EP3893786A1

EP3893786A1 - Connector for cables

Info

Publication number: EP3893786A1
Application number: EP19817713.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Céline FOUARD; Jérémy LENFANT; Gokularajah GANESARATNAM; Nikolaï HUNGR
Original assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS; Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble; Universite Grenoble Alpes
Current assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS; Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble; Universite Grenoble Alpes
Priority date: 2018-12-12
Filing date: 2019-12-11
Publication date: 2021-10-20
Also published as: US20220102899A1; WO2020120625A1; FR3090222B1; FR3090222A1

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of cabled robots and more particularly to a connector (1) for cables (21, 22) comprising a first block (11) and a second block (12), the first and second blocks being configured to be connected together and to form, when they are connected together, a plurality of sliding guides in each of which a pair of first and second cables (21, 22) connected together at their respective first ends (210, 220) is intended to slide, the connector also comprising a first locking component (13) mounted on the first block (11) so as to be movable between a locking position and a release position of the set of first ends (210) of the first cables (21), and also comprising a second locking component (14) mounted on the second block (12) so as to be movable between a locking position and a release position of the set of first ends (220) of the second cables.

Description

Cable connector

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to the field of cable robots. The invention relates more particularly to a connector for cables intended to equip a cable robot. It finds advantageous application in the medical field, and in particular in the field of interventional radiology, the latter consisting in particular of inserting needles into the body of a patient in order to take a sample or treat a tumor for example. However, its application can also be envisaged in the field of industrial robotics.

STATE OF THE ART

With reference to FIG. 1, a cable robot 9 can be defined as a type of parallel manipulator in which flexible cables 91, such as Bowden cables, are used as actuators. More particularly, one end of each cable can be wound around a rotor driven in rotation by a motor 92 and the other end can be connected to an instrument or instrument element 93, designed to interact with the environment. In the medical field, the instrument 93 can be a more or less complex surgical tool, and the environment is the patient's body 8. The instrument 93 is thus directed via the cables 91 due to the modulation, in particular in length, in tension and / or in torsion, of the properties of the cables by actuation of at least one motor 92. The actuation of the motor or motors 92 can itself be controlled by a control unit 94. In the medical field, the control unit 94 is, for example, placed under the supervision of a radiologist.

In general, a connector for cables makes it possible to connect cables, potentially in large numbers, in order to use them in particular as actuators of at least one instrument remote from the connector. Generally, such a connector makes it easier to store the cable robot and allows, if necessary, to clean / sterilize only the part of the robot which extends between the connector and the instrument, which in turn can increase the utilization factor of the other part of the robot.

In the medical field, it is understood that a surgical tool, as a medical instrument, must actually have been cleaned and sterilized before each use. When the surgical tool is a whole robot, this is difficult to achieve because the robot must be able to fully enter, including its motors, control box, etc., into the sterilization tool. In addition, when certain parts of the robot are not compatible with the sterilization process, a means must be found to disconnect the part of the robot, which is sterilizable or to be sterilized, since having been or being intended to be brought into contact with the patient, from the part incompatible with sterilization. This should preferably be done in a very simple, fast and unambiguous manner, to allow hospital staff to do it easily and to guarantee the safety of the next patient. In addition, being able to disconnect certain parts of the robot allows for simpler storage, better compactness and much simpler and faster installation of the robot.

There are several cable connectors developed for the above purposes.

Such a connector for cables is for example known from patent document US 2006/0052664 A1. The connector described in this document includes:

housing ;

a first connection portion inside the housing; and

a second connector portion for releasable coupling to the first connector portion.

The first connector portion comprises at least one guideway, a carriage movable relative to the at least one guideway and at least one engagement device, a force transmission element fixed to the carriage being coupled to a force generator. The second connector portion comprises at least one guideway, a carriage movable relative to the at least one guideway and at least one engagement device, a force transmission element fixed to the carriage being coupled to a medical instrument. The housing provides an opening configured to receive the second portion of connector in a first direction for bringing the at least one device for engaging the carriage of the second connector portion into alignment with the at least one device for engaging the carriage of the second connector portion, and the connector further includes an engagement device for moving at least one of the first and second connector portions in a second direction, transverse to the first direction, for releasably locking engagement the aligned engagement devices of the carriages first and second portions. In this way, a subsequent linear movement of the carriage of the first connection portion relative to the at least one guide track of the first connection portion results in a linear movement of the carriage of the second connection portion relative to the at least one guide channel of the second connection portion.

The connector according to patent document US 2006/0052664 A1 is particularly complex, although essentially intended for the sequential use of simple medical instruments, such as endoscopes. On the one hand, this type of medical instrument does not a priori require any particular calibration. On the other hand, the use of a medical instrument of this type can succeed the use of another, clean and sterilized, even protected by a protective film, without the need to wash / sterilize the part of the robot. extending from the connector to the means for engaging the medical instrument; in other words, a simple replacement of the medical device previously used by a corresponding medical device may suffice in this context.

Furthermore, when the instrument, and in particular the surgical tool, is so complex as to require a particular, even very precise calibration, it would be highly appreciated to be able to keep the calibration from one use to another (for example from one patient to another), in order to effectively preserve the accuracy of the robot and thus ensure patient safety.

Such a complex surgical tool is for example known under the name "Light Puncture Robot". It is a robot for assistance in interventional radiology. It is intended to intervene on the abdomino-pelvic area of the patient. At least part of the robot is intended to be carried directly by the patient while being placed on the abdomino-pelvic area of the patient. This robot has a parallel architecture and is set in motion using more than ten cables, preferably using fourteen cables, connected to piezoelectric motors. Thus, it is possible to offset the motors from the patient's abdomino-pelvic area and therefore to reduce the weight of the part of the robot directly carried by the patient.

Such a cable robot therefore has the advantage of being light compared to other robots. In return, it is necessary to compensate for the elasticity of the cables, which requires a precise calibration of the robot to guarantee good precision. In the case of the “Light Puncture Robot”, calibration consists in precisely measuring the robot's positions after movements at a given cable tension, and then in compensating for the errors measured using a dedicated algorithm. This calibration takes place after the manufacture of the robot and is carried out again after each maintenance operation of the robot. Thus, we better understand the need to provide a connector to disconnect the instrument from its motors in order to be moved, stored and sterilized, while maintaining the calibration of the robot. First, patient safety is at stake; therefore the operating voltage of the cables should be kept for the sake of robot precision. For the same reason, the use of the connector must be repeatable and its assembly without any ambiguity. Finally, in order to respect constraints of time of use (anesthesia of the patient, time of use of an imaging device, ...), it is preferable to be able to connect multiple cables simultaneously, and this in a simple and rapid manner .

Finally, in general and for a good number of medical applications, a robot is expected with the particularity of being compatible with the joint use of a magnetic resonance imaging device (MRI).

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a connector for cables which overcomes at least the above-mentioned drawbacks and / or meets at least one of the above-mentioned expectations.

The other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on examining the following description and the accompanying drawings. It is understood that other advantages can be incorporated.

ABSTRACT

To achieve this objective, according to one embodiment, the present invention provides a connector for cables comprising a first block and a second block, the first and second blocks being configured to be connected to each other and to form, when they are connected between them, a plurality of sliding guides in each of which a pair of first and second cables, connected together by their respective first ends, is intended to slide. The connector also includes:

a first locking part movably mounted on the first block between a locking position and a position for releasing all of the first ends of the first cables and

a second locking piece movably mounted on the second block between a locking position and a position for releasing all of the first ends of the second cables. Thus, the connector makes it possible to lock the position of the first and second cables of each pair, in particular when their respective first ends are disconnected from one another and when the first and second blocks are disconnected from each other. Consequently, the connector makes it possible to conserve the operating voltage of each pair of cables, during the successive connections and disconnections of the connector. Thus, it is not necessary for the user to recalibrate a cable robot which would comprise for example a rotor and an instrument or instrument element connected to each other via the connector as introduced above.

