End tool of surgical instrument and surgical instrument including the same
The surgical instrument's rotary knife mechanism with aligned operating unit and end tool directions addresses the lack of intuitiveness in existing designs, enhancing precision and reliability by matching operation directions, thus improving surgical efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-04
AI Technical Summary
Existing surgical instruments with bendable end tools lack intuitive operation, making it difficult for surgeons to perform precise surgical maneuvers due to mismatched directions between the operating unit and the end tool's movements.
A surgical instrument design featuring a rotary knife mechanism with independently rotatable jaws and a power transmission system that aligns the direction of the operating unit's rotation with the end tool's movement, allowing for intuitive control through a combination of pulleys, wires, and a guide portion with predetermined curvature.
Enhances surgical precision, accuracy, and reliability by ensuring the surgeon's operation direction matches the end tool's movement, reducing the likelihood of errors and improving operational speed.
Smart Images

Figure 2026035894000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to an end tool of a surgical instrument and a surgical instrument including the same, and more particularly to an end tool of a manually operable surgical instrument and a surgical instrument including the same for use in laparoscopic surgery or a variety of other surgical procedures. [Background technology]
[0002] In medicine, surgery refers to the use of medical instruments to cut or tear the skin, mucous membranes, and other tissues to treat illness. In particular, open surgery, in which the skin at the surgical site is incised and the organs inside are treated, reshaped, or removed, can cause problems such as bleeding, side effects, patient pain, and scars. Therefore, surgeries that involve making specific holes in the skin and inserting only medical instruments such as laparoscopes, surgical instruments, and microsurgical microscopes, or surgeries using robots, have recently been gaining attention as alternatives.
[0003] Surgical instruments are tools for performing surgery on a surgical site by manipulating an end tool attached to one end of a shaft that passes through a hole drilled in the skin using a predetermined drive unit, either manually by a surgeon or by a robotic arm. The end tool attached to a surgical instrument performs operations such as rotating, gripping, and cutting through a predetermined structure.
[0004] However, existing surgical instruments have a problem in that the end tool portion cannot be bent, making it difficult to approach the surgical site and perform various surgical operations. To address this problem, surgical instruments with a bendable end tool portion have been developed, but the operation of the operating unit for bending the end tool or performing a surgical operation does not intuitively match the actual operation of bending the end tool or performing a surgical operation, making it difficult for the surgeon to intuitively operate the instrument and requiring a long period of time to become skilled in using it.
[0005] The above-mentioned background art is technical information that the inventor possessed in order to derive the present invention or that he acquired in the process of deriving the present invention, but it does not necessarily constitute publicly known art that was made public to the general public prior to the filing of the present invention. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0006] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a surgical instrument that allows the bending of an actual endotool or the operation of performing a surgical operation to intuitively match the corresponding operation of an operating unit. More specifically, to this end, an endotool with various degrees of freedom, an operating unit having a structure that allows the operation of the endotool to be intuitively controlled, and a power transmission unit that transmits the driving force of the operating unit to the endotool so that the endotool can operate in accordance with the operation of the operating unit. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a rotary knives including a first jaw and a second jaw that are rotatable independently of each other; a J11 pulley coupled to the first jaw and formed to be rotatable about a first axis; a J21 pulley coupled to the second jaw and formed to be rotatable about an axis that is substantially the same as or parallel to the first axis; a pair of jaw pulley coupling parts formed to face each other, and a guide part that connects the pair of jaw pulley coupling parts, wherein at least a portion of the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley are accommodated within a space formed by the pair of jaw pulley coupling parts and the guide part. and a surgical instrument end tool including an end tool hub that can accommodate the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley, wherein a region of the guide portion adjacent to the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley has a curved cross section with a predetermined curvature; J12 pulley and J14 pulley formed on one side of the end tool hub and formed to be rotatable around a second axis that forms a predetermined angle with the first axis; and J22 pulley and J24 pulley formed on one side of the end tool hub and formed to be rotatable around an axis that is substantially the same as or parallel to the second axis.
[0008] Another embodiment of the present invention includes an end tool including a first jaw and a second jaw, each of which is rotatably formed, and which is formed to be rotatable in two or more directions; an operating unit that controls the rotation of the end tool in the two or more directions; a power transmission unit that is connected to the operating unit and includes a first jaw wire that transmits the rotation of the operating unit to the first jaw, and a second jaw wire that is connected to the operating unit and transmits the rotation of the operating unit to the second jaw; and a bending unit that extends in a first direction (X axis), has one end connected to the end tool and the operating unit connected to the other end, connects the operating unit and the end tool, and is formed to bend one or more times while connecting the end tool and the operating unit. the end tool includes an end tool hub including a pair of jaw pulley coupling portions formed to face each other and a guide portion connecting the pair of jaw pulley coupling portions, at least a portion of the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley are housed in a space formed by the pair of jaw pulley coupling portions and the guide portion, and areas of the guide portion adjacent to the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley are curved so that their cross sections have a predetermined curvature.
[0009] Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following drawings, claims, and detailed description of the invention. [Effects of the Invention]
[0010] According to the present invention as described above, the direction in which the surgeon operates the operating unit and the direction in which the end tool operates are intuitively the same, thereby improving the convenience for the surgeon and achieving the effects of improving the accuracy, reliability, and speed of the surgery. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0011] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the pitch movement of a conventional surgical instrument. [Figure 1B]FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the yaw motion of a conventional surgical instrument. [Figure 1C] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of the pitch movement of another conventional surgical instrument. [Figure 1D] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of the yaw motion of another conventional surgical instrument. [Figure 1E] 1 is a conceptual diagram of the pitch operation of a surgical instrument according to the present invention. [Figure 1F] 1 is a conceptual diagram of the yaw movement of a surgical instrument according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side view of the surgical instrument of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an end tool of the surgical instrument of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an end tool of the surgical instrument of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 5 shows an end tool hub of the surgical instrument of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an end tool of a conventional surgical instrument. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an end tool of a conventional surgical instrument. [Figure 9] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an end tool of the surgical instrument of FIG. 2. [Figure 10] 9 is a diagram comparing the endotool of a conventional surgical instrument of FIG. 8 with the endotool of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 4. [Figure 11] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modified example of the end tool of FIG. 4. [Figure 12] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an operation portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 2. [Figure 13] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an operation portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 2. [Figure 14]13 is a simplified diagram illustrating only the configuration of pulleys and wires that constitute the joints of the surgical instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 15] 13 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of pulleys and wires involved in the actuation and yaw movements of the surgical instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 12, separately for the first jaw and the second jaw. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the yaw movement of the surgical instrument of FIG. 12. [Figure 17] 13 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of pulleys and wires involved in the pitch movement of the surgical instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 12, separately for the first jaw and the second jaw. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the pitching operation of the surgical instrument of FIG. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Although the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if a detailed description of related publicly known technology is considered to be distracting from the gist of the present invention, such detailed description will be omitted.
[0013] Terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.
[0014] The terms used in this application are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expressions include the plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprise" or "have" specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and should be understood not to preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.
[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, identical or corresponding components will be given the same drawing numbers, and duplicate descriptions related thereto will be omitted.
[0016] Furthermore, in describing various embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that each embodiment does not have to be interpreted or implemented independently, but that the technical ideas described in each embodiment can be interpreted or implemented in combination with other embodiments that are individually described.
[0017] <One embodiment of surgical instruments> A feature of the surgical instruments according to the present invention is that when the operating part is rotated in one direction for at least one of pitch, yaw, and actuation movements, the end tool intuitively rotates in the same direction as the operating direction of the operating part.
[0018] FIG. 1A is a conceptual diagram of pitch motion of a conventional surgical instrument, and FIG. 1B is a conceptual diagram of yaw motion.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1A, when conventional surgical instruments perform a pitch movement, the end tool 120a is formed in front of the center of rotation 121a of the end tool, and the operating unit 110a is formed behind the center of rotation 111a of the operating unit. When the operating unit 110a is rotated clockwise, the end tool 120a also rotates clockwise, and when the operating unit 120a is rotated counterclockwise, the end tool 120a also rotates counterclockwise. 1B , in performing a yaw movement of a conventional surgical instrument, the end tool 120a is formed forward of the rotation center 121a of the end tool, and the operating unit 110a is formed rearward of the rotation center 111a of the operating unit. When the operating unit 110a is rotated clockwise, the end tool 120a also rotates clockwise, and when the operating unit 120a is rotated counterclockwise, the end tool 120a also rotates counterclockwise. In this case, from the perspective of the user's left-right direction, when the user moves the operating unit 110a to the left, the end tool 120a moves right, and when the user moves the operating unit 110a to the right, the end tool 120a moves left. As a result, the user's operation direction and the movement direction of the end tool are opposite to each other, which can lead to user errors and makes operation difficult.
[0020] FIG. 1C is a conceptual diagram of pitch motion of another conventional surgical instrument, and FIG. 1D is a conceptual diagram of yaw motion.
[0021] 1C, some conventional surgical instruments are formed in a mirror-symmetrical shape. When performing a pitch movement, the end tool 120b is formed in front of the center of rotation 121b of the end tool, and the operating unit 110b is formed behind the center of rotation 111b of the operating unit. When the operating unit 110b is rotated clockwise, the end tool 120b rotates counterclockwise, and when the operating unit 110b is rotated counterclockwise, the end tool 120b rotates clockwise. In this case, in terms of the rotational direction of the operating unit and the end tool, the direction in which the user rotates the operating unit 110b and the resulting rotational direction of the end tool 120b are opposite to each other. As a result, problems exist in that the user is confused about the operation direction, and the joint operation is not intuitive, which can lead to errors. 1D , when performing a yaw operation, the end tool 120b is formed forward of the rotation center 121b of the end tool, and the operating unit 110b is formed rearward of the rotation center 111b of the operating unit. When the operating unit 110b is rotated clockwise, the end tool 120b rotates counterclockwise, and when the operating unit 110b is rotated counterclockwise, the end tool 120b rotates clockwise. In this case, from the perspective of the rotation direction of the operating unit and the end tool, the rotation direction in which the user rotates the operating unit 110b and the resulting rotation direction of the end tool 120b are opposite to each other. As a result, there are problems in that the user is confused about the operation direction, the joint operation is not intuitive, and errors may occur. Thus, when a user performs a pitch or yaw operation on a conventional surgical instrument, the user's operation direction and the movement direction of the end tool do not match in either the rotational direction or the left-right direction. This is because the joint configuration of the endotool and the operating part differ from each other in the joint configuration of conventional surgical instruments: the endotool is formed in front of the center of rotation of the endotool, while the operating part is formed behind the center of rotation of the operating part.To solve this problem, a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 1E and 1F has a feature in which an endotool 120c is formed forward of a rotation center 121c of the endotool, and an operating unit 110c is also formed forward of a rotation center 111c of the operating unit, so that the movements of the operating unit 110c and the endotool 120c intuitively match. Expressing this characteristic differently, unlike existing examples in which the operating unit is closer to the user (i.e., farther from the endotool) than its own joint, as shown in Figures 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, the surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 1E and 1F is formed so that at least a portion of the operating unit can be closer to the endotool (than its own joint) based on its own joint at some moment or more during the operation process.
[0022] 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, the endotool is located forward of its center of rotation, while the operating unit is formed rearward of its center of rotation. Therefore, the endotool, which is fixed at its rear end and moves forward, is moved by operating the operating unit, which moves its rearward while its front end is fixed. This results in a structure that is not intuitively consistent. This creates a mismatch between the operation of the operating unit and the operation of the endotool in terms of left-right or rotational direction, which can confuse the user and make it difficult to operate the operating unit intuitively and quickly, potentially leading to errors. In contrast, in the surgical instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention, the endotool and the operating unit both move based on a center of rotation formed at their rear ends, so their operations are intuitively consistent. In other words, just as the moving parts of the end tool move based on a rotation center formed on the rear side, the moving parts of the operating unit also move based on the same rotation center formed on the rear side, so that the movements are intuitively consistent structurally. This allows the user to intuitively and quickly control the direction of the end tool, which has the advantage of significantly reducing the possibility of errors. A specific mechanism that enables this function will be described below.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a surgical instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the surgical instrument of FIG.
[0024] 2 and 3, a surgical instrument 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an operating unit 110, an end tool 120, a power transmission unit 130, and a connecting unit 140. The connecting unit 140 is formed in a hollow shaft shape, and one or more wires (not shown) are housed therein. The operating unit 110 is connected to one end of the connecting unit 140, and the end tool 120 is connected to the other end of the connecting unit 140, thereby connecting the operating unit 110 and the end tool 120. The connecting unit 140 of the surgical instrument 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a bent portion 141 is formed on the operating unit 110 side. As a result of the end of the connecting unit 140 on the operating unit 110 side being bent, the pitch operating unit 111, the yaw operating unit 112, and the actuation operating unit 113 are formed on or adjacent to an extension line of the end tool 120. From another perspective, it can also be stated that at least a portion of the pitch operation unit 111 and the yaw operation unit 112 is housed in the recess formed by the bent portion 141. Such a shape of the bent portion 141 allows the shapes and operations of the operation unit 110 and the end tool 120 to match more intuitively.
[0025] The plane on which the bent portion 141 is formed is also substantially the same plane as the pitch plane, i.e., the XZ plane in Fig. 2. By forming the bent portion 141 on substantially the same plane as the XZ plane in this way, interference between the operation units can be reduced. Here, it goes without saying that for intuitive operation of the end tool and the operation unit, configurations other than the XZ plane are possible.
[0026] The operating unit 110 is formed at one end of the connecting unit 140 and has an interface, such as a knob, stick, or lever, that can be directly operated by a surgeon, and when the surgeon operates it, the endotool 120, which is connected to the interface and inserted into the body of a surgical patient, performs a predetermined operation, thereby performing surgery. Here, in Figure 2, the operating unit 110 is illustrated as being formed in the shape of a handle that can be rotated with a finger inserted, but the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various types of operating units that can be connected to the endotool 120 and operate the endotool 120 are possible.
[0027] The endotool 120 is formed at the other end of the connecting portion 140 and is inserted into a surgical site to perform operations required for surgery. One example of such an endotool 120 is a pair of jaws 121, 122 for performing a gripping operation, as shown in FIG. 2 . However, the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various surgical devices may also be used as the endotool 120. For example, a single-arm cautery may also be used as the endotool. The endotool 120 is connected to the operating unit 110 by the power transmission unit 130, and the driving force of the operating unit 110 is transmitted via the power transmission unit 130 to perform operations required for surgery, such as gripping, cutting, and suturing.
