Reduced area imaging device incorporated within endoscopic devices

An endoscopic device including an image sensor for producing images of a surgical site, said device comprising:

• a tubular portion including a distal end, a proximal end, and a central passageway extending through said tubular portion;
• an image sensor positioned in said tubular portion for receiving images of a surgical site, said image sensor producing an image signal, and said image sensor being a CMOS image sensor;
• a connector assembly for interconnecting electrical leads of the image sensor to electrical wires of an image/power cable that transmits image signals from the image sensor through the cable to a video device, said connector assembly having a body;
• a plurality of electrical traces extending though the gaps of said connector assembly for electrically interconnecting the image sensor to the electrical wires of the image/power cable;
• a strain relief cap connected to said connector assembly, said strain relief cap covering at least of portion of said electrical traces extending through said connector assembly;
• a plurality of steering wires extending through said tubular portion for steering a distal end of the endoscopic device to position the image sensor, said steering wires having distal ends connected to said strain relief cap and proximal ends extending through said tubular portion;
• and
• a steering assembly attached at a proximal end of said tubular portion for receiving said steering wires and said cable, said steering assembly providing a steering capability to said endoscope through manipulation of said steering wires;
• said connector assembly body having a plurality of transverse extensions and at least one orthogonal center member connecting the lateral extensions, a plurality of gaps formed between each of said lateral extensions, said connector assembly having a proximal end thereof with a smaller width dimension;
• and
• said strain relief cap includes a pair of channels secured over opposite lateral sides of said proximal end of said connector assembly, and said steering wires being anchored to a facing surface of said strain relief cap.