US Patent 7435218 Optical instrument, in particular an endoscope, having an interchangeable head

An optical instrument, in particular an endoscope, has a shaft and an inter-changeable head. The interchangeable head is detachably connected to the distal end of the shaft at a coupling point. The instrument also has a first transmission system for distal transmission of illuminating power, and a second transmission system for proximal transmission of image information, the first transmission system and the second transmission system passing through the coupling point. The interchangeable head and/or the coupling point are/is designed in such a way that upon loosening of the interchangeable head image information of perceptively modified quality is transmitted by the second transmission system.