Abstract: A drive-condition setting device applied to an optical scanning apparatus having a fiber and an actuator that vibrates a distal end of the fiber, the drive-condition setting device detects a scan pattern of the illumination light output from the fiber, measures resonance frequencies in the x direction and the y direction of the fiber, sets a drive frequency and a drive voltage based on the resonance frequencies such that conditional expressions below are satisfied: when fx>fy, fd<fy and Vx?Vy (1) or fd>fx and Vx?Vy (2), and when fx?fy, fd<fx and Vx?Vy (3) or fd>fy and Vx?Vy (4) where fd denotes the drive frequency, Vx denotes a maximum voltage of a X direction drive signal, and Vy denotes a maximum voltage of a y direction drive signal.

Abstract: Provided is a scanning endoscope system including an illumination-light emitting unit that outputs illumination light emitted from a light source in a spot-like manner toward a subject, a light scanner that scans the illumination light output from the illumination-light emitting unit over the subject, and a light detector that is provided in a movable manner relative to the illumination-light emitting unit and that detects reflection light from a scan position on the subject over which the illumination light is scanned by the light scanner.

Abstract: A scanning-endoscope image evaluation system includes: a scanning endoscope provided with a light detector and a fiber scanner that includes an optical fiber for guiding illumination light coming from a light source and emitting it from its distal end and an actuator that scans the emitted illumination light by vibrating the distal end of the optical fiber; and a chart for evaluating a characteristic of an image acquired by the scanning endoscope, wherein the distal end of the optical fiber and the light detector are disposed so as to face each other with the chart sandwiched therebetween, and forward scattered light that has been emitted from the optical fiber and that has passed through the chart is detected by the light detector.

Abstract: A method of measuring scanning characteristics of an optical scanning apparatus allows measurement of scanning characteristics of an actuator. The method includes bringing a tip of the optical scanning apparatus and a chart for measuring scanning characteristics closer together and irradiating illumination light with the actuator in a non-driven state, separating the tip and the chart for measuring scanning characteristics by a predetermined distance while maintaining the relative orientations thereof, and adjusting a drive signal of the actuator so that a scanning area of the illumination light on the chart for measuring scanning characteristics can form a desired shape. At least one of an angle of deviation and a viewing angle is measured using an irradiation position of the illumination light on the chart for measuring scanning characteristics.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope system includes an endoscope that includes an illumination fiber that is configured to guide illumination light for illuminating a subject and to emit the illumination light from an emitting end, and an actuator section that is configured to swing the emitting end of the illumination fiber according to a voltage or a current of an electrical signal that is applied to cause the illumination light to scan the subject, and a driver unit configured to apply, to the actuator section, the electrical signal that takes, as a drive frequency, a frequency at which an amount of change in amplitude at a time of swinging of the emitting end of the illumination fiber is at or below a predetermined value even when frequency characteristics of the amplitude are changed due to a change in a use condition of the endoscope.

Abstract: A scanning observation apparatus (10) deflects illumination light with an actuator (25) through an illumination optical system (26) to scan an object (32), subjects light from the object (32) to photoelectric conversion with an optical detector (44), performs processing with an image processor (46), and displays an image of the object (32) on a display (60). A memory (35) stores information on optical characteristics related to chromatic aberration of magnification of the illumination optical system (26) relative to light of predetermined colors. A scanning pattern calculator (45) calculates a scanning pattern, on the object (32), of light of each color using the information. Using the scanning pattern, the image processor (46) calibrates a plot position yielded by a photoelectric conversion signal from the optical detector (44) for light of each color and generates an image of the object (32), thereby more easily correcting the chromatic aberration of magnification.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for setting driving conditions applied in an optical scanning apparatus. The method for setting driving conditions includes attaching a scanning pattern detector and adjusting a scanning pattern detected by the scanning pattern detector by changing a drive signal applied to an actuator (steps S03 to S06). The step of adjusting includes setting a first drive signal value of the drive signal applied to the actuator and a target amplitude of the scanning pattern (step S03) and determining a frequency of the drive signal applied to the actuator by comparing an amplitude of the scanning pattern detected by changing the frequency of the drive signal applied to the actuator with the target amplitude while vibrating the actuator at the first drive signal value (step S04).

