JPH0720388A - Stereoscopic endoscope device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the stereoscopic vision of an object and to align the line of sight of an operator with a work line. CONSTITUTION:The object is photographed at a specified parallax angle by a stereoscopic image pickup unit 10. Living body information from a living body information collecting unit 4 is superimposed on a video signal from the unit 10 and the video signal is supplied field-sequentially to a personal display device 41 by a camera control unit 43. Two images based on the video signal are independently displayed for both eyes of the operator on a personal display device 41. A holding device 60 is provided with multidegree of freedom by an articulated mechanism and holds the device 41.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic endoscope device, for example, a stereoscopic endoscope device used for a surgical operation under a stereoscopic endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional endoscope apparatus, an image taken by using an endoscope is displayed on a so-called eyepiece or a monitor receiver, which is a head-mounted display device, and the displayed image is observed. Was used to diagnose the diseased part. Furthermore, in recent years, so-called endoscopic surgery, which performs a surgical operation while observing an image displayed on an eyepiece or a monitor receiver, is rapidly prevailing in a clinical setting.

In the endoscopic surgical operation using this eyepiece, there is a problem that the operation efficiency of the operation is extremely poor because the diseased part cannot be stereoscopically viewed. On the other hand, in endoscopic surgery using a monitor image receiver, a stereoscopic image acquisition device that images a subject at a predetermined parallax angle is used, and two images based on two video signals from the stereoscopic image acquisition device are used. Display on each of the two monitor receivers. Then, an operator who performs an operation has performed an operation while observing a stereoscopic image obtained by looking at a monitor receiver through eyeglasses having a shutter function of liquid crystal or deflecting eyeglasses.

Specifically, the stereoscopic image collection apparatus is, for example, as shown in FIG. 14, two endoscope units 101.
a, 101b and the endoscope units 101a, 101b
Video cameras (hereinafter referred to as CCD cameras) 103a and 103b using an angle adjusting mechanism 102 for adjusting a parallax angle between the two and charge-coupled devices for capturing images formed by the endoscope units 101a and 101b, respectively. And is obtained by photographing a subject with a predetermined parallax angle.
It outputs two video signals.

Further, the stereoscopic image collecting apparatus is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, an optical tube 110 having a pair of imaging lens systems having a predetermined parallax angle, and CCD cameras 111a and 1a for respectively capturing images formed by the optical tube 110.
11b, and outputs two video signals obtained by photographing a subject at a predetermined parallax angle.

When these stereoscopic image collection devices and monitor receivers are used, the operator's line of sight and work line do not match, and the correspondence between vision and senses such as touch and force is unnatural. However, there was a problem that the safety of surgery was greatly impaired. In other words, high skill and consideration for ensuring safety were required. In addition, there is a problem that the operator is forced to have an unreasonable posture for a long time, and the operator's labor cannot be measured.

[0007]

As described above, in the conventional endoscope apparatus, for example, the diseased part cannot be stereoscopically viewed or can be stereoscopically viewed, but there is a problem that the line of sight does not match the working line. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic endoscope device capable of stereoscopic viewing and matching the line of sight with the working line.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention has an image pickup means for picking up an image of a subject at a predetermined parallax angle, and an image pickup means for picking up the image. A personal display means for displaying two images independently on both eyes of the user is provided.

A second stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is the same as the first stereoscopic endoscope apparatus, in which the image pickup means obtains reflected light from the subject at a predetermined parallax angle, and
The two optical means and the two light guide paths are respectively configured by two light guide paths that guide the reflected light acquired by the two optical means and two video cameras that are respectively disposed in the two light guide paths and image a subject. Is disposed in the tube of one optical tube.

A third stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is the second stereoscopic endoscope apparatus, wherein the two optical means each include an objective lens and a prism arranged in front of the objective lens. It is characterized in that a predetermined parallax angle is obtained by the two prisms.

A fourth stereoscopic endoscope device according to the present invention is the third stereoscopic endoscope device, further comprising rotating means for rotating the prism, and rotating the prism by the rotating means to adjust the parallax angle. Is characterized by.

A fifth stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the first stereoscopic endoscope apparatus, the convergence angle of the personal display means is substantially equal to the parallax angle of the image pickup means.

A sixth stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the fifth stereoscopic endoscope apparatus, the personal display means is a head-mounted type.

