JPH0739515A - Image pickup apparatus for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable to effect a sterilization treatment in an autoclave apparatus keeping the movability of the camera cable by filling the connector shell connecting an image pickup device and the camera cable with an insulating and heat resisting resin. CONSTITUTION:On the side face of the rear end of the connector shell 16, an opening is made, through which sealing resin 7 is filled in the connector shell 16. With such resin, the circumference near the end part of the camera cable 3, the circumference of the connecting part of the contact pin holder 15 and the signal cable, the gap between the contact pin holder 15 and the fitting hole for the contact pin holder, the gap between the inner peripheral face of the connector shell 16 and the outer peripheral face of the second insulator 14, the part around the circular opening through which the camera cable 3 is passed, etc., are sealed. As the material of the sealing resin 7, substances e.g. tetrafluoroethylene polyether imide, liquid crystal polymer, ceramics of silica-alumina or inorganic binder, etc., are used and the material with durability against the sterilization treatment by water vapor at a high temperature and under a high pressure in the autoclave apparatus is selected.

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 for an endoscope having an image pickup element for photoelectrically converting an endoscope image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, optical endoscopes have been widely used in the medical field and the like. Since this optical endoscope needs to be observed with the naked eye from the eyepiece, an external TV camera as an image pickup device for an endoscope having an image pickup element built in the eyepiece of the optical endoscope is used. It may be used as an endoscope system in which an endoscopic image can be displayed on a monitor by being attached.

In particular, medical devices such as endoscopes to be inserted into a living body are used in a sufficiently sterilized state so as to prevent infectious diseases. Further, after such medical equipment is used, it is disinfected by being immersed in a disinfecting solution (chemical solution).
Therefore, in the conventional external TV camera, the TV camera head has a waterproof structure including the camera cable and the connector so that it can be disinfected by immersing it in a disinfecting solution.

In the conventional example, a connector to be connected to the CCU and a connector inside the camera head are provided with a waterproof cap so that a chemical solution can be immersed therein, and the waterproof property is ensured when the plug side and the receptacle side are connected. There are also some. Incidentally, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 59-77057 discloses a device in which a space between the connector and the electrode body is filled with an insulating material to improve the assembling property, but it does not have an image pickup device.

[0005]

As described above, the immersion in the chemical solution requires the external TV camera to be immersed in the chemical solution for a long time in order to attain the sterilization level, which is not suitable for emergency sterilization. Therefore, even for an external TV camera as an imaging device for an endoscope, there is a great need to be able to use it in an autoclave device that can be sterilized in a short time.

When the TV camera head is put in the autoclave, it is very difficult to prevent the invasion of vapor from the sheath of the camera cable. In order to make it possible, the sheath material is very hygroscopic. It must be very small, which results in a cable with low flexibility, which is a practical problem.

That is, the vapor that has entered the cable is T
V enters into the V camera head and deteriorates the image sensor and other electric members, and the humidity inside the TV camera head rises, causing a problem of dew condensation on the surface of the optical member, which deteriorates the imaging function. I will end up.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope image pickup apparatus which enables sterilization processing in an autoclave apparatus without reducing the flexibility of a camera cable. To aim.

[0009]

In the image pickup device for an endoscope of the present invention, an optical image is formed by the endoscope, and the image pickup device photoelectrically converts the optical image, and the image pickup device converts the optical image. A flexible cable for transmitting electrical signals,
A first connector that connects the imaging element and one end of the cable, and a second connector that is provided at the other end of the cable, and forms at least the first connector. An insulator, a heat-resistant resin encapsulated in the connector shell, housing an insulator, a contact pin held by the insulator, and one end side of the cable connected to the contact pin. Even if water vapor enters the inside of the cable during sterilization in high-temperature, high-pressure steam in an autoclave, the insulating and heat-resistant structure enclosed in the connector shell The resin prevents water vapor from entering the connector shell from one end.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 shows an external TV as an endoscope image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional structure of an external TV camera, and FIG. 3 shows a configuration of an endoscope system.

