ENDOSCOPE CIRCUIT BOARD ASSEMBLY

• US 20120229615A1
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EndoChoice Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Peer Medical Ltd.
• Inventors: KIRMA, Yaniv, LEVI, Moshe, KRIVOPISK, Leonid, LEVY, Avi
• Granted Patent: US 9,402,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/68
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00096 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/005 Flexible endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0623 for off-axis illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/063 for monochromatic or narrow-band illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0638 providing two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation

Abstract

There is provided herein a circuit board assembly for a tip section of a multi-camera endoscope comprising a camera circuit board configured to carry at least one front-pointing camera and at least one side-pointing camera, a flexible illuminator circuit board comprising at least one foldable panel and configured to carry at least one front illuminator for essentially illuminating the field of view (FOV) of the front-pointing camera and at least one side illuminator for essentially illuminating the FOV of the side-pointing camera.

Claims

1. A circuit board assembly for a tip section of a multi-camera endoscope, the assembly comprising:

a camera circuit board configured to carry at least one front-pointing camera and at least one side-pointing camera;

a flexible illuminator circuit board comprising at least one foldable panel and configured to carry at least one front illuminator for essentially illuminating the field of view (FOV) of the front-pointing camera and at least one side illuminator for essentially illuminating the FOV of the side-pointing camera.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising one or more circuit board holders configured to support said flexible illuminator circuit board, said camera circuit board or both.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said circuit board holder comprises at least one niche configured to accommodate at least one of said illuminators, and/or at least one of said cameras.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said camera circuit board is a foldable camera circuit board.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said camera circuit board is configured to carry a front-pointing camera and two side-pointing cameras.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein each of said side-pointing cameras are directed to opposing sides.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein each of said side-pointing cameras are essentially perpendicular to said front pointing camera surface.

8. A tip section for a multi-camera endoscope the tip section comprising:

at least one front-pointing camera and at least one front illuminator associated therewith;

at least one side-pointing camera and at least one side illuminator associated therewith; and

a circuit board assembly comprising;

a camera circuit board configured to carry said least one front-pointing camera and said at least one side-pointing camera; and

a flexible illuminator circuit board comprising at least one foldable panel and configured to carry said at least one front illuminator and said at least one side illuminator.

9. The tip section according to claim 8, further comprising a fluid channeling component.

10. The tip section according to claim 9, wherein said fluid channeling component comprises:

at least one front fluid injector configured for cleaning said at least one front-pointing camera and/or said at least one of front illuminator;

at least one side fluid injector configured for cleaning said at least one side-pointing camera and/or said at least one of side illuminator; and

a front working channel configured for insertion of a medical tool.

11. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein said tip section comprises two side-pointing cameras.

12. The tip section according to claim 11, wherein each of said two side-pointing cameras are directed to opposing sides.

13. The tip section according to claim 11, wherein each of said side-pointing cameras are essentially perpendicular to said front pointing camera surface.

14. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein said at least one front and side illuminators comprises a discrete illuminator.

15. The tip section according to claim 14, wherein said discrete illuminator comprises a light-emitting diode (LED).

16. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said front and side illuminators is configured to emit white light.

17. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said front and side illuminators is configured to emit ultraviolet light.

18. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said front and side illuminators is configured to emit infrared light.

19. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said front and side illuminators is configured to emit near-infrared light.

20. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein said front and side illuminators are configured to emit light in different wavelengths.

21. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein said front-pointing camera and said side-pointing camera independently comprise a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) or a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.

22. The tip section according to claim 10, wherein said front and side fluid injectors are connected to a same fluid supply channel.

23. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein said endoscope is a colonoscope.

24. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein fields of view of said front-pointing camera and side-pointing camera are at least partially overlapping.

25. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein said at least one of said front and side pointing cameras comprises a lens assembly providing a field of view of 90 degrees or more.

26. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein said at least one of said front and side pointing cameras comprises a lens assembly providing a field of view of 120 degrees or more.

27. The tip section according to claim 8, wherein said at least one of said front and side pointing cameras comprises a lens assembly providing a focal length of approximately 3-100 millimeters.