Endoscopic Camera Head Gravity Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic image pickup devices face issues with image blurring due to camera head movement during rotation of the endoscope, caused by operational forces and friction at rotational connections, leading to poor operability and increased size and weight.
Innovation Solution
The camera head is designed with a camera head housing perpendicular to the rotational axis, and a remote control section is positioned along the camera cable, allowing the camera head to maintain a constant attitude due to its own weight, preventing movement when the remote control is operated, and using a shielded camera cable to prevent signal interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the camera head is connected to the eyepiece section via a rotational connection to maintain vertical attitude during endoscope rotation, then the camera head can be kept in constant attitude, but friction occurs at the rotational connection part causing the camera head to oscillate and blur images
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the camera head from the rotational connection system by connecting it to the eyepiece section through a flexible camera cable instead of a mechanical rotational connection. This eliminates the friction and oscillation problems caused by rotational connections while maintaining the camera head's vertical attitude through gravitational force.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible camera cable acts as an intermediary between the eyepiece section and the camera head, transmitting optical images without mechanical coupling. This allows the camera head to remain vertically oriented under gravity while the endoscope rotates, eliminating the friction issues of direct rotational connections.
2Ease of operation
If the remote control section is integrated into the grip section for easy operation, then the surgeon can remote-control the control unit during observation, but the grip section moves due to operating force causing image blur when capturing still images
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the remote control section from the grip section by providing it as a detachable component connected via flexible cable. This allows the remote control to be positioned independently, enabling the surgeon to operate it without applying force to the grip section, thus preventing image blur during still image capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible camera cable serves as an intermediary that transmits control signals from the remote control section to the control unit without mechanically coupling the remote control to the grip section. This isolates the grip section from operational forces, ensuring image stability.
3Device complexity
If the camera head is connected in the axial direction via camera adapter to reduce complexity, then the structure is simpler, but the size and weight of the operation section increase reducing operability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the connection dimension from axial (along the endoscope axis) to lateral by connecting the camera head to the side of the eyepiece section. This lateral connection with flexible cable routing reduces the operational radius and improves maneuverability while maintaining structural simplicity.
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 design ensures the camera head remains stationary during endoscope rotation, preventing image blurring and improving operability by reducing the size and weight of the camera head, while maintaining signal integrity through shielding.
Implementation Method 1
a shielded camera cable to prevent signal interference
Implementation Method 2
allowing the camera head to maintain a constant attitude due to its own weight
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An endoscopic image pickup device includes a sheath (12) functioning as insertion section which is inserted in a body cavity, a camera head body (23) which is coupled to a proximal end portion of the sheath (12) in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the sheath (12), is rotatable about the axis of the sheath (12) as a rotational axis, and has a center of gravity below the rotational axis, and a remote control section (41) which is provided at a position with an extension below the camera head body (23). With this structure, even if an endoscope is rotated about the axis of the sheath (12) of the endoscope, the camera head body (23) is always kept in a constant attitude by its own weight. In addition, blurring of an image can be prevented at a time of capturing a still image by the operation of the remote control section (41).