[0028] Here, the end tool 120 of the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured to be rotatable in at least two directions. For example, the end tool 120 is configured to perform pitch movement around the Y axis of FIG. 2, as well as yaw movement and actuation movement around the Z axis of FIG. 2.
[0029] Here, the pitch movement, yaw movement, and actuation movement used in the present invention are defined as follows.
[0030] First, the pitch movement refers to the movement of the end tool 120 rotating up and down in the extension direction of the connecting portion 140 (the X-axis direction in FIG. 2), i.e., the movement of rotating around the Y-axis in FIG. 2. In other words, the end tool 120 extending from the connecting portion 140 in the extension direction of the connecting portion 140 (the X-axis direction in FIG. 2) rotates up and down around the Y-axis with respect to the connecting portion 140. Next, the yaw movement refers to the movement of the end tool 120 rotating left and right in the extension direction of the connecting portion 140 (the X-axis direction in FIG. 2), i.e., the movement of rotating around the Z-axis in FIG. 2. In other words, the yaw movement refers to the movement of the end tool 120 extending from the connecting portion 140 in the extension direction of the connecting portion 140 (the X-axis direction in FIG. 2) rotating left and right around the Z-axis with respect to the connecting portion 140. In other words, the yaw movement refers to the movement of the two jaws 121 and 122 formed on the end tool 120 rotating in the same direction with respect to each other around the Z-axis. Meanwhile, the actuation operation refers to the movement in which the end tool 120 rotates around the same rotation axis as the yaw operation, but the two jaws 121 and 122 rotate in opposite directions to each other, causing the jaws to contract and open. That is, it refers to the movement in which the two jaws 121 and 122 formed on the end tool 120 rotate in opposite directions to each other around the Z axis.
[0031] The power transmission unit 130 connects the operating unit 110 and the end tool 120 and transmits the driving force of the operating unit 110 to the end tool 120, and may include a number of wires, pulleys, links, joints, gears, etc. In the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the power transmission unit 130 also includes a pitch wire 130P, a first jaw wire 130J1, and a second jaw wire 130J2.
[0032] The operating section 110, the end tool 120, the power transmission section 130, and the like of the surgical instrument 100 shown in FIG. 2 will be described in more detail below. (end tool) Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the endotool of the surgical instrument of Figure 2, and Figure 6 is a drawing showing the endotool hub of the surgical instrument of Figure 4. Figures 7 and 8 are plan views showing the endotool of a conventional surgical instrument, and Figure 9 is a plan view showing the endotool of the surgical instrument of Figure 2. Figure 10 is a drawing comparing the endotool of the conventional surgical instrument of Figure 8 with the endotool of the surgical instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention of Figure 4, and Figure 11 is a drawing showing a modified example of the endotool of Figure 4.
[0033] 4, 5, 6, and 9, an end tool 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of jaws 121 and 122 for performing a gripping operation, i.e., a first jaw 121 and a second jaw 122. The end tool 120 also includes a J11 pulley 123J11, a J12 pulley 123J12, a J13 pulley 123J13, a J14 pulley 123J14, and a J15 pulley 123J15 involved in the rotational movement of the first jaw 121, and a J21 pulley 123J21, a J22 pulley 123J22, a J23 pulley 123J23, a J24 pulley 123J24, and a J25 pulley 123J25 involved in the rotational movement of the second jaw 122. Here, the first jaw 121, the J11 pulley 123J11, the J12 pulley 123J12, the J14 pulley 123J14, the second jaw 122, the J21 pulley 123J21, the J22 pulley 123J22, and the J24 pulley 123J24 are all formed to rotate together around the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA.
[0034] Meanwhile, a connection portion hub 142 is formed at one end of the connection portion 140 that is connected to the end tool 120. The J12 pulley 123J12, J13 pulley 123J13, J14 pulley 123J14, J15 pulley 123J15, J22 pulley 123J22, J23 pulley 123J23, J24 pulley 123J24, and J25 pulley 123J25 are connected to the connection portion hub 142.
[0035] Here, in the drawings, the facing pulleys are shown to be formed parallel to each other, but the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and each pulley may be formed in a variety of positions and sizes suitable for the configuration of the end tool.
[0036] The J11 pulley 123J11 and the J21 pulley 123J21 are formed to face each other and to be rotatable independently of each other around the jaw rotation axis 123JA. The first jaw 121 is fixedly coupled to the J11 pulley 123J11 and rotates together with the J11 pulley 123J11, and the second jaw 122 is fixedly coupled to the J21 pulley 123J21 and rotates together with the J21 pulley 123J21. The yaw and actuation movements of the end tool 120 are performed by the rotation of the J11 pulley 123J11 and the J21 pulley 123J21. That is, when the J11 pulley 123J11 and the J21 pulley 123J21 rotate in the same direction, a yaw operation is performed, and when the J11 pulley 123J11 and the J21 pulley 123J21 rotate in opposite directions, an actuation operation is performed.
[0037] Meanwhile, the end tool 120 may further include a pitch pulley 123P around which the pitch wire 130P is wound. Also, the end tool 120 may further include an end tool hub 125 that forms the base of the end tool 120 and is formed so that the J11 pulley 123J11, the J21 pulley 123J21, the pitch pulley 123P, etc. can be coupled thereto.
[0038] Here, one feature of an embodiment of the present invention is that the end tool hub 125 is formed with a guide portion 125c that functions as an auxiliary pulley. That is, the end tool hub 125 may be formed with a guide portion 125c that guides the paths of the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2. Here, the guide portion 125c is also disposed between the J11 pulley 123J11 and the J12 pulley 123J12 / J14 pulley 123J14. The guide portion 125c is also disposed between the J21 pulley 123J21 and the J22 pulley 123J22 / J24 pulley 123J24. The guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125 functions as a kind of auxiliary pulley and can change the path of the wires. The guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125 that functions as an auxiliary pulley will be described in more detail later.
[0039] The following describes the components involved in the rotation of the J11 pulley 123J11. The J12 pulley 123J12 and the J14 pulley 123J14 are disposed on one side of the J11 pulley 123J11 so as to face each other. The J12 pulley 123J12 and the J14 pulley 123J14 are formed to be rotatable independently of each other around the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA. The J13 pulley 123J13 and the J15 pulley 123J15 are disposed on one side (in the X-axis direction) of the J12 pulley 123J12 and the J14 pulley 123J14 so as to face each other. The J13 pulley 123J13 and the J15 pulley 123J15 are formed to be rotatable independently of each other around the Y-axis direction. Here, in the drawings, the J12 pulley 123J12, the J13 pulley 123J13, the J14 pulley 123J14, and the J15 pulley 123J15 are shown as being formed so as to be freely rotatable around the Y-axis direction, but the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the rotation axis of each pulley may be formed in various directions as appropriate for the configuration.
[0040] Here, the J12 pulley 123J12 and the J14 pulley 123J14 are arranged on the first side (to the right of the pitch pulley 123P when viewed in FIG. 9) of a plane that passes through the central axis (x-axis) of the connecting portion 140 and is perpendicular to the y-axis. This is because the guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125 serves as an auxiliary pulley and changes the placement path of the first jaw wire 130J1. Similarly, the J13 pulley 123J13 and the J15 pulley 123J15 are also arranged on the same side (first side) as the J12 pulley 123J12 and the J14 pulley 123J14.
