Multi-joint guide device

Abstract

The invention provides a multi-joint guiding device. The multi-joint guiding device comprises a main body part; the driving mechanism is mounted on the main body part; the joint mechanism is mounted on the main body part and the driving mechanism, has a linear state of extending along a first axis, and is constructed to swing around an axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first axis under the driving of the driving mechanism; and / or a curved state of swinging about an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the first axis and the axis in the second direction; the variable-rigidity mechanism is telescopically mounted on the joint mechanism and is constructed to stretch out and draw back under the driving of the driving mechanism to adjust the friction force between the variable-rigidity mechanism and the joint mechanism so as to adjust the rigidity of the joint mechanism; and rapid conversion between a high-flexibility low-rigidity posture and a high-bearing-capacity high-rigidity posture can be realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] At least one embodiment of the present disclosure relates to the technical field of surgical instruments, and in particular, to a multi-joint guiding device suitable for a minimally invasive surgical robot. Background Art

[0002] Compared with traditional open surgery, minimally invasive surgery has the advantages of less trauma, effectively reducing the amount of blood loss of the surgical subjects, shortening the hospital stay, and reducing postoperative complications and postoperative pain.

[0003] Based on minimally invasive surgery, single-port minimally invasive surgery has been developed to further reduce surgical trauma. In single-port minimally invasive surgery, a guide device delivers surgical instruments such as a laparoscope and clamps into the body. Due to the narrow operating space of single-port minimally invasive surgery, the guide device needs to have high flexibility to assist the surgical instruments in adjusting their posture to perform surgery on the surgical site, thereby ensuring the integrity of the surgery. In addition, after the posture is adjusted, the guide device is required to provide stable support for the surgical instruments and have a high load-bearing capacity. However, the current guide devices are not flexible enough and have limited load-bearing capacity. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a multi-joint guiding device for at least partially solving the above technical problems, and can achieve rapid transition between a low-rigidity posture with high flexibility and a high-rigidity posture with high load-bearing capacity.

[0005] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a multi-joint guide device, including a main body; a driving mechanism installed on the main body; a joint mechanism installed on the main body and the driving mechanism, the joint mechanism having a straight state extending along a first axis, and being constructed to swing around an axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first axis under the drive of the driving mechanism, and / or a bent state swinging around an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the first axis and the axes in the second direction; and a variable stiffness mechanism, telescopically installed on the joint mechanism, and being constructed to telescope under the drive of the driving mechanism, to adjust the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism and the joint mechanism to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the joint mechanism includes a plurality of groups of joint monomers connected end to end, and two adjacent groups of the joint monomers include a first monomer and a second monomer. In the straight state, the second monomer rotates 90 degrees relative to the first monomer around the first axis, so that under the drive of the driving mechanism, the first monomer swings around the axis in the second direction, and the second monomer swings around the axis in the third direction.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the joint monomer includes: two end plates, which are arranged at a relative interval in the direction of the first axis in the linear state, and each end plate is provided with an instrument channel hole allowing surgical instruments to pass through; two groups of arms, the first ends of the two groups of arms are respectively installed on the sides facing the two end plates, and the second ends extend in a direction close to each other, and the second ends of the two groups of arms form arc-shaped portions protruding outwards that roll with each other, and are constructed so that under the drive of the driving mechanism, the outer edges of the arc-shaped portions of the two groups of arms roll relative to each other, so that the two groups of arms swing relative to each other; a connecting frame, located between the two end plates; and two groups of connecting rods, which are respectively installed on the connecting frame and extend perpendicular to the first axis, and the two ends of each group of connecting rods can be slidably installed in the adapter groove of each group of arms, so that the two groups of arms of the joint monomer can be swingably connected through the two groups of connecting rods. Preferably, in the linear state, the lengths of the two groups of arms in the direction of the first axis are equal.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the joint monomer also includes a limiting mechanism, which is configured to limit the relative swing range of the two groups of the arms. Preferably, the limiting structure includes: a limiting protrusion, which extends the arc portion from one group of arms of the joint monomer toward the other group of arms, and both sides of the limiting protrusion have limiting steps; and two limiting bars, which extend from the other group of arms of the joint monomer toward both sides of the limiting protrusion; wherein, in the bending state, the two limiting bars are in sliding contact with the outer edge of the limiting protrusion, and when the two limiting bars are respectively pressed against the limiting steps, the swinging limit positions of the two groups of arms are limited.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving mechanism includes: a driving assembly installed on the main body; and four groups of first transmission wires, a first end of which is installed on the driving assembly, and the second ends of the four groups of first transmission wires pass through the first wire hole of each of the joint monomers in turn and are installed on the end of the joint mechanism, wherein, in the straight line state, the four groups of first transmission wires are evenly spaced around the first axis and form a circular ring; wherein, under the drive of the driving assembly, the pay-out length of one group of the first transmission wires in two groups of the first transmission wires opposite to each other in the same radial direction is equal to the take-up length of the other group of the first transmission wires, so that the joint mechanism swings around the axis in the second direction or around the axis in the third direction.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a tensioning rod is provided at the position of the first axis on the side facing each other of the two end plates, and a hemispherical ball protrusion is formed on the end facing each other of the two tensioning rods; the variable stiffness mechanism includes a plurality of variable stiffness units, each of the variable stiffness units includes: a telescopic component, which is telescopically arranged on the connecting frame, and ball sockets cooperating with the ball protrusions are respectively arranged at both ends of the telescopic component; and a transmission mechanism, which is constructed to extend or shorten under the drive of the driving mechanism, so as to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism by adjusting the friction between the ball sockets at both ends of the telescopic component and the two tensioning rods respectively.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the telescopic assembly includes: two contact blocks slidably mounted on the connecting frame, two ball sockets disposed on the two contact blocks facing the sides of the two tensioning rods; and a plurality of reset members, configured to drive the two contact blocks closer to each other through the elastic force of the reset members; the transmission mechanism is telescopically mounted between the two contact blocks, and is configured to resist the elastic force of the reset members under the drive of the driving mechanism to extend so that the two contact blocks move away from each other, or shorten under the elastic force of the reset members so that the two contact blocks move closer to each other. Preferably, a guide groove is disposed on the connecting frame to guide the contact blocks to slide.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the transmission mechanism includes: a pivot, which is installed at the position of the first axis of the connecting frame and is located between the two contact blocks; two support rods, the middle parts of the two support rods are rotatably installed on the pivot and cross each other; and four sliders, which are rotatably installed at the two ends of the two support rods, respectively, and the two contact blocks are respectively provided with sliding grooves, and the extension direction of the sliding grooves is perpendicular to the first axis, so as to slide and cooperate with the two sliders located at the same end of the two support rods; wherein the driving mechanism resists the elastic force of the reset member, drives the contact block adjacent to the driving mechanism away from the pivot, so that the two sliders located at the same end approach each other in the sliding groove, and the two support rods rotate to drive the other contact block to synchronously move away from the pivot, so as to drive the two contact blocks to move away from each other.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving mechanism also includes a plurality of second transmission wires, the number of the second transmission wires is the same as the number of the variable stiffness monomers, the first ends of the second transmission wires are mounted on the driving assembly, and the second ends of the second transmission wires are respectively mounted on the contact blocks of the variable stiffness monomers close to the driving assembly, and are constructed to reel in or release wires under the drive of the driving mechanism to cooperate with the reset member to extend or shorten the telescopic assembly, thereby adjusting the friction between the ball socket and the tensioning rod to adjust the stiffness.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving assembly includes a plurality of driving components, each of which includes: a power assembly installed on the main body; a transmission shaft rotatably installed on the main body and configured to rotate under the drive of the power assembly; and a wire wheel installed on the transmission shaft and rotating with the transmission shaft to drive the first transmission wire or the second transmission wire to collect or release the wire.

[0015] According to the multi-joint guide device provided by the present disclosure, during the surgical operation, the joint mechanism carries the surgical instrument, and in a straight state, the joint mechanism extends along the first axis. The joint mechanism swings around the axis in the second direction perpendicular to the first axis under the drive of the driving mechanism, and / or swings around the axis in the third direction perpendicular to the axis in the first and second directions, thereby adjusting the posture of the surgical instrument, and has good flexibility. In addition, the variable stiffness mechanism is extended or shortened under the drive of the driving mechanism, thereby adjusting the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism and the joint mechanism to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism, and can achieve rapid transition between a low-rigidity posture with high flexibility and a high-rigidity posture with high load-bearing capacity. It has high flexibility in the low-rigidity posture, which is convenient for adjusting the posture of the surgical instrument; in the high-rigidity posture, it can provide stable support for the surgical instrument, thereby improving the surgical operation effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent through the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of a multi-joint guiding device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a joint mechanism and a variable stiffness mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown;

[0019] Figure 3 Schematically shows a connection diagram of four joint monomers according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 4 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a connecting pipe of a main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown;

[0021] Figure 5 A partial diagram of a joint mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown;

[0022] Figure 6 A schematic perspective view of a joint monomer and a variable stiffness monomer in a straight line state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 7A schematic perspective view of a joint monomer in a bent state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 8 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a variable stiffness monomer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown;

[0025] Fig. 9 Schematically shows a side view of a variable stiffness monomer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Fig.10 A partial view of a main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown;

[0027] Fig.11 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a transmission wheel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown;

[0028] Fig.12 A three-dimensional schematic diagram schematically shows a transmission shaft with a one-way wire wheel installed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0029] Fig.13 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a transmission shaft equipped with a bidirectional wire wheel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown.

[0030] Reference numerals

[0031] 1. Main body; 11. Main body shell; 111. First plate; 112. Second plate; 12. Main frame; 13. Transmission wheel; 2. Driving mechanism; 21. Driving component; 211. Power assembly; 212. Transmission shaft; 213. Wire wheel; 22. First transmission wire; 23. Second transmission wire; 3. Joint mechanism; 31. Joint monomer; 311. End plate; 3111. Instrument channel hole; 3112. Mounting member; 312. Support arm; 3121. Arc portion; 3122. Adapter groove; 313. Limiting convex portion; 3131. Limiting platform Step; 3132, protrusion; 314, limit strip; 315, tension rod; 3151, ball protrusion; 316, connecting frame; 317, connecting rod; 3171, give way groove; 32, first thread hole; 4, variable stiffness mechanism; 41, variable stiffness monomer; 5, telescopic component; 51, contact block; 511, ball socket; 512, slide groove; 513, second thread hole; 52, reset member; 53, transmission mechanism; 531, support rod; 532, slider; 533, pivot; 54, reinforcing rod; 6, guide groove; 7, connecting pipe; 71, installation cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure more clearly understood, the present disclosure is further described in detail below in combination with specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] The terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The terms "comprise", "include", etc. used herein indicate the existence of the features, steps, operations and / or components, but do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations or components.

