Branch tube manufacturing method and branch tube

Abstract

To provide a simple method for manufacturing a branch tube that saves space and has excellent air-tightness and liquid-tightness, and a branch tube.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a branch tube of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a branch tube in which a plurality of single lumen tubes communicate with one single lumen tube, and comprises: an installation step of attaching individual single lumen tubes to an end on a confluence side and an end on a branch side of a linear core metal made up of a plurality of core metals; a housing step of housing a linear core metal attached with the plurality of single lumen tubes in a mold; a melting step of heating the mold to melt the end of the single lumen tube on the branch side; a taking-out step of taking out the linear core metal attached with the single-lumen tube after cooling the mold; and an extraction step of extracting the linear core metal from the single lumen tube.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5D

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a branch tube, and to a branch tube. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, endoscopes that are inserted into a subject to observe a region to be examined have been known and are widely used in the medical field, etc. In the medical field using endoscopes, branched tubes having a branching portion that merges multiple resin tubes into a single resin tube are used. For example, a three-way branched tube that merges an air supply tube and a liquid supply tube inside an endoscope, or a catheter related to a treatment tool in which multiple single-lumen tubes merge into a multi-lumen tube are used (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-291241 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6404619 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The branch tube in Patent Document 1 has a branch body made up of an inner member and an outer member, and after the tube is attached to the inner member, the outer member is formed in a mold. The branch tube in Patent Document 1 has problems such as bulkiness at the joint between the branch body and the tube, a complicated manufacturing process, and poor airtightness and liquidtightness.

[0005] On the other hand, the catheter of Patent Document 2 is a multi-lumen tube, which has problems in that the manufacturing process is complicated and the branched portion is bulky.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a simple method for manufacturing a branch tube that is space-saving and has excellent airtightness and liquid-tightness, and to provide the branch tube. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the method for manufacturing a branched tube of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a branched tube in which multiple single-lumen tubes are connected to one single-lumen tube, and is characterized by comprising the following steps: an attachment step of attaching individual single-lumen tubes to the confluence side end and branch side end of a linear core bar made up of multiple core bars and whose outer shape forms the inner shape of the branched tube; an accommodation step of accommodating the linear core bar with the multiple single-lumen tubes attached in a mold that forms the outer shape of the branched tube; a melting step of heating the mold to melt and integrate at least the branched end of the single-lumen tube; an extraction step of removing the integrated single-lumen tube from the mold after cooling the mold; and an extraction step of removing the linear core bar from the integrated single-lumen tube. That is, in the present invention, the ends of a single-lumen tube are fused together and integrated, without using a branched body as in Patent Document 1. This prevents the branched portion from becoming bulky.

[0008] In addition, the method for manufacturing a branched tube according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the single lumen tube is attached on top of a cylindrical core bar that covers the multiple core bars together at the confluence side of the linear core bar, and is attached to each of the branched core bars at the branching side of the linear core bar. That is, the mandrel of the present invention is composed of multiple linear mandrels, with one end of the mandrels being joined together in a bundled state, and the other end being separated and branched. A cylindrical mandrel is placed over the end of the multiple mandrels at the joining side, where they are joined together, and a single-lumen tube is attached to the cylindrical mandrel, while a single-lumen tube is attached to each of the branched mandrels at the other end. By configuring the mandrel in this manner, the mandrel can be easily separated from the branched tube by pulling it out from the branched tube after welding the ends of the single-lumen tubes together. Furthermore, since the cylindrical mandrel is placed over the joining end of the linear mandrels and then the single-lumen tube is attached, it is possible to prevent resin from entering the gap where the multiple mandrels join.

[0009] Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing a branched tube according to the present invention, the melting step is performed by forcing the single-lumen tube into the mold from the outside of the mold. That is, in the melting step, each single-lumen tube is urged toward the branch center, so that the branch portion is prevented from becoming thin due to a lack of resin.

[0010] Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing a branched tube according to the present invention, in the above invention, the attachment step is characterized in that a single-lumen tube with a notch made in the end is attached to the linear core bar, and the ends of the single-lumen tube are overlapped at the branched portion. At this time, the cuts at the ends bring the end faces of the single lumen tubes closer together, which has the effect of preventing the branching section from becoming thin due to a lack of resin.

[0011] In addition, the method for manufacturing a branch tube according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the merging side of the linear core wire has the same shape as the inner shape of the single lumen tube when the multiple core wires are grouped together. That is, at the confluence side, the outer shape of the combined core bar becomes the inner shape of the single-lumen tube. For example, two core bar with semicircular cross sections are combined to form a core bar with a circular cross section, and this is attached to a single-lumen tube whose lumen cross section is circular.

