Endoscope Elevator Mechanism Wall Trajectory Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing endoscope designs face challenges in maintaining accessibility for cleaning brushes, preventing wear of the distal-end-portion main body, and preventing treatment tools from slipping into the lower side of the operating wire, particularly due to the design of the elevator housing space and the interaction between the operating wire and the facing side wall.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope incorporates a treatment tool elevating mechanism with a detachable elevator-housing-space forming member, featuring a second wall portion with a shape that aligns with the trajectory of the operating wire and the treatment tool elevator, preventing slipping by overlapping the wire distal end portion and forming a step surface to guide the wire, thus enhancing accessibility and reducing wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the facing side wall is provided to fill the gap on the lower side of the operating wire, then treatment tools are prevented from slipping into the lower side of the operating wire, but the elevator housing space is narrowed and accessibility of cleaning brush is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The facing side wall is divided into two distinct surfaces: a first wall surface that contacts the operating wire to prevent tool slipping, and a second wall surface positioned closer to the elevator housing space that maintains cleaning accessibility. This segmentation allows each surface to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the facing side wall are given different functional qualities: the first wall surface is positioned to align with the operating wire trajectory for prevention of tool slipping, while the second wall surface is positioned to maintain adequate space for cleaning brush accessibility. Each local region of the wall serves its specific purpose.
2Reliability
If the facing side wall is provided to fill the gap on the lower side of the operating wire, then treatment tools are prevented from slipping, but the distal-end-portion main body is worn due to repeated sliding-contact
Solution Approach 1:
The facing side wall with its wear-resistant configuration is designed as a replaceable component of the elevator housing space forming member. When wear occurs, the entire elevator housing space forming member can be replaced rather than attempting to repair the distal-end-portion main body, extending the overall system service life through modular replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The first wall surface is specifically shaped to align with the operating wire trajectory, creating a smooth guidance path that reduces friction and sliding contact. This preventive design reduces wear before it occurs by optimizing the contact geometry between the wall and operating wire.
3Reliability
If the second wall surface is provided to overlap the wire distal end portion, then treatment tools are prevented from slipping into the lower side of the operating wire, but the elevator housing space is narrowed
Solution Approach 1:
The solution addresses the spatial conflict by utilizing the Z-axis dimension (depth) rather than compromising the X-Y plane area. The first wall surface extends in the depth direction to provide wire guidance and prevent slipping, while the second wall surface is positioned to maintain adequate lateral space for the elevator housing space, thus preventing tool slipping without significantly narrowing the housing volume.
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided an endoscope and a treatment tool elevating mechanism capable of achieving improvement in accessibility of a cleaning brush, prevention of wear of a distal-end-portion main body, and prevention of slipping of a treatment tool into the lower side of an operating wire. When viewed in a second direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis of the distal-end-portion main body and a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a wire distal end portion of the operating wire connected to a wire connection portion of a treatment tool elevator is positioned on the other direction side with respect to an elevator main body portion of the treatment tool elevator. A second wall portion of an elevator-housing-space forming member has a first wall surface at least a portion of which has a shape along the trajectory of the wire connection portion that rotates about a rotary shaft, and a second wall surface provided at a position on one direction side of the first direction with respect to the first wall surface and having a shape extending along the trajectory of the elevator main body portion that rotates about the rotary shaft. When viewed in the second direction, the second wall surface overlaps at least a portion of the wire distal end portion in the first direction.