JP7741568B2 - Cover and clamp device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cover for a forceps device.

In recent years, proposals have been made to use robots (manipulators) in medical procedures to reduce the burden on surgeons and manpower requirements at medical facilities. In the field of surgery, proposals have been made for surgical manipulator systems in which surgeons operate remotely controlled surgical manipulators to treat patients.

Various surgical tools are attached to the tip of surgical manipulators, including forceps used to grasp human tissue during surgery. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a surgical tool cover, which is a cylindrically shaped component that covers at least the periphery of the base of a surgical tool.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-195402

However, the surgical instrument covers mentioned above are made of flexible materials such as rubber that can be used in endoscopic surgery. As a result, when inserting or removing a surgical instrument through a trocar, the cover may get caught on the end of the trocar, and in some cases, the cover may come off the surgical instrument.

The present invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and one of its exemplary purposes is to provide a new technology that makes it difficult for covers to come off surgical instruments such as forceps devices.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment of the cover of the present invention is a tubular cover attached to a forceps device having a treatment section for treating a target, and includes a first covering section that covers the distal end including the treatment section, and a second covering section that covers the proximal end of the distal end. Compared to the first covering section, the second covering section is configured to have lower sliding friction with the trocar if it gets caught on the trocar when inserting or removing the forceps device.

The second covering portion, which is closer to the base of the forceps device than the first covering portion, is more likely to peel off when caught on the trocar than the first covering portion. According to this aspect, the second covering portion has a configuration that provides lower sliding friction with the trocar than the first covering portion. Therefore, even if the second covering portion of the cover comes into contact with the trocar when inserting or removing the forceps device, the force it receives from the trocar is reduced, making it less likely for the cover to come off the forceps device. Here, a configuration that provides low sliding friction includes materials and surface conditions that have low coefficients of dynamic and static friction.

The second covering portion may be an area where a coating material is applied to a portion of the cover surface. This allows for easy reduction of sliding friction in desired areas of the cover surface.

The coating material may contain a fluorine-based coating material or a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating material, which can reduce the sliding friction of the second coating portion.

The second coating portion may have a surface roughness Ra of 6.3 μm or less.

The second covering portion may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, silicone rubber, ethylene rubber, fluororubber, nitrile rubber, natural rubber, butyl rubber, and ceramic urethane.

Another aspect of the present invention is a forceps device. This forceps device includes a distal end having a treatment section for treating a target, a columnar part connected to the distal end, a pipe connected to the columnar part on the side opposite to the side connected to the distal end, and a cover attached from the distal end to the columnar part.

According to this aspect, even if the second covering portion of the cover comes into contact with the trocar, the force received from the trocar is reduced, thereby realizing a forceps device in which the cover is less likely to come off.

The tip may have a joint portion for the treatment section to move. The joint portion is not covered by the second covering portion. This means that the second covering portion does not directly affect the operating resistance of the treatment section, centered on the joint portion, making it easier to adjust the characteristics of the second covering portion regarding sliding friction.

In addition, any combination of the above components, and any transformation of the present invention into a method, device, system, etc., are also valid aspects of the present invention.

According to the present invention, the cover is less likely to come off the forceps device.

1 is a front view of a forceps device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2(a) and 2(b) are schematic diagrams for explaining how the joint cover is removed from the base cap. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cover according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a main part of the cover shown in FIG. 3 . 10 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a second covering portion in the forceps device according to the present embodiment. FIG. FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a main part of a cover according to a first modified example of the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a main part of a cover according to a second modified example of the present embodiment.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings based on the embodiments. The same or equivalent components, parts, and processes shown in each drawing will be given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted where appropriate. Furthermore, the embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the invention, and all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention.

(forceps device)
Fig. 1 is a front view of a forceps device according to the present embodiment. The medical forceps device 10 shown in Fig. 1 includes a pair of gripping portions 12a, 12b, a support 14 that holds the pair of gripping portions 12a, 12b, a first rotation shaft 16 that rotatably supports the support 14, a base component 18 that holds the first rotation shaft 16, four guide pulleys (not shown) arranged coaxially with the first rotation shaft 16, four jaw pulleys 20 that are held coaxially with the pair of gripping portions 12a, 12b, four wires 22 that are hung between the four guide pulleys and the four jaw pulleys 20, and two wires 24 for rotating the support 14 about the first rotation shaft 16.

