IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,696,477
Granted Patent B2
US 9,696,477 · App. 14/331,491 · Granted Jul 4, 2017

Light source system

Inventors: Masahiro Nishio (Hachioji, JP); Takeshi Ito (Hino, JP); Eiji Yamamoto (Musashimurayama, JP)
Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
G02B6/0005A61B1/00126A61B1/0669A61B1/07G02B6/0006G02B6/3825G02B6/0008G02B6/3895G02B6/4292G02B6/4298G02B2006/4297
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,696,477
App. No.
14/331,491
Granted
Jul 4, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light source system includes an intermediary adapter which mechanically connects a first light source module, a first irradiation module, a second light source module and a second irradiation module, a first connection mechanism which connects the first light source module and the intermediary adapter and a second connection mechanism which connects the second light source module and the intermediary adapter. The first irradiation module and the second irradiation module are interchangeably connected to the intermediary adapter in the same plane of the intermediary adapter.

Claims (67)

1. An intermediary adapter comprising:

a first adapter side connection portion which is mechanically connected to a first light source side connection portion that is provided in a first light source module that emits first light source light;

a second adapter side connection portion which is mechanically connected to a second light source side connection portion that is provided in a second light source module that emits second light source light;

a first light guide member which guides the first light source light; and

a second light guide member which guides the second light source light, wherein

the first light source module and a first irradiation module which functions by receiving the first light source light that is guided by the first light guide member or a third irradiation module which functions by receiving the first light source light that is guided by the first light guide member are optically connected by the first light guide member,

the second light source module and a second irradiation module which functions by receiving the second light source light that is guided by the second light guide member or the third irradiation module which functions by receiving the second light source light that is guided by the second light guide member are optically connected by the second light guide member, and

the first irradiation module, the second irradiation module and the third irradiation module is each mechanically attachable to and detachable from the intermediary adapter and each mechanically and interchangeably connected to the intermediary adapter in a same plane of the intermediary adapter.

2. The intermediary adapter according to claim 1 , wherein

a first light guide incidence end portion of the first light guide member is provided in the first adapter side connection portion, the first light source light which is emitted from a first light source emission end portion provided in the first light source side connection portion incident upon the first light guide incidence end portion,

the first adapter side connection portion is mechanically connected to the first light source side connection portion so that the first light source emission end portion and the first light guide incidence end portion are optically connected,

a second light guide incidence end portion of the second light guide member is provided in the second adapter side connection portion, the second light source light which is emitted from a second light source emission end portion provided in the second light source side connection portion incident upon the second light guide incidence end portion,

the second adapter side connection portion is mechanically connected to the second light source side connection portion so that the second light source emission end portion and the second light guide incidence end portion are optically connected.

3. The intermediary adapter according to claim 2 , further comprising;

a third adapter side connection portion which comprises a first light guide emission end portion of the first light guide member from which the first light source light is emitted, and a second light guide emission end portion of the second light guide member from which the second light source light is emitted, the third adapter side connection portion being mechanically connected to at least one of the first irradiation module, the second irradiation module, and the third irradiation module,

wherein

the third adapter side connection portion is mechanically connected to a first irradiation connection portion which is provided in the first irradiation module or the third irradiation module so that the first irradiation module or the third irradiation module and the first light guide emission end portion are optically connected, and

the third adapter side connection portion is mechanically connected to a second irradiation connection portion which is provided in the second irradiation module or the third irradiation module so that the second irradiation module or the third irradiation module and the second light guide emission end portion are optically connected.

4. The intermediary adapter according to claim 3 , wherein

the first adapter side connection portion is mechanically connected only to the first light source side connection portion,

the second adapter side connection portion is mechanically connected only to the second light source side connection portion.

5. The intermediary adapter according to claim 3 , wherein

the first light guide incidence end portion is optically connected only to the first light source emission end portion,

the second light guide incidence end portion is optically connected only to the second light source emission end portion.

6. The intermediary adapter according to claim 3 , wherein a first plane of the intermediary adapter where the first adapter side connection portion is provided is different from a second plane of the intermediary adapter where the second adapter side connection portion is provided.

7. The intermediary adapter according to claim 3 , wherein a first plane of the intermediary adapter in which the first adapter side connection portion is provided faces a third plane of the intermediary adapter in which the third adapter side connection portion is provided, and

the first light guide member is linearly provided toward the third plane from the first plane.

