JP5308652B2 - Imaging unit - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging unit that is suitable for a built-in tip of an endoscope.

  Conventionally, various apparatuses have been developed that electronically capture a subject image using a solid-state image sensor. For example, an image pickup apparatus using a CCD (charge coupled device) is also used in an electronic endoscope apparatus or the like.

  As an application of the conventional imaging apparatus to the endoscope apparatus as described above, for example, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-148530. According to this proposal, the optical axis of the objective optical system provided at the distal end portion of the endoscope is bent and guided to the light receiving portion of the solid-state imaging device provided horizontally. The solid-state imaging device is connected to a circuit board on which electrical components are mounted. A connection land is formed on the circuit board, and electrical connection is performed by inserting a lead and a signal cable extending from the solid-state imaging device using the connection land.

The signal cable is connected to the video processor, and the observation image of the subject is displayed by transmitting the image signal captured by the imaging device to the video processor via the signal cable.
JP-A-6-148530

  However, in the conventional imaging device, since each signal line of the signal cable is connected to a connection land provided on the circuit board by soldering or the like, for an image sensor such as an ultra-small CCD or C-MOS sensor, You must connect to this. In particular, when there are many signal lines of the signal cable, there is a problem that the outer shape of the imaging device is increased even if the image sensor is downsized.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging unit capable of connecting a plurality of signal lines of a signal cable in a compact manner and reducing the outer shape of the apparatus.

An imaging unit of one embodiment of the present invention includes a solid-state imaging device having a light receiving surface, at least a circuit board on which the solid-state imaging device is mounted, and a plurality of signal lines electrically connected to the circuit board. In an imaging unit comprising a signal cable,
The circuit board, with respect to the cable longitudinal central axis substantially coincident the substrate center line of the signal cable, the longitudinal direction in the mounted side of the solid-state imaging device is constituted by a plurality of lands forming a tilt angle of an acute angle, respectively A plurality of land rows, wherein the plurality of land rows are constituted by first land rows and second land rows arranged symmetrically with respect to the substrate center line of the circuit board, and the signal cable is The cable longitudinal center axis is arranged at a position substantially coincident with the substrate center line in the circuit board, and then the tip of each signal line in the plurality of signal lines extends from the cable longitudinal center axis to each of the plurality of lands. wherein by connecting each to match the inclination angle, is electrically connected to the circuit board with respect to extending therefrom, said distal end each of said lands of each signal line toward

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that a plurality of signal lines of a signal cable can be connected in a compact manner and the outer shape of the apparatus can be reduced.

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

  1 to 11 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the endoscope system, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration inside the distal end of the electronic endoscope of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the imaging unit in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the TAB board in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a connection state between the TAB board in FIG. 3 and the composite cable, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a second diagram illustrating a first modification of the imaging unit in FIG. 2, and FIG. 8 is a first diagram illustrating a second modification of the imaging unit in FIG. 9 is a second diagram for explaining a second modification of the imaging unit of FIG. 2, FIG. 10 is a first diagram for explaining a third modification of the imaging unit of FIG. 2, and FIG. 11 is a diagram of the imaging unit of FIG. It is a 2nd figure explaining the modification 3 of.

  In FIG. 1, an endoscope system includes an electronic endoscope 1, a light source device 2 that supplies illumination light to the electronic endoscope 1, a video processor 3 that processes an image signal from the electronic endoscope 1, A monitor 4 for monitoring and displaying a video signal from the video processor 3 is provided. Peripheral devices such as a VTR deck 5, a video printer 6 and a video disk 7 are also connected to the video processor 3.

  The electronic endoscope 1 is formed with a flexible insertion portion 8 that is elongated at the distal end side and can be inserted into a body cavity, and an operation portion 9 is formed on the proximal (base end) side. The insertion portion 8 includes an elongated and flexible flexible tube 10 that can be inserted into a body cavity, a bending portion 11 formed of a plurality of bending pieces formed on the distal end side of the flexible tube 10, and a rigid tube. It is comprised by the front-end | tip part 12. FIG. The bending portion 11 can be bent by operating up / down / left / right bending operation knobs (not shown) disposed in the operation portion 9.

