Hinged Endoscope Grip for Secure Tube Control and Hand Relief

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Solution Overview

Problem

Endoscope practitioners experience overuse injuries due to repeated microtrauma and ischemia from applying high forces and maintaining awkward wrist postures during procedures, which existing gripping devices fail to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A pivoting endoscope gripping device with hinged arms and opposed jaws that guide and clamp the insertion tube, allowing for secure grip and reduced hand stress, adaptable to varying diameters and easy to use, manufacture, and dispose of.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the practitioner grips the insertion tube directly with the hand, then secure grip and control of the endoscope is achieved, but high forces and awkward wrist postures cause overuse injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrip securityVSAvoidoveruse injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A cylindrical handle is introduced as an intermediary device between the practitioner's hand and the insertion tube. The handle provides a comfortable gripping surface that distributes forces across a larger area, reducing stress on the practitioner's hand and wrist while maintaining secure control of the endoscope during procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If cylindrical handles are used to surround the endoscope tube, then ease of gripping is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrip comfortVSAvoidhandle structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The handle is designed as a segmented structure with multiple functional components including a cylindrical body, opposing jaws for clamping the insertion tube, and a hinge mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while keeping the overall design relatively simple and manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If clamping jaws are added to secure the insertion tube, then grip security is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetube securingVSAvoiddevice fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping jaws are integrated into the handle structure as opposing elements that can be actuated by the practitioner's fingers. This merging of the clamping function into the existing handle design allows for secure tube securing without requiring a completely separate complex mechanism, thus limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11350814B2Endoscope gripping device

Publication Date: 2022.06.07 YAMADA RONALD

AI summary

A gripping device for an endoscope insertion tube utilizing first and second arms that are hingedly attached to one another. Each arm includes an opening to accommodate the insertion tube of an endoscope such that the endoscope insertion tube spans both arms. First and second jaws are associated with first and second arms and are positioned in opposition to one another. The movement of the arms toward one another causes the jaws to engage the insertion tube which is guided through the arms by the apertures found in the arms.