JPH0317892Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] This invention is a device for measuring and displaying the laser power of each channel when the output from one laser oscillator is divided into multiple channels. In particular, it relates to the display of laser power output for each channel of a multi-channel output type laser treatment apparatus.

[Prior art] Medical laser devices have become popular in recent years.
For example, attempts have been made to use low-power laser beam energy in place of conventional needle therapy (acupuncture). In such a treatment device, the output from a single laser oscillator is usually divided into multi-channel laser beams, which are guided to a plurality of probes to stimulate so-called acupuncture points scattered throughout the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the power of the laser beam divided and guided to each probe, and to control the amount of optical energy stimulation for each probe.

Conventionally, the following methods have been used to measure and display laser power.

Before use, measure and display the power at the laser output end (probe tip) with a power meter.
Do not measure power while in use.

Total reflection mirror of laser oscillator (100% reflection mirror)
The leakage light is measured and processed to calculate the power and display it.

Measures the excitation current of the excitation lamp, performs arithmetic processing, calculates the power, and displays it.

The laser power and excitation current are measured and stored in advance, and thereafter the excitation current is measured, arithmetic processed, and the laser power is determined and displayed.

[Problem to be solved]

Among the above methods of measuring and displaying laser power,
The problem with this method is that the laser power is not actually measured during use, and the displayed output value is only a guide. Furthermore, the methods of ~ are only practical for single laser output types. This is because when using a multi-channel (n-channel) laser output, it is necessary to display the laser power output for each channel, but the measurement data can be obtained using the method described above and divided evenly into 1. /n is displayed, there is a possibility that the error between the displayed value and the actual irradiation value becomes quite large due to variations in the reflectance of the laser beam splitting mirror and variations in the attenuation filter. Furthermore, the above-mentioned attenuation filter is usually inserted into the optical path that guides the laser power to the probe, but it is quite complicated to calculate the relationship between the attenuation rate of the attenuation filter and the laser power actually emitted from the probe. There is a problem with becoming.

This invention solves the above problems and measures the laser power of each of the channels divided into multiple channels, and also measures the laser power actually emitted from the probe at all times, albeit indirectly, to determine the actual output. The object of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel output laser power measurement/display device that can always display a value close to .

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a plurality of shutters each having a total reflection mirror are provided in each optical path of the divided laser beam, and each of the shutters reflected by the total reflection mirror of the shutter is The power of the divided laser beams is measured by a plurality of first power meters, and the surface reflected light of the condenser lens disposed in each optical path of the divided laser beams is measured by a second power meter, and the power of the divided laser beams is measured by a second power meter. and the outputs of the second power meter are displayed on a power display.

[Effect]

As mentioned above, the device of this invention measures the power of each divided laser beam. In addition to displaying the information, the output power is indirectly measured and displayed using the light reflected from the surface of the condensing lens that actually guides the light to the probe when the shutter is opened.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the main parts of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. To simplify the explanation, this embodiment shows a case of a medical laser device using a three-channel laser beam. In the figure, 1 is a laser oscillator that generates the main laser beam, and here a YAG laser (λ≈1.06 μm) is used.
2 is a main laser beam, and 3 is a main shutter disposed within the optical path of the main laser beam.

4 is a modulation means for applying pulse modulation to the laser beam, and the optical chopper is rotationally driven by a pulse motor. 5 and 6 are semi-transmitting mirrors, and 7 is a total reflecting mirror, both of which are provided as means for dividing the main laser beam 2 into three parts.
Reference numerals 8, 9, and 10 indicate laser beams divided into three parts, which will be hereinafter referred to as CH ₁ , CH ₂ , and CH ₃ . 11, 12, 13 are CH ₁ , CH ₂ , respectively
A neutral density filter (output adjustment means) for adjusting the energy of CH _3. It is rotated and positioned by a servo motor. 14, 15, 16 are CH ₁ , respectively
A shutter that selectively blocks the optical path of CH ₂ and CH ₃ , and is equipped with a total reflection mirror on its surface.

Reference numerals 17, 18, and 19 are first power meters, respectively, and when the shutters 14, 15, and 16 are closed, the CH ₁ , CH ₂ , and
Measure the power of CH ₃ . 20, 21 and 22 are condenser lenses for CH ₁ , CH ₂ and CH ₃ , respectively; 23, 2
4 and 25 are light guiding means (for example, optical fiber);
Reference numerals 26, 27, and 28 are probes for emitting CH ₁ , CH ₂ , and CH ₃ provided at the tip of the light guiding means, respectively. Second power meters 29, 30, and 31 measure the light reflected from the surfaces of the condenser lenses 20, 21, and 22, respectively. 32, 33, and 34 are power indicators, respectively, and the first and second power meters 17,
The outputs of 29, 18, 30, and 19, 31 are displayed.

Note that 35 is a laser oscillator that generates a aiming laser beam, and here a He-Ne laser is used to generate low-power visible light. Laser oscillator 3
The output of 5 is the semi-transmissive mirror 36, 37 and the total reflective mirror 38.
The three-divided aiming laser beam is reflected by the total reflection mirror on the back side of the shutters 14, 15, 16, and then passes through the condenser lenses 20, 21, 22.
The light is emitted from the probes 26, 27, 28 via the light guiding means 23, 24, 25.

A main power meter 39 is attached to measure the power at the output ends of the probes 26, 27, and 28.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the circuit configuration and operation of the device of the present invention. In the figures, the same reference numerals as those mentioned above indicate the same parts.

