Chemical liquid injector and chemical liquid injector including the same

Abstract

A liquid medicine injector that holds a plurality of liquid medicine syringes and delivers liquid medicine to a subject, and that can be configured compactly, is provided. [Solution] The injection head 110 is equipped with a liquid medicine syringe 200B, which comprises a cylindrical cylinder member 230 and a piston member 240 slidably inserted into it and is filled with liquid medicine. The cylinder member 230 has a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to its axis that is approximately elliptical, and is provided with a cylinder flange 231 at the end on the side where the piston member 240 is inserted. The rear surface of the cylinder flange 231 is formed with an engagement protrusion or engagement recess 239 that engages with an engagement member of a liquid medicine injector.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid injector and a liquid injector that hold a plurality of liquid syringes and deliver liquid medicine to a subject, and more particularly to a liquid injector and a liquid injector that can be configured compactly. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, known medical imaging diagnostic devices include CT (Computed Tomography) scanners, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) devices, PET (Positron Emission Tomography) devices, ultrasound diagnostic devices, angiography imaging devices, etc. When using such imaging devices, a contrast agent, saline solution, or the like (hereinafter, these may also be simply referred to as "medicinal solution") may be injected into a subject.

[0003] Various types of automatic drug injection devices have been known in the past. The configuration and performance of the device vary depending on the type of examination the device is used for (in other words, the type of imaging device it is used with). For example, in the case of an MRI examination, a contrast agent injection device that injects a gadolinium-based contrast agent is used. In this contrast agent injection device, a non-magnetic ultrasonic motor, for example, is used as the drive source for the piston drive mechanism so as not to affect the imaging by the MRI device with electromagnetic waves. Also known is a drug injection device that is equipped with two syringes, one for saline and one for contrast agent, and that simultaneously injects them as needed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2017-77349 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The injection head in Patent Document 1 holds two syringes in parallel, but the syringe holder of the injection head and its surrounding structure are relatively large, leaving room for further improvement in terms of miniaturization. Miniaturizing the injection head (medicine injector) that injects the contrast agent is also desirable from the perspective of reducing the psychological burden on the subject receiving the contrast agent.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a liquid medicine injector that can be configured compactly and that holds multiple liquid medicine syringes and delivers liquid medicine to a subject. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a liquid medicine injector according to one aspect of the present invention is as follows: a first piston drive mechanism having a ram member that moves back and forth to move a piston member of the first syringe; a second piston drive mechanism having a ram member that moves back and forth to move a piston member of a second syringe; a syringe holder that holds the first and second syringes; Equipped with The syringe holder is provided at the tip of a center frame that is disposed so as to extend between the two ram members.

[0008] (Terminology explanation) "Chemical liquid injector" refers to a chemical liquid injector that injects a chemical liquid, and may include the following components: one or more piston drive mechanisms, one or more control circuits (which may be control units, etc.), one or more head displays, and one or more displays. When the chemical liquid injector includes an injection head and a console, etc., the injection head may be equipped with a piston drive mechanism and a control circuit that controls it, and the console may be equipped with a display and a control circuit that controls it. "Medicinal solution" refers to, for example, a contrast medium, saline solution, a specific drug, or a mixture of these. Regarding terms indicating directions, "front" corresponds to the tip of the syringe, and "rear" corresponds to the opposite side. The injection head is held rotatably, for example, around a horizontal axis, and can be switched between (i) an in-use position in which the tip of the syringe faces downward from the horizontal, and (ii) an out-of-use position in which the tip of the syringe faces vertically upward, which is the position when, for example, a medicinal solution is drawn into the syringe. For convenience of explanation, this specification will be described based on the position in which the syringe is horizontal (in this position, the ram member of the piston drive mechanism is also horizontal).

[0009] "Imaging devices" include, for example, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) devices, CT (Computed Tomography) devices, angio imaging devices, PET (Positron Emission Tomography) devices, SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) devices, CT angio devices, MR angio devices, ultrasound diagnostic devices, and vascular imaging devices.

[0010] Regarding "syringes," the syringes may be equipped with IC tags. The IC tags may store information about the syringe (such as the syringe's identification information, the syringe's pressure resistance, the inner diameter of the cylinder member, and the stroke of the piston member) and information about the liquid medicine filled in the syringe (such as the name (e.g., product name), component information such as the amount of iodine or gadolinium, expiration date, and volume of the liquid medicine). Instead of IC tags, other data storage media such as barcodes may also be used. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid medicine injector that can be configured compactly and that holds a plurality of liquid medicine syringes and delivers liquid medicine to a subject. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an injection head according to one embodiment of the present invention (with a syringe attached). [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the configuration of the injection head of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a chemical liquid injector; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first syringe and a syringe adapter. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the cylinder of the second syringe formed in an oval shape. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a piston member of a second syringe. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the rear surface of the cylinder flange. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a rear view illustrating the structure of the rear surface of the cylinder flange. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a syringe holder. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a view showing only the rear side members of the syringe holder. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the state in which the cylinder flange is inserted into the syringe holder, as viewed from above. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining the configuration of an engaging member. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a presser member provided at the tip of the ram member and a flange gripping mechanism provided at the front end of the presser member. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the presser member and the flange gripping mechanism as viewed from above. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing only a pair of rotary claws (initial state). [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the relationship between a rotary pawl and a piston flange. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating the relationship between the rotary pawl and the piston flange. [Figure 17]10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example in which a pair of rotary pawls are configured to be able to expand in the radial direction of the piston flange. [Figure 18] 10 is a diagram showing an operation in which a piston flange is gripped by a pair of rotary claws (front view). FIG. [Figure 19] 10 is a diagram showing an operation in which a piston flange is gripped by a pair of rotary claws (plan view). FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a syringe adapter (as viewed from the front side). [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a syringe adapter (as viewed from the rear side). [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an injection head holding stand and a head display. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing details of the holding stand. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a console. [Figure 25] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the liquid medicine injector as seen from the front side. [Figure 26] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the liquid medicine injector as seen from the rear side. [Figure 27] FIG. 2 is a front view of the chemical liquid injector. [Figure 28] FIG. [Figure 29] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the chemical liquid injector. [Figure 30] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the chemical liquid injector. [Figure 31] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the chemical solution injector. [Figure 32] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the chemical solution injector. [Figure 33] FIG. 1 is a reference diagram of the liquid injector as seen from the front side (a first syringe is attached to a syringe holder via an adapter, and a second syringe is attached to the syringe holder without an adapter). [Figure 34] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of an oval syringe. [Figure 35]10A and 10B are diagrams showing another example of an oval syringe, in which (a) is a diagram seen from the conduit portion side, (b) is a diagram seen from the piston member side, and (c) is a diagram seen from the top of the cylinder flange. [Figure 36] FIG. 2 is a view showing the gasket alone. [Figure 37] FIG. 2 is a view showing the cylinder member alone. [Figure 38] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a conduit portion. [Figure 39] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a syringe before the ram is inserted into the cavity of the plunger. [Figure 40] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a syringe with the ram inserted into the plunger bore. [Figure 41] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a syringe with a ram and a gasket connected together. [Figure 42] FIG. 10 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a syringe according to another embodiment. [Figure 43] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an injection head capable of holding an oval-type syringe using a front-loading method. [Figure 44] This is an example of an adapter for setting a general-purpose syringe on the injection head of Figure 43. [Figure 45] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of an opening / closing valve and the like when the piston of the syringe is not held. [Figure 46] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration that enables filling of a liquid medicine from a liquid medicine container into a syringe (liquid medicine container). FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. While a specific example of a chemical liquid injector is disclosed below, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these specific configurations. While the following description will generally refer to the configuration of the device or equipment using reference numerals from the drawings, the reference numerals may be omitted for convenience of explanation.

[0014] 1A, 1B, and 2, liquid injector 100 of this embodiment is used to inject a liquid such as a contrast agent into a subject via liquid circuit 900, and includes injection head 110 and console 150. First, the overall configuration of the liquid injector, including injection head 110, will be described, and then the specific structure of injection head 110 will be described with reference to other drawings.

[0015] (injection head) Injection head 110 is, as an example, for use in MRI examinations. Injection head 110 is a two-barrel type that can accommodate two syringes 200A and 200B. One syringe 200A is filled with a contrast medium, and the other syringe 200B is filled with saline. Note that the present invention is not necessarily limited to injection heads for MRI examinations, but is also applicable to injection heads for CT examinations and angiography examinations. In this specification, syringes 200A and 200B are sometimes referred to as the first syringe and the second syringe, respectively, or simply as syringe 200 without distinction. Various mechanisms on the syringe 200A side are sometimes referred to as "side A mechanisms," and various mechanisms on the syringe 200B side are sometimes referred to as "side B mechanisms." Second syringe 200B may be filled with another medicinal liquid instead of saline.

[0016] Injection head 110 has a housing 111 as shown in FIG. 1A, from the front end of which protrudes ram member 133 of piston drive mechanism 130 for moving the piston members of syringes 200A and 200B, and is provided with syringe holder 170 for holding syringes 200A and 200B.

