| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect the location of deposits, such as mucus, dirt or the like and to clean and remove the deposits credibly, efficiently and speedily. <P>SOLUTION: An endoscope distal section 16A of an endoscope apparatus has illumination windows 22a and 22b for emitting illuminating light, an observation window 23 of an objective optical system, and an air/water supply nozzle 24. The nozzle 24 supplies air/water to the observation window 23. A deposit matter detection circuit detects depositing condition of the illumination windows 22a and 22b and observation window 23. By rotating the nozzle 24 using a motor 33, the nozzle 24 is turned in the direction of deposit and air/water is supplied to the deposit as a target. As the deposit detection circuit, following configurations are adopted: a configuration that detects deposits by image analysis of subject's images acquired by a CCD 29; a configuration that detects deposits on the basis of temperature change by arranging temperature sensors at a plurality of points around the circumferences of the observation window 23 and the illumination window 22a and 22b; or the like. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT |
