Flexible Screen Cavity Device for 3D Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cavity inspection devices often come into contact with the cavity wall, risking contamination or damage, and struggle to avoid interference from flexible obstacles like hair, especially when creating 3D models of cavities.
Innovation Solution
A cavity examination device with a flexible, truncated body screen made of silicone that minimizes contact with the cavity wall, allowing the optical receiving element to remain centered and avoiding hair interference by folding away from the cavity during removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple pen-shaped device with integrated camera is used, then device complexity is reduced and cost is lowered, but the device cannot reliably avoid contact with the cavity wall causing contamination or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible membrane made of elastomeric material that forms a seal against the cavity wall. This flexible shell allows the simple pen-shaped device to reliably avoid contact between the optical elements and the cavity wall while maintaining sealing and positioning functions, thus resolving the contradiction between device simplicity and operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane acts as an intermediary element between the device body and the cavity wall. It provides the necessary sealing and positioning functions without requiring direct contact between the hard device components and the soft cavity tissue, thereby maintaining both device simplicity and operational safety
2Measurement precision
If flexible obstacles like hair are present in the cavity, then imaging is interfered with, but removing them laboriously increases examination time and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the previously harmful contact between device and cavity wall into a beneficial sealing interface. The flexible membrane uses the presence of the cavity wall (and obstacles like hair) to its advantage by forming a seal around them, allowing the device to navigate past obstacles without direct contact while maintaining imaging accuracy without requiring obstacle removal
3Measurement precision
If the optical receiving element is positioned to center the imaging area, then imaging accuracy is improved, but the device body may contact the cavity wall causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane creates a protective barrier that allows the optical receiving element to maintain centralized positioning for accurate imaging while preventing the rigid device body from contacting and damaging the cavity wall. The membrane deforms to accommodate the cavity geometry without compromising either imaging accuracy or tissue safety
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 device effectively captures image sequences for 3D modeling without damaging the cavity and eliminates the need to remove hair, ensuring accurate imaging and reducing the complexity of the device.
Implementation Method 1
a screen (130) made of flexible material, which essentially has the shape of a truncated body of revolution and has a first opening (131) and has a second opening (132), wherein the shape and dimensions of the second opening (132) are selected such that the screen predominantly rests resiliently against the wall of the cavity
Implementation Method 2
an optical receiving element which receives light emitted or reflected by a wall of a cavity
Data Source
Figure 1A~2
AI summary
The present invention relates to an improved cavity examination device. The invention relates in particular to a cavity examination device which has an optical reception element, such as a lens or a camera, and enables insertion into the cavity, in which the reception element does not touch the cavity wall. A cavity examination device (100) according to the invention has an optical reception element (120) which receives light emitted or reflected by a wall (145) of a cavity (140) and a screen (130) made of a flexible material. Said screen (130) has a first opening (131) and a second opening (132). The cross section of the second opening (132) is larger here than the cross section of the first opening (131), and the second opening (132) is selected with regard to the shape and dimension such that, predominantly, it resiliently rests against the wall (145) of the cavity (140). The screen is attached by the first opening (131) to a body (110) of the cavity examination device (100) on a side of the cavity examination device (100), which is inserted first into the cavity (140). During insertion of the cavity examination device (100) into the cavity (140), the screen (130) is folded in the direction of the cavity examination device (100), and as the cavity examination device (100) is moved out of the cavity (140), it folds over so that the screen (130) is folded away from the cavity examination device (100) as the cavity examination device (100) is removed from the cavity (140).