JP2009297153A - Optical scanning type endoscope and optical transmission path gradient detection system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect the gradient of a light supply fiber of an optical scanning type endoscope. <P>SOLUTION: This optical scanning type endoscope is provided with a light supply fiber 43 and a fiber drive section 44. The fiber drive section 44 has a bend portion 44b and a fiber support portion 44s. The bend portion 44b has a cylindrical shape. The light supply fiber 43 is inserted into the bend portion 44b. The fiber support portion 44s fixes the light supply fiber 43 to the bend portion 44b. The bend portion 44b bends the light supply fiber 43 based on the fiber drive signal. A portion of the light supply fiber 43 fixed by the fiber support portion 44s is formed with an FBG 47. The FBG 47 reflects a near-infrared light of a narrow band by a reflectance according to the gradient. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical scanning endoscope capable of detecting an inclination amount of an optical fiber to be vibrated for scanning, and an optical transmission line inclination amount detection system for detecting the inclination amount.

  An optical scanning endoscope unit capable of forming an entire image by receiving reflected light at a point where light is irradiated instantaneously while scanning light irradiated from the tip of the insertion tube in the observation target region. It is known (see Patent Document 1).

  In such an optical scanning endoscope, light is scanned by vibrating an object side end of a single mode optical fiber for supplying illumination light in a two-dimensional direction so as to draw a spiral. Reflected light scattered at the light irradiation position at each moment is received, and a pixel signal corresponding to the amount of received light is generated. An image signal of one frame is formed by the pixel signal at each position forming on the scanning line.

  In order to accurately display the subject to be imaged on the monitor, the irradiation position of the light with respect to the entire scanning region corresponding to the direction of the tip of the single mode optical fiber must be matched with the position in the entire image displayed by the generated pixel signal. is required.

  Therefore, in the optical scanning endoscope, the vibration state at a frequency near the resonance frequency of the single-mode optical fiber is measured in advance, and it is assumed that the vibration state is measured in advance at the time of imaging. Is matched with the relative position irradiated.

However, vibrations different from the vibration state measured in advance may occur due to environmental changes such as movement of the tip of the single mode optical fiber. In such a case, scanning may become unstable and distortion may occur in the image displayed on the monitor.
JP 2005-501279 Gazette

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical scanning endoscope and an optical transmission line tilt amount detection system that detect the vibration state of an optical fiber without expanding the diameter of the insertion tube.

  The optical scanning endoscope of the present invention has a proximal end and a distal end, and is a first band light having a reflectance that changes in accordance with an inclination amount at a first position that is a position near the distal end. The first reflection part that reflects the light of the first band and transmits the light of the other band of the first band is provided at the first position, and the light incident on the proximal end is transmitted to the distal end and reflected by the first reflection part. A supply light transmission path for transmitting the first light to the base end, and a distal end of the supply light transmission path in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the distal end of the supply light transmission path while supporting the supply light transmission path at the first position. And a drive unit for driving the motor.

  Note that the supply light transmission path reflects the first light with a reflectance of less than 100% to a second position that is located away from the first position at an interval shorter than the coherence length of the first light. It is preferable that a second reflection part that transmits light in another band of one band is provided.

  Moreover, it is preferable that a 2nd position is a front end side rather than a 1st position, and the maximum reflectance with respect to the 1st light of a 1st reflective site | part is less than 100%.

  A first optical transmission line tilt amount detection system of the present invention includes a first light source that supplies first light to a proximal end of a supply light transmission path of the optical scanning endoscope of the present invention, and a supply light transmission path A second light source for supplying light in a second band, which is another band in the first band and visible light band, to the base end of the first band, and a first light emitted from the base end of the supply light transmission path And a tilt amount detector that detects the tilt amount at the first position of the supply light transmission path based on the received light amount of the first light received by the light receiver. .

  Also, a reference light transmission path that transmits the first light emitted from the first light source, and a first optical distance that is the same as the optical distance from the first light source to the first position in the reference light transmission path. It is preferable to provide a reflecting member that reflects the first light at the position 3.

