Compact snake bone surgery tools and surgical robot systems

Through the combination of the snake-bone structure and the drive wire, the surgical tools can be flexibly bent and miniaturized, the problems of winding and disinfection of sterile protective covers are solved, and the isolation and disinfection convenience of the sterile area are ensured.

CN118680607BActive Publication Date: 2025-09-16BEIJING SURGERII TECH CO LTD
View PDF 2 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310295764.7
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-03-24
Publication Date
2025-09-16
Estimated Expiration
2043-03-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing surgical tools are prone to causing the sterile protective cover to become entangled or droop during frequent rotation. In addition, the surgical tools are relatively large, making them difficult to carry and assemble, and the robotic arms are difficult to effectively disinfect.

Method used

The surgical tool adopts a serpentine structure, including a slider, a driving wire and an end instrument. The flexible bending and miniaturization of the surgical tool are achieved through the cooperation of the bending unit of the serpentine structure and the driving wire, and the sealed isolation of the sterile area and the contaminated area is achieved through the deformable membrane.

Benefits of technology

It realizes the flexible movement and miniaturization of surgical tools, avoids the entanglement of sterile protective covers, ensures the isolation of sterile areas, and simplifies the disinfection process.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN118680607B_ABST
    Figure CN118680607B_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of medical devices, and discloses a compact serpentine surgical tool and a surgical robot system. The surgical tool includes a plurality of sliders, a plurality of drive wires, an arm body including a serpentine structure, and an end instrument. The slider includes a connection interface provided on the slider, the connection interface is used to couple with an external device and receive drive from the external device, the serpentine structure includes a plurality of bending units connected end to end; the end instrument is provided at the distal end of the serpentine structure, a plurality of drive wires are used to drive the arm body and / or the end instrument, the proximal end of the drive wire is fixedly connected to the slider, and the slider is used to push and / or pull the drive wire under the received drive. By externalizing the drive mechanism and / or externalizing the transmission mechanism that transmits the drive, the miniaturization and lightweight of the surgical tool can be achieved.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of medical devices, and in particular to a compact serpentine surgery tool and a surgical robot system. Background Art

[0002] Minimally invasive surgery, with its many advantages, such as minimal trauma and rapid recovery, has become increasingly widely used in clinical surgery. In a surgical robotic system, the surgical tool is typically mounted on a robotic arm. A servo motor is installed on the robotic arm, and a connecting adapter is provided between the robotic arm and the surgical tool. This adapter transmits torque and load in real time. A transmission mechanism is installed on the surgical tool to convert the rotational motion input by the motor into linear motion, thereby controlling the surgical tool and performing surgical operations on different parts of the body by controlling the surgical actuator at the end of the surgical tool.

[0003] During surgery, part of the robotic arm comes into direct contact with surgical tools and is easily contaminated due to its proximity to the surgical site. Furthermore, the drive module of the robotic arm cannot be sterilized using conventional methods such as steam, autoclave, or chemicals. A sterile protective cover extending from the connector adapter is typically used to isolate the non-sterile robotic arm and sterile surgical tools from the operating environment.

[0004] Existing connector adapters primarily transmit rotational torque. Frequent rotation of surgical tools can easily cause redundant sterile protective covers to become entangled or droop, or even become entangled, obstructing and restricting the tool's movement. Furthermore, surgical tools require a transmission mechanism to convert rotational motion into linear motion, which can make them larger, making them difficult to carry and assemble. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a surgical tool, comprising:

[0006] a plurality of sliders, each including a connection interface disposed on the slider, the connection interface being configured to couple with an external device and receive a drive from the external device;

[0007] An arm body, the arm body comprising a snake-bone structure, the snake-bone structure comprising a plurality of bending units connected end to end;

[0008] an end instrument, disposed at the distal end of the snake-bone structure;

[0009] A plurality of drive wires are used to drive the arm and / or the end instrument. The proximal ends of the drive wires are fixedly connected to the slider. The slider is used to push and / or pull the drive wires under the received drive.

[0010] In some embodiments, the present disclosure further provides a surgical robot system, comprising:

[0011] at least one robotic arm, the robotic arm comprising at least one drive mechanism and at least one drive interface, the at least one drive mechanism being configured to drive the at least one drive interface to move;

[0012] At least one surgical tool as described in any embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0013] At least one connection adapter, the connection adapter is used to be detachably connected to the robotic arm and the surgical tool, the connection adapter includes at least one first interface and at least one second interface, the first interface is used to couple with the connection interface of the surgical tool, and the second interface is used to couple with the drive interface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following briefly describes the drawings required for describing the embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings described below only illustrate some embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art can, without inventive effort, derive other embodiments based on the contents of the embodiments of the present disclosure and these drawings.

[0015] FIG1( a ) shows a schematic structural diagram of a surgical tool according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0016] FIG1( b ) shows a schematic structural diagram of an arm according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG2( a ) shows a schematic structural diagram of a bending unit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG2( b ) shows a schematic structural diagram of a swivel joint according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 3 (a) shows a schematic structural diagram of a bending unit according to other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 3 (b) shows a schematic structural diagram of a bending and swivel joint in a straight state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 3 (c) shows a schematic structural diagram of a swivel joint in a bent state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 4 (a) shows a schematic plan view of a bending unit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 4 (b) is a schematic diagram showing the orientation of the arc surface of the protrusion or groove of the bending unit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4 (c) shows a schematic diagram of the intersection of the tangent lines of the end arc surfaces of the protrusion and groove of the bending unit and the central axis of the bending unit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG5( a ) shows another structural schematic diagram of a bending unit according to other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG5( b ) shows a schematic structural diagram of a swivel joint in a bent state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 6 Showing a partial structural schematic diagram of an arm according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the proximal end of a surgical tool according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the structure of the proximal portion of a surgical tool according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 9 A schematic structural diagram showing a proximal portion of a surgical tool coupled to an external device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 10 A schematic diagram showing the structure of the slider and the drive wire distribution according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 11 A structural block diagram of a surgical robot system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0033] Figure 12 A schematic diagram showing the exploded structure of a connection interface, a transmission member, and a drive interface according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0034] Figure 13 A front view showing a connection adapter in an unfolded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0035] Figure 14 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a connection adapter in a folded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0036] Figure 15 A schematic diagram showing the assembly structure of a connection adapter and a surgical tool according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0037] Figure 16 A rear view of a connection adapter in an unfolded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In order to make the technical problems solved by the present disclosure, the technical solutions adopted and the technical effects achieved more clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all embodiments.

[0039] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of this disclosure. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0040] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", and "coupled" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection or a detachable connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection between the two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances. In the present disclosure, the end close to the operator (such as a doctor) is defined as the proximal end, the proximal part or the rear end, the rear part, and the end close to the surgical patient is defined as the distal end, the distal part or the front end, the front part. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of the present disclosure can be used for medical instruments or surgical robots, and can also be used for other non-medical devices.

[0041] Figures 1(a) and 1(b) respectively illustrate a schematic structural diagram of a surgical tool 30 and an arm according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), the surgical tool 30 may include multiple sliders 33, multiple drive wires 34, an arm 31 including a serpentine structure 311, and an end instrument 32 disposed at the distal end of the serpentine structure 311. As shown in Figure 1(a), the slider 33 includes a connection interface 331 disposed thereon. The connection interface 331 is configured to couple with an external device and receive drive from the external device. For example, the external device may include a drive interface, and the connection interface 331 is directly or indirectly coupled to the drive interface to receive drive from the external device. The multiple drive wires 34 are configured to drive the arm 31 and / or the end instrument 32. The proximal ends of the drive wires 34 are fixedly connected to the slider 33, which is configured to push and / or pull the drive wires 34 in response to the received drive. By externalizing the drive mechanism and / or the transmission mechanism that transmits the drive, the surgical tool can be miniaturized and lightweight.

[0042] Figures 2(a) and 2(b) respectively illustrate schematic diagrams of the structures of a bending unit and a bending joint according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figures 1(b), 2(a), and 2(b), the snake-bone structure 311 may include multiple bending units 312 connected end-to-end. Each bending unit 312 is hollow and bamboo-shaped, with adjacent bending units 312 forming a radially bendable kinematic pair through interlocking connecting grooves 3122 and connecting protrusions 3121. For example, as shown in Figure 2(b), the bending joint includes interconnected bending units 312a and 312b. Bending unit 312a is provided with a groove 3122a and a protrusion 3121a, while the adjacent bending unit 312b is provided with a groove 3122b and a protrusion 3121b. The protrusion 3121a of bending unit 312a can be inserted into the groove 3122b of the adjacent bending unit 312b. It should be understood that each bending unit 312 can include a pair of grooves 3122 and a pair of protrusions 3121. The pair of grooves 3122 and the pair of protrusions 3121 can be respectively arranged at opposite ends of the bending unit 312. The grooves 3122 and protrusions 3121 on the bending unit 312 can be staggered. Multiple bending units 312 are connected to form a kinematic pair. The kinematic pair bends under the drive of the drive wire 34, and the kinematic pair has a consistent movement direction.

[0043] Figure 3 (a) shows a schematic structural diagram of the bending unit 412 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 3 (b) shows a schematic structural diagram of a bending and swivel joint in a straight state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 3 (c) shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the bending joint in a bent state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown in (a), the bending unit 412 can be in the shape of a hollow bamboo joint, and its cross section can be circular, elliptical, polygonal, etc. Figure 3 The bending units 412 shown have a circular cross-section, which can improve the bending effect. The dimensions (e.g., diameter and length) of the bending units 412 can be designed as needed. In some embodiments, the length of each bending unit 412 can vary, for example, between 2 mm and 5 mm, to meet different bending unit 412 diameter and bending radius requirements.

[0044] In some embodiments, the bending unit 412 may include a pair of protrusions 4121 at a first end and a pair of grooves 4122 at a second end opposite the first end. A line connecting the center points of the pair of protrusions 4121 and the center points of the pair of grooves 4122 of the bending unit 412 are perpendicular to each other. This allows the surgical tool 30 to be flexibly bent in various directions.

[0045] Figure 4 (a) shows a schematic plan view of the bending unit 412 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 (b) is a schematic diagram showing the orientation of the arc surface of the protrusion 4121 or the groove 4122 of the bending unit 412 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 (c) shows a schematic diagram of the intersection of the tangent line of the end arc surface of the protrusion 4121 and the groove 4122 of the bending unit 412 and the central axis of the bending unit 412 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as Figure 4 As shown in (a), the unfolded planar shapes of the groove 4122 and the protrusion 4121 are both designed to be arc surfaces with an arc length greater than a semicircle and of equal size. This can enhance the fit between the groove 4122 and the protrusion 4121, ensuring that the groove 4122 and the protrusion 4121 will not become disjointed after engagement and can bend freely.

