Endoscope
AssigneeOlympus Corporation
InventorKota Ishibiki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illuminational optical system and an observational optical system mounted to lens frames are arranged at the tip part of an insertion portion. The observational optical system has resistance to high-temperature steam sterilization, and is sealed steam-tight in order to avoid entering of steam into the inside. On the other hand, the illuminational optical system is sealed liquid-tight with an adhesive, and even when steam enters into the inside, the entered steam can be discharged by the heat accompanying illumination light during an endoscope inspection. Consequently, cost reduction can be achieved and repairability, etc., can be ensured with almost no degradation in observation performance.
Claims20
An endoscope comprising:
- a slender insertion portion;
- an illuminational optical system which is arranged at the tip portion of the insertion portion and which emits transmitted illumination light onto a subject side;
- a first frame member provided with the illuminational optical system;
- an observational optical system for forming an optical image of the subject illuminated by the illuminational optical system;
- a second frame member provided with the observational optical system;
- a liquid-tight joint portion which is arranged at the end portion facing the outside of the first frame member and which is joined liquid-tight to a first lens member constituting the illuminational optical system and the first frame member;
- and
- a steam-tight joint portion which is arranged at the end portion facing the outside of the second frame member and which joins steam-tight a second lens member constituting the observational optical system and the second frame member.
An endoscope comprising:
- a slender insertion portion;
- an illuminational optical system which is arranged at the tip portion of the insertion portion and which emits transmitted illumination light onto a subject side;
- and
- an observational optical system which is arranged at the tip portion of the insertion portion and which forms an optical image of the subject illuminated by the illumination light;
- wherein
- the steam-tight level of a first joint portion distinguishing the illuminational optical system from the outside of the endoscope or an internal space of the endoscope is specified to be lower than
- the steam-tight level of a second joint portion distinguishing the observational optical system from the outside of the endoscope or an internal space of the endoscope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.