IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS, PARTICULARLY FOR USE WITH MEDICAL INSTRUMENT USED IN OPEN SURGERY
An electronic assembly (and related methods of manufacture and use), comprising: a non-conducting substrate, which has front and back sides and comprises through-wires molded into the substrate so as to pass through the substrate from the front side to the back side; and an integrated circuit device, which is fixed to the front side of the substrate and electrically connected to the through wires at the front side of the substrate. In certain embodiments, the integrated circuit device may be an image sensor. In one possible embodiment, the assembly is used as a compact camera that is associated with a surgical instrument used in open surgery.
1 . An electronic assembly, comprising:
a non-conducting substrate, which has front and back sides and comprises through-wires molded into the substrate so as to pass through the substrate from the front side to the back side; and
an integrated circuit device, which is fixed to the front side of the substrate and electrically connected to the through wires at the front side of the substrate.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit device comprises an image sensor.
3 . The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a communications interface comprising a cable connecting to the image sensor via the through wires so as to convey electronic images from the image sensor to a remote console.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises glass.
5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit device is electrically connected to the wires at the front side of the substrate by wire bonding.
6 . The assembly of claim 1 , and comprising at least one circuit component mounted on the back side of the substrate and electrically connected to one or more of the through-wires.
7 . The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a housing for enclosing the assembly that has a compact shape for association with a shaft portion of a surgical instrument, the shape being designed so as not to substantially impede the use of the surgical instrument, which shape includes a length not exceeding the length of a non-working portion of the surgical instrument and a width or diameter not exceeding about 3 times the width or diameter of the shaft portion.
8 . The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the housing includes connecting means for fastening the housing onto the shaft portions.
9 . The assembly of claim 8 wherein the connecting means comprises a clip.
10 . The assembly of claim 2 wherein the image sensor comprises a solid-state light source for illuminating a surgical site.
11 . The assembly of claim 7 further comprising a solid-state light source for illuminating a surgical site.
12 . The assembly of claim 1 wherein the image sensor comprises a CMOS or CCD image sensor.
13 . The assembly of claim 7 wherein the image sensor comprises a CMOS or CCD image sensor.
14 . The assembly of claim 2 wherein the system is configured with a communications interface for communicating imaging data to a remote location.
15 . The assembly of claim 7 wherein the system is configured with a communications interface for communicating imaging data to a remote location.
16 . A method of making an electronic assembly, comprising:
providing a material for forming a non-conducting substrate, which has front and back sides;
molding the material together with wires so that the wires pass through the substrate from the front side to the back side; and
fixing an integrated circuit device to the front side of the substrate and electrically connecting it to the through wires at the front side of the substrate.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the integrated circuit device comprises a pixellated, electronic image sensor.
18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising placing the assembly into a housing for enclosing the assembly that has a compact shape for association with a shaft portion of a surgical instrument, the shape being designed so as not to substantially impede the use of the surgical instrument, which shape includes a length not exceeding the length of a non-working portion of the surgical instrument and a width or diameter not exceeding about 3 times the width or diameter of the shaft portion.
19 . An assembly of an imaging system, comprising:
a non-conducting substrate, which has front and back sides and comprises through-wires molded into the substrate so as to pass through the substrate from the front side to the back side; and
a pixellated, electronic image sensor, which is fixed to the front side of the substrate and electrically connected to the through wires at the front side of the substrate; and
a housing for enclosing the assembly that has a compact shape for association with a shaft portion of a surgical instrument, the shape being designed so as not to substantially impede the use of the surgical instrument, which shape includes a length not exceeding the length of a non-working portion of the surgical instrument and a width or diameter not exceeding about 3 times the width or diameter of the shaft portion.
20 . A communications interface associated with the imaging system for communicating imaging data to a remote location.
21 . The assembly of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a plastic or ceramic based material.