JPH07194609A - Master-slave medical manipulator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a master-slave medical manipulator which gives an operator more freedom and allows him to treat the affected part precisely and swiftly when a surgical operation, etc., inside a subject's body is carried out by the master-slave method. CONSTITUTION:Installed on the manipulator are the first and the second multi- joint slave arms 3 and 4 to be inserted into a subject's body for a diagnosis or treatment, the control apparatus 15 to drive and control the slave arms 3 and 4, and a portable arm operation part 5 which remote-controls the slave arms by inputting operation order signals to the control apparatus 15, so that the operator 6, holding this portable arm operation part, can remote-control the operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical master-slave manipulator which is equipped with a slave arm which is inserted into a body cavity of a living body for diagnosis and treatment and which drives and controls the slave arm.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Endoscopic surgery is performed in which a body wall such as an abdominal wall is perforated and an endoscope or a treatment tool is percutaneously inserted into the body cavity through the hole to perform various treatments in the body cavity. Conventionally, such an operation method is widely performed as a minimally invasive operation that does not require a large incision, such as a cholecystectomy operation and an operation to remove and remove a part of the lung.

A surgical manipulator equipped with an endoscope and a treatment tool and operated by remote control to perform surgery using the endoscope and the treatment tool on behalf of the operator is, for example, US Pat. No. 5,217,003. Is disclosed in. In such a manipulator for surgery, an insertion portion including an endoscope and a treatment tool usually has a multi-joint structure, and each joint is operated by an actuator, which facilitates an approach to a target site in a body cavity.

[0004]

By the way, in the above-mentioned endoscopic surgery, an endoscope or a treatment instrument to be inserted into a body cavity through a hole formed in the body wall is used in a wide range within the body cavity. It is desired to be able to operate. However, the endoscope and the treatment tool that can be operated by the operator with one hand have a linear shape with few degrees of freedom, and even if the endoscope or the treatment tool reaches the target position, the treatment or observation can be performed at the desired orientation. It was difficult to do. For example, it is desirable to hang a needle at a right angle to the suture line when trying to hang a needle on an organ or the like with a treatment tool at the time of suturing, but it is difficult due to insufficient flexibility of the treatment tool. There were cases.

This problem is solved by using the above-mentioned surgical manipulator provided with an insertion portion having a multi-joint structure having a large degree of freedom. In this case, however, the work is performed at a desired position and at a desired orientation. When the insertion part of the multi-joint structure is operated, the joint part may come into contact with an organ other than the intended one and give an excessive force.

In the master-slave system, the master arm and the slave arms are usually used to operate at independent places when positioning the manipulator. For example, it is used as a remote control of a robot in a place where a human cannot enter or a place where a human cannot enter, when remotely controlling the extreme work robot.
However, if the device is used for medical purposes, the operating range of the operator in the operating room may be limited because the operation unit is fixed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to increase the degree of freedom of an operator when performing intracorporeal surgery or the like by a master-slave method, and An object of the present invention is to provide a medical master-slave manipulator capable of performing accurate and quick treatment.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a slave arm, a control device for driving and controlling the slave arm, and an operator carrying the command signal to the control device. Thus, the portable arm operation unit for remotely controlling the slave arm is provided.

[0009]

When the operator operates the portable arm operating portion while carrying it and inputs a command signal to the control device, the control device drives and controls the slave arm to perform diagnosis and treatment.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 show a first embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a medical master-slave manipulator, where 1 is an operating table and 2 is a patient. First and second articulated slave arms 3, which can be inserted into the body cavity of the patient 2 for treatment on floors located on both sides of the operating table 1,
4 are installed. The first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 are provided such that the treatment tools 3b and 4b can be exchanged with respect to the slave arm bodies 3a and 4a. Also, 5
Is a portable arm operating unit that an operator 6 such as an operator can hang on his shoulder and carry. The portable arm operating unit 5 is provided with small first and second master operating arms 7 and 8. There is.

