Patent · US Expired

Endoscope having electrical contact for connecting to control unit a formed in connector unit

US6443888B1 · kind B1 · utility

50Cited by
3References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 5, 1999
Grant dateSep 3, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 5, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B1/00126
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An endoscope system includes an endoscope, two control apparatuses, electric cables, and two electric connector receptacles. The endoscope has a connector unit, which includes a light source connector to be coupled to a light source apparatus, fixed to the proximal end of a universal cord extending from an operation unit. The two control apparatuses electrically control the endoscope. The electric cables electrically link the control apparatuses and the endoscope. The two electric connector receptacles are included in the connector unit of the endoscope. Connectors attached to the electric cables are coupled to the two electric connector receptacles. When the connector of one of the electric cables is mounted on a first electric connector receptacle of the two electric connector receptacles, the direction in which the connector is oriented to be mounted is orthogonal to the direction in which the light source connector is oriented to be coupled to the light source apparatus. When the connector of the other electric cable is mounted on a second electric connector receptacle, the direction in which the connector is oriented to be mounted is the same as the direction in which the ligh…

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