An endoscope
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN CONCEMED MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
Smart Images
Figure CN224536275U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of endoscopy technology, and more particularly to an endoscope. Background Technology
[0002] Current endoscopes generally have an illumination window at the tip for illumination. However, these windows present the following problems in practical use: Metal or highly reflective instruments at the forceps exit point, being closer to the lens, generate strong glare under uniform illumination, affecting the clarity of the field of view or forcing the entire system to reduce brightness, making it difficult to observe distant tissues. Furthermore, when observing uneven or tubular tissues, the significant differences in distance from the lens between different areas result in uneven brightness distribution; distant or deep tissues become dim due to diffused light, making it difficult to discern details. Utility Model Content
[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an endoscope that can effectively suppress glare caused by near-field highly reflective objects; at the same time, improve the illumination uniformity of distant or deep tissues, thereby improving the overall clarity and visibility of endoscopic imaging.
[0004] This application provides the following technical solution: This application provides an endoscope, which includes an insertion tube and an illumination assembly, the illumination assembly comprising: At least two light guides, each having an illumination end and an incident end, are provided. The light guides are used to transmit light received through the incident end to the illumination end. Each light guide is spatially separated from the others. The incident end is located at the proximal end of the insertion tube, and the illumination end is located at the distal end of the insertion tube. The illumination ends of the at least two light guides are spaced apart along the circumference of the insertion tube. A light source is provided for emitting multiple independent and adjustable illumination beams, and at least one incident end of the light guide is provided on the propagation path of each illumination beam.
[0005] In some embodiments, the light source further includes: At least one illumination adjustment unit is provided on the propagation path of each illumination beam, and the illumination adjustment unit is used to adjust the luminous flux of the corresponding illumination beam.
[0006] In some embodiments, the illumination adjustment unit includes at least one of the following features: First item: a light-blocking plate, wherein the light-blocking plate is movably disposed between the light source and the incident end of the corresponding light guide in a direction intersecting with the illumination beam, so as to selectively at least partially block or avoid the corresponding illumination beam; The second item is a light guide plate, which is disposed between the light source and the incident end of the corresponding light guide, and the light guide plate is located on the propagation path of the illumination beam. The light guide plate is configured with multiple switchable working states, and each working state has a different light transmittance.
[0007] In some embodiments, the light source includes at least two lamp groups that can be controlled independently of each other, each lamp group having at least one light-emitting end to emit the illumination beam, and each light-emitting end is respectively provided with at least one light guide.
[0008] In some embodiments, the light source includes a lamp assembly having multiple light-emitting ends to form multiple illumination beams, and each light-emitting end is respectively provided with at least one light guide.
[0009] In some embodiments, the illumination beam forms a light spot area on the end face of the corresponding incident end; the light guide includes an optical fiber bundle and a wire harness connector, the end of the optical fiber bundle located at the incident end is connected to the wire harness connector, and the wire harness connector is used to compress the cross-sectional area of the optical fiber bundle, so that the end face of the optical fiber bundle located at the incident end is located within the light spot area.
[0010] In some embodiments, the end face of the fiber bundle and the end face of the wire bundle connector are coplanar at the incident end.
[0011] In some embodiments, the lighting assembly further includes a light-blocking element, which divides all the light guides into multiple light guide groups along the arrangement direction of the light guides. Each light guide group includes at least one of the light guides, and the light-blocking element is disposed between two adjacent light guide groups. The light-blocking element is at least partially located at the lighting end of the light guide, and the light-blocking element is used to block light crosstalk between two adjacent light guide groups.
[0012] In some embodiments, the lighting assembly further includes an elastic element, and a protective gap is defined between the light source element and the incident end of each of the light guide elements. The elastic element is disposed within the protective gap, with one end of the elastic element abutting against the light source element and the other end abutting against the light guide element, and the elastic element is located outside the lighting beam.
[0013] In some embodiments, the extending direction of the light guide is parallel to the extending direction of the insertion tube; and / or, the propagation direction of each illumination beam is perpendicular to the end face of the corresponding incident end.
[0014] The embodiments of this application have the following advantages: This application provides an endoscope in which the illumination assembly includes at least two spatially separated light guides, the illumination ends of which are circumferentially spaced along the distal end of the insertion tube. This structure physically divides the emitted light in space, forming multiple independent illumination sub-regions that provide illumination to the tissue being observed from different angles. The light source can emit multiple independent and adjustable illumination beams, each beam coupled into a light guide. This means that the brightness of the corresponding illumination beam can be independently and precisely controlled according to the brightness requirements of different areas in the field of view.
[0015] In other words, when a highly reflective instrument (such as metal forceps) at the exit of the forceps channel produces strong near-field glare, the system can individually reduce (or even turn off) the beam brightness of the light guide directly facing that instrument, thereby directly weakening the intensity of the glare source. Meanwhile, light guides in other directions maintain normal or higher brightness to ensure that illumination of surrounding tissues is not affected. When observing uneven or tubular tissues, for deep tissues that appear dim due to distance, the system can correspondingly increase the beam brightness of the light guide pointing to that area for targeted supplemental lighting; simultaneously, for areas that are close enough and already sufficiently bright, the brightness of their corresponding beam can be maintained or appropriately reduced. Through this dynamic adjustment, the system compensates for light attenuation caused by distance differences, making the brightness distribution across the entire field of view more uniform.
[0016] Therefore, by independently controlling the illumination brightness, it is possible to directly reduce or even eliminate localized strong reflections (glare) caused by near-field highly reflective objects (such as surgical instruments), avoiding overexposure interference from glare on the imaging chip, and significantly improving the clarity of the field of view and surgical safety in scenarios such as instrument operation. By applying differentiated brightness compensation to areas at different distances, it is possible to effectively overcome the problem of excessive brightness differences caused by uneven tissue surfaces or deep lumens. This ensures sufficient illumination for distant and deep tissues, allowing details to be clearly presented, while avoiding overexposure of near tissues, thereby greatly improving the uniformity of illumination across the entire field of view.
[0017] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description
[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0019] Figure 1This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope provided by an embodiment of this application from one perspective; Figure 2 This illustration shows a structural schematic diagram of an endoscope provided by an embodiment of this application from another perspective; Figure 3 This illustration shows a structural schematic diagram of an endoscope provided by an embodiment of this application from another perspective; Figure 4 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a light adjustment unit according to an embodiment of the present application from one perspective; Figure 5 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a light adjustment unit according to another embodiment of this application.
[0020] Explanation of key component symbols: 1-Insert tube; 2-Far end; 3-Light guide; 31-Illumination end; 32-Incident end; 4-Wire harness connector; 5-Light source; 51-Light emitting end; 6-Protective gap; 7-Light shield. Detailed Implementation
[0021] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.
[0022] It should be noted that when an element is said to be "fixed" to another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is said to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. Conversely, when an element is said to be "directly" on another element, there is no intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.
[0023] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.
[0024] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the template description is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0026] In related technologies, existing endoscopes generally have an illumination window at the tip for illumination. However, these windows have the following problems in actual use: Metal or highly reflective instruments at the forceps exit point, being closer to the lens, produce strong glare under uniform illumination, affecting the clarity of the field of view or forcing the entire system to reduce brightness, making it difficult to observe distant tissues. Furthermore, when observing uneven or tubular tissues, the large differences in distance between different areas and the lens cause uneven brightness distribution; distant or deep tissues become dim due to diffused light, making it difficult to discern details.
[0027] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides an endoscope, which includes an insertion tube 1 and an illumination assembly. The illumination assembly includes at least two light guides 3 and a light source 5. The light guides 3 have an illumination end 31 and an incident end 32. The light guides 3 are used to guide the light received through the incident end 32 to the illumination end 31, and the light guides 3 are spatially separated from each other. The incident end 32 is located at the proximal end of the insertion tube 1, and the illumination end 31 is located at the distal end 2 of the insertion tube 1. The illumination ends 31 of the at least two light guides 3 are spaced apart along the circumference of the insertion tube 1. The light source 5 is used to emit multiple independent and adjustable illumination beams, and at least one incident end 32 of the light guide 3 is provided on the propagation path of each illumination beam.
