Control wheel mechanism and medical cart

Abstract

The application discloses a control steering wheel mechanism, which comprises a first tension and pressure sensor, a switching part, a handle part and a second tension and pressure sensor. The first tension and pressure sensor is fixedly installed on a steering wheel base. The switching part is directly or indirectly elastically connected with the first tension and pressure sensor. The handle part can move along a first direction with a first movable part and can move along a second direction relative to the first movable part. The projection of the second direction in a horizontal plane is perpendicular to the projection of the first direction in the horizontal plane. The second tension and pressure sensor is fixedly arranged opposite to the first movable part. The handle part is directly or indirectly elastically connected with the second tension and pressure sensor. In the scheme, two groups of tension and pressure sensors are adopted to acquire the operation intention of an operator to the steering wheel. The direction and size of force are collected by the two groups of tension and pressure sensors through force decomposition. In operation, the human walking action is directly sensed to drive the wheel movement. Moreover, the two groups of tension and pressure sensors are connected with elastic devices, so that the service life of the steering wheel is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical device technology, and more specifically to a control steering mechanism and a medical trolley. Background Technology

[0002] Surgical robotic systems offer significant advantages such as reduced incisions and increased surgical success rates, and are widely used in various abdominal surgeries, prostate surgeries, gynecological surgeries, and more. Surgeons can operate the machines remotely from the operating table, gaining a wider field of vision and greater flexibility in surgical procedures. The system eliminates human-induced vibrations, making the surgery more stable. Research into surgical robotic systems has also emerged as a new area of ​​application in medical devices in recent years.

[0003] Surgical robot systems mainly consist of three parts: a patient-side robot, a surgeon's console, and a vision cart. During surgery, the patient-side robot, as the direct surgical execution mechanism, generally has a large mass and volume. Before and after surgery, it requires manual operation to control the steering wheel to drive the robot and perform functions such as movement and positioning.

[0004] Taking a common steering wheel as an example, its operation is similar to that of a car steering wheel. The steering wheel rotates around its column, and through a series of transmission mechanisms, it steers the front wheels of the cart, thus controlling the cart's direction. The throttle is controlled by rotating the handle; different directions of rotation correspond to forward or backward driving force. The steering wheels of the cart are usually the front wheels, and the steering wheel is located at the rear of the cart. When operating it, the operator is also at the rear of the cart, making it inconvenient to simultaneously operate the steering wheel and tighten the throttle, especially when pushing the cart backward. This requires certain training to ensure the operator can meet the operational requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The summary section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. The summary section of this invention is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, this application designs a control rudder mechanism, which is implemented using the following scheme:

[0007] A control rudder mechanism, comprising:

[0008] Steering wheel base;

[0009] A first tension / compression sensor is fixedly installed on the rudder base, and the direction of the tension / compression sensed by the first sensor is a first direction;

[0010] The adapter is elastically connected directly or indirectly to the first tension / compression sensor and moves along the first direction on the rudder base;

[0011] The handle portion is movable along a first direction with the first movable portion, and the handle portion is also movable along a second direction relative to the first movable portion, wherein the projection of the second direction in the horizontal plane is perpendicular to the projection of the first direction in the horizontal plane.

[0012] The second tension / compression sensor is fixedly disposed relative to the first movable part. The handle part is directly or indirectly elastically connected to the second tension / compression sensor. The second tension / compression sensor detects the tension / compression of the handle part in a second direction.

[0013] This application employs two sets of tension and compression sensors arranged on the steering wheel to acquire the operator's intention to operate the steering wheel. By decomposing the force, the direction and magnitude of the force are collected by the two sets of tension and compression sensors. During operation, the operator's walking movements are directly sensed, thereby driving the wheels to move, enabling intuitive and effective flexible movement of the patient-side robot. Simultaneously, the first tension and compression sensor is elastically connected to the first moving part, and the second tension and compression sensor is elastically connected to the second moving part, preventing damage to the sensors due to excessive force applied to the steering wheel, greatly improving the reliability and lifespan of the steering wheel. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The following drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference and are used to understand this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention and their descriptions to explain the principles of the invention.

[0015] In the attached image:

[0016] Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the patient-side robot in this application embodiment is shown in the figure.

[0017] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the control rudder mechanism in this application embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 An exploded view of the control rudder mechanism in this embodiment of the application.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0020] 100 Control rudder mechanism 110 Rudder base

[0021] 111 pin 120 handle assembly

[0022] 121 Left handle 122 Right handle

[0023] 1221 Handle body 1222 Handle rubber sleeve

[0024] 130 First sensor assembly; 131 First tension / compression sensor

[0025] 132 First sensor mounting base 133 First protective spring

[0026] 140 First guide assembly 141 Slide rail

[0027] 142 slider 150 connecting assembly

[0028] 151 First connector 1511 hole

[0029] 152 Second connector 1521 Internal space

[0030] 1522 stop part 1523 stop ring

[0031] 1524 key component 160 second sensor assembly

[0032] 161 Second tension / compression sensor 162 Second sensor mounting base

[0033] 163 Second protective spring; 164 Third connecting piece

[0034] 171 Ball Spline Shaft 172 Ball Spline Sleeve

[0035] 180 Switch Assembly 181 Micro Switch

[0036] 182 key base 183 key

[0037] 200 driving wheel 300 following wheel Detailed Implementation

[0038] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described in order to avoid confusion with embodiments of the invention.

[0039] To fully understand the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed structure will be presented in the following description. Obviously, the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the specific details familiar to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" used in the present invention are merely identifiers and do not have any other meaning, such as a specific order. Furthermore, for example, the term "first component" does not imply the existence of a "second component," and the term "second component" does not imply the existence of a "first component." The terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting.

[0040] like Figure 1 This is the application scenario of the control steering wheel mechanism in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 The above describes a medical trolley. The trolley's movement mechanism includes two sets of independent drive wheels 200 and two sets of independent follower wheels 300. The drive wheels are electrically driven, while the follower wheels are not powered. A control steering mechanism 100 collects motion trend signals transmitted by the operator, thereby controlling the speed and direction of the two sets of independent drive wheels to enable the robot to move forward, backward, and turn.

[0041] like Figure 2 This is an embodiment of the control rudder mechanism 100 of this application.

[0042] The control rudder mechanism 100 includes a rudder base 110, a handle assembly 120, a first sensor assembly 130, a first guide assembly 140, a connecting assembly 150, a second sensor assembly 160, and a second guide assembly.

[0043] The rudder base 110 is fixedly installed on the rudder column 400 of the medical cart. The rudder base 110 can be installed either flat, with its bottom surface parallel to the horizontal plane, or at a certain angle to the horizontal plane.

[0044] The rudder base 110 has an installation area in which the first sensor assembly 130, the second sensor assembly 140, etc. can be installed.

[0045] The handle assembly 120 is used to operate the medical cart by placing both hands on it and performing actions such as pushing, pulling, and turning. The handle assembly 120 mainly includes a left handle part 121 and a right handle part 122, which are used for the left and right hands to grasp or hold, respectively. When in use, the user grasps the left handle part with the left hand and the right handle part with the right hand to push the cart. The handle part can be a horizontal handle, or it can be a structure with an arc-shaped push rod or a circular steering wheel.

[0046] In some cases, the handle assembly may not have left and right grip sections, but rather a single grip area, allowing the user to use both hands simultaneously or grip the cart with one hand.

[0047] The first sensor assembly 130 includes a first tension / compression sensor 131, a first sensor mounting base 132, and a first protective spring 133. The first sensor mounting base 132 is fixedly mounted on the rudder base 110. In some embodiments, the first sensor mounting base 132 is integrally formed with the rudder base 110, or the sensor mounting base is part of the rudder base body. One end of the first tension / compression sensor is fixedly mounted on the first sensor mounting base. In one embodiment, one end of the first tension / compression sensor 131 is fixed to the sensor mounting base 132 with screws, and the other end of the first tension / compression sensor 131 is fixed to the first protective spring 133 with screws. The first protective spring 133 can transmit tension or compression to the first tension / compression sensor 131. Furthermore, the first protective spring 133 deforms, and its stroke is limited by tension or compression. The first protective spring can limit the force generated on the first tension / compression sensor within a certain range, ensuring it does not exceed the maximum stroke of the first sensor, thus preventing damage to the first tension / compression sensor 131 due to excessive force.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first tension / compression sensor 131 is positioned such that, visually, one end faces the front of the medical cart and the other end faces the rear of the medical cart. The first tension / compression sensor 131 can be an S-shaped tension / compression sensor, a cylindrical tension / compression sensor, a U-shaped tension / compression sensor, or any type of sensor that can be used by those skilled in the art based on the inspiration from the embodiments of this application. In this embodiment, the first sensor assembly or the first tension / compression sensor can be configured as one, two, or more, and any combination thereof can be used by those skilled in the art based on the inspiration from the embodiments of this application.

[0049] The first guide assembly 140 includes a first fixing member fixed relative to the rudder base, and a first movable member that is defined to move in a linear direction (e.g., the front-back direction of the patient's side robot) relative to the first fixing member.

[0050] In one embodiment, the first guide assembly comprises a slide rail 141 and a slider 142. The slide rail 141 is fixedly mounted on the rudder base 110, and the slider 142 is mounted on the slide rail 141 and is capable of moving along the direction of the slide rail 141. In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the slide rail, i.e., the sliding direction of the slider, is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the medical cart, i.e., the direction of tension and compression sensing of the first tension and compression sensor. In some embodiments, the first guide assembly is not limited to the form of a slide rail and a slider, and may also employ other guideable components.

[0051] The connecting assembly 150 includes a first connecting member 151 and a second connecting member 152. The first connecting member 151 is a block-shaped component, fixed to the slider 142 by several screws. The other end of the first protective spring 133 is bolted to the first connecting member 151. The first connecting member 151 can move with the slider. The movement of the first connecting member 151 causes the end of the first protective spring 133 connected to it to move, generating tension or pressure on the first protective spring 133, which in turn transmits the tension or pressure to the first tension / compression sensor 131.

[0052] The second connector 152 is used to mount the handle assembly 120. In some embodiments, the second connector 152 is fixedly connected to the first connector 151. In some embodiments, the second connector and the first connector may be integrally formed.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the first connector 151 and the second connector 152 of the connecting assembly 150 together form a transition part, which allows the handle assembly and the second tension / compression sensor assembly to be movably mounted on the rudder disk relative to the rudder disk base, and to be linked with the first protective spring. The first tension / compression sensor senses the force of the handle assembly in the forward and backward movement direction of the device.

[0054] Furthermore, a device for limiting the first connector can be provided. In some embodiments, a pin 111 can be mounted on the rudder base, or the rudder base can be integrally formed with a protruding member. A hole 1511 is provided on the first connector 151, the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the pin 111. When the first connector 111 moves back and forth, the pin 111 abuts against the rear or front end of the hole 1511, limiting the forward and backward movement of the first connector while ensuring that the stretching or compression of the first protective spring is within a certain range. In some embodiments, the pin is not limited to being mounted on the rudder base; it can also be fixedly connected to the first connector, with space provided on the rudder base for the pin to move, while simultaneously limiting the pin's position.

[0055] In some embodiments, the limiting device is not limited to limiting the first connector, but may also be configured as limiting the slider or the second connector.

[0056] The second sensor assembly 160 includes a second tension / compression sensor 161, a second sensor mounting base 162, and a second protective spring 163. In some embodiments, the second sensor mounting base 162 may be part of the first connector 151. In some embodiments, the second sensor mounting base 162 and the first connector 151 are two separate components, fixedly connected by screws. One end of the second tension / compression sensor 161 is fixedly connected to the second sensor mounting base 162, and the other end of the second tension / compression sensor 161 is fixed to the second protective spring 162 by bolts. The second protective spring 162 functions the same as the first protective spring. Visually, the second tension / compression sensor 161 and the second protective spring 162 are positioned along the left-right direction of the medical trolley, that is, perpendicular to the direction of the force sensed by the first tension / compression sensor 131 in the plane of the steering wheel base. Simultaneously, the direction of the force sensed by the second tension / compression sensor 161 is also perpendicular to the projection of the direction of the force sensed by the first tension / compression sensor 131 in the horizontal plane. In embodiments, the second sensor assembly or the second tension / compression sensor may be configured as one, two, or more, and any combination thereof can be adopted by those skilled in the art based on the inspiration of the embodiments of this application.

[0057] The second guide assembly includes a second fixing member fixedly disposed relative to the first connector, and a second movable member that is limited to moving in a linear direction (e.g., the left-right direction of the patient-side robot) relative to the second fixing member. The second fixing member may be fixedly connected to either the first connector or the second connector.

[0058] In one embodiment, the second guide assembly comprises a ball spline shaft 171 and a ball spline sleeve 172. The ball spline sleeve 172 is fixedly connected to the second connector 152. Specifically, the second connector 152 is a cylindrical member with an internal space 1521 for accommodating the ball spline sleeve. The ball spline sleeve is installed within the internal space of the connector and is radially fixed to the second connector via a key connection. Within the internal space 1521 of the second connector 152, one end of the ball spline sleeve is restricted by a stop portion 1522 integrally formed with the second connector, and the other end is stopped by a retaining ring 1523 fixed to the second connector. The ball spline sleeve 172 is fixed to the second connector 152 via a key member 1524, allowing the ball spline sleeve 172 to move together with the second connector 152 and the first connector.

[0059] A ball spline shaft 171 is mounted together with two ball spline sleeves 172, allowing relative movement between the ball spline shaft and the ball spline sleeves along the length of the ball spline shaft. The length of the ball spline shaft is visually along the left-right direction of the medical trolley, and the direction of relative movement between the ball spline shaft and the ball spline sleeves is along the left-right direction of the medical trolley. One end of the ball spline shaft 171 is fixedly connected to the left handle portion 121 with screws, and the other end of the ball spline shaft 171 is fixed to the right handle portion 122 with screws, thus fixing the left handle portion 121 and the right handle portion 122 together.

[0060] The connection between the second sensor assembly and the second guide assembly is achieved by fixing the other end of the second protective spring 162 to the ball spline shaft 171. In one embodiment, a third connector 164 is connected between the ball spline shaft 171 and the second protective spring 162. One end of the third connector 164 is fixed to the ball spline shaft 171 with screws, and the other end of the third connector 164 is bolted to the second protective spring 162. When the left handle portion 121 and the right handle portion 122 move along the length direction of the ball spline shaft, they generate tension or pressure on the second protective spring 162, which then transmits the tension or pressure to the second tension / compression sensor 161. Due to the limited internal space of the steering wheel mechanism, the shape of the spring seat can be adjusted according to the actual space.

[0061] In this embodiment, a limiting structure for handle movement can also be provided. Specifically, the second connector 1521 is approximately coaxial with the handle body, and the ball spline sleeve 172 is located within the internal space 1521 of the second connector 152. There is a certain gap between the handle and the second connector 152. The stop portion of one of the second connectors can fix the ball spline sleeve inward and stop the left handle body outward. Correspondingly, the retaining ring 123 of the other second connector can fix the ball spline sleeve inward and stop the right handle body outward. The gap between the handle and the second connector allows space for the handle and the ball spline to move. When the left or right handle abuts against the second connector, the second connector limits the handle.

[0062] In some embodiments, the second guide assembly is not limited to a combination of a ball spline shaft and a ball spline sleeve; other linear bearing assemblies or linear guide assemblies such as slide rail slider assemblies may also be used to achieve the same function as in the embodiments described above.

[0063] In the above embodiments, a first tension / compression sensor assembly and a second tension / compression sensor assembly are employed. When forces of different directions and magnitudes are applied to the handle assembly, they are decomposed into corresponding forces along the front-back and left-right directions of the device. This allows for the acquisition of the thrust, pull, and lateral forces applied to the steering wheel, which are then converted into electrical signals to drive the patient-side robot to achieve convenient forward, backward, and turning movements. By collecting force signals and controlling the movement of the drive wheel, the steering wheel operation becomes more intuitive and effective, and the movement of the patient-side robot becomes more flexible. Furthermore, by designing mechanical limits, damage to the sensors caused by excessive forces applied to the steering wheel is prevented, greatly improving the reliability and lifespan of the steering wheel.

[0064] The steering wheel control mechanism further includes a switch assembly 180. The switch assembly 180 includes a micro switch 181, a button base 182, and a button 183. The micro switch 181 is fixedly mounted on the button base 182, and the button 183 actuates the micro switch 181. Specifically, the right handle portion 122 of the handle assembly includes a handle body 1221 and a handle sleeve 1222. The handle body 1221 has a cavity, in which the micro switch 181 and the handle button base 182 are placed. The button base 182 is fixed to the handle body, and one end of the button 183 is pivotally connected to the handle body and connected to the elastic element 184 of the micro switch. The other end of the button 183 is connected to the elastic element 184. The handle sleeve conceals the handle body, button base, and micro switch within it. The micro switch can be an ultra-miniature micro switch.

