Switch-type imaging fiber apparatus and branch-type imaging fiber apparatus

• US 20070112256A1
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National University Corporation Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Original Assignee: National University Corporation (University of Fukui), Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Terakawa, Susumu, Tanaami, Takeo, Sakurai, Takashi, Hirukawa, Hideo, Wakazono, Yoshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/178
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00117 Optical cables in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3132 for laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/06 the relative position of the fibres being the same at both ends, e.g. for transporting images
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3504 Rotating, tilting or pivoting the waveguides, or with the waveguides describing a curved path rotary joint G02B6/3628
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3508 Lateral or transverse displacement of the whole waveguides, e.g. by varying the distance between opposed waveguide ends, or by mutual lateral displacement of opposed waveguide ends
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/353 the optical element being a shutter, baffle, beam dump or opaque element absorbers on light guide termination G02B6/243
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3598 Switching means directly located between an optoelectronic element and waveguides, including direct displacement of either the element or the waveguide, e.g. optical pulse generation based on changing the optical properties of the medium G02F1/00; optical pulse generation in optical transmitters H04B10/508; optical pulse generation by controlling laser operation H01S3/00

Abstract

A switch-type imaging fiber apparatus and a branch-type imaging fiber apparatus are provided. Light emitted from a laser light source is made incident on an opening of an IF (image fiber) guided by a GM (galvanometer), output from an optical system provided at a leading end portion of the IF, and applied to an observation target. The light reflected by the observation target is sent back to the IF, transformed into parallel light by an fθ objective lens, reflected by a dichroic mirror, made incident on an image pickup device (CCD) via an imaging lens, and can be observed on a monitor. The GM is controlled to switch to make the light incident on the opening of an arbitrary one of a plurality of IFs. Accordingly, observation can be performed by focusing the light solely on the arbitrary IF.

Claims

1. A switch-type imaging fiber apparatus used to observe a biological body by applying light to an observation target from a leading end of the apparatus and receiving resultant reflected light, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of imaging fibers each including an optical system at a leading end portion thereof to apply the light to the observation target;

a light source device;

movable mirror means for changing the traveling direction of light emitted from the light source device;

an objective lens system for focusing the light emitted from the light source device so as to form an irradiation surface approximately the same in area as an end surface of one of the plurality of imaging fibers; and

optical means for forming an image on an image pickup device from the reflected light reflected by the measured target and obtained through the objective lens system and the imaging fiber,

wherein, as the movable mirror means is driven, the light emitted from the light source device is switched to be made incident among the end surfaces of the plurality of imaging fibers.

2. The switch-type imaging fiber apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable mirror means is one of a polygon mirror and a grating light valve, which changes the traveling direction of the light incident on the objective lens system.

3. The switch-type imaging fiber apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable mirror means is one of a galvanometer, a digital micromirror device, and an acoustic optical modulator, which changes the traveling direction of the light incident on the objective lens system.

4. A switch-type imaging fiber apparatus used to observe a biological body by applying light to an observation target from a leading end of the apparatus and receiving resultant reflected light, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of imaging fibers;

moving means for fixing end surfaces of the plurality of imaging fibers at predetermined intervals and capable of causing one of rotation and linear movement of the end surfaces;

a light source device; and

an objective lens system for focusing light emitted from the light source device so as to form an irradiation surface approximately the same in area as the end surface of one of the plurality of imaging fibers,

wherein, as the moving means is driven to move the end surface of the imaging fiber, the light emitted from the light source device is switched to be made incident among the end surfaces of the plurality of imaging fibers.

5. The switch-type imaging fiber apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the moving means is formed into one of a rotary revolver system in which the end surfaces of the plurality of imaging fibers are circumferentially arranged and rotated, a belt conveyance system in which the end surfaces of the plurality of imaging fibers are attached to a belt in a row and the belt is driven, and an image fiber array rotation system in which the end surfaces of the plurality of imaging fibers are arranged in an array and rotated.

6. The switch-type imaging fiber apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the imaging fibers is formed by a few thousands to a few tens of thousands of fiber strands.

7. A branch-type imaging fiber apparatus used to observe a biological body by applying light to an observation target from a leading end of the apparatus and receiving resultant reflected light, the apparatus comprising:

a single imaging fiber branched into a plurality of branch imaging fibers, each of which has a leading end attached with an optical system to apply the light to the observation target, and an end surface formed into a hexagonal shape;

a light source device;

an objective lens system for focusing light emitted from the light source device so as to apply the light to the entirety of the end surfaces of the plurality of branch imaging fibers; and

a light path blocking mechanism for covering the entirety of the end surfaces of the plurality of branch imaging fibers,

wherein the light path blocking mechanism individually performs a blocking control on the respective end surfaces of the branch imaging fibers.

8. The branch-type imaging fiber apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the light path blocking mechanism is formed by a crystal shutter.

9. The branch-type imaging fiber apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the branch imaging fibers is formed by a few thousands to a few tens of thousands of fiber strands.