Nozzle

Abstract

To provide a nozzle capable of suppressing splashing and dripping of two chemical liquids and achieving uniform mixing and spraying by sufficient atomization of the two chemical liquids and application to an appropriate range.SOLUTION: A nozzle that atomizes and sprays a first liquid medicine and a second liquid medicine for forming a biological tissue adhesive by a pressure of a gas includes a first nozzle having a first barrel portion that has a cylindrical shape and through which the first liquid medicine flows and a first discharge port for the first liquid medicine provided at a distal end portion of the first barrel portion, a second nozzle having a second barrel portion that has a cylindrical shape and through which the second liquid medicine flows and a second discharge port that protrudes from a distal end portion of the second barrel portion toward a distal end portion of the first barrel portion and through which the second liquid medicine is discharged, and a gas flow path having a gas discharge port through which a gas is discharged at least toward a space between the distal end portion of the first barrel portion and the second discharge port. The end surface of the second discharge port is inclined such that a virtual straight line connecting the foremost end and the rearmost end of the end surface approaches the second body portion from the front end side toward the rear end side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a nozzle, and more particularly to a nozzle that can be used in an instrument for applying a bioadhesive to a living body by spraying a mixture of two chemical liquids. [Background technology]

[0002] Bioadhesives comprising a mixture of two chemical solutions, for example, a fibrinogen-containing solution and a thrombin-containing solution, are widely used as substitutes for or supplements for hemostasis or suturing of affected areas such as incised human tissue, and dedicated applicators for such applications are also widely available. Known examples of such applicators include spray-type devices that eject two chemical solutions separately from the tip of a nozzle and spray gas at the ejection site, atomizing the two chemical solutions under the pressure of the gas to mix and spray them.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a nozzle for this purpose, which includes a triple-tube nozzle having a cylindrical first nozzle serving as a passage for a first chemical liquid, an outer gas passage concentrically disposed on the outer periphery of the first nozzle, and an inner gas passage concentrically disposed on the inner periphery of the first nozzle, and a cylindrical second nozzle serving as a passage for a second chemical liquid, disposed parallel to and spaced from the triple-tube nozzle. In this nozzle, the opening end of the tip of the second nozzle serving as an outlet for the second chemical liquid is perpendicular to the cylindrical body at the tip of the first nozzle, which serves as an outlet for the first chemical liquid. Gas supplied through the outer gas passage is sprayed toward the tips of the first and second nozzles to atomize the two chemical liquids, and gas sprayed from the outer and inner gas passages mix and spray the two chemical liquids forward along the extension axis of the first nozzle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3483250 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The conventional nozzle described above is suitable for use in endoscopic surgery, such as thoracoscopic surgery, by achieving uniform mixing of the two chemical solutions to achieve spraying of the two chemical solutions to an optimal application area while preventing adhesion of a cured adhesive to the nozzle tip due to premature mixing and curing of the two chemical solutions. However, as a result of extensive research conducted by the present applicant into nozzles with such a configuration, it was found that in some cases, the chemical solutions are not sufficiently atomized (atomized), resulting in splashing (e.g., droplet formation or scattering of the chemical solutions) or dripping from the nozzle tip, resulting in insufficient mixing of the two chemical solutions or in an insufficient application area. It was also found that this phenomenon is more likely to occur when a chemical solution with a relatively high viscosity is used.

[0006] Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and aims to provide a nozzle that can prevent the chemical liquids from splashing or dripping when atomizing and spraying two chemical liquids, thereby enabling the two chemical liquids to be uniformly mixed and sprayed and applied to an appropriate area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] [1] One aspect of a nozzle according to the present disclosure includes a first cylindrical body (11) through which a first chemical liquid (S1) flows, a first nozzle (10) provided at the tip of the first body (11) and having a first outlet (12) through which the first chemical liquid (S1) is discharged, a second cylindrical body (21) through which a second chemical liquid (S2) flows, and a second nozzle (20) protruding from the tip of the second body (21) toward the tip of the first body (11) and having a second outlet (22) through which the second chemical liquid (S2) is discharged, and a gas flow path (30) through which a gas (G) flows and having a gas outlet (32) through which the gas (G) is discharged at least toward a position between the tip of the first body (11) and the second outlet (22). In a side view of the nozzle (1), the end face (22t) of the second discharge port (22) is inclined such that an imaginary straight line (4) connecting the leading end (22f) and the rear end (22b) of the end face (22t) approaches the second body portion (21) from the leading end side toward the rear end side of the nozzle (1).