[0028] In these embodiments, the endoscope includes an insertion tube 1 and an illumination assembly disposed inside the insertion tube 1.
[0029] In this application, two light guides 3 are used as an example. Of course, in other embodiments, the number of light guides 3 can also be three, four, five, six, seven, or eight, etc., and they are evenly distributed around the circumference of the distal end 2 of the insertion tube 1. The illumination assembly includes two light guides 3 (i.e., the first light guide 3 and the second light guide 3) and a light source 5. The first light guide 3 and the second light guide 3 are spatially separated from each other and are both composed of flexible optical fiber bundles with high light transmittance. Each light guide 3 has an incident end 32 located near the end of the insertion tube 1 and an illumination end 31 located at the distal end 2 of the insertion tube 1. The illumination ends 31 of the two light guides 3 are symmetrically distributed around the circumference of the distal end 2 portion of the insertion tube 1, that is, the line connecting their centers is approximately the diameter of the insertion tube 1.
[0030] The light source 5 includes two independently controllable LED light sources (i.e., a first LED and a second LED). The first illumination beam emitted by the first LED is precisely coupled into the incident end 32 of the first light guide 3. The second illumination beam emitted by the second LED is precisely coupled into the incident end 32 of the second light guide 3. The driving current of each LED can be adjusted independently and continuously, thereby achieving independent control of the brightness of each illumination beam.
[0031] When the endoscope enters the body cavity and detects near-field glare caused by highly reflective instruments near the forceps exit, the operator (or the image processing unit of the endoscope system) can reduce the brightness of the light guide 3 corresponding to the glare area. For example, if the glare originates from the illumination direction of the first light guide 3, the brightness of the first LED is reduced. Simultaneously, the brightness of the second light guide 3 (illuminating the glare-free area on the other side) is maintained or appropriately increased. This suppresses localized strong glare while ensuring sufficient overall field of view, especially adequate illumination of distant tissues, significantly improving image clarity.
[0032] When observing tubular tissues, multiple illumination tips 31 with deflection angles can form a surround illumination, with light illuminating the tissue wall obliquely from all sides, effectively eliminating hot spots and shadows under axial illumination. When the endoscope tip approaches one side of the tissue wall, the light guide 3 near that side wall may experience localized overexposure due to excessive proximity; in this case, its brightness can be independently reduced. Meanwhile, the light guide 3 further away from that side wall maintains or increases its brightness to compensate for the illumination of the opposite area. This approach significantly improves the uniformity of illumination in complex anatomical structures.
[0033] In summary, this application provides an endoscope illumination solution that can effectively adapt to complex intracavitary environments through a spatially separated and independently controllable multi-path illumination design, fundamentally improving the glare and unevenness problems in the prior art.
[0034] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the light source 5 further includes at least one illumination adjustment unit, and at least one illumination adjustment unit is provided on the propagation path of each illumination beam. The illumination adjustment unit is used to adjust the luminous flux of the corresponding illumination beam.
[0035] In these embodiments, the main difference between this embodiment and the above embodiments is that the light source 5 also includes a light adjustment unit.
[0036] For example, the illumination adjustment unit is specifically an electro-variable aperture (or electronic aperture) disposed between the light source 5 and the incident end 32 of the light guide 3. Specifically, the first illumination beam emitted by the first LED passes through the first illumination adjustment unit before reaching the incident end 32 of the first light guide 3. Similarly, a second illumination adjustment unit is disposed on the path of the second illumination beam.
[0037] The illumination adjustment unit is configured to continuously change the size of its light-transmitting aperture in response to an electronic control signal, thereby steplessly adjusting the light flux passing through it and achieving precise control of the emitted light intensity.
