Torca

Abstract

To provide a torquer that can measure the operating state of the guide wire with greater accuracy during operation. [Solution] The torquer comprises a holding component (12), an operating component (30), and a strain measuring unit (50). The holding component (12) fixes the guide wire (500) along the insertion path through which the guide wire (500) is inserted. The operating component (30) connects to the holding component (12) to operate the guide wire (500). The strain measuring unit (50) is located within the operating component (30) and has a substrate (40) and four strain gauges (53) located on a common substrate (40) for measuring the strain of the guide wire (500). The four strain gauges (53) form a full bridge circuit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a torquer.

Background Art

[0002] In a catheter system, a guide wire for guiding the insertion of a catheter is inserted and rotated by a torquer on the proximal end side. Conventionally, the insertion of the guide wire has depended on the experience of the user and the proficiency of the operation. In contrast, Patent Document 1 discloses a sensing system including a sensor that is located on the torquer and measures the tip position, direction, and tip contact pressure of the guide wire, and a sensor that measures the torque, feed amount, and rotation amount of the guide wire in a driver on the proximal end side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the sensor located on the torquer is easily affected by stress due to differences in members and materials located between the guide wire and the torquer. In addition, the torquer has a problem that it is heated by heat transmitted from the operator's hand, and the sensor is affected, and the measured value is likely to deviate from the correct value.

[0005] An object of this disclosure is to provide a torquer that can more accurately measure the operating state of a guide wire during operation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, this disclosure provides a holding component that fixes the guide wire along an insertion path through which the guide wire is inserted, An operating component that connects to the aforementioned holding component to operate the guide wire, A circuit board located within the aforementioned operating component, Strain measurement unit, Equipped with, The strain measuring unit has four strain gauges located on a common substrate for measuring the strain of the guide wire, and the four strain gauges form a full bridge circuit. It's Torca. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, there is an effect that the operating state of the guide wire can be measured with greater accuracy when the torquer is being operated. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an external perspective view of the Torker. [Figure 2] These are a bottom view and a cross-sectional view of the torquer, looking at the base end. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating the strain measurement unit. [Figure 4] These are a bottom view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a torquer of another embodiment. [Figure 5] These are a bottom view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a torquer of another embodiment. [Figure 6] These are a bottom view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a torquer of another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the torquer 100 of this embodiment. The Torker 100 is used to hold the guide wire 500 and control its movement. The Torker 100 has a substantially cylindrical shape around a central axis L along the insertion path of the guide wire 500. Here, the X-axis is defined along the central axis L. The plane perpendicular to the central axis L is the YZ plane. The Y and Z directions will be described later. Note that the XYZ directions are not related to the orientation during use. That is, the user may operate the Torker 100 in any orientation.

[0010] The guidewire 500 is inserted along the central axis L of the torquer 100, with the +X side facing the tip. The guidewire 500 is extended outward from the opening 10a located at the +X end of the torquer 100 in response to the operation of the torquer 100, and is inserted to a desired location such as a blood vessel of the subject.

[0011] Figure 2 shows a bottom view and a cross-sectional view of the Torker 100 as seen from the base end. The cross-sectional view shown in Figure 2(b) shows the cross-section AA, i.e., the XZ section, which passes through the central axis in the bottom view shown in Figure 2(a). The Torker 100 includes a holding part 10 that fixes and holds the base end (-X side) of the guide wire 500, which is the side closest to the user, and an operating part 30 for operating the guide wire 500.

[0012] The holding part 10 includes a center maintaining part 11 and a holding part 12. The holding part 12 has a cylindrical shape with a through hole along the central axis L, and for example, it may have a substantially cylindrical shape. The through hole is an insertion path through which the guide wire 500 is inserted. The holding part 12 can fix the guide wire 500 according to the operation of the operating part 30, and in the fixed state, it can rotate integrally with the guide wire 500. Further, the holding part 12 may be able to relatively move the guide wire 500 particularly in the X direction, that is, feed it out to the tip side and accommodate it from the tip side. The through hole of the holding part 12 is at least partially of a size comparable to the diameter of the guide wire 500, but may also have a part thicker than the diameter of the guide wire 500. For example, the through hole of the holding part 12 may have a tapered shape at the tip (+X side). The through hole of the holding part 12 may have a larger diameter in a stepped shape on the base end side (-X side) opposite to the tip.

[0013] The center maintaining part 11 has a hollow shape with a through hole 11a along the X axis. By maintaining the holding part 12 in the through hole 11a, the position of the holding part 12 in the YZ plane is defined. The +X side tip position of the holding part 12 is on the -X side relative to the +X side tip position of the center maintaining part 11 and does not protrude from the opening 10a to the +X side. The center maintaining part 11 can tighten the holding part 10 thinly in the radial direction. By the tightening operation of the center maintaining part 11, the guide wire 500 is fixed to the holding part 12, and when the tightening is loosened, the guide wire 500 can move relative to the holding part 12.

[0014] The operating part 30 is a substantially cylindrical member located on the base end side of the guide wire 500 relative to the holding part 10. The operating part 30 can be held by the user and receive operations of inserting, pulling out, and rotating the guide wire 500. The operating part 30 includes a substrate holding part 31 and a cover member 32.

[0015] The substrate holding component 31 is the main body of the operating component 30, connected to the holding component 12, and operates integrally with the holding component 12. Therefore, the substrate holding component 31 is rotatable around the central axis L together with the holding component 12 and the guide wire 500. The substrate holding component 31 has a cylindrical shape, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape, with a through hole 30a along the central axis L. The +X side tip position of the substrate holding component 31 is through the through hole 30a, through which the base end portion of the guide wire 500 fixed to the holding component 12 passes. The substrate holding component 31 has a notch 31a located on the +Z side and a hole 31b connecting the through hole 30a and the notch 31a. The notch 31a may extend in the X direction by cutting out the cylindrical substrate holding component 31 parallel to the through hole 30a. The notch 31a may be open at the base end side (-X side) of the substrate holding component 31. These notches 31a and holes 31b form the gaps between the operating parts 30.

[0016] On the -Z side bottom surface of the notch portion 31a, the substrate 40 is positioned. That is, the substrate 40 may be positioned along the XY plane. The substrate 40 floats separated from other members above the hole portion 31b. The substrate 40 may be longer in the X direction and shorter in the Y direction than the planar view size of the hole portion 31b when viewed from the +Z side. When the width of the substrate 40 in the Y direction is wider than the width of the hole portion 31b in the Y direction, the notch portion 31a may have a two-step concave structure that is lower at the center than at both ends and is positioned on the -Z side. Therefore, the substrate 40 has a plate-like portion (bridged structure) in which both ends in the X direction are supported and fixed by the substrate holding component 31 inside the operation component 30 and are connected in a bridge shape between the both ends. The substrate 40 may be fixed to the substrate holding component 31 by an adhesive. The adhesive has high rigidity in the fixed state. Examples of such an adhesive include synthetic resin-based adhesives such as epoxy-based, acrylic-based, and silicone-based adhesives, instant adhesives such as cyanoacrylate, and rubber-based adhesives. The substrate 40 does not bend in this state. In particular, it has a strength that does not cause a relatively large movement of a size that cannot be ignored with respect to the substrate holding component 31 in response to the movement and vibration during use. The strength may be obtained by appropriately determining the material and thickness with respect to the required length and width of the substrate 40. For example, the length of the substrate 40 may be 10 to 100 mm, the width may be 3 to 30 mm, and the thickness may be 0.025 to 2.0 mm.

[0017] A strain measuring unit 50 and connecting wires connected to the strain measuring unit 50 are located on the substrate 40. A connector 60 (connecting terminal) may also be located on the substrate 40. The strain measuring unit 50 measures the strain of the guide wire 500, i.e., the load applied to the tip of the guide wire 500, by measuring the strain of the substrate 40. The strain measuring unit 50 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the strain. At least the portion of the substrate 40 that is joined to the strain measuring unit 50 is separated from the other components. Each strain measuring unit 50 may be connected to the connector 60 via connecting wires. The connecting wires may be directly patterned on the substrate 40. The connector 60 may be located near the base end (-X side) of the substrate 40, or at a position where the substrate 40 is supported by the substrate holding component 31. By connecting the connector 60 to the external wiring, the signal related to the strain measurement unit 50 is easily drawn out to the outside through the open surface of the through hole 30a. The electrical signal drawn out from the external wiring is analyzed by an information processing device or the like to identify the state of the guide wire 500, and based on the identification result, appropriate notification operations such as display can be performed.

