Endoscope and endoscope camera system

Abstract

An endoscope and an endoscope camera system, the endoscope includes a mirror tube, an illumination light path and an imaging light path, a light homogenizer is installed in a branch tube, an optical fiber is installed in the mirror tube, the incident end of the optical fiber extends to the branch tube and is connected to the output end of the light homogenizer, and the output end of the optical fiber extends to the front end of the mirror tube. Since the endoscope is equipped with a light homogenizer at the front end of the optical fiber, the light homogenizer can efficiently couple the light beam of the light guide into the optical fiber, and the light homogenizer can also eliminate the light spot in the light beam and improve the uniformity of the light beam; the optical fiber is an ultra-wide-angle optical fiber, and the divergence angle of the optical fiber is greater than the imaging field angle. The ultra-wide-angle optical fiber can effectively reduce the light energy loss of the illumination light path, improve the light transmission efficiency, and provide more sufficient illumination for ultra-high-definition images. This ultra-high-definition endoscope achieves the goal of increasing the light flux while making the illumination distribution uniform in the observation field of view through the cooperation of the light homogenizer and the ultra-wide-angle optical fiber, thereby improving the contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of the endoscopic image, and then improving the imaging quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical equipment, and in particular to an endoscope and an endoscope camera system. Background Art

[0002] With the development of science and medical technology, endoscopic minimally invasive surgery has become popular. In endoscopic surgery, detailed imaging of key tissues can improve the success rate of surgery, facilitate morphological identification in conventional resection surgery or tumor surgery, and play a role in precise positioning.

[0003] With the popularization of 4K imaging systems in civilian camera technology in recent years, endoscope camera systems have gradually transitioned from HD endoscopes to 4K ultra-high-definition endoscopes. 4K ultra-high-definition greatly improves doctors' recognition and precise positioning of lesion morphology in terms of resolution, but the high-definition imaging of existing endoscopes is not ideal. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides an endoscope and an endoscope camera system with high contrast.

[0005] In one embodiment, an endoscope is provided, including a scope tube, an illumination light path, and an imaging light path;

[0006] The mirror tube has a front end and a rear end, the front end of the mirror tube is used to be inserted into a human body, and the rear end of the mirror tube is provided with a branch tube connected to the mirror tube;

[0007] The illumination light path includes a light homogenizer and an optical fiber, the light homogenizer is installed in the branch tube, the incident end of the light homogenizer is used to connect the light guide, the optical fiber is installed in the mirror tube, the incident end of the optical fiber extends to the branch tube and is connected to the output end of the light homogenizer, the output end of the optical fiber extends to the front end of the mirror tube, the light homogenizer is used to homogenize the light beam of the light guide and then transfer it to the optical fiber, and the output light of the optical fiber is used to irradiate the human body; the optical fiber is an ultra-wide-angle optical fiber, and the divergence angle of the optical fiber is greater than the imaging field angle;

[0008] The imaging optical path comprises an optical cavity and a lens group, the optical cavity is installed in the lens tube, the lens group is installed in the optical cavity, and the lens assembly is used to collect reflected light from a human body.

[0009] In one embodiment, the divergence angle of the optical fiber is greater than or equal to 1.2 times the imaging field of view angle.

[0010] In one embodiment, the divergence angle of the outgoing light of the light homogenizer is greater than the divergence angle of the incident light.

[0011] In one embodiment, the light homogenizer is a light cone structure, the large end of the light cone structure is the incident end of the light homogenizer, and the small end of the cone structure is the exit end of the light homogenizer.

[0012] In one embodiment, the light homogenizer is a monofilament or multifilament light cone structure.

[0013] In one embodiment, a light diffuser mounting seat is installed in the branch pipe, the light diffuser mounting seat has a tapered mounting hole, and the light diffuser is installed in the mounting hole of the light diffuser mounting seat.

[0014] In one embodiment, the light diffuser is a light diffuser.

