Treating device for endoscopes

Claim 1

A treating device adapted to be inserted into a body cavity of a subject through a channel of an endoscope, comprising: (1) a sheath having a forward end and a back end, said forward end being adapted to be inserted through said channel into said body cavity; (2) an operation wire having a forward end and a rear end, said operation wire being inserted into said sheath and adapted to be inserted through said channel such that said operation wire can be moved in both a forward and a backward direction; (3) operation means connected to said rear end of said operation wire to move said operation wire both in said forward and said backward direction; and (4) a treating unit having a center axis and connected to said forward end of said operation wire, said treating unit being projected out of said sheath when said operation wire is moved in said forward direction, and being retracted back into said sheath when said operation wire is moved in said backward direction, said treating unit having: (a) a front end and a back end each respectively positioned on said center axis; (b) a plurality of elastic wires connected between said front end and said back end, each of said plurality of elastic wires having: first, second, third, fourth and fifth bent points provided, in order, between said front end and said back end; first, second, third, and fourth sections respectively positioned, in order, between said first, second, third, fourth and fifth bent points; a fifth section extending from said fifth bent point toward said back end of said treating unit; and a sixth section extending from said first bent point toward said front end of said treating unit; said treating unit upon projection from said sheath having: said first and fifth bent points projected inwardly towards said center axis of said treating unit; said second, third and fourth bent points projected outwardly away from said center axis of said treating unit; said first, second, third and fourth sections being inclined at predetermined angles relative to said center axis of said treating unit; and said fifth and sixth sections being inclined at given angles relative to said center axis of said treating unit; said first and fifth bent points being positioned preselected distances away from said center axis; said first and fifth bent points moving toward and away from said center axis of said treating unit as said treating unit is moved respectively in said backward and said forward directions while substantially maintaining the shape of said treating unit; holding means for holding said sixth section of each of said plurality of elastic wires together at said front end of said treating unit; and connecting means for connecting said fifth section of each of said plurality of elastic wires as a bundled unit to said forward end of said operation wire.