Endoscope Cooling Structure With Thermal Barrier and Heat Conductor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopes and exoscopes face heating issues due to passive heat dissipation, which limits image quality as electrical components, especially image sensors, exceed safe operating temperatures, and prior cooling methods are ineffective in dissipating heat efficiently without additional external devices.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a mechanical coupling separation from thermal coupling, using a heat barrier element with low thermal conductivity and a heat-conducting element with high thermal conductivity, allowing for efficient heat transfer from image sensors to the housing while preventing heat backflow, and optionally incorporating a thermoelectric cooling module or internal active cooling to manage temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If passive heat dissipation is used through housing surfaces, then device simplicity is maintained, but image sensor temperature exceeds safe operating limits
Solution Approach 1:
A heat-conducting element is introduced as an intermediary between the image sensor and the housing to facilitate heat transfer. This element has high thermal conductivity and is specifically designed to conduct heat away from the image sensor to the housing, enabling effective cooling without complex active cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat-conducting element is extracted as a separate component from the housing structure. This allows the heat conduction function to be optimized independently while maintaining the simplicity of the overall device design. The element can be easily installed and replaced without modifying the housing.
2Loss of energy
If thermal coupling between image sensor and housing is increased, then heat dissipation improves, but mechanical stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal coupling function is segmented from the mechanical coupling function. The heat-conducting element provides thermal coupling between the image sensor and housing, while the support element provides mechanical support and stability. This segmentation allows each function to be optimized independently without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the mounting structure have different thermal conductivities. The heat-conducting element has high thermal conductivity for efficient heat transfer, while the support element has low thermal conductivity to maintain mechanical stability. This local differentiation of thermal properties enables simultaneous optimization of heat dissipation and mechanical stability.
3Strength
If mechanical coupling of heat source to housing is strengthened, then structural rigidity improves, but thermal coupling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical coupling function is separated from the thermal coupling function. The support element provides strong mechanical coupling to maintain structural rigidity, while the heat-conducting element provides efficient thermal coupling for heat dissipation. This segmentation resolves the conflict between mechanical strength and thermal efficiency.
4Temperature
If external cooling devices are added, then image sensor cooling effectiveness improves, but device complexity and particle ingress risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure itself is designed to serve as the heat sink for the image sensor. The heat-conducting element transfers heat directly to the housing, which dissipates the heat to the surrounding environment. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external cooling devices while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support, electrical shielding, and thermal dissipation. By utilizing the housing as a heat sink, the design eliminates the need for separate cooling components, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
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
The solution effectively reduces image sensor temperatures, enhancing image quality by ensuring at least 80% of heat flow is directed through the heat-conducting element, reducing the need for external cooling devices and minimizing noise and particle ingress.
Implementation Method 1
The heat-conducting element (9) has a high thermal conductivity and is arranged between the housing (3) and the support element (2). At least 80% of the heat flow from the heat source (1) to the housing (3) occurs via the heat-conducting element (9).
Implementation Method 2
The thermal barrier element (5) has a low thermal conductivity and is arranged between the support element (2) and the housing (3).
Implementation Method 3
Especially with exoscopes, especially when they are not handheld, the temperatures permitted for adequate cooling of the entire system are usually higher than the permitted surface temperatures for instruments according to the DIN EN 60601-1 standard. This surprisingly allows for passive heat dissipation (through conduction and natural convection) of the image sensors.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Cooling device (32) for an endoscope or an exoscope, the cooling device (32) with a heat source arranged on a support element (2), wherein the support element (2) is arranged on a rigid thermal barrier element (5) and the thermal barrier element (5) is arranged on a housing (3) such that the support element (2), the thermal barrier element (5) and the housing (3) form a mechanically rigid unit, wherein the thermal barrier element (5) has low thermal conductivity, wherein a thermal conducting element (9) is further arranged between the housing (3) and the support element (2), the thermal conducting element (9) bearing against a first surface (34) of the support element (2) with a second surface (36) and facing a fourth surface (40) of the housing (3) with a third surface (38), wherein the thermal conducting element (9) has high thermal conductivity.The second surface (36) is at an angle to the third surface (38), and the heat-conducting element (9) is formed separately from the support element (2) and the housing (3). Furthermore, a system (30) with a cooling device (32) is disclosed.