JP3240257B2 - Electronic endoscope image sensor assembly - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup device assembly for an electronic endoscope, and more particularly, to an image pickup device and a circuit board assembly structure capable of connecting the image pickup device upside down.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows a configuration of a distal end portion of an electronic endoscope in which a prism is used in an imaging optical system of a direct-view type. In FIG. 6, a solid-state imaging device C is provided on the distal end surface of a distal end portion 1 via an objective lens system 3 including an observation window 2 and a prism 4.
A CCD package 5 containing a CD (Charge Coupled Device) is attached, and the CCD package 5 also serves as a circuit board. An irradiation window (not shown) is arranged near the observation window 2, and a light guide 6 is connected to the irradiation window. A circuit member 7 such as a capacitor or a transistor is arranged in the CCD package 5 and a signal line 8 for transmitting a video signal and a CCD driving signal is connected to a rear end portion. Note that a forceps port 9 for introducing a treatment tool and the like and a treatment tool insertion channel 10 are provided on the lower side of the figure.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration of a distal end portion of an electronic endoscope which is of a side-view type and does not use a prism in an imaging optical system. 7, a CCD package 15 also serving as a circuit board is attached to a side surface of the distal end portion 12 via an objective lens system 14 including an observation window 13, and a circuit member 16 is provided on the CCD package 15. , A signal line 17 is arranged on the bottom side. In addition, a light guide 19 is connected to an irradiation window 18 arranged near the observation window 13.

[0006] According to the direct view type shown in FIG. 6 as described above, the inside of the object to be observed can be observed in the direction of insertion of the endoscope (axial direction of the endoscope). According to the side view type shown in FIG. The inside of the object to be observed can be observed in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the endoscope, and these types of electronic endoscopes are used according to the purpose of observation or treatment.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned direct-view type or side-view type electronic endoscope, the packages 5 and 15 can be mounted on the same CCD even if they are the same CCD, because the imaging state on the CCD is different. Manufactured separately for each type.

For example, the image forming state of the CCD (package 5) of FIG. 6 is as shown in FIG. 8, and the image forming state of the CCD (package 15) of FIG.
It becomes as shown in. That is, in FIG. 8, the image (F) captured by the observation window 2 is inverted by the objective lens system 3 and is reflected by the prism 4, whereas in FIG. Since the obtained image (F) is inverted by the objective lens system 14, the image is inverted upside down (1).
(Rotated by 80 degrees). Therefore, when extracting the image signal obtained by the CCD, it is necessary to ensure consistency in relation to the top and bottom of the CCD. For this reason, the CCD packages 5 and 15 as circuit boards are separately manufactured according to different types. That is being done.

[0007] However, even if the image forming state is different as described above, if there is a convertible structure capable of taking out the image signal from the CCD in a predetermined direction with one circuit board, simplification and cost reduction in manufacturing can be achieved. The reduction can be achieved.

By the way, the present applicant proposes an image pickup device assembly without using the above-mentioned CCD packages 5 and 15 in order to reduce the diameter and shorten the end of the endoscope (in the axial direction of the endoscope). are doing. That is, although this will be described in detail later, C
A flexible circuit board is directly mounted on the upper surface of the CD, and a circuit board made of a synthetic resin or the like for connecting signal lines is connected to the flexible board. Also, on the top of the CCD,
Place the cover glass at the required interval for terminal connection,
By making the space above the imaging surface of the CCD airtight, a package is not required.

Therefore, if the above-described convertible structure can be adopted in such an assembled body, a product having a high utility value can be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to convert images in a predetermined direction by a convertible structure even in two types in which the imaging state of an image sensor is inverted upside down. Can take out the signal,
An object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup device assembly of an electronic endoscope that can be manufactured easily and at low cost.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic endoscope having an objective optical system member disposed at a distal end of the electronic endoscope, and a plurality of input end portions disposed at front and rear ends. An image sensor in which output terminals are arranged, a first circuit board connecting a signal line for transmitting input / output signals to and from the image sensor,
A flexible substrate disposed between the image sensor and the first circuit board; an image sensor side connection terminal before and after being connected to input / output terminals at front and rear ends of the image sensor; An image pickup apparatus comprising: a first circuit board side connection terminal connected to a terminal; and a second circuit board provided with a conductor pattern for wiring between the first circuit board side connection terminal and the imaging element side connection terminal. An element assembly, comprising:
In the circuit board, the first circuit board-side connection terminals are provided at two positions in the front-rear direction, and a conductor pattern for wiring between one of the first circuit board-side connection terminals and the imaging element-side connection terminal is provided on the surface. And a conductor pattern for wiring between the other first circuit board side connection terminal and the imaging element side connection terminal is formed on the back surface through a through hole. In addition, the front and rear correspond to the front and rear direction of the endoscope in which the front end side is front, and the front and rear may be reversed. According to a second aspect of the present invention, the first circuit board side connection terminal is formed so as to be exposed to an opening provided in the second circuit board.

