HOLDER FOR AN IMAGE SENSOR OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

Abstract

A holder for a surgical instrument, where the holder includes: an image sensor, the image sensor having a photo-sensitive layer and a rear side facing away from the photo-sensitive layer; and a circuit board, a first side of the circuit board being connected to the rear side of the image sensor. The holder may have a cover member having a first side arranged on a second side of the circuit board, the second side of the circuit board facing away from the image sensor. The cover member may io be configured to form an interspace between the first side of the cover member and the second side of the circuit board, and the interspace may be filled with an adhesive.

Claims

1. A holder for a surgical instrument, the holder comprising: an image sensor, the image sensor having a photo-sensitive layer and a rear side facing away from the photo-sensitive layer; a circuit board, a first side of the circuit board being connected to the rear side of the image sensor; a cover member having a first side arranged on a second side of the circuit board, the second side of the circuit board facing away from the image sensor; and a sleeve for accommodating the image sensor and the circuit board, wherein the image sensor and the circuit board are accommodated or arranged in an interior of the sleeve; wherein the sleeve has an accommodation opening for accommodating the cover member in the accommodation opening.

2. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the rear side image sensor is connected to the first side of the circuit board by soldering.

3. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board is formed from one of ceramic, polyimide or a composite material.

4. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is configured to form an interspace between the first side of the cover member and the second side of the circuit board.,

5. The holder according to claim 4, wherein the interspace is filled with an adhesive.

6. The holder according to claim 4, wherein the cover member has one or more distancing members on the first side facing the second side of the circuit board to form the interspace.

7. The holder according to claim 6, wherein the one or more distancing members contact the second surface of the circuit board.

8. The holder according to claim 1, wherein at least one gap or at least one pocket is formed between the cover member and the accommodation opening.

9. The holder according to claim 8, wherein the at least one gap or the at least one pocket is filled with an adhesive.

10. The holder according to claim 8, wherein the interspace between the first surface of the circuit board and the rear side of the image sensor and the at least one gap and the at least one pocket between the cover member and the accommodation opening of the sleeve are in communication with each other.

11. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the cover member has at least one position marking, wherein the at least one position marking of the cover member interacts with a contour, which is complementary in shape and/or function, of the accommodation opening of the sleeve.

12. The holder according to claim 11, wherein the at least one position marking comprises at least one lateral position marking.

13. The holder according to claim 1, further comprising an optical assembly is arranged in the sleeve.

14. The holder according to claim 13, wherein the optical assembly is glued to the image sensor.

15. The holder according to claim 13, wherein the optical assembly comprises at least one prism connected to the image sensor.

16. The holder according to claim 15, wherein the at least one prism is glued to the image sensor.

17. The holder according to claim 15, wherein the at least one prism has a light entry face and a light exit face, wherein the light entry face is aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve and the light exit face is aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and wherein the image sensor is arranged parallel to the light exit face.

18. A surgical instrument comprising: the holder according to one of claim 1.

19. The surgical instrument according to claim 18, wherein the surgical instrument comprising a shaft, the holder being arranged in the shaft.

20. The surgical instrument according to claim 19, wherein the holder being arranged at a distal end of the shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Further features will become evident from the description of embodiments, together with the claims and the appended drawings. Embodiments can fulfill individual features or a combination of several features.

[0027] The embodiments are described below, without restricting the general idea of the invention, based on exemplary embodiments in reference to the drawings, whereby we expressly refer to the drawings with regard to the disclosure of all details that are not explained in greater detail in the text. In the drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic, perspective representation of an endoscope;

[0029] FIG. 2a schematically illustrates a view of a holder for an image sensor in a perspective view;

[0030] FIG. 2b schematically illustrates a cross-section through the holder for the image sensor in a longitudinal section;

[0031] FIG. 2c illustrates a top view of the holder for the image sensor;

[0032] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a cover member;

[0033] and

[0034] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a held image sensor.

[0035] In the drawings, the same or similar elements and/or parts are, in each case, provided with the same reference numerals such that they are not introduced again in each case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective representation of an endoscope 1 with a proximal handle 2 and a rigid endoscope shaft 3. A viewing window 5 is arranged at the distal tip 4 of the endoscope shaft 3, behind which viewing window a distal portion 6 of the endoscope shaft 3 is arranged, which distal portion has a prism unit (not shown) and an image sensor (not shown). The endoscope 1 can be configured as a video endoscope.

[0037] The viewing window 5 at the distal tip 4 is configured to be curved and asymmetrical. The viewing window 5 is thereby configured to support a variable lateral viewing angle. A change in the viewing direction, i.e., a change in the azimuthal angle about the longitudinal axis of the endoscope shaft 3 is effectuated by a rotation of the handle 2 about the central rotational axis, or longitudinal axis, of the endoscope shaft 3. The cladding tube of the endoscope shaft 3 is connected to the handle 2. The prism unit (not shown) on the distal tip 4 also rotates with the rotation of the handle 2.

[0038] The handle 2 has a first operating element configured as a rotary wheel 7 and a second operating element configured as a slide 8.

[0039] To retain the horizontal position of the displayed image, the rotary wheel 7 is held while rotating the handle 2. This causes the image sensor 24 within the interior of the endoscope shaft 3 to not follow the movement.

[0040] In order to change the viewing angle, i.e., the deviation of the viewing direction from the direct view, the slide 8 is moved. Sliding the slide 8 in the distal direction causes, for example, an enlargement of the viewing angle, moving the slide 8 back in the proximal direction causes in this case a reduction of the viewing angle to a direct view. The actuation of the slide 8 is associated with a rotation of the image sensor 24 in order to retain the horizontal position of the displayed image even when the prism unit is rotated.

[0041] FIG. 2a shows a perspective view of a holder for an image sensor. FIG. 2b shows a longitudinal section through the holder. FIG. 2c shows a top view of the holder.

[0042] The holder for the image sensor 24 can be formed or arranged on the distal end of the endoscope shaft 3. In this case, the holder has a sleeve 20, wherein an optical assembly 12 with a prism 14 arranged on the distal side is arranged in the interior of the sleeve 20. The prism 14 is configured as a deflecting prism with a cuboid portion, wherein the light entry face 34 is arranged in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope shaft 3. Furthermore, the prism 14 has a light exit face 36 (cf. FIG. 2b), wherein the light exit face 36 is aligned in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope 1. An image sensor 24 is arranged on the light exit face 36 of the prism 14 so that the light beams deflected by the prism 14 are captured by the image sensor 24. The image sensor 24 can be connected on the light exit face 36 of the deflecting prism 14 by an adhesive.

[0043] A detailed view of the image sensor 24 is shown in FIG. 4. Here, the is image sensor 24 has a cover pane 26 that faces the deflecting prism 14 and is connected to a photo-sensitive layer 28 of the image sensor 24. The photo-sensitive layer 28 is provided here to convert the received light beams into corresponding electrical signals. The image sensor 24 is firmly connected on its rear side to the circuit board 32 via soldering 30. The circuit board 32 has corresponding lines which are electrically connected, for example, to the corresponding photocells of the photo-sensitive layer 28.

[0044] The dimensionally stable circuit board 32 can also be connected to the rear side of the photo sensor 24 by means of an adhesive mass.

[0045] A cover member 22 is arranged on the side of the circuit board 32 facing away from the image sensor 24 (cf. FIG. 2b), wherein an interspace is formed between the circuit board 32 and the cover member 22, which interspace can be filled with an adhesive.

[0046] In order to exactly position the cover member 22 together with the circuit board 32 and the image sensor 24 connected thereto, a recess 21 is provided in the sleeve 20, in which recess the cover member 22 is accommodated (cf. FIG. 2b, 2c).

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the cover member 22, wherein here the side facing the circuit board 32 can be seen. The cover member 22 has distancing members 23 at multiple points in order to form an interspace between the cover member 22 and the circuit board 32. In addition, the cover member 22 has recesses 25 on the end faces so that, between the recesses 25 and the accommodation opening 21 of the sleeve 20, adhesive is introduced into the pockets formed as a result between the cover member 22 and the accommodation opening 21, wherein the adhesive is introduced or respectively flows into the interspace between the underside of the cover member 22 and the circuit board 32 through the filling of the pockets. After the adhesive has cured, the circuit board 32 together with the image sensor 24 attached therein and together with the cover member 22 is aligned and fixed within the sleeve 20.

[0048] While there has been shown and described what is considered to be embodiments of the invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0049] 1 Endoscope [0050] 2 Handle [0051] 3 Endoscope shaft [0052] 4 Distal tip [0053] 5 Viewing window [0054] 6 Distal portion [0055] 7 Rotary wheel [0056] 8 Sliding switch [0057] 12 Optical assembly [0058] 14 Deflecting prism [0059] 20 Sleeve [0060] 21 Opening [0061] 22 Cover member [0062] 23 Distancing member [0063] 24 Image sensor [0064] 25 Recess [0065] 26 Cover pane [0066] 28 Photo-sensitive layer [0067] 30 Soldering [0068] 32 Circuit board [0069] 34 Light entry face [0070] 36 Light exit face