Fluid ejection device and medical apparatus

• US 9,662,135 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kojima, Hideki, Uchida, Kazuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): McEvoy, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/227,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20140296896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3203 Fluid jet cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32032 using cavitation of the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/007 Aspiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/02 Operational features

Abstract

A fluid ejection device includes a fluid chamber, a volume varying unit, a fluid supplying unit, and an ejection pipe. The volume varying unit generates pulsation in the pressure of a fluid in the fluid chamber. The fluid supplying unit supplies the fluid to the fluid chamber through a first channel. The ejection pipe receives the supply of the fluid, in which the pulsation is generated, from the fluid chamber through a second channel and ejects the supplied fluid from an ejection port. In a connecting part to the fluid chamber, the cross-sectional area of the second channel is five times or more as large as the cross-sectional area of the first channel. In the connecting part to the fluid chamber, the first channel and the second channel are arranged to be opposed to each other via the vicinity of the center of the fluid chamber.

Claims

1. A fluid ejection device comprising:

a pulsation giving unit for ejecting fluid in a fluid chamber;

a fluid supplying unit configured to supply the fluid to the fluid chamber through a first channel; and

an ejection pipe configured to communicate with a second channel, which communicates with the pulsation giving unit, and eject the fluid from an ejection port, wherein

a cross-sectional area of the second channel is five times or more as large as a cross-sectional area of the first channel,

a connecting part of the first channel and the fluid chamber and a connecting part of the second channel to the fluid chamber are arranged in positions opposed to each other with respect to a center of the fluid chamber;

a guiding section configured to guide a user to use the fluid ejection device in a state in which the connecting part of the second channel and the fluid chamber is located above the connecting part of the first channel and the fluid chamber in the vertical direction;

a suction channel for sucking the fluid present around the ejection port;

a container configured to house at least a part of the ejection pipe, at least a part of fluid supplying channel connecting the fluid supplying unit and the first channel, the pulsation giving unit, and at least a part of the suction channel; and

a suction adjusting mechanism for adjusting a degree of suction within in the suction channel, wherein;

the suction adjusting mechanism includes an operation unit provided in the container and the guiding section is the operation unit,

the connecting part of the second channel is arranged at a position closer to an edge of the fluid chamber than the connecting part of the first channel,

the ejection pipe changes direction,

the suction adjustment mechanism has a hole section communicating with the outside of the container and the suction channel,

a point at which the ejection pipe changes direction is located closer to the ejection port than to the pulsation giving unit, and

the point at which the ejection pipe changes direction, the hole section, and the pulsation giving unit are arranged in that order.

2. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, further comprising a container configured to house at least a part of the ejection pipe, at least a part of the fluid supplying unit, and the pulsation giving unit, wherein the guiding section is a grip provided in the container.

3. A medical apparatus comprising the fluid ejection device according to claim 2.

4. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, further comprising a container configured to house a part of the ejection pipe, at least a part of the fluid supplying unit, and the pulsation giving unit, wherein

the guiding section is a curved section located on a part of the ejection pipe not housed in the container.

5. A medical apparatus comprising the fluid ejection device according to claim 4.

6. A medical apparatus comprising the fluid ejection device according to claim 1.

7. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein a section of the ejection pipe which is disposed inside the suction channel is provided at a position closer to the ejection port than the suction adjustment mechanism of the container.

8. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the suction channel has a first section having a first cross-sectional area and a second section having a second cross-sectional area that is larger than the first cross-sectional area, the hole section being provided in the second section of the suction channel.

9. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the first channel comprises a curved portion which curves upward from the connecting portion towards a back of a hand piece which houses the pulsation giving unit and from which the ejection pipe extends.

10. A fluid ejection device comprising:

a volume varying unit configured to generate pulsation in fluid in a fluid chamber;

a fluid supplying unit configured to supply the fluid to the fluid chamber through a first channel;

an ejection pipe configured to receive the supply of the fluid, in which the pulsation is generated, from the volume varying unit through a second channel and eject the supplied fluid from an ejection port;

an up down direction defining unit configured to define an up down direction of the volume varying unit;

a cross-sectional area of the second channel is five times or more as large as a cross-sectional area of the first channel;

a connecting part of the first channel and the fluid chamber and a connecting part of the second channel to the fluid chamber are arranged in positions opposed to each other with respect to a center of the fluid chamber;

a guiding section configured to guide a user to use the fluid ejection device in a state in which the connecting part of the second channel and the fluid chamber is located above the connecting part of the first channel and the fluid chamber in the vertical direction;

a suction channel for sucking the fluid present around the ejection port;

a container configured to house at least a part of the ejection pipe, at least a part of fluid supplying channel connecting the fluid supplying unit and the first channel, the pulsation giving unit, and at least a part of the suction channel; and

a suction adjusting mechanism for adjusting a degree of suction within in the suction channel, wherein;

the suction adjusting mechanism includes an operation unit provided in the container and the guiding section is the operation unit,

the connecting part of the second channel is arranged at a position closer to an edge of the fluid chamber than the connecting part of the first channel,

the ejection pipe changes direction,

the suction adjustment mechanism has a hole section communicating with the outside of the container and the suction channel,

a point at which the ejection pipe changes direction is located closer to the ejection port than to the pulsation giving unit,

the point at which the ejection pipe changes direction, the hole section, and the pulsation giving unit are arranged in that order,

a cross-sectional area of the second channel is larger than a cross-sectional area of the first channel, and

the second channel is arranged above the first channel as defined by the up down direction defining unit.

11. A medical apparatus comprising the fluid ejection device according to claim 10.