Catheter support device and handling device

Abstract

The present invention provides a catheter support device and a processing device, wherein the catheter support device has high reliability even under severe conditions. Provided is a catheter support device, comprising: a catheter; a support member, which is configured to extend along the longitudinal direction of the catheter to integrally support the catheter and can be bent at any position in the longitudinal direction; and a housing member, which houses the catheter and the support member, wherein an intermediate member is arranged between the support member and the housing member.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the following application:

[0002] Invention Name: Catheter Support Device

[0003] International filing date: December 26, 2019

[0004] International application number: PCT / JP2019 / 051296

[0005] National application number: 201980086338.4 Technical Field

[0006] The present invention relates to a catheter supporting device including a catheter and a supporting member integrated with the catheter and supporting the catheter, wherein the catheter and the supporting member are bendable. Background Art

[0007] For example, in machining lines, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and electronic component mounting equipment, a robot travel device is installed for gripping and conveying workpieces such as processed materials, wafers, electronic components, and substrates. In the robot travel device, a travel carriage, which is a moving body that reciprocates on a track, is equipped with, for example, a robot that manipulates the workpiece.

[0008] The traveling trolley of such a robot traveling device is connected with electric cables, optical cables, pipes for hydraulic or pneumatic power supply, etc. (hereinafter, these cables and pipes are referred to as "conduits"). Even for a traveling trolley that repeatedly moves back and forth and changes its position, it is necessary to maintain the stable connection of the conduit. Therefore, the conduit is supported by a conduit support device. The conduit support device supports a conduit of a fixed length by a U-shaped support member formed by two opposite straight portions and a curved portion with a specified diameter connecting the two straight portions. The conduit support device changes the lengths of the opposite straight portions according to the position of the traveling trolley, thereby maintaining a stable connection of the conduit even for a traveling trolley whose position changes. Such a conduit support device can also keep the radius of curvature of the conduit above a specified value during the process of changing the position of the traveling trolley. This ensures the signal transmission and delivery properties achieved by the conduit, and prevents damage to the conduit.

[0009] Such a conduit support device includes a housing member that can house the conduit and the support member. The conduit is housed along the support member inside the housing member, whereby the curved shape of the conduit is constrained to be the same as the curved shape of the support member. The housing member also has the function of preventing dust such as abrasion powder generated by deformation of the support member from scattering around.

[0010] The support member and the container member in such a catheter support device are required to have extremely high reliability. For example, if the support member is damaged during operation, it may damage the catheter and the quality of the workpiece. In the case of a damaged container member, the internal wear powder may be scattered, causing serious damage such as contamination of the workpiece being processed and even the surrounding environment.

[0011] On the other hand, in order to achieve high productivity, the catheter support device is required to correspond to a larger reciprocating distance (long stroke) and faster movement. Moreover, even under such conditions of increased mechanical load, stable operation over a longer period of time is required. As a result, the demand for improved reliability of the catheter support device is becoming increasingly high.

[0012] Patent document 1 discloses a catheter support device, which includes a support member having a flexible material and a non-linked solid body mounted on the flexible material. The flexible material is made of, for example, stainless steel or spring steel, and the non-linked solid body is made of, for example, a metal material or a resin material having high compression resistance. The support member has a structure in which bending in a certain direction is restricted by making the non-linked solid bodies contact each other, and on the other hand, bending in the opposite direction is enabled by making the non-linked solid bodies separate from each other. Therefore, the technical content disclosed in Patent document 1 aims to provide a support member that achieves high flexibility, low mechanical noise, a small bending radius, and a long life, and substantially does not generate wear powder including granular matter generated by wear and the like.

[0013] Patent document 2 discloses a multi-joint cable protection and guiding device, in which, in order to prevent wear powder from scattering to the outside, the connector assembly holds the multi-joint ends of the multi-joint supporting member, the cable ends of the cables, and the insertion port ends of the flexible belt member together, and seals the insertion port ends of the flexible belt member.

[0014] Patent Document 3 discloses a flat cable for movable part wiring, in which a round tube for inserting or removing the movable part wiring cable and an angular tube for inserting a supporting member are arranged in parallel for the purpose of suppressing abrasion and dust generation associated with abrasion (see Fig.21 ). In this flat cable, an inner layer formed of fluororesin is provided on the inner periphery of the angled tube, thereby suppressing wear caused by contact with the supporting member and dust generation caused by the wear.

[0015] Prior art literature

[0016] Patent Literature

[0017] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-507788

[0018] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-170245

[0019] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-21903 Summary of the invention

[0020] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0021] However, the catheter support devices disclosed in these documents have room for improvement in terms of reliability. In particular, it is difficult to ensure sufficient reliability when a large mechanical load is added due to the support member and / or when stable continuous operation over a long period of time is required.

[0022] An object of the present invention is to provide a catheter support device having high reliability even under severe conditions.

[0023] Solutions for solving problems

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a catheter support device, comprising: a catheter; a support member, which is configured to extend along the longitudinal direction of the catheter to integrally support the catheter and is bendable at any position in the longitudinal direction; and a housing member, which houses the catheter and the support member, wherein an intermediate member is arranged between the support member and the housing member.

[0025] The support member is configured to be able to bend in a first direction to a predetermined curvature and to maintain a straight shape without being bent in a second direction which is a direction opposite to the first direction. The catheter support device may be configured such that a side which becomes an inner periphery of the curve when the support member is bent includes a region in which the intermediate member is arranged between the support member and the storage member, and a side which becomes an outer periphery of the curve when the support member is bent includes a region in which the intermediate member is not arranged between the support member and the storage member.

[0026] The support member and the intermediate member may be configured to be able to slide with the support member being bent, and the intermediate member and the storage member may be configured to be able to slide with the support member being bent.

[0027] The sliding movement between the intermediate member and the accommodation member may be greater than the sliding movement between the support member and the intermediate member.

[0028] The supporting member may include a capturing layer capable of capturing particles existing in the housing member.

[0029] The capture layer may be formed of a substance having adhesive properties.

[0030] The capture layer may be composed of a semisolid substance at room temperature and formed into a layer having a thickness of 10 μm or more.

[0031] Alternatively, the catheter support device may include: a capture layer forming region in which the capture layer is formed within an inner region of a valley-shaped portion formed by a surface of the support member and an end of the intermediate layer; and a capture layer non-forming region in which the capture layer is not formed within a region in which the support member contacts the housing member.

[0032] The storage member may include a first storage chamber for storing the supporting member and a second storage chamber for storing the conduit, the first storage chamber including the intermediate member between the supporting member and the storage member, and the second storage chamber not including the intermediate member between the conduit and the storage member.

[0033] Alternatively, the containing member may be composed of an inner sheet located on the inner peripheral side of the bend of the supporting member and an outer sheet located on the outer peripheral side of the bend of the supporting member, the containing member including a plurality of joining areas formed by bonding the inner sheet and the outer sheet together and a plurality of containing chambers formed between the joining areas, the supporting member and the conduit being respectively contained in the plurality of containing chambers.

[0034] The outer sheet may be formed of a sheet having greater extensibility than the inner sheet.

[0035] It may also be that the accommodating member includes a first joining area and a second joining area for dividing a accommodating chamber for accommodating the supporting member, and when the catheter supporting device 1 is observed in a cross-sectional view along its long dimension direction, the length along the inner sheet between the first joining area and the second joining area is shorter than the length along the outer sheet between the first joining area and the second joining area.

[0036] Effects of the Invention

[0037] According to the aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide a catheter supporting device having high reliability even under severe conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the processing device of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 It is a perspective view showing the basic structure of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an example in which an intermediate member 5 is provided between the support member 3 and the housing member according to the present invention.

[0041] Figure 4 Another example in which the intermediate member 5 is provided between the supporting member 3 and the storage member is shown as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 5 These are a front view (a) and a side view (b) of an inner panel to which an example of the support member 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0043] Figure 6 These are a front view (a) and a side view (b) of an outer panel to which an example of the support member 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0044] Figure 7 It is a front view (a) and a cross-sectional view (b) of an example of the support member 3 of the embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

[0045] Figure 8 It is a front view (a), a top view (b), and a cross-sectional view (c) of a block member of another example of the support member 3 to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0046] Fig. 9 It is a cross-sectional view (a) and a front view (b) of another example of the support member 3 to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0047] Fig.10 Another example of the supporting member 3 to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied is shown in FIG. Fig. 9 A magnified view of the main view.

