Ophthalmologic apparatus

Abstract

To provide an ophthalmologic apparatus that enables an examiner to constantly and visually recognize a monitor display, without reference to the examiner's position.SOLUTION: An ophthalmologic apparatus comprises: a frame 12; a head (examination head 22) which is provided in the frame 12 and which executes at least any one of the observation and photographing of an eye E to be examined and acquisition of eye characteristics; a monitor 23; and a monitor holding part 30 (a shaft 32, a monitor arm 34, a horizontal rotary shaft part 36 and an articulated arm 34A) which is provided in the frame 12 and which holds the monitor 23 in a displaceable manner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ophthalmic apparatus equipped with a monitor. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known an ophthalmic device that performs observation, photographing, or measurement of ocular characteristics of a subject's eye. Such an ophthalmic device is provided with a monitor (touch panel monitor) that displays an observation image of the subject's eye, a photographed image (fundus image, etc.) of an observed part of the subject's eye, or a measurement result of the ocular characteristics of the subject's eye, and receives operations by an examiner (see Patent Document 1). This allows the examiner to perform operations related to observation, photographing, or measurement of the ocular characteristics of the subject's eye while checking the screen of the monitor.

[0003] In this case, some subjects have poor eyelid opening, and the examiner stands close to the subject to help them open their eyes. In this case, if the monitor is fixed in position, the monitor screen cannot be seen from the subject's side, which reduces work efficiency. Therefore, in the ophthalmic device described in Patent Document 1, the monitor is attached to a head that observes, photographs, or measures the eye characteristics of the subject's eye via a two-axis monitor holder so that the monitor can be displaced. This allows the monitor screen to be directed toward the examiner even when the examiner is helping the subject open their eyes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-091427 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the ophthalmic apparatus described in the above Patent Document 1, the monitor is attached to the head so as to be freely displaceable, and the head is aligned with the subject's eye when photographing the subject's eye or measuring the eye characteristics. Therefore, the monitor moves together with the head when aligning the head with the subject's eye. As a result, even if the examiner can see the monitor screen before starting head alignment, the examiner may have difficulty or be unable to see the monitor screen after head alignment is completed.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide an ophthalmic apparatus that allows the examiner to always view the monitor screen regardless of the examiner's position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An ophthalmologic apparatus for achieving the object of the present invention comprises a stand, a head mounted on the stand for performing at least one of observing, photographing, and acquiring eye characteristics of the subject's eye, a monitor, and a monitor holding section mounted on the stand for holding the monitor so that it can be moved freely.

[0008] According to this ophthalmologic apparatus, the monitor screen can be oriented in a direction that allows the examiner to view it, regardless of the positions of the examiner and the examination head.

[0009] In the ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the monitor holder can be selectively attached to a plurality of different attachment positions on the pedestal, thereby allowing the examiner to attach the monitor holder to a mounting position according to his / her preference.

[0010] In an ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the monitor holder includes a shaft provided on the stand, and a monitor arm having a fitting hole into which the shaft fits and holding the monitor, the monitor arm being rotatable about the shaft, thereby allowing the monitor to be rotated about the central axis of the shaft.

[0011] In another aspect of the present invention, an ophthalmologic apparatus includes a monitor control device and a cable that connects the monitor and the control device via the inside of the monitor arm, thereby making it possible to prevent the cable from being broken and to improve the appearance of the ophthalmologic apparatus.

[0012] In an ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of shafts are provided on the stand, and the plurality of shafts are selectively and detachably fitted into the fitting holes. This allows the monitor holder to be attached to the shaft (attachment position) according to the examiner's preference.

[0013] In an ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the monitor arm holds the monitor in a freely displaceable manner, whereby the screen of the monitor can be oriented in a direction that is more easily viewed by the examiner.

[0014] In the ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the monitor arm holds the monitor rotatably about a rotation axis perpendicular to the shaft, whereby the screen of the monitor can be oriented in a direction that is more easily viewed by the examiner.

[0015] In an ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the monitor arm is a multi-joint arm that holds the monitor in a freely displaceable manner, whereby the screen of the monitor can be oriented in a direction that is easier for the examiner to view.

[0016] In an ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, a slide guide is provided at the tip of the articulated arm and holds the monitor so that the monitor can be slidably moved in a direction parallel to the screen of the monitor, thereby allowing the monitor to be displaced to a position where it is more easily visible to the examiner.

[0017] In an ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the monitor holder includes an actuator that rotates the monitor arm and the monitor around a shaft, thereby allowing the monitor to be displaced without manual operation by the examiner.

[0018] In an ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the head has a plurality of operation modes, the angular position of the monitor around the central axis of the shaft is predetermined for each operation mode, and a rotation control unit is provided that drives the actuator to rotate the monitor to an angular position corresponding to the operation mode. This allows the monitor to be automatically rotated to the angular position corresponding to the operation mode of the head, thereby reducing the examiner's efforts.

[0019] In an ophthalmologic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the monitor is a touch panel monitor that accepts an input operation by an examiner.

