Endoscope Cleaning Instrument Nested Within Shaft

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing endoscopes face challenges in maintaining image quality due to deposits at the light admission face, which require time-consuming cleaning procedures that interrupt microsurgical procedures and risk patient safety, and existing solutions compromise mechanical robustness and manufacturing complexity.

Innovation Solution

An endoscope design with a distal shaft portion and a central shaft portion of varying cross sections, allowing for in situ cleaning without mobility, enabling instruments to pass through the trocar tube alongside the endoscope, and a cleaning instrument with a fluid channel and wiping facility for effective deposit removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the endoscope is cleaned outside the body, then deposits are removed from the light admission face, but the procedure is interrupted and time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocedure interruption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning instrument is prepared and positioned in advance within the endoscope shaft, with cleaning materials (wiping element, fluid channel) ready before the procedure begins. This allows immediate cleaning action when deposits are detected, eliminating the need to withdraw the endoscope for cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The endoscope system performs its own cleaning function through an integrated cleaning instrument that can be activated during the procedure. The cleaning instrument includes self-contained components (fluid channel, wiping element) that enable the endoscope to clean itself without external intervention or procedure interruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If cleaning components are added to the endoscope, then in situ cleaning is enabled, but the cross section and installation space are enlarged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidendoscope shaft cross section

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning instrument is nested within the endoscope shaft structure. The instrument shaft with its fluid channel and wiping element is positioned inside the endoscope shaft, utilizing the existing internal space. This nested arrangement allows the cleaning function to be integrated without significantly increasing the overall cross section of the endoscope system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If the endoscope is held by a retainer arm or robotic arm, then positioning is improved, but cleaning becomes more complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovepositioningVSAvoidcleaning complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning function is extracted as a separate, independently controllable instrument that can be operated separately from the retainer or robotic arm positioning system. The cleaning instrument has its own control mechanism that can be activated without interfering with the positioning system, simplifying the overall operation despite the presence of multiple systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If the light admission face cools during external cleaning, then deposits are removed, but condensation risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidcondensation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning action is performed quickly and directly at the light admission face without removing the endoscope from the warm body environment. The cleaning instrument delivers the wiping element and fluid directly to the light admission face, completing the cleaning process before significant temperature change can occur, thus preventing condensation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning instrument acts as an intermediary that transfers the cleaning function from the external environment to the internal warm environment of the endoscope. By performing cleaning inside the endoscope shaft while the endoscope remains in the body, the intermediary cleaning system avoids the temperature differential that would cause condensation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 continuous microsurgical procedures by maintaining image quality through efficient in situ cleaning, reducing mechanical complexity and manufacturing costs, and enhancing the mechanical robustness of the endoscope.

Implementation Method 1

a stream of fluid can be generated at the light admission face (11)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid stream: Jet

Implementation Method 2

a wiping facility (72) for wiping deposits from the light admission face (11)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS12167839B2Endoscope and cleaning instrument for an endoscope

Publication Date: 2024.12.17 KARL STORZ SE & CO KG

AI summary

An endoscope (10) includes an endoscope shaft (13), with a distal shaft portion (20), a central shaft portion (30) and a proximal shaft portion (40), and a light admission face (11) at the distal shaft portion (20). A cross section of the central shaft portion (30) is smaller than the cross section of the distal shaft portion (20) and smaller than the cross section of the proximal shaft portion (40).