JP4309896B2 - Manipulator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a manipulator for repairing a narrow part such as an operation support manipulator or an energy device.

  Conventionally, in laparoscopic surgery such as cholecystectomy, as shown in FIG. 31, several small holes 151, 152, and 153 are made in the abdomen of a patient 150, and a trocar 154 is attached to them, The endoscope 161, forceps 171, 172, and the like are inserted into these holes, and an operator (usually a surgeon) 160 performs an operation while viewing an image of the endoscope 161 on the monitor 162. Since such an operation method does not require laparotomy, the burden on the patient is small, and the number of days until recovery and discharge from the operation is greatly reduced. For this reason, expansion of application fields is expected.

  Under such a background, the inventors have proposed a medical manipulator (robot forceps) 1 in which robot technology is incorporated into a conventional forceps as shown in FIG. 32 (see Patent Document 1). The manipulator 1 is connected to an operation command unit 20 having a posture operation unit 23 and a treatment operation unit 24, a connection unit 30 having one end connected to the operation command unit 20, and the other end of the connection unit 30. The working unit 10 having the treatment unit 14 and the support units 15 and 16 that support the treatment unit 14 so that the posture can be changed in two or more degrees of freedom, and an operation command from the posture operation unit 23 to the support unit. And a control unit (not shown) for operating the treatment unit 14 by sending an operation command from the treatment operation unit 24 to the treatment unit and changing the posture of the treatment unit 14 It is a manipulator.

  Furthermore, the present inventors have also proposed a medical manipulator as shown in FIG. 33 as a degree of freedom arrangement suitable for a suture ligation operation (see Patent Document 2). The medical manipulator 1 includes a working unit 10, an operation command unit 20, and a connecting unit 30 having both ends connected to the work unit 10 and the operation command unit 20. The working unit 10 includes a first rotating shaft 11 that is orthogonal to the central axis direction 31 of the connecting unit 30, a support unit that includes a second rotating shaft 12 that is orthogonal to the first rotating shaft 11, The central axis direction of the treatment portion (gripper) 14 for performing treatment on the portion is disposed substantially parallel to the second rotation shaft 12. In other words, the working unit 10 includes a yaw shaft joint support unit 15 and a roll shaft joint support unit 16 as support units that support the gripper 14 so that the posture can be changed with two degrees of freedom. The operation command unit 20 includes a posture operation unit 23 including a third rotation shaft 21 orthogonal to the central axis direction 31 of the connecting unit 30 and a fourth rotation shaft 22 orthogonal to the third rotation shaft 21. And a treatment operation unit 24 in which the rotation direction of the wrist of the operator when the operator grips and operates and the axial direction of the fourth rotation shaft 22 are substantially parallel to each other. The grasping operation 13 of the treatment unit 14 for performing treatment on the surgical site is performed by the grasping operation 25 of the treatment operation unit 24.

  Compared to the remote-operated master-slave manipulator, this robot forceps is easier to perform by the surgeon, which is the advantage of conventional forceps, by connecting and integrating the operation unit (master) and forceps tip hand (slave). It is possible to perform both reliable large and quick operations and fine operations, which are the advantages of manipulators, and operations from difficult angles. Since the tip has a joint such as bending and rotation, the posture of the hand can be freely moved, and sutures and ligatures from various directions that have been difficult with conventional forceps become easy. In addition, the right hand can be used with a conventional surgical instrument, such as a robot forceps and a left hand a conventional forceps. Furthermore, since the system is simple and compact, there is an advantage that it can be introduced at low cost.

A manipulator having a similar configuration is also suitable for work in a place where it is difficult for an operator to work directly on the spot, that is, for repairing a narrow part such as an energy device. Of course, the dimensions (length, thickness, size, etc.) of the manipulator are designed according to the work content and work area. Therefore, it is not necessarily limited to medical use.
JP 2000-350735 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-102248 Japanese Patent No. 2519749

  Narrow part repair manipulators such as surgical support manipulators and energy devices are required to be compact and lightweight, highly reliable, highly rigid, highly maneuverable, highly workable, and low cost. Therefore, the power transmission mechanism must be reduced in size, weight, reliability, rigidity, and cost. In particular, in the manipulators having the configurations shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, there is a limitation that the master and the slave are integrated, so that the shape, size, arrangement, etc. of the power transmission mechanism have a great influence on the operability. Effect.

