Endoscope Bending Lock Mechanism Wear Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscope bending operation apparatuses face challenges in maintaining a consistent locking force for the bending portion, leading to reduced fixing force over time due to wear, necessitating part replacement and increased repair costs.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a brake adjustment body with an adjustable intermediate member that can be lengthened to maintain proper alignment and pressure between the brake member and the bending drive shaft, allowing for restoration of the locking force without replacing parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional lock mechanism uses a friction member pressed against a drive shaft to lock the bending portion, then the bending portion can be fixed in a desired bent state, but the fixing force decreases over time due to wear between the friction member and drive shaft
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the cam portion (specifically the radius of curvature of its acting surface) to compensate for wear. As the friction member wears and the gap increases, the cam portion's geometry ensures that the pressing force increases, automatically compensating for the wear and maintaining consistent locking force throughout the service life of the mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the pressing force dynamic rather than static. The cam portion is designed so that the pressing force varies during operation and over time, automatically increasing as wear occurs. This dynamic adjustment ensures that the locking force remains effective throughout the component's service life without requiring manual adjustment or replacement.
2Reliability
If the pressing force is increased to compensate for wear, then the locking reliability is maintained, but the brake member and drive shaft wear out faster
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the cam portion (specifically the radius of curvature of its acting surface) to compensate for wear. As the friction member wears and the gap increases, the cam portion's geometry ensures that the pressing force increases, automatically compensating for the wear and maintaining consistent locking force throughout the service life of the mechanism.
3Device complexity
If a conventional cam mechanism is used with a fixed cam portion, then the structure is simple, but the pressing force becomes insufficient over time due to wear, requiring part replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the cam portion (specifically the radius of curvature of its acting surface) to compensate for wear. As the friction member wears and the gap increases, the cam portion's geometry ensures that the pressing force increases, automatically compensating for the wear and maintaining consistent locking force throughout the service life of the mechanism.
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 solution effectively maintains sufficient fixing force for the bending portion by adjusting the intermediate member's length, reducing the need for part replacement and lowering repair costs, even as components wear from repeated use.
Implementation Method 1
a cam portion provided in the second rotation shaft, configured to rotate in coordination with rotation of the second rotation shaft, and including an acting surface on an outer circumference, and a brake adjustment body formed to be adjustable in length from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion, the brake adjustment body being disposed between the acting surface of the cam portion and an outer circumferential portion of the first rotation shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A brake adjustment body is disposed in a direction orthogonal to turning shafts between a bending drive shaft and a lock operation shaft. The brake adjustment body is configured by including an intermediate member that abuts a cam portion of the lock operation shaft, and a brake member that applies to the bending drive shaft a pressure according to displacement of the intermediate member. The intermediate member has a shaft body portion and a cylindrical sliding portion screwed together, and by rotating the sliding portion in a state where the shaft body portion and the sliding portion are screwed together, the distance between a proximal end portion and a distal end portion of the intermediate member may be adjusted, and when fixing force on the bending drive shaft is reduced, the distance may be re-adjusted to restore the fixing force.