Medical Camera Head Heat Dissipation via Partition Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical image pickup apparatuses face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat generated by solid-state image pickup devices during high-temperature and high-pressure steam sterilization processes, requiring effective heat transfer and dissipation mechanisms while maintaining airtightness and compatibility with autoclave processing.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a heat transfer sheet to conduct heat from the image pickup unit to a partition wall, a heat sink for external heat dissipation, and a spring member to transfer heat from the partition wall to the heat sink, ensuring efficient heat dissipation without compromising airtightness or sterilization compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an airtight case made of metal is provided to seal the image pickup portion for autoclave processing, then air-tightness and sterilization compatibility are improved, but heat dissipation efficiency deteriorates due to the insulating properties of metal
Solution Approach 1:
The airtight case is segmented into distinct functional zones: an inner case housing the image pickup unit and an outer case forming the grasping portion, with a partition wall separating them. This segmentation allows independent thermal management of each zone, enabling the inner case to be thermally isolated for heat dissipation while the outer case maintains airtightness for sterilization compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat transfer member (thermal conductive member) is introduced as an intermediary between the image pickup unit and the partition wall. This intermediary component has high thermal conductivity to efficiently transfer heat from the image pickup unit to the partition wall, overcoming the thermal insulation issue of the metal airtight case while maintaining the airtight seal.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the airtight case structure is implemented with metal material, then sterilization compatibility is improved, but device complexity increases due to laser welding requirements and assembly complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into modular segments (inner case, outer case, partition wall, heat transfer member) that can be separately manufactured and assembled. This modular segmentation simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing each component to be produced independently using appropriate methods, reducing overall assembly complexity while maintaining sterilization compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite construction combining metal materials (for airtightness and sterilization compatibility) with thermally conductive materials (for heat dissipation). This composite approach allows each material to be used where it provides the most benefit, simplifying the overall design by matching material properties to functional requirements rather than using a single material for all components.
3Temperature
If heat dissipation structures are added to the airtight case, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but the size of the camera head increases
Solution Approach 1:
Heat dissipation is achieved by utilizing the spatial dimension between the inner and outer cases. The partition wall serves as a thermal conduction path in the radial direction, allowing heat to dissipate from the image pickup unit through the partition wall to the outer case without increasing the longitudinal length of the camera head. This dimensional approach enables efficient heat dissipation within the existing form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall performs dual functions: it provides structural separation between the inner and outer cases while simultaneously serving as a heat transfer path. By merging these two functions into a single component, the design avoids adding separate heat dissipation structures that would increase the camera head size, achieving efficient heat dissipation within the existing structural framework.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for effective heat dissipation within the airtight case, preventing temperature increases in the grasping portion and enabling efficient downsizing of the camera head while maintaining sterilization compatibility and air-tightness.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat transfer member which connects the heat source and an inner surface of the partition wall to conduct heat generated at the heat source to the partition wall
Implementation Method 2
a second heat transfer member which is interposed between an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of the partition wall connected to the first heat transfer member and the heat dissipation member to conduct heat from the outer surface of the partition wall to the heat dissipation member
Implementation Method 3
a heat dissipation member arranged on an outer side of the partition wall
Data Source
AI summary
A camera head includes an airtight case which includes an image pickup unit having an image pickup device and the like as a heat source in an inner portion and includes a partition wall to secure air-tightness with respect to an outside of the airtight case, a heat transfer sheet which connects the heat source and an inner surface of the partition wall to transfer heat generated at the heat source to the partition wall, a heat sink arranged on an outer side of the partition wall of the airtight case, and a spring member which is interposed between an outer surface corresponding to the inner surface of the partition wall of the airtight case connected to the heat transfer sheet and the heat sink to transfer heat from the outer surface of the partition wall to the heat sink.