JP4441305B2 - The tip of the electronic endoscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a distal end portion of an electronic endoscope.

In an electronic endoscope that incorporates a solid-state image sensor at the tip of the insertion portion, a circuit board on which electronic components constituting a drive circuit of the solid-state image sensor are attached is arranged adjacent to the rear side of the solid-state image sensor, A plurality of signal lines drawn from the ends of the signal cables inserted and arranged in the insertion portion are connected to a plurality of connection terminals provided on the circuit board (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-199863 A

  In the conventional electronic endoscope as described above, a plurality of connecting terminal portions are formed in a horizontal row at the rear end portion of the circuit board formed in a flat plate shape, and a plurality of lead wires are drawn from the front end of the signal cable. These signal lines are individually connected and fixed to the respective connection terminals by soldering or the like.

  For this reason, when soldering a signal line to a connection terminal, if the molten solder is inadvertently flowing toward the adjacent connection terminal, the connection terminals are electrically connected. Skill and skill are required.

  If the circuit board is miniaturized as the solid-state imaging device is miniaturized due to the advancement of technology, a leak with the adjacent connection terminal is avoided in the soldering operation of the signal line to the connection terminal of the circuit board. It was even more difficult.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, when the signal line of the signal cable is connected to the connection terminal of the circuit board by soldering or the like, it is difficult for the molten solder to flow out to the adjacent connection terminal, and the signal line can be easily connected. An object of the present invention is to provide a distal end portion of an electronic endoscope.

  In order to achieve the above object, the distal end portion of the electronic endoscope of the present invention is drawn out from the distal end of a signal cable that has a solid-state imaging device and a circuit board built into the distal end of the insertion portion and is inserted and disposed in the insertion portion. At the distal end portion of the electronic endoscope in which the plurality of signal lines connected to the plurality of connection terminals provided on the circuit board, the connection terminal part of the circuit board is positioned for each one or two connection terminal parts. Is formed into a shape that is three-dimensionally displaced.

  In addition, the connection terminal portion of the circuit board may be formed in a stepped shape that gradually decreases in a direction approaching the tip of the signal cable, and in that case, a set of a plurality of connection terminal portions formed in a stepped shape may be formed. Two sets may be provided symmetrically by 180 °.

  An electronic component may be attached to the side surface of the stepped portion of the circuit board, and a groove is formed between the connection terminals positioned relatively sideward among the plurality of connection terminal portions. It may be.

  In addition, a step may be formed between the connection terminals located relatively laterally among the plurality of connection terminal portions, or a set of a plurality of connection terminal portions formed in a step shape is radially formed. A plurality of sets may be provided.

  Further, the connection terminal portion of the circuit board may be formed in a staircase shape that is displaced laterally with respect to the direction of the signal line. In this case, a set of a plurality of connection terminal portions formed in a staircase shape is symmetrical. And four sets may be provided symmetrically.

  And the electronic component may be attached to the top surface of the step formed in the step shape of the circuit board, and the electronic component may be arrange | positioned in the back surface part of the circuit board formed in the step shape. Further, the connection terminal portion of the circuit board may be formed in an uneven shape that is displaced for each connection terminal portion.

  Further, the circuit board may be a flexible board, and the connection terminal portion may be formed by bending the flexible board. In that case, an electronic component may be disposed on the back surface portion of the connection terminal part of the circuit board. .

  According to the present invention, since the connection terminal portion of the circuit board is formed in a shape in which the position is three-dimensionally displaced for each one or two connection terminal portions, the signal line of the signal cable is connected to the circuit board. When connecting to a terminal by soldering, etc., it is difficult for the molten solder to flow out to the adjacent connection terminal, so that the signal line can be easily connected. It can cope with the conversion.

  A solid-state image sensor and a circuit board are built into the tip of the insertion section, and multiple signal lines drawn from the tip of the signal cable inserted and placed in the insertion section are connected to multiple connection terminals provided on the circuit board. At the tip of the electronic endoscope, the connection terminal portion of the circuit board is formed in a stepped shape that gradually falls in the direction approaching the tip of the signal cable, and the position of each connection terminal portion is displaced three-dimensionally. Two sets of a plurality of connection terminal portions formed in such a step shape are provided symmetrically by 180 °.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a distal end portion of an insertion portion of an electronic endoscope having a built-in solid-state image pickup device 5, and a bending portion 1 formed at the distal end portion of an insertion portion flexible tube (not shown) can be inserted. It is bent at an arbitrary angle in an arbitrary direction by a remote operation from an operation unit provided on the proximal end side of the flexible tube.

