Patent ID: 9585544
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: A61B,G02B

Claim:
1. A scanning endoscope system comprising: a fiber that conducts illumination light emitted from a light source; a first actuator that is provided laterally of the fiber, and expands and contracts in accordance with an applied voltage so as to swing the fiber; a second actuator that is arranged at a position opposite to the first actuator with the fiber intervened in between, and expands and contracts in accordance with an applied voltage so as to swing the fiber; and a drive-signal output section configured to output, to the first actuator, a first drive signal having either a first waveform such that a minimum value of a voltage value, which varies periodically with a first voltage value of a positive value as a center, is not less than zero, or a second waveform such that a maximum value of a voltage value, which varies periodically with a second voltage value of a negative value as a center, is not more than zero, and configured to output, to the second actuator, a second drive signal having the same waveform as the first drive signal and having a phase different from a phase of the first drive signal, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are formed by piezoelectric devices which are subjected to polarizing processing so that polarization directions are opposite to each other, and wherein the first actuator generates an electric field in a forward direction with respect to the polarization direction of the piezoelectric device forming the first actuator when an AC voltage in accordance with the first drive signal having the first waveform is applied to the first actuator, and the second actuator generates an electric field in a forward direction with respect to the polarization direction of the piezoelectric device forming the second actuator when an AC voltage in accordance with the second drive signal having the first waveform is applied to the second actuator.