Endoscopic Clip Tool Latch Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clip treatment tools for endoscopes cannot be reliably removed from a patient's body at a desired timing after use, often remaining in the body until naturally expelled, which is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A clip treatment tool with a clip body, pressing tube, coupling member, and urging member that allows for controlled opening and closing of the clip arms, enabling locking and unlocking to maintain or remove the clip as needed, utilizing a coupling mechanism with a latch and operation wire for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the clip is placed in the body to ligate a treatment part, then the treatment part can be securely closed and bleeding stopped, but the clip cannot be removed at a desirable timing and remains in the body until naturally expelled
Solution Approach 1:
The clip treatment tool is segmented into distinct functional components: a pressing tube for deploying and securing the clip, a coupling member for connecting the operation wire to the clip, and the clip body itself. This segmentation allows independent control of deployment and retention functions, enabling reliable application while maintaining removal capability through the separate coupling mechanism that can be detached to facilitate timed removal.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the coupling member is locked to the pressing tube to maintain the applied state, then the clip remains securely in place, but the ability to remove the clip is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member incorporates a dynamic locking mechanism that can transition between locked and unlocked states. The locking portion engages with the pressing tube to maintain stability during treatment, but can be disengaged by operating the operation wire, which moves the coupling member relative to the pressing tube to unlock and enable removal. This dynamic design resolves the contradiction between maintaining stability and enabling easy removal.
3Ease of operation
If the operation wire is used to move the coupling member for locking, then precise control of the clip is achieved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The operation wire serves as an intermediary element that transmits the operator's input force to the coupling member, enabling precise control of the locking and unlocking actions. Rather than requiring direct manipulation of the coupling mechanism, the operation wire mediates the control process, simplifying the user interface while maintaining precise control capability. This intermediary approach manages device complexity by providing a simple operational interface.
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
Enables reliable maintenance of the applied state during treatment and allows for the removal of the clip at any desired timing, improving control over the clip's presence in the body.
Implementation Method 1
an urging member that is contained in the pressing tube and that urges the coupling member relative to the pressing tube from the proximal end side toward the distal end side
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~8
Figure 9A~11B
AI summary
Provided is a clip treatment tool with which it is possible to, after a clip has been once applied, reliably maintain the applied state, and it is possible to remove the clip, which is placed in a living body, at any desirable timing. A clip treatment tool includes a clip body that has two arm portions and a folded portion, the two arm portions facing each other and configured to open and close, the folded portion connecting proximal end parts of the two arm portions; a pressing tube that closes the two arm portions and allows the clip body to be contained therein in accordance with movement of the clip body from a distal end side toward a proximal end side; a coupling member that couples the clip body and an operation wire to each other; and an urging member that urges the coupling member relative to the pressing tube from the proximal end side toward the distal end side. The pressing tube has a latched portion, and the coupling member has a latch portion. In accordance with movement of the operation wire from the distal end side toward the proximal end side, the coupling member moves from the distal end side toward the proximal end side, the latch portion is latched to the latched portion, and the coupling member is locked to the pressing tube.