Surgical instruments, operating devices, and surgical robots

Abstract

The present invention provides a surgical instrument, a slave operating device using the surgical instrument, and a surgical robot having the slave operating device. The surgical instrument includes an end effector and a driving device. The driving device includes a first driving unit and a second driving unit. The first driving unit and the second driving unit respectively manipulate a first pair of cables and a second pair of cables to control the opening and closing and yaw movement of the end effector. The driving device further includes a third driving unit and a pitching mechanism. The third driving unit causes the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables in the driving device to change simultaneously by driving the pitching mechanism to move linearly, so as to control the pitching movement of the end effector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical devices, and particularly to a surgical instrument, a slave operating device using the surgical instrument, and a surgical robot having the slave operating device. Background Art

[0002] Minimally invasive surgery refers to a surgical method that uses modern medical devices such as laparoscopes and thoracoscopes and related equipment to perform surgery inside the human body cavity. Compared with traditional surgical methods, minimally invasive surgery has the advantages of less trauma, less pain, and faster recovery.

[0003] With the progress of technology, minimally invasive surgical robot technology has gradually matured and been widely used. Minimally invasive surgical robots generally include a master operation console and a slave operating device. The master operation console is used to send control commands to the slave operating device according to the doctor's operation to control the slave operating device, and the slave operating device is used to respond to the control commands sent by the master operation console and perform corresponding surgical operations.

[0004] A surgical instrument that can be detachably connected to the slave operating device is connected to the slave operating device. The surgical instrument includes a driving device and an end effector for performing surgery. The driving device is used to connect the surgical instrument to the slave operating device and receive the driving force from the slave operating device to drive the end effector to move. The driving device is connected to the end effector through a driving cable, and the driving device manipulates the movement of the end effector through the driving cable. The end effector generally includes three degrees of freedom of movement, namely opening and closing, pitching movement, and yaw movement. Some end effectors also have a rotation movement. In the current technology, the yaw and opening and closing movements of the end effector are controlled by a set of driving cables, while the pitching movement of the end effector is controlled by another set of driving cables.

[0005] However, the yaw, opening and closing, and pitching movements of the end effector are controlled by two different sets of driving cables, which increases the complexity of the structure of the end effector, and thus is not conducive to making the volume of the end effector smaller. The smaller the volume of the end effector, the more application scenarios the end effector can adapt to. For example, the end effector can enter a smaller human body cavity or make the surgical incision smaller. However, the driving device of the existing end effector at present cannot manipulate the same set of driving cables to control the opening and closing, yaw, and opening and closing movements of the end effector. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Based on this, to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a surgical instrument that can manipulate the opening and closing, yaw, and pitching movements of the end effector through the same set of driving cables. The present invention also includes a slave operating device using the surgical instrument and a surgical robot having the slave operating device. The surgical instrument includes:

[0007] An end effector and a driving device for driving the end effector to move, characterized in that the driving device comprises:

[0008] A first pair of cables and a second pair of cables, one ends of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are connected to the end effector, and the other ends of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are connected to the driving device. The first pair of cables and the second pair of cables cooperate to drive the yaw and pitch movements of the end effector;

[0009] A driving unit and a pitching mechanism, the pitching mechanism is connected to the driving unit. The first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are guided by the guiding parts of the pitching mechanism and then connected to the end effector. The driving unit is used to drive the pitching mechanism to move so as to increase the length of one of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables in the driving device and reduce the length of the other of them in the driving device, so that the driving unit drives the end effector to perform a pitching movement.

[0010] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving unit is used to drive the pitching mechanism to move linearly to change the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables in the driving device.

[0011] Preferably, the above-mentioned pitching mechanism comprises a carriage, and the guiding parts include a first guiding part and a second guiding part respectively arranged at both ends of the carriage. The first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are respectively guided by the first guiding part and the second guiding part and then extend to the end effector. The driving unit drives the carriage to move to change the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables in the driving device.

[0012] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving device further comprises a first guiding wheel. The first pair of cables are first guided by the first guiding wheel, then guided by the first guiding part, and then extend to the end effector. The part of the first pair of cables between the first guiding wheel and the first guiding part is parallel to the moving direction of the pitching mechanism.

[0013] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving device further comprises a second guiding wheel. The second pair of cables are first guided by the second guiding wheel, then guided by the second guiding part, and then extend to the end effector. The part of the second pair of cables between the second guiding wheel and the second guiding part is parallel to the moving direction of the pitching mechanism.

[0014] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving device further comprises a third guiding wheel and a fourth guiding wheel. The first pair of cables are guided by the first guiding part and then guided by the third guiding wheel and then extend to the end effector. The third driving cable and the fourth driving cable are guided by the second guiding part and then guided by the fourth guiding wheel and then extend to the end effector.

[0015] Preferably, the moving direction of the above-mentioned pitching mechanism is parallel to the part of the first pair of cables between the first guiding part and the third guiding wheel.

[0016] Preferably, the moving direction of the above-mentioned pitching mechanism is parallel to the part of the second pair of cables between the second guiding part and the fourth guiding wheel.

[0017] Preferably, the rotation axis of the above-mentioned third guiding wheel is parallel to the rotation axis of the fourth guiding wheel, and the rotation axis of the third guiding wheel is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the first guiding wheel or the second guiding wheel.

[0018] Preferably, the part of the above-mentioned first driving cable and the second driving cable between the first guiding part and the third guiding wheel is symmetric about the first plane, and the first plane passes through the center of the third guiding wheel and is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the third guiding wheel.

[0019] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving unit and the pitching mechanism are connected by a first pitching driving cable and a second pitching driving cable. One ends of the first pitching driving cable and the second pitching driving cable are wound around the third driving unit in opposite winding manners, and the other ends of the first pitching driving cable and the second pitching driving cable are respectively fixed at both ends of the pitching mechanism. The driving unit is used to drive the pitching mechanism to move through the first pitching driving cable and the second pitching driving cable.

[0020] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving unit rotates in the first direction to release the first pitching driving cable and take in the second pitching driving cable so as to make the pitching driving mechanism move, thereby reducing the length of the first pair of cables in the driving device and increasing the length of the second pair of cables in the driving device.

[0021] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving unit rotates in the second direction opposite to the first direction to take in the first pitching driving cable and release the second pitching driving cable so as to make the pitching driving mechanism move, thereby increasing the length of the first pair of cables in the driving device and reducing the length of the second pair of cables in the driving device.

[0022] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving unit and the pitching mechanism are connected by means of gear meshing.

[0023] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving unit has a cam structure, and the pitching mechanism is used to rotate to drive the cam structure to contact the carriage and drive the carriage to move.

[0024] Preferably, the above-mentioned driving device further includes a mounting seat and a body. The mounting seat is fixedly installed on the body, and the pitching mechanism is slidably arranged on the mounting seat.

[0025] Preferably, a first guiding wheel, a second guiding wheel, a third guiding wheel and a fourth guiding wheel are arranged on the above-mentioned mounting seat. First sliding rails and second sliding rails are respectively formed on both sides of the main body of the carriage. The first guiding wheel and the second guiding wheel are aligned, and the first sliding rail is slidably installed on the first guiding wheel and the second guiding wheel. The third guiding wheel and the fourth guiding wheel are aligned, and the second sliding rail is slidably installed on the third guiding wheel and the fourth guiding wheel.

[0026] Preferably, the slide has a first fixing hole and a first guide groove on one end, and the first guide groove is used to guide the first pitch driving cable to be fixed to the first fixing hole;

[0027] The other end of the slide has a second fixing hole and a second guide groove, and the second guide groove is used to guide the second pitch driving cable to be fixed in the second fixing hole.

