Endoscope Treatment Tool Rotation Control for Smooth Swivel Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscope treatment tools face issues with increased resistance and restricted movement due to the rotation of the connecting member around the treatment tool body, leading to impaired swivel function and potential entanglement during operations like endoscopic submucosal dissection.
Innovation Solution
The endoscope treatment tool incorporates a rotating member with a through-hole that allows the connecting member to move along a plane intersecting the longitudinal axis, preventing rotation of the treatment portion and allowing smooth movement by guiding it along an arc-shaped locus, while a flexible connecting member like a thread or wire facilitates deformation to maintain grip during changes in the endoscope's field of view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the connecting member is allowed to rotate around the treatment tool body, then the treatment tool can be positioned flexibly, but friction increases and movement becomes restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rotational function from the connecting member by guiding it through a dedicated through-hole in the rotating member. This separates the positioning function (achieved through the arc-shaped locus guidance) from the rotational function, allowing the connecting member to move linearly without rotating, thereby reducing friction and improving movement smoothness while maintaining positioning flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the connecting member rotates during operation, then the treatment portion can be repositioned, but the connecting member becomes entangled
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating member acts as an intermediary between the connecting member and the treatment portion. It receives the linear motion of the connecting member and converts it into arc-shaped locus movement of the treatment portion, preventing direct rotation of the connecting member that would cause entanglement, while still enabling repositioning capability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the connecting member is rigid, then structural stability is maintained, but it cannot deform to maintain grip during field of view changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the connecting member flexible rather than rigid. This allows the connecting member to deform and bend as needed during endoscope movement and field of view changes, maintaining grip on the treatment portion while adapting to positional changes, thus balancing structural stability with adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an endoscope treatment tool including: a tubular distal-end member that is attached to the distal end of an endoscope; an outer sheath having a channel extending in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the endoscope; a treatment-tool body; a linear connector that connects the distal-end member and the treatment-tool body. The treatment-tool body includes a bendable long insertion portion that is inserted through the channel, a treatment portion with which treatment is performed, and a rotating member. The rotating member includes a through-hole that extends along a plane intersecting the longitudinal axis and through which the connector is inserted. When the treatment-tool body is pushed in the longitudinal direction, the connector guides the treatment portion along a locus centered on an axis intersecting a plane including the axis of the distal-end member and the axis of the channel.