Light emission device and optical equipment

Abstract

To provide a light emission device and optical equipment which can selectively extract the light of a plurality of desired wavelength at an appropriate timing.SOLUTION: A light emission device 10 includes: a plurality of light sources 13; a support member 11 for supporting the plurality of light sources 13; and a movement device 15 for moving the support member 11. The plurality of light sources 13 includes two or more light sources that emit the light of a wavelength within a specific range which are different from each other. The movement device 15 includes an electric motor having a shaft 17 that rotates about a rotational axial line. The support member 11 is attached directly or indirectly to the shaft 17. The plurality of light sources 13 is provided on a virtual circumference 12 with a rotational center of the support member 11 as a center thereof. Optical equipment 1 includes: the light emission device 10; and a light guide bodies 31 that takes in the light emitted from the light source 13 selected from among the plurality of light sources 13. Another piece of optical equipment includes: a plurality of light sources 13; a light source support member 11; a light guide body 31; a light guide body support member; and a movement device 15 for moving the light source support member 11 and / or the light guide body support member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to light emitting devices and optical instruments. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART In spectrometers and the like, some devices use a wavelength-variable filter, a dichroic mirror, and / or a bandpass filter as a configuration for extracting light of a predetermined wavelength (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6194673 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, configurations using wavelength-tunable filters, dichroic mirrors, or bandpass filters may have limitations on the wavelength range or number of wavelengths of the extracted light, or may make it difficult to extract high-intensity monochromatic light, depending on the configuration employed.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure relates to providing a light-emitting device and an optical device that can selectively extract light of a plurality of desired wavelengths at appropriate times. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A light emitting device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of light sources, a support member supporting the plurality of light sources, and a moving device moving the support member, wherein the plurality of light sources include two or more light sources that emit light of specific ranges of wavelengths different from each other, the moving device including an electric motor having a shaft that rotates around a rotation axis, the support member being attached directly or indirectly to the shaft, and the plurality of light sources being arranged on a virtual circumference centered on the center of rotation of the support member.

[0007] With this configuration, by moving the support member, it is possible to move a light source of desired light among the plurality of light sources supported by the support member to a desired position and emit the light.

[0008] In addition, a light emitting device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is the light emitting device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, further comprising a control device that controls the moving device to align a selected light source from among the plurality of light sources with a predetermined light emitting position.

[0009] With this configuration, it is possible to automatically control which wavelength of light is emitted and at what timing.

[0010] Furthermore, an optical device according to a third aspect of the present disclosure includes a light emitting device according to the first or second aspect of the present disclosure, and a light guide that takes in light emitted from a selected light source from among the plurality of light sources.

[0011] With this configuration, an optical device can be provided that can selectively input light of a plurality of desired wavelengths into the light guide at appropriate times.

[0012] An optical device according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of light sources, the plurality of light sources including two or more light sources emitting light of wavelengths in specific ranges different from each other, a support member supporting the plurality of light sources, a movement device that moves the support member, a light guide that takes in light emitted from a selected light source from the plurality of light sources, and a control device that controls the movement device to align the selected light source from the plurality of light sources with a light entrance position of the light guide. Alternatively, the optical device according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure may include a plurality of light sources, the plurality of light sources including two or more light sources emitting light of wavelengths in specific ranges different from each other, a light source support member that supports the plurality of light sources, a light guide that takes in light emitted from a selected light source from the plurality of light sources, a light guide support member that supports the light guide, a movement device that moves at least one of the light source support member and the light guide support member, and a control device that controls the movement device to align the selected light source from the plurality of light sources with a light entrance position of the light guide.

[0013] By configuring it in this manner, an optical device can be created that can automatically control the timing at which light of a desired wavelength from among multiple types of wavelengths is incident on the light conductor by moving at least one of the support member (or light source support member) and the light conductor support member.

[0014] Furthermore, an optical device according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is an optical device according to the third or fourth aspect of the present disclosure, which has a plurality of the light guides so as to be able to take in light emitted from a plurality of the selected light sources.

[0015] This configuration makes it possible to simultaneously irradiate multiple lights of different wavelengths, simultaneously irradiate multiple lights of the same wavelength to increase the amount of light, and / or reduce the number of times the support member needs to be moved.

[0016] An optical device according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of light sources and a plurality of light conductors, the number of which is equal to the number of the light sources, the plurality of light sources including two or more light sources emitting light of wavelengths in specific ranges different from each other, and each of the plurality of light conductors being individually associated with the plurality of light sources so as to take in light emitted from one of the plurality of light sources.

[0017] With this configuration, it is possible to make light emitted from any one of the plurality of light sources incident on the light guide corresponding to that light source.

[0018] Furthermore, an optical device according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is an optical device according to any one of the third to sixth aspects of the present disclosure, which is provided with a control device that controls the on / off of each of the plurality of light sources so that light is emitted from a selected light source among the plurality of light sources.

