Endoscope joint and surgical robot

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of endoscope joint and surgical machine, endoscope joint includes the adapter part suitable for being engaged with the handle of endoscope and transmission box part;Transmission box part includes: shell;And the transmission assembly placed in shell;Adapter part includes: sleeve, with transmission assembly transmission connection and with the inner cavity capable of receiving the handle of endoscope;Wherein, sleeve is configured to maintain elastic deformation when the handle of endoscope is located in inner cavity to realize the handle of endoscope is fixed in sleeve, to transfer torque from sleeve to the handle of endoscope.The endoscope joint of the present application directly interfaces the handle of endoscope by using sleeve, no release device, simple to use, long service life, sleeve can be suitable for most endoscope on the market.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to an endoscope connector and a surgical robot. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of medical devices, computer technology, and control technology, minimally invasive surgery has been increasingly widely used due to its advantages such as small surgical trauma, short recovery time, and less patient suffering. Minimally invasive surgical robots, with their high dexterity, high control precision, and intuitive surgical images, can avoid operational limitations, such as filtering hand tremors during operation, and are widely applicable to surgical areas such as the abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity, and thoracic cavity.

[0003] Currently, minimally invasive surgical robots consist of a master arm and slave arms. The master arm includes a master control arm for the surgeon to operate, while the slave arm includes slave manipulators. During surgery, the surgeon operates the master control arm, which collects the surgeon's input signals and processes them through the control system to generate control signals that are transmitted to the slave manipulators. The slave manipulators then execute the surgical procedures under the control of these signals. During robotic surgery, the slave manipulators engage surgical instruments and a 3D endoscope. The surgical instruments are inserted into the patient's body through a trocar inserted into an incision on the patient's skin, while the 3D endoscope provides monitoring images of the patient's internal organs. The slave manipulator includes an endoscope-holding arm with an endoscope connector for holding and moving the 3D endoscope, thus providing the surgeon with a suitable perspective during the procedure.

[0004] Chinese patent document CN115721246A discloses an endoscope transmission device, which includes a transmission box, an endoscope assembly, a locking assembly for connecting the transmission box and the endoscope assembly, and a release assembly. The release assembly can couple the locking assembly to allow the endoscope assembly to quickly disengage from the transmission box. The transmission box is provided with a drive assembly for driving the endoscope assembly to move. The locking assembly can limit the displacement of the endoscope assembly in its axial and radial directions.

[0005] The aforementioned endoscope transmission device technical solution, although it can realize the transmission connection between the endoscope and the endoscope arm, also has defects due to the direct docking of the docking plate with the fixing plate below the endoscope. These defects include a relatively complex endoscope clamping process, poor endoscope versatility, and instability such as endoscope vibration during the rotation of the endoscope. As a result, the promotion and use of this transmission device are limited. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Based on this, this application provides an endoscope connector with high ease of use and a surgical robot equipped with this endoscope connector.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides an endoscope connector, including an adapter portion adapted to engage with an endoscope handle and a transmission housing portion; the transmission housing portion includes: a housing; and a transmission assembly disposed within the housing; the adapter portion includes: a sleeve, tractively connected to the transmission assembly and having an inner cavity capable of receiving the endoscope handle; wherein the sleeve is configured to maintain elastic deformation when the endoscope handle is located in the inner cavity to secure the endoscope handle in the sleeve, thereby transferring torque from the sleeve to the endoscope handle.

[0008] This application solution uses a sleeve to directly connect to the endoscope via a snap-fit ​​method, without a release device. It is simple to use, has a long lifespan, and the sleeve is compatible with most endoscopes on the market.

[0009] In one specific embodiment, the transmission assembly includes: a drive shaft configured to be driven to rotate by a power motor; and a driven shaft, drively connected to the drive shaft; wherein the sleeve is fixedly disposed with the driven shaft to transfer the torque of the drive shaft to the sleeve via the driven shaft. The transmission assembly design provided in this embodiment has high reliability, readily available components, and low manufacturing cost.

[0010] In one specific embodiment, a gear component is sleeved on both the drive shaft and the driven shaft, and the two gear components mesh with each other; or a winch component is sleeved on both the drive shaft and the driven shaft, and the two winch components are connected by cable transmission.

[0011] In one specific embodiment, the sleeve includes a cylindrical sidewall, the inner cavity is defined by the cylindrical sidewall, the cylindrical sidewall has a first end fixedly connected to the transmission assembly and a second end remote from the first end, the inner cavity has an opening located at the second end, and the endoscope handle can be inserted into the inner cavity through the opening.

[0012] In one specific embodiment, the first end is detachably fixedly connected to the transmission assembly. In this embodiment, because the sleeve is detachable, the user can replace the corresponding matching endoscope fixing sleeve according to different endoscope handle structures, which greatly increases the versatility of the endoscope connector.

[0013] In one specific embodiment, a positioning protrusion is provided at the first end, and a slot matching the positioning protrusion is provided on the transmission assembly. The positioning protrusion is inserted into the slot when the sleeve is fixedly connected to the transmission assembly.

