Jet suction saliva mouth mirror

By designing an air jet suction structure in the oral endoscope to generate an inclined air curtain and combining it with adaptive control, the problems of unclear vision and airflow irritation caused by fog and saliva contamination in traditional oral endoscopes are solved, achieving efficient cleaning and improved patient comfort.

CN121370038BActive Publication Date: 2026-05-12中国人民解放军总医院第八医学中心
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
中国人民解放军总医院第八医学中心
Filing Date
2025-11-06
Publication Date
2026-05-12

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Traditional oral endoscopes cause fogging or contamination of the lens surface during treatment due to the high humidity environment generated by saliva, exhalation, and tooth drilling, affecting clear vision. At the same time, the airflow of the jet structure can easily irritate the throat and trigger a reflexive reaction.

Method used

A jet-assisted saliva suction oral endoscope was designed. It uses a jet mechanism on the inner wall of the lens mount to generate an inclined air curtain. Combined with multiple suction holes and saliva suction holes, it achieves adaptive control through a flexible one-way valve to ensure the stability of the air curtain and efficient removal of mist and saliva, reducing the escape of airflow into the deep oral cavity.

Benefits of technology

It significantly improves the efficiency of endoscopic aspiration, reduces patient discomfort, ensures the clarity of the surgical field and patient comfort, and enhances the continuity and efficiency of diagnostic and treatment procedures.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and discloses a jet suction saliva oral mirror, which comprises a mirror seat, a handle, a jet mechanism, an air suction hole and a saliva suction hole. A negative pressure cavity is arranged in the mirror seat, and a mirror is arranged on the upper part of the mirror seat. The handle is detachably connected with the mirror seat, and a blowing pipeline and a negative pressure pipeline are arranged in the handle. The jet mechanism is arranged on the side of the mirror seat close to the handle, and comprises a semi-annular cavity, an output gap, a partition plate and a micro convex array, so as to generate a composite inclined air curtain covering the surface of the mirror, with an inclination angle of -15° to 0°. The air suction holes are arranged on the side opposite to the jet mechanism and are directly communicated with the negative pressure cavity. The saliva suction hole is arranged on the circumferential side surface of the mirror seat, and a flexible one-way valve is arranged in the saliva suction hole. The fluid resistance of the saliva suction channel is much greater than that of the air suction channel. The present application forms an air curtain on the surface of the mirror and efficiently recycles the air curtain, so as to effectively prevent the mirror from fogging and being polluted, reduce the stimulation caused by air outflow, and significantly improve the visual field clarity, operation efficiency and patient comfort.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a jet-assisted saliva suction oral endoscope. Background Technology

[0002] During oral examinations and treatments, medical professionals often need to use a dental endoscope to observe the internal condition of the patient's oral cavity, thereby assisting in diagnosis and procedures. As a basic diagnostic instrument, the dental endoscope is widely used in the clinical examination of various oral diseases. Traditional dental endoscopes typically consist of a handle and a tilted lens at one end. However, during treatment, saliva produced in the patient's mouth, the high humidity created by exhalation, and debris and water vapor generated during tooth drilling can all easily cause fogging or contamination of the lens surface, hindering the doctor's clear view.

[0003] To address this issue, oral endoscopes with air jet and saliva suction functions have emerged on the market. These instruments have an air jet nozzle at the end of the handle that faces the lens, which can remove fog and adhering droplets and debris from the lens surface by air jet; at the same time, there is also a saliva suction port at the end, which is connected to the water and electrical system of the external dental chair via an internal connecting tube, and removes saliva by negative pressure.

[0004] However, although the suction mouth can draw in some airflow, a significant amount of air still enters the deep part of the oral cavity, irritating the throat and soft palate area and easily triggering reflexive reactions such as coughing or nausea in patients. In addition, some of the mirror droplets may remain after being dispersed by the airflow, affecting the clarity of the mirror reflection image.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a jet-assisted saliva suction oral endoscope to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and provides an air-jet suction oral endoscope.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an air-jet saliva suction oral endoscope, comprising:

[0008] The lens holder has a lens mounted on top and a negative pressure chamber inside.

