Multi-Material Distal Cap Molding for Slimmer Endoscopes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices, such as endoscopes and ureteroscopes, often have distal caps that are oversized due to accommodating camera and working channels, which hinders maneuverability and increases the risk of patient injury during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method involving injection molding with multiple materials, where a first material encapsulates the imaging device, illuminator, and working channel, and a second, harder material envelops the first, minimizing the distal cap's size while providing structural support and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the distal cap is molded larger to accommodate camera and working channel insertion, then assembly ease is improved, but device size increases reducing maneuverability
Solution Approach 1:
The components (camera, working channel, illuminator) are pre-positioned within the mold cavity before the distal cap material is injected. This preliminary positioning allows the cap to be molded at the exact final size needed, eliminating the need for oversized molding to accommodate post-molding assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera, working channel, and illuminator are nested within the distal cap during the molding process itself. The cap material is injected around these pre-positioned components, creating a nested structure where internal components are encapsulated within the cap's final-size geometry.
2Manufacturing precision
If the distal cap is molded larger to allow tolerance for component insertion, then assembly tolerance is improved, but device miniaturization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Components are pre-positioned with precise location features (such as registration pins or molded-in positioning elements) within the mold cavity before cap injection. This preliminary precise positioning ensures that when the cap is molded around them, the components are automatically located with high precision, eliminating the need for oversized tolerance zones.
3Length of moving object
If multi-material injection molding is used to minimize distal cap size, then device maneuverability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distal cap is manufactured using multi-material injection molding, where a first material (such as a soft polymer) is injected first to form the base cap structure, followed by a second material (such as a harder polymer or metal) injected over specific portions to create reinforcement layers or functional surfaces. This composite approach allows the cap to be minimized in size while maintaining structural integrity through material property differentiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal cap's wall structure is segmented into multiple material layers through sequential injection molding. The first material forms one functional layer (e.g., flexible sealing surface), while the second material forms another layer (e.g., structural reinforcement). This segmentation of material functions allows size reduction without sacrificing strength.
4Loss of time
If components are pre-positioned in mold for multi-material molding, then labor time is reduced, but positioning precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Components are pre-positioned in the mold using built-in positioning features such as registration pins, locators, or snap-fit mechanisms that are part of the mold itself. This preliminary action of pre-positioning components within the mold's precision-guided system eliminates manual assembly labor while the mold's mechanical positioning features ensure the required precision is achieved automatically during component placement.
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 method reduces labor time, enhances durability, and improves maneuverability by minimizing the distal cap's size, ensuring effective sealing and protection of internal components.
Implementation Method 1
The first material may be molded onto the imaging device, the illuminator, and the working channel via injection molding. The second material may be molded onto the first material via injection molding.
Data Source
AI summary
Medical devices, systems, and related methods are discussed. The medical device may include a distal cap, e.g., the distal cap including an imaging device; an illuminator; a working channel; a first material enveloping at least a portion of each of the imaging device, the illuminator, and the working channel; and a second material enveloping the first material. The second material may be harder than the first material.