JPS62199057A - Endoscope having built-in solid-state image pickup element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To smooth the bending operation of a flexible tube part and to prevent wire breakdown faults, by connecting a solid-state image pickup element and an image circuit with a stripe shaped flexible printed board, which is corrugated in a bellows shape. CONSTITUTION:A flexible printed board 10 is corrugated in a bellows shape and inserted in a flexible part 2 in an endoscope main body 1. The board 10 is connected to a solid-state image pickup element 5, which is built in a hard tip part 3. The other end of the board 10 is connected to an image circuit 8 through a handle part 6. The electronic image from the element 5 is observed through a monitor 9. In this constitution, the bending operation of the flexible tube becomes smooth and forcible stress is not applied to the connecting part. Therefore, wire breakdown faults can be prevented. When the board 10 corrugated in this way is twisted in a longitudinal direction, follow-up property in bending is further improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope having a solid-state imaging device that can be used for industrial and medical purposes.

[Conventional/traditional technology]

Recently, endoscopes that have a built-in solid-state image sensor at their tip and can be observed on a monitor have begun to be used. FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of such an endoscope, in which 1 is the endoscope body, 2 is a flexible tube part, 3 is a rigid tip part, and an objective lens 4 and a solid-state image sensor 5 are installed at the inner tip. Built-in. 6 is the handle.

Furthermore, although not shown in the drawings, the endoscope main body 1 includes a bundle of optical fibers for light transmission, a forceps introduction tube, a water supply tube, an air supply tube, etc. as necessary.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an electric wire passed through the endoscope body 1 and connects the solid-state image sensor 5 and the video circuit 8. 9 is a monitor connected to the video circuit 8.

According to such a configuration, an image converted into an electrical signal by the endoscope body 1 inserted into the observation device or body cavity is displayed on the monitor 9 via the video circuit 8, so that it can be viewed by a large number of people. It is now possible to save all images on video tapes, optical discs, etc.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Endoscopes based on the technology described above are expected to be widely used in the future because they operate as described above and have many advantages. The ends of the multiple electric wires connecting the circuit are connected to the solid-state imaging device by means such as soldering or soldering.
Even if the long flexible tube of the endoscope body is passed through and pulled out from the handle, it is not immediately connected to the video circuit, and unless a certain length is maintained, the operability of the endoscope will be affected. As a result, the total length of the wire becomes extremely long.

However, since the electric wires connected to the solid-state image sensor are each independent, some electric wires are stretched as the flexible tube bends, and other electric wires are subjected to stress such as sagging, and the connection The connection strength is low because there is not enough soldering area due to space constraints, and the electric wires used are extremely thin wires with a diameter of 0.1 to 0.2 trrm. As a result, there are many disconnections at the connecting portions of solid-state imaging devices, and in such cases, repairing them requires a great deal of effort and skill because the wires must be passed through a long flexible tube.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention is characterized in that a flexible printed circuit board is formed into a long strip and is bent in a bellows-like manner over the entire length or partially in the longitudinal direction, and the end portion thereof is connected to a solid-state image sensor and wired. .

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, the end of the flexible printed circuit board is connected to the solid-state image sensor in a substantially planar state, so the connection strength is high, and the flexible printed circuit board is bent in a bellows shape in the longitudinal direction, making it easy to attach. Because the flexible tube of the endoscope can bend freely in any direction, it is less likely that excessive force will be applied to the flexible printed circuit board, which will prevent the connection with the solid-state image sensor Since it also absorbs the force applied to the parts, no stress is applied, and disconnection accidents at the connection parts are extremely reduced.

Further, since the flexible tube can freely follow the bending of the flexible tube, there is less resistance to the bending of the flexible tube, and the bending operation of the flexible tube can be performed smoothly.

〔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 of the state in which the solid-state image sensor and the flexible printed circuit board are connected, and Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the state of the connection part. The main body includes a flexible tube section 2, a rigid tip section 3, and an objective lens 4 at the internal tip.

A solid-state image sensor 5 and the like are built-in. 6 rolls at the handle.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a flexible printed circuit board, the end of which connects to the solid-state image sensor 5 in a planar state as shown in FIG.
1, and is bent in a bellows shape in the longitudinal direction, and the bending state depends on the height of the waveform, the wavelength,
The angle etc. of the waves may be of any desired size, and the waveform or wavelength may not be constant over the entire length, and furthermore, some portions may be in a flat state rather than a bent state. Furthermore, if the flexible printed circuit board bent in this manner is twisted in the longitudinal direction, the followability of the flexible tube when bending becomes even better.

