An automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception

Abstract

The present invention provides an automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception, comprising a tactile sensor and an automated injection mechanism. The tactile sensor is mounted on the front end of the mechanism and can read information on the surface of human skin. The main body of the injection mechanism controls the linear motion of the needle through a screw motor and a slider, controls the rotational motion of the needle through a reduction DC motor, and detects the mechanical information applied to the needle through a torque sensor. The needle passes through the frame and gel portion of the tactile sensor and pierces out at the center. When it approaches the skin surface, it is driven by an air cylinder to generate acceleration, quickly penetrates the skin, and then the electric push rod is activated to push the syringe to complete the injection operation of the drug. The automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception described in the present invention can be combined with robotic arm technology to perceive the deformation and movement of internal blood vessels during the injection process in real time through external deformation, thereby optimizing the injection strategy in real time, avoiding visual occlusion, and improving the success rate of injection. The structure is simple, the cost is low, and it is easy to manufacture and promote.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of medical devices, and in particular relates to an automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception. Background Art

[0002] An injection involves the use of a medical device such as a syringe to deliver liquids or gases into the body for the purpose of diagnosing, treating, or preventing disease. Unlike medication, an injection allows the drug to quickly reach the bloodstream and take effect. Injections include intradermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous injections.

[0003] Nurses will choose different injection methods for different patients, but the procedure requires a certain level of experience and skill. For example, if a nurse repeatedly fails to correctly locate the vein during an intravenous injection, not only will the patient suffer unnecessary pain, but it can also lead to conflicts between the doctor and the patient, resulting in adverse consequences. Therefore, the key to a successful injection lies in accurate positioning and skilled operation. Furthermore, in special circumstances such as large patient loads or epidemics, nurses are required to perform the procedure repeatedly, which not only demands a nurse's energy and physical strength but also risks individual errors. Therefore, medical devices that can automatically complete injections are currently in high demand. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In response to the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides an automated injection mechanism that integrates tactile perception. By combining a tactile sensor with an automatic injection mechanism, a torque sensor is used to detect the mechanical data applied to the needle, and a tactile sensor is used to sense external deformation, thereby achieving dynamic monitoring of the injection process. This allows for real-time optimization of acupuncture strategies, improved acupuncture accuracy and injection success rates, reduced technical pressure and experience requirements on doctors or nurses, and reduced patient suffering.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention is:

[0006] An automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception comprises a tactile sensor and an automated injection mechanism. The invention is characterized in that: the tactile sensor (1) is mainly composed of a camera (18), a frame (19), a gel elastomer (20), and an RGB light source (21), and is fixed to the front end of the mechanism via a connector (22); the automated injection mechanism is mainly composed of a linear motion mechanism (2), a rotary motion mechanism (3), a pneumatic acceleration mechanism (4), and an injection mechanism (5); the linear motion mechanism (2) controls the telescopic motion of a needle (17); the rotary motion mechanism (3) controls the rotary motion of the needle (17); the pneumatic acceleration mechanism (4) controls the instantaneous acceleration motion of the needle (17); the injection mechanism (5) controls the injection operation of the drug; and the distance sensor (28) is installed on the rear end of the fixed plate (7) near the screw motor (6) to measure the distance moved by the needle (17) in real time.

[0007] Preferably, the linear motion mechanism (2) is composed of a screw motor (6), a screw (8), an aluminum shaft (9), and a screw slider (10), wherein the aluminum shaft (9) is symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the screw (8), and the slider is kept stable when moving through the slots on both sides of the screw slider (10); the rotary motion mechanism (3) is composed of a reduction DC motor (13), a coupling (15), a torque sensor (16), and a needle (17), and is connected to the pneumatic acceleration mechanism (4) through a hanging plate (14); the pneumatic acceleration mechanism (4) is composed of a cylinder (11) and a support frame (12), and the injection mechanism (5) is composed of a soft catheter (24), a syringe (26), a syringe fixing frame (27), and an electric push rod (29).

[0008] Preferably, a limit block (25) is provided at the front end of the fixing plate (7) near the tactile sensor (1) to prevent mechanical interference between the fixing plate (7) and the rotating mechanism (3). A square groove is provided at the bottom of the support frame (12), and the hanging plate (14) partially extends into the square groove, thereby achieving the purpose of limiting the movement of the cylinder (11).

[0009] Preferably, the gel elastic body (20) is installed inside the frame (19), the RGB light source (21) surrounds the front of the frame (19), the camera (18) is fixed to the upper part of the frame (19), and the RGB light source (21) uses green, red and blue light sources for surrounding lighting.

[0010] Preferably, the surface of the gel elastomer (20) is marked with black dots as a displacement field, coated with a matte material as a reflective layer (30), and the reflective layer is further covered with a silicone protective layer (31), and the surface of the protective layer is sterile treated to be a sterile surface.

[0011] Preferably, the tactile sensor (1) uses a camera (18) to capture a contact image between the object and the surface of the gel elastomer (20), and then uses a photometric stereo method to reconstruct a three-dimensional image of the contact surface.

[0012] Preferably, the screw (8) and the needle (17) are distributed in the same direction on the center line of the mechanism, are angled with the surface of the gel elastomer (20) in the tactile sensor (1), and pass through the center point of the gel elastomer (20), and all holes are sterilized.

[0013] Preferably, the needle (17) is fixed to the front end of the torque sensor (16) through a special adapter and is connected to the syringe (26) through a soft catheter (24). The syringe (26) is fixed to the housing (23) through a syringe fixing frame (27). The electric push rod (29) is fixed to the housing (23), and the end of the push rod is connected to the core rod of the syringe (26). When power is turned on, the syringe (26) is pushed to work.

[0014] Preferably, the connection between the connecting member (22) and the frame (19) of the tactile sensor (1) is a curved slot connection, and the rotational tilt angle of the tactile sensor (1) can be adjusted by manual control or electric control, thereby changing the angle of the silicone protective layer (31) on the surface of the tactile sensor (1), thereby adjusting the insertion angle of the needle (17) and achieving injection in different directions.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) Utilizing tactile sensors to sense subtle deformations of the skin surface in real time, thereby detecting displacement and changes in internal vascular tissue, accurately determining the location of injection points such as blood vessels, avoiding the impact of visual occlusion on injection accuracy, reducing needle position deviation during the injection process, and improving the injection success rate. (2) Utilizing torque sensors to monitor the mechanical data of the needle in real time, the information during the injection process is visualized, thereby enabling timely processing when encountering special situations and improving injection safety. (3) The medical needles, medical syringes, etc. used in the mechanism are easy to replace and handle, and are applicable to a variety of equipment models, reducing the cost of use, improving hygiene and universality. (4) In combination with robotic arm technology, the entire injection process, including the determination of the injection point, the movement of the syringe, and the injection of the drug, is controlled by a computer, forming a highly safe and accurate automated injection system, reducing the technical requirements of the operator and reducing the pain of the patient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception according to the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the present invention including only the tactile sensor;

[0019] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention installed on a robotic arm.

[0020] Figure 1 Middle: 1 tactile sensor; 2 linear motion mechanism; 3 rotary motion mechanism; 4 pneumatic acceleration mechanism; 5 injection mechanism.

[0021] Figure 2 Middle: 6 screw motor; 7 fixing plate; 8 screw; 9 aluminum shaft; 10 screw slider; 11 cylinder; 12 support frame; 13 reduction DC motor; 14 hanging plate; 15 coupling; 16 torque sensor; 17 needle; 18 camera; 19 tactile sensor frame; 20 gel elastomer; 21 RGB light source; 22 connector; 23 housing; 24 soft catheter; 25 limit block; 26 syringe; 27 syringe holder; 28 distance sensor; 29 electric push rod.

[0022] Figure 3 In the middle, 30 is an aluminum powder reflective layer; 31 is a silicone protective layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0024] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2As shown, an automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception includes a tactile sensor and an automatic injection mechanism. Among them, the tactile sensor 1 is mainly composed of a camera 18, a frame 19, a gel elastomer 20, and an RGB light source 21, and is fixed to the front end of the mechanism. The gel elastomer 20 is installed inside the frame 19, and there is a hole for the needle to pass through on the frame 19. The RGB light source 21 surrounds the front of the frame 19, and the camera 18 is fixed to the upper part of the frame 19. The other part, the injection mechanism is mainly composed of a linear motion mechanism 2, a rotary motion mechanism 3, a pneumatic acceleration mechanism 4 and an injection mechanism 5. Among them, the linear motion mechanism 2 is composed of a screw motor 6, a screw 8, an aluminum shaft 9, and a screw slider 10, and the aluminum shaft 9 is symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the screw 8. The empty slots on both sides of the screw slider 10 keep the slider stable when moving. The rotary motion mechanism 3 consists of a reduction DC motor 13, a coupling 15, a torque sensor 16, and a needle 17, which are connected to the pneumatic acceleration mechanism 4 via a hanging plate 14. The pneumatic acceleration mechanism 4 consists of a cylinder 11 and a support frame 12. The injection mechanism 5 consists of a flexible conduit 24, a syringe 26, a syringe holder 27, and an electric push rod 29. The syringe 26 is fixed to the housing 23 via the syringe holder 27. The front end is connected to the needle 17 via the flexible conduit 24, and the rear end of the core rod is connected to the fixed end of the electric push rod 29. The needle 17 is fixed to the front end of the torque sensor 16. The reduction DC motor 13 is connected to the torque sensor 16 via a coupling 15 and fixed to the hanging plate 14. The hanging plate is fixed to one end of the cylinder 11 rod. The cylinder 11 is mounted on the support frame 12 and cooperates with the screw slider 10. The screw slider 10 is mounted on the screw 8 and assembled with the screw motor 6 and fixed to the housing 23.

[0025] like Figure 3 As shown, tactile sensor 1 is a GelSight tactile sensor. RGB light source 21 utilizes green, red, and blue light sources. A gel elastomer 20 is marked with black dots as a displacement field. Aluminum powder is applied as a reflective layer 30, and the aluminum powder is covered with a silicone protective layer 31. When an object contacts the gel of tactile sensor 1, its surface features are captured by camera 18 on the aluminum powder reflective layer under the illumination of RGB light source 21. A three-dimensional image of the contact surface is then reconstructed using photometric stereo, thereby sensing deformation. The black dot displacement field is then used to calculate various surface information, including force, slip, and hardness.

[0026] In the automatic injection mechanism, the lead screw motor 6 and lead screw 8 control the retractable and retractable movement of the needle by controlling the lead screw slider 10. The lead screw transmission structure is simple, low-cost, self-locking, and offers high positioning accuracy, making this invention particularly suitable for medical injection applications. Two fixed aluminum shafts 9 are symmetrically located below and to the left and right of the lead screw 8. Slots on either side of the lead screw slider 10 maintain stability during movement. A distance sensor 28 is mounted at the rear end of the fixed plate 7 to monitor the real-time needle insertion length during the injection process. A stop block 25 is installed on the fixed plate 7 near the tactile sensor 1 to prevent mechanical interference with the injection mechanism and enhance safety. A reduction DC motor 13, coupling 14, and torque sensor 15 control the rotational movement of the needle 17. The torque sensor 15 collects real-time information about the injection mechanics applied to the needle 17 and analyzes it to monitor the injection process and respond to emergencies. The reduction DC motor 13 is connected to the cylinder 11 via a mounting plate. Mechanical limits restrict the cylinder 11's operating range to ensure proper acceleration of the needle 17 during skin penetration. At the same time, the needle 17 and the screw 8 are distributed in the same direction on the center line of the entire mechanism, perpendicular to the gel elastomer 20 in the tactile sensor 1, and can pass through the small hole in the frame 19 and out from the center of the sensor. The soft catheter 24, syringe 26, syringe holder 27 and electric push rod 19 constitute the injection structure. The syringe holder 27 is installed on the side of the housing 23 to facilitate the replacement and size adjustment of the syringe 26. The electric push rod 29 is installed on the same side as the syringe holder 27, and one end of the push rod of the electric push rod 29 contacts the tail end of the core rod of the syringe 26. When the power is turned on, the push rod is activated, pushing the core rod, squeezing the drug through the soft catheter 24 into the needle, and then injecting it into the patient's body.

[0027] Specific implementation: Take the intravenous injection operation integrating tactile perception as an example. Figure 4Its operating principle is as follows: After disinfecting the patient's body surface, the basic insertion point is determined. The present invention is then moved to the vicinity of the insertion point via a robotic arm. The surface of the gel elastomer 20 of the tactile sensor 1 contacts the body surface. Camera 18 captures an image of the contact surface and transmits it to a computer for analysis, allowing the precise location of the subcutaneous blood vessels to be accurately detected. When the insertion point is determined to be at the center of the gel elastomer 20, the screw motor 6 is energized, driving the screw 8 to rotate, thereby controlling the linear motion of the needle 17, extending it through the tactile sensor 1 and piercing the body. During this process, the reduction DC motor 13 operates, driving the needle 17 to rotate slightly, improving insertion efficiency. Before the needle 17 penetrates the body surface, the cylinder 11 activates, and the cylinder rod drives the entire rotary motion mechanism 2 to accelerate and extend a small distance, making it easier for the needle 17 to penetrate. During the injection process, the torque sensor 16 continuously collects and analyzes the force information applied to the needle 17 during the insertion process to determine the insertion status of the needle 17. Once the needle 17 penetrates the vein, the electric push rod 29 activates, pushing the core rod of the syringe 27, squeezing the drug into the soft catheter 24, and then injecting it into the human body through the needle 17, completing the drug injection. Before the needle penetrates, the tactile sensor 1 senses the actual skin condition at the injection site through contact with the skin. Then, via the connector 22, it connects to the curved slot of the frame 19, adjusting the tilt angle of the tactile sensor 1 to find and determine the optimal needle insertion angle. During needle 17 penetration, the tactile sensor 1 constantly detects subtle deformations of the injection site, such as deviations in the vein, to avoid deviations in the needle 17's insertion caused by deformation of the internal soft tissue, further improving injection accuracy. If deviations in the needle insertion position caused by soft tissue deformation are detected, the injection strategy can be updated online in real time. Simultaneously, the distance sensor 28 on the fixed plate 7 displays the injection amount in real time, and the limit block 25 improves injection safety while preventing mechanical interference with the mechanism itself. After the injection is completed, the needle 17 retracts, the robotic arm resets, and the nurse treats the patient's wound, concluding the injection.

[0028] Finally, it should be noted that the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art will be able to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or substitute equivalents for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception, comprising a tactile sensor and an automated injection mechanism; characterized in that: The tactile sensor (1) is composed of a camera (18), a frame (19), a gel elastomer (20), and an RGB light source (21), and is fixed to the front end of the mechanism through a connector (22); the automatic injection mechanism is composed of a linear motion mechanism (2), a rotary motion mechanism (3), a pneumatic acceleration mechanism (4), and an injection mechanism (5); the linear motion mechanism (2) controls the telescopic movement of the needle (17), the rotary motion mechanism (3) controls the rotary movement of the needle (17), the pneumatic acceleration mechanism (4) controls the instantaneous acceleration movement of the needle (17), and the injection mechanism (5) controls the injection operation of the drug; the linear motion mechanism (2) is composed of a screw motor (6), a screw (8), an aluminum shaft (9), and a screw slider (10), wherein the aluminum shaft (9) is symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the screw (8), and is connected to the screw slider (10) through the air gaps on both sides of the screw slider (10). The distance sensor (28) is installed at the rear end of the fixed plate (7) near the screw motor (6) to measure the distance moved by the needle (17) in real time; the gel elastomer (20) is installed inside the frame (19), the RGB light source (21) surrounds the front of the frame (19), the camera (18) is fixed to the upper part of the frame (19), and the RGB light source (21) uses green, red and blue light sources for surround illumination; the surface of the gel elastomer (20) is marked with black dots as a displacement field, coated with matte material as a reflective layer (30), and the reflective layer is covered with a silicone protective layer (31), and the surface of the silicone protective layer is sterile treated to be a sterile surface; the tactile sensor (1) uses the camera (18) to capture the contact image between the object and the surface of the gel elastomer (20), and then uses the photometric stereo method to reconstruct the three-dimensional image of the contact surface.

2. The automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotary motion mechanism (3) is composed of a reduction DC motor (13), a coupling (15), a torque sensor (16), and a needle (17), and is connected to the pneumatic acceleration mechanism (4) through a hanging plate (14); the pneumatic acceleration mechanism (4) is composed of a cylinder (11) and a support frame (12); and the injection mechanism (5) is composed of a soft catheter (24), a syringe (26), a syringe fixing frame (27), and an electric push rod (29).

3. The automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fixing plate (7) is provided with a limit block (25) at the front end close to the tactile sensor (1) to avoid mechanical interference between the fixing plate (7) of the rotating motion mechanism (3); a square groove is provided at the bottom of the support frame (12), and the hanging plate (14) partially extends into the square groove, thereby achieving the purpose of limiting the movement of the cylinder (11).

4. The automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: The screw rod (8) and the needle (17) are distributed in the same direction on the center line of the mechanism, forming an angle with the surface of the gel elastomer (20) in the tactile sensor (1), and passing through the center point of the gel elastomer (20), and the interior of all holes are sterilized.

5. The automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception according to claim 2, characterized in that: The needle (17) is fixed to the front end of the torque sensor (16) through an adapter and is connected to the syringe (26) through a soft catheter (24). The syringe (26) is fixed to the housing (23) through a syringe fixing frame (27). The electric push rod (29) is fixed to the housing (23). The end of the electric push rod is connected to the core rod of the syringe (26) and pushes the syringe (26) to work when power is turned on.

6. The automated injection mechanism integrating tactile perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connection between the connecting member (22) and the frame (19) of the tactile sensor (1) is a curved slot connection, and the rotation and tilt angle of the tactile sensor (1) can be adjusted by manual control or electric control, thereby changing the angle of the silicone protective layer (31) on the surface of the tactile sensor (1), thereby adjusting the insertion angle of the needle (17) and realizing injection in different directions.

Images