JPH0513482B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an endoscope that employs an electronic imaging system.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, electronic endoscopes have been provided that capture images using solid-state imaging devices such as CCDs and observe the images on a monitor. In this system, an imaging unit including a solid-state imaging device and its attached electric circuit is housed in the endoscope body in a sealed state with a casing.

However, endoscopes are generally sterilized using ethylene oxide gas. At this time, the pressure on the outside of the endoscope body is reduced, but if the pressure inside the endoscope body is not reduced at the same time, the outer skin of the endoscope will rupture. For this reason, the pressure inside the endoscope body is also reduced at the same time.

[Problems in the background art that the invention seeks to solve]

However, when the inside of the endoscope body is depressurized during the gas sterilization, a pressure difference occurs between the endoscope and the sealed imaging unit, and if this gas sterilization is repeated, the strength of the adhesive constituting the casing of the imaging unit may decrease. There is a problem in that peeling occurs, and in places where a conductive adhesive is used for shielding, poor conductivity occurs and the shielding effect is reduced.

It is also noted that such problems also occur when products are transported by aircraft. In other words, the same phenomenon as described above occurs because the surrounding environment may become under negative pressure, even momentarily, during transportation by aircraft.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to ensure that even if the inside of the endoscope becomes negative pressure due to transportation by aircraft, gas sterilization, etc., the adhesive portion of the imaging unit remains intact. It is an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope that is free from breakage, reduced adhesive strength, and poor electrical continuity.

[Means and actions for solving problems]

An imaging unit 13 housed within the endoscope body 5
By communicating the inside of the casing with the inside of the endoscope main body 5, negative pressure is prevented from being applied to the bonded portion.

〔Example〕

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope 1 of this embodiment has an endoscope main body 5 made up of an insertion section 2, an operation section 3, and a light guide cable 4. The endoscope main body 5 has a watertight structure as a whole due to the exterior 6. Further, the insertion section 2 is composed of a flexible tube section 7, a curved section 8, and a distal end section 9.

Furthermore, an imaging unit 13 including a solid-state imaging device 11 and attached electric circuit components 12, which will be described later, is attached to the tip portion 9. The imaging unit 13 is constructed as shown in FIG. 2, and is attached to the distal end 9 of the insertion section 2 in an airtight manner. That is, this imaging unit 13 has an element frame 14 that holds the solid-state image sensor 11 and a lens frame 15 that is watertightly and electrically connected to this element frame 14. The lens frame 15 has a plurality of objective lenses 16. An objective optical system 17 consisting of the following is attached. The lens frame 15 is connected to the tip 9 through an electrically insulating mounting frame 18.
It is attached and fixed by being airtightly fitted into a mounting hole 19 formed in the. Note that an O-ring 21 is fitted around the outer periphery of the mounting frame 18, and the O-ring 21 maintains airtightness. Further, the element frame 14 and the lens frame 15 can be separated as necessary. Electrical boards 23, 23 are provided behind the solid-state imaging device 11, and the lead legs 22 of the solid-state imaging device 11 are connected to the electrical boards 23, 23. Further, the electrical components 12 configuring an electrical circuit attached to the solid-state image sensor 11 are attached to the electrical boards 23 , 23 . Further, core wires 26 of a signal transmission coaxial cable 25 are connected to the electric boards 23, 23, respectively. The distal end side of the coaxial cable 25 is attached and fixed to a wire fixing member 27. This electric wire fixing member 27 is attached and fixed to a shield pipe 29 via an attachment frame 28. Further, the shield pipe 29 surrounds the electric board 23, the core wire 26, etc., and
The tip portion thereof is fitted onto and fixed to the outer periphery of the rear end of the element frame 14. In addition, the above coaxial cable 2
The shielded wires 24 of No. 5 are soldered and fixed to the wire fixing member 27, and some of the shielded wires 24 are also connected to the shielded pipe 29. The element frame 14, mounting frame 28 and shield pipe 29 are connected to an electrically insulating tube 30.
It is electrically insulated from the tip portion 9 by. In other words, these components not only constitute the casing that surrounds the imaging unit 13, but also constitute the shield case 3.
1.

