Insertion portion detection device and insertion portion detection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903709-B2
Application number	US-201414445722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2014
Priority date	Jan 31, 2012
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

An insertion portion detection device provided with a light source unit which emits measuring beam to an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical shape of an insertion portion to be inserted into an insertion target and to be a detection target, an optical pattern detection unit which receives reflected light from the outer circumferential surface and which sequentially acquires image data in a predetermined range of the outer circumferential surface including given optical patterns so that at least some of the optical patterns correspond to the image data, and a displacement amount calculation unit which detects a corresponding optical pattern from the image data and calculates at least one of an insertion amount of the insertion portion and an amount of rotation around the central axis of the cylindrical shape.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An insertion portion detection device for detecting a displacement of an insertion portion inserted into an insertion target, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion comprises an optical pattern, the insertion portion detection device comprising:
a light source configured to emit a measuring beam to the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion;
an optical pattern sensor configured to:
receive reflected light from the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion; and
sequentially acquire, from the received reflected light, at least:
first image data of a first image at a first time, wherein the first image includes at least a portion of the optical pattern; and
second image data of a second image at a second time, wherein the second image includes the at least a portion of the optical pattern; and

a displacement amount calculation circuit configured to:
compare the first image data and the second image data to calculate an optical pattern displacement of the portion of the optical pattern included in the first image acquired at the first time and the portion of the optical pattern included in the second image acquired at the second time; and
detect the displacement of the insertion portion between the first time and the second time based on the calculated optical pattern displacement.

2. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the insertion portion is configured to be inserted along an insertion axis into the insertion target, and
wherein the displacement amount calculation circuit is configured to calculate, as the optical pattern displacement:
an optical pattern axial displacement along the insertion axis of the portion of the optical pattern included in the first image acquired at the first time and the portion of the optical pattern included in the second image acquired at the second time; and
an optical pattern rotational displacement about the insertion axis of the portion of the optical pattern included in the first image acquired at the first time and the portion of the optical pattern included in the second image acquired at the second time, and

wherein the displacement amount calculation circuit is configured to detect:
an insertion amount of the insertion portion between the first time and the second time based on the optical pattern axial displacement; and
a rotation amount of the insertion portion between the first time and the second time.

3. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 1
wherein the measuring beam emitted from the light source is coherent light.

4. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 1
wherein the optical pattern sensor is configured to:
generate a first speckle pattern from the first image data, wherein the first speckle pattern represents the at least the portion of the optical pattern included in the first image; and
generate a second speckle pattern from the second image data, wherein the second speckle pattern represents the at least the portion of the optical patter included in the second image, and

wherein the displacement amount calculation circuit is configured to compare the first speckle pattern generated from the first image data and the second speckle pattern generated from the second image data to calculate the optical pattern displacement.

5. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the optical pattern sensor comprises light receiving elements arrayed in matrix form in a two-dimensional direction.

6. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a movement control mechanism configured to dispose at least the light source and the optical pattern sensor in alignment with or in the vicinity of an insertion hole of the insertion target through which the insertion portion is inserted into the insertion target.

7. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the insertion portion is configured to be inserted along an insertion axis into the insertion target,
wherein the movement control mechanism comprises a housing,
wherein a part of the housing defines an opening configured to pass the insertion portion, and
wherein the part of the housing that defines the opening is configured to:
be inserted in the insertion hole of the insertion target; or
be arranged adjacent the insertion hole of the insertion target along the insertion axis.

8. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 1 ,
the device comprising one or more position limiters configured to limit, to a range detectable by the sensor unit, movement of a target detection region in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the movement is detected as an insertion amount of the insertion portion, the target detection region being a region on the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion where the image data is to be acquired.

9. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 8 ,
the position limiters have groove structures to hold the insertion portion in between, and
the position limiters limit the movement of the target detection region by catching the insertion portion in at least two groove structures.

10. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 8
the position limiters are configured to adjust the space between the position limiters and the insertion portion in accordance with the diameter of the insertion portion.

11. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 1 ,
the device comprising a sensor distance maintaining unit configured to move the position of the sensor unit to maintain, within a range detectable by the sensor unit, the distance between the optical pattern detection unit and a target detection region which is a region on the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion where the image data is to be acquired.

12. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 11 ,
the sensor distance maintaining unit is a spring structure which moves the sensor unit to the detectable range by applying force toward the target detection region.

13. The insertion portion detection device according to claim 1 ,
the device comprising more than one sensor unit.

14. An insertion portion detection system comprising:
the insertion portion detection device according to claim 1 ;
an input device configured to receive an inputted instruction;
a computer configured to, in response to the inputted instruction, control the light source, the optical pattern sensor, and the displacement amount calculation circuit to detect the displacement of the insertion portion between the first time and the second time; and
a monitor configured to be controlled by the computer to display information indicating the displacement of the insertion portion between the first time and the second time detected by the displacement amount calculation circuit.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Tojo Ryo
• Yamamoto Eiji
• Hane Jun

Classifications

• A61B1/00009 Primary

  of image signals during a use of endoscope · CPC title

• G01B11/14 Primary

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00) · CPC title

• A61B1/0016

  using motor drive units · CPC title

• G01D5/30

  the beams of light being detected by photocells · CPC title

• A61B1/24

  for the mouth, i.e. stomatoscopes, e.g. with tongue depressors; Instruments for opening or keeping open the mouth · CPC title