Endoscope Covering Member Inclined Contact Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope designs face challenges in ensuring a secure and air-tight seal between the bending portion and the distal hard portion, leading to potential air leaks and increased manufacturing costs due to the formation of gaps and air bubbles.
Innovation Solution
A resin tubular covering member is used, with a fastening member wound around its outer periphery to secure it to the distal hard portion, and a contact surface with an inclined design that reduces the likelihood of gaps by ensuring a snug fit and facilitating the removal of excess material, thereby enhancing the sealing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thread is wound around the bending rubber to fasten it to the distal hard portion, then the covering member is secured to the covering target part, but gaps and air bubbles form between the covering member and the distal hard portion
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end of the covering member is pre-formed with a collision portion that will contact the distal hard portion during assembly. This preliminary shaping ensures proper positioning and prevents gaps before the actual fastening operation occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The covering member features a localized collision portion at its distal end with specific geometric properties (inclined surface) that differ from the rest of the member. This local structural variation enables precise contact with the distal hard portion while maintaining the overall flexibility and coverage function of the covering member.
2Ease of operation
If the bending rubber is made thin to cover the bending portion, then flexibility is improved, but the sealing reliability decreases due to easier formation of gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The collision portion is pre-formed on the thin covering member to ensure proper contact and positioning with the distal hard portion during assembly, compensating for the reduced thickness and ensuring reliable sealing despite the thin construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The collision portion features an inclined surface with specific curvature that facilitates smooth contact and conformal fitting with the distal hard portion. This curved geometry allows the thin covering member to maintain flexibility while achieving reliable sealing through precise geometric contact.
3Ease of manufacture
If the rear end face of the cover is made perpendicular to the main body, then manufacturing is simplified, but a step is formed that causes the bending rubber to collide and form gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The covering member is designed with a localized collision portion at its distal end that has specific geometric properties (inclined surface) to contact the perpendicular rear end face of the cover. This local structural variation allows the covering member to properly engage with the simple perpendicular surface while preventing gap formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The collision portion is pre-formed on the covering member to ensure proper contact geometry with the perpendicular rear end face during assembly. This preliminary shaping compensates for the perpendicular geometry of the cover, ensuring accurate positioning and preventing gaps despite the simplified manufacturing of the cover.
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope includes an insertion portion, a resin tubular covering member, a fastening member and a contact surface. The insertion portion includes a bending portion. The resin tubular covering member is covering a covering target part in the insertion portion including the bending portion. The fastening member is wound around the outer periphery of at least one end of the covering member and fastens the end to the covering target part. The contact surface is provided on the side of the covering target part covered with the end, is placed in contact with the end face of the covering member and becomes thinner toward the side of the covering member.