[0014] In one specific embodiment, a notch is provided on the side wall of the sleeve, the notch being configured to expose the button portion of the handle when the endoscope handle is located in the sleeve. In this embodiment, the shape of the notch corresponds to the shape of the endoscope button position, thereby facilitating the exposure of the endoscope button for user operation.

[0015] In one specific embodiment, the notch is configured to match the size of the button portion of the handle, such that the edge of the notch abuts against the button portion of the handle when the endoscope handle is located in the cavity. In this embodiment, the notch can prevent the endoscope handle from rotating relative to the sleeve.

[0016] In one specific embodiment, the notch is divided into a first segment and a second segment along the insertion direction of the endoscope handle. The first segment intersects with the opening, and the second segment is away from the opening. The diameter of the first segment is larger than the diameter of the second segment.

[0017] In one specific embodiment, the diameter of the first segment gradually narrows along the insertion direction of the endoscope handle.

[0018] In one specific embodiment, the sleeve sidewall includes a first portion adjacent to a first end and a second portion adjacent to a second end. The first portion is configured to be inserted into the housing, and the second portion is configured to allow insertion of the endoscope handle and to elastically deform at least when the endoscope handle is fully inserted into the second portion. In this embodiment, the elastic deformation of the second portion can firmly enclose the endoscope handle through elastic force, so that the second portion and the endoscope handle are stably engaged, thereby effectively preventing the endoscope handle from rotating relative to the sleeve.

[0019] In one specific embodiment, the second part abuts against the outer contour surface of the endoscope handle at multiple points. In this embodiment, the second part of the sleeve fits the shape of different endoscopes through its inner wall surface, accurately locates the position of the outer contour surface of the endoscope handle, and installs the inner wall surface of the sleeve to fit the smooth curve corresponding to the maximum position of the endoscope handle, thereby achieving rapid and stable engagement and disengagement of the endoscope.

[0020] In one specific embodiment, the inner wall surface of the cylindrical sidewall has a radial protrusion. The inner diameter of the cylindrical sidewall at the radial protrusion is smaller than the inner diameter at the opening. The radial protrusion is configured to abut against the outer contour surface of the endoscope handle when the endoscope handle is located in the inner cavity. In this embodiment, the radial protrusion enables the endoscope handle to be fixed by abutting against the outer contour surface of the endoscope handle; since the inner diameter of the radial protrusion is smaller than the inner diameter at the opening, the design of the radial protrusion expands the types of endoscope handles that the sleeve can accommodate.

[0021] In one specific embodiment, the transmission assembly includes: a bearing for supporting the sleeve and having opposing first and second end faces and a shaft hole passing through the first and second end faces; a portion of the sleeve sidewall is located inside the shaft hole; the sleeve sidewall includes an outer peripheral surface having a radial stepped surface that abuts against the first end face. In this embodiment, the bearing fits along the outer peripheral surface onto the radial stepped surface on the sleeve sidewall, which increases the contact area between the sleeve and the bearing. Therefore, it greatly reduces the requirements of the endoscope connector on the endoscope's center of gravity. Even if the endoscope's center of gravity is high, the endoscope connected via the endoscope connector will not experience problems such as vibration.

[0022] In one specific embodiment, the outer peripheral surface has an annular groove, and a retaining ring is disposed at the annular groove, the retaining ring abutting against the second end face. In this embodiment, the retaining ring can tightly press the sleeve onto the bearing, thereby firmly fixing the sleeve to the driven shaft.

[0023] In one specific embodiment, the transmission assembly includes: an intermediate support; the bearing mounted on the intermediate support; and a pressure plate for pressing the bearing axially onto the intermediate support, the pressure plate being mounted on the intermediate support and located outside the first end face.

[0024] In one specific embodiment, the housing includes: a base plate; and an upper shell located above the base plate and having an insertion port through which a portion of the sleeve is inserted into the housing.

[0025] In one specific embodiment, the upper shell includes a first shell and a second shell that are interlocked with each other, and the insertion port is located at the interlocking point between the first shell and the second shell.

[0026] In one specific embodiment, at least one cleaning port is provided at the upper shell and / or the bottom plate, and the at least one cleaning port is configured to be in fluid communication with a liquid supply source. In this embodiment, by providing a cleaning port, the interior can be disinfected, thereby allowing the connector to be reused and reducing surgical costs.

[0027] Secondly, this application provides a surgical robot, including a master hand and a slave hand. The master hand is configured to be operated by a physician and to collect the physician's operation signals to generate control signals that are transmitted to the slave hand. The slave hand is configured to perform surgical operations under the control of the control signals. The slave hand includes a surgical arm and an endoscope arm, and the endoscope arm is equipped with an endoscope connector as described in the first aspect of the technical solution or any specific embodiment.

[0028] Other advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an endoscope connector for a surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the endoscope connector from a downward-looking perspective;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the endoscope connector shown.

