Endoscope system having two endoscopes with different viewing angles

• US 8,137,264 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Moriyama, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P
• Application Number:
  US11/553,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 600/167, 600/168, 600/176, 600/113
• US Class Current: 600/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00188 with focusing or zooming features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/243 Objectives for endoscopes

Abstract

An endoscope system includes a first endoscope that includes a first observation optical system with a first viewing angle; and a second endoscope that includes a second observation optical system with a second viewing angle wider than the first viewing angle. A second distance from a second distal end face of an insertion portion of the second endoscope to a minimum focal point of the second observation optical system is shorter than a first distance from a first distal end face of a distal end portion of the first endoscope to a minimum focal point of the first observation optical system.

Claims

1. An endoscope system, comprising:

a first endoscope that includes a first observation optical system with a first viewing angle;

a second endoscope that includes a second observation optical system with a second viewing angle wider than the first viewing angle, a second distance from a second distal end face of an insertion portion of the second endoscope to a minimum focal point of the second observation optical system being shorter than a first distance from a first distal end face of a distal end portion of the first endoscope to a minimum focal point of the first observation optical system;

a processor configured to process image signals from the first endoscope and the second endoscope, the first endoscope and the second endoscope being connectable to the processor through a connector portion; and

a display device configured to display an observation image based on the image signals processed by the processor, wherein

the first endoscope includes the first observation optical system with the first viewing angle and a fixed focal point, and

the second endoscope includes the second observation optical system with the second viewing angle wider than the first viewing angle and a fixed focal point.