A bending device and wrist rotation instrument

Abstract

The application relates to a bending adjusting device and a wrist rotating instrument. The bending adjusting device comprises two or more bending adjusting segments in a first direction, the bending adjusting segments can be elastically bent, and the bending axes of at least two bending adjusting segments do not coincide and are not parallel. The bending adjusting segment comprises a bending segment and a supporting segment, the supporting segment is located at the two ends of the bending segment in the first direction, the bending stiffness of the bending segment is smaller than that of the supporting segment, the supporting segment at the distal end is fixed, and the supporting segment at the proximal end can move in the first direction under the action of an external force to drive the bending segment to be elastically bent. When the bending axes of the at least two bending adjusting segments do not coincide, the bending adjusting device can bend towards different directions. When the bending adjusting device is used in the medical instrument field, the range that can be reached by an end effector in a surgical process can be increased, so that the end effector can conveniently complete corresponding surgical operations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical devices, and more particularly to a bending device and a wrist rotation device. Background Technology

[0002] In laparoscopic surgery, traditional instruments are cylindrical, with surgical tools mounted at the end of the instrument's axial segment, called an end effector. During the procedure, the end effector performs corresponding operations. However, the surgeon can only move the end effector to the desired position by shifting the instrument's axial segment. Because the instrument's axial segment cannot be deflected, adjusting the end effector's orientation relative to the segment is difficult, limiting its range of motion and reducing the user experience. Existing technologies use pulley and cable mechanisms to allow the instrument's axial segment to deflect, but the cables are prone to slackening, resulting in low product reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a bending device and a wrist rotation device, which enables the device to have elastic bending deformation properties, increases the degree of freedom of the device, and allows the user to flexibly adjust the shape of the device, thereby changing the position of the end effector at the end.

[0004] The first aspect of this application provides a bending adjustment device comprising two or more bending segments along a first direction. Each bending segment is capable of elastic bending, and the bending axes of at least two bending segments are not coincident or parallel. Each bending segment includes a bending section and a support section, with the support sections located at both ends of the bending segment along the first direction. The bending stiffness of the bending segment is less than that of the support section. The support section at the distal end is fixed, while the support section at the proximal end can move along the first direction under the action of an external force, thereby causing the bending segment to bend elastically.

[0005] In one possible design, the bending segments are connected adjacently to form a support segment at the far end, and the support segment at the near end of each bending segment is able to move relative to each other in a first direction.

[0006] In one possible design, the bending section includes at least two linear components connected along a first direction and capable of relative movement, wherein the at least two linear components have different stiffnesses to form a support section and the bending section.

[0007] In one possible design, along a direction perpendicular to the first direction, the bending segment includes connected low-stiffness and high-stiffness portions. During the driving of the support segment located near the proximal end along the first direction, the low-stiffness and high-stiffness portions deform differently, enabling the bending segment to bend.

[0008] In one possible design, the bending segment has a neutral axis and a neutral layer, with the high-stiffness portion located on the neutral axis or the high-stiffness portion located on the neutral layer.

[0009] Among them, the neutral axis is the axis in space whose length remains unchanged when the material in the bending section is compressed and stretched, and the neutral layer is the transition layer in the bending section that is neither stretched nor compressed during the bending process.

[0010] In one possible design, the bending section includes an inner tube and an outer tube, with the outer tube sleeved around the outside of the inner tube; both the outer tube and the inner tube are provided with a low-stiffness section and a high-stiffness section, and the high-stiffness section of the outer tube is offset from the high-stiffness section of the inner tube; along a first direction, the distal end of the outer tube is fixedly connected to the distal end of the inner tube to form a support section at the distal end of the bending section, and the proximal end of the outer tube and the proximal end of the inner tube can move relative to each other along the first direction to form a support section at the proximal end of the bending section.

[0011] In one possible design, the elastic modulus of the material in the less stiff part is less than that of the material in the more stiff part, and / or, the moment of inertia of the section in the less stiff part is less than that of the section in the more stiff part.

[0012] In one possible design, when the elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness section is the same as that in the high-stiffness section, the bending section is provided with multiple recesses, each recess forming a low-stiffness section.

[0013] In one possible design, the bottom of the recess is an arc-shaped structure.

[0014] In one possible design, the recess is one or more of the following: a U-shaped groove, an S-shaped groove, or an irregular groove.

[0015] In one possible design, at least some of the recesses have different depths, and / or the spacing between adjacent recesses is different.

[0016] In one possible design, when the elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness section is the same as that in the high-stiffness section, the bending segment has a thin-walled region and a thick-walled region. The thin-walled region forms the low-stiffness section, and the thick-walled region forms the high-stiffness section.

[0017] In one possible design, the support segment at the far end is connected to a first drive member, which is used to drive the support segment to move in a first direction.

[0018] A second aspect of this application provides a wrist rotation device, the wrist rotation device comprising:

[0019] End effector;

[0020] The bending adjustment device is the bending adjustment device mentioned above.

[0021] Along the first direction, the end effector is connected to the bending section.

[0022] In one possible design, the wrist-twisting device also includes a drive rod connected to the end effector, which passes through each bending section;

[0023] The end effector and the drive rod are connected by a reciprocating rotation mechanism. When the drive rod moves in the first direction, it can drive the end effector to open and close through the reciprocating rotation mechanism.

[0024] In one possible design, the reciprocating rotary mechanism includes a matching slider and a slide, one of which is disposed on the drive rod and the other on the end effector.

[0025] The groove is inclined relative to the first direction.

[0026] The proximal end is the end closer to the operator, and the distal end is the end closer to the object being manipulated. In the field of medical devices, the proximal end is the end closer to the doctor, and the distal end is the end closer to the patient. The first direction is the axial direction of the bending device in its natural state.

[0027] Since each bending section includes a support section-bending section*support section structure along the first direction, when the support section at the far end is fixed and the support section at the near end is subjected to an external force along the first direction, the two support sections with larger bending stiffness have a greater ability to resist deformation of the external force than the bending section with smaller bending stiffness. This allows the two support sections to play a supporting role at both ends of the bending section. As a result, when the external force of the support section at the near end is transmitted to the bending section, the bending section elastically bends relative to the two support sections, thereby achieving the overall bending of the bending device.

[0028] The bending axes of at least two bending segments of this bending device are not coincident and are not parallel, allowing the device to bend in different directions. Furthermore, by changing the degree of bending of each segment, the overall bending direction of the device can be altered, increasing its degrees of freedom and further expanding the range of motion of the end effector connected to it. When used in the medical device field, this bending device can increase the reach of the end effector during surgery, facilitating the completion of corresponding surgical procedures. Compared to existing technologies that achieve deflection through pulley and cable mechanisms, this invention eliminates the need for cables, preventing cable slack that could lead to lower bending reliability and thus improving the overall reliability of the bending device.

[0029] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the wrist rotation device provided in this application in a specific embodiment;

[0031] Figure 2for Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of the bending device;

[0032] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the structure of the wrist rotation device;

[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first outer tube in a first specific embodiment;

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the connection between the second outer tube and the first inner tube;

[0035] Figure 6 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the second inner tube;

[0036] Figure 7 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the first bending section;

[0037] Figure 8 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first outer tube in the second specific embodiment; Figure 9 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first outer tube in the third specific embodiment; Figure 10 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the connection between the end effector and the drive rod;

[0038] Figure 11 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the mid-end actuator in its deployed state;

[0039] Figure 12 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the mid-end actuator in the closed state.

[0040] Figure label:

[0041] 1-First bending section;

[0042] 11 - First bending segment;

[0043] 111 - First minor stiffness component;

[0044] 112 - First maximum stiffness component;

[0045] 12-First distal support segment;

[0046] 13-First proximal support segment;

[0047] 14* First outer tube;

[0048] 15-First inner tube;

[0049] 16 - First recessed portion;

[0050] 17 - First bending axis;

[0051] 18 - First neutral axis;

[0052] 2-Second bending section;

[0053] 21 - Second bending segment;

[0054] 211 - Second smallest stiffness component;

[0055] 212 - The second largest stiffness component;

[0056] 22-Second distal support segment;

[0057] 23-Second proximal support segment;

[0058] 24 - Second outer tube;

[0059] 25* Second inner tube;

[0060] 251-Gap;

[0061] 26* Second recessed part;

[0062] 27 - Second bending axis;

[0063] 28 - Second neutral axis;

[0064] 3-Drive components;

[0065] 31-First driving component;

[0066] 32-Second driving component;

[0067] 33-Third driving component;

[0068] 4-End effector;

[0069] 41- Pliers;

[0070] 411-Slide groove;

[0071] 42-Positioning pin;

[0072] 43-Limiting component;

[0073] 5-Drive lever;

[0074] 51* Slider.

[0075] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0076] To better understand the technical solution of this application, the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0077] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments in this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0078] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0079] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0080] It should be noted that the directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" described in the embodiments of this application are used to describe the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, in the context, it should be understood that when it is mentioned that an element is connected "upper" or "lower" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower," or indirectly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower" through an intermediate element.

[0081] This application provides a bending adjustment device that can be used in the field of medical devices or other fields requiring adjustment of the deflection of an end effector. For example, Figure 1 As shown, the bending device includes two or more bending segments along the first direction X. These segments are capable of elastic bending, and the bending axes of at least two segments are not coincident or parallel. Each bending segment includes a bending section and a support section. The support sections are located at both ends of the bending segment along the first direction X. The bending stiffness of the bending segment is less than that of the support section. The support section at the distal end is fixed, while the support section at the proximal end can move along the first direction X under the action of an external force, thereby causing the bending segment to bend elastically. The proximal end is the end closer to the operator, and the distal end is the end closer to the object being manipulated. In the field of medical devices, the proximal end is the end closer to the doctor, and the distal end is the end closer to the patient. The first direction X is the axial direction of the bending device in its natural state.

[0082] In this embodiment, since each bending segment of the bending device can bend elastically, each bending segment has at least a natural state and a bent state, and can switch between the natural state and the bent state. When all bending segments are in the natural state, the bending device is in a non-bending state. When at least some bending segments of the bending device are in the bent state, the bending device is in the bent state. When the bending device is connected to an end effector, the bending of the bending device can drive the end effector to move, thereby increasing the range of motion of the end effector and improving the user experience.

[0083] Since each bending section includes a support section-bending section-support section structure along the first direction X, when the support section at the far end is fixed and the support section at the near end is subjected to an external force along the first direction X, the two support sections with larger bending stiffness have a greater ability to resist deformation of the external force than the bending section with smaller bending stiffness. This allows the two support sections to play a supporting role at both ends of the bending section. As a result, when the external force of the support section at the near end is transmitted to the bending section, the bending section elastically bends relative to the two support sections, thereby achieving the overall bending of the bending device.

[0084] Meanwhile, the bending axes of at least two bending segments of the bending device are not coincident and are not parallel, allowing the bending device to bend in different directions. Furthermore, by changing the degree of bending of each bending segment, the overall bending direction of the bending device can be altered, increasing its degrees of freedom and further expanding the range of motion of the end effector connected to it. When used in the field of medical devices, this bending device can increase the range that the end effector can reach during surgery, thus facilitating the completion of corresponding surgical operations. Moreover, compared to the prior art that uses a pulley and cable mechanism to achieve deflection, the implementation in this embodiment eliminates the need for cables, preventing low bending reliability due to cable slack and thus improving the reliability of the bending device.

[0085] Specifically, in Figures 1-3 In the embodiment shown, the bending device includes two bending sections along the first direction X. The following description uses the bending device including two bending sections as an example. When the bending device includes three or more bending sections, the structure is similar.

[0086] like Figure 1 * Figure 3 As shown, the bending device includes a first bending section 1 and a second bending section 2 along the first direction X, with a dotted dashed frame serving as the dividing line between them. The distal end of the second bending section 2, i.e., the end closer to the operator (e.g., a doctor), is used to connect to the end effector 4. Both the first bending section 1 and the second bending section 2 are elastically bendable, so that both the first bending section 1 and the second bending section 2 have at least a natural state and a bent state, and both can switch between the natural state and the bent state.

[0087] When the first bending section 1 is in a bent state and the second bending section 2 is in a natural state, the position of the second bending section 2 changes as the first bending section 1 bends. When the first bending section 1 is in a natural state and the second bending section 2 is in a bent state, the first bending section 1 bends and causes the second bending section 2 to change position. When both the first bending section 1 and the second bending section 2 are in a bent state and their bending axes do not coincide and are not parallel, the bending degree and bending direction of the bending device as a whole can be changed by the bending degree of the two bending sections.

[0088] Among them, such as Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the first bending segment 1 includes a first distal support segment 12, a first bending segment 11, and a first proximal support segment 13 along the first direction X. The first distal support segment 12 is fixed, while the first proximal support segment 13 is movable along the first direction X. Therefore, when the first proximal support segment 13 is subjected to a thrust or pull along the first direction X, the first support segment 12 and the first proximal support segment 13, with their greater bending stiffness, act as deformation support points for the first bending segment 11, which has less bending stiffness. This causes the first bending segment 11 to change from its natural state to a bent state, i.e., the first bending segment 1 rotates around the first bending axis 17. Similarly, the second bending segment 2 includes a second distal support segment 22, a second bending segment 21, and a second proximal support segment 23 along the first direction X. The second distal support segment 22 is fixed, while the second proximal support segment 23 is movable along the first direction X. Therefore, when the second proximal support segment 23 is subjected to a thrust or pull along the first direction X, the second bending segment 2 rotates around the second bending axis 27.

[0089] Specifically, the first bending axis 17 and the second bending axis 27 do not coincide and are not parallel, that is, they can have a non-zero included angle.

[0090] Specifically, the bending device may also include n bending segments, and when the bending axes of the n bending segments do not coincide, the bending device can bend around the n bending axes, thereby meeting the usage requirements of the bending device.

[0091] Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the bending device includes a first bending section 1 and a second bending section 2. The first bending axis 17 of the first bending section 1 is orthogonal to the second bending axis 27 of the second bending section 2. In this embodiment, the first bending axis 17 of the first bending section 1 is parallel to the Z-axis, and the second bending axis 27 of the second bending section 2 is parallel to the Y-axis. When the first bending axis 17 and the second bending axis 27 are orthogonally arranged, the bending device can achieve 360° rotation in the XY plane and the XZ plane through a smaller number of bending sections (first bending section 1 and second bending section 2).

[0092] In one specific embodiment, the bending segments are connected adjacently to form a support segment at the distal end, and the support segment at the proximal end of each bending segment is capable of relative movement along a first direction X. When the bending device includes N bending segments, the structure of the bending device includes: support segment-bending segment-support segment-bending segment-support segment...-bending segment-support segment, that is, the bending device is a structure in which support segments and bending segments are distributed alternately, and the bending axes of at least two bending segments do not coincide or parallel, so that the bending device can bend around multiple bending axes.

[0093] Figures 1-3 In this embodiment, the first bending segment 1 is fixedly connected to the second bending segment 2 via a first distal support segment 12. When the first bending segment 1 rotates around the first bending axis 17, the position of the first distal support segment 12 changes in the XY plane, thereby causing the position of the second distal support segment 22 of the second bending segment 2 to change in the XY plane via the first distal support segment 12. At this time, if the second proximal support segment 23 of the second bending segment 2 is not driven by an external force, the second bending segment 2 will not bend.

[0094] In one specific embodiment, the bending section includes at least two linear components (not shown in the figure) connected along a first direction X and capable of relative movement, wherein the bending stiffness of the at least two linear components is different, forming a support section and a bending section of the bending section. Here, a linear component refers to a component whose axis extends along the first direction X in its natural state, and the bending stiffness is the same at all points along the linear portion. By changing the relative bending stiffness of the two linear components, support sections and bending sections with different bending stiffnesses are achieved, simplifying the structure of the support section and the bending section. Furthermore, when the support section and the bending section are implemented through two linear components, the structure and connection method of the bending section can be simplified.

[0095] Specifically, two linear components with different bending stiffnesses can be achieved by changing the moment of inertia of the cross section and changing the modulus of elasticity. When the modulus of elasticity of the materials of the two linear components is the same, it is only necessary to make the cross-sectional dimensions of the two linear components different; when the moments of inertia of the two linear components are the same, it is only necessary to make the materials of the two linear components different.

[0096] More specifically, the support section and the bending section of this bending segment can be achieved by welding metal wires between two rigid blocks (or rigid rods or rigid tubes), or by welding springs between two rigid blocks (or rigid rods or rigid tubes). Therefore, in this bending segment, the bending section is achieved through a more flexible structure, while the support section is achieved through a more rigid structure.

[0097] In another specific embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, along the direction perpendicular to the first direction X, the bending segment includes a connected small stiffness portion and a large stiffness portion. During the process of driving the support segment located at the proximal end along the first direction X, the deformation amounts of the small stiffness portion and the large stiffness portion are different. That is, in this bending segment, the deformation amounts of the two parts along the direction perpendicular to the first direction X are different, so that the bending segment can bend.

[0098] like Figure 2 As shown, the support section at the near end of the bending section is subjected to a thrust or tension along the first direction X. When the thrust or tension is transmitted to the bending section, the small stiffness part of the bending section has a weaker resistance to deformation by external forces than the large stiffness part. The support section at the far end of the bending section along the first direction X serves as a common support point for both the small stiffness part and the large stiffness part. Under the action of external forces, the two ends of the small stiffness part and the large stiffness part are compressed inward or stretched outward. The deformation of the small stiffness part is larger, while the deformation of the large stiffness part is smaller. The force F borne by the large stiffness part is at a distance d from the central axis of the bending section (the axis through which the centroid of the bending section passes). Therefore, the force F can generate a torque M1 or M2 that bends the bending section, causing the bending section to bend.

[0099] In this embodiment, by setting two parts with different stiffness in the bending section, the two parts will deform differently when subjected to external force, thereby realizing the bending of the bending section. Compared with driving the bending of the bending section through a mechanical structure (such as a cable and pulley system), the structure of the bending section can be simplified, the number of parts of the bending section can be reduced, and the reliability of the bending process of the bending section can be improved.

[0100] Specifically, for each bending section, when the distribution directions of the high-stiffness and low-stiffness parts in the bending section are different, the bending axes of each bending section can be made neither coincident nor parallel.

[0101] Figure 4 * Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the first bending segment 1 includes a first distal support end 12, a first bending segment 11, and a first proximal support segment 13 along the first direction X. The second bending segment 2 includes a second distal support segment 22, a second bending segment 21, and a second proximal support segment 23 along the first direction X. The first bending segment 11 includes a first low-stiffness portion 111 and a first high-stiffness portion 112 distributed along the Y-axis. The second bending segment 21 includes a second low-stiffness portion 211 and a second high-stiffness portion 212 distributed along the Z-axis. That is, the distribution directions of the high-stiffness portion and the low-stiffness portion in the first bending segment 11 and the second bending segment 21 are different. Both the Y-axis and Z-axis directions are perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0102] During the operation of the bending device, when the first proximal support section 13 of the first bending section 1 is subjected to a thrust or pull along the first direction X, and this thrust or pull is transmitted to the first bending section 11, the first bending section 11 uses the first distal support end 12 as the force support point, and its first low-stiffness portion 111 is compressed inward or stretched outward, so that the bending section 11 is subjected to a torque M1, and can bend around the first bending axis 17 in the XY plane. Similarly, when the second proximal support section 23 of the second bending section 2 is subjected to a thrust or pull along the first direction X, and this thrust or pull is transmitted to the second bending section 21, the second bending section 21 uses the second distal support section 22 as the force support point, and its second low-stiffness portion 211 is compressed inward or stretched outward, so that the second bending section 21 is subjected to a torque M2, and can bend around the second bending axis 27 in the XZ plane. In addition, the second bending section 2 is connected to the first distal support end 12 of the first bending section 1. The first distal support end 12 serves as the base point for the bending of the second bending section 2 relative to the first bending section 1. The second bending section 2 bends based on the bending of the first bending section 1. Since the first bending axis 17 and the second bending axis 27 do not coincide, the overall bending of the bending device is determined by the bending of the first bending section 1 and the second bending section 2.

[0103] Specifically, each of the aforementioned bending sections has a neutral axis and a neutral layer. The high-stiffness portion is located on the neutral axis, or the high-stiffness portion is located in the neutral layer. The neutral axis is the axis whose length remains constant in space when the material in the bending section is compressed and stretched. During bending, the outer layer of the material is stretched, and the inner layer is compressed. On its cross-section, there will inevitably be a transition layer that is neither stretched nor compressed, with stress almost equal to zero. This transition layer is called the neutral layer of the material. The length of the neutral layer remains the same during bending as before bending. Furthermore, the neutral axis also refers to the intersection of the neutral layer and the cross-section. On this neutral axis, the normal stress value at each point is zero.

