Endoscope Tip Light Guide Layout for Centered Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopes face issues with suboptimal light distribution and illumination, leading to overexposure at the periphery and underexposure at the center of the field of vision, and the sealing process for the tip part is slow and prone to positioning errors, affecting imaging quality and durability.
Innovation Solution
A tip part design with a housing comprising two parts, incorporating LEDs and a video camera, uses light guides with varying cross-sectional areas to achieve total internal reflection, ensuring optimal light distribution and sealing, and is manufactured as a single integral item to enhance precision and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If LED lighting is used to illuminate the field of vision, then illumination is provided, but light is spread over a wide angle causing overexposure at the periphery and underexposure in the centre
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the LED light source and the imaging area. The light guide receives light from the LED and redirects it toward the center of the field of vision, acting as a mediator that transforms the wide-angle light distribution into a focused illumination pattern that matches the camera's field of view.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide changes the directional parameters of light propagation. By utilizing total internal reflection and specific geometric configurations, the light guide transforms the isotropic light emission from the LED into anisotropic light distribution that concentrates illumination within the desired field of vision angles, thereby optimizing the illumination parameters.
2Reliability
If a monolithic housing is formed by inserting resin into a mould, then sealing is achieved, but the process is slow and components may be misaligned
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple segments or components that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows for parallel manufacturing of different housing parts, reducing overall production time while maintaining the sealing integrity through precision-machined mating surfaces and sealing interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Components such as the camera and LEDs are pre-positioned and fixed within the housing segments before final assembly. This preliminary positioning ensures precise component alignment is achieved during the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-assembly adjustments and ensuring optimal imaging quality from the start.
3Illumination intensity
If light is emitted at a wide angle, then illumination coverage is increased, but light is wasted illuminating objects outside the field of vision
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide creates localized high-intensity illumination regions that correspond precisely to the camera's field of view. By concentrating light energy into specific angular regions rather than distributing it uniformly, the system achieves high illumination quality where needed while minimizing energy waste in directions outside the field of vision.
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
The solution provides improved light distribution matching the field of vision, reducing light wastage and enhancing imaging quality while ensuring watertight sealing for durability and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
A tip part for an insertable vision device, in particular for an endoscope, comprises a housing (6) made of a transparent material and at least one light guide (15) configured to utilize total internal reflection
Data Source
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AI summary
A tip part (5) for a vision device. The tip part (5) comprises a housing (6, 7) adapted for accommodating a vision receptor. At least one light guide (15) of a transparent material having a predetermined length is arranged between at least one first light reception end (16) adapted for receiving light from a light source (9) and at least one second light emission end (17) adapted to emit light. The at least on light guide (15) comprises a rectangular cross-section.