[0009] The handle is detachably connected to the lens mount;

[0010] An air jet mechanism is disposed on the inner wall of the lens mount near the handle, for generating an inclined air curtain covering the lens surface;

[0011] Multiple air intake ports are disposed on the opposite side of the jet mechanism, and the air intake ports are directly connected to the negative pressure chamber; and

[0012] Multiple saliva suction holes are provided on the circumferential side of the lens holder. The saliva suction holes are connected to the negative pressure chamber, and a flexible one-way valve is provided in the holes.

[0013] The fluid resistance of the saliva-suction channel formed by the plurality of saliva-suction holes is greater than the fluid resistance of the air-suction channel formed by the plurality of air-suction holes.

[0014] The handle has an air blowing pipe and a negative pressure pipe inside, which are respectively connected to the air jet mechanism and the negative pressure chamber.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the jetting mechanism includes:

[0016] A semi-annular cavity is connected to the air blowing pipe;

[0017] An output slit is formed on the side of the semi-annular cavity facing the lens;

[0018] A partition, disposed inside the semi-annular cavity, divides it into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; and

[0019] A micro-protrusion array, disposed on the lower surface of the partition, is composed of multiple regularly arranged micro-protrusions;

[0020] The baffle and the micro-convex array are configured to separate the airflow into an upper horizontal airflow and a lower inclined airflow, wherein the injection angle of the lower inclined airflow is -15° to 0°.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the micro protrusion is shaped as one or more combinations of a cylinder, a truncated cone, or a wedge-shaped prism.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the saliva suction hole has an arc-shaped structure, with both its outer and inner openings inclined downwards, and the highest point of the hole is higher than the openings at both ends.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flexible one-way valve is an umbrella-shaped valve structure made of medical silicone. In the initial state, it is closed and sealed by negative pressure adsorption, and its opening pressure threshold is configured to be -80 to -110 kPa.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the saliva suction hole is blocked by liquid or the air suction hole is blocked, causing the system flow rate to decrease, the negative pressure value in the negative pressure chamber rises, and when the opening pressure threshold is reached, the flexible one-way valve opens.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the output slit of the jet mechanism is semi-circular, and the air intake holes are distributed in a corresponding semi-circular pattern, together forming an enveloping flow field structure with jetting on one side and air intake on the other side on the outer periphery of the lens.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the total effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the air intake holes is greater than the total effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the saliva intake holes.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the height of the output gap is consistent with the height inside the semi-annular cavity.

[0028] A method for using an air-jet suction oral endoscope includes the following steps:

[0029] Gas is supplied to the jet mechanism through the air blowing pipe to form an air curtain barrier on the lens surface;

[0030] The negative pressure pipe and the air intake hole draw in the air curtain gas, so that the airflow forms a circulation loop around the lens;

[0031] When the saliva suction orifice is blocked or the air flow rate of the suction orifice decreases, the negative pressure of the system is increased, causing the flexible one-way valve to open and perform the saliva suction operation.

[0032] Once suctioning is complete and the inhalation flow rate recovers, the flexible one-way valve automatically closes, and the system resumes the air curtain circulation mode.

[0033] This invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art and has the following beneficial effects:

[0034] (1) The present invention provides an air jet suction oral endoscope, which generates an inclined air curtain covering the surface of the lens by an air jet mechanism set on the inner wall of the lens seat. The air curtain is composed of an upper horizontal airflow and a lower inclined airflow of -15° to 0°. It can maintain the overall stability and length of the air curtain, and can continuously shear and remove the adhering objects on the lens surface by flowing closely to the lens surface. Compared with the single-direction air jet structure in the prior art, it significantly improves the removal efficiency of mist, saliva and debris, and the lens surface remains clear. At the same time, because the airflow flows close to the lens surface and is efficiently recovered, the escape of air jet into the deep oral cavity is greatly reduced, avoiding the problem of gas irritating the patient's throat and causing nausea reflex in the traditional design. Thus, while ensuring the surgical field of vision, it improves the patient's comfort and tolerance.

[0035] (2) By matching the semi-circular output slit of the jet mechanism with the semi-circular suction holes distributed on the opposite side, the present invention forms a semi-enclosed flow field structure with jetting on one side and suction on the other side on the outer periphery of the lens. The jetting airflow can be efficiently captured by the opposite suction holes and drawn into the negative pressure chamber, establishing a nearly closed airflow circulation loop. This structure overcomes the technical defects of disordered airflow direction and low recovery efficiency in existing oral endoscopes, so that most of the gas and entrained pollutants can be circulated and suctioned near the lens surface, effectively preventing the airflow and droplets from spreading to the pharynx, which not only improves the cleaning efficiency, but also reduces the patient's discomfort and the risk of gagging.