  In robots and mechatronic devices such as manipulators, transmission by a wire and a pulley is generally used as a power transmission mechanism that transmits the power of an actuator to a hand effector (for example, a hand or a tool). In a power transmission mechanism using a wire and a pulley, when a multi-rotation operation range is required, a wire 52 is usually wound around the pulleys 50 and 51 as shown in FIG. In order to increase the transmission torque, it is necessary to increase the frictional force, and it is only necessary to increase the winding angle of the wire around the pulley, to wind the multi-rotation number, or to increase the wire tension. However, since it is basically driven by friction, when a tension drop occurs due to the elongation of the wire, a slip occurs between the wire and the pulley, resulting in a reduction in transmission torque. For this reason, a tension adjusting mechanism may be added, but the mechanism becomes complicated, resulting in an increase in size and cost of the apparatus. Furthermore, the joint rigidity is reduced. In addition, in order to wind the wire around the pulley multiple times, a pulley width corresponding to the winding rotation speed is required, which causes the apparatus to be enlarged. In the first place, manipulators for narrow part repair such as operation support manipulators and energy devices usually do not have sufficient space for multiple turns. On the other hand, in order to fix the wire to the pulley, it is usually fixed using a fixing member 53A as shown in FIG. However, when the wire is wound many times, the fixing member and the wire interfere with each other, so that the operation range (rotation angle) is usually less than 180 degrees. As a method for increasing the winding angle, there is Patent Document 3, but it is up to about 270 degrees, and it is difficult to make more than 360 degrees. In a state where the rotation range of the pulley is limited, the operation area of the manipulator joint, that is, the work area of the hand effector is narrowed, causing trouble in the work, and greatly reducing workability and operability. In order to obtain a sufficient work area that does not hinder the work, as many rotational speeds as possible are required, but it is difficult with the power transmission mechanism according to the conventional method.

  On the other hand, in the power transmission mechanism using wires and pulleys as shown in FIG. 24, when the wire diameter is thin or the distance between the driving pulley and the driven pulley is long, the influence of elastic deformation (elongation) of the wire during power transmission increases. , Sufficient power transmission may not be possible. Further, there is a problem that sufficient rotational rigidity cannot be obtained on the driven shaft (output shaft) side in the holding state where the driving pulley is fixed or in the servo lock state. If the desired rotational rigidity cannot be obtained, sufficient work cannot be performed, operability is lowered, and workability is deteriorated.

  In an integrated master-slave manipulator in which a master and a slave are integrated as shown in FIGS. 25 and 27, an eccentric mass around the connecting portion 30 is usually generated. Depending on the arrangement of the eccentric mass, a rotational torque unintended by the operator is generated around the connecting portion due to the influence of gravity, and the operability is lowered. In particular, if rotational torque due to eccentric mass occurs around the connecting part in the initial state during operation or the standard posture of the manipulator, which is the most standard posture for operation, an extra operating force is imposed on the operator. This will cause a significant decrease in operability. In the case of a common roll axis, pitch axis, and roll axis as shown in FIG. 25, it is possible to change the attitude of the working unit from the reference attitude state shown in the figure to the yaw direction (lateral direction, left-right direction). It is difficult because of the peculiar posture. On the other hand, in the case of the configuration of degrees of freedom shown in FIG. 29, the common roll axis, the yaw axis, and the roll axis, the posture of the working unit is changed in the pitch direction (vertical direction, vertical direction) from the reference posture state shown in the drawing. Is difficult due to its unique posture. In actual operation, the ratio of guiding the posture of the working unit from the reference posture state in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is large, and the degree of freedom shown in FIGS. 25 and 29 causes a drop in operability.

The present invention includes a connecting portion having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
An operation unit connected to a base end of the coupling unit;
A working unit connected to the tip of the coupling unit;
A power transmission mechanism for transmitting an operation command from the operation unit to the working unit;
A drive device, and
The drive device is provided on the base end side of the connecting portion and drives the power transmission mechanism as an eccentric mass around the connecting portion.
The power transmission mechanism includes a flexible power transmission member, and a pair of pulleys, a driving pulley and a driven pulley, around which the flexible power transmission member is wound.
The working unit has a first joint shaft that is rotatable about an axis that is coaxial or parallel to the rotation axis of the driven pulley.
The operation unit has a first operation axis parallel to the first joint axis,
The rotation axis of the driving pulley is arranged so that the driving device as an eccentric mass around the connecting portion is substantially vertically downward with respect to the connecting portion at the reference posture as a manipulator,
The first operating shaft and the rotating shaft of the driving pulley are installed at a twisted position.

