Protective Cap Recess and Channels for Microcirculation Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current protective caps for imaging devices used in microcirculation examination cause pressure artifacts and imaging quality issues due to excessive saliva, debris, or air bubbles, leading to potentially incorrect diagnoses.
Innovation Solution
A protective cap with a recessed end face and channels for fluid management, allowing for reduced pressure on the mucous membrane and effective removal of unwanted materials, enhancing imaging quality and preventing pressure artifacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flat protective cap is used for imaging microcirculation, then the camera is protected and imaging is enabled, but pressure artifacts occur due to compression of capillaries
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cap incorporates a recess (curved depression) in the contact surface instead of a flat surface. This curvature design reduces the contact pressure on the mucous membrane by distributing the force over a larger area and preventing direct compression of capillaries, thereby eliminating pressure artifacts while maintaining camera protection and imaging capability
2Reliability
If a protective cap is placed directly on the mucous membrane, then imaging is enabled, but excessive saliva and debris interfere with image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The recess in the protective cap creates a depression that allows saliva and debris to be extracted or removed from the imaging area. The curved surface prevents these contaminants from accumulating directly over the camera lens, keeping the imaging area cleaner and maintaining image quality during microcirculation examination
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a protective cap (400) for an imaging device, the cap having a hollow protective cap body with a front end (404), a cylindrical surface (402) and an open rear end (406), through which the imaging device can be inserted into the protective cap, and a depression (408) provided in the front end. The protective cap also has at least one channel (502) provided at the front part of the protective cap body, beneath the front end, the at least one channel having a first opening that is provided in the lateral wall (412) of the depression and a second opening that is provided preferably in the cylindrical surface of the protective cap body.