Patent ID: 6939291

Claim:
An endoscopic device for locomotion in a body cavity according to a prefixed advancing direction (A) comprising at least a variable length intermediate section ( 1 a , 21 a ) extending between a front end section ( 1 b , 21 b ) and a rear end section ( 1 c , 21 c ) with respect to said direction and characterized in that it further comprises first and second clamping means ( 7 , 12 , 27 , 32 ) integral to said front end section and, respectively, said rear section, adapted for alternately grasping respective surrounding portions of wall (P) of said body cavity, and sucking means ( 13 , 14 , 37 , 38 ) associated to said first and second clamping means for creating a depression sufficient to cause said body cavity wall portions to collapse within said first and second clamping means while they are in an open condition, means for actuating alternate extensions and retractions of said intermediate section and actuating means ( 6 , 11 , 26 , 31 ) of said first and second clamping means being further provided for synchronous operation to generate a forward motion in said prefixed direction of said rear end section due to a retraction of said intermediate section, the wall portion (P) surrounding said first clamping means adapted to be firmly held therebetween, and to generate a forward motion of said front end section in the same direction due to an extension of said intermediate section, the wall portion (P) surrounding said second clamping means adapted to be firmly held therebetween.