A seventh stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is the same as the first stereoscopic endoscope apparatus, wherein the personal display means is
It is characterized in that it is held by a holding means having multiple degrees of freedom by an articulated mechanism.

[0016]

In the first stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, the image can be obtained by imaging the subject with a predetermined parallax angle by the imaging means.
One image is independently displayed on both eyes of the user by the personal display means.

In the second stereoscopic endoscope device according to the present invention,
In the first stereoscopic endoscope device, the reflected light from the subject acquired at a predetermined parallax angle by the two optical means arranged in the tube of one optical tube is arranged in the tube of the optical tube. Two
Two light guides lead to two video cameras,
Image the subject.

In the third stereoscopic endoscope device according to the present invention,
In the second stereoscopic endoscope device, a predetermined parallax angle is obtained by the two prisms.

In the fourth stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, the rotating means rotates the prism to adjust the parallax angle.

In the fifth stereoscopic endoscope device according to the present invention,
In the first stereoscopic endoscope apparatus, the two images obtained by imaging the subject at a predetermined parallax angle by the imaging means are displayed by the personal display means having a vergence angle substantially equal to the parallax angle of the imaging means. Display on both eyes independently.

In the sixth stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention,
In the fifth stereoscopic endoscope device, two images obtained by capturing an image of a subject with a predetermined parallax angle by the image capturing means are independently displayed on both eyes of the user by the head-mounted personal display means. .

In the seventh stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention,
In the first stereoscopic endoscope device, the personal display means is held by the holding means having multiple degrees of freedom by the multi-joint mechanism.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A stereoscopic endoscope device to which the present invention is applied, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a stereoscopic imaging unit 10 for imaging a subject at a predetermined parallax angle, and two images captured by the stereoscopic imaging unit 10 for a user. Display device 41 for independently displaying on both eyes
And a biometric information collecting unit 42 for superimposing and displaying the biometric information on the personal display device 41, and superimposing the biometric information from the biometric information collecting unit 42 on the video signal from the stereoscopic imaging unit 10, The camera control unit 43 to be supplied to the personal display device 41 and the like, the monitor receiver 44 for displaying an image based on the video signal from the stereoscopic image pickup unit 10, and the multi-joint mechanism having multiple degrees of freedom, A holding device 60 that holds the display device 41.

Then, the personal display device 41 independently displays two images based on a video signal obtained by capturing an image of a subject at a predetermined parallax angle by the stereoscopic image pickup unit 10, respectively. The user can see the subject stereoscopically.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the stereoscopic image pickup unit 10 includes a light source 1 for illuminating a subject.
1a and 11b, light guides 12a and 12b that guide illumination light from the light sources 11a and 11b to a subject, and two imaging lens systems 20a and 20b that obtain reflected light from the subject at a predetermined parallax angle. The imaging lens systems 20a, 20
For example, video cameras (hereinafter referred to as CCD cameras) 13a and 13b using a charge-coupled device for converting the image formed in b into a video signal, and the image forming lens systems 20a and 2
And an angle adjustment mechanism 30 for adjusting a predetermined parallax angle of 0b.

The light guides 12a and 12b are
Illuminating light from the light sources 11a and 11b is applied to the subject, and the imaging lens systems 20a and 20b acquire reflected light from the subject at a predetermined parallax angle, and the CCD cameras 13a and 13b.
The image is formed on the imaging surface of. The CCD camera 13a supplies, for example, a video signal for the right eye to the camera control unit 43, and C
The CD camera 13b supplies the video signal for the left eye to the camera control unit 43.

Here, a specific mechanism of the stereoscopic image pickup unit 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the stereoscopic imaging unit 10 is provided with objective lenses 22a and 22b and prisms arranged in front of the objective lenses 22a and 22b to obtain reflected light from a subject at a predetermined parallax angle. Two
1a and 21b, and two sets of relay lens groups 23 for guiding the reflected light of the subject from the objective lenses 22a and 22b, respectively.
a, 23b, prisms 24a, 24b, 25a, 25b for moving the optical axes of the reflected light of the subject guided by the relay lens groups 23a, 23b in parallel, and the prisms 25a, 25b. Eyepieces 26a and 26b for focusing the reflected light of the subject on the image pickup surfaces of the CCD cameras 13a and 13b, and the prisms 21a and 21b.
An optical tube 27 in which the relay lens groups 23a and 23b are arranged, and an optical tube base 28 in which the prisms 24a and 24b to eyepieces 26a and 26b are arranged.

