JP3431288B2 - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope device in which an endoscope is connectably provided to an essential device such as a light source device or a video processor, which is indispensable for using the endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A light source device for an endoscope is necessary for supplying illumination light to an illumination light guide, and is an essential device for using the endoscope. When the endoscope is a so-called electronic endoscope in which an observation image is converted into an electric signal by a solid-state image sensor and then transmitted, a video processor or the like for processing a video signal sent from the solid-state image sensor is also essential. Device.

Since such a light source device, a video processor and the like are expensive themselves and become large as a device, one device can be used for many endoscopes. The endoscope can be connected freely.

[0004]

The endoscope is a device with a relatively high degree of wear, and due to the peculiarity of being inserted into the human body, it is completely inspected and maintained after every 100 hours of use, for example. Need to do.

However, as described above, since the endoscope is used by replacing a large number of endoscopes with respect to one light source device, a video processor, etc., the use time of each endoscope is the light source. It is not possible to add up with the device or video processor.

Therefore, it is not possible to know how many hours each endoscope has been used from the first use or after the previous inspection and maintenance, and the endoscope continues to be used while the important parts are exhausted, causing a major failure. Or cause an accident.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope apparatus capable of knowing the cumulative usage time of each endoscope.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the endoscope apparatus of the present invention is provided with an endoscope connectable to an indispensable apparatus indispensable for using the endoscope. In the endoscopic device, the endoscope is connected to the essential device and is provided with accumulating means for accumulating the use time in the use state, and the integrating means is provided in the endoscope or the essential device, and is integrated by the integrating means. It is characterized in that integrated use time storage means for storing time is provided in the endoscope or the essential device.

The integrating means may perform an integrating operation at regular time intervals, or an endoscope for identifying an individual endoscope connected to the essential device. The identification means and the temporary storage means for temporarily storing the use time during one connection together with the endoscope identification result are provided in the essential device, and when the endoscope is connected to the essential device, the endoscope at that time is provided. The data in the temporary storage means of the endoscope that matches the identification result may be added to the integrated use time storage means.

Further, integrated use time display means for reading out and displaying the integrated use time stored in the integrated use time storage means may be provided in the essential device or the endoscope. The accumulated use time stored in the means may be compared with a predetermined value, and when the accumulated use time exceeds the predetermined value, a use time expiration display means may be provided to display that fact or sound an alarm.

It is also possible to read out the accumulated use time of a plurality of endoscopes from the accumulated use time storage means provided in the above-mentioned essential device and display them on a monitor as a list.

[0012]

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
1 schematically shows the overall configuration of the endoscope device, and the endoscope 10 is
An operation section 14 provided with various operation devices is connected to the base end side of a flexible insertion section 11 having an objective optical system 12 and a solid-state imaging device 13 built in at the tip 11a, and a flexible connection pipe 1
A connector 16 provided at the tip of the device 5 is detachably connected to the video processor / light source device 20.

A light guide fiber bundle (not shown) for transmitting illumination light for illuminating an object, a signal cable 17 for transmitting a video signal from the solid-state image pickup device 13, and the like are inserted into the connecting tube 15. It reaches the connector 16. In the connector 16, for example, EEPR
A storage element 19 composed of an OM (rewritable read-only memory) is built in.

In the video processor / light source device 20,
A light source unit 22 for supplying illumination light to the light guide fiber bundle, a video signal processing unit 21 for processing a video signal sent from the solid-state imaging device 13, and a microcomputer for performing various control processes are used. The control unit 30 (hereinafter referred to as "microcomputer control unit") and the like are provided.

Therefore, in order to use the endoscope 10, the connector 16 must be connected to the video processor / light source device 20.
Since the endoscope 10 needs to be placed in a disinfecting device or the like for cleaning and disinfection after use, the connector 16 has a video processor / light source device 2 for each use.
Removed from 0.

Reference numeral 50 is a monitor which reproduces the image signal sent from the solid-state image pickup device 13 as a visible image. The endoscopic device is additionally provided with air supply, water supply, a suction device, etc., but they are not shown.

FIG. 2 is provided in the video processor / light source device 20 for controlling the brightness of the light source lamp 22a, adjusting the image projected on the monitor 50, and controlling the imprinting of the date and time on the screen. The microcomputer control unit 30 and its surroundings are shown.

Central processing unit (CP) for performing arithmetic processing
U) 31, a system bus 32 connected to a read-only memory (ROM) 33 storing programs and the like,
A random access memory (RAM) 34, a real time clock (RTC) 35, etc. are connected.

A CR connected to the system bus 32
Through the T controller (CRTC) 37, the display character data stored in the video random access memory (video RAM) 36 and the image data output from the video signal processing unit 21 are combined and output to the monitor 50. .

The panel switch 23 of the video processor / light source device 20, the lamp control circuit 22b for controlling the light source lamp 22a, and the external keyboard 24 are connected via input / output ports 40, 38 and 39, respectively. 41 is a programmable interrupt controller (P
IC), 42 is a programmable interval timer (PIT).

By connecting the connector 16 to the input / output port 43 to which the connector 16 of the endoscope 10 is connected, the storage element 19 in the endoscope 10 is connected, and data is transmitted / received serially.

The switch 45 connected to the input / output port 43 is pushed by connecting the connector 16 to the video processor / light source device 20, and the corresponding terminal becomes low level. Thereby, the connection of the endoscope 10 is detected. Reference numeral 46 is a warning buzzer.

Data indicating the type of the endoscope is stored in advance in the storage element 19 built in the connector 16 of the endoscope 10, and the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20. The accumulated time during which the light source lamp 22a is turned on, that is, the accumulated time during which the endoscope 10 is used is stored. Then, it is displayed on the monitor 50, and when the accumulated use time reaches the reference time, the alarm buzzer 46 is sounded. The operation and control will be described below.

FIG. 3 shows the ROM 33 of the microcomputer controller 30.
It is a flowchart which shows the content of the main program stored in. S indicates a processing step. It should be noted that u1 and u3 are variables for the purpose of programming, and u1 indicates that the connector 16 of the endoscope 10 is the video processor / light source device 2.
Whether or not it is connected to 0 (u1 = 1 is connected, u1 =
0 indicates no connection), u3 indicates whether or not the usage time of the endoscope exceeds the reference time (u3 = 1 indicates display,
u3 = 0 indicates no display).

Here, initial setting such as u1 = 0 (S1)
After that, first, the endoscope-related processing (S2) is performed. The contents will be described later in detail with reference to FIG. After the endoscope-related processing (S2), the lamp control circuit 22b-related processing (S3) is performed, and then the processing (S4) set by the panel switch 23 is performed.

When the panel switch process (S4) is completed,
After the input process from the keyboard 24 (S5), the process of displaying the date and time, etc. (S6) and the other process (S7), the endoscope-related process (S2) is repeated.

4 and 5 are flow charts showing a first embodiment of the contents of the endoscope-related processing of S2. here,
First, the state of the input / output port 43 to which the connector 16 of the endoscope 10 is connected is input (S11). And the variable u1
Is determined to be 0 (S12).

When u1 = 0 in S12, that is, when the connector 16 is not connected to the video processor / light source device 20 immediately after or before the initial setting, the connection input terminal of the input port 43 is at high level. Whether the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 is determined depending on whether the connector 16 is present or at low level (S13). If the connector 16 is not connected, the endoscope-related processing of S2 is ended and the lamp-related processing of S3 is performed.

When the connector 16 is connected in S13, the variable u1 is set to u1 = 1 (S14), and the counter of the interval timer (PIT) 42 is set (S1).
5), reset the interrupt mask of the interrupt controller (PIC) 41 to enable the interrupt (S1
6).