[0104] In this embodiment, since the high-stiffness portion of the bending section is not easily deformed, when this high-stiffness portion is located at the neutral axis or neutral layer of the bending section, the deformation of the neutral axis and neutral layer is zero. Therefore, the high-stiffness portion does not restrict the bending of the bending section, allowing the bending device to operate normally. Furthermore, since the normal stress of the neutral axis and neutral layer is zero, when the high-stiffness portion is located at the neutral axis or neutral layer of the bending section, the risk of fatigue damage to the bending section during long-term use is reduced, thereby increasing the service life of the bending device.

[0105] like Figures 4-7In the embodiment shown, both the first bending segment 11 and the second bending segment 21 have a high stiffness portion, and the first high stiffness portion 112 of the first bending segment 11 is located on the first neutral axis 18 of the first bending segment 11, and the second high stiffness portion 212 of the second bending segment 21 is located on the second neutral axis 28 of the second bending segment 21.

[0106] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, both the first bending segment 11 and the second bending segment 21 have two high-stiffness portions. The two first high-stiffness portions 112 of the first bending segment 11 are located in the first neutral layer of the first bending segment 11, and the two second high-stiffness portions 212 of the second bending segment 21 are located in the second neutral layer of the second bending segment 21. When a bending segment has two high-stiffness portions, the strength of the bending segment can be increased, reducing the risk of damage to the bending segment during long-term use of the bending device and improving the service life of the bending device. Simultaneously, when all the high-stiffness portions of the bending segment are located in the neutral layer of the bending segment, it can prevent the high-stiffness portions from restricting the bending deformation of the low-stiffness portions of the bending segment, thereby allowing the bending segment to bend normally and have a large bending angle to meet the user's needs.

[0107] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the bending section includes an inner tube and an outer tube, with the outer tube sleeved on the outside of the inner tube. Both the outer tube and the inner tube are provided with a low-rigidity section and a high-rigidity section, that is, the outer tube and the inner tube form the bending section of the bending section, and the high-rigidity section of the outer tube is offset from the high-rigidity section of the inner tube. Along the first direction X, the distal end of the outer tube is fixedly connected to the distal end of the inner tube, forming the distal support section of the bending section, and the proximal end of the outer tube and the proximal end of the inner tube can move relative to each other along the first direction X, forming the proximal support section of the bending section.

[0108] In this embodiment, when the inner and outer tubes of the bending section are fixedly connected along the first direction X to form a support section at the distal end of the bending section, and the other end of the inner and outer tubes along the first direction X forms a support section at the proximal end, the thrust or tension acting along the first direction X on the proximal end of the inner tube and / or the proximal end of the outer tube can both cause the bending section to bend and deform. The inner and outer tubes share the thrust or tension and deform together under its influence, supporting each other and thus reducing the risk of breakage under the thrust or tension. Simultaneously, when the high-stiffness portion of the outer tube is staggered from the high-stiffness portion of the inner tube, it prevents excessive deformation resistance caused by the overlap of the high-stiffness portions of the two tubes, thereby improving the sensitivity of the bending section in switching between a bent state and a natural state. In addition, the bending section is achieved by interlocking pipe fittings. When the bending section and the two support sections of the bending section are both achieved by the interlocking pipe fittings, the connection between the bending section and the support section can be simplified, the space occupied by the bending section in the circumferential direction can be reduced, and the assembled bending device presents a tubular structure as a whole. Not only is the outer pipe better, but it is also easy to store.

[0109] Figures 3-6 In the illustrated embodiment, the first bending section 1 includes a first outer tube 14 and a first inner tube 15, with the first outer tube 14 sleeved around the outside of the first inner tube 15. A first low-stiffness portion 111 and a first high-stiffness portion 112 are distributed along the Y-axis in the first outer tube 14. One end of the first outer tube 14 and one end of the first inner tube 15 are fixedly connected to form a first distal support section 12 of the first bending section 1, and the other end of the first outer tube 14 and / or the first inner tube 15 serves as a first proximal support section 13 of the first bending section 1. During operation, when the first outer tube 14 and / or the first inner tube 15 are subjected to a thrust or pull along the first direction X, the first proximal support section 13 moves along the first direction X. Because the first distal support section 12 is fixed, the unevenly stiff first outer tube 14 and the first inner tube 15 bend, thereby causing the first bending section 1 to bend.

[0110] For example, assuming that only the first proximal support section 13 of the first outer tube 14 is subjected to a thrust along the first direction X, and the first proximal support section 13 of the first inner tube 15 is not subjected to an external force, the first outer tube 14 uses the first distal support section 12 as the force-bearing support point, and the first low-stiffness portion 111 is squeezed and compressed inward, causing the first outer tube 14 to bend around the first bending axis 17. At the same time, during the bending process of the first outer tube 14, it can apply a force to the first inner tube 15, thereby causing the first inner tube 15 to bend under the influence of the first outer tube 14, and the bending directions of the two are the same.

[0111] Similarly, Figures 3-6In the illustrated embodiment, the second bending section 2 includes a second outer tube 24 and a second inner tube 25, with the second outer tube 24 sleeved around the outside of the second inner tube 25. A second low-stiffness portion 211 and a second high-stiffness portion 212 are distributed along the Z-axis in the second outer tube 24. One end of the second outer tube 24 and the second inner tube 25 in the second bending section 2 are fixedly connected, forming a second distal support section 22 of the second bending section 2. In this embodiment, the second outer tube 24 is connected to the first distal support section 12 of the first bending section 1. To avoid interference when the two bending sections bend, the other end of the second outer tube 24 serves as a second proximal support section 23 of the second bending section 2. The bending process of the second bending section 2 is similar to that of the first bending section 1 and will not be described further here.