  The reflecting member is preferably capable of adjusting an optical distance from the first light source to the reflecting portion via the reference light transmission path.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to detect the amount of inclination near the tip of the light supply fiber. Therefore, it is possible to improve the estimation accuracy of the vibration state of the light supply fiber.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an optical scanning endoscope processor having an optical scanning endoscope to which the first embodiment of the present invention is applied and an optical transmission line tilt amount detection system to which the first embodiment is applied. 1 is an external view schematically showing an external appearance of an optical scanning endoscope apparatus.

  The optical scanning endoscope apparatus 10 includes an optical scanning endoscope processor 20, an optical scanning endoscope 40, and a monitor 11. The optical scanning endoscope processor 20 is connected to the optical scanning endoscope 40 and the monitor 11. In the following description, the tips of the light supply fiber (not shown in FIG. 1) and the reflection optical fiber (not shown in FIG. 1) are on the distal end side of the insertion tube 41 of the optical scanning endoscope 40. The proximal end is an end disposed on the connector 42 connected to the optical scanning endoscope processor 20.

  Light to be applied to the observation target area OA is supplied from the optical scanning endoscope processor 20. The supplied light is transmitted to the distal end of the insertion tube 41 through a light supply fiber (supply light transmission path), and is irradiated toward one point (see reference numeral P1) in the observation target region. Reflected light at one point on the observation target region irradiated with light is transmitted from the distal end of the insertion tube 41 of the optical scanning endoscope 40 to the optical scanning endoscope processor 20.

  The direction of the tip of the light supply fiber is changed by a fiber drive (not shown in FIG. 1). By changing the direction of the tip, the light irradiated from the light supply fiber is scanned over the observation target region. The fiber driving unit is controlled by the optical scanning endoscope processor 20.

  The optical scanning endoscope processor 20 receives the reflected light scattered at the light irradiation position, and generates a pixel signal corresponding to the amount of received light. An image signal for one frame is generated by generating a pixel signal for the entire region to be scanned. The generated image signal is transmitted to the monitor 11 and an image corresponding to the image signal is displayed on the monitor 11.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 includes a light source unit 30, a light receiving unit 21, a scan driving circuit 22, an image signal processing circuit 23, a timing controller 24, a system controller 25, and the like.

  As will be described later, the light irradiating the observation target region from the light source unit 30 is supplied to the light supply fiber 43. The scan drive circuit 22 causes the fiber drive unit 44 to drive the light supply fiber 43. The reflected light of the observation target region irradiated with the light is transmitted to the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 by the optical scanning endoscope 40. The light transmitted to the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 is received by the light receiving unit 21.

  A pixel signal corresponding to the amount of received light is generated by the light receiving unit 21. The pixel signal is transmitted to the image signal processing circuit 23. In the image signal processing circuit 23, the pixel signal is stored in the image memory 26. When the pixel signal corresponding to the entire observation target region is stored, the image signal processing circuit 23 performs predetermined signal processing on the pixel signal and transmits it to the monitor 11 via the encoder 27 as an image signal of one frame.

  When the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 and the optical scanning endoscope 40 are connected, the light source unit 30 and the light supply fiber 43 provided in the optical scanning endoscope 40, and the light receiving unit 21 and the reflected optical fiber. 45 is optically connected. When the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 and the optical scanning endoscope 40 are connected, the scan driving circuit 22 and the fiber driving unit 44 provided in the optical scanning endoscope 40 are electrically connected. .

  In the light source unit 30, the light receiving unit 21, the image signal processing circuit 23, the scan drive circuit 22, and the encoder 27, the timing of the operation of each part is controlled by the timing controller 24. The operation of each part of the timing controller 24 and the optical scanning endoscope apparatus 10 is controlled by the system controller 25. In addition, a command can be input by a user through an input unit 28 including a keyboard (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the light source unit 30 includes a red light laser 31r (second light source), a green light laser 31g (second light source), a blue light laser 31b (second light source), and a near infrared light laser. 32 (first light source), first to third filters 33 a to 33 c, a beam splitter 34, a condenser lens 35, a vibration detection light receiver 36, a laser drive circuit 37, and the like.

