Flexible endoscope tube cavity brush automatic conveying power device

Abstract

The invention discloses a soft endoscope lumen brush automatic conveying power device which comprises a shell, a controller, a guide pipe, a battery, a rotating mechanism, a driving wheel, a supporting wheel and a metering mechanism, the guide pipe is fixedly connected in the shell and matched with a steel wire part of a brush, the front end and the rear end of the guide pipe penetrate to the front end and the rear end of the shell respectively, and a wire outlet and a wire inlet are formed; receding grooves are formed in the left side and the right side of the rear end of the guide pipe, the driving wheel is rotationally connected into the shell and driven by the rotating mechanism, the supporting wheel is rotationally connected into the shell, the metering mechanism is used for calculating the rotating angle of the supporting wheel, the driving wheel and the supporting wheel clamp a steel wire part of a brush in the guide pipe through the receding grooves, and the controller controls the rotating mechanism to operate. The forward distance of the brush is controlled through the metering mechanism, and the battery is used for supplying power. According to the automatic power conveying device for the soft endoscope lumen brush, the brush can be automatically conveyed and pulled, physical power is saved, brush missing is prevented, and the cleaning efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of endoscopic lumen cleaning technology, and in particular to an automatic power device for delivering flexible endoscopic lumen brushes. Background Technology

[0002] In the medical field, flexible endoscopes are widely used in various departments such as gastroenterology and respiratory medicine due to their flexibility and ability to penetrate deep into the body's internal cavities for diagnosis and treatment. However, after use, the internal lumen of flexible endoscopes may contain contaminants such as tissue debris, mucus, and microorganisms carried by the medical device itself. If cleaning and disinfection are not thorough, cross-infection can easily occur, threatening the patient's life and health. Therefore, the cleaning and disinfection of flexible endoscopes is a crucial step in the medical process.

[0003] Currently, the commonly used cleaning and disinfection procedures for flexible endoscopes in the industry primarily rely on brushing to clean the endoscope lumen. The specific procedure involves medical staff manually inserting a specialized brush into the endoscope lumen and then removing contaminants by repeatedly pulling the brush back and forth. While this traditional manual method achieves cleaning and disinfection to some extent, it has several drawbacks. First, medical staff need to perform repeated pulling motions, resulting in high labor intensity and a risk of hand fatigue, muscle strain, and other occupational injuries over time. Second, manual operation makes it difficult to control the distance the brush penetrates, potentially leading to missed areas and affecting disinfection effectiveness. Finally, manual operation is inefficient, often failing to meet the rapid turnover needs in hospitals with high patient volumes, indirectly impacting the overall efficiency of medical services. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned shortcomings of existing manual brushing methods, this invention proposes an automatic delivery power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes, which can automatically deliver and pull the brushes, saving physical effort, preventing missed brushing, and improving cleaning efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: An automatic delivery power device for a flexible endoscope lumen brush includes a housing, a controller, a guide tube, a battery, a rotating mechanism, a drive wheel, a support wheel, and a metering mechanism. The guide tube is fixedly connected in the housing and is adapted to the wire portion of the brush. The front and rear ends of the guide tube pass through the front and rear ends of the housing, forming a wire outlet and a wire inlet, respectively. Circumvention grooves are provided on the left and right sides of the rear end of the guide tube. The drive wheel is rotatably connected in the housing and driven by the rotating mechanism. The support wheel is rotatably connected in the housing. The metering mechanism is used to calculate the rotation angle of the support wheel. The drive wheel and the support wheel clamp the wire portion of the brush in the guide tube through the circulation grooves. The controller controls the operation of the rotating mechanism, and the metering mechanism controls the brush's forward distance. The battery provides power.

[0006] Furthermore, a driven bevel gear is coaxially fixedly connected to the drive wheel, and the rotation mechanism includes a servo motor and a drive bevel gear, with the drive bevel gear meshing with the driven bevel gear.

[0007] Furthermore, the rotating mechanism also includes a speed reducer, through which the servo motor is connected to the drive bevel gear.

