Damping assembly and conveying device

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and discloses a damping assembly and a delivery device, wherein the damping assembly is arranged on the rotating shaft of the delivery device, the elastic member in the damping assembly is arranged between the fixed seat and the damping member and is extruded by the abutting surface, when the rotating shaft drives the adjustable bending sheath tube to bend, the elastic member overcomes the static friction force between the elastic member and the abutting wall and can move relative to the damping member along with the fixed seat arranged on the rotating shaft. When the external force applied to the rotating shaft is removed, the static friction force between the elastic member and the abutting wall is greater than the restoring force of the adjustable bending sheath tube applied to the rotating shaft, so that the rotating shaft and the outer base are relatively static. In this way, the rotating shaft can be prevented from being reversely rotated by the control wire, so that the adjustable bending sheath tube can maintain the bending state after being bent, the reliability of the delivery device is improved, and the operation risk is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a damping component and a delivery device. Background Technology

[0002] Blood flows from the atria to the ventricles of the heart, and the valves between the atria and ventricles prevent backflow of blood. However, these valves can malfunction or decline due to congenital or acquired factors. For example, the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle is called the mitral valve. During systole, if the mitral valve cannot close completely, blood can flow back from the left ventricle into the left atrium, a condition known as mitral regurgitation. This condition is generally treated surgically, one procedure being the direct suturing of the mitral valve leaflet margins (called the "Alfieri suture"). This method is extremely difficult and prone to many complications.

[0003] Currently, a transseptal technique and related devices have been developed to treat this type of disease by simulating the "Alfieri" suture through minimally invasive intervention. Specifically, the transseptal technique involves inserting a catheter into the right femoral vein, ascending along the inferior vena cava and into the right atrium, and then, after puncturing the atrial septum, inserting the catheter into the left atrium. This technique delivers a mitral valve clip to the vicinity of the mitral valve, which then clamps the conjoined edges of the mitral valve leaflets to keep the leaflets partially together.

[0004] These types of devices are becoming increasingly common both domestically and internationally. Existing products typically include an adjustable sheath and an adjustment control handle. The control handle uses a control wire to adjust the bending angle of the adjustable sheath's end, thus delivering the mitral valve to the appropriate release and clamping position. However, in existing delivery devices, the adjustable sheath's bent position cannot be maintained; the angle changes under the restoring force of the sheath, potentially leading to surgical failure and posing risks to the patient.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the field for a new conveying device. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a delivery device that can maintain the adjustable bending sheath in its bent state after it has been bent, thereby improving the reliability of the delivery device and reducing surgical risks.

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, a first aspect of the present invention provides a damping assembly for a conveying device, the conveying device comprising an outer base, a rotating shaft, a winding assembly, a control wire, and an adjustable curved sheath, wherein the rotating shaft is rotatably disposed on the outer base, and the rotating shaft drives the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath to swing via the winding assembly and the control wire, comprising:

[0008] An upper base is sleeved on the rotating shaft and fixed relative to the outer base; a damping element is disposed on the upper base; a fixed seat is fixed to the rotating shaft and spaced axially from the damping element along the rotating shaft, the damping element having an abutment wall opposite to the fixed seat; an elastic element is disposed between the fixed seat and the damping element and is pressed by the abutment wall; the elastic element is configured such that: when an external force is applied to the rotating shaft and the rotating shaft rotates, the elastic element overcomes the static friction between itself and the abutment wall and moves relative to the abutment surface as the fixed seat rotates; when the external force applied to the rotating shaft is removed, the static friction between the elastic element and the abutment wall is greater than the restoring force applied to the rotating shaft by the adjustable curved sheath, so that the elastic element and the damping element remain relatively stationary.

[0009] Compared to related technologies, this invention provides a damping assembly on the rotating shaft of the delivery device. An elastic element within the damping assembly is positioned between the fixed base and the damping element and is pressed against the contact surface. When the rotating shaft drives the adjustable sheath to bend, the elastic element overcomes the static friction between itself and the contact wall and can move relative to the damping element along with the fixed base mounted on the rotating shaft. When the external force applied to the rotating shaft is removed, the static friction between the elastic element and the contact wall is greater than the restoring force exerted by the adjustable sheath on the elastic element on the rotating shaft, resulting in relative stillness between the rotating shaft and the outer base. This prevents the rotating shaft from rotating in the opposite direction due to the control wire, thereby maintaining the adjustable sheath in its bent state after bending, improving the reliability of the delivery device, and reducing surgical risks.

[0010] Optionally, the damping element has an initial position, and the axial distance between the damping element and the fixed seat decreases as the damping element moves circumferentially away from the initial position.

[0011] Optionally, the damping element is a circular ring-cylinder structure or a circular arc-cylinder structure coaxially arranged with the rotating shaft, and the abutment wall is at least partially non-perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft; the vertical distance from the abutment wall to the axis of the rotating shaft is matched.

