JPS6226002B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a protective case for an endoscope photographing device that prevents an operator's hand from directly touching the photographing device when taking a photograph during an endoscopy, for example.

Photographs are taken during endoscopy by attaching a separate photographing device to the eyepiece of the endoscope. However, although the endoscope is disinfected in advance to prevent infection, photographing devices are generally difficult to disinfect.

Therefore, in recent years, the imaging device itself has been made watertight so that it can withstand disinfection with a chemical solution, or a flexible plastic bag-like cover is used to cover the entire imaging device except for the connection parts. A device has been devised that is coated to prevent direct contamination of the imaging device to the operator.

However, if the imaging device itself has a watertight structure, the imaging device becomes larger and heavier as it becomes watertight, which impairs the operability of the endoscope. It was inappropriate.

On the other hand, most of the bags-like covers that cover the entire imaging device directly connect the contaminated connection part of the imaging device to the endoscope eyepiece. This causes the problem of contaminating the eyepiece of the endoscope, and there is a great risk of infection from the eyepiece to the patient via the operator.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to reliably prevent direct contamination of the endoscope by an endoscope imaging device used in the medical sector. It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective case for an endoscope photographing device which is excellent in practical use.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 in Fig. 1 is a container for the protective case 2;
This container 1 has a box-like structure having an entrance/exit opening 1a on the upper side, and forms a storage chamber 3 inside. The housing chamber 3 has a structure in which an endoscope camera 4, which is an endoscope photographing device, is accommodated and installed. Here, to explain the structure of the camera 4, the camera 4 has an automatic film winding mechanism (not shown), an automatic exposure adjustment mechanism (not shown), and a shutter mechanism (not shown) built into the camera body 5. , a structure in which an image incident on an image pickup unit 7 provided on the front side of the camera body 5 is automatically captured on a film 8 based on the button operation of a release button 6 provided on the upper side of the camera body 5. It's summery. Note that 9 is an eyepiece section provided on the upper side of the camera body 5, and 10 is an eyepiece section provided at the upper side of the camera body 5.
This is an optical path that optically connects the two. The camera 4 is provided with four contacts 11 around the imaging section 7 on the front side of the camera body 5, and for example, two contacts 11, 11 are connected to electrical transmission lines (not shown). It is connected to an automatic film winding mechanism via a power supply system. The remaining contacts 11 and 11 are connected to electrical transmission lines (not shown) in the same way.
It is connected to the automatic exposure adjustment mechanism via the 100 MHz, and constitutes a signal input system (not shown) related to automatic exposure. That is, the camera 4 can automatically take good photographs by operating the release button 6.

On the other hand, on one side of the entrance/exit opening 1a of the container 1,
A case body 1 of a protective case 2 has a lid 13 rotatably connected via a hinge 12, and can close an entrance/exit opening 1a with the lid 13.
It consists of 6 structures. As this lid body 13,
For example, it is molded in a shape that follows the outer shape of the upper side of the camera 4, and a cover glass 14 is provided on the rear side of the convex portion 13a corresponding to the eyepiece portion 9 of the camera 4. Further, a release button operation section 15, which is an operation section formed from a thin interior, is provided on a wall corresponding to the release button 6 of the camera 4. 13
With the entrance/exit opening 1a closed, the eyepiece 9 can be viewed through the cover glass 14, and
The release button 6 can be operated via the release button operation section 15. In addition, 17 is the lid body 1
This is a lid fixing device for fixing the container 3 to the container 1.

Moreover, the container 1 facing the imaging unit 7 of the camera 4
An attachment mechanism section 18a constituting the endoscope connection mechanism 18 is provided on the front side of the attachment mechanism 18a. To explain the structure of the mounting mechanism section 18a, reference numeral 19 in the figure is a mounting cylinder, which is integrally protruded from the front surface of the container 1 corresponding to the imaging section 7 of the camera 4, and is installed in the inner cavity to capture an image. An optical path 20 connected to the section 7 is configured.
As shown in FIG. 2, a stepped portion 21 is formed at the rear of the inner cavity of the mounting cylinder 19, and four lead wires 22, for example, are inserted into the stepped portion 21. Both ends of these lead wires 22 are connected to input terminals 23 and output terminals 24 provided on the end face of the stepped portion 21 and the inner surface of the container 1 in correspondence with the contacts 11 of the camera 4, respectively. This constitutes a power transmission/communication mode in which signals outputted from the endoscope 25 side can be sent to the contacts 11 of the camera 4 via the respective lead wires 22. Note that the output terminals 24... are connected to each contact point 11... by housing the camera 4 in a predetermined position in the container 1.
Needless to say, it is configured to be in contact with. On the other hand, on the protruding side peripheral wall surface of the mounting cylinder 19,
An L-shaped sliding slot 26 is provided, and by engaging an attachment pin 27 provided on the endoscope 25 side from the opening side 26a of the sliding slot 26, the protective case 2 can be connected to the endoscope 25. That is, the structure of the support mechanism section 18b constituting the connection mechanism 18 on the endoscope 25 side is as follows. That is,
In the figure, 28 is an eyepiece section provided in the endoscope operation section 29;
The eyepiece portion 29 is provided with a support cylinder 30 having, for example, an eyepiece group 30a as an attachment, and the mounting cylinder 19 can be fitted onto the outer circumference of the support cylinder 30. There is.
The above-mentioned attachment pin 27 is protruded from the peripheral surface of the support cylinder 30, and the attachment pin 27 is connected to the opening side of the sliding slot 26.
6. By guiding the straight part and then the circular arc part,
A structure in which the sliding slot 26 and the attachment pin 27 are engaged, and the endoscope eyepiece 28 and the imaging unit 7 of the camera 4 are optically connected via the eyepiece group 30a and the optical path 20. It is becoming. That is,
Due to the fit between the mounting cylinder 19 and the support cylinder 30 and the engagement between the sliding groove 16 and the attachment pin 27, the endoscope 25 is housed and installed in the protective case 2 and the protective case 2. It constitutes a connection device section 31 that connects to the camera 4. In addition, 32... are elastic members arranged in parallel on the outer circumferential surface of the support cylinder 30 to prevent loosening. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the engagement between the sliding groove hole 26 and the attachment pin 27 is such that the final position is set at a position that is easy to operate with respect to the endoscope 25.

