ENDOSCOPE

• US 20140336457A1
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schölly Fiberoptic GmbH
• Original Assignee: Schölly Fiberoptic GmbH
• Inventors: Kuhn, Matthias, Bierer, Jurgen, Muller, Gregor, Weinmann, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/275,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20140336457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00137 End pieces at either end of the endoscope, e.g. caps, seals or forceps plugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports

Abstract

In the case of an endoscope 1, it is provided to arrange in an endoscope tip 3 at a distal end 2 of the endoscope 1 an imaging optic 4 and an image receiving sensor 5 in an interior space 8 defined by a metal foil 7.

Claims

1. An endoscope (1) comprising an endoscope tip (3), formed at a distal end (2), at least one imaging optic (4) arranged in the endoscope tip (3), and at least one image recording sensor (5) arranged in the endoscope tip (3) behind the at least one imaging optic (4), the at least one imaging optic (4) being held on at least one supporting structure (6), a metal foil (7) arranged in the endoscope tip (3), the metal foil (7) is connected to the at least one supporting structure (6) in a tightly sealed manner that tightly seals off an interior space (8) that receives the at least one image recording sensor (5).

2. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the endoscope tip (3) has an endoscope tube (9) in which the metal foil (7) is arranged.

3. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein between the metal foil (7) and the endoscope tube (9) there is arranged at least one of an illuminating optic (11) or electronics for the illumination.

4. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal foil (7) has a material thickness of more than 5 μ

m and less than 300 μ

m.

5. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal foil (7) is produced from at least one of a wound, braided, or interlinked wire (12, 14, 15), with inter-wire spaces (13) between the wire being closed in a material-bonding manner.

6. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inter-wire spaces (13) between the wire are closed with a soldering material to form the metal foil (7).

7. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal foil (7) is formed as a shrink foil.

8. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal foil (7) is produced in a coating operation by at least one of electroforming, electroplating, sputtering, vapor depositing, or spraying.

9. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal foil (7) is produced from at least one of copper or from high-grade steel.

10. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the endoscope tip (3) there is arranged a printed circuit board (16) that carries at least one of the image recording sensor (5) or an electronic circuit (17) connected to the at least one image recording sensor (5).

11. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board (16) is produced from a ceramic material or from plastic.

12. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board (16) has a peripheral metallized edge (18), and the metal foil (7) is connected in a material-bonding manner to the metallized edge (18) of the printed circuit board (16).

13. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal foil (7) has at least one outlet opening (19) for at least one feed line (20) of the at least one image recording sensor (5), the outlet opening (19) being closed in a tightly sealed manner.

14. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal foil (7) forms a foil body (21) that is inserted in the endoscope tip (3).

15. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foil body (21) is formed as at least one of a deep-drawn part, a tube-drawn part, or is folded or bent from a basic body (22), with corresponding connecting edges (23) of the foil body (21) being connected to one another in a material-bonding manner.

16. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foil body (21) is formed with a non-round cross section or is formed as tubular.

17. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foil body (21) is tubular and is closed in a distal region (24) by at least one of the at least one imaging optic (4) or a glass cover (28).

18. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the foil body (21) is tubular and is closed in a proximal region (25) by at least one of the printed circuit board (16) or by the metal foil (7).

19. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one supporting structure (6) has a mount (29) for the at least one imaging optic (4) and, for sealing, the at least one supporting structure (6) is connected to the at least one imaging optic (4) in a tightly sealed manner.

20. The endoscope (1) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one supporting structure (6) with the at least one image recording sensor (5) is integrated in an optoelectronic subassembly (27) that is inserted into the endoscope tip (3) into the foil body (21) formed from the metal foil (7).