Clip Apparatus Engaging Portion Excessive Opening Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional clip apparatuses for ligaturing living tissues face issues with inconsistent ligation due to excessive opening of engaging portions when the breakable portion of the connecting member breaks, leading to insufficient biting of the tissue.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of an engaging portion excessive opening preventing structure, which includes design features such as inclined facing regions, adjusted distances, and independent opening/closing directions to prevent excessive opening and ensure secure ligation by maintaining the clip's position until the breakable portion is completely broken.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the breakable portion of the connecting member breaks to release the clip arms, then the clip arms can retract into the passage, but the engaging portions open excessively causing insufficient tissue biting

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveligation reliabilityVSAvoidclip position control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by designing the engaging portion's opening direction to be independent from the clip arm retraction direction. This prevents the harmful effect of excessive opening before the breakable portion completely breaks, ensuring the clip arms remain in the correct position for effective tissue biting throughout the ligation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the opening/closing mechanism into independent directional components. The engaging portions are designed to open and close in a direction independent from the clip arm retraction direction, allowing separate control of each function and preventing interference between them during the ligation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the clip arms are held in position until the breakable portion breaks, then secure ligation is achieved, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveligation securityVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the independent opening/closing directions of the engaging portions before the breakable portion breaks. This ensures the clip arms are already positioned correctly and will remain stable during tissue biting, achieving secure ligation without requiring additional complex control mechanisms during the breaking process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Ensures reliable and secure ligation of the desired tissue region by preventing premature retraction of the clip arms into the passage, allowing for effective biting and holding of the tissue until the breakable portion is completely broken.

Implementation Method 1

a breakable portion (22a) which is broken when a pulling force larger than a predetermined value is applied thereto by the clip operating part (16)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFracture: Fracture Mechanics

Implementation Method 2

engaging portions (20) which are provided around the clip projecting/retracting passage (18a) in the clip holding member (18) and which are radially and elastically openable and closable

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2335613B1Clip apparatus for ligaturing living tissue
Publication Date: 2012.09.19 OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYST CORP
  • EP2335613B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2D
  • EP2335613B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4B
  • EP2335613B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A clip apparatus for ligaturing a living tissue includes a clip unit (14) provided removably at a distal end (10a) of an insertion part (10) inserted into a forceps channel of an endoscope, and an operating part (16) for the unit, extending in an passage (10c) of the insertion part. The unit has a clip holder (18) in an opening of the passage (10c) and a passage (18a) for elastically opening/closing of a clip (12), an engaging portion (20) to be opened elastically around the passage (18a) when the holder projects from the passage (10c), and longitudinally engaged with the distal end of the insertion part, and a structure (24) preventing excessive opening of the engaging portion when a member (22) connected to the clip and the operating part and moving in the passage (18a) is broken at a breakable portion (22a) by a pulling force from the operating part.