JP2010084566A - Fluid ejection device and surgical appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fluid injection device ensuring the durability of a diaphragm. <P>SOLUTION: This fluid injection device includes: a fluid chamber 501 being changeable in volume; an inlet channel 503 and an outlet channel 511 respectively communicating with the fluid chamber 501; a fluid injection opening 212 provided on the side of the outlet channel 511; a piezoelectric element 401 being an extensible element and the diaphragm 400 as a volume changing means changing the volume of the fluid chamber 501; and a deformation suppression means 420 suppressing the deformation of the diaphragm 400. The diaphragm 400 has a periphery fixed part fixed with a periphery fixing means fixing the periphery of the diaphragm 400, and a connected part connected to the piezoelectric element 401. On the side of the diaphragm 400 with the piezoelectric element 401 arranged, the deformation suppression means 420 is arranged fixedly to the periphery fixing means. The position between the periphery fixed part of the diaphragm 400 and the connected part thereof suppresses a deformation to a side with the piezoelectric element 401 arranged. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluid ejecting apparatus that ejects fluid and a surgical instrument using the fluid ejecting apparatus.

A conventional fluid ejecting apparatus includes a piezoelectric element and a diaphragm as volume changing means, and the diaphragm is deformed by deformation caused by expansion or contraction of the piezoelectric element to periodically change the volume in the fluid chamber. Thereby, the fluid chamber is periodically pressurized. Then, pulsation of the fluid is generated, and the pulsation of the fluid flowing from the fluid chamber is transmitted to the fluid ejection opening, so that the fluid is ejected from the fluid ejection opening (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-82202 A

In Patent Document 1, in order to deform the diaphragm, it is necessary to provide a gap between a portion where the piezoelectric element and the diaphragm are fixed and a portion where the peripheral portion of the diaphragm is fixed. However, such a gap is deformed with respect to the outside of the fluid chamber (hereinafter also referred to as “the side where the expansion / contraction element is disposed”) when the fluid chamber is pressurized, and causes the pressure in the fluid chamber to decrease. It becomes. Therefore, if the pressure decreases, it becomes difficult to eject the fluid strongly.
Further, if the gap is made small in order to avoid such a decrease in the pressure in the fluid chamber, stress may concentrate on the gap when the diaphragm is deformed, and the diaphragm may be damaged. In particular, when the volume changing means is a piezoelectric element, since the deformation amount of expansion or contraction is minute, a thin or sheet diaphragm is used so that the diaphragm is easily deformed. Therefore, these problems are very likely to occur.

The present invention is realized as the following forms or application examples so as to solve at least a part of the problems described above.

Application Example 1 A fluid ejection device according to this application example includes a fluid chamber whose volume can be changed, an inlet channel and an outlet channel communicating with the fluid chamber, and a fluid ejection opening provided on the outlet channel side And expansion / contraction elements that expand or contract as volume changing means for changing the volume of the fluid chamber, and deformation suppression means for suppressing deformation of the diaphragm, the diaphragm fixing the outer periphery of the diaphragm An outer periphery fixing portion fixed by an outer periphery fixing means;
A connecting portion connected to the expansion / contraction element, and the deformation suppressing means is arranged to be fixed to the outer periphery fixing means on the side of the diaphragm where the expansion / contraction element is arranged, and the outer periphery of the diaphragm A portion between the fixed portion and the connection portion suppresses deformation to the side where the expansion / contraction element is disposed.

According to this application example, since the deformation suppressing unit that suppresses the deformation of the diaphragm toward the side where the expansion / contraction element is disposed is disposed, when the fluid chamber is pressurized, the outer peripheral fixed portion and the connection portion are It is possible to suppress the intermediate portion from being deformed outside the fluid chamber. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the pressure in the fluid chamber from being lowered, and it is possible to strongly eject the fluid. Moreover, since the deformation | transformation suppression means is arrange | positioned at the side by which the expansion-contraction element of the said diaphragm is arrange | positioned, the part between an outer periphery fixed site | part and a connection site | part can freely deform | transform into the fluid chamber side of the opposing side. . Therefore, it is possible to alleviate the concentration of stress on the outer periphery fixing portion and the connection portion when the diaphragm is deformed, and it is possible to ensure the durability of the diaphragm and to inject the fluid strongly.

Application Example 2 In the fluid ejecting apparatus according to the application example, when the diaphragm is not deformed by expansion or contraction of the expansion / contraction element, the diaphragm and the deformation suppressing unit are in contact with each other. It is characterized by that.

According to this application example, the diaphragm and the deformation suppressing unit are already in contact with each other in a state where the diaphragm is not deformed by the expansion / contraction element, and therefore, the fluid chamber can be efficiently pressurized when the expansion / contraction element starts to expand. .

Application Example 3 Further, in the fluid ejecting apparatus according to the application example, the deformation suppressing unit includes:
It is an annular or cylindrical structure.

According to this application example, the drag received from the deformation suppressing unit can be uniformly transmitted to the diaphragm. Therefore, the fluid can be strongly ejected while ensuring the durability of the diaphragm.

Application Example 4 In addition, a part of the outer periphery fixing unit and the deformation suppressing unit are integrally formed.

According to this application example, the deformation means is also fixed and the rigidity is ensured. Therefore, it becomes easy to suppress the pressure drop in the fluid chamber.

Application Example 5 A surgical instrument according to this application example has the above-described fluid ejecting apparatus.

According to this application example, it is possible to provide a surgical instrument having the advantages of the above-described fluid ejecting apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
The embodiment described below is a preferred specific example of the present invention, and thus various technically preferable limitations are given. However, the scope of the present invention is particularly limited in the following description. Unless otherwise stated, the present invention is not limited to these forms. The drawings referred to in the following description are schematic views in which the vertical and horizontal scales of members or parts are different from actual ones for convenience of illustration.

In addition, the fluid ejecting apparatus according to the present invention can be used in various ways such as drawing with ink, cleaning fine objects and structures, cutting and excision of objects, scalpels for operation, etc. In the embodiment, a fluid ejecting apparatus suitable for incising or excising living tissue will be described as an example. Therefore, the fluid used in the embodiment is water, physiological saline, chemical solution, or the like.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a fluid ejection device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG.
The fluid ejecting apparatus 1 includes a fluid container 10 that stores fluid as a basic configuration, a pump 20 as a pressure generation unit, and a pulsation generation unit 10 that pulsates and flows the fluid supplied from the pump 20.
0.

The pulsation generating unit 100 is connected with a thin pipe-shaped connection flow path pipe 200, and the connection flow path pipe 20.
A nozzle 211 having a reduced flow path is inserted into the zero end.

The flow of fluid in the fluid ejecting apparatus 1 will be briefly described. The fluid stored in the fluid container 10 is sucked by the pump 20 through the connection tube 15 and is supplied to the pulsation generator 100 through the connection tube 25 at a constant pressure. The pulsation generating unit 100 includes a fluid chamber 501 (see FIG. 2) and a volume changing unit of the fluid chamber 501. The pulsation is generated by driving the volume changing unit, The fluid is ejected through the nozzle 211 at high speed.

Next, the structure of the pulsation generator 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the pulsation generator 100 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 2, the pulsation generator 100
Is configured to include a piezoelectric element 401 and a diaphragm 400 as volume changing means of the fluid chamber 501 in order to generate fluid pulsation.

First, the pulsation generating unit 100 is joined to the upper case 500 and the lower case 301 on the opposing surfaces, and is screwed by four fixing screws 600 (partially omitted in the drawing).
The lower case 301 is a cylindrical member having a flange, and one end is sealed with a bottom plate 311. A piezoelectric element 401 is disposed in the internal space of the lower case 301.

The piezoelectric element 401 which is an expansion / contraction element is a laminated piezoelectric element and constitutes an actuator. One end of the piezoelectric element 401 is fixed to the diaphragm 400 via the auxiliary plate 411, and the other end is fixed to the upper surface 312 of the bottom plate 311. The auxiliary plate 411 is made of a disk-shaped metal plate.

The diaphragm 400 is made of a disk-shaped thin metal plate, and the concave portion 30 of the lower case 301.
In FIG. 3, the peripheral edge is tightly fixed to the bottom surface of the recess 303. Then, the piezoelectric element 401
The volume of the fluid chamber 501 is changed via the diaphragm 400 as the piezoelectric element 401 expands and contracts by inputting a drive signal to the first and second piezoelectric elements 401. The piezoelectric element 401 may use a magnetostrictive element, an electrostatic actuator, or the like.

