JPS63298314A - Front end adapter type endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the adjustment range continuous to attain fine adjustment and to always obtain an optimum adjustment range for each of various adapters by providing an position adjusting device of an optical element in the adapter and freely attachably and detachably connecting the position adjusting device to the operation part on the endoscope body side. CONSTITUTION:A cover lens 18 is fitted to the front of an adapter body 8, and a focusing lens 20 held on a lens holding frame 19 which is freely slided in the direction of the optical axis is provided on the inside of the cover lens 8, and the front end of a connection rod 21 is stuck to the lens holding frame 19, and a female connector 22 which is fitted to a male connector 15 from the side and can be connected to it is stuck to the rear end of the connection rod 21, thus constituting a focusing device. The adapter body 8 is fitted to a front end part 2 after the male connector 15 is fitted and connected to the female connector 22, and a fixing ring 9 is engaged with a male screw part 2c to set it to the front end part 2. Since the position adjusting device is freely attachably and detachably connected to the operation part of the endoscope body side in this manner, an optimum adjustment range is set for each adapter and continuous adjustment is made possible.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a tip adapter type endoscope in which an adapter consisting of various optical systems is detachably attached to the tip of an endoscope body. .

[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention] As a conventional tip adapter type endoscope, for example,
As shown in Publication No. 85324, there is an adapter that has a visual field changing optical system built into the adapter to change the angle of view, viewing direction, etc. of the observation optical system installed on the endoscope body. The aim was to accommodate the diverse range of appropriate viewing angles and viewing directions depending on the body part. Furthermore, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-12638, an illumination range changing optical system is also built into the adapter in addition to the above-mentioned visual field changing optical system, and a solid-state image element is disposed on the endoscope body side. This makes it possible to electrically switch the back image to the front image when an erecting prism is not provided, thereby preventing erroneous actuation, as well as reducing the size of the entire insertion section. The purpose was to increase safety by eliminating the risk of electric shock to the user when replacing the adapter.

However, none of these are equipped with a mechanism for adjusting the position of the optical element, and the field of view and illumination range can only be changed by replacing adapters, so the adjustment range is discontinuous and delicate adjustments are impossible. there were.

In addition, examples of endoscopes with a focus adjustment mechanism include those that move the image guide as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-94352, and those that divide the objective lens into two lens groups and adjust the rear lens group. There are some that move the objective lens, and some that separate the objective lens into two lens groups and move the rear lens group together with the image guide, but these are not adapter-type types, so you can change the focus by changing the adapter. There was no consideration of adjustment range.

Furthermore, even if these are converted into adapter-type ones, the position adjustment mechanism for the optical elements will be provided on the endoscope body, so for example, some adapters may not be able to focus properly; Therefore, the optimum adjustment range could not always be obtained.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a tip adapter type endoscope that has a continuous and delicate adjustment range, and that can always obtain the optimum adjustment range for various adapters. shall be.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] The tip adapter type endoscope according to the present invention includes a tip adapter in which adapters consisting of various optical systems are detachably attached to the tip of the endoscope body. In a type endoscope, the position of the optical element inside the above adapter! By installing a position adjustment device and making it possible to connect and separate the position adjustment device to the operating section on the endoscope main body side, it is possible to set the optimal adjustment range for each adapter and perform continuous adjustment. This makes it possible to do the following.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment. Reference numeral 1 denotes an endoscope main body in which an image guide and a light guide, which will be described later, are built-in, and which has an observation light 2a and an illumination window 2b on the front surface, and a male part on the outer circumferential surface for screwing an adapter, which will be described later. A tip portion 2 provided with a threaded portion 2c, a flexible portion 3 connected to the tip portion 2, and an operating portion 5 connected to the flexible portion 3 and provided with a focus adjustment knob 4. , and an eyepiece section 6 fixed to the operation section 5. Reference numeral 7 denotes an adapter in which a focusing lens and a position adjustment device for the lens, which will be described later, are built in, and includes an adapter body 8 and a female screw rotatably attached to the adapter body 8 and capable of being screwed into the male screw portion 2c. The fixing ring 9 has a portion 9a (FIG. 2).

