KR102603046B1 - Sample collecting robot based on remote center of motion - Google Patents

Abstract

The telecentric motion-based sample collection robot includes a base frame, a first arc unit, a first drive unit, a second arc unit, a second drive unit, and an insertion unit. The first arc unit is fixed to the base frame and forms an arc on the first plane. The first drive unit slides on the first arc unit. The second arc unit is connected to the first drive unit and forms an arc on a second plane that intersects the first plane. The second drive unit slides on the second arc unit. The insertion unit is connected to the second driving unit and the swap part is inserted. The swap unit changes the posture of the extraction unit entering the subject according to the sliding of the first driving unit or the second driving unit.

Description

SAMPLE COLLECTING ROBOT BASED ON REMOTE CENTER OF MOTION}

The present invention relates to a sample collection robot, and more specifically, to collect samples from the subject's upper respiratory tract to confirm disease, and to use a telecentric movement mechanism to accurately insert the collection unit at various angles depending on the location of the subject's upper respiratory tract. This is about a telecentric motion-based sample collection robot that can implement movements with three degrees of freedom.

Recently, as infectious diseases have spread worldwide, the method of collecting samples directly from the upper respiratory tract of suspected patients has been widely used to test for infectious diseases.

When collecting such samples, a disposable swab is used, where the medical staff faces the suspected patient one-on-one and inserts the swab into the upper respiratory tract of the suspected patient to collect the sample.

However, in order to prevent infection between medical staff and suspected patients when collecting samples, protective clothing or thick protective gloves must be worn, which causes great discomfort to medical staff and requires considerable caution against infection during the sample collection process. This is a demanding situation.

Accordingly, technology to automate the sample collection using robots, etc. is being studied. In order to effectively collect samples from subjects through such sample collection robots, in particular, the location of the upper airway of subjects with various postures or shapes is being studied. It is important to have a posture driving mechanism to make accurate judgments and accurately introduce the swap into the subject's upper airway.

However, to date, as in Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0144647, there is not only technology to change the posture of the swab unit during sample collection, but also a robot that can directly collect the sample by inserting the swab unit into the upper airway. It has not been commercialized.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0144647

Accordingly, the technical problem of the present invention was conceived from this point, and the purpose of the present invention is to accurately insert the collection part at various angles depending on the position of the subject's upper airway, and to apply a telecentric movement mechanism to change the position to various angles. The goal is to provide a telecentric movement-based sample collection robot that can be easily performed by implementing three degrees of freedom.

A sample collection robot according to an embodiment for realizing the object of the present invention described above includes a base frame, a first arc unit, a first drive unit, a second arc unit, a second drive unit, and an insertion unit. The first arc unit is fixed to the base frame and forms an arc on the first plane. The first drive unit slides on the first arc unit. The second arc unit is connected to the first drive unit and forms an arc on a second plane that intersects the first plane. The second drive unit slides on the second arc unit. The insertion unit is connected to the second driving unit and the swap part is inserted. The swap unit changes the posture of the extraction unit entering the subject according to the sliding of the first driving unit or the second driving unit.

In one embodiment, the base frame may include a horizontal base on which the first arc unit is fixed at one end and extending along the first plane, and a vertical base extending upward from an end of the horizontal base. .

In one embodiment, it may further include a support unit fixed to the vertical base, positioned through the swap part, and supporting the harvesting part whose posture is variable.

In one embodiment, the support unit includes a support base fixed to the vertical base, an extension bar extending upward from the support base, and fixed to the extension bar, forming a central point when the posture of the harvesting unit is changed. It may include a support part.

In one embodiment, the support portion includes a first insertion portion that is open in a direction toward the insertion unit, and a first insertion portion that is open in a direction toward the subject, forming an opening area narrower than the opening area of the first insertion portion, and the center point is It may include a second insertion portion positioned.

In one embodiment, the first arc unit includes a first arc gear that forms a predetermined curvature and extends on the first plane, and is located on the first arc gear and guides sliding of the first drive unit. It may include a first sliding guide.

In one embodiment, the first drive unit includes a first sliding unit sliding on the first sliding guide, a first rotation gear coupled to the first arc gear and sliding the first sliding unit, and the first rotation. It may include a first driving unit that provides rotational driving force to the gear.

In one embodiment, the second arc unit includes a second arc gear that forms the same curvature as that of the first arc unit and extends on the second plane, and is located on the second arc gear. It may include a second sliding guide that guides the sliding of the second drive unit.

In one embodiment, the second drive unit includes a second sliding unit sliding on the second sliding guide, a second rotation gear coupled to the second arc gear and sliding the second sliding unit, and the second rotation gear. It may include a second driving unit that provides rotational driving force to the gear.

