1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope objective lens unit arranged at a distal end portion of an endoscope and an endoscope including the endoscope objective lens unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a medical field, endoscopes are used for, e.g., treatment/diagnosis of sites that are difficult to observe from outside of bodies of patients. There is a large demand for a further diameter reduction in endoscopes with small diameters, represented by nasal endoscopes. Reduction in diameter of endoscopes largely depends on development of small-sized image pickup devices such as CCDs, and pixel pitches of image pickup devices are reduced year by year. Accompanied by such reduction, there is a need for endoscope objective lens units (hereinafter also referred to as “lens units”) to provide satisfactory performance while achieving size reduction, and various types of configurations have been developed.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 6-308381, the present applicant discloses an endoscope objective lens including a front lens group and a rear lens group with a diaphragm interposed therebetween, in which the front lens group includes a first group of negative lenses and a second group having a positive refractive power in this order from an object side, the second group has a shape including a surface having a small curvature radius provided on an image side, the rear lens group includes a positive single lens and a cemented lens of a positive lens and a negative lens, and the endoscope objective lens satisfies a predetermined condition.
Meanwhile, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-51132, the present applicant also discloses a lens unit including a lens that includes a high refractive index material that exhibits excellent sterilization durability.
An endoscope objective lens unit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a front lens group and a rear lens group with a diaphragm interposed therebetween. The front lens group includes a first lens having a negative refractive power and a second lens having a positive refractive power in this order from an object side. The rear lens group includes a third lens having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens having a positive refractive power and a fifth lens having a negative refractive power, the fourth lens and the fifth lens being cemented to each other. The endoscope objective lens unit satisfies expressions (1A), (2), (3) and (4) below:
−3<SF≦−1; (1A)
−3.0<Fr/Ff<−1.1; (2)
−1.6<Ff/f<−0.6; and (3)
Ff/f1<1.6, (4)
where SF is a shape factor of (R2+R1)/(R2−R1), in which R1 is an object-side curvature radius of the second lens and R2 is an image-side curvature radius of the second lens, Ff is a focal length of the front lens group, Fr is a focal length of the rear lens group, f is a focal length of the entire unit, and f1 is a focal length of the first lens.
Also, an endoscope according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the endoscope objective lens unit, and an image pickup device that picks up an image provided by the endoscope objective lens unit.
An endoscope objective lens unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below.
1. The endoscope objective lens unit includes a front lens group and a rear lens group with a diaphragm interposed therebetween. The front lens group includes a first lens having a negative refractive power and a second lens having a positive refractive power in this order from an object side. The rear lens group includes a third lens having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens having a positive refractive power and a fifth lens having a negative refractive power, the fourth lens and the fifth lens being cemented to each other. The endoscope objective lens unit satisfies expressions (1), (2), (3) and (4) below:
−6<SF<0; (1)
−3.0<Fr/Ff<−1.1; (2)
−1.6<Ff/f<−0.6; and (3)
Ff/f1<1.6, (4)
where SF is a shape factor of (R2+R1)/(R2−R1), in which R1 is an object-side curvature radius of the second lens and R2 is an image-side curvature radius of the second lens, Ff is a focal length of the front lens group, Fr is a focal length of the rear lens group, f is a focal length of the entire unit, and f1 is a focal length of the first lens.
Condition (1) is a condition for designating a direction of a surface for favorable correction of a chromatic aberration of magnification. Satisfaction of condition (1) enables favorable correction of a chromatic aberration of magnification. With a value less than the lower limit of condition (1), although a chromatic aberration of magnification can favorably be corrected with the total length kept small, i.e., the reduced size maintained, it is difficult to correct other aberrations. With a value exceeding the upper limit of condition (1), it is difficult to correct a chromatic aberration of magnification.
Furthermore, satisfaction of condition (1A) below instead of condition (1) enables more favorable correction of a chromatic aberration of magnification:
−3<SF≦−1. (1A)
Furthermore, satisfaction of condition (1B) below instead of condition (1A) enables more favorable correction of a chromatic aberration of magnification:
−3<SF<−1.2. (1B)
Conditions (2) and (3) are conditions for achieving size reduction. With a value less than the lower limit of condition (2), a lens unit meeting the recent size reduction cannot be provided, and with a value exceeding the upper limit of condition (2), although a small-sized lens unit can be supplied, it is difficult to correct other aberrations.
With a value less than the lower limit of condition (3), the total length of the lens unit is long, disabling supply of a small-sized lens unit, and with a value exceeding the upper limit of condition (3), although a small-sized lens unit can be supplied, it is difficult to correct coma aberrations occurred in the front lens group.
