Abstract: A first fiber stub incorporating a first GI fiber is connected to a first optical fiber by a PC connection. The first GI fiber expands a beam diameter of light transmitted by the first optical fiber and collimates this light. A second fiber stub is connected to a second optical fiber by the PC connection. The second fiber stub, facing the first fiber stub across a predetermined gap G therebetween, converges the light transmitted from the first fiber stub using a second GI fiber incorporated therein. The second fiber stub transmits the converged light to the second optical fiber. When the first fiber stub or the second fiber stub is damaged, the first fiber stub or the second fiber stub is pulled out from a first sleeve or a second sleeve, respectively for replacement.

Abstract: A large diameter fiber is composed of a multimode optical fiber and provided with a fiber body having a constant diameter in an optical axis direction XA and a tapered section tapered in diameter toward a light exit surface. An adhesive member attaches the large diameter fiber inside a retaining hole of a tubular housing such that an outer circumferential surface of a tapered clad of the tapered section is entirely exposed to air to a predetermined depth from the light exit surface. A light passing space is a ring-like space formed between the exposed outer circumferential surface of the tapered clad and an inner circumferential surface of the tubular housing. Light in the tapered section is output from the light exit surface and partially leaked to the tapered clad. A part of the leaked light is released from the light passing space.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing system configured to correct an image of an object inside a physical body. The image processing system includes an object image obtaining section that obtains an object image formed by light from the object, a depth identifying section that identifies a depth from a surface of the physical body to the object, a distance information identifying section that identifies distance information indicating a distance from an image capturing section capturing the object image to the surface of the physical body, and an image correcting section that corrects the object image according to the distance information and the depth.

Abstract: A light guide for endoscopes is constituted by a plurality of multimode optical fibers, of which at least a portion is bundled. The light guide propagates illuminating light beam that enters from a first end facet thereof to a second end facet thereof, to emit the illuminating light beam onto a portion to be observed. The light guide includes: a light input portion formed by the bundled plurality of multimode optical fibers; and a light output portion formed by the bundled plurality of multimode optical fibers. At least one of the light input portion and the light output portion is shaped in a tapered shape, while the number of multimode optical fibers at the light input portion and the light output portion are the same as that at other portions of the light guide.

Abstract: The amount of heat generated at a light input portion of a light guide for endoscopes constituted by a plurality of bundled optical fibers is suppressed. The light guide for endoscopes is constituted by a plurality of bundled optical fibers, for propagating an illuminating light beam, which is focused and caused to enter a light input end facet thereof, to a light output end facet thereof, to emit the illuminating light beam onto a portion to be observed. A transparent member having a sectional shape which is at least as large as the focused spot of the illuminating light beam is provided in close contact with the light input end facets of the optical fibers. The optical fibers are connected to the transparent member in a maximally densely packed state.

Abstract: The amount of heat generated at a light input portion of a light guide for endoscopes constituted by a plurality of bundled optical fibers is suppressed. The light guide for endoscopes is constituted by a plurality of bundled optical fibers, for propagating an illuminating light beam, which is focused and caused to enter a light input end facet thereof, to a light output end facet thereof, to emit the illuminating light beam onto a portion to be observed. A transparent member having a sectional shape which is at least as large as the focused spot of the illuminating light beam is provided in close contact with the light input end facets of the optical fibers. The optical fibers are connected to the transparent member in a maximally densely packed state.

Abstract: In an image capturing apparatus in which irradiation light emitted from a light source is projected onto an observation area through an irradiation window, reflection light of the irradiation light incident on the irradiation window and reflected from the window is detected and a liquid is discharged onto the irradiation window according to a result of the detection.

