JPS6232243Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a connector for an endoscope light guide for optically connecting the incident side end of the light guide of the endoscope to a light source device.

Conventionally, in endoscope light guide connectors, the light guide is guided and fixed in a guide tube protruding from the connector body, and the entrance end surface of the light guide is used to attach the connector to the socket of an endoscope light source device. When the lens is moved, it is positioned near the focal point of the light source. By the way, the above-mentioned light guide is made up of a large number of thin optical fiber elements tightly bundled together and hardened with an adhesive.

However, it has been found that such a conventional format has various disadvantages as described below. 1st
In this method, many thin optical fiber elements are glued together, but air bubbles actually form between them. Since the bubbles and the adhesive are directly exposed to the focused light from the light source, the incident end face is burned out by the heat generated when the light is focused. Second, in order to adjust the amount of light that enters the light guide, a diaphragm is provided on the light source device side that changes the aperture, but this diaphragm prevents the light from hitting the incident end surface of the light guide uniformly as a whole. Rather, focus on one part. As a result, only a portion of the incident end face is heated and easily burnt out. Thirdly, as mentioned above, when bonding each optical fiber element with an adhesive, a certain amount of minute gaps inevitably occur. If the connector part gets wet, there is a drawback that water or the like can enter the connector through the gap due to capillary action. Fourth, the above-mentioned adhesive has the disadvantage that a special and expensive adhesive must be selected in consideration of heat resistance.

Therefore, a method has been considered (unknown technique) in which the light from the light source is not directly applied to the incident end face of the light guide, but is applied indirectly through a rod-shaped single optical fiber body consisting of a core and a cladding. If the light from the light source is made to enter through this rod-shaped single optical fiber body, each of the above-mentioned disadvantages will be solved.

However, the light guide is easily damaged, and in order to easily replace it with a new one when it is damaged, the light guide must be structured so that it can be taken out independently. Therefore, the entrance end of the light guide must be removably attached within the guide tube. Moreover, the optical axis must be aligned with the optical axis of the single optical fiber body.

Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to center the single optical fiber and the light guide in a device that indirectly makes the light from the light source enter the incident end face of the light guide through the rod-shaped single optical fiber. To provide a connector for a light guide of an endoscope, which can be easily and reliably carried out with a simple structure, and has a structure in which the light guide can be easily replaced alone.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an endoscope 1. FIG. This endoscope 1 includes an insertion section 2, an operation section 3, and a light guide cable 4. The light guide cable 4 is connected to a light source device 5 for an endoscope as described later. An observation window 6 and an illumination window 7 are provided at the distal end of the insertion section 2, and the distal end of an image guide fiber 9 is optically connected to the observation window 6 via an objective lens 8. The image guide fiber 9 is inserted through the insertion section 2 and the operating section 3, and the base end of the image guide fiber 9 is optically connected to the eyepiece lens 12 of the eyepiece section 11. Further, one end of a light guide 13 is installed in the illumination window 7, and the other end of this light guide 13 is arranged inside each of the insertion section 2, the operation section 3, and the light guide cable 4. This light guide 13 has reached a light guide connector 14. The light guide connector 14 is configured to be detachably attached to a socket 15 of the endoscope light source device 5. The light source device 5 for an endoscope has a light source 16 for illumination and a condensing lens 17 for condensing this light, and is adapted to send the light to the light guide 13 side. Further, a shutter (not shown) is provided in the middle of this optical path, so that the amount of light sent to the light guide 13 side can be adjusted.

