Portable handheld endoscope

Abstract

The invention discloses a portable handheld endoscope which comprises a handheld control part, a rigid endoscope tube and a light source illumination module, wherein the rigid endoscope tube and the light source illumination module are detachably connected; the handheld control part is integrated with an image acquisition module, a main control board, an image display module, a key operation module and an image storage module; the device is small in size and portable, and can be independently and effectively used in scenes such as field combat without fixed medical facilities for clinical experiment and preliminary diagnosis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, specifically to a portable handheld endoscope. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional endoscopes typically integrate components such as a light source, image transmission system (e.g., fiber optic bundles), and biopsy channels. Some components are located within the endoscope itself, while others are external devices, resulting in a bulky overall size. For example, fiber optic endoscopes rely on tens of thousands of glass fiber bundles to transmit images. These bundles not only occupy a significant amount of space but are also prone to breakage, limiting the clarity of the field of view. Simultaneously, the light source needs to be connected to a bulky cold light source, camera, and image processing equipment. These external devices are inconvenient to move, and the cable connections are cumbersome, making traditional endoscopes less flexible in operation. They rely heavily on hospital-specific equipment and are difficult to use in complex environments.

[0003] In special scenarios such as field operations, the shortcomings of traditional endoscopes become even more pronounced. Field environments often present extreme conditions such as low temperatures and strong vibrations. Glass fiber bundles become more brittle at low temperatures and are prone to breakage upon impact. Circuit boards and interfaces of external devices may also experience poor contact or damage due to vibration. Furthermore, field operations place extremely high demands on the portability of medical devices. Traditional endoscopes have large and heavy external devices that rely on mains power or bulky rechargeable batteries, making them unsuitable for individual soldier transport and extended self-sufficiency in the field. Frontline emergency care requires rapid diagnosis and treatment, while traditional endoscopes require multiple people to collaborate on connecting and adjusting the equipment, which is time-consuming.

[0004] Overall, the split architecture of traditional endoscopes leads to bloated systems, the fragile fiber bundle transmission medium makes them unreliable, and their dependence on external equipment and environment makes them difficult to use independently and effectively in scenarios such as field operations without fixed medical facilities. There is an urgent need for technological improvements to meet the requirements of miniaturization, portability, and shock resistance in order to overcome the application bottlenecks in extreme environments. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a portable handheld endoscope that is small in size and easy to carry, and can be used independently and effectively in scenarios such as field operations without fixed medical facilities for clinical trials and preliminary diagnosis.

[0006] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows:

[0007] A portable handheld endoscope includes a handheld control unit and a detachably connected rigid endoscope tube and a light source illumination module; the handheld control unit integrates an image acquisition module, a main control board, an image display module, a button operation module, and an image storage module;

[0008] One end of the rigid endoscope tube is the objective lens, which receives light reflected from the object being measured, and the other end is the eyepiece, which transmits the light reflected from the object to the image acquisition module; the upper side of the eyepiece is the light cone, which receives light from the light source illumination module.

[0009] The light source illumination module emits light from its cold light source, which is transmitted through the light cone opening to the inside of the rigid endoscope tube and illuminates the object being measured at the objective lens.

[0010] The image acquisition module uses a CMOS photosensitive element integrated into the optical cable for image acquisition and transmission.

[0011] The main control board connects to other modules, processes instructions from each module, receives and processes the acquired endoscopic images, and transmits and converts them to the image display module via the image conversion module.

[0012] The image display module is used for real-time display of endoscopic images;

[0013] The button operation module is used to perform real-time brightness adjustment, white balance adjustment, and image pause operation on the acquired endoscopic images;

[0014] The image storage module connects to a portable flash drive via the main control board's USB interface to store endoscopic images.

[0015] Furthermore, the main control board integrates: a main control chip, a heat dissipation backplate, and peripheral interfaces connecting various modules, wherein:

[0016] The main control chip controls the operation of the entire endoscope and processes instructions from various modules;

[0017] The heat dissipation backplate is located in the center of the main control board;

[0018] The main control board is connected to other modules via flat cables and shielded cables.

