Controlled Furling Balloon Assembly for Endoscope
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope systems face challenges in effectively controlling the furling and retraction of balloon sheaths during procedures, leading to issues such as premature retraction, excessive retraction, and bunching, which hinder the passage through instrument channels and affect the success of endoscopic procedures.
Innovation Solution
A user-operable controlled furling balloon assembly is introduced, featuring a cam element and cam path defining element that establish a predetermined relationship between the rotation of the elongate furling driving element and its retraction, along with a manually-controllable furling control assembly using linear and rotary gear trains to manage the furling and unfurling of the balloon sheath, preventing stacking and ensuring proper diameter limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the balloon sheath is allowed to retract freely during furling, then the furling operation is simpler, but premature or excessive retraction occurs causing bunching and operational difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
A cam mechanism acts as an intermediary between the furling driving element and the balloon sheath retraction. The cam profile controls the retraction rate, ensuring it matches the furling rate precisely. This prevents premature or excessive retraction that would cause bunching, while maintaining simple manual furling operation.
2Device complexity
If the balloon sheath diameter is not constrained during furling, then the device structure is simpler, but stacking and bowing occur preventing smooth passage through instrument channels
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism serves as a mediator that constrains the balloon sheath diameter during furling by controlling the retraction rate. The cam profile ensures the sheath maintains optimal dimensions for passage through instrument channels without requiring complex additional constraining structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam mechanism pre-establishes the correct relationship between furling and retraction before the problem of stacking or bowing can occur. By controlling the retraction rate in advance through the cam profile, the system prevents dimensional issues that would block passage through instrument channels.
3Reliability
If manual control of furling is implemented, then the furling process is more controllable, but the control mechanism becomes more complex with multiple gear trains
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism acts as an intermediary that simplifies the manual control system. Instead of requiring complex feedback controls to prevent bunching or stacking, the cam profile passively enforces the correct retraction-furling relationship, reducing control complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A user-operable controlled furling balloon assembly including a furlable balloon sheath, an elongate furling driving element which is retractable and rotatable about an elongate axis thereof relative to a base element for furling the furlable balloon sheath about the elongate axis, the furlable balloon sheath surrounding the elongate furling driving element and coupled at a first end thereof to the elongate furling driving element and at a second end thereof to the base element and a furling/retraction controlling assembly coupled to the elongate furling driving element and to the base element for limiting an extent of retraction of the elongate furling driving element to be a function of an extent of furling of the balloon sheath, thereby limiting a maximum outer diameter of the balloon sheath when furled and preventing stacking of the balloon sheath.