JP7579138B2 - Clip Cartridge - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a clip cartridge for connecting a medical clip to a linear object having a connecting portion at the tip side.

In endoscopic procedures, medical clips are used to clamp the tissue to be treated, such as an affected area. Medical clips are attached to the tip of a linear object such as a wire and carried inside the patient's body. A clipping device, which includes a linear object and a clip attached to the tip of the linear object, is inserted into the forceps channel from the forceps port of the endoscope and carried to the tissue to be treated, enabling the clip to be used inside the patient's body. Multiple clips are often used in one procedure, and a new clip must be attached to the clipping device each time a clipping operation is performed. Therefore, clip cartridges have been proposed as connecting aids to efficiently attach clips (e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 6).

International Publication No. 2020/121401 JP 2017-217206 A JP 2017-148182 A JP 2009-11769 A WO 2017/94455 International Publication No. 2018/123137

To reduce the burden on the surgeon and patient by shortening the procedure time, it is beneficial to provide a clip cartridge that can be attached more efficiently. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a clip cartridge that contributes to making clip attachment more efficient.

One embodiment of the clip cartridge of the present invention that has achieved the above object is a clip cartridge for connecting a medical clip to a linear object having a connecting portion at its tip, comprising: a clip case; a ring disposed within the clip case and having an inner cavity into which the clip is inserted; and a clip disposed within the clip case and opened and closed by the ring, the clip having first and second arms opposed to each other, a tip for clamping an object, and a base end for connecting to the connecting portion of the linear object. The clip case has an insertion opening on its outer surface through which the connecting portion of the linear object is inserted. Within the clip case, the clip is disposed farther from the insertion opening than the ring. The clip case has a retaining member therein for holding the ring, the retaining member is movable in a direction away from the ring, and the retaining member has a first state in which it holds the ring in a predetermined position, and a second state in which it releases the ring from its holding in the predetermined position. According to the cartridge, in the first state, the holding member can hold the ring at a position away from the clip, which makes it easier to pass the linear object through the inner cavity of the ring when connecting the clip and the linear object, and allows the clip to be efficiently attached to the linear object. In addition, the holding member can move in a direction away from the ring, releasing the holding of the ring in the second state. Therefore, when the clip and the linear object are pulled out of the case after being connected, the holding member can be moved out of the path of the clip. As a result, the holding member is less likely to interfere with the clip, and the clip can be pulled out of the case smoothly.

In the clip cartridge, in the first state, the bottom end of the clip is preferably at a lower position than the bottom end of the ring, and in the second state, the bottom end of the clip and the bottom end of the ring are preferably at the same height. The holding member preferably extends in a direction from the insertion opening toward the clip. In the first state, the holding member preferably has a portion that extends along the extension direction of the first arm or second arm of the clip.

It is preferable that the clip case has therein a ring mounting surface on which the ring is placed and a clip mounting surface on which the clip is placed, the holding member has a ring mounting surface, and in the first state, the ring is placed on the ring mounting surface, and in the second state, the ring is not placed on the ring mounting surface.

The holding member is preferably a sliding piece that can move in the radial direction of the ring. The holding member may be a rotating piece that has a rotation axis on the base end side and is supported so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis. The holding member has a first clamping piece that is arranged on one side of the central axis of the ring and a second clamping piece that is arranged on the other side of the central axis of the ring, the first clamping piece and the second clamping piece being movable in opposite directions, and in the first state, the ring is clamped by the first clamping piece and the second clamping piece, and in the second state, the ring is not clamped by the first clamping piece and the second clamping piece.

The clip case has inside thereof a ring mounting surface on which a ring is mounted, a clip mounting surface on which a clip is mounted, and an insertion passage that communicates with the insertion opening and through which a linear object is inserted, and the clip case has a first case body having the clip mounting surface and a second case body covering the first case body, and it is preferable that when the second case body is pressed from the outside, the holding member moves in a direction away from the ring. It is preferable that when the second case body is pressed from the outside, the holding member transitions from the first state to the second state.

It is preferable that the holding member has an operating piece exposed to the outside from the clip case.

The above clip cartridge allows clips to be attached efficiently to linear objects.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a clip cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a plan view of a first case body of the clip cartridge shown in FIG. 1 . 2 is a plan view of a first case body of the clip cartridge shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and the ring shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and the ring shown in FIG. 3 . 1 is a side view of a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view (partial cross-sectional view) of a linear object according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method for connecting a clip and a linear object according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method for connecting a clip and a linear object according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method for connecting a clip and a linear object according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method for connecting a clip and a linear object according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the second case body of the clip cartridge shown in FIG. FIG. 13 is a rear view of the second case body shown in FIG. 12 . 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the rear surface of the second case body shown in FIG. 12. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view (partial front view) of a protruding portion and a holding member of a second case body shown in FIG. 12 . 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a modified example of the holding member of the clip cartridge shown in FIG. 17 is a plan view showing the holding member shown in FIG. 16 when it is moved. FIG. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the holding member shown in FIG. 16 . FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and ring shown in FIG. 16. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and ring shown in FIG. 17. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the holding member and the ring shown in FIG. 19. 21 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the holding member and the ring shown in FIG. 20. 1. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing another modified example of the holding member of the clip cartridge shown in FIG. 24 is a plan view showing the holding member shown in FIG. 23 when it is moved. FIG. FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and ring shown in FIG. 23. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining member and ring shown in FIG. 24.

One embodiment of the clip cartridge of the present invention relates to a clip cartridge for connecting a medical clip to a linear object having a connecting portion at the tip side. The clip cartridge is used when performing treatment using a clip device under an endoscope. In detail, a clip device with a clip attached can be transported to the tissue to be treated through the forceps channel of an endoscope, thereby allowing treatment using the clip to be performed inside the patient's body.

The clip cartridge has a clip case, a ring disposed in the clip case and having an inner cavity into which the clip is inserted, and a clip disposed in the clip case and opened and closed by the ring, the clip having a first arm and a second arm opposed to each other, a tip for clamping an object, and a base end for connecting to a connecting part of a linear object. The clip case has an insertion opening on its outer surface into which the connecting part of the linear object is inserted, the clip is disposed in the clip case on the side farther from the insertion opening than the ring, the clip case has a holding member therein for holding the ring, the holding member is movable in a direction away from the ring, and the holding member has a first state in which the ring is held at a predetermined position and a second state in which the holding member is released from the holding of the ring at the predetermined position. According to the cartridge, in the first state, the holding member can hold the ring at a position away from the clip, so that when connecting the clip and the linear object, it is easy to pass the linear object through the inner cavity of the ring, and the clip can be efficiently attached to the linear object. In addition, the holding member can be released from the holding of the ring in the second state by moving in a direction away from the ring. Therefore, when the clip and linear object are connected and then pulled out of the case, the holding member can be moved out of the path of the clip. As a result, the holding member is less likely to interfere with the clip, and the clip can be pulled out of the case smoothly.

