Stereoscopic endocsope system and TV imaging system for endoscope

• US 6,606,113 B2
• Filed: 07/25/1996
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe, Gims S.
• Application Number:
  US08/682,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,574 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.718, 348/45, 348/68, 348/139, 348/195, 348/197, 348/65, 348/56, 600/160, 600/166, 600/117, 600/101, 359/377
• US Class Current: 348/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/055 having rod-lens arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2415 Stereoscopic endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70

Abstract

An armor (111a) of a scope unit (131) and a diaphragm (123) are arranged to be mutually freely turnable. The shape of an outer section (123c) of the diaphragm (123) and the shape of the inside of a scope joint (130a) of a TV camera unit (130) substantially agree with each other, and the outer section (123c) of the diaphragm (123) and the inside of the scope joint (130a) engage with each other. In a state in which the outer section (123c) of the diaphragm (123) and the inside of the scope joint (130a) are engaged with each other, a ring screw (133) is meshed with a thread (130b) so that the scope unit (131) and TV camera unit (130) will unitedly be joined with each other. At this time, since the outer section (123c) of the diaphragm (123) is engaged with the scope joint (130a), the diaphragm and TV camera unit can be turned relative to an objective optical system (119) and relay optical system (121) with the optical axis of the relay optical system (121) as an axis of turning. Moreover, a liquid-crystal shutter 124 in the TV camera unit (130) has two interceptive areas (124a, 124b) which can be switched temporally alternately. The interceptive areas (124a, 124b) intercept one of two light beams passing through either of aperture stops (123a, 123b).

Claims

1. An imaging system for an endoscope, comprising:

a scope unit including an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region; and

a TV camera unit,

wherein said TV camera unit has a first mount portion for operably connecting said TV camera, in an alternative manner, to;

(a) a stereoscopic scope unit, having a second mount portion, used for three-dimensional observation that has an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region and that emits a plurality of light beams for stereoscopic observation, and (b) a two-dimensional scope unit, having a third mount portion, used for two-dimensional observation that has an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region and that emits a single light beam, said first mount portion being operably connectable to said second and third mount portions for permitting said TV camera to operate with said stereoscopic scope unit and said two-dimensional scope unit,

said stereoscopic scope unit includes an observation optical system having a single optical axis,

said TV camera unit includes a single image formation optical system, a means for splitting an aperture stop of said image formation optical system, and a single imaging means for photoelectrically transforming images formed by said image formation optical system,

said means for splitting an aperture stop transmits a first polarized light component of light entering one of two areas constituting said aperture stop of said image formation optical system, and transmits a second polarized light component, which is different from said first polarized light component, of light entering the other area,

said TV camera unit includes a coupling section that can be mounted on said stereoscopic scope unit and two-dimensional scope unit, and

said imaging means picks up light beams transmitted through said two areas,

wherein said means for disuniting light beams is a composite polarizer made by juxtaposing numerous first polarizing devices for intercepting said second polarized light component and transmitting said first polarized light component and numerous second polarizing devices for intercepting said first polarized light component and transmitting said second polarized light component, and said composite polarizer is placed on the incident side of one imaging device, and

wherein said first polarized light component and said second polarized light component are orthogonal to each other.

2. An imaging system for an endoscope, comprising:

a scope unit including an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region; and

a TV camera unit,

wherein said TV camera unit has a first mount portion for operably connecting said TV camera, in an alternative manner, to;

(a) a stereoscopic scope unit, having a second mount portion, used for three-dimensional observation that has an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region and that emits a plurality of light beams for stereoscopic observation, and (b) a two-dimensional scope unit, having a third mount portion, used for two-dimensional observation that has an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region and that emits a single light beam, said first mount portion being operably connectable to said second and third mount portions for permitting said TV camera to operate with said stereoscopic scope unit and said two-dimensional scope unit,

said TV camera unit includes a single image formation optical system, a means for splitting an aperture stop of said image formation optical system, and an imaging means for photoelectrically transforming images formed by said image formation optical system;

said means for splitting an aperture stop transmits a first polarized light component of light entering one of two areas constituting said aperture stop of said image formation optical system, and transmits a second polarized light component, which is different from said first polarized light component, of light entering the other area; and

said imaging means picks up light beams transmitted through said two areas,

wherein said means for disuniting light beams is a composite polarizer made by juxtaposing numerous first polarizing devices for intercepting said second polarized light component and transmitting said first polarized light component and numerous second polarizing devices for intercepting said first polarized light component and transmitting said second polarized light component, and said composite polarizer is placed on the incident side of one imaging device, and

wherein said first polarized light component and said second polarized light component are orthogonal to each other.

