Endoscope apparatus

• US 7,901,352 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Minami, Itsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker; John P
• Assistant Examiner(s): CANDLER, SAMUEL M
• Application Number:
  US11/243,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20060084841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,979 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/118, 600/130, 600/160, 600/167, 600/168, 600/174, 359/379, 359/380, 359382-384, 359/421, 359/422, 359/432, 359/677, 359694-700
• US Class Current: 600/168
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion

Abstract

An endoscope apparatus comprises: an insertion section including a distal end; a power changing movable lens that makes observational magnification variable, the power changing movable lens being movably built in an objective optical system provided at the distal end; a linear transmission member that drives the power changing movable lens, the linear transmission member being disposed from a drive section provided at a position other than the insertion section to the distal end; a focus adjusting movable lens that achieves automatic focusing function, the focus adjusting movable lens being movably built in the objective optical system separately from the power changing movable lens; and an actuator that drives the focus adjusting movable lens, the actuator being arranged in the distal end.

Claims

1. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an insertion section including a distal end;

a power changing movable lens that makes observational magnification variable, the power changing movable lens being movably built in an objective optical system provided in the insertion section at a location adjacent to the distal end;

an image pickup for converting an image input through the objective optical system into an electrical signal, the image pickup being located closer to an end of the insertion section opposed to the distal end than to the distal end;

an optical element that receives light from the objective optical system along a viewing direction axis and redirects the received light along an axis perpendicular to the viewing direction axis to reach the image pickup;

a linear transmission member formed of a multicoil spring that drives a driven portion of the linear transmission member that extends in the viewing direction along a first exterior side portion of the insertion section to move the power changing movable lens in a linear direction of movement, the multicoil spring being disposed from a drive section provided at a position other than the position of the insertion section including the distal end;

a focus adjusting movable lens that achieves automatic focusing function, the focus adjusting movable lens being movably built in the objective optical system separately from the power changing movable lens; and

an actuator that drives the focus adjusting movable lens, the actuator being arranged to engage with an outer surface of a supporting portion of the focus adjusting movable lens, the actuator extending in a longitudinal direction along a second exterior side portion of the insertion section that is opposed to the first exterior side portion.

2. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an automatic focus control circuit that sets the focus adjusting movable lens to an initial position by the actuator when starting a focusing operation with the automatic focusing function, and controls a movement of the focus adjusting movable lens from the initial position to a focused position.

3. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator receives a backward saw-tooth waveform that causes the actuator to drive the focus adjusting movable lens backward in a direction away from the distal end at a slow rise time portion of the backward saw-tooth waveform and the actuator receives a forward saw-tooth waveform that causes the actuator to drive the focus adjusting movable lens forward in a direction toward the distal end at a slow fall time portion of the forward saw-tooth waveform.

4. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

an insertion section including a distal end with a front most portion including an illumination window to supply illuminating light and an observation window that receives the illumination light reflected from an object;

a power changing movable lens that makes observational magnification variable, the power changing movable lens being movably built in an objective optical system provided in the insertion section at a location adjacent to the distal end of the insertion section so as to be adjacent to the observation window;

an image pickup for converting an image input through the objective optical system into an electrical signal, the image pickup being located closer to an end of the insertion section opposed to the distal end than to the distal end;

an optical element that receives light from the objective optical system along a viewing direction axis and redirects the received light along an axis perpendicular to the viewing direction axis to reach the image pickup;

a linear transmission member that drives the power changing movable lens, the linear transmission member being disposed to extend to the insertion section from a drive section provided at a position other than the insertion section, and the linear transmission member having at least a part thereof extending to the distal end along a first exterior side portion of the insertion section and along an axis parallel to the viewing direction axis and to a linear direction of movement of the power changing movable lens;

a focus adjusting movable lens that achieves automatic focusing function, the focus adjusting movable lens being movably built in the objective optical system separately from the power changing movable lens; and

an actuator that drives the focus adjusting movable lens, the actuator being arranged to engage with an outer surface of a supporting portion of the focus adjusting movable lens, the actuator extending along a second exterior side portion of the insertion section that is opposed to the first exterior side portion.

5. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

an automatic focus control circuit that sets the focus adjusting movable lens to an initial position by the actuator when starting a focusing operation with the automatic focusing function, and controls a movement of the focus adjusting movable lens from the initial position to a focused position.

6. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the distal end of the insertion section further includes an operative instrument insertion channel.

7. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the actuator is a piezoelectric or electrostatic linear actuator.

8. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the actuator receives a backward saw-tooth waveform that causes the actuator to drive the focus adjusting movable lens backward in a direction away from the distal end at a slow rise time portion of the backward saw-tooth waveform and the actuator receives a forward saw-tooth waveform that causes the actuator to drive the focus adjusting movable lens forward in a direction toward the distal end at a slow fall time portion of the forward saw-tooth waveform.