Patent ID: 8771171

Claim:
A medical instrument system comprising: an elongated member having a longitudinal axis and an inner space in a direction of the longitudinal axis, the elongated member formed in the direction of the longitudinal axis; an insertion section arranged in the inner space so as to freely move in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the insertion section having a bending section capable of being bent; a manipulation section configured to manipulate the bending section; a first manipulation member connected to the manipulation section, the first manipulation member transmitting a driving force to the bending section in accordance with a manipulation by the manipulation section; a second manipulation member connected to the bending section, the second manipulation member arranged in the direction of the longitudinal axis; a connecting section having a first connecting section installed at the first manipulation member and a second connecting section installed at the second manipulation member, the connecting section capable of detachably connecting the first manipulation member and the second manipulation member; and a switching mechanism having a first acting section configured to connect the first connecting section and the second connecting section to each other, the switching mechanism having a second acting section configured to release the first connecting section and the second connecting section from each other, the switching mechanism switching between a connection state in which the first manipulation member and the second manipulation member are connected by the connecting section and a release state in which a connection of the first manipulation member and the second manipulation member is released, wherein the switching mechanism transitions between the release state and the connection state by relative axial movement between the elongated member and the insertion section, in the connection state, as a proximal end of the bending section protrudes from the elongated member, the first connecting section and the second connecting section are connected to each other due to engagement between a protrusion disposed on the insertion section and the first acting section disposed on the elongated member, and the first manipulation member and the second manipulation member freely move in the direction of the longitudinal axis with respect to the direction of the longitudinal axis in accordance with the manipulation by the manipulation section, and in the release state, as at least a portion of the bending section is disposed in the inner space of the elongated member, the connection of the first connecting section and the second connecting section is released by an action of the second acting section, and the first manipulation member freely moves in the direction of the longitudinal axis with respect to the second manipulation member and the elongated member in accordance with the manipulation by the manipulation section.