US4584988A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Illumination apparatus for endoscope
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1984-08-28
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Granted: 1986-04-29
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Expires: 2004-08-28
Abstract
Abstract An illumination apparatus for an endoscope is provided at the distal end of the insertion section of the endoscope. The apparatus has a light guide which extends through the insertion section, has a light-issuing end located adjacent to the distal end opening of the insertion section. The light guide conducts light beams emitted from a light source device. An optical element made of a light-permeable material is arranged to face the light-issuing end of the light guide, and a lens is arranged in the distal end opening. The optical element has a light-receiving surface facing the light issuing end and a light issuing surface opposite to the lens. A depression is formed in the center of the light-issuing surface. Light beams emitted from the end of the light guide pass through the optical element and lens, and are distributed by the depression in the annular pattern whose central portions grow dark and whose peripheral portions are rendered bright.
Inventors
- 👤 Kimihiko Nishioka
- 👤 Hiroyuki Kimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 17:33
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/06; A61B1/0607; A61B1/00064; A61B1/00071; A61B1/0008; A61B1/00096; A61B1/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
An illumination apparatus for an endoscope provided with a narrow insertion section open at the distal end and connected to a light source device, comprising: a light guide, which extends through the insertion section, said guide being provided with a light-issuing end disposed adjacent to the distal end opening of the insertion section, and which conducts light beams emitted from the light source device; an optical element, which is prepared from a light-permeable material, facing the light-issuing end of the light guide, said optical element being provided with a light-receiving surface which is exposed to light beams emitted from the light-issuing surface facing the light-receiving surface and which transmits light beams delivered from the light-receiving surface, and a peripheral surface between the light-receiving and issuing surfaces; and a lens arranged in the distal end opening to face the light-issuing surface of the optical element, and which allows for the permeation of light beams emitted from the light-issuing surface of the optical element and transmits the light beams from the distal end opening; said optical element being provided with a depression formed in substantially the center of the light-issuing surface thereof, whereby the light beams from the light guide are repeatedly reflected on the peripheral surface of the optical element and on the inner surface of the depression, emitted from the issuing surface and conducted through the lens in an annular pattern whose central portions grow dark and whose peripheral portions are rendered bright.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
An illumination apparatus for an endoscope provided with a narrow insertion section open at the distal end and connected to a light source device, comprising: a light guide, which extends through the insertion section, said guide being provided with a light-issuing end disposed adjacent to the distal end opening of the insertion section, and which conducts light beams emitted from the light source device; an optical element, which is prepared from a light-permeable material, facing the light-issuing end of the light guide, said optical element being provided with a light-receiving surface which is exposed to light beams emitted from the light-issuing surface facing the light-receiving surface and which transmits light beams delivered from the light-receiving surface, and a peripheral surface between the light-receiving and issuing surfaces; and a lens arranged in the distal end opening to face the light-issuing surface of the optical element, and which allows for the permeation of light beams emitted from the light-issuing surface of the optical element and transmits the light beams from the distal end opening; said optical element being provided with a depression formed in substantially the center of the light-issuing surface thereof, whereby the light beams from the light guide are repeatedly reflected on the peripheral surface of the optical element and on the inner surface of the depression, emitted from the issuing surface and conducted through the lens in an annular pattern whose central portions grow dark and whose peripheral portions are rendered bright.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical element has a circular truncated conical shape, and the light-issuing surface is constituted by the smaller diameter end face of the optical element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said depression is formed in a conical shape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said depression is formed concentrically with the light-issuing surface of the optical element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said optical element has an annular projection protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the smaller diameter end portion of the optical element to broaden the light-issuing surface thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said optical element has an annular projection protruding from the inner peripheral wall of the depression to reduce the inner diameter of the light-issuing surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens is a convex form, and its optical axis coincides with that of the optical element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens is a concave form, and its optical axis coincides with that of the optical element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light-issuing surface of the optical element is displaced from a conjugate point at a distance g determined by the following formula with respect to that plane on which a foreground subject is assumed to be set: |g|≧D/2 tan α where: α=the emission angle of light beams issued from the light-issuing surface of the optical element D=diameter of the depression measured in the plane of the light-issuing surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said light-issuing surface of the optical element is displaced from the conjugate point toward the lens at the distance g.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said optical element has a circular truncated conical shape, and the light-issuing surface is constituted by the smaller diameter end face of the optical element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said depression has a conical shape, and is formed concentrically with the light-issuing surface of the optical element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said lens is a convex type, whose optical axis is concentric with that of the optical element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said lens is a concave type, whose optical axis is concentric with that of the optical element.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-04-28 | 1989-10-28 | 1990-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-28 | 1993-10-28 | 1994-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-28 | 1997-10-28 | 1998-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |