JP6984922B2 - A biopsy device, an injection device for injecting the biopsy device, and a biopsy device equipped with these. - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a biopsy device for collecting a biological sample from a sampling target such as an animal or a fish, an injection device for injecting the biopsy device, and a biopsy device provided with these.

Conventionally, in order to collect a biological sample from a sampling target such as an animal or a fish, the sampling target has been captured. However, this method may be fatal depending on the type of sample to be sampled, and in the case of large animals and large fish with a small number of individuals, there is concern about the impact on the ecosystem, so investigations will be conducted. There was a problem that it was difficult to proceed. Therefore, recently, a biopsy gun or a device called a biopsy dart (hereinafter referred to as "biopsy gun, etc.") has been used to collect a biopsy non-lethal from a sample to be sampled. ing. As an example showing the collection of biological samples using biopsy guns, etc., the Institute of Cetacean Research, Japan "2014/15 Departure of Visual Survey of Antarctic Whales" published on January 6, 2015 (non-patent document) 1), the same "Results of the 2015/16 New Antarctic Cetacean Scientific Survey (NEWREP-A)" published on March 24, 2016 (Non-Patent Document 2) can be mentioned.

The biopsy guns and the like shown in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 shoot a biopsy device provided with a needle portion toward a biological sampling object. The needle portion has a cylindrical shape with the tip opening toward the biological sampling object. When the needle part hits the object for collecting the biological sample, the tip cuts a part of the skin and the meat, and the biological sample is stored in the needle part. Then, a biopsy sample is collected by collecting the biopsy device.

However, in the case of a biopsy gun or the like, since the tip of the needle portion is open, a part of the biological sample is exposed to the outside after the biological sample is stored in the needle portion. Therefore, if the biopsy device cannot be recovered immediately, the storage condition of the biological sample may deteriorate.

Therefore, the needle portion used in the medical field disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 50-100882 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-500565 (Patent Document 2), and the needle portion thereof are used. It is conceivable to use a dual structure biopsy device with a needle storage body to store.

Institute of Cetacean Research, Japan "2014/15 Visual Survey of Antarctic Whales Departure" published on January 6, 2015 (Search on March 22, 2018, URL: http://www.icrwhale) .org / pdf / 150106ReleaseJp.pdf) Institute of Cetacean Research, Japan "Results of the 2015/16 New Antarctic Whale Science Survey (NEWREP-A)" published on March 24, 2016 (Search on March 22, 2018, URL: http) //www.icrwhale.org/pdf/160324ReleaseJp.pdf)

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 50-100882 Special Table No. 9-500565 Gazette

However, the biopsy device disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is operated by an operator to store the needle portion in the needle storage body. Therefore, there is a problem that it cannot be used for sampling objects such as wildlife and deep-sea fish that are difficult for humans to approach.

An object of the present invention is to provide a biopsy device capable of collecting a biological sample in a non-lethal and well-preserved state without human intervention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a biopsy device capable of collecting a biological sample by reducing damage to a sampling object.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an injection device for injecting a biopsy device capable of collecting a biological sample from a sampling object that is difficult for humans to approach, and a biopsy device.

The biopsy device of the present invention includes a needle member, a needle member accommodating body, a housing provided with one or more stopper portions, and a drive mechanism for pulling the needle member into the needle member accommodating path.

The needle member has a sharpened portion at the tip, has a sample taking-in port that opens outward behind the sharpened portion, and has a sample taking-in recess for taking in a sample. It has a rod part at the rear. The needle member accommodating body is a tubular member having an opening at the tip and provided with a needle member accommodating path for slidably accommodating the needle member in the longitudinal direction of the needle member. One or more stoppers provided in the housing are provided with a contact surface, and the contact surface comes into contact with the sampling object to limit the depth at which the sharp portion of the needle portion enters the sampling object. Is. The drive mechanism positions the sample intake port on the outer side in the longitudinal direction from the contact surface of one or more stoppers before sampling, and when the contact surface of one or more stoppers comes into contact with the sample to be sampled, the sample is sampled. The needle member is configured to be pulled into the needle member storage path so that the intake port is located in the needle member storage path.

Since the biopsy device of the present invention is configured as described above, a biological sample can be collected without the needle portion entering the sampling object more than necessary, and the biological sample is exposed to the outside. Therefore, if the biopsy device is collected, a biological sample in a well-preserved state can be collected.

The shape and angle of the sharp part of the needle part are arbitrary. For example, the top may have a triangular pyramid shape or a conical shape facing the sampling object, or may have a shape like an injection needle obtained by cutting a cylinder diagonally. Of course, it may be changed depending on the type of sample to be sampled.

As an example, the inventors assumed that a deep-sea shark inhabiting the deep sea (water depth of several hundred meters to 2,000 meters) was a sampling target, and examined the shape and angle of the sharp part. Deep-sea sharks often have hard and thick skin, so a sharp type of sharp edge that can penetrate this skin is required. However, if the deep-sea shark is damaged too much, the purpose of collecting a biological sample non-lethal cannot be achieved. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the optimum shape and angle. As a result, in the case of deep-sea sharks, it was found that a triangular pyramid shape is suitable for the shape of the sharp part. Further, the angle of the sharp portion is formed between the virtual surface including one of the three surfaces constituting the triangular pyramid-shaped sharp portion and the virtual line extending along the ridge line formed by the other two surfaces. It was found that an angle between 20 ° and 40 °, particularly an angle of 30 °, is suitable.

In order to achieve the purpose of non-lethal sampling of a biological sample from a sampling target, the depth at which the sharp part of the needle part penetrates into the sampling target is such that the sharp part of the needle part is the sampling target. It is preferable that the depth does not reach the internal organs of. When the muscle tissue of the sampled object is used as a biological sample, it is preferable that the sample intake port is formed at a position where the muscle tissue of the sampled object can be collected. Specifically, this position is a position between 20 mm and 50 mm behind the sharp portion of the needle portion.

The drive mechanism may include a retractable energy storage member and an engagement mechanism. The pull-in storage member is stored when the needle member is moved to a first position where the sample intake port is located outside the contact surface of one or more stopper portions in the longitudinal direction, and the needle member is needled. It is released when it is pulled into the member storage path and moved to the second position. The engagement mechanism engages with the needle member when the needle member is in the first position, and the contact surface of one or more stopper portions contacts the sampling object, and an external force is applied to the stopper portion toward the rear. Occasionally, the engagement with the needle member is released.

The engaging mechanism may include a housing slide mechanism, a plurality of through holes formed in the needle member accommodating body, and an engaging member. The housing slide mechanism holds the housing in a steady position when no external force is applied to the contact surface of one or more stoppers, and when an external force is applied to one or more stoppers, the housing moves to the rear side of the steady position. It allows movement and returns the housing to a steady position when no external force is present. The plurality of through holes are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the needle member accommodating body, and penetrate the peripheral wall of the needle member accommodating body in the radial direction. When the engaging member is held radially in each of the plurality of through holes and engages with the needle member when the needle member is in the first position and the housing moves rearward from the steady position. The engagement with the needle member is released.

A flange portion is provided at the rear end of the rod portion of the needle member, and the inner peripheral portion of the peripheral wall of the needle member housing body has one or more protrusions protruding inward in the radial direction at positions on the rear side of a plurality of through holes. Is provided, and a coil-shaped spring member, which is a retractable energy storage member, is placed between the flange portion of the needle member and one or more protrusions, and when the housing is moved to the rear side by the housing slide mechanism, the spring member is released. It may be done.

The housing slide mechanism is arranged between an end cap fixed to the rear end of the needle member housing and the end cap and the rear end of the housing, and is stored when an external force is applied to the housing. It may be composed of a return accumulator member that is released when the external force is lost and returns the housing to a steady position. The return accumulator member is composed of a coiled spring member, and the spring member may be fitted to the needle member accommodating body.

The inner peripheral portion of the housing may be provided with an annular recess that allows the engaging member to be displaced radially outward when the housing is lowered rearward from a stationary position.

A cylindrical posture stabilizing spoiler may be attached to the outside of the end cap via a plurality of pins. By doing so, when the biopsy device is flown, the attitude of the biopsy device can be stabilized in the air or water, and the hit rate of the sampled object is improved.

The biopsy device may, of course, be thrown and used by a human, or may be used together with an injection device that ejects the needle portion in a posture toward the sampling object. The injection device has a rod-shaped member whose tip is connected to the rear end of the biopsy device, a coupler provided at the rear end of the rod-shaped member, and an opening at the front end, and the biopsy device and the biopsy device in a standby state. The cylinder for accommodating the rod-shaped member connected to the rod and the coupler provided at the rear end of the cylinder and provided at the rear end of the rod-shaped member in the standby state are locked to each other, and the injection command is given. A coupler locking mechanism that releases the locked state based on the above, and a coupler locking mechanism that is placed between the rear end of the biopsy device placed inside the cylinder and the coupler locking mechanism to lock the coupler. It can be equipped with an injection storage member that is charged in the process of being locked to the mechanism and is released when the coupler locking mechanism is released to eject the biopsy device.

