# US 10,120,181 B2 · Optical unit and endoscope > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,181 B2 - Document ID: US10120181B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/228,601 - Filed: 2016-08-04 - Published: 2016-11-24 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-06 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Applicants: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Shinya Kono; Takehiko Iguchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120181B2 ## CPC - G02B 23/2438: {Zoom objectives} - A61B 1/00096: {Optical elements} - A61B 1/00188: {with focusing or zooming features} - G02B 7/04: with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification - G02B 7/08: adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism - G02B 7/102: {controlled by a microcomputer (cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14)} - G02B 23/26: using light guides {(for illumination G02B23/2469)} - H02K 41/0356: {moving along a straight path} - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - H04N 23/555: {for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The optical unit is including a tubular fixed part, a front frame part, a back frame part, a movable part, and a voice coil motor that is capable of moving the movable part relatively with respect to the fixed part in a direction of the axis by a coil located in the fixed part and a magnet located in the movable part and magnetically polarized in a direction orthogonal to the axis, wherein at least a part of the movable part is included in a portion of the front frame part projected in the axis direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical unit comprising: a tubular fixed part with a given axis as center; a front frame part that holds a front lens group in place and is attached to an object side of the fixed part with the axis as center; a back frame part that holds a back lens group in place and is attached to an image side of the fixed part with the axis as center; a movable part that holds a moving lens group in place and is located inside the fixed part with the axis as center; and a voice coil motor that is capable of moving the movable part relatively with respect to the fixed part in a direction of the axis by a coil located in the fixed part and a magnet located in the movable part and magnetically polarized in a direction orthogonal to the axis, wherein: at least a part of the movable part is included in a portion of the front frame part projected in the axis direction, and at least a part of the front frame part is inserted on an inner circumference side of the movable part. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An optical unit according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the magnet is included in the portion of the front frame part projected in the axis direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An optical unit according to claim 2, wherein at least a part of the coil is included in the portion of the front frame part projected in the axis direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An optical unit according to claim 3, wherein the coil is entirely included in the portion of the front frame part projected in the axis direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An optical unit according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the back frame part is inserted on an inner circumference side of the movable part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An optical unit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the magnets are located symmetrically with respect to the axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) An optical unit according to claim 6, wherein: the magnet includes a set of first magnets and a set of second magnets that are adjacent to each other in the axis direction, the set of first magnets has the same direction of magnetic polarization, and the set of second magnets has the same direction of magnetic polarization, the magnetic polarization of the first magnets and the magnetic polarization of the second magnets adjacent to the first magnets are in opposite directions, the coil includes a first coil opposite to the set of first magnets and a second coil opposite to the set of second magnets, and the first coil and the second coil are reversed in a winding direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An optical unit according to claim 7, wherein the first magnets and the second magnets adjacent to each other are spaced away in the axis direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An optical unit according to claim 1, wherein a distance from the axis to a diametrically outer surface of the magnet is longer than a distance from the axis to an inner circumference surface of the fixed part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An optical unit according to claim 9, wherein: the movable part includes a step on which the magnet is located, and the fixed part includes a lightened site on which the diametrically outer surface of the magnet is located. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An optical unit according to claim 1, wherein an axial width of the coil is greater than an axial width of the magnet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An endoscope comprising an optical unit according to claim 1.