Binocular industrial endoscope front end body, front end, assembly and assembling method

Abstract

The invention discloses a front end head body of a binocular industrial endoscope, the front end head body is cylindrical, two non-circular module holes with the same shape are symmetrically distributed in the front end head body in the axis direction in a penetrating mode, when a module matched with the front end head body is inserted into the non-circular module holes, the module cannot rotate, and the non-circular module holes cannot rotate. Effective limiting is formed in the circumferential direction; a plurality of optical fiber holes are uniformly distributed around the two module holes and are used for accommodating optical fiber bundles to form a uniform light source, and a limiting part is integrally constructed on one side, far away from the end part, of the front end head body, so that the assembling efficiency and the assembling precision of the front end head body and a front connecting ring are improved. The invention further discloses a binocular industrial endoscope front end head, a front end head assembly and a front end head assembling method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of industrial endoscope technology, and more specifically to a binocular industrial endoscope tip body, tip, tip assembly, and tip assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] The binocular vision technology of industrial endoscopes is mainly designed to simulate the stereoscopic vision of the human eye, thereby acquiring three-dimensional information of objects, such as depth, volume, and complex shapes. This allows inspectors not only to "see" internal defects in equipment, but also to "measure" and "quantify" these defects.

[0003] One of the technical approaches to achieving binocular vision is to use a dual-objective / dual-camera system. This system uses two independent objective lenses or camera modules to mimic the interpupillary distance of the human eye and calculates the three-dimensional coordinates using the principle of triangulation.

[0004] From the current development perspective, the above-mentioned binocular vision technology still has the following defects and shortcomings: The spatial constraints and layout conflicted, requiring the front end diameter to be as small as possible (e.g., φ6mm) to accommodate two optical systems, illumination, transmission mechanisms, etc., which limited the image sensor size and baseline distance, restricting the upper limit of imaging quality and measurement accuracy; Optical performance and consistency challenges: the two optical paths must be highly consistent (parallel optical axes, consistent focal lengths, and distortion matching). Any slight deviation will lead to parallax matching errors, significantly increasing the error in three-dimensional measurement. The calibration and standardization process is complex and requires high-precision dual-camera calibration to determine the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters and relative positions of the two cameras. The calibration process is complex and time-consuming, and the calibration results are prone to drift due to vibration, temperature changes or mechanical shocks, requiring frequent recalibration. Mechanical structure and operability: The complex internal structure limits the design space and flexibility of the front bending mechanism, which may affect the probe's passability and the observation angle in the complex cavity. The manufacturing and assembly are challenging. The precision assembly of sub-millimeter-sized parts requires extremely high accuracy, which is one of the technical difficulties. It is highly dependent on precision tooling and skilled workers, resulting in high production costs and difficulty in ensuring batch consistency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] 1. The technical problem that the invention aims to solve In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a front end head body, front end head, front end head assembly and front end head assembly method of a binocular industrial endoscope. By using the method of grinding the fiber bundle and the end face of the steel pipe together and closely abutting against the sapphire glass plate, and the two modules abutting against the sapphire glass plate, the high consistency of the dual optical paths is achieved, and the beneficial effects of parallel optical axes, consistent focal length and distortion matching are achieved.

[0006] 2. Technical Solution The first aspect of the present invention relates to a front end head body of a binocular industrial endoscope, the front end head body being cylindrical, having two symmetrically distributed non-circular module holes of the same shape penetrating along the axial direction, and a plurality of optical fiber holes being evenly distributed around the two module holes, and a limiting part integrally constructed on the side of the front end head body away from the end.

[0007] Furthermore, the module holes are quadrilateral in shape.

[0008] Furthermore, the four corners of the module hole are provided with adhesive grooves.

[0009] Furthermore, the optical fiber holes are circular, with a total of four, symmetrically distributed on both sides of the module holes.

[0010] Furthermore, the limiting portion protrudes away from the end relative to the outer wall of the front end head body.

[0011] Furthermore, the front end head body also includes a glass lens, which is attached to the end face of the front end head body.