As shown in FIG. 1, an external TV camera 1 as an image pickup device for an endoscope according to the first embodiment has a camera head 2 having a built-in image pickup element and a flexibility extended from the camera head 2. And a connector 4 provided at the end of the camera cable 3, and an adapter 5 detachably attached to the front surface of the camera head 2 and provided with a mount portion to be attached to the optical endoscope 2. And an internal connector 6 for connecting the image pickup device and the camera cable 3 is provided in the camera head 2, and as described later, the periphery of one end of the camera cable 3 in the internal connector 6 is made of an insulating material. The structure is sealed with the sealing resin 7.

FIG. 2 shows the external TV camera 1 with the adapter 5 removed. In the camera head 2, a CCD 9 is arranged inside a camera head main body 8 having a substantially cylindrical shape, and an opening on the front surface of the CCD 9 is sealed with a cover glass 10. The substrate protruding from the back surface of the CCD 9 is the substrate 1
1 is attached, and is connected and fixed to the substrate 11 by the contact pins 12 forming the internal connector 6 by soldering or the like.

Each contact pin 12 is inserted into a contact pin mounting hole of a first insulator 13, which is, for example, a disk-shaped insulator, and protrudes to the back surface side of the first insulator 13 in the first insulator 13. It is fixed to.

When each contact pin 12 is inserted into the contact pin mounting hole, it is held in a slightly movable state in the contact pin mounting hole by a not-shown claw or the like. First insulator 1
Each contact pin 12 protruding to the back surface side of 3 is inserted into the contact pin insertion concave portion of the contact pin receiver (reception side contact pin) 15 inserted into the contact pin receiving attachment hole of the second insulator 14, and each contact pin Each of 12 contacts the contact pin receiver 15 to be electrically conducted.

That is, the internal connector 6 is a male side connector having a first insulator 13 and a plurality of contact pins 12 held by the first insulator 13, a second insulator 14, and a second insulator 14. And a female connector having a plurality of contact pin receivers 15 held by an insulator 14. Both connectors are fixed in a common connector shell 16.

Each contact pin receiver 1 forming a female connector
Reference numeral 5 projects to the back surface side of the second insulator 14, and each signal line exposed from one end of the camera cable 3 is connected by soldering or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the metallic connector shell 16 has a cylindrical shape with one opening and the other having a bottom. The first insulator 13 and the second insulator 14 are connected to the contact pins 12 and the contact pin receivers 15. It is stored and fixed in the connected state.

That is, the peripheral edge portion of the back surface of the second insulator 14 abuts on the step portion of the connector shell 16 and is fixed by the fixing screw 17 which presses the peripheral edge surface of the first insulator 13 contacting the second insulator 14. The first insulator 13 and the second insulator 14 are fixed in a state of being in pressure contact with each other.

In the storage space on the rear surface side of the second insulator 14 in the connector shell 16, one end side of the camera cable 3 which has passed through the circular opening formed in the bottom surface of the connector shell 16 is stored. The signal lines 3 are connected to the base ends of the contact pin receivers 15 protruding on the back surface of the second insulator 14.

The front end side of the connector shell 16 is fitted into the camera head main body 8 and, for example, as a sealing member O housed in a peripheral groove formed in the inner peripheral surface of the camera head main body 8.
The ring 18 has a watertight and airtight structure so that steam and the like do not enter the CCD 9 side even when high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization processing is performed in an autoclave device.

An opening is provided on the side surface on the rear end side of the connector shell 16, and the sealing resin 7 for sealing from the opening is filled in the inside of the connector shell 16 to surround the vicinity of the end portion of the camera cable 3. , Around the connection portion of the contact pin receiver 15 and the signal line, the gap between the contact pin receiver 15 and the contact pin receiver mounting hole, the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the connector shell 16 and the outer peripheral surface of the second insulator 14, the camera cable 3 The inside of the connector shell 16, that is, the back side of the female connector in the internal connector 6 is made watertight and airtight by filling the sealing resin 7 in the vicinity of the circular opening through which the high temperature and high pressure are sterilized in the autoclave device. Even when the treatment is performed, the sealing resin 7 prevents vapor and the like from entering the inside of the connector shell 16.

The material of the sealing resin 7 is, for example, P
TFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), polyetherimide, liquid crystal polymer, silica-alumina-based ceramics and inorganic binder are used, and a material having resistance to sterilization treatment by high temperature and high pressure steam is used in an autoclave device.

In this autoclave, the sterilization treatment with high temperature and high pressure steam is usually performed at 135 ° C. for 2 or 2 atmospheres.
Since it is carried out in 5 to 20 minutes, a material having resistance to such sterilization treatment is used. Further, the sealing resin 7 is made of a material having a low hygroscopic property, so that the imaging function is not deteriorated even by repeated sterilization treatments in the autoclave device.

The outer peripheral surface of the connector shell 16 is covered with a cover 20 made of synthetic resin so as to be in close contact therewith. The rear end side of the cover 20 is tapered to have a small diameter, and covers the outer peripheral surface of the end portion side of the camera cable 3 extending outside the connector shell 16 to form a peripheral groove formed on the inner peripheral surface in the middle. The housed O-ring 21 makes it watertight and airtight. Further, the cover 20 also has a function of preventing bending, which prevents the end portion side of the camera cable 3 from being excessively bent.

The insulating member such as the jacket of the camera cable 3 is also made of a material having resistance to high temperature and high pressure sterilization treatment in the autoclave.

With such a structure, the camera head 2 has a watertight and airtight structure. The camera head body 8
A screw 22 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the adapter so that the adapter 5 can be detachably attached.

On the other hand, the connector 4 provided at the end of the camera cable 3 also has a watertight and airtight structure as described below.

The connector shell 23, which is an exterior member of the connector 4, has a substantially cylindrical shape in which the rear end side is tapered and the front end side is open, and the insulator fixing frame body 24 is fixed inside the front end side opening by, for example, screwing means. Then, the insulator 25 is fixed to the insulator fixing frame body 24 with a fixing screw 26.

The insulator fixing frame 24 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided with a fitting portion for fitting near the front end of the connector shell 23. The fitting portion is housed in a circumferential groove formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connector shell 23. The O-ring 27 has a watertight and airtight structure to prevent moisture or steam from entering from the fitting portion with the connector shell 23.

Further, the insulator fixing frame 24 is provided with a convex portion projecting radially outward, and a convex portion projecting radially inward of the fixing ring 28 is provided between the convex portion and the front end of the connector shell 23. Is rotatably sandwiched. A fixing screw is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the front end of the fixing ring 28 so as to be detachably attached to the connector receiver.

Contact pins 29 are inserted into the contact pin mounting holes of the insulator 25, respectively.
9 has its tip protruding from the surface of the insulator 25,
The rear end is held in a state of protruding from the back surface of the insulator 25.

The front end of the insulator fixing frame 24 has a contact pin 29 protruding from the surface of the insulator 25.
The contact pins 29 are prevented from being deformed or broken.

At the rear end of each contact pin 29 protruding from the back surface of the insulator 25, the signal line exposed from the end of the camera cable 3 passing through the circular opening of the connector shell 23 is connected and fixed by soldering. In the vicinity of the circular opening of the connector shell 23, a cable stopper is attached which is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the camera cable 3 to prevent the cable from coming off.

An opening is also provided in the outer peripheral surface of the connector shell 23, and the sealing resin 30 made of the material having the above-mentioned sealing function is filled in the inside of the connector shell 23 through the opening, so that the camera cable 3 Around the end portion, around the soldered portion between the signal line and the contact pin 29, the contact pin 29
And a contact pin mounting hole, a fitting portion between the insulator 25 and the insulator fixing frame body 24, a screwing portion between the insulator fixing frame body 24 and the connector shell 23, and the like are sealed.

In this way, the connector 4 at the end of the camera cable 3 also has a watertight and airtight function. FIG. 3 shows an endoscope system 31 including the first embodiment.

This endoscope system 31 includes a rigid endoscope 32.
Also, a camera external endoscope 33 including the external TV camera 1 attached to the rigid endoscope 32, a light source device 34 for supplying illumination light to the rigid endoscope 32, and the external T
A camera control unit (abbreviated as CCU) 35 that performs signal processing for the V camera 1 and the CCU 3
And a monitor 36 for displaying a video signal output from V.
It is composed of TR37 and VTR37 is an isolation transformer 3
It is connected to the commercial power supply via 8.

The rigid endoscope 32 is formed with an elongated and rigid insertion portion 41, a large-diameter grip portion 42 continuously provided at the rear end of the insertion portion 41, and a rear end of the grip portion 42. And a base provided on the side of the grip 42,
A light guide cable 45 is connected to the base, and a connector 4 provided at the end of the light guide cable 45.
6 can be detachably connected to the light source device 34.

By connecting the connector 46 of the light guide cable 45 to the light source device 34, white light from the lamp 47 in the light source device 34 is radiated to the end surface of the light guide through the condenser lens 48 and the diaphragm 49. The illumination light transmitted by this light guide is used by the rigid endoscope 3
The light is supplied to the light guide in 2 and is emitted forward from the illumination window at the tip of the insertion portion 41 to illuminate the subject.

The diaphragm 49 is controlled by the exposure controller 51. This exposure controller 51 is connected to the CCU 35 by a light control cable 52,
The aperture amount of the diaphragm 49 is controlled by the light control signal from the CCU 35 side.

By the illumination light emitted from the illumination window,
The illuminated subject is imaged by an objective lens (not shown) provided at the tip, and the formed image is transmitted to the eyepiece 43 side by the relay optical system so that it can be magnified and observed through the eyepiece 53. Has become.

The camera head 2 forming the external camera 1 can be detachably attached to the eyepiece section 43 via an adapter 5. An imaging optical system 54 is provided inside the adapter 5 and forms an optical image on the CCD 9. The CCD 9 transmits the photoelectrically converted image signal through the signal line in the camera cable 3, and is input to the video signal processing circuit 56 in the CCU 35 via the connector 4 and the connector receiver 55 to which the connector 4 is attached.

The video signal processing circuit 56 operates with a direct current of a predetermined voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 57, generates a Y / C separated video signal and an NTSC video signal, and outputs the Y / C output terminal 58 and the NTSC. Each video signal is output from the output terminal 59, an endoscopic image captured by the CCD 9 is displayed on the monitor 36, and the VTR 37 records the video signal.

The operation panel 6 is provided on the front surface of the CCU 35.
1 is provided, and by operating the operation panel 61, it is possible to change the emphasis level of the contour emphasis amount, and give an instruction to increase or decrease the level of the illumination light amount.
By operating the contour emphasis operation switch or the like, the instruction signal is input to the video signal processing circuit 56, and the emphasis level of the contour emphasis circuit is changed.

When the illumination light amount adjustment switch of the operation panel 61 is operated, the instruction signal is input to the automatic light control circuit 62, and the reference level of the illumination light amount is changed according to the operation of the switch. A brightness signal is input to the automatic light control circuit 62 from the video signal processing circuit 56, the brightness signal is compared with a reference level, and the error signal is output as a write control signal from the write control signal output terminal 63.
The aperture amount of the diaphragm 49 is controlled via the exposure controller 51.

When the endoscope shown in FIG. 3 is used for endoscopy, the rigid endoscope 32 to be inserted into the body cavity is sterilized by steam at high temperature and high pressure by an autoclave device so that the rigid endoscope 32 can be securely processed in a short time. Can be sterilized.

Also, the external TV camera 1 of the first embodiment, together with the rigid endoscope 32, can be surely sterilized in a short time by the sterilization process in high temperature and high pressure steam by the autoclave device.

In this case, since the external camera 1 of the first embodiment has a structure in which the camera head 2 side is hermetically sealed by the sealing resin 7 or the like as described above, vapor enters the CCD 9 side or the like. Is prevented. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contacts and the like from being short-circuited by the steam, and it is possible to reliably prevent the characteristics from being deteriorated by the invading steam.

Further, even if steam enters the outer casing of the camera cable 3, the periphery of the end portion is sealed with the sealing resin 7, so that the contact pin receiver 15 is surely prevented from being short-circuited. it can.

Further, the connector 4 connected to the CCU 35
Since it is also sealed with the sealing resin 30 or the like, the contact pin 29
It is possible to prevent steam from entering the inside of the connector 4 connected to the signal line.

