KR20120117223A - Master manipulation device for robot and control method of surgical robot having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A master operation device of a robot and a method for controlling a surgery robot with the same are provided to prevent a parallel link from drooping down as a moment balance mechanism is applied to the parallel link. CONSTITUTION: A master operation device of a robot(1) comprises a gimbal(10), first and second link units(3,5). The gimbal is controlled by users. The first link unit is rotationally connected to the robot, and the position of the gimbal on an x-y plane is determined by the driving of the first link unit. The second link unit is connected to the first link unit, and the position of the gimbal on a z-axis is determined by the driving of the second link unit. The gimbal is moved to a predetermined position by the driving of the first and second link units.

Description

Master manipulation device for robot and control method of surgical robot having the same}

The present invention relates to a master operation device of a robot and a control method of a surgical robot having the same.

Medically, surgery refers to repairing a disease by cutting, slitting, or manipulating skin, mucous membranes, or other tissues with a medical device. In particular, open surgery, which incise the skin of the surgical site and open, treat, shape, or remove the organs inside of the surgical site, has recently been performed using robots due to problems such as bleeding, side effects, patient pain, and scars. This alternative is in the spotlight.

Such a surgical robot may be divided into a master unit that generates and transmits a signal required by a doctor's operation, and a slave unit that receives a signal from an operation unit and directly applies a manipulation necessary to a patient. And the slave unit may be divided as each part of a single surgical robot, or each may be a separate device, that is, the operation unit may be divided into a master robot and the driving unit may be disposed in an operating room, respectively.

Surgical robots, in particular, the master unit is provided with a device for the operation of the doctor, in the case of robot surgery, the surgeon does not directly manipulate the instruments required for the operation, the various instruments mounted on the robot by operating the above-described devices to operate Perform the required action.

To this end, the master manipulation device is composed of a jointed articulated structure such that the surgeon can perform a motion similar to that performed by a surgeon directly, and a corresponding signal is generated according to the manipulation of the doctor with respect to the master manipulation device. It is sent to the slave unit.

Conventional master operation device is composed of a plurality of link members coupled to rotate in two or more directions and a gimbal coupled to the ends of the link member, so that the surgeon can grab the gimbal by hand and move it to any position in space. It is configured to be.

However, in the conventional master operating device, the articulated link is rotated according to the operation, and thus, a space for accommodating the articulated link around the device is needed, which is a limitation in the design process of the master robot. Act as a condition.

In addition, if the conventional device is not fixed to a specific position when not in use, the gimbal may rotate and fall downward due to the weight of the gimbal, and the master operation device may move in the direction of gravity due to the weight of the gimbal and the link member. Force, which is a rotation moment, that causes the device to move even if no force is applied in the direction of gravity, or requires more force to operate the device in the opposite direction of gravity. May occur.

In particular, in the case of a surgical robot in which the movement of the master operating device is transmitted as the movement of the robot arm and the instrument as it is, if the gimbal or the link member moves unintentionally due to its own weight, the robot arm or the instrument performs an unintended operation accordingly. In some cases, there is a problem that can lead to medical accidents.

In addition, in the conventional master operating device, since the force required to rotate the link varies depending on the angle formed by the link member at each joint, the handle moves in the process of the operator holding the handle and moving the handle to a predetermined point in space. There is a problem that there are a number of so-called 'singular points' that are impossible or cannot be moved smoothly, but can be moved by applying more force than necessary.

Conventionally, in order to prepare for this singular point, the gimbal is provided with a 'redundant joint', that is, an extra joint. For example, if the gimbal requires three degrees of freedom, in practice, a redundant joint was installed to move the gimbal in four degrees of freedom, and the redundant joint was operated so that no singular points were generated during the operation of the gimbal.

The above-described background technology is technical information that the inventor holds for the derivation of the present invention or acquired in the process of deriving the present invention, and can not necessarily be a known technology disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of the present invention.

According to the present invention, the amount of force required for moving the gimbal to any position in the space is not fixed to a certain amount without taking up much space in the surroundings, and the gimbal does not fall down due to its own weight. It is possible to provide a master control device and a control method of a surgical robot having the same, which can be avoided in the direction), and avoids the 'singular point' that the handle is not smoothly operated.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a master manipulation device for manipulating a robot, the gimbal is manipulated by a user, and rotatably coupled to the robot, the position of the gimbal on the xy plane according to the driving And a second link portion coupled to the first link portion, the second link portion defining a position on the z-axis of the gimbal according to its driving, wherein the gimbal is driven by the first link portion and the second link portion. The master operating device of the robot is provided, which moves to any position in space.

The x-y plane is a horizontal plane and the z axis may be a vertical axis, in which case the first link portion may be coupled to the robot so as to be rotatable about the z axis. The first link unit may include at least one of a scissors-type link, a telescopic link, and a linear motor-type link that are longitudinally stretched according to the driving thereof.

The scissor type link may be configured to operate in an xy plane and to constrain rotation in a vertical direction (z-axis direction), wherein the first link member and the second link are scissors-connected to each other by a first pivot pin. The assembly of the member may be of a structure that is connected in the longitudinal direction by the second pivot pin. In this case, the first pivot pin and the second pivot pin are installed in the vertical direction, so that the first link member and the second link member can rotate in the x-y plane.

In addition, the telescopic link is a structure in which one link member is inserted into and withdrawn from another link member adjacent thereto, and may be configured to operate in an x-y plane and to restrict rotation in a vertical direction. The LM-type link is also a structure in which one link member moves in the longitudinal direction with respect to the other link member adjacent thereto, and may be configured to operate in the x-y plane and to restrict rotation in the vertical direction.

The second link unit may include a parallel link, and the parallel link may be configured to operate in a vertical direction and to constrain rotation in a horizontal direction (x-axis direction or y-axis direction). A first link member coupled to the link portion, a second link member rotatably coupled to the first link member by the first pivot pin, and a second link member rotatably coupled to the second link member by the second pivot pin. And a third link member and a fourth link member rotatably coupled to the third link member by a third pivot pin and rotatably coupled to the first link member by a fourth pivot pin, The third link member may be parallel to each other, and the second link member and the fourth link member may have a parallel structure to each other. In this case, the pivot pins are installed in the direction perpendicular to the z-axis, respectively, so that the link members can rotate in the vertical direction, respectively.