Optionally, the invention may also have at least any of the following characteristics:

According to one characteristic, the first locking part is configured to mechanically lock all of the first ends of the first cables simultaneously passing from its release position to its locking position and to mechanically release all of the first ends of the first cables simultaneously passing from its locking position to its release position, and the second locking part is configured to mechanically lock all of the first ends of the second cables simultaneously passing from its release position to its locking position and to mechanically release all of the first ends of the second cables simultaneously passing from its locking position to its release position.

According to another characteristic, the sliding guides are substantially rectilinear. According to another characteristic, the sliding guides are substantially parallel to one another.

Each block may have at least two through bores and a connection face to the other block, each through bore of the first block opening through a first mouth from the connection face of the first block, each through bore of the second block opening through a first mouth from the connection face of the second block, the first mouth of each of said at least two through bores of the first block being configured to be placed face to face with the first mouth of a respective one of said at least two through bores of the second block , so as to form said plurality of sliding guides when the first and second blocks are connected together.

According to another characteristic, each block can have a cable outlet face, preferably opposite its connection face, and each through bore can open out by a second mouth from the cable outlet face. Each of the first and second locking pieces can comprise at least a plurality of hooking devices each configured:

to engage the first end of a corresponding one of the first and second cables, respectively, when the locking piece is in its locking position, and

to release the first end of a corresponding one of the first and second cables, respectively, when the locking piece is in its release position.

The latching devices of each locking piece can be fixed relative to their latching piece and each latching piece is configured to move so as to induce the same movement of each of its latching devices. In this way, the first ends of one of the first and second cables are simultaneously engaged when the locking piece passes from its release position to its locking position and the first ends of the one of the first and second cables are simultaneously released when the locking part passes from its locking position to its release position. The attachment devices being fixed relative to their locking piece, their movement follows by construction the movement of their locking piece. Thus, they allow to hook or release the first ends of the first and second cables simultaneously. In addition, the locking pieces are thus robust in design.

The connector may further include a plurality of pistons each intended to be attached to the first end of a cable, each piston attached to the first end of the first cable of a pair of cables being configured to engage a piston attached to the first end of the second cable in the pair. Each sliding guide is configured so that the first and second cables of the pair intended to slide there slide there, preferably closely, at least by their pistons engaged with each other. Each of the first and second blocks are configured to be connected to each other by a relative movement of connection of one with respect to the other, preferably by a relative movement of the connection face of one with respect to the connection side of the other, the pistons fixed to the first ends of the first cables and the pistons fixed to the first ends of the second cables being configured to be connected, in pairs, according to said relative movement, when the first and second locking pieces are in the locked position. The connector thus allows, in a single movement, to connect both the first and second blocks to each other and each pair of cables to each other by their pistons when the first and second locking parts are in the locking position. This guarantees a large simplicity and rapidity of use of the connector, and consequently of the cable robot.

According to another characteristic, the first locking piece is configured to alternately lock and release all of the pistons attached to the first ends of the first cables and in which the second locking piece is configured to alternately lock and release all of the fixed pistons at the first ends of the second cables. The connector thus allows robust locking of the first ends of the first and second cables by engaging the pistons rather than the cables themselves, the latter being more likely to be worn by successive connections and disconnections.

At least one piston among the two pistons of a pair may include on its outer periphery a lug extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sliding guide in which it is configured to slide, and each sliding guide may include a groove extending continuously in the longitudinal direction of the sliding guide from the first block to the second block, when the first and second blocks are connected together, each groove being configured to guide the sliding of a lug. The connector thus avoids any rotation of the pistons within the sliding guides. This ensures the conservation of the orientation of the pistons, which is particularly advantageous, not only in terms of cable life and in terms of conservation of the robot calibration, but also in terms of definition of the mechanism for connecting the pistons of the first and second cables to each other, as will appear in view of some of the characteristics introduced below. Each piston can have a substantially cylindrical shape. The axis of symmetry of the cylindrical shape of each piston is preferably coincident with the axis of the sliding guide in which the piston is intended to slide.

In the connector according to the preceding characteristic, each through bore may comprise, over only part of its extent, part of the groove of the sliding guide which it forms when the first and second blocks are connected to each other. In this way, the lug of each piston comes, by construction, into abutment against one end of the groove of the sliding guide located closest to the second end of the corresponding through bore. Consequently, the sliding of the pistons in the sliding guides is limited so that the pistons cannot be extracted from the first and second blocks from the second mouth of the through bores. The sliding amplitude of the pistons in the sliding guides and consequently the amplitude of movement of the cable robot is limited; however, it is possible to increase the dimension of each block almost at will in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the through bores. Furthermore, the pistons of a pair can be configured to cooperate with each other by an annular groove and flange fixing mechanism. Among the pistons each comprising a flange, the flanges are preferably configured in the same specific orientation, for example opposite, relative to the lugs of these pistons. In addition, the first and second locking pieces can be configured to lock the first ends of the first and second cables respectively so that each piston comprising an annular groove projects at least through its annular groove from the first and second blocks respectively. But still, each first mouthpiece, configured to be placed face to face with a mouthpiece from which the annular groove of a piston protrudes when the first and second locking parts are in the locking position, may have a cross section for fixing to bayonet of the annular groove of the piston. Finally, the grooves of the sliding guides can be arranged in the same orientation. Thus, said relative movement of the first block relative to the second block is a translational movement of one with respect to the other, and more particularly a translational movement of the connection face of one bearing on the face connection of the other, which allows to insert the annular groove of each piston of a pair in the flange of each piston of the pair.

According to another characteristic, the annular groove of each piston extends over the outer periphery of each piston according to a symmetry of rotation, or even according to a symmetry of revolution.

Each of the first and second blocks can be configured to be connected to each other by a relative movement of connection of one with respect to the other, preferably by a relative movement of the connection face of one with respect to the connection face of the other, and the first block comprises at least one positioning form configured to cooperate with a corresponding positioning form of the second block. The positioning forms of the first and second blocks cooperate with each other by a male-female adjustment mechanism configured to guide the relative movement of connection of the first and second blocks between them.

Each of the first and second blocks can be configured to be connected to each other by a relative movement of connection of one with respect to the other, preferably by a relative movement of the connection face of one with respect to the connection face of the other, and one of the first and second blocks comprises a positioning pin configured to cooperate with a bore included by the other of the first and second blocks, so as to guide the relative movement of connection of the first and second blocks therebetween. The positioning pin and the hole can cooperate with one another by a bayonet fixing mechanism equivalent, at least in terms of amplitude and orientation of the fixing movement, to the fixing mechanism with annular groove and flange according to which the pistons d 'a pair cooperate with each other.

Each of the first and second blocks may comprise a protuberance, the protuberance of the first block being in contact with the protuberance of the second block when the blocks are connected to each other, and the first locking part is mounted movable in translation on the protuberance of the first block and the second locking part is mounted movable in translation on the protuberance of the second block. In addition, each protuberance can comprise two lateral sides and two longitudinal sides and each locking piece can comprise at least one longitudinal part and first and second lateral parts linked together by said at least one longitudinal part. The protuberance of the first block is configured so as to limit the translational movement of the first locking part to a continuum of positions comprised between its locking position and its position of release by stop of one of the first and second lateral parts. of the first locking part on one of the two lateral sides of the protuberance of the first block and by abutment on the other among the first and second lateral parts of the first locking part on the other of the two lateral sides of the protrusion of the first block. The protuberance of the second block is configured so as to limit the translational movement of the second locking part to a continuum of positions between its locking position and its position of release by the stop of one of the first and second lateral parts. of the second locking part on one of the two lateral sides of the protuberance of the second block and by abutment on the other among the first and second lateral parts of the second locking part on the other of the two lateral sides of the protrusion of the second block. According to one characteristic, each longitudinal part of each locking piece is configured to slide on one of two longitudinal sides of the protuberance limiting its movement. In addition, each longitudinal part of each locking piece and each longitudinal side of the protuberance on which the longitudinal part is configured to slide are configured to cooperate with each other so as to allow their relative sliding, while joining them together. This cooperation is for example achieved by at least one slider and slide mechanism and / or a lug and groove mechanism.

The connector may further comprise at least two return members, a first return member configured to exert a force on the first locking piece. return tending to maintain the first locking piece in one of its locking and release positions, a second return member configured to exert on the second locking piece a restoring force tending to keep the second locking piece in one of its locking and release positions. In addition, the connector can include two latches:

a first latch mounted mobile on the first block between a retracted position and a deployed position, the first latch being configured jointly with the first locking piece to oppose the restoring force exerted by the first return member on the first locking piece so as to maintain the first locking piece in the other of its locking and release positions when the first latch is in its deployed position, and so as not to oppose the restoring force exerted by the first return member on the first locking part when the first latch is in its retracted position, and

a second latch mounted mobile on the second block between a retracted position and a deployed position, the second latch being configured jointly with the second locking piece to oppose the restoring force exerted by the second return member on the second locking piece so as to maintain the second locking piece in the other of its locking and release positions when the second latch is in its deployed position, and so as not to oppose the restoring force exerted by the second return member on the second locking part when the second latch is in its retracted position.

In a connector according to the two preceding paragraphs, the first latch can be configured to be, in its deployed position, partly pinched between one of the lateral sides of the protuberance of the first block and the first lateral part of the first locking part abutting on this lateral side when the first latch is in the retracted position and the first return member can be arranged between the other of the lateral sides of the protuberance of the first block and the second lateral part of the first locking piece opposite the first side part of the first locking part. Furthermore, the second latch can be configured to be, in its deployed position, partly pinched between one of the lateral sides of the protuberance of the second block and the first lateral part of the second locking piece abutting on this lateral side when the second latch is in the retracted position and the second return member can be arranged between the other of the lateral sides of the protuberance of the second block and the second lateral part of the second locking part opposite the first lateral part of the first part lock. In a connector according to any one of the three preceding paragraphs, each groove is through so that each lug extends by its distal end beyond the groove configured to guide its sliding, and said at least one longitudinal part of each locking piece comprises one of said at least a plurality of hooking devices, each hooking device being configured to lock the distal end of a corresponding lug so as to prevent its sliding in its groove when the piece of lock is in the lock position. Each attachment device may comprise a withdrawal of material made in said at least one longitudinal part of the locking piece and having a first part forming a secondary groove for sliding the distal end of the corresponding lug when the locking piece is in the release position and a second part forming a housing open only on the secondary groove for housing the distal end of the corresponding lug when the locking piece is in the locking position. Each secondary groove can be configured to be aligned with a groove in a sliding guide when the locking piece is in the released position. Furthermore, each housing may have, in a longitudinal section plane of the longitudinal part of the locking piece, a flared section opening on the secondary groove by its widest part, the latter being of a width greater than a diameter of the distal end of the lug which it accommodates when the locking piece is in its locking position. The locking of the distal portions of the lugs by the locking piece thus configured has a certain degree of freedom relative to the position of the distal end of the lug in the secondary groove. Consequently, the locking position of the first ends of the cables by the locking pieces benefits from the same degree of freedom. Each block may include a securing device to the other block, the securing device of the first block being configured to removably engage the securing device of the second block, so as to keep the first and second blocks connected to each other , at least when the first ends of the cables are connected in pairs and the locking pieces are in their release position.

According to another characteristic, each block can comprise a second block part and a third block part removably fixed to each other, each second block part comprising a downstream part of a first plurality of sliding guides and each third part of block comprising an upstream part of a second plurality of sliding guides. One of the second and third block parts may comprise the protuberance of the block and each locking part may comprise two longitudinal parts, each linked to opposite ends of the lateral parts of the locking piece. A first longitudinal part comprises the devices for hooking the first ends of the cables intended to slide in the first plurality of sliding guides and a second longitudinal part comprises the devices for hooking the first ends of the cables intended to slide in the second plurality of guides sliding guides. The connector thus makes it possible to connect twice as many pairs of cables to each other in a compact, simple and robust manner.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a cable robot comprising a connector for cables as introduced above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The aims, objects, as well as the characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge better from the detailed description of an embodiment of the latter which is illustrated by the following accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a scenario, in the medical field, of a cable robot which can be equipped with a connector for cables according to the invention;

FIG. 2A schematically illustrates a connector for cables according to an embodiment of the present invention in which the two blocks are disconnected from each other and the cables are locked relative to the blocks;

FIG. 2B schematically illustrates the connector for cables illustrated in FIG. 2A whose blocks have been connected together to define a plurality of sliding guides in which the cables connected to each other in pairs are free to slide;

FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of a connector for cables according to an embodiment of the invention and of the cables that this connector makes it possible to connect together in pairs;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the first block, the first locking piece and the annular groove pistons of the connector illustrated in Figure 3;

FIG. 4A represents a perspective and exploded view of the first block, of the first locking part and of the annular groove pistons illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 4B represents a perspective view of one of the parts illustrated in FIG. 4A in another orientation;

FIG. 5 represents a perspective view of the second block, of the second locking part and of the flanged pistons of the connector illustrated in FIG. 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective and transparent view of any of the two locking parts of the connector illustrated in Figure 3; FIG. 4C reproduces FIG. 4 and adds to it an enlargement focused on a part of this FIG. 4 showing in transparency a latch in the deployed position;

Figure 4D is a front view of the first block illustrated in Figure 3 when the cables are released;

Figure 7 is a sectional view, taken along the cutting plane A-A as illustrated in Figure 4D, illustrating the cable locking / release mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4E shows in transparency the latch of the connector illustrated in FIG. 4, the latch being in the retracted position;

Figure 4F is a front view of the first block illustrated in Figure 3 when the cables are locked;

Figure 8 is a sectional view, taken along the cutting plane B-B as illustrated in Figure 4F, illustrating the cable locking / release mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the two blocks of the connector illustrated in Figure 3, the blocks being connected together;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the ends of a pair of cables fitted with connector pistons according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 11A to 11C are sectional views illustrating the fixing mechanism with an annular groove and a flange according to which the pistons of the connector, according to an embodiment of the invention, cooperate with one another.

The drawings are given as examples and are not limitative of the invention. They constitute schematic representations of principle intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention and are not necessarily on the scale of practical applications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates, according to its first aspect, to a connector for cables, and in particular for flexible cables, intended to allow very large and rapid connection of a large quantity of cables together. The connector according to the invention aims more particularly to connect together, on the one hand an instrument or an instrument element, on the other hand a motorized assembly with rotors, of a cable robot. Thus, according to the second aspect, the invention relates to a cable robot comprising a connector according to the first aspect of the invention. The storage / movement and / or cleaning / sterilization of the cable robot is greatly facilitated by the fact that it comprises the connector according to the first aspect of the invention. Concerning the connector according to the first aspect of the invention, it comprises a first block, constituting for example a male part of the connector, and a second block, constituting for example a female part of the connector. The male part and the female part of the connector according to the first aspect of the invention are configured to fit together so as to simultaneously connect all of the cables in pairs.

The connector, according to the first aspect of the invention, differs essentially from the connectors according to the prior art in that it makes it possible to conserve the operating voltage of the cables, during successive connections and disconnections of the first and second blocks. between them. Therefore, the user of the cable robot does not have to calibrate the robot following a disconnection of the cables from each other via the cable connector according to the first aspect of the invention. As will become clear later, these advantages are obtained while retaining great simplicity and speed of use of the cable connector and by the same route of the cable robot.

The connector for cables according to the first aspect of the invention is therefore a multi-cable connector with locking and conservation of the tension of the cables.

