JP2024033356A - forceps - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide forceps with a novel structure that can convert axial input into jaw opening/closing operating force with a simple structure with a small number of parts. A forceps 10 having a plurality of jaws 12 capable of grasping an object is provided with a frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22 constituting the outer periphery of the jaws 12, and a frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22 is provided on the proximal end side of the jaws 12. An input section 32 to which an external force is applied in the axial direction is provided, and a transmission section 36 that transmits the external force acting on the input section 32 to the distal end portion 38 of the frame-shaped outer circumference section 22 is provided. It is integrated with. [Selection diagram] Figure 2

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to forceps that are provided, for example, at the distal end portion of a shaft inserted into the body and can grasp objects such as foreign objects inside the body.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, forceps, which are provided at the distal end of a shaft that is inserted into the body and grip an object such as a foreign body inside the body, have been used, for example, in treatments such as lacrimal ductal foreign body removal. For example, forceps include a plurality of jaws that grip an object, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-508825 (Patent Document 1), International Publication No. 2014/078049 (Patent Document 2), etc. The jaws open and close to grasp or release objects.

Special Publication No. 2020-508825 International Publication No. 2014/078049

However, the forceps disclosed in Patent Document 1 have a complicated structure and a large number of parts, making it difficult to manufacture and making it difficult to realize extremely small forceps that can be inserted into the lacrimal duct, for example.

In addition, the forceps of Patent Document 2 moves the sleeve in the axial direction and inserts the sleeve so as to cover the jaw which is opened in its initial shape, thereby directly pushing the outer surface of the jaw inward with the sleeve. Since it is a closed structure, a separate sleeve that can be slid is required, and there is also a risk that the sleeve may get caught on the jaw and prevent the opening and closing operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a forceps with a novel structure that has a simple structure with a small number of parts and is capable of converting axial input into jaw opening/closing force.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for understanding the present invention will be described. However, each of the embodiments described below is described by way of example, and may not only be adopted in combination with each other as appropriate, but also be described in each embodiment. The plurality of components can be recognized and employed as independently as possible, and can also be appropriately employed in combination with any of the components described in other embodiments. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and various other embodiments can be realized.

A first aspect is a forceps having a plurality of jaws capable of gripping an object, and a frame-shaped outer peripheral portion constituting an outer peripheral edge of the jaws is provided, and a shaft is provided on the proximal end side of the jaws. An input section to which an external force in a direction is applied is provided, and a transmission section that transmits the external force acting on the input section to a distal end portion of the frame-shaped outer circumference is integral with the frame-shaped outer circumference and the input section. It is provided in

According to the forceps having the structure according to this aspect, since the frame-shaped outer peripheral part constituting the jaw, the input part, and the transmission part are integrally provided, it is possible to have a simple structure with a small number of parts. Therefore, miniaturization can be easily achieved. Moreover, by transmitting the axial external force acting on the input section to the tip of the frame-shaped outer circumferential part by the transmission part, the axial external force can be converted into the opening/closing force of the jaw and applied to the frame-shaped outer circumference. , and the conversion of the direction of force application is realized by a simple structure made of integral parts.

In this aspect, since the outer periphery of the jaw is constituted by the frame-shaped outer periphery, it is possible to increase the width of the entire jaw without increasing the width (cross-sectional area) of each part that makes up the jaw. can. Therefore, for example, it is possible to stably grasp an object to be grasped with wide jaws, while suppressing the deformation rigidity during jaw opening/closing operations, and to effectively open/close the jaws with a small input.

In a second aspect, in the forceps described in the first aspect, the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion, the input portion, and the transmission portion are cut out from a pipe material and integrally formed.

According to the forceps having the structure according to this aspect, the jaws that integrally include the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion, the input portion, and the transmission portion can be easily obtained by cutting out the pipe material.

In a third aspect, in the forceps described in the first or second aspect, a cylindrical outer shaft is provided that integrally includes the frame-shaped outer peripheral part, the input part, and the transmission part, An inner shaft is inserted into the outer shaft, the input part is fixed to the inner shaft, and the external force in the axial direction is input to the input part by axial movement of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft. It is something.

According to the forceps having the structure according to this aspect, the integrally provided frame-shaped outer peripheral part, input part, and transmission part can be easily formed by cutting out or etching the outer shaft.

In addition, the input section applies an axial force to the fixed inner shaft and moves the inner shaft relative to the outer shaft in the axial direction, making it possible to easily open and close the jaw. can.

In a fourth aspect, in the forceps described in the third aspect, a holding part provided continuously on the base end side of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part is provided on the outer shaft, and the holding part is provided on the outer shaft, and the holding part is connected to the input part. A connecting ring is inserted over the holding part, the connecting ring is fixed to the input part and the inner shaft, and the connecting ring is slidable in the axial direction with respect to the holding part. It is something that exists.

When applying an external force in the axial direction to the input part to cause the jaw to close, the input part tends to displace toward the outer circumferential side of the outer shaft as the jaw closes. For example, since the connecting ring fitted over the input section limits displacement of the input section toward the outer circumference, changes in the outer diameter of the outer shaft can be prevented.