In one embodiment, it further includes a connection frame connecting the first drive unit and the second drive unit, and when the first drive unit slides on the first arc unit, the second drive unit is also positioned as one body. may be variable.

In one embodiment, when the second driving unit slides on the second arc unit, the posture of only the insertion unit connected to the second driving unit may be changed.

In one embodiment, the insertion unit may include a connection plate connected to the second drive unit, and a swap drive unit that penetrates the interior, fixes the swap unit, and controls driving in the extension direction of the swap unit. .

In one embodiment, the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the insertion unit may be driven by a remote control robot located at a distance from the subject.

In one embodiment, the remote control robot includes a first driving simulation unit, a second driving simulation unit, and an insertion simulation unit that identically replicate the operations of each of the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the insertion unit. It can be included.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the first drive unit and the second drive unit slide on an arc of a predetermined curvature formed by the first arc unit and the second arc unit, and accordingly, the posture of the sampling unit, which is the end of the swap unit, Since is variable, the collection unit can be inserted into the subject's upper airway in various positions and postures, making it easier and more effective to collect samples from the upper airway. In particular, since the operation of varying the position of the collection part within the upper respiratory tract can be implemented in the same manner during the direct collection of samples by actual medical staff, sample collection by the sample collection robot can be performed more effectively.

Furthermore, even when the location of the subject's upper airway is different depending on the subject, the collection unit can be positioned inside the upper airway at an accurate location, making it possible to effectively collect samples from various subjects.

In this case, a support unit for fixing the harvesting unit is provided, and in particular, the support unit is designed to include a central point that is a fixed point for changing the posture when the posture of the swap portion changes, so that it can be used to control the operation of the first and second driving units. Accordingly, the location and posture of the actual extraction part can be effectively varied.

Meanwhile, the position of the first arc unit is fixed, the position of the first driving unit is relatively variable, and the second driving unit connected to the first driving unit also changes position at the same time according to the variable position of the first driving unit. By designing it to be variable, the swap part can effectively change its posture while having a predetermined curvature on the first plane.

Furthermore, even if the position of the second driving unit on the second arc unit changes, the swap part is designed to change its posture on the second plane while the position of the first driving unit is fixed, so that the swap part It can be controlled in various postures within a predetermined arc range on the first and second planes.

Additionally, since the insertion or removal of the swap unit into the upper airway is performed by a swap drive unit that controls a separate swap drive, entry and exit of a predetermined distance can be independently controlled regardless of the posture of the swap unit.

Furthermore, since the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the insertion unit are each controlled by a remote control robot located at a distance, managers such as medical staff can operate the robot at a location away from subjects at high risk of infection. Sample collection can be performed by directly controlling the movement, and since the same movement is simulated and implemented through a simulation unit, precise and accurate position control in sample collection can be easily performed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a sample collection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a sample is collected from the upper respiratory tract of a subject using the sample collection robot of FIG. 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the posture of the sample collection robot of Figure 1 is changed by the first drive unit.
Figure 4 is a side view illustrating a state in which the posture of the sample collection robot of Figure 1 is changed by the second driving unit.
Figure 5a is a perspective view showing the support unit of Figure 1, Figure 5b is a side view showing the support part of Figure 5a, and Figure 5c is a side view illustrating a state where the swap part is located in the support part of Figure 5b.
Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the sample collection robot of Figure 1 is controlled by a remote control robot.

Since the present invention can be subject to various changes and can have various forms, embodiments will be described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to a specific disclosed form, and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. While describing each drawing, similar reference numerals are used for similar components. Terms such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms.

The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. The terms used in this application are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In this application, terms such as “comprise” or “consist of” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to indicate the presence of one or more other features. It should be understood that this does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of elements, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related technology, and unless explicitly defined in the present application, should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense. No.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a sample collection robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a sample is collected from the upper respiratory tract of a subject using the sample collection robot of FIG. 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the sample collection robot 10 according to this embodiment includes a base frame 100, a first arc unit 200, a first drive unit 300, a connection frame 400, It includes a second arc unit 500, a second drive unit 600, an insertion unit 700, and a support unit 900.

Although not shown, the base frame 100 is supported on the ground or other fixed structure to form a fixed base for the sample collection robot 10, and includes a horizontal base 110 and a vertical base 120.

In this case, the fixing structure may be a variety of structures to which the sample collection robot 10 is fixed, and the height of the fixing structure may be designed in various ways in consideration of the height of the subject 20, sitting height, etc.

The horizontal base 110 may extend on a first plane (XY plane) formed by a first direction (X) and a second direction (Y) perpendicular to the first direction (X), for example It may be a plate or frame structure that is relatively long in the second direction (Y).

Additionally, although not shown, the horizontal base 110 may be fixed to the ground or other fixed structure.

Since the horizontal base 110 is fixed to the ground or the fixed structure as described above, the position or posture of the horizontal base 110 does not change unless the ground or the fixed structure is moved.

The vertical base 120 is fixed to an end of the horizontal base 110 and extends along a third direction Z, which is a direction perpendicular to the extension plane of the horizontal base 110.

The vertical base 120 may be formed at a predetermined height, and its height may be designed in general consideration of the length of the support unit 900, which will be described later, and the position of the upper airway 30 of the subject 20. there is.

The support unit 900 is fixed on the vertical base 120, and the support unit 900 will be described later.

The first arc unit 200 includes a first arc gear 210 and a first sliding guide 220.

The first arc gear 210 is fixed to one end of the horizontal base 110, that is, on the opposite side of the end to which the vertical base 120 is connected.

The first arc gear 210 forms an arc along a predetermined curvature, and the curvature formed by the first arc gear 210 can be changed in various ways.

Furthermore, the overall length of the first arc gear 210, that is, the length of the arc, can also be designed in various ways.

In this way, as the curvature or arc length of the first arc gear 210 is designed in various ways, the movement range of the sampling unit 810, which will be described later, on the first plane (XY plane) can be determined.

Although not shown, gear teeth are formed on the outer peripheral surface 211 of the first arc gear 210, which faces the first driving unit 300, which will be described later.

The first sliding guide 220 is fixed on the upper surface of the first arc gear 210, and the first sliding guide 220 may also have an arc shape with a predetermined curvature.

In this case, the curvature formed by the first sliding guide 220 must be substantially the same as the curvature formed by the first arc gear 210, and in the first sliding guide 220, the first arc gear At (210), a sliding groove is formed on a surface formed in the same direction as the outer peripheral surface 211 where the gear teeth are formed.

Thus, the first sliding guide 220 forms a guide so that the first driving unit 300, which will be described later, is slidably driven, and limits the sliding direction and sliding degree of the first driving unit 300.

The first driving unit 300 includes a first sliding part 310, a first rotation gear 320, a first driving part 330, and a first fixed frame 340.

The first sliding part 310 is slidably connected to the first sliding guide 220, and thus slides on the first sliding guide 220.

As described above, since the first sliding guide 220 has a sliding groove formed to face the first driving unit 300, the first sliding part 310 is connected to be able to slide on the sliding groove. .

The first rotation gear 320 is gear-coupled to mesh with the outer peripheral surface 211 of the first arc gear 210.

In this case, the first rotation gear 320 is a gear that rotates by receiving rotational driving force from the first drive unit 330, and the first rotation gear 320 is a gear formed in the circumferential direction on the rotation drive shaft. It can be.

Therefore, when a rotational driving force is provided from the first driving unit 330, the first rotation gear 320 rotates while engaged with the outer peripheral surface 211 of the first arc gear 210, and accordingly, The position of the first rotation gear 320 moves on the first arc gear 210.

In this case, as described above, the first arc gear 210 is fixed on the base frame 100 and its position does not change, so the first rotation gear 320 is relatively similar to the first arc gear. (210) It moves on top.

This gear combination of the first arc gear 210 and the first rotation gear 320 is similar to the conventional rack and pinion except that the first arc gear 210 has a predetermined curvature. It may be substantially the same as gear coupling.

The first fixed frame 340 fixes the first driving unit 330 and the first sliding unit 310 to each other. By the first fixed frame 340, the first rotation gear 320 When moves, the first sliding part 310 also moves as one unit.

That is, the first rotating gear 320 moves along the outer peripheral surface 211 of the first arc gear 210 integrally with the first driving unit 330. In this case, the first sliding unit 310 ) is fixed to the first driving unit 330 through the first fixing frame 340, so the first sliding unit 310 slides on the first sliding guide 220.

As described above, as the first driving unit 330 is driven, the first rotation gear 320 moves on the first arc gear 210, and the first sliding part 310 moves on the first sliding guide ( 220) It moves on.

Specifically, the first fixed frame 340 includes an upper frame 341, an extension frame 342, and a lower frame 343.

The upper frame 341 extends in the second direction (Y), the first sliding part 310 is fixed to the lower surface, and the extension frame 342 has a third vertical axis perpendicular to the upper frame 341. The lower frame 343, which extends in the direction (Z) and is located at the end of the extension frame 342, extends in the first direction (X) and is fixed to the first driving unit 330.

Thus, the first driving unit 330, the first rotation gear 320, and the first sliding unit 310 are fixed by the first fixed frame 340 and move as one unit.

The connection frame 400 connects the first driving unit 300 and the second driving unit 600 to each other, and includes the first connection frame 410, the second connection frame 420, and the third connection frame. Includes (430).

The first connection frame 410 extends in the first direction (X) and is fixed to the upper frame 341, and the second connection frame 420 extends in the second direction (Y). It is fixed to the first connection frame 410, and the third connection frame 430 extends in the third direction (Z) and is fixed to the second connection frame 420.

In this case, the first to third connection frames 410, 420, and 430 are fixed so as not to move relative to each other, and similarly, the first connection frame 410 also does not move relative to the upper frame 341. It is fixed so that

Furthermore, the third connection frame 430 is fixed so as not to move relative to the second arc unit 500, which will be described later. As a result, when the first drive unit 300 is moved, the second arc unit (500) also moves at the same time.

That is, the position or posture of the second arc unit 500 is dependent on the position or posture of the first driving unit 300.

Therefore, as the position or posture of the second arc unit 500 changes, as will be described later, the position or posture of the swap unit 800 changes equally, so the position or posture of the swap unit 800 ultimately changes. It varies depending on the position or posture of the first driving unit 300.

In the end, since the position or posture of the first drive unit 300 is variable along the first arc unit 200, which forms a predetermined arc in an arc shape on the first plane, the swap unit ( 800) can also be moved to change its position or posture along a predetermined arc on the first plane.

As described above, the swap unit 800 may change its position or posture along a predetermined arc on the first plane (XY plane). In this case, changing the position or posture ultimately means that the swap unit 800 is rotated on the first plane based on the center point 933 (see FIG. 5C), which will be described later.

The connection relationship between the second arc unit 500 and the second drive unit 600 is such that the second arc unit 500 forms a second plane (YZ plane) perpendicular to the first plane (XY plane). The connection relationship between the first arc unit 200 and the first drive unit 300 described above is the same, except that they are arranged along the same line.

Specifically, the second arc unit 500 includes a second arc gear 510 and a second sliding guide 520.

As described above, the second arc gear 510 is fixed on the third connection frame 430, and since the third connection frame 430 extends along the third direction (Z), the second arc gear 510 is fixed to the third connection frame 430. 2 The arc gear 510 also has a plate structure extending overall along the third direction (Z).

In this case, the outer peripheral surface 511 of the second arc gear 510 forms an arc along a predetermined curvature, and the curvature formed by the second arc gear 510 can also be changed in various ways. .

Additionally, the overall length, that is, the length of the arc, of the second arc gear 510 may also be designed in various ways.

For example, the curvature and arc length of the second arc gear 510 may be substantially the same as the curvature and arc length of the first arc gear 210. Thus, the position or posture at which the swap unit 800 is moved on the first plane and the second plane can be maintained substantially the same.

Gear teeth (not shown) are formed on the outer peripheral surface 511 of the second arc gear 510, that is, on the outer peripheral surface 511 in the direction toward the second drive unit 600.

The second sliding guide 520 is fixed to the upper surface of the second arc gear 510, that is, the surface facing the first direction (X), and the second sliding guide 520 also has an arc having a predetermined curvature. It may be a shape. That is, the surface of the second sliding guide 520 facing the second driving unit 600 may be arc-shaped.

In this case, the curvature formed by the second sliding guide 520 must be substantially the same as the curvature formed by the second arc gear 510, and in the second sliding guide 520, the second arc gear At 510, a sliding groove is formed on a surface formed in the same direction as the outer peripheral surface 511 where the gear teeth are formed.

Thus, the second sliding guide 520 forms a guide so that the second driving unit 600, which will be described later, is slidably driven, and limits the sliding direction and sliding degree of the second driving unit 600.

The second driving unit 600 includes a second sliding unit 610, a second rotation gear 620, a second driving unit 630, and a second fixed frame 640.

The second sliding part 610 is slidably connected to the second sliding guide 520, and thus slides on the second sliding guide 520.

As described above, the second sliding guide 520 has a sliding groove formed to face the second driving unit 600, so the second sliding part 610 is connected to be able to slide on the sliding groove. .

The second rotation gear 620 is gear-coupled to mesh with the outer peripheral surface of the second arc gear 510.

In this case, the second rotation gear 620 is a gear that rotates by receiving rotational driving force from the second driving unit 630. The second rotation gear 620 is a gear formed in the circumferential direction on the rotation drive shaft. It can be.

