Patent ID: 9255855
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: A61B,A61M,G01L

Claim Text:
1. A torque measurement apparatus for, when a linear body is inserted through an insertion member into a body of a subject, measuring a torque applied to the linear body around an axial direction of the linear body, the linear body having a linear characteristic portion in parallel with the axial direction of the linear body, the linear body being flexible, the linear body having a curved portion at a distal end of the linear body, the apparatus comprising: a first angle acquiring unit which acquires a rotational angle of the linear characteristic portion in a predetermined region on an inlet side of the insertion member of the linear body extending through the insertion member; a second angle acquiring unit which acquires a direction of the curved portion of the linear body inserted into the body of the subject from an image of the linear body inserted into the body of the subject, and then, acquires a rotational angle of the distal end of the linear body; and a torque calculation unit which calculates the torque applied to the linear body around the axial direction of the linear body based on a difference between (i) the rotational angle of the linear characteristic portion in the predetermined region on the inlet side of the insertion member of the linear body extending through the insertion member acquired by the first angle acquiring unit and (ii) the rotational angle of the distal end of the linear body acquired by the second angle acquiring unit, wherein the linear body includes a first portion located on a distal end side and formed of a first material and a second portion connected to the first portion and formed of a second material having hardness different from the first material, the first angle acquiring unit acquires a rotational angle of the linear characteristic portion of the second portion of the liner body in the predetermined region on the inlet side of the insertion member of the linear body extending through the insertion member, from an image of the linear body inserted into the body of the subject, the second angle acquiring unit acquires a rotational angle of the first portion of the linear body inserted into the body of the subject, and the torque calculation unit calculates the torque applied to the linear body around the axial direction of the linear body based on a difference between (i) the rotational angle of the linear characteristic portion of the second portion of the linear body in the predetermined region on the inlet side of the insertion member of the linear body extending through the insertion member acquired by the first angle acquiring unit and (ii) the rotational angle of the first portion of the linear body inserted into the body of the subject acquired by the second angle acquiring unit.