The present invention will be described in more detail below based on the following embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and can of course be modified as appropriate within the scope of the above and below, all of which are included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, hatching and component symbols may be omitted in each drawing for convenience, but in such cases, reference should be made to the specification or other drawings. In addition, the dimensions of various components in the drawings may differ from the actual dimensions, as priority is given to contributing to an understanding of the features of the present invention.

The configurations of the clip cartridge, clip device, and clip system will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 15. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a clip cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of a first case body of the clip cartridge shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan view of the first case body of the clip cartridge shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the holding member and ring shown in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the holding member and ring shown in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a side view of a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a side view (partial cross-sectional view) of a linear object according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figures 8 to 11 are schematic diagrams showing an example of a method of connecting a clip and a linear object according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the second case body of the clip cartridge shown in Figure 1. Figure 13 is a rear view of the second case body shown in Figure 12. Figure 14 is an oblique view showing an enlarged portion of the rear of the second case body shown in Figure 12. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view (partial front view) showing an enlarged protrusion and holding member of the second case body shown in Figure 12. In addition, FIG. 1 shows that multiple connection pins 26J are provided on the second case body 26, and multiple holes 25K into which the connection pins 26J are respectively inserted are provided on the first case body 25. In FIGS. 8 to 11, the connection pins 26J and holes 25K are omitted. FIGS. 8 to 11 show an example in which the second case body 26 has the structure shown in FIG. 12, but the structure of the second case body 26 is not limited to this form.

The clip cartridge 1 includes a ring 2, a clip 5, and a clip case 10. Hereinafter, the clip cartridge may be referred to as a cartridge, and the clip case may be referred to as a case. Before describing the cartridge 1 in detail, the clip device and the clip system will be described. The clip device includes at least a clip 5, a ring 2, and a linear object 30. As shown in FIG. 7, the linear object 30 is formed linearly and has a tip 30A and a base end (not shown) in the longitudinal axis direction. The linear object 30 has a connecting portion 32 on the tip 30A side that is connected to the clip 5. The tip 30A side of the linear object 30 is inserted into the cartridge 1. The clip system includes at least a case 10; a clip device having a clip 5, a ring 2, and a linear object 30; and the clip device includes a clip 5, a ring 2, and a linear object 30. The details will be described later, but the clip 5 and the ring 2 are housed inside the case 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the tip 30A of the linear object 30 of the clip device is inserted into the case 10, and as shown in FIG. 9, the linear object 30 is passed through the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2, after which the clip 5 can be attached to the connecting portion 32 of the linear object 30 as shown in FIG. 10. This operation makes the clip device ready for use.

The linear object 30 can be composed of one or more members. The connecting portion 32 may be formed integrally with the linear object 30. As shown in FIG. 7, the linear object 30 may have a long linear object body 31 and a connecting portion 32 attached to the tip side of the linear object body 31.

The linear body 31 may be solid or hollow. The linear body 31 may be a single wire or a twisted wire made by twisting together single wires. For the linear body 31, for example, a metal wire such as stainless steel or carbon steel, or a thread made of a synthetic resin such as polyamide resin, polyolefin resin, polyester resin, polyimide resin, or fluororesin can be used. The surface of the linear body 31 may be coated with a resin such as fluororesin.

The shape of the connecting part 32 is not particularly limited as long as it can be connected to the base end 5B side of the clip 5. The connecting part 32 can be a sphere, an oval sphere, a semispherical sphere, a semi-oval sphere, a teardrop shape, a polygonal shape, a pyramid shape, a frustum shape, a column shape, or a combination of these shapes. The connecting part 32 may have a larger outer diameter than the linear object body 31. The connecting part 32 can be fixed to the clip 5 and the linear object 30 by connecting the connecting part 32 to the connected part 9 preferably provided on the base end 5B side of the clip 5. The connecting form between the clip 5 and the linear object 30 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a form in which the connected part 9 of the clip 5 shown in FIG. 6 is sandwiched and connected by two connecting members arranged on the tip side of the linear object 30, and a form in which the connecting part 32 on the tip side of the linear object 30 is sandwiched and connected at the part where the first arm 6 and the second arm 7 on the base end 5B side of the clip 5 shown in FIG. 6 are parallel. In the clip cartridge 1, the clip 5 and the linear object 30 can be preferably connected in a manner in which the linear object 30 approaches the clip 5 from the width direction z.

The connecting portion 32 may be made of any material that is biocompatible, such as a metal such as stainless steel or carbon steel, or a synthetic resin such as polyamide resin, polyolefin resin, polyester resin, polyimide resin, or fluororesin.

It is preferable that at least a portion of the linear object 30 is disposed within the inner tube 35. That is, it is preferable that the clip device further has an inner tube 35, and that the linear object 30 is disposed within the inner cavity of the inner tube 35. When the clip 5 is connected to the linear object 30 for use, the opening degree of the clip 5 can be adjusted by moving the linear object 30 proximally or distally relative to the longitudinal direction of the inner tube 35. For example, when the linear object 30 is moved proximally relative to the inner tube 35, the ring 2 comes into contact with the inner tube 35, and the clip 5 can be closed by moving the ring 2 toward the tip 5A of the clip 5.

It is desirable for the inner tube 35 to have both flexibility to bend along the shape of the body cavity and rigidity to reliably reach the tissue to be treated. The inner tube 35 can be composed of a coil body made of metal or synthetic resin, a tube made of multiple short cylindrical joint pieces connected in the axial direction to enable rotation, a tube made of synthetic resin, or a combination of these.

The clip device may further have an outer tube 36. In this case, the inner tube 35 is disposed in the inner cavity of the outer tube 36. It is preferable that the clip 5 is configured to be freely inserted and removed from the outer tube 36 when the clip 5 is connected to the linear object 30. By storing the clip 5 inside the outer tube 36, the clip 5 does not need to be exposed to the outside. In addition, storing the clip 5 inside the outer tube 36 while the clip 5 is being transported close to the target tissue prevents the clip 5 from damaging the forceps channel or internal tissue other than the lesion. Note that, during treatment, the clip 5 and ring 2 are exposed from the outer tube 36 and used.

It is desirable that the outer cylinder 36 has flexibility and rigidity similar to the inner cylinder 35. The outer cylinder 36 can be composed of a cylinder made of synthetic resin, a coil body made of metal or synthetic resin, a cylinder made of multiple short cylindrical joint pieces connected in the axial direction to enable rotation, or a combination of these. Among these, a cylinder made of synthetic resin is preferably used for the outer cylinder 36. The outer cylinder 36 may be composed of a transparent or semi-transparent material to make it easier to check the positional relationship between the outer cylinder 36 and the inner cylinder 35.

The clip 5 is for medical use and is used, for example, in endoscopic procedures for sealing, countertraction, hemostasis, suturing, and marking of objects such as lesions. The clip 5 is placed inside the case 10 and is opened and closed by the ring 2. The clip 5 has a tip 5A that clamps the object and a base end 5B that is connected to the connecting portion 32 of the linear object 30. The clip 5 is configured so that the tip 5A side can be opened and closed by the ring 2, with the base end 5B side as a fulcrum.

As shown in FIG. 6, the clip 5 has a first arm 6 and a second arm 7 that face each other. The first arm 6 and the second arm 7 each extend from the base end 5B to the tip 5A. The first arm 6 and the second arm 7 have portions that extend away from each other toward the tip 5A. The first arm 6 and the second arm 7 are connected to each other at the base end 5B. FIG. 6 shows a connection portion 8 of the first arm 6 and the second arm 7. The first side of a single elongated plate bent into a U-shape or Y-shape may be the first arm 6, and the second side of the same may be the second arm 7. Also, one of two elongated plates arranged opposite each other may be the first arm 6, and the other may be the second arm 7.

The clip 5 preferably has a width direction z perpendicular to the direction x from the tip 5A to the base 5B and the opening/closing direction y. As shown in FIG. 8, the clip 5 preferably has a first end 5C and a second end 5D in the width direction z. The opening/closing direction y is perpendicular to the direction x, and is the direction of the arrow y shown in FIG. 6. The trajectory of the opening and closing of the first arm 6 and the second arm 7 may include directional components other than the direction y, such as a circular arc.

It is preferable that a connected portion 9 is provided on the base end 5B side of the clip 5. The connected portion 9 is connected to the connecting portion 32 of the linear object 30. The structure of the connected portion 9 is not particularly limited, but for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the first arm 6 has a first claw 9A protruding toward the second arm 7 on its base end 5B side, and the second arm 7 has a second claw 9B protruding toward the first arm 6 on its base end 5B side. The first claw 9A and the second claw 9B are caught by the connecting portion 32, so that the linear object 30 is less likely to come off the clip 5 after the clip 5 and the linear object 30 are connected. Another embodiment of the connected portion 9 is a mode in which the connecting portion 32 on the tip side of the linear object 30 is sandwiched between the first arm 6 and the second arm 7 on the base end 5B side of the clip 5 shown in FIG. 6 and connected.

Figures 8 to 11 show an example in which the first arm 6 and the second arm 7 of the clip 5 have a constant width from the tip 5A to the base 5B, but the width of the arms may vary depending on the position in the direction x from the tip 5A to the base 5B. By changing the width of the clip 5, it is possible to adjust the gripping force of the clip and adjust the vertical positions of the ring 2 and clip 5 within the case 10.

As shown in FIG. 8, the ring 2 is disposed within the case 10 and has an inner cavity 4 into which the clip 5 is inserted. Within the case 10, the clip 5 is disposed farther from the insertion opening 11 than the ring 2. Within the case 10, the ring 2 is preferably disposed so that the direction of the central axis 3 is aligned with the direction from the insertion opening 11 toward the clip 5. This allows the linear object 30 to pass through the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 before the clip 5 and linear object 30 are connected when the linear object 30 is inserted toward the rear side (the side indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 9).

The shape of the cross section perpendicular to the central axis 3 of the ring 2 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a circle, an oval, or a polygon. The ring 2 may have a C-shaped cross section with a notch, or may have a coil shape formed by winding a wire in a spiral shape.

The clip 5 and the ring 2 are preferably made of a material that is highly elastic and biocompatible. The clip 5 and the ring 2 can be made of, for example, stainless steel such as SUS301, SUS303, SUS304, and SUS631, Ni-Ti alloy, etc.

The case 10 accommodates the ring 2 and the clip 5 inside. As shown in FIG. 8, the case 10 has an insertion opening 11 on its outer surface into which the connecting portion 32 of the linear object 30 is inserted. The case 10 also has a holding member 40 inside for holding the ring 2, which can move in a direction p away from the ring 2, and the holding member 40 can take a first state in which the ring 2 is held at a predetermined position, and a second state in which the holding of the ring 2 at the predetermined position is released. FIGS. 2 and 4 show the first state, and FIGS. 3 and 5 show the second state. In the first state, the holding member 40 can hold the ring 2 at a position away from the clip 5, so that the operation of passing the linear object 30 through the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 when connecting the clip 5 and the linear object 30 is easily performed, and the clip 5 can be efficiently attached to the linear object 30. In addition, the holding member 40 can release the holding of the ring 2 in the second state by moving in the direction p away from the ring 2. Therefore, when connecting the clip 5 and the linear object 30, the step between the linear object 30 and the clip 5 can be eliminated. As a result, the linear object 30 can be easily moved to the clip 5, and the clip 5 and the linear object 30 can be connected smoothly. Furthermore, when the clip 5 and the linear object 30 are pulled out of the case 10 after being connected, the holding member 40 can be moved out of the path of the clip 5. As a result, the holding member 40 is less likely to interfere with the clip 5, and the clip 5 can be pulled out of the case 10 smoothly.

An example of a method for connecting the clip 5 and the linear object 30 using the cartridge 1 will be described. As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 8, the ring 2 is held by the holding member 40 in the cartridge 1. The clip 5 is placed on the side farther from the insertion port 11 than the ring 2. In Fig. 8, the clip 5 is placed on the clip placement surface 16. The tip 30A of the linear object 30 is inserted into the case 10 from the insertion port 11, and the linear object 30 is passed through the insertion passage 12 inside the case 10. When the linear object 30 is inserted to the back side (the side of the arrow A in Fig. 9), the linear object 30 is passed through the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 held by the holding member 40. When the tip 30A of the linear object 30 reaches the position of the clip 5, the ring 2 is held by the holding member 40, so that at least a part of the linear object 30 passing through the ring 2 is positioned higher than the clip 5, as shown in Fig. 9. As shown in FIG. 10, by pushing the linear object 30 toward the clip 5 (arrow B side), the linear object 30 can be fitted between the first arm 6 and the second arm 7 of the clip 5 from one side in the width direction z. According to the cartridge 1, when connecting the clip 5 and the linear object 30, it is not necessary to move the linear object 30 in the direction from the base end 5B of the clip 5 toward the tip 5A to insert the connecting portion 32 into the connected portion 9 of the clip 5. This contributes to suppressing the occurrence of connection failure between the clip 5 and the linear object 30 and suppressing deformation of the base end 5B side of the clip 5. Therefore, according to the cartridge 1, the clip 5 and the linear object 30 can be efficiently connected. Note that one side in the width direction z of the clip 5 is the side opposite to the side in contact with the clip mounting surface 16, and is the second end 5D side in FIGS. 8 to 10.

In this example, the holding member 40 moves in the direction p away from the ring 2 after or during the connection of the clip 5 and the linear object 30 in the case 10, and the holding member 40 transitions to the second state. This makes it easier to move the linear object 30 toward the clip 5, and the clip 5 and the linear object 30 can be smoothly connected. In addition, this allows the holding member 40 to be removed from the path of the clip 5 as shown in Figures 3 and 5. When the linear object 30 is pulled toward the hand, the ring 2 is arranged to surround the clip 5. When the linear object 30 is further pulled toward the hand, the clip 5 and the ring 2 can be stored in the outer tube 36. As shown in Figure 11, by pulling the outer tube 36 and the linear object 30 toward the hand, the clip device can be removed from the case 10 with the clip 5 and the ring 2 stored in the outer tube 36.

As shown in FIG. 11, it is preferable that the clip 5 and the linear object 30, which are connected to each other, can be pulled out of the case 10 through the insertion opening 11. Since there is no need to disassemble the case 10 when removing the clip 5 from the case 10, the procedure can be performed immediately after connecting the clip 5 to the linear object 30.

The case 10 may have a container shape capable of housing the ring 2 and clip 5 therein. The outer shape of the case 10 may be, for example, a polyhedron. An example of a polyhedron is a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Figure 1 shows an example in which the outer shape of the case 10 is a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape.

As shown in FIG. 1, the case 10 may have a first case body 25 having a clip placement surface 16 on which the clip 5 is placed, and a second case body 26 covering the first case body 25. It is preferable that the case 10 has a wall 25A extending in a direction from the first case body 25 toward the second case body 26 so that the clip 5 does not fall off the clip placement surface 16. As can be seen from FIG. 8, the first case body 25 and the second case body 26 may each have a concave portion, and the concave portions of these case bodies may be arranged to face each other to form a clip storage section 17 that stores the clip 5. Also, the first case body 25 may be formed in a plate shape, and the second case body 26 may be formed in an inverted concave shape so as to cover the plate-shaped first case body 25. The first case body 25 may be formed in a concave shape, and the second case body 26 may be formed in a plate shape.

The case 10 is preferably provided with an insertion passage 12 through which the linear object 30 is inserted, a ring housing section 15 housing the ring 2, and a clip housing section 17 housing the clip 5, in that order from the insertion opening 11 toward the back. This makes it easier to connect the clip 5 and the linear object 30. The ring housing section 15 is the portion of the case 10 in which the ring 2 is housed, and may include a ring placement surface 14.

The insertion opening 11 may be provided in any part of the outer surface of the case 10 as long as it is connected to the insertion passage 12. If the case 10 is a rectangular parallelepiped having an upper surface 10A, a lower surface 10B, and four side surfaces 10C to 10F, the insertion opening 11 may be provided in the upper surface 10A or any of the four side surfaces 10C to 10F. The insertion opening 11 may correspond to the entrance of the insertion passage 12. The insertion opening 11 may be provided across the first case body 25 and the second case body 26, or may be provided in either the first case body 25 or the second case body 26.

The insertion passage 12 is a passage for inserting the linear object 30, and is formed to connect the insertion opening 11 and the ring accommodating portion 15. The insertion passage 12 is usually formed to extend straight from the insertion opening 11 to the ring accommodating portion 15. The insertion passage 12 may be inclined, for example, so as to become lower toward the tip side of the clip 5. The extension direction u of the insertion passage 12 corresponds to the direction from the insertion opening 11 to the ring accommodating portion 15. It is preferable that the insertion opening 11 and the insertion passage 12 have a size that allows the outer tube 36 to be inserted therethrough.

The clip storage section 17 preferably has a clip mounting surface 16 on which the clip 5 is mounted. The clip mounting surface 16 is a surface having a portion that contacts at least a portion of the clip 5. The clip 5 is preferably mounted on the clip mounting surface 16 with the first arm 6 and the second arm 7 of the clip 5 in an open state. The clip 5 is arranged so that the base end 5B of the clip 5 faces the insertion passage 12. The clip mounting surface 16 may contact the base end 5B of the clip 5, may contact the tip 5A of the clip 5, or may contact both the tip 5A and the base end 5B.

The clip mounting surface 16 may be composed of a single surface, or may be composed of multiple surfaces. The clip mounting surface 16 may be composed of only flat surfaces, may be composed of only curved surfaces, or may be composed of a combination of flat surfaces and curved surfaces. The clip mounting surface 16 may have a shape that follows the edge of the first arm portion 6 and the second arm portion 7 in the width direction z.

When the clip 5 is placed, the clip placement surface 16 may be parallel to the horizontal plane, or may be inclined so that the clip placement surface 16 is lower toward the tip 5A side or the base end 5B side of the clip 5. The clip placement surface 16 may be parallel to the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2, or may be inclined relative to the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2. The horizontal plane is a plane that includes a horizontal direction m perpendicular to the direction of gravity n.

The clip mounting surface 16 may be a part of the inner surface of the first case body 25. In another embodiment, the first case body 25 has a support member (not shown) on its inside that supports the clip 5, and a part of the surface of the support member may be the clip mounting surface 16.

The retaining member 40 holds the ring 2. The retaining member 40 is provided inside the case 10, but may also be partly exposed or protruding outside the case 10. The retaining member 40 may be composed of one or more elements.

The holding member 40 is movable in a direction p away from the ring 2. The holding member 40 moving away from the ring 2 means that at least a part of the holding member 40 moves away from the ring 2, and it is not essential that the entire holding member 40 moves away from the ring 2. In detail, it is preferable that the holding member 40 transitions from the first state to the second state by moving in the direction p away from the ring 2. The holding member 40 being able to take the second state allows the holding member 40 to move out of the path of the clip 5. It is not necessary for all elements constituting the holding member 40 to be movable in the direction p away from the ring 2, and it is sufficient that at least a part of the holding member 40 has a structure that allows it to move.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the first state, the holding member 40 is in contact with the ring 2 at a predetermined position. On the other hand, in the second state, the holding member 40 and the ring 2 may be in contact as long as the holding of the ring 2 at the predetermined position by the holding member 40 is released. For example, in the first state, the holding member 40 may be in contact with the ring 2 at a first predetermined position, and in the second state, the holding member 40 may be in contact with the ring 2 at a second predetermined position where the bottom end 2L of the ring 2 is lower than the first predetermined position. In order to prevent interference with the clip 5, it is preferable that the holding member 40 and the ring 2 are not in contact with each other in the second state as shown in FIG. 5. Note that the predetermined position where the ring is located in the first state is the position where the ring 2 is accommodated in the ring accommodation portion 15, for example, the position where it is placed on the ring placement surface 14.

In the first state, the entire holding member 40 is disposed inside the case 10, and in the second state, a portion of the holding member 40 may be disposed outside the case 10. This makes it possible to prevent the holding member 40 from losing the first state due to unintentional operation or application of an external force.

In the first state, it is preferable that the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 is on an extension of the center of the longitudinal axis of the insertion passage 12. It is preferable that the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 is visible when looking into the case 10 from the insertion opening 11 in the first state. It is preferable that at least a part of the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 is exposed from the holding member 40 in the first state. In other words, it is preferable that the entire inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 is not covered by the holding member 40 in the first state. This allows the linear object 30 to be passed through the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 in the first state.

The movement direction of the retaining member 40 is not particularly limited, and it may move in the extension direction u of the insertion passage 12 or in the radial direction of the ring 2. The retaining member 40 may move in the opening/closing direction y of the clip 5. The retaining member 40 may slide or rotate relative to the case 10. The retaining member 40 may move from the first case body 25 side to the second case body 26 side, or from the second case body 26 side to the first case body 25 side.

The manner in which the holding member 40 holds the ring 2 is not particularly limited, and the ring 2 may be placed on the holding member 40. In other words, the ring 2 may be supported by the holding member 40. When the holding member 40 is composed of at least two elements, the ring 2 may be sandwiched between the at least two elements. Alternatively, the holding member 40 may hold the ring 2 by a method such as suction or adhesion.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the first state, the lowest end 5L of the clip 5 is at a lower position than the lowest end 2L of the ring 2, and as shown in FIG. 10, in the second state, it is preferable that the lowest end 5L of the clip 5 and the lowest end 2L of the ring 2 are at the same height. In the first state, at least a portion of the linear object 30 passing through the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 is likely to be positioned at a higher position than the clip 5, making it easier to attach the clip 5 to the linear object 30. On the other hand, in the second state, the lowest end 5L of the clip 5 and the lowest end 2L of the ring 2 are at the same height, making it easier to pull out the clip 5 and linear object 30 from the case 10 after they are connected.

The holding member 40 is preferably disposed on the clip mounting surface 16. This makes it easier to position the ring 2 held by the holding member 40 higher than the clip mounting surface 16. In particular, the holding member 40 is preferably disposed in a portion of the clip mounting surface 16 on which the clip 5 is not mounted. If the clip 5 and the holding member 40 are disposed so as to overlap, the clip 5 may move in conjunction with the movement of the holding member 40, which may cause problems in connecting the clip 5 to the linear object 30.

The shape of the holding member 40 is not limited as long as it can hold the ring 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the holding member 40 may extend in a direction from the insertion opening 11 toward the clip 5. This makes it easier to stably hold the ring 2 over a wide range in the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2. The holding member 40 may extend in the radial direction of the ring 2. The holding member 40 may extend in the opening/closing direction y of the clip 5. The holding member 40 may be shaped like a plate or a block. The holding member 40 may be shaped like a flattened object. The surface of the holding member 40 may have recesses or protrusions.

An example in which the ring 2 is placed on the holding member 40 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the case 10 may have inside thereof a ring placement surface 14 on which the ring 2 is placed, and a clip placement surface 16 on which the clip 5 is placed. In this case, it is preferable that the holding member 40 has the ring placement surface 14, and that in the first state as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the ring 2 is placed on the ring placement surface 14, and in the second state as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the ring 2 is not placed on the ring placement surface 14. By having the ring placement surface 14, the holding member 40 stably holds the ring 2 in the first state, and makes it easier to release the holding of the ring 2 in the second state.

The ring mounting surface 14 and the clip mounting surface 16 are different surfaces. This indicates that the ring mounting surface 14 is not part of the clip mounting surface 16, and the clip mounting surface 16 is not part of the ring mounting surface 14. It is preferable that the retaining member 40 does not have a clip mounting surface 16.

The ring mounting surface 14 may have a portion that is in contact with at least a portion of the ring 2. On the ring mounting surface 14, the ring 2 may be arranged so that the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 is parallel to the extending direction u of the insertion passage 12. The extending direction u of the insertion passage 12 can be determined, for example, by the extending direction of the center of the longitudinal axis of the insertion passage 12. The direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 being parallel to the extending direction u of the insertion passage 12 includes the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 being substantially parallel to the extending direction u of the insertion passage 12. For example, the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 may be inclined within ±5 degrees with respect to the extending direction u of the insertion passage 12. Note that when the cartridge 1 is viewed from the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2, the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 and the extending direction of the center of the longitudinal axis of the insertion passage 12 do not have to overlap.

The ring mounting surface 14 may be composed of a single surface, or may be composed of multiple surfaces. The ring mounting surface 14 may be composed of only flat surfaces, may be composed of only curved surfaces, or may be composed of a combination of flat surfaces and curved surfaces. The ring mounting surface 14 may have a shape that follows the outer peripheral surface of the ring 2.

When the holding member 40 transitions from the first state to the second state, if the ring 2 is not held by anything other than the holding member 40, it is preferable that the ring 2 falls from the ring mounting surface 14. As a result, in the second state, the ring 2 may be placed on a surface at the same height as the clip mounting surface 16 or on the clip mounting surface 16. Since the ring 2 can be moved to a lower position, the clip 5 and the linear object 30 can be easily pulled out of the case 10 after they are connected. When the linear object 30 is inserted in the cartridge 1 and is disposed in the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2, it is preferable that the linear object 30 and the ring 2 move from the insertion passage 12 and the ring mounting surface 14 to the clip mounting surface 16 when the holding member 40 transitions from the first state to the second state.

The holding member 40 may be movable so that the ring mounting surface 14 is tilted. This makes it easier for the ring to fall off the ring mounting surface 14, making it easier to transition from the first state to the second state.

The ring 2 may be placed in a recess provided on the surface (preferably the upper surface) of the holding member 40. In this case, the bottom surface of the recess functions as the ring placement surface 14. By placing the ring 2 in the recess, the ring 2 can be stably supported. The recess is preferably provided on the surface of the holding member 40 facing the second case body 26.

As shown in FIG. 8, it is preferable that the bottom end 5L of the clip 5 is located lower than the bottom end 14L of the ring mounting surface 14. This makes it easier for at least a portion of the linear object 30 passing through the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 to be located higher than the clip 5 in the first state.

In the first state, it is preferable that the bottom end of the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 is located higher than the top end of the base end 5B of the clip 5. By setting the height of the clip 5 and the ring 2 in this way, at least a portion of the linear object 30 can be positioned above the clip 5 when the linear object 30 is inserted into the case 10.

The holding member 40 may be disposed within the case 10 so that the center of gravity of the holding member 40 is located on one side of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 (e.g., on the first arm 6 side). The holding member 40 may be disposed within the case 10 so that the center of gravity of the holding member 40 is located on the other side of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 (e.g., on the second arm 7 side). Here, the center of gravity refers to the point at which the holding member 40 is supported horizontally when supported at one point.

It is preferable that the retaining member 40 is disposed within the case 10 so that in the first state, the clip mounting surface 14 is positioned on an extension of the insertion passage 12. This allows the linear object 30 to be positioned in the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 simply by inserting the linear object 30 into the cartridge 1.

As shown in Figures 2-3 and 4-5, the holding member 40 may be a slide piece 41 that can move in the radial direction of the ring 2. By sliding the slide piece 41, it is possible to transition from the first state to the second state.

In Figures 2 and 3, the slide piece 41 moves in the opening and closing direction y of the clip 5. When transitioning from the first state to the second state, it is preferable that the slide piece 41 does not move in the width direction z of the clip 5.

As shown in Figures 8 to 10, after the linear object 30 is inserted through the ring 2 held by the holding member 40, it is preferable for the holding member 40 to transition to the second state. By having the linear object 30 passed through the ring 2, the ring 2 is prevented from being dragged by the holding member 40 and becoming misaligned.

Although not shown, the holding member 40 may have at least a first slide piece and a second slide piece. In that case, it is preferable that the first slide piece is arranged on one side of the central axis 3 of the ring 2, and the second slide piece is arranged on the other side of the central axis 3 of the ring 2. A first ring arrangement part is provided on the surface of the first slide piece at the end on the second slide piece side, and a second ring arrangement part is provided on the surface of the second slide piece at the end on the first slide piece side, and the first ring arrangement part and the second ring arrangement part are close to each other in the first state, and the ring mounting surface 14 may be composed of the first ring arrangement part and the second ring arrangement part. In order to form a ring mounting surface 14 that can stably support the ring 2, it is preferable that the first ring arrangement part and the second ring arrangement part are positioned so as to overlap each other in the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2. It is preferable that the first ring arrangement part and the second ring arrangement part are recessed parts. The ring mounting surface 14 can be composed of the bottom surface of the recess of the first ring arrangement part and the bottom surface of the recess of the second ring arrangement part. It is preferable that the height of the bottom surface of the recess of the first ring mounting part and the bottom surface of the recess of the second ring mounting part are the same. This allows the ring to be stably supported by the ring mounting surface 14.

The operator can move the holding member 40 by directly touching the holding member 40, or indirectly via another member. For example, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the holding member 40 may have an operation piece 40A exposed to the outside from the case 10. The operator can move the holding member 40 by pulling the operation piece 40A out of the case 10. The holding member 40 can be transitioned from the first state to the second state by sliding the holding member 40 toward the outside of the case 10.

When the holding member 40 has an operating piece 40A, it is preferable that the case 10 has an opening 10J that exposes the operating piece 40A. The opening 10J may be provided on any outer surface of the case 10. The holding member 40 may be provided with a stopper. This makes it possible to prevent the holding member 40 from transitioning from the first state to the second state due to unintentional operation of the operating piece 40A or movement of the operating piece 40A due to an external force.

The case 10 may have inside thereof a ring mounting surface 14 on which the ring 2 is mounted, a clip mounting surface 16 on which the clip 5 is mounted, and an insertion passage 12 that communicates with the insertion opening 11 and through which the linear object 30 is inserted. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the case 10 has a first case body 25 having the clip mounting surface 16 and a second case body 26 that covers the first case body 25, and it is preferable that when the second case body 26 is pressed from the outside as shown in FIG. 10, the holding member 40 moves in a direction p away from the ring 2. The operator can indirectly move the holding member 40 by pressing the second case body 26.

As an example of a configuration in which the holding member 40 moves when the second case body 26 is pressed, as shown in Figs. 13 to 15, the second case body 26 moves toward the first case body 25, and the second case body 26 has a pressing portion (hereinafter, the first pressing portion 51) that presses the holding member 40. The first pressing portion 51 has a portion that makes point contact, line contact, or surface contact with the holding member 40. The case 10 may be provided with a plurality of first pressing portions 51. It is preferable that the first pressing portion 51 does not press the ring 2. The holding member 40 is provided with a structure in which the force applied to the holding member 40 by being pressed by the pressing portion of the second case body 26 becomes a force for sliding the holding member 40. For example, a structure in which the holding member 40 is provided with a slope that can come into contact with the first pressing portion 51, and the holding member 40 is moved horizontally by the first pressing portion 51 contacting the slope from above can be given.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and 15, the holding member 40 preferably has a contact surface 40B that comes into contact with the first pressing portion 51. The holding member 40 can be moved by the first pressing portion 51 coming into contact with the contact surface 40B of the holding member 40. Note that the contact surface 40B may be located closer to the clip 5 than the ring mounting surface 14.

The contact surface 40B may be flat or curved. The contact surface 40B may be inclined with respect to the surface direction of the first pressing portion 51.

When the second case body 26 is pressed from the outside, it is preferable that the holding member 40 transitions from the first state to the second state. By pressing the second case body 26, the operator can move the holding member 40 so as to move out of the path of the clip 5, so that the operator can adjust the timing at which the holding member 40 moves.

In FIG. 12, a button 55 is provided on the outside of the second case body 26 as an operation part that the operator presses. It is preferable that the button 55 is located in a position overlapping the first pressing part 51 as shown in FIG. 15 so that the first pressing part 51 can move in conjunction with the movement operation of the button 55.

In order to make it easier to press the retaining member 40 over a wide area, it is preferable that the first pressing portion 51 extends in the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2. The first pressing portion 51 may also extend in the radial direction of the ring 2.

As shown in Figures 14 and 15, a protrusion 60 is provided on the inside of the second case body 26, protruding towards the first case body 25, and the first pressing portion 51 is preferably provided at the tip 61 of the protrusion 60. By providing the first pressing portion 51 on the protrusion 60, the holding member 40 can be moved with a small amount of pressing. Note that the tip 61 of the protrusion 60 is the portion closest to the first case body 25 when the protrusion 60 is divided into two equal parts in the direction from the second case body 26 towards the first case body 25.

The shape of the protrusion 60 is not particularly limited as long as it extends toward the first case body 25. The protrusion 60 may be spherical, semispherical, oval sphere, cylindrical, or a shape with a portion thereof cut out, or a combination of these. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the protrusion 60 may be tapered toward the first case body 25. The tapered protrusion 60 is more likely to be in constant contact with the retaining member 40, and the protrusion 60 can more easily press the second case body 26 all the time, so that the retaining member 40 can be moved away from the ring 2.

The height of the protrusion 60 may be constant. The height of the protrusion 60 may decrease toward both ends of the opening/closing direction y of the clip 5.

When the second case body 26 is pressed from the outside, it is preferable that the bottom end of the first pressing portion 51 moves to a position lower than the top end of the holding member 40. This makes it possible to press the holding member 40.

The second case body 26 may be provided with an elastic piece 27 extending along the extension direction u of the insertion passage 12. The elastic piece 27 has a first end 27A close to the insertion port 11 in the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 and a second end 27B opposite to the first end 27A, the second end 27B side of the elastic piece 27 is fixed to the second case body 26, the first end 27A side of the elastic piece 27 is elastically deformed with the second end 27B side as a fulcrum, and the first pressing portion 51 may be provided on the first end 27A side of the elastic piece 27. As a result, after the first pressing portion 51 is moved to separate the holding member 40 from the ring 2, the position of the first pressing portion 51 can be returned to its original position by the elastic deformation of the elastic piece 27. The elastic piece 27 can be formed by cutting out a part of the second case body 26.

Although not shown, a first end of the elastic piece may be fixed to the second case body, and the second end may elastically deform with the first end as a fulcrum. The elastic piece may also extend in the opening/closing direction y of the clip 5. It is preferable that one end of the elastic piece is fixed to the second case body, and the other end elastically deforms with the one end as a fulcrum.

When the case 10 has a first case body 25 having a clip mounting surface 16 and a second case body 26 covering the first case body 25, the second case body 26 may have a pressing part (hereinafter, second pressing part 52) that moves toward the first case body 25 and presses the linear object 30. By moving the second pressing part 52 toward the first case body 25 while the second pressing part 52 is in contact with the linear object 30, the clip 5 can be efficiently attached to the linear object 30.

When the second case body 26 is pressed from the outside, it is preferable that the second pressing portion 52 moves toward the first case body 25. It is preferable that the second pressing portion 52 is provided at a position corresponding to the clip mounting surface 16. It is preferable that the second pressing portion 52 is provided at the tip portion 61 of the protrusion 60. The tip portion 61 is provided with a groove 62 that extends in the direction of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 and into which the linear object 30 fits, and the second pressing portion 52 may be the bottom surface 63 of the groove 62.

After the first pressing portion 51 presses the holding member 40, the second pressing portion 52 may press the linear object 30. Also, after the second pressing portion 52 presses the linear object 30, the first pressing portion 51 may press the holding member 40. The pressing portion 40 may contact any part near the part of the linear object 30 that connects to the clip 5 on the tip side. The pressing portion 40 can contact the connecting portion 32 of the linear object 30 or the linear object main body 31 and press it into the clip 5. A pressure receiving portion may be provided at the tip of the preceding object 30. The pressing portion 40 of the clip cartridge 1 contacts the pressure receiving portion, so that the clip 5 can be attached to the linear object 30 more efficiently. The pressure receiving portion may be the same part as the connecting portion 32.

The materials that make up the case 10 and the holding member 40 are not particularly limited, but are preferably made of synthetic resin, which facilitates precision machining, keeps the clip 5 and the ring 2 hygienic, and prevents damage to the clip 5. It is also preferable that at least one of the first case body 25 and the second case body 26 is made of a transparent or semi-transparent material. This makes it easier for the operator to connect the clip 5 and the linear object 30 while visually checking.

Figure 16 is a plan view showing a modified example of the holding member of the clip cartridge shown in Figure 1. Figure 17 is a plan view of the holding member shown in Figure 16 when it is moved. Figure 18 is a perspective view of the holding member shown in Figure 16. Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the holding member and ring shown in Figure 16. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of the holding member and ring shown in Figure 17. The holding member 40 may be a rotating piece 42 having a rotating shaft 42A and supported rotatably around the rotating shaft 42A. By configuring the holding member 40 to be rotatable in this way, both the first state (Figures 16 and 19) and the second state (Figures 17 and 20) can be taken. As shown in Figure 16, the rotating shaft 42A is preferably provided on the base end 42C side of the rotating piece 42.

The case 10 may have an axle 28 that is provided on the base end 42C side of the rotating piece 42 and rotatably supports the tip 42B of the rotating piece 42. The axle 28 may be provided on the first case body 25. In this case, the rotating piece 42 may be provided with a hole as a bearing for receiving the axle. The axle 28 may be located on one side of the central axis 3. The axial direction of the axle 28 is preferably parallel to the radial direction of the ring 2. When the case 10 has the first case body 25 and the second case body 26, the axial direction of the axle 28 may be along the direction from the first case body 25 to the second case body 26. Note that a configuration may be adopted in which an axle for rotating the rotating piece 42 is provided on the rotating piece 42 and a bearing is provided on the case 10.

A hole 42D into which the shaft portion 28 is inserted is provided on the base end 42C side of the pivot piece 42. The depth direction of the hole 42D coincides with the axial direction of the shaft portion 28. In Figures 16 to 18, the hole 42D is a through hole, but it may be a non-through hole as long as the shaft portion 28 can be inserted.

A ring mounting surface 14 is provided on the surface of the rotating piece 42. In the first state, the ring 2 is mounted on the ring mounting surface 14 so that the central axis 3 of the ring 2 is parallel to the extension direction u of the insertion passage 12. In the second state, the rotating piece 42 rotates around the rotation axis 42A as a fulcrum, and as a result, the tip 42B is positioned so that it approaches the wall of the case 10.

Although FIG. 16 shows an example in which there is only one rotating piece 42, two or more rotating pieces 42 may be provided. In this case, it is preferable that the two rotating pieces 42 have a shape that is linearly symmetrical with respect to the central axis 3 of the ring 2. This makes it easier to synchronize the timing of the movements of each rotating piece, making it easier to hold and release the ring 2.

In the first state, the holding member 40 may have a portion extending along the extension direction of the first arm 6 or the second arm 7 of the clip 5. By abutting the holding member 40 against the clip 5, it is possible to suppress the positional deviation of the clip 5, and it becomes easier to connect the clip 5 and the linear object 30. In FIG. 16, an example is shown in which the holding member 40 has a portion extending along the extension direction of the second arm 7, but the holding member 40 may have a portion extending along the extension direction of the first arm 6 and the second arm 7, respectively. In addition, when the holding member 40 is composed of at least a first element and a second element, the first element may have a portion extending along the extension direction of the first arm 6, and the second element may have a portion extending along the extension direction of the second arm 7.

For other configurations of the pivot piece 42, please refer to the description of the holding member 40 (slide piece 41) shown in Figures 1 to 5.

21 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the holding member and the ring shown in FIG. 19, and FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the holding member and the ring shown in FIG. 20. As shown in FIG. 21, in the first state, the holding member 40 may be in contact with the ring 2 at a first predetermined position. Also, as shown in FIG. 22, in the second state, the holding member 40 may be in contact with the ring 2 at a second predetermined position where the lowest end 2L of the ring 2 is lower than the first predetermined position. In other words, in the second state, the ring 2 may be in contact with the holding member 40 at a position different from the first state. By configuring the holding member 40, both the first state (FIG. 21) and the second state (FIG. 22) can be taken. In particular, since the ring 2 is in a lower position in the second state compared to the first state, it is easier to pull out the clip 5 and the linear object 30 from the case 10 after they are connected.

An example in which the ring 2 is clamped by the holding member 40 will be described. FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing another modified example of the holding member of the cartridge shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 24 is a plan view when the holding member shown in FIG. 23 is moved. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the holding member and the ring shown in FIG. 23. FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the holding member and the ring shown in FIG. 24. The holding member 40 may have a first clamping piece 45 arranged on one side of the central axis 3 of the ring 2 and a second clamping piece 46 arranged on the other side of the central axis 3 of the ring 2. In that case, the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46 can move in opposite directions, and in the first state, the ring 2 is clamped by the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46, and in the second state, it is preferable that the ring 2 is not clamped by the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46. By configuring the holding member 40 in this manner, it is possible to adopt both the first state (FIGS. 23 and 25) and the second state (FIGS. 24 and 26).

The first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 45 hold the ring 2 by clamping it, so it is not possible for the ring 2 to be held by only one of the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46.

It is preferable that both the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46 are arranged on the clip mounting surface 16.

The first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46 may move in the radial direction of the ring 2. In particular, it is preferable that the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46 move in a direction perpendicular to the direction from the first case body 25 to the second case body 26. The first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46 may be movable in the same direction as long as they are movable in opposite directions.

As shown in FIG. 25, it is preferable that the central axis 3 of the ring 2 be visible from the insertion port 11 in the first state. This makes it easier to insert the linear object 30 into the inner cavity 4 of the ring 2 in the first state.

As shown in FIG. 23, the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46 may have a shape that is linearly symmetrical with respect to the central axis 3 of the ring 2. This makes it easier to stably clamp the ring 2.

25, a first recess 45B is provided on the end of the first clamping piece 45 on the second clamping piece 46 side, specifically on the side 45A of the first clamping piece 45, and a second recess 46B is provided on the end of the second clamping piece 46 on the first clamping piece 45 side, specifically on the side 46A of the second clamping piece 46. The first recess 45B and the second recess 46B can clamp the ring 2. As long as the ring 2 can be clamped, the embodiment is not limited to a form in which two recesses are provided. For example, either one of the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46 may have a recess, and the other may not have a recess. For example, the first clamping piece 45 may have a recess, and the second clamping piece 46 may have a flat wall at a position facing the recess of the first clamping piece 45, and the ring 2 may be clamped by the recess of the first clamping piece 45 and the wall of the second clamping piece 46.

In the first state, the first clamping piece 45 and the second clamping piece 46 may be in direct contact with each other, or may be spaced apart from each other. In Figures 23 and 25, side portion 45A and side portion 46A are spaced apart in the first state.

1: Clip cartridge 2: Ring, 2L: Bottom end of ring, 3: Central axis, 4: Inner cavity 5: Clip, 5A: Tip, 5B: Base end, 5C: First end in width direction, 5D: Second end in width direction, 5L: Bottom end of clip, 6: First arm, 7: Second arm, 8: Connection part, 9: Connected part 10: Clip case, 11: Insertion port, 12: Insertion passage, 14: Ring mounting surface, 16: Clip mounting surface, 25: First case body, 26: Second case body 27: Elastic piece, 27A: First end, 27B: Second end, 28: shaft portion 30: linear object, 31: linear object main body, 32: connecting portion 40: holding member, 40A: operation piece, 40B: contact surface, 41: sliding piece, 42: rotating piece, 42A: rotating shaft, 42B: tip, 42C: base end, 42D: hole, 45: first clamping piece, 46: second clamping piece 51: first pressing portion, 52: second pressing portion, 55: button 60: protrusion, 61: tip, 62: groove, 63: bottom surface u: extension direction of insertion passage x: direction from tip to base end y: opening/closing direction z: width direction p: direction away from ring

Claims (10)

A clip cartridge for connecting a medical clip to a linear object having a connecting portion at a tip end thereof,
Clip case and
a ring disposed within the clip case and having an inner cavity into which the clip is inserted;
a clip that is disposed in the clip case and opens and closes by the ring, the clip having a first arm portion and a second arm portion that face each other, the clip having a tip end that holds an object and a base end that is connected to the connecting portion of the linear object;
the clip case has an insertion opening on an outer surface thereof into which the connecting portion of the linear object is inserted,
The clip is disposed in the clip case farther from the insertion opening than the ring,
The clip case has a holding member therein for holding the ring,
the retaining member is movable in a direction away from the ring;
the retaining member has a first state in which the ring is retained in a predetermined position and a second state in which the ring is released from the predetermined position ;
When the clip case is placed on a horizontal surface, the clip case has an up-down direction that is perpendicular to the horizontal surface and parallel to the direction of gravity,
In the first state, a bottom end of the clip is located lower than a bottom end of the ring in the vertical direction,
In the second state, the bottom end of the clip and the bottom end of the ring are at the same height in the vertical direction . The clip cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the holding member extends in a direction from the insertion opening toward the clip. 3. The clip cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the holding member has a portion that extends in a direction in which the first arm portion or the second arm portion of the clip extends in the first state. The clip case has therein a ring mounting surface on which the ring is mounted and a clip mounting surface on which the clip is mounted,
the retaining member has the ring mounting surface,
In the first state, the ring is placed on the ring placement surface,
4. The clip cartridge according to claim 1, wherein in the second state, the ring is not placed on the ring placement surface. 5. The clip cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein said holding member is a slide piece movable in a radial direction of said ring. 5. The clip cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the holding member is a rotating piece provided with a rotation shaft on a base end side and supported so as to be rotatable around the rotation shaft. the holding member has a first clamping piece disposed on one side of the central axis of the ring and a second clamping piece disposed on the other side of the central axis of the ring,
The first clamping piece and the second clamping piece are movable in opposite directions to each other,
In the first state, the ring is clamped by the first clamping piece and the second clamping piece,
4. The clip cartridge according to claim 1, wherein in the second state, the ring is not clamped by the first clamping piece and the second clamping piece. the clip case has, inside thereof, a ring mounting surface on which the ring is mounted, a clip mounting surface on which the clip is mounted, and an insertion passage communicating with the insertion opening and through which the linear object is inserted,
The clip case includes a first case body having the clip mounting surface and a second case body covering the first case body,
The clip cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein when the second case body is pressed from the outside, the holding member moves in a direction away from the ring. The clip cartridge according to claim 8 , wherein the holding member transitions from the first state to the second state when the second case body is pressed from the outside. The clip cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the holding member includes an operation piece exposed to the outside from the clip case.

Images