The optical tube base 28 is made of, for example, chrome-plated brass (eg JIS H3422), and is used as a light source 11a, 1
The light guide joint part 28a for making the illumination light from 1b enter into the light guides 12a and 12b is provided.
The light guides 12a and 12b are made of, for example, a bundle of fibers made of optical glass and having a thickness of 20 μm.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the optical tube 27 is arranged in a space excluding a light guide path described later in the tube. The light guides 12a and 12b illuminate the subject by irradiating the subject with the illumination light that is incident through the light guide joint portion 28a.

The angle adjusting mechanism 30 includes, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, pins 31a and 31b for rotatably supporting the prisms 21a and 21b, and a wire 32,
For example, the prisms 21a and 21b made of optical glass are
The optical tube 27 using the pins 31a and 31b as fulcrums
It is rotatably attached to. And the user
The prisms 21a and 21b depend on the pulling amount of the wire 32.
The parallax angle between them can be adjusted within a range of 2 degrees to 10 degrees, for example.

The two reflected lights of the object obtained with these prisms 21a and 21b having a predetermined parallax angle, that is, the reflected light of the object for the right eye is the objective lens 22a made of, for example, flint glass or crown glass. And a relay lens group 23a, a first light guide path, prisms 24a and 25a, and an eyepiece lens 26a.
The reflected light of the subject for the left eye, which is imaged on the image pickup surface of the CD camera 13a, passes through the second light guide path composed of the objective lens 22b and the relay lens group 23b, the prisms 24b and 25b, and the eyepiece lens 26b. An image is formed on the imaging surface of 13b. That is, these light guide paths are arranged in parallel within the tube of one optical tube 27.

Two image signals obtained by photographing the subject with the CCD cameras 13a and 13b are supplied to the camera control unit 43. The camera control unit 43 is C
By controlling the drive of the CD cameras 13a and 13b in terms of time,
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a video signal for the right eye supplied from the CCD camera 13a and a video signal for the left eye supplied from the CCD camera 13b are switched and selected for each field in the so-called NTSC system, that is, as a field sequential signal. It is supplied to the personal display device 41. Also,
At this time, the camera control unit 43 superimposes the biometric information supplied from the biometric information collection unit 42, for example, information such as the heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure obtained by an electrocardiogram or the like on the above-mentioned video signal and the personal display device 41. Supply to.

As shown in FIG. 6, for example, the personal display device 41 includes a monitor receiver (hereinafter referred to as a liquid crystal monitor) 41a using a liquid crystal panel for the right eye, and a liquid crystal monitor 41b for the left eye. Monitors 41a, 41
b is arranged such that the so-called vergence angle is approximately equal to the parallax angle of the stereoscopic imaging unit 10 described above. And
The personal display device 41 displays an image based on the video signal for the right eye supplied from the camera control unit 43 on the liquid crystal monitor 41a, and an image based on the video signal for the left eye on the liquid crystal monitor 41b. As a result, the user
The subject can be stereoscopically viewed, and biological information such as the heart rate can be viewed at the same time.

That is, an operator who performs a stereoscopic endoscopic surgery, which will be described later, can know the change in the patient's condition with the passage of time, and can concentrate exclusively on the operation with peace of mind. In other words, the operation time can be greatly shortened and accuracy can be improved, and patient safety can be ensured. In addition to the above-mentioned biological information, it is important during operation such as carbon dioxide pressure in so-called laparoscopic surgery in which carbon dioxide is blown into the abdominal cavity to provide a gap between the organ and the abdominal wall. The information may be displayed by being superimposed on the stereoscopic image of the subject.

The camera control unit 43 is a CCD
One of the cameras 13a and 13b (for example, the CCD camera 13
When a) does not work, control is performed so that an image based on the video signal from the CCD camera 13b is displayed on both liquid crystal monitors 41a and 41b. As a result, the operator cannot stereoscopically view the diseased part, but can perform the operation without interruption.

The camera control unit 43 also monitors the video signal from the CCD camera 13a, for example, by the monitor receiver 4.
4, and the monitor receiver 44 displays an image based on this video signal. As a result, an assistant other than the operator can observe the progress of the operation. In addition, two monitor receivers are provided, and CCDs are attached to each monitor receiver.
The stereoscopic viewing may be performed by supplying video signals from the cameras 13a and 13b and allowing an assistant to view these monitor receivers through, for example, eyeglasses having a shutter function of liquid crystal.

Next, a specific example of use of the stereoscopic endoscope device having the above-described structure will be described. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a user, for example, a surgeon (a surgeon) who performs a stereoscopic endoscopic surgery, uses a stereoscopic imaging unit 10 and a plurality of stereoscopic imaging units 10 through a small hole formed in several places on the abdomen of a gallstone patient. While inserting the trocar (guide cylinder) 51, the medical device such as the stereoscopic imaging unit 10, the trocar 51, and the personal display device 41 is held by the holding device 60, and a subject, such as a diseased part, which is three-dimensionally displayed on the personal display device 41 is held. While observing, a surgical operation under a stereoscopic endoscope is performed using the forceps 52 and the like.

Specifically, the holding device 60 is the same as that shown in FIG.
, A plurality of passively moving joints, such as joint J
1, J2, J3, J4, J5, J6, J7 have multiple degrees of freedom, for example, 6 or more degrees of freedom (in the specific example shown in FIG. 6, the same 7 degrees of freedom as the human upper limb), and its tip 61 is Is
For example, a detachable hand 63 having a shape suitable for attaching an object to be held such as the personal display device 41 and the trocar 51 is attached. On the other hand, the base end portion 62 of the holding device 60 is fixed substantially laterally or upward with respect to the operating table 71, as shown in FIG. For example, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the proximal end portion 62 of the holding device 60 is
The holding device 60 is fixed to a multi-illumination ceiling track plate 72 arranged on the ceiling of the operating room, for example, grooved holding device fixing tracks 73 provided in eight radial directions.
Holds, for example, the personal display device 41 attached to the hand 63 at a desired position in a desired posture in a three-dimensional space.

That is, the joints J1 to J7 of the holding device 60.
An electromagnetic brake 80 is incorporated in each of the electromagnetic brakes 80. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, these electromagnetic brakes 80 have an armature 82 mounted on a brake disc 8 by a coil spring 81.
It has a structure in which the holding torque (braking torque) is generated by the frictional force when it is pressure-bonded to No. 3. Then, when the exciting coil 84 is energized, the armature 82, which presses the brake disc 83, compresses the coil spring 81 and is attracted to the field core 85, so that the brake is released.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the operator operates the joint fixing / release switch 65 for operating the electromagnetic brake 80 provided in the vicinity of the personal display device 41, whereby the exciting current is cut off or energized. To do. For example, the operator turns on the joint fixing / release switch 65 to turn on the electromagnetic brake 80 incorporated in the joints J1 to J7.
The excitation current is simultaneously applied to release the brake, and the personal display device 41 is moved and rotated in the three-dimensional space so that the line of sight and the working line coincide with each other as shown in FIG. 7, and then the joint is fixed. / The release switch 65 is turned off and the brake is fixed. As a result, visual sense and tactile sense can be associated with each other, safety of surgery can be ensured, and the personal display device 41 and the like can be held at a desired position in a three-dimensional space in a desired posture. It is possible to prevent the operator from having an unreasonable posture. That is, the labor of the operator can be reduced and the proficiency level of the operation can be accelerated.

By the way, the operator sees the stereoscopic image displayed on the personal display device 41 during the surgical operation as described above, but it is necessary to directly look at these objects in order to confirm the scalpel, the forceps, or the hand. The holding device 60 has a mechanism for flipping up the personal display device 41.

Specifically, the personal display device 41 is attached to the hand 63 of the holding device 60 via a hand attachment 81, for example, as shown in FIGS. A pulley 82 is attached to both sides of the personal display device 41 in the longitudinal direction through through holes formed in the hand attachment 81.
2 is fixed to the personal display device 41 by screwing, for example.

A wire 83 is hung on the pulley 82 over the pulley 91 of the foot switch 90. Except for the pulleys 82 and 91, the wire 83 is provided with a flexible tube 84 for protecting the wire 83, for example, and the proximal end of the flexible tube 84 is attached to a wire guide 85 fixed to the hand attachment 81. ing.