In addition, the parallel linkage may be provided with a moment balance mechanism to prevent the parallel link from being operated by gravity acting on the gimbal.

The second link portion may be fixed to the first link portion such that rotation of the first link portion is constrained, in this case, the gimbal may include: a first gimbal member coupled to the second link portion to be rotatable about the z axis; a second gimbal member coupled to the first gimbal member so as to be rotatable about the a-axis, a third gimbal member coupled to the second gimbal member so as to be rotatable about a b-axis orthogonal to the a-axis, and orthogonal to the b-axis It may include a handle member coupled to the third gimbal member so as to be rotatable about the c-axis and held by the user by hand. In this case, the rotary joint between the first gimbal member and the second link portion may serve as a redundant joint with respect to the gimbal.

In addition, the second link unit may be coupled to the first link unit to be rotatable about the z-axis, in which case the gimbal is fixed to the second link unit to constrain the rotation to the second link unit. A second gimbal member coupled to the first gimbal member so as to be rotatable about the a-axis, a third gimbal member coupled to the second gimbal member to be rotatable about the b-axis orthogonal to the a-axis, and b-axis It may include a handle member coupled to the third gimbal member so as to be rotatable about an orthogonal c-axis, the user holding and operating by hand.

At this time, the rotary joint between the second link portion and the first link portion may serve as a redundant joint with respect to the gimbal. That is, the second link portion may rotate relative to the first link portion so as to avoid the state of the gimbal approaching a singular point during the manipulation of the handle member by the user. The singular point may be in a state in which the a-axis and the c-axis are close to each other during the operation of the handle member by the user, so that the first gimbal member suppresses rotation of the second gimbal member. In response to the rotation of the second link portion, the first link portion may be stretched to maintain the position of the gimbal.

The second link unit may be coupled to the first link unit to be rotatable about the z axis, and the gimbal may be coupled to the first gimbal member coupled to the second link unit to be rotatable about the z axis, and may be rotated about the a axis. A second gimbal member coupled to the first gimbal member, a third gimbal member coupled to the second gimbal member so as to be rotatable about a b-axis orthogonal to the a-axis, and a rotation about the c-axis orthogonal to the b-axis It may include a handle member coupled to the third gimbal member to enable the user to hold and manipulate by hand.

At this time, the rotary joint between the second link portion and the first link portion and the rotary joint between the first gimbal member and the second link portion may serve as a redundant joint with respect to the gimbal. That is, the second link portion rotates relative to the first link portion so that the state of the gimbal approaches the singular point in the process of manipulating the handle member by the user, and accordingly the first gimbal member rotates with the second link. Can rotate relative to the part. The singular point may be in a state in which the a-axis and the c-axis are close to each other during the operation of the handle member by the user, so that the first gimbal member suppresses rotation of the second gimbal member. In response to the rotation of the second link portion, the first link portion may be stretched to maintain the position of the gimbal.

The rotation angle of the first gimbal member with respect to the second link portion is multiplied by a predetermined ratio by the rotation angle with respect to the first link portion of the second link portion, or is a predetermined target angle and the first link portion with the second link portion. It can be calculated to correspond to the difference between the angles of rotation for.

Meanwhile, according to another aspect of the present invention, a gimbal operated by a user, a first link portion defining a position on the xy plane of the gimbal according to driving thereof, and a first link portion rotatably coupled about a z axis A method of controlling a surgical robot having a master operating device including a second link portion defining a position on a z axis of a gimbal according to the driving thereof, the method comprising: (a) a method of controlling a gimbal according to a user's operation of a gimbal. Obtaining information, (b) determining whether the state of the gimbal is an optimal position to avoid singular points according to a predetermined criterion, and (c) the optimal position to avoid the singular point. If not, the control method of the surgical robot comprising the step of rotating the second link portion relative to the first link portion, such that the state of the gimbal is a predetermined optimum operating state. It is a ball.

Step (c) may comprise stretching the first link portion such that the position of the gimbal is maintained corresponding to the rotation of the second link portion.

The gimbal is coupled to the second link portion so as to be rotatable about the z axis, in which case step (c) rotates the gimbal relative to the second link portion corresponding to rotation of the second link portion. It may include.

The angle for rotating the gimbal relative to the second link portion is calculated by multiplying the rotation angle with respect to the first link portion of the second link portion by a predetermined ratio, or the rotation of the gimbal relative to the first link portion with the preset target angle. It can be calculated to correspond to the difference between the angles.

Other aspects, features, and advantages other than those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims, and detailed description of the invention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, by applying a telescopic link or a telescopic link that is stretched in the longitudinal direction instead of the articulated link bent at the node, a lot of space around the master operating device (space for accommodating a folded articulated link) There is no need to secure).

In addition, the horizontal position of the gimbal is defined by the scissor type link and the vertical position of the gimbal by the parallel link, thereby preventing the gimbal from inadvertently falling down due to its own weight, and a moment balance mechanism is applied to the parallel link. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the parallel link from falling down due to gravity, and to apply a constant force to some extent without any difference in any direction without being influenced by gravity in moving the gimbal.

In addition, by installing a rotary joint in the coupling portion between the scissor type link and the parallel link, and by allowing the rotary joint to serve as a redundant joint, it is possible to avoid the singular point where the operation of the gimbal is not smooth.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a master operation device of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 shows a master operation device of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3A and 3B show a master operation device of a robot according to another embodiment of the invention.
4 illustrates a parallel link according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a conceptual diagram of a moment balance mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a view showing a master operation device of a robot according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7A to 7B are views showing an operating state of the master operating device of the robot shown in FIG.
8 is a view showing a master operation device of a robot according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a view showing an operating state of the master operating device of the robot shown in FIG. 8;
10 is a flow chart showing a control method of a surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention is capable of various modifications and various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated and described in the drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, the terms "comprise" or "have" are intended to indicate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and one or more other features. It is to be understood that the present invention does not exclude the possibility of the presence or the addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, components, or a combination thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, .

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a master operation device of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a robot 1, a first link portion 3, a second link portion 5, and a gimbal 10 are shown.

In this embodiment, in the master operation device of the surgical robot, the movement in the horizontal direction is handled by a scissor-type link (or telescopic link) and the movement in the vertical direction by a parallel link, while the parallel link has a moment balance mechanism. By installing, the master handle can be stably moved in three-dimensional space without being affected by gravity.

That is, the master manipulation device according to the present embodiment is a device manipulated by a user to operate a surgical robot, and includes a gimbal 10 that is a portion that the user holds by hand and moves. The gimbal 10 is coupled to the robot 1 by a link structure, which consists of a first link portion 3 and a second link portion 5.

The first link portion 3 according to the present embodiment defines the position on the x-y plane of the gimbal 10 by its driving. For example, when the spatial position of the gimbal 10 is expressed in the form of three-dimensional coordinates such as (x, y, z), the x-coordinate of the gimbal 10 is driven by driving the first link unit 3. And y coordinate can be determined.

For this purpose, a link (for example, a scissor type link) having a structure in which one end is rotatably coupled to the robot 1 and is stretched in the longitudinal direction may be used as the first link portion 3. That is, by adjusting the degree of rotation of the first link portion 3 with respect to the robot 1 and the stretching degree in the longitudinal direction, the other end of the first link portion 3 can be moved to a desired position on the xy plane. have. For example, when the gimbal 10 is coupled to the other end of the first link portion 3, the gimbal 10 is driven by the driving of the first link portion 3 (adjustment of the degree of rotation and the degree of expansion and contraction). The position on the xy plane can be determined.

In the case of the conventional master operation device using the articulated link, a space for accommodating the folded link is required in the process of moving the position of the gimbal 10. When used as the link portion 3, as the position of the gimbal 10 is moved, the first link portion 3 only increases or decreases in length, so that the link is operated as large as possible. The advantage is that no space is required.

In this embodiment, the x-y plane is a horizontal plane of the Cartesian coordinate system, the z axis is an axis in the vertical direction, and the first link unit 3 may be coupled to the robot 1 to be rotatable about the z axis. Accordingly, the first link portion 3 may serve to determine the position on the horizontal plane of the gimbal 10.

In this case, the first link unit 3 may be configured to operate only on a horizontal plane, not in a vertical direction, and may not be deformed in a vertical direction by external force such as gravity. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the problem that other components (such as gimbal 10) coupled to the other end of the first link portion 3 sags or falls in the vertical direction due to gravity or the like.

As for the 2nd link part 5 which concerns on a present Example, the position on the z-axis of the gimbal 10 is defined by the drive. For example, when a spatial position of the gimbal 10 is expressed in the form of three-dimensional coordinates such as (x, y, z), the z-coordinate of the gimbal 10 is driven by driving the second link unit 5. Can be determined.

For this purpose, a link (for example a parallel link) having a structure in which one end is coupled to the first link portion 3 and operated in the vertical direction may be used as the second link portion 5. That is, by operating the second link portion 5, the other end of the second link portion 5 can be moved to a desired position on the z axis. For example, when the gimbal 10 is coupled to the other end of the second link portion 5, the position of the gimbal 10 on the z axis may be determined by the driving of the second link portion 5. will be.

As such, the position of the gimbal 10 may be determined by driving the first link unit 3, and the height of the gimbal 10 may be determined by driving the second link unit 5. By combining the driving of the link portion 3 and the second link portion 5, the gimbal 10 can be moved to any position in the three-dimensional space. On the contrary, when the user moves the gimbal 10 to a desired position in the three-dimensional space, the first link portion 3 is driven corresponding to the position on the horizontal plane of the gimbal 10, and the height of the gimbal 10 is increased. Correspondingly, the second link portion 5 can be driven.

In the case of the master operating device illustrated in FIG. 1, by the combination of driving of the first link portion 3 and the second link portion 5, the gimbal 10 is defined in space as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 1. It is possible to move within the region (see 'S' of Figure 1).

Meanwhile, FIG. 1 illustrates a case in which a scissor type link is coupled to a surgical robot and a parallel link is coupled to a scissor type link. On the contrary, a parallel link is coupled to a surgical robot and a causal link is coupled to a parallel link. Thus, the gimbal coupled to the scissor type link may be configured to be moved to an arbitrary position within a predetermined space (see 'S' in FIG. 1).

2 is a view showing a master operation device of the robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 3a and 3b is a view showing a master operation device of the robot according to another embodiment of the present invention. 2 to 3B, the robot 1, the gimbal 10, the scissor type link 20, the link members 22 and 24, the pivot pins 26 and 28, the telescopic link 30, and the link member 32, 34, 36, 38, an LM link 35, and a parallel link 40 are shown.

Hereinafter, with reference to Figs. 2 to 3B, a specific embodiment of the first link unit 3 according to the present embodiment will be described. As the first link portion 3, a scissor type link, a telescopic link, a linear motor type link, or the like that is stretched in the longitudinal direction according to the driving thereof may be used.

The scissor type link 20 is a link of a structure in which a plurality of link members coupled in a shape such as 'scissors' are connected in series, and operates only in a two-dimensional plane, that is, operated in the xy plane and in a vertical direction. Rotation of may be configured to be constrained.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the scissor type link 20 according to the present embodiment, a pair of link members 22 and 24 are scissors-coupled to each other by a first pivot pin 26, and this unit structure ( The combination of the first link member 22 and the second link member 24) may be formed in a structure connected in the longitudinal direction by the second pivot pin (28).

In this case, the pivot pins 26 and 28 are installed in the z-axis direction so that the link members 22 and 24 constituting the scissor type link 20 are rotated only in the xy plane and do not move or rotate in the vertical direction. You can do that.

The telescopic link 30 is a link having a structure in which a plurality of link members coupled in a shape such as a 'telescope' are connected in series, so that the telescopic link 30 operates only in a two-dimensional plane like the aforementioned scissor type link 20. operating in the xy plane and constrained to rotate in the vertical direction.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, the telescopic link 30 according to the present embodiment is coupled such that one link member 32 is inserted into and withdrawn from the other link member 34 adjacent thereto. It may be made of a structure connected in a chain in the longitudinal direction.

In this case, the link members 32 and 34 are inserted and withdrawn in the xy plane, so that the link members 32 and 34 constituting the telescopic link 30 move only in the xy plane and move in the vertical direction. You can do this.

The LM-type link 35 is a link having a structure similar to a linear motor and, like the aforementioned scissor type link 20 and the telescopic link 30, operates only in a two-dimensional plane (that is, in the xy plane). And to constrain rotation in the vertical direction.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3B, the LM-type link 35 according to the present embodiment is overlapped by one link member 36 moving in the longitudinal direction with respect to the other link member 38 adjacent thereto ( Contraction) to expand (stretch), and the unit structure may be composed of a chain connected in the longitudinal direction.

In this case, since the link members 36 and 38 are configured to extend and contract in the xy plane, the link members 36 and 38 constituting the LM link 35 move only in the xy plane and move in the vertical direction. You can keep it from moving.

Also in the present embodiment, the xy plane is a horizontal plane of the Cartesian coordinate system, the z axis is a vertical axis, and the scissor link 20, the telescopic link 30, or the LM link 35 are rotatable about the z axis. 1), whereby the scissor type link 20, telescopic link 30 or LM type link 35 defines the position on the horizontal plane of the gimbal 10, and the gimbal 10 is driven by gravity. It can be prevented from falling in the vertical direction as described above.

4 is a view showing a parallel link according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram of a moment balance mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 and 5, the first link unit 3, the gimbal 10, the parallel link 40, the pivot pins 41, 43, 45, 47, and the link members 42, 44, 46, 48 , Moment equilibrium mechanism 49 is shown.

4 and 5, a specific embodiment of the second link unit 5 according to the present embodiment will be described. As the second link portion 5, a parallel link 40 or the like operated in the vertical direction (z-axis direction) may be used.

The parallel link 40 is a link in which a plurality of link members 42, 44, 46, and 48 operate in parallelograms, and is operated only in a plane parallel to the z axis, that is, in a vertical direction and horizontally. The rotation in the direction can be configured to be constrained.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the parallel link 40 according to the present embodiment, four link members 42, 44, 46, and 48 rotate with each other by four pivot pins 41, 43, 45, and 47, respectively. The link members (for example, the first link member 42 and the third link member 46, and the second link member 44 and the fourth link member 48) which are coupled to each other and are opposed to each other are possible. It may be made of a structure that becomes parallel.

Since the parallel link 40 according to the present exemplary embodiment is the second link part 5, and is interposed between the first link part 3 and the gimbal 10, one end of the parallel link 40 is connected to the first link part ( 3), the other end may be coupled to the gimbal 10. Since the parallel link 40 has a structure in which the link member forms a parallelogram, one vertex of the parallelogram is positioned on the side of the first link part 3, and a vertex facing one vertex diagonally on the gimbal 10 side. By positioning, the gimbal 10 can be moved in the in-plane direction of the parallelogram by the operation of the parallel link 40.

In this case, the pivot members 41, 43, 45, 47 are installed in the direction perpendicular to the z axis, so that the link members 42, 44, 46, 48 constituting the parallel link 40 are parallel to the z axis. It is possible to rotate only within one plane (a plane including a parallelogram formed by the parallel link 40) and not to rotate in the horizontal direction.

On the other hand, when an external force acts on the parallel link 40, for example, when gravity by the weight of the gimbal 10 acts, the parallel link 40 may unintentionally move downward (-z direction). Accordingly, in the parallel link 40 according to the present embodiment, the link is inadvertently operated by an external force acting on the parallel link 40 (such as self-weight of the link itself and / or gravity acting on the gimbal 10). The moment balance mechanism 49 may be installed to prevent the damage.

The moment balance mechanism 49 has a moment to cancel the rotation moment (hereinafter, referred to as 'static moment') generated at the rotation center point (see 'C' in FIG. 5) as the load acts on the parallel link 40. By generating a moment equilibrium by generating (hereinafter referred to as 'sub-moment'), the parallel link 40 serves to operate with a constant force without any difference in any direction (+ z direction, -z direction). .

Furthermore, the moment balance mechanism 49 according to the present embodiment may make the parent equilibrium equal to the size of the static moment regardless of the state in which the parallel link 40 is operated. To this end, a cam structure can be applied to the moment balance mechanism 49, as shown in FIG.

That is, the parallel link 40 is drilled in a portion where the first link portion 3 and the parallel link 40 are coupled, and the parallel link 40 includes a cam follower whose movement path is constrained by the plate cam. Regardless of how much the 40 is moved relative to the first link portion 3, it is possible to ensure that the moment equilibrium is always achieved.

An elastic body 130 is coupled to the cam follower 122, a tension is applied to the cam follower 122 by the elastic body 130, and the other end of the elastic body 130 is fixed to the link member of the parallel link 40. Can be. The cam follower 122 is pulled out by the tension force of the elastic body 130. As the parallel link 40 is operated with respect to the first link part 3, the cam follower 122 is connected to the plate cam 112. In restraint, the distance at which the cam follower 122 is pulled out varies.

As such, when the distance at which the cam follower 122 is moved in the tensioned direction is changed, the displacement of the elastic body 130 is also changed accordingly, and thus the size of the generated parent moment generated by the tension of the elastic body 130. Will be different.

As the parallel link 40 is operated based on the first link unit 3, the size of the static moment is changed. As described above, since the size of the parent moment is also changed by the cam structure, the parent moment is always different from the constant moment. This can lead to offsetting results.