Since it is dangerous if the biopsy device is misfired, it is preferable that the injection device is provided with a misfire prevention mechanism. The misfire prevention mechanism prevents the biopsy device from being ejected from the opening of the cylinder when the coupler locking mechanism is accidentally released while the biopsy device is housed inside the cylinder. be. Specifically, it may be a pullable safety pin arranged on the line of sight of the biopsy device with the biopsy device housed in the cylinder. When installing the injection device, the safety pin may be pulled out. In addition, when the injection device is installed in a deep water such as the deep sea, the misfire prevention mechanism is located on the line of sight of the biopsy device with the biopsy device housed in the cylinder and passes through the biopsy device. It may be an elastic spherical member that blocks and, when the injection device is submerged, is crushed by water pressure to allow passage of the biopsy device. Of course, only one of these misfire prevention mechanisms may be provided, or both may be provided.

The injection device may be one that injects by remote control, but may be a type that outputs an injection command to the injection device when it detects an object to be sampled. In this case, it suffices to further include a biological detection unit that detects an organism that has entered the range, and an injection command output unit that outputs an injection command to the injection device when the biological detection unit detects a sampled object. By doing so, if the injection device is installed, the biological sample can be automatically collected, so that it becomes easy to collect the biological sample even in a place where remote control is difficult such as when radio waves do not reach.

For example, the size and shape of the sampled object can be used as a criterion for determining whether or not the sampled object is a sampled object. It can be said that the sampled object is detected when an organism having a size larger than or / or a predetermined size is detected.

The method of detecting the sampled object using the biological detection unit is arbitrary. An object to be sampled may be detected based on an image obtained by using an optical cutting method using a laser beam.

The present invention can also be regarded as a biopsy device including the above-mentioned biopsy device and an injection device for injecting the biopsy device with the needle portion facing the sampling object.

An example of the biopsy device 1 of the present embodiment is shown, (A) is a perspective view of the biopsy device 1, and (B) is a front view of the biopsy device 1. It is a block diagram of an injection device. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a launcher 21 constituting a part of an injection device 5 for injecting a biopsy device 19. It is a partial cross-sectional view of the launcher 21 in the state before injection in which the biopsy device 19 is housed. (A) to (C) are schematic views showing a state of prevention of misfire by elastic sphere members 47 and 49. It is a flowchart until the biopsy device 19 is ejected. It is an exploded perspective view of the biopsy device 19. It is sectional drawing of the biopsy device 19 in the state which accommodated the sample take-in port. It is sectional drawing of the biopsy device 19 in the state which exposed the sample intake port. It is an enlarged view of the needle part 67. It is a figure which shows the experimental result of Experiment 1. It is a figure which shows the experimental result of Experiment 2.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the biopsy device of the present invention, an injection device for injecting the biopsy device, and an embodiment of the biopsy device including these will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Biopsy device>
1A and 1B show an example of the biopsy device 1 of the present embodiment. 1 (A) is a perspective view of the biopsy device 1, and FIG. 1 (B) is a front view of the biopsy device 1.

The biopsy device 1 of the present embodiment targets large fish such as deep-sea sharks that live in the deep sea at a depth of several hundred meters to 2,000 meters, and transports them to the sea at the installation site by ship and throws them in from the sea. Then, it is used by submerging it to the bottom of the sea. Note that, in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the biopsy device is shown in a state where it is not housed in the launcher. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the injection device.

First, in the specification of the present application, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of directions are defined with respect to the biopsy device 1. That is, the left-right direction (first direction D1) consisting of the right direction Ri and the left direction Le, the vertical direction (second direction D2) consisting of the upward direction Up and the downward direction Lo, and the front-rear direction consisting of the front direction Fo and the rear direction Re. The direction (third direction D3) is defined as shown in FIG. The direction used in the description of each component is the direction in which each component is attached to the frame body 3. In the explanation of the structure shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7 to 10, the same direction as that used in the explanation of FIG. 1 is used.

The biopsy device 1 includes a frame body 3, an injection device 5, a main pressure resistant container 7, an LED light 9, a buoyancy material 11, an acoustic transponder 13, a flasher 15, a radio beacon 17, and an ultrasonic Doppler type flow direction. It is equipped with a current meter 18.

The frame body 3 is made of a metal frame and is provided with various members. A hanging point 4 for hoisting with a crane is provided in the central portion of the upper part.

The injection device 5 is controlled by four biopsy devices 19, four launchers 21 for injecting the biopsy device 19, a control unit 23 installed in the main pressure-resistant container 7 and composed of a processor, and a control unit 23, and is controlled by the launcher 21. It is composed of a launcher control unit 25 that controls the emission of the laser, a sheet laser irradiation unit 27, and a laser monitoring camera 29. In the present embodiment, the sampled object is monitored by the optical cutting method using the sheet laser irradiation unit 27 and the laser monitoring camera 29.

The control unit 23 includes a sheet laser irradiation control unit 23A that controls the sheet laser irradiation unit 27, a biological detection unit 23B that detects an object to be sampled based on an image acquired by the laser monitoring camera 29, and a launcher control unit 2. It is provided with an injection command output unit 23C that outputs an injection command.

The main pressure-resistant container 7 is a cylindrical container that watertightly stores the control unit 23, the launcher control unit 25, the main camera 31 for external shooting, and the like. The LED light 9 is for irradiating the outside in the deep sea where the light does not reach, and is mainly for assisting the shooting of the main camera 31. The buoyancy material 11 is for installing the biopsy device 1 during transportation and for removing it before submerging it in the sea. The acoustic transponder 13 is for receiving a levitation command from a ship at sea, and is combined with a disconnection device provided in the biopsy device 1 for disconnecting a ballast (not shown). Upon receiving the ascent command, the ballast is separated and the biopsy device 1 is levitated. The flasher 15 is a luminaire for making it easier for the collector to see on the surface of the sea after the biopsy device 1 has surfaced on the sea. The radio beacon 17 transmits a radio wave after the biopsy device 1 has surfaced on the sea to notify the position of the biopsy device 1. The ultrasonic Doppler type current meter 18 measures the flow direction and flow velocity of seawater around the biopsy device 1.

<Lancia>
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a launcher 21 constituting a part of an injection device 5 for injecting a biopsy device 19, and FIG. 4 shows a cylinder 37 of the launcher 21 in a state before injection in which the biopsy device 19 is housed and a cylinder 37 of the launcher 21. It is a partial cross-sectional view which showed the injection storage member 41 as a cross section.

The launcher 21 has a rod-shaped member 33 whose tip is connected to the rear end of the biopsy device 19, a coupler 35 provided at the rear end of the rod-shaped member 33, and an opening 37A at the front end, and is in a standby state. A tubular body 37 for accommodating a biopsy device 19 and a rod-shaped member 33 connected to the biopsy device 19, a coupler locking mechanism 39 provided at the rear end of the tubular body 37, and an injection storage for injecting the biopsy device 19. It is provided with a force member 41.

The coupler locking mechanism 39 is electrically connected to the launcher control unit 25, and in the standby state, the coupler 35 provided at the rear end of the rod-shaped member 33 is locked and is in a locked state based on the injection command. To release the locked state. The ejection storage member 41 is arranged between the rear end of the biopsy device 19 arranged inside the cylinder 37 and the coupler locking mechanism 39, and the coupler 35 is locked to the coupler locking mechanism 39. It is stored in the process and released when the coupler locking mechanism 39 is released. By adjusting the length of the rod-shaped member 33 and the strength of the injection storage member 41, the force for injecting the biopsy device 19 can be adjusted. In this embodiment, the biopsy device 19 is adjusted to be ejected with a force of about 500 N.

One end of the coupler 35 is fixed to the frame body 3, and the other end of the wire 36 passed through the through hole 39A formed in the coupler locking mechanism 39 is fastened to the coupler 35 (FIGS. 1A and 1B). reference). As a result, even after the biopsy device 19 is ejected from the launcher 21, the biopsy device 19 remains connected to the biopsy device 1, and by collecting the biopsy device 1, the biopsy device 19 can also be collected. Become.

Two misfire prevention mechanisms are provided in the vicinity of the opening 37A of the tubular body 37. The first misfire prevention mechanism is two through holes 37B and 37C formed in the vicinity of the opening 37A of the tubular body 37 and formed at positions consistent with the vertical direction D2, and the biopsy device 19 in the tubular body 37. Is arranged on the line of sight of the biopsy device 19 in a state of being housed, and is composed of a pullable safety pin 43 that is fixed through the through holes 37B and 37C. The safety pin 43 is pulled out from the sea just before the biopsy device 1 is introduced.

The second misfire prevention mechanism includes a passage portion 45 extending in the vertical direction D2 provided near the opening 37A, and elastic spherical members 47 and 49 housed in the passage portion 45. As the elastic sphere members 47 and 49, a ball of a softball baseball or the like can also be used. 5 (A) to 5 (C) are schematic views showing a state of prevention of erroneous fire by the elastic spherical members 47 and 49. FIG. 5A is a diagram showing a state before the biopsy device 1 is put into the sea. In this state, the elastic sphere members 47 and 49 are located below the passage portion 45 due to gravity, and the elastic sphere member 47 prevents the biopsy device 19 from being misfired. FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a state up to a water depth of about 30 m after the biopsy device 1 is put into the sea. In this state, buoyancy is generated by seawater, and the elastic sphere members 47 and 49 are located above the passage portion 45, and the elastic sphere member 49 prevents the biopsy device 19 from being erroneously fired. FIG. 5C is a diagram showing a state in which the biopsy device 1 has arrived at the seabed at the installation point. In this state, the elastic sphere members 47 and 49 are crushed by water pressure and are located above the passage portion 45. Therefore, in this state, the passage of the biopsy device 19 is allowed.