[0038] Clearly, the above settings allow for a wider range of brightness adjustment, from extremely dark to extremely bright. Electro-variable apertures typically have a very fast response time, making them suitable for high-frequency dynamic brightness compensation.
[0039] Of course, in other embodiments, the illumination adjustment unit is a liquid crystal dimming sheet. The liquid crystal dimming sheet is transparent and has high light transmittance when no voltage is applied; after applying different levels of voltage, the liquid crystal molecules inside it will deflect, causing the sheet to fog up, thereby continuously reducing its light transmittance and realizing the adjustment of light flux.
[0040] In summary, the illumination adjustment unit involved in this application can be any device capable of physically or optically adjusting luminous flux, such as a variable aperture, liquid crystal dimming sheet, filter wheel, acousto-optic modulator, or electrochromic device. Its core lies in providing diverse technical paths for achieving independent brightness control of each illumination beam. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments regarding the illumination adjustment unit are merely examples and not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.
[0041] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the illumination adjustment unit includes at least one of the following features: First item: light-blocking plate 7, which is movably disposed between the light source 5 and the incident end 32 of the corresponding light guide 3 in the direction intersecting with the illumination beam, so as to selectively at least partially block or avoid the corresponding illumination beam; The second item is a light guide plate, which is disposed between the light source 5 and the incident end 32 of the corresponding light guide 3, and the light guide plate is located on the propagation path of the illumination beam. The light guide plate is configured with multiple switchable working states, and each working state has a different light transmittance.
[0042] In these embodiments, a mechanical implementation of the illumination adjustment unit is specifically disclosed. In this embodiment, the illumination adjustment unit is specifically a light-blocking plate 7. The light-blocking plate 7 is made of an opaque thin metal or ceramic sheet, and its edges are matte-finished to prevent stray light reflection.
[0043] The light-blocking plate 7 is driven by a miniature stepper motor or voice coil motor, such as Figure 4 As shown, precise linear movement can be performed within a plane, or as... Figure 5 As shown, it can perform precise rotational motion within a plane. This direction of movement intersects with the optical path of the corresponding illumination beam.
[0044] When the light-blocking plate 7 is driven to completely exit the propagation path of the illumination beam, the beam couples completely into the incident end 32 of the light guide 3 without obstruction, at which point the luminous flux is at its maximum. When it is necessary to reduce brightness, the control motor drives the light-blocking plate 7 to move along the moving direction, causing it to partially cut into the path of the beam, thereby blocking part of the beam and achieving the purpose of attenuating the luminous flux. The larger the area of obstruction, the greater the degree of attenuation. By precisely controlling the position of the light-blocking plate 7, continuous and stepless adjustment of the luminous flux can be achieved.
[0045] In addition, this embodiment discloses another optical implementation scheme for the illumination adjustment unit. In this embodiment, the illumination adjustment unit is specifically a light guide plate. The light guide plate is made of optical glass or high-transmittance optical plastic and is disposed between the light source 5 and the incident end 32 of the light guide 3.
[0046] The light guide plate is configured with multiple switchable operating states, each with a different level of light transmittance. This can be achieved through the following two preferred methods: Method 1 (Electrochromic): The light guide plate is made of an electrochromic material. When different voltages are applied to the transparent electrodes on both sides, the chemical substances inside undergo an oxidation-reduction reaction, causing a reversible change in the material's color or transparency. For example: High transmittance state: When 0V voltage is applied, the light guide plate is in a faded state, and the light transmittance is the highest (e.g., >80%).
[0047] Low transmittance state: When a +3V voltage is applied, the light guide plate turns dark and the light transmittance is significantly reduced (e.g., <20%).
[0048] Method 2 (Liquid Crystal Dimming): The light guide plate is actually a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal cell. Without voltage applied, the liquid crystal molecules are randomly arranged, causing strong scattering of incident light, resulting in very low transmittance and a hazy appearance. When a certain voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules align in an orderly manner along the electric field direction, allowing light to pass through smoothly, and the transmittance becomes very high. By changing the voltage, continuous adjustment of transmittance can also be achieved.