[0008] In this specification, the term "side view" refers to a state viewed along a y-axis direction that is perpendicular to both the x-axis along the extension axis of the first body portion (11) or the extension axis of the second body portion (21) or the discharge direction of the first chemical liquid (S1), and the z-axis along the extension axis of the second discharge port (22) or the discharge direction of the second chemical liquid (S2).

[0009] In the nozzle (1) configured in this manner, the first chemical liquid (S1) supplied to the tip side of the nozzle (1) through the first nozzle (10) is discharged forward on the extension axis of the nozzle (1) from the first discharge port (12) in accordance with an appropriate supply pressure. Also, the second chemical liquid (S2) supplied to the tip side of the nozzle (1) through the second nozzle (20) is discharged from the second discharge port (22) toward the first body portion (11) of the first nozzle (10) in accordance with an appropriate supply pressure. At this time, the gas (G) supplied through the gas flow path (30) provided on the outer periphery of the first body portion (11) is discharged (sprayed) toward between the tip end of the first body portion (11) and the second discharge port (22) in accordance with an appropriate supply pressure. As a result, the first chemical liquid (S1) and the second chemical liquid (S2) are atomized and mixed by the pressure of the gas (G) to form the adhesive for biological tissue (S), which is sprayed forward on the extension axis of the nozzle (1). At this time, since the end face (22t) of the second discharge port (22) has the above-mentioned inclination, splashing or dripping of the liquid at the tip side of the second discharge port (22) is effectively suppressed.

[0010] [2] More specifically, in the above configuration, the end face (22t) of the second discharge port (22) may be flat. This makes it relatively easy to manufacture a mold for forming the nozzle and to mold it, thereby contributing to improving the production efficiency and economy of the nozzle.

[0011] [3] In the above configuration, in a side view of the nozzle (1), the side surface (11s) of the first body portion (11) and the side surface (21s) of the second body portion (21) that face each other may be substantially parallel, and the end surface (22t) of the second discharge port (22) may preferably satisfy the relationship expressed by the following formula (1), more preferably the following formula (2), and even more preferably the following formula (3). That is, 2°<θ <tan -1 (0.90×D / L) …(1) 3°<θ <tan -1 (0.85×D / L) …(2) 8°<θ <tan -1 (0.80×D / L) …(3)

[0012] Here, θ denotes the interior angle formed between the side surface (21s) of the second body (21) and the imaginary line (4), D denotes the distance between the side surface (11s) of the first body (11) and the side surface (21s) of the second body (21), and L denotes the distance between the intersection (IP) of the side surface (21s) of the second body (21) and the imaginary line (4) and the leading edge (22f) of the end surface (22t) of the second discharge port (22). In this specification, "substantially" refers to a deviation within ±5% of the center value. Therefore, the term "substantially parallel" here encompasses an inclination of up to ±5% relative to parallelism. This configuration more reliably and effectively achieves atomization and uniform mixed spray of the first and second chemical liquids (S1) and (S2), while also ensuring a sidewall height of the second discharge port (22) that is favorable for processing.

[0013] [4] Alternatively, in a side view of the nozzle (1), the side surface (11s) of the first body portion (11) and the side surface (21s) of the second body portion (21) that face each other may be substantially parallel, and the end surface (22t) of the second discharge port (22) may preferably satisfy the relationship expressed by the following formula (4), more preferably the following formula (5), and even more preferably the following formula (6). That is, H<0.90×D …(4) H<0.85×D …(5) H<0.80×D …(6) Here, H denotes the height of the side surface 22s at the tip 22f of the end surface 22t of the second discharge port 22, and D denotes the distance between the side surface 11s of the first body 11 and the side surface 21s of the second body 22. With this configuration, a sufficient clearance is ensured between the first body 11 and the second body 21, and a flow path for the gas G is formed. This makes it possible to more reliably and effectively achieve sufficient atomization and uniform mixed spray of the first chemical liquid S1 and the second chemical liquid S2, while keeping the height H of the end surface 22t small relative to the distance D, thereby further facilitating the manufacture of the mold and the nozzle 1. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the appearance of an example of a nozzle according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing a part of the nozzle shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 4(B) is a schematic cross-sectional view (side cross-sectional view) corresponding to the side view of FIG. 2, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 4(B). [Figure 4] (A) is an enlarged view showing a part of the side view of FIG. 2, and (B) is a plan view (bottom view) seen along line BB in (A). [Figure 5] 3 is an enlarged view showing another part of the side view of FIG. 2, showing the tip of the nozzle and the periphery of the end face of the second discharge port. [Figure 6] (A) is a side view conceptually showing the gas flow that occurs in a nozzle of a conventional configuration in which the end face of the second outlet is not inclined, and (B) is a side view conceptually showing the gas flow that occurs in a nozzle according to the present disclosure in which the end face of the second outlet is inclined. [Figure 7A] 1 is a photograph showing an example of the spray state of a conventional product in spray test 1. [Figure 7B] 1 is a photograph showing an example of the spray state of the invention product in spray test 1. [Figure 8A] 10 is a photograph showing an example of the state of traces of chemical solution sprayed onto nonwoven fabric using a conventional product in spray test 2. [Figure 8B] 10 is a photograph showing an example of the state of traces of chemical solution sprayed onto nonwoven fabric by the invention product in spray test 2. [Figure 9A] 10 is a photograph showing an example of the state of the chemical solution sprayed onto the test table by a conventional product in spray test 3. [Figure 9B] This is a photograph showing an example of the state of the chemical liquid when the OHP sheet on the test stand was stood up within 3 seconds after spraying was completed using a conventional product in spray test 3. [Figure 10A] 10 is a photograph showing an example of the state of the chemical solution sprayed onto the test table by the invention product in spray test 3. [Figure 10B]This is a photograph showing an example of the state of the chemical liquid when the OHP sheet on the test stand was stood up within 3 seconds after spraying with the invention product was completed in spray test 3. [Figure 11A] 10 is a photograph showing an example of the state of the chemical solution sprayed onto the test table by a conventional product in spray test 4. [Figure 11B] This is a photograph showing an example of the state of the chemical liquid when the OHP sheet on the test stand was stood up within 3 seconds after spraying was completed using a conventional product in spray test 4. [Figure 12A] 10 is a photograph showing an example of the state of the chemical solution sprayed onto the test table by the invention product in spray test 4. [Figure 12B] This is a photograph showing an example of the state of the chemical liquid when the OHP sheet on the test stand was stood up within 3 seconds after spraying with the invention product was completed in spray test 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in each drawing will be assigned the same reference numerals whenever possible, and redundant description will be omitted. Note that the following embodiments are examples for explaining the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure to only these embodiments. Furthermore, the present disclosure can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art can adopt embodiments in which the elements described below are replaced with equivalents, and such embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0016] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic appearance of an example of a nozzle according to this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a side view showing a schematic view of a portion of the nozzle shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view (side cross-sectional view) corresponding to the side view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4(A) is an enlarged view showing a portion of the side view of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4(B) is a plan view (bottom view) viewed along line BB in Fig. 4(A). Fig. 3 corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 4(B).

[0017] The nozzle 1 according to this embodiment is for atomizing and spraying the first and second chemical liquids S1 and S2 for forming the adhesive S for biological tissue by the pressure of gas G. Examples of the first and second chemical liquids S1 and S2 include a fibrinogen-containing solution and a thrombin-containing solution, respectively, which correspond to the above-mentioned relatively viscous chemical liquids. These chemical liquids may be prepared from plasma separated from autologous blood drawn from a patient.

[0018] This nozzle 1 includes a first nozzle 10 through which a first chemical liquid S1 flows, and a second nozzle 20 through which a second chemical liquid S2 flows. Of these, first nozzle 10 has a cylindrical body 11 (an example of a "first body"), and a flow path R1 for first chemical liquid S1 is defined by the internal space of body 11. The tip side of body 11 of this first nozzle 10 is open, and a first discharge port 12 is formed through which first chemical liquid S1 supplied through flow path R1 is discharged forward from the open end along the extension axis of first nozzle 10 (x-axis in the figure).

[0019] The second nozzle 20 has a body 21 (an example of a "second body") that is composed of a cylindrical inner body 21a and a generally cylindrical outer body 21b that is provided to cover the outer periphery of the tip end of the inner body 21a. In the second nozzle 20, a flow path R2 for the second chemical solution S2 is defined by the internal spaces of the body parts 21a and 21b that communicate with each other. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, the tip end side of the body part 21b of the second nozzle 20 is sealed, and the flow path R2 is a path that is bent at a right angle inside the outer body part 21b as shown. With this structure, the second chemical solution S2 supplied through the flow path R2 is discharged toward the tip end of the body part 11 of the first nozzle 10 through a second outlet 22 that protrudes from a side surface 21s at the tip end of the outer body part 21b of the body 21.

[0020] Furthermore, a gas flow path 30 through which gas G flows is defined in a roughly concentric shape on the outer periphery of the first nozzle 10. The tip side of this gas flow path 30 is open, and a gas outlet 32 ​​is formed through which gas G supplied through the gas flow path 30 is sprayed (discharged) forward from the open end along the extension axis of the first nozzle 10.

[0021] 2, showing the periphery of the end face 22t of the second outlet 22 at the tip of the nozzle 1. As shown in Fig. 5, in side view, the end face 22t of the second outlet 22 of the second nozzle 20 is inclined such that the imaginary line 4 connecting the leading end 22f and the rearmost end 22b thereof approaches the body 21 (side surface 21s) from the tip side to the rear end side of the nozzle 1 (to the right on the paper surface on the illustrated x-axis). In this embodiment, the end face 22t of the second outlet 22 is formed to be flat.

[0022] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, in a side view of the nozzle 1, it is preferable that the side surface 11s of the body portion 11 and the side surface 21s of the body portion 21 that face each other are approximately parallel, and further, that the end surface 22t of the second discharge port 22 is formed so as to satisfy the relationship expressed by the following formula (1). 2°<θ <tan -1 (0.90×D / L) …(1)

[0023] Here, θ represents the interior angle formed between the side surface 21s of the body 21 and the imaginary line 4. Furthermore, D represents the distance between the side surface 11s of the body 11 and the side surface 21s of the body 21. Furthermore, L represents the distance between the intersection IP of the side surface 21s of the body 21 and the imaginary line 4 and the tip end 22f of the end surface 22t of the second outlet port 22. More specifically, L is the distance in the x-axis direction (the horizontal direction in the figure).

[0024] Furthermore, it is more preferable that the nozzle 1 be formed so as to satisfy the relationship expressed by the following formula (2), and it is even more preferable that the nozzle 1 be formed so as to satisfy the relationship expressed by the following formula (3). 3°<θ <tan -1 (0.85×D / L) …(2) 8°<θ <tan -1 (0.80×D / L) …(3)

[0025] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, in a side view of the nozzle 1, the end face 22t of the second discharge port 22 is preferably formed so as to satisfy the relationship expressed by the following formula (4). H<0.90×D …(4) Here, H indicates the height of the side surface 22s at the tip end 22f of the end face 22t of the second discharge port 22, and D indicates the distance between the side surface 11s of the body 11 and the side surface 21s of the body 21. It is more preferable that the nozzle 1 be formed so as to satisfy the relationship expressed by the following formula (5), and it is even more preferable that the nozzle 1 be formed so as to satisfy the relationship expressed by the following formula (6). H<0.85×D …(5) H<0.80×D …(6)

[0026] In addition, at the tip side of the outer body 21b that constitutes part of the body 21 of the second nozzle 20 and in the front portion (base portion) of the second discharge port 22, chamfered portions 23, 23 having flat outer surfaces are formed on both sides from the center in the width direction (direction along the y-axis in the figure) of the outer body 21b.

[0027] In the nozzle 1 configured in this manner, the first chemical liquid S1 is supplied to the tip side of the nozzle 1 through the first nozzle 10 by an appropriate supply means, and is then discharged from the first outlet 12 forward on the extension axis of the nozzle 1 (forward on the x-axis in the figure) according to the supply pressure. The second chemical liquid S2 is also supplied to the tip side of the nozzle 1 through the second nozzle 20 by an appropriate supply means, and is then discharged from the second outlet 22 toward the body 11 of the first nozzle 10 (downward on the z-axis in the figure) according to the supply pressure. At this time, the gas G is supplied to the tip side of the nozzle 1 through the gas flow path 30 provided on the outer periphery of the body 11 by an appropriate supply means, and is discharged (sprayed) toward the space between the tip of the body 11 and the second outlet 22 according to the supply pressure. As a result, the first chemical liquid S1 and the second chemical liquid S2 are atomized and mixed by the pressure of the gas G to form the biological tissue adhesive S, which is then sprayed forward on the extension axis of the nozzle 1 (forward on the x-axis in the figure).

[0028] In this case, it was confirmed that, with the nozzle 1, the inclination of the end face 22t of the second discharge port 22 as described above effectively suppresses splashing and dripping of liquid at the tip side of the second discharge port 22. While the details of this mechanism of action are still being confirmed and studied, it is presumed that one of the reasons for this is the occurrence of the physical phenomenon described below. Fig. 6(A) is a side view conceptually showing the flow of gas G generated in a nozzle 1' of a conventional configuration in which the end face 22t' of the second discharge port 22 is not inclined, and Fig. 6(B) is a side view conceptually showing the flow of gas G generated in a nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure in which the end face 22t of the second discharge port 22 is inclined.

[0029] Here, injection molding is generally used to form a nozzle for spraying a medical solution suitable for endoscopic surgery. In this case, electrical discharge machining is generally useful for manufacturing a mold for forming a complex shape having the second outlet 22 as in this embodiment. However, the machining electrode used in this process tends to unavoidably oscillate slightly due to electrical discharge from the electrode itself. As a result, the corners of the contour defining the space formed in the mold tend to be rounded. As shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), the corners (leading edge 22f and trailing edge 22b) of the outer contour of the second outlet 22, which has an inverted shape, tend to be rounded rather than sharp.

[0030] 6(A), in a nozzle 1' of a conventional configuration in which end face 22t' of second discharge port 22 is not inclined, a so-called "Coanda effect" occurs in the flow of gas G, in which a diverted gas flow Ga flows upward in the figure along the R-shape of tip end 22f of second discharge port 22 located downstream of second discharge port 22. As a result, of the two liquids, particularly second chemical liquid S2 discharged from second discharge port 22' is drawn upward in the figure so as to be caught up in the diverted gas flow Ga, and is not sufficiently atomized, which is likely to result in splashing or dripping.

[0031] In contrast, as shown in FIG. 6(B), in the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure, the end face 22t of the second discharge port 22 is sloped so that the height H of the second discharge port 22 gradually decreases from the leading edge 22f to the rearmost edge 22b. Therefore, even if a curve is formed on the leading edge 22f side, the angle of that portion becomes relatively steep, in other words, it approaches a pseudo-edge shape. As a result, the "Coanda effect" caused by the curve of the leading edge 22f is reduced, and the degree of the gas divergence Gb flowing upward in the illustration along the curve is also weakened. This also reduces the degree to which the second chemical solution S2 discharged from the second discharge port 22 is pulled upward in the illustration so as to be caught in the gas divergence Gb, thereby ensuring sufficient atomization and suppressing the occurrence of liquid splashing and dripping. Furthermore, the chamfered portion 23 having the above-described flat outer surface converges the gas flow from the rear end side of the chamfered portion 23 to the leading end side, further reducing the Coanda effect.

[0032] In this way, the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure can prevent splashing and dripping of the first and second medical solutions S1 and S2 when they are atomized and sprayed, enabling the two medical solutions to be sufficiently mixed and sprayed and applied to an appropriate area. This reduces the likelihood of unevenness in the coating of the biological tissue adhesive S formed from both medical solutions, and prevents the medical solutions from being wasted. This is particularly effective for the fibrinogen-containing solution and thrombin-containing solution derived from autologous blood, which are valuable medical solutions with limited production amounts, as envisioned by the present invention.

[0033] Furthermore, since the end surface 22t of the second discharge port 22 of the nozzle 1 is flat, it is possible to relatively easily manufacture the mold as described above and mold the nozzle 1 using the mold, thereby improving the production efficiency and economy of the nozzle 1.

[0034] Furthermore, in nozzle 1, as a shape parameter of end face 22t, the interior angle θ formed by side surface 21s of body 21 and imaginary line 4 is set to be preferably greater than 2°, more preferably greater than 3°, and even more preferably greater than 8°, as shown in the above formulas (1) to (3), and is set to be an angle such that tan(θ) is preferably less than 0.90×D / L, more preferably less than 0.85×D / L, and even more preferably less than 0.80×D / L. This makes it possible to more reliably and effectively achieve sufficient atomization and uniform mixed spray of first chemical liquid S1 and second chemical liquid S2, and to ensure a sidewall height of second discharge port 22 that is preferable for processing.

[0035] Furthermore, in nozzle 1, from another perspective, the shape parameters of end face 22t are such that height H of side face 22s of leading edge 22f of second discharge port 22 is preferably smaller than 0.90 × D, more preferably smaller than 0.85 × D, and even more preferably smaller than 0.80 × D. This makes it possible to more reliably and effectively achieve sufficient atomization and uniform mixed spray of first chemical liquid S1 and second chemical liquid S2 while keeping height H of end face 22t small relative to distance D, thereby ensuring sufficient clearance between body portions 11 and 21 to form a flow path for gas G. As a result, the ease of manufacturing and productivity of the mold and nozzle 1 can be further improved.

[0036] [Spray test of two chemical solutions] <Spray test 1: Check spray status> (Conventional product) First, a conventional nozzle 1' was fabricated, as shown in FIG. 6(A), without a slope on the end surface 22t' of the second outlet 22. This nozzle 1' was then attached to a conventional sprayer. Tap water was prepared as both the first and second chemical solutions S1 and S2, and a predetermined amount (1 mL each) was placed in a syringe and set in the sprayer. A regulator connected to a compressed air source was then connected to the sprayer via an air supply tube. The supply pressure was set to approximately 0.08 MPa, and the first and second chemical solutions S1 and S2 were ejected from the first and second outlets 12 and 22, respectively, by depressing the plunger of the chemical solution supply unit. An example of the resulting spray is shown in FIG. 7A. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7A, splashing (splattering) of the chemical solutions occurred, as shown within the dashed-line box Ea, regardless of the plunger pressing speed (chemical solution supply pressure).

[0037] (Invention) Next, instead of the conventional nozzle 1', a prototype nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure was fabricated with an inclined end face 22t (angle θ = 2.9°), and a spray test of the liquid medicine was conducted using the same procedure as described above (for the conventional product). An example of the spray state at this time is shown in Figure 7B. As a result, as shown in Figure 7B, regardless of the plunger pressing speed (liquid medicine supply pressure), no splashing (spattering) of the liquid medicine occurred, and it was confirmed that the liquid medicine was sufficiently atomized, as shown in the dashed box Eb. These results demonstrate the superiority of the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure over the conventional nozzle 1'.

[0038] <Spray test 2:2 chemical mixing performance> (Conventional product) First, a fibrinogen-containing solution and a thrombin-containing solution prepared from human plasma were prepared as the first and second chemical solutions S1 and S2, respectively (thawed after being frozen). The first chemical solution S1 was colored red with food coloring, and the second chemical solution S2 was colored blue. The total amount of each of these chemical solutions (1 mL each) was mixed and sprayed onto a nonwoven fabric with a circle of 1 cm to 10 cm diameter, with the tip of nozzle 1 directed toward the center of the circle and a fixed distance of 2.5 cm from the nonwoven fabric. An example of the state of the chemical liquid droplets sprayed onto the nonwoven fabric is shown in Figure 8A. As a result, as shown in Figure 8A, it was confirmed that the conventional nozzle 1' did not atomize the chemical liquid sufficiently, resulting in droplets scattering. 8A is a monochrome display, making it difficult to distinguish, but in the actual color photograph, it was found that not only the second chemical liquid S2 (blue) but also the first chemical liquid S1 (red) were both turned into droplets to the same extent. From this, it was confirmed that the atomization of both the first chemical liquid S1 and the second chemical liquid S2 can be hindered due to the "Coanda effect" as explained in FIG. 6(A).

[0039] (Invention) Next, a spray test was conducted using the same procedure as described above (for the conventional product), except that the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure was used instead of the conventional nozzle 1'. An example of the state of the liquid trace sprayed on the nonwoven fabric is shown in FIG. 8B. As shown in FIG. 8B, the state of the liquid trace confirmed that the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure did not cause droplets to scatter, and the liquid was sufficiently atomized and sprayed well. Furthermore, while FIG. 8B is also difficult to distinguish because it is displayed in monochrome, as in FIG. 8A, the actual color photograph revealed that the mist-like fine particles of the first liquid S1 (red) and the mist-like fine particles of the second liquid S2 (blue) were sufficiently and uniformly mixed, resulting in the liquid trace appearing purple overall. These results also demonstrate the superiority of the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure over the conventional nozzle 1' (particularly in terms of the ability to mix two liquids).

[0040] <Spray test 3: Coverage area and solidification performance (wide area spray)> (Conventional product) First, replace the nonwoven fabric with 38cm 2 A sheet of OHP paper is placed on top of a graph paper with markings for the area of ​​38 cm. 2 The spray test was carried out in the same manner as in spray test 2 (conventional product), except that the entire amount of chemical solution was sprayed (applied twice) while moving nozzle 1' so as to cover the entire inside of the test table. Figure 9A shows an example of the state of the chemical solution sprayed onto the test table. Figure 9B shows an example of the state of the chemical solution when the OHP sheet on the test table was raised within 3 seconds after spraying was completed. As a result, as shown in Figure 9A, with nozzle 1' of conventional configuration, the total amount of chemical solution was sprayed over a distance of 38 cm. 2 Although the nozzle covered an area of ​​100 mm, droplets of the chemical solution were observed. Also, as shown in Figure 9B, significant dripping occurred in part of the test bench with the conventional nozzle 1'.

[0041] (Invention) Next, a spray test was carried out using the same procedure as above (conventional product), except that the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure was used instead of the nozzle 1' of the conventional configuration. Nozzles 1 were prototyped with end face 22t angles θ = 2.9° and θ = 8.6°. An example of the state of the chemical solution sprayed on the test stand at this time is shown in FIG. 10A. Also, an example of the state of the chemical solution when the OHP sheet on the test stand was stood up within 3 seconds after spraying was completed is shown in FIG. 10B. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10A, the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure was able to spray over a wide range (38 cm 2 ), droplets of the chemical solution were not observed, and 2 It was found that the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure uniformly covered the entire surface area with a sufficient amount of spray. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10B, it was confirmed that the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure did not drip over the entire test table. These results also demonstrate the superiority of the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure over the conventional nozzle 1' (particularly in the coverage area and solidification performance when spraying over a wide area). It was also confirmed that all of the multiple test specimens in this spray test 3 (invention) exhibited the same excellent effects.

[0042] <Spray test 4: Coverage area and solidification performance (concentrated spray)> (Conventional product) 38cm 2 Instead of graph paper with markings for the area of ​​7 cm 2 A spray test was conducted using the same procedure as in Spray Test 3 (conventional product), except that graph paper with markings for the area of ​​1 / 2 cm was used. Figure 11A shows an example of the state of the chemical solution sprayed onto the test stand. Figure 11B shows an example of the state of the chemical solution when the OHP sheet on the test stand was raised within 3 seconds after spraying was completed. As a result, as shown in Figure 11A, with the conventional nozzle 1', the total area was 7 cm 2 Even though the nozzle covered an area of ​​100 mm, droplets of the chemical solution were observed. Also, as shown in Figure 11B, significant dripping occurred in part of the test bench with the conventional nozzle 1'.

