mount portion 7 having a fitting hole 6 into which the eyepiece portion 3 is fitted is formed on the protruding tip end surface of the lens barrel portion 5 . An annularly projecting locking collar 8 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fitting hole 6, and bayonet claws 9 formed on the peripheral surface of the eyepiece portion 3 are inserted into the locking collar 8. Bayonet grooves 11... are formed. Therefore, the connection mechanism configured as a bayonet method is such that the eyepiece 3 is fitted into the fitting hole 6 while aligning and inserting the bayonet claws 9 into the bayonet grooves 11, and then rotated from the fitting end to engage. A bayonet pawl 9 is adapted to be locked on the locking collar 8. Further, a regulating guide groove (not shown) is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fitting hole 6, and this is used for adjusting the diopter of the eyepiece 3 when the endoscope camera 4 is attached. ring 1
2 by inserting and engaging the protruding pin 13 into the eyepiece part 3.
The eyepiece lens (not shown) is returned to a photographable position, and the stopper means is configured to determine the relative rotational position of the eyepiece section 3 and the mount section 7. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the inner end surface of the fitting hole 6 is provided with a plurality of electrical contacts 14 used for various purposes such as power supply lines and synchro lines. At the connection fixing position, each electrical contact 15 provided correspondingly to the eyepiece 3 side is contacted and electrically conductive.

Further, a release button 16 is provided on the top surface of the main body of the endoscope camera 4, and an auxiliary release button 17 is provided on the top surface of the lens barrel portion 5. Furthermore, a display section 18 is provided on the upper surface of the lens barrel section 5, located on the mount section 7 side in line with the auxiliary release button 17. That is, the display section 18 consists of a display window made of a translucent material formed on the outer wall of the lens barrel section 5, and a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode ( LED)
19 is installed with its light emitting part facing the display window. Note that the light emitting diode 19 is attached to an electric circuit board (not shown) inside the camera 4.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows an electrical system including the endoscope 2, the endoscope camera 4, and an endoscope light source device 21. As shown in FIG. That is, the endoscope light source device 2
1 is provided with a power supply 22 and an exposure time control circuit 23. Inside the endoscope 2, energizing lines 24 for various purposes are inserted and arranged from the light source device connection end to the eyepiece section 3. One end of each energizing line 24 is connected to a respective contact 25 provided at the connection end of the light source device, and the other end is connected to each of the electrical contacts 15. Furthermore, when the light source device connection end of the endoscope 2 is connected to the endoscope light source device 21, the contacts 25 are connected to the contacts 26 on the light source device 21 side to control the power supply 22 and exposure time. It is designed to be electrically connected to the circuit 23. Further, the endoscope camera 4 is provided with a power supply circuit 27 and a control circuit 28 connected to the electrical contacts 14, and the control circuit 28 incorporates a photometry circuit and a synchronization signal generation circuit. . Note that the control circuit 28 is driven by the power supply circuit 27. On the other hand, the light emitting diode 19 and the resistor 20 are connected between the two poles of the power line 29 on the endoscope camera 4 side. In other words, when there is an input to the power supply line 29, the light emitting diode 19 lights up.

Next, the operation of the endoscope camera 4 will be explained. First, this endoscope camera 4 is attached to the endoscope 2.
It is attached to the eyepiece part 3 of the camera. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the mount section 7 of the lens barrel section 5 is directed toward the eyepiece section 3, the bayonet claws 9 are aligned with the bayonet grooves 11, and the bayonet claws 9 are pushed into the bayonet grooves 11. . After pushing it all the way to the end, it is rotated to engage the bayonet pawls 9 with the locking collars 8. At this time, when the connector is rotated to the normal connection fixing position, the stopper means is activated to stop the connector at that position. Then, at this position, the electrical contacts 14... and the contacts 15... are aligned and connected for the first time. Therefore, as a result of the voltage of the power supply 22 being applied to the power supply line 29, the light emitting diode 19 connected to the power supply line 29 lights up, and displays through the display section 18 located near the mount section 7. Therefore, the operator can know that the connection is normal and that the photometry circuit and synchro signal generation circuit of the control circuit 28 are in operation and that imaging can be performed.

Further, if the electrical contacts 14..., output contacts 15... are disconnected by turning in the direction where the connection is incomplete or the engagement is released from the connected state, the input to the power supply line 29 is lost, so the light emitting diode 19 goes out, and the display on the display section 18 goes out. In other words, the engagement is disengaged and the photometric circuit and synchro signal generating circuit of the control circuit 28 become inoperative, but this can be easily recognized.

In addition, in a camera in which the camera and the adapter (lens) part can be separated, the light emitting diode 19 may be attached to either the camera or the adapter (lens) part.

As explained above, the present invention provides an endoscope camera that is used by being connected to the eyepiece of an endoscope, and is provided with a detection means for detecting whether or not it is in a normal connection state, and receives a signal from the detection means. A display means is provided for displaying whether or not there is a normal connection state. Therefore, it can be easily known that the endoscope camera is securely connected to the endoscope. In particular, in cases where the endoscope camera and endoscope are electrically connected through that connection, it is easy to know the state, so it is wasteful not to know that the EE control is not working. There is no inconvenience in taking pictures. Considering that it is very difficult to retake photographs in this type of endoscopy, the present invention is highly desirable because it does not cause such failures. In addition, this type of endoscope camera is usually not equipped with a locking mechanism because it is repeatedly attached and detached during an examination, so it is possible for it to be accidentally disconnected during an examination, but this can easily be done. You can rest assured that you can use it while checking.

Also, when connecting an endoscope camera, you can check when the connection is normal.
There is no need to damage the connection mechanism by applying unnecessarily large force. Furthermore, in the camera of the present invention, current is supplied to the output contact of the eyepiece of the endoscope via the electrical contact that comes into contact when the endoscope is worn, so the camera does not need to have a detection power source. Therefore, the weight of this camera can be reduced, the burden on the operator who holds the endoscope and camera in his hands is light, and the operability can be improved. Furthermore, even though the camera does not have a power source, it is possible to detect and display the mounting status on the camera side.

In addition, in the case of the present invention, compared to the conventional one, only a light emitting diode and a resistor need be added, and therefore it is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 1 is a side view of the state connected to an endoscope, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the connection being made, and Fig. 3 is an electrical system diagram. be. 2... Endoscope, 3... Eyepiece, 4... Endoscope camera, 9... Bayonet claw, 11... Bayonet groove, 14... Electrical contact, 15... Output contact, 1
8...Display section, 19...Light emitting diode, 27...
...power supply circuit, 28...control circuit, 29...power supply line.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an endoscope camera that is connected to a light source device with a built-in power source and that is detachably connected to an endoscope that has at least two contacts of a power line from the power source at the eyepiece. , a connection part having a connection mechanism that is detachably connected to the eyepiece part of the endoscope; and a connection part provided on the connection surface of the connection part to the eyepiece part of the endoscope, and the connection mechanism is in a normal connected state. and two electrical contacts that are connected to the two contacts of the endoscope when connected to the eyepiece, and a circuit in the camera that is connected to these two electrical contacts and uses current from these electrical contacts to drive a circuit in the camera. An endoscope camera comprising: a power supply circuit; and a mounting state display means connected in parallel with the power supply circuit between the two electrical contacts and driven by a current from the electrical contacts.