Abstract: An illumination device includes a light converter that primary light enters and that is configured to convert at least part of the primary light into secondary light having a second wavelength that differs from a first wavelength of the primary light and to diffuse the secondary light, a first reflector configured to reflect at least part of the diffused secondary light toward the light converter, and a holder holding at least one of the first reflector and the light converter. The first reflector and the light converter are separated from each other so that the primary light transmitted through the first reflector enters the light converter.

Abstract: An illumination unit includes a light guide to guide primary light, a conversion member to convert the primary light into secondary light, and a holder holding an exit end of the light guide and the conversion member. The holder includes an entrance portion that the primary light enters, an exit portion to emit illumination light including the secondary light, and a fixing portion fixing the conversion member between the entrance portion and the exit portion in a direction of a central axis of the primary light. The fixing portion is arranged in a planar region perpendicular to the central axis of the primary light and on an inner peripheral face of the holder. The conversion member is in contact with the fixing portion.

Abstract: A lighting unit includes a single core optical fiber, a light converter, and an exit end. The single core optical fiber includes an incident end and a distal end, and is configured to guide primary light, which is a laser light incident on the incident end, to the distal end. The light converter is formed inside the optical fiber, and is configured to receive the primary light guided by the optical fiber, convert optical properties of at least part of the received primary light and generate secondary light. The exit end is arranged at the distal end of the optical fiber, and is configured to emit the secondary light externally as illumination light.

Abstract: A first light source module includes a light source-side connection hole to which a irradiation-side connector of a irradiation module is mechanically detachably attached. The light source-side connection hole is made common to the first irradiation-side connector, which is mounted in the first irradiation module, and the second irradiation-side connector, which is mounted in the second irradiation module, such that the light source-side connection hole is connectable to the first irradiation-side connector and the second irradiation-side connector.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a first wavelength converter which absorbs part of the first excitation light and emits first wavelength-converted light, a second wavelength converter which absorbs part of the first excitation light and emits second wavelength-converted light, a reflector including a reflecting surface which is arranged to surround the members, and a holder which holds the members. A first region where light distribution angles of light emitted from the members have a predetermined value or less and a second region where the light distribution angle is less than the predetermined value are present in a region surrounded by the reflecting surface. The holder holds at least one part of the wavelength converter and at least one part of the second wavelength converter at the first region.

Abstract: A light source illumination unit has operation modes including at least a normal electric power mode to operate with first electric power consumption, and a low electric power mode to operate with second electric power consumption lower than the first electric power consumption. A controller selects at least one of the operation modes in accordance with a use schedule, and controls the light source illumination unit in accordance with the selected operation mode.

Abstract: An endoscope illumination device includes a light source that outputs primary light, a light guide that includes a first end face from which the primary light is radiated, and guides the primary light, and a light converter that is disposed to face the first end face, includes a second end face which the primary light enters, converts part of the primary light into secondary light. The illumination device also includes a holder that holds the light guide and the light converter so that an incident angle of the secondary light that is radiated from a point of intersection of the second end face and an optical axis of the light guide on the first end face and enters the first end face is equal to or larger than an acceptance angle (NA) of the light guide.

Abstract: An endoscope light source apparatus includes a first light source section that emits first light, a second light source section that emits second light, and an optical path combiner that combines an optical path of the first light and an optical path of the second light. The etendue of the first light source section is smaller than the etendue of the second light source section. The optical path combiner has an optical deflection surface that deflects the second light, and has an aperture that allows the first light to pass through it within an area of the optical deflection surface. The optical path combiner deflects the second light so that a center axis of the optical path of the second light deflected by the optical deflection surface corresponds to a center axis of the optical path of the first light that has passed through the aperture.

Abstract: An illuminating device includes a light source unit configured to emit primary light, and an illuminating unit configured to generate illumination light based on the primary light. The illuminating unit includes a light converter configured to convert optical characteristics of the primary light. The light converter includes a light transmitter through which the primary light is transmitted, and a light diffuser formed within the light transmitter. The light diffuser is configured to diffuse part of the primary light, generating secondary light included in the illumination light. The light diffuser has a refractive index different from a refractive index of the light transmitter. The light diffuser has a hole formed within the light transmitter, a refractive index-modifying portion, or a crack portion.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an observation mode switch to switch observation modes. The observation modes include a dye valid observation mode allowed to acquire an image in which the dye is visually recognized well, and a dye invalid observation mode allowed to acquire an image in which the dye is substantially not visually recognized.

