Source: http://www.patentgenius.com/patent/5735794.html
Timestamp: 2018-08-20 08:56:43
Document Index: 325933732

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2']

Endoscope having external battery connected to battery casing - Patent # 5735794 - PatentGenius
Endoscope having external battery connected to battery casing
5735794 Endoscope having external battery connected to battery casing
Application: 08/629,777
Field Of Search: 600/131; 600/132; 600/160; 600/178; 600/179; 600/180; 600/199; 600/249; 607/90; 607/151
U.S Patent Documents: 1625356; 2102274; 2235979; 2236842; 2507935; 3005452; 3021835; 4580198; 5115261; 5159380; 5170775; 5184159; 5184170; 5191369; 5220912; 5272497; 5394865; 5542904
Abstract: A portable endoscope system has an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object. A light source lamp contained in an illuminating light supply unit supplies light to the illuminating light guide. The entrance end portion of the illuminating light guide is disposed in an endoscope control part. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably attached to the control part. The portable endoscope system includes a connecting cable which connects the light source lamp with an external battery to supply electricity to the light source lamp from outside the endoscope system.
an illuminating light guide for transmitting light to illuminate an object, said illuminating light guide having an entrance end portion disposed in an endoscope control part;
a light source lamp in an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to said illuminating light guide, said illuminating light supply unit comprising a generally L-shaped cylindrical configuration having a first leg definedby a direction of light emission by said light source lamp and a second leg defined by a battery casing, and being detachably attachable to said endoscope control part;
said battery casing having a first electrode at an end thereof and a second electrode at a side thereof; and
a connecting cable for connecting said light source lamp with an external battery for supplying electricity to said light source lamp through said battery casing from outside said portable endoscope system, said cable having a first electrode atan end of said cable and a second electrode at a side of said cable to connect with said first and second electrodes of said battery casing, respectively, when said cable is connected to said battery casing.
2. A portable endoscope system according to claim 1, further comprising a connector for detachably connecting said connecting cable to said illuminating light supply unit.
3. A portable endoscope system according to claim 2, wherein said illuminating light supply unit includes a said battery casing accommodating a built-in battery, so that said light source lamp can be lit by electricity supplied from the built-inbattery accommodated in said battery casing.
6. A portable endoscope system comprising:
a light source lamp in an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to said illuminating light guide, said illuminating light supply unit being detachably attachable to said endoscope control part;
said illuminating light supply having a battery casing, said battery casing having a first electrode at an end thereof and a second electrode at a side thereof and
a connecting cable for connecting said light source lamp with an external battery for supplying electricity to said light source lamp from outside said portable endoscope system, said cable having a first electrode at an end of said cable and asecond electrode at a side of said cable to connect with said first and second electrodes of said battery casing, respectively, when said cable is connected to said battery casing;
a first connector which detachably connects said connecting cable to said illuminating light supply unit; and
a second connector which detachably connects said connecting cable to said external battery.
7. The portable endoscope system according to claim 6, said illuminating light supply unit having a generally L-shaped cylindrical configuration with a first leg defined by a direction of light emitted by said light source lamp and a secondlight defined by said battery casing.
9. The portable endoscope system according to claim 8, said connecting cable being connected to said illuminating light supply unit through a space defined in said battery casing when said built in battery is not present within said batterycasing.
A conventional portable endoscope system has a light-emitting device for illumination which is provided in an endoscope control part. In such a portable endoscope system, an illuminating light supply unit, which contains a miniature bulb and adry battery as a power supply for the bulb, is attached to the control part. This enables an endoscopic inspection (endoscopy) to be conducted even in a place where no commercial AC power supply is available.
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable endoscope system which enables an endoscopy to be conducted even in a place where no commercial AC power supply is available without the need for battery replacement for a long period oftime, and which has no likelihood that an endoscopy will be interrupted by battery replacement as in the case of the prior art.
According to the present invention, there is provided a portable endoscope system having an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object. A light source lamp contained in an illuminating light supply unit suppliesilluminating light to the illuminating light guide. The entrance end portion of the illuminating light guide is disposed in an endoscope control part. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably attached to the control part. The portableendoscope system includes a connecting cable for connecting the light source lamp with an external battery for supplying electrical energy to the light source lamp from outside the portable endoscope system.
The control part 2 has a control mechanism portion 5 above the grip portion 3. The control mechanism portion 5 has a suction control valve 6 which is disposed on the front side thereof to carry out a suction operation through a forceps channel(not shown) inserted in the insert part 1. The control mechanism portion 5 further has a bending control lever 7 which is disposed on the rear side thereof to control a remote-controlled bendable portion (not shown) which is formed at the distal end ofthe insert part 1. In addition, an eyepiece 8 is provided on the top of the control mechanism portion 5.
The illuminating light supply unit 30 contains a light source lamp that emits illuminating light supplied to the light guide fiber bundle 9, and a battery serving as a power supply for lighting the light source lamp. In the present invention,however, the built-in battery is removed from the illuminating light supply unit 30, and a connecting cable 61 connects an external battery 60 to the illuminating light supply unit 30.
The control mechanism portion 5 of the control part 2 is covered with a casing 11 made of a plastic material. A lever bearing cylinder 12 that supports the bending control lever 7 is fitted in a through-hole provided in the casing 11, and sealedin a watertight manner. Similarly, the suction control valve 6 is fitted in a through-hole provided in the casing 11, and sealed in a watertight manner. The respective proximal end portions of the lever bearing cylinder 12 and the suction control valve6 are secured to a frame 13 in the control part 2.