[0034] 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 should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the context of this specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly rigid manner.

[0035] When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, and C, etc.", it should generally be interpreted as the meaning of the expression generally understood by those skilled in the art. For example, "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" should include but not be limited to a system having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or A, B, C, etc. When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, or C, etc.", it should generally be interpreted as the meaning of the expression generally understood by those skilled in the art. For example, "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" should include but not be limited to a system having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or A, B, C, etc.

[0036] It should also be noted that the directional terms mentioned in the embodiments, such as "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc., are only reference directions of the drawings and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, the same elements are represented by the same or similar reference numerals. Conventional structures or configurations will be omitted when they may cause confusion in the understanding of the present disclosure.

[0037] Compared with traditional open surgery, minimally invasive surgery can effectively reduce the amount of blood loss of the surgical subject, shorten the hospital stay, reduce postoperative complications, and relieve postoperative pain. With the development of science and technology, minimally invasive surgery has developed rapidly, and single-port minimally invasive surgery has been developed to further reduce surgical trauma. Unlike traditional open surgery, which exposes the target area to the air, single-port minimally invasive surgery opens a "key hole" to locate the port, through which the surgical tools (such as laparoscopes, clamps, needle drivers, etc.) are delivered into the human body using a guide device. Not only is the surgical operation more precise, but the trauma and scars are small, and the postoperative recovery is rapid, which can also relieve the fatigue of medical staff.

[0038] Due to the narrow operating space of single-port minimally invasive surgery, the guide device needs to have high flexibility to assist the surgical instrument in adjusting its position to perform surgery on the surgical site, thereby ensuring the integrity of the surgery. In addition, after the position is adjusted, the guide device is required to provide stable support for the surgical instrument and have a high load-bearing capacity. However, the current guide device is not flexible enough and has limited load-bearing capacity.

[0039] Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a multi-joint guide device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown. Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a joint mechanism and a variable stiffness mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown.

[0040] The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a multi-joint guiding device, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the multi-joint guide device includes a main body 1, a driving mechanism 2, a joint mechanism 3 and a variable stiffness mechanism 4. The driving mechanism 2 is mounted on the main body 1. The joint mechanism 3 is mounted on the main body 1 and the driving mechanism 2, and the joint mechanism 3 has a straight state extending along a first axis, and is configured to swing around an axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first axis under the drive of the driving mechanism 2, and / or a bending state of swinging around an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the first axis and the axis in the second direction. The variable stiffness mechanism 4 is telescopically mounted on the joint mechanism 3, and is configured to telescope under the drive of the driving mechanism 2, and adjust the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism 4 and the joint mechanism 3 to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism 3.

[0041] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, during the surgical operation, the joint mechanism 3 carries the surgical instrument, and in a straight state, the joint mechanism 3 extends along the first axis. Driven by the drive mechanism 2, the joint mechanism 3 swings around an axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first axis, and / or swings around an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the axis in the first and second directions, thereby adjusting the posture of the surgical instrument, and having good flexibility. In addition, the variable stiffness mechanism 4 is extended or shortened under the drive of the drive mechanism 2, thereby adjusting the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism 4 and the joint mechanism 3 to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism 3, and can achieve rapid transition between a low-rigidity posture with high flexibility and a high-rigidity posture with high load-bearing capacity. In the low-rigidity posture, it has high flexibility, which is convenient for adjusting the posture of the surgical instrument; in the high-rigidity posture, it can provide stable support for the surgical instrument, thereby improving the surgical operation effect.

[0042] It should be noted that the main body 1 of the multi-joint guide device is installed on the slave hand end of the minimally invasive surgical robot, and the joint mechanism 3 of the multi-joint guide device is used to carry surgical instruments. The surgical instrument can be a laparoscope, clamps, cutting knives, etc. to meet different surgical needs. The surgical instrument can adjust its posture as the joint mechanism 3 swings. During the operation, the operator watches the synchronized image of the lesion on the three-dimensional image module at the master hand end of the minimally invasive surgical robot, and operates the main operator at the same time, and controls the posture and movement of the multi-joint guide device and surgical instruments on the slave hand end by adjusting the posture of the main operator to complete the surgical operation.

