Endoscope Tubular Adaptor for Cleaner, Lower-Injury Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscopes cause patient discomfort and mucosal injury during insertion, and there is a risk of contamination from body fluids due to inadequate cleaning and disinfection protocols, with no means for integrated catheter insertion operations.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope device with a removably connected tubular mechanism that synchronizes with the insertion tube, and an adaptor that allows for the tubular unit to be mounted outwardly, preventing mucosal injury and fluid contamination, while enabling cooperative insertion operations with catheters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional bendable catheter with steel wire is arranged alongside the endoscope to increase supporting force, then the catheter can be inserted, but the structure becomes thicker and causes patient discomfort or mucosal injury
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is nested inside the endoscope insertion tube, with the catheter positioned within the lumen of the insertion tube. This nested arrangement allows the catheter to be guided through the endoscope without requiring parallel arrangement, reducing the overall thickness and improving patient comfort while maintaining catheter supportability
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into separate functional components: the endoscope for visualization and the catheter for treatment, which can be independently optimized. The catheter can be segmented into sections with different flexibility and support characteristics, allowing precise control of supporting force without uniformly increasing thickness
2Ease of operation
If the endoscope insertion tube contacts the patient during examination, then imaging can be performed, but body fluids may contaminate the endoscope requiring strict cleaning and disinfection
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after a single use, eliminating the risk of cross-contamination between patients. This allows the endoscope to remain reusable while the single-use catheter absorbs the contamination risk, simplifying the overall disinfection protocol
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter acts as an intermediary barrier between the patient's body fluids and the endoscope. By positioning the catheter in direct contact with patient fluids while the endoscope remains protected, the catheter mediates the interaction and prevents fluid contamination of the expensive, reusable endoscope
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional insertion catheters are used without connection means to endoscopes, then catheter insertion can be performed, but integrated insertion operations cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure incorporates universal coupling mechanisms that allow the same interface to be used for both mechanical attachment and fluid communication. The coupling member serves multiple functions: structural support, fluid sealing, and alignment, reducing the need for separate connection components and simplifying the overall integration
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope apparatus includes an endoscope device and a tubular mechanism. The tubular mechanism includes an adaptor and a tubular unit. The adaptor is removably mounted on the endoscope device. The tubular unit is removably sleeved around an insertion tube of the endoscope device through the adaptor. With the endoscope device, the adaptor and the tubular unit, the endoscope device is removably sleeved around and connected to the tubular unit. The tubular unit may serve as a catheter or a disposable envelope.