The present disclosure relates to a forceps device used for a manipulator of a surgical robot.
Medical treatments using robots (manipulators) have recently been proposed in order to reduce the burden on operators and save manpower in medical facilities. In the field of surgery, proposals have been made for surgical manipulator systems for operators to treat patients by operating remotely-controllable surgical manipulators.
Various surgical tools, such as a forceps for grasping human tissue during surgery, may be attached to leading ends of surgical manipulators.
It is an aspect to provide a novel technology for improving airtightness of a forceps device.
According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a forceps device comprising a grasping part; a support that holds the grasping part; a rotating shaft that turnably supports the support; a base member that holds the rotating shaft; a plurality of grasping-portion wires that transmit driving forces to move the grasping part; a guide pulley that guides one or more of the plurality of grasping-portion wires; and a support shaft that rotatably supports the guide pulley. The base member includes a partition part having a plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes through which the respective grasping-portion wires pass; and a pair of arms extending from the partition part toward the grasping part, respective ends of the support shaft being fixed to the respective arms, wherein the plurality of grasping-portion wires include a first grasping-portion wire and a second grasping-portion wire, wherein the plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes include a first grasping-portion-wire hole through which the first grasping-portion wire passes, and a second grasping-portion-wire hole which is closest to the first grasping-portion-wire hole among the plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes and through which the second grasping-portion wire passes, and wherein the guide pulley guides the one or more of the plurality of grasping-portion wires so that the first grasping-portion wire is separated from the second grasping-portion wire.
According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a base member arranged between a grasping part of a forceps device and a shaft of the forceps device, the base member comprising a partition part having a plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes through which a plurality of grasping-portion wires, respectively, pass, the plurality of grasping-portion wires transmitting driving forces to move the grasping part, wherein the plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes include a first grasping-portion-wire hole and a second grasping-portion-wire hole which is closest to the first grasping-portion-wire hole among the plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes, and when the partition part is viewed in a vertical direction, with respect to a center of the partition part, an angle between the first grasping-portion-wire hole and the second grasping-portion-wire hole is equal to or larger than 30°.
According to an aspect of one or more embodiments, there is provided a forceps device comprising a first grasping portion and a second grasping portion; a support that holds the first grasping portion and the second grasping portion; a first shaft that turnably supports the support; a base member that holds the first shaft; a first wire and a second wire that transmit driving forces to move the first grasping portion and the second grasping portion; a first guide pulley and a second guide pulley; and a support shaft that rotatably supports the first guide pulley and the second guide pulley. The base member includes a partition part having a plurality of holes including a first hole through which the first wire passes and a second hole that is closest to the first hole among the plurality of holes and through which the second wire passes; and a first arm and a second arm extending from the partition part toward the first grasping portion and the second grasping portion, respective ends of the support shaft being fixed to the first arm and the second arm, and the first guide pulley being provided adjacent to the first arm and the second guide pulley being provided adjacent to the second arm and spaced apart from the first guide pulley
As discussed above, surgical tools may include a forceps for grasping human tissue during surgery. For example, a forceps may include two jaw parts serving as grasping portions, two disks having different outer diameters from each other provided on the respective jaw parts, and wires running over the disks. The wires may be pulled to open or close the jaw parts.
When an operation is performed with the forceps inserted into a patient's abdomen, an air pressure inside the abdominal cavity of the patient may be increased to be higher than an atmospheric pressure in order to secure the surgical field. If, however, gas inside the abdominal cavity leaks out of the patient's body through a leading end of the forceps and a shaft, the air pressure inside the abdominal cavity cannot be increased to be higher than the atmospheric pressure. In particular, in a case where the jaw parts at the leading end of the forceps are opened and closed by forward and backward movements of wires running through the shaft, it is advantageous to provide sealing based on a consideration of the wire movements.
It is an aspect to provide a novel technology for improving the airtightness of the grasping part side of a forceps device.
According to some embodiments, a forceps device may include a grasping part; a support that holds the grasping part; a first rotating shaft that turnably supports the support; a base member that holds the first rotating shaft; a plurality of grasping-portion wires for transmitting driving forces to move the grasping part; a guide pulley for guiding one or some of the plurality of grasping-portion wires; and a support shaft for rotatably supporting the guide pulley. The base member may include a partition part having a plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes through which the respective grasping-portion wires pass; and a pair of arms extending from the partition part toward the grasping part, respective ends of the support shaft being fixed to the respective arms. The plurality of grasping-portion wires may include a first grasping-portion wire and a second grasping-portion wire. The plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes may include a first grasping-portion-wire hole through which the first grasping-portion wire passes, and a second grasping-portion-wire hole which is closest to the first grasping-portion-wire hole and through which the second grasping-portion wire passes. The guide pulley may guide the one or some of the plurality of grasping-portion wires so that the first grasping-portion wire is separated from the second grasping-portion wire.
Accordingly, the first grasping-portion-wire hole can be separated from the second grasping-portion-wire hole. This separation allows a sealing member having holes to be molded with high accuracy on one side of the partition part having the holes and increases the airtightness on the grasping part side, for example.
According to some embodiments, when the partition part is viewed in a vertical direction, an angle at a center of the partition part between the first grasping-portion-wire hole and the second grasping-portion-wire hole may be equal to or larger than 30°. As a result, the distance between the first grasping-portion-wire hole and the second grasping-portion-wire hole becomes large, which reduces such defects as integration of holes when the sealing member with a plurality of holes is molded, for example.
According to some embodiments, the base member may include a sealing member on one side with respect to the partition part, and the sealing member may have a plurality of sealing holes at positions corresponding to the plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes. This configuration enables sealing with the sealing member with the grasping-portion wires passing through the base member.
According to some embodiments, the sealing holes may each have a diameter smaller than a diameter of a corresponding one of the grasping-portion-wire holes and smaller than a diameter of a corresponding one of the grasping-portion wires. As a result, even when a gap is present between a grasping-portion-wire hole and a grasping-portion wire, a sealing hole and the grasping-portion wire are in close contact with each other, which reduces leakage of gas from the grasping part side to the outside of the forceps device via the base member.
According to some embodiments, the sealing member may be a silicone resin film.
According to some embodiments, a pair of support wires for transmitting driving forces to turn the support may further be included, and the partition part may have a pair of support-wire holes through which the pair of support wires, respectively, pass, and when the partition part is viewed in a vertical direction, an angle at a center of the partition part between each of the support-wire holes and the grasping-portion-wire hole that is closest to the support-wire hole may be equal to or larger than 30°. As a result, the support-wire holes and the grasping-portion-wire holes can be separated from each other. Thus, the sealing member having holes may be molded with high accuracy on one side with respect to the partition part having holes, and the airtightness on the grasping part side is increased, for example.
According to some embodiments, a base member may be arranged between a grasping part and a shaft of a forceps device. The base member may include a partition part having a plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes through which a plurality of grasping-portion wires, respectively, pass, the grasping-portion wires transmitting driving forces to move the grasping part. The plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes may include a first grasping-portion-wire hole and a second grasping-portion-wire hole which is closest to the first grasping-portion-wire hole. When the partition part is viewed in a vertical direction, an angle at a center of the partition part between the first grasping-portion-wire hole and the second grasping-portion-wire hole is equal to or larger than 30°.
Accordingly, the first grasping-portion-wire hole and the second grasping-portion-wire hole can be widely separated from each other. This separation allows a sealing member having holes to be molded with high accuracy on one side of the partition part having the holes and increases the airtightness on the grasping part side, for example. In addition, such defects as integration of holes when the sealing member with a plurality of holes is molded, for example, can be reduced.
According to some embodiments, the partition part may have a pair of support-wire holes through which a pair of support wires, respectively, pass, the support wires transmitting driving forces for turning a support that holds the grasping part, and when the partition part is viewed in the vertical direction, an angle at the center of the partition part between each of the support-wire holes and the grasping-portion-wire hole that is closest to the support-wire hole may be equal to or larger than 30°. As a result, the support-wire holes and the grasping-portion-wire holes can be separated from each other. Thus, the sealing member having holes is molded with high accuracy on one side with respect to the partition part having holes, and the airtightness on the grasping part side is increased, for example.
According to some embodiments, a pair of arms extending from the partition part toward the grasping part may further be included. The arms may each have a fitting hole, respective ends of a support shaft that rotatably supports a pair of guide pulleys being fitted into the fitting holes. As a result, the pair of arms are fixed via the support shaft, which increases the stiffness of the base member.
According to some embodiments, a method, a device, a system and the like consistent with the above configurations may also be provided.
According to the various embodiments described herein, a forceps device with high airtightness on the grasping part side can be achieved.
Various embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. Components, members, and processes that are the same as or equivalent to each other illustrated in the drawings are represented by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanation will not be repeated where appropriate for conciseness. The present disclosure is not to limit the various embodiments described herein, but rather the various embodiments are provided as examples, and any individual feature or any combination of features described in the various embodiments is not necessarily essential.
The forceps device 10 illustrated in the drawings includes a pair of grasping portions 12a and 12b, a support 14 that holds the pair of grasping portions 12a and 12b, a first rotating shaft 16 that turnably supports the support 14, a base member 18 that holds the first rotating shaft 16, four transmission pulleys 20 arranged coaxially with the first rotating shaft 16, a second rotating shaft 22 that turnably supports the pair of grasping portions 12a and 12b and is held by the support 14, four jaw pulleys 24 supported coaxially with the second rotating shaft 22, four wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 running over the four transmission pulleys 20 and the four jaw pulleys 24, and wires 38 and 40 for rotating the support 14 about the first rotating shaft 16.
As illustrated in
Note that each of the transmission pulleys 20 according to some embodiments is formed such that the angle α between the inner circumferential face 20d or the inner circumferential face 20e and the center line CL is within a range from 3 to 7 degrees. In some embodiments, one end face 20f of each transmission pulley 20 is tilted at the angle α with respect to the plane P, and the angle between the end face 20f and the inner circumferential face 20d is 90°. Furthermore, the other end face 20g of the transmission pulley 20 is parallel to the plane P (perpendicular to the center line CL). Each transmission pulley 20 is therefore an annular member that is asymmetric with respect to the plane P.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Next, the base member 18 will be described. As illustrated in
The arms 18a and 18b each have a base part 18c holding the third rotating shaft 36, and a distal end part 18d that holds the first rotating shaft 16 and that is thinner than the base part 18c. In other words, the distance between the distal end parts 18d is larger than the distance between the base parts 18c. Thus, as illustrated in
Furthermore, the circumferential width W1 of the distal end part 18d of the arm 18a (the arm 18b) is smaller than the circumferential width W2 of the base part 18c thereof. Thus, a U-shaped recess is formed at the distal end part 18d at which interference with a wire needs to be addressed, and the circumferential width of the distal end part 18d is made larger than the circumferential width of the base part 18c, which minimizes deterioration of the stiffness of the arm.
In some embodiments, as illustrated in
In the forceps device 10 having such a structure, the support 14 in a state in which a plurality of transmission pulleys 20 are supported by the outer circumference of the annular part 14a is held by the base member 18 with the first rotating shaft 16 therebetween. This configuration facilitates improvement in the easiness of assembly as compared with a case where the support 14 is held directly by the base member 18.
In some embodiments, the base member 18 has the pair of arms 18a and 18b facing each other. The first rotating shaft 16 is firmly fixed in such a manner that the axial ends thereof are press-fitted to the pair of arms 18a and 18b. As a result, because the distal ends of the pair of arms 18a and 18b, which can be free ends, are fixed by the rotating shaft, the stiffness of the whole base member 18 increases.
Each of the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 transmits a driving force to the grasping portion 12a or the grasping portion 12b to move the grasping portion 12a or the grasping portion 12b. Specifically, the wire 26 and the wire 32 run over the jaw pulleys 24 for the grasping portion 12b, and the grasping portion 12b moves in an opening direction when the wire 26 is pulled and moves in a closing direction when the wire 32 is pulled. The wire 28 and the wire 30 run over the jaw pulleys 24 for the grasping portion 12a, and the grasping portion 12a moves in a closing direction when the wire 28 is pulled and moves in an opening direction when the wire 30 is pulled.
