Endoscope Joining Portion with Larger Gas Hole to Prevent Liquid Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In endoscopes where a liquid and gas join in the distal end portion, there is a risk of the liquid being sucked up and injected together with the gas during an air supply operation due to pressure differences.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope design includes a larger first communication hole for the gas path than the second communication hole for the liquid path, ensuring the air pressure differential is minimized, preventing liquid suction and injection with gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the gas path opening size is made larger to improve gas supply efficiency, then gas flow rate increases, but liquid may be sucked up and injected together with gas due to increased pressure difference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different opening sizes at different locations within the joining recessed portion. The first communication hole (gas path) has a larger opening size to ensure adequate gas supply, while the second communication hole (liquid path) has a smaller opening size to prevent liquid suction. This localized differentiation of opening dimensions allows the system to simultaneously achieve high gas flow rate while preventing harmful liquid injection.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the liquid path opening size is made smaller to prevent liquid suction, then liquid injection is suppressed, but gas flow may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication holes into two distinct types with different functions and dimensions. The first communication hole is dedicated to gas flow with a larger opening, while the second communication hole is dedicated to liquid flow control with a smaller opening. This segmentation allows each pathway to be optimized independently - the gas path maintains high flow rate while the liquid path prevents suction - thereby resolving the contradiction between preventing liquid injection and maintaining gas productivity.
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
Prevents liquid from being injected with gas during air supply operations by managing air pressure differentials effectively.
Implementation Method 1
since the size of the first communication hole between the gas path and the joining recessed portion is larger than the size of the second communication hole between the liquid path and the joining recessed portion, an increase in speed of air in a vicinity of the first communication hole is suppressed and the liquid in the liquid path is prevented from being sucked up
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope capable of preventing a liquid in a liquid path from being sucked up and injected together with a gas at the time of an air supply operation. In an endoscope including a liquid path through which a liquid passes and a gas path through which a gas passes, and in which a joining recessed portion in which the liquid and the gas join is formed in a distal end portion, one end side of the liquid path and one end side of the gas path communicate with the joining recessed portion, and a size of a first communication hole between the gas path and the joining recessed portion is made larger than a size of a second communication hole between the liquid path and the joining recessed portion.