The external force in the axial direction input to the inner shaft acts on the input part of the outer shaft connected to the inner shaft via the connecting ring, and on the holding part of the outer shaft that is allowed to slide relative to the connecting ring. has virtually no effect. Therefore, the input part and the holding part can be relatively displaced in the axial direction by an input operation on the inner shaft, and the jaw can be effectively opened and closed.

In a fifth aspect, in the forceps described in the fourth aspect, a connection hole passing through the input part and the connection ring is formed, and the connection material filled in the connection hole is applied to the inner shaft. It is fixed.

According to the forceps structured according to the present aspect, even when the input part is made of a material that is difficult to directly fix to the connecting ring and the inner shaft, solder or the like filled in the connecting hole and fixed to the inner shaft can be used. By axially locking the connecting member to the input portion and the connecting ring, axial input to the inner shaft can be effectively transmitted to the input portion.

In a sixth aspect, in the forceps described in any one of the third to fifth aspects, the inner shaft is provided with a lumen opening at the tip.

According to the forceps structured according to this aspect, various instruments can be inserted into the inner cavity of the inner shaft, and imaging, cauterization, medication, incision, etc. can be performed with the instruments on the distal end side of the inner shaft. For example, by inserting an endoscope, which is a type of instrument, into the lumen of the inner shaft, the object to be grasped can be viewed by imaging the distal end side of the inner shaft with the endoscope. Note that the opening on the proximal end side of the inner cavity of the inner shaft may be opened laterally, for example, halfway along the length of the inner shaft, but preferably it is opened at the proximal end of the inner shaft. A lumen is formed through the inner shaft.

In a seventh aspect, in the forceps according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the transmission section is configured to move between both sides in the width direction of the frame-shaped outer circumferential section from the input section to the tip of the frame-shaped outer circumferential section. It extends towards the part.

According to the forceps structured according to this aspect, the transmission section extending from the input section toward the distal end of the frame-like outer circumferential section efficiently transfers an external force in the axial direction acting on the input section to the distal end of the frame-like outer circumferential section. can be transmitted to.

In an eighth aspect, in the forceps described in the seventh aspect, the transmission portion is made thicker than both widthwise side portions of the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion.

According to the forceps having the structure according to the present aspect, by ensuring a relatively large deformation rigidity of the transmission part, the external force can be efficiently transmitted by the transmission part from the input part to the tip of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part. be able to.

A ninth aspect is the forceps described in the seventh or eighth aspect, which is provided with a connecting portion that interconnects the transmitting portion and the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion in the width direction.

According to the forceps having the structure according to this aspect, since the transmission part is restrained to some extent by the connection part, unnecessary deformation such as bending of the transmission part in the width direction can be suppressed, for example. Furthermore, the spring action (elasticity) of the connecting portion can also assist in opening and closing the jaw. Further, by providing the connecting portion between the transmitting portion and the frame-shaped outer circumferential portion, it becomes difficult for the grasped object to fall out from between the transmitting portion and the frame-shaped outer circumferential portion. Furthermore, in addition to the transmitting portion and the frame-like outer circumferential portion, the connecting portion can also come into contact with the object to be gripped, so that the object to be gripped can be gripped so as to cover a wider area.

A tenth aspect is the forceps described in the ninth aspect, in which the connecting portion has a curved portion.

According to the forceps having the structure according to this aspect, by adjusting the elasticity of the connecting portion using the curved portion, the spring action of the connecting portion can be efficiently obtained.

An eleventh aspect is the forceps according to any one of the seventh to tenth aspects, in which a deformed portion is provided at a distal end portion of the transmission portion that is thinner than a proximal end portion.

According to the forceps structured according to this aspect, when an external force in the axial direction is transmitted by the transmission part, the deformation part provided at the distal end of the transmission part is actively deformed, thereby effectively deforming the jaw. It can be opened and closed.

A twelfth aspect is the forceps according to the eleventh aspect, in which the width of the jaws is smaller at the distal end portion where the deformed portion is provided than at the proximal end portion.

According to the forceps having the structure according to the present aspect, it is possible to adjust the opening/closing manner such as the amount of opening/closing operation of the jaws and the opening/closing operation form. In addition, the tip of the thin jaws makes it possible to perform fine movements such as pinching. In particular, when the jaws are in a closed state, the gaps between the tip portions of the plurality of jaws become smaller, making it easier to grip the object.

According to the present invention, forceps can convert axial input into jaw opening/closing force using a simple structure with a small number of parts.

A perspective view showing forceps as a first embodiment of the present invention A perspective view showing a partially cut section of the forceps in Figure 1 Top view of the forceps shown in Figure 1 Right side view of the forceps shown in Figure 1 V-V sectional view in Figure 3 An enlarged view of the VI-VI cross section in Figure 5 FIG. 5 is an enlarged right side view of the tip of the forceps in FIG. 4, with the pair of jaws opened; FIG. 5 is an enlarged right side view of the tip of the forceps in FIG. 4, with the pair of jaws closed; A perspective view showing forceps as a second embodiment of the present invention A plan view of the tip of the forceps shown in Figure 8 Right side view of the tip of the forceps shown in Figure 8 FIG. 11 is an enlarged right side view of the tip portion of the forceps in FIG. 10, showing a state in which the pair of jaws are opened; FIG. 11 is an enlarged right side view of the tip of the forceps in FIG. 10, with the pair of jaws closed; A perspective view showing forceps as a third embodiment of the present invention A plan view of the tip of the forceps shown in Figure 12 Right side view of the tip of the forceps shown in Figure 12 A perspective cross-sectional view showing forceps as another embodiment of the present invention

