MEDICAL MANIPULATOR

• US 20100076483A1
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: IMUTA, Shuji
• Application Number:
  US12/549,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20100076483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 Pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery

Abstract

A medical manipulator includes an operating unit and a working unit. The operating unit has an actuator block with motors housed therein. The working unit is detachably mounted on the actuator block by a coupler. The working unit comprises a joint shaft that extends from the coupler, and a distal-end working unit mounted on a distal end of the joint shaft. The distal-end working unit has three axes, including a yaw axis, a roll axis about which the distal-end working unit is rotatable and which is positioned closer to a distal end of the distal-end working unit than the yaw axis, and a gripper axis about which a gripper is openable and closable and which is positioned on the distal end. The distal-end working unit can be operated about the roll axis by a motor, which is positioned closer to the distal end than the yaw axis.

Claims

1. A medical manipulator comprising:

an actuator having a plurality of proximal-end motors; and

a working unit detachably mounted on the actuator by a coupler;

the working unit comprising;

a hollow joint shaft extending from the coupler;

a distal-end working unit mounted on a distal end of the hollow joint shaft and having at least three axes including a roll axis about which the distal-end working unit is rotatable; and

a distal-end motor mounted in the distal-end working unit,

wherein the distal-end working unit is operated about the roll axis by the distal-end motor, and is operated about the at least three axes other than the roll axis by the proximal-end motors.

2. A medical manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the at least three axes include a yaw axis, which is positioned closer to a proximal end of the distal-end working unit than the roll axis, and the distal-end motor is positioned closer to a distal end of the distal-end working unit than the yaw axis.

3. A medical manipulator according to claim 2, wherein the distal-end working unit comprises:

a tubular body coaxial with the roll axis and angularly movable about the yaw axis,

the distal-end motor being disposed in the tubular body.

4. A medical manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the distal-end motor has an output shaft coaxial with the roll axis.

5. A medical manipulator according to claim 4, wherein the distal-end working unit comprises:

a power transmitting tubular body coaxially disposed around the distal-end motor and having face gears respectively on axial ends thereof; and

a gripper openable and closable about a gripper axis positioned closer to a distal end of the distal-end working unit than the output shaft,

wherein the gripper is opened and closed about the gripper axis by rotation of the power transmitting tubular body.

6. A medical manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the working unit comprises:

a proximal-end rotor rotatable by the proximal-end motor;

a distal-end rotor disposed in the distal-end working unit for operating the distal-end working unit about one of the at least three axes other than the roll axis; and

a flexible member trained around the proximal-end rotor and the distal-end rotor for transmitting power from the proximal-end rotor to the distal-end rotor.

7. A medical manipulator according to claim 1, further comprising a hollow cylindrical member disposed in the joint shaft and rotatable by one of the distal-end motors for operating the distal-end working unit about one of the at least three axes other than the roll axis.