Opening/closing unit drive mechanism for chemical-liquid circuit, and chemical-liquid injector
Inventors
Nemoto, Shigeru • FUKIKOSHI, Yumiko • Ueki, Jun • Saitoh, Yasufumi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12296142-B2
Publication Date
2025-05-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
A safe and easy handling of a chemical-liquid circuit having various components. The opening/closing unit drive mechanism includes an opening/closing unit holder which detachably holds an opening/closing unit which includes a housing having flow channels and a piston for opening and closing the flow channels which is movably provided to the housing, a hook to be engaged with the piston of the opening/closing unit, which is disposed leaving a space from the opening/closing unit holder, and a linear motion mechanism which moves the hook back and forth. The opening/closing unit holder is movably supported between a first position at which the piston is engaged with the hook and a second position at which the piston is not engaged with the hook.
Core Innovation
A chemical-liquid injector includes a chemical-liquid circuit and an opening/closing unit that is detachably carried by an opening/closing unit holder. The opening/closing unit includes a housing and at least one piston, and the housing has a flow channel for a chemical liquid. The piston is movably held in the housing so as to open and close the flow channel with a head having a flange shape spread outward in a radial direction protruding from the housing.
A drive mechanism engages the piston with a hook and moves the engaging portion back and forth by a linear motion mechanism. The hook has a receiving portion to which the head engages. The opening/closing unit holder pivots between a first position and a second position such that, when the holder is at the first position, the piston is engaged with the hook, and when the holder is at the second position, the piston is disengaged from the hook.
The disclosure further provides example opening/closing units including a first opening/closing unit and a second opening/closing unit, and describes staged opening/closing behavior to mitigate reverse blood flow. The drive mechanism is implemented with a motor/slider and a ball screw mechanism or a linear actuator, and the system includes an opening/closing unit holder position detection sensor and an opening/closing unit detection sensor to detect holder position and whether an opening/closing unit is installed. A lighting module illuminates the installed opening/closing unit based on the opening/closing unit detection sensor.
Claims Coverage
The claim family covers eight inventive features across a detachable opening/closing unit, a hook-based engaging portion, linear back-and-forth motion, holder position behavior, a ball screw implementation, sensing, and lighting.
Detachable opening/closing unit with piston head and flow channel engagement
A holder detachably holds an opening/closing unit having a housing with a flow channel for a chemical liquid and at least one piston movably held in the housing to open and close the flow channel, where a piston has on one end a head with a flange shape spread outward in a radial direction that protrudes from the housing.
Hook receiving portion that engages the piston head
An engaging portion disposed so as to leave a space from holder includes a hook that engages with the piston, where the hook has a receiving portion to which the head engages.
Holder and engaging portion moved by a linear motion mechanism back and forth
A linear motion mechanism is configured to move the engaging portion back and forth, thereby enabling the hook to engage with and disengage from the piston head to open and close the flow channel.
Holder pivots between first position and second position for engagement and disengagement
The holder is configured to move such that it is at a first position where the piston engages the hook via the receiving portion, and at a second position where the piston is disengaged, including holder geometry with a recess arranged to receive an end portion on an opposite side from the piston head protrusion.
Ball screw implementation for the linear motion mechanism
The linear motion mechanism uses a ball screw mechanism coupled with the engaging portion.
Holder position detection sensor for first position
A unit holder position detection sensor detects when the opening/closing unit holder is at the first position.
Opening/closing unit detection sensor for installed unit presence
An opening/closing unit detection sensor detects an opening/closing unit installed in an opening/closing unit holder.
Lighting module illuminated based on opening/closing unit presence
A lighting module illuminates the opening/closing unit when the opening/closing unit detection sensor detects the presence of the opening/closing unit.
The claims center on a detachable opening/closing unit with a piston and flange-shaped head engaged by a hook, and further include linear motion of the engaging portion, holder positioning between first and second positions, a ball screw linear drive, and sensing and lighting features tied to unit presence and holder position.
Stated Advantages
Mitigates reverse blood flow through staged opening/closing behavior.
Enables illumination of the opening/closing unit based on detection of presence.
Documented Applications
Chemical-liquid injector/chemical-liquid circuit operation employing an opening/closing unit holder and drive mechanism to open and close a flow channel for a chemical liquid.
Reverse blood flow mitigation via staged opening/closing behavior in an injector context.
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