IP Library Granted Patent US 9,829,698
Granted Patent B2
US 9,829,698 · App. 15/240,706 · Granted Nov 28, 2017

Endoscope

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,829,698
App. No.
15/240,706
Granted
Nov 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An endoscope includes a single lens that has a square exterior shape in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis, an image sensor that has an square exterior shape which is same as the exterior shape of the single lens, in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a sensor cover that has an exterior shape which is same as the exterior shape of the single lens, in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis; and a bonding resin portion that fixes the sensor cover to the single lens, The single lens is a lens which is formed in a prismatic shape. The single lens has first surface on an imaging subject side that has a plane, and has second surface on an imaging side that has a convex surface.

Claims (25)

1. An endoscope, comprising:

a single lens that has a square exterior shape in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis;

an image sensor that has an square exterior shape which is same as the exterior shape of the single lens, in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis;

a sensor cover that covers an imaging area of the image sensor, and has an exterior shape which is same as the exterior shape of the single lens, in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis; and

a bonding resin portion that fixes the sensor cover to the single lens, the optical axis of the single lens coinciding with a center of the imaging area,

wherein the single lens is a lens which is formed in a prismatic shape, and whose first surface on an imaging subject side has a plane and whose second surface on an imaging side has a convex surface;

wherein a central portion of the single lens has a convex curved surface which protrudes in a substantially spherical shape configuring a lens surface of the convex surface on the imaging side; and

wherein a peripheral edge portion of the single lens has a planar end surface, and has a bonding plane with the sensor cover over an entire area of the planar end surface.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the bonding plane has an exterior peripheral portion which has a square shape and an inner peripheral portion which has a substantially square shape whose corners are rounded.

3. The endoscope according to claim 2 , wherein the bonding plane has an inclined portion which is tapered so as to be inclined in a direction from the inner peripheral portion to the exterior peripheral portion of the peripheral edge portion.

4. The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the bonding plane has an exterior peripheral portion which has a square shape and an inner peripheral portion which has a circular shape concentric with the convex curved surface having a circular dome shape.

5. The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein an exterior peripheral portion of the convex curved surface having a circular dome shape has a barrel shape in which four circumferential portions corresponding to four sides of the square exterior shape of the single lens are partially notched.

6. The endoscope according to claim 5 ,

wherein from the exterior peripheral portion of the convex curved surface to the inner peripheral portion of the bonding plane, the single lens has an inclined plane extending from a center of the single lens toward an exterior periphery of the single lens; and

wherein an angle of the inclined plane is 60°≦θA≦90°, in case that the angle of the inclined plane is defined as an angle of an opening being set to θA when viewed from the center of the single lens.

7. The endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the bonding plane has a bonding width of 50 μm.

8. The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor has one side whose length is 0.5 mm.

9. An endoscope, comprising:

an image sensor that is disposed in a distal portion of an insertion portion, and whose imaging area is covered with a sensor cover;

a single lens that has a square exterior shape in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis; and

a bonding resin portion that fixes the single lens and the sensor cover,

wherein the single lens is a lens which is formed in a prismatic shape, and whose first surface on an imaging subject side has a plane and whose second surface on an imaging side has a convex surface;

wherein a central portion of the single lens has a convex curved surface which protrudes in a substantially spherical shape configuring a lens surface of the convex surface on the imaging side;

wherein a peripheral edge portion of the single lens has a planar end surface, and has a bonding plane with the sensor cover over an entire area of the planar end surface; and

wherein the peripheral edge portion of the single lens has an inclined portion which is tapered so as to be inclined from the planar end surface to the lens surface of the convex surface.

Assignments (9)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 16, 2023
From: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: I-PRO CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063101/0966 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Mar 16, 2023
From: I-PRO CO., LTD.
To: I-PRO CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063102/0075 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 31, 2020
From: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: PSP HOLDINGS CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 054883/0201 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 31, 2020
From: PSP HOLDINGS CO., LTD
To: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054883/0234 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Dec 31, 2020
From: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054883/0248 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE POSTAL CODE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 051327 FRAME 0516. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE POSTAL CODE SHOULD BE 812-8531 AND NOT BLANK. Recorded Dec 23, 2019
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051399/0888 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2019
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051327/0516 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2016
From: HATASE, YUICHI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040829/0871 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2016
From: HARAGUCHI, NAOYUKI; SANADA, TAKAFUMI; HANADA, YASUYUKI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039691/0117 →