  The red light laser 31r, the green light laser 31g, and the blue light laser 31b are respectively a red light laser beam (second band light), a green light laser beam (second band light), and a blue light laser beam (first light). 2). The near-infrared laser 32 emits a narrow-band near-infrared laser beam (first light) used for detecting the tilt amount of the light supply fiber 43 described later.

  The first filter 33a is an optical filter that reflects blue light in a band emitted from the blue light laser 31b and transmits light in another band. The second filter 33b is an optical filter that reflects green light in a band emitted from the green light laser 31g and transmits light in other bands. The third filter 33c is an optical filter that reflects the red light in the band emitted by the red laser 31r and transmits the light in the other band. The beam splitter 34 is a half mirror, and a part of incident light is reflected and a part is transmitted.

  In the state where the light supply fiber 43 and the light source unit 30 are connected, the condenser lens 35, the first filter 33a, the second filter 33b, and the third filter in the light emission direction on the proximal end side of the light supply fiber 43. 33c, a beam splitter 34, and a vibration detection light receiver 36 are arranged.

  The first to third filters 33a to 33c and the beam splitter 34 are fixed in a state inclined by 45 ° with respect to the light emission direction on the proximal end side of the light supply fiber 43, and the blue light emitted from the blue light laser 31b. The optical laser beam is transmitted by the first filter 33a, the green light laser beam emitted by the green light laser 31g by the second filter 33b, and the red light laser beam emitted by the red light laser 31r by the third filter 33c. The near-infrared laser beam emitted from the optical laser 32 is reflected by the beam splitter 34 toward the proximal end of the light supply fiber 43.

  The blue light laser beam reflected by the first filter 33a, the green light laser beam reflected by the second filter 33b and transmitted through the first filter 33a, and the first and second filters reflected by the third filter 33c. The red laser beam that has passed through 33a and 33b and the near-infrared laser beam that has been reflected by the beam splitter 34 and passed through the first to third filters 33a to 33c are condensed by the condenser lens 35, and are supplied to the light supply fiber. It enters the base end of 43.

  During normal observation, a red light laser beam, a green light laser beam, a blue light laser beam, and a near infrared light laser beam are supplied to the light supply fiber 43.

  The red laser 31r, the green laser 31g, the blue laser 31b, and the near infrared laser 32 are driven by a laser drive circuit 37. The laser drive circuit 37 controls the timing of light emission and extinction by the timing controller 24.

  As will be described later, the near-infrared laser beam is reflected by a fiber Bragg grating (not shown in FIG. 3) in the vicinity of the distal end of the light supply fiber 43 and transmitted again to the proximal end of the light supply fiber 43. Near-infrared light transmitted to the base end is emitted from the base end, and reaches the vibration detection light receiver 36 via the condenser lens 35, the first to third filters 33 a to 33 c, and the beam splitter 34. .

  The amount of received near-infrared light is detected by the vibration detection light receiver 36. The detected amount of received light is transmitted as a signal to the image signal processing circuit 23. The image signal processing circuit 23 calculates the amount of inclination on the tip side of the light supply fiber 43 based on the amount of received near-infrared light. Further, the image signal processing circuit 23 estimates the light scanning position based on the control of the fiber driving unit 44 by the scan driving circuit 22 and the calculated tilt amount.

  Next, the configuration of the optical scanning endoscope 40 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the optical scanning endoscope 40 is provided with a light supply fiber 43, a reflection optical fiber 45, a condensing lens 46, a fiber driving unit 44, and the like.

  The light supply fiber 43 and the reflection optical fiber 45 extend from the connector 42 to the tip of the insertion tube 41. As described above, the red laser beam, the green laser beam, the blue laser beam, and the near-infrared laser beam emitted from the light source unit 30 are incident on the proximal end of the light supply fiber 43. These lights incident on the proximal end are transmitted to the distal end side.

  A fiber driving unit 44 is provided near the tip of the light supply fiber 43. As shown in FIG. 5, the fiber drive unit 44 includes a bent portion 44b and a fiber support portion 44s. The bent portion 44b has a cylindrical shape, and the light supply fiber 43 is inserted into the cylinder. The light supply fiber 43 is fixed to the end of the bent portion 44b on the distal end side of the insertion tube 41 by the fiber support portion 44s.

  The bent portion 44b has a piezoelectric element and is inclined toward a direction perpendicular to the cylindrical axis direction based on a fiber drive signal transmitted from the scan drive circuit 22. The light supply fiber 43 is pressed by the bent portion 44 b through the fiber support portion 44 s and tilted in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the light supply fiber 43. The light is scanned on the observation target region by vibrating along two directions in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the light supply fiber 43 so as to continuously change the inclination amount of the light supply fiber 43.

  A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) 47 is formed in the core of the light supply fiber 43 at a position fixed to the fiber support 44s. The FBG 47 is formed so as to reflect narrow-band light including near-infrared light emitted from the near-infrared laser 32 and transmit light in other bands.

  As described above, the red laser beam, the green laser beam, the blue laser beam, and the near-infrared laser beam are incident on the light supply fiber 43 and transmitted to the tip side.

  The red light laser beam, the green light laser beam, and the blue light laser beam pass through the FBG 47 and are emitted from the tip of the light supply fiber 43. The near-infrared laser beam is reflected by the FBG 47 to the proximal end side with a reflectance corresponding to the amount of inclination of the light supply fiber 43. The light supply fiber 43 is a single mode optical fiber, and emits the beam-shaped light incident at the proximal end as the beam-shaped light.

  The light emitted from the light supply fiber 43 is emitted toward one point of the observation target region (see P2 in FIG. 6). The reflected light at one point of the observation target area OA irradiated with the light is scattered, and the scattered reflected light enters the tip of the reflected optical fiber 45.

  The optical scanning endoscope 40 is provided with a plurality of reflection optical fibers 45. The tip of the reflection optical fiber 45 is disposed so as to surround the periphery of the condenser lens 46 (see FIG. 6). Scattered light at one point on the observation target area OA enters each reflected optical fiber 45.

  The reflected light incident on the reflected optical fiber 45 is transmitted to the base end of the reflected optical fiber 45. As described above, the reflected optical fiber 45 is connected to the light receiving unit 21 at the proximal end. The reflected light transmitted to the reflected optical fiber 45 is emitted toward the light receiving unit 21.

  The light receiving unit 21 detects the received light amount for each of the red light component, the green light component, and the blue light component of the reflected light, and generates a pixel signal corresponding to each received light amount. The pixel signal is transmitted to the image signal processing circuit 23.

  As described above, the image signal processing circuit 23 estimates the light scanning position at the moment. The image signal processing circuit 23 stores the received image signal at the address of the image memory 26 corresponding to the estimated position.

  As described above, the irradiation light is scanned on the observation target region, and a pixel signal is generated based on the reflected light at each position and stored in the address of the corresponding image memory 26. An image signal corresponding to the image of the observation target region is formed by the pixel signal at each position stored between the scanning start point and the scanning end point. The image signal is subjected to predetermined signal processing as described above and then transmitted to the monitor 11.

  As described above, according to the optical scanning endoscope and the optical transmission line tilt amount detection system of the present embodiment, the tilt amount of the light supply fiber 43 bent by the fiber driving unit 44 can be calculated. By using the amount of inclination of the light supply fiber 43, it is possible to improve the estimation accuracy of the light scanning position. Therefore, even when the vibration state deviates from the previously measured state, it is possible to reduce distortion generated in the displayed image.

  Next, an optical transmission line tilt amount detection system to which the second embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described. The optical transmission line inclination amount detection system of the second embodiment is different from the optical transmission line inclination amount detection system of the first embodiment in that a reference optical fiber is provided. The following description will focus on differences from the optical transmission line tilt amount detection system of the first embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the site | part which has the same function as the optical scanning endoscope detection system of 1st Embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the optical scanning endoscope processor 200 having the optical transmission line tilt amount detection system to which the second embodiment is applied includes a light source unit 300, a light receiving unit 21, a scan drive circuit 22, and image signal processing. A circuit 23, a timing controller 24, a system controller 25, a reference optical fiber 29 (reference light transmission path), and the like are provided.

