Endoscopic Overtube Elastic Interlocking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscopic surgical systems face challenges in obtaining a stable and optimal image during laparoscopic surgery due to the need for separate operation of the endoscope and treatment tool, leading to increased surgeon stress and complexity, with potential interference between the surgeon's and endoscopic technician's hands, and a lack of cost-effective and simplified configuration for interlocking these instruments.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopic surgical device with a tubular overtube that allows interlocking of an endoscope and a treatment tool, featuring a coupling member with an elastic body to delay response and prevent unnecessary movement, enabling single-handed operation by the surgeon and maintaining a stable image without the need for an assistant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the endoscope and treatment tool are operated separately by different personnel, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the operation time increases and the complexity of coordination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the endoscope and treatment tool into a single integrated instrument that can be operated by one surgeon. The endoscope portion includes an observation unit and a treatment tool unit is integrated, allowing simultaneous observation and treatment functions. This merging eliminates the need for separate operators and reduces coordination time, directly addressing the productivity-time contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If the endoscope and treatment tool are operated by different personnel, then the tasks can be divided, but the surgeon's stress increases and the coordination becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated instrument merges the endoscope and treatment tool into one unit controlled by a single operator. The endoscope portion with observation unit and treatment tool unit work together under one surgeon's control, eliminating the complex coordination between multiple operators and reducing surgical stress while maintaining operational simplicity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the endoscope and treatment tool are inserted through separate access points, then the instruments can be independently positioned, but the invasiveness of the procedure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the endoscope and treatment tool into a single instrument that can be inserted through one access point. The integrated design allows both observation and treatment functions to be achieved through a single insertion, reducing the number of punctures and invasiveness while maintaining the ability to position both functions appropriately within the body cavity.
4Reliability
If a complex interlocking mechanism is used to connect the endoscope and treatment tool, then the interlocking function is achieved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the instrument into distinct functional portions: an endoscope portion with an observation unit and a treatment tool unit. These segmented portions are connected through a simple interlocking mechanism that allows relative movement while maintaining functional independence. This segmentation approach achieves reliable interlocking without requiring a complex integrated mechanism, reducing overall device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking mechanism between the endoscope portion and treatment tool unit allows dynamic relative movement in the axial direction. This dynamic connection enables the portions to move independently when needed while maintaining their interlocked relationship, providing functional flexibility without requiring a rigid complex structure, thus simplifying the overall configuration.
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
The solution allows for low-invasive surgery with reduced stress and complexity, providing a stable and optimal image by interlocking the endoscope and treatment tool, thus simplifying the surgical process and reducing costs through a simplified configuration.
Implementation Method 1
a coupling member which has a first fixing part fixed to the first holding part and a second fixing part fixed to the second holding part, and has an elastic body between the first fixing part and the second fixing part
Data Source
AI summary
An overtube, which is punctured into a body wall and guides an endoscope and a treatment tool into a body cavity, includes an interlocking member that interlocks the forward and backward movements of the endoscope and the treatment tool with each other. The interlocking member is constituted of a first sleeve coupled to the endoscope, a second sleeve coupled to the treatment tool, and a coupling member having an elastic body, which couples the first sleeve and the second sleeve together. Accordingly, in a case where the stretching of the coupling member is small, the endoscope interlocks with the forward and backward movement of the treatment tool at a slow response, and in a case where the stretching of the coupling member is large, the endoscope interlock with the forward and backward movement of a treatment tool at a quick response.