Therefore, when rotational driving force is provided from the second driving unit 630, the second rotation gear 620 rotates while engaged with the outer peripheral surface of the second arc gear 510, and accordingly, the second rotation gear 620 rotates while being engaged with the outer peripheral surface of the second arc gear 510. The rotation gear 620 moves in position on the second arc gear 510.

In this case, as described above, the second arc gear 510 is fixed on the third connection frame 430 and its position is not variable, so the second rotation gear 620 is relatively It moves on the arc gear 510.

This gear combination of the second arc gear 510 and the second rotation gear 620 is similar to the conventional rack and pinion except that the second arc gear 510 has a predetermined curvature. As described above, it may be substantially the same as gear coupling.

The second fixed frame 640 fixes the second driving unit 630 and the second sliding unit 610 to each other. By the second fixed frame 640, the second rotation gear 620 When moves, the second sliding part 610 also moves as one unit.

That is, the second rotating gear 620 moves along the outer peripheral surface of the second arc gear 510 integrally with the second driving unit 630. In this case, the second sliding unit 610 is Since it is fixed to the second driving unit 630 through the second fixed frame 640, the second sliding unit 610 slides on the second sliding guide 520.

As described above, as the second driving unit 630 is driven, the second rotation gear 620 moves on the second arc gear 510, and the second sliding part 610 moves on the second sliding guide ( 520) It moves on.

Specifically, the second fixed frame 640 includes a right frame 641, an extension frame 642, and a left frame 643.

The right frame 641 extends in the second direction (Y), the second sliding part 610 is fixed to one side, and the extension frame 642 is perpendicular to the right frame 641. The left frame 643, which extends in the first direction (X) and is located at the end of the extension frame 642, extends in the third direction (Z) and is fixed to the second driving unit 630.

Thus, the second driving unit 630, the second rotation gear 620, and the second sliding unit 610 are fixed by the second fixed frame 640 and move as one unit.

As described above, the position and posture of the second driving unit 600 change depending on the position and posture of the first driving unit 300 as the first driving unit 300 is driven.

However, even if the position and posture of the second driving unit 600 change as it is driven, the position and posture of the first driving unit 300 are dependent on the position and posture of the second driving unit 600. It doesn't change.

That is, through the driving of the second driving unit 600, only the position and posture of the swap unit 800 fixed to the insertion unit 700 are dependent and changed.

Thus, when the position and posture of the first driving unit 300 change on the first arc unit 200, the swap unit 800 changes its position and posture on the first plane (XY plane) as is. When the position and posture of the second driving unit 600 are changed on the second arc unit 500, the swap unit 800 changes its position and posture as is on the second plane (YZ plane). It will happen.

Accordingly, the position and posture of the swap unit 800 in three-dimensional space can be controlled to change in various ways according to the driving of the first driving unit 300 and the second driving unit 600.

The insertion unit 700 is connected to the second driving unit 600 and includes a connection plate 710, a swap drive unit 720, an inlet part 730, and an outlet part 740.

The connection plate 710 is connected to and fixed to the right frame 641 and the extension frame 642, and is integrally fixed with the second drive unit 600 to determine the position of the second drive unit 600. And the position and posture are dependent on changes in posture.

The swap drive unit 720 is fixed on the connection plate 710, and accordingly, like the connection plate 710, its position and attitude are dependent on changes in the position and attitude of the second driving unit 600. changes.

Meanwhile, the inlet part 730 and the outlet part 740 are formed on both outer surfaces of the swap drive unit 720, respectively. The swap part is connected through the inlet part 730 and the outlet part 740. 800 is fixed, and the swap part 800 fixed in this way is located through the swap drive part 720.

The swap part 800 has a so-called cotton swab shape in the shape of a bar extending in one direction, and a collection part 810 is formed at the end of the swap part 800.

The swap unit 800 is disposable and is discarded after being used on a subject. Accordingly, the swap unit 800 can be mounted on the swap drive unit 720 each time it is used.

In this way, when the swap unit 800 is mounted on the swap drive unit 720, the swap drive unit 720, although not shown, fixes the swap unit 800 therein and operates the swap unit 800. A driving part that drives is provided.

Accordingly, the swap driving unit 720 drives the mounted swap unit 800 along the extension direction of the swap unit 800.

In this case, the extension direction of the swap unit 800 refers to the second direction (Y) when the swap unit 800 extends in the second direction (Y), as shown in FIG. 1. do. That is, the swap driving unit 720 drives the swap unit 800 to move forward or backward along the second direction (Y).

Therefore, as the swap driving unit 720 is driven, the sampling unit 810 of the swap unit 800 may move forward or backward into the upper airway 30 of the subject 20.

As described above, in a state where the posture or position of the swap unit 800 is set by the first drive unit 300 or the second drive unit 600, the swap is performed by driving the swap drive unit 720. The unit 800 may advance into the upper airway 30 of the subject 20 to collect a sample, and then move backward to be removed.

The support unit 900 is fixed on the vertical base 120 of the base frame 100 to fix the position of the sampling unit 810 of the swap unit 800. Detailed description is provided in FIGS. 5A to 5A. This will be described later with reference to 5c.

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the posture of the sample collection robot of Figure 1 is changed by the first drive unit. Figure 4 is a side view illustrating a state in which the posture of the sample collection robot of Figure 1 is changed by the second driving unit.

Figure 3 shows a state in which the sample collection robot 10 changes its position and posture on the first plane (XY plane), and the position and posture change according to the driving of the first driving unit 300. do.

That is, when the first rotation gear 320 moves on the first arc gear 210 by the driving force of the first driving unit 330, the first sliding unit 310 also moves on the first sliding guide 220. The connection frame 400, the second arc unit 500, the second drive unit 600, and the insertion unit 700 slide on the top and are thus moved integrally with the first drive unit 300. ) and the swap unit 800 also moves according to the sliding movement of the first sliding unit 310, so that its position and posture are changed.

In this case, since the first sliding guide 220 forms a predetermined circular arc on the first plane, the swap unit 800 is ultimately centered on the center point 933 (see FIG. 5C), which will be described later. It rotates on a plane and its position and posture are variable.

Accordingly, the sampling unit 810 may be positioned to face the upper airway 30 of the subject 20 in various directions or in various postures in a rotation area within a predetermined range on the first plane.

Likewise, Figure 4 shows a state in which the sample collection robot 10 changes its position and posture on the second plane (YZ plane), and the position and posture change according to the driving of the second drive unit 600. is variable.

That is, when the second rotation gear 620 moves on the second arc gear 510 by the driving force of the second driving unit 630, the second sliding unit 610 also moves on the second sliding guide 520. It slides on the top, and accordingly, the insertion unit 700 and the swap unit 800, which move integrally with the second driving unit 600, also move according to the sliding movement of the second sliding unit 610. Position and posture are variable.

In this case, since the second sliding guide 520 forms a predetermined circular arc on the second plane, the swap unit 800 ultimately moves the second sliding guide 520 around the center point 933 (see FIG. 5C), which will be described later. It rotates on a plane and its position and posture are variable.

Accordingly, the sampling unit 810 may be positioned to face the upper airway 30 of the subject 20 in various directions or in various postures in a rotation area within a predetermined range on the second plane.

Figure 5a is a perspective view showing the support unit of Figure 1, Figure 5b is a side view showing the support part of Figure 5a, and Figure 5c is a side view illustrating a state where the swap part is located in the support part of Figure 5b.

First, referring to FIG. 5A, the support unit 900 includes a support base 910, an extension bar 920, and a support portion 930.

The support base 910 is fixed to the upper part of the vertical base 120, and the extension bar 920 extends a predetermined length from the support base 910 in the third direction (Z).

In this case, the extension length of the extension bar 920 can be designed in various ways considering the height at which the swap part 800 is located, and when the swap part 800 extends in a direction horizontal to the ground The harvesting part 810 may be designed to have a length that can be positioned on the support part 930.

The support part 930 is located at the end of the extension bar 920, and the sampling part 810 penetrates the support part 930 and is fixed.

Referring to FIG. 5B, the support part 930 includes a first insertion part 931 and a second insertion part 932.

The first insertion portion 931 is opened in a direction toward the insertion unit 700, and the second insertion portion 932 is positioned toward the upper airway 30 of the subject 20.

That is, in the swap unit 800, the collection unit 810 is introduced through the first insertion unit 931 and penetrates the second insertion unit 932 into the upper airway 30 of the subject 20. It is located towards.

In this case, the first insertion part 931 is formed to be open in a funnel shape, and the opening of the second insertion part 932 is formed to have a smaller area than the area of the opening of the first insertion part 931.

The opening of the second insertion part 932 is sufficient to allow the extraction part 810 to pass through. Accordingly, the stepped portion 811 of the extraction part 810 is formed by the second insertion part. It is located on the opening of 932.

That is, referring to FIG. 5C, a center point 933 is formed on the opening of the second insertion part 932, and the stepped portion 811 of the extraction part 810 is located on the center point 933. .

In this case, the first insertion part 931 forms a relatively wide opening and the opening expands in a funnel shape in the direction toward the insertion unit 700, so that the step part 811 in the swap part 800 The rear end of can be moved relatively freely.

Accordingly, the swap unit 800 may have a variable position and posture similar to the principle of a lever while being fixed or supported at the central point 933.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when the first driving unit 300 slides on the first arc unit 200, the sampling unit 810 moves on the first plane ( It rotates on the XY plane and changes its position and posture.

Likewise, as shown in FIG. 4, when the second driving unit 600 slides on the second arc unit 500, the sampling unit 810 moves on the second plane ( It rotates on the YZ plane and its position and posture change.

As described above, the swap unit 800 rotates around the central point 933 formed in the second insertion unit 932 based on the lever principle, and accordingly, the position and The posture can be varied in various ways, and control of the position and posture of the harvesting unit 810 can be easily performed.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the sample collection robot of Figure 1 is controlled by a remote control robot.

Referring to FIG. 6, the sample collection robot 10 according to this embodiment is driven by a separately controlled remote control robot 50.

The remote control robot 50 is a robot located remotely from the location where the sample collection robot 10 is located, and includes a first driving simulation unit 301, a second driving simulation unit 601, and an insertion simulation unit. Includes unit 701.

In general, the sample collection robot 10 is located simultaneously in the space where the subject 20 is located. Accordingly, if an administrator such as a medical professional directly controls the sample collection robot 10, there is no risk of contact with the subject 20. The risk increases.

Accordingly, the sample collection robot 10 in this embodiment can be implemented by simulating its operation by the remote control robot 50 located remotely.

For example, the first driving simulation unit 301 includes the same driving mechanism as the first driving unit 300, and the first driving simulation unit 300 is driven by driving the first driving simulation unit 301. ) can be simulated with the same operation.

That is, a remotely located administrator such as a medical staff manually operates and drives the first driving simulation unit 301, and the driving state of the first driving simulation unit 301 driven in this way remains in the first driving unit 301. It can be simulated in (300).

Likewise, the second driving simulation unit 601 and the insertion simulation unit 701 each include the same driving mechanism as the second driving unit 600 and the insertion unit 700, and the second driving simulation unit 701 Through driving of the unit 601 and the insertion simulation unit 701, the second drive unit 600 and the insertion unit 700 can be simulated with the same operation.

In this case, a remotely located administrator such as a medical staff manually operates and drives the second driving simulation unit 601 and the insertion simulation unit 701, and this driving state is the same as the second driving unit 600. ) and can be simulated in the insertion unit 700.

Thus, remotely, managers such as medical staff control the precise operation of the sample collection robot 10 while simulating the same state as the actual subject 20 located in front of the medical staff, thereby determining the location of the collection unit 810. and posture can be controlled very precisely and accurately, and through this, sample collection from the subject 20 can be performed more effectively.

In contrast, the driving of the first driving unit 300, the second driving unit 600, and the insertion unit 700 of the sample collection robot 10 in this embodiment is not a separate simulation unit. , It can also be controlled through control commands from the central control unit.

That is, through the central control unit, based on the location or shape information of the upper airway 30 of the subject 20, driving of the first driving unit 330, driving of the second driving unit 630, and the insertion driving unit By controlling the operation of 720, the position and posture of the sampling unit 810 may be controlled.

According to the embodiments of the present invention as described above, the first drive unit and the second drive unit slide on the arc of a predetermined curvature formed by the first arc unit and the second arc unit, and accordingly, the end of the swap portion. Since the posture of the collection unit is variable, the collection unit can be inserted into the subject's upper respiratory tract in various positions and postures, making it easier and more effective to collect samples from the upper respiratory tract. In particular, since the operation of varying the position of the collection unit within the upper respiratory tract can be implemented in the same manner during the actual collection of samples by medical staff, sample collection by the sample collection robot can be performed more effectively.

Furthermore, even when the location of the subject's upper airway is different depending on the subject, the collection unit can be positioned inside the upper airway at an accurate location, making it possible to effectively collect samples from various subjects.

In this case, a support unit for fixing the harvesting unit is provided, and in particular, the support unit is designed to include a central point that is a fixed point for changing the posture when the posture of the swap portion changes, so that it can be used to control the operation of the first and second driving units. Accordingly, the location and posture of the actual extraction part can be effectively varied.

Meanwhile, the position of the first arc unit is fixed, the position of the first driving unit is relatively variable, and the second driving unit connected to the first driving unit also changes position at the same time according to the variable position of the first driving unit. By designing it to be variable, the swap part can effectively change its posture while having a predetermined curvature on the first plane.