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0033] Figure 5 for Figure 4 An enlarged view at point B;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the sleeve structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the engagement of the sleeve and the handle of the endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the sleeve structure according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Cross-sectional view along the CC direction;

[0038] Figure 10 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the handle of the first type of endoscope installed in the sleeve;

[0039] Figure 11 for Figure 10 Cross-sectional view along the DD direction;

[0040] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Enlarged view at point M;

[0041] Figure 13 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the handle of a second type of endoscope installed in the sleeve;

[0042] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Cross-sectional view along the FF direction;

[0043] Figure 15 for Figure 14 A magnified view at point N;

[0044] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 17 for Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism from a downward-looking perspective;

[0046] Figure 18 for Figure 16 An explosion diagram of the locking mechanism;

[0047] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transmission assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 20 for Figure 19 A schematic diagram of the transmission component from another perspective;

[0049] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the combination of a power gear, a driven gear, a braking component, and a base plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 22 for Figure 21 A structural diagram from another perspective;

[0051] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the engagement of a power gear, a driven gear, a braking component, and a sleeve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the cleaning port according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] The components are: 100. Endoscope connector; 1. Adapter part; 2. Transmission box part; 11. Sleeve; 21. Outer shell; 22. Transmission assembly;

[0054] 111. Cylinder sidewall; 12. Inner cavity; 121. Opening; 112. First end; 113. Second end; 114. Positioning protrusion;

[0055] 115. First part; 1151. Outer peripheral surface; 1152. Radial stepped surface; 1153. Annular groove; 1154. Retaining ring;

[0056] 116. Part Two; 1161. Inner Wall Surface;

[0057] 117. Notch; 211. Base plate; 2112. First stop block; 2113. Second stop block; 2111. Protrusion;

[0058] 110. Sleeve;

[0059] 1110. Cylinder sidewall; 120. Inner cavity; 1210. Opening; 1120. First end; 1130. Second end; 1150. First part; 1160. Second part; 1170. Notch; 1171. First section; 1172. Second section;

[0060] 2121, First shell; 2122, Second shell; 212, Upper shell; 213, Inlet;

[0061] 221. Intermediate support; 23. Locking mechanism; 231. Trigger plate; 232. Buckle; 233. Spring; 2311. Slide groove; 2211. Guide rail; 2312. Protrusion;

[0062] 222, Bearing; 2221, First end face; 2222, Second end face; 2223, Shaft hole;

[0063] 223. Pressure plate; 224. Drive gear; 225. Driven gear; 226. Braking mechanism; 227. Drive shaft; 228. Driven shaft; 2261. Brake shaft; 2263. Protrusion; 2262. Braking component;

[0064] 24. Cleaning port; 25. Cleaning port; 26. PCB board; 261. First operation key; 262. Second operation key; 27. Signal probe; 28. Information chip; 29. ​​Magnet;

[0065] 500. Endoscope handle; 501. Outer contour surface; 502. Button section;

[0066] 600. Endoscope handle; 601. Outer contour surface; 602. Button section

[0067] 700. Endoscope handle; 701. Outer contour surface; 702. Button section. Implementation

[0068] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0069] In the description of this application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the purpose of facilitating the description of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0070] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. The terms “comprising,” “including,” etc., as used herein indicate the presence of the stated features and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features or components.

[0071] It should be noted that when an element is considered "connected to" or "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or may have an intervening element present. When an element is said to be "located on" or "assigned to" another element, it can be directly on the other element or may also have an intervening element present. "Several" in this specification refers to one or more quantities. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0072] This application provides a surgical robot, including a master arm and a slave arm. The surgeon indirectly controls the slave arm of the slave arm by manipulating the master control arm of the master arm. Specifically, the master control arm collects the surgeon's operation signals, which are processed by the control system to generate control signals for the slave arm of the slave arm, which then performs the surgical operation. The master arm and slave arm of the surgical robot can be placed in the same space or in different spatial locations, and data can be transmitted between them via wired or wireless means. During robotic surgery, the slave arm engages surgical instruments and a 3D endoscope. The surgical instruments are inserted into the patient's body through a trocar inserted into an incision on the patient's body surface, and the 3D endoscope provides monitoring images of the patient's internal organs. The slave arm includes an endoscope-holding arm with an endoscope connector for holding and moving the 3D endoscope, thereby providing the surgeon with a suitable perspective during operation. This application also provides an endoscope connector designed to adapt to the endoscope and meet the needs of its movement functions.

[0073] Please refer to the following: Figure 1-5 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of an endoscope connector. The endoscope connector 100 mainly consists of an adapter portion 1 adapted to engage with the handle of an endoscope and a transmission housing portion 2. The adapter portion 1 mainly includes a sleeve 11. The transmission housing portion 2 mainly includes a housing 21 and a transmission assembly 22 housed within the housing 21.

[0074] like Figure 3As shown, the outer casing 21 includes a base plate 211 and an upper casing 212 composed of a first casing 2121 and a second casing 2122 that are interlocked with each other. The base plate 211 and the upper casing 212 can be fixedly assembled together by means of threaded fasteners or the like.

[0075] An insertion port 213 is formed at the snap-fit ​​joint between the first housing 2121 and the second housing 2122. A portion of the sleeve 11 can be inserted into the interior of the housing 21 through the insertion port 213 and form a transmission connection with the transmission assembly 22 inside the housing 21.