As such, in order for the parent moment to always be offset from the constant moment, the shape of the path of the plate cam 112 constraining the movement of the cam follower 122 must be designed appropriately. Since the size varies depending on the angle (hereinafter, referred to as 'θ') in which the link member (first link member 42) of the parallel link 40 is rotated with respect to the first link portion 3, the plate cam The shape of the path of 112 can also be formed according to the functional relationship to θ. The detailed description of the shape of the path of the plate cam is omitted here.

Thus, the moment equalization mechanism 49 is provided in the parallel link 40, and the rotational moment by the weight of the gimbal 10 and the parallel link 40 can be canceled, and a user does not have a big difference in any direction in space. The gimbal 10 can be moved with a certain force, and even if the user releases the gimbal 10, the gimbal 10 can stick to the final position that the gimbal 10 has been manipulated without rotating or lowering by its own weight.

6 is a view showing a master operation device of the robot according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7a to 7b is a view showing the operating state of the master operation device of the robot shown in FIG. 6 to 7B, the robot 1, the gimbal 10, the gimbal members 12, 14, 16, the handle member 18, the scissor type link 20, the parallel link 40, and the rotary joint 50 is shown.

In this embodiment, the gimbal 10 is joined to the gimbal 10 by combining the first link portion (caesar link 20) 3 and the second link portion (parallel link 40) 5 with the rotary joint 50. It is characterized in that the rotary joint 50 between the first link portion and the second link portion to serve as a redundant joint of the gimbal 10 without adding a redundant redundant joint. That is, the second link unit according to the present embodiment may be coupled to the first link unit to be rotatable about the z axis.

The gimbal 10 according to the present embodiment may be configured by axial coupling of at least three members that rotate about at least three axes so that the gimbal 10 may be rotated in any direction in space.

That is, as shown in Figure 4 or 6, the first gimbal member 12 is coupled to the second link portion, the second gimbal member 14 is coupled to the first gimbal member 12, the second gimbal The gimbal 10 may be configured to have a structure in which the third gimbal member 16 is coupled to the member 14 and the handle member 18 is coupled to the third gimbal member 16. The handle member 18 is a portion that the user holds by hand.

Here, the second gimbal member 14 is coupled to be rotatable about the a-axis, the third gimbal member 16 is coupled to be rotatable about the b-axis, and the handle member 18 is rotatable about the c-axis. By being coupled so as to, the gimbal 10 can be rotated in any direction in space.

The b-axis is orthogonal to the a-axis, and the c-axis may be the axis orthogonal to the b-axis. Accordingly, the a, b, and c-axes may correspond to the x, y, and z axes of the Cartesian coordinate system. However, as the third gimbal member 16 rotates about the b axis during the operation of the gimbal 10, the direction of the c axis may be changed. You may.

As such, the gimbal 10 according to the present embodiment has three degrees of freedom so that the handle member 18 can be rotated in three axis (a, b, c-axis) directions, as described above. In the operation of 10), two axes (for example, a-axis and c-axis) are close to each other, so that the force required to rotate the handle member in any axis (for example, a-axis) direction may vary. Accordingly, there may be a so-called 'singular point', in which the user must exert more force than necessary in the process of holding and moving the gimbal 10 or cannot operate the gimbal 10.

In contrast, a redundant joint may be added to the link structure according to the present embodiment to provide an extra degree of freedom to the gimbal 10.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a rotary joint (see 'R' in FIG. 4) between the first link member 12 and the second link portion may serve as a redundant joint with respect to the gimbal 10. The redundant joint performs a function of avoiding the singular point in which the operation of the gimbal 10 becomes difficult or impossible in rotating the gimbal 10 in a specific direction (for example, orthogonal direction of the user's wrist) in space.

That is, referring to FIG. 4 as an example, when the c-axis is close to the a-axis while operating the handle member 18, it corresponds to a singular point that makes it difficult or impossible for the user to rotate the handle member 18 about the a-axis. In order to avoid this in advance, when the c-axis moves toward the a-axis while operating the handle member 18, the a-axis moves simultaneously to an optimal position (for example, the a-axis is perpendicular to the c-axis). By doing so, it is possible to create an optimal state in which the handle member 18 can always be operated smoothly. That is, by rotating the first gimbal member 12 with respect to the redundant joint R, the gimbal 10 can be avoided from approaching the singular point.

In FIG. 4, the second link portion and the first link portion are fixed to each other (not rotatable with each other), and the first gimbal member 12 is coupled to the second link portion so as to be rotatable about the z axis. The case where the coupling joint R serves as a redundant joint is illustrated.

Furthermore, the link structure according to the present embodiment may allow the rotary joint 50 between the first link portion and the second link portion to serve as a redundant joint with respect to the gimbal 10, as shown in FIG. 6. Even in this case, the redundant joint performs a function of avoiding a singular point in which the operation of the gimbal 10 becomes difficult or impossible in rotating the gimbal 10 in any direction in space.

In the link structure illustrated in FIG. 6, the second link portion is coupled to the first link portion to be rotatable about the z axis, and the first gimbal member 12 is fixed to the second link portion (not rotatable). In this case, the coupling joint 50 between the first link portion and the second link portion serves as a redundant joint.

That is, when the c axis is close to the a axis while operating the handle member 18, the user may correspond to a singular point (see FIG. 7a) that makes it difficult or impossible for the user to rotate the handle member 18 about the a axis. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7B, the second link part is rotated with respect to the first link part to simultaneously move the a-axis to an optimal position (for example, the a-axis is orthogonal to the c-axis), so that the handle member 18 is always You can create an optimal state that can work smoothly.

Rotating the second link portion relative to the first link portion causes the first gimbal member 12 to rotate relative to the redundant joint 50, thus avoiding the gimbal 10 from approaching the singular point. Can be.

The singular point is a state in which the a-axis and the c-axis are close to each other during the operation of the handle member by the user, and the first gimbal member suppresses rotation of the second gimbal member. In addition to the case where the axes overlap each other and coincide with each other, the concept includes a case in which the two axes are close to each other such that the angle between the two axes is very small, making it difficult to rotate the handle member about any one axis. .

