Endoscope Cleaning Apparatus Gravity-Fed Medicinal Solution Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope cleaning/disinfecting apparatuses face challenges in efficiently controlling and checking the concentration of medicinal solutions, often requiring separate conduits and complex procedures for concentration verification.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope cleaning/disinfecting apparatus with a medicinal solution storage portion positioned below a cleaning/disinfecting tank, connected by a conduit with a check valve and a medicinal solution receiving member that allows gravity-fed flow, enabling easy concentration checking without the need for additional collection conduits or complex setups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If the medicinal solution storage portion is positioned below the cleaning/disinfecting tank to enable gravity-fed flow, then energy consumption is reduced and system simplicity is improved, but control over solution flow and concentration becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses gravity as the driving force for medicinal solution flow, eliminating the need for external pumps or power sources. The check valve automatically controls the flow direction without requiring active control mechanisms, achieving self-regulated gravity-fed flow from the storage portion to the cleaning tank.
Solution Approach 2:
A check valve is introduced as an intermediary component in the flow path to control the directional flow of medicinal solution. The check valve allows solution to flow from the storage portion to the cleaning tank while preventing backflow, providing passive flow control without requiring active mechanical or electrical systems.
2Ease of operation
If a check valve is added to control gravity-fed flow, then flow control capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control function is extracted and isolated into a single check valve component within the conduit system. This separates the control function from the overall system, allowing simple passive flow management without requiring complex active control mechanisms, motors, or electronic systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The check valve provides automatic, passive flow control based on the direction of fluid flow itself, without requiring external power, control systems, or complex mechanisms. The valve self-regulates flow direction purely through the physical properties of the flowing medicinal solution.
3Measurement precision
If concentration checking requires separate collection conduits or complex setups, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The concentration measurement function is merged with the existing medicinal solution supply conduit system. The check valve and conduit structure that already exist for solution delivery are utilized for both flow control and concentration sampling purposes, eliminating the need for separate collection conduits or additional measurement infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The medicinal solution supply conduit and check valve assembly serve multiple functions: they control the flow of medicinal solution to the cleaning tank and simultaneously provide access for concentration checking. This multi-functionality eliminates redundant components and simplifies the overall system while maintaining measurement capability.
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
Facilitates efficient and cost-effective concentration verification of medicinal solutions by allowing gravity-fed storage and easy access for testing, improving workability and eliminating the need for separate collection systems.
Implementation Method 1
a medicinal solution receiving member provided inside the medicinal solution supplying conduit; wherein the medicinal solution receiving member is a check valve configured to allow the medicinal solution flowing from the medicinal solution storage portion to the cleaning/disinfecting tank to pass
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope cleaning/disinfecting apparatus includes: a medicinal solution storage portion; a cleaning/disinfecting tank; a medicinal solution supplying conduit having one end communicating with the medicinal solution storage portion and the other end opening toward the cleaning/disinfecting tank; a medicinal solution supplying member; a medicinal solution receiving member provided inside the medicinal solution supplying member; and a medicinal solution collecting port which is openable/closable by a lid body, and formed at a position between the medicinal solution receiving member and the opening of the other end in the medicinal solution supplying conduit.