JP2010044062A - Inspection apparatus for light cable for medical use - Google Patents

Abstract

If a light cable used in an endoscope or the like is attenuated until incident light is emitted, photographing with a CCD camera is not performed as prescribed, leading to misdiagnosis. At present, before a measurement is performed, a doctor sees an image that has passed through a light cable, and when it feels a little dark, the cable is replaced. It is possible to determine the replacement time mechanically without consulting with a doctor each time.
A light receiver for measuring a degree of deterioration of permeability of a medical light cable, and measuring a light source, a light cable inlet side connection part, a light cable outlet side connection part, and a light intensity after passing through the light cable. A storage calculation unit and a display unit, each of which is stored in the storage calculation unit the amount of transmitted light when a commercially available light cable is new.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical light cable (hereinafter referred to as light cable) inspection apparatus.

  The light cable is used as an optical transmission cable for an endoscope, and sends light from a light source to an examination / treatment / surgical site in the body. Usually, it is joined near the base of the cable that enters the inside of the body, and light is emitted from that part.

  An endoscope is used to determine whether or not a lesion is present at an examination site and to what extent, and it is assumed that light is sufficiently transmitted and transmitted. At this time, if there is an abnormality in the light cable and there is a misdiagnosis due to poor visual field due to this, it will be serious. In the case of a serious illness, it can be life-threatening.

  The most common pattern is to irradiate light to a region to be imaged from a light cable, receive reflected light from the light receiving device on a CCD light receiving element, send it out of the body as an electric signal, and see it on a monitor or the like.

  In this case, if there is a large attenuation of the transmitted light amount in the light cable, photographing with the CCD camera is not performed as prescribed, leading to misdiagnosis. At present, before the measurement is performed, the doctor looks at the exit side of the light cable and replaces the cable when it feels a little dark.

  However, if the camera is exchanged immediately before photographing as described above, it will not only hinder the examination, processing, and surgery, but it will also be difficult for an engineer who actually exchanges.

  Furthermore, in the current method, the replacement cannot be performed based on the judgment of the engineer who manages the machine in advance, but is performed based on the opinion of the doctor. Therefore, it is hardly performed that the doctor's hand is exchanged in advance without any trouble.

  Therefore, an apparatus is provided that can mechanically determine the replacement time if a replacement standard is determined in advance without consulting with a doctor each time.

  In view of the present situation as described above, the present inventor has completed the medical light cable device of the present invention as a result of earnest research, and the feature thereof is to examine the degree of deterioration of the permeability of the medical light cable. A light source, a light cable inlet side connection part, a light cable outlet side connection part, a light receiver for measuring the intensity of light after passing through the light cable, a storage operation part, and a display part, The amount of transmitted light when each cable is new is stored in the storage calculation unit.

  Here, the light cable is not limited to a bundle of optical fibers but may be glass, plastic, or liquid. In short, any light can be used as long as light passes therethrough.

The degree of deterioration of permeability means how much the light cable has deteriorated since the light cable is new, in other words, how much the light cable is maintained when it is new. The deterioration rate (attenuation rate) and the maintenance rate are reversed. For example, when the transmittance of a new article is 90% and the transmittance is 80%, the attenuation rate is 10/90 and the maintenance rate is 80/90.
Hereinafter, the maintenance rate indicating how much performance is maintained will be described.

  The light transmittance is what percentage of the incident light comes out of the light cable, and 100% is usually not possible. If 100 incidents and 90 exits, the transmittance is 90%.

  Any light source may be used as long as it emits visible light. A halogen lamp, LED or the like may be used.

  The light cable connection portion may be the same type as each light cable connection method (screw or coupler type), but may be a rubber tube type or a bellows type to which various types can be connected. It is important to connect the entrance and exit so that no light enters. The light receiver may be a normal one. What is necessary is just to be able to output an electric signal according to the received light quantity. The entrance of the light cable here is usually the light source side, and the exit side is the opposite end. Of course, in the case where there is no distinction between the inlet and the outlet, the side used as the inlet may be used as the inlet or vice versa.

  The storage calculation unit is a computer part such as a CPU, and is a part for storing and calculating various data. All calculations described below may be performed in this portion. The display unit is a display, and the light quantity itself and the calculation result may be numerically displayed as they are, rank display such as ABC or the like may be displayed.

In this storage calculation unit, the amount of transmitted light (transmittance) when a commercially available light cable is new is stored. This is important, and it is possible to select easily by entering the model number and name of each manufacturer's light cable or by looking at the list on the display and searching from there.
It is desirable that data for a large number of light cables be input at the time of shipment from the factory, but at least one may be used.
In the case of a completely new light cable, a new article can be measured on the spot (hospital, laboratory, etc.), and the amount of transmitted light when a new article is newly stored can be stored there.

  A keyboard or numeric keypad is convenient for recalling the stored data or selecting a light cable to be inspected, but it is also possible to use a dial or a simple push button. By using such an input device, various data, for example, the date of inspection, the date of replacement, the name of the implementer, and the like may be input. A printer or other external storage device for ejecting internal records may be provided.

The amount of transmitted light when a new article is preferably stored as a value measured on the light receiver side after passing through the light cable with a predetermined light source or as a value obtained by voltage conversion. However, the transmittance may be stored in some cases. Therefore, the transmitted light amount here is a concept including the transmittance.
Depending on the diameter and application of the light cable, the amount of transmitted light when this is new will vary greatly.

  Furthermore, in the device of the present invention, a second light receiver may be provided in the vicinity of the light source for the reason described later. This measures the luminance of the light source itself, and examines the degree of deterioration of the light source. As described above, the light receiver need not be special.