On the upper surface of the diaphragm 400, a reinforcing plate 410 made of an annular thin metal plate having an opening at the center is laminated. The upper case 500 has a recess formed at the center of the surface facing the lower case 301, and a space surrounded by the recess and the diaphragm 400 is a fluid chamber 501. An outlet channel 511 is formed in a substantially central portion of the fluid chamber 501.

The outlet channel 511 is penetrated from the fluid chamber 501 to the end of the outlet channel pipe 510 projecting from one end face of the upper case 500. Outlet channel 511 and sealing surface 505 of fluid chamber 501
The connection to is smoothly rounded to reduce fluid resistance. A connection channel pipe 200 is connected to the outlet channel pipe 510. A connection channel 201 is perforated in the connection channel pipe 200, and the diameter of the connection channel 201 is larger than the diameter of the outlet channel 511. Further, the connecting flow channel pipe 20
The thickness of the tube portion of 0 is formed in a range having rigidity that does not absorb the pressure pulsation of the fluid. A nozzle 211 is inserted into the distal end portion of the connection flow channel pipe 200. The nozzle 211 is formed with a fluid ejection opening 212. The diameter of the fluid ejection opening 212 is determined by the connection flow path 201.
Is smaller than the diameter.

On the side surface of the upper case 500, an inlet channel tube 502 for inserting the connection tube 25 for supplying fluid from the pump 20 is projected, and the inlet channel tube 502 has a connection channel 504 on the inlet channel side.
Has been worn. The connection channel 504 communicates with the inlet channel 503. The inlet channel 503 is formed in a groove shape on the peripheral edge of the sealing surface 505 of the fluid chamber 501 and communicates with the fluid chamber 501.

A packing box 304 is formed on the lower case 301 side, and a packing box 506 is formed on the upper case 500 side at positions separated from each other in the outer peripheral direction of the diaphragm 400 on the joint surface between the upper case 500 and the lower case 301. A ring-shaped packing 450 is mounted in a space formed by 304 and 506.

Here, when the upper case 500 and the lower case 301 are assembled, the peripheral portion of the diaphragm 400 and the peripheral portion of the reinforcing plate 410 are the peripheral portion of the sealing surface 505 of the upper case 500 and the lower case 3.
The bottom surface of the 01 recess 303 is in close contact. At this time, the packing 450 is attached to the upper case 5.
00 and the lower case 301 are pressed to prevent fluid leakage from the fluid chamber 501.

Next, the diaphragm 400 and the periphery thereof will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the diaphragm 400 and a peripheral portion thereof in which a part of FIG. 2 is enlarged. Parts unnecessary for the description are omitted for easy understanding.

Diaphragm 400 is formed of a disk-shaped metal thin plate, and a peripheral edge thereof is closely fixed to the bottom surface of recess 303 in recess 303 of lower case 301. That is, the lower case 301 is an outer periphery fixing unit that fixes the outer periphery of the diaphragm 400, and the outer periphery fixing portion 400 a is fixed by the lower case 301.

Further, the diaphragm 400 is connected to the piezoelectric element 401 so that a force due to expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 401 is transmitted via an auxiliary plate 411 made of a disk-shaped metal plate. At this time,
Since the auxiliary plate 411 has a disk shape, the connection part 400b connected to the piezoelectric element 401 in the diaphragm 400 is circular, and the outer peripheral fixing part 400 is concentrically connected to the connection part 400b.
By positioning a, when the diaphragm 400 is deformed by the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 401, the stress is not concentrated unevenly on the diaphragm 400.

Further, an annular deformation suppression means 420 is disposed on the piezoelectric element 401 side of the diaphragm 400 and is fixed to the lower case 301 having a rigidity that does not absorb the pressure pulsation of the fluid. Moreover, the deformation | transformation suppression means 420 exists in the position facing the intermediate part 400c between the outer periphery fixing | fixed part 400a and the connection part 400b, and is suppressing that the intermediate part 400c deform | transforms into the piezoelectric element 401 side.

In FIG. 3, no voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 401, and the piezoelectric element 401 is not expanded or contracted. At this time, the intermediate portion 400c and the deformation suppressing means 4
20 is in contact, but even if the intermediate portion 400c and the deformation suppressing means 420 are close to each other, the fluid chamber 501 is constantly pressurized by the pump 20, so the intermediate portion 4
00c and the deformation suppression means 420 are in contact with each other, and the deformation is suppressed by the deformation suppression means 420.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the deformation suppressing means 420 viewed from the diaphragm 400 side. The deformation suppressing means 420 is an annular structure, and is arranged at a position corresponding to the concentric shape of the connection portion 400b, so that when the diaphragm 400 is deformed due to expansion or contraction of the piezoelectric element 401, the diaphragm 400 is unevenly distributed. Stress can be kept from concentrating.

Next, the manner in which the diaphragm 400 is deformed by the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 401 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the diaphragm 400 is deformed, and is a cross-sectional view of the diaphragm 400 and its peripheral portion, as in FIG.

  FIG. 5A shows a state where no voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 401.

FIG. 5B shows a state where the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 401 is increased and the piezoelectric element 401 expands to deform the diaphragm 400. At this time, in FIG. 5A, the intermediate portion 400c and the deformation suppressing means 420 are in contact with each other.
The fluid chamber 501 can be efficiently pressurized when 1 starts to expand.

In FIG. 5C, the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 401 is further increased to increase the piezoelectric element 40.
In this state, 1 further expands and the diaphragm 400 is deformed. At this time, the fluid chamber 501
Is pressed and the intermediate portion 400 c tends to deform toward the piezoelectric element 401, but deformation is suppressed by the deformation suppressing means 420. Further, since the deformation suppressing means 420 is disposed on the piezoelectric element 401 side of the diaphragm 400, and the intermediate portion 400c is not fixed to the deformation suppressing means 420, the deformation is relatively freely deformed on the opposite fluid chamber 501 side. The intermediate part 40 can be
Even if tensile stress to 0c occurs, it is easy to ensure the durability of the diaphragm 400. That is, by reducing the gap between the auxiliary plate 411 and the deformation suppressing means 420, the intermediate portion 400c can be further prevented from being deformed outside the fluid chamber 501, and excessive stress is generated in the diaphragm 400. Hateful.

FIG. 5D shows a state in which the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 401 is lowered, the piezoelectric element 401 contracts, and the diaphragm 400 is deformed.

In FIG. 5E, the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 401 is further lowered to reduce the piezoelectric element 40.
1 is a state in which the diaphragm 400 is further contracted and the diaphragm 400 is deformed.

Then, returning to FIG. 5 (a), by repeating FIG. 5 (a) to FIG. 5 (e), pulsation is generated and fluid is ejected.

Therefore, according to the first embodiment described above, the deformation suppressing means 420 that suppresses the deformation of the diaphragm 400 toward the side where the piezoelectric element 401 is disposed is disposed, so that when the inside of the fluid chamber 501 is pressurized. The intermediate portion 400c can be prevented from being deformed outside the fluid chamber 501. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the pressure in the fluid chamber 501 from decreasing, and the fluid can be strongly ejected.

Further, since the deformation suppressing means 420 is disposed on the side of the diaphragm 400 where the piezoelectric element 401 is disposed, the intermediate portion 400c can be freely deformed on the opposite fluid chamber 501 side, and the deformation of the diaphragm 400 is prevented. Since it is possible to alleviate stress concentration at the intermediate portion 400c at times, it is possible to ensure the durability of the diaphragm 400 and to strongly inject the fluid.

Further, since the diaphragm 400 and the deformation suppressing means 420 are in contact with each other when the diaphragm 400 is not deformed by expansion or contraction of the piezoelectric element 401, the fluid chamber 501 can be efficiently used when the piezoelectric element 401 starts to expand. The inside can be pressurized.

Further, since the deformation suppressing unit 420 is an annular structure, the drag force that the diaphragm 400 receives from the deformation suppressing unit 420 can be made uniform. Therefore, it is possible to ensure the durability of the diaphragm 400 and to eject the fluid strongly.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a pulsation generator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The second embodiment has a feature in which a part of the lower case 301 serving as the outer periphery fixing means and the deformation suppressing means are integrated. Except for the deformation suppression means, the structure is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the diaphragm 400 and its peripheral part.

Diaphragm 400 is formed of a disk-shaped metal thin plate, and a peripheral edge thereof is closely fixed to the bottom surface of recess 303 in recess 303 of lower case 301. That is, the lower case 301 is an outer periphery fixing unit that fixes the outer periphery of the diaphragm 400, and the outer periphery fixing portion 400 a is fixed by the lower case 301.

Further, the diaphragm 400 is connected to the piezoelectric element 401 so that a force due to expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 401 is transmitted via an auxiliary plate 411 made of a disk-shaped metal plate. At this time,
Since the auxiliary plate 411 has a disk shape, the connection part 400b connected to the piezoelectric element 401 in the diaphragm 400 is circular, and the outer peripheral fixing part 400 is concentrically connected to the connection part 400b.
By positioning a, when the diaphragm 400 is deformed by the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 401, the stress is not concentrated unevenly on the diaphragm 400.

Further, on the piezoelectric element 401 side of the diaphragm 400, an annular deformation suppressing means 421 is disposed integrally with a lower case 301 that is an outer periphery fixing means. Further, the deformation suppressing means 4
21 is located at a position facing the intermediate portion 400c between the outer periphery fixing portion 400a and the connection portion 400b, and suppresses the deformation of the intermediate portion 400c to the piezoelectric element 401 side. However,
In the intermediate part 400c, the diaphragm 400 and the deformation suppressing means 421 are not fixed.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment described above, a part of the lower case 301 that is the outer periphery fixing means and the deformation suppressing means 421 are integrated, so that the deformation suppressing means 421 is also fixed and rigidity is ensured. Therefore, it becomes easy to suppress the pressure drop in the fluid chamber 501.

As a modification of the second embodiment, as in the pulsation generation unit 102 shown in FIG. 7, the lower case 301 has a deformation suppressing means 422 as a cylindrical structure instead of an annular structure deformation suppressing means.
And may be formed integrally.

In the present invention, since the deformation suppressing means is disposed on the side where the piezoelectric element of the diaphragm is disposed, when the piezoelectric element contracts, the deformation suppressing means has little effect of suppressing the deformation of the diaphragm. However, considering the incision or excision of the living tissue, it is important to extend the piezoelectric element and strongly eject the fluid.

Further, when a pump as a pressure generating unit that supplies fluid to the pulsation generating unit is provided as in the embodiment, the fluid chamber is pressurized by the pump. Arranging on the side where the element is disposed is effective in alleviating the deformation of the diaphragm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the pulsation generating part which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the diaphragm which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention, and its periphery part. The top view which shows the deformation | transformation suppression means which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the mode of a deformation | transformation of the diaphragm which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the diaphragm which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention, and its peripheral part. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the pulsation generating part which concerns on the modification of Embodiment 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fluid injection apparatus, 15, 25 ... Connection tube, 20 ... Pump, 100 ... Pulsation generation | occurrence | production part,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 200 ... Connection channel pipe, 201 ... Connection channel, 211 ... Nozzle, 212 ... Fluid ejection opening part, 3
01 ... Lower case, 303 ... Recess, 304, 506 ... Packing box, 311 ... Bottom, 3
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Upper surface, 400 ... Diaphragm, 401 ... Piezoelectric element as an expansion / contraction element, 400a ... Outer periphery fixed part, 400b ... Connection part, 400c ... Intermediate part, 411 ... Auxiliary plate, 420, 42
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,422 ... Deformation suppression means, 450 ... Packing, 501 ... Fluid chamber, 502 ... Inlet channel pipe,
503 ... Inlet channel, 504 ... Connection channel, 505 ... Sealing surface, 510 ... Outlet channel tube, 511 ...
Outlet channel.

Claims (5)

A fluid chamber with a variable volume;
An inlet channel and an outlet channel communicating with the fluid chamber;
A fluid ejection opening provided on the outlet channel side;
A telescopic element and a diaphragm that expand or contract as volume changing means for changing the volume of the fluid chamber;
Deformation suppression means for suppressing deformation of the diaphragm,
The diaphragm has an outer peripheral fixing portion fixed by an outer peripheral fixing means for fixing an outer peripheral portion of the diaphragm, and a connection portion connected to the expansion / contraction element,
The deformation suppressing means is arranged to be fixed to the outer periphery fixing means on the diaphragm on the side where the expansion and contraction element is disposed, and a portion between the outer periphery fixing portion and the connection portion of the diaphragm is the extension and contraction. A fluid ejecting apparatus which suppresses deformation to a side where an element is arranged. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1,
When the diaphragm is not deformed by expansion or contraction of the expansion / contraction element, the diaphragm and the deformation suppressing unit are in contact with each other. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1,
The fluid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deformation suppressing means is an annular or cylindrical structure. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1,
A fluid ejecting apparatus, wherein a part of the outer periphery fixing means and the deformation suppressing means are integrally formed. A surgical instrument comprising the fluid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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