EP2459098A1

EP2459098A1 - Hand-held manipulator with symmetrical grip

Info

Publication number: EP2459098A1
Application number: EP10745425A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pascal Barrier; Jérémy OLLAGNIER; Rémi ROSSET-LANCHET
Original assignee: Dexterite Surgical
Current assignee: Dexterite Surgical
Priority date: 2009-07-31
Filing date: 2010-07-30
Publication date: 2012-06-06
Also published as: US8613740B2; US20120130356A1; FR2948596A1; WO2011013100A1; FR2948596B1

Abstract

A hand-held manipulator according to the invention comprises a handle (4) fixedly mounted on the end of a connecting arm (2), the distal end (2b) of which carries a work unit (3). The handle (4) comprises a grip section (4e) having a surface of revolution about a longitudinal handle axis (III), which is aligned with the longitudinal axis (I) of the arm. Control elements (4a-4c) are shaped in an annular structure near the distal end (4f) of the grip section (4e) so as to be accessible in any angular orientation of the hand holding the handle.

Description

MANIPULATOR HAS MANUAL AND

SYMMETRIC PREHENSION

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to handling devices for controlling, from outside an intervention zone, the movements of a handling instrument located inside the intervention zone.

In particular, these handling devices make it possible to place and control a surgical tool in minimally invasive surgery applications performed under endoscopy.

In these applications, it is necessary to be able to move and control a surgical tool to perform various operations such as suturing, tightening a knot, fine tissue dissection. These are delicate, precise operations in which the movements to be performed are complex.

More specifically, the invention relates to portable, manipulative surgical manipulation devices in which a surgical tool is placed at the end of a portable manipulator having essentially a proximal and distal end link arm. A proximal end of the link arm carries a control unit having a handle adapted to be held by a hand. A work unit is mounted on the distal end of the link arm and has a tool support adapted to support a tool or carrying the tool.

The simple portable articulated surgical instruments comprise, in the control unit, a control member whose bias causes the inclination of the tool support and the tool with a degree of freedom of distal orientation around an axis. transverse. However, the operations to be performed generally require the tool to be described as the whole of the solid angle constituted by a cone covering the distal end of the connecting arm, so as to orient the tool in the right position for the operation, or to drive the tool during this operation.

In most existing portable articulated manipulators, the position of the operator's hand is fixed on the handle of the manipulator, and there are generally several mechanical or motorized means for controlling the inclination of the tool relative to the axis. longitudinal direction of the link arm and the orientation of the direction of this inclination around the longitudinal axis of the link arm. However, this requires complicating the engine or other mechanical system, mechanical connection means, joints.

With the existing handles, the operator can not change the grip of his hand on the handle, and the rotational capacity of the handle is then limited to a value of a few tens of degrees corresponding to the range of possible movements of the handle. wrist joint of the hand holding the manipulator. The range of motion of the wrist joint is also dependent on the initial position of the wrist that holds the manipulator. This movement capacity is clearly insufficient for the tool to execute at the end of the manipulator all the operations generally envisaged.

US 6,187,026 B1 discloses a manipulator comprising:

a control unit, having a handle that can be held by a hand,

at least one control member mounted on the handle and capable of being urged by at least one finger of the hand holding the handle,

a link arm, extending along a longitudinal axis of the arm, having a proximal end in which the handle control unit is mounted, and having a distal end,

a working unit, mounted on the distal end of the link arm, comprising a tool support bearing a clamp-type tool, and actuable by said at least one control member for opening and closing the clamp,

and wherein:

- The handle comprises a gripping section having a gripping surface, about a longitudinal axis of handle, shaped so as to allow the same grip by the hand in all angular orientations around the longitudinal axis of the handle and to allow a regular rotation of the handle in the hand or between the fingers,

the handle is fixed on the proximal end of the link arm,

the longitudinal axis of the handle is collinear with the longitudinal axis of the arm,

said at least one control member is shaped to be accessible around the handle according to an annular zone of continuous control close to the distal end of the gripping section, whatever the orientation of the hand around the longitudinal axis of the handle.

With this arrangement, the operator can move his hand on the handle, take his palm off the handle, and roll the manipulator in his palm or between his thumb and his other fingers, so as to apply to the manipulator a movement of relative axial rotation along the longitudinal axis of the linkage arm. Simultaneously, by the particular provision of the organ (s) control that remain accessible according to an annular control zone, the operator can permanently solicit the control member or bodies to cause the opening and closing of the clamp.

This device however has the disadvantage of not being able to orient the clamp away from the longitudinal axis, nor to be able to apply to the clamp a clean rotation about its axis when it is inclined away from the longitudinal axis of the manipulator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem proposed by the present invention is to design a manipulator in which the operator can easily and manually apply to the manipulator a relative axial rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of the link arm relative to the hand holding the manipulator, without losing the permanent capacity for holding the tool in position and biasing the control member or controls mounted on the handle to allow controlling relative movements of the tool holder and / or the tool to the distal end of the link arm.

To achieve these and other aims, it is expected that the tool support and the tool are actuable by the control members in at least one self-rotational movement of the tool around the inclination direction, for example rotation type "screwdriver". It is thus easy to perform all the necessary movements of the tool for the operations envisaged.

Preferably, the actuation of a control member urges a clean rotation actuator housed in the control body, which drives the work unit to give the tool the own rotational movement.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the tool support and the tool are also actuable by the control members in at least one adjustable lateral inclination movement towards a direction of inclination. This is a very useful movement capability for the planned operations. In practice, it can be provided that the actuation of another control member urges a tilt actuator housed in a control body, which drives the tool support in a tilting motion.

According to a first embodiment, the gripping section has a cylindrical shape of revolution. This is the simplest form, easily achievable, and suitable for all sizes of operator's hand.

According to another embodiment, the gripping section has a shape of a pear revolution, the diameter of the gripping section being progressively increasing from the distal end towards the proximal end, with a rounded proximal end. This improves the gripping, and the increase in diameter also increases the accuracy of the angular positioning of the manipulator around the longitudinal axis of the link arm.

Alternatively, the gripping surface of the handle may have a polygonal cross section with sufficient number of sides for regular gripping, and / or may have surface irregularities such as anti-slip knurling, splines, etc.

In all cases, the gripping surface is contained in a casing having a shape of revolution about the longitudinal axis of the handle.

According to one embodiment, said at least one control member comprises a ring that can be urged in rotation about the longitudinal grip axis and / or in axial translation along the longitudinal axis of the handle.

Alternatively, said at least one control member comprises a series of buttons distributed annularly and regularly around the longitudinal axis of the handle and functionally coupled to each other to produce the same actuation of the work unit.

According to either of the alternatives, there may be several control members, offset from each other along the longitudinal axis of the handle, in the vicinity of the distal end of the gripping section.

Preferably, the control members having respective annular envelopes whose respective diameters are increasing in the direction of the distal end of the handle.

Preferably, in the case of a clamp type tool, the manipulator further comprises a control member adapted to control the opening and closing of the tool.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the manipulator may further comprise, on the peripheral surface of the control unit, an angular position mark around the longitudinal axis of the link arm.

For example, the angular position mark is a surface irregularity of the grip peripheral surface, perceptible by the hand holding the handle. In this way, the operator can locate the orientation of the tool in the operating area, and check the information he receives from the endoscope.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of particular embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a manipulator according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the manipulator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the manipulator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the manipulator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a manipulator according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the manipulator of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the manipulator of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the manipulator of FIG. 5;

Fig. 9 is a schematic side view of a manipulator according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a variant of the manipulator of FIG. 9; and

- Figure 11 illustrates the cross section of a manipulator handle according to three variants of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the embodiments illustrated in the figures, a manipulator according to the invention comprises a control unit 1, having a handle 4 adapted to be held by a hand.

The handle 4 carries at least one control member, for example three control members 4a, 4b and 4c, the control members being structured and arranged so as to be able to be stressed by at least one finger of the hand holding the handle 4.

The manipulator includes a link arm 2, extending along a longitudinal axis of arm I ₁ having a proximal end 2a and a distal end 2b.

The control unit 1 is mounted in the proximal end 2a of the link arm 2, and the handle 4 forms the proximal end of the manipulator.

In Figure 9, the manipulator is illustrated in the use position. As in the known devices, the connecting arm 2 passes in a trocar 7 ensuring the connection and the passage through an opening 8 made in the body wall 9 of a patient.

