ELECTRONIC ENDOSCOPE CONNECTING MECHANISM

• US 20070265498A1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: ITO, Shunichi
• Application Number:
  US11/746,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20070265498A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/134
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00124 electrical, e.g. electrical plug-and-socket connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances

Abstract

A connecting mechanism for an electronic endoscope system is provided. The connecting mechanism is for detachably connecting a scope and a processor unit of the electronic endoscope system. The connecting mechanism includes a rotational cylinder, a linear movable member, and a sensor. The rotational cylinder locks the scope-side connector section to the processor-side connector section by rotating the rotational cylinder, when the scope-side connector section is docked with the processor-side connector section. The linear movable member is moved linearly along a tangent of the rotational cylinder in cooperation with the rotation of the rotational cylinder. The sensor detects whether the linear movable member has arrived at a predetermined position. The predetermined position corresponds to a locking position where the scope-side connector section and the processor-side connector section are locked together by the rotational cylinder.

Claims

1. A connecting mechanism for an electronic endoscope system that is used for detachably connecting a scope and a processor unit of said electronic endoscope system, said connecting mechanism comprising:

a rotational cylinder that locks a scope-side connector section to a processor-side connector section by turning said rotational cylinder, when the scope-side connector section is docked with said processor-side connector section;

a linear movable member that is moved linearly along a tangent of the arc of movement of said rotational cylinder in cooperation with the rotation of said rotational cylinder; and

a sensor that detects whether said linear movable member has arrived at a predetermined position;

wherein said predetermined position corresponds to a locking position where said scope-side connector section and said processor-side connector section are locked together by said rotational cylinder.

2. The connecting mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a non-contact type sensor.

3. The connecting mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotational cylinder comprises an engaging portion that directly engages said linear movable member, and said linear movable member is biased by a biasing member and abuts against said engaging portion.

4. The connecting mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that rotationally biases said rotational cylinder away from said locking position to an initial position where said scope-side connector section can be docked with said processor-side connector section.