[0008] Furthermore, the measuring mechanism is set as a magnetic encoder, which includes a stator and a rotor. The stator is fixedly connected in the housing, and the rotor is fixedly connected to a first transmission bevel gear. A second transmission bevel gear is coaxially fixedly connected to a support wheel, and the first transmission bevel gear meshes with the second transmission bevel gear.

[0009] Furthermore, the controller calculates the drive wheel speed n1 based on the servo motor speed, and the drive wheel outer diameter is r1. The controller calculates the support wheel speed n2 based on the magnetic encoder, and the support wheel outer diameter is r2. When n2=0, the controller determines that the brush is stuck. When n1*r1>n2*r2, the controller determines that the drive wheel is slipping. When n1*r1=n2*r2, the controller determines that the brush is moving normally.

[0010] Furthermore, when the drive wheel slips, the servo motor reverses, the brush retracts after passing the buffer distance, the drive wheel rotates forward again, and the brush moves forward again until the cumulative forward movement distance of the brush reaches the target.

[0011] Furthermore, an indicator light is provided on the outside of the housing. When the brush is moving normally, the indicator light shows green; when the brush is stuck, the indicator light shows red; when the drive wheel slips, the indicator light shows yellow; and when the rotating mechanism stops, the indicator light goes out.

[0012] Furthermore, the conduit includes a front section and a rear section. The front end of the housing seals and wraps around the front end of the front section. Circumferential grooves are provided on the left and right sides of the rear section. A partition is fixedly connected inside the housing. The rear end of the front section seals through the partition, forming a sealed chamber between the partition and the front end of the housing. The battery, controller, servo motor, and magnetic encoder are all installed in the sealed chamber. The servo motor is connected to the drive bevel gear via a first drive shaft, and the rotor of the magnetic encoder is connected to the first drive bevel gear via a second drive shaft. Both the first and second drive shafts seal through the partition.

[0013] Furthermore, a button is provided on the outside of the housing, which is connected to the controller to control the movement of the rotating mechanism.

[0014] Furthermore, there are multiple drive wheels arranged in a front-to-back direction. The foremost drive wheel is connected to the rotating mechanism. The drive wheels are configured with a gear structure, and adjacent drive wheels are driven by transmission gears. There are multiple support wheels, each corresponding to one of the drive wheels. The foremost support wheel is connected to the metering mechanism.

[0015] Furthermore, an elastic layer is provided on the outer periphery of the support wheel.

[0016] Through the above improvements, the automatic conveying power device of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. It features an automatic brush feeding and extraction function, reducing labor intensity, saving physical strength, and improving cleaning efficiency; 2. It can accurately measure the brush movement distance to prevent missed brushing in the cavity; 3. Facilitates monitoring the operating status of the automatic conveyor power unit; 4. When encountering slippage, you can pull the tube a short distance to unclog the blockage and improve the cleaning effect; 5. Excellent waterproof performance; 6. Convenient charging. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an automatic power delivery device for an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 AA sectional view.

[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 2 BB cross-sectional view.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning chamber of the automatic conveying power device in an embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0022] like Figures 1 to 4This invention proposes an automatic delivery power device for a flexible endoscope lumen brush, which can automatically deliver and pull the brush 3, saving physical effort and improving cleaning efficiency. The automatic delivery power device includes a housing 4, a controller 5, a conduit 6, a battery 7, a rotating mechanism, a drive wheel 8, a support wheel 9, and a metering mechanism. The housing 4 adopts a split structure for easy assembly. The conduit 6 is a straight tube structure and is fixedly connected in the housing 4. The brush 3 includes a brush head 31 and a wire part 32. The inner diameter of the conduit 6 is adapted to the outer diameter of the wire part 32 of the brush 3 to maintain the movement direction of the brush 3. The front and rear ends of the conduit 6 pass through the front and rear ends of the housing 4, respectively, forming a wire outlet 10 and a wire inlet 11. The rear end of the conduit 6 is provided with clearance grooves 15 on the left and right sides. A first bearing seat 12 is provided in the housing 4, and the drive wheel 8 is rotatably connected to the housing 4 through the first bearing seat 12. In body 4, a rotating mechanism is used for driving. The rotating mechanism can be a motor structure or other structures, which are not limited here. A second bearing seat 14 is provided in the housing 4. The support wheel 9 is rotatably connected to the housing 4 through the second bearing seat 14. The measuring mechanism adopts an encoder structure and is used to calculate the rotation angle of the support wheel 9. The drive wheel 8 and the support wheel 9 are located on the left and right sides of the guide tube 6, respectively. The right side of the drive wheel 8 enters the clearance groove 15 on the left side of the guide tube 6, and the left side of the support wheel 9 enters the clearance groove 15 on the right side of the guide tube 6. The drive wheel 8 and the support wheel 9 clamp the wire part 32 of the brush 3 in the guide tube 6 through the clearance groove 15. The controller 5 can be a microcontroller, a PLC, or other components, which are not limited here. The controller 5 controls the operation of the rotating mechanism and controls the forward distance of the brush 3 through the measuring mechanism. The battery 7 is used for power supply.