In some embodiments, each of the four transmission pulleys 20 has a corresponding one of the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 placed thereover. Each of the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 runs over the corresponding one of the transmission pulleys 20 so that the normal force applied to the support 14 from the first rotating shaft 16 is reduced when the grasping portions 12a and 12b are moved. More specifically, as illustrated in
Thus, when tension is applied to at least any one of the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 for moving the grasping portions 12a and 12b, the tension causes a force acting on the support 14 via the transmission pulleys 20. In the case of the forceps device 10 according to some embodiments, the tension applied to the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 causes a force acting on the support 14 in directions toward the grasping portions 12a and 12b.
The support 14 is formed integrally with a support pulley 42 over which the wires 38 and 40 for transmitting a driving force for rotating the support about the first rotating shaft 16 run. Thus, when one of the wires 38 and 40 is pulled to turn the support 14, the tension of the wire 38 or 40 running over the support pulley 42 presses the support 14 toward the first rotating shaft 16. A normal force received by the support 14 from the first rotating shaft 16 is thus generated, which contributes to an increase in frictional force.
In the forceps device 10 according to some embodiments, however, the tension of the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 for moving the grasping portions 12a and 12b causes a force acting on the transmission pulleys 20 in the upward direction in
Next, a method for producing the forceps device 10 according to some embodiments will be explained.
According to the manufacturing method, such a process as sandwiching a support by base member parts into which a base member is divided and then bonding the base member parts to each other need not be performed. In some embodiments, such a process as coaxially arranging holes of a support, pulleys and a base member, and press-fitting a rotating shaft into the support while keeping the positions of the holes, which involves difficult adjustment, need not be performed.
Next, jaw parts constituting the grasping portions according to some embodiments will be described in detail.
As illustrated in
Next, the manner in which the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 according to some embodiments run over the pulleys will be described in detail. The wire 26 runs between the transmission pulley 20A and the jaw pulley 24c. The wire 28 runs between the transmission pulley 20B and the jaw pulley 24a. The wire 30 runs between the transmission pulley 20C and the jaw pulley 24b. The wire 32 runs between the transmission pulley 20D and the jaw pulley 24d.
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, as illustrated in
Furthermore, the forceps device 10 includes the upstream pulley 34a on the upstream side of the transmission pulley 20A (on the side opposite the grasping portions) and on the second side S2 with respect to the vertical cross section V, the upstream pulley 34b on the upstream side of the transmission pulley 20B and on the second side S2 with respect to the vertical cross section V, the upstream pulley 34c on the upstream side of the transmission pulley 20C and on the first side S1 with respect to the vertical cross section V, and the upstream pulley 34d on the upstream side of the transmission pulley 20D and on the first side S1 with respect to the vertical cross section V.
As a result, when the support 14 is bent in either direction about the first rotating shaft 16, one or more of the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32 come in contact with the associated one or more of the transmission pulleys 20A to 20D, which stabilizes the controllability when the support 14 is turned. More specifically, when the support 14 is bent from the state illustrated in
Because the grasping portions 12a and 12b of the forceps device 10 according to some embodiments are operated inside the abdominal cavity of a patient, it is necessary to devise a way to prevent gas around the grasping portions 12a and 12b from leaking out through the forceps device 10 so that the air pressure in the abdominal cavity, which is increased to be higher than the atmospheric pressure, does not lower. In the present embodiment, sealing is therefore provided in a region including the base member 18.
The base member 18 includes a partition part 18g having a plurality of grasping-portion-wire holes 56, 58, 60 and 62 through which the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32, respectively, pass, and the pair of arms 18a and 18b which extend from an outer edge of the partition part 18g toward the grasping part (upward in
The partition part 18g is a partition formed between a cylindrical part 18h and the pair of arms 18a and 18b. The grasping-portion-wire holes 56 and 58 are a pair of grasping-portion-wire holes that are adjacent to each other at the closet distance, and the grasping-portion-wire holes 60 and 62 are a pair of grasping-portion-wire holes that are adjacent to each other at the closest distance.
As illustrated in
Hence, in the forceps device 10 according to some embodiments, the wire 26 is guided by the guide pulley 52a, so that the wire 26 is separated from the wire 28. Similarly, the wire 32 is guided by the guide pulley 52b, so that the wire 32 is separated from the wire 30. In this manner, the grasping-portion-wire hole 56 through which the wire 26 passes and the grasping-portion-wire hole 58 through which the wire 28 passes can be separated from each other. Similarly, the grasping-portion-wire hole 60 through which the wire 30 passes and the grasping-portion-wire hole 62 through which the wire 32 passes can be separated from each other.
