Endoscopic Filter Wheel Assembly With Single-Drive Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter changing devices for endoscopic cameras are limited by the number of filter wheels that can be arranged in series, requiring multiple drive units and a large mechanical binary counter mechanism that is prone to failure and occupies excessive space.
Innovation Solution
A filter changing device with a compact design featuring a first rotatable filter wheel and a second rotatable filter wheel, connected by a connecting wheel with teeth, allowing simultaneous and parallel rotation of multiple filters using a single drive unit, enabling efficient and rapid switching between different observation modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple filter wheels are arranged in series with a mechanical binary counter mechanism, then the number of filters that can be positioned in the beam path increases, but the device complexity and space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple filter wheels (first and second filter wheels) onto a single rotational axis, allowing them to rotate together as a unified assembly. This merging eliminates the need for separate drive mechanisms for each filter wheel and removes the requirement for a complex mechanical binary counter, while still enabling multiple filters to be positioned in the beam path through simultaneous rotation of all filter wheels
Solution Approach 2:
The single rotational axis serves multiple functions: it rotates both the first and second filter wheels simultaneously, positions multiple filters in the beam path, and eliminates the need for separate drive units. This multi-functional design simplifies the overall mechanism while maintaining the capability to handle multiple filters
2Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical binary counter mechanism is used to control multiple filter wheels, then the number of filters that can be switched increases, but the reliability decreases due to more individual parts
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple filter wheels onto a single rotational axis with a single drive unit, the patent reduces the number of individual mechanical parts that can fail. The unified rotation mechanism eliminates the complex interconnections required in a mechanical binary counter, thereby improving reliability while maintaining filter switching capability
3Adaptability or versatility
If filter wheels are arranged with a central driven filter wheel and connection drivers on both sides, then multiple filters can be positioned, but the number of filter wheels is limited to three
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple filter wheels onto a single rotational axis, allowing unlimited expansion of filter wheel数量 without requiring a central driven wheel configuration. All filter wheels rotate together as one assembly, eliminating the structural limitations of having only three filter wheels in a central-driven arrangement
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a filter changing device for an endoscopic camera, wherein the filter changing device has at least a first rotatable filter wheel, a second rotatable filter wheel and a rotatable first connecting wheel, wherein the first filter wheel and the second filter wheel each have at least two receptacles for one optical filter each, the filter wheels have a common first axis of rotation, the second filter wheel has a first engagement plane with teeth distributed completely over its outer circumference and the first connecting wheel is designed as a gear with teeth distributed completely over its outer circumference, wherein the first filter wheel has a partial section with distributed teeth along its outer circumference and the first connecting wheel is arranged on the outer circumference of the first filter wheel and on the outer circumference of the second filter wheel in such a way,that the teeth of the partial section of the first filter wheel engage with the teeth of the first connecting wheel for rotating the first connecting wheel, and the teeth of the first connecting wheel engage with the teeth of the first engagement plane of the second filter wheel, so that when the first filter wheel is driven by the drive unit, at least one receptacle of the first filter wheel and the second filter wheel can be positioned parallel in the optical passage. Furthermore, the invention relates to a camera head for an endoscope and a retrofit kit for retrofitting a camera head and/or an endoscope.