Electronic image pickup device for endoscopes

Abstract

An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes is arranged so that at least two filters have mutually different transmitting wavelength ranges are inserted either alternatively or as a rotatable filter disc into an optical path of either an illuminating system or an image pickup system in order to make it possible to obtain either alternatingly or simultaneously color images produced by at least two kinds of rays having mutually different wavelength ranges.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means,   light-transmitting means having a light-incidence end face abutting said light source means and a light-emitting end face directed to an object under observation to irradiate a light coming from said light source means onto said object,   a first filter disc rotatably disposed between said light source means and said light-incidence end face of said light-transmitting means and having light-transmitting areas arranged on a same circumference of said disc via a light-removing area intervening between the respective light-transmitting areas for removing the light coming from said light source means for transmitting at least three different color lights one after another in succession through said light-transmitting areas as said first filter disc is rotated; and   an image pickup system disposed in association with said illuminating system and including:   an objective lens,   image pickup means for receiving an image of said object formed by said objective lens, and   color image display means connected to said image pickup means for producing a color image of said object based on an electric signal supplied from said image pickup means,   wherein:   a plurality of filters having mutually different transmitting wavelength ranges are disposed for alternative insertion into an optical path of either one of said illuminating system and said image pickup system, thereby making it possible to obtain a color image by rays of a plurality of wavelength ranges.   
     
     
       2. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said three different color lights are red, green and blue in color.   
     
     
       3. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of filters are an infrared light removing filter and a visible light removing filter which are slidably disposed between said light source means and the light-incidence end face of said light-transmitting means.   
     
     
       4. An electric image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of filters are comprised of an infrared light removing filter, and a complex filter formed by overlapping a visible light removing filter, and another infrared light removing filter to transmit ultraviolet light therethrough, each of said infrared light removing filter and said complete filter being slidably disposed between said light source means and the light-incidence end face of said light-transmitting means.   
     
     
       5. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: said image pickup system further comprises an amplifier connected to said image pickup system in association with said plurality of filters and being variable of its gain interlockingly with an insertion of said infrared light removing filter, said visible light removing filter or said complex filter into said optical path.   
     
     
       6. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: said image pickup means is movably provided along said optical path in association with said plurality of filters, and arranged to move said image pickup means interlockingly with the insertion, into said optical path, of either said infrared light removing filter, said visible light removing filter or said complex filter in order to bring the light-receiving face of said image pickup means into the focusing position of an image produced by visible light, infrared ray or ultraviolet ray.   
     
     
       7. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 3, wherein: said objective lens is provided to be movable along said optical path and is moved interlockingly with an insertion, into said optical path, of said infrared light removing filter or said visible light removing filter in order to bring the light-receiving face of said image pickup means into a focusing position of an image produced by visible light or infrared light.   
     
     
       8. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 4, wherein: said objective lens is provided to be movable along said optical path and is moved interlockingly with an insertion, into said optical path, of said infrared ray removing filter, said visible ray removing filter or said complex filter in order to bring the light-receiving face of said image pickup means into a focusing position of an image produced by visible ray, infrared ray or ultraviolet ray.   
     
     
       9. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of filters are comprised of an infrared light removing filter and a visible ray removing filter,   said infrared light removing filter and said visible light removing filter are disposed via a light-removing area intervening between the respective filters, on a same circumference of a second filter disc rotatably disposed between said light source means and said lighttransmitting means,   said second filter disc is arranged to be rotated at a revolution speed which is 1/2 of that of said first filter disc, and   said color image display means is constituted by a pair of color TV monitoring means and is coupled to said image pickup means via a pair of switch means which are changed over of their connections interlockingly with a revolution of said second filter disc,   whereby by operating said pair of switch means in synchronism with the revolutions of said second filter disc, there can be obtained simultaneously a visible light color image and an infrared light false color image via said pair of color TV monitoring means.   
     
     
       10. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope, said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed within a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and said plurality of filters are an infrared light removing filter and a visible light removing filter which are slidably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means within said TV camera.   
     
     
       11. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objectives lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed within a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece,   said plurality of filters are an infrared light removing filter and a visible removing filter which are disposed via a light-removing area intervening therebetween on a same circumference of a second filter disc rotatably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera, and   said second filter disc is rotated at a revolution speed which is 1/2 of that of said first filter disc.   
     
