Endoscope Insertion Portion Multi-Lumen Wire Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscopes with multi-lumen tubes face challenges in achieving a small diameter while maintaining flexibility and effective bending capabilities, particularly in medical applications where a small diameter is crucial for navigating narrow body cavities.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope insertion portion incorporates a multi-lumen tube with parallel first and second wire insertion holes and a third wire insertion hole, where the bending operation wire is inserted and folded to engage with the inner surface, allowing for precise bending operations with a reduced diameter and cost-effective manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a multi-lumen tube is used as a bending member to reduce diameter, then the insertion portion diameter is reduced and manufacturing cost is lowered, but the bending operation requires precise wire routing through multiple lumens which increases assembly complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The bending operation wire is divided into multiple segments (first portion, second portion, third portion) that are routed through different lumens of the multi-lumen tube. This segmentation allows the wire to navigate the complex path through the tube structure while maintaining flexibility and enabling bending control without requiring a single continuous wire path.
Solution Approach 2:
The bending operation wire is nested within the multi-lumen tube structure, with portions of the wire inserted into different lumens. The wire segments are arranged concentrically within the tube's hollow chambers, allowing the wire to be contained within the tube while still enabling external bending control through the protruding end.
2Ease of operation
If the bending operation wire is folded and inserted through multiple lumens, then precise bending control is achieved, but the assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The bending operation wire is pre-configured with its folded structure and segmented portions before insertion into the multi-lumen tube. The wire is prepared in advance with the correct routing path planned, allowing for more efficient assembly during manufacturing rather than attempting to route the wire through the tube during the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-lumen tube structure itself provides the routing paths for the wire segments through its multiple lumens. The tube's geometry and lumen arrangement guide the wire into the correct positions, reducing the need for complex external fixtures or tools during assembly. The structure serves its own assembly function by providing the pathways.
Data Source
AI summary
An insertion portion of an endoscope includes a multi-lumen tube including a treatment instrument insertion channel, a first wire insertion hole that is provided parallel to the treatment instrument insertion channel, and a second wire insertion hole; one towing wire including a first portion that is inserted into the first wire insertion hole, a second portion that is inserted into the second wire insertion hole, and a third portion that is drawn out between the first wire insertion hole and the second wire insertion hole, wherein a proximal end portion of the first portion and a proximal end portion of the second portion are connected to a bending operation member; and a third wire insertion hole into which the third portion is inserted and in which the third portion abuts on a part of an inner peripheral surface.