Abstract: An objective lens is substantially telecentric toward the image side, and provided with an ultraviolet cut coating on its rearmost surface. An imaging plane of a CCD is arranged near a position where an image of an object is formed through the objective lens. An ultraviolet and infrared cut filter is interposed between the objective lens and the CCD. The cut coating and the cut filter have a total transmittance of 0.1% or lower for ultraviolet light.

Abstract: White light that was emitted from a white light source and converged through a condenser lens enters a light guide with a maximum incidence angle &agr;. Since excitation light emitted from an excitation light source is adjusted by the adjustment optical system for its beam diameter, it enters the light guide with a maximum incidence angle &bgr; (&bgr;<&agr;) after being converged by the condenser lens. Then, a motion mechanism displaces a second lens in an adjustment optical system in the direction of the optical axis to vary the beam diameter and the maximum incidence angle &bgr; of the excitation light, whereby a divergence angle of the excitation light emitted through a light distribution lens is made to correspond to the divergence angle of the visible light.

Abstract: Light emitted from a light source is converted into ultraviolet-and-blue light, green light, and red light, in that order, by a first wheel. When a second wheel inserts a transparent member 251 into the optical path, the ultraviolet-and-blue light, the green light, and the red light enter a light guide. On the other hand, when the second wheel inserts a fluorescence observation filter into the optical path, ultraviolet-and-blue light is converted to ultraviolet light and then enters the light guide, while the green light is blocked and the red light enters the light guide.

Abstract: Provided is a fluorescence diagnosis endoscope system used to observe human tissue. The system has a light source for illuminating said tissue with a normal light and an excitation light having a certain wavelength range. The human tissue fluoresces in response to the illumination with the excitation light. The system further has a pair of image receiving elements for outputting image signals corresponding to received optical images, receptively. A filter which transmits only light produced by said fluoresced tissue is provided in front of one image receiving element. The image signals output by the image receiving elements are selectively processed and transmitted to a display.

Abstract: An objective lens is substantially telecentric toward the image side, and provided with an ultraviolet cut coating on its rearmost surface. An imaging plane of a CCD is arranged near a position where an image of an object is formed through the objective lens. An ultraviolet and infrared cut filter is interposed between the objective lens and the CCD. The cut coating and the cut filter have a total transmittance of 0.1% or lower for ultraviolet light.

Abstract: An external component of an endoscope includes an aluminum alloy base member whose surface is subjected to anodic oxidation, and thereafter, is subjected to an electrolytic deposition thereon.

Abstract: White light that was emitted from a white light source and converged through a condenser lens enters a light guide with a maximum incidence angle &agr;. Since excitation light emitted from an excitation light source is adjusted by the adjustment optical system for its beam diameter, it enters the light guide with a maximum incidence angle &bgr; (&bgr;<&agr;) after being converged by the condenser lens. Then, a motion mechanism displaces a second lens in an adjustment optical system in the direction of the optical axis to vary the beam diameter and the maximum incidence angle &bgr; of the excitation light, whereby a divergence angle of the excitation light emitted through a light distribution lens is made to correspond to the divergence angle of the visible light.

Abstract: Light emitted from a light source is converted into ultraviolet-and-blue light, green light, and red light, in that order, by a first wheel. When a second wheel inserts a transparent member 251 into the optical path, the ultraviolet-and-blue light, the green light, and the red light enter a light guide. On the other hand, when the second wheel inserts a fluorescence observation filter into the optical path, ultraviolet-and-blue light is converted to ultraviolet light and then enters the light guide, while the green light is blocked and the red light enters the light guide.

Abstract: A portable endoscope system having an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to the illuminating light guide. The entrance end portion of the illuminating light guide is disposed in an endoscope control part. The portable endoscope system includes a device for detachably connecting together the illuminating light supply unit and the control part, and a device for sealing a joint between the illuminating light supply unit and the control part. The illuminating light supply unit includes a movable contact positioned to contact an electrode of a battery and separable from the battery, and a spring biasing the battery in a direction opposite to a direction in which the movable contact member is moved for separation from the battery.

Abstract: A fluorescence diagnosis endoscope system used to observe human tissue is provided. The system has a light source for illuminating the human tissue with normal light and excitation light having a certain wavelength range. The human tissue fluoresces in response to illumination with the excitation light. The system further has a pair of image receiving elements for outputting image signals corresponding to received optical images. A filter which transmits only light produced by the fluoresced human tissue is provided in front of one image receiving element. The image signals output by the image receiving elements are selectively processed and transmitted to a display.

Abstract: A portable endoscope having a control part containing an entrance end portion of a light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and a hermetic illuminating light supply unit containing a light source lamp for supplying illuminating light to the light guide. The unit is connected to the control part. An armoring member is disposed at a position where it is heated by heat radiated from the light source lamp. The outer surface of the armoring member is covered with a heat-insulating cover made of a material having a low thermal conductivity. A battery chamber is formed in the illuminating light supply unit to accommodate a battery as a power supply for the lamp. A relief valve releases the pressure in the battery chamber to the outside of the unit when the pressure rises.

Abstract: A portable endoscope having a light guide for transmitting light to illuminate an object. The light guide has an entrance end portion disposed in a control part. An illuminating light supply unit contains a power supply for supplying the illuminating light to the light guide. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably connected to the control part. A lamp serving as a light source of the illuminating light is provided such that when the illuminating light supply unit is detached from the control part, the lamp is left in the control part.

Abstract: A portable endoscope system having an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to the illuminating light guide. The entrance end portion of the illuminating light guide is disposed in an endoscope control part. The portable endoscope system includes a device for detachably connecting the illuminating light supply unit and the control part, and a connecting device for sealing a joint between the illuminating light supply unit and the control part. The connecting device seals the joint in a watertight manner so that water will not enter the portable endoscope system when the illuminating light supply unit is attached to the control part.

Abstract: A unit connecting member for connecting an illuminating light supply unit to a control part of an endoscope includes a receiving socket mounted to the control part for detachably receiving the illuminating light supply unit for connection to, and disconnection from, the control part. The unit connecting member further includes an electrically insulating member provided between the receiving socket and the control part, for electrically insulating the light supply unit from the control part. The endoscope system further including an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to the illuminating light guide. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably attached to the control part. The portable endoscope system includes an AC/DC conversion adapter which is connected to an AC power supply to output a predetermined DC voltage and is connectable to the illuminating light supply unit.

Abstract: A portable endoscope having a control part containing an entrance end portion of a light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and an illuminating light supply unit containing a light source lamp for supplying illuminating light to the light guide. A connecting mechanism detachably connects the control part and the light supply unit. A switch for turning on/off the light source lamp is provided in the connecting mechanism. When the light supply unit is connected to the control part in a predetermined state, the switch is turned on; when the former is detached from the latter, the switch is turned off. An electric resistor may be provided for gradually reducing the electric resistance between the lamp and a power supply therefor from a high-resistance state to a low-resistance state as the switch is moved from an OFF position toward an ON position.

Abstract: An exciting light filter through which exciting light which is adapted to radiate fluorescence from a living tissue is transmitted, is provided in an illumination light path defined between a light source which emits the illumination light and an object to be observed, in a fluorescence endoscope. A fluorescence filter which permits fluorescence which is radiated from the living tissue due to the illumination by the exciting light and whose wavelength is longer than that of the exciting light to pass therethrough but does not permit the exciting light to pass through the fluorescence filter, is provided in an observation light path defined between the object and a viewing portion in which an image of the object is viewed. There is a difference of 20 nm to 40 nm between the longest wavelength of the wavelength band of which more than 10% are transmitted through the exciting light filter and the shortest wavelength of the wavelength band of which more than 10% are transmitted through the fluorescence filter.

Abstract: A portable endoscope having a control part containing an entrance end portion of a light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and a hermetic illuminating light supply unit containing a light source lamp for supplying illuminating light to the light guide. The unit is connected to the control part. An armoring member is disposed at a position where it is heated by heat radiated from the light source lamp. The outer surface of the armoring member is covered with a heat-insulating cover made of a material having a low thermal conductivity. A battery chamber is formed in the illuminating light supply unit to accommodate a battery as a power supply for the lamp. A relief valve releases the pressure in the battery chamber to the outside of the unit when the pressure rises.

Abstract: A bendable portion for an endoscope includes a bending mechanism which minimizes the bendable portion diameter and allows a large degree of bending. A bending mechanism embodiment uses a shape memory alloy coil encircling the elastic body of the bendable portion. The shape memory alloy coil is heated to define the shape of the bendable portion.

Abstract: A tumor treatment apparatus is provided including a light source which emits a bundle of light including ultraviolet radiation, visible radiation and infrared radiation. Also provided are an infrared radiation filter which filters infrared radiation, a visible radiation filter which filters visible radiation, and an optical fiber which transmits a bundle of light transmitted through the infrared radiation filter and the visible radiation filter toward an affected part of a patient to be treated.

Abstract: An endoscope system for examining organic tissue that uses a light source to generate persistent fluorescence (that is, fluorescence that remains after the generating source is turned off or removed) in organic tissue. Two shutter mechanisms are controlled such that only the persistent fluorescence is allowed to reach an image receiving device, such as a CCD area sensor. The two shutters are controlled such that the CCD area sensor is exposed to the persistent fluorescence either once or a plurality of times before the image data is output. If the CCD is only exposed once, a number of CCD outputs are accumulated in a picture memory. The image generated from either the CCD output (for the plurality of exposures case) or the picture memory (for the single exposure case) is displayed on a display device.