  The configurations and functions of the light receiving unit 21, the scan drive circuit 22, the image signal processing circuit 23, the timing controller 24, and the system controller 25 are the same as those of the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 of the first embodiment. Unlike the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 of the first embodiment, the light source unit 300 is optically connected to the reference optical fiber 29.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the light source unit 300 includes a red light laser 31r, a green light laser 31g, a blue light laser 31b, a near infrared light laser 32, first to third filters 33a to 33c, a beam splitter 34, 1 and second condenser lenses 35a and 35b, a vibration detecting light receiver 36, a laser driving circuit 37, and the like.

  Red light laser 31r, green light laser 31g, blue light laser 31b, near-infrared light laser 32, first to third filters 33a to 33c, beam splitter 34, first condenser lens 35a, vibration detector The configuration and function of 36 and the laser drive circuit 37 are the same as those in the first embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the reference optical fiber 29 is such that part of the near-infrared light transmitted through the beam splitter 34 is collected by the second condenser lens 35 b and enters the reference optical fiber 29. Is placed.

  The reference optical fiber 29 is a single mode optical fiber having the same optical characteristics as the light supply fiber 43. The reference optical fiber 29 is an optical scanning type endoscope that is assumed to be most frequently used among various types of optical scanning type endoscopes 40 connected to the optical scanning type endoscope processor 20. It is formed to have the same length as the light supply fiber 43 of the mirror 40.

  A mirror M is provided that reflects near-infrared light in the light emission direction from the end of the reference optical fiber 29 opposite to the light source unit 300. The mirror M is movable in the axial direction of the reference optical fiber 29.

  In the optical scanning endoscope processor 200 of the second embodiment configured as described above, when a near-infrared light laser beam is emitted from the near-infrared light laser 32, a part of the near-infrared light is a beam. The light is reflected by the splitter 34 and enters the light supply fiber 43. Further, the remaining part of the near-infrared light passes through the beam splitter 34 and enters the reference optical fiber 29.

  As described above, the near-infrared light incident on the light supply fiber 43 is reflected according to the amount of inclination of the light supply fiber 43 at the position where the FBG 47 is formed.

  The light supply fiber 43 is driven along a spiral scanning line as shown in FIG. A single scan is performed to generate an image signal of one frame from the scan start position where the tilt amount is minimum to the scan end position where the tilt amount is maximum, and the scan is performed while spiraling again. The scan is returned from the end position to the scan start position, and when the scan start position is reached, the scan for generating the image signal of the next frame is started again. That is, the amount of inclination is in a vibration state over time.

  Accordingly, the amount of near-infrared light reflected by the FBG 47 oscillates with time as shown in FIG. However, light components other than light reflected by the FBG 47 are mixed in the near infrared light emitted from the base end of the light supply fiber 43 as noise due to the influence of the internal distortion of the light supply fiber 43 and the like.

  On the other hand, near-infrared light that has entered the reference optical fiber 29 is emitted from the distal end of the optical unit 300 of the reference optical fiber 29, is reflected by the mirror M, and enters the reference optical fiber 29 again. Near infrared light incident on the distal end of the reference optical fiber 29 is emitted toward the beam splitter 34.

  Near-infrared light reflected by the mirror M via the reference optical fiber 29 has a constant light amount, and has a light component that is affected by internal distortion of the reference optical fiber 29. Since the optical characteristics of the light supply fiber 43 and the reference optical fiber 29 are the same and the length is not significantly different, the light component affected by the distortion in the reference optical fiber 29 is the light supply fiber. 43 is substantially the same.

  The light emitted from the light supply fiber 43 and the light emitted from the reference optical fiber 29 interfere with each other in the beam splitter 34, and light components other than the light reflected by the FBG 47 are removed. Therefore, only the light component corresponding to the inclination amount of the light supply fiber 43 is received by the vibration detection light receiver 36.

  According to the optical scanning endoscope processor of the second embodiment configured as described above, the inclination amount of the light supply fiber 43 is calculated in the same manner as the optical scanning endoscope processor of the first embodiment. It becomes possible. Further, as described above, since the noise component is removed, it is possible to improve the calculation accuracy of the tilt amount as compared with the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 of the first embodiment.