[0020] In an ophthalmic apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, a remote controller is provided that accepts input operations by an examiner, thereby enabling the examiner to input various operations of the ophthalmic apparatus even when the examiner is away from a predetermined position. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, the examiner can always view the monitor screen regardless of the examiner's position. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view of the ophthalmologic apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a monitor. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a monitor holding portion according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the monitor holding portion according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a side view of the monitor holding portion in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 13A and 13B are explanatory diagrams for explaining modified examples of the mounting position of the monitor arm. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an actuator. [Figure 8]13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of the monitor angle positions for each operation mode of the inspection head when the monitor arm is attached to the shaft at the left corner of the stand. [Figure 9] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing an example of the monitor angle positions for each operation mode of the inspection head when the monitor arm is attached to the shaft at the right corner of the stand. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a side view of a monitor holding portion and a monitor of an ophthalmic apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a side view of a monitor holding portion of an ophthalmologic apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a side view of a monitor holding portion of an ophthalmologic apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view of a monitor holding portion of an ophthalmologic apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is an exploded side view of a monitor holding portion of an ophthalmologic apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the monitor holding portion of the ophthalmologic apparatus of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a top view showing a modified example of the monitor holding part of the ophthalmologic apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an ophthalmic apparatus according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 18] 13 is a top view of a modified example of the monitor holding portion of the ophthalmologic apparatus of the sixth embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] [First embodiment] 1 is a side view of an ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment. In the figure, the X direction is the left-right direction based on the subject or examiner, the Y direction is the up-down direction, and the Z direction is the front-back direction (also called the working distance direction) parallel to the front direction approaching the subject (subject's eye E) and the rear direction away from the subject.

[0024] 1, the ophthalmic apparatus 10 is a multifunction machine that combines a fundus camera that performs fundus photography of the subject's eye E and an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging that uses OCT to obtain a tomographic image of the subject's eye E. The ophthalmic apparatus 10 includes a stand 12, a face support unit 14, an XZ movement mechanism 16, a Y movement mechanism 18, a head rotation mechanism 20, an operating lever 21, an examination head 22, a monitor 23, and a control device 25.

[0025] A stand 12 (also called a base) is placed on the table 9. A plurality of legs 12a are provided on the lower surface of the stand 12. This forms a gap between the lower surface of the stand 12 and the upper surface of the table 9.

[0026] A face support part 14 is provided at the front end part of the gantry 12 on the front side in the Z direction (the side of the eye E to be examined). An XZ movement mechanism 16 and an operation lever 21 are provided on the top surface of the gantry 12 from the front side in the Z direction (the side of the eye E to be examined) toward the rear side in the Z direction (the side of the examiner). A monitor 23 is provided on the top surface of the rear end part on the rear side in the Z direction of the gantry 12 so as to be freely displaceable. A connection terminal 12b to which a cable 26 extending from the monitor 23 is connected is provided on the side surface of the gantry 12 (or on a side other than the side surface).

[0027] The face support portion 14 has a chin rest 14a and a forehead rest 14b whose positions can be adjusted in the Y direction (up and down direction), and supports the subject's face in a position facing the examination head 22.

[0028] Although not shown, the XZ movement mechanism 16 includes a movement stage that is movable in the XZ directions relative to the stand 12, and an electric drive mechanism (a known actuator such as a motor drive mechanism) that moves the movement stage in the XZ directions. The XZ movement mechanism 16 moves the Y movement mechanism 18, the head rotation mechanism 20, and the inspection head 22 together in the XZ directions.

[0029] Although not shown, the Y movement mechanism 18 includes a lifting platform that is provided so as to be movable in the Y direction, and an electric drive mechanism that moves the lifting platform in the Y direction. The Y movement mechanism 18 moves the head rotation mechanism 20 and the inspection head 22 together in the Y direction. This allows the head rotation mechanism 20 and the inspection head 22 to be moved together in the X, Y, and Z directions by the XZ movement mechanism 16 and the Y movement mechanism 18.

[0030] The head rotation mechanism 20 includes a rotation shaft 20a parallel to the Y direction and an electric drive mechanism for rotating the rotation shaft 20a, and rotates (swings) the inspection head 22 about the rotation shaft 20a.

[0031] The operation lever 21 is an operation unit for manually moving the inspection head 22 in each of the X, Y and Z directions. For example, when the operation lever 21 is tilted in the Z direction (front-back direction) or the X direction (left-right direction), the above-mentioned XZ movement mechanism 16 moves the inspection head 22 in the Z direction or the X direction. When the operation lever 21 is rotated around its longitudinal axis, the Y movement mechanism 18 moves the inspection head 22 in the Y direction (up-down direction) according to the direction of the rotation. Note that the operation lever 21 may be omitted if the XZ movement mechanism 16 and the Y movement mechanism 18 can be driven by a touch operation on a monitor 23 (touch panel monitor) described later.

[0032] The examination head 22 corresponds to the head of the present invention, and includes a fundus camera unit and an OCT unit, although illustration is omitted. The fundus camera unit photographs an observation image (anterior eye image) of the subject's eye E and outputs the observation image to a control device 25 described later, or photographs the fundus of the subject's eye E and outputs a fundus image, which is a front image of the fundus, to the control device 25. The OCT unit photographs the subject's eye E using OCT, and outputs detection signals and the like required to generate a tomographic image of the subject's eye E to the control device 25. Note that the specific configurations of the fundus camera unit and the OCT unit are publicly known techniques, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0033] The monitor 23 is, for example, a touch panel monitor, and is electrically connected to the control device 25 via a cable 26 connected to the connection terminal 12b. The monitor 23 is rotatably (displaceably) held by a biaxial monitor holder 30 (described later) provided at the rear end of the pedestal 12 on the rear side in the Z direction. The monitor 23 displays an observation image and a fundus image of the subject's eye E output from the examination head 22, a tomographic image of the subject's eye E output from the control device 25, or a control panel 29 (see FIG. 2) that accepts input of a touch operation by the examiner.

