Image capture assembly for use in a multi-viewing elements endoscope
An image capturing assembly for use in an endoscope includes a manifold with a base and a casing extending outward from the base, a partially enclosed housing adapted to physically attach to the manifold, a foldable LED carrier substrate capable of carrying a plurality of LEDs, a flexible optical carrier substrate capable of carrying a plurality of camera sensors, and a tip cover adapted to cover the manifold, housing, LED carrier substrate, and optical carrier substrate. The manifold includes at least one continuous channel extending throughout its length. The foldable LED carrier substrate includes a central, forward facing portion, adapted to carry at least one illuminator for a front viewing element, and a pair of arms extending proximally from the central portion. Each arm includes at least one foldable protrusion adapted to carry an illuminator for a side viewing element.
1. An image capturing assembly adapted to be used in an endoscope, the assembly comprising:
a manifold having a proximal base with a first length and a first width and a casing extending outward from said proximal base, wherein said casing has a second length and second width and wherein said first length is less than the second length and the first width is greater than the second width;
a partially enclosed housing wherein said partially enclosed housing is adapted to physically attach to the manifold;
a LED carrier substrate, wherein said LED carrier substrate is adapted to be foldable and to carry a plurality of LEDs;
a flexible optical carrier substrate, wherein said flexible optical carrier substrate is adapted to be foldable and to carry a first camera sensor and a second camera sensor, wherein the first camera sensor faces a direction transverse to the second camera sensor when positioned within the partially enclosed housing, and wherein the second camera sensor is aligned with a first opening in the partially enclosed housing and faces a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the image capturing assembly; and
a tip cover adapted to cover said manifold, said partially enclosed housing, said LED carrier substrate, and said flexible optical carrier substrate.
2. The image capturing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manifold is a unitary part.
3. The image capturing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal base is substantially cylindrical.
4. The image capturing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises at least one continuous channel that extends from the proximal base throughout the second length.
5. The image capturing assembly of claim 4 , wherein the proximal base comprises a plurality of channels extending through the entire first length and wherein at least one of said channels together with said continuous channel in the casing, creates a fluidically isolated channel extending through the proximal base and casing.
6. The image capturing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manifold combined with the partially enclosed housing create a substantially cylindrical housing.
7. The image capturing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manifold combined with the partially enclosed housing create a substantially cylindrical housing having openings and an internal volume, wherein the flexible optical carrier substrate is adapted to be folded to fit within said internal volume, and wherein said openings are positioned to receive said camera sensors.
8. The image capturing assembly of claim 7 , wherein the substantially cylindrical housing is adapted to receive a folded LED carrier substrate.
9. The image capturing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the substantially cylindrical housing in combination with the folded LED carrier substrate and the folded flexible optical carrier substrate creates an assembled image capture assembly having a front facing camera together with at least one LED and a side facing camera together with at least one LED.
10. The image capturing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tip cover comprises a first portion that covers a first half of said assembled image capturing assembly and a second portion that covers a second half of said assembled image capturing assembly.
11. An image capturing assembly adapted to be used in an endoscope, the assembly comprising:
a manifold having a proximal base with a first length and a first width and a casing extending outward from said proximal base, wherein said casing has a second length and second width and wherein said first length is less than the second length and the first width is greater than the second width;
a partially enclosed housing wherein said partially enclosed housing is adapted to physically attach to the manifold, and includes a first groove on a first side of the partially enclosed housing and a second groove on a second side of the partially enclosed housing, wherein the first side opposes the second side;
a LED carrier substrate, wherein said LED carrier substrate is adapted to be foldable and to carry a first LED and a second LED, wherein the first groove receives the first LED, and the second groove receives the second LED;
a flexible optical carrier substrate, wherein said flexible optical carrier substrate is adapted to be foldable and to carry a plurality of camera sensors; and
a tip cover adapted to cover said manifold, said partially enclosed housing, said LED carrier substrate, and said flexible optical carrier substrate.
12. The image capturing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the partially enclosed housing further includes a third groove on the first side of the partially enclosed housing, wherein the third groove receives a third LED of the LED carrier substrate, and wherein the a first camera sensor of the plurality of camera sensors is positioned between the first LED and the third LED.
13. The image capturing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the proximal base is substantially cylindrical.
14. The image capturing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the casing comprises at least one continuous channel that extends from the proximal base throughout the second length.
15. The image capturing assembly of claim 14 , wherein the proximal base comprises a plurality of channels extending through the entire first length and wherein at least one of said channels together with said continuous channel in the casing, creates a fluidically isolated channel extending through the proximal base and casing.
16. The image capturing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the manifold combined with the partially enclosed housing create a substantially cylindrical housing.
17. The image capturing assembly of claim 11 , wherein the manifold combined with the partially enclosed housing create a substantially cylindrical housing having openings and an internal volume, wherein the flexible optical carrier substrate is adapted to be folded to fit within said internal volume, and wherein said openings are positioned to receive said camera sensors.
18. The image capturing assembly of claim 17 , wherein the substantially cylindrical housing is adapted to receive a folded LED carrier substrate.
19. The image capturing assembly of claim 18 , wherein the substantially cylindrical housing in combination with the folded LED carrier substrate and the flexible optical carrier substrate creates an assembled image capture assembly having a front facing camera together with at least one LED and a side facing camera together with at least one LED.
20. An image capturing assembly adapted to be used in an endoscope, the assembly comprising:
a manifold having a proximal base with a first length and a first width and a casing extending outward from said proximal base, wherein said casing has a second length and second width and wherein said first length is less than the second length and the first width is greater than the second width;
a partially enclosed housing wherein said partially enclosed housing is adapted to physically attach to the manifold, wherein the partially enclosed housing extends along a longitudinal axis of the image capturing assembly a distance of approximately the second length and adjacent to the casing;
a LED carrier substrate, wherein said LED carrier substrate is adapted to be foldable and to carry a plurality of LEDs;
a flexible optical carrier substrate, wherein said flexible optical carrier substrate is adapted to be foldable and to carry a plurality of camera sensors; and
a tip cover adapted to cover said manifold, said partially enclosed housing, said LED carrier substrate, and said flexible optical carrier substrate.