[0076] The transmission assembly 22 includes an intermediate support 221, which is fixedly supported on the base plate 211. Some components constituting the transmission assembly 22 will be assembled on the intermediate support 221.

[0077] The transmission housing section 2 also includes a locking mechanism 23. This locking mechanism 23 is used to lock the endoscope connector 100 to and unlock it from the power housing (not shown) which carries the power motor. In this example, the locking mechanism 23 is mounted on the intermediate bracket 221.

[0078] like Figure 6 As shown, this illustrates a specific structure of a sleeve 11. The sleeve 11 has a cylindrical sidewall 111, the inner side of which defines an inner cavity 12. The cylindrical sidewall 111 has a first end 112 and a second end 113 that are spaced apart from each other. A plurality of positioning protrusions 114 are provided at the first end 112. The inner cavity 12 has an opening 121 located at the second end 113, through which the handle of the endoscope can be inserted into the inner cavity 12.

[0079] The cylinder sidewall 111 is axially divided into a first portion 115 adjacent to the first end 112 and a second portion 116 adjacent to the second end 113. The first portion 115 is tapered and configured to be inserted into the housing 21 of the transmission box portion 2. (See attached image.) Figure 4 , 5 As shown. The second part 116 is cylindrical and is configured to allow the endoscope handle to be inserted and fixedly engaged with the endoscope handle; the second part 116 is also provided with a notch 117, which is configured to expose the button part of the handle when the endoscope handle is in the second part 116.

[0080] See Figure 7As shown, this example illustrates a schematic diagram of the engagement between a sleeve 11 and an endoscope handle 500. In this example, the outer contour surface 501 of the endoscope handle 500 is not a regular arc surface, but an irregular curved surface; when the handle 500 is inserted into the inner cavity 12 of the sleeve 11, there are three points a, b, and c on the outer contour surface 501 that abut against the inner wall surface 1161 of the second part 116. This sleeve design can easily induce strain in the second part 116 of the sleeve 11; that is, the second part 116 undergoes elastic deformation when the endoscope handle 500 is fully inserted into the second part 116. This elastic deformation can be continuously maintained when the endoscope handle 500 is located in the inner cavity 12, thereby using the force generated by the elastic deformation to fix the endoscope handle 500 in the inner cavity 12 of the sleeve 11, thus transferring torque from the sleeve 11 to the endoscope handle 500. At the same time, the button portion 502 of the endoscope handle 500 protrudes from the notch 117; in order to match the button portion 502, the notch 117 is configured to match the size of the button portion 502, so that the edge of the notch 117 abuts against the button portion 502 when the endoscope handle 500 is fully inserted into the second part 116.

[0081] See Figure 8 and Figure 9 This illustrates another structure for a sleeve 110, which has a cylindrical sidewall 1110, the inner side of which defines an inner cavity 120. The cylindrical sidewall 1110 has a first end 1120 and a second end 1130 that are spaced apart from each other. The inner cavity 120 has an opening 1210 located at the second end 1130, through which the handle of an endoscope can be inserted into the inner cavity 120. The cylindrical sidewall 1110 is axially divided into a first portion 1150 adjacent to the first end 1120 and a second portion 1160 adjacent to the second end 1130. A notch 1170 is provided in the second portion 1160. This notch 1170 is a composite notch and is divided into a first segment 1171 and a second segment 1172 along the insertion direction of the endoscope handle. The first segment 1171 intersects with the opening 1210, and the second segment 1172 is away from the opening 1210. The diameter W1 of the first segment 1171 is larger than the diameter W2 of the second segment 1172. Furthermore, the diameter W1 of the first segment 1171 gradually narrows along the insertion direction of the endoscope handle. The inner wall surface of the second portion 1160 has a radial protrusion 1180 near the first portion 1150. The inner diameter D2 of the second portion 1160 at the radial protrusion 1180 is smaller than the inner diameter D1 at the opening 1210.

[0082] like Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12As shown, when the handle 600 of the first type of endoscope is installed in the sleeve 110, the button portion 602 of the endoscope handle 600 protrudes from the notch 1170 and engages with the first section 1171 of the notch 1170. The radial protrusion 1180 abuts against the outer contour surface 601 of the endoscope handle 600. The second part 1160 undergoes elastic deformation when the endoscope handle 600 is fully inserted into the second part 1160. This elastic deformation can be maintained continuously when the endoscope handle 600 is located in the inner cavity 120, thereby using the force generated by the elastic deformation to fix the endoscope handle 600 in the sleeve 110, thereby transferring the torque from the sleeve 110 to the endoscope handle 600.

[0083] like Figure 13 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, when the handle 700 of the second type of endoscope is installed in the sleeve 110, the button portion 702 of the handle 700 protrudes from the notch 1170 and engages with the second section 1172 of the notch 1170. The radial protrusion 1180 abuts against the outer contour surface 701 of the handle 700. The second part 1160 undergoes elastic deformation when the handle 700 is fully inserted into the second part 1160. This elastic deformation can be maintained continuously when the handle 700 is located in the inner cavity 120, thereby using the force generated by the elastic deformation to fix the handle 700 of the endoscope in the sleeve 110, thereby transferring the torque from the sleeve 110 to the handle 700 of the endoscope.

