Lead-Free Optical Fiber Coating for Endoscope Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lead-free optical fibers used in endoscopes have higher hardness and lower flexibility, leading to frequent breaking when repeatedly bent, which deteriorates observation performance due to insufficient durability and adhesiveness issues when bundled.
Innovation Solution
An optical transmission element with a glass core and cladding covered by a non-fluorine-substituted alkyl groups bonded via siloxane bonds, providing improved durability, abrasion resistance, and lubricity, along with a solid lubricant to prevent adhesion during sterilization and bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If lead-free optical fiber is used to replace lead-containing optical fiber, then the harmful substance content is reduced, but the flexibility and durability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining lead-free glass optical fiber with a fluorinated alkylsilane covering layer. This composite structure maintains the lead-free advantage while the organic silicon compound layer compensates for the reduced flexibility and durability, creating a hybrid system that achieves both safety and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the optical fiber surface by applying a fluorinated alkylsilane covering layer. This covering layer modifies the surface properties to improve flexibility and durability without changing the bulk composition of the lead-free glass, thereby resolving the contradiction between lead-free composition and mechanical performance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If lead-free optical fiber is used to replace lead-containing optical fiber, then the harmful substance content is reduced, but the flexibility is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure where the fluorinated alkylsilane covering layer provides the necessary flexibility to the rigid lead-free glass optical fiber, enabling easy manipulation during endoscope procedures while maintaining the lead-free safe composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The covering layer changes the surface parameters of the optical fiber, introducing flexibility through the organic silicon compound structure. This allows the lead-free fiber to be repeatedly bent and manipulated without breaking, resolving the flexibility issue.
3Reliability
If fluorinated alkylsilane covering layer is applied to improve durability, then the abrasion resistance is improved, but the polishing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of the fluorinated alkylsilane covering layer, specifically controlling the alkyl group chain length (m≥7) and fluorine substitution pattern. These parameter adjustments create a covering layer that provides adequate abrasion resistance while maintaining sufficient surface softness for effective polishing, resolving the manufacturing difficulty.
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 solution enhances the durability and adhesiveness of the optical transmission elements, reducing breakage and improving observation performance by maintaining optical transparency and facilitating effective polishing, while preventing adhesion during sterilization processes.
Implementation Method 1
each of the alkyl groups is bonded to the cladding via a siloxane bond
Implementation Method 2
providing improved durability, abrasion resistance, and lubricity, along with a solid lubricant to prevent adhesion during sterilization and bending
Data Source
AI summary
An optical transmission element according to an embodiment comprises a fiber and a covering layer. The fiber includes a core made of glass and a cladding made of glass covering an outer periphery of the core. The covering layer covers an outer periphery of the cladding and includes a plurality of alkyl groups which are not fluorine-substituted wherein each of the alkyl groups is bonded to the cladding via a siloxane bond and wherein the alkyl groups are represented by CH3(CH2)n— wherein m is an integer of 7 or more.