[0043] Specifically, the direction in which the first axis extends is the X-axis direction ( Figure 2 The second direction is the Y-axis direction ( Figure 2 The third direction is the Z-axis direction ( Figure 2 The vertical direction from top to bottom in the figure). During the surgical operation, the surgical instrument can swing around the Y axis under the guidance of the joint mechanism 3 to adjust the pitch angle of the surgical instrument, and swing around the Z axis to adjust the deflection angle of the surgical instrument, so as to flexibly adjust the posture of the surgical instrument. During the adjustment process of the variable stiffness mechanism 4, the smaller the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism 4 and the joint mechanism 3, the smaller the stiffness of the joint mechanism 3, so that the multi-joint guide device is in a low-rigidity posture with higher flexibility; the greater the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism 4 and the joint mechanism 3, the greater the stiffness of the joint mechanism 3, so that the multi-joint guide device is in a high-rigidity posture with higher bearing capacity. The multi-joint guide device can realize rapid transition between a low-rigidity posture with high flexibility and a high-rigidity posture with high bearing capacity. It has high flexibility in the low-rigidity posture, which is convenient for adjusting the posture of the surgical instrument; in the high-rigidity posture, it has good stiffness and bearing capacity, provides stable support for the surgical instrument, and improves the surgical operation effect.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, the multi-joint guiding device also includes a moving mechanism. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism is a synchronous belt mechanism. The synchronous belt mechanism is installed at the slave end of the minimally invasive surgical robot. The main body 1 is installed on the synchronous belt of the synchronous belt mechanism, and can move in the first axis direction under the drive of the synchronous belt mechanism to adjust the feeding depth of the human body positioning port. The moving mechanism can also be a combination of a motor, a lead screw and a slider 532, etc., which is not limited here.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 2As shown, the joint mechanism 3 includes a plurality of groups of joint monomers 31 connected end to end, and two adjacent groups of joint monomers 31 include a first monomer and a second monomer. In a straight state, the second monomer rotates 90 degrees relative to the first monomer around a first axis, so that under the drive of the drive mechanism 2, the first monomer ( Figure 2 The rightmost joint monomer is the first monomer) around the second direction ( Figure 2 The second monomer ( Figure 2 The second joint monomer from right to left is the second monomer) in the third direction ( Figure 2 The axis swings along the vertical direction from top to bottom.

[0046] Figure 3 The figure schematically shows the connection diagram of four joint monomers according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] It should be noted that in this embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the joint monomers 31 are arranged in four groups, and the four groups of joint monomers 31 are connected end to end, and the number of joint monomers 31 is not limited here. Generally, at least two groups of joint monomers 31 are arranged. The joint monomers 31 can also be arranged in one group, in which case the joint monomers 31 can only swing around a single direction perpendicular to the first axis, and the swing range of the end of the multi-joint guide device is smaller. The fewer the number of joint monomers 31, the smaller the swing range of the end of the multi-joint guide device; the more the number of joint monomers 31, the larger the swing range of the end of the multi-joint guide device.

[0048] Figure 4 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a connecting pipe of a main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown. Figure 5 A partial view of a joint mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the main body 1 includes a main body shell 11 and a connecting pipe 7. The main body shell 11 includes a first plate 111 and a second plate 112, the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 are arranged in parallel and spaced relative to each other, and the same end (bottom end) of the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 can be connected to each other through a connecting plate and installed on the moving mechanism by bolts. It can be understood that the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 can be an integral structure, the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 are formed by bending the plate, and the same end (bottom end) of the first plate 111 and the second plate 112 are connected. The first plate 111 and the second plate 112 are provided with instrument channel holes 3111 that allow surgical instruments to pass through. In this embodiment, the instrument channel holes 3111 are evenly spaced around the first axis, and the number of the instrument channel holes 3111 can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc., which are not limited here. The first end of the connecting pipe 7 is installed on the second plate 112 and communicates with the second plate 112. The second end of the connecting tube 7 is provided with a mounting cover 71, and the mounting cover 71 is provided with an instrument channel hole 3111 that is directly opposite to the instrument channel hole 3111 on the second plate 112. It should be noted that the connecting tube 7 can be integrally formed with the main body 1, or can be installed on the main body 1 by bolt connection, welding, clamping, etc., which is not limited here. The end plate 311 of the joint monomer 31 closest to the connecting tube 7 among the multiple joint monomers 31 of the joint mechanism 3 is installed on the mounting cover 71 through a mounting member 3112 (such as a bolt).

[0050] Figure 6 A three-dimensional schematic diagram schematically shows a joint monomer and a variable stiffness monomer in a straight line state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 2 and Figure 6 As shown, the joint monomer 31 includes two end plates 311, two groups of support arms 312, a connecting frame 316 and two groups of connecting rods 317. The end plate 311 is a circular plate-like structure. In a straight state, the two end plates 311 are relatively spaced apart in the direction of the first axis, and each end plate 311 is provided with an instrument channel hole 3111 that is opposite to the instrument channel hole 3111 on the main body 1, and the instrument channel holes 3111 on each end plate 311 are opposite to each other. In this embodiment, four instrument channel holes 3111 are provided, and the four instrument channel holes 3111 are evenly spaced around the axis of the end plate 311 to maintain the stability of the joint monomer 31.

[0052] Figure 7 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a joint monomer in a bent state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown.

[0053] like Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the first ends of the two groups of support arms 312 are respectively installed on the sides facing the two end plates 311. The second ends of the two groups of support arms 312 extend in a direction close to each other, and form arc-shaped portions 3121 protruding outwards that roll with each other. Under the drive of the drive mechanism 2, the outer edges of the arc-shaped portions 3121 of the two groups of support arms 312 roll relative to each other, so that the two groups of support arms 312 swing relative to each other.

[0054] Specifically, in the straight state, the lengths of the two groups of support arms 312 in the first axial direction are equal. Each group of support arms 312 is provided with two support arms 312, and the two support arms 312 are spaced apart and arranged at both ends of the radial direction of the end plate 311. An arc-shaped adapting groove 3122 is formed on each support arm 312, and the center of the arc-shaped adapting groove 3122 is the same as the center of the arc-shaped portion 3121 of the support arm 312.

[0055] The connecting frame 316 is located between the two end plates 311 and between the two opposite arms 312 of each set of arms 312. Two sets of connecting rods 317 are respectively mounted on the connecting frame 316 and extend perpendicularly to the first axis. Both ends of each set of connecting rods 317 are slidably mounted in the adapting grooves 3122 of each set of arms 312, so that the two sets of arms 312 of the joint monomer 31 are swingably connected through the two sets of connecting rods 317.

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the joint monomer 31 also includes a limiting mechanism, which is configured to limit the relative swing range of the two groups of arms 312 .

[0057] The limiting structure includes a limiting protrusion 313 and two limiting strips 314. The limiting protrusion 313 extends an arc portion 3121 from one group of arms 312 of the joint monomer 31 toward the other group of arms 312, and both sides of the limiting protrusion 313 have limiting steps 3131. The two limiting strips 314 extend from the other group of arms 312 of the joint monomer 31 toward both sides of the limiting protrusion 313. In the bent state, the two limiting strips 314 are in sliding contact with the outer edge of the limiting protrusion 313, and when the two limiting strips 314 are respectively pressed against the limiting steps 3131, the extreme positions of the swing of the two groups of arms 312 are limited to maintain the relative swing of the two groups of arms 312 of the joint unit within the effective swing range, so as to avoid the two groups of arms 312 from swinging too much, thereby affecting the normal use of the joint mechanism 3 or the variable stiffness mechanism 4.

[0058] Figure 8 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a variable stiffness monomer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown.

[0059] It should be noted that if Figure 2 and Figure 8As shown, a clearance groove 3171 is provided on the connecting rod 317 opposite to the limiting protrusion 313 to allow the end of the limiting protrusion 313 to pass through the clearance groove, so that the two groups of support arms 312 can swing relative to each other and work normally, avoiding interference between the limiting protrusion 313 and the connecting rod 317.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the drive mechanism 2 includes a drive assembly and four groups of first transmission wires 22. The drive assembly is installed on the main body 1. The first ends of the four groups of first transmission wires 22 are installed on the drive assembly, and the second ends of the four groups of first transmission wires 22 pass through the first wire holes 32 of each joint monomer 31 in turn and are installed at the end of the joint mechanism 3. Among them, in a straight line state, the four groups of first transmission wires 22 are evenly spaced around the first axis and form a ring. Furthermore, the four groups of first transmission wires 22 are located at the four vertices of a square.

[0061] Among them, under the drive of the driving component, the pay-out length of one group of first transmission wires 22 in the two groups of first transmission wires 22 opposite to each other in the same radial direction is equal to the take-up length of the other group of first transmission wires 22, so that the joint mechanism 3 swings around the axis in the second direction or around the axis in the third direction.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, a tension rod 315 is disposed at the position of the first axis on the side facing each other of the two end plates 311 , and a hemispherical spherical protrusion 3151 is formed at the facing ends of the two tension rods 315 .

[0063] like Figure 2 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the variable stiffness mechanism 4 includes a plurality of variable stiffness monomers 41, and the number of the variable stiffness monomers 41 is equal to the number of the joint monomers 31, that is, each joint monomer 31 is provided with a variable stiffness monomer 41. Each variable stiffness monomer 41 includes a telescopic component 5 and a transmission mechanism 53. The telescopic component 5 is telescopically arranged on the connecting frame 316, and ball sockets 511 that cooperate with the ball protrusions 3151 are respectively arranged at both ends of the telescopic component 5. The transmission mechanism 53 is constructed to extend or shorten under the drive of the driving mechanism 2, so as to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism 3 by adjusting the friction between the ball sockets 511 at both ends of the telescopic component 5 and the two tensioning rods 315.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the telescopic assembly 5 includes two contact blocks 51 and a plurality of reset members 52. The two ends of the connecting frame 316 are spaced apart from the two end plates 311 to allow the connecting frame 316 to swing with the two arms 312 of the joint mechanism 3. The connecting frame 316 is provided with a guide groove 6, which extends in the direction of the first axis in a straight state. The two contact blocks 51 are slidably mounted in the guide groove 6 of the connecting frame 316 to slide under the guidance of the guide groove 6. The two contact blocks 51 are respectively recessed inwardly on one side facing the two tensioning rods 315 to form a ball socket 511.

[0065] The reset member 52 may be a spring. A plurality of reset members 52 are respectively located between the side of the two contact blocks 51 that are away from each other and the connecting frame 316. In a straight state, the reset member 52 extends in the direction of the first axis. The reset member 52 is in a compressed state, and the two contact blocks 51 are driven to approach each other by the elastic force of the reset member 52. The transmission mechanism 53 is telescopically installed between the two contact blocks 51, and is constructed to extend against the elastic force of the reset member 52 under the drive of the driving mechanism 2, so that the two contact blocks 51 move away from each other, or shorten under the elastic force of the reset member 52, so that the two contact blocks 51 move toward each other.

[0066] Fig. 9 A side view of a variable stiffness cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, each reset member 52 is provided with two reinforcing rods 54 arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart from each other. The two reinforcing rods 54 are respectively arranged on the contact block 51 and the connecting frame 316 to allow the contact block 51 to slide and reduce the degree of bending of the reset member 52 during compression.

[0068] In an alternative embodiment, a spring serving as the reset member 52 may be disposed between the two contact blocks 51. Driven by the drive mechanism 2, the transmission mechanism 53 extends against the elastic force of the reset member 52, so that the two contact blocks 51 move away from each other, or shortens under the elastic force of the reset member 52, so that the two contact blocks 51 move closer to each other.