[0019] With this configuration, it is possible to automatically control the light from the plurality of light sources that is to be incident on the light guide. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to extract light emitted from a desired light source among a plurality of light sources. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a control device included in a light emitting device according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical device according to a second modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical device according to a third modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical device according to a fourth modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or similar reference numerals are used to designate identical or corresponding components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0023] [One embodiment] First, an optical device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of the optical device 1. In this embodiment, the optical device 1 will be described as a medical endoscope. The optical device 1 can be used for identifying a target substance (typically a cell) based on differences in absorbance when light of different wavelengths is irradiated onto the target substance, i.e., for hyperspectral imaging. The optical device 1 includes a light-emitting device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and an instrument unit 30.

[0024] The light emitting device 10 is a device that emits light of various wavelengths. In this embodiment, the light emitting device 10 includes a support member 11, a light source 13, a motor 15, and a control device 20. The support member 11 is one form of a light source support member that supports the light source 13, and in this embodiment, a circular plate-shaped member is used. There are no particular restrictions on the material used for the support member 11, and an appropriate material such as metal or synthetic resin can be used depending on the atmosphere of the application location, the purpose, etc. As the support member 11 is moved and stopped by the motor 15 as described below, it is preferable to use a lightweight material to reduce inertia.

[0025] In this embodiment, the light source 13 generates light to be supplied to the fixture unit 30. A plurality of light sources 13 are supported by the support member 11. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the light sources 13 include eight light sources 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, 13E, 13F, 13G, and 13H. However, the number of light sources 13 can be increased or decreased as appropriate depending on the application of the light-emitting device 10. The number of light sources 13 may be, for example, less than eight, such as three or six, or more than eight, such as ten, twelve, fifteen, twenty, or more. In the following description, when referring to individual light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H, they will be distinguished by alphabetic symbols at the end of their reference numerals, and when referring to matters common to the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H, they will be collectively referred to as "light source 13."

[0026] Each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H emits light of a specific wavelength, and one light source 13 (e.g., light source 13A) emits light of a different wavelength from another light source (e.g., light source 13B). In other words, when the multiple light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H are viewed as a whole, multiple light sources 13 may emit light of the same wavelength, but not all of the light sources 13 may have the same wavelength; they may emit light of multiple different wavelengths. That is, the multiple light sources 13A, 13B, ..., emit light of different wavelengths, but there may also be a light source 13 that emits light of the same wavelength as any of these light sources. The number of light sources with different wavelengths can be determined appropriately depending on the application and may be any number such as three, four, six, or ten or more. In this embodiment, the eight light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H all emit light of different wavelengths (i.e., there are no light sources 13 with overlapping wavelengths).

[0027] The wavelength of the light emitted by the light source 13 is typically within a range constituting a monochromatic light source. The wavelength of the light emitted by the light source 13 may have a certain range, i.e., a specific wavelength range. If the wavelength of the light emitted by the light source 13 is expressed as a single numerical value, there is no wavelength range (i.e., no wavelength range). The light emitted by the light source 13 is not limited to visible light, but may also be infrared or ultraviolet light. In particular, since there is a wavelength range between 1000 nm and 1400 nm through which living organisms can easily transmit light, using near-infrared light of this wavelength as the light source 13 makes the light emitting device 10 particularly suitable for medical endoscopes. An LED is typically used as the light source 13, but a light source emitting light of a specific wavelength, such as laser light, can also be used. However, using an LED as the light source 13 has the advantage of easily widening the range of wavelength selection.

[0028] The light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H are typically arranged at equal intervals on an imaginary circumference 12 that appears on the circular surface of the support member 11 in FIG. 1 . The imaginary circumference 12 is an imaginary circumference defined for the sake of convenience in describing the arrangement of the light sources 13, and it does not matter whether it is actually visible on the support member 11. The center of the imaginary circumference 12 coincides with the center of rotation of the support member 11 when the motor 15 rotates it, and typically also coincides with the center of the outer circumferential circle of the support member 11. The radius of the imaginary circumference 12 is smaller than the radius of the outer circumferential circle of the support member 11, and is set to an appropriate size taking into consideration the number of light sources 13 to be installed, etc. The light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H arranged on the support member 11 may be arranged along the circumferential direction of the imaginary circumference 12 in order of the wavelengths of the light they emit (ascending or descending order).

[0029] The motor 15 rotates and moves the support member 11 and corresponds to a moving device. The motor 15 is an electric motor that operates by inputting electric power and has a drive unit 16 and a shaft 17. The drive unit 16 houses a rotor and a stator, and the rotor rotates by the input electric power. The shaft 17 is a rod-shaped member (typically a round rod or cylindrical member) that protrudes from the drive unit 16. The shaft 17 is connected to the rotor of the drive unit 16 and can rotate around the axis of the rod-shaped member (i.e., the axis of the rod-shaped member serves as the axis of rotation) as the rotor rotates. In this embodiment, a stepping motor is used as the motor 15, and the shaft 17 can rotate around the axis in both forward and reverse directions by an amount determined by a command.

[0030] A support member 11 is attached to the shaft 17. The position of the support member 11 attached to the shaft 17 is the center of an imaginary circumference 12, and as the shaft 17 rotates around its axis, the support member 11 can rotate within the plane on which the light source 13 is arranged. In this embodiment, the support member 11 is directly attached to the shaft 17, but the support member 11 may also be indirectly attached to the shaft 17 via a gear or the like. In this embodiment, a slip ring 18 is attached to the shaft 17. The slip ring 18 allows power and electrical signals to be transmitted via wire to the light source 13 arranged on the rotating support member 11.

[0031] The control device 20 is connected to the motor 15 via a control signal line and controls the operation of the motor 15 by providing commands to the motor 15 via control signals. The control device 20 transmits commands to the motor 15 to rotate the shaft 17 a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction at a predetermined timing. The control device 20 may be configured to pre-store the relationship between the position of each light source 13A, 13B, ..., 13H and the movement amount of the motor 15 (the rotation amount of the shaft 17), and to execute a program that determines the type of light source 13 to be emitted and the duration of light emission. In this embodiment, the control device 20 controls the motor 15 to align a selected light source 13 from among the multiple light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H arranged on the support member 11 with a predetermined light-emitting position. In this embodiment, the predetermined position is a position in the fixture unit 30 where light is taken in (i.e., a light-entering position). The control device 20 is also connected to each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H by control signal lines via slip rings 18, and controls the turning on and off (i.e., on and off) of each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H. Although not shown in the figure, each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H is also connected to a power line through which power is supplied via the slip rings 18.

[0032] The hardware configuration of the control device 20 will now be described with reference to the block diagram shown in Fig. 2. The block diagram shown in Fig. 2 shows a conceptual diagram of the physical configuration of the control device 20. The control device 20 has a processor 25, a memory 26, a storage 27, and a communication interface 28. The control device 20 may be a computer.

[0033] The processor 25 processes various types of information in the control device 20. The various types of information processed by the processor 25 include the selection of the light source 13 to emit light for and the duration of the light emission, and the timing and amount of operation of the motor 15. The processor 25 may be a single processor or two or more processors. The processor 25 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, a circuit board, or other electrical circuitry. The processor 25 can execute programs and manipulate data to perform the operations of the control device 20, including operations using any of the algorithms, methods, functions, processes, and procedures described in this disclosure.

[0034] The memory 26 temporarily or permanently records programs and / or data used for information processing in the control device 20. The memory 26 may store programs used by the control device 20 to make various judgments and decisions. These programs can be added or changed later (i.e., after the control device 20 is manufactured). The memory 26 may be a single memory or two or more memories. The memory 26 may include volatile memory such as RAM or cache, and non-volatile memory such as ROM.

[0035] The storage 27 may store data transmitted and received by the control device 20 as necessary. The storage 27 may record data related to images captured by the tool unit 30, which will be described later. The storage 27 may store programs used by the control device 20 to make various determinations and decisions. The storage 27 may hold other programs, including an operating system, that can be executed by the control device 20 or other devices. The storage 27 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), and / or a flash memory, etc.

[0036] The communication interface 28 communicates with the light source 13 and the motor 15. Furthermore, the communication interface 28 communicates with an external display device, particularly when the control device 20 does not have a display device such as a screen. The communication interface 28 can transmit information about an image captured by the instrument unit 30 (described later) to the external display device.

[0037] The components of the control device 20 (including the processor 25, memory 26, storage 27, and communication interface 28) are connected to one another by a bus such as a system bus or a control bus, and can communicate with one another. The control device 20 may also have a power supply 29. The power supply 29 typically includes a power plug that draws in power from a commercial power source or other power source. The power supply 29 may include a replaceable or non-replaceable battery, and the battery may be capable of being charged by receiving power from the commercial power source or other power source.