[0046] In some embodiments, as Figure 4 As shown in (b), the end surfaces of the groove 4122 and the protrusion 4121 in the thickness direction can be arcuate or inclined surfaces. The outer end arcuate or inclined surface of the protrusion 4121 is inclined inward (such as Figure 4 In the direction indicated by the arrow in (b), the inner end arc surface or inclined surface of the groove 4122 is inclined outward (such as Figure 4 (b) indicates the direction of the arrow). Figure 4 As shown in (c), when both the outer end surface of protrusion 4121 and the inner end surface of groove 4122 are arcuate surfaces, the tangent lines of the arcuate end surfaces of protrusion 4121 and groove 4122 intersect perpendicularly with the central axis of bending unit 412, and protrusion 4121 and groove 4122 engage and lock together through the arcuate end surfaces to form a bending joint. When both the outer end surface of protrusion 4121 and the inner end surface of groove 4122 are inclined surfaces, the inwardly inclined outer end surface of protrusion 4121 mates with the outwardly inclined inner end surface of groove 4122 to form an integrated bending joint. In this way, the surface contact between the protrusion 4121 and the groove 4122 through the side wall can ensure that the multiple bending units 412 can transmit the force along the central axis and the torque around the central axis to each other without being disjointed, and can ensure that the bending joint formed by the docking and fitting of the protrusion 4121 and the groove 4122 can bend smoothly, so that the surgical tool 30 can be bent in any direction.

[0047] In some embodiments, as Figure 4As shown in (b), the bottom of protrusion 4121 and the top of groove 4122 include a movable gap 4127. After protrusion 4121 and groove 4122 are engaged, a movable gap 4127 is left at the engagement point between the bottom of protrusion 4121 and the top of groove 4122. This allows the engaged bending joint to bend freely within a certain range. When a certain maximum bending angle is reached, gap 4127 closes, preventing further bending.

[0048] Figure 5(a) illustrates another schematic structural diagram of a bending unit 412 according to other embodiments of the present disclosure, and Figure 5(b) illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a bending joint in a bent state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5(a), the bending unit 412 may further include at least one retaining protrusion 4123 disposed on a first end and at least one retaining groove 4124 disposed on a second end. For example, as shown in Figure 5(a), the bending unit 412 may include a pair of retaining protrusions 4123 disposed oppositely at the first end and a pair of retaining grooves 4124 disposed oppositely at the second end. At the first end of the bending unit 412, the protrusion 4121 and the retaining protrusion 4123 are spaced circumferentially. At the second end of the bending unit 412, the groove 4122 and the retaining groove 4124 are spaced circumferentially. It should be understood that the retaining protrusion 4123 may also be disposed on the second end, spaced circumferentially from the groove 4122, and the retaining groove 4124 may also be disposed on the first end, spaced circumferentially from the protrusion 4121.

[0049] In some embodiments, the locking groove 4124 and the locking protrusion 4123 can be rectangular when unfolded, allowing them to fit together. In some embodiments, the side surfaces of the locking groove 4124 and the locking protrusion 4123 can be perpendicular to the inner and outer surfaces. The locking groove 4124 and the locking protrusion 4123 can effectively prevent disengagement when the protrusion 4121 and the groove 4122 are in different connection states. As shown in Figure 5(b), when the multiple bending units 412 form different bending angles, the side edges of the locking protrusion 4123 can contact the side edges of the locking groove 4124, thereby preventing the protrusion 4121 and the groove 4124 of the bending joint from being disengaged due to force. In some embodiments, the end surfaces of the locking groove 4124 and the locking protrusion 4123 can be flat, ensuring that the bending joint has a good blocking effect at different bending angles.

[0050] In some embodiments, the arm 31 may include a rigid segment at the proximal end and a serpentine structure 311 at the distal end. The rigid segment is used to provide strength, and the serpentine structure 311 can be used to increase the flexibility of the surgical tool 30 and achieve bending in any direction.

[0051] Figure 6FIG. 2 shows a partial structural diagram of the arm 31 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the arm 31 may further include a flexible arm 313 at the proximal end and a snake-bone structure 311 at the distal end. Figure 6 Only one bending unit of the snake-bone structure 311 is shown, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the snake-bone structure 311 may include multiple bending units. Figure 6 As shown, the flexible arm 313 can be a hollow circular tube, and the flexible arm 313 includes a plurality of gap units 3131 spaced apart along the axial direction. The gap unit 3131 includes at least one gap extending along the circumference of the flexible arm 313. For example, Figure 6 As shown, the gap unit 3131 may include a first gap 3131a and a second gap 3131b, and the first gap 3131a and the second gap 3131b may be staggered at a certain angle, for example, 90°. Figure 6 As shown, the endpoints of the first slit 3131a and the second slit 3131b can be respectively provided with an end hole 3132. The diameter of the end hole 3132 is greater than the width of the slit. By adjusting the slit width, slit spacing, end hole size, and slit unit spacing, the bending ability of the flexible arm 313, such as the bending angle and bending radius, can be adjusted. In some embodiments, the projection of all the slits of each slit unit 3131 on the cross section of the flexible arm 313 can form a complete circle. By providing the slit units, the bending of the flexible arm can be achieved, thereby further improving the movement ability of the surgical tool.

[0052] In some embodiments, the multiple driving wires 34 may include at least one arm driving wire, which is arranged to pass through the snake-bone structure 311. The proximal end of the arm driving wire is fixedly connected to the slider 33, and the distal end is fixedly connected to the bending unit 312 of the snake-bone structure 311, and is used to drive the snake-bone structure 311 to bend under the drive of the slider 33.

[0053] It should be understood that the end instrument 32 may include an end effector, an endoscope, or other instruments. The end effector may include, for example, a separating forceps, a grasping forceps, scissors, a bipolar grasping forceps, a single-stage curved scissors, a needle holder, a clip applier, etc. The endoscope may include, for example, at least one imaging unit and an illumination unit, etc. Other instruments may include, for example, an electric hook, a drainage tube, or a suction device, etc.

[0054] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1( a ), the surgical tool 30 may further include a housing 35 for accommodating at least one slider 33 . The housing 35 includes at least one housing window (e.g., housing window 3531 ), and a connection interface 331 of the at least one slider 33 is located within the at least one housing window. For example, the housing 35 may be located at the proximal end of the surgical tool 30 , with the at least one slider 33 slidably disposed within the housing 35 , and the connection interface 331 of the slider 33 protruding from the housing window of the housing 35 .

[0055] Figure 7 FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the proximal internal structure of a surgical tool 30 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, at least one slide rail 36 may be provided within the housing 35. At least one slider 33 is mounted on the at least one slide rail 36, which ensures more stable and reliable movement of the slider 33. It should be understood that the connection interface 331 is provided with coupling structures, such as coupling grooves, coupling protrusions, side cuts, etc. The structures of the connection interfaces on each slider can be the same or different. For example, the interface can be an irregular cylindrical shape (e.g., including side cuts), a cylindrical shape, or a truncated cone shape. Providing interfaces with different structures can facilitate assembly.

[0056] In some embodiments, Figure 8 FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a proximal portion of a surgical tool 30 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing the structure of the proximal portion of the surgical tool 30 coupled to an external device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 8 The deformable film of one of the housing windows in FIG. 1 is shown as a shadow, and the deformable films of the housing windows in the other drawings are not shown. Figure 8 As shown, the surgical tool 30 may further include at least one deformable membrane 37. The deformable membrane 37 is sealingly disposed on the housing 35, covering at least one housing window (e.g., housing windows 3531, 3521). It should be understood that the deformable membrane 37 can be sealingly connected (e.g., welded, bonded, etc.) to the housing 35 along its circumference. By covering the at least one housing window, an effective barrier, such as a sterile barrier that blocks bacteria, is formed between a first side (e.g., the interior) and a second side (e.g., the exterior) of the housing 35. The connection interface 331 is sealingly connected to the deformable membrane 37 and is configured to receive actuation through deformation of the at least one deformable membrane 37. For example, the connection interface 331 can be integrally formed with the deformable membrane 37, welded, or bonded to the deformable membrane 37, so that no gap exists between the connection interface 331 and the deformable membrane 37, thereby sealingly isolating the sterile zone from the sterile zone.

[0057] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the sealing setting or sealing connection in the present disclosure means that the connection is sealed to form a barrier, such as a sterile barrier for blocking bacteria, a dust barrier for blocking dust, etc. The connection interface 331 of at least one slider 33 is used to transmit power between the connection interface 331 and the drive interface of the external device through the deformation of at least one deformable membrane 37. For example, the connection interface 331 can be used to move under the drive of the drive interface of the external device. Figure 9 As shown, the drive interface of the external device can be connected to the transmission member 300 via the connecting rod 23, and the transmission member 300 drives the connection interface 331 (or 331c) to move. Because the deformable membrane 37 is deformable, the drive interface allows the connection interface 331 to move, thereby transmitting the drive interface's drive (e.g., linear drive) to the connection interface 331. The connection interface 331 then drives the slider 33 to push and / or pull the drive wire (e.g., the arm drive wire or the actuator drive wire). This simple structure is easy to operate.

[0058] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that motion may include various forms of motion, such as movement parallel to the window plane, movement perpendicular to the window plane, or a combination of the two. Motion may include, for example, linear motion, curved motion, etc. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, linear motion is used as an example for description, but this does not constitute any limitation of the present disclosure.

[0059] In some embodiments, the deformable membrane 37 comprises a sheet-like membrane that conforms to the shape of the housing 35. The sheet-like membrane is sealingly disposed on the inner or outer surface of the housing 35 to cover at least one housing window. For example, if the housing 35 is cuboidal and each side panel is rectangular, the deformable membrane 37 may be a rectangular sheet-like membrane that conforms to each side panel. The deformable membrane is connected to the circumferential edge of each side panel so that the deformable membrane 37 is attached to the surface of each side panel to cover the multiple housing windows on each side panel.

[0060] In some embodiments, the deformable membrane 37 includes at least one sheet-like membrane corresponding to at least one housing window, and the at least one sheet-like membrane is respectively sealed with the housing to cover the at least one housing window. It should be understood that the at least one housing window can be rectangular, polygonal, or other shapes. The deformable membrane 37 can include a sheet-like membrane that matches the number of housing windows, and the shape of the sheet-like membrane can match the shape of each housing window. Each sheet-like membrane is respectively connected to the circumferential edge of each housing window to cover each housing window.

[0061] The deformable membrane can be made of various deformable materials, such as an elastic membrane. Examples include a rubber membrane (e.g., a TPU membrane) or a plastic membrane. The deformable membrane can extend and retract with the linear motion of the transmission element, ensuring that the transmission element does not tear or damage the membrane during movement.

[0062] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the at least one housing window may include at least one first housing window 3531 located on the first side of the housing 35 and at least one second housing window (not shown) located on the second side of the housing 35. Figure 8 As shown, the housing 35 may be a cubic structure. The housing 35 may include an upper side plate 351, a lower side plate 352, a left side plate 353 and a right side plate ( Figure 8 For example, the first shell window 3531 and the second shell window (not shown) are respectively provided on the left side plate 353 and the right side plate (not shown). Figure 8 As shown, four first housing windows 3531 are provided on the left side plate 353. At least one slider 33 may include at least one slider 33a and at least one slider 33b (eg, Figure 10 As shown). The connection interface 331 of at least one slider 33a is located in at least one first housing window 3531, and the connection interface 331 of at least one slider 33b is located in at least one second housing window. In some embodiments, as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the at least one housing window may further include a third housing window 3521 located on a third side of the housing (e.g., the lower side plate 352), and the at least one slider 33 may further include a slider 33c, with a connection interface 331c of the slider 33c located in the third housing window 3521. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the terms left, right, upper, and lower herein are used for convenience in indicating relative positional relationships and should be interpreted broadly. Other nomenclatures, such as top, bottom, front, and rear, may also be used.

[0063] The at least one first housing window 3531 may include one or more first housing windows located on the left side panel 353, such as a group of first housing windows. The at least one second housing window may include one or more second housing windows located on the right side panel, such as a group of second housing windows. The at least one third housing window 3521 may include one or more third housing windows located on the lower side panel 352, such as a group of third housing windows. In some embodiments, taking the slider 33a as an example, the connection interfaces 331 of multiple sliders 33a may be located in the same first housing window 3531, or multiple connection interfaces 331 of a slider 33a may be located in the same first housing window 3531.

[0064] In some embodiments, the first housing window 3531 and the at least one slider 33a and the second housing window and the at least one slider 33b can be distributed in a mirror-symmetrical manner. It should be understood that a group of first housing windows 3531 and a group of second housing windows can each include a plurality of spaced windows, and a group of third housing windows 3521 can include a single housing window. Figure 8 As shown, each slider may include a connection interface 331. Figure 8 As shown, there are four first housing windows 3531 and four sliders 33a, respectively. The connection interface 331 of each slider 33a is located within a corresponding first housing window 3531. There are four second housing windows and four sliders 33b, respectively. The connection interface 331 of each slider 33b is located within a corresponding second housing window. The four first housing windows 3531 and the connection interfaces of the slider 33a are mirror-symmetrically distributed with the four second housing windows and the connection interfaces of the slider 33b along the direction of linear movement (e.g., the length of the housing 35 or surgical tool 30). This facilitates coordinated actuation of the connection interfaces 331 located within the first and second housing windows 3531. The above numbers are provided as examples only. It should be understood that the number of first and second housing windows 3531 could also be one, two, five, etc. The number of connection interfaces 331 located within the same housing window could also be two, three, etc. The number of housing windows and connection interfaces 331 can be adjusted based on the number of interfaces on the external device to be driven.

[0065] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 As shown, the surgical tool 30 may further include at least one limiting structure 38 disposed on the first side and / or the second side. For example, at least one limiting structure 38 is disposed on the outer side of the left side panel 353 and / or the right side panel. It should be understood that the inner side of the left side panel and the right side panel refers to the side facing each other when the left side panel 353 and the right side panel are disposed relative to each other. The outer side of the left side panel and the right side panel refers to the side facing away from each other when the left side panel and the right side panel are disposed relative to each other. Figure 8 As shown, the limiting structure 38 can be a groove, and the inner side of the external device (such as the connecting adapter 10) is provided with a limiting protrusion (such as Figure 14 The limiting structure engages with the limiting protrusion to limit the movement of the surgical tool 30 along the linear movement direction (for example, the length direction of the left plate 353 or the right plate). It will be understood by those skilled in the art that Figure 8 The limiting structure shown is only an exemplary embodiment, and other structures may be used, such as protrusions, magnetic attraction structures, etc.

[0066] In some embodiments, as Figure 8As shown, the surgical tool 30 may further include a balancing valve 355 disposed on the housing 35. The balancing valve 355 may be used to maintain internal and external air pressure balance during sterilization of the surgical tool. In actual use, the balancing valve may be removed.

[0067] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 As shown, the surgical tool 30 may further include a handle 356 provided on the housing 35. For example, the handle 356 may be located outside the upper side plate 351 of the housing 35 for the operator to hold so as to facilitate installation or removal of the surgical tool on or from an external device.

