Asymmetric Component Placement for Resin Injection in Endoscope Image Pickup Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image pickup units for endoscopes face challenges in efficiently filling the spaces between small electronic components with resin, leading to potential voids, reliability issues, and increased manufacturing time.

Innovation Solution

The image pickup unit design includes a circuit board with a depression that accommodates electronic components, where the first electronic component is positioned closer to one side surface with a greater distance to the wall surface than other components, allowing for efficient resin injection and distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If electronic components are densely arranged in the depression to save space, then the volume of the image pickup unit is reduced, but the resin filling becomes difficult and voids may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolume of image pickup unitVSAvoidresin filling quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a localized resin injection path through asymmetric component arrangement. The first electronic component is positioned to provide a specific distance from the first wall surface, creating a controlled local space for resin injection. This localized approach ensures reliable resin filling in the critical injection path area while allowing dense packing elsewhere in the depression, thus resolving the contradiction between compact volume and reliable resin filling quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the depression is made larger to accommodate more resin, then the resin filling reliability is improved, but the area occupied on the circuit board increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresin filling reliabilityVSAvoidarea occupied on circuit board

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the first electronic component at a specific distance from the first wall surface before resin injection. This preliminary arrangement creates an optimized injection path that maximizes resin filling efficiency within the available depression area. The component placement is designed in advance to ensure adequate resin flow paths without requiring an excessively large depression, thus resolving the contradiction between resin filling reliability and area occupation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the first electronic component is positioned closer to the first wall surface to maximize space utilization, then the productivity is improved, but the resin injection becomes difficult and voids may form

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidresin injection quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally creating an asymmetric distance relationship between the first electronic component and the wall surfaces. The first distance from the first electronic component to the first wall surface is specifically designed to be greater than the second distance to the second wall surface. This asymmetric arrangement optimizes the resin injection path from the first wall surface side, ensuring adequate space for resin flow and void-free filling, while still maintaining high space utilization and manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design ensures reliable filling of resin between the electronic components, reducing the risk of voids and enhancing the overall reliability and manufacturing efficiency of the image pickup unit.

Implementation Method 1

injecting resin between the first electronic component and the first wall surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResin injection:

Implementation Method 2

curing the resin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCuring:

Data Source

PatentUS20250164776A1Image pickup unit, endoscope, and method for manufacturing image pickup unit

Publication Date: 2025.05.22 OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYST CORP

AI summary

An image pickup unit includes a circuit board including a first surface, a first side surface and a second side surface both intersecting the first surface, a depression including a first wall surface and a second wall surface, the depression dividing the first surface into a plurality of surfaces, a plurality of electronic components accommodated in the depression, and a first resin disposed in the depression, wherein the plurality of electronic components comprises a first electronic component disposed closest to the first side surface, a first distance between the first electronic component and the first wall surface, and the first distance is greater than a second distance between each of the plurality of electronic components other than the first electronic component and whichever wall surface is closer between the respective first wall surface and the second wall surface.