Bending structure and joint function part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459139-B2
Application number	US-202117799384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2021
Priority date	Feb 13, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

Provided are a bending structure and a joint function part, capable of stabilizing bending operation and simplifying a structure. An inner coiled part is located into an outer coiled part. The outer coiled part and the inner coiled part have a plurality of gaps distancing adjacent coils in an axial direction, and the coils of the inner coiled part fit between the adjacent coils of the outer coiled part while being in contact with the adjacent coils. A dimension (P) is set in a range meeting π(R)/4(N)≤P<(d)−π(R)/4(N) in which (P) is the dimension of a gap of the outer coiled part in the axial direction in a free state, (N) is the number of turns of the outer coiled part, (R) is a diameter of the outer coiled part, and (d) is a wire diameter of the wire of the inner coiled part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A bending structure being bendable with respect to an axial direction, comprising:
an outer coiled part formed of a wire which is wound in a coiled shape to have a plurality of coils in the axial direction; and an inner coiled part formed of a wire which is wound in a coiled shape to have a plurality of coils in the axial direction and located inside the outer coiled part, wherein the outer coiled part has a plurality of gaps to distance adjacent coils in the axial direction, the coils of the inner coiled part are provided so as to correspond to the gaps of the outer coiled part and fit between the adjacent coils of the outer coiled part while being in contact with the adjacent coils of the outer coiled part, and a dimension (P) is set in a range meeting π(R)/4(N)≤P<(d)−π(R)/4(N) in which (P) is the dimension of a gap of the outer coiled part in the axial direction in a free state, (N) is the number of turns of the outer coiled part, (R) is a diameter of the outer coiled part, and (d) is a wire diameter of the wire of the inner coiled part.

2 . The bending structure according to claim 1 , wherein
a sectional shape of the wire of the outer coiled part is a circular arc on at least an inner side in a diametral direction of the coiled shape, and a sectional shape of the wire of the inner coiled part is a circular arc on at least an outer side in a diametral direction of the coiled shape.

3 . The bending structure according to claim 2 , wherein
a contact angle between a coil of the outer coiled part located in a bent portion and a coil of the inner coiled part being in contact with said coil of the outer coiled part is 30 degrees or more when the bending structure is bent at 90 degrees, and the contact angle is an angle between a tangent and a line, the tangent between the coils of the inner and the outer coiled parts being in contact with each other, and the line connecting a center of bending of the bending structure and a center of said coil of the outer coiled part.

4 . The bending structure according to claim 3 , wherein
an overlapping amount between the wire of the outer coiled part and the wire of the inner coiled part in the axial direction in the free state is set in a range meeting (a)≤0.3 (D) in which (a) is the overlapping amount, and (D) is a diameter of the wire of the outer coiled part.

5 . A joint function part to which the bending structure according to claim 1 is applied, comprising:
a base part and a movable part displaceable relative to the base part, wherein
the bending structure is provided between the base part and the movable part to bend according to displacement of the movable part relative to the base part.

Assignees

• Nhk Spring Co Ltd

Inventors

• Otsuka Motoyuki
• Hirata Takafumi
• Kurokawa Shimpei
• Hotoda Yuki

Classifications

• A61M25/0138

  having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils · CPC title

• A61B2017/2905

  flexible · CPC title

• A61B2034/301

  for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes · CPC title

• F16F2228/001

  Specific functional characteristics in numerical form or in the form of equations · CPC title

• B25J9/104

  with cables, chains or ribbons · CPC title