Abstract: A probe includes an optical system which irradiates a site of a biological tissue and receives light emitted from the site, and an imaging device. The imaging device is disposed ahead of the optical system closer to the end of the probe. The probe rotates the incident direction of the light and the imaging direction of the imaging device around a rotation axis directed to the longitudinal direction of the probe while fixing an angle between the incident direction and the imaging direction. The optical system receives the light from the site which always falls in the field of view of the imaging device, or brought with a time lag into the field of view of the imaging device as a result of rotation, the light being incident in the direction normal to, or inclined away from the rotation axis.

Abstract: A probe includes an optical system which irradiates a site of a biological tissue and receives light emitted from the site, and an imaging device. The imaging device is disposed ahead of the optical system closer to the end of the probe. The probe rotates the incident direction of the light and the imaging direction of the imaging device around a rotation axis directed to the longitudinal direction of the probe while fixing an angle between the incident direction and the imaging direction. The optical system receives the light from the site which always falls in the field of view of the imaging device, or brought with a time lag into the field of view of the imaging device as a result of rotation, the light being incident in the direction normal to, or inclined away from the rotation axis.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a hollow operational body, a hollow shaft provided on the hollow operational body, at least one hollow rotational control knob which is rotatably supported on the hollow shaft; and an air passage via which an inner space of the hollow operational body and an inner space of the at hollow rotational control knob have a communicative connection with each other, wherein the hollow shaft includes a portion of the passage.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a hollow operational body, a hollow shaft provided on the hollow operational body, at least one hollow rotational control knob which is rotatably supported on the hollow shaft; and an air passage via which an inner space of the hollow operational body and an inner space of the at hollow rotational control knob have a communicative connection with each other, wherein the hollow shaft includes a portion of the passage.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope with which the electrical insulation between side faces of a solid-state imaging element and inner leads of a flexible circuit board will be secured and with which the external dimension after assembly of the unit comprised of the solid-state imaging element and the flexible circuit board can be made small. The inner leads of the flexible circuit board are bonded to pad parts disposed on the solid-state imaging element, and these inner leads are bent so as to be disposed along the side faces of the solid-state imaging element. An electrically insulating tape is attached to the side faces of the solid-state imaging element along which inner leads are disposed.

Abstract: In a front end structure of a side-view type endoscope in which a treatment tool raising piece is swingably held in a raising piece receiving groove formed in the front end body, a bridge is provided on the front end surface of the front end body and extends to bridge a front opening of the raising piece receiving groove.

Abstract: A front end structure of a side-view type endoscope includes a metal front end body on the side face of which a view window is provided, and an end cap of a resilient material in the form of a cylinder with a closed bottom. The end cap is detachably attached to the front end body and is provided with an opening through which at least the view window is exposed. Detachment preventing engagement portions are provided between the end cap and the front end body on opposite sides of the view window. The detachment preventing engagement portions are each provided with at least one recess and at least one projection which is engaged in the recess to resist the movement of the end cap in the end cap detachment direction.

Abstract: A cap assembly of a front end of an inserting portion of an endoscope and a cap to be attached to the front end of the endoscope, comprising; a first engaging portion provided on the front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope; and, a second engaging portion provided on the cap being disengageably engaged with the first engaging portion of the endoscope. The front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope is provided with a projection whose diameter being smaller than a diameter of the front end, the projection being connected to the front end through a stepped portion.

Abstract: A distal end part of an endoscope including an end cap provided with a nozzle for spouting a fluid in a predetermined direction. The end cap is detachable with respect to a distal end block which is provided at the distal end of an insert part of the endoscope. Engagement portions are provided on the end cap and the distal end block to regulate the condition in which the end cap is fitted to the distal end block. The engagement portion of the end cap and the engagement portion of the distal end block are formed such that, among different models of endoscopes in which the distal end blocks have approximately the same outer diameter, the engagement portion of the end cap off one model cannot be engaged with the engagement portion of the distal end block of another model.

Abstract: A cap assembly of a front end of an inserting portion of an endoscope and a cap to be attached to the front end of the endoscope, comprising; a first engaging portion provided on the front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope; and, a second engaging portion provided on the cap being disengageably engaged with the first engaging portion of the endoscope. The front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope is provided with a projection whose diameter being smaller than a diameter of the front end, the projection being connected to the front end through a stepped portion.

Abstract: A cap assembly of a front end of an inserting portion of an endoscope and a cap to be attached to the front end of the endoscope, comprising; a first engaging portion provided on the front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope; and, a second engaging portion provided on the cap being disengageably engaged with the first engaging portion of the endoscope. The front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope is provided with a projection whose diameter being smaller than a diameter of the front end, the projection being connected to the front end through a stepped portion.

Abstract: A cap assembly of a front end of an inserting portion of an endoscope and a cap to be attached to the front end of the endoscope, comprising; a first engaging portion provided on the front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope; and, a second engaging portion provided on the cap being disengageably engaged with the first engaging portion of the endoscope. The front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope is provided with a projection whose diameter being smaller than a diameter of the front end, the projection being connected to the front end through a stepped portion.

Abstract: A cap assembly of a front end of an inserting portion of an endoscope and a cap to be attached to the front end of the endoscope, comprising; a first engaging portion provided on the front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope; and, a second engaging portion provided on the cap being disengageably engaged with the first engaging portion of the endoscope. The front end of the inserting portion of the endoscope is provided with a projection whose diameter being smaller than a diameter of the front end, the projection being connected to the front end through a stepped portion.

Abstract: An endoscope having a bendable portion that is connected to the distal end of a flexible insert tube constituting an insert part of the endoscope, the bendable portion being bendable as desired by remote control, a solid-state image pickup device that is disposed in a distal end block connected to the distal end of the bendable portion, and a signal cable that is connected to the solid-state image pickup device and extended through the bendable portion and the flexible insert tube. The endoscope includes a flexible tube that covers the signal cable in both the bendable portion and the flexible insert tube, and a braid tube that covers the outer surface of the flexible tube in the bendable portion.

Abstract: A device that establishes communication between the interior and exterior of an endoscope using a communicating valve, and which is hygienic and free from leakage. The device has a valve opening member for causing a valve body to be disengaged from a valve seat against the urging force of biasing members, and has porous members which are permeable to air but impermeable to water, and which block the channels of communication between the interior and exterior of an endoscope. The device is detachable from the outside of the communicating valve.

Abstract: A connector apparatus for an endoscope comprising a light guide connector for connecting an incident end of a light guide fiber bundle to alight source apparatus. An electrical connector is removably attached to the light guide connector to provide electrical connection with an external device. A flexible cable is connected at one end thereof to the electric connector and at the other end thereof to the light guide connector.

Abstract: A long and thin flexible tube of an endoscope which forms an outer wall of an insert part and which is fitted with a built-in object including a device for transmitting an observed image from the distal end of the insert part to the proximal end thereof. Also disclosed is a method of producing the long and thin flexible tube. The flexible tube is formed by inserting the built-in object into a plurality of short flexible tube elements, and then connecting together each pair of adjacent short flexible tube elements by use of a connecting device, with the built-in object inserted therein.