[0069] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 8 and Fig. 9As shown, the transmission mechanism 53 includes a pivot 533, two support rods 531 and four sliders 532. The pivot 533 is installed at the position of the first axis of the connecting frame 316 and is located between the two contact blocks 51. The middle parts of the two support rods 531 are rotatably installed on the pivot 533 and cross each other, and the lengths of the two support rods 531 are equal. The four sliders 532 are rotatably installed at both ends of the two support rods 531. The two contact blocks 51 are respectively provided with a slide groove 512, and the extension direction of the slide groove 512 is perpendicular to the first axis, so as to slide and cooperate with the two sliders 532 located at the same end of the two support rods 531.

[0070] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving mechanism 2 resists the elastic force of the reset member 52, drives the contact block 51 adjacent to the driving mechanism 2 to move away from the pivot 533 and slide in the direction close to the driving mechanism 2, so that the two sliders 532 located at the same end approach each other in the slide groove 512, and the two support rods 531 rotate, driving the other contact block 51 to move away from the pivot 533 synchronously and slide in the direction away from the driving mechanism 2, so as to drive the two contact blocks 51 to move away from each other, thereby adjusting the friction between the ball sockets 511 on the two contact blocks 51 and the two tensioning rods 315, and then adjusting the stiffness of the joint mechanism 3. The multi-joint guide device can realize rapid transition between a low-rigidity posture with high flexibility and a high-rigidity posture with high load-bearing capacity. It has high flexibility in the low-rigidity posture, which is convenient for adjusting the posture of surgical instruments; in the high-rigidity posture, it can provide stable support for the surgical instruments, thereby improving the surgical operation effect.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the driving mechanism 2 also includes a plurality of second transmission wires 23, the number of the second transmission wires 23 is the same as the number of the variable stiffness monomers 41, the first ends of the second transmission wires 23 are mounted on the driving assembly, and the second ends of the second transmission wires 23 are respectively mounted on the contact blocks 51 of the variable stiffness monomers 41 close to the driving assembly, and are constructed to reel in or release the wires under the drive of the driving mechanism 2, so as to cooperate with the reset member 52 to extend or shorten the telescopic assembly 5, and adjust the friction between the ball socket 511 and the tensioning rod 315 to adjust the stiffness.

[0072] Specifically, in this embodiment, Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 6As shown, there are four joint monomers 31 and variable stiffness monomers 41, and four second transmission wires 23. Four second wire holes 513 are provided on the end plate 311 of the joint monomer 31, and the four second wire holes 513 are evenly spaced around the tension rod 315. The four second transmission wires 23 pass through the second wire holes 513 and are respectively installed on the contact blocks 51 of the two contact blocks 51 of the four variable stiffness monomers 41 that are adjacent to the drive mechanism 2, and the four transmission wires are not colinear, but are respectively located in different second wire holes 513, and are evenly spaced around the first axis to avoid mutual interference of the second transmission wires 23.

[0073] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, during use, the first transmission wire 22 of the driving mechanism 2 drives the two arms 312 of the joint monomer 31 to swing relative to each other. When swinging from a straight state extending along the first axis to a bent state, the distance between the two tensioning rods 315 of the joint monomer 31 remains constant, and the second transmission wire 23 retracts or releases the wire, so that the pressure between the ball socket 511 of the contact block 51 and the ball protrusion 3151 of the tensioning rod 315 is constant, and the stiffness of the variable stiffness mechanism does not change. When reducing the stiffness of the joint mechanism, the second transmission wire 23 releases the wire, and under the elastic force of the reset member 52, the two support rods 531 of the transmission mechanism 53 rotate, so that the telescopic assembly 5 is shortened, the two contact blocks 51 are close to each other, the pressure between the ball socket 511 and the ball protrusion 3151 is reduced, so that the friction force is reduced, and then the stiffness of the joint mechanism is reduced. Similarly, when increasing the stiffness of the joint mechanism, under the drive of the drive assembly, the second transmission wire 23 resists the elastic wire retraction of the reset member 52, and pulls the contact block 51 close to the drive assembly toward the direction close to the drive assembly, and the contact block 51 is away from the pivot 533. At the same time, the slider 532 on the same side of the transmission mechanism 53 slides in the slide groove 512, so that the two support rods 531 rotate, and the transmission mechanism 53 extends, thereby driving the other contact block 51 to synchronously move away from the pivot 533 and slide in the direction away from the drive mechanism 2, so as to drive the two contact blocks 51 away from each other, thereby increasing the pressure between the ball sockets 511 on the two contact blocks 51 and the two tension rods 315, respectively, and then increasing the friction and the stiffness of the joint mechanism. The multi-joint guide device can achieve rapid transition between a low-rigidity posture with high flexibility and a high-rigidity posture with high load-bearing capacity.

[0074] Fig.10 A partial view of a main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown. Fig.11 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a transmission wheel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown. Fig.12 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a transmission shaft equipped with a one-way wire wheel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown. Fig.13 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a transmission shaft equipped with a bidirectional wire wheel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown.

[0075] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 , Figure 6 and Fig.10 As shown, the drive assembly includes a plurality of drive components 21, each of which includes a power assembly 211, a transmission shaft 212 and a wire wheel 213. The power assembly 211 is mounted on the main body 1, and the power assembly 211 can be a motor. The transmission shaft 212 is rotatably mounted on the main body 1 and connected to the output shaft of the power assembly 211 to rotate under the drive of the power assembly 211. The wire wheel 213 is mounted on the transmission shaft 212 and rotates with the transmission shaft 212 to drive the first transmission wire 22 or the second transmission wire 23 to collect and release the wire.

[0076] Specifically, Figure 1 , Figure 6 and Fig.10 As shown, six driving components 21 are provided, and the six driving components 21 include two first driving components 21 and four second driving components 21. Fig.10 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, the wire wheel 213 on the transmission shaft 212 of the first driving component 21 is a bidirectional wire wheel, and the spiral directions of the two wire winding patterns on the circumferential surface of the bidirectional wire wheel for winding the first transmission wire 22 are opposite. The first ends of the two groups of first transmission wires 22 opposite to each other in the same radial direction in the four groups of first transmission wires 22 are respectively installed on the two wire winding patterns of the bidirectional wire wheel 213 of the same first driving component 21, and the rotation directions of the two groups of first transmission wires 22 are opposite. Therefore, when the power component 211 drives the transmission shaft 212 to drive the bidirectional wire wheel 213 to rotate simultaneously, the pay-out length of one group of the first transmission wires 22 in the two groups of the first transmission wires 22 opposite to each other in the same radial direction is equal to the take-up length of the other group of the first transmission wires 22, so that the joint mechanism 3 swings around the axis in the second direction or swings around the axis in the third direction. The first ends of the four second transmission wires 23 are respectively installed on the unidirectional wire wheels 213 of the four second driving components 21. When the one-way wire wheel 213 of the second driving component 21 rotates forward, the second transmission wire 23 is collected; when the one-way wire wheel 213 of the second driving component 21 rotates reversely, the second transmission wire 23 is released.

[0077] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 , Figure 6 , Fig.10 and Fig.11As shown, the main body 1 also includes a main frame 12 and a transmission wheel 13. The main frame 12 is installed on the main body shell 11, and the main frame 12 includes a plurality of first rods, a plurality of second rods and a plurality of third rods. The plurality of first rods are installed on the main body shell 11, and the plurality of first rods are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other. The plurality of second rods are perpendicular to the first rod, and the plurality of second rods are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other, and are installed on the first rod. The third rod is perpendicular to both the first rod and the second rod, and the plurality of third rods are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other, and are connected to the first rod and the second rod, forming a spatial mesh structure. The transmission wheel 13 is rotatably installed on the main frame 12 to guide the first transmission wire 22 and the second transmission wire 23.

[0078] According to the multi-joint guide device provided in this embodiment, during the surgical operation, the joint mechanism 3 carries the surgical instrument, and in a straight state, the joint mechanism 3 extends along the first axis. The joint mechanism 3 swings around the axis in the second direction perpendicular to the first axis under the drive of the drive mechanism 2, and / or swings around the axis in the third direction perpendicular to the axis in the first and second directions, thereby adjusting the posture of the surgical instrument, and having good flexibility. In addition, the variable stiffness mechanism 4 is extended or shortened under the drive of the drive mechanism 2, thereby adjusting the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism 4 and the joint mechanism 3 to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism 3. The multi-joint guide device can realize rapid transition between a low-rigidity posture with high flexibility and a high-rigidity posture with high load-bearing capacity. It has high flexibility in the low-rigidity posture, which is convenient for adjusting the posture of the surgical instrument; in the high-rigidity posture, it can provide stable support for the surgical instrument, thereby improving the surgical operation effect.

[0079] The embodiments of the present disclosure are described above. However, these embodiments are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Although the embodiments are described above separately, this does not mean that the measures in the various embodiments cannot be used in combination to advantage. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art may make a variety of substitutions and modifications, which should all fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A multi-joint guiding device, characterized in that: include: A main body (1); A driving mechanism (2) mounted on the main body (1); A joint mechanism (3) is mounted on the main body (1) and the drive mechanism (2), wherein the joint mechanism (3) has a straight state extending along a first axis and is configured to swing around an axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first axis and / or swing around an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the first axis and the axis in the second direction under the drive of the drive mechanism (2) in a bent state; as well as The variable stiffness mechanism (4) is telescopically mounted on the joint mechanism (3) and is configured to be telescopic under the drive of the drive mechanism (2) to adjust the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism (4) and the joint mechanism (3) so as to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism (3).

2. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The joint mechanism (3) comprises a plurality of groups of joint monomers (31) connected end to end, wherein two adjacent groups of the joint monomers (31) comprise a first monomer and a second monomer, and in the linear state, the second monomer is rotated 90 degrees relative to the first monomer around the first axis, so that under the drive of the drive mechanism (2), the first monomer swings around the axis in the second direction, and the second monomer swings around the axis in the third direction.

3. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The joint monomer (31) comprises: Two end plates (311) are arranged relatively spaced apart in the direction of the first axis in the straight state, and each end plate (311) is provided with an instrument passage hole (3111) for allowing surgical instruments to pass through; Two groups of support arms (312), wherein the first ends of the two groups of support arms (312) are respectively mounted on the sides facing the two end plates (311), and the second ends extend in a direction approaching each other, and the second ends of the two groups of support arms (312) form arc-shaped portions (3121) protruding outwards and rollingly engaging with each other, and are configured such that, under the drive of the drive mechanism (2), the outer edges of the arc-shaped portions (3121) of the two groups of support arms (312) roll relative to each other, so that the two groups of support arms (312) swing relative to each other; A connecting frame (316) is located between the two end plates (311); and Two groups of connecting rods (317) are respectively installed on the connecting frame (316) and extend perpendicular to the first axis. The two ends of each group of connecting rods (317) can be slidably installed in the adapting groove (3122) of each group of supporting arms (312), so that the two groups of supporting arms (312) of the joint monomer (31) can be swingably connected through the two groups of connecting rods (317). Preferably, in the straight state, the two groups of support arms (312) have equal lengths in the direction of the first axis.

4. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The joint monomer (31) further comprises a limiting mechanism, which is configured to limit the relative swing range of the two groups of support arms. Preferably, the limiting structure comprises: A limiting protrusion (313) extends from one group of support arms (312) of the joint monomer (31) toward the other group of support arms (312) and extends from the arc-shaped portion, and both sides of the limiting protrusion (313) are provided with limiting steps (3131); and Two limiting strips (314) extending from another group of supporting arms (312) of the joint monomer (31) toward two sides of the limiting protrusion (313); Wherein, in the bending state, the two limit bars (314) are in sliding contact with the outer edge of the limit protrusion (313), and when the two limit bars (314) are respectively pressed against the limit steps (3131), the extreme positions of the swing of the two groups of support arms (312) are limited.

5. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The driving mechanism (2) comprises: A drive assembly mounted on the main body (1); and Four groups of first transmission wires (22), the first ends of which are mounted on the driving assembly, and the second ends of the four groups of first transmission wires (22) are sequentially passed through the first wire holes (32) of each of the joint monomers (31) and mounted on the ends of the joint mechanism (3), wherein in the straight line state, the four groups of first transmission wires (22) are evenly spaced and distributed around the first axis to form a circular ring; Wherein, under the drive of the driving component, the pay-out length of one group of the first transmission wires (22) in two groups of the first transmission wires (22) opposite to each other in the same radial direction is equal to the take-up length of the other group of the first transmission wires (22), so that the joint mechanism (3) swings around the axis in the second direction or around the axis in the third direction.

6. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A tension rod (315) is provided at the position of the first axis on the side facing each other of the two end plates (311), and a hemispherical convex portion (3151) is formed at the ends facing each other of the two tension rods (315); The variable stiffness mechanism (4) comprises a plurality of variable stiffness units (41), each of the variable stiffness units (41) comprising: A telescopic assembly (5) is telescopically arranged on the connecting frame (316), and ball sockets (511) that cooperate with the ball protrusions (3151) are respectively arranged at both ends of the telescopic assembly (5); and The transmission mechanism (53) is constructed to extend or shorten under the drive of the driving mechanism (2) so as to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism (3) by adjusting the friction between the ball sockets (511) at both ends of the telescopic component (5) and the two tensioning rods (315) respectively.

7. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The telescopic assembly (5) comprises: Two contact blocks (51) are slidably mounted on the connecting frame (316), and the two ball sockets (511) are arranged on one side of the two contact blocks (51) facing the two adjacent tension rods (315); and A plurality of reset members (52) are configured to drive the two contact blocks (51) to approach each other through the elastic force of the reset members (52); the transmission mechanism (53) is telescopically installed between the two contact blocks (51), and is configured to resist the elastic force of the reset members (52) under the drive of the driving mechanism (2) to extend so that the two contact blocks (51) move away from each other, or shorten under the elastic force of the reset members (52) so that the two contact blocks (51) move toward each other. Preferably, a guide groove (6) is provided on the connecting frame (316) to guide the contact block (51) to slide.

8. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The transmission mechanism (53) comprises: A pivot (533) is installed at the position of the first axis of the connecting frame (316) and is located between the two contact blocks (51); Two supporting rods (531), the middle parts of the two supporting rods (531) are rotatably mounted on the pivot (533) and cross each other; and Four sliders (532) are rotatably mounted on the two ends of the two support rods (531), and the two contact blocks (51) are respectively provided with slide grooves (512), and the extension direction of the slide grooves (512) is perpendicular to the first axis so as to slideably cooperate with the two sliders (532) located at the same end of the two support rods (531); The driving mechanism (2) resists the elastic force of the reset member (52), drives the contact block (51) adjacent to the driving mechanism (2) away from the pivot (533), so that the two sliders (532) located at the same end approach each other in the slide groove (512), and the two support rods (531) rotate, driving the other contact block (51) to synchronously move away from the pivot (533), so as to drive the two contact blocks (51) to move away from each other.

9. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The driving mechanism (2) further comprises a plurality of second transmission wires (23), the number of the second transmission wires (23) being the same as the number of the variable stiffness monomers (41), the first ends of the second transmission wires (23) being mounted on the driving assembly, the second ends of the second transmission wires (23) being respectively mounted on the contact blocks (51) of the variable stiffness monomers (41) close to the driving assembly, and being constructed to reel in or unreel in the wires under the drive of the driving mechanism (2) so as to cooperate with the reset member (52) to extend or shorten the telescopic assembly (5), thereby adjusting the friction between the ball socket (511) and the tensioning rod (315) to adjust the stiffness.

10. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The drive assembly comprises a plurality of drive components (21), each of the drive components (21) comprising: A power assembly (211) mounted on the main body (1); a transmission shaft (212) rotatably mounted on the main body (1) and configured to rotate under the drive of the power assembly (211); and The wire wheel (213) is mounted on the transmission shaft (212) and rotates along with the transmission shaft (212) to drive the first transmission wire (22) or the second transmission wire (23) to collect or release the wire.

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