Capsule Endoscope Self-Cleaning Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Capsule endoscopes face issues with residue accumulation on their surface during gastrointestinal tract examinations, which can obstruct imaging and illumination, leading to poor image quality due to residue coverage.
Innovation Solution
A capsule endoscope with a self-clean surface coating, comprising fluorinated polymers or physical geometric patterns, that prevents residue adherence and allows easy cleaning through external magnetic manipulation, ensuring uninterrupted imaging and illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the capsule endoscope surface is made smooth for easy cleaning, then residue removal is facilitated, but residue adherence increases due to larger contact area
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule surface is modified with a porous coating structure that provides numerous small protrusions. This porous structure reduces the actual contact area between residues and the capsule surface, preventing residue accumulation while maintaining ease of cleaning through the textured surface geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface is designed with curved protrusions rather than flat surfaces. The spherical or rounded geometry of the protrusions minimizes contact points for residues, making it difficult for residues to adhere stably while allowing easy removal through magnetic manipulation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a coating is applied to prevent residue adherence, then self-cleaning capability is improved, but the coating may release small molecular residues through chain scission during friction
Solution Approach 1:
The coating is formulated as a composite material combining polymer chains with cross-linked structures. This composite design provides both the non-stick properties needed for preventing residue adherence and the mechanical strength to resist chain scission during friction with gastrointestinal walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating design anticipates mechanical stress from friction by incorporating a resilient, cushioning layer that absorbs shear forces. This pre-engineered cushioning prevents direct transmission of friction forces to the polymer chains, avoiding chain scission and coating degradation before it can occur.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the capsule surface is made hydrophobic to prevent residue adherence, then self-cleaning is improved, but light propagation from imaging device and emitter may be interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The coating is designed with locally optimized properties where the bulk material provides hydrophobicity for residue prevention, while the surface geometry of protrusions is engineered to be optically transparent. This local differentiation allows the coating to simultaneously achieve non-stick properties and maintain light propagation for imaging and illumination functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating is designed to be optically transparent in the visible and near-infrared ranges, matching the transmission characteristics of the imaging device and emitter. By controlling the optical properties (analogous to color transparency), the coating allows light to pass through unaffected while maintaining hydrophobic surface properties for residue prevention.
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
The self-clean surface effectively prevents residue accumulation and facilitates easy removal, maintaining image quality and functionality during digestive tract examinations.
Implementation Method 1
The improved surface prevents a residue or mucous to adhere onto the surface of the capsule
Implementation Method 2
The exterior magnetic assembly, configured to generate an external magnetic field in proximity to interact with the permanent magnetic dipole inside the capsule endoscope to change its location or orientation of the capsule endoscope
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a capsule endoscope and a method to prevent the capsule from being covered by a residue or mucous in a patient's digestive tract. The capsule endoscope comprises an improved surface, preventing a residue or mucous to adhere onto the surface of the capsule, and in the unlikely event that a residue or a mucous is collected by the capsule the improved surface can allow an easy and successful clean before an image is taken.