Flexible Jaws Link Mechanism for Stable Tissue Grasping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatment tools with flexible jaws for grasping living tissue face challenges in maintaining effective grasping and preventing easy flexing during tissue contact, particularly due to sagging wires and complex assembly requirements.
Innovation Solution
A treatment tool design featuring a tubular insertion tube with flexible jaws, a shaft with a specific outer circumferential surface, and a link mechanism with movable arms, which includes flexible rods and wires that maintain contact with the jaws even at high flex angles, ensuring stable grasping and simplified assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If flexible jaws are used to grasp living tissue, then the ability to grasp tissue is improved, but the jaws become prone to flexing during tissue contact
Solution Approach 1:
The jaw is divided into multiple segments (first jaw segment, second jaw segment, third jaw segment) connected by joints, allowing independent control of each segment's movement and flexibility while maintaining overall structural stability during tissue contact
Solution Approach 2:
The jaw transitions from a static structure to a dynamic multi-segment structure that can adapt its flexibility during operation, maintaining rigidity when needed for grasping and flexibility when needed for navigation through tissue
2Force
If wires are used to transmit force to the jaws, then the grasping force is improved, but the wires sag under load
Solution Approach 1:
A guide wire is introduced as an intermediary element that runs through the jaw segments and provides structural support, preventing the force-transmission wires from sagging while still allowing force to be transmitted effectively to the jaws
Solution Approach 2:
The jaw assembly uses a composite structure combining flexible wires for force transmission with a guide wire framework for positional stability, creating a hybrid system that achieves both grasping force and wire position stability
3Manufacturing precision
If a complex link mechanism is used to control jaw movement, then the jaw control precision is improved, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The link mechanism is segmented into discrete, modular components (first link, second link, third link) that can be assembled independently, reducing overall assembly complexity while maintaining the precision of jaw movement control through their coordinated interaction
Data Source
AI summary
A treatment tool includes: an insertion tube; a pair of jaws that are provided at a distal end of the insertion tube and that are flexible with respect to the insertion tube, the pair of jaws being configured to grasp living tissue by opening and closing each other; a pin that is provided on a rotation axis on which the jaws are caused to rotate with respect to the insertion tube; a shaft that has an outer circumferential surface and in which a hole into which the pin is inserted; a rod configured to be inserted into the insertion tube and move forward and backward along a longitudinal axis of the insertion tube; and a link mechanism that is linked to a distal end of the rod and that includes a plurality of arms linked with each other movably within a specific plane.