Disposable EBUS Endoscope Tip Modular Housing Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in manufacturing disposable EBUS endoscopes is to maintain low manufacturing costs while ensuring precise assembly and alignment of components providing functionalities like ultrasound, vision, and fluid management, which is difficult due to the complexity of integrating these features into a disposable tip part.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a modular design with a tip part comprising an outer housing and an inner housing, where the inner housing includes a camera module and ultrasound transceiver, and the outer housing has guide structures to ensure proper alignment and angular positioning, allowing for prefabrication and testing of parts, and accommodating a balloon for acoustic impedance matching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a modular design with separate inner and outer housings is used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced and assembly is simplified, but device complexity increases due to multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The tip part is divided into an outer housing and an inner housing that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. The inner housing contains the camera module and working channel, while the outer housing provides structural support and alignment features. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized and manufactured independently, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite increasing the number of parts.
2Manufacturing precision
If guide structures are added to ensure proper alignment, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Guide structures are pre-formed as integral features of the outer housing during its manufacturing process. These guide structures include alignment pins, recesses, or geometric features that automatically position the inner housing correctly when assembled. By preparing these alignment features in advance during mold manufacturing, precise alignment is achieved without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or additional assembly steps.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ultrasound transceiver is positioned sideways, then it can provide lateral view without obstructing the camera, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasound transceiver is positioned at an asymmetric angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope, typically at 45 degrees or similar oblique angle. This asymmetric positioning allows the ultrasound beam to scan laterally while the camera maintains its forward viewing capability. The asymmetric design is integrated into the housing geometry, ensuring consistent positioning without requiring high-precision manual adjustment during assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope comprising a tip part having an ultrasound transceiver, a camera module, and a working channel. The tip part comprises an outer housing receiving the ultrasound transceiver and the camera module.