[0048] Fig.11 This is a front view of another example of the support member 3 to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied, showing a straight state (a) and a bent state (b).

[0049] Fig.12 A modified example of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0050] Fig.13 Another modified example of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0051] Fig.14 Another modified example of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0052] Fig.15 Another modified example of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0053] Fig.16 It is due to Fig.15 The area shown in B is explained in the figure.

[0054] Fig.17 Another modified example of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0055] Fig.18 Another modified example of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0056] Fig.19 Another modified example of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0057] Fig. 20 Another modified example of the catheter support device 1 of the present invention is shown.

[0058] Fig.21 It is a cross-sectional view of a conventional flat cable for movable part wiring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] The following is a detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention using the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below do not limit the invention involved in this solution. In addition, the combination of features described in the embodiments is not necessarily all necessary for the solution of the invention. In addition, the various embodiments in each embodiment can also be freely combined within the scope of not losing the technical significance of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of a treatment device 100 having a catheter support device 1. The treatment device 100 has a workbench 101 on its main body, and a treatment object (not shown) is arranged on the workbench 101. Figure 1 As shown, the processing device 100 includes a processing head 102 that can move relative to the object to be processed. The processing head 102 includes, for example, a processing object holding unit such as a manipulator, an electromagnetic wave irradiation unit such as monochromatic light or X-rays, or an acquisition unit such as a camera or a detector, and the processing head 102 is configured to be movable to a position corresponding to an arbitrary position on the object to be processed. One end of the catheter support device 1 is connected to the main body of the processing device 100 as a fixed end, and the other end is connected to the processing head 102. As the processing head 102 moves, the curved portion of the catheter support device 1 also moves while maintaining a predetermined radius, and at the same time, the lengths of the two opposing straight portions change, thereby maintaining a stable connection between the processing device 100 and the processing head 102.

[0061] Figure 1 The distance (stroke) between the two end positions of the reciprocating movement of the processing head 102 in the left and right directions is, for example, 0.3 m or more, or may be 1 m or more. Alternatively, for example, in the case of a liquid crystal panel processing device, the maximum moving distance is 3 m or more. Figure 1 2 shows an example in which the entire movable range of the processing head 102 is arranged only on one side when viewed from the fixed end, but the processing head 102 may be configured to be movable across the areas on both sides of the fixed end.

[0062] It should be noted that Figure 1 The treatment device 100 is an example of a treatment device, and the curved shape of the catheter support device 1 can be arbitrarily set according to the structure of the treatment device 100. Therefore, the shape of the catheter support device 1 is not limited to Figure 1 The U-shape shown is a shape formed by two parallel straight portions and a curved portion connecting the two parallel straight portions. In addition, the moving direction of the processing head 102 is not limited to the horizontal direction. For example, the following structure can be imagined: the catheter support device 1 is formed by a horizontal portion, an inclined portion, and a curved portion located between the horizontal portion and the inclined portion, the processing head 102 is located on the end side of the horizontal portion, the horizontal portion and the inclined portion form an acute angle of, for example, 45°, and as the length of the horizontal portion is shortened, the processing head 102 moves obliquely upward. In addition, a catheter support device 1 in which the two straight portions are U-shaped or reverse U-shaped in the vertical direction can also be used, and the processing head 102 can move in the vertical direction.

[0063] Figure 2 It is a perspective view showing the basic structure of the catheter support device 1. The catheter support device 1 includes a catheter 2, a support member 3, a housing member 4 (catheter bag, also called a protection bag), and an intermediate member 5 (also called a protector).

[0064] The conduit 2 is a member such as a cable or a pipe that conducts at least one of a set of signals realized by electricity, light, etc., energy such as electricity, gas, and liquid. The object that the conduit 2 conducts is appropriately determined by the device provided with the conduit support device 1. The conduit 2 has a first terminal 21 and a second terminal 22 ( Figure 1 ), the first terminal 21 and the second terminal 22 are respectively connected to two terminal connection parts whose relative positions change with each other, which are provided in a processing device such as a machining line.

[0065] As described above, the support member 3 is a long member ( Figure 1 (a) Figure 1 (b)). By using the support member 3, the shapes of the catheter 2, the accommodating member 4, and the intermediate member 5 are restricted by the deformed shape of the support member 3, so that even during the repeated reciprocating movement of the catheter support device 1, the stable connection between the catheter 2 and the treatment device 100 and the like can be maintained. The support member 3 is a member composed of, for example, a plurality of fixed shape portions and joint portions formed between the plurality of fixed shape portions.

[0066] The accommodating member 4 includes a catheter accommodating portion 41 for accommodating the catheter 2 and a supporting member accommodating portion 42 for accommodating the supporting member 3 formed along the catheter accommodating portion 41. The catheter accommodating portion and the supporting member accommodating portion include an accommodating chamber inside. The accommodating chamber is a cylindrical space extending in the long dimension direction of the catheter support device, and one or more catheters 2 and one or more supporting members 3 can be accommodated inside the accommodating chamber. The accommodating member 4 includes the catheter accommodating portion 41 and the supporting member accommodating portion 42. By accommodating the catheter 2 and the supporting member 3 separately, stable continuous operation can be performed, thereby improving the reliability of the catheter support device 1.

[0067] The catheter accommodating portion 41 may be one or more. Figure 2 In the catheter support device 1 shown, a catheter 2 is provided between two support members 3. Figure 2 Application examples other than the structure will be described in detail later.

[0068] The containing member 4 is composed of a flexible sheet-like member. For example, it is preferred that the containing member 4 has a flexibility that allows it to bend with a radius of curvature of 3 cm, so that it has durability that does not cause damage such as breakage even if the bending / restoring action between the curved shape and the straight shape is repeated 100,000 times. In addition, it is preferred that the containing member 4 has a barrier property to the extent that water is substantially impermeable. In addition, from the perspective of detectability when the containing member 4 is damaged or contaminated, it is preferred that at least 90% of the surface area of ​​the containing member 4 is composed of the same color and does not form a pattern that can be identified by the naked eye. For the same reason, it is preferred that the color of the containing member 4 is any one of white, black, or a mixture of white and black, that is, achromatic.

[0069] As the material of the containing member 4, general plastics such as polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC), polyethylene resin (PE), polypropylene resin (PP), polystyrene resin (PS), ABS resin (ABS), etc., engineering plastics such as polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA), polyacetal resin (POM), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHPE), polyamide synthetic resin (PA, such as PA66), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS), polyetheretherketone resin (PEEK), fluororesin (such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) and other super engineering plastics, thermosetting plastics such as polyurethane, etc. can be cited. It is also possible to use ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) that has been stretched as PTFE. PTFE has the advantage of high rigidity compared to ePTFE, and ePTFE has the advantage of high softness compared to PTFE. As PE, HDPE (high-density polyethylene) has the advantages of low price and low friction.

[0070] The containing member may also be composed of multiple layers. For example, the layer exposed on the surface may be composed of a layer mainly composed of a fluororesin having excellent sliding properties, and the inner layer may be composed of a layer mainly composed of a resin having more elasticity than the fluororesin. For example, by adopting a three-layer structure in which an inner layer and an outer layer formed of ePTFE sandwich an intermediate layer formed of polyurethane, functions can be added to each layer, and the cost can be suppressed, and characteristics such as sliding properties and low friction can be added.

[0071] like Figure 2 As shown, the catheter support device 1 in the embodiment of the present invention includes an intermediate member 5 between the support member 3 and the storage member 4. The intermediate member 5 suppresses the contact between the support member 3 and the inner surface of the storage member 4. Thus, it is possible to provide a catheter support device 1 with high reliability that can suppress damage to the storage member 4 caused by friction with the support member 3 when the catheter support device 1 is in operation.

[0072] It should be noted that, although it is preferred that the intermediate member 5 is formed across the entire length of the support member 3, it is not necessarily required to be formed across the entire length of the support member 3. It is sufficient to be formed in at least a portion of the region where the support member 3 is bent when the processing device 100 is in operation, and it is particularly preferred to be formed across the entire region where the support member 3 is bent when in operation. In addition, it is preferred that the integrated intermediate member 5 is continuously formed along the long dimension direction of the support member 3 in these forming regions.

[0073] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the intermediate member 5 in the embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the figure, for the sake of explanation, the housing member 4 arranged on the outer periphery of the intermediate member 5 is omitted from illustration.