Furthermore, even if the position of the second driving unit on the second arc unit changes, the swap part is designed to change its posture on the second plane while the position of the first driving unit is fixed, so that the swap part It can be controlled in various postures within a predetermined arc range on the first and second planes.

Additionally, since the insertion or removal of the swap unit into the upper airway is performed by a swap drive unit that controls a separate swap drive, entry and exit of a predetermined distance can be independently controlled regardless of the posture of the swap unit.

Furthermore, since the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the insertion unit are each controlled by a remote control robot located at a distance, managers such as medical staff can operate the robot at a location away from subjects at high risk of infection. Sample collection can be performed by directly controlling the movement, and since the same movement is simulated and implemented through a simulation unit, precise and accurate position control in sample collection can be easily performed.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following patent claims. You will understand that it is possible.

10: Sample collection robot 50: Remote control robot
100: base frame 200: first arc unit
210: first arc gear 220: first sliding guide
300: first driving unit 301: first driving simulation unit
310: first sliding part 320: first rotation gear
330: first driving unit 400: connection frame
500: 2nd arc unit 510: 2nd arc gear
520: Second sliding guide 600: Second driving unit
601: second driving simulation unit 610: second sliding unit
620: second rotation gear 630: second driving unit
700: Insertion unit 701: Insertion simulation unit
720: Insertion drive part 800: Swap part
810: Collection unit 900: Support unit
930: support part

Claims (14)

base frame;
a first arc unit fixed to the base frame and forming an arc on a first plane;
a first driving unit sliding on the first arc unit;
a second arc unit connected to the first drive unit and forming an arc on a second plane intersecting the first plane;
a second driving unit sliding on the second arc unit; and
It is connected to the second driving unit and includes an insertion unit into which a swap part is inserted,
A sample collection robot, wherein the swap unit changes the posture of the collection unit entering the subject according to the sliding of the first drive unit or the second drive unit. The method of claim 1, wherein the base frame is:
a horizontal base on which the first arc unit is fixed at one end and extending along the first plane; and
A sample collection robot comprising a vertical base extending upward from an end of the horizontal base. According to paragraph 2,
The sample collection robot is fixed on the vertical base and further includes a support unit for supporting the collection unit whose posture is variable and positioned through the swap unit. The method of claim 3, wherein the support unit is:
a support base fixed on the vertical base;
an extension bar extending upward from the support base; and
A sample collection robot that is fixed on the extension bar and includes a support portion that forms a central point when the posture of the collection unit changes. The method of claim 4, wherein the support unit,
a first insertion portion opening in a direction toward the insertion unit; and
A sample collection robot that is open in a direction toward the subject, has an opening area narrower than that of the first insertion part, and includes a second insertion part where the center point is located. The method of claim 1, wherein the first arc unit,
a first arc gear forming a predetermined curvature and extending on the first plane; and
A sample collection robot comprising a first sliding guide located on the first arc gear and guiding sliding of the first drive unit. The method of claim 6, wherein the first driving unit,
a first sliding portion sliding on the first sliding guide;
a first rotation gear coupled to the first arc gear and sliding the first sliding portion; and
A sample collection robot comprising a first driving unit that provides rotational driving force to the first rotation gear. The method of claim 1, wherein the second arc unit,
a second arc gear forming the same curvature as that formed by the first arc unit and extending on the second plane; and
A sample collection robot comprising a second sliding guide located on the second arc gear and guiding sliding of the second drive unit. The method of claim 8, wherein the second driving unit,
a second sliding part sliding on the second sliding guide;
a second rotation gear coupled to the second arc gear and sliding the second sliding portion; and
A sample collection robot comprising a second driving unit that provides rotational driving force to the second rotation gear. According to paragraph 1,
It further includes a connection frame connecting the first driving unit and the second driving unit,
A sample collection robot, wherein when the first drive unit slides on the first arc unit, the posture of the second drive unit also changes as a whole. According to clause 10,
A sample collection robot, wherein when the second drive unit slides on the second arc unit, only the insertion unit connected to the second drive unit changes its posture. The method of claim 1, wherein the insertion unit,
A connection plate connected to the second driving unit; and
A sample collection robot that penetrates the interior, is fixed to the swap unit, and includes a swap drive unit that controls driving in an extension direction of the swap unit. According to any one of claims 1 to 12,
A sample collection robot, wherein the first driving unit, the second driving unit, and the insertion unit are driven by a remote control robot located at a distance from the subject. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote control robot,
A sample collection robot comprising a first drive simulation unit, a second drive simulation unit, and an insertion simulation unit that identically simulate the operations of each of the first drive unit, the second drive unit, and the insertion unit.

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