Note that this invention is not a device related to the laser treatment device itself, so a description of the treatment device will be omitted. Please refer to the official bulletin of the device, etc. However, as related to the explanation of the present invention, each of the probes 26, 27, and 28 shown in FIG. The shutters 14, 15, and 16 of each channel should be opened by the probe signal So, and the shutters 14, 15, and 16 of each channel should be opened by foot switch signals S ₁ , S ₂ , and S ₃ that are generated when a foot switch (not shown) provided for each probe is depressed. Furthermore, the modulation means 4 provided in the device of the present invention should be capable of imparting pulse modulation to the laser beam, and the laser oscillator (YAG laser) 1 should be capable of opening by the current of an excitation lamp (not shown). Alternatively, the output can be varied by controlling the voltage, and the attenuation filters 11, 12, 13 for adjusting the energy of each channel are composed of, for example, variable density filters or semi-transmissive mirrors, and the output can be varied from 0 to 100%. Please be aware in advance that the light can be dimmed steplessly between the two.

The operation will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, the main shutter 3 and each shutter 14, 1
5 and 16 are closed, a laser oscillator 35 that generates aiming laser light is operated to aim at the affected area (acupoint). When one of the probes 26, 27, 28 of the three channels is pressed against the affected area (acupoint), a probe signal So is generated, the main shutter 3 is opened, and a laser beam is guided. If the modulation mode is set at this time, the modulation mode will be temporarily canceled (the pulse motor will stop rotating),
Here, use the power adjustment knob (not shown) to adjust the neutral density filter 1 so that the desired laser power is obtained.
1, 12, and 13 are varied and set.

The guided laser beams CH ₁ , CH ₂ , CH ₃ are reflected by the total reflection mirrors on the surfaces of the shutters 14 , 15 , 16 and are transmitted to the first power meters 17 and 17 of each channel.
Enter 18 and 19. The output measured here is A/
The D converters 40, 41, and 42 perform A/D conversion, and the power indicators 32, 33, and 34 display the power.

Next, when you step on the foot switch, the shutter 14,1
5, 16 open and the first power meter 17, 1
The laser beams 8 and 19 are cut off, and the reflected light from the surfaces of the condenser lenses 20, 21, 22 is instantaneously guided to the second power meters 29, 30, 31. At this time, the power meters connected to the A/D converters 40, 41, 42 are switched to the second power meters 29, 30, 31 by the switches 43, 44, 45. At the time of switching, the data before switching is held and displayed on the power indicators 32, 33, 34, and after switching, the data is held on the second power meters 29, 3.
Measured values of 0 and 31 are displayed.

When set to modulation mode, the modulation mode signal
Spm is given to the modulation mode control circuit 46 and sent to the modulation means 4 via the pulse motor drive control circuit 47.
The pulse motor is driven. At this time, the switching devices 43, 44, 45 do not perform switching operations, and the latch circuits 48, 49, 50 change the measured values of the first power meters 17, 18, 19 to the power display 3.
2, 33, and 34 remain displayed. The modulation mode is canceled by the output of an AND circuit 51 that ANDs the modulation mode cancellation signal Spmo and the foot switch signals S ₁ , S ₂ , and S ₃ . Note that the first and second power meters 17, 18, 19 and 29,
The probes 30 and 31 are calibrated in advance so as to output values corresponding to the actual power measurements at the output ends of the probes 26, 27, and 28.

In the manner described above, the actual laser power or the laser power that is very close to the actual laser power is displayed. Note that the laser power from the emission ends of the probes 26, 27, and 28 can be confirmed by a main power meter 39 using a test signal St in a test mode.

〔effect〕

As explained above, the device of the present invention is equipped with two power meters per channel, and the actual power can be confirmed without emitting laser light from the probe. Furthermore, even while the laser beam is being emitted from the probe, the laser power can be displayed close to the actual laser power. In the modulation mode, the first power meter measures and stores the data, and the stored data is displayed, so that stable power display is possible even in the modulation mode.

Furthermore, by attaching a main power meter, it is possible to actually measure the laser power at the probe output end.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the main part configuration of the device of the present invention, Figure 2
The figure is a block diagram showing the circuit structure of the device of the present invention. 1...Laser oscillator, 3...Main shutter, 4...
Modulation means, 5, 6... Semi-transmissive mirror, 7... Totally reflective mirror, 1
4, 15, 16...shutter, 17, 18, 19...
First power meter, 20, 21, 22... Condensing lens, 26, 27, 28... Probe, 29, 3
0, 31...Second power meter, 32, 33, 3
4...Power indicator, 35...Laser oscillator, 39...
Main power meter.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A laser oscillator, a means for dividing a laser beam generated by the laser oscillator into a plurality of channels, and a means for condensing each of the divided laser beams to emit a plurality of channels. A laser power meter side/display device in a multi-channel output laser device equipped with a means for guiding light to a probe, the shutter having a reflecting mirror provided in each optical path of the divided laser beam, and a shutter of the shutter. a plurality of first power meters that measure the power of the divided laser beams reflected by each of the reflecting mirrors; a plurality of condensing lenses disposed in each optical path of the divided laser beams; It is characterized by comprising a plurality of second power meters that measure the light reflected from each surface of the condenser lens, and a power display that displays the output of each of the first and second power meters. A power measurement and display device for multi-channel output lasers.