TW201325540A - Endoscope integrated with a light source - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is directed to an endoscope having a wafer-level imaging module (WLM) and a light source bonded on a substrate. The endoscope also includes a holder, to which the substrate with the bonded WLM and the bonded light source is attached.

Description

Integrated light source endoscope

The present invention relates to an endoscope, and more particularly to an endoscope in which a wafer level module at a distal end is integrated with a semiconductor light source.

An endoscope is an instrument that can be inserted into a human organ to view the interior of an organ. The endoscope typically includes a hose; a light source located at the proximal end of the endoscope to transmit light through the optical fiber; and a lens system located at the distal end of the endoscope for capturing images and transmitting the image by optical fiber.

Since the size of the endoscope is very small, the manufacture of the lens system is not easy, thereby increasing the overall cost and making it difficult to spread in use. In addition, if the endoscope is not properly cleaned, it can easily cause infection. Taking into account factors such as cost and infection, single-use disposable mirrors should alleviate the above problems.

In view of the high price of traditional endoscopes or the risk of infection, it is imperative to propose a novel endoscope to overcome the above problems.

In view of the above, an embodiment of the present invention provides an endoscope having a wafer level module at a distal end integrated with a semiconductor light source for reducing the overall cost of the endoscope. The endoscope of this embodiment can be applied to disposable applications to reduce infection.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the endoscope includes a substrate, a wafer level imaging module, a light source, a tube, and a clamping portion. The wafer level imaging module and the light source are coupled to the first surface of the substrate, and the distal end of the tube is coupled to the second surface of the substrate. The combined substrate, wafer level imaging module and light source are attached to the clamping portion.

The first A diagram and the first B diagram respectively show a top view and a side cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention. The distal end of the endoscope is attached to the distal end of the tube 10 of the endoscope.

In this embodiment, the distal end portion mainly includes a substrate 11 , a wafer level imaging module (abbreviated as an imaging module) 12 , a light source 13 , and a clamping portion 14 . The imaging module 12 and the light source 13 are bonded to the first (upper) surface of the substrate 11 (for example, a printed circuit board), and the bonded substrate 11, the imaging module 12, and the light source 13 are attached to the holder 14 . .

The second figure shows a perspective schematic view of the imaging module 12. In this embodiment, the imaging module 12 includes a wafer level image sensor 121 and a wafer level optical component 122. The wafer level image sensor 121 faces the substrate 11 and may be a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CMOS image sensor, CIS for short), but is not limited thereto. The wafer level optical element 122 (for example, a lens) is away from the substrate 11 and may be made of glass, but is not limited thereto. The wafer level image sensor 121 and the wafer level optical element 122 can be bonded to each other by an adhesive. Compared with the conventional endoscope, the endoscope of the present embodiment uses semiconductor technology to manufacture an imaging system of the endoscope, which can realize mass production at a low cost, and can be applied to a disposable endoscope to avoid infection. possibility. Wafer-level modules use semiconductor technology to fabricate miniaturized optical components, such as wafer-level lens modules or camera modules. For details on the fabrication of the wafer-level imaging module 12, reference is made to the related literature, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,564,496, to the name of the photographic device, the photographic device, and the wafer-level package. , method of manufacturing a camera device, wafer scale package)", the contents of which are considered as part of this specification.

In this embodiment, the light source 13 includes at least one semiconductor light source (for example, a light-emitting diode) surrounding the periphery of the imaging module 12, as shown in the first C-picture, the upper side of the substrate 11, and four light-emitting diodes are equidistant. It is provided on the edge of the substrate 11. In one example, the light emitting diode 13 and the imaging module 12 are bonded to the printed circuit board 11 by reflow soldering techniques. The reflowed printed circuit board 11 is then attached to the inner surface of the nip 14. Finally, the distal end of the tubular member 10 is attached to the second (lower) surface of the printed circuit board 11.

In the present embodiment, the clamping portion 14 includes an outer wall 14A and an inner light guide 14B. Among them, the outer wall 14A forms the outside of the nip 14 and generally uses an opaque material. The inner light guide 14B forms the inside of the nip 14 and is generally made of a transparent material such as plastic (e.g., acrylic). The inner light guide 14B of the present embodiment guides the light of the light source 13 to be emitted from the light exit 141 of the distal end portion. The clamping portion 14 can have an opening 14C located above and aligned with the imaging module 12. Compared with the light source of the conventional endoscope, which is located at the proximal end of the endoscope, which transmits light to the entire tube by the optical fiber, the endoscope of the embodiment has high light emission efficiency, and since the optical fiber is omitted, Has a lower cost. The inner sidewall 140 of the outer wall 14A of the embodiment can be selectively coated with a reflective material to further enhance the light transmission of the inner light guide 14B. In a similar situation, the outer sidewall of the imaging module 12 can also be selectively coated with a reflective material to enhance the light transmission of the inner light guide 14B.

