Optical scanning apparatus and scanning endoscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016357005-A1
Application number	US-201615238052-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Apr 22, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical scanning apparatus includes a fixing member having a through hole at a center portion and configured to fix an exit end portion in a state penetrating through the through hole, and an actuator section including a first drive section, provided on an outer surface of the fixing member, configured to swing, in a first direction, the exit end portion protruding from a distal end portion of the fixing member, and a second drive section, provided on an outer surface of the fixing member, configured to swing, in a second direction different from the first direction, the exit end portion protruding from the distal end portion of the fixing member, where the first drive section and the second drive section differ from each other in at least one of a shape and a material of piezoelectric elements of the first drive section and the second drive section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical scanning apparatus comprising:
a fixing member having, at a center portion, a cylindrical through hole allowing penetration of a light guide member that is configured to guide light entering an incident end portion and to emit the light from an exit end portion, the fixing member being configured to fix the exit end portion in a state penetrating through the through hole; and an actuator section including a first drive section, provided on an outer surface of the fixing member, configured to swing, in a first direction, the exit end portion protruding from a distal end portion of the fixing member, and a second drive section, provided on an outer surface of the fixing member, configured to swing, in a second direction different from the first direction, the exit end portion protruding from the distal end portion of the fixing member, wherein the first drive section and the second drive section differ from each other in at least one of a shape and a material of piezoelectric elements of the first drive section and the second drive section.

2 . The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing member is configured to have a shape whose length in the first direction and length in the second direction are different from each other.

3 . The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the through hole is formed to have a shape whose length in the first direction and length in the second direction are different from each other.

4 . The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first drive section is configured by including a predetermined number of piezoelectric elements, and the second drive section is configured by including a number, different from the predetermined number, of piezoelectric elements.

5 . The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first drive section is configured by including two piezoelectric elements that are provided at positions facing each other across the light guide member, the second drive section is configured by including two piezoelectric elements that are provided at positions facing each other across the light guide member, and the actuator section is configured with arranged positions of the two piezoelectric elements, of the first drive section, on outer surfaces of the fixing member and arranged positions of the two piezoelectric elements, of the second drive section, on outer surfaces of the fixing member shifted from each other along a direction of a center axis passing through a center of the through hole.

6 . The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second direction is a direction orthogonal to the first direction.

7 . The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a center axis passing through a center of the through hole is orthogonal to each of the first direction and the second direction.

8 . A scanning endoscope comprising:
an insertion section formed to have a shape allowing insertion into a body cavity; a light guide member, inserted through the insertion section, configured to guide light entering an incident end portion and to emit the light from an exit end portion; a fixing member having, at a center portion, a cylindrical through hole allowing penetration of the light guide member, the fixing member being configured to fix the exit end portion of the light guide member in a manner protruding from a distal end portion in a state where the light guide member is penetrating through the through hole; and an actuator section including a first drive section, provided on an outer surface of the fixing member, configured to swing, in a first direction, the exit end portion protruding from the distal end portion of the fixing member, and a second drive section, provided on an outer surface of the fixing member, configured to swing, in a second direction different from the first direction, the exit end portion protruding from the distal end portion of the fixing member, wherein the first drive section and the second drive section differ from each other in at least one of a shape and a material of piezoelectric elements of the first drive section and the second drive section.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Okita Yoshinari

Classifications

• A61B1/07

  using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres · CPC title

• A61B1/00165

  with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics (A61B1/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B26/103

  having movable or deformable optical fibres, light guides or waveguides as scanning elements (light guides per se G02B6/00) · CPC title

• G02B26/105

  with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors (G02B26/101 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B1/00172

  with means for scanning · CPC title