JP3534849B2 - Electronic endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of a power supply for an electronic endoscope apparatus having a light source section for supplying light into an object to be observed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electronic endoscope apparatus, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), which is a solid-state image pickup device, is provided at the tip of the endoscope, and a light guide is provided from the light source to the tip. Therefore, the light from the light source unit is supplied to the distal end portion through the light guide, and the in-vivo image can be captured by the CCD based on the light irradiation from the distal end portion. Then, if the image signal obtained by the CCD is subjected to signal processing, an image of the inside of the observed body is displayed on the monitor.

In such an electronic endoscope, a xenon lamp or a halogen lamp is used as a light source of the light source section, and these light source sections efficiently guide the light of the lamp to a light guide. On the other hand, it is shielded so as not to leak unnecessary light to the outside.

[0004]

By the way, in the light source lamp of the above-mentioned conventional electronic endoscope apparatus, since the light output of the xenon lamp is as high as about 120 W, unnecessary light other than the light supplied to the light guide is also generated. Many. Moreover, it is not easy to shield the unnecessary light from leaking to the outside.
Therefore, if the light that cannot be guided to the light guide can be used for other purposes, the light energy can be effectively used, and at the same time, the problem of shielding can be reduced.

Also, in the case of a halogen lamp, the light output itself is smaller than that of a xenon lamp, but since infrared light is transmitted to the back side of the reflecting mirror, the light energy is discarded without being used.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic endoscope apparatus capable of effectively utilizing light energy which is not supplied to a light guide in a light source lamp. Especially.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to the first aspect of the present invention provides a light source lamp for supplying irradiation light to a distal end portion of an endoscope through a light guide, and an image pickup device. the drives a in the electronic endoscope apparatus and a signal processing circuit for forming an image signal, the signal processing circuit
Isolation device for patient circuit and output circuit
A photoelectric conversion element at a position for receiving light from a light source lamp other than the light supplied to the light guide, and using the electric power obtained by this photoelectric conversion element to the patient side. It is characterized by driving a circuit . The invention according to the second aspect is such that the visible light from the light source lamp is
It is equipped with a reflector that reflects and transmits infrared rays.
A light other than the light supplied to the light guide is used for the conversion element.
In order to receive the light from the source lamp,
It is characterized in that it is arranged at a position around the optical path on the front side and a position on the back side of the reflecting mirror .

[0008]

According to the structure described in the first aspect, a photoelectric conversion element plate in which a large number of photoelectric conversion elements are arrayed like a solar cell is arranged around the optical path on the front side of, for example, a xenon lamp. That is, a light guide is arranged on the front side of the xenon lamp via an infrared cut filter and a condenser lens, and as many photoelectric conversion element plates as possible are provided at positions where light leaking from the gaps between these members is received. Will be placed. The output terminals of these photoelectric conversion element plates are
Is connected to the signal processing circuits, unwanted light from the lamp is effectively utilized. In addition, in order to ensure the safety of the patient in the electronic endoscopic device, the above signal processing is performed by the isolation device.
Although circuit Ru is separated into the output side circuit with the patient side circuit, by using the above photoelectric conversion device as a power source of the patient circuit side, there is an advantage that Ru can satisfactorily separated from the output-side circuit of the patient side circuit in the power supply line .

According to the structure of the second aspect, in the halogen lamp, the photoelectric conversion element plate and the like are arranged not only on the front side of the lamp but also on the back side of the reflecting mirror. That is, in the case of a halogen lamp, since the infrared light output from the lamp passes through the reflecting mirror, it is possible to efficiently obtain electric power by receiving this infrared light with the photoelectric conversion element plate on the back side of the reflecting mirror. I can .

[0010]

1 shows the configuration of a processor and a light source device in an electronic endoscope apparatus according to a first embodiment. This first embodiment is an example using a xenon lamp as a light source lamp. . The device of FIG. 1 is divided into a light source device 10 and a processor device 11. A signal cable 12 on the electronic endoscope (scope) side is connector-connected to the processor device 11, and an image obtained by a CCD from this signal cable 12 is obtained. The signal is fed into the processor unit 11. A noise filter 14 and a mother board 16 to which a circuit board 15 is attached are arranged in the processor device 11, and a signal processing circuit for performing image processing such as amplification, gamma processing, and white balance is arranged on the circuit board 15. To be implemented.

On the other hand, the light source device 10 is provided with a transformer 19 connected to the commercial power source plug 18, and a power supply from the transformer 19 is inputted to the air source / water pump 20 and a lamp lighting power source. A circuit 21 is provided. The power of the transformer 19 is supplied to a part of the circuit board 15 via the mother board 16. Then, in the light source section 23, a light guide 24 provided on the electronic endoscope side is arranged as shown in the figure by connector connection.

A xenon lamp 26 connected to the lamp lighting power supply circuit 21 is provided in the light source section 23, and a heat sink member 27 for heat dissipation is attached around the xenon lamp 26. An infrared cut filter 28 and a condenser lens 29 are arranged on the front side of the xenon lamp 26, and the end surface of the light guide 24 described above is positioned and arranged at the condenser position of the condenser lens 29.

Around the front side of the xenon lamp 26, a plurality of photoelectric conversion element plates 30 incorporating a large number of photoelectric conversion elements, such as a solar cell, are arranged within a range of 360 degrees. In the case of FIG. 1, the photoelectric conversion element plates 30 are arranged in two stages in the optical axis direction and arranged in the range of 360 degrees, but it is preferable to arrange as many as possible at positions where light leaks. According to such a photoelectric conversion element plate 30,
The light emitted from the xenon lamp 26 is received and converted into an amount of electricity according to the amount of light. And
The photoelectric conversion element plate 30 is connected to a part of the circuit board 15 via the mother board 16 by a connecting wire 31.