The cables intended to be connected together via the cable connector according to the first aspect of the invention are for example Bowden cables. Such a cable consists of a flexible sheath in which a core of the cable slides. According to a preferred implementation of the invention, the connector for cables is more particularly intended for connecting cables made up of polyethylene braids, for example of the Spectra® or Dyneema® brand. Furthermore, the connector according to the first aspect of the invention, and more particularly each of its constituent elements, can be entirely made of a material such as plastic, compatible with use in a specific medical environment, such as in environment of an MRI device, the use of which requires ensuring the absence of any metallic body. Thus, the connector according to the first aspect of the invention is preferably free of metal elements.

The cable connector according to a preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 2 to 11C.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the connector 1 for cables 21, 22 essentially comprises a first block 11 and a second block 12 configured to be connected together, so as to form a plurality of sliding guides 10 (cf. FIG. 2) in each of which a pair of first and second cables 21, 22, connected together via one of their respective ends, is intended to slide. The connector 1 also includes a first locking piece 13 and a second locking piece 14. Each locking piece is movably mounted on one of the two blocks 11 and 12. Each locking piece is more particularly mounted movable between two positions, a locking position and a position for releasing all of the first ends of the first cables 21 or of the second cables 22. Each locking piece is preferably configured to alternatively lock and release mechanically and simultaneously all of the first ends of the first cables 21 and of the second cables 22.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, and as visible in FIG. 3, the sliding guides are rectilinear and parallel to one another. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration and this particular arrangement of the sliding guides, which could be bent and / or oriented with respect to each other in convergent or divergent directions.

Each sliding guide 10 comprises two parts, a so-called upstream part 1002, for example oriented towards the motorized assembly of the cable robot following the first cables 21 and a so-called downstream part 1003, for example oriented towards the instrument or element d instrument to be controlled by following the second cables 22.

More particularly, still with reference to FIG. 2, each block 11, 12 has a plurality of through bores 100 and a connection face 101, 102 to the other block. Each plurality of through bores 100 as shown in FIG. 2 includes a row of four through bores 100.

In comparison, each plurality of through bores 100 as illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises two rows of through bores 100 superimposed on each other, a first row comprising six through bores and a second row comprising eight through bores. Thus, the connector for cables according to the preferred embodiment of the invention makes it possible to connect together up to fourteen first and second cables 21, 22.

We describe in more detail below the cooperation between the two blocks so that they are, as introduced above, configured to be alternately connected and disconnected between them. To do this, let us first specify that the first and second blocks 11, 12 are configured to be connected together by a relative movement of connection of one with respect to the other, preferably by a relative movement of the connection face of one with respect to the connection face of the other.

In Figure 3, a fixing device 114, 124 of the blocks 11, 12 between them is illustrated. More particularly, the fixing device 114 of the first block 11 is configured to removably engage the fixing device 124 of the second block 12. This thus ensures that the first and second blocks connected to each other are maintained, in particular when the first ends of the cables 21, 22 are connected in pairs and that the locking parts 13, 14 are in their release position. Here, the fixing device 114, 124 illustrated is a clip closure. This illustration is not, however, limiting of the invention. As an alternative, or even in combination, the fixing device 114, 124 could rest on a magnetic closing mechanism with magnets, or even with electromagnets. Note that the fixing device 114, 124 is preferably configured to present a certain degree of clearance between an intermediate fixing position and a final fixing position of the blocks 11, 12 between them, so as to accommodate a relative movement of connection of the two blocks between them, this relative movement being described below. In the example of the fixing device 114, 124, by clip closure mechanism, the arch of the element 114 may be of a height greater than the thickness of the clip of the element 124 so as to produce the above accommodation.

As is particularly well illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, each through bore of the first block 11 opens through a first mouth 1011 from the connection face 101 and each through bore of the second block 12 opens through a first mouth 1021 from the face of connection 102. The first mouths 1011, 1021 are distributed over their respective connection faces 101, 102 so as to form the sliding guides 10 when the first and second blocks 11, 12 are connected together.

Note, for the sake of completeness, that each connection face 101, 102 of the blocks 11, 12 may include an opposite face from which each through bore opens out by a second mouth, this opposite face thus being a cable outlet face.

Furthermore, the first block 11 can comprise at least one positioning form 111 configured to cooperate with a corresponding positioning form 121 of the second block 12. As is clearly seen in FIGS. 3 to 5, the positioning forms 111, 121 cooperate between them by a male-female adjustment mechanism configured to guide the relative movement of connection of the first and second blocks 11, 12 between them. As an alternative or in addition, the first block 11 comprises a positioning pin 112 configured to cooperate with a bore 122 included in the second block 12, so as to guide the relative movement of connection of the first and second blocks 11, 12 to each other. Note here that the positioning pin 112 and the bore 122 as illustrated cooperate with each other by a bayonet fixing mechanism.

The relative movement of connection of the two blocks 11, 12 between them is here a movement involving the sliding of the connection face 102 of the second block 12 bearing on the connection face 101 of the first block 11 in the direction and the direction of the Y axis of the orthonormal coordinate system as shown in FIGS. 4D and 4F. Obviously, the fixing device 114, 124, the positioning forms 111, 121, and the bayonet fixing mechanism formed by the positioning pin 112 and the bore 122 can be configured so as to induce a relative movement of connection of the two blocks 11 , 12 between them different from that illustrated in the figures. However, as will appear below, the relative movement of connection of the two blocks 11, 12 between them can also be defined so that the first ends of the first cables 21 are connected in pairs to the first ends of the second cables 22, simultaneously, and if necessary mechanically.

Still with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 and with reference to FIG. 6, it appears that according to the preferred embodiment of the invention each locking piece 13, 14 takes a generally substantially rectangular and hollow shape configured to move in translation around a protuberance 113, 123 of each of the blocks 11, 12. Furthermore, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the locking parts 13,14 are strictly identical to each other.

We describe in more detail below the cooperation between each protuberance 113, 123 and the locking piece 13,14 mounted movably on this protuberance.

Each protrusion 113, 123 comprises two lateral sides 1131, 1231 and two longitudinal sides 1132, 1232 and each locking part 13, 14 comprises two longitudinal parts 1311, 1312, 1411, 1412 and first and second lateral parts 1313, 1314, 1413 , 1414 linked together by the longitudinal parts 1311, 1312, 1411, 1412. The protuberance 113 of the first block 11 is configured so as to alternately limit the translational movement of the first locking part 13:

by abutment of its first lateral part 1313 on the lateral side 1131 of the protuberance 113 and

by abutment of its second lateral part 1314 on the other lateral side 1131 of the protuberance 113 of the first block 11.

In addition, as clearly appears in view of FIGS. 4A, 4B and 6, the longitudinal part 1311, 1312 of the first locking part 13 and each longitudinal side of the protuberance 113 of the first block 11 are configured to cooperate with each other so to allow their relative sliding, while joining them together, and more particularly while preventing the first locking part 13 from leaving the protuberance 113. This cooperation is, in the example illustrated, produced on the one hand by a slide mechanism and slide arranged between the longitudinal part 1312 of the first locking part and the longitudinal side 1132 of the protuberance 113 such that referenced in FIG. 4B, on the other hand by a lug and groove mechanism, the lug of this mechanism extending from the longitudinal side 1132 referenced in FIG. 4A, while its groove extends over part of the longitudinal part 1311 of the first locking part 13 as can be seen in transparency in FIG. 6.

The same applies to the cooperation between the protrusion 123 of the second block 12 and the second locking part 14.

Still relative to the cooperation between each protuberance 113, 123 and the locking part 13, 14 movably mounted on this protuberance, it should be noted that the connector further comprises two return members 151, 152 and two latches 161, 162.

