JPH09238901A - Tip part structure for electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To arrange a flexible circuit board having a part of a wire pattern at an extended part thereof to be at a defined better position. SOLUTION: An image sensor assembly body 23 is arranged on a fixed member 19 of a tip part 18 through a layout hole 22. In the image sensor assembly body 23, a flexible circuit board 28 is arranged on the top surface of a CCD 27 and extended parts 28A and 28B having a part of a wire pattern formed thereon are provided respectively on right and left outsides of the side of the CCD 27 in the flexible circuit board 28. The fixed member 19 is provided with a slit 36 and the image sensor assembly body 23 is assembled on the fixed member 19 inserting the extended parts 28A and 28B into the slit 36.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention includes a tip structure of an electronic endoscope, and more particularly, an image pickup device assembly having an image pickup device and a flexible circuit board having a portion extending outside the side surface of the image pickup device. The present invention relates to the tip structure of an electronic endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows the structure of the tip of a conventional electronic endoscope. In the figure, the tip 1 is provided with a fixing member 2 for fixing each member to the tip through an arrangement hole for arranging a predetermined member, and the jacket 3 is covered on the fixing member 2. In this example, the light guides 4 for irradiating the object to be observed with light are fixed to the left and right arrangement holes on the upper side of the fixing member 2. An image pickup element assembly 6 for capturing the image light of the object to be observed, converting the image light into an image signal and outputting the image light is provided in an arrangement hole 5 formed in the center between the left and right light guides 4. .

Further, a treatment tool insertion channel 7 for guiding forceps and the like, and an air supply / water supply pipe 8 for supplying air or water to an observation window are arranged below the image pickup element assembly 6. Arranged by.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of the image pickup element assembly 6 excluding the objective optical system member, which is applied to a simultaneous electronic endoscope. In the figure, a CCD (Charge Coupled Devic
The e) 11 is housed in a package 12 (which is also a circuit board) made of ceramic or the like, and a cover glass 13 is arranged so as to close the upper opening.

A color filter, a microlens, etc. are formed on the image pickup surface of the upper surface of the CCD 11. A plurality of input / output terminals E are arranged on both front and rear ends outside the image pickup surface, and a terminal F is also arranged and formed on a stepped portion inside the one package 12 side. These terminals E and F are bonded. Connected by wires 14. The terminal F is a conductor pattern (partly CC
(Through the lower side of D11) is connected to the terminal G at the end, and the signal line 15 from the external circuit is connected to this terminal G.
Is connected.

In the image pickup device assembly having such a structure,
By storing the CCD 11 in an airtight state by the package 12 and the cover glass 13 that is a lid,
It is possible to protect the color filter on the image pickup surface of the CCD 11, and by providing a space between the upper surface of the CCD 11 and the cover glass 2, it is possible to maintain the function of the microlens on the image pickup surface of the CCD 11. Then, this CCD
The video signal obtained at 11 is taken out through the signal line 15 so that the image inside the observed body can be displayed on a monitor or the like.

[0007]

By the way, in the structure of the above-mentioned conventional image pickup device assembly, since the package 12 for accommodating the CCD 11 is provided, the image pickup device portion cannot be made small, and the small diameter of the endoscope is used. However, there is a problem in that it cannot promote speeding up and shortening. That is, the package 12 as shown in FIG.
Since the box body is made of ceramic or the like for housing the CCD 11, the assembly body is increased by at least the thickness of the box body wall. The thickness of the bottom wall or the side wall hinders the reduction of the diameter of the endoscope tip portion, and the thickness of the front and rear walls hinders the reduction of the axial length of the endoscope tip portion.

From the above, the details will be described later,
In place of the package 12, a flexible circuit board is arranged on the upper surface side of the image pickup device, and in this flexible circuit board, a portion extending outside the side surface of the image pickup element is provided, and a wiring pattern is formed in this extended portion. A device assembly is proposed.

