Electric connector for endoscope, endoscope, and method for assembling electric connector

• US 20080249363A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Naohiro, Kuwahara, Shiori
• Granted Patent: US 8,075,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00114 Electrical cables in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00124 electrical, e.g. electrical plug-and-socket connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/14 by adding air to exhaust gases in tailpipes F01N13/082, F01N13/20
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0218 by printed shielding conductors, ground planes or power plane H05K1/0236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/055 Folded back on itself
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0715 provided by an outer layer of PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09081 Tongue or tail integrated in planar structure, e.g. obtained by cutting from the planar structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09809 Coaxial layout reduction of cross-talk, noise or interference by printed shielding conductors for shielding around a single via or around a group of vias H05K1/0222
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10356 Cables

Abstract

The present invention provides an electric connector for an endoscope, an endoscope, and a method for assembling an electric connector which make it possible to simplify work operations such as operation checks and repairs of the endoscope, as well as to reduce the time for the work operations. An endoscope in accordance with the present invention has an insertion portion, an operation portion provided at a proximal end portion of the insertion portion, and a connection cable connected to the operation portion and having an electric connector at a proximal end thereof. The endoscope has a cable wire which is inserted through the endoscope and extends from the electric connector toward a distal end and a connector to which an end portion of the cable wire is releasably connected.

Claims

1. An electric connector for an endoscope provided on a connection cable extending from an operation portion of the endoscope, the electric connector electrically connecting a cable wire extending from the operation portion of the endoscope with an external instrument for use in combination with the endoscope, the electric connector comprising:

a circuit board having a connection member that is electrically connected to the external instrument and a connector to which a cable wire connector connected to an end portion of the cable wire is releasably connected.

2. The electric connector for the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a proximal end portion of the cable wire is electrically connected to a component provided in at least one of an insertion portion and the operation portion of the endoscope and having a predetermined function.

3. The electric connector for the endoscope according to claim 2, wherein the circuit board has:

a first circuit board portion; and

a second circuit board portion, and

the circuit board further comprises a flexible circuit board that is bent so that the first circuit board portion and the second circuit board portion at least partly overlap each other as viewed from a direction orthogonal to a surface of the first circuit board portion.

4. The electric connector for the endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the connection member at least partly comprises:

a first conductor that is inserted through a hole portion formed in the first circuit board portion and connected to the second circuit board portion; and

a second conductor that is located on substantially the same axis as that of the first conductor and connected to the first circuit board portion.

5. An endoscope having an insertion portion, an operation portion provided at a proximal end of the insertion portion, and a connection cable extending from the operation portion and provided with an electric connector for connection to an external instrument, the endoscope comprising:

a cable wire connector provided at an end portion of the cable wire extending from the operation portion and inserted through the connection cable; and

a circuit board having a connection member provided in the electric connector and electrically connected to the external instrument and a connector to which the cable wire connector is releasably connected.

6. The endoscope according to claim 5, wherein a proximal end portion of the cable wire is electrically connected to a component provided in at least one of an insertion portion and the operation portion of the endoscope and having a predetermined function.

7. The endoscope according to claim 6, wherein the cable wire connector has:

a cable wire connection portion to which the cable wire is electrically connected; and

a connection terminal portion that is releasably connected to the connector on the circuit board, and the cable wire connection portion and the connection terminal portion are integrally formed using a flexible circuit board.

8. The endoscope according to claim 6, wherein the cable wire connector is formed substantially like a T shape, the cable wire connector has:

a cable wire connection portion on which connection lands to which a plurality of signal wires of the cable wire are connected are formed;

a connection terminal portion formed to extend substantially orthogonally from the cable wire connection portion and releasably connected to the connector on the circuit board; and

holding portions provided at opposite ends of the cable wire connection portion to hold the cable wire connection portion substantially cylindrical,

the cable wire connection portion, the connection terminal portion, and the holding portions are integrally formed using a flexible circuit board.

9. The endoscope according to claim 7, wherein the connection terminal portion of the cable wire connector has a guide portion that guides a direction for connection to the connector on the circuit board.

