Transfer equipment

Abstract

To provide a transfer device for efficiently transferring a medical sheet to an object to be treated.SOLUTION: In a transfer device 170, an outer cylinder 22 is provided with a notch 171 formed along an axial direction of the outer cylinder. A portion protruding from a base end opening of a first shaft 24 out of a second shaft 48 is provided with an operation part 175 protruding to the outside of the outer cylinder via the notch, and to be slid along the notch.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 24

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring a medical sheet to a treatment target part of a living body.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses, for example, a transfer device for transferring a medical sheet (cell sheet) used for organ transplantation to a treatment target part of a living body. This transfer device includes a shaft and a support part provided at the tip of the shaft. The support part has a sheet support for placing the medical sheet. In the transfer device, the medical sheet is transferred from the support part to the treatment target part by sliding the transfer device while pressing the upper surface of the medical sheet placed on the support surface of the sheet support with forceps or the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described conventional technology, when transferring a medical sheet from the support surface of the support part to the treatment target part of a living body, it is necessary to operate the transfer device while pressing the upper surface of the medical sheet with forceps or the like. Therefore, there is a concern that the medical sheet cannot be efficiently transferred to the treatment target part.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) An aspect of the present invention is a transport device for transporting a medical sheet to a part of a living body to be treated, comprising: an outer cylinder; a first carrier member having an outer cylinder; a first shaft extending in the axial direction of the outer cylinder and movably disposed inside the outer cylinder along the axial direction; and a sheet-like support portion disposed at the tip of the first shaft and including a support surface capable of holding the medical sheet; and a second carrier member having a second shaft extending along the first shaft and movably provided inside the outer cylinder and the first shaft, wherein in a first position the first and second shafts are moved in the base direction relative to the outer cylinder so that the support portion is housed inside the outer cylinder, the support portion is housed inside the outer cylinder in a curved and deformed state, and in a second position the first and second shafts are moved in the tip direction relative to the outer cylinder so that the support portion protrudes from the tip opening of the outer cylinder In the position, the support portion unfolds so as to be exposed from the outer cylinder toward the tip, the outer cylinder is provided with a notch formed along the axial direction, and the portion of the second shaft that protrudes from the base end opening of the first shaft is provided with an operating portion that protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder through the notch and slides along the notch, the transfer device further comprises a movement restricting portion that restricts the relative movement of the first shaft and the second shaft in the axial direction between the first position and the second position, a movement range restricting portion that defines the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft in the axial direction with respect to the outer cylinder, and an engaging portion provided on the second carrier member that engages with the first carrier member when the second carrier member moves from the second position toward the first position and moves the first carrier member toward the base end.

[0007] According to the present invention, since the transfer device is equipped with a second carrier member, the medical sheet can be transferred from the support unit to the treatment unit using the second carrier member without using other devices (such as forceps). Therefore, the medical sheet can be efficiently transferred to the treatment unit.

[0008] Furthermore, the operating part on the second shaft protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder through a notch. This allows the user to slide the operating part along the notch toward the tip, thereby moving the first and second shafts toward the tip. As a result, the support part can be made to protrude from the tip opening of the outer cylinder.

[0009] Furthermore, since the transfer device is equipped with a movement restricting section and a movement range restricting section, the medical sheet can be transferred to the treatment area when the user slides the operating section toward the tip. This allows for efficient transfer of the medical sheet, supported by the support section, to the treatment area. In addition, relative movement between the first shaft and the second shaft is restricted between the first position and the second position, so that the second shaft alone does not move toward the tip while the support section is housed inside the outer cylinder.

[0010] Furthermore, since the transfer device is equipped with an engaging portion, the first carrier member and the second carrier member can be housed in the outer cylinder simply by the user sliding the operating portion toward the base end.

[0011] Furthermore, since the first and second shafts are housed within the outer cylinder, and only the operating section protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder through a notch, the first and second shafts are not exposed from the base end of the outer cylinder. As a result, the user only needs to slide the operating section axially, eliminating any confusion about which part to operate.

[0012] Thus, the present invention makes it easy for users to operate the transport device and prevents users from misoperating the transport device.

[0013] (2) In the transfer device described in (1) above, the movement restricting portion may restrict the relative movement of the first shaft and the second shaft in the axial direction by contacting the support portion and the tip of the second shaft between the first position and the second position.

[0014] Before the support portion is extended towards the tip of the outer cylinder, the movement restricting portion causes the tip of the second shaft to come into contact with the support portion, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft and the second shaft.

[0015] (3) In the transfer device described in (2) above, the movement restricting portion is a pressing portion formed by the tip of the second shaft, and the relative displacement between the support portion and the second shaft may be restrained by the pressing portion pressing the support portion against the inner surface of the outer cylinder while the support portion is housed in the outer cylinder.

[0016] With the support portion housed within the outer cylinder, the support portion is pressed against the inner surface of the outer cylinder by the pressing portion at the tip of the second shaft, thereby preventing the second shaft from moving only toward the tip relative to the outer cylinder.

[0017] (4) In the transport device described in (2) above, the movement restricting portion comprises a first fitting portion provided on the support portion and a second fitting portion provided on the tip of the second shaft, wherein the relative displacement between the support portion and the second shaft is restrained when the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted together while the support portion is housed in the outer cylinder, and the fitting between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion may be released when the support portion is deployed at the second position.

[0018] In the first position, where the support portion is housed within the outer cylinder, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted together, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft, which has the support portion, and the second shaft. Furthermore, when the fitting between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion is released in the second position, the second shaft becomes movable toward the tip relative to the support portion.

[0019] (5) In the transport device described in (2) above, the movement restricting portion comprises a first engaging portion provided on the surface of the support portion including the support surface, and a second engaging portion formed at the tip of the second shaft, wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion face each other in the axial direction of the second shaft when the support portion is housed in the outer cylinder, and the relative displacement between the support portion and the second shaft is restrained by the engagement of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion in the axial direction, and the engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is released without the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion facing each other in the axial direction when the support portion is deployed at the second position.

[0020] In the first position, where the support portion is housed within the outer cylinder, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion engage in the axial direction, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft, which has the support portion, and the second shaft. Furthermore, when the engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is released in the second position, the second shaft becomes movable toward the tip relative to the support portion.

[0021] (6) In the transfer device described in any one of (1) to (5) above, the movement range restricting portion is provided on the first shaft, protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder through the notch, has a protrusion that is slidable along the notch, and the position of the tip of the notch in the axial direction may be the tip position of the relative movement range.

[0022] When the protrusion slides along the notch toward the tip, the protrusion contacts the tip of the notch, thereby restricting the movement of the first shaft toward the tip. This prevents the first shaft from protruding more than necessary toward the tip from the outer cylinder.

[0023] (7) In the transport device described in any one of (1) to (5) above, the movement range restricting part may have a string-like or wire-like connecting member connected to the outer cylinder and the first carrier member.

[0024] With a simple structure, the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft can be defined.

[0025] (8) In the transfer device according to any one of (1) to (5) above, the first shaft has a tubular shape, the second shaft has a shaft body inserted into the first shaft, the engaging portion extends from the tip of the shaft body, and at least a part of the engaging portion is located on the tip side of the first shaft, and the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction may be larger than the inner diameter of the first shaft.

[0026] When the second carrier member moves from the second position toward the first position, a part of the engaging portion engages with the tip opening of the first shaft. By the engaging portion engaging with the tip opening, the first carrier member can move relative to the outer cylinder in the proximal direction integrally with the second carrier member.

[0027] (9) In the transfer device according to any one of (2) to (5) above, a sheet-like second support portion including a second support surface capable of holding the medical sheet is provided at the tip of the second shaft, and the second support portion may be relatively movable with respect to the support portion between a retracted position overlapping the support surface and an extended position located more in the tip direction than the support surface.

[0028] The second support portion having the second support surface can move the medical sheet along the first support portion.

[0029] (10) In the transfer device according to (9) above, at the first position, the second support portion may be curved and deformed and accommodated together with the support portion inside the outer cylinder.

[0030] Even a second support portion having a width dimension can be suitably accommodated inside the outer cylinder.

Advantages of the Invention

[0031] According to the present invention, since the transfer device is equipped with a second carrier member, the medical sheet can be transferred from the support unit to the treatment unit using the second carrier member without using other devices (such as forceps). Therefore, the medical sheet can be efficiently transferred to the treatment unit.

[0032] Furthermore, the operating part on the second shaft protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder through a notch. This allows the user to slide the operating part along the notch toward the tip, thereby moving the first and second shafts toward the tip. As a result, the support part can be made to protrude from the tip opening of the outer cylinder.

[0033] Furthermore, since the transfer device is equipped with a movement restricting section and a movement range restricting section, the medical sheet can be transferred to the treatment area when the user slides the operating section toward the tip. This allows for efficient transfer of the medical sheet, supported by the support section, to the treatment area. In addition, relative movement between the first shaft and the second shaft is restricted between the first position and the second position, so that the second shaft alone does not move toward the tip while the support section is housed inside the outer cylinder.

[0034] Furthermore, since the transfer device is equipped with an engaging portion, the first carrier member and the second carrier member can be housed in the outer cylinder simply by the user sliding the operating portion toward the base end.

[0035] Furthermore, since the first and second shafts are housed within the outer cylinder, and only the operating section protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder through a notch, the first and second shafts are not exposed from the base end of the outer cylinder. As a result, the user only needs to slide the operating section axially, eliminating any confusion about which part to operate.

[0036] Thus, the present invention makes it easy for users to operate the transport device and prevents users from misoperating the transport device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0037] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the transfer device. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the transfer device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a plan view of the tip of the transfer device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the VV line in Figure 3. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the procedure for transporting a medical sheet using the transport device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is the first explanatory diagram of the sheet placement process. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a second explanatory diagram of the sheet placement process. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of the storage process. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along line XX in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view along the line XI-XI in Figure 9. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram of the placement process. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram of the unfolding process. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram of the movement process. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram of the extraction process. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a transport device equipped with a movement restricting section according to the first modified example. [Figure 17] Figure 17A is a plan view of the tip of a transfer device showing a movement restricting section according to a second modified example, and Figure 17B is a plan view showing the first support section of the transfer device in Figure 17A housed in the outer cylinder. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a plan view of the tip of a transfer device according to a third modified example having a first support portion. [Figure 19]Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view along the line XIX-XIX in Figure 18. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is an enlarged perspective view of the tip of a transfer device according to a fourth modified example equipped with a pressing body. [Figure 21] Figure 21 is an enlarged perspective view of the tip of a transfer device according to a fifth modified example equipped with a pressing body. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view of the tip of the transfer device shown in Figure 21. [Figure 23] Figures 23A and 23B are enlarged perspective views of the base end of the transfer device according to the sixth modified example. [Figure 24] Figure 24 is a perspective view of the transfer device. [Figure 25] Figure 25 is a perspective view of the transfer device. [Figure 26] Figure 26 is a perspective view of the transfer device. [Figure 27] Figure 27 is a perspective view of the transfer device. [Figure 28] Figure 28 shows a modified example of the transfer device. [Figure 29] Figure 29 shows other variations of the transfer device. [Figure 30] Figure 30 shows another variation of the transfer device. [Figure 31] Figure 31 shows another variation of the transfer device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] The transport device 10 shown in Figure 1 is a medical device for transporting a medical sheet 300 to a treatment area in a living body. The transport device 10 is used, for example, in the treatment of severe heart failure due to ischemic heart disease. In this case, the medical sheet 300 is implanted in the target area 402 (the treatment area in the living body) of the heart 400 (see Figures 12 to 15). Multiple medical sheets 300 can be attached to the target area 402 using the transport device 10.

[0039] Such medical sheets 300 include pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine products, medical devices, etc., for medical use. Medical sheets 300 are formed in a sheet-like form, such as a film or membrane (gel-like substance). Medical sheets 300 may be reinforced by coating them with fibrin or the like. Regenerative medicine products containing cells include, for example, cell sheets (sheet-like cell cultures), spheroids, etc. Cell sheets can be formed by culturing autologous or allogeneic cells. Examples of cell sheets include skeletal muscle-derived cell sheets or iPS cell-derived cardiomyocyte sheets.

[0040] The medical sheet 300 may contain tissue adhesive, local anesthetic, etc. The thickness of the medical sheet 300 is, for example, about 100 μm, and the diameter of the medical sheet 300 is, for example, about 60 mm. However, the thickness and diameter (size) of the medical sheet 300 can be set as appropriate.

[0041] The medical sheet 300 may also be a sheet that is implanted in organs other than the heart 400 (for example, the lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, small intestine, esophagus, etc.). Furthermore, the medical sheet 300 may also be a sheet used for medical purposes, for example, to prevent adhesions.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the transfer device 10 comprises a device body 12, an endoscope 14, and a fixing member 16. The device body 12 has a first carrier member 18, a second carrier member 20, an outer cylinder 22, and a movement restricting part 23. Note that the transfer device 10 is not limited to the case in which an endoscope 14 is included.

[0043] In Figure 2, the first carrier member 18 has a first shaft 24 and a first support portion 26.

[0044] The first shaft 24 has a first lumen 28. The first shaft 24 is tubular. The tip of the first shaft 24 has a tip opening 25. The first lumen 28 is open at the tip of the first shaft 24 (the end in the direction of arrow X1) via the tip opening 25. The base end 24b of the first shaft 24 (the end in the direction of arrow X2) may or may not be closed. The axial length of the first shaft 24 is longer than the axial length of the outer cylinder 22.

[0045] The first shaft 24 extends axially through the outer cylinder 22 and is positioned inside the outer cylinder 22 so as to be movable along the axial direction. The first shaft 24 is made of, for example, a resin material. The first shaft 24 may be flexible. The constituent material of the first shaft 24 is not particularly limited, but examples include polyethylene, polypropylene, fluororesin, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyamide resin, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyimide, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, polyvinyl chloride, ABS resin, polyamide elastomer, polyester elastomer, etc. The first shaft 24 may be made of a metal material.

[0046] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the first support portion 26 is attached to the tip of the first shaft 24. The first support portion 26 is made of, for example, a resin material. The first support portion 26 is capable of holding a medical sheet 300 (see Figure 1). The first support portion 26 is formed by bending a flexible resin sheet material (film material) into a predetermined shape. The first support portion 26 is formed, for example, by molding the sheet material into a predetermined shape using a sheet molding die. The thickness of the sheet material is not particularly limited, but is preferably set to, for example, 100 μm or more and 200 μm or less. The first support portion 26 has a first joint portion 30 and a first support body 32.

[0047] The constituent material of the first support portion 26 is not particularly limited, but it is desirable that it be transparent, and examples include polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyamide, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyacetal resin, polyimide, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, polyethylene terephthalate, and fluororesin. The first support portion 26 may also be in the form of a mesh.

[0048] In Figure 4, the first joint 30 is bonded to the inner circumferential surface of the tip of the first shaft 24 with an adhesive. The adhesive is not particularly limited, but examples include UV adhesives, hot melt adhesives, and instant adhesives (e.g., cyanoacrylate-based instant adhesives). The first joint 30 may also be heat-fused to the inner circumferential surface of the first shaft 24.

[0049] As shown in Figure 3, the first support body 32 extends from the first joint 30 (see Figure 4) toward the tip. The first support body 32 has a base support portion 34, an intermediate support portion 36, a pair of first protrusions 38, a pair of second protrusions 40, and a tip support portion 42.

[0050] The base support portion 34 extends from the tip of the first joint portion 30 toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) so as to be roughly aligned with the axis Ax of the first shaft 24 (see Figure 4). The base support portion 34 is formed to be wider in the direction of its extension. In other words, both sides of the base support portion 34 in the width direction are tapered toward the first joint portion 30.

[0051] The intermediate support portion 36 intersects the axis Ax of the first shaft 24 from the tip of the base support portion 34 toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) and extends toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) of the first support portion 26 (see Figure 4). The intermediate support portion 36 is formed in a tapered shape, with its width gradually decreasing from the tip toward the base (direction of arrow X2).

[0052] In Figures 2 and 3, the pair of first protrusions 38 project upward (in the direction of arrow Y) and inward in the width direction of the intermediate support portion 36 from both sides in the width direction of the intermediate support portion 36, which is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the first shaft 24. The pair of first protrusions 38 are connected to the base support portion 34.

[0053] As shown in Figure 5, each of the pair of first protrusions 38 includes a fixed end 441 connected to the upper surface (first support surface 261) of the intermediate support portion 36, and a free end 442 which is the end spaced apart from the first support surface 261 in the direction of projection of the first protrusion 38.

[0054] In the cross-section of the first projection 38 shown in Figure 5, which is perpendicular to the projection direction and perpendicular to the first support surface 261, each cross-section of the first projection 38 has an intermediate portion 443 that forms the space between the free end 442 and the fixed end 441. The intermediate portion 443 is an arc shape that bulges out convexly in the direction away from the first support surface 261. The cross-section of the intermediate portion 443 is not limited to an arc shape with a single radius, but can be any arc shape. In other words, in the cross-section of the first projection 38 shown in Figure 5, the intermediate portion 443 is positioned outward with respect to the line segment L connecting the fixed end 441 and the free end 442.

[0055] In a cross-section perpendicular to the protruding direction of the first projection 38 shown in Figure 5, and perpendicular to the first support surface 261, the curvature R of the intermediate portion 443 increases toward the base end direction of the first support portion 26 (direction of arrow X2 in Figure 3).

[0056] As shown in Figure 3, the pair of second protrusions 40 are each connected to the tips of the pair of first protrusions 38. The pair of second protrusions 40 project upward and outward in the width direction from both sides of the intermediate support portion 36. The second protrusions 40 are formed with a smaller curvature than the first protrusions 38. The projection height of the second protrusions 40 relative to the first support surface 261 is lower than that of the first protrusions 38.

[0057] The tip support portion 42 is connected to the tip of the intermediate support portion 36 and the tips of the pair of second protrusions 40. The tip support portion 42 protrudes in an arc shape toward the tip (direction of arrow X1). That is, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first support surface 261 shown in Figure 3, the tip support portion 42 of the first support portion 26 is arc-shaped and connects the pair of second protrusions 40.

[0058] Each of the pair of first protrusions 38 has a pair of bent portions 444 on the base end side of the fixed end 441. Each of the pair of bent portions 444 bends the pair of first protrusions 38 toward the first support surface 261 (intermediate support portion 36) of the first support portion 26 (see Figure 5). As shown in Figure 3, when bending the bent portions 444 of the first support portion 26 to form a pair of first protrusions 38 that bulge outward in a convex shape, it is preferable to bend both ends of the portion of the resin sheet material 26a (see dashed line shape in Figure 3), which becomes the first support portion 26, at the portion of the bent portion 444 at the location of the maximum width Wm in the width direction.

[0059] When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first support surface 261 shown in Figure 3, the widthwise spacing W of the pair of bent portions 444 in the first support portion 26 gradually decreases toward the base end direction (arrow X2 direction). That is, in the first support body 32, the pair of bent portions 444 are formed in a tapered shape toward the base end direction.

[0060] The first support body 32 has a surface 461 facing upward (in the direction of arrow Y) and including the first support surface 261, and a back surface 462 which is the opposite surface of the surface 461 (see Figures 4 and 5). The first support surface 261 is a flat surface that is connected to the upper surface of the base support portion 34, the intermediate support portion 36, and the upper surface of the tip support portion 42. A lubricant may be applied to the first support surface 261 so that the second support portion 50 of the second carrier member 20, which will be described later, can slide smoothly against the first support surface 261.

[0061] As shown in Figure 2, the second carrier member 20 has a second shaft 48, a second support portion 50, and an operating portion 51.

[0062] The second shaft 48 has a second lumen 57. The second shaft 48 is a bottomed cylindrical tubular body. The axial length of the second shaft 48 is shorter than the axial length of the first shaft 24. The axial length of the second shaft 48 is longer than the axial length of the outer cylinder 22. The second shaft 48 is inserted into the first lumen 28 of the first shaft 24 (see Figures 1 and 4). The tip of the second shaft 48 protrudes from the tip opening 25 of the first shaft 24 toward the tip (direction of arrow X1). The base end of the second shaft 48 is always housed inside the first shaft 24 (see Figure 1). The second shaft 48 extends along the first shaft 24 and is provided to be movable along the first shaft 24. The second shaft 48 is not limited to a tubular body and may not be a tubular body.

[0063] Alternatively, a spring or other elastic member may be provided between the first lumen 28 of the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48, so that the second shaft 48 is biased toward the base end (direction of arrow X2) relative to the first shaft 24 by the elastic force of the elastic member. In this configuration, when the user moves the operating part 51 of the second shaft 48 toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) relative to the first shaft 24, the user's operating force is eliminated, allowing the second shaft 48 to move toward the base end by the elastic force.

[0064] The second shaft 48 is configured to conform to the shape of the first support portion 26. The constituent material of the second shaft 48 is selected to be, for example, a material that is more flexible than the constituent material of the first shaft 24. Specifically, examples of constituent materials for the second shaft 48 include polyamide elastomer, polyester elastomer, polyurethane elastomer, polyvinyl chloride, polybutadiene, silicone rubber, and metal coils (including composites with resin). The second shaft 48 is flexible.

[0065] As shown in Figure 4, the second shaft 48 has a carrier holding portion 54 and a pressing portion 56 formed by the tip of the second shaft 48. The pressing portion 56 is made of an elastic material such as an elastomer. The pressing portion 56 presses the first support portion 26 against the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22 when the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22.

[0066] The tip of the carrier holding portion 54 has a pressing surface 58. The carrier holding portion 54 can press the outer peripheral end surface of the medical sheet 300 (see Figure 1), which is supported by the first support portion 26, in the direction of the tip (direction of arrow X1) with the pressing surface 58. The pressing portion 56 is provided with a carrier holding portion 54 that supports the second support portion 50. The carrier holding portion 54 includes a pressing surface 58 and a mounting hole 60. The carrier holding portion 54 is formed to be wider towards the tip when viewed from above (see Figure 3). The carrier holding portion 54 is formed in a trapezoidal shape when viewed from above. In a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the second shaft 48 shown in Figure 5, the carrier holding portion 54 has a shape that is symmetrical with respect to a virtual line L1 that passes through the center line C of the carrier holding portion 54 and is parallel to the width direction of the carrier holding portion 54. In other words, the carrier holding portion 54 is symmetrical in the vertical direction with respect to the virtual line L1.

[0067] Specifically, in a cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the second shaft 48, the cross-section of the carrier holding portion 54 has a pair of straight sections 621 and 622 perpendicular to the axis of the second shaft 48, and a pair of convex sections 641 and 642 positioned on both sides of the pair of straight sections 621 and 622 and convex in a direction away from the straight sections 621 and 622 (outward in the width direction). The convex sections 641 and 642 are formed in a circular arc shape in cross-section. The first length D1 (width dimension) of the carrier holding portion 54 along the extending direction of the straight sections 621 and 622 is greater than the second length D2 (thickness dimension) of the carrier holding portion 54 perpendicular to the extending direction. That is, the carrier holding portion 54 has a flattened cross-section. Note that the carrier holding portion 54 is not limited to being formed in a flattened cross-section, and may be formed in, for example, a circular cross-section, an elliptical cross-section, a square cross-section, a rectangular cross-section, etc. Alternatively, instead of the convex portions 641 and 642, the carrier holding portion 54 may be provided with a recessed structure such that the first support portion 26 is pressed against the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22 when the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22.

[0068] When the first support portion 26 is housed in the lumen 78 of the outer cylinder 22 (see Figures 2 and 4) together with the pressing portion 56, the width (first length D1) of the pressing portion 56 is set such that the first support portion 26 is pressed toward the lumen 78 of the outer cylinder 22 by both ends of the pressing portion 56 in the width direction (a pair of convex portions 641, 642). The first length D1 of the pressing portion 56 is set to be, for example, equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the outer cylinder 22 (the diameter of the lumen 78). Due to the thickness of the first support portion 26, the first length D1 of the pressing portion 56 may be set to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the outer cylinder 22.

[0069] In Figure 4, the pressing surface 58 is provided on the front end surface of the carrier holding portion 54. A mounting hole 60 is opened in the pressing surface 58. The second support portion 50 is attached to the pressing surface 58. The pressing surface 58 presses the outer peripheral end surface of the medical sheet 300 toward the front end (direction of arrow X1) (see Figure 14). The pressing surface 58 is a flat surface perpendicular to the axis of the carrier holding portion 54. The pressing surface 58 may also be provided with a supply hole (not shown) that can supply a priming or wetting liquid (e.g., physiological saline) toward the front end of the second shaft 48.

[0070] The mounting hole 60 opens into the pressing surface 58 of the carrier holding portion 54. The mounting hole 60 is positioned on the center line C of the carrier holding portion 54 on the pressing surface 58. The mounting hole 60 is slit-shaped and extends from the center line C parallel to the width direction of the carrier holding portion 54. The mounting hole 60 is symmetrical in the width direction with respect to the center line C. The mounting hole 60 extends axially from the pressing surface 58. A part of the second support portion 50 is inserted into and connected to the mounting hole 60.

[0071] In Figures 2 to 4, the second support portion 50 is constructed as a flexible sheet. The second support portion 50 has a second joint portion 70 and a second support body 72. The second joint portion 70 is provided at the base end of the second support portion 50. The second joint portion 70 is provided at the base end of the second support body 72. The second joint portion 70 is inserted into the mounting hole 60 of the carrier holding portion 54 and, for example, is bonded. The second joint portion 70 may also be bonded to the mounting hole 60 of the carrier holding portion 54 by an appropriate bonding method other than bonding. Alternatively, the second support portion 50 may be molded integrally with the carrier holding portion 54.

[0072] The second support body 72 extends from the second joint 70 toward the tip (direction of arrow X1). The length of the second support body 72 extending from the second joint 70 is shorter than the length of the first support body 32 extending from the first joint 30. A second support surface 74 for placing the medical sheet 300 is provided on the upper surface of the second support body 72. The second support surface 74 is a flat surface. The second support body 72 is smaller than the first support body 32. That is, the area of ​​the second support surface 74 is smaller than the area of ​​the first support surface 261.

[0073] As shown in Figure 3, the base end of the second support body 72 is formed to be narrower in the direction of the base end (arrow X2 direction). The intermediate portion 443 between the tip and base end of the second support body 72 extends with substantially constant width. The tip of the second support portion 50 protrudes in an arc shape in the direction of the tip (arrow X1 direction). Lubricant may be applied to both sides (bottom and top surfaces) of the second support body 72.

[0074] In Figures 1 and 2, the outer cylinder 22 is a cylindrical member having a lumen 78. The lumen 78 has a tip opening 80 that opens at the tip of the outer cylinder 22 (the end in the direction of arrow X1). The lumen 78 also has a base opening 81 that opens at the base end of the outer cylinder 22 (the end in the direction of arrow X2). The outer cylinder 22 is flexible. The constituent material of the outer cylinder 22 is the same material as the constituent material of the first shaft 24 described above.

[0075] The first shaft 24 is inserted through the lumen 78 of the outer cylinder 22. As described above, the axial length of the outer cylinder 22 is shorter than the axial length of the first shaft 24. In Figures 3 and 4, the inner diameter of the outer cylinder 22 is smaller than the width of the intermediate support portion 36. The width of the intermediate support portion 36 is substantially the same as, or less than, the circumferential length of the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22, so that the first support portion 26 can be housed inside the outer cylinder 22 in a cylindrical shape along the circumferential direction of the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22. An airtight valve body 84 is provided at the base end of the outer cylinder 22, which is in close contact with the outer surface of the second shaft 48.

[0076] In Figures 2 and 4, the tip surface of the outer cylinder 22 extends along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22.

[0077] As described above, the first shaft 24 is longer than the outer cylinder 22 in the axial direction. The first shaft 24 protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22 toward the base end (see Figure 1). Therefore, whether the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22 or the first support portion 26 protrudes from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22, the first shaft 24 protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22 toward the base end.

[0078] Furthermore, the second shaft 48 is inserted through the first lumen 28 of the first shaft 24. As described above, the second shaft 48 is longer than the outer cylinder 22 and shorter than the first shaft 24 in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. Therefore, the second shaft 48, while housed inside the first shaft 24, protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22 toward the base end (see Figure 1).

[0079] As shown in Figure 2, the endoscope 14 has a long endoscope body 86. The tip of the endoscope body 86 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 22 by a fixing member 16 (see Figure 1). The objective lens 88 provided on the tip surface of the endoscope body 86 is oriented toward the tip of the outer cylinder 22 (direction of arrow X1). The tip of the endoscope body 86 is fixed to the axial middle part of the outer cylinder 22. However, the tip of the endoscope body 86 may also be fixed to the tip of the outer cylinder 22.

[0080] The fixing member 16 includes, for example, a fixing cylinder 90 and a fixing tube 92. The fixing cylinder 90 is made of, for example, a rigid resin material. The endoscope body 86 can be inserted into the lumen of the fixing cylinder 90. The fixing cylinder 90 is positioned along the longitudinal direction of the outer cylinder 22. The fixing tube 92 is a tube for fixing the fixing cylinder 90 to a predetermined position on the outer cylinder 22. The fixing tube 92 is, for example, a heat shrink tubing. The outer cylinder 22 and the fixing cylinder 90 may be integrally molded products. However, the method of fixing the tip of the endoscope body 86 to the outer cylinder 22 can be set as appropriate.

[0081] The movement restricting section 23 can restrict the relative axial movement between the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48. The movement restricting section 23 consists of a carrier holding section 54 (pressing section 56) formed by the tip of the second shaft 48. With the first support section 26 housed inside the outer cylinder 22, the carrier holding section 54 presses the first support section 26 against the inner surface (lumen 78) of the outer cylinder 22, thereby constraining the relative displacement between the first support section 26 and the second shaft 48. As a result of the constraint on the relative movement between the first support section 26 and the second shaft 48, the relative axial movement between the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 is restricted (see Figure 10).

[0082] If the operating section 51 and the base end of the second shaft 48 are not defined using the notch 97 described later, a third engaging section 96 (engaging section) may be provided. In this case, the third engaging section 96 is provided on the second carrier member 20.

[0083] The third engaging portion 96 engages with the first carrier member 18 when the second carrier member 20 moves from the second position to the first position, as will be described later. By engaging with the third engaging portion 96, the first carrier member 18 can move relative to the outer cylinder 22 in the base end direction, integrally with the second carrier member 20.

[0084] In the following description, the portion of the second shaft 48 toward the base end (direction of arrow X2) relative to the third engaging portion 96 will also be referred to as the shaft body 49. That is, the second shaft 48 has a shaft body 49 (see also Figure 2). The shaft body 49 is inserted through the first shaft 24. The third engaging portion 96 extends toward the tip from the tip of the shaft body 49.

[0085] At least a portion of the third engaging portion 96 is located toward the tip of the first shaft 24 (see also Figure 3). The width of the portion of the third engaging portion 96 located toward the tip of the first shaft 24 is greater than the diameter of the first lumen 28. That is, in the radial direction of the first shaft 24, the dimensions of at least a portion of the third engaging portion 96 are greater than the inner diameter D24 of the first shaft 24. The radial direction of the first shaft 24 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22.