<Flow chart until the biopsy device is ejected>
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the biopsy device 1 installed on the seabed until the injection device 5 ejects the biopsy device 19.

After installation on the seabed, the sheet laser irradiation control unit 23A controls the sheet laser irradiation unit 27 and irradiates the sheet laser in front of the biopsy device 1 (step ST1). The biological detection unit 23B generates three-dimensional image data based on the reflected light of the laser beam acquired by the laser monitoring camera 29, and confirms the presence or absence of organisms such as fish within the range of the injection device 5 (step). ST2). In the present embodiment, a bait basket containing mackerel fillets and the like (not shown) is prepared in front of the biopsy device 1 so that the sampled object is attracted within the range. When it is detected that the laser beam is disturbed, it is detected that an organism has arrived, but this alone may be a small fish or the like that is not the object to be sampled. Further, based on the reflected light of the laser beam, it is determined whether the detected organism has a certain size and shape, that is, whether it is a sampling target (step ST3). For example, when the laser beam is finely disturbed, it is highly likely that it is a small fish, and when the laser beam is greatly curved, it is highly likely that it is a large fish. When it is determined that the sample is to be sampled, the injection command output unit 23C outputs an injection command to the launcher control unit 25 and injects the biopsy device 19 (step ST4). In the present embodiment, since four launchers 21 are provided, steps ST1 to ST4 are repeated until all four launchers are ejected (step ST5).

<Biopsy device>
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the biopsy device 19, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the biopsy device 19 in a state where the sample intake port is housed, and FIG. 9 is a biopsy in a state where the sample intake port is exposed. It is sectional drawing of the device 19.

The biopsy device 19 includes a needle member 51, a needle member accommodating body 53, four stopper portions 55, a housing 57, a tubular cutter 59, an end cap 61, and a first retractable energy storage member. A spring member 63 and a second spring member 65 constituting a return energy storage member are provided.

The needle member 51 is made of metal and is a portion that pierces the biological sampling object. The needle member 51 has a needle portion 67 and a rod portion 69 behind the needle portion 67. The needle portion 67 has a diameter of 6 mm, has a sharpened portion 71 at the tip, and has a sample taking-in port 73 that opens outward behind the sharpened portion 71, and has a sample taking-in recess 75 for taking in a sample. Is formed.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the needle portion 67 of the present embodiment. The shape of the sharp portion 71 is a triangular pyramid whose top faces the object to be sampled, and a virtual surface IF including one of the three surfaces constituting the sharp portion 71 and the other two surfaces are formed. The angle θ formed between the virtual line IL extending along the ridgeline and the virtual line IL is 30 °. This shape was determined through the experimental results shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

● Experiment 1: Determination of diameter and shape In Experiment 1, the diameter and shape of the needle part were compared and examined. The diameter of the needle portion 63 is changed to 6 mm and 8 mm for three types of shapes having the same 30 ° angle: triangular pyramid shape (Tr), syringe shape (injection needle shape) (Sy), and conical shape (Co). A static penetration test (a test in which a needle portion was pierced into a stationary sample) was carried out on two dream sharks, and the penetration resistance (N) when penetrating the epidermis was measured (FIG. 11). Since all of them penetrated the epidermis sufficiently, the lowest load, triangular pyramid shape, with a diameter of 6 mm was adopted.

● Experiment 2: Determination of the angle of the pointed part of the triangular pyramid In Experiment 2, the angle of the pointed part of the triangular pyramid and the penetration resistance were compared and examined. The angles formed between the virtual surface IF including one of the three surfaces constituting the sharp portion and the virtual line IL extending along the ridge line formed by the other two surfaces are 20 °, 30 °, and 40. A static penetration test was conducted on each of the three deep-sea sharks (saga shark, Roughskin dogfish, and Kitefin shark), the penetration resistance (N) was measured, and the average value (arithmetic mean) was calculated (Fig. 12). .. The lower the angle, the lower the load was able to penetrate the epidermis, but in the case of 20 ° and 30 °, there is not much difference in the load required for penetration, and when the angle is low, the length of the sharp part becomes longer. Since it becomes long and reaches the internal organs of the sampled object, and there is a high possibility that the damage will be large, an angle of 30 ° was adopted.

Since the sample intake port 73 uses the muscle tissue of the sampling target as a biological sample, the sample intake port 73 is formed at a position where the muscle tissue can be collected. In the present embodiment, the sampling target is a deep-sea shark, which is formed at a position between 20 mm and 50 mm behind the sharp portion 71. In this example, the length L from the top of the sharp portion to the center of the sample intake port 73 is set to 30 mm.

An annular recess 69A is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rod portion 69 of the needle member 51, and a flange portion 69B is provided on the rear end portion.

