JP3852749B2 - Fluid pressure actuator and catheter drive device using the same - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a fluid pressure actuator that enables reversible bending of a joint, and is particularly applied to a catheter.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, there is a case where a pipe-shaped object is bent by a remote operation. For example, in the case of a catheter. A catheter is a thin tube inserted from peripheral blood vessels in the upper and lower limbs for diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases, mainly measuring internal pressure in the circulatory system, collecting blood samples, and injecting contrast media for angiography. It is a medical instrument used for. As we enter an aging society, inspections and medical care for non-invasive and low-invasion are increasing. Catheter therapy is a representative example of such low invasive medical treatment, and diagnosis is possible with low invasiveness. Therefore, it is actively used in the clinic of external medicine.
[0003]
FIG. 3 shows a conventional flexible catheter (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-70453), in which a control tube 22 is arranged, and the control tube 22 has a category. -A plurality of zone pressure drive valves 24, 25, 26 are attached in a state of penetrating the tellel 21. Further, the operating members 31, 32, 33 are fixed to the outer periphery of the catheter 21 at positions that are divided into a large number of sections (in this example, three divisions) at substantially equal pitches. Are attached with end portions of telescopic bellows 27, 28, 29 connected to the zone pressure drive valves 24, 25, 26, respectively. For this reason, when the bellows 27, 28, 29 are extended, the actuating members 31, 32, 33 are pushed, whereby the actuating members 31, 32, 33 are tilted and the catheter 21 is deformed. Yes.
[0004]
As shown in FIG. 4, the zone pressure drive valve includes a pair of a first valve V1 and a second valve V2, and the first valve V1 is a valve (high-pass valve) that allows only a predetermined fluid pressure to pass therethrough. The second valve V2 is arranged on the downstream side adjacent to the first valve (high-pass valve) V1, and is configured as a valve (low-pass valve) that closes when a predetermined hydraulic pressure is reached. In this way, the zone pressure drive valve can set different zone pressures for each zone pressure drive valve according to the way of setting the working fluid pressure of the first valve V1 and the second valve V2. Then, when a plurality of such zone pressure drive valves are arranged and a predetermined fluid pressure is supplied from a fluid pressure generator (not shown), a zone pressure drive valve (for example, valve 24) corresponding to the fluid pressure is opened, The bellows 27 expands and pushes the operating member 31 to tilt the operating member 31. As a result, this portion of the catheter 21 is bent. Thus, by appropriately controlling the hydraulic pressure in the control tube, the zone pressure drive valve at the required location can be opened, the bellows can be extended, and the catheter can be deformed. However, the zone pressure drive valve used in the above-mentioned conventional catheter has a problem that it is bent because it is a complete one-way valve, but does not return to its original state after bending. The present invention solves the conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a catheter that enables reversible bending of a joint.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
For this reason, the technical means adopted by the present invention are:
A plurality of bypass zone pressure drive valves are connected in the control tube and an actuator is connected to the other of the bypass zone pressure drive valves, and the fluid in the control tube is connected to the actuator via the bypass zone pressure drive valve. A fluid pressure actuator that injects pressure and pressurizes and depressurizes the fluid pressure to make the control tube freely bendable, and the bypass pressure control valve with bypass includes a first chamber, a first passage, The two chambers, the second passage, the third chamber, and the third passage are connected in order, and the first chamber and the second chamber are connected by a bypass pipe, and the first passage and the second chamber are connected between the first passage and the second chamber. A second valve is disposed between the second passage and the third passage, and a third valve is disposed between the bypass pipe and the first chamber. The first valve and the second valve are disposed in the control tube. It is configured to supply the fluid pressure to the third chamber when the fluid pressure is increased, and the third valve returns the fluid pressure in the second chamber to the control tube when the fluid pressure in the control tube is reduced. This is a fluid pressure actuator configured as described above.
The first valve, the second valve, and the third valve are fluid pressure actuators made of silicon rubber.
The first chamber is a fluid pressure actuator connected to the pressure source, and the third passage is connected to the actuator.
The third passage is connected to each actuator, and the first chamber is a fluid pressure actuator connected to the same pressure source.
Further, the present invention is a catheter drive device in which the fluid pressure actuator according to any one of the above is provided in a catheter, and the catheter can be bent by the operation of the fluid pressure actuator.
[0006]
【Example】
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a zone pressure drive valve with bypass according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a catheter drive device incorporating a plurality of bypass pressure drive valves with bypass according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the zone | band pressure drive valve with a bypass comprises the members of the 1st-3 chambers 1-3, the 1st-3 passages 4-6, the bypass pipe 7, and the 1st-3 valves V1-V3. The first chamber 1, the first passage 4, the second chamber 2, the second passage 5, the third chamber 3, and the third passage 6 are sequentially connected, and further, between the first chamber 1 and the second chamber 2. A bypass pipe 7 is connected. Further, a first valve V1 is provided between the first passage 1 and the second chamber 2, a second valve V2 is provided between the second passage 5 and the third passage 6, and a third valve is provided between the bypass pipe 7 and the first chamber 1. V3 is respectively arranged, and the first V1 and the third V3 are one-way valves. Further, the first valve V1 is configured as a valve (high pass valve) that allows only a predetermined fluid pressure to pass therethrough, and the second valve V2 is disposed on the downstream side adjacent to the first valve (high pass valve) V1. The valve is configured as a valve (low-pass valve) that closes at a predetermined fluid pressure. The first valve V1, the second valve V2, and the third valve V3 are formed of an elastic material such as silicon rubber. The second valve V2 is always open and is closed with a certain zone pressure.
[0007]
The third passage 3 of the zone pressure drive valve with bypass configured in this way is connected to an actuator (not shown), and the first chamber 1 is connected to a control tube 8. Next, the operation of the bypass-equipped zone pressure drive valve configured as described above will be described. When the fluid pressure in the control tube 8 becomes P1 (first threshold value) or more, the first valve V1 opens, and the fluid that has passed through the first valve V1 passes through the second valve V2 that is always open. Then the actuator is reached and the actuator is operated. When the fluid pressure becomes equal to or higher than P2 (second threshold value), the second valve V2 is closed and the supply of fluid to the actuator is stopped.
As described above, when the pressure is increased, the third valve V3 is closed so that the fluid does not pass through the bypass pipe 7. The first valve V1 and the second valve V2 are opened in the specified pressure band. Since the fluid is completely closed, the fluid passes through the bypass 7 and the third valve V3 opens and returns to the control tube 8. FIG. 4 shows a plurality of bypass-equipped zone pressure drive valves operating as described above arranged in the catheter.
[0008]
Since a plurality of bypass zone pressure drive valves with a bypass operate according to the fluid pressure, only one bypass zone pressure drive valve in FIG. 4 will be described. The control tube 8 in the catheter is connected to a hydraulic pressure generator (not shown). When a predetermined hydraulic pressure is supplied from the hydraulic pressure generator, a band pressure with a bypass corresponding to the hydraulic pressure is supplied. The drive valve is opened, and the bellows 9 is extended to press the other of the operating members 10 fixed to one of the flexible catheters, and the operating member 10 is brought down. As a result, this portion of the catheter is bent. To restore the bent catheter, when the pressure is reduced, the fluid in the bellows 9 flows through the bypass pipe 7 and into the control tube 8 because the first valve V1 is closed. . As a result, the bent bellows 9 returns to the original straight state.
[0009]
Although the embodiment according to the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to a catheter, and where reversible bending is required where human hands cannot reach, other than the human body, for example, Even things like water pipes can be used.
The fluid is a broad concept including air and liquid.
Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the present invention can be implemented in any other form without departing from the spirit or main features thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiment is merely an example in all respects and should not be interpreted in a limited manner.
[0010]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the bypass pipe is provided between the first chamber and the second chamber, and the third valve is provided between the first chamber and the bypass pipe. The fluid in the cylinder can be returned to the control tube, and the pipe can be bent or returned to its original position. In particular, when applied to a catheter, each joint can be driven independently and reversibly, and the degree of freedom in selecting a course at the branch point of the blood vessel is increased, thereby facilitating the operation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a zone pressure drive valve with bypass according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a catheter drive device incorporating a plurality of bypass pressure drive valves with bypass according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional catheter drive device.
4 is an enlarged view of a main part in FIG. 3;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 1st chamber 2 2nd chamber 3 3rd chamber 4 1st passage 5 2nd passage 6 3rd passage 7 Bypass pipe V1 1st valve V2 2nd valve V3 3rd valve 8 Control tube 9 Bellows 10 Actuating member 21 Cattel 22 Control tube 23 Cover tube 24 Band pressure driving valve 25 Band pressure driving valve 26 Band pressure driving valve 27 Bellows 28 Bellows 29 Bellows 31 Actuating members 32 Member 33 Actuating member