[0019] Furthermore, the image display module adopts a touch-sensitive LCD screen, which has multiple scene display modes, including: ear and nose, chest and abdominal cavity, laryngoscope, uterine cavity and urinary tract, joint, fiber and intervertebral disc;

[0020] It also features buttons for capturing and storing endoscopic images and videos, allowing users to store pictures and videos on a portable flash drive.

[0021] Furthermore, the housing of the handheld control unit includes an LCD display housing, a top housing, a bottom housing, and a tail housing;

[0022] The LCD display housing is disposed around the LCD display of the image display module;

[0023] The top outer shell includes an integrally formed rectangular shell and an arc-shaped shell. The rectangular shell is located behind the LCD display shell and is fitted and fixedly connected to the LCD display shell. The arc-shaped shell is located above the bottom outer shell and is fitted and fixedly connected to the bottom outer shell.

[0024] The bottom outer shell has a groove at its front end for assembling the LCD display shell and the rectangular shell to form an integral structure; the upper surface of the front end of the bottom outer shell is provided with the operation adjustment button of the button operation module, which is located below the LCD display; a handheld shell is provided below the bottom outer shell, and the handheld shell and the bottom outer shell form a complete curved shape;

[0025] The tail end of the arc-shaped shell and the bottom shell is provided with a tail shell, which is connected together with the arc-shaped shell and the bottom shell;

[0026] The tail shell has an opening at the end, the inside of which is used to place the CMOS photosensitive element of the image acquisition module, and the outside is used to connect to the fixed-focus optical mount;

[0027] The fixed-focus optical mount uses a fixed-focus mount with a focal length of F28mm. One end of the fixed-focus optical mount is fixed by a threaded groove knob, and the other end is used to detachably connect to the eyepiece of the rigid endoscope tube.

[0028] Furthermore, the surface of the handgrip housing is provided with an anti-slip structure, which includes one or more combinations of textured patterns extending along the grip direction, an elastic anti-slip coating, an array of anti-slip bumps, or a wavy grip edge.

[0029] Furthermore, the image acquisition module includes a four-channel image sensor, a high-speed switching circuit, a motor-driven variable aperture, and an FPGA controller;

[0030] The four-channel image sensor integrates four independent photosensitive areas, each corresponding to a different spectral range. Each photosensitive area of ​​the four-channel image sensor is connected to an independent signal processing link. A high-speed switching circuit is used to switch between the four-channel image sensor and the four signal processing links, and selectively outputs the data of the currently active channel according to the instructions of the FPGA controller, with a switching delay of less than 15ms.

[0031] The motor-driven variable aperture is positioned between the cold light source and the objective lens, and can automatically adjust the aperture according to the control signal of the central processing unit module to adapt to the light intensity requirements of different tissue depths and ensure optimal exposure parameters.

[0032] Furthermore, it also includes an outer packaging shell, the inner side of which is provided with at least one airbag structure. When the handheld control part, rigid endoscope tube and light source illumination module are installed in the outer packaging shell, the airbag structure can fix the handheld control part, rigid endoscope tube and light source illumination module by inflation or elastic deformation. The outer packaging shell has a waterproof and heat-insulating outer shell layer.

[0033] Furthermore, the airbag structure is made of multi-layer composite material, with an outer layer of wear-resistant nylon, a middle layer of closed-cell foam, and an inner layer of waterproof coating. After the airbag structure is inflated, it forms a fixed space with the inner wall of the outer packaging shell.

[0034] Furthermore, the opening of the outer packaging shell is provided with a mechanical lock or an electronic lock. The mechanical lock includes one or more of the following: a buckle and slot engagement structure, a magnetic locking structure, a zipper locking structure, or a pin locking structure. The electronic lock includes one or more of the following: a combination lock, a fingerprint lock, or a remote control locking structure.

[0035] Furthermore, the outer packaging shell is provided with a foldable solar charging panel on its outer side. The solar charging panel is connected to the outer packaging shell by a hinge and can be unfolded to a preset angle with the surface of the outer packaging shell. After folding, it is embedded in the outer groove of the outer packaging shell. The solar charging panel is electrically connected to the main control board and the battery power supply module of the light source lighting module through wires.

