Abstract: In an endoscope apparatus, inside an endoscope, color correction processing is performed that performs multiplication between a color correction coefficient that is set based on a plurality of numerical apertures with respect to a plurality of different wavelengths included in a wavelength band of illuminating light of a light guide that is mounted in the endoscope and that transmits light-source light from a light source apparatus, and at least one of B, G and R signals generated by the signal processing apparatus.

Abstract: An optical measurement system including: a probe including a plurality of light-receiving fibers and an irradiation fiber; a calibration member including a frame member and a fluorescent body provided in an inner side of the frame member to emit fluorescent light using excitation light, the calibration member being used while the fluorescent body surface faces a leading end of the probe; a fluorescence excitation light source that supplies excitation light to the irradiation fiber; a measurement unit that measures each light output from a plurality of the light-receiving fibers; and a calibration processing unit that calibrates the received light intensity between a plurality of the light-receiving fibers based on the measurement result obtained in the measurement unit by measuring light output from a plurality of the light-receiving fibers for fluorescent light from the fluorescent body emitted by irradiation with the excitation light.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a manual feed tray on which sheets are stacked, a feeding member, side regulating plates, a detecting portion which detects positions of the side regulating plates and detects a width size of the sheets, an operation panel which receives an input of width size information of the sheets from a user, and a control circuit which compares width size information detected by the detecting portion and the width size information input to the operation panel, and stops a sheet feeding operation of the feeding member when the two pieces of width size information are different, and the control circuit compares the width size information of the detecting portion and the width size information of the operation panel, per sheet before the feeding member starts feeding the sheet.

Abstract: An illumination device and an observation system capable of outputting light having a continuous spectrum and high color rendering properties are provided. Employed is an illumination device including a first light source that emits first-wavelength-band light having a first wavelength band of violet color; a second light source that emits second-wavelength-band light having a second wavelength band that is broader than the first wavelength band and having a continuous spectrum; a light combining section that is composed of a dicroic mirror and that combines the first-wavelength-band light and the second-wavelength-band light; and a combination-ratio adjusting section that adjusts the combination ratio of the first-wavelength-band light and the second-wavelength-band light to be combined by the light combining section.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a coupler has a first line that includes a coiled main line and a second line that includes a coiled secondary line arranged to oppose the main line via an insulating layer. The coupler also has a plurality of vias that connect the separate portions of the first line arranged in the different layers and connect the separate portions of the second line arranged in the different layers, and a plurality of terminals each connected to an end of the first and second lines. The vias include an extension via connected to the main line or the secondary line that extends through the insulating layer, and the extension via wires the first line and the second line to the same side of the insulating layer.

Abstract: A sheet is fed to a registration roller pair by a separation-feeding unit formed by a sheet feeding roller and a separation portion, and is caused to abut a nip portion of the registration roller pair at rest to form a loop in the sheet. Then, when the registration roller pair rotates at a predetermined timing to convey the sheet, a pressurization plate is raised again to bring the sheet into press contact with the sheet feeding roller to thereby impart a conveyance force to the sheet, making it possible to feed the sheet reliably to the registration roller pair.

Abstract: An illumination device and an observation system capable of outputting light having a continuous spectrum and high color rendering properties are provided. Employed is an illumination device including a first light source that emits first-wavelength-band light having a first wavelength band of violet color; a second light source that emits second-wavelength-band light having a second wavelength band that is broader than the first wavelength band and having a continuous spectrum; a light combining section that is composed of a dicroic mirror and that combines the first-wavelength-band light and the second-wavelength-band light; and a combination-ratio adjusting section that adjusts the combination ratio of the first-wavelength-band light and the second-wavelength-band light to be combined by the light combining section.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope device includes an illumination unit that illuminates a living tissue using at least one of a white light illumination unit and a special light illumination unit; an imaging unit that captures an image of the tissue; a transmission unit that transmits imaging information containing the image; a storage unit that stores a threshold with respect to information on a distance between the endoscope and the tissue; a detection unit that detects the information; and an output unit that compares the information with the threshold, selects an image capturing condition of a special light observation mode if the distance is not larger than the threshold, selects an image capturing condition of a normal light observation mode if the distance is larger than the threshold, and outputs the selected image capturing condition to an operation unit related to image capturing.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: a first illumination optical system which emits illuminating light in a first linear polarization direction to an object from a distal end face of an insertion portion; and a first objective optical system which allows return light from the object to enter through an objective window provided in the distal end face; wherein the first illumination optical system and the first objective optical system are placed in a positional relationship such that on the distal end face, a line segment connecting an optical axis of the first illumination optical system and an optical axis of the first objective optical system is parallel or perpendicular to a polarization direction which results when the illuminating light emitted from the first illumination optical system is projected to the distal end face, and no polarizing element is provided between the object and the objective window.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion including an image pickup section, an illumination section, and a light guide inserted inside the insertion portion, the light guide including a plurality of fibers made of a glass not containing lead, the plurality of fibers guiding illuminating light from a light source apparatus to the illumination section, the light guide having a numerical aperture of 0.46 to 0.90. A core glass of a fiber have a refractive index nd of 1.56 to 1.74, and a composition of (A) 20 to 55 wt % SiO2, (B1) 0 to 4.0 wt % B2O3, (B2) neither P2O5 nor GeO2 contained, (C) 25 to 72 wt % (BaO+SrO+La2O3+Lu2O3+Ta2O5+Gd2O3+WO3), (D) 0 to 30 wt % ZnO, (E) no Al2O3 contained, (F) no ZrO2 contained, (G) neither PbO nor As2O3 contained, (H) 0 to 15 wt % (Na2O+K2O), (I) 0 to 0.050 wt % Sb2O3 and (J) 0.26 to 1.63 wt % (Na2SO4+K2SO4).

