ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS

• Main Authors: HATAKEYAMA YASUHIKO, KUMAGAI TOSHIKI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 02.05.2023
• Subjects: DIAGNOSIS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; SURGERY

To provide an endoscope apparatus equipped with an optical transmission line configured so as to be suitable for reducing the diameter of an insertion tube.SOLUTION: An optical transmission line 6 consisting of optical fibers is disposed in an insertion tube 2 of an endoscope apparatus 1. The optical transmission line 6 is composed of a multi-mode optical fiber 20 with a single core for condensation that functions as a condenser lens, a multi-mode optical fiber 10 with a single core for transmission, and a multi-mode optical fiber 30 with a single core for light diffusion. An optical image taken in through an objective lens 5 converges to a core diameter of the multi-mode optical fiber 10 for transmission through the multi-mode optical fiber 20 for condensation, and is transmitted through the multi-mode optical fiber 10 for transmission. The multi-mode optical fiber 20 for condensation is a cylindrical body significantly small in its external diameter size and thickness size as compared to a general resin molding condenser lens. It is possible to achieve an extra fine optical transmission line with an external diameter size similar to that of one multi-mode optical fiber, thereby reducing the diameter of the insertion tube of the endoscope apparatus.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2 【課題】挿入管の細径化に適した構成の光伝送路を備えた内視鏡装置を提供すること。【解決手段】内視鏡装置１の挿入管２には光ファイバからなる光伝送路６が配置されている。光伝送路６は、集光レンズとして機能する単芯の集光用マルチモード光ファイバ２０と、単芯の伝送用マルチモード光ファイバ１０と、単芯の光拡散用マルチモード光ファイバ３０とから構成されている。対物レンズ５を介して取り込まれる光学像は集光用マルチモード光ファイバ２０を介して伝送用マルチモード光ファイバ１０のコア径に収束して当該伝送用マルチモード光ファイバ１０を介して伝送される。集光用マルチモード光ファイバ２０は、一般的な樹脂成形品の集光レンズに比べて、格段に小さな外径寸法、厚さ寸法の円筒体である。１本のマルチモード光ファイバと同程度の外径寸法を備えた極細の光伝送路を実現でき、内視鏡装置の挿入管を細くできる。【選択図】図２