JP2003180625A - Connector device for electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector device for an electronic endoscope whose casing body can be appropriated in common, regardless of a pattern or a level of electro-magnetic noise emitted. <P>SOLUTION: The casing body 15 which is provided on the distal end with a contact section 16 for being fitted to a socket section of a video processor, is formed in the proximal end with a ferrite core housing section 21 by a pedestal 25 or the like, inside which a ferrite core is housed, and only an exchange on the pedestal 25 side can be coped with a case when a difference of an image pickup unit built-in the electronic endoscope causes a variation in the noise patterns and the ferrite cores in different shapes are needed for controlling the noise level, without exchanging the casing body 15 side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector device for an electronic endoscope which is detachably connected to a processor for image processing and has an image pickup means built therein.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-97648, the inside of a casing body (housing) of a connector device is
A related board (setup board), a shield case that shields it from radio waves, and a ferrite core that reduces radiation noise of cables are provided.

[0003]

Various specifications of the electronic endoscope are conceivable according to the use, and it is possible to connect the endoscopes of various specifications to one processor. It is normal. That is, it is desirable that the connector device of the electronic endoscope can be commonly used in various electronic endoscopes.
However, when there are a plurality of types of image pickup units employed, the level of radiation noise is usually different for each image pickup unit.

When an electronic endoscope is developed, a ferrite core having appropriate characteristics is selected and used according to a noise pattern, but an electronic endoscope featuring a new image pickup unit is additionally developed. In such a case, there was a case where the ferrite core having appropriate characteristics could not be accommodated in the casing body and a casing body having a large storage space for the ferrite core had to be newly developed.

(Object of the Invention) The present application was made in view of the above problems, and a connector device for an electronic endoscope capable of diverting a common casing body regardless of the pattern and level of radiated electromagnetic noise. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

A connector device for an electronic endoscope, which is connected to a socket portion of a processor for performing image signal processing, in which a casing body of the connector device and an electric cable guided to the connector device are inserted. By providing a ferrite core storage part between the distal end of the flexible tube and a ferrite core corresponding to the noise level and pattern peculiar to each endoscope, the ferrite core storage part is appropriately stored. The common casing body can be used.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 5 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of an electronic endoscope system including the first embodiment. 2 shows the cross-sectional structure of the main part of the video connector of the first embodiment, FIG. 3 shows the cross-sectional structure of the main part of the video connector when the noise level is low and a ferrite core is not required, and FIG.
Shows the appearance of the video connector when it has a ferrite core, and FIG. 5 shows the appearance of the video connector when it does not require a ferrite core.

An electronic endoscope system 1 having the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes an electronic endoscope 2 having a built-in image pickup device for performing an endoscopic examination, and the electronic endoscope 2 is detachable. A light source device 3 that is freely connected and supplies illumination light to the electronic endoscope 2 and the electronic endoscope 2 are detachably connected, and a signal for generating a video signal is sent to the image pickup device of the electronic endoscope 2. A video processor 4 for processing and a TV monitor 5 connected to the video processor 4 for displaying an endoscopic image captured by an image sensor by inputting a video signal output from the video processor 4. It

The electronic endoscope 2 includes an insertion portion 6 to be inserted into a body cavity, an operation portion 7 provided at a rear end of the insertion portion 6 and held by an operator, and a side portion of the operation portion 7. A first flexible tube 5 that is extended and has a light guide fiber bundle that transmits illumination light and a power cable and a signal cable that drives an image sensor inserted therein, and a tip (distal end) of the first flexible tube 5. End) and is detachably connected to the light source device 3 so that the electronic endoscope 2
A light guide connector 9 for guiding the illumination light into the inside, a second flexible tube 10 extending from the side of the light guide connector 9 for inserting a power cable and a signal cable for driving the image pickup device, and A video connector 11 is provided distal to the second flexible tube 10 and is detachably connected to the video processor 4.

The light guide connector 9 is detachably connected to the light guide socket 12 of the light source device 3,
The video connector 11 is detachably connected to the signal socket 13 of the video processor 4.

FIG. 2 shows a half cross-sectional view of the video connector 11 provided at the distal end of the second flexible tube 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the casing main body 1 which constitutes the video connector 11
A contact portion 16 that is electrically connected to a receiving portion contact inside the socket portion 13 of the video processor 4 of FIG. 1 is provided at the tip (left end portion of FIG. 2) of the reference numeral 5. The casing body 15 is formed by molding a plastic member.

A conductive shield case 17 is housed in the casing body 15. Then, in the shield case 17, a substrate 18 for carrying out a basic electric signal processing for transferring an electric signal to the video processor 4 side is housed.

The shield case 17 is made up of the substrate 18
The substrate 18 is almost completely covered so that electromagnetic noise emitted from the shield case 17 does not leak to the outside of the shield case 17. Various cables 19 extend from a small opening formed on the rear end surface of the shield case 17 to the outside.

In this case, the outermost shield wire of the cables 19 is connected to the shield case 17, and the shield function is maintained even when an opening is provided.

The cables 19 include a signal cable, a ground line, and a cable connected to, for example, a CCD as an image pickup device.
There is a power supply cable for driving the CCD. The cables 19 are connected to the second flexible tube 10 through a ferrite core housing portion 21 described below.

A ferrule 22 is provided near the distal end of the second flexible tube 10, and the ferrule 22 is connected and fixed to the ferrule fixing portion 24 by screwing with a first lock ring 23. There is. On the left side of the base fixing portion 24 in FIG. 2, a ferrite core 26 and an elastic stopper 27 are sequentially housed in a ferrite core housing portion 21 formed inside the pedestal 25.

This ferrite core 26 and stopper 27
The second lock ring 28 is fixed by receiving a force in the compression direction in the longitudinal direction by screwing the second lock ring 28 to the proximal end of the pedestal 25. When the stopper 27 receives the compressive force in the longitudinal direction, the meat thereof protrudes toward the inner diameter side and restrains the movement of the inserted cables 19 in the longitudinal direction.

A protective member 29 is fitted over the second flexible tube 10 from the pedestal 25. This protection member 29
Is a connection base 30 and rubber boots 3 with a crease stop function.
It consists of 1. The connection mouth ring 30 is located on the left inside of the protection member 29 in FIG. 2, and is fixed to the rear end of the pedestal 25 by screwing.

The rubber boot 31 has a hard protective member 29.
The second flexible tube 10 is protected from buckling due to abrupt change in flexibility applied to the second flexible tube 10. In the present embodiment, the video connector 11 and the casing body 15 detachably connected to the socket portion 13,
By forming the ferrite housing portion 21 formed of the pedestal 25 and the like on the base end side of the casing body 15,
A characteristic is that a common casing body 15 is adopted even in the case of different endoscopes, and even when ferrite having different characteristics is required, only the pedestal 25 side can be changed. .

That is, in this embodiment, the ferrite accommodating portion 21 is formed between the casing body 15 and the distal end of the flexible tube 10 in which the signal cable guided to the casing body 15 is inserted by the pedestal 25 and the like. If a ferrite having different characteristics or the like is required for the ferrite core housing portion 21, it can be dealt with by changing only the pedestal 25 side.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When the video connector 11 is connected to the socket portion 13 and starts driving, electromagnetic noise flows through the cables 19 extending to the right of the shield case 17, and part of the electromagnetic noise is emitted from the electronic endoscope 2. Becomes

The emitted electromagnetic noise has a peculiar pattern in which the level is raised or lowered only in a specific frequency band. However, by appropriately adjusting the characteristics of the ferrite core 26 through which the cables 19 are inserted, noise It is well known that the level of can be suppressed.

The noise pattern differs depending on, for example, the type of CCD as a solid-state image pickup device incorporated in the electronic endoscope. Therefore, the ferrite core 26 corresponding to the noise characteristic is required. Ferrite core 2
The characteristics of No. 6 are given different characteristics depending on the inner diameter / outer diameter and the length in addition to the characteristics of the material.

Therefore, by appropriately changing the length and thickness of the ferrite core housing portion 21, it is possible to adopt the ferrite core 26 having optimum characteristics. In the present embodiment, the ferrite core accommodating portion 21 has the casing body 15
Since it is placed outside, the size and the like of the casing body 15 are not an obstacle, and an appropriate ferrite core 26 can be selected and used.

The parts that need to be changed when the proper ferrite core 26 is selected and used are members having a simple shape such as the pedestal 25 and the protective member 29. compared,
Changes are easy in terms of cost and design.

More specifically, FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of the video connector 11B when the noise level is low and the ferrite core 26 is not required. In this case, the ferrite core 26 is omitted and the pedestal 25 and the protection member 29 are omitted.
Is shortened in the longitudinal direction. The appearance is as shown in FIG. 4 when the ferrite core 26 is not necessary, and as shown in FIG. 5 when the ferrite core 26 is provided.

According to the present embodiment, the casing body 1
5 can be used in common without any modification, and can be used in common with multiple electronic endoscopes with a simple modification. Although the number of the ferrite cores 26 is one in the first embodiment described above, it goes without saying that the ferrite cores 26 may be laminated in the longitudinal direction or the cables may be appropriately wound.

The present embodiment has the following effects. Compared with the change of the casing main body 15, since the change is simple members such as the pedestal 25 and the protection member 29, the change is easy in terms of cost and design.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 shows a video connector 11C according to the second embodiment. When a noise common to a plurality of types of electronic endoscopes adopting the connector 11C has a fixed pattern, only the standard ferrite core 32 corresponding to the fixed pattern is used for the casing body 1
The ferrite core 33 for noise having a peculiar pattern according to the type of the electronic endoscope is housed in the ferrite core housing portion as in the first embodiment.

The effect of the present embodiment is that when the noise common to the electronic endoscope has a fixed pattern, only the standard ferrite core 32 corresponding to the fixed pattern is housed in the casing body 15. Although different from the embodiment, it has the same operation as that of the first embodiment with respect to the noise of the unique pattern.

The present embodiment has the following effects. By accommodating only the standard ferrite core 32 in the casing body 15, the number of parts in which the manufacturing process for manufacturing the electronic endoscope can be shared increases, and the quality can be stabilized and the cost can be reduced.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the case of the electronic endoscope 2 in which the image pickup device is incorporated in the distal end side of the insertion portion 6 or the like has been described, but this embodiment is the eyepiece in the optical endoscope. The present invention can also be applied to the case of a television camera mounting type endoscope in which a television camera having a built-in image pickup element or an image pickup unit is attached to the section.

In this case, the first end is attached to the distal end of the camera cable, which is a flexible tube whose base end extends from the television camera.
It suffices to form the video connectors 11, 11B, 11C, etc. of the above embodiment or the second embodiment. That is, the present invention can be applied to electronic endoscopes such as television camera-mounted endoscopes as well as so-called electronic endoscopes.

By applying the present invention to a television camera as well, it is possible to broaden the common use of connector parts in a wider range and further reduce the cost. Also,
Embodiments configured by partially combining the above-described embodiments and the like also belong to the present invention.

[Additional Notes] 1. A signal connector device for an electronic endoscope equipped with an image sensor, which is connected to a socket of a processor that performs image signal processing, and is guided to a casing body of the signal connector device and the casing body. A signal connector device for an electronic endoscope, characterized in that a ferrite core housing portion is provided between the distal end of a flexible tube having an electric cable inserted therethrough. 2. In Appendix 1, the electronic endoscope is a television camera-mounted endoscope in which an electronic endoscope including an image pickup element is attached or a television camera including an image pickup element is attached to an optical endoscope.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, the ferrite core accommodating portion is provided between the casing body and the distal end of the flexible tube through which the electric cable guided to the casing body is inserted. As a result, it became possible to select and use a ferrite core that corresponds to a new pattern and level of radiation noise without changing the casing body. As a result, the casing main body can be shared, and it is not necessary to develop a plurality of casing main bodies in accordance with the noise characteristics, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an electronic endoscope system including a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a sectional structure of a main part of the video connector according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the cross-sectional structure of the main part of the video connector when the noise level is low and a ferrite core is not required.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a video connector having a ferrite core.

FIG. 5 is an external view of a video connector when a ferrite core is not needed.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional structure of a main part of a video connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Electronic endoscope system 2 ... Electronic endoscope 3 ... Light source device 4 ... Video processor 5 ... TV monitor 6 ... insertion part 7 ... Operation part 8 ... First flexible tube 9 ... Light guide connector 10 ... Second flexible tube 11 ... Video connector 12 ... Socket 13 ... Socket 15 ... Casing body 16 ... Contact part 17 ... Shield case 18 ... Substrate 19 ... Cables 21 ... Ferrite core storage 22 ... Clasp 23 ... First lock ring 24 ... Base fixing part 25 ... Pedestal 26 ... Ferrite core 27 ... Stopper 28 ... Second lock ring 29 ... Protective member 30 ... Connection base 31 ... Rubber boots

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A connector device for an electronic endoscope connected to a socket portion of a processor for performing image signal processing, wherein a casing main body of the connector device and an electric cable guided to the casing main body are inserted. A connector device for an electronic endoscope, characterized in that a ferrite core housing is provided between the flexible tube and a distal end of the flexible tube. 2. A connector device for an electronic endoscope connected to a socket portion of a processor for performing image signal processing and the like, wherein a casing body of the connector device is commonly used for two or more types of electronic endoscopes. A ferrite core accommodating portion is provided between a casing body of the connector device and a distal end of a flexible tube in which an electric cable guided to the casing body is inserted. Electronic endoscope connector device. 3. A ferrite core for accommodating noise peculiar to each connected electronic endoscope, in which a basic pattern common to the connected electronic endoscopes and a ferrite core for attenuating the level are housed in a casing body. The connector device for an electronic endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the connector is provided in the ferrite core housing portion.