     
       12. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: said image pickup means is comprised of a plurality of solid-state image sensors which are disposed for alternative insertion into said optical path and have mutually different light-sensitive wavelength ranges.   
     
     
       13. An electronic image pickup device for endoscope according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of filters are comprised of filter removing light for excitation and a filter transmitting light for excitation therethrough but removing visible light.   
     
     
       14. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece   said plurality of filters are comprised of a filter for removing fluorescent light and a filter for transmitting fluorescent light therethrough but removing visible, light both of which filters being slidably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means housed in said TV camera.   
     
     
       15. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece,   said plurality of filters are comprised of a filter removing fluorescent light and a filter transmitting fluorescent light therethrough but removing visible rays both of which filters being arranged via a light-removing area intervening therebetween on a same circumference of a second filter disc rotatably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera, and   said second filter disc is rotated at a revolution speed which is 1/2 of that of said first filter disc.   
     
     
       16. An electronic image pickup device for endoscope according to claim 3, wherein: said image pickup system further comprises an amplifier connected to said image pickup system in association with said plurality of filters and being variable of its gain interlockingly with an insertion of said infrared light removing filter or said visible light removing filter into said optical path, and   said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of aid image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and   said plurality of filters are slidably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera.   
     
     
       17. An electronic image pickup device for endoscope according to claim 4, wherein: said image pickup system further comprising an amplifier connected to said image pickup system in association with said plurality of filters and being variable of its gain interlocking with an insertion of said infrared light removing filter, said visible light removing filter or said complex filter into said optical path,   said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed within a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and   said plurality of filters including said complex filter are slidably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera.   
     
     
       18. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 3, wherein: said image pickup means is movably provided along said optical path in association with said plurality of filters, and arranged so that said image pickup means is moved interlockingly with the insertion, into said optical path, of either said infrared light removing filter or said visible light removing filter in order to bring the light-receiving face of said image pickup means into focusing position of an image produced by visible light or infrared light,   said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and   said plurality of filters are slidably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera.   
     
     
       19. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 4, wherein: said image pickup means is movably provided along said optical path in association with said plurality of filters, and arranged so that said image pickup means is moved interlockingly with the insertion, into said optical path, of either said infrared light removing filter, said visible light removing filter or said complex filter in order to bring the light-receiving face of said image pickup means into the focusing position of an image produced by visible light, infrared light or ultraviolet light,   said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and   said complex filter is slidably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera.   
     
     
       20. An electronic image pickup divide for endoscopes according to claim 3, wherein: said objective lens is provided to be movable along said optical path and is moved interlockingly with an insertion, into said optical path, of said infrared light removing filter or said visible light removing filter in order to bring the light-receiving face of said image pickup means into a focusing position of an image produced by visible light or infrared light,   said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and   said plurality of filters are disposed slidably in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera.   
     
     
       21. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 4, wherein: said objective lens is provided to be movable along said optical path and is moved interlockingly with a n insertion, into said optical path, of said infrared light removing filter, or said visible light removing filter or said complex filter in order to bring the light-receiving face of said image pickup means into a focusing position of an image produced by visible light, infrared light or ultraviolet light,   said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and   said complex filter is slidably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera.   
     
     
       22. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of filters are comprised of a filter removing light for excitation and a filter transmitting light for excitation therethrough but removing visible light,   said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundler receiving on its one end face with the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and   said plurality of filters are disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means provided within said TV camera.   
     
     
       23. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of filters are comprises of a filter removing light for excitation and a filter transmitting light for excitation therethrough but removing visible light,   said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle,   said image pickup means is housed with a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece, and   said plurality of filters are slidably disposed in the foreground of said image pickup means housed within said TV camera.   
     
     
       24. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means, and   light-transmitting means having a light-incidence end face abutting said light source means and a light emitting end face directed to an object under observation to irradiate a light coming from said light source means onto said object; and   an image pickup system including:   an objective lens,   image pickup means having a color encoding filter at its light-receiving face and receiving an image of said object formed by said objective lens, and   color image display means connected to said image pickup means for producing a color image of said object based on an electric signal supplied from said image pickup means,   wherein:   a plurality of filters having mutually different transmitting wavelength ranges are disposed for alternative insertion into an optical path of either one of said illuminating system and said image pickup system, whereby making it possible to obtain a color image by rays of a plurality of wavelength ranges.   
     
     
       25. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 24, wherein: said plurality of filters are comprised of a filter removing light for excitation and a filter transmitting light for excitation therethrough but removing said visible light.   
     
     
       26. An electric image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 24, wherein: said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens and transmitting the object image onto its other end face, and   said image pickup means is adapted to receive the object image transmitted through said image guide fiber bundle.   
     
     
       27. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means,   light-transmitting means having a light-incidence end face abutting said light source means and a light-emitting end face directed to an object under observation to irradiate a light coming from said light source means onto said object,   a filter disc rotatably disposed between said light source means and said light-incidence end face of said light-transmitting means and having two filters possessing mutually different transmitting wavelength ranges and being arranged on said circumference via a light-removing area intervening between the respective filters; and   an image pickup system disposed in association with said illuminating system and including:   an objective lens,   image pickup means having a color encoding filter formed on its light-receiving face and receiving an image of said object formed by said objective lens,   a pair of switch means connected to said image pickup means and being changed over of their connection interlockingly with a revolution of said filter disc, and   a pair of TV monitoring means connected to said pair of switch means, respectively,   wherein:   said pair of switch means are operated alternatingly in synchronism with a changeover between said two filters from one to the other which are to be inserted into an optical path by a revolution of said filter disc, whereby realizing simultaneous display of two different kinds of color images produced by rays having mutually different wavelength ranges.   
     
     
       28. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 27, wherein: said two filters are comprised of an infrared light removing filter and a visible light removing filter.   
     
     
       29. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means, and   light-transmitting means having a light-incidence end face abutting said light source means and a light-emitting end face directed to an object under observation to irradiate a light coming from said light source means onto said object;   an endoscope provided with with said light-transmitting means, an objective lens and a light guide for transmitting an image of said object formed by said objective lens to a predetermined position;   a TV camera having:   a photographic lens and a three color separating prism assembly disposed on the light emitting side of said light guide; and   three image pickup means respectively disposed to face respective light-emitting end faces of said prism assembly and   a filter disc rotatably disposed between said photographic lens and said prism assembly and having two filters possessing mutually different transmitting wavelength ranges and being arranged on a same circumference of said disc via a light-removing area intervening therebetween;   three pairs of switch means connected to said image pickup means, respectively, and comprised of a first switch group and a second switch group which are arranged over of their connections interlockingly with a revolution of said filter disc;   a first color TV monitoring means connected to said first switch group o said three pairs of switch means; and   a second color TV monitoring means connected to said second switch group of said three pairs of switch means,   wherein:   said first switch group and said second switch group of said three pairs of switch means are alternating operated in synchronism with a changeover between said two filters from one to the other which are to be inserted into an optical path by a revolution of said filter disc, thereby realizing a simultaneous display of two different kinds of color images produced by lights possessing mutually different wavelength ranges.   
     
     
       30. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 29, wherein: said two filters are comprised of an infrared light removing filter and a visible light removing filter.   
     
     
       31. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 29, wherein: said two filters are comprised of a filter for removing fluorescent light and a filter for transmitting fluorescent light therethrough but removing visible light.   
     
     
       32. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means,   light-transmitting means having a light-incidence end face abutting said light source means and a light emitting end face directed to an object under observation to irradiate a light coming from said light source means onto said object,   a filter disc rotatably disposed between said light source means and said light-incidence end face of said light-transmitting means and having light-transmitting areas arranged on a same circumference of said disc via a light-removing area intervening between the respective light-transmitting areas for removing the light coming from said light source means for transmitting at least three different color lights one after another in succession through said light-transmitting areas as said filter disc is rotated; and   an image pickup system disposed in association with said illuminating system and including:   an objective lens,   image pickup means for receiving an image of said object formed by said objective lens, and   color image display means connected to said image pickup means for producing a color image of said object based on an electric signal supplied from said image pickup means,   wherein:   said filter disc is arranged to be tiltable relative to an optical axis in said optical path to thereby be able to obtain a color image of said object formed by rays having a plurality of wavelength ranges.   
     
     
       33. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 32, wherein: said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle, and   said image pickup means is housed within a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece.   
     