The needle member accommodating body 53 is made of metal and has an opening 53A at the tip thereof, and has a cylindrical shape provided with a needle member accommodating path 53B for slidably accommodating the needle member 51 in the longitudinal direction thereof. Further, the peripheral wall is provided with three through holes 53C penetrating in the radial direction and a protrusion 53D protruding inward in the radial direction at a position on the rear side of the through holes 53C (see FIG. 8). A ceramic ball-shaped member 77 that functions as an engaging member is held in the through hole 53C so as to be movable in the radial direction.

The stopper 55 includes a contact surface 55A, and when the contact surface 55A comes into contact with the sampling target, the depth at which the sharp portion 71 of the needle portion 67 enters the sampling target is limited. .. In the present embodiment, four are provided, but the number is not limited to this, and it is needless to say that the number may be another shape such as a ring shape surrounding the needle portion 67.

The housing 57 is made of resin and houses the needle member storage body 53. A stopper portion 55 is fixed to the tip, and an annular recess 57A is provided on the inner peripheral portion.

The tubular cutter 59 is housed in the opening 53A of the needle member accommodating body 53, and is arranged around the needle portion 67 of the needle member 51. When the needle member 51 is pulled into the needle member collection / storage path 53B, the biological sample that has entered the sample intake recess 75 is separated from the sample collection target.

The end cap 61 is screwed into the rear end of the needle member accommodating body 53. A cylindrical posture stabilizing spoiler 79 is attached to the outside of the end cap 61 via three pins. As a result, the posture of the biopsy device 19 traveling in the water is stabilized, and the hit rate of the sampled object is improved.

The first spring member 63 is a pull-in accumulator member that pulls the needle member 51 into the needle member storage path 53B. The first spring member 63 is arranged between the flange portion 69B of the needle member 51 and the protrusion 53D provided inside the needle member accommodating body 53. The sample intake port 73 is stored when the needle member 51 is moved to a first position located outside the contact surface 55A of the stopper portion 55 in the longitudinal direction, and the needle member 51 is placed in the needle member storage path 53B. It is designed to be released when it is pulled into and moved to the second position.

The second spring member 65 is fitted to the needle member housing 53, is arranged between the end cap 61 and the rear end of the housing 57, and is stored when an external force is applied to the housing 57. It is a return energy storage member that is released when the external force is lost and returns the housing 57 to the steady position. The housing slide mechanism is formed by the end cap 61 and the second spring member 65.

(Operation of drive mechanism)
In the present embodiment, the biopsy device 19 is equipped with a drive mechanism realized by the cooperation of the above-mentioned members. By a drive mechanism composed of a stopper portion 55, a housing 57, a first spring member 63, a second spring member 65, a ball-shaped member 77, a recess 57A, etc., the sample intake port 73 is a stopper portion before sampling. The needle is located outside the contact surface 55A of the 55 in the longitudinal direction, and when the contact surface 55A of the stopper portion 55 comes into contact with the sampling object, the sample intake port 73 is located in the needle member storage path 53B. The member 51 is pulled into the needle member storage path 53B.

When the above-mentioned members constituting the biopsy device 19 are assembled, the state shown in FIG. 8 is obtained. In the present embodiment, the position of the needle member 51 in a state where the sample intake port 73 is located outside the contact surface 55A of the stopper portion 55 in the longitudinal direction is defined as the first position, and the needle member 51 is the needle member. The position of the needle member 51 in the state of being pulled into the storage path 53B is defined as the second position. The state shown in FIG. 8 is a state in which the needle member 51 is in the second position.

In this state, when the rear end portion of the needle member 51 stored in the needle member storage path 53B is pushed in the forward direction Fo with a rod-shaped jig, the first spring member 63 is pushed by the flange portion 69B and stored. To. When the needle member 51 is further pushed in and the annular recess 69A of the needle member 51 reaches the three through holes 53C, it is pushed by the inner peripheral portion of the housing 57, and a part of the ball-shaped member 77 in the through hole 53C is pushed. It enters and engages with the annular recess 69A. As a result, the needle member 51 is fixed at the first position and is in the state shown in FIG. The biopsy device 19 is housed in the cylinder 37 of the launcher 21 in this state.

When the biopsy device 19 is ejected from the launcher 21 toward the sampling target and reaches the sampling target, the sharp portion 71 of the needle member 51 first pierces the sampling target, and then the stopper portion 55 contacts. The surface 55A collides with the sampling object. Then, an external force toward the rear is applied to the stopper portion 55, the housing 57 moves to the rear side from the steady position, and the annular recess 57A formed in the inner peripheral portion of the housing 57 moves to the positions of the three through holes 53C. do. At this time, the second spring member 65 is also stored. In this state, the ball-shaped member 77 is allowed to be displaced outward in the radial direction, and a part of the ball-shaped member 77 escapes to the annular recess 57A, so that the needle member 51 and the ball-shaped member 77 are engaged with each other. It will be released. As a result, the first spring member 63 is released, and the needle member 51 is pulled into the needle member storage path 53B so as to move to the second position. At the same time, when the external force applied to the stopper portion 55 disappears, the second spring member 65 is released and the housing 57 returns to the steady position. As a result, the biopsy device 19 returns to the state shown in FIG. In this way, the biological sample can be taken into the sample taking-in recess 75 and stored in the needle member storage path 53B without human operation.

