Universal Washing System for Endoscope Distal Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current washing systems for insertion devices, such as endoscopes, face challenges in effectively reaching and cleaning complex-shaped distal end portions, particularly the area between the swing table and cover portion, due to difficulty in fluid supply and management, leading to inefficient decontamination and storage issues.
Innovation Solution
A washing system with a cylindrical body portion and a shared supply mechanism that attaches to and detaches from a supply hole portion, allowing for efficient fluid supply to the distal opening portion, utilizing a positioning mechanism to ensure precise alignment and attachment, enabling effective cleaning of the insertion device's complex surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a washing system with an integral supply mechanism is used for each insertion portion, then the fluid supply to the distal end portion is effective, but the device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The supply mechanism is designed as a universal component that can be attached to multiple different body portions corresponding to various insertion portions. The supply mechanism includes a supply hole portion that can be coupled to different body portions, allowing a single supply mechanism to serve multiple functions across different washing systems, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining washing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The washing system is divided into separable components: body portions specific to each insertion portion and a shared supply mechanism. This segmentation allows the supply mechanism to be detached and reused, reducing the number of components that need to be stored and managed while ensuring that each insertion portion receives effective fluid supply through its dedicated body portion.
2Reliability
If separate washing systems are prepared for each kind of insertion portion, then the washing can be optimized, but the management and storage become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The supply mechanism serves as a universal component that can be attached to multiple different body portions. This allows a single supply mechanism to be used across different washing systems for various insertion portions, simplifying management and storage while still enabling optimized washing for each specific insertion portion through the body portion-specific design.
3Reliability
If the supply mechanism is integrated into the body portion, then the fluid supply is reliable, but the adaptability to different insertion portions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into body portions that are specific to each insertion portion and a separate supply mechanism. The supply mechanism includes a supply hole portion that can be coupled to different body portions through attachment/detachment operations. This segmentation maintains fluid supply reliability for each insertion portion while enabling adaptability across different types through the shared supply mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The supply mechanism is designed with dynamic attachment and detachment capabilities to the supply hole portion of different body portions. This dynamic interface allows the same supply mechanism to adapt to various body portions corresponding to different insertion portions, maintaining reliable fluid supply while increasing versatility across different insertion device types.
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 system ensures efficient washing of the insertion device's complex surfaces by providing a common supply mechanism for various insertion devices, simplifying management and storage, and allowing for high-pressure fluid supply to previously hard-to-reach areas, thereby improving decontamination efficiency and reducing storage needs.
Implementation Method 1
a supply mechanism which is shared by the body portion corresponding to each insertion portion that is prepared and which supplies the fluid to the supply hole portion
Data Source
AI summary
A washing system includes a cylindrical body portion which is prepared for each kind of insertion portion and a supply hole portion which is provided in the body portion to communicate with the inside of the body portion and which supplies a fluid to an opening portion of an insertion portion housed in the body portion. The washing system includes a supply mechanism which is shared by the body portion corresponding to each insertion portion that is prepared which supplies the fluid to the supply hole portion and which is attachable to and detachable from the supply hole portion.