Furthermore, satisfaction of condition (2A) below instead of condition (2) enables further size reduction:
−1.8<Fr/Ff<−1.2. (2A)
Furthermore, satisfaction of condition (2B) below instead of condition (2A) enables further size reduction:
−1.75<Fr/Ff<−1.3. (2B)
Furthermore, satisfaction of condition (3A) below instead of condition (3) enables further size reduction:
−1.5<Fr/f<−0.9. (3A)
Furthermore, satisfaction of condition (3B) below instead of condition (3A) enables further size reduction:
−1.4<Fr/f<−0.95. (3B)
Condition (4) is a condition for favorably correcting a field curvature with reduction in size of the lens unit taken into account. With a value exceeding the upper limit of condition (4), excessive field curvature correction is provided, resulting in difficulty in correction of a field curvature.
Furthermore, satisfaction of condition (4A) below instead of condition (4) enables more favorable field curvature correction:
Ff/f1<1.51. (4A)
Furthermore, satisfaction of condition (4B) below instead of condition (4A) enables more favorable field curvature correction:
Ff/f1<1.39. (4B)
Furthermore, the lens unit according to the embodiment of the present invention enables easy provision of a long back focal length. The lens unit according to the embodiment, which has a long back focal length, enables a prism to be disposed immediately in front of a CCD of an image pickup device to place the CCD horizontally. In other words, as in examples 6, 7, 10 or 18, which are described later, a lens unit including an optical member L7 having a long optical path, the optical member being joined to a glass lid of the CCD, can use a right angle prism as the optical member L7, enabling provision of what is called a horizontally-arranged CCD. In other words, the lens unit according to the embodiment of the present invention enables easy provision of a horizontally-arranged CCD.
2. The lens unit according to section 1 above, in which a refractive index n1 (for an e-line) of a material of the first lens satisfies expression (5) below:
n1>2. (5)
It is preferable to satisfy condition (5) because the power of the front lens group can easily be increased.
3. The lens unit according to section 1 or 2 above, in which the material of the first lens satisfies expression (6) below:
n1×Hk>2000, (6)
where n1 is a refractive index (for an e-line) and Hk is a Knoop hardness (N/mm2).
Use of the material satisfying condition (6) enables provision of a lens unit including an outer surface lens (first lens) having resistance to cracking and lens scratching.
4. The material of the first lens includes yttria-stabilized zirconia.
Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a specific example of the material satisfying section 3 above. In other words, in YSZ, n1=2.1825, Hk=1200 N/mm2 and n1×Hk=2617>2000.
An endoscope according to the present invention includes the endoscope objective lens unit according to sections 1 to 4 above.
Next, examples of the lens unit according to the present invention will be indicated.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 1 according to example 1 are indicated below. In the numerical data, r is a curvature radius of each surface, d is a thickness of each optical member or an air space between the respective optical members, n is an refractive index of each optical member for an e-line, ν is an Abbe number of each optical member for the e-line, and FNO represent an F-number. The unit of r and d is mm.
These signs are used in common to numerical data, etc. of later-described other examples.
Numerical data in example 1 is indicated below.
In
Furthermore, a plurality of filters, for example, three infrared cut filters may be disposed at a position of the optical member L3 if it is possible. Furthermore, filters having different functions, for example, an infrared cut filter and a notch filter, may be disposed, or an infrared cut filter, a color filter and a notch filter may be disposed.
A position where the filter is arranged is not limited the position of the optical member L3. For example, it is possible to use normal transparent glass as the optical member L3 and dispose an infrared cut filter at a position that is different from the position of the optical member L3. In other words, for a lens unit with no filter disposed in later-described examples, it is possible to arbitrarily dispose a necessary filter in an air space.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the filter include a functional film, such as a YAG laser cut film, formed at least one surface thereof, and it is particularly preferable that the filter include a functional film, such as a YAG laser cut film or an LD laser cut film, formed at another surface thereof. In other words, it is preferable that the filter include a functional film including an antireflective film formed at one surface or each of opposite surfaces thereof. Alternatively, plural functional films having different functions may be stacked on one of surfaces of the filter.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 2 according to example 2 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 3 according to example 3 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 4 according to example 4 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 5 according to example 5 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 6 according to example 6 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 7 according to example 7 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 8 according to example 8 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 9 according to example 9 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 10 according to example 10 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 11 according to example 11 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 12 according to example 12 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 13 according to example 13 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 14 according to example 14 are indicated below. A material of a first lens L1 of each of lens units 14 to 25 is yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ).
