Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

An endoscope having at the tip of its inserting section a detecting device for detecting physical or chemical changes allows transmission of signals from the detecting device without requiring a dedicated signal line for this detecting device. For example, an electronic endoscope apparatus of the type which has an inserting section extending from an operating section, includes: a detecting device for detecting physical and chemical changes, such as a humidity sensor or a gas sensor, provided at a tip of the inserting section; a notifying device for notifying of the detection results of the detecting device by, for example, displaying them through a monitor; an image-sensing device, such as a CCD, for forming an image signal having a blanking period; and a signal line. A switching device transmits the signals from the detecting means time-sequentially with and during the blanking period of the signals from the image sensing means. With this construction, an increase in the diameter of the endoscope inserting section can be avoided in spite of the provision of the detecting device.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim