Electronic endoscope devices for a living body to be inserted into a body cavity for internal observation have been developed. In general, such electronic endoscope device is provided with a lens, a solid-state image pickup element (CCD) and the like at a distal end of its insertion portion. An observed image is formed by the solid-state image pickup element through the lens and photoelectrically converted. An electric signal indicating the photoelectrically converted observed image is processed as appropriate by a processor and outputted to a monitor TV, which displays the observed image.
Size reduction is sought after for from various reasons image pickup devices in which a lens and a solid-state image pickup element are provided at a distal end of an electronic endoscope.
Regarding a structure to reduce the size of an image pickup device mounted at the distal end of an endoscope, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-115436 discloses size reduction of the image pickup device by mounting parts on a flexible board connected to the solid-state image pickup element and by bending the flexible board in a cylindrical shape so as to enlarge a mounting area.