Abstract: A laser light source device which can inexpensively achieve a visually recognizable level of speckle reduction is disclosed. The laser light source device includes: a laser module including a light source and a first optical waveguide, wherein light emitted from the light source is outputted from an output end of the first optical waveguide; a second optical waveguide connected to the first optical waveguide, wherein the light outputted from the output end of the first optical waveguide is inputted to an input end of the second optical waveguide and guided through the second optical waveguide; and an intensity modulation unit disposed in the vicinity of the second optical waveguide, the intensity modulation unit applying intensity modulation to the second optical waveguide, wherein a core diameter at the input end of the second optical waveguide is larger than a core diameter at the output end of the first optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector has a first ferrule holding an end of a first optical fiber, a first fiber stub connected to the first ferrule, a second ferrule holding an end of a second optical fiber, and a second fiber stub connected to the second ferrule. The first fiber stub enlarges the beam diameter of light transmitted through the first optical fiber, and produces the collimated light. The second fiber stub reduces the beam diameter of the collimated light, and leads the converging light into the second optical fiber. The first and second fiber stubs are detachably connected inside a connection sleeve across a predetermined gap. First and second GI fibers contained in the first and second fiber stubs satisfy L1?L2 and L1+L2?½ pitch, wherein L1 and L2 represent the lengths of the first and second GI fibers, and one pitch is a sinusoidal period of the light transmitted therethrough.

Abstract: An image display apparatus for displaying a composite image of an ordinary image and a special image which allows instantaneous recognition of the position of a portion appearing in the fluorescence image in the ordinary image without impairing visible information of the ordinary image. The apparatus includes a light emission unit for emitting ordinary light and special light directed to an observation area and an imaging unit having an ordinary image sensor for capturing an ordinary image by photoelectrically converting reflection light reflected from the observation area irradiated with the ordinary light and a special image sensor for capturing a special image by photoelectrically converting light emitted from the observation area irradiated with the special light and is controlled such that a charge storage amount stored in the special image sensor for each frame is periodically changed.

Abstract: An optical fiber structure includes a first fiber array and a second fiber array, which are placed one on the other. For example, the first fiber array includes a substrate having four V-shaped grooves and four first optical fibers, the output ends of which are linearly arranged and fixed to the grooves. The second fiber array includes a substrate having four V-shaped grooves and four second optical fibers, the output ends of which are linearly arranged and fixed to the grooves. The first optical fiber has a taper portion, in which the core diameter decreases along an optical axis, and the core diameter and the outer diameter of the first optical fiber at the tip of the taper portion thereof are 60 ?m and 80 ?m, respectively. The core diameter and the outer diameter of the second optical fiber are 105 ?m and 125 ?m, respectively.

Abstract: An optical fiber structure includes a first fiber array and a second fiber array, which are placed one on the other. For example, the first fiber array includes a substrate having four V-shaped grooves and four first optical fibers, the output ends of which are linearly arranged and fixed to the substrate, and the second fiber array includes a substrate having four V-shaped grooves and four second optical fibers, the output ends of which are linearly arranged and fixed to the substrate. The first optical fiber is a multimode fiber having a core and a cladding, and the core diameter is 60 ?m and the outer diameter of the fiber is 80 ?m. The second optical fiber is a multimode fiber having a core and a cladding, and the core diameter is 105 ?m and the outer diameter of the fiber is 125 ?m.

Abstract: A laser light source device is disclosed, which reduces the coherence of the laser light and inexpensively achieves a visually recognizable level of speckle reduction without use of a mechanical driving means. The laser light source device includes: laser modules, each including a laser light source, an intensity modulation unit to apply intensity modulation to laser light emitted from the laser light source, and a first waveguide to receive the intensity-modulated laser light from the laser light source and output the laser light from an output end thereof; and a second waveguide including an input end optically connected to a light outputting area of the first waveguides to receive the laser light outputted from the first waveguides, the first waveguides being closely bundled in the vicinity of output ends thereof, wherein a core of the second waveguide at the input end is larger than the light outputting area.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector has a first ferrule holding an end of a first optical fiber, a first fiber stub connected to the first ferrule, a second ferrule holding an end of a second optical fiber, and a second fiber stub connected to the second ferrule. The first fiber stub enlarges the beam diameter of light transmitted through the first optical fiber, and produces the collimated light. The second fiber stub reduces the beam diameter of the collimated light, and leads the converging light into the second optical fiber. The first and second fiber stubs are detachably connected inside a connection sleeve across a predetermined gap. First and second GI fibers contained in the first and second fiber stubs satisfy L1?L2 and L1+L2?½ pitch, wherein L1 and L2 represent the lengths of the first and second GI fibers, and one pitch is a sinusoidal period of the light transmitted therethrough.