On the other hand, when rotating the second link portion about the z-axis relative to the first link portion, since the position on the xy plane of the gimbal 10 can be changed, corresponding to the rotation of the second link portion, the first link portion is extended or By contracting, the position (position on the xy plane) of the gimbal 10 can be maintained.

8 is a view showing a master operation device of the robot according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 9 is a view showing an operating state of the master operation device of the robot shown in FIG. 8 to 9, the robot 1, the gimbal 10, the gimbal members 12, 14, and 16, the handle member 18, the scissor type link 20, the parallel link 40, and the rotary joint 50 is shown.

As shown in FIG. 7B, even if the second link unit is rotated with respect to the first link unit, the a-axis may not be sufficiently far from the c-axis. For example, when the redundant joint is operated so that the a-axis is orthogonal to the c-axis, the first gimbal member 12 may not be sufficiently rotated simply by rotating the second link portion with respect to the first link portion. . In this case, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the first gimbal member 12 may be further rotated with respect to the second link portion to reliably avoid the singular point.

The link structure illustrated in FIG. 8 is not only coupled to the first link portion such that the second link portion is rotatable about the z axis, but also allows the first gimbal member 12 to be rotatable about the z axis. Combined, both the rotary joint 50 between the first link portion and the second link portion and the rotary joint between the first gimbal member 12 and the second link portion (see 'R' in FIG. 8) serve as redundant joints. If it is.

That is, when the c-axis is close to the a-axis while operating the handle member 18, the state of the gimbal may be close to the singular point. In this case, as shown in Fig. 9, the second link portion with respect to the first link portion Rotate so that the a-axis is away from the c-axis, and further, the first gimbal member 12 is also rotated with respect to the second link portion so that the a-axis is sufficiently far from the c-axis (for example, the a-axis is perpendicular to the c-axis). ), The gimbal 10 can be avoided from approaching the singular point.

When rotating the second link portion, the position on the xy plane of the gimbal 10 may be changed, so that the position of the gimbal 10 is maintained by stretching or contracting the first link portion corresponding to the rotation of the second link portion. Can be the same as in the case of Figure 7b.

At this time, rotation of the first gimbal member 12 with respect to the second link portion may be linked to rotation with respect to the first link portion of the second link portion. That is, the rotation angle of the first gimbal member 12 may be calculated by multiplying the rotation angle of the second link unit by a predetermined ratio, and the first gimbal member is obtained by subtracting the rotation angle of the second link unit from a preset target angle. The rotation angle of (12) can also be calculated.

For example, assuming that the ratio of the rotation angle of the second link portion to the rotation angle of the first gimbal member is set to 0.5, the second link portion is rotated by 45 degrees relative to the first link portion to avoid the singular point. The first gimbal member rotates about the second link portion by 22.5 degrees (= 45 degrees X 0.5), so that the a-axis can be 67.5 degrees (= 45 degrees + 22.5 degrees) away from the c axis.

Alternatively, assuming that the target angle away from the c-axis is set to 90 degrees to avoid the singular point, when the second link portion is rotated by 60 degrees relative to the first link portion, the first gimbal member is 30 degrees ( = 90 degrees-60 degrees), so that the a-axis can be moved away from the c-axis by the target angle of 90 degrees.

On the other hand, the rotation of the second link portion, the expansion and contraction of the first link portion, and the rotational operation of the first gimbal member 12 to avoid the singular point of the gimbal 10 correspond to the user's operation situation with respect to the gimbal 10. Can be controlled to be implemented automatically.

For example, when the gimbal 10 approaches the singular point while the user manipulates the gimbal 10, the surgical robot 1 detects the link structure (the first link part and the second link part). Or the first gimbal member 12 is automatically operated, the first gimbal member 12 can be controlled so as not to interfere with the user's operation. Detailed description thereof will be described later with reference to FIG. 10.

As described above, the master operating device according to the present embodiment performs the movement in the vertical direction with the scissor type link 20 (or the telescopic link 30 or the LM type link 35) that is responsible for the movement on the xy plane. By combining the parallel link 40 in charge and applying the moment balance mechanism 49 to the parallel link 40, the gimbal 10 can be stably moved to a desired position in the three-dimensional space.

Furthermore, in the master operating device according to the present embodiment, the rotary joint 50 is installed at the coupling portion of the first link portion and the second link portion without the need for adding a redundant redundant joint to the gimbal structure. 50 may serve as a redundant joint in the operation of the gimbal 10.

10 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, a redundant joint may be added to the link structure according to the present embodiment, and such a redundant joint (rotational joint 50 between the first link portion and the second link portion) may be used in operation of the gimbal 10. It serves to provide extra degrees of freedom.

Usually, the redundant joint does not have to be operated while the user holds the handle member 18 by hand and rotates it in any direction. However, when the state of the gimbal 10 is close to the singular point, the redundant joint is operated ( The second link portion rotates relative to the first link portion to allow the operation of the gimbal 10 to be smooth.

To this end, in the surgical robot 1 having the master operation device according to the present embodiment, the redundant joint can be automatically operated in accordance with the operation state of the gimbal 10. That is, the control unit provided in the surgical robot 1 detects the state of the gimbal 10, and automatically performs a redundant joint so that the detected state of the gimbal 10 is an optimal position to avoid the singular point. By doing so, it is possible to perform a function of avoiding the singular point.

The master operating device according to the present embodiment is composed of a first link portion coupled to the surgical robot 1, a second link portion coupled to the first link portion, and a gimbal 10 coupled to the second link portion, The first link portion defines the position on the xy plane of the gimbal 10, the second link portion defines the position on the z axis of the gimbal 10, and the second link portion is rotatable about the z axis. As described above, the rotary joint 50 may be coupled to and configured to serve as a redundant joint.

FIG. 10 shows that in the surgical robot 1 having such a master manipulation device, the link structure 3, 5 is automatically operated to avoid the singular point when the state of the gimbal 10 approaches the singular point. As a control method for this, it may be performed through a control unit provided in the surgical robot (1).