[0036] Beneficial effects:

[0037] 1. This invention has the advantages of small size and portability. Operators only need to hold the endoscope system to display and operate the endoscope images. Compared with the traditional bulky endoscopes in hospitals, this portable endoscope can provide patients with preliminary image diagnosis anytime and anywhere. It does not need to rely on the hospital as the only place. It can be used independently and effectively in scenarios such as field operations without fixed medical facilities to conduct clinical trials and preliminary diagnoses.

[0038] 2. By designing a top shell and a bottom shell, as well as a handheld shell specifically designed on the bottom shell, the operator can easily hold or lift the endoscope by hand, which is more in line with the operator's hand holding habits.

[0039] 3. The surface of the handheld part of the present invention is provided with an anti-slip structure to prevent the equipment from slipping during operation, thereby further increasing reliability.

[0040] 4. The image acquisition module of this invention can achieve high-speed switching of four channels during the acquisition process, with a switching delay of less than 15ms, meeting the requirements of multispectral rapid imaging. It also automatically adjusts the light intensity through a variable aperture driven by a high-precision motor. Combined with the spectral characteristics of different channels, it can obtain the best exposure parameters in different tissue depth ranges, resulting in high image signal-to-noise ratio and excellent spatial resolution. It is especially suitable for rapid injury diagnosis in field environments. Furthermore, its motor-driven variable aperture can adapt to the light intensity requirements of different tissue depths and ensure the best exposure parameters.

[0041] 5. The present invention also includes an outer packaging shell, which facilitates the storage of the handheld control unit, rigid endoscope tube, and light source illumination module after they are disassembled. The inner side of the outer packaging shell is provided with at least one airbag structure. The airbag structure can fix the handheld control unit, rigid endoscope tube, and light source illumination module by inflation or elastic deformation. It is impact-resistant, waterproof, and heat-insulating, and adaptable to extreme environments such as field operations.

[0042] 6. This invention integrates a solar charging panel into the outer packaging shell of a portable handheld endoscope, which can significantly improve the device's field endurance and environmental adaptability, avoid interruption of diagnosis and treatment due to battery depletion, and ensure the continuity of medical operations. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a design drawing of the overall scheme of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 Layout of key components for the endoscope motherboard;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a slanted view of the overall appearance of a portable endoscope.

[0046] Figure 4 Top view of the overall appearance of the portable endoscope;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a side view of a portable endoscope.

[0048] Figure 6 A top-view structural diagram of a portable endoscope;

[0049] Figure 7 A frontal view of the structure of a portable endoscope;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the rigid endoscope tube being fixed inside the outer packaging housing;

[0051] Among them, 1-LCD display screen, 2-adjustment operation button, 3-LCD display screen housing, 4-top housing, 41-USB storage interface, 5-power switch button, 6-bottom housing, 61-handheld housing, 7-tail housing, 8-fixed focus optical mount, 9-power charging interface, 10-threaded hole, 11-airbag structure, 12-zipper locking structure. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0053] This invention provides a portable handheld endoscope. In one exemplary embodiment, the endoscope includes a handheld control unit and a detachably connected rigid endoscope tube and a light source illumination module; the handheld control unit integrates an image acquisition module, a main control board (central processing unit) module, an image display module, a button operation module, an image storage module, and a battery power supply module, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 1 As shown.

[0054] (1) Specific hardware solution

[0055] The central processing unit module, also known as the main control board of this portable handheld endoscope, is shown in the attached image. Figure 2 As shown, the main control board integrates the main control chip, a heat sink backplate, and peripheral interfaces connecting various modules. The main control chip controls the operation of the entire endoscope system, processing instructions from various operating modules. The heat sink backplate, located in the center of the main control board, is responsible for controlling the temperature during normal system operation, providing timely heat dissipation to prevent overheating and chip damage. The central processing unit module is connected to other modules via flexible flatbed cables and shielded wires. The peripheral interfaces, from left to right and top to bottom, include: a USB 3.0 port for connecting the storage module; an RS-232 standard interface for connecting to an external display; a CAM interface for exporting data; A1 and A0 data transmission lines for connecting the CMOS lens, shielded to prevent interference from external signal noise; a ButtonBoard interface for connecting the button operation module, interconnected via FPC flexible flatbed cables; and a POWER interface for connecting the battery power module, using 12V to power the main control board. The bottom of the main control board has a 3G-SDI interface for optical signal transmission and a DVI digital video interface. The top of the board also has an optional 1080P pixel HDMI 1.4 interface, a layered dual-port USB interface, an HDMI 2.0 high-definition multimedia interface, which can support 4K transmission of this endoscope system and an Ethernet interface NET.

