Endoscope Tubular Connector Structure for Smooth Tool Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope tubular connectors face issues with treatment tools getting stuck or dropping off due to the difference in material hardness between the connection joint and tubular portion, leading to difficulties in inserting and removing tools, and the inability to maintain a small diameter for other channels like suction and water supply tubes.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope tubular connector design includes a connection joint with a through-hole and a softer tubular portion, where the tubular portion's outer circumference is arranged inside the connection joint's inner circumference, and uses regulators like convex portions or fitting mechanisms to prevent tool sticking and dropping, allowing for easy insertion and removal of treatment tools and maintaining a small diameter for other channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tubular portion is made of softer material than the connection joint, then the treatment tool can be inserted and removed easily, but the tubular portion may drop off from the connection joint
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular portion is nested inside the connection joint, with its outer circumference arranged on the inner side of the connection joint's inner circumference. This nested configuration allows the softer tubular portion to be retained by the harder connection joint structure, preventing dropping off while maintaining ease of tool insertion and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection joint is designed with a specific local structure where the inner circumference provides a retaining feature for the tubular portion. This localized structural quality ensures that the softer tubular portion remains securely positioned on the connection joint without requiring the entire assembly to be made of hard material, thus maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If the tubular portion is made harder to prevent dropping off, then retention is improved, but treatment tools get stuck during insertion and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The solution applies local quality by making only the tubular portion soft while keeping the connection joint hard. The soft tubular portion allows easy tool insertion and removal, while the hard connection joint provides structural support and retention features to prevent the tubular portion from dropping off.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested configuration where the soft tubular portion is placed inside the hard connection joint allows the softer material to contact the treatment tool (enabling easy insertion/removal) while the harder outer structure provides retention, resolving the contradiction between hardness for retention and softness for ease of operation.
3Volume of moving object
If the treatment tool channel diameter is reduced, then other channels can maintain small diameter, but treatment tool insertion and removal becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular portion is designed with locally optimized soft material properties at the inner surface that contacts the treatment tool. This localized softness creates a compliant interface that facilitates easy insertion and removal of tools even in a reduced-diameter channel, while the overall channel diameter remains small.
Solution Approach 2:
The material hardness parameter of the tubular portion is changed to be softer than the connection joint, creating a compliant interface that reduces friction and facilitates easy tool insertion and removal. This parameter change allows the channel to maintain a small diameter while preserving ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope tubular connector includes: a connection joint including a through-hole; and a tubular portion that is formed of a material softer than the connection joint and that has one end arranged in the through-hole of the connection joint. The through-hole of the connection joint and a through-hole of the tubular portion are formed such that the through-holes are connected to each other, and an outer circumference of the tubular portion is arranged on an inner side with respect to an inner circumference of the connection joint.