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 6 show forceps 10 as a first embodiment of the present invention. The forceps 10 is provided with a pair of jaws 12, 12 at the tip thereof, and is capable of gripping an object such as body tissue. The forceps 10 includes an outer shaft 14 forming a pair of jaws 12, 12, and an inner shaft 16 inserted into the outer shaft 14. In the following description, in principle, the vertical direction refers to the vertical direction in FIG. 4, the front-back direction refers to the left-right direction in FIG. 3, and the left-right direction refers to the vertical direction in FIG. 3.

The outer shaft 14 includes an outer pipe portion 18 forming a tip portion. The outer pipe portion 18 is made of, for example, a metal such as a Ni-Ti alloy or SUS, or a highly hard resin. The outer pipe portion 18 has a cylindrical portion 20 at its base end and a pair of jaws 12 at its distal end. The jaw 12 as a whole has a curved plate shape formed by a portion of the circumference of the outer pipe portion 18.

The jaw 12 includes a frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 22 that constitutes an outer peripheral edge. The frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 22 has a narrow tip portion 24 in which the distal end portion is smaller in circumferential length than the proximal end portion, and the distal end portion of the jaw 12 is narrower than the proximal portion. The frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 22 has a distal end surface and both end surfaces in the circumferential direction each having a smoothly continuous curved surface, making it difficult to get caught when inserted into the body, for example. A pair of jaws 12 are arranged facing each other in the vertical direction. Slit-shaped openings 26, 26 are formed between the circumferential ends of the pair of jaws 12, 12, and the pair of jaws 12, 12 are separated from each other by the openings 26, 26.

The frame-shaped outer peripheral portions 22, 22 of the pair of jaws 12, 12 are integrally continuous at their base ends. The connecting portion at the base end of the frame-shaped outer circumferential portions 22, 22 is a hinge portion 28 that curves in a semicircular arc shape, and the deformation of the hinge portion 28 allows the pair of jaws 12, 12 to open and close. . The hinge portions 28 are provided on both left and right sides. An open portion 26 is located in front of the hinge portion 28 . The hinge portion 28 is integrally continuous with the holding portion 30 via a narrow connecting portion 29 extending toward the proximal end. The holding part 30 is in the shape of a curved plate and forms a part of the outer pipe part 18 in the circumferential direction. A pair of holding parts 30 are provided extending from the cylindrical part 20 toward the tip on both sides in the left-right direction. The hinge portion 28 may be, for example, in a V-shape simply connecting the base ends of the frame-shaped outer peripheral portions 22, 22, but preferably has a semicircular arc shape as in this embodiment, an S-curve shape, etc. By doing so, a spring element for opening/closing operation can be provided.

An input section 32 is disposed between the pair of holding sections 30, 30 in the outer pipe section 18 in the circumferential direction. The input part 32 is a curved plate-shaped part formed by a part of the outer pipe part 18, and is spaced apart from the cylindrical part 20 toward the distal end side, and is spaced apart from the pair of holding parts 30, 30. and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction. A through hole 34 penetrating in the thickness direction is formed in the input section 32 . The cross-sectional shape of the through-hole 34 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it has a rectangular cross-section.

The outer pipe portion 18 includes a transmission portion 36 that integrally extends from the input portion 32 toward the distal end side. The transmission portion 36 has a distal end that is continuous with the distal end portion of the frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 22 and connects the input portion 32 and the distal end portion of the frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 22 to each other. As a result, the tip of the frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 22 serves as an acting portion 38 on which an external force transmitted by the transmitting portion 36 acts, as will be described later. The transmission section 36 of this embodiment extends linearly from the input section 32 toward the action section 38 between the left and right sides of the frame-shaped outer peripheral section 22 (more preferably at the left and right center of the jaw 12). The transmission section 36 has a base end portion as a deformation limiting section 40 having substantially the same width as the input section 32, and a distal end section as a deformation section 42 that is thinner than the deformation limiting section 40. Since the deformation part 42 has the same thickness and smaller width as the deformation restriction part 40, the deformation rigidity is smaller than that of the deformation restriction part 40, and it deforms preferentially when an external force is applied. do. It is desirable that the width w of the deformation portion 42 is 1/3 or less of the width W of the deformation limiting portion 40. Furthermore, the width w of the deformable portion 42 is preferably larger than the width of both left and right portions of the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 22. Narrow end portions 24 of the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 22 are located on both left and right sides of at least the end portion of the deformable portion 42 .

The outer pipe portion 18 is formed into a predetermined shape including a pair of jaws 12, 12, etc. by, for example, cutting out or etching a pipe material. Preferably, the outer pipe portion 18 can be obtained with high processing accuracy by cutting out the pipe material using a laser. In this embodiment, the outer pipe portion 18 is cut out from a pipe material, and thereby the cylindrical portion 20, the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 22, the hinge portion 28, the connecting portion 29, the holding portion 30, and the input portion 32 are communicated with each other. The portion 36 is integrally formed. Of course, the outer pipe part 18 including the pair of jaws 12, 12, etc. can be formed using a 3D printer using a resin material or a metal material, or can be formed by metal injection molding (MIM). You can also do that.

