Patent · US Expired

Endoscope having an electrically insulated solid-state image sensing unit

US4777524A · kind A · utility

36Cited by
5References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 31, 1987
Grant dateOct 11, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 31, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N23/555
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In an endoscope having an insertion section and a control section, a distal-end unit is provided at the distal end portion of the insertion section. An objective optical system, which includes a moving lens held by a lens frame, and a solid-state image sensing unit for converting an optical image, formed by the objective optical system, into an electrical signal, are disposed inside the distal-end unit. A transmission member which serves to transmit the electrical signal from the image sensing unit, is connected to the image sensing unit. The distal end portion of a coupling member is connected to the lens frame, and its proximal end portion extends through the insertion section into the control section. A shift-control mechanism for controlling the movement of the moving lens is coupled to the proximal end portion of the coupling member. The endoscope further comprises insulating means for electrically insulating the solid-state image sensing unit, the objective optical system, the transmission member, and the coupling member, from the outside. Thus, an accident from electric shock can be prevented from being caused by leakage current.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.