The portable arm operating section 5 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3, a display 10 is provided on the upper surface of the operation table 9, and the first and second master operation arms 7 and 8 are provided near the display 10. A rear end of the operation table 9 is connected to a base end of a belt 11 to be hung on the shoulder of the operator 6, and a front end of the operation table 9 has a ring 12 for locking a hook 11a at the front end of the belt 11. Is provided. Therefore, by hooking the hook 11a at the tip of the belt 11 to the ring 12, a loop is formed on the belt 11, and an operator carries the operation table 9 by hanging it on the shoulder, and the first The second master operation arms 7 and 8 can be operated.

Grasping forceps 7a and 8a are provided at the tips of the first and second master operation arms 7 and 8, and grasping forceps (not shown) provided at the tips of the treatment tools 3b and 4b. It is possible to perform an operation similar to that of the operator's hand, such as operating the to grasp tissue in the body cavity. Further, the image displayed on the display 10 can be viewed stereoscopically by the operator 6 wearing the dedicated stereoscopic glasses 13.

The first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 and the first and second master operating arms 7 and 4,
A driving servomotor (not shown) is arranged in each joint of No. 8, and these driving motors are connected to the signal cable 14
It is connected to the control device 15 by a to 14c.

Reference numeral 16 is an endoscope for acquiring image information in the body cavity of the patient 2, and is supported by the scope holder 17. The insertion portion 16a of the endoscope 16 is inserted into the body cavity of the patient 2, and the image information from the endoscope 16 is output to the display 10 provided in the portable arm operation unit 5 via the cable 14d. To be done.

Next, the operation of the medical master-slave type manipulator constructed as described above will be described.
When the operator 6 hangs the portable arm operation unit 5 on his shoulder and operates the first and second master operation arms 7 and 8 while observing the display 10, the first and second master operation arms 7 and 8 are Movement, that is, the control command signal is signal cable 1
It is input to the control device 15 via 4c.

The control device 15 inputs a drive signal to the servomotors for driving the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 based on the control command signal, and the first and second articulated slave arms 3 are driven. , 4 are moved in the same manner as the first and second master operation arms 7 and 8. Bilateral control is performed in which the reaction force received by the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 is fed back to the first and second master operation arm units 3 and 4.

In this way, the operator 6 operates the portable arm operation unit 5 to remotely operate the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 inserted into the body cavity of the patient 2. You can If an unintended operation occurs in the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 during this operation, the operator 6 always carries the portable arm operation unit 5, so the operator 6 immediately The operation can be stopped by moving to the place where the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 are arranged.

In addition, the position of the conventional fixed master arm, the operator has instructed the assistant to prepare the necessary medical instruments during the operation, but the operator can move without the assistant. Can handle it. As a result, the operator's degree of freedom is high and surgery can be performed smoothly, as compared with the conventional fixed-type medical manipulator.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. The same components as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. The endoscope 18 supported by the scope holder 17 is provided with an automatic bending mechanism (not shown).
In order to follow the positions of the tips of the articulated slave arms 3 and 4, the bending is performed by a bending command signal from the control device 15.

Further, the portable arm operating section 5 is provided with XY as an operator position detecting means for detecting a spatial position change.
An acceleration sensor module 19 including three acceleration sensors for the Z coordinate is incorporated. As a result, even if the operator 6 moves, a change in the position of the portable arm operation unit 5 can be detected.

Further, the control device 15 performs processing such as sending an image obtained by the endoscope 18 to the display 10 and performing a bilateral master-slave operation as in the first embodiment. In addition, when the acceleration exceeds a predetermined acceleration based on the information from the acceleration sensor module 19, both the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 and the first and second master operation arms 7 and 8 operate. Control to stop.

That is, first, the operator 6 discovers a malfunction of the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4.
The operator 6 operates the first and second articulated slave arms 3,
In order to stop 4, the first and second articulated slave arms 3, 4 are tried to approach. At that time, the movement of the operator 6 is detected by the acceleration sensor module 19 arranged in the portable arm operation unit 5. However, in an emergency, the movement of the operator 6 is faster than normal intraoperative operation. It is equal to or greater than the preset threshold value of the acceleration sensor input information. As a result, the control device 15 outputs a stop signal to both the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 and the first and second master operating arms 7 and 8. If the operation is still not stopped, the operator 6 may directly operate the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 to stop the operation. From the above, the operator 6 can immediately stop one or both of the first and second articulated slave arms 3 and 4 immediately, and the safety can be improved.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment. The same components as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, wireless communication is performed between the portable arm operation unit 5 and the control device 15.

A control circuit 15 is provided in the portable arm operating section 5.
A communication circuit 20 for transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from is included, and input and output radio waves are transmitted and received via an antenna 21. A battery (not shown) is also provided as a power source necessary for moving the first and second master operation arms 7 and 8 of the portable arm operation unit 5.

The control circuit 15 also has a built-in communication circuit 22 for transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from the portable arm operating section 5, and input / output radio waves are transmitted and received via the antenna 23. .

According to this embodiment, the operator 6 can perform the same operation as in the first embodiment. At this time,
Since it is wireless, even if the operator 6 frequently moves in the operating room, there is no risk that the operator 6 will be caught or tripped over the cable 14c, and there will be no annoyance during operation. It becomes possible for the person 6 to move freely, and the surgery can proceed smoothly.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a fourth embodiment, which is a medical robot apparatus in which a slave arm and a master arm are integrated. Reference numeral 31 is a slave arm that can be inserted into the body cavity, and is attached to the operating room ceiling 32. The slave arm 31 is provided with a plurality of joints 33, and these joints 33 incorporate a joint-driving servomotor 34 with an encoder.

The joint driving servomotor 34 is the controller 1
It is driven by a control signal from 5. A slave end effector 35 is attached to the tip end of the slave arm 31, and a CCD 37 is provided in the insertion portion 36 of the slave end effector 35 as an image element for observing the inside of the body cavity of the patient 2.

A protrusion 38 is provided in the middle of the slave arm 31.
The master arm 39 for allowing the operator 6 to perform an operation is provided on the protruding portion 38. The master arm 39 is provided with a plurality of joints 40, and these joints 40 have a joint-driving servomotor 41 with an encoder.
Is built in.

A master end effector 42 is provided at the tip of the master arm 39. An emergency stop switch 44 for stopping the operation of the slave arm 31 in an emergency is provided on the operation unit 43 of the master end efester 42.

Further, inside the slave end effector 35 and the master end effector 42, a servomotor with an encoder (not shown) is incorporated.
As a result, the servomotor inside the master end effector 42 is rotated by the external force given by the operator 6,
This rotation is sent to the servo motor inside the slave end effector 35 to bend the slave end effector 35. At the same time, the reaction force at the time of bending the slave end effector 35 is detected by the number of pulses of the encoder inside the slave end effector 35, and is fed back to the servo motor of the master end effector 42. Control is performed.

The controller 15 for controlling the movement of the slave arm 31 detects the number of pulses from the encoder of the servo motor 41 in each arm when the operator 6 operates the master arm 39, and the slave arm 31 By sending the same position pulse to the slave arm 31, the operator 6 can similarly operate the master arm 39. At the same time, the reaction force received by the slave arm 31 is fed back to the master arm 39 and controlled by bilateral control.

The controller 15 processes the information from the CCD 37 built in the tip of the slave end effector 35 in addition to the control of the drive servomotor, and the ceiling 3
The image is also output as an in-body-cavity image to the display 46 attached to the display holder 45 hung from 2.

Using the medical robot device described above,
In the percutaneous endoscopic surgery, the slave end effector 35 is inserted into the body cavity of the patient 2. The operator 6 controls the operation of the slave arm 31 by moving the master arm 39 while observing the image information on the display 46 in order to observe a desired portion. Even if the slave arm 31 operates unintentionally by the operator 6, since the emergency stop switch 44 is provided, the unintended operation of the slave arm 31 can be stopped by the switch operation.