However, in such a flexible circuit board, the arrangement of the portion extending to the outside of the side surface of the image pickup element is a problem, and the assembly is efficiently performed in the endoscope tip portion where the arrangement space is limited. Therefore, it is desired to arrange the extended portion at an optimum fixed position.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to arrange and extend a flexible circuit board having an extending portion provided outside the side surface of an image pickup device in a fixed and good state. An object of the present invention is to provide a distal end structure of an electronic endoscope that can contribute to a reduction in the diameter of the endoscope and a reduction in the length thereof.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the structure of the distal end portion of an electronic endoscope according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises an objective optical system member for capturing an object to be observed, An image pickup device which is optically connected to the objective optical system member and has an image pickup surface on the upper surface, and a flexible circuit board which is arranged on the upper face side of the image pickup device and in which a part of the wiring pattern is provided through the outside of the side face of the image pickup device A fixing member for fixing a predetermined member such as the objective optical system member and fixing each member to the tip portion, and the fixing member is provided on a side of the flexible circuit board. A slit is provided for inserting and fixing the extending portion.
The invention according to a second aspect is characterized in that the flexible circuit board is provided with a notch for assisting bending at a predetermined bending portion.

According to the above construction, the image pickup element assembly is inserted and fixed in the arrangement hole of the fixing member while inserting the laterally extending portion of the flexible circuit board into the slit. At this time, the side of the flexible circuit board is also fixed by the slit at the fixed position of the fixing member.

According to the structure of the second aspect, the flexible circuit board can be easily bent at a predetermined position due to the presence of the notch, so that the insertion into the slit and the attachment of the assembly can be facilitated. In addition, this cut serves as an index of bending.

[0014]

1 and 2 show the tip structure of an electronic endoscope (simultaneous type) according to a first example of the embodiment. In the figure, the tip end portion 18 is provided with a fixing member 19 for fixing each member to the tip end portion through an arrangement hole for arranging a predetermined member.
0 is covered. In this example, light guides 21 for irradiating the object to be observed with light are fixed to the left and right arrangement holes above the fixing member 19, and the left and right light guides 21 are fixed.
An image pickup element assembly 23 for catching an object to be observed is provided in a disposition hole 22 formed in a central portion between the two.

That is, the image pickup element assembly 23 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
A CCD (Charge Coupled D), which is an image sensor, is connected to the lower side of the prism 25 via a cover glass 26.
evice) 27 is arranged, and a flexible circuit board 28 (details will be described later) is attached to the upper surface of this CCD 27. On the other hand, the arrangement hole 22 has a circular hole 29 at the front,
By mounting the objective optical system member 24 in the hole 29, the assembly body 23 is fixed in the arrangement hole 22. Therefore, the CCD 27 provided on the rear side of the objective optical system member 24
The flexible circuit board 28 and the flexible circuit board 28 are arranged in a floating state in the arrangement hole 22.

FIG. 3 shows C of the image pickup element assembly 23.
Detailed configurations of the CD 27 and the flexible circuit board 28 are shown, which are used simultaneously.
As shown in FIG. 3A, in the circuit board 28,
An opening 33 for disposing the CCD 27 is provided, and strip-shaped terminals h are integrally formed from the front and rear ends of the opening 33 toward the inside. This terminal h is a thin metal plate, and is connected to the input / output terminals H at the front and rear ends of the CCD 27, for example, TAB.
(Tape Automated Bonding) method is used for connection. That is, either the terminal h or H is used as a protruding electrode, and both terminals are pressure-bonded for connection (bump connection) (note that the terminal H is shown in a transparent state). A terminal K for connecting a signal line is provided at the rear end of the flexible circuit board 28.
Is provided.

Extension portions 28A and 28B are provided on both left and right sides of the flexible circuit board 28.
Conductor patterns 34 are formed inside 8A and 28B, for example, in a sandwich shape, and the conductor patterns 34 connect between the terminals h and K. Further, notches 35 for assisting bending are formed at the front and rear ends of the extending portions 28A and 28B, and the notches 35 are CC
It is provided according to the outer peripheral corner of D27.

FIG. 3B shows a state of FIG. 3A viewed from the front side, and the flexible circuit board 2 of the example.
8 connects the terminal h integrated therewith to the terminal H on the upper surface of the CCD 27, so that it is arranged at the upper surface position of the CCD 27 as shown. Then, this CC
On the upper surface of D27, cover glass 26 on the terminal connection portion.
Are bonded in an airtight state with an adhesive. As a result, the above C
A gap of at least the thickness of the terminal h is formed between the image pickup surface of the CD 27 and the cover glass 26, and the function of the microlens formed on the image pickup surface of the CCD 27 in the simultaneous system is not hindered, and the color is prevented. The filter can be sufficiently protected.