The above embodiment is described as an example, and is not limited to this embodiment as long as it does not deviate from the gist thereof. For example, the biopsy device may be installed on the bottom of a lake or the like in addition to the seabed, and of course, it can be used on the ground for collecting biological samples from wild animals. In that case, depending on the installation location and the target sample collection target, the shape of the sharp part of the needle part, the position of the sample intake port, the distance from the top of the sharp part to the stopper part, and the emission output of the biopsy device. Etc., and it is preferable to adopt an appropriate misfire prevention mechanism.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a biopsy device capable of collecting a biological sample in a non-lethal and well-preserved state without human intervention. In addition, it is possible to provide a biopsy device capable of collecting a biological sample by reducing the load on the object to be sampled. Further, it is possible to provide an injection device for injecting a biopsy device capable of collecting a biological sample from a sample collection object that is difficult for humans to approach, and a biopsy device.

1 Biopsy device 3 Frame body 4 Suspension point 5 Injection device 7 Main pressure resistant container 9 LED light 11 Buoyancy material 13 Acoustic transponder 15 Flasher 17 Radio beacon 18 Ultrasonic Doppler type flow direction flow meter 19 Biopsy device 21 Launcher 23 Control unit 25 Launcher control unit 27 Sheet laser irradiation unit 29 Laser monitoring camera 31 Main camera 33 Rod-shaped member 35 Coupler 37 Cylindrical body 39 Coupler locking mechanism 41 Injection energy storage member 43 Safety pin 45 Passage portion 47, 49 Elastic sphere member 51 Needle member 53 Needle member storage Body 55 Stopper 57 Housing 59 Cylindrical cutter 61 End cap 63 First spring member 65 Second spring member 67 Needle part 69 Rod part 71 Sharp part 73 Sample intake port 75 Sample intake recess 77 Ball-shaped member 79 Posture Stabilization spoiler

Claims (22)

