1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection mechanism for an ultrasonic-vibration generating/transmitting unit which generates and transmits ultrasonic vibration, and a production method for the ultrasonic-vibration generating/transmitting unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an ultrasonic treatment apparatus includes an ultrasonic vibrator which generates ultrasonic vibration, a probe which is connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and which is a transmitting member to transmit the ultrasonic vibration generated in the ultrasonic vibrator, and a treatment portion which is provided at the end of the probe and which treats, for example, a treatment part of a living tissue with the ultrasonic vibration transmitted by the probe. The ultrasonic vibrator and the probe serve as an ultrasonic-vibration generating/transmitting unit which generates ultrasonic vibration and which transmits the ultrasonic vibration. The ultrasonic vibrator represents one of parts constituting the ultrasonic-vibration generating/transmitting unit, and the probe represents the other part.
The ultrasonic vibrator and the probe need to be firmly coupled to each other so that the ultrasonic vibration generated in the ultrasonic vibrator is fully transmitted to the probe. The probe including the treatment portion that has been once used needs to be replaced with a probe including a clean treatment portion for each surgical operation. Therefore, the probe is removable from the ultrasonic vibrator unit.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-224252 has disclosed a surgical handpiece which is an example of the above ultrasonic treatment apparatus.
In the surgical handpiece according to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-224252, a joint portion and a chip portion are removable from each other. When the joint portion and the chip portion are connected to each other, a depression portion provided at the front end of the joint portion is first fitted to a projection provided at the rear end of the chip portion. A fixing thread is then fastened to a connection thread provided on the outer circumference of the distal end portion of the joint portion. As a result, a joint surface between the joint portion and the chip portion, and a joint surface between the chip portion and the fixing thread are firmly press-connected, and the joint portion and the chip portion are connected to each other.
When the joint portion and the chip portion are disconnected from each other, the fixing thread is separated from the connection thread provided on the outer circumference of the distal end portion of the joint portion.
An aspect of a connection mechanism for an ultrasonic-vibration generating/transmitting unit according to the present invention including a first member which has an end face at one end portion and which is provided with a first connection portion at the one end portion and which is configured to transmit ultrasonic vibration; a second member which is provided with a diametrically protruding held portion at one end portion and which is configured to transmit the ultrasonic vibration; and a cylindrical third member which connects the first member and the second member to each other, the third member comprising a protrusion portion which protrudes inward from an inner circumferential surface at one end portion and which forms a space portion between the end face and the protrusion portion while the first member is inserted from the other end portion, and a second connection portion which is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the other end portion and which is connected to the first connection portion so that the first connection portion is movable relative to the third member in the axial direction of the third member to adjust the length of the space portion formed between the end face and the protrusion portion, the third member holds the held portion between the end face and the protrusion portion thereby the third member is moved the protrusion portion relative to the first member and the protrusion portion presses the held portion against the end face while the held portion of the second member is inserted from the one end portion and the held portion is disposed in the space portion between the protrusion portion and the end face.
An aspect of a production method for an ultrasonic-vibration generating/transmitting unit according to the present invention wherein there are provided a first member which has an end face at one end portion and which is provided with a first connection portion at the one end portion and which is configured to transmit ultrasonic vibration, a second member which is provided with a diametrically protruding held portion at one end portion and which is configured to transmit the ultrasonic vibration, and a cylindrical third member which connects the first member and the second member to each other, the third member comprising a protrusion portion which protrudes inward from an inner circumferential surface at one end portion and which forms a space portion between the end face and the protrusion portion while the first member is inserted from the other end portion, and a second connection portion which is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the other end portion and which is connected to the first connection portion so that the first connection portion is movable relative to the third member in the axial direction of the third member to adjust the length of the space portion formed between the end face and the protrusion portion, the third member holds the held portion between the end face and the protrusion portion thereby the third member is moved the protrusion portion relative to the first member and the protrusion portion presses the held portion against the end face while the held portion of the second member is inserted from the one end portion and the held portion is disposed in the space portion between the protrusion portion and the end face, the production method comprising a connection process, the connection process comprising inserting the one end portion of the second member into the third member from the one end portion of the third member so that the held portion is held by the end face of the first member and the protrusion portion in the axial direction of the third member, inserting the one end portion of the first member into the third member from the other end portion of the third member so that the second connection portion is connected to the first connection portion, and thereby connecting the one end portion of the first member and the one end portion of the second member to each other.
Advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[Configuration]
The first embodiment is described with reference to
[Ultrasonic Treatment System (Hereinafter, Treatment System 10)]
As shown in
[Treatment Apparatus 20]
As shown in
[Vibrator Unit 40]
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
This vibrator 41 is, for example, a bolt-clamped Langevin type transducer (BLT).
[Probe 51]
As shown in
[Sheath Unit 60]
As shown in
The sheath 61 has, for example, a cylindrical shape. The sheath 61 includes one end portion connected to the holding portion 63 as shown in
The holding portion 63 has, for example, a cylindrical shape. The holding portion 63 includes a one end portion connected to the one end portion of the sheath 61, and the other end portion connected to the case 49. For example, inside the holding portion 63, the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 and the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 are connected to each other. In this case, the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is inserted from the one end portion side of the holding portion 63, and the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is inserted from the other end portion side of the holding portion 63.
[Treatment Portion 70]
As shown in
[Electric Source Unit 90]
The electric source unit 90 includes an ultrasonic control portion 91a which is connected to the input unit 110 and which controls an electric current for ultrasonic vibration in accordance with an input amount of the input unit 110.
[Ultrasonic-vibration Generating/Transmitting Unit (Hereinafter, Generating/Transmitting Unit 200)—Connection Mechanism 300]
As shown in
[Generating/Transmitting Unit 200]
As shown in
[Connection Mechanism 300 Provided in Vibrator 41]
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
When the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is inserted into the cylinder member 301 from a later-described cylinder-side one end portion 341a as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
[Connection Mechanism 300 Provided in Probe 51]
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The probe-side connection portion 51g is, for example, a thread groove, and is the other connection portion.
As shown in
[Components Unique to Connection Mechanism 300]
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
When the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is inserted into the cylinder-side other end portion 351a as shown in
The cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c has only to be provided in the same manner as the held portion 41c. Thus, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
That is, as shown in
As shown in
The space portion 305 has substantially the same shape as the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41. The length of the space portion 305 is D3 in the diametrical direction of the cylinder member 301. This length D3 represents the distance between one cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c and the other cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the diametrical direction of the cylinder member 301. The cylinder-side protrusion portions 341c are provided apart from each other in the diametrical direction of the cylinder member 301 so that the length D3 is substantially the same as the diameter D1, the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is inserted into the cylinder member 301 via the space portion 305 in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301.
As shown in
When the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is inserted into the cylinder member 301 from the cylinder-side other end portion 351a as shown in
The cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is also provided so that the held portion 41c is provided between the end face 511a of the one end portion 51a and a plane where the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is provided as shown in
The cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is also provided so that at least part of the abutment portion 41e is provided collinearly with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the circumferential direction of the cylinder member 301 as shown in
The insertion of the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 into the cylinder member 301 from the cylinder-side one end portion 341a represents that the held portion 41c is inserted into the cylinder member 301 via the space portion 303 in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301, and at the same time, the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is inserted into the cylinder member 301 via the space portion 305 in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301, as shown in
The cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is also provided so that the abutment portion 41e comes into abutment with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the circumferential direction of the cylinder member 301 as shown in
The cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is also provided so that the held portion 41c is provided between the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301 while the abutment portion 41e is in abutment with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c as shown in
The cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is also provided so that the held portion 41c is held between the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c as shown in
The cylinder-side connection portion 351g is, for example, a thread groove which engages with the probe-side connection portion 51g.
[Production Method for Generating/Transmitting Unit 200—
[Step 1—Process of Temporarily Connecting Cylinder Member 301 and Probe 51—
The probe-side connection portion 51g and the cylinder-side connection portion 351g are connected to each other in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301, and the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is inserted into the cylinder member 301 from the cylinder-side other end portion 351a as shown in
The one end portion 51a is inserted into the cylinder-side other end portion 351a so that the abutment portion 41e will come into abutment with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c when at least part of the abutment portion 41e is provided collinearly with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the circumferential direction of the cylinder member 301 in later-described Step 2 (see
[Step 2—Process of Inserting Vibrator 41 into Cylinder Member 301—
The held portion 41c is inserted into the cylinder member 301 via the space portion 303 in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301 as shown in
Here, the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is inserted into the cylinder member 301 from the cylinder-side one end portion 341a in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301 so that the held portion 41c is provided between the end face 511a and the plane where the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is provided in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301 as shown in
Here, the one end portion 41a is also inserted into the cylinder member 301 from the cylinder-side one end portion 341a so that the end face 411a and the end face 411c will come into abutment with the end face 511a as shown in
[Step 3—Process of Temporarily Connecting Cylinder Member 301 and Vibrator 41—
The one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is rotated halfway relative to the cylinder member 301 around the axis of the cylinder member 301 as shown in
[Step 4—Process of Connecting Vibrator 41 and Probe 51—
At least one of the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 and the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is rotated around the axis of the cylinder member 301 and further inserted into the cylinder member 301 so that the width W4 shown in
Here, for example, the one end portion 41a is rotated halfway clockwise relative to the cylinder member 301, and the one end portion 51a is rotated halfway counterclockwise relative to the cylinder member 301.