[0086] In the transfer device 10, the carrier holding portion 54 described above also serves as the third engaging portion 96. That is, as shown in Figure 3, at least a part of the carrier holding portion 54 is located on the tip side of the first shaft 24. The width W54 of the portion of the carrier holding portion 54 located on the tip side of the first shaft 24 is greater than the inner diameter D24 of the first shaft 24 (W54 > D24). When the second carrier member 20 moves from the second position to the first position, the portion of the carrier holding portion 54 having the width W54 engages with the tip opening 25 of the first shaft 24. By engaging the carrier holding portion 54 with the tip opening 25 of the first shaft 24, the entire first carrier member 18 can move relative to the second carrier member 20 in the base direction.

[0087] As will be described later, in the transfer device 10, the user can move the second carrier member 20 to the second position by sliding the operating part 51 along the notch 97 toward the base end. In other words, if the operating part 51 is stopped at the base end of the notch 97, the third engaging part 96 is not necessary.

[0088] In the transfer device 10, as described above, the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 are longer than the outer cylinder 22 in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. Therefore, the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 protrude from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22 toward the base end (see Figure 1). Also, the second shaft 48 is shorter than the first shaft 24 in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. The second shaft 48 is housed in the first lumen 28 of the first shaft 24. Furthermore, throughout the entire range of motion of the second shaft 48 relative to the first shaft 24, the base end of the second shaft 48 is located inside the first shaft 24. In other words, the base end of the second shaft 48 does not protrude toward the base end from the base end 24b of the first shaft 24.

[0089] A notch 97 is formed in the portion of the first shaft 24 that protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22, along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. The notch 97 is a groove that communicates with the first lumen 28.

[0090] An operating portion 51 is provided on the portion of the second shaft 48 that protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22. Specifically, the operating portion 51 is provided at the base end of the second shaft 48. The operating portion 51 may be provided on the tip side of the second shaft 48 beyond the base end. The operating portion 51 protrudes to the outside of the first shaft 24 through a notch 97. The operating portion 51 may also be a connecting port portion 53 that communicates with the second lumen 57 of the second shaft 48.

[0091] The operating part 51 is slidable along the notch 97. Since the operating part 51 is provided on the second shaft 48, when the user slides the operating part 51 along the notch 97, the second shaft 48 can be moved relative to the first shaft 24 in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. In this case, the length of the notch 97 along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22 becomes the relative range of movement of the second shaft 48 with respect to the first shaft 24 in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22.

[0092] Specifically, the user can move the second shaft 48 toward the tip by sliding the operating part 51 in the direction of arrow X1. Also, when the operating part 51 comes into contact with the tip of the notch 97 in the direction of arrow X1 (the tip position of the notch 97), the movement of the second shaft 48 in the direction of arrow X1 is restricted. Therefore, the tip position of the notch 97 is the tip position of the relative movement range of the outer cylinder 22 of the second shaft 48 with respect to the first shaft 24 in the axial direction.

[0093] Furthermore, the user can move the second shaft 48 toward the base end by sliding the operating part 51 in the direction of arrow X2. When the operating part 51 comes into contact with the base end of the notch 97 in the direction of arrow X2 (the base end position of the notch 97), the movement of the second shaft 48 in the direction of arrow X2 is restricted. In other words, the base end position of the notch 97 is the base end position of the relative movement range of the outer cylinder 22 of the second shaft 48 with respect to the first shaft 24 in the axial direction.

[0094] Furthermore, the user can move the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 relative to the outer cylinder 22 in the axial direction by grasping the portion of the first shaft 24 that protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22 and manipulating it in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. However, the first shaft 24 is provided with a notch 97. Therefore, the relative movement range of the first shaft 24 with respect to the outer cylinder 22 is set so that the notch 97 is not covered by the outer cylinder 22. Specifically, when the first shaft 24 is moved in the direction of arrow X1, the position of the first shaft 24 shown in Figure 1 becomes the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft 24 with respect to the outer cylinder 22. Also, when the first shaft 24 is moved in the direction of arrow X2, the position of the first shaft 24 shown in Figure 9 becomes the base position of the relative movement range of the first shaft 24 with respect to the outer cylinder 22.

[0095] Next, a method for transferring the medical sheet 300 to the treatment area of ​​a living organism will be described. Specifically, as shown in Figures 12 to 15, a method for transferring the medical sheet 300 to the transplantation target area 402 (the treatment area of ​​the living organism) of the heart 400 by thoracoscopic surgery will be described. As shown in Figure 6, the transfer method includes a preparation step, a sheet placement step, a storage step, a positioning step, a deployment step, a movement step, and a removal step.

[0096] First, in the preparation step (step S1), the transfer device 10 is prepared. In the following description, the state shown in Figure 1 will be described as the initial state of the transfer device 10. In the initial state, the transfer device 10 is in the following state: The first support part 26 and the second support part 50 are in a protruding position (second position) that protrudes toward the tip from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22. The operating part 51 is located at the base end of the notch 97. The first and second support parts 26 and 50 are each exposed and unfolded toward the tip from the outer cylinder 22, and the second support part 50 is positioned on the first support surface 261 of the first support part 26. That is, the second support part 50 is positioned in a retracted position that overlaps the first support surface 261 of the first support part 26. At this time, the base end of the carrier holding part 54 is inserted into the first lumen 28 of the first shaft 24.

[0097] Next, in the sheet placement process (step S2), as shown in Figure 7, the medical sheet 300, which is located in the petri dish 401, is placed on the second support surface 74. As shown in Figure 8, the medical sheet 300 extends outward from the second support portion 50 when placed on the second support surface 74. The first support surface 261 supports the protruding portion 302 of the medical sheet 300 that extends outward from the second support portion 50. The pair of second protrusions 40 suppress movement (misalignment) of the medical sheet 300 in the width direction of the intermediate support portion 36 when the medical sheet 300 is placed on the second support surface 74.

[0098] Subsequently, in the storage process (step S3 in Figure 6), the medical sheet 300 is placed in the storage position (first position) inside the outer cylinder 22 together with the first support part 26 and the second support part 50. Specifically, the user grasps the first shaft 24 and pulls it toward the base end. This allows the first and second shafts 24 and 48 to be moved toward the base end.

[0099] As a result, the base support portion 34 is pulled in from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22 toward the base end. At this time, the tapered sides of the base support portion 34 come into contact with the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22, causing a force to act on the base support portion 34 that causes it to curl along the circumferential direction of the outer cylinder 22. Therefore, the base support portion 34 is smoothly pulled into the outer cylinder 22 while curling. At this time, the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22 while curling into a conical shape such that the tip side has a larger diameter and the base support portion 34 has a smaller diameter.

[0100] When the base support portion 34 deforms, a force acts on the intermediate support portion 36 that causes it to curl along the circumferential direction of the outer cylinder 22, so the intermediate support portion 36 is pulled into the outer cylinder 22 while curling. At this time, the intermediate support portion 36 deforms into a cylindrical shape along the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22. Each of the pair of first protrusions 38 curves so that the surface 461 of the first support portion 26 is inward and the back surface 462 of the first support portion 26 is outward, so that the fixed end 441 is drawn inward. As shown in Figure 11, the back surfaces 462 of the intermediate portions 443 that bulge outward in a convex shape in the radial direction come into contact with each other on a virtual line L2 that extends perpendicular to the central axis of the outer cylinder 22. The intermediate portion 443 of one first protrusion 38 and the intermediate portion 443 of the other first protrusion 38 come into contact and are housed downward (towards the first support surface 261 and surface 461).

[0101] As a result, the back surface 462 of the first support portion 26 becomes a curved shape that closely adheres to the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22, and each first protrusion 38 curves further, folding back from the fixed end 441 to the free end 442 toward the center of the outer cylinder 22, so that the pair of free ends 442 are positioned below the central axis of the outer cylinder 22. In other words, the first support portion 26 curves in a heart shape along the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22.

[0102] A heart shape refers to a roughly circular shape consisting of a convex curved shape on one side and two convex curved shapes on the opposite side. When a heart shape is formed in the lumen 78 of a tubular body (outer cylinder 22), the two convex curved shapes that protrude outwards along the inner surface of the tubular body approach each other, and some of their circumferential surfaces come into contact with each other, resulting in an overall outline that is roughly circular along the inner surface of the tubular body (see the shape of the first support part 26 in Figure 11).

[0103] As the first support portion 26 undergoes curvature deformation, the second support portion 50 similarly curves along the first support portion 26 on its inner side (surface 461 side). As the first and second support portions 26 and 50 curve, the medical sheet 300 deforms into a shape corresponding to the shapes of the first and second support bodies 32 and 72, and the medical sheet 300 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22. The housing process is completed when the entire first support portion 26 is completely inserted into the outer cylinder 22, as shown in Figure 9.

[0104] In the housing state in which the first support portion 26, the second support portion 50, and the medical sheet 300 are housed inside the outer cylinder 22, as shown in Figure 10, the pair of first protrusions 38 are positioned towards the tip (direction of arrow X1) of the pressing surface 58 of the pressing portion 56 with their back surfaces 462 in contact with each other (see Figure 9).

[0105] Subsequently, in the placement process (step S4 in Figure 6), as shown in Figure 12, the transfer device 10 is inserted into the thoracic cavity 410 through the incision 409 in the chest 408. At this time, the tip of the transfer device 10 is positioned near the transplant target area 402 in the heart 400, and the tip of the endoscope 14 is positioned inside the thoracic cavity 410. Before inserting the transfer device 10 into the thoracic cavity 410, liquid (for example, physiological saline) may be introduced into the transfer device 10 via the connection port 53.

[0106] Next, in the unfolding process (step S5 in Figure 6), the first support part 26, the second support part 50, and the medical sheet 300 are unfolded as shown in Figure 13. Specifically, in the unfolding process, the user grasps the first shaft 24 and moves the first shaft 24 toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) relative to the outer cylinder 22. At this time, the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 move integrally toward the tip via the movement restricting part 23. As a result, the first support part 26, which is exposed from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22, returns to its original shape due to the restoring force. In the second position where the first support part 26 is unfolded, the second support part 50 and the medical sheet 300 spread out into a planar shape.

[0107] In the deployment process, the entire second support surface 74 on which the medical sheet 300 is placed is positioned above the first support surface 261 in the second carrier member 20. At this time, the medical sheet 300 is supported by the first support surface 261 and the second support surface 74. This prevents wrinkles from forming on the protruding portion 302 of the medical sheet 300 before it is transferred to the transplant target portion 402 of the heart 400.

[0108] Next, in the movement process (step S6 in Figure 6), as shown in Figure 14, the user slides the operating unit 51 along the notch 97 toward the tip. As a result, the second carrier member 20 moves toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) relative to the outer cylinder 22. Consequently, the second support unit 50 on which the medical sheet 300 is placed moves from the retracted position to the extended position, and the second support unit 50 protrudes further toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) than the tip of the first support unit 26. In other words, in the movement process, the second shaft 48 moves toward the tip more than the first shaft 24. When the operating unit 51 reaches the tip of the notch 97, the relative movement of the second shaft 48 toward the tip is restricted. In this way, the user can move only the second carrier member 20 toward the tip relative to the outer cylinder 22 by sliding the operating unit 51 toward the tip after the first shaft 24 has reached the tip position of the relative movement range with respect to the outer cylinder 22.

[0109] As a result, the second support portion 50 moves toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) relative to the first support portion 26. At this time, when the pressing surface 58 of the carrier holding portion 54 (pressing portion 56) presses the outer peripheral end surface of the medical sheet 300 toward the tip, the entire medical sheet 300 is positioned toward the tip more than the first support portion 26. In this movement process, the medical sheet 300 is moved over the transplant target portion 402 of the heart 400 so that the protruding portion 302 of the medical sheet 300 comes into contact with the transplant target portion 402.

[0110] Subsequently, in the removal process (step S7 in Figure 6), as shown in Figure 15, the user slides the operating part 51 along the notch 97 towards the proximal end. This moves the second carrier member 20 from the second position to the first position. As a result, the second support part 50 is pulled out from between the transplant target part 402 and the medical sheet 300. At this point, the entire medical sheet 300 comes into contact with the surface of the transplant target part 402. This completes the transfer of the medical sheet 300 to the transplant target part 402. After that, the transfer device 10 is removed from the chest 408 with the first support part 26 and the second support part 50 housed inside the outer cylinder 22. Note that in the removal process, when the user pulls the first shaft 24 towards the proximal end, the first support part 26 and the second support part 50 are housed inside the outer cylinder 22. In this case, since both the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 move in the direction of the base end, the first carrier member 18 and the second carrier member 20 can be housed in the outer cylinder 22.

[0111] Next, we will describe some modified versions of the transfer device 10 (the first to sixth modified versions).

[0112] As shown in Figure 16, the transfer device 100 according to the first modified example is equipped with a movement restricting section 102. In the first modified example, the same reference numerals are used for components identical to those of the transfer device 10 described above, and detailed explanations of identical components are omitted. The same applies to the transfer devices 120, 130, 150, and 160 according to the second to fifth modified examples described later.

[0113] The movement restricting section 102 includes a first fitting section 104 provided on the first support section 26 and a second fitting section 106 provided on the carrier holding section 54 at the tip of the second shaft 48.

[0114] The first fitting portion 104 has a pair of first protrusions 1081 and 1082 that project upward from the first support surface 261 of the first support portion 26. Each of the first protrusions 1081 and 1082 is positioned at an equidistant distance from the widthwise center of the first support portion 26. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the widthwise direction of the first support portion 26, for example, the cross-section of the first protrusions 1081 and 1082 is, for example, rectangular. The cross-section of the first protrusions 1081 and 1082 may be of other shapes (such as semicircular).

[0115] The second fitting portion 106 is positioned at each of the widthwise ends (convex portions 641, 642) of the carrier holding portion 54 (pressing portion 56). The second fitting portion 106 has recesses 1101, 1102 that are recessed from the outer surfaces of the convex portions 641, 642. The recesses 1101, 1102 are recessed in the widthwise direction from the outer surfaces of the convex portions 641, 642. When viewed from the axial direction of the carrier holding portion 54, the cross-sections of the recesses 1101, 1102 are rectangular, corresponding to the first convex portions 1081, 1082. The cross-sections of the recesses 1101, 1102 may be other shapes (such as semicircular).

[0116] With the first support portion 26 housed within the outer cylinder 22 and in a curved state, the first protrusions 1081 and 1082 of the first fitting portion 104 constituting the movement restricting portion 102 are fitted into the recesses 1101 and 1102 of the second fitting portion 106, respectively. As a result, the relative displacement between the first support portion 26 and the carrier holding portion 54 is restrained, and consequently, the axial relative movement of the second shaft 48 with respect to the first shaft 24 is restricted.

[0117] As described above, in the transfer device 100 according to the first modified example, when the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22 (first position), the first fitting portion 104 and the second fitting portion 106 of the movement restricting portion 102 are fitted together, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24 having the first support portion 26 and the second shaft 48. When the fitting between the first fitting portion 104 and the second fitting portion 106 of the movement restricting portion 102 is released when the first support portion 26 protrudes from the tip of the outer cylinder 22 (second position), the second shaft 48 becomes movable relative to the first support portion 26 in the direction of the tip (arrow X1 direction).

[0118] As shown in Figure 17A, the transport device 120 according to the second modified example includes a movement restricting section 122. The movement restricting section 122 includes a first engaging section 124 and a second engaging section 126. The first engaging section 124 is provided on the surface 461 of the first support section 26, which includes the first support surface 261. The second engaging section 126 is formed by the carrier holding section 54 at the tip of the second shaft 48.

[0119] The first engaging portion 124 has a pair of second protrusions 1281 and 1282 that project upward from the first support surface 261. Each of the second protrusions 1281 and 1282 is positioned at an equidistant distance from the widthwise center of the first support portion 26. The second engaging portions 126 are positioned on both sides of the tip of the carrier holding portion 54.

[0120] As shown in Figure 17B, with the first support portion 26 housed within the outer cylinder 22 and in a curved state, the second protrusions 1281 and 1282 of the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 face each other in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22, and the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 are engaged in the axial direction.

[0121] As described above, in the transfer device 120 according to the second modified example, when the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22 as shown in Figure 17B (first position), the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 constituting the movement restricting portion 122 are engaged in the axial direction, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24 having the first support portion 26 and the second shaft 48. When the first support portion 26 protrudes from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22 as shown in Figure 17A (second position), the first support portion 26 unfolds so that the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 do not face each other in the axial direction, and the engagement between the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 is released. As a result, the second shaft 48 can move toward the tip (direction of arrow X1) relative to the first support portion 26.

[0122] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the transfer device 130 according to the third modified example includes a first support portion 132. The protrusions 129 provided on both sides in the width direction of the first support portion 132 have an intermediate portion 134 that forms a space between the free end 442 and the fixed end 441. The intermediate portion 134 has a convex shape that bulges out in a direction away from the first support surface 261. The intermediate portion 134 has an intermediate bent portion 136 that is folded in a mountain fold on the back surface 462. The intermediate bent portion 136 is positioned closer to the free end 442 in the intermediate portion 134.

[0123] As described above, in the transfer device 130 according to the third modified example, by providing an intermediate bent portion 136 on the protruding portion 129 of the first support portion 132, a protruding portion 129 that bulges out in a convex shape toward the direction away from the first support surface 261 can be easily formed.

[0124] The description has focused on the case where the second support portion 50 is attached to the tip of the second shaft 48, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in the fourth modified example of the transfer device 150 in Figure 20, the second shaft 48 may be equipped with a pressing body 152 at its tip. The pressing body 152 has, for example, a flat cross-section with a flat bottom surface. The medical sheet 300 placed on the first support surface 261 of the first support portion 26 can be pressed downwards with the bottom surface of the pressing body 152, pushing the medical sheet 300 along the first support surface 261 of the first support portion 26 toward the tip (direction of arrow X1).

[0125] By making the width of at least a portion of the pressing body 152 larger than the inner diameter D24 of the first shaft 24 (see Figure 3), it is possible to make the pressing body 152 function as the third engaging portion 96.

[0126] As shown in Figures 21 and 22, the transfer device 160 according to the fifth modified example may be configured to have a pressing body 162 at the tip of the second shaft 48. The tip of the pressing body 162 has a pressing surface 164. The pressing surface 164 is a flat surface perpendicular to the axis of the pressing body 162. The base end of the pressing body 162 is connected to the tip of the second shaft 48. The medical sheet 300 placed on the first support surface 261 of the first support part 26 can be pressed by the pressing surface 164 of the pressing body 162 and pushed out along the first support surface 261 of the first support part 26 in the direction of the tip (arrow X1 direction).

[0127] Furthermore, by making the width of at least a portion of the pressing body 162 larger than the inner diameter D24 of the first shaft 24 (see Figure 3), it is possible to make the pressing body 162 function as the third engaging portion 96.

[0128] In addition, the operation unit 51 of the transfer device 10 may have the configuration shown in Figures 23A and 23B. In Figure 23A, the operation unit 51 is a slide operation unit 55 for user operation. The slide operation unit 55 is connected to the second shaft 48 via a notch 97. The user can easily move the second shaft 48 in the axial direction by sliding the slide operation unit 55 along the notch 97 in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. In Figure 23B, the operation unit 51 is a handle 59 for user operation. The handle 59 is a circular handle that surrounds the outer circumference of the first shaft 24. The handle 59 is connected to the second shaft 48 via a notch 97. The user can easily move the second shaft 48 in the axial direction by sliding the handle 59 along the notch 97 in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22.

[0129] The operating part 51 only needs to be configured to be operable by the user. Therefore, the operating part 51 may be a flange protruding from the second shaft 48. Alternatively, the operating part 51 may be a dial connected to a power transmission mechanism including gears, etc. The dial is connected to the second shaft 48 via the power transmission mechanism. When the user operates the dial, the power transmission mechanism converts the rotational force of the dial into an axial force for the outer cylinder 22. As a result, the second shaft 48 can be moved in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22 based on the force converted by the power transmission mechanism.

[0130] The transfer device 10 has the following effects:

[0131] As shown in Figure 1, the transfer device 10 includes a second carrier member 20 that is axially movable relative to the first carrier member 18. Therefore, the medical sheet 300 can be transferred from the first support part 26 to the target part 402 of the living body using the second carrier member 20 without using other devices (such as forceps). This allows for efficient transfer of the medical sheet 300 to the target part 402.

[0132] Furthermore, the second shaft 48 is housed inside the first shaft 24, and the operating part 51 provided on the second shaft 48 protrudes to the outside of the first shaft 24 through a notch 97. This allows the user to move the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 toward the tip by pushing the portion of the first shaft 24 that protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22 toward the tip. As a result, the first support part 26 and the second support part 50 can be made to protrude from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22.

[0133] Furthermore, when the user slides the operating section 51 toward the tip along the notch 97, the second shaft 48 can be moved toward the tip relative to the first shaft 24. This allows the medical sheet 300 supported by the second support section 50 to be efficiently transferred to the implantation target section 402 (see Figures 12 to 15).

[0134] Furthermore, the first shaft 24 protrudes axially from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22, and the operating part 51 protrudes to the outside of the first shaft 24 through a notch 97 formed in the first shaft 24. This allows the user to intuitively understand that they should first operate the first shaft 24, and then operate the operating part 51.

[0135] Thus, the external shape of the transfer device 10 is such that the operating procedure for the transfer device 10 can be easily understood, thereby reducing the likelihood of users making mistakes in operating the transfer device 10.

[0136] Furthermore, since the transfer device 10 is equipped with a movement restricting unit 23, even if the user accidentally operates the operating unit 51 between the first position and the second position, the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 will not move relative to each other. This prevents the second shaft 48 from moving toward the tip before the user operates the first shaft 24.

[0137] Furthermore, in the state before the first support portion 26 is extended toward the tip of the outer cylinder 22 (see Figure 9), the movement restricting portion 23 causes the tip of the second shaft 48 to come into contact with the first support portion 26, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48.

[0138] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, when the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22, the first support portion 26 is pressed against the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22 by the pressing portion 56, which is the tip of the second shaft 48, thereby preventing the second shaft 48 from moving only toward the tip relative to the outer cylinder 22.

[0139] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, in the first position where the first support portion 26 is housed within the outer cylinder 22, the first fitting portion 104 and the second fitting portion 106 are fitted together, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24, which has the first support portion 26, and the second shaft 48. Also, when the fitting between the first fitting portion 104 and the second fitting portion 106 is released in the second position, the second shaft 48 becomes movable toward the tip relative to the first support portion 26.

[0140] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 17A and 17B, in the first position where the first support portion 26 is housed within the outer cylinder 22, the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 are engaged in the axial direction, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24, which has the first support portion 26, and the second shaft 48. In the second position, when the engagement between the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 is released, the second shaft 48 becomes movable toward the tip relative to the first support portion 26.

[0141] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, since the position of the tip of the notch 97 in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22 is the tip position of the relative movement range of the second shaft 48 in the axial direction with respect to the first shaft 24, it is possible to avoid the second shaft 48 protruding more than necessary from the outer cylinder 22 and the first shaft 24 in the tip direction.

[0142] Furthermore, the second support portion 50, which has a second support surface 74, allows the medical sheet 300 to be moved along the first support portion 26.

[0143] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the second support portion 50 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22 by curving and deforming together with the first support portion 26. Therefore, even if the second support portion 50 has a width dimension, it can be suitably housed inside the outer cylinder 22.

[0144] As shown in Figure 5, the first support portion 26 is formed from a flexible sheet having a surface 461 and a back surface 462. The first support portion 26 has a pair of first protrusions 38 that project upward from both sides in the width direction of the first support surface 261, perpendicular to the direction of movement of the first shaft 24. With this configuration, as shown in Figure 11, when the first support portion 26 is housed in the outer cylinder 22, the back surfaces 462 of the pair of first protrusions 38, which have curved and deformed into a convex shape, come into contact with each other. The pair of first protrusions 38 are displaced toward the first support surface 261, causing the first support portion 26 to curve and deform into a heart shape. As a result, the first support portion 26 can be housed in a heart shape within the outer cylinder 22, and damage to the medical sheet 300 held by the first support portion 26 can be effectively suppressed compared to when the first support portion 26 is deformed into a shape other than a heart shape. Because the first support portion 26 can be smoothly and compactly housed within the outer cylinder 22, the diameter of the outer cylinder 22 can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the first support portion 26 does not bend or deform into a heart shape.

[0145] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, when the first carrier member 18 and the second carrier member 20 move between the first and second positions, the first shaft 24 protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22 toward the base end. Therefore, the preparation and deployment steps can be achieved by the user pushing the portion of the first shaft 24 that protrudes from the base end opening 81 of the outer cylinder 22 toward the tip. The movement step can be achieved by the user sliding the operating part 51 toward the tip.

[0146] As shown in Figure 10, when the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22, the movement restricting portion 23 causes the tip of the second shaft 48 to come into contact with the first support portion 26, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48. As a result, when the user moves the first carrier member 18 toward the tip, the first carrier member 18 and the second carrier member 20 move together toward the tip. This prevents the second support portion 50 and the medical sheet 300 from protruding from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22. This prevents the medical sheet 300 housed inside the outer cylinder 22 from being pushed and damaged by the tip of the second shaft 48. Therefore, the medical sheet 300 can be efficiently transported to the transplant target portion 402 without damaging it.

[0147] The movement restricting portion 23 is a pressing portion 56 that constitutes the tip of the second shaft 48. With the first support portion 26 housed inside the outer cylinder 22, the pressing portion 56 presses the first support portion 26 against the inner surface 78 of the outer cylinder 22. As a result, the pressing portion 56 constituting the movement restricting portion 23 and the first support portion 26 are in close contact with each other in the radial direction, thus constraining the relative displacement between the first support portion 26 and the second shaft 48. With the first support portion 26 protruding from the tip of the outer cylinder 22, the second shaft 48 can be moved axially relative to the first shaft 24.

[0148] Since the pressing portion 56 is formed from an elastic material, it is possible to effectively bring the pressing portion 56 into close contact with the first support portion 26.

[0149] In a cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the second shaft 48, the pressing portion 56 has a pair of straight portions 621, 622 and a pair of convex portions 641, 642 provided on both sides of the pair of straight portions 621, 622. The first length D1 along the extending direction of the straight portions 621, 622 is longer than the second length D2 (see Figure 5). As a result, when the first support portion 26 is housed in the outer cylinder 22, the pair of convex portions 641, 642 provided on both sides of the straight portions 621, 622 push the first support portion 26 toward the outer cylinder 22, thereby making the first support portion 26 and the carrier holding portion 54 more tightly fitted together.

[0150] As shown in Figure 1, the tip of the second shaft 48 is provided with a sheet-like second support portion 50, which includes a second support surface 74 capable of holding the medical sheet 300. The second support portion 50 is movable relative to the first support portion 26 between a retracted position that overlaps the first support surface 261 and an extended position that is located further forward (in the direction of arrow X1) than the first support surface 261. With this configuration, the medical sheet 300 can be moved along the first support surface 261 of the first support portion 26 by the second support portion 50 having the second support surface 74.

[0151] As shown in Figure 9, in the housing position (first position), the second support portion 50 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22 by bending and deforming together with the first support portion 26. With this configuration, even if the second support portion 50 has a width dimension, it is possible to suitably house the second support portion 50 together with the first support portion 26 inside the outer cylinder 22 during the housing process.

[0152] A carrier holding portion 54 is provided at the tip of the second shaft 48 to hold the base end of the second support portion 50. If the carrier holding portion 54 is not vertically symmetrical and the second support portion 50 is held at the lower end of the carrier holding portion 54, the user rotates the second shaft 48, reversing the vertical direction of the second support portion 50, and the second support portion 50 is positioned above the carrier holding portion 54. In this case, the second support portion 50 lifts up relative to the first support surface 261 of the first support portion 26, and the first support portion 26 and the second support portion 50 separate in the vertical direction.

[0153] In contrast, as shown in Figure 5, in a cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the second shaft 48, the carrier holding portion 54 is formed symmetrically (up and down) with respect to the center line C of the carrier holding portion 54. Furthermore, the carrier holding portion 54 holds the second support portion 50 on the center line C. Therefore, even if the vertical direction of the second support portion 50 is reversed by the user rotating the second shaft 48, the lifting of the second support portion 50 from the first support surface 261 of the first support portion 26 can be suppressed compared to a configuration in which the second support portion 50 is held at the lower end of the carrier holding portion 54. As a result, the medical sheet 300 can be stably implanted by the second support portion 50.

[0154] In a cross-section perpendicular to the protruding direction of the first protrusion 38 and perpendicular to the first support surface 261, each cross-section of the first protrusion 38 has an intermediate portion 443 that forms the space between the free end 442 and the fixed end 441 of the first protrusion 38, which bulges out in a convex shape in the direction away from the first support surface 261. This configuration ensures that the first support portion 26 is reliably curved into a heart shape when housed in the outer cylinder 22. This prevents damage to the medical sheet 300 caused by the first support portion 26 deforming into a shape other than a heart shape.

[0155] If the intermediate portion 443 on the back surface 462 of the first support portion 26 is curved so as to be concave toward the first support surface 261, it is rare but possible that the first support portion 26 may not bend into the appropriate heart shape within the outer cylinder 22. For example, the free end 442 (front surface 461) of one first protrusion 38 may ride up onto the fixed end 441 (back surface 462) of the other first protrusion 38 that has been curved, causing the free end 442 to bend in a V-shape toward the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22. In the transfer device 10, the intermediate portion 443 is shaped to bulge out in a convex manner toward the direction away from the first support surface 261, thus preventing the V-shaped bending of the first support portion 26.

[0156] By forming the intermediate portion 443 of the pair of first protrusions 38 in an arc shape, the first protrusions 38 having an outward-bulging shape can be easily formed.

[0157] As the curvature R of the intermediate portion 443 of the first projection 38 increases toward the base end direction of the first support portion 26 (direction of arrow X2), the widthwise spacing W between the first projections 38 at the tip end of the first projection 38 can be widened. This makes it easier to place the medical sheet 300 on the first support surface 261 of the first support portion 26 through the tip support portion 42.

[0158] As shown in Figure 3, the distance W between the pair of bent portions 444 in the width direction of the first support portion 26 decreases toward the base end. Therefore, when the first support portion 26 is housed in the outer cylinder 22 from the base end side, the pair of first protrusions 38 can be suitably curved into a conical shape by contact with the outer cylinder 22. Consequently, interference between the base ends of the pair of bent portions 444 is suppressed, allowing the first support portion 26 to be smoothly housed in the outer cylinder 22 from the base end side.

[0159] When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first support surface 261, the tip of the first support portion 26 is arc-shaped, connecting the pair of second protrusions 40. Compared to a configuration in which the tip of the first support portion 26 has a corner, this configuration reduces the sliding resistance between the first support portion 26 and the outer cylinder 22 when the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22. When moving the first support portion 26 in the direction of the tip (arrow X1 direction) and placing the medical sheet 300 on the first support portion 26, the work can be performed smoothly by gradually inserting the first support portion 26 into the interface between the medical sheet 300 and the petri dish 401 (container).

