Endoscope Image Sensor Holder with Segmented Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
The difficulty in machining small-sized components for endoscope image pick-up devices with high shape accuracy due to their complex structures and the limitations of conventional machining tools.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope design featuring a holding member with three independent wall parts that cover the solid-state image pick-up element's side surfaces, where the gap lengths between these walls are equal in both directions, and the wall height is 1.5 to 3 times the gap length, allowing for easier machining with tools that have a cutting edge length 1.5 to 3 times the external diameter, thereby increasing manufacturability and shape accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the image pick-up device is miniaturized to reduce diameter, then the device size is reduced, but machining difficulty increases and shape accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The holding member is divided into three independent wall parts that respectively cover three of the four side surfaces of the solid-state image pick-up element. This segmentation allows each wall part to be machined independently with standard tools, avoiding the need for complex multi-axis machining while maintaining precise positioning of the miniaturized image pick-up device
Solution Approach 2:
The wall parts are designed with specific dimensional relationships (height = 1.5 to 3 times the gap length between adjacent wall parts) to optimize machining accessibility. This local dimensional optimization enables standard machining tools to achieve required shape accuracy on miniaturized components without requiring advanced machining capabilities
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex structures are used to improve functionality, then device performance is enhanced, but machining difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the holding member into three independent wall parts, the design achieves complex functional requirements (precise positioning and support of the image pick-up element) while maintaining manufacturing simplicity. Each wall part can be produced using standard machining operations, avoiding the need for complex toolpaths or specialized equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The specific parameter relationship (wall height = 1.5 to 3 times gap length) transforms the structural design into a manufacturable solution. This parameter optimization ensures that standard machining tools can access all surfaces and achieve required tolerances, converting a potentially complex structure into an easily manufacturable design
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 design enhances the ease of machining while maintaining high shape accuracy and manufacturability of the image pick-up device, reducing the risk of tool distortion and improving the manufacturing process for small-sized components.
Implementation Method 1
a solid-state image pick-up element that photoelectrically converts imaging light incident on an image reception surface via the imaging lens
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope includes an image pick-up-device at a distal-end-part of an insertion-part. The image pick-up-device includes a lens barrel holding an imaging lens; an image-sensor having a rectangular shape as an outer peripheral shape of an image reception surface on which imaging light incident via the imaging lens; and a sensor holder holding the image-sensor in a state where the image reception surface intersects a longitudinal direction of the insertion-part. The sensor holder has three independent wall-parts respectively covering three side surfaces of the image-sensor, and on an XY plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the insertion-part, a gap length, in an X-axis direction on the plane between adjacent wall-parts of the three wall-parts and a gap length, in Y-axis direction, between the adjacent wall-parts are equal to each other. Additionally, the height of each of the three wall-parts is 1.5 times to 3 times the gap length.