JP2005514662A - Dummy medical device used in the simulator - Google Patents

Abstract

A dummy medical instrument, e.g. a dummy endoscope, for use in a simulator comprises a control body with angulation control 1, 2, an insertion tube and an umbilical extending from the control body. An angulation cable 5, 8 extends from the angulation control, down the umbilical to a device for controlling the resistance to movement of the cable to provide force feedback simulating the tactile forces that would be felt at the angulation control of a real instrument. The cable preferably extends from the control body and around a pulley 10, 13, 14 before being routed down the umbilical.

Description

  The present invention relates to a dummy medical device used in a simulator.

  One type of simulator to which the present invention can be applied is disclosed in GBA 2252656. This simulator simulates the operation of the endoscopic process. A dummy endoscope can be inserted into a fixture provided with a sensor mechanism to detect vertical movement and rotational movement of the dummy endoscope. This information is sent to the controller, which generates force feedback information based on the virtual model data stored in the computer's memory. By providing a realistic simulation by synchronizing the force feedback applied to the dummy endoscope with the visual display of the procedure, a useful training instrument is provided for the endoscope user.

  In a device such as an endoscope, the tip of the endoscope is operated by an angulation control device in the form of one or more control knobs on the handle of the endoscope. This knob is connected to a cable that extends down the insertion tube of the endoscope. As the control knob is rotated, the cable, and thus the tip, moves correspondingly. The endoscope can have two control knobs, one controlling the left and right movement of the tip and the other controlling the vertical movement of the tip.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a dummy medical device for use in a simulator that provides force feedback that simulates the force perceived by the angulation controller of a real device.

  According to the present invention, a real device including a control body having a angulation control device operable by a user, an insertion tube and an umbilical extending from the control body, and corresponding to a simulated one, the angulation control device At least one angulation cable extends from the user-operable control device to the distal end of the insertion tube so that the angulation cable at the dummy medical device is Extends from the operable controller down the umbilical to a device for controlling resistance to cable movement, providing force feedback that simulates the force perceived by a real instrument angulation controller; A dummy medical device for use in a simulator is provided.

  In this configuration, force feedback is provided to the angulation control device using the angulation control device of a real device and a cable (although the cable is routed separately). This not only provides a sense of reality, but also has the advantage of reducing the number of original parts that need to be designed for the dummy device, which is advantageous for providing replacement parts to the user.

  In real equipment, the cable extends away from the angulation control device in a direction along the insertion tube. One option of the present invention is to completely reroute the cable so that it extends away from the angulation controller and in the umbilical direction. However, what is currently preferred is that the cable extends away from the angulation control device toward the insertion tube, is folded along the cable itself, and is routed along the umbilical, as is actually done in the body. Is to change. Due to the limited space available within the control body, this approach is the best way to route cables without having to interact with other parts within the control body.

  Within normal equipment constraints, the space available to fold back the cable is so small that it is difficult to prevent the occurrence of undesirable friction that distorts the force feedback and causes the cable to wear quickly. Thus, it is preferred that the cable extends from the control body around the pulley and is rotated approximately 180 ° before passing down the umbilical.

  By using the pulley, the sliding friction of the cable at the portion where the cable is folded back is eliminated. This not only makes the operation of the force feedback system smoother, but also reduces cable wear.

  Preferably, the angulation cable is a coaxial cable that allows the central wire to move within the sleeve. Preferably, the sleeve is removed from the portion of the cable surrounding the pulley so that the wire directly engages the pulley.

  When using multiple angulation cables, each cable should be provided with a pulley system. In one particularly advantageous configuration, the first cable is wrapped around a single pulley and the second cable is wrapped around a pair of spaced apart pulleys so that the second cable is of a loop formed by the first cable. Make a loop on the outside.

  In order to hold the cable on the pulleys, preferably the pulleys or each pulley has a convex perimeter and at least a portion of the perimeter of the pulley is provided adjacent to the exterior wall of the pulley housing.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a dummy medical device constructed according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  The particular medical device described herein is an endoscope. However, any medical device that reroutes a cable that is normally operated to move a portion of the device so that force feedback can be applied to the cable is acceptable.

  The described configuration is a modification of a conventional endoscope control body. Both the real endoscope and the dummy endoscope have an insertion portion connected from the control body and ending at the distal end of the endoscope. In real equipment, this tip is manipulated to advance through the colon. Umbilicals are provided in both real and dummy endoscopes connected from the control body and send various cables to the control body.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control body includes a pair of coaxial rotary knobs 1 and 2. In this case, in an ordinary endoscope, the outer knob 1 is rotated to move the tip in the vertical direction, and the inner knob 2 is moved in the left-right direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. These described methods are only conceptual directions, and in use, the endoscope may be used in any direction. Wire pulleys 3 and 4 to which cables are respectively attached are wound around each pulley. In the illustrated example, for convenience, there are four cables: an upper cable 5, a lower cable 6, a left cable 7, and a right cable 8.

  In a normal device, these cables 5, 6, 7, and 8 extend completely to the distal end of the endoscope, and the distal end moves as described above when the knobs 1 and 2 are rotated.

  For dummy equipment, the cables must be rerouted along the equipment umbilical, which points these cables to the angulation feedback controller. In the angulation feedback controller, the upper and lower cables 5, 6 are connected to both sides of the force feedback motor, and the left and right cables 7, 8 are connected to the same motor.

  The rotation of the knobs 1 and 2 is detected, and the system controller interprets this information together with information regarding the longitudinal position and rotational position of the endoscope tip. Using data representing a simulated model of the rectum, the software detects when the simulated tip of the endoscope contacts the simulated rectal wall. At this time, the controller sends a force feedback signal to the two feedback motors, thereby providing resistance to movement of cables 5-8, which resistance is perceived by knobs 1, 2 as resistance to rotation. .

  In order to pass each cable through the umbilical 9, the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used. FIG. 1 shows a state where two of the cables, that is, the lower cable 6 and the right cable 8 are rerouted. A similar configuration is provided on the opposite side of the control body shown in FIG. However, since this configuration has the same configuration and operation as the lower / right configuration shown in FIG. 1, only the lower / right configuration will be described in detail. The right cable 8 is connected to the chain 4 surrounding the inner knob 2. This cable extends around a first pulley 10 which is rotatably mounted on the housing 11 within the control body. Pulley 10 rotates the right cable 180 °. A sheath 12 is connected to the housing 11. The cable 8 enters the sheath 12 at this point and is guided in the sheath to an umbilical connected to the feedback motor.

  The lower cable 6 passes through a loop outside the right cable 8 around a pair of spaced pulleys 13, 14 that are rotatably attached to the housing 11. The lower cable 6 enters a sheath 15 attached to the housing 11 with a connector 16 and is guided into an umbilical leading to another force feedback motor as described above for the right cable.

1 is a plan view of an angulation system. FIG. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the structure of a pulley, a cable, and a horn formation control apparatus.

Claims (8)

A control body having a angulation control device operable by a user;
An insertion tube and an umbilical extending from the control body,
In a real device corresponding to the one to be simulated, a control device in which at least one angulation cable can be operated by the user so that the angulation of the tip changes by moving the angulation control device. Extending from the insertion tube to the tip of the insertion tube,
In a dummy medical device, the angulation cable extends from the control device operable by the user down the umbilical to a device for controlling resistance to movement of the cable, and the angulation control device of a real device. A dummy medical device used in a simulator that provides force feedback to simulate the force perceived in   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable extends from the control body about a pulley and is rotated approximately 180 degrees before passing down the umbilical.   The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the angulated cable is a coaxial cable in which a central wire can move in a sleeve.   4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sleeve is removed from the portion of the cable that surrounds the pulley so that the wire directly engages the pulley.   The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of cables are provided.   6. A device according to claim 2 or 5, wherein each cable has a pulley system.   The first cable is wrapped around a single pulley and the second cable is wrapped around a pair of spaced apart pulleys so that the second cable forms a loop outside the loop formed by the first cable. The device according to claim 6.   The pulley or each pulley preferably has a convex perimeter and at least a portion of the perimeter of the pulley is provided adjacent to the exterior wall of the pulley housing. In some cases, the device according to any one of claims 3, 6 or 7.

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