JPH09311726A - Fluid controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the power consumption and to make a fluid controller quiet and compact in controller for controlling the flow rate of a fluid in a device for sending fluid such as liquid and gas. SOLUTION: A valve device 2 used for controlling the flow rate of a fluid flowing in a soft tube 50 for sending fluid such as gas and liquid is constituted of a piston 5 and a cylinder 3, and compressed air is supplied from a compressed air source 10. Thus, a moving member 6 provided in the piston 5 is pushed up and the soft tube 50 is fastened by the moving member 6 and a fixed member 7. Then, the flow rate of fluid in the soft tube 50 is controlled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fluid control device for controlling the flow rate of a fluid such as a liquid or gas to a human body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are various types of fluid control devices that are commonly used in hospitals and that deliver liquid or gas to the human body, and are used in, for example, laparoscopic surgery.
Pneumoperitoneum device that supplies air to secure the operative field, water supply device that supplies water for washing and watering the operating area, or suction of blood, body fluid, or the liquid used for cleaning and watering the operating area. There is a suction device and the like. In such a device, when flowing or stopping a fluid such as a liquid or a gas, a solenoid valve is used to electrically open and close the conduit electrically, or a solenoid is used to soft tube. A pinch valve that opens and closes by tightening is used. As a specific example of this, FIG. 8 shows a configuration in which a flexible tube 100 for sending physiological saline is tightened by a valve device 101. The valve device 101 includes a solenoid 102, a piston 103 that is moved by a magnetic field generated by the solenoid 102, and the piston 1
The moving member 104 is provided at the tip of 03 and moves with the movement of the piston 103, and the fixing member 105 for tightening the flexible tube 100 by the movement of the moving member 104.

When stopping the physiological saline flowing in the flexible tube 100 by means of the valve device 101, an electric current is passed through the solenoid 102 to generate a magnetic field,
The moving member 104 is fixed together with the piston 103 to the fixed member 105.
Then, the flexible tube 100 was clamped by the moving member 104 and the fixing member 105.

[0004]

However, in the valve device 101 as shown in FIG. 8, when the effective cross-sectional area of the flexible tube 100 is increased in order to send a large amount of physiological saline, the solenoid 103 is enlarged. Or, it is necessary to increase the current flowing through the solenoid 103. Then, in the former case, the sound and vibration during driving become loud. Moreover, if it is attempted to reduce the sound and vibration, the structure becomes complicated and large. On the other hand, in the latter case, the amount of heat generated by driving the solenoid 103 increases.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a quiet and compact fluid control device which suppresses power consumption.

[0006]

The fluid control device of the present invention uses a valve for opening and closing a conduit of the fluid control device using air pressure as a power source, as a means for controlling the flow of liquid or gas. It is what

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<First Embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.
The fluid control device 1 of the present embodiment is configured such that, for example, the flexible tube 50 used for sending water such as physiological saline is tightened by the valve device 2. The valve device 2 includes a cylinder 3 and an inner wall 4 of the cylinder 3.
A piston 5 that moves in both directions of the tip 3a and the base end 3b of the cylinder 3 along, and a moving member 6 that is provided at the tip of the piston 5 and that moves with the movement of the piston 5.
By the movement of the moving member 6, a fixed member 7 for tightening the flexible tube 50 is formed.

Further, the valve device 2 is provided with a nozzle 8 which communicates from the inside of the cylinder 3 to the outside. One end of an air supply conduit 9 is connected to the nozzle 8, and the other end of the air supply conduit 9 is connected to a compressed air source 10 that supplies compressed air. The compressed air supply source 10 may be a portable device or may be a wall pipe installed in advance in the hospital. In the middle of the air supply line 9, three valves 11a, 1
A three-way solenoid valve 11 consisting of 1b and 11c is provided. The three valves 11a, 11b and 11c of the three-way solenoid valve 11 can be independently opened and closed.

Next, the operation of the fluid control system 1 of this embodiment will be described. When the physiological saline is flowing through the soft tube 50, the valve 11a of the three-way solenoid valve 11 is used.
Valve 11c is open. Further, although the compressed air source 10 is driven, the cylinder 3 is closed because the valve 11b is closed.
No compressed air is supplied to the inside. As a result, since the inside of the cylinder 3 is in an open state, the flexible tube 50 is in a state in which it cannot be tightened by the moving member 6 and the fixed member 7.

On the other hand, when stopping the physiological saline flowing through the soft tube 50, the valve 1 of the three-way solenoid valve 11 is used.
1a and valve 11b are opened and valve 11c is closed. Then, the compressed air released from the compressed air source 10 is transferred to the three-way solenoid valve 11
And is supplied to the inside of the cylinder 3 via the nozzle 8. As shown in FIG. 2, the supplied compressed air causes the piston 5 and the moving member 6 to move toward the base end 3 b of the cylinder 3.
To the tip 3a. When the moving member 6 moves, the flexible tube 50 is tightened by the fixed member 7, and the physiological saline flowing in the flexible tube 50 stops.

On the other hand, when physiological saline is flown into the soft tube 50 again, the valves 11a and 11c of the three-way solenoid valve 11 are opened and the valve 11b is closed, as in the initial state. Then, the supply of compressed air from the compressed air source 10 to the inside of the cylinder 3 is stopped, and the compressed air contained in the cylinder 3 is discharged to the outside via the nozzle 8 and the three-way solenoid valve 11. Due to the release of the compressed air to the outside and the elastic force of the soft tube, the moving member 6 and the piston 5 move in the direction from the tip 3a of the cylinder 3 to the base 3b, as shown in FIG. Is released.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the valve device 2 for tightening the flexible tube 50 is driven by the air pressure as a power source, it is possible to prevent the noise and vibration during driving from increasing, and The amount of heat generated does not increase unlike when a solenoid is used. further,
Since the three-way solenoid valve 11 used to drive the valve device 2 only controls air, it does not need to have a complicated structure and can be miniaturized.

In this embodiment, the flexible tube 5
Although the case where the physiological saline is flown into the 0 has been described, it is not limited to the physiological saline, and any fluid such as other liquid or gas may be used. <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The description of the same configuration as that of the first embodiment is omitted.

The fluid control system 20 shown in this embodiment is
As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 3, a valve device 21 for tightening the flexible tube 50 is composed of a hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22 and a ring member 23 covering the elastic body 22. The hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22 is formed by forming a tube-shaped elastic body member into a donut-shaped circular shape. In addition, compressed air is supplied to the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22 by the air supply conduit 9, the three-way solenoid valve 11 and the compressed air source 10 used for driving the valve device 2 of the first embodiment. Alternatively, the compressed air inside is discharged to the outside. Further, the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 2 is arranged such that the soft tube 50 enters the donut-shaped ring of the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ring member 23 has a U-shaped cross section in which only the surface facing the outer peripheral surface of the flexible tube 50 is open, and the ring member 23 has a hollow donut-like elasticity. It is arranged so as to cover the body 22. Also,
The ring member 23 is made of a material that does not deform even when compressed air is supplied to the elastic body 22 having a hollow donut shape and expands.

Next, the operation of the fluid control system 20 of the present embodiment will be described. The hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22 is described.
The method of supplying the compressed air to the inside of and the method of discharging the compressed air from the inside of the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22 to the outside are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore the different points will be described below. In the present embodiment, when compressed air is supplied to the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22, the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22 expands, but the ring member 23 does not deform due to this expansion, so the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22 Two
2 expands toward the open direction of the ring member, that is, toward the flexible tube 50, as shown in FIG. As a result, the soft tube 50 is tightened and the physiological saline flowing in the soft tube 50 is stopped.

On the other hand, when compressed air is discharged from the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22, the hollow donut-shaped elastic body 22 becomes
Again, as shown in FIG. 3, the flexible tube 50 is contracted and the tightening of the flexible tube 50 is released. As described above, in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the valve device 20 that tightens the flexible tube 50 is driven by using the air pressure as the power source, so that noise and vibration during driving are large. This can be prevented, and heat generation does not increase unlike when a solenoid is used.

In the present embodiment as well, as in the first embodiment, the flow in the flexible tube 50 is not limited to physiological saline, but may be other liquid or gas such as gas. Anything is fine. <Others> By the way, in the first and second embodiments, the fluid control device has been described, but here, a grasping forceps that can be used in an operation using the fluid control device will be described.

Conventionally, grasping forceps are generally used for grasping a living tissue or a needle for sewing a living tissue. This gripping forceps is, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-86.
As shown by reference numeral 223, when the gripping forceps are held in the hand like ordinary scissors and the handle is operated, the moving shaft moves in accordance with this operation, and the gripping part provided at the tip of the moving shaft pivots. It is configured to open and close about a moving pin.

However, in such a grasping forceps,
The amount of force to pinch depends on the force applied by the operator, and it was difficult for anyone to grasp with a certain amount of force. Therefore, gripping forceps as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 can be considered. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the grasping forceps 30 has a conduit 31 formed therein for air supply and exhaust, and has a tip of the grasping forceps 30 for grasping a tissue 32 or the like in a living body. The grip portion 33 is provided.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the grip portion 33. The grip portion 33 grips an elastic grip portion piece 35a having a hollow portion 34a and an elastic grip portion having a hollow portion 34b. It is composed of a piece 35b. The gripping pieces 35a and 35b are in communication with the pipe line 31 so that gas or liquid can be supplied to the hollow portions 34a and 34b through the pipe line 31, and by this supply, an elastic body is formed. The grip pieces 35a and 35b are adapted to expand. Further, a hard outer frame member 36 is provided outside the gripping pieces 35a and 35b so that the gripping pieces 35a and 35b are not deformed even when expanded.

In such a structure, when a certain amount of compressed air or compressed liquid in the conduit 31 in the grasping forceps 30 is supplied from a compressed air source or a compressed liquid source (not shown), the outer frame member 36 is not deformed. As shown in FIG. 7, the gripping pieces 35a and 35b expand so that they approach each other, that is, the gripping pieces 35a and 35b close. Thereby, the tissue 32 and the like can be grasped with a constant force.

On the other hand, when the grip is released, the hollow part 34a is passed from the grip part pieces 35a and 35b through the pipe line 31.
And compressed air or compressed liquid in 34b is discharged to the outside. Then, the expanded gripping pieces 35a and 35b contract so as to move away from each other, and the grip of the tissue 32 or the like is released. As described above, according to the grasping forceps 30, since the force for grasping the tissue 32 or the like is proportional to the pressure of the compressed air or the compressed liquid supplied to the grasping pieces 35a and 35b, the grasping force by the grasping section 35 can be controlled, Anyone can easily use the grasping forceps. <Supplementary Note> The following configuration can be derived from the embodiment and the like described above.

[Appendix 1] By tightening or releasing a part of the flexible tube for flowing gas or liquid,
A fluid control device for controlling the flow of gas or liquid in the soft tube, characterized in that valve means for tightening or releasing a part of the soft tube is provided by using air pressure as a power source.

[Appendix 2] The fluid control apparatus according to Appendix 1, wherein the valve means has a piston and a cylinder driven by the air pressure. [Additional Item 3] The fluid control device according to Additional Item 1, wherein the valve means has a hollow elastic body that expands by the air pressure.

[Additional Item 4] The fluid control device according to Additional Item 1, wherein the valve means has a hollow donut-shaped elastic body that is inflated by the air pressure. [Additional Item 5] The fluid control device according to Additional Items 1 to 4, wherein an electromagnetic valve is used to control the air pressure.

[Appendix 6] The fluid control system according to Appendix 5, wherein the solenoid valve is a three-way solenoid valve. [Additional Item 7] The fluid control device according to Additional Items 1 to 4, wherein compressed air supplied from a compressed air supply source installed in a hospital is used for controlling the air pressure.

[Appendix 11] In a grasping forceps having a grasping portion for grasping a living tissue or the like provided at a tip thereof, the grasping portion is capable of grasping the living tissue or the like by being expanded by air pressure or water pressure. Gripping forceps formed of a simple bag-shaped elastic body.

[Additional Item 12] In a grasping forceps having a grasping portion for grasping a living tissue or the like provided at a tip thereof, the grasping portion is capable of grasping the living tissue or the like by expanding by air pressure or water pressure. A bag-shaped elastic body,
A grasping forceps, comprising: an outer frame member which is provided outside the bag-shaped elastic body and whose shape is not deformed by expansion of the bag-shaped elastic body.

[0030]

As described above, according to the fluid control system of the present invention, the valve means for tightening or releasing a part of the flexible tube is configured to be driven by the air pressure as the power source. It is possible to prevent an increase in noise and vibration during driving, and to prevent an increase in heat generation as in the case of using a solenoid.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a fluid control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a main part of the fluid control system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a main part of a fluid control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a main part of the fluid control system according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of grasping forceps according to another invention of the present application.

FIG. 6 is a view of a grip portion of the grip forceps according to the other invention.

FIG. 7 is a view of a grip portion of the grip forceps according to the other invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a conventional fluid control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Fluid control device 2 Valve device 3 Cylinder 3a Cylinder tip 3b Cylinder base 4 Inner wall 5 Piston 6 Moving member 7 Fixing member 8 Nozzle 9 Air supply line 10 Compressed air source 11 Three-way solenoid valve 11a valve 11b valve 11c valve 21 Valve device 22 Hollow donut-shaped elastic body 23 Ring 31 Pipeline 32 Tissue 33 Gripping portion 34a Hollow portion 34b Hollow portion 35a Gripping piece 35b Gripping piece 36 Outer frame member 50 Soft tube 100 Soft tube 101 Valve device 102 Solenoid 103 Piston 104 Moving member 105 fixing member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fluid control device for controlling the flow of a gas or a liquid in a flexible tube by tightening or releasing a part of the flexible tube for flowing a gas or a liquid. A fluid control device comprising valve means for tightening or releasing a part of a tube.