Ultrasonic head device, ultrasonic treatment system, and method for controlling ultrasonic treatment system

Abstract

An ultrasonic head device (10) is provided with: a base section (11K) supported by a robot arm (2); an irradiation section (11A) provided on the base section (11K) and having a hemispherical irradiation surface (11B1) for irradiating ultrasonic waves; a water bag (14) that accommodates a liquid medium that transmits ultrasonic waves and covers the irradiation surface (11B1); a water supply and discharge part (14R) for circulating the medium liquid to the water bag (14); and a moving mechanism provided on the base part (11K) and supporting the water bag (14) so as to be movable with respect to the irradiation surface (11B1) in the direction of the central axis (L) of the irradiation surface (11B1). The moving mechanism is provided with: a first cylindrical part (13A) provided on the base part (11K) side; a second cylindrical section (13B) provided so as to be movable in the direction of the central axis (L) with respect to the first cylindrical section (13A); and a first drive unit (C) that moves the second cylindrical section (13B) in the direction of the central axis (L). The second cylindrical section (13B) fixes the water bag (14) on a side different from the base section (11K) in the direction of the central axis (L).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic head device for irradiating ultrasonic waves for treatment, an ultrasonic treatment system, and a control method of the ultrasonic treatment system. Background Art

[0002] There is known a low-invasive ultrasonic treatment device that performs the following treatment: irradiating an affected part such as cancer cells or tumors in a patient's body with ultrasonic waves to burn the affected part, or breaking stones or cells, or stimulating the affected part or nerves (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). The ultrasonic treatment device described in Patent Document 1 has a mechanical arm formed by connecting a plurality of links through joints, and an ultrasonic head device supported at the front end of the mechanical arm, the ultrasonic head device having: an irradiation part having an irradiation surface for irradiating ultrasonic waves to the affected part; and a water bag filled with a medium liquid for transmitting ultrasonic waves between the irradiation surface and the patient. In addition, a control unit is provided, which supplies and discharges the medium liquid relative to the water bag.

[0003] The ultrasonic treatment device described in Patent Document 1 forms a focus of ultrasonic waves irradiated from the irradiation part at a fixed position from the irradiation surface. During treatment, the robot arm is operated according to the position of the affected part to move the ultrasonic head device from the waiting position to the appropriate position / posture so that the position of the focus coincides with the position of the affected part. The water bag is in contact with the patient's body surface, and the inside of the water bag is filled with a medium liquid that transmits ultrasonic waves so that the ultrasonic waves are transmitted between the irradiation surface and the patient's body surface to the affected part.

[0004] The control unit supplies and discharges the medium liquid relative to the water bag according to the distance between the patient's body surface and the irradiation surface, thereby adjusting the amount of the medium liquid filled in the water bag. For example, when the affected part is located at a shallow position from the patient's body surface, the irradiation surface needs to be separated from the patient's body surface. Therefore, the ultrasonic head device is held by a mechanical arm at a position separated from the patient's body surface, so that the amount of the medium liquid filled in the water bag is increased.

[0005] In addition, when the affected part is located at a position deeper than the patient's body surface, the irradiation surface needs to be close to the patient's body surface. Therefore, the ultrasonic head device is held by a mechanical arm at a position close to the patient's body surface to reduce the amount of medium liquid filled in the water bag. The ultrasonic head device described in Patent Document 2 is configured such that the water bag has a corrugated telescopic structure, and the position of the bottom surface of the water bag relative to the irradiation surface can be adjusted by deforming the water bag in the up-down direction.

[0006] Prior art literature

[0007] Patent Literature

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-036709

[0009] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-91845 Summary of the invention

[0010] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0011] According to the ultrasonic treatment device described in Patent Document 1, when the amount of medium liquid is increased, the water pressure in the water bag increases, and the water bag may be damaged. In addition, according to the ultrasonic treatment device described in Patent Document 1, when the amount of medium liquid is reduced, the water bag will shrink, and air will enter the surface of the water bag and the surface of the patient's body during treatment to form a gap, and the ultrasonic wave may not be properly transmitted to the affected part. In the case where the ultrasonic wave cannot be properly transmitted to the affected part, it may burn an unintended part.

[0012] Since the water bag is in direct contact with the patient's body surface, it is desirable to replace it each time for treatment from the perspective of hygiene management. The medium liquid circulating in the ultrasonic head device uses, for example, degassed water. When the amount of air dissolved in the degassed water increases or bubbles are mixed in, the transmission performance of the ultrasonic wave decreases and the treatment accuracy decreases. Therefore, it is desirable to replace it each time for treatment. That is, from the perspective of hygiene management and treatment accuracy, it is necessary to replace the water bag each time for treatment, discharge the air in the replaced water bag, supply unused degassed water, and perform treatment after the water bag is filled with degassed water.

[0013] According to the ultrasonic head device described in Patent Document 2, the water bag has a bellows-shaped telescopic structure. Therefore, when degassed water is supplied to the water bag after the water bag is replaced, the air in the bellows cannot be discharged, and bubbles may be mixed into the medium liquid. When bubbles are mixed into the medium liquid, the bubbles hinder the transmission of ultrasonic waves, and the ultrasonic waves cannot be properly transmitted to the affected part, which may reduce the treatment efficiency and increase the treatment time.

[0014] The object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic head device, an ultrasonic treatment system, and a control method for the ultrasonic treatment system, wherein, in order to appropriately transmit ultrasonic waves for treatment from an ultrasonic irradiation device to an affected part, adjustment can be made according to the depth of the affected part from the patient's body surface so that the moisture content and water pressure of the medium liquid filled in a water bag are appropriately maintained, the water bag can be easily replaced, and air bubbles can be prevented from mixing into the medium liquid when the water bag and the medium liquid are replaced.

[0015] Solutions to Solve Problems

[0016] One scheme of the present invention is an ultrasonic head device, which is applied to an ultrasonic treatment system, the ultrasonic head device is supported by a mechanical arm that can be maintained in an arbitrary posture state, and irradiates ultrasonic waves to the inside of a treatment object, wherein the ultrasonic head device comprises: a base, which is supported by the mechanical arm; an irradiation part, which is arranged on the base and has a hemispherical irradiation surface for irradiating the ultrasonic waves; a water bag, which contains a medium liquid that transmits the ultrasonic waves and covers the irradiation surface; a water supply and drainage part, which allows the medium liquid to flow to the water bag; and a moving mechanism, which is arranged on the base and supports the water bag along the central axis direction of the irradiation surface so that it can move freely relative to the irradiation surface, the moving mechanism comprising: a first cylindrical part, which is arranged on the side of the base; a second cylindrical part, which is arranged to be movable relative to the first cylindrical part along the central axis direction; and a first driving part, which moves the second cylindrical part along the central axis direction, and the second cylindrical part fixes the water bag on a side different from the base along the central axis direction.

[0017] Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, the water content and water pressure of the medium liquid filled in the water bag can be appropriately maintained according to the depth of the affected part from the body surface of the patient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing a schematic structure of an ultrasonic treatment system.

[0020] Figure 2 It is a perspective view showing the structure of an ultrasonic head device.

[0021] Figure 3 It is a bottom view showing the structure of the ultrasonic head device.

[0022] Figure 4A It is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the moving mechanism.

[0023] Figure 4B It is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the ultrasonic head device.

[0024] Figure 4C It is a diagram showing the operation of the moving mechanism.

[0025] Figure 5 It is a perspective view showing the structure of the first driving unit.

