Overtube, insertion apparatus having overtube attached and detached thereto, and method for attaching overtube to and detaching overtube from insertion apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022125279-A1
Application number	US-202017081436-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 27, 2020
Priority date	Oct 27, 2020
Publication date	Apr 28, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An overtube including: a connector body defining a lumen through which an insertion section of an endoscope is insertable along a longitudinal axis extending through a distal opening and a proximal opening of the lumen; and a connecting mechanism including: a connector movably attached to the connector body, wherein the connector is configured to define a stable equilibrium first position radially away from the longitudinal axis, and to be moved by a radial force from the stable equilibrium first position to a second position radially closer to the longitudinal axis than the first position, and wherein, in the second position, the connector is configured to engage the insertion section to limit relative movement of the connector body and the insertion section along the longitudinal axis while allowing the connector body to be rotated by a drive force relative to the insertion section along the longitudinal axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An overtube attachable to an insertion section of an endoscope, the overtube comprising:
a connector body defining a lumen through which the insertion section is insertable along a longitudinal axis extending through a distal opening and a proximal opening of the lumen; and a connecting mechanism comprising:
a connector movably attached to the connector body,
wherein the connector is configured to have a stable equilibrium first position radially away from the longitudinal axis, and to be moved by a radial force from the stable equilibrium first position to a second position radially closer to the longitudinal axis than the stable equilibrium first position, and
wherein, in the second position, the connector is configured to engage the insertion section to limit relative movement of the connector body and the insertion section along the longitudinal axis while allowing the connector body to be rotated by a drive force relative to the insertion section along the longitudinal axis.

2 . The overtube according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connector is configured to be biased to return to the stable equilibrium first position radially further away from the longitudinal axis than the second position.

3 . The overtube according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connector comprises a locking surface, and wherein the connector is configured to be moved by the radial force from the stable equilibrium first position to the second position to engage the locking surface with the insertion section to limit movement of the connector body relative to the insertion section along the longitudinal axis while allowing the connector body to rotate relative to the insertion section around the longitudinal axis.

4 . The overtube according to claim 3 ,
wherein the connector is configured to be biased to return to the stable equilibrium first position radially away from the longitudinal axis to arrange the locking surface at least a predetermined distance radially away from the longitudinal axis to allow at least a portion of the insertion section including a distal end of the insertion section to be moved along the longitudinal axis within the lumen without contacting the locking surface.

5 . The overtube according to claim 3 ,
wherein the connector comprises:
a tab comprising the locking surface; and
a hinge configured to movably attach the tab to the connector body,
wherein the hinge is configured to bias the tab to return to the stable equilibrium first position radially away from the longitudinal axis, and
wherein the tab is configured to be moved by the radial force to pivot along the hinge from the stable equilibrium first position to the second position to engage the locking surface with the insertion section to limit movement of the connector body relative to the insertion section along the longitudinal axis while allowing the connector body to rotate relative to the insertion section around the longitudinal axis.

6 . The overtube according to claim 5 ,
wherein the locking surface of the tab is formed by one of a convex protrusion and a concave groove, wherein the insertion section defines one of a concave groove to receive the convex protrusion of the locking surface of the tab and a convex protrusion to be received by the concave groove of the locking surface of the tab, and wherein the tab is configured to be moved by the radial force to pivot along the hinge from the stable equilibrium first position to the second position to engage the one of the convex protrusion and the concave groove forming the locking surface with the one of the concave groove and the convex protrusion defined by the insertion section, respectively, to engage the locking surface with the insertion section to limit movement of the connector body relative to the insertion section along the longitudinal axis while allowing the connector body to rotate relative to the insertion section around the longitudinal axis.

7 . The overtube according to claim 1 ,
wherein the endoscope comprises a drive mechanism arranged to the insertion section, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to provide the drive force, wherein the overtube comprises a rotational engagement mechanism attached to the connector body, wherein the rotational engagement mechanism is configured to receive the drive force from the drive mechanism of the endoscope to rotate the connector body relative to the insertion section around the longitudinal axis, and wherein in a configuration in which a distal end of the insertion section protrudes from the distal opening of the lumen of the connector body and the connector is in the second position and engaged with the insertion section, the connector is arranged closer to the distal opening of the lumen of the connector body along the longitudinal axis than the rotational engagement mechanism.

8 . The overtube according to claim 7 ,
wherein the connector comprises a locking surface, wherein the connector is configured to be biased to return to the stable equilibrium first position radially away from the longitudinal axis to arrange the locking surface a predetermined distance radially away from the longitudinal axis to allow at least a portion of the insertion section including a distal end of the insertion section to be moved along the longitudinal axis within the lumen without contacting the locking surface, and wherein, in a configuration in which the distal end of the insertion section protrudes from the distal opening of the lumen of the connector body, the locking surface is radially arranged closer to the longitudinal axis than an outermost surface of the driving mechanism of the endoscope.

9 . The overtube according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connector comprises:
a tab comprising a locking surface; and
a hinge configured to movably attach the tab to the connector body,
wherein the hinge is configured to bias the tab to return to the stable equilibrium first position radially away from the longitudinal axis, and
wherein the tab is configured to be moved by the radial force to pivot along the hinge from the stable equilibrium first position to the second position to engage the locking surface with the insertion section to limit movement of the connector body relative to the insertion section along the longitudinal axis while allowing the connector body to rotate relative to the insertion section around the longitudinal axis.

10 . The overtube according to claim 9 ,
wherein the locking surface of the tab is formed by one of a convex protrusion and a convex groove, wherein the insertion section defines one of a concave groove to receive the convex protrusion of the locking surface of the tab and a convex protrusion to be received by the concave groove of the locking surface of the tab, and wherein the tab is configured to be moved by the radial force to pivot along the hinge from the stable equilibrium first position to the second position to engage the one of the convex protrusion and the concave groove forming the locking surface with the one of the concave groove and the convex protrusion defined by the insertion section, respectively, to engage the locking surface with the insertion section to limit movement of the connector body relative to the insertion section along the longitudinal axis while allowing the connector body to rotate relative to the insertion section around the longitudinal axis.

11 . The overtube according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connecting mechanism comprises:
a locking collar configured to move along the longitudinal axis from an unlocked position to a locked position to exert the radial force to move the connector from the st

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Ailinger Robert E

Classifications

• A61B1/07

  using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres · CPC title

• A61B1/04

  combined with photographic or television appliances · CPC title

• A61B1/00128 Primary

  mechanical, e.g. for tubes or pipes · CPC title

• A61B1/0052

  Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles · CPC title

• A61B1/0057

  Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires · CPC title