[0038] In the above description of the hardware configuration of the control device 20, the programs and / or data stored in the memory 26 and / or storage 27 may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium stores computer-readable instructions for executing a computer-implemented method and / or data used therein. Computer-readable media may include magneto-optical disks and optical memory devices, as well as digital video disks (DVDs), CD-ROMs, DVD+ / -Rs, DVD-RAMs, DVD-ROMs, HD-DVDs, and Bluray® media. Computer-readable media may also include magnetic devices such as tapes, cartridges, cassettes, and removable disks. Each program may include one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium for execution by an information processing device, including a computer (control device 20), or for controlling the operation of the information processing device. The programs and / or data may also be downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0039] Referring again to FIG. 1 , the instrument section 30 will be described. In this embodiment, the instrument section 30 is a rigid endoscope instrument, but it can also be applied to a flexible endoscope instrument. The instrument section 30 has a light guide 31. The light guide 31 receives light emitted by the light-emitting device 10 and corresponds to a light conductor. One end of the light guide 31 is disposed at a position facing a predetermined light-emitting position when the light source 13 in the light-emitting device 10 emits light. This arrangement allows the light guide 31 to receive light emitted by the light source 13. In other words, one end of the light guide 31 is disposed at a light-entering position. With this configuration, even if the light source 13 uses an LED, which is not as directional as laser light, the necessary amount of light can be received by the instrument section 30. One end of the light guide 31 may be supported by a light conductor support member (not shown) so that the one end is disposed at the light-entering position. In this embodiment, the other end of the light guide 31 is connected to the grip section 33.

[0040] In addition to the light guide 31, in this embodiment, a rigid scope 35 and a camera 37 are also connected to the gripper 33. The instrument unit 30 delivers light taken in from the light-emitting device 10 via the light guide 31 to the tip of the rigid scope 35 inserted into the body, and enables the camera 37 to capture images of the internal state of the body captured by the rigid scope 35. In this embodiment, the gripper 33 is provided with a button (switch) for capturing images with the camera 37. In this embodiment, the gripper 33 is connected to the control device 20 via a control signal line, and is capable of transmitting the timing of capturing images with the camera 37 to the control device 20 via the control signal. The camera 37 is also electrically connected to an external monitor (not shown), allowing images captured by the camera 37 to be viewed on the external monitor. Note that an eyepiece may be attached to the gripper 33 instead of or together with the camera 37, so that the internal state of the body captured by the rigid scope 35 can be viewed without using an external monitor.

[0041] Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, the operation of the optical device 1 will be described. The operation of the light-emitting device 10 included in the optical device 1 will be described as part of the operation of the optical device 1. When using the optical device 1 according to this embodiment, which is a rigid medical endoscope, first, the tip of the rigid scope 35 is inserted into the body. When the tip of the rigid scope 35 reaches the position of the substance to be observed (e.g., an organ), the movement of the rigid scope 35 is stopped and a button for photographing provided on the gripping part 33 is pressed. This starts photographing by the camera 37, and at this time, the light-emitting device 10 is also activated by a command from the control device 20.

[0042] In the present embodiment, upon receiving an operation command from the control device 20, the motor 15 of the light-emitting device 10 operates to stop each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H in turn at the light-emitting position (i.e., the position where the incident end of the light guide 31 is located) for a predetermined time. The predetermined time during which each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H stops at the light-emitting position is typically as short as possible while still allowing for imaging by the camera 37. In the present embodiment, each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H uses a MOS-FET to ensure that only the light source 13 located at the light-emitting position emits light, while the other light sources 13 do not emit light. In a typical system where a support plate having multiple types of filters that transmit light of specific wavelengths is moved to illuminate a fixed light source with the desired filter, switching the filters often reduces the amount of light. In contrast, the light-emitting device 10 of the present embodiment switches each of the LED light sources 13, thereby avoiding a reduction in light amount.

[0043] In the optical device 1, the camera 37 captures images of the target substance as each light source 13A, 13B, ..., 13H emits light in response to a command from the control device 20. The images captured by the camera 37 may be stored in a memory and / or storage device built into or externally connected to the camera 37, or may be transmitted as data to the control device 20 and stored in the memory 26 (see FIG. 2) and / or storage device 27 (see FIG. 2) of the control device 20. When the camera 37 captures an image of a target substance irradiated with light sequentially emitted from the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H, each having a different wavelength, the target substance can be identified based on the difference in absorbance due to the different wavelengths of the target substance. By sequentially irradiating a specific target substance with light of different wavelengths and continuously capturing the images, it is possible to view the images as a video. Furthermore, the target substance may be identified by analyzing multiple images captured by sequentially irradiating multiple light of different wavelengths using machine learning.

[0044] When the imaging of the target substance being observed is completed, the tip of the rigid endoscope 35 is moved to the position of the next target substance, and then, as described above, the movement of the rigid endoscope 35 is stopped and the imaging button provided on the gripping part 33 is pressed. As a result, a different target substance from the previous one is irradiated with light emitted in sequence from the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H of different wavelengths in the same manner as last time, and the target substance is imaged by the camera 37. As with the previous time, the target substance can be identified from the image captured by the camera 37. In this way, the substances to be observed can be imaged sequentially.

[0045] As described above, with the optical device 1 according to this embodiment, by rotating the support member 11, light from desired light sources 13 can be sequentially introduced into the light guide 31, making it possible to photograph a target substance that is sequentially irradiated with light of different wavelengths. Furthermore, with the light emitting device 10 according to this embodiment, light of different wavelengths can be sequentially moved to a desired position (in this embodiment, the light entrance position of the light guide 31) and emitted at predetermined time intervals with a relatively simple configuration. With this embodiment, a high-precision optical device 1 can be constructed using a relatively easily available LED light source 13, without using an expensive light source such as a laser light source.

