Sterile Endoscope Packaging With External Connector Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Endoscopes are exposed to environmental bacteria when the packaging material is unsealed for pre-use inspection, risking contamination before use.

Innovation Solution

A packaging material design that maintains a sterile environment for the endoscope's insertion and operation portions while allowing connection to external apparatuses, with a dome-shaped portion for bending flexibility and a seal to keep the connector outside, enabling pre-use inspection without exposing the endoscope to air.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the packaging material is unsealed for pre-use inspection, then the endoscope can be inspected before use, but the insertion portion and operation portion are exposed to environmental bacteria causing contamination risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepre-use inspection capabilityVSAvoidbacterial contamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging material is divided into two distinct regions: a sterile environment region containing the insertion portion and operation portion, and a non-sterile environment region containing the connector. This segmentation allows the sterile components to remain protected while enabling inspection and connection of non-sterile components outside the sterile barrier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connector is extracted from the sterile environment and positioned in the non-sterile environment region of the packaging material. This allows the connector to be accessible for connection to external apparatus without requiring unsealing of the entire package, thereby maintaining sterility of the insertion portion and operation portion during pre-use inspection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the connector is placed inside the sterile packaging material, then the entire endoscope is protected from contamination, but the connector cannot be connected to external apparatus without unsealing the package

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterile protectionVSAvoidconnection to external apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The packaging material acts as an intermediary structure with distinct sterile and non-sterile regions. The seal portion creates a boundary that allows the connector to interface with external apparatus in the non-sterile region while the insertion portion and operation portion remain protected in the sterile region, enabling both protection and connectivity functions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the bending portion is allowed to move freely in the packaging material, then the endoscope can be positioned for inspection, but the bending portion may contact the packaging material surface causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning for inspectionVSAvoidcontact contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging material includes a dome-shaped portion that creates a three-dimensional space above the sealing surface. This dimensional change provides vertical clearance for the bending portion to move and position itself without contacting the sealing surface, thereby preventing contamination while maintaining positioning capability for inspection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The dome-shaped portion formed in the packaging material acts as a flexible barrier that contains the bending portion in a controlled space. This structure allows the bending portion to move freely within the dome while preventing contact with the external sealing surface, maintaining both flexibility and contamination protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS12569118B2Endoscope system and packaging materials for endoscope

Publication Date: 2026.03.10 OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYST CORP

AI summary

An endoscope system, comprising: an endoscope including an insertion portion, an operation portion, and a connector configured to be connected to an external apparatus, wherein the insertion portion includes a bending portion and wherein the operation portion is connected to the insertion portion; a packaging material, wherein the packaging material contains at least the insertion portion or the operation portion in a sterile environment; and a dome-shaped portion formed in the packaging material, wherein the dome-shaped portion defines a space, and at least a distal section of the bending portion is located inside the space, where in a maximum bent position, the distal section of the bending portion does not contact an inner surface of the dome shaped portion, and wherein the connector is disposed outside of the packaging material.