Covered endoscope system

• US 5,536,236 A
• Filed: 03/26/1993
• Issued: 07/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Akira, Tamada, Osamu, Ito, Hideo, Yabe, Hisao, Iida, Yoshihiro, Yamazaki, Minoru, Ishiguro, Tsutomu, Tashiro, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US08/037,336
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/6, 600/121, 600/125, 600/129, 600/123, 600/124
• US Class Current: 600/125
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00089 Hoods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00091 Nozzles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/127 with means for preventing fogging A61B1/253 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/128 provided with means for regulating temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes

Abstract

A covered endoscope system according to the present invention comprises a cover and a coverable endoscope to be inserted into the cover for use. Herein, an optical filter is mounted in the distal part of a cover abutting on the front of an observation optical system of the coverable endoscope.

Claims

1. A covered endoscope system, comprising:

a cover;

a coverable endoscope to be inserted into said cover for use; and

an alignment holding means extends around the entire inner surface of a distal end portion of said cover wherein said alignment holding means holds together said cover and said coverable endoscope by providing a frictional fit between a substantially large area of the external surface of a distal end portion of said coverable endoscope and a substantially large area of the inner surface of a distal end portion of said cover.

2. A covered endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said alignment holding means is a rough surface formed as part of the inner surface of said endoscope alignment hole.

3. A covered endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said alignment holding means is a rough surface formed as part of the outer surface of said distal part of said coverable endoscope.

4. A covered endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein said alignment holding means is an elastic member lining the inner surface of an endoscope alignment hole formed in said distal end portion of said cover.