As described above, the image pickup element assembly 23 is attached to the arrangement hole 22 of FIG. It becomes a problem. Therefore, in this example, the fixing member 19 is provided with two slits 36 for disposing the extending portions 28A and 28B. That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slit 36 is formed with a width slightly larger than the plate thickness of the extending portions 28A and 28B and at a predetermined depth vertically from the bottom surface of the arrangement hole 22. .

Below the above-mentioned image pickup device assembly 23 of the tip portion 18, air supply / supply for supplying air or water to the treatment tool insertion channel 31 for guiding forceps and the observation window.
The water supply pipe 32 and the like are fixed by the arrangement holes.

The first example of the embodiment has the above configuration,
In assembling the image pickup element assembly 23, first, the left and right extending portions 28A and 28B of the circuit board 28 are vertically bent downward using the cuts 35. Then, while inserting the extending portions 28A and 28B into the slit 36, the objective optical system member 24 is provided with a hole 29 on the front side from the installation hole 22.
And fix it with an adhesive or the like. At this time, the extending portions 28A and 28B are simultaneously fixed by the slit 36.

According to the first example as described above, the flexible circuit board 28 is securely fixed by the slit 36, and the slit 36 is formed at an appropriate position avoiding the location of other members. The slit 36 does not affect the arrangement of other members. In addition, since the assembled body 23 does not require a CCD package, the image pickup device can be downsized, which can contribute to the reduction in diameter and the length of the endoscope.

This can be understood by comparing FIG. 1 with the conventional FIG. That is, in the CCD 27 of FIG. 1, since the package is not used, the thickness is reduced, and the placement hole portion of the CCD 27 in the placement hole 22 can be made smaller than that of the case of FIG. It can be shortened.

FIG. 4 shows a second example of the fixing member having different slit positions. In this second example, a slit 38 is formed obliquely downward from the bottom surface in the arrangement hole 22 of the illustrated fixing member 37. Further, in this example, a notch 39 for facilitating the bending is added to the bent portion when the extending portions 28A and 28B of the flexible circuit board 28 are bent at the entrance of the slit 37.

According to this second example, the image pickup element assembly 2
The dispositionable region R of the treatment instrument insertion channel 31 and the like disposed on the lower side of 3 can be made larger than that in the first example of FIG. 1. For example, the treatment instrument insertion channel 31 can be arranged on the left side as shown in the drawing, and the degree of freedom of arrangement including the air supply / water supply pipe 32 can be increased.

Although the simultaneous type electronic endoscope has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to a frame sequential type.

[0027]

As described above, according to the invention described in the first aspect, the flexible circuit board having a part of the wiring pattern provided through the outside of the image pickup device is arranged on the upper surface of the image pickup device, The fixing member is provided with an arrangement hole for arranging the member, and a slit is provided in the fixing member at the tip end portion for fixing the image pickup device or the like by the arrangement hole,
Since the side portion of the flexible circuit board is arranged and fixed in the slit, the flexible circuit board can be arranged at the tip portion in a fixed and good state, and further, the diameter of the endoscope can be reduced. Also, it is possible to contribute to shortening.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the flexible circuit board is provided with a cut at a predetermined bending portion, the bending is facilitated, and the cut serves as a bending index to improve workability. Can be made.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a tip structure of an electronic endoscope according to a first example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a tip portion of the electronic endoscope shown in FIG.

3A and 3B are diagrams showing a configuration of a CCD and a flexible circuit board according to an embodiment, FIG. 3A is a plan view, and FIG. 3B is a view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a tip structure according to a second example of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the tip portion of a conventional electronic endoscope.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a conventional image pickup element assembly without an objective optical system member.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 18 ... Tip part, 2, 19, 37 ... Fixing member, 5, 22 ... Arrangement hole, 6, 23 ... Imaging element assembly, 11, 27 ... CCD, 28 ... Flexible circuit board, 28A, 28B ... Extension Outer portion, 35, 39 ... Notch, 36, 38 ... Slit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An objective optical system member for capturing an object to be observed, an image pickup element optically connected to the objective optical system member and having an image pickup surface on an upper surface, and arranged on the upper surface side of the image pickup element, A fixing member for fixing each member to the tip end portion, which includes a flexible circuit board in which a part of the wiring pattern is provided through the outside of the side surface of the image pickup device and an arrangement hole for arranging a predetermined member such as the objective optical system member And a distal end structure of the electronic endoscope, in which a slit for inserting and fixing the lateral extension of the flexible circuit board is provided in the fixing member. 2. The tip structure of the electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit board is provided with a notch for assisting bending at a predetermined bending portion.