[0026] Figure 6 It is a perspective view showing the structure of the second driving unit.

[0027] Figure 7 It is a perspective view showing the structure of the third driving unit.

[0028] Figure 8 It is a perspective view showing the structure of the fourth driving unit.

[0029] Fig. 9 It is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the moving mechanism.

[0030] Fig.10 It is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the moving mechanism.

[0031] Fig.11 is a block diagram showing the structure of an ultrasonic treatment system.

[0032] Fig.12 is a flowchart showing a control method of the ultrasonic treatment system.

[0033] Fig.13 It is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a moving mechanism according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the ultrasonic treatment system S includes: an ultrasonic treatment device 1 that controls the irradiation of ultrasonic waves; and a control device 40 that controls the ultrasonic treatment device 1 and manages the use status, etc. The ultrasonic treatment device 1 includes: a robot arm 2 that can support an object at an arbitrary position / posture; an ultrasonic head device 10 that is provided at the front end of the robot arm 2; a liquid storage part 12 that is provided at the front end of the ultrasonic head device 10 and is configured to be able to adjust the volume; and a housing 20 that is provided with a fluid circuit part 25, and the fluid circuit part 25 allows the medium liquid to flow to the liquid storage part 12 according to the control command from the control device 40.

[0035] The robot arm 2 is composed of, for example, a vertical multi-joint robot, and the robot arm 2 is set on the ground via an arm stand 4. The robot arm 2 is configured to move the ultrasonic head device 10 to an arbitrary position, and can hold the ultrasonic head device 10 in an arbitrary posture state. The robot arm 2 can hold the ultrasonic head device 10 at a position where it abuts against the patient, or at a position where it is separated from the patient. In addition, the robot arm 2 can hold the ultrasonic head device 10 in a posture where the central axis L of the ultrasonic head device 10 extends along the vertical direction, or in a posture where the central axis L of the ultrasonic head device 10 is inclined from the vertical direction. Hereinafter, the direction along the central axis L will be appropriately referred to as "axial direction" or the like.

[0036] The ultrasonic head device 10 irradiates ultrasonic waves to the affected part of the patient K for treatment. The affected part is, for example, cancer cells such as liver cancer, stones, etc. The treatment object based on ultrasound can be applied not only to humans but also to animals. The ultrasonic head device 10 includes a device for irradiating high intensity focused ultrasound (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound: hereinafter referred to as HIFU) as a therapeutic ultrasound to the treatment object, and a device for irradiating / receiving diagnostic ultrasound which is an ultrasound different from HIFU.

[0037] like Figures 2 to 4C As shown, the ultrasonic head device 10 includes, for example, an irradiation unit 11A for irradiating ultrasonic waves to the affected part of the treatment object at the lower end of the inner side of the main body 11. The irradiation unit 11A is provided with, for example, a first irradiation unit 11B for generating HIFU for treatment and a second irradiation unit 11C composed of a diagnostic probe for generating ultrasonic waves for diagnosis.

[0038] The first irradiation section 11B is composed of, for example, a HIFU transducer that irradiates HIFU so as to generate a focus X. An irradiation surface 11B1 formed in a dome shape is provided on the lower surface side of the first irradiation section 11B, and a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators (not shown) composed of piezoelectric elements and the like are arranged on the inner surface of the irradiation surface 11B1. The plurality of ultrasonic vibrators are arranged so that the envelopes of the oscillated plurality of ultrasonic waves converge at one or more focuses X. In the present embodiment, the focus X generates six locations at equally spaced positions with the center axis L as the center on a plane orthogonal to the center axis L. Here, the generated focus X may also be one location. In this case, the focus X is generated on the center axis L. The first irradiation section 11B may also be configured to be rotatable with the center axis L as the center, for example.

[0039] The second irradiation unit 11C performs ultrasonic scanning on the treatment object to generate a cross-sectional image. The second irradiation unit 11C irradiates diagnostic ultrasonic waves to the patient K at the front end, for example, and receives the diagnostic ultrasonic waves reflected by the object such as the affected part of the patient K. The second irradiation unit 11C protrudes downward from the irradiation surface 11B1 of the first irradiation unit 11B. The second irradiation unit 11C irradiates diagnostic ultrasonic waves in a predetermined angle range relative to the central axis L along the up-down direction, and receives the reflected waves. The second irradiation unit 11C is configured to be rotatable along the central axis L. The second irradiation unit 11C is configured to be movable in the direction along the central axis L.

[0040] The liquid storage part 12 has a water bag 14. The water bag 14 is formed into a hemispherical shape that bulges downward. The internal space of the water bag 14 is filled with a dielectric liquid that transmits ultrasonic waves as described later. The water bag 14 covers the irradiation surface 11B1 of the first irradiation part 11B and the second irradiation part 11C that protrudes from the irradiation surface 11B1. The irradiation surface 11B1 and the second irradiation part 11C are immersed in the dielectric liquid filled in the internal space of the water bag 14. The outer side of the bottom of the water bag 14 abuts against the body surface of the patient during diagnosis and treatment. The second irradiation part 11C is configured to be able to rotate freely and move freely in the up and down directions in the internal space filled with the dielectric liquid. The front end of the second irradiation part 11C abuts against the inner side of the bottom of the water bag 14, for example, during diagnosis. As a result, the second irradiation part 11C abuts against the body surface of the patient K via the water bag 14, and diagnoses the inside of the body of the patient K.

[0041] The liquid storage part 12 is composed of, for example, a moving mechanism 13 that can be raised and lowered in the direction of the central axis L, a water bag 14, and a mounting portion T for mounting the water bag 14 provided at the lower portion of the moving mechanism 13. The liquid storage part 12 is configured so that the volume of the internal space filled with the medium liquid can be adjusted by the moving mechanism 13. The liquid storage part 12 is formed with, for example, the water bag 14, the moving mechanism 13, and the first irradiation unit 11B. The internal space of the liquid storage part 12 is filled with the medium liquid. The water bag 14 is configured so that it can be attached to and detached from the moving mechanism 13 for replacement as described later.

[0042] The moving mechanism 13 is, for example, provided on a base 11K fixed to the main body 11. The main body 11 is supported by the robot arm 2 via the base 11K. The moving mechanism 13 is configured to increase or decrease the volume of the internal space by allowing the water bag 14 to be freely raised and lowered along the direction of the central axis L. The moving mechanism 13, for example, includes a first cylindrical portion 13A provided on the side of the base 11K. The moving mechanism 13 includes a second cylindrical portion 13B having a mounting portion T on the lower side for mounting the water bag 14. The second cylindrical portion 13B is maintained to be movable along the direction of the central axis L. The moving mechanism 13 includes a moving drive portion that moves the second cylindrical portion 13B relative to the first cylindrical portion 13A along the direction of the central axis L. The moving drive portion is composed of a third cylindrical portion 13C and a first drive portion C described later.

[0043] The first cylindrical portion 13A is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape centered on the central axis L. A plurality of first grooves 13A2 are formed on the outer peripheral surface 13A1 of the first cylindrical portion 13A. The first groove 13A2 is formed in a straight groove shape along the direction of the central axis L. The first groove 13A2 is formed, for example, evenly at three locations along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface 13A1. The first groove 13A2 is formed, for example, in a straight groove shape of a predetermined length from the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 13A. The first groove 13A2 is formed in a groove shape having a predetermined depth from the outer peripheral surface 13A1 side. The area from the lower end of the first groove 13A2 to the lower side on the outer peripheral surface 13A1 is a sliding area 13A3 for sliding of the sealing member S1 described later. The first cylindrical portion 13A is inserted into the second cylindrical portion 13B, and the outer peripheral surface A1 of the first cylindrical portion 13A is opposed to the inner peripheral surface 13B2 of the second cylindrical portion 13B described later.

