Flexible tool and surgical robot system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a flexible tool and a surgical robot system, the flexible tool comprising: an arm body configured to be capable of receiving an external drive to move within a lumen; and the at least one magnetic element is arranged on the arm body and is configured to restrain at least one part of the arm body on the inner wall of the cavity channel under the action of at least one external magnetic field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of medical devices, and more particularly to a flexible tool and a surgical robot system. Background Technology

[0002] Endoscopic minimally invasive surgery is performed without exposing the lesion through open surgery. The endoscopic device reaches the target location through incisions in blood vessels or skin, or through the body's existing cavities, and is guided by surgical navigation to diagnose or treat the lesion locally. It is characterized by minimal trauma and rapid recovery.

[0003] Endoscopic minimally invasive surgery is mainly divided into rigid endoscopy and flexible endoscopy. Compared with rigid endoscopy, which is either entirely inflexible or only partially flexible at the distal end, flexible endoscopy can adapt to complex and tortuous body cavities and is less likely to cause damage to human tissues during intervention. In recent years, it has been widely used for the diagnosis and treatment of cavities such as the respiratory tract, digestive tract, urinary tract, and spinal cavities. However, currently used flexible endoscopes generally have problems such as low motion control precision and the need for operators and patients to be exposed to radiation from imaging equipment for extended periods during surgery. In addition, because the arm of a flexible endoscope is flexible and bendable, when surgical instruments are extended from the distal end of the arm to perform surgical operations, the arm is difficult to support the surgical instruments and may even vibrate or shift with the movement of the surgical instruments, thereby affecting the surgical outcome and introducing surgical risks. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In some embodiments, this disclosure provides a flexible tool, comprising: an arm body configured to receive external drive to move within a cavity; and at least one magnetic element disposed on the arm body and configured to constrain at least a portion of the arm body to the inner wall of the cavity under the action of at least one external magnetic field.

[0005] In some embodiments, this disclosure provides a surgical robot system, including: a flexible tool according to any one of the embodiments of this disclosure; and a robotic arm, the robotic arm including a drive device disposed at a distal end, the drive device being connected to the arm body of the flexible tool for driving the arm body to move within a cavity. Attached Figure Description

[0006] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this disclosure will be briefly introduced below. The accompanying drawings described below only show some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other embodiments can be obtained based on the content of the embodiments of this disclosure and these drawings without creative effort.

[0007] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a flexible tool in a surgical setting according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 This diagram illustrates a flexible tool within a cavity according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the structure of a flexible tool according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 4 This diagram illustrates the structure of a magnetic sleeve according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the structure of an intermediate bending section according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 6 A partial structural schematic diagram of a flexible tool according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the distal structure of the arm body according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a surgical robot system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0008] To make the technical problems solved by this disclosure, the technical solutions adopted, and the technical effects achieved clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments.

[0009] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional mapping relationships based on the orientation or positional mapping relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0010] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "coupling" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections or detachable connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0011] In the description of this disclosure, the term "position" refers to the location of an object or part of an object in three-dimensional space (e.g., three translational degrees of freedom can be described using variations in Cartesian X, Y, and Z coordinates, such as three translational degrees of freedom along the Cartesian X, Y, and Z axes, respectively). In the description of this disclosure, the term "attitude" refers to the rotational setting of an object or part of an object (e.g., three rotational degrees of freedom, which can be described using roll, pitch, and yaw). In the description of this disclosure, the term "pose" refers to a combination of the position and attitude of an object or part of an object, which can be described, for example, using six parameters from the six degrees of freedom mentioned above.

[0012] In this disclosure, the end closer to the operator (e.g., a surgeon) is defined as the proximal end, proximal or rear end, or posterior end, and the end opposite to the proximal end, proximal or rear end, or posterior end is defined as the distal end, distal or anterior end, or anterior end. Alternatively, the end closer to the person being operated on (e.g., a surgical patient) is defined as the distal end, distal or anterior end, or anterior end, and the end opposite to the distal end, distal or anterior end, or anterior end is defined as the proximal end, proximal or rear end, or posterior end. Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this disclosure can be used in medical devices or surgical robots, as well as other non-medical devices.

[0013] In this disclosure, the pose of the flexible tool's arm body refers to the pose of the end-effector coordinate system relative to a reference coordinate system (e.g., the arm body base coordinate system or the world coordinate system). In this disclosure, the pose of the arm body can include the pose of the end-effector. In this disclosure, the position of the end-effector can be the three-dimensional coordinates of the end-effector in the arm body base coordinate system, cavity coordinate system, or world coordinate system, and the orientation of the end-effector can be its orientation or direction of movement. In this disclosure, the motion trajectory of the arm body refers to the trajectory traversed by the end-effector of the arm body as it moves from one pose or configuration to another. In this disclosure, the configuration of the arm body can be represented by a set of joint parameters or joint values ​​(e.g., a matrix composed of these joint parameters or joint values) of multiple segments or multiple segments included in the arm body when the arm body is in that configuration. In this disclosure, the joint parameters or joint values ​​indicate the angle of rotation of the corresponding segment or joint relative to the corresponding segment axis or joint axis, or the distance moved relative to the initial position.

[0014] Figure 1The accompanying drawings illustrate the structure of a flexible tool 110 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure in a surgical setting. In this disclosure, the flexible tool 110 can enter a body cavity (e.g., spinal canal, trachea, esophagus, intestine, vagina, etc.) through an opening (e.g., an incision or a natural opening) to perform endoscopic diagnosis and treatment. It should be noted that although the accompanying drawings illustrate the flexible tool using spinal endoscopic surgery (e.g., epidural endoscopic surgery or percutaneous endoscopic discectomy) as an example, the flexible tool is not limited to spinal endoscopic surgery and can also be used for other endoscopic surgeries, such as various transoral endoscopic surgeries.

[0015] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, patient 170 can lie on their side or prone on operating table 190. Flexible tool 110 is configured to be inserted through an opening formed in patient 170's body (e.g., Figure 1 The opening shown is 179 or Figure 2 Auxiliary connection device (e.g., opening 279 shown) Figure 1 The auxiliary connection device 150 shown or Figure 2 The auxiliary connecting device 250 shown enters the cavity (e.g., Figure 1 Cavity 175 shown Figure 2 In the cavity shown (275), endoscopic diagnosis and treatment are performed.

[0016] In some embodiments, the flexible tool 110 can be used to form a working channel within a cavity for the passage of surgical and / or imaging tools, allowing the surgical and / or imaging tools to extend into the cavity for diagnostic and surgical procedures. Furthermore, the flexible tool 110 can obtain support from the cavity wall by constraining at least a portion (e.g., the distal end) to the cavity wall, thereby enhancing the stability and safety of the flexible tool 110 and preventing vibration or displacement of the flexible tool 110 during movement or surgical procedures, which could damage the cavity wall or other tissues within the cavity.

[0017] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the flexible tool 110 may include an arm (e.g., Figure 1 Arm 111 shown Figure 2 Arm 211 shown Figure 3 Arm 311 shown Figure 6 Arm 610 shown Figure 7 The arm body shown is 700 or Figure 8 The arm body 811 shown) and at least one magnetic element (e.g., Figure 1 The magnetic component 115 shown Figure 2 The magnetic sleeve 215 shown Figure 3 The magnetic sleeve 315 shown Figure 4 The magnetic sleeve shown is 400 or Figure 8 The magnetic element 812). The arm body is configured to receive external actuation for movement within the cavity. At least one magnetic element may be disposed on the arm body and configured to be in at least one external magnetic field (e.g., Figure 1 The external magnetic field shown is 180°. Figure 2 The external magnetic field shown is 280. Figure 3 The external magnetic field shown is 380 or Figure 8 Under the action of the external magnetic field 880, at least a portion of the arm is constrained to the inner wall of the cavity. In this disclosure, constraining at least a portion of the arm to the inner wall of the cavity means that the part of the arm corresponding to the magnetic element is adsorbed onto the inner wall of the cavity, for example, resting or adhering to the inner wall of the cavity.

[0018] In this disclosure, the arm body can be a deformable arm body that is bendable in at least one degree of freedom. The cross-section of the arm body can be, for example, circular, elliptical, polygonal, etc. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the arm 111 can be configured with a proximal and external drive mechanism (e.g., Figure 1 At least one drive unit in the drive device 130 shown or Figure 8 At least one drive unit in the drive device 850 shown is connected to receive external drive output from the drive device and move within the cavity 175. It should be understood that the arm 111 can also be manually controlled by the operator to achieve movement within the cavity. For example, the arm can also be configured with its proximal end connected to an external operating grip, allowing the operator to manually adjust the position and / or posture of the operating grip to manipulate the arm's movement within the cavity. In some embodiments, the movement of the arm within the cavity can include feeding or retracting the arm along the cavity's extension direction, rolling the arm about its own axis, bending the distal end of the arm in multiple directions, and combinations of the above movements.

[0019] In some embodiments, at least one magnetic element 115 may be disposed on the arm body 111, for example, disposed along the axial direction of the arm body 111. The at least one magnetic element 115 is used to respond to an external magnetic field 180 to constrain at least a portion of the arm body 111 to the inner wall of the cavity 175 under the action of the external magnetic field 180. The at least portion of the arm body 111 may include a portion of the arm body 111 corresponding to the at least one magnetic element 115, for example, a portion of the arm body for arranging the at least one magnetic element or overlapping the at least one magnetic element axially. In some embodiments, the at least portion of the arm body 111 may be a sleeve mounting portion (e.g., Figure 2 The sleeve mounting section 217 shown is... Figure 3 The sleeve mounting section 317 shown is... Figure 6 The sleeve mounting section 617 shown is or Figure 7At least a portion of the sleeve mounting portion 770 shown. Furthermore, at least one magnetic element can release at least a portion of the arm body from the inner wall of the cavity when at least one external magnetic field is removed, allowing the arm body to regain its restricted degrees of freedom of movement. In some embodiments, the magnetic element 115 may include, for example, an active magnetic element, such as a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, etc., or a passive magnetic element, such as an iron element, a cobalt element, a nickel element, an alloy element, etc. In some embodiments, the magnetic element may also include, for example, magnetic particles dispersed on at least a portion of the arm body.

[0020] In some embodiments, at least one magnetic element 115 may be fixedly disposed on the arm body 111 for anchoring at least a portion of the arm body 111 against the inner wall of the cavity 175 under the action of an external magnetic field 180. For example, the magnetic element 115 may be disposed on the distal portion 113 of the arm body 111, anchoring the distal end of the arm body 111 against the inner wall of the cavity 175 under the action of the external magnetic field 180. Alternatively, the magnetic element 115 may be disposed adjacent to the distal portion 113 of the arm body 111, thereby allowing the distal portion 113 of the arm body 111 to bend within the cavity 175 while the arm body 111 is anchored against the inner wall of the cavity 175. By anchoring at least a portion of the arm body 111 against the inner wall of the cavity 175, vibration or even displacement of the flexible tool 110 can be prevented during surgical operations such as cutting or grinding, thereby increasing the stability and safety of the arm body 111.

[0021] In some embodiments, at least one magnetic element may include a plurality of magnetic elements. The plurality of magnetic elements may be spaced apart along the axial direction of the arm 111 and configured to constrain the arm 111 along its length (axial direction) to the inner wall of the cavity 175 under the action of an external magnetic field 180, thereby further increasing the stability and security of the arm 111. In some embodiments, the plurality of magnetic elements may be controlled by an external magnetic field (e.g., Figure 1 The external magnetic field shown is 180°. Figure 2 The external magnetic field shown is 280. Figure 3 The external magnetic field shown is 380 or Figure 8 The external magnetic field 880 shown can be operated uniformly, or it can be operated separately by multiple external magnetic fields (not shown in the figure) corresponding to multiple magnetic elements, so as to enhance the operational flexibility of the arm.

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a flexible tool 210 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure within a cavity is shown. Figure 2As shown, the flexible tool 210 may include an arm body 211 and at least one magnetic element 215 disposed on the arm body 211. In some embodiments, the at least one magnetic element 215 may include at least one magnetic sleeve 215 configured to be sleeved on the outside of the arm body 211. In some embodiments, the flexible tool 210 may also include a cover (e.g., Figure 7 (See cover 790). The cover may be elastic and configured to conformally wrap around the outside of the arm body 211 to isolate the arm body 211 from external physiological tissues. In some embodiments, at least one magnetic sleeve 215 may be fitted over the outside of the cover, as detailed later.

[0023] In some embodiments, at least one magnetic sleeve 215 may be cylindrical, with an internal channel, and its cross-section may be circular, elliptical, polygonal, etc. For example, the magnetic sleeve 215 may be a rigid sleeve fitted over the outside of the arm body 211. In some embodiments, at least one magnetic sleeve 215 may be configured to be axially slidable and / or circumferentially rotatable over the outside of the arm body 211 relative to at least a portion of the arm body 211. For example, the arm body 211 may be formed with a circular cross-section, and the magnetic sleeve 215 may be axially slidable and / or circumferentially rotatable over the outside of the arm body 211 relative to the arm body 211. Alternatively, the arm body 211 may be polygonal, elliptical, etc., or include at least one axially extending guide groove or guide rib to allow the magnetic sleeve 215 to slide axially relative to the arm body 211 and to restrict the magnetic sleeve 215 from circumferentially rotating relative to the arm body 211. Alternatively, the arm body 211 may be formed in a circular cross-section and include at least one guide groove or guide rib around the circumference to allow the magnetic sleeve 215 to rotate circumferentially relative to the arm body 211 and to restrict the magnetic sleeve 215 from sliding axially relative to the arm body 211.

[0024] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the arm body 211 may include at least one sleeve mounting portion 217. The at least one sleeve mounting portion 217 may extend axially along the arm body 211 and has a cross-sectional shape that matches at least one magnetic sleeve 215. The at least one magnetic sleeve 215 may be fixedly or movably mounted on the outside of the at least one sleeve mounting portion 217. In some embodiments, the diameter of the at least one sleeve mounting portion 217 may be smaller than the diameter of other portions of the arm body 211. For example, the at least one magnetic sleeve 215 may be formed with an outer diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the arm body 211, and the outer diameter of the at least one sleeve mounting portion 217 may match the inner diameter of the at least one magnetic sleeve 215. In this way, the arm body 211 can maintain a substantially unchanged outer diameter while the magnetic sleeve 215 is mounted on its outer side, thereby avoiding damage to the inner wall of the cavity during movement within the cavity.

[0025] In some embodiments, the sleeve mounting portion 217 may be configured to allow the magnetic sleeve 215 to slide axially and rotate circumferentially relative to the arm body 211. For example, as Figure 2 As shown, the sleeve mounting portion 217 can be formed with a circular cross-section and a length greater than that of the magnetic sleeve 215. When the magnetic sleeve 215 is fitted onto the outside of the sleeve mounting portion 217, it can rotate around the axis of the arm body 211 and slide linearly along the axis of the arm body 211 within a predetermined stroke of the sleeve mounting portion 217. Thus, when the magnetic sleeve 215 constrains the arm body 211 against the inner wall of the cavity 275 under the action of an external magnetic field 280, the arm body 211 can receive external drive to roll and / or bend within the cavity 275, and feed or retract within the predetermined stroke of the sleeve mounting portion 217.

[0026] In some embodiments, the sleeve mounting portion 217 may also be configured to allow only axial sliding or circumferential rotation of the magnetic sleeve 215 relative to the arm 211. For example, the sleeve mounting portion 217 may be formed with a circular cross-section and a length approximately the same as that of the magnetic sleeve 215. When the magnetic sleeve 215 is fitted onto the outside of the sleeve mounting portion 217, it can rotate about the axis of the arm 211, but cannot slide along the axis of the arm 211. Thus, when the magnetic sleeve 215 constrains the arm 211 to the inner wall of the cavity 275 under the action of an external magnetic field 280, the arm 211 can receive external drive to roll and / or bend within the cavity 275. Alternatively, the sleeve mounting portion 217 may be formed with a length greater than that of the magnetic sleeve 215, and a cross-section in the shape of a polygon, ellipse, or similar shape, or include at least one guide groove or guide rib. When the magnetic sleeve 215 is fitted onto the outside of the sleeve mounting portion 217, it can slide linearly relative to the arm body 211 within a predetermined stroke of the sleeve mounting portion 217, but it cannot rotate around the axis of the arm body 211. Thus, when the magnetic sleeve 215 constrains the arm body 211 to the inner wall of the cavity 275 under the action of the external magnetic field 280, the arm body 211 can receive external drive to feed or retract within the predetermined stroke of the sleeve mounting portion 217.

[0027] In some embodiments, at least one magnetic sleeve may be configured to be detachably fitted onto at least one sleeve mounting portion (e.g., Figure 2 The sleeve mounting section 217 shown is... Figure 3 The sleeve mounting section 317 shown is... Figure 6 The sleeve mounting section 617 shown is or Figure 7 The magnetic sleeve is shown on the sleeve mounting portion 770. In some embodiments, the magnetic sleeve may include a detachable structure for mounting or removing the magnetic sleeve from the sleeve mounting portion. The detachable structure may include, for example, a snap-fit ​​structure or a plug-in structure, the details of which will be described later.

[0028] In some embodiments, at least one magnetic element may further include at least one cladding element (e.g., Figure 3 The shown cover 316 or Figure 4 The covering element 490 shown. At least one covering element may be elastic and configured to conformally wrap around the outside of at least one magnetic sleeve to form a buffer between the magnetic sleeve and the inner wall of the cavity, preventing damage to the inner wall of the cavity by the magnetic sleeve. The covering element may be made of elastic materials such as silicone, rubber, resin, thermoplastic elastomer, etc. In some embodiments, the covering element may be wrapped around the outside of the magnetic sleeve by means of bonding, welding, pressing, heat shrinking, etc., as described later.

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible tool 310 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 As shown, the flexible tool 310 may include an arm body 311 and at least one magnetic sleeve 315 disposed on the arm body 311. In some embodiments, the arm body 311 may include at least one axially extending sleeve mounting portion 317 for mounting at least one magnetic sleeve 315. The at least one magnetic sleeve 315 may be configured to be slidably mounted axially and / or rotatably mounted circumferentially on the outside of the at least one sleeve mounting portion 317 relative to the arm body 311. In some embodiments, with Figure 2 Similarly, the exterior of the arm body 311 can also be covered with a cover (e.g., ...). Figure 7 As shown in the cover 790, at least one magnetic sleeve 315 can be slidably fitted onto the outside of the cover.

[0030] In some embodiments, at least one magnetic sleeve may be a flexible, bendable sleeve configured to deform according to the shape of the arm body, or to conform to the inner wall of the cavity under the influence of an external magnetic field, thereby constraining at least a portion of the arm body. In some instances, such as Figure 3As shown, the magnetic sleeve 315 may include a plurality of magnetic bending segments connected in series, configured to adhere to the inner wall of the cavity 375 under the action of an external magnetic field 380, forming a channel for at least a portion of the arm 311 to pass through. The plurality of magnetic bending segments are configured to be arranged along the shape of the inner wall of the cavity 375 under the action of the external magnetic field 380, thereby bending the magnetic sleeve 315 and adhering to the inner wall of the cavity 375. When the magnetic sleeve 315 adheres to the inner wall of the cavity 375 under the action of the external magnetic field 380, the channel inside the magnetic sleeve 315 is also formed into a shape adapted to the inner wall of the cavity 375, thereby constraining the shape of at least a portion of the arm 311 passing through the channel. In this disclosure, the structural parameters of the magnetic sleeve 315 (e.g., length and minimum bending radius) can be designed based on the structural parameters of the cavity (e.g., the diameter of the cavity and the curvature of the inner wall) or the structural parameters of the arm (e.g., the diameter of the arm and the minimum bending radius). It should be understood that at least one magnetic sleeve is not limited to a flexible sleeve; for example, it can also be formed as a rigid sleeve, such as... Figure 2 The magnetic sleeve 215 is shown.

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a magnetic sleeve 400 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the plurality of magnetic bending segments may include a proximal bending segment 410, a distal bending segment 450, and at least one intermediate bending segment 430, such as two intermediate bending segments 430. In some embodiments, the proximal bending segment 410, at least one intermediate bending segment 430, and the distal bending segment 450 are sequentially and movably connected to form a flexible and bendable magnetic sleeve 400. The movable connection between two adjacent magnetic bending segments can be in various ways, such as hinge, rotational engagement, etc.

[0032] It should be understood that the magnetic sleeve 400 may also include one, three or more intermediate bending sections 430. Alternatively, the intermediate bending sections 430 may be omitted, and the magnetic sleeve 400 may be formed solely by the sequential connection of the proximal bending section 410 and the distal bending section 450. The dimensions (e.g., diameter and length) and number (e.g., the number of intermediate bending sections 430) of each magnetic bending section can be designed based on the structural parameters of the cavity (e.g., the diameter of the cavity and the curvature of the inner wall) or the structural parameters of the arm (e.g., the diameter of the arm and the minimum bending radius).

[0033] In some embodiments, the magnetic bending segment may include: at least one connecting protrusion and at least one locking protrusion disposed at a first end; and / or at least one connecting groove and at least one locking groove disposed at a second end opposite to the first end. Alternatively, the magnetic bending segment may include: at least one connecting protrusion and at least one locking groove disposed at a first end; and / or at least one connecting groove and at least one locking protrusion disposed at a second end opposite to the first end.

[0034] In some embodiments, at least one connecting protrusion on two adjacent magnetic bending sections engages with at least one connecting groove, and at least one locking protrusion on two adjacent magnetic bending sections cooperates with at least one locking groove.

[0035] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of an intermediate bending section 430 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the intermediate bend joint 430 may have at least one connecting protrusion 434 at a first end (e.g., the proximal end near the end of the proximal bend joint 410) and at least one connecting groove 435 at a second end opposite to the first end (e.g., the distal end near the end of the distal bend joint 450). For example, the intermediate bend joint 430 may include a pair of connecting protrusions 434 opposite each other at the first end and a pair of connecting grooves 435 opposite each other at the second end.

[0036] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the intermediate bending section 430 may include at least one locking protrusion 436 at a first end and at least one locking groove 437 at a second end. For example, the intermediate bending section 430 may include a pair of locking protrusions 436 opposite to each other at the first end and a pair of locking grooves 437 opposite to each other at the second end (not shown in the figure). At the first end of the intermediate bending section 430, the connecting protrusion 434 and the locking protrusion 436 may be circumferentially spaced apart. At the second end of the intermediate bending section 430, the connecting groove 435 and the locking groove 437 may be circumferentially spaced apart. In other embodiments, the connecting groove 435 and the locking protrusion 436 may be circumferentially spaced apart at the first end, and the connecting protrusion 434 and the locking groove 437 may be circumferentially spaced apart at the second end.

[0037] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the planar shapes of the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435 are Ω-shaped with an arc length greater than a semicircle, and they fit together. This structure enhances the fit between the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435, enabling the connection of the joint at different intermediate bends (e.g., Figure 4 The connecting protrusion of the front intermediate bending section 430 and the rear intermediate bending section 430 shown engages with the connecting groove for free bending. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a pair of connecting protrusions 434 at the first end of the intermediate bending section 430 are positioned opposite each other, and a pair of locking protrusions 436 at the first end are positioned opposite each other. The line connecting the center points of the pair of connecting protrusions 434 at the first end is perpendicular to the line connecting the center points of the pair of locking protrusions 436. The line connecting the center points of the pair of connecting grooves 435 at the second end of the intermediate bending section 430 is perpendicular to the line connecting the center points of the pair of locking grooves 437, so as to achieve a better anti-detachment effect.

