Endoscope

Abstract

To provide an endoscope that can enhance heat dissipation property of a distal end body.SOLUTION: An endoscope includes: an imaging device 84 including a lens barrel 86 and an imaging unit 92; a distal end body 48 including an insertion hole 70 into which the lens barrel 86 is inserted; and an extension part 120 provided while extending from a proximal end surface 82 of the distal end body 48. The imaging device 84 includes an exposed part 122 exposed from the proximal end surface 82 of the distal end body 48 while the lens barrel 86 is inserted into the insertion hole 70. The extension part 120 is disposed in a position opposite to at least the exposed part 122 of the imaging device 84.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an endoscope, and more particularly to an endoscope equipped with an imaging device on the distal end side of an insertion portion. [Background technology]

[0002] A tip body is provided on the tip side of the endoscope insertion portion that is inserted into the body, and this tip body is provided with an imaging device having a lens barrel and a photographing unit.

[0003] In an endoscope with such a configuration, the imaging element that constitutes the imaging unit and the electronic components mounted on the substrate of the imaging element (hereinafter, the electronic components are referred to as the substrate) generate heat. Therefore, in order to obtain a good image (high-quality image), it is necessary to provide a heat dissipation structure that dissipates the heat to the outside.

[0004] Patent document 1 discloses an endoscope having a heat dissipation structure in which a first highly thermally conductive resin is formed by piling a highly thermally conductive resin around each internal component at the tip, and a second highly thermally conductive resin is formed by piling a highly thermally conductive resin around the outer periphery of the first highly thermally conductive resin.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses an endoscope having a heat dissipation structure in which a solid-state imaging element is fixed to the base of a lens frame of an objective lens via a cylindrical spacer having high thermal conductivity.

[0006] Patent Document 3 discloses an endoscope having a heat dissipation structure in which a thermally conductive material is interposed between an image sensor and a metal fitting constituting the tip portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-200397 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-32985 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-42513 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Incidentally, imaging devices (especially imaging elements) have become more sophisticated in recent years. With such high-performance imaging devices, it is possible to increase the number of still images that can be captured per second, and to obtain high-definition (high-quality) images.

[0009] However, when such a high-performance imaging device is installed in an endoscope, the heat generated by the imaging device also tends to be higher than in conventional devices, and therefore it is required to dissipate the heat generated by the imaging device more effectively. Note that the endoscopes disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 do not take into consideration the dissipation of heat from the high-performance imaging device, so that the heat of the imaging device may be trapped inside the tip body, which may cause malfunction of the imaging element.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope capable of improving the heat dissipation properties of the tip body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the endoscope of the present invention comprises an imaging device having a lens barrel and an imaging unit, a tip body having an insertion hole into which at least the lens barrel is inserted, and an extension portion extending from the base end of the tip body, wherein when the lens barrel is inserted into the insertion hole, the imaging device has an exposed portion exposed from the base end of the tip body, and the extension portion is positioned at a position opposite at least the exposed portion of the imaging device.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, a thermally conductive filler is preferably filled between the imaging device and the extension portion.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the filler is preferably a thermally conductive filler-mixed grease in which a thermally conductive filler is mixed into grease.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the imaging unit has an imaging element and a substrate, and the extension portion faces the substrate.

[0015] According to one form of the present invention, it is preferable that a tip ring is extrapolated to the base end side of the tip body and forms the tip of the curved portion, and a heat dissipation sheet having thermal conductivity is arranged on a circumference including the outer periphery where at least the extension portion of the tip ring is located.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, the heat dissipation sheet is preferably disposed in a range in the axial direction of the tip portion main body where the extension portion is located.

[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, the tip body preferably has an arrangement space, connected to the insertion hole, for arranging the imaging unit.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, the heat dissipation sheet is preferably disposed in a range in the axial direction of the tip portion body where the arrangement space and the extension portion are located.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, the extension portion is preferably disposed only at a position facing the exposed portion of the imaging device in the circumferential direction of the tip portion main body. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the heat dissipation properties of the tip body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion of the tip hard portion, as viewed from the tip side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the tip hard portion. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of the tip body as viewed from the base end side. FIG. [Diagram 5] 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of a tip rigid portion in a modified example. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an endoscope according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an endoscope 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the endoscope 10 includes a proximal operation unit 12 that is held by a practitioner, and an elongated insertion unit 14 that has a base end connected to the proximal operation unit 12 and is inserted into a body cavity.

[0024] A base end of a universal cable 16 is connected to the handheld operation unit 12, and a connector 18 is provided at the tip end of the universal cable 16. The connector 18 is connected to a light source device 20, which sends illumination light from the light source device 20 to illumination windows 22 and 24 (see FIG. 2) described below. The light source device 20 is also electrically connected to a processor unit 28. The connector 18 is electrically connected to the processor unit 28 via the light source device 20. The light source device 20 and the connector 18 can transmit and receive control signals and image signals by optical communication. The light source device 20 transmits the control signals and the like transmitted and received by optical communication to the processor unit 28 via the connector 18. The light source device 20 wirelessly supplies power for driving the endoscope 10 via the connector 18.

[0025] The hand-operated operation unit 12 is provided with an air / water supply button 30, a suction button 32, and a shutter button 34, which are operated by the practitioner, in parallel, and is also provided with a pair of rotatable angle knobs 36, 38. In addition, a forceps insertion section 40 for inserting a treatment tool such as forceps is provided at the tip side of the hand-operated operation unit 12.

[0026] The insertion section 14 has a longitudinal axis A along the insertion direction of the insertion section 14. The insertion section 14 is configured by connecting a flexible section 42, a bending section 44, and a tip hard section 46 from the base end of the hand-operated operation section 12 toward the tip end. The bending section 44 is remotely bent by rotating the angle knobs 36, 38 of the hand-operated operation section 12. This allows the tip hard section 46 to be oriented in a desired direction.

[0027] Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the tip hard portion 46, as viewed from the tip side. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tip hard portion 46, taken along the longitudinal axis A of the insertion portion 14 shown in Fig. 1.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, on the distal end surface 47 of the distal end hard portion 46, an observation window 56, illumination windows 22, 24, an air / water supply nozzle 60, a water jet port 62, and a forceps port 64 are provided.

[0029] 3, the tip rigid portion 46 is composed of a tip body 48 provided on the tip side of the insertion portion 14, and a cap 50. The tip body 48 is made of a metal such as stainless steel and has a generally cylindrical shape, and has a central axis AB along the longitudinal axis A. The cap 50 is made of resin, and is attached to a tip surface 52 of the tip body 48. A plurality of through holes corresponding to an observation window 56, illumination windows 22, 24, an air / water supply nozzle 60, a water jet port 62, and a forceps port 64 are formed in a tip surface 54 of the cap 50.

[0030] Although not shown, the tip body 48 is covered with a cylindrical outer tube, and the tip of this outer tube is fixed to the tip body 48 by a string-like fixing member. Moreover, this fixing member is adhered to the outer tube by an adhesive.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tip body 48 as viewed from the base end side.

[0032] 4, the tip portion main body 48 has circular insertion holes 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, and 80 formed to open to a base end surface 82 of the tip portion main body 48. These insertion holes 70 to 80 are through holes formed from the base end surface 82 of the tip portion main body 48 toward the tip surface 52 of the tip portion main body 48.

[0033] The insertion hole 70 of the tip body 48 faces the through hole 58 of the cap 50. A lens barrel 86 constituting an imaging device 84 is inserted into this insertion hole 70 as shown in FIG. 3. An observation window 56 is fixed to the tip side inside the lens barrel 86. An optical system member 88 consisting of a plurality of lenses is fixed to the base end side of the observation window 56 inside the lens barrel 86. The lens barrel 86 thus configured is inserted into the insertion hole 70 from the base end side of the tip body 48 along the central axis AB, and the tip of the lens barrel 86 is fitted into the through hole 58 of the cap 50 to be fixed to the insertion hole 70. The tip body 48 and the insertion hole 70 are an example of the tip body and insertion hole of the present invention.

