MEDICAL MANIPULATOR AND WELDING METHOD

• US 20120296316A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: IMUTA, Shuji
• Granted Patent: US 9,539,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• 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 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/70 Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A wire made up of a plurality of wire strands is wound around a tubular body coupled to a distal end working unit. A fixing pin has a through hole through which the wire is inserted. The fixing pin is fitted into a recess disposed in a side surface of the tubular body. The fixing pin is welded to the tubular body and the wire. The melting point of the wire is higher than the melting point of the fixing pin. In a state where material of the fixing pin flows in between the wire strands, the fixing pin and the wire are joined together.

Claims

1. A medical manipulator comprising:

a drive unit equipped with a rotary actuator; and

a working unit which is detachable with respect to said drive unit, said working unit comprising a distal end working unit which is operatively connectable to said rotary actuator,

the medical manipulator further comprising;

a wire coupled to and being advanced and retracted by said rotary actuator, said wire comprising a plurality of wire strands;

a rotating body around which said wire is wound, said rotating body being coupled to said distal end working unit;

a recess disposed in a side surface of said rotating body; and

a fixing member having a through hole through which said wire is inserted, a portion of said fixing member being inserted into said recess for fixing said wire,

wherein said fixing member is affixed with respect to said rotating body and said wire by means of welding,

the melting point of said wire is higher than that of said fixing member, and

in a state where a material of said fixing member flows in between said wire strands, said fixing member and said wire are joined to each other.

2. A welding method for welding components of a medical manipulator, the medical manipulator comprising:

a drive unit equipped with a rotary actuator;

a working unit which is detachable with respect to said drive unit, said working unit comprising a distal end working unit which is operatively connectable to said rotary actuator;

a wire coupled to and being advanced and retracted by said rotary actuator, said wire comprising a plurality of wire strands;

a rotating body around which said wire is wound, said rotating body being coupled to said distal end working unit;

a recess disposed in a side surface of said rotating body; and

a fixing member having a through hole through which said wire is inserted, a portion of said fixing member being inserted into said recess for fixing said wire,

the welding method comprising;

the heating step of heating said fixing member to a temperature which is equal to or more than the melting point of said fixing member and less than the melting point of said wire; and

the adhering step of after the heated fixing member is melted, solidifying the melted fixing member to thereby adhere said fixing member to said recess and said fixing member to said wire,

wherein in said adhering step, a melted material of said fixing member flows in between said wire strands, and thereafter the melted material is solidified whereby said fixing member and said wire are joined to each other.

3. The welding method according to claim 2, wherein in said heating step, said fixing member is heated by laser.