[0160] The following describes the transfer device 170. Unless otherwise specified, elements already described in the transfer device 10 will be given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in the description of the transfer device 170, explanations that overlap with those in the transfer device 10 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0161] Figures 24 to 27 are perspective views of the transfer device 170.

[0162] The transfer device 170 comprises an outer cylinder 22, a first carrier member 18, a second carrier member 20, a movement restricting section 23, and a movement range restricting section 94. The first carrier member 18 has a first shaft 24. The second carrier member 20 has a carrier holding section 54 (third engaging section 96) and a second shaft 48. In the transfer device 170, the third engaging section 96 (engaging section) is an essential component.

[0163] In the transfer device 170, the axial length of the outer cylinder 22 is longer than the axial lengths of the first carrier member 18 and the second carrier member 20. Also, the axial length of the outer cylinder 22 of the first shaft 24 is shorter than the axial length of the second shaft 48.

[0164] Therefore, the first shaft 24 is positioned inside the outer cylinder 22 along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. The second shaft 48 is inserted through the first shaft 24 inside the outer cylinder 22 and extends along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. Inside the outer cylinder 22, the second shaft 48 protrudes in the direction of the base end from a base end opening formed at the base end 24b of the first shaft 24.

[0165] In the first position, the first and second shafts 24 and 48 are housed inside the outer cylinder 22 (see Figure 24). In the second position, the tips of the first and second shafts 24 and 48 are exposed in the direction toward the tip from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22. In this case, in the second position, the base ends of the first and second shafts 24 and 48 are located inside the outer cylinder 22. Therefore, throughout the entire range of motion of the first and second shafts 24 and 48 relative to the outer cylinder 22, the base ends of the first and second shafts 24 and 48 are located inside the outer cylinder 22. Consequently, the base ends of the first and second shafts 24 and 48 do not protrude in the direction toward the base from the base end 22b of the outer cylinder 22.

[0166] The outer cylinder 22 has a notch 171 formed along its axial direction. The notch 171 is formed along its axial direction between the tip and base end 22b of the outer cylinder 22. The notch 171 is a groove that communicates with the inner lumen 78 of the outer cylinder 22.

[0167] An operating part 175 is provided on the portion of the second shaft 48 that protrudes from the base end opening of the first shaft 24. The operating part 175 is located at the base end of the second shaft 48. The operating part 175 protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder 22 through a notch 171. It is slidable along the notch 171.

[0168] The movement range restricting section 94 defines the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft 24 in the axial direction with respect to the outer cylinder 22. The movement range restricting section 94 has a protrusion 177 provided on the first shaft 24. The protrusion 177 protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder 22 through a notch 171 at a position further forward than the operating section 175. The protrusion 177 is slidable along the notch 171.

[0169] In this case, the relative range of movement between the outer cylinder 22 and the first shaft 24 along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22 is limited based on the length of the notch 171. The tip position of the relative range of movement of the first shaft 24 is defined by the tip of the notch 171 on the tip side (the tip position on the side in the direction of arrow X1). Specifically, when the protrusion 177 slides along the direction of arrow X1 and contacts the tip of the notch 171, the contact position of the protrusion 177 is the tip position of the relative range of movement of the first shaft 24. Therefore, when the protrusion 177 contacts the tip of the notch 171, the movement of the first shaft 24 in the tip direction is limited.

[0170] Furthermore, the relative range of movement between the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22 is limited based on the length of the notch 171. The base end position of the relative range of movement of the second shaft 48 is defined by the base end of the notch 171 on the base end side (the base end position on the side in the direction of arrow X2). Also, the tip position of the relative range of movement of the second shaft 48 is defined by the tip side of the notch 171 and the first shaft 24. Specifically, when the convex portion 177 is in contact with the tip of the notch 171, the position of the operating portion 175 when it slides in the tip direction and contacts the base end portion 24b of the first shaft 24 is the tip position of the relative range of movement of the second shaft 48. Therefore, when the operating portion 175 contacts the first shaft 24, the movement of the second shaft 48 in the tip direction is limited.

[0171] Figure 24 shows the transfer device 170 with the first and second carrier members 18 and 20 in their first positions. From the state shown in Figure 24, the user can slide the operating part 175 toward the tip to move the first carrier member 18 and the second carrier member 20 together toward the tip with respect to the outer cylinder 22.

[0172] Figure 25 shows the transfer device 170 in a state where the protrusion 177 has reached the tip of the notch 171. In the state shown in Figure 25, the second carrier member 20 has reached the second position, and the first support portion 26 and the second support portion 50 are both extended. In the state shown in Figure 25, even if the user slides the operating portion 175 further toward the tip, the first carrier member 18 does not move relative to the outer cylinder 22. On the other hand, in the state shown in Figure 25, if the user slides the operating portion 175 further toward the tip, the second carrier member 20 moves relative to the outer cylinder 22 toward the tip.

[0173] Thus, when the protrusion 177 reaches the tip of the notch 171, the first carrier member 18 cannot move relative to the outer cylinder 22 in the tip direction. On the other hand, even when the protrusion 177 reaches the tip of the notch 171, the second carrier member 20 can move relative to the outer cylinder 22 in the tip direction.

[0174] When the user slides the operating part 175 further toward the tip, the operating part 175 comes into contact with the base end 24b of the first shaft 24, thereby preventing the relative movement of the second shaft 48 toward the tip with respect to the outer cylinder 22.

[0175] The width W54 of at least a portion of the carrier holding portion 54, which is the third engaging portion 96, is larger than the inner diameter D24 of the first shaft 24 (see also Figure 3). Therefore, the user can engage the first shaft 24 with the carrier holding portion 54, which is the third engaging portion 96, by sliding the operating portion 175 toward the base end (X2) from the state shown in Figure 26 (see also Figure 27). With the first shaft 24 and the carrier holding portion 54 engaged, the transfer device 170 can be returned to the state shown in Figure 24 by further sliding the operating portion 175 toward the base end.

[0176] Next, a modified example of the transfer device 170 will be described.

[0177] As shown in Figure 28, the range of motion restricting portion 94 may have an outer protrusion 178 and an inner protrusion 180. The outer protrusion 178 is formed on the outer cylinder 22. The outer protrusion 178 projects inward from the outer cylinder 22 so as to partially narrow the inner diameter of the outer cylinder 22. On the other hand, the inner protrusion 180 is formed on the first shaft 24. The inner protrusion 180 projects outward from the first shaft 24 so as to partially expand the outer diameter of the first shaft 24. The inner protrusion 180 is located closer to the base end than the outer protrusion 178.

[0178] The outer projection 178 interferes with (engages with) the inner projection 180 when the first shaft 24 moves relative to the outer cylinder 22 in the tip direction. By interfering with the outer projection 178, the inner projection 180 prevents the first shaft 24 from moving relative to the outer cylinder 22 in the tip direction. In this way, the position of the second carrier member 20 when the outer projection 178 and the inner projection 180 are interfering can be defined as the tip position of the relative movement range of the second carrier member 20.

[0179] As shown in Figure 29, the movement range restricting section 94 may be a connecting member 95. The connecting member 95 is a string-like or wire-like member. The connecting member 95 is connected to the outer cylinder 22 and the first carrier member 18. One end of the connecting member 95 is fixed to the outer cylinder 22. The other end of the connecting member 95 is fixed to the base end 24b of the first shaft 24 of the first carrier member 18, for example. More specifically, one end of the connecting member 95 is bonded to the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22. The other end of the connecting member 95 is bonded to the base end 24b of the first shaft 24. The other end of the connecting member 95 may be connected to the outer surface of the first shaft 24 or to the inner surface of the first shaft 24.

[0180] The connecting member 95 is flexible. Therefore, when the user slides the operating part 175 toward the base end, causing the first shaft 24 to move relative to the outer cylinder 22 toward the base end, the connecting member 95 can bend. This allows the first shaft 24 and the outer cylinder 22 to move relative to each other such that the base end 24b of the first shaft 24 and the base end 22b of the outer cylinder 22 move closer together.

[0181] On the other hand, when the user slides the operating part 175 toward the tip, causing the first shaft 24 to move relative to the outer cylinder 22 toward the tip, the connecting member 95 gradually tightens in accordance with the increasing distance between the base end 22b of the outer cylinder 22 and the base end 24b of the first shaft 24. The tightened connecting member 95 prevents the distance between the base end 22b of the outer cylinder 22 and the base end 24b of the first shaft 24 from becoming greater than the axial length of the connecting member 95. In this way, the connecting member 95 defines the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft 24. That is, the position of the first shaft 24 when the connecting member 95 is tensed to its maximum extent is defined as the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft 24.

[0182] Such a connecting member 95 can be realized, for example, by a rigid resin film. The rigid resin used as the material for the film is, for example, polyimide, but is not limited to this. A rigid resin film is flexible and has superior durability compared to threads, etc. Also, a rigid resin film is less stretchable compared to rubber, elastomers, etc. Therefore, a rigid resin film can more accurately define the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft 24 with respect to the outer cylinder 22 compared to rubber, elastomers, etc. The connecting member 95 may be connected to a part of the first shaft 24 other than the base end 24b. Furthermore, the connecting member 95 may be connected to a part of the outer cylinder 22 other than the base end 22b.

[0183] As shown above, in the configuration of Figure 29, the movement range restricting section 94 has a string-like or wire-like connecting member 95 connected to the outer cylinder 22 and the first carrier member 18. This makes it possible to define the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft 24 with respect to the outer cylinder 22 with a simple configuration.

[0184] In the configuration shown in Figure 30, a handle 179 is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 22. The handle 179 is a rectangular housing that extends along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. A notch 181 is formed in the handle 179. The notch 181 extends along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. A switch operating part 182, which is an operating part 175, is positioned on the handle 179. The switch operating part 182 is connected to the second shaft 48 via the notch 181 and the notch 171 in the outer cylinder 22. When the user slides the switch operating part 182 along the notch 181, the second shaft 48 can be moved in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22.

[0185] In the configuration shown in Figure 31, a handle 183 is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 22. The handle 183 is a rectangular housing that extends along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22. The handle 183 is provided with a dial 184, which is an operating part 175. Inside the handle 183 is a power transmission mechanism including gears, etc. The dial 184 is connected to the power transmission mechanism. The dial 184 is connected to the second shaft 48 via the power transmission mechanism. When the user operates the dial 184, the power transmission mechanism converts the rotational force of the dial 184 into an axial force of the outer cylinder 22. As a result, the second shaft 48 and the handle 183 can be moved in the axial direction of the outer cylinder 22 based on the force converted by the power transmission mechanism.

[0186] The transfer device 170 has the following effects:

[0187] As shown in Figures 24 to 27, the transfer device 170, like the transfer device 10 (see Figure 1), is equipped with a second carrier member 20. Therefore, the medical sheet 300 can be transferred from the first support part 26 to the target part 402 of the living body using the second carrier member 20 without using other devices (such as forceps). This allows for efficient transfer of the medical sheet 300 to the target part 402 of the living body.

[0188] Furthermore, the operating portion 175 provided on the second shaft 48 protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder 22 through the notch 171. As a result, when the user slides the operating portion 175 along the notch 171 toward the tip, the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 can be moved toward the tip. Consequently, the first support portion 26 can be made to protrude from the tip opening 80 of the outer cylinder 22.

[0189] Furthermore, since the transfer device 170 is equipped with a movement restricting unit 23 and a movement range restricting unit 94, when the user slides the operating unit 175 toward the tip, the medical sheet 300 can be transferred to the transplant target unit 402. This allows the medical sheet 300 supported by the first support unit 26 to be efficiently transferred to the transplant target unit 402. In addition, relative movement between the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 is restricted between the first position and the second position, so that the second shaft 48 alone does not move toward the tip while the first support unit 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22.

[0190] Furthermore, since the transfer device 170 is equipped with a third engagement portion 96, the first carrier member 18 and the second carrier member 20 can be housed in the outer cylinder 22 simply by the user sliding the operating portion 175 toward the base end.

[0191] Furthermore, since the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 are housed within the outer cylinder 22, and only the operating section 175 protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder 22 through the notch 171, the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48 are not exposed from the base end 22b of the outer cylinder 22. As a result, the user only needs to slide the operating section 175 in the axial direction, so there is no confusion as to which part to operate.

[0192] Thus, the transfer device 170 allows for easy operation by the user and prevents user error.

[0193] Furthermore, in the transfer device 170, in the state before the first support portion 26 is extended toward the tip of the outer cylinder 22 (see Figure 24), the movement restricting portion 23 causes the tip of the second shaft 48 to come into contact with the first support portion 26, thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24 and the second shaft 48.

[0194] Furthermore, in the transfer device 170, when the first support portion 26 is housed inside the outer cylinder 22, the first support portion 26 is pressed against the inner surface of the outer cylinder 22 by the pressing portion 56, which is the tip of the second shaft 48, thereby preventing only the second shaft 48 from moving toward the tip relative to the outer cylinder 22.

[0195] Furthermore, in the transfer device 170, when the first support portion 26 is housed within the outer cylinder 22, the first fitting portion 104 and the second fitting portion 106 are fitted together (see also Figure 16), thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24, which has the first support portion 26, and the second shaft 48. Also, when the fitting between the first fitting portion 104 and the second fitting portion 106 is released in the second position, the second shaft 48 becomes movable toward the tip relative to the first support portion 26.

[0196] Furthermore, in the transfer device 170, in the first position where the first support portion 26 is housed within the outer cylinder 22, the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 are engaged in the axial direction (see also Figures 17A and 17B), thereby preventing relative axial movement between the first shaft 24 having the first support portion 26 and the second shaft 48. Also, when the engagement between the first engaging portion 124 and the second engaging portion 126 is released in the second position, the second shaft 48 becomes movable toward the tip relative to the first support portion 26.

[0197] Furthermore, in the transfer device 170, when the protrusion 177 slides along the notch 171 toward the tip, the protrusion 177 comes into contact with the tip of the notch 171, thereby restricting the movement of the first shaft 24 toward the tip (see Figure 25). This prevents the first shaft 24 from protruding more than necessary toward the tip from the outer cylinder 22.

[0198] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 29, the transfer device 170 may have a string-like or wire-like connecting member 95 connected to the outer cylinder 22 and the first carrier member 18. This allows the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft 24 to be defined with a simple configuration.

[0199] Furthermore, in the transfer device 170, when the second carrier member 20 moves from the second position toward the first position, a portion of the third engaging portion 96 engages with the tip opening 25 of the first shaft 24. By engaging the third engaging portion 96 with the tip opening 25, the first carrier member 18 can move relative to the outer cylinder 22 toward the base end, integrally with the second carrier member 20.

[0200] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 25 to 27, the transfer device 170 can also move the medical sheet 300 along the first support portion 26 using the second support portion 50 which has a second support surface 74.

[0201] Furthermore, in the transfer device 170, the second support portion 50 may be curved and deformed together with the first support portion 26 inside the outer cylinder 22 and housed in the first position (see also Figure 11), so even if the second support portion 50 has a width dimension, it can be suitably housed inside the outer cylinder 22.

[0202] Let's explain the effects of the transfer device 170 in more detail.

[0203] As shown in Figures 24 and 25, in the transfer device 170, when moving the second carrier member 20 from the first position to the second position, the operating unit 175 is slid toward the tip, causing the second shaft 48 to move relative to the outer cylinder 22 toward the tip. As a result, the first carrier member 18 and the second carrier member 20 move together toward the tip. Therefore, in the preparation process, deployment process, transfer process, etc. (see Figure 6), the user can achieve this simply by sliding the operating unit 175 toward the tip. Note that in the transfer process, the relative movement of the first shaft 24 toward the tip of the outer cylinder 22 is restricted by the transfer range restricting unit 94.

[0204] Furthermore, in the storage process, removal process, etc. (see Figure 6), when moving the second carrier member 20 from the second position to the first position, the operating part 175 can be slid in the direction of the base end. This allows the carrier holding part 54, which is the third engaging part 96, to engage with the tip opening 25 of the first shaft 24. If the operating part 175 is further slid in the direction of the base end while the carrier holding part 54 is engaged with the tip opening 25, the first carrier member 18 and the second carrier member 20 can be moved together in the direction of the base end.

[0205] Furthermore, the transfer device 10 and each modified example relating to the transfer device 10 may be combined with the transfer device 170 within a range that is not inconsistent.

[0206] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the disclosure described above, and can take various configurations without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0207] 10, 100, 120, 130, 150, 160, 170...transfer equipment 18…First carrier member 20...Second carrier member 22…Outer cylinder 22b... Base end of the outer cylinder 23, 102, 122... Movement control department 24…First shaft 24b... Base end of the first shaft 26, 132...first support part 48...Second shaft 51, 175...Operation unit 81... Base end opening of the outer cylinder 94... Movement range restriction section 96...Engaging part (third engaging part) 97, 171... Notches 261...1st support surface 300... Medical sheet 402... Transplant target area (treatment target area)

Claims

1. A transfer device for transferring a medical sheet to a part of a living body to be treated, Outer cylinder and A first carrier member having a first shaft that extends in the axial direction of the outer cylinder and is arranged inside the outer cylinder so as to be movable along the axial direction, and a sheet-like first support portion arranged at the tip of the first shaft and including a first support surface capable of holding the medical sheet, A second carrier member having the outer cylinder and the first shaft, a second shaft extending along the first shaft and movable along the first shaft, and a sheet-like second support portion provided at the tip of the second shaft, including a second support surface capable of holding the medical sheet, Equipped with, In a first position where the first and second shafts are moved in the base end direction relative to the outer cylinder so that the first support portion is housed within the outer cylinder, the first support portion is housed within the outer cylinder in a curved and deformed state. In a second position where the first and second shafts are moved toward the tip relative to the outer cylinder so that the first support portion protrudes from the tip opening of the outer cylinder, the first support portion unfolds by being exposed toward the tip from the outer cylinder. The outer cylinder is provided with a notch formed along the axial direction, The portion of the second shaft that protrudes from the base end opening of the first shaft is provided with an operating part that protrudes to the outside of the outer cylinder through the notch and slides along the notch. The aforementioned transfer device is Between the first position and the second position, a movement restricting unit restricts the relative movement of the first shaft and the second shaft in the axial direction, A movement range restricting section that defines the tip position of the relative movement range of the first shaft in the axial direction with respect to the outer cylinder, An engaging portion is provided on the second carrier member, which engages with the first carrier member when the second carrier member moves from the second position toward the first position, causing the first carrier member to move toward the base end; A transport device that is further equipped with these features.

2. In the transfer device according to claim 1, A transfer device wherein the movement restricting portion contacts the first support portion and the tip of the second shaft between the first position and the second position, thereby restricting the relative movement of the first shaft and the second shaft in the axial direction.

3. In the transfer device according to claim 2, The movement restricting portion is a pressing portion formed by the tip of the second shaft, A transfer device in which, with the first support portion housed within the outer cylinder, the pressing portion presses the first support portion against the inner surface of the outer cylinder, thereby restraining the relative displacement between the first support portion and the second shaft.

4. In the transfer device according to claim 2, The movement restricting portion comprises a first fitting portion provided on the first support portion and a second fitting portion provided on the tip portion of the second shaft, With the first support portion housed within the outer cylinder, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted together, thereby restraining the relative displacement between the first support portion and the second shaft. A transport device in which the engagement between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion is released when the first support portion is deployed at the second position.

5. In the transfer device according to claim 2, The movement restricting portion comprises a first engaging portion provided on the surface of the first support portion including the first support surface, and a second engaging portion formed on the tip of the second shaft. With the first support portion housed within the outer cylinder, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion face each other in the axial direction of the second shaft, and the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are engaged in the axial direction, thereby constraining the relative displacement between the first support portion and the second shaft. A transfer device in which, when the first support portion is deployed at the second position, the engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is released without the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion facing each other in the axial direction.

6. In the transfer device according to claim 1, The movement range restricting portion is provided on the first shaft and has a protrusion that extends to the outside of the outer cylinder through the notch and is slidable along the notch. A transfer device in which the position of the tip of the notch in the axial direction is the tip position of the relative movement range.

7. In the transfer device according to claim 1, The movement range restricting section is a transport device having a string-like or wire-like connecting member connected to the outer cylinder and the first carrier member.

8. In the transfer device according to claim 1, The first shaft has a tubular shape, The second shaft has a shaft body that is inserted through the first shaft, The engagement portion extends from the tip of the shaft body, A transfer device wherein at least a portion of the engaging portion is located on the tip side of the first shaft, and its dimension in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction is greater than the inner diameter of the first shaft.

9. In the transfer device according to claim 2, A transfer device wherein the second support portion is movable relative to the first support portion between a retracted position overlapping the first support surface and an extended position located further forward than the first support surface.

10. In the transfer device according to claim 9, A transfer device in which, at the first position, the second support portion is housed inside the outer cylinder in a curved deformation together with the first support portion.

Images