Abstract: An optical scanning endoscope apparatus includes: an illumination optical fiber that emits light from a tip part oscillatably supported; an actuator that drives the tip part of the illumination optical fiber; and a signal generator that generates, with respect to the actuator, a drive signal for causing the tip part of the illumination optical fiber to spiral scan. The signal generator generates the drive signal which includes: an amplitude expansion period for expanding the amplitude of the drive signal of the fiber from substantially 0 to a maximum value; and an amplitude contraction period for contracting the amplitude of the drive signal from the maximum value to substantially 0, the drive signal having an envelope that smoothly continues, with a gradient of substantially 0, across a border between the periods, with the longer one of the periods being defined as an effective scanning period.

Abstract: An endoscope has an insertion portion inserted through a living body, an illumination fiber arranged at a distal end of the insertion portion and irradiates the living body with illumination light, a detection fiber which detects return light from the living body, an actuator which swings a free end of the illumination fiber, and a ferrule which has a through-hole based on a diameter of the illumination fiber and is arranged between the illumination fiber and the actuator. The actuator has an actuator arranged at a first side face of the ferrule and an actuator arranged at a second side face of the ferrule that is different from a face point-symmetric to the first side face with respect to an axial direction of the illumination fiber.

Abstract: Provided is a method for calculating a scanning pattern of light and an optical scanning apparatus. The method includes the steps of: detecting a resonance frequency and an attenuation coefficient of an oscillation part of an optical fiber which guides light from a light source and irradiates an object with the light; and calculating a scanning pattern of the light, based on the detected resonance frequency and attenuation coefficient. The apparatus includes: an optical fiber which guides light from a light source and irradiates an object with the light; a scanning part which drives an oscillation part oscillatably supported of the optical fiber; a detector which detects a resonance frequency of the oscillation part; a calculation part which determines an irradiation position of the light using a scanning pattern calculated based on the resonance frequency detected by the detector and the attenuation coefficient obtained in advance.

Abstract: Provided is an optical scanning observation apparatus including: a light source unit (30) for outputting laser light; a scanning part (23) for scanning, on an object of observation (70), a condensing position of the laser light output from the light source; and a detection unit (40) for sampling signal light obtained through scanning of the laser light, and converting the signal light into an electric signal, in which a sampling time for detecting signal light per one sampling is varied in accordance with changes in scanning rate of the scanning part (24) scanning on the object of observation (70). In this manner, variation in resolution of an image resulting from changes in scanning rate per each sampling can be reduced.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus for efficiently performing scanning with light by efficiently increasing amplitude of an emission end of an optical fiber is provided. The optical scanning apparatus includes an optical fiber that guides illumination light emitted from a light source so that the illumination light is emitted from the emission end, a magnetic body fixed to the optical fiber, and a magnetic field generating unit changing a magnetic field to act on the magnetic body to displace a position of the emission end in a radial direction by magnetic force, and the magnetic field generating unit includes a plurality of coils for individually generating magnetic fields acting on the magnetic body at positions separate from each other in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber, and the magnetic fields acting on the magnetic body can be individually adjusted at the positions.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes an optical fiber, a holding member cantilevering the optical fiber, a first driving device placed on the distal end of the optical fiber and making the optical fiber vibrate in a first direction, and a second driving device placed between the holding member for the optical fiber and the first driving device and making the optical fiber vibrate in a second direction which crosses the first direction.