[0023] The working principle of the automatic delivery power unit for cleaning the lumen 200 of the flexible endoscope is as follows: the flexible endoscope is immersed in a special cleaning solution, such as... Figure 4The steel wire portion 32 of the brush 3 passes through the conduit 6 and extends rearward from the inlet 11 at the rear end of the conduit 6. The drive wheel 8 and the support wheel 9 clamp the steel wire portion 32. The brush head 31 of the brush 3 protrudes from the outlet 10 of the conduit 6. Holding the housing 4, the brush head 31 of the brush 3 is inserted into one end of the lumen of the flexible endoscope. The controller 5 controls the operation of the rotating mechanism, which drives the drive wheel 8 to rotate. Under the friction between the drive wheel 8 and the steel wire portion 32 of the brush 3, the brush 3 moves forward along the conduit 6, and the brush head 31 moves forward along the lumen. Under the frictional force between the steel wire part 32 of brush 3 and the support wheel 9, the support wheel 9 rotates accordingly. The measuring mechanism measures the rotation angle of the support wheel 9. The controller 5 calculates the forward distance L1 of brush 3 based on the rotation angle of the support wheel 9 and the outer diameter of the support wheel 9. The length of the tube is L2. When L1>L2, the brush head 31 of brush 3 penetrates the entire tube. The rotating mechanism drives the drive wheel 8 to rotate in the opposite direction, and brush 3 retracts, so that the brush head 31 of brush 3 returns to the initial position. Thus, a single feeding and pulling of brush 3 is completed. Repeating the above steps can realize multiple feeding and pulling of brush 3. The automatic conveying power device of the present invention is powered by battery 7. A charging port is provided on the side of the housing 4 to charge battery 7. A plug is embedded in the charging port to provide waterproof and dustproof protection.

[0024] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 The drive wheel 8 is coaxially fixedly connected to the driven bevel gear 16. The rotating mechanism includes a servo motor 18 and a drive bevel gear 17. The drive bevel gear 17 meshes with the driven bevel gear 16. The servo motor 18 is connected to the drive wheel 8 through the drive bevel gear 17 and the driven bevel gear 16.

[0025] In one embodiment, the rotating mechanism further includes a speed reducer (not shown in the figure), and the servo motor 18 is connected to the drive bevel gear 17 through the speed reducer to increase the output torque of the servo motor 18.

[0026] In one embodiment, the measuring mechanism is a magnetic encoder 19, which can be purchased from the market and features small size and high precision. The magnetic encoder 19 includes a stator and a rotor. The stator is fixedly connected in the housing 4, and the rotor is fixedly connected to a first transmission bevel gear 20. The support wheel 9 is coaxially fixedly connected to a second transmission bevel gear 21. The first transmission bevel gear 20 and the second transmission bevel gear 21 mesh. Through the above arrangement, the support wheel 9 is connected to the rotor through the second transmission bevel gear 21 and the first transmission bevel gear 20. When the support wheel 9 rotates, the rotor rotates accordingly. The rotor and the stator rotate relative to each other to measure the rotation angle of the support wheel 9.