[0074] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment, a bag-shaped member (tube) is used as the intermediate member 5. By using a bag-shaped member as the intermediate member, even if the supporting member 3 has a partially protruding structure, the outer periphery of the supporting member 3 can be covered including the protruding structure portion, so that the wear of the containing member 4 can be stably suppressed.

[0075] Such a catheter support device 1 can be obtained by first forming the intermediate member 5 so as to cover the outer periphery of the support member 3 across a predetermined length of the support member 3, and then accommodating the support member 3 formed with the intermediate member 5 in the accommodating member 4. The intermediate member 5 may be formed on the support member 3 by inserting the support member 3 into a tube formed in a tubular or bag-like shape. Alternatively, it may be formed by winding a strip-shaped sheet material so as to cover the outer periphery of the support member 3, and then joining the end region of the sheet material to the other regions of the sheet material. It may be formed by, for example, arranging the long side of the strip-shaped sheet material in parallel with the long dimension direction of the support member 3 like a cigarette, and then winding the strip-shaped sheet material around the outer periphery of the support member 3 to form the intermediate member 5. Alternatively, it may be formed by sandwiching the support member 3 with two or more strip-shaped sheets and joining the ends of the strip-shaped sheets.

[0076] A shrinkable tube may be used as a tubular or bag-shaped member for forming the intermediate member 5. In this case, after inserting the support member 3 into the bag-shaped member, the intermediate member 5 can be arranged around the support member 3 by shrinking the bag-shaped member. As the shrinkable tube, a heat shrinkable tube that shrinks by heating is particularly preferred. When a heat shrinkable tube is used as the intermediate member 5, the adhesion between the support member 3 and the intermediate member 5 can be improved, and the generation of wrinkles on the inner circumference of the rotational bending can be suppressed without hindering the bending action.

[0077] In such Figure 4 On the surface of the support member 3 shown, a strip-shaped covering material is formed in a spiral shape around the support member 3 as an intermediate member 5. By forming the intermediate member 5 in a spiral shape, even when the elasticity of the material constituting the intermediate member 5 is small, it is possible to easily accommodate changes in shape such as bending of the support member 3 by changing the winding pitch of the spiral.

[0078] Such an intermediate member 5 can be formed by inserting the support member 3 into a strip-shaped covering material formed in advance into a spiral shape. Alternatively, the strip-shaped covering material softened by heating or the like can be wound around the support member 3 into a spiral shape, and then hardened by cooling or the like to fix the shape. When a strip-shaped covering material wound around the support member 3 is used as the intermediate member 5, the flexibility can be ensured more than when the entire support member 3 is covered.

[0079] When the intermediate member 5 is formed of a spiral coating material as described above, when the supporting member 3 is in a straight state, the spiral coating material may be coated with no gaps therein, or may be coated with slight gaps therein in consideration of ease of bending.

[0080] The intermediate member 5 is preferably softer than the housing member 4. For example, the intermediate member 5 may have a bending elastic modulus smaller than the bending elastic modulus of the housing member 4. By configuring in this way, even when the intermediate member 5 is introduced, the deterioration of the bending and extension movements of the catheter support device can be suppressed.

[0081] The elasticity of the intermediate member 5 may be set to be greater than that of the housing member 4. For example, the bending elastic modulus of the intermediate member 5 may be configured to be smaller than that of the housing member 4. By setting it in this way, it is possible to suppress the obstruction of the bending action of the catheter support device due to the intermediate member 5 pressing against the outer peripheral side of the bend, and it is also possible to suppress the formation of wrinkles in the intermediate member 5 on the inner peripheral side of the bend, and it is also possible to suppress the biting of the support member 3 at the joint part, etc.

[0082] Alternatively, at least the outer side (the side in contact with the containing member 4) of the intermediate member 5 may satisfy one or more of the following conditions compared with the inner side (the side in contact with the intermediate member 5) of the containing member 4: high smoothness, low friction coefficient, and / or low surface roughness (for example, arithmetic mean roughness Ra). By providing the intermediate member 5 with such a structure, the material selection and structural restrictions of the containing member 4 can be reduced, and a catheter support device with high reliability can be provided.

[0083] When the thickness of the region in contact with the supporting member 3 in the containing member 4 is set to Tb, the thickness Tm of the intermediate member 5 is preferably 0.6 times or more of Tb, and more preferably 0.8 times or more of Tb. Since the intermediate member 5 has a predetermined thickness, even if the surface of the supporting member 3 has a large concavo-convex shape, at least a part of the concavo-convex shape can be absorbed by the thickness of the intermediate member 5, and damage caused by wear of the containing member 4 or the intermediate member 5 can be suppressed.

[0084] The thickness Tm of the intermediate member 5 is preferably 1.5 times or less of Tb, and more preferably 1.2 times or less. When bending, a difference in circumference is generated in the containing member due to the difference in diameter between the inner circumference and the outer circumference. This difference in circumference causes wear and wrinkles during bending and stretching. In the case where the thickness Tm of the intermediate member 5 is too large, the difference in diameter between the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the containing member becomes larger, resulting in a larger difference in circumference. In this regard, by limiting the thickness of the intermediate member 5 within the above-mentioned range, it is possible to prevent the difference in circumference between the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the containing member from becoming too large.

[0085] Examples of the material of the intermediate member 5 include general-purpose plastics such as polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC), polyethylene resin (PE), polypropylene resin (PP), polystyrene resin (PS), ABS resin (ABS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0086] The material of the intermediate member 5 is preferably a material having wear resistance, low friction, and chemical stability, similar to the housing member 4. Therefore, it is preferable to use the same material as the housing member, such as PTFE. However, according to the required characteristics of each component, even by appropriately selecting the above-mentioned general-purpose plastic, a catheter support device having the same or better characteristics can be obtained at a lower cost.

[0087] In the present embodiment, the support member 3 and the intermediate member 5 are not bonded, and the intermediate member 5 and the storage member 4 are not bonded. Preferably, the support member 3 and the intermediate member 5 are configured to be able to slide, and the intermediate member 5 and the storage member 4 are configured to be able to slide. When focusing on a specific area of ​​the catheter support device 1, the specific area repeatedly performs bending and extension actions along with the operation of the treatment device 100. At this time, along with the bending and / or extension actions of the catheter support device 1, a relative position offset caused by the difference in bending diameter occurs between the support member 3 and the storage member 4. In the conventional structure without the intermediate member 5, the offset between the storage member 4 and the support member 3 causes a large distance of sliding between the storage member 4 and the support member 3, which has been a cause of excessive wear. In contrast, by configuring the support member 3 and the intermediate member 5 to be able to slide, and configuring the intermediate member 5 and the storage member 4 to be able to slide, the offset can be generated in a manner that is separated into sliding of these two interfaces, and the amount of sliding in each interface can be reduced, thereby suppressing wear.

[0088] These sliding movements can be purposefully increased or decreased by design. As a preferred structure involving sliding movement, for example, the sliding movement between the outer surface of the intermediate member 5 and the inner surface of the receiving member 4 is larger than the sliding movement between the inner surface of the intermediate member 5 and the outer surface of the supporting member 3. Since the sliding movement between the outer surface of the intermediate member 5 and the inner surface of the receiving member 4 is large, the occurrence of wrinkles on the inner peripheral side of the bend can be suppressed without hindering the bending action.

[0089] The intermediate member 5 may be formed of multiple layers. By combining multiple layers, flexibility can be ensured, and functions such as low friction characteristics can be added to the surface.

[0090] It should be noted that the intermediate member 5 may be disposed not only between the supporting member 3 and the housing member 4 but also between the conduit 2 and the housing member 4. This can prevent wear and damage between the housing member 4 and the conduit 2.

[0091] Figures 5 to 11 Shown is an example of a support member 3 for a catheter support device 1 to which an embodiment of the present invention can be applied. Figures 5 to 7As an example of an embodiment to which the present invention can be applied, Figures 8 to 10 as well as Fig.11 For other examples.

[0092] The supporting member 3 is configured to maintain a straight shape in a specified direction and limit its further deformation, and bend to a specified curvature in the opposite direction. The supporting member 3 includes a plurality of fixed shape parts and joint parts formed between adjacent fixed shape parts. The supporting member 3 is bent into a polygonal shape by bending at many joint parts. Here, a bend that is approximately smooth and circular can be formed by setting the inner angle of the polygonal shape to be large enough. The inner angle is greater than 120 degrees, preferably greater than 150 degrees. Regarding the supporting member 3, specifically, two or three metal plates with two connecting holes are overlapped in the thickness direction, and the connecting holes are staggered in the long dimension direction of the supporting member 3 to form a chain. The maintenance or limitation of the straight shape and the curved shape in the supporting member 3 is achieved by limiting the relative angle and position by mutual contact of adjacent fixed shape parts based on the shape of the fixed shape part.

[0093] about Figures 5 to 7 For example, Figure 7 The supporting member 3 shown is constituted as follows: Figure 5 The inner plate 31 shown is arranged in the middle. Figure 6 The outer plates 32 shown are arranged on both sides thereof, that is, three plates are overlapped in the thickness direction of the plate (laterally relative to the long dimension direction which is the moving direction of the supporting member 3). The inner plate 31 and the outer plate 32 are formed to have a roughly quadrilateral shape in appearance. The inner plate 31 has connecting holes 311, 312 and abutting surfaces 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d abutting against the adjacent inner plate 31. By the abutting surface 31a of the inner plate 31 abutting against the abutting surface 31b of the adjacent inner plate 31, the supporting member 3 cannot be deformed upward from the straight shape (in the accompanying drawings). Regarding the reverse deformation, by the abutting surface 31c of the inner plate 31 abutting against the abutting surface 31d of the adjacent inner plate 31, the supporting member 3 cannot be deformed in a manner exceeding the prescribed bending shape.

[0094] Similarly, the outer plate 32 has connection holes 321, 322, abutment surfaces 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, and the deformation shape of the support member 3 is restricted by the abutment surfaces 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d abutting against each other. Pins (not shown) are inserted into the connection holes 311, 312 of the inner plate 31 and the connection holes 321, 322 of the outer plate 32. The inner plate 31 and the outer plate 32 are connected to each other by making the connection holes 311, 312, 321, 322 in which the pins are inserted into a rotatable joint, so as to form a bendable support member 3. It should be noted that the inner plate 31 in the middle and the outer plates 32 on both sides have the same outer shape, but the sizes of the connection holes 311, 312 and the connection holes 321, 322 are slightly different. As a feature of this example, it is possible to cite that since the outer shape is a relatively simple shape such as a substantially quadrilateral shape, the manufacturing and assembly are simple, and a predetermined performance such as the ability to bend in only one direction can be easily obtained.

[0095] As the material of the metal plate, carbon steel such as S45C can be used. Alternatively, special steel in which one or more elements selected from the group consisting of silicon, manganese, nickel, cobalt, chromium, tungsten and molybdenum are added to carbon steel can also be used. These materials have high mechanical strength and are convenient for supporting the device with a long stroke. Alternatively, the coexistence of strength and corrosion resistance can be achieved by using stainless steel.

[0096] As the material of the metal plate, a light alloy containing aluminum, titanium or magnesium as a main component can also be used.

[0097] exist Figures 8 to 10 2 shows another example of the support member 3 to which the embodiment of the present invention can be applied. The support member 3 is of the same type as that described in Patent Document 1 proposed in the Background Art section. Figure 8 The block member 35 is shown as a non-coordinated solid object disposed on a flexible material 36. Fig. 9 The supporting member 3 is shown in a state including a straight shape and a curved shape. Fig.10 35a and 35b. The block member 35 has abutting surfaces 35a and 35b. Since the abutting surface 35a of the block member 35 abuts against the abutting surface 35b of the adjacent block member 35, Fig.10 In the embodiment, the support member 3 cannot be deformed in the convex direction, and thus maintains a straight shape. On the other hand, in the reverse direction, the support member 3 does not have a contact surface that restricts the bending shape. Therefore, the support member 3 of this other example is different from the above-mentioned example, and is oriented in one direction ( Fig.10 The bending in the downward convex direction is limited to a straight line, but the bending shape in the reverse direction is not limited. The supporting member 3 has the advantages of being easy to manufacture and light in weight due to its simple structure.

[0098] Fig.11Another example of the support member 3 to which the embodiment of the present invention can be applied is shown. Fig.11 (a) is the front view of the straight part. Fig.11 (b) is a front view of the bent portion. The support member 3 has a plurality of block members 37 formed on a flexible material 36. The flexible material is formed of, for example, a stainless steel leaf spring, and the block members are formed of, for example, a liquid crystal polymer or other resin. Fig.11 In the figure, the flexible material 36 is blocked by the block member 37 and cannot be directly seen, but in Fig.11 The position shown in (a) extends along the long dimension direction of the supporting member 3. The block member 37 in this example has 37a and 37b that form a pair of first abutment surfaces. By making a pair of first abutment surfaces 37a and 37b abut each other between adjacent block members, bending in a certain direction is suppressed to maintain a straight line shape. The block member 37 also has 37c and 37d that form a pair of second abutment surfaces. By not allowing the bending in the opposite direction to the certain direction to exceed a certain value, that is, limiting it to a specified curvature radius, damage caused by fatigue of the flexible material 36 can be suppressed. Such a supporting member 3 is a member that can achieve a long life, and is of the same type as the member disclosed in the patent document of International Publication No. WO2019 / 142929A1.

[0099] exist Fig.12 , Fig.13 as well as Fig.14 As described above, the storage member 4 includes the catheter storage portion 41 that stores the catheter 2 , the support member storage portion 42 that stores the support member 3 , and the intermediate member 5 formed between the support member 3 and the storage member 4 .

[0100] Fig.12 The example shown is similar to Figure 2 Similarly, this is a cross-sectional view of an example in which the conduit accommodating portion 41 is disposed at the center of the accommodating member 4 , and supporting member accommodating portions 42 for accommodating the supporting member 3 are provided at both sides of the accommodating member 4 . Fig.13 The example shown is a modified example in which the support member housing portion 42 for housing the support member 3 is arranged at the center of the housing member 4 , and the conduit housing portions 41 are provided at both sides of the housing member 4 . Fig.14 This is an example in which the storage member 4 is combined into two stages. In this way, the embodiment of the present invention can be applied to the storage member 4 and the catheter support device 1 having any arrangement structure.

[0101] The intermediate member 5 may be formed not only between the support member 3 and the receiving member 4, but also between the conduit 2 and the receiving member 4. However, in general, the surface of the conduit is flatter than the surface of the support member, and the conduit receiving portion 41 is more reliable than the support member receiving portion 42 because it is soft. Since the introduction of too many intermediate members 5 not only increases the weight of the conduit support device as a whole, but also has the potential risk of increasing deformation resistance, it is preferred that no intermediate member 5 is formed between a part or all of the conduit 2 and the receiving member 4.

[0102] use Figures 15 to 20 , other embodiments of the catheter support device 1 are described. In these figures, the lower side of the figure is when the catheter support device 1 is used (for example, refer to Figure 1 ) is the inner peripheral side of the bend, and the upper side in the figure is the outer peripheral side of the bend. In other words, the catheter support device 1 shown in the figure is bendable in the upward convex direction in the figure, but its bending in the downward convex direction in the figure is restricted by the action of the support member 3 and maintains a straight shape.

[0103] Fig.15 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the catheter support device 1 in another embodiment as viewed from its long dimension direction. Fig.15 (b) is in Fig.15 (a) is a schematic diagram of the catheter support device 1 viewed from the front at the position of AA, and is a diagram schematically showing the positional relationship among the support member 3 , the storage member 4 , and the intermediate member 5 in the height direction.

[0104] As shown in the figure, the storage member 4 includes an inner sheet 4a located on the inner circumference side of the bend and an outer sheet 4b located on the outer circumference side of the bend. A storage chamber CR is formed between the inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b, and the support member 3 is inserted into the storage chamber CR. In addition, the catheter support device 1 includes one or more catheters stored in a region (not shown) of the storage member 4. An intermediate member 5 is formed between the support member 3 and the storage member 4.

[0105] Here, as the supporting member 3, a pair of Fig.11 The example of combining the support member 3 including the flexible material 36 is shown, but it is not limited to this, and it is also possible to combine, for example, Figures 5 to 10 The other supporting members 3 shown or supporting members of other structures having the same functions as these supporting members 3 can be freely combined.

[0106] In the present embodiment, the catheter support device 1 includes a region where the intermediate member 5 is formed between the support member 3 and the housing member 4, and a region where the intermediate member 5 is not formed between the support member 3 and the housing member 4. More specifically, the support member 3 of the catheter support device 1 includes a region where the intermediate member 5 is formed on the inner peripheral side of the curve of the catheter support device 1, and includes a region where the intermediate member 5 is not formed on the outer peripheral side of the curve. With such a structure, the wear of the housing member 4 can be greatly suppressed, and a catheter support device with high reliability can be obtained.