[0044] The second cylindrical portion 13B is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape centered on the central axis L. The second cylindrical portion 13B is formed with one or more through holes 13BH penetrating from the outer peripheral surface 13B1 to the inner peripheral surface 13B2. The through holes 13BH are arranged at positions corresponding to the first groove 13A2 of the first cylindrical portion 13A, for example, formed evenly at three locations centered on the central axis L. Engagement members 13BP are respectively inserted into the three through holes 13BH. The engagement member 13BP is formed as a cylindrical pin member. The engagement member 13BP is arranged to protrude radially from the inner peripheral surface 13B2 side toward the central axis. The engagement member 13BP is formed so as to engage with the first groove 13A2 when the first cylindrical portion 13A is inserted into the second cylindrical portion 13B. The front end portion of the engagement member 13BP is guided by the first groove 13A2 and slides in the first groove 13A2. In either the first cylindrical portion 13A or the second cylindrical portion 13B, one or more first grooves 13A2 are formed along the central axis direction. In either the first cylindrical portion 13A or the second cylindrical portion 13B, one or more engaging members 13BP are formed to protrude in the radial direction and engage with the first groove 13A2. A roller (not shown) that moves along the first groove 13A2 may also be provided at the front end of the engaging member 13BP. In the present embodiment, the engaging portion is constituted by three engaging members 13BP. The engaging member 13BP is guided by the first groove 13A2, so that the second cylindrical portion 13B is set to be movable along the central axis L direction relative to the first cylindrical portion 13A. The second cylindrical portion 13B moves axially within a specified range of movement, for example, based on the rotation of the third cylindrical portion 13C described later. The third cylindrical portion 13C is driven and rotated by the first drive portion C.

[0045] A sealing groove 13BM into which a sealing member S1 is embedded is formed at the lower part of the inner circumferential surface 13B2 of the second cylindrical portion 13B. The sealing groove 13BM is provided, for example, along the circumferential direction with the central axis L as the center below the inner circumferential surface 13B2. The sealing groove 13BM is provided so as to extend along the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface 13B2. The sealing groove 13BM is provided so as to be embedded with a sealing member S1 formed in an annular shape, and the sealing member S1 seals the gap between the sealing member S1 and the sliding area 13A3 on the outer circumferential surface 13A1 of the first cylindrical portion 13A. The sealing groove 13BM and the sealing member S1 may be provided with more than one in the axial direction. The sealing portion is constituted by the sealing groove 13BM and the sealing member S1. The sealing portion is formed along the circumferential direction with the central axis L as the center, and seals the gap between the inner circumferential surface 13B2 of the second cylindrical portion 13B and the sliding area 13A3 on the outer circumferential surface 13A1 of the first cylindrical portion 13A, thereby ensuring watertightness.

[0046] The outer peripheral surface 13B1 of the second cylindrical portion 13B is provided with a mounting portion T (see Figure 2 The mounting portion T includes, for example, a plurality of buckles (not shown) uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface 13B1, and an annular member T1 fixed by the plurality of buckles. The buckles are formed, for example, so that the annular member T1 can be attached and detached by lever operation. The annular member T1 is provided to be openable and closable relative to the second cylindrical portion 13B, for example, via a hinge structure (not shown).

[0047] The end face 13BT at the lower end of the second tubular portion 13B is formed into a circular ring shape having a predetermined width. The flange portion 14C, which will be described later, provided at the upper end of the water bag 14 abuts against the end face 13BT. When the annular member T2 is provided at the flange portion 14C and the buckle is operated to close the mounting portion T, the annular member T2 engages with the flange portion 14C and cooperates with the end face 13BT at the lower end of the second tubular portion 13B to clamp the flange portion 14C.

[0048] According to the above structure, the annular member T2 cooperates with the mounting portion to allow the water bag 14 to be freely loaded and unloaded, and the flange portion 14C of the water bag 14 is tightly attached to the end surface 13BT of the lower end of the second tubular portion 13B to ensure water tightness between the second tubular portion 13B and the water bag 14.

[0049] The mobile driving part includes a third cylindrical part 13C and a first driving part C described later that drives the third cylindrical part 13C to rotate. The third cylindrical part 13C is kept rotatable around the central axis L, and a part of the third cylindrical part 13C is inserted into the gap between the inner peripheral surface 13B2 of the second cylindrical part 13B and the outer peripheral surface 13A1 of the first cylindrical part 13A. The third cylindrical part 13C, for example, includes an annular member 13C1 formed in an annular shape, and a cylindrical part 13C2 formed by hanging downward from the annular member 13C1. A flange part 13CF protruding radially around the central axis L is extendedly formed on the upper end of the annular member 13C1. The flange part 13CF abuts against the upper end of the first cylindrical part 13A.

[0050] The cylindrical portion 13C2 is inserted into the gap between the inner circumferential surface 13B2 of the second cylindrical portion 13B and the outer circumferential surface 13A1 of the first cylindrical portion 13A. In each cylindrical portion 13C2, a second groove portion 13CM inclined along the direction of the central axis is formed in a penetrating manner in the circumferential direction relative to the central axis. The second groove portion 13CM is formed by, for example, a length of less than one circle of a spiral track with a prescribed spacing interval around the central axis L as the center. The engaging member 13BP (engaging portion) provided in the second cylindrical portion 13B penetrates each second groove portion 13CM respectively. The upper end side of the second groove portion 13CM is, for example, the starting point of the second groove portion 13CM. The lower end side of the second groove portion 13CM is, for example, the end point of the second groove portion 13CM.

[0051] exist Figure 4C (B) shows the initial state (or standby state) of the ultrasonic head device 10 before the operator operates the ultrasonic treatment system S for treatment. The engaging member 13BP is located near the middle of the first groove 13A2 and the second groove 13CM. Here, the third cylindrical portion 13C is changed from the initial state to the standby state. Figure 4C (A) is rotated to the right in the figure (counterclockwise when viewed from above), the engaging member 13BP rises along the first groove 13A2 as the second groove 13CM moves to the right. As the engaging member 13BP rises, the second tubular portion 13B also rises. Through this action, the water bag 14 approaches the irradiation surface 11B1, and the volume of the internal space of the liquid storage portion 12 decreases. Here, when the third tubular portion 13C is moved from the initial state as shown in FIG. Figure 4C (C) is rotated to the left in the figure (clockwise in a top view), the engaging member 13BP moves down along the first groove 13A2 as the second groove 13CM moves to the left. As the engaging member 13BP moves down, the second tubular portion 13B also moves down. Through this action, the water bag 14 is separated from the irradiation surface 11B1, and the volume of the internal space of the liquid storage portion 12 increases.

[0052] According to the above structure, the engaging member 13BP of the second cylindrical portion 13B can move in the axial direction with an arbitrary amount of movement within the range guided by the second groove portion 13CM and the first groove portion 13A2. In addition, by making the inclination angle between the plane orthogonal to the central axis L and the second groove portion 13CM moderate, the force required for the first drive portion C described later to rotate the third cylindrical portion 13C can be reduced. Thus, the drive source used by the first drive portion C can be reduced, and the device structure can be miniaturized.

[0053] In the present embodiment, the engaging member is located near the middle of the second groove in the initial state, but for example, the engaging member may be located at the start point (upper end) or the end point (lower end) of the second groove in the initial state.

[0054] That is, the third cylindrical portion 13C is driven by the first driving portion C described later, so that it rotates circumferentially relative to the first cylindrical portion 13A and the second cylindrical portion 13B with the central axis L as the center, thereby enabling the engaging member 13BP to move along the second groove portion 13CM and the first groove portion 13A2, and based on the rotation direction, the second cylindrical portion can be moved axially along the central axis L relative to the first cylindrical portion by an arbitrary amount.

[0055] The water bag 14 is formed, for example, in a bowl shape that bulges downward. The water bag 14 is formed of a material that has biocompatibility and an acoustic impedance close to that of a living body. The water bag 14 is formed, for example, of a flexible material such as silicone. The water bag 14 is formed so that it can be replaced at each treatment. A contact portion 14A that contacts the body of the patient K is formed on the lower surface side of the water bag 14. The contact portion 14A is formed in a hemispherical basin shape. A cylindrical peripheral wall portion 14B is formed around the contact portion 14A, the lower portion of which is continuous with the contact portion and extends in an upper manner surrounding the contact portion. The peripheral wall portion 14B is formed, for example, in a truncated cone shape whose diameter increases as it moves upward. The peripheral wall portion 14B is mounted on the assembly object portion (not shown) of the ultrasonic head device 10. At the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 14B, a flange portion 14C that engages with the assembly object portion is formed. The flange portion 14C is formed in a circular ring shape that protrudes outward in the horizontal direction.

[0056] The peripheral wall portion 14B is provided with a water supply and drainage portion 14R that allows the medium liquid to flow relative to the water bag through the fluid circuit portion 25. The water supply and drainage portion 14R includes an inflow connection portion 14RA that allows the medium liquid to flow in from the fluid circuit portion 25, and a discharge connection portion 14RB that allows the medium liquid to be discharged from the water bag 14. The inflow connection portion 14RA is provided at a first position of the peripheral wall portion 14B. The inflow connection portion 14RA is connected to the flow path of the fluid circuit portion 25. The discharge connection portion 14RB is provided at a second position of the peripheral wall portion 14B that is different from the first position when viewed from above. The second position is, for example, a position rotated 90 degrees from the first position relative to the center of the contact portion 14A when viewed from above. The discharge connection portion 14RB is connected to the flow path of the fluid circuit portion 25.

[0057] Figure 5 The figure shows the internal structure of the main body 11 of the ultrasonic head device 10. The third cylindrical portion 13C is driven by the first driving portion C to rotate around the central axis L. The first driving portion C is composed of, for example, a first motor serving as a driving source C1, a first gear (not shown) driven to rotate by the first motor, and a second gear C3 meshing with the first gear. A reducer C5 is provided between the first motor and the first gear to reduce the rotation speed of the first motor and increase the torque of the rotation output. If the first motor has sufficient torque, the reducer C5 may not be provided.

[0058] The first motor has a rotating shaft (not shown) along the central axis L, and a first gear is provided below the rotating shaft. The first gear is, for example, a pinion. The first motor is fixed to the base 11K that fixes the first cylindrical portion 13A side via a fixing member C6. The first motor transmits rotational power to the second gear C3 via the first gear. The second gear C3 is, for example, formed as an internal gear (rack) having an outer diameter that is the same as the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 13A. The second gear C3 is formed by cutting out a portion of the internal gear within a prescribed angle range centered on the central axis L. The second gear C3 is formed within a prescribed angle range in which the above-mentioned engaging member 13BP can move relatively along the second groove portion 13CM from the end point to the beginning point of the second groove portion 13CM. The second gear C3 is, for example, threadedly fixed to the upper end of the third cylindrical portion 13C via the base 11K.

[0059] According to the above structure, when the first gear that becomes the output part C2 is driven by the first motor to rotate, the driving force is transmitted to the second gear C3, and the third cylindrical part 13C is driven via the second gear C3 to rotate around the central axis L. The third cylindrical part 13C is driven to rotate by the first motor, whereby the second cylindrical part 13B moves an arbitrary amount of movement within a prescribed range along the axial direction relative to the first cylindrical part 13A. As described above, the water bag 14 is formed into a bowl shape that bulges downward, and the moving mechanism 13 is configured to move the second cylindrical part 13B and the water bag 14 installed below the second cylindrical part 13B relative to the first cylindrical part 13A. Therefore, compared with the case where the water bag 14 has a corrugated telescopic structure, it is possible to prevent the mixing of bubbles when the medium liquid is filled into the internal space of the liquid storage part 12 after the water bag 14 is replaced.

[0060] like Figure 6 As shown, the second irradiation unit 11C (refer to Figure 4B ) is driven and rotated by the second driving unit D around the central axis L. The second driving unit D is composed of, for example, a second motor D1 that serves as a driving source, a first pulley D2 that is driven and rotated by the second motor D1, a first belt D3 that transmits the rotational power of the first pulley D2, and a second pulley D4 that is driven and rotated by the first belt D3. A reducer D5 that reduces the rotational speed of the second motor D1 and increases the torque of the rotational output is provided between the second motor D1 and the first pulley D2. If the torque of the second motor D1 is sufficiently ensured, the reducer D5 may not be required. The second motor D1 has a rotating shaft (not shown) along the central axis L, and a first pulley D2 is provided below the rotating shaft.

[0061] For example, a first belt D3 is hung around the first pulley D2. The second pulley D4 is formed to have a diameter larger than that of the first pulley D2. The first belt D3 is hung around the second pulley D4. A second irradiation unit 11C (see FIG. 1 ) is connected concentrically with the second pulley D4. Figure 2 ) is connected to the shaft 11S. The shaft 11S extends above the second irradiation unit 11C. The second irradiation unit 11C is provided at the lower end of the shaft 11S. The shaft 11S is supported by the base 11K so as to be rotatable around the central axis L and supported so as to be movable along the central axis L direction.

[0062] The second pulley D4 increases the torque of the rotation output of the first pulley D2, and drives the second irradiation unit 11C to rotate via the shaft 11S. The second motor D1 is fixed via the support member D6. The support member D6 limits the circumferential movement of the second motor D1 centered on the central axis L. The support member D6 moves along the direction of the central axis L as described later. According to the above structure, when the first pulley D2 is driven to rotate by the second motor D1, the second pulley D4 rotates via the first belt D3, and drives the second irradiation unit 11C to rotate via the shaft 11S.

[0063] like Figure 7 As shown, the first irradiation unit 11B (refer to Figure 4B ) is configured to be movable along the central axis L direction via the shaft 11S by the third driving unit E. The third driving unit E is composed of, for example, a third motor E1 as a driving source, a support unit E8 supporting the third motor E1, a ball screw E2 driven to rotate by the third motor E1, a sliding nut E3 threadedly engaged with the ball screw E2, a pedestal E4 supporting the sliding nut E3, and a connecting member E5 connecting the pedestal E4 to a supporting member D6 supporting the second motor D1.

[0064] The third motor E1 is fixed to the base 11K via a support portion E8. The support portion E8, for example, includes a fixing member E8A for fixing the third motor E1. The fixing member E8A is fixed to the base 11K via two pillars E8B. The third motor E1 has a rotating shaft (not shown) along the central axis L, and a ball screw E2 is connected below the rotating shaft. A threaded groove is formed in the ball screw E2. The lower end side of the ball screw E2 is rotatably supported on the base 11K via a bearing EB.

