Ablation antenna with integrated circulating water tank and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses an ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank and a manufacturing method thereof. The ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank comprises: a needle rod assembly, an integrated circulating water tank and a handle shell. The needle rod assembly comprises: a radiation head, a dielectric tube, a needle rod, a sealing ring, a coaxial cable, a water injection capillary, and a coaxial cable connector. The circulating water tank comprises: a water tank upper cover and a water tank lower cover, which are provided with a front chamber, a rear chamber, a water inlet pipe mounting hole, a water outlet pipe mounting hole, a coaxial cable connector mounting hole, a needle rod guide groove 17 and a water injection capillary guide groove. The needle rod assembly runs through the circulating water tank. The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: a first step: assembling the front end of the needle rod assembly, a second step: assembling the rear end of the needle rod assembly, a third step: assembling the water tank lower cover, a fourth step: assembling the water tank upper cover, and a fifth step: assembling the handle shell. The circulating water tank made of an integrated polymer material has a simple structure, light weight, good sealing, simple production operation, and low production cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of microwave ablation medical technology, and in particular to an ablation antenna with an integrated cooling circulating water tank and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] The ablation antenna is the application component of a minimally invasive treatment device. The energy output by the device is radiated from the front end of the antenna into the affected tissue. To prevent burns to normal tissue and tissue in contact with the antenna during the ablation process, the antenna currently has a water circulation pipe inside the inner tube, which circulates cooling water through a water storage device and inlet and outlet pipes. Existing water storage devices are structurally divided into two categories: most are assembled from multiple water tanks, sealed between the tanks by sealing rings. These sealing rings can age and easily cause the tanks to leak. Others are welded together using a single water tank cavity, with water circulation connected to the front end of the needle rod through a capillary connected to the water inlet pipe. This welding of the water tank is prone to leaks, and the high welding temperature and the use of flux can lead to severe oxidation inside the water tank, which can easily clog the water inlet capillary, causing the needle rod to heat up during surgery and burn normal tissue. The metal water tank is generally heavy and easily shifts during surgery, causing the ablation position to shift. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the problems in the prior art, the present invention provides an ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank, comprising a needle rod assembly, an integrated circulating water tank and a handle housing.

[0004] The needle rod assembly includes: a radiation head 1, a medium tube 2, a needle rod 3, a sealing ring 4, a coaxial cable 5, a water injection capillary 6, a T-shaped piece 11, and a coaxial cable connector 12.

[0005] The inner core 5.1 of the coaxial cable 5 is placed in the blind hole 1.1 of the radiation head at the tail end of the radiation head 1 for electrical connection and is fixed by mechanical crimping. The dielectric tube 2 is located at the tail end of the radiation head 1, and the gap between the front end of the dielectric tube 2 and the end face of the radiation head 1 is no more than 0.2 mm. The sealing ring 4 is located at the tail end of the dielectric tube 2 and seals the gap between the needle rod 3 and the coaxial cable 5. The front end of the needle rod 3 is installed to the step of the dielectric tube 2, so that the gap between the front end face of the needle rod 3 and the end face of the step of the dielectric tube 2 is no more than 0.2 mm. The water injection capillary 6 is installed between the coaxial cable 5 and the needle rod 3, and the front end of the water injection capillary 6 extends to the sealing ring 4.

[0006] The gap between the outer wall of the coaxial cable 5 and the inner wall of the water injection capillary 6 forms a water inlet channel; the gap between the inner wall of the needle rod 3 and the outer wall of the water injection capillary 6 forms a water outlet channel; the water channel is turned back at the sealing ring 4.

[0007] The T-shaped piece 11 is mounted on the tail section of the coaxial cable 5 and is sealed with the contact surface of the coaxial cable 5. The inner core 5.1 of the tail end of the coaxial cable 5 is welded to the inner pin 12.1 of the coaxial cable connector 12 to form an electrical connection. The tail section of the coaxial cable 5 is bent 90°.

[0008] Thus, the needle rod assembly is formed, so that the radiation head 1 and the inner needle 12.1 of the coaxial cable connector are integrated.

[0009] The integrated circulating water tank includes: a water tank upper cover 7 and a water tank lower cover 8. The integrated circulating water tank is provided with a water tank front chamber 14 and a water tank rear chamber 15. The water tank upper cover 7 is provided with a water inlet pipe mounting hole 7.1, a water outlet pipe mounting hole 7.2 and a coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3. After the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 are buckled together, a needle rod guide groove 17 and a water injection capillary guide groove 18 are left.

[0010] The needle rod assembly passes through the circulating water tank, the tail section of the needle rod 3 is placed in the needle rod guide groove 17, and the tail end face of the needle rod 3 is flush with the outer side wall 8.1 of the front chamber 14 of the water tank; the tail section of the water injection capillary 6 is placed in the water injection capillary guide groove 18, and the tail end face of the water injection capillary 6 is flush with the inner side wall 8.2 of the rear chamber 15 of the water tank.

[0011] The T-shaped piece 11 is installed in the coaxial cable connector installation hole 7.3 in an interference fit manner, and the contact surfaces of the two are sealed.

[0012] The fastening surfaces of the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 are sealed. The needle bar guide groove 17 and the water injection capillary guide groove 18 of the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 are sealed with the tail section of the needle bar 3 and the tail section of the water injection capillary 6 respectively. The two halves of the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 are fastened together to fix the needle bar assembly and seal the circulating water channel. This achieves a sealed contact surface between the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 around the water tank front chamber 14 and a sealed contact surface between the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 around the water tank rear chamber 15.

[0013] The coaxial cable connector housing 12 . 2 is fixed to the exposed portion of the T-shaped piece 11 by mechanical crimping.

[0014] The water inlet pipe joint 9 is installed in the water inlet pipe assembly hole 7.1 of the water tank upper cover 7, and the joint surface of the two is sealed; the water outlet pipe joint 10 is installed in the water outlet pipe assembly hole 7.2 of the water tank upper cover 7, and the joint surface of the two is sealed.

[0015] At this point, the needle rod assembly and the water tank assembly are integrated to form a needle rod water tank assembly. The circulating water in this structure flows from the water inlet pipe joint 9 into the rear chamber 15 of the water tank, passes through the gap between the inner wall of the water injection capillary 6 and the outer wall of the coaxial cable 5, flows to the front end of the needle rod 3, turns back at the sealing ring 4, and then flows back to the front chamber 14 of the water tank through the gap between the inner wall of the needle rod 3 and the outer wall of the water injection capillary 6, and then flows out of the water tank through the water outlet pipe joint 10 to form the entire water circuit circulation.

[0016] The handle housing 13 includes two halves, the left halves and the right halves, and the needle bar water tank assembly is fixed inside the handle housing 13 .

[0017] The seal can be made by using UV glue that is cured by ultraviolet light or by using ultrasonic welding.

[0018] The integrated circulating water tank is made of polymer materials such as PC, PP, ABS, etc.

[0019] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing an ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank, which comprises the following steps:

[0020] Step 1: Assembly of the front end of the needle bar assembly

[0021] Insert the inner core 5.1 of the coaxial cable 5 into the blind hole 1.1 of the radiation head at the tail end of the radiation head 1 for mechanical crimping, and put the dielectric tube 2 onto the tail end of the radiation head 1 and fix it. The gap between the front end of the dielectric tube 2 and the end face of the radiation head 1 is not greater than 0.2mm; put the sealing ring 4 into the coaxial cable 5 to the tail end of the dielectric tube 2, put the needle rod 3 into the coaxial cable 5, and push it to the step of the dielectric tube 2 and fix it. The gap between the front end face of the needle rod 3 and the step end face of the dielectric tube 2 is not greater than 0.2mm, and the water injection capillary 6 is put into the coaxial cable 5 to the sealing ring 4.

[0022] At this point, the front end assembly of the needle rod assembly is completed, forming an inner core 5.1 of the coaxial cable 5 electrically connected to the radiation head 1; the gap between the outer wall of the coaxial cable 5 and the inner wall of the water injection capillary 6 forms a water inlet channel, and the gap between the inner wall of the needle rod 3 and the outer wall of the water injection capillary 6 forms a water outlet channel, and the water channel returns at the sealing ring 4.

[0023] Step 2: Assembly of the needle bar assembly

[0024] Insert the T-shaped piece 11 into the tail section of the coaxial cable 5, and seal the coaxial cable 5 and the inner hole of the T-shaped piece with UV glue for ultraviolet curing; weld the inner core 5.1 of the tail end of the coaxial cable 5 to the inner pin 12.1 of the coaxial cable connector, and then bend the coaxial cable 5 into 90°.

[0025] At this point, the assembly of the semi-finished needle rod assembly is completed, so that the radiation head 1 and the inner needle 12.1 of the coaxial connector are integrated.

[0026] Step 3: Assemble the water tank lower cover

[0027] The integrated circulating water tank is formed by buckling the lower water tank cover 8 and the upper water tank cover 7. The two halves of the water tank are buckled together to fix the needle rod assembly and seal the circulating water channel.

[0028] The needle rod assembly is placed across the water tank lower cover 8, and the needle rod 3 and the water injection capillary 6 are placed in the needle rod guide groove 17 and the water injection capillary guide groove 18 respectively; the tail end face of the needle rod 3 is flush with the outer wall 8.1 of the front chamber 14 of the water tank, and the tail end face of the water injection capillary 6 is flush with the inner wall 8.2 of the rear chamber 15 of the water tank.

[0029] UV glue is dripped into the contact surface between the needle rod 3 and the needle rod guide groove 17, and the contact surface between the water injection capillary 6 and the water injection capillary guide groove 18 for ultraviolet light curing and sealing, so as to achieve the sealing and fixing of the contact surface between the needle rod 3 and the water tank lower cover 8, and the sealing and fixing of the contact surface between the water injection capillary 6 and the water tank lower cover 8.

[0030] Step 4: Assemble the water tank cover

[0031] The T-shaped piece 11 is pressed into the coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3 in an interference fit manner, and the contact surface between the two is sealed by ultraviolet light curing with UV glue; the contact surface between the T-shaped piece 11 and the coaxial cable 5 is sealed by ultraviolet light curing with UV glue.

[0032] Snap the water tank cover 7 onto the water tank lower cover 8. Use UV glue to cure the contact surfaces between the needle rod 3 and the needle rod guide groove 17 of the water tank cover 7, and between the water injection capillary tube 6 and the water injection capillary guide groove 18 of the water tank cover 7. This ensures a sealed and fixed connection between the needle rod 3 and the water tank cover 7, and the water injection capillary tube 6 and the water tank cover 7.

[0033] The buckling surfaces of the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 are sealed by ultrasonic welding to achieve sealing of the water tank front chamber 14 and the water tank rear chamber 15.

[0034] The coaxial cable connector housing 12.2 and the exposed portion of the T-shaped piece 11 are mechanically crimped and fixed.

[0035] Press the water inlet pipe joint 9 into the water inlet pipe assembly hole 7.1 of the water tank upper cover 7, and use UV glue to seal the joint surface by ultraviolet light curing; press the water outlet pipe joint 10 into the water outlet pipe assembly hole 7.2 of the water tank upper cover 7, and use UV glue to seal the joint surface by ultraviolet light curing.

[0036] In addition, the buckling surface of the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 can also be sealed by UV glue curing. UV glue is dripped into the buckling surface of the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 for ultraviolet light curing and sealing.

[0037] At this point, the needle bar assembly and the water tank assembly are integrated, completing the assembly of the needle bar water tank assembly.

[0038] Step 5: Assembly of handle housing 13

[0039] The handle shell 13 is divided into two halves, the left and right halves. Insert the assembled needle rod water tank assembly into the internal notch of the handle shell 13, cover the other halves of the handle shell and press together to complete the overall assembly of the ablation antenna.

[0040] The present invention is to improve the water tank structure and has the following beneficial effects:

[0041] First, the water tank is light in weight, which reduces the overall weight of the ablation antenna, making it easier to hold during surgery, increasing the stability of the holding operation, and overcoming the displacement of the ablation needle that may occur due to long-term holding.

[0042] Secondly, the integrated circulating water tank has a simple structure, which overcomes the problem of water leakage between the separate water tanks.

[0043] Third, the sealing process has been improved to overcome the problem that the welding parts of the metal water tanks used in the early days were prone to oxidation and corrosion, which led to blockage and leakage of water channels inside the water tanks.

[0044] Fourthly, the production operation is simple, which improves the assembly efficiency and reduces the production cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] Figure 1 is a sectional view of the front end structure of the needle bar assembly of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tail end structure of the needle bar assembly of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 3 This is an assembly diagram of the water tank lower cover of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 4 This is a top view of the water tank cover of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the water tank cover of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the water tank cover taken along the line AA of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 7 is an overall cross-sectional view of the water tank of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 8 It is the water tank assembly drawing of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 9 It is a cross-sectional view of the handle shell assembly of the present invention.

[0054] Wherein: 1-radiating head, 1.1-radiating head blind hole, 2-dielectric tube, 3-needle rod, 4-sealing ring, 5-coaxial cable, 5.1-coaxial cable inner core, 5.2-coaxial cable dielectric layer, 6-water injection capillary, 7-water tank upper cover, 7.1-water inlet pipe assembly hole, 7.2-water outlet pipe assembly hole, 7.3-coaxial cable connector mounting hole, 8-water tank lower cover, 8.1-outer wall, 8.2-inner wall, 9-water inlet pipe joint, 10-water outlet pipe joint, 11-T-piece, 12-coaxial cable connector, 12.1-coaxial cable connector inner needle, 12.2-coaxial cable connector shell, 13-handle shell, 14-water tank front chamber, 15-water tank rear chamber, 16-contact surface between water tank upper and lower covers, 17-needle rod guide groove, 18-water injection capillary guide groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] like Figure 1 The figure shows a cross-sectional view of the front end structure of the needle rod assembly of the present invention, including: a radiation head 1, a radiation head blind hole 1.1, a dielectric tube 2, a needle rod 3, a sealing ring 4, a coaxial cable 5, a coaxial cable inner core 5.1, and a coaxial cable dielectric layer 5.2.

[0057] The coaxial cable 5 can be a semi-rigid coaxial cable. The inner conductor of the coaxial cable 5, that is, the coaxial cable inner core 5.1, is installed into the blind hole of the tail cylinder of the radiation head 1 and can be fixed by riveting. Pneumatic crimping pliers can be used to ensure the firmness of the crimping.

[0058] The dielectric tube 2 is assembled and fixed to the rear cylindrical portion of the radiation head 1. The dielectric tube 2 can be made of either PTFE or ceramic. If using ceramic, glue can be used and oven-dried to seal the contact surfaces of the radiation head 1, dielectric tube 2, and needle rod 3. If using PTFE, an interference fit is sufficient, eliminating the need for additional glue.

[0059] The sealing ring 4 is inserted into a fixed position of the coaxial cable 5, and the sealing ring (4) is located at a distance of 1mm-2mm from the tail end of the medium tube (2). The sealing between the sealing ring 4 and the coaxial cable 5 can be fixed by ultraviolet light using UV glue; the needle rod 3 is inserted into the tail end of the medium tube 2 and fixed, and the outer diameter of the sealing ring (4) and the inner diameter of the needle rod (3) are interference-fitted, and the sealing is performed by utilizing the material properties of the sealing ring (4) itself; a water injection capillary 9 is inserted into the needle rod 3 outside the coaxial cable 5.

[0060] The distance between the front end of the medium tube 2 and the end face of the radiation head 1 is no more than 0.2 mm, and the gap between the front end face of the needle rod (3) and the step end face of the medium tube (2) is no more than 0.2 mm. Here, the assembly error is minimized as much as possible, so that the formed needle rod assembly has higher consistency.

[0061] like Figure 2 The figure shows a cross-sectional view of the tail end structure of the needle rod assembly of the present invention, which includes: a water injection capillary 6, a T-shaped piece 11, and an inner needle 12.1 of a coaxial cable connector.

[0062] The inner pin 12.1 of the coaxial cable connector can be connected to the inner core 5.1 at the tail of the coaxial cable 5 by soldering.

[0063] The T-shaped piece 11 serves to fix the tail end of the coaxial cable 5 and seal the portion where the coaxial cable 5 is led out of the rear chamber 15 of the water tank.

[0064] like Figure 3 The figure shows the assembly diagram of the water tank lower cover of the present invention, which includes: a needle rod 3, a water injection capillary 6, a water tank lower cover 8, an outer side wall 8.1 of the water tank lower cover 8, and an inner side wall 8.2 of the water tank lower cover 8.

[0065] During installation, the outer wall 8.1 limits the rear end of the needle rod 3, ensuring that the rear end of the needle rod 3 is flush with the outer wall 8.1 of the water tank lower cover 8. The inner wall 8.2 also limits the rear end of the water injection capillary tube 6, ensuring that the rear end of the water injection capillary tube 6 is flush with the inner wall 8.2 of the water tank lower cover 8, thereby ensuring the consistency of the installation positions of the needle rod 3 and the water injection capillary tube 6.

[0066] like Figure 4 The figure shows a top view of the water tank cover of the present invention, including: a water inlet pipe assembly hole 7.1 and a water outlet pipe assembly hole 7.2.

[0067] like Figure 5 The bottom view of the water tank cover of the present invention is shown, which includes: a water inlet pipe assembly hole 7.1, a water outlet pipe assembly hole 7.2, a water tank front chamber 14, a water tank rear chamber 15, and a coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3.

[0068] Coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3 is used to install and seal coaxial cable 5. T-piece 11 is crimped onto coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3 in the water tank cover. The inner diameter of coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the mounting portion of T-piece 11. Apply pressure to complete the crimping. The crimped contact surfaces are secured and sealed with UV glue. The contact portion between coaxial cable 5 and the inner hole of T-piece 11 is also secured and sealed with UV glue, thus achieving a seal between coaxial cable 5 and T-piece 11, as well as a seal between T-piece 11 and water tank cover 7.

[0069] like Figure 6 The figure shows a cross-sectional view of the water tank cover taken along the AA direction of the present invention, which includes: a water inlet pipe assembly hole 7.1, a water tank front chamber 14 and a water tank rear chamber 15.

[0070] The water inlet pipe assembly hole 7.1 is connected to the rear chamber 15 of the water tank, and the water outlet pipe assembly hole 7.2 is also connected to the front chamber 14 of the water tank.

[0071] like Figure 7 The figure shows an overall cross-sectional view of the water tank of the present invention, including: the water tank upper cover 7, the water tank lower cover 8, the needle rod guide groove 17, the water injection capillary guide groove 18, and the coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3. Furthermore, the outer wall 8.1 of the water tank lower cover 8 corresponds to the corresponding part of the water tank upper cover 7, and the inner wall 8.2 of the water tank lower cover 8 corresponds to the corresponding part of the water tank upper cover 7. The coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3 is connected to the water tank rear chamber 15.

