# US 9,753,270 B2 · Illumination device

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- Number: US 9,753,270 B2
- Document ID: US9753270B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/973,086
- Filed: 2015-12-17
- Published: 2016-04-14
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2013-07-09
- Assignees: Olympus Corporation
- Applicants: Olympus Corporation
- Inventors: Koichiro Furuta
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753270B2

## CPC

- A61B 1/0605: {for spatially modulated illumination}
- G02B 23/2469: {using optical fibres}
- A61B 1/00096: {Optical elements}
- A61B 1/00165: {with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics (A61B1/07 takes precedence)}
- A61B 1/0607: {for annular illumination}
- A61B 1/0615: {for radial illumination}
- G02B 23/2423: {of the distal end}
- G02B 23/26: using light guides {(for illumination G02B23/2469)}
- A61B 1/0623: {for off-axis illumination}
- A61B 1/07: using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

An illumination device includes a light output unit having an output end; an optical member that is disposed in a circumferential direction centered on a predetermined axis and that receives illumination light output from the output end and outputs the illumination light from a surface thereof; and a reflective layer that is provided adjacent to an inner side surface of the optical member and that reflects the illumination light outward in the radial direction. The optical member includes a light guide layer that receives the illumination light from the output end and that guides the illumination light and a diffusion layer that is located outside the light guide layer in the radial direction and at one end of the light guide layer in a direction along the axis and that receives the illumination light from the light guide layer and guides the illumination light while diffusing the illumination light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An illumination device comprising:
a light output unit having an output end that outputs illumination light;
an optical member that is disposed in a circumferential direction centered on a predetermined axis and that receives the illumination light from the output end and outputs the illumination light from a surface thereof; and
a reflective layer that is provided adjacent to a surface of the optical member at an inner side in a radial direction and that reflects the illumination light outward in the radial direction,
wherein the optical member comprises a light guide layer and a diffusion layer located outside the light guide layer in the radial direction and at one end of the light guide layer facing away from the output end of the light output unit in a direction along the predetermined axis,
the light guide layer receives the illumination light from the output end and guides the illumination light, and
the diffusion layer receives the illumination light from the light guide layer and guides the illumination light while diffusing the illumination light.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the output end is circular, oval, polygonal, or annular-sector-shaped.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The illumination device according to claim 2, wherein the optical member is a substantially cylindrical member having a cutout formed by removing, in a longitudinal direction, a portion extending in a circumferential direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The illumination device according to claim 3, comprising a plurality of the optical members arranged in a circumferential direction centered on the axis,
wherein each optical member is a substantially horseshoe-shaped pillar member having a side surface curved about the predetermined axis at the inner side in the radial direction, and
the reflective layer is provided on the curved side surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The illumination device according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of the optical members arranged in the circumferential direction centered on the axis,
wherein each optical member is a pillar member having a flat side surface at the inner side in the radial direction, and
the reflective layer is provided on the flat side surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The illumination device according to claim 2, wherein
the light guide layer comprises a light guide material through which the illumination light propagates; and
the diffusion layer comprises a light guide material that is the same as the light guide material that forms the light guide layer and a diffusion material that diffuses the illumination light.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The illumination device according to claim 2, wherein the optical member has an outer circumferential surface and a distal-end surface having a conical shape that is smoothly continuous with the outer circumferential surface and that becomes gradually narrower toward a distal end.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the optical member is a substantially cylindrical member having a cutout formed by removing, in a longitudinal direction, a portion extending in a circumferential direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The illumination device according to claim 8, comprising a plurality of the optical members arranged in a circumferential direction centered on the axis,
wherein each optical member is a substantially horseshoe-shaped pillar member having a side surface curved about the predetermined axis at the inner side in the radial direction, and
the reflective layer is provided on the curved side surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The illumination device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of the optical members arranged in the circumferential direction centered on the axis,
wherein each optical member is a pillar member having a flat side surface at the inner side in the radial direction, and
the reflective layer is provided on the flat side surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein
the light guide layer comprises a light guide material through which the illumination light propagates; and
the diffusion layer comprises a light guide material that is the same as the light guide material that forms the light guide layer and a diffusion material that diffuses the illumination light.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the optical member has an outer circumferential surface and a distal-end surface having a conical shape that is smoothly continuous with the outer circumferential surface and that becomes gradually narrower toward a distal end.