Objective optical system for endoscopes

• US 5,547,457 A
• Filed: 01/21/1994
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Akira, Tsuyuki, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US08/184,062
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 600/127, 600/129, 600/160, 600/175, 600/176, 600/167, 600/168, 600/173, 600/174, 359/462, 359/466, 359/480, 359/239, 385/115, 385/116, 385/117, 385/902
• US Class Current: 600/175
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00101 the distal tip features being detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00174 characterised by the viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/243 Objectives for endoscopes

Abstract

An objective optical system for endoscopes comprising a plurality of lens components and an aperture stop, and configured so as to permit adjusting a distance to an object to be observed simply by exchanging a lens component disposed in the vicinity of the aperture stop with another lens component having a focal length different from that of the lens component disposed in the vicinity of the aperture stop. This objective optical system for endoscopes can have an optimum depth of field by changing a diameter of the aperture stop along with the exchange of the lens component disposed in the vicinity of the aperture stop.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

an endoscope body;

a master lens unit which is fixed to a distal end of said endoscope body for forming an image of an object; and

a plurality of adaptor units each of which comprises lens components disposed on one optical axis and an aperture stop such that said adaptor units have focal lengths different from one another;

wherein said adaptor units are attachable and detachable to and from said distal end of said endoscope body,

wherein a first objective optical system defined by lens components from a first adapter unit from said plurality of adaptor units and said master lens unit if said first adaptor unit is attached to an object side of said master lens unit,

wherein a focal length of said first objective optical system equipped with said first adaptor unit is different from a focal length of a second objective optical system equipped with a second adaptor unit, and

wherein the lens component which is disposed in the vicinity of said aperture stop of said first adaptor unit may selectively vary from the lens component which is disposed in the vicinity of said second adaptor unit.

2. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said aperture stop is disposed on the object side and proximate to a first lens component of said first adaptor unit, wherein the first lens component is the component closest to said master lens unit;

and

wherein the focal length of said first adaptor lens component is selectively varied from a second lens component which is the closet second adaptor lens component to said master lens unit.

3. An endoscope according to claim 2, wherein an objective optical lens system comprised of said master lens unit and said adaptor unit attached to said master lens unit is defined as a first objective optical lens system and the other objective optical lens system consisting of said master lens unit and said second adaptor unit attached to said master lens unit is defined as a second objective optical lens system, said first objective optical system and said second objective optical system have substantially the same field angle but different observation distance.

4. An endoscope according to claim 2, wherein aperture diameters of said aperture stops of said plurality of adaptor units are different in accordance with said focal length of said rearmost lens component.

5. An endoscope according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of adaptor units includes adaptor units whose angle of fields are different from one another and adaptor units whose viewing directions are different from one another.

6. An endoscope according to claim 2, wherein said master lens unit has no focusing function and each of said lens components is always fixed on said optical axis.