Endoscope Illumination Device with Closely Spaced Light Sources
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope illumination devices struggle with optimal color mixing and uniform illumination due to conventional spacing of light sources, which affects the detection of structures like blood vessels under different spectral lighting conditions.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope tip incorporates an illumination device with multiple groups of light sources, where each group consists of a first and second light source with different spectral distributions, positioned closer to each other than to adjacent groups, ensuring a clearance smaller than twice their dimensions, enhancing color mixing and uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If light sources are positioned with conventional spacing, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but color mixing is insufficient and illumination uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different spatial zones with different light source densities. Within each group, light sources are positioned close together (clearance ≤ 2×dimension) to achieve intense local color mixing, while groups themselves are spaced apart to maintain manageable device complexity. This localized optimization of light source spacing resolves the contradiction between illumination uniformity and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination device is segmented into multiple groups of light sources, where each group is independently arranged with specific clearance constraints. This segmentation allows each group to function as a self-contained color mixing unit, achieving uniform illumination through distributed groups while keeping individual group arrangements relatively simple and manageable.
2Illumination intensity
If light sources are positioned closer together, then color mixing is improved and illumination uniformity increases, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a quantitative parameter for light source clearance (≤ 2×dimension of the light source) that optimizes the balance between color mixing quality and manufacturing precision. This parameter provides a clear design criterion that achieves effective spectral overlap for good color mixing while remaining feasible for manufacturing, thus resolving the contradiction between color mixing quality and manufacturing precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If light sources with different spectral distributions are used, then spectral coverage is improved for vascular imaging, but achieving uniform color mixing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges light sources with different spectral distributions (e.g., UV/violet LEDs at 380-450 nm and green LEDs at 650 nm) within close proximity in each group, with clearance ≤ 2×dimension. This merging enables simultaneous spectral coverage for enhanced vascular imaging while the close spacing ensures the different wavelengths mix uniformly in the illumination field, resolving the contradiction between spectral coverage and color mixing uniformity.
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 achieves improved spectral overlap and uniform illumination, particularly beneficial for enhanced vascular imaging by ensuring consistent and homogeneous lighting across the scene.
Implementation Method 1
each of the groups includes a respective first light source configured to emit light with a first spectral distribution, and a respective second light source configured to emit light with a second spectral distribution
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an endoscope tip or capsule endoscope comprisingan illumination device configured to illuminate a scene; whereinthe illumination device includes a first light source configured to emit light with a first spectral distribution and a second light source configured to emit light with a second spectral distribution;the first spectral distribution is different from the second spectral distribution;a clearance between the first light source and the second light source is smaller than twice a dimension among the dimensions of the first light source and the dimensions of the second light source;the clearance between the first light source and the second light source indicates the length of a shortest straight line segment which connects a point on the first light source with a point on the second light source.