The outer shaft 14 includes an outer tube portion 44 extending from the outer pipe portion 18 toward the proximal end. The outer tube portion 44 is made of, for example, an elastomer such as resin or rubber, and is a flexible tube that allows bending deformation and changes in cross-sectional shape. The outer tube portion 44 has a distal end portion attached to the cylindrical portion 20 , which constitutes the proximal end portion of the outer pipe portion 18 , in an externally inserted state. The outer tube portion 44 may be attached to the outer pipe portion 18 by being fitted without adhesive, but is preferably fixed by adhesive or welding. Note that, for example, with the outer tube portion 44 partially recessed inward and in contact with the outer pipe portion 18, the contact portion may be spot-welded or bonded, thereby forming the outer pipe portion. 18 and the outer tube portion 44 can also be connected. In this case, for example, a cut or the like may be formed that partially extends around the recessed portion of the outer tube portion 44. Specifically, for example, two parallel slit-like cuts extending a predetermined length in the circumferential direction of the outer tube portion 44 can be formed, and the space between these two cuts can be recessed toward the inner circumference. As a result, it is possible to easily deform and form a locally recessed portion toward the inner periphery, and to effectively avoid deformation around the recessed portion to maintain the circular cylindrical shape of the outer tube portion 44 with high precision. becomes possible. Note that the above-mentioned connection structure can be adopted even when the outer tube part 44 is made of metal, and the outer pipe part 18 and the outer tube part 44 can be connected by spot welding or adhesion. .

An inner shaft 16 is inserted into the inner circumference of the outer shaft 14. The inner shaft 16 has a hollow cylindrical shape and includes a lumen 46 as an inner cavity passing through the central axis in the length direction. The inner shaft 16 includes an inner pipe portion 48 forming a tip portion. The inner pipe section 48 has an outer diameter dimension that allows it to be inserted into the outer pipe section 18. The inner pipe part 48 is inserted into the cylindrical part 20 of the outer pipe part 18, and protrudes from the cylindrical part 20 by approximately the same length on both sides in the length direction. The distal end of the inner pipe section 48 protrudes toward the distal end beyond the base end of the input section 32 of the outer pipe section 18, and the distal end portion overlaps the input section 32 in the radial direction. The inner pipe portion 48 is made of metal such as medical stainless steel, for example.

The inner shaft 16 includes an inner tube portion 50 extending from the inner pipe portion 48 toward the proximal end. The inner tube section 50, like the outer tube section 44, is a flexible tube made of elastomer. The inner tube portion 50 has a distal end portion inserted into the outer tube portion 44 and is attached to the proximal end portion of the inner pipe portion 48 in an externally inserted state. The inner tube portion 50 may be attached to the inner pipe portion 48 by being fitted without adhesive, but is preferably fixed by adhesive or welding.

A connecting ring 52 is fitted onto the outer pipe portion 18 which is overlapped with the inner pipe portion 48 . The connection ring 52 is made of metal such as medical stainless steel, for example. The connecting ring 52 has a substantially cylindrical shape, has an inner diameter that is the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the outer pipe portion 18, and can be inserted into the outer pipe portion 18. The connecting ring 52 has a proximal end portion fitted over the cylindrical portion 20 of the outer pipe portion 18, and a distal end portion fitted onto the input portions 32, 32 and the holding portions 30, 30 of the outer pipe portion 18. There is. The connection ring 52 is provided with windows 54 on both sides in the radial direction. The window portion 54 is provided at a position corresponding to the through hole 34 of the outer pipe portion 18 and communicates with the through hole 34, and the through hole 34 and the window portion 54 constitute the connection hole of this embodiment. There is. In this embodiment, the through hole 34 and the window portion 54 have a rectangular cross-sectional shape with different width dimensions in the circumferential direction, but their shapes and sizes may be the same.

A connecting member 56 is disposed inside the window portion 54 of the connecting ring 52 and the through hole 34 of the outer pipe portion 18, which communicate with each other. The connecting material 56 is, for example, a wax material such as solder or an adhesive, and is solidified within the window portion 54 and the through hole 34, and is connected to the inner pipe portion through the through hole 34, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. 48 and is fixed to the inner pipe portion 48. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting member 56 is in contact with the inner peripheral surfaces of the window portion 54 and the through hole 34 in the axial direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the connecting member 56 is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the window portion 54 in the circumferential direction, and is spaced apart from the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 34 in the circumferential direction. Of course, the connecting member 56 may be spaced apart from the inner circumferential surface of the window portion 54 in the circumferential direction, or may be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 34 .

With such a connecting member 56, the connecting ring 52, the input portion 32 of the outer pipe portion 18, and the inner pipe portion 48 are interconnected in the axial direction, and are configured to move integrally in the axial direction. It has become. For example, the input part 32 of the outer pipe part 18 made of Ni-Ti alloy and the connecting ring 52 and inner pipe part 48 made of medical grade stainless steel are difficult to fix to each other by means of adhesives, welding, etc. In this embodiment, the connecting member 56 is fixed to the inner pipe portion 48 and is locked to the input portion 32 in the axial direction, thereby positioning the inner pipe portion 48 and the input portion 32 in the axial direction. can be connected. The inner pipe portion 48 to which the connecting member 56 is fixed may be movable in the circumferential direction with respect to at least one of the connecting ring 52 and the input portion 32 of the outer pipe portion 18.

Furthermore, the inner pipe portion 48 and the connecting ring 52 are allowed to slide in the axial direction relative to the holding portion 30 and the cylindrical portion 20 of the outer pipe portion 18, and They are relatively movable in the axial direction.

In the forceps 10 having such a structure, the pair of jaws 12, 12 are operated to open and close by applying an external force in the axial direction to the inner shaft 16.

When opening the jaws 12 , 12 , the user pulls the inner tube portion 50 , which constitutes the proximal end portion of the inner shaft 16 , toward the proximal side with respect to the outer shaft 14 . By applying an external axial force to the side, the inner pipe section 48 connected to the inner tube section 50 is moved toward the proximal end.

Since the inner pipe portion 48 is connected to the input portion 32 of the outer pipe portion 18 by the connecting member 56, an external force in the axial direction toward the proximal end is transmitted from the inner pipe portion 48 to the input portion 32. The input section 32 moves integrally with the inner pipe section 48 toward the proximal end. Since the holding portion 30 of the outer pipe portion 18 is slidable with respect to the inner pipe portion 48, no external force is substantially transmitted from the inner pipe portion 48.

The transmission section 36, which integrally extends from the input section 32 toward the distal end, has its distal end connected to the distal end portion of the frame-shaped outer circumferential section 22. axial force) is transmitted to the distal end portion of the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 22 via the transmission portion 36. Since the hinge parts 28, 28, which are the base end parts of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22, are connected to the holding part 30, the axial direction toward the base end side does not act. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7A, the tip portions of the pair of frame-shaped outer peripheral portions 22, 22 are displaced outwardly away from each other in the vertical direction, and the opening operation of the pair of jaws 12, 12 is realized. Note that FIG. 7A shows a state in which input is made such that the input units 32, 32 are moved by a distance d1 from the initial position toward the proximal end.

On the other hand, when closing the jaws 12 , 12 , the user pushes the inner tube portion 50 , which constitutes the proximal end portion of the inner shaft 16 , toward the distal side with respect to the outer shaft 14 . By applying an external axial force to the side, the inner pipe section 48 connected to the inner tube section 50 is moved toward the distal end side.

Since the inner pipe part 48 is connected to the input part 32 of the outer pipe part 18 by the connecting member 56, an external force in the axial direction toward the tip side is transmitted from the inner pipe part 48 to the input part 32. The portion 32 moves integrally with the inner pipe portion 48 toward the distal end side. Since the holding portion 30 of the outer pipe portion 18 is slidable with respect to the inner pipe portion 48, there is substantially no transmission of external force from the inner pipe portion 48.

The external force in the axial direction (axial force toward the distal end side) applied to the input section 32 is transmitted to the distal end portion of the frame-shaped outer peripheral section 22 via the transmission section 36 . Since the hinge parts 28, 28, which are the proximal ends of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22, are connected to the holding part 30, no compressive force is applied to the distal end side. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7B, the tip portions of the pair of frame-shaped outer circumferential portions 22, 22 are displaced inwardly toward each other in the vertical direction, and the closing operation of the pair of jaws 12, 12 is realized. Note that FIG. 7B shows a state in which input is made such that the input units 32, 32 are moved by a distance d2 from the initial position toward the distal end side. In addition, in FIG. 7, the forceps 10 in an initial state before the opening/closing operation is shown in light black.

When the distal ends of the transmitting parts 36, 36 approach each other in the vertical direction, the base ends tend to separate from each other in the vertical direction, but the input parts 32, 32 provided on the proximal end sides of the transmitting parts 36, 36 Since the connection ring 52 restricts the displacement of the base ends to the outside in the vertical direction, the base ends of the transmitting parts 36, 36 are restricted from being displaced away from each other in the vertical direction. Therefore, the external force is efficiently transmitted from the proximal end side to the distal end side of the transmitting parts 36, 36, and the closing operation of the jaws 12, 12 is efficiently realized. Further, by preventing the proximal end portions of the transmitting portions 36, 36 and the input portions 32, 32 from being displaced upwardly and outwardly, changes in the outer diameter dimension of the forceps 10 are suppressed.

In this way, the forceps 10 is configured such that the pair of jaws 12, 12 are opened and closed by moving the inner shaft 16 relative to the outer shaft 14 in the axial direction. The forceps 10 can pinch an object, such as body tissue, with its tip portion by the closing action of the pair of jaws 12, 12, and can release the pinched object by opening the opening action.

The jaws 12 of the forceps 10 have a simple structure with a small number of parts in which the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22, the input part 32, and the transmission part 36 are integrally provided. Minimally invasive use can be achieved when inserted into the body. In this embodiment, the frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 22, the input portion 32, and the transmission portion 36 are integrally formed by cutting out a pipe material (outer pipe portion 18) by laser cutting, for example, so that the small jaw 12 can be easily formed. Obtainable.