Further, the rear end side of the coaxial cable 25 is inserted into the insertion section 2, the operation section 3, and the light guide cable 4, and reaches the light guide connector 32 provided at the extending end of the light guide cable 4. There is. The light guide connector 32 is connected to an electrical connector 33 provided on the light guide connector 32. Furthermore, a protective tube 34 is fitted around the outer periphery of the coaxial cable 25. The distal end portion of the protective tube 34 is fitted and fixed to the outer periphery of the rear end of the element frame 14, and the rear end portion of the protective tube 34 is open within the light guide connector 32. That is, the rear end opening portion of the protective tube 34 opens into the endoscope main body 5.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a hollow hole 35 is formed in the electric wire fixing member 27, and the tip of a noise canceling electric wire 36 is inserted through the hollow hole 35. Further, the hollow hole 35 communicates with the inside of the protection tube 34 and the inside of the imaging unit 13, respectively. In other words, the hollow hole 35 constitutes a communication section that communicates the inside of the casing of the imaging unit 13 with the inside of the endoscope body 5.

Further, a venting cap 37 is provided on the side wall of the light guide connector 32, and this cap 37 is filled with a venting material 38 that allows a sterilizing gas, such as ethylene oxide gas, to pass therethrough, but does not allow liquid to pass therethrough. In other words, the inside of the endoscope main body 5 is in communication with the outside in a ventilated state.

Therefore, when the endoscope 1 having this configuration is transported by airplane or gas sterilized, if the pressure is reduced on the outside of the endoscope 1, the ventilation cap 3
The pressure inside the endoscope main body 5 is also reduced through 7. Furthermore, an imaging unit 13 is connected to the endoscope body 5 through a protective tube 34 and a hollow hole 35.
The pressure inside the shield case 31 is also reduced at the same time. Therefore, the shield case 3 of the imaging unit 13
1 becomes a negative pressure relative to the surrounding pressure, and the adhesive forming the shield case 31 of the imaging unit 13 does not deteriorate or peel off. Also,
Where a conductive adhesive is used for shielding, conduction failure will not occur and the shielding effect will not be impaired.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention. This example is the shield pipe 2 of the above example.
9 is provided with a side hole 41, and the electrical board 23 and electrical components 24, which have been filled with a filler 42 inside the shield pipe 29, are surrounded and fixed before the insulating tube 30 is fitted therein. The filler 42 is preferably made of a material that absorbs vibrations and has good electrical insulation properties, such as silicone resin.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, the electric circuit portion will not be damaged even if shocks such as vibrations are applied, and there will be no short circuit due to moisture.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and for example, the above-mentioned wire fixing member 27
The inside and outside of the shield case 31 of the imaging unit 13 may be communicated by forming a ventilation hole in the shield case 31.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, even if the inside of the endoscope becomes negative pressure due to transportation by aircraft, gas sterilization, etc., damage to the adhesive part, decrease in adhesive strength, and defective electrical continuity will not occur. do not have. Also,
When the imaging unit is filled with silicone resin or the like, the vapor emitted from the resin or adhesive can be quickly exhausted, and the drying time can be shortened.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an imaging unit of an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a sectional view of an imaging unit portion of an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Endoscope, 5... Endoscope main body, 11... Solid-state imaging device, 13... Imaging unit, 31... Shield case, 35... Hollow hole.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope that has a part that communicates the inside of the endoscope body with the outside, an imaging unit that includes a solid-state image sensor and its attached electric circuit housed in the endoscope body, and a shield that connects the endoscope to the endoscope body. An endoscope having a casing that surrounds the imaging unit within the main body, wherein a communication portion that communicates between the inside of the imaging unit and the endoscope main body is formed in at least a part of the casing that surrounds the imaging unit. An endoscope featuring: