Ultrasound Endoscope Distal-End Pipe Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
The size of the distal-end-part body of ultrasound endoscopes is increased due to the arrangement of bifurcated connecting pipes, which affects the device's durability and drainage performance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a configuration of first and second pipes with branching pipe portions and connecting pipe portions, arranged in a specific manner to reduce the size of the distal-end-part body, including overlapping and adjacent positioning of pipe line portions to minimize space and interference, allowing for a more compact structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bifurcated connecting pipes are arranged in a hard distal-end-part body, then drainage performance and durability are improved, but the size of the distal-end-part body is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The first branch pipe portion and second branch pipe portion are arranged to overlap when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, creating a nested configuration where pipes are positioned within the spatial envelope of other pipes. This nesting arrangement allows multiple pipe functions to coexist in a compact volume, improving drainage performance without proportionally increasing the overall size of the distal-end-part body.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional side-by-side pipe arrangement to three-dimensional overlapping arrangement. By projecting pipes onto a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and positioning them to overlap in this view, the design utilizes the third dimension (along the longitudinal axis) to separate pipe functions while maintaining compact transverse dimensions, thus improving drainage capability without excessive size increase.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If bifurcated connecting pipes are arranged in a hard distal-end-part body, then durability is improved, but the size of the distal-end-part body is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The overlapping arrangement of branch pipe portions creates a nested configuration where the first and second branch pipes are positioned to occupy overlapping spatial projections. This nested structure consolidates the pipe arrangement within a smaller volumetric envelope, allowing durable hard distal-end-part body construction without excessive size increase.
Solution Approach 2:
By arranging pipes to overlap when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the design utilizes three-dimensional space more efficiently. This dimensional reorganization allows durable pipe connections to be made within a compact distal-end-part body volume, avoiding the need for larger side-by-side arrangements.
3Volume of moving object
If pipe line portions are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, then space utilization is improved, but interference between pipes may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The first branch pipe portion and second branch pipe portion are arranged to overlap when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, creating a nested configuration. This nesting allows efficient space utilization while the offset distances and connecting pipe portions provide spatial separation that prevents interference, allowing water and air to flow through respective pipes without mutual obstruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes three-dimensional arrangement where pipes overlap in projection onto a perpendicular plane but are separated along the longitudinal axis by offset distances. This dimensional separation allows adjacent pipe line portions to be positioned close together for compact space utilization while maintaining sufficient separation to prevent fluid interference between the balloon-water supply and air supply systems.
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 effectively reduces the size of the distal-end-part body while maintaining or improving durability and drainage performance, allowing for a more efficient and compact ultrasound endoscope design.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasound transmission medium (for example, water, oil, or the like) needs to be interposed between the ultrasound transducers and the portion to be observed
Implementation Method 2
Each of the ultrasound transducers generates ultrasound toward a portion to be observed in the body cavity and receives ultrasound echoes (echo signals) reflected by the portion to be observed
Implementation Method 3
The distal end of the supply/discharge pipe line for a balloon includes a supply/discharge port opened to the distal-end-part body of the insertion unit, and an ultrasound transmission medium is supplied into and sucked and discharged from the balloon through the supply/discharge port
Implementation Method 4
The distal end of the air/water supply pipe line includes an air/water supply port opened to the distal-end-part body of the insertion unit, a nozzle is connected to the air/water supply port, and water or air is jetted toward the observation window through the nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an ultrasound endoscope of which a distal-end-part body of an insertion unit can be reduced in size.In an ultrasound endoscope according to an embodiment of the invention, a straight pipe portion of a first three-way pipe and a straight pipe portion of a second three-way pipe are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction orthogonal to the direction of a longitudinal axis of an insertion unit, and a branch pipe portion and the straight pipe portion are arranged at positions overlapping with each other in a case where the first three-way pipe and the second three-way pipe are projected onto a plane perpendicular to the direction of the longitudinal axis.