Endoscope, endoscope apparatus, and method of connecting external equipment to endoscope

• US 20080039689A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshimitsu, Koichi, Otawara, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,187,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00114 Electrical cables in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00124 electrical, e.g. electrical plug-and-socket connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00126 optical, e.g. for light supply cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00128 mechanical, e.g. for tubes or pipes

Abstract

An endoscope according to an aspect of the invention includes an image pickup connector portion projecting from one end side of an endoscope connector and connected to a first electrical contact of a video processor, and a magnification change connector portion projecting from the other end side of the endoscope connector opposite to the one end side and connected to a second electrical contact of a magnification control device.

Claims

1. An endoscope including an endoscope connector connected to external equipment, the endoscope comprising:

a first electrical connector portion projecting from a first side of the endoscope connector and connected to a first electrical contact of the external equipment; and

a second electrical connector portion projecting from a second side of the endoscope connector opposite to the first side and connected to a second electrical contact of the external equipment.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein, in an endoscope body including an elongated insertion section, an operation section provided consecutively to a proximal end side of the insertion section, and a universal cord having one end connected to the operation section, the endoscope connector is connected to the other end of the universal cord.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the first electrical connector portion and the second electrical connector portion are oriented in different projecting directions from each other.

4. The endoscope according to claim 3,

wherein the first electrical connector portion is provided with a first electrode and the second electrical connector portion is provided with a second electrode, and

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are oriented in different projecting directions from each other.

5. The endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein the first electrical connector portion projects from a position on the first side of the endoscope connector opposite to the second electrical connector portion.

6. The endoscope according to claim 1,

wherein, between the first electrical connector portion and the second electrical connector portion of the endoscope connector, a shielding member is provided to prevent the transfer of noise radiated from the first electrical connector portion and the second electrical connector portion.

7. The endoscope according to claim 6,

wherein the endoscope connector includes an external cladding member forming therein an internal space, and

wherein the shielding member is formed by at least a first shielding member formed by the external cladding member.

8. The endoscope according to claim 7,

wherein the shielding member further includes a second shielding member for shielding between the first electrical connector portion and the second electrical connector portion in the internal space.

9. The endoscope according to claim 8,

wherein the shielding member further includes

a third shielding member for covering, in the internal space, at least a part of the internal space included in the first electrical connector portion, and

a fourth shielding member for covering, in the internal space, at least a part of the internal space included in the second electrical connector portion.

10. The endoscope according to claim 9,

wherein the third shielding member includes at least a first cup-shaped member for covering the part of the internal space included in the first electrical connector portion, and a second cup-shaped member for covering the first cup-shaped member.

11. The endoscope according to claim 6,

wherein the shielding member is formed of at least one of metal and resin.

12. The endoscope according to claim 8,

wherein at least the second shielding member is formed of resin.

13. The endoscope according to claim 8,

wherein the endoscope connector is inserted with a channel and a cable which extend over at least one of a range from the endoscope connector to an operation section through a universal cord and a range from the endoscope connector to a distal end of an insertion section through the universal cord, the operation section, and the insertion section, and

wherein the second shielding member is formed with through holes through which the channel and the cable are inserted.

14. An endoscope apparatus comprising:

the endoscope according to claim 1; and

the external equipment connected to the endoscope connector of the endoscope.

15. A method of connecting external equipment to an endoscope, the method comprising:

a step of connecting the first electrical contact of the external equipment to the first electrical connector portion projecting from the first side of the endoscope connector of the endoscope according to claim 1; and

a step of connecting the second electrical contact of the external equipment to the second electrical connector portion projecting from the second side of the endoscope connector opposite to the first side.