[0034] The monitor holding unit 30 holds the monitor 23 so that it can rotate (displace) freely around a rotation axis C1 parallel to the Y direction and around a rotation axis C2 perpendicular to the Y direction. This allows the posture of the monitor 23 to be rotated (displaced) around both the rotation axis C1 and the rotation axis C2. In this embodiment, the rotation of the monitor 23 around the rotation axis C1 is performed by electric drive, and the rotation of the monitor 23 around the rotation axis C2 is performed by manual operation by the examiner.

[0035] One end of the cable 26 is connected to the monitor 23, and the other end is connected to the control device 25 via the connection terminal 12b. The cable 26 is used for transmitting various signals between the monitor 23 and the control device 25. Examples of such a cable 26 include a cable conforming to a commercially available standard capable of transmitting a video signal and an operation signal, or a cable conforming to a manufacturer's own standard. Power may be supplied from the control device 25 (power source) to the monitor 23 via the cable 26. In addition, if various signals can be transmitted and received between the monitor 23 and the control device 25 using a known wireless communication connection method, the cable 26 is not necessary. Furthermore, a cable arrangement groove may be formed in the stand 12 or the like, and the cable 26 may be arranged (hidden) in the cable arrangement groove to improve the appearance.

[0036] The control device 25 is provided, for example, inside the stand 12 (or inside the examination head 22) and controls the overall operation of each part of the ophthalmic device 10 in response to input operations on the operating lever 21 and input operations on the control panel 29 of the monitor 23 (see Figure 2).

[0037] When an operation to start fundus photography or OCT photography is input to the control panel 29 (see FIG. 2) of the monitor 23, the control device 25 operates the XZ movement mechanism 16, the Y movement mechanism 18, the head rotation mechanism 20, and the examination head 22 to perform auto-alignment of the examination head 22 with respect to the subject's eye E. In this auto-alignment of the examination head 22, the examination head 22 is brought close to the subject's eye E from an oblique direction to prevent the examination head 22 from approaching the subject's nose, etc.

[0038] Specifically, for example, when the subject eye E is the left eye, the control device 25 drives the XZ movement mechanism 16, the Y movement mechanism 18, and the head rotation mechanism 20 to move the inspection head 22 toward the left eye from a diagonally forward left direction as viewed from the left eye (see reference symbol VIIIB in FIG. 8). When an anterior segment image of the left eye is captured by the inspection head 22 approaching the left eye, the control device 25 detects the relative position of the left eye with respect to the inspection head 22 based on the anterior segment image. Next, the control device 25 drives the XZ movement mechanism 16 and the Y movement mechanism 18 based on the detection result of the relative position of the left eye to perform auto-alignment of the inspection head 22 with respect to the left eye.

[0039] On the other hand, when the subject eye E is, for example, the right eye, the control device 25 drives the XZ movement mechanism 16, the Y movement mechanism 18, and the head rotation mechanism 20 to move the inspection head 22 toward the right eye from the diagonally forward right as viewed from the right eye (see reference symbol VIIIC in FIG. 8). Thereafter, similar to the automatic alignment of the inspection head 22 with respect to the left eye, the control device 25 detects the relative position of the right eye with respect to the inspection head 22 and executes automatic alignment of the inspection head 22 with respect to the right eye.

[0040] Then, when the control device 25 completes the auto-alignment of the inspection head 22 with respect to the subject's eye E (left eye or right eye), it operates the inspection head 22 (the fundus camera unit or OCT unit described above) to perform fundus photography or OCT photography of the subject's eye E. Furthermore, when the control device 25 performs OCT photography of the subject's eye E, it generates a tomographic image of the subject's eye E by a known method based on the detection signal output from the OCT unit.

[0041] The control device 25 also drives the monitor holding part 30 to rotate the monitor 23 around the rotation axis C1. Specifically, the control device 25 drives the monitor holding part 30 to rotate the monitor 23 in response to an input operation on a control panel 29 (see FIG. 2) of the monitor 23. The control device 25 also rotates the monitor 23 to an angular position around the rotation axis C1 corresponding to an operation mode of the examination head 22 (ophthalmic device 10), which will be described in detail later (see FIGS. 8 and 9).

[0042] Furthermore, the control device 25 controls the display of the monitor 23 connected via the connection terminal 12b and a cable 26.

[0043] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the monitor 23. As shown in Fig. 2, the control device 25 causes the monitor 23 to display a photographed image display screen 28 and a control panel 29. For example, an anterior eye image (observation image), a fundus image, or a tomographic image is displayed as a photographed image of the subject's eye E on the photographed image display screen 28. Note that in Fig. 2, a fundus image of the subject's eye E is displayed on the photographed image display screen 28.

[0044] The control panel 29 is an operation screen that accepts input of various operations of the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 by touch operation. In FIG. 2, a light amount adjustment icon 29a, a position adjustment icon 29b, and a monitor rotation icon 29c are illustrated as operation icons in the control panel 29. The light amount adjustment icon 29a accepts an adjustment operation to adjust the amount of illumination light irradiated to the subject's eye E. The position adjustment icon 29b accepts an adjustment operation to adjust the position of a known internal fixation target. The monitor rotation icon 29c accepts a rotation operation to drive the monitor holder 30 to rotate the monitor 23 around the rotation axis C1.

[0045] It should be noted that the types and layout of icons arranged in the control panel 29 can be changed as appropriate. In addition, although the captured image display screen 28 and the control panel 29 are simultaneously displayed on the screen of the monitor 23 in Fig. 2, it is also possible to selectively display either one of them.

[0046] [Rotational holding mechanism of the first embodiment] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the monitor holding portion 30 of the first embodiment. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the monitor holding portion 30 of the first embodiment. Fig. 5 is a side view of the monitor holding portion 30 of the first embodiment.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the monitor holding portion 30 mainly includes two shafts 32, one monitor arm 34, and an actuator 40 shown in FIG. 7 which will be described later.

[0048] The shafts 32 are provided at the rear end of the cradle 12 on the rear side in the Z direction and at both ends in the X direction at the rear end, i.e., at the left and right corners on the rear side in the Z direction of the cradle 12 (hereinafter simply referred to as the left and right corners). Each shaft 32 has a shape extending in a direction parallel to the Y direction, and its central axis is the rotation axis C1. Each shaft 32 is rotated around the rotation axis C1 by an actuator 40 (see FIG. 7 ) described later. The base end of each shaft 32 is provided inside the cradle 12 and connected to the actuator 40. In addition, the tip of each shaft 32 protrudes upward in the Y direction from the upper surface of the cradle 12. A monitor arm 34 can be detachably attached to the tip of each shaft 32.

[0049] In this embodiment, the shafts 32 are provided at the left and right corners of the stand 12, so that even if the tip of each shaft 32 protrudes upward in the Y direction from the top surface of the stand 12, this does not hinder the movement of the inspection head 22.

[0050] The number of shafts 32 provided on the stand 12 is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. In addition, the positions at which each shaft 32 is provided are not particularly limited as long as they do not interfere with the movement of the inspection head 22.

[0051] The monitor arm 34 is an arm perpendicular to the Y direction (parallel to the XY plane). A shaft attachment portion 35 is formed at the base end of the monitor arm 34. The shaft attachment portion 35 has fitting holes 35a into which the tip end of each shaft 32 is selectively and detachably fitted. By fitting the tip end of any shaft 32 into this fitting hole 35a, the monitor arm 34 rotates integrally with this shaft 32 in the direction around the rotation axis C1.

[0052] A horizontal rotation shaft portion 36 is provided at the tip of the monitor arm 34 (see FIG. 5). The horizontal rotation shaft portion 36 is a so-called tilt mechanism that holds the monitor 23 rotatably around the rotation axis C2. This allows the examiner to rotate the monitor 23 around the rotation axis C2 by manual operation (tilting operation), that is, to rotate the attitude of the monitor 23 around the rotation axis C2. As a result, the monitor 23 can rotate around the rotation axis C1 of the shaft 32 via the monitor arm 34, and can also rotate around the rotation axis C2 via the horizontal rotation shaft portion 36. This allows the monitor 23 to be rotated around two axes (rotation axes C1 and C2), thereby adjusting the orientation of the screen of the monitor 23.

[0053] Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a modified example of the mounting position of the monitor arm 34. In the examples shown in Fig. 3 to Fig. 5, the monitor arm 34 is mounted on the shaft 32 at the left corner of the gantry 12 as seen from the examiner's side, but as shown in Fig. 6, the monitor arm 34 may be mounted on the shaft 32 at the right corner of the gantry 12 as seen from the examiner's side. In this case, the monitor 23 can be rotated in a direction around the rotation axis C1 of the shaft 32 at the right corner.

[0054] By providing the pedestal 12 with a plurality of shafts 32 in this manner, a plurality of mounting positions for the monitor arm 34 (monitor holding portion 30) can be provided on the pedestal 12, and the monitor arm 34 (monitor holding portion 30) can be selectively mounted at a plurality of different mounting positions on the pedestal 12. As a result, the monitor arm 34 (monitor holding portion 30) can be mounted at any shaft 32 (mounting position) according to the examiner's preference (handedness, etc.).

[0055] For example, when the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the left corner of the gantry 12 as seen from the examiner's side, the screen of the monitor 23 is oriented to the left side of the gantry 12 as seen from the examiner's side. Conversely, when the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the right corner of the gantry 12 as seen from the examiner's side, the screen of the monitor 23 is oriented to the right side of the gantry 12 as seen from the examiner's side.

[0056] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the actuator 40. As shown in Fig. 7, the actuator 40 is provided for each shaft 32 inside the pedestal 12. The actuator 40 is composed of, for example, a motor 41, a worm gear 42, and a worm wheel 43.

[0057] The motor 41 is a drive source of the actuator 40, and has a motor shaft 41a perpendicular to the Y direction (parallel to the X direction in this embodiment). The worm gear 42 is fixed to the motor shaft 41a, and is rotated integrally with the motor shaft 41a by the motor 41. The worm wheel 43 is fitted and fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 32, and meshes with the worm gear 42. As a result, when the motor shaft 41a of the motor 41 rotates, the shaft 32 is rotated in the direction around the rotation axis C1 via the worm gear 42 and the worm wheel 43, and the monitor arm 34 and the monitor 23 are rotated integrally with the shaft 32. In addition, the rotation direction of the shaft 32 (the monitor arm 34 and the monitor 23) can be switched by switching the rotation direction of the motor shaft 41a.

[0058] The actuator 40 is not particularly limited to one constituted by the worm gear 42 and the worm wheel 43, and the configuration is not particularly limited as long as it can rotate the shaft 32 in the axial direction around the rotation axis C1.

[0059] The actuator 40 is driven by the control device 25. The control device 25 drives the actuator 40 in response to, for example, an examiner's touch operation on the monitor rotation icon 29c to rotate the monitor 23 in a direction around the rotation axis C1. This allows the examiner to manually adjust the angular position of the monitor 23 in a direction around the rotation axis C1.

