5941results about "Arms" patented technology

A surgical instrument particularly suited to endoscopic and laparoscopic insertion through a cannula of a trocar into an insufflated body cavity or lumen includes a bending member in an elongate shaft that acts to rotate an end effector about an articulation pivot joint. A proximally directed camming surface (e.g., gear segment, cam recess) aft of a pivotal attachment of the end effector to a proximal frame ground of the elongate shaft interacts with a bending member whose proximal end is ground to the proximal frame ground. Differential fluidic actuators or mechanical cam bars deflect a distal end (e.g., rack, cam point) of the bending member to effect articulation. Thereby, the end effector may act upon tissue that would otherwise be obscured, such as behind an organ. The articulated end effector also advantageously allows an endoscope to be positioned behind the end effector without being blocked by the instrument shaft.

A roll joint utilizes at least one tendon guide surface to guide actuator tendons for distal roll off and on their respective drums on a central shaft of the roll joint. The tendon guide surface turns the actuator tendon in an axial direction in a more compact space than might be required for a pair of pulleys, while using fewer parts with larger features more easily formed on a small scale.

A manipulator includes a control unit (1), with handle (4) and control buttons (4a-4d), and a connecting arm (2) which, at its proximal end (2a), carries the control unit (1) and, at its distal end (2b), carries a work unit (3). The control buttons (4a-4d) control at least a first inclination motor, which causes a movement of inclination of a tool support (5) of the work unit (3) about a transverse inclination axis (11), and they control the actual rotation of the tool support (5) about its direction of inclination (II) and control the orientation of the direction of inclination (II) about the longitudinal axis (I-I) of the connecting arm (2). A particularly ergonomic manipulator is thus obtained which is easy to learn to use and which efficiently separates the stresses arising from movements of the tool support (5) and the stresses arising from holding and moving the manipulator itself.

The invention provides an articulating mechanism useful, for example, for remote manipulation of various surgical instruments and diagnostic tools within, or to, regions of the body. Movement of segments at the proximal end of the mechanism results in a corresponding, relative movement of segments at the distal end of the mechanism. The proximal and distal segments are connected by a set of cables in such a fashion that each proximal segment forms a discrete pair with a distal segment. This configuration allows each segment pair to move independently of one another and also permits the articulating mechanism to undergo complex movements and adopt complex configurations. The articulating mechanisms may also be combined in such a way to remotely mimic finger movements for manipulation of an object or body tissue.

A transfer apparatus (20) for a target substrate (W) includes a rotatable rotary base (24). First and second arm mechanisms (26, 28) are attached to the rotary base and configured to bend and stretch. Each of the first and second arm mechanisms has a proximal end arm (26A, 28A), an intermediate arm (26B, 28B), and a pick (26C, 28C) which are pivotally coupled to each other sequentially from the rotary base. The picks are disposed to support the target substrate. A link mechanism (30) is coupled to the proximal end arms of the first and second arm mechanisms to drive the first and second arm mechanisms. A first driving source (32) is disposed to rotatably drive the rotary base. A second driving source (34) is disposed to drive the link mechanism so as to bend or stretch the first and second arm mechanisms.

A manipulator has a working unit including an end effector and a posture axis for changing the orientation of the manipulator, a compound mechanism provided on the working unit, and a controller for actuating a gripper axis, a yaw axis, and a roll axis by respectively controlling movement positions of three motors. The controller includes a torque generation detector for detecting a timing at which torque is generated on the gripper axis. When the controller detects the timing at which a torque τg′ is generated on the gripper axis under operation of a given motor, the movement positions of the plural motors are shifted and set, corresponding to the directions at which interference torques are generated with respect to the yaw axis and the roll axis, and to predetermined positions of the same directions.

The invention provides articulating mechanisms, and flexible members and flexible segments that can form such articulating mechanisms. The mechanisms are useful, for example, for remote steering, guidance and / or manipulation of various instruments and tools at a targeted location. The mechanisms, members or segments include links connected by flexible hinges. The proximal and distal ends of the mechanisms are connected by at least one set of cables in such a fashion that a proximal active flexible segment forms a discrete pair with a distal active flexible segment. Movement of active flexible segments at the proximal end of the mechanism results in a corresponding, relative movement of segments at the distal end of the mechanism. This configuration allows each flexible segment pair to move independently of one another and also permits the articulating mechanism to undergo complex movements and adopt complex configurations.

A shape sensing system to determine the position and orientation of one link with respect to another link in a kinematic chain. An optical fiber is coupled to two or more links in a kinematic chain. A shape sensing segment is defined to start at a proximal link and to end at a distal link, crossing one or more joints. A reference frame is defined at the start of the shape sensing segment. As the joints move, an interrogator senses strain in the shape sensing segment. The sensed strain is used to output a Cartesian position and orientation of the end of the shape sensing segment with respect to the reference frame defined at the start of the shape sensing segment. The pose of the kinematic chain is determined from the Cartesian positions and orientations of one or more shape sensing segments defined for the kinematic chain and from an a priori model and constraints of the kinematic chain.

An apparatus having a member that revolves about a remote center of motion (RCM) and a base link coupled to a mounting fixture. A first and second link are pivotably coupled to the member at respective distances from the RCM and are translatable relative to the base link along a first direction, at a fixed ratio of displacement. The ratio of respective distances equals a fixed ratio of displacement. The apparatus has a translational motion generator for a first and second element along parallel opposing directions. The translational motion generator is disposed on the first link and enables motion parallel to the first direction. The base link is fixed in position, the first element is fixed to the base link and the second element is fixed to the second link, such that the first and second link may translate relative to the base link with fixed ratio of displacement.

A surgical robot system includes a slave robot, a master console, a first display and a control portion. The slave robot includes a plurality of robot arms at which surgical tools are mounted. The master console performs remote control on the slave robot in response to a manipulation of an operator. The first display is arranged around the slave robot. The control portion outputs image information displaying information about a position of the event on an image corresponding to a shape of the slave robot or the master console to the first display when the event occurs in the slave robot or the master console.