KR100415274B1 - Electronic endoscope equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope apparatus which prevents the formation of defrost on the lens and prevents the focus alignment from being disassembled during assembly. The camera head 40 has a rectangular cross section at both sides of the camera head 40, Has an arc-shaped cross section and is filled with argon gas therein; The camera head 40 includes a camera module 12 having one end fixed inside the camera head 40 by mounting the CCD 12a and the integrated circuit board 12c as modules. The proximal end is male and female coupled to the distal end of the camera module 12, and the CCD 12a, the filter 16, the gasket 15, the anti-reflection window 13, the cap window 14 and the camera lens 30 Each space for accommodating the space is partitioned therein, and a portion except the tip is a fragment having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the camera head 40, and is airtight in the camera head 40 through the fastening means. An electronic endoscope apparatus, characterized in that it comprises a camera support case (9) which is mounted in the future.

Description

Electronic endoscope device {ELECTRONIC ENDOSCOPE EQUIPMENT}

The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope apparatus, and more particularly to a camera head of the electronic endoscope apparatus.

In recent years, various types of electronic endoscope devices using solid-state imaging devices such as charge coupled devices (CCDs) have been proposed. The electronic endoscope is provided with an endoscope provided with a solid-state imaging device for imaging a subject in an elongated insertion section, and supplies a drive signal to the solid-state imaging device, and receives an imaging signal from the solid-state imaging device through a long cable. It is known to equip a monitor with a video processor which processes an imaging signal, and to display a video signal from this video processor.

Thus, a conventional electronic endoscope apparatus having a CCD is shown in FIG. The conventional electronic endoscope apparatus 60 as shown in FIG. 6 supplies an electronic endoscope (telescope) 61 equipped with a CCD 63 as a solid-state imaging element, and supplies driving signals to the CCD 63. A video processor (64) for receiving the signal from the CCD (63) through the buffer amplifier (74) and the signal line (75) and processing the signal; and a light source (62) for supplying illumination light irradiated to the subject. The video signal output from the video processor 64 can be displayed on the color monitor 65.

The electronic endoscope 61 has an elongate insertion portion 66, and a large operation portion 68 is formed at the rear end of the insertion portion 66. In the insertion portion 66, illumination light is transmitted. The light guide 67 is inserted, and the rear end of the light guide 67 is attached to the light source part 62. Then, the illumination light is supplied to the light guide 67 from the lamp 69 of the light source unit 62 through the condenser lens 70, and the illumination light is irradiated to the subject from the front end surface thereof and also through the illumination lens 71.

The objective lens 72 is attached to the tip portion 86 of the insertion portion 66, the CCD 63 is provided on the focal plane, and the imaging output from the CCD 63 in the vicinity of the CCD 63. The buffer amplifier 74 which amplified the signal is provided.

The reflected light from the subject forms an object image on the CCD 63 by the objective lens 72. That is, the reflected light from the subject is received by each of tens or millions of photoelectric conversion elements (pixels) integrated in the CCD 63 at high density, and is photoelectrically converted and accumulated as corresponding charges on the subject. Accumulated charge is read out of the CCD 63 by applying a CCD drive signal from the CCD driver 73 provided in the video processor 64 through a signal line.

The CCD driver 73 is controlled by the controller 80. This read signal is amplified by a buffer amplifier 74 as an impedance reducing means, and is inserted into the video processor via a transmission cable 75 which is wired into the insert 66 by the number of strands corresponding to the number of pixels of the CCD. Input to the pre-process circuit 76 via a termination circuit composed of a resistor R1 ', a capacitor C' and a resistor R 'inside the 64.

About 12 volts of CCD power supply (V _CC ) generated from a power supply circuit (not shown) inside the video processor 64 is provided at the power supply terminal of the CCD 63 provided in the insertion portion 66 of the electronic endoscope 61. It is supplied via this cable 78.

The power supply V _CC inside the electric video processor 64 is supplied to the power supply terminal of the buffer amplifier 74 through the switch 77 and the cable 79. This switch 77 is controlled on / off by the control unit 80 provided inside the video processor 64.

The preprocess 76 amplifies the image pickup signal output from the buffer amplifier 74 and received by the termination circuit and supplies it to the color signal generation circuit 81 and the luminance signal generation circuit 82 of the next step. The generating circuit 82 generates the luminance signal Y, and the color signal generating circuit 81 generates the color difference signals RY and BY.

The luminance signal Y is supplied to the encoder 85 after being added with the character signal from the character signal generation circuit 84 in the mixer 83. The encoder 85 is supplied with color difference signals R-Y and B-Y from the color signal generation circuit 81 and a synchronization signal from the synchronization signal generator 87.

The synchronization signal from this synchronization signal generator 87 is also supplied to the control unit 80. The encoder 85 converts the input luminance signal Y, the color difference signals R-Y, B-Y, and the synchronization signal into a composite video signal and supplies it to the color monitor 65.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the electric circuit around the IC 103 in which the buffer amplifier 74 is IC in the conventional example. As shown in Fig. 7, the IC 103 is composed of transistors Tr1 and Tr2. And resistors R2 and R3.

In other words, the base of the transistor Tr1 is connected to the output terminal V _out of the CCD 63. The collectors of the transistors Tr1 and Tr2 are connected to the switch 77 via a cable 79. The emitter of the transistor Tr1 is connected to the base of the transistor Tr2 and is connected to the ground line GND through the resistor R2.

The emitter of the transistor Tr2 is connected to the ground line GND through a termination circuit consisting of a resistor R3, a center line of the cable 75, a resistor R1 ', a capacitor C', and a resistor R '. Is connected to.

In the IC 103 of the buffer amplifier 74 having such a configuration, it is necessary to transfer the CCD imaging signal to the transmission cable 75, which is an expensive coaxial cable having a number of strands corresponding to the pixels of the CCD.

IC of such a buffer amplifier 74 is mounted, and the imaging part accommodated in the front end part 86 is shown in FIG. This IC 103 is mounted on the substrate 102 and bonded to the substrate 102 via the wire 105. This IC 103 is sealed by a resin 106 and sealed.

The conductor 63 is provided in the CCD 63, and the conductor 101 is connected to the substrate 102 and the cable of the assembly cable 190, and a part of the assembly cable 190 is connected to the substrate 102. Is connected to.

The substrate 102 and the like on which the CCD 63 and the IC 103 are mounted are covered with a hard mold 107, and a resin 108 is filled in the gap inside the mold 107.

As described above, in the conventional electronic endoscope apparatus, the connection between the electronic endoscope 61 having the CCD and the video processor 64 that receives and processes the image pickup signal from the CCD corresponds to the number of pixels of the CCD. A cable 75 having a strand of s, a cable 78 for supplying power to the CCD, a cable 79 for supplying power to the buffer amplifier 74, and a CCD drive signal from the CCD driver 73 to the CCD. This is performed by the aggregation cable 190 in which the signal lines to be applied are collected. Therefore, the assembly cable 190 is expensive because the various cables, signal lines, and the like are gathered, and the electronic endoscope 61 is disposed at a considerable distance from the video processor 64. It is more expensive.

Therefore, the present applicant has mounted the integrated circuit board in the electronic endoscope 61 in which the video processor 64 is integrated and mounted the CCD. However, due to the integration and the high speed of the signal processing, the heat is accumulated in the electronic endoscope 61. There is a difference in temperature between the low temperature heat transmitted from the insertion portion of the electronic endoscope 61 and the high temperature heat generated from the integrated circuit board, so there is a problem that sexual relations are caused to various lenses mounted on the electronic endoscope 61. Occurred.

Further, in the state where the CCD is sealed and sealed by resin in the electronic endoscope 61, the various lenses are fastened and mounted on the frame 97 of the electronic endoscope 61 while being pressed on the CCD. The phenomenon of misalignment of the focal point occurred.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, while reducing the cost of the assembly cable for connecting the electronic endoscope and the video processor, and prevents the occurrence of sexual love of various lenses mounted on the electronic endoscope, the assembly of the electronic endoscope An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic endoscope apparatus in which alignment of the focal point is prevented from being shifted.

1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic endoscope apparatus according to the present invention,

2 is a front cross-sectional view of the coupled state of the camera head of FIG.

3 is a front sectional view of the camera head of FIG. 1 in an exploded state;

4 is a cross-sectional view of the camera head of FIG. 2 taken along line A-A, FIG.

5 is an exploded plan view of the camera head of FIG.

6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional electronic endoscope apparatus;

7 is a diagram showing an electric circuit around the buffer amplifier in the conventional example, and

8 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an image capturing unit in a case example.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a telescope with a built-in relay optical system and a light guide for observation, a CCD for picking up a subject image transmitted by the relay optical system, and receiving a captured image signal from the CCD to synthesize a video Camera head (C mount), which is equipped with the camera head, which has the signal processing integrated circuit board converting the signal into the airtight, the telescope is mounted on one side by screw method, and the camera head is mounted on the other side by screw method, and the subject An electronic endoscope apparatus having a monitor control device with a light source unit for supplying illumination light to be irradiated through the light guide and the light guide line, wherein the camera head has a rectangular cross section at both sides thereof, and has an upper and lower arc shape. It has a cross section and inside it is filled with argon gas ; The camera head includes a camera module having one end fixed inside the camera head by mounting the CCD and the integrated circuit board as modules. And the proximal end is male-female coupled with the distal end of the camera module, and the respective spaces for accommodating the CCD, the filter, the gasket, the anti-reflection window, the cap window, and the camera lens are partitioned therein. It is a fragment having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the camera head, and is an electronic endoscope apparatus including a camera support case which is airtightly mounted to the camera head via a fastening means.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiment of this invention is described with reference to drawings.

The electronic endoscope device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2 for picking up a subject image transmitted by the relay optical system, a telescope 20 incorporating a light guide and a relay optical system not shown for observation. A camera head 40 having a signal processing integrated circuit board 12c as shown in FIG. 2 for receiving an imaging signal from the CCD 12a and the CCD 12a and converting the captured image signal into a composite video signal. The camera lens (C mount) 30 to which the telescope 20 is mounted and the camera head 40 is mounted on the other side, and illumination light irradiated to the subject through the light guide and the light guide line 23. The monitor control apparatus 50 incorporating the light source part which is not shown in figure which supplies is included.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the rigid electronic endoscope apparatus 10, a cable 48 extends from the rear of the camera head 40 and is connected to the monitor control device 50.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the camera head 40 has a rectangular cross section from the proximal end to the proximal end, the upper and lower parts having an arcuate cross section, and the insert 41 below the proximal end. The tip is open. The insert 41 is protruded by a male and female coupling in an insertion hole formed behind the camera head 40. The insert 41 has a cable holder 47 circumferentially coupled to the cable holder 47 in a male and female manner. The inner cable circumference of the insert 41 is a cable guide fixture 42, two gaskets 43 and 43, and an intermediate cable fixture 44 made of brass, which is easily waterproof between the two gaskets 43 and 43. Is positioned, and a cable fixture 45 is circumscribed on the outer circumference of the insert 41. In addition, a stainless steel intermediate cable fixture 46 is positioned on the inner circumference of the cable fixture 45. The cable guide fixture 42 and the cable guide fixture 42 when the cable fixture 45 and the insert 41 are externally positioned. Pressing the two gaskets 43 and 43 and the brass intermediate cable gasket 44 makes the space defined by the cable fixture 45 and the insert 41 hermetic.

Therefore, the cable 48 covering several strands of conductors is hermetically inserted into a space defined by the holder 47 and the insert 41, and is isolated from external air and water.