[0036] (3) By designing the fluid resistance of the saliva suction channel to be much greater than that of the air suction channel, and by using a flexible one-way valve with a specific opening pressure threshold set in the saliva suction hole, the present invention achieves adaptive control of the system to prioritize the air curtain circulation under normal conditions and automatically start saliva suction only when needed. Compared with the problem in the prior art where the air path and saliva path compete for negative pressure resources, resulting in poor efficiency of both, this design achieves functional priority differentiation through physical structural differences rather than external control. It not only ensures the continuous and stable operation of the anti-fog function, but also responds quickly and suctions efficiently when saliva accumulates. After suctioning, it can automatically reset without manual intervention, which significantly improves the continuity and efficiency of diagnosis and treatment operations. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a perspective structural diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow path in the saliva suction mode of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow path in the air curtain priority mode of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] In the diagram: 1. Lens holder; 2. Lens; 3. Negative pressure chamber; 4. Air jet mechanism; 41. Semi-annular chamber; 42. Partition; 5. Inhalation port; 6. Saliva suction port; 61. Flexible one-way valve; 7. Handle; 71. Air blowing pipe; 72. Negative pressure pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0044] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0045] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0046] This invention provides an air-jet suction oral endoscope. An air jet mechanism 4, mounted on the inner wall of the lens mount 1, generates an inclined air curtain covering the surface of the lens 2. This air curtain is composed of an upper horizontal airflow and a lower inclined airflow ranging from -15° to 0°. This combination maintains the overall stability and length of the air curtain while continuously shearing and removing debris adhering to the lens surface through a flow pattern closely following the lens. Compared to the single-direction air jet structure in existing technologies, this significantly improves the efficiency of removing mist, saliva, and debris, ensuring a consistently clear lens surface. Furthermore, because the airflow adheres to the lens surface and is efficiently recovered, it greatly reduces the escape of air jets into the deeper parts of the oral cavity, avoiding the problem of gas irritating the patient's throat and triggering a nausea reflex, as seen in traditional designs. This improves patient comfort and tolerance while ensuring a clear surgical field of vision.

[0047] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the air-jet suction oral endoscope of the present invention is shown. The endoscope includes: a lens holder 1, a lens 2, a negative pressure chamber 3, an air jet mechanism 4, an air suction port 5, a saliva suction port 6, and a handle 7. The lens holder 1 and the handle 7 are detachably connected. The handle 7 is a straight rod with two channels inside: an air blowing pipe 71 for delivering high-pressure gas and a negative pressure pipe 72 for establishing a negative pressure environment. The lens holder 1 is the core component of the entire device. A groove is formed in the upper surface of the lens holder 1, and the lens 2 is fixed to the top of the groove, thus forming a closed negative pressure chamber 3 inside the lens holder 1. This negative pressure chamber 3 is directly connected to the negative pressure pipe 72 inside the handle 7.

[0048] It should be noted that when using this oral endoscope, the end held by the operator is the proximal end, and the other end is the distal end.

[0049] In this embodiment, the jet mechanism 4 is disposed on the inner wall of the lens holder 1 near the handle 7 and is directly connected to the air blowing pipe 71 inside the handle 7. It is used to generate an air curtain that covers the surface of the lens 2 at a specific tilt angle. The jet mechanism 4 includes: a semi-annular cavity 41 directly connected to the air blowing pipe 71 inside the handle 7; an output slit opened in the semi-annular cavity 41 facing the lens 2; an internal partition 42 disposed in the middle of the semi-annular cavity 41; and a micro-protrusion array disposed on the lower surface of the partition 42. The partition 42 divides the internal space of the semi-annular cavity 41 into an upper space and a lower space, dividing the airflow arriving here into an upper airflow and a lower airflow. The upper airflow is horizontal, close to 0°, while the lower airflow, after passing through the micro-protrusion array, becomes downward tilted from -15° to 0°.

