Multi-joint guide device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a multi-joint guide device, comprising a main body; a drive mechanism installed on the main body; a joint mechanism installed on the main body and the drive 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 drive mechanism, and / or a bent state swinging around an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the axes in the first and second directions; and a variable stiffness mechanism telescopically installed on the joint mechanism, being constructed to telescope under the drive of the drive mechanism, adjusting the friction between the variable stiffness mechanism and the joint mechanism to adjust the stiffness of the joint mechanism, and realizing rapid transition between a low-stiffness posture with high flexibility and a high-stiffness posture with high load-bearing capacity.

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 guide 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 hospitalization time, 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, which 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 drive mechanism installed on the main body; a joint mechanism installed on the main body and the drive 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 drive mechanism, and / or a bent state swinging around an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the first axis and the axis in the second direction; and a variable stiffness mechanism telescopically installed on the joint mechanism, being constructed to telescope under the drive of the drive mechanism, adjusting 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 multiple groups of joint monomers connected end to end, and two adjacent groups of 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 relative to each other in the direction of the first axis in the straight state, and each end plate is provided with an instrument channel hole allowing surgical instruments to pass through; two groups of support arms, the first ends of the two groups of support 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 support arms form outwardly protruding arc portions that roll with each other, and are constructed so that under the drive of the driving mechanism, the outer edges of the arc portions of the two groups of support arms roll relative to each other, so that the two groups of support arms swing relative to each other; a connecting frame, located between the two end plates; and two groups of connecting rods, respectively installed on the connecting frame and extending perpendicular to the first axis, and the two ends of each group of connecting rods are slidably installed in the adapter groove of each group of support arms, so that the two groups of support arms of the joint monomer are swingably connected through the two groups of connecting rods. Preferably, in the straight state, the lengths of the two groups of support arms in the direction of the first axis are equal.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the joint monomer further includes a limiting mechanism, which is configured to limit the relative swing range of the two groups of 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 has limiting steps on both sides of the limiting protrusion; 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 bent 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 swing limits of the two groups of arms are limited.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving mechanism includes: a driving assembly, mounted on the main body; and four groups of first transmission wires, a first end of which is mounted on the driving assembly, 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 mounted 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 the 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 facing end 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 are respectively provided at both ends of the telescopic component to cooperate with the ball protrusion; 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.

[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 provided on the sides of the two contact blocks facing the adjacent two tensioning rods; and a plurality of reset members configured to drive the two contact blocks toward each other through the elastic force of the reset members; the transmission mechanism is telescopically mounted between the two contact blocks and configured to extend against the elastic force of the reset members under the drive of the driving mechanism, 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 toward each other. Preferably, a guide groove is provided on the connecting frame to guide the sliding of the contact blocks.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the transmission mechanism includes: a pivot mounted at the position of the first axis of the connecting frame and located between the two contact blocks; two support rods, the middle parts of the two support rods being rotatably mounted on the pivot and crossing each other; and four sliders being rotatably mounted at both ends of the two support rods, and a slide groove is provided on each of the two contact blocks, and the extension direction of the slide groove is perpendicular to the first axis so as to slide 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 slide groove, and the two support rods rotate, driving the other contact block to synchronously move away from the pivot, so as to drive the two contact blocks 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 units, 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 units 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 drive assembly includes a plurality of drive 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 rotates with the transmission shaft to drive the first transmission wire or the second transmission wire to reel in or unreel.

[0015] According to the multi-joint guide device provided by the present invention, during the surgical operation, the joint mechanism carries the surgical instrument, and in a straight state, the joint mechanism extends along the first axis. Under the drive of the driving mechanism, the joint mechanism 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 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. 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. 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 Schematically shows a perspective view of a multi-joint guide device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

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

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

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic perspective view of a connecting pipe of a main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 5 Schematically shows a partial view of a joint mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 6 Schematically shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a joint monomer and a variable stiffness monomer in a straight line state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 7Schematically shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a joint monomer in a bent state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 8 Schematically shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a variable stiffness monomer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

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

[0026] Figure 10 Schematically shows a partial view of a main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 11 Schematically shows a perspective view of a transmission wheel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 12 A schematic perspective view of a transmission shaft with a one-way wire wheel installed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0029] Figure 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. Position limiting protrusion; 3131. Position limiting platform Step; 3132, protrusion; 314, limit strip; 315, tensioning rod; 3151, ball protrusion; 316, connecting frame; 317, connecting rod; 3171, clearance groove; 32, first thread hole; 4, variable stiffness mechanism; 41, variable stiffness unit; 5, telescopic assembly; 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, mounting 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 conjunction 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 presence of the features, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence 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 expressions such as “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” are used, they should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art. For example, “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” should include but is not limited to systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or A, B, and C, etc. When expressions such as “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” are used, they should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art. For example, “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” should include but is not limited to systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or A, B, and C, etc.

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

[0037] Compared with traditional open surgery, minimally invasive surgery can effectively reduce the amount of blood loss of the surgical subject, shorten the length of hospital stay, reduce postoperative complications, and alleviate 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 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 confined operating space during single-port minimally invasive surgery, a highly flexible guide device is required to assist in adjusting the position of surgical instruments to the surgical site and ensure the integrity of the procedure. Furthermore, after the position is adjusted, the guide device must provide stable support for the surgical instruments and possess a high load-bearing capacity. However, current guide devices lack flexibility and have 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 drive mechanism 2, a joint mechanism 3 and a variable stiffness mechanism 4. The drive mechanism 2 is mounted on the main body 1. The joint mechanism 3 is mounted on the main body 1 and the drive mechanism 2, and the joint mechanism 3 has a straight state extending along a first axis, and is constructed to swing around an axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first axis under the drive of the drive mechanism 2, and / or a bent 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 constructed to telescope under the drive of the drive mechanism 2, and to 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 an embodiment of the present disclosure, during a surgical operation, the joint mechanism 3 carries a surgical instrument. In a straight line state, the joint mechanism 3 extends along a 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 extends or shortens 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. It can achieve rapid transition between a low-stiffness posture with high flexibility and a high-stiffness posture with high load-bearing capacity. In the low-stiffness posture, it has high flexibility, which is convenient for adjusting the posture of the surgical instrument; in the high-stiffness posture, it can provide stable support for the surgical instrument and improve the effect of the surgical operation.

[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 instruments can be laparoscopes, clamps, cutting knives, etc. to meet different surgical needs. The surgical instruments can adjust their posture as the joint mechanism 3 swings. During the operation, the operator views 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 operating hand at the same time. By adjusting the posture of the main operating hand, the posture and movement of the multi-joint guide device and surgical instruments on the slave hand end are controlled 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, under the guidance of the joint mechanism 3, swing around the Y-axis to adjust the pitch angle of the surgical instrument, and swing around the Z-axis to adjust the deflection angle of the surgical instrument, thereby flexibly adjusting 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 load-bearing capacity. The multi-joint guide device can quickly 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 has good stiffness and load-bearing capacity, providing stable support for the surgical instrument and improving the surgical operation effect.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, the multi-joint guide device also includes a moving mechanism. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism is a synchronous belt mechanism. The synchronous belt mechanism is mounted on the slave end of the minimally invasive surgical robot. The main body 1 is mounted on the synchronous belt of the synchronous belt mechanism and can be driven by the synchronous belt mechanism to move in the direction of the first axis to adjust the feed depth into the positioning port of the human body. 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 multiple 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 the first axis, so that under the drive of the driving 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. 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 this case, the joint monomers 31 can only swing in 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 the connecting pipe of the 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 housing 11 and a connecting tube 7. The main housing 11 includes a first plate 111 and a second plate 112, which are spaced apart and arranged parallel to each other. The first and second plates 111, 112 can be connected at the same end (bottom) via a connecting plate and mounted on the movable mechanism via bolts. It is understood that the first and second plates 111, 112 can be integrally formed by bending sheet materials, with the first and second plates 111, 112 connected at the same end (bottom). The first and second plates 111, 112 are provided with instrument access holes 3111 for passing surgical instruments. In this embodiment, the instrument access holes 3111 are evenly spaced about the first axis. The number of instrument access holes 3111 can be one, two, three, four, five, etc., without limitation. The first end of the connecting tube 7 is mounted 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 cap 71, which is provided with an instrument access hole 3111 that directly aligns with the instrument access hole 3111 in the second plate 112. It should be noted that the connecting tube 7 can be integrally formed with the main body 1, or it can be attached to the main body 1 via bolting, welding, clamping, or other connection methods, without limitation. The end plate 311 of the joint unit 31 closest to the connecting tube 7 among the multiple joint units 31 of the joint mechanism 3 is mounted to the mounting cap 71 via mounting members 3112 (e.g., bolts).

[0050] Figure 6 A schematic perspective view of a joint unit and a variable stiffness unit in a straight line state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[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 line 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 sets of support arms 312 are respectively mounted on the facing sides of the two end plates 311. The second ends of the two sets of support arms 312 extend toward each other, forming outwardly protruding arcuate portions 3121 that roll with each other. Driven by the drive mechanism 2, the outer edges of the arcuate portions 3121 of the two sets of support arms 312 roll relative to each other, causing the two sets of support arms 312 to swing relative to each other.

[0054] Specifically, in a straight line, the two groups of support arms 312 have equal lengths along the first axis. Each group of support arms 312 includes two support arms 312, spaced apart at radial ends of the end plate 311. Each support arm 312 has an arcuate adapting groove 3122 formed therein, with the center of the arcuate adapting groove 3122 being the same as the center of the arcuate portion 3121 of the support arm 312.

[0055] The connecting frame 316 is located between the two end plates 311 and between the two opposing arms 312 of each set of arms 312. Two sets of connecting rods 317 are mounted on the connecting frame 316 and extend perpendicular to the first axis. The two ends of each set of connecting rods 317 are slidably mounted within the adapting slots 3122 of each set of arms 312, respectively, to swingably connect the two sets of arms 312 of the joint unit 31 via the two sets of connecting rods 317.

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

[0057] The limiting structure includes a limiting protrusion 313 and two limiting bars 314. The limiting protrusion 313 extends an arc-shaped portion 3121 from one group of support arms 312 of the joint monomer 31 toward the other group of support arms 312, and there are limiting steps 3131 on both sides of the limiting protrusion 313. The two limiting bars 314 extend from the other group of support arms 312 of the joint monomer 31 toward both sides of the limiting protrusion 313. In the bent state, the two limiting bars 314 are in sliding contact with the outer edge of the limiting protrusion 313, and when the two limiting bars 314 are respectively pressed against the limiting steps 3131, they limit the extreme position of the swing of the two groups of support arms 312, so as to maintain the relative swing of the two groups of support arms 312 of the joint unit within the effective swing range, and avoid the two groups of support arms 312 from swinging too much, which affects 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 facing 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 mounted on the main body 1. The first ends of the four groups of first transmission wires 22 are mounted 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 sequence and are mounted on the end of the joint mechanism 3. In a straight line state, the four groups of first transmission wires 22 are evenly spaced around the first axis and form a circular ring. Furthermore, the four groups of first transmission wires 22 are located at the four vertices of a square.

[0061] In which, 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, tension rods 315 are provided at the positions of the first axis on the sides facing each other of the two end plates 311 , and the facing ends of the two tension rods 315 form hemispherical convex portions 3151 .

[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 variable stiffness monomers 41 is equal to the number of 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 the two ends of the telescopic component 5 are respectively provided with ball sockets 511 that cooperate with the ball protrusions 3151. 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 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. In a straight position, the guide groove 6 extends along the first axis. The two contact blocks 51 are slidably mounted within the guide groove 6 of the connecting frame 316, so as to slide under the guidance of the guide groove 6. The two contact blocks 51 are respectively recessed inwardly on the side adjacent to the two tensioning rods 315 to form a ball socket 511.

[0065] The reset member 52 can be a spring. Multiple 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 along the direction of the first axis. The reset member 52 is in a compressed state, and the two contact blocks 51 are driven toward 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 resist the elastic force of the reset member 52 under the drive of the drive mechanism 2 and extend, 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] Figure 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 Figure 9 As shown, each reset member 52 is provided with two reinforcing rods 54 arranged opposite each other at intervals. The two reinforcing rods 54 are respectively provided on the contact block 51 and the connecting frame 316, allowing the contact block 51 to slide and reducing the degree of bending of the reset member 52 during the compression process.

[0068] In an alternative embodiment, a spring serving as the reset member 52 may be provided 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, causing the two contact blocks 51 to move away from each other, or shortens under the elastic force of the reset member 52, causing the two contact blocks 51 to move closer to each other.

[0069] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the transmission mechanism 53 includes a pivot 533, two support rods 531, and four sliders 532. The pivot 533 is mounted on the first axis of the connecting frame 316 and is located between the two contact blocks 51. The middle portions of the two support rods 531 are rotatably mounted on the pivot 533 and intersect with each other. The two support rods 531 are of equal length. The four sliders 532 are rotatably mounted on the ends of the two support rods 531. The two contact blocks 51 are respectively provided with a slide groove 512. The slide groove 512 extends perpendicular to the first axis to slidingly engage 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, driving the contact block 51 adjacent to the driving mechanism 2 to slide away from the pivot 533 and toward 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 synchronously move away from the pivot 533 and slide in the direction away from the driving mechanism 2, so as to drive the two contact blocks 51 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, respectively, and further adjusting the stiffness of the joint mechanism 3. 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. In the low-rigidity posture, it has high flexibility, which facilitates adjustment of the position of surgical instruments; in the high-rigidity posture, it can provide stable support for the surgical instruments, thereby improving the effect of surgical operations.

[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 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 four 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 tensioning 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 adjacent to the drive mechanism 2. The four transmission wires are not collinear, but are respectively located in different second wire holes 513 and evenly spaced around the first axis to avoid interference between the second transmission wires 23.

[0073] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, during use, the first transmission wire 22 of the drive mechanism 2 drives the two arms 312 of the joint monomer 31 to swing relative to each other. When the joint monomer 31 swings 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 reels 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 shortens, the two contact blocks 51 approach each other, the pressure between the ball socket 511 and the ball protrusion 3151 is reduced, thereby reducing the friction force, and further reducing the stiffness of the joint mechanism. Similarly, when increasing the stiffness of the joint mechanism, under the drive of the drive assembly, the second transmission wire 23 resists the elastic retraction of the reset member 52, pulling the contact block 51 close to the drive assembly toward 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, causing the two support rods 531 to rotate, and the transmission mechanism 53 to extend, 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 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 tensioning rods 315, thereby 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] Figure 10 A partial view of a main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown. Figure 11 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a transmission wheel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown. Figure 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. Figure 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 Figure 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 silk 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 is connected to the output shaft of the power assembly 211 to rotate under the drive of the power assembly 211. The silk 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 take up or unwind the wire.

[0076] Specifically, such as Figure 1 、 Figure 6 and Figure 10 As shown, there are six driving components 21, and the six driving components 21 include two first driving components 21 and four second driving components 21. Figure 10 、 Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the wire wheel 213 on the transmission shaft 212 of the first drive component 21 is a bidirectional wire wheel, and the spiral directions of the two wire windings on the circumferential surface of the bidirectional wire wheel for winding the first transmission wire 22 are opposite. The first ends of 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 windings of the bidirectional wire wheel 213 of the same first drive 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 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. The first ends of the four second transmission wires 23 are respectively installed on the unidirectional wire wheels 213 of the four second drive components 21. When the one-way wire wheel 213 of the second driving component 21 rotates forward, the second transmission wire 23 is wound; when the one-way wire wheel 213 of the second driving component 21 rotates backward, the second transmission wire 23 is unwound.

