Endoscope

• US 20060058584A1
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evident Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Hirata, Yasuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,762,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/179
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0605 for spatially modulated illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0607 for annular illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0615 for radial illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0623 for off-axis illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0653 with wavelength conversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An endoscope includes an adaptor detachably mounted on a distal end of an insertion section; a mounting base provided in said adaptor; illumination section attached to the front of said mounting base; front electrode terminals provided at the front end of the mounting base and connected to the illumination section; rear electrode terminals provided at the back of the mounting base, connected to the front electrode terminals, and abutting electrode terminals provided at the distal end of the insertion section when the adaptor is mounted on the distal end of the insertion section; and insulating plates where the front and rear electrode terminals are provided in a manner such that they are exposed from the surface and coupling lines to couple the front and rear electrode terminals are embedded.

Claims

1. A endoscope comprising:

an adaptor detachably mounted on a distal end of an insertion section;

a mounting base provided in said adaptor;

illumination section attached to the front of said mounting base;

front electrode terminals provided at said front of said mounting base and connected to said illumination section;

rear electrode terminals provided at the back of said mounting base, electrically connected to said front electrode terminals, and abutting electrode terminals provided at said distal end of said insertion section when said adaptor is mounted on said distal end of said insertion section; and

insulating plates of which said front and rear electrode terminals are provided in such a manner that they are exposed from its surface and in which connection lines to connect said front and rear electrode terminals are embedded.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein:

said insulating plates are made of a flexible material.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein:

an elastic member that supports said rear electrode terminals is provided between said rear electrode terminals and said mounting base.

4. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein:

the part of said insulating plate where said rear electrode terminals are provided is protruded and elastically deformable.

5. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein:

a sensor is provided on said insulating plate.

6. The endoscope according to claim 5, wherein:

said sensor is a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, or a gravity direction detection sensor.

7. An endoscope comprising:

an adaptor detachably mounted on a distal end of an insertion section;

a first flexible insulating plate provided in said adaptor;

an illumination section attached to said first flexible insulating plate;

adaptor'"'"'s side electrode terminals provided at said first flexible insulating plate; and

main body'"'"'s side electrode terminals provided at a distal end of said insertion section.

8. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein:

a second flexible insulating plate is further provided at said distal end of said insertion section; and

said main body'"'"'s side electrode terminals are provided at said second flexible insulating plate.

9. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein:

said adaptor'"'"'s side electrode terminals are formed integrally with said first flexible insulating plate.

10. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein:

said adaptor'"'"'s side electrode terminals are projection members fixed on a surface of said first flexible insulating plate.

11. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein:

power supply pads are provided on a surface of said first flexible insulating plate; and

power supply lines are connected to said power supply pads.

12. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein:

said first flexible insulating plate has through-holes;

power supply pads are provided on inner peripheries of said through-holes; and

power supply lines are connected to said power supply pads.

13. The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein:

said main body'"'"'s side electrode terminals are formed integrally with said second flexible insulating plate.

14. The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein:

said main body'"'"'s side electrode terminals are projection members fixed on a surface of said second flexible insulating plate.

15. The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein:

power supply pads are provided on the surface of said second flexible insulating plate; and

power supply lines are connected to said power supply pads.

16. The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein:

said second flexible insulating plate has through-holes;

power supply pads are provided on inner peripheries of said through-holes; and

power supply lines are connected to said power supply pads.

17. An endoscope comprising:

an insertion section that is to be inserted in an object to be examined,

multiple illumination LED elements provided at a distal end of said insertion section; and

a mounting base provided integrally with said insertion section, wherein;

said multiple LED elements include multiple kinds of LED elements that are different in shape or size;

said multiple LED elements are attached to said mounting base; and

front surfaces of some of said multiple LED elements are covered with a transmitting sealing member.

18. The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein:

among said multiple LED elements, one kind of LED elements are arranged between adjacent LED elements of a different kind different from said one kind of LED elements.

19. The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein:

said mounting base has a circular shape;

one kind of LED elements among said multiple LED elements are arranged in a circle on said mounting base; and

said different kind of LED elements different from said one kind of LED elements are arranged in a circle at circumferentially offset positions from said one kind of LED elements.

20. The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein:

said transmitting sealing member is a fluorescent substance.

21. The endoscope according to claim 20, wherein:

said transmitting sealing member is partly changed in thickness according to the kind of said LED elements to cover with said transmitting sealing member.

22. The endoscope according to claim 20, wherein:

said transmitting sealing member is partly changed in material property according to the kind of said LED elements to cover with said transmitting sealing member.

23. The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein:

said transmitting sealing member is a cover lens.

24. The endoscope according to claim 23, wherein:

said transmitting sealing member is partly changed in optical property according to the kind of said LED elements to cover with said transmitting sealing member.

25. The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein:

said mounting base consists of multiple base plates fixed together, each being provided with a different kind of LED element.

26. The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein:

said mounting base is a flexible insulating plate.

27. The endoscope according to claim 26, wherein:

said insertion section has a mounting base supporting surface having a truncated cone shape; and

said mounting base is attached to said mounting base supporting surface.

28. The endoscope according to claim 26, wherein:

said insertion section has a mounting base supporting surface having a cylindrical shape; and

said mounting base is attached to said mounting base supporting surface.

29. The endoscope according to claim 28, wherein:

a reflecting surface is provided at the back of said mounting base.

30. The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein:

among said multiple LED elements, the same kind of LED elements are connected by LED wires; and

said LED wires are connected to separate, individual electric current control circuits.

31. The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein:

among said multiple LED elements, the same kind of LED elements are connected by LED wires;

said LED wires are connected to a common electric current control circuit; and

electric current correction resistors are provided to any LED wires.

32. The endoscope according to claim 31, wherein:

an adaptor detachably mounted on the distal end of said insertion section is further provided; and

said multiple LED elements, mounting base, transmitting sealing member, LED wires, and electric current correction resistors are provided in said adaptor.