Electronic endoscope having an insertional portion a part of which is a conductive armor

• US 5,873,816 A
• Filed: 10/30/1995
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Nobuyuki, Kagawa, Hiroaki, Saito, Katsuyuki, Saito, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US08/550,501
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/110, 600/134, 600/112, 600/139, 600/160, 348/65, 348/66, 348/71, 348/74, 348/75, 348/76
• US Class Current: 600/134
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00114 Electrical cables in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0607 for annular illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• 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

Abstract

An electronic endoscope system comprises an insertional part at least part of whose armor is a conductor, an imaging unit incorporated in the insertional part and realized with a solid-state imaging device, a signal transmitting device for transmitting an electric signal that results from photoelectric conversion performed by the solid-state imaging device, and a signal processor for transforming an electric signal transmitted by the signal transmitting device into a video signal. The conductor serving as the armor of the insertional part is electrically isolated from the imaging unit, signal transmitting device, signal processor, and around.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

an insertional part, for inserting into a human body cavity, at least part of whose armor is formed with a conducting member;

an imaging means incorporated in said insertional part and realized with a solid-state imaging device;

a signal transmitting means for transmitting an electric signal resulting from photoelectric conversion performed by said solid-state imaging device; and

a signal processing means for transforming said electric signal transmitted by said signal transmitting means into a video signal;

said conducting member, exposed to said human body cavity, serving as said armor of said insertional part being electrically isolated from said imagingmeans, signal transmitting means, and signal processing means, wherein said conducting member is isolated from ground;

further including shield means for covering outer peripheries of said imaging means and signal transmitting means, wherein said shield means include an armor which is sheathed with an insulating means for insulating said shield means.

4. An electronic endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply means for supplying power to said signal processing means, wherein said signal processing means and power supply means are insulated from each other.

5. An electronic endoscope according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said shield means is electrically coupled to a ground in said signal processing means.

6. An electronic endoscope according to claims 1, 2, or 3, further including a grip joined with the proximal end of said insertional part, wherein said grip includes an armor formed with an insulating member.

7. An electronic endoscope according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said insulating means is a thermo-contractive tube.

2. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

an insertional part, for inserting into a human body cavity, whose armor is formed with a conducting member, wherein said conducting member is isolated from ground;

an imaging means incorporated in said insertional part and realized with a solid-state imaging device;

a signal transmitting means for transmitting an electric signal resulting from photoelectric conversion performed by said imaging means;

a signal processing means for transforming said electric signal transmitted by said signal transmitting means into a video signal;

a shield means for shielding said imaging means and signal transmitting means; and

an insulating means, exposed to said human body cavity, for covering an outer periphery of said shield means.

8. An electronic endoscope according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a power supply means for supplying power to said signal processing means, wherein conducting means serving as an armor of said insertional part and said signal processing means are insulated from each other, said signal processing means and power supply means are insulated from each other.

9. An electronic endoscope according to claim 2 or 3, wherein an outer periphery of a conducting member serving as an armor of said insertional part is covered with an insulation layer.

10. An electronic endoscope according to claim 2, wherein an objective optical system opposed to an imaging surface of said imaging means is composed of a lens frame member holding optical lenses and a locking frame member fixed to said shield means, and said lens frame member is formed with an insulating member.

11. An electronic endoscope according to claim 10, wherein said lens frame member formed with an insulating member overlaps an end of a thermo-contractive tube serving as said insulating means.

3. An electronic endoscope, comprising:

an insertional part whose armor is at least in part formed with a conducting member which is isolated from ground, for inserting into a human body cavity, composed of a distal rigid unit stowing an imaging means realized with a solid-state imaging device, a proximal rigid unit stowing at least some of electric parts that constitute a signal processor for said imaging means, and a bending section lying between said distal rigid unit and proximal rigid unit and stowing a connection cable that links said imaging means and electric parts;

a signal transmitting means for transmitting an electric signal from said at least some electric parts resulting from photoelectric conversion performed by said imaging means;

a signal processing means for transforming an electric signal transmitted by said signal transmitting means into a video signal;

a shield means for shielding said solid-state imaging device, connection cable, signal processor, and signal transmitting means; and

an insulating means, exposed to said human body cavity, for covering an outer periphery of said shield means.

12. An electronic endoscope according to claim 3, wherein an objective optical system opposed to an imaging surface of said imaging means is composed of a lens frame member holding optical lenses and a locking frame member fixed to said shield means, and said locking frame member is formed with an insulating member.

13. An electronic endoscope according to claim 12, wherein said locking frame member formed with an insulating member overlaps an end of a thermo-contractive tube serving as said insulating means.

14. An electronic endoscope according to claim 3, further comprising:

a signal processor printed-circuit board lying between said imaging means and signal processing means, containing plurality of terminals, wherein said signal transmitting means includes center conductors and outer conductors, wherein said center conductors are attached to said plurality of terminals, and wherein said electric parts are interconnected and mounted; and

a holder that is equalized in potential with said outer conductors of said signal transmitting means and is in contact with or adjacent to said signal processor printed-circuit board, wherein said terminals on said signal processor printed-circuit board are spatially separated from ends of said outer conductors of said signal transmitting means.

15. An electronic endoscope according to claim 14, wherein said terminals on said signal processor printed-circuit board are separated from a position at which said holder is in contact with or adjacent to said signal processor printed-circuit board, and said terminals and said ends of said outer conductors are spatially separated from each other.

16. An electronic endosdope according to claim 14, wherein a ditch is formed on one side of said signal processor printed-circuit board or holder on which said holder is in contact with or adjacent to said signal processor printed-circuit board, and wherein said terminals on said signal processor printed-circuit board and said ends of said outer conductors of said signal transmitting means are spatially separated from each other.

17. An electronic endoscope according to claim 16, wherein said holder includes margins.

18. An electronic endoscope according to claim 14, wherein said electric signal comprises video signals and said plurality of terminals include a video signal input terminal and a video signal output terminal to which some of said center conductors are attached, and wherein said video signal input terminal and a video signal output terminal are separate from the remaining of said plurality of terminals.

19. An electronic endoscope according to claim 18, wherein a signal processing IC made out of electric parts interconnected and mounted on said signal processor printed-circuit board is separated from the remaining of said plurality of terminals, said video signal input terminal and video signal output terminal are arranged near said signal processing IC.

20. An electronic endoscope according to claim 3, wherein said at least some electric parts arranged in said proximal rigid unit are freely movable at least in a longitudinal direction of said insertional part of said electronic endoscope.

21. An electronic endoscope according to claim 20, wherein said connection cable coupled to said image means in said distal rigid unit and routed through said bending section is sheathed with at least a portion of said shield means having flexibility at least within said bending section.

22. An electronic endoscope according to claim 20, wherein said at least some electric parts disposed in said proximal rigid unit are stowed in a protective member.

23. An electronic endoscope according to claim 22, wherein said protective member is formed with a conducting member.

24. An electronic endoscope according to claim 22 or 23, wherein said signal transmitting means includes signal lines which directly link said signal processing means and said imaging means, said signal lines being routed through said protective member.

25. An electronic endoscope according to claim 20, wherein a shield frame that stows and shields said electric parts is incorporated in said insertional part, wherein said connection cable links said imaging means situated in said distal rigid unit of said insertional part and portions of said at least some electric parts, and wherein said connection cable and said signal transmitting means are fixed to both ends of said shield frame by locking means.

26. An electronic endoscope according to claim 25, wherein a plurality of signal lines constituting said signal transmitting means are sheathed all together with a general shield member that is electrically coupled to said shield frame.