Endoscope

Claim 2

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element for transmitting an image of an object, an objective arranged at one end of said first optical fiber element for forming the image of the object, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective for deflecting the light from said object, a second reflecting element arranged for deflecting the light from the object toward said first reflecting element, and a means for rotating said second reflecting element upward and downward around an axis along an optical path between said first and second reflecting elements.

Claim 3

An endoscope according to the claim 1 further comprising a compensation means for image rotation arranged to rotate one of the ends of said first optical fiber element together with rotation of said second reflecting element.

Claim 4

An endoscope according to the claim 1 further comprising an image rotator arranged at one of the ends of said first optical fiber element and rotatable together with said second optical reflecting element.

Claim 5

An endoscope according to the claim 1 further comprising a means for rotating said second reflecting element in rightward and leftward direction.

Claim 6

An endoscope according to the claim 1 further comprising a second optical fiber element for illumination arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a third reflecting element arranged near the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element for the purpose of deflecting the illuminating light transmitted by said second optical fiber element, and a fourth reflecting element arranged to deflect the illuminating light deflected toward said object and rotatable in upward and downward direction integrally with said second reflecting element.

Claim 7

An endoscope according to the claim 5 further comprising a compensation means for image rotation arranged to rotate one of the ends of said first optical fiber element at the same time when said second reflecting element and said fourth reflecting element are integrally rotated in upward and downward direction.

Claim 8

An endoscope according to the claim 6 wherein said compensation means for image rotation is an image rotator arranged at either end of said first optical fiber element, said image rotator being rotatable at the same time when said second reflecting element and fourth reflecting element are rotated integrally.

Claim 9

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element, an objective arranged to form an image of an object on one end of said first optical fiber element, a second optical fiber element for transmitting an illuminating light arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective in order to deflect the light from said object, a second reflecting element for deflecting the light from said object toward said first reflecting element, a third reflecting element arranged near the end on the object side of said second optical fiber element in order to deflect said illuminating light, a fourth reflecting element arranged to further deflect said illuminating light toward said object, and a means for rotating said fourth reflecting element in rightward and leftward direction integrally with said second reflecting element.

Claim 10

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element, an objective arranged to form an image of an object on one end of said first optical fiber element, a second optical fiber element for transmitting an illuminating light arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective in order to deflect the light from said object, a second reflecting element for deflecting the light from said object toward said first reflecting element, a third reflecting element arranged near the end on the object side of said second optical fiber element in order to deflect said illuminating light, a fourth reflecting element arranged to further deflect said illuminating light toward said object, and a means for rotating said fourth reflecting element in rightward and leftward direction integrally with said second reflecting element.

Claim 11

An endoscope according to the claim 8 further comprising a compensation means for image rotation for rotating either end portion of said first optical fiber element at the same time when said second reflecting element and fourth reflecting element are integrally rotated.

Claim 12

An endoscope according to the claim 9 wherein said compensation means for image rotation is an image rotator arranged at either end of said first optical fiber element, said image rotator being rotatable at the same time when said second reflEcting element and fourth reflecting element are rotated integrally.

Claim 13

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element for transmitting an image of an object, an objective arranged at one end of said first optical fiber element for forming the image of the object, a second optical fiber element for illumination arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective for deflecting the light from said object, a second reflecting element arranged for deflecting the light from the object toward said first reflecting element, a third reflecting element arranged at the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element for the purpose of deflecting the illuminating light transmitted by said second optical fiber element, a fourth reflecting element arranged to further deflect the illuminating light deflected toward said object, a holding tube with a cam groove for holding an end portion on the object side of said first optical fiber element, a cylindrical member for holding said second reflecting element and said fourth reflecting element, a first case having a cylindrical hole for housing said holding tube and said objective, said first case further having an annular portion for rotatably holding said cylindrical member and having a slot formed in parallel with the axis of said cylindrical hole, a wire applied to said cylindrical member, a pin fixed to said wire and arranged to be inserted through said slot into said cam groove, and a second case mounted to said first case and housing the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element, said third reflecting element being fixed to said second case, whereby said cylindrical member and said holding tube are rotated at the same time by operation of said wire.

Claim 14

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element for transmitting an image of an object, an objective arranged at one end of said first optical fiber element for forming the image of the object, a second optical fiber element for illumination arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective for deflecting the light from said object, a second reflecting element arranged for deflecting the light from the object toward said first reflecting element, a third reflecting element arranged at the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element for the purpose of deflecting the illuminating light transmitted by said second optical fiber element, a fourth reflecting element arranged to further deflect the illuminating light deflected toward said object, a holding tube with a cam groove for holding an end portion on the object side of said first optical fiber element, a cylindrical member for holding said second reflecting element and said fourth reflecting element, a first case having a cylindrical hole for housing said holding tube and said objective, said first case further having an annular portion for rotatably holding said cylindrical member and having a slot formed in parallel with the axis of said cylindrical hole, a wire applied to said cylindrical member, a pin fixed to said wire and arranged to be inserted through said slot into said cam groove, and a second case mounted to said first case and housing the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element, said third reflecting element being fixed to said second case, whereby said cylindrical member and said holding tube are rotated at the same time by operation of said wire.

