Videoendoscopic system

• US 7,212,737 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Forster, Thomas, Kraas, Mathias, Dehmel, Joachim, Spahn, Gilbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey; W. B.
• Application Number:
  US11/058,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20050191046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 396/17, 396/267, 348/67, 348/68, 348/73, 348/75, 600/160, 600/172, 600/174, 600/175, 600/182
• US Class Current: 396/17
• 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 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70

Abstract

A videoendoscopic system (1) including an endoscope optical system (2) and a camera portion (3), the endoscope optical system (2) having an elongated shaft (4) through which an optical image guide (5) and a fiber light guide (6) pass, and an end housing (7), which is proximally connected to the shaft (4) and has an image exit window (10) and a light entry window (8) with radiation directions that are parallel to one another and to the axis of the shaft (4). The camera portion (3) includes a camera housing (15), from which an image signal cable (24) and a light guide cable (20) pass out, and an image entry window (18) and a light exit window (19), which are arranged with parallel radiation directions at a distance from the windows (8, 10) in the end housing (7) and the end housing (7). The camera housing (15) is constructed with a rotationally fixedly lockable coupling device (7, 16, 25, 26, 19) for coupling the windows (8, 19; 10, 18) to one another in a centering manner. The the coupling device has a cylinder (7) on one of the housings and a matching bore (16) on the other housing (15). The windows (8, 10; 19, 18) are arranged in the end wall (11) of the cylinder (7) and the base wall (17) of the bore (16).

Claims

1. A videoendoscopic system comprising an endoscope optical system and a camera portion, the endoscope optical system having an elongated shaft through which an optical image guide and a fiber light guide extend, and an end housing, which is proximally connected to the shaft and has an image exit window and a light entry window, the camera portion including a camera housing, extending from which are an image signal cable and a light guide cable, and an image entry window and a light exit window, the end housing and the camera housing carrying co-operating rotationally lockable coupling means arranged to couple the housings together and to lock the housing in a relative rotational position in which the image entry and exit windows are in alignment and the light entry and exit windows are in alignment, the coupling means including a cylinder with an end wall on one of the housings and a complementary bore with a base wall in the other housing, the windows being arranged in the end wall of the cylinder and the base wall of the bore.

2. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera housing defines the bore.

3. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image entry and exit windows are situated on an axis of the cylinder.

4. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the windows are arranged axially offset from an outer surface of the end wall and an outer surface the base wall, in which they are situated.

5. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the camera is rotatably movably arranged within the camera housing.

6. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image entry and exit windows are situated on an axis of the cylinder.

7. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the windows are arranged axially offset from an outer surface of the end wall and an outer surface the base wall, in which they are situated.

8. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the windows are arranged axially offset from an outer surface of the end wall and an outer surface the base wall, in which they are situated.

9. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the camera is rotatably movably arranged within the camera housing.

10. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the camera is rotatably movably arranged within the camera housing.

11. The videoendoscopic system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the camera is rotatably movably arranged within the camera housing.