JPH069228B2 - Endoscope with built-in solid-state image sensor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an endoscope having a solid-state image sensor that can be used for industrial and medical purposes.

[Prior Art] Recently, an endoscope which has a solid-state imaging device built in at its inner tip and can observe a monitor has begun to be used. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of such an endoscope, in which 1 is an endoscope body, 2 is a flexible tube portion, 3 is a rigid tip portion, and an objective lens 4 and a solid-state image sensor 5 are provided at the inner tip. It is built in. 6 is a handle.

Further, although not shown, an optical fiber bundle for light transmission, a forceps introduction tube, a water supply tube, an air supply tube and the like are built in the endoscope main body 1 as necessary.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an electric wire that passes through the endoscope body 1 and connects the solid-state imaging device 5 and the video circuit 8. A monitor 9 is connected to the video circuit 8.

With such a configuration, an image converted into an electric signal by the endoscope main body 1 inserted in the equipment to be observed or in the body cavity is displayed on the monitor 9 via the video circuit 8 and is viewed by many people. At the same time, images can be stored on video tapes or optical discs.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The endoscope according to the technique as described above is expected to be widely used in the future because it has the above-mentioned effects and has many advantages. The ends of the multiple electric wires that connect the video circuit are connected to the solid-state image sensor by means such as soldering, pass through the long flexible tube of the endoscope body, and immediately after they are pulled out from the handle, the electric wires are connected to the video circuit. It is not connected, and unless the length is maintained to a certain extent, the operability of the endoscope is hindered and the wire becomes a very long wire.

However, since the electric wires connected to the solid-state image sensor are independent, one electric wire is pulled in response to bending of the flexible tube, and the other electric wire receives a stress such as sagging, and the connecting point The connection strength is low due to the reason that the soldering area cannot be taken sufficiently due to space restrictions, and the electric wires used are also extremely thin wires with a diameter of 0.1 to 0.2 mm. As a result, there are many disconnections at the connection portion of the solid-state image pickup device, and in that case, since it is passed through a long flexible tube, it requires a great deal of time and skill to repair it.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention is a flexible printed circuit board formed by spirally reversing the winding direction at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction,
The end is connected to the solid-state image sensor and is wired. [Operation] According to the above configuration, since the end of the flexible printed circuit board is connected to the solid-state image sensor in a substantially planar state, the connection strength is high. Is large, and the winding direction is sequentially reversed in the longitudinal direction to form a spiral shape, so that the flexible tube of the mounted endoscope can bend freely in any direction, and Even if the end of the flexible printed circuit board is pulled or pushed, the flexible printed circuit board absorbs the force in a stretchable manner, and therefore, the spiral wire diameter does not change as in the case of a one-directionally wound spiral wire. Therefore, the state of other built-in objects is not affected, and as a result, stress is not applied to the connection part with the solid-state image pickup element, and disconnection accidents at the connection part are extremely reduced.

Further, since the flexible tube flexibly follows the bending of the flexible tube, the bending resistance of the flexible tube is small and the bending operation of the flexible tube can be smoothly performed.

〔Example〕

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where a solid-state image sensor and a flexible printed circuit board are connected, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state of a connecting portion, and FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a printed circuit board, in which 1 is an endoscope main body, 2 is a flexible tube portion, 3 is a tip rigid portion, and an objective lens 4, a solid-state image sensor 5, etc. are provided at the inner tip thereof. Is built in. 6 is a handle.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a flexible printed circuit board, the end portion of which is connected to the solid-state image sensor 5 in a planar state as shown in FIG.
They are connected as shown in FIG. 1 and are formed into spiral bodies whose winding directions are reversed at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction. The spiral body is shaped by bending it as shown in FIG. 4, for example. The flexible printed circuit board 10 formed as described above can be spirally wound by winding it from the vertices A and B.

It should be noted that this spiral body may be partially planarized as shown in FIG. 5 instead of the entire length of the flexible printed circuit board 10.

A monitor 9 is connected to the video circuit 8.

Further, some or all of the electronic components of the video circuit 8 may be dispersed and mounted on the flexible printed board 10.

In addition to the above, for example, an air / water jetting port, a suction port, a forceps port, etc. are opened in the above-mentioned tip rigid portion 3.
Further, the flexible tube portion 2 contains optical fiber bundles for light transmission, angle operation wires and other air / water conducting tubes, forceps introducing tubes, suction tubes, etc. as necessary, and these are positioned and the degree of friction. In consideration of the above, other than the unsatisfactory one, the flexible printed circuit board may be passed through the inside of the spiral body. Handle 6
The various operation knobs, forceps introduction ports, and the guide tube 12 such as the light-transmitting optical fiber bundle, the air / water conducting tube, and the suction tube are extended.

According to the above configuration, when the flexible tube 2 is bent, the flexible printed circuit board 10 follows the bending direction without resistance, and the diameter of the spiral body expands and contracts little, and various tubes are passed through the flexible tube. There is no pressure contact with other things. Further, almost no stress is applied to the connection portion 11 between the flexible printed circuit board 10 and the solid-state image pickup element 5, and there is no risk of a disconnection accident of the connection portion 11.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment, which may have a structure in which the electric wire 13 is connected to the flexible printed circuit board 10, and the electric wire 13 is connected to the flexible printed circuit board 10 having a predetermined length. Even if the electric wire is connected to the rear side where the flexible tube 2 is not bent so much as to be inserted, there is no influence on the connection point between the flexible printed circuit board 10 and the electric wire 13 at the time of bending, and moreover, the electric wire is not tight or twisted. Does not occur.

In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, if it is necessary to provide an electric shield or the like on the flexible printed circuit board, a shield layer may be laminated on one side or both sides of the wiring layer with an insulating layer interposed therebetween.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention described in detail above, the wiring connecting the solid-state image sensor and the video circuit installed in the endoscope is a flexible printed circuit board, and the flexible printed circuit board is wound at a predetermined interval in the opposite winding direction. By incorporating it as a wire into the flexible tube, when a long flexible tube is bent, the flexible printed circuit board can follow the bending without resistance in the flexible tube, resulting in bending operation of the flexible tube. And the spiral body expands and contracts in response to this bending operation, compression and tension action, and absorbs these forces to connect the solid-state image sensor to the flexible printed circuit board and the connection point on the other end side. Since unreasonable stress is not applied to the wire, it is possible to prevent disconnection accidents and reduce difficult repair work.

Further, by making the flexible printed circuit board a spiral body in which the winding directions are oppositely wound at a predetermined interval, it is possible to reduce the influence of damage due to electromagnetic induction and obtain a high-quality image with a good SN ratio. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where a solid-state imaging device and a flexible printed circuit board are connected, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state of a connecting portion. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of a flexible printed circuit board for forming a spiral wire, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the flexible printed circuit board in a bent state, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment, and FIG. It is a block diagram of an example endoscope. 2 ... Flexible tube part 3 ... Tip rigid part 5 ... Solid-state image sensor 6
... handle 8 ... video circuit 9 ... monitor 10 ... flexible printed circuit board.

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location H05K 7/02 7301-4E

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope in which a solid-state image pickup device is built in a tip rigid portion of the endoscope, and an electronic image obtained by the solid-state image pickup device is displayed on a monitor. An endoscope having a built-in solid-state imaging device, which is housed in a flexible tube and wired as a spiral body wound in the opposite direction. 2. An endoscope incorporating a solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein an electric wire is connected to the flexible printed board.