The first embodiment is constructed as described above. When the transformer 19 is in operation, the lamp lighting power supply circuit 21 lights the xenon lamp 26, and the lamp light passes through the infrared cut filter 28 and the condenser lens 29. It is supplied to the incident end of the light guide 24. Therefore, the irradiation light is radiated into the object to be observed through the light guide 24 at the tip portion. On the other hand, the light leaking from among the respective members of the xenon lamp 26, the infrared cut filter 28, the condenser lens 29, and the light guide 24 is received by the photoelectric conversion element plate 30.

Then, the photoelectric conversion element plate 30 generates electric power according to the amount of received light, and this electric power is supplied to the circuit board 15 on which the signal processing circuit is mounted.
Therefore, in the first embodiment, a part of the signal processing circuit is driven by the photoelectric conversion element plate 30, and the other part is driven by the power source from the transformer 19. That is, an image of the inside of the body to be observed is captured by the CCD based on the light irradiation at the tip portion, and an image signal is output from the CCD to the circuit board 15.
The signal is supplied to the signal processing circuit therein, and a part of the image processing operation in this signal processing circuit is driven by the photoelectric conversion element plate 30. The image for which the signal processing has been completed is displayed on the monitor.

In the first embodiment, the photoelectric conversion element plate 30 is used.
Although the electric power obtained by the above operates a part of the signal processing circuit, it is also possible to operate the entire signal processing circuit by increasing the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photoelectric conversion element plate 30.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the light source section of the second embodiment. This second embodiment uses a halogen lamp as the light source lamp. In FIG. 2, the halogen lamp 33 comprises a sphere 34 and a bowl- shaped reflecting mirror 35, and a light guide 37 is arranged in front of the halogen lamp 33 via a condenser lens 36. Then, the photoelectric conversion element plate 38 is provided around the front side of the halogen lamp 33.
Are arranged in a range of 360 degrees. Further, the reflecting mirror 35 of the halogen lamp 33 is generally coated with a reflective film that transmits infrared rays and reflects only visible light, so that infrared rays are not supplied to the light guide 37 as much as possible. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a plurality of photoelectric conversion element plates 39 are arranged behind the halogen lamp 33 without any gap.

According to the configuration of the second embodiment, the light leaking from between the halogen lamp 33 and the condenser lens 36 is received by the front photoelectric conversion element plate 38, and the photoelectric conversion on the back side of the reflecting mirror 35 is performed. The element plate 39 receives the infrared light transmitted from the reflecting mirror 35. Then, the electric power obtained by both the photoelectric conversion element plates 39 is supplied from the terminal 40 to the signal processing circuit as in the case of the first embodiment.

The first and second embodiments described above also have the following advantages. That is, although the light source unit 10 and the like employ the shielding structure for preventing light leakage, the shielding structure is simplified by disposing the photoelectric conversion element plates 30, 38, 39. Moreover, since the photoelectric conversion element plate 30 is completely separated from the transformer 19 of FIG.
There is an advantage that the circuit driven by the photoelectric conversion element plate 30 (38, 39) and other circuits can be electrically separated in the power supply line.

That is, in the electronic endoscope apparatus, in order to ensure the safety of the patient, the circuit inside the apparatus is divided into a patient side circuit (for example, a circuit arranged in a stage preceding the image memory) and an output side circuit (for example, from the memory). (A circuit arranged in a subsequent stage) and an isolation device such as a pulse transformer or a photocoupler is interposed between these circuits to electrically separate the patient side circuit and the output side circuit. Therefore, in the present invention, the photoelectric conversion element plate 30 (38, 39) is used.
By limiting the circuit driven by the patient side circuit,
Since the output circuit is also separated from the power supply line, the safety is further enhanced.

[0021]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the output light of the light source lamp other than the light supplied to the light guide is received by the photoelectric conversion element, and this photoelectric conversion is performed. Since the signal processing circuit is driven by using the electric power collected by the element, it becomes possible to effectively use the energy of light that is unnecessary in the light source section. Further, the light shielding structure of the light source unit is simplified by Rukoto be supplied further power obtained by the photoelectric conversion elements only on the patient side circuit,
Also in the power supply line, there is an advantage that the circuit on the patient side and the circuit on the output side are electrically separated.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the halogen lamp is used, since the photoelectric conversion element is also arranged on the back side of the reflecting mirror of the lamp, the energy of infrared light can be effectively used. It will be possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus (processor and light source apparatus) according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a light source unit of a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Light source device, 11 ... Processor device, 15 ... Circuit board, 23 ... Light source part, 24… Light guide, 26 ... xenon lamp, 28 ... Infrared light cut filter, 29,36 ... Condensing lens, 30, 38, 39 ... Photoelectric conversion element plate, 33 ... Halogen lamp, 35 ... Reflective mirror.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 23/24 A61B 1/04 362 A61B 1/06

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising a light source lamp for supplying irradiation light to a distal end portion of an endoscope via a light guide, and a signal processing circuit for driving an image pickup device to form an image signal. In this case, the signal processing circuit is
A photoelectric conversion element is arranged at a position where it is electrically separated into a user side circuit and an output side circuit and receives light from a light source lamp other than the light supplied to the light guide. Drives the patient side circuit using electric power
An electronic endoscope apparatus characterized by: 2. The visible light from the light source lamp is reflected.
Equipped with a reflecting mirror that transmits infrared rays, and the photoelectric conversion element is supplied to the light guide.
To receive light from other light source lamps.
The electronic endoscope device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic endoscope device is arranged at a position around the optical path on the front side of the lamp and a position on the back side of the reflecting mirror .