Low Profile Endoscope with Flexible Arm and Movable Sensor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hysteroscopes and other endoscopes used in minimally invasive procedures often require large diameters, necessitating cervical dilation, which can be traumatic for patients and is undesirable.

Innovation Solution

Designing an endoscope with a low profile and reduced shaft diameter, featuring a flexible arm structure and movable image sensor that changes orientation to accommodate tools, allowing for a smaller insertion diameter while expanding to accommodate tools, and incorporating a working channel for fluid management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If hysteroscopes are designed with large diameters to accommodate optics, light sources, and working channel, then these components can be properly housed, but the cervix requires dilation which causes patient trauma

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of optics, light source, and working channelVSAvoidpatient trauma from cervical dilation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The endoscope is divided into separate functional components: optics, light source, and working channel are housed in distinct segments that can be independently positioned and configured, allowing each to occupy optimized spatial locations rather than requiring a large unified diameter

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a traditional radial arrangement where all components radiate from the shaft center to a configuration where components are distributed along the longitudinal axis and at different radial levels, utilizing three-dimensional space more efficiently to reduce the maximum diameter required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 3:

The working channel is nested within the endoscope shaft, and the optics and light source are arranged in a nested configuration where smaller components are positioned within or alongside larger structural elements, maximizing space utilization without increasing overall diameter

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If hysteroscopes are designed with small diameters to reduce patient trauma, then cervical dilation can be avoided, but accommodating optics, light sources, and working channel becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient trauma from cervical dilationVSAvoidaccommodation of optics, light source, and working channel

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The endoscope incorporates flexible components including a flexible working channel and adjustable optical system that can dynamically reconfigure their positions and orientations, allowing the same physical structure to accommodate different tool sizes and configurations as needed during the procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The working channel is constructed as a flexible tube that can bend and deform to accommodate various tool diameters and shapes, allowing smaller endoscope diameter while maintaining the ability to transmit tools of appropriate sizes for the procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 3:

The endoscope design allows adjustment of key parameters including working channel diameter, optical component positioning, and light source configuration to optimize for different procedural needs, enabling a single device to serve multiple functions without requiring large fixed dimensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20230218150A1Endoscope and method of use

Publication Date: 2023.07.13 MEDITRINA INC

AI summary

Endoscopes and methods of their use, where the endoscopes provide a low profile or cross-section which facilitates introduction through small body passages, such as patient's cervix, and into body cavities, such a patient's uterus.