The foot switch 90 comprises a pulley 91 for pulling the wire 83, a link 92 for rotating the pulley 91 to pull the wire 83, and a foot portion 93 for moving the link 92. Then, the operator operates the foot portion 9
By stepping on the foot 3 with the foot, the wire 83 is pulled in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 13, and the personal display device 41 is rotated up by 90 degrees and flipped up. By the way, the foot switch 90 is provided with a so-called latch mechanism, and when the foot portion 93 is stepped on once, the latch operates to operate the wire 83.
Is held in a pulled state. Then, when the foot portion 93 is further stepped on, the latch is released and the personal display device 41 returns to the original state. Thus, the operator can perform surgery by switching the image of the stereoscopic imaging unit 10 and the naked eye without touching the personal display device 41.

By the way, in the above embodiment, the holding device 60 is used.
The personal display device 41 is held by the above, but by making the personal display device 41 head-mounted, it is possible to match the line of sight of the operator with the work line.

[0045]

As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, the reflected light from the subject acquired by the two optical means at the predetermined parallax angle is imaged on the two image pickup means by the two light guide paths. By displaying the two images obtained by picking up an image of a subject at a predetermined parallax angle by these image pickup means independently on both eyes of the user, a user, for example, a stereoscopic endoscope An operator who performs a surgical operation can stereoscopically view a diseased part, which is a subject.

The personal display means is a head-mounted type,
Alternatively, by holding the holding means having multiple degrees of freedom by the multi-joint mechanism, it is possible to match the line of sight of the operator with the working line, and it is possible to greatly reduce the operation time and improve the accuracy. In addition, it is possible to ensure the safety of the operation and prevent the operator from having an unreasonable posture. That is, the labor of the operator can be reduced and the proficiency level of the operation can be accelerated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a specific circuit configuration of a stereoscopic endoscope device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a specific mechanism of a stereoscopic imaging unit forming the stereoscopic endoscope device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a specific mechanism of the stereoscopic imaging unit.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a specific example of an angle adjusting mechanism of the stereoscopic imaging unit.

FIG. 5 is a time chart for explaining the operation of the camera control unit that constitutes the stereoscopic endoscope device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a holding device that constitutes the stereoscopic endoscope device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of use of the stereoscopic endoscope device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a specific example of use of the stereoscopic endoscope device.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a multi-illuminated ceiling track plate.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a holding device fixed track provided on a multi-illuminated ceiling track plate.

FIG. 11 is a view for explaining a flip-up mechanism of the holding device.

FIG. 12 is a view for explaining the flip-up mechanism.

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining the flip-up mechanism.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional stereoscopic image collection device.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional stereoscopic image collection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Stereoscopic imaging unit 13a, 13b ... CCD camera 20a, 20b ... Imaging lens system 21a, 21b ... Prism 22a, 22b ... Objective lens 23a, 23b ... Relay lens group 26a, 26b ... Eyepiece 27 ... Optical tube 30 ... Angle adjustment mechanism 31a, 31b ... Pin 32 ... Wire 41 ... Personal display device 60 ... Holding device J1-J7. ..Joint 80 ... Electromagnetic brake

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masahiro Kusakabe 6-735 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Tsuneo Fukuyo 2-12-2 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo Company Shinkoki Factory

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for picking up an image of a subject at a predetermined parallax angle, and a personal display means for independently displaying two images picked up by the image pickup means on both eyes of a user. 3D endoscopic device. 2. The image pickup means includes two optical means for acquiring reflected light from a subject at a predetermined parallax angle, and two guiding means for guiding the reflected light acquired by the two optical means, respectively.
One light guide path and two video cameras respectively arranged in the two light guide paths and configured to image the subject. The two optical means and the two light guide paths are provided in a tube of one optical tube. The stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic endoscope apparatus is provided. 3. The two optical means each include an objective lens and a prism arranged in front of the objective lens, and a predetermined parallax angle is obtained by the two prisms. The stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to 2. 4. The stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a rotating unit that rotates the prism, and the rotating unit adjusts the parallax angle by rotating the prism. 5. The stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the convergence angle of the personal display means is substantially equal to the parallax angle of the image pickup means. 6. The stereoscopic endoscope apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the personal display means is a head-mounted type. 7. The stereoscopic endoscope device according to claim 1, wherein the personal display unit is held by a holding unit having multiple degrees of freedom by a multi-joint mechanism.