[0107] Hereinafter, the reason why the wear of the housing member 4 can be significantly suppressed in the present embodiment will be described.

[0108] In the curved shape region of the catheter support device 1, the length of the support member 3 along the support member becomes smaller on the inner peripheral side of the support member than on the outer peripheral side. This difference in length is caused by the diameter of the outer peripheral side being larger than the thickness of the support member 3 (the dimension in the vertical direction of the figure). Then, it is difficult to absorb the difference in length between the inner and outer peripheries of the support member 3 by the expansion and contraction of the containing member 4 alone, and as a result, wrinkles, i.e., a corrugated pattern, are formed in order to absorb the extra length on the inner peripheral side of the containing member 4. The inventors of the present application have found that the corrugated pattern is fixed in position as a bending wrinkle of the containing member 4 during repeated bending and extension.

[0109] Then, consider that if the position of the area corresponding to the peak of the corrugated pattern (including the area of ​​the vertex of the shape protruding toward the supporting member 3) is fixed, then since this area repeatedly collides strongly with the surface on the inner peripheral side of the supporting member 3 compared to other areas of the containing member 4, wear is likely to worsen, thereby reducing the reliability of the containing member.

[0110] Therefore, the inventors of the present application consider that the reliability of the containing member can be further improved by suppressing the formation of the fixed-position corrugated pattern. As described above, since the corrugated pattern is generated by the thickness of the supporting member 3, it is possible to consider reducing the thickness of the supporting member 3, but the thickness of the supporting member is closely related to the mechanical strength of the supporting member. If the thickness is only reduced, the strength of the supporting member will be insufficient, resulting in problems such as being unable to ensure the stroke amount.

[0111] Even if the intermediate member 5 is made thinner, the formation of the moiré pattern can be expected to be suppressed in the same manner as when the thickness of the support member 3 is reduced. However, simply limiting the thickness of the intermediate member 5 will result in restrictions in design or material selection.

[0112] In the present embodiment, the catheter support device 1 includes a region where the intermediate member 5 is formed on the inner peripheral side of the support member where the above-mentioned corrugated pattern is formed, and includes a region where the intermediate member 5 is not formed on the outer side of the curve. In such a structure, by forming the intermediate member 5 on the inner peripheral side where the formation of the corrugated pattern caused by the excess length of the housing member and the wear accompanying the formation of the corrugated pattern are greatly affected, the reliability of the region is improved, and by including the region where the intermediate member 5 is not formed on the outer peripheral side where the influence of such wear is small, the increase in the height of the support member including the intermediate member can be suppressed, and the manifestation of the corrugated pattern can be reduced.

[0113] As described above, in the structure including the area where the intermediate member 5 is formed on the inner circumference side of the support member and the area where the intermediate member 5 is not formed on the outer side of the curve, even when the intermediate member 5 is thick, the appearance of the moiré pattern can be suppressed, so it is particularly effective when the intermediate member 5 is thick and formed at a high height. Typically, it is preferable to apply this structure when the thickness of the intermediate member is thicker than the thickness of the area in contact with the support member 5 in the storage member 4.

[0114] The intermediate member 5 has a surface in contact with the support member 3 and a surface in contact with the storage member on its inner side and outer side, respectively. The intermediate member 5 is configured to be able to slide on the surfaces in contact with the storage member. In addition, the intermediate member 5 may be configured to be able to slide on the surfaces in contact with the support member 3. Preferably, the intermediate member 5 is configured so that when the intermediate member 5 is in a structure where sliding occurs on the inner side and the outer side, the amount of sliding relative to the storage member becomes larger than the amount of sliding relative to the support member.

[0115] The catheter support device 1 may include a buffer layer BL between the support member 3 and the intermediate member 5. In this embodiment, the buffer layer BL is an air layer, which facilitates the deformation of the intermediate member 5 in the vertical direction of the figure and can reduce the collision of the peak area of ​​the corrugated pattern of the storage member 4.

[0116] In addition, if Fig.15 As shown in (b), preferably, the buffer layer BL extends continuously in the long dimension direction of the supporting member. By setting such a structure, the shape change accompanying the bending and elongation of the supporting member 3 as a multi-jointed member, especially the influence of the local shape change of the supporting member 3 facing the containing member, can be alleviated.

[0117] like Fig.15As shown in (a), in the cross section observed from the longitudinal direction of the supporting member, it is preferred that the lower surface of the intermediate member 5 (when an imaginary circle including the curved shape of the catheter supporting device 1 as a part of the circumference is assumed, the surface of the intermediate member 5 that faces the center position of the imaginary circle) is composed only of a downwardly convex curved surface. Then, it is preferred that the radius of curvature r1 that is the smallest among the curvatures included in the downwardly convex curved surface is larger than the radius of curvature r2 that is the smallest among the downwardly convex curved surfaces included in the lower surface of the supporting member 3 (when an imaginary circle including the curved shape of the catheter supporting device 1 as a part of the circumference is assumed, the surface of the supporting member 3 that faces the center position of the imaginary circle) in the same cross section. By having such a structure, the contact area between the supporting member 3 and the accommodating member 4 is expanded, and the local collision can be suppressed from becoming stronger.

[0118] As such an intermediate member 5, a portion having a cross section formed into a letter C shape can be used by cutting and separating or removing a portion of the tube formed of resin at an arbitrary position on the circumference of the tube in the longitudinal direction of the tube. By fitting the support member 3 into the tube from the position where the tube is cut or removed, that is, the notch portion, a region where the intermediate member 5 is formed and a region where the intermediate member 5 is not formed can be formed at an arbitrary position of the support member. As a material constituting the tube, a resin having a lower hardness than the material constituting the support member 3 is suitable, for example, PTFE or ePTFE obtained by stretching PTFE in the longitudinal direction.

[0119] like Fig.15 As shown by the line indicated by the reference numeral 5u in (b), it is preferred that the height of such a tube is 20% or more of the height (the dimension in the vertical direction of the figure) of the support member 3, and it is particularly preferred that it is 50% or more. By ensuring a certain amount of fitting in this way, it is possible to suppress the intermediate member 5 from falling off from the support member 3. In addition, in the case of a tube having a notch portion parallel to the long dimension direction of the tube, even if the height of the tube is set to be large, since the width of the notch changes according to the deformation caused by the sliding of the support member 3, it is possible to maintain smooth sliding of the support member.

[0120] The tube may be fixed to the support member 3 using an adhesive or the like. Even in this case, by limiting the area where the adhesive layer is formed, the support member can maintain smooth sliding. For example, when viewed in cross section, an adhesive layer is formed between the lower surface of the support member 3 and the intermediate member 5, and no adhesive layer is formed between the side surface of the support member 3 (the surface facing the end of the tube) and the intermediate member 5. That is, it is preferred that the side surface of the support member 3 and the vicinity of the notch of the tube are not fixed relative to each other.

[0121] use Fig.16 , yes Fig.15 The structure of the containing member 4 in the area B surrounded by the dotted line in (a) is described. In the present embodiment, the containing member 4 is formed by bonding the inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b together. The inner sheet and the outer sheet respectively include an inner layer IL, an outer layer OL, and an intermediate layer ML formed between the inner layer and the outer layer. The inner layer IL faces the containing chamber CR, and its outermost surface is in contact with the catheter 2, the supporting member 3, and / or the intermediate member 5 inserted into the containing chamber. The outer layer OL is exposed to the setting environment of the catheter supporting device, and a part of it will come into contact with the processing device 100 ( Figure 1 ) of the shell surface. The inner layer IL and / or the outer layer OL can be made of a material with excellent wear resistance and sliding properties, such as ePTFE. The middle layer ML can be made of a material with excellent softness and elasticity compared to the inner layer IL and / or the outer layer OL, such as polyurethane.

[0122] The containing member 4 has a plurality of containing chambers CR. Each containing chamber CR is divided by a joining area AR where the inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b are joined. More specifically, the space formed by causing the inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b to bulge outwards in the non-joining area between the two joining areas AR can be set as the containing chamber CR. The joining area AR is formed in a manner extending parallel to each other along the long dimension direction of the containing member. As a result, the containing member 4 is provided with containing chambers CR extending parallel to each other along the long dimension direction of the containing member, and a conduit and a supporting member can be inserted into the containing chamber CR. The joining area AR can be formed, for example, by applying an adhesive between the inner layer IL of the inner sheet 4a and the inner layer IL of the outer sheet 4b to bond the two together, but can also be formed by other methods such as bonding by heating.

