Abstract: An inspection instrument for accessing a target area has a shaft with a structural core of flexible material. The core has sufficient rigidity to provide a continuous frame for the shaft, but also allows the shaft to be flexible for deflection. The core has a conduit means which passes through the core along a non-straight path to act as a deflection compensation means for conduit means deformation during shaft bending or deflection.

Abstract: An endoscope and a disposable sanitary sheath are disclosed. In the preferred embodiment the core of the endoscope has indentations longitudinally extending along its exterior surface in a peanut-like cross-sectional configuration while the sheath has channels within longitudinally extending thicker portions. The sheath is positionable on the endoscope core with its thickened portions located within the indentations. Alternate embodiments are disclosed as are the method and apparatus for placing sheaths on endoscope cores and their removal.

Abstract: An elongated, tubular inspection instrument characterized as having a control head at its proximal end and an objective assembly at its distal end. Flexible fiber or rigid optics extend between the control head and the objective assembly for the purpose of transmitting to the control head an image viewed from the distal end. Optics located at the objective assembly can be manipulated at the control head to provide, rapidly in succession, either a forward looking view or a sideward looking view. The sideward looking view is always at a positively positioned predetermined angle from the forward looking view.

Abstract: An inspection instrument having a generally elongated flexible shaft extending between a control head at a proximal end and an objective assembly at a distal end. A bending section adjacent the objective assembly enables movement of the objective assembly between a neutral position and angularly disposed positions. A control member on the control head causes deflection of the objective assembly by means of a pair of operating cables which are operatively connected at their opposite ends to the control member and to the objective assembly. A compensating mechanism engages the cables intermediate their ends and is effective to guard the cable against excessive loads and also to readily accommodate variations in the working length of the cables as occurs when the cables are permanently stretched.

Abstract: An inspection instrument has an elongated flexible body which extends between a control assembly at a proximal end and an objective head at a distal end. Fiber optic bundles disposed within the instrument permit the illumination and the imaging of the interior regions of a structure being inspected. An articulating vertebrae assembly and a transitional coupler are disposed proximally of the objective head whereby the objective head is caused to move in an arc when tension is applied to interiorly disposed cables connecting the objective head to the control assembly. The vertebrae assembly is comprised of individual hollow vertebrae which are disposed along and axially aligned by a resilient stiffening member which is fixed at a distal end within the objective head and at a proximal end within the coupler.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the fabrication of a flexible shaft comprising a spiral cut member having an essentially uniform inside diameter and a tapered linear profile coextensive with at least a portion of the spiral of sai d member. This flexible shaft is fabricated initially by progressively removing a portion of the exterior wall along a predetermined segment of a relatively rigid tube thereby forming a tapered profile along such segment. A series of cuts are thereafter made in the wall of the tapered segment of the tube resulting in a progressive and transition free increase in flexibility along itslongitudinal dimension; that portion of the tapered segment having the thinner wall being increasingly more flexible than that portion of the tapered segment having a comparatively thicker wall.

Abstract: A highly focusable video camera for use in medical and surgical procedures in conjunction with an endoscope is shown. The video camera includes a cylindrical body defining a confinement space having an open end and a cover having an aperture on a top portion and a cylindrical sleeve which extends into the cylindrical body portion. An optical system is mounted on the cover and extends into the cylindrical body and the optical system receives and passes an optical image from an endoscope. The optical system is focusable by relative movement along its optical axis. The internal surface of the cylindrical body has a groove which is formed to have an axial pitch and the groove functions as a cam surface to receive and coact with a follower which is connected to the cylindrical sleeve. A sealing means is located between the interior surface of the body and the external surface of the body and the external surface of the sleeve for blocking passage of the fluid into the containment space.

Abstract: A highly compact focusable video camera for use in medical and surgical procedures in conjunction with an endoscope is shown. The focusable video camera includes a body having a front end and sidewalls which define a cavity, an adjusting element having an optical aperture positioned external of the body forward of the front end, an extension element integral to the adjusting element extending through and movable relative to the aperture in the front end portion which defines an optical path from the optical aperture of the adjusting element into the cavity, and an optical system aligned with the optical aperture in the optical path to define optical axes extending through the optical system and outside the body for receiving and transmitting an optical endoscope image.

Abstract: A highly compact focusable video camera for use in medical and surgical procedures in conjunction with an endoscope is shown. The focusable video camera includes a two-part body having a first body portion having an optically apertured forward end portion thereof and a cylindrical sidewall, a second body portion having a rearward end portion and a cylindrical sidewall wherein the first and second body portions are slidable one into the other and having portions of their respective cylindrical walls overlapping. A coacting member is located on the overlapped portion of the cylindrical wall of each body portion and causes relative forward and rearward axial motion of the body upon rotation of one body relative to the other. The body portions define a cavity having an optical aperture which defines an optical axis extending through the optical system and outside the body for receiving and transmitting optical images received from the endoscope.

Abstract: A video camera for use in medical surgical procedure in conjunction with an endoscope is shown. The video camera includes an optical system for receiving and optically processing an optical image from an endoscope. A solid-state sensor-converter is operatively positioned to receive the optical image after it is passed through the optical system and for converts the optical image into an unprocessed video signal. A video processing circuit is located adjacent the optical system and is electronically connected to receive the output of the sensor convertor. The video processing circuit is mounted around the optical system and transmits preprocessed output signals as an output from the video electronic processing circuit to a remote location and to a video output circuit. A soakable enclosure surrounds the optical system, the solid-state sensor converter and the video electronic processing circuit and includes a sealing member for maintaining the same in operative relationship.

Abstract: An integrated beam splitter and adjustable light intensity control adapter including a housing having a plurality of hollowed-out areas with openings from the interior thereof to the housing exterior, a connecting adapter to couple an optical device producing an optical image to the housing wherein the optical image passes through the openings within the housing, a viewing means coupled to the housing to enable a viewer to observe the optical image, a beam splitter positioned within the housing in one hollowed-out area to receive the optical image and pass a portion of the optical image along one optical path to the eyepiece and the remainder of the optical image along a second optical path to an optical system including a beam splitter and prism which deflect the remainder of the optical image into a second hollowed-out area within the housing, a light intensity control means positioned along the second optical path between the prism and an aperture extending from the second hollowed-out area to the exterior

Abstract: A miniature video camera means adapted for use in a video system having a video imaging means for producing an electrical video signal, a housing means defining an opening therethrough to permit an optical image from an optical device to be focused on an imaging surface of the video imaging means and circuit means formed into a geometric shape which defines a passageway of a geometrical dimension to permit the optical image to pass therethrough and wherein the circuit means is located in the housing between the housing opening and the imaging surface of the video imaging means and wherein the circuit means includes preamplifying means operatively connected to the video imaging means for receiving and amplifying the electrical video signals with a predetermined gain and driving means operatively connected to the preamplifying means and to an output circuit to drive the output circuit with an amplified electrical video signal is shown.

Abstract: An automatic iris control system adapted to be connected between a video camera and optical input device which produces an optical image from a light directed upon and reflected from a subject wherein the optical image is directed onto the surface of an electronic imaging tube in the video camera and the optical image has a wide variation of reflected light due to variations in distance of the subject from the light source and wherein the automatic iris control system has an adjustable iris and drive motor located between the surface of the electronic imaging tube and optical input device for dynamically varying the intensity of the optical image applied to the electronic imaging tube of the video camera, a light intensity programming circuit for establishing a desired light intensity level on the surface of the electronic imaging tube of the video camera, and an automatic iris control circuit having a low gain amplifier, a weighted peak response detector, a comparator, a circuit for controlling current to th

Abstract: A vidicon camera adapted for use in a direct wire television system and having a vidicon tube, a metal housing having means defining an opening therethrough to permit an optical image to be focused on the imaging surface of the vidicon tube, a first printed circuit board having an aperture of sufficient size to permit the optical image to pass therethrough positioned in the housing between the housing opening and the imaging surface of the vidicon tube wherein the first printed circuit board including preamplifier means electrically connected to the vidicon tube for receiving composite video signals and producing amplified in-phase adapted composite video signals, a second printed circuit board positioned between the end of the vidicon tube opposite the end having the imaging surface and the housing, wherein the second printed circuit board includes amplifier means for amplifying in-phase the composite video signals with a predetermined gain, emitter follower amplifying means electrically connected to the amp

Abstract: A television system for dimensional measurement of an object to produce an output analog voltage representative of the dimensional measurement and providing a direct visual readout of the dimensional measurement, which system includes a televising video signal having horizontal synchronizational signals and video information signals in horizontal scan lines which televising means has integral therewith means for generating a horizontal sweep voltage to control a horizontal line scan between successive horizontal synchronized signals, gating means responsive to a predetermined number of gating pulses established by a horizontal and vertical field of view positioning means, an amplifier for amplifying the composite video signal, generating means responsive to the black/white voltage level of the gated video information signal of each of a predetermined number of horizontal line scan increments for generating first and second control signals when the black/white level is at preselected levels, storing means such