[0056] The battery power supply module provides power to the main control board and the lighting module. The main control board uses a 12V DC power supply to power the entire system. The selected power supply is a lithium battery consisting of three 18650 cells. In addition, the main control board circuitry includes a DC-DC step-down module to step down the voltage to 3.3V and other required voltage values, providing the corresponding operating voltage for other chips. A CR1220 button cell battery pack is also included to power the real-time clock, which displays the real-time time on the endoscope screen. The lighting module has a built-in 18650 lithium battery.

[0057] The lighting module uses the TU-LS101BG light source, which has three adjustable brightness levels. The main structure consists of an LED cold light source, a heat dissipation system, a switching power supply, a control circuit, brightness adjustment buttons, a light output port, a rechargeable 18650 lithium-ion battery, and a casing. It can be connected to an endoscope to provide illumination for clinical diagnostic endoscopy or surgical procedures. It uses an LED light source with a maximum power of 10W and three brightness levels with an adjustment precision of 33%. Level 1 corresponds to a luminous flux of 25lm, level 2 to 65lm, and level 3 to 110lm. The battery outputs DC 3.0–4.2V to the control circuit, which in turn powers the light source bulb. The emitted light is transmitted through the endoscope's light cone to the rigid endoscope tube, where the light signal is transmitted to the objective lens to illuminate the object or area to be examined.

[0058] The rigid endoscope tube uses an OLYMPUS endoscope, model A22004A. The Olympus A22001A is a 4mm endoscope suitable for clinical needs in urology. The rigid endoscope utilizes Olympus's superior optics and manufacturing technology, providing excellent surgical performance and durability. One end of the rigid endoscope tube has the objective lens and objective lens aperture, receiving light reflected from the object being examined. The other end has the eyepiece, which is secured via an adapter ring and used to transmit the light reflected from the object to the CMOS lens of the image acquisition module. Above the eyepiece is a light cone aperture, receiving the LED cold light source from the illumination module.

[0059] The image acquisition module uses a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) photosensitive element integrated within the optical cable, replacing the original CCD photosensitive element (charge-coupled device), halogen bulb, and AC mains power. This optimizes the device's portability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, reducing its size, weight, and cost to 2-10% while maintaining the original image display quality. Image acquisition and transmission are achieved through the A0 and A1 interfaces on the main circuit board.

[0060] The image acquisition module includes a four-channel image sensor and a high-speed switching circuit, enabling high-speed switching of the four channels across different wavelengths or spectral modes with a switching delay of less than 15ms. The high-speed switching circuit is electrically connected to the central processing unit module. The image acquisition module also includes a high-precision motor-driven variable aperture, positioned between the cold light source and the objective lens. This variable aperture automatically adjusts the aperture size according to the control signal from the central processing unit module to adapt to the light intensity requirements of different tissue depths and ensure optimal exposure parameters.

[0061] Specifically, in this embodiment, the image acquisition module consists of a four-channel image sensor, a high-speed switching circuit, a high-precision motor-driven variable aperture, an FPGA controller, and a data buffer unit. The four-channel image sensor integrates four independent photosensitive areas, each corresponding to a different spectral range; the high-speed switching circuit comprises an analog switch matrix and a multiplexer; and the variable aperture is driven by a voice coil motor, with the aperture blades opening and closing controlled by a transmission gear set.

[0062] Each photosensitive area of ​​the four-channel image sensor is connected to an independent signal processing link, including an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, and a data buffer. The analog switch matrix uses low on-resistance, low parasitic capacitance RF analog switches, enabling rapid switching between the sensor and the four links. The multiplexer selectively outputs data from the currently active channel according to instructions from the FPGA controller.

[0063] The variable aperture consists of a voice coil motor, a transmission gear set, and aperture blades. The voice coil motor is a micro motor with a response time of less than 3ms; the transmission gear set is composed of precision planetary gears, which can convert the linear motion of the motor into the opening and closing action of the aperture blades.

[0064] When the endoscope observes different tissue depths, the four-channel image sensor switches channels according to a preset sequence or external commands. The high-speed switching circuit completes the signal transmission path conversion within 15ms. Specifically, during the operation of the current channel, parameters such as gain and exposure time of the next channel are preloaded into the register of the corresponding channel. Upon receiving a switching command, the FPGA controller sends a signal to the analog switch matrix to disconnect the current channel and activate the target channel; this process takes no more than 8ms. Subsequently, the pre-configured parameters of the target channel are quickly loaded from the register into the amplifier and analog-to-digital converter, completing the parameter switching. After the switching is completed, the image data of the target channel is transmitted to the data buffer unit via a multiplexer, and finally processed by the main control board of the handheld control unit. The entire switching process is completed within 15ms.

[0065] During the switching process, the FPGA controller synchronously sends aperture adjustment commands to the variable aperture, and the voice coil motor drives the aperture blades to complete the opening and closing action within 10ms. Specifically, when the four-channel image sensor switches to different spectral channels, the FPGA controller adjusts the aperture according to a preset algorithm. For example, when switching to the blue light channel, the voice coil motor is controlled to increase the aperture; when switching to the near-infrared channel, the aperture is reduced. By analyzing the brightness histogram of the current image, the FPGA controller calculates the exposure compensation value in real time and drives the voice coil motor to fine-tune the aperture blade angle to ensure that the image brightness uniformity is within a reasonable error range.

[0066] Image data from each channel is transmitted to the handheld control unit via the data buffer unit, where it is synthesized and enhanced by the main control board, and finally the image display module outputs the best-exposed image.

[0067] The image storage module connects to a portable flash drive via the main control board's USB 3.0 interface to store endoscopic images. The flash drive uses a high-performance memory chip manufactured by Samsung K4U6E3S4AA-MGCL, belonging to the LPDDR4X type, widely used in mobile devices. The main advantage of this memory chip is its low-power, double data rate 4X (LPDDR4X) memory, offering low power consumption. The memory chip provides 16 gigabit (Gb) of storage capacity, and as LPDDR4X memory, it offers both high speed and low power consumption. Furthermore, the flash drive is replaceable, further expanding the flexibility of its storage functionality.

[0068] The button operation module uses a four-button design, arranged in a rhombus shape, with each button located at one of the four corners of the rhombus. This allows for real-time adjustment of brightness, white balance, and image pause of the acquired endoscopic images. The left button decreases brightness (L), the rightmost button increases brightness (R), the top button is the white balance button, which can be adjusted for different scenarios to better match the human eye's viewing experience, and the bottom button is the image pause button, allowing the operator to pause the current image and save battery power.

[0069] The image display module uses a separately designed image conversion module to achieve real-time display of endoscopic images. The acquired endoscopic images are processed by the central processing unit module, and then transmitted and converted to the touch-sensitive LCD screen 1 via the image conversion module. The LCD screen 1 features various scene display modes, including ear and nose, thoracic and abdominal cavity, laryngoscope, uterine cavity and urinary tract, joint, fiber, and intervertebral, with optimal white balance settings for each specific scene. On the right side of the LCD screen, white balance, brightness adjustment, and video playback functions are also located. Additionally, endoscopic image capture and video storage functions are added; the operator can simply touch these two buttons to store images and videos on a portable flash drive.

[0070] (2) Exterior Design

[0071] The shape of the handheld control unit of the portable handheld endoscope in this embodiment is shown in the attached figure. Figure 3-7 As shown. The portable handheld endoscope weighs less than 1.5kg and has a volume of less than 1.5L. The housing of the handheld control part of the portable handheld endoscope includes an LCD display screen housing 3, a top housing 4, a bottom housing 6, and a tail housing 7. The handheld control part also includes an endoscope LCD display screen 1, an operation adjustment button 2, a USB storage interface 41, a power switch button 5, a fixed-focus optical mount 8, a power charging interface 9, and threaded holes 10 for mounting and fixing the housing.

[0072] The LCD display housing 3 is located around the LCD display 1 of the image display module; the portable handheld endoscope adopts a compact and high-definition display design for its endoscope LCD display 1, with a display size of 15.5*9.0cm.

[0073] LCD display casing 3 is made of ABS material in medical white. The manufacturing process involves surface spraying and silkscreen printing, resulting in a frosted texture that enhances the casing's durability and reliability. Furthermore, the frosted texture increases friction between the operator and the casing surface, reducing slippage. The dimensions of LCD display casing 3 are 19.3cm x 13.3cm.

[0074] In other embodiments, as an improvement, the LCD display 1 is angle-adjustable and height-adjustable, facilitating observation by the operator. Specifically, the LCD display can be connected to the housing via a multi-axis hinge mechanism, which includes at least: a vertical telescopic slide rail for adjusting the display height; a horizontal rotation axis for ±90° horizontal rotation of the display; a pitch adjustment axis for adjusting the display pitch angle from -15° to +45°; and a micro electromagnetic locking module that automatically locks the position after adjustment.

[0075] The top housing 4 comprises a one-piece rectangular housing and an arc-shaped housing. The rectangular housing is located behind the LCD display housing 3, fitting snugly against it and secured by threaded fasteners. The overall structure formed by the fitting of the LCD display housing 3 and the rectangular housing of the top housing 4 has a thickness of 4cm and a small size. A USB storage interface 41 is located on the bottom right side of the rectangular housing of the top housing 4, allowing for the saving of captured endoscopic images for subsequent image enhancement processing.

[0076] The curved shell of the top shell 4 is located above the bottom shell 6 and fits into it. It is further secured to the curved shell using threaded nails through threaded holes 10 provided in the bottom shell 6. The top shell 4 is made of ABS material, medical white in color, and has a frosted finish. The bottom shell 6 uses the same material as the top shell 4.

[0077] A power switch button 5 with the word POWER is located on the top of the curved housing 4. Press the power switch button 5 when you need to use the endoscope.

[0078] The bottom outer shell 6 has a groove at its front end for assembling the LCD display shell 3 and the rectangular shell to form an integrated structure; the upper surface of the front end of the bottom outer shell 6 is provided with an operation adjustment button 2 for the button operation module, which is located below the LCD display 1.

[0079] The operation adjustment button 2 has four buttons arranged in a diamond shape, located at the four corners of the diamond. The button at the top of the diamond is the white balance button, which can adjust the visualization color effect for different endoscopic scenes. The button at the bottom of the diamond is the pause button, which allows the operator to pause the real-time endoscopic image for static viewing. The buttons on the left and right sides of the diamond function as brightness decrease and brightness increase, respectively, to adjust the image brightness in overexposed and underexposed scenes. The upper surface of the adjustment operation button 2 is made of black silicone material, and each button has a yellow silkscreened mark.

[0080] A handle housing 61 is provided on the lower part of the bottom housing 6, and the handle housing 61 forms a complete curved shape with the bottom housing 6. To increase the dirt resistance of the handle housing 61, it is designed to be black. As an improvement, the surface of the handle housing 61 is provided with an anti-slip structure, which includes one or more combinations of textured grooves extending in the grip direction, elastic anti-slip coating, anti-slip dot array, or wavy grip edge.

[0081] Meanwhile, a power charging port 9 is located on the left end of the handheld casing 61. The power charging port 9 is circular and connects to three 18650 lithium batteries using a rigid cable. The power charging port 9 is equipped with a dedicated 12V-1A charging adapter, allowing the portable handheld endoscope to be charged at any time when the device is powered off. The charging adapter will display a solid red light while charging; when the battery is fully charged, the light will change from solid red to solid green.

[0082] The top outer shell 4 has an arc-shaped shell, and the bottom outer shell 6 has a tail shell 7 at its tail end, which together with the arc-shaped shell and the bottom outer shell 6 to form a stable structure. A square hole is opened at the right end of the tail shell 7. The four corners of the square hole are rounded. The inside of the square hole is used to place a CMOS image sensor, and the outside is used to connect a fixed-focus optical mount 8.

[0083] The fixed-focus optical mount 8 uses a fixed-focus mount with a focal length of F28mm. One end of the fixed-focus optical mount 8 can be fixed by a threaded groove knob. In addition, the end of the fixed-focus optical mount is used to connect the eyepiece of the rigid endoscope. The light cone of the rigid endoscope is connected to the light source illumination module, thus forming a complete endoscope.