In the camera head 40, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the CCD 12a is modularly arranged on the front end side of the base 40a, and the cable 48 on the base end side of the base. The connection cord 12b for connecting with the conductive wires of the base is modularly arranged, and the camera module 12 in which the integrated circuit board 12c is modularly disposed is disposed on both sides of the base. Here, the integrated circuit board 12 includes a CCD driver 73, a controller 80, and a synchronization signal generator 87 included in the video processor 64 of FIG. 6 described in the description of the conventional electronic endoscope. ), Encoder 85, pre-process 76, switch 77, color signal generation circuit 81, whiteness signal generation circuit 82, mixer 83, and character signal generation circuit 84 Integrated circuits are arranged. Since the integrated circuit is a technique already known in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the connection cord 12b of the camera module 12 embedded in the camera head 40 is fixed to upper and lower portions of the inner circumferential surface of the camera head 40, respectively. It is inserted and held in two pairs of ribs 51 and 52 formed at intervals.

As shown in Fig. 2, the camera head 40 has a threaded portion 40a which is threaded on the inner circumferential surface of the tip. And the support case 9 is a T-shape consisting of a first portion 91 extending radially outward with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the tip and a second portion 92 which is integral with the first portion and extends perpendicularly to the first portion. It has a cross-sectional projection 9a on the tip outer circumferential surface, has a threaded portion 9b screwed on the proximal end circumferential surface and a threaded portion 9c screwed on the tip inner circumferential surface of the second portion.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the support case 9 is inserted into the space formed by the protrusion 9a having the T-shaped cross-sectional shape of the support case 9. It may be screwed with the support case 9. At this time, a rubber ring 18a is interposed between the distal end of the support case 9 and the proximal end surface of the first portion 91 of the protruding portion 9a, so that air and water from the outside are transferred to the camera head. The entry into the 40 is prevented.

In addition, a seat portion 91a on which the rubber ring 18b can be positioned is formed on the front end surface of the first portion 91 of the protrusion 9a, and a step formed on the outer peripheral surface of the front end of the camera module support 11. The portion 11a is placed on the front end surface of the first portion 91 via the rubber ring 18b.

The camera module support 11 is a fragment in which a portion except the tip portion has an inner diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the camera head 40. In addition, an outer circumferential surface of the screw processing portion 17a inserted into a space partitioned by the front end portion of the camera module support 11 and the protruding portion 9a and engaged with the screw processing portion 9c of the protruding portion 9a. When the joint 17 having the protrusion 17b integrally with the support case 9 and the camera module support 11 is coupled to the support case 9 and the camera by the rubber ring 18b Air or water is prevented from entering the camera head 40 through the gap formed by the module support 11 and the joint 17.

In addition, the camera head 40 is filled with argon gas in order to remove high heat generated in the integrated circuit board 12c during operation, and the argon gas is also provided by the rubber rings 18a and 18b. Leakage out of the camera head 40 is prevented.

The camera module support 11 has an accommodating portion 11b formed at a proximal end for accommodating four projections 12d formed to face the front end side of the camera module 12 radially. It has the accommodating part 11c partitioned for accommodating a CCD. In addition, a through hole 11d is formed at the center of the base end side of the camera module support 11 so as to form an image of the subject on the CCD. In order to interpose a gasket 15 between the CCD and the camera module support 11. The seat part 11e for the gasket 15 is partitioned. The through hole 11d is provided with a compartment 11f partitioned to accommodate the filter 16.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front end side of the camera module support 11 may be partitioned into a shape corresponding to the camera lens 30 so that the single binary camera lens 30 may be screwed on. It has a lead part 11g, and is screwed in the inner peripheral surface of the accommodating part.

In addition, an accommodating portion 11h is formed between the through hole 11d and the accommodating portion 11g to accommodate the anti-reflection window 13 covering the through hole 11d. The storage part 11i which accommodates the cap window 14 which prevents the departure | release of 13 is partitioned. The cap window 14 has a threaded outer circumferential surface and a threaded inner surface of the accommodating portion 11i, so that the cap window 14 may be screwed together.

