Abstract: An image pickup system includes a light source apparatus, an objective optical system, an image pickup device, a judging portion configured to judge: an object is observed in which of a distant view and a near view, and an image pickup control portion configured to set a reading mode of the image pickup device according to a judgment result of the judging portion. The light source apparatus is capable of sequentially emitting red light, green light and blue light. The image pickup control portion sets a single pixel reading mode when that the object is observed in the distant view is judged, and blue light is emitted from the light source apparatus, and sets to a pixel addition reading mode when that the object is observed in the distant view is judged, and red light is emitted from the optical apparatus.

Abstract: An image pickup system includes a light source apparatus, an objective optical system, an image pickup device, a judging portion configured to judge: an object is observed in which of a distant view and a near view, and an image pickup control portion configured to set a reading mode of the image pickup device according to a judgment result of the judging portion. The light source apparatus is capable of sequentially emitting red light, green light and blue light. The image pickup control portion sets a single pixel reading mode when that the object is observed in the distant view is judged, and blue light is emitted from the light source apparatus, and sets to a pixel addition reading mode when that the object is observed in the distant view is judged, and red light is emitted from the optical apparatus.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor includes: a light receiving unit where a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements storing charges according to a received light amount are arrayed; a reading unit configured to read an imaging signal based on the charges stored by the light receiving unit; and a color filter. The color filter includes filter units where each the red, green, and blue filters arrayed in four rows and four columns. The filter units are arrayed in a lattice shape. The filter unit is partitioned into read units. Each read unit includes two filters where each transmits light of the same wavelength band are adjacent to each other in one direction. The reading unit is configured to collectively read charges stored by two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the read unit.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor includes: a light receiving unit where a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements storing charges according to a received light amount are arrayed; a reading unit configured to read an imaging signal based on the charges stored by the light receiving unit; and a color filter. The color filter includes filter units where each the red, green, and blue filters arrayed in four rows and four columns. The filter units are arrayed in a lattice shape. The filter unit is partitioned into read units. Each read unit includes two filters where each transmits light of the same wavelength band are adjacent to each other in one direction. The reading unit is configured to collectively read charges stored by two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the read unit.

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: An image-capturing apparatus and a repair method thereof are provided. The image-capturing apparatus includes a lens frame to which one or more lenses are fixed; an image-capturing frame to which an image-capturing device is fixed; and a fixing member for fixing the lens frame and the image-capturing frame to each other without adhering a fitted portion between the lens frame and the image-capturing frame. The repair method for the image-capturing apparatus includes destructing a fixing member for fixing to each other a lens frame to which one or more lenses are fixed and an image-capturing frame to which an image-capturing device is fixed, and releasing fixing between the frames; replacing at least either of the lens frame and the image-capturing frame; and fixing to each other the lens frame and the image-capturing frame.

Abstract: An endoscope system has a light source apparatus and an endoscope including an illumination optical system and an objective optical system. At least the objective optical system of the endoscope is provided with an adjustable diaphragm, and in a light path in one of the light source apparatus, the illumination optical system, and the objective optical system, an insertable/retractable filter for observation for special light is provided. The adjustable diaphragm performs a closing operation or an opening operation only when the filter for observation for special light is inserted into the light path.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus of the present invention varies optical properties by moving a part of lenses of an objective lens, and includes a solid-state image pickup device unit that is disposed at a rear-end section and that subjects a subject image to photoelectric conversion, a fixed lens frame that retains the objective lens that is disposed in front of the solid-state image pickup device unit, a movable lens frame that retains the part of lenses that moves along a photographing optical axis O inside the lens frame, and an actuator having one end connected to the movable lens frame and that moves the movable lens frame forward and backward. The actuator includes a rigid member provided so as to extend to the vicinity of the rear end at which the solid-state image pickup device unit is disposed and a shape memory alloy that is coupled to the rigid member.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus includes: an image pickup apparatus mounted at a distal end portion of an insertion portion; an operation portion provided consecutively at the insertion portion, with a frame member incorporated therein; and an electrical cable extended from the operation portion for connection with an external device. In the electronic endoscope apparatus, the frame member has a circuit board portion which establishes electrical connection between shields of the insertion portion and the electrical cable, and on which various electronic parts for exchanging signals with the image pickup apparatus are mounted. In spite of the arrangement of the image pickup apparatus that can acquire high-quality images at a distal end portion of the insertion portion, a size of the apparatus, in particular, a diameter of the insertion portion, can be prevented from being increased.

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: An electronic endoscope apparatus includes: an image pickup apparatus mounted at a distal end portion of an insertion portion; an operation portion provided consecutively at the insertion portion, with a frame member incorporated therein; and an electrical cable extended from the operation portion for connection with an external device. In the electronic endoscope apparatus, the frame member has a circuit board portion which establishes electrical connection between shields of the insertion portion and the electrical cable, and on which various electronic parts for exchanging signals with the image pickup apparatus are mounted. In spite of the arrangement of the image pickup apparatus that can acquire high-quality images at a distal end portion of the insertion portion, a size of the apparatus, in particular, a diameter of the insertion portion, can be prevented from being increased.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus of the present invention varies optical properties by moving a part of lenses of an objective lens, and includes a solid-state image pickup device unit that is disposed at a rear-end section and that subjects a subject image to photoelectric conversion, a fixed lens frame that retains the objective lens that is disposed in front of the solid-state image pickup device unit, a movable lens frame that retains the part of lenses that moves along a photographing optical axis O inside the lens frame, and an actuator having one end connected to the movable lens frame and that moves the movable lens frame forward and backward. The actuator includes a rigid member provided so as to extend to the vicinity of the rear end at which the solid-state image pickup device unit is disposed and a shape memory alloy that is coupled to the rigid member.

Abstract: An endoscope system has a light source apparatus and an endoscope including an illumination optical system and an objective optical system. At least the objective optical system of the endoscope is provided with an adjustable diaphragm, and in a light path in one of the light source apparatus, the illumination optical system, and the objective optical system, an insertable/retractable filter for observation for special light is provided. The adjustable diaphragm performs a closing operation or an opening operation only when the filter for observation for special light is inserted into the light path.

Abstract: An endoscope is provided which has good operability, such as ease of varying the rigidity of an insertion portion, as well as a lighter-weight bending mechanism for changing the shape of a bending portion. The endoscope according to the present invention comprises an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject, an electroconductive expanding/contracting member which can expand/contract the insertion portion in the lengthwise direction and which is for expanding/contracting according to the state of voltage application, and electrodes for applying the voltage supplied from a power source to the electroconductive expanding/contracting member.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an image capturing unit which is provided with at least a plurality of optical lenses, a zoom lens frame for supporting the optical lenses for zooming out of the plurality of optical lenses, and a first actuator for moving forward and reversely the zoom lens frame in an optical axis direction. The first actuator extends or contracts in accordance with an interruption of power supply.

Abstract: A tip portion main body provided on the tip of the insertion portion has an erecting device disposed in the vicinity of the channel tip opening, capable of changing the protruding direction of the treatment tool, a solid-state image-capturing device, an objective optical system, having a predetermined field of view angle for capturing an image within the body cavity including the treatment tool protruding from the tip opening with a first field of view angle equating to the upper field of view angle during observation, and forms this image at the solid-state image-capturing device; and a second field of view angle equating to the lower field of view angle during observation, with the tip side of the insertion portion as the field of vision range, and the first field of view angle is set to be the same or smaller than the second field of view angle.

Abstract: An imaging system for use with an endoscope, including a light source which emits white light and excitation light which will produce a fluorescence response by an object under inspection, an imaging camera including separate paths for processing images produced by white light and excitation light, a selection device that causes the imaging device to operate in a white light mode or an excitation light mode, and a protective device that prevents damage to high-sensitivity imaging components from exposure to excessive light input. Fluorescent image data are separated into at least red and green color bands which are separately processed to produced a video display in which normal tissue is displayed in predetermined specific color, and abnormal tissue in one or more distinctly different colors. In one embodiment, an image color interpretation guide is provided in the form of multiple color bars which are superimposed on a single video display device with the image display. of different kinds.

Abstract: A fluorescent imaging device to prevent the breakdown of a fluorescent image high-sensitivity imaging apparatus has a light source for endoscope use which selectively switches between an excitation light and a white light. This introduces a light into a light guide of an endoscope and such light is emitted onto an object. A fluorescent image high-sensitivity imaging device images the fluorescences obtained by excitation with the excitation light which is emitted onto the object. A white light imaging device images a white light image obtained from the white light which is emitted onto the object. A switch inputs a power source onto the fluorescent image high-sensitivity imaging apparatus and there is a mechanism to prevent overprint on an image plane of the fluorescent image high-sensitivity imaging apparatus which is in the imaging condition with the power source inputted.

Abstract: An imaging system for use with an endoscope, including a light source which emits white light and excitation light which will produce a fluorescence response by an object under inspection, an imaging camera including separate paths for processing images produced by white light and excitation light, a selection device that causes the imaging device to operate in a white light mode or an excitation light mode, and a protective device that prevents damage to high-sensitivity imaging components from exposure to excessive light input. Fluorescent image data are separated into at least red and green color bands which are separately processed to produced a video display in which normal tissue is displayed in predetermined specific color, and abnormal tissue in one or more distinctly different colors. In one embodiment, an image color interpretation guide is provided in the form of multiple color bars which are superimposed on a single video display device with the image display. of different kinds.

Abstract: At the tip of an insertion part of an endoscope, an object window for regular observation use is positioned at almost the center, directly connected to which, said object window for fluorescent observation use is provided, and at the both sides of the object window for regular observation use and the object window for fluorescent observation use, two illumination windows are provided. A forceps hole which is an opening part at the tip side of a forceps channel which is inserted into the insertion part is provided at the lower right of the object window for regular observation use, and a treatment tool which is inserted through a forceps insertion channel is to be extruded from this forceps hole. By this way, on monitor images at both of white light observation and fluorescent observation, the treatment tool such as a forceps or the like is designated at almost the same position to improve the manipulation capability.