[0015] In one embodiment, windows are installed at the front end and the rear end of the optical cavity.

[0016] In one embodiment, the window is made of quartz glass.

[0017] In one embodiment, the inner surface of the optical cavity has a light extinction function.

[0018] In one embodiment, the optical cavity is a carbon fiber tube.

[0019] In one embodiment, the inner surface of the optical cavity has a matte layer.

[0020] In one embodiment, the matte layer is a black oxide film, a matte layer, a doped layer, a deposited layer, a black coating or a gold-plated layer.

[0021] An endoscopic camera system is provided in one embodiment, including a light source, a camera host, a display and the above-mentioned endoscope, the light source is connected to the incident end of the light homogenizer through a light guide, the camera host is connected to the imaging optical path and the display, the camera host is used to convert the light signal into an image signal, and the display displays the image according to the image signal.

[0022] According to the endoscope and endoscope camera system of the above-mentioned embodiment, since the endoscope is equipped with a light homogenizer at the front end of the optical fiber, the light homogenizer can efficiently couple the light beam of the light guide into the optical fiber, and the light homogenizer can also eliminate the light spot in the light beam and improve the uniformity of the light beam; the optical fiber is an ultra-wide-angle optical fiber, and the divergence angle of the optical fiber is greater than the imaging field angle. The ultra-wide-angle optical fiber can effectively reduce the light energy loss of the illumination light path, improve the light transmission efficiency, and provide more sufficient illumination for ultra-high-definition images. This ultra-high-definition endoscope achieves the goal of increasing the light flux while making the illumination distribution uniform in the observation field of view through the cooperation of the light homogenizer and the ultra-wide-angle optical fiber, thereby improving the contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of the endoscopic image, and further improving the imaging quality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1is a schematic structural diagram of an endoscope in an embodiment;

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an explosion structure of an endoscope in one embodiment;

[0025] Figure 3 An axial cross-sectional view of an endoscope in one embodiment;

[0026] Figure 4 An axial cross-sectional view of a light diffuser and a light diffuser mounting seat in one embodiment;

[0027] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope camera system in an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present invention is further described in detail below by specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Wherein similar elements in different embodiments adopt associated similar element numbers. In the following embodiments, many detailed descriptions are for making the present application better understood. However, those skilled in the art can easily recognize that some features can be omitted in different situations, or can be replaced by other elements, materials, methods. In some cases, some operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification, this is to avoid the core part of the present application being overwhelmed by too much description, and for those skilled in the art, it is not necessary to describe these related operations in detail, and they can fully understand the related operations according to the description in the specification and the general technical knowledge in the art.

[0029] In addition, the features, operations or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any appropriate manner to form various implementations. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can also be interchanged or adjusted in a manner that is obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various sequences in the specification and the drawings are only for the purpose of clearly describing a certain embodiment and are not meant to be a required sequence, unless otherwise specified that a certain sequence must be followed.

[0030] The serial numbers assigned to the components herein, such as "first", "second", etc., are only used to distinguish the objects described and do not have any order or technical meaning. The "connection" and "coupling" mentioned in this application, unless otherwise specified, include direct and indirect connections (couplings).

[0031] The 4K endoscope system will inevitably lead to a decrease in signal-to-noise ratio and contrast due to the increase in the number of pixels and the reduction in single pixels. In order to ensure that the image is not affected, higher requirements are placed on the matching rigid tube mirror (endoscope).

[0032] Unlike ordinary imaging lenses, rigid tube endoscopes are divided into imaging optical path and illumination optical path, and the final image effect is affected by both. The imaging optical path is much more complicated than that of ordinary lenses. At present, there are at least 10 lenses inside rigid tube endoscopes, and as many as 20 lenses. If no special treatment is taken, stray light will seriously affect the image contrast of the surgical scene. At the same time, the illumination optical path provides active illumination for the imaging scene, and the transmission efficiency and illumination uniformity within the field of view will also affect the uniformity of the entire image. Due to the limited dynamic range of image sensors CMOS and CCD, the more uniform the illumination of the actual observed object, the higher the contrast of the image will be. The higher the transmission efficiency and the sufficient illumination, the higher the image signal-to-noise ratio and contrast.

[0033] An endoscope is provided in one embodiment. The endoscope is a 4k ultra-high-definition laparoscope, has the advantages of low stray light, sufficient and evenly distributed lighting, and high contrast, and can achieve high-definition imaging.

[0034] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The endoscope of this embodiment mainly includes a mirror tube 1, an illumination light path 2 and an imaging light path 3, and the illumination light path 2 and the imaging light path 3 are installed in the mirror tube 1.

[0035] The mirror tube 1 is a straight hard mirror tube, and the mirror tube 1 has a front end and a rear end; the front end of the mirror tube 1 is a pointed structure, and the front end of the mirror tube 1 is used to be inserted into the human body; the rear end of the mirror tube 1 has a mounting portion 11, and the mounting portion 11 is used to connect with the handle; a branch tube 4 is also provided on the mounting portion 11, and the branch tube 4 is vertically installed on the mirror tube 1 by means of a threaded connection, and the branch tube 4 is connected to the mirror tube 1, and the branch tube 4 and the mirror tube 1 can also be an integrated structure.

[0036] The illumination optical path 2 includes a homogenizer 21 and an optical fiber 22. The homogenizer 21 is a light cone structure having a large end and a small end. The homogenizer 21 can be a monofilament optical fiber light cone, a multifilament optical fiber light cone, a single-core glass light cone, a homogenizer sheet or a scattering element. The homogenizer 21 is used to homogenize the illumination spot of the endoscope. A homogenizer mounting seat 5 is installed in the branch tube 4. The homogenizer mounting seat 5 is a cylindrical structure. The homogenizer mounting seat 5 has a conical mounting hole. The end of the mounting hole close to the mirror tube 1 is the small end, and the end of the mounting hole away from the mirror tube 1 is the large end. The homogenizer 21 is installed in the mounting hole of the homogenizer mounting seat 5, wherein the large end of the homogenizer 21 is the light input end, and the small end of the homogenizer 21 is the light output end.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 3The branch pipe 4 includes a first branch pipe 41, a second branch pipe 42 and a connecting pipe 43. One end of the first branch pipe 41 is connected to the mirror tube 1. One end of the first branch pipe 41 away from the mirror tube 1 is provided with an external thread, and the end of the first branch pipe 41 with the external thread is reduced. One end of the second branch pipe 42 is provided with an internal thread, and the connecting pipe 43 is provided with a first internal thread and a second internal thread. The connecting pipe 43 is also provided with an external thread. The first internal thread of the connecting pipe 43 is connected to the external thread of the first branch pipe 41, and the external thread of the connecting pipe 43 is connected to the internal thread of the second branch pipe 42. Then, the first branch pipe 41 and the second branch pipe 42 are connected together through the connecting pipe 43, and the second branch pipe 42 covers the outside of the connecting pipe 43, and most of the connecting pipe 43 is hidden in the second branch pipe 42.

[0038] One end of the homogenizer mounting base 5 is provided with an external thread, and the external thread of the homogenizer mounting base 5 is connected to the second internal thread of the connecting tube 43, the homogenizer mounting base 5 is fixed on the connecting tube 43, and the homogenizer mounting base 5 is entirely in the connecting tube 43. The branch pipe 4 is divided into a detachable three-part structure, which can effectively facilitate the installation of the homogenizer mounting base 5 and the homogenizer 21.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 4 The small end of the mounting hole of the homogenizer mounting seat 5 is provided with a protrusion extending radially inward, and the protrusion is used to clamp the light output end of the homogenizer 21. The mounting hole of the homogenizer mounting seat 5 clamps the light input end and the light output end of the homogenizer 21 through the large end and the small end respectively. The middle part of the mounting hole of the homogenizer mounting seat 5 does not contact the homogenizer 21, which reduces the contact area between the homogenizer mounting seat 5 and the homogenizer 21, thereby reducing the processing difficulty of the homogenizer mounting seat 5 and ultimately reducing the processing cost.