[0012] Furthermore, the branch tube according to the present invention is a branch tube in which a plurality of single-lumen tubes are connected to one single-lumen tube, and the branched portion of the branch tube is characterized in that the ends of the single-lumen tubes are fused and integrated. That is, the ends are directly fused and there are no branches, so it is not bulky. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] In the present invention, a linear core is constructed from multiple cores, a single-lumen tube is attached to the end of the linear core, and the single-lumen tube is integrated by heating, thereby making it possible to obtain a branched tube that has excellent airtightness and liquid-tightness and allows for space savings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an endoscope using a branch tube according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of the distal end of the insertion part shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the distal end of the insertion section of the endoscope shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a branch tube according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of a branch tube according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of the branch tube according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5C] FIG. 5C is a view illustrating a manufacturing process of the branch tube according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5D] FIG. 5D is a view illustrating a manufacturing process of the branch tube according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5E] FIG. 5E is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of the branch tube according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5F] FIG. 5F is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of the branch tube according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5G] FIG. 5G is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of the branch tube according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of a branch tube and a method for manufacturing a branch tube according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily replaceable by a person skilled in the art, or those that are substantially identical.

[0016] (Embodiment) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an endoscope main body according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the tip of the insertion section shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tip of the insertion section of the endoscope shown in Fig. 2.

[0017] The endoscope 1 comprises an insertion section 2, an operation section 3, a universal cord 4, and a connector section 5. The insertion section 2 has an imaging section disposed at its tip, and at least a portion of one end (tip) thereof is inserted into the body of a subject. The operation section 3 is provided on the other end (proximal end) of the insertion section 2. The universal cord 4 extends from the side of the operation section 3. The connector section 5 is connected to the universal cord 4 and is connected to the endoscope body, which includes an observation device that controls the endoscope 1, a light source device that supplies illumination light to the endoscope 1, and a supply device that supplies air and liquid to the endoscope 1. In this specification, as shown in FIG. 1, the longitudinal direction of the endoscope 1 and the direction in which the insertion section 2 is inserted is referred to as the "insertion direction," the side of the operation section 3 toward which the insertion section 2 is inserted is referred to as the "tip side," and the side opposite the tip side is referred to as the "proximal end side."

[0018] The insertion section 2 has, in order from the distal end, a distal end section 2a, a bending section 2b configured to be freely bent in response to operation of the operation section 3, and a flexible tube section 2c having flexibility. The base end of the flexible tube section 2c is connected to the distal end side of the operation section 3.

[0019] The operation section 3 has a treatment tool insertion passage 3a, an angle knob 3b, an air / water supply button 3c, and a suction button 3d.

[0020] The treatment tool insertion passage 3a allows the insertion of a treatment tool such as a forceps needle. The angle knob 3b is connected to the bending portion 2b of the insertion section 2 by a bending wire. The angle knob 3b bends the bending portion 2b when twisted by the user. The air / water supply button 3c is operated by the user to supply air or liquid from the endoscope device main body to the nozzle 24 of the tip portion 2a. The suction button 3d is operated by the user to suck an object to be suctioned from the opening 21 of the tip portion 2a into the endoscope main body.

[0021] The tip portion 2a has an opening 21, an illumination window 22, an observation window 23, and a nozzle 24. The opening 21 is provided on the outer periphery of the tip portion 2a and communicates with the treatment instrument insertion passage 3a. The illumination window 22 irradiates the subject with illumination light guided from a light source in the endoscope body. The observation window 23 takes in return light from the subject and projects it onto an imaging element (not shown). The nozzle 24 ejects gas or liquid sent from the endoscope body toward the illumination window 22 and the observation window 23. As shown in FIG. 3, an air / liquid supply tube 25 is connected to the base end of the nozzle 24. This air / liquid supply tube 25 is the branch tube according to this embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a branch tube (air / liquid feed tube 25) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Air / liquid feed tube 25 has a single-lumen tube 25a on the confluence side, i.e., the side connected to nozzle 24, a branch side, i.e., single-lumen tubes 25b connected to air / water feed buttons 3c of operation unit 3, and branch portion 25c. Air / liquid feed tube 25 has two single-lumen tubes 25b communicating with one single-lumen tube 25a at branch portion 25c. Air / liquid feed tube 25 is made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer. Note that FIG. 4 shows only the vicinity of branch portion 25c of branch portion 25, and single-lumen tubes 25a and 25b extend toward tip portion 2a and the endoscope body.

[0023] 5A to 5G are diagrams illustrating a manufacturing process of a branched tube (air-transfer / liquid-transfer tube) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] 5A shows a mold 30 for molding the air / liquid supply tube 25, and a linear core metal 40. The inner shape of the mold 30 forms the outer shape of the air / liquid supply tube 25.

[0025] The linear core 40 has a first core 41 and a second core 42. A cylindrical core 45 is placed over the joining side of the linear core 40. The outer shapes of the linear core 40 and the cylindrical core 45 form the inner shape of the air / liquid supply tube 25. The linear core 40 is inserted into the cylindrical core 45 with the joining sides 41a, 42a of the first core 41 and the second core 42 gathered together, and the outer shape of the cylindrical core 45 forms the inner shape of the single-lumen tube 25a on the joining side, and the single-lumen tube 251 is attached with the joining sides 41a, 42a of the first core 41 and the second core 42 inserted into the cylindrical core. The branched sides 41b, 42b of the first core metal 41 and the second core metal 42 form the inner shape of the single lumen tube 25b by each core metal alone, and a single lumen tube 251 is attached to the branched sides 41b, 42b of the first core metal 41 and the second core metal 42, respectively. The joining side of the linear core metal 40 has the same shape as the inner shape of the single lumen tube 251 when the joining sides 41a, 42a of the first core metal 41 and the second core metal 42 are inserted together into the cylindrical core metal 45. In this embodiment, the joining sides 41a, 42a of the first core metal 41 and the second core metal 42 are semi-cylindrical, and when joined together form a cylindrical shape, which is the same shape as the inner shape of the cylindrical core metal 45.

[0026] 5B is a diagram illustrating the step of attaching the single-lumen tube 251 to the linear core metal 40. In the attachment step, first, the confluence sides 41a, 42a of the first core metal 41 and the second core metal 42 are gathered together and inserted into the cylindrical core metal 45, and the single-lumen tube 251 is attached from the end side of the cylindrical core metal 45. Thereafter, the single-lumen tube 251 is attached from the ends of the branch sides 41b, 42b of the first core metal 41 and the second core metal 42, respectively.

[0027] 5C is a view illustrating the step of accommodating the linear core bar 40 in the mold 30. In the accommodating step, the linear core bar 40 having the plurality of single-lumen tubes 251 attached thereto is accommodated in the mold 30.

[0028] 5D is a diagram illustrating the melting step. In the melting step, the mold 30 is heated from the outside by an induction heating coil 50 or the like, and at least the end of the single-lumen tube 251 on the branching portion side is melted and integrated. The heating is preferably performed by adjusting the temperature and heating time appropriately depending on the material of the single-lumen tube 251. At this time, it is better to adjust the heating area so that only the vicinity of the branching portion is heated, and to adjust so that areas away from the branching portion are not heated.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 5C, even when the single-lumen tube 251 is attached up to the branching portion side, it is difficult to completely cover the periphery of the linear core bar 40 with the single-lumen tube 251, and a space 33 is created. As shown in Fig. 5D, the melting step is preferably performed by forcing the single-lumen tube 251 into the interior of the mold 30 from the outside of the mold. In this way, the amount of resin required to fill the space 33 can be supplied by forcing the molten single-lumen tube 251 from the outside of the branching portion, thereby obtaining a branch tube 25 having a predetermined shape and thickness.

[0030] When the melting step is performed by forcing the single lumen tube 251 into the mold, it is preferable to attach a core bar holder 43 to the end of the linear core bar 40 to prevent misalignment between the linear core bar 40 and the mold 30. By attaching the core bar holder 43 that maintains the positions of the linear core bar 40 and the mold 30, it becomes easy to maintain the positions of the linear core bar 40 and the mold 30 even when the single lumen tube 251 is forced into the mold.

[0031] Also, a single lumen tube 251 with a notch cut into the end may be attached to the linear core bar 40. By cutting a notch into the end of the single lumen tube 251, it becomes possible to cover more of the periphery of the linear core bar 30 with the single lumen tube 251, and the volume of the space 33 is reduced, making it easier to fill.

[0032] Furthermore, when attaching the single-lumen tube 251 with a notch cut into the end to the linear mandrel, it is also possible to overlap the ends of the single-lumen tube 251 at the branching portion. This makes it possible to reduce the amount by which the single-lumen tube 251 is pressed into the mold, and to stably obtain a branched tube 25 with a predetermined wall thickness.

[0033] 5E is a diagram illustrating the cooling step, and FIG. 5F is a diagram illustrating the removal step. After the single-lumen tube 251 is integrated in the melting step, the mold 30 is cooled, and the integrated air / liquid supply tube 25 is removed from the mold 30.

[0034] 5G is a diagram illustrating the removal step, in which the linear core metal 40 and the cylindrical core metal 45 are removed from the integrated air / liquid feed tube 25. The removal is performed by removing the cylindrical core metal 45 from the single lumen tube 25a on the confluence side of the air / liquid feed tube 25, and the first core metal 41 and the second core metal 42 from the single lumen tube 25b on the branch side of the air / liquid feed tube 25, respectively.

[0035] The air / liquid supply tube 25 according to this embodiment is formed by fusing and integrating the branched end of the single lumen tube 251, and therefore is space-saving and has excellent airtightness and liquid-tightness.

[0036] In the above embodiment, the air / liquid supply tube 25 is described as having two single lumen tubes 25b connected to one single lumen tube 25a, but the number of branches is not limited to two and may be three or more.

[0037] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the single lumen tube 251 is attached with the cylindrical core bar 45 covering the joining end of the linear core bar 40, but it is also possible to omit the attachment of the cylindrical core bar 45 and attach the single lumen tube 251 directly to the joining end of the linear core bar 40.

[0038] In this modification, the joining sides 41a, 42a of the first core 41 and the second core 42 are joined together, and the single lumen tube 251 is attached directly to the end of the joining sides 41a, 42a, and the melting step is performed. At this time, the molten single lumen tube 251 will get into the gap between the first core 41 and the second core 42, increasing the area where the molten resin comes into contact with the cores and making the removal step difficult, so it is preferable to apply a release agent or the like.

[0039] The branched tube of the present invention can be used as an air / liquid supply tube as well as a medical device such as a catheter. [Example]

[0040] Hereinafter, the branch tube according to the present embodiment will be described based on examples.

[0041] Example 1 Three single-lumen tubes (Diamid L1940, manufactured by Polypla-Evonik Co., Ltd.) with an outer diameter of 2.0 mm and an inner diameter of 1.5 mm were attached to the merging and branching ends of the linear core bar and placed in a mold. The single-lumen tubes were pressed into the mold and heated at 250°C for 90 seconds to combine the single-lumen tubes into a branched tube.

[0042] Example 2 The single lumen tube was changed to a Pebax 6333 tube manufactured by Arkema with an outer diameter of 1.6 mm and an inner diameter of 1.2 mm, and heated at 230°C for 60 seconds to obtain a branched tube.

[0043] The resulting branch tube was evaluated for pressure resistance. To evaluate the pressure resistance, the branched tube tips were connected to stopcocks, and with the stopcocks closed, a pressure of approximately 2 atmospheres was applied from the merging side using a syringe and left for one minute. After one minute, no pressure drop was observed, confirming that the branch tube according to this embodiment has sufficient pressure resistance.

[0044] While the branch tube and the method for manufacturing the branch tube according to the present invention have been specifically described above using the preferred embodiments of the invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these descriptions and should be broadly interpreted based on the claims. It goes without saying that various changes and modifications based on these descriptions are also included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1. Endoscope 2 Insertion section 2a Tip 2b Curved section 2c Flexible tube section 3 Control section 3a Treatment tool insertion passage 3b Angle knob 3c Air and water supply button 3D suction button 4 Universal Code 5 Connectors 21 Opening 22 Lighting window 23 Observation window 24 nozzles 25 Air and liquid supply tube 25', 25a, 25b Single Lumen Tubing 25c Branch 30 Molds 31 Upper mold 32 Lower mold 40 Linear core metal 41 1st core metal 42 Second core metal

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a branch tube in which a plurality of single-lumen tubes are connected to one single-lumen tube, comprising: an attachment step of attaching individual single-lumen tubes to the joining end and branching end of a linear core bar, the linear core bar being composed of a plurality of core bars and having an outer shape that forms the inner shape of the branch tube; an accommodation step of accommodating a linear core bar to which the plurality of single-lumen tubes are attached in a mold for forming an outer shape of the branch tube; a melting step of heating the mold to melt and integrate at least the end portion of the single-lumen tube on the branched portion side; a removal step of removing the integrated single-lumen tube from the mold after the mold has cooled; a removal step of removing the linear core bar from the integrated single-lumen tube; Including, The single lumen tube At the joining side of the linear core metals, the plurality of core metals are attached from above the inserted cylindrical core metal in a bundled state, A method for manufacturing a branched tube, wherein the branched core metals are attached to the branched ends of the linear core metal.

2. 2. The method for manufacturing a branched tube according to claim 1, wherein the melting step is performed by forcing the single-lumen tube into the mold from the outside of the mold.

3. 2. The method for manufacturing a branched tube according to claim 1, wherein the attachment step includes attaching a single-lumen tube with a notch at the end to the linear core bar, and overlapping the ends of the single-lumen tube at the branched portion.

4. 2. The method for manufacturing a branch tube according to claim 1, wherein the joining side of the linear core metals has the same shape as the inner shape of the single-lumen tube when the plurality of core metals are grouped together.

5. A branch tube in which a plurality of single-lumen tubes extending in the longitudinal direction are connected to one single-lumen tube extending in the longitudinal direction, A branched tube, characterized in that the branched portion of the branched tube is integrated by fusing the ends of the single-lumen tube.

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