[0050] The micro-protrusion array consists of a series of regularly arranged micro-protrusions, with a height of 0.1–0.5 mm and a spacing of 0.2–0.8 mm, made of medical-grade flexible silicone material. It is used to guide and agitate the passing lower airflow. After the baffle 42 separates the airflow, the upper airflow flows smoothly along the channel above the baffle 42, eventually being ejected from the output slit at a near-0° horizontal angle. This portion of the airflow has a high velocity and forms a stable main air curtain covering the surface of the lens 2. Its main function is to isolate external humid air and maintain the shape and length of the air curtain. The lower airflow, as it flows through the micro-protrusion array on the lower surface of the baffle 42, collides with the micro-protrusions, changing its flow direction and momentum from horizontal to downward-sloping ejection at multiple angles ranging from -15° to 0°. This portion of the airflow flows closely to the surface of the lens 2, and its vertical component generates effective shear force on surface deposits (such as fog, droplets, and debris), thus providing continuous microscopic cleaning. Ultimately, the upper and lower airflows converge in front of the output gap, forming a stable and uniform composite air curtain barrier with an inherent velocity gradient.

[0051] Furthermore, the micro-protrusion array consists of multiple regularly arranged micro-protrusions. The micro-protrusions are shaped as one or more combinations of cylinders, truncated cones, or wedge-shaped prisms. Preferably, the micro-protrusions are cylinders with a diameter of 0.1–0.3 mm, a height of 0.1–0.5 mm, and a spacing of 0.2–0.8 mm between adjacent protrusions. This micro-protrusion array is configured to cause collisions, flow around, and boundary layer separation of the lower-level airflow flowing over its surface, thereby transforming the originally horizontal laminar flow into a turbulent state with multiple angles coexisting in a downward-sloping range of -15° to 0°.

[0052] The jet mechanism 4 of this invention has a semi-annular cavity 41 for receiving high-pressure gas from a gas source. The high-pressure gas, filtered medical compressed air or nitrogen, delivered from the air blowing channel is first transported through the air blowing pipe 71 inside the handle 7 to the semi-annular cavity 41 inside the lens holder 1. Subsequently, this gas passes through a partition 42 and is ejected from the output slit, forming an air curtain barrier on the surface of the lens 2. The horizontal upper airflow maintains the overall length and stability of the air curtain, effectively isolating external environmental interference; while the inclined lower airflow flows close to the lens surface, providing continuous shear force to efficiently remove fog and contaminants. This jet mechanism 4 design ensures that the air curtain efficiently removes contaminants from the lens surface and maintains clear vision, while minimizing the escape of disordered airflow into the deep oral cavity, fundamentally reducing the risk of irritating the patient's throat and triggering a nausea reflex.

[0053] In this embodiment, multiple air intake holes 5 are arranged in a circumferential array at the far end of the lens 2, with their openings facing the flow direction of the air curtain ejected from the jet mechanism 4, and the air intake holes 5 are directly connected to the negative pressure chamber 3. The air intake holes 5 and the semi-annular gap of the jet mechanism 4 form a mutually opposing and precisely matched surrounding structure on the surface of the lens 2, together constructing a closed airflow circulation area.

[0054] To ensure that all gas ejected by the jet mechanism 4, as well as any small amounts of mist or micro-droplets that may be trapped during air curtain formation, is efficiently and promptly removed, the total suction flow rate of the inhalation port 5 is designed to be slightly greater than the jet flow rate of the jet mechanism 4. Specifically, the total suction flow rate is 5% to 15% greater than the jet flow rate to create a slight negative pressure gradient and ensure efficient airflow capture. This flow matching mechanism establishes a complete, closed, and efficient airflow circulation between the "jet semi-ring" formed by the jet mechanism 4 and the "inhalation semi-ring" formed by the inhalation port 5. This circulation mechanism minimizes the escape of disordered airflow into the deeper parts of the oral cavity, fundamentally reducing the risk of irritating the patient's throat and triggering a gag reflex.

[0055] Furthermore, the jet generated by the jet mechanism 4 and the negative pressure generated by the air intake 5 work together to form a highly directional local flow field on the surface of the lens 2, which can accurately guide and firmly lock the airflow direction, greatly improving the recovery efficiency of the air curtain airflow and the overall sealing of the system.

[0056] Furthermore, the air intake holes 5 are circular or elliptical, numbering 10 to 15, and are evenly distributed on the arc-shaped edge at the distal end of the lens 2.