Claim 15

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element for transmitting an image of an object, an objective arranged at one end of said first optical fiber element for forming the image of the object, an image rotator arranged on the objective side of said first optical fiber element, a second optical fiber element for illumination arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective for deflecting the light from said object, a second reflecting element arranged for deflecting the light from the object toward said first reflecting element, a third reflecting element arranged at the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element for the purpose of deflecting the illuminating light transmitted by said second optical fiber element, a fourth reflecting element arranged to further deflect the illuminating light deflected toward said object, a holding tube holding said image rotator and having cam groove, a cylindrical member having said second reflecting element and said fourth reflecting element, a first gear formed on said cylindrical member, a first case having a cylindrical hole for housing said holding tube, said objective and said first optical fiber element, said first case further having an annular portion for rotatably holding said cylindrical member and having a slot formed in parallel with the axis of said cylindrical hole, a second gear meshing with said first gear, a pulley arranged to rotate integrally with said second gear, a wire applied to said pulley, a pin fixed to an end of said wire and inserted into said cam groove through the slot, and a second case mounted to said first case and housing the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element, said third reflecting element being fixed to said second case, whereby said cylindrical member and said holding tube are rotated at the same time by operation of said wire.

Claim 16

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element for transmitting an image of an object, an objective arranged at one end of said first optical fiber element for forming the image of the object, an image rotator arranged on the objective side of said first optical fiber element, a second optical fiber element for illumination arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective for deflecting the light from said object, a second reflecting element arranged for deflecting the light from the object toward said first reflecting element, a third reflecting element arranged at the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element for the purpose of deflecting the illuminating light transmitted by said second optical fiber element, a fourth reflecting element arranged to further deflect the illuminating light deflected toward said object, a holding tube holding said image rotator and having cam groove, a cylindrical member having said second reflecting element and said fourth reflecting element, a first gear formed on said cylindrical member, a first case having a cylindrical hole for housing said holding tube, said objective and said first optical fiber element, said first case further having an annular portion for rotatably holding said cylindrical member and having a slot formed in parallel with the axis of said cylindrical hole, a second gear meshing with said first gear, a pulley arranged to rotate integrally with said second gear, a wire applied to said pulley, a pin fixed to an end of said wire and inserted into said cam groove through the slot, and a second case mounted to said first case and housing the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element, said third reflecting element being fixed to said second case, whereby said cylindrical member and said holding tube are rotated at the same time by operation of said wire.

Claim 17

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element for transmitting an image of an object, an objective arranged at one end of said first optical fiber element for forming the image of the object, a second optical fiber elemEnt for illumination arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective for deflecting the light from said object, a second reflecting element arranged for deflecting the light from the object toward said first reflecting element, a third reflecting element arranged at the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element for the purpose of deflecting the illuminating light transmitted by said second optical fiber element, a fourth reflecting element arranged to further deflect the illuminating light deflected toward said object, a first case having cylindrical hole for housing an end portion on the object side of said first optical fiber element and said objective, said first case further holding said first reflecting member, a cylindrical member for holding said second reflecting element and said fourth reflecting element, a supporting member having an annular portion for rotatably holding said cylindrical member, said supporting member being pivotably mounted in rightward and leftward direction to said first case, a wire applied to said cylindrical member for the purpose of rotating said cylindrical member, another wire having one end fixed to said supporting member for the purpose of rotating said supporting member in relation to said first case, and a second case holding the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element and at the same time holding said third reflecting element fixed to said second case.

Claim 18

An endoscope comprising a first optical fiber element for transmitting an image of an object, an objective arranged at one end of said first optical fiber element for forming the image of the object, a second optical fiber elemEnt for illumination arranged in parallel with said first optical fiber element, a first reflecting element arranged in front of said objective for deflecting the light from said object, a second reflecting element arranged for deflecting the light from the object toward said first reflecting element, a third reflecting element arranged at the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element for the purpose of deflecting the illuminating light transmitted by said second optical fiber element, a fourth reflecting element arranged to further deflect the illuminating light deflected toward said object, a first case having cylindrical hole for housing an end portion on the object side of said first optical fiber element and said objective, said first case further holding said first reflecting member, a cylindrical member for holding said second reflecting element and said fourth reflecting element, a supporting member having an annular portion for rotatably holding said cylindrical member, said supporting member being pivotably mounted in rightward and leftward direction to said first case, a wire applied to said cylindrical member for the purpose of rotating said cylindrical member, another wire having one end fixed to said supporting member for the purpose of rotating said supporting member in relation to said first case, and a second case holding the end portion on the object side of said second optical fiber element and at the same time holding said third reflecting element fixed to said second case.