Weldable Sleeve for Rod Lens Positioning in Endoscope Tube
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopes face mechanical and thermal stresses during use, leading to lens misalignment and potential damage due to vibrations and bending, which can cause image quality issues and increase production and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A weldable sleeve is fixed to the rod lens and welded to the optics tube, securely positioning the lens within the tube while minimizing the number of components and maintaining a vapor-tight seal, thereby preventing lens displacement and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple centering aids and elastic adhesive bonds are used to fix rod lenses, then lens positioning stability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple centering aids and adhesive bonds into a single integrated welding connection between the rod lens and optics tube. This eliminates the need for separate centering aids and adhesive layers, reducing component count while maintaining positioning stability through the rigid weld joint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical adhesive bonding system with a welding process that creates a permanent metallurgical bond. This substitution eliminates the need for elastic adhesive materials and complex multi-point bonding, achieving reliable fixation with fewer process steps and components.
2Strength
If rod lenses are securely fixed with multiple components, then resistance to mechanical stress is improved, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple fixation components into a single welding operation, reducing the number of parts to be manufactured, inventoried, and assembled. This consolidation lowers production costs while maintaining strong mechanical attachment through the weld joint.
Solution Approach 2:
The welding process creates a self-reinforcing connection where the rod lens and optics tube are directly bonded without requiring additional fasteners or adhesive carriers. The weld itself provides both positioning and mechanical strength, eliminating the need for separate structural components.
3Volume of moving object
If rod lenses are positioned close to the optics tube wall, then space utilization is improved, but vulnerability to bending-induced damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The welding process creates a pre-stressed rigid connection that anchors the rod lens before bending forces are applied. This prior fixation prevents the lens from shifting or contacting the tube wall during bending, cushioning against potential damage before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the bonding mechanism from flexible adhesive to rigid welding, fundamentally altering how the rod lens responds to bending forces. The rigid weld maintains precise positioning and prevents contact with the tube wall even under mechanical stress, unlike flexible adhesives that may allow movement.
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 solution ensures stable lens positioning, maintains image quality, and reduces the risk of lens damage during mechanical stress, while also simplifying assembly and reducing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
The weldable sleeve of the at least one rod lens is welded to the optics tube in order to fix the rod lens to the latter
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The tube (1) has a lens arrangement accommodated in an inner area of the tube and comprising rod lenses (2, 3). Casings (5, 6) are fixed on the respective rod lenses and provided for partially enclosing the rod lenses. The casings are welded with the tube, where the tube and the casings are made from metallic material. A ring-shaped aperture diaphragm is arranged between the rod lenses, where the casings are designed in a cylindrical-shape. Welding seams run in a longitudinal direction of the tube, and arranged along the circumference of the casings. An independent claim is also included for a method for mounting rod lenses in an inner area of an optics tube.