Abstract: An imaging apparatus for an electronic endoscope includes a bare chip of CCD, a circuit board with approximately the same thickness as the bare chip, and a conducting plate with no less than 1/4 width of the bare chip. The bare chip has terminals on the surface with an imaging surface. The terminals are arranged near the edge facing the rear end of an insertion section of the electronic endoscope. The circuit board has terminals on the surface near the edge facing the front end of the insertion section. These terminals are connected by wire bonding. The conducting plate is attached along one side of the rear surface of the CCD and the circuit board for electrical connection. A forceps channel is provided such that its outer circumference fits partially into a cut portion formed on the rear surfaces of the CCD and the circuit board by the conducting plate.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus comprises: an insertion section including a distal end; a power changing movable lens that makes observational magnification variable, the power changing movable lens being movably built in an objective optical system provided at the distal end; a linear transmission member that drives the power changing movable lens, the linear transmission member being disposed from a drive section provided at a position other than the insertion section to the distal end; a focus adjusting movable lens that achieves automatic focusing function, the focus adjusting movable lens being movably built in the objective optical system separately from the power changing movable lens; and an actuator that drives the focus adjusting movable lens, the actuator being arranged in the distal end.

Abstract: An imaging portion of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention has a cover glass adhered by an adhesive to an imaging surface side of a CCD in a state of sandwiching leads (adhesion area B1), and has a slight airtight air gap formed on the imaging surface side of the CCD so as to render a circumference of the cover glass larger than the CCD. As for a circuit board, a concave portion for accommodating the CCD is formed, and a periphery of the cover glass is adhered to a top surface of the circuit board by the adhesive (adhesion area B2). Thus, the air gap is doubly sealed so that its airtightness is improved and influence of temperature change is reduced so as to prevent condensation on a back side of the cover glass and so on.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for an electronic endoscope includes a bear chip of CCD, a circuit board with approximately the same thickness as the bear chip, and a conducting plate with no less than ¼width of the bear chip. The bear chip has terminals on the surface with an imaging surface. The terminals are arranged near the edge facing the rear end of an insertion section of the electronic endoscope. The circuit board has terminals on the surface near the edge facing the front end of the insertion section. These terminals are connected by wire bonding. The conducting plate is attached along one side of the rear surface of the CCD and the circuit board for electrical connection. A forceps channel is provided such that its outer circumference fits partially into a cut portion formed on the rear surfaces of the CCD and the circuit board by the conducting plate.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus comprises: an insertion section including a distal end; a power changing movable lens that makes observational magnification variable, the power changing movable lens being movably built in an objective optical system provided at the distal end; a linear transmission member that drives the power changing movable lens, the linear transmission member being disposed from a drive section provided at a position other than the insertion section to the distal end; a focus adjusting movable lens that achieves automatic focusing function, the focus adjusting movable lens being movably built in the objective optical system separately from the power changing movable lens; and an actuator that drives the focus adjusting movable lens, the actuator being arranged in the distal end.

Abstract: An imaging portion of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention has a cover glass adhered by an adhesive to an imaging surface side of a CCD in a state of sandwiching leads (adhesion area B1), and has a slight airtight air gap formed on the imaging surface side of the CCD so as to render a circumference of the cover glass larger than the CCD. As for a circuit board, a concave portion for accommodating the CCD is formed, and a periphery of the cover glass is adhered to a top surface of the circuit board by the adhesive (adhesion area B2). Thus, the air gap is doubly sealed so that its airtightness is improved and influence of temperature change is reduced so as to prevent condensation on a back side of the cover glass and so on.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope equipped with an electronic zoom IC circuit that optically scales an object under observation using power scaling lenses and performs electronic power scaling processing on an image obtained by a CCD, wherein the electronic endoscope sets a predetermined depth of field by driving the power scaling lenses with the image optically magnified based on an operation of a variable depth switch and maintains the magnification immediately before this switch operation through electronic power scaling processing. This makes it possible to change a depth of field and observe an image magnified under an equal magnification focused in the depth direction on the monitor. The electronic endoscope can also form a plurality of still images of different depths of field based on an operation of the freeze switch and record optimal still images.

Abstract: The circuit according to the present invention is a signal transmission circuit for a solid-state image pickup device which performs favorable signal transmission by suppressing heat production around an image pickup device to a minimum level. This circuit is used for transmitting video signals output from a CCD to a signal processor of a processing unit by way of a transmission line, and comprises, at a stage subsequent to the CCD, a complementary circuit composed of two current controlling diodes, a first transistor, a second transistor and a plurality of resistors. This complementary circuit operates the first transistor and the second transistor alternately, thereby outputting video signals from the CCD as positive and negative signals taking 10 V, for example, as standard. Such an operation of class B eliminates a necessity to supply a bias current, thereby preventing heat production from the transistors and resistors due to application of a bias current.

Abstract: To provide an electronic endoscope system provided with an objective optical system for optically magnifying an image to be observed by using a variable power lens and an electronic zoom IC circuit for electronically magnifying an image obtained by a CCD. A depth of field at the time of switching between optical variable power and electronic variable power is set at an arbitrary value by key operation etc. of a control panel of a processor. When the depth of field becomes a setting value, for example, 16 mm (lens position before Near end), during the operation of optical variable power based on the operation of a variable power switch, electronic variable power is executed by the electronic zoom IC circuit. Thereby, an enlarged image in which the depth of a subject to be observed with irregularities is properly in focus can be obtained.

Abstract: This endoscope apparatus utilizes a phenomenon called “curvature of field” of a lens to satisfactorily bring a shape, into focus, of an object to be observed such as unevenness especially during enlargement in accordance with a shape of unevenness or the like of the object. For example, there is provided an objective lens group having two movable lenses, and variable-power is performed and field curvature characteristics are changed by moving these movable lenses. This change in the field curvature characteristics is performed by operating an image surface curving switch and driving the movable lenses through the use of an actuator or the like. Also, information on differences in height on the image central part to the peripheral part is operated from the amount of field curvature changed by the objective lens group to display the information on differences in height on the monitor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic endoscope equipped with an electronic zoom IC circuit that optically scales an object under observation using power scaling lenses and performs electronic power scaling processing on an image obtained by a CCD, wherein the electronic endoscope sets a predetermined depth of field by driving the power scaling lenses with the image optically magnified based on an operation of a variable depth switch and maintains the magnification immediately before this switch operation through electronic power scaling processing. This makes it possible to change a depth of field and observe an image magnified under an equal magnification focused in the depth direction on the monitor. The electronic endoscope can also form a plurality of still images of different depths of field based on an operation of the freeze switch and record optimal still images.

Abstract: To provide an electronic endoscope system provided with an objective optical system for optically magnifying an image to be observed by using a variable power lens and an electronic zoom IC circuit for electronically magnifying an image obtained by a CCD. A depth of field at the time of switching between optical variable power and electronic variable power is set at an arbitrary value by key operation etc. of a control panel of a processor. When the depth of field becomes a setting value, for example, 16 mm (lens position before Near end), during the operation of optical variable power based on the operation of a variable power switch, electronic variable power is executed by the electronic zoom IC circuit. Thereby, an enlarged image in which the depth of a subject to be observed with irregularities is properly in focus can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic endoscope apparatus which prevents a picked up image from being blurred utilizing an optical magnification change mechanism. A viewing distance is changed by moving a movable lens with an actuator, magnification changing location of the movable lens is detected with an encoder and a shutter speed for a CCD which is shorter than an exposure time while the optical magnification changing mechanism is not operating is set with a CPU dependently on the magnification changing location. It is possible to prevent an image from being blurred, for example, by storing various patterns which provide higher electronic shutter speeds as an image magnification ratio is enhanced in a ROM and controlling an electronic shutter speed with these patterns.