[0046] [First Modification] Next, an optical device 1A including a light emitting device 10A according to a modified embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The optical device 1A includes the light emitting device 10A and a fixture unit 30. The configuration of the fixture unit 30 is the same as that of the fixture unit 30 in the optical device 1 (see Fig. 1), so a redundant description will be omitted here. The configuration of the light emitting device 10A will be described below.

[0047] The light emitting device 10A includes a support member 11A, a light source 13, a motor 15, and a control device 20. The support member 11A is similar to the support member 11 (see FIG. 1) of the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1) in terms of its function of supporting the light source 13 and corresponds to a light source support member, but its shape is different from that of the support member 11 (see FIG. 1). The support member 11A is formed of a long, thin, strip-like plate-like member. There are no particular restrictions on the material used for the support member 11A, and any material that can be used for the support member 11 (see FIG. 1) can be used.

[0048] The light sources 13 are the same as those included in the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1), but differ from those in the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1) in that they are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the band on the support member 11A. The light emitting device 10A according to this modification has the same eight light sources 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, 13E, 13F, 13G, and 13H as those included in the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1). However, as with the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1), the number of light sources 13 can be increased or decreased as needed. In the light emitting device 10A, the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H are arranged linearly at equal intervals on the surface of the support member 11A along the longitudinal direction of the band. The light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H arranged on the support member 11A are typically arranged in order of wavelength, but the arrangement order can be changed as needed. In this modification, one end of the light guide 31 may be supported by a light guide supporting member (not shown) so that the one end is located at the light entrance position.

[0049] The motor 15 moves the support member 11A along the longitudinal direction of the strip and corresponds to a moving device. The motor 15 can be the same motor (i.e., a stepping motor) as that provided in the light-emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1), and includes a drive unit 16 and a shaft 17. In the light-emitting device 10A according to this modification, the shaft 17 and the support member 11A are connected via a reciprocating movement mechanism 19 to linearly move the support member 11A back and forth. A ball screw can typically be used as the reciprocating movement mechanism 19. In this modification, the shaft 17 is connected to the screw shaft of the reciprocating movement mechanism 19, which is a ball screw, and the support member 11A is attached to a moving table 19T of the reciprocating movement mechanism 19. The support member 11A is connected to the moving table 19T so that the arrangement direction of the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H coincides with the moving direction of the moving table T. In this modification, the slip ring 18 (see FIG. 1) provided in the light-emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1) is not provided.

[0050] The control device 20 is the same as that provided in the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1), and has the same physical configuration (see FIG. 2) and functional configuration as those provided in the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the control device 20 in this modification also controls the operation of the motor 15 and controls the light emission of the light source 13. Note that, since the slip ring 18 (see FIG. 1) is not provided in this modification, the control signal lines connecting the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H arranged on the support member 11A to the control device 20 are connected without passing through the slip ring 18 (see FIG. 1). Furthermore, the control device 20 is connected to the grip portion 33 of the fixture portion 30 via a control signal line, similar to the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1).

[0051] In the optical device 1A according to this modified example configured as described above, similarly to the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1), when the tip of the rigid endoscope 35 is placed at the position of the substance to be observed and the photographing button provided on the gripper 33 is pressed, photographing by the camera 37 begins and the light-emitting device 10A is also activated. When the light-emitting device 10A receives an activation command from the control device 20, the motor 15 is activated so that each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H is stopped in sequence once at the light-emitting position (i.e., the light-entering position where the incident end of the light guide 31 is located) for a predetermined time. In the optical device 1A, the camera 37 photographs the state of the target substance as each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H emits light. Typically, photographing of the target substance ends when the support member 11A moves in one direction from the light source 13A at one end to the light source 13H at the other end. After capturing an image of the target substance, the tip of the rigid endoscope 35 is moved to another target substance, and the camera 37 starts capturing images as before by pressing the capture button on the gripper 33. Light-emitting device 10A also starts capturing images. However, this time, support member 11A of light-emitting device 10A moves in the opposite direction from the previous time, from light source 13H at the other end to light source 13A at the one end. Thus, in optical apparatus 1A according to this modification, the movement direction of support member 11A is reversed each time the capture button is pressed. In this modification, the order of the wavelength magnitudes of the irradiated light in the recorded image is reversed each time the capture button is pressed. However, software processing can be used to reconcile the order of the wavelength magnitudes of the irradiated light in the recorded image.

[0052] In the above description of the optical devices 1 and 1A, the instrument section 30 has one light guide 31, but may have a plurality of light guides 31.

