Articulated Tip Part for Endoscope with Segmented Tubular Sleeve

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Solution Overview

Problem

Endoscopes face challenges in providing a compact, liquid-tight, and electrically insulated tip part with sufficient flexibility for navigating small body cavities, while maintaining effective illumination and image capture, especially for applications like ENT endoscopy where a smaller footprint is required.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a bendable articulated tip part with a tubular sleeve that covers only a portion of the bending section, featuring a circumferentially extending flange surface and a tubular sleeve with a rim surface, allowing for a smaller cross-sectional area and improved sealing, while maintaining the benefits of a smooth outer surface and increased sealing, and includes a camera assembly and light sources for visualization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a tubular sleeve covers the entire bending section to provide sealing and electrical insulation, then sealing and insulation are improved, but the cross-sectional area and footprint of the endoscope increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing and electrical insulationVSAvoidcross-sectional area of tip part

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The tubular sleeve is segmented to cover only specific portions of the bending section rather than the entire length. The sleeve is positioned to cover segments containing electrical components and connection points where sealing and insulation are most critical, while leaving other segments exposed to reduce the overall cross-sectional area of the tip part.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tubular sleeve provides localized sealing and electrical insulation only where needed - specifically at regions with electrical components, connection interfaces, and areas prone to liquid ingress. This selective coverage maintains reliability at critical points while minimizing the footprint of the endoscope tip.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the tip part is made smaller for accessing small body cavities, then adaptability is improved, but sealing effectiveness and electrical insulation may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to small body cavitiesVSAvoidsealing and electrical insulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The bending section is divided into multiple segments with the tubular sleeve strategically positioned to cover only those segments containing electrical components and connection points. This segmentation allows the tip part to maintain a compact size while ensuring that critical areas receive adequate sealing and insulation protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tubular sleeve acts as an intermediary protective layer that provides sealing and electrical insulation without requiring a complete increase in tip part size. By positioning the sleeve only where needed, it mediates between the conflicting requirements of compact size and reliable sealing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Area of stationary object

If metal components are positioned closer to the outer circumference to reduce footprint, then device size is reduced, but risk of insulation breakdown and leakage current increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefootprint of tip partVSAvoidinsulation breakdown and leakage current

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tubular sleeve serves as an intermediary protective barrier between metal components and the external environment. It provides electrical insulation and sealing protection, allowing metal components to be positioned closer to the outer circumference without increasing the risk of insulation breakdown or leakage current.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The tubular sleeve functions as a flexible protective shell that encloses metal components, providing electrical insulation and liquid sealing. This thin-film protection enables compact positioning of metal parts while maintaining safety against insulation breakdown and leakage current.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP3669746A1An articulated tip part for an endoscope

Publication Date: 2020.06.24 AMBU AS

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AI summary

A bendable articulated tip part for an endoscope, the articulated tip part comprising: a sub-assembly including a bending section comprising a number of hingedly connected segments including a proximal end segment, a distal end segment, and a plurality of intermediate segments positioned between the proximal end segment and the distal end segment, the sub-assembly further includes a circumferentially extending, outer flange surface which extends from a first outer circumference of the sub-assembly to a second, smaller, outer circumference of the sub-assembly; and a tubular sleeve comprising a rim surface, the tubular sleeve at least covering the intermediate segments of the bending section; wherein the rim surface of the tubular sleeve faces the flange surface of the sub-assembly.