[0112] Among them, such as Figure 3 and Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the first inner pipe 15 of the first bending section 1 and the second outer pipe 24 of the second bending section 2 can be integrally formed from the same pipe, with a dotted line separating them. One side of the dotted line is the first inner pipe 15, and the other side is the second outer pipe 24. In this case, the first inner pipe 15 and the second outer pipe 24 are formed by setting high-rigidity and low-rigidity portions at different positions on the pipe fittings. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the first inner pipe 15 and the second outer pipe 24 can also be two pipe fittings, which are fixedly connected to achieve a fixed connection between the first bending section 1 and the second bending section 2. The fixed connection method for the two pipe fittings can be welding, threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, flange connection, etc.

[0113] Specifically, the second inner tube 25 in the second bending section 2 is provided with a notch 251. Along the first direction X, the position of the notch 251 in the second inner tube 25 corresponds to the position of the first small stiffness part 111 in the first bending section 1. During the operation of the bending device, the notch 251 can play a role in avoiding interference between the first inner tube 15 and the second inner tube 25 during the bending process of the first bending section 1.

[0114] In the above embodiments, the high-stiffness and low-stiffness portions with different stiffness in the bending segment can be implemented in various ways. The following describes in detail the different implementation methods of the high-stiffness and low-stiffness portions.

[0115] Specifically, the elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness part is less than that of the material in the high-stiffness part, and / or, the moment of inertia of the section in the low-stiffness part is less than that of the section inertia of the high-stiffness part.

[0116] In the first specific embodiment (not shown in the figure), the elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness section is less than that of the material in the high-stiffness section. That is, the bending section is made of different materials. When the high-stiffness section and the low-stiffness section are achieved by changing the materials, no further processing of the bending section is required. Moreover, by selecting a suitable material, the stiffness difference between the high-stiffness section and the low-stiffness section can be changed to meet the usage requirements.

[0117] Specifically, when the bending section includes an inner tube and an outer tube that are nested together, the elastic modulus of the material in the lower stiffness section of the outer tube is less than that of the material in the higher stiffness section; similarly, the elastic modulus of the material in the lower stiffness section of the inner tube is less than that of the material in the higher stiffness section. That is, the lower stiffness and higher stiffness sections of the inner tube are made of different materials, and the lower stiffness and higher stiffness sections of the outer tube are also made of different materials.

[0118] In this embodiment, different materials can be welded together to form an inner tube and an outer tube.

[0119] In the second embodiment, when the material is the same, the small stiffness part with a smaller cross-sectional moment of inertia is more easily deformed than the large stiffness part with a larger cross-sectional moment of inertia. Therefore, in the direction perpendicular to the first direction X, by setting different parts of the bending segment as structures with different cross-sectional moments of inertia, a large stiffness part and a small stiffness part are formed. This implementation method has the advantages of simple structure and easy implementation.

[0120] Specifically, when the elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness section is the same as that in the high-stiffness section, the bending segment is provided with multiple recesses, each forming a low-stiffness section. These recesses are spaced apart along a first direction X, meaning there are gaps between adjacent recesses. These gaps make the bending segment discontinuous along the first direction X, providing elastic deformation space for the low-stiffness sections, resulting in lower stiffness in the low-stiffness sections compared to the high-stiffness sections. Furthermore, the bending segment can accumulate elastic potential energy through the low-stiffness sections formed by the recesses, allowing it to return to its natural state from a bent state through its own elasticity without applying external force.

[0121] In this embodiment, when the small stiffness part of the bending section is achieved by setting a recessed part, it has the advantages of simple structure and easy implementation. Moreover, this implementation method does not require setting a large stiffness part, thereby further simplifying the structure of the bending section.

[0122] Figures 4-6In the illustrated embodiment, when both the first bending section 1 and the bending section 2 include an inner tube and an outer tube, the first bending section 11 of the first outer tube 14 and the first inner tube 15 in the first bending section 1 is provided with a plurality of first recesses 16, and the area where the plurality of first recesses 16 are located forms the first low-rigidity portion 111 of the first outer tube 14 and the first inner tube 15. The second bending section 21 of the second outer tube 24 and the second inner tube 25 in the second bending section 2 is also provided with a plurality of second recesses 26, and the area where the plurality of second recesses 26 are located forms the second low-rigidity portion 211 of the second outer tube 24 and the second inner tube 25.

[0123] Specifically, the bottom of the recess can be an arc-shaped structure, that is, the recess and the high-rigidity part connected to it are connected by an arc-shaped transition, which can reduce the stress concentration at the bottom of the recess during bending deformation and improve the service life of the bending section.

[0124] In the above embodiments, the recessed portion is one or more of a U-shaped groove, an S-shaped groove, and an irregularly shaped groove. By setting recessed portions of the same or different shapes in different bending sections, the stiffness of each bending section is made the same or different, thereby achieving a combination of different bending effects.

[0125] Figures 4-6 In the embodiment shown, the first recess 16 and the second recess 26 are U-shaped grooves of the same shape and size, thereby simplifying the structure of the bending section and making the deformation at each position of the bending section more uniform.

