Instrument guide arm system for single-port surgical robot

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an instrument guide arm system for a single-hole surgical robot, comprising: a support part, an accommodation chamber defined by a front end plate, a rear end plate, and a side wall connected between the front end plate and the rear end plate; a guide part mounted on the front end plate of the support part, suitable for being inserted into a body of a surgical subject; a surgical assembly extending from the rear end plate of the support part through the accommodation chamber and forwardly from the guide part; and at least one set of driving mechanisms arranged on the support part, each set of driving mechanisms being configured to drive the guide part to bend, so that the guide part guides a front end of the surgical assembly to a target position in the body of the surgical subject, to perform a surgical operation on the target position by operating a rear end of the surgical assembly at the rear end plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of surgical robots, and more particularly to an instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot. Background Technology

[0002] Single-port laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery offers advantages over multi-port minimally invasive surgery, including fewer scars and faster recovery, leading to a proliferation of methods for performing this procedure. In thoracic surgery, single-port surgical robots position their instrument guide arms within the patient's intercostal space, allowing surgical instruments to enter the thoracic cavity. During internal mammary artery surgery, the surgeon must repeatedly adjust the position of the slave arm and surgical instruments to ensure they fully cover the surgical area, guaranteeing surgical integrity. After adjustment, the slave arm must be locked to provide a stable support platform for the instruments and endoscope.

[0003] In this situation, traditional guide arms used to guide surgical instruments are unable to provide a suitable initial position for intrathoracic surgical instruments and endoscopes, making it impossible for the surgeon to obtain the optimal surgical posture and best angle of the surgical instruments and endoscopes in the operating space, thereby affecting the surgeon's surgical efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problems in the prior art, this disclosure provides an instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot. The system uses a drive mechanism to guide the front end of the surgical component to a target position within the surgical patient's body. By operating the rear end of the surgical component through a rear end plate, surgical operations can be performed at the target position, thus achieving flexible guidance of the surgical instrument.

[0005] As one aspect of this disclosure, an instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot is provided, including a support, a guide, a surgical component, and at least one set of drive mechanisms. The support has an internally formed receiving chamber defined by a front end plate, a rear end plate, and sidewalls connecting the front and rear end plates. The guide is mounted on the front end plate of the support and is adapted for insertion into a surgical object. The surgical component extends forward from the rear end plate of the support through the receiving chamber and from the guide. At least one set of drive mechanisms is disposed on the support, each set of drive mechanisms being configured to drive the guide to bend, such that the guide guides the front end of the surgical component to a target position within the surgical object, so as to perform surgical manipulation at the target position by operating the rear end of the surgical component on the rear end plate.

[0006] According to the disclosed embodiments, the guide portion includes a plurality of joints connected in sequence, the surgical component passing through each of the joints, and adjacent joints are configured to be radially flexible, such that the guide portion can swing under the drive of the drive mechanism.

[0007] According to a disclosed embodiment, the instrument guide arm system includes two sets of drive mechanisms, each set of drive mechanisms including two drive units, two transmission cables, and two transmission units. The two drive units are respectively mounted on two opposite sidewalls of the support unit; each transmission cable extends from the support unit through the guide unit and connects to the foremost joint of the joint, to drive the guide unit to bend under the traction of the drive unit; and the two transmission units are mounted between the drive units and the guide unit to guide the transmission cables into the guide unit, respectively.

[0008] According to the disclosed embodiments, each of the transmission units includes a plurality of guide wheels mounted on the inner side of the front end plate to guide the transmission cable from the drive unit to the guide unit. The transmission unit also includes an elastic element connected between the transmission cable and the drive unit, the elastic element being adapted to provide a preload force to the transmission cable to shorten the transmission delay of the transmission cable.

[0009] According to the disclosed embodiments, each of the drive units includes a support frame, a drive motor, a lead screw, and a moving block. The support frame is mounted on the inner side of the side wall of the support plate; the drive motor is mounted on one end of the support frame near the rear end plate; the lead screw is mounted on the support frame to rotate under the drive of the drive motor; and the moving block is threadedly engaged with the lead screw to reciprocate linearly relative to the support frame under the rotation of the lead screw, and the transmission cable is connected to the moving block.

[0010] According to the disclosed embodiments, the instrument guide arm system further includes a variable stiffness mechanism configured to increase the stiffness of the guide portion, such that the guide portion holds the actuator of the surgical component in a predetermined posture within the surgical subject.

[0011] According to the disclosed embodiments, the variable stiffness mechanism includes a negative pressure device and a stiffness control tube. The stiffness control tube extends through the guide portion at its axis, and is filled with particles. The negative pressure device reduces the pressure within the stiffness control tube via an air duct, increasing the pressure and friction between the particles, thereby increasing the stiffness of the stiffness control tube.

[0012] According to the disclosed embodiments, each joint of the guide portion has a plurality of first through holes, a plurality of second through holes, and a third through hole. The plurality of first through holes are disposed on a first circumference located near the edge of the joint, and the transmission cables pass through the first through holes to connect to the foremost joint; the plurality of second through holes are concentrically disposed on a second circumference located inside the first circumference, and the guide tubes of the surgical component pass through the second through holes; and the third through hole is disposed at the center of the second circumference, and the stiffness control tube of the variable stiffness mechanism is inserted into the third through hole.

[0013] According to the disclosed embodiments, the instrument guide arm system further includes a channel tube installed between the outer side of the front end plate and the guide portion, through which the surgical component passes. The length of the channel tube is designed such that the guide portion passes through the chest wall or abdominal wall of the surgical subject to reach the cavity where the target location is located.

[0014] According to a disclosed embodiment, the surgical assembly includes an endoscope assembly and at least one surgical instrument. The endoscope assembly includes a first control unit, a camera, and a second control unit mounted on the rear end plate. The first control unit extends from the first control unit through the guide section to the vicinity of the target location. The camera is integrated with the front end of the first guide tube to capture an image of the target location. Each surgical instrument includes a second control unit, a second guide tube, and an actuator. The second control unit is mounted on the rear end plate. The second guide tube extends from the second control unit through the guide section to the vicinity of the target location. The actuator is integrated with the front end of the second guide tube. The surgeon performs surgical operations on the target location by operating the second control unit based on the image of the target location captured by the camera.

[0015] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot uses at least one set of drive mechanisms to guide the tip of a surgical component to a target position within the surgical patient's body. This allows the tip of the surgical component to perform surgical operations at the target position, providing positioning for the single-port surgical robot, optimizing the initial pose, and enabling flexible guidance of the surgical component. This instrument guide arm system can provide a suitable initial pose for the surgical component, allowing the surgeon to obtain the optimal surgical posture and perspective, thereby improving surgical efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 A perspective view of an instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0017] Figure 2 Schematic illustration Figure 1 Top view of the instrument guide arm system shown;

[0018] Figure 3 A perspective view of the support portion according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically;

[0019] Figure 4 Schematic illustration Figure 3 The front view of the front panel of the support section shown;

[0020] Figure 5 Schematic illustration Figure 1 A perspective view of the instrument guide arm system with the rear end plate and side wall removed from the support section;

[0021] Figure 6 Schematic illustration Figure 1 A perspective view of the instrument guide arm system without its support section.

[0022] Figure 7 A perspective view schematically illustrating the connection between a drive mechanism and a guide section of an instrument guide arm system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 8 Schematic illustration Figure 7 The front view showing the connection between the drive mechanism and the guide section;

[0024] Figure 9 A perspective view schematically illustrating the connection between the guide section and the variable stiffness mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 10 Schematic illustration Figure 9 A side view showing the connection between the guide unit and the variable stiffness mechanism;

[0026] Figure 11 Schematic illustration Figure 9 The front view of the guide section is shown;

[0027] Figure 12 A perspective view of a variable stiffness mechanism according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically;

[0028] Figure 13 Schematic illustration Figure 13 The front view of the variable stiffness mechanism shown;

[0029] Figure 14 Schematic illustration Figure 14 The cross-sectional view of the variable stiffness mechanism AA shown; and

[0030] Figure 15 A perspective view of a surgical component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0032] 1-Support section;

[0033] 11-Front-end board;

[0034] 111-First support hole; 112-Second support hole; 113-Third support hole; 114-Connecting hole; 115-Fixing hole; 116-Channel hole; 117-Mounting hole;

[0035] 12-Rear end plate; 13-Side wall; 14-Frame fixing hole; 15-Spare hole; 16-Frame positioning hole;

[0036] 17-Guide hole; 18-Control hole; 19-Operation window;

[0037] 2-Guiding section;

[0038] 21-Joint;

[0039] 211 - First through hole; 212 - Second through hole; 213 - Third through hole; 214 - Thread; 215 - Connecting pin;

[0040] 3-Surgical components;

[0041] 31-Endoscope assembly;

[0042] 311-First control unit; 312-First guide tube; 313-Camera;

[0043] 32-Surgical instruments;

[0044] 321-Second control unit; 322-Second guide tube; 323-Actuator;

[0045] 4-Drive mechanism;

[0046] 41-Drive unit;

[0047] 411-Support frame; 412-Drive motor; 413-Lead screw; 414-Moving block;

[0048] 42-Transmission cable; 43-Transmission unit; 44-Elastic element; 45-Connector;

[0049] 5- Variable stiffness mechanism;

[0050] 51-Stiffness control tube; 52-Air guide tube; 53-Tensioning wire; 54-Tensioning wire thread; 55-Ball joint unit; 56-Constraint component;

[0051] 6-Channel tube. Detailed Implementation

[0052] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, providing these embodiments will make the disclosure thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the accompanying drawings, for clarity, the dimensions and relative dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated, and the same reference numerals denote the same elements throughout.

[0053] The embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure for ease of explanation. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and techniques are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0054] 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, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, or components.

[0055] All terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein are to be interpreted in a manner consistent with the context of this specification, and not in an idealized or overly rigid way.

[0056] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions disclosed herein by those skilled in the art, the following technical terms are explained.