In the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22, the input part 32, and the transmission part 36 that are integrally provided, the axial external force acting on the input part 32 is transmitted by the transmission part 36 to the tip part of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22. The external force in the axial direction can be converted into an operating force for opening and closing the jaws 12 and can be applied to the frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 22, and the conversion of the direction of force application is realized by a simple structure using integral parts. Therefore, the opening and closing operations of the forceps 10 are realized by pushing and pulling the inner shaft 16 in the axial direction, and can be easily operated even when inserted into the body.

In this embodiment, since the transmission part 36 extends linearly from the input part 32 toward the acting part 38 which is the tip of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22, an external force in the axial direction acting on the input part 32 acts. The force is efficiently transmitted to the portion 38, and the forceps 10 can be opened and closed with a small force. Further, since the transmission part 36 is made thicker than the left and right side parts of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22 that extend in parallel, the transmission part 36 has relatively high deformation rigidity, and the transmission part 36 is transferred from the input part 32 to the action part 38. External force can be efficiently transmitted.

Further, since the deformation portion 42 which is the distal end portion of the transmission portion 36 is made thinner than the deformation limiting portion 40 which is the proximal portion, the transmission portion 36 is deformed when an external force is transmitted by the transmission portion 36. By actively curving the portion 42 in the vertical direction, the transmission direction of external force can be efficiently changed from the front-back direction to the vertical direction, and the input external force can be effectively applied in the opening/closing direction of the jaws 12, 12. Can be done.

Furthermore, the width dimension of the jaw 12 is made smaller at the distal end portion where the deformation portion 42 is provided than at the base end portion where the deformation limiting portion 40 is provided, and the transmission direction is changed by the deformation of the deformation portion 42. Deformation of the jaw 12 is likely to occur at the distal end portion of the jaw 12 where external force acts. In this manner, by adjusting the width dimension of the jaw 12, it is also possible to adjust the opening/closing manner, such as the amount of opening/closing operation of the jaw 12 and the deformation mode during the opening/closing operation. In addition, fine gripping motions such as pinching can be realized by the tips of the thin jaws 12. In particular, when the forceps 10 is in the closed state, the tips of the upper and lower jaws 12, 12 can be more easily closed without any gaps, making it easier to grasp the object.

Since the outer periphery of the jaw 12 is constituted by the frame-shaped outer periphery 22, it is possible to set the width dimension with a large degree of freedom. That is, the width dimension of the jaw 12 can be set by the distance between the parts of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 22 located on both sides of the transmission part 36, and when the width dimension of the jaw 12 is set large, it is not always necessary to There is no need to increase the width dimensions of the shaped outer peripheral portion 22 or the transmission portion 36. Therefore, it is possible to adjust and set the width dimension of the jaws 12 and the deformation rigidity when the jaws 12 open and close, respectively. The force required to open and close the jaws 12 can be kept small while being able to stably hold the jaws 12 in a wrap-around manner.

In the forceps 10 of this embodiment, the jaws 12, 12 are formed by the outer shaft 14, which is a pipe material, so that the lumen 46 that opens at the tip of the inner shaft 16 opens toward the tip side between the jaws 12, 12. has been done. Therefore, an endoscope can be inserted into the lumen 46 to grasp an object to be grasped inside the body under the imaging vision of the endoscope, and various treatment tools inserted through the lumen 46 can be used to perform treatments other than grasping, such as cauterization. You can also do this.

8 to 10 show forceps 60 as a second embodiment of the present invention. The forceps 60 includes a pair of jaws 62, 62. The jaw 62 integrally includes a frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 64, an input portion 32, and a transmission portion 66. Note that only the tip portion of the forceps 60 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In addition, in the following description, members and parts that are substantially the same as those in the embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 64 of this embodiment does not have the narrow tip width portion 24 that becomes narrow in a stepped manner like the frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 22 of the first embodiment, and the width gradually increases toward the tip. It has a narrow tapered shape. The frame-shaped outer circumferential portion 64 has a distal end having a larger inclination angle with respect to the front-rear direction than a proximal end.

The transmission portion 66 has a substantially constant width and extends linearly in the front-rear direction. The transmission portion 66 has a substantially constant thickness, and is not provided with the deformation limiting portion 40 and the deformation portion 42 having mutually different cross-sectional areas as in the first embodiment.

As with the forceps 10 of the first embodiment, the forceps 60 having such a structure can be used to open the pair of jaws 62 by pushing and pulling the inner shaft 16 in the axial direction, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. , 62 are opened and closed. This allows the forceps 60 to grip an object between the pair of jaws 62, 62, and also to release the gripped object, by an input operation from the outside. .

12 to 14 show forceps 70 as a third embodiment of the present invention. The forceps 70 includes a pair of jaws 72, 72. The jaw 72 integrally includes a frame-shaped outer peripheral part 64, an input part 32, and a transmission part 66, and also integrally includes a plurality of connecting parts 74 that connect the frame-shaped outer peripheral part 64 and the transmission part 66. There is.