[0057] In this embodiment, the suction port 6 is located on the circumferential side of the lens holder 1, and is directly connected to the negative pressure chamber 3. A mechanical flexible one-way valve 61 is installed in the port. The flexible one-way valve 61 is an umbrella valve structure made of medical-grade silicone. Its opening pressure threshold is set collaboratively by the Shore hardness of the valve plate material (40A~60A), the thickness of the valve plate sealing lip (0.3mm~0.5mm), and the installation pre-compression amount, and is between 80kPa and 110kPa. This design ensures that the valve remains absolutely sealed under normal air curtain recovery negative pressure (-50kPa to -70kPa), and the valve can only open to conduct the suction channel when the system negative pressure increases significantly due to flow rate changes and exceeds this threshold.

[0058] Importantly, the fluid resistance of the saliva channel, which is composed of multiple saliva holes 6, is much greater than the fluid resistance of the air intake channel, which is composed of multiple air intake holes 5.

[0059] It should be noted that the suction port 5 opens directly into the negative pressure chamber 3, and its fluid path is designed to be short and straight, minimizing the tortuosity and friction loss of the airflow within the suction port 5. More importantly, the total effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the suction port 5 is much larger than that of the suction port 6; specifically, the total cross-sectional area of ​​the suction channel is 2-5 times that of the suction channel. These design features collectively ensure extremely low fluid resistance in the suction channel, thereby prioritizing the efficient execution of the air curtain recovery function under normal system operation.

[0060] Furthermore, the saliva suction orifice 6 has an overall arc shape, rather than a straight path. Both its outer opening (the suction port facing the inside of the oral cavity) and inner opening (located inside the negative pressure chamber 3) are set at a downward angle to facilitate the siphoning and expulsion of liquid. In addition, the top of the saliva suction orifice 6's path is higher than its outer and inner openings, forming a "U"-shaped or "siphon" structure. This arc-shaped path and its staggered opening design significantly increase the fluid flow path length, introducing additional bending resistance, and requiring the overcoming of a certain gravitational potential energy during liquid flow, thus further increasing fluid resistance. Importantly, the flexible one-way valve 61 remains closed under normal conditions; its sealing in the closed state and the initial opening force that needs to be overcome together constitute the core mechanism that makes the fluid resistance of the saliva suction channel much higher than that of the inhalation channel.

[0061] like Figure 2 and 3 As shown, this invention achieves adaptive control of the saliva channel based on the fluid resistance difference between the saliva channel and the inhalation channel and the synergistic effect of the flexible one-way valve 61, including:

[0062] Normal air curtain priority mode: When the negative pressure source (such as a medical vacuum pump) is activated, the negative pressure pipeline 72 quickly applies the preset negative pressure value to the negative pressure chamber 3, resulting in a stable negative pressure environment inside the negative pressure chamber 3, such as -50kPa to -70kPa. This negative pressure acts on the outside of the flexible one-way valve 61, causing it to be firmly adsorbed by the strong negative pressure difference and kept in a tightly closed state, thereby sealing the saliva suction hole 6 and effectively blocking the fluid communication of the saliva suction channel. In this mode, almost 100% of the negative pressure suction force is concentrated on the annularly arranged suction holes 5 to recover the air curtain gas generated by the jet mechanism 4 with maximum efficiency, ensuring that the anti-fog and droplet physical isolation functions of the lens are in an absolutely priority working state, continuously and stably maintaining the clarity and integrity of the optical performance of the lens 2, and providing doctors with an unobstructed field of vision;

[0063] Triggering the saliva suction mode: When medical personnel place the bottom or side of the lens holder 1 close to the area of ​​the patient's mouth rich in saliva as needed for diagnosis and treatment, causing the suction port 6 to be blocked by saliva, blood, or other liquids in the mouth, or in actual operation, the suction port 5 is partially or completely blocked due to operational needs or contact with soft tissue in the mouth, resulting in a sudden drop in the total fluid flow of the entire negative pressure system. In order to maintain the preset suction flow of the negative pressure source or to cope with the sudden drop in fluid flow, the intelligent control unit connected to the negative pressure source will immediately detect the flow change and automatically instruct the power output of the negative pressure source to surge. The surge in power causes the negative pressure value inside the negative pressure chamber 3 to rise sharply and instantaneously, for example, from the normal -60kPa to -100kPa or even higher, thereby forming an internal and external pressure difference far exceeding the normal on both sides of the flexible one-way valve 61. This internal and external pressure difference will effectively overcome the suction force of the flexible one-way valve 61 in the closed state and its own preset elastic reset force, forcing the flexible one-way valve 61 to open inward, thereby quickly opening the saliva suction path. Once the suction path is open, a strong negative pressure will act on the liquid in the oral cavity through the suction port 6, starting to efficiently and quickly suction saliva, blood, and other accumulated liquids in the oral cavity, rapidly restoring oral hygiene. The opening pressure threshold of the flexible one-way valve 61 is set between 80 kPa and 110 kPa to ensure that it remains closed under normal air curtain working negative pressure and is only triggered when suction is needed;