With reference to FIGS. 4D and 4F, a first return member 151 is configured to exert on the first locking piece 13 a return force tending to maintain the first locking piece 13 in its locking position. A first latch 161 is movably mounted on the first block 11 between a retracted position (see FIG. 4E) and a deployed position (see the enlargement in FIG. 4C), the first latch 161 being further configured jointly with the first locking piece 13 to oppose the return force exerted by the first return member 151 on the first locking piece, so as to maintain the first locking piece 13 in its release position when the first latch 161 is in its deployed position, and in order not to oppose the return force exerted by the first return member 151 on the first locking part 13 when the first latch 161 is in its retracted position.

More particularly, the first latch 161 is configured to be, in its deployed position, partly pinched between one of the lateral sides 1131 of the protuberance of the first block 11 and the first lateral part 1313 of the first locking part 13 abutting on this lateral side when the first latch 161 is in the retracted position. But still, the first return member 151 is arranged between the other of the lateral sides 1131 of the protuberance of the first block 11 and the second lateral part 1314 of the first locking part 13 opposite the first lateral part 1313 of the first part lock 13.

The same applies to the cooperation between the protuberance 123 of the second block 12, the second return member 152 (see FIG. 3) and the second latch 162.

In view of the above, it appears that the cooperation between each block, and more particularly the protuberance of each block, and the locking piece movably mounted on this block is thus robust and compact, so that a large number of manipulations connector locking parts according to the first aspect of the invention is allowed without causing deterioration of the connector and its function. Note further that, as illustrated in FIG. 4A, the first block 11 can, in celebration, include several parts, possibly assembled together in a removable manner. One of its parts consists of the fixing device 114, this fixing device being different from the fixing device 124 constituting a part of the second block 12.

Furthermore, the first block can further comprise a second block part 115 and a third block part 116. As illustrated, the second block part 115 comprises the downstream part 1002 (already introduced above) of a first plurality of sliding guides 10 and the third block part 116 comprises the upstream part 1003 (also introduced above) of a second plurality of sliding guides 10. In addition, the second block part 115 comprises the protuberance 113 of the first block 1 1.

The same applies to the second block relative to its second part of the block 125 and its third part of the block 126. It therefore appears that the second parts of the blocks are identical to each other and that the third parts of the blocks are identical to each other. Therefore, the blocks differ from each other only by their fixing device 114,124. It is understood that this characteristic of the connector according to the preferred embodiment of the invention is advantageous in terms of ease and cost of manufacture, this advantage being further accentuated by the fact that the first and second locking parts 14, 13 are identical to each other.

Not necessarily limited to the preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the first and second locking pieces 13, 14 comprises at least a plurality of hooking devices 130, 140 each configured:

to engage the first end 210, 220 of a corresponding one of the first and second cables 21, 22, respectively, when the locking piece is in its locking position, and

to release the first end 210, 220 of a corresponding one of the first and second cables 21, 22, respectively, when the locking piece is in its release position.

In this broader context than the preferred embodiment of the invention, the hooking devices 130, 140 can for example take the form of hooks, each hook extending configured to engage a first end of one of the first and second cables. 21, 22; alternatively, the hooking devices 130, 140 can for example take the form of flared notches, each notch being flared so as to admit a first end of one of the first and second cables 21, 22 through its widest part, up to 'to pinch this first end by its narrowest part. However, it will appear clearly below that the preferred embodiment of the invention relative to the hooking devices 130,140 has obvious advantages over the hooking devices 130,140 as envisaged above.

Whatever the hooking devices 130, 140 implemented, it is preferable that the hooking devices 130, 140 of each locking piece 13, 14 be fixed on their locking piece; in other words, it is preferable that they are not mounted mobile on it. The robustness of the connector is therefore its service life is effectively increased. Furthermore, it is preferable that each locking part 13, 14 is configured to move so as to induce the same movement of each of its attachment devices. Thus, the first ends 210, 220 of the first and second cables 21, 22 are by construction simultaneously engaged when the locking piece passes from its release position to its locking position; similarly, the first ends 210, 220 of the first and second cables 21, 22 are by construction simultaneously released when the locking piece passes from its locking position to its release position. It will be noted that this preference is compatible with each of the embodiments of the attachment devices 130,140 envisaged above, and with the attachment devices according to the preferred embodiment of the invention (see infra).

Another characteristic of the connector according to its preferred embodiment is described below which is compatible and advantageous, potentially synergistically, with the hooking devices 130,140 envisaged above and with the hooking devices 130,140 according to the mode of preferred embodiment of the invention.

According to this other characteristic, the connector further comprises a plurality of pistons 211, 221 as illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 2A and 2B and in correlation with the preferred embodiment of the invention, in particular in FIGS. 3 to 5 .

With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 10 in particular, each piston is intended to be fixed to the first end 210, 220 of a cable 21, 22. In addition, each piston 211 fixed to the first end 210 of the first cable 21 of a pair of cables 21, 22 is configured to engage a piston 221 attached to the first end 220 of the second cable 22 of the pair. By construction, it is therefore necessary that each sliding guide 10 is configured so that the first and second cables 21, 22 of the pair intended to slide therein slide therein, preferably closely, at least by their pistons 211, 221 put between them.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, a piston 211 fixed to the first end of a first cable 21 and a piston 221 fixed to the first end of a second cable 22 can be configured to be connected in a relative movement of one with respect to the other. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pistons 211, 221 of a pair are configured to cooperate with each other by a fixing mechanism with an annular groove and a collar as illustrated in FIG. 10 and FIGS. 11A, 11 B and 11 C. As previously announced, it is then advantageous for the relative movement for fixing the pistons of a pair to be equivalent to the relative movement for connecting the blocks together, so that, when the first and second locking parts 13, 14 are in the locked position, the connection of the blocks together induces the pairwise fixing of the pistons 211 with an annular groove with the pistons 221 with flanges. Thus, the connector allows, in a single movement, to connect both the first and second blocks to each other and each pair of cables to each other by their pistons when the first and second locking parts are in the locking position. This makes it possible to guarantee great simplicity and rapidity of use of the connector, and consequently of the cable robot.

However, the invention is not limited to a mechanism for fixing the pistons of each pair by a relative movement of these pistons with one another. Indeed, it is also conceivable that the pistons cannot be connected together in pairs via a fixing mechanism by permanent magnets, or even by electromagnets. According to this latter alternative, the electromagnets could be supplied via cables 21, 22 via conductive wires arranged along these cables 21, 22. It should be noted that these alternatives also make it possible to guarantee great simplicity and rapidity of use of the connector. It will be noted however that, unlike these alternatives, the pistons according to the preferred reception mode of the invention can be made of a non-metallic material, and in particular of a plastic material, compatible in particular with the use of the robot with cables in an MRI device.

Relative to the various attachment devices envisaged, this last characteristic according to which the connector 1 comprises the pistons 211, 221 mentioned above, has the synergistic advantage of allowing the first locking piece 13 to be configured to alternately lock and release all of the pistons 211 fixed to the first ends of the first cables 21 and the second locking part 14 is configured to alternately lock and release all of the pistons 221 fixed to the first ends of the second cables 22. This avoids any risk of wear cables by exploiting, for their locking in particular, the pistons 211, 221 which are by construction more robust than the cables 21, 22.

As illustrated in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11C, each piston 211, 221 supports, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, a lug 2111, 2211. We detail below below how this lug is advantageously implemented to avoid any rotation of the pistons in the sliding guides 10. Note however that it is possible to avoid any rotation of the pistons in the sliding guides 10 by giving these pistons a general shape non-cylindrical, for example a general shape of oblong, oval or polygonal cross section; the pistons cooperating closely with the sliding guides 10 are thus prevented from turning on themselves in their guide. We will also see below that the lug 2111, 2211 of each piston 211, 221 can still be advantageously used to allow the locking of the first ends of the cables 21, 22 by the locking pieces 13, 14.