[0034] 3 and 4, the tip portion main body 48 has an arrangement space 90 connected to the insertion hole 70 on the base end side of the insertion hole 70. An imaging unit 92 constituting the imaging device 84 is arranged in the arrangement space 90. The imaging unit 92 is configured by being connected to the base end of the lens barrel 86. The imaging unit 92 has, as an example, a prism 94, an imaging element 96, and a substrate 98. The imaging device 84, the lens barrel 86, the arrangement space 90, and the imaging unit 92 are examples of the imaging device, the lens barrel, the arrangement space, and the imaging unit of the present invention.

[0035] 3, a tip end of a flexible cable 100 is connected to the substrate 98. A signal line 102 is connected to a base end of the flexible cable 100. The signal line 102 is inserted through the insertion section 14, the handheld operation section 12, and the universal cable 16, and is extended to the connector 18 and connected to the light source device 20.

[0036] Therefore, the observation image captured through the observation window 56 is formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 96 via the optical system member 88 of the lens barrel 86 and the prism 94. The observation image formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 96 is converted into an electrical signal by the image sensor 96, and then output to the processor unit 28 via a signal line 102 and converted into a video signal. As a result, the observation image is displayed on a monitor 104 connected to the processor unit 28. Note that the image sensor 96 can be a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor.

[0037] The insertion holes 72, 74 of the tip body 48 are formed on both the left and right sides of the insertion hole 70. The insertion holes 72, 74 are arranged opposite to two through holes (not shown) for the illumination windows 22, 24 formed in the cap 50. The tip of a light guide (not shown) is inserted into these insertion holes 72, 74. The base end of the light guide is inserted through the insertion section 14, the handheld operation section 12, and the universal cable 16 and extended to the connector 18. Therefore, when the connector 18 is connected to the light source device 20, illumination light from the light source device 20 is transmitted to the illumination windows 22, 24 via the light guide and is irradiated forward from the illumination windows 22, 24.

[0038] The insertion hole 76 of the tip body 48 is formed below the insertion hole 72. The insertion hole 76 is arranged opposite to a through hole (not shown) for the air and water nozzle 60 formed in the cap 50. The tip of an air and water tube (not shown) is inserted into this insertion hole 76. The base end of the air and water tube is inserted into the insertion section 14 and the handheld operation section 12, and communicates with a valve (not shown) that is opened and closed by the air and water button 30. This valve is connected to an air and water connector (not shown) provided in the connector 18 via a tube (not shown). An air and water device (not shown) is connected to the air and water connector, and air or liquid is supplied from the air and water device to the valve via the tube. Therefore, by operating the air and water button 30 to open the valve, air or liquid can be sprayed from the air and water nozzle 60 toward the observation window 56.

[0039] The insertion hole 78 of the tip body 48 is formed below the insertion hole 76. The insertion hole 78 is disposed opposite to a through hole (not shown) for the water jet port 62 formed in the cap 50. The tip of a water supply tube (not shown) is inserted into this insertion hole 78. The base end of the water supply tube is inserted through the insertion section 14, the handheld operation section 12, and the universal cable 16, and is connected to a water supply connector (not shown) provided on the connector 18. A water supply device (not shown) having a switch is connected to the water supply connector. By driving the water supply device with the switch, liquid is supplied from the water supply device through the water supply tube to the water jet port 62. This allows liquid to be directly sprayed from the water jet port 62 toward the inspection area.

[0040] The insertion hole 80 of the tip body 48 is formed below the central axis AB and obliquely below the arrangement space 90. This insertion hole 80 is arranged opposite to a through hole (not shown) for the forceps port 64 formed in the cap 50. The tip of a forceps pipe (not shown) is inserted into this insertion hole 80. The base end of the forceps pipe is connected to the tip of a treatment tool insertion tube (not shown). The base end of the treatment tool insertion tube is inserted into the inside of the insertion section 14 and communicates with the forceps insertion section 40 via a branching section provided inside the proximal operation section 12. Therefore, when a treatment tool such as forceps or a high-frequency scalpel is inserted from the forceps insertion section 40, the treatment tool is led out of the forceps port 64 via the treatment tool insertion tube and the forceps pipe.