[0028] Preferably, the first fixing hole and the second fixing hole are staggered with each other in the axial direction of the first guide wheel, and the first guide groove and the second guide groove are staggered with each other in the axial direction of the first guide wheel.

[0029] Preferably, the above-mentioned mounting seat also includes a first boss and a second boss arranged on the first boss, the first boss is used to connect the main body, the second boss has a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole, and the axles of the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel are respectively installed in the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole.

[0030] Preferably, the mounting seat further comprises a third boss, which is arranged on the first boss and has a third mounting hole and a fourth mounting hole, and the axles of the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel are respectively mounted in the third mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole.

[0031] Preferably, the driving device further comprises a fifth guide wheel, the first pitch driving cable is guided by the fifth guide wheel and then extends to be fixed in the first fixing hole, and the second pitch driving cable is guided by the fifth guide wheel and then extends to be fixed in the second fixing hole.

[0032] Preferably, the third guide wheel and the fifth guide wheel are coaxially arranged.

[0033] Preferably, the mounting seat further comprises a fourth boss, the fourth boss is arranged on the first boss, the fourth boss has a fifth mounting hole, and the axle of the fifth guide wheel is mounted in the fifth mounting hole.

[0034] Preferably, the mounting seat comprises a fifth boss for mounting the fourth guide wheel, and the fifth boss is arranged on the first boss.

[0035] Preferably, the mounting seat further comprises a sixth boss opposite to the third boss, and a mounting groove for mounting the third guide wheel and the fourth guide wheel is provided between the sixth boss and the third boss.

[0036] Preferably, the slide has an opening for accommodating the third boss and the sixth boss, and the edge of the opening is used to abut against the third boss or the sixth boss to prevent the slide from sliding when the slide slides to the first position.

[0037] A slave operating device includes a robotic arm and the above-mentioned surgical instrument. The surgical instrument is installed on the robotic arm, and the robotic arm is used to manipulate the movement of the surgical instrument.

[0038] A surgical robot includes a master operation console and the above-mentioned slave operating device. The slave operating device performs corresponding operations according to the instructions of the master operation console.

[0039] The driving device of the surgical instrument of the present invention only adds a pitching mechanism compared with the existing driving device, and thus uses three driving units to manipulate a set of driving cables to control the opening and closing, yaw, and pitching movements of the end effector. No additional driving unit is added. Moreover, during the process of manipulating the pitching movement of the end effector, the pitching mechanism of the present invention always moves in a straight line, and the length change of the driving cable in the driving device caused is also linear, which can simply and accurately control the pitching movement of the end effector. Description of the Drawings

[0040] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the slave operating device of the surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the master operation console of the surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the robotic arm of the slave operating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figures 5A - 5G It is a schematic structural diagram of the end effector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 6A It is a perspective view of the first bracket of the end effector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 6B It is a top view of the first bracket of the end effector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 7 It is a top view of the first bracket of the end effector according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figures 8A - 8C It is a pitching view of the driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 9A For Figure 8A An enlarged schematic view of the first guiding portion and the first guiding wheel portion in the shown embodiment;

[0050] Figure 9B The Figure 8A enlarged schematic view of the first guiding portion and the third guiding wheel portion of the embodiment shown;

[0051] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of a driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of a driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 12A Schematic structural diagram of a driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 12B The Figure 12A top view of the embodiment shown;

[0055] Figure 12C The Figure 12A exploded view of the pitching mechanism and the installation of the embodiment shown;

[0056] Figure 12D The Figure 12A stereogram of the carriage of the pitching mechanism of the embodiment shown;

[0057] Figure 12E The Figure 12A state diagram of the driving device of the embodiment shown for manipulating the end effector to pitch. Detailed implementation manners

[0058] For the convenience of understanding the present invention, the present invention will be described more comprehensively below with reference to the relevant drawings. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention can be understood more thoroughly and comprehensively.

[0059] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can also be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation manner. The terms "distal end" and "proximal end" used herein are orientation terms, which are common terms in the field of interventional medical devices. Among them, the "distal end" represents the end far from the operator during the operation, and the "proximal end" represents the end close to the operator during the operation.

[0060] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art of the present invention. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0061] Minimally invasive surgical robots generally include slave operating equipment and a main operating console. Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a slave operating device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 The main operation console 200 of an embodiment of the present invention is a main operation console 200. The surgeon performs relevant control operations on the slave operation device 100 on the main operation console 200, and the slave operation device 100 performs surgical operations on the human body according to the input instructions of the main operation console 200. The main operation console 200 and the slave operation device 100 can be placed in the same operating room, or in different rooms, and even the main operation console 200 and the slave operation device 100 can be far apart. For example, the main operation console 200 and the slave operation device 100 are respectively located in different cities. The main operation console 200 and the slave operation device 100 can transmit data by wire or by wireless. For example, the main operation console 200 and the slave operation device 100 are located in the same operating room, and data is transmitted between the two by wire. For example, the main operation console 200 and the slave operation device 100 are respectively located in different cities, and long-distance data transmission is performed between the two through 5G wireless signals.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, the slave operation device 100 includes multiple robotic arms 110, each of which includes multiple joints and a robotic arm 130. The multiple joints are linked to achieve multiple degrees of freedom of movement of the robotic arm 130. The robotic arm 130 is equipped with a surgical instrument 120 for performing a surgical operation. The surgical instrument 120 passes through a trocar 140 fixed at the distal end of the robotic arm 130 and enters the human body. The robotic arm 110 is used to manipulate the movement of the surgical instrument 120 to perform the operation. The surgical instrument 120 is detachably mounted on the robotic arm 130, so that different types of surgical instruments 120 can be replaced at any time or the surgical instrument 120 can be removed to rinse or sterilize the surgical instrument 120. Figure 3 As shown, the surgical arm 130 includes a surgical arm body 131 and an instrument mounting frame 132 . The instrument mounting frame 132 is used to mount the surgical instrument 120 . The instrument mounting frame 132 can slide on the surgical arm body 131 , thereby driving the surgical instrument 120 to advance or retreat along the surgical arm body 131 .

[0063] like Figure 4As shown, the surgical instrument 120 includes a drive device 170 at the proximal end of the surgical instrument 120 and an end effector 150 at the distal end, as well as a long shaft 160 located between the drive device 170 and the end effector 150. The drive device 170 is used to connect to the instrument mounting bracket 132 of the instrument holding arm 130. There are multiple actuators (not shown in the figure) in the instrument mounting bracket 132. The multiple actuators engage with the drive device 170 to transmit the driving force of the actuators to the drive device 170. The long shaft 160 is used to connect the drive device 170 and the end instrument 150. The long shaft 160 is hollow to allow the drive cable to pass through. The drive device 170 manipulates the movement of the end effector 150 through the drive cable so that the end effector 150 performs relevant surgical operations.

[0064] Figures 5A - 5D The following is a schematic structural diagram of the end effector 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As Figure 5A shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the end effector 150 includes a first bracket 210 and a second bracket 310. The distal end of the first bracket 210 has a first support pillar 211 and a second support pillar 212. The proximal end of the first bracket 210 has a first base frame 213. One end of the base frame 213 is connected to the long shaft 160. The other end of the first base frame 213 extends towards the distal end of the end effector 150 to form the first support pillar 211 and the second support pillar 212. The first support pillar 211, the second support pillar 212, and the first base frame 213 form a structure similar to a U-shaped clip.

[0065] A first pin 214 and a second pin 215 are arranged between the first support pillar 211 and the second support pillar 212. One end of the first pin 214 is fixedly connected to the first support pillar 211, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second support pillar 212. Similarly, one end of the second pin 215 is fixedly connected to the first support pillar 314, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second support pillar 212. The first pin 214 and the second pin 215 are arranged side by side on the first support pillar 211 and the second support pillar 212, and the first pin 214 is closer to the base frame 213 of the first bracket 210 than the second pin 215.

[0066] A first set of pulley groups is provided on the first pin 214. The first set of pulley groups includes a first pulley 221, a second pulley 222, a third pulley 223, and a fourth pulley 224 that are sequentially arranged on the first pin 214. A second set of pulley groups is provided on the second pin 215. The second set of pulley groups includes a fifth pulley 225, a sixth pulley 226, a seventh pulley 227, and an eighth pulley 228 that are sequentially arranged on the second pin 215. The first pulley 211 to the eighth pulley 218 are all used to guide the drive cable. Since the pulleys for guiding the drive cable are all arranged on the first bracket 210 and there are no pulleys on the second bracket 310, the volume of the second bracket 310 can be made smaller, making the volume of the end effector 150 smaller, and there is no risk of pulley detachment.

[0067] The second bracket 310 is provided with a third support column 311, a fourth support column 312, and a second base frame 314. The third support column 311 and the fourth support column 312 extend from the second base frame 314 along the distal end of the end effector 150. The third support column 311, the fourth support column 312, and the second base frame 314 form a shape of a substantially U-shaped frame. The second base frame 314 of the second bracket 310 is installed on the first bracket 210 through the second pin 312. The second bracket 310 can rotate around the axis AA' passing through the second pin 215 to achieve the pitching motion of the end effector 150.

[0068] A third pin 313 is provided between the third support column 311 and the fourth support column 312 of the second bracket 310. One end of the third pin 313 is fixedly connected to the third support column 311 and the other end is fixedly connected to the fourth support column 312. The clamping part 410 of the end effector 150 includes a first clamping part 411 and a second clamping part 412. The first clamping part 411 and the second clamping part 412 are rotatably arranged on the second bracket 310 through the third pin 313. The first clamping part 411 and the second clamping part 412 can rotate around the axis BB' passing through the third pin 313 to achieve the opening and closing and / or yaw motion of the end effector 150. The first clamping part 411 and the second clamping part 412 can be pliers for clamping tissue, or a stapler for suturing, or a cautery for electrocautery, etc.

[0069] As Figures 5A - 5D shown, Figure 5A the direction identifiers in are for facilitating the description of the winding method of the drive cable on the end effector 150. The distal end and the proximal end in the identifiers refer to the distal end and the proximal end directions of the end effector 150. The front, back, left, and right refer to the front direction, the back direction, the left direction, and the right direction of the end effector 150 from the perspective of Figure 5A the perspective. Although there are no direction identifiers in other figures, it can be based on Figure 5AIt is relatively easy to derive the direction of the end effector 150. The drive cables provided on the end effector 150 include a first pair of cables and a second pair of cables for manipulating the pitching, opening / closing, and yawing motions of the end effector 150. The first pair of cables includes a first drive cable 151A and a second drive cable 151B, and the second pair of cables includes a third drive cable 152A and a fourth drive cable 152B. The first pair of cables and the second pair of cables cooperate to achieve the three-degree-of-freedom motions of pitching, opening / closing, and yawing of the end effector 150.

[0070] On one side of the end effector 150, the winding manner of the first drive cable 151A on the first set of pulleys and the second set of pulleys is the same as that of the second drive cable 151B on the first set of pulleys and the second set of pulleys, and the winding manner of the third drive cable 152A on the first set of pulleys and the second set of pulleys is the same as that of the fourth drive cable 152B on the first set of pulleys and the second set of pulleys. Specifically, as Figure 5C shown, the proximal end of the first drive cable 151A is connected to the drive unit within the drive device 170. The distal end of the first drive cable 151A is guided forward by the first pulley 221 and then continues to extend towards the distal end of the end effector 150. After being guided rearward by the fifth pulley 225, it continues to extend along the distal end of the end instrument 150 and is finally installed on the first clamping portion 411. The second drive cable 151B is guided forward by the fourth pulley 224 and then continues to extend towards the distal end of the end effector 150. After being guided rearward by the eighth pulley 228, it continues to extend towards the distal end of the end effector 150 and is finally installed on the first clamping portion 411. The distal end of the third drive cable 152A is guided rearward by the second pulley 222 and then continues to extend towards the distal end of the end effector 150. After being guided forward by the sixth pulley 226, it continues to extend towards the distal end of the end instrument 150 and is finally installed on the second clamping portion 412. The distal end of the fourth drive cable 152B is guided rearward by the third pulley 223 and then continues to extend towards the distal end of the end effector 150. After being guided forward by the seventh pulley 217, it continues to extend towards the distal end of the end instrument 150 and is finally installed on the second clamping portion 412.

[0071] The distal ends of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables respectively have a first mounting portion 151C and a second mounting portion 152C. The first clamping portion 411 and the second clamping portion 412 respectively have a first mounting cavity 411A and a second mounting cavity 412A. The first mounting cavity 411A and the second mounting cavity 412A are used to accommodate the first mounting portion 151C and the second mounting portion 152C to respectively install the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables onto the first clamping portion 411 and the second clamping portion 412.

[0072] The first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B cooperate to manipulate the first clamping part 411 to rotate around the axis BB' of the third pin 313, and the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B cooperate to manipulate the second clamping part 412 to rotate around the axis BB' of the third pin 313. Furthermore, the first drive cable 151A, the second drive cable 151B, the third drive cable 152A, and the fourth drive cable 152B cooperate to manipulate the first clamping part 411 and the second clamping part 412 to achieve the opening and closing and / or yaw movement of the end effector 150.

[0073] In addition, the first drive cable 151A, the second drive cable 151B, the third drive cable 152A, and the fourth drive cable 152B cooperate to manipulate the clamping part 410 and the second bracket 310 to rotate around the axis AA' of the second pin 215 to achieve the pitch movement of the end effector 150.

[0074] Specifically, as Figures 5C - 5F shown, when the drive mechanism 170 pulls in the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B and simultaneously releases the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B, the ends of the first pair of cables give a moment in the forward direction to the first clamping part 411, thereby driving the clamping part 410 and the second bracket 310 to rotate counterclockwise around the axis AA' of the second pin 215, and the end effector 150 performs the pitch movement shown in FIG. 5D; when the drive mechanism 170 pulls in the second drive cable 151B and the fourth drive cable 152B and simultaneously releases the first drive cable 151A and the third drive cable 152A, the clamping part 410 rotates clockwise around the axis BB' of the third pin 313, and the end effector 150 performs Figure 5E the yaw movement in the shown direction; when the drive device 170 pulls in the first drive cable 151A and the fourth drive cable 152B and simultaneously releases the second drive cable 151B and the third drive cable 152A, the first clamping part 411 rotates counterclockwise around the axis BB' of the third pin 313, and the second clamping part 412 rotates clockwise around the axis BB' of the third pin 313, and the end effector 150 performs Figure 5F the movement of the opening of the clamping part 410 shown. The above pitch, yaw, and opening and closing movements of the end effector 150 can also be performed simultaneously, as Figure 5G shown for the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables cooperating to manipulate the end effector 150 to perform pitch, yaw, and opening and closing movements simultaneously. It can be understood that when the movement direction of the drive cable is opposite to the above direction, the pitch, yaw, and opening and closing directions of the end effector 150 are opposite to the above directions, which will not be elaborated here.

