Imaging device assembly for electronic stereoscopic endoscope system

• US 6,945,929 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AI Systems, Ltd., Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AI Systems, Ltd., Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ando, Kunio
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, PHILIP ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US10/781,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20040167378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 600109-111, 600129-130, 600/166, 348/45, 348/76
• US Class Current: 600/111
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00114 Electrical cables in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• 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: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• 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 2201/09145 Edge details

Abstract

An imaging device assembly for an electronic stereoscopic endoscope system comprises right and left solid state image pick-up modules set out side by side and right and left circuit boards with circuits formed thereon, respectively, that are connected to the right and left image pick-up modules, respectively. Each circuit board comprises a front section having a width approximately equal to a width of the solid state image pick-up module and a rear section broader than the front board section which is shaped to project laterally so as to overhang a rear section of the other circuit board and on which electronic parts incorporated in the circuit are mounted.

Claims

1. An imaging device assembly for an electronic stereoscopic endoscope system, said imaging device assembly including an imaging device that comprises a pair of solid state image pick-up modules set out side by side for converting right and left optical images of an object formed thereon, respectively, into right and left image signals, respectively, and a pair of circuit boards equipped with circuits, each of said circuit boards including a group of electronic parts incorporated therein and connected to said solid state image pick-up module, each of said circuit boards comprising:

a front board section having a width approximately equal to a width of said solid state image pick-up module and being connected to one of said solid state image pick-up modules at a front end thereof; and

a rear board section formed as contiguously integral piece with said front board section and having a width greater than said front board section so as to project laterally from said front board section and thereby to overhang a space behind the other of said solid state image pick-up module;

wherein said group of electronic parts is fixedly mounted on said rear board section of each said circuit board.

2. An imaging device assembly for an electronic stereoscopic endoscope system as defined in claim 1, wherein said circuit boards are separated up and down from each other, and said groups of electronic parts are attached to said circuit boards, respectively, so as to lay oppositely each other.

3. An imaging device for an electronic stereoscopic endoscope system as defined in claim 1, wherein said circuit boards are superposed on each other at a half height position of said imaging device, and said groups of electronic parts are attached to said circuit boards, respectively, so as to lay on opposite side with respect to said circuit boards.