The connecting portion 74 is disposed between the left and right side portions of the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 64 extending in the front-rear direction and the transmission portion 66 in the left-right direction. The connecting portion 74 as a whole extends in the left-right direction, and its inner end in the left-right direction is connected to the transmission portion 66, and its outer end in the left-right direction is connected to the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 64. A central portion of the connecting portion 74 in the left-right direction is a straight portion 76 extending in the front-rear direction. The connecting portion 74 includes S-shaped curved portions 78 , 78 extending from both ends of the straight portion 76 . There is. The connecting portion 74 functions as an elastic spring member, and due to the elastic deformation of the connecting portion 74, relative displacement between the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion 64 and the transmitting portion 66 is allowed while being restrained to some extent. The elasticity of the connecting portion 74 of this embodiment is adjusted by the curved portions 78, 78. In this embodiment, three connecting portions 74 are arranged in line in the front-rear direction on both the left and right sides of the transmitting portion 66, and six connecting portions 74 are provided in one jaw 72. The number of connecting parts 74 is not particularly limited. The connecting portions 74 disposed on both left and right sides of the transmitting portion 66 are provided symmetrically with respect to the transmitting portion 66 .

In the forceps 70 having such a structure, the pair of jaws 72, 72 are opened and closed by pushing and pulling the inner shaft 16 in the axial direction. This allows the forceps 70 to grip an object between the pair of jaws 72, 72, and also to release the gripped object, by an input operation from the outside. .

In this embodiment, the amount of opening/closing deformation of the pair of jaws 72, 72 in response to an input, the form of deformation of the jaws 72, etc. can be adjusted by the elastic restraining force of the connecting portion 74. That is, for example, by suppressing unnecessary deformation such as bending of the transmission portion 66 in the width direction by the restraining force of the connecting portion 74, the opening/closing operation can be easily controlled. Further, since the connecting portion 74 is provided with the curved portion 78, it is possible to obtain a greater degree of freedom in adjusting the opening/closing operation characteristics. Further, for example, when the jaw 72 is in an open or closed state, the spring action (elasticity) of the connecting portion 74 acts as a restoring force to return to the initial shape. It can also assist.

Note that the connecting portion 74 does not necessarily have to include the straight portion 76 and the curved portion 78; for example, the entire connecting portion 74 may have a curved shape, or the entire connecting portion may have a shape that extends linearly. good. Further, for example, the curved portion is not limited to an S-shape, but may be a semicircular arc shape, or the straight portion may extend obliquely with respect to the front-rear direction.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited by the specific description. For example, the number of jaws is not limited to two, and may be three or more. In addition, it is desirable that the plurality of jaws have substantially the same shape and the same size from the viewpoint of achieving uniform operation, but for example, by making the plurality of jaws have different shapes and sizes, It is also possible to mutually differ the amount of opening/closing operation in response to input.

The transmission portion is not limited to a shape that extends linearly in the front-rear direction. The transmission portion may be inclined, meander, or bent in a zigzag manner with respect to the front-rear direction, for example. The transmission part does not necessarily need to be located at the center between the widthwise both sides of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part, but may be arranged at a position shifted from the center in the width direction. For example, a plurality of transmission parts extending in the front-rear direction may be provided in parallel in one jaw. Furthermore, the transmission part may be, for example, in the form of a mesh disposed on the inner peripheral side of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part, and is not necessarily limited to a shape that can be clearly seen extending in the front-rear direction.

The transmitting portion extending in the front-rear direction may have a plurality of branches at its distal end. In short, when a plurality of transmission parts are provided in parallel in one jaw, the whole may be plural, or only the distal end portion, the proximal end portion, or the intermediate portion may be branched into a plurality of parts. In a transmission section with a plurality of distal end portions extending in parallel, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the distal end portions is greater than the cross-sectional area of the proximal end portions (or the sum of the cross-sectional areas in the case of a plurality of proximal end portions extending in parallel). If the distal end portion is also made smaller, the distal end portion can be regarded as a deformed portion that is thinner than the proximal end portion.

The shape of the frame-shaped outer periphery is not limited as long as it constitutes the outer periphery of the jaw. Specifically, for example, the proximal end side may be narrower than the distal end side, or a partial narrow portion or a wide portion may be provided midway in the axial direction.

The connection structure between the input part 32 of the outer shaft 14 and the inner shaft 16 (inner pipe part 48) is not limited to the structure of the above embodiment using the connecting material 56, and may be, for example, welded, welded, glued, caulked, etc. The connection can also be made by mechanical means or the like. Specifically, for example, the connection ring 52 is not provided with the window portion 54, and the portion of the connection ring 52 corresponding to the window portion 54 is recessed toward the inner circumferential side, so that the through hole 34 of the input portion 32 The overlapping portion of the connecting ring 52 and the inner pipe portion 48 may be fixed by means such as welding or adhesion. According to this, the portion recessed toward the inner periphery of the connection ring 52 is inserted into the through hole 34 of the input portion 32, and the portion recessed toward the inner periphery of the connection ring 52 and the input portion 32 are locked in the axial direction. Therefore, by applying an axial force between the inner shaft 16 and the connecting ring 52, an axial force can be applied to the input portion 32 to open and close the jaws 12. In short, in the above embodiment, the portion recessed toward the inner periphery of the connecting ring 52 (and/or the portion welded or bonded to the inner pipe portion 48) functions to fix the connecting ring 52 and the inner pipe portion 48, and the inner pipe portion It exhibits the same function as the connecting member 56 of the embodiment described above, which is the function of transmitting force from 48 to the input section 32. Note that when forming a locally recessed portion toward the inner periphery of the connection ring 52, a cut or the like may be formed that partially extends around the recessed portion. Specifically, for example, two parallel slit-like cuts extending a predetermined length in the circumferential direction of the connection ring 52 can be formed, and the space between these two cuts can be recessed toward the inner circumference. As a result, it is possible to easily deform and form a locally recessed portion toward the inner periphery, and also to effectively avoid deformation around the recessed portion and maintain the circular cylindrical shape of the connecting ring 52 with high precision. It becomes possible. Further, for example, the input section 32 of the outer shaft 14 may be extended to a proximal end that is grasped by the user, so that an external force can be directly applied to the input section 32.