Interrupt processing is performed by the PIC 41 and PIT 42.
By the program shown in the flow chart of FIG. 6 every 7 minutes and 30 seconds. First of all,
Just in case, just like in S13, the connector 1 of the endoscope
It is determined whether or not 6 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 (S31). This step is just in case, you can omit it.

If the connector 16 is not connected,
If nothing is done, the interrupt process is terminated, and if the connector 16 is connected, it is checked whether the light source lamp 22a is on (S32). If not, the interrupt process is terminated.

When the light source lamp 22a is turned on in S32, the endoscope 10 is in use, so the accumulated use time stored therein is read from the storage element 19 of the endoscope 10 (S33). Then, "1" is added to the data (S34), and the added new data is written in the storage element 19 in the endoscope 10 (S35). In this way
In the memory element 19, the use of the endoscope for 7 minutes 30 seconds is "+".
1 ”(1 is added), and the accumulated usage time is stored.

Returning to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, if the interruption is enabled in S16, the kind of the endoscope 10 in use and the accumulated use time are immediately read from the storage element 19 of the endoscope 10 (S17). .

Then, the variable u is changed according to the type of the endoscope 10.
3 is set (S18 to S24). The setting of the variable u3 is performed by the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, and it is first checked whether or not the accumulated use time is equal to or longer than the reference time (S41).

The reference time differs depending on the type of endoscope, and the type of endoscope is determined in S18 to S20, that is, whether it is for the upper digestive tract, for the large intestine, for the bronchus or not. Different reference times are given depending on whether or not they are special ones.

If the accumulated use time has not reached the reference time, the variable u3 is set to u3 = 0 (S42), and if the accumulated use time has reached the reference time, u3 = 1 (S42).
43).

Returning to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 again, after setting the variable u3 (S21 to S24), it is determined whether u3 = 1 (S25). If u3 = 1, the lamp-related processing of S3 is performed. Move. When u3 = 1, as shown in FIG. 8, a process of displaying that the endoscope 10 has been overused on the screen of the monitor 50 (S26) and simultaneously sounding the alarm buzzer 46 for, for example, 5 seconds is performed. After that, the process proceeds to the lamp-related process of S3.

In this way, the accumulated use time of the endoscope 10 is compared with the reference time corresponding to the type of the endoscope,
When the reference time is exceeded, it is displayed on the monitor 50 and the alarm buzzer 46 sounds (S27).

When u1 = 0 is not satisfied in S12, that is, when the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 in the previous check, not immediately after the initial setting, the connector 16 is connected to the video in the same manner as S13. It is checked whether or not it is connected to the processor / light source device 20 (S28).

If the connector 16 is still connected, the process directly proceeds to the lamp-related processing of S3. If the connector 16 is not connected, u1 = 0 is set (S2
9), further interrupt processing is prohibited (S30), S3
Move to the lamp related processing.

In this embodiment, the endoscope 1 in use
Although the accumulated use time of 0 can be displayed on the monitor 50, the display can be switched on / off by, for example, the keyboard 2
No. 4 function key (not shown) F8.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the contents of a program for turning on / off the display of the usage time in the keyboard processing of S5. First, it is checked whether or not there is any key on the keyboard 24 (S51).
If not, the keyboard processing of S5 is finished,
The process proceeds to the date / time related process in S6.

If any of the keys on the keyboard is turned on, it is checked whether or not it is the F8 key (S52). If it is not the F8 key, the process corresponding to the turned on key is performed ( S53), and then the date / time-related processing of S6.

If the F8 key is turned on, it is checked whether or not the operating time is already displayed on the monitor 50 at that time (S54), and if it is displayed, it is erased (S58). , S6, and the date / time related processing.

When the usage time is not displayed on the monitor 50, the integrated usage time data is read from the storage element 19 of the endoscope 10 (S55), and the data is converted into time (S56). Display it on the monitor 50 (S5
7) Then, the process proceeds to the date / time related process of S6.