[0012] Furthermore, the glass lens is a sapphire glass sheet.

[0013] The second aspect of the present invention relates to a binocular industrial endoscope tip, comprising the aforementioned tip body, and further comprising an optical fiber bundle, a steel tube, and a module; The optical fiber bundle is housed in the steel pipe, with the end face of the optical fiber bundle flush with the end face of the steel pipe and abutting against the sapphire glass sheet through the optical fiber hole. The module abuts against the sapphire glass sheet through the module hole.

[0014] A third aspect of the present invention relates to a method for assembling a binocular endoscope tip. Insert the fiber bundle into the steel pipe and make it protrude from the end face of the steel pipe. Bond and fix the two together. Then grind the end faces of the fiber bundle and the steel pipe to be flush. Attach the sapphire glass plate to the end face of the front head body. Then press the end faces of the fiber bundle and the steel pipe together against the sapphire glass plate. The module is passed through the module hole and pressed against the sapphire glass sheet.

[0015] A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to a binocular industrial endoscope tip assembly, comprising the aforementioned binocular industrial endoscope tip and a front connector adapted to a limiting portion on the tip body.

[0016] 3. Beneficial effects (1) A front end head body of a binocular industrial endoscope of the present invention, wherein the front end head body is cylindrical, and two non-circular module holes of the same shape are symmetrically distributed along the axial direction. When the module adapted to it is inserted into the non-circular module hole, the module itself cannot rotate, forming an effective limit in the circumferential direction; a number of optical fiber holes are evenly distributed around the two module holes to accommodate optical fiber bundles to form a uniform light source. A limit part is integrally constructed on the side of the front end head body away from the end to improve the assembly efficiency and assembly accuracy with the front connector.

[0017] (2) The front end head body of a binocular industrial endoscope of the present invention further includes a sapphire glass plate, wherein the sapphire glass plate is attached to the end face of the front end head body so that the cross-sections of the module, the fiber bundle and the steel tube are more easily fixed on the same horizontal plane.

[0018] (3) A binocular endoscope front end head of the present invention includes the aforementioned front end head body, and further includes an optical fiber bundle, a steel tube, and a module; the optical fiber bundle is housed in the steel tube, the end face of the optical fiber bundle is flush with the end face of the steel tube, and abuts against the sapphire glass plate through an optical fiber hole; the module abuts against the sapphire glass plate through a module hole; it enables the two optical paths to maintain high consistency, with parallel optical axes, consistent focal lengths, and distortion matching.

[0019] (4) The assembly method of the front end head of the binocular endoscope of the present invention involves inserting an optical fiber bundle into a steel tube and protruding it from the end face of the steel tube, bonding and fixing the two together, then grinding the end faces of the optical fiber bundle and the steel tube to be flush, attaching a sapphire glass plate to the end face of the front end head body, and then abutting the end faces of the optical fiber bundle and the steel tube together against the sapphire glass plate; compared with the traditional method of first bonding the optical fiber bundle to the front end head body and then grinding it flat, the assembly method of the present invention has smaller dimensional deviation and higher assembly efficiency.

[0020] (5) A binocular industrial endoscope front end head assembly of the present invention includes the above-mentioned binocular industrial endoscope front end head and a front connecting ring adapted to the limiting part on the front end head body, and the foolproof limiting design makes assembly more convenient.

[0021] In addition to the purposes, features, and effects described above, the present invention has other purposes, features, and effects. The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the front end body of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the front end body with a sapphire glass plate of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the front end of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the front end of the invention from another perspective; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall front-end header component of the present invention.

[0023] The following are the labels in the schematic diagram: 1. Front-end head body, 2. Fiber optic hole, 20. Fiber optic bundle, 21. Steel pipe, 3. Module hole, 30. Module, 31. Glue groove, 4. Limiting part, 5. Sapphire glass plate, 6. Front connector ring. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand this technical solution, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0025] The structures, proportions, and sizes illustrated in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, provided they do not affect the effectiveness or purpose of the invention, should still fall within the scope of the disclosed technical content. Furthermore, terms such as "front" and "back," "inner" and "outer" used in this specification are merely for clarity and not intended to limit the scope of implementation. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention's implementation.

