Ultrasound Probe Insulation Adhesive Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound probes face challenges in ensuring electrical safety and preventing adhesive flow from insulation tubes, which can interfere with the operation and flexibility of the probe, especially when used in ultrasound endoscopes.
Innovation Solution
The ultrasound probe design includes a housing with a hole portion for the cable, an insulation pipe, and an insulation tube with an adhesive and a liquid dripping prevention mechanism, such as a sticky member, projection, absorbing member, or groove, to secure the insulation tube without allowing adhesive to flow onto the cable, ensuring electrical safety and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If adhesive is applied to fix the insulation tube to the insulation pipe, then the insulation tube is securely fixed, but the adhesive may flow out and contact the cable compromising electrical safety
Solution Approach 1:
A liquid dripping prevention portion is introduced as an intermediary component between the insulation pipe and insulation tube. This prevention portion receives and contains the adhesive, preventing it from flowing onto the cable while still allowing the insulation tube to be fixed to the insulation pipe. The intermediary structure thus resolves the contradiction by managing the adhesive in a controlled manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid dripping prevention portion is designed with specific local structural features (such as grooves or protrusions) that create localized adhesive reception areas. These local structural modifications enable the adhesive to be contained in specific regions rather than flowing freely, thus preventing contact with the cable while maintaining fixing stability.
2Reliability
If the probe structure is extended to accommodate insulation components, then electrical safety is improved, but the probe length increases reducing flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation pipe is inserted through a hole portion in the housing, and the insulation tube is fixed to the outer circumference of the insulation pipe. This nested arrangement allows the insulation components to be compactly integrated within the existing probe structure rather than extending it, thereby maintaining electrical safety without increasing probe length.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of extending the probe length to provide adequate insulation, the design utilizes the radial dimension by fixing the insulation tube to the outer circumference of the insulation pipe. This dimensional transition allows sufficient insulation coverage without compromising the probe's length and flexibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If adhesive is applied without prevention structure, then fixation is simple, but adhesive flows out and interferes with probe operation
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid dripping prevention portion serves as an intermediary structure that manages adhesive flow during the fixation process. While it adds a structural element, it maintains the simplicity of the fixation process by providing a built-in adhesive containment feature, thus preventing operational interference without complicating the manufacturing procedure.
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
This configuration effectively prevents adhesive flow and ensures electrical safety without increasing the probe's length, maintaining flexibility and preventing interference with other components, thus enhancing the operational efficiency of the ultrasound probe.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive located between the outer circumference of the exposed region of the insulation pipe and a distal end side region of the insulation tube covering the outer circumference of the exposed region, and configured to adhere the insulation pipe and the insulation tube to each other
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound probe including: an ultrasound transmission/reception portion; a cable; a housing; a hole portion of the housing; an insulation pipe having a proximal end side exposed outside the housing; an insulation tube covering an outer circumference of an exposed region of the insulation pipe and an outer circumference of the cable; an adhesive located between the outer circumference of the exposed region and a distal end side region of the insulation tube and configured to adhere the insulation pipe and the insulation tube to each other; and a sticky member disposed between the exposed region and the distal end side region together with the adhesive.