[0012] Optionally, the abutment wall includes an initial position and an extreme position, and the distance between the abutment wall and the upper base increases linearly from the initial position to the extreme position.

[0013] Optionally, the abutment wall includes an initial position and an extreme position, and from the initial position to the extreme position, the distance between the abutment wall and the upper base increases in a unit increment in the circumferential direction.

[0014] Optionally, the abutment wall includes an initial position and an extreme position, and the abutment wall includes a plurality of sequentially connected sub-sidewalls. From the initial position to the extreme position, the distance between the plurality of sub-sidewalls and the upper base increases.

[0015] Optionally, the contact surfaces of the plurality of sub-sidewalls are curved surfaces, and the maximum value of the angle formed by the tangent of the sub-sidewall near the initial position and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation is less than the minimum value of the angle formed by the tangent of the sub-sidewall away from the initial position and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

[0016] Optionally, the circumferential angle between the abutting wall and the initial position and the extreme position in the circumferential direction is 30° to 180°.

[0017] Optionally, it also includes a lower base with a receiving cavity, wherein the upper base, the lower base and the outer base are detachably fixed, and the damping element and the fixing seat are both housed in the receiving cavity; the surface of the lower base facing the upper base is provided with an annular protrusion extending around the rotating shaft, and the elastic element axially abuts against the annular protrusion to prevent the elastic element from moving axially.

[0018] Optionally, the fixing seat includes a connecting part and a mounting part. The connecting part is fixed to the rotating shaft, and the mounting part is disposed outside the connecting part and axially spaced from the abutting wall. The elastic element is fixed to the mounting part and is at least partially located between the mounting part and the abutting wall.

[0019] Optionally, the connecting part is a hollow column, sleeved and fixed to the rotating shaft, and the mounting part is columnar, fixed to the outer surface of the connecting part. The radial dimension of the mounting part is smaller than the axial height of the connecting part, so as to form a fixed area at the connection between the mounting part and the connecting part; the elastic element is disposed in the fixed area.

[0020] Optionally, the elastic element is a hollow cylinder, sleeved on the mounting portion, and the shape of the elastic element near the connecting portion is an intersecting line shape.

[0021] A second aspect of the present invention provides a conveying device, comprising:

[0022] The device comprises an outer base, an adjustable curved sheath, a rotating shaft, a winding assembly, a control wire, and a damping assembly for any of the above components; the outer base has a mounting groove, the rotating shaft is rotatably disposed on the outer base and passes through the mounting groove, the damping assembly is located in the mounting groove and sleeved on the rotating shaft; the axis of the adjustable curved sheath is perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft, the proximal end of the adjustable curved sheath is fixed to the outer base, and the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath is oscillating; the winding assembly is sleeved and fixed to the rotating shaft, one end of the control wire is wound around the winding assembly, and the other end of the control wire is connected to the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath; the rotating shaft is used to drive the winding assembly to rotate and wind or release the control wire so as to make the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath oscillate. Attached Figure Description

[0023] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the damping assembly sleeved on the rotating shaft according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a damping component fitted onto a rotating shaft according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the damping component structure disposed on the upper base according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying device according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view along the axial direction of the proximal portion of the conveying device according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the proximal portion of the conveying device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, perpendicular to the axis.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the outer base of the conveying device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that many technical details have been presented in the various embodiments of the present invention to enable the reader to better understand this application. However, the technical solutions claimed in this application can be implemented even without these technical details and various changes and modifications based on the following embodiments.

[0032] In embodiments of the present invention, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing the present invention and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated devices, elements, or components to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0033] Furthermore, in addition to indicating direction or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in certain situations to indicate a dependency or connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0034] Furthermore, the terms "installation," "setting," "equipped with," "opening," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0035] The terms "distal" and "far side" refer to the side furthest from the operator and closest to the patient, while "proximal" and "proximal side" refer to the side closest to the operator and furthest from the patient.

[0036] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish different devices, elements, or components (which may be the same or different in specific type and construction), and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, elements, or components. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0037] The inventors discovered that in existing conveying devices, the adjustable sheath exerts a force on the control wire after it is bent, causing the control wire to move in the opposite direction, which in turn drives the shaft in the bending control handle to rotate in the opposite direction.

[0038] Based on the above findings, one embodiment of the present invention provides a damping assembly for a conveying device. The conveying device includes an outer base, a rotating shaft, a winding assembly, and an adjustable curved sheath. The rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the outer base. The rotating shaft drives the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath to swing via the winding assembly and the control wire. The damping assembly includes: an upper base, sleeved on the rotating shaft and fixed relative to the outer base; a damping element, disposed on the upper base; and a fixed base, fixed to the rotating shaft and spaced axially from the damping element along the rotating shaft. The damping element has a connection with the fixed base. A fixed seat with opposing abutment surfaces; an elastic element disposed between the fixed seat and the damping element and pressed by the abutment surfaces, the elastic element being configured such that: when an external force is applied to the rotating shaft and the rotating shaft rotates, the elastic element overcomes the static friction between itself and the abutment wall and can move relative to the abutment surface as the fixed seat rotates; when the external force applied to the rotating shaft is removed, the static friction between the elastic element and the abutment wall is greater than the restoring force applied to the elastic element by the adjustable curved sheath rotating shaft, so that the elastic element and the damping element remain relatively stationary.

[0039] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a conveying device, comprising: an outer base, an adjustable curved sheath, a rotating shaft, a winding assembly, a control wire, and a damping assembly; the outer base has a mounting groove, the rotating shaft is rotatably disposed on the outer base and passes through the mounting groove, the damping assembly is located in the mounting groove and sleeved on the rotating shaft; the axis of the adjustable curved sheath is perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft, the proximal end of the adjustable curved sheath is fixed to the outer base, and the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath is oscillating; the winding assembly is sleeved and fixed to the rotating shaft, one end of the control wire is wound around the winding assembly, and the other end of the control wire is connected to the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath; the rotating shaft is used to drive the winding assembly to rotate and wind or release the control wire so as to make the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath oscillate.

[0040] Compared to related technologies, this embodiment of the invention provides a damping assembly on the rotating shaft of the conveying device. An elastic element in the damping assembly is positioned between the fixed seat and the damping element and is pressed by the abutment surface. When the rotating shaft drives the adjustable bending sheath to bend, the elastic element overcomes the static friction between itself and the abutment wall and can move relative to the damping element with the fixed seat on the rotating shaft. When the external force applied to the rotating shaft is removed, the static friction between the elastic element and the abutment wall is greater than the restoring force exerted by the adjustable bending sheath on the elastic element, resulting in relative stillness between the rotating shaft and the outer base. This prevents the rotating shaft from rotating in the opposite direction due to the restoring force of the adjustable bending sheath, thus maintaining the adjustable bending sheath in its bent state after bending, improving the reliability of the conveying device and reducing surgical risks.

[0041] The implementation details of the damping component in this embodiment are described below. The following content is only for the convenience of understanding and is not necessary for implementing this solution.

[0042] See Figures 1 to 3 The damping assembly 100 of this embodiment includes: an upper base 101, sleeved on the rotating shaft 202 and fixed relative to the outer base of the conveying device; a damping element 102, disposed on the upper base 101; a fixed seat 103, fixed to the rotating shaft 202 and spaced apart from the damping element 102 along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 202, the damping element 102 having an abutment wall 1021 opposite to the fixed seat 103; and an elastic element 104, disposed between the fixed seat 103 and the damping element 102, and compressed by the abutment wall 1021. The elastic element 104 is configured such that when an external force is applied to the rotating shaft 202 and causes the rotating shaft 202 to rotate, the elastic element 104 overcomes the static friction between itself and the abutment wall 1021 and moves relative to the abutment wall 1021 as the fixed seat 103 rotates; when the external force applied to the rotating shaft 202 is removed, the static friction between the elastic element 104 and the abutment wall 1021 is greater than the restoring force applied to the elastic element 104 by the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203, so that the elastic element 104 and the damping element 102 remain relatively stationary. In this embodiment, the winding assembly includes at least one winding wheel.

[0043] In this embodiment, the elastic element in the damping assembly is disposed between the fixed seat and the damping element and is pressed by the abutment surface. When the adjustable bending sheath 203 is bent by the rotating shaft 202, the elastic element overcomes the static friction between itself and the abutment wall and can move relative to the damping element 102 with the fixed seat 103 disposed on the rotating shaft 202. When the external force applied to the rotating shaft 202 is removed, the static friction between the elastic element 104 and the abutment wall 1021 is greater than the restoring force applied by the adjustable bending sheath 203 to the elastic element, so that the rotating shaft 202 and the outer base are relatively stationary. This arrangement can prevent the rotating shaft 202 from rotating in the opposite direction due to the restoring force of the adjustable bending sheath, thereby keeping the adjustable bending sheath 203 in its bent state after it is bent, improving the reliability of the delivery device and reducing surgical risks.

[0044] In one example, when the distal end of the adjustable bending sheath 203 is in its initial state, i.e., straight and not bent, the elastic element 104 is in the initial position of the damping element 102. At this time, the elastic element 104 may be just in contact with the abutment wall 1021 of the damping element 102, or the elastic element 104 may be slightly deformed by the abutment wall 1021 of the damping element 102, preferably the latter. Thus, when the rotating shaft 202 tends to rotate, there is static friction between the elastic element 104 and the abutment wall 1021. Only when the external force applied to the rotating shaft 202 is greater than this static friction can the rotating shaft 202 rotate, thereby ensuring the stability of the rotating shaft 202 and improving the reliability of the conveying device. When the rotating shaft 202 is rotated, it drives the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 to swing. Simultaneously, the fixed base 103 is driven to rotate by the rotating shaft 202, causing the elastic element 104 to rotate accordingly. At this time, the elastic element 104 disengages from its initial position. As the elastic element 104 moves, the distance between the abutment wall 1021 of the damping element 102 and the fixed base 103 changes as needed, thereby altering the degree of compression exerted by the damping element 102 on the elastic element 104. For example, when rotating in a direction away from the initial position, the axial distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the fixed seat 103 decreases, which increases the degree of compression of the damping member 102 on the elastic member 104 and increases the friction between the abutment wall 1021 of the damping member 102 and the elastic member 104; when rotating in a direction closer to the initial position, the degree of compression of the damping member 102 on the elastic member 104 decreases, and the friction between the abutment wall 1021 of the damping member 102 and the elastic member 104 decreases.

[0045] In some examples, the larger the distal swing angle of the adjustable bend sheath 203, the greater the restoring force required to return to its initial state. Therefore, the required static friction between the abutment wall 1021 and the elastic element 104 for maintaining the bend of the adjustable bend sheath 203 is greater, and the distance between the abutment wall 1021 of the damping element 102 and the fixed seat 103 is smaller. Conversely, the smaller the distal swing angle of the adjustable bend sheath 203, the smaller the required static friction between the abutment wall 1021 and the elastic element 104 for maintaining the bend of the adjustable bend sheath 203, and the greater the distance between the abutment wall 1021 of the damping element 102 and the fixed seat 103.

[0046] See you again Figure 1In some embodiments, the fixing base 103 includes a connecting portion 1031 and a mounting portion 1032, wherein the connecting portion 1031 is fixed to the rotating shaft 202, and the mounting portion 1032 is disposed outside the connecting portion 1031, i.e., on the side away from the rotating shaft 202, and is axially spaced from the abutment wall 1021. The elastic member 104 is fixed to the mounting portion 1032 and is at least partially located between the mounting portion 1032 and the abutment wall 1021.

[0047] In one example, the connecting portion 1031 is a hollow column, fitted and fixed to the rotating shaft 202. The mounting portion 1032 is also columnar, fixed to the outer surface of the connecting portion 1031. The radial dimension of the mounting portion 1032 is smaller than the axial height of the connecting portion 1031. The mounting portion 1032 is similar to a protruding structure disposed on the outside of the connecting portion 1031. A fixed area is formed at the connection between the mounting portion 1032 and the connecting portion 1031, and the elastic member 104 is disposed in the fixed area. Thus, when the elastic member 104 is pressed by the abutment wall 1021, the fixed area can prevent the elastic member 104 from moving away from the upper base, thereby preventing the elastic member 104 from dislodging from the preset position.

[0048] This example does not impose any particular limitation on the method of fixing the connecting part 1031 to the rotating shaft 202. For example, the connecting part 1031 has a receiving hole extending along its own axis and a fixing hole communicating with the receiving hole. Preferably, the extending direction of the fixing hole is perpendicular to both the extending direction of the receiving hole and the axis of the rotating shaft 202. Meanwhile, the rotating shaft 202 has a threaded hole 2021 communicating with the fixing hole. After the rotating shaft 202 passes through the receiving hole, circumferential adjustment is performed to align (communicate) the threaded hole 2021 and the fixing hole, and then screws are used to pass through the threaded hole 2021 and the fixing hole to fix the connecting part 1031 and the rotating shaft 202 together.

[0049] Similarly, this example does not impose any particular limitation on the specific manner in which the elastic element 104 is fixed to the mounting portion 1032. For example, the elastic element 104 can be a hollow cylindrical rubber ring, which is fitted onto the mounting portion 1032, and the shape of the side of the elastic element 104 near the connecting portion 1031 is an intersecting line shape. Here, the intersecting line is the line of intersection when the cylinder (the shape of the elastic element 104) and the cylinder (the shape of the connecting portion 1031) intersect. In this way, the elastic element 104 intersects with the connecting portion 1031 to prevent the elastic element 104 from rotating relative to the mounting portion 1032, ensuring that there can be a sufficiently large static friction force between the damping element 102 and the elastic element 104. In some other feasible embodiments, the elastic element 104 and the mounting portion 1032 can be fixed by means of adhesive bonding, fitting, or other methods.

[0050] See you again Figure 3 In some embodiments, since the elastic element 104 rotates around the pivot 202, the damping element 102 is a ring-shaped cylindrical structure or an arc-shaped cylindrical structure coaxially arranged with the pivot 202, and at least part of the abutment wall 1021 is not perpendicular to the axis of the pivot 202. The vertical distance from the abutment wall to the axis of the pivot 202 matches the vertical distance from the elastic element 104 to the axis of the pivot 202. Thus, the elastic element 104 is located between the mounting portion 1032 and the abutment wall 1021. Furthermore, by adjusting the shape of the abutment wall 1021, the distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the mounting portion 1032 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the pressure of the damping element 102 on the elastic element 104, and even the static friction between the damping element 102 and the elastic element 104.

[0051] In one example, the damping element 102 is a cylindrical ring structure. The surface of the cylindrical ring structure damping element 102 facing the fixed base 103 is the abutment wall 1021, which is used to contact the elastic element 104 and apply pressure to the elastic element 104. When the rotating shaft 202 drives the fixed base 103 to rotate the elastic element 104, the elastic element 104 moves along the extending direction of the abutment wall 1021.

[0052] In one example, the initial position is the position where the distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the upper base 101 (i.e., the height of the abutment wall 1021) is the smallest, corresponding to the distal end of the adjustable bendable sheath 203 being straight and not bent; the extreme position is the position where the distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the upper base 101 is the largest, corresponding to the distal end of the adjustable bendable sheath 203 being at its maximum deflection. Since the distance between the fixed base 103 and the upper base 101 remains constant, the distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the fixed base 103 changes accordingly. In one example, the distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the upper base 101 increases linearly from the initial position to the extreme position. Specifically, the abutment wall 1021 can be an inclined plane. When the elastic member 104 moves from its initial position along the extension direction of the abutment wall 1021 towards its limit position, the squeezing action of the damping member 102 on the elastic member 104 increases as the height of the abutment wall 1021 increases, i.e., the distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the fixed seat 103 decreases. Correspondingly, the swing angle of the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 increases. During this process, as the swing angle of the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 increases, the restoring force applied to the rotating shaft 202 via the control wire and the winding wheel becomes greater, and the corresponding static friction force required between the abutment wall 1021 and the elastic member 104 also increases. With the above configuration, when the rotating shaft 202 stops rotating, the static friction between the abutment wall 1021 and the elastic member 104 is always greater than the restoring force applied to the rotating shaft 202 by the adjustable bending sheath 203.

[0053] In another example, the distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the upper base 101 increases non-linearly from the initial position to the extreme position. That is, the abutment wall 1021 is curved, and from the initial position to the extreme position, the distance between the abutment wall 1021 and the upper base 101 increases axially by a unit increment, meaning the height of the abutment wall 1021 increases faster and faster. In other words, for each unit angle along the circumferential path, not only is the height of the abutment wall 1021 greater than the height of the abutment wall 1021 in the previous circumferential unit angle, but also, the increase in height of the abutment wall 1021 (the current circumferential unit angle height increment, i.e., the unit increment) in that circumferential unit angle is greater than the increase in height of the side wall 1021 in the previous circumferential unit angle (i.e., the previous circumferential unit angle height increment). In one example, the height increase is a geometric series with a proportionality coefficient greater than 1. In another example, the abutment wall 1021 unfolds into a parabola, hyperbola, exponential function, or trigonometric function. With this configuration, as the elastic element 104 moves circumferentially toward its limit position, the frictional force between the abutment wall 1021 and the elastic element 104 increases significantly. This also satisfies the requirement that as the swing angle of the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 increases, the restoring force applied to the rotating shaft 202 via the control wire and the winding wheel increases, and the static frictional force between the abutment wall 1021 and the upper base 101 also increases.

[0054] In other examples, the damping element 102 includes a plurality of sequentially connected sub-sidewalls, each sub-sidewall having an arcuate cylindrical structure, and the height of the plurality of sub-sidewalls increasing from the initial position to the extreme position. It is understood that the sub-sidewalls can be the aforementioned inclined plane, the curved surface in the aforementioned embodiments, or a combination of the aforementioned inclined plane and the aforementioned curved surface.

[0055] When the contact surfaces of the multiple sub-sidewalls are curved, an angle is formed between the tangent of the contact surface of the sub-sidewall and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 202. Clearly, in a sub-sidewall, this angle increases with distance from the initial position; that is, in a sub-sidewall, the angle has a minimum and a maximum value. In one example, the maximum value of the angle between the tangent of the sub-sidewall near the initial position and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 202 is less than the minimum value of the angle between the tangent of the sub-sidewall away from the initial position and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 202.

[0056] Exemplary, the damping member 102 has a first sub-sidewall near the initial position and a second sub-sidewall connected to the first sub-sidewall and located away from the initial position. The first sub-sidewall is a curved surface, with its tangent forming an angle with a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft 202, forming a first angle. The second sub-sidewall is also a curved surface, with its tangent forming an angle with a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft 202, forming a second angle. Furthermore, since the first and second angles increase progressively from the initial position, both the first and second angles have minimum and maximum values. The maximum value of the first angle is less than the minimum value of the second angle. Preferably, the minimum value of the second angle is 1.1 to 3 times the maximum value of the first angle. For example, the maximum value of the first angle is 10°, and the minimum value of the second angle is 15°. Thus, when rotating the shaft 202 near the initial position, because the first sub-sidewall is relatively flat, it can rotate quickly after applying external force, thereby rapidly approaching the desired angle. The second sub-sidewall is set to be steeper, so the knob rotates relatively slowly after external force is applied, allowing for gradual adjustment until the limit position is reached. In this way, precise bending is achieved while improving efficiency.

[0057] In one example, the circumferential angle between the initial position and the extreme position is 30° to 180°. That is, the elastic element can reach the extreme position by rotating 30° to 180° from the initial position. The operator can select a damping element 102 with a suitable circumferential angle according to actual needs.

[0058] In one example, when the circumferential angle is 180°, the initial position and the extreme position are symmetrically arranged. Furthermore, when the damping element 102 is a ring-shaped cylindrical structure, the sidewalls 1021 can be symmetrically arranged. That is, when the rotating shaft 202 rotates clockwise from the initial position towards the extreme position, the friction between the damping element 102 and the elastic element 104 increases; when the rotating shaft 202 rotates counterclockwise from the initial position towards the extreme position, the friction between the damping element 102 and the elastic element 104 also increases. Thus, one damping assembly 100 can be used for bidirectional bending control of the adjustable bending sheath 203.

[0059] In one example, the circumferential angle is less than 180°. To control the bidirectional bending of the adjustable sheath 203, two extreme positions need to be provided on the abutment wall 1021. Preferably, the two extreme positions are symmetrically arranged about the line connecting the axis of rotation and the initial position. The damping element 102 can be an arc-shaped cylindrical structure or a ring-shaped cylindrical structure.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, after rotating the shaft 202, in order to maintain a stable state between the damping member 102 and the elastic member 104 when the damping member 102 presses against the elastic member 104, the contact wall between the damping member 102 and the elastic member 104 can be made relatively rough to increase the coefficient of friction between them.

[0061] See you again Figure 3 In one example, the upper base 101 is a square plate, and the length direction of the upper base 101 is arranged along the axial direction of the adjustable bend sheath.

[0062] See you again Figure 2 In some embodiments, the damping assembly 100 further includes a lower base 105 with a receiving cavity 106. The upper base 101, the lower base 105, and the outer base are detachably fixed. The damping element 102 and the fixing seat 103 are both housed in the receiving cavity 106. In one example, the upper base 101 and the outer base 201 are each provided with countersunk holes, and the lower base 105 is provided with a connecting hole connecting the two countersunk holes. The upper base 101, the lower base 105, and the outer base 201 are placed in sequence, and then fixed by countersunk screws and nuts. It is understood that the outer contour of the upper base 101 roughly matches the outer contour of the lower base 105. After the upper base 101 and the lower base 105 are fixed, the damping element 102 and the fixing seat 103 are surrounded in the receiving cavity 106. The damping element 102 is disposed on the inner surface of the upper base 10 and protrudes toward the receiving cavity 106 of the lower base 105. The upper base 10 and the damping element 102 can be integrally disposed, or they can be disposed independently and then fixedly connected.

[0063] Furthermore, the lower base 105 has an annular protrusion 1051 extending around the rotating shaft 202 on its surface facing the upper base 101. The elastic member 104 axially abuts against the annular protrusion 1051 to prevent axial movement of the elastic member 104. In one example, the annular protrusion 1051 and the damping member 102 are arranged opposite each other, the fixed seat is located between the damping member 102 and the annular protrusion 1051, and the elastic member 104 is fixed to the fixed seat, with a portion located between the fixed seat and the damping member and a portion located between the fixed seat and the annular protrusion 1051. With this arrangement, when the rotating shaft 202 is rotated and the abutment wall 1021 presses against the elastic member 104, the annular protrusion 1051 cooperates with the elastic member 104 to prevent the elastic member 104 from moving away from the damping member 102 due to being pressed.

[0064] In an alternative embodiment, a bearing is provided between the lower base 105 and the rotating shaft 202. Thus, the rotating shaft 202 can rotate relative to the lower base 105 and is prevented from axially moving relative to the lower base 105. In this case, the elastic member 104 can be fixedly connected to the lower base 105 using a structure similar to that described in the above embodiment. The elastic member 104 can also be fixed in a block shape (e.g., embedded, glued) to the side of the fixed seat 103 facing the abutment surface.

[0065] See Figures 4 to 7 The second embodiment of the present invention relates to a conveying device 200 having the aforementioned damping component 100. This embodiment is described using an example where the damping component 102 has a ring-shaped cylindrical structure. The conveying device 200 includes: an outer base 201, an adjustable curved sheath 203, a rotating shaft 202, a winding assembly 204, a control wire 205, and the damping component 100. The outer base 201 has a mounting groove 2011. The rotating shaft 202 is rotatably disposed on the outer base 201 and passes through the mounting groove 2011. The damping component 100 is located in the mounting groove 2011 and sleeved on the rotating shaft 202. The axis of the adjustable curved sheath 203 is perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft 202. The proximal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 is fixed to the outer base 201, and the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 is swayable. The winding assembly 204 is sleeved and fixed to the rotating shaft 202. One end of the control wire 205 is wound around the winding assembly 204, and the other end of the control wire 205 is connected to the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203. The rotating shaft 202 is used to drive the winding assembly 204 to rotate and wind or release the control wire so that the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 swings.