  An observation window 3 or the like is disposed on the distal end surface of the distal end main body 2 connected to the distal end of the bending portion 1. For example, a CCD is placed at the projection position of the subject by the objective optical system 4 built in the back of the observation window 3. An imaging surface 6 of a solid-state imaging device 5 made of (charge coupled device) is disposed.

  In the imaging unit frame 7 that holds the objective optical system 4 and the solid-state imaging device 5, a circuit board 8 to which an electronic component 9 such as a capacitor or an IC chip constituting a driving circuit of the solid-state imaging device 5 is attached, The solid-state image pickup device 5 is fixedly disposed with respect to the solid-state image pickup device 5 adjacent to the rear side of the solid-state image pickup device 5. The circuit board 8 is formed of a block body made of ceramics, for example.

  Reference numeral 11 denotes a signal cable that is inserted and arranged over the entire length in the insertion portion, and a plurality of signal lines 12 drawn from the distal end thereof are soldered to a plurality of connection terminals (connection terminal portions 10) provided on the circuit board 8. Each is fixedly connected by A. Reference numeral 13 denotes a lead connected to the circuit board 8 from the solid-state imaging device 5 side.

  As shown in FIG. 2 illustrating the state of such a circuit board 8 viewed obliquely from the rear, the connection terminal portion 10 of the circuit board 8 of this embodiment is connected to the tip of the signal cable 11 located behind. It is formed in a staircase shape that gradually falls in the approaching direction, and a pair of connection terminals are arranged side by side on each step.

  Then, two sets of the plurality of connection terminal portions 10 formed in such a staircase shape are provided up and down symmetrically by 180 °, and the electronic component 9 is formed on the side surface of the stepped portion of the circuit board 8. Is attached.

  With such a configuration, when the signal line 12 is soldered and connected to the connection terminal in each connection terminal portion 10, the connection terminal portion 10 is formed in a step shape, so that the molten excess solder is removed. Since it is difficult to flow out in the front-rear direction, it is only necessary to take care so that solder does not flow out toward the connection terminals arranged side by side on the same connection terminal portion 10.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the circuit board 8 portion of the second embodiment of the present invention is viewed obliquely from the rear, and is a staircase as compared with the distal end portion of the electronic endoscope of the first embodiment described above. A groove 15 is formed between two connection terminals located adjacent to each other in the left-right direction of a step of the same height of the connection terminal portion 10 formed in a shape.

  By configuring in this way, not only in the front-rear direction but also in the left-right direction, the connection terminals are arranged on an independent surface in units of one unit, and during the work of soldering and connecting the signal lines 12 The molten extra solder is difficult to reach the other connection terminals.

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the circuit board 8 portion of the third embodiment of the present invention is viewed obliquely from the rear, and the connection terminal portion 10 formed in a step shape in the front-rear direction as in the first embodiment. A step is formed between the left half and the right half of each step.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which the circuit board 8 portion of the fourth embodiment of the present invention is viewed obliquely from the rear side. The connection is formed in a step shape and only one connection terminal is provided in each step. For example, four sets of terminal portions 10 are provided radially at intervals of 90 °. However, three sets or other arrangements may be arranged at 120 ° intervals.

  Also in the third and fourth embodiments configured as described above, the connection terminals are arranged on an independent surface in units of not only in the front-rear direction but also in the left-right direction. During the soldering connection work, it is difficult for excess molten solder to reach other connection terminals.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which the circuit board 8 portion of the first reference example of the present invention is viewed obliquely from the rear, and the connection terminal portion 10 of the circuit board 8 is placed in the left-right direction (that is, in the direction of the signal line 12). On the other hand, it is formed in a staircase shape that is displaced laterally).

In this reference example, four sets of a plurality of connection terminal portions 10 formed in a staircase shape are provided symmetrically and symmetrically on the front and back sides, and an electronic component 9 is attached to the top surface of the portion formed in a staircase shape. ing.

