Hermetically sealed endoscope

An endoscopic camera instrument comprising:

• an interface base at a proximal end of the endoscopic camera instrument, the interface base configured to mount and dismount the endoscopic camera instrument with a robotic arm, the interface base including a first electrical connector to couple to a second electrical connector of the robotic arm;
• a hollow shaft having a first end coupled to the interface base and a second end opposite the first end;
• a joint having a first end coupled to the second end of the hollow shaft;
• and
• a hermetically sealed camera module coupled to a second end of the joint opposite the first end of the joint, the hermetically sealed camera module including an image sensor having a first active pixel array to capture electromagnetic radiation as one or more images;
• and
• an electro-optical transducer electrically coupled to the image sensor, the electro-optical transducer to convert an electrical form of the one or more images into an optical form of the one or more images for transmission along the hollow shaft to the proximal end of the endoscopic camera instrument.

A minimally invasive surgical camera module comprising:

• a first hollow cylindrical housing having a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening;
• a base hermetically sealed to the first hollow cylindrical housing to close the first opening of the first hollow cylindrical housing;
• a digital image sensor supported by the base and hermetically sealed within the first hollow cylindrical housing;
• a first window hermetically sealed to the first hollow housing to close the second opening, wherein the first window is transparent to wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation captured by the digital image sensor;
• a signal conditioning processor electrically coupled to and physically separated from the digital image sensor, the signal conditioning processor mounted to the base outside the first hollow cylindrical housing;
• a second hollow cylindrical housing coaxial around the first hollow housing, the second hollow cylindrical housing configured to couple to a joint of a robotic surgical instrument;
• and
• a plurality of optical fibers between the first hollow housing and the second hollow housing, the plurality of optical fibers terminating at a distal end of the second hollow housing to direct electromagnetic radiation into a surgical site.

An endoscope comprising:

• a housing;
• an image sensor sensitive to a set of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation;
• an inner protective window over the image sensor to protect the image sensor, wherein the inner protective window is transparent to the set of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation;
• and
• a first optical component positioned at least partially within the housing attached to and resting on the inner protective window, the first optical component including a first lens and a tube with the first lens positioned within the tube;
• wherein the inner protective window is positioned between the image sensor and the first optical component.