Disposable Endoscope Tip Housing for Compact Fluid-Tight Sealing

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing endoscopes face challenges in sealing the distal tip part, which houses delicate electronics and cameras, to prevent exposure to humidity, leading to potential malfunction, and require complex manufacturing processes that are time-consuming and costly.

Innovation Solution

A tip part design for disposable endoscopes featuring a cup-shaped exterior housing with a camera window and camera insertion sleeve, made from polymer materials, integrated through multi-component molding, ensuring fluid-tight sealing and reduced external dimensions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a transparent monolithic housing is formed by placing electronics and working channel in a mold and curing UV resin, then the tip part achieves effective sealing against humidity, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tip part is divided into separate functional components: a housing, a working channel, and a camera module. Each component is manufactured separately and then assembled, allowing for simpler individual manufacturing processes while maintaining effective sealing through dedicated sealing elements at the interfaces between components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sealing element acts as an intermediary component between the housing and the working channel/camera module. This sealing element provides the fluid-tight connection without requiring complex monolithic molding, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while ensuring reliable sealing against humidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a transparent monolithic housing is formed around electronics and working channel, then the tip part achieves fluid-tight sealing, but the manufacturing time increases due to slow resin rising and curing process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid-tight sealingVSAvoidmanufacturing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The tip part is divided into separate functional components: a housing, a working channel, and a camera module. Each component is manufactured separately and then assembled, allowing for simpler individual manufacturing processes while maintaining effective sealing through dedicated sealing elements at the interfaces between components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing, working channel, and camera module are prepared in advance as separate pre-assembled units before final assembly. This preliminary preparation allows each component to be optimized and manufactured independently using faster processes, with the sealing function addressed through pre-positioned sealing elements rather than time-consuming monolithic curing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a transparent monolithic housing is formed by UV curing resin, then the tip part achieves effective sealing, but the external dimensions become larger

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidtip part dimensions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The tip part is divided into separate functional components: a housing, a working channel, and a camera module. Each component is manufactured separately and then assembled, allowing for simpler individual manufacturing processes while maintaining effective sealing through dedicated sealing elements at the interfaces between components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The working channel and camera module are nested within the housing structure. The sealing element is integrated at the interface between these nested components, providing effective sealing while maintaining a compact overall configuration that minimizes external dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12514433B2Tip part for forming a tip of a disposable insertion endoscope

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 AMBU AS

AI summary

A tip part (2) for forming a tip of a disposable insertion endoscope (1) the tip part comprising: •a camera insertion sleeve (28) provided within the interior spacing, the camera insertion sleeve being formed by a circumferential camera sleeve wall that extends from the distal front wall of the housing to a proximal end of the camera insertion sleeve so that the camera insertion sleeve comprises an open proximal end; •a tube insertion sleeve (38) provided within the interior spacing and fixed in relation to the distal front wall, the tube insertion sleeve being formed by a circumferential tube sleeve wall that extends a total tube sleeve length S from the distal front wall of the housing to a proximal end of the tube insertion sleeve so that the tube insertion sleeve comprises an open proximal end; •the circumferential housing wall comprises at least one cut-out (41) extending from the proximal end towards the distal front wall, the at least one cut-out leaving space for constructive elements within the at least one cut-out, such constructive elements comprising e.g. fixation, such as crimps, of steering wires and/or alignment elements for alignment of the tip part during manufacture. Furthermore, methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed.