JPS62113121A - Endoscope containing solid-state image pickup element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need for connecting a solid-state image pickup element and video circuit with a long electric wire by dividely mounting the whole or part of the electronic parts of the video circuit to the respective small surface parts of a continuous substrate and disposing such continuous substrate in the flexible tube of an endoscope. CONSTITUTION:An optical fiber bundle for light transmission, wire for operating an angle part and others including an air and water conduit tube, forceps introducing tube and suction tube, etc. are contained in the flexible tube part 2 and further the continuous substrate 10 is disposed thereto. Knobs for various operations and forceps introducing port are provided to a handle part 6 and further a guide tube 14 for the optical fiber bundle for light transmission, air and water conduit tube and suction tube, etc. is extended therefrom as necessary. Part of the electronic parts of the video circuit are contained therein in some embodiments. The electric wire in the case of disposing the electronic parts in said part or an electric wire 15 to a monitor 15 is led to the outside from an endoscope body 1. The flexibility of the flexible tube part 2 is much improved if the substrate 10 is preliminarily twisted in drop-out parts 11 in the case of disposing the substrate 10 into the part 2.

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 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. 5 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 provided at the inner tip. is 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. Images can now be stored on video tapes, optical discs, etc.

[The problem that the invention attempts 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 electric wire that connects the video circuit passes through the long flexible tube of the endoscope body, and even if it is pulled out from the handle, it is not immediately connected to the video circuit, and the endoscope must be kept to a certain length. The total length of the wire becomes extremely long as it interferes with the operability of the wire.

However, when the electric wire drawn out from the solid-state image sensor is in such a long state, it is easily affected by surrounding noise (SN
There is a serious problem in that the quality of the image displayed on the monitor is significantly deteriorated, and in some cases, the image cannot be reproduced.

[Means for solving problems]

In the present invention, a flexible printed circuit board is made into a long strip, and small surface portions are sequentially formed on the flexible printed circuit board by providing missing portions such as notches and small holes at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction. It is characterized in that it is a continuous board on which all or part of the electronic components of the circuit are mounted and electrically connected to each other, and this continuous board is housed within the flexible tube of the endoscope body.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, all or some of the electronic components of the video circuit are mounted on a continuous board and housed in a flexible tube near the solid-state image sensor in the endoscope. The electrical connection between the video circuit and the video circuit can be shortened, and as a result, deterioration of the S/N ratio can be reduced and a good image can be obtained.

Furthermore, by forming missing parts on the continuous substrate,
When bending in the width direction, the missing part will be used to deal with the bend.
Does the bending have no or only a slight effect on the small surface where electronic components are mounted, and as a result, does it have a negative effect on the mounted electronic components? Furthermore, the bending operation of the flexible tube portion can be performed smoothly without causing any damage.

Further, by twisting this continuous substrate at each cutout portion, it is possible to further improve the adaptability to bending of the flexible tube portion.

[Example °]

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

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view, and Fig. 2 is a partial side view showing a first embodiment of a continuous board. Although there is no cutout, cutouts 11 are provided at predetermined intervals, and the space between each cutout 11 is used as a small surface section 12, and an electronic component 13 is mounted on this small surface section 12.

As shown in FIG. 3(I), each small surface portion 12 of the continuous substrate 10 has all the electronic components 13f of the video circuit.
In order to shorten the wires of circuits that are easily affected by noise or where the temporal fluctuation of signals such as clock pulses is a problem due to the length of the wires, as shown in Figure 3 (■). Alternatively, some electronic components of the video circuit that need to be installed in front to amplify the signal level to a sufficiently high level against noise may be mounted, and the remaining electronic components may be housed in the handle described later, or as shown in Figure 3. As shown, it may be provided outside the endoscope body, which will be described later, and connected by an electric wire. Furthermore, it is also logical to arrange electronic components within the rigid tip portion 3.

Further, a circuit is formed in the remaining portion 14 of the missing portion 11 to connect the electronic components 13 of the front and rear small surface portions 12, and serves as a mechanical and electrical connection portion.