[0126] In addition, in the above embodiments, at least some of the recesses have different depths, and / or the spacing between adjacent recesses is different. Of course, the depth of each recess can also be the same, and adjacent recesses can be parallel to each other and uniformly arranged, making the processing technology of the small stiffness part of each bending section simpler.

[0127] Therefore, in this application, the structure, depth, shape and spacing of the recess are not limited, as long as they can form the above-mentioned major stiffness parts and minor stiffness parts.

[0128] in, Figures 4-6 In the illustrated embodiment, the first recesses 16 in the first bending section 1 are parallel to each other and are evenly distributed on the first outer tube 14 and the first inner tube 15. The second recesses 26 in the second bending section 2 are parallel to each other and are evenly distributed on the second outer tube 24 and the second inner tube 25.

[0129] In another specific embodiment, when the elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness section is the same as that of the material in the high-stiffness section, the bending segment has a thin-walled region and a thick-walled region (not shown in the figure). The thin-walled region forms the low-stiffness section, and the thick-walled region forms the high-stiffness section. At this time, the moment of inertia of the bending segment in the thin-walled region is less than that in the thick-walled region.

[0130] In this embodiment, the thin-walled region of the bending section is more easily deformed than the thick-walled region. Therefore, by setting the bending section to have different thicknesses, high-stiffness and low-stiffness sections are formed. This implementation method has the advantages of simple structure and ease of implementation. Furthermore, this method ensures high integrity of the bending section, thereby preventing external impurities from entering the bending section and improving the integrity and cleanliness of the bending device.

[0131] When the bending section includes an inner tube and an outer tube, the thin-walled area can be achieved by cutting the wall thickness of the pipe fitting during the actual processing. Alternatively, the thin-walled area and the thick-walled area can be directly processed when processing the inner tube and the outer tube.

[0132] In the above embodiments, the distal support segment is connected to a first driving member 31, which drives the support segment to move along a first direction. When the bending device is working, the first driving member 31 can apply a pushing or pulling force to the support segment connected to it, thereby driving the bending segment to bend and deform. The first driving member 31 can specifically be an electric push rod, a rod-type cylinder, a rodless cylinder, a rod-type hydraulic cylinder, a rodless hydraulic cylinder, etc.

[0133] Figure 1 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the first proximal support section 13 of the first outer tube 14 is connected to the first drive member 31, the first proximal support section 13 of the first inner tube 15 is connected to the second drive member 32, and the second proximal support section 23 of the second inner tube 25 is connected to the third drive member 33. Each drive member 3 applies a tensile or pushing force along the first direction X to the connected proximal support section, thereby causing the proximal support section to move relative to the corresponding distal support section, causing the first low-stiffness portion 111 and the second low-stiffness portion 211 to compress inward or stretch outward, thereby causing the first bending section 1 and the second bending section 2 to bend and deform. The first drive member 31, the second drive member 32, and the third drive member 33 can specifically be an electric push rod, a rod-type cylinder, a rodless cylinder, a rod-type hydraulic cylinder, a rodless hydraulic cylinder, etc.

[0134] This application also provides a wrist-rotating device, which can specifically be a surgical tool, such as a surgical tool commonly used in abdominal surgery. For example, Figure 10 As shown, the wrist rotation device includes an end effector 4 and a bending adjustment device consisting of at least two bending sections. Along the first direction X, the end effector 4 is connected to the support section at the far end of the farthest bending adjustment section. Therefore, when the bending adjustment device bends, it can drive the end effector 4 connected to the bending adjustment device to move, thereby adjusting the position of the end effector 4. This allows the end effector 4 to not only perform its own movements but also flexibly adjust itself to reach the target position, improving the user experience of the wrist rotation device.

[0135] Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the end effector 4 is connected to the second distal support section 22 of the second bending section 2. The position of the end effector 4 is adjusted by the combined bending deformation in the first bending section 1 and the second bending section 2.

[0136] Specifically, such as Figures 10-12 As shown, the wrist-twisting device also includes a drive rod 5 connected to the end effector 4, which passes through each bending section of the bending device. The end effector 4 and the drive rod 5 are connected via a reciprocating rotation mechanism. When the drive rod 5 is operated, the reciprocating rotation mechanism can convert the linear motion of the drive rod 5 along the first direction X into the opening, closing, or rotational motion of the end effector 4. Furthermore, using the axial space inside the bending device as the movement space for the drive rod 5 increases the compactness of the wrist-twisting device, reduces its size, and facilitates user operation.

[0137] Specifically, the reciprocating rotary mechanism can be a crank-slider mechanism, a double rocker mechanism, or other linkage mechanism, as long as it can convert linear motion into rotation.

[0138] More specifically, such as Figure 3 , Figures 10-12 As shown, the reciprocating rotary mechanism includes a matching slider 51 and a groove 411. One of the slider 51 and the groove 411 is disposed on the drive rod 5, and the other is disposed on the end effector 4. The groove 411 is inclined relative to the first direction X. The groove 411 can also be an arc-shaped groove.

[0139] In addition, such as Figure 3 , Figures 10-12 As shown, the wrist rotation device also includes a limiting member 43 connected to the bending device, and the limiting member 43 has an opening along the first direction X, allowing the end effector 4 to extend into the opening, and a portion of the drive rod 5 to also be located within the opening, so that the drive rod 5 and the end effector 4 cooperate within the limiting member 43, thereby realizing the connection between the end effector 4 and the bending device. The end effector 4 is connected to the limiting member 43 via a positioning pin 42, which prevents the end effector 4 from disengaging from the limiting member 43.

