Endoscopic Fluid Control Valve Single Outlet Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing endoscopic fluid control valves have a complex structure due to separate gas and liquid outlets, leading to increased hardware costs and inconvenience in cleaning, as well as potential clogging of check valves by impurities.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopic fluid control valve with a single fluid outlet, utilizing a valve housing with sequential gas and liquid inlets, a valve stem with through holes, and elastic seals to prevent backflow without the need for a check valve, simplifying the structure and facilitating easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate gas outlet and liquid outlet are provided in the fluid control valve, then gas and liquid can be discharged independently, but the structure becomes complicated and hardware cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the gas outlet and liquid outlet into a single common outlet channel. The valve body includes a first outlet for gas discharge and a second outlet for liquid discharge, which merge into a common outlet. This merging approach maintains the adaptability of independent gas and liquid discharge while significantly simplifying the overall structure and reducing the number of separate outlet components needed.
2Reliability
If check valve is added to prevent backflow, then backflow protection is achieved, but the structure becomes more complex and cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding a check valve to prevent backflow, the patent inverts the approach by designing the outlet structure itself to prevent backflow. The first outlet and second outlet are positioned at different heights and angles, with the liquid outlet positioned lower than the gas outlet. This geometric arrangement naturally prevents backflow of bodily fluids into the valve mechanism, eliminating the need for a check valve while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If check valve is disposed inside operation portion, then backflow prevention is provided, but opening up operation portion for cleaning becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the backflow prevention function from a separate check valve component and integrates it directly into the outlet structure of the valve body. By positioning the first outlet and second outlet at different heights and angles within the valve body, the backflow prevention capability is built into the fundamental geometry of the discharge paths, eliminating the need for a separate check valve that would require opening the operation portion for cleaning.
4Adaptability or versatility
If three-way tee is used to combine outlets, then gas and liquid can share same pipeline, but the structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gas outlet path and liquid outlet path into a common outlet channel within the valve body itself. The first outlet for gas and the second outlet for liquid both discharge into a common outlet, eliminating the need for a separate three-way tee component. This integration maintains the capability to share the same pipeline while significantly reducing structural complexity and the number of external components required.
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 reduces the number of outlets, eliminates the need for a three-way tee, prevents backflow, and simplifies maintenance by eliminating the check valve, resulting in a more efficient and easier-to-clean endoscopic fluid control system.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic component disposed inside the valve stem and pushing the valve core downward
Implementation Method 2
the valve core is provided with a lower seal that seals against the valve stem
Implementation Method 3
an upper seal disposed inside the valve stem and sealing the first through hole of the valve stem
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide an endoscopic fluid control valve. By having just one fluid outlet, the structure of the endoscopic fluid control valve is made simpler with interior space saving. There is no need for a one-way check valve at an operational portion of the endoscope to prevent fluid backflow, and this makes it easy to clean. An embodiment includes valve housing, valve stem, valve core, elastic component, button, first seal, second seal, third seal, fourth seal, gas inlet, fluid inlet and fluid outlet.