IMAGE PICKUP UNIT

• US 20110295064A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: KAGAWA, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly

Abstract

An image pickup unit includes a board to which an image pickup device is electrically connected, the board is provided with a first terminal portion which includes a plurality of terminals and is used when a first endoscope is configured, and a second terminal portion which includes a plurality of terminals and is used when a second endoscope is configured, a folding portion is provided between the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion of the board, when the board is used as an image pickup unit of the second endoscope, the board is folded at the folding portion, and a signal transmission member is connected to the second terminal portion, and at least one of a terminal size and a space between terminals in the second terminal portion is set to be larger than at least one of a terminal size and a terminal space in the first terminal portion.

Claims

1. An image pickup unit, comprising:

a board to which an image pickup device is electrically connected,

wherein the board is provided with a first terminal portion which includes a plurality of terminals and is used when a first endoscope is configured, and a second terminal portion which includes a plurality of terminals and is used when a second endoscope is configured,

a folding portion is provided between the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion of the board,

when the board is used as an image pickup unit of the second endoscope, the board is folded at the folding portion, and the signal transmission member is connected to the second terminal portion, and

at least one of a terminal size and a space between the terminals in the second terminal portion is provided to be set to be larger than at least one of a terminal size and a terminal space in the first terminal portion.

2. The image pickup unit according to claim 1,

wherein a cut portion is provided between the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion of the board, and

when the board is used as an image pickup unit of the first endoscope, the second terminal portion is cut off at the cut portion, and the signal transmission member is connected to the first terminal portion.

3. The image pickup unit according to claim 1,

wherein the board includes

a board portion for the first endoscope which is in a rectangular shape formed by a short side substantially parallel with an image pickup surface of the image pickup device, and a long side orthogonal to the short side, and has the first terminal portion, and

a board portion for the second endoscope which is provided to be adjacent to the board portion for the first endoscope with the long side therebetween, and has the second terminal portion, and

the board portion for the first endoscope and the board portion for the second endoscope are connected by the connection portion.

4. The image pickup unit according to claim 3,

wherein a width dimension of the board portion for the second endoscope is larger than a width dimension of a first mounting portion including the first terminal portion of the board portion for the first endoscope.

5. The image pickup unit according to claim 3,

wherein a length dimension of the board portion for the second endoscope is longer than a length dimension of a first mounting portion including the first terminal portion of the board portion for the first endoscope.

6. The image pickup unit according to claim 3,

wherein the board includes a plurality of wirings which extend to the board portion for the second endoscope from the board portion for the first endoscope,

the wirings extending to the board portion for the second endoscope through the folding portion from the cut portion are formed on one surface side and another surface side of the board portion for the second endoscope, and at least the wiring formed on the one surface side in a section in the cut portion, and the wiring formed on the other surface side are provided in a positional relation in which the wirings are not overlaid on each other.

7. The image pickup unit according to claim 2,

wherein the first endoscope is an endoscope including a bending portion in a vicinity of a distal end portion of an insertion portion in which the image pickup unit is housed, and the second endoscope is an endoscope which does not have a bending portion in a vicinity of a distal end portion of an insertion portion in which the image pickup unit is housed, with at least a vicinity of the distal end portion of the insertion portion being configured by a member which practically does not have flexibility.

8. The image pickup unit according to claim 7,

wherein when the board is used as the image pickup unit of the first endoscope, the signal transmission member is a signal cable which is connected to the first terminal portion, and

when the board is used as the image pickup unit of the second endoscope, the signal transmission member is a flexible board which is connected to the second terminal portion.

9. An image pickup unit, comprising:

an image pickup device;

a board to which the image pickup device is connected, and on which an electric component is mounted; and

a terminal portion provided on the board, and including a plurality of terminals, to which a signal transmission member which is electrically connected to the image pickup device or the electronic component is connected,

wherein the terminal portion includes a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion to which the signal transmission member is selectively connected,

a folding portion is provided between the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion of the board,

when the board is used as an image pickup unit of a second endoscope, the board is folded at the folding portion, and the signal transmission member is connected to the second terminal portion, and

at least one of a terminal size and a terminal space in the second terminal portion is provided to be set to be larger than a terminal size or a terminal space of the first terminal portion.

10. The image pickup unit according to claim 9,

wherein a cut portion is provided between the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion of the board, and

when the board is used as an image pickup unit of a first endoscope, the second terminal portion is cut off at the cut portion, and the signal transmission member is connected to the first terminal portion.

11. The image pickup unit according to claim 9,

wherein the board includes

a board portion for the first endoscope which is in a rectangular shape formed by a short side substantially parallel with an image pickup surface of the image pickup device, and a long side orthogonal to the short side, and has the first terminal portion, and

a board portion for the second endoscope which is provided to be adjacent to the board portion for the first endoscope with the long side therebetween, and has the second terminal portion, and

the board portion for the first endoscope and the board portion for the second endoscope are connected by the connection portion.

12. The image pickup unit according to claim 11,

wherein a width dimension of the board portion for the second endoscope is larger than a width dimension of a first mounting portion including the first terminal portion of the board portion for the first endoscope.

13. The image pickup unit according to claim 11,

wherein a length dimension of the board portion for the second endoscope is longer than a length dimension of a first mounting portion including the first terminal portion of the board portion for the first endoscope.

14. The image pickup unit according to claim 11,

wherein the board includes a plurality of wirings which extend to the board portion for the second endoscope from the board portion for the first endoscope,

the wirings extending to the board portion for the second endoscope through the folding portion from the cut portion are formed on one surface side and another surface side of the board portion for the second endoscope, and at least the wiring formed on the one surface side in a section in the cut portion, and the wiring formed on the other surface side are provided in a positional relation in which the wirings are not overlaid on each other.

15. The image pickup unit according to claim 10,

wherein the first endoscope is an endoscope including a bending portion in a vicinity of a distal end portion of an insertion portion in which the image pickup unit is housed, and the second endoscope is an endoscope which does not have a bending portion in a vicinity of a distal end portion of an insertion portion in which the image pickup unit is housed, with at least a vicinity of the distal end portion of the insertion portion being configured by a member which practically does not have flexibility.

16. The image pickup unit according to claim 15,

wherein when the board is used as the image pickup unit of the first endoscope, the signal transmission member is a signal cable which is connected to the first terminal portion, and

when the board is used as the image pickup unit of the second endoscope, the signal transmission member is a flexible board which is connected to the second terminal portion.