JP5526011B2 - Light guide member and endoscope apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a light guide member and an endoscope apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an endoscope apparatus that irradiates an observation target site with light emitted from a light source via an illumination optical system configured by combining a plurality of lenses (for example, see Patent Document 1). In addition, when the tip of the endoscope insertion part is brought close to the observation target part, in order to prevent a part of the image from becoming too bright or whitening out, It is also known to arrange a plurality of such illumination optical systems with their positions shifted in the radial direction.

JP 2010-115281 A

  However, if a plurality of illumination optical systems are arranged at different positions in the radial direction at the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion as in a conventional endoscope apparatus, light from the light source is guided to each illumination optical system. Since the number of optical fibers to be increased increases, the assembly of the endoscope insertion portion becomes complicated, and a large space is required in the endoscope insertion portion, resulting in an increase in the diameter of the endoscope insertion portion. . There is also a disadvantage that uneven illumination occurs due to variations in the distance between the illumination optical system and the imaging optical system.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances. The light guide member can prevent illumination unevenness and reduce the diameter of the insertion portion, and can emit illumination light over a wide range. An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope apparatus that can clearly observe a wide range.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.
The present invention is attached to the distal end of an endoscope insertion portion, and is capable of guiding an illumination light emitted from a light source, and the illumination light incident by the incident portion can be guided in a circumferential direction of the distal end. An annular light guide unit, and a scattering unit that is disposed on one end surface in the axial direction of the light guide unit, scatters the illumination light guided by the light guide unit, and emits the light from the other end surface in the axial direction. A light guide member is provided.

  According to the present invention, at the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion, the illumination light emitted from the light source and incident by the incident portion is guided in the circumferential direction by the light guide portion, scattered by the scattering portion, and from the light guide portion. Injected in the axial direction. That is, the illumination light is emitted from substantially the entire area in the circumferential direction of the other end surface of the light guide unit by scattering the illumination light by the scattering unit. Therefore, the illumination light irradiation range can be widened without providing a plurality of illumination optical systems at the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion. Further, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of optical fibers in the endoscope insertion portion, and the diameter of the endoscope insertion portion can be reduced.

  Furthermore, by forming the light guide part in an annular shape, the imaging optical system can be arranged at the tip of the endoscope insertion part in the circumferential direction of the light guide part. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of illumination unevenness due to variations in the distance from the system.

In the above invention, the scattering portion may have a number of irregularities that undulate in the axial direction.
By comprising in this way, the scattering angle of illumination light can be enlarged by unevenness | corrugation, and illumination light can be inject | emitted in a wider range.

Moreover, in the said invention, it is good also as a reflective coating being given to the said scattering part.
By comprising in this way, the illumination light light-guided by the light guide part can be reflected by a scattering part, and can be efficiently inject | emitted from the other end surface of an axial direction.

Moreover, in the said invention, the periphery of the said other end surface of the said light guide part is good also as being formed in the curved surface shape.
By comprising in this way, the emission range of the other end surface of the light guide part in the axial direction can be expanded, and the illumination light scattered by the scattering part can be emitted in a wider range.

Moreover, in the said invention, it is good also as a reflective coating being given to the internal-diameter part of the said light guide part.
With this configuration, the illumination light scattered by the scattering portion is prevented from leaking from the inside in the radial direction of the light guide portion to the outside, and the illumination light emitted from the other end surface in the axial direction of the light guide portion is prevented. The amount of emitted light can be improved.

Moreover, in the said invention, it is good also as a reflective coating being given to the outer-diameter part of the said light guide part.
With this configuration, the illumination light scattered by the scattering portion is prevented from leaking from the outside in the radial direction of the light guide portion to the outside, and the illumination light emitted from the other end surface in the axial direction of the light guide portion is prevented. The amount of emitted light can be improved.

Moreover, in the said invention, it is good also as the internal diameter of the said light guide part being formed in the taper shape which becomes thin toward the other end surface of the said axial direction from the said scattering part.
By comprising in this way, the illumination light scattered by the scattering part can be guide | induced to the other end surface of a light guide part, and can be inject | emitted efficiently.

