Front end structure of stereoscopic endoscope

Abstract

A front end structure of a stereoscopic endoscope comprises a lens barrel main body 3 having a pair of lens barrel portions 31R, 31L for holding and accommodating a pair of objective optical systems 32R, 32L so as to make them project toward an object, respectively; and a front end part main body 2 formed with a pair of holes 21R, 21L for receiving the respective lens barrel portions 31R, 31L, while the image-side end portion of the front end part main body 2 is formed like a cylinder surrounding the lens barrel main body 3. The left and right side portions 41R, 41L of the outer peripheral surface of the lens barrel main body 3 are inscribed in the cylindrical portion 26 of the front end part main body 2, so that the lens barrel main body 3 and the front end part main body 2 slidably mate with each other. As a consequence, the front end part main body 2 and the lens barrel main body 3 can be assembled to each other while in a state positioned with respect to each other with a high accuracy. One of the holes 21L and its corresponding lens barrel portion 31L may mate with each other with a play, whereby a greater tolerance in dimensions can be obtained in the making of the front end part main body 2 and lens barrel main body 3.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.