Cable structure in electronic endoscope

• US 6,595,913 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kazuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US09/946,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20020028982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/110, 600/129, 600/130, 174/75.C
• US Class Current: 600/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00114 Electrical cables in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion

Abstract

A lead is connected to a shield through a notch formed on a sheathing of the shield so that the connecting part between the shield and the lead is contained within the notch. A sheathing of the lead can be directly connected over the sheathing of the shield, and at the same time the end of the shield and the end of the lead can be prevented from directly contacting with the core leads. Thus, the connecting part is not bulky, and the cable can be thinner.

Claims

1. A cable structure arranged in an insertion part of an electronic endoscope, the cable structure comprising:

a first lead;

a conductive shield member which covers the first lead;

a first non-conductive covering member which covers the shield member covering the first lead;

a second lead which is connected to the shield member at a connecting part; and

a second non-conductive covering member which covers the first lead and the second lead, an end of the second covering member being connected over an end of the first covering member, wherein;

the first covering member has an opening that forms a notch at the connecting part so that the shield member is exposed and connected to the second lead through the opening; and

the second covering member covers the end of the first covering member including the opening so as to cover the connecting part.

2. The cable structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an insulator member which is arranged between the first lead and the shield member so as to cover the first lead,

wherein an end of the insulator member protrudes from an end of the shield member.

3. The cable structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a heat-contractive tube which covers the first and second leads and the other end of the second covering member, the other end of the second covering member having a notch,

wherein when the heat-contractive tube is contracted with heat, the other end of the second covering member is fastened with the heat-contractive tube with respect to the first and second leads.

4. The cable structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the notch at the other end of the second covering member is V-shaped.

5. The cable structure as defined in claim 3, further comprising a binding tube which covers the first and second leads and is covered with the other end of the second covering member and the heat-contractive tube.

6. A cable structure arranged in an insertion part of an electronic endoscope, the cable structure comprising:

a plurality of leads;

a flexible tube which covers the plurality of leads, the flexible tube having a notch at an end thereof; and

a heat-contractive tube which covers the plurality of leads and the flexible tube,

wherein when the heat-contractive tube is contracted with heat, the end of the flexible tube is fastened with the heat-contractive tube with respect to the plurality of leads.

7. The cable structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the notch at the end of the flexible tube is V-shaped.

8. The cable structure as defined in claim 6, further comprising a binding tube which covers the plurality of leads and is covered with the end of the flexible tube and the heat-contractive tube.