Gas-Driven Endoscopic Actuator Nesting for Compact Manipulator Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscopic treatment instruments with pneumatic actuators face challenges in reducing the diameter of the manipulator, leading to increased outside diameters due to the mounting of multiple actuators in a flexible tube portion.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopic treatment instrument featuring a sheath with a gas-driven actuator, where the actuator is housed within the sheath and operated by a linear member, allowing for a compact design by utilizing a gas supply system to control the actuator's operation, thereby reducing the overall diameter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pneumatic actuators are mounted in a flexible tube portion, then the manipulator can perform multiple functions, but the outside diameter of the manipulator increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by placing the pneumatic actuator inside the flexible tube portion, with the actuator's cylinder contained within the tube's internal cavity. This nested configuration allows the actuator to be housed within the existing tube structure without adding external diameter, thereby maintaining versatility while preserving a compact profile suitable for endoscopic applications
2Volume of moving object
If a pneumatic actuator is housed in a tubular portion, then the actuator can be compact, but the tubular portion must provide sufficient space for gas supply and actuator operation
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible tube portion serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the structural housing for the actuator, provides the gas supply conduit from the proximal end to the distal end, and maintains the flexibility required for endoscopic manipulation. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate gas supply channels or structural reinforcements, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining actuator functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A treatment instrument apparatus, which is an endoscopic treatment instrument, includes a sheath having an opening in a distal end; an actuator placed in the sheath and driven by a gas supplied via a tube; a treatment unit connected with the actuator by a wire and placed on a distal end side of the opening of the sheath; and an opening and closing switch, which is an operation portion used for an operation of supplying the gas into the sheath and supplying the gas to the actuator.