Modular Endoscopic Device with Vibrating Sheath for Low-Friction Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible endoscopes face issues with reduced driving accuracy and increased frictional forces when bent at large angles, leading to potential infections from reuse and decreased control performance due to friction between the wire and sheath in tendon-sheath mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A modular endoscopic device with a driver system that includes a first and second driving source to control grippers, a coil sheath with a sheath stopper, and a vibrator to reduce friction by vibrating the sheath, allowing for detachable and disposable endoscope modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the insertion tube is bent by a large angle (near 270°), then the endoscope can reach deep curved organs like the kidney, but the frictional force between the wire and sheath increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vibrator that vibrates the sheath at high frequency to reduce friction between the wire and sheath. The vibration creates dynamic contact conditions that lower the coefficient of friction, allowing the wire to slide smoothly even when the insertion tube is bent at large angles near 270°.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a lubricant as an intermediary substance between the wire and sheath. This lubricant reduces the direct contact friction between the wire and sheath surfaces, enabling smooth wire movement even under large bending angles where friction would otherwise be excessive.
2Reliability
If a tendon-sheath mechanism is used to maintain wire length, then the wire is protected and guided, but the friction between wire and sheath reduces the transfer rate of tension and control accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The vibrator vibrates the sheath at high frequency to reduce friction between the wire and sheath. This dynamic vibration minimizes the frictional resistance that would otherwise impede the wire's movement, thereby maintaining high control accuracy while preserving the protective function of the sheath.
Solution Approach 2:
The lubricant acts as an intermediary between the wire and sheath, reducing friction while allowing the sheath to continue its protective and guiding function. This enables the tendon-sheath mechanism to maintain both reliability and control precision.
3Productivity
If the endoscope is cleaned and reused, then resource utilization is improved, but there is a risk of fatal infection if cleaning is not properly performed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the endoscope module disposable by providing a disposable endoscope housing that contains all critical components including the camera, lighting, and driving mechanisms. This eliminates the need for cleaning and sterilization, thereby removing infection risk while maintaining resource utilization through the modular reusable base unit.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the endoscope module is made disposable, then infection risk is eliminated, but the cost and waste generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope is divided into two segments: a disposable endoscope module containing all critical components, and a reusable base unit. This segmentation allows the critical parts to be discarded to eliminate infection risk, while the reusable base unit continues to serve multiple patients, thereby reducing overall waste and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The endoscope housing and all its components are designed as disposable, inexpensive items that can be safely discarded after single use. This eliminates infection risk while the low cost and modular design minimize the impact on resource utilization.
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 control accuracy and reduces frictional resistance, enabling efficient force transfer and stable bending angles up to 270°, preventing infections and reducing costs through disposability.
Implementation Method 1
a vibrator configured to vibrate the coil sheath by vibrating the sheath stopper to reduce a frictional force between the coil sheath and the bending wire
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5a
AI summary
A modular endoscopic device includes a base portion, a driver provided in the base portion, and an endoscope module including an endoscope housing detachably provided in the base portion, an insertion tube including a bendable bending portion and connected to the endoscope housing to be inserted into a body of a subject, and a bending wire configured to transfer a force to bend the bending portion. The endoscope module is detachably attachable to the base portion. The driver is configured to transfer power to the bending wire when the endoscope module is attached to the base portion, and the driver is configured not to transfer power to the bending wire when the endoscope module is detached from the base portion.