On the other hand, the light guide connector 14 is connected to the second light guide connector 14.
It is configured as shown in the figure. That is, the connector 14 has a cylindrical connector body 18, and one end of the connector body 18 is connected to the tip of the light guide cable 4 via a joint 19. The tip of the connector body 18 constitutes an engaging part 18a that is fitted into the socket 15 of the light source device 5, and a ring-shaped elastic packing 20 is attached around this engaging part 18a. . Furthermore, a water supply port 21, a suction port 22, a high-frequency ground connection terminal 23, and an air supply port 10 for water leakage testing are provided on the side peripheral surface of the connector body 18, and an air supply port 10 is provided on the distal end surface of the connector body 18. A nozzle 24 and a guide tube 25, which will be described later, are provided in a protruding manner. The guide tube 25 connects the light source 1 when the connector 14 is attached to the socket 15 of the light source device 5.
It protrudes toward the 6 side and faces the light source 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the guide tube 25 has the aforementioned light guide 1 in its hollow interior.
The entrance side tip portion of No. 3 is introduced, and the tip portion is inserted and fixed into the cylindrical first holding frame 26. In this way, the first holding frame 26 supporting the light guide 13 is loosely inserted into the guide tube 25, and can be pulled out from the guide tube 25 together with the light guide 13 toward the operating section 3. There is. Furthermore, the first holding frame 26
A male thread 27 is formed on the outer periphery of the tip.
An annular stopper 28 is screwed onto this male thread 27. This stopper 28 has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the guide tube 25, and is adapted to abut against the distal end surface of the guide tube 25 to position it in the axial direction. Further, a cylindrical centering protrusion 29 is integrally formed at the tip of the first holding frame 26 and concentrically with the first holding frame 26 . The inner diameter of this protruding portion 29 is equal to the inner diameter of the first holding frame 26, and the tip portion of the light guide 13 reaches the inside thereof. Further, the outer diameter of the protrusion 29 is smaller than the outer diameter of the external thread 27, and a rising end surface 31 is formed therebetween. Also,
A second holding frame 33 that holds a rod-shaped single optical fiber body (single fiber) 32 in a fixed manner is detachably attached to the protruding end of the guide tube 25 by being screwed into the second holding frame 33. There is. That is, threaded portions 34 are formed on the outer periphery of the distal end of the guide tube 25 and the inner periphery of the second holding frame 33 that is fitted onto the outer periphery. Furthermore, the second
An annular groove 36 is provided on the outer periphery of the guide tube 25 into which the holding frame 33 is fitted, into which a ring-shaped packing 35 is fitted. The guide tube 25 and the second
The holding frame 33 is watertightly connected by its packing 35. The single optical fiber body 32 held by the second holding frame 33 is composed of a core and a cladding, and is formed into a single rod shape as a whole. This single optical fiber body 32 is attached and fixed to the second holding frame 33 in a watertight manner using an adhesive or the like. Furthermore, a relief hole 37 for positioning the stopper 28 is formed inside the second holding frame 33 on the connection proximal end side, and a relief hole 37 is formed between the relief hole 37 and the single optical fiber body 32. A hole-shaped centering fitting part 38 into which the centering protrusion 29 is tightly fitted is formed between them. The central axis of this centering fitting part 38 is the single optical fiber body 32.
It is formed so that it coincides with the optical axis of the Also,
The end face 39 of the step between the escape hole 37 and the centering fitting part 38 corresponds to the rising end face 31 of the first holding frame 26, and the first holding frame 2
6 in the axial direction. On the other hand, the single optical fiber body 32 guides the light from the light source 16 that enters from the incident end surface 41 consisting of the outer end surface while reflecting it at the boundary between the core and the cladding, and sends it to the incident end surface 42 of the light guide 13. be. That is, the length in the axial direction is selected in accordance with the diameter so that most of the light from the light source 16 that enters from the entrance end surface 41 is not reflected inside and does not pass through as it is.

When the light guide connector 14 is inserted into the socket 15 of the light source device 5, the guide tube 25 projects toward the light source 16. The entrance end surface 41 of the single optical fiber body 32 held by the second holding frame 33 is located near the focal point of the condenser lens 17. Therefore, the light from the light source 16 that has been focused by the condenser lens 17 first enters the single optical fiber body 32 from its entrance end face 41 and is guided to the light guide 13 side. At this time, the single optical fiber body 3
Since the light is reflected and guided several times within the light guide 13, when it enters the incident end face 42 of the light guide 13, it enters with a uniform distribution of light quantity over the entire surface. Therefore, even if light partially enters the entrance end face 41 of the single optical fiber body 32 due to the influence of shutter, etc., the light does not enter the light guide 13 unevenly, but is uniformly dispersed and enters the light guide 13. . Therefore, burnout of the light guide 13 can be prevented as much as possible.

