Electronic endoscope system provided with a separate camera controlling unit and motor controlling unit

• US 5,159,446 A
• Filed: 06/21/1991
• Issued: 10/27/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshimitsu, Koichi, Hibino, Hiroki, Suzuki, Akira, Takara, Toshiyuki, Yoshikawa, Mutsumi, Takehana, Sakae, Goto, Masahito, Oaki, Yoshinao, Nagayama, Yoshikatsu, Aoki, Yoshisada
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/719,272
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 358/98, 128/4,6
• US Class Current: 348/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• 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 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

At least one controlling unit of a controlling unit for controlling a bending driving motor bending driving a bendable portion, a controlling unit for controlling an advancing and retreating driving motor advancing and retreating moving an insert section and a controlling unit for controlling a rotating driving motor rotating driving the insert section and a camera controlling unit for processing a signal for an imaging device are made separate from each other so that such existing scope as an electronic scope or fiber scope fitted with a TV camera may be used.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope system comprising:

an electronic endoscope provided with an elongate and flexible insert section, an illuminating light emitting means for transmitting an illuminating light fed from outside and emitting it from an illuminating window of a distal end component of said insert section, an objective optical system provided in the distal and component of said insert section, an imaging means for photoelectrically converting an optical image based on said objective optical system and a first connector connected to a cable connected with said imaging means;

an electric operating means for electrically performing at least one of an operation of bending a bendable portion provided in said insert section, an operation of advancing and retreating movement of said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section and an operation of rotating said insert section around the axial direction of said insert section;

a second connector connected to a cable connected with said electric operating means;

a video signal processing unit provided with a first connector receptacle making said first connector connectable and processing a signal for said imaging means to produce a video signal;

an electric driving means for at least one of a bending driving means for bending and driving said bendable portion, an advancing and retreating driving means for advancing and retreating moving said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section and a rotating driving means for rotating driving said insert section in response to the operation of said electric operating means;

a controlling unit formed separately from said video signal processing unit, provided with a second connector receptacle making said second connector connectable and controlling said electric driving means in response to the operation of said electric operating means;

a light source apparatus provided with a connector receptable making the connector of said illuminating light emitting means connectable and feeding said illuminating light; and

a monitor means for displaying said video signal.

2. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electronic endoscope is an electronic scope in which a photoelectric converting surface of said imaging means is arranged in the focal plane of said objective optical system.

3. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electronic endoscope is a TV camera externally fitted scope formed of a fiber scope having an image guide in which one end surface is arranged in the focal plane of said objective optical system and an optical image is transmitted to the other end surface on the eyepiece portion side and a TV camera which can be fitted to said eyepiece portion and has said imaging means built-in for photoelectrically converting the optical image transmitted to said other end surface.

4. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electric operating means is provided in said electronic endoscope.

5. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electric operating means has an electric bending operating means for electrically controlling the bending of said bendable portion, said electric driving means has said bending driving means for bending driving said bendable portion in response to the operation of said electric bending operating means and said controlling unit has a bending controlling unit controlling the bending drive of said bending driving means.

6. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electric operating means has an electric advancing and retreating operating means for electrically advancing and retreating said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section, said electric driving means has said advancing and retreating driving means for advancing and retreating driving said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section in response to the operation of said electric advancing and retreating operating means and said controlling unit has an advancing and retreating controlling unit for controlling the advancing and retreating drive of said advancing and retreating driving means in response to the operation of said electric advancing and retreating operating means.

7. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electric operating means has an electric rotating operating means for rotating said insert section around the axial direction of said insert section, said electric driving means has said rotating driving means for rotating said insert section around the axial direction of said insert section in response to the operation of said electric rotating operating means and said controlling unit has a rotation controlling unit for controlling the rotating drive of said rotating driving means in response to the operation of said electric rotating operating means.

8. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electronic endoscope has an air feeding/water feeding tube for feeding air and feeding water and a sucking tube for suction.

9. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 8 having an electric air feeding/water feeding &

sucking operating means for making an air feeding/water feeding operation and sucking operation and an electric air feeding/water feeding &

sucking means for feeding air/feeding water &

sucking through said air feeding/water feeding tube and said sucking tube in response to the operation of said electric air feeding/water feeding &

sucking operating means.

10. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 9 wherein said electric air feeding/water feeding &

sucking operating means is provided in said electronic endoscope.

11. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 9 having an air feeding/water feeding &

sucking controlling unit for controlling feeding air/feeding water and controlling sucking respectively through said air feeding/water feeding tube and said sucking tube in response to the operation of said electric air feeding/water feeding &

sucking operating means.

12. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 11 wherein said air feeding/water feeding &

sucking controlling unit and said light source appartus are housed within a common housing.

13. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 12 wherein said air feeding/water feeding &

sucking controlling unit and said controlling unit are housed within a common housing.

14. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 9 wherein said air feeding/water feeding &

sucking controlling unit, said light source appartus and said controlling circuit unit are housed within a common housing.

15. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said controlling unit and said light source apparatus are housed within a common housing.

16. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said video signal processing unit and said light source apparatus are housed within a common housing.

17. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 9 wherein said video signal processing unit and said air feeding/water feeding &

sucking controlling unit are housed within a common housing.

18. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 9 wherein said video signal processing unit, said light source apparatus and said air feeding/water feeding &

sucking controlling unit are housed within a common housing.

19. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electric operating means is an on/off operating switch.

20. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 5 wherein said electric bending operating means is a joystick.

21. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electric driving means is formed of a motor.

22. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 5 wherein said bending driving means is provided within said electronic endoscope.

23. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said electric operating means has an electric bending operating means for electrically controlling the bending of said bendable portion, an electric advancing and retreating operating means for electrically advancing and retreating said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section and an electric rotating operating means for rotating said insert section around the axial direction of said insert section.

24. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 23 wherein said electric driving means has said bending driving means for bending and driving said bendable portion in response to the operation of said electric bending operating means, said advancing and retreating driving means for advancing and retreating said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section in response to the operation of said electric advancing and retreating operating means and said rotating driving means for rotating said insert section around the axial direction of said insert section.

25. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 24 wherein said controlling unit has a bending controlling unit for controlling the bending drive of said bending driving means, an advance and retreat controlling unit for controlling the advancing and retreating drive of said advancing and retreating driving means and a rotation controlling unit for controlling the rotating drive of said rotating driving means.

26. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 6 wherein said advancing and retreating driving means has a ring-like member contacting the outer peripheral surface on the base end side of said insert section and a motor advancing and retreating said insert section by rotating and driving said ring-like member.

27. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 7 wherein said rotating driving means has a ring-like member contacting the outer peripheral surface on the base end side of said insert section and a motor rotating said insert section around the axial direction of said insert section by rotating and driving said ring-like member.

28. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 5 wherein said bending controlling unit has a bending vibration controlling function of feeding a vibrating driving signal to said bending driving means and vibrating said bendable portion and said electric bending operating means has a bending vibrating operating means for selecting said bending vibration control.

29. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 6 wherein said advance and retreat controlling unit has an advancing and retreating vibration controlling function of feeding a vibrating driving signal to said advancing and retreating driving means and vibrating said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section and said electric advancing and retreating operation means has an advancing and retreating vibrating operating means for selecting said advancing and retreating vibration control.

30. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 7 wherein said rotation controlling unit has a rotating vibration controlling function of feeding a vibrating driving signal to said rotating driving means and vibrating said insert section around the axial direction of said insert section and said electric rotating operating means has a rotating vibrating operating means for selecting said rotating vibration control.

31. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said first connector cable and said second connector cable are inserted through one coating member.

32. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said first connector and said second connector are integrated to form an integrated connector.

33. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 31 wherein one of said first connector cable and said second connector cable is further extended out of the other cable connector.

34. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 32 wherein said video signal processing unit and said controlling unit will form a connector receptacle which can connect said integrated connector when combined with each other.

35. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said first connector and said second connector are formed as separated.

38. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 1 wherein said first connector and said second connector are integrated to form an integrated connector.

40. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 38 wherein said video signal processing unit and said controlling unit will form a connector receptacle which can connect said integrated connector when combined with each other.

36. An electronic endoscope system comprising:

an electronic endoscope provided with an elongated and flexible insert section, an illuminating light emitting means for emitting an illuminating light from a distal end component of said insert section, an objective system provided in the distal end component of said insert section, an imaging means for photoelectrically converting an optical image based on said objective optical system and a first connector connected to a cable connected with said imaging means;

an electric operating means for electrically performing at least one of an operation of bending a bendable portion provided in said insert section, an operation of advancing and retreating driving said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section and an operation of rotating said insert section around the axial direction of said insert section;

a second connector connected to a cable connected with said electric operating means;

a video signal processing unit provided with a first connector receptable making said first connector connectable and processing a signal for said imaging means to produce a video signal;

an electric driving means of at least one of a bending driving means for bending and driving said bendable portion, an advancing and retreating driving means for advancing and retreating moving said insert section in the axial direction of said insert section in response to the operation of said electric operating means;

a controlling unit formed separately from said video signal processing unit, provided with a second connector receptable making said second connector connectable and controlling said electric driving means in response to the operation of said electric operating means; and

a monitor means for displaying said video signal.

37. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 36 wherein said first connector cable and said second connector cable are inserted through one coating member.

39. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 37 wherein one of said first connector cable and said second connector cable is further extended out of the other cable connector.

41. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 36 wherein said first connector and said second connector are formed as separated.

42. An electronic endoscope system according to claim 36 having a light emitting body provided in the distal end component of said insert section and a driving means for driving said light emitting body.