Patent ID: 8419631
Filing Date: 2013-04-16
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
1. An endoscope apparatus comprising: an insertion portion inserted into an observation target; a side viewing observation section provided on a distal end side of the insertion portion for acquiring a subject image of an observation target in a circumferential direction of the insertion portion; a forward viewing observation section provided closer to the distal end side than the side viewing observation section of the insertion portion for acquiring a subject image of an observation target in an insertion direction of the insertion portion; a shielding section that forms a shielding region for electrically shielding a display of a part of the subject within a viewing field of the side viewing observation section; an image processing apparatus that generates a side viewing observed image and a forward viewing observed image including the shielding region as observed images based on the subject image in the circumferential direction obtained from the side viewing observation section and the subject image in the insertion direction obtained from the forward viewing observation section; and a cleaning nozzle arranged within the shielding region and protruding from the insertion portion, for cleaning the forward viewing observation section and/or the side viewing observation section.