Surgical instrument and surgical robot

Abstract

The invention provides a surgical instrument which comprises a tail end device, a protective sleeve and a plurality of joint assemblies, the joint assemblies are sequentially connected and connected with the tail end device, the joint assemblies and the tail end device are both conductive, and the joint assemblies are wrapped with the protective sleeve; the protective sleeve comprises a protective layer, an insulating layer and reinforcing ribs, the joint assemblies are accommodated in the inner side of the insulating layer, the protective layer sleeves the outer side of the insulating layer, the insulating layer is provided with a concave part corresponding to the joint of the two joint assemblies, a gap is formed between the concave part and the protective layer, and the reinforcing ribs extend in the axial direction of the insulating layer and are wound in the concave part in the circumferential direction of the insulating layer. The protective layer preferentially bears external friction and extrusion, so that the risk that the insulating layer is snapped when passing through the sealing structure is reduced; the sunken part can reduce the reverse acting force acting on the joint when the insulating layer deflects along with the joint, and control over the joint is more convenient; a gap is formed between the concave part and the protective layer, and reverse acting force generated when the protective layer deforms cannot be transmitted to the joint connecting position through the insulating layer.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of medical devices, in particular to a surgical device and a surgical robot. BACKGROUND

[0002] Minimally invasive surgery refers to a surgical method of performing surgery in the body cavity by using modern medical devices such as laparoscopes and thoracoscopes and related equipment. Compared with the traditional surgical method, minimally invasive surgery has the advantages of small trauma, light pain, and fast recovery. With the progress of science and technology, minimally invasive surgical robot technology has gradually matured and is widely used. A minimally invasive surgical robot usually includes a master control console and a slave operating device. The master control console is used to send control commands to the slave operating device according to the operation of the doctor to control the slave operating device. The slave operating device is used to respond to the control commands sent by the master control console and perform corresponding surgical operations. The device is connected to the driving device of the slave operating device for performing surgical operations. The distal end of the device includes an end device for performing surgical operations and a joint assembly connected to the end device which can move in multiple degrees of freedom.

[0003] The device with energy (such as electric energy) output is generally externally sleeved with an insulating sheath. The sheath of the prior art may have a risk of damage. If the protective sheath is damaged and the energy output is still used, a medical accident may occur. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, the purpose of the present application is to provide a surgical device to solve the problem of tissue thermal damage caused by easy damage of the insulating layer of the surgical device.

[0005] The present application provides a surgical device, which comprises an end device, a protective sheath, and a plurality of joint assemblies. The plurality of joint assemblies are connected in sequence and connected to the end device. The joint assemblies and the end device are both conductive. The protective sheath is wrapped around the joint assemblies. The protective sheath comprises a protective layer, an insulating layer, and a reinforcing rib. The joint assemblies are accommodated inside the insulating layer. The protective layer is sleeved outside the insulating layer. The insulating layer is provided with a recess corresponding to the connection between the two joint assemblies. The recess forms a gap with the protective layer. The reinforcing rib extends axially along the insulating layer and is wound circumferentially along the insulating layer at the recess.

[0006] In an embodiment, the reinforcing rib is embedded inside the insulating layer and is conductive. The surgical device further comprises an electric detection device for detecting electric current. An electric contact device is arranged on the side of the reinforcing rib away from the end device. The electric contact device is used to conduct the reinforcing rib and the electric detection device.

[0007] In an embodiment, the electrical contact device is coupled with the reinforcing rib, or the reinforcing rib is electrically connected with the electrical contact device through an electrical interface.

[0008] In an embodiment, the insulating layer is thermoplastic polyurethane, silicone rubber or polyethylene, and the insulating layer is compounded with the reinforcing rib through a hot melt injection molding or coating process so that the reinforcing rib is embedded in the interior of the insulating layer.

[0009] In an embodiment, the surgical instrument further comprises an insulating connecting body connected between the joint assembly and the end device; the insulating connecting body is provided with a limiting stop, and the recess of the insulating layer corresponds to the connection between the two joint assemblies when the protective sleeve abuts against the limiting stop.

[0010] In an embodiment, one of the two adjacent joint assemblies is provided with a male hinge part, and the other is provided with a female hinge part; the male hinge part is provided with a protrusion, the female hinge part is provided with a groove matched with the protrusion, and the protrusion is rotatably arranged in the groove; and the recess is arranged at the connection between the male hinge part and the female hinge part.

[0011] In an embodiment, the protective sleeve is further provided with a supporting part, the supporting part is arranged corresponding to the recess and accommodated in the gap formed by the recess and the protective layer.

[0012] In an embodiment, the supporting part is an annular protrusion arranged circumferentially along the recess; or the supporting part is a plurality of protruding structures arranged circumferentially along the recess.

[0013] The application further provides a surgical robot, comprising a master control console and a slave operating device, the master control console is communicatively connected with the slave operating device, the slave operating device performs relevant operations according to the instructions of the master control console, and the slave operating device comprises the surgical instrument.

[0014] In an embodiment, the surgical robot further comprises an energy generator, an abnormal path conductor, a return conductor pad and a return path conductor, the energy generator is used for connecting the surgical instrument, the return conductor pad and the return path conductor are electrically connected and used for connecting human tissues and the energy generator, the return path conductor is used for coupling the electrical contact device and the reinforcing rib, and the abnormal path conductor is used for conducting abnormal current generated by damage of the protective sleeve.

[0015] The surgical instrument provided by the application, the protective layer is sleeved outside the insulating layer, so that the protective layer can preferentially bear external friction and extrusion and the like, thereby providing preliminary protection for the insulating layer and reducing the risk that the insulating layer is pulled off when passing through the sealing structure. In order to avoid the influence of the protective sleeve on the deflection control of the joint assembly due to the excessive thickness, the insulating layer is provided with a recess at the connection position of the two joint assemblies, the wall thickness of the insulating layer at the connection position of the two joint assemblies can be reduced through the recess, thereby reducing the reverse force acting on the joint assembly when the insulating layer deflects with the joint assembly, and the deflection control of the joint assembly is more convenient. Meanwhile, the recess and the protective layer form a gap, so that the reverse force when the protective layer deforms is not transmitted to the connection position of the two joint assemblies through the insulating layer, and the precise control of the joint assembly is more convenient. The reinforcing rib is arranged and extends along the axial direction of the insulating layer and is wound along the circumferential direction of the insulating layer at the recess, the transition of the reinforcing rib arranged in a winding mode is smooth, the reinforcing rib is prevented from forming an angle sharp corner or a mesh, stress dissipation is facilitated, the area prone to stress concentration is reduced while the weaving density is ensured, the overall structural strength of the recess is improved, the deformation of the reinforcing rib arranged in a winding mode dominates the bending deformation of the insulating layer and absorbs the local stress of the insulating layer, the recess only undergoes elastic stretching but not buckling when bending, the wrinkle generated when the recess bends is reduced, the residual of the plastic wrinkle is avoided, and the overall service life of the insulating layer is further improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some of the embodiments of the present application, and therefore should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope, and for those skilled in the art, other related drawings can also be obtained without creative labor on the basis of these drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 The top view schematic diagram of the surgical robot system of one embodiment of the present application is arranged in the operating room.

[0018] Figure 2A The schematic diagram of the master control console of the surgical robot system of one embodiment of the present application.

[0019] Figure 2B The schematic diagram of the slave operating device of the surgical robot system of one embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Figure 3A And Figure 3B The schematic diagram of the surgical tool of one embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 4 The structural schematic diagram of the surgical instrument of one embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 5 is a schematic view of a partial anatomy. Figure 4

[0023] Figure 6 is a schematic view of a partial anatomy of a protective sleeve according to an embodiment of the application.

[0024] Figure 7 is a schematic view of a partial anatomy. Figure 5 is a schematic view of a partial anatomy.

[0025] Figure 8 is a schematic view of a partial anatomy of a protective sleeve according to another embodiment of the application.

[0026] Figure 9 is a schematic view of a protective sleeve according to an embodiment of the application after removal of a protective layer.

[0027] Figure 10 is a schematic view of a protective sleeve according to another embodiment of the application after removal of a protective layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Specific embodiments of the present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be apparent that the described embodiments are only a small number of embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of the application in any way. Any one of the alternate embodiments, based upon the description as provided herein, can be implemented without departing from the scope of the current application.

[0029] In the description of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "setting", "mounting", "connecting" and the like should be interpreted broadly, for example, can be fixedly connected, can be detachably connected, or integrally connected; can be mechanically connected, or electrically connected; can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. The specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0030] The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "back", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the catheter of the application is usually placed, and are only for the convenience of description and simplification of the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the application.

[0031] The terms "first", "second", "third" and the like merely distinguish similar attributes of elements, and do not indicate or imply relative importance or a particular order.

[0032] ​The terms “include,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, which includes not only the elements listed but also other elements not expressly listed.

[0033] The terms "distal" and "proximal" used in this article are directional terms commonly used in the field of interventional medical devices. "Distal" refers to the end furthest from the surgeon during the procedure, while "proximal" refers to the end closest to the surgeon. The term "multiple" used in this article includes two or more.

[0034] The term "instrument" is used herein to describe a medical device for insertion into a patient's body and for performing surgical or diagnostic procedures. This instrument includes an end effector, which may be a surgical tool used to perform surgical procedures, such as a biopsy needle, electrocautery device, forceps, stapler, scissors, imaging equipment (e.g., an endoscope or ultrasound probe), and the like. Some instruments used in embodiments of this application further include a hinged component (e.g., a joint assembly) for the end effector, allowing the position and orientation of the end effector to be manipulated with one or more mechanical degrees of freedom relative to an instrument axis. Furthermore, the end effector includes functional mechanical degrees of freedom, such as opening and closing clamps. The instrument may also include stored information that can be updated by a surgical system, whereby the storage system can provide one-way or two-way communication between the instrument and one or more system components.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The terms “and / or” and “and / or” as used herein include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, this embodiment of the invention provides a surgical robot, which includes a main console 20 and a slave operating device 10. The main console 20 is communicatively connected to the slave operating device 10, and the surgeon S can operate and control the slave operating device 10 from the main console 20. The main console 20 is configured to send control signals to the slave operating device 10 and display images acquired by the slave operating device 10 according to the surgeon S's operations. The surgeon S can observe three-dimensional stereoscopic images of the patient's body provided by the imaging system through the main console 20. By observing the three-dimensional images of the patient's body, the surgeon S can immerse himself in the experience and control the slave operating device 10 to perform related operations (such as performing surgery or acquiring images of the patient's body).

[0037] The operating device 10 includes a control unit, a robotic arm 11, and a device holding mechanism 12. The control unit can be located in the base of the operating device 10 or on the robotic arm 11. In one embodiment, the control unit is used to control the joint movement of the robotic arm 11 and the movement of the drive device in the device holding mechanism 12. Multiple surgical instruments 40 can be mounted on the device holding mechanism 12, and the drive device of the device holding mechanism 12 is used to drive the surgical instruments 40 to perform various surgeries.

[0038] In one embodiment, the surgical robot further includes a gas inhalation device, a lumen assembly (not shown), and a cannula 13, the lumen assembly providing fluid communication between the cannula 13 and the gas inhalation device. The cannula 13 is connected to the distal end of the instrument holding mechanism 12 and is inserted into the body cavity of the patient P lying on the operating table T. The end devices of multiple surgical instruments 40 or cameras at the distal end of endoscopes extend through the cannula 13 into the body cavity of the patient P to perform surgery-related operations or acquire images of the patient P's internal environment.

[0039] In one embodiment, surgeon S can control the operating mode of the gas inhalation device via main console 20, such as injecting gas from a gas source into the patient P's body cavity to create an artificial pneumoperitoneum, or aspirating gas from the patient P's body cavity. Assistant A attaches surgical instruments 40 to or replaces surgical instruments 40 from the instrument holding mechanism 12 according to the surgical situation. Surgeon S, assistant A, and anesthesiologist B form a basic surgical team. Surgical instruments 40 can be surgical tools such as electrocautery devices, forceps, staplers, and ultrasonic scalpels used to perform surgical operations, or imaging devices (such as endoscopes) or other surgical tools for acquiring images.

[0040] The main control console 20 is also remotely connected to the electronic device cart 30, which in turn is remotely connected to the slave operating device 10. The electronic device cart 30 may include an energy generating device, an image signal processing device, and the aforementioned gas blowing device. In this embodiment, the main control console 20, the slave operating device 10, and the electronic device cart 30 communicate remotely via wired Ethernet. However, remote communication is not limited to wired Ethernet; it can also be other wired methods, such as, but not limited to, serial port, CAN, RS485, RS232, USB, SPI, etc., or wireless communication methods, such as, but not limited to, 5G, WiFi, NB, Zigbee, Bluetooth, RFID, etc.

[0041] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG2A, the main control console 20 includes a display device 21, an armrest 22, an input device 23, an observation device 24, and a control signal processing system 25. The display device 21 displays images acquired by the imaging system. The display device 21 can be an image source reflected into the eyepiece via multiple mirrors, or it can be a 3D display. The armrest 22 is used to support the surgeon's arm and / or hand, allowing the surgeon to operate the input device 23 more comfortably. The observation device 24 is used to observe the images displayed on the display device. Depending on actual needs, the armrest or the observation device 24 can be omitted, in which case direct observation is possible. Surgeon S manipulates the surgical instruments of slave operating device 10 via input device 23. The control signal processing system of main console 20 processes the input signal from input device 23 and sends control commands to slave operating device 10. Slave operating device 10 responds to the control commands from main console 20 and performs corresponding operations. In some embodiments, control signal processing system 25 may also be located in slave operating device 10, for example, in the base of slave operating device 10. Control signal processing system 25 may be a single device with the aforementioned control device.

[0042] Surgical robots typically also include an imaging system (not shown) that enables the surgeon S to view the surgical site from outside the patient's body. This imaging system typically includes a video image acquisition function (e.g., a surgical instrument 40 with image acquisition capabilities) and one or more video display devices for displaying the acquired images. Generally, the surgical instrument 40 with image acquisition capabilities includes optics for acquiring images of one or more imaging sensors (e.g., CCD or CMOS sensors) within the patient's body. These one or more imaging sensors can be positioned distal to the surgical instrument 40 with image acquisition capabilities, and the signals generated by these sensors can be transmitted via cable or wirelessly for processing and display on the video display device.

[0043] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG2B, the robotic arm 11 of the surgical robot's slave operating device 10 includes a base 110, a column 120 connected to the base 110, and a large arm 130, a forearm 140, and a vertical arm 150 connected in sequence. The robotic arm also includes multiple joints J1-J5 for connecting the column 120, the large arm 130, the forearm 140, and the vertical arm 150. Specifically, the column 120 includes a support column 121 and a lifting column 122. The support column 121 is fixedly connected to the base 110, and the lifting column 122 is connected to the support column 121 through a first joint J1. The first joint J1 is a linear motion joint, and the lifting column 122 can move linearly along the axis 101 of the first joint J1 to change the height of the portion of the robotic arm 11 connected to the distal end of the column 120. The lifting column 122 is connected to the upper arm 130 via the second joint J2. The upper arm 130 is connected to the lower arm 140 via the third joint J3. The lower arm 140 is connected to the vertical arm 150 via the fourth joint J4. The second joint J2, the third joint J3, and the fourth joint J4 are all rotary joints, and the rotation axes 102, 103, and 104 of these three rotary joints are all perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The vertical arm 150 is connected to the holding device 112 via the fifth joint J5. The axis 105 of the fifth joint J5 is perpendicular to the axes 101-104.

[0044] The control device 160 is configured to control multiple joints J1-J5 to achieve various positions of the entire robotic arm 11, adjust the position and posture of the holding device 112, and realize the rotational movement of the holding device 112 around its remote motion center 116 at its far end. The control device 160 can be set in the base 110 or in the main control console 20.

[0045] In one embodiment, the holding device 112 further includes a cannula 115, which is detachably connected to the holding device 112 via a docking device 114. The central axis 106 of the holding device 112 is substantially coincident with the axis 118 of the cannula 115. The holding device 112 drives the cannula 115 to rotate around a remote center of motion 116. Since the remote center of motion 116 is located at the incision 117, the patient P will not be injured when the cannula 115 rotates around the remote center of motion 116.

[0046] In one embodiment, the operating device 10 further includes a control panel 170 disposed on the support column 121. The control panel 170 includes at least one switch 171, which is used to input a positioning command to the control device 160. The control device 160 responds to the action of the switch 171 to control the movement of the robotic arm 11 to quickly achieve various predetermined positions of the robotic arm 11, such as unfolding into a position for arranging a sterile curtain.

[0047] In one embodiment, the instrument holding device 112 may mount multiple surgical instruments 40, which enter the body through an incision 117 via a common cannula 115. As shown in FIG3A, the surgical instrument 40 includes an instrument housing 41, a long shaft 42, a joint assembly 43, and an end effector 44 connected in sequence. Multiple joint assemblies 43 are connected in sequence and to the end effector 44. The surgical instrument 40 is detachably mounted on a drive system on the instrument holding device 112 of the operating device 10. The instrument housing 41 contains a transmission device (not shown), which includes multiple transmission units (e.g., winches). The transmission units are connected to multiple joint assemblies 43 and the end effector 44 via multiple cables 45. The multiple transmission units are respectively coupled to multiple actuators (e.g., motors) within the drive system and are driven by the actuators. The multiple actuators receive control commands from a control device and, according to the control commands, drive the transmission units to move, thereby driving the end effector 44 to move. For example, the drive unit rotates the transmission unit to pull / tighten the cable 45 to control the motion of the end effector. The end effector 44, through the joint assembly 43, can perform multiple Cartesian degrees of freedom movements, such as translational movements (including lateral and / or longitudinal movements) to change the position of the end effector 44 and pitch, yaw, and roll movements to change the orientation of the end effector 44. It is understood that translation, pitch, yaw, and roll can occur independently or simultaneously. The end effector 44 is used to perform surgical procedures. Depending on the needs of the surgical procedure, the end effector 44 can be an electrocautery device, forceps, stapler, scissors, ultrasonic scalpel, camera, imaging device, etc., where the camera or imaging device is used to acquire images of the inside of the human body.

[0048] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG3B, a plurality of surgical instruments 40 pass through a cannula 115 to reach the vicinity of a target tissue T to perform a related surgical procedure or examination. The plurality of surgical instruments 40 include an endoscope 51 and surgical instruments 52, 53, 54, each comprising... Figure 3A The joint assembly 43 shown enables the endoscope 51 and instruments 52, 53, 54 to perform related surgeries flexibly and freely.

[0049] In some embodiments, when the surgical instrument 40 is an electrosurgical instrument, the end effector 44 of the surgical instrument 40 needs to be energized during use. For example, an energy generator delivers a high-frequency electrical signal to the surgical instrument 40 to cut or ablate parts of the patient's tissue through the end effector 44. To avoid accidental tissue damage, it is undesirable for any other part of the surgical instrument 40 to be energized or leaking electricity. Both the joint component 43 and the end effector 44 that enter the body are conductive, posing a risk of leakage and creepage in a humid environment. Furthermore, the joint component 43 has gaps that can easily pinch non-target tissues during operation. In addition, blood or small tissues can easily enter the surgical instrument 40 through these gaps, causing movement obstruction and increasing cleaning difficulty, necessitating tissue / blood isolation. Therefore, the joint component 43 of the surgical instrument 40 needs to be shielded for protection.

[0050] Currently, a flexible protective cover is mainly used on the outer wall of the joint component 43 to provide protection without hindering its movement. However, this flexible protective cover is susceptible to damage during use, such as from instrument collisions or sharp edges of objects. Furthermore, maintaining body pressure during surgery requires instruments to pass through a sealed structure before entering the body; when the surgical instrument 40 passes through this sealing structure, the outer protective cover is at risk of being torn apart.

[0051] Please refer to Figures 4 to 6 In some embodiments, the surgical instrument 40 is further provided with a protective sleeve 46, which at least covers the joint assembly 43. The protective sleeve 46 includes a protective layer 461, an insulating layer 462, and a reinforcing rib 463. The joint assembly 43 is housed inside the insulating layer 462, and the protective layer 461 is sleeved on the outside of the insulating layer 462. The insulating layer 462 has a recess 464 corresponding to the connection between the two joint assemblies 43, and the recess 464 forms a gap 465 with the protective layer 461. The reinforcing rib 463 extends axially along the insulating layer 462 and wraps around the insulating layer 462 circumferentially in the recess 464.

[0052] Understandably, in this embodiment, the protective layer 461 is fitted over the outer side of the insulating layer 462. This allows the protective layer 461 to preferentially withstand external friction and compression, providing initial protection for the insulating layer 462 and reducing the risk of the insulating layer 462 being torn apart when passing through the sealing structure. To avoid the protective sleeve 46 being too thick and affecting the deflection control of the joint assembly 43, the insulating layer 462 has a recess 464 at the connection point of the two joint assemblies 43. The recess 464 reduces the wall thickness of the insulating layer 462 at the connection point of the two joint assemblies 43, thereby reducing the reverse force exerted on the joint assembly 43 when the insulating layer 462 deflects with the joint assembly 43, making the deflection control of the joint assembly 43 easier. Simultaneously, the recess 464 and the protective layer 461 form a gap 465, preventing the reverse force from the protective layer 461 during deformation from being transmitted to the connection point of the two joint assemblies 43 through the insulating layer 462, further facilitating the precise control of the joint assembly 43.

[0053] Furthermore, the protective layer 461 is provided with reinforcing ribs 463, which extend axially along the insulating layer 462 and are wound around the recessed portion 464 circumferentially around the insulating layer 462. While improving the overall structural strength of the recessed portion 464, the overall structural transition of the wound reinforcing ribs 463 is smooth, avoiding the formation of sharp corners or grids, and reducing areas prone to stress concentration. At the same time, when the two joint components 43 deflect and cause the insulating layer 462 to bend and deform, the deformation of the wound reinforcing ribs 463 can dominate the bending deformation of the insulating layer 462 and absorb the local stress of the insulating layer 462, so that the recessed portion 464 only undergoes elastic stretching rather than buckling when bending, reducing the wrinkles generated when the recessed portion 464 bends, achieving no residual plastic wrinkles, and further improving the overall service life of the insulating layer 462.

[0054] In some embodiments, the coverage area of ​​the insulating layer 462 is determined based on the extent to which the long axis 42 and each joint component 43 of the surgical instrument 40 extend into the human body. For example, in some embodiments, if part of the long axis 42 also extends into the human body, the protective sleeve 46 can cover the entire long axis 42 and each joint component 43 of the surgical instrument 40, leaving only the end device 44 exposed. In other embodiments, if the long axis 42 does not extend into the human body, or the long axis 42 is unlikely to cause damage to the protective sleeve 46, or the long axis 42 itself is non-conductive, the protective sleeve 46 can be provided only at each joint component 43, and the long axis 42 can be covered by only one protective cover.

[0055] In this application, the two joint assemblies 43 are connected by a revolute joint, and the insulating layer 462 has a recess 464 corresponding to the revolute joint of the two joint assemblies 43. The revolute joint can be a hinge structure, allowing the two joint assemblies 43 to rotate relative to each other only around a common axis. Alternatively, the revolute joint can be a ball joint structure, enabling multi-directional rotation and oscillation between the two joint assemblies 43.

[0056] In some embodiments, referring to FIG7, the surgical instrument 40 is provided with a plurality of joint components 43, each joint component 43 being generally cylindrical, and at least two joint components 43 are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the surgical instrument 40, with adjacent joint components 43 being rotatable relative to each other. Specifically, one of two adjacent joint components 43 is provided with a male hinge portion 431, and the other is provided with a female hinge portion 432. The male hinge portion 431 has a protrusion, and the female hinge portion 432 has a groove that mates with the protrusion, the protrusion being rotatably disposed within the groove. When two adjacent joint components 43 are driven to rotate relative to each other, the protrusion of the male hinge portion 431 rotates relative to the groove of the female hinge portion 432. The recessed portion 464 of the insulating layer 462 is provided at the connection between the male hinge portion 431 and the female hinge portion 432.

[0057] In a more specific embodiment, each pair of adjacent joint components 43 is designated as a first joint component and a second joint component. The first joint component has a male hinge portion 431 on its sidewall, which protrudes axially from the end face of the first joint component and is integrally formed with it. The second joint component has a female hinge portion 432 on its sidewall, which protrudes axially from the end face of the second joint component and is integrally formed with it. The male hinge portion 431 has a protrusion, and the female hinge portion 432 has a groove that mates with the protrusion. The protrusion is rotatably disposed within the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewall of the protrusion is in contact with the inner wall of the groove.

[0058] In some embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The surgical instrument 40 also includes an insulating connector 48, which is connected between the joint assembly 43 and the end effector 44. The insulating connector 48 is provided with a limiting stop 481, which is used to position and limit the position between the protective sleeve 46 and the joint assembly 43. When the protective sleeve 46 abuts against the limiting stop 481, the recess 464 of the insulating layer 462 corresponds to the connection point of the two joint assemblies 43.

[0059] Understandably, the end effector 44 used to perform the surgery should be exposed outside the protective sleeve 46, while the joint assembly 43 should be completely covered inside the protective sleeve 46. In this embodiment, the insulating connector 48 is connected between the joint assembly 43 and the end effector 44, and a limiting stop 481 is provided on the insulating connector 48. In this way, the limiting stop 481 can limit the protective sleeve 46 and prevent the protective sleeve 46 from moving towards the end effector 44. At the same time, the limiting stop 481 can position the protective sleeve 46 to ensure that the recess 464 of the insulating layer 462 corresponds to the connection of the two joint assemblies 43.

[0060] In some specific embodiments, one end of the protective sleeve 46 is fixed to the limiting stop 481 of the insulating connector 48, and the other end is fixed to the long shaft 42. The protective sleeve 46 can be physically connected to the limiting stop 481 or the long shaft 42 (e.g., by adhesive bonding or welding (high frequency or ultrasonic)) to ensure the installation is secure and to prevent slippage during use.

[0061] In some embodiments, the protective layer 461 of the protective sleeve 46 is made of TPU, silicone, Pebax, or other materials obtained through an extrusion process, and then cut to the required length.

[0062] In some embodiments, the insulating layer 462 may be made of thermoplastic polyurethane, silicone rubber, or polyethylene. The insulating layer 462 is composited with the reinforcing rib 463 through a hot melt injection molding or coating process to form an integrated covering layer, so that the reinforcing rib 463 is embedded inside the insulating layer 462. The molten insulating layer 462 can cover the skeleton of the reinforcing rib 463 and solidify to form a "steel-concrete" composite interface.

[0063] Understandably, when the two joint components 43 deflect, causing the protective layer 461 to bend, due to the gap 465 between the protective layer 461 and the insulating layer 462, buckling of the protective layer 461 at the gap 465 is unavoidable. Prolonged buckling will inevitably lead to stress concentration in the protective layer 461, thereby reducing its service life. Therefore, in some embodiments, please refer to... Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 10The protective sleeve 46 is also provided with a support portion 466 (466'). The support portion 466 (466') is provided corresponding to the recessed portion 464 and is accommodated in the gap 465 formed between the recessed portion 464 and the protective layer 461. The support portion 466 (466') protrudes from the recessed portion 464 and maintains a gap with the protective layer 461. When the protective layer 461 bends and undergoes large deformation, the support portion 466 (466') abuts against the protective layer 461. The support portion 466 (466') can limit the further deformation of the protective layer 461, thereby avoiding large wrinkles in the protective layer 461, reducing stress concentration in the protective layer 461, and further improving the service life of the protective layer 461.

[0064] Understandably, in this application, the support portion 466 (466') protruding from the recess 464 and maintaining a gap with the protective layer 461 means that when the two joint components 43 remain in a straight state without mutual deflection, a gap is maintained between the support portion 466 (466') and the protective layer 461. Thus, the support portion 466 (466') will only come into contact with the protective layer 461 when the protective layer 461 undergoes significant bending, thereby reducing the reverse force transmitted from the protective layer 461 to the joint component 43 through the support portion 466 (466').

[0065] In some embodiments, the support portion 466 is an annular protrusion arranged circumferentially along the recess 464. Specifically, the support portion 466 can be a separately provided elastic annular structure fitted onto the recess 464 of the insulating layer 462, or the support portion 466 can be an annular protrusion integrally formed with the insulating layer 462 and provided on the recess 464. Multiple support portions 466 can be arranged at intervals on the recess 464, or only one support portion 466 can be provided. Please refer to [link to previous text]. Figure 9 , Figure 9 A support portion 466 is shown, which is an annular protrusion integrally formed with the insulating layer 462 and disposed in the recess 464.

[0066] In some embodiments, the support portion 466' is a plurality of protruding structures arranged circumferentially around the recess 464. Specifically, the support portion 466' can be a plurality of individually provided protruding structures, fixed to the outer periphery of the recess 464 by adhesive bonding; the support portion 466' can also be a plurality of protruding structures integrally formed with the insulating layer 462 and arranged circumferentially around the recess 464. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 10 , Figure 10 A support portion 466' is shown, which is a plurality of protruding structures integrally formed with the insulating layer 462 and arranged circumferentially in the recess 464.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 5. In some embodiments, the surgical instrument 40 further includes an electrical detection device 47 for detecting current. A reinforcing rib 463 is embedded within the insulating layer 462 and is conductive. An electrical contact device 467 is provided on the side of the reinforcing rib 463 away from the end device 44. The electrical contact device 467 is used to conduct electricity between the reinforcing rib 463 and the electrical detection device 47. It is understood that when the energy generator delivers a high-frequency electrical signal to the surgical instrument 40 to cut or ablate part of the patient's tissue through the end device 44 of the surgical instrument 40, if both the outer surfaces of the protective layer 461 and the insulating layer 462 are damaged, the reinforcing rib 463 will inevitably be exposed. At this time, the human tissue and the reinforcing rib 463 will form a circuit. If the electrical contact device 467 conducts the electrical circuit between the reinforcing rib 463 and the electrical detection device 467, the electrical detection device 467 can detect that current is flowing through the circuit, indicating that the insulating layer 462 is damaged. If the inner side of the protective layer 461 is damaged, the reinforcing rib 463 will also be exposed from the inside. The joint assembly 43 and the reinforcing rib 463 form a circuit. If the electrical contact device 467 conducts the electrical circuit between the reinforcing rib 463 and the electrical detection device 467, the electrical detection device 467 can detect the current flowing through the circuit, indicating that the insulation layer 462 is damaged. In other words, the reinforcing rib 463, the electrical contact device 467, and the electrical detection device 47 can be used as tools for detecting damage to the insulation layer 462. Whether the damage occurs on the inner or outer side of the insulation layer 462, damage to the insulation layer 462 can be detected, making it easier to detect damage to the protective sleeve 46. When damage to the insulation layer 462 is detected, the high-frequency energy output by the energy generator can be stopped to prevent capacitively coupled energy from causing arc discharge or conduction to human tissue, thereby avoiding thermal damage to human tissue.

[0068] In some embodiments, the electrical contact device 467 is coupled to the reinforcing rib 463, or the reinforcing rib 463 is electrically connected to the electrical contact device 467 by providing an electrical interface.

[0069] Understandably, the protective sleeve 46 in this embodiment provides multi-layered protection for the long axis 42 and each joint component 43 of the surgical instrument 40. Even at joint components 43 where the protective sleeve 46 is easily damaged, multi-layered protection can be achieved without affecting the movement of the joint components 43. Moreover, since the protective sleeve 46 itself has functions such as insulation, protection, and damage detection, its application can reduce the structural requirements of the surgical instrument 40 and compress the space occupied by the protective sleeve 46 at the joint components 43, allowing the overall structure of the surgical instrument 40 to be designed to be more compact.

