Abstract: The present invention relates to an endoscope system which comprises an endoscope having a handy-control section and an insertion section adapted to be inserted into the body cavity, and a video-signal processing unit having an electric circuit capable of receiving and processing a video signal, produced by a solid-state image sensing device, through the medium of the endoscope, and of recording and/or displaying the video signal on a monitor TV. A receptacle, which is provided on the outer surface of the video-signal processing unit, includes an electrical connecting portion connected to the electric circuit in the processing unit. The endoscope system further comprises a video camera which has a solid-state image sensing device therein, and is mounted on an eyepiece portion for optical observation at the control section of the endoscope. The video camera is connected to a signal cord which has a plug connectable with the electrical connecting portion of the receptacle.

Abstract: A photoresist process which comprises a process for spin-coating a substrate with a resist, a process for transferring a mask pattern onto the coated resist film followed by exposure, and a developing process for forming a pattern on the substrate after the pattern has been exposed. When the developed pattern of the resist pulsates with the increase or decrease of parameters in the process for applying resist, the value of the parameter is set to a value that corresponds to an extreme value of the pulsation.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a body mounted on an eyepiece section and a solid-state image sensor arranged in the body and having a pickup face opposed to an objective optical system of the eyepiece section. The sensor is fixed to a base which is supported by an adjusting member to be movable in a direction parallel to the pickup face. The base is moved by adjusting centering screws so that the center of the pickup face is aligned with the optical axis of the optical system. A focusing member is supported by the body to be movable along the optical axis. The adjusting member is supported by the body and focusing member to be movable together with the focusing member along the optical axis and universally movable around the point of intersection of the pickup face and the optical axis. The adjusting member is universally moved by tilting screws to adjust the tilt of the pickup face relative to the optical axis.

Abstract: A connecting device includes a first connecting section to which a camera is detachably connected, and a second connecting section detachably connected to an eyepiece section of an endoscope. The first connecting section has a main body which includes a circular fitting recess with an inner surface and support holes each of which opens into the inner surface and extends radially. Locking bodies are disposed in the respective holes. Each locking body has a slidable portion movable in the corresponding hole along the axial direction thereof, and a semispherical pressing portion. A clamp ring is rotatably provided on the main body. When the clamp ring is rotated, the locking bodies are pressed into the recess so that the pressing portions abut against the outer surface of the eyepiece section fitted in the recess.

Abstract: A film cassette includes a cassette main body with a film supply portion and a film take-up portion, a spool rotatably arranged at said film take-up portion of the cassette main body, and bearings arranged at the film take-up portion for rotatably supporting the spool. The spool comprises an outer cylinder around which a film is wound, an inner cylinder which is slidable in an axial direction relative to the outer cylinder and which is rotatable with the outer cylinder, and a compression spring, one end of which is engaged with the outer cylinder and the other end of which is engaged with the inner cylinder and biasing and moving the outer and inner cylinders relative to each other in the axial direction.

Abstract: A film cassette includes a first cylindrical body forming a film supply section, a second cylindrical body forming a film take-up section, and a coupling section extending between the first and second cylindrical bodies and connected at both ends to the two cylindrical bodies thereby integrally coupling the cylindrical bodies. The coupling section has an outer face continuous with the outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second cylindrical bodies. First cylindrical body includes a ridge protruding from the outer peripheral surface thereof, to which is applied an urging force to rock the film cassette around that cylindrical body with the ridge thereon.