Image pickup apparatus for endoscope having reduced diameter

Patent 6040612 Issued on March 21, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date:

January 27, 2018. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Semiconductor device having a multiple-terminal integrated circuit formed on a circuit substrate Patent #: 5909054
Issued on: 06/01/1999
Inventor: Kozono

Inventors

Assignee

Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.

Application

No. 013934 filed on 01/27/1998

US Classes:

257/432, With optical element257/433, With housing or encapsulation257/696, Bent (e.g., J-shaped) lead257/698, With specific electrical feedthrough structure257/774, Via (interconnection hole) shape257/E31.111, Input/output circuit of device (EPO)257/E31.118For device having potential or surface barrier (EPO)

Examiners

Primary: Tran, Minh Loan

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Snider & Associates, Snider; Ronald R.

International Class

H01L 031/023.2

Foreign Application Priority Data

1997-02-07 JP

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus or method of the present invention decreases the diameter of an image pickup device assembly by decreasing the thickness of the assembly. A conductor lead (inner lead of TAB product) is formed on a terminal of a CCD so as to protrude from the outer periphery of the main frame of an image pickup device body in accordance with the TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) method capable of realizing mass production, a cover glass is set so that an air gap is formed between the CCD and its image pickup plane side, and thereby an image pickup device body is formed. Moreover, the image pickup device body is set to an aperture of a circuit board to connect the conductor lead to a terminal at the circuit board side. Thereby, it is unnecessary to use a conventional box-type package for storing the CCD.