[0084] In this design, the sleeve, especially the second part and the notch, is designed so that the notch abuts against the button area of ​​the endoscope, which also serves a positioning function. The sleeve, especially the part corresponding to the second part, can be made of materials such as plastic or metal that can undergo elastic deformation under stress while maintaining a certain strength during elastic deformation.

[0085] See Figure 16 , 17As shown in Figure 18, a schematic diagram of a locking mechanism is illustrated. The locking mechanism 23 includes a pair of trigger plates 231 arranged opposite each other, two pairs of latches 232 that are linked to the pair of trigger plates 231, and springs 233 located between each latch 232 and the intermediate support 221. Each pair of latches 232 includes one latch 232 arranged on the left and one on the right. The two pairs of latches 232 are arranged on the front and rear sides of the intermediate support 221, respectively; the pair of latches 232 on the front side is driven by the trigger plates 231 on the front side, while the pair of latches 232 on the rear side is driven by the trigger plates 231 on the rear side. Each end of each trigger plate 231 abuts against one side of a latch 232, while the other side of the latch 232 abuts against the corresponding spring 223. Each trigger plate 231 is provided with a sliding groove 2311, and the intermediate support 221 is provided with a pair of guide rails 2211. A pair of guide rails 2211 cooperate with the grooves 2311 of a pair of trigger plates 231.

[0086] In the locking mechanism 23, two pairs of latches 232 are held in place by four springs 223, giving each latch 232 a certain elastic potential energy. The intermediate support 221 has a guide rail 2211, and the trigger plate 231 is also provided with a corresponding groove 2311. This structure allows the trigger plate 231 to move linearly along a fixed trajectory on the intermediate support 221. Each trigger plate 231 has a protrusion 2312 at the bottom of its groove 2311, and the base plate 211 also has a corresponding protrusion 2111 (see...). Figure 19 , 20 The two sets of protrusions limit the range of motion of the trigger plate 231. The operator can squeeze the trigger plate 231 to compress the spring 233, accumulate elastic potential energy, and complete the engagement with the power box; when removing it, the operator only needs to squeeze the trigger plate 231 to make the buckle 232 swing to near its limit position to remove it; when the trigger plate 231 is released, the elastic potential energy accumulated by the spring 233 will push the buckle 232 until the trigger plate 231 touches the protrusion 2111 of the base plate 211, thereby realizing the continuous cycle of the movement process.

[0087] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the locking mechanism may also adopt other structural solutions, as long as it can lock the endoscope connector to the power box and unlock it from the power box.

[0088] See Figure 4 , 5Figures 19 and 20 show schematic diagrams of the intermediate support, base plate, and transmission assembly. A bearing 222 and a pressure plate 223 are mounted on the upper side of the intermediate support 221. The bearing 222 has a first end face 2221, a second end face 2222, and a shaft hole 2223 passing through the first and second end faces 2221 and 2222. The pressure plate 223 is located above the first end face 2221 and can press the bearing 222 axially against the intermediate support 221 from above. The second end face 2222 of the bearing 222 abuts against the upper surface of the intermediate support 221. The shaft hole 2223 is vertically aligned with the insertion port 213; the first portion 115 of the sleeve 11 is partially supported within the shaft hole 2223 of the bearing 222.

[0089] See Figure 21 and 22 The diagram illustrates a partial structural schematic of a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly 22 includes a drive shaft 227, a drive gear 224 fixedly mounted on the drive shaft 227, a driven shaft 228, and a driven gear 225 fixedly mounted on the driven shaft 228. Both the drive shaft 227 and the driven shaft 228 are rotatably supported on a base plate 211 and an intermediate support 221. The driven gear 225 meshes with the drive gear 224. The drive gear 224 is configured to be driven to rotate by a power motor in a power housing, thereby driving the driven gear 225 to rotate. The drive shaft 227 is configured to connect to the output shaft (not shown) of a power motor to be driven to rotate by the power motor. A sleeve 11 is fixedly mounted to the driven shaft 228 to transfer the torque of the drive shaft 227 to the sleeve 11 via the driven shaft 228.

[0090] In other embodiments, the driven gear and the drive gear can be omitted, and instead a winch component can be sleeved on both the drive shaft and the driven shaft, with the two winch components connected by cable transmission; this can also achieve the transmission of torque from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, and then to the sleeve.

[0091] Continue as Figure 4 and 5 As shown, this diagram illustrates the transmission relationship between a sleeve and a transmission assembly. The first end 112 of the sleeve 12 is fixedly connected to the driven gear 225 to transfer the torque of the power gear 224 to the sleeve 12 via the driven gear 225. In this example, the first end 112 of the sleeve 12 is detachably fixedly connected to the driven gear 225; the user can replace the sleeve of the corresponding endoscope according to the different endoscope handle structures.