[0075] Compared with the existing end effector, the end effector 150 of the present invention does not have a dedicated drive cable for manipulating the pitching motion of the end effector 150. Instead, the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables for manipulating the yaw and / or opening / closing motion of the end effector 150 are used to achieve the pitching motion of the end effector 150. Since there is no dedicated drive cable for manipulating the pitching motion of the end effector, the number of drive cables of the entire surgical instrument can be reduced, making the end effector 150 smaller in volume, simpler in structure, and more convenient for assembly. Specifically, after the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are wound in the above-mentioned winding manner, as Figures 5C - 5G shown, regardless of how the end effector 150 moves, the portion of the first pair of cables between the second pulley set and the first clamping portion 411 and the portion of the second pair of cables between the second pulley set and the second clamping portion 412 are located on both sides of the first plane M passing through the axis AA' of the second pin 215 and perpendicular to the axis BB' of the third pin 313. The portion of the first pair of cables between the second pulley set and the first clamping portion 411 and the portion of the second pair of cables between the second pulley set and the second clamping portion 412 do not include the portions where the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are wound around the second pulley set. As Figure 5C shown, the portion of the first pair of cables between the second pulley set and the first clamping portion 411 includes the portion 151A' of the first drive cable 151A between the fifth pulley 225 and the first clamping portion 411 and the portion 151B' of the second drive cable 151B between the eighth pulley 228 and the first clamping portion 411. The portion of the second pair of cables between the second pulley set and the second clamping portion 412 includes the component 152A' of the third drive cable 152A between the sixth pulley 226 and the second clamping portion 412 and the component 152B' of the fourth drive cable 152B between the seventh pulley 227 and the second clamping portion 412.

[0076] Therefore, when the drive device 170 simultaneously pulls in the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B of the second pair of cables and releases the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B of the first pair of cables, the second clamping portion 412 is pushed by the torque of the second pair of cables and rotates counterclockwise around the axis AA' of the second pin 215, and the end effector 150 performs the Figure 5D pitching motion shown. Conversely, when the drive device 170 pulls in the first pair of cables and releases the second pair of cables, the first clamping portion 411 is pushed by the torque of the first pair of cables and rotates clockwise around the axis AA' of the second pin 215, and the pitching motion of the end effector 150 is the same as that in Figure 5DOn the contrary, as shown. Moreover, no matter how the end effector 150 pitches, the portions of the first pair of cables between the second pulley set and the first clamping portion 411 and the portions of the second pair of cables between the second pulley set and the second clamping portion 412 are always on both sides of the first plane M. Therefore, no matter what position the end effector 150 is in, simultaneously pulling the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B can make the end effector 150 be subjected to a moment that drives it to rotate clockwise about the axis AA' and rotate clockwise about the axis AA'. Similarly, no matter what position the end effector 150 is in, simultaneously pulling the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B can make the end effector 150 be subjected to a moment that drives it to rotate counterclockwise about the axis AA' and rotate counterclockwise about the axis AA'.

[0077] At the proximal end of the end effector 150, the portions of the first pair of cables between the first pulley set and the first base 213 of the second bracket 210 and the portions of the second pair of cables between the first pulley set and the first base 213 are respectively on both sides of the second plane P passing through the axis of the first pin 214 and the axis AA' of the second pin 215. The portions of the first pair of cables between the first pulley set and the first base 213 of the second bracket 210 and the portions of the second pair of cables between the first pulley set and the first base 213 do not include the portions wound around the first pulley set. In other embodiments, if the first pin 214 and the second pin 215 are not parallel, the second plane P refers to the plane passing through the rotation axis AA' of the pitching motion of the end effector 150 and perpendicular to the end face of the distal end of the first base 213.

[0078] As Figure 6A And 6B , through holes for the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables to pass through are provided on the first base 213. Specifically, the first base 213 has a first through hole 213A for the first drive cable 151A to pass through, a second through hole 213B for the second drive cable 151B to pass through, a third through hole 213C for the third drive cable 152A to pass through, and a fourth through hole 213D for the fourth drive cable 152B to pass through. The first through hole 213A and the second through hole 213B are on the same side of the plane P, and the third through hole 213C and the fourth through hole 213D are on the other side of the plane P. In this way, the portions of the first pair of cables between the first pulley set and the first base 213 and the portions of the second pair of cables between the first pulley set and the first base 213 can be respectively on both sides of the second plane P.

[0079] The straight line passing through the center of the first through hole 213A and the center of the second through hole 213B is parallel to the straight line passing through the center of the third through hole 213C and the center of the fourth through hole 213D. As Figure 6BThe connecting lines of the centers of the first through hole 213A, the second through hole 213B, the third through hole 213C, and the fourth through hole 213D shown form a trapezoid. Another embodiment is as follows Figure 7 As shown, the connecting lines of the centers of the first through hole 223A, the second through hole 223B, the third through hole 223C, and the fourth through hole 223D on the first interval 220 form a parallelogram. The proximal ends of the first pair of cable ropes and the second pair of cable ropes pass through the through holes on the first brackets 210 and 220 and then enter the long shaft 160 and are finally fixed to the driving device 170. In this way, the driving cable ropes can pass straight through the first chassis 213 and extend to the first pulley set, and the transmission efficiency of the driving cable ropes is the highest.

[0080] Since the proximal ends of the first driving cable rope 151A and the second driving cable rope 151B of the first pair of cable ropes and the third driving cable rope 152A and the fourth driving cable rope 152B of the second pair of cable ropes are all wound on the driving unit in the driving device 170, and the driving unit can only perform rotational motion to retract or release the first driving cable rope 151A, the second driving cable rope 151B, the third driving cable rope 152A, and the fourth driving cable rope 152B. However, since the driving unit cannot translate, it cannot retract the first driving cable rope 151A and the second driving cable rope 151B simultaneously, or release the first driving cable rope 151A and the second driving cable rope 151B simultaneously. Similarly, the driving unit also cannot retract the third driving cable rope 152A and the fourth driving cable rope 152B simultaneously, or release the third driving cable rope 152A and the fourth driving cable rope 152B simultaneously. The pitching motion of the end effector 150 is achieved by retracting the first driving cable rope 151A and the second driving cable rope 151B simultaneously, or retracting the third driving cable rope 152A and the fourth driving cable rope 152B simultaneously. Therefore, the existing driving device is no longer applicable to drive the end effector 150 of the present invention. Thus, the present invention also proposes a driving device that can drive the end effector 150 of the present invention. It can be understood that the driving device of the present invention can not only be applicable to the end effector 150 of the present invention, but also be applicable to other end effectors with different structures from the end effector 150 of the present invention but the same principle.

[0081] The driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention is as follows Figure 8AAs shown, the drive device 170 includes a first drive unit 171, a second drive unit 172, a third drive unit 173, and a fourth drive unit 174. The proximal ends of the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B of the first pair of cables are wound around the first drive unit 171 in opposite ways. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 171A of the first drive unit 171 rotates, it drives the first drive unit 171 to retract / release the first drive cable 151A or the second drive cable 151B, so that the first clamping portion 411 rotates around the axis BB' of the third pin 313. The proximal ends of the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B of the second pair of cables are wound around the second drive unit 172 in opposite ways. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 172A of the second drive unit 172 rotates, it drives the second drive unit 172 to retract / release the third drive cable 152A or the fourth drive cable 152B, so that the second clamping portion 412 rotates around the axis BB' of the third pin 313. The rotation of the first drive unit 171 and the second drive unit 172 drives the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables to cooperate to achieve the opening / closing and / or yaw movement of the end effector 150. One end of the seventh drive cable 154A and the eighth drive cable 154B of the fourth pair of cables are wound around the fourth drive unit 174 in opposite ways, and the other end is wound around the long shaft 160. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 174A of the fourth drive unit 174 rotates, it drives the fourth drive unit 174 to retract / release the seventh drive cable 154A or the eighth drive cable 154B, thereby driving the rolling of the long shaft 160.