8. The intermediary adapter according to claim 3 , wherein

the first adapter side connection portion comprises a first electrode included in a first detecting portion which detects the connection of the first light source side connection portion and the first adapter side connection portion,

the second adapter side connection portion comprises a second electrode included in a second detecting portion which detects the connection of the second light source side connection portion and the second adapter side connection portion,

the third adapter side connection portion comprises third and fourth electrodes included in a third detecting portion which detects the connection of the third adapter side connection portion and the first irradiation connection portion and detects the connection of the third adapter side connection portion and the second irradiation connection portion, and

the third detecting portion transmits a detection result by the third detecting portion to the first detecting portion and the second detecting portion.

9. The intermediary adapter according to claim 8 , wherein

when the first detecting portion has detected the connection of the first light source side connection portion and the first adapter side connection portion and when the third detecting portion has detected the connection of the third adapter side connection portion and the first irradiation connection portion, the third detecting portion transmits the detection result by the third detecting portion to the first detecting portion, and

when the second detecting portion has detected the connection of the second light source side connection portion and the second adapter side connection portion and when the third detecting portion has detected the connection of the third adapter side connection portion and the second irradiation connection portion, the third detecting portion transmits the detection result by the third detecting portion to the second detecting portion.

10. The intermediary adapter according to claim 8 , wherein

the first detecting portion detects the optical connection of the first light source emission end portion and the first light guide incidence end portion,

the second detecting portion detects the optical connection of the second light source emission end portion and the second light guide incidence end portion, and

the third detecting portion detects the optical connection of the first irradiation module or the third irradiation module and the first light guide emission end portion and the optical connection of the second irradiation module or the third irradiation module and the second light guide emission end portion.

11. The intermediary adapter according to claim 3 , wherein the third adapter side connection portion comprises:

a first adapter irradiation connection portion in which the first light guide emission end portion is provided and which is mechanically connected to the first irradiation connection portion, and

a second adapter irradiation connection portion in which the second light guide emission end portion is provided and which is mechanically connected to the second irradiation connection portion, and

the connection of the first adapter irradiation connection portion and the first irradiation connection portion and the connection of the second adapter irradiation connection portion and the second irradiation connection portion are separately performed.

12. The intermediary adapter according to claim 2 wherein the first light guide incidence end portion is larger than the second light guide incidence end portion.

13. The intermediary adapter according to claim 2 wherein the second light guide member comprises a single optical fiber.

14. An intermediary adapter comprising:

a first adapter side connection portion which is mechanically connected to a first light source side connection portion that is provided in a first light source module that emits first light source light;

a first light guide member which guides the first light source light, and

a second light source module which emits second light source light and a second light guide member which guides the second light source light;

wherein the first light source module and a first irradiation module which functions by receiving the first light source light that is guided by the first light guide member or a third irradiation module which functions by receiving the first light source light that is guided by the first light guide member are optically connected by the first light guide member,

the second light source module and a second irradiation module which functions by receiving the second light source light or the third irradiation module which functions by receiving the second light source light are optically connected by the second light guide member, and

the first irradiation module, the second irradiation module and the third irradiation module is each mechanically attachable to and detachable from the intermediary adapter and each mechanically and interchangeably connected to the intermediary adapter in a same plane of the intermediary adapter.

15. The intermediary adapter according to claim 14 , further comprising a second light guide member which optically connects a light source of the second light source module to the second irradiation module or the third irradiation module, and which guides the second light source light from the light source to the second irradiation module or the third irradiation module.

16. A light source system comprising:

at least one of a first light source module which emits first light source light and a second light source module which emits second light source light;

at least one of a first irradiation module which functions by receiving the first light source light, a second irradiation module which functions by receiving the second tight source light, and a third irradiation module which functions by receiving the first light source light or the second light source light, and

the intermediary adapter according to claim 1 or claim 14 .

17. The light source system according to claim 16 ,

when the first irradiation module is connected to the intermediary adapter, at least the first light source module is connected to the intermediary adapter,

when the second irradiation module is connected to the intermediary adapter, at least the second light source module is connected to the intermediary adapter, and

when the third irradiation module is connected to the intermediary adapter, the first light source module and the second light source module are connected to the intermediary adapter.

18. The light source system according to claim 16 , wherein

the first light source module comprises a first light source which emits the first light source light, and

the first light source comprises at least one of a LED light source, an electric discharge lamp light source, and a filament type lamp light source.

19. The light source system according to claim 16 , wherein

the second light source module comprises a second light source which emits the second light source light, and

the second light source comprises at least one of a laser light source and a superluminescent light source.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jul 3, 2017
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043075/0639 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2014
From: NISHIO, MASAHIRO; ITO, TAKESHI; YAMAMOTO, EIJI
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033312/0987 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-009221 · Jan 19, 2012 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2013050830 · Jan 17, 2013
Related Publication 20140328063A1 · Nov 6, 2014