[0077] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 、 Figure 6 、 Figure 10 and Figure 11As shown, the main body 1 also includes a main frame 12 and a transmission wheel 13. The main frame 12 is mounted on the main body shell 11. 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 mounted on the main body shell 11, and the plurality of first rods are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart. The plurality of second rods are perpendicular to the first rods, and the plurality of second rods are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart, and are mounted on the first rods. The third rods are perpendicular to both the first rod and the second rod, and the plurality of third rods are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart, and are connected to the first rod and the second rod, forming a spatial network structure. The transmission wheel 13 is rotatably mounted 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. 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 extends or shortens 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 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 facilitates the adjustment of the posture of the surgical instrument; in the high-rigidity posture, it can provide stable support for the surgical instrument and improve the effect of the surgical operation.

[0079] The embodiments of the present disclosure are described above. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Although each embodiment has been described separately above, this does not mean that the measures in each embodiment cannot be used in combination to advantage. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art may make various 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: Main body (1); A driving mechanism (2) is mounted on the main body (1); A joint mechanism (3), comprising a plurality of joint monomers (31) connected end to end, mounted on the main body (1) and the drive mechanism (2), wherein the joint mechanism (3) has a linear 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), wherein the joint monomer (31) comprises: Two end plates (311) are arranged relative to each other in the direction of the first axis in the straight state, and tension rods (315) are provided at positions of the first axis on the sides facing each other of the two end plates (311). The facing ends of the two tension rods (315) form hemispherical convex portions (3151); and a connecting frame (316) located between the two end plates (311); and The variable stiffness mechanism (4) is telescopically mounted on the joint mechanism (3) and is configured to telescope under the drive of the drive 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). The variable stiffness mechanism (4) includes a plurality of variable stiffness monomers (41), each of which includes: A telescopic assembly (5) is telescopically arranged on the connecting frame (316), and both ends of the telescopic assembly (5) are respectively provided with ball sockets (511) that cooperate with the ball protrusions (3151); and The transmission mechanism (53) is configured 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 assembly (5) and the two tensioning rods (315).

2. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two adjacent groups of joint monomers (31) include a first monomer and a second monomer. In the linear state, the second monomer rotates 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: Each end plate (311) is provided with an instrument passage hole (3111) for allowing surgical instruments to pass through. The joint monomer (31) comprises: 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 outwardly protruding arc portions (3121) that roll with each other, and are configured such that, under the drive of the drive mechanism (2), the outer edges of the arc portions (3121) of the two groups of support arms (312) roll relative to each other, causing the two groups of support arms (312) to swing relative to each other; and Two groups of connecting rods (317) are respectively mounted on the connecting frame (316) and extend perpendicular to the first axis. Both ends of each group of connecting rods (317) are slidably mounted in the adapting grooves (3122) of each group of supporting arms (312), so that the two groups of supporting arms (312) of the joint monomer (31) are swingably connected through the two groups of connecting rods (317); In the straight state, the lengths of the two groups of support arms (312) in the direction of the first axis are equal.

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

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 drive assembly, and the second ends of the four groups of first transmission wires (22) sequentially pass through the first wire holes (32) of each of the joint monomers (31) and are mounted on the end of the joint mechanism (3), wherein, in the straight state, the four groups of first transmission wires (22) 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 (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 around the axis in the third direction.

6. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 5, 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 provided on one side of the two contact blocks (51) facing the two adjacent tensioning 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 closer to each other; The connecting frame (316) is provided with a guide groove (6) to guide the sliding of the contact block (51).

7. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The transmission mechanism (53) comprises: A pivot (533) is mounted on the first axis of the connecting frame (316) and is located between the two contact blocks (51); Two supporting rods (531), wherein the middle portions 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 a slide groove (512), and the extension direction of the slide groove (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), driving 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 sliding groove (512), and the two support rods (531) rotate, driving the other contact block (51) to synchronously move away from the pivot (533), thereby driving the two contact blocks (51) to move away from each other.

8. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 6, 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, and the second ends of the second transmission wires (23) being mounted on the contact blocks (51) of the variable stiffness monomers (41) close to the driving assembly, and being configured to reel in or unreel in under the drive of the driving mechanism (2) to cooperate with the reset member (52) so as 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.

9. The multi-joint guiding device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The drive assembly comprises a plurality of drive components (21), each of the drive components (21) comprising: A power assembly (211) is 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 reel in or unreel.

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