Claims (5)

A plurality of bypass zone pressure drive valves are connected in the control tube and an actuator is connected to the other of the bypass zone pressure drive valves, and the fluid in the control tube is connected to the actuator via the bypass zone pressure drive valve. A fluid pressure actuator that injects pressure and pressurizes and depressurizes the fluid pressure to make the control tube freely bendable, and the bypass pressure control valve with bypass includes a first chamber, a first passage, The two chambers, the second passage, the third chamber, and the third passage are connected in order, and the first chamber and the second chamber are connected by a bypass pipe, and the first passage and the second chamber are connected between the first passage and the second chamber. A second valve is disposed between the second passage and the third passage, and a third valve is disposed between the bypass pipe and the first chamber. The first valve and the second valve are disposed in the control tube. It is configured to supply the fluid pressure to the third chamber when the fluid pressure is increased, and the third valve returns the fluid pressure in the second chamber to the control tube when the fluid pressure in the control tube is reduced. A fluid pressure actuator configured as described above. 2. The fluid pressure actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve are made of silicon rubber. The fluid pressure actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber is connected to a pressure source, and the third passage is connected to the actuator. 4. The fluid pressure actuator according to claim 1, wherein the third passage is connected to each actuator, and the first chamber is connected to the same pressure source. A catheter drive device in which the fluid pressure actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is provided in a catheter, and the catheter can be bent by the operation of the fluid pressure actuator.

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