Bending jig for injection needles and bending apparatus equipped with bending jig

Abstract

To provide a bending jig and a bending apparatus for injection needles that can achieve high reproducibility and high productivity in bending of the injection needles.SOLUTION: A bending jig comprises: a first bending member having, on an upper side, a first bending surface with a predetermined radius of curvature and having, on a lower side, a rotation axis; and a second bending member having, on an upper side, a second bending surface with a predetermined radius of curvature that is curved in the same direction as the first bending surface, and attached to the first bending member so as to rotate about an axis located on a lower side. From an initial state in which a straight, tubular injection needle is attached to the first bending member such that a side surface of the injection needle contacts a lower end of the first bending surface, at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member is rotated in a direction that brings the first bending surface and the second bending surface closer to each other, an upper-side region of the second bending surface strikes the side surface of the injection needle, and the injection needle is bent into a state in which it is clamped between the first bending surface and the second bending surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a bending jig for bending a straight tubular injection needle, and a bending apparatus including the bending jig. [Background technology]

[0002] Straight injection needles are generally used when injecting dermal fillers in cosmetic surgery. However, when injecting dermal fillers into the face or lips, it is difficult to insert a straight injection needle along the epidermis, making it difficult to inject the dermal filler along the epidermis. To address this issue, curved injection needles that enable the needle to be inserted along the epidermis have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. WO2023 / 137516 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the bending method for the curved injection needle described in Patent Document 1 has not been established, and in practice, curved injection needles are manufactured by bending the straight tube portion by hand, which poses problems such as low reproducibility and productivity of the bending process.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a bending jig for a syringe needle that can achieve high reproducibility and high productivity in bending syringe needles, and a bending apparatus equipped with this bending jig. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A bending jig for an injection needle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first bending member having a first bending surface with a predetermined radius of curvature on an upper side and a rotation axis on a lower side; a second bending member having a second bending surface on an upper side thereof, the second bending surface having the predetermined radius of curvature and curved in the same direction as the first bending surface, the second bending member being attached to the first bending member so as to rotate around the rotation axis located on the lower side; Equipped with From an initial state in which the first bending surface and the second bending surface are spaced apart and the straight tubular injection needle is attached to the first bending member so that the side surface of the injection needle is in contact with the lower end of the first bending surface, by rotating at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member in a direction in which the first bending surface and the second bending surface approach each other, the upper region of the second bending surface comes into contact with the side surface of the injection needle, and by further rotating in the same direction, the injection needle is bent and becomes sandwiched between the first bending surface and the second bending surface.

[0007] An apparatus for bending an injection needle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: The above-mentioned injection needle bending jig; an actuator that rotates at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present disclosure provides a bending jig for syringe needles that can achieve high reproducibility and high productivity in bending syringe needles, and a bending apparatus equipped with this bending jig. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a side view of an example of a needle hub assembly after bending the needle. [Figure 2A]FIG. 10 is a side view of a processing jig shown as a comparative example, showing a first bending processing member to which an injection needle hub assembly is attached, in which an unprocessed injection needle extending linearly from a needle hub is attached, and a second bending processing member located at a position spaced apart from the first bending processing member. [Figure 2B] 2B is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is translated from the state shown in FIG. 2A so as to come into contact with the first bending member, thereby bending the injection needle attached to the needle hub. FIG. [Figure 2C] 2C is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is moved away from the first bending member from the state shown in FIG. 2B, and shows that the intended bending state is not achieved due to large springback. [Figure 3A] 1 is a perspective view showing a bending jig according to a first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which an injection needle hub assembly is attached before processing. FIG. [Figure 3B] 1 is a side view showing a bending jig according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating bending of a linearly extending injection needle attached to a needle hub using the bending jig according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the unprocessed injection needle hub assembly is attached to the first bending member and the second bending member is separated from the first bending member. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B shows the state in which the second bending member is rotated in a direction approaching the first bending member from the state shown in FIG. 4A, and the upper plane of the second bending surface of the second bending member abuts against the side surface of the injection needle that extends linearly. [Figure 4C] 4C is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is further rotated from the state shown in FIG. 4B to a position closest to the first bending member, thereby bending the injection needle. FIG. [Figure 4D] FIG. 4D is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is rotated in a direction away from the first bending member from the state shown in FIG. 4C, and the injection needle is bent as intended regardless of springback. [Figure 5A]FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a bending jig according to a second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which a needle hub assembly is attached before processing. [Figure 5B] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a bending jig according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating bending of a linearly extending injection needle attached to a needle hub using a bending jig according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the unprocessed injection needle hub assembly is attached to a first bending member and the second bending member is separated from the first bending member. [Figure 6B] 6B is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is rotated in a direction approaching the first bending member from the state shown in FIG. 6A, and the upper curved surface of the second bending surface of the second bending member abuts against the side surface of the injection needle. [Figure 6C] 6C is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is further rotated from the state shown in FIG. 6B to a position closest to the first bending member, thereby bending the injection needle. FIG. [Figure 6D] FIG. 6D is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is rotated in a direction away from the first bending member from the state shown in FIG. 6C, and the injection needle is bent as intended regardless of springback. [Figure 7A] 1 is a plan view showing a bending device according to one embodiment of the present invention in which a bending jig is operated by an actuator. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a side view showing the arrow AA in FIG. 7A. [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view showing a bending apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, corresponding components having the same function are assigned the same reference numerals. For convenience, the embodiments may be shown separately in consideration of ease of explanation or understanding of the main points, but partial substitution or combination of configurations shown in different embodiments is possible. In the embodiments described below, descriptions of matters common to the above-mentioned embodiments will be omitted, and only differences will be described. In particular, similar effects due to similar configurations will not be mentioned sequentially in each embodiment. The size and positional relationship of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation. In the following description, up and down are indicated in a state where the tip of the injection needle to be bent is located on the upper side of the injection needle hub to which the injection needle is attached, and the end of the hub that is attached to the syringe is located on the lower side.

[0011] (Needle hub assembly) First, the shape and dimensions of the injection needle obtained as a result of bending will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a side view showing an example of an injection needle hub assembly after bending the injection needle.

[0012] The illustrated needle hub HA has a connector shape conforming to ISO standards and can be combined with syringes conforming to the respective ISO standards for Luer slip and Luer lock. The material of the needle N is stainless steel, with an outer diameter ranging from 0.178 mm to 0.730 mm and a wall thickness ranging from 0.05 mm to 0.35 mm. However, this is not limited to this, and the needle material can also be selected from titanium, cobalt chromium, platinum, etc. The needle can also have a standard wall, thin wall, or ultra-thin wall thickness according to the ISO 6009:2016 wall standard definition. The size of the needle N ranges from 22 G to 34 G. The length Ln of the needle N to be bent ranges from 9 mm to 100 mm. The angle θ of the curved portion of the bent needle ranges from 120 degrees to 179 degrees.

[0013] The outer diameter of the hub portion can be, for example, in the range of 6 mm to 12 mm, and the length can be, for example, in the range of 10 mm to 20 mm. The total length Lt of the injection needle hub HA can be, for example, in the range of 19 mm to 120 mm. However, the above dimensions are merely examples and are not limited to these values.

[0014] For the injection needle N used in the comparative examples and embodiments described below, the length of the straight tube portion at the base is Ln1, the length of the curved portion in the middle is Ln2, and the length of the straight tube portion at the tip is Ln3. The value of Ln1 can be exemplified in the range of 4 mm to 18 mm. The value of Ln2 can be exemplified in the range of 8 mm to 18 mm for a curved portion with a relatively long length, and in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm for a curved portion with a relatively short length. The value of Ln3 can be exemplified in the range of 7 mm to 12 mm.

[0015] (Comparative Example) Next, a comparative example of a bending jig will be described with reference to Figures 2A to 2C. Figure 2A is a side view of a bending jig shown as a comparative example, showing a first bending member to which an injection needle hub assembly is attached, in which an unprocessed injection needle extending linearly from a needle hub is attached, and a second bending member located away from the first bending member. Figure 2B is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is translated from the state shown in Figure 2A so as to come into contact with the first bending member, thereby bending the injection needle attached to the needle hub. Figure 2C is a diagram showing the state in which the second bending member is moved away from the first bending member from the state shown in Figure 2B, in which springback is large and the intended bending state is not achieved.

[0016] The bending jig 102 according to the comparative example includes a first bending member 110 having a first bending surface 112 on its upper side with a predetermined radius of curvature, and a second bending member 120 having a second bending surface 122 on its upper side with a predetermined radius of curvature and curved in the same direction as the first bending surface 112. The first bending member 110 and the second bending member 120 are formed from a resin material. In the comparative example, the second bending member 120 is manually translated so as to approach the first bending member 110, thereby bending the injection needle N.