Therefore, the sterilization time can be greatly shortened, and emergency sterilization can be dealt with. For this reason, when disinfection with a chemical solution took a long time, a large number of external TV cameras had to be prepared and placed, and a small number of external TV cameras could be used to reduce the cost. it can.

Further, since it has a watertight structure, it can be sterilized with a chemical solution as in the conventional case in an environment where the autoclave cannot be used. In addition, as described above, the camera head 2 is connected to the CCD 9 using the internal connector 6.
Since the side and the camera cable 3 side are connected to each other, it can be applied even when the number of pixels of the CCD 9 is different.

For example, when it is necessary to manufacture an external TV camera having a different number of pixels, if only the CCD 9 or if the size is different, only the camera head main body 8 part is replaced, the other parts can be used similarly. It is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost.

Also, replacement of the CCD 9 in the case of a failure becomes easy. The space in which the substrate 11 in FIG. 2 is stored may be filled with the sealing resin 7.

FIG. 4 shows an external TV camera 71 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment has a structure in which the water leak inside the camera cable 3 can be checked in addition to the structure of the first embodiment.

A hollow contact pin 72 is attached to the insulator 25 of the connector 4 so as to pass through the insulator 25, and one end of a tube 73 is attached to the contact pin 72 protruding to the back surface of the insulator 25. There is.

The tube 73 is inserted, for example, in the outer cover of the camera cable 3, and the other end is opened, for example, near the inside of the cover 20 of the camera head 2. A gore sheet 74 that allows gas to pass but does not pass water is attached to the contact pin 72 protruding from the back surface of the insulator 25 to prevent water from entering the inside of the tube 73.

An air supply tube of an air supply jig (not shown) can be connected to the contact pin 72 projecting on the surface of the insulator 25, and the air supply tube is connected when the water leak inside the camera cable 3 is checked. Then, this embodiment is put into water, and air is sent into the tube 73 through the contact pins 72 by an air feeding jig.

The outer cover of the camera cable 3 is cracked, cracked,
When a pinhole or the like is generated, the air leaks from the portion to the outside of the jacket and can be observed as bubbles, and a water leak check can be performed depending on whether or not the bubbles are observed. Further, it is possible to know the water leakage portion from the position where bubbles are generated. The function and effect other than the water leak check function are the same as those in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows an external TV camera 80 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The external TV camera 80 includes a camera head 81, a flexible camera cable 82 extending from the camera head 81, and a connector 4 attached to the end of the camera cable 82.

The camera head 81 has a rigid endoscope 3 at the tip.
The image pickup unit 86 is attached to the head exterior frame 84 provided with the mount section 83 to be mounted on the second eyepiece section 43 with, for example, a screw, and the image pickup unit 86 inside the head exterior frame 84.
The outer surface and the periphery of the portion of the camera cable 82 connected to the imaging unit 86, which is housed inside the head exterior frame 84, are sealed with a sealing resin 85 filled inside the head exterior frame 84. The sealing resin 85 is formed of a resin having a low thermal conductivity.

The front end of a cylindrical lens frame 87 forming the image pickup unit 86 is fixed to the head exterior frame 84, a step portion is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the lens frame 87, and a sealing material 88 is provided.
The imaging lens 89 is fixed with a screw.

The lens frame 87 is formed of a heat insulating member such as ceramics having a low thermal conductivity, and a metallic CCD having a shielding function is provided at the rear end of the lens frame 87.
The CCD 91 is fixed via the frame 90.

A signal line exposed from one end of the camera cable 82 is connected to the lead protruding from the back surface of the CCD 91 by soldering or the like. Also, the camera cable 82
The shield line that covers all the signal lines of the CCD frame 90
It is connected to the.

The inside of the CCD frame 90 is also sealed with the sealing resin 92. The sealing resin 92 is made of the material described in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, CC is attached to the camera cable 82.
Since the lead of D91 is connected without mounting it through the connector, it has a simpler structure than that of the first embodiment, and has an effect that sterilization can be performed in the autoclave device. Further, in this embodiment, since the thick portion of the sealing resin 85 having a small thermal conductivity is formed on the outside of the image pickup portion 86, it is possible to prevent the temperature rise of the CCD 91 portion during the sterilization process in the autoclave device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the CCD 91 from being deteriorated in characteristics due to heat.

