Endoscope optical system and endoscope

• US 8,072,483 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomioka, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLDER, ANNER N
• Application Number:
  US12/932,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 348/45, 348/65, 359/431, 359/434
• US Class Current: 348/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/045 having static image erecting or reversing properties only optical derotators G02B27/642; optical devices for controlling the direction of light using movable or deformable optical elements G02B26/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements

Abstract

Provided is an endoscope optical system including first deflecting means that deflects light incident along an incident optical axis in a direction along a first axis perpendicular to the incident optical axis and emits the light; second deflecting means having two reflecting faces that fold back the light emitted from the first deflecting means along a second axis separated from the first axis by a gap; and third deflecting means that deflects the light folded back by the second deflecting means in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and along a plane including the incident optical axis, wherein the first deflecting means is provided so as to be capable of swiveling about the first axis relative to the second deflecting means, and the two reflecting faces of the second deflecting means are disposed to form an obtuse angle therebetween.

Claims

1. An endoscope optical system comprising:

a first prism that deflects light incident along an incident optical axis in a direction along a first axis perpendicular to the incident optical axis and emits the light;

a second prism having two reflecting faces that fold back the light emitted from the first prism along a second axis separated from the first axis by a gap; and

a third prism that deflects the light folded back by the second prism in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and along a plane including the incident optical axis,

wherein the first prism is provided so as to be capable of swiveling about the first axis relative to the second prism, and

the two reflecting faces of the second prism are disposed to form an obtuse angle therebetween.

2. An endoscope optical system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first and third prisms reflect the incident light one time; and

the second prism reflects the light an odd number of times greater than or equal to 3.

3. An endoscope optical system according to claim 1, comprising an image-acquisition unit, on an exit optical axis from the third prism, that acquires an image formed by imaging the light emitted from the third prism,

and comprising a rotation correcting mechanism that rotates the image about the exit optical axis relatively with respect to the image-acquisition device, in synchronization with the swiveling of the first prism, in a direction that corrects the rotation of the image relative to the image-acquisition unit when the first prism is swiveled.

4. An endoscope optical system according to claim 3, wherein the rotation correcting mechanism rotates the image-acquisition unit about the exit optical axis by a swivel angle identical to that of the first prism.

5. An endoscope optical system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a lens group that is disposed between the third prism and the image-acquisition unit and that conveys the light emitted from the third prism to the image-acquisition unit,

wherein the rotation correcting mechanism rotates the image-acquisition unit and the lens group as a single unit about the exit optical axis by a swivel angle identical to that of the first prism.

6. An endoscope optical system according to claim 5, wherein a light beam between the third prism and the lens group is substantially afocal.

7. An endoscope optical system according to claim 3, wherein the rotation correcting mechanism includes an image-rotating prism at which light is incident thereon and emitted therefrom along a prescribed optical axis, the prescribed optical axis being disposed on the exit optical axis between the third prism and the image-acquisition unit, and which is provided so as to be capable of rotating about the prescribed optical axis.

8. An endoscope optical system according to claim 7, wherein the image-rotating prism is rotated by an angle equal to half of the swivel angle of the first prism.

9. An endoscope optical system according to claim 7, wherein the first, second, and third prisms reflect the light an odd number of times as a whole.

10. An endoscope optical system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a relay optical system that conveys the light emitted from the third prism; and

an eyepiece optical system for observing an image formed by imaging the light conveyed by the relay optical system,

wherein the relay optical system images the light an even number of times at intermediate positions.

11. An endoscope optical system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image-acquisition unit, on an exit optical axis of the third prism, that acquires an image formed by imaging the light emitted from the third prism,

wherein the first, second, and third prisms are provided so as to be capable of rotating about the exit optical axis as a single unit relative to the image-acquisition unit.

12. An endoscope comprising an endoscope optical system according to claim 1 at a tip of an inserted portion.

13. An endoscope optical system comprising:

a first prism that deflects light incident along an incident optical axis in a direction along a first axis that intersects the incident optical axis and emits the light;

a second prism having two reflecting faces that fold back the light emitted from the first prism along a second axis separated from the first axis by a gap and perpendicular to the incident optical axis; and

a third prism that deflects the light folded back by the second prism in a direction perpendicular to the second axis and along a plane including the incident optical axis,

wherein the first prism and the second prism are provided so as to be capable of swiveling about the second axis relative to the third prism, and

the two reflecting faces of the second prism are disposed to form an obtuse angle therebetween.

14. An endoscope optical system according to claim 13, wherein the first and third prism reflect the incident light one time;

and

the second prism reflects the light an odd number of times greater than or equal to 3.

15. An endoscope optical system according to claim 13, comprising an image-acquisition unit, on an exit optical axis from the third prism, that acquires an image formed by imaging the light emitted from the third prism, and

comprising a rotation correcting mechanism that rotates the image about the exit optical axis relatively with respect to the image-acquisition device, in synchronization with the swiveling of the first prism, in a direction that corrects the rotation of the image relative to the image-acquisition unit when the first prism is swiveled.

16. An endoscope optical system according to claim 15, wherein the rotation correcting mechanism rotates the image-acquisition unit about the exit optical axis by a swivel angle identical to that of the first prism.

17. An endoscope optical system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a lens group that is disposed between the third prism and the image-acquisition unit and that conveys the light emitted from the third prism to the image-acquisition unit,

wherein the rotation correcting mechanism rotates the image-acquisition unit and the lens group as a single unit about the exit optical axis by a swivel angle identical to that of the first prism.

18. An endoscope optical system according to claim 17, wherein a light beam between the third prism and the lens group is substantially afocal.

19. An endoscope optical system according to claim 15, wherein the rotation correcting mechanism includes an image-rotating prism at which light is incident thereon and emitted therefrom along a prescribed optical axis, the prescribed optical axis being disposed on the exit optical axis between the third prism and the image-acquisition unit, and which is provided so as to be capable of rotating about the prescribed optical axis.

20. An endoscope optical system according to claim 19, wherein the image-rotating prism is rotated by an angle equal to half of the swivel angle of the first prism.

21. An endoscope optical system according to claim 19, wherein the first, second, and third prisms reflect the light an odd number of times as a whole.

22. An endoscope optical system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a relay optical system that conveys the light emitted from the third prism; and

an eyepiece optical system for observing an image formed by imaging the light conveyed by the relay optical system,

wherein the relay optical system images the light an even number of times at intermediate positions.

23. An endoscope optical system according to claim 13, further comprising:

an image-acquisition unit, on the exit optical axis of the third prism, that acquires an image formed by imaging the light emitted from the third prism,

wherein the first, second, and third prisms are provided so as to be capable of rotating about the exit optical axis as a single unit relative to the image-acquisition unit.

24. An endoscope comprising an endoscope optical system according to claim 13 at a tip of an inserted portion.

25. An endoscope optical system comprising:

first deflecting means that deflects light incident along an incident optical axis in a direction along a first axis perpendicular to the incident optical axis and emits the light;

second deflecting means having two reflecting faces that fold back the light emitted from the first deflecting means along a second axis separated from the first axis by a gap; and

third deflecting means that deflects the light folded back by the second deflecting means in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and along a plane including the incident optical axis,

wherein the first deflecting means is provided so as to be capable of swiveling about the first axis relative to the second deflecting means, and

the two reflecting faces of the second deflecting means are disposed to form an obtuse angle therebetween.

26. An endoscope optical system comprising:

first deflecting means that deflects light incident along an incident optical axis in a direction along a first axis intersecting the incident optical axis and emits the light;

second deflecting means having two reflecting faces that fold back the light emitted from the first deflecting means along a second axis separated from the first axis by a gap and perpendicular to the incident optical axis; and

third deflecting means that deflects the light folded back by the second deflecting means in a direction perpendicular to the second axis and along a plane including the incident optical axis,

wherein the first deflecting means and the second deflecting means are provided so as to be capable of swiveling about the second axis relative to the third deflecting means, and

the two reflecting faces of the second deflecting means are disposed to form an obtuse angle therebetween.