JPH0353610B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope connection device for connecting an endoscope and a television camera.

When observing the inside of a body cavity using an endoscope, there are various observation methods such as television, photography, or visual observation of the observed image, and these observation methods are used depending on the situation at the time. There is. Therefore, in endoscopic observation, it is important to be able to quickly and reliably select the various observation means described above.

Conventionally, in order to enable observation using an endoscope using multiple observation means, a connection device that allows connection of a television camera and observation with the naked eye has been provided at the eyepiece of the endoscope. There is. However, with such a connecting device, when taking a photograph of an observed image, it is necessary to remove the connecting device from the eyepiece of the endoscope and attach a still camera to the eyepiece. Not only was this not possible quickly, but there were times when I would lose sight of the area I was trying to photograph while disconnecting the connecting device.

Therefore, it has been considered that the eyepiece device is also provided with an eyepiece to which a still camera can be attached, so that observation with the naked eye and photography can be performed using this eyepiece.

However, when the connecting device is provided with an eyepiece, the spectral ratio of the prism as a spectroscopic optical system installed inside it is usually lower on the TV camera side than on the eyepiece side, since the sensitivity of the TV camera is usually low. A lot of spectroscopy is required. Therefore, although there is no problem in observing with the naked eye through the eyepiece, when a still camera is attached to the eyepiece, a problem arises in that a sufficient amount of light cannot be obtained, making it impossible to take good photographs. That is, simply providing an eyepiece to which a still camera can be attached to the connecting device does not allow reliable photography.

This invention was made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an eyepiece to which a still camera can be attached, and to
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting device for an endoscope, which increases the spectral ratio to the eyepiece part side when taking a photograph, and makes it possible to take photographs reliably.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. 1 in the figure is an endoscope. This endoscope 1 includes an operation section 3 provided with an eyepiece section 2,
The insertion section 4 is connected to the operation section 3. A television camera 6 can be connected to the eyepiece section 2 of the endoscope 1 via a connecting device 5. The television camera 6 is connected to a control device 8 via a first cable 7, and a television monitor 10 is connected to the control device 8 via a second cable 9. Therefore, the electric signal from the television camera 6 is amplified by the control device 8 and becomes a video signal, and a composite video signal obtained by adding a synchronization signal to this video signal is sent to the television monitor 10. Images are starting to appear in

On the other hand, the connecting device 5 is constructed as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. That is, the main body 11 in the figure is cylindrical and has a flange 12 protruding from an axially midway portion of its inner circumferential surface. A mounting tube 13 that fits into the eyepiece 2 of the endoscope 1 is provided inside one end of the main body 11 with a spacer 14 interposed therebetween. Further, a cylindrical support 15 is provided within the main body 11 with its peripheral portion fixed to the collar 12 at one end. This support body 15 has a mounting groove 1 open on the other end surface side.
6 is provided over the entire length in the radial direction, and a through hole 17 is bored in the center, with one end communicating with the mounting groove 16 and the other end open to one end surface of the support body 15. A lens 18 is held in this through hole 17 by a ring 19. Further, in the mounting groove 16, a frame-shaped movable body 20 is attached to the support body 15.
It is provided so as to be slidable along the radial direction. A first prism 21 and a second prism 22, which serve as spectroscopic optical systems having different spectral ratios, are arranged side by side on the support 15 along the sliding direction. The first prism 21 receives the light from the endoscope 1, etc.
The second prism 22 has a spectral ratio of 7:3, which transmits 70% and reflects the remaining 30%, and the second prism 22 has a spectral ratio of 5:5. Further, operating rods 23, 23 protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the main body 11 are connected to both end surfaces of the movable body 20 in the sliding direction, respectively, and the movable body 20 is slid and operated by the operating rods 23, 23. It is now possible to do so. That is, when the movable body 20 is slid as shown in FIG.
When the second prism 22 is slid as shown in FIG. 5, the second prism 22 faces the lens 18. Furthermore, when the first prism 21 or the second prism 22 is opposed to the lens 18, the movable body 20 has a first prism 21 or a second prism 22.
A lead-out hole 24 is formed along the traveling direction of the light reflected by the light beam 2 . This outlet hole 24 has a light guide tube 25.
are connected at one end. This light guide tube 2
A light guide tube 25 is provided at the other end protruding from the main body 11 of 5.
Connection part 2 that converts the direction of the light guided inside to a right angle
6 is provided, and this connecting portion 26 is provided with a diopter ring 2.
7, an eyepiece portion 28 that can be freely focused is provided. A still camera 29 shown in FIG. 1 can be detachably attached to this eyepiece section 28.