Each piston 211, 221 of the preferred embodiment of the invention has a generally substantially cylindrical shape. The axis of symmetry of the cylindrical shape of each piston is preferably coincident with the axis of the sliding guide 10 in which the piston is intended to slide tightly.

The lug 2111, 2211 of each piston 211, 221 extends more particularly from the outer periphery of the piston and substantially perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the cylindrical shape of the piston. Furthermore, each sliding guide 10 comprises a groove 1001 extending continuously in the longitudinal direction of the sliding guide from the first block 11 to the second block 12, when the first and second blocks are connected together. Each groove 1001 is more particularly configured to guide the sliding of a lug 2111, 2211.

More particularly, each through bore 100 comprises, over only a part of its extent, a part of the groove 1001 of the sliding guide 10 which it forms when the first and second blocks 11, 12 are connected together. In this way, the lug 2111, 2211 of each piston comes, by construction, into abutment against one end of the groove 1001 located closest to the second mouth of the corresponding through bore 100. Consequently, the sliding of the pistons 211, 221 in the sliding guides 10 is limited so that the pistons cannot be extracted from the first and second blocks 11, 12 from their cable outlet faces opposite their connection faces 101, 102. The sliding amplitude of the pistons 211, 221 in the sliding guides 10 and consequently the amplitude of movement of the cable robot is thereby limited; however, it is possible to increase the dimension of each block 11, 12 almost at will in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the through bores 100, and thus to ensure a sufficient range of motion for the cable robot.

As advanced above, the connector 1 thus makes it possible to avoid any rotation of the pistons 211, 221 within the sliding guides 10. This thus ensures conservation of the orientation of the pistons, which is particularly advantageous, not only in terms of cable life and in terms of conservation of the robot calibration, but also in terms of definition of the connection mechanism of the pistons of the first and second cables between them, as will appear in view of the characteristics introduced below.

As announced above, the pistons 211, 221 of a pair are configured to cooperate with one another by an annular groove and flange fixing mechanism. Therefore, this fixing mechanism can be configured on each piston together with the lug of this piston 2111, 2211.

Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 5 in particular, among the pistons 221 comprising a flange 2212, each flange 2212 is configured so that their opening is located opposite the lugs 2211 of these pistons 221, and therefore the opposite of the grooves 1001 practiced in blocks 11, 12. The annular groove 2112 of each piston 211 extends over the outer periphery of each piston 211 according to a symmetry of revolution around the axis of symmetry of the generally cylindrical shape of the piston 211; we understand that, therefore, the lug 2111 of each piston 211 can be configured in any orientation on the outer periphery of the piston 211.

In addition, the first locking part 13 is configured, as illustrated in FIG. 4, to lock the first ends of the first cables 21 so that each piston 211 comprising an annular groove 2112 projects at least by its annular groove from the first block 11.

Furthermore, the grooves 1001 of the sliding guides 10 are arranged in the same orientation and each first mouth 1021, configured to be placed face to face with a mouth 1011 from which the annular groove 2112 of a piston 211 protrudes when the first locking part 13 is in the locking position, has a cross section for fixing with bayonet such that it initially allows the protruding portion of the piston 211 to be engaged, by a translational movement of the blocks 11, 12 between them along the longitudinal axis of the through bores 100, and in a second step to fix the annular groove 2112 of this piston 211 in the flange 2212 of the piston 221, by a translational movement of the blocks 11, 12 between them in the direction of the axis Y as illustrated in FIGS. 4D and 4F. In other words, the relative movement of connection of the blocks 11, 12 between them is a translational movement of one relative to the other, and more particularly a translational movement of the connection face 101 of one 11 in pressing on the connection face 102 of the other 12, which allows the annular groove 2112 of each piston 211 of a pair to be inserted into the flange 2212 of each piston 221 of the pair. As announced above, the lug 2111, 2211 of each piston 211, 221 can also be advantageously used to allow the locking of the first ends of the cables 21, 22 by the locking pieces 13, 14. This other functionality of the pistons 211, 221 is achieved, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, as follows.

Each groove 1001 is formed along its sliding guide 10 in a through manner. Thus, each lug 2111, 2211 can extend, as illustrated in FIGS. 4D, by its distal end beyond the groove 1001. Furthermore, each of the two longitudinal parts 1311, 1312, 1411, 1412 of each piece of locking 13, 14 comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a plurality of hooking devices 130, 140 each configured to lock the distal end of a corresponding lug 2111, 2211, so as to prevent it from sliding in its groove 1001 when the locking part 13, 14 is in the locking position. More particularly, with reference to FIG. 6 and to FIGS. 7 and 8, each attachment device 130, 140 comprises a withdrawal of material having a first part forming a secondary groove 1301, 1401 for sliding the distal end of the lug 2111, 2211 corresponding when the locking piece 13, 14 is in the release position and a second part forming a housing 1302.1402 open only on the secondary groove 1301, 14012 for housing the distal end of the lug 2111, 2211 corresponding when the locking part 13, 14 is in the locking position.

As illustrated in FIG. 4D, each secondary groove 1301 of the first locking piece 13 is configured to be aligned with a groove 1001 of a sliding guide when the locking piece 13 is in the release position. In this way, the pistons 211, 221 connected in pairs remain free to slide in the sliding guides 10, when the locking piece 13 is in the release position. The same applies to each secondary groove 1401 of the second locking part 14. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, each housing 1302, 1402 has, as shown in FIG. 6 is FIGS. 7 and 8, a flared section opening on the secondary groove 1301, 1401 by its widest part. And the latter is of a width greater than the diameter of the pins 2111, 2211. In this way, the locking of the distal parts of the pins by the locking piece thus configured has a certain degree of freedom relative to the position of the distal end of the lug in the secondary groove. By way, the locking position of the first ends of the cables by the locking pieces has the same degree of freedom. Note also that each locking piece 13, 14 comprises two longitudinal parts (1311, 1312, 1411, 1412), a first longitudinal part 1311, 1411 comprising the hooking devices 130, 140 of the first ends of the cables 21, 22 intended to slide in the plurality of sliding guides 10 formed in the second part 115, 125 of the first and second blocks 11, 12 and a second longitudinal part 1312 , 1412 comprising the hooking devices 130, 140 of the first ends of the cables 21, 22 intended to slide in the plurality of sliding guides 10 formed in the third part 116, 126 of the first and second blocks 11, 12. The connector thus makes it possible to connect twice as many pairs of cables to each other in a compact, simple and robust manner.

It follows from the above description, the following operation of the cable connector 1 according to the invention, and consequently of a cable robot 9 equipped with the cable connector 1 according to the invention.

The cable connector 1 is first installed and the cable robot 9 is calibrated. To do this, each cable 21 is inserted at its first end into one of the through bores 100 of the first block 11 and each cable 22 is inserted through its first end into one of the through bores 100 of the second block 12. The first end of each cable 21 is fixed to a piston 211 and the first end of each cable 22 is fixed to piston 221. The pistons 211, 221 are aligned so that they can be locked by the locking pieces 13, 14. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lugs 2111 of the pistons 211 are then aligned with one another within the first block 11 and the lugs 2211 with the pistons 221 are then aligned with one another within the second block 12. The blocks 11, 12 are connected together. At this stage, the length of each of the cables 21, 22, and in particular that of each of the cables 22, is defined so that the cable robot 9, and more particularly an instrument or instrument element 93 of the cable robot 9, is in a determined position which it will be able thereafter to find before each disconnection of the connector for cables 1. At this stage also, the tension of each pair of cables 21, 22, and in particular of each cable 21, can be calibrated in particular by determining an initial position of each of the motorized rotors. The cable robot 9 is ready for its first use. In order to carry out this, the first and second locking parts 13, 14 are moved from their locking position to their release position. The control box 94 makes it possible to move each pair of cables 21, 22 independently, as shown in FIG. 2B, from the others to control the instrument or instrument element 93 of the cable robot 9. Once the first use carried out, the instrument or instrument element 93 of the cable robot 9 is returned to its determined position corresponding to an alignment of the hooking devices 130, 140 of the locking pieces 13, 14 with the pins 2111, 2211 of the pistons 211, 221, by return motorized rotors in their initial position. The locking parts 13, 14 are brought back from their release position to their locking position. The blocks 11, 12 are then separated from one another, as shown in FIG. 2A. The part of the cable robot 9 comprising the second block 12, the cables 22 and the instrument or instrument element 93 can then be cleaned / sterilized / stored independently of the rest of the cable robot. Before a second use of the cable robot 9, the instrument or the instrument element 93 still being in its determined position, the two blocks 11, 12 are again connected together, before the locking parts 13, 14 are moved from their locked position to their release position. The calibration of the cable robot 9 is thus kept identical compared to the first use of the cable robot 9.