10. The endoscope according to claim 8, wherein the connection terminal portion of the cable wire connector has a guide portion that guides a direction for connection to the connector on the circuit board.

11. The endoscope according to claim 6, wherein the cable wire connector is formed substantially like a rectangle,

the cable wire connector has:

a cable wire connection portion to which the cable wire is connected;

a connection terminal portion that is releasably connected to the connector on the circuit board; and

a locking portion formed around a periphery of the connection terminal portion, and

the cable wire connection portion, the connection terminal portion, and the locking portion are integrally formed using a flexible circuit board.

12. A method for assembling an electric connector which is provided on a connection cable extending from an operation portion of an endoscope and which comprises a first circuit board portion and a second circuit board portion and comprising a flexible circuit board bent so that the first circuit board portion and the second circuit board portion at least partly overlap each other as viewed from a direction orthogonal to a surface of the first circuit board portion, the circuit board having a connection member electrically connected to an external instrument and a connector to which a cable wire connector connected to an end portion of a cable wire extending from the operation portion of the endoscope is releasably connected, the method comprising:

a first circuit board portion connecting step of inserting the connection member into a hole portion formed in the first circuit board portion to connect the connection member to a land provided in a periphery of the hole portion of the first circuit board portion;

a second circuit board portion connecting step of bending the circuit board to insert the connection member projecting from the first circuit board portion into the hole portion formed in the second circuit board portion to connect the connection member to the land provided in the periphery of the hole portion of the second circuit board portion; and

a cable wire connector installing step of installing the cable wire connector in the connector of the circuit board.

13. The method for assembling an electric connector according to claim 12, wherein in the first circuit board portion connecting step, the connection of the connection member to the land is performed first in a central portion of the circuit board portion and then in an outer edge portion of the first circuit board portion.

14. The method for assembling an electric connector according to claim 12, wherein the connection member has a solid wire terminal member and a coaxial terminal member, and

in the first circuit board portion connecting step, the connection of the connection member to the land is performed by first connecting the solid wire terminal member to the land and then connecting the coaxial terminal member to the land.

15. An endoscope having an insertion portion, an operation portion provided at a proximal end portion of the insertion portion, and a connection cable connected to the operation portion and including an electric connector at a proximal end portion, the endoscope comprising:

a first cable wire having one end connected to the electric connector and extending into the operation portion;

a second cable wire having one end connected to an image pickup portion provided in the insertion portion or an electric switch provided on the operation portion, the second cable wire extending into the operation portion; and

a connection member to which the other ends of the first cable wire and the second cable wire together are electrically and releasably connected.

16. The endoscope according to claim 15, wherein the connection member is a flexible circuit board, and connectors to which the other ends of the first cable wire and the second cable wire are connected is mounted on the flexible circuit board.

17. The endoscope according to claim 16, wherein the flexible circuit board comprises rigid portions on which the connectors are mounted and a flexible portion provided between the rigid portions and exhibiting flexibility.

18. The endoscope according to claim 16, wherein display portions displaying characters or symbols are provided in vicinity of the connectors on the connection member and in vicinity of the other ends of the first cable wire and the second cable wire.

19. The endoscope according to claim 16, wherein the connectors on the connection member and the other ends of the first cable wire and the second cable wire which are connected to the respective connectors on the connection member have different fitting widths or different colors depending on a combination of the connector and the cable wire.

20. The endoscope according to claim 16, wherein the connection member is located in a conductive housing.

21. The endoscope according to claim 20, wherein the flexible circuit board is housed in the housing so that connection portions between the other ends of the first cable wire and the second cable wire and the connection member abut against an inner wall of the housing.

22. The endoscope according to claim 16, wherein the connection member has an insulating portion formed of a material having a surface offering an electric insulating property.

23. An endoscope having an insertion portion, an operation portion provided at a proximal end portion of the insertion portion, and a connection cable connected to the operation portion and including an electric connector at a proximal end portion, the endoscope comprising:

a signal wire for insertion into the endoscope, the signal wire extending from the electric connector toward a distal end and comprising a cable wire and a connector to which an end portion of the cable wire is releasably connected.