[0072] The water tank's sealing process includes sealing between the needle rod 3 located within the needle rod guide groove 17, between the water injection capillary tube 6 located within the water injection capillary guide groove 18, between the T-shaped piece 11 and the coaxial cable 5, and between the T-shaped piece 11 and the coaxial cable connector mounting hole 7.3. Furthermore, the sealing between the fastening surfaces of the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 is also included.

[0073] The integrated circulating water tank is made of polymer materials such as PC, PP, ABS, etc.

[0074] The two chambers of the circulating water tank are an integrated structure and can be formed in one step through a mold. The integrated water circulation tank no longer requires multiple parts to form a water storage device, and the sealing performance is also guaranteed by its own structure instead of a silicone ring seal. The circulating water in this structure flows from the water inlet pipe joint 9 into the rear chamber 15 of the water tank, passes through the gap between the inner wall of the water injection capillary 6 and the outer wall of the coaxial cable 5, flows to the front end of the needle rod 3, and then turns back at the sealing ring 4. It then flows back to the front chamber 14 of the water tank through the gap between the inner wall of the needle rod 3 and the outer wall of the water injection capillary 6, and then flows out of the water tank through the water outlet pipe joint 10 to form a complete water circuit. From the structure, it can be seen that the water flow can also flow in the opposite direction.

[0075] The two halves of the water tank upper cover 7 and the water tank lower cover 8 can also be connected together at one side of the two halves in the axial direction during injection molding to form an openable and closable whole.

[0076] In addition, the handle shell 13 and the circulating water tank can be separated or integrated, that is, the handle shell 13 is divided into two parts, the lower part of the handle shell 13 and the water tank lower cover 8 are integrated, and the upper part of the handle shell 13 and the water tank upper cover 7 are integrated. When installing and assembling, the lower part and the upper part are installed at the same time. When the upper and lower parts of the handle shell (13) are buckled together, the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) are also buckled together. The handle shell 13 can be made of polymer materials such as PC, PP, ABS, etc.

[0077] When the handle housing 13 is a structure of upper and lower lobes, the water inlet pipe joint 9, the water outlet pipe joint 10 and the coaxial cable connector 12 are led outward from the upper lobe of the handle housing 13.

[0078] like Figure 8 The water tank assembly diagram of the present invention is shown, including: water tank cover 7, water inlet pipe joint 9, water outlet pipe joint 10, coaxial cable connector housing 12.2. It is also an assembly component in which the needle rod assembly and the water tank assembly are integrated.

[0079] Assemble the water inlet and outlet pipe connectors 9 and 10 to the water tank cover 7, using mechanical crimping to connect and seal. Press the coaxial cable connector housing 12.2 onto the T-piece 11, achieving mechanical assembly through an interference fit. The outer diameter of the exposed boss on the T-piece 11 can be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the coaxial connector housing 12.2. Mechanical pressure is applied to achieve an interference fit, ensuring a secure and reliable connection.

[0080] like Figure 9 The figure shows a cross-sectional view of the handle shell assembly of the present invention, including: a water tank upper cover 7, a water tank lower cover 8, a coaxial cable connector 12, a handle shell 13, a water tank front chamber 14, a water tank rear chamber 15 and other needle bar water tank components. The handle shell 13 in the figure is a left and right two-petal structure.

[0081] The coaxial cable connector 12 is composed of a coaxial cable connector inner pin 12.1 and a coaxial cable connector housing 12.2.

[0082] The needle rod water tank assembly is located inside the handle shell 13. The internal structure of the handle shell 13 can limit the needle rod water tank assembly to prevent it from moving or being installed incorrectly. Fasten the other half of the handle shell 13 and press it hard until you hear a click. At this point, the entire ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank is formed.

[0083] Generally speaking, the structure is easy to operate, with the needle rod 3 and the water injection capillary 6 limiting, the water circulation effect is consistent, and there is no dirt inside and it is not easy to be blocked.

[0084] The water tank structure has a limiter for the needle rod 3 and the water injection capillary 6, which improves the consistency of the assembly and ensures that the distance from the front end of the water injection capillary 6 to the sealing ring 4 is constant, making the cooling effect of the water circulation more stable. During normal ablation, the tissue will char and hinder microwave transmission, and the cooling water circulation system can reduce the charred area and increase the microwave radiation range. Therefore, by ensuring the stability of the cooling water circulation system, the ablation shape can be guaranteed to be more rounded and stable.

[0085] The water tank body is made of transparent PC material, which is lighter than metal water tanks. Products of the same specifications can be about 6 grams lighter, and there will be no deviation during the operation due to the weight of the water tank.

