ILLUMINATION LENS, ILLUMINATION OPTICAL SYSTEM, AND ENDOSCOPE
20200271915 ยท 2020-08-27
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
G02B3/0075
PHYSICS
International classification
Abstract
An illumination lens consists of a first lens and a second lens that are arranged in this order from a light source side toward an irradiation target side. The surface of the first lens close to the light source side and the surface of the first lens close to the irradiation target side are spherical convex surfaces, and the surface of the second lens close to the light source side is a spherical convex surface. Conditional expression determined in advance about the radii of curvature of the surfaces of the first and second lenses is satisfied.
Claims
1. An illumination lens used for an illumination optical system of an endoscope, the illumination lens consisting of: a first lens and a second lens that are arranged in this order from a light source side toward an irradiation target side, wherein a surface of the first lens close to the light source side and a surface of the first lens close to the irradiation target side are spherical convex surfaces, a surface of the second lens close to the light source side is a spherical convex surface, and in a case where a radius of curvature of the surface of the first lens close to the light source side is denoted by Rf1, a radius of curvature of the surface of the first lens close to the irradiation target side is denoted by Rr1, and a radius of curvature of the surface of the second lens close to the light source side is denoted by Rf2, Conditional expression (1) is satisfied,
2. An illumination lens used for an illumination optical system of an endoscope, the illumination lens consisting of: a first lens and a second lens that are arranged in this order from a light source side toward an irradiation target side, wherein a surface of the first lens close to the light source side and a surface of the first lens close to the irradiation target side are spherical convex surfaces, a surface of the second lens close to the light source side is a spherical convex surface, and in a case where a radius of curvature of the surface of the first lens close to the light source side is denoted by Rf1, a radius of curvature of the surface of the first lens close to the irradiation target side is denoted by Rr1, and a radius of curvature of the surface of the second lens close to the light source side is denoted by Rf2, Conditional expression (2) is satisfied,
3. The illumination lens according to claim 1, wherein in a case where a thickness of the second lens on an optical axis is denoted by t2, a distance on the optical axis between the surface of the first lens close to the light source side and a surface of the second lens close to the irradiation target side is denoted by TL, a focal length of the first lens is denoted by f1, and a focal length of the second lens is denoted by f2, Conditional expression (3) is satisfied,
0.6<(t2/TL)(f1/f2)<6(3).
4. The illumination lens according to claim 1, wherein in a case where a focal length of the illumination lens is denoted by f, a thickness of the first lens on an optical axis is denoted by t1, and a distance on the optical axis between the surface of the first lens close to the light source side and a surface of the second lens close to the irradiation target side is denoted by TL, Conditional expression (4) is satisfied,
0.02<|(f/Rr1)(t1/TL)|<0.28(4).
5. The illumination lens according to claim 1, wherein in a case where a refractive index of the first lens with respect to a d line is denoted by N1 and a refractive index of the second lens with respect to the d line is denoted by N2, Conditional expression (5) is satisfied,
3.6<N1N2<9(5).
6. The illumination lens according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the second lens close to the irradiation target side is a flat surface.
7. The illumination lens according to claim 1, wherein light emitted from an optical fiber is incident on the illumination lens.
8. The illumination lens according to claim 1, wherein Conditional expression (1-1) is satisfied,
9. The illumination lens according to claim 2, wherein Conditional expression (2-1) is satisfied,
10. The illumination lens according to claim 3, wherein Conditional expression (3-1) is satisfied,
0.65<(t2/TL)(f1/f2)<3(3-1).
11. The illumination lens according to claim 4, wherein Conditional expression (4-1) is satisfied,
0.05<|(f/Rr1)(f1/TL)|<0.25(4-1).
12. The illumination lens according to claim 5, wherein Conditional expression (5-1) is satisfied,
3.7<N1N2<7(5-1).
13. An illumination optical system comprising: the illumination lens according to claim 1.
14. An endoscope comprising: the illumination lens according to claim 1.
15. An endoscope comprising: the illumination lens according to claim 2.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024]
[0025]
[0026]
[0027]
[0028]
[0029]
[0030]
[0031]
[0032]
[0033]
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] Embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0035] In
[0036] Light emitted from the light source 5 is incident on the illumination lens 1 through the light guide 3, and is emitted from the illumination lens 1 to form illumination light. In a case where the illumination lens 1 is disposed at the distal end portion of an insertion part of an endoscope, the illumination light illuminates an irradiation target (not shown) that is an object to be observed.
[0037] The illumination optical system according to the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited to the configuration shown in
[0038] In the configuration shown in
[0039] The surfaces of the second lens L2 close to the irradiation target side may be Ruined of a flat surface. In a case where the illumination lens 1 is disposed at the distal end portion of an insertion part of an endoscope, there is a concern that the surface of the second lens L2 close to the irradiation target side may be exposed to body fluid, a washing solution, oil and fat, and the like. In a case where the surface of the second lens L2 close to the irradiation target side is formed of a flat surface, it is difficult for the body fluid, the washing solution, oil and fat, and the like to adhere to the flat surface of the second lens L2 or it is easy to wash the flat surface of the second lens L2 even if the body fluid, the washing solution, oil and fat, and the like adhere to the flat surface of the second lens L2. Accordingly, it is possible to contribute to the suppression of the generation of heat from the distal end portion.
[0040] In a case where the radius of curvature of the surface of the first lens L1 close to the light source side is denoted by Rf1, the radius of curvature of the surface of the first lens L1 close to the irradiation target side is denoted by Rr1, and the radius of curvature of the surface of the second lens L2 close to the light source side is denoted by Rf2, the illumination lens 1 is adapted to satisfy at least one of Conditional expression (1) or Conditional expression (2) to be described below.
[0041] (Rr1+Rf1)/(Rr1Rf1) of Conditional expression (1) is the shape factor of the first lens L1. In a case where the shape of the surface of the lens is defined so that (Rr1+Rf1)/(Rr1Rf1)Rf1/Rf2 is larger than the lower limit of Conditional expression (1), the lens has a wide light distribution angle and it is advantageous in increasing the dispersion of rays of the illumination light. In a case where the shape of the surface of the lens is defined so that [(Rr1+Rf1)/(Rr1Rf1)](Rf1/Rf2) is smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (1), total reflection on the surface of the lens can be suppressed or the blocking of some of off-axis rays can be suppressed. Accordingly, a loss in the amount of light can be suppressed. There is a concern that light, which is incident on the illumination lens 1 and is not emitted as illumination light, may cause heat to be generated. Accordingly, it is possible to contribute to the suppression of the generation of heat by making (Rr1+Rf1)/(Rr1Rf1)Rf1/Rf2 be smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (1). There is also a case where the blocking of some of off-axis rays can be suppressed by an increase in the outer diameter of the lens, but such a case is contrary to a demand for a reduction in the size of the lens.
[0042] (Rf2+Rf1)/(Rf2Rf1) of Conditional expression (2) is a shape factor about the surface of the first lens L1 close to the light source side and the surface of the second lens L2 close to the light source side. (Rf2+Rr1)/(Rf2Rr1) of Conditional expression (2) is the shape factor of an air lens formed between the first lens L1 and the second lens L2. In a case where the shape of the surface of the lens is defined so that [(Rf2+Rf1)/(Rf2Rf1)][(Rf2+Rr1)/(Rf2Rr1)] is larger than the lower limit of Conditional expression (2), the lens has a wide light distribution angle and it is advantageous in increasing the dispersion of rays of the illumination light. In a case where the shape of the surface of the lens is defined so that [(Rf2+Rf1)/(Rf2Rf1)][(Rf2+Rr1)/(Rf2Rr1)] is smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (2), total reflection on the surface of the lens can be suppressed or the blocking of some of off-axis rays can be suppressed. Like the effects of the upper limit of Conditional expression (1), it is possible to contribute to the suppression of the generation of heat while reducing the size of the lens by making [(Rf2+Rf1)/(Rf2Rf1)][(Rf2+Rr1)/(Rf2Rr1)] be smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (2).
[0043] In a case where the illumination lens 1 satisfies at least one of Conditional expression (1-1) or Conditional expression (2-1), better characteristics can be obtained.
[0044]
[0045]
[0046] Further, since the dispersion of rays is increased, the formation of the image of the emission end face of the light guide 3 on the surface of an irradiation target by the illumination lens 1 can be suppressed. Since gaps from which light is not emitted and which are positioned between a clad and fibers and cores emitting light are arranged on the emission end face of the light guide 3 formed of bundled fibers so as to be flush with each other, the emission end face includes dark portions and bright portions. In a case where the image of the emission end face of the light guide 3 is formed on the surface of the irradiation target, the pattern of the dark portions and the bright portions is projected onto the surface of the irradiation target. In a case where this projected image is clear, projected image interferes with observation. In a case where the dispersion of rays on the irradiation target side is increased as in this embodiment, the generation of the projected image of the pattern of the dark portions and the bright portions on the surface of the irradiation target can be suppressed. Accordingly, a case where a combination of the illumination lens 1 and the light guide 3 formed of bundled fibers is used is particularly effective.
[0047]
[0048] Rays emitted from the emission end face of the light guide 3 have been described in the description made with reference to
[0049] It is preferable that the illumination lens 1 according to the embodiment of the disclosure further includes configuration to be described below. In a case where the thickness of the second lens L2 on the optical axis is denoted by t2, a distance on the optical axis between the surface of the first lens L1 close to the light source side and the surface of the second lens L2 close to the irradiation target side is denoted by TL, the focal length of the first lens L1 id denoted by f1, and the focal length of the second lens L2 is denoted by f2, it is preferable that Conditional expression (3) is satisfied. In a case where (t2/TL)(f1/f2) is made to be larger than the lower limit of Conditional expression (3), it is advantageous in obtaining wide-angle light distribution characteristics. In a case where (t2/TL)(f1/f2) is made to be smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (3), total reflection on the surface of the lens can be suppressed or the blocking of some of off-axis rays can be suppressed. Further, since an increase in the thickness of the second lens L2 on the optical axis can be suppressed in a case where (t2/TL)(f1/f2) is made to be smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (3), a reduction in the amount of light passing through the illumination lens 1 can be suppressed. Accordingly, the generation of heat in the illumination lens 1 can be suppressed. In a case where Conditional expression (3-1) is satisfied, better characteristics can be obtained.
0.6<(t2/TL)(f1/f2)<6(3)
0.65<(t2/TL)(f1/f2)<3(3-1)
[0050] Further, in a case the focal length of the illumination lens 1 is denoted by f, the thickness of the first lens L1 on the optical axis is denoted by t1, and a distance on the optical axis between the surface of the first lens L1 close to the light source side and the surface of the second lens L2 close to the irradiation target side is denoted by TL, it is preferable that Conditional expression (4) is satisfied. Since the focal power of the surface of the first lens L1 close to the irradiation target side is not excessively low in a case where (f/Rr1)(t1/TL) is made to be larger than the lower limit of Conditional expression (4), it is advantageous in reducing a diameter. In a case where |(f/Rr1)(t1/TL)| is made to be smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (4), total reflection on the surface of the lens can be suppressed or the blocking of some of off-axis rays can be suppressed. Further, since an increase in the thickness of the first lens L1 on the optical axis can be suppressed in a case where |(f/Rr1)(t1/TL)| is made to be smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (4), a reduction in the amount of light passing through the illumination lens 1 can be suppressed. Accordingly, the generation of heat in the illumination lens 1 can be suppressed. In a case where Conditional expression (4-1) is satisfied, better characteristics can be obtained.
0.02<|(f/Rr1)(t1/TL)|<0.28(4)
0.05<|(f/Rr1)(f1/TL)|<0.25(4-1)
[0051] Furthermore, in a case where the refractive index of the first lens L1 with respect to the d line is denoted by N1 and the refractive index of the second lens L2 with respect to the d line is denoted by N2, it is preferable that Conditional expression (5) is satisfied. In a case where N1N2 is made to be larger than the lower limit of Conditional expression (5), it is advantageous in obtaining wide-angled light distribution characteristics. Since the illumination lens can be made without using a rare lens material in a case where N1N2 is made to be smaller than the upper limit of Conditional expression (5), it is possible to avoid a significant increase in cost. In a case where Conditional expression (5-1) is satisfied, better characteristics can be obtained.
3.6<N1N2<9(5)
3.7<N1N2<7(5-1)
[0052] Since the above-mentioned preferable configuration and possible configuration can be randomly combined, it is preferable that the above-mentioned preferable configuration and possible configuration are appropriately selectively employed according to specifications to be required. According to the embodiment of the disclosure, it is possible to realize an illumination lens that can be reduced in size by suppressing the number of lens to two, has a wide light distribution angle, and has large dispersion of rays on the irradiation target side.
[0053] Next, numerical examples of the illumination lens according to the embodiment of the disclosure will be described.
Example 1
[0054] Since the configuration of an illumination lens of Example 1 is shown in
[0055] The basic lens data of the illumination lens of Example 1 are shown in Table 1, and the specifications thereof are shown in Table 2. In Table 1, surface numbers that are obtained in a case where the surface closest to the light source side is set as a first surface and the surface number is increased toward the irradiation target side one by one are written in the column of Sn, the radii of curvature of the respective surfaces are written in the column of R, and a surface interval on an optical axis between each surface and a surface, which is positioned on the irradiation target side of each surface so as to be adjacent to each surface, is written in the column of D. Further, the refractive indexes of the respective lenses with respect to the d line are written in the column of Nd, and the Abbe's numbers of the respective lenses with respect to the d line are written in the column of d. In Table 1, the sign of the radius of curvature of a surface having a convex shape toward the light source side is positive and the sign of the radius of curvature of a surface having a convex shape toward the irradiation target side is negative.
