Endoscope Light-Guiding Connector Reflective Blind Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopes experience undesirable heating due to light absorption in the material of the light-guiding connector when using fiber-optic cables with a larger light-conducting cross-section than the available connector, exacerbated by increasing illumination intensity requirements for higher image resolutions.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a reflective blind surface with a high degree of reflection (>85%) on the end face of the fiber optic connector, which reflects uncoupled light back into the fiber optic cable, reducing absorption and heating in the endoscope's main body, and using a reflective coating on the sleeve and cover glass to optimize light coupling and reduce heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a fiber optic cable with a larger light-conducting cross-section is used to ensure complete illumination of the fiber optic bundle, then illumination intensity is improved, but heat generation due to light absorption in the connector material increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of uncoupled light (which would be absorbed and cause heating) into a beneficial effect by introducing a reflective blind surface. This surface reflects the uncoupled light back into the fiber optic cable, allowing it to return to the light source where it can be reused or safely dissipated, thereby eliminating the heating problem while maintaining high illumination intensity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the connector by introducing a reflective coating with specific reflectance properties (>85% in the 350-950 nm wavelength range). This parameter change transforms the connector from an absorbing element to a reflective element, fundamentally altering how uncoupled light is handled and eliminating the heat generation issue
2Measurement precision
If higher illumination intensity is used to achieve higher image resolutions, then image quality is improved, but the amount of energy absorbed and converted to heat in the connector increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective blind surface converts the energy that would be lost as heat into useful reflected light that returns to the fiber optic cable. This allows higher illumination intensities to be used for improved image resolution without the penalty of excessive energy absorption and heat generation in the connector
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
Significantly reduces heating in the endoscope's main body by reflecting excess light back to the light source, minimizing energy absorption and maintaining efficient light coupling for illumination.
Implementation Method 1
the blind surface is reflective. Light emitted by the optical fiber in the area of the blind surface is reflected by the reflective blind surface and directed back into the optical fiber
Implementation Method 2
the light is then transmitted to the endoscope via a fiber optic cable
Implementation Method 3
a fiber optic bundle extending from the main body to a distal end of the shaft, wherein the fiber optic bundle terminates at an illumination outlet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to an endoscope, comprising a main body (12), a shaft (10), and an optical fiber bundle (18) extending through the shaft (10) from the main body (12) to a distal end of the shaft, wherein the optical fiber bundle (18, 118, 218) ends at the distal end of the shaft (10) at an illumination exit (11), and the optical fiber bundle (18) ends at the main body (12) at a light-guiding connecting piece (13, 113, 213) for connecting an optical cable (31). The endoscope is developed in that the light-guiding connecting piece (13, 113, 213) is designed to reduce the absorption, by the material of the light-guiding connecting piece (13), of light that cannot be coupled from the optical cable (31) into the optical fiber bundle (18, 118, 218).