Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Electric switch in the supply circuit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-15
2001-10-23
Philogene, Haissa (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Electric switch in the supply circuit
C315S360000, C600S118000, C600S178000, C348S065000, C348S068000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307332
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lamp life meter for displaying the remaining life of a lamp that emits light to be provided to an endoscope.
In recent years, endoscopes have been widely used in both medical and industrial fields. Such endoscopes typically include a light-guiding means which guides light emitted from an external light source to the endoscope to the distal end of the insertion section of the endoscope. This light illuminates a body cavity or the inside of a machine to be viewed with the endoscope.
One typical light source is a xenon lamp (or an iodine lamp or metal halide lamp) which is installed in an endoscope light source unit to provide illuminating light to the endoscope. The life of such a lamp is limited and must be replaced after its life expectancy has expired.
To avoid the possibility that the lamp will burn out or generate insufficient light while the endoscope is in use (which would hinder a correct diagnosis), it is necessary to correctly notify the user when the life of the lamp will end. Traditionally, a conducting time counting meter (hereinafter referred to as “lamp life meter”) has been used to achieve this result.
FIGS.
16
(A),
16
(B) and
17
show a traditional lamp life meter
81
. FIGS.
16
(A) and
16
(B) are front and side views of the traditional lamp life meter
81
, which is covered with a resin case and has a graded scale
82
. The graded scale illustrated in the drawing can count a maximum of 500 hours. A positive input terminal
84
and a negative input terminal
85
extend from the lower part of the main body of the lamp life meter
81
and energize the lamp life meter
81
.
FIG. 17
shows the principle of operation of the lamp life meter
81
. The traditional lamp life meter
81
includes a glass tube
86
housing mercury
87
and an electrolyte solution
88
. When a direct-current voltage is placed between the electrodes (input terminals
84
and
85
), mercury
87
is electrolytically extracted from the anode side to the cathode side via the electrolyte solution
88
, and the electrolyte solution
88
is moved from the cathode side to the anode side.
Since the distance the electrolyte solution moves is proportional to the quantity of electricity flowing, the total conducting time (i.e., the time that current has been flowing through the lamp and therefore through the terminals
84
,
85
) can be shown, assuming that a constant current flows through terminals
84
and
85
.
With the traditional lamp life meter
81
, a circuit is provided in the light source unit to provide a minimal-ampere (15 &mgr;A) direct-current voltage, and the light source unit's main body and the lamp life meter
81
are connected with a socket so that it is detachable.
The traditional light source unit's main body has the same structure as the light source unit's main body illustrated in
FIG. 2
described below.
The lamp life meter
81
is energized through the lamp-lighting circuit
12
(FIG.
2
). When the lamp
11
is lit, a current of approximately 15 &mgr;A, which is suitable for driving the lamp life meter
81
, is provided to the lamp life meter socket
6
a
(and/or
6
b
).
Traditional lamp life meters of the foregoing type have the following advantages:
a. They are easy to use;
b. They are compact;
c. They are relatively low-priced; and
d. They reliably count the conduction time (and therefore the time that the lamp has been lit) and simply display it.
Generally, lamps used for the endoscope light source unit are consumed over time. Additionally, the quantity of light (the quantity of light shot from the distal end of the endoscope) is also reduced over time. Generally, the end of the lamp life means that; there is an unsatisfactory reduction in the quantity of light or that the lamp does not light.
A lamp life meter is traditionally installed on the endoscope light source unit, so that the remaining lamp life can be confirmed before use, and so that the lamp can be replaced with a new one when an insufficient lamp life remains.
While mercury having a high purity of 99.99% is used in traditional lamp life meters, the number of manufacturers producing such high-level mercury has been reduced. Additionally, some of mercury refineries have been closed, making it difficult to procure the required mercury used in traditional lamp life meters.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to act as a substitute for the traditional lamp life meters and serves the same functions without the use of mercury. Preferably, the lamp life meter of the present invention is compatible with endoscope light source units designed to accept the traditional lamp life meter.
A lamp life meter compatible with traditional lamp life meters can be provided by realizing a lamp life meter detachably attached to a lamp life meter socket that can place a minimal-ampere direct-current voltage between two terminals when in an endoscope light source unit comprising a lamp emitting light for viewing through an endoscope and a lamp-lighting circuit providing lamp-lighting power for lighting said lamp, said lamp is lit, wherein a means is provided to display the lamp life by detecting the time for which said direct-current voltage is placed between said two terminals of said lamp life meter socket.
The invention is directed towards a lamp life meter adapted to be detachably coupled to a light source of the type which generates a lamp on signal indicating that a lamp of said light source is turned on. The lamp life meter detects the total length of time that the lamp is turned on. The lamp life meter comprises:
a housing having at least one contact terminal adapted to be coupled to one or more output terminals of said light source, said lamp on signal appearing on one or more of said output terminals when the lamp is on;
a clock generator located in said housing and generating clock signals;
a counter located in said housing and counting said clock signals whenever said lamp or signal indicates that said lamp is on; and
a display mounted in said housing for displaying an indication of the time said lamp has been turned on.
The lamp life meter preferably includes a power source (a battery) located in the housing for powering the lamp life meter. A switch is provided for preventing power from being applied from the battery to said clock, counter and display.
The switch preferably comprises an insulating tab moveable between a first position wherein it prevents power from the battery from being applied to the clock, counter and display and a second position wherein it permits power from the battery to be applied to the clock, counter and display.
The tab is preferably slidable between the first and second positions and has an indication (e.g. an arrow head) formed therein indicating the direction the tab must be moved to bring it from the first to the second position. In some embodiments the tab has an insulating section and a conducting section. The insulating section is located between the battery and the clock, counter and display when the tab is in the first position. The conducting section is located between the battery and clock, counter and display when the tab is in the second position. The conducting section may have a conductive material formed over an insulating substrate or may be a hole formed in the tab. The tab can include a perforated portion which can be torn off from the remainder of said tab.
The display preferably includes a plurality of LED's. The pattern of the LED's which are lit indicate the time period that said light has been lit. The LED's preferably flash when they are lit to save energy.
The counter is preferably a programmed microprocessor which is programmed to carry out one or more tests concerning the operation of the lamp life meter. These tests can include a test to determine if the display is working properly and a test to determine if the counter is working properly.
The microprocessor preferably backs up the count of the counter to a non-volatile memory when the lamp
Karasawa Isamu
Moriya Nobuo
Noguchi Toshiaki
Saito Koji
Shigemoto Terutoshi
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Philogene Haissa
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