  Next, an optical scanning endoscope to which the second embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described. The optical scanning endoscope according to the second embodiment is the same as the optical scanning endoscope according to the first embodiment in that FBG is formed in the light supply fiber even at other positions fixed to the fiber support 44s. It is different from the endoscope. The following description will focus on differences from the optical scanning endoscope according to the first embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the site | part which has the same function as the optical scanning endoscope of 1st Embodiment.

  The optical scanning endoscope 40 of the second embodiment is similar to the optical scanning endoscope of the first embodiment in that the light supply fiber 430, the reflected optical fiber 45, the condensing lens 46, and the fiber driving unit 44 are used. Etc. are provided.

  The configurations and functions of the reflection optical fiber 45, the condensing lens 46, and the fiber drive unit 44 are the same as those of the optical scanning endoscope according to the first embodiment. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, unlike the optical scanning endoscope of the first embodiment, the light supply fiber 430 is provided with first and second FBGs 47a and 47b.

  The first FBG 47a is formed at a first position, which is a position fixed by the fiber support portion 44s, similarly to the optical scanning endoscope according to the first embodiment. In the optical scanning endoscope 40 according to the second embodiment, the second position is located on the proximal end side from the first position and the distance is shorter than the coherence length of the near-infrared light supplied from the light source unit 20. The second FBG 47b is formed at the position.

  Note that the first FBG 47a is formed so that the reflectance is substantially 100% in a non-bent state. The second FBG 47b is formed so that the reflectance is 50%.

  When near-infrared light is incident on the light supply fiber 430 of the optical scanning endoscope 40 of the second embodiment configured as described above, 50% of the near-infrared light is reflected by the second FBG 47b, The remaining near-infrared light reaches the first FBG 47a.

  Near-infrared light that has reached the first FBG 47a has a reflectivity corresponding to the amount of inclination of the light supply fiber 430 at the position where the first FBG 47a is formed, as in the optical scanning endoscope of the first embodiment. Near infrared light is reflected. As described above, in the near infrared light reflected by the first FBG 47a, light components other than the light reflected by the first FBG 47a are mixed as noise.

  Since the light supply fiber 430 is not bent at the position where the second FBG 47b is formed, the reflectance of the second FBG 43 is constant. Further, since the near infrared light reflected by the second FBG 47b passes through the same light supply fiber 430 as the near infrared light reflected by the first FBG 47a, the near red light reflected by the second FBG 47b. The external light has a light component that is affected by the internal distortion of the light supply fiber 430.

  The light reflected by the first and second FBGs 47a and 47b interferes inside the light supply fiber 430, and noise components are removed from the near-infrared light reflected by the first FBG 47a. Therefore, only the light component corresponding to the inclination amount of the light supply fiber 430 at the position where the first FBG 47a is formed is received by the vibration detection light receiver 36.

  According to the optical scanning endoscope of the second embodiment configured as described above, as with the optical scanning endoscope of the first embodiment, the optical that can calculate the tilt amount of the light supply fiber 430. Information can be supplied to the optical scanning endoscope processor 20. Further, as described above, noise components are removed as in the optical scanning endoscope processor 200 of the second embodiment while using the optical scanning endoscope processor 20 of the first embodiment. It is possible to improve the calculation accuracy of the tilt amount as compared with the first optical scanning endoscope.

  In the optical scanning endoscopes of the first and second embodiments and the optical scanning endoscope processors of the first and second embodiments, in order to detect the amount of inclination of the light supply fibers 43 and 430, Although the configuration uses near-infrared light, light in other bands may be used. When using light in another band as light for detecting the tilt amount, it is necessary to form the FBG 47, the first and second FBGs 47a, 47b so as to have a characteristic of reflecting the light to be used.

  In the second embodiment, the first and second FBGs 47a and 47b are arranged so that the reflectance of the first and second FBGs 47a and 47b with respect to near-infrared light is substantially 100% and 50%. Although it is a structure formed, it is not limited to these values. However, as in the second embodiment, the reflectance of the second FBG 47b is preferably smaller than the reflectance of the first FBG 47a.

  Moreover, in 2nd Embodiment, although 2nd FBG47b is the structure provided in the base end side rather than 1st FBG47a, you may provide in the front end side.

  In the optical scanning endoscope processors of the first and second embodiments, a laser is used as a light source that emits red light, green light, blue light (so-called visible light), and near-infrared light. However, other types of light sources may be used. However, in the optical scanning endoscope, it is preferable that light is applied to one minimal point in the observation target region, and it is preferable to use a laser to emit light having strong directivity.

Schematic appearance of an optical scanning endoscope apparatus having an optical scanning endoscope to which the first embodiment of the present invention is applied and an optical scanning endoscope processor to which the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is an external view shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows roughly the internal structure of the optical scanning type endoscope processor of 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows roughly the internal structure of the light source unit of the optical scanning endoscope processor of 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows roughly the internal structure of the optical scanning endoscope of 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing along the axial direction of the light supply fiber which shows the structure of the fiber drive part of the optical scanning endoscope of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the state in which light radiate | emits from a condensing lens. It is a block diagram which shows roughly the internal structure of the optical scanning type endoscope processor of 2nd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows roughly the internal structure of the light source unit of the optical scanning type endoscope processor of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the scanning path | route of light. It is a graph which shows the time-dependent change of the light quantity of the near-infrared light reflected by 1st FBG and radiate | emitted from the base end of a light supply fiber. It is sectional drawing along the axial direction of the light supply fiber for demonstrating the structure of the front-end | tip of the light supply fiber of the optical scanning endoscope of 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Optical scanning type endoscope apparatus 20, 200 Optical scanning type endoscope processor 21 Light receiving unit 29 Reference optical fiber 30, 300 Light source unit 32 Near-infrared light laser 34 Beam splitter 36 Vibration detection light receiver 40 Optical scanning type Endoscope 41 Insertion tube 43, 430 Light supply fiber 44 Fiber drive part 44b Bending part 44s Fiber support part 47 Fiber Bragg grating (FBG)
47a, 47b first and second FBGs

Claims (6)

The first light having a base end and a front end is reflected to reflect the first light, which is light in the first band, with a reflectivity that changes in accordance with the amount of inclination at a first position that is a position in the vicinity of the front end. A first reflection part that transmits light in another band is provided at the first position, transmits light incident on the base end to the tip, and is reflected by the first reflection part. A supply light transmission path for transmitting first light to the base end;
A drive unit that drives the tip of the supply light transmission path in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the tip of the supply light transmission path while supporting the supply light transmission path at the first position. Optical scanning endoscope.   In the supply light transmission path, the first light with a reflectance of less than 100% is provided at the second position, which is located away from the first position at an interval shorter than the coherence length of the first light. 2. The optical scanning endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a second reflection portion that reflects light and transmits light in another band of the first band.   The said 2nd position is the said front end side from the said 1st position, The maximum reflectance with respect to the said 1st light of the said 1st reflective site | part is less than 100%, The Claim 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. The described optical scanning endoscope. A first light source that supplies the first light to the base end of the supply light transmission path of the optical scanning endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A second light source that supplies light in a second band, which is another band in the first band and is in the visible light band, to the base end of the supply light transmission path;
A light receiver that receives the first light emitted from the base end of the supply light transmission path;
An inclination of the optical transmission line, comprising: an inclination amount detection unit that detects an inclination amount of the supply light transmission line at the first position based on an amount of received light of the first light received by the light receiver. Quantity detection system. A first light source that supplies the first light to the proximal end of the optical scanning endoscope according to claim 1 with the supply light transmission;
A second light source that supplies light in a second band, which is another band in the first band and is in the visible light band, to the base end of the supply light transmission path;
A reference light transmission path for transmitting the first light emitted from the first light source;
A reflective member that reflects the first light at a third position that is the same optical distance as the optical distance from the first light source to the first position in the reference light transmission path;
A light receiver that receives the first light emitted from the supply light transmission path and the reference light transmission path;
An inclination of the optical transmission line, comprising: an inclination amount detection unit that detects an inclination amount of the supply light transmission line at the first position based on an amount of received light of the first light received by the light receiver. Quantity detection system.   8. The optical transmission path tilt amount detection system according to claim 7, wherein the reflection member is capable of adjusting an optical distance from the first light source to the reflection site via the reference light transmission path.

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