[0092] Continue as Figure 21 , 22As shown in Figure 23, the transmission assembly 22 further includes a braking mechanism 226 for braking the driven shaft 228. The braking mechanism 226 includes: a brake shaft 2261 configured to connect to the output shaft (not shown) of a brake motor to be driven to rotate by the brake motor; and a braking member 2262 fixedly mounted on the brake shaft 2261, which is actuated by the brake shaft 2261 between a braking position that prevents rotation of the driven shaft 228 and a release position that allows rotation of the driven shaft 228. In this example, the braking member 226 is preferably a cam member. A protrusion 2263 is also integrally provided on the driven shaft 228. The braking member 2262 abuts against the protrusion 2263 when in the braking position.

[0093] To restrict the rotation of the braking component 2262, the transmission assembly 22 is further provided with a constraint mechanism that restricts the braking component 2262 to rotate only between a first limit position and a second limit position. In this example, the constraint mechanism includes a first stop 2112 and a second stop 2113 disposed on the base plate 211; the braking component 2262 abuts against the first stop 2112 when in the first limit position; and the braking component 2112 abuts against the second stop 2113 when in the second limit position. When the braking component 2262 is in the first limit position, it will move away from the protrusion 2263, meaning that the driven shaft 228 and the driven gear 225 thereon can rotate freely, while when the braking component 2262 is in the second limit position, it abuts against the protrusion 2253, preventing the driven shaft 228 and the driven gear 225 thereon from rotating.

[0094] like Figure 2 As shown, the base plate 211 is provided with a first pair of interfaces 2114 and a second pair of interfaces 2115. One end of the brake shaft 2261 is directly opposite the interface 2114, and one end of the power shaft 227 is directly opposite the other interface 2115.

[0095] Before the power motor drives the endoscope to rotate, the output shaft of the power motor must be properly engaged with the shaft of the power shaft 227. Therefore, a test procedure needs to be performed on the endoscope connector 100 to ensure that the power from the power motor can be transmitted to the endoscope. The braking mechanism 226 is designed to perform this test procedure, which is as follows: First, the brake motor (not shown in the figure) is controlled to drive the braking component 2262, and the power motor is controlled to drive the power gear 224 to rotate forward simultaneously (the "forward rotation" direction is...). Figure 23As shown in the R1 direction, the braking component 2262 will stop at the second limit position. As the power gear 224 rotates forward, the driven gear 225 will rotate in reverse around the R2 direction, which is opposite to the R1 direction, until the protrusion 2263 on the driven shaft 228 touches the braking component 2262 and stops. At this time, since the braking component 2262 and the protrusion 2263 abut against each other, neither the braking component 2262 nor the power gear 224 can rotate forward. This situation indicates that the engagement is complete. Conversely, it indicates that the engagement between the output shaft of the power motor and the power shaft 227 is not complete. Next, after confirming that the engagement between the power motor and the power shaft 227 of the power gear 224 is complete, the power motor is driven to drive the power gear 224 to rotate in reverse at a certain angle, and then the braking motor is driven to drive the braking component 2262 to rotate in reverse until it touches the first stop 2112 and stops. At this point, the detection process is completed, and the engagement between the output shaft of the power motor and the power shaft 227 is complete. Then, the endoscope handle can be inserted into the sleeve 11 from the opening 121. Once the sleeve 11 and the endoscope handle are fully in position, the operator can rotate the endoscope to any position on the doctor's operating platform.

[0096] See also Figure 4 and 5 The diagram shows a schematic of the first portion 115 of the sleeve 11 being installed into the transmission housing portion 2. The first portion 115 of the sleeve 11 is inserted into the shaft hole 2223 of the bearing 222 through the insertion port 213, with a portion of the sleeve sidewall of the first portion 115 located inside the shaft hole 2223. A plurality of positioning protrusions 114 on the first end 112 of the sleeve 11 are respectively inserted into a plurality of slots (not shown) on the driven gear 225.

[0097] The first part 115 has an outer peripheral surface 1151, on which a radial stepped surface 1152 is provided. The radial stepped surface 1152 abuts against the first end face 2221 of the bearing 222.

[0098] The outer peripheral surface 1151 also has an annular groove 1153 on the lower side of the radial stepped surface 1152. An elastic retaining ring 1154 is provided at the annular groove 1153, which abuts against the second end face 2222 of the bearing 222.

[0099] The contact between the radial stepped surface 1152 and the first end face 2221 of the bearing 222, the pressure plate 223 pressing the bearing 222 axially onto the intermediate support 221 from the upper side of the bearing 222, and the contact between the retaining ring 1154 and the second end face 2222 of the bearing 222, ensure the stability of the installation of the sleeve 11 and the driven gear 225, thereby preventing the sleeve 11 from moving arbitrarily in the vertical direction. Specifically, the contact between the radial stepped surface 1152 and the first end face 2221 of the bearing 222, and the contact between the retaining ring 1154 and the second end face 2222 of the bearing 222, tightly press the sleeve 11 onto the bearing 222. The pressure plate 223 on the outer side of the upper end of the bearing 222 ensures that the bearing 222 is tightly installed on the intermediate support 221, allowing only the inner ring of the bearing 222 to rotate freely.

[0100] When installing the sleeve 11 and the transmission assembly 22, the bearing 222 can be installed on the sleeve 11 first, and the retaining ring 1154 can be installed. Then, the two can be installed on the intermediate bracket 221, and then the pressure plate 223, the first housing 2121 and the second housing 2122 can be installed. When disassembling, the steps are reversed.

[0101] Continue as Figure 1 As shown, the first housing 2121 is provided with a pair of cylindrical through-hole cleaning ports 24; as Figure 16 , 17 As shown in Figure 18, a pair of stepped-hole cleaning ports 25 are provided on the intermediate support 221. A pair of cleaning ports 24 are fluidly connected to the pair of cleaning ports 25. The pair of cleaning ports 24 are configured to be fluidly connected to a fluid supply source (not shown in the figure). Through these cleaning ports, an external fluid supply source can be connected to achieve cleaning and disinfection of the inside of the endoscope connector 100, so that the endoscope connector can be reused, thereby reducing the surgical cost.

[0102] like Figure 24 As shown, it illustrates another arrangement of the cleaning ports; in this example, a pair of cleaning ports 24' are arranged at the base plate 211', which makes the cleaning process more convenient, and there are no openings above, making the entire joint aesthetically pleasing and less prone to contamination.

[0103] Continue as Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figures 3, 19, and 20, the transmission box section 2 also includes an operation panel, which allows the operator to send operation commands to the power box (not shown) carrying the power motor on-site.

[0104] The control panel includes a PCB board 26, a first operation key 261, a second operation key 262, and a signal probe 27 for signal connection with the power box. The two operation keys are located on the outer wall of the exposed portion of the second housing 2122 when the transmission box is connected to the power box, and both keys are exposed on the outer end of the second housing 2122. The signal probe 27 is electrically connected to the PCB board 26 via soldered wires or connectors. Operation commands from the first operation key 261 and the second operation key 262 can be transmitted via the PCB board 26 to the signal probe 27 and output to the power box. To enable the PCB board 26 to withstand water exposure, a waterproof layer is provided on the outer surface of the PCB board 26 in this example.

[0105] The first operation key 261 is configured to send a first command to the power box to switch the endoscope's 0° / 30° viewing angle when triggered. This function is mainly to enable the endoscope to adapt to both 0° and 30° viewing angles.

[0106] The second operation key 262 is configured to send a second command to the power box to rotate the endoscope when triggered. This second command is set to rotate the endoscope by a fixed angle; where the fixed angle is θ, θ*n=180, and n is a positive integer less than or equal to 6; for example, the fixed angle can be set to 30°, 60°, or 90°, etc.

[0107] The two operation buttons in this example serve two purposes: firstly, pressing one button switches between different viewing angles when inserting the endoscope; secondly, pressing the other rotation button rotates the field of view 180° when the endoscope is in a 30° viewing angle (pressing this rotation button has no effect at 0°). Of course, in other embodiments, three or more operation buttons can be provided to allow the operator to better control the connector or endoscope.

[0108] Inside the outer casing 21 of the transmission box section 2, there is also an information storage component, such as an information chip 28, which stores information such as the model and number of times the endoscope connector is used. This information can be read by the reading mechanism on the power box.

[0109] The transmission box component 2 is also equipped with a docking detection component, which is used to determine whether the endoscope connector 100 exists, that is, to determine whether the endoscope connector 100 is installed on the power box. A typical configuration of the docking detection component is as follows: Figure 21As shown, the docking detection component includes a magnet 29 arranged on the base plate 211; in order to cooperate with the design of the magnet 28, the power box is provided with a Hall sensor (not shown in the figure) that can identify the magnet 29. The power box can use the Hall sensor to determine whether an endoscope connector is installed on the power box; of course, in addition to this, the presence of the endoscope connector can also be determined by other means, such as a docking detection component containing an RFID radio frequency chip.

[0110] In the operation of the endoscope connector 100 of this application, the power motor in the power box drives the power shaft 227 to rotate, and the power gear 224 meshes with the driven gear 225, thereby transmitting power to the driven gear 225. The driven gear 225 is coupled with the sleeve 11, so the sleeve 11 also rotates along with it. The endoscope handle is inserted into the sleeve 11. Since the sleeve 11 maintains elastic deformation when the endoscope handle is located in the inner cavity 12, the endoscope handle is fixed in the sleeve 11. The torque is further transferred from the sleeve 11 to the endoscope handle, that is, the endoscope handle also rotates with the sleeve 11. This achieves the purpose of controlling the endoscope rotation by controlling the power motor. The up and down movement of the endoscope is achieved by the robotic arm controlling the up and down movement of the power box, which will not be described in detail here.

[0111] In this application, the sleeve adapts to the shape of the handle of different endoscopes through elastic deformation and design notches; when docking with the handle of the endoscope, the operator can achieve stable engagement of the endoscope handle in the sleeve and rapid disengagement from the sleeve by accurately locating the widest part of the outer contour surface of the endoscope handle and aligning the button part of the endoscope with the notch.

