Endoscopic Clip Tool Controlled Removal Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clip treatment tools for endoscopes cannot be reliably removed from a patient at a desired timing after they have been applied, often remaining in the body until natural tissue changes allow for their removal, which is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A clip treatment tool with a clip body, container tube, and fixing pin that allows for controlled opening and closing of the clip arms, enabling locking and unlocking of the clip unit within the container tube for precise ligation and removal as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the clip is placed in the body to ligate a treatment part, then the ligation function is achieved, but the clip cannot be removed at a desirable timing and remains in the body until natural tissue changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The clip unit is segmented into the clip body with arm portions and the container tube, allowing independent control of the ligation function (clip body) and removal capability (container tube with stopper mechanism). This segmentation enables the clip to reliably perform ligation while providing a separate mechanism for controlled removal at desirable timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper acts as an intermediary component between the clip body and container tube. It can be inserted to lock the clip body in the closed state for reliable ligation, and later removed to enable clip removal. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing both stable ligation and controlled removal capability.
2Ease of operation
If the arm portions are kept open for accurate positioning, then the clip can be applied to the target position, but the clip cannot maintain the ligated state reliably after application
Solution Approach 1:
The clip body is designed with movable arm portions that can dynamically transition between open and closed states. The arm portions can be opened for accurate positioning of the treatment part, then closed to ligate it. The dynamic nature of the arm portions allows seamless transition between positioning and ligation functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper serves as a mediator that locks the clip body in the closed state after ligation. Once the arm portions are closed to ligate the treatment part, the stopper is inserted to maintain this closed state reliably, preventing accidental opening and ensuring stable ligation.
3Ease of operation
If the clip structure is simplified for easy operation, then the operation is easier, but the control over clip removal is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The overall device is segmented into the simple clip body for easy operation and the separate container tube with stopper mechanism for removal control. This segmentation allows the clip body to remain simple and easy to operate, while the container tube provides the necessary complexity for controlled removal timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper acts as an intermediary that adds minimal complexity to the system while providing sophisticated removal control. The stopper mechanism is simple in structure but effective in function, allowing the clip to be held in a locked state and then removed at the desired timing without complicating the overall device design.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5C
Figure 6~8
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 clip pieces, the two clip pieces each having a body portion and an arm portion, the body portion having a fixing hole formed on a proximal end side and a movement hole formed on a distal end side relative to the fixing hole, the movement hole extending so as to be inclined from a side part in a width direction of the body portion on the proximal end side toward a middle in the width direction of the body portion on the distal end side; a container tube that contains the body portions of the two clip pieces therein; a stopper that extends through the fixing holes of the two clip pieces and that is attached to the clip body; and a fixing pin that extends through the movement holes of the two clip pieces and whose both end portions are fixed to positions in the container tube that face each other.