JPH05220107A - Electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a circuit board and to reduce the length of a hard part at the top of a signal cable by connecting the signal cable to a solid-state image pickup device and connecting the circuit board and the signal cable through the solid-state image pickup device. CONSTITUTION:A solid-state imaging device chip 17 of a solid-state image pickup device 14 is arranged at a recessed part 18a of a base 18 and connected with the base 18 by a bonding wire 19. On the other hand, plural terminals 20 and 21 for board connection and for signal cable connection are extended on the side opposite to the recessed part 18a of the base 18 and conducted with the connected part of the wire 19 in the base 18, and the chip 17 and the terminals 20 and 21 are electrically connected. Next, a circuit board 15 is connected to the terminal 20 by soldering or the like. On the other hand, a signal cable 16 is connected to the terminal 21 by soldering or the like. Therefore, the circuit board 15 and the signal cable 16 are connected through the base 18 of the solid-state image pickup device 14. Thus, it is not necessary to provide any space for a land or the like for signal cable connection on the circuit board, and the vertical length of the circuit board can be reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope having a video unit for picking up a subject image at the tip of an insertion section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, endoscopes have been widely used which are capable of observing a region to be examined and performing various treatments by inserting an elongated insertion portion into a body cavity or the like. In particular, in recent years, various electronic endoscopes have been proposed, which include an objective lens, a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD, and a video unit including a circuit board connected to the solid-state image sensor at the tip of the insertion section.

The image unit of such an electronic endoscope is
An objective lens mounted on the lens frame or the like from the tip side and a solid-state image pickup device arranged with its image pickup surface at the focal position of the objective lens are provided. It is configured by connecting a circuit board for performing and a signal cable for transmitting a signal.

[0004]

However, in the conventional electronic endoscope, since the signal cable of the video unit is connected to the solid-state image pickup device and the circuit board, the circuit board needs a space for connecting the signal cable. However, there is a problem that the circuit board becomes large by the amount of this connection space, and the length of the tip hard portion becomes long.

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic endoscope capable of miniaturizing a circuit board and shortening the length of a hard tip portion. ..

[0006]

An electronic endoscope according to the present invention has an objective lens disposed in a lens frame provided at the tip of an elongated insertion portion, and an imaging surface of the objective lens located at the focal position of the objective lens. A solid-state imaging device provided as a solid-state imaging device, a connection terminal of the solid-state imaging device, a signal cable for transmitting a signal to the solid-state imaging device, and a connection terminal of the solid-state imaging device. A circuit board that is connected to the signal cable via an imaging device and that constitutes a circuit that performs signal processing of the solid-state imaging device.

[0007]

With the above construction, the connecting portion between the circuit board and the signal cable is omitted, and the length of the circuit board is shortened.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a configuration of an image unit of an electronic endoscope, and FIG. 2 is an electronic endoscope in which the image unit of FIG. 1 is assembled. FIG. 3 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the distal end portion, FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the electrical connection state of each portion in the video unit, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of the electronic endoscope.

As shown in FIG. 4, the electronic endoscope 1 has an elongated insertion portion 2 that can be inserted into a body cavity or the like, and has a rigid distal end portion 3 and a bendable bending portion 4 from the distal end side. A flexible tube portion 5 having flexibility is provided. On the rear end side of the insertion section, an operation section 6 also serving as a grip section is continuously provided, and a universal cord 7 having a signal cable, a light guide fiber and the like therein is extended from the side of the operation section 6. .. The universal cord 7 is adapted to be connected to the video processor 9 via a connector 8 provided at the end. The video processor 9 is connected to the monitor 1 via the signal cable 10.
The image signal of the subject, which is connected to No. 1 and is picked up by a later-described video unit provided at the tip portion 3, is subjected to signal processing by the video processor 9, and the subject image is displayed on the monitor 11.

Next, the structure of the distal end portion 3 of the insertion portion of the electronic endoscope 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

A video unit 12 provided at the tip 3
Is an objective lens 13, a solid-state imaging device 14, a circuit board 1.
5, the signal cable 16 is provided. The solid-state image pickup device 14 has a solid-state image pickup element chip 17 composed of a CCD or the like.
Substrate 1 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the optical axis direction.
It is arranged in the concave portion 18a of 8 and is connected to the substrate 18 by a bonding wire 19. A plurality of substrate connection terminals 20 and signal cable connection terminals 21 extend on the surface of the substrate 18 opposite to the recesses 18a, and are electrically connected to the connection portions with the bonding wires 19 in the substrate 18, and thus the solid-state image sensor The chip 17 and the terminals 20 and 21 are electrically connected.
A cover glass 22 is provided in front of the solid-state image sensor chip 17.
Is provided, and the solid-state image sensor chip 17 and the cover glass 2
A transparent sealing resin 23 is used to seal between the two.