[0053] [Second Modification] FIG. 4 shows an optical device 1B according to a second modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. The optical device 1B includes a light-emitting device 10 and a fixture unit 30B. The configuration of the light-emitting device 10 is the same as that of the light-emitting device 10 in the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1), and therefore a redundant description will be omitted here. The fixture unit 30B is the same as the fixture unit 30 in the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1), except that it has a plurality of light guides 31. In this modified example, the fixture unit 30B has two light guides 31, but the number is not limited to two and may be three or more. Each of the plurality of light guides 31 is supported by a light guide support member (not shown) at a different position, facing a predetermined light-emitting position of the light source 13, so that one end (i.e., incident end) is disposed therein. For example, when the support member 11 is stationary at a fixed position, one end of one light guide 31 is positioned at a light entrance position where light emitted from light source 13A can be received, and one end of another light guide 31 is positioned at a light entrance position where light emitted from light source 13B can be received. Each light guide 31 is guided via a grip 33 through the interior of the rigid scope 35 to the tip of the rigid scope 35. The multiple light guides 31 are typically spaced apart so that their input ends align with the light-emitting positions of the multiple light sources 13, and are bundled so that their output ends converge on a single target (e.g., the rigid scope 35). The optical device 1B configured in this manner can simultaneously irradiate the tip of the rigid scope 35 with multiple lights of different wavelengths, or can simultaneously irradiate light of the same wavelength to increase the amount of light. Alternatively, the light passing through each light guide 31 may be emitted one by one at a time difference, thereby obtaining the same image as that captured by the optical device 1 (see Figure 1), while reducing the number of times the support member 11 is temporarily stopped when the capture button is pressed once.

[0054] [Third Modification] FIG. 5 illustrates an optical device 1C according to a third modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. The optical device 1C includes a plurality of light sources 13, the same number of light guides 31 as the light sources 13, and a control device 20A. The plurality of light sources 13 may be configured similarly to the light emitting devices 10 and 10A (see FIGS. 1 and 3), and may include, for example, eight light sources 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, 13E, 13F, 13G, and 13H. In this modified example, the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H are disposed on a support member 11A, which is an elongated, strip-like plate-like member similar to the support member 11A (see FIG. 3) of the light emitting device 10A (see FIG. 3). However, the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H may be disposed on a circular support member 11A (see FIG. 1) or on other members, not limited to the support member. The light guides 31, the number of which is the same as the number of light sources 13, are each supported at one end, typically by a light guide support member (not shown), and are arranged in a position where they can take in light from one light source 13. The light guides 31 are typically bundled together and arranged so that their other ends are located at positions where they emit light. Each light guide 31 may be connected to a rigid endoscope 35, a camera 37, or the like, like the instrument unit 30 in the light emitting device 10 (see FIG. 1). The optical device 1C of this modified example does not intend to move the support member 11A, and therefore does not include a moving device such as the motor 15 that the optical devices 1 and 1A (see FIGS. 1 and 3) include.

[0055] The control device 20A included in the optical apparatus 1C according to this modification has the same physical configuration (see FIG. 2) as the control device 20 included in the light-emitting devices 10 and 10A (see FIGS. 1 and 3), but differs in functionality. The function of the control device 20A in this modification is to control the on / off of each of the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H so that a selected light source 13 emits light for a predetermined period of time among the plurality of light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H. For example, the control device 20A may execute a program that causes each of the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H to emit light for a predetermined period of time in the order in which they are arranged on the support member 11A. This achieves the same effect as linearly moving the support member 11A in the light-emitting device 10A (see FIG. 3) to sequentially align the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13H with their light-emitting positions (light entrance positions of the light guide 31). Optical device 1C configured in this manner makes it possible to irradiate an object with light of a desired wavelength without moving light source 13. Furthermore, similar to optical device 1B (see FIG. 4), optical device 1C according to this modification can also simultaneously irradiate a plurality of lights of different wavelengths, or simultaneously irradiate lights of the same wavelength to increase the amount of light.

[0056] [Fourth Variation] Next, with reference to FIG. 6, an optical device 1D according to a fourth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The optical device 1D differs from the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1), the optical device 1A (see FIG. 3), and the optical device 1B (see FIG. 4) mainly in that the support member 11 is not moved, but the incident end of the light guide 31 is moved. The optical device 1D includes the support member 11, a plurality of light sources 13, a light guide support plate 14, a motor 15, a control device 20, and an apparatus unit 30. The apparatus unit 30 in the optical device 1D according to this modified example has the same configuration as the apparatus unit 30 (see FIG. 1) of the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1), and therefore a redundant description will be omitted here.

[0057] The support member 11 corresponds to a light source support member configured similarly to the support member 11 (see FIG. 1) of the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1) and supporting a plurality of light sources 13. The light sources 13 supported by the support member 11 are the same as those provided in the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1). However, the support member 11 in this modification supports 20 light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13T, which is more than the number of light sources 13 provided in the support member 11 (see FIG. 1) of the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1). The number of light sources 13 supported by the support member 11 in this modification can be changed as appropriate and may be the same as that of the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1). The light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13T are typically arranged at equal intervals on an imaginary circumference 12. The motor 15 is configured similarly to the motor 15 (see FIG. 1) in the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1) and includes a drive unit 16 and a shaft 17. However, in optical device 1D according to this modification, shaft 17 is not fixed to support member 11, but rather protrudes through support member 11 at the center of imaginary circumference 12. Support member 11 is typically fixed to a frame (not shown) of optical device 1D so as not to move relative to the frame (not shown). Shaft 17 protruding from support member 11 is connected to light guide support plate 14.

[0058] The light guide support plate 14 supports the light guide 31 and corresponds to a light guide support member. In this modification, the light guide support plate 14 is formed in a circular plate shape with a diameter larger than the imaginary circumference 12, but may have other shapes as long as it can support the light guide 31 in the manner described below. The light guide support plate 14 is typically fixed to the shaft 17 so that its circular surface is separated from but parallel to the surface of the support member 11 and the axis of the shaft 17 is perpendicular to it. The optical device 1D according to this modification does not include the slip ring 18 (see FIG. 1) that was included in the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1). The light guide support plate 14 can rotate within the circular plate surface in both forward and reverse directions by an amount determined by commands from the control device 20 when the shaft 17 rotates around its axis. The light guide support plate 14 is positioned at a distance from the center of rotation equivalent to the radius of the imaginary circumference 12, and in this modified example, the light guide 31 is passed through from the side opposite to the side facing the support member 11 (hereinafter referred to as the "lower side") (hereinafter referred to as the "upper side"), thereby supporting one end (or incident end) of the light guide 31.

[0059] In this modification, a bearing 31B, a guide portion 31G, and a protective tube 31P are provided on the light guide support plate 14 at the portion through which the light guide 31 passes. In this modification, the bearing 31B is attached to the upper surface of the light guide support plate 14 and is typically a ball bearing. The provision of the bearing 31B prevents the light guide 31 from becoming tangled even when the light guide support plate 14 rotates. The guide portion 31G is a member that guides the light guide 31 to the bearing 31B and is typically cylindrical and attached to the bearing 31B on the upper surface side of the light guide support plate 14. The protective tube 31P guides the incident end of the light guide 31 to a position opposite a predetermined light-emitting position when the light source 13 emits light. The protective tube 31P is typically made of a cylindrical member and attached to the lower surface of the light guide support plate 14 so as to extend perpendicular to the lower surface. The light guide 31 supported by the protective tube 31P has its incident end positioned at a position (typically a position that can efficiently receive the required amount of light) that is an appropriate distance from the light source 13 arranged in the support member 11. The distance between the support member 11 and the light guide support plate 14 is determined taking into consideration the distance between the incident end of the light guide 31 and the light source 13 and the distance that can accommodate the protective tube 31P.

[0060] The control device 20 is the same as that provided in the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1), and has the same physical configuration (see FIG. 2) and functional configuration as those provided in the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the control device 20 in this modification also controls the operation of the motor 15 and the light emission of the light source 13. Note that, since the slip ring 18 (see FIG. 1) is not provided in this modification, the control signal lines connecting the control device 20 to each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13T arranged on the support member 11 are connected without passing through the slip ring 18 (see FIG. 1). Furthermore, the control device 20 is connected to each of the motor 15 and the fixture unit 30 via control signal lines, just like the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1).

[0061] In the optical device 1D according to this modified example configured as described above, similarly to the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1), when the tip of the rigid endoscope 35 is placed at the position of the substance to be observed and the photographing button provided on the gripper 33 is pressed, photographing by the camera 37 begins. When photographing by the camera 37 begins, the motor 15 is actuated by a command from the control device 20. The actuation of the motor 15 causes the light guide support plate 14 to rotate so that the incident end of the light guide 31 supported by the protective tube 31P stops for a predetermined time at a position facing each of the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13T arranged on the support member 11. Similar to the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1), the predetermined time is as short as possible within the range in which photographing by the camera 37 is possible. In the optical device 1D, when the incident end of the moving light guide 31 reaches the opposing position, each of the light sources 13A, 13B, . . . , 13T emits light, and the camera 37 photographs the state of the target substance in response to this light. The subsequent operation of the optical device 1D is the same as that of the optical device 1 (see FIG. 1).

[0062] According to the optical device 1D of this modified example described above, the support member 11 on which the multiple light sources 13 are arranged is not moved, and the incident ends of the light guides 31 are moved to align with the respective light sources 13 via the light guide support plate 14, eliminating the need for slip rings 18 (see FIG. 1). Because no slip rings 18 (see FIG. 1) are provided, the number of light sources 13 arranged on the support member 11 can be increased relatively easily. Furthermore, eliminating the slip rings 18 (see FIG. 1) contributes to the miniaturization of the optical device 1D. While the optical device 1D described above has one light guide 31, it may have multiple light guides 31, as in the fixture unit 30B (see FIG. 4) in the optical device 1B (see FIG. 4).

[0063] [Other variations] In the above description, circular or strip-shaped plate-like members are used as the support members 11 and 11A, but the support members are not limited to plate-like members and may be any members or parts to which a plurality of light sources 13 can be attached.

[0064] In the above description, the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H (... 13T) are arranged at equal intervals on the support members 11, 11A, but they may also be arranged at any irregular intervals depending on the application, etc.

[0065] In the above explanation, the motor 15 constituting the moving device is a stepping motor, but it is not limited to a stepping motor, and various devices that can move the support member 11, 11A or the light guide support plate 14 so as to relatively move the desired light source 13 to the light-emitting position at the desired timing can be used.

[0066] In the above description of the light emitting device 10, the slip ring 18 is provided, but instead of the slip ring 18, a rotary connector may be used.

[0067] In the above description, the control devices 20, 20A control the on / off of the light sources 13, but a circuit for controlling the light emission of the light sources 13 may be integrated into the support members 11, 11A to control the on / off of the multiple light sources 13. In other words, the control devices 20, 20A may be provided on the support members 11, 11A. Furthermore, the method for supplying power to the multiple light sources 13 arranged on the support members 11, 11A may be to provide a power source such as a battery in the support members 11, 11A, or to use wireless power supply instead of wired power supply.

[0068] In the above explanation, control signals are exchanged between the components constituting the optical devices 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D and the control devices 20 and 20A via wired control signal lines, but control signals may also be exchanged wirelessly.

[0069] In the above explanation, each of the light sources 13A, 13B, ..., 13H is stopped at the light-emitting position for a predetermined time in the order of arrangement, but a program may be created and executed to stop the light sources 13 at the light-emitting position in any desired order without being bound by the order of arrangement. However, stopping each of the light sources 13 at the light-emitting position in the order of arrangement enables efficient operation. Furthermore, the predetermined time for stopping each light source 13 at the light-emitting position may not be the same for each light source 13, but may be set to a different time depending on the light source 13.

[0070] In the above description, the optical instruments 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D are endoscopes, but they can also be applied to devices other than endoscopes, such as microscopes. That is, the light emitting devices 10 and 10A can be incorporated into a microscope. When applied to a microscope, they can be used to irradiate light of various wavelengths onto a substance that reacts, for example, by absorbing light of a specific wavelength, and identify the target substance from the wavelength of the light that reacts.

[0071] In addition, the present disclosure can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist thereof, and all such modifications are included in the technical concept of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D optics 10, 10A light emitting device 11, 11A Support member (light source support member) 12 Virtual Circumference 13 Light source 14 Light guide support plate (light guide support member) 15 Motor (moving device) 17 Shaft 18 slip ring 19 Reciprocating mechanism 20, 20A control device 30 Instrument section 31 Light guide 33 Gripping part 35 Rigid scope 37 Camera

Claims

1. Multiple light sources; a support member that supports the plurality of light sources; a moving device for moving the support member, the plurality of light sources include two or more light sources that emit light of wavelengths in specific ranges different from each other; the moving device includes an electric motor having a shaft that rotates about a rotation axis; the support member is attached directly or indirectly to the shaft; the plurality of light sources are arranged on a virtual circumference centered on the rotation center of the support member, Light-emitting device.

2. a control device that controls the moving device so that a selected light source from the plurality of light sources is aligned with a predetermined light-emitting position; The light emitting device according to claim 1 .

3. The light emitting device according to claim 1 or 2; a light guide that receives light emitted from a selected light source from among the plurality of light sources; optical equipment.

4. a plurality of light sources, the plurality of light sources including two or more light sources emitting light in specific ranges of wavelengths different from each other; a light source support member that supports the plurality of light sources; a light guide that receives light emitted from a selected light source from among the plurality of light sources; a light guide support member for supporting the light guide; a moving device for moving at least one of the light source support member and the light guide support member; a control device that controls the moving device so as to align a selected light source from the plurality of light sources with a light entrance position of the light guide, optical equipment.

5. The light guide may include a plurality of light guides so as to receive light emitted from a plurality of selected light sources.

4. The optical instrument according to claim 3.

6. Multiple light sources; a plurality of light guides, the number of which is equal to the number of the light sources; the plurality of light sources include two or more light sources that emit light of wavelengths in specific ranges different from each other; the plurality of light guides are individually associated with the plurality of light sources so as to receive light emitted from one of the plurality of light sources; optical equipment.

7. a control device that controls on / off of each of the plurality of light sources so that light is emitted from a selected light source among the plurality of light sources; 7. The optical instrument according to claim 6.

Images