Compact multi-viewing element endoscope system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11547275-B2
Application number	US-202117141512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2021
Priority date	Jun 18, 2009
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

Endoscopes of this disclosure, such as colonoscopes, provide a broader field of view and allow extended access of surgical tools, and also enable efficient packing of all necessary elements in the tip section, while maintaining their functionality. Methods and systems of this disclosure include for capturing and displaying still and video images using an endoscope corresponding to a left-side looking viewing element, a front-looking viewing element, and a right-side looking viewing element of an endoscopic tip generated in a native aspect ratio.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic assembly for a device usable for performing a medical procedure, wherein the electronic assembly comprises:
one or more first electronic components;
a first circuit board configured to carry the one or more first electronic components, wherein the first circuit board is flexible so as to allow the first circuit board to be folded from an unfolded configuration to a folded configuration;
one or more second electronic components; and
a second circuit board configured to carry the one or more second electronic components, wherein the second circuit board is flexible so as to allow the second circuit board to be folded from an unfolded configuration to a folded configuration, and wherein the folded second circuit board receives the folded first circuit board therein;
wherein the first circuit board includes a U-shaped portion configured to receive one of the one or more first electronic components; and
wherein one of the one or more first electronic components and the one or more second electronic components includes one or more optical assemblies including an image sensor and a lens assembly.

2. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the U-shaped portion is planar in the unfolded configuration.

3. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the U-shaped portion is a first U-shaped portion, and wherein the first circuit board includes a second U-shaped portion configured to receive one of the one or more first electronic components.

4. The electronic assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second U-shaped portion is proximal to the first U-shaped portion, and wherein a portion of the first U-shaped portion forms a distal portion of the second U-shaped portion.

5. The electronic assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first circuit board includes a third U-shaped portion configured to receive one of the one or more first electronic components.

6. The electronic assembly of claim 5 , wherein the third U-shaped portion is positioned on an opposite side of the first circuit board as the second U-shaped portion.

7. The electronic assembly of claim 5 , wherein a first portion of the first U-shaped portion forms a distal portion of the third U-shaped portion; and wherein a second portion of the first U-shaped portion forms a distal portion of the third U-shaped portion.

8. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein portions of the folded second circuit board extend across a first side of the folded first circuit board, a second side of the folded first circuit board, a third side of the folded first circuit board, and a fourth side of the folded first circuit board, wherein the first and the second sides are opposite sides of the folded first circuit board, and wherein the third and the fourth sides are opposite sides of the folded first circuit board.

9. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein portions of the folded second circuit board extend across a first side of the folded first circuit board, a second side of the folded first circuit board, and an end of the folded first circuit board, wherein the first and the second sides are opposite sides of the folded first circuit board, and wherein the end extends between the first and the second sides.

10. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the other of the one or more first electronic components and the one or more second electronic components includes a light emitter.

11. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first optical assembly is positioned within the U-shaped portion.

12. The electronic assembly of claim 11 , wherein the U-shaped portion is a first U-shaped portion; wherein the first circuit board includes a second U-shaped portion; and wherein a second optical assembly is positioned with the second U-shaped portion.

13. An electronic assembly for a device usable for performing a medical procedure, wherein the electronic assembly comprises:
one or more first electronic components;
a first circuit board configured to carry the one or more first electronic components, wherein the first circuit board is flexible so as to allow the first circuit board to be folded from an unfolded configuration to a folded configuration;
one or more second electronic components; and
a second circuit board configured to carry the one or more second electronic components, wherein the second circuit board is flexible so as to allow the second circuit board to be folded from an unfolded configuration to a folded configuration, and wherein the folded second circuit board wraps around the folded first circuit board, extending across at least three sides of the folded first circuit board;
wherein the first circuit board includes 1) a first planar portion in the folded configuration configured to carry a first electronic component of the one or more first electronic components and 2) a second planar portion in the folded configuration configured to carry a second electronic component of the one or more first electronic components, wherein the second planar portion is transverse to the first planar portion in the folded configuration.

14. The electronic assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least three sides includes at least one pair of opposite sides of the folded first circuit board.

15. The electronic assembly of claim 13 , further including a frame configured to receive the first circuit board and maintain the first circuit board in the folded configuration.

16. An electronic assembly for a device usable for performing a medical procedure, wherein the electronic assembly comprises:
one or more image sensors and lens assemblies, each of the one or more image sensors and lens assemblies having an optical axis;
a first circuit board configured to carry the one or more image sensors and lens assemblies, wherein the first circuit board is flexible so as to allow the first circuit board to be folded from an unfolded configuration to a folded configuration;
one or more light emitters, each having a surface through which light is emitted; and
a second circuit board configured to carry the one or more light emitters, wherein the second circuit board is flexible so as to allow the second circuit board to be folded from an unfolded configuration to a folded configuration, and wherein the folded second circuit board receives the folded first circuit board therein, such that the surface faces in a same direction as the optical axis;
wherein the first circuit board includes a first recess configured to receive a first image sensor or a first lens assembly.

17. The electronic assembly of claim 16 , wherein a second recess of the first circuit board is configured to receive a second image sensor or a second lens assembly.

18. The electronic assembly of claim 17 , wherein the second image sensor or the second lens assembly is facing a lateral direction when the first circuit board is in a folded configuration; and wherein the first image sensor or the first lens assembly is facing a distal direction when the first circuit board is in a folded configuration.

19. The electronic assembly of claim 16 , wherein the one or more image sensors and lens assemblies extend through a gap between two portions of the second circuit board.

Assignees

• Endochoice Inc

Inventors

• Levy Avi
• Levi Moshiko
• Salman Golan
• Kirma Yaniv
• Krivopisk Leonid
• Aizenfeld Amram
• Wieth Stephan
• Avron Jeruham
• Dascalo Robby
• Gilreath Mark
• Levin Victor

Classifications

• A61B1/0005

  combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled · CPC title

• A61B1/053

  being detachable · CPC title

• A61B1/00137

  End pieces at either end of the endoscope, e.g. caps, seals or forceps plugs · CPC title

• A61B1/0008 Primary

  characterised by distal tip features · CPC title

• A61B1/0615

  for radial illumination · CPC title