JPS58113836A - Probe for measuring hardness - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a life for a pressure sensor and to high-precisely measure hardness of a vital tissue at the inside of a coelom, by a method wherein gas or a soft elastic member is located between a pressure receiving surface of a pressure sensor at the inside of a probe and a moving shaft for transferring a press force. CONSTITUTION:A probe 4 for measuring hardness is inserted through an abdominal wall 2 through the medium of a tracurl 3, and a roller 20 is brought into contact with a surface of vital tissue 5. If the roller 20 is moved by an appropriate press force, a press force is exerted on a piston shaft 14 corresponding to hardness of a contact portion, the roller vertically moves against a coil spring 17 along an axial direction of an outer cylinder 11. The vertical movement is transferred to a pressure chamber 15 and is measured by a pressure receiving surface 6A of a pressure sensor 6. Instead of the coil spring 17, an proper soft elastic member may be housed in the pressure chamber 15. A pressure in an abdominal carvity is measured by the pressure sensor 6 through a connection hole 26 provided in the outer cylinder 11 and a fine tube 25.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a pressure sensor with a soft elastic member such as gas, solid, etc. interposed between a pressure sensor and a movable shaft that transmits pressing force to the pressure sensor. The present invention relates to a hardness measuring glove that is highly reliable and capable of measuring hardness with high precision while improving its lifespan.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a trap that measures the hardness of living tissue in a body cavity and changes between a diseased area and a normal area is known to have a pressure sensor fixed to the tip of an endoscope. In this method, the hardness of the object to be measured is configured to directly act on the pressure receiving surface that detects the pressing force of the pressure sensor.
Depending on the degree of contact with the object to be measured, a local pressing force acts on the pressure receiving surface of the pressure sensor, causing variations, resulting in variations in measured values even for the same object. .

Also, in a hardness measurement probe configured so that a pressing force acts on the pressure receiving surface of a pressure sensor via an indirect object,
When it comes into contact with the object to be measured, depending on the condition of the contact, the pressing force acting on the pressure receiving surface through the indirect object may act locally, or there may be variations in the pressing force component acting perpendicular to the pressure receiving surface. Therefore, there is a problem in that the measured values vary considerably even for the same object.

Therefore, it has been difficult to measure hardness with high precision to detect changes between normal and diseased areas.

Furthermore, in the above-described configuration, when the pressure sensor is brought into contact with a measurement site with many variations in unevenness or a measured object with large changes in hardness, or due to the way of contact during measurement, the pressure sensor may be damaged due to excessive pressing force. There was a problem in that the prog could be deformed or damaged, leading to a reduction in the life of the prog.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and includes a gas that equalizes and transmits the pressing force between the pressure-receiving surface of the pressure sensor and a movable shaft whose one end faces and which transmits the pressing force. The object of the present invention is to provide a hardness measuring probe that improves measurement accuracy and reliability and also extends its service life by interposing a member that exhibits soft elasticity and is made of liquid, solid, or the like. .

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.
jTC1 Figure shows the overall configuration of the first embodiment in use, Figure 2 shows an example of displaying measurement results, and Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged views of the structure of the first embodiment. and the fifth
The figure schematically shows the basic structure of the pressure sensor used in the first embodiment.

First, to give a general explanation, as shown in Figure 1, the human body 1
A hardness measuring glove 4 is inserted into the abdominal wall 2 of
Gloves for measuring hardness 4 by rubbing the surface with excessive pressure
When the is moved, a slight change in hardness is detected by the built-in pressure sensor 6, and recorded as a hardness distribution curve 10A on the recording paper 10 by a measuring device or an XY plotter using the connecting cord 7, as shown in FIG. It is made possible.

Hereinafter, the first cusp embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. The hardness measurement probe 4 of the first embodiment, which is shown enlarged in FIG. The pressure sensor 6 is fixed by fitting into the stepped part, and a narrow diameter part is provided near the rear end of the pressure sensor 6 at a constant interval on the side adjacent to the pressure sensor 6, and a sealing member is attached to this narrow diameter part. A piston shaft 14 with a member 13 encircled therein is fitted. The pressure sensor 6 and the piston shaft 14 fitted with the sealing member 13 form a pressure chamber 15 whose both ends are closely pierced, and the sliding movement of the piston shaft 14 (in the figure, 1 hi down 1liJI) increases the pressure. Pressure P in chamber 15
.

changes, and this pressure P is configured to act on (one) pressure receiving surface 6A of the pressure sensor 6 facing the pressure chamber 15.

A protrusion 16 is formed along the outer periphery at approximately the center of the piston shaft 14. On the other hand, the distal end portion 12 has a step-like thick shape on the distal end side where the protrusion 16 abuts and is accommodated. The piston shaft 14 is made thin so as to have a concave portion in diameter, and a coil spring J7 is mounted around the outer periphery of the piston shaft 14 at the four large diameter portions located at the back of the protrusion 16. This coil spring 17 is in constant contact with the protrusion 16 of the piston l1il14, and urges the piston shaft 14 in the axial direction of the globe 4 toward the tip side (downward in the illustration), while this The piston shaft 1 is provided with a substantially ring-shaped stopper at the tip of each of the four parts to prevent the piston shaft 14 from protruding from the large diameter recess.
A tip 18 whose inner diameter is -1 is fixed to the tip 12.

One side of the piston shaft 14 is in contact with the cut surface of the tip of the piston shaft 14, which is cut diagonally. It is installed so that the outer periphery protrudes through the thread.

On the other hand, the basic structure of the pressure sensor 6 is, as shown in FIG. Glue 22 to the pedestal 21 r 21'
U agent 23 that is fixed at t 22' and further connects this pedestal 22 + 22'? A diaphragm-type pressure sensor 6 is configured by being fixed to the package 24 at 23', and the pressure acting on each pressure-receiving surface is detected as a change in resistance value formed in a Wheatstone bridge shape (in diaphragm-type silicon). It has become so.

One pressure-receiving surface 6A of the pressure sensor 6 faces the pressure chamber 15, and the other pressure-receiving surface faces the pressure chamber 15 through a side pipe 25 formed on the base side of the pressure sensor 6. It is configured to be able to receive and measure the pressure P on the outer periphery of the outer tube 11 through a communication hole 26 provided on the side of the outer tube 11. The signals corresponding to the pressure values acting on the one pressure receiving surface 6A and the other pressure receiving surface are signal codes 27>27shi27.
Each contact point 29 provided on a substantially cylindrical support part 28 fixed to the proximal end of the outer tube 11 via + 27 + 29
* 29 > 29 is connected with etc. A lid 30 is fixed to the end face of the portion of the support member 28 that is to be fitted into the outer tube 11 with screws 31, etc., and this lid 30 penetrates the support member 28 with several openings and protrudes on both sides. Each rod-shaped contact 29 is press-fitted and fixed. Each contact 29 is cut into a step shape at both ends, press-fitted, and when fixed, the support member 28 is attached to the outer side with each seal member 32 at the rear end (lower end in the figure). The inside of the tube 11 and the outside are tightly cut off.In other words, the outside pressure P
l is prevented from being transmitted to the inside of the outer tube 11.

The support member 28 is fixed with screws 33 or the like from the side fitted into the outer tube 11, and a threaded portion 34 is formed on the outer circumferential wall that projects rearward (outside) from the inner tube 11, and the rear end outer circumference A positioning groove 35 is formed in a part of the threaded part 3.
By the connection cord 7 provided with a connector that screws into 4,
The configuration is such that a signal corresponding to the pressure value transmitted to each pin 29 is transmitted to the measuring device 8.

The operation of one embodiment configured in this manner will be described below.

First, the connection cord 7 equipped with a connector is attached to the rear end base side of the hardness measurement probe 4, and as described above, it is guided by the trocar 3 and @! Gloves for measurement 4 Abdominal wall 2
The hardness measuring probe 4 is inserted through the body cavity, and the roller 2o at the tip of the hardness measuring probe 4 is brought into contact with the surface of a target site such as a biological tissue 5 in the body cavity with an appropriate pressure. The pressure sensor 6 used in this case detects not only the pressure P acting on one pressure-receiving surface 6A facing into the pressure chamber 15, but also the pressure P inside the inserted peritoneal cavity (gas membrane) through the thin tube 25. Since each pressure value can be measured by guiding it to the other pressure receiving surface, it is possible to simultaneously display these on the display section 9 or record it on an XY plotter, The pressure P value measured on the surface 6A can be subtracted from the pressure P value on the other side and displayed on the display section 9, or it can be continuously recorded using an XY glotter as shown in FIG. can.

When the roller 20 is moved to rub the target area with an appropriate pressing force, the roller 2o rotates and moves, and the roller 2o is pivoted at the tip depending on the hardness of the area it comes into contact with. A pressing force acts on the piston shaft 14, which contracts the coil spring 17 against the old force of the coil spring 17, and moves up and down along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 11. This up and down movement is caused by pressure. The pressure P1 in the pressure chamber 15 is proportional to the force pressing the piston shaft I4 or the roller 2o. Therefore, the pressure P in this pressure chamber 15.

By measuring , the hardness of the target area can be continuously measured.

In this embodiment, the configuration is such that the pressing force transmitted by the piston shaft 14 and the pressure P equalized through the gas in the pressure chamber 15 act on the pressure receiving surface 6AK of the pressure sensor 6. Therefore, no local force acts on the pressure receiving surface 6A depending on the contact condition, and uniform, accurate, and highly reliable measurement values can be obtained.

Therefore, it becomes possible to detect even subtle differences in hardness between the affected area and the normal area around the target area.

Moreover, no local impact force acts on the pressure receiving surface 6A of the pressure sensor 6, and the pressure P is made uniform.