[0065] The sliding nut E3 is screwed into the ball screw E2. A female thread (not shown) is formed in the sliding nut E3 for screwing into the thread groove of the ball screw E2. The sliding nut E3 is supported by a pedestal E4. The pedestal E4 is fixed to the supporting member D6 via a connecting member E5. The pedestal E4 is positioned via the supporting member D6 and the shaft 11S. The rotation of the pedestal E4 around the rotating axis of the ball screw E2 is restricted by the supporting member D6 and the shaft 11S. According to the above structure, when the third motor E1 is driven, the ball screw E2 is driven to rotate.

[0066] When the ball screw E2 rotates in a predetermined direction around the rotation axis, for example, the sliding nut E3 moves downward. When the sliding nut E3 moves downward, the shaft 11S moves downward via the base E4, the connecting member E5, and the supporting member D6. As a result, the second irradiation unit 11C moves downward. When the ball screw E2 rotates in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction around the rotation axis, for example, the sliding nut E3 moves upward. When the sliding nut E3 moves upward, the shaft 11S moves upward via the base E4, the connecting member E5, and the supporting member D6. As a result, the second irradiation unit 11C moves upward.

[0067] Figure 8 The first irradiation unit 11B is driven (see Figure 3 , Figure 4B) A fourth drive unit F that rotates around the central axis L. The first irradiation unit 11B is configured to be rotatable around the central axis L by the fourth drive unit F. The fourth drive unit F is composed of, for example, a fourth motor F1 that serves as a drive source, a third pulley F2 that is driven and rotated by the fourth motor F1, a second belt F3 that transmits rotational power to the third pulley F2, and a fourth pulley F4 that is driven and rotated by the second belt F3. A reducer F5 that reduces the rotation speed of the fourth motor F1 and increases the torque of the rotation output is provided between the fourth motor F1 and the third pulley F2. If the torque of the fourth motor F1 is sufficiently ensured, the reducer F5 may not be required. The fourth motor F1 has a rotating shaft (not shown) along the central axis L, and a third pulley F2 is provided below the rotating shaft.

[0068] For example, the second belt F3 is wound around the third pulley F2. The fourth pulley F4 is formed to have a diameter larger than that of the third pulley F2. The second belt F3 is wound around the fourth pulley F4. A through hole F4H is provided at the center of the fourth pulley F4, and the shaft 11S passes through the through hole F4H. The first irradiation portion 11B is rotatably provided on the lower surface side of the fourth pulley F4 about the direction of the central axis L. The fourth motor F1 is fixed to the reducer F5. The reducer F5 is fixed to the base 11K side by the support portion F8. The fourth pulley F4 increases the torque of the rotational output of the third pulley F2, and drives the first irradiation portion 11B to rotate. According to the above structure, when the third pulley F2 is driven to rotate by the fourth motor F1, the fourth pulley F4 rotates via the second belt F3, and drives the first irradiation portion 11B to rotate. In the case where the first irradiation portion 11B has n focal points X (refer to Figure 3 ), the rotatable range is at least 360° / n (360° / n in one direction or 180° / n in two directions). In the case where the focus X of the first irradiation unit 11B is one, the first irradiation unit 11B may not be driven to rotate. In the case where the first irradiation unit 11B generates multiple focal points X on a plane orthogonal to the central axis L, since the second irradiation unit 11C rotates when determining the position / posture, the focus X of the first irradiation unit 11B and the shooting surface of the second irradiation unit 11C are sometimes inconsistent. Since ultrasonic treatment is local, when the focus X is inconsistent with the shooting surface, the treatment condition cannot be accurately photographed, and the treatment accuracy may decrease. Therefore, it is necessary to make any focus of the multiple focal points X consistent with the shooting surface. It does not matter which focus is consistent, so the rotatable range of the first irradiation unit 11B only needs to be the range mentioned above.

[0069] like Fig. 9As shown, there is an affected part KD inside the body of the patient K. The second irradiation unit 11C contacts the inner wall of the water bag 14 and contacts the body surface of the patient K via the water bag 14. When the focus X of the ultrasound wave generated by the irradiation surface 11B1 of the first irradiation unit 11B is located above the affected part KD (see Fig. 9 (A)), the second irradiation unit 11C is raised, and the operator operates the robot arm 2 to move the ultrasonic head device 10 downward. In this way, the position of the focus X can be made consistent with the position of the affected part KD (refer to Fig. 9 (B)). At this time, the water pressure of the medium liquid filled in the liquid storage part 12 may be higher than the specified value. Therefore, the fluid circuit part 25 discharges the medium liquid in the water bag 14, rotates the third cylindrical part 13C in the moving mechanism 13, and raises the second cylindrical part 13B relative to the first cylindrical part 13A. As a result, the water bag 14 can be brought into contact with the body surface of the patient K while the water volume and water pressure of the medium liquid in the liquid storage part 12 are appropriately maintained. As a result, the ultrasonic wave used for treatment can be appropriately transmitted from the ultrasonic head device 10 to the affected part via the medium liquid.

[0070] like Fig.10 As shown, there is an affected part KD inside the body of the patient K. The second irradiation unit 11C contacts the inner wall of the water bag 14 and contacts the body surface of the patient K via the water bag 14. When the focus X of the ultrasound waves generated by the first irradiation unit 11B is located below the affected part KD (see Fig.10 (A)), the operator operates the robot arm 2 to move the ultrasonic head device 10 upward. Then, the second irradiation unit 11C is lowered and abuts against the body surface of the patient K through the water bag 14. In this way, the position of the focus X can be made consistent with the position of the affected part KD (refer to Fig.10 (B)). At this time, if the amount of medium liquid filled in the liquid storage part 12 is insufficient, the water bag 14 cannot maintain the appropriate water pressure, and air may enter between the water bag 14 and the body surface of the patient K to form a gap. In addition, the contact area between the water bag 14 and the patient K cannot be fully ensured, and the ultrasonic wave may not be properly transmitted. Therefore, the fluid circuit part 25 supplies the medium liquid into the water bag 14, and the third cylindrical part 13C is rotated in the moving mechanism 13, so that the second cylindrical part 13B is lowered relative to the first cylindrical part 13A. As a result, the water bag 14 can be brought into contact with the body surface of the patient K while the water amount and water pressure of the medium liquid in the liquid storage part 12 are properly maintained, and the ultrasonic wave can be properly transmitted to the affected part KD. In this way, burning of unintended parts caused by improper transmission of ultrasonic waves is prevented.

[0071] As described above, the ultrasonic head device 10 can adjust the distance from the irradiation surface 11B1 to the water bag 14 and the amount of the medium liquid filled in the water bag 14 according to the position of the affected part KD from the patient's body surface. As a result, the water pressure in the water bag 14 and the contact surface between the water bag 14 and the patient's body surface can be maintained in an appropriate state. As a result, the ultrasonic wave used for treatment can be appropriately transmitted from the ultrasonic head device 10 to the affected part via the medium liquid. Here, the supply / discharge of the medium liquid by the fluid circuit unit 25 can be performed before or after the moving action of the moving mechanism 13, or it can be performed simultaneously with the moving action.

[0072] Fig.11 , the structure of the ultrasonic treatment system S is shown by a block diagram. The control device 40 controls the ultrasonic treatment device 1 including the robot arm 2, the ultrasonic head device 10, and the fluid circuit unit 25. The control device 40 is composed of an information processing terminal device such as a personal computer. The control device 40 is connected to the ultrasonic treatment device 1 in a communicable manner. In addition to being a device directly connected to the ultrasonic treatment device 1, the control device 40 may also be a server connected to a network and connected to the ultrasonic treatment device 1 in a communicable manner.

[0073] The control device 40 includes a control unit 42 for controlling the ultrasonic treatment device 1. The control device 40 includes a storage unit 46 for storing data required for control, a communication unit 47 for communicating with the ultrasonic treatment device 1, a display unit 48 for displaying information required for control, and an input unit 49 for receiving operations required for control.

[0074] The storage unit 46 is a data storage device composed of a storage medium such as a hard disk drive and a flash memory. The storage unit 46 can be built into the control device 40, or can be connected to the outside as an external storage device. The communication unit 47 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving control signals with the ultrasonic treatment device 1. The communication unit 47 receives a command signal requesting control, a detection signal detected from the ultrasonic treatment device 1, etc., and transmits a control signal for controlling the ultrasonic treatment device 1.

[0075] The display unit 48 is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Organic Electro-Luminescence) display, etc. The input unit 49 is an information input device such as a touch panel of a keyboard. In the case where the display unit 48 is configured to be touch-operable, the input unit 49 may be integrally configured with the display unit 48. The display unit 48 displays a display image including information related to the control of the ultrasonic treatment device 1. The display unit 48 displays a diagnostic image of the body of the patient K generated based on the detection value detected by the second irradiation unit 11C.

[0076] The control unit 42 includes the following multiple control units in order to individually control the ultrasonic treatment device 1. The control unit 42 includes, for example, a main control unit 42A, which controls the ultrasonic treatment device 1 comprehensively based on information input from the input unit 49. The control unit 42 includes, for example, a robot arm control unit 42B, which controls the robot arm 2 based on a command input from the input unit 49. The control unit 42 includes, for example, an ultrasonic head control unit 42C, which controls the ultrasonic head device 10 based on a command input from the input unit 49. The control unit 42 includes, for example, a liquid supply control unit 42D, which controls the fluid circuit unit 25 based on a command input from the input unit 49.

[0077] The main control unit 42A generates a command signal for controlling the ultrasonic treatment device 1 based on information input from the input unit 49, for example. The main control unit 42A cooperates with each control unit described below to perform comprehensive control so that the ultrasonic treatment device 1 operates in a coordinated manner. The main control unit 42A is composed of, for example, a central processing unit provided in the control device 40.

[0078] The robot control unit 42B controls the drive unit 3A provided in the robot 2. The robot control unit 42B can be provided on the robot 2 side, for example, or can be integrated into the control unit 42 of the control device 40. The robot control unit 42B, for example, individually controls multiple drive motors provided in multiple joints of the robot 2. The robot control unit 42B obtains a command signal requesting a specified action to the robot 2, and based on the content of the command signal, calculates the control amount of each of the multiple drive motors to generate a control signal. The robot control unit 42B obtains detection data from the detection unit 3B provided in the drive unit 3A and detecting the rotation angle, torque, etc. of each drive motor. Based on the data obtained from the detection unit 3B, the robot control unit 42B generates a control signal corresponding to the posture of the multiple arm components 3-n and the size and direction of the applied force, and controls the robot 2. In addition, the robot 2 can also be a collaborative robot. In this case, when the operator applies a force to change the posture of the robot arm 2 , the robot arm control unit 42B controls the plurality of drive motors individually in accordance with the operator's operation so as to change the position and posture of the ultrasonic head device 10 .

[0079] The robot control unit 42B transmits a control signal to the robot 2 via the communication unit 47 to control the robot 2 so that the robot 2 performs a predetermined motion. The robot control unit 42B obtains data on the drive amount of each joint of the robot 2 via the communication unit 47 to adjust the motion of the robot 2.

[0080] The robot arm control unit 42B controls the robot arm 2, for example, during treatment so that the focus X of the first irradiation unit 11B of the ultrasonic head device 10 provided on the robot arm 2 is positioned at the position of the affected part KD of the patient K and is maintained in a predetermined posture. The robot arm control unit 42B controls the robot arm 2, for example, during treatment preparation after the end of treatment, as described below, to maintain the ultrasonic head device 10 in a predetermined first posture so that the medium liquid can be easily discharged from the liquid storage unit 12 of the ultrasonic head device 10. The robot arm control unit 42B controls the robot arm 2, for example, during treatment preparation before the start of treatment, as described below, to maintain the ultrasonic head device 10 in a predetermined second posture so that the medium liquid can be easily supplied to the liquid storage unit 12 of the ultrasonic head device 10.

[0081] During treatment, after positioning the ultrasonic head device 10 at a predetermined position, the ultrasonic head control unit 42C controls the ultrasonic head device 10 based on the acquired command signal so that it performs necessary actions. The ultrasonic head control unit 42C can be provided on the ultrasonic head device 10 side, or can be integrated into the control unit 42 of the control device 40. The ultrasonic head control unit 42C acquires the command signal for requesting the ultrasonic head device 10 to perform a predetermined action, calculates the control amount of each of the plurality of irradiation units based on the content of the command signal, and generates a control signal. The ultrasonic head control unit 42C sends a control signal to the ultrasonic head device 10 via the communication unit 47, and controls the ultrasonic head device 10 in a manner that causes the ultrasonic head device 10 to perform necessary actions. For example, the ultrasonic head control unit 42C controls the first drive unit C to rotate the third cylindrical portion 13C, adjusts the amount of movement of the second cylindrical portion 13B along the axial direction, and controls the position of the water bag 14 relative to the irradiation surface 11B1.

[0082] In addition, the ultrasonic head control unit 42C controls the fourth drive unit F to rotate the first irradiation unit 11B around the central axis L so that any focus of the multiple focuses X of the therapeutic ultrasound coincides with the scanning surface of the second irradiation unit 11C. The ultrasonic head control unit 42C controls the third drive unit E to adjust the movement amount of the shaft 11S so that the second irradiation unit 11C abuts against the inner wall of the water bag 14. The ultrasonic head control unit 42C controls the second drive unit D to rotate the second irradiation unit 11C around the central axis L and adjust the scanning direction of the diagnostic ultrasound relative to the affected part KD.

[0083] The liquid supply control unit 42D controls a plurality of circuit control devices composed of a pump unit 26 and a valve unit 27 provided in the fluid circuit unit 25, so that the medium liquid flows into the fluid circuit unit 25. The fluid circuit unit 25 is configured as a water supply and drainage mechanism that supplies the medium liquid to the water bag 14 and discharges the medium liquid from the water bag 14. When the medium liquid is supplied to the water bag 14, the liquid supply control unit 42D controls the pump unit 26 and the valve unit 27 so that the medium liquid flows into the water bag 14 from the fluid circuit unit 25 via the inflow connection unit 14RA. When the medium liquid is discharged from the water bag 14, the liquid supply control unit 42D controls the pump unit 26 and the valve unit 27 so that the medium liquid is discharged from the water bag 14 to the fluid circuit unit 25 via the discharge connection unit 14RB.