[0064] Recovery Mode: Once the suction port 6 successfully aspirates the accumulated fluid in the oral cavity and air re-enters the system through the suction port 6, the total fluid flow rate of the negative pressure system will rapidly return to near normal levels. This causes the negative pressure value inside the negative pressure chamber 3 to decrease and gradually return to normal levels. Under this condition of decreased negative pressure, when the negative pressure difference is insufficient to overcome the preset elasticity and reset tendency of the flexible one-way valve 61, the flexible one-way valve 61 will automatically and quickly reset and close under its own elasticity, resealing the suction port 6. At this point, the entire system seamlessly and automatically returns to the normal air curtain priority mode, ensuring the continuous and efficient operation of the mirror anti-fogging and airflow recovery functions, providing a continuously clear view for subsequent diagnostic and treatment operations, without requiring any additional manual intervention or switching operations by medical personnel.

[0065] In this embodiment, the handle 7 and the lens holder 1 are connected in a detachable manner for easy cleaning and maintenance. The blowing pipe 71 is located in the upper half of the handle 7, and the suction pipe is located in the lower half of the handle 7.

[0066] In one embodiment, the handle 7 and the lens holder 1 are detachably connected via a push-pull quick-connect structure; the base of the lens holder 1 is provided with a male head, which has an annular locking groove and is fitted with at least one sealing ring; the end of the handle 7 is provided with a female seat, which has a radially movable locking element and a receiving interface that cooperates with the sealing ring; the outer wall of the handle 7 is also fitted with an axially sliding release ring, which is linked with the locking element; when the male head is inserted into the female seat and in place, the locking element is locked into the annular locking groove, and at the same time, the sealing ring and the receiving interface form a seal; pressing down the release ring can drive the locking element to disengage from the annular locking groove, so as to pull the male head out of the female seat.

[0067] In another embodiment, the handle 7 and the lens holder 1 are detachably connected by a threaded structure; the base of the lens holder 1 is provided with an external thread, and the end of the handle 7 is provided with an internal thread that mates with it; the base end face of the lens holder 1 is also provided with an annular sealing gasket; when the lens holder 1 and the handle 7 are tightened by the thread, the annular sealing gasket and the end face of the handle 7 are pressed to form a seal.

[0068] In practical use, the jet-air suction oral endoscope of this invention operates according to the following principle:

[0069] First, filtered medical compressed air or nitrogen is used as the gas source and delivered to the jet mechanism 4 in the lens holder 1 through the air blowing pipe 71 inside the handle 7. After the high-pressure gas enters the semi-annular cavity 41 of the jet mechanism 4, it is diverted by the built-in baffle 42 and guided by the micro-convex array, and finally ejected uniformly and at high speed from the semi-annular output gap, forming a composite air curtain covering the surface of the lens 2. The upper airflow of this air curtain is close to horizontal (approximately 0°), and the lower airflow is inclined downward (between -15° and 0°), together forming a stable, uniform, and tightly attached thin air curtain that can both block external moisture and continuously shear and clean the deposits on the lens surface.

[0070] Subsequently, the ejected airflow flows along the mirror surface and is then drawn in by the suction effect of the circumferentially arrayed suction holes 5 at the distal end. The majority of the airflow is efficiently captured and introduced into the negative pressure chamber 3, thus forming a nearly closed airflow circulation loop around the lens 2. Because the total flow cross-sectional area of ​​the inhalation channel is much larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the jet slits, the system design ensures that the suction flow rate is slightly higher than the jet flow rate (approximately 5%–15% higher), creating a micro-negative pressure gradient. This effectively prevents airflow from escaping into the depths of the patient's oral cavity, avoiding throat discomfort.