, it can be used for a long period of time, and since the roller 2o, which is the member that comes into contact with the object to be measured, rotates and comes into contact with it, it is less likely that only a part will wear out and become deformed or damaged.
The lifespan of the probe can be improved. Furthermore, the whole fa
Since the structure has a structure of t<10-, it can be used not only in the abdominal cavity for performing air membranes, but also in the bladder for containing perfusion water, and because the glove can be separated from the connecting cord 7, disinfection is easy.

Since the diaphragm type pressure sensor 6 is used, the hardness of the object to be measured can be continuously measured without being affected by the pressure P2 inside the body cavity.

Note that the pressure chamber 15 may be filled with air or other gas.

FIG. 6 shows the coil spring 1 in the first embodiment.
A second embodiment is shown in which an elastic member 41 having appropriate flexibility is accommodated in the pressure chamber 15 instead of the pressure chamber 7.

In the same figure, inside the pressure chamber 15, there is a molded rubber material made of foamed plastic T rubber material, etc., so as to be in contact with one pressure receiving surface 6A of the pressure sensor 6 and the rear end surface of the piston shaft 14, respectively.
, an elastic member 41 that is elastically deformed by a pressing force and has an appropriate degree of softness to equalize this pressing force and transmit it to the pressure receiving surface 6A is housed, and the piston shaft 14 that is in contact with this elastic member 41 is always kept in contact with the outer cylinder 11. is biased toward the axial tip side. Approximately at the center of the piston shaft 14, there is a collar-shaped protrusion 16 whose outer periphery abuts against the inner surface of a large-diameter recess whose movement is regulated by a tip 18 as a stopper ringed at the tip side.
' is formed.

In this embodiment, by suppressing deformation of the elastic member 41, the hardness of the target area that is in contact with one pressure receiving surface 6A of the pressure sensor 6 is made uniform and transmitted. The feature of this second embodiment is that the elastic member 41 is used as described above, so when the piston shaft 14 moves up and down along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 11, the air (gas) in the pressure chamber 15 is released. The present invention is characterized in that the sealing member 13 (needed in the first embodiment) for preventing leakage of water to the distal end side is not required.

Except for this point, this embodiment is almost the same as the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment in which no roller 20 is provided at the tip of the piston shaft 14, a spherical recess is formed, and a ball 51 is rotatably attached to the recess.

The effects of this embodiment are similar to those of the embodiment described above.

In each of the embodiments described above, a diaphragm type pressure sensor 6 is used, but in some cases, a normal pressure sensor may also be used.

In each of the above embodiments, the pressure chamber 15 contains gas,
Alternatively, a soft elastic member 41 is accommodated to equalize the pressing force acting on the pressure receiving surface 6A of the pressure sensor 6, but a member such as a sponge containing liquid, or a mixture of gas and liquid or other soft elastic material is used. Any member may be used as long as it shows this.

The probe described above is capable of measuring not only hardness and pressure in the medical field, but also hardness or atmospheric pressure in the industrial field.

As described above, according to the present invention, the pressure receiving surface of the pressure container 13-sensor and the movable shaft, which has one end facing each other and which transmits the pushing force, are used to equalize the pushing force between the gas, liquid, etc. Since a member having soft elasticity that transmits the pressure to the pressure receiving surface is inserted, the hardness can be measured with high reliability and accuracy, and the life span of the pressure sensor and probe can be improved. In addition, since the entire body has a honeymoon structure, it can be used in a wide range of areas, including the intraperitoneal cavity where air membranes are performed, as well as the bladder pipe where perfusion water is placed.Furthermore, the probe can be separated from the connecting cord, making it easy to disinfect. This has the effect of allowing you to do this.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 relate to the first embodiment, and FIG.
A schematic explanatory diagram showing how hardness is measured using the first embodiment, Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing measured values using the first embodiment, and Figure 3 shows a part of the structure of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the basic structure of the pressure sensor used in the first embodiment.
↓Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the main part of the tip of the second embodiment, and Figure 7 is another embodiment of a rotatable means for transmitting pressing force protruding from the tip of the piston shaft. It is a partially cutaway sectional view showing the. 4...Hardness measurement probe 8...Measuring instrument 11...Outer cylinder 12...Tip portion 14...Piston shaft 15...Pressure chamber 16...Protrusion 17...Coil spring ring 18... Advance payment 20... Roller 25.
...Thin tube 27...Signal code 28...
Support member 29... Contact 30... Lid body
32... Seal part 41... Elastic member
51...Ball 15- Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] A hardness measuring glove having a pressure sensor that detects a pressing force acting on a pressure receiving surface, and a movable shaft whose end faces the pressure receiving surface and transmits the pressing force, wherein: between the pressure receiving surface and the movable shaft; A probe for measuring hardness, characterized in that at least one of a gas and a member exhibiting soft elasticity is interposed in the probe.