Endoscope Valve Stem Seals for Leakage-Tolerant Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve stems for endoscopes face challenges with leakage due to close fits between the valve stem and valve well, leading to either unwanted flow or insufficient suction pressure, and the high cost and precision requirements for manufacturing single-use valves.
Innovation Solution
A valve stem design featuring an elongate body with multiple seals and recesses formed from a single material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, allowing for increased clearance within the valve well to reduce manufacturing complexity and prevent leakage, while maintaining effective sealing and fluid control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a close fit is used between the valve stem and valve well to prevent leakage, then sealing performance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an elastomeric seal (thin film/flexible component) that can deform to conform to the valve well surface, providing effective sealing with relaxed dimensional tolerances. The elastomeric material's flexibility allows it to compensate for manufacturing variations while maintaining leak-free operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid to elastomeric, allowing the seal to dynamically adapt its shape and pressure distribution. This parameter change enables the system to achieve reliable sealing without requiring tight manufacturing tolerances on the valve stem and valve well interfaces.
2Reliability
If a close fit is used between the valve stem and valve well to prevent leakage, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric seal acts as a flexible element that simplifies the overall device design by eliminating the need for complex clearance control mechanisms. Instead of precisely controlling clearances through multiple components, a single elastomeric seal provides the necessary sealing function with inherent flexibility.
3Manufacturing precision
If increased clearance is used in the valve well to reduce manufacturing complexity, then manufacturing precision requirements decrease, but leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric seal compensates for increased clearance through its deformability. When the valve stem moves or when pressure differential exists, the elastomeric material deforms to fill the clearance gap, maintaining effective sealing even with relaxed manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing to an elastomeric material with appropriate durometer (50-75 Shore A), the system gains the ability to dynamically adjust its sealing characteristics based on operational conditions, allowing increased clearance while preventing leakage.
4Reliability
If single-use valves are manufactured with high precision to ensure performance, then sealing performance is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric seal provides a cost-effective solution for single-use valves by enabling relaxed manufacturing tolerances. The flexibility of the elastomeric material compensates for typical variations in injection molding or other manufacturing processes, ensuring consistent performance without requiring expensive precision manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The selection of elastomeric material with specific durometer range (50-75 Shore A) optimizes the balance between sealing capability and manufacturing ease. This parameter selection allows standard manufacturing processes to produce reliable valves at lower cost while maintaining effective sealing performance.
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 design reduces leakage and improves fluid control by allowing for more variable tolerances in manufacturing, making it suitable for single-use valves while maintaining effective sealing and fluid control, thus enhancing the performance and cost-effectiveness of endoscope valves.
Implementation Method 1
a valve stem design featuring an elongate body with multiple seals and recesses formed from a single material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for a valve for a medical device. The valve may include a valve stem. An elongate body of the valve stem may include a first opening and a second opening fluidly coupled to one another via a lumen. The valve stem may include a first seal and a second seal extending circumferentially around the elongate body. The elongate body, the first seal, and the second seal may be formed from a single material. The single material may be a thermoplastic elastomer or other suitable material. The valve stem may include recessed portion proximate the seals of the valve stem to facilitate bending or flexing of the seals as the valve stem translates within a valve well.