COUPLING FOR MECHANICALLY AND OPTICALLY CONNECTING AN ENDOSCOPE TO A CAMERA MODULE SO AS TO TRANSMIT IMAGES FROM THE ENDOSCOPE TO THE CAMERA MODULE

摘要

A coupling provides mechanical, light-guiding, and image-guiding connection of an endoscope to a camera module. It is proposed that a first cylindrical stem, in whose interior a proximal end segment of the light guiding system is received, project in the coupling direction from a coupling end of the endoscope. Also projecting from the coupling end in the coupling direction is a second approximately cylindrical stem whose length and diameter are greater than the length and diameter of the first stem, a proximal end segment of the image guiding system being received in the interior of the second stem. The second stem coacts with an interlock arranged on the camera module, for mechanical interlocking of the coupling. The first and second stems extend at a distance next to one another, and the coupling end of the camera module has receptacles, complementary to the two stems, into which the two stems penetrate. In the base, the receptacle into which the second stem enters is optically connected to the image sensing system of the camera module, and the receptacle into which the shorter first stem can be received has a light guide.