[0018] The substrate 40 is an insulating strain-generating material having a moderate Young's modulus and having thermal expansion characteristics as close as possible to those of a metal that transmits signals in the strain measurement unit 50, that is, it may have a low coefficient of linear expansion related to thermal expansion. If the Young's modulus is high, the stress applied to the guide wire 500 will not be transmitted to the strain measurement unit 50. For example, the substrate 40 may have an epoxy resin layer. The base of the substrate 40 may have a single-layer structure of epoxy resin. Alternatively, the substrate 40 may be made of glass fiber, ceramic, silicon wafer, polyimide, urethane rubber sheet, glass, etc. Since the substrate 40 is flat and the notch 31a is parallel to the central axis L, the substrate 40 is also parallel to the insertion path of the guide wire 500.

[0019] The cover member 32 covers at least the notch 31a of the substrate holding component 31, allowing the user to hold the torquer 100 without touching the substrate 40. The cover member 32 may cover the entire outer circumference of the substrate holding component 31 in a substantially circular shape when viewed from the bottom in the -X direction. The inner surface of the cover member 32 may be shaped to follow the cylindrical outer edge of the substrate holding component 31 when there is no notch 31a. Therefore, the cover member 32 is spaced apart from the strain measuring section 50, i.e., the strain gauge 53, depending on the depth of the notch 31a. The cover member 32 may have a surface shape that is easy for the user to hold, or it may be surface-treated. The cover member 32 may be made of a material suitable for secure holding by the user, such as polypropylene resin.

[0020] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the strain measurement unit 50. As shown in Figure 3(a), the strain measuring unit 50 includes a base material 51, four electrodes 52a to 52d, and four strain gauges 53. Each strain gauge 53 has a zigzag (strip-shaped) resistor 531 along which the signal line is bent and reciprocates multiple times. Note that the number of bends shown in the figure is illustrative for explanatory purposes and does not necessarily reflect the actual preferred number of bends. The signal line only needs to have a width that allows the resistance value to change with the necessary sensitivity for slight strain. The external shape of each resistor 531 is rectangular in plan view, particularly as a rectangle. The direction perpendicular to the direction in which the reciprocating signal line extends within the plane of the strain gauge 53 is defined as the gauge direction (a predetermined first direction). The ratio of the length of the resistor 531 in the gauge direction to the length between bends of each signal line perpendicular to the gauge direction does not necessarily reflect a preferred ratio in practice. Of the four strain gauges 53, the gauge directions v1 of two diagonally opposite resistors 531 are the same, and the gauge directions v2 of the other two resistors 531 are the same. The gauge direction v1 may be perpendicular to the gauge direction v2 in a plane parallel to the surface of the base material 51. Due to this positional relationship, the shape formed by connecting the centers of the four rectangular resistors 531 may be a rhombus or a square. Also, the long and short sides of adjacent resistors 531 may be opposite each other.

[0021] The four electrodes 52a to 52d are positioned between each of the four annularly connected strain gauges 53. An input voltage may be applied between diagonally positioned electrodes 52b and 52c, and a voltage may be output between electrodes 52a and 52d. The resistance of the resistor 531 changes due to expansion and contraction in response to stress applied in a direction perpendicular to the gauge direction, i.e., in the direction in which the signal line extends. The conductor may be, for example, a copper-nichrome alloy, chromium, or chromium nitride. The base material 51 may be an insulating film or the like. The base material 51 may have a coefficient of thermal expansion close to that of the substrate 40. Furthermore, if the base material 51 is sufficiently thin, at least thinner than the substrate 40, the influence of the base material 51 sandwiched between the guide wire 500 and the strain gauge 53 on strain detection is reduced. Alternatively, the strain measurement unit 50 may not have a base material 51, and the signal lines of the strain gauges 53, electrodes 52a to 52d, and connecting wiring may be patterned directly on the substrate 40.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3(b), the electrodes 52a to 52d and the strain gauge 53 in the positional relationship shown in Figure 3(a) form a Wheatstone bridge circuit. This Wheatstone bridge circuit is a full bridge circuit in which the four resistors 531 each correspond to the four resistors R1 to R4 of the Wheatstone bridge circuit. Nodes a to d correspond to electrodes 52a to 52d, respectively. In a strain-free state, the resistance values ​​of resistors R1 to R4 may be the same.

[0023] When the gauge direction v1 of resistors R1 and R4 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the guide wire 500, ideally, the resistance values ​​of resistors R1 and R4 change in accordance with the compression and expansion of the guide wire 500. The resistance values ​​of resistors R2 and R3 change in proportion to the amount of compression and expansion of the guide wire 500, according to Poisson's ratio. With respect to the input voltage between electrodes 52b and 52c, there is a difference between the voltage division at electrode 52a and the voltage division at electrode 52d, according to the amount of voltage change and Poisson's ratio.

[0024] Here, the strain gauge 53 measures the strain of the guide wire 500 by measuring the strain of the substrate holding component 31, which is connected to the guide wire 500 via the holding component 12. At this time, if there is a difference in the degree of deformation due to heat, i.e., the coefficient of linear expansion, between the components, a gradient will be generated in the magnitude of the strain near the joint surface (interface) depending on the position. By setting the distance between the strain gauges 53 located on the common substrate 40 to be as small as possible, the difference in the magnitude of the strain resulting from the product of the gradient and the distance can be minimized. "As small as possible" here means within the range in which insulation can be maintained. For example, the distance may be about 1 to 10 times or more the distance between adjacent wires in the zigzag pattern of the signal line of the resistor 531. The above distance may be as small as possible, for example, 50 μm or more. Accordingly, the long sides and short sides of adjacent resistors 531 may be facing each other. The length of each side of the above rhombus formed by connecting the centers of the resistors 531 may be less than or equal to the length of the long side of the resistor 531.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3(c), two such strain measuring units 50 may be located on a common substrate 40. One of the strain measuring units 50 is inclined at a 45-degree angle with respect to the X direction, which is the extending direction of the substrate 40. This allows the strain measuring unit 50 to measure the strain, i.e., torque, in the rotational direction of the guide wire 500. The ends of the substrate 40, each beyond the two dotted lines, are located on the substrate holding component 31, and the portion between the dotted lines does not come into contact with other components such as the substrate holding component 31 or the cover member 32. In other words, the two strain measuring units 50 may be located on the surface (front) of the bridge-like portion of the substrate 40 that does not come into contact with other components, on the side furthest from the central axis L. Note that other components 70, etc., besides the strain measuring units 50 and connector 60 may be located on the substrate 40 as needed.

[0026] The cover member 32, when held by the user, is heated by the user's body temperature. Given that human body temperature is 36-37°C, a temperature increase of approximately 11-12°C can be expected in an examination or surgical environment of around 25°C. Such a temperature change, when transmitted to the strain gauge 53, causes a change in resistance due to thermal expansion, resulting in noise for strain detection. By ensuring that the portion of the substrate 40 that contacts the strain gauge 53 does not come into contact with the cover member 32 or the substrate holding component 31, heat transfer to the strain gauge 53 is minimized. Furthermore, heat conduction through air is even slower than the indirect heat conduction through the holding component 12, and can therefore be ignored. Additionally, as described above, the notch 31a and through-hole 30a are open on the -X side, preventing the internal air from heating up due to the exchange of air within the notch 31a, hole 31b, and through-hole 30a.

[0027] The change in the resistance of the resistor 531 due to temperature changes depends on the temperature coefficient α of the resistor 531 and the thermal expansion of the strain gauge 53 and the object on which the strain is measured, in this case the substrate 40. The thermal expansion coefficient of the strain gauge 53 is denoted as βg, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate 40 is denoted as βs. The strain ε is given by the following formula (1) for the gauge factor K of the strain gauge 53.

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[0028] Using a Wheatstone bridge circuit with two strain gauges 53 oriented in the same gauge direction, where the resistance values ​​R1, R2 and gauge factors K1, K2 of the resistors 531 are equal, if the resistance values ​​R1, R2 and gauge factors K1, K2 of the resistors 531 change with temperature, taking the difference of equation (4) for each strain gauge yields the following equation (5).

number

[0029] As is clear from equations (4) and (5), if the temperature change ΔT is small, the change in resistance ΔR corresponding to the temperature change ΔT is small. T It is also small. Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the difference between the thermal expansion coefficient βg of the strain gauge 53 and the thermal expansion coefficient βs of the substrate 40 is small, the change in resistance ΔR will be small compared to the temperature change ΔT. T This also reduces the temperature change ΔT and the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients βg and βs. By positioning the strain gauge 53 on a substrate 40 made of an appropriate material rather than directly on the operating component 30, the temperature change ΔT and the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients βg and βs can be reduced. Therefore, this torquer 100 effectively reduces noise caused by temperature and enables more accurate strain measurement.