[0068] In some embodiments, as Figure 9 As shown, the surgical tool 30 may further include at least one communication interface 357 disposed on the housing 35. For example, the at least one communication interface 357 may form a communication connection between the inside and outside of the lower plate 352 of the surgical tool. For example, the outside of the housing 35 of the surgical tool 30 is connected to an external device, and the at least one communication interface 357 may be used to communicate with the external device to form a communication connection between the inside of the housing 35 of the surgical tool 30 and the external device on the outside. Figure 9 As shown, the lower side plate 352 may be provided with a plurality of communication interfaces 357 arranged at intervals. The external device may be provided with a plurality of communication contacts (eg Figure 13 (See communication contacts 140 shown in the figure). After the external device is installed, multiple communication interfaces 357 are connected to the communication contacts to establish a communication connection between the surgical tool 30 and the external device. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the assembler can determine whether the surgical tool 30 and the external device are properly installed by determining whether the communication contacts are connected to the communication interfaces 357. The communication contacts and communication interfaces 357 can also be used to read parameter information from or write parameter information to the surgical tool 30 or the external device.

[0069] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 As shown, the surgical tool 30 may further include an electrode interface 358 or a fiber optic interface (not shown) disposed on the housing 35. For example, the electrode interface 358 may provide a conductive path for an electrical energy tool, such as a monopolar or bipolar coagulation or electro-resection tool. The fiber optic interface may provide a path for endoscopic imaging or illumination when the distal end of the surgical tool is an endoscope.

[0070] Figure 10 Schematic diagram showing the distribution of the slider 33 and the drive wire 34 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 10As shown, the proximal end of the driving wire 34 is fixedly connected to the slider 33 (for example, the slider 33a and / or the slider 33b), and the distal end is fixedly connected to the bending unit of the snake structure. Figure 11 The driving mechanism 21 shown is coupled to the slider 33. The driving mechanism is driven (eg, linearly moved) to drive the slider 33a and / or the slider 33b to move, so as to push and / or pull the driving wire 34, thereby driving the snake structure 311 to bend.

[0071] It should be understood that the drive wires 34 (e.g., the arm drive wires and / or the actuator drive wires) in the present disclosure can comprise thin elastic rods or tubes made of a superelastic material, such as a nickel-titanium alloy. The distal ends of the drive wires 34 can be connected to a bending unit at the distal end of the serpentine structure, a bending unit located in the middle of the serpentine structure, or multiple bending units within the serpentine structure, to achieve a variety of drive modes.

[0072] In some embodiments, the end instrument 32 may include an end effector, and the surgical tool 30 may further include at least one actuator drive wire (not shown). The distal end of the at least one actuator drive wire is connected to the end effector, and the proximal end of the actuator drive wire is fixedly connected to at least one slider 33c. The slider 33c drives the actuator drive wire to push and / or pull, thereby opening and closing the end effector to perform corresponding surgical operations, such as clamping, grasping, and cutting.

[0073] Figure 11 FIG. 1 shows a structural block diagram of a surgical robot system 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 12 FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the connection interface 331, the transmission member 300 and the drive interface 211 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 11 As shown, the surgical robot system 1 includes at least one robotic arm 20, at least one connection adapter 10, and at least one surgical tool 30 in any embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 20 may include a drive mechanism 21 located at the end, and the connection adapter 10 is detachably connected to the end of the robotic arm 20 or to the drive mechanism 21. The proximal portion of the surgical tool 30 is detachably connected to the connection adapter 10. The robotic arm 20 is connected to the surgical tool 30 through the connection adapter 10, and the drive (e.g., linear motion) of the drive mechanism 21 is transmitted to the surgical tool 30 through the connection adapter 10, so as to drive the surgical tool 30 to bend and the end effector 32 to open and close.

[0074] like Figure 11 and Figure 12As shown, the drive mechanism 21 may include at least one drive interface 211, which may receive power via the connecting rod 23. The connection adapter 10 includes at least one transmission member 300. The transmission member 300 includes an interface 310 and an interface 320. The interface 310 is configured to couple with the connection interface 331 of the surgical tool 30, and the interface 320 is configured to couple with the drive interface 211.

[0075] Figure 13 FIG. 2 shows a front view of the connection adapter 10 in an unfolded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the structure of the connection adapter 10 in a folded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For the convenience of explanation, Figure 14 The shadow representing the second deformable film 200 is omitted, and only the transmission member 300 is retained. In some embodiments, Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the connection adapter 10 may include an adapter base 100, at least one second deformable film 200, and at least one transmission member 300. The adapter base 100 includes at least one transmission window (e.g., transmission windows 111, 121, and 131), and is detachably connected to the robotic arm 20 and the surgical tool 30, respectively. The at least one second deformable film 200 is sealingly disposed on the adapter base 100, covering the at least one transmission window. The at least one transmission member 300 is sealingly disposed on the second deformable film 200 and located within the at least one transmission window. The transmission member 300 includes an interface 310 located on a first side of the second deformable film 200 and an interface 320 located on a second side of the second deformable film 200. The at least one transmission member 300 is configured to drive linear motion of the connection interface 331 by deforming the at least one second deformable film 200 under linear drive of the drive interface 211. The connection interface 331 then drives linear motion of the slider 33 by deforming the at least one deformable film 37.

[0076] like Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, at least one transmission window may include a first transmission window 111 and a second transmission window 121. Figure 14 As shown, in some embodiments, the adapter substrate 100 may be in a U-shape or may be folded to form a U-shape. The adapter substrate 100 may include a left substrate 110, a right substrate 120, and a middle substrate 130. For example, a first transmission window 111 and a second transmission window 121 may be provided on the left substrate 110 and the right substrate 120, respectively. In some embodiments, at least one transmission window may include a third transmission window 131, and the third transmission window 131 may be provided on the middle substrate 130. For example, Figure 12 and Figure 14As shown, the transmission member 300 may include interfaces 310 and 320 located at both ends and fixedly connected, and coupling structures are respectively provided on the interfaces 310 and 320. The coupling structure of the interface 310 of the transmission member 300 may include a protrusion, the connection interface 331 may include a corresponding groove, the interface 320 of the transmission member 300 may include a groove, and the drive interface 211 may include a corresponding protrusion. The protrusion engages with the groove to achieve coupling between the robot arm drive interface 211 and the surgical tool connection interface 311 through the transmission member 300. The above is only an example, and one of the interface and the drive interface of the transmission member 300 may be a protrusion and the other may be a groove. Alternatively, the transmission member and the drive interface may also be other structures that can be connected to each other.

[0077] Figure 15 FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the connection adapter 10 and the surgical tool 30 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 15 As shown, the proximal end of the surgical tool 30 can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the central base plate 130 of the connection adapter 10 (eg Figure 15 The surgical tool 30 is installed in the connection adapter 10, and the lower side plate 352 of the surgical tool 30 abuts against the middle substrate 130 of the adapter substrate 100. The communication contacts 140 on the middle substrate 130 are in communication connection with the communication interface 357. The proximal outer side of the surgical tool 30 is provided with an opening extending in the longitudinal direction, and further includes a connection interface (e.g., a connector) exposed from the opening and capable of translating along the opening. Figure 8 and Figure 12 The left and right substrates 110 and 120 of the connection adapter 10 are provided with interfaces 310 on their inner sides. The interfaces 310 are coupled to the connection interfaces 331 via the coupling structure on the connection interfaces 331 to drivably connect the surgical tool 30 to the connection adapter 10. The outer side of the proximal end of the surgical tool 30 is provided with a limiting structure (e.g., a position limiting structure) perpendicular to the center substrate 130 of the connection adapter 10. Figure 8 As shown in the limiting structure 38, at least one limiting portion 170 protruding from the surface of the left substrate 110 and / or the right substrate 120 is provided on the inner side of the left substrate 110 and / or the right substrate 120, and the limiting structure 38 is engaged with the limiting portion 170 to limit the movement of the surgical tool 30 along the length direction, so as to detachably connect the surgical tool 30 to the connection adapter 10.

[0078] like Figure 13 As shown, in some embodiments, at least one grounding pin 150 is further provided on the adapter substrate 100. Two grounding pins 150 may be provided on the middle substrate 130. By providing the grounding pins, static electricity can be prevented from damaging the components of the system. Figure 14As shown, in some embodiments, at least one connecting structure, such as a connecting protrusion 180, is provided on the outer side of the left substrate 110 and / or the right substrate 120. The connecting protrusion 180 is used to engage with the groove on the robot arm 20. By engaging the connecting protrusion with the groove, the adapter substrate 100 and the robot arm 20 are detachably connected. In some embodiments, as Figure 14 As shown, shielding portions 190 extending outward from the substrate surface are further provided on the outer sides of the left substrate 110 and / or the right substrate 120. These shielding portions 190 can be used to shield the portion of the transmission member 300 exposed outside the substrate. The provision of these shielding portions creates a space for linear movement of the transmission member 300 between the outer side of the adapter substrate 100 and the robotic arm 20 after the adapter substrate 100 and the robotic arm 20 are mounted.

[0079] Figure 16 FIG. 2 shows a reverse view of the connection adapter 10 in an unfolded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 16 As shown, in some embodiments, at least one connecting adapter 10 further includes a sterile protective film 400. The sterile protective film 400 is sealed to the periphery of the adapter base 100 and extends outward. It should be understood that the adapter base 100 can be in the shape of a U or a foldable sheet. The sterile protective film 400 is circumferentially connected to the adapter base 100, for example, by welding or bonding, and extends outward to cover at least a portion of the robotic arm 20. It should be understood that the sterile protective film 400 can be a TPU film to facilitate sterilization during the manufacturing process and to achieve medical grade material. The adapter base 100 can be made of plastic to facilitate connection with the sterile protective film 400 and the second deformable film 200. It should be understood that the extended sterile protective film 400 can be adapted to the shape of the portion of the robotic arm 20 to be covered. By covering the robotic arm 20 with the sterile protective film 400, the surgical tool 30 can be isolated from the robotic arm 20, isolating the sterile side from the sterile side, thereby meeting the requirements of the operating environment.

[0080] The deformable membrane 37 covers at least one housing window of the surgical tool 30, forming a sterile barrier that effectively blocks bacteria between the outer side (sterile side) and the inner side (possibly contaminated side) of the surgical tool 30. The deformable membrane 200 covers at least one transmission window, forming a sterile barrier that effectively blocks bacteria between the inner and outer sides of the connector adapter 10. This dual barrier further ensures the barrier effect. A sterile protective membrane 400 covers the drive mechanism 21 and the robotic arm 20, forming a sterile barrier that effectively blocks bacteria between the portion of the robotic arm proximal to the surgical tool 30 and the surgical tool 30, thereby providing a sterile surgical operating environment and preventing bacterial contamination of the surgical tool. At least one transmission member 300 is disposed on the second deformable membrane 200. By deforming the second deformable membrane 200, the drive (e.g., linear drive) from the first side of the connector adapter 10 is transmitted via the transmission member 300 to the second side of the connector adapter 10, enabling direct transmission of various motions, such as linear motion. By deforming the deformable membrane 37 , the driving interface of the external device is allowed to drive the connecting interface to move, so as to push and / or pull the driving wire, thereby driving the surgical tool to perform various operations, making the structure simple and easy to operate.

[0081] Note that the above are only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments herein, and that various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, although the present disclosure has been described in more detail through the above embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A surgical tool, characterized in that: include: a plurality of sliders, each including a connection interface disposed on the slider, the connection interface being configured to couple with an external device and receive a drive from the external device; An arm body, the arm body comprising a snake-bone structure, the snake-bone structure comprising a plurality of bending units connected end to end; an end instrument, disposed at the distal end of the snake-bone structure; A plurality of drive wires for driving the arm and / or the end instrument, wherein the proximal ends of the drive wires are fixedly connected to the slider, and the slider is used to push and / or pull the drive wires under the received drive; a housing for accommodating the slider, the housing comprising at least one housing window, wherein a connection interface of the slider is located in the at least one housing window; At least one deformable membrane is sealingly arranged on the shell and is used to cover the at least one shell window, wherein the connection interface is sealingly connected to the deformable membrane and is used to receive drive through deformation of the at least one deformable membrane.

2. The surgical tool according to claim 1, wherein: The bending units are in the shape of hollow bamboo joints, and two adjacent bending units form a radially bendable motion pair through mutually nested connecting grooves and connecting protrusions.

3. The surgical tool according to claim 1, wherein: The multiple driving wires include at least one arm driving wire, which is arranged to penetrate the snake-bone structure. The proximal end of the arm driving wire is fixedly connected to the slider, and the distal end is fixedly connected to the bending unit of the snake-bone structure, and is used to drive the snake-bone structure to bend under the drive of the slider.

4. The surgical tool according to claim 1, wherein: The deformable membrane comprises a sheet-like membrane adapted to the shape of the housing, and the sheet-like membrane is sealingly disposed on the inner surface or the outer surface of the housing to cover the at least one housing window; or The deformable membrane includes at least one sheet-shaped membrane corresponding to the at least one housing window, and the at least one sheet-shaped membrane is sealed and connected to the housing to cover the at least one housing window.

5. The surgical tool according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one shell window includes at least one first shell window located on the first side of the shell and at least one second shell window located on the second side of the shell, the multiple sliders include at least one first slider and at least one second slider, the connection interface of the at least one first slider is located in the at least one first shell window, and the connection interface of the at least one second slider is located in the at least one second shell window.

6. The surgical tool according to claim 5, wherein: The at least one shell window further includes at least one third shell window located on the third side of the shell, and the plurality of sliders further include at least one third slider, wherein the connection interface of the at least one third slider is located in the at least one third shell window.

7. The surgical tool according to claim 6, wherein: The end instrument includes an end effector, and the drive wire further includes at least one actuator drive wire. The distal end of the actuator drive wire is connected to the end effector, and the proximal end of the actuator drive wire is fixedly connected to the third slider.

8. The surgical tool according to claim 5, wherein: The surgical tool further includes at least one limiting structure disposed on the first side and / or the second side.

9. The surgical tool according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: At least one slide rail is provided in the housing, and the slider is arranged on the at least one slide rail.

10. A surgical robot system, characterized in that: include: at least one robotic arm, the robotic arm comprising at least one drive mechanism and at least one drive interface, the at least one drive mechanism being configured to drive the at least one drive interface to move; At least one surgical tool according to any one of claims 1 to 9; as well as At least one connection adapter, the connection adapter is used to be detachably connected to the robotic arm and the surgical tool, the connection adapter includes at least one first interface and at least one second interface, the first interface is used to couple with the connection interface of the surgical tool, and the second interface is used to couple with the drive interface.

11. The surgical robot system according to claim 10, wherein: The connection adapter comprises: an adapter base plate, comprising at least one transmission window, wherein the adapter base plate is detachably connected to the robotic arm and the surgical tool respectively; at least one second deformable membrane, sealingly disposed on the adapter substrate and configured to cover the at least one transmission window; At least one transmission member is sealed on the second deformable membrane and located in the at least one transmission window, the transmission member includes a first interface located on the first side of the second deformable membrane and a second interface located on the second side of the second deformable membrane, and the at least one transmission member is used to drive the linear movement of the connecting interface through the deformation of the at least one second deformable membrane under the linear drive of the driving interface, thereby driving the linear movement of the slider.

12. The surgical robot system according to claim 11, wherein: The at least one connection adapter further comprises a sterile protective membrane, which is sealedly connected to the circumference of the adapter base plate and extends outwardly along the circumference to cover the robotic arm.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Robotic surgery system

    CN104411266A

  • Actuator and drive for manipulating a tool

    CN107107343A