Endoscope Sealing Ring for Sterilization Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dirt accumulation on the inside of the transparent cover and optical elements of endoscopes, particularly during autoclaving, significantly impairs imaging quality due to detachment from the interior of the endoscope shaft.
Innovation Solution
An elastic sealing ring is placed between the cover and the optical element closest to the cover, sealing off the intermediate space and preventing contamination, while also acting as a light shield and tolerance compensator for thermal expansion during autoclaving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the endoscope shaft is hermetically sealed with a transparent cover during autoclaving, then sterilization is achieved, but dirt accumulates on the inside of the cover and optical elements, significantly impairing imaging quality
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope shaft is divided into two separate spaces: a sterile interior space containing the optical elements and a exterior space subject to autoclaving. The transparent cover and elastic sealing ring create a hermetic barrier that segments these spaces, allowing the optical elements to remain in a clean, protected environment while the exterior undergoes sterilization. This segmentation prevents dirt and contamination from reaching the optical elements during autoclaving.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic sealing ring acts as an intermediary element between the transparent cover and the optical elements. It creates a hermetic seal that mediates the interaction between the sterile interior and the non-sterile exterior, preventing contamination while allowing for thermal expansion and contraction during autoclaving cycles.
2Volume of moving object
If the optical elements are positioned close to the cover for compact design, then device size is reduced, but the intermediate space becomes vulnerable to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic sealing ring segments the endoscope shaft into a protected intermediate space and an exterior space. This allows the optical elements to be positioned close to the cover for compact design while the sealing ring creates a hermetic barrier that prevents contamination from entering the intermediate space, thus resolving the contradiction between compactness and contamination protection.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cover is rigidly fixed to the optical elements, then structural stability is improved, but thermal expansion during autoclaving causes stress and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic sealing ring provides a dynamic connection between the cover and the optical elements. Instead of a rigid fixed connection, the elastic material allows for relative movement and deformation, enabling the structure to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction during autoclaving while maintaining structural integrity and preventing stress concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic sealing ring changes its physical parameters (shape, volume, stiffness) in response to temperature changes during autoclaving. The material undergoes thermal expansion and elastic deformation, allowing the structure to adapt to temperature variations without generating excessive stress, thus protecting the optical elements from thermal damage.
4Device complexity
If no sealing ring is used between the cover and optical elements, then device complexity is reduced, but stray light enters the system and imaging quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic sealing ring performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides hermetic sealing to prevent contamination, acts as a light shield to block stray light from entering the optical system, and compensates for thermal expansion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thus not significantly increasing device complexity while effectively addressing stray light interference.
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 solution ensures reliable prevention of contamination and stray light, maintaining good imaging properties and protecting the optics from impacts, while accommodating thermal changes during autoclaving.
Implementation Method 1
An elastic sealing ring is placed between the cover and the optical element closest to the cover
Implementation Method 2
the ring serves to ensure that the forces acting on the cover remain so small, even in the event of strong thermal expansion of the system pipe
Implementation Method 3
The sealing ring can serve as a damping element between the cover and the imaging optics, which, for example, protects the imaging optics in the event of impacts against the cover due to its damping properties
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
An endoscope is provided with an endoscope shaft (2) having an observation opening (12) at its distal end, which is hermetically sealed with a transparent cover (13), and with an imaging optic (10) comprising several optical elements (14, 15, 16, 17, 18) which is arranged within the endoscope shaft (2) in the region of its distal end spaced apart from the cover (13), wherein a sealing ring (19) is provided which seals an area (21) between the cover (13) and the optical element (14) of the imaging optic (10) that is closest to the cover against the rest of the interior of the endoscope shaft (2).