Abstract: A lighting unit includes a single core optical fiber, a light converter, and an exit end. The single core optical fiber includes an incident end and a distal end, and is configured to guide primary light, which is a laser light incident on the incident end, to the distal end. The light converter is formed inside the optical fiber, and is configured to receive the primary light guided by the optical fiber, convert optical properties of at least part of the received primary light and generate secondary light. The exit end is arranged at the distal end of the optical fiber, and is configured to emit the secondary light externally as illumination light.

Abstract: A shape sensor comprises a shape sensor main body which comprises an optical fiber capable, a detection object section, and a light detecting section to detect the detection light and which is capable of measuring a shape of a measurement target object by utilizing a change in characteristics of the light detected through the detection object section in accordance with a change in curvature of the optical fiber when the optical fiber curves; and a curving direction regulating section which is provided on at least a part of the optical fiber along an optical axis thereof and regulates a curvable direction of the optical fiber to a desired direction; wherein the curving direction regulating section is a core member which is disposed in at least a part of the shape sensor main body along the light propagating direction of the optical fiber and whose main curving direction is regulated.

Abstract: An optical fiber length adjuster includes an entrance and an exit 16 for an optical fiber, and a holding portion to hold the optical fiber so that the optical fiber is deformed. The holding portion is configured to decrease the length of the part of the optical fiber that is held, when tensile force applied to the optical fiber is increased, and increase the length of the part of the optical fiber that is held, when the tensile force applied to the optical fiber is decreased.

Abstract: A light source apparatus includes a main unit, light source modules attachable to and detachable from the main unit, and storage mediums storing characteristic information of the light source modules. Each light source module includes at least one light source and a light connection part to be optically connected to the main unit. The main unit includes entrance parts to be optically connected to the light connection parts of the connected light source modules, a light combining unit to combine light entering the entrance parts, at least one exit part to cause light combined by the light combining unit to exit, and an exit light characteristic deriving unit to derive characteristic information of achievable exit light based on characteristic information of the light source modules stored in the storage mediums.

Abstract: An endoscope illumination device includes a light source that outputs primary light, a light guide that includes a first end face from which the primary light is radiated, and guides the primary light, and a light converter that is disposed to face the first end face, includes a second end face which the primary light enters, converts part of the primary light into secondary light. The illumination device also includes a holder that holds the light guide and the light converter so that an incident angle of the secondary light that is radiated from a point of intersection of the second end face and an optical axis of the light guide on the first end face and enters the first end face is equal to or larger than an acceptance angle (NA) of the light guide.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a first wavelength converter which absorbs part of the first excitation light and emits first wavelength-converted light, a second wavelength converter which absorbs part of the first excitation light and emits second wavelength-converted light, a reflector including a reflecting surface which is arranged to surround the members, and a holder which holds the members. A first region where light distribution angles of light emitted from the members have a predetermined value or less and a second region where the light distribution angle is less than the predetermined value are present in a region surrounded by the reflecting surface. The holder holds at least one part of the wavelength converter and at least one part of the second wavelength converter at the first region.

Abstract: An optical unit includes an optical element serving as a light guide path, which includes an incident entrance, an emitter, a light coupler which is arranged in the case where a plurality of incident entrances are arranged, and which couples a primary light, and a light separator which is arranged in the case where a plurality of emitters are arranged, and which separates the primary light to each of the emitters. The optical unit further includes a detector which directly or indirectly detects a leakage light leaking outside of the light guide path from the light guide path.

Abstract: An endoscope system has observation modes making observations with lights having optical characteristics different from each other. The system includes an endoscope including an insertion section provided with an illumination window, a light guide arranged in the insertion section, and including an entrance end on which the lights enter and a plurality of light guide areas that guide the lights entered on the entrance end, and an entrance area switching unit that switches between the light guide areas through which the entered lights are guided by switching between areas on which the lights enter at the entrance end in accordance with an observation mode.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a light converter disposed on a distal end surface of a light guide, the light converter being configured to emit illumination light, which is generated by converting optical characteristics of primary light that is guided by the light guide, in a forward direction which is on the light converter side of the distal end surface, and in a backward direction which is on the light guide side of the distal end surface. The illumination apparatus further includes a light collector configured to collect backward illumination light into the light guide such that the backward illumination light is guided backward by the light guide, and a heat exhauster configured to convert the backward illumination light, which is guided by the light guide, to heat, and to exhaust the heat.

Abstract: An illumination unit includes a light guide and a light converter. Wettability which a distal end side surface of the light guide has for an enclosing member of the light converter is lower than wettability which a distal end face has for the enclosing member.