  A universal cord 14 extends from the operation unit 9, and the universal cord 14 is connected to the video processor 3 via the connector device 13. The light source device 2 is provided with a connector receiver 15 to which a connector device 13 is connected. The universal cord 14 is connected to the light source device 2 through the connector device 13 and the connector receiver 15, and the electronic endoscope is passed through a light guide fiber (not shown) through which illumination light from the light source lamp 16 of the light source device 2 is inserted. 1 leading to the leading end portion 12.

  The universal code 14 supplies a power supply voltage, a drive signal, and the like from the video processor 3 to the electronic endoscope 1 and supplies a video signal from the electronic endoscope 1 to the video processor 3. .

  In FIG. 2, the distal end portion 12 includes a cylindrical member 21 attached to the bending portion 11, and a substantially columnar distal end constituent member 22 provided at the distal end of the cylindrical member 21. A tip cover 23 is fitted on the tip of the tip component member 22 and is fixed by an adhesive. On the rear end side of the tip cover 23, a rubber tube 24 that covers the tip constituent member 22 and the cylindrical member 21 is provided.

  A light guide fiber 25, a forceps channel 26 and a composite cable 27 are inserted into the insertion portion 8 from the hand side to the distal end portion 12.

  An illumination through-hole 28 is formed in the tip constituting member 22, and an illumination lens frame 29 inserted and fixed in the illumination through-hole 28 is irradiated with illumination light from the light source device 2 to the observation part. A plurality of illumination lenses 30 are fixed. The tip of the light guide fiber 25 is in contact with the illumination lens 30.

  A forceps through hole 31 is also formed in the distal end component member 22. A forceps pipe 32 is inserted and fixed in the forceps through-hole 31, and the forceps pipe 32 is inserted into the forceps channel 26 provided in the insertion portion 8 and inserted into the operation portion 9. 17 (see FIG. 1). The forceps inserted from the insertion port 17 are projected from the distal end portion 12 via the forceps channel 26 and the forceps pipe 32.

  Further, a nozzle (not shown) is also attached to the tip cover 23, and an air / water feed channel is connected to a communication hole formed in the tip constituent member 22 so as to communicate with the nozzle.

  An objective lens frame 36 is inserted and fixed in the tip component member 22 so as to be fitted, and an objective lens optical system 37 including a plurality of objective lenses is fixed in the objective lens frame 36.

  On the rear end side of the objective lens 38 on the base end side of the objective lens optical system 37, a light receiving unit of an image pickup unit 40 as an image pickup apparatus is disposed perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens optical system 37.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the objective lens 38 guides an optical image to the light receiving surface of a solid-state image sensor (CCD or C-MOS sensor) 41 disposed on an optical axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion 8. ing.

  The imaging unit 40 has, for example, a TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) substrate 42 that is a circuit board having a solid-state imaging element 41 disposed on the distal end side, and a plurality of signal lines 43 are connected to the proximal end side of the TAB substrate 42. A first land row 71 and a second land row 72 (see FIG. 4), which are signal line land portions, are formed.

  The signal lines 43 include, for example, a signal line that transmits Vdd that is a driving power source of the solid-state imaging device 41, φP, φS, and φAB that are clock signals and Vout that is an output signal, a GND line, and the like. The line 43 is connected in a land described later. The plurality of signal lines 43 are formed by twisting and tying coaxial lines and / or simple lines, and are extended to the connector device 13 as composite cables 27.

  In the TAB substrate 42, the signal line 43 is solder-connected to the first land row 71 and the second land row 72 so as to be parallel to the longitudinal center axis 80 of the composite cable 27.

  A plurality of electronic components 44 are provided on the TAB substrate 42, and a wiring pattern (not shown) for connecting signals input / output from the signal lines 43 and the solid-state imaging device 41 to the electronic components 44 is also provided.

  The object illuminated by the illumination light forms an image on the light receiving surface of the solid-state image sensor 41 via the objective lens optical system 37 and is photoelectrically converted by the solid-state image sensor 41. The photoelectrically converted signal is supplied to the video processor 3 via a signal line 43 (composite cable 27) connected to the rear end side of the imaging unit 40.

  The TAB substrate 42 has the electronic component 44 disposed on the upper surface, and, as shown in FIG. 4, a first land row 71 composed of a plurality of lands 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d for connecting signal lines on the lower surface, A second land row 72 comprising a plurality of lands 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d is provided. The lands 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d of the first land row 71 and the lands 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d of the second land row 72 have the same shape, and are approximately the center line 80A of the TAB substrate 42. The composite cable 27 and the TAB substrate 42 are connected so that the substantially central line 80A is provided at a symmetric position at an equal pitch P and the substantially central line 80A substantially coincides with the longitudinal central axis 80 of the composite cable 27. Yes.

  Further, the lands 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d of the first land row 71 and the lands 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d of the second land row 72 are formed of quadrangular lands having long and short sides. The long side of the land area is formed so as to form an acute angle (for example, 45 °) with the substantially central line 80A of the TAB substrate 42, that is, the longitudinal central axis 80 of the composite cable 27. Hereinafter, an angle formed by the long side of the land area and the longitudinal central axis 80 is referred to as a land inclination angle.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the base side is approximately the center line 80A side of the long side of each rectangular land area (lands 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d and lands 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d). In this case, the angle on the solid-state image sensor side formed by the direction of the line segment ab from the base end a of the long side of the quadrangular land region to the tip end b and the substantially center line 80A is the land inclination angle, and the land inclination The corners are formed so as to form an acute angle (for example, 45 °). Accordingly, the lands of the first land row 71 and the lands of the second land row 72 of this embodiment form a shape that is substantially symmetric with respect to the center line 80A.

  When connecting the lands 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d and the lands 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d, which are formed of the rectangular land regions formed in this way, and the plurality of signal lines 43 of the composite cable 27, the signal line 43 The tip film is peeled off, and the tip of the signal line 43 is positioned in the quadrangular land region from approximately the center line 80A side and connected by soldering.

  In the present embodiment, the signal line 43 positioned on the second land row side in the composite cable 27 is connected to the lands 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d of the first land row, and the first wire in the composite cable 27 is also connected. The signal line 43 located on the land row side is connected to the lands 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d of the second land row. In this case, in each land row 71, 72, the signal line 43 located at a position close to the longitudinal central axis 80 in the composite cable 27 is connected to the land on the image sensor 41 side, and the composite cable 27 is connected to the land on the composite cable 27 side. 27 is connected to a signal line 43 located on the outer peripheral side.

  As a result, the plurality of signal lines 43 of the composite cable 27 are transferred to the lands 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d and the lands 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d at an acute land inclination angle along the longitudinal central axis 80 of the composite cable 27. The signal line 43 and the TAB substrate 42 can be connected with a minimum area, and the TAB substrate 42 can be formed in a small size. Therefore, the imaging unit 40 can be downsized.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the following effects (1) to (3) can be obtained.

  (1) The width and length of the TAB substrate 42 can be minimized while securing the size of the land necessary for soldering the plurality of signal lines 43.

  (2) By arranging the composite cable 27 at the center of the two land rows 71.72, the cable connection work can be easily and efficiently performed.

  (3) Since it is easy to match the direction in which the signal line 43 is pulled out from the composite cable 27 with the land inclination angle of each land of the land rows 71 and 72, there is extra stress on each signal line 43 after connection. Therefore, the reliability of the connection state can be improved.

  Next, modifications 1 to 3 of the present embodiment will be described below. Also in these modified examples, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the present embodiment.

(Modification 1)
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when one land row is provided on the TAB substrate 42, the land inclination angle θ of each land of the land row 71 with respect to the longitudinal central axis 80 is 45 ° ≦ θ <90. By setting the angle to 0 °, the length of the longitudinal central axis 80 of the TAB substrate 42 can be suppressed.

  Further, the distance Δh1 between the base end a of the land in the width direction of the TAB substrate 42 and the one end side of the TAB substrate 42 located on the base end a side, the tip b of the land in the width direction of the TAB substrate 42, and the At a distance Δh2 from the other end side of the TAB substrate 42 located on the front end b side, Δh1> Δh2 is established, thereby making it easy to connect the composite cable and suppressing the outer shape of the TAB substrate 42. .

(Modification 2)
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in the imaging unit 40 of the second modification, a prism 39 that bends an optical axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion 8 to the objective lens 38 is bonded and fixed to the objective lens 38. The optical image is guided to the light receiving surface of the solid-state imaging device 41 disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion 8.

  The TAB substrate 42 is composed of a first TAB surface 42a and a second TAB surface 42b connected by a bent portion 90, and an electronic component 44 and a solid-state image sensor 41 are provided on the tip side of the first TAB surface 42a. Is arranged. When the composite cable 27 is connected to the TAB substrate 42 to constitute the imaging unit 40, the TAB substrate 42 is assembled with the first TAB surface 42a and the second TAB surface 42b facing each other via the bent portion 90.

  In the second modification, lands 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d of the first land row 71 are provided on the first TAB surface 42a, and lands 72a of the second land row 72 are provided on the second TAB surface 42b. 72b, 72c, 72d are provided.

  In the first embodiment, the land of the first land row 71 and the land of the second land row 72 form a symmetrical shape with respect to the substantially center line 80A (see FIG. 5). Then, the land of the first land row 71 and the land of the second land row 72 are formed by lands having the same land inclination angle and the same arrangement as shown in FIG. Further, in the present modification, the land inclination angle θ is 0 ° <θ ≦ 45 °, which makes it possible to suppress the widths of the first TAB surface 42a and the second TAB surface 42b.

  Further, the second TAB surface 42 b having the second land row 72 is folded back to the first TAB surface 42 a side at the bent portion 90, so that the second land with respect to the longitudinal central axis 80 of the composite cable 27. Inclination of the land of the row 72 The land of the first land row 71 and the land of the second land row 72 become a land having a symmetrical inclination, and the connecting work of the composite cable 27 is facilitated as in the first embodiment. be able to.

(Modification 3)
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the TAB substrate 42 of the present modification has a first TAB surface 42 a on which lands of the first land row 71 are formed and lands of the second land row 72. A second TAB surface 42b and a third TAB surface 42c provided with an image sensor 41 at the tip, and a fold line 91 between the first TAB surface 42a and the second TAB surface 42b. The imaging unit 40 having a substantially triangular prism shape is configured by bending a fold line 92 between the second TAB surface 42b and the third TAB surface 42c. Note that a V-shaped notch 100 is provided on the distal end side of the bending line 91.

  The fold line 91 coincides with the longitudinal central axis 80 of the composite cable 27 when the land of the first land row 71 and the land of the second land row 72 and the composite cable 27 are connected. The lands of the first land row 71 and the lands of the second land row 72 have the same shape of the equal pitch P and are formed in a symmetrical shape with respect to the center line 80A as in the first embodiment. Yes.

By the way, as a miniaturization element in the TAB substrate 42 coupled to an image pickup device (CCD) used for an endoscope, accurate and high-density mounting and bending after mounting are performed to minimize the outer shape of the image pickup unit 40. It is necessary. But,
(1) High-density mounting problem: It is difficult to effectively arrange patterns, mounting lands, and through holes in the TAB substrate 42 having a small area. (2) Accurate mounting problem: TAB substrate having a small area. In the mounting at 42, the stiffness of the TAB mounting surface is weak and it is difficult to maintain the flatness. (3) Bending problem: For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the TAB mounting surface is divided into two surfaces having component mounting portions 110a and 110b, respectively. The pattern portion (folded portion) 120 that connects the TAB substrate 42 composed of the first TAB surface 42a and the second TAB surface 42b needs a certain predetermined length for the convenience of processing. As shown in FIG. 13, the outer shape of the imaging unit is increased by the bent portion during bending. For example, if the length of the pattern portion (folded portion) 120 is M (FIG. 12), the protrusion of the bent portion at the time of folding occurs about M / 2 (FIG. 13), and the outer shape of the imaging unit becomes large. is there.

  Therefore, an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the outer shape will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 14, for example, two holes 111 and 112 are formed on a boundary line 113 between the first TAB surface 42 a and the second TAB surface 42 b of the TAB substrate 42 divided into two surfaces having the component mounting portion 110. Is provided.

  And as shown in FIG. 15, when it is necessary to bend the 1st TAB surface 42a and the 2nd TAB surface 42b of the TAB board | substrate 42, along the boundary line 113 from the hole parts 111 and 112, respectively. Cuts 111a and 112a are formed up to the edge of the TAB substrate 42. Then, the first TAB surface 42a and the second TAB surface 42b are bent using the boundary line 113 between the holes 111 and 112 as a bending line.

  By bending the first TAB surface 42a and the second TAB surface 42b in this way, as shown in FIG. 16, it is possible to minimize the amount of protrusion ΔL due to the bent portion at the time of bending. It becomes possible to form the outer shape to the minimum.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 17, such a TAB substrate 42 can be formed by sharing the plating leads of the component mounting portions 110a and 110b before cutting.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 18, by making the holes into through holes 115 and 116, the degree of freedom in pattern layout can be increased.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the number of hole portions is not two but, for example, three, so that the space between the hole portions 111, 112, and 130 and each side of the TAB substrate 42 is required. Accordingly, a cut portion or a bent portion is used, and the cut portion and the bent portion are made variable, so that one TAB substrate 42 can be configured according to the size and function of each model. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the cut or bent can be facilitated by providing the TAB substrate 42 with a notch 131 as required.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The figure which shows the structure of the endoscope system which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the structure inside the front-end | tip of the electronic endoscope of FIG. The figure which shows the structure of the imaging unit of FIG. The figure which shows the TAB board | substrate of FIG. The figure which shows the connection state of the TAB board | substrate of FIG. 3, and a composite cable FIG. 1 is a first diagram illustrating a first modification of the imaging unit in FIG. FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating a first modification of the imaging unit in FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a first diagram illustrating a second modification of the imaging unit in FIG. FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating a second modification of the imaging unit in FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a first diagram illustrating a third modification of the imaging unit in FIG. FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating a third modification of the imaging unit in FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a first diagram illustrating an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the outer shape. The 2nd figure explaining the image pick-up unit which has a TAB board | substrate which enables the exact and high-density mounting and external shape to be minimized. FIG. 3 is a third diagram illustrating an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the outer shape. FIG. 4 is a fourth diagram illustrating an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the external shape. FIG. 5 is a fifth diagram illustrating an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the outer shape. FIG. 6 is a sixth diagram illustrating an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the outer shape. FIG. 7 is a seventh diagram illustrating an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the outer shape. FIG. 8 is an eighth diagram illustrating an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the external shape. FIG. 9 is a ninth diagram illustrating an imaging unit having a TAB substrate that enables accurate and high-density mounting and minimizing the outer shape.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electronic endoscope 27 ... Composite cable 40 ... Imaging unit 41 ... Solid-state image sensor 42 ... TAB board | substrate 43 ... Signal line 71 ... 1st land row 72 ... 2nd land row 80 ... Longitudinal central axis

Claims (4)

A solid-state imaging device having a light receiving surface;
At least a circuit board on which the solid-state imaging device is mounted;
A signal cable having a plurality of signal lines internally connected to the circuit board;
In an imaging unit comprising
The circuit board, with respect to the cable longitudinal central axis substantially coincident the substrate center line of the signal cable, the longitudinal direction in the mounted side of the solid-state imaging device is constituted by a plurality of lands forming a tilt angle of an acute angle, respectively With multiple land rows
The plurality of land rows are constituted by first land rows and second land rows arranged symmetrically with respect to the substrate center line in the circuit board,
The signal cable is arranged at a position where the cable longitudinal center axis thereof substantially coincides with the substrate center line of the circuit board, and then the signal cable tip of the plurality of signal lines is extended from the cable longitudinal center axis to the plurality of signal cables. Extending toward the respective lands, and electrically connecting to the circuit board by connecting the tip ends of the respective signal lines to the respective lands so as to coincide with the inclination angles. Imaging unit. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lands are arranged with a predetermined pitch. The imaging unit according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined pitch is the same pitch amount. The circuit board is formed to be bendable at the board center line.
The imaging unit according to any one of claims 1-3 .

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