[0071] When the doctor places the bottom or side of the lens holder 1 close to the saliva accumulation area in the mouth during the procedure, the suction port 6 may become blocked by liquid, or the suction port 5 may be partially obstructed, causing a sudden drop in the total system flow. The intelligent control unit, linked to the negative pressure source, detects this flow change in real time and automatically increases the power of the negative pressure source, causing the pressure in the negative pressure chamber 3 to rise instantaneously. When the negative pressure value in the chamber exceeds the opening pressure threshold (80kPa–110kPa) of the flexible one-way valve 61, the valve is forcibly opened, the suction channel is opened, and the suction of saliva and other liquids begins.

[0072] After the liquid is completely aspirated, air re-enters the suction port 6, the system flow rate recovers, and the negative pressure value drops accordingly. When the negative pressure inside the cavity drops below the valve plate closing threshold, the flexible one-way valve 61 automatically resets and closes under its own elasticity, cutting off the suction path. The system then returns to the working mode that prioritizes air curtain circulation, continuing to maintain a clear mirror surface.

[0073] The above process requires no manual intervention, achieving intelligent and adaptive switching between air curtain anti-fog and on-demand saliva suction functions.

[0074] Based on the preferred embodiments of the present invention described above, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A jet-assisted saliva suction oral endoscope, characterized in that, include: The lens holder has a lens mounted on top and a negative pressure chamber inside. The handle is detachably connected to the lens mount; An air jet mechanism is disposed on the inner wall of the lens mount near the handle, for generating an inclined air curtain covering the lens surface; Multiple air intake ports are disposed on the opposite side of the jet mechanism, and the air intake ports are directly connected to the negative pressure chamber; and Multiple saliva suction holes are provided on the circumferential side of the lens holder. The saliva suction holes are connected to the negative pressure chamber, and a flexible one-way valve is provided in the holes. The fluid resistance of the saliva-suction channel formed by the multiple saliva-suction holes is greater than the fluid resistance of the air-suction channel formed by the multiple air-suction holes; the handle is provided with an air-blowing pipe and a negative pressure pipe, which are respectively connected to the air-jet mechanism and the negative pressure chamber; The flexible one-way valve has an umbrella-shaped structure. In its initial state, it is closed and sealed by negative pressure adsorption, and its opening pressure threshold is configured to be -80 to -110 kPa. When the saliva hole is blocked by liquid or the air inlet is blocked, causing the system flow rate to decrease, the negative pressure value in the negative pressure chamber rises. When the opening pressure threshold is reached, the flexible one-way valve opens.

2. The jet-suction oral endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The jet mechanism includes: A semi-annular cavity is connected to the air blowing pipe; An output slit is formed on the side of the semi-annular cavity facing the lens; A partition, disposed inside the semi-annular cavity, divides it into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; and A micro-protrusion array, disposed on the lower surface of the partition, is composed of multiple regularly arranged micro-protrusions; The baffle and the micro-convex array are configured to separate the airflow into an upper horizontal airflow and a lower inclined airflow, wherein the injection angle of the lower inclined airflow is -15° to 0°.

3. The jet-suction oral endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that, The micro-protrusions are shaped as one or more combinations of cylinders, truncated cones, or wedge-shaped prisms.

4. The jet-suction oral endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suction hole has an arc-shaped structure, with both its outer and inner openings tilted downwards, and the highest point of the hole is higher than the openings at both ends.

5. The jet-assisted saliva suction oral endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible one-way valve is made of medical-grade silicone.

6. The jet-suction oral endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that, The output slit of the jet mechanism is semi-circular, and the air intake holes are distributed in a corresponding semi-circular pattern, together forming an enveloping flow field structure with jetting on one side and air intake on the other side on the outer periphery of the lens.

7. The jet-suction oral endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The total effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the air intake holes is greater than the total effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the saliva intake holes.

8. The jet-suction oral endoscope according to claim 2, characterized in that, The height of the output gap is the same as the height inside the semi-annular cavity.

9. A method of using a jet-assisted saliva suction oral endoscope according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Gas is supplied to the jet mechanism through the air blowing pipe to form an air curtain barrier on the lens surface; The negative pressure pipe and the air intake hole draw in the air curtain gas, so that the airflow forms a circulation loop around the lens; When the saliva suction orifice is blocked or the air flow rate of the suction orifice decreases, the negative pressure of the system is increased, causing the flexible one-way valve to open and perform the saliva suction operation. Once suctioning is complete and the inhalation flow rate recovers, the flexible one-way valve automatically closes, and the system resumes the air curtain circulation mode.