[0043] (Invention) Next, a spray test was conducted using the same procedure as above (for the conventional product), except that the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure was used instead of the nozzle 1' of the conventional configuration. An example of the state of the chemical solution sprayed on the test stand at this time is shown in FIG. 12A. Also, an example of the state of the chemical solution when the OHP sheet on the test stand was stood up within 3 seconds after spraying was completed is shown in FIG. 12B. As a result, as shown in FIG. 12A, with the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure, the chemical solution was concentrated in a narrow area (7 cm 2 ), droplets of the chemical solution were not observed, and 2 It was found that the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure uniformly covered the entire surface area with a sufficient amount of spray. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12B, it was confirmed that no dripping occurred over the entire test table with the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure. These results also demonstrate the superiority of the nozzle 1 according to the present disclosure over the conventional nozzle 1' (particularly in the coverage area and solidification performance during concentrated spraying). It was also confirmed that all of the multiple test specimens in this spray test 4 (invention) exhibited the same excellent effects.

[0044] The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples and test results. However, these are intended to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In other words, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Design modifications to these specific examples made by those skilled in the art are also encompassed within the technical scope of the present disclosure as long as they incorporate the features of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the elements, arrangements, materials, conditions, shapes, dimensions, sizes, scales, etc. of the above-described specific examples are not limited to those exemplified, unless otherwise specified, and may be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, the elements of the above-described specific examples may be combined in various ways as long as no technical contradictions arise. For example, although the chamfered portion 23 may not be provided, providing the chamfered portion 23 may be advantageous in reducing the Coanda effect. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1...nozzle, 1'...nozzle (conventional product), 4...virtual line, 10...first nozzle, 11...body (first body), 11s...side surface, 12...first outlet, 20...second nozzle, 21...body (second body), 21a...inner body, 21b...outer body, 21s...side surface, 22...second outlet, 22'...second outlet (conventional product), 22b...rear end, 22f...front end, 22s...side surface, 22t...end surface, 22t'...end surface (conventional product), 23...chamfered portion, 30...gas flow path, 32...gas outlet, D...distance, Ea, Eb...dashed frame, G...gas, Ga...gas branch (conventional product), Gb...gas branch, IP...intersection, R1, R2...flow path, S...bio-tissue adhesive, S1...first chemical solution, S2...second chemical solution, θ...angle

Claims

1. A nozzle that atomizes and sprays a first chemical liquid and a second chemical liquid for forming an adhesive for biological tissue by gas pressure, a first body portion having a cylindrical shape and through which the first chemical liquid flows, and a first nozzle provided at a tip end of the first body portion and having a first discharge port through which the first chemical liquid is discharged; a second body portion having a cylindrical shape and through which the second chemical liquid flows, and a second nozzle projecting from a tip end of the second body portion toward a tip end of the first body portion and having a second discharge port through which the second chemical liquid is discharged; a gas flow path through which the gas flows and having a gas discharge port through which the gas is discharged at least toward a position between the tip end of the first body portion and the second discharge port; Equipped with In a side view of the nozzle, an end face of the second discharge port is inclined such that an imaginary line connecting the leading end and the trailing end of the end face approaches the second body portion from the leading end side to the rear end side of the nozzle. nozzle.

2. The nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein an end surface of the second outlet is flat.

3. In a side view of the nozzle, The side surfaces of the first body portion and the second body portion that face each other are substantially parallel to each other, The end surface of the second discharge port is defined by the following formula (1): 2°<θ<tan －１ (0.90×D / L) …(1)、 θ: the interior angle between the side surface of the second body and the virtual line, D: The distance between the side surface of the first body and the side surface of the second body, L: the distance between the intersection of the side surface of the second body portion and the virtual line and the tip of the end surface of the second outlet port, The nozzle according to claim 1 , which satisfies the relationship expressed by:

4. In a side view of the nozzle, The side surfaces of the first body portion and the second body portion that face each other are substantially parallel to each other, The end face of the second discharge port is defined by the following formula (4): H<0.90×D…(4), H: the height of the side surface at the tip of the end surface of the second discharge port, D: The distance between the side surface of the first body and the side surface of the second body, The nozzle according to claim 1 , which satisfies the relationship expressed by:

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