Medical observation apparatus and medical observation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10114208-B2
Application number	US-201515501216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2015
Priority date	Sep 16, 2014
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a medical observation apparatus including: a columnar microscope unit configured to image a minute part of an object to be observed with magnification and thereby output an imaging signal; and a support unit including a first joint unit holding the microscope unit in a rotationally movable manner around a first axis parallel to a height direction of the microscope unit, a first arm unit holding the first joint unit and extending in a direction different from the height direction of the microscope unit, a second joint unit holding the first arm unit in a rotationally movable manner around a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a second arm unit holding the second joint unit. In a plane passing through the first and second axes, a cross section of the microscope unit, the first and second joint units, and the first and second arm units is included in a circle that has a center at a focus position of the microscope unit and passes through an end point of the first joint unit that is at the maximum distance from the focus position. Thus, when imaging an object to be observed and displaying the image, the user's visual field for observing the displayed image can be sufficiently ensured.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medical observation apparatus comprising:
a columnar microscope configured to image a minute part of an object to be observed with magnification and thereby output an imaging signal; and
a support including
a first joint holding the microscope in a rotationally movable manner around a first axis parallel to a height direction of the microscope,
a first arm holding the first joint and extending in a direction different from the height direction of the microscope,
a second joint holding the first arm in a rotationally movable manner around a second axis orthogonal to the first axis,
a second arm holding the second joint, and
a photoelectric converter provided in an interior of the support and configured to convert the imaging signal outputted by the microscope to an optical signal and output the converted optical signal,

wherein, the first and second axes define a plane which includes a circle which contains a cross section of the microscope, a cross section of the first joint and the second joint, a cross section of the first arm and the second arm, and a center at a focus position of the microscope and passes through an end point of the first joint that is at a maximum distance from the focus position.

2. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second axis passes through a side that is nearer to the first joint than a center in a height direction of a columnar portion composed of the microscope and the first joint.

3. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmission means provided in the interior of the support and configured to transmit the imaging signal outputted by the microscope.

4. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the transmission means includes a plurality of thin coaxial cables passing through an interior of the first joint and configured to transmit the imaging signal outputted by the microscope.

5. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein part of the plurality of thin coaxial cables extend so as to form a bundle passing through an axis in the height direction of the microscope in the interior of the first joint.

6. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:
two bundling devices individually bundling both end portions of a portion of the plurality of thin coaxial cables where the plurality of thin coaxial cables extend so as to form a bundle.

7. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmission means provided in the interior of the support and configured to transmit the imaging signal outputted by the microscope,
wherein the transmission means includes a plurality of thin coaxial cables passing through an interior of the first joint, each having one end connected to the microscope and the other end connected to the photoelectric converter, and configured to transmit the imaging signal outputted by the microscope to the photoelectric converter.

8. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the photoelectric converter is provided in an interior of the first arm.

9. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmission means provided in the interior of the support and configured to transmit the imaging signal outputted by the microscope,
wherein the transmission means further includes an optical fiber configured to transmit the optical signal converted by the photoelectric converter.

10. The medical observation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a manipulation input provided on a side surface of the microscope and configured to accept a manipulation input to the medical observation apparatus.

11. A medical observation system comprising:
a medical observation apparatus including
a columnar microscope configured to image a minute part of an object to be observed with magnification and thereby output an imaging signal, and
a support including
a first joint holding the microscope in a rotationally movable manner around a first axis parallel to a height direction of the microscope,
a first arm holding the first joint and extending in a direction different from the height direction of the microscope,
a second joint holding the first arm in a rotationally movable manner around a second axis orthogonal to the first axis,
a second arm holding the second joint, and
a photoelectric converter provided in an interior of the support and configured to convert the imaging signal outputted by the microscope to an optical signal and output the converted optical signal,

in which apparatus, the first and second axes define a plane which includes a circle which contains a cross section of the microscope, a cross section of the first joint and the second joint, a cross section of the first arm and the second arm, and a center at a focus position of the microscope and passes through an end point of the first joint that is at a maximum distance from the focus position;

a control device configured to perform signal processing on the imaging signal outputted by the microscope to create image data for display; and
a display device configured to display an image corresponding to image data created by the control device.

Assignees

• Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Kamata Yoshiyuki
• Hirose Kenji
• Tamura Shigeru

Classifications

• A61B90/25

  Supports therefor · CPC title

• G02B21/006

  focusing arrangements; selection of the plane to be imaged · CPC title

• G02B21/241

  Devices for focusing (focusing in general G02B7/28) · CPC title

• G02B21/008

  Details of detection or image processing, including general computer control · CPC title

• A61B90/361

  Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras · CPC title