PCB structure for scope unit of electronic endoscope

• US 6,944,031 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Takami, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Phuong T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S.
• Application Number:
  US10/318,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20030112609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 361/794, 361/760, 361/720, 361/730, 361/735, 361/301.4, 361/790, 361/818, 361/816, 361/800, 358/473, 348/588, 348/65, 348/76, 174/250, 174/50.52, 174/35, 174/51.R, 439/65, 439/74, 257/686, 257/659
• US Class Current: 361/794
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/142 Spacers not being card guides

Abstract

A printed circuit board structure for a scope unit of an electronic endoscope system, which is provided with a first printed circuit board formed with a first circuit section, and a second printed circuit board formed with a second circuit section. The first printed circuit board is piled on the second printed circuit board. The second printed circuit board having an area covered with the first printed circuit board and at least one area which is not covered with the first circuit board. The at least one area is used for electrically connecting the second circuit section with an electrical unit other than the second circuit section.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board structure for a scope unit of an electronic endoscope system, said structure comprising:

a first printed circuit board formed with a first circuit section;

a second printed circuit board formed with a second circuit section, said first printed circuit board being piled on said second printed circuit board with a predetermined clearance therebetween, said first printed circuit board being fixed with respect to said second printed circuit board at a plurality of fixing areas;

at least one connector provided on said first printed circuit board;

at least one corresponding connector provided on said second printed circuit board, said at least one connector being connected with said at least one corresponding connector when said first printed circuit board is piled on said second printed circuit board,

wherein said at least one connector and said at least one corresponding connector are aligned between two of the plurality of fixing areas and substantially on a line connecting the two of the plurality of fixing areas; and

wherein said first circuit section is a digital circuit and said second circuit section is an analog circuit.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the two fixing areas and the at least one connector and said at least one corresponding connector are located at peripheral portion of either of said first printed circuit board and said second printed circuit board.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein each of said first printed circuit board and second printed circuit board has a liner side, said peripheral portion being close to the liner sides of said first and second printed circuit board.

4. The structure according to claim 1,

wherein said scope unit has an imaging element to be driven to capture an image and output an image signal,

wherein said first circuit section receives an output signal of the imaging element and processes the received signal to generate an analog image signal, the analog image signal being output to a processor unit, and

wherein said second circuit section controls at least the imaging element and said first circuit section.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said second circuit section is electromagnetically shielded.

6. An electronic endoscope system having a scope unit and a processor, said scope unit employing a printed circuit board structure, said structure comprising:

a first printed circuit board formed with a first circuit section;

a second printed circuit board formed with a second circuit section, said first printed circuit board being piled on said second printed circuit board with a predetermined clearance therebetween, said first printed circuit board being fixed with respect to said second printed circuit board at a plurality of fixing areas;

at least one connector provided on said first printed circuit board;

at least one corresponding connector provided on said second printed circuit board, said at least one printed circuit board being connected with said at least one corresponding connector when said first printed circuit board is piled on said second printed circuit board,

wherein said at least one connector and said at least one corresponding connector are aligned between two of the plurality of fixing areas and substantially on a line connecting the two of the plurality of fixing; and

wherein said first circuit section is a digital circuit and said second circuit section is an analog circuit.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the two fixing areas and the at least one connector and said at least one corresponding connector are located at peripheral portion of either of said first printed circuit board and said second printed circuit board.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein each of said first printed circuit board and second printed circuit board has a liner side, said peripheral portion being close to the liner sides of said first and second printed circuit board.

9. The system according to claim 6,

wherein said scope unit has an imaging element to be driven to capture an image and output an image signal,

wherein said first circuit section receives an output signal of the imaging element and processes the received signal to generate an analog image signal, the analog image signal being output to the processor unit, and

wherein said second circuit section controls at least the imaging element and said first circuit section.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said second circuit section is electromagnetically shielded.