Abstract: An optical scanning endoscope apparatus includes an optical fiber for illumination, a driver that drives the tip of the optical fiber for illumination in a Lissajous scan pattern, illumination lenses that irradiate an object of observation with irradiation light emitted from the tip of the fiber, a photodetector that detects light obtained from the object of observation by irradiation with the irradiation light and converts the light to an electrical signal, an image processor that generates an image based on the electrical signal output by the photodetector, and a phase adjustor that adjusts the phase of the drive waveform of the driver so as to correct a phase shift between the drive waveform of the tip of the fiber by the driver and the vibration waveform of the tip of the fiber.

Abstract: Provided is a method for calculating a scanning pattern of light and an optical scanning apparatus. The method includes the steps of: detecting a resonance frequency and an attenuation coefficient of an oscillation part of an optical fiber which guides light from a light source and irradiates an object with the light; and calculating a scanning pattern of the light, based on the detected resonance frequency and attenuation coefficient. The apparatus includes: an optical fiber which guides light from a light source and irradiates an object with the light; a scanning part which drives an oscillation part oscillatably supported of the optical fiber; a detector which detects a resonance frequency of the oscillation part; a calculation part which determines an irradiation position of the light using a scanning pattern calculated based on the resonance frequency detected by the detector and the attenuation coefficient obtained in advance.

Abstract: An optical fiber is vibrated at an emitting end part by a scanning part, and light is irradiated from an emitting end face of the optical fiber onto an object to scan the object. The scanning part includes a pair of first direction coils facing each other in a first direction across the emitting end part, and a permanent magnet installed as penetrating the emitting end part. The permanent magnet is magnetized in the axial direction of the emitting end part. The scanning part drives, by supplying power to the first direction coils, the emitting end part to vibrate in the first direction in the second or higher-order resonance mode, forming nodes of the vibration within the permanent magnet. When in a state of non-vibration in the first direction, a relative distance between the permanent magnet and the first direction coils is smaller than that in other directions.

Abstract: Provided is an optical scanning unit including: an optical fiber; an actuator; a reducing part; a detection part; and a controller. The optical fiber oscillates the emitting end, to thereby scan the object. The actuator oscillates the emitting end. The reducing part reduces the transmission of light emitted from the emitting end. The detection part detects light at the object when light is irradiated onto the object. The controller forms an image, based on light detected by the detection part and the state of oscillation of the optical fiber. The controller calculates the eccentricity in the image thus formed, based on a position where the received amount of light is reduced and the center position of the image.

Abstract: An optical scanning endoscope apparatus, includes: an irradiation fiber having an emitting end thereof oscillatably supported and irradiating light from a light source part onto an object; and a drive mechanism for driving the emitting end so as to cause light from the light source to be irradiated onto the object, in which the apparatus has a first irradiation mode as an imaging mode (corresponding to t1) for repeatedly scanning a desired region of the object with light from the light source and a second irradiation mode (corresponding to t4) for irradiating, between the temporally-adjacent scans in the first irradiation mode, a designated region selected from the desired region of the object, and provides, when the second irradiation mode is started, the drive mechanism with an offset signal (I0) for irradiating the designated region, and maintains the offset signal while repeating the irradiation in the second irradiation mode.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus, including: an optical fiber (11); a holding unit (29) for holding an emission end (11a) of the optical fiber (11) in an oscillatable manner; and a driving unit (28a to 28d) for driving the emission end (11a), in which the holding unit (29) has a holding structure that is different between the vibration direction caused by the driving unit (28a to 28d)/a direction orthogonal to the vibration direction, and other directions.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus for efficiently performing scanning with light by efficiently increasing amplitude of an emission end of an optical fiber is provided. The optical scanning apparatus includes an optical fiber that guides illumination light emitted from a light source so that the illumination light is emitted from the emission end, a magnetic body fixed to the optical fiber, and a magnetic field generating unit changing a magnetic field to act on the magnetic body to displace a position of the emission end in a radial direction by magnetic force, and the magnetic field generating unit includes a plurality of coils for individually generating magnetic fields acting on the magnetic body at positions separate from each other in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber, and the magnetic fields acting on the magnetic body can be individually adjusted at the positions.