Endoscope Joystick Damping via Sphere-Mediated Operating Rod Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope joystick systems suffer from gaps that allow vibration of the joystick, despite damping being applied to the driven annular plate, leading to instability.
Innovation Solution
A damping-enabled endoscope operator that directly applies damping to an operating rod through a damper acting on a sphere, using a positioning mechanism to ensure stability by providing resistance to the operating rod's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If damping is applied to the driven annular plate, then damping effect is provided, but gap between joystick and driven annular plate allows vibration
Solution Approach 1:
A damping ball is introduced as an intermediary element between the operating rod and the damping mechanism. The damping ball receives damping force from the damper and transmits it to the operating rod, ensuring direct damping action on the joystick while eliminating the gap problem. This mediator resolves the contradiction by providing both damping effect and direct contact for stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping system is segmented into distinct functional components: a damper generating damping force, a damping ball transmitting the force, and an operating rod receiving the damping. This segmentation allows the damping function to be applied directly to the joystick through the damping ball, eliminating the gap issue while maintaining the damping effect.
2Ease of operation
If joystick passes through round hole in driven annular plate, then manipulation is enabled, but gap causes vibration room
Solution Approach 1:
The damping ball serves as a mediator that fills the functional gap between the operating rod and damping mechanism. It enables direct force transmission from the damper to the operating rod without requiring the operating rod to pass through holes, thus maintaining ease of manipulation while eliminating vibration room.
3Reliability
If driven annular plate is subjected to damping, then damping is provided, but damping is not directly applied to joystick
Solution Approach 1:
The damping ball acts as a mediator that directly transmits damping force to the operating rod. This ensures the damping function is reliably provided while simultaneously improving joystick control precision by eliminating gaps and ensuring direct force application to the joystick.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented so that the damping function is separated from the joystick but connected through the damping ball intermediary. This segmentation with mediation allows the damping mechanism to remain simple while achieving direct damping effect on the joystick for precise control.
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
The solution effectively prevents instability, such as vibration, by directly damping the operating rod, ensuring precise and stable control of the endoscope's movement.
Implementation Method 1
a damper disposed in the installation channel and having a bottom abutting against the sphere
Data Source
AI summary
A damping-enabled endoscope operator includes: a bottom rod having a top end provided with a sphere; a plate having a penetrating hole penetrable by the bottom rod, with the penetrating hole being of a small diameter than the sphere; a body fixedly disposed at the plate, covering the sphere, having an installation channel penetrating the body vertically, and allowing a portion of the sphere to protrude into the installation channel; a damper for abutting against the sphere; and an operating rod movably vertically disposed at the body and having a bottom end adapted to press against or separate from the damper during the vertical movement of the operating rod. A positioning mechanism is disposed between the operating rod and the body and adapted to enable the operating rod to be positioned in place upon completion of the vertical movement thereof.