[0040] The optical fiber 22 of this embodiment is an ultra-wide-angle optical fiber, and the optical fiber 22 has a large divergence angle, and the divergence angle of the optical fiber 22 is greater than the imaging field angle. Specifically, the divergence angle of the optical fiber 22 is greater than or equal to 1.2 times the imaging field angle. The optical fiber 22 is installed in the mirror tube 1, and the optical fiber 22 has an incident end and an exit end. The incident end of the optical fiber 22 extends into the branch tube 4 and docks with the exit end of the light homogenizer 21, and the exit end of the optical fiber 22 extends to the front end position of the mirror tube 1. The incident end of the light homogenizer 21 is used to dock with the exit end of the light guide 20, and the incident end of the light guide 20 is connected to the light source.

[0041] The illumination optical path of the endoscope is as follows: the light guide 20 transmits the light emitted by the light source to the homogenizer 21, the homogenizer 21 homogenizes the light incident from the light guide 20 and then incidents it into the optical fiber 22, and the optical fiber 22 irradiates the light incident from the homogenizer 21 onto the human body.

[0042] This endoscope uses ultra-wide-angle optical fiber with a divergence angle that is more than 1.2 times greater than the imaging field of view, which can effectively reduce the light energy loss of the illumination light path, improve the light transmission efficiency, and provide more sufficient illumination for ultra-high-definition images. In addition to the Fresnel reflection at the two end faces of the optical fiber, more energy losses in the illumination light path come from the bends of the optical fiber inside the endoscope and the inaccurate grinding angle of the optical fiber end face, which prevents the light from emitting at large angles. The use of ultra-wide-angle optical fiber can provide greater "redundancy" for the transmission of light inside the optical fiber, thereby improving the light energy transmission efficiency.

[0043] The large-angle light has a strong light absorption effect due to the long transmission distance inside the optical fiber, and the large-angle light is more easily lost at the bend of the optical fiber and the end face of the optical fiber, which will inevitably lead to much lower illumination at the edge of the imaging field of view than at the center. Because the dynamic range of COMS or CCD is limited, this spot distribution is not conducive to the processing of the image by the endoscope camera system, and ultimately leads to the loss of image contrast. The homogenizer 21 of this embodiment is placed in front of the incident end of the optical fiber, which can effectively redistribute the small-angle central light energy to the large-angle edge light energy, and can effectively solve the problem of uneven spot distribution.

[0044] In this embodiment, the light homogenizer 21 has two major advantages: first, the light of the light guide 20 can be more efficiently coupled to the ultra-wide-angle optical fiber 22; second, the angle of entering the optical fiber 22 can be expanded to improve the uniformity of the illumination spot. The light homogenizer 21 and the ultra-wide-angle optical fiber 22 are used together to increase the light flux while making the illumination distribution uniform in the observation field of view, thereby improving the contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of the endoscopic image.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 2 In this embodiment, the imaging optical path 3 includes an optical cavity 31 and a lens group ( Figure 2 ), the optical cavity 31 is a tubular structure, the optical cavity 31 is installed in the mirror tube 1, and the lens group includes a plurality of lenses, which are installed in the optical cavity 31. The optical cavity 31 is used to fix the lens group to form an imaging light path. The front end of the imaging light path 3 is used to obtain the reflected light of the human body, and the rear end of the imaging light path 3 is connected to the light sensor, and the imaging light path 3 transmits the reflected light to the light sensor.

[0046] The front and rear ends of the optical cavity 31 are both equipped with windows 32, which are quartz glass with a low refractive index. The windows 32 play a protective role. The windows 32 at both ends of the optical cavity 31 seal the lens group in the optical cavity 31, so that the endoscope will not be damaged when it is scratched by the lesion or surgical instruments. The quartz glass windows 32 can meet the requirements of biocompatibility and have a long service life. The low refractive index windows 32 can also suppress stray light.

