Endoscopic Clip Device Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic treatment devices face challenges in securely locking and releasing the clip unit after ligation, leading to difficulties in re-grasping tissues and potential misalignment of the hook and arm portions, which complicates the operation and increases the risk of unintended separation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a clip unit with sliding grooves, an intermediate member, a pressing tube, and a connection member with an engaging portion and contact portion to prevent deformation, allowing for secure locking and easy release, ensuring the clip arms remain locked after ligation and facilitating re-grasping operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operation wire is pulled to draw the proximal end portions of the pair of arms outside of the pressing tube, then the pair of arms are locked in a closed state, but it is difficult to separate the pair of arms from the actuator after being locked
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the arms and actuator is divided into two distinct engagement mechanisms: the locking engagement between the arms and pressing tube, and the connection engagement between the connection member and arms. This segmentation allows independent control of locking and separation functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection member acts as an intermediary component between the operation wire and the arms. It includes an engaging portion that connects to the arms and a contact portion that prevents deformation, mediating the force transmission and enabling controlled separation while maintaining locking reliability.
2Ease of operation
If the engaging portion is made thin to facilitate engagement, then the engagement is easier, but the engaging portion may deform during the sliding process
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member has non-uniform cross-sectional dimensions: the engaging portion has smaller dimensions for easy engagement, while the contact portion has larger dimensions to prevent deformation. This local quality variation optimizes both engagement ease and structural strength at different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact portion is designed in advance with larger cross-sectional dimensions to preemptively prevent deformation of the engaging portion during the sliding process, before any deformation can occur.
3Ease of operation
If the clip unit is introduced into the body in a state of being mounted on an actuator, then the ligation operation is simplified, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clip unit combines multiple functions into integrated components: the arms provide both ligation and locking functions, while the connection member integrates engagement and deformation prevention functions. This merging simplifies the overall system while maintaining operational ease.
Data Source
AI summary
A clip device includes a clip, including a plurality of arms having sliding grooves; and an intermediate member inserted into the sliding grooves for connecting the plurality of arms; a pressing tube accommodating a proximal end portion of the clip; a connection member connecting with an operation wire at a proximal end side and including an engaging portion engaging with the intermediate member; and a locking mechanism for lock the plurality of arms when the clip is pulled toward the proximal end side by a predetermined distance by the connection member, wherein the clip includes a contact portion formed on a side surface of the arm to be in contact with the engaging portion from a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the intermediate portion for preventing a deformation of the engaging portion when the intermediate portion slides along the sliding groove before the plurality of arms are locked.