Endoscope Prism Coating for Air Gap Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing optical systems for endoscopes with lateral viewing directions face challenges in simplifying the deflection prism group while maintaining high image quality, particularly due to the complexity of handling and assembling thin masks to create air gaps for total reflection, which can lead to production delays and damage.
Innovation Solution
The optical system employs a chromium coating on specific areas of the prisms outside and within the beam path to create an air gap, eliminating the need for a fragile mask and simplifying the assembly process, ensuring total reflection occurs only where necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thin mask is used to create an air gap for total reflection, then the air gap can be formed, but the mask is fragile and difficult to handle, leading to production delays and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the fragile mask component entirely and replaces it with a coating applied directly to the prism surface. The coating serves the same function of creating the air gap for total internal reflection, but eliminates the handling and assembly difficulties associated with thin masks.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating acts as an intermediary layer between the prism and the air gap, providing a reliable and durable method to maintain the air gap without requiring a separate mask component. This intermediary coating simplifies the overall structure and improves manufacturability.
2Ease of manufacture
If a coating is applied to create an air gap, then the assembly process is simplified, but the coating must be precisely applied only in regions outside the beam path to avoid affecting image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the coating only in specific local regions of the prism - namely, in areas outside the beam path where total internal reflection occurs. This localized coating approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while avoiding any impact on image quality in the beam path regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the prism surface by applying a coating with specific properties (refractive index, adhesion characteristics) to create the air gap. This parameter change enables the air gap formation without requiring precise spatial control, as the coating's material properties do the work.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple prisms are cemented together, then the deflection prism group is complete, but the cementing process adds complexity and potential sources of error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the cementing step from the prism assembly process. Instead of cementing multiple prisms together, the design allows prisms to be positioned and secured without adhesive, eliminating the complexity and potential errors associated with cementing while maintaining assembly stability.
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 approach simplifies the manufacturing and assembly of the optical system, reduces the risk of damage, and achieves a thin air gap that enhances image quality without the need for precise handling of thin masks, leading to faster and more reliable production.
Implementation Method 1
The final reflection, before the light rays enter a proximal optical assembly, which may consist of one or more lens system channels, typically occurs under total internal reflection. In other words, this final reflection occurs at a glass-air interface.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an optical system (20) of an endoscope (2), to an endoscope (2), to a stereo-video endoscope, and to a method for producing an optical system (20). The optical system (20) comprises a distal and a proximal optical assembly (24, 26), wherein light bundles incident from an object space (11) are guided along a beam path by the optical assemblies (24, 26). A deflection prism assembly (30) comprises a first and a second prism (32, 34), wherein a first outlet side (38) of the first prism (32) and/or a second inlet side (40) of the second prism (34) is provided with a coating (60) in a region (58) outside of the beam path, and an air gap (54) is provided in the region of the beam path between the first outlet side (38) and the second inlet side (40).