[0140] The end effector 4 can be a tool or other component. Figures 10-12 In the illustrated embodiment, the end effector 4 is a pair of pliers 41. The drive rod 5 transmits the driving force to the groove 411 of the pliers 41 through the slider 51. When the drive rod 5 is operated along the first direction X, it can drive the pliers 41 to rotate around the positioning pin 42 through the cooperation of the groove 411 and the slider 51, thereby achieving opening and closing. Therefore, in addition to moving under the drive of the bending device, the end effector 4 can also bend under the action of the drive rod 5 to open, close, or rotate.

[0141] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A bending adjustment device, characterized in that, The bending device includes two or more bending sections along the first direction, the bending sections are capable of elastic bending, and the bending axes of at least two of the bending sections do not coincide and are not parallel. The bending section includes a bending section and a support section. The support section is located at both ends of the bending section along the first direction. The bending stiffness of the bending section is less than that of the support section. The support section at the far end is fixed, while the support section at the near end can move along the first direction under the action of external force to drive the bending section to bend elastically. The bending section includes a first bending section and a second bending section. The first bending section includes a first outer tube and a first inner tube. The first outer tube is sleeved on the outside of the first inner tube. The second bending section includes a second outer tube and a second inner tube. The second outer tube is sleeved on the outside of the second inner tube. The first inner tube and the second outer tube are integrally formed or fixedly connected. The second inner tube has a notch, and along the first direction, the position of the notch in the second inner tube corresponds to the position of the bending section in the first bending section.

2. The bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the bending segments is connected adjacently to form the support segment at the far end, and the support segment at the near end of each of the bending segments is capable of relative movement along the first direction.

3. The bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bending section includes at least two linear components connected along the first direction and capable of relative movement, and the stiffness of the at least two linear components is different to form the support section and the bending section.

4. The bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along a direction perpendicular to the first direction, the bending segment includes a connected low-stiffness portion and a high-stiffness portion. During the driving of the support segment located at the proximal end along the first direction, the low-stiffness portion and the high-stiffness portion deform differently, so that the bending segment can bend.

5. The bending device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bending segment has a neutral axis and a neutral layer, and the high-stiffness portion is located on the neutral axis or the high-stiffness portion is located on the neutral layer; Wherein, the neutral axis is an axis whose length remains unchanged in space when the material of the bent segment is compressed and stretched, and the neutral layer is a transition layer in which the material of the bent segment is neither stretched nor compressed during the bending process.

6. The bending device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Both the first outer tube and the first inner tube have a first low stiffness portion and a first high stiffness portion, and both the second inner tube and the second outer tube have a second low stiffness portion and a second high stiffness portion. The first high stiffness portion of the first outer tube is offset from the first high stiffness portion of the first inner tube, and the second high stiffness portion of the second outer tube is offset from the second high stiffness portion of the second inner tube. Along the first direction, one end of the first outer tube is fixedly connected to one end of the first inner tube to form the first distal support section of the first bending section, and the other end of the first outer tube and / or the first inner tube serves as the first proximal support section of the first bending section. Along the first direction, one end of the second outer tube is fixedly connected to one end of the second inner tube to form the second distal support section of the second bending section. One end of the second outer tube is connected to the first distal support section, and the other end of the second outer tube is the second proximal support section of the second bending section.

7. The bending device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness portion is less than that of the material in the high-stiffness portion, and / or the moment of inertia of the section in the low-stiffness portion is less than that of the section inertia of the high-stiffness portion.

8. The bending device according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness section is the same as that of the material in the high-stiffness section, the bending section is provided with multiple recesses, and each recess forms the low-stiffness section.

9. The bending device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom of the recess has an arc-shaped structure.

10. The bending device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The recessed portion is one or more of the following: U-shaped groove, S-shaped groove, and irregular groove.

11. The bending device according to claim 8, characterized in that, At least some of the recesses have different depths, and / or the spacing between adjacent recesses is different.

12. The bending device according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the elastic modulus of the material in the low-stiffness section is the same as that of the material in the high-stiffness section, the bending segment has a thin-walled region and a thick-walled region. The thin-walled region forms the low-stiffness section, and the thick-walled region forms the high-stiffness section.

13. The bending device according to any one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that, The support segment located at the distal end is connected to a first driving member, which is used to drive the support segment to move along the first direction.

14. A wrist rotation device, characterized in that, The wrist rotation device includes: End effector; A bending device, wherein the bending device is the bending device according to any one of claims 1 to 13; Wherein, along the first direction, the end effector is connected to the bending section.

15. The wrist rotation device according to claim 14, characterized in that, The wrist rotation device also includes a drive rod connected to the end effector, the drive rod passing through each of the bending sections; The end effector and the drive rod are connected by a reciprocating rotation mechanism. When the drive rod moves along the first direction, it can drive the end effector to open and close through the reciprocating rotation mechanism.

16. The wrist rotation device according to claim 15, characterized in that, The reciprocating rotation mechanism includes a matching slider and a slide groove, one of which is disposed on the drive rod and the other is disposed on the end effector; The groove is inclined relative to the first direction.

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