JPH0549601A - Electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the formation of a thin diameter of the tip part of the endoscope by forming a clearance between the inside periphery of a through-hole of an image pickup unit and the image pickup unit, filling it with a binder and fixing the image pickup unit to a tip constituting member. CONSTITUTION:To the tip part of an image pickup unit 33, a beer 40 is applied, and it is inserted into an image pickup unit through-hole 30 prodded in a tip constituting member 11, and also, a slot groove 32 of the tip constituting member 11. and a groove 36 of the image pickup unit 33 are allowed to coincide with each other, and a stop member 41 is detained into the slot groove 32 and the fixed groove 36 and fixed temporarily. Subsequently, when a cover member 16 is fitted externally to the tip constituting member 11 so as to cover the image pickup unit 33, in the case the cover member 16 and the image pickup unit 33 interfere with each other, a position relation of the image pickup unit 33 is subjected to displacement, correction 6y setting a stop member 41 as a supporting point by utilizing a clearance between the outside periphery of the tip part of the image pickup unit 33 and the inside periphery of the image pickup unit through-hole 30 of the tip constituting member 11. Next, after the binder 40 is hardened in a corrected state, the cover member 16 is fitted externally to an outer tube 19.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope using a solid-state image pickup device among endoscopes used for inspecting instruments such as a body cavity and an engine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a medical electronic endoscope capable of observing the inside of a body cavity with a monitor by inserting an elongated insertion portion into the body cavity has been widely used. Also in the industrial field, industrial electronic endoscopes capable of observing the inside of boilers, turbines, engines, chemical plants, etc. are widely used.

A conventional electronic endoscope is, for example, an actual flat panel 2-
To electrically shield the objective lens system, the objective lens frame, the solid-state image pickup device, the electronic circuit board, and the fixed image pickup device and the electronic circuit board, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 79901 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 2-88604. It is configured as an integral image pickup unit by a shield cover member provided so as to cover the image pickup unit, and this image pickup unit is fitted into a through hole formed in a tip component member of the endoscope distal end portion and fixed by a screw. .. At this time, since the image pickup unit is assembled by assembling the shield cover member with respect to the objective lens frame with a certain degree of inclination, the image pickup unit is fitted into the through hole of the tip component member and screwed. When fixed by, the shield cover member is fixed in a state in which the shield cover member is inclined outward with respect to the central axis of the tip component member.

[0004]

As described above, the image pickup unit fixed to be inclined outward with respect to the central axis of the tip forming member is externally fitted and fixed to the tip forming member and the tip forming member and the image pickup device. Since the pipe-shaped cover member covering the entire unit may interfere with assembly, the cover member needs to have a relatively large inner diameter so as not to interfere with the image pickup unit. Was an obstacle to reducing the diameter of the endoscope tip. or,
The imaging unit was fixed to the tip component with screws, but this fixation with screws limits the size of the screws (miniaturization) in order to secure the fixing strength. Had been an obstacle.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is impossible to assemble the image pickup unit attached to the distal end constituent member and the pipe-shaped cover member covering the entire distal end constituent member and the imaging unit. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic endoscope in which it is not necessary to increase the inner diameter of the cover member to eliminate it, and the diameter of the distal end portion of the endoscope can be reduced accordingly.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the electronic endoscope according to the present invention has a pipe-shaped cover member externally fitted to the distal end constituent member of the endoscope, and the cover member is attached to the distal end constituent member. While extending rearward, the distal end side of the imaging unit is attached to the through hole for the imaging unit provided in the axial direction of the distal end constituent member, and the rear side of the imaging unit is extended into the cover member. , The imaging unit can be tilted with respect to the axial direction between the inner circumference of the through hole for the imaging unit and the outer circumference of the imaging unit so as to avoid interference between the inner circumference of the cover member and the imaging unit. A clear clearance is formed, and the clearance is filled with a fixing agent to form the imaging unit as a tip constituent member.

[0007]

With this structure, when the image pickup unit is inserted and fixed in the image pickup unit through hole of the distal end component, there is a clearance between the inner diameter of the image pickup unit through hole and the outer diameter of the image pickup unit. Before the adhesive that fills the clearance is cured, the image pickup unit is displaced with respect to the central axis direction of the distal end constituent member to avoid interference between the inner circumference of the cover member and the image pickup unit.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 9 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an explanatory sectional view of an electronic endoscope tip portion including a cross section of a stopper member, and FIG. 2 is an electronic endoscope tip portion including a screw cross section. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA ′ in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB ′ in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line CC ′ in FIG. 2, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line D-D 'of FIG. 2, FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line E-E' of FIG. 2, FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line F-F 'of FIG. 2, and FIG. 9 is an overall configuration of an electronic endoscope apparatus. It is a figure.

As shown in FIG. 9, an electronic endoscope apparatus 1 includes an elongated electronic endoscope 2, a light source apparatus 3 for supplying illumination light to the electronic endoscope 2, and the electronic endoscope. It is composed of a control device 4 for processing a video signal for the mirror 2 and a monitor device 5 connected to the control device 4.

The electronic endoscope 2 has an elongated and flexible insertion portion 6 and is constructed by sequentially connecting a distal end portion 7, a bending portion 8 and a flexible portion 9 from the distal end side. A large-diameter operating portion 10 is continuously provided at the rear end of the insertion portion 6, and a flexible universal cord 25 extends to the side of the operating portion 10. The light source connector 26 provided at the end of the universal cord 25 is connected to the light source device 3 and is also connectable to the video signal cable 27. By connecting the video signal cable 27 to the control device 4, The signal picked up by the electronic endoscope 2 is subjected to signal processing, converted into a predetermined video signal, and output.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the insertion portion 6
Is provided with a rigid tip forming member 11 on the tip portion 7, and a bendable bending portion 8 is provided on a rear portion adjacent to the tip portion 7.
Is formed, and the bending portion 8 is moved up and down by rotating the bending knob 13 provided on the operation portion 10 shown in FIG.
It is curved in the left-right direction. The curved portion 8
Has a plurality of bending pieces 14 rotatably connected to each other, and the outer circumference of the bending pieces 14 is covered with an outer cover 15 made of rubber or the like having flexibility. The outer peripheries of the curved portion 8 and the flexible portion 9 covered with the outer cover 15 are made of a net tube or the like in which fine wires made of metal or the like are braided in a net shape.
Is covered with. The exterior member 18 further includes an outer tube 19 in which a tip component member 11 provided on the tip portion 7 and a pipe-shaped cover member 16 fitted and fixed to the tip component member 11 are further fitted. Is fitted and connected to the rear end of the. Then, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, the connecting portion in which the exterior member 18 is fitted into the outer pipe 19 to form an integral unit is fixedly connected by fitting the connecting pipe 20 into the connecting portion. is doing. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the outer tube 19 is fixed to the tip forming member 11 with a screw 21.

The rigid tip forming member 11 arranged at the tip portion 7 of the electronic endoscope 2 has, for example, FIGS.
As shown in FIG.
One illumination through hole 31 is formed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image pickup unit 33 fitted into the image pickup unit through hole 30 includes an observation optical system (not shown) and a solid-state image pickup (not shown) arranged at an image forming position of the observation optical system. An element, a board (not shown) which is connected to this solid-state image pickup element and on which electronic parts are mounted, and an insertion section 6, an operation section 10, a universal cord 25, a light source connector 26, and a video signal cable 27 which are connected to this board. And a shield cover member 35 that electrically shields the signal line 34 and the signal line 34, which are connected to the control device 4 through the cable.

The inner periphery of the image pickup unit through hole 30 provided in the tip forming member 11 is formed with a clearance of, for example, about 0.1 mm with respect to the outer periphery of the tip end of the image pickup unit 33. Therefore, the imaging unit 33
When is inserted into the through hole 30 for the image pickup unit, the image pickup unit 33 slightly moves in an oblique direction with respect to the axial direction of the tip forming member 11. In addition, the imaging unit 33
While a groove 36 is provided on the outer circumference of the tip end portion of the above, the groove 36 is provided from the outer circumference of the tip end portion of the tip constituent member 11 toward the image pickup unit through hole 30 and matches the groove 36 of the image pickup unit 33. A slot groove 32 is provided at the position. A plate-shaped stopper member 41 is inserted from the slit groove 32 to the groove 36 to fix the image pickup unit 33 so as not to come off from the tip component member 11, and the image pickup unit 33 with the stopper member 41 as a fulcrum. Can be slightly displaced in an oblique direction with respect to the axial direction of the tip forming member 11. The groove 36 of the image pickup unit 33 is slightly wider than the slit groove 32 of the tip forming member 11.

Further, an O-ring 37 is provided in a groove provided on the outer periphery of the image pickup unit 33 to prevent liquid such as water from entering from the tip of the through hole 30 for the image pickup unit. A light distribution lens 39 is attached to the tip of the illumination through hole 31, and the tip of a light guide 38 made of a fiber bundle faces the rear end of the light distribution lens 39. The insertion part 6,
The operation section 10 and the universal cord 25 are inserted to be connected to the light source connector 26.

As described above, the tip portion 7 of the electronic endoscope 2 is
First, the imaging unit 3 in which the observation optical system, the solid-state imaging device, the board on which the electronic components are mounted, and the signal line 34 connected to the board are integrated by the shield cover member 35.
At the tip of 3 is a sticking agent 4 such as a silicon-based filler.
0 is applied and inserted into the through hole 30 for the imaging unit provided in the tip forming member 11, and the tip forming member 11 is formed.
The slit groove 32 and the groove 36 of the image pickup unit 33 are aligned with each other, and the stopper member 41 is engaged with the slit groove 32 and the fixed groove 36 for temporary fixing. At this time, the stopper member 41 is used for the imaging unit 33 from the tip forming member 11.
Is prevented from falling off. Next, the cover member 16 is externally fitted to the tip forming member 11 so as to cover the image pickup unit 33. At this time, if the cover member 16 and the image pickup unit 33 do not interfere with each other, the cover member 16 is directly attached to the tip forming member 1.
1 is adhered and fixed, and after the fixing agent 40 is cured, the cover member 16 is externally fitted with the outer tube 19.

By the way, the cover member 16 and the image pickup unit 3 which are externally fitted and fixed to the distal end constituent member 11 with an adhesive or the like.
3 interferes with the adhesive 40 of the image pickup unit 33, the clearance between the outer circumference of the tip of the image pickup unit 33 and the inner circumference of the image pickup unit through hole 30 of the tip forming member 11 is used. Then, the positional relationship of the image pickup unit 33 is corrected by using the stopper member 41 as a fulcrum. Then, after the fixing material 40 is hardened in a state where the image pickup unit 33 is corrected so as not to interfere with the cover member 16, the cover member 16 is fitted onto the outer pipe 19.

Further, since the interference between the image pickup unit 33 and the cover member 16 can be eliminated, the cover member 16
The gap between the inner circumference and the image pickup unit 33 can be reduced, and as a result, the diameter of the tip portion 7 of the electronic endoscope 2 can be reduced.
Further, by using the stopper member 41 and the adhesive 40, the tip forming member 11 and the image pickup unit 33 are held in a stable state without rattling. Therefore, the space occupied by the stopper member 41 and the like can be made smaller than that of the screw, and the diameter of the distal end portion 7 of the electronic endoscope 2 can be further reduced as compared with the case of fixing using the screw.

FIGS. 10 and 11 relate to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an explanatory sectional view of the tip of the electronic endoscope including the section of the stopper member, and FIG. 11 is the GG 'direction of FIG. FIG.

In this embodiment, the distal end portion of the image pickup unit 33 is inserted into the hard distal end constituting member 11 to stop the stopper member 41.
When inserting the slot, the slit groove 32 provided in the first embodiment.
Further, the fixing groove 36 is changed to the through hole portion 42 and the blind hole portion 43, and the shape of the stopper member 41 engaged with the through hole portion 42 and the blind hole portion 43 is changed from the plate shape to the rod shape. Other configurations, operations, and effects are similar to those of the first embodiment,
The same members are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is impossible to assemble due to the interference of the image pickup unit attached to the tip forming member and the pipe-shaped cover member covering the tip forming member and the entire image pickup unit. There is no need to increase the inner diameter of the cover member to eliminate it, and there is an effect that the diameter of the distal end portion of the endoscope can be reduced accordingly.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 9 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1 is an explanatory sectional view of a tip portion of an electronic endoscope including a section of a stopper member.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a tip portion of an electronic endoscope including a screw cross section.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB ′ of FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along line CC ′ of FIG.

6 is a sectional view taken along the line DD ′ of FIG.

7 is a sectional view taken along line EE ′ of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line FF ′ of FIG.

FIG. 9 is an overall configuration diagram of an electronic endoscope apparatus.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the tip portion of the electronic endoscope including a cross section of a stopper member.

11 is a sectional view taken along the line GG ′ of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 ... Electronic endoscope 6 ... Insertion part 7 ... Tip part 8 ... Bending part 11 ... Tip constituent member 15 ... Outer cover 16 ... Cover member 18 ... Exterior member 19 ... Outer tube 30 ... Unit through hole 32 ... Slot groove 33 ... Imaging unit 35 ... Shield cover member 36 ... Fixing groove 40 ... Adhesive 41 ... Stopper member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pipe-shaped cover member is externally fitted to a distal end constituent member of an endoscope, and the cover member is extended rearward of the distal end constituent member, while an imaging unit provided in the axial direction of the distal end constituent member. In which the front end side of the image pickup unit is attached to the through hole for use and the rear side of the image pickup unit is extended into the cover member, between the inner circumference of the through hole for the image pickup unit and the outer circumference of the image pickup unit. To prevent interference between the inner periphery of the cover member and the image pickup unit, a clearance is formed so that the image pickup unit can be tilted with respect to the axial direction. An electronic endoscope characterized by being fixed to a constituent member.