JP2011052805A - Manipulator, and manipulation device using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manipulator in simple and novel structure, allowing a bending operation. <P>SOLUTION: The first driving shaft 101 turns around the own center axis as the center. The second frame 104 turns with respect to the first frame 102. The first face gear member 103 is rotation-driven normal-and-reverse-directionally by the first driving shaft 101. The third frame 108 turns with respect to the second frame 104. The first gear member 105 is fixed to the second frame 104. Both the first gear member 105 and the second gear member 106 are rotation-driven by the first face gear member 103. The second frame 104 turns in accompaniment with the turn of the first gear member 105. The third gear member 107 is rotation-driven by the second gear member 106. The third gear member 107 is fixed to the third frame 108. The third frame 108 turns in accompaniment with the turn of the third gear member 107. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a manipulator capable of converting a rotation operation into a bending operation.

  For example, in an operation using an endoscope, a fine work in a narrow space in a human body is required. For such work, a manipulator having a plurality of degrees of freedom has been used conventionally. In addition, a manipulator may be used for operations in a space that is too small for humans to enter or for operations in a hazardous area (for example, a place where there is a risk of exposure).

Conventionally, the following three types are known as main operation methods of manipulators for such applications.
・ Wire drive type,
・ Link drive type,
・ Gear drive type.

  Wire-driven manipulators (see Patent Documents 1 and 3 below) can easily cope with downsizing and multiple degrees of freedom. However, in this method, there is a possibility that control may become difficult due to the extension or disconnection of the wire, and measures for ensuring safety are required. For this reason, in this system, there is a problem that peripheral devices such as an operation control system are enlarged or complicated for ensuring safety.

  A link driving manipulator (see Patent Documents 5 to 7 below) operates using a link mechanism. In this method, a strong force can be applied to the operation target. However, in this system, there is a possibility that the joint portion in the link mechanism may loosen or play due to repeated use, and there is a problem that it is difficult to increase durability particularly when the size is reduced.

  A gear-driven manipulator (see Patent Documents 1 to 4 below) has an advantage that it is relatively easy to set the driving direction and increase the degree of freedom, and it is easy to reduce the size. However, this method tends to increase the number of necessary component elements. In particular, when the number of gears increases, it becomes difficult to eliminate backlash, and as a result, there is a problem that precise operation becomes difficult.

JP 2004-122286 A JP 2007-152028 A JP 2008-161970 A JP 2008-307310 A JP 2005-169011 A JP 2004-154877 A JP 2003-38501 A

http://www.intuitivesurgical.com/products/endowrist_instruments/index.aspx

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation. An object of the present invention is to provide a manipulator that has a simple and novel structure and can be bent.

  Means for solving the above-described problems can be described as follows.

(Item 1)
A manipulator that can convert rotational motion into bending motion,
A first drive shaft, a first frame, a first face gear member, a second frame, a first gear member, a second gear member, a third gear member, and a third frame;
The first drive shaft is configured to be rotatable about its own central axis,
The second frame is attached to the first frame in a rotatable state.
The first face gear member is configured to be rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the first frame about the central axis of the first drive shaft by the first drive shaft.
The third frame is attached to the second frame in a rotatable state.
The first gear member is fixed to the second frame;
In addition, the first gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the first face gear member,
The second gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the first face gear member,
The third gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the second gear member,
And the third gear member is fixed to the third frame,
The manipulator, wherein the third frame is configured to rotate with the rotation of the third gear member.

  When the first drive shaft is rotated, the first face gear member rotates. Then, the first gear member rotates, and the second frame fixed to the first gear member rotates. Further, as the first face gear member rotates, the second gear member rotates, and further, the third gear member rotates. Then, the third frame fixed to the third gear member rotates. Therefore, the third frame can be bent with one degree of freedom. Further, by setting the ratio of the pitch radii of the first to third gear members, the ratio of the rotation amount of the first drive shaft and the movement amount (tilt angle) of the third frame can be set as appropriate.

(Item 2)
A pitch radius of the second gear member is smaller than a pitch radius of the first gear member and the third gear member;
The first face gear member includes a first face gear portion that meshes with the first gear member, and a second face gear portion that meshes with the second gear member;
The manipulator according to item 1, wherein the second face gear portion protrudes in the direction of the second gear member from the first face gear portion.

  By reducing the pitch radius of the second gear member, the second gear member can be reduced in size, and the amount of rotation (rotation angle) of the third frame can be easily increased. Further, since the second face gear portion is protruded in the direction of the second gear, the engagement between the two gears can be ensured. Further, by making the pitch radius of the third gear larger than the pitch radius of the second gear, it is possible to prevent the inclination angle of the third frame from becoming excessive and reduce the possibility that the third frame interferes with other members. Can do.

(Item 3)
The manipulator according to item 1 or 2, wherein the second gear member is rotatably attached to the second frame.

  By attaching the second gear member to the second frame in a rotatable state, the second gear member can be rotated regardless of the inclination angle of the second frame.

(Item 4)
The manipulator according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the third gear member is attached to the second frame in a rotatable state.

  By attaching the third gear member to the second frame in a rotatable state, the third gear member can be rotated regardless of the inclination angle of the second frame. Therefore, the inclination angle of the third frame relative to the second frame can be designed independently of the inclination angle of the second frame relative to the first frame.

(Item 5)
The rotating shaft of the first gear member, the rotating shaft of the second gear member, and the rotating shaft of the second frame with respect to the first frame are coaxial with each other. The described manipulator.

  By making these coaxial, it is possible to save space, facilitate design and manufacture, and reduce the number of parts.

(Item 6)
A manipulator that can convert rotational motion into bending motion in multiple directions,
The first drive shaft, the first frame, the first face gear member, the second frame, the first gear member, the second gear member, the third gear member, the third frame, and the second drive shaft And a second face gear member, a fourth frame, a fourth gear member, a fifth gear member, a sixth gear member, a fifth frame, and a flexible connector,
The first drive shaft is configured to be rotatable about its own central axis,
The second frame is attached to the first frame in a rotatable state.
The first face gear member is configured to be rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the first frame about the central axis of the first drive shaft by the first drive shaft.
The third frame is attached to the second frame in a rotatable state.
The first gear member is fixed to the second frame;
In addition, the first gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the first face gear member,
The second gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the first face gear member,
The third gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the second gear member,
And the third gear member is fixed to the third frame,
The third frame is configured to rotate with the rotation of the third gear member. The second drive shaft is configured to rotate coaxially with the first drive shaft,
The fourth frame is attached to the third frame in a rotatable state.
The flexible connector is attached to the second drive shaft;
And the flexible connector is configured to rotate about the central axis of the flexible connector itself as the second drive shaft rotates.
The second face gear member is configured to be rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the third frame by the flexible connector,
The fifth frame is attached to the fourth frame in a rotatable state.
The fourth gear member is fixed to the fourth frame;
The fourth gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the second face gear member,
The fifth gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the second face gear member,
The sixth gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the fifth gear member,
And the said 6th gear member is being fixed to the said 5th flame | frame,
The manipulator, wherein the fifth frame is configured to rotate with the rotation of the sixth gear member.

  In this manipulator, the third frame and the fifth frame can be independently rotated by operating the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft, respectively. By making the rotation direction of the third frame different from the rotation direction of the fifth frame, a bending operation with two degrees of freedom becomes possible.

(Item 7)
A manipulator comprising: the manipulator according to any one of items 1 to 6; and an actuator that rotationally drives at least the first drive shaft.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a manipulator that has a simple and novel structure and can be bent.

It is an exploded perspective view of the manipulator concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the manipulator of FIG. 3A is a side view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is a plan view of FIG. It is an expansion perspective view of the 2nd frame used for the manipulator of FIG. It is an expansion perspective view of the 1st face gear member used for the manipulator of Drawing 1. 6A is an enlarged view of a main part of the manipulator of FIG. 1, FIG. 6B is a side view of FIG. 6A, and FIG. 6C is a rear view of FIG. It is an expansion perspective view of the 3rd frame used for the manipulator of FIG. FIG. 8A is an operation explanatory diagram showing a portion corresponding to FIG. FIG. 8B is a rear view of FIG. It is a perspective view of FIG. It is a perspective view in the state which operated the manipulator of FIG. 11A is a right side view of FIG. 10, FIG. 11B is a plan view of FIG. 10, and FIG. 11C is a left side view of FIG. It is a perspective view in the state which operated the manipulator of FIG. 13A is a right side view of FIG. 12, FIG. 13B is a plan view of FIG. 12, and FIG. 13C is a left side view of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the manipulator of FIG. 1 in a state where the holder and the cover member are excluded and the inside is exposed. It is a perspective view in the state which operated the manipulator of FIG. It is a perspective view in the state which operated the manipulator of FIG. 17A is a plan view of FIG. 15, FIG. 17B is a plan view of FIG. 14, and FIG. 17C is a plan view of FIG. 18 (a) is a rear view of FIG. 17 (c), FIG. 18 (b) is a rear view of FIG. 17 (b), and FIG. 18 (c) is a plan view of FIG. 17 (a). It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating an example of the manufacturing method of a 1st face gear member. It is a disassembled perspective view of the manipulator which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the manipulator of FIG. It is a side view of FIG. It is a top view of FIG. FIG. 22 is an enlarged front view of FIG. 21 (viewed from the front end direction). It is an expansion perspective view of the 3rd frame used for the manipulator of FIG. FIG. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of first and second drive shaft portions of the manipulator of FIG. 20. FIG. 27A is an enlarged view of a main part in a state in which the manipulator in FIG. 20 is operated, and FIG. 27B is a state in which only the torque coil (an example of a flexible connector) in FIG. 27A is taken out. It is explanatory drawing in. FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the manipulator shown in FIG.

(First embodiment)
A manipulator according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The manipulator according to the present embodiment is for converting the rotational motion into the bending motion.

(Configuration of manipulator)
The manipulator 100 of this embodiment includes a first drive shaft 101, a first frame 102, a first face gear member 103, a second frame 104, a first gear member 105, a second gear member 106, A three gear member 107, a third frame 108, a cover member 109, a holder 110, and an end effector 115 are provided (see FIGS. 1 to 3).

  The first drive shaft 101 is configured to be rotatable about its own central axis. Specifically, in this embodiment, the drive unit 1 (see FIG. 2) is connected to the first drive shaft 101, and the drive unit 1 is rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions. The drive unit 1 includes an actuator 11 for rotating the first drive shaft 101 and a control unit 12 for controlling the operation of the actuator 11 (see FIG. 2). As the control unit 12, for example, a personal computer having an appropriate interface (not shown) with the actuator 11 can be used.

  Projections 1011 and 1012 for rotating the first face gear member 103 are formed at the end of the first drive shaft 101 (left end in FIG. 1).

  Insertion holes 1021 and 1022 for attaching a first pin 111 and a second pin 112 described later are formed at the end of the first frame 102.

  In the second frame 104 (see FIG. 4), pin mounting holes 1041 and 1042 for mounting the first pin 111 and the third pin 113 are formed, and the first frame 102 is rotated by these pins. It is installed as possible.

  Further, pin attachment holes 1043 and 1044 for attaching the third frame are formed in the second frame 104 (described later).

  The first face gear member 103 (see FIG. 5) is configured to be rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the first frame 102 about the central axis of the first drive shaft 101 by the first drive shaft 101. It has become.

  More specifically, the first face gear member 103 includes a first face gear portion 1031 that meshes with the first gear member 105 and a second face gear portion 1032 that meshes with the second gear member 106. The second face gear portion 1032 protrudes in the direction of the second gear member 106 from the first face gear portion 1031.

  In this embodiment, the pitch radius of the second gear member 106 is half of the pitch radius of the first gear member 105, and the second face gear portion 1032 is protruded by the difference between both pitch radii. Therefore, in this embodiment, a step is formed between the first face gear portion 1031 and the second face gear portion 1032 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). When the pitch radius of the second gear member 106 is R, the pitch radius of the first gear member 105 in this embodiment is 2R, and the difference between the two is R.

  The third frame 108 (see FIG. 7) is attached to the second frame 104 in a rotatable state. Specifically, the third frame 108 includes pin insertion holes 1081 and 1082 for attaching the second pin 112 and the fourth pin 114. These pin insertion holes 1081 and 1082 are attached to the pin attachment holes 1043 and 1044 of the second frame 104 through the second pin 112 and the fourth pin 114, respectively.

  The first gear member 105 is fixed to the second frame 104. More specifically, the first gear member 105 includes a gear portion 1051 and two through holes 1052 and 1053. A first pin 111 is attached to the through hole 1052, and a second pin 112 is attached to the through hole 1053. The first gear member 105 is fixed to the second frame 104 by these two pins.

  The gear portion 1051 of the first gear member 105 is engaged with the first face gear portion 1031 (see FIG. 5) of the first face gear member 103, whereby the first gear member 105 is engaged with the first face gear member 103. Are driven to rotate.

  The second gear member 106 is a gear used as a so-called pinion gear, and has a through hole 1061 at the center thereof. The second gear member 106 is rotatably attached to the second frame 104 by a third pin 113 through the through hole 1061. The second gear member 106 meshes with the second face gear portion 1032 (see FIG. 5) of the first face gear member 103. With this configuration, in this embodiment, the second gear member 106 is rotationally driven by the first face gear member 103.

    The third gear member 107 is configured to be rotationally driven by the second gear member 106. More specifically, the third gear member 107 includes a gear portion 1071 and a through hole 1072. The third gear member 107 is rotatably attached to the second frame 104 by a fourth pin 114 through a through hole 1072. The gear portion 1071 of the third gear member 107 is engaged with the second gear member 106 and is driven to rotate by the second gear member 106. The pitch radius of the third gear member 107 is set to R like the first gear member 105. That is, the pitch radius of the third gear member 107 is twice the pitch radius of the second gear member 106.

  Further, the third gear member 107 is fixed to the third frame 108. Specifically, the end of the third gear member 107 opposite to the gear portion 1071 is fixed to the third frame 108 by an appropriate means. Here, “fixed” means that the relative movement between the two is restricted to a level necessary for transmission of the rotational force, and does not need to be physically fixed. For example, by forming a recess capable of accommodating the end portion of the third gear member 107 on the inner surface of the third frame 108, fixing in this sense can be performed.

  In this way, the third frame 108 is configured to rotate as the third gear member 107 rotates. The operation of the manipulator will be described in detail later.

  The cover member 109 is disposed so as to cover the first frame 102 and makes the internal mechanism difficult to see (see FIG. 3).

  The holder 110 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the second frame 104 can be accommodated therein. Two concave portions 1101 and 1102 extending along the axial direction are formed on the inner surface of the holder 110, and the heads of the first to fourth pins 111 to 114 can be accommodated inside these concave portions 1101 and 1102. Yes.

  The end effector 115 is attached to the third frame 108. As the end effector 115, various types of devices such as an endoscope, forceps, electric knife, laser, ultrasonic knife, catheter, and the like can be used depending on the use of the manipulator. It is also possible to use a non-medical tool or device as an end effector. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the inside of the manipulator is a cavity, there is an advantage that wiring necessary for the operation of the end effector can be arranged using the cavity.

(Operation of the first embodiment)
Next, the manipulator 100 according to the present embodiment is operated. First, the first drive shaft 101 is rotated around the axis by the actuator 11 of the drive unit 1 (see FIG. 2). The first drive shaft 101 can also be rotated by human power.

  Then, the first face gear member 103 connected to the first drive shaft 101 rotates about the axis.

  Then, both the first gear member 105 and the second gear member 106 meshing with the first face gear member 103 rotate in synchronization with the rotation of the first face gear member 103 (see FIG. 6).

  First, it is assumed that the first gear member 105 is rotated by an angle θ as the first face gear member 103 rotates as shown in FIG. At this time, the second frame 104 fixed to the first gear member 105 is inclined with respect to the first frame 102 by an angle θ.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8B, the second gear member 106 rotates by an angle 2θ. This is because the ratio of the pitch radius of the first gear member 105 to the pitch radius of the second gear member 106 is 2: 1. Of course, it is also possible to employ pitch circle radius ratios other than 2: 1. Here, the second gear member 106 can rotate regardless of the inclination of the second frame 104.

  Then, the third gear member 107 meshing with the second gear member 106 rotates by an angle θ in the opposite direction to the second gear member 106. The reason why the third gear member 107 rotates by the angle θ is that the ratio between the pitch radius of the second gear member 106 and the pitch radius of the third gear member 107 is 1: 2. Of course, it is possible to adopt a reduction ratio or pitch circle radius ratio other than 1: 2.

  Accordingly, the third frame 108 fixed to the third gear member 107 is inclined by the angle θ with respect to the second frame 104 (see FIG. 8B). Therefore, the end effector 115 fixed to the third frame 108 can be inclined with respect to the first frame 102 by θ + θ = 2θ.

  If the first drive shaft 101 is rotated in the reverse direction, the end effector 115 is inclined in the reverse direction by the same operation as described above.

  According to this embodiment, the inclination angle θ of the end effector 115 can be adjusted by adjusting the rotation angle of the first drive shaft 101 (see FIGS. 9 to 18).

  In the present embodiment, since the pitch radius of the second gear member 106 is smaller than the pitch radius of the first gear member 105 and the third gear member 107, the second gear member 106 can be reduced in size. When the second gear member 106 is large, there is a possibility that the inclination angle of the third frame 108 is restricted due to the interference between the second gear member 106 and the third frame 108. In the present embodiment, by reducing the size of the second gear member 106, the range in which the third frame 108 and thus the end effector 115 can be inclined can be widened.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the second gear member 106 is attached to the second frame 104 in a rotatable state, the second gear member 106 is attached regardless of the inclination of the second frame 104 as described above. Can be rotated. In this way, in the present embodiment, the rotational motion can be converted into a bending motion with one degree of freedom.

  In the present embodiment, since the third gear member 107 is attached to the second frame 104 in a rotatable state, the third gear member 107 can be rotated regardless of the inclination of the second frame 104. it can.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the rotation shaft of the first gear member 105 and the rotation shaft of the second gear member 106 are coaxial, the second frame 104 is attached to the first frame using pins for these gears. It can be attached to the frame 102. Thereby, the rotating shaft of the 2nd frame 104 with respect to the 1st frame 102 can be made coaxial with the rotating shaft of these gear members. That is, in this embodiment, the rotation shaft of the first gear member 105 and the rotation shaft of the second frame 104 share one pin 111, and the rotation shaft of the second gear member 106 and the rotation shaft of the second frame 104 are shared. And the other one pin 113 is shared. With this configuration, in this embodiment, space saving, that is, downsizing of the manipulator can be achieved. In addition, by using such a coaxial structure, it is possible to facilitate design and manufacture and reduce the number of parts. Further, in the present embodiment, the pins 111 and the pins 113 are separated from each other while the rotation axes are coaxial, so that an article can be inserted between these pins. For the same purpose as described above, in the present embodiment, the pin 112 and the pin 114 are coaxial and shared by a plurality of rotating shafts, and these are separated.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since there are few parts required for power transmission, there also exists an advantage that manufacture, an assembly, and a maintenance can be simplified. Moreover, since no special tools are basically required for assembly, the assembly is further facilitated.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, various attachment / detachment mechanisms (not shown) for enabling attachment / detachment between the actuator 11 of the drive unit 1 and the first drive shaft 101 can be used. Here, in the present embodiment, since the first drive shaft 101 only needs to be rotationally driven, various types of attachment / detachment mechanisms can be used, and the mechanism can be simplified. Further, by disconnecting the connection between the actuator 11 and the first drive shaft 101, for example, a manual operation in an emergency can be easily performed.

  By increasing the tooth thickness or the tooth width of the first face gear member 103 of the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress elongation and deformation at the meshing portion of the gear.

  Furthermore, the performance of a part can be improved by performing the material change of each part which comprises a gearwheel, the hardening process to these, or a surface treatment.

  In this embodiment, the first drive shaft 101 is rotated while being pressed in the direction of the first face gear member 103, thereby preventing play and backlash during driving and improving the position accuracy of the end effector 115. Can do.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, all the elements that transmit the driving force are basically arranged on the same axis, so that the configuration of the actuator 11 and the control unit 12 can be reduced in size or simplified.

  In the embodiment, a step is formed between the first face gear portion 1031 and the second face gear portion 1032 of the first face gear member 103, but the first gear member 105 and the second gear member 106 are formed. If the pitch radii are equal, the step can be eliminated. In the case where a step is formed, the rotation angle of the first drive shaft 101 is 180 ° at the maximum, but it can be rotated at an angle of 180 ° or more by eliminating the step. However, when the pitch radii of the first gear member 105 and the second gear member 106 are made equal, there is a problem that the second gear member 106 is enlarged.

(Method for producing first face gear member)
Here, an example of a manufacturing method of the first face gear member 103 will be described with reference to FIG. The first face gear member 103 includes a cylindrical base 1033 and a rack member 1034. The rack member 1034 includes a first face gear portion 1031 and a second face gear portion 1032.

  In this manufacturing method, a flat rack member 1034 is formed by processing a metal plate. Next, the rack member 1034 is wound around the outer periphery of the cylindrical base 1033. Thereby, the first face gear member 103 in the first embodiment can be obtained.

  This manufacturing method has an advantage that the rack member 1034 can be easily manufactured. Further, since the first face gear member 103 can be obtained by attaching the rack member 1034 to the base 1033, the first face gear member 103 can be easily manufactured.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a manipulator 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The manipulator 200 of the second embodiment achieves bending with two degrees of freedom by connecting the manipulator structures in the first embodiment coaxially. In the description of the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for components that are basically the same as those in the first embodiment, thereby avoiding complicated description.

  As shown in FIGS. 20 to 24, the manipulator 200 of the present embodiment is similar to the manipulator 100 of the first embodiment, and includes a first drive shaft 101, a first frame 102, and a first face gear member 103. The second frame 104, the first gear member 105, the second gear member 106, the third gear member 107, the cover member 109, the holder 110, and the end effector 115 are provided (see FIG. 20). . These elements are basically the same as those in the first embodiment.

  Furthermore, in the manipulator 200 of the present embodiment, a third frame 208 (see FIG. 25) is used instead of the third frame 108 of the first embodiment. The third frame 208 includes pin insertion holes 2083 and 2084 at positions opposite to the already described pin insertion holes 1081 and 1082 (see FIG. 7). The pin insertion holes 2083 and 2084 are formed at positions rotated by 90 ° around the axis with respect to the pin insertion holes 1081 and 1082.

  Further, the manipulator 200 of the present embodiment includes a second drive shaft 201, a second face gear member 202, a fourth frame 203, a fourth gear member 204, a fifth gear member 205, and a sixth gear member 206. And a fifth frame 207, a torque coil (an example of a flexible connector) 209, and a holder 210 (see FIGS. 20 to 24).

  The 2nd drive shaft 201 is arrange | positioned inside the 1st drive shaft 101, and becomes a structure which can be rotated coaxially with this (refer FIG. 26). The rotation of the second drive shaft 201 can be performed by the drive unit 1 as in the first embodiment, or can be performed manually by the operator. The inner diameter φ (see FIG. 26) of the second drive shaft 201 is, for example, 1 mm in this embodiment, but is not limited thereto. By using this inner diameter, wiring and other components can be arranged inside the second drive shaft 201.

  The fourth frame 203 is attached to the third frame 208 in a rotatable state. More specifically, the fourth frame 203 includes pin mounting holes 2031 to 2034 as in the second frame 104. The pin attachment holes 2031 and 2032 of the fourth frame 203 are attached to the pin insertion holes 2083 and 2084 of the third frame 208 via the fifth pin 211 and the seventh pin 213.

  The torque coil 209 is attached to the tip of the second drive shaft 201. The torque coil 209 is configured to rotate about the central axis of the torque coil 209 itself as the second drive shaft 201 rotates. The torque coil 209 can rotate about its own central axis in a curved state.

  The second face gear member 202 is configured to be rotated in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the third frame 208 by the torque coil 209. Since the specific configuration of the second face gear member 202 is the same as that of the first face gear member 103 described above, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The fifth frame 207 is attached to the fourth frame 203 in a rotatable state. Specifically, the fifth frame 207 includes two pin insertion holes 2071 (only one is shown in FIG. 20) formed to face each other. These pin insertion holes 2071 are attached to the pin attachment holes 2033 and 2034 of the fourth frame 203 via the sixth pin 212 and the eighth pin 214.

