Endoscope Window Temperature Sensor Encasement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopes face challenges in maintaining accurate temperature control for the window and adjacent sections due to variations in the shape and thickness of the potting compound surrounding the temperature sensor, affecting both temperature measurement accuracy and mechanical protection.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope design featuring a temperature sensor embedded in a potting compound within an encasement, such as a dome or ring, ensures consistent shape and improved heat transfer, using thermoplastic materials and UV-curing adhesives to maintain precise temperature control and mechanical protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the temperature sensor is embedded in a potting compound without an encasement, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and measurement precision deteriorate due to variations in potting compound shape and thickness
Solution Approach 1:
An encasement structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the temperature sensor and the potting compound. This encasement serves as a mediator that defines and constrains the shape of the potting compound, ensuring consistent geometry without requiring complex manufacturing processes. The encasement acts as a template that guarantees reproducible potting compound dimensions while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the potting compound by using an encasement with predefined dimensions. Instead of relying on free-form potting where thickness and shape vary, the encasement fixes these parameters (radius, height, shape) to specific values, ensuring manufacturing precision and consistency in temperature sensor embedding.
2Ease of manufacture
If the potting compound thickness varies, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the measurement precision and temperature control accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The encasement acts as an intermediary that standardizes the potting compound thickness and shape. By providing a physical constraint structure, it ensures that the potting compound maintains uniform thickness throughout, which is critical for accurate temperature sensing and measurement precision while remaining easy to manufacture through simple filling processes.
3Reliability
If the temperature control range is tightened to within a few Kelvin, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical or electronic temperature control mechanisms with a simpler thermal conduction-based system. The heating device and temperature sensor are positioned to directly measure and control the window temperature through thermal conduction, achieving reliable temperature control within a narrow range without requiring complex control algorithms or systems.
4Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor is exposed without embedding, then the measurement precision is improved, but the strength and mechanical protection deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The encasement serves as a protective intermediary structure that shields the temperature sensor from mechanical damage while maintaining its sensing capability. The encasement provides a rigid housing that protects the fragile temperature sensor during assembly and operation, ensuring both mechanical strength and measurement precision are maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining the temperature sensor, potting compound, and encasement. This composite design integrates the sensing function with mechanical protection, where the encasement provides structural strength and the potting compound ensures proper thermal contact, achieving both protection and measurement precision simultaneously.
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
This design achieves consistent temperature measurement and control accuracy, enhancing the mechanical protection of the temperature sensor and improving the operational reliability of the endoscope by fixing the shape of the potting material with low tolerance.
Implementation Method 1
By means of the heating device, the window of the endoscope is heated to an elevated temperature even before it is inserted into the patient's abdominal cavity, so that the risk of condensation is significantly reduced.
Implementation Method 2
the heating device comprising a temperature sensor which is disposed embedded in a potting material in the region of the window
Implementation Method 3
it has proved useful to embed the temperature sensor in a potting compound, e.g. in a drop of adhesive, also known as a 'glob-top'
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope, including: at least one outer shaft tube, at least one inner shaft tube disposed within the at least one outer shaft tube; a window distally hermetically sealing one of the inner shaft tube or the outer shaft tube, a heater disposed proximate to the window between the at least one outer shaft tube and the at least one inner shaft tube, a temperature sensor disposed embedded in a potting compound proximate to the window, and an encasement filled with the potting compound, the encasement at least partially surrounding the temperature sensor.