Endoscope Sleeve Deployment Handle with Expandable Head
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope protection and coupling methods are inefficient, often requiring machinery for sleeve inflation and can cause sleeve tearing during deployment, and lack effective alignment and approximation of endoscopes with add-on tubes.
Innovation Solution
A handle system that allows for manual, single-user operation to compactly store and extend a protective sleeve over an endoscope, align and couple it with an add-on tube, using a detachable portion and expandable head to ensure secure and efficient coverage and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective sleeve is used to cover an endoscope, then the endoscope is protected, but the sleeve may tear during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The protective sleeve is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be deployed sequentially. Each segment can be independently positioned and secured, reducing the risk of complete sleeve failure and allowing for controlled deployment without excessive tension on any single section.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve is pre-assembled with the endoscope in a compact configuration before the procedure. This preliminary assembly ensures proper alignment and reduces the risk of tearing during the actual deployment process, as the sleeve is already positioned correctly and ready for use.
2Extent of automation
If machinery is used for sleeve inflation and deployment, then deployment is automated, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective sleeve is designed to be self-deploying through manual manipulation by the operator. The sleeve utilizes its own structural properties and the natural geometry of the endoscope to achieve deployment without requiring external machinery, pumps, or complex actuation systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective sleeve is designed as a disposable component that is simple in construction and does not require complex recovery or reuse mechanisms. This allows for automated-like deployment through simple manual actions while eliminating the need for expensive, complex, reusable deployment machinery.
3Reliability
If the sleeve is tightly fitted to the endoscope, then protection is enhanced, but the sleeve becomes difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The protective sleeve incorporates dynamic features such as expandable sections or adjustable fastening mechanisms that allow it to transition between a tight-fitting protective state during the procedure and a loosened state for easy removal. The sleeve can be dynamically adjusted to maintain protection while facilitating convenient removal afterward.
4Manufacturing precision
If the handle body receives the distal portion of the endoscope, then alignment is improved, but the handle size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handle body is designed with a nested structure where the receiving chamber for the endoscope distal portion is integrated within the overall handle assembly. This nesting approach allows for precise alignment features while minimizing the external dimensions of the handle, as the alignment structures are incorporated within the existing handle geometry rather than adding separate components.
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
Enables efficient, tear-free sleeve deployment and secure alignment of endoscopes with add-on tubes, reducing operational complexity and enhancing protection without the need for machinery, while allowing for easy removal and disposal of the sleeve post-procedure.
Implementation Method 1
the expandable head is elastically expanded to a diameter of between 10-20 mm to fit endoscopes having a diameter of between 9-15 mm
Implementation Method 2
the plunger comprising arm extensions shaped and configured to fit into the expandable head to widen the expandable head for receipt of an endoscope distal end therein
Implementation Method 3
movement of the detachable portion proximally along the endoscope pulls on the proximal end of the sleeve and extends the sleeve in length from its axially compacted state to a lengthened state, thereby covering the at least a portion of the length of the endoscope
Data Source
AI summary
A handle for at least partially covering an endoscope with a protective thin sleeve, the handle comprising: a handle body shaped and sized to receive a distal portion of an endoscope therein; a detachable portion at a proximal end of the handle body, the detachable portion configured to detach from the handle body and to be moved proximally along at least a portion of a length of an endoscope received within the handle body; and a thin elongate protective sleeve axially compacted within the handle body, a proximal end of the sleeve coupled to the detachable portion, wherein movement of the detachable portion proximally along the endoscope pulls on the proximal end of the sleeve and extends the sleeve in length from its axially compacted state to a lengthened state, thereby covering the at least a portion of the length of the endoscope.