Multi-Port Endoscope Leakage Checker with Auto-ID Assignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional water leakage checking apparatuses are limited to checking a single endoscope at a time, which reduces efficiency and increases the risk of erroneous connections when multiple endoscopes need to be checked simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

A water leakage checking apparatus with multiple attachment portions, a water leakage sensing portion, an endoscope information reading portion, a control portion, and a notifying portion that allows simultaneous checking of multiple endoscopes by reading their information, determining the appropriate check menu items, and providing attachment portion identification for correct alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple attachment portions are provided to allow simultaneous checking of multiple endoscopes, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases and risk of erroneous connections increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater leakage checking efficiencyVSAvoidapparatus structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The water leakage checking apparatus is divided into multiple independent attachment portions (first attachment portion and second attachment portion), each capable of independently checking one endoscope. This segmentation allows simultaneous checking of multiple endoscopes without requiring a complex integrated checking system for all endoscopes, thus improving productivity while controlling device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control portion provides feedback by determining which attachment portion should receive each endoscope based on endoscope information read from the endoscope itself. The system reads the endoscope ID, determines the appropriate check menu items, and assigns the endoscope to a specific attachment portion, providing guidance to prevent erroneous connections and manage the complexity of multiple attachment portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If multiple attachment portions are provided to allow simultaneous checking of multiple endoscopes, then productivity is improved, but the risk of erroneous connections increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater leakage checking efficiencyVSAvoidconnection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control portion reads the endoscope ID from the attached endoscope and provides feedback by determining the appropriate attachment portion and check menu items. This feedback mechanism ensures that each endoscope is correctly assigned to the appropriate attachment portion, preventing erroneous connections while maintaining the ability to check multiple endoscopes simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The endoscope itself provides identification information (endoscope ID) that the reading portion automatically reads. This self-service approach allows the system to automatically identify and correctly assign each endoscope to the appropriate attachment portion without requiring manual identification or complex matching procedures, thus improving connection accuracy while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If endoscope information is read and used to determine check menu items, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechecking accuracyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The endoscope provides its own identification information (endoscope ID) that the reading portion automatically reads. This self-service approach enables the control portion to automatically determine the appropriate check menu items based on the endoscope's own information, improving checking accuracy without requiring complex external databases or manual configuration systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a digital copy of the endoscope's identification information by reading the endoscope ID from the endoscope itself. This copied information is then used by the control portion to determine the appropriate check menu items, ensuring accurate checking while avoiding the need for complex physical identification systems or manual data entry procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS8631684B2Water leakage checking apparatus

Publication Date: 2014.01.21 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)

AI summary

A water leakage checking apparatus includes: a plurality of attachment portions for attaching an endoscope; a water leakage sensing portion that communicates with the plurality of attachment portions and simultaneously carries out a plurality of items of a water leakage check menu; and an endoscope information reading portion that reads endoscope information from the endoscope. Also, the water leakage checking apparatus includes: a control portion that determines an item of the water leakage check menu based on the read endoscope information, assigns the determined item of the water leakage check menu to one of the plurality of attachment portions, and outputs attachment portion identifying information for identifying the assigned one of the attachment portions; and a notifying portion that notifies the attachment portion identifying information outputted from the control portion.