A working unit 3 is mounted on the distal end 2b of the connecting arm 2, and comprises a tool support 5 carrying or adapted to receive a tool 6, and actuable by said at least one control member 4a-4c according to at least one degree of freedom of movement. The handle 4 comprises a gripping section 4e having a gripping surface around a longitudinal handle axis III.

In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, the gripping section 4e has a pear-shaped revolution, the diameter D of the gripping section 4e being progressively increasing from the distal end 4f to the proximal end 4g. The proximal end 4g is itself rounded, for example spherical cap.

In the embodiment of Figures 9 and 10, the gripping section 4e has a cylindrical shape of revolution.

In the embodiments illustrated by way of example in cross section in FIG. 11, the gripping section has a hexagonal cross section in the left view, or an octagonal cross section in the middle view, or a circular cross section. fluted on the right view, and each time the envelope 40 is shown in dashed lines.

In all embodiments, the gripping surface of the gripping section 4e has a shape contained in an envelope, such as the envelope 40 shown in dashed lines, which itself has a shape of revolution about the longitudinal axis of handle III. This allows the same grip by the hand or the fingers in all angular orientations around the longitudinal axis of handle III, and allows a smooth rotation of the handle 4 in the hand of the operator or between his fingers.

In all embodiments, the handle 4 is fixed on the proximal end 2a of the link arm 2, and the longitudinal axis of the handle III is collinear with the longitudinal axis of the arm I.

We now consider the structure of the control members 4a-4c.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, 9 and 10, the control members 4a-4c each comprise a ring which can be urged in rotation about the longitudinal axis of the handle III or in axial translation along the longitudinal axis of handle III.

The control members are arranged in an annular zone of continuous control close to the distal end 4f of the gripping section 4e. In this way, the portion of hand that carries the manipulator is on the gripping portion 4e, away from the control members, the latter being able to be solicited by a finger that does not participate in gripping the handle.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8, the control members 4a-4c each comprise a series of buttons distributed annularly and regularly around the longitudinal handle axis III and functionally coupled to each other to produce the same actuation of the working unit 3. The control members 4a-4c with buttons are also arranged in the vicinity of the distal end 4f of the gripping section 4e. The set of buttons of each control member is contained in a respective annular envelope.

By this conformation and this arrangement, the control members are accessible around the handle 4 regardless of the orientation of the hand around the longitudinal axis of handle III.

In the embodiments illustrated in the figures, comprising three control members, the control members 4a-4c are offset from one another along the longitudinal axis of the handle III, while remaining in the vicinity of the distal end. 4f of the gripping section 4e.

To facilitate the discrimination of the control members relative to each other, so that the operator can actuate separately one or the other of the control members, the respective envelopes of the control members 4a-4c have different respective diameters, for example respective diameters which are increasing in the direction of the distal end of the handle 4, as illustrated in the figures.

Alternatively or in addition, the control members can be given a distinctive shape or surface state that the operator can recognize by touch: smooth surface, grooved surface in length, striated surface in width, wide surface, narrow surface,. ..

Figure 9, which more fully illustrates a manipulator structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, is now considered.

In this embodiment, the tool support 5 and the tool 6 can be actuated by the control members 4a-4c in at least one lateral inclination movement 12 of adjustable amplitude towards a direction of inclination II, and a clean rotational movement 14 of the tool 6 around the inclination direction II, by rotation type "screwdriver".

For example, the biasing of the first control member 4a of the handle 4 controls an inclination actuator housed in the control body 10 which itself drives the tool support 5 in a tilting movement 12 around a transverse inclination axis 11. Thus, the tool support 5 and the tool 6 can take an inclination in which they are oriented in a direction of inclination IL By the biasing of the second control member 4b of the handle 4, a clean rotation actuator housed in the control body 10 is actuated, which drives the tool support 5 or the tool in a clean rotational movement 14 around it. the inclination direction II.

By actuation of the gripper control member 4c of the handle 4, a gripper actuator is actuated to obtain either the opening or the closing of the gripper 6.

Each of the actuators may be of the electric motor type, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, mechanical transmission for example.

Note that, according to the invention, the operator can easily apply to the manipulator axial rotational movement about the longitudinal axis I of the connecting arm 2 by rotation of the handle 4 in the hand of the user, for example between the thumb and the other fingers, like a screwdriver. This axial rotation movement makes it possible to orient the inclination direction II around the longitudinal axis of arm I at will, so that the tool 6 can easily be given all orientations in the cone which covers the distal end 2b of the longitudinal arm 2.

