JPH0659199A - Stereoscopic viewing endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent rotation in an obtained image in the up-and-down direction even when an endoscope is rotated. CONSTITUTION:By a pupil division prism 8, a subject image transferred by a relay lens system 7 is divided into a left subject image and a right subject image incident on the left side and the right side of the pupil respectively with the optical axis of the relay lens system as a center. The left subject image and the right subject image divided by the prism 8 are picked up respectively by two CCDs. By a rotating mechanism 13, the pupil division prism 8 and two CCDs are rotated around the optical axis of the relay lens system 7. Then, since the left subject image and the right subject image are provided with parallax, a stereoscopic image is constructed. Then, by rotating the pupil division prism 8 and two CCDs around the optical axis of the relay lens system 7 by the rotating mechanism 13, the direction of stereoscopic vision is changed freely without moving the endoscope 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic endoscope used for stereoscopically observing a subject.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, by inserting an elongated insertion portion into a body cavity, the organ in the body cavity can be observed and, if necessary,
2. Description of the Related Art Endoscopes that can perform various therapeutic treatments using a treatment instrument inserted in a treatment instrument channel are widely used. In addition, industrial endoscopes are widely used for observing and inspecting internal scratches and corrosion of boilers, gas turbine engines, pipes of chemical plants, bodies of automobile engines, and the like.

The endoscope has a flexible insertion portion and is inserted through a bent body cavity from the oral cavity or the like to observe an affected area in the body cavity.
Or there is a flexible endoscope that can be diagnosed. Further, as the endoscope, there is a rigid endoscope in which the insertion portion is rigid and is linearly inserted toward the target site.

In the optical endoscope, the flexible endoscope uses a flexible image guide fiber, and this fiber is used as an image transmitting means.

Further, since the insertion portion of the rigid endoscope is rigid, it is excellent in sniperability and a relay optical system is generally used as an image transmitting means to obtain an optical image. .

Further, endoscopes including rigid endoscopes include those for directly observing an optical image with the naked eye and those for charge-coupled device (CC).
An electronic endoscope using a solid-state image pickup device such as D) as an image pickup means has been proposed.

Most of the above-mentioned endoscopes, for example, see the inside of a body cavity as a plane without perspective. However, it has been difficult for a conventional endoscope to observe minute irregularities on the inner wall surface of a body cavity, which are very important as a diagnostic index. In order to deal with this, a stereoscopic endoscope has been proposed. For example, JP-A-57-69839 discloses that
It is disclosed that an objective lens is provided at each one end of a pair of two image guides, and an eyepiece lens is provided at the other end. In this stereoscopic endoscope, the two image guides as a pair are installed in the endoscope insertion portion so that the convergence angle between the pair of objective lenses and the observation point becomes a stereoscopically viewable angle. The inside of the body cavity can be observed three-dimensionally.

The above-mentioned conventional stereoscopic endoscope is an example applied to a flexible endoscope, but as a stereoscopic rigid endoscope, two relay optical systems are arranged in parallel and two relay optical systems are arranged. There is a system that enables a stereoscopic observation by capturing an optical image obtained by a system with a CCD or the like. US Pat. No. 4,924,8
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 35-35 discloses that two light transmission means and two shutters are provided, and two light images obtained by these light transmission means are alternately shielded by a shutter to enable stereoscopic observation. There is.

[0009]

As described above, the conventional stereoscopic endoscope obtains left and right subject images by using two optical systems and two CCDs. Therefore, in the conventional stereoscopic endoscope, when the two CCDs are arranged on the left and right, the vertical direction (vertical direction) of the stereoscopic image displayed on the monitor is determined at this position. Therefore, when the endoscope is rotated about the optical axis to change the visual field direction, the vertical direction of the stereoscopic image displayed on the monitor also rotates with the rotation of the endoscope.

