JP3159779B2 - Endoscope connector device - Google Patents

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 endoscope in which a signal connector connected to a solid-state imaging device of the endoscope is removably inserted into a connector receiver of a signal processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an endoscope connector device of this type, a single-color index is provided on each of a signal connector of the endoscope and a connector receiver of a signal processing device. If possible, the signal connector is connected to the connector receiver.

[0003]

With the improvement of the solid-state imaging device provided in the endoscope, the improvement of the signal processing device is also made. As a result, so-called upward compatibility occurs between the endoscope and the signal processing device.

FIG. 3 shows the upward compatibility, and an endoscope before and after the improvement can be connected to the improved signal processing apparatus. The mirror must not be connected to an unmodified signal processor.

[0005] However, unlike the related art, simply providing single-color indicators on the signal connector on the endoscope side and the connector receiver on the signal processing device side cannot express the upward compatibility as described above. In some cases, the endoscope after the improvement is connected to the signal processing apparatus before the improvement, which may cause a circuit breakage or an erroneous diagnosis due to an abnormal image.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector device for an endoscope which can secure necessary upward compatibility with improvements in devices.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a connector device for an endoscope according to the present invention is provided with a solid-state imaging device in an endoscope for converting an observation image into an electric signal and transmitting the electric signal. A signal connector connected to the solid-state imaging device is removably inserted into a connector receiver of the signal processing device so that a signal line connection between the solid-state imaging device and a circuit in the signal processing device is performed. In the connector device of the endoscope, an index of the same color is provided for indicating that the endoscope and the signal processing device can be connected, and after the improvement with the improvement of the solid-state imaging device of the endoscope, In addition to changing the color of the index of the endoscope to a color different from that before the improvement, and with the improvement of the signal processing device accompanying the improvement of the solid-state imaging device, in addition to the color index before the improvement, Signal processing after improving the index of the same color as the endoscope index Characterized in that added to the apparatus.

[0008]

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
A signal connector 11 of an endoscope which incorporates a solid-state imaging device (not shown) for converting an observation image into an electric signal and transmitting the electric signal, a drive signal output circuit for driving the solid-state imaging device, and a solid-state imaging device 1 shows a video processor (signal processing device) 20 including a circuit for processing an image signal sent from an element. The video processor 20 is provided with a light source lamp for illumination and the like.

The signal connector 11 is provided with a number of contact pins (not shown) connected to the solid-state imaging device. A light guide connector 12 is provided in parallel with the signal connector 11 to which an incident end of a light guide fiber bundle for illumination is attached.

The video processor 20 is provided with a connector receiver 21 and a light guide connector receiver 22 to which a signal connector 11 and a light guide connector 12 of the endoscope are detachably connected, respectively.

Then, both connectors 11 and 12 on the endoscope side are provided.
To the two connector receivers 21 and 22 on the video processor 20 side.
When the solid state imaging device is connected, the light from the light source lamp is supplied to the illumination light guide fiber bundle at the same time as the solid state imaging device is electrically connected to the drive signal generation circuit, the signal processing circuit, and the like.

The signal connector 11 on the endoscope side and the connector receiver 21 on the video processor 20 side configured as described above.
Are provided with indices 101 and 201, respectively. FIG. 1 shows how the above-mentioned indices 101 and 201 are assigned.

In this embodiment, in the first model, both the index 101 on the signal connector 11-1 side and the index 201 on the connector receiver 21-1 side are marked with a single red index.

[0014] When the solid-state imaging device of the endoscope is improved, the signal connector 11-2 of the improved endoscope is provided with a yellow single-color index 102 different from that before the improvement. On the other hand, in addition to the red indicator 201 before the improvement, the indicator of the signal connector 11-2 after the improvement is provided in the connector receiver 21-2 of the video processor 20 having the improved circuit with the improvement of the solid-state imaging device. The same yellow index 202 as 102 is given.

Further, when the solid-state image pickup device of the endoscope is improved again, the signal connector 11-3 of the improved endoscope is improved.
Is marked with a blue single-color index 103 different from that before the improvement.

The connector receiver 21-3 of the video processor 20 has a red indicator 201 and a yellow indicator 202 before the improvement and a signal connector 11 after the improvement.
The same blue index 203 as the index 103 of −3 is assigned.

The color-coded indices indicate that the same color is connectable. Therefore, looking at the colors of the indices of the signal connector 11 of the endoscope and the connector receptacle 21 of the video processor 20, if the connector receptacle 21 includes an index of the same color as the index of the signal connector 11, the signal connector 11 and the connector receiver 21 are connected,
If there are no indices of the same color, do not connect them.
Thereby, upward compatibility is obtained in which only the signal connector 11 and the connector receiver 21 are connected as indicated by arrows in FIG.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the shape and color of the index can be arbitrarily selected, and the position where the index is provided is not limited to the signal connector 11 and the connector receiver 21. Alternatively, any part of the endoscope and the video processor may be used.

[0019]

According to the connector device for an endoscope of the present invention, the color of the index can be observed, and the endoscope and the signal processing device can be appropriately connected according to the color. Upward compatibility can be obtained without any changes to the endoscope and signal processing device that have been repaired, and it can be easily performed by slightly modifying the parts used in the device before improvement It can be realized at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing indices of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a connector device and a video processor of the endoscope according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of upward compatibility.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 (11-1, 11-2, 11-3) signal connector 20 video processor (signal processing device) 21 (21-1, 21-2, 21-3) connector receiver 101, 102, 103, 201, 202, 203 indicators

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32 G02B 23/24 H01R 13/40-13/72 H01R 19/00-23 / 72 H01R 24/00-24/18 H01R 12/16-12/32

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An endoscope is provided with a solid-state imaging device for converting an observation image into an electric signal and transmitting the electric signal, and a signal connector connected to the solid-state imaging device is detachably inserted into a connector receiver of a signal processing device. insert in, the connector device of the endoscope to perform the connection between the circuit of the solid-state imaging device and the above signal processing device, in the above-described endoscope and the signal processing device that is connectable Provide an index of the same color for displaying, and, with the improvement of the solid-state imaging device of the endoscope, change the color of the index of the endoscope after the improvement to a different color from before the improvement, and the solid-state imaging device With the improvement of the signal processing device accompanying the improvement of the endoscope, in addition to the color index before the improvement, an index of the same color as the index of the endoscope after the improvement is added to the signal processing device after the improvement. Signal processing
The endoscope before and after the upgrade is connected to the
A connector device for an endoscope, wherein a plurality of indices of the same color are provided .