By forming the various housings and seats as described above in the camera module support 11, when assembling the endoscope head, the various lenses are prevented from being tightened while being pressed on the CCD to align alignment with the focus point during assembly. The phenomenon can be prevented.

By the above configuration, the electronic endoscope apparatus of the present invention can reduce the cost of the assembly cable connecting the electronic endoscope and the video processor, and prevent the occurrence of the deity of various lenses mounted on the electronic endoscope, and at the time of assembling the electronic endoscope. The misalignment of the focus could be prevented.

Claims (3)

delete A telescope 20 having a built-in relay optical system and a light guide for observation, a CCD 12a for picking up a subject image transmitted by the relay optical system, and receiving a captured image signal from the CCD 12a to synthesize a video signal. The camera head 40 which has a signal processing integrated circuit board 12c to be converted in a gastight manner, the telescope 20 is mounted on one side by a screw method and the camera head 40 is mounted on the other side by a screw method. In an electronic endoscope apparatus having a camera lens (C mount) 30 and a monitor control device 50 having a light source unit for supplying illumination light irradiated to a subject through the light guide and the light guide line 23. , The camera head 40 has a rectangular cross section at both sides thereof, an upper and a lower part having an arcuate cross section, and is filled with argon gas therein; The camera head 40 includes a camera module 12 having one end fixed inside the camera head 40 by mounting the CCD 12a and the integrated circuit board 12c as modules. And The proximal end is male and female with the distal end of the camera module 12, and the CCD 12a, the filter 16, the gasket 15, the anti-reflection window 13, the cap window 14 and the camera lens 30 Each space for storing is partitioned inside, and the part except the tip is a fragment having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the camera head 40, and is hermetically sealed to the camera head 40 through the fastening means. Camera support case (9) to be included in the future, The fastening means includes a support case 9 and a joint 17, The support case 9 is a T-shape consisting of a first portion 91 extending radially outward with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the tip and a second portion 92 integrally formed with the first portion and extending perpendicularly to the first portion. The protruding portion 9a of the cross-sectional shape is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end, and has a threaded portion 9b screwed on the proximal outer peripheral surface, and the protruding portion 9a has a screw threaded on the distal inner peripheral surface of the second portion. A sheet portion 92a having a study 9c and on which a rubber ring 18b can be positioned is formed on the front end surface of the first portion 91 of the protrusion 9a. The camera module support 11 has a stepped portion 11a formed on the outer circumferential surface of the distal end portion on the distal end surface of the first portion 91 via the rubber ring 18b, and proximal to the camera module support 11. An accommodating portion 11c for accommodating the CCD at the side center, a through hole 11d for forming an image of the subject on the CCD, and a sheet portion for interposing a gasket 15 between the CCD and the camera module support 11. 11e, an accommodating portion 11f for accommodating the filter 16 in the through hole 11d, and an anti-cover covering the through hole 11d between the through hole 11d and the accommodating portion 11g. An accommodating portion 11h for accommodating the reflection window 13 and an accommodating portion 11i for accommodating the cap window 14 for preventing the anti-reflection window 13 from being detached are formed, and the camera module support is provided. On the front end side of (11), the camera lens 30 is screwed to be mounted It is partitioned into a shape corresponding to the camera lens 30 in the state that the inner peripheral surface is screwed so that the receiving portion 11g is formed, Here, the outer circumferential surface of the cap window 14 is screwed, and the inner circumferential surface of the accommodating portion 11i is screwed, so that the cap window 14 and the camera module support 11 are screwed together. Electronic endoscope device, characterized in that coupled to. 3. The joint (17) according to claim 2, wherein the joint (17) has a protrusion (17b) inserted into a space defined by the tip of the camera module support (11) and the tip of the protrusion (9a), and the protrusion (17b) Electronic endoscope apparatus, characterized in that the outer peripheral surface has a screw processing portion (17a) engaged with the screw processing portion (9c) of the projection (9a).