[0027] In one embodiment, the servo motor 18 has the characteristic of controllable speed. The controller 5 calculates the speed n1 of the drive wheel 8 based on the speed of the servo motor 18. The outer diameter of the drive wheel 8 is r1. The controller 5 calculates the speed n2 of the support wheel 9 based on the magnetic encoder 19. The outer diameter of the support wheel 9 is r2. When n2=0, the controller 5 determines that the brush 3 is stuck. The controller 5 can connect a corresponding speaker to remind the user that the brush 3 is stuck and to check it. When n1*r1>n2*r2, it is determined that the drive wheel 8 is slipping. In this invention, the final movement distance of the brush 3 is calculated based on the angle through which the support wheel 9 rotates, which can prevent the brush 3 from moving too far due to slippage and prevent the cavity from being missed. When n1*r1=n2*r2, it is determined that the brush 3 is moving normally. At this time, there is no slippage between the wire part 32 of the brush 3 and the support wheel 9, and between the wire part 32 of the brush 3 and the drive wheel 8.

[0028] In one embodiment, when the drive wheel 8 slips, the servo motor 18 reverses, and the brush 3 retracts after a buffer distance, for example, the brush 3 retracts 5cm. Then, the drive wheel 8 rotates forward again, and the brush 3 moves forward again until the cumulative forward movement distance of the brush 3 reaches the target. Specifically, the cumulative forward movement distance of the brush 3 is greater than the length of the tube cavity to ensure that the tube cavity is not missed. With the above settings, when slippage occurs, it may be due to resistance in the tube cavity. Through short-distance reciprocating pushing and pulling actions, it can play a role in unblocking and improving the cleaning effect.

[0029] In one embodiment, an indicator light 22 is provided on the outside of the housing 4. When the brush 3 is moving normally, the indicator light 22 displays a green light; when the brush 3 is stuck, the indicator light 22 displays a red light; when the drive wheel 8 slips, the indicator light 22 displays a yellow light; and when the rotating mechanism stops, the indicator light 22 turns off. Through the above settings, it is convenient for users to grasp the status of the automatic power supply device.

[0030] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 The conduit 6 includes a front pipe section 61 and a rear pipe section 62. The front end of the housing 4 seals and wraps around the front end of the front pipe section 61. The clearance groove 15 is set on the left and right sides of the rear pipe section 62. A partition 23 is fixedly connected in the housing 4. The rear end of the front pipe section 61 seals and penetrates the partition 23. A sealed chamber is formed between the partition 23 and the front end of the housing 4. The battery 7, controller 5, servo motor 18, and magnetic encoder 19 are all installed in the sealed chamber to prevent water immersion. The servo motor 18 is connected to the drive bevel gear 17 through the first drive shaft 24. The rotor of the magnetic encoder 19 is connected to the first drive bevel gear 20 through the second drive shaft 25. Both the first drive shaft 24 and the second drive shaft 25 seal and penetrate the partition 23.

[0031] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1A button 26 is provided on the outside of the housing 4. The button 26 is connected to the controller 5 to control the movement of the rotating mechanism. Specifically, there are two buttons 26. One button 26 is the forward button and the other button 26 is the retraction button. When the forward button is pressed, the brush 3 moves forward. When the retraction button is pressed, the brush 3 retracts.

[0032] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 Multiple drive wheels 8 are arranged in a front-to-back direction. The foremost drive wheel 8 is connected to the rotating mechanism. The drive wheels 8 are configured with a gear structure. Adjacent drive wheels 8 are driven by a transmission gear 27, so that multiple drive wheels 8 rotate synchronously under the action of the rotating mechanism, thereby increasing the driving force and reducing the chance of slippage. Multiple support wheels 9 are provided, corresponding one to one with the drive wheels 8, and are used to support the wire part 32 of the brush 3, so that the wire part 32 of the brush 3 cooperates with each drive wheel 8. The foremost support wheel 9 is connected to the metering mechanism.

[0033] In one embodiment, an elastic layer 28 is provided on the outer periphery of the support wheel 9 to increase the friction between the support wheel 9 and the steel wire portion 32 of the brush 3. At the same time, the elastic layer 28 is made of silicone. The elastic layer 28 deforms by squeezing the steel wire portion 32 to ensure the fit between the elastic layer 28 and the steel wire portion 32, thereby enabling the support wheel 9 to rotate with the movement of the brush 3 and improve the measurement accuracy.

[0034] It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, a controller, a conduit, a battery, a rotating mechanism, a drive wheel, a support wheel, and a metering mechanism. The conduit is fixedly connected to the housing and is adapted to the wire portion of the brush. The front and rear ends of the conduit pass through the front and rear ends of the housing, forming a wire outlet and a wire inlet, respectively. Clearance grooves are provided on the left and right sides of the rear end of the conduit. The drive wheel is rotatably connected to the housing and driven by the rotating mechanism. The support wheel is rotatably connected to the housing. The metering mechanism is used to calculate the rotation angle of the support wheel. The drive wheel and the support wheel clamp the wire portion of the brush in the conduit through the clearance grooves. The controller controls the operation of the rotating mechanism, and the metering mechanism controls the forward distance of the brush. The battery provides power.

2. The automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive wheel is coaxially and fixedly connected to a driven bevel gear. The rotation mechanism includes a servo motor and a drive bevel gear, and the drive bevel gear meshes with the driven bevel gear.

3. The automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating mechanism also includes a speed reducer, and the servo motor is connected to the drive bevel gear through the speed reducer.

4. The automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes according to claim 2, characterized in that, The measuring mechanism is configured as a magnetic encoder, which includes a stator and a rotor. The stator is fixedly connected in the housing, and the rotor is fixedly connected to a first transmission bevel gear. The support wheel is coaxially fixedly connected to a second transmission bevel gear, and the first transmission bevel gear meshes with the second transmission bevel gear.

5. The automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller calculates the drive wheel speed n1 based on the servo motor speed, and the drive wheel outer diameter is r1. The controller calculates the support wheel speed n2 based on the magnetic encoder, and the support wheel outer diameter is r2. When n2=0, the controller determines that the brush is stuck. When n1*r1>n2*r2, the controller determines that the drive wheel is slipping. When n1*r1=n2*r2, the controller determines that the brush is moving normally.

6. The automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the drive wheel slips, the servo motor reverses, the brush retracts after passing the buffer distance, the drive wheel rotates forward again, and the brush moves forward again until the cumulative forward movement distance of the brush reaches the target.

7. The automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes according to claim 5, characterized in that, An indicator light is provided on the outside of the housing. When the brush is moving normally, the indicator light shows a green light; when the brush is stuck, the indicator light shows a red light; when the drive wheel slips, the indicator light shows a yellow light; and when the rotating mechanism stops, the indicator light goes out.

8. The automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes according to claim 4, characterized in that, The conduit includes a front section and a rear section. The front end of the housing seals and wraps around the front end of the front section. The clearance grooves are located on the left and right sides of the rear section. A partition is fixedly connected inside the housing. The rear end of the front section seals through the partition. A sealed chamber is formed between the partition and the front end of the housing. The battery, controller, servo motor, and magnetic encoder are all installed in the sealed chamber. The servo motor is connected to a drive bevel gear via a first drive shaft. The rotor of the magnetic encoder is connected to the first drive bevel gear via a second drive shaft. Both the first and second drive shafts seal through the partition.

9. The automatic conveying power device for flexible endoscope lumen brushes according to claim 1, characterized in that, A button is provided on the outside of the housing, and the button is connected to the controller to control the movement of the rotating mechanism.

10. The automatic conveying power device for a flexible endoscope lumen brush according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple drive wheels are provided and arranged in a front-to-back direction. The foremost drive wheel is connected to the rotating mechanism. The drive wheels are configured with a gear structure, and adjacent drive wheels are driven by transmission gears. Multiple support wheels are provided, corresponding one-to-one with the drive wheels. The foremost support wheel is connected to the measuring mechanism.

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