As a result, from the condition in Step 1, the probe-side connection portion 51g and the cylinder-side connection portion 351g further engage with each other, and the one end portion 51a is further inserted into the cylinder member 301 from the cylinder-side other end portion 351a as shown in
When the held portion 41c is held between the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c as shown in
As shown in
[Step 5—Process of Disconnecting Vibrator 41 and Probe 51—
From the condition in Step 4, for example, the one end portion 51a is rotated halfway clockwise relative to the cylinder member 301 so that the held portion 41c will be separated from the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c and the held portion 41c will be released from the condition in which the held portion 41c is held between the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c as shown in
The one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is then rotated, for example, halfway counterclockwise relative to the cylinder member 301 so that the abutment portion 41e will be separated from the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the circumferential direction of the cylinder member 301 and so that the held portion 41c will be provided in the space portion 303 in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301 as shown in
As shown in
[Advantageous Effects in Connection Processes (Steps 1, 2, 3, and 4)]
According to the present embodiment, the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 are connected to each other by the cylinder member 301 as described above.
However, according to the present embodiment, in the production method for the generating/transmitting unit 200, after the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 are connected to each other, it is not necessary that the probe 51 be inserted into the cylinder member 301 from the other end portion 51b of the probe 51, that the cylinder member 301 slide on the probe 51 toward the one end portion 51a from the other end portion 51b of the probe 51, that the cylinder member 301 be rotated more than once, and that the cylinder member 301 fasten the connection part between the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 by rotation.
According to the present embodiment, the vibrator 41 is temporarily connected to the cylinder member 301 as shown in Steps 2 and 3 while the cylinder member 301 is temporarily connected to the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 as shown in Step 1. Finally, as shown in Step 4, the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 then rotate halfway relative to each other, and the held portion 41c is held by the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c, so that the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 are connected to each other.
Thus, according to the present embodiment, the number of rotations of the cylinder member 301 can be reduced, and the connecting operation can be performed without any trouble.
According to the present embodiment, since the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c hold the held portion 41c in between, the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 can be firmly connected to each other without being out of alignment in the axial direction and the circumferential direction.
According to the present embodiment, since the abutment portion 41e comes into abutment with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c, the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 can be more firmly connected to each other without being out of alignment in the circumferential direction, and the rotation of the vibrator 41 can be regulated.
According to the present embodiment, since the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 can be firmly connected to each other, ultrasonic vibration can be fully transmitted to the probe 51 from the vibrator 41.
According to the present embodiment, in Step 2, since the protrusion portion 51h is fitted into the depression portion 41h, the vibrator 41 can be easily positioned relative to the probe 51. Moreover, according to the present embodiment, since the space portion 303 has substantially the same shape as the held portion 41c, and the space portion 305 has substantially the same shape as the one end portion 41a, vibrator 41 can be easily positioned relative to the probe 51.
According to the present embodiment, a manufacturer can perform the process in Step 1, for example, at a manufacturing factory, and the user who uses the treatment apparatus 20 can perform the processes in Steps 2, 3, and 4. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to save the user the trouble and improve usability.
According to the present embodiment, since, for example, the cylinder member 301 does not need to slide on the probe 51 during the connecting operation, it is possible to prevent the cylinder member 301 from being worn by sliding.
According to the present embodiment, the held portion 41c and the abutment portion 41e are provided in the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41, and the end face 411a and the end face 411c are flush, so that the cylinder member 301 can be reduced in length.
According to the present embodiment, since the end face 511a is substantially the same size as the end face 411a, ultrasonic vibration can be fully transmitted to the probe 51 from the vibrator 41.
