Endoscope Reprocessor Sensor Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope reprocessors face challenges in accurately measuring the concentration of medically effective components in disinfection solutions due to concentration degradation over time and the limitations of permeable membrane configurations, which can lead to inaccurate measurements and air bubble formation.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope reprocessor with a concentration sensor housed in a pressure-resistant container, featuring a permeable membrane that adjusts internal pressure to facilitate quicker permeation of disinfection solution and prevent air bubbles, using a pressurizing section to maintain a stable internal environment for accurate concentration measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a permeable membrane is used to prevent organic matter from adhering to the electrode, then the electrode is protected from contamination, but air bubbles may form and measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A hydrophobic coating is applied to the permeable membrane to act as an intermediary layer that repels air bubbles while allowing liquid disinfection solution to pass through. This coating modifies the surface properties of the membrane to preferentially attract liquid phases and repel gas phases, thereby preventing air bubble adhesion to the electrode while maintaining the membrane's protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface energy parameters of the permeable membrane are changed by applying a hydrophobic coating. This parameter change alters the wetting properties of the membrane surface, making it hydrophobic to air bubbles while remaining hydrophilic to the disinfection solution, thus preventing air bubble formation and improving measurement accuracy.
2Reliability
If the permeable membrane is allowed to dry out, then organic matter adhesion is prevented, but concentration measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A hydrophobic coating is preliminarily applied to the permeable membrane before use. This preliminary action ensures that the membrane surface is pre-conditioned to repel air bubbles and maintain proper wetting characteristics during measurement, preventing both air bubble formation and membrane drying out that would otherwise compromise measurement accuracy.
3Device complexity
If conventional concentration measurement methods are used, then equipment complexity is reduced, but measurement time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The concentration sensor performs self-service by automatically measuring the disinfection solution concentration in real-time within the medicinal solution tank. The sensor eliminates the need for separate sampling operations and manual measurement procedures, continuously monitoring concentration and providing automatic alerts when threshold values are exceeded, thereby significantly improving measurement speed and productivity.
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 allows for quick and accurate measurement of disinfection solution concentration, preventing air bubbles and maintaining measurement accuracy even when the permeable membrane dries out, ensuring reliable concentration monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
a porous permeable membrane through which liquid does not permeate but only gas permeates
Implementation Method 2
an electrode is provided that is in contact with the medicinal solution and is applied with a constant voltage to thereby measure the medicinal solution concentration using an electrochemical reaction with the medicinal solution
Implementation Method 3
a pressure adjusting section configured to adjust pressure such that an internal pressure of the concave section is low compared with an internal pressure of the pressure resistant container
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope reprocessor includes a concentration sensor including a concave section in which a sensing section is housed and a permeable membrane configured to cover the concave section, a pressure resistant container in which the concentration sensor is housed, a medicinal-solution lead-in section configured to introduce a medicinal solution into the pressure resistant container, and a pressure adjusting section configured to adjust pressure such that an internal pressure of the concave section is low compared with an internal pressure of the pressure resistant container.