Moreover, in the said invention, the said light guide part is good also as being formed so that the distance of the said scattering part and the other end surface of the said axial direction may approach as it leaves | separates from the said incident part to the said circumferential direction.
By configuring in this way, in the light guide unit, the distance from when the illumination light is scattered by the scattering unit to when it is emitted from the other end surface in the axial direction becomes shorter as the distance from the incident unit increases. Thereby, the unevenness of the emitted light quantity resulting from the distance which guides illumination light can be reduced.

Moreover, in the said invention, the said incident part is good also as having a deflection surface which deflects the said illumination light incident from the said axial direction to the radial direction of the said light guide part.
With this configuration, the illumination light from the light source arranged so as to be shifted in the axial direction with respect to the light guide unit can be made incident on the light guide unit by the deflection surface.

Moreover, in the said invention, the said incident part is good also as having a pair of deflection surface which deflects the said illumination light incident from the said axial direction to the two tangential directions which the said light guide part mutually cross | intersects.
With this configuration, the pair of deflecting surfaces allows the illumination light from the light source arranged so as to be shifted in the axial direction with respect to the light guide unit to be incident in the circumferential direction of the light guide unit in the opposite directions. Thereby, illumination light can be emitted symmetrically from the other end surface of the light guide unit, and illumination unevenness within the visual field range can be reduced.

Moreover, in the said invention, it is good also as a reflective coating being given to the said deflection surface.
By comprising in this way, illumination light can be reflected by a deflection surface and illumination light can be more efficiently incident with respect to a light guide part.

The present invention provides an endoscope apparatus including a light source that emits illumination light, an insertion portion that is inserted into a body cavity of a living body, and any one of the light guide members that is disposed at a distal end of the insertion portion.
According to the present invention, the illumination light emitted from the light source can be emitted from the distal end of the insertion portion over a wide range by the light guide member, and the wide range of the observation target region can be clearly observed.

  According to the light guide member according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent illumination unevenness and reduce the diameter of the insertion portion, and to emit illumination light over a wide range. Moreover, according to the endoscope apparatus which concerns on this invention, there exists an effect that the wide range of an observation object site | part can be observed clearly.

It is a partial schematic block diagram of the endoscope apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic block diagram which looked at the light guide member of FIG. 1 from the axial direction. It is sectional drawing of the axial direction of the light guide member of FIG. It is the schematic block diagram which looked at the light guide member which concerns on the 1st modification of one Embodiment of this invention from the axial direction. It is an enlarged view of the scattering part which concerns on the 2nd modification of one Embodiment of this invention. It is the top view which looked at the scattering part which concerns on the 3rd modification of one Embodiment of this invention from the axial direction. It is sectional drawing of the axial direction of the light guide member which concerns on the 4th modification of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the internal diameter part of the light guide part which concerns on the 5th modification of one Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic block diagram which looked at another light guide member which concerns on the 5th modification of one Embodiment of this invention from the radial direction. It is sectional drawing of the axial direction of the light guide member which concerns on the 6th modification of one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the axial direction of the light guide member which concerns on the 7th modification of one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the axial direction of another light guide member which concerns on the 7th modification of one Embodiment of this invention. (A) is the schematic block diagram which looked at the light guide member which concerns on the 8th modification of one Embodiment of this invention from the axial direction, (b) looks at the light guide member of (a) from another angle. (C) is a sectional view in the axial direction of the light guide member of (a). (A) is the schematic block diagram which looked at the light guide member which concerns on the 9th modification of one Embodiment of this invention from the axial direction, (b) looked at the light guide member of (a) from another angle. (C) is a sectional view in the axial direction of the light guide member of (a).

A light guide member and an endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes an elongated cylindrical insertion portion 2 that is inserted into a body cavity of a living body. Two light sources 4 that emit illumination light, a light guide member 10 that guides and emits illumination light emitted from the light source 4 in the circumferential direction, and an observation in which illumination light is irradiated are applied to the distal end 2a of the insertion portion 2 An imaging optical system 6 that collects reflected light from a target part (not shown) is provided.