  The fourth gear member 204 is fixed to the fourth frame 203 by a fifth pin 211 and a sixth pin 212. Further, the fourth gear member 204 is configured to be rotationally driven by the second face gear member 202. Specifically, the fourth gear member 204 includes a gear portion 2041 that meshes with the second face gear member 202.

  The fifth gear member 205 meshes with the second face gear member 202, and is configured to be rotationally driven by this.

  The sixth gear member 206 is configured to be rotationally driven by the fifth gear member 205. Specifically, the sixth gear member 206 includes a gear portion 2061 that meshes with the fifth gear member 205.

  Further, the sixth gear member 206 is fixed to the fifth frame 207. With this configuration, the fifth frame 207 is configured to rotate as the sixth gear member 206 rotates.

  The holder 210 is disposed outside the fourth frame 203. Concave portions 2101 and 2102 are formed on the inner surface of the holder 210. The heads of the fifth to eighth pins 211 to 214 are accommodated in the recesses 2101 and 2102.

  Furthermore, the end effector 115 of this embodiment is attached to the fifth frame 207.

  The assembly state described above is basically the same as that of the manipulator of the first embodiment except that the torque coil 209 is used.

(Operation of Second Embodiment)
Next, the operation of the manipulator according to the second embodiment will be described.

  When the first drive shaft 101 is rotated, the third frame 208 is rotated in the forward and reverse directions as already described in the first embodiment. Therefore, the end effector 115 can be inclined via the third frame 208 by rotating the first drive shaft 101 by a predetermined angle. Thereby, the rotation operation of the first drive shaft 101 can be converted into the bending operation of the end effector 115. As a result, one degree of freedom can be obtained.

  On the other hand, when the second drive shaft 201 is rotated, the second face gear member 202 can be rotated via the torque coil 209. In this embodiment, since the second drive shaft 201 and the second face gear member 202 are connected by the flexible torque coil 209, even if the third frame 208 is inclined, the second face The gear member 202 can be rotated.

  When the second face gear member 202 rotates, the fourth gear member 204 and the fifth gear member 205 that engage with the second face gear member 202 rotate. Then, the fourth frame 203 fixed to the fourth gear member 204 can be inclined. Furthermore, the fifth frame 207 can be tilted by the rotation of the sixth gear member 206 engaged with the fifth gear member 205. Thereby, the end effector 115 attached to the fifth frame 207 can be inclined. That is, the rotation operation of the second drive shaft 201 can be converted into the bending operation of the end effector 115. Since the bending direction (rotation plane) in the bending operation is different from that due to the rotation of the first drive shaft 101, another one degree of freedom can be obtained. That is, the manipulator 200 according to the second embodiment can achieve a bending motion with two degrees of freedom.

  That is, in the second embodiment, the end effector 115 can be bent in two independent directions.

  In the second embodiment, by adjusting the positions of the pin insertion holes 2083 and 2084 in the third frame 208, the angle formed by the rotation planes in the two bending directions is appropriately adjusted between 0 ° and 180 °. There is also an advantage that it can be done.

  Furthermore, in the second embodiment, by relatively independently operating the first drive shaft 101 and the second drive shaft 201, the bending postures of the first to fifth frames are relatively complicated, for example, S-shaped. It is also possible to take a posture.

  Other configurations and advantages of the second embodiment are basically the same as those of the first embodiment described above, and thus further description thereof is omitted.

  In addition, the structure of each above-mentioned embodiment is only the illustration of this invention, and is not the meaning of restrict | limiting the content of this invention.

  For example, in the above-described second embodiment, two degrees of freedom in the bending direction are obtained, but three or more degrees of freedom can be obtained by connecting similar structures. In addition, since the degree of freedom can be added by basically adding the same parts, the manufacturing cost can be kept low, and the assembly can be easily performed. In addition, management of spare parts is easy, and maintenance costs can be reduced.

  In the second embodiment described above, the torque coil is used as the flexible connector, but the present invention is not limited to this. In short, various members can be used as long as they can transmit the rotational force of the second drive shaft to the inclined second face gear member. For example, a torque rope can be used as a flexible connector capable of transmitting torque in the same manner as a torque coil. Ordinary stainless steel wire or the like is twisted as it is, but the torque rope has a special method of knitting, so that the rotational torque can be transmitted as it is. However, since the torque rope is solid rather than hollow, it is difficult to accommodate the end effector wiring therein. However, if the end effector portion has no particular function and only bends are realized, the flexible connector can be made thin by using a torque rope, and the size can be reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Drive part 11 Actuator 12 Control part 100 Manipulator 101 Drive shaft 102 1st frame 103 1st face gear member 1031 1st face gear part 1032 2nd face gear part 104 2nd frame 105 1st gear member 106 2nd gear member 107 Third gear member 108 Third frame 109 Cover member 110 Holder 111 First pin 112 Second pin 113 Third pin 114 Fourth pin 115 End effector 200 Manipulator 201 Second drive shaft 202 Second face gear member 203 Fourth frame 204 Fourth gear member 205 Fifth gear member 206 Sixth gear member 207 Fifth frame 208 Third frame 209 Torque coil (an example of a flexible connector)
210 Holder 211 5th pin 212 6th pin 213 7th pin 214 8th pin

Claims (7)

A manipulator that can convert rotational motion into bending motion,
A first drive shaft, a first frame, a first face gear member, a second frame, a first gear member, a second gear member, a third gear member, and a third frame;
The first drive shaft is configured to be rotatable about its own central axis,
The second frame is attached to the first frame in a rotatable state.
The first face gear member is configured to be rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the first frame about the central axis of the first drive shaft by the first drive shaft.
The third frame is attached to the second frame in a rotatable state.
The first gear member is fixed to the second frame;
In addition, the first gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the first face gear member,
The second gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the first face gear member,
The third gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the second gear member,
And the third gear member is fixed to the third frame,
The manipulator, wherein the third frame is configured to rotate with the rotation of the third gear member. A pitch radius of the second gear member is smaller than a pitch radius of the first gear member and the third gear member;
The first face gear member includes a first face gear portion that meshes with the first gear member, and a second face gear portion that meshes with the second gear member;
The manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the second face gear portion protrudes in the direction of the second gear member from the first face gear portion. The manipulator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second gear member is attached to the second frame in a rotatable state. The manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the third gear member is attached to the second frame in a rotatable state. The rotation shaft of the first gear member, the rotation shaft of the second gear member, and the rotation shaft of the second frame with respect to the first frame are coaxial. The manipulator described in 1. A manipulator that can convert rotational motion into bending motion in multiple directions,
The first drive shaft, the first frame, the first face gear member, the second frame, the first gear member, the second gear member, the third gear member, the third frame, and the second drive shaft And a second face gear member, a fourth frame, a fourth gear member, a fifth gear member, a sixth gear member, a fifth frame, and a flexible connector,
The first drive shaft is configured to be rotatable about its own central axis,
The second frame is attached to the first frame in a rotatable state.
The first face gear member is configured to be rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the first frame about the central axis of the first drive shaft by the first drive shaft.
The third frame is attached to the second frame in a rotatable state.
The first gear member is fixed to the second frame;
In addition, the first gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the first face gear member,
The second gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the first face gear member,
The third gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the second gear member,
And the third gear member is fixed to the third frame,
The third frame is configured to rotate with the rotation of the third gear member,
The second drive shaft is configured to rotate coaxially with the first drive shaft,
The fourth frame is attached to the third frame in a rotatable state.
The flexible connector is attached to the second drive shaft;
And the flexible connector is configured to rotate about the central axis of the flexible connector itself as the second drive shaft rotates.
The second face gear member is configured to be rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the third frame by the flexible connector,
The fifth frame is attached to the fourth frame in a rotatable state.
The fourth gear member is fixed to the fourth frame;
The fourth gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the second face gear member,
The fifth gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the second face gear member,
The sixth gear member is configured to be rotationally driven by the fifth gear member,
And the said 6th gear member is being fixed to the said 5th flame | frame,
The manipulator, wherein the fifth frame is configured to rotate with the rotation of the sixth gear member.   A manipulator comprising: the manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 6; and an actuator that rotationally drives at least the first drive shaft.

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