Abstract: The present application relates to an electronic endoscope apparatus for forming a preferable static image by controlling blurring of an image at the time of picking up the image by using a variable-power mechanism. This endoscope emits stroboscopic light by a stroboscopic light emission circuit when a freeze button is pressed and sets a high shutter speed shorter than an exposure time for a dynamic image by an electronic shutter circuit. Moreover, observation distances can be changed by moving a movable lens through a variable-power motor section and a linear transmission member in accordance with operation of a variable-power switch. Therefore, a static image is formed trough short-time image pickup by strong illumination light and image blurring is eliminated which becomes remarkable in particular when the image is enlarged through variable-power operation.

Abstract: In an objective lens mounted to an endoscope having an enlarging function and enabling a switch to wide-field viewing, a movable lens group is moved so as to adjust the amount of curvature of field such that the image quality at marginal parts of a picture becomes favorable according to the form of an object while keeping a substantially constant magnification.

Abstract: The present invention is an imaging element assembly unit in which it can easily be promoted to make the diameter of the tip portion of an endoscope thinner by changing the configuration of a circuit board in relation to an image element. In this assembly unit, an imaging element body formed while holding a lead portion between an electrode of a CCD and a cover glass is produced, for example, on the TAB system, and this imaging element body is connected to a circuit board having a storing groove. Then, the width in the electrode arranging direction of this circuit board is formed shorter than the width in the electrode arranging direction of the CCD, and at a position where both ends of this circuit board retreat from both ends of the CCD, these are connected by a lead portion. By doing so, the diameter of the tip portion can be made thinner since the sides of both ends of the circuit board arranged on the side of the inside peripheral surface of a tip portion holding barrel retreat inside.

Abstract: This endoscope apparatus utilizes a phenomenon called “curvature of field” of a lens to satisfactorily bring a shape, into focus, of an object to be observed such as unevenness especially during enlargement in accordance with a shape of unevenness or the like of the object. For example, there is provided an objective lens group having two movable lenses, and variable-power is performed and field curvature characteristics are changed by moving these movable lenses. This change in the field curvature characteristics is performed by operating an image surface curving switch and driving the movable lenses through the use of an actuator or the like. Also, information on differences in height on the image central part to the peripheral part is operated from the amount of field curvature changed by the objective lens group to display the information on differences in height on the monitor.

Abstract: In an objective lens mounted to an endoscope having an enlarging function and enabling a switch to wide-field viewing, a movable lens group is moved so as to adjust the amount of curvature of field such that the image quality at marginal parts of a picture becomes favorable according to the form of an object while keeping a substantially constant magnification.

Abstract: An endoscopic observation means having least a couple of illumination means are provided at a distal end portion of an endoscopic insertion instrument, the illumination means being on the opposite sides of and substantially on the same plane as an optical image pickup means. Each one of the illumination means includes a light guide for transmitting on illumination light from a light source, and an illumination lens for dispersing illumination light over an imaging area of a subject under observation. Further, the endoscopic observation means includes an objective lens system having a variable observation distance. The illumination means on the opposite sides of the observation means are spaced apart from each other by such a distance as to hold illuminance in peripheral portions of an imaging area of the subject to a level not greater than 200%, preferably, in the range of 200% to 120% of an illuminance level in portions of the imaging area.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus or method of the present invention decreases the diameter of an image pickup device assembly by decreasing the thickness of the assembly. A conductor lead (inner lead of TAB product) is formed on a terminal of a CCD so as to protrude from the outer periphery of the main frame of an image pickup device body in accordance with the TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) method capable of realizing mass production, a cover glass is set so that an air gap is formed between the CCD and its image pickup plane side, and thereby an image pickup device body is formed. Moreover, the image pickup device body is set to an aperture of a circuit board to connect the conductor lead to a terminal at the circuit board side. Thereby, it is unnecessary to use a conventional box-type package for storing the CCD.