Next, the light guide 13 in the endoscope 1
This section explains how to replace the old one with a new one.
First, the second
The holding frame 33 is removed from the guide tube 25. Second
After removing the first holding frame 33, remove the first holding frame 2.
Remove the stopper 28 from 6. Therefore, the external thread 27 of the first holding frame 26 is screwed into one end of an elongated auxiliary member that can be inserted into the light guide cable 4 and is, for example, the same as the outer diameter of the first holding frame 26 for connection. Then, when the light guide cable 4 is removed from the operation section 3 and the light guide 13 is pulled out from inside the light guide cable 4 toward the operation section 3 side, the auxiliary member is pulled by the light guide 13 and pulled into the light guide cable 4. It will be done. After pulling out the light guide 13 from inside the light guide cable 4, an auxiliary member remains in its place, and a new light guide 1 is placed inside the light guide cable 4.
Secure space for reinserting 3.

Therefore, the light guide 13 pulled out from the light guide cable 4 is removed from the auxiliary member, and then the light guide 13 is also removed from the insertion section 2 and the operation section 3 of the endoscope 1.

Then, after placing the new light guide 13 into the insertion section 2 and operation section 3 of the endoscope 1,
One end of the auxiliary member is attached to the first holding frame 26, and the auxiliary member is attached to the light guide connector 14.
When pulled out from the side, the light guide 13 follows the auxiliary member and is smoothly inserted through the remaining space. Therefore, even if the light guide 13 itself has flexibility, it can be easily inserted, and the light guide 13 can be inserted safely without being damaged by excessive external force. In addition,
After the insertion is completed, the stopper 28 and the second holding frame 33 are sequentially attached to return to the state shown in FIG. 3.

By the way, in the assembled state of the connector 14, the protruding part 29 of the first holding frame 26 is fitted into the centering fitting part 38 of the second holding frame 33,
The central axes of both the holding frames 26 and 33 are made to coincide with each other. Therefore, a single optical fiber body 32
The light guided by the light guide 13 can be made to enter the incident end surface 42 of the light guide 13 without waste. Further, positioning in the optical axis direction is achieved by the stopper 28 hitting the tip end surface of the guide tube 25 and the rising end surface 31 of the first holding frame 26 hitting the end surface 39 of the second holding frame 33. Both before and after are done.

In the above embodiment, the centering protrusion 39 was provided on the first holding frame 26, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the centering protrusion 39 may be provided on the second holding frame 33 side. You can.

As explained above, the present invention provides a centering protrusion on either the first holding frame that holds the light guide or the second holding frame that holds the single optical fiber body for light guiding. By fitting this protrusion into the other frame, the two supporting frames are aligned with each other. Therefore, in a device using a single optical fiber body for light guiding, the center of the single optical fiber body can be accurately aligned with the light guide. Therefore, the light guided using a single optical fiber body can be efficiently transmitted to the light guide. Further, since the first holding frame is provided with a removable stopper, the light guide can be easily replaced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the endoscope, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the light guide connector, and Fig. 3 is a diagram of the guide tube portion of the connector. FIG. 1... Endoscope, 4... Light guide cable, 13
...Light guide, 14...Light guide connector, 18...Connector body, 25...Guide tube, 26
...first holding frame, 28...stopper, 29...protrusion,
32...Single optical fiber body, 33...Second holding frame, 3
8... Fitting part for centering.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An endoscope light guide connector for optically connecting a light guide to an endoscope light source device includes a connector body, a connector body that protrudes from the connector body, into which the entrance side tip of the light guide is inserted. a first holding frame that supports the entrance side tip of the light guide within the guide tube; a stopper that causes a part of the distal end side of the first holding frame to protrude from the distal end surface of the guide tube; and a stopper that is attached to the distal end of the guide tube and reflects light from the light source internally, while reflecting the light from the light source at the incident distal end surface of the light guide. a second holding frame that fixedly holds the single optical fiber body leading to the side, a fitting part provided on one of these holding frames, and a fitting part provided on the other holding frame, and the fitting part and A connector for a light guide of an endoscope, comprising a protrusion that fits together to center both holding frames.