3. An imaging system for an endoscope, comprising:

a scope unit including an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region; and

a TV camera unit,

wherein said TV camera unit has a first mount portion for operably connecting said TV camera, in an alternative manner, to;

(a) a stereoscopic scope unit, having a second mount portion, used for three-dimensional observation that has an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region and that emits a plurality of light beams for stereoscopic observation, and (b) a two-dimensional scope unit, having a third mount portion, used for two-dimensional observation that has an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region and that emits a single light beam, said first mount portion being operably connectable to said second and third mount portions for permitting said TV camera to operate with said stereoscopic scope unit and said two-dimensional scope unit,

said TV camera unit includes a single image formation optical system, a means for splitting an aperture stop of said image formation optical system, and an imaging means for photoelectrically transforming images formed by said image formation optical system;

said means for splitting an aperture stop transmits a first polarized light component of light entering one of two areas constituting said aperture stop of said image formation optical system, and transmits a second polarized light component, which is different from said first polarized light component, of light entering the other area; and

said imaging means picks up light beams transmitted through said two areas,

wherein said first polarized light component and said second polarized light are arranged in the vicinity of the aperture stops in said scope unit.

4. An imaging system for an endoscope comprising:

a scope unit including at least one objective optical system located in an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region and at least one conveying optical system for conveying an object image;

a TV camera unit including;

one image formation optical system for imaging a light beam emitted from said scope unit, and

an imaging means for picking up images passing through said image formation optical system; and

an image disuniting means for disuniting a plurality of images, said image disuniting means including an image shutter element arranged in said TV camera unit;

characterized in that

said scope unit and TV camera unit are freely detachable to each other;

said image disuniting means further comprises a diaphragm located in said scope unit or TV camera unit, said diaphragm having a plurality of apertures or a plurality of aperture stops;

wherein said image shutter element

in a first mode of operation for stereoscopic imaging is disuniting images passed through said diaphragm on a temporal basis, and

in a second mode of operation is set in a full-surface transparent state, a partly-transparent state or a partly interceptive state.

5. Imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said scope unit and said TV camera unit are freely attachable to each other by engaging a scope joint formed in said TV camera unit with an outer section of said diaphragm located on said scope unit.

6. Imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said image disuniting means is a means for disuniting images on the basis of polarization.

7. Imaging system according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of scope units which are attachable to said TV camera unit are mutually different in terms of at least one of an angle of field, a diameter of an aperture stop, a spacing between aperture stops, and a type of stereoscopic endoscope optical system.

8. Imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said shutter element is a liquid-crystal shutter.

9. Imaging system according to claim 8, wherein said liquid-crystal shutter is a field-effect liquid-crystal shutter.

10. Imaging system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said shutter element further provides the capability of said diaphragm.

11. Imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said image formation optical system in said TV camera unit is a zoom lens.

12. Imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said shutter element is a means having the ability to change a spectral characteristic such as laser beam cut off ability, infrared cutoff ability or color correction ability.

13. Imaging system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said scope unit and TV camera unit are turnable relative to each other with the longitudinal directions thereof as axes.

14. Imaging system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein coupling sections of scope units freely attachable to said TV camera unit have the same shape.

15. Use of a single TV camera unit for either a stereo endoscopic application or a normal endoscopic observation application (2-Dim),

said TV camera unit is freely detachable to a plurality of scope units, each scope unit including at least one objective optical system located in an elongated insertion unit insertable in a narrow region and at least one conveying optical system for conveying an object image;

and said camera unit including;

an image formation optical system for imaging a light beam emitted from said attached scope unit,

an imaging means for picking up images passing through said image formation optical system, and

an image shutter element;

wherein in said stereo endoscopic application said scope unit comprises a diaphragm having a plurality of apertures or a plurality of aperture stops or said TV camera unit comprises a diaphragm having a plurality of apertures, wherein said image shutter element is disuniting images passed through said diaphragm on a temporal basis, and

wherein in said normal operation application said image shutter element is set in a full-surface transparent state, a partly-transparent state or a partly-interceptive state.