[0017] Housing 111 is provided with multiple physical buttons 161 for causing injection head 110 to perform various operations. Physical buttons 161 are not particularly limited and may include the following: an advance button for advancing the ram member of the piston drive mechanism, a retreat button for retreating the ram member, an accelerator button that increases the movement speed of the ram member when pressed simultaneously with the advance button or retreat button, and a stop button for stopping head operation. Housing 111, physical buttons 161, and / or the structure surrounding the buttons may be water-repellent (e.g., coated, painted, or equipped with a protective member) to prevent adhesion even if a chemical solution drips onto them. This configuration also makes it possible to prevent the chemical solution from entering the injection head.

[0018] As shown schematically in Figure 2, the piston drive 130 includes a motor 131 as a drive source, a transmission mechanism 132 that transmits the rotational output of the drive motor and converts it into linear motion, and a ram member 133 that is connected to the mechanism and moves the piston member of the syringe forward and / or backward. Specifically, the transmission mechanism 132 may include a transmission element connected to the motor shaft, a threaded shaft connected to the transmission element, a trapezoidal screw nut attached to the threaded shaft, and a drive element connected to the trapezoidal screw nut. The transmission mechanism transmits the rotation from the motor to the threaded shaft, which rotates the threaded shaft, and the drive element moves forward or backward due to the action of the trapezoidal screw nut.

[0019] In the case of MRI examination equipment, the components that make up the injection head 110 are made of non-magnetic materials. Examples of non-magnetic materials include stainless steel, aluminum, plastic, brass, copper, and ceramics. The motor 131 may be an ultrasonic motor constructed using a non-magnetic material. In this ultrasonic motor, for example, the elastic body may be made of phosphor bronze, the shaft, screw, and spacer may be made of brass, the case, base, and rotor may be made of aluminum, and the bushing may be made of fluororesin.

[0020] Injection head 110 may be provided with load cell 138 (see FIG. 2) for detecting the force with which ram member 133 presses against the piston member of the syringe. The detection result of load cell 138 can be used to obtain an estimate of the pressure of the medicinal liquid during injection. This estimate may be calculated taking into account the needle size, medicinal liquid concentration, injection conditions, and the like. Alternatively, instead of using load cell 138, the pressure may be calculated based on the motor current of motor 131.

[0021] (console) As shown in FIG. 2, console 150 may include display 151 for displaying a graphical user interface or the like, touch panel 153, control unit 155, one or more physical switches 157, and storage unit 159, which is a storage medium such as a hard disk. As an example, these elements may be provided within a single housing (not shown), with console 150 provided as a separate device from injection head 110. Console 150 is connected to injection head 110 via a wired or wireless connection and configured to transmit and receive data to and from injection head 110. Console 150 may also include a data transmission / reception unit (not shown) for transmitting and / or receiving data to and from an external network or device. It is not essential that the above-described elements of the console be integrated within a single housing; for example, the control unit, display, etc. may be configured as separate devices. Specific examples of console configurations will be described later with reference to other drawings.

[0022] The control unit 155 has functions to control the creation of injection protocols and the execution of injections, and may include, for example, a setting screen display function, an injection protocol creation function, an injection control function, a history generation function, and a history output function.

[0023] The setting screen display function corresponds to the function of displaying a screen for setting an injection protocol, specifically, a graphical user interface for setting an injection protocol, on display 151 and / or other displays (for example, a head display provided near injection head 151-1, which will be described later with reference to Figure 22).

[0024] The injection protocol creation function corresponds to a function that accepts input operations by a doctor or medical professional (also simply referred to as an operator) on the touch panel 153 of the display 151, and creates an injection protocol that reflects the contents of the input operations. The protocol creation function calculates predetermined parameters of the injection protocol based on information selected from, for example, the type of medicinal liquid, the injection rate of the medicinal liquid, the injection amount of the medicinal liquid, the subject's physical information (e.g., weight), the body part of the subject to be imaged, the imaged region, and the subject's biological information.

[0025] The injection control function corresponds to the function of controlling the operation of the piston drive mechanisms (details below) according to the created injection protocol. The injection control unit operates either one of the piston drive mechanisms or both simultaneously. Note that this injection control function may also be performed by the control circuit 115 of the injection head 110.

[0026] The history generation function corresponds to a function for generating injection history data (medicinal liquid injection data). The "injection history data" may include, for example, at least one of an injection job ID, which is identification information unique to each injection job, the date and time of the start and end of the injection, identification information for the liquid injector, injection conditions for the contrast agent and / or saline solution, the injection results of the contrast agent and / or saline solution, and identification information for the medicinal liquid and the imaging site. The history output function corresponds to a function for transmitting the injection history data to an external device. Specifically, the data may be transmitted to a specified external device and / or a database on a network.

[0027] The storage unit 159 may store, for example, images to be displayed on a display, data on a graphical user interface, etc. It may also store algorithms including formulas for setting injection conditions, and data on injection protocols.

[0028] The injection head 110 of this embodiment has several technical features, including: (A) Oval syringe and syringe holder (B) Specific structure of the center frame and piston drive mechanism (C) Piston flange gripping mechanism The basic configuration of syringes 200A, 200B attached to injection head 110 will be described below, followed by a description of the above-mentioned technical features.

[0029] (syringe) Regarding the syringes, first syringe 200A and second syringe 200B may have the same shape, but in this embodiment, first syringe 200A is relatively small and filled with contrast medium, and second syringe 200B is larger and filled with physiological saline. The syringes may be prefilled with a medicinal solution, or may be suction-type syringes in which a medicinal solution is drawn into an empty syringe.

[0030] 3, first syringe 200A has a hollow cylindrical cylinder member 210 and a piston member 220 slidably inserted into cylinder member 210. A conduit portion 213 is formed at the front end of cylinder member 210, and a cylinder flange 211 is formed at the rear end of cylinder member 210. A gasket (not shown) is provided at the tip of piston member 220, and a piston flange 221, which is formed in a disk shape, for example, is formed at the rear end. First syringe 200A may be held in injection head 110 via syringe adapter 270.

[0031] First syringe 200A is filled with a contrast agent for MRI examination. Although not limited thereto, syringe 200A may have a capacity of approximately 50 ml or less. In FIG. 3, syringe 200A is depicted with cylinder flange 211 extending vertically, but it may also be configured to be attached to syringe adapter 270 with the cylinder flange extending horizontally. A specific configuration example of syringe adapter 270 will be described later with reference to another drawing.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, second syringe 200B also has a hollow cylindrical cylinder member 230 and a piston member 240 slidably inserted into cylinder member 230. Note that a common feature of the first and second syringes is that the piston member is not necessarily limited to a long rod as shown in the drawings, but may be a so-called rodless type (which may also be simply referred to as a "plunger"). The shape of the syringe is not particularly limited, but second syringe 200B of this embodiment uses a syringe having an elliptical cross section in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the syringe.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 4, a conduit portion 233 is formed at the front end of the cylinder member 230, and a cylinder flange 231 is formed at the rear end. As shown in Fig. 5, the piston member 240 includes an insertion cylindrical portion 243 formed with an elliptical cross section, and a shaft portion 247 extending rearward from the insertion cylindrical portion 243. A gasket 245 is provided at the tip of the insertion cylindrical portion 243. A disc-shaped piston flange 241 is formed at the rear end of the shaft portion 247.

[0034] 6 and 7, the cross-sectional shape of internal space 230s of cylinder member 230 is elliptical, and insertion tube portion 243 of piston member 240 is adapted to be inserted into internal space 230s. Cylinder flange 231 may be formed in an elliptical shape, but in this embodiment it is formed into a substantially egg-shaped outline and is designed so that the upper and lower portions protrude from the cylindrical portion by different dimensions. Although not limited thereto, cylinder flange 231 is configured to be set in syringe holder 170, which will be described later, in the orientation shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 (the downward direction in the figures is the protruding side of the egg shape).

[0035] Cylinder flange 231 has a constant plate thickness, and an elliptical rib 236 that protrudes slightly from the rear surface is formed on the rear surface. Rib 236 is formed in a shape that follows the opening of cylinder member 230. Furthermore, two flange ribs 237, 237 that extend horizontally are formed on both the left and right sides of the rear surface of cylinder flange 231. The "horizontal direction" refers to a direction perpendicular to the direction in which cylinder flange 231 is inserted into syringe holder 170 (vertical direction).

[0036] 7, flange ribs 237 may be formed parallel to each other above and below a horizontal center line L2 that passes through the center of the syringe. A locking recess 239 is formed between the two flange ribs 237, into which a locking member of a syringe holder (described later) fits.

[0037] 7, the cylinder flange 231 itself is generally egg-shaped and asymmetrical in the vertical direction, but the two upper and lower flange ribs 237 may be formed symmetrically across the center line L2. Also, the two right flange ribs 237 and the two left flange ribs 237 may be formed symmetrically across the vertical center line L1.

[0038] (A: Syringe holder) Next, syringe holder 170 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 10. Syringe holder 170 is provided so as to correspond to each of syringes 200A and 200B, and basically has the same structure. Here, syringe holder 170 corresponding to syringe 200B will be described as an example.

[0039] In this example, syringe holder 170 is formed generally U-shaped overall and is composed of first member 171 located on the front side of the injection head and second member 173 located on the rear side. However, it is not limited to these two members, and may be composed of a single member, or three or more members. The materials of these members 171 and 173 are not particularly limited, and may be made of resin or metal. Syringe holder 170 has a receiving groove 175 that receives cylinder flange 231. For example, receiving groove 175 may be generally U-shaped and complementary to the outer shape of cylinder flange 231.