[0012] According to the action of the first claim, wherein, the imaging device (CC
D), a second circuit board is assembled by terminal connection of each member, and the second circuit board is terminal-connected to the first circuit board. At this time, in the second circuit board, one of the front and rear connection terminals (group) connected to the front and back conductor patterns can be selected, so that the orientation of the CCD with respect to the first circuit board disposed behind the endoscope is changed. Can be connected in an inverted state. Therefore, different types of endoscopes use CCD
Even in the case where the image picked up above is upside down, the structure of the convertible imaging device assembly makes it possible to match the top and bottom of the image with the top and bottom of the CCD (imaging surface).

According to the configuration of the second aspect, the first
The circuit board can be connected to either the front surface or the back surface of the second circuit board.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 to 5 show an image pickup device assembly provided at the distal end of an electronic endoscope according to an embodiment, and this assembly is a simultaneous type. It is used for. 1 and 2 show an assembled body of an image sensor and a second circuit board having a conductor pattern on the front and back surfaces, and the conductor pattern shown in FIG. 1 is formed on the front surface, The conductor pattern shown in FIG. 2 is a pattern formed on the back surface seen through from the front side.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, on the upper surface of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 20, which is a solid-state image sensor,
An imaging surface S is formed, and an image of the object to be observed is captured on the imaging surface S, converted into an image signal, and output to a monitor or the like. Here, the upper and lower sides of the imaging surface S shown in the drawing correspond to the upper and lower sides of an image output to a monitor or the like. Further, a plurality of input / output terminals (group) H
(Front side) and I (rear side) are provided (the terminals H and I are shown in a see-through state).

In this example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in order to connect and arrange a signal line (21) for transmitting an image signal to a monitor or the like, a first circuit board 22 (to be described later) made of a hard synthetic resin is used. ) Is used, and the first circuit board 22 and the CC
D20 is connected to the second circuit board 23.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second circuit board 23 has an opening 24 at the center and is arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the CCD 20. The second circuit board 23 is made of a thin flexible board, and has a strip-shaped terminal h connected to the front terminal H of the CCD 20 and a strip-shaped terminal i connected to the rear terminal I. , This terminal h,
i is a thin metal plate. Also, the second circuit board 23
The first circuit board side connection terminal J1 is on the upper side of FIG.
The circuit board side connection terminal J2 is provided.
1 is formed in the opening 25 and the terminal J2 is formed in the opening 26. The terminal J2 in FIG. 1 and the terminal J in FIG.
1 is connected to the first circuit board 22.

A surface-side conductor pattern 27 is formed on the surface of the second circuit board 23 for wiring between the terminals h and i in FIG. 1 and the lower terminal J2. On the other hand, FIG.
As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 5, a back side conductor pattern 29 is formed on the back side of the second circuit board 23 in order to wire between the terminals h and i and the upper terminal J1. That is, the back side conductor pattern 29 has one end wired to the terminal J1, the other end connected to the front side conductor pattern 27 via the through hole 28, and wired to the terminals h and i. In order to simplify the wiring pattern in the back side conductor pattern 29, both side terminals J of the terminal J1 group are used.
1, the wiring is branched from the front-side conductor pattern 27 and wired.

The CCD 20 and the second circuit board 23 having such a configuration are connected by, for example, a TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) method. In the TAB method, the second circuit board 23 is continuously formed on a tape-shaped member (flexible board), and the individual second circuit boards 2 of the tape-shaped member are formed.
The CCDs 20 are sequentially connected to 3. In the case of this example, the terminals H and I on the CCD 20 and the terminals h and i on the second circuit board 23 are connected via bumps formed on them.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first circuit board 22 is made of a hard synthetic resin material, and the first circuit board 22 has terminals J1 and J2 of the second circuit board 23.
Is provided, and a terminal K for connecting the signal line 21 is formed.
Is wired by a conductor pattern formed on the lower side via a through hole 30.

As described above, the first circuit board 22 and the CCD
20 is connected via a second circuit board 23,
The cover glass 31 is disposed on the upper surface of the CCD 0 with an interval required for terminal connection, and the space above the imaging surface S of the CCD 20 is airtight, thereby eliminating the need for a package. These members are then assembled to the objective optical system members as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, an objective optical system member 33 is connected to an upper surface of a cover glass 31 via a prism 32. As shown, the signal line 21 is connected to the terminal K of the first circuit board 22 by soldering or the like, and a circuit member 34 for driving the CCD 20 and the like are disposed on the back surface of the first circuit board 22. You. Then, finally, the second circuit board 2
The left and right portions of the endoscope 3 are bent upward (or of course, downward) in the left and right width of the CCD 20, and are disposed at the distal end of the endoscope in such a state.

The embodiment is configured as described above.
In connecting the second circuit board 23 disposed between the CCD 20 and the first circuit board 22, one of the front and back patterns 27 and 29 of the second circuit board 23 described above is used. FIG. 3 shows a connection example using the back-side conductor pattern 29 of the second circuit board 23 in FIG.
FIG. 4 shows an example of connection using 7, and FIG. 3 is applicable to, for example, a direct-viewing type endoscope, and FIG. 4 is applicable to a side-viewing type endoscope.