The embodiment may further include a barrier 14D between the inner light guide 14B and the imaging module 12 for blocking the diverging light from entering the wafer level image sensor 121 of the imaging module 12. The barrier 14D of this embodiment may use an anti-reflection or black material.

3A and 3B are respectively a top view and a side cross-sectional view showing the distal end portion of the endoscope according to another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of Figure B, except that the barrier 14D faces the inner light guide 14B with a sloped side wall, thus between the sloped sidewalls on the outer surface of the imaging module 12 (assuming it is perpendicular to the substrate 11) Form a lead angle. Thereby, the cross section of the inner light guide 14B near the light source 13 is smaller than the cross section of the light exit 141, thereby improving the uniformity of light emission.

The above description is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention; all other equivalent changes or modifications which are not departing from the spirit of the invention should be included in the following Within the scope of the patent application.

10. . . Pipe fittings

11. . . Substrate

12. . . Wafer level imaging module

121. . . Wafer level image sensor

122. . . Wafer level optical components

13. . . light source

14. . . Grip

14A. . . Outer wall

14B. . . Inner light guide

14C. . . Opening

14D. . . barrier

140. . . Inner side wall

141. . . Light exit

The first A diagram and the first B diagram respectively show a top view and a side cross-sectional view of the distal end portion of the endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The first C-picture shows a top view of the substrate of the first B-picture.
The second figure shows a perspective schematic view of the imaging module of Figure B.
3A and 3B are respectively a top view and a side cross-sectional view showing the distal end portion of the endoscope according to another embodiment of the present invention.

10. . . Pipe fittings

11. . . Substrate

12. . . Wafer level imaging module

13. . . light source

14. . . Grip

14A. . . Outer wall

14B. . . Inner light guide

14C. . . Opening

14D. . . barrier

140. . . Inner side wall

141. . . Light exit

Claims (16)

An endoscope with integrated light source, comprising:
a substrate;
a wafer level imaging module coupled to the first surface of the substrate;
a light source coupled to the first surface of the substrate;
a tube member having a distal end connected to the second surface of the substrate; and a clamping portion, the bonded substrate, the wafer level imaging module and the light source being attached to the clamping portion. The endoscope of the integrated light source as described in claim 1, wherein the wafer level imaging module comprises:
a wafer level image sensor; and a wafer level optical component bonded to the wafer level image sensor;
The wafer level image sensor faces the substrate, and the wafer level optical component is away from the substrate. The endoscope of the integrated light source as described in claim 2, wherein the wafer level image sensor comprises a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. An endoscope that integrates a light source as described in claim 2, wherein the wafer level optical component comprises a lens. An endoscope incorporating a light source as described in claim 4, wherein the lens comprises glass. An endoscope incorporating a light source as described in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least one semiconductor light source. An endoscope for integrating a light source as described in claim 6, wherein the semiconductor light source comprises a light emitting diode. An endoscope incorporating a light source as described in claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board. An endoscope for integrating a light source as described in claim 1, wherein the clamping portion comprises:
An outer wall; and an inner light guide located within the outer wall, the inner light guide directing light from the light source to exit from a light exit. The endoscope of the integrated light source according to claim 9, wherein the outer wall comprises an opaque material, and the inner light guide comprises a transparent material. The endoscope of the integrated light source according to claim 9, wherein the clamping portion has an opening located above the wafer level imaging module. The endoscope of the light source integrated as described in claim 9, wherein the inner wall of the outer wall is coated with a reflective material. The endoscope of the integrated light source as described in claim 9 , wherein the outer sidewall of the wafer level imaging module is coated with a reflective material. The endoscope of the integrated light source as described in claim 9 further includes a barrier between the inner light guide and the wafer level imaging module for blocking divergent light from entering the wafer level imaging module. An endoscope incorporating a light source as described in claim 14 wherein the barrier comprises an anti-reflective material. An endoscope incorporating an light source as described in claim 14, wherein the barrier has an inclined side wall facing the inner light guide such that a cross section of the inner light guide near the light source is smaller than a cross section of the light exit.