The light source 4 is, for example, an LED, and is disposed outside the light guide member 10 in the radial direction.
The imaging optical system 6 is disposed in the approximate center in the radial direction in the insertion portion 2. Reference numeral 8 denotes an image pickup device such as a CCD for photographing the reflected light collected by the image pickup optical system 6, and reference numeral 9 denotes an electric signal obtained by the image pickup element 8 arranged on the proximal end side of the insertion portion 2. A cable sent to an image processing apparatus (not shown) is shown. In the present embodiment, the imaging element 8 is arranged in the insertion unit 2. For example, the reflected light collected by the imaging optical system 6 by arranging the imaging element 8 on the proximal end side of the insertion unit 2. May be guided to the image sensor 8 by an optical fiber or the like.

  2 and 3, the light guide member 10 guides the illumination light incident from the incident portion 11 in the circumferential direction of the tip 2a. An annular light guide 21 is provided, and a scattering unit 31 that scatters illumination light guided by the light guide 21 and emits it in the axial direction of the light guide 21.

  The incident portion 11 is provided on the outer diameter portion 23 of the light guide portion 21 and has a pair of opening portions 13 that open in two tangential directions intersecting each other of the light guide portion 21. Each opening 13 is provided with a light source 4. This incident part 11 introduces the illumination light emitted from each light source 4 from each opening part 13, and makes it enter mutually in the circumferential direction of the light guide part 21 in the reverse direction.

  The light guide unit 21 is made of, for example, a glass material and has transparency. In the light guide portion 21, the outer diameter portion 23 has an outer dimension substantially equal to the outer dimension of the distal end 2 a of the insertion portion 2, and the inner diameter portion 25 has an inner diameter dimension slightly larger than the outer dimension of the imaging optical system 6. Yes. The light guide 21 has a scattering portion 31 disposed on one end surface in the axial direction directed to the proximal end side of the insertion portion 2, and the other end surface in the axial direction serves as an emission surface 27 for emitting illumination light.

  The scattering unit 31 is made of the same material as that of the light guide unit 21 and is provided in substantially the entire area of one end surface of the light guide unit 21 in the axial direction. The scattering unit 31 deflects illumination light that is incident from the incident unit 11 and guided in the circumferential direction by the light guide unit 21. As a result, the illumination light is scattered in the light guide portion 21 and emitted from the emission surface 27 to the outside in the axial direction.

Next, operations of the light guide member 10 and the endoscope apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
According to the light guide member 10 and the endoscope apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, when illumination light is emitted from the light source 4, illumination light is introduced from each opening 13 of the incident portion 11, and is introduced into the light guide portion 21. On the other hand, they are incident in opposite directions in the circumferential direction.

  The illumination light incident on the light guide unit 21 is guided in the circumferential direction of the distal end 2 a of the insertion unit 2, deflected by the scattering unit 31 disposed on one end surface in the axial direction, and scattered in the light guide unit 21. It is done. The illumination light scattered by the scattering unit 31 is emitted from substantially the entire area of the other end surface (exit surface 27) in the axial direction of the light guide unit 21. Thereby, illumination light can be emitted in a wide range in the axial direction from the distal end 2 a of the insertion portion 2.

  When illumination light emitted from the distal end 2 a of the insertion unit 2 is irradiated onto the observation target part, the reflected light reflected at the observation target part is collected by the imaging optical system 6 and photographed by the imaging element 8. When an electrical signal is acquired by the image sensor 8, the electrical signal is sent to the image processing device via the cable 9, and is processed as image information by the image processing device.

  As described above, according to the light guide member 10 and the endoscope apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the illumination light guided in the circumferential direction of the insertion portion 2 by the light guide portion 21 is scattered by the scattering portion 31 to be emitted. Illumination light can be emitted from substantially the entire surface 27. Therefore, illumination light can be emitted from the distal end 2a over a wide range without providing a plurality of illumination optical systems (not shown) at the distal end 2a of the insertion portion 2. As a result, clear observation over a wide range of the observation target site is realized, and it is not necessary to provide a plurality of optical fibers for guiding the illumination light to the distal end 2 a in the insertion portion 2, thereby reducing the diameter of the insertion portion 2. Can be planned.

  Further, by forming the light guide portion 21 in an annular shape, the imaging optical system 6 can be disposed at the tip of the insertion portion 2 in the circumferential direction of the light guide portion 21, and the light guide portion 21 and the imaging optical system are arranged. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of illumination unevenness due to the variation in the distance to 6. Furthermore, since the illumination light irradiation range is wide, it is possible to prevent dark shadows such as insulators used in the treatment.

This embodiment can be modified as follows.
For example, in the present embodiment, the illumination light from the two light sources 4 is made incident by the incident portion 11, but as a first modification, as shown in FIG. It is good as well. Even in this case, the illumination light emitted from the single light source 4 can be guided in the circumferential direction of the insertion portion 2 by the light guide member 10, and can be emitted from the distal end 2a in a wide range.

  As a second modification, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the scattering portion 31 may have a large number of irregularities 33 undulating in the axial direction of the light guide portion 21. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the scattering portion 31. In this way, the scattering angle of the illumination light can be increased by the unevenness 33, and the illumination light can be emitted in a wider range from the emission surface 27. The large number of irregularities 33 may be, for example, a large number of curved convex portions such as a part of a sphere protruding in the axial direction.

  As a third modification, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the scattering coating 31 may be provided with a reflective coating A. By doing in this way, the illumination light guided by the light guide part 21 can be reflected by the scattering part 31, and can be efficiently emitted in the axial direction from the distal end 2a of the insertion part 2. The reflective coating A may be, for example, an aluminum coating or a metal film such as silver deposited.

  As a fourth modification, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the peripheral edge 28 of the exit surface 27 of the light guide 21 may be formed in a curved shape. By doing in this way, the emission range of the emission surface 27 can be expanded, and the illumination light scattered by the scattering unit 31 can be emitted in a wider range. Moreover, injection molding can be facilitated.

  As a fifth modification, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, a reflective coating A may be applied to the inner diameter portion 25 of the light guide portion 21. By doing in this way, it prevents that the illumination light scattered by the scattering part 31 leaks outside from the internal diameter part 25 of the light guide part 21, and improves the emitted light quantity of the illumination light inject | emitted from the output surface 27. Can do. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 9, a reflection coating A may be applied to the outer diameter portion 23 of the light guide portion 21. By doing in this way, the illumination light scattered by the scattering part 27 is prevented from leaking from the outer diameter part 23 of the light guide part 21 to the outside, and the amount of illumination light emitted from the emission surface 27 is improved. be able to. When the peripheral edge 28 of the emission surface 27 of the light guide 21 has a curved shape, it is preferable not to apply the reflective coating A to the peripheral edge 28.

  As a sixth modification, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, the light guide portion 21 may be formed in a tapered shape whose inner diameter becomes narrower from the scattering portion 31 toward the exit surface 27. In this way, the inner diameter portion 25 of the light guide portion 21 is inclined so as to taper from one end surface in the axial direction toward the other end surface (exit surface 27), whereby the illumination light scattered by the scattering portion 31 is emitted. 27 can be easily guided, and illumination light can be efficiently emitted from the distal end 2a of the insertion portion 2 in the axial direction.

As a seventh modified example, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, as the one end surface in the axial direction of the light guide portion 21 is inclined toward the other end surface (exit surface 27), and away from the incident portion 11 in the circumferential direction. It is good also as forming so that the distance of the scattering part 31 and the output surface 27 may approach. By doing in this way, in the light guide part 21, the distance from when the illumination light is scattered by the scattering part 31 until it is emitted from the exit surface 27 becomes shorter as it is separated from the incident part 11 in the circumferential direction. Thereby, the unevenness of the emitted light quantity resulting from the distance which guides illumination light can be reduced.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12, the inner diameter of the light guide portion 21 may be formed in a tapered shape that becomes narrower from the scattering portion 31 toward the exit surface 27. In this case, the outer shape of the light guide portion 21 may be formed in a tapered shape that becomes narrower from the scattering portion 31 toward the exit surface 27. In this way, the outer diameter portion 23 can be given a draft and the light guide portion 21 can be easily formed.

  As an eighth modified example, as shown in FIGS. 13A, 13 </ b> B, and 13 </ b> C, the incident portion 11 deflects illumination light incident from the axial direction of the light guide portion 21 in the radial direction. It is good also as having the deflection surface 15 to do. For example, the deflection surface 15 may be disposed so as to have an inclination of 40 ° to 50 ° in the optical axis direction with respect to the optical axis of the incident illumination light.

