JP5320121B2 - Medical manipulator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize a medical manipulator while retaining the motion angle of a distal-end motion part in the medical manipulator. <P>SOLUTION: The medical manipulator 10 includes a retractable wire 56a, a passive wire 252a whose both ends are connected to the wire 56a, an end effector 104 as the distal-end motion part 12, and a transmission member 152, a crescent-shaped passive body 155 integrated with the transmission member 152 and a folded pulley 350 disposed in this order from the proximal end side. The transmission member 152 projects/retracts as the passive wire 252a projects/retracts, by which the end effector 104 moves. The crescent-shaped passive body 155 moves in the direction of the folded pulley 350 with the projection/retraction while the proximal end of the folded pulley 350 enters a deficit part 155c. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical manipulator used in laparoscopic surgery.

  In laparoscopic surgery, a small hole is made in the patient's abdomen, etc., and an endoscope, manipulator (or forceps), etc. are inserted, and the surgeon performs the operation while viewing the endoscope image on the monitor. Yes. Since such laparoscopic surgery does not require laparotomy, the burden on the patient is small, and the number of days until postoperative recovery and discharge is greatly reduced, and therefore, the application field is expected to expand.

  On the other hand, manipulators used in laparoscopic surgery are desired to be capable of quick and appropriate procedures depending on the position and size of the affected area, and various techniques such as excision of the affected area, suturing and ligation are required. Done. For this reason, the present applicant has proposed a manipulator that has a high degree of freedom in operation and can be easily operated (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  In these manipulators, a wire pulley mechanism is applied as a power transmission mechanism. This is because the wire pulley mechanism is simple and has high power transmission efficiency.

JP 2002-102248 A JP 2004-301275 A

  With conventional general forceps used for flexible and laparoscopic surgery, the external force applied to the distal end working part and the gripping force to grip are not direct, but as a reaction to the hand through the forceps body Accordingly, the operator can feel these forces to some extent, and moderately good operability can be obtained. However, the conventional forceps have a low degree of freedom (for example, one degree of freedom), and are inconvenient due to limited gripping direction, cutting direction, and suture needle insertion direction, and skill in operation. Is required.

  In order to obtain a higher degree of freedom, for example, it is conceivable to apply a master / slave remote operation type surgical robot. Although the robot has a high degree of freedom and has the advantage of being able to approach the affected part from any direction and having excellent operability, the external force and gripping force applied to the tip operating part are not applied to the master side. I don't get it.

  In order to obtain a force sensation on the master side in a master / slave robot, advanced bilateral control using a highly sensitive force sensor system and a computer system with a fast sampling time is essential, which is an expensive and complicated system. It becomes. In addition, bilateral control has not been able to obtain practically sufficient performance.

  On the other hand, the multi-degree-of-freedom forceps already proposed by the present applicant, that is, the multi-degree-of-freedom forceps having a joint in the distal end working unit and driving each joint by motor control based on a command of the operation unit, Since the head (operating handle) and the working part (tip joint) are integrated, external force and gripping force acting on the tip operating part is not direct, as with conventional forceps. Is transmitted to the operation unit side. Therefore, the operator can feel these forces to some extent. However, there is a need for a multi-degree-of-freedom forceps that can sense a force even in such a multi-degree-of-freedom forceps, and a multi-degree-of-freedom forceps that can sense a force with respect to a gripping force is particularly desired.

  Also in the multi-degree-of-freedom forceps that can sense such a gripping force, it is conceivable to apply the wire / pulley mechanism similarly to the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

  However, the distal end working part of the manipulator is inserted into the abdominal cavity and is required to be extremely small for use in a narrower region. On the other hand, when the wire / pulley mechanism is downsized in order to reduce the size of the tip operating portion, there is a concern that the operating angle of the tip operating portion is narrowed due to dimensional constraints.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medical manipulator capable of maintaining a wide operating angle of the distal end working unit while reducing the size of the distal end working unit. And

  The medical manipulator according to the present invention is a medical manipulator in which an end effector provided on the distal end side operates by the advancement and retraction of the drive member, the transmission member transmitting a driving force to the end effector, and the transmission member A main shaft member that supports the reciprocating movement of the transmission member and a proximal end side of the transmission member. The main shaft member includes an arc convex surface that is convex toward the base end side, and the arc convex surface is a part of the arc surface on the distal end side. An arc-shaped integrated passive body that forms a non-convex defect portion toward the front end side in a shape that enters the inside of the virtual circle that forms the gap between the integrated passive body and the front end of the transmission member A folded cylinder provided with its position fixed to the main shaft member, and a ring partly connected to the drive member and wound around at least once between the arc convex surface and the folding pulley. A flexible member, and when the driving member moves toward the proximal end side and pulls the flexible member, the integrated passive member moves toward the distal end side together with the transmission member; The proximal end side of the folded cylindrical body enters into the defect portion.

  In this way, by adopting a configuration in which the folded cylindrical body enters the defect portion, a long movable distance of the transmission member is ensured, so that a wide operating angle of the distal end operating portion can be maintained. Furthermore, since the distance from the distal end side of the folded cylindrical body to the proximal end side of the transmission member in a state where the transmission member is moved to the most proximal side can be shortened, the transmission member can be reduced in size, and the medical manipulator can be reduced in size. It becomes possible. In addition, since the integrated passive body is formed integrally with the transmission member, the number of parts can be reduced. In addition, the circular arc shape here does not have a strict meaning, but includes, for example, a crescent moon, a half moon, and a fan shape. Furthermore, the arc on the convex arc surface is not a strict meaning and includes, for example, an elliptical arc.

  Moreover, the said defect | deletion part may be formed by the circular arc concave surface opened toward the front end side.

  Accordingly, the transmission member can be reduced in size, so that the medical manipulator can be reduced in size. In addition, the circular arc in an arc concave surface is not a strict meaning, for example, an elliptical arc etc. are included.

  Further, when the driving member moves toward the proximal end and pulls the flexible member, the integrated passive member moves toward the distal end side together with the transmission member, and the proximal end of the folded cylindrical body The side may extend into a circular arc recess formed by the circular arc concave surface, beyond a chord line connecting both ends of the concave surface of the circular arc concave surface.

  Accordingly, the transmission member can be reduced in size, so that the medical manipulator can be reduced in size. In addition, the circular arc in an arc concave surface is not a strict meaning, for example, an elliptical arc etc. are included.

  Furthermore, the drive member, the end effector, the integrated passive body, the folded cylinder, the flexible member, an idle cylinder provided on the proximal side from the transmission member, and the idle cylinder A second end effector drive mechanism including a guide cylinder provided between the transmission member, a passive cylinder provided in the vicinity of a proximal end of the transmission member, the drive member, and the flexible member; , A first end effector drive mechanism comprising members corresponding to the idle cylinder, the passive cylinder, and the guide cylinder, the drive member of the first end effector drive mechanism, and the drive member of the second end effector And a drive member advancing / retreating mechanism for advancing and retreating in the reverse direction.

  As a result, the movement toward one of the end effectors can be directly driven by the first end effector driving mechanism, and the movement toward the other can be directly driven by the second end effector driving mechanism.

  Further, the arcuate concave surface may be an arc having the same diameter as that of the folded column body in plan view or a larger diameter in plan view than the folded column body.

  As a result, the folded cylindrical body enters deeper into the virtual circle or into the arc recess formed by the arc concave surface, whereby the transmission member can be reduced in size, and the medical manipulator can be reduced in size.

  Furthermore, the circular arc convex surface may be an arc having the same diameter as that of the folded cylindrical body in plan view.

  Thereby, the bending of the flexible member can be eliminated and the load can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the arc convex surface may be an arc having a central angle in a plan view of 140 ° to 220 °.

  Thereby, the bending of the flexible member can be eliminated and the load can be reduced.

  In addition, the transmission member, the integral passive body, a main shaft member that accommodates the folded column body, and a pin supported by the main shaft member, the pin is a cantilever that pivotally supports the folded column body It may be a beam.

  Thus, by reducing the size of the transmission member, the operating angle of the distal end working unit can be maintained even if the medical manipulator is downsized.

  The idle cylinder may be a cylinder having a larger diameter than the guide cylinder.

  Thereby, the operating range of the yaw operation can be widened by narrowing the gap between the idle cylinder and the guide cylinder.

  The drive member may be mechanically connected to an input unit operated manually.

  As a result, the medical manipulator can obtain a strong gripping force, and the force applied to the distal end working unit is transmitted to the operator.

  According to the medical manipulator according to the present invention, since the maximum movable distance of the transmission member is not changed, the transmission member is moved to the most proximal side while maintaining a wide operation angle of the distal end operation unit. Since the distance from the distal end side of the folded cylindrical body to the proximal end side of the transmission member can be shortened, the effect of enabling miniaturization of the medical manipulator is achieved by reducing the size of the distal end working part, particularly the transmission member. can do. Moreover, since the integrated passive body is formed integrally with the transmission member, the effect of reducing the number of parts can be achieved.

It is a side view of a medical manipulator. It is a top view of a medical manipulator. It is the model structure figure which showed the front-end | tip operation | movement part in three dimensions. It is the schematic diagram which showed the front-end | tip operation | movement part planarly. It is an expansion perspective view of the idle pulley and guide pulley of a front-end | tip operation | movement part. It is an expansion perspective view of the 1st end effector drive mechanism and the 2nd end effector drive mechanism. It is a disassembled perspective view of a front-end | tip operation | movement part. It is a section side view in the state where the gripper was closed in the tip operation part. It is a section side view in the state where the gripper was opened in the tip operation part. It is a cross-sectional top view when a roll axis | shaft is moved to one direction by the front-end | tip operation | movement part. It is a side view of the 1st end effector drive mechanism and the 2nd end effector drive mechanism. FIG. 12A is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmission member, the crescent-shaped passive body, and the folding pulley when the gripper is closed, and FIG. 12B is the transmission member, the crescent-shaped passive when the gripper is fully opened. It is the figure which showed the positional relationship with a body and a folding pulley. FIG. 13A is a partially abbreviated view showing the positional relationship between the folding pulley, the crescent-shaped passive body, and the passive wire when the central angle θ1 of the arc on the convex surface is 140 °, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a partially omitted view illustrating in plan the positional relationship between a folding pulley, a crescent-shaped passive body, and a passive wire when a central angle θ1 of an arc on a convex surface is 220 °. FIG. 14A is a partially omitted view illustrating the positional relationship when the radius of the concave surface is equal to or larger than the radius of the folding pulley, and FIG. 14B illustrates the positional relationship when the radius of the concave surface is smaller than that of the folding pulley. FIG. 14C is a partially omitted view showing a case where the both ends of the convex surface of the convex surface and the both ends of the concave surface of the concave surface are different from each other, and FIG. 14C is a plan view of the concave surface and the folding pulley when the concave surface is not an arc. 14D is a partially omitted view showing the positional relationship in a plan view, and FIG. 14D is a partially omitted view showing a case where both ends of the convex surface of the convex surface different from FIG. 14B are different from each other on the concave surface of the concave surface. FIG. FIG. 15A is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmission member, the passive cylinder, and the folding pulley when the gripper is closed, and FIG. 15B is the transmission member, passive cylinder, It is the figure which showed the positional relationship with a folding pulley. It is sectional drawing of the transmission member seen from Z1 direction. It is the schematic diagram which showed the front-end | tip operation | movement part to which the linear motion rod was applied planarly. It is the schematic diagram which showed the front-end | tip operation | movement part in the modification in planar view. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a surgical robot system in which a working unit is connected to the tip of a robot arm.

  Embodiments of the medical manipulator according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a medical manipulator 10 according to the present embodiment is a part of a medical manipulator system and is connected to a controller 45.

  The controller 45 is a part that electrically controls the medical manipulator 10, and is connected to a cable 62 extending from the lower end of the grip handle 26 via a connector. The controller 45 can control a plurality of medical manipulators 10 independently at the same time. Of course, a controller for controlling one medical manipulator 10 may be used.

  The medical manipulator 10 is for holding a part of a living body or a curved needle or the like on the distal end working unit 12a to perform a predetermined treatment, and is generally called a grasping forceps or a needle driver (needle holder).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the medical manipulator 10 includes an operation unit 14 that is gripped and operated by a human hand, and a working unit 16 that is fixed to the operation unit 14. The operation unit 14 and the working unit 16 are integrated, but may be configured to be separable according to conditions.

  In the following description, the width direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 is defined as the X direction, the height direction is defined as the Y direction, and the extending direction of the connecting shaft 48 is defined as the Z direction. Further, the right side when viewed from the front end side is defined as the X1 direction, the left side as the X2 direction, the upward direction as the Y1 direction, the downward direction as the Y2 direction, the forward direction as the Z1 direction, and the backward direction as the Z2 direction. Further, unless otherwise specified, the description of these directions is based on the case where the medical manipulator 10 is in a neutral posture. These directions are for convenience of explanation, and it is needless to say that the medical manipulator 10 can be used in any orientation (for example, upside down).

  The working unit 16 includes a distal end working unit 12a that performs work, and a long and hollow connecting shaft 48 that connects the distal end working unit 12a and the operation unit 14. The distal end working part 12a and the connecting shaft 48 are configured to have a small diameter, and can be inserted into a body cavity 22 from a cylindrical trocar 20 provided in a patient's abdomen or the like. Various procedures such as excision of the affected area, grasping, suturing and ligation can be performed.

  The operation unit 14 includes a grip handle 26 that is gripped by a hand, a bridge 28 that extends from the top of the grip handle 26, an actuator block 30 that is connected to the tip of the bridge 28, and a trigger lever (input unit) 32. Have.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the grip handle 26 of the operation unit 14 extends from the end of the bridge 28 in the Y2 direction, and has a length suitable for being gripped by a human hand. 34.

  A cable 62 connected to the controller 45 is provided at the lower end of the grip handle 26. The grip handle 26 and the cable 62 are integrally connected. The grip handle 26 and the cable 62 may be connected by a connector.

  The composite input unit 34 is a composite input unit that gives rotation commands in the roll direction (axial rotation direction) and yaw direction (left-right direction) to the distal end operation unit 12a. For example, the first input unit operates in the horizontal direction. The yaw direction can be instructed by 34a, and the roll direction can be instructed by the second input means 34b that operates to rotate the shaft. The trigger lever 32 is input means for giving an opening / closing command for the end effector 104 (see FIG. 1) of the distal end working unit 12a. Although the end effector 104 has various types, the medical manipulator 10 is provided with a gripper that can be opened and closed.

  The composite input unit 34 is provided with an input sensor that detects an operation amount, and supplies the detected operation signal (for example, an analog signal) to the controller 45.

  The trigger lever 32 is a lever provided slightly below the bridge 28, and is provided at a position where an operation with an index finger is easy. The trigger lever 32 is connected to the actuator block 30 by a first link 64 and a second link 66, and is configured to advance and retreat with respect to the grip handle 26. The first link 64 is pivotally supported by a part of the bridge 28 and can swing, and the trigger lever 32 is provided at the end in the Y2 direction. The second link 66 protrudes from the actuator block 30 in the Z2 direction, engages with the elongated hole 64a of the first link 64, and can advance and retract in the elongated direction of the elongated hole 64a by operating the trigger lever 32.

  The manual operation of the trigger lever 32 is mechanically transmitted to open and close the end effector 104. Between the trigger lever 32 and the end effector 104, a first link 64, a second link 66, a first end effector driving mechanism 260a and a second end effector driving mechanism which will be described later are means for mechanically transmitting a manual operation. Reference numerals 260b and the like form an operation transmission unit.

  Here, mechanical is a method of driving via wires, chains, timing belts, links, rods, gears, etc., and is mainly a method of driving via individual mechanical parts that are inelastic in the power transmission direction. . Wires, chains, and the like may inevitably undergo some elongation due to tension, but these are inelastic individual mechanical parts, and so on.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the actuator block 30 includes motors (attitude axis actuators) 40 and 41 in the extending direction of the connecting shaft 48 corresponding to a mechanism having two degrees of freedom among the three degrees of freedom of the distal end working unit 12a. It is provided in parallel along. The motors 40 and 41 correspond to operations in the roll direction and the yaw direction of the distal end working unit 12a. The motors 40 and 41 are small and have a small diameter, and the actuator block 30 is configured in a compact flat shape. The motors 40 and 41 rotate under the action of the controller 45 based on the operation of the operation unit 14.

  The motors 40 and 41 are provided with an angle sensor (not shown) that can detect the rotation angle, and the detected angle signal is supplied to the controller 45. For example, a rotary encoder is used as the angle sensor.

  The actuator block 30 is provided with pulleys 50 a and 50 b connected to the drive shafts of the motors 40 and 41.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a wire 52 and a wire 54 are wound around the pulley 50 a and the pulley 50 b, and extend to the distal end working unit 12 a through the hollow portion 48 a (see FIG. 7) of the connecting shaft 48. ing. The wires 52 and 54 may be of the same type and the same diameter.

  The positions, forms, operation methods, and the like of the composite input unit 34 and the trigger lever 32 in the operation unit 14 are not limited to this configuration. For example, instead of the composite input unit 34, an operation roller, a button, a joystick, or the like may be provided, and a position and a method that are easy to operate may be appropriately selected and designed.

  Next, the distal end working unit 12a will be described. First, the first end effector driving mechanism 260a and the second end effector driving mechanism 260b, which are basic configurations for opening and closing the end effector 104 in the distal end working unit 12a, will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the distal end working unit 12a includes a first end including a transmission member 152, a wire (drive member) 56a, a passive wire 252a, an idle pulley 140a, a guide pulley 142a, and a passive pulley (passive cylinder) 156. An effector driving mechanism 260a and a second end effector driving mechanism 260b corresponding to the effector driving mechanism 260a are provided.

  The components in the first end effector drive mechanism 260a are identified by a and the components in the second end effector drive mechanism 260b are identified by a symbol b. The components of the first end effector drive mechanism 260a and the components of the second end effector drive mechanism 260b having the same functions may be described only with respect to the first end effector drive mechanism 260a as a representative so as not to become complicated. is there.

  In FIG. 4, the first end effector driving mechanism 260 a and the second end effector driving mechanism 260 b are shown side by side on the paper for easy understanding, but when applied to an actual medical manipulator 10, As shown in FIG. 3, the pulleys are arranged in parallel in the axial direction (that is, the Y direction).

  As shown in FIG. 4, one end of the wire 56a is connected to both ends of a passive wire (flexible member) 252a by a terminal 250a. The passive wire 252a is an annular flexible member partially connected to the wire 56a, and a rope, a resin wire, a piano wire, a chain, or the like can be used in addition to the wire. Here, the term “annular” is used in a broad sense, and the flexible member does not necessarily have to be applied over the entire length. The flexible member may be at least a portion that is wound around each pulley, and the straight portion is connected by a rigid body. Of course, it may be done. Passive wire 252a may be part of wire 56a.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the distal end working unit 12a, the idle pulleys 140a and 140b are coaxially arranged on the first layer idle pulleys (first layer idle cylinders) 232a and 232b in the Y1 direction and the second layer in the Y2 direction, respectively. Idle pulleys (second layer idle cylinders) 234a and 234b.

  The guide pulleys 142a and 142b are coaxially arranged in the Y1 direction first layer guide pulleys (first layer guide cylinders) 236a and 236b and the Y2 direction second layer guide pulleys (second layer guide cylinders) 238a. And 238b. With such a configuration, the pair of pulleys can rotate in opposite directions, and the operation is smooth. Note that these names are distinguished for convenience of explanation. In addition, a groove for winding the passive wire 252a is formed on the side surfaces of the idle pulley 140a and the guide pulley 142a. The groove of the first layer idle pulley 232a is referred to as a first layer idle pulley groove 232c. The groove portion of the first layer idle pulley 232b is referred to as a first layer idle pulley groove portion 232d, and so on.

  At the end in the Z2 direction of FIG. 6, one of the passive wires 252a (hereinafter also referred to as the forward line 253a for convenience of identification) is in contact with the X1 direction plane and the Z1 direction plane of the first layer idle pulley 232a, and the first layer The guide pulley 236a contacts the Z2 direction surface and the X2 direction surface of the guide pulley 236a, reaches the X2 direction surface of the passive pulley 156, is wound around the Z1 direction surface by half rotation, and reaches the X1 direction surface of the passive pulley 156.

  At the end in the Z2 direction of FIG. 6, the other of the passive wires 252a (hereinafter also referred to as a return line 253b for convenience of identification) is in contact with the X2 direction plane and the Z1 direction plane of the second layer idle pulley 234a, and the second layer The guide pulley 238a reaches the X1 direction surface of the passive pulley 156 in contact with the Z2 direction surface and the X1 direction surface.

  That is, the passive wire 252a constitutes a circuit that has a terminal 250a located on the base end side from the idle pulley 140a as a base point and an end point, and intersects between the idle pulley 140a and the guide pulley 142a to be approximately 8 It has a letter shape (see FIG. 3). As a result, the terminal 250a and the passive wire 252a are mechanically connected to the trigger lever 32 via the wire 56a.

  Here, the mechanical is a method of driving through a mechanical part of an individual that is inelastic in the power transmission direction as described above. For example, the wire 56 is a flexible member, but the operation of closing the end effector 104 is pulled in the Z2 direction by the trigger lever 32 and is unavoidable within a range that hardly undergoes elastic deformation or does not hinder the operation. It is elastic deformation and is a mechanical connection means.

  Moreover, the crossing between the idle pulley 140a and the guide pulley 142a of the passive wire 252a here means crossing in a plan view, and naturally, a deviation occurs in the Y direction. Further, since the guide pulley 142a includes the first layer guide pulley 236a and the second layer guide pulley 238b, a deviation in the Y direction may inevitably occur between the forward line 253a and the return line 253b.

  As shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that the forward line 253a is shifted to the Y1 side with respect to the return line 253b, and the Y-direction shift amount Δ is slightly larger than the diameter of the passive wire 252a. When the guide pulley 142a is used as a reference, the forward line 253a extends from the position shifted in the Y1 direction by Δ from the return line 253b toward the passive pulley 156 in the Z direction (see FIG. 11).

  When the wire 56a (see FIG. 3) is pulled in the Z2 direction, the first layer idle pulley 232a and the second layer guide pulley 238a rotate counterclockwise in a plan view, and the second layer idle pulley 234a and the first layer guide The pulley 236a rotates clockwise. As described above, since the idle pulley 140a and the guide pulley 142a are configured so that two pulleys are coaxially arranged in parallel, the idle pulley 140a and the guide pulley 142a can rotate in the reverse direction according to the movement of the passive wire 252a that comes into contact, and the operation is smooth. is there.

  The second end effector drive mechanism 260b includes a passive wire 252a, an idle pulley 140a, a guide pulley 142a, a passive wire 252b corresponding to the passive pulley 156, an idle pulley 140b, a guide pulley 142b, and a crescent-shaped passive in the first end effector drive mechanism 260a. It has a body (integrated passive body) 155 and a folding pulley 350. The folding pulley 350 is provided closer to the Z1 side than the crescent-shaped passive body 155. The crescent-shaped passive body 155 has the Y direction as a reference axis, and the passive pulley 156 is provided on the transmission member 152 so as to be inclined with respect to the Y axis, and is movable in the Z direction together with the transmission member 152. The folding pulley 350 is provided to be movable relative to the transmission member 152 in the Z direction. Detailed configurations of the folding pulley 350, the crescent-shaped passive body 155, the passive pulley 156, and the transmission member 152 will be described later (see FIGS. 11, 12, and 15).

  As shown in FIG. 6, the folding pulley 350 is coaxially formed with a first layer folding pulley (first layer folding cylinder) 360 in the Y1 direction and a second layer folding pulley (second layer folding cylinder) 362 in the Y2 direction. Have Similar to the first layer idle pulley 232a and the like, the first layer folding pulley groove portion 360c and the second layer folding pulley groove portion 362c may be provided on the side surfaces of the first layer folding pulley 360 and the second layer folding pulley 362. .

  In addition, at the end in the Z2 direction in FIG. 6, one of the passive wires 252b is in contact with the X1 direction surface and the Z1 direction surface of the first layer idle pulley 232b, and is in contact with the Z2 direction surface and the X2 direction surface of the first layer guide pulley 236b. To the X2 direction surface of the crescent-shaped passive body 155. The passive wire 252b extends in the Z1 direction as it is, reaches the X2 direction surface of the first layer folding pulley 360, and is wound half a turn around the Z1 direction surface of the first layer folding pulley 360 in the Z2 direction. Wrap. The passive wire 252b extends in the Z2 direction as it is, reaches the X1 direction surface of the crescent-shaped passive body 155, and skews in the Y2 direction while being wound around the Z2 direction surface of the crescent-shaped passive body 155. Then, it is folded back in the Z1 direction and reaches the X2 direction surface of the second layer folding pulley 362.

  At the end of the Z2 direction in FIG. 6, the other of the passive wires 252b is in contact with the X2 direction surface and the Z1 direction surface of the second layer idle pulley 234b, and is in contact with the Z2 direction surface and X1 direction surface of the second layer guide pulley 238b. It reaches the X1 direction surface of the passive body 155. The passive wire 252b extends in the Z1 direction as it is, reaches the X1 direction surface of the second layer folding pulley 362, and then is wound around the surface in the Z1 direction by half rotation, so that the second layer folding pulley 362 It reaches the X2 direction plane. As described above, the passive wire 252b also forms a circuit that has the terminal 250b as a base point and an end point, and is mechanically connected to the trigger lever 32 via the wire 56b, similarly to the passive wire 252a. Will be.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second link 66 is connected to the end of the wire 56 a and a driving side connecting wire (driving side connecting flexible member) via a terminal 249 a (or welding or a through hole). It is connected to the end of 322.

  The driving side connecting wire 322 is wound around a driving side connecting pulley (rotating operation element) 324 which is a driving member advancing / retreating mechanism, and one end thereof is connected to the wire 56a and the second link via the terminal 249a as described above. 66, and the other end is connected to the end of the wire 56b via the terminal 249b. As indicated by the phantom lines in FIG. 4, the trigger lever 32 may be used as a drive member advance / retreat mechanism instead of the drive side connection pulley 324.

  According to such a configuration, the wire 56a and the wire 56b can be easily moved back and forth in the reverse direction, and when the trigger lever 32 is pulled, the terminal 249a is also pulled together, and the transmission member 152 is moved to Z2. Can be moved in the direction. Further, when the operation of pushing the trigger lever 32 is performed, the terminal 249b is pulled together and the position of the folding pulley 350 is fixed, so that the crescent-shaped passive body 155 and the transmission member 152 can be moved in the Z1 direction. it can.

  The terminal 250a is provided at a position moderately separated from the idle pulley 140a so that the passive wire 252a is not excessively bent, and both ends of the passive wire 252a form an acute angle with the terminal 250a as the top. The gap between the idle pulley 140a and the guide pulley 142a is narrow, and for example, a gap substantially equal to the width of the passive wire 252a is formed. The end effector 104 opens and closes based on such a forward / backward movement of the transmission member 152.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the inward two second-tier idle pulleys 234a and first-tier idle pulleys 232b may be integrated to form a central common idle pulley 430. The two second-layer guide pulleys 238a and the first-layer guide pulley 236a on the inner side may constitute a central common guide pulley 432 in an integrated configuration.

  That is, since the terminal 250a and the terminal 250b (see FIG. 4) move in the opposite directions by the same distance, the operations shown by the arrows in FIG. 5 occur, and the second layer idle pulley 234a and the first layer The idle pulley 232b rotates in the same direction (clockwise in FIG. 5) by the same angle, and the second layer guide pulley 238a and the first layer guide pulley 236b rotate in the same direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 5) by the same angle. . Therefore, these members do not need to be separate members, and a simple configuration can be obtained by configuring the central common idle pulley 430 and the central common guide pulley 432. In FIG. 5, the distance between the second layer guide pulley 238a and the first layer guide pulley 236b and the distance between the second layer idle pulley 234a and the first layer idle pulley 232b are shown slightly separated for easy understanding. However, the distance between the two may be substantially zero.

  Next, the overall configuration of the distal end working unit 12a will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, the distal end working unit 12 a includes a wire passive unit 100, a composite mechanism unit 102, and an end effector 104, and is centered on the first rotation axis Oy in the Y direction. The first degree of freedom in which the portion ahead is rotated in the yaw direction, the second degree of freedom in rotation in the roll direction around the second rotation axis Or, and the third rotation axis Og as the center The mechanism has a total of three degrees of freedom including a third degree of freedom for opening and closing the end effector 104 at the tip.

  The first rotation axis Oy, which is a mechanism having a first degree of freedom, may be set so as to be rotatable in a non-parallel manner with the axis C extending from the proximal end side to the distal end side of the connecting shaft 48. The second rotation axis Or, which is a mechanism of the second degree of freedom, is a mechanism that can rotate around the axis of the distal end portion (that is, the end effector 104) of the distal end working unit 12 in the extending direction, and the distal end portion can be rotated by a roll. It is good to set.

  The mechanism of the first degree of freedom (that is, the yaw direction) has an operating range of ± 90 ° or more, for example. The mechanism of the second degree of freedom (that is, the roll direction) has an operating range of ± 180 ° or more, for example. The third degree of freedom mechanism (ie, end effector 104) can be opened, for example, 40 ° or more, respectively.

  The end effector 104 is a part that performs actual work in the operation, and the first rotation axis Oy and the second rotation axis Or are for changing the posture of the end effector 104 so that the work can be easily performed. In general, the mechanism unit related to the third degree of freedom for opening and closing the end effector 104 is also called a gripper (or gripper shaft), and the mechanism unit related to the first degree of freedom rotating in the yaw direction is also called a yaw axis. The mechanism portion according to the second degree of freedom that rotates in the direction is also called a roll shaft.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the wire passive portion 100 is provided between the pair of tongue pieces 58, and converts the reciprocating motions of the wires 52 and 54 into rotational motions and transmits them to the composite mechanism portion 102. It is a part to do. The wire passive unit 100 includes a shaft 110 inserted into the shaft holes 60a and 60a, and a shaft 112 inserted into the shaft holes 60b and 60b. The shaft 110 and the shaft 112 are fixed to the shaft holes 60a and 60b by, for example, press fitting or welding. The shaft 112 is disposed on the first rotation axis Oy.

  A gear body 126 and a gear body 130 that are symmetrical in the Y direction are provided at both ends of the shaft 112 in the Y direction. The gear body 126 includes a cylindrical body 132 and a gear 134 provided concentrically on the upper portion of the cylindrical body 132. The gear body 130 has substantially the same shape as the gear body 126 and is disposed so as to be reversed in the Y direction with respect to the gear body 126. The gear body 130 includes a cylindrical body 136 and a gear 138 provided concentrically below the cylindrical body 136. The gear 134 and the gear 138 mesh with an upper end portion and a lower end portion of a face gear 165 of a gear body 146 described later.

  The cylinder 136 has substantially the same diameter and the same shape as the cylinder 132. Wires 52 and 54 are wound around the cylindrical body 132 and the cylindrical body 136 while being partially fixed by predetermined fixing means (see FIG. 3).

  By rotating the wires 52 and 54, the gear body 126 and the gear body 130 can be rotated with respect to the shaft 112 (see FIG. 3). When the gear body 126 and the gear body 130 are rotated in the same direction and at the same speed, the gear body 146 swings with respect to the shaft 112 and the yaw direction operation is performed. When the gear body 126 and the gear body 130 are rotated in the opposite directions at the same speed, the gear body 146 rotates on the basis of the second rotation axis Or, and a roll rotation operation is performed. When the gear body 126 and the gear body 130 are rotated at different speeds, the gear body 146 performs a combined operation of the yaw direction operation and the roll rotation operation. That is, the gear body 126, the gear body 130, and the gear body 146 constitute a differential mechanism.

  A pair of idle pulleys (idle cylinders) 140a are rotatably supported at a substantially central portion of the shaft 110, and a pair of guide pulleys (guide cylinders) 142a are freely rotatable at a substantially central portion of the shaft 112. It is pivotally supported. The idle pulley 140a is for keeping the winding angle of the passive wire 252a wound around the guide pulley 142a constant at all times (approximately 180 ° on both sides). In addition, the idle pulley 140a and the guide pulley 142a may be made of a material with a smooth surface or less friction in order to reduce sliding with respect to the passive wire 252a (see FIG. 4) and wear due to friction.

  A main shaft member 144 is rotatably supported on the shaft 112 between the gear body 126 and the guide pulley 142a and between the guide pulley 142b and the gear body 130. The main shaft member 144 has a cylindrical portion that protrudes toward the composite mechanism portion 102. A rectangular hole 144a is provided in the axial center portion of the main shaft member 144, and a shaft hole 354 is provided in one of the radial directions (Y2 direction) in which the pin 352 is inserted and fixed in the cylindrical portion. The pin 352 reaches the recess 356 of the transmission member 152 through the shaft hole 354 (see FIG. 11). At the end in the Z2 direction of the main shaft member 144, two auxiliary plates 144b that hold both sides in the Y direction of the guide pulleys 142a and 142b and have a hole through which the shaft 112 is inserted are provided. The auxiliary plate 144b has a mountain shape that becomes wider in the Z1 direction and prevents intrusion of foreign matter such as yarn.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the rotation axes of the idle pulleys 140a and 140b and the guide pulleys 142a and 142b are preferably arranged coaxially. That is, the idle pulleys 140a and 140b can be supported on the shaft 110 in common, and the guide pulleys 142a and 142b can be supported on the shaft 112 in common. By making the guide pulley 142a and the guide pulley 142b coaxial, the yaw axis operation mechanism is simplified.

  The composite mechanism unit 102 is a composite mechanism unit that changes the opening / closing operation mechanism of the end effector 104 and the posture of the end effector 104.

  The composite mechanism portion 102 includes a gear body 146 that is rotatably fitted to the cylindrical surface of the main shaft member 144, a nut body 148 provided at the tip of the main shaft member 144, and an end portion in the Z2 direction in the hole 144a. Inserted and a transmission member 152, a passive pulley 156 rotatably supported by a pin 154 at a Z2 direction end of the transmission member 152, a passive plate 158, a cylindrical cover 160, and the pin 352 And a folding pulley 350 that is rotatably supported. An end portion of the transmission member 152 in the Z2 direction has a U shape in order to increase the slidability with respect to the passive pulley 156, and protrudes long in the Z2 direction.

  A resin-made thrust bearing member 144c is provided on a portion of the main shaft member 144 that contacts the gear body 146. A thrust bearing member 148a made of resin is provided at a portion of the nut body 148 that contacts the gear body 146. The thrust bearing members 144c and 148a are low-friction materials, and reduce the friction and torque at the abutting portion and prevent the load from being directly applied to the face gear 165. The thrust bearing members 144c and 148a are so-called slide bearings, but may be provided with rolling bearings. Thereby, even when the end effector 104 is strongly closed or opened, that is, when the gear body 146 strongly contacts the main shaft member 144, the roll shaft operation can be performed smoothly. The hole 144a has a height at which the transmission member 152, the crescent-shaped passive body 155, the passive pulley 156, and the folding pulley 350 can be inserted.

  The gear body 146 has a stepped cylindrical shape, and includes a large diameter portion 162 in the Z2 direction, a small diameter portion 164 in the Z1 direction, and a face gear 165 provided on the end surface of the large diameter portion 162 in the Z2 direction. The face gear 165 meshes with the gear 134 and the gear 138. The gear body 146 is prevented from coming off from the main shaft member 144 by the nut body 148. A screw to which the nut body 148 is screwed is provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of the main shaft member 144.

  The transmission member 152 is provided at a position slightly offset in the Y1 direction from the axis of the working unit 16, but only the protrusion 174 provided at the tip in the Z1 direction may be arranged at the axis. Of course, the transmission member 152 may be arranged at the center.

  The passive plate 158 includes two concave portions 166 in the Z2 direction, engaging portions 168 provided on the bottom surface of the concave portion 166, axial ribs 170 provided on both sides in the X direction, and two symmetrical positions in the X direction. And a link hole 172 provided. The engaging portion 168 has a shape that engages with a mushroom-like protrusion 174 provided at the tip of the transmission member 152. By this engagement, the passive plate 158 and the transmission member 152 can rotate relative to each other. The width of the passive plate 158 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the cover 160.

  The cover 160 is sized to cover almost the entire composite mechanism portion 102 and prevents foreign matter (biological tissue, medicine, thread, etc.) from entering the composite mechanism portion 102 and the end effector 104. Two axial grooves 175 in which the two ribs 170 of the passive plate 158 are fitted are provided on the inner surface of the cover 160 so as to face each other. The passive plate 158 is guided in the axial direction by fitting the rib 170 into the groove 175. Since the protrusion 174 engages with the engaging portion 168 of the passive plate 158, the crescent-shaped passive body 155 and the passive pulley 156 can advance and retreat in the axial direction together with the passive plate 158 and the transmission member 152 in the hole 144a. The roll can be rotated with reference to the transmission member 152. The cover 160 is fixed to the large diameter portion 162 of the gear body 146 by means such as screwing or press fitting.

  Next, the end effector 104 has a pair of end effector members 308 and pins 196. The pin 196 is disposed on the third rotation axis Og.

  The end effector 104 of the distal end working unit 12a is a so-called double-open type in which a pair of grippers 302 operate. The end effector 104 includes a gripper base 304 that is integrally formed with the cover 160, a pair of end effector members 308 that operate based on pins 196 provided on the gripper base 304, and a pair of gripper links 220. .

  Each end effector member 308 is L-shaped and has a gripper 302 extending in the Z1 direction and a lever portion 310 extending at approximately 35 ° with respect to the gripper 302. A hole 216 is provided in the L-shaped bent portion, and a hole 218 is provided in the vicinity of the end of the lever portion 310. By inserting the pin 196 into the hole 216, the pair of end effector members 308 can swing around the third rotation axis Og.

  Each end effector member 308 is connected to the pin 224 of the passive plate 158 by one side gripper link 220. In the passive plate 158 of the end effector 104, two link holes 172 are provided at symmetrical positions in the X direction of FIG. 7, and the pair of gripper links 220 are arranged so as to intersect in a side view.

  In such a distal end operating portion 12a, the pair of grippers 302 are arranged at opposing positions, so that the balance of force can be improved and it is possible to prevent an inadvertent moment load or the like from being applied.

  As apparent from FIGS. 8 and 9, the pair of end effector members 308 are basically driven synchronously with respect to the operation of the transmission member 152, and therefore can be opened and closed symmetrically with respect to the central axis. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the yaw axis operation is performed, the composite mechanism portion 102 and the end effector 104 at the tip of the guide pulley 142 a and the guide pulley 142 b (see FIG. 3) are centered in the yaw direction. Swing. Since the tip operating unit 12a is a non-interference mechanism like the tip operating unit 12a, the opening degree of the end effector 104 does not change even when the yaw axis operation is performed. Even if it is changed, the yaw axis does not move. The same applies to the relationship between the end effector 104 and the roll shaft.

  Further, since the end effector 104 is mechanically directly connected to the trigger lever 32, a strong gripping force is obtained and the force applied to the end effector 104 is transmitted to the trigger lever 32.

  The wire drive ratio at the time of gripping and opening the end effector 104 in the distal end working unit 12a is 1: 1, which is well balanced.

  Next, the configuration of the transmission member 152 and the passive pulley 156, the crescent-shaped passive body 155, and the folding pulley 350 provided on the transmission member 152 will be described.

  The guide pulley 142a, the passive pulley 156, and the folding pulley 350 have substantially the same diameter. Further, the idle pulley 140a has a moderately large diameter compared to the guide pulley 142a in order to narrow the gap with the guide pulley 142a. By narrowing the gap, the operating range of the yaw operation can be widened. Note that the idle pulley 140a, the guide pulley 142a, the passive pulley 156, and the folding pulley 350 have a large diameter in an appropriate range so that the passive wires 252a and 252b are not bent.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, the transmission member 152 is configured based on a plate body that is thin in the Y direction and long in the Z direction, and includes the pin 154, the crescent-shaped passive body 155, the passive pulley 156, and the protrusions. 174, a pin 352 and a recess 356. On the side surface of the passive pulley 156, a groove (passive cylindrical groove) 156c for guiding the passive wire 252a in the circumferential direction is provided.

  The protrusion 174 is provided at the end in the Z1 direction, and has a mushroom shape in which the cylindrical portion at the tip engages with the engaging portion 168 of the passive plate 158. By this engagement, the transmission member 152 can transmit the advancing and retreating operation in the Z direction to the passive plate 158, and the passive plate 158 can rotate in the roll axis direction.

  The concave portion 356 is a bottomed hole that is provided in a substantially central portion of the transmission member 152, is long in the Z direction, and is recessed in the Y1 direction from the side surface in the Y2 direction, but may be a communication hole depending on design conditions. As described above, the pin 352 is press-fitted into the shaft hole 354 formed in the Y2 direction surface of the cylindrical portion of the main shaft member 144 (see FIG. 7), pivotally supports the folding pulley 350, and reaches the recess 356 of the transmission member 152. Is a cantilever beam that does not penetrate the transmission member 152 (see FIG. 11). For example, as shown in FIG. 12B, considering the case where the transmission member 152 moves most in the Z1 direction, if the pin 352 penetrates the transmission member 152, the operation of the passive pulley 156 is hindered. Can be easily understood from FIG. At this time, the pin 352 does not interfere with the operation of the passive pulley 156 unless it reaches a pulley groove 270 described later. The folding pulley 350 contacts the side surface in the Y2 direction of the transmission member 152 in the hole 144a of the main shaft member 144 and is rotatably supported by the pin 352. That is, the positions of the pin 352 and the folding pulley 350 are fixed.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, the crescent-shaped passive body 155 is formed to project integrally with the transmission member 152 on the side surface in the Y2 direction in the vicinity of the end of the transmission member 152 in the Z2 direction. 252b has a width that allows two windings. Since the crescent shaped passive body 155 is formed integrally with the transmission member 152, the number of parts can be reduced.

  As shown in FIG. 12A, the crescent-shaped passive body 155 has a substantially crescent shape in which the Z2 direction is convex when viewed in plan from the Y direction, and has concave surfaces (arc concave surfaces) 155a and Z2 directions that open toward the Z1 direction. A convex surface (arc convex surface) 155b having a convex shape toward the surface is formed, the concave surface 155a is an arc having a radius ra, and the convex surface 155b is an arc having a radius rb.

  The radius rb of the convex surface 155b is an arc having the same diameter as the radius rc of the folding pulley 350, or an appropriately larger diameter than the radius rc, and, like the folding pulley 350 and the like, in order to prevent the passive wire 252b from bending, The diameter is increased within an appropriate range. As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the center angle θ1 of the circular arc on the convex surface 155b is 140 ° to 220 °, and more preferably 170 ° to 180 °. 13A shows the case where the central angle θ1 is 140 °, and FIG. 13B shows the case where the central angle θ1 is 220 °. Further, since the center angle θ1 is such an angle, the crescent-shaped passive body 155 has the disposition path of the passive wire 252b hardly discontinuous at the convex both ends 155d of the convex surface 155b. The load can be reduced almost without bending. Furthermore, the convex surface 155b of the crescent-shaped passive body 155 may be an elliptical arc having a longer diameter than the radius rc of the folding pulley 350.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12B, when the line connecting the concave both ends 155e of the concave surface 155a is a chord line T, the base end side of the folding pulley 350 can cross the chord line T in the Z2 direction. It is possible to enter the defective portion 155c surrounded by the concave surface 155a. At this time, the magnitude relationship between the radius ra of the concave surface 155a and the radius rc of the folding pulley 350 does not matter. However, when the radius ra is greater than or equal to the radius rc, the radius ra is smaller than the radius rc. The base end side of the pulley 350 can sufficiently penetrate the chord line T in the Z2 direction, that is, can sufficiently enter the defect portion 155c surrounded by the chord line T and the concave surface 155a. Therefore, it is preferable that the radius ra of the concave surface 155a is an arc having the same diameter as the radius rc, or an appropriately larger diameter than the radius rc. Here, FIG. 14A shows a case where the radius ra is greater than or equal to the radius rc, and FIG. 14B shows a case where the radius ra is smaller than the radius rc.

  As described above, the crescent-shaped passive body 155 integrally formed with the transmission member 152 moves in the Z1 direction. Here, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the length of the transmission member 152 in the Z direction is W1. 12A, the distance from the Z1 direction end of the transmission member 152 to the Z1 direction end of the folding pulley 350 when the transmission member 152 is moved most in the Z2 direction (the gripper 302 is closed) is L0. The maximum movable distance in the Z direction of the transmission member 152 is defined as W0. The distance between the Z1 direction end of the folding pulley 350 and the Z2 direction end of the transmission member 152 in a state where the folding pulley 350 enters the most concave surface 155a (a state where the gripper 302 is most opened) shown in FIG. In this case, the relationship of W1 = L0 + L1 + W0 is established.

  Next, as a comparative example, a case where a passive cylindrical body 255 that is a cylindrical body having the same diameter as the folding pulley 350 is provided instead of the crescent-shaped passive body 155 will be described with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B. Here, the length of the transmission member 152 in the Z direction is W2. The distance from the Z1 direction end of the transmission member 152 to the Z1 direction end of the folding pulley 350 in the state where the gripper 302 is closed shown in FIG. 15A is the same as that of the crescent-shaped passive body 155, and thus is L0. Further, as described above, the end effector 104 opens and closes based on the forward / backward movement of the transmission member 152. Therefore, in order to maintain the same operation angle as that of the crescent-shaped passive body 155, the case of the passive cylindrical body 255 is also used. The maximum movable distance in the Z direction of the transmission member 152 is W0 as in the case of the crescent-shaped passive body 155. Furthermore, the distance between the Z1 direction end of the folding pulley 350 and the Z2 direction end of the transmission member 152 in the state where the gripper 302 is most opened as shown in FIG. 15B is L2, and L2 is passively connected to the folding pulley 350. It can be understood from FIG. 15B that the cylindrical body 255 comes into contact. In this case, the relationship of W2 = L0 + L2 + W0 is established.

  From the above relational expressions, W1 = L0 + L1 + W0 and W2 = L0 + L2 + W0, since L0 and W0 are common, the difference between W1 and W2 is equal to the difference between L1 and L2. Here, comparing FIGS. 12A and 12B with FIGS. 15A and 15B, that is, the case of the crescent-shaped passive body 155 and the case of the passive cylindrical body 255, in the case of L1, the base end side of the folding pulley 350 is the missing portion. Since it is entering 155c, it can be easily understood that L1 is shorter in L1 and L2. Therefore, since W1 is shorter than W2, by having the crescent-shaped passive body 155, the transmission member 152 can be downsized in the Z direction. Further, as described above, since the pin 352 is a cantilever beam, the pin 352 does not reach the pulley groove 270. Therefore, even if W1 is shorter than W2, W0 is maintained, that is, the end effector 104. Thus, the medical manipulator 10 that maintains the above operating angle is possible.

  In the above description, it is assumed that the proximal end side of the folding pulley 350 sufficiently enters the defect portion 155c, but this is not always necessary, and the crescent-shaped passive body 155 has an arc shape with a defect at least on the distal end side, and If a circle in which the arc of the convex surface 155b forms a part is a virtual circle R (see FIG. 12A), W1 is shorter than W2 if the proximal end of the folding pulley 350 intersects the virtual circle R. By having the crescent-shaped passive body 155, the transmission member 152 can be downsized in the Z direction. Note that the arc in the missing arc shape does not have a strict meaning, and includes, for example, a crescent moon, a half moon, and a fan shape. Similarly, in the above description, the concave surface 155a of the crescent-shaped passive body 155 is also an arc, but since the proximal end side of the folding pulley 350 only needs to intersect the virtual circle R, in a broad sense, the concave surface 155a is Any non-convex shape (concave shape or flat surface) toward the tip side may be used. FIG. 14C shows an example in which the concave surface 155a is a plane extending in the X direction. 12A, 12B, 13A, and 13B, the convex both ends 155d of the convex surface 155b and the concave both ends 155e of the concave surface 155a are the same point, but this is not necessarily the case, and FIG. And as shown to FIG. 14D, convex-surface both ends 155d and concave-surface both ends 155e may differ. Further, since the pin 352 is a cantilever beam, the pin 352 does not reach the pulley groove 270, so even if W1 is shorter than W2, W0 is maintained, that is, the operating angle of the end effector 104 is maintained. The medical manipulator 10 thus made becomes possible.

  Even in the case of the crescent-shaped passive body 155, if the length of the transmission member 152 in the Z direction is W2, the maximum movable distance of the transmission member 152 can be made longer than W0. The operation angle 104 can be further increased.

  In addition, when the end effector 104 is in the gripping state, the passive wire 252b does not move in a state where a strong friction force is generated between the crescent-shaped passive body 155 and the crescent-shaped passive body 155. The crescent shaped passive body 155 need not be rotatable like the passive pulley 156. Therefore, it is suitable for making the crescent moon-shaped passive body 155 into a substantially crescent moon shape that can be made smaller than a columnar shape.

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 16, the transmission member 152 further includes a pulley groove 270 in which the passive pulley 156 is disposed at the end in the vicinity of the Z direction, and a pin 154 that pivotally supports the passive pulley 156 in the pulley groove 270. And have. The pin 154 is press-fitted into the oblique hole 272. The pulley groove 270 is slightly wider than the passive pulley 156 and opens in the Z2 direction plane and communicates with the transmission member 152 from the X1 direction plane to the X2 direction plane so that the passive wire 252a can pass therethrough. However, the direction of communication is slightly inclined with respect to the X direction. As is apparent from FIG. 16, the pulley groove 270 is formed to be moderately narrow, so that the passive wire 252a does not fall off from the peripheral surface of the passive pulley 156, but the passive portion 156c is provided with the passive portion 156c. The wire 252a does not slide on the wall surface of the pulley groove 270 and is stable.

  The oblique hole 272 and the pin 154 are oriented orthogonally to the upper and lower surfaces of the pulley groove 270, and the XY plane is based on the Y-direction axis (in other words, the direction of the axis 112 on which the guide pulley 142a is pivotally supported). Inclined within. The oblique hole 272 is a bottomed hole that opens only in the Y1 direction plane, but may be a communication hole depending on the design conditions.

  The wires 56a and 56b (see FIG. 4) in the first end effector driving mechanism 260a and the second end effector driving mechanism 260b may be replaced with linear motion rods 326a and 326b as shown in FIG. In general, since the rod is more rigid than the wire, a portion with only a linear motion can obtain a large gripping force by using the rod and has a long life.

  The driving side connecting wire 322 may omit the driving side connecting pulley 324, and the wires 56 a and 56 b and the linear motion rods 326 a and 326 b shown in FIG. 17 may be directly connected to the trigger lever 32. A load limiter that prevents application of an overload may be provided in the middle of the wires 56a and 56b and the linear motion rods 326a and 326b shown in FIG.

  Next, a distal end working unit 12b as a modification of the distal end working unit 12a is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the distal end working unit 12b is common in that it has a second end effector drive mechanism 260b as compared with the distal end working unit 12a (see FIG. 4). The drive mechanism 260a is omitted. Regarding the distal end working unit 12b, the same components as those of the distal end working unit 12a are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The tip action unit 12b is provided with a single-open type end effector 300 in place of the double-open type end effector 104 described above. The end effector 300 includes a fixed gripper 202, a gripper 212 that opens and closes around a pin 196, and a spring 312 that elastically biases the transmission member 152 in the Z1 direction. The gripper 212 is driven to open and close via the gripper link 220 as the transmission member 152 advances and retreats. That is, when the trigger lever 32 is pulled in the Z2 direction, the transmission member 152 is also displaced in the Z2 direction by the second end effector driving mechanism 260b, and the gripper 212 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. To do. On the other hand, when the trigger lever 32 is released, the transmission member 152 is displaced in the Z1 direction by the bias of the spring 312 and the end effector 300 returns to the open state. In addition, the trigger lever 32 returns to the Z1 direction.

  Also in the distal end working portion 12b, the folding pulley 350 enters the concave surface 155a in the Z2 direction of the crescent-shaped passive body 155, so that the transmission member 152 is reduced in size while maintaining the opening / closing angle of the gripper 212, that is, a medical manipulator. 10 downsizing is possible.

  The above embodiment may be applied to a surgical robot system 700 as shown in FIG. 19, for example.

  The surgical robot system 700 includes an articulated robot arm 702 and a console 704, and the working unit 16 is connected to the tip of the robot arm 702. The same mechanism as the manipulator 10 is provided at the tip of the robot arm 702. The robot arm 702 may be any means that moves the working unit 16, and is not limited to a stationary type, but may be an autonomous moving type, for example. The console 704 can take a configuration such as a table type or a control panel type.

  If the robot arm 702 has six or more independent joints (such as a rotation axis and a slide axis), the position and orientation of the working unit 16 can be arbitrarily set. The manipulator 10 at the tip is integrated with the tip 708 of the robot arm 702. The manipulator 10 has a motor (actuator linked to an input unit operated manually) 42 instead of the trigger lever 32, and the motor 42 drives the wires 56a and 56b.

  The robot arm 702 may be configured to operate under the action of the console 704 and perform an automatic operation based on a program, an operation following a joystick 706 provided on the console 704, and a combination of these operations. The working unit 16 is provided with the distal end working unit 12.

  The console 704 is provided with two joysticks 706 as operation command units and a monitor 710. Although not shown, two robot arms 702 can be individually operated by two joysticks 706. The two joysticks 706 are provided at positions that can be easily operated with both hands. On the monitor 710, information such as an image by a flexible endoscope is displayed.

  The joystick 706 can move up and down, move left and right, twist, and tilt, and can move the robot arm 702 according to these operations. The joystick 706 may be a master arm. The communication means between the robot arm 702 and the console 704 may be wired, wireless, network, or a combination thereof.

  The joystick 706 is provided with a trigger lever 32, and the motor 42 can be driven by operating the trigger lever 32.

  The medical manipulator according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various configurations can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Medical manipulator 12, 12a, 12b ... Tip operation | movement part 14 ... Operation part 16 ... Working part 32 ... Trigger lever 40, 41, 42 ... Motor 48 ... Connection shaft 52, 54, 56 ... Wire 104, 300 ... End effector 140a, 140b ... idle pulley 142a, 142b ... guide pulley 152 ... transmission member 154, 196, 224, 352 ... pin 155 ... crescent-shaped passive body 155a ... concave surface 155b ... convex surface 155c ... defective portion 156 ... passive pulley 156c ... groove portion (passive 158 ... Passive plate 160 ... Cover 202, 212, 302 ... Gripper 232a, 232b ... First layer idle pulley 234a, 234b ... Second layer idle pulley 236a, 236b ... First layer guide pulley 238a, 238b ... First Two-layer guide pulley 252a, 52 b ... driven wire 260a, 260b ... end effector driving mechanism 322 ... drive coupling wire 324 ... drive coupling pulley 350 ... return pulley 356 ... recess 360 ... first layer return pulley 362 ... second layer return pulley

Claims (10)

A medical manipulator in which an end effector provided on the distal end side operates by the advancement and retraction of the drive member,
A transmission member for transmitting a driving force to the end effector;
A main shaft member that supports the transmission member so as to advance and retreat; and
It is integrally formed in the vicinity of the base end side of the transmission member, and has a convex arc convex surface toward the base end side, and the arc convex surface enters the inside of a virtual circle forming a part of the tip end side. An arc-shaped integrated passive body that forms a non-convex defect portion in the shape toward the tip side, and
Between the integrated passive body and the tip of the transmission member, a folded cylinder provided with a position fixed to the main shaft member;
Partially connected to the drive member, and the flexible member of one or more wound about annular over between the arcuate convex surface and in fold return pulleys,
Have
When the driving member moves toward the proximal end and pulls the flexible member, the integrated passive member moves toward the distal end side together with the transmission member, and the proximal end side of the folded cylindrical body is A medical manipulator characterized in that it penetrates to the defect part. The medical manipulator according to claim 1, wherein
The medical manipulator characterized in that the defect portion is formed by an arc concave surface opened toward the distal end side. The medical manipulator according to claim 2,
When the driving member moves toward the proximal end and pulls the flexible member, the integrated passive member moves toward the distal end side together with the transmission member, and the proximal end side of the folded cylindrical body is A medical manipulator characterized in that it passes through a chord line connecting both ends of the concave surface of the circular arc concave surface and enters the inside of the circular arc concave portion formed by the circular arc concave surface. The medical manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The drive member, the end effector, the integrated passive body, the folded cylindrical body, the flexible member,
An idle cylinder provided on the base end side from the transmission member;
A guide cylinder provided between the idle cylinder and the transmission member;
A second end effector drive mechanism including:
A passive cylinder provided in the vicinity of the base end side of the transmission member;
A first end effector drive mechanism comprising a member corresponding to the drive member, the flexible member, the idle cylinder, the passive cylinder, and the guide cylinder;
A medical manipulator comprising: a drive member advancement / retraction mechanism that advances and retracts the drive member of the first end effector drive mechanism and the drive member of the second end effector drive mechanism in opposite directions. The medical manipulator according to claim 2 or 3 ,
The medical manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the concave arc surface is an arc having the same diameter as that of the folded column body in plan view or a larger diameter in plan view than the folded column body. In the medical manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The medical manipulator characterized in that the arc convex surface is an arc having the same diameter as that of the folded cylindrical body in plan view. The medical manipulator according to claim 6, wherein
The medical manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the arc convex surface is an arc having a central angle in a plan view of 140 ° to 220 °. In the medical manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A main shaft member that houses the transmission member, the integrated passive body, and the folded cylindrical body;
A pin supported by the main shaft member;
The medical manipulator, wherein the pin is a cantilever beam that pivotally supports the folded cylindrical body. The medical manipulator according to claim 4 , wherein
The medical manipulator, wherein the idle cylinder is a cylinder having a larger diameter than the guide cylinder. The medical manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The medical manipulator, wherein the driving member is mechanically connected to an input unit operated manually.

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