  Further, the flexure axis is configured to allow rotation in a diagonal direction between a common roll axis by the connecting portion, a yaw axis that allows lateral rotation and a pitch axis that allows vertical rotation, and It is characterized by comprising a degree of freedom configuration with a roll shaft.

  In the initial state during operation and the standard posture of the manipulator, which is the most standard posture for operation, it is configured so that rotational torque due to the eccentric mass does not occur around the connecting part, thus imposing extra operating force on the operator. In addition, workability and operability are greatly improved. In addition, the degree of freedom configuration is a common roll axis by the connecting portion, a bending axis in a direction (oblique direction) between the yaw axis (lateral direction) and the pitch axis (longitudinal direction), and a degree of freedom configuration of the roll axis. Therefore, the posture guidance of the working unit is facilitated from the state of the reference posture, and workability and operability are greatly improved.

  In other words, it is possible to provide a power transmission mechanism that is compact, lightweight, highly reliable, highly rigid, and low in cost, and further has a manipulator for operation support that has high operability and high workability by having the power transmission mechanism. It is possible to provide manipulators for repairing narrow spaces such as energy equipment.

  In the initial state during operation and the standard posture of the manipulator, which is the most standard posture for operation, it is configured so that rotational torque due to the eccentric mass does not occur around the connecting part, thus imposing extra operating force on the operator. No, workability and operability are greatly improved. In addition, since the freedom degree configuration is a common roll axis by the connecting part, a bending axis in the middle direction between the yaw axis and the pitch axis, and a degree of freedom of the roll axis, the attitude guidance of the working part from the reference attitude state Becomes easier and the workability and operability are greatly improved.

  In other words, it is possible to provide a power transmission mechanism that is compact, lightweight, highly reliable, highly rigid, and low in cost, and further has a manipulator for operation support that has high operability and high workability by having the power transmission mechanism. It is possible to provide manipulators for repairing narrow spaces such as energy equipment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view and a side view showing wire and pulley portions on the driving side and driven side of the power transmission mechanism of the manipulator according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an exploded state showing the entire power transmission system, and FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram when incorporated in a manipulator. As shown in FIG. 1, in the power transmission mechanism of the manipulator according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a driving pulley 50, a driven pulley 51, a wire (flexible power transmission member) 52, a columnar shape or a tapered shape. Pin 53 and a wire connecting member (not shown). The wire is generally a stainless steel wire rope, but other materials such as tungsten and fiber materials may be used as long as they have flexibility. In the present invention, all of these are called wires. In addition, a wire connection member is a member required in order to connect the both ends of one linear wire, and to make it a loop shape.

  The wire 52 is formed in a loop shape, and is wound around the pulleys 50 and 51 by 1.5 rotations in the first embodiment of the present invention. The wire 52 is fixed to the pulleys 50 and 51 by a fixing pin 53 (fastening portion). With this configuration, an operating range of up to ± 270 degrees can be obtained.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a schematic configuration diagram showing the entire power transmission system, in which an example is shown in which a motor 54 with a speed reducer is attached to the driving pulley 50 and an arm 55 is attached to the driven pulley 51. It is not necessary to have a configuration, and a basic is a power transmission mechanism for transmitting power on the driving side to the driven side. Although FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration diagram when incorporated in the manipulator 1, this configuration is not necessarily required. The manipulator 1 includes a work unit 10, an operation unit 20, a connection unit 30, a control unit (not shown), and the like, and the operator guides the position and orientation of the work unit by operating the operation unit. Since the manipulator performs work in a narrow part or work through a narrow part, the work part 10 needs to be configured in a small and compact manner. In addition, in order to obtain high operability and workability, a sufficient operation area (rotation angle of the driven shaft) is required.

  Next, in order to show the details of the drive unit, a perspective view of the pulleys 50 to 51 is shown in FIG. Basically, the drive pulley 50 and the driven pulley 51 may have the same structure. The pulley 50 has a slit groove portion 56 having a width in which a wire can be fitted, and a cylindrical or tapered hole 57 at a substantially central portion thereof. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fixing pin 53 for fixing the wire 12 to the pulley 50. FIG. The fixing pin 53 has a columnar shape or a tapered shape, and a hole 58 through which a wire can pass is formed at the approximate center. FIGS. 6A to 6C are diagrams showing a fixing procedure. After passing the wire through a cylindrical or tapered fixing pin 53 having a hole through which the wire can pass at the approximate center, the cylindrical or tapered fixing pin 53 is connected to the columnar or tapered shape of the pulley 50. The wire 52 is fixed to the pulley 50 by being inserted into the hole 57. By making the upper surface of the pin 53 have a dimensional relationship that approximately matches the height of the outer peripheral surface of the pulley 50, even when the rotation angle is large, it does not interfere with the adjacent wire. Moreover, the wire 52 can be more firmly fixed to the pulley 50 by the wedge effect by adopting the taper shape. Therefore, the wire 52 is more firmly fixed to the pulley 50 and multiple rotations are possible.

  FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of the shape of the hole 58 through which the wire of the pin 53 having a tapered shape or a cylindrical shape can pass. In the case of the circular hole 58 (a), the cost is low. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 7B to 7D, since the hole 58 is easily deformed by forming the slit portion 58a, it is possible to efficiently transmit the tightening force due to the wedge effect to the wire 52. The clamping force increases.

  Usually, in the embodiment according to the present invention, the fixing operation of the wire 52 to the pin 53 and the fixing operation of the pin 53 to the pulley 50 are simultaneously performed by the operation of inserting the pin 53 into the tapered hole 57. Work efficiency is improved.

  According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the power transmission mechanism using the wire 52 and the pulleys 50 and 51 does not require a tension adjusting mechanism in the case of friction drive, and the wire 52 and the wire 53 are connected to each other by the pulley 50. , 51 is a configuration that does not interfere with the fastening portion, 51 can be space-saving and can handle multiple rotations, and a strong fastening force can be obtained with a wedge effect. Thereby, the operation area of the manipulator joint, that is, the work area of the hand effector is widened, and thereby a sufficient work area that does not hinder the work can be obtained, so that workability and operability are greatly improved.

  FIGS. 8 to 12 are cross-sectional views showing the wire and pulley portions on the driving side and the driven side of the power transmission mechanism of the manipulator according to the second embodiment of the present invention. An example in which a hollow shaft is inserted into a portion of the wire 52 between the pulleys 50 and 51 or connected by a solid shaft 60 is shown. Various methods of connecting the wire 52 to the pulley are conceivable as shown in these drawings. There is no problem with either of these. 9 and 11 show a configuration in which the wire 52 is passed through the lower hollow shaft 60a and fixed (for example, pressure-bonded) at least at two or more locations. In general, the tensile strength of the fixing portion is inferior to the tensile strength of the wire 52 itself, so it is a problem to ensure the strength reliability of the fixing portion. However, by passing the wire 52 through the hollow shaft 60a, at least the wire 52 Since the tensile strength is maintained, it is possible to avoid the problem of breakage of the fixing portion due to poor fixing (for example, pressure bonding).

  8-11, the wire 52 on the side (lower side) that receives at least high tension is connected by a solid shaft rod 60b or penetrated through the hollow shaft 60a. That is, the wire 52 on the high tension side of the two wire portions (power transmission system) as the portion stretched between the pair of pulleys 50 and 51 in the wire 52 is replaced with the hollow shaft 60a or the solid shaft. Reinforced with 60b. Thus, when the wire 52 that receives high tension is on one side (assumed to be the lower wire), at least the wire 52 that receives high tension passes through the hollow shaft 60a or is connected by the solid shaft rod 60b. Even a sufficient effect can be obtained.

  FIG. 12 shows a configuration example in which the hollow shaft 60a or the solid shaft 60b is slidably supported by the holes 61a and 61a of the disk-shaped support member 61. In FIG. 12, the support member 61 has six holes 61a, 61a,..., Two of which support the hollow shaft 60a or the solid shaft rod 60b. The number of holes corresponds to the number of drive shafts.

  When both sides (upper and lower in the figure) of the wire 52 are passed through the hollow shaft 60a or connected by the solid shaft 60b, gravity is applied when the axes of the drive pulley 50 and the driven pulley 51 are oriented in the vertical direction. Therefore, the gravity component of the hollow shaft 60a or the solid shaft 60b does not cause an increase in driving torque. However, when arranged in the horizontal direction, the influence of the gravity of the hollow shaft 60 a or the solid shaft 60 b may have a non-negligible effect on the tension of the wire 52. In some cases, it may cause an increase in vibration or breakage of the wire. In such a case, it is possible to reduce the influence of gravity by supporting the support member 61 as shown in FIG. Further, when the driving pulley 50 and the driven pulley 61a are installed in the pipe 62 as a part of the connecting portion 30, the supporting member 61 is a disk-shaped supporting member as shown in FIG. In this case, the pipe 62 may be arranged and fixed at a necessary location at predetermined intervals.

  According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the wire portion on the side receiving at least high tension between the driving pulley 50 and the driven pulley 51 is passed through the hollow shaft 60a or connected by the solid shaft 61b. Even when the diameter of the wire 52 is thin or when the distance between the drive pulley 50 and the driven pulley 51 is long, the influence of elastic deformation (elongation) of the wire 52 is small during power transmission, and sufficient power transmission is possible. In the holding state where the side pulley is fixed or the servo lock state, sufficient rotational rigidity can be obtained on the driven shaft (output shaft) side. In addition, it is possible to avoid a situation such as an increase in vibration or wire breakage due to the gravity of the hollow shaft or the solid shaft due to the support member. Thereby, reliable power transmission becomes possible, and workability and operability are greatly improved.

  15 to 20 are a perspective view of a manipulator according to a third embodiment of the present invention and a diagram showing a wire pulley portion thereof. In an integrated master-slave manipulator in which a master and a slave are integrated, an eccentric mass around the connecting portion 30 is usually generated. Depending on the position of the eccentric mass, a rotational torque unintended by the operator is generated around the connecting portion 30 due to the influence of gravity, and the operability is lowered. In particular, if rotational torque due to eccentric mass occurs around the connecting part during the initial state during operation or the standard posture of the manipulator, which is the most standard posture for operation, an extra operating force is imposed on the operator. This will cause a significant decrease in operability.

  Usually, since the drive motor 54 has a large proportion of mass, in FIGS. 15 to 20, the drive motor 54 is generally directed in the vertical direction when the manipulator is in the reference posture. That is, the drive shaft pulley 50 is twisted with respect to the driven shaft pulley 51 as compared with, for example, FIG. Although the optimal reference posture of the manipulator differs depending on the content of the target work, FIG. 15 shows a case where the configuration is such that the common roll axis (around the connecting portion 30 axis), the pitch axis, and the roll axis. In the conventional embodiment, as shown in FIG. 25, the motor 54 is arranged in the horizontal direction at the reference posture, and the weight balance is poor and the operability is deteriorated. However, in this embodiment, the motor is operated at the reference posture of the manipulator. Since the drive shaft pulley 50 and the driven shaft pulley 51 are twisted by 90 degrees so that 54 is substantially downward, the weight balance is good and the operability is excellent. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the relationship between the wire 52 and the pulleys 50 and 51. FIG. 17 has a configuration of degrees of freedom such as a common roll axis, a pitch axis, and a yaw axis, but as shown in FIG. 18, a 90 degree twist is similarly applied. Further, as shown in the figure, not only the combination of the drive pulley 50 and the driven pulley 51 but also the twisting can be applied between the idle pulley 51a on the way.

  FIG. 19 shows a case where the common roll axis, pitch axis, yaw axis, and roll axis are configured to have a degree of freedom, and a twist of approximately 45 degrees is applied to the drive pulley 50 and the driven pulley 51. In this case, the directions of the rotating shaft 63 on the working unit 10 side and the rotating shaft 64 on the operating unit 20 side are substantially coincident. In the case of the configuration of degrees of freedom shown in FIG. 15, the common roll axis, the pitch axis, and the roll axis, changing the attitude of the working unit 10 in the yaw direction (lateral direction) from the reference attitude state shown in FIG. Difficult due to posture. On the other hand, in the case of the configuration of degrees of freedom shown in FIG. 29, the common roll axis, the yaw axis, and the roll axis, changing the posture of the working unit in the pitch direction (vertical direction) from the state of the reference posture shown in the drawing is unusual. Difficult due to posture. In an actual operation, the ratio of guiding the posture of the working unit in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction from the reference posture state is large, and the operability is lowered in the conventional degree of freedom arrangement shown in FIGS.