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 15 according to example 15 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 16 according to example 16 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 17 according to example 17 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 18 according to example 18 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 19 according to example 19 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 20 according to example 20 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 21 according to example 21 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 22 according to example 22 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 23 according to example 23 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 24 according to example 24 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 25 according to example 25 are indicated below.
Numerical data, etc. of optical members included in a lens unit 26 according to example 26 are indicated below.
Tables 27 and 28 list respective configurations of the lens units according to examples 1 to 26. In Tables 27 and 28, configurations of lens units disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 6-308381 are listed as comparative examples 1 to 3. In Table 2, a circle indicates that the relevant condition is satisfied, and x indicates that the relevant condition is not satisfied.
The lens units according to comparative example 1 to 3 have the following configurations, respectively:
Comparative example 1: f=1 mm, Fr=1.838 mm, Ff=−1.752 mm, f1=−1.020 mm
Comparative example 2: f=1 mm, Fr=1.877 mm, Ff=−1.812 mm, f1=−1.041 mm
Comparative example 3: f=1 mm, Fr=1.889 mm, Ff=−2.062 mm, f1=−0.808 mm
From the above results, it is clear that the lens units according to the examples are effective. In other words, in comparative examples 1 to 3, a cementing surface of a cemented lens disposed in a rear lens group for correction of a chromatic aberration of magnification exhibits poor workability, and it is not easy to achieve the recent size reduction while correcting other aberrations such as a field curvature. Meanwhile, the aforementioned problems have been solved in the lens unit according to the examples. In other words, the lens units according to examples 1 to 25 provide only small chromatic aberration of magnification.
Furthermore, the lens units according to examples 13 to 25 satisfy condition (6), i.e., n1×Hk>2000, and thus, an outer surface lens (first lens L1) exhibits a high resistance to cracking and lens scratching compared to the lens units according to example 1 to 12.
Next, an endoscope 30 including a lens unit 27 according to example 15 of the present invention will be described. An endoscope system 40, which is illustrated in
The endoscope 30 is an electronic endoscope including a CCD 33, which is an image pickup section that picks up a color endoscopic image, an pre-process (P/P) section 34, and an A/D conversion section 35 and a parallel/serial conversion (P/S) section 36, at the distal end portion 32 of the insertion portion 31 connected to an operation section 37. The lens unit 27 for forming an optical image and a CCD 33 for taking an image of the inner portion of the subject are disposed at the distal end portion 32. An endoscopic image taken by the CCD 33 is converted into digital signals and transmitted to the processor 42. For the image pickup section, e.g., a CMD (charged modulation device) image pickup device, a C-MOS image pickup device, an AMI (amplified MOS imager) or a BCCD (back illuminated CCD) may be employed instead of the CCD 33. Also, it is possible to use a black-and-white CCD instead of a color CCD and chronologically change illumination into RBG signals.
The lens unit 27 of the endoscope 30 has a configuration similar to that of, e.g., the lens unit 13 according to example 1, which has already been described. As already described, e.g., the lens unit 13 has a small diameter and exhibits excellent optical characteristics. Thus, the endoscope 30 has a small diameter and exhibits good characteristics in picked-up images. In other words, an image picked up by the image endoscope 30 has only small chromatic aberration of magnification.
Furthermore, as a material of a first lens L1 of the lens unit 27, a material including at least any component from among Zr, Y, Gd, Ta, Nb, La and Hf as a main component thereof and having a refractive index exceeding 2, for example, yttria-stabilized zirconia, is used. Thus, the first lens L1) has resistance to cracking and lens scratching. Furthermore, the lens unit 27 also has durability for a severe condition in a saturated water vapor-used sterilization system with a high temperature of around 140° C. and a high pressure, such as that in what is called autoclave sterilization.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various alterations, modifications and the like are possible as long as such alterations and modifications do not change the spirit of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-116526 | May 2010 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation application of PCT/JP2011/060911 filed on May 12, 2011 and claims benefit of Japanese Application No. 2010-116526 filed in Japan on May 20, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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20040240081 | Saito | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20060221457 | Murayama | Oct 2006 | A1 |
20080180809 | Igarashi | Jul 2008 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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02-074912 | Mar 1990 | JP |
06-308381 | Nov 1994 | JP |
2004-061763 | Feb 2004 | JP |
2006-051132 | Feb 2006 | JP |
2006-113287 | Apr 2006 | JP |
2007-249189 | Sep 2007 | JP |
2008-107391 | May 2008 | JP |
2008-268281 | Nov 2008 | JP |
Entry |
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Japanese Office Action dated Jan. 31, 2012 in corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-551138. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120147164 A1 | Jun 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2011/060911 | May 2011 | US |
Child | 13314542 | US |