[0056] The focal length f of the illumination lens, the diameter LGDia of the emission end face of the light guide 3 disposed on the light source side of the illumination lens, and an interval d0 on the optical axis between the light guide 3 and the illumination lens are shown in Table 2 with respect to the d line. Numerical values, which are rounded off to a predetermined place, are written in Table 1 and Table 2.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Example 1 Sn R D Nd d 1 2.2901 1.0200 2.05090 26.94 2 6.3702 0.1049 3 1.5157 2.4423 1.88299 40.78 4
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Example 1 f 1.00 LGDia 1.94 d 0 0.8088
[0057] The states of rays in a case where a plurality of rays emitted from one point positioned on the emission end face of the light guide are made to be incident on the illumination lens of Example 1 are shown in
[0058] Since the symbols, meanings, writing methods, and illustrating methods for data about Example 1 are the same as those of other examples to be described below unless otherwise specified, the repeated description thereof will be omitted below.
Example 2
[0059] An illumination lens of Example 2 has the same configuration as the overview of the illumination lens of Example 1. A combination of the illumination lens of Example 2 and the light guide can also be used as in the case of the illumination lens of Example 1. The basic lens data of the illumination lens of Example 2 are shown in Table 3, and the specifications thereof are shown in Table 4.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Example 2 Sn R D Nd d 1 2.4059 1.0558 2.05090 26.94 2 14.0864 0.0985 3 1.4388 2.1821 2.00100 29.13 4
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Example 2 f 1.00 LGDia 1.90 d 0 0.7602
[0060] The state of rays in a case where a plurality of rays emitted from one point positioned on the optical axis of the emission end face of the light guide are made to be incident on the illumination lens of Example 2 and the state of rays in a case where a plurality of rays emitted from one point not positioned on the optical axis of the emission end face of the light guide are made to be incident on the illumination lens of Example 2 are shown in
Example 3
[0061] An illumination lens of Example 3 has the same configuration as the overview of the illumination lens of Example 1. A combination of the illumination lens of Example 3 and the light guide 3 can also be used as in the case of the illumination lens of Example 1. The basic lens data of the illumination lens of Example 3 are shown in Table 5, and the specifications thereof are shown in Table 6.
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Example 3 Sn R D Nd d 1 2.4776 1.2374 2.00100 29.13 2 5.2597 0.0996 3 1.3555 1.8490 1.88299 40.78 4
TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Example 3 f 1.00 LGDia 1.85 d 0 0.7112
[0062] The state of rays in a case where a plurality of rays emitted from one point positioned on the optical axis of the emission end face of the light guide are made to be incident on the illumination lens of Example 3 and the state of rays in a case where a plurality of rays emitted from one point not positioned on the optical axis of the emission end face of the light guide are made to be incident on the illumination lens of Example 3 are shown in
[0063] The values of Conditional expressions (1) to (5) corresponding to the illumination lenses of Examples 1 to 3 are shown in Table 7. In Examples 1 to 3, the d line is used as a reference wavelength. Table 7 shows values with respect to the d line.
TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Expression number Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 (1) |S1 Rf1/Rf2| 0.71 1.18 0.66 (2) Sa Sb 3.03 3.24 2.02 (3) (t2/TL) (f1/f2) 0.68 0.92 0.69 (4) |(f/Rr1) (t1/TL)| 0.16 0.07 0.24 (5) N1 N2 3.86 4.10 3.77
Here.
[0064]
S1=(Rr1+Rf1)/(Rr1Rf1)
Sa=(Rf2+Rf1)/(Rf2Rf1)
Sb=(Rf2+Rr1)/(Rf2Rr1)
[0065] Next, an endoscope according to an embodiment of the disclosure will be described. A diagram showing the schematic configuration of the entire endoscope according to an embodiment of the disclosure is shown in
[0066] A technique of the disclosure has been described above using the embodiments and the examples, but the technique of the disclosure may have various modifications without being limited to the embodiments and the examples. For example, the radius of curvature, the surface interval, the refractive index, the Abbe's number, and the like of each lens may have other values without being limited to values shown in the respective numerical examples.