Endoscope Light Source Cooling Control for Temperature and Color Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscope light source apparatuses using solid-state light-emitting elements face challenges in maintaining light emission efficiency due to heat generation, requiring cooling systems, and need to adjust color balance according to spectral sensitivity and transmission characteristics of different endoscopes and observation modes.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope apparatus incorporates multiple light sources with cooling mechanisms, a control system to adjust the amount of light emission and cooling capacity based on brightness and color balance requirements, ensuring optimal temperature range and color balance for various endoscopes and observation modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If solid-state light-emitting elements are used to generate illuminating light, then light emission efficiency is improved, but heat generation increases causing temperature rise that reduces light emission efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling apparatus is divided into multiple independent cooling members, each corresponding to a specific solid-state light-emitting element. This segmentation allows targeted cooling of individual light sources based on their specific heat generation characteristics, maintaining optimal temperature for each element to preserve light emission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The control portion dynamically adjusts the cooling capacity of each cooling member by changing operational parameters such as fan rotation speed or heat sink airflow, based on the light emission amount and temperature characteristics of each light source. This parameter adjustment ensures optimal cooling efficiency while adapting to varying operational conditions.
2Illumination intensity
If cooling members are supplied with sufficient power to cool light sources at maximum heat generation, then light emission efficiency is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling apparatus transitions from static full-power operation to dynamic control where the cooling capacity of each cooling member is continuously adjusted based on real-time light emission amounts and temperature conditions. This dynamic adjustment reduces power consumption during low-light operations while maintaining adequate cooling when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The control portion modifies operational parameters of cooling members (such as fan speed or heat dissipation rate) based on the actual light emission amount and temperature characteristics of each light source, optimizing the balance between cooling effectiveness and power consumption.
3Manufacturing precision
If color balance is adjusted for different endoscopes and observation modes, then observation quality is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light source apparatus is designed with multi-functionality to support multiple endoscope types and observation modes through a unified control system. By integrating detection of endoscope type/observation mode with automatic color balance adjustment and light emission control, the system achieves versatile adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control portion receives feedback information about endoscope type and observation mode, then automatically adjusts the light emission characteristics of each solid-state light-emitting element accordingly. This feedback mechanism simplifies operation by eliminating manual adjustment while maintaining precise color balance control for different applications.
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 solution effectively maintains light emission efficiency, prevents overheating, and adjusts color balance to suit different endoscopes and observation modes, enhancing image quality and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
first cooling means configured to cool the first light source portion; second cooling means configured to cool the second light source portion
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope apparatus includes: first and second cooling units configured to cool first and second light source portions; an image pickup portion configured to generate a picked-up image; and a cooling control portion configured to control amounts of light emission of the light source portions while maintaining an amount-of-light ratio so that the brightness of the picked-up image becomes the target brightness and control cooling based on the information about the amount-of-light ratio and the brightness control information; wherein the cooling control portion decides a cooling capacity of the first cooling units and a cooling capacity of the second cooling units for cooling the respective light source portions for which the amounts of light emission are controlled, at the cooling ratio, so as to cause the light source portions to be included within a predetermined temperature range, based on the brightness control information.