[0041] The branched portion is also connected via a suction channel to a suction valve (not shown) that is opened and closed by operating the suction button 32, and this suction valve is further connected via a tube (not shown) to a suction connector (not shown) provided in the connector 18. Therefore, by connecting a suction pump (not shown) to the suction connector and operating the suction button 32 to open the suction valve, residue or dirt can be sucked from the forceps port 64 via the forceps pipe, the treatment tool insertion tube, and the suction channel.

[0042] Next, a heat dissipation structure in the endoscope 10 of the embodiment will be described.

[0043] 3 and 4, the tip portion main body 48 has an extension portion 120. The extension portion 120 is provided extending from the base end surface 82 of the tip portion main body 48. Specifically, the extension portion 120 is provided extending from the outer periphery of the base end surface 82 toward the base end side of the insertion portion 14.

[0044] The imaging device 84 has an exposed portion 122 exposed from the base end surface 82 of the tip body 48 when the lens barrel 86 is inserted into the insertion hole 70. The extension portion 120 is disposed outward of the exposed portion 122 with respect to the central axis AB, and is disposed at a position facing the exposed portion 122 in a radial direction perpendicular to the central axis AB. The extension portion 120 is an example of the extension portion of the present invention.

[0045] Here, the exposed portion 122 is a portion of the imaging unit 92 that is disposed on the proximal side of the insertion portion 14 from the proximal end surface 82 of the tip portion main body 48 when the imaging unit 92 is disposed in the arrangement space 90. In this example, the portion of the substrate 98 constituting the imaging unit 92 that is disposed on the proximal side of the insertion portion 14 from the proximal end surface 82 is the exposed portion 122. In other words, a portion 98B extending from a substantially central portion 98A between the tip and the proximal end of the substrate 98 in the direction of the central axis AB to the proximal side (hereinafter referred to as the substrate proximal portion) is the exposed portion 122. The exposed portion 122 is an example of the exposed portion of the present invention. In the following description, the exposed portion 122 may also be referred to as the substrate proximal portion 98B.

[0046] Therefore, the extension portion 120 in this example is disposed opposite the exposed portion 122 (i.e., the substrate base end portion 98B) of the imaging device 84. Moreover, the extension portion 120 is disposed only at a position opposite the substrate base end portion 98B in the circumferential direction of the tip portion main body 48.

[0047] 3, a thermally conductive filler 124 is filled between the imaging device 84 and the extension portion 120. In this embodiment, a grease made by mixing a thermally conductive filler such as alumina powder with silicone grease is used as the filler 124. The filler 124 and the grease are examples of the filler and the grease mixed with a thermally conductive filler of the present invention.

[0048] The tip portion body 48 has a through hole 126 for filling with the filler 124. The through hole 126 is a hole that communicates the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion body 48 with the arrangement space 90. The filler 124 injected from the through hole 126 is filled in the gap between the tip portion body 48 and the substrate 98 (specifically, the gap between the inner wall 128 that forms the arrangement space 90 and the substrate 98 (excluding the substrate base end side portion 98B), and the gap between the extension portion 120 and the substrate base end side portion 98B).

[0049] As shown in Fig. 3, a tip ring 130 constituting the tip of the curved section 44 (see Fig. 1) is fitted onto the base end side of the tip body 48. A heat dissipation sheet 132 is arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the tip ring 130. The heat dissipation sheet 132 is arranged on a circumference that includes at least the outer periphery where the extension section 120 of the tip ring 130 is located.

[0050] Specifically, the heat dissipation sheet 132 is arranged (wound) in a range where the arrangement space 90 and the extension portion 120 are located in the direction of the central axis AB of the tip portion main body 48. In this example, since the substrate 98, which is a heat generation source, is arranged in the arrangement space 90 formed in the tip portion main body 48, the heat dissipation sheet 132 is arranged in the range where the arrangement space 90 and the extension portion 120 are located in order to effectively dissipate heat from the entire substrate 98, not just on the outer periphery where the extension portion 120 is located.

