Abstract: An endoscope system capable of obtaining a normal light image and/or fluorescent light image is further provided with an a low-coherent light source arranged on a proximal end side of one of first and second light guides. A scanning unit is provided to cause the low-coherent light beam emerged from a tip of the first light guide to scan on the object. The low-coherent light reflected by the object is directed to the first light guide by the scanning unit as detecting light. A mirror is provided to reflect the low-coherent light beam emerged from a tip of the second light guide. A detector is arranged on a proximal end side of the other of the first and second light guides to detect interference fringe pattern generated by interference between the detecting light and the reference light.

Abstract: An endoscope system is provided with a normal light image capturing system, a fluorescent light image capturing system, and an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) image capturing system. The normal light image, the fluorescent light image and the OCT image are displayed on a screen of a display device simultaneously. Optionally, one of the normal light image or the fluorescent light image is displayed as an animated image, and the OCT image is also displayed as an animated image. A cursor indicating a scanning position corresponding to the OCT image is indicated on one of the normal light image and the fluorescent light image displayed as the animated image.

Abstract: An image-forming system has an image-forming sheet, and a printer for forming an image on the sheet. The sheet has a sheet of paper, and a layer of microcapsule, coated over the paper sheet, that contains a plurality of microcapsules filled with a dye. A shell wall of each microcapsule is composed of a resin exhibiting a pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when each microcapsule is squashed under a predetermined pressure at a predetermined temperature, the dye seeps from the squashed microcapsule. The microcapsules are covered with an infrared absorbent coating that-absorbs infrared rays having a specific wavelength. The printer has a transparent glass plate, and a roller platen elastically pressed against the plate at the predetermined pressure, with the sheet being interposed between the plate and the platen.

Abstract: A fiber bundle for image transmission includes pluralities of first optical fibers and a plurality of second optical fibers. Both pluralities of optical fibers being tied at their distal ends to form a composite bundle portion.

Abstract: An endoscope system is provided with first and second light guides, which are optically coupled by an optical coupler. A low-coherent light source is provided, and the light emitted therefrom is incident on the first or second light guide. Further provided is a scanning unit that causes the light beam emerged from the first light guide to scan on a predetermined surface of the object. The light beam reflected by the object is directed, by the scanning unit, to the first light guide as a detection light beam. A light beam emerged from the second light guide is reflected by a reflector and returned to the second light guide as a reference beam. By varying the optical path length of the reference beam relative to that of the detection beam, two beams interfere. A signal processing system generates OCT image based on the signal detected by a light detecting device which receives the interfering beams.

Abstract: A fiber bundle consists of first optical fibers and second optical fibers. At the distal end of the fiber bundle, the first and second optical fibers are bundled in a square close-packed array or a hexagonal close-packed array. The first and second optical fibers are separated from each other at the proximal end of the fiber bundle so that the first optical fibers are tied as a first branch bundle and that the second optical fibers are tied a second branch bundle.

Abstract: An illuminating device for an endoscope system emits light toward a light receiving surface of an optical fiber bundle. Light incident on the light receiving surface of said optical fiber bundle is emitted from a light emitting surface of the optical fiber bundle for illuminating an object. The illuminating device is provided with a plurality of light emitting elements, each of which emits a directive monochromatic light beam. The light beams emitted by the plurality of light emitting elements are incident on the light receiving surface of the optical fiber bundle within an angular aperture of the light receiving surface thereof.

Abstract: An image-forming system has an image-forming sheet, and a printer for forming an image on the sheet. The sheet has a sheet of paper, and a layer of microcapsule, coated over the paper sheet, that contains a plurality of microcapsules filled with a dye. A shell wall of each microcapsule is composed of a resin exhibiting a pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when each microcapsule is squashed under a predetermined pressure at a predetermined temperature, the dye seeps from the squashed microcapsule. The microcapsules are covered with an infrared absorbent coating that absorbs infrared rays having a specific wavelength. The printer has a transparent glass plate, and a roller platen elastically pressed against the plate at the predetermined pressure, with the sheet being interposed between the plate and the platen.

Abstract: An image transfer apparatus that records an image through selective heat and pressure application has an ink ribbon and a film disposed between a driving head and a flat platen. Color dyes of the ink ribbon are transferred to the film as the image. The image on the film is thus conveyed to a position for transferring the image to a recording sheet. The film and the recording sheet are pressed between a transfer roller and a conveyor roller with a pressure that sufficiently smooths unevenness in the surface of the recording sheet. A high quality image is thus recorded on the recording sheet regardless of the surface condition of the recording sheet.

Abstract: An image-forming system has an image-forming sheet, and a printer for forming an image on the sheet. The sheet has a sheet of paper, and a layer of microcapsule, coated over the paper sheet, that contains a plurality of microcapsules filled with a dye. A shell wall of each microcapsule is composed of a resin exhibiting a pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when each microcapsule is squashed under a predetermined pressure at a predetermined temperature, the dye seeps from the squashed microcapsule. The microcapsules are covered with an infrared absorbent coating that absorbs infrared rays having a specific wavelength. The printer has a transparent glass plate, and a roller platen elastically pressed against the plate at the predetermined pressure, with the sheet being interposed between the plate and the platen.

Abstract: In an image-forming system, an image-forming substrate is used, which has a sheet of paper, and a layer of microcapsules coated over the sheet of paper. The layer of microcapsules includes at least one type of microcapsules filled with an ink. A shell wall of each microcapsule is formed of resin, which exhibits a temperature/pressure characteristic such that each of the microcapsules is squashed under a predetermined pressure when being heated to a predetermined temperature, thereby discharging the dye out of the shell wall. A printer, having a roller platen and a thermal head, forms an image on the substrate. The platen locally exerts the pressure on the microcapsule layer. The thermal head selectively heats a localized area of the microcapsule layer, on which the pressure is exerted by the platen, to a temperature in accordance with an image-information data, such that the microcapsules in the microcapsule layer are selectively squashed and an image on the microcapsule layer.

Abstract: A recording sheet includes a micro-capsule layer which includes a plurality types of micro-capsules colored with different colors, for example, primary or complimentary colors of a subtractive mixture. The micro-capsules are filled with core materials which are discharged when the micro-capsules are broken. Each type of micro-capsule is selectively broken by a selective temperature and pressure application. When a micro-capsule is broken, the core material blends out the color of the micro-capsule. Additionally, an image forming system includes a heating unit for selectively heating the micro-capsules by an output of a Joule heat or light irradiation. Different wavelengths of light are radiated by the light irradiation heating unit, which are absorbed depending upon an absorption band exhibited by the different colored micro-capsules.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive and heat-sensitive recording apparatus has a pre-coating container that pre-coats a recording sheet prior to a printing operation on the recording sheet. The pre-coating material container, ribbon cassette and an over-coating material container are provided in a recording head, while being movable in a printing direction lead by the pre-coating material container. The printed color-image is protected by an over-coating material dispensed from the trailing over-coating material container.

Abstract: Process for forming fine speckle-shaped depressions over an outer surface of a shell wall of a microcapsule encapsulating a dye, including cohering fine ceramic particles to the microcapsule, due to triboelectrification acting therebetween, such that a plurality of fine spaces are defined among the cohered fine ceramic particles around the outer surface of the shell wall; immersing the microcapsule with the cohered fine ceramic particles in a solvent over a predetermined period of time such that a plurality of fine speckle-shaped depressions is formed in the outer surface of the shell wall at locations corresponding to the plurality of fine spaces defined around the outer surface of the shell wall; withdrawing the microcapsule with the cohered fine ceramic particles from the solvent; and washing off retained solvent from the microcapsule with the cohered fine ceramic particles, wherein the period of time, over which the microcapsule with the cohered fine ceramic particles is immersed in the solvent, is regula

Abstract: Data of ordinary color observation image obtained by picking up an object according to a RGB flame sequential system and data of fluorescent observation image obtained when the object is irradiated with excitation light are respectively transmitted to the PC. The PC calculates luminance values based on the data of ordinary color observation image to extract an area where luminance is higher than a first threshold, and extracts areas where luminance is lower than second threshold which is higher than the first threshold from the data of fluorescent observation image. The PC specifies an area which is included in both of these extracted areas, as an area having a high possibility of indicating an abnormal area.

Abstract: The light source device has a wheel holding a blue filter, a green filter, a red filter, and a transparent member so as to sequentially and repeatedly introduce blue light, green light, red light and excitation light into an illumination optical system of an endoscope. An objective lens of the endoscope forms an image of a subject irradiated with the above light. An imaging device converts the image of the subject into an image signal. A video processor receives this image signal and generates normal image data and fluorescence image data, which are to display the image as moving picture. Furthermore, a PC executes image processing to extract a specific region having an illuminance value within a predetermined range from fluorescence image data, thereby generating diagnostic image data to display a diagnostic image in which that portion of the normal image data corresponding to the specific region is shown in blue.

Abstract: A plurality of thermal heads for different colors, are disposed in parallel in a line-printing direction, being offset with respect to each other in a transport direction along which an image-forming sheet is moved via a conveyer path. The image forming sheet is a pressure/temperature-sensitive sheet or a temperature-sensitive sheet. The thermal heads are moved in the line-printing direction. Adjacent-opposing ends of adjacent thermal heads are separated in the line-printing direction, and overlap in the transport direction. The thermal heads are controlled so as to simultaneously generate image-pixels on the image-forming sheet. The printing speed is high due to a plurality of colors being simultaneously printed. The thermal heads are used as part of pressure applying unit. The pressure applying unit is provided for selectively applying predetermined pressure to the micro-capsules, when the image-forming sheet is a pressure/temperature-sensitive sheet.

Abstract: An image transfer apparatus that records an image through selective heat and pressure application has an ink ribbon and a film disposed between a driving head and a flat platen. Color dyes of the ink ribbon are transferred to the film as the image. The image on the film is thus conveyed to a position for transferring the image to a recording sheet. The film and the recording sheet are pressed between a transfer roller and a conveyor roller with a pressure that sufficiently smooths unevenness in the surface of the recording sheet. A high quality image is thus recorded on the recording sheet regardless of the surface condition of the recording sheet.

Abstract: An image-forming substrate has a base member, and a layer of microcapsules coated over the base member. The microcapsule layer contains a first type of microcapsule filled with a first type of single-color dye, and a second type of microcapsule filled with a second type of single-color dye. The first and second types of single-color dyes comprise a same single-color dye exhibiting differing densities. The first type of microcapsule exhibits a first characteristic such that, when the first type of microcapsule is squashed under a first pressure at a first temperature, discharge of the first type of single-color dye from the squashed microcapsule occurs. The second type of microcapsule exhibits a second characteristic such that, when the second type of microcapsule is squashed under the first pressure at a second temperature, discharge of the second type of single-color dye from the squashed microcapsule occurs.

Abstract: An image transfer apparatus that records an image through selective heat and pressure application has an ink ribbon and a film disposed between a driving head and a flat platen. Color dyes of the ink ribbon are transferred to the film as the image. The image on the film is thus conveyed to a position for transferring the image to a recording sheet. The film and the recording sheet are pressed between a transfer roller and a conveyer roller with a pressure that sufficiently smoothes unevenness in the surface of the recording sheet. A high quality image is thus recorded on the recording sheet regardless of the surface condition of the recording sheet.