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the third embodiment. In the external TV camera 95 of this modification, the camera head 81 is formed by using the sealing resin mold portion 96 in which the head exterior frame 84 and the sealing resin 85 in the third embodiment are integrated by the sealing resin. . The other structure is the same as that of the third embodiment. This modification can be manufactured more easily than the third embodiment, and the cost can be reduced.

FIG. 7 shows a camera head 97 of an external TV camera according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, for example, in FIG. 5, the leads on the back surface of the CCD 91 are mounted with an electronic circuit element 98 and are connected by soldering to a substrate 99 on which an electric circuit is formed. CCD on the back of this CCD 91
The inside of the frame 90 is filled with a sealing resin 92 to seal the periphery of the electric circuit.

By the way, the structure of the rigid electronic endoscope may be such that the periphery of the image pickup section is sealed with a sealing resin as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 shows a main part of the rigid electronic endoscope 101. In the rigid electronic endoscope 101, a hard insertion portion 103 is formed by an outer tube 102 formed of a metal tube, and a light guide 104 that transmits illumination light supplied from a light source device (not shown) is inserted into the outer tube 102. The tip of the light guide 104 is fixed to the frame 106 of the illumination section 105 attached to the illumination window at the tip of the insertion section.

The frame 106 is fixed to the opening of the tip of the outer tube 102, and the illumination lens 107 is fixed to the inside of the tip of the frame 106 so as to face the tip of the light guide 104 with a sealing material interposed. The illumination light emitted from the front end surface of the light guide 104 is emitted so as to spread forward.

An image of the illuminated subject can be obtained by the image pickup unit 108 attached to the observation window adjacent to the illumination window. That is, the image pickup unit 10 is provided in the observation window.
A lens frame 109 forming 8 is fixed, and an objective lens 110 is fixed to the lens frame 109 via a sealing material, and a subject image is formed on the focal plane of the objective lens 110. The CCD frame 11 is provided on the rear end side of the lens frame 109.
CC fixed to 1 and attached to this CCD frame 111
D112 is fixed so as to be located in the focal plane.

The signal lines of the signal cable 113 are connected by soldering to the leads protruding to the rear surface of the CCD 112, and the proximal side of the signal cable 113 is connected to the CCU via the connector 4 of FIG. 1, for example. . As shown in FIG. 8, the sealing resin 1 is provided inside the distal end side of the outer tube 102.
14 is filled to seal the periphery of the illumination unit 105 other than the front face and the periphery of the imaging unit 108 other than the front face.

FIG. 9 is a modification of the rigid electronic endoscope 10 of FIG.
The main part of 1'is shown. In this modified example, in FIG. 8, the sealing resin 114 is filled not only in the vicinity of the tip portion but also in the insertion portion 103 rearward of the tip portion. Further, in this modified example, the sealing resin 114 also has the function of the exterior tube 102 of FIG. Others are the same as those in the fourth embodiment. By the way, the imaging unit 108 of the rigid electronic endoscopes 101 and 101 'described above may have the following structure.

FIG. 10A shows, for example, the image pickup unit 108 shown in FIG.
In the above, the substrate on which the electric circuit element 121 such as a chip resistor is mounted is connected to the lead on the back surface of the CCD 112 by soldering, and the signal line of the signal cable 113 is connected to the substrate 122 or the lead by soldering. Show.
Further, in FIG. 8, CC fixed to the lens frame 109
The D frame 111 is deformed.

That is, the front end side of the CCD frame 111 is fitted into the lens frame 109, and the CCD 11 of the CCD frame 111 is inserted.
The tip side protruding from the front surface of 2 is made to project inward and the CCD
An O-ring 124 is interposed between the protective glass 112 and the protective glass 112a to seal the structure.

The other structure is the same as that of FIG. With such a structure, when a high temperature condition is set as in the case of sterilization with an autoclave, C
The O-ring 1 prevents the flux on the back side of the CD 112 from flowing around to the front side of the CCD 112 even if the flux is vaporized during soldering.
It can be prevented with 24.

Therefore, it is possible to surely prevent the flux sneaking around on the front surface side of the CCD 112 from being condensed or fixed on the protective glass 112a and deteriorating the imaging function.

FIG. 10B shows the main part of the first modification of FIG. 10A. In this first modification, the O-ring 124 shown in FIG. 10A is provided so as to be in pressure contact with the side surface of the CCD 112 instead of being provided in pressure contact with the peripheral edge of the front surface of the CCD 112.
According to this modification, it is possible to prevent the imaging area of the CCD 112 from becoming small, and the other functions are almost the same as those in FIG.

FIG. 10C shows the main part of the second modification of FIG. 10A. In this second modified example, the O-ring 124 shown in FIG. 10A is provided on the CCD frame 111 at the rear end of the lens frame 109. The function of the second modification is almost the same as that of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the sealing resin 92 filled around the substrate 99 may prevent the vaporized flux from wrapping around the front side of the CCD, or may prevent the vaporization of the flux.

Further, even when the substrate is not used, the sealing resin 92 is formed around the soldered portion with the lead as shown in FIG. 5 or 6.
It is also possible to prevent the adverse effect of the flux by filling with.

For example, in the first embodiment, the one in which only the camera head 2 side is sealed with the sealing resin 7 and the connector 4 side is not made airtight is also included in the present invention (in the case of performing sterilization with an autoclave device). Then, the connector 4 side may be used by covering it with a cap or the like).

Although the external TV camera which can be mounted on the rigid endoscope has been described in the first embodiment and the like, the present invention is also applicable to the one mounted on the flexible endoscope having the flexible insertion portion. Applicable. In addition, by exchanging the adapter, it can be configured to be installed and used. Further, a combination of the above-described embodiments and the like partially or in part belongs to the present invention.

[0084]

As described above, according to the present invention, the inside of the connector shell of the camera head accommodating the image pickup device is sealed with a sealing resin having resistance to high temperature and high pressure, and vapor is discharged from the end of the camera cable. Since the intrusion of the like is prevented, it is possible to prevent the contact pins and the like inside the camera head from being short-circuited even when sterilized by the autoclave, and the sterilization can be performed in a short time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an external TV camera as an endoscope image pickup apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a sectional structure of an external TV camera.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an endoscope system.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a modification of the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a camera head of an external TV camera according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a rigid electronic endoscope.

9 is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the modified rigid electronic endoscope of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the imaging unit in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... External TV camera 2 ... Camera head 3 ... Camera cable 4 ... Connector 5 ... Adapter 6 ... Internal connector 7, 30 ... Sealing resin 8 ... Camera head main body 9 ... CCD 11 ... Board 12, 29 ... Contact pin 13, 14 ... Insulator 15 ... Contact pin receiver 16 ... Connector shell 25 ... Insulator

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] November 4, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0023

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The sterilization treatment with high-temperature and high-pressure steam in this autoclave is usually at 134 ° C. 2 bar,
Since it is carried out in 5 to 20 minutes, a material having resistance to such sterilization treatment is used. Further, the sealing resin 7 is made of a material having a low hygroscopic property, so that the imaging function is not deteriorated even by repeated sterilization treatments in the autoclave device. Also, the first insulator
13 or second insulator 14 as an airtight seal
The same effect can be obtained by molding.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Kenji Omachi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Yutaka Tatsuno 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masao Uehara 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahiro Hagiwara 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup device for forming an optical image by an endoscope and photoelectrically converting the optical image, a flexible cable for transmitting an electric signal converted by the image pickup device, and the image pickup device. An endoscope imaging apparatus having a first connector that connects an element and one end of the cable, and a second connector provided at the other end of the cable, wherein at least the first connector An insulator, a contact pin held by the insulator, and one end portion side of the cable connected to the contact pin are housed in a connector shell forming a connector, and are insulated by an insulating material enclosed in the connector shell. An imaging device for an endoscope, which has an airtight structure made of heat-resistant resin.