LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE, IMAGING APPARATUS AND ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS

• US 20090312607A1
• Filed: 06/13/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: SUNAGAWA, Hiroshi, Mizuyoshi, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 8,790,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/063 for monochromatic or narrow-band illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0653 with wavelength conversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0661 Endoscope light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation

Abstract

A light source device includes a first light source 33, a second light source 35 having an emission wavelength that is different from the first light source 33, and a phosphor 43 that is disposed to be distant from the first light source 33 and the second light source 35 and absorbs light in a predetermined excitation wavelength band to emit fluorescence. The phosphor 43 is disposed on an emission light optical path that is shared by the first light source 33 and the second light source 35. The emission wavelength of the first light source 33 is in the predetermined excitation wavelength band. The emission wavelength of the second light source 35 is outside of the predetermined excitation wavelength band.

Claims

1. A light source device, comprising:

a first light source;

a second light source having an emission wavelength that is different from an emission wavelength of the first light source; and

a phosphor that is disposed to be distant from the first light source and the second light source and absorbs light in a predetermined excitation wavelength band to emit fluorescence, wherein

the phosphor is disposed on an emission light optical path that is shared by the first light source and the second light source,

the emission wavelength of the first light source is in the predetermined excitation wavelength band, and

the emission wavelength of the second light source is outside of the predetermined excitation wavelength band.

2. The light source device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an optical fiber that is provided between (i) the first light source and the second light source and (ii) the phosphor.

3. The light source device according to claim 2, wherein light obtained by coupling light emitted from the first light source and light emitted from the second light source is introduced into the optical fiber.

4. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein white light is produced by the fluorescence, which phosphor emits in response to the light emitted from the first light source.

5. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein the first light source includes a blue laser light source that emits a blue laser beam.

6. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein the second light source includes a laser light source that emits a laser beam.

7. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein the second light source includes a plurality of light sources that have emission wavelengths different from each other.

8. The light source device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch that selectively switches between the light from the first light source and the light from the second light source, to irradiate the selected light to the phosphor.

9. The light source device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an excitation light cut filter that is disposed in front of the phosphor on an optical path, the excitation light cut filter that absorbs excitation light from the first light source.

10. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein the excitation wavelength band is defined as that if light having a wavelength in the excitation wavelength band is irradiated onto the phosphor, the irradiated light substantially excites the phosphor.

11. The light source device according to claim 10, wherein the excitation wavelength band is a full width at half maximum of a light emission efficiency of the phosphor.

12. An imaging apparatus comprising:

the light source device according to claim 1; and

an imaging device including an imaging element that detects light from a light irradiation area to which the light source device irradiates light, so as to produce an imaging signal.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the light emitted from the first light source has a wavelength that is shorter than a short-wavelength-side detection limit of a spectral sensitivity characteristic of the imaging element.

14. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

the imaging apparatus according to claim 12; and

an endoscope insertion portion that emits, from a front end thereof, at least one of illumination light from the first light source and illumination light from the second light source.

15. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the light emitted from the second light source contains at least one of blue light and green light.

16. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the light emitted from the second light source contains at least one of red light and infrared light.