PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an intraductal propelling device for continuously propelling a miniaturized device such as an endoscope within a lumen or in a duct such as the small intestine.SOLUTION: An intraductal propelling device includes a tube conglomerate formed by combining a plurality of tubes with one another in a manner of a braided cord and sealing one ends of the respective tubes. Ends of at least three tubes of the tube conglomerate on the opposite side from the sealed ends of the tubes are connected to a fluid pressure source, and the following steps are taken: (1) pressure from the fluid pressure source is applied to one tube of the at least three tubes (2) another tube is pressurized and the previously pressurized tube is depressurized (3) the steps (1) and (2) are sequentially taken for all the tubes without redundancy till returning to the first tube and (4) the tube conglomerate is moved in a duct in the axial direction of the duct by repeating the steps (1)-(3).COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】内視鏡のような小型の装置を小腸のようなルーメンまたは管内で連続的に推進する管内推進装置を提供すること。【解決手段】管内推進装置が、複数のチューブを互いに組紐状に組合せ、各チューブの一端を密閉して形成した管集成体を具備し、該管集成体の前記少なくとも3本のチューブの各々の前記密閉した端部とは反対側の端部を流体圧源に接続し、(1)前記少なくとも3本のチューブのうち1本のチューブに前記流体圧源から圧力を印加し、(2)他の1本のチューブを加圧すると共に、従前に加圧したチューブを減圧し、(3)上記(1)(2)の工程を最初のチューブに戻るまで重複することなく全てのチューブについて順次に行い、(4)上記(1)~(3)の工程を繰り返すことによって前記管集成体が管内において該管の軸方向に移動するようにした。【選択図】図1