Abstract: In an endoscope apparatus, inside an endoscope, color correction processing is performed that performs multiplication between a color correction coefficient that is set based on a plurality of numerical apertures with respect to a plurality of different wavelengths included in a wavelength band of illuminating light of a light guide that is mounted in the endoscope and that transmits light-source light from a light source apparatus, and at least one of B, G and R signals generated by the signal processing apparatus.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes: a first illumination window through which a first illumination light from a first light source is irradiated to a subject; a second illumination window at different position than the first illumination window, through which a second illumination light from a second light source is irradiated to the subject; an electronic image pickup section which picks up subject images; an image creation section which generates observation images based on image pickup signals obtained by the electronic image pickup section; a light adjustment section which synchronously adjusts respective amounts of illumination lights irradiated from the first and second illumination windows; and a control unit which controls the light adjustment section or image creation section to maintain color tone of the observation image to a predetermined one according to increase/decrease of the illumination light amount from the first illumination window.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: a first illumination optical system which emits illuminating light in a first linear polarization direction to an object from a distal end face of an insertion portion; and a first objective optical system which allows return light from the object to enter through an objective window provided in the distal end face; wherein the first illumination optical system and the first objective optical system are placed in a positional relationship such that on the distal end face, a line segment connecting an optical axis of the first illumination optical system and an optical axis of the first objective optical system is parallel or perpendicular to a polarization direction which results when the illuminating light emitted from the first illumination optical system is projected to the distal end face, and no polarizing element is provided between the object and the objective window.

Abstract: A capsule employing components for detecting blood content or hemoglobin concentration within tissue forming a lumen in vivo advantageously permits screening or diagnosis of certain diseases. In one embodiment, the capsule includes a light source for intermittently illuminating a region of tissue and a light detector for receiving interacted light from the tissue and hemoglobin therein. Methods of validating data of interacted light signal are also disclosed. A power conservation method of detecting the blood content values at different rates is further disclosed.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a manual feed tray on which sheets are stacked, a feeding member, side regulating plates, a detecting portion which detects positions of the side regulating plates and detects a width size of the sheets, an operation panel which receives an input of width size information of the sheets from a user, and a control circuit which compares width size information detected by the detecting portion and the width size information input to the operation panel, and stops a sheet feeding operation of the feeding member when the two pieces of width size information are different, and the control circuit compares the width size information of the detecting portion and the width size information of the operation panel, per sheet before the feeding member starts feeding the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet is fed to a registration roller pair by a separation-feeding unit formed by a sheet feeding roller and a separation portion, and is caused to abut a nip portion of the registration roller pair at rest to form a loop in the sheet. Then, when the registration roller pair rotates at a predetermined timing to convey the sheet, a pressurization plate is raised again to bring the sheet into press contact with the sheet feeding roller to thereby impart a conveyance force to the sheet, making it possible to feed the sheet reliably to the registration roller pair.

Abstract: Methods for calibrating blood content sensors used independently or in conjunction with medical instruments such as traditional or capsule type endoscopes.

Abstract: Using a transmittance adjusting device decreasing a transmittance of at least from 460 nm to 500 nm, which is a wavelength range between a point of end of a first optical absorption peak of hemoglobin and a point of start of a second optical absorption peak of hemoglobin, to between 20% and 70% for illuminating light from an illuminating light supply section or reflected light from an object, during observation of the inside of a body cavity, enhanced display of vessels with color reproduction that has no difference from that in observation under visible light, enabling color reproduction similar to that in observation under visible light and further enhanced display of vessels.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope device includes an illumination unit that illuminates a living tissue using at least one of a white light illumination unit and a special light illumination unit; an imaging unit that captures an image of the tissue; a transmission unit that transmits imaging information containing the image; a storage unit that stores a threshold with respect to information on a distance between the endoscope and the tissue; a detection unit that detects the information; and an output unit that compares the information with the threshold, selects an image capturing condition of a special light observation mode if the distance is not larger than the threshold, selects an image capturing condition of a normal light observation mode if the distance is larger than the threshold, and outputs the selected image capturing condition to an operation unit related to image capturing.

Abstract: The invention provides couplers that are thinner and smaller in size and still satisfy the required various properties of the couplers. According to an embodiment of the invention, a coupler has a first line L1 that includes a coiled main line L11 and is constituted by separate portions arranged in different layers; a second line L2 that includes a coiled secondary line L21 arranged to be opposed to the main line L11 via an insulating layer, the second line being constituted by separate portions arranged in different layers; a plurality of vias P11, P12, P21 and P22 that connect the separate portions of the first line arranged in the different layers to each other and connect the separate portions of the second line arranged in the different layers to each other; and a plurality of terminals T11, T12, T21 and T22 each connected to an end of the first and second lines L1 and L2.