Endoscopy Device with Orientable Head and Segmented Handpiece
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscopes with orientable tips face challenges in sterilization, leading to cross-contamination risks and high costs, while single-use options are expensive and generate significant waste, and existing solutions cannot be applied to flexible endoscopes with orientable tips.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopy device with a reusable handpiece and single-use insertion tube, where the insertion tube is decoupled from the handpiece for easy replacement, eliminating the need for sterilization and reducing waste and costs, while maintaining orientation capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If reusable endoscopes with orientable tips are used, then cost is reduced and waste is minimized, but sterilization risks and cross-contamination hazards arise
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope is divided into two separable parts: a reusable handpiece and a single-use insertion tube. The handpiece contains the orientation system and can be reused, while the insertion tube is discarded after one use, eliminating sterilization risks while minimizing waste compared to fully single-use devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion tube is extracted as a separate, replaceable component from the handpiece. This allows the insertion tube to be disposed of after single use while the expensive handpiece with orientation system can be reused, resolving the contradiction between reuse and sterilization safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If single-use endoscopes are used, then cross-contamination risk is eliminated, but cost increases and waste management burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the endoscope into handpiece and insertion tube, only the insertion tube is disposed of after single use, while the handpiece is reused. This reduces waste compared to fully single-use endoscopes while maintaining cross-contamination safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The handpiece is designed as a universal component that can be reused with multiple insertion tubes. The orientation system and control mechanisms in the handpiece serve multiple uses, reducing overall waste while eliminating cross-contamination risks through single-use insertion tubes.
3Ease of manufacture
If the insertion tube is decoupled from the handpiece for easy replacement, then sterilization requirements are eliminated and costs are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The decoupling of insertion tube and handpiece into separate, connectable components simplifies replacement procedures and eliminates sterilization requirements for the handpiece. The connection interface is designed to be simple yet reliable, managing device complexity while enabling easy replacement.
Data Source
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AI summary
An endoscopy device (1) with an orientable head, which comprises grip means (2) which are associated with a flexible insertion tube (3) which is provided at the distal end (3a) with optical vision means (4). The device (1) is further provided with an orientation system (5) for the end portion of the insertion tube (3) proximate to the distal end (3a), which comprises adjustment means (6) which can be actuated by an operator and are associated with the grip means (2), and flexible actuation means (7) which cooperate with the adjustment means (6) and are arranged so as to pass through the insertion tube (3) and are associated with the distal end (3a) of the tube. The device further comprises a joint (8) which is interposed between the grip means (2) and the insertion tube (3) and which comprises a first body (9) which is stably associated with the grip means (2) and a second body (10) which is stably associated with the insertion tube (3), which can be associated temporarily with each other, the flexible actuation means (7) comprising at least one pair (11) of flexible elements (12, 13), each one of which is sectioned into a first portion (12a; 13a), which is associated with the adjustment means (6) and is inserted so as to pass through the grip means (2) and the first body (9), and into a second portion (12b; 13b), which is associated with the distal end (3a) of the insertion tube (3) and is inserted so as to pass through the tube and the second body (10), and temporary connection means (14) being further provided which are interposed between the first and second portions (12a, 12b; 13a, 13b) of each one of the flexible actuation elements (12; 13).