Once the second use has been completed, the locking parts 13, 14 are again moved from their release position to their locking position and the blocks 11, 12 are again disconnected from each other. Any subsequent use of the cable robot 9 follows the same kinematics allowing the initial calibration of the cable robot to be kept.

Patient safety is thus ensured, in a repeatable manner, by the conservation of the operating voltage of the cables 21, 22 guaranteeing the conservation of the precision of the robot 9. The connection of the blocks 11, 12 of the connector 1, making it possible simple and quick to connect multiple cables simultaneously, is carried out unambiguously and in minimized time, so as to meet the time requirements of use of the robot 9, these requirements being for example related to the anesthesia of the patient and / or limited use time of an imaging device.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments previously described and extends to all the embodiments covered by the claims.

REFERENCES

(1) Connector

(10) Sliding guide

(100) Through bore

(1001) Groove

(1002) Downstream part

(1003) Upstream part

(101) Connection face

(1011) First mouth

(102) Fixing face

(1021) First mouth (11) First block

(111) Positioning form

(112) Positioning pin

(113) Protrusion

(1131) Lateral side

(1132) Longitudinal side

(114) Fixing device

(115) Second part of the block

(116) Third part of block

(12) Second block

(121) Positioning form

(122) Drilling

(123) Protrusion

(1231) Lateral side

(1232) Longitudinal side

(124) Fixing device

(125) Second part of block

(126) Third part of block

(13) First locking piece (130) Hanging device (1301) Secondary groove (1302) Housing

(1311) Longitudinal part

(1312) Longitudinal part

(1313) First side part (1314) Second side part

(14) Second locking piece (140) Hanging device (1401) Secondary groove (1402) Housing

(1411) Longitudinal part (1412) Longitudinal part (1413) First lateral part (1414) Second lateral part

(151) First recall organ

(152) Second recall device (161) First latch

(162) Second latch

(21) First cable

(210) First end of the first cable (211) Pistons

(2111) Ergot

(2112) Annular groove

(22) Second cable

(220) First end of the second cable (221) Piston

(2211) Ergot

(2212) Collar

(8) Patient's body

(9) Cable robot

(91) Cable

(92) Motor

(93) Instrument

(94) Control box

Claims

1. Connector (1) for cables (21, 22) comprising a first block (11) and a second block (12), the first and second blocks being configured to be connected together and to form, when connected between them, a plurality of sliding guides (10) in each of which a pair of first and second cables (21, 22), connected together by their respective first ends (210, 220), is intended to slide, the connector (1 ) further comprising a first locking part (13) movably mounted on the first block (11) between a locking position and a position for releasing all of the first ends (210) of the first cables (21), and the connector (1) further comprising a second locking part (14) movably mounted on the second block (12) between a locking position and a position for releasing all of the first ends (220) of the second cables (22) .

2. Connector (1) according to the preceding claim, in which each block (11, 12) has at least two through bores (100) and a connection face (101, 102) to the other block, each through bore (100 ) of the first block (11) opening out through a first mouth (1011) from the connection face

(101) of the first block (11), each through bore (100) of the second block (12) emerging through a first mouth (1021) from the connection face

(102) of the second block (12), the first mouth (1011) of each of said at least two through bores (100) of the first block (11) being configured to be placed face to face with the first mouth (1021) of the 'a respective one of said at least two through bores (100) of the second block (12), so as to form said plurality of sliding guides (10) when the first and second blocks are connected together.

3. Connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each of the first and second locking pieces (13, 14) comprises at least a plurality of hooking devices (130, 140) each configured:

to engage the first end (210, 220) of a corresponding one of the first and second cables (21, 22), respectively, when the locking piece is in its locking position, and

to release the first end (210, 220) of the corresponding one of the first and second cables (21, 22), respectively, when the locking piece is in its release position.

4. Connector (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the hooking devices (130, 140) of each locking piece (13, 14) are fixed relative to their locking piece and each locking piece (13, 14) is configured to move so as to induce the same movement of each of its attachment devices, so that the first ends (210, 220) of one of the first and second cables (21, 22) are simultaneously put engaged when the locking piece passes from its release position to its locking position and so that the first ends (210, 220) of one of the first and second cables (21, 22) are simultaneously released when the locking piece lock moves from its locked position to its release position.

5. Connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a plurality of pistons (211, 221) each intended to be fixed to the first end (210, 220) of a cable (21, 22) , each piston (211) attached to the first end (210) of the first cable (21) of a pair of cables (21, 22) being configured to engage a piston (221) attached to the first end (220) of the second cable (22) of the pair, and in which each sliding guide (10) is configured so that the first and second cables (21, 22) of the pair intended to slide therein slide therein, preferably closely, at the less by their pistons (211, 221) engaged between them.

6. Connector (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein each of the first and second blocks (11, 12) are configured to be connected together by a relative movement of connection of one with respect to the other, the pistons (211) fixed to the first ends of the first cables (21) and the pistons (221) fixed to the first ends of the second cables (22) being configured to be connected, in pairs, according to said relative movement, when the first and second parts locking (13, 14) are in the locking position.

7. Connector according to any one of the two preceding claims, in which at least one piston (211, 221) among the two pistons of a pair comprises on its outer periphery a lug (2111, 2211) extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the sliding guide (10) in which it is configured to slide, and in which each sliding guide (10) comprises a groove (1001) extending continuously in the longitudinal direction of the sliding guide from the first block (11) to the second block (12), when the first and second blocks are connected between them, each groove (1001) being configured to guide the sliding of a lug (2111, 2211).

8. Connector (1) according to claim 2 and according to the preceding claim, wherein each through bore (100) comprises, over only part of its extent, part of the groove (1001) of the sliding guide (10) qu 'it forms when the first and second blocks (11, 12) are connected together.

9. Connector (1) according to claim 2 and any one of the two preceding claims, in which the pistons (211, 221) of a pair are configured to cooperate with each other by an annular groove and flange fixing mechanism,

in which, among the pistons (211, 221) each comprising a flange (2212), the flanges (2212) are configured in the same specific orientation, for example opposite, with respect to the lugs (2111, 2211) of these pistons (211, 221),

wherein the first and second locking pieces (13, 14) are configured to lock the first ends of the first and second cables (21, 22) respectively so that each piston (211, 221) including an annular groove (2112) makes protruding at least by its annular groove from the first and second blocks (11, 12) respectively, in which each first mouth (1021), configured to be placed face to face with a mouth (1011) from which the annular groove (2112) d a piston (211) protrudes when the first and second locking parts (13, 14) are in the locking position, has a bayonet fixing cross section of the annular groove (2112) of the piston (211), and

wherein the grooves (1001) of the sliding guides (10) are arranged in the same orientation, so that said relative movement of the first block (11) relative to the second block (12) is a translational movement of one relative to each other, which allows the annular groove (2112) of each piston (211) of a pair to be inserted into the flange (2212) of each piston (221) of the pair.

10. Connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each of the first and second blocks (11, 12) are configured to be connected together by a relative movement of connection of one with respect to the other, and in which the first block (11) comprises at least one positioning form (111) configured to cooperate with a positioning form (121) corresponding to the second block (12), the positioning forms (111, 121) of the first and second blocks cooperating with each other by a male-female adjustment mechanism configured to guide the relative movement of connection of the first and second blocks (11, 12) between them.

11. Connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each of the first and second blocks (11, 12) is configured to be connected together by a relative movement of connection of one with respect to the 'other and wherein one of the first and second blocks (11, 12) comprises a positioning pin (112) configured to cooperate with a bore (122) included by the other among the first and second blocks, so guiding the relative movement of connection of the first and second blocks (11, 12) between them.

12. Connector (1) according to claim 9 and the preceding claim, wherein the positioning pin (112) and the bore (122) cooperate with each other by an equivalent bayonet fixing mechanism, at least in terms of amplitude and orientation of the fixing movement, to the fixing mechanism with annular groove and flange according to which the pistons (211, 221) of a pair cooperate with each other.

13. Connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each of the first and second blocks (11, 12) comprises a protuberance (113, 123), the protuberance (113) of the first block (11) being at contact of the protuberance (123) of the second block (12) when the blocks are connected together, and in which the first locking piece (13) is mounted movable in translation on the protuberance (113) of the first block (11) and the second locking part (14) is mounted movable in translation on the protuberance (123) of the second block (12).

14. Connector (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein each protuberance (113, 123) comprises two lateral sides (1131, 1231) and two longitudinal sides (1132, 1232) and each locking piece (13, 14) comprises at at least one longitudinal part (1311, 1312, 1411, 1412) and first and second lateral parts (1313, 1314, 1413, 1414) linked together by said at least one longitudinal part (1311, 1312, 1411, 1412), the protuberance (113) of the first block (11) being configured so as to limit the translational movement of the first locking piece (13) to a continuum of positions comprised between its locking position and its release position by stop of the one of the first and second lateral parts (1313, 1314) of the first locking part (13) on one of the two lateral sides (1131) of the protuberance (113) of the first block (11) and by abutment of the other one of the first and second lateral parts (1313, 1314) of the first locking part (13) on the other of the two lateral sides (1131) of the protrusion (113) of the first block (11), and the protrusion (123) of the second block (12) being configured so as to limit the translational movement of the second locking piece (14) to a continuum of positions between its locking position and its release position by abutment from one of the first and second lateral parts (1413, 1414) of the second locking part (14) on one of the two lateral sides (1231) of the protuberance ( 123) of the second block (12) and by abutment of the other one of the first and second lateral parts (1413, 1414) of the second locking part (14) on the other of the two lateral sides (1231) of the protuberance (123) of the second block (12).

15. Connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least two return members (151, 152), a first return member (151) configured to act on the first locking piece (13) a restoring force tending to maintain the first locking part in one of its locking and release positions, a second restoring member (152) configured to exert on the second locking part (14) a restoring force tending maintaining the second locking part in one of its locking and release positions, and the connector (1) further comprising two latches (161, 162),

a first latch (161) being movably mounted on the first block (11) between a retracted position and a deployed position, the first latch (161) being configured in conjunction with the first locking piece (13) to oppose the force of recall exercised by the first recall organ

(151) on the first locking part so as to maintain the first locking part (13) in the other of its locking and release positions when the first latch (161) is in its deployed position, and so as not to oppose the return force exerted by the first return member (151) on the first locking part (13) when the first latch (161) is in its retracted position, and

a second latch (162) being movably mounted on the second block between a retracted position and a deployed position, the second latch (162) being configured in conjunction with the second locking piece (14) to oppose the restoring force that exercises the second reminder

(152) on the second locking piece so as to maintain the second locking part (14) in the other of its locking and release positions when the second latch (162) is in its deployed position, and so as not to oppose the restoring force exerted by the second member recall (152) on the second locking piece (14) when the second latch (162) is in its retracted position.

16. Connector (1) according to the two preceding claims, in which the first latch (161) is configured to be, in its deployed position, partly pinched between one of the lateral sides (1131) of the protuberance of the first block ( 11) and the first lateral part (1313) of the first locking part (13) abutting on this lateral side when the first latch (161) is in the retracted position and the first return member (151) is arranged between the other lateral sides (1131) of the protuberance of the first block (11) and the second lateral part (1314) of the first locking part (13) opposite to the first lateral part (1313) of the first locking part (13) , and in which the second latch (162) is configured to be, in its deployed position, partly pinched between one of the lateral sides (1231) of the protuberance of the second block (12) and the first lateral part (1413) of the second locking part (14) abutting on this lateral side when the he second latch (162) is in the retracted position and the second return member (152) is arranged between the other of the lateral sides (1231) of the protuberance of the second block (12) and the second lateral part (1414) of the second locking part (14) opposite the first lateral part (1413) of the first locking part (14).

17. Connector (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, any one of claims 7 to 12 and any one of claims 14 to 16, in which each groove (1001) is through so that each lug (2111, 2211) extends by its distal end beyond the groove (1001) configured to guide its sliding, and in which said at least one longitudinal part (1311, 1312, 1411, 1412) of each piece of locking (13, 14) comprises one of said at least a plurality of hooking devices (130, 140), each hooking device (130, 140) being configured to lock the distal end of a lug ( 2111, 2211) corresponding so as to prevent it from sliding in its groove (1001) when the locking piece (13, 14) is in the locking position.

18. Connector (1) according to the preceding claim, in which each attachment device (130, 140) comprises a withdrawal of material made in said at least one longitudinal part (1311, 1312, 1411, 1412) of the workpiece. locking (13, 14) and having a first part forming a secondary groove (1301, 1401) for sliding the distal end of the lug (2111, 2211) corresponding when the locking piece (13, 14) is in position release and a second part forming a housing (1302,1402) open only on the secondary groove (1301, 1401) to accommodate the distal end of the lug (2111, 2211) corresponding when the locking piece (13, 14 ) is in the locked position.

19. Connector (1) according to the preceding claim, in which each housing (1302,1402) has, in a longitudinal section plane of the longitudinal part (1311, 1312, 1411, 1412) of the locking piece (13, 14 ), a flared section opening on the secondary groove (1301, 1401) by its widest part, the latter being of a width greater than a diameter of the distal end of the lug (2111, 2211 ) that it is housed when the locking piece (13, 14) is in its locking position.

20. Connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, in which each block (11, 12) comprises a fixing device (114, 124) to the other block, the fixing device (114) of the first block being configured to removably engage the securing device (124) of the second block, so as to keep the first and second blocks (11, 12) connected together, at least when the first ends of the cables (21 , 22) are connected in pairs and that the locking pieces (13, 14) are in their release position.

21. Connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 and according to any one of claims 14 to 20, in which each block (11, 12) comprises a second block part (115, 125) and a third block part (116, 126) detachably fixed to each other, each second block part (115, 125) comprising a downstream part (1002) of a first plurality of sliding guides (10) and each third part of block (116, 126) comprising an upstream part (1003) of a second plurality of sliding guides (10), in which one of the second and third block parts (115, 116) comprises the protuberance (113, 123 ) of the block (11, 12) and in which each locking piece (13, 14) comprises two longitudinal parts (1311, 1312, 1411, 1412), each linked to opposite ends of the lateral parts (1313, 1314, 1413, 1414) of the locking piece (13, 14), a first longitudinal part (1311, 1411) comprising the devices for hook (130, 140) of the first ends of the cables (21, 22) intended to slide in the first plurality of sliding guides (10) and a second longitudinal part (1312, 1412) comprising the hooking devices (130, 140) of the first ends of the cables (21, 22) intended to slide in the second plurality of sliding guides (10).

22. Cable robot comprising a connector (1) for cables (21, 22) according to any one of claims 1 to 21.