The base component 18 is connected to the tip side of the base cap 26, which is a columnar component. The rear end side of the base cap 26 is connected to a pipe 28. The forceps device 10 according to this embodiment is covered with a cylindrical joint cover 30 from the support body 14 to the rear end of the base cap 26. This makes it difficult for foreign matter to get into the gaps between components such as wires and pulleys during surgery. Furthermore, in the case of a forceps device of the type that passes electricity through the gripping portions 12a and 12b to stop bleeding in the patient's tissue, an insulating joint cover 30 is used.

The base cap 26 is a cylindrical (columnar) resin part made of engineering plastic or similar material. This allows for both component strength and insulation. Specifically, materials such as PEEK (polyether ether ketone) and PEI (polyether imide) are used, but are not limited to these.

The pipe 28 is made of a material such as CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) or GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic). The joint cover 30 is preferably made of a material with high insulating properties and excellent flexibility, such as butyl rubber or silicone rubber.

As such, the forceps device 10 of this embodiment comprises a tip portion 31 having gripping portions 12a, 12b as treatment portions for treating the surgical target, a base cap 26 connected to the tip portion 31, a pipe 28 connected to the side of the base cap 26 opposite to the side connected to the tip portion 31, and a joint cover 30 attached from the tip portion 31 to the base cap 26.

Figures 2(a) and 2(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating how the joint cover is removed from the base cap. The forceps device 10 is inserted into the patient's body via a trocar 32 during laparoscopic surgery. The inserted forceps device 10 may tilt or slide inside the patient's body. As a result, a portion of the joint cover 30 (Figure 2(a)) caught on the end 32a of the trocar 32 lifts up from the recess 26a of the base cap 26 as the forceps device 10 moves in the direction of removal from the trocar 32 (Figure 2(b)). This reduces the contact area between the joint cover 30 and the recess 26a of the base cap 26, reducing friction and making it easier for the joint cover 30 to be removed.

If further force is applied to the joint cover 30 from the trocar 32 in this state, there is a possibility that the joint cover 30 will eventually come off the forceps device 10. Therefore, the forceps device 10 according to this embodiment is configured to reduce sliding friction between the joint cover 30 and the trocar 32 when the end 32a of the trocar 32 gets caught on the joint cover 30.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cover according to this embodiment. Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the cover shown in Figure 3. The joint cover 30 according to this embodiment is a tubular cover attached to a forceps device having gripping portions 12a, 12b for treating a target. The joint cover 30 has a first covering portion 30a that covers the tip portion 31, and a second covering portion 30b that covers the rear end side of the tip portion 31. Compared to the first covering portion 30a, the second covering portion 30b has a configuration that provides lower sliding friction with the trocar 32 when the forceps device 10 gets caught on the trocar 32 during insertion or removal. Here, a configuration that provides low sliding friction includes materials and surface conditions that have low coefficients of dynamic friction and static friction.

Typically, the second covering portion 30b, which is located closer to the base of the forceps device 10 (toward the pipe 28) than the first covering portion 30a, is more likely to turn over when caught on the trocar 32 than the first covering portion 30a. Therefore, the second covering portion 30b in this embodiment is configured to have lower sliding friction with the trocar 32 than the first covering portion 30a. Specifically, the first covering portion 30a is made of butyl rubber with a relatively large surface roughness Ra, and the second covering portion 30b is made of butyl rubber with a relatively small surface roughness Ra.

The second covering portion 30b has a surface roughness Ra of 6.3 μm or less. Similarly, the first covering portion 30a has a surface roughness Ra of 6.3 μm or less. In addition to the aforementioned butyl rubber, the second covering portion 30b may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, silicone rubber, ethylene rubber, fluororubber, nitrile rubber, natural rubber, and ceramic urethane.

As a result, the second covering portion 30b according to this embodiment is configured to have lower sliding friction than the first covering portion 30a that covers the tip portion 31 including the gripping portions 12a, 12b, so even if the second covering portion 30b comes into contact with the trocar 32, it is less likely to get caught on the trocar 32, making it less likely that the joint cover 30 will turn up due to partial deformation as shown in Figure 2(b). In other words, even if the second covering portion 30b of the joint cover 30 comes into contact with the trocar 32 when inserting or removing the forceps device 10, the force received from the trocar is reduced, making it less likely that the joint cover 30 will come off the forceps device 10.