The solid-state image pickup device 14 includes an objective lens frame 2
An airtight state is adhered and fixed to the rear end side of the objective lens 4 by an adhesive, and the objective lens 13 is similarly adhered and fixed to the front end side of the objective lens frame 24. The circuit board 15 is a double-sided circuit board in which the IC chip 25 and the electronic component 26 are arranged and connected on both sides of the board body 15a, which is a so-called chip-on-board hybrid board, and the board connection terminal 20 of the solid-state imaging device 14. It is connected by soldering or the like. The IC chip 25 is sealed with a sealing resin 27. The signal cable 16 is directly connected to the signal cable connection terminal 21 of the solid-state imaging device 14 by soldering or the like. The circuit board 15 and the signal cable 16 are connected via a substrate 18 of the solid-state imaging device 14. Then, the substrate 1 of the solid-state imaging device 14 is formed by the sealing resin 28.
It is sealed so that the portion from the rear end of 8 to the front end side of the circuit board 15 and the signal cable 16 is covered. The video unit 12 is configured as described above.

The video unit 12, as shown in FIG.
It is inserted from the objective lens frame 24 into the video unit mounting portion 31a of the tip portion main body 31 made of stainless steel or the like provided at the tip portion 3 of the insertion portion 2, positioned by the screw 32, and fixed to the tip portion main body 31. Furthermore, the sealant 33 hermetically seals the space between the tip end main body 31 and the video unit 12.

A connection pipe 34 and a forceps channel tube 35 are adhesively fixed to the connection pipe attachment portion 31b of the tip end main body 31, and a tip cover 36 is attached to the tip.
Are bonded and fixed to cover the tip end main body 31. Further, a bending tube 37 is fixed to the rear end side of the tip end main body 31 by adhesion or welding, and a covering rubber 38 is fixed by an adhesive or the like so as to cover the bending tube 37.
The tip portion 3 of the insertion portion 2 is configured as described above.

FIG. 3 shows an electrical connection state of the solid-state image pickup device chip 17, the circuit board 15, and the signal cable 16 through the substrate 18 of the video unit 12.

ΦAB, φS, and φP are drive signals supplied from the video processor 9 to the solid-state image pickup device chip 17, and the signal lines are signal cable connection terminals 21 and substrate 1.
8. Connected to the solid-state image sensor chip 17 via the bonding wire 19. VDD is a solid-state image sensor chip 1
7 and the power supply to the IC chip 25 of the circuit board 15, and the solid-state imaging device chip 1 through the substrate 18.
7 and the circuit board 15. GND gives a reference voltage to the solid-state imaging device 14 and the circuit board 15, and the solid-state imaging element chip 17 and the circuit board 15 are connected via the substrate 18.

VOUT is the output signal of the solid-state image pickup device 14, and the output of the solid-state image pickup element chip 17 is the circuit board 1.
5, the output signal line is configured to be amplified by the amplifier circuit configured by the IC chip 25 in the circuit board 15 and output to the signal cable 16 via the substrate 18.

That is, the circuit board 15 is not directly connected to the signal cable 16, but is connected to the power supply line and the GND line via the substrate 18 of the solid-state image pickup device 14.
The output signal line of the solid-state imaging device 14 is the circuit board 1
5, the output signal is amplified here, but the output signal from the circuit board 15 is output to the signal cable 16 via the substrate 18.
In this way, the circuit board 15 is configured so that the circuit operates without being directly connected to the signal cable 16.

Thus, in this embodiment, the circuit board 15
Without directly connecting the signal cable 16 to the solid-state imaging device 14
Since the circuit board 15 is connected to the substrate 18, the circuit board 15 does not need to have a space such as a land for connecting the signal cable, and the length of the circuit board 15 in the front-rear direction can be shortened, and the circuit board 15 can be miniaturized. it can. As a result, the axial length of the video unit 12 is shortened.

Therefore, the circuit board 15 can be downsized, and the axial length of the video unit 12 can be shortened, so that the length of the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion can be shortened.

FIGS. 5 to 8 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 shows a first step in assembling the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope.
6 is a sectional explanatory view showing a state after completion of the step of FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is a sectional explanatory view showing a state after completion of the second step in assembling the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and FIG. 7 is a third step in assembling the distal end portion of the insertion portion. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state after completion, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a configuration at the time of completion of assembly of the distal end portion of the insertion portion.

The second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment and is an example in which the objective lens of the image unit and the solid-state image pickup device are constructed separately. The configuration of the present embodiment will be described while explaining the assembly process with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 5, the video unit 1
Assemble the two main parts. The video unit 12 includes a solid-state imaging device 14, a circuit board 15, and a signal cable 16. First, the solid-state image sensor chip 1 such as CCD
The solid-state imaging device 14 including 7 is assembled. Solid-state imaging device 1
4 has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, and the same components are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

After the solid-state image pickup device 14 is assembled, the element frame 4
The solid-state imaging device 14 is bonded and fixed to the rear end side of the device 1 with an adhesive so that the circuit board 15 is connected to the board connection terminal 20 of the solid-state imaging device 14 and the signal cable connection terminal 21.
Then, the signal cable 16 is connected by soldering or the like. The circuit board 15 is a double-sided circuit board in which the IC chip 25 and the electronic component 26 are arranged and connected on both sides of the board body 15a, and is a so-called chip-on-board hybrid board. The IC chip 25 is sealed with a sealing resin 27. Further, the circuit board 15 is not directly connected to the signal cable 16, but is electrically connected via the substrate 18 of the solid-state imaging device 14 as in the first embodiment. Then, the circuit board 1 is provided outside the rear end of the element frame 41.
5, the frame 42 is adhered and fixed so as to cover the signal cable 16, the board connection terminal 20, and the signal cable connection terminal 21, and the inside of the frame 42 is filled with the sealing resin 28 and sealed.

As a result, the video unit 12 is completed. The rear end side of the image unit 12 is in a completely sealed state, and the element frame 41 at the front end is open.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the objective lens frame 4
The objective lens 13 is adhered and fixed to 3 and the objective lens frame unit 44 is formed in advance. In addition, the connection pipe 34 and the forceps channel tube 35 are attached to the connection pipe attachment portion 31b of the tip portion main body 31 and bonded and fixed in advance to be assembled in advance. Then, the objective lens frame unit 44 is adhesively fixed to the tip end side of the video unit mounting portion 31a of the tip end body 31, and then the tip cover 36 is attached to the tip end of the tip end body 31.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the video unit 1
2 is inserted from the element frame 41 into the video unit mounting portion 31a. Then, after focusing the objective lens 13 and the image unit 12 on each other, the element frame 41 and the frame body 42 are adhesively fixed to the tip end main body 31. In this state, the image unit 12 is not in direct contact with the objective lens frame 43.

Through the above steps, the portion including the image unit 12 and the objective lens 13 becomes the state of the sealed image pickup unit with the tip end body.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8, after the bending tube 37 is fixed to the rear end side of the tip body 31 by adhesion or welding, a covering rubber 38 is bonded to the tip body 31 so as to cover the bending tube 37. Fix with a drug. This completes the assembly of the distal end portion 3 of the insertion portion 2.

As described above, in the second embodiment, the objective lens frame unit 44 and the image unit 12 including the solid-state image pickup device 14 are constructed separately, and the objective lens frame 43 and the element frame 4 are arranged.
Since it is assembled to the tip end main body 31 without directly contacting with 1, there is an advantage that the back focus of the objective lens can be adjusted. Further, as in the first embodiment, since the signal cable is not directly connected to the circuit board but is connected through the substrate of the solid-state imaging device, the circuit board can be downsized and the rigid length of the endoscope insertion portion can be shortened. You can

9 to 11 relate to the third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state in which an image unit is assembled, and FIG. 10 is a cross-section showing a state in which an objective lens is assembled to a tip end main body. Explanatory drawing, FIG. 11 is sectional explanatory drawing which shows the state which assembled the video unit in the state of FIG.

The third embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment and is an example in which the objective lens frame unit is detachable.

First, as shown in FIG. 9, the video unit 1
Assemble 2. Here, the shape of the element frame 41 is different from that of the second embodiment, and the other configurations are the same.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, the objective lens 13 is bonded and fixed to the objective lens frame 43, and the objective lens frame unit 44 is formed in advance. In addition, the connection pipe 34 and the forceps channel tube 35 are attached to the connection pipe attachment portion 31b of the tip portion main body 31 and bonded and fixed in advance to be assembled in advance. Then, the objective lens frame unit 44 is inserted into the distal end side of the video unit mounting portion 31a of the distal end portion main body 31 and positioned, and then the screw 32 is screwed and fixed to the distal end portion main body 31. Then, the tip cover 36 is attached to the tip of the tip body 31.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the video unit 12 is inserted from the element frame 41 into the video unit mounting portion 31a. Then, after focusing the objective lens 13 and the image unit 12 on each other, the element frame 41 and the frame body 42 are adhesively fixed to the tip end main body 31. After that, the respective parts are assembled in the same manner as in the second embodiment to form the distal end part 3 of the insertion part 2.

As described above, in the third embodiment, since the objective lens frame unit 44 is fixed to the tip end body 31 with the screw 32, the objective lens frame unit alone can be attached to and detached from the tip end body, for repair or the like. Workability is improved.

Other functions and effects are similar to those of the second embodiment.

12 and 13 relate to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state in which an objective lens is assembled to the tip end main body, and FIG. 13 is an image unit assembled in the state of FIG. It is a section explanatory view showing the state where it was.

The fourth embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment and is an example in which the objective lens is directly attached to the tip portion main body.

The video unit 12 has the same structure as that of the third embodiment shown in FIG. On the other hand, the objective lens 13
As shown in FIG. 12, is directly adhered and fixed to the front end side of the video unit mounting portion 31a of the front end main body 31. Also,
Similar to the second embodiment, the connection pipe 34 and the forceps channel tube 35 are attached and fixed to the connection pipe attachment portion 31b of the tip end main body 31 by adhesion. Then, the tip cover 36 is attached to the tip of the tip body 31.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, the video unit 12 is inserted from the element frame 41 into the video unit mounting portion 31a. Then, after focusing the objective lens 13 and the image unit 12 on each other, the element frame 41 and the frame body 42 are adhesively fixed to the tip end main body 31. After that, the respective parts are assembled in the same manner as in the second embodiment to form the distal end part 3 of the insertion part 2.

As described above, in the fourth embodiment, since the objective lens is directly adhered and fixed to the tip end main body, it is not necessary to provide a lens frame, the number of parts can be reduced, and the structure can be inexpensively constructed.

Other functions and effects are similar to those of the second embodiment.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the signal cable is connected to the solid-state image pickup device, and the circuit board and the signal cable are connected via the solid-state image pickup device. Therefore, there is an effect that the length of the hard tip portion can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 4 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a video unit of an electronic endoscope

2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a configuration of a tip portion of an electronic endoscope in which the image unit of FIG. 1 is assembled.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an electrical connection state of each part in the video unit.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the entire electronic endoscope.

5 to 8 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state after the first step in assembling the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing a state after the second step is completed in assembling the distal end portion of the insertion portion.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state after the third step in assembling the distal end portion of the insertion portion is completed.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the configuration at the end of the assembly of the distal end of the insertion section.

9 to 11 relate to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state in which an image unit is assembled.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory sectional view showing a state in which the objective lens is assembled to the tip end main body.

11 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state in which the video unit is assembled in the state of FIG.

12 and 13 relate to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state in which an objective lens is assembled to the tip portion main body.

13 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state in which the image unit is assembled in the state of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electronic endoscope 2 ... Insertion part 3 ... Tip part 12 ... Image unit 13 ... Objective lens 14 ... Solid-state imaging device 15 ... Circuit board 16 ... Signal cable 17 ... Solid-state imaging device chip 18 ... Substrate 19 ... Bonding wire 20 ... Substrate connection terminal 21 ... Signal cable connection terminal 24 ... Objective lens frame 31 ... Tip body

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hisao Yabe 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takeaki Nakamura 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshinao Daimei 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Within Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An objective lens provided in a lens frame provided at the tip of an elongated insertion portion, a solid-state image pickup device having its image pickup surface positioned at a focal position of the objective lens, and the solid-state image pickup device. A signal cable that is connected to a connection terminal of a device and that transmits a signal to the solid-state imaging device, and is connected to a connection terminal of the solid-state imaging device and is also connected to the signal cable through the solid-state imaging device, An electronic endoscope comprising: a circuit board that constitutes a circuit for performing signal processing of a solid-state imaging device;