  By doing so, illumination light from a light source (not shown) arranged in the axial direction with respect to the light guide 21 can be made incident on the light guide 21 by the deflecting surface 15. Thereby, the diameter of the insertion portion 2 can be further reduced. In this case, for example, a light source is arranged on the proximal end side of the insertion portion 2, and illumination light emitted from the light source is guided to the distal end 2 a of the insertion portion 2 by an optical fiber (not shown) or the like to the incident portion 11. It is good also as making it enter. Even if it does in this way, it can prevent that the diameter dimension of the insertion part 2 becomes large like the case where a some illumination optical system and a some optical fiber are provided in the insertion part 2. FIG. Moreover, a well-known apparatus larger than LED can be employ | adopted as a light source.

  As a ninth modification, as shown in FIGS. 14A, 14 </ b> B, and 14 </ b> C, the incident portion 11 transmits illumination light incident from the axial direction of the light guide portion 21. It is good also as having a pair of deflection | deviation surface 16 which deflects in the two tangential directions which mutually cross | intersect. For example, the pair of deflection surfaces 16 may be arranged so as to be symmetric with respect to a plane including the optical axis of the incident illumination light and the optical axis of the imaging optical system 6.

  By doing in this way, the illumination light from the light source 4 arranged so as to be shifted in the axial direction with respect to the light guide portion 21 is caused to enter the circumferential direction of the light guide portion 21 in the opposite directions by the pair of deflection surfaces 16. Can do. Thereby, illumination light can be radiate | emitted symmetrically from the output surface 27 of the light guide part 21, and the illumination nonuniformity in a visual field range can be reduced.

  In the eighth modification and the ninth modification, the deflection surfaces 15 and 16 may be provided with a reflective coating, respectively. By doing so, the illumination light can be reflected by the deflecting surfaces 15 and 16 and the illumination light can be incident on the light guide unit 21 more efficiently.

  As mentioned above, although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes design changes and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. . For example, the present invention is not limited to the one applied to the above-described embodiment and its modifications, but may be applied to embodiments in which these embodiments and modifications are appropriately combined, and is not particularly limited. Absent.

2 Insertion part (endoscope insertion part)
2a tip 4 light source 10 light guide member 11 incident portion 15 deflection surface 16 deflection surface 21 light guide portion 27 exit surface (other end surface)
31 Scattering section 33 Concavity and convexity 100 Endoscope apparatus A Reflective coating

Claims (12)

It is attached to the tip of the endoscope insertion part,
An incident part for entering the illumination light emitted from the light source;
An annular light guide capable of guiding the illumination light incident by the incident portion in the circumferential direction of the tip;
A light guide member comprising: a scattering portion that is disposed on one end surface in the axial direction of the light guide portion, and scatters the illumination light guided by the light guide portion and emits the light from the other end surface in the axial direction.   The light guide member according to claim 1, wherein the scattering portion has a large number of irregularities that undulate in the axial direction.   The light guide member according to claim 1, wherein the scattering portion is provided with a reflective coating.   The light guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a peripheral edge of the other end surface of the light guide portion is formed in a curved shape.   The light guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a reflection coating is applied to an inner diameter portion of the light guide portion.   The light guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a reflection coating is applied to an outer diameter portion of the light guide portion.   The light guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein an inner diameter of the light guide portion is formed in a tapered shape that becomes narrower from the scattering portion toward the other end surface in the axial direction.   The said light guide part is formed so that the distance of the said scattering part and the other end surface of the said axial direction may approach as it leaves | separates from the said incident part to the said circumferential direction. Light guide member.   The light guide member according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the incident portion has a deflection surface that deflects the illumination light incident from the axial direction in a radial direction of the light guide portion.   The said incident part has a pair of deflection surface which deflects the said illumination light incident from the said axial direction to the two tangent directions which the said light guide part mutually cross | intersects. Light guide member.   The light guide member according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the deflection surface is provided with a reflective coating. A light source that emits illumination light;
An insertion part to be inserted into a body cavity of a living body;
The endoscope apparatus provided with the light guide member in any one of Claims 1-11 arrange | positioned at the front-end | tip of this insertion part.

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