[0084] The liquid supply control unit 42D controls the fluid circuit unit 25 in conjunction with the ultrasonic head control unit 42C. When the ultrasonic head control unit 42C controls the moving mechanism to move the water bag, the liquid supply control unit 42D controls the water supply and drainage mechanism to fill the internal space of the water bag 14 that changes according to the movement with the medium liquid. The liquid supply control unit 42D can be set on the housing 20 side, or it can be integrated into the control unit 42 of the control device 40. The liquid supply control unit 42D obtains a command signal requesting a specified action to a plurality of circuit control devices, calculates the control amount of each of the plurality of circuit control devices based on the content of the command signal, and generates a control signal. The liquid supply control unit 42D sends a control signal to the plurality of circuit control devices via the communication unit 47 to control the plurality of circuit control devices in a manner that causes the plurality of circuit control devices to perform necessary actions.

[0085] The liquid supply control unit 42D controls the fluid circuit unit 25 during treatment to adjust the storage amount of the medium liquid stored in the liquid storage unit 12. When the ultrasonic head device 10 is kept in a predetermined first posture during treatment preparation after the end of treatment, the liquid supply control unit 42D controls the fluid circuit unit 25 to discharge the medium liquid from the liquid storage unit 12 and discharge the medium liquid from the fluid circuit unit 25. When the ultrasonic head device 10 is kept in a predetermined second posture during treatment preparation before the start of treatment, the liquid supply control unit 42D controls the fluid circuit unit 25 to supply new medium liquid to the fluid circuit unit 25 and supply medium liquid to the liquid storage unit 12. According to the above structure, the control device 40 can make the ultrasonic treatment device 1 operate comprehensively based on the input operation content.

[0086] The components of the control unit 42, including the main control unit 42A, the robot control unit 42B, the ultrasonic head control unit 42C, and the liquid delivery control unit 42D, are implemented by executing a program (software) through a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Some or all of these components can be implemented by hardware (circuitry; including circuitry) such as LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc., or can be implemented by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program can be pre-stored in a storage device (storage device with a non-volatile storage medium) such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory, or can be stored in a removable storage medium (non-volatile storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the storage device by assembling the storage medium in a drive device. The processing executed by the control unit 42 may be performed by a computer on a server through cloud computing. The processing executed by the control unit 42 may be performed by a plurality of distributed computers.

[0087] Fig.12 The processing flow of the control method executed in the ultrasonic treatment system S is shown. In the control device 40, the robot arm control unit 42B controls the robot arm 2 to move the ultrasonic head device 10 supported by the robot arm 2 from the standby position (movement process) to make the position of the focus X of the irradiation surface 11B1 of the first irradiation unit 11B coincide with the position of the affected part of the treatment object (alignment process) (step S100). The ultrasonic head control unit 42C controls the moving mechanism 13 provided in the ultrasonic head device 10 according to the distance between the irradiation surface 11B1 of the first irradiation unit 11B and the body surface of the treatment object, so that the water bag 14 containing the medium liquid moves relative to the irradiation surface 11B1 along the central axis direction of the irradiation surface 11B1 (first movement process) (step S102).

[0088] The liquid delivery control unit 42D controls the water supply and drainage mechanism to allow the medium liquid to flow to the water bag and supply the medium liquid to the water bag (supply process) (step S104). The ultrasonic head control unit 42C controls the ultrasonic head device to irradiate the ultrasonic wave from the irradiation surface 11B1 of the first irradiation unit 11B to the position of the affected part (irradiation process) (step S106). The control unit 42 controls the water supply and drainage mechanism to discharge the medium liquid from the internal space of the water bag 14 (discharge process), controls the first drive unit to move the water bag 14 and return to the initial state (second movement process), and controls the robot arm 2 to move the ultrasonic head device 10 to the standby position (step S108). In addition, the control unit 42 can also control the water supply and drainage mechanism after controlling the robot arm 2 to move the ultrasonic head device 10 to the standby position, discharge the medium liquid from the internal space of the water bag 14, and control the first drive unit to move the water bag 14 and return to the initial state. The above steps can be appropriately replaced or performed simultaneously.

[0089] As described above, according to the ultrasonic treatment device 1, by operating the position / posture of the ultrasonic head device 10 by operating the robot arm 2, the position of the focus X of HIFU irradiated by the first irradiation unit 11B can be adjusted to the position of the affected part KD. According to the ultrasonic head device 10, the water bag 14 can be moved in the axial direction by the moving mechanism 13, thereby, the volume / water pressure of the liquid storage part 12 can be set to an appropriate value according to the distance between the irradiation surface 11B1 of the first irradiation unit 11B and the body surface of the patient K. As a result, the ultrasonic wave used for treatment can be appropriately transmitted from the ultrasonic head device 10 to the affected part via the medium liquid.

[0090] The moving mechanism 13 is configured such that the second cylindrical portion 13B moves relative to the first cylindrical portion 13A, and the water bag 14 is formed in a bowl shape that bulges downward, thereby preventing bubbles from being mixed into the medium liquid when the medium liquid is filled into the water bag 14. According to the ultrasonic head device 10, by making the angle between the second groove portion 13CM formed in the third cylindrical portion 13C and the plane orthogonal to the central axis L gentle, the force required to drive the second cylindrical portion 13B to rotate can be reduced, and further, the first drive portion C can be miniaturized and the device structure can be miniaturized.

[0091] [Modifications]

[0092] Hereinafter, a modification of the moving mechanism 13 will be described. In the following description, the same names and reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiment, and duplicate descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0093] like Fig.13As shown, the moving mechanism 13 can also be driven by the first driving part C, which is arranged on the base 11K formed in a manner protruding along the peripheral direction of the ultrasonic head device 10. The first driving part C is composed of a linear driving device such as an electric cylinder and a pneumatic cylinder. The first driving part C has a cylinder body that becomes a driving source C1 and a rod that becomes an output part C2. The cylinder body of the first driving part C is fixedly arranged on the base 11K, and the fixing part of the rod and the second cylindrical part flange 13BF ​​described later is located at a position closer to the outside than the outer peripheral surface 13B1 of the second cylindrical part 13B when viewed from above. The rod is extended in the axial direction, and its lower end is fixed to the second cylindrical part flange 13BF ​​provided in the second cylindrical part 13B. By extending and retracting the rod in the axial direction, the second cylindrical part 13B can be moved relative to the first cylindrical part 13A. At this time, the second cylindrical part 13B is configured to move in the axial direction within a specified range of movement relative to the first cylindrical part 13A. In addition, in the modified example, as in the above-mentioned embodiment, one or more first grooves 13A2 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface 13A1 of the first cylindrical portion 13A along the central axis direction of the first cylindrical portion 13A, and one or more engaging members 13BP formed in a manner protruding inwardly in the radial direction and engaging with the first groove 13A2 may be provided in the second cylindrical portion 13B, or one or more first grooves (not shown) may be formed on the inner peripheral surface 13B2 of the second cylindrical portion 13B along the central axis direction of the second cylindrical portion 13B, and one or more engaging members (not shown) may be provided in the first cylindrical portion 13A to protrude outwardly in the radial direction and engage with the first groove (not shown). In the moving mechanism 13 involved in the modified example in this case, the third cylindrical portion 13C may not exist.