Furthermore, on the other end side of the main body 11 of the connecting device 5,
A ring-shaped connecting plate 3 is formed by fixing the peripheral part to this end face.
0 is attached. A cylindrical portion 32 having a thread 31 formed on its outer peripheral surface is protruded from the center of the connecting plate 30, and the TV camera 6 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 32 through a screw hole 34 formed on one end surface of the case 33.
It is designed to be attached by screwing them together. The case 33 of the television camera 6 accommodates an imaging tube 36 whose imaging surface 35 faces the lens 18 held within the connecting device 5 via the screw hole 34 and the movable body 20.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained. When observing the inside of a body cavity with the naked eye using the endoscope 1 and displaying the observed image on the television monitor 10, the movable body 20 is slid as shown in FIG. 21 to lens 1
8. Then, 70% of the light entering the connecting device 5 from the eyepiece 2 of the endoscope 1 passes through the first prism 21 and enters the image pickup tube 36 of the television camera 6.
The remaining 30% is incident on the first prism 21.
and is guided to the eyepiece section 28 of the connecting device 5 via the outlet hole 24, the light guide tube 25, and the connecting section 26. Therefore, a sufficient amount of light enters the television camera 6, so that a good observation image is displayed on the television monitor 10. In addition, the connection device 5
Although only 30% of the light is guided to the eyepiece 28, there is no problem in observing with the naked eye even with this amount of light.

On the other hand, when photographing an observed image from the endoscope 1, the procedure is as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. That is, the still camera 29 is attached to the eyepiece 28 of the connecting device 5, and the movable body 20 is slid to connect the second prism 22 with a spectral ratio of 5:5.
to face the lens 18. Through this operation, 50% of the light that enters the connecting device 5 from the eyepiece 2 of the endoscope 1 passes through the second prism 22 and enters the image pickup tube 36 of the television camera, and the remaining 50% is reflected by the second prism 22 and guided to the eyepiece 28 of the connecting device 5. Therefore, more light is guided to the eyepiece section 28 than during observation with the naked eye, so that photographs can be taken favorably with the still camera 29 connected to the eyepiece section 28. In addition, the image pickup tube 36 of the television camera 6
Although the amount of light incident on the camera is reduced compared to before, an observation image can be projected on the television monitor 10 in a state sufficient to determine the observation site to be photographed by the still camera 29.

That is, according to the above configuration, the amount of light to the eyepiece section 28 provided in the connecting device 5 can be increased simply by converting the first and second prisms 21 and 22 built into the connecting device 5. Therefore, the still camera 29 can be attached to the eyepiece section 28 to take photographs with ease.

The connecting device 5 of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
It may be configured as shown in the figure. That is,
In this embodiment, one side of the support body 37 provided in the main body 11 of the connecting device 5 is formed into an arcuate surface 37a, and the other side is formed into a flat surface 37b. Further, an arcuate mounting groove 38 corresponding to the arcuate surface 37a is formed in the support body 37, and
A guide hole 39 communicating with the mounting groove 38 is opened in the circular arc surface 37a. A movable body 40 having a pentagonal cross section is slidably housed in the guide hole 39 with its two sides facing the mounting groove 38 . On two sides of the movable body 40 facing the mounting groove 38, a first support frame 41 and a first support frame 41, which hold the first prism 21 and the second prism 22 respectively and are slidably housed in the mounting groove 38, are provided. 2
The support frame 42 is fixedly joined to the support frame 42 of the support frame 42 . Further, the movable body 40 is provided with a conversion lever 43 connected to one end. The other end of the conversion lever 43 protrudes from a through hole 44 formed in the peripheral wall of the main body 11, and the portion located inside the through hole 44 is located on the shaft 4.
5 is pivotally connected to the main body 11. Note that the eyepiece section 28 of the connecting device 5 has the same configuration as in the above embodiment.

According to such a configuration, the conversion lever 43
By rotating the first prism 21
Since the state shown in FIG. 6 in which the second prism 22 is located in the center of the main body 11 can be changed to the state shown in FIG. 7 in which the second prism 22 is located in the center of the main body 11, the connecting device can A still camera 29 can be attached to the eyepiece section 28 of No. 5, and photographs can be taken well.

In each of the above embodiments, a prism was used as the spectroscopic optical system, but it goes without saying that a half mirror or the like may also be used. Further, the spectral ratio of the spectroscopic optical system may be different from the above embodiment depending on the performance of the television camera or still camera.

As described above, the present invention provides a connection device that connects an endoscope and a television camera with an eyepiece to which a still camera can be attached, and also provides spectroscopic information to the television camera and the eyepiece. Because multiple spectroscopic optical systems with different ratios can be converted,
A still camera can be attached to the eyepiece without removing the connection device from the endoscope, and at this time, the amount of light directed toward the eyepiece is increased and photographs can be taken while observing the observed image with the television camera. can be done. In other words, there is an advantage that a photograph of an observed image using an endoscope can be taken quickly and reliably.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 1 being an overall configuration diagram, Figure 2 being a vertical sectional view of the connecting device, Figure 3 being a cross sectional view, and Figure 4 being a cross sectional view of the connecting device. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connecting device when the still camera is attached to the eyepiece; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connecting device showing another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view when the still camera is similarly attached to the eyepiece. 1...Endoscope, 6...TV camera, 21...
1st prism (spectroscopic optical system), 22... second prism (spectral optical system), 28... eyepiece of the connecting device, 29... still camera.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A connection device for connecting a television camera to a first eyepiece of an endoscope in the axial direction of the first eyepiece, wherein a still camera is attached to the connection device. a second eyepiece that can be provided in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the first eyepiece;
A connecting device for an endoscope, characterized in that a plurality of spectral optical systems having different spectral ratios to the television camera side and the second eyepiece side are provided in a convertible manner. 2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the spectral optical system has two sets of spectral ratios of 7:3 and 5:5 for the television camera side and the second eyepiece. connection device.