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the distal end portion 2 of the endoscope main body 1 and the adapter 7 of the first embodiment. There is an objective lens 10 inside an observation window 2a fitted into the front surface of the tip 2, and an image guide 11 is further provided inside the objective lens 10. Further, a light guide 12 is provided in parallel with these, and its exit end surface serves as an illumination window 2b. Similarly, a tube 13 is arranged in parallel with the objective lens 10 and the image guide 11.
A focusing wire 14 is inserted into the tube 13 . Focus wire 1
A female connector 15 having a shape as shown in FIG. is fixed, and the rack 16 meshes with a pinion 17 connected to the knob 4.

Further, a cover lens 18 is fitted into the front surface of the adapter body 8. And cover lens 8
A focusing lens 20 held by a lens holding frame 19 that is slidable in the optical axis direction is provided inside the lens holding frame 19, and the tip of a connecting rod 21 is fixed to the lens holding frame 19. is a female connector 22 which has a shape as shown in FIG. 3 and can be fitted and connected from the side with the female connector 15
are fixed to the lens, and these constitute a focus adjustment device. In addition, the cover lens 18 and the focusing lens 2
An auxiliary light guide 23 is also provided in parallel with 0.

Note that when the adapter body B is fitted to the tip 2, the objective lens 1 is
0, the optical axis of the focusing lens 20, and the light guide 1
It is assumed that the optical axes of lenses 2 and 23 are aligned with each other.

Since the tip adapter type endoscope according to the present invention is constructed as described above, the female connector I5 is fitted and connected to the female connector 22, and then the adapter body 8 is fitted to the tip portion 2. , the objective lens l by the concave and convex parts for positioning.
O, the optical axis of the focusing lens 20, and the light guide 1
The optical axes of lenses 2 and 23 are made to coincide with each other. In this state, if the fixing ring 9 is hinged to the male threaded portion 2C and tightened, the adapter 7 will be attached to the tip portion 2.

Next, if you turn the knob 4 in this state, the wire 14. Since the connecting rod 21 and the lens holding frame 19 are slid back and forth, the focusing lens 20 is moved back and forth along the optical axis, so that focus adjustment can be performed.

In addition, when detaching the adapter 7 from the distal end portion 2, the procedure for attaching the adapter 7 described above may be completely reversed.

The operation of the tip adapter type endoscope according to the present invention has been explained above. Since the endoscope according to the present invention has a focus adjustment device in the adapter 7, the optimum adjustment range can be set for each adapter. Moreover, it becomes possible to perform continuous adjustment. Therefore, an optimal adjustment range can always be obtained for various adapters, and delicate adjustments can also be made.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment, in which the objective lens 2
4 into two parts, front and rear, and connect the front group 24a to the adapter body 8.
A concave mirror 26 is disposed within the distal end portion 2 of the endoscope body, and is moved forward and backward along the optical axis by a piezoelectric actuator 25 in front of the front group 24a within the adapter body 8. This is a side-viewing tip adapter type endoscope in which a piezoelectric element actuator 25 is electrically connected to an operation section (not shown) via a lead wire 27 with a contact 27a interposed in the middle. According to the embodiment, the concave surface tti 26 is moved to the left in FIG. 4 by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element actuator 25 to cause it to expand in the state shown in FIG. 4(A) (FIG. 4(B)).
), the distance from the objective lens 24 to the object point changes, and as a result, the distance from the adapter body 8 to the object point becomes, for example, l.
Since the value changes from i to i, the focus can be adjusted.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment, in which, for example, the objective lens 24 is divided into two parts, front and rear, and the front group 24a is placed inside the adapter body 8, and the rear group 24b is placed inside the tip 2 of the endoscope body. A lens holding frame 2 that holds the front group 24a and holds the front group 24a.
8, an inner cylinder 29 that slidably supports the lens holding frame 28 along the optical axis, and a cam slot rotatably fitted into the inner cylinder 29 and embedded in the lens holding frame 28. A lens position adjusting device (FIG. 5(b)) consisting of an outer cylinder 30 that is slidably fitted with a pin provided therein is disposed within the adapter body 8, and drives the outer cylinder 30 and adjusts the lead tl'+'1.
An ultrasonic motor 32 electrically connected to an operation section (not shown) via K31 is disposed inside the tip 2, and a crystal filter 33. Right triangular prism 34. This is a side-viewing tip adapter type endoscope that is provided with a cover lens 35. According to this embodiment, the outer cylinder 30 is
When the front group 24a is rotated, the front group 24a moves back and forth and the focal length of the objective lens 24 changes, so that focusing can be performed.

FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment, in which the objective lens 3
6 is divided into three parts: a front group 36a, a perishable part 36b, and a rear group 36C, and the front group 36a and perishable part 36b are arranged inside the adapter main body 8, and the rear group 36c is arranged inside the distal end part 2 of the endoscope main body, respectively. By supporting the upper and lower ends of the rear group of the lens holding frame 37 that holds the fresh food 36b within the adapter body 8 with four bimorph piezoelectric elements 38 (FIG. 6(b)), the rear group 36C is moved in the optical axis direction. The bimorph piezoelectric element 38 is made to be movable back and forth, and is electrically connected to an operation section (not shown) via a lead wire 27 with a contact point 27a interposed in the middle.
Further, an infrared cant filter 39 is provided between the front group 36a and the fresh food 36b, a rectangular filter 40 is provided between the food 36b and the rear group 36c, and a solid-state image sensor 41 is provided behind the rear group 36c. According to this embodiment, a direct-viewing tip adapter type endoscope is provided with a bimorph piezoelectric element 3.
When a voltage is applied to the lens 8 to cause distortion, the fresh food 36b moves back and forth and the focal length of the objective lens 36 changes, so that focusing can be performed.

In each of the above embodiments, the focusing function may be used to perform presetting or defocusing to remove moiré, or a solid-state image sensor may be used instead of the light guide.
A light guide may be used instead of a solid-state image sensor, a liquid crystal lens may be used as a focus adjustment device, and a visible cut filter and a phase filter may be installed in the adapter as necessary. Alternatively, part of the lens in the adapter may be a crystal lens.

Further, the focus adjustment and the like are not necessarily performed continuously, but may be performed in stages such as zone focusing.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As mentioned above, the tip adapter type endoscope according to the present invention has the following features:
The adjustment range is continuous, allowing for fine adjustment, and has important practical advantages in that the optimum adjustment range can always be obtained for various adapters.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the tip adapter type endoscope according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tip of the endoscope body and the adapter of the first embodiment, and FIG. (b) is a side view and a plan view of the connecting portion between the focusing wire and the connecting iron in the first embodiment, respectively, and FIGS. A schematic cross-sectional view showing the adjusted state, FIG.
Figures 6+al and (bl are respectively a schematic cross-sectional view of the fourth embodiment and an enlarged cross-sectional view of its lens driving section. 1... Endoscope main body, 2... Tip part, 3...・・・
Flexible part, 4...knob, 5...operation part, 6...
・Eyepiece, 7...Adapter, 8...Adapter body, 9...Fixing ring, 10, 24.36...
...Objective lens, 12...Light guide, 13...
...Tube, 14...Focusing wire, 15
...Female connector, 16...Rank, 17...
・Pinion, 18.35...Cover lens, 19.
28.37...Lens holding frame, 20...Focusing lens, 21...Connection rond, 22...
・Female connector, 23... Auxiliary light guide, 25.
... piezoelectric element actuator, 26 ... concave mirror,
27.31...Lead wire, 29...Inner cylinder, 30
...Outer cylinder, 32...Ultrasonic motor, 33...
・Crystal filter, 34...Right triangular prism, 3
8... Bimorph piezoelectric element, 39... Infrared cut filter, 40... Aperture, 41... Solid-state image sensor. Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 (CI) Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a tip adapter type endoscope in which an adapter consisting of various optical systems is detachably attached to the tip of an endoscope body, an optical element position adjustment device is provided in the adapter, and the position adjustment device is provided. A tip adapter type endoscope is characterized in that the end adapter is connected to an operating section on the endoscope main body side in a freely connectable and separable manner.