Treatment Tool Exchanging Device for Endoscope Procedures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical systems face challenges in efficiently exchanging and managing multiple treatment tools during endoscope procedures, requiring a solution that allows for seamless switching and control of treatment tools within a medical system.
Innovation Solution
A treatment tool exchanging device with a flexible insertion part, driving mechanism, manipulating part, and control unit that enables the switching and control of multiple treatment tools, including communication channels and path length adjustment, to facilitate efficient tool exchange and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple treatment tools are exchanged during endoscope procedures, then the capability to perform various medical procedures is improved, but the complexity of tool management and switching increases
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment tool channel is divided into multiple sub-channels (first treatment tool channel and second treatment tool channel), allowing different treatment tools to be inserted and managed separately. This segmentation enables versatile tool exchange while maintaining organized control over each tool's insertion path and position.
Solution Approach 2:
A door mechanism acts as an intermediary component that controls access between treatment tool channels. The door can close off specific channels to guide treatment tools along predetermined paths, simplifying the switching process by providing a mechanical intermediary that manages tool routing without requiring complex manual intervention.
2Measurement precision
If treatment tools are advanced and retracted within channels, then precise control of tool position is improved, but the time required for tool exchange increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple treatment tools are pre-loaded into separate treatment tool channels before the procedure begins. The driving part is pre-configured to advance and retract tools along defined paths. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid tool exchange during the procedure, reducing time loss while maintaining precise positional control through the established driving mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving part provides dynamic control of treatment tools, enabling smooth advancement and retraction movements. This dynamic mechanism allows tools to be quickly positioned and repositioned within channels, reducing exchange time while maintaining precise control over tool location and orientation throughout the procedure.
3Manufacturing precision
If path length of treatment tool channels is adjusted, then the precision of tool insertion is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses duplicate treatment tool channels (first and second channels) with similar structures. Instead of creating a single complex adjustable channel, the design copies the channel structure and uses the door mechanism to select between copies. This approach achieves precise tool insertion by providing alternative paths rather than making one path highly complex and adjustable.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a treatment tool exchanging device that switches and holds a plurality of treatment tools for treating a target to be treated. The treatment tool exchanging device includes a flexible insertion part into which the plurality of treatment tools are inserted and in which a plurality of treatment tool channels for defining insertion paths for the treatment tools are formed, a driving part that advances each of the plurality of treatment tools, a manipulating part that manipulates the plurality of treatment tools to perform treatment, and a control unit that controls the amount of protrusion, from the treatment tool channel of the treatment tool, which has protruded from a distal end of the treatment tool channel, among the plurality of treatment tools. The insertion part has a switching part that changes the insertion path of the treatment tool to be inserted.