Electronic endoscope apparatus

• US 8,033,992 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hino, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak; Linda
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nia; Alireza
• Application Number:
  US12/032,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 600/132, 600/139, 600/140, 600/144, 604/526, 604/527, 385/76, 385/101, 385/104, 385/106, 385/112
• US Class Current: 600/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00114 Electrical cables in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00117 Optical cables in or with an endoscope

Abstract

An electronic endoscope apparatus comprises: an intermediate member attached to a first cable of an electronic endoscope; a connector connected to a light source portion or to a processor portion; a second cable extending from the intermediate member and connecting to the connector; and a flexible outer-sheath for the second cable, the flexible outer-sheath comprising a flexible spiral tube and a resin outer skin provided on an exterior of the flexible spiral tube, wherein the flexible spiral tube is formed by spirally winding a strip body having engaging-projections respectively provided on its both side portions, so as to make the engaging-projections be engaged with each other and form a movable space which allows one of the engaging-projections to move with respect to the other one of the engaging-projections, and wherein an entirety of the flexible spiral tube is bendable with expansion and contraction of a space between the engaging-projections within the movable space.

Claims

1. An electronic endoscope apparatus comprising:

an intermediate member attached to a first cable of an electronic endoscope;

a first connector connected to a light source portion or to a processor portion;

a second cable extending from the intermediate member and connecting to the connector;

a flexible outer-sheath for the second cable, the flexible outer-sheath comprising a flexible spiral tube and a resin outer skin provided on an exterior of the flexible spiral tube; and

a sleeve having a spiral protrusion formed on its periphery and screwed and connected into an inside of the flexible spiral tube,

wherein the sleeve is fixed to the light source portion or to the processor portion,

wherein the flexible spiral tube is formed by spirally winding a strip body having engaging-projections respectively provided on its both side portions, so as to make the engaging-projections be engaged with each other and form a movable space which allows one of the engaging-projections to relatively move with respect to another one of the engaging-projections, and

wherein an entirety of the flexible spiral tube is bendable with expansion and contraction of a space between the engaging-projections within the movable space.

2. The electronic endoscope apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the intermediate member is a light source connector to be connected to the light source portion;

and

the first connector is an electronic connector to be connected to the processor portion.