Abstract: A first fiber stub incorporating a first GI fiber is connected to a first optical fiber by a PC connection. The first GI fiber expands a beam diameter of light transmitted by the first optical fiber and collimates this light. A second fiber stub is connected to a second optical fiber by the PC connection. The second fiber stub, facing the first fiber stub across a predetermined gap G therebetween, converges the light transmitted from the first fiber stub using a second GI fiber incorporated therein. The second fiber stub transmits the converged light to the second optical fiber. When the first fiber stub or the second fiber stub is damaged, the first fiber stub or the second fiber stub is pulled out from a first sleeve or a second sleeve, respectively for replacement.

Abstract: An endoscope has a first light guide for transmitting measurement light from a light source, a second light guide for transmitting IR light from an IR light source, and a CCD for capturing a projected shape of the measurement light. An image processing circuit extracts the projected shape from an image obtained from the CCD, and calculates the size of the extracted projected shape to calculate a distance between an end surface of the endoscope and an object of interest and an illumination angle of the IR light on a surface of the object of interest. A CPU controls the operation of the IR light source in accordance with the calculated distance and the illumination angle.

Abstract: When light enters a first small diameter fiber at an incident angle of 0°, exit light from the first small diameter fiber has a substantially convex light amount distribution in a diameter direction. When light enters a second small diameter fiber at an incident angle of 12°, exit light from the second small diameter fiber has a substantially concave light amount distribution in a diameter direction. The exit light from the first and second small diameter fibers enters a large diameter fiber and is combined therein, making the light amount distribution uniform in the large diameter fiber. The large diameter fiber has a tapered core and a tapered clad in a light exit section. The light in the large diameter fiber is output from a light exit surface thereof and also leaked from the tapered clad.

Abstract: A large diameter fiber is composed of a multimode optical fiber and provided with a fiber body having a constant diameter in an optical axis direction XA and a tapered section tapered in diameter toward a light exit surface. An adhesive member attaches the large diameter fiber inside a retaining hole of a tubular housing such that an outer circumferential surface of a tapered clad of the tapered section is entirely exposed to air to a predetermined depth from the light exit surface. A light passing space is a ring-like space formed between the exposed outer circumferential surface of the tapered clad and an inner circumferential surface of the tubular housing. Light in the tapered section is output from the light exit surface and partially leaked to the tapered clad. A part of the leaked light is released from the light passing space.

Abstract: A multimode optical combiner constituted by first and second multimode optical waveguides. The first multimode optical waveguide includes optical waveguide portions and a near-end portion having a single core and an output end. The optical waveguide portions are arranged in a bundle so that none of the at least six optical waveguide portions is located in the center of the bundle. The second multimode optical waveguide has an input end connected to the output end of the first multimode optical waveguide. The numerical aperture NAinput and the core diameter Dinput of the first multimode optical waveguide at the output end and the numerical aperture NAoutput and the core diameter Doutput of the second multimode optical waveguide at the input end satisfy the relationship, NAinput×Dinput NAoutput×Doutput.

Abstract: Light from a light source enters a first small diameter fiber at an incident angle of 0°. Exit light from the first small diameter fiber has a substantially convex light intensity distribution in a diameter direction. Light from a light source enters a second small diameter fiber at an incident angle of 12°. Exit light from the second small diameter fiber has a substantially concave light intensity distribution in a diameter direction. The exit light from the first and second small diameter fibers enters a large diameter fiber via a fiber connector. Light inside the large diameter fiber has a substantially uniform light intensity distribution in a diameter direction with a light intensity not less than a predetermined value. The light is radiated as illumination light from a light exit section of the large diameter fiber.