A needle portion having a sharpened portion at the tip and having a sample intake port opened outward behind the sharpened portion to form a sample intake recess for taking in a sample, and a rod behind the needle portion. A needle member with a part and
A cylindrical needle member accommodating body having an opening at the tip and provided with a needle member accommodating path for slidably accommodating the needle member in the longitudinal direction of the needle member.
One or more stopper portions that are provided with a contact surface and that limit the depth at which the sharp portion of the needle portion enters the sampling target by contacting the contact surface with the sampling target.
A housing provided with one or more stoppers, and
Before sampling, the sample intake port is positioned outside the contact surface of the one or more stopper portions in the longitudinal direction, and the contact surface of the one or more stopper portions contacts the sample collection target. Then, a biopsy device provided with a drive mechanism for pulling the needle member into the needle member storage path so as to position the sample intake port in the needle member storage path, and a biopsy device.
A biopsy device including an injection device for injecting the biopsy device with the needle portion oriented toward the sampling object. A needle portion having a sharpened portion at the tip and having a sample intake port opened outward behind the sharpened portion to form a sample intake recess for taking in a sample, and a rod behind the needle portion. A needle member with a part and
A cylindrical needle member accommodating body having an opening at the tip and provided with a needle member accommodating path for slidably accommodating the needle member in the longitudinal direction of the needle member.
One or more stopper portions that are provided with a contact surface and that limit the depth at which the sharp portion of the needle portion enters the sampling target by contacting the contact surface with the sampling target.
A housing provided with one or more stoppers, and
Before sampling, the sample intake port is positioned outside the contact surface of the one or more stopper portions in the longitudinal direction, and the contact surface of the one or more stopper portions contacts the sample collection target. Then, the biopsy device is provided with a drive mechanism for pulling the needle member into the needle member storage path so that the sample intake port is located in the needle member storage path. The biopsy device according to claim 2, wherein the sharp portion of the needle portion has a triangular pyramid shape at the top thereof facing the sampling object. The angle formed between the virtual surface including one of the three surfaces constituting the triangular pyramid-shaped sharp portion and the virtual line extending along the ridge line formed by the other two surfaces is 20 ° or more. The biopsy device of claim 3, wherein the angle is between 40 °. The biopsy device according to claim 4, wherein the angle is 30 °. The depth at which the sharp portion of the needle portion penetrates into the sampling object is such that the sharp portion of the needle portion does not reach the internal organs of the sampling object.
The biopsy device according to claim 2, wherein the sample intake port is formed at a position where the muscle tissue of the sampling object can be collected. The biopsy device according to claim 6, wherein the sample intake port is formed at a position between 20 mm and 50 mm behind the sharp portion of the needle portion. The drive mechanism is
When the needle member is moved to a first position where the sample intake port is located outside the contact surface of the one or more stopper portions in the longitudinal direction, the needle member is stored and the needle member is moved to the needle. A pull-in storage member that is released when it is pulled into the member storage path and moved to the second position,
When the needle member is in the first position, it engages with the needle member, and the contact surface of the one or more stopper portions comes into contact with the sampling object, and an external force toward the stopper portion toward the rear. The biopsy device according to claim 2, further comprising an engagement mechanism that disengages the engagement with the needle member when the needle member is added. The engagement mechanism is
The housing is held in a steady position when the external force is not applied to the contact surface of the one or more stopper portions, and when the external force is applied to the one or more stopper portions, the rear side of the stationary position. A housing slide mechanism that allows the housing to move and returns the housing to the steady position when the external force disappears.
A plurality of through holes formed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the needle member accommodating body and penetrating the peripheral wall of the needle member accommodating body in the radial direction.
Each of the needle members is movably held in the plurality of through holes so as to be movable in the radial direction and engages with the needle member when the needle member is in the first position, and the housing is rearward of the steady position. The biopsy device according to claim 8, further comprising an engaging member that is disengaged from the needle member when moved to. A flange portion is provided at the rear end portion of the rod portion of the needle member.
The inner peripheral portion of the peripheral wall of the needle member accommodating body is provided with one or more protrusions protruding inward in the radial direction at positions on the rear side of the plurality of through holes.
The retractable energy storage member is composed of a coiled spring member.
The spring member is arranged between the flange portion of the needle member and the protrusion of one or more.
The biopsy device according to claim 9, wherein when the housing is moved to the rear side by the housing slide mechanism, the spring member is released. The housing slide mechanism is
An end cap fixed to the rear end of the needle member housing body,
Arranged between the end cap and the rear end of the housing, it is stored when the external force is applied to the housing and released when the external force is removed to return the housing to the steady position. The biopsy device according to claim 10, further comprising a recovery storage member. The biopsy device according to claim 11, wherein the return accumulator member is composed of a coil-shaped spring member, and the spring member is fitted to the needle member accommodating body. The inner peripheral portion of the housing is provided with an annular recess that allows the engaging member to be displaced radially outward when the housing is lowered from the steady position to the rear side. Item 9. The biopsy device according to the description. The biopsy device according to claim 11, wherein a cylindrical posture stabilizing spoiler is attached to the outside of the end cap via a plurality of pins. An injection device for injecting the biopsy device according to any one of claims 2 to 14 with the needle portion oriented toward the sampling object. The injection device is
A rod-shaped member whose tip is connected to the rear end of the biopsy device,
The coupler provided at the rear end of the rod-shaped member and
A tubular body having an opening at the front end and accommodating the biopsy device and the rod-shaped member connected to the biopsy device in a standby state.
The coupler provided at the rear end of the cylinder and provided at the rear end of the rod-shaped member is locked in the standby state, and the locked state is released based on the injection command. The coupler locking mechanism that is in the released state and
It is arranged between the rear end of the biopsy device arranged inside the cylinder and the coupler locking mechanism, and is stored in the process of locking the coupler to the coupler locking mechanism. The injection device according to claim 15, further comprising an injection storage member for injecting the biopsy device by being released when the coupler locking mechanism is in the released state. An error in preventing the biopsy device from being ejected from the opening of the cylinder when the coupler locking mechanism is erroneously brought into the released state while the biopsy device is housed in the cylinder. The injection device according to claim 16, further comprising a fire prevention mechanism. The injection device according to claim 17, wherein the misfire prevention mechanism is a pullable safety pin arranged on the line of sight of the biopsy device with the biopsy device housed in the cylinder. The misfire prevention mechanism is located on the line of sight of the biopsy device in a state where the biopsy device is housed in the cylinder and blocks the passage of the biopsy device, and in a state where the injection device is submerged, the biopsy device is submerged. 17. The injection device according to claim 17, which is an elastic spherical member that is crushed by water pressure to allow passage of the biopsy device. A biological detection unit that detects organisms within range, and
The injection device according to claim 15, further comprising an injection command output unit that outputs the injection command to the injection device when the biological detection unit detects the sampling target. The injection device according to claim 20, wherein the sampling target is a predetermined size or larger and / or a shape. The injection device according to claim 20, wherein the biological detection unit detects the sampled object based on an image obtained by using a light cutting method using a laser beam.

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