JPS61228410A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the unbundled part of the solid-state image pickup element side end part of signal lines connected to a solid-state image pickup element from being broken even by the flexing operation of an endoscope insertion part by positioning the unbundled part of signal lines in the hard part of the endoscope insertion part. CONSTITUTION:Plural signal lines 17 are bundled together by being coated with a shield lines 18 at the flexible soft part of an endoscope. An end part 18 of the shield lines 18 and the unbundled part 17a of the signal lines 17 succeeding to it are positioned in the soft part 8 and the shield lines 18 are connected electrically to the soft part 8. The signal lines 17 of this endoscope are bundled by the shield lines 18 at the soft part 2 of the insertion part of the endoscope and are durable sufficiently to the inflection of the endoscope and the unbundled part 17a is positioned in the hard part 8, so they are never broken owing to repetitive inflection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope using a solid state 'IalII element.

[Prior art] Endoscopes generally perform direct observation of a subject through an image guide using an optical fiber bundle, etc. Endoscopes designed to obtain images of objects have also been developed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such an endoscope, it is difficult to efficiently construct the structure of the tip of the endoscope, especially the solid-state Wi image element or the objective optical system for forming an optical image thereon. An important point is whether to place it at the tip.

In addition, as solid-state mm elements become highly integrated, the number of signal lines increases and the signal bundle diameter increases.
This poses a major problem for endoscopes that require the placement of air and water channels. Furthermore, since each signal wire is composed of extremely thin conductive wires, its strength is extremely weak and care must be taken when handling it. In particular, the connection end of the signal line to the solid-state l#l image element is configured in an unbound state, and there is a risk of the wire breaking easily if it is bent with the bending operation of the distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope in which the connection end of the signal line connected to the solid-state image sensor disposed at the tip of the endoscope insertion section is not disconnected. There is.

[Structure of the Invention] The present invention includes a rigid portion at the tip of the endoscope insertion portion that cannot be bent;
The endoscope is comprised of a bendable flexible part that follows the rigid part, and is characterized in that an unbound part of a signal line connected to a solid-state imaging device is disposed in the rigid part.

Function] The unbound portion of the signal line connected to the solid-state imaging device is not bent even when the endoscope insertion portion is bent.

[Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Is 1 in the diagram inside? j2i1! , 2 is a flexible soft part of this endoscope 1, and 3 is a distal end part. Further, 4 is a light guide using optical fiber or the like, and this light guide 4 is connected to a light source device 6 via a connector 5. 7 is a light source lamp.

A hard part 8, which is an X-ray shield made of metal such as lead alloy, is attached to the tip part 3. The hard part 8 has a mounting hole 9 through which the tip of the light guide 4 is inserted and fixed, and an imaging hole 1o parallel to the mounting hole 9.
have. An objective lens group 11 is attached to the front of the imaging hole 10. 12 is a spacer ring, 13
is the mounting ring. A solid-state image sensor 14 is housed at the imaging position of the objective lens group 11. This solid-state image sensor 14 is fixed between an insulating plate 15 and an annular holding plate 16. 17 is an output signal line, one end of which is fixed at a predetermined position within the rigid part 8, as shown in FIG.
Furthermore, the signal wires 17 are covered with shield wires 18 in the flexible portion of the endoscope, and a plurality of signal wires 17 are bundled together. The end of the shielded wire 18 and the unbound portion 17a of the signal 1117 following it are located within the rigid portion 8, and the shielded wire 18 is electrically connected to the rigid portion 8.

Further, the signal line 17 is connected to an image reproduction circuit 19 provided on the operating side of the insertion section 2. 20 is Wi
The image element control circuit 21 is a cathode ray tube monitor.

In the endoscope configured as described above, illumination light from the light source lamp 7 travels through the light guide 4 and is led out from the output end of the distal end portion 3 to illuminate a subject within the body cavity. The image of the object A is then formed on the solid-state image carrier 14 via the objective lens group 11, and the image is sequentially scanned by the image sensor control circuit 20 and converted into pixel signals, which are sent to the image sensor via the signal line 17. The signal is sent to the reproduction circuit 19. The image reproducing circuit 19 generates horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals for the cathode ray tube monitor 21 based on the signals from the image sensor 11t[1 circuit 20, and further inputs the pixel signal to the monitor 21 as a brightness signal of the cathode ray tube monitor 21. , reproduces the image of subject A.

Then, while viewing the image displayed on the monitor 21, the operator uses external X-ray fluoroscopy using an X-ray imaging device (not shown) to confirm the position of the endoscope tip 3 during the endoscopy. Implement.

At this time, X-rays are irradiated toward the endoscope, but since the solid-state mechanical element 14 is surrounded by a rigid part 8 that is an X-ray shield, the X-rays are absorbed by this rigid part 8 and solid It does not reach the image sensor 14. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the solid-state mechanical element 14 from malfunctioning due to the radiation of X-rays.

In general, the shielding effect of the shield wire 18 that covers the signal 1!117 makes it possible to remove the noise generated by X-ray irradiation, so that a clear wedding #lt image can always be obtained even under XSI fluoroscopy. .

In addition, the shielded wire 18 allows other i! Needless to say, noise caused by magnetic waves can also be prevented.

In addition, the signal wire 17 of the endoscope in this embodiment is bound by a shield wire 18 in the flexible part 2 of the endoscope insertion part, and has sufficient durability against bending of the endoscope and is non-contact. Since the binding portion 17a is located within the rigid portion 8, it will not break due to repeated bending.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and common parts are given the same reference numerals and explanations are omitted. In this case, an X-ray shielding case 22 made of lead-containing metal is housed inside the rigid part 8 of the metal X-ray shielding body, and the solid-state image sensor 14 is inserted into this shielding case 22 via an insulating plate 15. It is accommodated.

An annular holding plate 16 is provided on the front side of the image sensor 14.
The XwA''i11 shielding plate 23 is connected to the mounting plate 23 via the XwA''i11 shielding plate 23.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, in addition to the same effects as in the first embodiment, the amount of irradiated X-rays is large and the shielding member 8 is
Even if X-rays cannot be shielded by the shield alone, the shielding case 22 and the shielding plate 23 can double-shield the X-rays, so the shielding effect is high and xsat can be reliably blocked.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the endoscope of the present invention, the unbound portion of the end of the signal line connected to the solid-state imaging device on the solid-state imaging device side is located within the rigid portion of the endoscope insertion portion. Therefore, the unbound portion of the signal line will not be disconnected even when the endoscope insertion portion is bent.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an endoscope showing a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the distal end of the endoscope, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the distal end of the endoscope showing a second embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Endoscope, 2... Flexible part, 8... Hard part, 14... Solid-state image sensor, 17... Signal line, 17
a...unbound part, 18...shielded wire, A...
subject.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A flexible soft part, a hard part provided at the tip of this soft part, a solid-state image sensor provided in this hard part, and an image of a subject obtained by this solid-state image sensor. An endoscope comprising a signal line that outputs an image, wherein an unbound part of the signal line connected to the solid-state image sensor is disposed in the rigid part.