Endoscope illumination light switching device and endoscope illumination light switching method

An endoscope illumination light switching method comprising:

• switching a hole inserted on an irradiation optical path among a plurality of holes by rotating a rotation body held to be rotatable about a predetermined rotational axis and having the plurality of holes formed side by side in a circumferential direction on a predetermined radius centered at the rotational axis;
• rotationally driving the rotation body by a drive device, wherein
• a first hole is disposed at a predetermined position among the plurality of holes formed in the rotation body,
• a second hole is disposed at a position different from the first hole among the plurality of holes formed in the rotation body,
• a first detection target shape portion is formed in the rotation body at a position corresponding to the first hole, and
• another detection target shape portion is formed in the rotation body at a position different from the first detection target shape portion;
• outputting;
• by a sensor disposed outside the rotation body, detection signals in response to detection of the first detection target shape portion and the other detection target shape portion when the rotation body rotates;
• and
• controlling, by a processor, a stop position of the rotation body based on the detection signals, wherein
• the other detection target shape portion is a detection target shape portion for reference position detection for detecting a predetermined reference position of the rotation body,
• a reference detection signal in response to detection of the detection target shape portion for reference position detection can be outputted from the sensor, and
• when a first detection signal in response to detection of the first detection target shape portion is acquired after the reference detection signal is acquired from the sensor, the rotation body is controlled to stop at a predetermined stop position of the first detection target shape portion by the processor.

An endoscope illumination light switching method comprising:

• switching a hole inserted on an irradiation optical path among a plurality of holes by rotating a rotation body held to be rotatable about a predetermined rotational axis and having the plurality of holes formed side by side in a circumferential direction on a predetermined radius centered at the rotational axis;
• rotationally driving the rotation body by a drive device, wherein
• a first hole is disposed at a predetermined position among the plurality of holes formed in the rotation body,
• a second hole is disposed at a position different from the first hole among the plurality of holes formed in the rotation body,
• a first detection target shape portion is formed in the rotation body at a position corresponding to the first hole, and
• another detection target shape portion is formed in the rotation body at a position different from the first detection target shape portion;
• outputting, by a sensor disposed outside the rotation body, detection signals in response to detection of the first detection target shape portion and the other detection target shape portion when the rotation body rotates;
• and
• controlling, by a processor, a stop position of the rotation body based on the detection signals, wherein
• the other detection target shape portion is a second detection target shape portion formed at a position corresponding to the second hole, and
• the sensor can output a second detection signal in response to detection of the second detection target shape portion when the rotation body rotates.