Disposable Rigid Endoscope with Reusable Camera Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reusable endoscopes face challenges with sterile isolation, complex disassembly, and safety risks due to incomplete encasement, which is exacerbated by contagious viruses like the novel coronavirus, and existing solutions like sleeving with leather are costly, inconvenient, and compromise medical safety.
Innovation Solution
A rigid endoscope design featuring a disposable endoscope body structure and a reusable camera assembly, where the camera assembly is electrically connected through a receptacle and external connecting portion, allowing for complete sterile isolation and simplified assembly and disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a reusable endoscope is used, then cost is reduced, but sterile isolation cannot be guaranteed and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope is divided into two independent parts: a disposable endoscope body structure and a reusable camera assembly. This segmentation allows the disposable part to ensure sterile isolation while the reusable part reduces long-term costs, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera assembly is inserted into and nested within the endoscope body structure, with the camera assembly access port providing access to the receptacle. This nesting design enables complete sterile isolation while maintaining simple assembly through direct insertion, eliminating the need for complex disassembly procedures.
2Reliability
If electrical wires are configured to transmit energy and signals at the rear end, then functionality is improved, but complete sterile isolation cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection components (receptacle and external connecting portion) are extracted and placed at the rear end of the endoscope body structure, separate from the camera assembly insertion area. This extraction allows the front portion to maintain complete sterile isolation while the rear electrical components handle connectivity, preserving both sterile isolation and operational simplicity.
3Reliability
If a sterile isolation cover is added, then sterile isolation is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile isolation function is merged into the disposable endoscope body structure itself rather than being a separate add-on component. The receptacle and camera assembly access port are integrated into the disposable structure, providing complete sterile isolation without requiring additional isolation covers, thereby simplifying manufacturing.
4Reliability
If the endoscope is designed as completely disposable, then sterile isolation is guaranteed, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope system is segmented into a disposable endoscope body structure and a reusable camera assembly. This segmentation allows only the necessary disposable components to be discarded after use, while the expensive camera assembly can be reused, significantly reducing material consumption and cost compared to completely disposable designs.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a rigid endoscope including a disposable endoscope body structure and a reusable camera assembly. The endoscope body structure includes a handle portion, an endoscope body inserting portion and a line connecting portion, wherein the endoscope body inserting portion is directly or indirectly connected to the handle portion, the line connecting portion includes a receptacle located in the handle portion and an external connecting portion located outside the handle portion, and the receptacle is directly or indirectly connected with the external connecting portion; the handle portion is provided with a camera assembly access port for the camera assembly to access; after accessing and being assembled to the camera assembly access port, the camera assembly access port is able to be inserted into the receptacle to transmit electrical energy and/or a signal with the external connecting portion by using the receptacle.