[0066] See also Figure 4-6The winding assembly 204 includes a first winding wheel 2041 and a second winding wheel 2042. The first winding wheel 2041 and the second winding wheel 2042 are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the outer base 201 about the axis of the adjustable curved sheath 203, and are fixed to the rotating shaft 202 by screws, snap-fits, or other means. Correspondingly, the control wire 205 includes a first control wire and a second control wire. The proximal end of the first control wire is fixed to the first winding wheel 2041 and wound around the first winding wheel 2041 in a first direction, and the distal end of the first control wire is fixedly connected to the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203. The proximal end of the second control wire is fixed to the second winding wheel 2042 and wound around the second winding wheel 2042 in a second direction, and the distal end of the second control wire is fixed to the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203. In this configuration, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the connection position between the first control wire and the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 is symmetrically or approximately symmetrically arranged with respect to the connection position between the second control wire and the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203. Specifically, the circumferential angle around the axis of the adjustable curved sheath 203 is 180° or close to 180°, for example, between 170° and 190°, preferably between 175° and 185°. With this configuration, when the rotating shaft 202 is rotated, causing the first winding wheel 2041 to wind the first control wire, the second winding wheel 2042 releases the second control wire, and the length of the first control wire wound is approximately equal to the length of the second control wire released. At this time, the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 swings towards the side where the first winding wheel 2041 is located; conversely, the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 can swing towards the side where the second winding wheel 2042 is located.

[0067] To prevent the first and second control wires from causing friction or even cutting damage to human tissue when the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203 swings, the control wire can be inserted into the interior of the adjustable curved sheath 203 and extended to the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203, and fixedly connected to the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath 203.

[0068] In one example, the proximal end of the adjustable bend sheath 203 may be provided with a threading hole (not shown in the figure) to allow the control wire to extend into the interior of the adjustable bend sheath 203 from the outside of the proximal end. More specifically, there may be two threading holes, symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the adjustable bend sheath 203, with the first control wire extending into the interior of the adjustable bend sheath 203 through one of the threading holes, and the second control wire extending into the interior of the adjustable bend sheath 203 through the other threading hole.

[0069] Furthermore, the adjustable bend sheath 203 can be configured as a double-layered structure with gaps, or two channels can be formed in the axial direction of the adjustable bend sheath 203, thereby forming control wire channels (not shown in the figure) extending from the proximal end to the distal end on the adjustable bend sheath 203. The control wire channels communicate with the wire-piercing holes. When the control wire channels are two independent channels, the two control wire channels and the two wire-piercing holes are connected one-to-one, and the two control wire channels are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the adjustable bend sheath 203. After the first control wire and the second control wire extend into the adjustable bend sheath 203 through the wire-piercing holes, they extend to the distal end of the adjustable bend sheath 203 through the control wire channels.

[0070] In one example, the distal end of the adjustable bending sheath 203 can be a tube made of elastic material, a mechanical structure with multiple degrees of bending freedom, such as a Hooke's hinge, or a hyaluronic acid tube structure or a corrugated tube structure.

[0071] See also Figure 7 The mounting groove 2011 of the outer base 201 is provided with a shaft-accommodating through hole 2012, which is perpendicular to the outer base 201. The upper base 101 and the lower base 105 each have coaxially arranged through holes, and the shaft-accommodating through hole 2012 is coaxially arranged with both of these through holes. Thus, the rotating shaft 202 passes through the shaft-accommodating through hole 2012 and the two aforementioned through holes, thereby being rotatably mounted on the outer base 201. Besides accommodating the rotating shaft 202, the shaft-accommodating through hole 2012 also accommodates a portion of the lower base 105, thereby making the conveying device more compact.

[0072] See also Figure 6-7 In addition to the through hole 2012, the mounting groove 2011 also includes a support platform 20111, which is used to fix the damping component to the outer base. The lower base 105 also has a support part 1051, which is disposed on the outer surface of the lower base 105 and can be mounted on the support platform and fixedly connected to the support platform. For example, a screw connection can be used.

[0073] The outer base 201 is also provided with a fixed through hole 2013 whose extension direction is perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft 202. The proximal end of the adjustable bending sheath 203 extends into the fixed through hole 2013 and is fixedly connected to the outer base 201. It can be understood that the fixed through hole 2013 and the shaft through hole 2012 are staggered.

[0074] In some examples, a knob 2022 is also provided at one end of the rotating shaft 202, which the operator can turn to drive the rotating shaft 202 to rotate.

[0075] The damping components and conveying devices provided by the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the idea of ​​the present invention. There may be changes in specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A damping assembly for a conveying device, the conveying device comprising an outer base, a rotating shaft, a winding assembly, a control wire, and an adjustable curved sheath, the rotating shaft being rotatably disposed on the outer base, the rotating shaft driving the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath to oscillate via the winding assembly and the control wire, characterized in that, include: The upper base is sleeved on the rotating shaft and fixed relative to the outer base; A damping element is disposed on the upper base. The damping element is a circular cylindrical structure with an initial position and an extreme position, and the initial position and the extreme position are arranged symmetrically. A fixed base is fixed to the rotating shaft and spaced apart from the damping member along the axial direction of the rotating shaft. The damping member has an abutment wall opposite to the fixed base, and the abutment walls are symmetrically arranged. An elastic element is disposed between the fixed base and the damping element and is pressed by the abutment wall. The damping element and the elastic element are configured such that when an external force is applied to the rotating shaft and the rotating shaft rotates, the elastic element rotates from the initial position to the limit position in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, which increases the resistance between the damping element and the elastic element, and the elastic element overcomes the static friction between itself and the abutment wall, moving relative to the abutment wall as the fixed base rotates. When the external force applied to the rotating shaft is removed, the static friction between the elastic element and the abutment wall is greater than the restoring force applied to the rotating shaft by the adjustable curved sheath, so that the elastic element and the damping element remain relatively stationary.

2. The damping component according to claim 1, characterized in that, As the damping element moves circumferentially away from the initial position, the axial distance between the damping element and the fixed seat decreases.

3. The damping component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The damping element is coaxially arranged with the rotating shaft, and at least part of the abutment wall is not perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft; the vertical distance from the abutment wall to the axis of the rotating shaft matches the vertical distance from the elastic element to the axis of the rotating shaft.

4. The damping component according to claim 3, characterized in that, The distance between the abutment wall and the upper base increases linearly from the initial position to the extreme position.

5. The damping component according to claim 3, characterized in that, From the initial position to the extreme position, the distance between the abutment wall and the upper base increases in a unit increment in the circumferential direction.

6. The damping component according to claim 3, characterized in that, The abutting wall includes a plurality of sequentially connected sub-sidewalls, and the distance between the plurality of sub-sidewalls and the upper base increases from the initial position to the extreme position.

7. The damping component according to claim 6, characterized in that, The contact surfaces of the plurality of sub-sidewalls are curved surfaces. The maximum value of the angle formed by the tangent of the sub-sidewall near the initial position and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation is less than the minimum value of the angle formed by the tangent of the sub-sidewall away from the initial position and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

8. The damping component according to any one of claims 3-7, characterized in that, The circumferential angle between the abutting wall and the initial position and the extreme position is 30° to 180° in the circumferential direction.

9. The damping component according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a lower base with a receiving cavity, wherein the upper base, the lower base and the outer base are detachably fixed, and the damping element and the fixing seat are both housed in the receiving cavity; The lower base has an annular protrusion extending around the pivot on the surface facing the upper base. The elastic element axially abuts against the annular protrusion to prevent the elastic element from moving axially.

10. The damping component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed base includes a connecting part and a mounting part. The connecting part is fixed on the rotating shaft, and the mounting part is disposed outside the connecting part and axially spaced from the abutting wall. The elastic element is fixed on the mounting part and is at least partially located between the mounting part and the abutting wall.

11. The damping component according to claim 10, characterized in that, The connecting part is a hollow column, which is sleeved and fixed to the rotating shaft. The mounting part is columnar and fixed to the outer surface of the connecting part. The radial dimension of the mounting part is smaller than the axial height of the connecting part, so as to form a fixed area at the connection between the mounting part and the connecting part. The elastic element is disposed in the fixed area.

12. The damping component according to claim 11, characterized in that, The elastic element is a hollow cylinder, sleeved on the mounting part, and the shape of the elastic element near the connecting part is an intersecting line shape.

13. A conveying device, characterized in that, include: The outer base, the adjustable bending sheath, the rotating shaft, the winding assembly, the control wire, and the damping assembly as described in any one of claims 1-12; The outer base has a mounting groove, the rotating shaft is rotatably disposed on the outer base and passes through the mounting groove, and the damping component is located in the mounting groove and sleeved on the rotating shaft; The axis of the adjustable curved sheath is perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft. The proximal end of the adjustable curved sheath is fixed to the outer base, and the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath is swayable. The winding assembly is sleeved and fixed to the rotating shaft. One end of the control wire is wound around the winding assembly, and the other end of the control wire is connected to the distal end of the adjustable curved sheath. The shaft is used to drive the winding assembly to rotate and wind or release the control wire so that the distal end of the adjustable bending sheath swings.

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