Fluorescent diagnosing apparatus including optical path switching member

• US 6,179,777 B1
• Filed: 11/27/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sano, Hiroshi, Ninomiya, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/200,864
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 600/160, 600/109, 600/476, 600/478, 250/461.2, 250/372, 250/373
• US Class Current: 600/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00186 with imaging filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0646 with illumination filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence

Abstract

A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus includes a normal image television camera which picks up a normal observation image that is transmitted through an ocular portion of an endoscope and a fluorescent image television camera which intensifies and picks up a fluorescent image transmitted through the ocular portion. An optical path switching member which selectively guides light along an optical path extending from the ocular portion to one of the normal image television camera and the fluorescent image television camera is provided together with a light interrupting member which is positioned between the optical path switching member and the fluorescent image television camera when the optical path switching member is in a normal observation status in which the optical path switching member guides the light along the optical path from the ocular portion to the normal television camera. In addition, a support frame which defines at least two stationary planes extending in different directions is provided together with at least one elastic pressing mechanism which elastically presses the switching member against the stationary planes while permitting the switching member to slide along the stationary planes.

Claims

1. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus comprising:

a normal-image television camera which picks up a normal observation image transmitted through an ocular portion of an endoscope;

a fluorescent-image television camera which intensifies and picks up a fluorescent image transmitted through the ocular portion;

an optical-path switching member which selectively guides light along an optical path extending from the ocular portion to one of the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera; and

a light-interrupting member which is positioned between the optical-path switching member and the fluorescent-image TV camera when the optical-path switching member is in a normal observation status in which the optical-path switching member guides the light along the optical path from the ocular portion to the normal-television camera;

a support frame defining at lest two stationary planes extending in respective different directions; and

at least one elastic pressing mechanism which elastically presses the switching member against the stationary planes while permitting the switching member to slide along the stationary planes.

2. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical path switching member has a light reflecting face, and a light interrupting member is positioned opposite from an ocular portion attachment position with respect to the light reflecting face when the optical path switching member is in the normal observation status.

3. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the light interrupting member and the optical-path switching member are both supported by a common member.

4. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a band-pass filter movable into and out of an illumination optical path of the endoscope; and

a controller which links motion of the band-pass filter with switching operation of the optical switching member from the normal observation status to a fluorescent observation status so that the band-pass filter is located on the illumination optical path before the light from the ocular portion reaches the fluorescent-image television camera.

5. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a support frame which supports the switching member slidably in a direction perpendicular to axes of image forming lenses of the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera.

6. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support, wherein:

the switching member includes;

a frame slidably supported by the support;

a light reflecting member, held by the frame, which guides the optical path from the occular portion to one of the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera; and

a through-hole, formed through the frame, which permits the optical path extending from the ocular portion to pass therethrough toward the other of the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera.

7. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a frame that fixedly supports the fluorescent-image television camera and movably supports a fluorescent-image forming lens, and that movably supports the normal-image television camera and fixedly supports a normal-image forming lens.

8. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus comprising:

a normal image television camera which picks up a normal observation image transmitted through an ocular portion of an endoscope;

a fluorescent-image television camera which intensifies and picks up a fluorescent observation image transmitted through the ocular portion;

a slidable optical-path switching member which selectively guides light passing through the ocular portion to one of image pickup faces of the normal television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera;

at least one elastic pressing mechanism which elastically presses the optical-path switching member against at least two stationary planes formed in different directions along a sliding direction of the optical-path switching member, so that the optical-path switching member slides in a state that the optical-path switching member is elastically pressed against the two stationary planes.

9. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the two stationary planes are perpendicular to each other.

10. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein four elastic pressing mechanisms are provided for each of the stationary planes and located at respective corner positions of an imaginary square, or two elastic pressing mechanisms are provided for each of the stationary planes and located at diagonally opposite portions of the imaginary square.

11. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the elastic pressing mechanism has a rotatable ball elastically depressed against the switching member.

12. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the elastic pressing mechanism elastically presses the switching member against the two stationary planes constantly over the entire sliding motion of the switching member.

13. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a slanted surface is provided which is inclined with respect to both of the stationary planes, and the at least one elastic pressing mechanism is in contact with and is perpendicular to the inclined surface.

14. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein click detents are formed in the optical path switching member, and each of the click detents is engaged with the elastic pressing mechanism when the optical path switching member is located at a correct switching position.

15. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a stopper is provided on a stationary frame slidably supporting the optical-path switching member, and regulates sliding motion of the optical-path switching member, and a shock absorbing member is provided to absorb shock generating when the switching member collides against the stopper.

16. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus comprising:

a normal-image television camera which picks up a normal observation image transmitted through an ocular portion of an endoscope;

a fluorescent-image television camera which intensifies and picks up a fluorescent image transmitted through the ocular portion; and

a slidable optical-path switching member, which selectively guides light along an optical path extending from the ocular portion to one of the normal-image television camera and fluorescent-image television camera;

wherein the optical-path switching member is slidable in a direction perpendicular to optical axes of image forming lenses of both the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera,

wherein the axis of the image forming lens of the normal-image television camera is perpendicular to the axis of the image forming lens of the fluorescent-image television camera.

17. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the optical axis of the image forming lens of the fluorescent image television camera is coincident with an axis of an ocular portion attachment position, and the switching member slides to remove a reflecting member from a position between the fluorescent image television camera and the ocular portion attachment position, thereby guiding the optical path to the fluorescent image television camera.

18. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus comprising:

a normal-image television camera which picks up a normal observation image transmitted through an ocular portion of an endoscope;

a fluorescent-image television camera which intensifies and picks up a fluorescent observation image transmitted through the ocular portion; and

an optical-path switching member which selectively guides light along an optical path extending from the ocular portion to one of the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera, the optical-path switching member including

a slidable frame member,

a reflecting member that is accommodated in the slidable frame and that reflects light passing through ocular portion toward one of the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera; and

a through hole which permits the light to pass therethrough toward the other of the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera.

19. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein an optical member is attached to the through hole.

20. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the through hole permits the light to pass therethrough toward the fluorescent-image television camera, and the optical member includes a band-pass filter which permits only light of a fluorescent wave-length band to pass therethrough, the light of fluorescent wave-length band being emitted from an organism tissue.

21. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the band-pass filter is removable from the through hole.

22. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein any optical members are not provided between the ocular portion and the reflecting member.

23. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus comprising:

a normal-image television camera which picks up a normal observation image transmitted through an ocular portion of an endoscope;

a fluorescent-image television camera which intensifies and picks up a fluorescent observation image transmitted through the ocular portion;

a television camera unit which contains therein the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera;

an optical-path switching assembly that is contained in the television camera unit and that selectively guides an optical path extending from the ocular portion to one of the normal-image television camera and the fluorescent-image television camera;

wherein the fluorescent-image television camera is fixed to a frame of the television camera unit, and an optical adjustment between the fluorescent-image television camera and a fluorescent image forming lens is carried out by minutely moving the fluorescent image forming lens with respect to the frame; and

wherein a normal image forming lens is fixed to the frame of the television camera unit, and an optical adjustment between the normal-image television camera and the normal image forming lens is carried out by minutely moving the normal-image television camera with respect to the frame.

24. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a stationary portion of the optical-path switching assembly is fixed to the frame, a lens frame of the fluorescent image forming lens and a lens frame of the normal image forming lens are mounted on the stationary portion of said optical-path switching assembly, and an optical adjustment member is provided on the lends frame of the fluorescent image forming lens for making position adjustments in an optical axis direction and in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis direction.

25. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the fluorescent-image television camera is fixed directly onto the frame.

26. A fluorescent diagnosing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the normal-image television camera is mounted onto the frame through an optical adjusting mechanism for focusing and eccentricity adjustments.