[0049] In some embodiments, the light source 5 includes at least two lamp groups that can be controlled independently of each other, each lamp group having at least one light-emitting end 51 to emit an illumination beam, and the light-emitting end 51 is respectively provided with at least one light guide 3.
[0050] In this embodiment, two lamp groups are used as an example. Of course, in other embodiments, three, four, five, six, or seven lamp groups can also be used. Specifically, the light source 5 includes a first lamp group and a second lamp group. Each lamp group is an independent light-emitting unit, for example: The first lamp group can be an LED chip packaged on a small substrate, which has a light-emitting end 51. Similarly, the second lamp group is another independent LED package unit, which also has a light-emitting end 51.
[0051] Each lamp group has an independent drive circuit, which can be driven individually by a control signal, so that the brightness of the light emitted by each lamp group can be adjusted independently.
[0052] The light-emitting end 51 of each lamp group is precisely aligned and coupled to the incident end 32 of a light guide 3. For example, the light-emitting end 51 of the first lamp group corresponds to the incident end 32 of the first light guide 3. The light-emitting end 51 of the second lamp group corresponds to the incident end 32 of the second light guide 3. In this way, the illumination beam emitted by each lamp group is independently transmitted to the far end 2 through its corresponding light guide 3.
[0053] Clearly, a wide range of brightness adjustment can be achieved by independently changing the drive current of each lamp group. Using light source components 5 that independently control the lamp groups is one of the preferred methods for achieving multi-channel independent lighting. It can be used alone or in combination with various types of illumination adjustment units to meet the performance, cost, and size requirements of different levels of endoscope products.
[0054] In some embodiments, the light source 5 includes a lamp assembly having a plurality of light-emitting ends 51 to form a plurality of illumination beams, and each light-emitting end 51 is respectively provided with at least one light guide 3.
[0055] In these embodiments, this embodiment provides another implementation of the light source 5, which aims to achieve higher integration and lower cost.
[0056] In this embodiment, the light source 5 includes a lamp assembly. The lamp assembly is a shared light-emitting center, such as a high-power LED chip or a light bead with divergent light.
[0057] The lamp assembly also includes an optical structure configured to split and guide the light emitted from the light-emitting center to multiple light-emitting ends 51. Specifically, this optical structure can be a multi-core fiber optic bundle coupler or a miniature optical prism / lens group with multiple beam-splitting surfaces. Through this optical structure, the light emitted from the light-emitting center is split into multiple paths, thereby forming multiple independent illumination beams, which are emitted from the corresponding light-emitting ends 51. It should be noted that if scattering lamp beads are used, the optical structure can be omitted.
[0058] Each light-emitting end 51 is precisely aligned and coupled to an incident end 32 of one of the light guides 3 (for example, the light-emitting end 51 corresponds to the incident end 32 of the light guide 3).
[0059] To achieve independent control of the luminous flux at each light-emitting end 51, an independent illumination adjustment unit needs to be introduced into the optical path of each light-emitting end 51. For example, an illumination adjustment unit can be installed in the optical path of the light-emitting end 51.
[0060] Using a single light-emitting center in conjunction with a beam-splitting structure significantly reduces the number of light sources compared to using multiple independent light groups, simplifies circuit and heat dissipation design, and helps to achieve miniaturization and cost reduction of the device.
[0061] Since all illumination beams originate from the same light-emitting center and have completely consistent spectral characteristics (color temperature, color rendering index, etc.), a high degree of uniformity in color reproduction is ensured in different illumination areas, thus improving image quality.
[0062] In some embodiments, the illumination beam forms a light spot area on the end face of the corresponding incident end 32; the light guide 3 includes an optical fiber bundle and a wire bundle connector 4, the end of the optical fiber bundle located at the incident end 32 is connected to the wire bundle connector 4, and the wire bundle connector 4 is used to compress the cross-sectional area of the optical fiber bundle so that the end face of the optical fiber bundle located at the incident end 32 is located within the light spot area.
