# US 11,304,591 B2 · Optical connection module for endoscope, endoscope, and endoscope system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,591 B2 - Document ID: US11304591B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/117,507 - Filed: 2020-12-10 - Published: 2021-03-25 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-11 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Applicants: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Hiroyuki Kamee; Satoshi Ohara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304591B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/00126: {optical, e.g. for light supply cables} - A61B 1/00006: {of control signals} - A61B 1/00016: {using wireless means} - A61B 1/00108: {characterised by self-sufficient functionality for stand-alone use} - A61B 1/0011: {Manufacturing of endoscope parts} - A61B 1/00163: {Optical arrangements (A61B1/002, A61B1/06 take precedence)} - A61B 1/00195: {with eyepieces} - A61B 1/0655: {Control therefor} - A61B 1/0669: {at proximal end of an endoscope} - A61B 1/0684: {using light emitting diodes [LED]} - A61B 1/07: using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres - G02B 6/0006: {Coupling light into the fibre (in general G02B6/4298)} - G02B 6/4286: {Optical modules with optical power monitoring} - G02B 6/423: {using guiding surfaces for the alignment} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optical connection module for an endoscope includes: an optical fiber having a fiber end surface and configured to guide a part of emitted light emitted from a light source and incident on the fiber end surface; a ferrule having a ferrule end surface with an opening of a through-hole into which the optical fiber is inserted, the ferrule including a scatterer configured to scatter, in an inside of the ferrule, a part of the emitted light incident on the ferrule end surface, the ferrule being configured to emit scattered light generated by scattering from a side surface; and an optical sensor arranged in the periphery of the side surface of the ferrule and configured to receive the scattered light. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical connection module for an endo scope comprising: an optical fiber having a fiber end surface and configured to guide a part of emitted light emitted from a light source and incident on the fiber end surface; a ferrule having a ferrule end surface with an opening of a through-hole into which the optical fiber is inserted, the ferrule including a scatterer configured to scatter, in an inside of the ferrule, a part of the emitted light incident on the ferrule end surface, the ferrule being configured to emit scattered light generated by scattering from a side surface; and an optical sensor arranged in a periphery of the side surface of the ferrule and configured to receive the scattered light; wherein the ferrule is configured such that a light quantity of the scattered light emitted from a rear end surface on an opposite side of the ferrule end surface is greater than 0.1% and less than 80% of a light quantity of the emitted light incident perpendicularly on the ferrule end surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the scatterer of the ferrule is formed of a mixed material of a plurality of materials having different refractive indexes or a polycrystalline material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising: a lens configured to condense the emitted light on the fiber end surface; and a holder having an inner surface configuring a space including an optical path of the emitted light to be condensed by the lens, and to which the lens and the ferrule are fixed, wherein the emitted light reflected by the inner surface of the holder is incident on the ferrule end surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 3, wherein a numerical aperture of the lens is equal to or less than a numerical aperture of the optical fiber, and the emitted light reflected by the fiber end surface is further reflected by the inner surface and is incident on the ferrule end surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the inner surface of the holder has a tilted surface tilted toward the ferrule end surface, and the emitted light reflected by the fiber end surface and the tilted surface is incident on the ferrule end surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the fiber end surface is perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical fiber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the fiber end surface is tilted relative to an optical axis of the optical fiber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a cutout region is formed on the side surface of the ferrule, and the optical sensor is arranged in the cutout region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the cutout region is a plane, and the plane is tilted toward the ferrule end surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising: a sleeve configured to hold the ferrule by covering the side surface of the ferrule, wherein the sleeve has one or more sleeve openings, and the optical sensor is installed in one of the one or more sleeve openings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of optical sensors are installed in the one or more sleeve openings in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the optical fiber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 10, wherein the one or more sleeve openings comprise a plurality of sleeve openings in the direction parallel to the optical axis of the optical fiber, and the optical sensor is installed in at least one of the plurality of sleeve openings. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 10, wherein a cutout region is formed on the side surface of the ferrule, and the optical sensor is arranged in the cutout region, the cutout region is not formed up to the ferrule end surface, and a region of the side surface of the ferrule, which is closer to the light source than the cutout region, is covered by the sleeve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The optical connection module for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the emitted light is illumination light. ### Claim 15 An endoscope comprising: an optical connection module comprising: an optical fiber having a fiber end surface and configured to guide a part of emitted light emitted from a light source and incident on the fiber end surface; a ferrule having a ferrule end surface with an opening of a through-hole into which the optical fiber is inserted, the ferrule including a scatterer configured to scatter, in an inside of the ferrule, a part of the emitted light incident on the ferrule end surface, the ferrule being configured to emit scattered light generated by scattering from a side surface; and an optical sensor arranged in a periphery of the side surface of the ferrule and configured to receive the scattered light; wherein the ferrule is configured such that a light quantity of the scattered light emitted from a rear end surface on an opposite side of the ferrule end surface is greater than 0.1% and less than 80% of a light quantity of the emitted light incident perpendicularly on the ferrule end surface. ### Claim 16 An endoscope system comprising: a light source device including an optical connection module, and an endoscope configured to emit illumination light guided by the light source device, wherein the optical connection module comprising: an optical fiber having a fiber end surface and configured to guide a part of emitted light emitted from a light source and incident on the fiber end surface; a ferrule having a ferrule end surface with an opening of a through-hole into which the optical fiber is inserted, the ferrule including a scatterer configured to scatter, in an inside of the ferrule, a part of the emitted light incident on the ferrule end surface, the ferrule being configured to emit scattered light generated by scattering from a side surface; and an optical sensor arranged in a periphery of the side surface of the ferrule and configured to receive the scattered light; wherein the ferrule is configured such that a light quantity of the scattered light emitted from a rear end surface on an opposite side of the ferrule end surface is greater than 0.1% and less than 80% of a light quantity of the emitted light incident perpendicularly on the ferrule end surface.