The material for forming the outer tube portion is not limited to an elastomer as long as it can be bent flexibly. For example, as in the outer tube member 82 of the forceps 80 shown in FIG. It can also be obtained by forming a slit 84 in a pipe material made of , making it bendable. In this case, the number, shape, size, etc. of the slits 84 are not limited as long as the necessary flexibility can be imparted to the pipe material. By providing a large number of them spaced apart from each other, the outer tube portion 82 can have the necessary flexibility. Similarly, the inner tube portion can also be obtained by forming slits in a metal pipe material to impart flexibility.

In the first embodiment, the inner shaft 16 was composed of the inner pipe part 48 and the inner tube part 50, but for example, as in the forceps 80 shown in FIG. It can also be configured. In this case, for example, the inner pipe portion 86 may be extended to the proximal side, that is, to the position of the inner tube portion 44 of the first embodiment, and the proximal extending portion of the inner pipe portion 86 may be By forming the slit 88, flexibility can be imparted to the extending portion of the inner pipe portion 86. Similarly, the outer shaft is not limited to the structure including the outer pipe portion 18 and the outer tube portion 44, and for example, the outer shaft may be composed of only the outer pipe portion.

In the first embodiment, a mode in which an endoscope or the like is inserted into the lumen 46 of the forceps 10 is illustrated, but for example, the forceps 10 may be used by being inserted into a working channel of an endoscope, a catheter, or the like. You can also do that. In this case, the inner shaft 16 is not limited to a hollow cylindrical shape including the lumen 46, but may be, for example, a solid rod shape.

10 Forceps (first embodiment)
12 Jaw 14 Outer shaft 16 Inner shaft 18 Outer pipe part 20 Cylindrical part 22 Frame-shaped outer peripheral part 24 Narrow tip part 26 Open part 28 Hinge part 29 Connection part 30 Holding part 32 Input part 34 Through hole (connection hole)
36 Transmission section 38 Action section 40 Deformation limiting section 42 Deformation section 44 Outer tube section 46 Lumen 48 Inner pipe section 50 Inner tube section 52 Connection ring 54 Window section (connection hole)
56 Connecting material 60 Forceps (second embodiment)
62 Jaw 64 Frame-shaped outer peripheral part 66 Transmission part 70 Forceps (third embodiment)
72 Jaw 74 Connecting part 76 Straight part 78 Curved part 80 Forceps (another embodiment)
82 Outer tube part 84 Slit 86 Inner tube part 88 Slit

Claims (12)

A forceps having a plurality of jaws capable of grasping an object,
A frame-shaped outer periphery forming an outer periphery of the jaw is provided,
An input portion to which an external force in the axial direction is applied is provided on the proximal end side of the jaw,
A forceps in which a transmission section that transmits the external force acting on the input section to a tip portion of the frame-shaped outer circumferential section is provided integrally with the frame-shaped outer circumferential section and the input section. The forceps according to claim 1, wherein the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion, the input portion, and the transmission portion are integrally formed by cutting out a pipe material. A cylindrical outer shaft is provided that integrally includes the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion, the input portion, and the transmission portion,
An inner shaft is inserted into the outer shaft,
The forceps according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the input section is fixed to the inner shaft, and the external force in the axial direction is input to the input section by axial movement of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft. A holding part is provided on the outer shaft and is provided continuously on the proximal end side of the frame-shaped outer peripheral part,
A connecting ring is extrapolated between the input part and the holding part,
the connecting ring is axially positioned relative to the input portion and the inner shaft;
The forceps according to claim 3, wherein the connecting ring is axially slidable with respect to the holding part. A connection hole passing through the input part and the connection ring is formed,
The forceps according to claim 4, wherein the connecting material filled in the connecting hole is fixed to the inner shaft. The forceps according to claim 3, wherein the inner shaft has a lumen that opens at the tip. The forceps according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transmission section extends between both widthwise sides of the frame-shaped outer circumference from the input section toward the tip of the frame-shaped outer circumference. The forceps according to claim 7, wherein the transmission portion is thicker than both widthwise side portions of the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion. The forceps according to claim 7, further comprising a connecting portion that interconnects the transmitting portion and the frame-shaped outer peripheral portion in the width direction. The forceps according to claim 9, wherein the connecting portion has a curved portion. The forceps according to claim 7, wherein the distal end portion of the transmission portion is provided with a deformed portion that is thinner than the proximal end portion. The forceps according to claim 11, wherein the width of the jaws is smaller at a distal end portion where the deformed portion is provided than at a proximal end portion.

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