Image pick-up module and method for assembly of an image pick-up module

• US 7,893,956 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Ayrenschmalz, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe; Gims S
• Application Number:
  US11/286,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• Field of Search: 348/65, 348/75, 348/76, 600/106, 600/117
• US Class Current: 348/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00124 electrical, e.g. electrical plug-and-socket connection
• 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: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14636 Interconnect structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14683 Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of these devices or parts thereof not peculiar thereto H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to an image pick-up module, in particular for an endoscope, comprising an electronic image sensor having a plurality of contact fingers that are arranged in two rows on opposite sides and each have a length, and a circuit board, to which the contact fingers are electrically contact-connected, the circuit board having at least three sections which are connected to one another in one piece and of which a first and a second section extend in a manner spaced apart from one another essentially transversely with respect to the image sensor and a third section extends essentially parallel to the image sensor, the image sensor being arranged at the end of the first and second sections which is remote from the third section, and at least one row of the contact fingers of the image sensor running along an outer side of the first or second section. The first section, the second section and the third section are connected to one another in an unarticulated manner, the length of the first section and/or of the second section is less than or equal to the length of the contact fingers and a space is present between the first, second and third sections of the circuit board, at least one electronic component for the control electronics of the image sensor being present in the said space.

Claims

1. An image pick-up module, comprising:

an electronic image sensor having a body and a plurality of contact fingers arranged in two rows on opposite sides of said body and each having a length,

a rigid circuit board to which said contact fingers are electrically contact-connected,

said circuit board having at least three sections connected to one another in one piece, a first and a second section of said at least three sections extending in a manner spaced apart from one another essentially transverse with respect to said image sensor, and a third section of said at least three sections extending essentially parallel to said image sensor, said first, second and third sections being connected to one another in an unarticulated manner, said image sensor being arranged at an end of said first and second sections which is remote from said third section,

at least one of said two rows of said contact fingers of said image sensor running along an outer side of at least one of said first and second sections, a length of at least one of said first and second sections being not larger than said length of at least a portion of said contact fingers, and

at least one electronic component of control electronics for said image sensor, said at least one electronic component being arranged in a space configured as a notch or a groove present between said first, second and third sections of said circuit board.

2. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein said contact fingers of said image sensor that run along said at least one of said first and second sections at least partly engage on an outer side of said third section of said circuit board and are contact-connected to said circuit board at said outer side of said third section.

3. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein both of said two rows of said contact fingers are led past said outer side of said first section and said second section and are contact-connected to said circuit board on an outer side of said third section of said circuit board.

4. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein depressions for receiving said contact fingers are formed on said outer side of at least one of said first and second sections.

5. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein at least two electronic components are arranged in said space between said first, second and third sections of said circuit board in a manner lying one above the other in a direction from said third section to said image sensor.

6. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein said at least one electronic component is contact-connected to at least one conductor wire at a location of said space which is at a distance from said first, second and third sections.

7. The image pick-up module of claim 6, wherein said at least one conductor wire, proceeding from said at least one electronic component, is at least partly led through a hole that extends through at least one of said first, second or third section and opens at an outer side of said third section.

8. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein a remaining free part of said space between said first, second and third sections and said at least one electronic component is filled with an insulating curable filling composition.

9. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein said circuit board is produced from a parallelepipedal bulk material, and said space between said first, second and third sections is formed by a material cutout from said bulk material.

10. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein said space between said first, second and third sections has approximately the form of a T in cross section, a wider section of said space being situated at said ends of said first and second sections which face said image sensor.

11. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein said image sensor is fixed directly to said ends of said first and second sections of said circuit board which are remote from said third section.

12. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein a plurality of holes extend through at least one of said first and second sections of said circuit board, which holes proceed from an outer side of said third section and open at an inner side of at least one of said first section, said second section, and said third section.

13. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein at least of said first and second sections, at least on an outer side, run obliquely with respect to a centre axis of said third section towards said third section.

14. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein said image pick-up module is formed in approximately cuboid fashion and has side dimensions of approximately 2 mm ×

2 mm to the maximum.

15. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein said circuit board is connected to a multi-core cable, and said cable is contact-connected to said circuit board at an outer side of said third section.

16. The image pick-up module of claim 15, wherein said cable is releasably connected to said circuit board.

17. The image pick-up module of claim 1, wherein at least one of said two rows of said contact fingers is cut to length and contact-connected to said circuit board on said outer side of at least one of said first and second sections.

18. A method for assembly of an image pick-up module, comprising:

providing an electronic image sensor having a body and a plurality of contact fingers arranged in two rows on opposite sides of said body and each having a length,

providing a rigid circuit board having at least three sections, a first and a second section of said at least three sections extending in a manner spaced apart from one another essentially in a first direction, and a third section of said at least three sections extending in a second direction essentially transversely with respect to said first direction, wherein said circuit board is provided with a length which is not larger than said length of said contact fingers and providing said circuit board with a space configured as a notch or a groove between said first, second and third sections,

fitting said imagine sensor to an end of said first and second sections which is remote from said third section,

arranging said contact fingers of at least one of said two rows along an outer side of at least one of said first and second sections and electrically contact-connecting said contact fingers to said circuit board, and

inserting at least one electronic component in said space and contact-connecting said electronic component to said circuit board before fitting said image sensor to said circuit board.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, prior to providing said circuit board, producing said circuit board from a parallelepipedal bulk material, and introducing a groove into said bulk material by means of a material cutout, thereby forming said first, second and third sections of said circuit board and said space between said first, second and third sections.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising, prior to fitting said image sensor to said circuit board, inserting at least two electronic components into said space between said first, second and third sections, and contact-connecting said at least two electronic components to said circuit board, and fitting said at least two electronic components on said third section in an arrangement lying one above the other.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising contact-connecting said at least one electronic component to at least one conductor wire at a location of said space between said first, second and third sections.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising contact-connecting said at least one component at an outer side of said third section.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising filling said free space between said first, second and third sections which remains after said inserting of said at least one electronic component with a curing filling composition.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising filling said filling composition into said space prior to fitting said image sensor to said circuit board.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising diverting said contact fingers of at least one of said two rows of said image sensor onto an outer side of said third section and contact-connecting said contact fingers to said circuit board on said outer side.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising contact-connecting a multicore cable to said circuit board at an outer side of said third section.