[0084] Considering the needs of field operations, as an improvement, this portable handheld endoscope also includes an outer packaging shell for storing the handheld control unit, rigid endoscope tube, and light source illumination module after they are disassembled. The inner side of the outer packaging shell has at least one airbag structure 11. When the handheld control unit, rigid endoscope tube, and light source illumination module are installed in the outer packaging shell, the airbag structure 11 can fix the handheld control unit, rigid endoscope tube, and light source illumination module by inflation or elastic deformation. The outer packaging shell has a waterproof and heat-insulating outer layer. Alternatively, the light source illumination module can be installed at the light cone opening of the rigid endoscope tube and then stored inside the outer packaging shell.

[0085] The airbag structure 11 is made of multi-layer composite material. The outer layer is wear-resistant nylon, the middle layer is closed-cell foam layer, and the inner layer is waterproof coating. After the airbag structure 11 is inflated, it forms a fixed space with the inner wall of the outer packaging shell, which facilitates the fixation of the handheld control part, rigid endoscope tube, and light source illumination module after installation, as well as waterproofing and heat insulation.

[0086] The opening of the outer packaging shell is equipped with a mechanical lock or an electronic lock. The mechanical lock includes one or more of the following: a snap-and-slot engagement structure, a magnetic locking structure, a zipper locking structure, or a pin locking structure; the electronic lock includes one or more of the following: a combination lock, a fingerprint lock, or a remote control locking structure.

[0087] like Figure 8As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the outer packaging shell is closed by a zipper locking structure 12. This figure only shows how the airbag structure 11 inside the outer packaging shell fixes the rigid endoscope tube after inflation.

[0088] The outer packaging shell is equipped with a foldable solar charging panel to meet the needs of charging in the field. The solar charging panel is connected to the outer packaging shell via a hinge and can be unfolded to a preset angle with the surface of the outer packaging shell. After folding, it is embedded in the outer groove of the outer packaging shell. The solar charging panel is electrically connected to the power charging interface 9 or the battery power supply module of the light source module via wires.

[0089] In another embodiment, the outer packaging shell can not only house the handheld control unit, rigid endoscope tube, and light source module, but also other field necessities such as disinfectant. Therefore, the outer packaging shell can also be a foldable structure, changing its volume according to the number of items stored inside. Specifically, the main body of the outer packaging shell forms at least three independent cavities for housing the handheld control module, rigid endoscope tube, and light source module, respectively; the side walls or bottom of the main body of the shell have extended cavities for storing disinfectant and other field necessities; the main body of the shell achieves volume adjustment through a folding structure to adapt to the space requirements of different numbers of items. The folding structure includes at least one retractable pleated wall and / or a removable partition assembly, changing the internal volume of the outer packaging shell by adjusting the degree of pleat compression or the position of the partition.

[0090] In summary, the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A portable handheld endoscope, characterized in that, It includes a handheld control unit and a detachable rigid endoscope tube and a light source illumination module; the handheld control unit integrates an image acquisition module, a main control board, an image display module, a button operation module, and an image storage module; One end of the rigid endoscope tube is the objective lens, which receives light reflected from the object being measured, and the other end is the eyepiece, which transmits the light reflected from the object to the image acquisition module; the upper side of the eyepiece is the light cone, which receives light from the light source illumination module. The light source illumination module emits light from its cold light source, which is transmitted through the light cone opening to the inside of the rigid endoscope tube and illuminates the object being measured at the objective lens. The image acquisition module uses a CMOS photosensitive element integrated into the optical cable for image acquisition and transmission. The main control board connects to other modules, processes instructions from each module, receives and processes the acquired endoscopic images, and transmits and converts them to the image display module via the image conversion module. The image display module is used for real-time display of endoscopic images; The button operation module is used to perform real-time brightness adjustment, white balance adjustment, and image pause operation on the acquired endoscopic images; The image storage module connects to a portable flash drive via the main control board's USB interface to store endoscopic images.

2. The portable handheld endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control board integrates: a main control chip, a heat dissipation backplate, and peripheral interfaces connecting various modules, wherein: The main control chip controls the operation of the entire endoscope and processes instructions from various modules; The heat dissipation backplate is located in the center of the main control board; The main control board is connected to other modules via flat cables and shielded cables.

3. The portable handheld endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The image display module uses a touch-sensitive LCD screen with multiple scene display modes, including: ear and nose, chest and abdomen, laryngoscope, uterine cavity and urinary tract, joint, fiber and intervertebral disc. It also features buttons for capturing and storing endoscopic images and videos, allowing users to store pictures and videos on a portable flash drive.

4. The portable handheld endoscope according to claim 3, characterized in that, The housing of the handheld control unit includes an LCD display housing, a top housing, a bottom housing, and a tail housing; The LCD display housing is disposed around the LCD display of the image display module; The top outer shell includes an integrally formed rectangular shell and an arc-shaped shell. The rectangular shell is located behind the LCD display shell and is fitted and fixedly connected to the LCD display shell. The arc-shaped shell is located above the bottom outer shell and is fitted and fixedly connected to the bottom outer shell. The bottom outer shell has a groove at its front end for assembling the LCD display shell and the rectangular shell to form an integral structure; The upper surface of the front end of the bottom housing is provided with the operation adjustment button of the button operation module, and the operation adjustment button is located below the LCD display screen; A handle housing is provided below the bottom housing, and the handle housing and the bottom housing form a complete curved shape; The tail end of the arc-shaped shell and the bottom shell is provided with a tail shell, which is connected together with the arc-shaped shell and the bottom shell; The tail shell has an opening at the end, the inside of which is used to place the CMOS photosensitive element of the image acquisition module, and the outside is used to connect to the fixed-focus optical mount; The fixed-focus optical mount uses a fixed-focus mount with a focal length of F28mm. One end of the fixed-focus optical mount is fixed by a threaded groove knob, and the other end is used to detachably connect to the eyepiece of the rigid endoscope tube.

5. The portable handheld endoscope according to claim 4, characterized in that, The surface of the handle housing is provided with an anti-slip structure, which includes one or more combinations of textured patterns extending along the grip direction, an elastic anti-slip coating, an array of anti-slip bumps, or a wavy grip edge.

6. The portable handheld endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The image acquisition module includes a four-channel image sensor, a high-speed switching circuit, a motor-driven variable aperture, and an FPGA controller. The four-channel image sensor integrates four independent photosensitive areas, each corresponding to a different spectral range. Each photosensitive area of ​​the four-channel image sensor is connected to an independent signal processing link. A high-speed switching circuit is used to switch between the four-channel image sensor and the four signal processing links, and selectively outputs the data of the currently active channel according to the instructions of the FPGA controller, with a switching delay of less than 15ms. The motor-driven variable aperture is positioned between the cold light source and the objective lens, and can automatically adjust the aperture according to the control signal of the central processing unit module to adapt to the light intensity requirements of different tissue depths and ensure optimal exposure parameters.

7. The portable handheld endoscope according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, It also includes an outer packaging shell, the inner side of which is provided with at least one airbag structure. When the handheld control part, rigid endoscope tube and light source illumination module are installed in the outer packaging shell, the airbag structure can fix the handheld control part, rigid endoscope tube and light source illumination module by inflation or elastic deformation. The outer packaging shell has a waterproof and heat-insulating outer shell layer.

8. The portable handheld endoscope according to claim 7, characterized in that, The airbag structure is made of multi-layer composite material, with an outer layer of wear-resistant nylon, a middle layer of closed-cell foam, and an inner layer of waterproof coating. After the airbag structure is inflated, it forms a fixed space with the inner wall of the outer packaging shell.

9. The portable handheld endoscope according to claim 7, characterized in that, The opening of the outer packaging shell is provided with a mechanical lock or an electronic lock. The mechanical lock includes one or more of the following: a buckle and slot engagement structure, a magnetic locking structure, a zipper locking structure, or a pin locking structure. The electronic lock includes one or more of the following: a combination lock, a fingerprint lock, or a remote control locking structure.

10. The portable handheld endoscope according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outer packaging shell is provided with a foldable solar charging panel. The solar charging panel is connected to the outer packaging shell by a hinge and can be unfolded to a preset angle with the surface of the outer packaging shell. After folding, it is embedded in the outer groove of the outer packaging shell. The solar charging panel is electrically connected to the main control board and the battery power supply module of the light source lighting module through wires.

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