That is, in FIG. 3, the second circuit board 23 mounted on the CCD 20 is connected to the first circuit board 22 by connecting the terminals H and h and the terminals I and i. This connection is made by connecting the terminals J1 and j. The signal line 21 is connected to the terminal K of the first circuit board 22. Therefore, in this case, the upper side of the imaging surface S of the CCD 20 is arranged so as to face the rear side of the endoscope, and the back side conductor pattern 29 is effective.

In this case, the image F of the object to be observed is formed as an inverted image by the objective optical system member 33 shown in FIG. 5 and a reflected image by the prism 32, so that the image F is formed behind the endoscope. The upper side will come. However, according to the above arrangement, the upper and lower sides of the image F obtained on the imaging surface S of the CCD 20 coincide with the upper and lower sides of the imaging surface S as illustrated. Accordingly, an image in which the upper and lower portions coincide with each other is obtained, and this image signal is transmitted to the outside from the signal line 21 disposed behind the endoscope. The terminal J2 not used in the above
Can be removed by cutting along the dashed line 100 shown in the figure.

In FIG. 4, the second circuit board 23 mounted on the CCD 20 is connected to the first circuit board 22 by connecting the terminals J2 and j as in FIG. Therefore, CC
The upper surface of the imaging surface S of D20 is arranged so as to face the front side of the endoscope, and the surface-side conductor pattern 27 is effective. In this case, the image F of the object to be observed is inverted by the objective optical system member 33 in FIG.
The upper side of the image F comes to the front of the endoscope.

However, according to the above arrangement, the upper and lower sides of the CCD 20 are in an inverse relationship compared to the case of FIG.
The top and bottom of the image F obtained on the imaging surface S of the CCD 20 coincide with the top and bottom of the imaging surface S. Therefore, also in this case, an image in which the upper and lower portions coincide with each other is obtained, and the image signal is output from the signal line 21 behind the endoscope. The image forming state of the image F is shown in FIGS.
Are reversed left and right, but this can be matched by changing the reading direction. In addition, the terminal J1 not used in the above can be removed by cutting along the chain line 101 shown in the figure.

Further, the terminal J1 on the second circuit board 23
Are formed in the opening 25 and J2 is exposed in the opening 26, so that the first circuit board 22 can be connected from either the front surface or the back surface of the second circuit substrate 23, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in design. be able to.

[0028]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the first signal line for transmitting the image signal is connected.
In a flexible second circuit board connected between the circuit board and the imaging device, two connection terminals to the first circuit board are provided, and a conductor pattern provided to the two connection terminals is provided. Since it is formed separately on the front and back surfaces, even if the imaging state of the image sensor is upside down, the same assembly can cope with the convertible structure.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the first circuit board side connection terminal of the second circuit board is formed so as to be exposed at the opening provided in the second circuit board. 2
The first circuit board can be connected to either the front surface or the back surface of the circuit board, which has the advantage of increasing the degree of freedom in design.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an assembly of an image sensor and a second circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conductor pattern on a back surface of a second circuit board in the assembled body of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an image pickup element assembly and an image formation state of an image in the case of an endoscope of a type using a prism for an objective optical system.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an image pickup device assembly and an image formation state of an image in the case of an endoscope that does not use a prism in an objective optical system.

5A and 5B are explanatory views showing a state in which the assembled body of FIGS. 3 and 4 is assembled to an objective optical system member. FIG. 5A is a plan view, FIG. 5B is a side view, and FIG. ) Is a front view.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a conventional direct-view type electronic endoscope distal end portion using a prism in an objective optical system.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a distal end portion of a conventional electronic endoscope which does not use a prism in an objective optical system in a side view type.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an image formation state of an observation object image in FIG. 6 on a CCD.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an image formation state of an object to be observed in FIG. 7 on a CCD.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8, 17, 21 ... signal line, 20 ... CCD, 22 ... first circuit board, 23 ... second circuit board, 24, 25, 26 ... opening, 27, 29 ... conductor pattern, 28, 30 ... through hole, H , I, J1, J2, K, h, i, j ... terminals.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image pickup device having a plurality of input / output terminals arranged at front and rear ends at an end portion of an electronic endoscope via an objective optical system member, and transmitting input / output signals to and from the image pickup device. A first circuit board for connecting signal lines to be connected, and a flexible substrate disposed between the image sensor and the first circuit board, the image sensor before and after being connected to input / output terminals at front and rear ends of the image sensor Side connection terminal, a first circuit board side connection terminal connected to the terminal on the first circuit board, and a conductor pattern for wiring between the first circuit board side connection terminal and the imaging element side connection terminal. And a second circuit board provided with the first and second circuit boards. In the second circuit board, the first circuit board side connection terminals are provided at two positions in the front-rear direction, and one of the first Circuit board side connection terminal and the above image sensor side connection A conductor pattern for wiring between the terminals is formed on the front surface, and a conductor pattern for wiring between the other first circuit board side connection terminal and the image sensor side connection terminal is formed on the back surface via a through hole. An image pickup device assembly for an electronic endoscope, comprising: 2. The image pickup device of an electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said first circuit board side connection terminal is formed so as to be exposed to an opening provided in said second circuit board. Assembled body.