  Further, in the laparoscopic operation, the operator 160 performs the operation in the posture as shown in FIG. 21, and therefore, the direction of the operator's hand is the most natural direction is about 45 degrees inward. Therefore, according to the embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 19, in the case of the configuration of the degree of freedom of the common roll axis, the intermediate direction of the pitch axis and the yaw axis (inclination of about 45 degrees), and the roll axis, the hand of the operator 160 The direction in which the direction becomes the most natural direction and the direction in which the manipulator can be operated most easily can be matched, and the motor 54 with mass can be disposed stably downward. Therefore, a feeling of fatigue can be reduced as much as possible, and the operability is greatly improved. In addition, the inclination between the two pulleys 50 and 51 is not necessarily 45 degrees, and the vertical direction and the horizontal direction are deviated from the singular posture only by slightly deviating from the pitch axis direction and the yaw axis direction. The operability is improved.

  Moreover, it is good also as a structure which can freely set a torsion angle to a drive shaft pulley and a driven shaft pulley so that a motor can be set substantially below at the time of the optimal reference | standard posture of a manipulator by the content of object work.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The front view of the power transmission mechanism by the 1st Embodiment of this invention, the side view on either side, and a dd line, ee sectional view. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an entire power transmission system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic overall perspective view when a power transmission mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention is incorporated in a manipulator. The perspective view of the pulley of the power transmission mechanism by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view of the fixing pin of the power transmission mechanism by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. Process drawing which shows the assembly procedure of the power transmission mechanism by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the example of the various shapes of the fixing pin of the power transmission mechanism by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the example of the power transmission mechanism by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the example of the power transmission mechanism by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the example of the power transmission mechanism by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the example of the power transmission mechanism by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the example of the power transmission mechanism by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the supporting member of the power transmission mechanism by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The cross-sectional view of the mounting state in the pipe of the supporting member of the power transmission mechanism by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view of the manipulator by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the relationship between the wire and pulley of a manipulator by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view of the manipulator by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the relationship between the wire and pulley of a manipulator by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view of the manipulator by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the relationship between the wire and pulley of a manipulator by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an operator's attitude | position. The front view of the conventional power transmission mechanism, the side view on either side, and a dd line and ee sectional view. The front view of the conventional power transmission mechanism, the side view on either side, and sectional drawing. The front view of the conventional power transmission mechanism. The perspective view of the conventional manipulator. The perspective view which shows the relationship between the wire and pulley of the conventional manipulator. The perspective view of the conventional manipulator. The perspective view which shows the relationship between the wire and pulley of the conventional manipulator. The perspective view of the conventional manipulator. The perspective view which shows the relationship between the wire and pulley of the conventional manipulator. The figure explaining the operation under an endoscope (laparoscope). The perspective view of the conventional manipulator. The perspective view of the conventional manipulator.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manipulator 10 Working part 20 Drive part 30 Connection part 50 Drive side pulley 51 Drive side pulley 52 Wire 53 Fixing pin 54 Drive motor 55 Arm 56 Slit part 57 Tapered hole 58 Hole 59 Slit part 60a Hollow shaft 60b Solid shaft 61 Support member 62 Pipe 63, 64 Rotating shaft

Claims (2)

A connecting portion having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
An operation unit connected to a base end of the coupling unit;
A working unit connected to the tip of the coupling unit;
A power transmission mechanism for transmitting an operation command from the operation unit to the working unit;
With drive
Have
The driving device provided at the base end portion side of the connecting portion, to drive the power transmission mechanism, as eccentric mass around the connecting portion, a said driving device,
The power transmission mechanism includes a flexible power transmission member, and a pair of pulleys, a driving pulley and a driven pulley, around which the flexible power transmission member is wound.
The working unit has a first joint shaft that is rotatable about an axis that is coaxial or parallel to the rotation axis of the driven pulley.
The operation unit has a first operation axis parallel to the first joint axis,
The rotation axis of the driving pulley is arranged so that the driving device as an eccentric mass around the connecting portion is substantially vertically downward with respect to the connecting portion at the reference posture as a manipulator,
Manipulator, characterized in that the rotational axis of the first operating shaft and the driving pulley is installed at the position of the twist each other.   A flexural axis that allows rotation in an oblique direction intermediate between a common roll axis by a connecting portion, a yaw axis that allows lateral rotation, and a pitch axis that allows vertical rotation, and a roll axis. The manipulator according to claim 1, comprising a degree of freedom configuration.

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