[0123] exist Fig.16 In the embodiment shown, the inner layer IL is not formed at the position corresponding to the bonding area AR, and the middle layer ML of the inner sheet 4a and the middle layer ML of the outer sheet 4b are not bonded via the inner layer IL. By setting it in this way, the bonding strength is ensured, and even if the strength of the material used for the inner layer IL is high, the pressure caused by the difference in the path of the accommodation chamber for accommodating the catheter 2 and the accommodation chamber for accommodating the support member 3 during sliding can be absorbed, and smooth movement can be obtained. Such a structure can be obtained by preparing an inner sheet and an outer sheet that do not form a part of the inner layer IL and expose the middle layer ML, and bonding the middle layers ML to each other. For example, it can be thermally bonded by raising the temperature to a melting point or higher of the material constituting the middle layer ML by local heating, or it can be bonded together after applying a solvent that can melt the middle layer ML.

[0124] Back to Fig.15 Alternatively, the support member 3 may include a capture layer TL on its surface for capturing particles generated in the storage member.

[0125] Compared with the past, the catheter support device 1 with improved reliability of the containing member can be used continuously for a long time. The catheter support device 1 with a long life can withstand at least 2 million times, and even more than 10 million times of reciprocating motions depending on the conditions without any problems. However, fine particles including wear powder of the supporting member 3 and the containing member 4 generated by long-term repeated sliding (hereinafter simply referred to as granular dust) may become a problem. In particular, since the supporting member is made of a material with high mechanical strength, the particles generated by falling off the supporting member, etc., will act on the wear of the supporting member and other members in the acceleration direction.

[0126] In this regard, the duct support device 1 includes a capture layer TL. Thus, even if particles are generated inside the storage member, the generated particles are captured by the capture layer, thereby suppressing acceleration of wear and suppressing release of dust to the outside of the storage member.

[0127] The capture layer TL may be a material capable of capturing particles in contact with the surface, and the structure is not limited. For example, a material having adhesive properties may be used. As the adhesive material, for example, a rubber, acrylic, or silicone adhesive may be selected according to the use environment and required characteristics. The capture layer may be formed by coating, transferring, or the like on the surface of the support member, or may be formed by preparing a member on which the capture layer is formed on any of the various members constituting the catheter support device and installing the member to form the capture layer.

[0128] The support member 3 includes an area where the capture layer TL is formed and an area where the capture layer TL is not formed. In particular, when the capture layer has high adhesiveness, problems such as sliding of the support member, deterioration of movement, or deterioration of sliding between the support member and the receiving member may occur. However, by limiting the area where the capture layer TL is formed, it is possible to achieve both dust capture performance and smooth movement of the duct support device. The capture layer TL can be formed, for example, in Fig.15 The position indicated as TL(1) in (a) is the inner region of the valley-shaped portion formed by the side surface of the support member 3 and the end of the intermediate layer 5 when the support member 3 is viewed in cross section in the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, it may be formed at Fig.15 The position indicated as TL(2) in (b) is an area on the surface of the block member facing the internal space of the plurality of block members constituting the support member 3 that is not in contact with other block members.

[0129] Preferably, the capture layer TL is not formed in the region where the support member contacts the container member or the region where the block members abut against each other. Even if the capture layer is formed in such a limited region, particles are likely to be captured by any capture layer while moving inside the container member.

[0130] The capture layer can be composed of a layer formed by a semi-solid substance with a thickness of 10μm (micrometer) or more. Here, the semi-solid substance refers to a substance that has a fixed shape at room temperature, but will undergo plastic deformation due to a small external force such as light pressure with a fingertip. In the case where the capture layer is formed by such a substance, adhesion is not necessarily required. In the case where the surface of the supporting member 3 is provided with such a capture layer, after particles such as dust adhere to the capture layer, they are taken into the capture layer by receiving external stress from the containing member, etc. In the case where the thickness is less than 10μm, the particles cannot be taken into the capture layer due to the diameter of the particles. In addition, they are also prone to detachment after capture. The same is true when the properties as a liquid are too strong, and sufficient dust capture performance cannot be obtained.

[0131] Although not limited to the semi-solid substance, grease is preferred. Among them, silicone oil grease obtained by adding a thickener to silicone oil is also effective from the viewpoint of stability and the like. The hardness of the grease can be adjusted by the amount and type of the thickener. For example, the hardness of the mixed consistency at 25°C can be 400 or less, and more preferably 300 or less. The consistency of the grease can be measured by the method specified in JIS K 2220, for example. On the other hand, since it becomes difficult to collect particles into the capture layer if the grease is too hard, it is preferred that the mixed consistency is at least 80 or more, and particularly preferably 150 or more. SUPER LUBE (registered trademark) 41660 and the like are shown as greases of such hardness.

[0132] When grease is used as the capture layer, not only can the particles be captured, but also the lubricity of the sliding part can be improved. Most importantly, there is less concern about the deterioration of the operation of the catheter indicating device due to adhesion between components. Therefore, compared with adhesive substances, the formation area of ​​the capture layer on the surface of the supporting member can be increased. However, for example, if a capture layer is formed on the abutting surface of the block member of the supporting member, there is a possibility that the movable domain of the supporting member will change due to the captured particles. Therefore, it is preferred that, like the above-mentioned adhesive substance, the capture layer TL is formed in an internal area of ​​the valley-shaped portion formed by the surface of the supporting member 3 and the end of the intermediate layer 5, and in an area of ​​the block member surface facing the internal space of the multiple block members constituting the supporting member 3 that is not in contact with other block members.

[0133] On the other hand, it is preferred that the capture layer TL is not formed in the area where the support member contacts the storage member and the area where the block members abut against each other. It should be noted that the fact that the capture layer TL is not formed here is not limited to not applying grease, and may also include a form in which the capture performance is limited by setting the coating thickness to be thinner than the coating thickness in the area where the capture layer TL is formed.

[0134] Fig.17 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the catheter support device 1 in another example observed from its long dimension direction. Fig.17 (b) is correct Fig.17 (a) is a schematic diagram of the catheter support device 1 as seen from the front, and is a diagram schematically showing the positional relationship among the support member 3, the storage member 4, and the intermediate member 5 in the height direction.

[0135] The catheter support device 1 of the present embodiment may have the same structure as the above-mentioned catheter support devices 1 except that the structure of the intermediate member 5 is partially different.

[0136] In the present embodiment, the support member 3 of the catheter support device 1 also includes a region where the intermediate member 5 is formed on the inner peripheral side of the curve of the catheter support device 1, and includes a region where the intermediate member 5 is not formed on the outer peripheral side of the curve. Then, the intermediate member 5 in the present embodiment is fixed to the support member 3. The intermediate member 5 includes, for example, a main body layer and an adhesive layer, and is attached to the bottom surface of the support member 3 via the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is formed on the entire surface of one side of the main body layer and can be stably fixed to the bottom surface of the support member 3. The main body layer may include a fluororesin such as PTFE, and the adhesive layer may include a silicone resin. Preferably, a non-curing substance is applied to the adhesive layer, and it is particularly preferred that the thickness of the adhesive layer is greater than the thickness of the main body layer.

[0137] The catheter support device 1 including the intermediate member 5 fixed to the support member 3 can be easily obtained by sticking a commercially available tape on the bottom surface of the independent member 3. Examples of suitable tapes include NITOFLON (registered trademark) tapes.

[0138] In this embodiment, the intermediate member 5 may be formed to cover the side surface of the support member 3. Fig.17 However, if the intermediate member 5 having the adhesive layer is formed to a high position of the supporting member, the sliding movement of the supporting member will be restricted, and the intermediate member will be damaged. Therefore, it is preferred that the formation height of the intermediate member 5 is 30% or less of the height of the supporting member 3 (the dimension in the vertical direction of the figure), and it is particularly preferred that it is 20% or less.

[0139] In this embodiment, if the intermediate member 5 is thick, it will limit the expansion and contraction of the intermediate member, and it will become easy to peel off due to external forces caused by contact with the containing member, especially in the side area of ​​the supporting member. Therefore, it is preferred that the thickness of the intermediate member 5 is smaller than the thickness of the inner sheet 4a of the containing member.

[0140] Next, a structure for reducing collisions in the peak regions of the corrugation pattern of the housing member 4 was studied by configuring the housing member 4 . Fig.18 1 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the catheter support device 1, as seen in the longitudinal direction of the catheter support device 1. The catheter support device 1 of this embodiment may have the same structure as the above-mentioned catheter support devices 1 except that the structure of the storage member is partially different.

[0141] Fig.18 The container member of the catheter support device 1 shown in the figure includes an inner sheet 4a located on the inner peripheral side when bent and an outer sheet 4b located on the outer peripheral side when bent. The sheets are joined to each other at least in the joint area AR1, the joint area AR2, and the joint area AR3, the support member 3 is inserted into the container chamber CR between the joint area AR1 and the joint area AR2, and the catheter 2 is inserted into the container chamber CR between the joint area AR2 and the joint area AR3. In this embodiment, the intermediate member 5 may not necessarily be formed between the support member 3 and the container member, but of course, by forming the intermediate member 5 as shown in the figure, higher reliability can be obtained.

[0142] In the present embodiment, the aspect ratio of the support member 3 when observed in cross section (the value obtained by dividing the size of the support member 3 in the vertical direction of the figure by the size of the support member in the horizontal direction of the figure) is 0.7 or more. For the support member 3 having such an aspect ratio, its long stroke correspondence is excellent, but there is a tendency that the corrugated pattern in the containing member is easy to show. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the length between the joining area AR1 and the joining area AR2 is greater than the length between the joining area AR2 and the joining area AR3. Preferably, the length between the joining area AR1 and the joining area AR2 is more than 1.2 times the length between the joining area AR2 and the joining area AR3. Here, the length between the joining areas means the length between each joining area in the state where the supporting member and the conduit are not inserted into the containing chamber and the containing member 4 is flattened. In the case where the support member 3 has an intermediate member 3, the aspect ratio of the support member 3 can be calculated based on the outer shape including the intermediate member 3.

[0143] For the storage chamber CR that stores the support member 3 having a large aspect ratio, it is also effective to set the size margin relative to the support member to be large.CR ) can be calculated by taking the area of ​​a circle whose circumference is the length of the inner circumference of the storage chamber. Let the cross-sectional area of ​​the figure represented by the outline of the supporting member when viewed from the longitudinal direction be S SM , if S CR / S SM If the size is too large, there is a problem that the supporting member in the storage room is easily deformed, such as twisting. In the past, generally, S CR / S SM The size margin indicated is set at about 1.3. However, for the support member 3 with an aspect ratio of 0.7 or more when observed in cross section, most of them are assumed to correspond to a long stroke, and as a counter to the advantage of rigidity, the corrugated pattern is relatively easy to show. In the storage room for storing such a support member 3, it is preferred to place S CR / S SM At this time, if the cross-sectional area S of the figure represented by the outline when the catheter is viewed from the longitudinal direction is CT , then S CR / S CT Than S CR / S SM Small.

[0144] In particular, in a catheter support device having an intermediate member 5 between the support member 3 and the storage member, a device having such a dimensional margin is preferred. SM It is preferable to use the area including the intermediate member 5.

[0145] Even when using a support member 3 having a large aspect ratio in which there are concerns about the manifestation of the corrugated pattern, or when the height is increased compared to the intermediate member, the catheter support device 1 has such a structure, and the generation of corrugated patterns such as bending wrinkles in the containing member can be alleviated, and the reliability of the containing member can be improved.

[0146] Fig.19 (a) and Fig.19(b) is another example of the catheter support device 1, and is a cross-sectional view of the catheter support device 1 observed from the longitudinal direction thereof. The catheter support device 1 of this embodiment may have the same structure as other catheter support devices 1 except that the structure of the storage member is partially different. In this embodiment, the storage member of the catheter support device 1 includes an inner sheet 4a located on the inner peripheral side when bent and an outer sheet 4b located on the outer peripheral side when bent. A storage chamber CR is formed between the inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b, and the support member 3 is inserted into the storage chamber CR. In this embodiment, the intermediate member 5 may not necessarily be formed between the support member 3 and the storage member, but of course, higher reliability can be obtained by forming the intermediate member 5.

[0147] In this embodiment, the outer sheet 4b is made of a sheet having more extensibility than the inner sheet 4a. Here, more extensibility means that the deformation amount in the longitudinal direction is larger when the same magnitude of external stress is applied.

[0148] For example, a containing structure made of a material such as the following meets this requirement: test pieces of the same shape and area are cut from an outer sheet and an inner sheet respectively, and when the same magnitude of tensile load is applied to these test pieces, at least in the elastic deformation domain, the deformation of the test piece cut from the outer sheet becomes greater than the deformation of the test piece cut from the inner sheet.

[0149] In the catheter support device 1 having such a structure, the difference in circumference between the inner and outer circumferences caused by bending can be more absorbed by the extension of the outer sheet, so that the moiré pattern generated in the inner sheet located on the inner circumference side can be suppressed.

[0150] exist Fig.19 In (a), the outer sheet has an intermediate layer with a thickness smaller than that of the inner sheet. Fig.19 In (b), the outer sheet is composed of fewer layers than the inner sheet. The middle layer of the inner sheet is a three-layer structure including ML1, ML2 and ML3, and ML2 is composed of a material with higher mechanical strength than ML1 and ML3. The middle layer of the outer sheet and the middle layers ML1 and ML3 of the inner sheet are composed of, for example, polyurethane, and the middle layer ML2 of the inner sheet is composed of, for example, ePTFE.

[0151] exist Fig.19 In the structure (b), the middle layer ML2 acts as a mechanical reinforcement layer, so the bending elasticity of the inner sheet is also increased. For the inner sheet with high bending elasticity, the deformation resistance caused by external force becomes larger, so compared with the case without a mechanical reinforcement layer, the effect of suppressing the generation of corrugated patterns can also be obtained.

[0152] Fig. 201 is another example of the catheter support device 1, and is a cross-sectional view of the catheter support device 1 viewed from the longitudinal direction thereof. The catheter support device 1 of this embodiment may have the same structure as other catheter support devices 1 except that the structure of the container member is partially different. In this embodiment, the container member of the catheter support device 1 includes an inner sheet 4a located on the inner peripheral side when bent and an outer sheet 4b located on the outer peripheral side when bent. The inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b are joined to each other through three joining areas including a joining area AR1, a joining area AR2, and a joining area AR3.

[0153] In the area between the joining area AR1 and the joining area AR2, a storage chamber CR is formed between the inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b, and the support member 3 is inserted into the storage chamber CR. In the present embodiment, the intermediate member 5 may not necessarily be formed between the support member 3 and the storage member, but of course, higher reliability can be obtained by forming the intermediate member 5. In the area between the joining area AR2 and the joining area AR3, another storage chamber CR is formed between the inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b, and the conduit 2 is inserted into the other storage chamber CR.

[0154] In the present embodiment, when the catheter support device 1 is observed in cross-section from the longitudinal direction thereof, the length along the inner sheet 4a between the joining area AR1 and the joining area AR2 is shorter than the length along the outer sheet 4b between the joining area AR1 and the joining area AR2. In the catheter support device 1 having a storage member with such a structure, the shape of the inner sheet 4a becomes a shape with smaller projections and depressions than the shape of the outer sheet 4b. Therefore, when the catheter support device 1 is bent, the inner sheet 4a can reduce the generation of complex wrinkles caused by the overlapping of multiple bends, and as a result, the acceleration of wear caused by the generation of a corrugated pattern can be suppressed. It should be noted that in Fig. 20 In the figure, the inner sheet 4a is shown as a completely flat structure, but it can also expand toward the inner peripheral side (toward the bottom in the figure). When observed from a plane including at least two adjacent joining areas AR1 and AR2, the bulging amount of the inner sheet 4a toward the inner peripheral side can be smaller than the bulging amount of the outer sheet 4b toward the outer peripheral side.

[0155] Example

[0156] Next, examples of the present invention will be described.

[0157] (Preparation of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1)

[0158] Will be Figures 5 to 7The support member 3 made of a metal material shown is accommodated in a housing member 4 formed of three layers: an inner layer IL (ePTFE), a middle layer ML (polyurethane), and an outer layer OL (ePTFE).

[0159] Then, as Example 1, a catheter support device 1 was prepared in which an intermediate member 5 of a heat shrinkable tube structure formed of polyethylene resin (PE) was formed between the support member 3 and the housing member 4. As Comparative Example 1 for comparison, a catheter support device 1 was prepared in which the intermediate member 5 was not formed, that is, the surface of the support member 3 was in direct contact with the housing member 4.