Further, on the end face of the support cylinder 30, four output contacts 33 are provided, which are electrically connected to, for example, an endoscope light source device (not shown). 30, each output contact 33... is electrically connected to each input terminal 33, and power can be supplied to the automatic film winding mechanism of the camera 4. Electrical connection means 3 capable of sending signals related to exposure to the automatic exposure adjustment mechanism
5. In addition, each output contact 33... is connected to each input terminal 23... at the time of final positioning of the mounting cylinder 19.
Needless to say, the position is set so as to be in contact with.

Next, a usage pattern of the protective case 2 configured as described above will be explained. First, the case body 16 is thoroughly disinfected before the endoscopy. When a photograph is to be taken during an endoscopy, the camera 4 containing the film 8 is first placed in the container 1. Next, the entrance/exit opening 1a is closed with the lid 13, and the lid 13 is fixed to the lid fixing device 17.
As a result, the camera 4 is fixed at a predetermined position within the storage chamber 3 without any wobbling, and is set in a state isolated from the outside air. After that, by inserting the mounting cylinder 19 of the disinfection case 2 into the outer circumference of the support cylinder 30 and engaging the sliding slot 26 and the attachment pin 27, the inner A connection is made between the endoscope 25 side and the protective case 2, an optical connection is made between the endoscope eyepiece section 28 and the camera imaging section 7, and an electrical connection is made between the input contacts 33... and the contacts 11.... As a result, the camera 4 is ready to take pictures.

Once the object is captured by the eyepiece 9 of the camera 4, the user presses the release button operation section 15 to take a photograph.

Therefore, the camera 4 can be used without coming into contact with the endoscope 25, the operator's hands, etc. from the time the camera 4 is housed in the protective case 2 to the time of photographing. In other words, the camera 4 can be connected to the eyepiece 28 while being housed in the case body 16 without being exposed.

Therefore, when it is necessary to take a photograph during an endoscopy, the endoscope 25 will not be contaminated even if the camera 4 is attached, and contamination of the operator etc. can be reliably prevented. This greatly contributes to the safety of examination procedures using the endoscope 25.

Furthermore, since the camera 4 is simply housed and installed in the case body 16, it does not impair the operation of the endoscope, and the camera 4 itself does not require any special structure, making it extremely practical. It is something.

In the above-described embodiments, an auto-exposure, auto-winding endoscope camera is used; however, the structure of this camera is not limited in any way; for example, a manual endoscope camera may be used. .

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the connection device part that makes the connection with the endoscope is formed by engaging the attachment pin and the sliding groove, but there is no limitation to this form. Instead, an engagement form such as a bayonet mechanism or a combination of a cam and a pin may be used.In short, any form that can optically connect the eyepiece of the endoscope and the imaging part of the camera may be used.

As explained above, according to the present invention, there is provided an operation section for operating an endoscope photographing device, a viewfinder viewing section for seeing through the finder of the endoscope photographing device, an endoscope eyepiece section, and an endoscope eyepiece section. Since the endoscope photographing device is housed in the case main body, which is equipped with a connecting device section that makes an optical connection with the imaging section of the photographing device, it is possible to take photographs during endoscopy, for example. In such cases, if the photographing device is housed in the case body, no object such as the endoscope eyepiece will come into contact with the photographing device from the time it is housed until it is connected to the endoscope eyepiece and the photograph is taken. It will be done without any trouble. In other words, the imaging device can be connected to the eyepiece of the endoscope without exposing the imaging device while it is housed in the case body.

Therefore, when photographing is required during endoscopy, the endoscope will not be contaminated even if a photographing device is attached. Therefore, contamination of other objects by the imaging device can be reliably prevented, and this effect greatly contributes to safety in endoscopy and the like.

Furthermore, since it has a simple configuration in which the imaging device is housed in the case body, it does not impair endoscope operation and does not require any special structure for the imaging device, making it extremely practical. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a state in which a protective case is connected to an endoscope eyepiece. 4...Camera (photographing device for endoscope), 16...
Case body, 15...Release button operation section (operation section), 14...Cover glass (viewer viewing section), 31...Connection device section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A case body that houses an endoscope imaging device;
A connection device provided on the case body to detachably connect the eyepiece of the endoscope and optically connect the eyepiece of the endoscope to the endoscope imaging device housed in the case body. an operating section for performing photographing operations of the endoscopic photographing device provided on the case body and housed from the outside; and an operation section for performing photographing operations of the endoscopic photographing device provided on the case body and housed from the outside; A protective case for an endoscope photographing device, characterized in that it is equipped with a see-through finder viewing section. 2. The connecting device section is provided with a connecting means that can electrically connect the endoscope photographing device housed in the case body to the eyepiece section side of the endoscope. A protective case for the endoscope imaging device according to item 1.