Endoscope apparatus

• US 8,194,380 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evident Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Murata, Masanao, Suzuki, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHARTI HARIDAS
• Application Number:
  US11/567,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20070230075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 600/101, 600/109
• US Class Current: 361/111
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2492 Arrangements for use in a hostile environment, e.g. a very hot, cold or radioactive environment
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/008 Intrinsically safe circuits

Abstract

A scope unit 2 including a control unit 3 and an insertion portion 4 is attached to a main unit 1 via a scope connector 5. An optical adaptor 8 is attached to a tip of the insertion portion 4. The CCD 31, HICs 32, 33, and the thermistor 34 are attached to the tip of the insertion portion 4. A liquid crystal module 36 is attached to the optical adaptor 8. A barrier circuit 64 limits energy supplied to these components in a circuit disposed in the scope unit 2. By disposing the barrier circuit 64 in the scope connector 5, the portion extending from the barrier circuit 64 to, i.e., the control unit 3, the insertion portion 4, and the optical adaptor 8 are of the explosion-proof construction. Thus, these can be used in a hazardous explosive location. Thus, an endoscope apparatus that can be used in combustible gas or dust can be provided.

Claims

1. An endoscope apparatus configured for use in a potentially explosive environment, the endoscope apparatus comprising:

a scope unit having a control unit;

an image pickup element disposed at a tip of the scope unit;

an insertion portion connected to the control unit;

a main unit connected to the scope unit and the control unit;

a barrier circuit disposed in the scope unit which uses a zener diode connected to ground so as to limit energy applied to a circuit; and

an image pickup element drive board disposed in the scope unit so as to produce various pulses for driving the image pick up element and to produce a power supply,

wherein the barrier circuit is configured to pass an output signal to the image pickup element and an input signal from the image pickup element and the barrier circuit is further configured to limit an output signal from the image pickup element drive board, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the output signal as a factor in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, and;

wherein the barrier circuit includes a circuit device coated with an electrically insulating material.

2. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said barrier circuit is substantially disposed at an edge of the main unit and the insertion portion;

and

in order to limit direct-current energy, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the direct-current energy as a factor in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, the barrier circuit uses at least three zener diodes and a resistance,

in order to limit alternating energy, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the alternating energy as a factor in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, the barrier circuit uses at least three coupling condensers,

in order to limit direct-current energy and alternating-current energy, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the direct-current and alternating energy as factors in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, the barrier circuit uses at least three zener diodes, a resistance, and at least three coupling condensers in combination thereof,

so that the portion extending from the barrier circuit is of an explosion-proof construction based on explosion-protection regulations.

3. An industrial endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fuse inserted into the circuit in order to limit the direct-current energy.

4. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said barrier circuit is substantially disposed at an edge of the main unit and the insertion unit;

and

in order to limit direct-current energy, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the direct-current energy as a factor in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, the barrier circuit uses a current-limiting circuit using at least a resistance or two semiconductors, and at least two zener diodes,

in order to limit alternating energy, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the alternating energy as a factor in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, the barrier circuit uses at least two coupling condensers, and in order to limit direct-current energy and alternating-current energy, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the direct-current and alternating energy as factors in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, the barrier circuit uses a current-limiting circuit using at least a resistance or two semiconductors, and at least two coupling condensers in combination thereof,

so that the portion extending from the barrier circuit is of an explosion-proof construction based on explosion-protection regulations.

5. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a fuse inserted into the circuit in order to limit the direct-current energy.

6. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scope unit is further provided with a scope connector connected to the main unit detachably,

the barrier circuit is disposed in the scope connector, and

the portion extending from the scope connector is of explosion-proof construction.

7. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portion extending from the barrier circuit is provided with an identification section so that the portion can be identified.

8. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the energy for driving the image pickup element is limited by the barrier circuit.

9. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the barrier circuit for limiting the energy for driving the image pickup element limits energy in a pulse transmitted to the image pickup element and serves as a differentiating circuit for reshaping waveforms.

10. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the barrier circuit, is disposed prior to a pre-amplifier, for limiting the energy of picked up image applied to terminals of the image-capturing element output from the image pickup element serves as a matching resistance.

11. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an insulating member for covering at least one of a signal line extending from the image-capturing element to the tip of the scope unit and other signal lines.

12. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light-emitting element disposed onto the tip of the scope unit, wherein

the energy for driving the light-emitting element is limited by the barrier circuit.

13. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the light-emitting element is driven by a positive potential with respect to ground and by a negative potential with respect to ground.

14. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

an optical image from the tip of the scope unit is introduced to the main unit via a fiber scope or a bore scope,

a light-emitting element is disposed on the tip of the scope unit,

the energy for driving the light-emitting element is limited by the barrier circuit.

15. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the light-emitting element is an LED light-emitting section.

16. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor for measuring a peripheral temperature of the object disposed onto the tip of the scope unit so that the energy of output measured by the temperature sensor is limited by the barrier circuit.

17. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a motor for bending the insertion portion of the scope unit, wherein

the energy for driving the motor is limited by the barrier circuit.

18. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising operation switches for various operations, wherein the energy of logic signals from the switches is limited by the barrier circuit.

19. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a lighting section is disposed in the main unit, wherein

the light emission from the lighting section is introduced by an optical guide and emitted from the tip of the scope unit, and

the energy for driving the image pickup element is limited by the barrier circuit.

20. An endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in order to limit direct-current energy, the barrier circuit uses at least two zener diodes.

21. An endoscope apparatus configured for use in a potentially explosive environment, the endoscope apparatus comprising:

a scope unit including a control unit;

an image pickup element disposed at a tip of the scope unit;

an insertion portion connected to the control unit;

a main unit connected to the scope unit and the control unit;

a barrier circuit disposed in the scope unit which includes a zener diode connected to ground and configured to limit energy applied to a circuit, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the energy as a factor in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, and

an image pickup element drive board disposed in the scope unit so and configured to produce various pulses for driving the image pick up element and to produce a power supply,

wherein the barrier circuit is configured to pass an output signal to the image pickup element and an input signal from the image pickup element, the barrier circuit is further configured to limit an output signal from the image pickup element drive board, to an extent sufficient to eliminate the output signal as a factor in causing explosion in said potentially explosive environment, and the barrier circuit includes a circuit device coated with an electrically insulating coating material so as to shorten a distance between circuit patterns of the barrier circuit.

22. The endoscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the coating material is a silicon coating material.