9 is a monitor, which is connected to the video circuit described above.

1 is an endoscope main body, and a flexible tube section 2. It consists of a rigid tip portion 3 and a handle portion 6.

The rigid tip portion 3 has an objective lens 4 and a solid-state image sensor 5 built-in, and is also equipped with air/water spouts, etc. as necessary.
The suction port, forceps port, etc. are open.

The flexible tube section 2 has built-in optical fiber bundles for light transmission, angle section operation wires, air/water channel passage tubes, forceps introduction tubes, suction tubes, and the like, and furthermore, the above-mentioned continuous substrate 10 is arranged.

The handle 6 is equipped with various operation knobs as shown below, as required.
The forceps introduction port and the above-mentioned optical fiber bundle for light transmission.

Guide pipes 14 such as air/water temperature pipes and suction pipes are extended. Furthermore, as mentioned above, in some cases, some electronic components of the video circuit are built-in, and the endoscope body 1
An electric wire 15 to the monitor 9 or an electric wire when electronic components are placed outside is led out.

Incidentally, when the continuous substrate 10 is twisted at the cutout portion 11 when the continuous substrate 10 is placed inside the flexible tube section 2, the flexibility of the flexible tube section 2 will be improved.

Although the missing part 11 of the continuous substrate 10 in the above embodiment is a notch, the missing part 11 is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 4(I), a small hole 16 is formed to form a continuous part on both sides. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 4 (2), both a notch and a small hole may be made, or as shown in Fig. 4, a plurality of small holes may be provided and the sides may be curved to make the width wider. You can leave it as Further, the shapes of the notches and small holes are not limited, and any shape may be used as long as the strip-shaped flexible printed circuit board can be easily bent in the width direction.

Furthermore, it is also possible to divide and arrange some of the electronic components described above within the rigid distal end portion within a range that does not interfere with the outer diameter and length of the circling portion.

According to the above configuration, all or some of the electronic components of the video circuit are built into the endoscope body and the electrical distance from the solid-state image sensor is shortened, thereby reducing the influence of noise. This reduces the problem of time delays in signals such as clock pulses depending on the length of the wires and the length of the wires, and prevents deterioration of the S/N ratio, making it possible to obtain high-quality images on the monitor. can.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention described in detail above, all or part of the electronic components of the video circuit are divided and mounted on each small surface portion of a continuous board, and this continuous board is placed within the flexible tube of the endoscope. This eliminates the need to connect the solid-state image sensor and the video circuit with long wires, which prevents the deterioration of the signal-to-noise ratio caused by the conventional long wire connection, making it possible to obtain high-quality images on the monitor. It also has the effect of leaving a high-quality image record.

In addition, the bendability of the flexible tube section on which the continuous substrate is arranged is not hindered, and the video circuit is not damaged due to bending.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partial plan view showing the first embodiment of the connecting board, Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the mounting state of electronic components, and Fig. 4. 5 is a partial plan view showing another embodiment of the continuous substrate, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional example. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Endoscope main body, 2... Flexible tube part, 3... Tip rigid part, 5... Solid-state image sensor, 6... Handle part, 9...
・Monitor, 10... Continuous board, 11... Missing part, 1
2...Small surface portion, 13...Electronic component. Patent Applicant Machida Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Takashi Kanakura Niugi 1 Zusuke 2 Country 43 Ro (I) (If) 4Ui! J Koshi 5 2

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an endoscope in which a solid-state imaging device is built into the rigid distal end of the endoscope, and an electronic image obtained by the solid-state imaging device is displayed on a monitor, a flexible printed circuit board is used for a long time. A long strip is formed, and small surface parts are sequentially formed by providing missing parts at predetermined locations in the longitudinal direction. All or some of the electronic components of the video circuit are mounted on these small surface parts to form a continuous board. An endoscope with a built-in solid-state image sensor, characterized in that a substrate is placed within the endoscope. 2. An endoscope with a built-in solid-state imaging device, characterized in that the continuous substrate is twisted and placed in the endoscope according to claim 1.