[0060] Furthermore, for example, when an examiner needs to get close to an examinee who has poor eyelid opening to help the examiner open the eyelids, the control device 25 drives the actuator 40 to automatically adjust the angular position of the monitor 23 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the monitor angular position) around the central axis of the shaft 32 (around the axis of the rotation axis C1) so that the examiner can view the screen of the monitor 23. In this case, the control device 25 functions as a rotation control unit of the present invention. Then, the control device 25 drives the actuator 40 in accordance with the operation mode of the examination head 22 (ophthalmic device 10) and the mounting position of the monitor arm 34, and automatically rotates the monitor 23 to the monitor angular position corresponding to these operation mode and mounting position.

[0061] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the monitor angle position for each operation mode of the inspection head 22 when the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the left corner of the pedestal 12. Note that in Fig. 8 (as well as Fig. 9 described later), the symbol H1 indicates the subject (patient), and the symbol H2 indicates the examiner (including the operator).

[0062] As shown in Fig. 8, the examination head 22 has a plurality of operation modes including, for example, an imaging standby mode (see symbol VIIIA in Fig. 8), a left eye imaging mode (see symbol VIIIB in Fig. 8), and a right eye imaging mode (see symbol VIIIC in Fig. 8). The imaging standby mode is an operation mode of the examination head 22 before starting imaging (fundus imaging, OCT imaging) of the subject's eye E. The left eye imaging mode is an operation mode for imaging (fundus imaging, OCT imaging) of the left eye of the subject's eye E, and the right eye imaging mode is an operation mode for imaging (fundus imaging, OCT imaging) of the right eye of the subject's eye E.

[0063] When the operation mode of the examination head 22 is the imaging standby mode, the examiner H2 is positioned on the rear side of the stand 12 in the Z direction (see reference symbol VIIIA in FIG. 8).

[0064] When the operation mode of the examination head 22 is the left eye photographing mode or the right eye photographing mode, the examiner H2 needs to move to a position near the examinee H1, that is, to a position on the side of the pedestal 12 in the X direction, in order to help the examinee H1 open his / her eyelids. At this time, when the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the left corner of the pedestal 12, the screen of the monitor 23 can be directed to the left side of the pedestal 12 in the X direction (-X direction), but cannot be directed to the right side of the pedestal 12 in the X direction (+X direction) due to interference with the pedestal 12 and the operation lever 21. Therefore, the examiner H2 moves to the left side of the pedestal 12 in the X direction to help the examinee H1 open his / her eyelids, regardless of whether the operation mode is the left eye photographing mode or the right eye photographing mode (see symbols VIIIB and VIIIC in FIG. 8).

[0065] When the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the left corner of the pedestal 12, the position of the examiner H2 for each operation mode of the inspection head 22 is almost fixed. Therefore, the monitor angle position at which the examiner H2 can view the screen of the monitor 23 can be determined in advance for each operation mode of the inspection head 22. For example, the monitor angle position corresponding to the shooting standby mode is set so that the screen of the monitor 23 faces the rear side in the Z direction when the pedestal 12 is viewed from above in the Y direction (see reference symbol VIIIA in FIG. 8). In addition, the monitor angle positions corresponding to the left eye shooting mode and the right eye shooting mode are set so that the screen of the monitor 23 faces a diagonal direction between the left side in the X direction and the front side in the Z direction (also possible to face the left side in the X direction) when the pedestal 12 is viewed from above in the Y direction (see reference symbols VIIIB and VIIIC in FIG. 8).

[0066] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the monitor angle positions for each operation mode of the inspection head 22 when the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the right corner of the stand 12. In FIG.

[0067] As shown in Figure 9, when the operating mode of the inspection head 22 is the shooting standby mode, the examiner H2 is positioned at the rear side of the stand 12 in the Z direction, as in the case where the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the left corner of the stand 12 (see symbol IXA in Figure 9).

[0068] On the other hand, when the operation mode of the examination head 22 is the left eye photographing mode or the right eye photographing mode, the examiner H2 needs to move to a position on the lateral side in the X direction of the pedestal 12. At this time, when the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the right corner of the pedestal 12, the screen of the monitor 23 can be directed to the right side in the X direction of the pedestal 12 (+X direction), but the screen of the monitor 23 cannot be directed to the left side in the X direction of the pedestal 12 (-X direction) due to interference with the pedestal 12 and the operating lever 21. For this reason, the examiner H2 moves to the right side in the X direction of the pedestal 12 regardless of whether the operation mode is the left eye photographing mode or the right eye photographing mode, and helps the examinee H1 open his / her eyelids (see symbols IXB and IXC in FIG. 9).

[0069] The position of the examiner H2 for each operation mode of the inspection head 22 when the monitor arm 34 is attached to the shaft 32 at the right corner of the pedestal 12 is also almost determined. Therefore, in this case as well, the monitor angle position at which the examiner H2 can view the screen of the monitor 23 can be determined in advance for each operation mode of the inspection head 22. For example, the monitor angle position corresponding to the shooting standby mode is set so that the screen of the monitor 23 faces the rear side in the Z direction when the pedestal 12 is viewed from above in the Y direction (see reference symbol IXA in FIG. 9). In addition, the monitor angle positions corresponding to the left eye shooting mode and the right eye shooting mode are set so that the screen of the monitor 23 faces a diagonal direction between the right side in the X direction and the front side in the Z direction (also possible to face the right side in the X direction) when the pedestal 12 is viewed from above in the Y direction (see reference symbols IXB and IXC in FIG. 9).

[0070] In this way, for each mounting position of the monitor arm 34, monitor angle positions corresponding to each of the multiple operation modes of the inspection head 22 are preset and stored in a storage unit (not shown) or the like. Thus, the control device 25 determines a monitor angle position corresponding to the mounting position of the monitor arm 34 and the current operation mode of the inspection head 22, and then drives the actuator 40 to rotate the monitor 23 to the determined monitor angle position. Therefore, even if the examiner H2 moves to the left side or right side in the X direction of the pedestal 12 to help the subject H1 open his / her eyelids, the monitor 23 can be automatically rotated to a monitor angle position where the examiner H2 can view the screen of the monitor 23. As a result, it is possible to save the examiner H2 the trouble of manually adjusting the monitor angle position for each operation mode of the inspection head 22.

[0071] As described above, in the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, the monitor 23 is provided displaceably on the stand 12 via the monitor holding unit 30, so that the screen of the monitor 23 can be directed in a direction that is visible to the examiner H2, regardless of the positions of the examiner H2 and the examination head 22. In addition, by providing the monitor 23 displaceably on the stand 12 instead of the examination head 22, the monitor 23 is prevented from moving together with the examination head 22 during alignment of the examination head 22. This prevents the examiner H2 from being unable to view the screen of the monitor 23 due to the alignment (movement) of the examination head 22. As a result, the examiner H2 can always view the screen of the monitor 23, regardless of the position of the examiner H2.

[0072] In the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, by providing a plurality of shafts 32 on the stand 12, a plurality of mounting positions for the monitor arm 34 (monitor 23) can be provided on the stand 12, and the monitor arm 34 can be mounted at any mounting position according to the preference of the examiner H2. As a result, the visibility of the monitor 23 by the examiner H2 can be improved, while the operability of the monitor 23 by the examiner H2 (touch operation of the control panel 29, rotation operation around the rotation axis C2 of the monitor 23) can be improved.

[0073] [Second embodiment] 10 is a side view of the monitor holding part 30 and the monitor 23 of an ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment has basically the same configuration as the ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment, except for the arrangement of the cable 26. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same components as those in the first embodiment in terms of function or configuration, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0074] In the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, the cable 26 is visible from the outside, but in the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10, the cable 26 is housed inside the monitor arm 34, that is, the cable 26 connects the monitor 23 and the control device 25 via the inside of the monitor arm 34. This prevents the cable 26 from getting caught on the monitor arm 34 and breaking when the monitor arm 34 is rotated in the direction around the rotation axis C1. Also, by hiding the cable 26 inside the monitor arm 34, the appearance can be improved.

[0075] [Third embodiment] 11 and 12 are side views of the monitor holding unit 30 of an ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to the third embodiment has basically the same configuration as the ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments, except that the monitor holding unit 30 is provided with a multi-joint arm 34A and a slide guide 50 instead of the monitor arm 34. Therefore, parts that are the same in function or configuration as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0076] The articulated arm 34A includes a shaft attachment portion 35, a plurality of horizontal rotation shaft portions 36 (also called joints), and a plurality of joints 37.

[0077] The first joint 37 is connected to the shaft attachment portion 35, the second joint 37 is connected to the first joint 37 via the first horizontal rotation shaft portion 36, and the third joint 37 is connected to the second joint 37 via the second horizontal rotation shaft portion 36. A slide guide 50 that holds the monitor 23 is connected to the third joint 37 via the third horizontal rotation shaft portion 36. The number of horizontal rotation shaft portions 36 and the number of joints 37 that constitute the multi-joint arm 34A are not particularly limited as long as they are two or more.

[0078] Since the articulated arm 34A is movable (extendable and rotatable), the examiner H2 can manually displace the position and orientation of the monitor 23 as desired. This allows the examiner H2 to adjust the position and orientation of the monitor 23 so that the screen of the monitor 23 is easier to view than with the monitor holding unit 30 of each of the above embodiments.

[0079] The slide guide 50 is connected to the tip of the articulated arm 34A (here, the horizontal rotation shaft 36) and holds the monitor 23 so that it can slide in a direction parallel to the screen (hereinafter, referred to as the screen parallel direction). For example, a slide moving part 23a that is held in the screen parallel direction by the slide guide 50 is provided on the back of the monitor 23 in the third embodiment. The slide guide 50 has an elongated hole 50a formed along the screen parallel direction, and the slide moving part 23a has a protrusion 23b that engages with the elongated hole 50a. This allows the slide guide 50 to hold the monitor 23 so that it can slide in the screen parallel direction. As a result, the examiner H2 can manually slide the monitor 23 along the screen parallel direction, so that the position of the monitor 23 can be adjusted so that the screen of the monitor 23 is more easily visible.

[0080] The slide guide 50 may be provided at the tip end (horizontal rotation shaft portion 36) of the monitor arm 34 in each of the above embodiments.

[0081] As described above, in the third embodiment of the ophthalmic device 10, the monitor 23 is held freely displaceable via the multi-joint arm 34A and the slide guide 50, so that the screen of the monitor 23 can be displaced to make it easier to view than in the above embodiments.

[0082] [Fourth embodiment] Fig. 13 is a side view of the monitor holding part 30A of the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment. Fig. 14 is an exploded side view of the monitor holding part 30A of the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment.

[0083] In the monitor holding part 30 in each of the above embodiments, the tip of each shaft 32 is protruded upward in the Y direction from the upper surface of the pedestal 12, so that the monitor arm 34 is detachably attached to the upper surface side of the pedestal 12. In contrast, in the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment, the monitor arm 34 is detachably attached to the lower surface side of the pedestal 12 (between the lower surface of the pedestal 12 and the table 9).

