JPH0489026A - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce noise and improve the S/N ratio and dynamic range by providing a water feed passage cooling an image pickup means in a water feed system via the image pickup means stored in an external camera. CONSTITUTION:When the air feed/water feed button 29 of an operation section 3 is operated, the air fed by pressure from a pump 16 in a light source device 10 is switched and fed into a water feed tank 26 via an air feed tube 28b to apply air pressure. The water in the water feed tank 26 passes a water feed tube 32 and is returned via the electronic cooling element 23 of a camera head section 17 by the air pressure, it passes the light guide cable 4 of an endoscope 1 and is merged into a tube 30 via a water feed tube 33 from the air feed/water feed button 29, and it is sprayed through the water feed nozzle of a tip structure section 7. The heat generated from the solid image pickup element 22 of a camera head section 17 is absorbed by the heat absorption section 34 of an electronic cooling element 23 and transferred to a radiating plate 36 from a radiation section 35, and the heat exchange is forcefully performed by the water flowing in the water feed tube 32.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus having a cooling function for an imaging means.

[Prior Art] In recent years, by inserting an elongated insertion section into a body cavity, organs within the body cavity can be observed, and when necessary, various therapeutic procedures can be performed using a treatment instrument inserted into a treatment instrument channel. Endoscopes are widely used.

By the way, when displaying the observed area using the endoscope on a TV monitor, an optical endoscope such as a Fiberscope or an optical endoscope has an external camera attached to the eyepiece, and this external camera is built into the camera. A subject image is formed on an imaging means such as a charge-coupled device (CCD), photoelectrically converted, and the photoelectrically converted video signal is sent to a video processor and displayed on a television monitor.

In general, an image sensor as an imaging means, during photoelectric conversion,
The peripheral circuit that drives the element or the element itself generates heat,
Dark current tends to increase and noise tends to increase, and this heat generation of the image sensor not only causes deterioration of image quality but also causes deterioration of the photoelectric conversion surface of the image sensor.

For this reason, a technique for cooling the image sensor has been proposed in the past. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-201472, by applying a voltage, one part becomes a heat absorbing part and the other part becomes a heat radiating part. The heat absorbing part of the electronic cooling element is used as the image sensor,
Further, a technique is disclosed in which a heat dissipation section is brought into contact with a camera housing to promote heat dissipation from the image sensor.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in an environment where the camera housing itself is not cooled and heat is not easily radiated, an increase in temperature inside the camera housing is unavoidable, and the heat is radiated from the heat radiating part of the electronic cooling element. On the contrary, the heat that should be generated may return to the heat absorbing portion, resulting in insufficient cooling of the image sensor.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and the external device efficiently cools the imaging means built into the camera, reduces noise, improves the S/N ratio, and improves the dynamic range. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an endoscope device that can be used for various purposes.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] The endoscope apparatus of the present invention is provided with a water supply system for supplying water to the tip of the endoscope, and an external camera can be attached and detached, and the water supply system has the above-mentioned water supply system. The external device is provided with a water supply passage for cooling the imaging means built into the camera via the imaging means, so that the imaging means can be cooled.

[Example 1 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 relate to one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing a water supply system of an endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vicinity of an image sensor.

In FIG. 1, an endoscope 1 is a fiberscope having an eyepiece 6 for macroscopic observation, and is connected to an elongated and visible insertion section 2 and a rear end of this insertion section 2. An operation switch for bending the tip side of the insertion section 2 (
(not shown), etc., and a light guide cable 4 extending from the side of this operation section 3.
A connector 5 is provided at the end of the light guide cable 4, and the eyepiece section 6 is provided at the rear end of the operation section 3.
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On the distal end side of the insertion section 2, a rigid distal end component 7 is provided, and this distal end component 7 is provided with an illumination window and an observation window. A light distribution lens 8 is mounted inside the illumination window, and the output end of a light guide 9 made of a fiber bundle is connected to the rear end of the light distribution lens 8. This lie guide 9 is connected to the insertion portion 2. It is pushed through the operating section 3 and the light guide gauge 4, and its input end is connected to the light source device 10.

Furthermore, an objective lens system 11 is provided inside the observation window, and the front end surface of an image guide 12 made of a fiber bundle is arranged at the imaging position of this objective lens system 11. The image guide 12 is inserted through the insertion section 2, and its rear end face faces an eyepiece lens system 13 provided within the eyepiece section 6.

Further, the light source device 10 to which the connector 5 is connected includes:
A lamp 15 that supplies illumination light to the light guide 9 via a condensing lens 14 and a pump 16 that pumps out water and air from the tip of the insertion section 2 of the endoscope 1 are provided.

Further, a removable camera head section 17 is externally attached to the eyepiece section 6 of the endoscope 1, and a connection cable 18 extending from the camera head section 17 is connected to the video processor 20 via one connector. A television monitor 21 is connected to the video processor 20.

The camera head section 17 has a built-in solid-state imaging device 22 such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) as an imaging means,
It is disposed at the imaging position of the imaging lens 24 facing the eyepiece system 13 of the endoscope 1 . Furthermore, an electronic cooling element 23 such as a Peltier element is attached to the back surface of the solid-state image sensor 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, a power line 22a and a signal line 22b are connected to the solid-state image sensor 22, and
The electronic cooling element 23 includes a heat absorption part 34 and a heat absorption part 3.
A power line 23 is connected to the heat dissipation section 35 opposite to the power supply line 23.
These power lines 22a, 23a, and signal line 22b are inserted through the connection cable 18 and connected to the video processor 20.

