Endoscope Sealed Unit Adhesive Injection Bore Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

The manufacturing of sealed units for endoscopes faces challenges such as excess adhesive peeling and thermal expansion issues during bonding of nested tubular members, which complicates the process and requires additional cleaning and temperature control to prevent cross-contamination and ensure secure fixing.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves forming bores in the outer tubular member and recesses in the inner member to facilitate the injection and spreading of adhesive agents through capillary action, allowing for a gapless adhesive layer and using a combination of UV-setting and thermosetting adhesives to secure the tubular members without displacement during heating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If adhesive agent is applied to the outer surface of an inner tubular member and the inner tubular member is slid into an outer tubular member, then bonding between tubular members is achieved, but excess adhesive agent peels off and forms drops or a continuous rope at the front surface, requiring additional cleaning steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding processVSAvoidexcess adhesive agent

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the harmful excess adhesive agent by providing a bore in the outer tubular member that allows the adhesive to be injected directly into the gap between tubular members, preventing it from peeling off and forming drops on the front surface. This extraction approach eliminates the need for additional cleaning steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The bore acts as an intermediary channel that guides the adhesive agent from the injection point directly to the bonding gap, preventing the adhesive from taking the unwanted path of peeling off the surface and forming harmful drops, while still achieving effective bonding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If heat is applied to the tubular members before they are firmly fixed to enable thermosetting adhesive bonding, then rapid setting is achieved, but positioning of the tubular members is affected by thermal expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding speedVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies preliminary mechanical fixation by firmly fixing the tubular members to one another before applying heat for thermosetting adhesive bonding. This preliminary action prevents thermal expansion from affecting positioning, as the members are already securely in place.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention provides beforehand cushioning against thermal expansion effects by ensuring the tubular members are firmly fixed through mechanical means before heat application. This cushioning approach prevents positioning errors that would otherwise occur during thermal processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If a gapless adhesive layer is formed around the circumference of the inner tubular member, then secure fixing and sealing is achieved, but adhesive agent must be perfectly distributed without gaps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixing and sealing qualityVSAvoidadhesive distribution control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses hydraulic pressure by injecting the adhesive agent through a bore in the outer tubular member. This pressure-driven injection method ensures the adhesive automatically fills the entire gap around the circumference, forming a gapless adhesive layer without requiring precise manual distribution control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The gap between tubular members acts as a porous space that the adhesive agent fills through pressure injection. The adhesive flows into all available spaces, ensuring complete coverage and gapless bonding, similar to how materials fill porous structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

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

This method eliminates the need for additional cleaning steps, ensures secure and gapless bonding, and prevents tubular member displacement during thermal processing, enhancing the manufacturing efficiency and reliability of endoscope sealed units.

Implementation Method 1

The adhesive agent may be spread in the gap by capillary action

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentUS20230309797A1Endoscope and method of manufacturing a sealed unit of an endoscope

Publication Date: 2023.10.05 OLYMPUS WINTER & IBE GMBH

AI summary

An endoscope including: a handle, an elongated shaft, and a video camera disposed in the shaft. The elongated shaft having a unit including a plurality of nested tubes. The plurality of nested tubes including a first tube and a second tube at least partially disposed within the first tube, the first tube and the second tube being fixed to one another through adhesive bonding. The first tube having a first bore formed in the first tube, the first bore communicating with a first gap between the first tube and the second tube, and an adhesive is provided in the first gap.