Surgery – Endoscope – Universal cord connector device for endoscope functions
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-07
2001-11-20
Leubecker, John P. (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Endoscope
Universal cord connector device for endoscope functions
C600S134000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319197
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention and Related Art Statement
The present invention relates to a medical system having a means for reducing an emission and permeation of undesirable noises.
In recent years, an endoscope has widely been utilized. The endoscope is capable of observing an organ within a body cavity by intubating an elongate intubation unit into the body cavity. The endoscope is also capable of performing a variety of cure treatments by use of a treatment tool inserted in a treatment tool channel as the necessity arises.
In addition, a variety of electronic endoscopes have hitherto been proposed. In those endoscopes, a tip of the intubation unit is provided with a solid-state imaging element such as a charge coupled device (CCD) as an imaging means. The image information is fetched as a photoelectrically-converted electric signal.
In the case of the electronic endoscope system conceived as a medical system, a circuit unit (patient circuit) intubated into a patient body and a circuit unit (secondary circuit) connected to peripheral units such as a monitor or the like are, as disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,867, isolated by an isolation means to ensure safety.
Namely, if no isolation is effected by the isolation means, and when the isolation from the ground (abbreviated as GND) is declined or deteriorated due to an accident, an electric current is expected to flow down to GND via a human body into which the endoscope intubated. Presumably, this exist creates a highly dangerous situation. In contrast, however, the patient circuit is isolated from the secondary circuit by the isolation means. In this case, even if the decline of isolation happens, the current flows to GND on the side of only one circuit, thereby ensuring the safety. For instance, when running in the patient circuit alone, the current is low, and hence the patient is only slightly. When running in only the secondary circuit, the patient is protected because of the patient circuit being insulated.
GNDs of the patient circuit and the secondary circuit are not, however, made common by the isolation means. This in turn makes easy a radiation of signals as electric waves outside the system via a floating capacity or the like. Besides, the electric waves from the outside readily intermix (permeate) in an interior of the system via the floating capacity.
For example, the electric signals employed in the electronic endoscope system are radiated to other electric devices. This results in a possibility to produce noises (referred to as radiant noises) which cause a malfunction. Moreover, noises (referred to as radiant noises) radiated from other electronic devices tend to intermix in the electronic endoscope system. For instance, video signals are intermixed with the noises, with the result that a quality of the endoscope image declines. When control signals are intermixed with the noises, this causes a malfunction.
In general, a variety of signals assuming different levels are dealt with inside the electronic endoscope system. For this reason, it is desirable to have a function to restrain the unnecessary radiation of noises as much as possible and also the permeation of the radiated noises.
In a recent situation, it is increasingly desirable to take sufficient countermeasures against EMC (a generic name of EMI (a problem of causing an electromagnetic interference) and EMS (a problem of undergoing the electromagnetic interference)) typically with respect to the electric equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a medical system such as an electronic endoscope system capable of sufficiently restraining and reducing a radiation and permeation of undesirable noises.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a medical system capable of minimizing malfunctions and exhibiting high safety.
To accomplish the objects described above, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a medical system comprising: an electronic endoscope probe intubatable in a body cavity or the like; a patient circuit, to which the probe is detachably connected via a connector, for processing a signal for the probe; and a signal processing means having a secondary circuit isolated from the patient circuit by an isolation means. In this medical system, at least one of the patient circuit, the probe and the secondary circuit includes a noise reducing means for reducing a radiation or a permeation of noises. With this arrangement, the noises radiated from the medical system towards the outside can be reduced, or the noises which permeate from the outside can be reduced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4615330 (1986-10-01), Nagasaki et al.
patent: 4803562 (1989-02-01), Eino
patent: 4816909 (1989-03-01), Kimura eet al.
patent: 4853772 (1989-08-01), Kikuchi
patent: 4868647 (1989-09-01), Uehara et al.
patent: 4888639 (1989-12-01), Yabe et al.
patent: 4901142 (1990-02-01), Ikuno et al.
patent: 4931867 (1990-06-01), Kikuchi
patent: 4974075 (1990-11-01), Nakajima
patent: 4995834 (1991-02-01), Hasegawa
patent: 5038780 (1991-08-01), Boetzkes
patent: 5134547 (1992-07-01), Takamizawa
patent: 5174293 (1992-12-01), Hagiwara
patent: 5309918 (1994-05-01), Schraag
“Cables and Convectors . . . , How to Stop EMI Leaks”,Supplementto EDN, vol. 29, No. 2, Jan. 1994 pp. 71-77.*
“The Expanded Cable and Connector EMI Suppressor Kit”, Fair-Rite Products Corp. Engineering Bulletin, Rev. 2, May 1989, pp. 1-12.*
Newark Electronics Catalog No. 109, Jan. 1988, pp. 294-295.
Goto Masahito
Hirai Tsutomu
Kimura Kenji
Tsuji Kiyoshi
Uchikubo Akinobu
Armstrong, Westermam, Hattori, McLeland & Naughton, LLP
Leubecker John P.
Olympus Optical Co. Ltd
LandOfFree
Endoscope system having reduced noise emission/permeation does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Endoscope system having reduced noise emission/permeation, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Endoscope system having reduced noise emission/permeation will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2612545