[0026] Currently, binocular vision technology in industrial endoscopes faces challenges in terms of optical performance and consistency. Even slight deviations can lead to parallax matching errors, significantly increasing 3D measurement errors. Based on this, the basic idea of ​​this invention is to achieve high consistency in the dual optical paths by using an integrated, flattened fiber bundle and steel tube end face that is tightly pressed against a sapphire glass plate, and by having two modules press against the sapphire glass plate through module holes. This ensures parallel optical axes, consistent focal lengths, and distortion matching.

[0027] refer to Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the first aspect of the present invention relates to a front end head body of a binocular industrial endoscope. The front end head body 1 is cylindrical, and two symmetrically distributed non-circular module holes 3 of the same shape are provided through the front end head body 1 along the axial direction. When a module 30 adapted to it is inserted into the non-circular module hole, the module 30 itself cannot rotate, forming an effective limit in the circumferential direction. A plurality of fiber optic holes 2 are evenly distributed around the two module holes 3 for accommodating fiber optic bundles 20 to form uniform illumination. A limiting part 4 is integrally constructed on the side of the front end head body 1 away from the end to improve the assembly accuracy and assembly efficiency with the front connector 6.

[0028] The reason for choosing a non-circular module hole is that, after the module is assembled into the module hole, without other fixing methods, the module will not rotate due to the shape of the module and the module hole itself, thus achieving effective positioning in the circumferential direction. The module hole 3 can be quadrilateral, pentagonal, hexagonal, or even other shapes depending on actual needs. Preferably, the module hole 3 is quadrilateral, and most preferably a regular quadrilateral, as processing and assembly are relatively simpler.

[0029] The four corners of the quadrilateral module hole 3 have process holes to facilitate subsequent processing. In this way, the process holes can also be used as glue tanks 31, and by injecting glue, effective bonding and fixation can be formed between the module 30 and the module hole 3.

[0030] The fiber optic holes 2 are circular, with four in total, symmetrically distributed on both sides of the module hole 3. The function of the fiber optic holes 2 is to accommodate the fiber bundle 20; this distribution aims to provide stable and uniform illumination for the module imaging. The number of fiber optic holes 2 could also be six, eight, or even more, but too many would make assembly cumbersome; four circular fiber optic holes 2 suffice. The choice of circular fiber optic holes 2 offers advantages in terms of versatility, and the fiber bundle 20 is relatively lightweight, allowing it to be fixed by bonding without concern about circumferential rotation.

[0031] The limiting part 4 protrudes away from the end relative to the outer wall of the front head body 1, and the part of the front connecting ring 6 corresponding to the limiting part 4 is recessed by the same size in the direction away from the end, so that the two can be accurately engaged and positioned.

[0032] A glass lens can also be disposed on the end face of the aforementioned front-end head body 1. The glass lens is attached to the end face of the front-end head body 1, and the glass lens is a sapphire glass sheet 5, so that the cross-sections of the module, fiber bundle, and steel tube are fixed on the same horizontal plane. The sapphire glass sheet has the characteristics of high hardness, high temperature resistance, and corrosion resistance, and can effectively adapt to the complex working environment of industrial endoscopes.

[0033] The second aspect of the present invention relates to a front end head of a binocular industrial endoscope, comprising the aforementioned front end head body 1, and further comprising an optical fiber bundle 20, a steel tube 21, and a module 30; the optical fiber bundle 20 is housed in the steel tube 21, the end face of the optical fiber bundle 20 is flush with the end face of the steel tube 21, and abuts against the sapphire glass plate 5 through an optical fiber hole 2; the module 30 abuts against the sapphire glass plate 5 through a module hole 3, thereby enabling the two optical paths to maintain high consistency, with parallel optical axes, consistent focal lengths, and distortion matching.

[0034] The third aspect of this invention relates to a method for assembling a binocular endoscope tip. An optical fiber bundle 2 is inserted into a steel tube 21 and protrudes from the end face of the steel tube. The two are then bonded and fixed together. The end faces of the optical fiber bundle 2 and the steel tube 21 are then ground flush. A sapphire glass plate 5 is attached to the end face of the tip body 1. Finally, the end faces of the optical fiber bundle 2 and the steel tube 21 are integrally abutted against the sapphire glass plate 5. Ideally, the end face of the optical fiber bundle 20 can be ground flush with the end face of the steel tube using sandpaper. However, this is difficult to achieve in practice. Usually, the end faces of the steel tube 21 and the optical fiber bundle 20 need to be ground together (with a small portion of the steel tube also ground away) to ensure that the end faces of the steel tube 21 and the optical fiber bundle 20 are on the same horizontal plane.

[0035] Traditional packaging processes involve first gluing the optical fiber to the front end, and then grinding the end face of the optical fiber together with the front end. This inevitably removes a portion of the front end to ensure that the end face of the optical fiber and the end face of the front end are on the same plane. However, grinding away the front end is unnecessary and may even affect its lifespan.

[0036] By passing the module 30 through the module hole 3 and abutting it against the sapphire glass sheet 5, it is possible to effectively ensure that the mirror surfaces of the two modules are flush, thereby achieving the effects of parallel optical axes, consistent focal length, and distortion matching.

[0037] The fourth aspect of the present invention relates to a binocular industrial endoscope front end head assembly, including the aforementioned binocular industrial endoscope front end head and a front connecting ring 6 adapted to the limiting portion 4 on the front end head body, with a foolproof limiting design for easier assembly.

[0038] Of course, the front end head and the front connector ring can be fixed by means of adhesive bonding, which will not be described in detail here.

[0039] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above illustratively. This description is not restrictive, and the figures shown are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. If those skilled in the art, inspired by this description, design a similar structure to the present invention without departing from its inventive spirit, such design shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A front end head body for a binocular industrial endoscope, wherein the front end head body (1) is cylindrical, characterized in that, The front end head body (1) has two symmetrically distributed non-circular module holes (3) of the same shape along the axial direction. Several fiber holes (2) are evenly distributed around the two module holes (3). The front end head body (1) has an integrally constructed limiting part (4) on the side away from the end.

2. The front end head body of the binocular industrial endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The module hole (3) is quadrilateral.

3. The front end head body of the binocular industrial endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that, The four corners of the module hole (3) are provided with glue grooves (31).

4. The front end head body of the binocular industrial endoscope according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fiber optic holes (2) are circular, and there are four in total, which are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the module holes (3).

5. The binocular industrial endoscope head body according to claim 4, characterized in that, The limiting part (4) protrudes away from the end relative to the outer wall of the front head body (1).

6. The front end head body of a binocular industrial endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The front end head body (1) also includes a glass lens, which is attached to the end face of the front end head body (1).

7. The front end head body of the binocular industrial endoscope according to claim 6, characterized in that, The glass lens is a sapphire glass sheet (5).

8. A binocular industrial endoscope tip, comprising the tip body (1) as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes fiber bundles (20), steel pipes (21) and modules (30); The fiber bundle (20) is housed in the steel pipe (21), the end face of the fiber bundle (20) is flush with the end face of the steel pipe (21), and abuts against the sapphire glass sheet (5) through the fiber hole (2). The module (30) abuts against the sapphire glass sheet (5) through the module hole (3).

9. A method for assembling a binocular endoscope tip, characterized in that, Insert the fiber bundle (2) into the steel pipe (21) and protrude from the end face of the steel pipe (21). Bond and fix the two together. Then grind the end faces of the fiber bundle (2) and the steel pipe (21) to be flush. Attach the sapphire glass plate (5) to the end face of the front end body (1). Then press the end faces of the fiber bundle (2) and the steel pipe (21) together against the sapphire glass plate (5). The module (30) is passed through the module hole (3) and pressed against the sapphire glass sheet (5).

10. A binocular industrial endoscope tip assembly, characterized in that, It includes the front end head of the binocular industrial endoscope as described in claim 8, and a front connector (6) adapted to the limiting portion (4) on the front end head body.

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