[0112] In summary, this application utilizes a snap-fit ​​method where the sleeve directly connects to the endoscope handle, eliminating the need for a release device. This method is simple to use, has a long lifespan, and the sleeve is compatible with most endoscopes on the market. Furthermore, since the sleeve is detachable, users can replace it with a matching sleeve of the appropriate size according to the different endoscope handle structures. As a result, the endoscope connector of this application can meet the installation needs of various types of endoscopes and has a wide range of applications.

[0113] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0114] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An endoscope connector, characterized in that, Includes an adapter for engaging with the handle of an endoscope and a transmission housing. The transmission box portion includes: a housing; and a transmission assembly disposed within the housing; the adapter portion includes: a sleeve, which is pulsatorically connected to the transmission assembly and has an inner cavity capable of receiving the handle of the endoscope; wherein the sleeve is configured to maintain elastic deformation when the handle of the endoscope is located in the inner cavity to secure the handle of the endoscope in the sleeve, thereby transferring torque from the sleeve to the handle of the endoscope; The sleeve includes a cylindrical sidewall, the inner cavity is defined by the cylindrical sidewall, and a notch is provided on the cylindrical sidewall. The notch is configured to expose the button portion of the handle when the handle of the endoscope is located in the sleeve. The size of the notch matches the button portion of the handle, such that the edge of the notch abuts against the button portion of the handle when the handle of the endoscope is located in the inner cavity.

2. The endoscope connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes: a power shaft configured to be driven to rotate by a power motor; and a driven shaft drivenly connected to the power shaft; wherein the sleeve is fixedly disposed with the driven shaft to transfer the torque of the power shaft to the sleeve via the driven shaft.

3. The endoscope connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, A gear component is sleeved on both the drive shaft and the driven shaft, and the two gear components mesh with each other; or a winch component is sleeved on both the drive shaft and the driven shaft, and the two winch components are connected by cable transmission.

4. The endoscope connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cylindrical sidewall has a first end fixedly connected to the transmission assembly and a second end located away from the first end. The inner cavity has an opening located at the second end, through which the handle of the endoscope can be inserted into the inner cavity.

5. The endoscope connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first end is detachably fixedly connected to the transmission assembly.

6. The endoscope connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, A positioning protrusion is provided at the first end, and a slot matching the positioning protrusion is provided on the transmission assembly. The positioning protrusion is inserted into the slot when the sleeve is connected to the transmission assembly.

7. The endoscope connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The notch is divided into a first segment and a second segment along the insertion direction of the endoscope handle. The first segment intersects with the opening, and the second segment is away from the opening. The diameter of the first segment is larger than the diameter of the second segment.

8. The endoscope connector according to claim 7, characterized in that, The diameter of the first segment gradually narrows along the insertion direction of the endoscope handle.

9. The endoscope connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cylindrical sidewall includes a first portion adjacent to a first end and a second portion adjacent to a second end, the first portion being configured to be insertable into the housing, and the second portion being configured to allow insertion of the endoscope handle and to be elastically deformable at least when the endoscope handle is fully inserted into the second portion.

10. The endoscope connector according to claim 9, characterized in that, The inner wall surface of the second part is configured to abut against the outer contour surface of the endoscope handle at multiple points, at least when the handle of the endoscope is fully inserted into the second part.

11. The endoscope connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inner wall surface of the cylindrical sidewall has a radial protrusion, the inner diameter of the cylindrical sidewall at the radial protrusion is smaller than the inner diameter at the opening, and the radial protrusion is configured to abut against the outer contour surface of the endoscope handle when the handle of the endoscope is in the cavity.

12. The endoscope connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes: a bearing for supporting the sleeve and having opposing first and second end faces and a shaft hole passing through the first and second end faces; a portion of the sleeve sidewall is located inside the shaft hole; the sleeve sidewall includes an outer peripheral surface having a radial stepped surface that abuts against the first end face.

13. The endoscope connector according to claim 12, characterized in that, The outer peripheral surface has an annular groove, and a retaining ring is provided at the annular groove, the retaining ring abutting against the second end face.

14. The endoscope connector according to claim 12, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes: an intermediate support; the bearing mounted on the intermediate support; and a pressure plate for pressing the bearing axially onto the intermediate support, the pressure plate being mounted on the intermediate support and located outside the first end face.

15. The endoscope connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The outer casing includes: a base plate; and an upper shell located on the upper side of the base plate and having an insertion port, through which a portion of the sleeve is inserted into the outer casing.

16. The endoscope connector according to claim 15, characterized in that, The upper shell includes a first shell and a second shell that are interlocked with each other, and the insertion port is located at the interlocking point between the first shell and the second shell.

17. The endoscope connector according to claim 15, characterized in that, At least one cleaning port is provided at the upper shell and / or the bottom plate, and the at least one cleaning port is configured to be connected to a liquid supply source.

18. A surgical robot, comprising a master hand and a slave hand, wherein the master hand is configured for operation by a surgeon and for acquiring the surgeon's operation signals to generate control signals that are transmitted to the slave hand, and the slave hand is configured to perform surgical operations under the control of the control signals, characterized in that... The hand portion includes a mechanical arm and a scope arm, wherein the scope arm is equipped with an endoscope connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 17.

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