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and it is possible to correct the rotation of an image caused by the rotation of the endoscope about the optical axis and correct the image in the vertical direction. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic endoscope.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, even if the endoscope rotates about the optical axis, the vertical direction of the obtained image is always automatically corrected. Is intended to provide.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image forming lens having one optical axis for forming a subject image, and an object image formed by the image forming lens are transmitted. Image transmitting means, a pupil dividing means for dividing the subject image transmitted by the image transmitting means to obtain left and right images, and an image pickup means for photographing the left subject image and the right subject image divided by the pupil dividing means. And a rotating means for integrally rotating the pupil dividing means and the image pickup means about the optical axis of the image transmitting means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the rotating means of the first aspect has a direction holding means for holding the pupil dividing means and the image pickup means in a fixed direction with respect to the gravity direction.

[0014]

According to the structure of claim 1, the subject image transmitted by the image transmitting means is divided into left and right by the pupil dividing means about the optical axis of the image transmitting means to obtain a left subject image and a right subject image. , These images are picked up by the image pickup means. Since the left subject image and the right subject image have a parallax, a stereoscopic image is constructed. When the endoscope is rotated about the optical axis, the pupil dividing means and the imaging means also try to rotate, that is, the picked-up image also tries to rotate. If the orientation is maintained, the resulting image will not rotate.

On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the invention, even if the endoscope rotates, the pupil dividing means and the image pickup means always hold a fixed direction with respect to the vertical direction, and the obtained picked-up image does not rotate.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a stereoscopic rigid endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

A stereoscopic rigid endoscope 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an endoscope which incorporates a relay lens system described later and is used for stereoscopic observation of a subject. The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 1 includes a rigid insertion portion 2 and a large-diameter operation holding portion 3 connected to the insertion portion 2. The operation holding unit 3 extends a cable 4 rearward.

The insertion portion 2 of the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 1 has an objective lens 5 made up of a plurality of lenses and a relay lens portion 6 made up of a plurality of lens groups built in from the distal end side.
The objective lens 5 and the relay lens unit 6 constitute a relay lens system 7 and transmit the subject to the dividing means described later. A diaphragm 14a is interposed between the objective lenses 5 including the plurality of lenses. The range of the pupil of the objective lens 5 is changed by controlling the opening / closing degree (aperture amount) of the diaphragm 14a. And as a result,
The range of the pupil of the relay lens system 7 provided behind it is also controlled. It should be noted that in FIG. 1, arrows facing both sides inside the relay lens unit 6 indicate the range of the pupil by the diaphragm 14a. In addition, as the diaphragm, 14b, 1
It may be arranged as shown in 4c.

The operation holding portion 3 of the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 1
Is provided with a pupil splitting prism 8 as a splitting unit for splitting the subject image transmitted by the objective lens 5 and the relay lens unit 6 into left and right images. The pupil division prism 8 is, for example, a triangular prism arranged so that its vertices coincide with the optical axis of the relay lens system. The two reflecting surfaces of the pupil division prism 8 are 45 ° with respect to the optical axis.
It is formed so that. This pupil division prism 8
Is the center of the optical axis of the relay lens system 7, and the left subject image and the right subject image that are incident on the left and right of the pupil of the relay lens system 7 are reflected at right angles (left and right) to the optical axis and divided. It is like this.

Further, the operation holding section 3 includes image forming lenses 9a and 9b for respectively forming a left object image and a right object image which are split by the pupil division prism 8, and the image forming lenses 9a and 9b.
mirrors 10a and 10b that respectively reflect the left and right subject images that have passed through a and 9b in a right angle direction, and these mirrors 10a and 10b.
CCDs 11a and 11b as image pickup means for picking up the left and right subject images reflected by a and 10b are built-in. These CCDs 11a and 11b are formed by the imaging lens 1
It is arranged at the image forming positions of 0a and 10b. And C
The CDs 11a and 11b are configured to respectively convert the formed left subject image and right image of the subject into electric signals and output them to a control device described later.

Further, the operation holding section 3 includes a pupil division prism 8, imaging lenses 9a and 9b, and mirrors 10a and 10.
b and the rotary body 1 for mounting and fixing the CCDs 11a and 11b
2 and a rotating mechanism 13 as rotating means including a motor for rotating the stage 12 around the optical axis of the relay lens system 7. By rotating the motor of the rotating mechanism 13, the rotating body 12 with the optical system fixed
However, it is adapted to rotate in the cylindrical operation holding portion 3.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 1 is provided with an illumination optical system (not shown) therein and supplies illumination light to a subject.

The control device controls the amount of rotation of the rotating mechanism 13 and supplies illumination light to the illumination optical system.
This control device also controls the opening / closing amount of the diaphragm 14a.

Further, the control device is electrically connected to the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 1 via a cable 4. This control device drives the CCDs 11a and 11b, processes the output electric signal, and displays a left subject image and a right subject image on a monitor (not shown) for one second, for example, 30 seconds.
It is designed to be displayed alternately. The observer can observe the subject image displayed on the monitor as a stereoscopic image through the light-shielding glasses. The light-shielding glasses are adapted to alternately shield the left and right in synchronization with the display image. This gives an observer a stereoscopic effect by utilizing the afterimage phenomenon, and can be observed as a stereoscopic image having a parallax between the left subject image and the right subject image incident on the pupil of the objective lens 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the subject image is split left and right at the relay position once or more in the relay lens system 7, and the left subject image incident on the left side of the pupil of the objective lens 5 is The right subject image incident on the right side of the pupil by the left eye is divided around the optical axis so that it can be observed by the right eye, converted into an electric signal, signal-processed, and alternately displayed on the monitor.

In the above structure, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1 is defined as the upward direction. When the endoscope 1 is inserted into the body cavity of the subject and the vertical direction of the endoscope is coincident with the actual vertical direction, the operator fixes the rotating body 12 at the position shown in FIG. , Just observe.

However, when the vertical direction of the endoscope does not match the actual vertical direction, the displayed subject image is
For example, the top and bottom are turned upside down, and the conventional stereoscopic endoscope has to rotate the endoscope itself. In this embodiment, since there is only one optical system up to the pupil division surface of the pupil division prism 8, the direction of stereoscopic view can be freely changed. In the present embodiment, by rotating the rotating body 12 by the rotating mechanism 13, the pupil division prism 8 and the like can be arranged at right angles to the optical axis of the relay lens system 7 and in any direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the rotating body 12 is rotated according to the difference between the vertical direction of the endoscope and the actual vertical direction, a stereoscopic image in which the actual vertical direction is aligned with the vertical direction of the monitor is obtained. I can observe.
Further, if the upper and lower sides of the monitor are always aligned with the actual upper and lower sides, the operator does not reverse the operation of the treatment tool and the like, and the operator can easily operate the instrument, and the operator does not mistakenly move the observed portion up and down. . That is, by using this endoscope, the sniper property of the treatment tool can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, since the pupil division prism 8 is constituted by one optical system, the left and right images are unlikely to be displaced, and the cost is lower than that using the two optical systems. it can. In addition, in the present embodiment, if the configuration in which the rotating body 12 and the rotating mechanism 13 are removed, it is not possible to cope with the change in the vertical position as described above, but there is a shift between left and right images,
The cost can be reduced.

The present embodiment can be applied to either the color plane sequential system or the simultaneous system as the imaging system. Also,
If an eyepiece lens is provided instead of the CCDs 11a and 11b, the subject can be observed with the naked eye without using a monitor.

The left and right images may be displayed on the monitor at the same time, instead of alternately.

Further, it is possible to make the pupil division into three or more, and select any two of them for stereoscopic observation. In this example, the number of imaging lenses and CCDs is increased according to the number of divisions. In this example, when combined with the rotating means, it is possible to more quickly respond to the fluctuation of the vertical position than that of the above-mentioned two pupil division.

Further, in this embodiment, if the rotating means is controlled based on the downward direction detected by the gravity detecting means, the downward direction of the monitor coincides with the actual downward (gravity) direction. The displayed images can be displayed, and in this configuration, the images can always be automatically matched.

In addition, the method of use of this embodiment is not limited to aligning the actual downward direction with the downward direction of the monitor, but also depending on the situation of use, for example, according to the relative positional relationship between the observer and the monitor. When it is easier for the observer to observe the monitor with the front side thereof facing downward, such a display can be made.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 21 shown in FIG.
It is a modification of the endoscope of the embodiment. In this modification, CCDs 11a and 11b are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the relay lens system 7, except for the mirrors 10a and 10b of the embodiment. The CCDs 11a and 11b are formed by the imaging lens 9
The image areas (not shown) are arranged at the image forming positions of a and 9b. Other configurations and effects are similar to those of the embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 shown in FIG.
Relates to a second embodiment, which is the first embodiment shown in FIG.
Different from the embodiment, not only the relay lens system 7 but also an optical system and an image pickup means arranged behind the relay lens system 7 are integrated. Other configurations and operations are similar to those of the first embodiment.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), a pupil division shutter 23, an imaging lens 24, and a CCD 25 are arranged in order toward the rear of the lens 6a located at the rearmost end of the relay lens system 7.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the pupil division shutter 23 has a circular hole 23a formed in a disc. The pupil division shutter 23 is arranged such that the central axis of the disc coincides with the optical axis of the relay lens system 7, and
The rotating means (not shown) rotates about the central axis. It is desirable that the hole 23a of the pupil division shutter 23 be provided away from the central axis because parallax becomes large.

The image forming lens 24 is used for the pupil division shutter 2.
It is located behind 3 and is aligned with the optical axis of the relay lens system 7. The imaging lens 24 uses the CCD 25 only for the subject image that has passed through the hole 23a of the pupil division shutter 23.
The image is formed on the image area 25a.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 includes a CCD 25.
It is electrically connected to the control device 27 via a signal line 26 connected to. The control device 27 supplies illumination light to an illumination optical system (not shown) of the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22. The control device 27 also processes the electric signal output from the CCD 25 and outputs it to the monitors 28 and 29, and displays a stereoscopically observable subject image on the monitors 28 and 29.

The timing of reading from the CCD 25 is controlled by a timing controller (not shown) of the controller 27. Then, the CCD 25 captures a subject image when the rotational position of the hole 23a of the pupil division shutter 23 is at each of the upper, lower, left, and right positions as shown in FIG. 3C, and converts it into an electrical signal. And then output.
The timing of image pickup by the CCD 25 is four positions of the hole 23a of the pupil division shutter 23 shown in FIG.

The top, bottom, left, and right subject images captured are:
It corresponds to the image incident on the position (pupil division position) where the pupil of the relay lens system 7 is divided into upper, lower, left, and right. The upper and lower subject images have parallax. The same applies to the left and right subject images.

The electric signal output from the CCD 25 is A / D converted by the A / D converter 30 of the controller 27,
Four frame memories 3 selectively via the switch 31
2a to 32d are sequentially supplied.

The switching of the switch 31 is performed as shown in FIG.
As shown in (c), it is synchronized with the rotation of the pupil division shutter 23. The selected video signal is sent to the upper frame memory 32a when the hole 23a is located above.
When a is right, it is stored in the right frame memory 32b. Further, the selected video signal is transmitted to the lower frame memory 32c when the hole 23a is located below.
When 3a is left, it is stored in the left frame memory 32d. Reading of each frame memory is performed as follows.

The video signal stored in the upper frame memory 32a is read out as a field A video signal through the switch 33a, while the lower frame memory 3 is read.
The video signal stored in 2a is read as the video signal of the C field. The monitor 28 alternately displays the images of the A field and the C field.

The same applies to the left and right frame memories 32b and 32d, and the video signal is selectively output to the monitor 29 via the switch 33b. The monitor 29 alternately displays the video of the B field and the D field.

Each of the frame memories and the switches 31, 3
Writing, reading, and switching of 3a and 33b are controlled by the timing controller.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 and the control device 27
According to the above, an observer can simultaneously observe a stereoscopic image having vertical and horizontal parallaxes.

It is easier to construct the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 as a simultaneous imaging system. In the case of the color plane sequential configuration, the irradiation timing of the color illumination light is synchronized at three times the rotation timing of the pupil division shutter 23, or
Alternatively, it is necessary to capture images of three colors by rotating the pupil division shutter 23 three times. Moreover, the number of frame memories is also required to be tripled.

