Endoscope Nozzle Channel Layout for Stable Window Cleaning Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopes face a decrease in fluid injection force due to branching or merging of fluid channels, which affects the cleaning power of the observation window.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope design includes independent fluid channels for air and water supply to the nozzles without branching or merging, allowing for non-simultaneous and sequential injection of fluids to maintain injection force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a regular lens is used in the distal end section, then the structure is simple, but the field of view is narrow and image quality is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested lens structure where a second lens is positioned inside the first lens, with both lenses sharing a common optical axis. The second lens has a smaller outer diameter than the first lens, creating a nested configuration that expands the effective field of view while maintaining a compact form factor suitable for endoscopic applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is divided into multiple independent lens segments (first lens and second lens) that can be individually optimized for specific functions. The first lens captures light from one angular range while the second lens captures light from a different angular range, and their images are combined to provide a wider total field of view.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the distal end section is made flexible, then it can bend to reach difficult areas, but the lens may come into contact with tissue causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
A protective cover is provided that surrounds the lens in the distal end section. This cover acts as a barrier that prevents direct contact between the lens and biological tissue, thereby protecting the lens from contamination while still allowing the distal end section to bend and navigate through the body cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover serves as an intermediary element between the lens and the biological environment. It allows the lens to maintain its optical function while isolating it from harmful contact with tissue, secretions, or other contaminants that could degrade image quality or damage the lens.
3Reliability
If a protective cover is added around the lens, then tissue contact is prevented, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is integrated with the existing distal end section structure and serves multiple functions: it protects the lens from contamination, maintains the flexibility of the distal end section for bending, and can be designed to work in conjunction with the nested lens system. By combining multiple functions into a single component, the overall device complexity is minimized while achieving reliable lens protection.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an endoscope capable of preventing a decrease in injection force of a fluid injected from a nozzle to an observation window. In an endoscope including a plurality of nozzles (23, 24) that injects a fluid toward an observation window (22), and an operation unit that operates the injection of the fluid by the nozzles (23, 24), a plurality of fluid channels (213, 214, 215) that supplies the fluid from the operation unit to the nozzles (23, 24) is provided independently, and each nozzle (23, 24) performs the injection non-simultaneously.