Battery-powered light source arrangement for endoscope

• US 6,260,994 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Seiji, Sato, Suwao, Nakano, Etsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US09/365,772
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 362/551, 362/555, 362/558, 362/560, 362/573, 362/574, 385/117
• US Class Current: 362/574
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0208 using focussing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or mirrors; performing aberration correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0259 Monolithic
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2469 using optical fibres

Abstract

A light source arrangement for a battery-powered light source unit of an endoscope comprises a cylindrical housing, a base disposed at one end of the housing, a plurality of LEDs connected to a flexible circuit board supported on the base and a focusing lens. A light guide for directing light emanating from the LEDs. The light guide comprises a reflective surface formed on an inner wall of the housing, a reflector having a concave reflective surface which is disposed at one end of the housing so as to surround the LEDs or a micro-lens array disposed in front of the LEDs with each micro lens aligned with the LED.

Claims

1. A light source arrangement of an endoscope which has an illumination system, comprising:

a battery;

a generally cylindrically-shaped housing with a reflective coating layer applied to an inner wall thereof;

a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically connected to the battery;

a base disposed at a proximal end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing for supporting said light emitting diodes thereon;

light guide means for guiding light emanating from said light emitting diodes forward; and

a focusing lens disposed on a distal end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing for focusing said light at a specified point of the illumination system of the endoscope.

2. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said light emitting diodes are arranged in a substantially ordinary matrix.

3. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said light guide means comprises a reflective surface formed on an inner wall of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing.

4. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said light guide means comprises a reflector formed with a concave reflective surface which is disposed at said one end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing.

5. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 4, wherein said concave reflective surface comprises a parabolic surface and said light emitting diodes are arranged approximately in a plane where one of focal points of said parabolic surface.

6. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said light guide means comprises a reflector which is disposed at said proximal end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing and integrally formed with the same number of concavities as said light emitting diodes, each said concavity having a reflective surface and being formed with a bore extending from said apex for receiving said light emitting diode therein.

7. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein said reflective surface comprises a parabolic surface and each said light emitting diode is positioned in one of focal points of said parabolic surface.

8. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 6, and further comprising a micro-lens array having the same number of micro-lenses as said light emitting diodes, wherein said reflector is covered by said micro-lens array with each said micro lens aligned with said light emitting diode.

9. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said light guide means comprises a micro-lens array integrally formed with the same number of micro-lenses as said light emitting diodes, and said light emitting diode are of a bare type and arranged between said base and said micro-lens array with each said micro lens aligned with said light emitting diode.

10. A light source arrangement as defined in claim 9, wherein said light guide means comprises a collimation lens disposed at the proximal end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing, and said light emitting diode are of a bare type and arranged between said base and said micro-lens array.

11. The light source arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes receives electrical power only from the battery.

12. An endoscope comprising:

a battery;

an objective lens;

a charge coupled device receiving an image formed by the objective lens;

a signal processing circuit connected to receive an output of the charge coupled device;

an encoder receiving an output of the signal processing circuit;

a video display receiving an output of the encoder;

a light source arrangement comprising;

a generally cylindrically-shaped housing with a reflective coating layer applied to an inner wall;

a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically connected to the battery;

a base disposed at one end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing for supporting said light emitting diodes thereon;

light guide means for guiding light emanating from said light emitting diodes forward; and

a focusing lens disposed on another end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing for focusing said light at a specified point of the illumination system of the endoscope;

wherein the battery provides power to the entire endoscope.

13. A light source arrangement of an endoscope which has an illumination system, comprising:

a battery;

a generally cylindrically-shaped housing with a reflective coating layer applied to an inner wall;

a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a matrix and electrically connected to the battery;

a base disposed at one end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing for supporting said light emitting diodes thereon;

a parabolic reflector arranged to surround an entirety of the light emitting diode matrix so that each said light emitting diode lies generally in a plane of a focal point of the parabolic reflector;

a focusing lens disposed on another end of said generally cylindrically-shaped housing for focusing said light at a specified point of the illumination system of the endoscope.

14. The light source arrangement of claim 13, wherein the base is disposed within the parabolic reflector.

15. The light source arrangement of claim 13, wherein the base is disposed so that the parabolic reflector lies between the light emitting diodes and the base.

16. The light source arrangement of claim 15, wherein the parabolic reflector comprises a separate aperture for each of the light emitting diodes.

17. The light source arrangement of claim 16, wherein each of the light emitting diodes is connected to the base through a respective one of the apertures.