Endoscope Light-Guide Segmentation for Bendable-Part Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopes face issues with reduced illumination light and light distribution due to optical axis misalignment in bendable parts, leading to deteriorated assembly ease, especially when light guides and lenses are positioned in these areas.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope design includes a plurality of light guides with an optical member between them, connected via a connection unit in the operation unit, allowing rotational movement to maintain alignment and improve assembly ease, while using a light source device with mixed color lights to enhance illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the end portions of the light guides and the lens are disposed in a bendable part, then the endoscope can observe portions at various angles, but the optical axis shifts causing reduction in illumination light and deterioration in light distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide part is divided into multiple light guides (first light guide, second light guide, etc.) with different characteristics. Each light guide can be independently positioned and connected, allowing the optical system to maintain alignment precision even when the bendable part changes shape during insertion or observation.
Solution Approach 2:
A lens is introduced as an intermediary optical member between the light guides to correct and maintain proper light distribution. The lens acts as a mediator that compensates for potential misalignment issues and ensures uniform illumination despite the bendable structure's movement.
2Ease of manufacture
If the end portions of the light guides and the lens are disposed in a connector, then the optical connection is simplified, but the light guides are lengthened deteriorating ease of assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide part is segmented into multiple shorter light guides rather than using one long light guide. This segmentation allows the light guides to be managed more easily during assembly, reducing the difficulty associated with handling and connecting extremely long optical fibers while maintaining proper optical connections.
3Illumination intensity
If a fiber bundle with large light distribution width is used, then light distribution is improved, but light transmittance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system uses multiple separate light guides with specific characteristics rather than a single fiber bundle. By segmenting the light transmission paths and using multiple guides with optimized parameters, the system achieves both good light distribution width and acceptable light transmittance, resolving the trade-off between these two optical performance parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
A lens is positioned as an intermediary between the light guides to optimize light distribution. The lens compensates for the limited light distribution width of individual light guides by refracting and redistributing the light, thereby achieving uniform illumination without requiring each light guide to have excessive distribution width that would compromise transmittance.
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
This design prevents reductions in illumination light and light distribution while improving assembly ease by maintaining optical alignment and using a light source device with mixed color lights.
Implementation Method 1
an optical member that suppresses a variation in a relative intensity of each color light of the illumination light, which is guided by the light guides and is emitted from the illumination light-emission end
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope includes an insertion unit, an operation unit, an emission end, a first light guide and a second light guide that guide illumination light emitted from a light source unit to the emission end, a lens member that suppresses a variation in a relative intensity of each color light of the illumination light, and a connection unit that optically connects the first light guide, the second light guide, and the lens member; and the lens member is disposed between the first light guide and the second light guide, and the connection unit and the lens member are provided in the operation unit.