SCANNING PROBE, SCANNING OBSERVATION SYSTEM, INTEGRATED ENDOSCOPE, AND INTEGRATED ENDOSCOPE SYSTEM

摘要

An optical fiber that transmits scanning light to a subject; a housing holding the optical fiber; a vibration element fixed to an exit end part of the fiber and vibrating periodically the exit end part so that the scanning light emitted from the exit end part scans on the subject in a predetermined trajectory; a hollow tube formed so an inner circumferential surface of the hollow tube positioned outside a moving range of the exit end part and the vibration element surrounds an entire circumference of the exit end part and a movable part of the vibration element; a thermal detection sensor detecting temperature in a hollow space of the hollow tube; and a heating element laid on one of the inner and outer circumferential surface of the hollow tube and increases the temperature in the hollow space in response to the temperature detected by the thermal detection sensor.

主权项

1. A scanning probe scanning on a subject with scanning light emitted from a light source, comprising:
an optical fiber that transmits the scanning light to the subject; a housing that accommodates and holds the optical fiber; a vibration element that is fixed to an exit end part of the optical fiber and vibrates periodically the exit end part so that the scanning light emitted from the exit end part of the optical fiber scans on the subject in a predetermined trajectory; a hollow tube formed such that an inner circumferential surface of the hollow tube positioned outside a moving range of the exit end part and the vibration element surrounds an entire circumference of the exit end part and at least a movable part of the vibration element; a thermal detection sensor that detects temperature in a hollow space of the hollow tube; and a heating element that is laid on one of the inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface of the hollow tube and is configured to increase the temperature in the hollow space in response to the temperature detected by the thermal detection sensor, wherein a heat radiation resistance is disposed between the outer circumferential surface of the hollow tube and an inner wall surface of the housing.