[0017] The total length Lt of the injection needle hub HA used in the test was 26.0 mm to 27.0 mm, and the total length Ln of the protruding portion of the injection needle N was 13 mm. The size of the injection needle N was 29G to 30G (φ0.298 mm to 0.351 mm) and the material was stainless steel (SUS304). The target angle θ of the curved portion of the bent injection needle was 150 degrees ±10 degrees. Here, the injection needle N was bent so that it had a relatively long curved portion.

[0018] Specifically, with the first bending surface 112 and the second bending surface 122 spaced apart, the injection needle hub HA is attached to the first bending member 110 so that the side surface of the straight injection needle N comes into contact with the lower end of the first bending surface 112. At this time, the injection needle N is attached so that the end on the base side of the region that will become the curved portion comes into contact with the lower end of the first bending surface 112.

[0019] From the initial state in which the first bending surface 112 and the second bending surface 122 are spaced apart, the second bending member 120 is manually translated so that the second bending surface 122 approaches the first bending surface 112, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2A. As a result, the upper region of the second bending surface 122 comes into contact with the side surface of the injection needle N. By further translating the second bending member 120 in the same direction, the injection needle N is bent, as shown in FIG. 2B, so that the injection needle N is sandwiched between the first bending surface 112 and the second bending surface 122. Then, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2C, the second bending member 120 is again translated in the opposite direction so that the second bending surface 122 moves away from the first bending surface 112. This allows the bent injection needle hub HA to be removed from the first bending member 110.

[0020] However, as shown in Figure 2C, springback occurs from the bent state shown in Figure 2B (see dotted line P1), so the bent state after processing (see solid line P2) has a smaller bend angle than the target bent state (see dashed dotted line PR), resulting in a bend outside the target angle range of 150 degrees ± 10 degrees for the curved portion.

[0021] When the springback is large, the amount of springback that occurs varies greatly and reproducibility is low. Therefore, if a bending method that takes into account a large amount of springback in advance and bends the material even more than the target bending state is adopted, the yield will drop significantly, making it difficult to put into practical use.

[0022] (Bending jig according to the first embodiment of the present invention) Next, a bending jig according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 3A to Fig. 4D. Fig. 3A is a perspective view of the bending jig according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which an unprocessed injection needle hub assembly is attached. Fig. 3B is a side view of the bending jig according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4A is a side view showing the bending of a linear injection needle attached to a needle hub using the bending jig according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the unprocessed injection needle hub assembly is attached to the first bending member and the second bending member is separated from the first bending member. Fig. 4B is a view showing the state in which the second bending member is rotated from the state shown in Fig. 4A in a direction approaching the first bending member, so that the upper plane of the second bending surface of the second bending member abuts against the side surface of the linear injection needle. Fig. 4C shows the state in which the second bending member is further rotated from the state shown in Fig. 4B to a position closest to the first bending member to bend the injection needle. Fig. 4D shows the state in which the second bending member is rotated from the state shown in Fig. 4C in a direction away from the first bending member to bend the injection needle in the intended bent state regardless of springback.

[0023] The bending jig 2 of this embodiment comprises a first bending member having a first bending surface 12 on the upper side with a predetermined radius of curvature and a rotation axis G on the lower side, and a second bending member 20 having a second bending surface 22 on the upper side with a predetermined radius of curvature and curved in the same direction as the first bending surface 12, and attached to the first bending member 10 so as to rotate around the rotation axis G located on the lower side.

[0024] In this embodiment, the first bent member 10 and the second bent member 20 are formed from a mixture of methacrylic acid ester and acrylic acid ester. However, this is not limited thereto, and the first bent member 10 and the second bent member 20 can be formed from any other resin material or metal material. A metal rod or a resin rod can be used as the rotation axis G. Note that the rotation axis G is not limited to being formed from a rod, and a virtual rotation axis G may also be used. For example, a hinge mechanism in which a convex portion formed on one of the first bent member 10 and the second bent member 20 is fitted with a concave portion formed on the other may be used to rotate the second bent member 20 around the rotation axis G.

[0025] In this embodiment, the injection needle N is bent by manually rotating and moving at least one of the first bending member 10 and the second bending member 20 so that the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 are close to each other.

[0026] In the first embodiment, the injection needle N is bent so as to have a curved portion with a relatively long length. An injection needle hub HA similar to that of the above-mentioned comparative example is used. Specifically, the total length Lt of the injection needle hub HA is 26.0 mm to 27.0 mm, and the total length Ln of the protruding portion of the injection needle N is 13 mm. The size of the injection needle N is 29 G to 30 G (φ0.298 mm to 0.351 mm) and is made of stainless steel (SUS304). The target angle θ of the curved portion of the bent injection needle is 150 degrees ±10 degrees.

[0027] The injection needle N attached to the injection needle hub HA is attached to the first bending member 10. A space 14 for accommodating the injection needle hub HA is formed in the first bending member 10, and a space 24 for accommodating the injection needle hub HA is also formed in the second bending member 20.

[0028] In this way, the spaces 14, 24 for accommodating the injection needle hub HA are formed, so that even when bending the injection needle N attached to the injection needle hub HA rather than bending the injection needle N by itself, the injection needle N can be bent without interfering with the injection needle hub HA. However, it is not necessary to form the spaces 14, 24 for accommodating the injection needle hub HA in both the first bending member 10 and the second bending member 20. For example, the space 14 for accommodating the entire injection needle hub HA can be formed only in the first bending member 10.

[0029] 3A and 3B, a groove 12A for accommodating part of the injection needle N is formed in the first bent surface 12, and a groove 22A for accommodating part of the injection needle N is formed in the second bent surface 22. The injection needle N is sandwiched between the grooves 12A and 22A. However, it is not necessary to have the grooves 12A, 22A on both the first bent surface 12 and the second bent surface 22; it is also possible to have the groove 12A on only one side, for example, the first bent surface 12.

[0030] <Bending process> The specific bending steps will be described below. First, with the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 spaced apart, the injection needle hub HA is attached to the first bending member 10 so that the side surface of the straight injection needle N comes into contact with the lower end of the first bending surface 12. At this time, the injection needle N is attached so that the end on the base side of the region that will become the curved portion comes into contact with the lower end of the first bending surface 12. At this time, the injection needle N is guided by the groove portion 12A formed in the first bending surface 12, so that displacement does not occur.

[0031] The injection needle N attached to the first bent member 10 extends above the first bent surface 12 and the second bent surface 22.

[0032] From an initial state in which the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 are spaced apart, the second bending member 20 is manually rotated so that the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 approach each other, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 4A. However, this is not limited to this, and there are also cases in which the first bending member 10 is rotated so that the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 approach each other, and there are also cases in which both the first bending member 10 and the second bending member 20 are rotated.

[0033] By rotating at least one of the first bending member 10 and the second bending member 20 in a direction in which the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 approach each other, the region above the second bending surface 22 comes into contact with the side surface of the injection needle N, as shown in Fig. 4B. In this embodiment, a flat surface 26 is formed adjacent to and above the second bending surface 22, and this flat surface 26 comes into contact with the side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle N over its entire surface.

[0034] After the flat surface 26 adjacent to and above the second bending surface 22 comes into contact with the side surface of the injection needle N, it is further rotated in the same direction as shown by the arrow in FIG. 4B. As a result, the injection needle N is bent and sandwiched between the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22, as shown in FIG. 4C. The flat surface 26, which comes into contact entirely with the side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle N, allows the injection needle N to be pressed and bent over a wide area from the initial timing when force is applied to the injection needle N, so that the injection needle can be reliably bent without damaging the tip region of the injection needle. In particular, when forming a curved portion with a relatively long length, the injection needle N can be pressed and bent over a wide area, so that effective bending can be achieved.

[0035] 4D, the second bending member 20 is rotated in the opposite direction, so that the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 are separated from each other. This allows the bent injection needle hub HA to be removed from the first bending member 10.

[0036] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4D, springback occurs from the bent state shown in Fig. 4C (see P1, dotted line). However, compared to the comparative example, the amount of springback is smaller, so the bent state after processing (see P2, solid line) falls within the range of the target bent state (see PR). In other words, it falls within the range of 150°±10°, which is the target angle of the curved portion.

[0037] When springback is small, the variation in the amount of springback that occurs is small and reproducibility is high, which means that high yields can be expected during bending, and improved productivity can be expected.

[0038] (Reason for suppressing springback) As described above, the occurrence of springback is suppressed by rotating, rather than translating, the first bent member 10 and the second bent member 20. The reasons for this are considered to be as follows.

[0039] Because the second bending surface 22 is curved, as the second bending member 20 rotates, the upper region of the second bending surface 22 first comes into contact with the side of the injection needle N, and as the second bending member 20 rotates further, the injection needle N bends along the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22, and finally the injection needle N is bent and sandwiched between the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22. If the rotational angular velocity of the second bending member 20 is W and the distance between each region of the second bending surface 22 and the rotation axis G is R, the movement speed V in the bending direction in each region is given by V = W × R.

[0040] Therefore, in the final stage of bending when the injection needle N is sandwiched between the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22, the speed of movement V in the bending direction of the upper region of the second bending surface 22, which is farther from the rotation axis G, is greater than the speed of movement V in the bending direction of the lower region. In addition, the upper region of the second bending surface 22 comes into contact with the tip side of the injection needle N. Therefore, the tip side of the injection needle N moves more in the bending direction, and therefore, the injection needle N is subjected to a tensile force in the axial direction as it is bent.

[0041] When the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 are rotated so as to move away from each other and the load on the injection needle N is released, some springback occurs in the injection needle N, but the amount of springback caused by this tensile force can be suppressed. This makes it possible to easily and reliably form an injection needle N in which a partial region of the straight tube portion is bent at a desired angle.

[0042] When the bending processing member is moved in a translational manner, the speed of movement in the bending direction is the same at both the tip and base of the injection needle N, so the above-mentioned tensile force is not generated and the amount of springback cannot be suppressed.

[0043] Furthermore, compared to the case where the first bending member 10 and the second bending member 20 are moved translationally, by moving them rotationally, a vector force along the direction in which the injection needle N is bent can be applied to the side surface of the injection needle N, thereby more effectively bending the injection needle N. This also reduces the amount of springback.

[0044] As described above, in this embodiment, by rotating at least one of the first bending member 10 and the second bending member 20, it is possible to provide a bending jig 2 for an injection needle N that can achieve high reproducibility and high productivity in bending injection needles.

[0045] Furthermore, the flattening and thickness deviation of the tubular material of the injection needle before and after bending were evaluated, and it was confirmed that no flattening or thickness deviation occurred even after bending.

[0046] As described above, the grooves 12A, 22A that accommodate part of the injection needle N are formed on at least one of the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22, so that the injection needle N is restrained from moving relative to the bending surfaces 12, 22 during bending, allowing the injection needle N to be bent at an accurate bending angle. The grooves 12A, 22A not only serve as the guides described above, but also function to prevent the needle tube from being crushed by compression. This contributes to the suppression of the flattening and thickness deviation described above.

[0047] (Bending jig according to a second embodiment of the present invention) Next, a bending jig according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5A to Fig. 6D. Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the bending jig according to the second embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which an unprocessed injection needle hub assembly is attached. Fig. 5B is a side view of the bending jig according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6A is a side view showing the bending of a linear injection needle attached to a needle hub using the bending jig according to the second embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the unprocessed injection needle hub assembly is attached to the first bending member and the second bending member is separated from the first bending member. Fig. 6B is a view showing the state in which the second bending member is rotated from the state shown in Fig. 6A in a direction approaching the first bending member, so that the curved surface above the second bending surface of the second bending member abuts against the side surface of the injection needle. Fig. 6C shows the state in which the second bending member is further rotated from the state shown in Fig. 6B to a position closest to the first bending member, thereby bending the injection needle. Fig. 6D shows the state in which the second bending member is rotated from the state shown in Fig. 6C in a direction away from the first bending member, thereby bending the injection needle as intended, regardless of springback.

[0048] The bending jig 2' of this embodiment also comprises a first bending member 10' having a first bending surface 12 on the upper side with a predetermined radius of curvature and a rotation axis G on the lower side, and a second bending member 20' having a second bending surface 22 on the upper side with a predetermined radius of curvature and curved in the same direction as the first bending surface 12, and attached to the first bending member 10' so as to rotate around the rotation axis G located on the lower side.

[0049] In the second embodiment, the injection needle N is bent by manually rotating and moving at least one of the first bending member 10′ and the second bending member 20′ so that the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 are close to each other.

[0050] In the second embodiment, the injection needle N is bent so as to have a curved portion with a relatively short length. Specifically, an injection needle hub HA having the following dimensions is used. The total length Lt of the injection needle hub HA is 27.0 mm to 29.5 mm, and the total length Ln of the protruding portion of the injection needle N is 13 mm to 15 mm. The size of the injection needle N is 29 G to 30 G (φ0.298 mm to 0.351 mm), as in the first embodiment, and is made of stainless steel (SUS304). The target angle θ of the curved portion of the bent injection needle is 160 degrees ± 10 degrees.

[0051] The structure of the bending jig 2' according to the second embodiment is similar to the structure of the bending jig 2 according to the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the first bent member 10' and the second bent member 20' can be made of the same resin material as in the first embodiment, or can be made of other resin materials, or can be made of metal materials.

[0052] A space 14 for accommodating the injection needle hub HA is formed in the first bent member 10', and a space 24 for accommodating the injection needle hub HA is also formed in the second bent member 20'. A groove 12A for accommodating part of the injection needle N is formed in the first bent surface 12, and a groove 22A for accommodating part of the injection needle N is formed in the second bent surface 22.

[0053] The bending jig 2' according to the second embodiment differs from the bending jig 2 according to the first embodiment in the following respects. In the first embodiment described above, a flat surface 26 that is in contact with the entire side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle N is formed adjacent to and above the second bending surface 22 of the second bending member 20, but the second embodiment differs in that a curved surface 28 that is in contact with the side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle N is formed above the second bending surface 22 of the second bending member 20'.

[0054] <Bending process> The process of bending the injection needle N is also substantially the same as in the first embodiment described above, but the specific bending process will be described below. First, with the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 spaced apart, the injection needle hub HA is attached to the first bending member 10' so that the side surface of the straight injection needle N contacts the lower end of the first bending surface 12. At this time, the injection needle N is attached so that the end on the base side of the region that will become the curved portion contacts the lower end of the first bending surface 12. At this time, the injection needle N is guided by the groove portion 12A formed in the first bending surface 12, so that displacement does not occur.

[0055] The injection needle N attached to the first bending member 10 ′ extends above the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 .

[0056] From the initial state in which the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 are spaced apart, the second bending member 20' is rotated so that the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 approach each other, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 6A. As a result, the upper region of the second bending surface 22 comes into contact with the side surface of the injection needle N, as shown in Fig. 6B. In the second embodiment, a curved surface 28 is formed above the second bending surface 22, and this curved surface 28 comes into contact with the side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle N.

[0057] After the curved surface 28 formed above the second bending surface 22 comes into contact with the side surface of the injection needle N, it is further rotated in the same direction as shown by the arrow in FIG. 6B. As a result, the injection needle N is bent and sandwiched between the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22, as shown in FIG. 6C. As described above, when forming a curved portion with a relatively short length, the bending can be reliably performed without damaging the tip of the injection needle by pressing the side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle N with the curved surface 28. Furthermore, even when the straight tube portion of the injection needle N extending above the second bending surface 22 is short, the bending can be reliably performed without damaging the tip of the injection needle by pressing the curved surface 28 that comes into contact with the side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle N.

[0058] 6D, the second bending member 20' is rotated in the opposite direction, so that the first bending surface 12 and the second bending surface 22 are separated from each other. This allows the bent injection needle hub HA to be removed from the first bending member 10'.

[0059] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6D, springback occurs from the bent state shown in Fig. 6C (see P1, dotted line). However, since the springback is smaller than in the comparative example, the bent state after processing (see P2, solid line) falls within the range of the target bent state (see PR). In other words, it falls within the range of 160°±10°, which is the target angle of the curved portion.

[0060] When springback is small, the variation in the amount of springback that occurs is small and reproducibility is high, which means that high yields can be expected during bending, and improved productivity can be expected.

[0061] (Bending device according to one embodiment) Next, a bending apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 7A, 7B, and 8. Figure 7A is a plan view showing a bending apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention in which a bending jig is operated by an actuator. Figure 7B is a side view taken along the arrow AA in Figure 7A. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a bending apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] In the injection needle bending device 4 according to this embodiment, the injection needle bending jigs 2, 2' according to the above-described embodiments are operated by an actuator. The first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20' are attached to slide bases that are slidable on a frame 6. The first bending members 10, 10 provided in the bending device are capable of mounting four injection needle hubs HA. Thus, by operating the actuator, the bending device 4 can bend injection needles N on four injection needle hubs HA at a time. Note that the number of injection needle hubs HA that can be mounted on the first bending members 10, 10 is not limited to four, and devices capable of mounting any other number of injection needle hubs HA can also be used.

[0063] The bending apparatus 4 according to this embodiment includes a first actuator 30 that moves the first bending members 10, 10' toward and away from the second bending members 20, 20', and a second actuator 32 that moves the second bending members 20, 20' toward and away from the first bending members 10, 10'. The bending apparatus 4 further includes a third actuator 34 that rotates at least one of the first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20'. In the illustrated example, the second bending members 20, 20' are rotated by the third actuator 34.

[0064] In this embodiment, air cylinders are used as the first to third actuators 30 to 34. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and hydraulic cylinders, electric cylinders, or electric motors connected to reduction gears may also be used.

[0065] In the bending jigs 2, 2' according to the above-described embodiments, the injection needle N is bent by manually rotating and moving at least one of the first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20'. However, in the bending device according to the present embodiment, the third actuator 34 is used to rotate and move at least one of the first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20'.

[0066] In the illustrated example, the tip of the rod of the third actuator 34 is attached to the second bending members 20, 20' of the bending jig 2 according to the first embodiment. When the rod of the third actuator 34 is contracted, the second bending surface 22 is in an open state separated from the first bending surface 12, and when the rod of the third actuator 34 is extended, the second bending member 20 rotates and approaches the first bending surface 12, in a closed state.

[0067] Next, with reference to FIG. 7, an outline of the process of bending the injection needle N of the injection needle hub HA using the bending device 4 will be described. First, the four injection needle hubs HA to be processed by the first bending members 10, 10' are set in an initial position where the slide base carrying the first bending members 10, 10' and the slide base carrying the second bending members 20, 20' are spaced apart. At this time, the rod of the third actuator 34 is retracted, and the second bending members 20, 20' are open. Thereafter, the first actuator 30 and the second actuator 32 are operated to move the first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20' to processing positions close to each other, as indicated by the dotted arrows.

[0068] Then, at the processing position, by operating the third actuator 34 in the direction in which the rod extends, the second bending member 20 rotates in the closing direction as shown by the dashed-dotted arrow, bringing the first and second bending surfaces 12, 22 into close proximity. This allows the injection needle N to be bent. Thereafter, by performing the steps in reverse of those described above, the injection needle hub HA having the bent injection needle N can be removed from the first bending member 10, 10'.

[0069] By moving the first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20' closer to or farther apart, the efficiency of setting the injection needle hub HA on the first bending members 10, 10' and removing the first bending members 10, 10' is improved. The injection needle bending device 4 equipped with such actuators 30, 32, 34 can efficiently bend many injection needles N.

[0070] However, this is not limiting, and a mechanism in which one of the first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20' moves may be employed, or the first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20' may not move. If an actuator (third actuator 34) that can rotate at least one of the first bending members 10, 10' and the second bending members 20, 20' is provided, the injection needle N can be bent efficiently.

[0071] (General Description) As described above, in the injection needle bending jigs 2, 2′ and injection needle bending apparatus according to the above embodiments, by rotating at least one of the first bending member 10 and the second bending member 20, high reproducibility and high productivity can be achieved in bending injection needles.

[0072] <1> a first bending member having a first bending surface with a predetermined radius of curvature on an upper side and a rotation axis on a lower side; a second bending member having a second bending surface on an upper side thereof, the second bending surface having the predetermined radius of curvature and curved in the same direction as the first bending surface, the second bending member being attached to the first bending member so as to rotate around the rotation axis located on the lower side; Equipped with a bending jig for an injection needle, characterized in that, from an initial state in which the first bending surface and the second bending surface are spaced apart and the straight injection needle is attached to the first bending member so that the side surface of the injection needle is in contact with the lower end of the first bending surface, by rotating at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member in a direction in which the first bending surface and the second bending surface approach each other, an upper region of the second bending surface comes into contact with the side surface of the injection needle, and by further rotating in the same direction, the injection needle is bent so that it is sandwiched between the first bending surface and the second bending surface. <2> The injection needle attached to the first bending member extends above the first bending surface and the second bending surface. <1> The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1. <3> The region above the second bent surface is formed as a flat surface that is in contact with the entire side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle. <2> The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1. <4> The region above the second bent surface is formed as a curved surface that contacts the side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle. <2> The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1. <5> a groove for accommodating a part of the injection needle is formed on at least one of the first bent surface and the second bent surface; <1> from <4> 10. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 9, <6> the injection needle attached to the injection needle hub is attached to the first bending member; a space for accommodating the injection needle hub is formed in at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member; <1> from <5> 10. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 9, <7> The injection needle hub has a connector shape conforming to the ISO standard and is characterized in that it can be combined with a syringe conforming to the ISO standard for luer slip or luer lock. <6> The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1. <8> The injection needle is made of stainless steel, has an outer diameter of 0.178 mm or more and 0.730 mm or less, and a wall thickness of 0.05 mm or more and 0.35 mm or less. <1> from <7> 10. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 9, <9> The size of the injection needle is in the range of 22G to 34G. <1> from <8> 10. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 9, <10> The length of the injection needle to be bent is in the range of 9 mm to 100 mm. <1> from <9> 10. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 9, <11> The angle of the curved portion of the bent injection needle is in the range of 120 degrees to 179 degrees. <1> from <10> 10. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 9, <12> <1> from <11> the injection needle bending jig according to any one of the preceding claims, an actuator that rotates at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member; 1. An apparatus for bending a syringe needle, comprising:

[0073] Although the embodiments and modes of implementation of the present invention have been described, the disclosed contents may vary in the details of the configuration, and changes in the combination and order of elements in the embodiments and modes of implementation may be realized without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 2, 2' bending jig 4 Bending equipment 6 frames 10, 10' First bending workpiece 12 First bending surface 12A Groove 14 Storage space 20, 20' Second bending member 22 Second bending surface 22A Groove 24 Storage space 26 Contact plane 28 Curved Surface 30 First Actuator 32 Second actuator 34 Third Actuator 102 Bending jig 110 First bending member 112 First bending surface 120 Second bending member 122 Second bending surface G rotation axis HA Needle Hub Assembly N Syringe needle H needle hub

Claims

1. a first bending member having a first bending surface on an upper side with a predetermined radius of curvature and a rotation axis on a lower side; a second bending member having a second bending surface on an upper side thereof, the second bending surface having the predetermined radius of curvature and curved in the same direction as the first bending surface, the second bending member being attached to the first bending member so as to rotate around the rotation axis located below; Equipped with a bending jig for bending a needle, characterized in that, from an initial state in which the first bending surface and the second bending surface are spaced apart and the straight injection needle is attached to the first bending member so that the side surface of the straight injection needle is in contact with the lower end of the first bending surface, by rotating at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member in a direction in which the first bending surface and the second bending surface approach each other, an upper region of the second bending surface comes into contact with the side surface of the injection needle, and by further rotating in the same direction, the injection needle is bent so that it is sandwiched between the first bending surface and the second bending surface.

2. 2. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1, wherein the injection needle attached to the first bending member extends above the first bending surface and the second bending surface.

3. 3. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 2, wherein a flat surface that is in contact with the entire side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle is formed adjacent to and above the second bending surface.

4. 3. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 2, wherein a curved surface that contacts a side surface of the straight tube portion of the injection needle is formed above the second bending surface.

5. 2. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1, wherein a groove for accommodating a part of the injection needle is formed on at least one of the first bending surface and the second bending surface.

6. the injection needle attached to the injection needle hub is attached to the first bending member; 2. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1, wherein a space for accommodating the injection needle hub is formed in at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member.

7. 7. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 6, wherein the injection needle hub has a connector shape that complies with ISO standards and can be combined with a syringe that complies with the ISO standards for luer slip and luer lock, respectively.

8. 2. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1, wherein the injection needle is made of stainless steel, has an outer diameter in the range of 0.178 mm to 0.730 mm, and has a wall thickness in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.35 mm.

9. 2. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1, wherein the size of the injection needle is in the range of 22G to 34G.

10. 2. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1, wherein the length of the injection needle to be bent is in the range of 9 mm to 100 mm.

11. 2. The injection needle bending jig according to claim 1, wherein the angle of the curved portion of the bent injection needle is in the range of 120 degrees to 179 degrees.

12. The injection needle bending jig according to any one of claims 1 to 11; an actuator that rotates at least one of the first bending member and the second bending member; 1. An apparatus for bending a syringe needle, comprising:

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