Endoscope Operating Portion with Twisting Relief Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing bending treatment instruments face challenges with size compatibility for insertion through endoscope channels, leading to obstruction and reduced bendability, and suffer from twisting issues that disrupt intuitive operation due to friction and small diameter constraints.
Innovation Solution
The operating portion features a device wire connected to a bending treatment instrument with a guide unit, a bending wire pulling unit, and a grip portion, including a twisting force relief mechanism with a spherical axis alignment mechanism, allowing for intuitive operation and preventing twisting, enabling smooth insertion and manipulation within the endoscope channel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the outside diameter of the bending treatment instrument is reduced to enable insertion into the endoscope channel, then insertability is improved, but bendability and grasping capability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The bending treatment instrument is divided into multiple functional segments: a thin insertion portion for passing through the endoscope channel, and a separate operating portion that provides bending and grasping functions. The insertion portion has a small outer diameter to fit the channel, while the operating portion contains the bending mechanism with multiple bending wires and a bending portion that can be independently controlled
Solution Approach 2:
The bending treatment instrument is designed with nested structures where the treatment instrument (scalpel or forceps) is inserted into the insertion portion, which itself is inserted into the endoscope channel. The bending wires are nested within the insertion portion, allowing the thin insertion portion to transmit bending forces to the treatment instrument while maintaining flexibility
2Volume of moving object
If the treatment instrument is inserted into the endoscope channel, then insertability is improved, but twisting occurs due to friction, worsening operational reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion portion acts as an intermediary between the operating portion and the treatment instrument. It transmits bending forces from the bending wires to the treatment instrument while its smooth outer surface and flexible construction reduce friction with the endoscope channel, preventing twisting. The insertion portion's design allows it to slide smoothly through the channel while maintaining control over the treatment instrument's bending
Solution Approach 2:
The bending treatment instrument employs dynamic control where the bending wires can be independently tensioned and relaxed to control the bending portion's orientation. This dynamic adjustment allows the operator to maintain proper bending direction control even when friction forces are present in the endoscope channel, as the wires can compensate for twisting forces in real-time
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4(a)~4(c)
AI summary
To provide an operating portion which allows a bending treatment instrument to be inserted into an endoscope channel and bendably operated smoothly through intuition. The present invention provides an operating portion connected with a device wire and a plurality of bending wires and used to operate the treatment instrument and bend a freely bendable, bending treatment instrument, where the device wire is connected to a treatment instrument provided at a distal end of the bending treatment instrument and is used to operate the treatment instrument and the plurality of bending wires is used to bend the bending treatment instrument, the operating portion including: an operating portion body; a guide unit penetrated by the device wire; a bending wire pulling unit connected with the bending wires and swingably assembled onto the guide unit; and a grip portion connected with the device wire and configured to be reciprocable in an axial direction of the bending wire pulling unit.