# US 10,368,727 B2 · Endoscope and manufacturing method of endoscope > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,368,727 B2 - Document ID: US10368727B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/677,853 - Filed: 2017-08-15 - Published: 2017-12-28 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-27 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Akinori Osada; Takafumi Sanada; Yasuyuki Hanada; Naoyuki Haraguchi; Takahisa Suzuki; Tooru Tanaka; Hiroshi Nagayasu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368727B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/05: characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion - A61B 1/00096: {Optical elements} - A61B 1/0011: {Manufacturing of endoscope parts} - G02B 7/025: {using glue} - G02B 23/2423: {of the distal end} - G02B 23/2476: {Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An endoscope which promotes downsizing and cost reduction, and a manufacturing method of an endoscope are provided. For this reason, in an endoscope, a lens unit containing a lens in a lens tube, an image capturing element of which an image capturing surface is covered with element cover glass, and an adhesive resin fixing the lens unit of which an optical axis of the lens is coincident with the center of the image capturing surface to the element cover glass with a separation portion are disposed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An endoscope, comprising: a lens unit including a lens tube, the lens tube including an optical axis; an image capturing element including an image capturing surface which is covered with an element cover glass, the optical axis of the lens tube being coincident with a center of the image capturing surface; an adhesive resin contacting an image capturing element side of a lens in the lens unit and the element cover glass and the adhesive resin contacting an image capturing element side of the lens tube and the element cover glass, the adhesive resin being a light transmitting material; a mold resin covering the adhesive resin and the element cover glass, the mold resin being a light blocking material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The endoscope of claim 1, further comprising: a separation portion between the lens unit and the element cover glass. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The endoscope of claim 2, wherein the separation portion is filled with the adhesive resin. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The endoscope of claim 2, wherein an air layer is disposed in the separation portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The endoscope of claim 2, wherein the lens unit is adhered and fixed to the image capturing element with a distance of a predetermined range in an optical axis direction in the separation portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The endoscope of claim 1, wherein the image capturing element side of the lens includes a concave surface or a convex surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The endoscope of claim 6, wherein a refractive index of the lens and a refractive index of the adhesive resin have a refractive index difference greater than or equal to a predetermined value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The endoscope of claim 1, wherein an outermost surface of the lens on the image capturing element side of the lens is magnesium fluoride. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The endoscope of claim 1, wherein an outermost surface of the lens on the image capturing element side of the lens is any one of a metal oxide, metal, silicon oxide, silicon carbide and silicon. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The endoscope of claim 1, wherein an outermost surface of the lens on the image capturing element side of the lens is a silane coupling agent. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The endoscope of claim 1 further comprising wherein the adhesive resin is on an outer circumferential portion of the lens unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The endoscope of claim 11, wherein the outer circumferential portion of the lens unit is adjacent the image capturing element side of the lens tube. ### Claim 13 An endoscope, comprising: a lens unit including a lens tube, the lens tube including an optical axis; an image capturing element including an image capturing surface which is covered with an element cover glass, the optical axis of the lens tube being coincident with a center of the image capturing surface; an adhesive resin contacting an image capturing element side of a lens in the lens unit and the element cover glass and the adhesive resin contacting an image capturing element side of the lens tube and the element cover glass, the adhesive resin being a light transmitting material; a mold resin covering the adhesive resin and the image capturing element, the mold resin being a light blocking material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The endoscope of claim 13, further comprising: a separation portion between the lens unit and the element cover glass. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The endoscope of claim 14, wherein the separation portion is filled with the adhesive resin. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The endoscope of claim 14, wherein an air layer is disposed in the separation portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The endoscope of claim 13, wherein the image capturing element side of the lens includes a concave surface or a convex surface. ### Claim 18 An endoscope, comprising: a lens unit including a lens tube, the lens tube including an optical axis; an image capturing element including an image capturing surface which is covered with an element cover glass, the optical axis of the lens tube being coincident with a center of the image capturing surface; an adhesive resin contacting an image capturing element side of a lens in the lens unit and the element cover glass and the adhesive resin contacting an image capturing element side of the lens tube and the element cover glass, the adhesive resin being a light transmitting material; a mold resin covering the image capturing element and at least a part of the lens unit, the mold resin being a light blocking material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The endoscope of claim 18, further comprising: a separation portion between the lens unit and the element cover glass. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The endoscope of claim 19, wherein the separation portion is filled with the adhesive resin. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The endoscope of claim 19, wherein an air layer is disposed in the separation portion. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The endoscope of claim 18, wherein the image capturing element side of the lens includes a concave surface or a convex surface.