JPH0814657B2 - Endoscope with built-in solid-state image sensor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an endoscope having a solid-state image sensor that can be used for industrial and medical purposes.

[Conventional technology]

Recently, an endoscope which has a solid-state imaging device built in its inner tip and can be observed on a monitor has begun to be used. Fifth
The figure shows a block diagram of such an endoscope, in which 1 is an endoscope main body, 2 is a flexible tube portion, 3 is a rigid tip portion, and an objective lens 4 and a solid-state image sensor 5 are built in the inner tip. ing. 6
Is the handle.

Further, although not shown, an optical fiber bundle for light transmission, a forceps introduction tube, a water supply tube, an air supply tube, and the like are built in the endoscope body 1 as necessary.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an electric wire that passes through the endoscope body 1 and connects the solid-state imaging device 5 and the video circuit 8. A monitor 9 is connected to the video circuit 8.

With such a configuration, an image converted into an electric signal by the endoscope main body 1 inserted in the equipment to be observed or in the body cavity is displayed on the monitor 9 via the video circuit 8 and is viewed by many people. At the same time, images can be stored on video tapes or optical discs.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The endoscope according to the technique as described above is expected to be widely used in the future because it has the above-mentioned effects and has many advantages. The electric wire that connects the video circuit passes through the long flexible tube of the endoscope main body, and even if it is pulled out from the handle, it is not immediately connected to the video circuit. Since it impairs the operability, it leads to a very long wire as a whole length.

However, when the wire drawn from the solid-state image sensor is in such a long state, it is easily affected by ambient noise and SN
There is a serious problem that the ratio becomes bad and the quality of the image displayed on the monitor is seriously impaired, and sometimes the image cannot be reproduced.

[Means for solving problems]

According to the present invention, a flexible printed board is a long strip, and cutouts and small holes are provided at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the flexible printed board to form small surface portions on the flexible printed board in sequence, and an image is formed on the small surface portion. The present invention is characterized in that all or some electronic components of a circuit are mounted and each is electrically connected to form a continuous substrate, and the continuous substrate is housed in a flexible tube of an endoscope body.

[Action]

According to the above configuration, by mounting all the electronic components or a part of the electronic components of the video circuit on the continuous substrate and storing them in the flexible tube near the solid-state image sensor in the endoscope, the solid-state image sensor is obtained. It is possible to shorten the electrical connection with the video circuit, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the SN ratio and obtain a good image.

In addition, since the continuous board is provided with a missing part, it is possible to deal with the missing part when bending in the width direction, and there is little or no effect on the facet where electronic parts are mounted. As a result, the bending operation of the flexible tube portion can be performed smoothly without adversely affecting the mounted electronic components.

Further, by twisting this continuous substrate at each missing 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 substrate. In the drawing, 10 is a continuous substrate made of a flexible printed circuit board, which does not necessarily have to have a constant interval. Electronic parts 13 are mounted on the facets 12 by providing the notches 11 at predetermined intervals and providing the facets 12 between the notches 11.

As shown in FIG. 3 (I), all the electronic parts 13 of the video circuit are mounted on each facet 12 of the continuous substrate 10 thus constructed, or the influence of noise is added as shown in FIG. 3 (II). To reduce the time delay of signals such as clock pulses due to the susceptibility of the circuit or the length of the wire, to shorten the wire of the circuit or to increase the signal level to a sufficiently high level for noise. Some electronic parts of the video circuit that need to be installed are installed, and the remaining electronic parts are either housed in the handle part described later or provided outside the endoscope body described later as shown in FIG. 3 and connected by electric wires. You may. Also, it goes without saying that electronic components may be arranged in the tip rigid portion 3.

Further, a circuit that connects the electronic components 13 of the front and rear facets 12 is formed in the remaining portion 14 of the missing portion 11 to serve as a mechanical and electrical connection portion.

 A monitor 9 is connected to the video circuit.

Reference numeral 1 denotes an endoscope main body, which includes a flexible tube portion 2, a distal end rigid portion 3 and a handle portion 6.

The tip rigid portion 3 includes an objective lens 4 and a solid-state image sensor 5.
Is built in, and if necessary, for example, an air / water jet port, a suction port, a forceps port, etc. are opened.

The flexible tube portion 2 contains an optical fiber bundle for light transmission, an angle portion operation wire, an air / water conducting tube, a forceps introduction tube, a suction tube, and the like, and further the continuous substrate 10 is arranged.

If necessary, various handle knobs, forceps inlets, and guide tubes 14 such as the optical fiber bundle for light transmission, an air / water conduit tube, and a suction tube are extended to the handle portion 6. Further, as described above, in some cases, some electronic components of the video circuit are built in, and further, when the electronic components are arranged outside the endoscope body 1, the electric wire or the electric wire 15 to the monitor 9 is led out. There is.

In addition, when the continuous substrate 10 is arranged in the flexible tube portion 2, if the continuous substrate 10 is twisted at the missing portion 11, the flexibility of the flexible tube portion 2 is further improved.

The missing portion 11 of the continuous substrate 10 in the above embodiment is a notch, but the missing portion 11 is not limited to this, and a small hole 16 is opened to form a continuous portion on both sides as shown in FIG. 4 (I). Alternatively, both the notch and the small hole may be opened as shown in FIG. 4 (II), and a plurality of small holes may be provided as shown in FIG. You may leave it. Further, the shape of the notch or the small hole is not limited, and any shape may be used as long as the strip-shaped flexible printed circuit board is easily bent in the width direction.

Further, it goes without saying that some electronic components in the above description may be divided and arranged within the tip hard portion within a range that does not hinder the outer diameter and length of the same.

According to the above configuration, all or some of the electronic components of the video circuit are built into the endoscope main body to shorten the electrical distance from the solid-state image sensor, which may affect the noise. The time delay of a signal such as a clock pulse due to the length of the electric wire is less likely to cause a problem, the deterioration of the SN ratio can be prevented, and a high-quality image can be obtained on the monitor.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention described in detail above, all or part of the electronic components of the video circuit is divided and mounted on each facet of the continuous substrate, and the continuous substrate is arranged in the flexible tube of the endoscope. The solid-state image sensor and the video circuit are no longer connected by a long electric wire, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the S / N ratio that has been caused by the conventional long electric wire connection, and it is possible to obtain a high-quality image on the monitor and a high-quality image. It has the effect of keeping a record.

Further, there is an effect that the bendability of the flexible tube portion on which the continuous substrate is arranged is not hindered and the image circuit is not damaged by the bend.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial plan view showing a first embodiment of a connecting board, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a mounting state of electronic parts, and FIG. Is a partial plan view showing another embodiment of the connection board, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional example. 1 ... Endoscope body, 2 ... Flexible tube part, 3 ... Tip rigid part, 5 ... Solid-state image sensor, 6 ... Handle part, 9 ... Monitor,
10 …… Continuous substrate, 11 …… Missing part, 12 …… Facet part, 13 ……
Electronic components.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope in which a solid-state image sensor is built in a rigid portion of the tip of the endoscope and an electronic image obtained by the solid-state image sensor is displayed on a monitor, in which a flexible printed circuit board has a long strip shape. In addition, a small portion is sequentially formed by providing a cutout portion at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction, and all or some electronic components of a video circuit are mounted on the small surface portion to form a continuous substrate. An endoscope having a built-in solid-state imaging device, which is arranged in a flexible tube portion of an endoscope body. 2. An endoscope incorporating a solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the continuous substrate is twisted and disposed in the flexible tube portion of the endoscope body.