[Advantageous Effects in Disconnection Process (Step 5)]
According to the present embodiment, the cylinder member 301 does not need to be separated from the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 as shown in Step 5. Thus, according to the present embodiment, in the disconnecting operation, the number of rotations of the cylinder member 301 can be reduced, and the disconnecting operation can be performed without any trouble.
According to the present embodiment, in the disconnecting operation, for example, the cylinder member 301 does not need to slide on the probe 51 toward the other end portion 51b from the one end portion 51a of the probe 51. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the cylinder member 301 from being worn by sliding.
According to the present embodiment, the flow returns to Step 2 after Step 5, so that the probe 51 can be quickly replaced.
According to the present embodiment, the vibrator 41 has the held portion 41c and the abutment portion 41e, and the probe 51 has the probe-side connection portion 51g. However, the present invention does not need to be limited to this. It is only necessary that one of the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 have either the held portion 41c and the abutment portion 41e or the probe-side connection portion 51g, and that the other of the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 have either the held portion 41c and the abutment portion 41e or the probe-side connection portion 51g. Accordingly, the cylinder member 301 has only to have the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c on the side of the held portion 41c and the abutment portion 41e, and have the cylinder-side connection portion 351g on the side of the probe-side connection portion 51g.
According to the present embodiment, the abutment portion 41e is provided along the axial direction of the one end portion 41a, and connected to the held portion 41c. However, it is only necessary that the abutment portion 41e can come into abutment with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in Step 3. Thus, the abutment portion 41e has only to be provided to come into abutment with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the circumferential direction of the cylinder member 301 when the held portion 41c is held by the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c. Therefore, the abutment portion 41e is not particularly limited in its location, shape, and size.
[Modifications]
According to the present embodiment, since the held portion 41c is held by the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c, the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 are firmly connected to each other without being out of alignment in the axial direction and the circumferential direction. Therefore, as shown in
When, for example, the held portion 41c alone is provided, the protrusion portion 51h and the depression portion 41h do not need to be columnar. In this case, the protrusion portion 51h and the depression portion 41h may have a shape such as a rectangular shape that prevents the vibrator 41 from being rotated relative to the probe 51. In this case, for example, in Step 4, the cylinder member 301, for example, is rotated, so that the held portion 41c is held by the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c. In this case, according to the present embodiment, the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 can be positioned in the circumferential direction, and can be firmly connected to each other without being out of alignment in the circumferential direction.
According to the first embodiment, the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is inserted into the cylinder member 301 in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301, as shown in
[Configuration]
[Vibrator 41]
As shown in
The one end portion 41a is formed by a cutout end portion 41m connected to the other end portion 41b, and a columnar edge end portion 41n which is provided coaxially with the cutout end portion 41m and which is connected to the cutout end portion 41m.
The cutout end portion 41m has the shape of a column that is partly cut out. The cutout end portion 41m has, for example, a rectangular planar portion 411m formed by being cut out. The planar portion 411m is depressed from the outer circumferential surface of the cutout end portion 41m toward the central axis of the one end portion 41a. The planar portion 411m has a length L3 in the diametrical direction of the one end portion 41a which intersects at right angles with the depression direction, and has a width L4 in the axial direction of the one end portion 41a. The planar portion 411m is connected to the circumferential surface of the cutout end portion 41m. Two planar portions 411m, for example, are provided, and are provided 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction.
The cutout end portion 41m has a section formed along a sliding direction that intersects at right angles with the plane direction of the planar portion 411m. This section is formed by the planar portions 411m as an elliptic shape having two straight lines provided parallel to each other. More specifically, the section is formed by two straight lines parallel to each other, and two arcs which form part of a circle and which are connected to the ends of the straight lines.
The planar portion 411m functions as a prevention mechanism 600 which is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 and which prevents the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 inserted in the cylinder-side one end portion 341a from being rotated relative to the cylinder member 301 around the axis of the cylinder member 301.
The edge end portion 41n has a columnar shape. The edge end portion 41n has the held portion 41c. This held portion 41c is a protrusion portion formed by part of the edge end portion 41n diametrically protruding relative to the planar portion 411m. The length of the edge end portion 41n including the held portion 41c is W1.
[Connection Mechanism 300 Provided in Vibrator 41]
As shown in
[Connection Mechanism 300 Provided in Probe 51]
As shown in
[Cylinder Member 301]
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The cutout opening portion 309 is substantially the same size as the cutout end portion 41m, and positions the cutout end portion 41m.
The protruding amount of the edge portion 341f is substantially the same as the depressing amount of the planar portion 411m and the protruding amount of the held portion 41c.
In the axial direction of the cylinder member 301, the length of the edge portion 341f is substantially the same as the length L4 of the planar portion 411m. In the diametrical direction of the cylinder member 301, the length of the planar portion 341g is substantially the same as the length L3 of the planar portion 411m.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The edge end opening portion 311 is substantially the same size as the edge end portion 41n, and positions the edge end portion 41n.
Thus, the opening portion 307 is provided so that the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 slides on the cylinder member 301 via the opening portion 307 in the diametrical direction of the cylinder member 301 and is thereby inserted into the cylinder member 301, so that the inserted held portion 41c is provided between the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301, and so that the rotation of the inserted one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 relative to the cylinder member 301 around the axis of the cylinder member 301 is prevented by the prevention mechanism 600.
Thus, since the rotation of the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is prevented, the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is provided so that the held portion 41c is held by the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c when the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is rotated relative to the cylinder member 301 around the axis of the cylinder member 301 and then further inserted into the cylinder member 301 so that the width W1 which is the distance between the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is reduced.
[Production Method for Generating/Transmitting Unit 200]
[Step 11—Process of Temporarily Connecting Cylinder Member 301 and Probe 51—
Step 11 is substantially similar to Step 1.
The one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is inserted into the cylinder member 301 from the cylinder-side other end portion 351a as shown in
[Step 12—Process of Inserting and Temporarily Connecting Vibrator 41 into Cylinder Member 301—
The one end portion 41a slides on the cylinder member 301 via the opening portion 307 in the diametrical direction of the cylinder member 301 and is thereby inserted into the cylinder member 301 as shown in
More specifically, the cutout end portion 41m is inserted from the cutout opening portion 309 and then provided in the cutout opening portion 309 as shown in
Here, as shown in
At the same time, the held portion 41c slides on the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c functioning as the edge portion 341f. The removal of the one end portion 41a from the one end portion of the cylinder member 301 is prevented.
[Step 13—Process of Connecting Vibrator 41 and Probe 51—
The one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is rotated around the axis of the cylinder member 301 and further inserted into the cylinder member 301 so that the width W4 which is the distance between the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c is reduced to the width W1 and so that the held portion 41c is held between the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c in the axial direction of the cylinder member 301, as shown in
Here, from the condition in Step 11, the one end portion 51a of the probe 51 is further inserted into the cylinder-side other end portion 351a.
When the held portion 41c is held by the end face 511a and the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c functioning as the edge portion 341f, the held portion 41c is in close contact with the end face 511a without any space therebetween, and in close contact with the cylinder-side protrusion portion 341c functioning as the edge portion 341f without any space therebetween. Thus, the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 are firmly connected to each other without being out of alignment in the axial direction and the circumferential direction.
Since the planar portion 341g comes into abutment with the planar portion 411m, the vibrator 41 and the probe 51 are more firmly connected to each other without being out of alignment in the circumferential direction.
[Step 14—Process of Disconnecting Vibrator 41 and Probe 51]
From the condition in Step 13 shown in
The one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 then slides on the cylinder member 301 via the opening portion 307 in the diametrical direction of the cylinder member 301 and is thereby removed from the cylinder member 301 as shown in
Thus, according to the present embodiment, the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 slides on the cylinder member 301 via the opening portion 307 in the diametrical direction of the cylinder member 301, so that advantageous effects similar to those according to the first embodiment can be obtained even if the one end portion 41a of the vibrator 41 is inserted into or removed from the cylinder member 301.
According to the first and second embodiments, the vibrator 41 which is one part constituting the generating/transmitting unit 200 and the probe 51 which is the other part constituting the generating/transmitting unit 200 have been described by way of example in the operation of connecting and disconnecting the parts constituting the generating/transmitting unit 200. However, the present invention does not need to be limited to this. For example, when the probe 51 is formed by more than one component, the first and second embodiments are applicable to both the connection and disconnection of one component and the other component.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
This application is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No. PCT/JP2013/065715, filed Jun. 6, 2013 and based upon and claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/656,160, filed Jun. 6, 2012, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61656160 | Jun 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2013/065715 | Jun 2013 | US |
Child | 14244599 | US |