For example, if the state of the gimbal 10 approaches a singular point while the user manipulates the gimbal 10, the surgical robot 1 detects this so that the redundant joint is automatically activated (second link). By the rotation of the additional first link portion), the gimbal 10 can be controlled to operate smoothly. That is, the singular point can be avoided.

To this end, the surgical robot 1, the sensor for detecting the operation state of the gimbal 10 by the user, from the sensed result to determine whether the gimbal 10 is close to the singular point and according to the result of the redundant joint Components such as a processor for calculating the degree to which the should be operated and a driving motor for operating the redundant joint according to the calculation result may be provided.

Looking specifically at the control process of the surgical robot to automatically operate the redundant joint to avoid the singular point, first, to obtain information about the current state of the gimbal 10 (S10), the obtained gimbal 10 It is determined whether the current state is close to the singular point (S20).

As described above, the singular point is a state in which the a-axis and the c-axis are close to each other and the first gimbal member suppresses the rotation of the second gimbal member during the operation of the handle member by the user. In order to determine whether or not, predetermined criteria may be set in advance. For example, a criterion may be set to determine that the case where the handle member is operated so that the c-axis makes an angle of 45 degrees or less (or 135 degrees or more) with respect to the a-axis is determined to be close to the singular point.

If it is determined that the state of the gimbal 10 is close to the singular point, the redundant joint is operated to avoid the singular point. That is, the second link unit is rotated with respect to the first link unit (S30).

The second link portion may be rotated until it becomes a so-called 'operation activation' state, where the operation activation state means a state in which the second link unit is sufficiently rotated so that the gimbal 10 can be smoothly operated.

Whether or not the state of the gimbal 10 is an active state can also be determined according to a predetermined reference. For example, a criterion may be set to determine that the first gimbal member corresponds to an operation smooth state so that the c-axis makes an angle of 45 degrees to 135 degrees with respect to the a-axis.

Further, in either case, the operation of the redundant joint can be controlled to be as far away from the singular point as possible.

When rotating the second link portion about the z-axis relative to the first link portion, the position on the xy plane of the gimbal 10 may be changed, so that the first link portion is stretched or shrunk corresponding to the rotation of the second link portion. (S32), the position (position on the xy plane) of the gimbal 10 can be maintained unchanged as described above.

On the other hand, even if the second link portion is rotated relative to the first link portion, the a-axis may not be far enough from the c-axis. In this case, the gimbal (specifically, the first gimbal member 12) is moved to the second link portion. It can further be rotated relative to (S40) so that the singular point can be reliably avoided. For this purpose, the gimbal 10 may also be coupled to the second link unit to be rotatable about the z-axis as in the description of FIG. 9.

Accordingly, when the state of the gimbal 10 is close to the singular point, not only the second link portion is rotated with respect to the first link portion, but also the gimbal 10 is also rotated with respect to the second link portion, whereby a The axis is sufficiently far from the c axis to more effectively avoid the gimbal 10 from approaching the singular point.

In this case, the rotation angle of the gimbal 10 may be calculated by multiplying the rotation angle of the second link portion by a predetermined ratio, or may be calculated by subtracting the rotation angle of the second link portion from a preset target angle. As shown.

Although described above with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below And can be changed.

1: robot 3: first link part
5: second link unit 10: gimbal
12, 14, 16: gimbal member 18: handle member
20: Caesar link 22, 24: link member
26, 28: pivot pin 30: telescopic link
32, 34, 36, 38: link member 35: LM type link
40: Parallel link 41, 43, 45, 47: pivot pin
42, 44, 46, 48: link member 49: moment balance mechanism
50: rotary joint 112: plate cam
122: cam follower 130: elastic body

Claims (38)

As a master operating device for operating the robot,
A gimbal operated by a user;
A first link portion rotatably coupled to the robot, the first link portion defining a position on the xy plane of the gimbal according to its driving;
A second link portion coupled to the first link portion and defining a position on the z-axis of the gimbal according to the driving thereof,
And the gimbal is moved to an arbitrary position in space by driving the first link portion and the second link portion.
The method of claim 1,
And wherein the xy plane is a horizontal plane and the z axis is a vertical axis.
The method of claim 2,
And the first link portion is coupled to the robot so as to be rotatable about a z axis.
The method of claim 3,
The first link unit may include at least one selected from the group consisting of a scissors-type link, a telescopic link, and a linear motor-type link, which are stretched in a longitudinal direction according to the driving thereof. Master operation device of the robot.
The method of claim 4, wherein
The scissor type link is operated in the xy plane, the master operation device of the robot, characterized in that the structure is constrained to rotate in the vertical direction.
The method of claim 5,
The scissor type link has a structure in which a combination of a first link member and a second link member which are scissors-connected to each other by a first pivot pin is connected in a longitudinal direction by a second pivot pin. Robot master operation device.
The method of claim 6,
And said first pivot pin and said second pivot pin are installed in a vertical direction so that said first link member and said second link member rotate in an xy plane.
The method of claim 4, wherein
The telescopic link has a structure in which any one link member is inserted into and withdrawn from the other link member adjacent thereto.
9. The method of claim 8,
The telescopic link is operated in the xy plane, the master operation device of the robot, characterized in that the structure is configured to restrain the rotation in the vertical direction.
The method of claim 4, wherein
The LM-type link, the robot master operation device, characterized in that the link member is configured to move in the longitudinal direction with respect to the other link member adjacent thereto.
The method of claim 10,
The LM-type link, the master operation device of the robot, characterized in that the structure is operated in the xy plane and the rotation in the vertical direction is constrained.
The method of claim 1,
And said second link portion comprises a parallel link.
The method of claim 12,
The parallel link is operated in the vertical direction, the master operation device of the robot, characterized in that the structure is constrained rotation in the horizontal direction.
The method of claim 13,
The parallel link may include a first link member coupled to the first link unit, a second link member rotatably coupled to the first link member by a first pivot pin, and the second link pin by the second pivot pin. A third link member rotatably coupled to the second link member, and a third link member rotatably coupled to the third link member by a third pivot pin and rotatably coupled to the first link member by a fourth pivot pin. And a fourth link member, wherein the first link member and the third link member are parallel to each other, and the second link member and the fourth link member are parallel to each other. .
15. The method of claim 14,
The first pivot pin, the second pivot pin, the third pivot pin, and the fourth pivot pin are respectively installed in a direction perpendicular to the z axis, so that the first link member, the second link member, and the third And a link member and the fourth link member rotate in a vertical direction.
The method of claim 12,
And the parallel link is provided with a moment balance mechanism to prevent the parallel link from being operated by gravity acting on the gimbal.
The method of claim 1,
And said second link portion is fixed to said first link portion such that rotation relative to said first link portion is constrained.
The method of claim 17, wherein the gimbal,
a first gimbal member coupled to the second link portion to be rotatable about a z-axis;
a second gimbal member coupled to the first gimbal member to be rotatable about an a-axis;
A third gimbal member coupled to the second gimbal member so as to be rotatable about a b-axis orthogonal to the a-axis;
And a handle member coupled to the third gimbal member so as to be rotatable about a c axis orthogonal to the b axis, the handle member being operated by the user by hand.
19. The method of claim 18,
The rotary joint between the first gimbal member and the second link portion serves as a redundant joint to the gimbal.
The method of claim 1,
And the second link portion is coupled to the first link portion to be rotatable about a z axis.
The method of claim 20, wherein the gimbal,
A first gimbal member fixed to the second link portion such that rotation of the second link portion is restricted;
a second gimbal member coupled to the first gimbal member to be rotatable about an a-axis;
A third gimbal member coupled to the second gimbal member so as to be rotatable about a b-axis orthogonal to the a-axis;
And a handle member coupled to the third gimbal member so as to be rotatable about a c axis orthogonal to the b axis, the handle member being operated by the user by hand.
The method of claim 21,
The rotary joint between the second link portion and the first link portion serves as a redundant joint with respect to the gimbal.
The method of claim 22,
The second link portion rotates with respect to the first link portion so that the state of the gimbal can be avoided from approaching a singular point during the operation of the handle member by a user. Master operating device.
24. The method of claim 23,
The singular point is a robot, characterized in that the a-axis and the c-axis is in close proximity to each other during the operation of the handle member by the user, the first gimbal member inhibits the rotation of the second gimbal member. Master operating device.
24. The method of claim 23,
Corresponding to the rotation of the second link portion, the master linkage device of the robot, characterized in that the first link portion is stretched so that the position of the gimbal is maintained.
The method of claim 1,
The second link portion is coupled to the first link portion to be rotatable about a z axis,
The gimbal,
a first gimbal member coupled to the second link portion to be rotatable about a z-axis;
a second gimbal member coupled to the first gimbal member to be rotatable about an a-axis;
A third gimbal member coupled to the second gimbal member so as to be rotatable about a b-axis orthogonal to the a-axis;
And a handle member coupled to the third gimbal member so as to be rotatable about a c axis orthogonal to the b axis, the handle member being operated by the user by hand.
The method of claim 26,
And a rotary joint between the second link portion and the first link portion and a rotary joint between the first gimbal member and the second link portion serve as a redundant joint with respect to the gimbal.
28. The method of claim 27,
The second link portion rotates with respect to the first link portion so as to avoid the state of the gimbal approaching a singular point during the manipulation of the handle member by a user, and accordingly the first gimbal member is And a master operating device for the robot, which rotates with respect to the second link portion.
29. The method of claim 28,
The singular point is a robot, characterized in that the a-axis and the c-axis is in close proximity to each other during the operation of the handle member by the user, the first gimbal member inhibits the rotation of the second gimbal member. Master operating device.
29. The method of claim 28,
Corresponding to the rotation of the second link portion, the master linkage device of the robot, characterized in that the first link portion is stretched so that the position of the gimbal is maintained.
29. The method of claim 28,
And the rotation angle of the first gimbal member relative to the second link portion is calculated by multiplying the rotation angle of the second link portion with respect to the first link portion by a predetermined ratio.
29. The method of claim 28,
The rotation angle of the first gimbal member with respect to the second link portion is calculated to correspond to a difference value between a preset target angle and the rotation angle with respect to the first link portion of the second link portion. Master operating device.
A gimbal operated by a user, a first link portion defining a position on the xy plane of the gimbal according to its driving, and a first link portion rotatably coupled about a z-axis and driven by the drive. A method of controlling a surgical robot having a master operating device comprising a second link portion defining a position on a z axis,
(a) acquiring information about the state of the gimbal according to a user operation on the gimbal;
(b) determining whether the state of the gimbal is an optimal position to avoid a singular point according to a preset criterion; And
and (c) rotating the second link portion relative to the first link portion if the state of the gimbal is not an optimal position to avoid a singular point.
34. The method of claim 33,
The step (c), the control method of the surgical robot comprising the step of rotating the second link portion relative to the first link portion, such that the state of the gimbal is a predetermined operating smooth state.
34. The method of claim 33,
Wherein step (c), in response to the rotation of the second link portion, the control method of the surgical robot comprising the step of stretching the first link portion to maintain the position of the gimbal.
34. The method of claim 33,
The gimbal is coupled to the second link portion to be rotatable about a z axis,
And said step (c) comprises rotating said gimbal relative to said second link portion in response to rotation of said second link portion relative to said first link portion.

37. The method of claim 36,
The step (c) includes rotating the gimbal with respect to the second link portion by an angle calculated by multiplying a rotation angle with respect to the first link portion by the second link portion by a predetermined ratio. Surgical robot control method.
37. The method of claim 36,
The step (c) includes rotating the gimbal relative to the second link portion by an angle corresponding to a difference between a preset target angle and a rotation angle with respect to the first link portion of the second link portion. Control method of a surgical robot, characterized in that.

Images