JPS5886134A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope, and particularly to a companion endoscope using a solid-state imaging device.

As shown in Fig. 1, most conventional endoscopes have objective lenses 2 at both ends of an optical fiber bundle l for transmission.
and an eyepiece lens 3, an image is formed on the end surface 1 of the optical fiber bundle 1 of the subject 5 through the side viewing prism 4 and the objective lens 2, and is transmitted through the optical fiber to the other end surface 1b. The appearing transmission was observed through the eyepiece 3T. The optical fiber bundle 1 is a bundle consisting of tens of thousands of single fibers with a diameter of 10 to 20μ, and each fiber is arranged in a correct manner on both end faces 1g and 1b, and the optical fiber bundle 1 has a diameter of about 6 to 1O− as a whole. It is something. As described above, conventional endoscopes are expensive as a whole because the manufacturing cost of the optical fiber bundle is high, and the longer the total length of the endoscope, the higher the cost will be. In addition, when used as a gastroscope, the diameter of the cervical canal is as large as 10 to 13 cm, which causes great pain to the patient when inserted into the stomach, and requires pharyngeal anesthesia. Endoscopes have a lot of stakes in terms of operability and economy.

Recently, as shown in Fig. 2, a solution to these problems has been to install an objective lens 2 and a solid-state imaging device (SOLID8TATE IMA) as described later in a capsule 6 that is the head of the endoscope.
GE 8EN80R8ARRAY) 7 is arranged, an image of the subject 5 is focused on the solid-state camera element 7 by the objective lens 2, and an electric signal obtained from this element corresponding to the light of the image point is transmitted through the conductor 418. The solid-state imaging device 7 is approximately 2 to 3 cm tall and 3 cm wide. On the chip, microscopic photoelectric elements of approximately 200 x 200 in length and width are formed in a matrix, each consisting of a packet, brigade, register, etc., which is biased in the opposite direction when irradiated with light.
08 transistor has the same effect as a photodiode between its source and drain, and the entire device is connected to a scanning signal generator 11.08 as shown in FIG. The operating circuit 15 consisting of the driver 12, the X-axis shifter 13, and the Y-axis shifter 14 is I! As a continuation, at the same time as the above-mentioned photoelectric conversion action in each photoelectric element, sequential self-scanning of each photoelectric element is performed to obtain a signal output corresponding to an image. Therefore, when the head capsule 6 is inserted into the subject and the objective lens 2 connects the surface of the desired part of the subject to the solid-state image sensor 7, each photoelectric element photoelectrically converts the light at the image point. At the same time, self-scanning is performed, and an image is reproduced on the cathode ray tube 10 using the output signal.

As mentioned above, even in an endoscope that uses a structured solid-state image sensor, the field of view that can be observed is limited because there is only one light-receiving surface. The light-receiving surface of the endoscope must be rotated or moved to a position directly facing the object. Therefore, the endoscope has a complicated structure, requiring mechanisms for movement and rotation. Furthermore, the movement of endoscopes inside the body is currently not viewed favorably by patients as it relieves them of pain.

The present invention has been made in view of this point, and is characterized by the use of a plurality of solid-state image sensors. Hereinafter, the bond details of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a main part of a simple embodiment of the present invention. That is, the capsule 6 at the tip of the endoscope is made of an optically transparent material (for example, plastic), and
It is characterized by having a completely spherical outer shape. If the inside of the capsule 6 is cut into a cubic shape, the capsule 6 will have a shape in which exactly five convex lenses (for example, plastic lenses) are pasted together. Therefore, the light 22 incident from the outside can be focused almost at the center of the capsule through each convex lens.Ninthly, five solid-state image sensors 7 are arranged at this focusing point,
By aligning the light-receiving surface of each element with the optical axis direction of each convex lens, all optical information incident from the optical axis direction can be captured.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the control of the solid-state image sensing device. In FIG. It is possible to observe in all directions, and there is no need to move the capsule 6 each time to determine the field of view, which eliminates problems with conventional endoscopes.

In the above description, a structure has been described in which the inside of the capsule is cut out in a cubic shape and five solid-state imaging devices can be mounted therein, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to a polygonal shape. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, each of the polygons and the capsule surface constitute a convex lens, and a solid-state image sensor 7 is mounted at a position corresponding to each convex lens (each image sensor is insulated). (adhered to the tip of the support part 23 made of a material), the resultant structure becomes nearly omnidirectional.

In FIGS. 4 and 6, if the focal point of the convex lens formed by the capsule 6 is not located above the solid-state image sensor 7, there is a substance 21 inside the capsule 6 that can arbitrarily change the refraction of light. (The refractive liquid in this cage is commonly used in optical measurement).
i1'ft can be located on the solid state element surface.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure Jl1 is a side view showing the configuration of the main parts of a conventional endoscope using optical fibers, Figure 2 is a #1 side view showing the configuration of the main parts of an endoscope using a solid-state image sensor, and Figure 3 is A circuit block diagram explaining the operational relationship of the solid-state image sensor, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the main part of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation, and FIG. A diagram showing the main parts of another embodiment, ¥i 3 Figure 163- χ 4 Figure ¥15 Illustration 6 Figure 164-

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an endoscope that reproduces an image gII by guiding the electrical polarization from the solid-state image sensor obtained by self-scanning of the solid-state image sensor to a display device located at nine positions away from the solid-state image sensor, a plurality of What is claimed is: 1. An endoscope comprising a solid-state imaging device, and a container holding the solid-state imaging device forming an objective lens connecting a predetermined subject to the surface of the solid-state imaging device.