Tubed wire

Abstract

To provide an electric wire with a tube that allows an electric wire and a tube to be readily inserted into a catheter tube, thereby facilitating manufacturing a catheter.SOLUTION: An electric wire 1 with a tube is used for a catheter 10 including a catheter tube 4 and accommodated into the catheter tube 4. The electric wire with a tube includes: a tube 2; and one or more electric wires 3 helically wound around an outside surface of the tube 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tube-attached electric wire. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a catheter has been known that houses a tube (inner tube) for distributing medicines and the like and one or more electric wires inside a catheter tube (outer tube). The electric wires are connected to diagnostic and therapeutic components, such as sensors and electrodes, provided at the tip of the catheter.

[0003] Prior art document information related to the invention of this application includes Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-155031 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the above-mentioned catheter, a thin and flexible electric wire is used in order to maintain the flexibility of the catheter and to accommodate it in a catheter tube having a small diameter, which poses a problem that the work of inserting the electric wire and the tube into the catheter tube is very time-consuming.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to provide an electric wire with a tube, which allows the electric wire and the tube to be easily inserted into a catheter tube and facilitates the manufacture of the catheter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a tube-attached electric wire that is used in a catheter having a catheter tube and is housed in the catheter tube, the tube comprising one or more electric wires wound in a spiral shape around an outer surface of the tube. the tube is made of a material harder than the catheter tube, and a space is formed between the inner surface of the catheter tube and the outer surface of the tube and the electric wire. Provide a tubed electric wire. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electric wire with a tube, which allows the electric wire and the tube to be easily inserted into a catheter tube and facilitates the manufacture of the catheter. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an electric wire with a tube according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. [Diagram 2] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a tube-attached electric wire according to a modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] [Embodiment Mode] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an electric wire with a tube according to the present embodiment, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0012] 1(a) and (b), the electric wire with tube 1 includes a tube 2 (inner tube) and one or more electric wires 3. The catheter 10 is configured by housing the electric wire with tube 1 in a catheter tube (outer tube) 4.

[0013] The tube 2 has a hollow portion 2a through which, for example, a drug or the like flows. The tube 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the hollow portion 2a is formed in the center of the tube 2 (the center in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the tube 2. The tube 2 is made of a material harder than the catheter tube 4 to facilitate insertion into the catheter tube 4. In this embodiment, the tube 2 is made of PEEK (polyether ether ketone). The outer diameter of the tube 2 is, for example, 0.6 mm to 2.0 mm, and the wall thickness of the tube 2 is 0.06 mm to 0.3 mm. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the tube 2 is 1.0 mm, and the wall thickness of the tube 2 is 0.1 mm (i.e., the inner diameter of the tube 2 is 0.8 mm).

[0014] The catheter tube 4 houses the tube 2 and the electric wire 3, and has a hollow portion 4a that houses the tube 2 and the electric wire 3. The catheter tube 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the hollow portion 4a is formed in the center of the catheter tube 4 (the center in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the catheter tube 4. The catheter tube 4 is made of a flexible material such as polyethylene. The outer diameter of the catheter tube 4 is, for example, 0.8 mm to 2.5 mm, and the wall thickness of the catheter tube 4 is 0.06 mm to 0.5 mm. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the catheter tube 4 is 1.8 mm, and the wall thickness of the catheter tube 4 is 0.1 mm (i.e., the inner diameter of the catheter tube 4 is 1.6 mm).

[0015] The electric wire 3 is connected to diagnostic or therapeutic components, such as sensors or electrodes, provided at the tip of the catheter, and is used for signal transmission and power supply. The electric wire 3 has a conductor 31 and an insulator 32 made of insulating resin that covers the conductor 31. To ensure the flexibility of the electric wire 3, the conductor 31 is made of multiple twisted metal wires made of copper or the like. A stranded conductor is preferably used. Here, a case where four electric wires 3 are used will be described, but the number of electric wires 3 may be one to three, or five or more. The electric wires 3 used have a relatively small diameter so that they can be inserted into a catheter tube 4 having a small diameter. The outer diameter of the electric wires 3 is, for example, 0.06 mm to 0.30 mm, and is 0.2 mm in this embodiment.

