Image pickup apparatus having connector capable of separately shielding grouped electrical connections

• US 4,974,075 A
• Filed: 07/20/1988
• Issued: 11/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Application Number:
  US07/221,976
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 358/98, 439/379, 439/607, 439/608, 439/609, 439/610, 439/675, 439/909, 439/582, 439/592, 439/668, 128/4, 128/6, 128/46
• US Class Current: 348/75
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00124 electrical, e.g. electrical plug-and-socket connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6585 Shielding material individually surrounding or interposed between mutually spaced contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

An electrical connector for electrically connecting an image pickup unit and a system for processing signals supplied therefrom. Signal cables are separated into some groups so that signals in different cables in each group do not considerably interfere with each other. The groups of cables are respectively shielded by shielding members, and an inner conductor of each shielded signal cable is connected to a contact of a single-pin structure for electrical connection to a corresponding conductor while shielding members are electrically connected by electrical contacts of a single-pin structure.

Claims

1. A video endoscope system comprising:

an image pick up means including photoelectric transfer function;

a video processor supplying a driving signal to said image pick up means and receiving an image signal from the image pick up means;

an electrical connection device for connecting said image pick up means and said video processor;

a plurality of contacting means for respectively transmitting said driving signal, a video signal and the like;

a first shielding means for electrically shielding the plurality of contacting means transmitting a vertical synchronizing pulse of the driving signal from among the plurality of contacting means; and

a second shielding means, electrically separated from said first shielding means, for shielding said contacting means transmitting said video signals.

2. A video endoscope system according to claim 1 further comprising a third shielding means, electrically separated from said first and second shielding means, for shielding the contacting means transmitting a horizontal synchronizing pulse of said driving signal.

3. A video endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of contacting means consisting of respective pins and pin receivers and said first and second shielding means respectively comprising a contacting means for connecting with a grounding conductor consisting of a pair of pins and pin receivers.