Endoscope Light Guiding Plate for Safe Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscope systems face challenges in reducing the diameter of the insertion portion while ensuring accurate image acquisition and safe illumination, particularly in determining the emission quality of illuminating light during scanning.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope system incorporates a light transmitting section, a light receiving section, a driving section, a light detecting section, and a control section that allows the endoscope to swing the light exit surface according to predetermined scanning patterns, with a light guiding plate for total reflection of illuminating light and a controller to adjust the illuminating light quantity based on signal fluctuations, ensuring proper emission quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the diameter of the insertion portion is reduced to minimize burden on subjects, then the insertion portion can be more easily inserted into body cavities, but the ability to acquire accurate images and ensure safe illumination is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion portion is divided into functionally independent sections: a light transmitting section with illuminating fibers for illumination, and a light receiving section with imaging fibers for image acquisition. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized independently, maintaining thin overall diameter while ensuring both illumination safety and image quality through dedicated functional zones
Solution Approach 2:
A light guiding plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the light transmitting section and light receiving section. This plate guides and reflects light through total internal reflection, enabling the system to monitor illumination quality and detect anomalies without requiring additional space in the already-constrained insertion portion, thus maintaining thin diameter while ensuring safety
2Reliability
If the light guiding plate is added to guide light and enable emission quality determination, then illumination safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guiding plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it guides illuminating light from the light transmitting section, reflects light through total internal reflection for efficient light routing, and enables emission quality determination by directing light to the light receiving section. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while improving illumination safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors changes in light parameters (intensity, distribution) by comparing expected light patterns with actual received light patterns. When anomalies are detected through parameter changes, the system can identify illumination quality issues without adding complex hardware, using software-based detection algorithms instead
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring of illuminating light is implemented, then illumination safety is improved, but the loss of time for image acquisition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guiding plate continuously guides both illuminating light and monitoring light simultaneously without interrupting the imaging process. The system performs emission quality monitoring in real-time during image acquisition by continuously analyzing light patterns, ensuring that safety monitoring does not pause or delay image capture, thus maintaining continuous useful action for both imaging and safety monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic verification of light patterns at specific intervals during the scanning process. By checking light distribution at predetermined points in the scanning cycle, the system can detect anomalies without requiring continuous interruption of image acquisition, balancing safety monitoring with efficient image capture timing
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 configuration enables efficient image generation and safe illumination by quickly adjusting the illuminating light quantity in case of anomalies, reducing the risk of adverse effects on the body and maintaining a thin insertion portion diameter.
Implementation Method 1
a light guiding plate allowing illuminating light emitted from an objective optical system within a predetermined time period to be incident on the light receiving section by totally reflecting return light from a subject or the emitted light one or more times
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope system includes: a light transmitting section for transmitting illuminating light and emit the light from a light exit surface; a light receiving section for receiving return light of the light emitted from the light exit surface; a light guiding section for allowing the light to be incident on the light receiving section by totally reflecting return light from a subject or the emitted light at least one or more times; a driving section for allowing an end portion having the light exit surface of the light transmitting section to be swung; a light detecting section for detecting the light received through the light guiding section, as a signal; and a control section for, if the pattern of fluctuations in the signal level by the light detected by the light detected section does not correspond to the predetermined pattern of fluctuations, performing control for lowering a quantity of the illuminating light.