[0063] In these embodiments, this embodiment mainly optimizes the structure of the incident end 32 of the light guide 3, aiming to solve the problem of light coupling efficiency, thereby improving the overall performance of the lighting system.
[0064] This embodiment describes in detail the coupling relationship between the light source 5, the illumination beam, and the incident end 32 of the light guide 3.
[0065] After the illumination beam is emitted from the light source 5, it passes through an optical element (such as a lens, not shown in the figure) or propagates directly. When it reaches the end face of the incident end 32 of the light guide 3, it forms a light spot area. This light spot area S is the core region of the energy distribution of the illumination beam.
[0066] The light guide 3 consists of a bundle of flexible optical fibers, i.e., an optical fiber bundle. At one end of the optical fiber bundle located at the incident end 32, a wire bundle connector 4 is connected, also known as an optical fiber bundle terminal or optical fiber coupler.
[0067] For example, the wire harness connector 4 has a tapered channel or a precision clamping structure inside, which can compress and tighten the originally loose fiber bundle with a large cross-sectional area, so that the cross-sectional area of the fiber bundle at one end face of the incident end 32 is significantly smaller than the cross-sectional area of its body.
[0068] After compression, the dimensions of the incident end 32 are designed to lie entirely within the light spot area formed by the illumination beam. Ideally, the area of the end face should be slightly smaller than or equal to the effective uniform light spot area of the light spot region.
[0069] By compressing the end face of the fiber bundle to ensure that it falls completely within the light spot, it can be ensured that most of the light spot energy can enter the fiber bundle for transmission, greatly reducing the light leakage loss caused by the end face area being larger than the light spot area.
[0070] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the end face of the fiber bundle and the end face of the wire bundle connector 4 are coplanar at the incident end 32.
[0071] In these embodiments, this embodiment focuses on the end-face structure located at the incident end 32. The end-faces of the fiber bundle and the wire bundle connector 4 are processed to be strictly coplanar through a precision grinding and polishing process.
[0072] The term "coplanar setup" means that the end face of the fiber bundle and the end face of the wire bundle connector 4 are located in the same smooth and continuous plane.
[0073] If the fiber end face is recessed within the connector end face, a tiny step or cavity will be formed. When light is incident, unwanted scattering and reflection will occur at the edge of this step, preventing it from entering the fiber. If the fiber end face protrudes from the connector end face, the protruding, unprotected, and fragile fiber is easily damaged by impacts during assembly or use. Coplanar design eliminates this unfavorable geometry, providing a smooth, unobstructed incident interface for light, allowing light to enter the fiber core directly to the maximum extent possible.
[0074] In some embodiments, the lighting assembly further includes a light-blocking element, which divides all the light guides 3 into multiple light guide groups along the arrangement direction of the light guides 3. Each light guide group includes at least one light guide 3, and a light-blocking element is disposed between two adjacent light guide groups. The light-blocking element is at least partially located at the lighting end 31 of the light guide 3. The light-blocking element is used to block light crosstalk between two adjacent light guide groups.
[0075] This embodiment mainly optimizes the layout of the lighting end 31 located at the far end 2 of the insertion tube 1, aiming to improve the light isolation between each independent lighting channel.
[0076] Along the circumferential arrangement direction of the distal end 2 of the insertion tube 1, all the light guides 3 (e.g., four light guides 3) are divided into multiple light guide groups. A light guide group includes at least one light guide 3. For example, each light guide 3 can form its own light guide group (i.e., divided into four groups), or two adjacent light guides 3 can be divided into one light guide group, and the other two can be divided into another light guide group.
[0077] A light-blocking element is provided between two adjacent light guide groups. The light-blocking element extends at least partially to and is disposed in the plane or area where the illumination end 31 of the light guide 3 is located. Specifically, the light-blocking element may be made of a black, non-reflective flexible material (such as black silicone or black plastic), which is embedded in the gap between the light guides 3 and extends from the inside toward the distal end 2.
[0078] The light-blocking element is used to block light crosstalk between two adjacent light guide groups. For example, when the illumination end 31 of the first light guide 3 emits light, the stray light from its side that attempts to shine into the illumination area of the second light guide 3 will be absorbed and blocked by the light-blocking element, and vice versa.
[0079] The clearer and more distinct boundaries of the illuminated areas of each light guide group prevent light interference, allowing for more targeted brightness adjustment and stronger contrast, which helps to highlight the three-dimensional contours and details of tissues. When dimming a light guide group to suppress glare in its illuminated area, it effectively prevents its light from polluting adjacent areas that should remain bright, ensuring the accurate execution of independent brightness control strategies. Reduced stray light also helps improve the overall image contrast and signal-to-noise ratio.
[0080] For example, the light-blocking element can be a cross-shaped or star-shaped light-blocking sheet (when there are four circumferentially evenly distributed light guides 3), with its spokes embedded between every two light guides 3. The light-blocking element can also be directly molded around the pre-arranged bundle of light guides 3 using an injection molding process, forming an integrated light-blocking structure. The distal end 2 of the light-blocking element is preferably flush with or slightly concave to the illumination end 31 of the light guide 3 to avoid forming a protrusion at the end of the endoscope, which would affect its use.
[0081] In some embodiments, the lighting assembly further includes an elastic element, and a protective gap 6 is defined between the light source 5 and the incident end 32 of each light guide 3. An elastic element is disposed in the protective gap 6, one end of the elastic element abuts against the light source 5, the other end abuts against the light guide 3, and the elastic element is located outside the lighting beam.
[0082] This embodiment mainly optimizes the mechanical connection structure between the light source 5 and the incident end 32 of the light guide 3, aiming to improve the stability and reliability of the optical path coupling, avoid optical path deviation or component damage caused by hard contact, and minimize the protective gap 6.
[0083] The light source 5 (or its light-emitting end 51, such as the light-emitting end 51 of the lamp assembly or the light-emitting end 51 of the illumination adjustment unit) and the corresponding incident end 32 of the light guide 3 (or the end face of the wire harness connector 4) are not rigidly attached, but rather a small protective gap 6 is intentionally defined. This gap ensures that there is no physical contact between the optical end faces.
[0084] An elastic element is provided within or around the protective gap 6. For example, the elastic element may be a miniature helical spring, a silicone O-ring, or a piece of elastic foam. It is ensured that it is located outside the propagation path of the illumination beam to avoid blocking the light or generating stray light.
[0085] One end of the elastic element abuts against the housing or related structure of the light source element 5, and the other end abuts against the wire harness connector 4 or the fixing seat of the light guide element 3. The elastic element is in a certain pre-compression state during installation.
[0086] When the endoscope moves or is subjected to minor impacts, the elastic element acts as a buffer and damper, isolating the direct impact of external vibrations and shocks on the fragile fiber end-face coupling area and maintaining the stability of the optical path alignment. The pre-compressed elastic element ensures the stability of the relative position between the light source 5 and the light guide 3, maintaining the optimal air gap designed to optimize optical path coupling.
[0087] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the extension direction of the light guide 3 is parallel to the extension direction of the insertion tube 1; and / or, the propagation direction of each illumination beam is perpendicular to the end face of the corresponding incident end 32.
[0088] This embodiment mainly optimizes the layout of the light guide 3 in the insertion tube 1 and the relative angle between the light source beam and the incident end 32 of the light guide 3, aiming to maximize the light transmission efficiency.
[0089] The light guide 3 is positioned inside the insertion tube 1 in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the insertion tube 1. This means that the light guide 3 (fiber bundle) passes through the insertion tube 1 in a roughly straight line, rather than extending in a large bend or spiral shape. Light is transmitted in the fiber by total internal reflection. When the fiber bends, especially with a small bending radius, the total internal reflection condition is broken, causing some light to escape from the sidewalls and resulting in loss. The straight arrangement parallel to the insertion tube 1 minimizes the bending curvature of the fiber, thereby significantly reducing the loss of light energy during transmission and ensuring that more light energy reaches the illumination end 31 at the far end 2.
[0090] The propagation direction of the illumination beam is perpendicular to the end face of the incident end 32 of the corresponding light guide 3 (or the end face of the wire harness connector 4). According to the Fresnel reflection principle in optics, when light is incident perpendicularly (at an incident angle of 0°) onto the interface between two media (such as air and glass), the reflectivity is lowest and the transmittance is highest. Any non-perpendicular incident light will increase the interface reflection loss and may change the light path due to refraction, causing some light rays to fail to meet the optical fiber's receiving angle condition. Perpendicular incident light ensures that the light energy emitted by the light source enters the light guide 3 with the highest efficiency. The requirement of perpendicular incident light allows the optical path between the light source 5, any intermediate optical elements (such as lenses), and the incident end 32 of the light guide 3 to be designed in the simplest coaxial form, reducing the difficulty and complexity of optical path alignment.
[0091] In all examples shown and described herein, any specific values should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations; therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.
[0092] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0093] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of this application.
Claims
1. An endoscope, characterized in that, The endoscope includes an insertion tube and an illumination assembly, the illumination assembly comprising: At least two light guides, each having an illumination end and an incident end, are provided. The light guides are used to transmit light received through the incident end to the illumination end. Each light guide is spatially separated from the others. The incident end is located at the proximal end of the insertion tube, and the illumination end is located at the distal end of the insertion tube. The illumination ends of the at least two light guides are spaced apart along the circumference of the insertion tube. A light source is provided for emitting multiple independent and adjustable illumination beams, and at least one incident end of the light guide is provided on the propagation path of each illumination beam.
2. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light source also includes: At least one illumination adjustment unit is provided on the propagation path of each illumination beam, and the illumination adjustment unit is used to adjust the luminous flux of the corresponding illumination beam.
3. The endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that, The illumination adjustment unit includes at least one of the following features: First item: a light-blocking plate, wherein the light-blocking plate is movably disposed between the light source and the incident end of the corresponding light guide in a direction intersecting with the illumination beam, so as to selectively at least partially block or avoid the corresponding illumination beam; The second item is a light guide plate, which is disposed between the light source and the incident end of the corresponding light guide, and the light guide plate is located on the propagation path of the illumination beam. The light guide plate is configured with multiple switchable working states, and each working state has a different light transmittance.
4. The endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The light source includes at least two lamp groups that can be controlled independently of each other. Each lamp group has at least one light-emitting end to emit the illumination beam. Each light-emitting end is provided with at least one light guide.
5. The endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that, The light source includes a lamp assembly, which has multiple light-emitting ends to form multiple illumination beams. Each light-emitting end is respectively provided with at least one light guide.
6. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The illumination beam forms a light spot area on the end face of the corresponding incident end; the light guide includes an optical fiber bundle and a wire harness connector, the end of the optical fiber bundle located at the incident end is connected to the wire harness connector, the wire harness connector is used to compress the cross-sectional area of the optical fiber bundle, so that the end face of the optical fiber bundle located at the incident end is located within the light spot area.
7. The endoscope according to claim 6, characterized in that, Located at the incident end, the end face of the optical fiber bundle and the end face of the wire bundle connector are coplanar.
8. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lighting assembly further includes a light-blocking component. Along the arrangement direction of the light guides, all the light guides are divided into multiple light guide groups. Each light guide group includes at least one light guide. The light-blocking component is disposed between two adjacent light guide groups. The light-blocking component is at least partially located at the lighting end of the light guide. The light-blocking component is used to block light crosstalk between two adjacent light guide groups.
9. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lighting assembly further includes an elastic element. A protective gap is defined between the light source element and the incident end of each of the light guide elements. The elastic element is disposed within the protective gap. One end of the elastic element abuts against the light source element, and the other end abuts against the light guide element. The elastic element is located outside the lighting beam.
10. The endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The extension direction of the light guide is parallel to the extension direction of the insertion tube; and / or, the propagation direction of each illumination beam is perpendicular to the end face of the corresponding incident end.