In some embodiments, as illustrated in
The sealing member 64 illustrated in
The sealing holes have a diameter d2 that is smaller than the diameter d1 of the grasping-portion-wire holes and smaller than the diameter (wire diameter φ) of the grasping-portion wires. As a result, even when a gap is present between a grasping-portion-wire hole and a grasping-portion wire, the sealing hole and the grasping-portion wire are in close contact with each other, which reduces leakage of gas from the grasping part side to the outside of the forceps device 10 via the base member 18.
As illustrated in the drawings, the four grasping-portion-wire holes according to some embodiments are formed through the partition part 18g at certain distances from each other. Thus, the sealing holes formed at positions corresponding to those of the grasping-portion-wire holes are also separated from the adjacent sealing holes.
In some embodiments, the forceps device 10 according to some embodiments includes the pair of wires 38 and 40 for rotating the support 14 about the first rotating shaft 16 in addition to the wires 26, 28, 30 and 32, which are grasping-portion wires. The partition part 18g of the base member 18 therefore has support-wire holes 74 and 76 through which the wires 38 and 40, respectively, pass. The support-wire holes 74 and 76 are formed at point-symmetric positions with respect to the center Z of the partition part 18g (the central axis of the cylindrical part 18h).
Furthermore, the sealing member 64 has a plurality of sealing holes 75 and 77 formed at positions corresponding to those of the support-wire holes 74 and 76. This enables sealing with the sealing member 64, with the wires 38 and 40 passing through the partition part 18g of the base member 18. The diameter d1 of the support-wire holes is preferably slightly larger than the wire diameter.
Next, a method for producing the sealing member 64 will be explained.
The jig 78 illustrated in
As illustrated in
Because the partition part 18g according to some embodiments has six holes formed at dispersed positions, the six shafts 78b of the jig 78 are also arranged at dispersed positions. Thus, the spaces between adjacent shafts 78b are large, and sealing resin injected by the injection device 80 smoothly enters regions between the adjacent shafts 78b. In contrast, if the spaces between adjacent shafts 78b are narrow, there may be cases where viscous sealing resin that has been injected does not smoothly enter regions between adjacent shafts 78b. In such a case, adjacent sealing holes may be integrated, or a sealing hole may not have a predetermined shape.
In the base member 18 according to some embodiments, the holes through the partition part 18g are therefore formed at dispersed positions away from each other so that the sealing holes in the molded sealing member 64 are not close to each other. More specifically, as illustrated in
As a result, the distance between the grasping-portion-wire hole 56 and the grasping-portion-wire hole 58 becomes large, which reduces such defects as integration of holes when the sealing member 64 with a plurality of sealing holes is molded. In other words, the sealing member 64 having the sealing holes is molded with high accuracy on the rear face side of the partition part 18g having the grasping-portion-wire holes and the support-wire holes, and the airtightness on the grasping part side is increased.
Furthermore, when the partition part 18g is viewed in the vertical direction, an angle γ at the center Z of the partition part 18g between the support-wire hole 74 and the grasping-portion-wire hole 58 that is closest to the support-wire hole 74 is equal to or larger than 30° or, more preferably, equal to or larger than 35°, for example. As a result, the support-wire hole 74 and the grasping-portion-wire hole 58 can be separated from each other. Thus, the sealing member 64 having the sealing holes is molded with high accuracy on the rear face side of the partition part 18g having the grasping-portion-wire holes and the support-wire holes, and the airtightness on the grasping part side is increased.
While various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and any combination or substitution of components as appropriate is included within the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, modifications such as combinations, changes in the order of processes, and various changes in design may be made on the basis of knowledge of a person skilled in the art, and such modified embodiments are within the scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims.
Embodiments consistent with the present disclosure can be used for a manipulator of a surgical robot.
This Application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/JP2020/045719, filed on Dec. 8, 2020 in the Japan Patent Office, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2020/045719 | Dec 2020 | US |
Child | 18330710 | US |