In the conversion in S56, since the interrupt processing for incrementing the use time data by +1 (adding 1) is performed once every 7.5 minutes (that is, eight times an hour), if the use time data is n, The actual use time is calculated as n / 8 [hours].

Next, a second embodiment of the endoscope-related processing of S2 will be described. In this embodiment, a different endoscope number for each endoscope 10 is stored in advance in the storage element 19 in the endoscope 10. Endoscope usage time is
The count value of the timer (RTC) 35 is stored as it is.

On the other hand, in the video processor / light source device 20, as shown in FIG. 10, a storage area for writing the number of the connected endoscope 10 and its one-time use as a pair. Is in the RAM 34, and its data is held by a battery or the like. It should be noted that in this embodiment, since interrupt processing is not performed in order to integrate the usage time, P
IC41 and PIT42 are not required.

U1 and u5 are used as variables for case classification of the program, and u1 is the same as that in the first embodiment. u5 is u5 = 1 when the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 and the light source lamp 22a is on, and u5 = 0 otherwise.
And

11 to 14 are flow charts showing the program of the endoscope-related processing (S2) in the second embodiment. The other contents of the main program are the same as those in the first embodiment.

First, in S61 to S63,
The same processing as S11 to S13 of the first embodiment is performed.
When the connector 16 is not connected to the video processor / light source device in S63, the process directly proceeds to the lamp-related process in S3.

When the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 in S63, the variable u1 is set to u1 = 1 (S64), and the endoscope number in the storage area of the RAM 34 is searched (S65). , The endoscope number of the endoscope 10 connected at that time is read from the storage element 19 and compared (S66).

When the endoscope number of the endoscope 10 in use is in the storage area of the RAM 34, the use time of the endoscope of that number stored in the RAM 34 (use time for one previous use). Is added to the accumulated usage time data of the storage element 19 in the endoscope 10, and the usage time stored in the RAM 34 is returned to zero (S67). In addition, the endoscope 1 in use
When the endoscope number 0 is not in the storage area of the RAM 34,
The endoscope number is newly written in the empty area of the RAM 34 (S68).

Next, it is checked whether or not the light source lamp 22a is on (S69). If it is not on, the variable u5 is set to u5 = 0 (S72) and the lamp-related processing of S3 is started. If is lit, u
5 = 1 is set (S70), the current time is read from the RTC 35 and stored (S71), and then the lamp-related processing of S3 is performed.

When u1 = 0 is not satisfied in S62, that is, when the connector 16 is connected to the video processor / light source device 20 in the check before immediately after the initial setting, the connector 16 is connected to the video in the same manner as S28. It is checked whether or not it is connected to the processor / light source device 20 (S73).

If the connector 16 is not connected, the current usage time is calculated from the RTC 35 (S7).
4), the usage time is written in the corresponding address of the endoscope number currently used in the RAM 34 (S75), and variables u1 and u
5 is set to u1 = 0 and u5 = 0, and the lamp-related processing of S3 is performed. The current usage time in S74 is obtained by subtracting the time stored in S71 or S80 from the current time.

If the connector 16 is still connected in S73, it is checked whether u5 = 0 (S77).
When u5 = 0, if the light source lamp 22a is not turned on, the process directly proceeds to the lamp-related processing of S3 (S7).
8) If the light source lamp 22a is turned on, set u5 = 1 (S79) and store the time at that time (S80),
Move to lamp-related processing in S3.

If u5 = 0 is not satisfied in S77, if the light source lamp 22a is not turned off, the process directly proceeds to the lamp-related process of S3 (S81). If the light source lamp 22a is turned off, the same as S74 and S75, this time. Is calculated (S82) and written to the RAM 34 (S83), u5 = 0 is set (S84), and the lamp-related processing of S3 is performed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, a part or all of the accumulating means for accumulating the use time may be arranged on the endoscope side. Further, integrated usage time storage means for storing the integrated usage time may be provided on the side of an essential device such as a video processor / light source device.

By doing so, the usage time of each of a large number of endoscopes can be read out at once from the integrated usage time storage means without connecting each endoscope to an essential device. It can be confirmed at a glance by displaying a list on a monitor or the like.

To this end, the R in the microcomputer control unit 30
The storage area of the AM 34 may be expanded to provide, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, an area for storing the usage time and the cumulative usage time corresponding to each endoscope number.

Then, in the control process of S67 shown in FIG. 12, it is realized by adding the current use time data stored in the RAM 34 to the integrated use time data in the RAM 34.

In the present invention, the video processor / light source device may be a single light source device, a video processor or any other essential device essential for using the endoscope. The essential device is the light source device or the video processor. Not only one cohesive system device such as
It is a concept that also includes a device or a component of the constituent unit.

The present invention can also be applied to an optical endoscope apparatus that transmits an observation image by using an image guide fiber bundle.

[0065]

According to the endoscope apparatus of the present invention, since the accumulated use time of each endoscope is stored in the storage element, that time is displayed or when the time reaches the reference time. By displaying that fact or sounding an alarm, it is possible to prevent the endoscope from being overused in advance, and to properly perform inspections / maintenance and replacement with a new one, thus preventing a failure or accident. .

Also, the manufacturer can easily grasp the correlation between the use time of the endoscope and the occurrence of a failure, and by feeding back the data to the design, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the quality.

If the accumulated use time storage means is provided on the endoscope side, the accumulated use time of the endoscope can be checked regardless of which essential device the endoscope is connected to. If the time storage means is provided on the indispensable device side, it is possible to confirm at a glance the cumulative use time of a large number of endoscopes without connecting each endoscope.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic view of an endoscope apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control circuit according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a main program of control processing according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an endoscope-related processing program according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an endoscope related processing program according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an interrupt processing program according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a partial flowchart of an endoscope related processing program according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a monitor screen according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a keyboard processing program of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a storage area of a RAM according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of endoscope-related processing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of endoscope-related processing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of endoscope-related processing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of endoscope-related processing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a storage area of a RAM according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 endoscope 19 Storage element (integrated use time storage means) 20 Video processor and light source device (required device) 30 Microcomputer control unit (integrating means)

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-3-4831 (JP, A) JP-A-57-34829 (JP, A) JP-A-63-49128 (JP, A) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. An endoscope apparatus in which an endoscope is connectable to an essential device indispensable for using the endoscope, wherein the endoscope is connected to the essential device and is in a use state. Rutotomoni provided integration means for integrating the operating time being in the endoscope or the essential device, the accumulated use time storage means for storing the operating time that has been accumulated by said accumulating means
Provided in the upper Symbol essential device, the integrated use of multiple endoscopes from the cumulative use time storage unit
Read the time and list it on the monitor
The endoscopic device characterized in that 2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accumulating means performs an accumulating operation at regular intervals at intervals. 3. An endoscope identifying means for identifying an individual of the endoscope connected to the essential device, and a temporary storage for temporarily storing the use time during one connection together with the endoscope identifying result. When the storage unit is provided in the essential device and the endoscope is connected to the essential device, the data in the temporary storage unit of the endoscope that matches the endoscope identification result at that time is stored as the accumulated use time memory. The endoscopic device according to claim 1, which is added to the means. 4. The method of claim accumulated use time display means for reading and displaying the accumulated use time stored in the cumulative use time storage unit is provided in the mandatory equipment 1,
The endoscope apparatus according to 2 or 3. 5. The by being integrated use time stored in the cumulative use time storage unit with a predetermined value, the upper integrated operating time
The endoscopic device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, further comprising: a use time expiration display means for displaying a warning or sounding an alarm when the predetermined value is exceeded.