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Confocal probe and endoscope deviceRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Endoscope, Having Imaging And Illumination Means, MagnifyingConfocal probe and endoscope device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060167344, Confocal probe and endoscope device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/699,699 filed Nov. 4, 2003, the contents of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a confocal probe to be employed in an endoscope device and a confocal endoscope device for observing tissues inside the human body and the like. [0003] Conventionally, when tissues of a human body are examined, parts of the tissues are cut using a treatment tool such as a forceps for cutting. Then, the cut parts of the tissues are examined. Such an examination requires a relatively long time, and it has been difficult to apply medical treatment quickly. [0004] Recently, a confocal optical scanning probe for non-invasive imaging has been known. Typically, the confocal probe is configured to illuminate tissues inside a human body with a scanning laser beam, and receives a reflected beam that is reflected at a focal point of an objective optical system of the confocal probe. Examples of such a confocal probe are disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3032720 and No. 3052150. [0005] The confocal probe is configured such that a pin hole is provided, in front of a detector, at a position conjugate with an object-side focal point of the objective optical system. With this configuration, the detector only receives the reflected light, which is reflected by the tissues, at a point on which the light is focused. The detector, which is connected to an image processing unit, receives the reflected light passed through the pin hole, and performs photoelectric transformation. [0006] In order to capture two-dimensional or three-dimensional images of the tissues, the laser beam is scanned on the tissues. For this purpose, the confocal probe is provided with scanning mirrors for scanning the laser beam along two-dimensional directions, or along three-dimensional directions. [0007] Each of the scanning mirrors employed in the confocal probe is formed on semi-conductive material such as a silicon substrate. In a conventional confocal probe, the silicon substrate mounting the scanning mirror is typically secured inside a device with supporting members secured on an inner wall of a main body of the device. [0008] As above, the supporting members are located on an outer side of the scanning mirror (i.e., apart from the optical axis of the probe), in which case, the diameter of the probe tends to be larger. Further, in conventional confocal probes, a plurality of mirrors for scanning a beam in different directions are formed on different silicon substrates. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the scanning mirrors and assembling process thereof tends to be complicated, which may increase manufacturing costs. [0009] The scanning optical system is generally made of glass material such as BK7 or quart glass. The CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) of the silicon substrate is several ten of times as much as the CTE of the BK7 or quart glass. Therefore, when a relatively large thermal change occurs, a positional relationship of the optical system and the scanning mirrors is shifted, which causes the optical path of the scanning laser beam to be displaced. Due to this relatively worse thermal characteristic of the probe, under a relatively high temperature around the probe, it is difficult to keep a precise location of the image. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention is advantageous in that a relatively small diameter of a confocal probe can be realized, manufacturing and assembling process can be simplified, and a confocal probe having excellent thermal characteristics can be provided. [0011] According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a scanning type confocal probe, which is provided with at least one scanning mirror, and a transparent substrate on which the at least one scanning mirror is mounted. The transparent substrate is inserted in an optical path of the confocal probe such that a light beam passing along the optical path is deflected by the at least one scanning mirror. [0012] Optionally, the scanning type confocal probe includes a first scanning mirror that deflects the light beam in a first predetermined direction, and a second scanning mirror that deflects the light beam in a second predetermined direction which is perpendicular to the first predetermined direction. In a particular case, the first scanning mirror and the second scanning mirror may be mounted on the same transparent substrate. [0013] Alternatively, the scanning type confocal probe includes a scanning mirror that deflects the light beam in a first predetermined direction and in a second predetermined direction which is perpendicular to the first predetermined direction, and a fixed mirror. In this case, the scanning mirror and the fixed mirror may be mounted on the same transparent substrate. [0014] Further optionally, the probe may include an objective lens, and the objective lens and the transparent substrate are made of the same optical material. [0015] Still optionally, the scanning type confocal probe may be provided with a pin hole that allows light reflected by in-vivo tissues on an object side focal plane of the objective lens to pass through and shields light reflected by the tissues on portions other than the object side focal plane of the objective lens. [0016] In a particular case, the scanning type confocal probe includes a single mode optical fiber that receives and transmits light from the tissues via the objective lens, in which an object lens side end surface of the optical fiber functions as the pin hole. [0017] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a confocal endoscope, which includes a surface observing system which allows an observation, via the objective lens, of a surface of in-vivo tissues inside a human cavity at a first magnification, and a confocal observing system which allows an observation, via the objective lens, of a surface image and/or tomogram at a second magnification which is greater than the first magnification. [0018] Optionally, the surface observing system and the confocal observing system have a common objective optical system. [0019] Further, an optical axis of the surface observing system and an optical axis of the confocal observing system substantially coincide with each other at least in the common objective optical system. [0020] In a particular example, the confocal observing system includes an objective optical system, a scanning system that scans the surface and/or section of the tissues to receive light reflected thereat, and a pickup system that selectively transmits the light reflected by the tissues on a focal plane of an objective optical system using a pin hole. [0021] According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided an endoscope device, which is provided with a light source that emits a light beam for illuminating an object to be observed, a scanning type confocal probe which includes at least one scanning mirror and a transparent substrate on which the at least one scanning mirror is mounted, the transparent substrate being inserted in an optical path of the confocal probe such that a light beam passing along the optical path is deflected by the at least one scanning mirror, and an image reproducing system that reproduces an image of the object using light reflected by the object and passed through the confocal probe. [0022] In a particular case, the endoscope device may include a first scanning mirror that deflects the light beam in a first predetermined direction, and a second scanning mirror that deflects the light beam in a second predetermined direction which is perpendicular to the first predetermined direction. It should be noted that the first scanning mirror and the second scanning mirror may be mounted on the same transparent substrate. Continue reading about Confocal probe and endoscope device... Full patent description for Confocal probe and endoscope device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Confocal probe and endoscope device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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