Endoscope connecting system

• US 4,601,284 A
• Filed: 05/06/1985
• Issued: 07/22/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Arakawa, Satoshi, Cooper, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US06/730,947
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/6, 358/98
• US Class Current: 600/112
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00048 Constructional features of the display
• 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 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera

Abstract

An endoscope connecting system having as its imaging system a solid state imaging device for generating a video signal containing image information of an interested object which is transmitted to a display to be visualized such as a television picture comprises a fiberoptic endoscope having an eyepiece section on its control section, a video endoscope having a solid state imaging device disposed in its insertion section for generating a video signal, an adaptor having a solid state imaging device therein which is detachably mounted on the eyepiece section of the fiberoptic endoscope and a light source device for producing illumination light to enter the fiberoptic endoscope or the video endoscope in a red, green and blue sequence. The adaptor permits the connection of the fiberoptic endoscope to video signal processing means for the video endoscope so as to display an image of the interested object on the monitor equipment.

Claims

1. An endoscope connecting system for use in displaying an image from inside a cavity onto a monitor equipment comprising:

a first endoscope comprising a first insertion section insertable into a cavity of an interested object, a control section coupled to said first connection section and an imaging system including first optical illumination means and optical imaging means for transmitting an image of said object so as to be observed through an eyepiece section mounted on said control section;

a second endoscope comprising a second insertion section insertable into a cavity of an interested object, an imaging system including second optical illumination means and a first solid state imaging device for generating a video signal which accepts a visual image information and converts it into an electrical video signal, both said means being incorporated within said second insertion section;

an adaptor detachably mounted on said eyepiece section of said first endoscope, said adaptor including therein a second solid state imaging device which accepts information of said transmitted visual image and converts it into a video signals;

a control unit connectable to said second endoscope and said adaptor, said control unit further comprising an illumination light source for providing light in a red, green and blue sequence and a video signal processor for processing said video signal from said first or second video signal and providing a composite video signal for presenting an image of the object on a monitor equipment.

2. An endoscope connecting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said adaptor has its one end provided with a connector which is incorporated with said second solid state imaging device therein and is detachably mounted on said eyepiece section of said first endoscope and its opposite end provided with a connector adapted to be connected to said video signal processor in said control unit.

3. An endoscope connecting system as defined in claim 2, wherein said illumination light source comprises a light source for emitting illumination light, a regulator for regulating the intensity of light from said light source, filtering means disposed in front of said light source carring color filters of red, green and blue annularly arranged therein at equal angular intervals and a motor for rotating said filtering means.

4. An endoscope connecting system as defined in claim 3, wherein said first and second optical illumination means and said optical image transmission means include optical fiber bundles.