[0084] 13 and 14, the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment has basically the same configuration as the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, except that the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment includes a monitor holding part 30A instead of the monitor holding part 30. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same components in terms of function or configuration as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted. Although not shown in the drawings, the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the second embodiment and the third embodiment may also be provided with a monitor holding part 30A instead of the monitor holding part 30.

[0085] The monitor holding portion 30A includes two shafts 32A (or one or three or more shafts), one monitor arm , and an actuator .

[0086] The shafts 32A are provided at the left and right corners of the gantry 12, respectively, similar to the shafts 32 in the above-described embodiments, have a shape extending in a direction parallel to the Y direction, and have a central axis that serves as the rotation axis C1. The base end of each shaft 32A is connected to an actuator 40 inside the gantry 12, similar to the above-described embodiments (see FIG. 7).

[0087] Meanwhile, the tip of each shaft 32A protrudes downward in the Y direction from the lower surface of the pedestal 12. Here, since a plurality of legs 12a are provided on the lower surface of the pedestal 12, a space (gap) is formed between the lower surface of the pedestal 12 and the upper surface of the table 9. Therefore, the tip of each shaft 32A can be made to protrude downward in the Y direction from the lower surface of the pedestal 12. A monitor arm 34 can be detachably attached to the tip of each shaft 32A.

[0088] In the fourth embodiment, the tip of any shaft 32A is detachably fitted into the fitting hole 35a of the shaft mounting portion 35 of the monitor arm 34. This allows the monitor arm 34 to rotate integrally with the shaft 32A in the direction around the rotation axis C1. Since the base 12 is provided with a plurality of shafts 32A, the monitor arm 34 can be mounted on any shaft 32A (mounting position) according to the preference of the examiner H2, as in the above embodiments. The mounting work of fitting the tip of any shaft 32A into the fitting hole 35a is performed with the base 12 lifted upward in the Y direction (see FIG. 14).

[0089] Further, in the fourth embodiment, a plurality of rolling elements 39 that come into contact with the lower surface of the pedestal 12 are provided on the upper surface of the shaft mounting portion 35, and a plurality of rolling elements 39 that come into contact with the upper surface of the table 9 are also provided on the lower surface of the shaft mounting portion 35. As a result, the monitor arm 34 is sandwiched between the lower surface of the pedestal 12 and the upper surface of the table 9 in a displaceable manner.

[0090] The actuator 40 of the fourth embodiment rotates the monitor arm 34 and the monitor 23 together about the rotation axis C1 by rotating the shaft 32A about the rotation axis C1 under the control of the control device 25. This makes it possible to manually adjust the angular position of the monitor 23 about the rotation axis C1 or to automatically adjust the angular position of the monitor 23 about the rotation axis C1 depending on the operation mode of the inspection head 22, as in the above embodiments.

[0091] As described above, in the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment, the monitor 23 is provided displaceably on the stand 12 via the monitor holder 30A, so that the screen of the monitor 23 can be directed in a direction that the examiner H2 can view, regardless of the position of the examiner H2, as in the above embodiments. As a result, the same effects as those of the above embodiments can be obtained.

[0092] Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the monitor holding part 30A of the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment. Fig. 16 is a top view showing a modified example of the monitor holding part 30A of the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment.

[0093] In the above-described fourth embodiment, the shafts 32A are provided at the left and right corners of the rear end portion of the stand 12 on the rear side in the Z direction, respectively, so that the monitor arm 34 can be selectively and detachably attached to each shaft 32A, but the position where the shafts 32A are provided may be changed to a position other than the left and right corners.

[0094] 15 and 16, for example, a shaft 32A may be provided at the center position in the X direction (center position in the width direction) of the rear end of the pedestal 12. In this case, the end face 12c of the rear end of the pedestal 12 is formed in a semicircular shape (including a substantially semicircular shape) when viewed from above in the Y direction.

[0095] In this way, by attaching the monitor arm 34 to the shaft 32A located at the center position in the X direction of the rear end of the pedestal 12, the screen of the monitor 23 can be directed to the right side in the X direction of the pedestal 12 (+X direction side, see reference symbol XVIA in FIG. 16) or conversely, to the left side in the X direction (-X direction side, see reference symbol XVIB in FIG. 16). As a result, the screen of the monitor 23 can be automatically or manually directed to the right side in the X direction of the pedestal 12 or to the left side in the X direction according to the examiner's preference and / or the type (left eye, right eye) of the subject's eye E. In this case, the set value of the monitor angle position (see FIGS. 8 and 9) may be different between the left eye imaging mode and the right eye imaging mode of the examination head 22.

[0096] [Fifth embodiment] Fig. 17 is a schematic diagram of an ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to a fifth embodiment. The ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments includes an operating lever 21 and a control panel 29 (touch panel monitor) as an operating unit. In contrast, as shown in Fig. 17, the ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to the fifth embodiment includes a remote controller 60 in addition to the operating lever 21 and the control panel 29 as an operating unit.

[0097] The ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment has basically the same configuration as the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, except for the provision of a remote controller 60. Therefore, the same components as those of the first embodiment in terms of function or configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. Although not shown in the drawings, the ophthalmic apparatus 10 of the second to fourth embodiments may also be provided with a remote controller 60.

[0098] The remote controller 60 is wirelessly connected (wired connection is also possible) to the control device 25, and accepts input of various operations such as an operation to start alignment and photography (fundus photography, OCT photography) of the subject's eye E, an operation to manually adjust the angular position around the rotation axis C1 of the monitor 23, and an emergency stop operation. This allows input of various operations of the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 even when the examiner H2 has moved away from a predetermined position (see reference symbol VIIIA in FIG. 8, etc.), for example, when the examiner H2 helps the subject H1 open his / her eyelids.

[0099] [Sixth embodiment] Next, an ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the ophthalmic apparatus 10 according to each of the above-described embodiments, the actuator 40 is driven to rotate the monitor 23 in the axial direction around the rotation axis C1, but the actuator 40 may be omitted and the examiner H2 may manually rotate the monitor 23 in the axial direction around the rotation axis C1.

[0100] The ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of the sixth embodiment has basically the same configuration as the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of each of the above-mentioned embodiments, except that the shafts 32, 32A are rotatably attached to the pedestal 12 in the direction around the rotation axis C1, or the monitor arm 34 is rotatably attached to the shafts 32, 32A fixed to the pedestal 12 in the direction around the rotation axis C1. For this reason, the same reference numerals are used for components that are functionally or structurally the same as those of the above-mentioned embodiments, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0101] Fig. 18 is a top view of a modified example of the monitor holding part 30 of the ophthalmologic apparatus 10 of the sixth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 18, when the monitor 23 is rotated around the rotation axis C1 by manual operation of the examiner H2, a click mechanism may be provided between the shaft 32B of the monitor holding part 30 and the monitor arm 34 (shaft attachment part 35).

[0102] Shaft 32B is basically the same as shafts 32, 32A in the above embodiments, except that its tip (or the entire tip) is formed into a regular polygonal shape (e.g., with an interior angle of 15°) when viewed from one side in the Y direction.

[0103] The shaft mounting portion 35 of the monitor arm 34 is provided with a plunger 65 that screws into a mounting hole (not shown) formed along a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis C1. The plunger 65 abuts against the outer surface of the shaft 32B. This makes it possible to generate a clicking sensation when the examiner H2 manually rotates the monitor 23 and the monitor arm 34 in the axial direction around the rotation axis C1.

[0104] [others] In each of the above embodiments, the monitor 23 is manually displaced about the rotation axis C2 by the examiner H2. However, the monitor 23 may be displaced about the rotation axis C2 by using various actuators.

[0105] In the above embodiments, a touch panel monitor has been taken as an example of the monitor 23, but the present invention is also applicable to a monitor 23 that does not include a touch panel.

[0106] In the above embodiments, a combination device of a fundus camera and an optical coherence tomograph has been described as an example of the ophthalmic apparatus 10, but the present invention can be applied to various ophthalmic apparatuses (refractometers, keratometers, non-contact tonometers, corneal endothelial cell inspection devices, ophthalmic surgical devices) equipped with a head that performs at least one of observing, photographing, and acquiring eye characteristics of the subject's eye E. In addition, the head rotation mechanism 20 is not essential, and the head may be movable only in the XYZ directions relative to the stand 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 9…Table 10...Ophthalmological equipment 12…Frame 12a…legs 12b…Connection terminal 14…Face support part 14a…Chin rest 14b…Forehead protector 16...XZ movement mechanism 18...Y movement mechanism 20...Head rotation mechanism 20a…Rotating shaft 21...Operating lever 22…Inspection head 23…Monitor 23a...Slide moving part 23b…Protrusion 25...Control device 26…Cable 28... Photographed image display screen 29…Control Panel 29a…Light intensity adjustment icon 29b…Position adjustment icon 29c…Monitor rotation icon 30…Monitor holder 30A…Monitor holder 32, 32A, 32B…Shaft 34…Monitor arm 34A…Articulated arm 35...Shaft mounting part 35a…Mating hole 36…Horizontal rotating shaft 37...Joints 39...Rolling element 40...Actuator 41…Motor 41a...Motor shaft 42…Worm gear 43…Worm wheel 50…Slide guide 50a...long hole 60…Remote controller 65...Plunger C1…Rotation axis C2…Rotation axis E…Examined eye H1…Subject H2…examiner

Claims

1. A stand; a head provided on the stand and configured to perform at least one of observing, photographing, and acquiring eye characteristics of the subject's eye; A monitor and a monitor holder provided on the stand and configured to displaceably hold the monitor; An ophthalmic apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The ophthalmologic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the monitor holder is selectively attachable to a plurality of different mounting positions on the pedestal.

3. The monitor holding portion is A shaft provided on the frame; a monitor arm having a fitting hole into which the shaft fits and holding the monitor; Equipped with The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor arm is rotatable about the shaft.

4. A control device for the monitor; a cable that connects the monitor and the control device via an inside of the monitor arm; The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 3 .

5. A plurality of the shafts are provided on the base, The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a plurality of the shafts are selectively and detachably fitted into the fitting holes.

6. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the monitor arm holds the monitor in a freely displaceable manner.

7. The ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the monitor arm holds the monitor rotatably about a rotation axis perpendicular to the shaft.

8. 7. The ophthalmologic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the monitor arm is a multi-joint arm that holds the monitor in a freely displaceable manner.

9. 9. The ophthalmologic apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a slide guide provided at a tip of the articulated arm for holding the monitor so as to be slidable in a direction parallel to a screen of the monitor.

10. The ophthalmologic apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the monitor holding portion includes an actuator that rotates the monitor arm and the monitor around the shaft.

11. the head has a plurality of operating modes; an angular position of the monitor about a central axis of the shaft is predetermined for each of the operation modes; The ophthalmologic apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a rotation control unit that drives the actuator to rotate the monitor to the angular position corresponding to the operation mode.

12. The ophthalmologic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor is a touch panel monitor that accepts input operations by an examiner.

13. The ophthalmologic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a remote controller that accepts input operations by an examiner.

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