Smooth-Walled Valve Slide With Integral Seals for Easy Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve slides for medical endoscopes, used for both insufflation and rinsing, face challenges in cost-effective mass production and sterilization due to complex geometries and form-fitting sealing rings, which complicate the manufacturing process and sterilization procedures.
Innovation Solution
A valve slide design featuring a smooth-walled outer jacket surface with radially protruding guide sections and materially connected sealing rings, allowing for injection molding and easier sterilization, with a prism-like hollow body and frustoconical sections for reduced friction and efficient air and liquid flow control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sealing rings are form-fitted into grooves on the valve slide, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and sterilization difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing rings are extracted from the groove-form-fitting structure and repositioned to project radially beyond the outer surface of the valve slide. This eliminates the need for complex grooves and form-fitting mechanisms, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining sealing functionality through the radially protruding configuration that contacts the receiving bore inner surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of embedding sealing rings into grooves (conventional approach), the invention inverts the arrangement by having sealing rings project outward from the valve slide outer surface. This inversion simplifies the valve slide geometry by eliminating grooves while achieving sealing through the radially protruding rings contacting the receiving bore.
2Reliability
If complex geometries are used for form-fitting sealing rings, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but sterilization capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing rings are extracted from complex groove structures and repositioned to project radially from the smooth outer surface. This creates a geometry without hidden grooves or crevices, enabling effective sterilization while maintaining sealing effectiveness through the radially protruding configuration.
3Ease of manufacture
If smooth-walled outer surface is used, then manufacturing and sterilization are simplified, but sealing capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The valve slide features a smooth-walled outer surface overall, but with radially protruding guide sections and sealing rings at specific locations. This local quality approach maintains manufacturing simplicity and sterilization capability while providing necessary sealing and guiding functions at critical areas through the protruding elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer surface is segmented into smooth areas and radially protruding elements (guide sections and sealing rings). This segmentation allows the majority of the surface to remain smooth for easy manufacturing and sterilization, while specific protruding segments provide the necessary sealing and guiding functions.
4Ease of operation
If radially protruding guide sections are added, then friction is reduced for smoother operation, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide sections and sealing rings are merged into a single radially protruding structural element integrated with the valve slide body. This merging reduces overall structural complexity compared to having separate guiding and sealing components, while still achieving reduced friction through the radially protruding guide sections that contact the receiving bore inner surface.
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 design enables cost-effective large-scale production and improved sterilization capabilities while maintaining effective control over air and liquid flows, enhancing the functionality and reliability of the valve unit.
Implementation Method 1
the actuating button is supported on the retaining ring on one side by a compression spring
Implementation Method 2
sealing rings are provided on the distal control section of the valve slide which project radially beyond the valve slide and are guided slidably along an inner surface of the receiving bore
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a valve slide (5) for a valve unit used as an insufflation and purging valve, which valve slide has a proximal actuating section (5a), which is led through a holder (13) and has an actuating knob (17), wherein the actuating knob (17) is supported on the holder (13) via a compression spring (23) on the one hand, and wherein an annular projection (38) of the valve slide (5) interacts with the holder (13) as a stop axing in the axial direction on the other hand. At the distal control section of the valve slide (5), sealing rings (41, 42, 43, 44 and 45) are provided, which project radially beyond the valve slide (5), an outer lateral surface (40) of the distal control section (27, 28), apart from radial guide sections (32, 35) possibly provided on the latter and the projection (38), is formed with a smooth wall, and the sealing rings (41, 42, 43, 44 and 45) are connected integrally to the smooth-walled outer lateral surface (40). In order to devise a valve slide which can be produced economically in large quantities by means of the injection moulding process and has advantages with respect to the functionality thereof, the outer lateral surface (40) of the distal control section (27, 28), apart from radial guide sections (32, 35) possibly provided on the latter, is to be formed with a smooth wall, wherein the sealing rings (41, 42, 43, 44 and 45) are connected integrally to the smooth-walled outer lateral surface.