Distal endoscope part having light emitting source such as light emitting diodes as illuminating means

• US 6,656,112 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyanaga, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US10/213,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 600/179, 600/178, 600/176, 600/177, 600/170, 600/160, 600/109, 600/129, 600/130, 348/65, 362/311
• US Class Current: 600/179
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0008 characterised by distal tip features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00101 the distal tip features being detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0615 for radial illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A substrate having a plurality of light emitting diodes united therewith lies on a plane containing the longitudinal axis of an insertion unit of an endoscope and its neighborhood. Likewise, part of a first objective surface lies on the plane containing the longitudinal axis of the insertion unit of the endoscope and its neighborhood. As long as the diameter of the insertion unit remains unchanged, the plane containing the longitudinal axis of the insertion unit of the endoscope and its neighborhood provides the largest area for the light emitting diodes. The light emitting diode sub-assembly is therefore placed on the plane, whereby the outer diameter of a distal endoscope part can be made as small as possible.

Claims

1. A distal endoscope part having an imaging means on which an optical image is projected via an objective optical system and light emitting diodes for supplying illumination light which are placed as an illuminating means on the outer circumference of said objective optical system,

wherein the surroundings of said light emitting diodes are filled with a filler.

2. A distal endoscope part according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting diodes irradiate said illumination light in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of an insertion unit, and said optical image falls on said objective optical system in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said insertion unit owing to said illumination light irradiated from said light emitting diodes.

3. A distal endoscope part according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting diodes irradiate said illumination light in a direction of the longitudinal axis of said insertion unit, and said optical image falls on said objective optical system in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said insertion unit owing to said illumination light irradiated from said light emitting diodes.

4. An endoscope having an insertion unit that is inserted into a lumen,

wherein the distal part of said insertion unit includes an objective optical system on which an optical image falls, light emitting diodes for supplying illumination light which are placed as an illuminating means on the outer circumference of said objective optical system, and an imaging means on which said optical image is projected via said objective optical system, and

wherein the surroundings of said light emitting diodes are filled with a filler.

5. An endoscope according to claim 4, wherein a light level adjusting means used to adjust an amount of light emitted from said light emitting diodes is located at the proximal end of said insertion unit.

6. An endoscope according to claim 4, wherein said light emitting diodes irradiate said illumination light in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said insertion unit, and said optical image falls on said objective optical system in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said insertion unit owing to said illumination light irradiated from said light emitting diodes.

7. An endoscope according to claim 6, wherein a light level adjusting means used to adjust an amount of light emitted from said light emitting diodes is located at the proximal end of said insertion unit.

8. An endoscope according to claim 4, wherein said light emitting diodes irradiate said illumination light in a direction of the longitudinal axis of said insertion unit, and said optical image falls on said objective optical system in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said insertion unit owing to said illumination light irradiated from said light emitting diodes.

9. An endoscope according to 8, wherein a light level adjusting means used to adjust an amount of light emitted from said light emitting diodes is located at the proximal end of said insertion unit.