However, also with respect to this emergency stop switch 44, since the drive power supply of the slave arm 31 is cut off by an electric signal, it is not possible to know how the slave arm 31 operates thereafter. For example, it is possible that the slave arm 31 moves by its own weight.

Therefore, when the slave arm 31 performs an operation unintended by the operator 6, the operator 6 reaches the slave arm 31 at the same time and stops the slave arm 31, thereby completely stopping the operation of the slave arm 31. It becomes possible. When an unintended operation of the slave arm 31 occurs in this way, the slave arm 31 can be artificially immediately stopped.

FIG. 8 shows a fifth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the slave arm 31 and the display 46 are attached to the operating room ceiling 32. In this embodiment, the slave arm is mounted on the floor 47 of the operating room. 31 and the display 46 are installed, the basic configuration is the same as that of the fourth embodiment, and the same components are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

Further, an endoscope 49 is supported by a scope holder 48 on one side of the operating table 1 and is percutaneously inserted into the body cavity of the patient 2 to observe the affected part.

Image information in the body cavity of the patient is output to the display 46, and the operator 6 can operate the master end effector 42 while observing the operating condition and treatment condition of the slave arm 31 in the patient's body cavity.

When the slave arm 31 performs an unintended operation as in the fourth embodiment, the operator 6 can immediately stop the operation by grasping the slave arm 31.

9 and 10 show a manipulator for surgery. A forceps 52 such as a biopsy forceps and a grasping forceps is provided at the tip of the manipulator 51 so that a treatment can be performed by directly acting on a living tissue. It is like this. The lower arm 53 is provided with an opening / closing operation lever 54 for the forceps 52.

One end of the opening / closing operation lever 54 is the pivot pin 5.
The lower arm 53 is rotatably supported by the lower arm 53 by 4a, and the other end thereof is connected to a link 55 via a connecting pin 54b. The link 55 is connected to a pantograph 58 at the tip of the lower arm 53 via a slider 56 and a rod 57 which are slidable inside the lower arm 53, and the pantograph 58 opens and closes the forceps 52.
A force sensor 59 is provided on the support portion of the lower arm 53 to detect the force acting on the lower arm 53. A signal from the force sensor 59 is calculated as a force vector by the force sensor detection processing circuit 60 and transferred to the manipulator control device 61. The manipulator control device 61 controls the manipulator 51 to operate in the same direction as the force vector. The force sensor 59 has a structure in which a plurality of strain gauges 62 are attached to a beam 63 that supports the lower arm 53.

Therefore, when the operator directly holds the lower arm 53 and tries to move it, the force acting at that time is detected by the force sensor 5.
9, the manipulator 51 operates in the direction in which the operator intends to move it, and when the operator tries to stop it, the manipulator 51 stops its operation and holds its position. As described above, since the opening / closing operation lever 54 is mechanically coupled to the forceps 52, the force received by the forceps 52 can be felt by the finger as the operation force of the opening / closing operation lever 54.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since a portable arm operation unit is provided so that the operator can carry it remotely and control it, the flexibility of the operator increases when performing intracorporeal surgery with the master-slave method, and the target site can be accurately set. Moreover, there is an effect that treatment can be performed quickly and safety is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a medical master-slave manipulator showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portable arm operation unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portable arm operation unit of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of a medical master-slave manipulator showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an overall perspective view of a medical master-slave manipulator showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an overall front view of a medical master-slave manipulator showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the slave end effector of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an overall front view of a medical master-slave manipulator showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a surgical manipulator.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the lower arm of the manipulator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3, 4 ... Slave arm 5 ... Portable arm operation unit 15 ... Control device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Reference number within the agency FI Technical indication location B25J 13/02 (72) Inventor Naoki Uchiyama 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optics Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tatsuya Kubota 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tatsuya Yamaguchi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optics Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuhiro Ueda 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Sakae Takehata 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahiro Kudo 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yutaka Fujisawa 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshimasa Kawai 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A slave arm, a control device for driving and controlling the slave arm, and a portable arm operation unit carried by an operator and remotely controlling the slave arm by inputting a command signal to the control device. A medical master-slave manipulator, characterized by comprising: