Abstract: An imaging device assembly for an electronic stereoscopic endoscope system comprises right and left solid state image pick-up modules set out side by side and right and left circuit boards with circuits formed thereon, respectively, that are connected to the right and left image pick-up modules, respectively. Each circuit board comprises a front section having a width approximately equal to a width of the solid state image pick-up module and a rear section broader than the front board section which is shaped to project laterally so as to overhang a rear section of the other circuit board and on which electronic parts incorporated in the circuit are mounted.

Abstract: A measurement endoscope system comprises an electronic endoscope, an image processing unit, a control device, a display device, a first reference line designation block, a first reference plane designation block, a contour border designation block, and an arithmetic and logic block. The electronic endoscope has an imaging unit. The present invention relates to a measurement endoscope system that measures the area of a missing portion of an object matter, or more particularly, the area of a missing portion of an edge of an object matter.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus has an endoscope that is arranged to be connectable to a processor unit, and has a first, second and third operation switches provided on an operation section of the endoscope for operating various functions. The endoscope is provided with a rotary switch that is used to select one of combinations of predetermined functions allocated to the first, second and third operation switches. This allows any switch functions to be altered and defined only by the endoscope without cumbersome operations.

Abstract: An aperture mechanism of this apparatus is provided with an aperture blade which has, for example, an outline converging toward the front end with a shielding width of the front-end blade section smaller than the diameter of a ray bundle transmitted into a light guide to achieve desired dimming by shielding the light in proximity of the central region in the ray bundle earlier than that in the outer regions. Thus, a relatively narrow distribution of light will be radiated onto an observed object for a long-distance examination of smaller aperture quantities and a wide distribution of illumination light will be radiated for a short-distance examination of larger aperture quantities. In addition, the aperture mechanism may be configured to move a small-circle aperture blade which is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the ray bundle disposed on the optical axis in the direction of optical axis to shield the light in proximity of the central region in the ray bundle earlier than that in the outer regions.

Abstract: An autoclavable endoscopic optical coupler includes the capability to optically couple an endoscope and a camera, so that a focused image will be communicated to the camera head. Furthermore, the coupler has the capability of withstanding multiple autoclave sterilization treatments without allowing moisture to penetrate the interior. The coupler includes a lens holder assembly that has an endobody on one portion and a second portion that is inserted into and coupled to a coupler body. The coupler body has a camera attached at one of its ends. A focus ring is physically coupled to the coupler body, which is coupled to the lens holder assembly. Turning the focus ring causes a translation motion of the lens holder assembly and endoscope with respect to the camera head.

Abstract: A light-source device for an endoscope includes a housing, first and second lamps, and first and second movable lamp mounting sections. The first movable lamp-mounting section is transferable with respect to the housing between first and second lamp positions. The second movable lamp-mounting section is attached to the first movable lamp-mounting section and is transferable between a lighting position and a lamp replacing position. The first lamp is optically connected to a light guide cable when the second movable lamp-mounting section is positioned at the lighting position and when the first movable lamp-mounting section is positioned at the first lamp position. The second lamp is optically connected to the light guide cable when the second movable lamp-mounting section is positioned at the lighting position and when the first movable lamp-mounting section is positioned at the second lamp position.

Abstract: An omnidirectional endoscope device 1 is provided at a distal end part of an insertion section 12 of an endoscope 10 with an omnidirectional light receiving unit 20 for receiving an incident light from all around the periphery in the peripheral direction and reflecting the light toward a relay lens optical system 13. The insertion section 12 slidably pierces through a retaining cylinder 33. A light guide 35 (illumination light transmitting means) is embedded in the retaining cylinder 33, and an outgoing surface at the distal end of this light guide 35 is faced with a distal end face of the retaining cylinder 33. The retaining cylinder 33 can be operated in a sliding manner by a grip 31 disposed at the basal end. By this, the illumination light can strike upon the view field of the omnidirectional light receiving mechanism regardless whether the inside space of an image to be observed is large or small.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a insertion tube which is inserted into a human body, an imaging device, an object optical system which forms image on the imaging device, a detachable unit accommodating the imaging device and the object optical system. The detachable unit is detachably mounted to a mounting portion of the insertion tube. At least one first contact is provided to the detachable unit. At least one second contact is provided to the mounting portion. The first and second contacts are electrically connected when the detachable unit is mounted to the mounting portion. A waterproof arrangement is provided to prevent water from entering a connecting potion of the first and second contacts.

Abstract: A light source device for endoscopes includes a light source for emitting white light containing the components of light belonging to a visible region and wavelength bands other than the visible region; at least, a rotary color separating filter on a field sequential system; and an infrared cutoff filter for blocking light in an infrared region, of a wavelength band of the white light. When the rotary color separating filter is disposed in an optical path from the light source to a light guide, an interference filter in which an interference film is applied to a transparent base plate is placed in the optical path. This arrangement obviates the defect of burning the entrance end of the light guide or of breaking the infrared cutoff filter.

Abstract: An endoscopic apparatus comprising a solid-state image pickup device installed in an insert assembly, a signal transmission member for conducting the electric signal into which the solid-state image pickup device photoelectrically converts an optical image, and a flexible tube-like metal member that makes up part of the cover of the insert assembly and/or a flexible tube-like metal member that constitutes part of the universal cord, whereby the signal transmission member is inserted through the insert assembly member and the universal cord, the shield member that covers the signal transmission member is disposed at least in part of the insert assembly and/or part of the universal cord assembly, and the shield member and the metal members are set to be equipotential to each other.

Abstract: An optical diagnostic system for use within a convention physician-patient examining distance, not exceeding the manual reach of the doctor, including an ergonomic, hand-held, non-surgical, optical diagnostic medical instrument having a light image input-to-output pathway corresponding to an axis of examination, the instrument including an integral gripping assembly for gripping by the physician, and the instrument also including a light source from the pathway and power supply, a light-tight optical coupling for re-directing light received from the light pathway along the axis of examination to a pathway substantially normal thereto, that pathway defining an axis of manipulation and, in optical communication with the coupling, a micro-video camera for generating an electronic signal corresponding to the re-directed light image from the coupling, the micro-video camera including an exterior housing defining, in combination with the gripping assembly of the medical instrument, an axis of manipulation substanti

Abstract: A viewing scope and related apparatus for producing high quality color images with low levels of object illumination. A light source illuminates the object with a timed, patterned sequence of light at different wavelengths. Light reflected from an object transfers through the viewing scope to an image intensifier and video camera for producing a video signal. A video processor synchronized to the light source converts the video signal into discrete image frames corresponding to the light reflected at each discrete wavelength. An image memory retains each frame for conversion into a color video signal that produces a color display of the object being viewed.

Abstract: An adapter is provided for connecting a stereoscopic endoscope having intertwined stereo beam paths to electronic documentation devices. The adapter has a releasable connection to the endoscope at a location at which the stereoscopic component images are not yet completely separated. A second releasable connection between the first releasable connection and the end of the adapter can be provided which faces toward the electronic documentation devices in order to provide a variable adaptation to different optics diameters of the stereoscopic endoscope.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus having main body and an outer unit. The main body has an insertion section. The outer unit comprises an inner tube removably mounted on the insertion section and an inner tube removably mounted on the inner tube. A first passage is provided between the inner tube and the outer circumferential surface of the insertion section, and a second passage is provided between the inner tube and the outer tube. Liquid is supplied to and drawn from the distal end of the insertion section through one of the passages. Gas is applied onto the distal end of the insertion section through the other of the passages.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for improved viewing of a surgical site by a surgeon from the perspective of a working element of the instrument. The surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft with a distal operating portion extending at least about one-fourth of the length of the shaft. A working element is disposed on a distal end of the shaft. An elongated fiberoptic assembly is included, having image fibers with a distal end with an objective lens for defining a predetermined field-of-view, and a coupling device at a proximal end for coupling same to a viewing system. A mounting device is utilized for mounting the fiberoptic assembly to the shaft along the length of the distal operating portion thereof. The distal end of the image fibers is positioned with a predetermined portion of the working element within the field-of-view of the fiberoptic assembly.

Abstract: An endoscope having a distally heated distal lens for performing laparoscopic surgery is shown. The preferred embodiment of the endoscope is a laparoscope which includes a rigid elongated sheath tube which encloses means defining a fiber optic light carrying bundle formed of a plurality of optical fibers each of which have a distal end. The fiber optic bundle has a proximal end which is adapted to be operatively coupled to a light source having light energy including infrared radiation and a distal end which is located in the distal section of the sheath tube contiguous the distal lens. The fiber optic bundle has a selected number of the distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers treated to form an energy diverting member for directing thermal or infrared energy from a light source into the periphery of the distal lens to increase the temperature thereof to resist fogging of the distal lens when the distal section of the endoscope is inserted into a warm, moist area such as a body cavity.

Abstract: An endoscope having an objective lens, a zoom lens, a solid state imaging device for picking up the image formed by said objective lens and transferred by said zoom lens, and control means for moving the zoom lens and the imaging device so as to assure that for each position occupied by the zoom lens the imaging device is positioned so that the its image-receiving surface is in the focal plane of the zoom lens. The endoscope also comprises first and second motion-transmitting means for moving said zoom lens and said imaging device respectively along the optical axis of said objective lens, whereby the axial spacing between said zoom lens and said objective lens and also the axial spacing between said imaging device and said objective lens may be changed, and manually operable switch means for controlling movement of the zoom lens and the imaging device by said first and second motion transmitting means.

Abstract: An endoscope has a tubular shaft for receiving a viewing lens and a treatment instrument. The shaft has a distal end portion of channel-shape, providing a viewing window for the viewing lens. The circumference of the shaft is of oval cross-section around which the wall of the channel-shaped portion extends asymmetrically. An aperture recess forming an additional viewing window for the viewing lens is provided in the wall of the end portion. The endoscope is particularly suitable for use in endoscopic operations in the female breast, since the additional viewing window allows inspection of an implant before opening a capsule surrounding the implant.

Abstract: A multi-function endoscope capable of insertion within a body cavity for treatment/diagnostic purposes. The endoscope includes a flexible probe having an optical fiber connected to a laser light source, an optical fiber bundle connected to an illuminating light source, and another optical fiber bundle with a focusing lens thereon connected to a viewing system. The probe further includes an optical fiber having a sensor system associated therewith for making temperature and fluid pressure measurements within the body cavity. Also included are fluid conduits through the probe, and detecting wires for receiving electrical potentials from body cavity tissues. Finally, the probe includes steering wires which, when moved, cause probe movement. The steering wires are moved using a manipulator system consisting of stepper motors connected to a computer controller.

Abstract: An endoscope having at the tip of its inserting section a detecting device for detecting physical or chemical changes allows transmission of signals from the detecting device without requiring a dedicated signal line for this detecting device. For example, an electronic endoscope apparatus of the type which has an inserting section extending from an operating section, includes: a detecting device for detecting physical and chemical changes, such as a humidity sensor or a gas sensor, provided at a tip of the inserting section; a notifying device for notifying of the detection results of the detecting device by, for example, displaying them through a monitor; an image-sensing device, such as a CCD, for forming an image signal having a blanking period; and a signal line. A switching device transmits the signals from the detecting means time-sequentially with and during the blanking period of the signals from the image sensing means.