[0065] In this embodiment, the switch assembly can be configured as two sets, with microswitches installed on both the left and right handles. In this embodiment, the microswitches can activate the electric state of the drive wheel, and having two sets of microswitches provides dual protection.

[0066] In the above embodiments, during the motion control of the patient-side robot, when moving forward, both hands grip the handles and simultaneously press the microswitch, applying a forward thrust to the handle assembly. The microswitch inputs a signal to release the drive wheel brake, compressing the first protective spring of the first sensor assembly, generating pressure on the first tension / compression sensor. The first tension / compression sensor inputs the detected forward force signal, and the system controls the drive wheel to move forward. Similarly, when moving backward, a backward pulling force is applied to the handle assembly. When the device needs to turn, the ball spline shaft and ball spline outer cylinder can only move linearly to the left and cannot rotate to the left. This restricts the handle assembly and ball spline shaft to only produce micro-movements in the left-right direction of the ball spline shaft. The second tension / compression sensor detects the turning signal input. Simultaneously, due to the limitation of the second protective spring, the stroke of the handle assembly is limited. The greater the compression or tension received by the second protective spring, the greater the pressure or tension generated. By detecting the displacement of the handle movement through the second sensor, the trend and degree of turning are determined, thus fulfilling the turning requirement.

[0067] The aforementioned control rudder mechanism is not only applicable to patient-side robots, but also to any medical cart.

[0068] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention. Terms such as “set” appearing herein can refer to either a component being directly attached to another component or a component being attached to another component via an intermediary. A feature described in one embodiment herein may be applied, alone or in combination with other features, to another embodiment, unless that feature is not applicable in that other embodiment or is otherwise stated.

[0069] The present invention has been described through the above embodiments; however, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention to the described embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that many variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of the present invention, and all such variations and modifications fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A control rudder mechanism, characterized in that, include: Steering wheel base; The adapter can move linearly relative to the rudder base along a first direction; A handle is mounted on the adapter. The handle can drive the adapter to move relative to the rudder base along the first direction and can move linearly relative to the adapter along the second direction. The projection of the second direction in the horizontal plane is perpendicular to the projection of the first direction in the horizontal plane. A first tension / compression sensor is fixedly mounted on the rudder base at one end in the first direction, and the other end of the first tension / compression sensor is directly or indirectly elastically connected to the adapter to detect the direction of tension / compression on the handle in the first direction. as well as A second tension / compression sensor is provided, with one end of the second tension / compression sensor fixed relative to the adapter in the second direction so that it moves linearly along the first direction with the adapter relative to the rudder base. The other end of the second tension / compression sensor in the second direction is directly or indirectly elastically connected to the handle portion to detect the tension / compression force applied to the handle portion in the second direction.

2. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first fixed member and a first movable member. The first fixed member is fixedly disposed on the rudder base, and the first movable member moves linearly along the first direction on the first fixed member. The adapter is fixedly connected to the first movable member.

3. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first fixed component is a slide rail, and the first movable component is a slider.

4. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that, An elastic element connects the adapter to the first tension / compression sensor.

5. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a limiting part, which is disposed on the rudder base or the adapter, and the limiting part limits the movement of the adapter in a first direction.

6. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second fixing member and a second movable member. The second fixing member is fixedly disposed relative to the adapter portion, and the second movable member is fixedly disposed relative to the handle portion. The second movable member moves linearly along the second direction on the second fixing member.

7. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second movable component is a ball spline shaft, and the second fixed component is a ball spline sleeve. The ball spline shaft moves through the ball spline sleeve.

8. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, An elastic element connects the second movable component to the second tension / compression sensor.

9. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The adapter includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector is connected to the first tension / compression sensor, the second connector is fixedly connected to the first connector, and the second fastener is fixedly installed on the second connector.

10. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, The second connector has a stop portion that can abut against the handle portion, and the stop portion limits the movement of the handle portion in a second direction.

11. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first tension / compression sensor is provided with at least one, and the direction of the force sensed by at least one of the first tension / compression sensors is a first direction; and / or The second tension / compression sensor is provided at least one, and the direction of the sensing force of at least one second tension / compression sensor is the second direction.

12. The control rudder mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, One or two sets of microswitches are provided on the handle.

13. A medical trolley, characterized in that, Includes the control rudder mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

Images