[0160] (Durability test)

[0161] The prepared Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were installed at a height of 100 mm (equivalent to twice the radius of curvature R of the curved portion of the support member 3), and the moving end was reciprocated at a stroke of 400 mm and a frequency of 105 cycles / min. After 1 million cycles, the catheter support device 1 was stopped and the inner surface of the housing member 4 was observed with an optical microscope.

[0162] (Test results)

[0163] In Comparative Example 1, a clear stripe pattern in a direction parallel to the long dimension direction of the support member 3 was confirmed in the area of ​​the inner surface of the containing member 4 that contacts the outer surface of the support member 3. A pattern that is believed to be a scratch formed by the peeling of the surface layer was also confirmed in a part. It is speculated that these are scratches formed when the support member 3 and the containing member 4 repeatedly move relative to each other in the long dimension direction of the support member 3 during reciprocating movement. The scratch is a very light scratch, but it is likely that further repeated reciprocating movement or the weight of the catheter supported by the supporting member may cause the containing member 4 to break or other undesirable conditions.

[0164] On the other hand, in Example 1, neither the clear streaking pattern seen in Comparative Example 1 nor the pattern considered to be a scratch formed by the peeling of the surface layer was confirmed.

[0165] In this way, the durability of the catheter support device 1 in which the intermediate member 5 is formed between the support member 3 and the storage member 4 can be confirmed.

[0166] (Production of Comparative Example 2)

[0167] As Comparative Example 2, the following catheter support device was prepared. In Comparative Example 2, no intermediate member was formed. First, Fig.11 The support member 3 shown in FIG. 3 has a block member formed of a glass-reinforced liquid crystal polymer, and the aspect ratio (height / width) of the support member is about 0.83.

[0168] The support member is accommodated in a Fig.16 The container member 4 is a structure shown in FIG. In the inner sheet 4a and the outer sheet 4b of the container member, the inner layer IL and the outer layer OL are both made of ePTFE, and the middle layer ML is made of polyurethane. The total thickness of the inner sheet and the outer sheet is 0.4 mm. CR / S SM The margin of the dimension shown is set to about 1.3. The length between the joint areas AR that partition the storage chamber is set to be the same in the inner sheet and the outer sheet.

[0169] (Preparation of Examples 2 to 5)

[0170] The following duct support devices were prepared as examples. Each duct support device has the same structure as the comparative example except for the differences described.

[0171] As Example 2, a catheter support device was prepared in which a support member with a NITOFLON tape attached to the bottom surface was inserted. The thickness of the tape was 0.08 mm, and the height of the tape formed on the side surface of the support member in the cross section viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support member was set to about 10% of the height of the support member.

[0172] As Example 3, a similar support member was inserted into the S CR / S SM The illustrated embodiment shows a catheter support device having a receiving member with an enlarged dimensional margin of 1.6.

[0173] As Example 4, a catheter support device was prepared in which the same support member was inserted into a housing member whose inner sheet thickness was 0.8 mm. The thickness of the outer sheet of the housing member was about 50% of the thickness of the inner sheet.

[0174] As Example 5, a catheter support device was prepared in which the length along the inner sheet was shorter than the length along the outer sheet between the joining regions that partitioned the storage chamber through which the support member was inserted.

[0175] (Durability test)

[0176] The installation height (equivalent to twice the radius of curvature R of the curved portion of the support member 3) of the prepared comparative example 2 and embodiments 2 to 5 was set to 125 mm, and the moving end was reciprocated at a stroke of 400 mm and a frequency of 70 cycles / minute. The catheter support device 1 was stopped at each predetermined number of cycles, and a light source was set on the back of the smooth surface to observe the transmissive pattern appearing on the smooth surface, thereby observing the wear state.

[0177] (Test results)

[0178] While the effects of wear in Comparative Example 2 were clearly observed at about 2 million cycles, wear was hardly observed even after about 2.68 to 3.15 million cycles in Examples 2, 3, and 4. In addition, it was observed that the corrugated pattern on the inner circumference of the bend was relaxed in a visual inspection of the catheter support device of Example 5 in a bent state. Thus, verification that the reliability of the catheter support device was actually improved in various embodiments was completed.

[0179] While the present invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0180] Industrial Applicability

[0181] The conduit support device of the present invention can be applied to, for example, a robot travel device incorporated in a machining line, a semiconductor manufacturing device, a flat panel display manufacturing device, an electronic component mounting device, and the like.

[0182] Description of Reference Numerals

[0183] 1: catheter support device;

[0184] 2: catheter;

[0185] 3: Supporting member;

[0186] 4: Accommodate components;

[0187] 5: Intermediate components.

Claims

1. A catheter support device, comprising: catheter; a supporting member extending in a longitudinal direction of the conduit to integrally support the conduit and being bendable at any position in the longitudinal direction; and The storage member has a plurality of storage chambers formed by cylindrical spaces extending in the longitudinal direction. The catheter support device is characterized in that: The plurality of accommodation chambers of the accommodation member include a first accommodation chamber accommodating the conduit and a second accommodation chamber accommodating the support member. The support member includes a capture layer on its surface that can capture particles present in the second storage chamber.

2. The catheter support device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support member is configured to be bendable in a first direction to a predetermined curvature and to maintain a straight shape without being bent in a second direction which is a direction opposite to the first direction. The shapes of the conduit and the receiving member are constrained by the bent shape of the support member.

3. The catheter support device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The capture layer is composed of a substance having adhesive properties.

4. The catheter support device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The adhesive substance includes any one selected from rubber, acrylic or silicone adhesives.

5. The catheter support device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The capture layer is composed of a semi-solid substance at room temperature.

6. The catheter support device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The semisolid substance at room temperature is formed into a layer having a thickness of 10 μm or more.

7. The catheter support device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The semi-solid substance at room temperature is formed into a layer composed of grease having a thickness of 10 μm or more.

8. The catheter support device according to claim 7, characterized in that: Regarding the hardness of the grease, the mixed consistency at 25° C. is 400 or less.

9. The catheter support device according to claim 8, characterized in that: Regarding the hardness of the grease, the mixed consistency at 25° C. is 80 or more.

10. The catheter support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The particles present in the housing member include abrasion powder of the support member or the housing member generated by sliding of the catheter support device.

11. The catheter support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The supporting member includes a region where the capturing layer is formed and a region where the capturing layer is not formed.

12. The catheter support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The supporting member is composed of a plurality of block members, and the surfaces of the plurality of block members include a region where the capture layer is formed and a region where the capture layer is not formed, The region where the capture layer is not formed is located in a region of the surface of the plurality of bulk members that is not in contact with other bulk members.

13. The catheter support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: In the second storage chamber, an intermediate member is arranged between the support member and the storage member.

14. The catheter support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The receiving member is composed of an inner sheet located on the inner peripheral side of the bend of the supporting member and an outer sheet located on the outer peripheral side of the bend of the supporting member. The receiving member comprises: a plurality of joining areas formed by bonding the inner sheet and the outer sheet together, The plurality of accommodation chambers are respectively formed between the plurality of joining areas, The outer sheet is made of a sheet having greater extensibility than the inner sheet.

15. The catheter support device according to claim 14, characterized in that If the value obtained by dividing the dimension of the supporting member in the direction from the inner circumference of the curve toward the outer circumference when the supporting member is observed in cross-section by the dimension of the supporting member in the direction perpendicular to the direction from the inner circumference of the curve toward the outer circumference is set as the aspect ratio of the supporting member, the aspect ratio is greater than 0.

7.

16. The catheter support device according to claim 14, characterized in that The plurality of joint areas of the receiving member formed by bonding the inner sheet and the outer sheet together include a first joint area, a second joint area, and a third joint area, The first receiving chamber is defined by the first joining area and the second joining area, The second storage chamber is defined by the second joint area and the third joint area, A distance between the first joining area and the second joining area is smaller than a distance between the second joining area and the third joining area.

17. The catheter support device according to claim 16, characterized in that A distance between the second joining region and the third joining region is greater than or equal to 1.2 times a distance between the first joining region and the second joining region.

18. The catheter support device according to claim 14, characterized in that In the second storage chamber, an intermediate member is arranged between the support member and the storage member.

19. A processing device comprising: A workbench for the objects to be processed; a processing head capable of relative movement with respect to the object to be processed; and The catheter support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and claims 14 to 18.

Images