[0086] This integrated structure replaces the need for multiple connected water tanks to achieve internal water circulation, eliminating the need for sealing rings and the risk of leakage caused by aging seals. This structure circulates water from the water inlet pipe joint 9 into the water tank's rear chamber 15, passes through the gap between the inner wall of the water injection capillary tube 6 and the outer wall of the coaxial cable 5, flows to the front end of the needle rod 3, then flows back through the gap between the inner wall of the needle rod 3 and the outer wall of the water injection capillary tube 6 to the water tank's front chamber 14, and then flows out of the water tank through the water outlet pipe joint 10, completing the water circuit. The water tanks are joined together using UV bonding or ultrasonic welding, integrating the upper and lower covers 7 and 8 into a single unit, providing a good seal. This water tank assembly is simple, while conventional water tank assembly takes approximately ten minutes per unit. This structure allows for mass production, while conventional structures are difficult to implement simultaneously. This structure allows for mass production of water tanks using light curing, reducing assembly time and significantly improving production efficiency.

[0087] Traditional welding causes oxidation and excessive residual dirt inside the water storage device, which can easily cause the aperture of the water circulation to be blocked, resulting in failure of the water circulation system. Severe corrosion can cause the coaxial cable to break and make the product fail. Through this structure, more advanced ultrasonic welding can be achieved for water tank welding. The process does not involve high temperature and flux, and the operation is simpler and more convenient. The internal water injection capillary 6 and coaxial cable 5 and other components will not be corroded. Therefore, the water circulation is completely clean, and the problems of water circulation blockage and coaxial cable corrosion and breakage during operation can be completely avoided.

[0088] The water tank of the present invention is manufactured through injection molding, requiring only one set of molds, which is low-cost and easy to manufacture. Traditional water tank structures made of polymer materials require multiple sets of molds for injection molding, which is expensive to manufacture and has many parts, including the front tank, middle tank, rear tank, and O-rings. The more parts, the higher the cost. Metal water tanks require machining, which is even more expensive.

[0089] The sealing process of the present invention can be sealed with UV glue, which can be positioned in seconds and reach maximum strength in one minute, greatly improving work efficiency. Ultrasonic welding can also be used to weld the welding surfaces, such as welding the fastening surfaces of the water tank lower cover 8 and the water tank upper cover 7 to achieve sealing.

Claims

1. An ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank, comprising: Needle bar assembly, integrated circulating water tank (7, 8) and handle housing (13); The needle rod assembly comprises: a radiation head (1), a medium tube (2), a needle rod (3), a sealing ring (4), a coaxial cable (5), a water injection capillary (6), a T-shaped piece (11), and a coaxial cable connector (12); The inner core (5.1) of the coaxial cable (5) is placed in the radiation head blind hole (1.1) at the tail end of the radiation head (1) and is electrically connected and fixed by mechanical crimping; the dielectric tube (2) is located at the tail end of the radiation head (1); the sealing ring (4) is located at the tail end of the dielectric tube (2) and seals the gap between the needle rod (3) and the coaxial cable (5); the front end of the needle rod (3) is installed at the step of the dielectric tube (2); the water injection capillary (6) is sleeved outside the coaxial cable (5) and inside the needle rod (3); the front end of the water injection capillary (6) extends to the sealing ring (4); The gap between the outer wall of the coaxial cable (5) and the inner wall of the water injection capillary (6) forms a water inlet channel; the gap between the inner wall of the needle rod (3) and the outer wall of the water injection capillary (6) forms a water outlet channel; the water channel is folded back at the sealing ring (4); The T-shaped piece (11) is fitted onto the tail section of the coaxial cable (5), and the contact surface between the T-shaped piece and the coaxial cable (5) is sealed. The inner core (5.1) at the tail end of the coaxial cable (5) is welded to the inner pin (12.1) of the coaxial cable connector (12) to form an electrical connection. The tail section of the coaxial cable (5) is bent at 90 degrees. Thus, the needle rod assembly is formed, so that the radiation head (1) and the inner needle (12.1) of the coaxial cable connector are integrated; Its characteristics are: The integrated circulating water tank comprises: a water tank upper cover (7) and a water tank lower cover (8); a water tank front chamber (14) and a water tank rear chamber (15) are provided in the integrated circulating water tank; a water inlet pipe mounting hole (7.1), a water outlet pipe mounting hole (7.2) and a coaxial cable connector mounting hole (7.3) are provided on the water tank upper cover (7); and a needle rod guide groove (17) and a water injection capillary guide groove (18) are left after the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) are buckled together; The needle rod assembly passes through the circulating water tank, the tail section of the needle rod (3) is placed in the needle rod guide groove (17), and the tail end surface of the needle rod (3) is flush with the outer wall (8.1) of the water tank front chamber (14); the tail section of the water injection capillary (6) is placed in the water injection capillary guide groove (18), and the tail end surface of the water injection capillary (6) is flush with the inner wall (8.2) of the water tank rear chamber (15); The T-shaped piece (11) is installed in the coaxial cable connector installation hole (7.3) in an interference fit manner, and the contact surfaces of the two are sealed; The buckling surfaces of the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) are sealed, the needle rod guide groove (17) and the water injection capillary guide groove (18) of the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) are sealed with the tail section of the needle rod (3) and the tail section of the water injection capillary (6) respectively, and the two halves of the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) are buckled to fix the needle rod assembly and seal the circulating water channel; the contact surfaces of the water tank front chamber (14) and the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) are sealed, and the contact surfaces of the water tank rear chamber (15) and the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) are sealed; The coaxial cable connector housing (12.2) is mechanically crimped and fixed to the exposed portion of the T-shaped piece (11); The water inlet pipe joint (9) is installed on the water inlet pipe assembly hole (7.1) of the water tank upper cover (7), and the joint surface between the two is sealed; the water outlet pipe joint (10) is installed on the water outlet pipe assembly hole (7.2) of the water tank upper cover (7), and the joint surface between the two is sealed; At this point, the needle rod assembly and the water tank assembly are integrated to form a needle rod water tank assembly. In this structure, circulating water flows from the water inlet pipe joint (9) into the water tank rear chamber (15), flows through the gap between the inner wall of the water injection capillary tube (6) and the outer wall of the coaxial cable (5) to the front end of the needle rod (3), turns back at the sealing ring (4), and then flows back to the water tank front chamber (14) through the gap between the inner wall of the needle rod (3) and the outer wall of the water injection capillary tube (6), and then flows out of the water tank through the water outlet pipe joint (10), forming a complete circulating water circuit. The handle shell (13) comprises two halves, the left halves and the right halves, and the needle bar water tank assembly is fixed inside the handle shell (13).