[0051] In this embodiment, a graphite sheet is used as the heat dissipation sheet 132. The graphite sheet is a thin graphite sheet that has both flexibility and heat dissipation properties, and has high thermal conductivity. The heat dissipation sheet 132 is an example of the heat dissipation sheet of the present invention.

[0052] Next, the effects of the endoscope 10 of the embodiment will be described.

[0053] According to the endoscope 10 of the embodiment, since it has a heat dissipation structure in which the extension portion 120 extending from the base end surface 82 of the tip portion main body 48 is disposed at a position facing the exposed portion 122 (substrate base end side portion 98B), it is possible for the extension portion 120 to effectively receive heat generated in the exposed portion 122 of the substrate 98. As a result, the heat generated in the exposed portion 122 is not trapped near the exposed portion 122 but is transmitted from the extension portion 120 to the entire tip portion main body 48 (including the extension portion 120) and diffused, and is dissipated from the entire tip portion main body 48. Therefore, the heat dissipation property of the tip portion main body 48 can be improved.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the endoscope 10, a thermally conductive filler 124 is filled between the imaging device 84 and the extension portion 120, so that heat generated in the entire substrate 98 (including the substrate base end portion 98B) can be effectively transmitted to the entire tip body 48.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the endoscope 10 of the embodiment, the heat dissipation sheet 132 is disposed on at least the outer periphery of the tip ring 130 where the extension portion 120 is located, so that the heat of the exposed portion 122 received by the extension portion 120 can be diffused by the heat dissipation sheet 132. The heat diffused by the heat dissipation sheet 132 passes through the structure of the endoscope 10, and is further diffused and released from the bending portion 44 to the flexible portion 42, etc. This allows the heat of the exposed portion 122 to be dissipated more effectively.

[0056] Moreover, the heat dissipation sheet 132 is preferably disposed in a range where the arrangement space 90 and the extension portion 120 are located in the direction of the central axis AB of the tip portion main body 48. The heat of the substrate 98 diffused by the tip portion main body 48 (including the extension portion 120) is diffused by the heat dissipation sheet 132 and released via the above-mentioned route (the structure of the endoscope, the curved portion 44, and the flexible portion 42). This allows the heat of the entire substrate 98 to be effectively dissipated.

[0057] Therefore, according to the endoscope 10 of the embodiment, the heat generated in the substrate 98 can be effectively dissipated to the outside of the endoscope 10, so that even a high-performance imaging device that generates a high heat temperature can be mounted.

[0058] Modified examples of the endoscope of the present invention will now be described.

[0059] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tip hard portion 150 in the modified example taken along the longitudinal axis A. In describing the tip hard portion 150 shown in Fig. 5, the same or similar members as the tip hard portion 46 of the above embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals.

[0060] The difference between the modified example shown in FIG. 5 and the above embodiment is that, in the above embodiment, the tip body 48 of the tip hard portion 46 has an arrangement space 90 for arranging the imaging unit 92, whereas in the modified example shown in FIG. 5, the tip body 152 of the tip hard portion 150 does not have a space for arranging the imaging unit 92.

[0061] 5, the tip portion main body 152 of the modified example is configured to be shorter in length in the direction of the central axis AB than the tip portion main body 48 shown in Fig. 3 by the amount that does not have a space for arranging the imaging unit 92. An extension portion 156 extends from a base end surface 154 of the tip portion main body 152. The extension portion 156 is configured to be longer in length in the direction of the central axis AB than the extension portion 120 (see Fig. 3) in the above embodiment by the amount that does not have a space for arranging the imaging unit 92.

[0062] The imaging device 84 has an exposed portion 158 exposed from the base end surface 154 of the tip portion main body 152 when the lens barrel 86 is inserted into the insertion hole 70. The extension portion 156 is disposed at a position facing the exposed portion 158. In the tip portion main body 152 of the modified example, the exposed portion 158 corresponds to the imaging unit 92 exposed from the base end surface 154 of the tip portion main body 152.

[0063] Furthermore, the tip body 152 has a filler 124 filled between the base plate 98 and the extension 156 .

[0064] Further, the heat dissipation sheet 132 is arranged on a circumference including the outer periphery where at least the extension portion 156 of the tip ring 130 is located. Specifically, the heat dissipation sheet 132 is arranged in the range where the extension portion 156 is located in the direction of the central axis AB of the tip portion main body 48.

