Conical Storage Carousel for Endoscope Insertion Tubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The storage of elongated and flexible insertion tubes for endoscope or borescope devices is challenging due to high friction requirements, which can lead to excessive effort needed for storage and potential damage to the tubes, especially when using spiral-shaped storage cavities or rotating reel mechanisms that are not suited for objects resisting coiling.
Innovation Solution
A storage carousel with a rotatable conical cavity that generates frictional force to facilitate the storage of insertion tubes by rotating around an axis, featuring a larger diameter at the base and a smaller diameter towards the distal end, with angled surfaces to enhance contact and reduce twisting, and optionally includes a motor for assisted rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a spiral-shaped storage cavity is used to store insertion tubes, then the storage capacity is improved, but the friction and pushing force required become excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a conical cavity with curved surfaces instead of a spiral shape. The conical geometry allows the insertion tube to be stored efficiently while reducing friction through smooth, continuous curved surfaces that guide the tube into place without the high-resistance spiral path.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of pushing the tube through a spiral path that creates high friction, the invention inverts the approach by using a conical cavity where the tube can be inserted more directly. The conical shape naturally guides the tube into the stored position with reduced resistance.
2Quantity of substance
If a spiral-shaped storage cavity is used to store insertion tubes, then the storage capacity is improved, but the insertion tube may twist and torque during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The conical cavity with its smooth curved surfaces prevents twisting and torquing of the insertion tube during storage. The continuous curved geometry guides the tube uniformly into the cavity without the sharp angles and tight turns of a spiral shape that cause mechanical stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The conical cavity design provides a protective storage environment that cushions the insertion tube from twisting forces before they can cause damage. The geometry of the cavity naturally prevents the tube from being subjected to harmful torques during the storage process.
3Device complexity
If a rotating reel mechanism is used to store elongated objects, then the storage mechanism is simplified, but it is not well-suited for objects that resist coiling
Solution Approach 1:
The conical cavity serves multiple functions: it stores the insertion tube, guides it into place with reduced friction, prevents twisting and torquing, and accommodates objects that resist coiling. This single geometric feature provides versatility that a simple rotating reel cannot match.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the storage cavity from a spiral or cylindrical shape to a conical shape. This parameter change allows the cavity to accommodate insertion tubes that resist coiling by providing a geometry that guides the tube smoothly into storage without requiring tight coiling.
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 solution allows for efficient and damage-free storage of insertion tubes by reducing the force required for insertion and minimizing twisting, while the conical design helps in maintaining the tube's shape and preventing tangling, thus improving storage efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one inner surface is configured to make physical contact and to generate a frictional force between the insertion tube and the at least one inner surface so that the transfer of said insertion tube to or from the rotatable cavity causes the rotatable cavity to rotate.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1F
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
An apparatus for storing at least one elongated and flexible object, such as an insertion tube that functions as a portion of an endoscope or a borescope device. The apparatus includes a rotating storage carousel having a base and a peripheral barrier. An elongated and flexible object, such as an insertion tube, is stored along the inner side of the peripheral barrier and the base. The storage cavity of the carousel rotates while accepting the transfer of the elongated and flexible object for storage.