The device of the present invention examines how much the light transmittance has deteriorated (deterioration degree) compared to when the light cable to be inspected is new. Accordingly, the maintenance rate required by the present invention is to what extent the transmitted light amount is maintained with respect to the transmitted light amount (transmittance) when the light cable is new. For example, it is 90% of a new product.
In addition, as for the replacement timing of the light cable, it may be determined in advance what percentage the maintenance rate will be when it is new. For example, by trial and error or a pre-test, it is determined whether or not the percentage of the apparatus using the cable (such as an endoscope using light) becomes difficult or unusable. This may be determined with a doctor or the like to be used or with a manufacturer such as an endoscope.

  If the maintenance ratio (percentage allowed) obtained by the calculation is less than or equal to this predetermined value, it is time to replace or repair the cable.

Next, how to obtain the maintenance rate of the present invention will be described. In the present invention, there are three methods.
First, the first method is one without a second light receiver in the vicinity of the light source. Of course, even if there is a second light receiver, this method can be adopted.
In this example, the calculation is performed assuming that the luminance of the light source is constant. For example, when an LED is used as the light source, the luminance hardly changes. Therefore, if the reference value is determined on the safe side, it can be used sufficiently.
In this example, the amount of transmitted light when the light cable A is new is measured and stored in the storage calculation unit. Then, the amount of transmitted light is measured in the same manner at the time of inspection, and the maintenance rate is obtained in comparison with a new product. If it is less than the maintenance rate determined by the user, it is time for replacement. For example, if the transmitted light amount is a and the transmitted light amount at the time of inspection is a ′, the maintenance ratio percentage is a ′ / a × 100.
This method is simple in apparatus and easy to calculate.

In the second method, a second light receiver is provided.
In this method, the brightness of the light source is measured by the second light receiver every time an inspection is performed. If the brightness of the light source is lower than the brightness when a new product is measured, the brightness of the light source is first adjusted by voltage adjustment or the like. The brightness is increased up to. The adjustment of the brightness can be easily performed only by programming in the storage calculation unit.
Therefore, the light source always measures with the same luminance.
The measurement calculation method of the maintenance factor is the same as the first method.

The third method is also a method using the second light receiver, but when the light source is deteriorated, the luminance of the light source is not actually increased, but is compensated by calculation.
For example, measurement is performed when A is new. At that time, the following two data are stored in the apparatus.
1 Light reception value at the second light receiver (light receiver near the light source): a 2 Light reception value at the cable exit side (transmitted light amount): b Next, the measurement values at the time of inspection of A are as follows To do.
1 Light reception value at the second light receiver (light receiver near the light source): a ′
2 Light reception value at the cable exit (transmitted light amount): b '

Since the amount of transmitted light is reduced due to the deterioration of the light source, the calibration value B that compensates for this is B = b ′ × a / a ′. Compare this with the first b.
The maintenance rate is B / b × 100.
What is necessary is just to compare this value with the value which is determined as replacement time.

  In this apparatus, the members on both sides (the light source side and the light receiver side) connected to the cable to be inspected may be separate members, but an integrated type is convenient.

  Furthermore, this device should not only display a numerical value but also issue a warning if the value falls below a predetermined value. For example, a warning sound, a warning lamp is turned on, and a replacement display is displayed on the display unit.

The present invention has the following great advantages.
(1) The maintenance rate of the light cable (in other words, the degree of deterioration) can be easily checked.
(2) Easily know when to replace or repair the light cable.
(3) Objectively know when to replace or repair the light cable.
(4) By using an appropriate light cable, correct inspection, treatment, surgery, etc. can be performed.
(5) There is no delay in doctor's measures for exchanging cables during actual examinations or surgery.

It is the schematic which shows the principle of this invention apparatus.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on preferred examples.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the principle of one example of the medical light cable inspection apparatus 1 of the present invention. In this example, a light receiver is provided near the light source.
An inlet side connecting portion 3 and an outlet side connecting portion 4 of the light cable 2 are provided at the left end portion of the main body. A light source 5 is provided at the inlet side connection portion 3. A second light receiver 6 is provided in the vicinity of the light source 5. Then, the light quantity of the light source 5 is introduced from the second light receiver to the CPU 7.

  A light receiver 8 is provided at the light cable outlet side connection portion 4. Here, an electrical signal is sent to the CPU 7. The CPU 7 calculates the ratio based on the data from the second light receiver 6 and the data from the light receiver 8 to obtain the compensated maintenance rate of the light cable.

  Further, a display unit 9 for displaying the results and a numeric keypad 10 for performing various inputs are provided.

One example of the operation procedure will be described.
Connect the light cable 2 to both connection ports. Next, the model number of the light cable 2 to be inspected is input from the numeric keypad 10, and it is confirmed that the amount of transmitted light when the light cable is new is stored.

  Press the start button to measure. In this example, since the second light receiver 6 is provided in the light source 5, the light quantity at both light receivers is measured. And a maintenance factor is calculated | required using the above-mentioned 3rd method. This maintenance rate is displayed. The obtained maintenance rate may be compared with a predetermined replacement time maintenance rate, and if it is less than that, an alarm may be sounded or a warning lamp may be turned on.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Test | inspection apparatus 2 Light cable 3 Connection part 4 Connection part 5 Light source 6 2nd light receiver 7 CPU
8 Receiver 9 Display 10 Numeric keypad

Claims (3)

  A light source, a light cable inlet side connection part, a light cable outlet side connection part, a light receiver for measuring the intensity of light after passing through the light cable, and a memory calculation part. A medical light cable inspection apparatus comprising: a display unit; and a stored light amount stored in the storage operation unit when a commercially available light cable is new.   The medical light cable inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a second light receiver for measuring the luminance of the light source of the self is separately provided in the vicinity of the light source. The medical light cable inspection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the brightness of the light source is adjusted according to a measurement value at the second light receiver.

Images