     
       34. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means,   light-transmitting means having a light-incidence end face abutting said light source means and a light emitting end face directed to an object under observation to irradiate a light coming from said light source means onto said object,   a first filter disc rotatably disposed between said light source means and said light-incidence end face of said light-transmitting means and having lighttransmitting areas arranged on a same circumference of said disc via a light-removing area intervening between the respective light-transmitting areas for removing the light coming from said light source means for transmitting at least three different color lights one after another in succession through said light-transmitting areas as said first filter disc is rotated; and   an image pickup system disposed in association with said illuminating system and including:   an objective lens,   image pickup means for receiving an image of said object formed by said objective lens, and   color image display means connected to said image pickup means for producing a color image of said object based on an electric signal supplied from said image pickup means,   wherein:   a second filter disc having areas of specific transmitting wavelength ranges is disposed in the optical path of either said illuminating system or said image pickup system, and   either one of said first filter disc and said second filter disc is arranged to be tiltable relative to an optical axis of either one of said optical paths.   
     
     
       35. An electronic image pickup divide for endoscopes according to claim 32, wherein: said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle, and   said image pickup means is housed within a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece.   
     
     
       36. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means, and   light-transmitting means having a light-incidence end face abutting said light source means and a light-emitting end face directed to an object under observation to irradiate a light coming from said light source means onto said object; and   an image pickup system including:   an objective lens,   image pickup means having a color encoding filter at its light-receiving face and receiving an image of said object formed by said objective lens, and   color image display means connected to said image pickup means for producing a color image of said object based on an electric signal supplied from said image pickup means,   wherein:   a filter having a specific transmitting wavelength range is disposed in the optical path of either one of said illuminating system and said image pickup system, and   said filter is arranged to be tiltable relative to an optical axis of the optical path of either one of said systems.   
     
     
       37. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes according to claim 36, wherein: said objective lens is built in a distal end of said endoscope,   said endoscope is provided with an image guide fiber bundle receiving on its one end face the object image formed by said objective lens, and an eyepiece for observing the other end face of said image guide fiber bundle, and   said image pickup means is housed within a TV camera detachably attached on the light emitting side of said eyepiece and is adapted to receive the object image transmitted by said image guide fiber bundle through said eyepiece.   
     
     
       38. An electrical image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means,   light guide means receiving a light coming from said light source means to irradiate the light onto an object under observation,   means disposed between said light source means and said light guide means to enter three different color lights included in the light coming form said light source means on after another in succession into said light guide means; and   an image pickup system disposed in association with said illuminating system and including:   an objective lens,   image pickup means for receiving an image of said object formed by said objective lens, and   color image display means connected to said image pickup means for producing a color image of said object based on an electric signal supplied from said image pickup means,   wherein:   a plurality of filters having mutually different transmitting wavelength ranges are disposed for alternative insertion into an optical path of either one of said illuminating system and said image pickup system, thereby making it possible to obtain a color image by rays of a plurality of wavelength ranges.   
     
     
       39. An electronic image pickup device for endoscopes, comprising: an illuminating system including:   light source means,   light guide means receiving a light coming from said light source means to irradiate the light onto an object under observation,   means disposed between said light source means and said light guide means to enter three different color lights included in the light coming from said light source means one after another in succession into said light guide means; and   an image pickup system disposed in association with said illuminating system and including:   an objective lens,   an image guide means transmitting an image of said object formed by said objective lens to a predetermined position,   an image pickup means receiving the object image transmitted by said image guide means, and   color image display means connected to said image pickup means for producing a color image of said object based on an electric signal supplied from said image pickup means,   wherein:   a plurality of filters having mutually different transmitting wavelength ranges are disposed for alternative insertion into an optical path of either one of said illuminating system and said image pickup system, whereby making it possible to obtain a color image by rays of a plurality of wavelength ranges. .Iadd.   
     
     
       40.  An imaging apparatus comprising: an illuminating means for emitting illuminating light of a wavelength range including a visible range and another range other than the visible range;   an image forming optical system, disposed in association with said illuminating means, for forming the image of an object to be imaged;   an imaging means having a sensitivity to a wavelength range ranging from a visible range to another range than the visible range and converting the image formed by said image forming optical system to an electric signal;   a wavelength range dividing means dividing the wavelength range into the visible range and another range than the visible range to provide a plurality of wavelength ranges;   a selecting means selecting at least one wavelength range from among the wavelength ranges divided by said wavelength range dividing means; and   signal processing means processing the output signals of said imaging means, in response to said selected wavelength ranges, into video signals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       41.  An imaging apparatus comprising: an illuminating means for emitting illuminating light of a wavelength range including a visible range and another range other than the visible range;   an image forming optical system disposed in association with said illuminating means, for forming an image of an object to be imaged;   an imaging means having a sensitivity to a wavelength range ranging from a visible range to the another range than the visible range and converting the image formed by said image forming optical system to an electric signal;   a separating means separating the wavelength range into the visible range and the other range than the visible range and having a plurality of kinds of optical members having a characteristic of respectively transmitting or reflecting and separating the light of a specific wavelength range within a visible band and another band than the visible band;   a band limiting means limiting the separated wavelength ranges of the respective optical members of said separating means to either band to select the wavelength range imaged by said imaging means; and   a signal processing means processing the output signals of said imaging means in response to the wavelength ranges selected by said band limiting means so as to be video signals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       42.  An imaging apparatus comprising: an image forming optical system forming the image of an object to be imaged;   an imaging means having a sensitivity to a wavelength range ranging from a visible range to another range than the visible range and converting the image formed by said image forming optical system to an electric signal;   a wavelength range dividing means dividing the wavelength range of an illuminating light into a plurality of wavelength ranges within the range to which said imaging means has its sensitivity and capable of dividing in time series the illuminating light with a combination of at least a part of said plurality of wavelength ranges;   a selecting means selecting at least one wavelength range from among the wavelength ranges divided by said wavelength range dividing means; and   a signal processing means processing the output signals of said imaging means to be a video signal in response to the wavelength range selected by said selecting means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       43.  An imaging apparatus comprising: an illuminating means capable of emitting an illuminating light of a wavelength range ranging from a visible range to another range than the visible range;   an image forming optical system forming the image of an object to be imaged;   an imaging means having a sensitivity to a wavelength range from a visible range to another range than the visible range and using a solid state imaging device converting the image formed by said image forming optical system to an electric signal;   a filter separating in time series the wavelength range of the illuminating light of said illuminating means into a plurality of wavelength ranges within the ranges to which said imaging means has a sensitivity and having a plurality of kinds of components filters having a transmitting characteristic of transmitting respectively the lights of specific wavelength ranges within a visible band and another band than the visible band;   a band limiting means limiting the transmitted wavelength ranges of the respective component filters of said filter to either band to select the wavelength range imaged by said imaging means; and   a signal processing means processing the output signals of said imaging means corresponding to the illuminating lights of the wavelength ranges selected by said band limiting by allotting them to respective different color signals so as to be video signals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.44. An imaging apparatus according to claim 43 wherein the respective component filters of said filter have respectively different transmitted wavelength ranges within the visible band and the same transmitted wavelength ranges within the infrared band and said band limiting means is a filter transmitting selectively the visible band and infrared band. .Iaddend. .Iadd.45. An imaging apparatus according to claim 43 wherein the respective component filters of said filter have respectively different transmitted wavelength ranges in the visible band and infrared band and said band limiting means is a filter transmitting selectively the visible band and infrared band. .Iaddend. .Iadd.46. A method of observing an object image of ordinary light and an object image of particular light, comprising the steps of:   emitting an illuminating light of a wavelength range ranging from a visible range to a range other than the visible range;   dividing the illuminating light emitted by said step of emitting into a plurality of wavelength ranges to obtain the object image of ordinary light or particular light;   separating at least one of the plurality of wavelength ranges by said step of dividing into a further plurality of wavelength ranges;   illuminating the lights of the wavelength ranges separated by said step of separating to an object;   converting said object image illuminated light by said step of illuminating into an electric signal; and   imaging the electric signal obtained by said step of converting. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.47.  A method of observing an object image of ordinary light and an object image of particular light, comprising the steps of: emitting an illuminating light of a wavelength range ranging from a visible range to a range other than the visible range;   dividing the illuminating light emitted by said step of emitting into a plurality of wavelength ranges to obtain the object image of ordinary light or particular light;   illuminating a light of a wavelength range from among the wavelength ranges divided by said step of dividing to an object;   separating the object image illuminated by said step of illuminating into a further plurality of images of wavelength ranges;   converting the images of the wavelength ranges separated by said step of separating into an electric signal; and   imaging the electric signal obtained by said step of converting. .Iaddend. .Iadd.48. An imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 40 to 45 further comprising a filter means transmitting only light belonging to a narrow wavelength band from among said illuminating light. .Iaddend.