  With this configuration as well, each connection terminal is placed on an independent surface in units of one unit, and when the signal line 12 is soldered and connected, the melted excess solder is in a different state. It is difficult to reach the connection terminal.

FIG. 7 shows a state in which the circuit board 8 portion of the second reference example of the present invention is viewed obliquely from the back, and four sets of the circuit board 8 of the first reference example described above are symmetric and front-back symmetrical. A portion surrounded by the provided connection terminal portion 10 is formed in a hollow shape, and the electronic component 9 is arranged in that portion (that is, the back surface portion of the circuit board 8 formed in a staircase shape). With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the size by effectively using the space.

FIG. 8 shows a state in which the circuit board 8 portion of the third reference example of the present invention is viewed obliquely from the rear, and the connection terminal portion 10 formed side by side in the circuit board 8 is connected to one circuit. It is formed in an uneven shape that is displaced for each terminal portion 10.

Also in the second and third reference examples configured as described above, each connection terminal is placed on an independent surface in units of one unit, and in the operation of soldering and connecting the signal line 12, It is difficult for excess molten solder to reach the other connection terminals.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which the circuit board 8 portion of the fourth reference example of the present invention is viewed obliquely from the rear side. The circuit board 8 is formed of a flexible plate-like flexible board, and the flexible board The connection terminal portion 10 is formed by bending the substrate.

  With this configuration, the circuit board 8 can be easily manufactured, and by arranging the electronic component 9 on the back surface portion of the connection terminal portion 10, the space can be effectively used to reduce the size.

In this reference example, the circuit board 8 is formed in a stepped shape as in the first embodiment, but the circuit board 8 having the shape of another embodiment may be formed of a flexible substrate.
Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the connection terminal portion 10 of the circuit board 8 is not only formed in a three-dimensionally displaced shape, but also a part of the connection terminal portion 10. Are formed in a shape sterically displaced.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the insertion part front-end | tip of the electronic endoscope of 1st Example of this invention. It is the perspective view of the state which looked at the circuit board part of 1st Example of this invention from diagonally backward. It is the perspective view of the state which looked at the circuit board part of the 2nd Example of this invention from diagonally backward. It is the perspective view of the state which looked at the circuit board part of the 3rd Example of this invention from diagonally backward. It is the perspective view of the state which looked at the circuit board part of the 4th Example of this invention from diagonally backward. It is the perspective view of the state which looked at the circuit board part of the 1st reference example of this invention from diagonally backward. It is the perspective view of the state which looked at the circuit board part of the 2nd reference example of this invention from diagonally backward. It is the perspective view of the state which looked at the circuit board part of the 3rd reference example of this invention from diagonally backward. It is the perspective view of the state which looked at the circuit board part of the 4th reference example of this invention from diagonally backward.

Explanation of symbols

2 Tip body 4 Objective optical system 5 Solid-state imaging device 8 Circuit board 9 Electronic component 10 Connection terminal portion 11 Signal cable 12 Signal line A Soldering 15 Groove

Claims (6)

A solid-state imaging device and a circuit board are built into the distal end of the insertion portion, and a plurality of signal lines led out from the distal end of the signal cable inserted and arranged in the insertion portion are a plurality of connection terminals provided on the circuit board. At the tip of the electronic endoscope connected to
The connection terminal portion of the circuit board is formed in a stepped shape that gradually falls in the direction approaching the tip of the signal cable so that the position is displaced three-dimensionally for each one or two connection terminal portions ,
A distal end portion of an electronic endoscope , wherein two sets of a plurality of connecting terminal portions formed in a step shape are provided symmetrically by 180 °, and an electronic component is attached to a side surface of the two portions. Tip of the electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the groove is formed between each other connection terminal positioned relatively side among the plurality of connection terminals portions. Tip of the electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a step is formed between each other connection terminal positioned relatively side among the plurality of connection terminals portions. Tip of the electronic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the set of the plurality of connection terminals portions formed in the stepped shape is provided with a plurality of sets radially. The tip part of the electronic endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the circuit board is a flexible board, and the connection terminal portion is formed by bending the flexible board. The distal end portion of the electronic endoscope according to claim 5 , wherein an electronic component is disposed on a back surface portion of the connection terminal portion of the circuit board.

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