The joint cover 30 according to this embodiment has a deformation suppression member 36 provided as an annular convex portion on its back surface, which is less likely to deform than the joint cover 30. Here, "less likely to deform" not only refers to cases where the material of the deformation suppression member 36 is harder than the material of the joint cover 30 (when its Young's modulus or elastic modulus is higher), but also includes cases where the shape and size of the deformation suppression member 36 are adjusted to provide a structure with higher rigidity than the joint cover 30. In such cases, the joint cover 30, whose back surface is partially supported by the deformation suppression member 36, is less likely to deform than the joint cover 30 alone. The deformation suppression member 36 is not necessarily required for the joint cover 30 according to this embodiment. The second covering portion 30b and the deformation suppression member 36 may also be integrally formed from the same material.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the second covering portion in the forceps device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the first covering portion 30a and the second covering portion 30b according to this embodiment are cylindrical or ring-shaped members. As a result, regardless of the position P in the circumferential direction of the second covering portion 30b where the trocar 32 and the forceps device 10 come into contact, the force received from the abutting trocar 32 is reduced, thereby suppressing deformation of the joint cover 30.

As shown in Figure 5, the base cap 26 has an annular recess 26a formed on its outer periphery. The aforementioned deformation suppression member 36 has a shape that fits into the recess 26a. In this way, the deformation suppression member 36, which is less likely to deform than the joint cover 30, fits into the annular recess 26a formed on the outer periphery of the base cap 26, thereby preventing a portion of the joint cover 30 from deforming and lifting up from the recess 26a of the base cap 26, as shown in Figure 2(b).

In addition, by making it difficult for the joint cover 30 to float up, the deformation suppression member 36 fitted into the recess 26a of the base cap 26 remains caught on the step 26c. In other words, the joint cover 30 provided with the deformation suppression member 36 is less likely to come off the base cap 26.

In addition, in the joint cover 30 according to this embodiment, a portion 30d of the back surface of the first covering portion 30a that covers the tip portion 31 is not covered with the deformation suppression member 36. Even if the end portion 32a of the trocar 32 bites into the tip side of the joint cover 30, the back surface of which is not covered with the deformation suppression member 36, the joint cover 30 at the tip portion 31 is less likely to bend (deform), so a material with relatively higher slidability than the second covering portion 30b can be used for the first covering portion 30a.

As shown in Figure 1, the distal end portion 31 of this embodiment is provided with a first rotation axis 16, which serves as a joint when bending the entire gripping portions 12a and 12b, which are the treatment portions, and a second rotation axis 38, which serves as a joint when opening and closing the gripping portions 12a and 12b. The joint portion of the joint cover 30 of this embodiment is not covered by the second covering portion 30b. Therefore, the second covering portion 30b does not directly affect the operating resistance of the treatment portion, centered on the joint portion, making it easier to adjust the characteristics of the second covering portion regarding sliding friction.

Next, the diameter and length of each part will be explained. The diameter d1 of the pipe-side end face 30c of the joint cover 30 in this embodiment is set within the range of 8.4±1.5 mm. The thickness of the joint cover 30 is set within the range of 0.5±0.3 mm. The diameter d2 of the deformation suppression member 36 is set within the range of 7.8±1.5 mm. The thickness of the deformation suppression member 36 is set within the range of 0.5±0.3 mm. The end face 30c of the joint cover 30 is preferably covered by the end face 28a of the pipe 28. The diameter d4 of the pipe 28 is set within the range of 8.4±1.5 mm.

The diameter d1 of the joint cover 30 is smaller than the inner diameter d5 of the trocar into which the forceps device 10 is inserted. This allows the forceps device 10 to change position inside the trocar 32. In this embodiment, the inner diameter d5 is set in the range of 10 to 15 mm, and the effective length L2 of the trocar 32 is set in the range of 30 to 100 mm. The surface material of the trocar 32 is, for example, a resin such as polycarbonate or polyolefin, or a metal such as stainless steel.

If the diameter d1 of the joint cover 30 is too large, the positional change of the forceps device 10 relative to the trocar 32 will be small. On the other hand, if the diameter d1 is too small, the inclination α of the trocar 32 relative to the forceps device 10 will tend to be large, resulting in a large contact load (contact load) at the end 32a of the trocar 32 biting into the joint cover 30 at the contact position P. Therefore, it is recommended to set the diameter d1 of the joint cover 30, and the inner diameter d5 and effective length L2 of the trocar 32 so that the maximum inclination α is in the range of 15±5° relative to the trocar 32 through which the forceps device 10 is inserted and removed.

The base cap 26 according to this embodiment has through-holes 26b through which the wires 22 and 24 pass, which operate the opening, closing, and bending of the gripping portions 12a and 12b, which are the treatment sections. The recess 26a provided in the portion of the base cap 26 covered by the second covering portion 30b has a length L1 in the range of 7.0±3 mm, and the diameter d6 of the small diameter portion of the recess 26a is set in the range of 7.2±1.5 mm. The diameter d7 of the large diameter portion of the base cap 26 is set in the range of 7.8±1.5 mm.

The deformation suppression member 36 is preferably made of a material with high rigidity and surface sliding properties, such as a resin material containing at least one selected from the group consisting of PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PEEK (polyether ether ketone), PEI (polyetherimide), and PSU (polysulfone). This prevents the joint cover 30, which is made of a relatively soft material, from being easily attached, and suppresses deformation of the joint cover 30 due to the trocar 32 biting into it after attachment.

(First Modification)
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a main portion of a cover according to a first modified example of this embodiment. The joint cover 48 according to the first modified example has a region (second covering portion 48b) where a coating material is applied to a portion of the surface 48c on the rear end side of the first covering portion 48a. This allows the second covering portion 48b, which has low sliding friction, to be easily formed in a desired region of the surface of the joint cover 48. The coating material according to this embodiment may contain a fluorine-based coating material or a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating material. This reduces the sliding friction of the second covering portion 48b. A deformation suppressing member 36 may be provided on the rear surface of the first covering portion 48a, facing the second covering portion 48b.

(Second Modification)
FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a key portion of a cover according to a second modification of this embodiment. The joint cover 52 according to the second modification has a region (second covering portion 52b) on the surface 52c of the first covering portion 52a that has been subjected to a post-treatment to improve sliding properties. The post-treatment is, for example, a thermal or chemical treatment to improve surface smoothness (reduce the surface roughness Ra). This allows the second covering portion 52b, which has a different function and composition from the first covering portion 52a, to be formed simply by preparing the first covering portion 52a without combining two components or materials. Here, thermal treatment includes treatments such as quenching and firing. Furthermore, chemical treatment includes treatments such as exposing the material to a predetermined atmosphere (a gas atmosphere containing a large amount of a predetermined element) or applying chemicals to change the composition of the material constituting the joint cover. Another method for improving the surface smoothness of the second covering portion 30b is to smooth the surface of the mold used to mold the joint cover 30. The surface roughness Ra of the mold surface is preferably 6.3 μm or less.

The present invention has been described above with reference to the above-mentioned embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and appropriate combinations or substitutions of the configurations of the embodiments are also included in the present invention. Furthermore, based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, it is possible to appropriately rearrange the combinations and processing order in the embodiments, and to make various design changes and other modifications to the embodiments, and such modified embodiments are also within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention makes it difficult for the cover to come off the forceps device.

10 Forceps device, 12a Grip portion, 14 Support body, 16 First rotating shaft, 18 Base part, 26 Base cap, 26a Recess, 26b Through hole, 26c Step, 28 Pipe, 28a End surface, 30 Joint cover, 30a First covering portion, 30b Second covering portion, 31 Tip portion, 32 Trocar, 32a End portion, 38 Second rotating shaft.

Claims (5)

A cylindrical cover to be attached to a forceps device having a treatment section at a tip thereof for treating a target,
a first covering portion that covers a distal end portion including the treatment portion;
a second covering portion that covers a rear end side of the tip portion,
the second covering portion is configured to have lower sliding friction with the trocar when the second covering portion gets caught on the trocar during insertion or removal of the forceps device, compared to the first covering portion;
the second covering portion is a region where a coating material is applied to a part of the cover surface,
The cover is characterized in that the coating material contains a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating material. The cover described in claim 1, characterized in that the second covering portion has a surface roughness Ra of 6.3 μm or less. A cylindrical cover to be attached to a forceps device having a treatment unit for treating a target,
a first covering portion that covers a distal end portion including the treatment portion;
a second covering portion that covers a rear end side of the tip portion,
the second covering portion is configured to have lower sliding friction with the trocar when the second covering portion gets caught on the trocar during insertion or removal of the forceps device, compared to the first covering portion;
The cover is characterized in that the second covering portion contains at least one selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, ethylene rubber, fluororubber, nitrile rubber, natural rubber, butyl rubber, and ceramic urethane. a distal end portion having a treatment portion for treating a target;
a columnar part connected to the tip portion;
a pipe connected to the columnar part on the side opposite to the side connected to the tip end portion;
The cover according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is attached from the tip portion to the columnar part;
A forceps device comprising: the distal end portion has a joint portion for operating the treatment portion,
The forceps device according to claim 4, wherein the joint portion is not covered with the second covering portion.