[0065] In the modified example configured in this manner, as in the above embodiment, heat generated in the substrate 98 can be effectively dissipated to the outside of the endoscope 10 by using the filler 124, the extension portion 156, and the heat dissipation sheet 132.

[0066] In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the extension portion 120 is disposed only at a position facing the exposed portion 122 in the circumferential direction of the tip portion main body 48, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the extension portion 120 only needs to be disposed at a position facing at least the exposed portion 122. For example, when the base end surface 82 of the tip portion main body 48 is viewed from the base end side, the length of the extension portion 120 in the circumferential direction of the tip portion main body 48 may be configured to be longer than the length of the exposed portion 122.

[0067] In addition, in the embodiment, an example in which the filler 124 is used has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the substrate 98 and the tip portion body 48 (the inner wall 128 of the arrangement space 90 and the extension portion 120) may be arranged in contact with or in close proximity to each other without using the filler 124. This makes it possible to transfer heat generated in the substrate 98 to the tip portion body 48. However, from the viewpoint of effectively transferring heat generated in the substrate 98 to the tip portion body 48, it is preferable to use the filler 124.

[0068] Although the endoscope according to the embodiment has been described above, the present invention may be improved or modified in several ways without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 10 Endoscopy 12 Handheld operation unit 14 Insertion section 16 Universal Cable 18 Connectors 20 Light source device 22 Lighting window 24 Lighting window 28 Processor Unit 30 Air / water supply button 32 Suction button 34 Shutter button 36 Angle knob 38 Angle knob 40 Forceps insertion part 42 Soft part 44 Curved section 46 Hard tip 47 Tip surface 48 Tip body 50 Cap 52 Tip surface 54 Tip surface 56 Observation window 58 Through hole 60 Air and water supply nozzle 62 Water jet nozzle 64 Forceps port 70 Insertion hole 72 Insertion hole 74 Insertion hole 76 Insertion hole 78 Insertion hole 80 Insertion hole 82 Proximal surface 84 Imaging Device 86 Telescope tube 88 Optical components 90 Placement space 92 Imaging unit 94 Prism 96 Image sensor 98 Substrate 98A Approximately central part 98B Board base end part 100 Flexible Cable 102 Signal line 104 Monitor 120 Extension section 122 Exposed part 124 Filler 126 Through hole 130 Tip Ring 132 Heat dissipation sheet 150 Hard tip 152 Tip body 154 Proximal surface 156 Extension section 158 Exposed part

Claims

1. an imaging device having a lens barrel and an imaging unit; a tip body having an insertion hole into which at least the lens barrel is inserted; An extension portion extending from a base end of the tip portion main body; Equipped with the imaging device has an exposed portion that is exposed from a base end of the tip portion main body when the lens barrel is inserted into the insertion hole, the extension portion is disposed at a position facing at least the exposed portion of the imaging device; Endoscope.

2. A thermally conductive filler is filled between the imaging device and the extension portion. The endoscope according to claim 1 .

3. The filler is a thermally conductive filler-containing grease obtained by mixing a thermally conductive filler into a grease. The endoscope according to claim 2.

4. the imaging unit includes an imaging element and a substrate; The extension portion faces the substrate. The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A distal end ring is fitted onto the proximal end side of the distal end body and forms a distal end of a curved portion, A heat dissipation sheet having thermal conductivity is disposed on at least the circumference of the tip ring including the outer periphery where the extension portion is located. The endoscope according to claim 4.

6. The heat dissipation sheet is disposed in a range in which the extension portion is located in the axial direction of the tip portion main body. The endoscope according to claim 5.

7. The tip body has an arrangement space connected to the insertion hole and in which the imaging unit is arranged. The endoscope according to claim 5.

8. The heat dissipation sheet is disposed in a range in which the arrangement space and the extension portion are located in the axial direction of the tip portion body. The endoscope according to claim 7.

9. The extension portion is disposed only at a position facing the exposed portion of the imaging device in a circumferential direction of the tip portion main body. The endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images