Furthermore, some or all of the electronic components of the video circuit may be mounted on such a flexible printed circuit board 10.

9 is a monitor, which is connected to the video circuit 8;

The above-mentioned rigid tip portion 3 has other openings, such as an air/water spout, a suction port, and a forceps port, as necessary.

In addition, the flexible tube section 2 is equipped with optical fiber bundles for light transmission, angle operation wires, and air/water groove passage pipes.

A forceps introduction tube, suction tube, etc. are built-in as necessary. Extending from the handle 6 are various operation knobs, a forceps inlet, and guide tubes 13 such as the optical fiber bundle for light transmission, an air/water groove passage tube, and a suction tube.

According to the above configuration, when the flexible tube 2 is bent, if the bending direction is the same as the bellows-shaped bending of the flexible printed circuit board 10, the flexible printed circuit board 10 remains as it is, as shown in FIG. 4(I). When the flexible printed circuit board 10 is bent in a direction perpendicular to the bellows-like bend, the inner side contracts and the outer side expands as shown in FIG. 4 (2), so no stress is applied to the flexible printed circuit board 10 itself. In addition, almost no stress is applied to the connecting portion 11 between the flexible printed circuit board 10 and the solid-state image pickup device 5, and there is no risk of disconnection of the connecting portion 11.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment, which may have a structure in which an electric wire 12 is connected to a flexible printed circuit board 10, or a structure in which the electric wire 12 is connected to a flexible printed circuit board 10 of a predetermined length, and the electric wire 12 is connected to a flexible printed circuit board 10 of a predetermined length. Even if the electric wire 12 is inserted at the rear where it is not subjected to the bending action of the flexible tube 2, at the connection point between the flexible printed circuit board 10 and the electric wire 12,
Since the bellows portion of the flexible printed circuit board 10 absorbs the strain or bending of the electric wire during bending, failures such as wire breakage can be prevented.

In each of the above embodiments, if an electrical shield or the like is required for the flexible printed circuit board, a shield layer may be laminated on one or both sides of the wiring layer with an insulating layer in between.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention described in detail above, the wiring connecting the solid-state image pickup device installed in the endoscope and the video circuit is made of a flexible printed circuit board, and the flexible printed circuit board is bent into a bellows shape and built into the flexible tube. By doing this, when a long flexible tube is bent, the flexible printed circuit board inside the flexible tube can easily follow the bending without resistance because the inside of the bend shrinks and the outside expands.
As a result, the bending operation of the flexible tube is smooth, and disconnection accidents can be prevented because undue stress is not applied to the connection between the solid-state image sensor and the flexible printed circuit board and the connection at the other end. Difficult repair work will be reduced. .

Furthermore, it is also possible to mount some or all of the electronic components of the video circuit on a flexible printed circuit board, in which case the deterioration of the S/N ratio caused by long wire connections can be prevented and high-quality images can be obtained. You can get to the monitor.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a state in which a solid-state image sensor and a flexible printed circuit board are connected, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the state of the connection part, and FIG. The figure is a perspective view of the flexible printed circuit board bent.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional endoscope. 2...Flexible tube part 3...Rigid tip part 5...Solid-state image sensor 6...Handle part 8...Video circuit 9...
Monitor 1°...Flexible printed circuit board 12.
...Electric wire patent applicant Machida Seisakusho Co., Ltd. Representative patent attorney Takashi Kanakura Nitsumugi 2 l Kaku 3 En (, I) (II) Tsumugi 4 Rosuke 5 Lo Kai 6 National procedural amendment (voluntary) 1986 4 Month 2111

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an endoscope in which a solid-state image sensor is built into the rigid tip end of the endoscope and electronic images obtained by the solid-state image sensor are displayed on a monitor, a flexible printed circuit board is used. What is claimed is: 1. An endoscope incorporating a solid-state imaging device, characterized in that the long strip is bent along its entire length or partially into a bellows shape, and housed in a flexible tube and wired therein. 2. An endoscope with a built-in solid-state imaging device, characterized in that an electric wire is connected to a flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1.