[0030] Figure 4 is a bottom view and a cross-sectional view illustrating the torquer 100 of another embodiment. The cross-sectional position is the same as in Figure 2. As shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), the substrate holding component 31 does not necessarily have a hole 31b. In this case, the substrate 40 may not be present, and the base material 51 may be made of the same material as the substrate 40. That is, the strain measuring unit 50 and the connector 60 may be located directly on the bottom surface of the notch 31a. Also, instead of patterning the connection wiring directly onto the substrate holding component 31, the signal may be drawn out by a wire. In this case, the connector 60 may not be present. In this case, one strain gauge 53 may be located on each of the base material 51 which is the substrate.

[0031] Figure 5 is a bottom view and a cross-sectional view illustrating the torquer 100 of another embodiment. The cross-sectional position is the same as in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the Torker 100 has a substrate holding component 31 which has a beam 311. The beam 311 crosses the hole 31b perpendicular to the Y direction, i.e., the extending direction of the substrate 40, and supports the substrate 40 by contacting its bottom surface (the -Z side surface). The beam 311 and the substrate 40 may be bonded and fixed together with the same adhesive used to bond both ends of the substrate 40 to the substrate holding component 31.

[0032] The beam 311 supports the substrate 40 at a position that does not overlap with the strain measurement unit 50 in a plan view from the Z direction. This reduces the increase in heat transmitted from the user to the strain measurement unit 50 while providing stronger support for the substrate 40. Therefore, the stress on the guide wire 500 is detected by the strain measurement unit 50 with low noise.

[0033] Figure 6 shows a bottom view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a torquer of another embodiment. The cross-sectional position is the same as in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the torquer 100 has a cover member 32 having a hole 32a. The hole 32a penetrates the cover member 32 and connects the notch 31a to the outside. There may be one or more holes 32a. The hole 32a may or may not overlap with the strain gauge 53 in a plan view from the Z direction. The shape of the hole 32a may be circular in plan view or may be other shapes. For example, the hole 32a may be an elongated hole or a slit.

[0034] The hole 32a provides an air passage to the outside in addition to the -X side end, thereby promoting airflow. Consequently, heated air is less likely to accumulate in the notch 31a, hole 31b, and through hole 30a, further reducing the temperature rise of the strain gauge 53 due to the user's body temperature. Multiple holes 32a can further promote airflow. Also, even if some of the holes 32a are blocked when the user holds the device, air can still enter and exit through the remaining holes 32a. The hole 32a does not have to be located in the center of the notch 31a in the Y direction. If the hole 32a is directly above the strain gauge 53, the air above the strain gauge 53 can move easily, but direct exposure to wind may have adverse effects. Therefore, the hole 32a may be located in a position that does not overlap with the strain measuring section 50, especially the strain gauge 53, in a plan view.

[0035] As described above, the Torker 100 of this embodiment comprises a holding component 12, an operating component 30, a substrate 40, and a strain measuring unit 50. The holding component 12 fixes the guide wire 500 along the insertion path through which the guide wire 500 is inserted. The operating component 30 connects to the holding component 12 to operate the guide wire 500. The substrate 40 is located inside the operating component 30. The strain measuring unit 50 is located on a common substrate 40 and has four strain gauges 53 for measuring the strain of the guide wire 500. The four strain gauges 53 form a full bridge circuit. By detecting strain using a full bridge circuit in which multiple strain gauges 53 are arranged together on a common substrate 40 in this way, temperature differences and differences in the magnitude of strain between the strain gauges 53 can be reduced. Therefore, the Torker 100 having this strain measuring unit 50 can detect strain with greater accuracy and less error.

[0036] Furthermore, each of the four strain gauges 53 may have a zigzag-shaped resistor 531 in which the signal line reciprocates multiple times perpendicular to the gauge direction. The gauge direction v1 in two strain gauges 53 and the gauge direction v2 in the other two strain gauges 53 may be orthogonal to each other. This allows for the separation of strain in two directions, enabling efficient and highly accurate strain detection.

[0037] Furthermore, the resistors 531 of the four strain gauges 53 may have a rectangular shape in plan view. The four resistors 531 may be arranged in a ring shape, with the long and short sides of adjacent resistors 531 facing each other. By arranging resistors 531 with different orientations so that their outer edges correspond to each other, the distance between the strain gauges 53 can be reduced. This reduces the variation in measured values ​​between the strain gauges 53, allowing the torquer 100 to detect strain with greater accuracy.

[0038] Furthermore, the shape formed by connecting the center positions of the resistors 531 in the four strain gauges 53 may be a rhombus. By having the diagonally positioned strain gauges 53 be equidistant from the center position, measurement errors between the strain gauges 53 can be further reduced, and strain can be measured with greater accuracy.

[0039] Furthermore, the length of each side of the rhombus may be less than or equal to the length of the longer side of the resistor 531. By having the resistor 531 within a narrow range relative to its size, the influence of measurement errors due to differences in the location of each resistor 531 can be reduced. Therefore, the torquer 100 can measure strain with greater accuracy.

[0040] Furthermore, the resistors 531 of the four strain gauges 53 may be directly patterned on the substrate 40. This eliminates the influence of the base material 51 on strain detection and eliminates the need for bonding members, thus allowing for more accurate measurement of the strain magnitude.

[0041] Furthermore, the operating part 30 may have a gap on the outside of the four strain gauges 53. This reduces the transfer of body heat from the user operating the operating part 30 to the strain gauges 53, thereby reducing the rise in temperature. Consequently, errors due to temperature changes are reduced, enabling the Torker 100 to measure strain with greater accuracy.

[0042] Furthermore, the operating component 30 may include a cylindrical substrate holding component 31 on which the substrate 40 is positioned, and a cover member 32 positioned outside the substrate holding component 31, spaced apart from the four strain gauges 53, and held by the user. By having the cover member 32 held by the user and the substrate holding component 31 on which the strain gauges 53 are positioned as separate components, the transfer of the user's body heat from the cover member 32 to the strain gauges 53 can be further reduced. As a result, the Torque Car 100 can measure strain with greater accuracy.

[0043] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. For example, the above example shows one strain measuring unit 50 for detecting compression and extension, and one strain measuring unit 50 for detecting torque related to rotation, located on the substrate 40, but it is not limited to this. There may be multiple strain measuring units 50 for the same purpose, or other strain measuring units 50 for detecting bending of the guide wire 500 may be located on the substrate 40.

[0044] Furthermore, the arrangement of the four strain gauges 53 described above is an example, and other arrangements are also possible. For example, the four strain gauges 53 may be arranged so that they spread out in four directions from the center.

[0045] Furthermore, the operating component 30 does not necessarily have to consist of a substrate holding component 31 and a cover member 32 as separate components. The operating component 30 may also have a one-piece shape with a gap between them.

[0046] Furthermore, the shape of the substrate 40 does not have to be rectangular. It may have other shapes depending on the arrangement of the multiple strain measurement units 50 and the shape of the bottom surface of the notch 31a.

[0047] Furthermore, the positions and shapes of electrodes 52a to 52d may differ from those shown in the examples above.

[0048] Furthermore, the specific configurations, processing operations, and procedures shown in the above embodiments may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. The scope of the present invention includes the scope of the invention as described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 10 Holding part 10a opening 11 Center Maintenance Parts 11a Through hole 12 Retaining parts 30 Operating parts 30a through hole 31. Circuit board holding components 31a Notch 31b Hole 311 Beam 32 Cover component 32a hole 40 circuit boards 50 Strain measurement section 51 Base material 52a~52d Electrode 53 Strain Gauges 531 Resistor 60 connectors 70 parts 100 Torca 500 guide wires

Claims

1. A retaining component that secures the guide wire along the insertion path through which the guide wire is inserted, An operating component that connects to the aforementioned holding component to operate the guide wire, A circuit board located within the aforementioned operating component, Strain measurement unit, Equipped with, The strain measuring unit has four strain gauges located on a common substrate for measuring the strain of the guide wire, and the four strain gauges form a full bridge circuit. Torca.

2. Each of the four strain gauges has a zigzag-shaped resistor through which the signal line reciprocates multiple times perpendicular to a predetermined first direction. The first direction in the two strain gauges and the first direction in the other two strain gauges are orthogonal to each other. Torque car according to claim 1.

3. The torquer according to claim 2, wherein the resistors of the four strain gauges each have a rectangular shape in plan view and are arranged in a ring, with the long side and short side of adjacent resistors facing each other.

4. The torquer according to claim 2, wherein the shape formed by connecting the center positions of the resistors in the four strain gauges is a rhombus.

5. The torquer according to claim 4, wherein the length of each side of the rhombus is less than or equal to the length of the long side of the resistor.

6. The torquer according to claim 1, wherein the resistors of the four strain gauges are directly patterned on the substrate.

7. The torquer according to claim 1, wherein the operating component has a gap outside the four strain gauges.

8. The torquer according to claim 1, wherein the operating component comprises a cylindrical main body on which the substrate is located, and a cover member located outside the main body at a distance from the four strain gauges and held by the user.

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