[0047] In order to improve image contrast and achieve ultra-high-definition imaging, the inner surface of the optical cavity 31 has an extinction function, which is used to absorb reflected and scattered light during the propagation of the imaging light path.

[0048] The optical cavity 31 is made of carbon fiber material. The optical cavity 31 is a carbon fiber tube. The carbon fiber tube has the function of absorbing optical fiber, and thus the carbon fiber tube can absorb reflected and scattered light during the propagation of the imaging light path.

[0049] In addition to the above-mentioned carbon fiber tube, the inner surface of the optical cavity 31 has a matte layer, which can also play the role of reflecting and scattering light during the propagation of the imaging light path. The matte layer includes but is not limited to the following:

[0050] 1. Using the metal tube blackening / blueing process, immerse the optical cavity 31 in a strong oxidizing chemical solution for blackening, such as a sodium hydroxide and sodium nitrite aqueous solution with a boiling temperature of about 150 degrees, and after a certain period of time, a beautiful, dense and rust-proof black oxide film is formed on the inner surface of the optical cavity 31; or the anodizing process can be used for the tube made of aluminum alloy to form a black oxide film on the aluminum alloy; a black oxide film is formed on the inner surface of the optical cavity 31.

[0051] 2. A sandblasting process is used to achieve matte finish on the metal surface, forming a matte layer on the inner surface of the optical cavity 31 .

[0052] 3. Using chemical surface heat treatment, such as surface nitriding and other elements, to form a doping layer on the inner surface of the optical cavity 31.

[0053] 4. A vacuum sputtering technique, such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), is used to sputter a layer of matte material on the cavity surface, thereby forming a deposition layer on the inner surface of the optical cavity 31 .

[0054] 5. Use a coating process to coat the pipe with a layer of black material (such as matte paint, black Teflon coating, etc.) using a black coating to form a deposited black coating on the inner surface of the optical cavity 31.

[0055] 6. The optical cavity 31 is made of a bright metal tube by using a gold plating process. The inner surface of the optical cavity 31 is plated with black zinc or black chrome to form a gold plating layer on the inner surface of the optical cavity 31 .

[0056] The above process can form a matte layer on the inner surface of the optical cavity 31, eliminate the reflected and scattered light generated in the imaging light path, and thus improve the imaging quality.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 5In one embodiment, an endoscope camera system 1000 is provided, and the endoscope camera system 1000 includes a light source 10, a light guide 20, an endoscope 30, an optical bayonet 40, a camera head 50, a communication cable 81, a camera host 60, a display 70 and a video connection line 82. The endoscope 30 is the endoscope in the above embodiment. The endoscope 30 adopts a light homogenizer and an ultra-wide-angle optical fiber in the illumination light path to increase the light flux while making the illumination distribution in the observation field uniform, thereby improving the contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of the endoscopic image, and further improving the imaging quality; the endoscope 30 is provided with a window 32 and an optical cavity 31 capable of absorbing stray light in the imaging light path, which can further improve the imaging quality.

[0058] The camera host 60 is connected to the camera head 50 via a communication cable 81, and the image signal obtained by the camera head 50 is transmitted to the camera host 60 via the communication cable 81 for processing. In some embodiments, the communication cable 81 may be an optical communication cable, such as an optical fiber; the camera head 50 converts the image signal (electrical signal) into an optical signal, which is transmitted to the camera host 60 via the communication cable 81, and the camera host 60 converts the optical signal into an electrical signal (image signal). The camera host 60 is connected to the display 70 via a video connection cable 82, which is used to send the image signal to the display 70 for display. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that Figure 5 The endoscope camera system 1000 is merely an example and does not constitute a limitation on the endoscope camera system 1000. The endoscope camera system 1000 may include Figure 1 More or fewer components as shown, or a combination of certain components, or different components, for example, the endoscope camera system 1000 may also include a dilator, a smoke control device, input and output devices, a network access device, etc.