The electronic cooling element 23 is configured to absorb heat generated by the solid-state image sensor 22 by applying a voltage to the heat absorbing section 34 and radiate the heat from the heat radiating section 35 .

On the other hand, a connecting tube 25 extends from the side of the connector 5 connected to the light source device ff1lo, and this connecting tube 25 is connected to a water tank 26. Further, a connecting tube 27 is branched and extended from the connecting tube 25 and is connected to one of the connectors.

In addition, an air supply tube 2 is connected to the pump 16 of the light source device 10.
8 are connected, and this air feeding tube 28 branches, one air feeding tube 28a is inserted through the connecting tube 25 and released into the upper space of the water feeding tank 26, and the other air feeding tube 28b is inserted into the upper space of the water feeding tank 26. is inserted through the light guide cable 4 of the endoscope, and connected to two air/water supply buttons provided on the operation section 3. Further, a duplex 3o extends from the air/water supply button 29, is inserted through the insertion portion 2, and is connected to a water supply nozzle 31 provided at the tip of the tip structure portion 7.

Further, a water tube 32 that sends water from the water tank 26 is inserted through the connection cable 18 from inside the connection tube 27 and reaches the camera head section 17 . A passage is formed that returns to the connecting tube 25 via the electronic cooling element 23.

Furthermore, the water supply tube 32 is connected to the connection tube 2.
5 is inserted into the light guide cable 4 and connected to the air/water feeding button 29, and a water feeding tube 33 extending from the two air/water feeding buttons is connected to the tube 30 and connected to the air/water feeding button 29. By operating the two air/water supply buttons, air is supplied from the air supply tube 28a to the water supply nozzle 311\, or water is supplied from the water supply tube 32 to the water supply nozzle 31. I'm here.

In the electronic cooling element 23, as shown in FIG. 2, the heat dissipation section 35 is attached to a heat dissipation plate 36 made of a material with excellent thermal conductivity such as aluminum.
Similarly, the metal tube portion of the water supply tube 32 made of a material with excellent thermal conductivity is fixed with a thermally conductive adhesive 37 mixed with metal powder.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

When observing the inside of a body cavity using the endoscope 1, light emitted from the lamp 15 in the light source device 10 passes through the light guide 9 and is emitted from the illumination window of the distal end component 7 of the endoscope 1,
Irradiates the subject at the observation site. The object image formed by the objective lens system 11 of the tip structure section 7 is transmitted to the eyepiece section 6 by the image guide 12, and is transmitted to the camera head section 1.
The image is formed on the solid-state image sensor 22 through the imaging lens 24 of No. 7, and photoelectrically converted.

The signal photoelectrically converted by the solid-state image sensor 22 is input to the video processor 20 and subjected to video signal processing. A video signal output from the video processor 20 is input to a television monitor 21, and a subject image is displayed on the television monitor 21.

Here, in order to maintain the distance between the body wall and the objective lens system 11 by supplying air from the water nozzle 31 of the distal end component 7, and to clean the dirt adhering to the front surface of the observation window of the objective lens system 11, When the air supply/water supply button 29 of the operation unit 3 is operated, the air to be pumped from the pump 16 in the light source device 10 via the air supply tubes 28, 28a is switched,
It is sent into the water supply tank 26 via the air supply tube 28b,
Air pressure is applied to the water surface of this water tank 26.

Due to this air pressure, the water in the water supply tank 26 returns through the water supply tube 32 via the electronic cooling element 23 of the camera head section 17, and then passes through the light guide cable 4 of the endoscope 1 and returns to the water supply tube 32. Air and water flow from the two air/water buttons, pass through the water tube 33, join the tube 30, and are ejected from the water nozzle of the tip component 7.

At this time, the solid-state image sensor 22 of the camera head section 17
The heat generated is absorbed by the heat absorbing part 34 of the electronic cooling element 23 and transmitted to the heat radiating plate 36 through the heat radiating part 35, where the heat is forcibly exchanged with the water flowing inside the water supply tube 32.

That is, the heat generated from the solid-state image sensor 22 built into the camera head section 17 is transferred to the water supply nozzle 3 at the tip of the endoscope 1.
Since the solid-state imaging device 22 is forcibly removed by the water released from the solid-state imaging device 22, cooling of the solid-state imaging device 22 is promoted, temperature rise is suppressed, noise can be reduced, and the S/N ratio can be improved.

Therefore, a clear image can be displayed on the television monitor 21, and the performance of photoelectric conversion in the solid-state image sensor 22 is stabilized, and the dynamic range can be improved.

In addition, the water supply system for cooling the solid-state image sensor 22 is not separate from the water supply system for the water supply nozzle 31, but is the same water supply system, which improves space efficiency and prevents the device from becoming larger. In addition to ensuring the compatibility of the endoscope 1 with conventional products, [
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Furthermore, since the water heated through the heat sink 36 is discharged from the water supply nozzle 31, I? The lens does not fog up when cleaning the Ai lens.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the water supply system that supplies water to the tip of the endoscope includes an external water supply passageway that passes through the imaging means built into the camera and cools the imaging means. Since this is provided, it is possible to improve the cooling efficiency of the imaging means, reduce noise due to heat, and improve the dynamic range.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing a water supply system of an endoscope apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vicinity of an image pickup device. 1 ・Endoscope 16 Pump 17... To camera ・ Sod part 22
Solid-state image sensor 2G Water tank 31 Water nozzle 32.33 Water tube

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An endoscope apparatus including a water supply system for supplying water to the tip of an endoscope and to which an external camera can be attached and detached, wherein the water supply system is provided with an image capturing means built in the external camera, An endoscope device characterized by being provided with a water supply passage for cooling an imaging means.