[0057] When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, and C," the expression should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning commonly understood by a person skilled in the art (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" should include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, having B alone, having C alone, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C, etc.). Similarly, when using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, or C," the expression should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning commonly understood by a person skilled in the art (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" should include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, having B alone, having C alone, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C, etc.).

[0058] It should be noted that in this disclosure, "front" and "rear" are relative to the operator using the instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot provided in this disclosure. The end closer to the operator (e.g., the doctor) is "rear," and the end farther from the operator is "front." Figure 1 The viewpoint of the instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot shown is as follows: the upper end (the support end) is "rear," and the lower end (the end closer to the surgical object) is "front." For example, in... Figure 1 In this game, moving from top to bottom is called "moving forward", and moving from bottom to top is called "moving backward".

[0059] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a single-port surgical robot refers to an auxiliary robotic device that can complete surgery by inserting surgical tools through only one skin incision (e.g., a 3-4 cm skin incision).

[0060] Figure 1 A perspective view of an instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically. Figure 2 Schematic illustration Figure 1 The diagram shows a top view of the instrument guide arm system.

[0061] One aspect of this disclosure provides an instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the device includes a support portion 1, a guide portion 2, a surgical component 3, and at least one set of drive mechanisms 4. The support portion 1 internally forms a receiving chamber defined by a front end plate 11, a rear end plate 12, and a sidewall 13 connecting the front end plate 11 and the rear end plate 12. The guide portion 2 is mounted on the front end plate 11 of the support portion 1 and is adapted for insertion into the body of a surgical subject. The surgical component 3 extends forward from the rear end plate 12 of the support portion 1 through the receiving chamber and from the guide portion 2. At least one set of drive mechanisms 4 is provided on the support portion 1, each set of drive mechanisms 4 being configured to drive the guide portion 2 to bend, such that the guide portion 2 guides the front end of the surgical component 3 to a target position within the body of the surgical subject, so as to perform surgical manipulation at the target position by operating the rear end of the surgical component 3 on the rear end plate 12.

[0062] According to the instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot of the present disclosure, at least one set of drive mechanisms 4 causes the guide part 2 to guide the front end of the surgical component 3 to a target position inside the surgical object, so that the front end of the surgical component 3 can perform surgical operations at the target position, providing positioning for the single-port surgical robot, optimizing the initial pose, realizing flexible guidance of the surgical component 3, and facilitating the doctor to perform surgical operations at the target position.

[0063] Figure 3 A perspective view of the support portion according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically. Figure 4 Schematic illustration Figure 3 The front view of the front panel of the support section is shown.

[0064] According to embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the support includes a front plate 11, a rear plate 12, and a side wall 13 connecting the front plate and the rear plate. A flange extends circumferentially outward from the front end of the side wall 13, and multiple through holes are formed on the flange. Multiple mounting holes 117 are provided on the front plate at positions matching the through holes of the flange on the side wall. Multiple screws and nuts pass through the through holes and mounting holes 117 respectively, detachably connecting the front plate 11 to the flange of the side wall 13.

[0065] In one illustrative embodiment, the number of mounting holes 117 is nine.

[0066] See further Figure 1 and Figure 3 At least one operating window 19 is provided between two adjacent sidewalls 13 of the support portion 1, providing operating space for the installation of the drive mechanism 4. Thus, in the radial cross-section, a partially open frame structure is formed by the sidewalls 13. In an alternative embodiment, the operating window can be omitted, resulting in a closed polygonal structure for the sidewalls.

[0067] Figure 5 Schematic illustration Figure 1 The diagram shows a perspective view of the instrument guide arm system with the rear end plate and side wall removed from the support section. Figure 6 Schematic illustration Figure 1 A perspective view of the instrument guide arm system without its support section.

[0068] According to the disclosed embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the instrument guide arm system includes two sets of drive mechanisms 4, enabling the guide section 2 to swing in two mutually perpendicular planes under the drive of the two sets of drive mechanisms. Each set of drive mechanisms 4 includes two drive units 41, two transmission cables 42, and two transmission units 43. The two drive units 41 are respectively mounted on two opposite side walls 13 of the support section 1, and each transmission cable 42 extends from the support section 1 through the guide section 2 and connects to the foremost joint of the guide section 2 (refer to later). Figures 9 to 11 (Detailed description) so that the guide part 2 is driven to bend under the traction of the drive part 41, and two transmission parts 43 are installed between the drive part 41 and the guide part 2 to guide the transmission cable 42 into the guide part 2 respectively.

[0069] In one illustrative embodiment, the drive parts belonging to the same group of drive mechanisms are respectively arranged on two opposite side walls, and the side walls where the drive parts of different groups of drive mechanisms are located are perpendicular to each other, so that the guide part 2 can swing in multiple different planes under the drive of multiple groups of drive mechanisms.

[0070] According to embodiments of this disclosure, two drive mechanisms 4 belonging to different groups of the two drive mechanisms 4 can operate simultaneously, enabling the guide part 2 to swing outside two mutually perpendicular planes under the drive of the two drive mechanisms 4.

[0071] In one illustrative embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the support part 1 has four opposing side walls 13 for mounting the drive part 41. Screws are used to mount the drive part 41 onto the side walls 13 of the support part 1 through the frame fixing holes 14 on the support part 1.

[0072] In one illustrative embodiment, a spare sidewall with multiple spare holes 15 and three operating windows 19 are provided between two adjacent sidewalls 13 for mounting the drive unit 41, wherein the spare sidewall can be connected to other instruments through multiple spare holes 14.

[0073] Figure 7 A perspective view schematically illustrating the connection between a drive mechanism and a guide section of an instrument guide arm system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 8 Schematic illustration Figure 7 The front view showing the connection between the drive mechanism and the guide section.

[0074] According to the disclosed embodiments, such as Figures 5 to 8 As shown, each transmission unit 43 includes multiple guide wheels mounted on the inner side of the front end plate to guide the transmission cable 42 from the drive unit 41 to the front end of the guide unit 2.

[0075] According to embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figures 5 to 8 As shown, the transmission unit 43 also includes an elastic member 44 connected between the transmission cable 42 and the drive unit 41. The elastic member 44 is adapted to provide a preload to the transmission cable 42 to shorten the transmission delay of the transmission cable 42.

[0076] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the elastic element 44 is connected to the drive unit 41 and the transmission cable 42 via connectors 45.

[0077] In one illustrative embodiment, the elastic element 44 is a tension spring.

[0078] In one illustrative embodiment, the connector 45 is a ring-shaped component.

[0079] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, each transmission unit 43 further includes a plurality of guide wheel brackets, and each guide wheel is mounted on the inner side of the front end plate via the guide wheel bracket.

[0080] In one illustrative embodiment, each transmission unit 43 includes two guide wheels and two guide wheel supports, with through holes in the guide wheel supports for connection to the support unit 1. Figures 5 to 8 As shown, two through holes on one of the guide wheel brackets in each transmission part 43 are connected to two connecting holes 114 on the front end plate 11 by screws and nuts. At the same time, the screws passing through the connecting holes 114 and the screws passing through the channel holes 116 are respectively connected to the channel tube 6 (to be referred to later) by nuts. Figure 1 and Figure 5 (Detailed introduction) Integrate on the front-end board.

[0081] According to the disclosed embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figures 5 to 8 As shown, each drive unit 41 includes a support frame 411, a drive motor 412, a lead screw 413, and a moving block 414. The support frame 411 is mounted on the inner side of the side wall 13 of the support unit 1, and the drive motor 412 is mounted on one end of the support frame 411 near the rear end plate 12. Figure 2 At its lower end, a lead screw 413 is rotatably mounted on a support frame 411 and extends axially to rotate under the drive of a drive motor 412. A moving block 414 is threadedly engaged with the lead screw 413 to reciprocate linearly relative to the support frame 414 under the rotation of the lead screw 413. A transmission cable 42 is connected to the moving block 414. Furthermore, the transmission cable 42 is connected to the front end of the moving block 414. In this way, the drive motor 412 can drive the transmission cable 42 to move up and down through the lead screw and the moving block, thereby pulling the guide section to bend.

[0082] According to embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, drive motors 412 are respectively mounted on the rear end of the rear end plate 12 of the support part 1, and the rear end of the support frame 411 is respectively connected to the rear end plate 12 by screws. Drive motors belonging to the same group of drive mechanisms can drive two transmission cables to move in opposite directions at the same speed but opposite rotation speed, which can keep the guide part bending smoothly.

[0083] Figure 9 A perspective view schematically illustrating the connection between the guide section and the variable stiffness mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 10 Schematic illustration Figure 9 The side view showing the connection between the guide unit and the variable stiffness mechanism. Figure 11 Schematic illustration Figure 9 The front view of the guide section is shown.

[0084] According to the disclosed embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figures 9 to 11 As shown, the guide section 2 includes a plurality of joints 21 connected in sequence, the surgical component 3 passes through each joint 21, and adjacent joints 21 are configured to be radially flexible, so that the guide section 2 can swing under the drive of the drive mechanism 4.

[0085] According to embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, two adjacent joints 21 are rotatably connected by a connecting pin 215. Further, the joint 21 at the front end is the starting joint, the joint at the rear end is the ending joint, and the joint between the starting and ending joints is the intermediate joint. The ending joint is attached to the front end plate 11. On the rear surface of the starting joint, two protrusions extend rearward from opposite ends. Pin holes are formed on these protrusions in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the guide portion. These pin holes are suitable for connection with pin holes of other joints via connecting pins 215.

[0086] Pin holes are provided on both the front and rear surfaces of the intermediate joint, and the axis of the pin hole on the front surface is orthogonal to the axis of the pin hole on the rear surface. The pin hole on the front surface of the intermediate joint is connected to the pin hole on the rear surface of the starting joint by a connecting pin 215, so that the intermediate joint and the starting joint can rotate around the axes of the two connecting pins 215 connecting the intermediate joint and the starting joint.