[0040] 9 is a view of second member 173 as seen from the front side of the injection head. In this example, the bottom portion of receiving groove 175 forms opening 175h, and when cylinder flange 231 is set, the lowest portion of cylinder flange 231 protrudes slightly downward from the bottom of syringe holder 170. While this configuration is not necessary, this structure of syringe holder 170 is advantageous in that it allows for the holder to be made smaller by removing part of the holder. Opening 175h may also serve to allow liquid to escape if it is spilled on the holder.

[0041] 8 and 9, engaging members 176 that fit into engaging recesses 239 of cylinder flange 231 are provided on both the left and right sides of receiving groove 175. Engaging members 176 may have any shape as long as they can climb over ribs 237 of cylinder flange 231 and fit into engaging recesses 239 when the syringe is attached, and may be a structural part formed by protruding a part of second member 173, or may be a member separate from second member 173.

[0042] 11 , a configuration may be adopted in which an engaging member 176 separate from the second member 173 is attached to a part of the second member 173. Specifically, the engaging member 176 may be fitted into a hole 173h formed in the second member 173 from the rear surface side of the second member 173, and a part of the engaging member 176 may be provided so as to protrude into the receiving groove 175.

[0043] The material of the engaging member 176 may be a hard material that does not substantially deform when the rib 237 of the cylinder flange 231 abuts against it, or may be an elastic material that elastically deforms when the rib 237 of the cylinder flange 231 abuts against it. The engaging member 176 may be replaceable. The external shape of the engaging member 176 is not particularly limited, and may be a columnar, cylindrical, block, plate, or the like.

[0044] When cylinder flange 231 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) is inserted parallel to receiving groove 175 of syringe holder 170, first, lower flange ribs 237 come into contact with engaging members 176, and when cylinder flange 231 is further pressed downward, engaging members 176 move beyond flange ribs 237 and fit into engaging recesses 239, thereby engaging them. With this configuration, cylinder flange 231 can be held and fixed within syringe holder 170.

[0045] The feel when inserting cylinder flange 231 into receiving groove 175 depends on the amount of protrusion of engaging member 176, the shape of flange rib 237, the material of engaging member 176, and other factors. By providing engaging member 176 as a separate body from the components that make up syringe holder 170, as in this embodiment, the feel when inserting can be appropriately set by, for example, selecting the material. Furthermore, having a replaceable configuration has the advantage that, for example, when engaging member 176 becomes worn, syringe holder 170 can continue to be used simply by replacing the same component.

[0046] The advantages of an oval syringe include the following. Specifically, in the configuration of this embodiment, the syringe is held in a position where the major axis of the oval is vertical, and the horizontal width of the syringe is reduced accordingly, which in turn reduces the horizontal width of the cylinder flange 170. As a result, the horizontal width of the injection head can be reduced, allowing for a smaller injection head. In other words, compared to a syringe with a circular cross section, the syringe width is reduced, allowing for a more compact injection head. This miniaturization effect is particularly significant for injection heads that can accommodate two or more syringes.

[0047] The above advantages mean that the injection head size is comparable to that of conventional syringes, but a syringe with a larger capacity can be mounted. In recent years, injection techniques that continuously inject a drug solution at a slow rate, such as a KVO (Keep Vein Open) function to prevent thrombosis, have become popular, resulting in a tendency for increased drug solution consumption. The configuration of this embodiment allows for the injection of such large volumes of drug solution without increasing the size of the injection head.

[0048] (B: Center frame) 1A and 1B, in injection head 110 of this embodiment, syringe holder 170 is supported by center frame 181. Center frame 181 is located between two ram members 133 of piston drive mechanism 130 and extends in the front-to-rear direction of injection head 110.

[0049] Center frame 181 may be made of any material and / or have any shape as long as it has sufficient rigidity so as not to interfere with the suction and injection of the medicinal liquid. In this embodiment, a flat plate-shaped member is used as an example. Center frame 181, which is a plate-shaped member, is positioned so that its thickness direction is the left-right direction in FIG. 1A.

[0050] Center frame 181 may be made of a resin material, a metal material, a carbon fiber material (CFRP: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics), etc. In particular, carbon fiber material, which is lightweight and highly rigid, is preferable because it is advantageous for reducing the size and weight of the injection head.

[0051] 1B, the rear end of center frame 181 is fixed to holding plate 183, which is provided to extend in the width direction of injection head 110, and center frame 181 and holding plate 183 form a substantially T-shaped frame. Shaft plate 185 is also fixed to one end of holding plate 183. Shaft plate 185 is a member for supporting support shaft 116 (see FIG. 1A). The material of holding plate 183 and shaft plate 185 may be the same as that of center frame 181, and may be a carbon fiber material, for example.

[0052] In this embodiment, a plurality of members such as the center frame 181, the holding plate 183, and the shaft plate 185 are used, but these may all be formed as an integral member. Alternatively, the center frame 181 and the holding plate 183 may be formed as an integral member, or the holding plate 183 and the shaft plate 185 may be formed as an integral member. When a carbon fiber material is used, each member may be a laminate of the carbon fiber material, or may be formed as an integral part by molding.

[0053] 1A and 1B, syringe holders 170 are attached to the tip of center frame 181 one by one so as to sandwich center frame 181. Although not limited thereto, one syringe holder 170 and the other syringe holder 170 may be provided approximately symmetrically with center frame 181 sandwiched therebetween.

[0054] As described above, the configuration in which center frame 181 supports syringe holder 170 has the following advantages. That is, one possible configuration for supporting syringe holder 170 is to provide support shafts (not shown) on both sides of each ram member 133, and support the syringe holder with these two support shafts. However, the configuration of this embodiment in which syringe holder 170 is held only by center frame 181 provided between ram members 133, without providing support shafts on both sides, has the advantage of reducing the width of injection head 110 and making the injection head more compact.

[0055] Furthermore, ram member 133 is a member for pressing the piston members of syringes 200A, 200B, and is normally positioned a predetermined distance from each other, but center frame 181 of this embodiment is provided in that space, so the injection head does not become larger. Even in a configuration in which syringe holders 170, 170 are supported only by center frame 181, deformation of the member can be suppressed by using, for example, a carbon fiber material or designing the shape to ensure sufficient rigidity, even when a pressing force is applied to syringes 200A, 200B during liquid injection, thereby enabling smooth liquid injection.

[0056] In this embodiment, one plate-shaped member is used for the center frame 181, but the center frame may be configured with a plurality of members disposed between the ram members 133, 133.

[0057] Next, the specific structure of piston drive mechanism 130 will be described with reference to Figure 1B. In this embodiment, an ultrasonic motor 131, a transmission mechanism 132, and a ram member 133 are arranged in this order from the rear end to the front end of injection head 110. More specifically, transmission mechanism 132 has a base module 132-1 provided adjacent to motor 131 and a cylinder module 132-2 located forward of base module 132-1, and the entire mechanism is modularized.

[0058] In this example, the base module 132-1 has a substantially cylindrical casing, inside which are provided gears (not shown) and the like for transmitting output from the shaft of the motor 131. The cylinder module 132-2 also has a substantially cylindrical casing, inside which are provided linear motion mechanisms and the like (not shown) for moving the ram member 131 back and forth. The casing of the cylinder module 132-2 may be connected to and fixed to the holding plate 183.

[0059] Ram member 133, which is formed in a rod shape, is positioned so as to extend through holding plate 183 toward the front end of injection head 110. The base end side (not shown) of ram member 133 is held within cylinder module 132-2, and a presser member 135 is provided on the tip side of ram member 133. In one example, ram member 133 may be positioned coaxially with the casing of cylinder module 132-2.

[0060] Although not limited thereto, the circuit board module 115' may be disposed between two adjacently disposed cylinder modules 132-2. The circuit board module 115' houses the control circuit 115 (see FIG. 2) and the like.

[0061] According to the above configuration, the piston drive mechanism 130 is modularized, which makes it easy to deal with malfunctions, etc., and provides excellent maintainability. Furthermore, even when injecting medicinal liquids from three or more syringes, for example, it is easy to add more piston drive mechanisms 130.

[0062] (C: Flange gripping mechanism) The flange gripping mechanism 140 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 18. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the presser member 135 provided at the tip of the ram member 133 and the flange gripping mechanism 140 provided at the front end thereof. Note that different flange gripping mechanisms 140 may be used for the A-side and B-side of the injection head, but in this embodiment, a common configuration is used. The following description will be given using the B-side flange gripping mechanism 140 as an example. Therefore, the description will focus on the components related to syringe 200B, but the following points also apply to the A-side mechanism.

[0063] Flange gripping mechanism 140 grips piston flange 241 of syringe 200B, for example, by advancing ram member 133 with syringe 200B set in syringe holder 170. Therefore, strictly speaking, syringe 200B is not moved relative to fixed-side flange gripping mechanism 140, but for ease of understanding, hereinafter, expressions such as "pushing the piston flange toward the pair of rotating claws" will also be used.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 12 , the presser member 135 is a member for pressing the piston member of the syringe, and in this example, has a flat pressing surface 135a. Although not shown in FIG. 12 , a load cell or the like for detecting the pressure pressing the piston member may be provided inside the presser member 135. A predetermined sensor (not shown) configured to move together with the presser member 135 may be provided near the presser member 135, and the positional relationship between the presser member 135 and the piston member may be detected using the sensor. Specifically, the sensor may detect when the presser member 135 approaches the piston member. The predetermined sensor may be a physical sensor, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, a contact sensor, a non-contact sensor, or any other type. Without limitation, an optical object detection sensor having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6,422,939, may also be used.

[0065] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the flange gripping mechanism 140 has a pair of left and right rotary claws 143 for gripping the piston flange 241 from both sides. While detailed operation will be described later (see FIG. 18 ), the rotary claws 143 are configured to rotate around an axis 149 extending in a direction parallel to the ram member 133. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 18 , both rotary claws 143 rotate in the same direction (clockwise in this example) around the axis 149. As a result, when gripping the piston flange 241, one rotary claw 143 (on the right side in the figure) rotates upward, and the other rotary claw 143 (on the left side in the figure) rotates downward. As long as the rotary claws 143 operate in a combined vertical motion, the present invention does not particularly limit the direction of rotation. The rotary claws 143 may rotate counterclockwise around the axis 149 instead of clockwise.

[0066] 14, the rotary claw 143 has a base portion 146 rotatably supported on a shaft 149, and a claw portion 145 formed to protrude from the base portion 146. In this example, the pair of rotary claws 143 are arranged so that the claw portions 145 face each other.

[0067] Claw portion 145 is a generally plate-shaped portion, and is formed with tapered surface 145s that comes into contact with the outer periphery of piston flange 241 when piston flange 241 is pressed in. The reason for forming such tapered surface 145s is to generate a circumferential force for rotating rotary claw 143 around axis 149 when the outer periphery of piston flange 241 is pressed against this surface. The moment generated by this force causes rotary claw 143 to rotate.

[0068] 15, the principle by which the rotary pawl 143 rotates is that, when the piston flange 241 is moved linearly in the direction of arrow a, part of its outer periphery comes into contact with part of the tapered surface 145s, and a component of the force with which the piston flange 241 presses against the tapered surface 145s acts as a circumferential force around the shaft 149. As the piston flange 241 is pressed in, the outer periphery of the piston flange 241 slides against the tapered surface 145s, and the rotary pawl 143 gradually rotates. As long as this principle is utilized, the specific shape, size, etc. of the tapered surface 145s can be changed as appropriate.

[0069] 15, the tapered surface 145s is formed so as to be three-dimensionally inclined with respect to the direction of the arrow a (the normal direction of the tapered surface 145s and the direction of the arrow a intersect three-dimensionally). The size of the tapered surface 145s may be set appropriately depending on the size and shape of the piston flange 241 to be used.

[0070] In this embodiment, by providing tapered surface 145s over a relatively wide range as shown in Fig. 16, it is possible for the tapered surface 145s to come into contact with the outer periphery of a relatively small piston flange 241' and also with the outer periphery of a relatively large piston flange 241". With this configuration, it is possible to accommodate piston flanges of multiple sizes, not just a single size.

[0071] The material of the rotary claw 143 is not particularly limited and may be a metal material, a resin material, a carbon fiber material, or the like, but may be a metal material as an example.

[0072] 13 and 14, rear surface 145t of claw portion 145 is a surface facing the front surface of piston flange 241. Therefore, rear surface 145t may be a plane parallel to the front surface of piston flange 241. As shown in FIG. 14(b), corner portions 145a, 145a of claw portion 145 may be formed in a gently curved radius shape.

[0073] As shown in Figures 14(b) and 16, the initial position of the pair of rotary pawls 143 is such that the claw portion 145 of each rotary pawl 143 extends toward the center O. In this initial state, a biasing force is applied around the shaft 149 by a biasing means (not shown), thereby maintaining the initial position. The biasing means is not limited to, but may be a coil spring (torsion spring) threaded through the shaft 149. If the biasing force of this coil spring is too strong, the rotary pawls 143 may not rotate properly when the piston flange 241 presses against the tapered surface 145s. If the biasing force is too weak, the rotary pawls 143 may not return to their initial position when the piston flange 241 enters between the rotary pawls 143, and the flange may not be properly gripped. Therefore, it is preferable to set the biasing force appropriately, taking into consideration the material and shape of the rotary pawls 143 and the piston flange 241. Various other biasing means may be used, such as a leaf spring.

[0074] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17 , the pair of arms 141 may further be provided with the above-described rotary pawls 143 at their distal ends. The pair of arms 141 are provided on both sides of the presser member 135. Each arm 141 is rotatably supported on a shaft 141a, thereby enabling the pair of arms 141 to open and close in the radial direction of the piston flange 241. Each arm 141 is biased around the shaft 141a by a biasing means (not shown), thereby maintaining the closed state. The biasing means may be a coil spring (torsion spring) threaded around the shaft 141a. As described above, a biasing means is also used for the rotation of the rotary pawl 143 around the shaft 149. However, it is desirable that the biasing force of the biasing means be set so that the opening of the arm 141 and the rotation of the rotary pawl 143 occur preferentially.

[0075] <Operation> The operation of the flange gripping mechanism described above will now be described.

[0076] First, with ram member 133 of piston drive mechanism 130 retracted, syringe 200B, which may be filled with a medicinal solution or empty, is attached to syringe holder 170. The attachment is performed by moving syringe 200B linearly relative to syringe holder 170 so that piston flange 231 of syringe 200B is inserted into receiving groove 175 of syringe holder 170 (see the "down" direction in FIG. 1A).

[0077] Once syringe 200B is attached to syringe holder 170, for example, physical button 161 of injection head 110 is operated to move ram member 133 forward as shown in Figure 19(a). When ram member 133 moves forward to a certain position, the outer periphery of piston flange 241 abuts against tapered surface 145s of each rotary claw 143.

[0078] If the ram member 133 continues to move forward in this state, as described with reference to Figure 18, the piston flange 241 presses the rotary pawls 143, causing each rotary pawl 143 to rotate about its axis 149 and gradually open. Then, when the pair of rotary pawls 143 open enough for the piston flange 241 to pass between them, the piston flange 241 enters between the pair of rotary pawls 143 as shown in Figure 19(b). At the same time, the rotary pawls 143 return to their original positions due to the restoring force of the biasing means around the axis 149, and the piston flange 241 is now gripped by the pair of rotary pawls 143. The above series of gripping operations can be performed without spreading the pair of arms 141 apart. However, from the perspective of smooth insertion, the piston flange 241 may be received between the pair of rotary pawls 143 while the pair of arms 141 spread apart (using the rotation of each pawl and the spreading of the pair of arms in combination).

[0079] As described above, the flange gripping mechanism 140 of this embodiment can grip a portion of the piston member simply by linearly approaching the gripping mechanism toward the piston member, eliminating the need for complicated operations by the operator. Furthermore, because the rotary claw 143 can grip piston flanges of various sizes as described above, there is no need to prepare multiple flange gripping mechanisms 140 for different sizes of piston flanges to be used.

[0080] In the present invention, when gripping the piston flange 241, one rotating claw 143 and the other rotating claw 143 may move in line symmetry with respect to the vertical center line L1 (see FIG. 16) (that is, in the example of FIG. 16, for example, both rotating claws 143 rotate so as to be lifted upward), but in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16 etc., they move in opposite directions so as to be point symmetric. With this configuration, the forces applied to the piston flange 241 become symmetrical, allowing the rotating claws 143 to operate well.

[0081] Although a pair of rotary claws 143 is used in the above-described embodiment, a configuration with three or more rotary claws is also conceivable as a modified example. Furthermore, such a flange gripping mechanism is not necessarily limited to being used as a component of an injection device, but may be used in various devices (e.g., a liquid medicine aspirator) that have the function of gripping the flange of a syringe.

[0082] (syringe adapter) Next, a specific example of adapter 270 for holding syringe 200A filled with contrast medium will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0083] For example, injecting a contrast medium in a CT examination, syringe 200A of a size similar to saline syringe 200B may be used, in which case both the first and second syringes may be directly attached to syringe holder 170. However, in the case of an MRI examination or the like, a relatively small syringe may be used because only a small amount of contrast medium is required. To accommodate such cases, this embodiment is configured so that syringe 200A can be attached to syringe holder 170 via cylinder adapter 270.

[0084] 20 and 21, syringe adapter 270 has a cylinder holding portion 273 that receives cylinder member 210 of syringe 200A, and a flange holding portion 271 that receives cylinder flange 211. Cylinder adapter 270 is provided so as to be turned by an operator, and has, as an example, a stopper arm 277 that presses down on the set syringe from above. Cylinder holding portion 273 has a recess 273a that is curved in a substantially U-shape so that the inner surface has a shape complementary to the outer shape of cylinder member 210. Flange holding portion 271 has a receiving groove 271a that receives cylinder flange 211.

[0085] The external shape of flange holding portion 271 may be partially similar to that of cylinder flange 231 of syringe 200B described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. That is, flange holding portion 271 may have, as an example, an inverted egg-shaped contour (more precisely, the shape of approximately the lower half of the inverted egg-shaped contour) similar to cylinder flange 231. A U-shaped recess 272 is formed on the rear surface thereof, in which piston member 220 of the syringe is positioned when the syringe is set.

[0086] 21, thick portion 286, ribs 287, and engagement recesses 289 are formed around recess 272. Ribs 287 extend horizontally to the left and right from thick portion 286, and engagement recesses 289 are formed above ribs 287. These engagement recesses 289 function in common with engagement recess 239 of syringe 200B described with reference to FIG. 7, and when syringe adapter 270 is set in syringe holder 170, engagement member 176 fits into and engages with engagement recess 289.

[0087] Cylinder adapter 270 configured as described above can be set in syringe holder 170 in the same manner as the procedure for attaching syringe 200B or the like.

[0088] Note that the oval-shaped syringe is not limited to only the syringe on side B, but the syringe on side A may also be an oval-shaped syringe. Furthermore, it is not necessarily limited to a strict oval shape, and any non-circular shape in which the major axis and minor axis of the cross-sectional shape have different lengths may be adopted. One or both of syringes 200A and 200B may be used multiple times by aspirating medicinal liquid from a storage container containing the medicinal liquid as needed.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the piston flange is gripped by the pair of rotary claws by moving the piston member in the axial direction. However, as another gripping method, the piston flange may be gripped between the pair of rotary claws by moving the piston member in a direction perpendicular to the axis, as in the installation procedure of the so-called side loading method.

[0090] While one embodiment of the present invention has been specifically described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the specific configuration described above. Below, several peripheral devices that can be used together with the injection head will be described.

[0091] (P1. Stand and Display) Injection head 110 may be held by a movable holding stand 103 as shown in Figure 22. This holding stand 103 has a base with multiple casters and a support column supported by the base. Injection head 110 is rotatably held on the upper end of the support column.

[0092] Display 151-1 may be attached to holding stand 103. Display 151-1 may be connected to injection head 110 and / or console 150 and may display various information related to liquid medicine injection. Display 151-1 may be held by height-adjustable holding bar 103a, as shown in FIG. 23 .

[0093] Holding stand 103 may also be provided with container holder 104 for holding a container such as a bottle containing a medicinal liquid. Container holder 104 may have, but is not limited to, two holding portions 105-1 and 105-2 so as to be able to hold a container containing a medicinal liquid to be drawn into first syringe 200A and a container containing a medicinal liquid to be drawn into second syringe 200B.

[0094] 22 and 23 are preferably made of non-magnetic materials when used in MRI examinations. Alternatively, the devices may be operated only at times that do not affect the examination.

[0095] Injection head 110 according to one embodiment of the present invention can be configured to be compact and lightweight, and therefore can be held well not only by a stand as shown in FIG. 22 but also by a ceiling-hanging holder.

[0096] The control using the head display 151-1 may be, for example, as follows: The operator can input and / or change the injection protocol via the head display 151-1, and the liquid injection operation, etc. is carried out based on that. In this case, the injection protocol may be for the actual injection or for a test shot. · An injection protocol set on another device (for example, a console) is displayed on the head display 151-1, allowing the operator to check its contents. The liquid injector is operated by a predetermined input to the head display 151-1. The predetermined input may be a touch panel input, a physical button press, a voice input, etc. The liquid injector may be operated to start, pause, resume, end, etc. The head display 151-1 may be configured to display not only predetermined information before the start of liquid medicine injection (e.g., information related to the injection protocol), but also predetermined information during liquid medicine injection (one or more selected from the remaining amount in the syringe, the injection amount, the injection rate, the injection pressure, the elapsed time, etc.).

[0097] According to one aspect of the present invention, a test can be performed on the display next to the injection head, allowing the operator to check the needle insertion site on the patient to ensure there is no leakage of the medicinal solution, and to immediately stop operation if leakage is confirmed or the patient becomes ill, thereby ensuring safe injection of medicinal solutions.

[0098] (P2.Console) Various consoles 150 can be used with injection head 110 depending on the intended use of the liquid injector. For example, one such console can be used, as shown in FIG. 24. This console 150 is a stationary type that is placed on a desk or the like and is provided with a display 151, switches 157, and the like. A touch panel display may also be used. The shape of housing 158 of console 150 is not particularly limited, but may be designed to be highly stable, with a relatively wide width relative to its height.

[0099] (P3. Example of injection head appearance) More specifically, injection head 110 may have an appearance such as that shown in Figures 25 to 33. This specification also discloses the designs of the injection heads shown in Figures 25 to 33. Note that this specification is not limited to the overall design of the injection head, but also discloses partial designs that are symmetrical with respect to the following parts, for example: syringe holder, flange gripping mechanism, center frame, housing, shape and / or arrangement of physical buttons, etc.

[0100] Description of the item: This item is an injector for a medical solution injector that holds a syringe filled with a medical solution such as a contrast agent and injects the medical solution in the syringe into a patient. With the syringe set, by moving the ram member forward, the piston in the syringe is pushed, pushing out the medical solution. The operation button located on the top surface of the item is used to operate the ram member to move forward, backward, stop, etc.

[0101] (P4. Syringe) In one embodiment of the present invention, syringes having shapes as shown in Figures 34 to 38 may be used. Note that in these figures, reference numerals (with the letter M) corresponding to the reference numerals representing the various parts of the syringe 200B described above are used, but redundant explanations will be omitted. The syringe M200 in Figure 34 includes a cylinder member M230 having a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape and a piston member M240 inserted therein. Flanges M231 and M241 are formed at the rear ends of the cylinder member M230 and the piston member 240M, respectively.

[0102] The contour shape of the cylinder flange M231 may be symmetrical from top to bottom, but in this example it is asymmetric. An arrow-shaped concave / convex portion may be formed near the bottom end of the cylinder flange M231, and letters such as "SET" may be formed on the top surface. The piston member M240 may be configured with multiple reinforcing ribs to provide strength, as in this example.

[0103] The gasket M245 may be an elastic body formed into a shape as shown in Fig. 36, but is not limited thereto, and is attached to the tip of the piston member M240. The cylinder member M230 may have a shape as shown in Fig. 37, for example, and the conduit portion formed at its tip can also be provided in any shape. It may be a conduit portion M233 as shown in Fig. 38(a) or a conduit portion M233' as shown in Fig. 38(b), but is not limited thereto.

[0104] (P5-1. Rodless syringes and their corresponding drive mechanisms) As mentioned above, a so-called rodless syringe may be used in one embodiment of the present invention, but specifically, a syringe and piston drive mechanism having the structures shown in Figures 39 to 41 may be used. The connection structure between ram 1110 and gasket 1100 will be described below with reference to these figures. Note that here, ram 1110 is a part that moves linearly back and forth along its axial direction as part of the piston drive mechanism, and gasket 1100 is a part that is inserted into cylinder 1091, which is the outer tube of syringe 1090.

[0105] In the example shown in FIGS. 39 to 41, the cylinder 1091 is cylindrical, and the gasket 1100 inserted therein has a circular contour and a hole H with an enlarged entrance. That is, the entrance of the hole H through which the ram 1110 is inserted has a larger inner diameter than the bottom against which the end face of the ram 1110 presses. The gasket 1100 also has a plurality of engaging claws 1122, which are configured to move between an enlarged position (FIG. 40) and a narrowed position (FIG. 41). The engaging claws 1122 each include an inner surface S1 including a first inner surface 1126 and a second inner surface 1127 that define the hole H, and an outer surface S2 that slopes away from a perpendicular line P passing through the center of the hole H (bottom). An O-ring 1130 is fitted on the outer surface S2. The first inner surface 1126 extends in a ring shape from the bottom of the hole H, against which the end face of the front end 1111 of the ram 1110 abuts. The first inner surface 1126 extends parallel to the perpendicular line P. The second inner surface 1127 extends in a ring shape from the first inner surface 1126 to the protrusion 1124. Furthermore, the second inner surface 1127 is inclined relative to the first inner surface 1126 in a direction away from the perpendicular line P as it approaches the entrance of the hole H.

[0106] The outer surface S2 of the engagement claws 1122 is inclined so as to move away from the perpendicular line P as it approaches the entrance of the hole H. Therefore, the length of the line segment that intersects the perpendicular line P and connects the outer edges of the multiple engagement claws 1122 is longer than the length of the inner diameter of the cylinder 1091. In other words, the outer edges of the engagement claws 1122 are located radially outward from the inner surface of the cylinder 1091. The engagement claws 1122 have protrusions 1124 that protrude toward the perpendicular line P.

[0107] The ram 1110 is formed with an annular engagement groove 1112 into which the protrusion 1124 engages. Note that if the protrusions 1124 of the engagement pawls 1122 displaced to the narrowed position are not arranged annularly, the engagement grooves 1112 may be formed at positions corresponding to the protrusions 1124. The outer surface of the front end 1111 of the ram 1110, located on the end face side of the engagement grooves 1112, is also slightly inclined with respect to the central axis R of the ram 1110. The inclination angle of this outer surface with respect to the central axis R (e.g., 1 to 5 degrees) is preferably set smaller than the inclination angle of the second inner surface 1127 with respect to the perpendicular line P (e.g., 4 to 10 degrees). By inclining the outer surface of the front end 1111, the front end 1111 can be guided into the hole H so that the central axis R is aligned with the perpendicular line P when the front end 1111 is inserted.

[0108] When the ram 1110 is inserted into the hole H to the state shown in FIG. 40 , the end face (tip face) of the front end 1111 abuts against the bottom of the hole H. At this time, the engagement claws 1122 are in an expanded position, and the outer surface of the front end 1111 abuts against the boundary (the connection between the surfaces) between the first inner surface 1126 and the second inner surface 1127 of the engagement claws 1122. In other words, the inner dimensions of the hole H are set to a size that allows the outer surface of the front end 1111 to abut against the boundary at the boundary. An annular groove 1125, which serves as a starting point for deformation of the engagement claws 1122, is formed at a position corresponding to the boundary. This annular groove 1125 has, but is not limited to, a substantially semicircular cross section. The boundary is set at a position corresponding to the center of the bottom of the annular groove 1125. That is, in this example, the center of the bottom of the annular groove 1125 and the boundary are positioned within the same cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The inner surface S1 is formed to be inclined with the boundary portion as a boundary, so that when the front end portion 1111 is inserted, a gap is generated between the outer surface of the front end portion 1111 and the second inner surface 1127. Meanwhile, since the outer surface of the front end portion 1111 is also slightly inclined, a gap is also generated between the outer surface and the first inner surface 1126. The annular groove 1125 may have a substantially trapezoidal or triangular cross-sectional shape that narrows toward the inside.

[0109] When the ram 1110 pushes the gasket 1100, the gasket 1100 advances within the cylinder 1091. As the gasket 1100 advances, the outer surface S2 (FIG. 39) of the engagement claw 1122 comes into contact with the inner surface of the cylinder 1091 because the outer surface S2 comes into contact with the inner surface of the cylinder 1091. As the gasket 1100 advances, the engagement claw 1122 is displaced toward the perpendicular line P due to a reaction force from the inner surface of the cylinder 1091. At this time, the engagement claw 1122 deforms with the center of the bottom of the annular groove 1125 as the starting point. Therefore, the boundary between the first inner surface 1126 and the second inner surface 1127 is pressed against the front end 1111.

[0110] That is, the boundary portion between the first inner surface 1126 and the second inner surface 1127 is displaced toward the perpendicular line P of the plunger. As a result, even if the front end portion 1111 is inserted into the hole H at a position offset from the perpendicular line P, the front end portion 1111 is displaced so that the position of the central axis R of the front end portion 1111 is aligned with the perpendicular line P. In other words, the front end portion 1111 is pushed by the boundary portion B and displaced toward the center of the hole H. This makes it possible to prevent the central axis R from tilting relative to the gasket 1100. Furthermore, even if a gap occurs between the front end portion 1111 and the plunger hole H due to manufacturing tolerances or the like, the front end portion 1111 is held at the boundary portion. This makes it possible to prevent the ram 1110 from rattling relative to the gasket 1100.

[0111] When gasket 1100 is inserted into cylinder 1091 to the state shown in FIG. 41 , engaging claw 1122 contracts due to a reaction force from the inner surface of cylinder 1091. Then, protrusion 1124 of engaging claw 1122 enters engaging groove 1112, and protrusion 1124 engages with engaging groove 1112. This mechanically couples gasket 1100 and ram 1110. Note that as engaging claw 1122 moves, annular groove 1125 deforms and expands. Thereafter, as gasket 1100 advances within cylinder 1091, sealing member 1140 presses against the liquid medicine in cylinder 1091. This forces the liquid medicine out of the tip of the syringe.

[0112] After the chemical solution is injected, the ram 1110 retracts, and the gasket 1100 connected to the ram 1110 also retracts. When the ram 1110 and the gasket 1100 retract to the position shown in Figure 40, the restriction by the inner surface of the cylinder 1091 is released, and the engaging claws 1122 expand outward, releasing the connection between the engaging claws 1122 and the ram 1110.

[0113] According to the ram 1110 and gasket 1100 described above, the engaging claws 1122 deform starting from the center of the bottom of the annular groove 1125. Therefore, the multiple engaging claws 1122 are uniformly displaced toward the perpendicular line P. Furthermore, because the front end 1111 is held at the boundary between the first inner surface 1126 and the second inner surface 1127, the position of the central axis R of the front end 1111 of the ram 1110 is aligned with the perpendicular line P. This prevents the front end 1111 from being positioned off-center with respect to the perpendicular line P when the ram 1110 is separated from the gasket 1100. This prevents the engaging groove 1112 of the front end 1111 from getting caught on the protrusion 1124. Furthermore, when the gasket 1100 and the ram 1110 are coupled together, rattling of the ram 1110 relative to the gasket 1100 can be prevented. Furthermore, since the gasket 1100 and the ram 1110 are directly connected, the distance between the syringe 1090 and the pressing portion (piston driving mechanism) can be shortened, thereby enabling the size of the injection head to be reduced.

[0114] The ram 1110 may be made of, for example, stainless steel or aluminum, and may be manufactured by welding a solid, generally cylindrical front end portion to a hollow pipe. Alternatively, the ram 1110 may be manufactured by threading a solid front end portion into a hollow pipe. The front end portion may be made of a material other than stainless steel or aluminum, for example, a material harder than the gasket.

[0115] (P5-2. Other examples of rodless syringes and corresponding drive mechanisms) Although the above description has been given of an example in which gasket 1100 with a circular outline is inserted into cylindrical cylinder 1091, in one embodiment of the present invention, such a characteristic structure may also be applied to an elliptical cylinder. A brief description will be given below with reference to FIG.

[0116] 42 shows an oval syringe 2090, which has a cylinder 2091 with a flange formed on the rear end side, and a gasket 2100. The outer surface of the gasket 2100 inserted into the cylinder 2091 abuts against the inner surface of the cylinder 2091. The gasket 2100 engages with the front end 1111 of the ram 1110, and is adapted to be moved back and forth within the cylinder 2091 by the ram 1110.

[0117] Gasket 2100 has sealing member 2140 as its tip end portion, which has an elliptical cross section. In the cross section of this sealing member 2140, the length in the height direction is longer than the length in the width direction, which is perpendicular to the height direction. Gasket 2100 also has absorber 2120 having a plurality of divided engaging claws 2122, and the tip of absorber 2120 is inserted into sealing member 2140. Absorber 2120 is made of an elastic resin such as POM (polyacetal resin) and can be manufactured by molding. Sealing member 2140 is made of butyl rubber and can be manufactured by molding.

[0118] Regarding the operation of the gasket 2100, when the motor (not shown) of the piston drive mechanism rotates while the engagement claw 2122 is connected to the ram 1110, the ram 1110 and the gasket 2100 move forward. The engagement claw 2122 may have a groove into which an O-ring is fitted, and fitting the O-ring therein can restrict the expansion of the engagement claw 2122. The cylinder 2091 has a cross-sectional shape complementary to that of the gasket 2100. That is, the cylinder 2091 has a substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape, and the length in the height direction of the cross-section is longer than the length in the width direction perpendicular to the height direction. Even when such an elliptical syringe is used, the connection structure described with reference to FIGS. 39 to 41 can be used, and the same advantages as those described above using a circular syringe as an example can be obtained.

[0119] 42, the reference numeral 2095 denotes a protrusion formed on the rear surface of the flange of cylinder 2091 so as to protrude from said surface. By forming two protrusions 2095 vertically at a predetermined distance, a recess is formed between the protrusions, and a predetermined engaging portion for positioning and / or fixing cylinder 2091 engages with this recess. The engaging portion may be a structural portion provided as part of the injection head, or may be a structural portion provided as part of the adapter.

[0120] (P6. Control of pre-filled syringes using a piston drive mechanism) A pre-filled syringe pre-filled with a medicinal liquid (e.g., a contrast medium) is often used as a syringe set in a device that automatically injects a medicinal liquid. In the case of a pre-filled syringe, since there is generally no need to draw the medicinal liquid into the syringe in a hospital facility, the gasket of the syringe and the ram of the piston drive mechanism do not necessarily need to be mechanically connected (see Figures 39 to 42 for examples of connection).

[0121] Even in such a case, a piston drive mechanism having a roughly cylindrical rod-shaped ram 1110 as shown in Figures 39 to 42 may be used to advance the ram 1110 to push in the gasket (not shown) of the prefilled syringe, thereby injecting the medicinal liquid.

[0122] (P7. Syringe mounted on a front-loading injection head via an adapter) The injection head shown in FIG. 1A is configured so that syringe holder 170 is held at the tip end of center frame 181, but as shown in FIG. 43, a so-called front-loading injection head can also be used. This injection head P110 has a housing P111 that houses a piston drive mechanism (not shown) and other components, and has a syringe holder P170 attached to its front end. This syringe holder P170 is configured to hold elliptical rodless syringes P200A, P200B, and specifically has a substantially U-shaped receiving groove that receives the cylinder flange P231 of the cylinder member P230. The cylinder flange P231 itself may be elliptical, or as mentioned above, may be substantially egg-shaped.

[0123] In such an injection head P110, instead of the contrast medium syringe P200A, a pre-filled syringe 200 may be held via an adapter P270 as shown in Fig. 44. Similar to the example shown in Fig. 3, pre-filled syringe 200 has a long piston member 220 inserted into a cylindrical cylinder member 210, and a piston flange 221 is formed at the rear end of piston member 220. Although not limited thereto, piston plunger 221 has a circular outline and a flat rear surface.

[0124] The adapter P270 has an overall shape resembling a cylinder split in half, and the prefilled syringe 200 is set on the adapter by being placed from above as shown. In this example, the adapter P270 is provided with a length sufficient to hold the piston member 220 pulled out from the cylinder member 210 and a portion of the cylinder member 210, as shown in the figure. A holding groove P277 is formed in a portion of the adapter P270, which holds the cylinder flange 211 of the prefilled syringe 200 directly or via the adapter. The rear end of the adapter P270 is provided with an adapter flange P271 formed with an elliptical or substantially egg-shaped outline corresponding to the syringe holder P170 of the injection head. The adapter P270 is held by fitting this adapter flange P271 into the receiving groove of the syringe holder P170. By using such an adapter P270, it becomes possible to use a contrast medium pre-filled syringe that has been conventionally used in hospital facilities with the injection head P110 that holds the oval-type syringe P200A.

[0125] The adapter P270 described above may be provided with a predetermined identification means for identifying its type. Such an identification means may be applied to the adapter 270 shown in FIGS. 20, 21, etc., instead of the adapter P270 shown in FIG. 44. For example, the adapter's physical shape may be read by a predetermined sensor or contact switch (provided on the injection head side, for example). Alternatively, the adapter may be provided with a data storage medium, which is read by a predetermined reading device (provided on the injection head side, for example). Alternatively, the adapter may be provided with a magnet or the like, which is detected by a Hall sensor to identify the adapter's type. The device for identifying and detecting the adapter is not particularly limited, and a proximity sensor or the like may be used. The information to be recognized is not particularly limited, and may include information about the adapter as well as information about the syringe held therein (information about the syringe itself and / or the medicinal liquid contained therein). Such an identification means may be used to set the speed, injection amount, and / or piston (plunger) movement range (front and rear limits) according to the size of the syringe.

[0126] In one embodiment of the present invention, as in the injection head P110 of FIG. 43, a switching mechanism P615 for switching the open / close state of a portion of the liquid medicine circuit may be further provided, although this is not limited thereto. The switching mechanism P615 may be an on-off valve driven by a predetermined actuator (not shown) or a clamping mechanism that closes the liquid medicine circuit by clamping a tube. In the case of an injection head for MRI, it is preferable to use a non-magnetic ultrasonic motor as the actuator for the switching mechanism, as it can be used without problems in the high magnetic field environment of an MRI apparatus. Furthermore, such a switching mechanism P615 may be held by, for example, an arm P601 extending from the housing P111. Alternatively, it may be held by a device separate from the injection head. Note that ultrasonic motors have a characteristic of having a higher holding torque (even when not controlled) compared to other motors such as DC motors and brushless motors. A dedicated brake mechanism or the like may be provided to keep the liquid medicine circuit closed (for example). However, in a configuration using an ultrasonic motor, the holding force of the ultrasonic motor itself may be used to fix the position, and the brake mechanism may be omitted.

[0127] (P8. Use of different types of syringes and corresponding drug circuits) In one embodiment of the present invention, the injection head does not necessarily hold multiple syringes of the same shape and / or size, but may hold different types of syringes with their own piston drive mechanisms. A specific example will be described with reference to FIG. 45. In the example of FIG. 45, the injection head is equipped with a piston drive mechanism having a ram 1110 as shown in FIGS. 39 to 42. That is, in this embodiment, the ram 1110 does not have a claw member for gripping the piston flange of the syringe. Therefore, if a syringe uses a gasket 1100 with a special structure as shown in FIGS. 39 to 42, the ram 1110 and the gasket 1100 will be connected (as a result, the gasket 1100 can be moved backward), but if not, the ram 1110 and the gasket will not be connected.

[0128] 45, the contrast medium side is a general syringe 200A, and the saline side is syringe 1090 that utilizes the specially structured gasket 1100. In such a configuration, the piston member of syringe 200A is not connected and held by a piston drive mechanism (ram), and therefore the following problems may arise.

[0129] Referring to the configuration of FIG. 45, a Y-shaped liquid medicine circuit 900 is connected to each of syringes 200A and 1090. Liquid medicine circuit 900 includes a flow path 911 from syringe 200A and a flow path 912 from syringe 1090, which join to form a single flow path 913. An injection needle or the like is connected to the end of flow path 913 (not shown). A mixing device (mixing connector) that generates a spiral flow within the device and thereby efficiently mixes multiple liquid medicines may be provided at the junction of flow paths 911 and 912. In the embodiment of FIG. 45, on-off valves V-1 to V-3 are provided in each of flow paths 911 to 913, respectively. On-off valves V-1 to V-3 may be of any type that can switch between on and off of the flow paths. Preferably, on-off valves V-1 to V-3 are automatically switchable by a switching mechanism provided as part of the injection head or a switching mechanism provided as an accessory to the injection head. Some or all of the on-off valves may be replaced with one-way valves, or a clamp mechanism may be used. Not all of the on-off valves V-1 to V-3 are essential, and any one or any combination of two may be provided.

[0130] If such a liquid medicine circuit 900 were not provided with an on-off valve, pulling ram 1110 on the syringe 1090 side to draw liquid medicine into the syringe would create a negative pressure inside syringe 1090, which could result in the liquid medicine in the other syringe 200A connected to the syringe via liquid medicine circuit 900 being drawn into liquid medicine circuit 900. In this case, it is preferable in one embodiment to automatically close on-off valve V-1 when performing this operation. This prevents unintended intrusion of liquid medicine.

[0131] Even without the suction operation described above, for example, when the injection head is repositioned for liquid injection (e.g., when the syringe tip is positioned lower than the syringe end), the liquid may unintentionally flow through the liquid circuit due to its own weight. To prevent this, it is preferable to automatically close at least one of the valves V-1 to V-3 (e.g., valve V-1 and / or V-3, which prevents the liquid from flowing out of the syringe not holding the piston member). Furthermore, to prevent the liquid mixed with the subject's blood or the like from flowing back upstream in the liquid circuit, valve V-3 may be closed or the flow direction may be regulated by a one-way valve. Regarding the on-off valve V-2, if the capacities of the syringe 200A and the syringe 1090 are significantly different, there is a possibility that the liquid medicine may leak to the other side (syringe 1090 side) during injection using the syringe 200A, so it is also preferable to control the on-off valve V-2 on the other side to close during injection. The on-off valve on the other side may be closed during injection using the syringe with the larger capacity.

[0132] The above-described unintended circulation of the medicinal liquid (movement of the medicinal liquid from syringe 200A to syringe 1090) occurs more significantly when syringe 200A is relatively small and syringe 1090 is relatively large. In other words, the above-described operational control is particularly suitable for use when the capacity of the second syringe is two or more times, five or more times, ten or more times, or twenty or more times the capacity of the first syringe. Regarding the mixing of the medicinal liquids, differences in the specific gravities of the medicinal liquids may cause unintended mixing. Therefore, these parameters may also be taken into consideration when deciding whether to employ the above-described operational control.

[0133] Although the syringe 1090 has been described as an example, the above technology may also be applied to a relatively large, general-purpose syringe, rather than such a special syringe. The above-described operational control has been described assuming a configuration in which the ram 1110 does not hold or secure the piston member of the syringe 200 in any way. However, even in a configuration in which the rear end of the piston member is held by a pair of claws (see, for example, reference numeral 143 in 12), there is a possibility that the piston member may move slightly due to some clearance, resulting in unintended movement of the medicinal liquid. Therefore, even in such a configuration, the above-described operational control may be adopted if necessary.

[0134] (P9. Reading data from bottles, etc.) As one aspect of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 46, in addition to the configuration shown in Fig. 2, a configuration may be adopted in which container holder 800 is provided in which one or more liquid medicine containers 890A, 890B are set to store the liquid medicine to be aspirated into the syringe. The configuration in Fig. 46 is basically the same as that in Fig. 2 except for the configuration of container holder 800, etc., and therefore redundant description will be omitted. Note that although the detailed structure of liquid medicine circuit 900 is not shown, in practice a circuit is used that connects each liquid medicine container 890A, 890B to syringes 200A, 200B so that aspirating from the liquid medicine containers can be performed.

[0135] Container holder 800, together with injection head 110, may be supported by a movable support stand (for example, an embodiment similar to container holder 104 in FIG. 23) or by a ceiling-suspended support arm (not shown). Liquid medicine holder 800 is provided with reading device 500 that reads display code 895, which is data storage means, attached to either or both of liquid medicine containers 890A, 890B (also simply referred to as liquid medicine container 890).

[0136] The display code 895 is an information-carrying medium such as a barcode or two-dimensional code, and specifically, may be a matrix-type two-dimensional code such as a QR (Quick Response) code. The information stored by the display code 895 may be one or a combination of the following: type of medicinal solution, product name, manufacturer name, expiration date, volume, concentration, size of the medicinal solution container, material, serial number, and manufacturing date. Specifically, the display code 895 may be a GS1 standard code and may contain one or a combination of the following: manufacturing date of the object, packaging number, quality assurance date, order number, and quantity. In one embodiment of the present invention, the display code 895 may include one or a combination of the following: drug price list drug code, individual drug code, prescription computer processing system code, JAN code, reference number (HOT code), ATC code, etc. In addition to information-carrying media such as barcodes, IC tags (RFID tags) that include an IC chip, an antenna, and the like and exchange information wirelessly may also be used.

[0137] Reading device 500 may include a unit for optically reading information. Optical readers are less likely to cause magnetic field interference in an MRI environment and are particularly suitable for MRI liquid injectors. Using this configuration, when liquid container 890 is set, predetermined information (for example, one or a combination of contrast agent information, volume information, concentration information, and remaining amount information) may be read and displayed on any display within the system. Furthermore, the liquid container may be verified using this information.

[0138] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations described above and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, it is also possible to appropriately combine the content disclosed as one embodiment with the content disclosed as another embodiment.

[0139] This application discloses the following inventions: (Appendix A) 1. A holding mechanism for a liquid syringe, which has a cylinder member and a piston member slidably inserted into the cylinder member, and a cylinder flange (231) formed at the rear end of the cylinder member, An engagement recess (239) is formed on the rear surface of the cylinder flange, a member having a receiving groove (175) for receiving a part of the cylinder flange (231); an engaging member (176) disposed in the receiving groove and made of an elastic material; Equipped with When the cylinder flange is inserted into the receiving groove, the engaging member elastically fits into and engages with the engaging recess. Flange retention mechanism.

[0140] 2. The flange holding mechanism described above, wherein at least two of the engaging members are provided so as to be positioned on both sides of the cylinder flange.

[0141] 3. The flange retention mechanism as described above, wherein a flange rib (237) is formed adjacent to the engagement recess.

[0142] 4. The outer shape of the cylinder flange is circular, elliptical or egg-shaped, The flange rib (237) is formed to extend horizontally. Note that the mounting direction of the cylinder flange to the flange holding mechanism is the vertical direction, and the "horizontal direction" is the direction perpendicular to that.

[0143] (Appendix B) 1. A first piston drive mechanism having a ram member that moves back and forth to move a piston member of a first syringe; a second piston drive mechanism having a ram member that moves back and forth to move a piston member of a second syringe; a syringe holder that holds the first and second syringes; Equipped with The syringe holder is provided at the tip of a center frame that is arranged to extend between the two ram members.

[0144] 2. The liquid medicine injector as described above, wherein the center frame is made of a carbon fiber material.

[0145] 3. The liquid medicine injector described above, wherein the center frame is a plate-shaped member.

[0146] 4. The liquid medicine injector described above, wherein no support member constituting the liquid medicine injector is disposed on the side (the side opposite to the center frame) of the first and second syringes held in parallel.

[0147] 5. The liquid medicine injector as described above, wherein the center frame is fixed to a holding plate that holds a part of the first and second piston drive mechanisms.

[0148] 6. The chemical injector as described above, wherein the center frame and the retaining plate are integrally formed as a single member of carbon fiber material.

[0149] 7. The liquid medicine injector as described above, wherein the syringe holder is formed into a generally U-shape as a whole and is provided on one side and the other side of the center frame which is a plate-like member.

[0150] 8. The liquid medicine injector as described above, further comprising a housing, the center frame protruding from the housing toward the front end side of the liquid medicine injector.

[0151] 9. A liquid medicine injection device comprising the liquid medicine injector described above and a console connected thereto.

[0152] (Appendix C) 1. A gripping mechanism (140) for gripping a piston flange (221, 241) of a piston member of a liquid syringe with a pair of rotary claws (143), The pair of rotary claws (143) are configured to be movable between a closed state and an open state, and (i) when the piston member is brought closer to the pair of rotary claws in the closed state, the piston flange presses against the tapered surfaces of the rotary claws, causing the rotary claws to rotate around a rotation axis (149) parallel to the axial direction of the piston member, thereby entering an open state in which the piston flange can be inserted between the pair of rotary claws, and (ii) when the piston flange enters between the pair of rotary claws, the pair of rotary claws are returned to their closed state positions by an urging force, and the piston flange is gripped by the pair of rotary claws, forming a flange gripping mechanism (140).

[0153] 2. The flange gripping mechanism described above, wherein when gripping the piston flange, one rotating claw and the other rotating claw are configured to operate in opposite directions so as to be point-symmetrical with respect to the center of the piston flange.

[0154] 3. The flange gripping mechanism described above, wherein the tapered surface of the rotating claw abuts against the outer periphery of the piston member.

[0155] 4. The tapered surface is formed over a certain range in the radial direction of the piston flange, The outer periphery of a piston flange of a first size having a relatively small diameter abuts against the tapered surface, The flange gripping mechanism described above is configured so that the outer periphery of the piston flange of a second size, which has a relatively large diameter, can also abut against the tapered surface.

[0156] 5. The flange gripping mechanism described above, wherein the pair of rotary claws are formed at the tip ends of a pair of arms.

[0157] 6. The flange gripping mechanism described above, wherein the arm is rotatable around a predetermined axis (141a), thereby allowing the pair of rotating claws to move between a first state in which the pair of rotating claws are close to each other, and a second state in which the pair of rotating claws are separated from each other.

[0158] 7. A piston drive mechanism (130) having a ram member (133) that moves the piston member of the liquid syringe back and forth; the flange gripping mechanism (140) provided at the tip of the ram member; A chemical liquid injection device comprising:

[0159] 8. The liquid injector as described above, which has two systems of the piston drive mechanism, each of which is provided with the flange gripping mechanism. [Explanation of symbols]

[0160] 100 Chemical injection device 103 Holding Stand 104 Container holder 110 Injection Head 111 Cabinet 115 Control circuit 116 Support shaft 130 Piston drive mechanism 131 Motor 132 Transmission Mechanism 132-1 Base Module 132-2 Cylinder Module 133 Ram member 135 Presser member 135a Pressing surface 138 load cells 140 Flange gripping mechanism 141 Arm 143 Rotating Claw 145 Claw 145s Tapered surface (receiving surface) 146 Base 149 axes 150 console 151, 151-1 Display 153 Touch Panel 155 Control Unit 157 Switch 158 Case 159 Storage section 161 Physical Buttons 170 Syringe Holder 171 First member 173 Second member 173h hole 175 Receiving groove 175h opening 176 Engagement member 181 Center Frame 183 Retaining Plate 185 shaft plate 200A, 200B (200) syringe 210 Cylinder parts 211 Cylinder flange 213 Conduit section 220 Piston member 221 Piston flange 230 Cylinder parts 230s interior space 233 Conduit section 231 Cylinder flange 237 Flange Rib 239 Engagement recess 240 Piston member 241 Piston flange 243 Insertion tube 245 Gasket 247 Shaft 270 Syringe Adapter 271 Flange holding part 271a Receiving groove 272 recess 273 Cylinder holder 277 Stopper Arm 286 Thick part 287 Ribs 289 Engagement recess 500 reading devices 800 Container Holder 890A, 890B Chemical container 895 Display Code (Data Carrier) 900 Chemical circuit 911, 912, 913 flow channels 1090, 2090 syringes 1091, 2091 cylinders 1100, 2100 gaskets 1110 Ram 1111 Front end 1122 Engagement claw 1125 Circular groove 1130 O-ring 2120 sucker 2140 Sealing material P110 injection head P170 Syringe Holder P200A, P200B syringes P231 Cylinder flange P270 adapter P271 adapter flange P277 Retaining groove P601 Arm P615 Switching mechanism O center H hole

Claims

1. A liquid syringe having a cylindrical cylinder member and a piston member slidably inserted into the cylinder member and filled with a liquid medicine, the cylinder member is provided with a cylinder flange at an end portion on the side where the piston member is inserted, A syringe, wherein two flange ribs are formed on the rear surface of the cylinder flange in parallel with each other and spaced apart from each other above and below, and a recess is formed between the two flange ribs.

2. The liquid syringe according to claim 1 , wherein the two flange ribs are formed on both the left and right sides.

3. 3. The liquid syringe according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential rib is formed on a rear surface of the cylinder flange, and an opening of the cylinder flange is formed inside the circumferential rib.

4. A syringe holder for holding the liquid syringe according to any one of claims 1 to 3, a holder body consisting of at least one member; a receiving groove formed in the holder body into which a cylinder flange of the liquid syringe is inserted in a radial direction to receive the cylinder flange; an engaging portion configured to ride over a flange rib of the liquid syringe and fit into a recess of the liquid syringe when the cylinder flange is inserted into the receiving groove; A syringe holder having:

5. The syringe holder according to claim 4 , wherein the engaging portion is formed separately from a member that constitutes the holder body.

6. 6. The syringe holder according to claim 4, wherein the syringe holder is provided on an injection head having a piston drive mechanism for operating a piston member of the liquid syringe.

7. A syringe adapter attached to a syringe holder according to any one of claims 4 to 6 to hold a small-sized liquid syringe smaller than the liquid syringe held in the syringe holder, a cylinder holder for receiving a cylinder of the small-sized liquid syringe; a flange holding portion configured to receive a cylinder flange of the small-sized liquid syringe and to fit into a receiving groove of the syringe holder; The syringe adapter has an engaging recess formed on a rear surface of the flange holding portion, the engaging recess engaging with an engaging portion of the syringe holder when the syringe adapter is attached to the syringe holder.

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