Patent Application
20190150711
This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. ยง 119(a) on Patent Application No. 106139858 filed in Republic of China on Nov. 17, 2017, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
This invention relates to an endoscope apparatus, and in particular, to a small-caliber endoscope apparatus.
An endoscope is an illuminated optical, typically slender and tubular instrument used to look deep into the body and used in procedures called an endoscopy. Since the endoscopes can be inserted directly into the organ, the endoscopy procedure uses an endoscope to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body. Endoscopes are also a tool helpful in the architectural engineering and electronic equipment. For example, the planning and architectural community use architectural endoscopy for pre-visualization of scale models of proposed buildings and cities. For non-medical use, similar instruments are also called borescopes.
An endoscope usually consists of a lens module transmitting image to a screen for image capture, a sleeve lens holder to fix the lens module therein, a circuit board electrically connected to the lens module, and a tube accommodating the lens module, the lens holder and the circuit board therein. The lens module is locked and contained within the traditional sleeve lens holder. Accordingly, downsizing of the endoscope apparatus is limited by these components, including the lens module, the lens holder and the circuit board. However, a lens module with a better resolution is usually bigger in size. The tube of a lens module with a 720P resolution is about 5.5 millimeter (mm) in diameter or more.
Related to endoscope size, the requirement of inserting the endoscope tube into human body or other equipment limits the dimensions and diameter of the endoscope apparatus. The finer the endoscope apparatus is, the more narrow conditions the endoscope apparatus can be applied to. Trials reports that patient discomfort is lower when small-caliber endoscopes are used.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a small-caliber endoscope apparatus with fewer elements.
To achieve the above, the present invention provides an endoscope apparatus including a flexible print circuit board (FPC), a light-emitting module and an image-capturing module. The flexible print circuit board has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The flexible print circuit board includes a first installing portion having a first opening, a second installing portion located opposite to the first installing portion, and a first bridge portion connecting the first installing portion and the second installing portion. The light-emitting module is located on the first surface of the flexible print circuit board in the first installing portion. The image-capturing module is located on the second surface of the flexible print circuit board in the second installing portion. The image-capturing module has an image sensing area, and the image sensing area is located corresponding to the first opening of the first installing portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the light-emitting module having light sources around the first opening on the first surface in the first installing portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the flexible print circuit board further includes a third installing portion and a second bridge portion connecting the second installing portion and the third installing portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the third installing portion is not parallel to the first installing portion and the second installing portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the first installing portion and the second installing portion of the flexible print circuit board are circle sheets or round sheets.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the endoscope apparatus includes a tube, and the first installing portion, the second installing portion, the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion of the flexible print circuit board are all disposed in the tube.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the image-capturing module is directly contacted or assembled to the second surface of the flexible print circuit board.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a diameter of the tube, a diameter of the first installing portion and a diameter of the second installing portion are all less than 5 mm.
Since the image-capturing module and the light-emitting module of the endoscope apparatus are installed directly on the flexible print circuit board in the present invention, when the flexible print circuit board is folded in the tube, all components can be placed within the tube. Unlike the traditional endoscope having a sleeve lens holder to fix the image-capturing module onto the circuit board, the image-capturing module of the present invention is directly fixed on the flexible print circuit board without the lens holder. Thus, a small-caliber endoscope is provided with a finer tube in diameter.
The detailed technology and preferred embodiments implemented for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention.
The parts in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of at least one embodiment. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the various diagrams, and all the diagrams are schematic.
Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe various inventive embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout.
Referring to
As shown in
The tube 11 has a first terminal 111, a second terminal 112 opposite to the first terminal 111, and an accommodate space 113 located between the first terminal 111 and the second terminal 112. The accommodate space 113 is designed to accommodate the flexible print circuit board 12, the light-emitting module 13, the image-capturing module 14, the electronic components 15, the first adhesive component 16, the bottom cover 17 and the second adhesive component 18. The tube 11 may be made from metal or plastic, or may include other mixture, such as stainless steel or plastic steel. The tube 11 may be rigid or flexible as required.
As shown in
The first installing portion 121 is a circle sheet or a round sheet, and has a first opening O11 in the center. The second installing portion 122 is also a circle sheet or a round sheet. The diameter D1 (or the largest length) of the first installing portion 121 and the second installing portion 122 is substantially less than 5 mm, and is preferred between 3 mm through 4 mm.
As shown in
The first installing portion 121 is parallel to the second installing portion 122, and the third installing portion 123 is not parallel to the first installing portion 121 and the second installing portion 122. In particular, the first surface S11 or the second surface S12 within the first installing portion 121 is parallel to the first surface S11 or the second surface S12 within the second installing portion 122; and the first surface S11 or the second surface S12 within the third installing portion 123 is not parallel to the first surface S 11 or the second surface S12 within the first installing portion 121 and the second installing portion 122.
Specifically speaking, the first surface S11 or the second surface S12 within the third installing portion 123 is vertical to the first surface S11 or the second surface S12 within the first installing portion 121 and the second installing portion 122. The angle between the third installing portion 123 and the first installing portion 121 (or the second installing portion 122) is about 70 through 110 degrees, which can be adjusted according to size of the accommodate space 113 of the tube 11 in other embodiment.
As shown in
As shown in
The fixture 144 is located on the lens module 143, and has a third opening O13. The fixture 144 includes a protrusion P01 surround the third opening O13 away from the lens module 143. A transparent protection cap 145 is located in the protrusion P01 of the fixture 144 corresponding to the third opening O13.
The electronic components 15 are located on and electrically connected to the third installing portion 123 and the fourth installing portion 124 of the flexible print circuit board 12. The electronic components 15 may include passive electronic components or active electronic components, such as capacitors or the controllers.
Since the flexible print circuit board 12 is flexible, components can be stacked in the endoscope apparatus 10. As shown in
As shown in
The bottom cover 17 is located at the second terminal 112 of the tube 11. The bottom cover 17 has a trench 171 to allow the penetrating of the flexible print circuit board 12. The second adhesive component 18 is located outside the bottom cover 17 to fix the bottom cover 17 and the tube 11. The second adhesive component 18 can ensure the internal components inside the tube 11, and blocks moisture and impurities outside the tube 11.
As shown in
Please referring to the above descriptions and drawings, a method of assembling the endoscope apparatus 10 is briefly described as follows. First, the flexible print circuit board 12 is provided in a step 1. Subsequently, the light-emitting module 13 is placed on the first surface S11 of the flexible print circuit board 12 in the first installing portion 121 in a step 2. Next, the image-capturing module 14 is placed on the second surface S12 of the flexible print circuit board 12 in the second installing portion 122 in a step 3. Thereafter, the electronic components 15 are individually placed on the second surface S12 of the flexible print circuit board 12 in the third installing portion 123 and the fourth installing portion 124 in a step 4. Next, the third bridge portion 127 is bent in a step 5. The first surface S 11 of the third installing portion 123 is turned toward the first surface S11 of the fourth installing portion 124, until the third installing portion 123 overlaps the fourth installing portion 124. Thereafter, the first bridge portion 125 is bent in a step 6. The second surface S12 of the first installing portion 121 is turned toward the second surface S12 of the second installing portion 122, until the first opening O11 of the first installing portion 121 aligns the image sensing area of the image-capturing module 14.
Next, the second bridge portion 126 is bent in a step 7. The second installing portion 122 is turned toward its first surface S11, until the first surface S11 of the second installing portion 122 is vertical to the first surface S11 of the third installing portion 123. The endoscope apparatus 10 is semi-finished in the step 7. The semi-finished endoscope apparatus 10 is placed in the tube 11 in a step 8. Thereafter, the two terminals 111, 112 of the tube 11 are sealed to form the endoscope apparatus 10. It is noticed that, the above-mentioned assembly steps may be adjusted or combined in other embodiment.
More in detail, the step 3 of providing the image-capturing module 14 on the flexible print circuit board 12 includes the following steps. First, the image sensor 141 is electrically connected to the second surface S12 of the flexible print circuit board 12 in the second installing portion 122 in a step 3-1. Subsequently, the lens base 142 is provided to hold the image sensor 141 in a step 3-2. Next, the lens module 143 is provided on the lens base 142 corresponding to the image sensor 141 in a step 3-3. Thereafter, the fixture 144 is provided on the lens module 143 in a step 3-4. Finally, the transparent protection cap 145 is provided on the fixture 144 corresponding to the lens module 143 in a step 3-5. The steps of providing the image-capturing module 14 are not limited to the above description, and may be adjusted in other embodiment.
In summary, since the image-capturing module and the light-emitting module of the endoscope apparatus are installed directly on the flexible print circuit board in the present invention, all components can be disposed within the tube when the flexible print circuit board is folded in the endoscope apparatus. Unlike the traditional endoscope having a sleeve lens holder to fix an image-capturing module onto the circuit board, the image-capturing module of the present invention is directly disposed on the flexible print circuit board without the lens holder. Since size of the endoscope apparatus is no more limited by the lens holder, the tube size is substantially designed to fit the image-capturing module, and a small-caliber endoscope is provided with a finer tube in diameter.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of certain inventive embodiments have been set out in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of arrangement of parts, within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 106139858 | Nov 2017 | TW | national |
