Endoscope system

• US 20070188604A1
• Filed: 08/14/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Shinichi, Watanabe, Katsushi, Kameya, Takayuki, Matsumoto, Kazutaka, Nakamura, Takeaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,022,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00048 Constructional features of the display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00052 positioned at proximal end of the endoscope body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances

Abstract

The endoscope system of the present invention includes: an endoscope that has an image pickup device that picks up an observation image of a test object; an image display unit that converts image pickup signals that have been sent from the image pickup device into images and then displays these images; a first mounting portion that is provided in an operating section of the endoscope and on which the image display unit is mounted; and a second mounting portion that is provided in the operating section of the endoscope and on which the image display unit is mounted in a different position from that of the first mounting portion.

Claims

1. An endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope that has an image pickup device that picks up an observation image of a test object;

an image display unit that converts image pickup signals that have been sent from the image pickup device into images and then displays these images;

a first mounting portion that is provided on an operating section of the endoscope and on which the image display unit is mounted; and

a second mounting portion that is provided on the operating section of the endoscope and on which the image display unit is mounted in a different position from that of the first mounting portion.

2. The endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first output terminal that is provided on the first mounting portion and that outputs image pickup signals that have been sent from the image pickup device;

a second output terminal that is provided on the second mounting portion and that outputs image pickup signals that have been sent from the image pickup device; and

an input terminal that is provided on the image display unit and, when the image display unit is mounted at the first mounting portion, is connected to the first output terminal and inputs the image pickup signals into the image display unit, and, when the image display unit is mounted at the second mounting portion, is connected to the second output terminal and inputs the image pickup signals into the image display unit.

3. An endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope that has an image pickup device that picks up an observation image of a test object;

an image display unit that converts image pickup signals that have been sent from the image pickup device into images and then displays these images; and

a supporting portion that is provided on the operating section of the endoscope and that supports the image display unit such that it can be opened up from and shut against the operating section.

4. The endoscope system according to claim 3, wherein the supporting portion is provided with:

a first rotation shaft that extends in a direction that intersects a side surface of the operating section and that forms a center of rotation when the image display unit is rotated; and

a second rotation shaft that extends in another direction that is perpendicular to the first rotation shaft and that forms a center of rotation when the image display unit is rotated in another direction.

5. The endoscope system according to claim 3, wherein the supporting portion supports the image display unit such that it can be housed within a recessed portion that is provided in an outer circumferential surface of the operating section.

6. The endoscope system according to claim 5, wherein the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft are each located away from the central axis of the image display unit.

7. An endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope that is provided with an image pickup device that picks up an image of a test object and a gripping portion that is fonned in a longitudinal direction of the endoscope; and

an image display unit that is formed integrally with the endoscope and that converts pictures of the test object that have been obtained by the image pickup device into images and then displays these images, wherein

the image display unit is mounted so as to protrude from a side portion of the endoscope such that, when the gripping portion is gripped by a hand whose thumb is positioned uppermost, the image display unit is positioned above the fingers of the hand that is gripping the gripping portion excluding the thumb.

8. The endoscope system according to claim 7, further comprising a light source apparatus that is formed integrally with the endoscope and that protrudes in a symmetrically opposite direction from the image display unit with a longitudinal axis of the endoscope sandwiched in between.

9. An endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope that is provided with an image pickup device that picks up an image of a test object and an operating section that operates the endoscope;

a finger piece portion that is provided so as to intersect an axis n the longitudinal direction of the operating section; and

an image display unit that is formed integrally with the finger piece portion and that converts pictures of the test object that have been obtained by the image pickup device into images and then displays these images.

10. The endoscope system according to claim 9, wherein a rotatable operating lever is provided in the operating section, and the image display unit is provided at substantially the same position as a rotation shaft of the operating lever.

11. An endoscope system comprising:

an insertion portion that can be inserted inside a body cavity of a test object;

an observation image acquisition portion that acquires an observation image of the interior of the body cavity from a distal end side of the insertion portion;

an operating section that is connected to a base end portion of the insertion portion;

an observation portion that is provided in the operating section and that makes it possible to observe the observation images that have been acquired by the observation image acquisition portion; and

three setting down portions that are arranged in a triangle extending across at least one of the operating section and the observation portion.

12. The endoscope system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the setting down portions is formed by a connector component that is used for connecting an external cable and is provided so as to protrude from the observation portion or the operating section.

13. An endoscope system comprising:

an insertion portion that can be inserted inside a body cavity of a test object;

an observation image acquisition portion that acquires an observation image of the interior of the body cavity from a distal end side of the insertion portion;

an image pickup device that picks up the observation images;

an image display unit that includes a display screen that displays observation images based on image pickup signals from the image pickup device;

an operating section that is provided with a gripping portion and that is connected to a base end portion of the insertion portion; and

a supporting portion that is provided in the operating section and rotatably supports the image display unit, wherein

the display screen can be rotated around an axis that intersects a longitudinal direction of the gripping portion.

14. The endoscope system according to claim 13, wherein the operating section is provided with an operating component that controls movements of the insertion portion, and, in the gripping portion, the operating component can be operated by an operator when the operator is gripping the gripping portion, and, in the image display unit, when the operator is gripping the gripping portion the display screen can be rotated so as to face towards the operator.

15. The endoscope system according to claim 13, wherein the supporting portion is provided with:

a first rotation supporting portion that is provided on the operating section;

a second rotation supporting portion that is provided on the image display unit; and

an arm component that is rotatably linked to both the first rotation supporting portion and the second rotation supporting portion.