Endoscope Failure Detecting Circuit for Laser Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscope systems lack effective mechanisms to detect pre-failure states and adjust light output to prevent laser light leakage and ensure safety before component failure, particularly in scenarios like falls or impacts.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a failure-cause detecting circuit and a cause predicting circuit that utilize sensors to detect impacts and falls, allowing the light source controller to reduce or stop light output based on detected pre-failure states, thereby preventing unexpected laser light leakage and ensuring safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the endoscope operates without pre-failure detection, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability is poor due to unexpected laser light leakage after component failure
Solution Approach 1:
The cause predicting circuit performs preliminary detection of acceleration changes to predict potential falls before they occur. By detecting acceleration patterns that precede a fall event, the system can prepare to stop light output in advance, ensuring laser safety before actual component failure happens.
Solution Approach 2:
The failure-cause detecting circuit provides beforehand protection by detecting pre-failure states (acceleration changes indicating potential falls) and triggering light output cessation before the endoscope actually falls and causes laser leakage. This cushioning action prevents the harmful effect before it occurs.
2Reliability
If the light source controller stops light output upon detecting pre-failure states, then the laser safety is improved, but the productivity decreases due to operational interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of acceleration changes that indicate potential falls. By identifying these pre-failure states before actual failure occurs, the system can stop light output only when necessary, avoiding unnecessary operational interruptions while maintaining laser safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The failure-cause detecting circuit provides continuous feedback on the operational state of the endoscope by monitoring acceleration. This feedback mechanism allows the light source controller to make informed decisions about when to stop or continue light output, balancing safety with operational continuity based on actual detected conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the endoscope lacks fall detection capability, then the ease of operation is high, but the object-affected harmful factors increase due to undetected laser light leakage during falls
Solution Approach 1:
The cause predicting circuit detects acceleration changes as a preliminary indicator of potential falls. By identifying these changes before the fall completes, the system can stop light output in advance, preventing laser light leakage without requiring complex real-time fall detection and response systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The acceleration sensor serves as an intermediary that detects indirect signs of potential falls (acceleration changes) rather than directly detecting the fall event itself. This intermediary detection method provides early warning of harmful conditions without requiring direct monitoring of the actual fall or laser leakage.
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope system includes an endoscope including a control section, an insertion section, and a light guide member, a light source configured to emit light guided by the light guide member, a failure-cause detecting circuit configured to detect a pre-failure state that causes a failure of the endoscope, and a light source controller configured to control an output of the light source based on a detection result of the failure-cause detecting circuit. The failure-cause detecting circuit includes a cause predicting circuit configured to detect a second pre-failure state in which it is predicted that the endoscope reaches a first pre-failure state that directly causes the failure of the endoscope. The light source controller controls the output of the light source based on a detection result of the cause predicting circuit.