[0038] In some embodiments, the line connecting the center points of a pair of connecting protrusions 434 at the first end of a single intermediate bending segment 430 and the line connecting the center points of a pair of connecting grooves 435 at the second end are perpendicular to each other. When the proximal bending segment 410, the intermediate bending segment 430, and the distal bending segment 450 are connected in sequence, or when multiple intermediate bending segments 430 are connected in sequence to form a flexible segment, the relative positional relationship between the connecting grooves 435 and the connecting protrusions 434 can achieve a better bending motion effect.

[0039] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the unfolded planar shapes of the locking groove 437 and the locking protrusion 436 can be rectangular and they fit together. In some embodiments, the sides of the locking groove 437 and the locking protrusion 436 can be perpendicular to the inner and outer surfaces. The locking groove 437 and the locking protrusion 436 can effectively prevent disengagement when the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435 are in different connection states. The locking groove can achieve the function of bending the joint in the middle (e.g., Figure 4 When different bending angles are formed between the first intermediate bending section 430 and the second intermediate bending section 430, the side of the locking protrusion 436 can abut against the side of the locking groove 437 to prevent the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435 of the intermediate bending section 430 from being disengaged by force.

[0040] In some embodiments, the end faces of the locking groove 437 and the locking protrusion 436 can be flat to achieve a good blocking effect at different bending angles of the bending segment. In some embodiments, the end faces of the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435 are arc surfaces or slopes, and the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435 are engaged by the arc surfaces or slopes at their ends to form adjacent bending segments.

[0041] In some embodiments, when both the outer end face of the connecting protrusion 434 and the inner end face of the connecting groove 435 are arc surfaces, the tangents of the arc surfaces at the ends of the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435 intersect perpendicularly with the longitudinal axis of the intermediate bending segment 430, and the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435 engage with each other through the arc surfaces at the ends to form a bending segment.

[0042] In some embodiments, when both the outer end face of the connecting protrusion 434 and the inner end face of the connecting groove 435 are inclined surfaces, the inclined surface of the outer end face of the connecting protrusion 434 and the inclined surface of the inner end face of the connecting groove 435 cooperate to form a bending joint. Thus, the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435, through the inclined surface contact of their end faces, enable the intermediate bending joints 430 to transmit forces along their longitudinal axis and torques about their longitudinal axis to each other, allowing the intermediate bending joint 430 formed by the mating and fitting of the connecting protrusion 434 and the connecting groove 435 to bend smoothly. Multiple intermediate bending joints (e.g., Figure 4 The movable joint formed by the first intermediate bending joint 430 and the second intermediate bending joint 430 shown can be bent in any direction.

[0043] In some embodiments, a plurality of intermediate bending joints 430 are sequentially engaged to form a movable connecting joint with an internal channel. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the latter intermediate bending section 430 (for example, Figure 4 At least one connecting protrusion 434 at the first end of the intermediate bending section 430 (the intermediate bending section near the distal bending section 450 shown) is connected to the preceding intermediate bending section 430 (e.g., Figure 4 The intermediate bending sections 430 shown are connected by at least one connecting groove 435 of the second segment of the intermediate bending section (close to the proximal bending section 410), and at least one locking protrusion 436 of the first end of the subsequent intermediate bending section 430 is connected by at least one locking groove 437 of the second segment of the preceding intermediate bending section 430.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the top of the connecting protrusion 434 at the first end of the subsequent intermediate bending segment 430 and the bottom of the connecting groove 435 at the second end of the preceding intermediate bending segment 430 are designed with a gap, so that the bending segment formed by them can bend freely within a certain range. When a specific limit bending angle is reached, the gap closes and the bending can no longer continue.

[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the proximal bending segment 410 may have a connection structure similar to the intermediate bending segment 430 at its distal end, and is movably connected to the intermediate bending segment 430 at its distal end via the connection structure to form a movable connection joint. Furthermore, the distal bending segment 450 may have a connection structure similar to the intermediate bending segment 430 at its proximal end, and is movably connected to the intermediate bending segment 430 at its proximal end via the connection structure to form a movable connection joint. With the proximal bending segment 410, at least one intermediate bending segment 430, and the distal bending segment 450 sequentially connected, the cavities inside the proximal bending segment 410, at least one intermediate bending segment 430, and the distal bending segment 450 communicate to form a channel 401 for passage through the arm body (e.g., Figure 1 Arm 111 shown Figure 2 Arm 211 shown Figure 3 Arm 311 shown Figure 6 Arm 610 shown Figure 7 The arm body shown is 700 or Figure 8 At least a portion of the arm body 811 shown, such as the sleeve mounting portion on the arm body (e.g., Figure 2 The sleeve mounting section 217 shown is... Figure 3 The sleeve mounting section 317 shown is... Figure 6 The sleeve mounting section 617 shown is or Figure 7 The sleeve mounting section 770 is shown.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the proximal bend joint 410 may include at least one connecting groove 415 at its second end (e.g., as the distal end near one end of the intermediate bend joint 430), such as a pair of opposing connecting grooves 415 (not shown in the figure). At least one connecting groove 415 of the proximal bend joint 410 may engage with at least one connecting protrusion 434 of the foremost intermediate bend joint 430 among a plurality of intermediate bend joints 430. For example, the connecting groove 415 may mate with a connecting protrusion 434 formed on the first end of the intermediate bend joint 430 to form a movable joint. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the proximal bend segment 410 may also include at least one locking groove 417 at its second end, such as a pair of oppositely disposed locking grooves 417 (not shown in the figure). At least one locking groove 417 of the proximal bend segment 410 may engage with at least one locking protrusion 436 of the foremost of the plurality of intermediate bend segments 430. For example, the locking groove 417 may engage with a locking protrusion 436 formed on the first end of the intermediate bend segment 430. In other embodiments, the proximal bend segment 410 may also include at least one connecting protrusion and / or at least one locking protrusion instead of at least one connecting groove 415 and / or at least one locking groove 417. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the proximal bending section 410 can be formed into a flat-head structure at the proximal end (e.g., the end away from the intermediate bending section 430) for mating with the proximal end of the sleeve installation section, as will be described later.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the distal bend joint 450 may include at least one connecting protrusion 454 at its first end (e.g., as the proximal end near the end of the intermediate bend joint 430), such as a pair of opposing connecting protrusions 454 (not shown in the figure). At least one connecting protrusion 454 of the distal bend joint 450 may engage with at least one connecting groove 435 of the most rearmost intermediate bend joint 430 among a plurality of intermediate bend joints 430. For example, the connecting protrusion 454 may mate with a connecting groove 435 formed on the second end of the intermediate bend joint 430 to form a movable joint. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the distal bending segment 450 may also include at least one locking protrusion 456 at its first end, such as a pair of opposing locking protrusions 456 (not shown in the figure). At least one locking protrusion 456 of the distal bending segment 450 may engage with at least one locking groove 437 of the most rearmost intermediate bending segment 430 among a plurality of intermediate bending segments 430. For example, the locking protrusion 456 may engage with a locking groove 437 formed on the second end of the intermediate bending segment 430. In other embodiments, the proximal bending segment 410 may also include at least one connecting groove and / or at least one locking groove in place of at least one connecting protrusion 454 and / or at least one locking protrusion 456. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the distal bending section 450 can be formed as a flat-head structure at the distal end (e.g., the end away from the intermediate bending section 430) for mating with the distal end of the sleeve installation section, as will be described later.

[0048] It should be understood that the magnetic sleeve 400 is not limited to the structure described above. Any magnetic sleeve structure that is radially rigid and axially bendable is within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the magnetic bending segment of the magnetic sleeve 400 may also include other types of serpentine structures. Alternatively, the magnetic sleeve 400 may also include multiple bending segments formed by multiple narrow slits.

[0049] In some embodiments, the magnetic sleeve 400 may be configured to be detachably fitted onto at least one sleeve mounting portion. In some embodiments, the plurality of magnetic bending sections of the magnetic sleeve 400 may each include a detachable structure. The plurality of magnetic bending sections can be independently removed from the sleeve mounting portion or spliced ​​onto the sleeve mounting portion to form the magnetic sleeve 400 through their respective detachable structures. The following description uses the intermediate bending section 430 as an example.

[0050] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the intermediate bending section 430 may include a detachable structure 439. The detachable structure 439 may include, for example, a snap-fit ​​structure or a plug-in structure. By disassembling the detachable structure 439, the intermediate bending section 430 can form an open loop, thereby allowing the intermediate bending section 430 to be disassembled or assembled onto the arm body. By closing the detachable structure 439, the intermediate bending section 430 can form a closed loop, thereby enclosing the arm body within the cavity 431. In some embodiments, the detachable structure 439 is formed along the generatrix of the intermediate bending section 430, for example, along the line connecting at least one connecting protrusion 434 and at least one locking groove 437.

[0051] In some embodiments, the intermediate bending segment 430 may further include a bendable structure 438 for cooperating with the detachable structure 439 to form an open loop. The bendable structure 438 includes, for example, a hinge structure, a flexible structure, etc. In some embodiments, the detachable structure 439 and the bendable structure 438 may be disposed on opposite sides of the intermediate bending segment 430.

[0052] It should be understood that the intermediate bending segment 430 is not limited to the structure described above; any detachable bending segment is within the scope of this disclosure. In some embodiments, the detachable structure 439 may also be formed along other generatrices of the intermediate bending segment 430, for example, along the line connecting at least one locking protrusion 436 and at least one connecting groove 435. Alternatively, the detachable structure 439 may not be formed along the generatrices of the intermediate bending segment 430. In some embodiments, the intermediate bending segment 430 may also include multiple detachable structures 439, such as a pair of detachable structures 439. The pair of detachable structures 439 may be distributed circumferentially along the intermediate bending segment 430, for example, disposed on opposite sides of the intermediate bending segment 430. When the pair of detachable structures 439 are disassembled, the intermediate bending segment 430 can be separated into two parts that can be spliced ​​together.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the proximal bending segment 410 and the distal bending segment 450 may each include a detachable structure 419 and a detachable structure 459 as detachable structures. The detachable structures 419 and 459 may have a structure similar to the detachable structure 439 of the intermediate bending segment 430. By providing detachable structures on each magnetic bending segment, the magnetic sleeve 400 can be fitted onto or removed from the arm body, thereby facilitating the sterilization of the flexible tool. In some embodiments, with the magnetic sleeve 400 fitted onto the arm body, the detachable structures of each magnetic bending segment are arranged in a staggered manner along the circumference of the magnetic sleeve 400, such as... Figure 4As shown. In this way, the magnetic sleeve 400 can have complete walls in all circumferential directions, thereby preventing the magnetic sleeve 400 from falling off the arm body under force within the cavity.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the magnetic sleeve 400 may further include a covering 490. The covering 490 is configured to conformally wrap around the outside of the plurality of magnetic bending segments to form a buffer between the plurality of magnetic bending segments and the inner wall of the cavity, preventing damage to the inner wall of the cavity. The covering 490 may be, for example, a silicone sleeve or a heat shrink tube. In some embodiments, the covering 490 may extend through the distal end of the arm body in an expanded state, contract and wrap around the outside of the plurality of magnetic bending segments, separating the plurality of magnetic bending segments from the inner wall of the cavity and preventing the plurality of magnetic bending segments from falling off the arm body. In some embodiments, the proximal bending segment 410, the intermediate bending segment 430 or the distal bending segment 450 may further include a circumferential groove (not shown) to restrict axial movement of the covering 490 relative to the plurality of magnetic bending segments.

[0055] Figure 6 A partial structural schematic diagram of a flexible tool 600 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6 As shown, the flexible tool 600 may include an arm body 610 and at least one channel extending axially through the arm body 610. In some embodiments, the at least one channel may include a surgical tool channel 630 for passing through at least one surgical tool and / or an imaging tool channel 640 for passing through or positioning an imaging tool.

[0056] In some embodiments, the surgical tool channel 630 may extend from the proximal end to the distal end of the flexible tool 600 and open at the distal end of the arm body 610. The distal end of the surgical tool may be inserted into and held in the surgical tool channel 630 from the proximal opening of the surgical tool channel 630, and may extend from the distal opening of the surgical tool channel 630 when needed to perform surgical procedures.

[0057] In some embodiments, the imaging tool channel 640 can be used to either pass through or fix an imaging tool. In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the imaging tool channel 640 can extend along the axial direction of the arm body 610 and open at the distal end of the arm body 610.

[0058] In some embodiments, the flexible tool 600 may further include at least one illumination channel 650 for transmitting at least one illumination optical fiber. The at least one illumination channel 650 may include multiple illumination channels, such as two, three, or more illumination channels. In some embodiments, such as Figure 6As shown, multiple illumination channels 650 can be configured to surround the imaging tool channel 640 to provide illumination to the imaging tool extending from the imaging tool channel 640 via multiple illumination optical fibers. In some embodiments, the illumination optical fibers may be made of a flexible material such as plastic and embedded inside the illumination channel 650 to follow the bending of the arm body 610.

[0059] In some embodiments, the flexible tool 600 may further include at least one auxiliary channel 660. The auxiliary channel 660 may be, for example, a fluid channel for directing fluid into a cavity (e.g., Figure 1 Cavity 175 shown Figure 2 Fluid is injected into or aspirated from the cavity (shown as 275). In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, at least one auxiliary channel 660 may include multiple auxiliary channels, such as two or more, to correspond to different surgical procedures. For example, at least one auxiliary channel 660 may include two auxiliary channels arranged around the imaging tool channel 640. One auxiliary channel may be used to inject saline solution into the cavity to flush the cavity interior and / or the lens of the imaging tool, or it may be used to inject drugs into the cavity. The other auxiliary channel may be used to aspirate fluid from the cavity, such as blood, tissue fluid, or fumes.

[0060] Those skilled in the art will understand that flexible tools are not limited to the structures described above. The size and layout of each channel can be adjusted according to actual needs. The number of channels, such as lighting channels and auxiliary channels, can also be set as required.

[0061] In this disclosure, for surgical navigation and intraoperative control of flexible instruments, it is necessary to track and position the arm of the flexible instrument within the cavity to monitor its working status in real time. In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the flexible tool 600 may further include a sensor assembly 690 for outputting data associated with the shape and / or pose of the arm body (e.g., the pose of the arm's end effector). In some embodiments, the sensor assembly 690 may include at least one shape sensor 691 and / or at least one pose sensor 692. In some embodiments, the flexible tool may be connected to an external control device, which may determine the shape and / or pose of the arm body based on the data output by the sensor assembly.

[0062] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6As shown, at least one shape sensor 691 can extend along the axial direction of the arm body 610 to generate shape data associated with the shape of the arm body 610. In some embodiments, the shape sensor 691 may include, but is not limited to, fiber optic sensors, capacitive sensors, resistive sensors, etc. The shape sensor 691 can extend continuously or distributed along the axial direction of the arm body to generate optical or electrical signals associated with the strain (e.g., displacement, curvature, or deflection) at various points along the axial direction of the arm body, such as changes in light wavelength, changes in light intensity, changes in capacitance, changes in resistance, etc. The control device can determine the strain at various points on the arm body 610 based on the signals output by the shape sensor 691, and then calculate the three-dimensional coordinates of each point on the arm body 610 through a shape reconstruction algorithm to reconstruct the three-dimensional shape of the arm body 610.

[0063] In some embodiments, the shape sensor 691 may be an optical fiber shape sensor. Depending on the operating principle, the optical fiber shape sensor may be an interferometric optical fiber shape sensor or an intensity modulation optical fiber shape sensor. In some embodiments, the optical fiber shape sensor may achieve different measurement ranges, for example, it may be a point optical fiber sensor, an integrating optical fiber sensor, or a distributed optical fiber sensor. Depending on the application environment, those skilled in the art can select different optical fiber shape sensors as shape sensors.

