Karl Storz-Gmbh & Co. Kg

Mark Kocher

Klaus M Irion

Peter Schwarz

Ulrich Kehr

Martin Renner

J&uuml;rgen Rudischhauser

Helmut Wehrstein

An image pick-up module comprises an electronic image sensor, single-piece circuit board electrically bonded to the image sensor, and at least one cable electrically bonded and leading away from the circuit board. The circuit board has at least three sections, first and second section extending in relation to the other and obliquely or crosswise to the image sensor, and third section arranged between first and second section. The image sensor is arranged on the circuit board opposite the third section. In a method for assembling the image pick-up module, the circuit board has the form of a planar board blank comprising at least three sections folded along flexible connecting sections whereby the at least one cable is bonded to the board, and the board folds whereby a third section is located between first and second section, and the image sensor is bonded to the circuit board opposite the third section.

Image pick-up module and method for assembling such an image pick-up module

An image pick-up module, especially for an endoscope, comprises an electronic image sensor, a single-piece circuit board which is electrically bonded to the image sensor, with at least one cable leading away from the circuit board being further electrically bonded to the circuit board. The circuit board has at least three sections, with a first section and a second section extending in spaced relation one to the other and obliquely or crosswise to the image sensor and a third section being arranged between the first and the second section. In order to provide for strain relief of the at least one cable, it is proposed that the image sensor be arranged on one side of the circuit board opposite the third section. In a method for assembling the image pick-up module the circuit board initially has the form of a planar board blank comprising at least three sections that can be folded along flexible connecting sections whereby the at least one cable is bonded to the board blank, whereafter the board blank is folded in such a way that a third section is located between a first section and a second section, and finally the image sensor is bonded to the circuit board at an end of the circuit board opposite the third section.

A laryngoscope includes a handle, a spatula arranged substantially transverse to the handle, and a coupling detachably fixing the spatula to the handle. An illumination light waveguide guides an illumination light signal and an image waveguide guides an image signal, both waveguides being attached to the spatula. The illumination light waveguide includes a proximal end having an illumination light entry opening, and the image waveguide includes a proximal end having an image exit opening, wherein the illumination light entry opening and the image exit opening are arranged in the area of the coupling. The handle includes, in the area of the coupling, an illumination light exit opening and an image entry opening which allow for the illumination light signal to couple into the illumination light waveguide from the handle, and for the image signal to couple out of the image waveguide. A centering element automatically aligns the image entry opening and the image exit opening precisely to each other.

Laryngoscope

The present invention describes a device for intracorporal, minimal-invasive treatment of a patient, comprising a working instrument that can be introduced into a body cavity of the patient for carrying out a treatment step, wherein a distal end of the introduced working instrument defines an intracorporal working area, and at least one image pick-up unit for picking up an image of the intracorporal working area, further comprising positioning means for orienting an optical axis of the image pick-up unit in dependency on a spatial position of the intracorporal working area, wherein the positioning means comprise a guide shaft, in which the working instrument is guided, and wherein the image pick-up unit is pivotably fixed at an intracorporal portion of the guide shaft. The positioning means have a holder pivotably fixed to the intracorporal portion of the guide shaft, the image pick-up unit being arranged at the holder in a distance from a location where the holder is linked to the guide shaft, such that the image pick-up unit is intracorporally pivotable into a working position, in which the optical axis runs angularly to a longitudinal center axis of the guide shaft and points to the longitudinal center axis.

Growing community of inventors

Sindelfingen, Germany

Mark Kocher