Interchangeable Endoscope Coupler Assembly for Precise Handle Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope systems face challenges in accommodating endoscopic devices with different specifications from various manufacturers, leading to difficulties in interchangeable use and potential errors due to varying handle positions and endoscope bending mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope driving assembly with a coupler and mount system that supports and drives endoscopic devices, featuring a coupler body with a main hole for the handle and a rotor-driven handle holder, allowing interchangeable support of endoscopic devices with different shapes and sizes, and includes sensors for precise detection and engagement mechanisms to ensure accurate alignment and rotation control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed coupler design is used for a specific endoscope manufacturer, then the coupling structure is simple and reliable, but the system cannot accommodate endoscopic devices with different specifications from various manufacturers
Solution Approach 1:
The coupler is designed with a universal interface structure that can accommodate endoscopic devices from different manufacturers. The main hole in the coupler body can be replaced with holes of different shapes and positions to match various endoscope handle configurations, allowing a single coupler design to support multiple device specifications without requiring completely different coupling structures for each manufacturer
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling system is divided into replaceable components: the coupler body, the main hole component, and the handle holder. This segmentation allows the main hole to be replaced depending on the endoscope manufacturer being used, providing adaptability while keeping the rest of the coupling structure simple and reusable
2Adaptability or versatility
If interchangeable couplers are provided for different endoscope manufacturers, then compatibility with various devices is improved, but the device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coupler is segmented into a reusable coupler body and replaceable main hole components. This allows the complex adaptive feature (different hole shapes for different manufacturers) to be isolated to small, easily manufactured inserts rather than requiring complex modifications to the entire coupler structure, simplifying both manufacturing and maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The main hole acts as an intermediary component that translates between the standardized coupler interface and the manufacturer-specific endoscope handle shapes. By replacing only this intermediary element, the system achieves multi-manufacturer compatibility without complicating the primary coupling mechanism
3Manufacturing precision
If precise alignment mechanisms are added to ensure accurate handle positioning, then surgical accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide grooves and guide protrusions are pre-configured in fixed positions on the coupler and mount respectively. This preliminary arrangement of alignment features ensures that when the components are assembled, the handle holder is automatically positioned at the correct location and orientation, achieving precise alignment without requiring complex active adjustment mechanisms during operation
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope driving assembly for supporting and driving an endoscopic device disposed at a slave device according to an embodiment may comprise: a coupler for supporting the endoscopic device; and a mount to which the coupler is mounted and which receives a signal from a master device to control the endoscopic device, wherein the coupler is replaceably provided to support a plurality of endoscopic devices having different shapes.