Endoscope Light Source Cooling with Merged Gas Flow Paths

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional light source apparatuses for endoscopes face challenges in achieving high cooling efficiency as the number of solid-state light-emitting elements increases, leading to higher heat generation, which demands more effective cooling solutions to prevent overheating and maintain performance.

Innovation Solution

The light source apparatus incorporates a housing with multiple heat radiating portions connected to different solid-state light sources, where the flow paths of cooling gas merge to optimize cooling efficiency, with varying heat sink sizes and orientations to match the cooling needs of each light source, and utilizes heat pipes for efficient heat conduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the number of solid-state light-emitting elements is increased to provide illumination light of desired color, then the illumination performance is improved, but the heat generation increases requiring more effective cooling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination performanceVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The flow path is divided into multiple independent paths (first flow path and second flow path) that separately cool different light sources. This segmentation allows each light source to be cooled efficiently without interfering with others, enabling higher illumination performance while managing heat generation through dedicated cooling channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If separate flow paths are provided for each light source to improve cooling efficiency, then the cooling performance is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidflow path structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is segmented into separate flow paths for each light source, with each path having dedicated heat radiating portions. This segmentation improves cooling performance and reliability by ensuring dedicated cooling for each component, while the modular structure helps manage complexity through standardized repetition of cooling units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If larger heat radiating portions are provided for each light source to handle heat, then the cooling capacity is improved, but the housing size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling capacityVSAvoidhousing size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple flow paths with dedicated heat radiating portions for each light source. This segmentation allows optimized heat dissipation for each component without requiring a single large heat radiating structure, thereby maintaining compact housing size while ensuring adequate cooling capacity for all light sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 enhances cooling capacity while preventing the apparatus from becoming overly large, effectively managing heat dissipation for multiple light sources with varying cooling requirements, ensuring reliable operation and improved performance.

Implementation Method 1

cooled when gas taken in from the intake port passes through the first heat radiating portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

heat radiating portion provided in the housing, connected to a first light source configured to generate heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

utilizes heat pipes for efficient heat conduction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat pipe: Heat Pipe

Data Source

PatentUS10617290B2Light source apparatus for endoscope having first second and third heat sinks for respective light sources and a first air flow through the first and third heat sinks and a merged air flow through the second heat sink

Publication Date: 2020.04.14 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)

AI summary

A light source apparatus for endoscope includes: a housing including an intake port; a first heat radiating portion connected to a first light source and cooled by gas taken in from the intake port; a third heat radiating portion connected to a third light source, and cooled by gas taken in from the intake port; and a second heat radiating portion including a lower necessary cooling amount than the first heat radiating portion and the third heat radiating portion connected to a second light source provided in a flow path in which a flow path of the gas that passes through the first heat radiating portion and a flow path of the gas that passes through the third heat radiating portion are merged together, and cooled by merged gas merged on a merged flow path.