[0070] In some embodiments, the surgical robot further includes an energy generator, an abnormal path conductor, a return conductor pad, and a return path conductor. The energy generator is used to connect surgical instruments. The return conductor pad is electrically connected to the return path conductor to connect human tissue and the energy generator. The return path conductor is used to couple electrical contact devices and reinforcing ribs. The abnormal path conductor is used to conduct abnormal current generated by damage to the protective sleeve.

[0071] Specifically, the energy generator delivers a high-frequency electrical signal on the surgical instrument 40 of the electrosurgical instrumentation (ESI) device. Human tissue is electrically coupled between the surgical instrument 40 and the return path conductor. During surgical procedures, for example, when the surgical instrument 40 contacts a portion of tissue at the surgical site to be cut or ablated, an ESI current flows from the surgical instrument 40 to the patient tissue portion at the surgical site, and then to another portion of patient tissue in contact with the return conductor pad. The ESI current flows from the return conductor pad to the return path conductor. More specifically, the surgical instrument 40 applies energy at the surgical site to cut or remove biological tissue. Therefore, the ESI current flows from the tip of the surgical instrument 40 through the patient tissue portion at the surgical site, sequentially through the return conductor pad and the return path conductor, to the energy generator.

[0072] In this embodiment, a protective impedance is also included, which is located between the abnormal path conductor and the return path conductor to limit capacitive coupling between the reinforcing rib 463 and the human tissue.

[0073] Specifically, the protective impedance includes resistive and reactive elements, such as capacitive elements (not shown), which couple the reinforcing rib 463 and the return path conductor to limit the high-frequency energy that can be delivered from the reinforcing rib 463. This prevents the energy from capacitively coupled from potentially causing arcing or conduction into human tissue, thereby avoiding thermal damage to human tissue.

[0074] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, characterized in that, The surgical instrument includes an end effector, a protective sleeve, and multiple joint components. The multiple joint components are connected in sequence and connected to the end effector. Both the joint components and the end effector are conductive. The protective sleeve covers the joint components. The protective sleeve includes a protective layer, an insulating layer, and a reinforcing rib. The joint assembly is housed inside the insulating layer, and the protective layer is sleeved on the outside of the insulating layer. The insulating layer has a recessed portion corresponding to the connection between the two joint assemblies, and the recessed portion forms a gap with the protective layer. The reinforcing rib extends axially along the insulating layer and wraps around the insulating layer circumferentially in the recessed portion.

2. The surgical instrument as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing rib is embedded inside the insulating layer and is conductive; The surgical instrument also includes an electrical detection device for detecting current, and an electrical contact device is provided on the side of the reinforcing rib away from the end device, the electrical contact device being used to conduct electricity between the reinforcing rib and the electrical detection device.

3. The surgical instrument as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The electrical contact device is coupled to the reinforcing rib, or the reinforcing rib is electrically connected to the electrical contact device through an electrical interface.

4. The surgical instrument as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The insulating layer is thermoplastic polyurethane, silicone rubber, or polyethylene. The insulating layer is combined with the reinforcing rib by hot melt injection molding or coating process so that the reinforcing rib is embedded in the interior of the insulating layer.

5. The surgical instrument as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The surgical instrument also includes an insulating connector, which is connected between the joint assembly and the end device; the insulating connector is provided with a limiting stop, and when the protective sleeve abuts against the limiting stop, the recess of the insulating layer corresponds to the connection point of the two joint assemblies.

6. The surgical instrument as described in claim 1, characterized in that, One of the two adjacent joint assemblies is provided with a male hinge portion and the other is provided with a female hinge portion; the male hinge portion is provided with a protrusion and the female hinge portion is provided with a groove that mates with the protrusion, and the protrusion is rotatably disposed in the groove; the recess is disposed at the connection between the male hinge portion and the female hinge portion.

7. The surgical instrument as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The protective sleeve is also provided with a support portion, which is provided corresponding to the recessed portion and accommodated in the gap formed between the recessed portion and the protective layer.

8. The surgical instrument as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The support portion is an annular protrusion arranged circumferentially along the recessed portion; or, the support portion is a plurality of protrusion structures arranged circumferentially along the recessed portion.

9. A surgical robot, characterized in that, It includes a main console and a slave operating device, the main console being communicatively connected to the slave operating device, the slave operating device performing related operations according to instructions from the main console, and the slave operating device including at least one surgical instrument as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. The surgical robot as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The surgical robot also includes an energy generator, an abnormal path conductor, a return conductor pad, and a return path conductor. The energy generator is used to connect the surgical instruments. The return conductor pad is electrically connected to the return path conductor and is used to connect human tissue and the energy generator. The return path conductor is used to couple the electrical contact device and the reinforcing rib. The abnormal path conductor is used to conduct abnormal current generated by damage to the protective sleeve.

Images