[0094] As mentioned above, although one embodiment of the present invention has been described, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned one embodiment, and can be appropriately modified within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0095] Description of Reference Numerals

[0096] 2 Robotic Arm

[0097] 3A Driver

[0098] 10 Ultrasonic head device

[0099] 11A Irradiation Unit

[0100] 11B First irradiation section

[0101] 11B1 irradiation surface

[0102] 11C Second irradiation unit

[0103] 11K Base

[0104] 13 Mobile mechanism

[0105] 13A First cylindrical part

[0106] 13A1 outer surface

[0107] 13A2 first groove

[0108] 13A3 Sliding Area

[0109] 13B Second cylindrical portion

[0110] 13B1 outer surface

[0111] 13BP snap-fit ​​component

[0112] 13C third cylindrical part

[0113] 13C2 cylindrical part

[0114] 13CF flange

[0115] 13CM second slot

[0116] 14 Water Bag

[0117] 14C Flange

[0118] 14R Water Supply and Drainage Department

[0119] 40 Control device

[0120] C First drive unit

[0121] C1 drive source

[0122] C2 Output

[0123] D Second drive unit

[0124] E The third drive unit

[0125] F Fourth drive unit

[0126] KD Affected Area

[0127] L Center axis

[0128] S Ultrasound Therapy System

[0129] T Mounting

[0130] X Focus

Claims

1. An ultrasonic head device, which is applied to an ultrasonic treatment system, wherein the ultrasonic head device is supported by a robot arm that can be held in any posture state and irradiates ultrasonic waves into the interior of a treatment object, wherein: The ultrasonic head device has: a base, which is supported by the mechanical arm; an irradiation portion, which is disposed on the base portion and has a hemispherical irradiation surface for irradiating the ultrasonic wave; a water bag containing a medium liquid for transmitting the ultrasonic wave and covering the irradiated surface; a water supply and drainage unit configured to allow the medium liquid to flow toward the water bag; and a moving mechanism, which is provided on the base and supports the water bag along the central axis direction of the irradiation surface so as to be movable relative to the irradiation surface; The moving mechanism comprises: a first cylindrical portion disposed on the base side; a second cylindrical portion, which is arranged to be movable along the central axis relative to the first cylindrical portion; as well as a first driving unit that moves the second cylindrical portion along the central axis direction, The second cylindrical portion fixes the water bag on a side different from the base portion along the central axis direction.

2. The ultrasonic head device according to claim 1, wherein: One or more first grooves are formed along the central axis direction in either the first cylindrical portion or the second cylindrical portion. The other of the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion includes one or more engaging members that are formed to protrude in the radial direction and engage with the first groove portion.

3. The ultrasonic head device according to claim 2, wherein: Either the first cylindrical portion or the second cylindrical portion is inserted toward the other side, The moving mechanism includes a third tubular portion disposed between the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion in a radial direction. The first cylindrical portion has the first groove portion, The second cylindrical portion has the engaging member, In the circumferential direction of the third cylindrical portion relative to the central axis, one or more second grooves are formed which are inclined along the central axis direction and through which the engaging member passes. The first driving unit causes the third cylindrical portion to rotate about the central axis as a rotation axis. By driving the third cylindrical portion to rotate relative to the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion along the circumferential direction, Thus, the engaging member moves relatively along the second groove portion and the first groove portion. Based on the rotation direction, the second cylindrical portion is moved relative to the first cylindrical portion in a direction along the central axis direction.

4. The ultrasonic head device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: A sealing portion is provided between the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion to seal the gap along the circumferential direction. The first cylindrical portion is provided with a sealed portion sealed by the sealing portion, The second cylindrical portion is provided with a seal groove portion in which the seal portion is arranged.

5. The ultrasonic head device according to claim 4, wherein: The second cylindrical portion has a mounting portion at the bottom thereof for making the water bag attachable and detachable. The attachment portion includes a detachable annular member at a lower end of the second cylindrical portion.

6. The ultrasonic head device according to claim 5, wherein: The water bag is constructed in a hemispherical shape with a flange at the end. The annular member is engaged with the flange portion, and sandwiches the flange portion in cooperation with the lower end of the second cylindrical portion.

7. The ultrasonic head device according to claim 6, wherein: The irradiation unit comprises: a first irradiation unit having the irradiation surface and irradiating the affected part of the treatment object with ultrasonic waves for treatment; and The second irradiation part protrudes from the irradiation surface and performs ultrasonic scanning on the treatment object to generate a cross-sectional image. The ultrasonic head device comprises: a second driving unit, which drives the first irradiating unit to rotate around the central axis; a third driving unit, which drives the second irradiating unit to rotate around the central axis; as well as A fourth driving unit moves the second irradiating unit in a direction along the central axis.

8. An ultrasonic treatment system, wherein: The ultrasonic treatment system comprises: an ultrasonic head device for irradiating ultrasonic waves to the inside of a treatment object; A robot arm capable of holding the ultrasonic head device in any posture state; a water supply and drainage mechanism connected to the ultrasonic head device; and A control device controls the ultrasonic head device and the water supply and drainage mechanism, The ultrasonic head device has: a base, which is supported by the mechanical arm; an irradiation portion, which is disposed on the base portion and has an irradiation surface for irradiating the ultrasonic wave; a water bag containing a medium liquid for transmitting the ultrasonic wave and covering the irradiated surface; a water supply and drainage unit configured to allow the medium liquid to flow toward the water bag; and a moving mechanism, which is provided on the base and supports the water bag along the central axis direction of the irradiation surface so as to be movable relative to the irradiation surface; The moving mechanism comprises: a first cylindrical portion disposed on the base side; a second cylindrical portion, which is arranged to be movable relative to the first cylindrical portion along the central axis direction, and the water bag is fixed to the lower side of the second cylindrical portion; as well as a first driving portion that moves the second cylindrical portion relative to the first cylindrical portion, The supply and drainage mechanism supplies the medium liquid to the supply and drainage portion or discharges the medium liquid.

9. The ultrasonic treatment system according to claim 8, wherein: The control device controls the moving mechanism to move the water bag. The control device controls the water supply and drainage mechanism to supply the medium liquid to the internal space of the water bag that changes according to the movement or to discharge the medium liquid.

10. A control method for an ultrasonic treatment system, the ultrasonic treatment system comprising: an ultrasonic head device for irradiating ultrasonic waves to the inside of a treatment object; A robot arm capable of holding the ultrasonic head device in any posture state; a water supply and drainage mechanism that supplies a medium liquid that transmits the ultrasonic wave to the ultrasonic head device or discharges the medium liquid; and A control device controls the ultrasonic head device, the mechanical arm and the water supply and drainage mechanism, in, The control device performs a process having the following steps: A moving step of controlling the robot arm to move the ultrasonic head device supported by the robot arm; a positioning step of aligning the position of the focus of the irradiation surface of the ultrasonic head device for irradiating the ultrasonic wave with the position of the affected part of the treatment object; A first moving step is to control a moving mechanism provided on the ultrasonic head device to move the water bag relative to the irradiated surface along the central axis direction of the irradiated surface, wherein the water bag is provided on the ultrasonic head device, covers the irradiated surface, and contains the medium liquid; A supplying step, controlling the water supply and drainage mechanism to allow the medium liquid to flow into the water bag, and supplying the medium liquid into the water bag; as well as The irradiation step controls the ultrasonic head device to irradiate the ultrasonic wave from the irradiation surface toward the position of the affected part.

11. The control method of the ultrasonic treatment system according to claim 10, wherein: After the irradiation step, the method further comprises: a discharge step of controlling the water supply and drainage mechanism to discharge the medium liquid from the internal space of the water bag; and The second moving step is to control the moving mechanism to move the water bag relative to the irradiation surface along the central axis direction of the irradiation surface.

Images