[0016] In this embodiment, the electric wire 3 is wound in a spiral shape directly around the outer surface of the tube 2. The electric wire 3 is a so-called curl cord that has been given a shape memory to be spiral, and the state in which it is wound around the tube 2 is maintained by the bending tendency given to the electric wire 3. In addition, the four electric wires 3 are wound in a spiral shape around the outer surface of the tube 2 while being aligned in the circumferential direction of the tube.

[0017] With this configuration, the thin and flexible electric wire 3 can be easily inserted into the catheter tube 4 together with the tube 2, and the electric wire 3 and the tube 2 can be easily inserted into the catheter tube 4. Furthermore, by winding the electric wire 3 spirally around the outer surface of the tube 2, it is possible to suppress the difficulty of bending the catheter 10 in a specific direction, and to make it easier to bend the catheter 10 in all directions. If the thickness of the tube 2 is too thin, the strength and stiffness of the tube 2 will be insufficient, and the tube 2 will be easily kinked (broken, crushed) by the effect of the electric wire 3 wound in a spiral shape. For this reason, the thickness of the tube 2 is preferably 0.06 mm or more.

[0018] In this embodiment, the electric wire 3 is not fixed to the tube 2 by adhesive or the like, but is provided on the outer surface of the tube 2 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the tube. This makes it possible to easily separate the electric wire 3 from the tube 2 during terminal processing, and to easily pull out the electric wire 3 from the catheter tube 4, improving terminal processing ease.

[0019] The winding pitch of the electric wire 3 is preferably 1.8 to 30 times the outer diameter of the tube 2. When the winding pitch of the electric wire 3 is 30 times or less the outer diameter of the tube 2, the electric wire 3 is less likely to fall off the tube 2. Furthermore, when the winding pitch of the electric wire 3 is 1.8 times or more the outer diameter of the tube 2, the electric wire 3 is not unnecessarily long, and the time required for the spiral winding process is not longer than necessary, which allows costs to be reduced.

[0020] In this embodiment, since the electric wire 3 is wound in a spiral shape around the outer surface of the tube 2, in a tube-attached electric wire 1 of a given length, the length of the electric wire 3 included in the tube-attached electric wire 1 is longer than the length of the tube 2. Furthermore, the longer the electric wire 3, the greater the apparent resistance of the electric wire 3. The length of the electric wire 3 can be adjusted by the winding pitch of the electric wire 3. In order to prevent the electric wire 3 from falling off the tube 2 and to prevent the apparent resistance of the electric wire 3 from increasing, it is preferable that the length of the electric wire 3 is 2.0 times or less the length of the tube 2.

[0021] (Method of manufacturing catheter 10) First, the electric wire with a tube 1 is manufactured. When manufacturing the electric wire with a tube 1, first, each of the tube 2, the electric wire 3, and the catheter tube 4 is formed. When forming the tube 2, a cylindrical core material is formed in advance by extrusion molding or the like, and the tube 2 is extruded onto the core material by tube extrusion. Thereafter, the electric wire 3 is spirally wound around the outer surface of the inner tube 2, and the core material is removed. Similarly, when forming the catheter tube 4, a cylindrical core material is formed in advance by extrusion molding or the like, and the catheter tube 4 is extruded onto the core material by tube extrusion, and the core material is then removed.

[0022] Thereafter, the tube 2 around which the electric wire 3 is wound, i.e., the electric wire with tube 1, is inserted into the catheter tube 4. In this embodiment, the electric wire 3, which is thin and flexible, is inserted into the catheter tube 4 together with the tube 2, so that the electric wire 3 and the tube 2 can be easily inserted into the catheter tube 4. Note that by providing the electric wire with tube 1 so as to be movable between it and the catheter tube 4, it is possible to increase the flexibility of the catheter 10.

[0023] (Modification) In this embodiment, the electric wire 3 is not fixed to the tube 2, but a part of the electric wire 3 may be fixed to the tube 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the end of the tube 2 may have a fixing portion 5 for fixing the electric wire 3 to the tube 2. By fixing the electric wire 3 to the tube 2 at the end of the tube 2, the electric wire 3 is prevented from slipping on the outer surface of the tube 2 (the electric wire 3 is prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction of the tube 2) when the tube 2 and the electric wire 3 are inserted into the catheter tube 4, and the electric wire 3 and the tube 2 are more easily inserted into the catheter tube 4. In addition, the fixing portion 5 also plays a role of preventing the electric wire 3 and the tube 2 from coming apart before terminal processing, thereby improving handleability.

[0024] 2, the fixing part 5 is composed of an adhesive tape 51 wound around the tube 2 and the electric wire 3. The adhesive tape 51 can be easily removed during terminal processing, and is suitable as the fixing part 5. However, the fixing part 5 is not limited to this, and for example, the fixing part 5 can also be formed by adhesively fixing the end of the electric wire 3 to the outer surface of the tube 2 with an adhesive.

[0025] (Functions and Effects of the Embodiments) As described above, the electric wire with a tube 1 according to this embodiment includes the tube 2 and one or more electric wires 3 wound helically around the outer surface of the tube 2.

[0026] By winding the electric wire 3 spirally around the tube 2, even when a thin and flexible electric wire 3 is used, the electric wire 3 can be easily inserted into the catheter tube 4 together with the tube 2, facilitating the manufacture of the catheter 10. Furthermore, by winding the electric wire 3 spirally around the tube 2, the catheter 10 can be easily bent in all directions.

[0027] (Summary of the embodiment) Next, the technical ideas grasped from the above-described embodiment will be described by using the reference numerals and the like in the embodiment. However, the reference numerals and the like in the following description do not limit the components in the claims to the members and the like specifically shown in the embodiment.

[0028] [1] A tube-attached electric wire (1) used in a catheter (10) having a catheter tube (4) and housed in the catheter tube (4), the tube-attached electric wire (1) comprising a tube (2) and one or more electric wires (3) wound in a spiral shape around the outer surface of the tube (2).

[0029] [2] The electric wire with a tube (1) according to [1], wherein the winding pitch of the electric wire (3) is 1.8 to 30 times the outer diameter of the tube.

[0030] [3] The electric wire with a tube (1) according to [1] or [2], wherein the length of the electric wire (3) is 2.0 times or less the length of the tube (2).

[0031] [4] The electric wire with a tube according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the electric wire (3) is provided on the outer surface of the tube (2) so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the tube (2). (1).

[0032] [5] The tube-attached electric wire (1) according to [4], having a fixing portion (5) at an end of the tube (2) for fixing the electric wire (3) to the tube (2).

[0033] [6] The tube-attached electric wire (1) according to [5], wherein the fixing portion (5) is made of an adhesive tape (51) wound around the tube (2) and the electric wire (3).

[0034] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the invention according to the claims is not limited to the embodiments described above. It should be noted that not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention.

[0035] Furthermore, the present invention can be modified appropriately without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the electric wire 3 and the tube 2 are separated at a location other than the fixing portion 5, but the electric wire 3 may be fixed to the tube 2 so long as the electric wire 3 can be easily pulled apart by pulling it. For example, the electric wire 3 may be fixed to the tube 2 by melting a part of the surface of the insulator 32 or the surface of the tube 2 by heat. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1…Tubed wire 2. Tube 2a...Hollow part 3…Electric wire 31...Conductor 32...Insulator 4…Catheter tube 4a...Hollow part 5…Fixed part 51...Adhesive tape 10. Catheter

Claims

1. A tube-attached electric wire used in a catheter having a catheter tube and housed in the catheter tube, Tube and one or more electrical wires spirally wound around an outer surface of the tube; the tube is made of a material harder than the catheter tube; A space is formed between the inner surface of the catheter tube and the outer surface of the tube and the electric wire. Wire with tube.

2. The winding pitch of the electric wire is 1.8 times or more and 30 times or less than the outer diameter of the tube. The tube-attached electric wire according to claim 1 .

3. The length of the electric wire is 2.0 times or less than the length of the tube. The electric wire with a tube according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The electric wire is a curl cord that has been shape-memorized to be spiral, and is provided on the outer surface of the tube so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the tube. The electric wire with a tube according to claim 1 .

5. A fixing portion is provided at an end of the tube for fixing the electric wire to the tube. The electric wire with a tube according to claim 4.

6. The fixing portion is made of an adhesive tape wound around the tube and the electric wire. The electric wire with a tube according to claim 5 .

Images