JPS63286814A - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To remove the meshes of an image guide and also prevent occurrence of moire, by driving one of an object-side optical system and the object-side end section of an image guide and one of the eyepiece-side end section of the image guide and an eyepiece-side optical system synchronously to each other in a two-dimensional direction. CONSTITUTION:Two bimorphs 3 and 4 which are extended in the directions that are almost parallel to the optical axis 0 of this endoscope device are provided at positions normal to an image guide 2 and one end sections of the bimorphs are fixed to the leading end section of a mouth piece 7 holding the object-side end section of the image guide 2 through spacers 5 and 6. The other end sections of the bimorphs 3 and 4 are fixed to a leading end constituting member 10 composed of a rigid body through spacers 8 and 9. When driving voltages are applied across the bimorphs 3 and 4 and the object-side end section of the image guide 2 is driven, each fiber at the end face 2a of the image guide 2 vibrates in both longitudinal and transverse directions. Similarly, the eyepiece-side end section of the image guide 2 is also driven synchronously to the object-side end section. Therefore, meshes of the image guide 2 can be removed effectively as compared with vibrations in an one-dimensional direction and, at the same time, occurrence of moire can also be prevented effectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope device for observing the inside of a body cavity or a mechanical structure.

[Conventional technology]

Various types of endoscope devices have been proposed in the past, and an object to be observed is irradiated with illumination light using a light guide made of a fiber bundle, and an image of the object to be observed is projected from the fiber bundle by an objective lens system. An image is formed on the objective-side end surface of the image guide, and the image transmitted to the eye-side end surface of the image guide can be observed with the naked eye through an eyepiece system, or photographed with a television camera equipped with a photographic lens and displayed on a monitor. There are known ones that are designed to project images. In such endoscopic devices, the image guide is formed by bundling optical fibers with a cladding around the core, so the resolution is low, and especially when trying to reduce the diameter of the insertion section, the number of fibers increases. a little (nari,
The disadvantage is that the resolution cannot be sufficiently increased, and since no light is transmitted between the fibers, a black mesh becomes visible, making it difficult to see, especially when magnified. Furthermore, when capturing an image with a television camera having a solid-state image sensor, the number of pixels of the camera cannot be sufficiently increased, so there is a drawback that the resolution becomes even lower and undesirable moire fringes occur.

In order to eliminate such drawbacks, the applicant has disclosed
- In Publication No. 168.015, between the object side end and the eyepiece side end of the image guide and their holding members,
Alternatively, an endoscope device has been proposed in which piezoelectric elements are inserted between the objective lens system, the eyepiece system, and their holding members to vibrate them in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, according to various experiments conducted by the inventors of the present invention, it has been found that the above-mentioned Japanese Patent No. 58-168°015 has the following problems that should be improved. In other words, in this endoscope device, both ends of the image guide, the objective lens system, and the eyepiece lens system are made to vibrate relative to each other only in one direction perpendicular to the optical axis. There is a problem in that straight lines due to the mesh may appear clearly, and moiré fringes may appear depending on the object to be observed, resulting in insufficient resolution.

The present invention has been made in view of these conventional problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope apparatus suitably configured to obtain sufficient resolution.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention enables one of the objective side optical system and the objective side end of the image guide to be driven in different directions, and also enables the eyepiece side end of the image guide and one of the eyepiece side optical system to be driven in different directions. can be driven in different directions.

[For production]

Here, each driving means capable of driving the end of the image guide and one of the optical systems facing thereto in different directions on each of the incident side and the exit side of the image guide synchronizes the driven parts. It acts to vibrate in two-dimensional directions.

〔Example〕

FIGS. 1A and 1B show an embodiment of the present invention. This endoscope device includes an objective lens system 1 and an image guide 2, and the objective lens system 1 forms an image of an object to be observed illuminated by light from a light guide (not shown) on an object side end surface 2a of the image guide 2. This image can be transmitted through the image guide 2 and formed on the eyepiece side end surface (not shown) to be observed with the naked eye through an eyepiece lens system, or can be photographed with a television camera having a photographic lens and displayed on a monitor. I'm starting to get it.

In this embodiment, two bimorphs 3 and 4 are provided at the end of the image guide 2 on the object side, extending substantially parallel to the optical axis 0 at positions orthogonal to the image guide 2.
are arranged, one end of which is connected to the tip of the base 7 that holds the object side end of the image guide 2 via a spacer 5.6, and the other end is connected to a rigid tip structure with the other end placed via a spacer 8.9. It is fixed to the member 10. In this way, driving voltages as shown in FIG. 2 are applied to the bimorphs 3.4 to drive the object side end of the image guide 2.

In this way, the object side end surface 2a of the image guide 2
is the reference state shown in Figure 3A, i.e. bimorph 3.4
From the state where no voltage is applied to
As shown in the figure, each fiber 2-1.2-2.2-3. --- will vibrate in two-dimensional directions, vertical and horizontal.

Similarly to the object side end, the eyepiece side end of the image guide 2 is also movably supported by two orthogonal bimorphs and driven in synchronization with the object side end.

In this way, by driving the object side end and the eyepiece side end of the image guide 2 in the two-dimensional direction, it is possible to effectively eliminate the strain of the image guide 2 compared to vibrations only in the -dimensional direction. At the same time, the occurrence of moire fringes can also be effectively prevented. Therefore, the strain on the eyes of the observer is reduced, and the inspection can be performed easily and accurately.

In the above embodiment, both ends of the image guide 2 are displaced independently in the vertical and horizontal directions, but as shown in FIG. By applying these forces, the resultant force can be applied to cause displacement in two-dimensional directions. In this case, in the standard state in which no voltage is applied to the bimorphs 3, 4, each fiber 2-1.2-2. --- is in the state shown in FIG. 5A, but at time 1 in FIG. 5B, at time t2, to the left as shown in FIG. 5C, at time t2, to the left as shown in FIG. As shown in Figure E, both ends of the image guide 2 are displaced to the right, and as a result, both ends of the image guide 2 are displaced along a circle centered on the optical axis 0 in the reference state shown in Figure 5A. .

Note that this invention is not limited only to the embodiments described above, and numerous modifications and changes are possible. For example, in the embodiment described above, both ends of the image guide 2 are driven by two bimorphs 3 and 4 provided in orthogonal directions, but they are not limited to orthogonal directions.
Moreover, the number can also be three or more. In addition, the driving voltages to multiple bimorphs are determined by their amplitude, frequency,
The phase can be changed in various ways, thereby changing the amount of displacement and frequency in the vertical and horizontal directions, and by combining the vibrations of multiple bimorphs, vibrations in various two-dimensional directions such as elliptical motion and wave-like motion can be created. It is also possible to have the Furthermore, instead of vibrating both ends of the image guide 2, the objective lens system 1 and the eyepiece system may be vibrated synchronously, or the ends of the objective lens system 1 and the image guide 2 on the eyepiece side, or the ends of the image guide 2 may be vibrated synchronously. It is also possible to configure the object side end and the eyepiece lens system to vibrate in synchronization with each other. Also, instead of using a bimorph, an electromagnet,
It can also be configured to vibrate in two-dimensional directions using a piezoelectric element, a linear motor, an ultrasonic motor, or the like.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, one of the objective-side optical system and the object-side end of the image guide is synchronized with the eyepiece-side end of the image guide and one of the eyepiece-side optical system, so that the respective two-dimensional directions can be adjusted. Since the image guide is driven in the -dimensional direction, meshes in the image guide can be removed more effectively than in driving only in the -dimensional direction, and the occurrence of moiré fringes can also be effectively prevented, and sufficient resolution can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1A and B are cross-sectional views showing one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a waveform diagram showing an example of the drive voltage to the bimorph shown in Figure 1, and Figures 3A-E explain its operation. FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram showing another example of the driving voltage to the bimorph shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 5A to 5E are diagrams for explaining its operation. 1...Objective lens system 2...Image guide 2
a...Object side end surface 2-1.2-2.2-3.
...Fiber 3.4...Bimorph 5.6...
・Spacer 7...Cap 8, 9...Spacer 10...Tip component patent Applicant Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The objective-side optical system provided at the tip of the insertion section inserted into the object to be observed, the objective-side end of the image guide, and the eyepiece-side end of this image guide and the eyepiece-side optical system are synchronized and relative to each other. In an endoscope device configured to vibrate, means capable of driving one of the object-side optical system and the object-side end of the image guide in different directions; and an eyepiece-side end of the image guide and the eyepiece-side optical system. 1. An endoscope apparatus comprising means for driving one of the systems in different directions.