[0082] The drive device further includes a pitching mechanism, a third drive unit, and a third pair of cables. One end of the first pitching drive cable 153A and the second pitching drive cable 153B of the third pair of cables are wound around the third drive unit 173 in opposite ways. The other ends of the first pitching drive cable 153A and the second pitching drive cable 153B are connected to the pitching mechanism 175. The third drive unit 173, the first pair of cables, the second pair of cables, the third pair of cables, and the pitching mechanism 175 cooperate together to achieve the pitching movement of the end effector 150.

[0083] The following details how the driving device 170 realizes the pitching motion of the end effector 150. The pitching mechanism 175 includes a carriage 1751 and a first guiding portion 1752 and a second guiding portion 1753 provided at both ends of the carriage 1751. The driving device 170 further has a first guiding wheel 176A, a second guiding wheel 176B, a third guiding wheel 176C, and a fourth guiding wheel 176D. The first driving cable 151A and the second driving cable 151B enter the long shaft 160 after being guided by the first guiding wheel 176A, then guided by the first guiding portion 1752, and finally guided by the third guiding wheel 176C, and extend along the distal end of the surgical instrument 120 and are finally mounted on the end effector 150. Similarly, the third driving cable 152A and the fourth driving cable 152B enter the long shaft 160 after being guided by the second guiding wheel 176B, then guided by the second guiding portion 1753, and finally guided by the fourth guiding wheel 176D, and extend along the distal end of the surgical instrument 120 and are finally mounted on the second clamping portion 412 of the end effector 150.

[0084] The pitching mechanism 175 can slide relative to the housing 177 of the driving mechanism 170 driven by the third driving unit 173. Specifically, when the third driving unit 173 rotates, it retracts and pulls the first pitching driving cable 153A and simultaneously releases the second pitching driving cable 153B, or releases the first pitching driving cable 153A and simultaneously retracts and pulls the second pitching driving cable 153B, thereby pulling the pitching mechanism 175 to move within the driving device 170. Since the first pair of cables is wound around a part of the first guiding portion 1752 and the second pair of cables is wound around a part of the second guiding portion 1753, when the pitching mechanism 175 is pulled to move, it will cause the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables to change within the driving device 170, thereby realizing the pitching motion of the end effector 150.

[0085] As Figure 8BAs shown, when the third drive unit 173 rotates counterclockwise (the first direction), the third drive unit 173 pulls in the first pitch drive cable 153A and simultaneously releases the second pitch drive cable 153B, thereby pulling the pitch mechanism 175 to move in the A direction. Since the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B are wound around the first guide portion 1752, when the pitch mechanism 175 is pulled to move in the A direction, the first guide portion 1752 drives the lengths of the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B in the drive device 170 to increase simultaneously, and the increased lengths of both are the same. At the same time, since the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B are wound around the second guide portion 1753, when the pitch mechanism 175 is pulled to move in the A direction, the second guide portion 1753 drives the lengths of the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B in the drive device 170 to decrease simultaneously, and the decreased lengths of both are the same. At this time, it is equivalent to the pitch mechanism 175 pulling in the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B simultaneously, and simultaneously releasing the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B. At this time, the end effector 150 performs a pitch movement in the opposite direction to Figure 5D shown. Conversely, as Figure 8C shown, when the third drive unit 173 rotates clockwise (the second direction), the third drive unit drives the pitch mechanism 175 to move in the B direction. At this time, the first guide portion 1752 drives the lengths of the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B in the drive device to decrease simultaneously, and the second guide portion 1753 drives the lengths of the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B in the drive device to increase simultaneously. Reflected on the end effector 150, relative to the drive device 170, the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B are simultaneously released, and the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B are simultaneously pulled in. At this time, the drive device 170 drives the end effector 150 to perform a pitch movement as Figure 5D shown.

[0086] In order to enable the pitching mechanism 175 to precisely control the pitching motion of the end effector 150, the third drive unit 173 drives the pitching mechanism 175 to always move in a straight line, and ensures that the length changes of the first drive cable 151A to the fourth drive cable 152B within the drive device 170 caused by the movement of the pitching mechanism 175 are always linear changes. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8B, after being redirected by the fifth guide pulley 176E, the first pitching drive cable 153A extends along the movement direction of the pitching mechanism 175 and is fixed to one end of the pitching mechanism. Similarly, after being redirected by the fifth guide pulley 176E, the second pitching drive cable 153B extends along the movement direction of the pitching mechanism 175 and is fixed to the other end of the pitching mechanism 175. This makes the portion of the first pitching drive cable 153A between the fifth guide pulley 176E and the first guide portion 1752 parallel to the movement direction of the pitching mechanism 175. Similarly, the portion of the second pitching drive cable 153B between the sixth guide pulley 176F and the second guide portion 1753 is also parallel to the movement direction of the pitching mechanism 175. Therefore, during the pitching motion of the end effector 150, the third drive unit 173 will cause the drive mechanism 175 to always move in a straight line through the first pitching drive cable 153A and the second pitching drive cable 153B. The linear velocity of the pitching mechanism 175 moving in a straight line is in a proportional relationship with the rotational linear velocity of the third drive unit 173, which can make the control of the pitching motion more precise.

[0087] In addition, the first guide pulley 176A to the sixth guide pulley 176F, the first guide portion 1752, and the second guide portion 1753 all have a structure with two side-by-side pulleys for guiding two drive cables. As Figure 9A shown, the axes of the first guide pulley 176A and the first guide portion 1752 are parallel, the third guide pulley 176C is parallel to the axes of the first guide pulley 176A and the first guide portion 1752. The two pulleys of the first guide pulley 176A and the third guide pulley 1762 are respectively used to guide the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B. After being guided by the first guide pulley 176A, the first drive cable 151A forms a first partial cable 151Aa between the first guide pulley 176A and the first guide portion 1752, and the second drive cable 151B forms a second partial cable 151Ba between the first guide pulley 176A and the first guide portion 1752. The first partial cable 151Aa and the second partial cable 151Ba do not include the portions wound around the pulleys. Among them, both the first partial cable 151Aa and the second partial cable 151Ba are parallel to the movement direction of the pitching mechanism 175. Therefore, when the pitching mechanism 175 moves in a straight line under the drive of the third drive unit 173, the length changes of the first partial cable 151Aa and the second partial cable 151Ba are always linear.