2. The ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank according to claim 1, characterized in that The water tank upper cover (7), water tank lower cover (8) and handle housing (13): The handle housing (13) and the circulating water tank are an integrated structure, that is, the handle housing (13) is divided into two parts, the lower part of the handle housing (13) and the lower cover (8) of the water tank are integrated, and the upper part of the handle housing (13) and the upper cover (7) of the water tank are integrated; The water inlet pipe joint (9), the water outlet pipe joint (10) and the coaxial cable connector (12) are connected to the outer surface of the handle housing (13).

3. The ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that: The gap between the front end of the medium tube (2) and the end face of the radiation head (1) is no greater than 0.2 mm; the gap between the front end face of the needle rod (3) and the step end face of the medium tube (2) is no greater than 0.2 mm; The sealing ring (4) is located at a distance of 1mm-2mm from the tail end of the medium tube (2); The medium tube (2) is made of ceramic or polytetrafluoroethylene material; The integrated circulating water tank and handle shell (13) are made of polymer materials.

4. The ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank according to claim 3, characterized in that: The integrated circulating water tank is sealed using UV glue for ultraviolet light curing or ultrasonic welding.

5. A method for manufacturing an ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The following steps are involved: Step 1: Assembly of the front end of the needle bar assembly Insert the inner core (5.1) of the coaxial cable (5) into the blind hole (1.1) of the radiation head at the tail end of the radiation head (1) for mechanical crimping; insert the dielectric tube (2) onto the tail end of the radiation head (1) and fix it; insert the sealing ring (4) into the coaxial cable (5) to the tail end of the dielectric tube (2); insert the needle rod (3) into the coaxial cable (5), push it to the step of the dielectric tube (2) and fix it; insert the water injection capillary (6) into the coaxial cable (5) to the sealing ring (4); At this point, the front end assembly of the needle rod assembly is completed, forming an electrical connection between the inner core (5.1) of the coaxial cable (5) and the radiation head (1); the gap between the outer wall of the coaxial cable (5) and the inner wall of the water injection capillary (6) forms a water inlet channel, and the gap between the inner wall of the needle rod (3) and the outer wall of the water injection capillary (6) forms a water outlet channel, and the water channel is turned back at the sealing ring (4); Step 2: Assembly of the needle bar assembly Insert the T-shaped piece (11) into the tail section of the coaxial cable (5), weld the inner core (5.1) of the tail end of the coaxial cable (5) to the inner pin (12.1) of the coaxial cable connector, and then bend the coaxial cable (5) into 90 degrees; At this point, the assembly of the semi-finished needle rod assembly is completed, so that the radiation head (1) and the inner needle (12.1) of the coaxial connector become one piece; Step 3: Assemble the water tank lower cover The integrated circulating water tank is formed by buckling together a water tank lower cover (8) and a water tank upper cover (7), and the two halves of the water tank are buckled together to fix the needle rod assembly and seal the circulating water channel; The needle rod assembly is placed across the water tank lower cover (8), and the needle rod (3) and the water injection capillary tube (6) are placed in the needle rod guide groove (17) and the water injection capillary tube guide groove (18) respectively; the tail end surface of the needle rod (3) is flush with the outer wall (8.1) of the water tank front chamber (14), and the tail end surface of the water injection capillary tube (6) is flush with the inner wall (8.2) of the water tank rear chamber (15); UV glue is dripped into the contact surface between the needle rod (3) and the needle rod guide groove (17) and the contact surface between the water injection capillary (6) and the water injection capillary guide groove (18) to be cured and sealed by ultraviolet light, so as to achieve sealing and fixing of the contact surface between the needle rod (3) and the water tank lower cover (8), and sealing and fixing of the contact surface between the water injection capillary (6) and the water tank lower cover (8); Step 4: Assemble the water tank cover The T-shaped piece (11) is pressed into the coaxial cable connector mounting hole (7.3) in an interference fit manner, and the contact surfaces of the two are sealed by UV glue for ultraviolet light curing; the contact surfaces of the coaxial cable (5) and the inner hole of the T-shaped piece (11) are sealed by UV glue for ultraviolet light curing; The water tank upper cover (7) is buckled onto the water tank lower cover (8), and the contact surface between the needle rod (3) and the needle rod guide groove (17) of the water tank upper cover (7), and the contact surface between the water injection capillary (6) and the water injection capillary guide groove (18) of the water tank upper cover (7) are sealed and cured with UV glue; the contact surface between the needle rod (3) and the water tank upper cover (7) and the contact surface between the water injection capillary (6) and the water tank upper cover (7) are sealed and fixed; The buckling surfaces of the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) are sealed by ultrasonic welding to achieve sealing of the water tank front chamber (14) and the water tank rear chamber (15); Mechanically crimp and fix the coaxial cable connector housing (12.2) and the exposed portion of the T-piece (11); The water inlet pipe joint (9) is pressed into the water inlet pipe assembly hole (7.1) of the water tank upper cover (7), and the joint surface is sealed by UV glue for ultraviolet light curing; the water outlet pipe joint (10) is pressed into the water outlet pipe assembly hole (7.2) of the water tank upper cover (7), and the joint surface is sealed by UV glue for ultraviolet light curing; The buckling surface of the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) is sealed by UV glue curing, and UV glue is dripped into the buckling surface of the water tank upper cover (7) and the water tank lower cover (8) to perform ultraviolet light curing and sealing; At this point, the needle bar assembly and the water tank assembly are integrated, completing the assembly of the needle bar water tank assembly; Step 5: Assemble the handle housing (13) The handle shell (13) is divided into two halves, the left and right halves. The assembled needle rod water tank assembly is inserted into the internal notch of the handle shell (13), and the other halves of the handle shell are covered and pressed together to complete the overall assembly of the ablation antenna.

6. The method for manufacturing an ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank according to claim 5, characterized in that The fifth step: assembling the handle housing (13); The handle housing (13) and the circulating water tank are an integrated structure, that is, the handle housing (13) is divided into two parts, the lower part of the handle housing (13) and the lower cover (8) of the water tank are integrated, and the upper part of the handle housing (13) and the upper cover (7) of the water tank are integrated; In the third step: when the water tank lower cover is assembled, the lower flap of the handle housing (13) is assembled together with the water tank lower cover (8); In the fourth step: when the water tank cover is assembled, the upper flap of the handle housing (13) is assembled together with the water tank cover (7); The water inlet pipe joint (9), the water outlet pipe joint (10) and the coaxial cable connector (12) are led outward from the upper flap of the handle housing (13).

7. A method for manufacturing an ablation antenna with an integrated circulating water tank according to any one of claims 5-6, characterized in that: The gap between the front end of the medium tube (2) and the end face of the radiation head (1) is not greater than 0.2 mm, the gap between the front end face of the needle rod (3) and the step end face of the medium tube (2) is not greater than 0.2 mm, and the sealing ring (4) is located at a distance of 1 mm to 2 mm from the tail end of the medium tube (2); The medium tube (2) is made of ceramic or polytetrafluoroethylene material. When the medium tube (2) is made of ceramic material, glue is used and dried to fix the contact surfaces of the radiation head (1), the medium tube (2) and the needle rod (3). When the medium tube (2) is made of polytetrafluoroethylene material, interference fit is used to fix the contact surfaces of the radiation head (1), the medium tube (2) and the needle rod (3). The seal between the sealing ring (4) and the coaxial cable (5) is fixed by ultraviolet light using UV glue, and the outer diameter of the sealing ring (4) and the inner diameter of the needle rod (3) are sealed by interference fit; The integrated circulating water tank and handle shell (13) are made of polymer materials.

Images