[0087] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, a plurality of threads 214 are provided on the edge of the front surface of the starting joint. The plurality of threads 214 are respectively used to fix one end of the transmission cable 42.

[0088] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the guide portion 2 includes at least three joints 21, which can ensure that the guide portion 2 has bending capability in at least two directions.

[0089] In one illustrative embodiment, the guide section 2 may include 5, 6, 8, or other joints.

[0090] According to embodiments of this disclosure, joint 21 can be any of the following: sliding joint, rolling joint, compliant deformable joint, and continuous joint.

[0091] According to the disclosed embodiments, such as Figure 9 and Figure 11As shown, each joint 21 of the guide section 2 has a plurality of first through holes 211, a plurality of second through holes 212, and a third through hole 213. The plurality of first through holes 211 are arranged on a first circumference located near the edge of the joint 21, and the transmission cable 42 passes through the first through holes 211 to connect to the foremost starting joint. The plurality of second through holes 212 are concentrically arranged on a second circumference located inside the first circumference, and the guide tube of the surgical component 3 passes through the second through holes 212. The third through hole 213 is located at the center of the second circumference, and the stiffness control tube 51 of the variable stiffness mechanism 5 (described in detail below) is inserted into the third through hole.

[0092] In one illustrative embodiment, there are four first through holes 211 and four second through holes 212.

[0093] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the guide tube of surgical component 3 is a flexible tube.

[0094] According to the disclosed embodiments, the instrument guide arm system also includes a channel tube 6. The channel tube 6 is installed between the outer side of the front end plate 11 and the guide portion 2. The surgical component 3 passes through the channel tube 6. The length of the channel tube 6 is designed to allow the guide portion 2 to pass through the chest or abdominal wall of the surgical subject to reach the target location within the surgical subject's body. By providing the channel tube 6, the distance between the guide portion 2 and the support portion 1 is increased, ensuring that the support portion will not collide or interfere with the surgical subject during surgical operations.

[0095] In one illustrative embodiment, the channel tube 6 can be integrally formed with the front-end board 11.

[0096] In another illustrative embodiment, the channel tube 6 and the front end plate 11 are detachably connected by screws, and the channel tube 6 of different lengths can be replaced according to different surgical positions to adapt to the surgical needs of different surgical positions.

[0097] According to the disclosed embodiments, the instrument guide arm system further includes a variable stiffness mechanism 5. The variable stiffness mechanism 5 is configured to increase the stiffness of the guide portion 2, so that the guide portion 2 holds the actuator of the surgical component 3 in a predetermined posture within the surgical subject's body.

[0098] According to the disclosed embodiments, the variable stiffness mechanism 5 is a particle jamming variable stiffness mechanism, including a negative pressure device and a stiffness control tube 51. The stiffness control tube 51 passes through the guide section 1 at the axis of the guide section 2. The stiffness control tube 51 is filled with particles. The negative pressure device reduces the pressure inside the stiffness control tube 51 through the air guide tube 52, increasing the pressure and friction between the particles and increasing the stiffness of the stiffness control tube. The particles can include materials with relatively rough surfaces and low elasticity, such as resin balls, plastic balls, etc. During vacuuming, the particles squeeze against each other, causing the stiffness control tube to change its stiffness. It is understood that the shape of the particles is not limited to spheres; they can also be ellipsoids, polyhedra, or any combination of one or more of these shapes.

[0099] In another illustrative embodiment, the variable stiffness mechanism 5 is a low-melting-point metal phase-change variable stiffness mechanism, including a heating unit, a wire, and a stiffness control tube. The stiffness control tube passes through the guide section at its axis and is filled with a low-melting-point metal. The heating unit heats the low-melting-point metal in the stiffness control tube through the wire, causing the solid low-melting-point metal to melt and become liquid, thus changing the stiffness of the stiffness control tube. When the guide section moves to the target position, the heating unit stops heating the low-melting-point metal, and the low-melting-point metal cools down through the heat dissipation of the stiffness control tube, becoming solid, thus increasing the stiffness of the stiffness control tube. Furthermore, the low-melting-point metal refers to a metal or alloy whose melting point is near or below the intracavitary temperature of the surgical object (e.g., around 37°C), such as gallium, cesium, or any alloy containing them.

[0100] Figure 12 A perspective view of a variable stiffness mechanism according to another embodiment of this disclosure is schematically shown. Figure 13 Schematic illustration Figure 13 The front view of the variable stiffness mechanism is shown. Figure 14 Schematic illustration Figure 14 The cross-sectional view of the variable stiffness mechanism AA shown.

[0101] In another illustrative embodiment, the variable stiffness mechanism 5 is a wire-tensioned locking spherical or cylindrical variable stiffness mechanism. More detailed, as... Figures 12 to 14The variable stiffness mechanism 5 is a wire tensioning locking spherical joint, including a tensioning unit, a tensioning wire 53, and multiple spherical joint units 55. Each spherical joint unit 55 is supported by an elastic material, has a generally cylindrical outer profile, and forms an axially extending operating through hole. Each of the two axially opposite ends of each spherical joint unit is formed as a spherical protrusion or a spherical groove that matches the shape of the spherical protrusion. One end of the two opposite ends of two adjacent spherical joint units is a spherical protrusion, and the other end is a spherical groove that receives the spherical protrusion. This combination allows adjacent spherical joint units to bend smoothly relative to each other. The multiple spherical joint units 55 penetrate the guide section 2 at its axis, and further, the multiple spherical joint units 55 are inserted into the third through hole 213 of each joint 21 of the guide section. The tensioning unit is connected to one end of the tensioning wire 53. The other end of the tensioning wire 53 passes through the operating through-hole of each ball joint unit 55 and is engaged with the front end of the ball joint unit, for example, through a tensioning wire buckle 54 located at the front end of the ball joint unit. In this way, by pulling the tensioning wire 53 by the tensioning unit, the multiple ball joint units 55 are pressed against each other relative to the front end plate of the support and expand radially outward, thereby increasing the friction between the spherical protrusions and spherical grooves of adjacent ball joint units, thus increasing the stiffness of the multiple ball joint units 55 against bending, and further increasing the stiffness of the guide part 2.

[0102] In one embodiment, a constraint member 56 is provided at the rear end of the ball joint unit 55 located at the far end, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the restraining member 56 abuts against the end of the channel tube 6. Thus, when the tensioning unit pulls the tensioning wire 53, the restraining member 56 prevents the ball joint units 55 from moving toward the channel tube 6, causing the multiple ball joint units 55 to press against each other relative to the front end plate 11 of the support 1 and expand radially outwards. Furthermore, the frictional force between the spherical protrusions and grooves of adjacent ball joint units 54 increases. The other end of the tensioning wire 53 is fixed to the tensioning wire buckle 54. The tensioning wire 53 passes through the multiple ball joint units 55, the restraining end 56, the receiving chamber of the support 1, and the control hole 18 on the rear end plate 12 of the support 1, and is connected to the tensioning unit. The tensioning unit changes the stiffness of the multiple ball joint units 55 by pulling the tensioning wire 53.

[0103] In the above embodiment, the contact surface of each ball joint unit 55 has a generally spherical profile, and the resulting variable stiffness mechanism 5 is called a wire tensioning locking spherical joint variable stiffness mechanism. In another alternative embodiment, the contact surface of each ball joint unit 55 has a generally cylindrical profile, and the resulting variable stiffness mechanism 5 is called a wire tensioning locking cylindrical joint variable stiffness mechanism.

[0104] According to the disclosed embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 15 As shown, the surgical assembly 3 includes an endoscope assembly 31 and at least one surgical instrument 32. The endoscope assembly 31 includes a first control unit 311, a first guide tube 312, and a camera 313. The first control unit 311 is mounted on a rear end plate 12, and the first guide tube 312 extends from the first control unit 311 through a guide section 2 to the vicinity of the target location. The camera 313 is attached to the front end of the first guide tube 312 to capture an image of the target location. Each surgical instrument 32 includes a second control unit 321, a second guide tube 322, and an actuator 323. The second control unit 321 is mounted on the rear end plate 12, and the second guide tube 322 extends from the second control unit 321 through a guide section 2 to the vicinity of the target location. The actuator 323 is attached to the front end of the second guide tube 322. The surgeon performs surgical operations on the target location by operating the second control unit 311 based on the image of the target location captured by the camera 313.

[0105] It is understood that the first control unit 311 and the second control unit 321 can also be mounted on other support frames of the single-port surgical robot. For example, they can be mounted on a support frame located at the rear end of the support portion of the single-port surgical robot.

[0106] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the surgeon adjusts the actuator 323 to the target position via a drive mechanism to perform surgical operations based on the image captured by the camera 313.

[0107] In one illustrative embodiment, surgical component 3 includes two or three surgical instruments.

[0108] In one illustrative embodiment, such as Figure 1 ,and Figure 15 As shown, the surgical assembly includes three surgical instruments and one endoscope assembly, with one surgical instrument serving as an auxiliary instrument. Thus, the instrument guide arm system of this embodiment can provide suitable initial positions for the surgical instruments and endoscope, enabling the surgeon to obtain the optimal surgical posture and best viewing angle of the surgical instruments and endoscope within the operating space, thereby improving surgical efficiency.

[0109] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the guide tube of surgical component 3 includes a first guide tube 312 and a plurality of second guide tubes 322.

[0110] According to embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of first support holes 111 are provided on the front end plate 11 of the support part 1. The first support holes 111 are opposite to the first through holes 211 on the guide part 2. The transmission cables 42 pass through the first support holes 111 from the guide part 2 and are connected to the drive part 41 by the guide of the transmission part 43.

[0111] Multiple second support holes 112 are also provided on the front end plate 11 of the support part 1. The second support holes 112 are opposite to the second through holes 212 on the guide part 2. The guide tube of the surgical component 3 passes through the second support holes 112 and the guide holes 17 on the rear end plate 12 of the guide part 2 and connects to the receiving cavity of the support part 1.