In the case where the tool 6 is a clamp, the third control member 4c can advantageously control the opening and closing of the clamp.

Alternatively, the opening and closing of the clamp can be controlled by the actuation of a longitudinal lever hinged to the handle, which is retracted in clamp clamping position while allowing the rotation capacity of the handle in the hand or between the fingers of the operator.

Due to the rotational capacity about the longitudinal axis I of such a manipulator, it may be advantageous to give the operator a means of locating the angular position of the manipulator. For this, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8, it is possible to provide an angular position mark around the longitudinal axis I of the connecting arm 2.

In practice, in the embodiment shown, the angular position mark is a surface irregularity of the peripheral surface of the handle 4, perceptible by the hand holding the handle. For example, this surface irregularity may be a longitudinal rib 4h, or a clamping lever.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof within the scope of the claims below.

Claims

1 - Manipulator comprising:

- a control unit (1), having a handle (4) adapted to be held by a hand,

- At least one control member (4a-4c), mounted on the handle (4), and adapted to be biased by at least one finger of the hand holding the handle (4),

a link arm (2), extending along a longitudinal axis of an arm (I), having a proximal end (2a) in which the control unit (1) with a handle (4) is mounted, and having a distal end (2b),

- a working unit (3), mounted on the distal end (2b) of the connecting arm (2), comprising a tool support (5) carrying or adapted to receive a tool (6), and actuable by said at least one control member (4a-4c) according to at least one degree of freedom of movement,

in which :

- The handle (4) comprises a gripping section (4e) having a gripping surface, about a longitudinal axis of handle (III), shaped so as to allow the same gripping by the hand in all angular orientations around the l longitudinal axis of handle (III) and to allow a smooth rotation of the handle (4) in the hand or between the fingers,

the handle (4) is fixed on the proximal end (2b) of the connecting arm (2),

the longitudinal handle axis (III) is collinear with the longitudinal axis of the arm (I),

said at least one control member (4a-4c) is shaped to be accessible around the handle (4) in an annular control zone close to one end (4f) of the gripping section (4e), whatever the orientation of the hand around the longitudinal axis (III) of the handle (4),

characterized in that the working unit (3) is actuable by at least one of the control members (4a-4c) according to at least one own rotational movement (14) of the tool (6).

2 - Manipulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuation of a control member (4a, 4c) biases a own rotation actuator housed in the control body (10), which drives the work unit ( 3) to give the tool (6) the own rotational movement (14).

3 - Manipulator according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the working unit (3) is operable by the control members (4a-4c) according to at least one lateral inclination movement (12) d amplitude adjustable towards a direction of inclination (II). 4 - Manipulator according to claim 3, characterized in that the actuation of a first control member (4a) controls a tilt actuator housed in a control body (10), which drives the work unit (3). ) to give the tool (6) the tilting movement (12).

5 - Manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the gripping section (4e) has a cylindrical shape of revolution.

6 - Manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the gripping section (4e) has a shape of pear revolution, the diameter (D) of the gripping section (4e) being progressively increasing since distal end (4f) towards the proximal end (4g), with a proximal end (4g) rounded.

7 - manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said at least one control member (4a-4c) comprises a ring that can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the handle ( III) and / or in axial translation along the longitudinal axis of handle (III).

8 - Manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said at least one control member (4a-4c) comprises a series of buttons distributed annularly and regularly around the longitudinal axis of handle (III) and operably coupled to each other to produce the same actuation of the work unit (3).

9 - Manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of control members (4a-4c) offset from each other along the longitudinal axis of handle (III), in the vicinity the distal end (4f) of the gripping section (4e).

10 - Manipulator according to claim 9, characterized in that the control members (4a-4c) have respective annular envelopes whose respective diameters are increasing towards the distal end (4f) of the handle (4).

11 - Manipulator according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the control members (4a-4c) have a distinctive shape or surface state that the operator can recognize the touch.

12 - Manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that it comprises a control member (4c) adapted to control the opening and closing of a tool (6) clamp type.

13 - manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises, on the peripheral surface of the unit of control (1), an angular position mark (4h) around the longitudinal axis (I) of the link arm.

14 - manipulator according to claim 13, characterized in that the angular position mark (4h) is an irregular surface of the peripheral surface of the handle, perceptible by the hand holding the handle (4).