JPH0464043B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a light source device for an endoscope that blows cooling air onto the incident end face of a light guide of an endoscope attached thereto.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Generally, the light source lamp used in the light source device for an endoscope is a high-intensity lamp, so the entrance end surface of the light guide that receives this light tends to become hot. Since this light guide normally uses an optical fiber bundle, its input end is susceptible to thermal damage (end face burn).

In order to prevent this end face burning, conventional methods installed a nozzle that blows air onto the incident end face of the light guide.
81323) has been proposed.

However, since the area around the nozzle and the entrance end is open to the outside, the airflow ejected from the nozzle will entrain the surrounding outside air, causing dirt and dust contained in the atmosphere to adhere to the entrance end surface of the light guide. There were cases where it got dirty. In addition, objects attached to the incident end surface of the light guide were heated and burned by the focused light, and the incident end surface was sometimes damaged.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to provide a light source device for an endoscope that prevents dust from surrounding the outside from being drawn in and attached to the incident end surface of a light guide when cooling air is blown onto the incident end surface of a light guide by a nozzle.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a cap member that covers the incident end of the light guide, and blows cooling air from a nozzle inside the cap member to the incident end face, thereby preventing dust and dirt from surrounding the outside from being drawn into the light guide. This prevents it from adhering to the end face.

[Embodiment of the Invention] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIG.

FIG. 1 shows a socket portion 1 in a light source device for an endoscope. The socket member 2 of this socket part 1 is arranged on the front panel 3 of the light source device, and is attached to the mounting plate 4.
The support is fixed. A light guide plug 5 of an endoscope is detachably attached to this socket member 2. A light guide tube 6 is protruded from the light guide plug 5, and a light guide 7 made of an optical fiber bundle is inserted into the light guide tube 6. Further, the entrance end surface 8 of the light guide 7 is exposed to the outside at the tip of the light guide tube 6.

An insertion hole 9 through which the light guide tube 6 is inserted is formed in the socket member 2 and the mounting plate 4. When the light guide plug 5 is attached to the socket member 2, the light guide tube 6 passes through the insertion hole 9, and the tip of the light guide tube 6 protrudes inward from the mounting plate 4 as shown in FIG. .

The tip of the light guide tube 6 that protrudes in this way is covered by a cap member 10, which will be described later.
The cap member 10 has a main body portion 11 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and is airtightly attached to the mounting plate 4, and the tip of the hollow portion 12 is closed with a translucent cover glass 13. ing. and,
A light source lamp 14 is passed through this cover glass 13.
The illumination light from the light guide 7 is introduced and irradiated onto the incident end surface 8 of the light guide 7. Note that the light from the lamp 14 as a light source is focused by a condensing lens (not shown) and then enters through the cover glass 13. Further, an O-ring 15 is attached to the inner circumferential wall on the base end side of the hollow portion 12.
This O-ring 15 is connected to the inserted light guide tube 6.
The socket member 2 is in close contact with the outer peripheral wall of the socket member 2 to prevent air leakage toward the socket member 2 side.

A nozzle 16 consisting of a small hole opening toward the incident end face 8 is formed in the upper wall portion of the cap member 10 . The nozzle 16 is connected to the discharge side of the air pump 19 through a base 17 fixedly attached to the cap member 10 and an air tube 18 connected to the base 17, and the compressed air from the air pump 19 is injected into the nozzle 16. It is designed to be sprayed onto the end face 8. Furthermore, an exhaust hole 20 is formed in the lower wall of the cap member 10 to form an exhaust path for allowing the gas sprayed by the nozzle 16 to flow out to the outside. Further, the exhaust hole 20 is connected to the suction side of the air pump 19 via a cap 21 attached to the cap member 10 and an exhaust tube 22 connected to the cap 21.

Next, the operation of the above device will be explained. First, when the light guide plug 5 is attached to the socket portion 1 and the air supply pump 19 is operated, compressed air is guided to the nozzle 16 through the air supply tube 18 and the base 21. Then, compressed air is sprayed from the nozzle 16 toward the incident end surface 8 of the light guide 7. The entrance end surface 8 is air-cooled. Therefore, even if the irradiated light from the lamp 14 as the light source is focused and irradiated onto the incident end face 8 and is heated, it is cooled and burnout is prevented. On the other hand, the air blown into the hollow part 12 of the cap member 10 is exhausted from the hollow part 12 through the exhaust hole 20, the base 21, and the exhaust tube 22, and the air is discharged from the hollow part 12 of the air supply pump 1.
Returned to 9. Then, it is compressed again by the air supply pump 19 and sent to the nozzle 16 side. In other words,
The same air circulates. Therefore, since dirt and dust do not enter from the outside, there is usually no need to provide a filter or the like in the middle.

In addition, a cap member 10 is provided to cover a portion of the light guide tube 6 on the side of the incident end surface 8, and a nozzle 16 for spraying cooling air onto the incident end surface 8 is disposed inside the cap member 10. There is no possibility that dust or the like will be drawn in and deposited on the incident end face 8.

In the above embodiment, the O-ring 15 is provided to prevent air leakage to the socket member 2 side, but since there may be some leakage, the O-ring 15 may not be provided. On the other hand, instead of providing the O-ring 15, as shown in FIG. 2, the outer periphery of the tip of the light guide tube 6 and the inner periphery of the cap member 10 into which it is fitted are formed into a tapered shape so that they fit tightly together. It may also be something that provides airtightness.

Further, in the above embodiment, the exhaust tube 22 for returning air to the air pump 19 is provided, but the exhaust tube 22 may be omitted and the air may be exhausted to the outside through the exhaust hole 20, or even the exhaust hole 20 may not be provided. To,
The air may be exhausted through a gap between the light guide tube 6 and the insertion hole 9.

Note that if the cooling air is not returned to the air pump 19, a filter may be provided on the suction side of the air pump 19 to remove dust and the like.

Further, in the above embodiment, the nozzle hole is formed directly in the cap member 10, but the nozzle of the present invention may be arranged in the cap member 10 separately from the cap member 10.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the present invention, the nozzle that sprays cooling air near the entrance end face of the light guide and onto the entrance end face is covered with a cap member, so that the jetted airflow removes external dust and dirt. It does not get caught up and adhere to the incident end surface, thereby contaminating the incident end surface. Therefore, the optical condition of the incident end face can be maintained in good condition. In addition, the disadvantage that objects attached to the incident end face are burned and damaged by the focused illumination light can be avoided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a socket portion showing one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a socket portion showing another embodiment of the invention. 1...Socket part, 2...Socket member, 5...
...Light guide plug, 6...Light guide tube,
7...Light guide, 8...Incidence end surface, 9...Insertion hole, 10...Cap member, 12...Hollow part,
13...Cover glass, 14...Lamp, 16...
Nozzle, 18...Air supply tube, 19...Air supply pump, 20...Exhaust hole, 22...Exhaust tube.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A socket portion for connecting a light guide plug of an endoscope, and a light source that focuses and irradiates illumination light onto the incident end surface of the light guide in the light guide plug when the light guide plug is connected to the socket portion; a cap member that covers the incident end surface side portion of the light guide plug; a nozzle that is provided inside the cap member toward the incident end surface and sprays compressed gas onto the incident end surface; and a gas sprayed by the nozzle. A light source device for an endoscope, comprising: a discharge path through which the light flows out to the outside; and a translucent cover glass provided in the cap member and positioned between the incident end surface of the light guide and the light source lamp. .