[0112] At least one third support hole 113 is formed on the front end plate 11 of the support part 1. The third support hole 113 is opposite to the third through hole 213 on the guide part 2. The transmission unit (e.g., an air duct or tension wire) of the variable stiffness mechanism 5 passes through the third support hole 113 and the control hole 18 on the rear end plate 12 of the support part 1 from the rear end of the guide part 2 and connects to the control end. The transmission unit of the variable stiffness mechanism 5 may include the air duct, wire, or tension wire of the above-described embodiment of the variable stiffness mechanism. The control end may include the negative pressure device, heating unit, or tensioning unit of the above-described embodiment of the variable stiffness mechanism. The control end may be mounted on the rear end plate 12 or mounted on the outside of the single-port surgical robot.

[0113] In one illustrative embodiment, the number of third support holes 113 is one.

[0114] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, by providing a first support hole 111, a second support hole 112 and a third support hole 113 on the front end plate 11, intermediate supports are provided for the transmission cable 42, the guide tube of the surgical component 3 and the transmission unit of the variable stiffness mechanism 5, respectively, which facilitates the assembly of the instrument.

[0115] In another illustrative embodiment, a through hole is provided in the middle of the front end plate 11, so that the guide tube of the surgical component 3, the transmission cable and the transmission unit of the variable stiffness mechanism can pass through this through hole in the middle of the front end plate and enter the channel tube.

[0116] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the variable stiffness mechanism 5 is initially in a flexible, linear state. The surgical instruments and camera (endoscope) in the surgical assembly 3 pass through the guide section 2 via flexible guide tubes, further causing the actuator 323 at the end of the surgical instrument and the camera 313 at the end of the endoscope assembly to extend out of the front end of the guide section 2 and be adjusted to the target position. The drive mechanism 4 drives the guide section 2, adjusting the actuator 323 and camera 313 to the target position. The variable stiffness mechanism 5 increases the stiffness of the guide section 2, providing rigid support for the surgical assembly 3. The surgical assembly 3 completes the surgical operation under the target position and rigid support.

[0117] According to embodiments of this disclosure, in single-port thoracic surgery, the axial length of the guide section 2 is limited by the intracavitary dimensions of the surgical object (e.g., the human body), the cross-sectional diameter of the guide section 2 is limited by the intercostal space of the surgical object, and the maximum bending angle of the guide section 2 is affected by the shape of the surgical operating area; a larger operating area means a larger bending angle of the guide section 2. The axial length of the guide section 2, the cross-sectional diameter of the guide section, and the maximum bending angle of the guide section are mutually restrictive; therefore, these parameters should be rationally configured according to specific surgical needs.

[0118] In one illustrative embodiment, the axial length of the guide part 2 is 40 mm, the cross-sectional diameter is 30 mm, and the maximum unidirectional bending angle can reach 60°.

[0119] The instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot disclosed herein combines the advantages of small axial dimensions and large deflection angles, enabling large-angle deflection movements within confined surgical spaces and providing guidance channels for flexible surgical instruments to meet the needs of instrument changes during surgery. The instrument guide arm system for the single-port surgical robot achieves end-effector deflection and rapid rigid-to-flexible transitions, improving surgical efficiency.

[0120] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that implementations not illustrated or described in the drawings or the main text of the specification are forms known to those skilled in the art and are not described in detail. Furthermore, the definitions of the various elements and methods described above are not limited to the specific structures, shapes, or methods mentioned in the embodiments, and those skilled in the art can easily modify or substitute them.

[0121] Based on the above description, those skilled in the art should have a clear understanding of the instrument guide arm system for single-port surgical robots provided in this disclosure.

[0122] In summary, this disclosure provides an instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot, which can achieve large-angle deflection movements in a confined surgical space, improving the flexibility of surgical instruments and thus increasing surgical efficiency.

[0123] It should also be noted that the directional terms mentioned in the embodiments, such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," and "right," are only for reference to the directions in the accompanying drawings and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Throughout the drawings, the same elements are represented by the same or similar reference numerals. Conventional structures or constructions will be omitted where they may cause confusion in understanding this disclosure, and the shapes and dimensions of the components in the drawings do not reflect actual size and proportion, but are only schematic representations of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0124] Unless otherwise stated, the numerical parameters in this specification and the appended claims are approximate values ​​and can be varied according to desired characteristics derived from the content of this disclosure. Specifically, all figures used in the specification and claims to indicate composition, reaction conditions, etc., should be understood to be modified by the term "about" in all cases. Generally, this means that a specific amount varies by ±10% in some embodiments, ±5% in some embodiments, ±1% in some embodiments, and ±0.5% in some embodiments.

[0125] The use of ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," "third," etc., in the specification and claims to modify the corresponding elements does not imply that the element has any ordinal number, nor does it represent the order of one element with another element, or the order of manufacturing methods. The use of these ordinal numbers is only to enable a named element to be clearly distinguished from another element with the same name.

[0126] Furthermore, unless specifically described or required to occur in a specific order, the order of the above steps is not limited to those listed above and can be varied or rearranged according to the desired design. Moreover, the above embodiments can be used in combination with each other or with other embodiments based on design and reliability considerations; that is, technical features from different embodiments can be freely combined to form more embodiments.

[0127] The above specific embodiments further illustrate the purpose, technical solutions and beneficial effects of this disclosure. It should be understood that the above are only specific embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An instrument guide arm system for a single-port surgical robot, comprising: The support part (1) has an internal cavity defined by a front end plate (11), a rear end plate (12), and a side wall (13) connecting the front end plate (11) and the rear end plate (12); The guide part (2) is installed on the front end plate (11) of the support part (1) and is suitable for insertion into the body of the surgical subject; Surgical component (3) extends forward from the rear end plate (12) of the support (1) through the receiving chamber and from the guide (2); and Two sets of drive mechanisms (4) are provided on the support (1). Each set of drive mechanisms (4) is configured to drive the guide (2) to bend, so that the guide (2) guides the front end of the surgical component (3) to the target position in the body of the surgical object, so as to perform surgical operation on the target position by operating the rear end of the surgical component (3) on the rear end plate (12). The guide (2) includes a plurality of joints (21) connected in sequence, the surgical component (3) passes through each of the joints (21), and adjacent joints (21) are configured to be radially flexible, so that the guide (2) can swing under the drive of the drive mechanism (4). Each set of drive mechanisms (4) includes: Two drive units (41) are respectively installed on two opposite side walls (13) of the support unit (1); Two drive cables (42), each of which extends from the support (1) through the guide (2) and connects to the foremost joint of the joint (21), to drive the guide (2) to bend under the traction of the drive (41); and Two transmission parts (43) are installed between the drive part (41) and the guide part (2) to guide the transmission cable (42) into the guide part (2) respectively.

2. The instrument guide arm system according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the transmission units (43) includes a plurality of guide wheels mounted inside the front end plate (11) to guide the transmission cable (42) from the drive unit (41) to the guide unit (2).

3. The instrument guide arm system according to claim 2, wherein, The transmission unit (43) further includes an elastic element (44) connected between the transmission cable (42) and the drive unit (41), the elastic element (44) being adapted to provide preload to the transmission cable (42) to shorten the transmission delay of the transmission cable (42).

4. The instrument guide arm system according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the drive units (41) includes: A support frame (411) is installed on the inner side of the side wall (13) of the support part (1); A drive motor (412) is installed at one end of the support frame (411) near the rear end plate (12); A lead screw (413), mounted on the support frame (411), rotates under the drive of the drive motor (412); and The movable block (414) is threadedly engaged with the lead screw (413) to reciprocate linearly relative to the support frame (411) under the rotation of the lead screw (413), and the transmission cable (42) is connected to the movable block (414).

5. The instrument guide arm system according to claim 1 further includes a variable stiffness mechanism (5) configured to increase the stiffness of the guide (2) so that the guide holds the actuator of the surgical component (3) in a predetermined posture within the surgical subject.

6. The instrument guide arm system according to claim 5, wherein, The variable stiffness mechanism (5) includes: Negative pressure device; and The stiffness control tube (51) passes through the guide part (2) at the axis of the guide part (2). The stiffness control tube (51) is filled with particles. The negative pressure device reduces the pressure in the stiffness control tube (51) through the air guide tube (52), increases the pressure and friction between the particles, and increases the stiffness of the stiffness control tube (51).

7. The instrument guide arm system according to claim 5, wherein, Each joint (21) of the guide part (2) has the following formed on it: Multiple first through holes (211) are provided on a first circumference located near the edge of the joint (21), and the transmission cable (42) passes through the first through holes (211) to connect to the foremost joint; Multiple second through holes (212) are concentrically arranged on a second circumference located inside the first circumference, and the guide tubes of the surgical assembly (3) pass through the second through holes (212) respectively; and The third through hole (213) is located at the center of the second circumference, and the stiffness control tube (51) of the variable stiffness mechanism (5) is inserted into the third through hole (213).

8. The instrument guide arm system according to claim 1, further comprising: The channel tube (6) is installed between the outside of the front end plate (11) and the guide part (2). The surgical component (3) passes through the channel tube (6). The length of the channel tube (6) is designed so that the guide part (2) passes through the chest wall or abdominal wall of the surgical object to reach the cavity where the target position is located.

9. The instrument guide arm system according to claim 1, wherein, The surgical components include: Endoscopic assembly (31), including: The first control unit (311) is installed on the rear end plate (12); A first guide tube (312) extends from the first control unit (311) through the guide unit (2) to the vicinity of the target position; and A camera (313) is attached to the front end of the first guide tube (312) to capture an image of the target location; At least one surgical instrument (32), each surgical instrument (32) comprising: The second control unit (321) is mounted on the rear end plate (12); The second guide tube (322) extends from the second control unit (321) through the guide unit (2) to the vicinity of the target position; and The actuator (323), which is attached to the front end of the second guide tube (322), allows the surgeon to perform surgical operations on the target location by operating the second control unit (321) based on the image of the target location captured by the camera (313).

Images