A cover 15 is fitted in a relatively large opening provided in a side of the casing 11, and a sealing O-ring 16 is attached to the fitting surface of the cover 15 to prevent water from entering the inside of the control part 2 through the gapbetween the cover 15 and the peripheral wall of the opening. It should be noted that, although the O-ring 16 is compressed when held between the cover 15 and the casing 11, the cross-sectional configuration of the O-ring 16 shown in the figures is in anatural state before it is compressed (the same shall apply hereinafter).
The illuminating light supply unit 30 has an L-shaped cylindrical configuration. The illuminating light supply unit 30 has a plastic casing 31. A light source lamp 32 is disposed in the bend of the L-shaped casing 31, and is attached to a lampsocket 33.
The light source lamp 32 is disposed on the axis of the short cylindrical portion of the L-shaped casing 31. A reflecting mirror 34 is attached to the lamp socket 33 so as to surround the light source lamp 32 to converge illuminating light fromthe light source lamp 32 on the axis of the short cylindrical portion of the L-shaped casing 31.
A receiving cylinder 46 is secured in an opening provided at the end of the short cylindrical portion of the L-shaped casing 31 by fastening a nut 47 from the inner side of the casing 31. The receiving cylinder 46 has a tapered opening whichengages the tapered surface of the connecting cylinder 23, which is provided on the control part 2.
A sealing O-ring 48 is disposed between the fitting surfaces of the receiving cylinder 46 and the casing 31 to prevent water from entering the inside of the illuminating light supply unit 30 through the gap therebetween. A plane-paralleltransparent plate 49 is bonded to the inner end portion of the receiving cylinder 46 in a watertight manner. Thus, the illuminating light supply unit 30 is formed into a watertight structure which prevents water from entering the illuminating lightsupply unit 30 through any portion thereof.
Further, a fastening ring 50 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the receiving cylinder 46 to prevent it from dislodging axially. The fastening ring 50 has an internal thread 50a for engagement with the external thread 23a of theconnecting cylinder 23.
Accordingly, to connect the illuminating light supply unit 30 to the control part 2, the tapered surfaces of the connecting cylinder 23 and the connecting cylinder receiving cylinder 46 are brought into close contact with each other. Then, theinternal thread 50a of the fastening ring 50 is engaged with the external thread 23a of the connecting cylinder 23. Thus, the illuminating light supply unit 30 is connected to the control part 2, as shown in FIG. 3.
In the portable endoscope system having the illuminating light supply unit 30 attached to the control part 2 as described above, illuminating light that is emitted from the light source lamp 32 is reflected by the reflecting mirror 34, and thenpasses through the transparent plate 49 and the convex meniscus lens 20. Thus, the illuminating light converges on the entrance end surface of the light guide fiber bundle 9, and enters the light guide fiber bundle 9.
Since the cylinder 23 and the connecting receiving cylinder 46 are brought in close contact with each other at the respective tapered surfaces, the illuminating light supply unit 30 can be secured fixedly to the control part 2 by tightlyfastening the fastening ring 50 to the connecting cylinder 23.
FIG. 3 shows the attached arrangement of the illuminating light supply unit 30. FIG. 4 shows the illuminating light supply unit 30 where connecting portions at both ends of the connecting cable 61 are disconnected from the illuminating lightsupply unit 30 and the external battery 60.
The connector 68, which is connected to the external battery 60, is provided with two contact pins 71 for connecting the electric wires 66 to contacts 64. The connector 68 is connected to the external battery 60 by thread-engaging a fasteningring 72 with an output terminal portion 63, and disconnected therefrom by undoing the thread engagement.
The connector 69, which is connected to the illuminating light supply unit 30, has an electrically insulating plug body 75 which is removably inserted into a battery casing 74 formed in the long cylindrical portion of the L-shaped illuminatinglight supply unit 30. The plug body 75 has two contacts 76 which are connected to the electric wires 66, respectively. When the plug body 75 is inserted into the battery casing 74, the two contacts 76 contact with respective electrodes 42 and 43provided in the casing 31. The electrodes 42 and 43 are connected to the light source lamp 32 through respective lead wires 44.
It should be noted that a switch (not shown) for controlling the light source lamp 32 is provided in an intermediate portion of the wiring for supplying electric power to the light source lamp 32. The switch is also sealed in a watertight mannerso that no water can enter the inside of the illuminating light supply unit 30.
The plug body 75 has a cover 78 which is provided at the proximal end thereof. The cover 78 is thread-engaged with an opening provided at the distal end of the casing A sealing O-ring 79 is disposed in the boundary between the cover 78 and thecasing 31. The plug body 75 is connected to the tube 65 of the connecting cable 61 by a connecting cylinder 81. A sealing O-ring 82 is disposed between the outer peripheral surface of the connecting cylinder 81 and the inner peripheral surface of thecover 78.
Thus, when the external battery 60 is connected to the illuminating light supply unit 30 by the connecting cable 61, the light source lamp 32 is lit by electrical energy supplied from the external battery 60, and light is supplied to the lightguide fiber bundle 9.
FIG. 5 shows the portable endoscope system where a battery 100 is set in the battery casing 74 of the illuminating light supply unit 30 in place of the connector 69. Thus, an appropriate power supply can be selectively used according to thecircumstances.
According to the present invention, a connecting cable is provided to connect an external battery to the light source lamp of the portable endoscope system. Therefore, by using the external battery as a power supply for the light source lamp, anendoscopy can be conducted even in a place where no commercial AC power supply is available. Moreover, it is possible to use an external battery of large capacity if necessary. Therefore, an endoscopy can be smoothly conducted for a long period of timewithout a fear of interruption.
Further, if the system is arranged such that the connecting cable is detachable with respect to the illuminating light supply unit, it is possible to use another power supply, e.g. a built-in battery, as a power supply for the light source lampaccording to the circumstances.
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