[0088] As shown Figure 9B in the figure, a third part of the cable 151Ab is formed between the first guiding portion 1752 and the third guide pulley 176C of the first driving cable 151A, and a fourth part of the cable 151Bb is formed between the first guiding portion 1752 and the third guide pulley 176C of the second driving cable 151B. The third part of the cable 151Ab and the fourth part of the cable 151Bb are symmetric with respect to the central plane H1 of the third guide pulley 176C. The central plane H1 refers to a straight line located in the middle of two side-by-side pulleys of the third guide pulley 176C and perpendicular to the axis c1 of the third guide pulley 176C. Similarly, the third part of the cable 151Ab and the fourth part of the cable 151Bb do not include the parts wound around the pulleys. The angles between the third part of the cable 151Ab and the fourth part of the cable 151Bb and the center line H1 are both θ, and the angle θ is small enough so that the lengths of the third part of the cable 151Ab and the fourth part of the cable 151Bb are almost equal to the distance of the shortest straight line between the first guiding portion 1752 and the third guide 176C on the central plane H1. Therefore, the third part of the cable 151Ab and the fourth part of the cable 151Bb are also substantially parallel to the moving direction of the pitching mechanism 175. Therefore, during the pitching of the end effector 150, the moving speed of the pitching mechanism 175 is in a proportional relationship with the speed of the length change of any one of the driving cables from the first driving cable 151A to the fourth driving cable 152B in the driving device 170. As described above, the speed of the pitching mechanism 175 moving along a straight line is in a proportional relationship with the rotational linear speed of the third driving unit 173. Therefore, during the pitching movement of the end effector 150, the speed of the length change of any one of the driving cables from the first driving cable 151A to the fourth driving cable 152B in the driving device 170 is in a proportional relationship with the rotational linear speed of the third driving unit 173, so that the entire pitching movement of the end effector 150 will be precisely controllable. In this embodiment, the speed of the length change of any one of the driving cables from the first driving cable 151A to the fourth driving cable 152B in the driving device 170 is twice the rotational linear speed of the third driving unit 173.

[0089] Similarly, the parts of the third driving cable 152A and the fourth driving cable 152B of the second pair of cables between the second guide pulley 176B, the second guiding portion 1753, and the fourth guide pulley 176D also have the same settings as the above-mentioned first pair of cables, which will not be elaborated here. Therefore, when the pitching mechanism 175 moves linearly under the drive of the third driving unit 173, the length changes of the third driving cable 152A and the fourth driving cable 152B are also substantially linear.

[0090] Since the pitching mechanism 175 moves in a linear motion, and the change amounts of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables within the driving device 170 caused by the movement of the pitching mechanism 175 are also linear, and the linear change rates of the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are the same. As Figure 8C shown, if the pitching mechanism 175 moves a distance of L / 2 along the B direction under the drive of the third drive unit 173 from the Figure 8A shown zero position, then the lengths of the first part 151Aa and the third part 151Ab of the first drive cable 151A both decrease by L / 2 respectively, and the lengths of the second part 151Ba and the fourth part 151Ab of the second drive cable 151B both decrease by L / 2 respectively. Therefore, the lengths of the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B within the driving device 170 both decrease by L respectively. Conversely, the lengths of the parts of the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B between the second guide pulley 176B and the second guide part 1753 and between the second guide part 1753 and the fourth guide pulley 176D both increase by L / 2 respectively. Therefore, the lengths of the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B within the driving device 170 increase by L. At the same time, due to the movement of the pitching mechanism 175, changes occur to the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables on the end effector 150. Returning to Figure 5C and 5D , the driving mechanism 175 simultaneously pulls in the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B and simultaneously releases the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B, causing the wrap angle length of the first drive cable 151A on the fifth pulley 225 to increase by L, the wrap angle length of the second drive cable on the eighth pulley 228 to increase by L, the wrap angle length of the third drive cable 152A on the sixth pulley 226 to decrease by L, and the wrap angle length of the fourth drive cable 152B on the seventh pulley 227 to decrease by L, enabling the end effector 150 to perform the pitching motion as Figure 5D shown. Conversely, when the third drive unit 173 rotates counterclockwise, it pulls the pitching mechanism 175 to move along the A direction, causing the driving mechanism 175 to simultaneously pull in the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B and simultaneously release the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B, resulting in the wrap angle length of the first drive cable 151A on the fifth pulley 225 decreasing by L, the wrap angle length of the second drive cable on the eighth pulley 228 decreasing by L, the wrap angle length of the third drive cable 152A on the sixth pulley 226 increasing by L, and the wrap angle length of the fourth drive cable 152B on the seventh pulley 227 increasing by L, enabling the end effector 150 to perform a pitching motion in the opposite direction to Figure 5D shown.

[0091] Therefore, during the process that the pitching mechanism 175 manipulates the end effector 150 to perform pitching motion through the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables, the length change amount of the first pair of cables in the driving device is equal to that of the second pair of cables in the driving device, and the length change amount of the wrap angle length of the first pair of cables on the second set of pulleys is equal to that of the second pair of cables on the second set of pulleys. Thus, the pitching mechanism 175 accurately realizes the manipulation of the pitching motion of the end effector 150, and there will be no situation where the driving cables are slack after the end effector 150 performs pitching motion. Moreover, since the length changes of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables during the process of manipulating the pitching motion of the end effector 150 caused by the linear motion of the pitching mechanism 175 are linear, the pitching motion position of the end effector 150 can also be accurately calculated.

[0092] The driving device of another embodiment of the present invention is as Figure 10 shown. The driving device 270 is mostly the same as the driving device 170 in the previous embodiment. The difference is that the driving device 270 is increased with guide pulleys for guiding the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables, that is, the driving device 270 is increased with a seventh guide pulley 176G, an eighth guide pulley 176H, a ninth guide pulley 176I, and a tenth guide pulley 176J. The first driving cable 151A and the second driving cable 151B enter the long shaft 160 and extend to the end effector 150 after being guided by the first guide pulley 176A, the first guiding portion 1752, the third guide pulley 176C, the seventh guide pulley 176G, and the ninth guide pulley 176I in sequence. The third driving cable 152A and the fourth driving cable 152B enter the long shaft 160 and extend to the end effector 150 after being guided by the second guide pulley 176B, the second guiding portion 1753, the fourth guide pulley 176D, the eighth guide pulley 176H, and the tenth guide pulley 176J in sequence. Compared with the previous embodiment, the portions of the first driving cable 151A and the second driving cable 151B between the first guiding portion 1752 and the third guide pulley 176C, and the portions of the third driving cable 152A and the fourth driving cable 152B between the second guiding portion 1753 and 176D are parallel to the motion direction of the pitching mechanism 175, so that the error of the linear change of the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables in the driving device 270 caused by the movement of the pitching mechanism 175 is smaller than that of the previous embodiment.

[0093] The driving device of another embodiment of the present invention is as Figure 11As shown, the pitching mechanism 375 of the driving device 370 is connected to the third driving unit 373 in a gear meshing manner. Specifically, the pitching mechanism 375 of the driving device 370 has a carriage 3751. The two ends of the carriage 3751 are respectively connected to the first guiding portion 1752 and the second guiding portion 173. The body of the carriage 3751 has a rack structure. The third driving unit 372 has a gear structure meshing with the rack mechanism of the carriage 3751. When the third driving unit 373 rotates, the third driving unit 373 will drive the pitching mechanism to move linearly, thereby changing the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables within the driving device 370, so as to realize the pitching movement of the end effector 150. It can be understood that the third driving unit 373 and the pitching mechanism 375 can not only be meshed in a gear-rack manner. In some other embodiments, the third driving unit 373 and the pitching mechanism 375 can also be meshed in a manner of two gears. In some other embodiments, the third driving unit and the pitching mechanism can also be connected in a cam form, that is, the third driving unit includes a cam structure, and this cam structure abuts against the carriage of the pitching mechanism. When the third driving unit rotates, this cam structure will abut against the carriage of the pitching mechanism to push the pitching mechanism to move linearly.

[0094] Figures 12A - 12E The figure shows a driving device according to another embodiment of the present invention. The driving device 470 includes a body 479. A first driving unit 471, a second driving unit 472, a third driving unit 473, a fourth driving unit 474 and a pitching mechanism 475 are arranged on the body 479. The fourth driving unit 474 is used to drive the long shaft 160 to roll. The long shaft 160 is connected to the body 479 through bearings. The pitching mechanism 475 and the third driving unit 473 are connected through a pitching cable. The pitching mechanism 475 includes a carriage 4731 and a first guiding portion 4732 and a second guiding portion 4733 arranged at both ends of the carriage 4731. The carriage 4731 is slidably installed on the mounting seat 478. The mounting seat 478 is fixedly installed on the body 478. A first guiding wheel 477A, a second guiding wheel 477B, a third guiding wheel 477C and a fourth guiding wheel 477D for guiding the sliding of the carriage 4731 are arranged on the mounting seat 478. The first guiding wheel 477A, the second guiding wheel 477B, the third guiding wheel 477C and the fourth guiding wheel 477D form a sliding area for the carriage 4731 to slide therein, and the carriage 4731 is restricted to slide within this sliding area.

[0095] The proximal ends of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables for manipulating the pitching, yawing, and opening / closing movements of the end effector 150 are respectively wound around the first drive unit 471 and the second drive unit 472. The first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 451B of the first pair of cables pass through the first guide pulley 476A provided on the mounting base 478, then through the first guiding portion 4732, and finally through the third guide pulley 476C provided on the mounting base 478 and enter the long shaft 160, and extend all the way to the distal end of the long shaft 160 and are finally fixed to the first clamping portion 411 on the end effector 150. The third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B of the second pair of cables pass through the second guide pulley 476B provided on the mounting base, then through the second guiding portion 4733, and finally through the fourth guide pulley 476D provided on the mounting base 478 and enter the long shaft 160, and extend all the way to the distal end of the long shaft 160 and are finally fixed to the second clamping portion 412 of the end effector 150. The proximal end of the pitching cable for manipulating the pitching movement of the end effector 150 is wound around the third drive unit 473. The first pitching cable 153A and the second pitching cable 153B are connected to the carriage 4731 of the pitching mechanism 475 after passing through the fifth guide pulley 476E. The third drive unit 473 drives the carriage 4731 to move on the mounting base 478 through the first pitching cable 153A and the second pitching cable 153B.

[0096] The mounting base 478 includes a first boss 4781 for fixedly connecting to the body 479. The first boss 4781 is provided with a second boss 4782, a third boss 4783, a fourth boss 4784, and a fifth boss 4785. The second boss 4782 has a first mounting hole 4791 and a second mounting hole 4792. The first guide pulley 477A and the second guide pulley 477B are respectively mounted on the second boss 4782 through the second mounting hole 4792 and the first mounting hole 4791. The third boss 4783 has a third mounting hole 4793 and a fourth mounting hole 4794. The first guide pulley 476A and the second guide pulley 476B are respectively mounted on the third boss 4783 through the third mounting hole 4793 and the fourth mounting hole 4794. The fourth boss 4784 has a fifth mounting hole 4795. The third guide pulley 477C and the fifth guide pulley 476E located below the third guide pulley 477C are mounted in the fifth mounting hole 4795 through the same shaft. The fifth table surface 4775 has a seventh mounting hole 4797. The fourth guide pulley 477D is mounted on the fifth table surface 4775 through the seventh mounting hole. In order to keep the third guide pulley 477C and the fourth guide pulley 477D at the same height after being mounted on the mounting base 478, there is a certain height difference between the fourth boss 4784 and the fifth table surface 4785, and this height difference is approximately equal to the height of the fifth guide pulley 476E.

[0097] The mounting base 478 also has a sixth boss 4786 opposite to the third boss 4783. There is a mounting groove 4796 and a wire passing hole 4787 between the sixth boss 4786 and the third boss 4783. The third guide wheel 476C and the fourth guide wheel 476D are mounted on the mounting base 478 through the mounting groove 4796. The wire passing hole 4787 is located between the third guide wheel 476C and the fourth guide wheel 477D mounted on the mounting base 478. The wire passing hole 4775 communicates with the long shaft 160 for guiding the drive cable into the long shaft 160.

[0098] On both sides of the main body part of the carriage 4731 of the pitching mechanism 475, there are a first slide rail 4776A and a second slide rail 4776B. After the carriage 4731 is connected to the mounting base 478, the first slide rail 4776A is slidably mounted on the aligned first guide wheel 477A and the second guide wheel 477B, and the second slide rail 4776B is slidably mounted on the aligned third guide wheel 477C and the fourth guide wheel 477D. The first slide rail 4776 is restricted to slide within the sliding area formed by the first guide wheel 477A, the second guide wheel 477B, the third guide wheel 477C and the fourth guide wheel 477D. Both ends of the carriage 4731 respectively have a first mounting space 4777 and a second mounting space 4778. The first guiding part 4732 and the second guiding part 4733 are respectively mounted into the first mounting space 4777 and the second mounting space 4778. The carriage 4731 also has a central opening 4771 for accommodating the third boss 4783 and the sixth boss 4786. When the carriage 4731 slides to the extreme position, the inner side of the central opening 4771 will abut against the third boss 4783 and the sixth cam 4786, so that the third boss 4783 and the sixth boss 478 can limit the sliding stroke of the carriage 4731 within the sliding area on the mounting base 478.

[0099] One end of the carriage 4731 has a first guiding groove 4674 and a first fixing hole 4772, and the other end has a second guiding groove 4675 and a second fixing hole 4773. The first guiding groove 4784 is used to guide the first pitching drive cable 153A to be fixed into the first fixing hole 4772, and the second guiding groove 4775 is used to guide the second pitching drive cable 153B to be fixed into the second fixing hole 4773. The first guiding groove 4674 and the second guiding groove 4675 are staggered in the axial direction of the first guide wheel 476A, so that the first pitching drive cable 153A and the second pitching drive cable 153B can be fixed to the carriage 4731 without interfering with each other.

[0100] The process of the drive device 470 of this embodiment manipulating the pitching motion of the end effector 150 is as Figure 12EAs shown, when the actuator drive shaft 473A drives the third drive unit 473 to rotate in the first direction (counterclockwise), the third drive unit 473 pulls and retracts the second pitch drive cable 153B and simultaneously releases the first pitch drive cable 153A, so that the pitch mechanism 475 moves along the Figure 12E direction shown. If Figure 12E the pitch mechanism 475 in Figure 12B moves a distance of L / 2 relative to the zero position state of the pitch mechanism 475 in Figure 5D , then the lengths of the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B between the first guide portion 4732 and the first guide pulley 476A, and the lengths between the first guide portion 4732 and the third guide pulley 476C are both reduced by L / 2 respectively, so that the lengths of the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 151B within the drive device 470 are both reduced by L respectively. Correspondingly, the lengths of the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B between the second guide portion 4733 and the second guide pulley 476B, and the lengths between the second guide portion 4733 and the fourth guide pulley 476D are both increased by L / 2 respectively, so that the lengths of the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B within the drive device are both increased by L respectively. The changes in the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables on the end effector 150 caused by the movement of the pitch mechanism 475 are as shown in 5B. Relative to the drive mechanism 175 simultaneously pulling and retracting the third drive cable 152A and the fourth drive cable 152B and simultaneously releasing the first drive cable 151A and the second drive cable 152B, the wrap angle length of the third drive cable 152A on the sixth pulley 226 is reduced by L, the wrap angle length of the fourth drive cable 152B on the seventh pulley 227 is reduced by L, the wrap angle length of the first drive cable 151A on the fifth pulley 225 is increased by L, and the wrap angle length of the second drive cable on the eighth pulley 228 is increased by L, so that the end effector 150 performs the pitch movement as shown in Fig. 5D. When the third drive unit 473 rotates in the second direction (clockwise) opposite to the first direction, the movement direction of the pitch mechanism 475 is opposite to that when the third drive unit 473 rotates in the first direction. The specific intermediate process is opposite to that when the third drive unit 473 rotates in the first direction and will not be elaborated here. Thus, the third drive unit 473 manipulates the end effector 150 to perform a pitch movement in the direction opposite to that shown in

[0101] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation manners of the present invention. The description is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several modifications and improvements can still be made, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention patent shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising an end effector, a drive device, and a cable, the drive device being configured to drive the end effector to move through the cable. Characterized in that the cable comprises a first pair of cables and a second pair of cables, the distal ends of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are connected to the end effector, the proximal ends of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are connected to the drive device, the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables cooperate to drive the end effector to perform yaw and pitch movements, and the drive device comprises: a drive unit and a pitch mechanism, the pitch mechanism is connected to the drive unit, the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are guided by the guiding portion of the pitch mechanism and then connected to the end effector, the drive unit is used to drive the pitch mechanism to move to increase the length of one pair of cables in the drive device and decrease the length of the other pair of cables in the drive device, so that the drive unit drives the end effector to perform pitch movement; the drive device further comprises a mounting seat and a first guide wheel, a second guide wheel, a third guide wheel, and a fourth guide wheel mounted on the mounting seat, the rotation axis of the third guide wheel is parallel to the rotation axis of the fourth guide wheel, and the rotation axis of the third guide wheel is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the first guide wheel or the second guide wheel; the pitch mechanism comprises a carriage, the first guide wheel, the second guide wheel, the third guide wheel, and the fourth guide wheel are arranged in the central opening of the carriage, the first pair of cables are guided by the first guide wheel and then guided by the third guide wheel and extend from the central opening to the end effector, the second pair of cables are guided by the second guide wheel and then guided by the fourth guide wheel and extend from the central opening to the end effector, the central opening houses the third boss and the sixth boss of the mounting seat, and the edge of the central opening is used to abut against the third boss and the sixth boss when the carriage slides to the first position to prevent the carriage from sliding.

2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, Characterized in that the drive unit is used to drive the pitch mechanism to move linearly to change the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables in the drive device.

3. The surgical instrument according to claim 2, Characterized in that the pitch mechanism comprises a carriage, the guiding portion comprises a first guiding portion and a second guiding portion respectively arranged at both ends of the carriage, the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables are respectively guided by the first guiding portion and the second guiding portion and then extend to the end effector, and the drive unit drives the carriage to move to change the lengths of the first pair of cables and the second pair of cables in the drive device.

4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, Characterized in that the portion of the first pair of cables between the first guide wheel and the first guiding portion is parallel to the movement direction of the pitch mechanism.

5. The surgical instrument according to claim 4, It is characterized in that the portion of the second pair of cables between the second guide pulley and the second guiding portion is parallel to the moving direction of the pitching mechanism.

6. The surgical instrument according to claim 5, It is characterized in that the moving direction of the pitching mechanism is parallel to the portion of the first pair of cables between the first guiding portion and the third guide pulley.

7. The surgical instrument according to claim 6, It is characterized in that the moving direction of the pitching mechanism is parallel to the portion of the second pair of cables between the second guiding portion and the fourth guide pulley.

8. The surgical instrument according to claim 6, It is characterized in that the portion of the first pair of cables between the first guiding portion and the third guide pulley is symmetric about a first plane, and the first plane passes through the center of the third guide pulley and is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the third guide pulley.

9. The surgical instrument according to claim 5, It is characterized in that the driving unit is connected to the pitching mechanism through a first pitching driving cable and a second pitching driving cable. One ends of the first pitching driving cable and the second pitching driving cable are wound around the driving unit in opposite winding manners, and the other ends of the first pitching driving cable and the second pitching driving cable are respectively fixed at both ends of the pitching mechanism. The driving unit is used to drive the pitching mechanism to move through the first pitching driving cable and the second pitching driving cable.

10. The surgical instrument according to claim 9, It is characterized in that the driving unit rotates in a first direction to release the first pitching driving cable and take in the second pitching driving cable so as to make the pitching driving mechanism move, thereby reducing the length of the first pair of cables in the driving device and increasing the length of the second pair of cables in the driving device.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 10, It is characterized in that the driving unit rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction to take in the first pitching driving cable and release the second pitching driving cable so as to make the pitching driving mechanism move, thereby increasing the length of the first pair of cables in the driving device and reducing the length of the second pair of cables in the driving device.

12. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, It is characterized in that the driving unit is connected to the pitching mechanism in a manner of gear meshing.

13. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, It is characterized in that the driving unit has a cam structure, and the pitching mechanism is used to rotate to drive the cam structure to abut against the carriage to drive the carriage to move.

14. The surgical instrument according to claim 9, It is characterized in that the driving device further includes a mounting seat and a body. The mounting seat is fixedly installed on the body, and the pitching mechanism is slidably arranged on the mounting seat.

15. The surgical instrument according to claim 14, It is characterized in that The mounting base is provided with a first guide wheel, a second guide wheel, a third guide wheel and a fourth guide wheel. First slide rails and second slide rails are respectively formed on both sides of the main body of the carriage. The first guide wheel and the second guide wheel are aligned, and the first slide rail is slidably mounted on the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel. The third guide wheel and the fourth guide wheel are aligned, and the second slide rail is slidably mounted on the third guide wheel and the fourth guide wheel.

16. The surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein, one end of the carriage has a first fixing hole and a first guiding groove, and the first guiding groove is used for guiding the first pitching drive cable to be fixed into the first fixing hole; the other end of the carriage has a second fixing hole and a second guiding groove, and the second guiding groove is used for guiding the second pitching drive cable to be fixed into the second fixing hole.

17. The surgical instrument according to claim 16, wherein, the first fixing hole and the second fixing hole are axially offset from each other with respect to the first guiding wheel, and the first guiding groove and the second guiding groove are axially offset from each other with respect to the first guiding wheel.

18. The surgical instrument according to claim 17, wherein, the mounting base further includes a first boss and a second boss provided on the first boss. The first boss is used for connecting the main body. The second boss has a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole, and the axle shafts of the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel are respectively mounted in the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole.

19. The surgical instrument according to claim 18, wherein, a third boss is provided on the first boss. The third boss has a third mounting hole and a fourth mounting hole, and the axle shafts of the first guiding wheel and the second guiding wheel are respectively mounted in the third mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole.

20. The surgical instrument according to claim 19, wherein, the driving device further includes a fifth guiding wheel. The first pitching drive cable extends and is fixed into the first fixing hole after being guided by the fifth guiding wheel, and the second pitching drive cable extends and is fixed into the second fixing hole after being guided by the fifth guiding wheel.

21. The surgical instrument according to claim 20, wherein, the third guide wheel and the fifth guide wheel are coaxially arranged.

22. The surgical instrument according to claim 21, wherein, the mounting base further includes a fourth boss. The fourth boss is provided on the first boss. The fourth boss has a fifth mounting hole, and the axle shaft of the fifth guiding wheel is mounted in the fifth mounting hole.

23. The surgical instrument according to claim 22, wherein, the mounting base includes a fifth boss for mounting the fourth guide wheel. The fifth boss is provided on the first boss.

24. The surgical instrument according to claim 23, wherein, an installation groove for installing the third guide wheel and the fourth guide wheel is provided between the sixth boss and the third boss.

25. An operating device, wherein, The slave operating device includes a robotic arm and a surgical instrument as claimed in any one of claims 1-24, the surgical instrument being mounted on the robotic arm, and the robotic arm being configured to manipulate the movement of the surgical instrument.

26. A surgical robot, characterized in that the surgical robot includes a master operating console and a slave operating device as claimed in claim 25, and the slave operating device performs corresponding operations according to instructions from the master operating console.

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