It should be noted that a concrete configuration example of the signal processing of the embodiment is sufficient if the control device 27 shown in FIG.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 shown in FIG. 4 relates to the third embodiment, which is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. Further, the gravitational direction of the pupil division shutter 23 and the CCD 25 is always kept constant by the weight 61 or the like to automatically correct the rotation of the monitor image due to the rotation of the endoscope. Further, in this embodiment, the endoscope is a perspective-type endoscope whose field of view is the front of the tip of the insertion portion 2.

In this embodiment, the pupil division shutter 23 and the CCD 25 are arranged on the optical axis of the relay lens system 7, and the pupil division shutter 23 and the CCD 25 are arranged on the rotating body 12 which rotates about the optical axis. It is set up. As described above, the weight 12 is provided on the rotating body 12, and the positions of the pupil division shutter 23 and the CCD 25 in the direction of gravity are always kept constant. As the pupil division shutter 23, for example, those shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6 are used. The pupil division shutter 23 shown in FIG.
The center axis of the disc is arranged so as to coincide with the optical axis of the relay lens system 7, and is rotated by a rotation driving means (not shown). One hole 23a of the shutter 23 is provided apart from the central axis. Further, in the pupil division shutter 23 shown in FIG. 5B, two shutter holes 23a are provided on the left and right sides of the disc center. Further, the pupil division shutter 23 shown in FIG. 6 has a polarizing plate 23c in which two polarizing directions are rotated in the left-right direction by rotating the polarization direction by 90 degrees such as 90 degrees and 0 degrees, and a twist nematic liquid crystal 23d.
And one of the polarizing plates 23c and a polarizing plate 23e having the same deflection direction are laminated so that the right and left can be alternately opened and closed.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 of this embodiment is C
Control device 27 via signal line 26 connected to CD 25
Electrically connected to. This control device 27 is CC
The image pickup signal output by D25 is processed and output to the monitor 28, and a stereoscopically observable subject image is displayed on the monitor 28. Unlike the one shown in FIG. 3A, this embodiment has left and right frame memories 32b and 32d because left and right subject images are captured, and these frame memories 32b and 32d are controlled by the timing controller 63. The switches 31 and 33 are used for switching. Further, the timing controller 63 controls the pupil division shutter 23 so that the subject image is alternately transmitted to the left and right and is made incident on the CCD 25. According to this embodiment, even if the endoscope 22 rotates as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the pupil division shutter 2
3 and the CCD 25 are kept in a constant gravity direction by the rotating body 12 having the weight 61, and therefore the monitor 28
The vertical direction of the image displayed on the display does not follow the rotation of the endoscope 22 and does not rotate. Further, in this embodiment, the vertical position of the CCD 25 is constant (not rotated) as described above.
Therefore, the arrangement extending from the CCD 25 to the outside is not twisted.

In the illustrated example, the rotating body 12 holds the gravity direction constant by the weight 61, but instead of this, although not shown, a gravity detecting device and a rotation driving device are used to perform the same operation. You may let me do it.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 shown in FIG. 8 relates to the fourth embodiment. This embodiment is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that the rotary body 12 and the weight 61 shown in FIG. It is a perspective type. That is, in this embodiment, the pupil division prism 8, the mirrors 10a and 10b, and the CCD 11 are provided on the rotating body 12 provided with the weight 61 for keeping the direction of gravity constant.
a, 11b, etc. are provided. Therefore, in this embodiment, even when the endoscope 22 rotates, the imaging side does not rotate in the direction of gravity and the image displayed on the monitor does not rotate, as in the embodiment shown in FIG.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 22 shown in FIG. 9 relates to the fifth embodiment. This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that the insertion portion 2 of the endoscope 22 is provided instead of providing the rotating body. Front side 2
It is configured such that it is separated into a and a rear side 2b, and both are relatively rotatable about the optical axis of the relay lens system 7.
According to this embodiment, the operation holding portion 3 which is continuously provided on the rear side 2b of the insertion portion and internally has the imaging system is grasped, and the operation holding portion 3 is held.
The insertion portion front side 2a can be rotated in a state where the position in the direction of gravity is constant.

FIG. 10 shows a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, in which the insertion portion 2 and the operation holding portion 3 are separated from each other so that they can be relatively rotated about the optical axis. In this embodiment, the lenses 64 and 65 are arranged at the rear end of the insertion section 2 and the front end of the operation holding section 3 so that the light flux at the connecting section (rotating section) between the insertion section 2 and the operation holding section 3 is changed. It is a parallel light flux.
Therefore, according to this modification, even if there is play in the longitudinal direction of the rotating portion, it is possible to prevent image deterioration.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 35 shown in FIG.
Is the objective lens 3 in order from the tip of the rigid and elongated insertion part.
6, a lens 37a, 37b, a relay lens unit 38 including a plurality of lenses, and a CC for capturing a subject image formed by the imaging lens 38a located at the rearmost end of the relay lens unit 38
Built-in D39. This stereoscopic rigid endoscope 35 also
Similarly to the above, the left and right subject images are obtained by dividing the pupil.

The light from the subject passes through the objective lens 36 and the lens 37a, and the objective lenses 36 and 37b, and is divided into pupils about the optical axis to form two images rearward. The lenses 37a and 37b are shielded by a light shielding member (not shown), and are optically separated from each other so that an image passing through the other lens of the lenses 37a and 37b is not formed.

The two images formed by the lenses 37a and 37b are transmitted rearward by the relay lens unit 38,
The CCD 39 forms two subject images with parallax.
Similar to the above example, if the electric signal output from the CCD 39 is processed and displayed on the monitor, the observer can stereoscopically observe the subject.

Since the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 35 is composed of a single optical system, the left and right images are unlikely to be displaced, and the cost can be lower than that using the two optical systems.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 40 shown in FIG. 11 (b).
11A is configured by disposing the CCD 39 at the tip end portion of the endoscope 35 shown in FIG. 11A except for the relay lens portion 38. A light blocking member 41 is interposed between the lenses 37a and 37b, and the light blocking member 41 is a CCD.
It extends to the surface of 39.

Incidentally, FIG. 11C is a front view of the CCD.

The other structure and operational effects are shown in FIG.
This is the same as the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 40 shown in FIG.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 43 shown in FIG.
Are two relay optical systems 44a for stereoscopic observation,
44b and CCDs 45a and 45b for picking up the subject images transmitted by the respective relay optical systems 44a and 44b.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 43 includes a rigid insertion portion 46 and a large diameter operation holding portion 47 connected to the insertion portion 46. The operation holding portion 47 has a cable 48 extending rearward. Relay optical systems 44a and 44b are built in the insertion portion 46. The relay optical systems 44a and 44b are shielded from each other by a light shielding member (not shown).

Further, the operation holding portion 47 has a cover member 47a on the tip end side thereof, and a holding portion main body 47b screwed to the cover member 47a. This holder main body 47b
Is a rear member 47 that is screwed with a protrusion protruding rearward thereof.
c is provided. A cable break stop 49 made of, for example, resin, which covers the cable 48, is screwed onto the rear end of the rear member 47c. In addition, a seal member 47d for keeping the internal space generated when screwed together is watertight is interposed between the cover member 47a and the holding portion main body 47b.

A cover member 47a of the operation holding portion 47
Is provided with a prism 50 that reflects each subject image transmitted by the relay optical systems 44a and 44b in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis thereof. The cover member 47a forms mirrors 51a and 51b that reflect the two subject images reflected by the prism 50 in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the relay optical system, and images reflected by these mirrors 51a and 51b. Imaging lens 5
2a and 52b are incorporated.

Holding unit body 47b of the operation holding unit 47
Has a cover glass 53 mounted near the tip opening. Further, the holding portion main body 47b includes the imaging lenses 52a, 5a.
The CCDs 45a and 45b are built in for injecting the two subject images formed by 2b through the cover glass 53 and capturing the images. Imaging peripheral circuits 58a and 58b are provided at the rear ends of the CCDs 45a and 45b.

The CCDs 45a and 45b pick up the subject image with parallax transmitted by the two relay optical systems and convert it into electric signals. The configuration of signal processing and the like for stereoscopic observation is the same as that of the above-mentioned example, and will be omitted.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 43 shown in FIG.
Can make the optical system and the CCD detachable. Further, the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 43 is excellent in operability because the optical system and the CCD can be integrally configured.

Further, in order to make the optical axis of the relay optical system built in the endoscope insertion portion match the size of the CCD,
It is bent by a prism and a mirror which are optical path changing means. Therefore, the stereoscopic rigid endoscope 43 can use a large CCD with high resolution. The endoscope insertion portion is desired to have a small diameter in order to improve insertability, and it is necessary to arrange the two relay optical systems as close to each other as possible.
In view of this, in the present stereoscopic configuration endoscope, the optical path changing means is provided in the operation holding portion which may have a large diameter to some extent, and the optical paths are aligned with the optical axes of the two CCDs.

The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 54 shown in FIG.
Has a configuration obtained by partially modifying the endoscope shown in FIG. The stereoscopic rigid endoscope 54 is provided with an optical path changing unit that bends the optical axis of the relay optical system on the imaging side, that is, the holding unit body 47b. Inside the cover glass 53, there is a prism 55 that bends the optical axes of the relay optical systems 44a and 44b in a direction in which the optical axes open mutually, that is, an optical axis bent by the prism 55. CC
Imaging lenses 57a and 57b for forming images on D56a and 56b
And are arranged. Therefore, the CCDs 56a and 56b are
The image area is arranged obliquely to the optical axis of the relay optical system. Other configurations and operational effects are shown in FIG.
The endoscope 43 is the same as the endoscope 43 shown in FIG.

In the endoscope 43 shown in FIG. 12A, the optical path changing means may be provided on the side of the image pickup means, and FIG.
The endoscope 54 shown in (b) may be provided with an optical path changing means for obliquely bending the optical axis on the optical system side in order to secure a space.

[0075]

As described above, according to the stereoscopic rigid endoscope of the present invention, the rotation of the image due to the rotation about the optical axis of the endoscope is corrected, and the image is corrected in the vertical direction. According to the second aspect, even if the endoscope rotates about the optical axis, the vertical direction of the obtained image is always automatically corrected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a stereoscopic rigid endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram according to a modified example of the stereoscopic rigid endoscope shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a stereoscopic rigid endoscope and a control device showing a configuration of a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a stereoscopic rigid endoscope and a control device showing a third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a pupil division shutter.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a pupil division shutter.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an endoscope according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a stereoscopic rigid endoscope showing a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a stereoscopic rigid endoscope showing a fifth embodiment.

10 is a configuration diagram according to a modification of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a stereoscopic rigid endoscope having a shielding unit.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a stereoscopic rigid endoscope having two optical systems.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 …………………… Stereoscopic rigid endoscope 2 …………………… Insertion part 3 …………………… Operation holding part 5 …………………… Objective lens 6 ………… ………… Relay lens section 7 …………………… Relay lens system 8 …………………… Pupil splitting prisms 11a, 11b… CCD 1 ………………… Rotator 1 ……………… … Rotation mechanism 61 ……………… Weight

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Atsushi Takawara 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsuyuki Saito 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optics Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahito Goto 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Wataru Ono 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kanemori Gen 2-23-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toyoji Harisawa 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optics Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Kenji Yoshino 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Akio Nakata 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optics Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tada Akihiro Kuchi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinaki Akui 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Invention Person Kazutoshi Karasawa 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshihiko Hashiguchi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Invention Akihiko Mochida 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takashi Fukaya 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Invention Keisuke Saito 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinji Yamashita 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Invention Akira Murata 2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 43 No. No. 2 Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. in the (72) inventor Hideki Koyanagi Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Hatagaya 2-chome No. 43 No. 2 Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. in

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming lens having one optical axis for forming a subject image, image transmitting means for transmitting the subject image formed by the image forming lens, and image transmitting means for transmitting the image. Pupil dividing means for dividing the subject image to obtain left and right images, an image pickup means for picking up the left subject image and the right subject image divided by the pupil dividing means, and the pupil dividing means and the image pickup means for transmitting the image. A stereoscopic endoscope comprising: a rotating unit that integrally rotates about an optical axis of the unit. 2. The stereoscopic vision according to claim 1, wherein the rotating means has direction holding means for holding the pupil dividing means and the imaging means in a constant direction with respect to the gravity direction. mirror.