[0064] In some embodiments, the fiber shape sensor may be a fiber grating sensor, such as an FBG sensor. An FBG sensor may include at least one Bragg grating with periodic refractive index modulation, for example, an array of Bragg gratings composed of multiple Bragg gratings distributed along the axial direction of the fiber core. When the arm 610 bends, causing the FBG sensor to deform, the Bragg gratings on the fiber core undergo periodic changes, thereby altering the wavelength of light reflected by the Bragg gratings. The control device can determine the strain at the corresponding positions of the individual Bragg gratings on the arm 610 based on the reflection spectrum output by the FBG sensor, and then calculate the three-dimensional coordinates of each point on the arm 610 using a shape reconstruction algorithm to reconstruct the three-dimensional shape of the arm 610. In some embodiments, at least one shape sensor 691 may include one or more FBG sensors. For example, multiple FBG sensors extending parallel to the axial direction of the arm 610 may be included to form a linear multi-core sensor array. Alternatively, multiple FBG sensors can be spirally distributed radially in the arm body 610, forming a spiral multi-core sensor array comprising a central core extending along the central axis of the arm body 610 and multiple lateral cores spirally distributed around the central core.

[0065] In some embodiments, at least one pose sensor 692 is disposed on the arm body 610 for generating pose data associated with the pose of at least a portion of the arm body 610. For example, the pose sensor 692 may be disposed at the proximal or distal end of the arm body 610 to generate data associated with the pose of the proximal or distal end of the arm body 610. In some embodiments, the pose sensor may be an EM sensor (Electromagnetic Sensor), comprising one or more conductive coils to generate an induced electrical signal associated with the pose of the conductive coils under the action of an external electromagnetic field.

[0066] In some embodiments, pose data generated by at least one pose sensor 692 can be used to calibrate shape data generated by at least one shape sensor 691. The pose sensor 692 can be disposed in the arm body 610 at a position associated with at least a portion of the shape sensor 691, for example, at a position in the arm body 610 corresponding to the proximal or distal end of the shape sensor 691. The control device can determine the pose of at least a portion of the shape sensor 691 based on the pose data output by the pose sensor 692, and further determine the three-dimensional shape of the arm body 610 within the cavity based on the shape data output by the shape sensor 691 and the pose of at least a portion of the shape sensor 691.

[0067] It should be understood that the flexible tool 600 is not limited to the structure described above. In some embodiments, at least one shape sensor 691 may also be disposed only on the distal portion of the arm body 610 for detecting the shape of the distal portion of the arm body 610. In some embodiments, the pose sensor 691 may also be disposed on the sleeve setting portion of the arm body (e.g., Figure 2 The sleeve mounting section 217 shown is... Figure 3 The sleeve mounting section 317 shown is... Figure 6 The sleeve mounting section 617 shown is or Figure 7 The sleeve mounting portion 770 shown extends axially from the proximal end of the sleeve mounting portion to the end of the arm body. At least one pose sensor 692 may be disposed at the proximal or distal end of the shape sensor 691 to determine the pose of the shape sensor 691. Alternatively, the sensor assembly 690 may not include at least one pose sensor. In some embodiments, the flexible tool 600 may be disposed on the robotic arm (e.g., Figure 8 At the distal end of the robotic arm 870 shown, the control device can determine the pose of the base coordinate system of the arm body 610 relative to the world coordinate system based on the pose of the robotic arm, and then determine the three-dimensional shape of the arm body 610 in the cavity based on the shape data output by at least one shape sensor 691 and the pose of the base coordinate system of the arm body 610 relative to the world coordinate system.

[0068] In some embodiments, the flexible tool 600 may also exclude the sensor assembly 690. For example, the arm body 610 may be connected to an external drive device (e.g., Figure 1 At least one drive unit in the drive device 130 shown or Figure 8 The arm body 610 is connected to at least one drive unit in the drive device 850 shown, so that the pose and shape of the arm body 610 can be determined based on the drive signal of the drive device and the kinematic model of the arm body. Alternatively, the pose and shape of the arm body 610 in the cavity can be determined based on images acquired by an external image acquisition device (e.g., X-ray fluoroscopic images).

[0069] In some embodiments, the arm body (e.g., Figure 1 Arm 111 shown Figure 2 Arm 211 shown Figure 3 Arm 311 shown Figure 6 Arm 610 shown Figure 7 The arm body shown is 700 or Figure 8 The arm body 811 shown may include a deformable arm body, such as a continuous arm body. The deformable arm body may include at least one flexible segment and / or at least one rigid segment. At least one magnetic sleeve may be fitted over the outside of at least one flexible segment or at least one rigid segment.

[0070] In some embodiments, the flexible segment can be an actively bendable segment, such as a continuum segment. Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the distal structure of an arm 700 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, the arm body 700 may include at least one distal continuum segment as a flexible component, such as a distal continuum segment 710. The distal continuum segment 710 includes a distal base plate 711, a distal stop plate 712, a plurality of distal spacer plates 714, and a plurality of distal structural bones 713. The distal base plate 711 and the distal stop plate 712 are arranged at intervals, and a plurality of distal spacer plates 714 may be disposed between them. The plurality of distal structural bones 713 pass sequentially through the distal base plate 711 and the plurality of distal spacer plates 714, with their distal ends fixedly connected to the distal stop plate 712. In some embodiments, the distal ends of the plurality of distal structural bones 713 are circumferentially spaced and fixedly disposed on the distal stop plate 712. For example, the plurality of distal structural bones 713 may be evenly spaced or regularly symmetrically arranged. The plurality of distal structural bones 713 may be nickel-titanium alloy wire, stainless steel wire, etc. In some embodiments, the number of distal structural bones 713 can be four. Two structural bones, working in tandem to push and pull, enable the distal continuum segment 710 to bend in the first degree of freedom direction. The other two structural bones, also working in tandem to push and pull, enable the distal continuum segment 710 to bend in the second degree of freedom direction, thereby giving the arm body 700 at least one degree of freedom in at least one direction. In some embodiments, the number of distal structural bones 713 can also be six, eight, etc. The number of distal structural bones 713 can include, but is not limited to, the number in the above embodiments.

[0071] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, at least one distal continuum segment may include multiple distal continuum segments, such as distal continuum segments 710 and 720 connected in series. The distal base plate 711 of the distal continuum segment 710 located at the distal end can serve as the distal stop plate 722 of the distal continuum segment 720 located at the proximal end. Providing two or more distal continuum segments can increase the bending flexibility of the arm 700. Similarly, in some embodiments, the distal continuum segment 710 may include multiple distal spacer plates 714 disposed between the distal base plate 711 and the distal stop plate 712, and the distal continuum segment 720 may include multiple distal spacer plates 724 disposed between the distal base plate 721 and the distal stop plate 722. Multiple distal structural bones 713 sequentially pass through a distal base plate 721, multiple distal spacer plates 724, and a distal stop plate 722, or a distal base plate 711 and multiple distal spacer plates 714. Multiple distal structural bones 723 sequentially pass through a distal base plate 721 and multiple distal spacer plates 724. By setting multiple distal spacer plates 714 and 724, the stability of the multiple distal structural bones 713 and 723 during the push-pull process can be enhanced.

[0072] In some embodiments, the arm body 700 may further include at least one rigid segment. The at least one rigid segment may include a rigid segment (not shown) located between the distal continuum segment 710 and the distal continuum segment 720, and / or a rigid segment connected to the proximal end of the distal continuum segment 720, for example... Figure 7 The rigid segment 730 is shown. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in this document, a rigid segment refers to a segment that cannot be actively bent relative to a continuous segment. In order to adapt to the shape of a natural cavity, a rigid segment can be passively bent or rigid.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the arm body 700 may also include a cover 790. The cover 790 wraps around the outside of the arm body 700 to isolate the distal base discs 711, 721, distal stop discs 712, 722, distal spacer discs 714, 724, and distal structural bones 713, 723 from external physiological tissues. The cover 790 may be made of a medically usable material, such as a low-friction material like polytetrafluoroethylene, to allow at least one magnetic sleeve (e.g., Figure 2 The magnetic sleeve 215 shown Figure 3 The magnetic sleeve 315 shown slides freely on the surface of the cover 790, for example, sliding axially and / or rotating circumferentially relative to the arm body 700.

[0074] In some embodiments, the arm body 700 may include at least one sleeve mounting portion 770. At least one magnetic sleeve may be fitted onto at least one sleeve mounting portion 770. In some embodiments, the sleeve mounting portion 770 may include at least a portion of a flexible segment (e.g., distal continuum segment 710, distal continuum segment 720, etc.) or a rigid segment (e.g., rigid segment 730). For example, as Figure 7 As shown, the sleeve mounting portion 770 may include a portion located between the distal stop plate 712 and the distal base plate 711. Alternatively, the sleeve mounting portion 770 may be disposed between two spacers of the flexible segment, or span multiple flexible segments, such as including a portion between the distal stop plate 712 and the distal base plate 721, or the sleeve mounting portion 770 may span between the flexible segment and the rigid segment.

[0075] In some embodiments, the plurality of distal spacer disks may be formed with a diameter smaller than that of the distal stop disk and the distal base disk, and at least one magnetic sleeve is disposed between the distal stop disk and the distal base disk. In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, a plurality of distal spacer discs 714 may be formed with a diameter smaller than that of the distal base discs 711 and distal stop discs 712 located on both sides, thereby forming a sleeve mounting portion 770 with a diameter smaller than that of the other parts of the arm body 700 between the distal base discs 711 and the distal stop discs 712. At least one magnetic sleeve may be configured to be rotatably fitted onto the outside of the cover 790 wrapped around the sleeve mounting portion 770 relative to the arm body 700 in the axial and / or circumferential directions.

[0076] In some embodiments, the distal stop disc and / or distal base disc are formed as magnetic chucks for locking at least one magnetic sleeve in the axial direction of the arm body. For example, as Figure 7 As shown, the distal stop plate 712 and / or the distal base plate 711 can be formed as magnetic chucks. The flexible tool can be inserted into the cavity with the magnetic sleeve adsorbed distally on the distal stop plate 712 or proximally on the distal base plate 711. Furthermore, the magnetic sleeve can stop or adhere to the inner wall of the cavity under the action of an external magnetic field, and the arm 700 can separate the distal stop plate 712 or the distal base plate 711 from the magnetic sleeve by feeding, retracting, or rolling, thereby realizing the movement of the arm 700 within the channel formed by the magnetic sleeve.

[0077] In some embodiments, the distal stop plate 712 and / or the distal base plate 711 may be formed as electromagnetic chucks for locking or releasing at least one magnetic sleeve in the axial direction of the arm body 700. The distal stop plate 712 and / or the distal base plate 711 may each include a magnetic core, a coil wound on the magnetic core, and a wire connected to the coil. The distal stop plate 712 and the distal base plate 711 may lock the magnetic sleeve at the distal or proximal end of the sleeve mounting portion 770 in the energized state to prevent the magnetic sleeve from sliding relative to the arm body 700, or release the magnetic sleeve in the de-energized state to allow the magnetic sleeve to slide freely on the sleeve mounting portion 770.

[0078] In other embodiments, at least two of the plurality of distal spacers 714 may be formed as electromagnetic chucks for locking or releasing at least one magnetic sleeve in the axial direction of the arm body 700. The at least two distal spacers may each include a magnetic core, a coil wound around the magnetic core, and a wire connected to the coil. In some embodiments, the two distal spacers may be configured with a distance between them greater than or equal to the length of the magnetic sleeve, forming a magnetic trap structure in the energized state to lock the magnetic sleeve between the two distal spacers, preventing the magnetic sleeve from sliding relative to the arm body 700, or releasing the magnetic sleeve in the de-energized state, allowing the magnetic sleeve to slide freely on the sleeve mounting portion 770.

[0079] It should be understood that at least one sleeve placement portion 770 is not limited to being formed on the distal continuum segment 710. In some embodiments, at least one sleeve placement portion 770 may also be formed on the distal continuum segment 720. Alternatively, at least one sleeve placement portion 770 may include a plurality of sleeve placement portions, such as two sleeve placement portions, respectively disposed on the distal continuum segment 710 and the distal continuum segment 720. In some embodiments, the sleeve placement portion 770 may also be formed on a rigid segment 730 for providing a rigid magnetic sleeve, such as... Figure 2 The magnetic sleeve 215 is shown.

[0080] In some embodiments, multiple through holes (not shown in the figures) may be formed on the distal base plates 711, 721, distal stop plates 712, 722, and distal spacer plates 714, 724, respectively. These through holes may be aligned axially along the arm body 700 to form multiple passages penetrating the arm body 700. In some embodiments, the flexible tool further includes multiple channels axially penetrating the arm body 700 (e.g., Figure 6 The surgical tool channel 630, imaging tool channel 640, illumination channel 650, auxiliary channel 660, etc. shown can be accessed through a passage composed of multiple through holes and open at the distal end of the arm body 700.

[0081] In some embodiments, the arm 700 can be connected to an external drive device, for example, it can be connected to at least one drive unit in the drive device (e.g., Figure 1 At least one drive unit in the drive device 130 shown or Figure 8 At least one drive unit in the drive device 850 shown. The drive unit can be connected to multiple distal structural bones 713, 723, and by driving (e.g., pushing or pulling) the distal structural bones 713, 723, deforms the distal continuum segments 710, 720, thereby causing the arm body 700 to bend in different directions within the cavity. For example, the drive unit drives the distal structural bones 713 and / or 723 to position the distal continuum segments 710 and / or 720 as follows: Figure 7 The bending state shown.

[0082] The distal continuum structure in the arm can be represented by a kinematic model. In some embodiments, the actuation amount of multiple distal bone structures has a known mapping relationship with the joint parameters of the distal continuum segment. The joint parameters of the distal continuum segment may include the bending angle and torsional angle of the distal continuum segment. Based on the target joint parameters of the distal continuum segment and the mapping relationship, the actuation amount of multiple distal bone structures can be determined. The actuation amount of multiple distal bone structures can be understood as the length of the distal bone structure pushed or stretched when a single distal continuum segment is bent from an initial state (e.g., bending angle of 0) to a target bending angle. The control device can determine the drive signal of an external drive device based on the actuation amount of each distal bone structure.

[0083] In some embodiments, the entire arm can be described by a kinematic model. The arm can be defined according to its length into the workspace, for example, from an auxiliary connection device (e.g., Figure 1 The auxiliary connection device 150 shown or Figure 2 The auxiliary connecting device 250 shown extends into the cavity to various lengths, and the arm body has different joint parameters in different working states. For example, Figure 7 The arm 700 shown includes at least three working states. The first working state can be a state where only the distal continuum segment 710 enters the working space; the second working state can be a state where all distal continuum segments 710 and partially distal continuum segments 720 enter the working space; and the third working state can be a state where all distal continuum segments 710, all distal continuum segments 720, and partially rigid segments 730 enter the working space. In some embodiments, when the magnetic sleeve on the arm constrains the arm to the inner wall of the cavity under the action of an external magnetic field, the length of the arm entering the working space changes, thereby changing the working state of the arm. For example, as... Figure 2 As shown, when the magnetic sleeve 215 constrains the distal portion of the arm body 211 to the inner wall of the cavity 275 under the action of the external magnetic field 280, the arm body 211 will change from the second working state to the first working state. The control device can respond to the change in the working state of the arm body and generate a drive signal corresponding to the changed working state.

[0084] It should be understood that the arm of the flexible tool is not limited to the structure described above; any arm capable of receiving external drive to move within the cavity is within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the arm may also include at least one proximal continuum segment as a drive segment, which may be coupled with a distal continuum segment to form a dual continuum structure. Alternatively, the distal continuum segment may be directly connected to an external drive unit via multiple distal structural bones to directly receive external drive. Furthermore, the structure in the flexible tool for receiving external drive is not limited to the structure described above; any structure capable of receiving external drive to push or pull at least one drive structural bone is within the scope of this disclosure.

[0085] This disclosure also provides a surgical robot system. Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a surgical robot system 800 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 8 As shown, the surgical robot system 800 may include a flexible tool 810 and a robotic arm 870. The robotic arm 870 may include a distally mounted drive unit 850 connected to the arm body 811 of the flexible tool 810 for driving the arm body 811 within a cavity (e.g., Figure 1 Cavity 175 shown Figure 2 Movement within the cavity 275 shown. In some embodiments, the flexible tool 810 may be any one of the flexible tools 100 and 200 described above.

[0086] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, the drive unit 850 may include a main body assembly 851 and a motion module 852. The main body assembly 851 may include at least one drive unit (not shown) connected to the arm body 811 for driving the arm body 811 to bend. The motion module 852 is configured to be connected to the main body assembly 851 for driving the main body assembly 851 to move, such as linear motion and / or rotational motion.

[0087] In some embodiments, at least one drive unit may include a linear motion mechanism, a drive segment, or a combination of both. For example, the linear motion mechanism may be coupled to a distal bone structure (e.g., Figure 7 The distal structural bones 713 and 723 shown are connected to push or pull the distal structural bones, thereby driving the distal continuum segment (e.g., Figure 7The distal continuum segments 710 and 720 shown bend. The driving segment may include at least one proximal continuum segment. The proximal continuum segment may include a proximal stop disc, a proximal base disc, and multiple proximal structural bones, wherein one end of each proximal structural bone is fixedly connected to the proximal stop disc. The other end of each proximal structural bone of the proximal continuum segment is connected to or integrally formed with multiple distal structural bones to drive the bending of the distal continuum segment by bending of the proximal continuum segment. In some embodiments, the proximal continuum segment serving as the driving segment may also include multiple proximal spacer discs located between the proximal stop disc and the proximal base disc, through which the multiple proximal structural bones may pass.

[0088] In some embodiments, the motion module 852 may include a rotary module 8521 and a linear module 8522, wherein the rotary module 8521 is used to drive the main body assembly 851 to rotate to cause the arm 811 to roll, and the linear module 8522 is used to drive the main body assembly 851 to move linearly to cause the arm 811 to feed or retract. For example, as Figure 8 As shown, the rotary module 8521 can be fixedly connected to the drive body 851 to drive the drive body 851 to rotate, thereby causing the arm 811 to roll. Furthermore, the rotary module 8521 can be mounted on the linear module 8522 to feed or retract under the drive of the linear module 8522, thereby causing the drive body 851 and the arm 811 to move linearly. It should be understood that the motion module is not limited to the above structure. For example, the linear module can also be configured to be fixedly connected to the main body assembly and mounted on the rotary module.

[0089] In some embodiments, the surgical robot system 800 may further include a control device (not shown). The control device may be connected to the drive device 850 to drive the flexible tool 810 to move. For example, the control device may send drive signals to the drive device 850 via a CAN bus to drive the flexible tool 810 to feed, retract, bend, and / or roll within the cavity. In some embodiments, the control device may be configured to collaboratively drive at least one drive mechanism in the main body assembly 851 and the rotary module 8521 and / or linear module 8522 in the motion module 852, thereby driving the arm 811 of the flexible tool 810 to maintain its configuration during rolling and / or linear movements.

[0090] In some embodiments, the surgical robot system 800 may further include surgical tools (not shown) and / or imaging tools (not shown). The surgical tools may include a flexible tube and an end effector. The end effector may be mounted on the end of the flexible tube, which is used to move the end effector through a surgical tool channel (e.g., Figure 6The surgical tool channel 630 shown can move within the surgical tool channel. The flexible tube can be, for example, a flexible tube, a corrugated tube, or a flexible tube composed of multiple sequentially connected bends. In some embodiments, the end-effector includes at least one of a clamp, a puncture needle, a cutting device, a grinding device, a capturing device, a laser device, and a radiofrequency device. The distal end of the imaging tool can move within the imaging tool channel (e.g., Figure 6 The imaging tool channel 640 shown extends to image the cavity. In some embodiments, the imaging tool may include at least one of an optical imaging tool or an ultrasound imaging tool.

[0091] Note that the above are merely exemplary embodiments and technical principles of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, although this disclosure has been described in detail through the above embodiments, this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of this disclosure, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A flexible tool, characterized in that, include: The arm is configured to receive external drive to move within the cavity; as well as At least one magnetic element is disposed on the arm body and configured to constrain at least a portion of the arm body to the inner wall of the cavity under the action of at least one external magnetic field.

2. The flexible tool according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one magnetic element includes at least one magnetic sleeve, which is configured to be sleeved on the outside of the arm body.

3. The flexible tool according to claim 2, characterized in that, The magnetic sleeve includes a plurality of magnetic bending sections connected in series, configured to adhere to the inner wall of the cavity under the action of the external magnetic field, forming a channel for at least a portion of the arm to pass through.

4. The flexible tool according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The at least one magnetic sleeve is configured to be axially slidable and / or circumferentially rotatable relative to at least a portion of the arm.

5. The flexible tool according to claim 4, characterized in that, The arm body includes at least one sleeve mounting portion with a diameter smaller than that of other parts of the arm body, and the at least one magnetic sleeve is detachably mounted on the outside of the at least one sleeve mounting portion.

6. The flexible tool according to claim 3, characterized in that, The magnetic bending section includes: At least one connecting protrusion and at least one locking protrusion are provided at the first end; and / or At least one connecting groove and at least one locking groove are provided at the second end opposite to the first end; or The magnetic bending section includes: At least one connecting protrusion and at least one locking groove are provided at the first end; and / or At least one connecting groove and at least one locking protrusion are provided at the second end opposite to the first end.

7. The flexible tool according to claim 6, characterized in that, At least one connecting protrusion on each of two adjacent magnetic bending sections engages with at least one connecting groove, and at least one locking protrusion on each of two adjacent magnetic bending sections cooperates with at least one locking groove.

8. The flexible tool according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The at least one magnetic element further includes at least one cover, which is elastic and configured to conformally wrap around the outside of the at least one magnetic sleeve.

9. The flexible tool according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The arm body includes a deformable arm body, which includes at least one flexible segment and / or at least one rigid segment, and the at least one magnetic sleeve is sleeved on the outside of the at least one flexible segment or the at least one rigid segment.

10. The flexible tool according to claim 9, characterized in that, The at least one flexible segment includes at least one distal continuum segment, the distal continuum segment including multiple distal structural bones, a distal base plate, a distal stop plate, and multiple distal spacer plates disposed between the distal base plate and the distal stop plate. The multiple distal structural bones pass through the distal base plate and the multiple distal spacer plates and are fixedly connected at their distal ends to the distal stop plate. The proximal ends of the multiple distal structural bones are used to receive push or pull drives to drive the distal continuum segment to bend.

11. The flexible tool according to claim 10, characterized in that, The diameter of the plurality of distal spacer discs is smaller than the diameter of the distal stop disc and the distal base disc, and the at least one magnetic sleeve is disposed between the distal stop disc and the distal base disc.

12. The flexible tool according to claim 11, characterized in that, The distal stop plate and / or the distal base plate are formed as magnetic chucks for locking the at least one magnetic sleeve in the axial direction of the arm body.

13. The flexible tool according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a cover that is elastic and configured to conformally wrap around the outside of the arm body.

14. The flexible tool according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes at least one channel extending axially through the arm body, the at least one channel including a surgical tool channel for passing through at least one surgical tool and / or an imaging tool channel for passing through or setting an imaging tool.

15. The flexible tool according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a sensor assembly, which comprises: At least one shape sensor, configured to extend along the axial direction of the arm body, for generating shape data associated with the shape of the arm body; and / or At least one pose sensor, disposed on the arm body, is used to generate pose data associated with the pose of at least a portion of the arm body.

16. A surgical robot system, comprising: The flexible tool according to any one of claims 1-15; as well as A robotic arm, comprising a drive unit located at a distal end, the drive unit being connected to the arm body of the flexible tool for driving the arm body to move within a cavity.

17. The surgical robot system according to claim 16, characterized in that, The driving device includes: The main body assembly includes at least one drive unit connected to the arm body for driving the arm body to bend; and A motion module, configured to be connected to the main body component and used to drive the main body component to move, the motion module comprising: Rotary module, used to drive the main body component to rotate so as to cause the arm body to roll; and / or A linear module is used to drive the main body component to move linearly to move the arm body forward or backward.

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