Endoscope Distal Tip Encapsulation for Precise Miniaturized Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing distal portions of endoscopes with tight tolerances and multiple components is challenging, particularly in small sizes, due to difficulties in achieving efficient and effective encapsulation and integration of electronic components.
Innovation Solution
The encapsulation of distal end portions of endoscopes with a material that forms a liquid-tight shell, encompassing electronic components and mechanical features, using a mold to create a mirror image of the component shapes, allowing for efficient manufacturing and integration of optical and mechanical features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components are integrated into a distal portion of an endoscope, then functional capability is improved, but manufacturing precision becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple electronic components (image capturing component, light source, circuit board) and mechanical features into a single integrated distal portion assembly. This merging of components resolves the technical contradiction by achieving both high functional capability through component integration and manufacturing precision through a unified manufacturing process that forms a single encapsulated structure, eliminating the need for post-assembly alignment of multiple separate parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested structure where the image capturing component and light source are positioned within a distal portion, and the circuit board is coupled to both components in a nested arrangement. This nesting allows multiple functional components to be integrated in a compact configuration while maintaining precise spatial relationships through a single encapsulated manufacturing process.
2Volume of moving object
If the distal portion is made small in size, then miniaturization is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components into a single integrated distal portion that can be manufactured as one encapsulated unit. This approach enables miniaturization by eliminating the need for separate housings and assembly structures for each component, thereby reducing overall size while simultaneously simplifying manufacturing by using a unified manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an encapsulation structure that forms a protective shell around the electronic components. This encapsulation allows for compact, miniaturized design while protecting the sensitive components, and can be manufactured using molding processes that are suitable for small-scale production, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity despite the small size.
3Manufacturing precision
If tight manufacturing tolerances are required, then component integration accuracy is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines all components into a single integrated assembly that is manufactured as one unit. This merging ensures tight manufacturing tolerances and high component integration accuracy because all components are positioned and secured during a single manufacturing process, eliminating cumulative tolerances that would arise from assembling multiple separate parts. The unified manufacturing process maintains ease of manufacture by reducing the number of assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary positioning features such as recesses and protrusions that are pre-formed during the manufacturing process. These features ensure precise component integration accuracy by guiding component placement before final encapsulation, thereby achieving tight tolerances without requiring complex post-assembly adjustments or specialized assembly equipment.
4Reliability
If encapsulation material is used to protect components, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the encapsulation process into the primary manufacturing process, forming the protective encapsulation material as part of the single-step manufacturing of the distal portion. This merging ensures component protection and reliability by providing a sealed, protective environment for the electronic components, while simultaneously reducing manufacturing complexity by eliminating separate encapsulation and assembly steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A distal end portion of a medical device may comprise an image capturing component; a light source; and an encapsulation having inner surfaces contacting and at least partially encompassing the image capturing component and the light source. A shape of the inner surfaces may be mirror image of a shape of exterior surfaces of the image capturing component and the light source that are contacted by the inner surfaces.