[0059] The light source 10 is used to provide an illumination light source to the part to be observed 100. The illumination light source includes a visible light illumination light source and a laser illumination light source (such as near infrared light) corresponding to a fluorescent agent. The light source 10 includes, but is not limited to, a laser light source, an LED light source or a laser diode.

[0060] In this embodiment, the light source 10 includes a visible light source and a laser light source corresponding to the fluorescent reagent. The visible light source is an LED light source. In one embodiment, the visible light source can provide a plurality of monochromatic lights of different wavelength ranges, such as blue light, green light, red light, etc. In other embodiments, the visible light source can also provide a combination of the plurality of monochromatic lights, or a wide-spectrum white light source. The wavelength range of the monochromatic light is approximately 400nm to 700nm. The laser light source is used to generate laser. The laser is, for example, near infrared light (NIR). The peak wavelength of the laser takes at least one value within the range of 780nm or 808nm.

[0061] The above specific examples are used to illustrate the present invention, which is only used to help understand the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, according to the concept of the present invention, some simple deductions, modifications or substitutions can be made.

Claims

1. An endoscope, characterized in that: It includes a mirror tube, an illumination optical path and an imaging optical path; The mirror tube has a front end and a rear end, the front end of the mirror tube is used to be inserted into a human body, and the rear end of the mirror tube is provided with a branch tube connected to the mirror tube; The illumination light path includes a light homogenizer and an optical fiber, the light homogenizer is installed in the branch tube, the incident end of the light homogenizer is used to connect the light guide, the optical fiber is installed in the mirror tube, the incident end of the optical fiber extends to the branch tube and is connected to the output end of the light homogenizer, the output end of the optical fiber extends to the front end of the mirror tube, the light homogenizer is used to homogenize the light beam of the light guide and then transfer it to the optical fiber, and the output light of the optical fiber is used to irradiate the human body; the optical fiber is an ultra-wide-angle optical fiber, and the divergence angle of the optical fiber is greater than the imaging field angle; The imaging optical path comprises an optical cavity and a lens group, the optical cavity is installed in the lens tube, the lens group is installed in the optical cavity, and the lens assembly is used to collect reflected light from a human body.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein: The divergence angle of the optical fiber is greater than or equal to 1.2 times the imaging field angle.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein: The divergence angle of the outgoing light of the light homogenizer is greater than the divergence angle of the incident light.

4. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein: The light homogenizer is a light cone structure, the large end of the light cone structure is the incident end of the light homogenizer, and the small end of the cone structure is the exit end of the light homogenizer.

5. The endoscope according to claim 4, characterized in that The light homogenizer is a monofilament or multifilament light cone structure.

6. The endoscope according to claim 4, characterized in that A light homogenizer mounting seat is installed in the branch pipe, the light homogenizer mounting seat has a tapered mounting hole, and the light homogenizer is installed in the mounting hole of the light homogenizer mounting seat.

7. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein: The light homogenizer is a light homogenizer.

8. The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that Windows are installed at the front end and the rear end of the optical cavity.

9. The endoscope according to claim 8, characterized in that The window piece is made of quartz glass.

10. The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The inner surface of the optical cavity has a light extinction function.

11. The endoscope according to claim 10, characterized in that The optical cavity is a carbon fiber tube.

12. The endoscope according to claim 10, wherein: The inner surface of the optical cavity is provided with a matte layer.

13. The endoscope according to claim 12, wherein: The matte layer is a black oxide film, a matte layer, a doped layer, a deposited layer, a black coating or a gold-plated layer.

14. An endoscope camera system, characterized in that: It includes a light source, a camera host, a display and an endoscope as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, the light source is connected to the incident end of the light homogenizer through a light guide, the camera host is connected to the imaging optical path and the display, the camera host is used to convert the light signal into an image signal, and the display displays the image according to the image signal.

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