Patent ID: 8400500
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
1. An endoscope that has an insertion portion that is inserted into an interior of an object and an image pickup device that is provided in the insertion portion, and that observes the interior of the object via the image pickup device, the endoscope comprising: a first LED unit provided in the insertion portion and comprising an LED chip positioned and configured to irradiate light into the interior of the object; a second LED unit provided in the insertion portion and comprising an LED chip positioned and configured to irradiate light into the interior of the object; an alternating conduction control unit positioned and configured to conduct power alternatingly to the first LED unit and to the second LED unit; an acceleration detecting device provided in the insertion portion and positioned and configured to detect a rate of acceleration of the insertion portion; a simultaneous conduction control unit that conducts power simultaneously to the first LED unit and the second LED unit, and the driving of the alternating conduction control unit or the simultaneous conduction control unit is switched in accordance with an output from the acceleration detecting device; and a temperature detecting device configured to detect temperatures, wherein the first LED unit and the second LED unit are configured so as to have a substantially equal brightness, and the alternating conduction control unit is configured to switch conduction to the first LED unit or to the second LED unit when a detection signal from the temperature detecting device reaches a predetermined threshold value that has been set in advance.