[0041] Similarly, the J22 pulley 123J22 and the J24 pulley 123J24 are arranged on the second side (to the left of the pitch pulley 123P when viewed in FIG. 9) of a plane that passes through the central axis (x-axis) of the coupling portion 140 and is perpendicular to the y-axis. This is because the guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125 serves as an auxiliary pulley and changes the placement path of the second jaw wire 130J2. Similarly, the J23 pulley 123J23 and the J25 pulley 123J25 are also arranged on the same side (second side) as the J22 pulley 123J22 and the J24 pulley 123J24.
[0042] The first jaw wire 130J1 is wound in sequence so as to be in at least partial contact with the J13 pulley 123J13, the J12 pulley 123J12, the J11 pulley 123J11, the guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125, the J14 pulley 123J14, and the J15 pulley 123J15, and is configured so that the first jaw wire 130J1 rotates the pulleys and moves with the pulleys.
[0043] In detail, the first jaw wire 130J1 extends from the coupling portion 140, and is first wound around the J13 pulley 123J13 in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 5 (counterclockwise when viewed from the XZ plane), and then wound around the J12 pulley 123J12 in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 5 (clockwise when viewed from the XZ plane). Thereafter, the first jaw wire 130J1 is wound around the J11 pulley 123J11 in the direction of arrow C in Fig. 5 (counterclockwise when viewed from the XY plane), and then wound around the guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125 in the direction of arrow D in Fig. 5 (clockwise when viewed from the XY plane). Thereafter, the first jaw wire 130J1 is first wound around the J14 pulley 123J14 in the opposite direction to the direction of arrow B in Figure 5 (counterclockwise when viewed from the XZ plane), and then wound around the J15 pulley 123J15 in the opposite direction to the direction of arrow A in Figure 5 (clockwise when viewed from the XZ plane), and then pulled into the connecting portion 140.
[0044] Therefore, when the first jaw wire 130J1 is pulled in the direction of the arrow J1R in FIG. 9, the first jaw wire 130J1 rotates the J15 pulley 123J15, the J14 pulley 123J14, the J11 pulley 123J11, the J12 pulley 123J12, and the J13 pulley 123J13, and at this time, the J11 pulley 123J11 rotates in the direction of the arrow R in FIG. 9, causing the first jaw 121 to rotate together.
[0045] Conversely, when the first jaw wire 130J1 is pulled in the direction of arrow J1L in FIG. 9, the first jaw wire 130J1 rotates the J13 pulley 123J13, the J12 pulley 123J12, the J11 pulley 123J11, the J14 pulley 123J14, and the J15 pulley 123J15, and at this time, the J11 pulley 123J11 rotates in the direction of arrow L in FIG. 9, causing the first jaw 121 to rotate together.
[0046] Next, the components involved in the rotation of the J21 pulley 123J21 will be described. The J22 pulley 123J22 and the J24 pulley 123J24 are arranged on one side of the J21 pulley 123J21 so as to face each other. Here, the J22 pulley 123J22 and the J24 pulley 123J24 are formed to be rotatable independently of each other around the direction of the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA. Furthermore, the J23 pulley 123J23 and the J25 pulley 123J25 are arranged on one side (in the X-axis direction) of each of the J22 pulley 123J22 and the J24 pulley 123J24 so as to face each other. Here, the J23 pulley 123J23 and the J15 pulley 123J25 are formed to be rotatable independently of each other around the Y-axis direction. Here, in the drawings, the J22 pulley 123J22, the J23 pulley 123J23, the J24 pulley 123J24 and the J25 pulley 123J25 are shown as being formed so as to be freely rotatable around the Y-axis direction, but the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the rotation axis of each pulley may be formed in various directions as appropriate for the configuration.
[0047] The second jaw wire 130J2 is wound in sequence so as to be in at least partial contact with the J23 pulley 123J23, the J22 pulley 123J22, the J21 pulley 123J21, the guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125, the J24 pulley 123J24, and the J25 pulley 123J25, and is configured so that the second jaw wire 130J2 rotates the pulleys and moves with the pulleys.
[0048] Therefore, when the second jaw wire 130J2 is pulled in the direction of the arrow J2R in FIG. 9, the second jaw wire 130J2 rotates the J23 pulley 123J23, the J22 pulley 123J22, the J21 pulley 123J21, the J24 pulley 123J24, and the J25 pulley 123J25, and at this time, the J21 pulley 123J21 rotates in the direction of the arrow R in FIG. 9, causing the second jaw 122 to rotate together.
[0049] Conversely, when the second jaw wire 130J2 is pulled in the direction of arrow J2L in FIG. 9, the second jaw wire 130J2 rotates the J25 pulley 123J25, the J24 pulley 123J24, the J21 pulley 123J21, the J22 pulley 123J22, and the J23 pulley 123J23, and at this time, the J21 pulley 123J21 rotates in the direction of arrow L in FIG. 9, causing the second jaw 122 to rotate together.
[0050] On the other hand, if one end of the first jaw wire 130J1 is pulled toward the arrow J1R in FIG. 9 and the other end of the first jaw wire 130J1 is pulled toward the arrow J1L in FIG. 9 at the same time (i.e., if both ends of the first jaw wire 130J1 are pulled), as shown in FIG. 5, the first jaw wire 130J1 is wound around the underside of the J12 pulley 123J12 and the J14 pulley 123J14, which can rotate around the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA. As a result, the J11 pulley 123J11 to which the first jaw wire 130J1 is fixedly connected, the first jaw 121, the jaw rotation axis 123JA, the end tool hub 123a, and the second jaw 122 connected thereto all rotate together in the counterclockwise direction around the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA. As a result, the end tool 120 rotates downward while performing a pitch motion. At this time, since the second jaw 122 and the second jaw wire 130J2 fixedly connected thereto are wound around the upper side of the J22 pulley 123J22 and the J24 pulley 123J24, which can rotate around the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA, both ends of the second jaw wire 130J2 move to the opposite sides of J2L and J2R, respectively.
[0051] On the other hand, if one end of the second jaw wire 130J2 is pulled toward the arrow J2R in FIG. 9 and the other end of the second jaw wire 130J2 is pulled toward the arrow J2L in FIG. 9 at the same time, as shown in FIG. 5, the second jaw wire 130J2 is wound around the upper side of the J22 pulley 123J22 and the J24 pulley 123J24, which can rotate around the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA. Therefore, the J21 pulley 123J21 to which the second jaw wire 130J2 is fixedly coupled, the second jaw 122, the jaw rotation axis 123JA, the end tool hub 123a, and the first jaw 121 connected thereto all rotate together in the clockwise direction around the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA. As a result, the end tool 120 rotates upward while performing a pitch motion. At this time, since the first jaw 121 and the first jaw wire 130J1 fixedly connected thereto are wound around the underside of the J12 pulley 123J12 and the J14 pulley 123J14, which can rotate around the end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA, both ends of the first jaw wire 130J1 move to the opposite sides of J1L and J1R, respectively.
[0052] Meanwhile, the end tool 120 of the surgical instrument 100b of the present invention may further include a pitch pulley 123P, the operating unit 110 may further include a pitch wire end pulley 115P, and the power transmission unit 130 may further include a pitch wire 130P. In particular, the pitch pulley 123P of the end tool 120 is rotatable about an end tool pitch rotation axis 123PA and is also fixedly connected to the end tool hub 123a. Meanwhile, the pitch pulley of the operating unit is rotatable about a pitch rotation axis and is also fixedly connected to a pitch operating unit (not shown). In addition, the pitch wire 130P may serve to connect the pitch pulley 123P of the end tool 120 to the pitch pulley of the operating unit.
[0053] Therefore, when a user holds the first handle 114 of the operating unit 110 in his / her hand and rotates the first handle 114 around the pitch rotation axis 1111, the pitch pulley connected to the first handle 114 rotates around the pitch rotation axis 1111, and the rotation of the pitch pulley is transmitted to the pitch pulley 123P of the end tool 120 via the pitch wire 130P, causing the pitch pulley 123P to rotate as well. As a result, the end tool 120 performs a pitch motion while rotating.
[0054] That is, the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a pitch pulley 123P of the end tool 120, a pitch wire end pulley 115P of the operating unit 110, and a pitch wire 130P of the power transmission unit 130, and the driving force of the pitch operation unit 111 is more perfectly transmitted to the end tool 120, thereby improving operational reliability.
[0055] The end tool hub 125 will be described in more detail below, with particular emphasis placed on the guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125 that functions as an auxiliary pulley.
[0056] The end tool hub 125 includes a pair of jaw pulley coupling portions 125a and 125b, a guide portion 125c, a guide groove 125d, and a pitch pulley coupling portion 125e.
[0057] Specifically, the pair of jaw pulley coupling portions 125a, 125b are formed to face each other, and the J11 pulley 123J11 and the J21 pulley 123J21 are housed therein. Each of the jaw pulley coupling portions 125a, 125b has a through-hole formed therein, and the jaw rotation shaft 123JA passes through the jaw pulley coupling portions 125a, 125b and the J11 pulley 123J11 and the J21 pulley 123J21 to couple them together.
[0058] JPEG2026035894000002.jpg32170
[0059] From another perspective, it can be thought of as a pair of jaw pulley coupling portions 125a, 125b extending in the X-axis direction from both ends of guide portion 125c, which is formed long in the Z-axis direction.
[0060] Here, the guide portion 125c may be formed in a cylindrical shape with a substantially semicircular cross section. The semicircular portion is also disposed to protrude toward the J11 pulley 123J11 and the J21 pulley 123J21. From another perspective, the guide portion 125c may be said to protrude toward the space formed by the pair of jaw pulley coupling portions 125a, 125b and the guide portion 125c. From another perspective, the area of the guide portion 125c adjacent to the jaw pulley coupling portions 125a, 125b may be said to be curved so that its cross section has a predetermined curvature.
[0061] Or, from another perspective, the guide portion 125c can be said to function as a kind of pulley member that guides the paths of the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 by winding the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 therearound. However, here, the guide portion 125c is not a member that rotates around a predetermined axis like a pulley in the original sense, but is formed to be fixed as a part of the end tool hub 125, and it can be said that the guide portion 125c performs part of the function of a pulley by simply winding wires therearound.
[0062] Here, in the drawings, the guide portion 125c is illustrated as being formed in a cylindrical shape with a substantially semicircular cross section. That is, at least a portion of the cross section of the guide portion 125c on the XY plane is illustrated as having a predetermined arc shape. However, the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the guide portion 125c may be formed in various shapes and sizes suitable for guiding the paths of the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2, such as having a cross section formed to have a predetermined curvature, such as an ellipse or a parabola, or having corners of a polygonal prism chamfered to a certain extent.
[0063] Here, a guide groove 125d for more effectively guiding the paths of the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 may be further formed in the guide portion 125c at a portion that contacts the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2. The guide groove 125d may be formed in the form of a groove that is recessed to a certain extent from the protruding surface of the guide portion 125c.
[0064] Here, the drawings show guide groove 125d as being formed on the entire arcuate surface of guide portion 125c, but the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and if necessary, guide groove 125d may be formed on only a portion of the arcuate surface of guide portion 125c.
[0065] In this way, by further forming the guide groove 125d in the guide portion 125c, unnecessary friction between the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 can be reduced, and the durability of the wires can be improved.
[0066] A pitch pulley coupling part 125e may be further formed on the guide part 125c on the side opposite to the direction in which the jaw pulley coupling parts 125a and 125b are formed. The pitch pulley coupling part 125e is also formed in a direction parallel to the pitch pulley 123P, i.e., on the XZ plane. A through-hole is formed in the pitch pulley coupling part 125e through which the end tool pitch rotation shaft 123PA can be inserted. The end tool pitch rotation shaft 123PA may pass through the pitch pulley coupling part 125e and the pitch pulley 123P to couple the two components. Here, the pitch pulley coupling part 125e is formed to be biased to one side from the center when viewed from the XY plane, so that it is balanced overall when the pitch pulley 123P is coupled.
[0067] The role and function of the guide portion 125c will be explained in more detail below. The guide portion 125c comes into contact with the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 and changes the placement paths of the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 to a certain extent, thereby serving to increase the rotation radius of each of the first jaw 121 and the second jaw 122.
[0068] That is, as shown in FIG. 7, if an auxiliary pulley is not provided, each of the first jaw 121′ and the second jaw 122′ can only rotate up to a right angle. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, by adding a guide portion 125c to the end tool hub 125, as can be seen in FIG. 9, the maximum rotation angle can be increased by θ. This is because, when the two jaws of the end tool 120 are yaw-rotated together by about 90° in the L direction, the two jaws must open for actuation. This is because the second jaw 122 can rotate by an additional angle (θ) as shown in FIG. 9. Similarly, actuation is possible even when the two jaws are yaw-rotated in the R direction. In other words, the configuration of the guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125 has the advantage of expanding the range of yaw rotation within which actuation is possible. Furthermore, by forming the guide portion 125c on the existing end tool hub 125 without adding a separate structure such as an auxiliary pulley, the rotation range can be expanded without adding any additional parts or manufacturing processes.
[0069] 8, when a separate auxiliary pulley is provided, additional structures, such as the J16 pulley 123J16 and the J26 pulley 123J26, must be added to change the paths of the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2. This increases the number of parts, complicates the manufacturing process, and increases the length of the end tool as the size of the auxiliary pulley increases. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, by forming a guide portion 125c on the end tool hub 125, it is possible to increase the maximum rotation angle of the end tool without additional structures. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to add additional structures, the number of parts is reduced and the manufacturing process is simplified. Furthermore, since the length of the end tool is shortened as the size of the auxiliary pulley increases, the length of the end tool during pitching is shortened, making it easier to perform surgical operations in a small space.
[0070] This will be explained in more detail as follows. 7, which illustrates a case where there is no auxiliary pulley, the first jaw wire 130J1' is fixedly coupled to the J11 pulley (not shown) and the second jaw wire 130J2' is fixedly coupled to the J21 pulley 123J21', so that without the auxiliary pulleys, the J11 pulley (not shown) and the J21 pulley 123J21' can only rotate in the direction of arrow L up to line M in Fig. 7. In other words, the J11 pulley (not shown) and the J21 pulley 123J21' can only rotate up to a substantially perpendicular direction where the first jaw wire 130J1' does not separate from the fixed coupled portion 124' between the first jaw wire 130J1' and the J11 pulley 123J11'. In this case, if actuation is performed with the first jaw 121' and the second jaw 122' positioned on line M in Figure 7, the first jaw 121' can open in the R direction, but the second jaw 122' cannot rotate in the L direction beyond line M. Therefore, there is a problem in that actuation cannot be performed smoothly when the first jaw 121' and the second jaw 122' are performing a yaw movement beyond a certain angle.
[0071] To solve this problem, in the case of the conventional surgical instrument 100 shown in FIG. 8, auxiliary pulleys, a J16 pulley (not shown) and a J26 pulley 123J26", are additionally disposed on one side of the J11 pulley (not shown) and the J21 pulley 123J21". By disposing the J16 pulley (not shown) and the J26 pulley 123J26", the arrangement paths of the first jaw wire 130J1" and the second jaw wire 130J2" are changed to a certain extent, thereby changing the tangential directions of the first jaw wire 130J1" and the second jaw wire 130J2". Therefore, the fixed connection portion 124" between the second jaw wire 130J2" and the J21 pulley 123J21" rotates to the N line in FIG. 8. However, in this case, in order to change the arrangement paths of the first jaw wire 130J1" and the second jaw wire 130J2", separate structures such as a J16 pulley (not shown) and a J26 pulley 123J26" must be added and disposed, which increases the number of parts and complicates the manufacturing process. In addition, the length of the end tool increases according to the size of the auxiliary pulley, which makes it difficult to perform the operation in a small space.
[0072] To solve this problem, a surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a guide portion 125c capable of changing the wire path is formed on the inner wall of the end tool hub 125, thereby changing the wire placement path without requiring a separate structure. By forming the guide portion 125c on the end tool hub 125 and changing the placement paths of the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 to a certain extent, the tangential directions of the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 are changed, and therefore the fixed coupling portion 124 between the second jaw wire 130J2 and the J21 pulley 123J21 is rotated to line N in FIG. 9. In other words, the coupling portion between the second jaw wire 130J2 and the J21 pulley 123J21 is rotatable until it is positioned on the common inscribed line of the J21 pulley 123J21 and the J26 pulley 123J26. Similarly, the joint between the first jaw wire 130J1 and the J11 pulley 123J11 is rotatable until it is positioned on the common inscribed line of the J11 pulley 123J11 and the J16 pulley 123J16, and the rotation range in the R direction can be expanded.
[0073] In other words, the guide portion 125c causes the two first jaw wires 130J1 wound around the J11 pulley 123J11 to be perpendicular to the Y axis and arranged on one side of a plane passing through the X axis. At the same time, the guide portion 125c causes the two second jaw wires 130J2 wound around the J21 pulley 123J21 to be perpendicular to the Y axis and arranged on the other side of a plane passing through the X axis.
[0074] In other words, the J12 pulley 123J12 and the J14 pulley 123J14 are arranged on one side of a plane that is perpendicular to the Y axis and passes through the X axis, and the J22 pulley 123J22 and the J24 pulley 123J24 are arranged on the other side of a plane that is perpendicular to the Y axis and passes through the X axis.
[0075] In other words, the first jaw wire 130J1 is located on the inscribed line between the J11 pulley 123J11 and the guide portion 125c, and the rotation angle of the J11 pulley 123J11 is expanded by the guide portion 125c. Also, the second jaw wire 130J2 is located on the inscribed line between the J21 pulley 123J21 and the guide portion 125c, and the rotation angle of the J21 pulley 123J21 is expanded by the guide portion 125c.
[0076] 10(a) is a diagram showing the end tool of the conventional surgical instrument of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10(b) is a diagram comparing the end tool of the surgical instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 4.
[0077] 10(a) and 10(b), it can be seen that the length of the end tool of the surgical instrument of the present invention of FIG. 10(b), which does not have an auxiliary pulley 123J26″ and has a guide portion 125c on the inner wall of the end tool hub 125 that can change the path of the wire, is shorter by d compared to the conventional surgical instrument of FIG. 10(a) which has a separate auxiliary pulley 123J26″. This shorter end tool length, particularly in the end tool length when performing a pitch movement, clearly differentiates it from the prior art. As a result, it is easier for the surgeon to operate the instrument when performing surgery in a narrow surgical space inside the human body, and it is possible to achieve the effects of reducing side effects of surgery.
[0078] According to the present invention, the rotation radius of the first jaw 121 and the second jaw 122 is increased, thereby providing an effect of increasing the yaw operation range in which normal opening and closing actuation operations can be performed.
[0079] FIG. 11 is a view showing a modification of the end tool of FIG.
[0080] Here, the surgical instruments according to this modified example differ from the surgical instruments according to the first embodiment of the present invention in that a separate guide groove 125d (FIG. 6) is not formed in the guide portion 125c of the end tool hub 125. By not forming a separate guide groove 125d (FIG. 6), the manufacturing process is simplified and manufacturing costs are reduced.
[0081] (Operation unit) 12 is a perspective view showing the operation portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 2, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view of FIG. 12 as seen from the rear side.
[0082] 2 to 13, the operating unit 110 of the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first handle 114 that can be held by a user, an actuation operating unit 113 that controls the actuation movement of the end tool 120, a yaw operating unit 112 that controls the yaw movement of the end tool 120, and a pitch operating unit 111 that controls the pitch movement of the end tool 120.
[0083] First, to illustrate an example of how the surgical instrument 100 in Figure 2 is used, a user can hold the first handle 114 in the palm of their hand and rotate the first handle 114 around the Y-axis (i.e., pitch rotation axis 1111) to perform a pitch movement, and can rotate the first handle 114 around the Z-axis (i.e., yaw rotation axis 1121) to perform a yaw movement. In addition, a user can insert their thumb and index finger into the actuation operation unit 113 and rotate the actuation operation unit 113 to perform an actuation movement.
[0084] One feature of the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is that when the operating unit 110 is rotated in a certain direction relative to the connecting unit 140, the end tool 120 intuitively rotates in the same direction as the operating direction of the operating unit 110. In other words, when the first handle 114 of the operating unit 110 is rotated in a certain direction, the end tool 120 also intuitively rotates in the same direction as the operating direction, performing a pitch or yaw movement. Here, "intuitively the same direction" can be expanded to mean that the direction of movement of the user's finger holding the operating unit 110 and the direction of movement of the distal end of the end tool 120 are substantially the same. It goes without saying that "the same direction" does not mean a perfect match in three-dimensional coordinates. It can be understood as a similarity such that, for example, if the user's finger moves left, the distal end of the end tool 120 also moves left, and if the user's finger moves down, the distal end of the end tool 120 also moves down.
[0085] To this end, a surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the operating unit 110 and the endotool 120 are formed in the same direction with respect to a plane perpendicular to the extension axis (X-axis) of the connecting unit 140. That is, when viewed with respect to the YZ plane in FIG. 2 as a reference, the operating unit 110 extends in the +X-axis direction, and at the same time, the endotool 120 also extends in the +X-axis direction. Expressed in other words, the direction in which the endotool 120 is formed at one end of the connecting unit 140 and the direction in which the operating unit 110 is formed at the other end of the connecting unit 140 are the same with respect to the YZ plane. Expressed in other words, the operating unit 110 is formed in a direction away from the body of the user holding it, i.e., toward the side in which the endotool 120 is formed. That is, the first handle 114 and actuation rotation units 1132a, 1132b, which are grasped and moved by the user for actuation, yaw, and pitch movements, have moving parts that extend in the +X-axis direction from the rotation center of each joint for that movement. Through this, the operation unit 110 can be configured in the same way as the moving parts of the end tool 120, which extend in the +X-axis direction from the rotation center of each joint for that movement. As described with reference to FIG. 1, the operation direction of the user and the movement direction of the end tool coincide in both the rotational direction and the left-right direction, resulting in intuitively identical operations.
[0086] In particular, in the case of conventional surgical instruments, the direction in which the user operates the operating part and the actual operating direction of the end tool are different and do not intuitively match, so that it is not easy for the surgeon to operate intuitively, and it takes a long time to become skilled enough to move the end tool in the desired direction, and in some cases, malfunctions occur, causing harm to the patient.
[0087] To solve this problem, the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention intuitively aligns the operation direction of the manipulation unit 110 with the movement direction of the end tool 120. To achieve this, the manipulation unit 110 is characterized in that, like the end tool 120, the parts that actually move for the actuation, yaw, and pitch movements extend in the +X-axis direction from the rotation center of the joint corresponding to each movement. This will be explained in more detail as follows.
[0088] The first handle 114 is formed to be able to be held by a user's hand, and in particular, is formed to be able to be held by wrapping the palm of the user's hand around the first handle 114. An actuation operation unit 113 and a yaw operation unit 112 are formed on the first handle 114, and a pitch operation unit 111 may be formed on one side of the yaw operation unit 112. The other end of the pitch operation unit 111 is also connected to the bent portion 141 of the connection unit 140.
[0089] The actuation operation unit 113 includes a first actuation operation unit 113a and a second actuation operation unit 113b. The first actuation operation unit 113a includes a first actuation rotation shaft 1131a, a first actuation rotation unit 1132a, a first actuation pulley 113P1, and a first actuation gear 1134a. The second actuation operation unit 113b includes a second actuation rotation shaft 1131b, a second actuation rotation unit 1132b, a second actuation pulley 113P2, and a second actuation gear 1134b. Here, the first actuation rotation unit 1132a and the second actuation rotation unit 1132b can operate as a second handle.
[0090] Here, the actuation rotation axes 1131a and 1131b are also formed to form a predetermined angle with the XY plane on which the connecting portion 140 is formed. For example, the actuation rotation axes 1131a and 1131b may also be formed in a direction parallel to the Z axis. In this state, when the pitch operation unit 111 or the yaw operation unit 112 rotates, the coordinate system of the actuation operation unit 113 may change relatively. However, the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that the actuation rotation axes 1131a and 1131b may be formed in various directions to suit the structure of the hand of a user holding the actuation operation unit 113 according to ergonomic design.
[0091] Meanwhile, the first actuation rotating portion 1132a, the first actuation pulley 113P1, and the first actuation gear 1134a are fixedly coupled to one another and are formed to be rotatable together around the first actuation rotation shaft 1131a. Here, the first actuation pulley 113P1 can be formed of a single pulley, or can be formed of two pulleys fixedly coupled to one another.
[0092] Similarly, the second actuation rotating portion 1132b, the second actuation pulley 113P2, and the second actuation gear 1134b are fixedly coupled to one another and are formed to be rotatable together around the second actuation rotation shaft 1131b. Here, the second actuation pulley 113P2 can be formed of a single pulley, or can be formed of two pulleys fixedly coupled to one another.
[0093] Here, the first actuation gear 1134a and the second actuation gear 1134b are formed to mesh with each other, and when one side rotates, the other side rotates in the opposite direction.
[0094] The yaw operation unit 112 may include a yaw rotation shaft 1121, a first jaw-yo pulley 112P1, a second jaw-yo pulley 112P2, and a yaw frame 1123. The yaw operation unit 112 may further include a first jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S1 formed on one side of the first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 and a second jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S2 formed on one side of the second jaw-yo pulley 112P2. Here, the first jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S1 and the second jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S2 may be coupled to a pitch frame 1113, which will be described later.
[0095] In the drawings, the yaw operation unit 112 includes a first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 and a second jaw-yo pulley 112P2, and the first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 and the second jaw-yo pulley 112P2 are shown as two pulleys that are formed to face each other and are independently rotatable, but the concept of the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, one or more pulleys having the same or different diameters may be included depending on the configuration of the yaw operation unit 112.
[0096] In detail, a yaw rotation axis 1121 is formed on one side of the actuation operation unit 113 on the first handle 114. At this time, the first handle 114 is formed to be rotatable around the yaw rotation axis 1121.
[0097] Here, the yaw rotation axis 1121 may be formed to form a predetermined angle with the XY plane on which the connecting unit 140 is formed. For example, the yaw rotation axis 1121 may be formed in a direction parallel to the Z axis, and when the pitch operation unit 111 rotates in this state, the coordinate system of the yaw rotation axis 1121 may change relatively, as described above. However, the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that the yaw rotation axis 1121 may be formed in various directions to suit the structure of the user's hand holding the operation unit 110 according to ergonomic design.
[0098] Meanwhile, the first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 and the second jaw-yo pulley 112P2 are coupled to the yaw rotation shaft 1121 so as to be rotatable about the yaw rotation shaft 1121. The first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 may have a first jaw wire 130J1 wound therearound, and the second jaw-yo pulley 112P2 may have a second jaw wire 130J2 wound therearound. The first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 and the second jaw-yo pulley 112P2 are formed to face each other and are configured as two pulleys that can rotate independently. Therefore, the incoming and outgoing wires are wound around separate pulleys, respectively, and can operate without interfering with each other.
[0099] The yaw frame 1123 connects the first handle 114, the yaw rotation axis 1121, the first actuation rotation axis 1131a, and the second actuation rotation axis 1131b, so that the first handle 114, the yaw operation unit 112, and the actuation operation unit 113 rotate together around the yaw rotation axis 1121.
[0100] The pitch operation unit 111 may include a pitch rotation shaft 1111, a first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a, a first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b, a second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a, a second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b, and a pitch frame 1113. The pitch operation unit 111 may further include a first jaw pitch assist pulley-a 111S1a formed on one side of the first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a, a first jaw pitch assist pulley-b 111S1b formed on one side of the first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b, a second jaw pitch assist pulley-a 111S2a formed on one side of the second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a, and a second jaw pitch assist pulley-b 111S2b formed on one side of the second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b. The pitch operation unit 111 is connected to the bent portion 141 of the connection unit 140 via a pitch rotation shaft 1111.
[0101] In detail, the pitch frame 1113 serves as a base frame of the pitch operation unit 111, and one end of the pitch frame 1113 is rotatably coupled to the yaw rotation shaft 1121. In other words, the yaw frame 1123 is formed to be rotatable around the yaw rotation shaft 1121 relative to the pitch frame 1113.
[0102] As described above, the yaw frame 1123 connects the first handle 114, the yaw rotation shaft 1121, the first actuation rotation shaft 1131a, and the second actuation rotation shaft 1131b, and since the yaw frame 1123 is connected to the pitch frame 1113, when the pitch frame 1113 rotates around the pitch rotation shaft 1111, the yaw frame 1123, the first handle 114, the yaw rotation shaft 1121, the first actuation rotation shaft 1131a, and the second actuation rotation shaft 1131b connected to the pitch frame 1113 rotate together. In other words, when the pitch operation unit 111 rotates around the pitch rotation shaft 1111, the actuation operation unit 113 and the yaw operation unit 112 rotate together with the pitch operation unit 111. In other words, when the user pitches the first handle 114 around the pitch rotation axis 1111, the actuation operation unit 113, the yaw operation unit 112, and the pitch operation unit 111 move together.
[0103] A pitch rotation shaft 1111, a first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a, a first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b, a second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a, and a second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b are coupled to the pitch frame 1113. At this time, the first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a, the first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b, the second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a, and the second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b are coupled to the pitch rotation shaft 1111 so as to be rotatable around the pitch rotation shaft 1111.
[0104] Here, the first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a and the first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b are formed to face each other and to be able to rotate independently. Therefore, the incoming wire and the outgoing wire are wound around separate pulleys, respectively, and can operate without interfering with each other. Similarly, the second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a and the second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b are also formed to face each other and to be able to rotate independently. Therefore, the incoming wire and the outgoing wire are wound around separate pulleys, respectively, and can operate without interfering with each other.
[0105] 13, the pitch wire end pulley 115P is fixedly coupled to the pitch frame 1113 and rotates therewith. The pitch wire 130P passes through the pitch wire auxiliary pulley 115S and the pitch wire end pulley 115P and is fixedly coupled to the pitch frame 1113. As a result, the pitch frame 1113 and the pitch wire end pulley 115P can rotate together around the pitch rotation axis 1111 due to pitch rotation.
[0106] The operation of the pitch wire 130P is as follows. The end tool 120 is formed with a pitch pulley 123P fixedly coupled to the end tool hub 123a, and the operating unit 110 is formed with a pitch wire end pulley 115P, which are connected to each other by a pitch wire 130P, so that the pitch operation of the operating unit 110 can more easily perform the pitch movement of the end tool. Here, both end portions of the pitch wire 130P are fixedly coupled to the pitch frame 1113 via the corresponding pitch wire auxiliary pulley 115S and pitch wire end pulley 115P, and each pitch wire end pulley 115P is also fixedly coupled to the pitch frame 1113. That is, the pitch rotation of the operating unit causes the pitch frame 1113 and the pitch wire end pulley 115P to rotate together around the pitch rotation axis 1111, and as a result, both sides of the pitch wire 130P also move in opposite directions, making it possible to transmit additional pitch rotation power in addition to the pitch movement of the end tool by the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2.
[0107] The connection relationships between the first handle 114 and the pitch operation unit 111, yaw operation unit 112, and actuation operation unit 113 can be summarized as follows: Actuation rotation shafts 1131a and 1131b, a yaw rotation shaft 1121, and a pitch rotation shaft 1111 may be formed on the first handle 114. In this case, the actuation rotation shafts 1131a and 1131b are formed directly on the first handle 114, so the first handle 114 and the actuation operation unit 113 are also directly connected. On the other hand, the yaw rotation shaft 1121 is formed directly on the first handle 114, so the first handle 114 and the yaw operation unit 112 are also directly connected. Meanwhile, since the pitch operation unit 111 is formed on one side of the yaw operation unit 112 so as to be connected to the yaw operation unit 112, the pitch operation unit 111 is not directly connected to the first handle 114, but the pitch operation unit 111 and the first handle 114 are also formed so as to be indirectly connected via the yaw operation unit 112.
[0108] Continuing to refer to the drawings, in a surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the pitch operation unit 111 and the endotool 120 are formed on the same or parallel axis (X-axis). That is, the pitch rotation axis 1111 of the pitch operation unit 111 is formed at one end of the bent portion 141 of the connecting portion 140, and the endotool 120 is formed at the other end of the connecting portion 140.
[0109] One or more intermediate pulleys MP for changing or guiding the wire path may be disposed in the middle of the connecting portion 140, particularly at the bent portion 141. At least a portion of the wire is wound around such intermediate pulleys MP, and by guiding the wire path, the wire can be arranged along the bent shape of the bent portion 141.
[0110] Here, in the drawings, connecting portion 140 is shown as having bent portion 141 and being curved to have a predetermined curvature, but the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and connecting portion 140 may be formed straight or bent one or more times as necessary, and even in such cases, it can be said that pitch operation portion 111 and end tool 120 are formed on substantially the same or parallel axes. Also, in Fig. 3, pitch operation portion 111 and end tool 120 are shown as being formed on axes parallel to the X axis, but the concept of the present invention is not limited thereto, and pitch operation portion 111 and end tool 120 may also be formed on axes different from each other.
[0111] The actuation operation, yaw operation, and pitch operation in this embodiment will be described as follows. First, the actuation operation is as follows. When a user inserts their index finger into the first actuation rotating portion 1132a and their thumb into the second actuation rotating portion 1132b and uses one or both fingers to rotate the actuation rotating portions 1132a and 1132b, the first actuation pulley 113P1 and first actuation gear 1134a, which are fixedly connected to the first actuation rotating portion 1132a, rotate around the first actuation rotation axis 1131a, and the second actuation pulley 1133b and second actuation gear 1134b, which are fixedly connected to the second actuation rotating portion 1132b, rotate around the second actuation rotation axis 1131b. At this time, the first actuation pulley 113P1 and the second actuation pulley 113P2 rotate in opposite directions, and therefore the first jaw wire 130J1, one end of which is fixedly connected and wound around the first actuation pulley 113P1, and the second jaw wire 130J2, one end of which is fixedly connected and wound around the second actuation pulley 113P2, also move in opposite directions. This rotational force is then transmitted to the end tool 120 via the power transmission unit 130, causing the two jaws 121 and 122 of the end tool 120 to perform an actuation operation. Here, the actuation operation refers to the operation of opening and closing the jaws 121 and 122 as the two jaws 121 and 122 rotate in opposite directions, as described above. In other words, when the actuation rotating portions 1132a and 1132b of the actuation operating portion 113 are rotated in a direction that brings them closer to each other, the first jaw 121 rotates counterclockwise and the second jaw 122 rotates clockwise, thereby closing the end tool 120; when the actuation rotating portions 1132a and 1132b of the actuation operating portion 113 are rotated in a direction that brings them farther away from each other, the first jaw 121 rotates clockwise and the second jaw 122 rotates counterclockwise, thereby opening the end tool 120.In this embodiment, for the above-described actuation operation, a first actuation rotating portion 1132a and a second actuation rotating portion 1132b are provided to form a second handle that is gripped and operated with two fingers. However, the configuration of the actuation operating portion 113 for the actuation operation that opens and closes the two jaws of the end tool 120 relative to each other may be different from that described above, and other modified examples, such as a configuration in which two actuation pulleys (first actuation pulley 113P1 and second actuation pulley 113P2) operate in opposite directions in one actuation rotating portion, are also fully possible.
[0112] Next, the yaw motion is as follows: When a user rotates the first handle 114 about the yaw rotation axis 1121 while gripping the first handle 114, the actuation operation unit 113 and the yaw operation unit 112 perform yaw rotation about the yaw rotation axis 1121. That is, when the first actuation pulley 113P1 of the first actuation operation unit 113a to which the first jaw wire 130J1 is fixedly coupled rotates about the yaw rotation axis 1121, the first jaw wire 130J1 wound around the first jaw-yaw pulley 112P1 moves. Similarly, when the second actuation pulley 113P2 of the second actuation operation unit 113b to which the second jaw wire 130J2 is fixedly coupled rotates about the yaw rotation axis 1121, the second jaw wire 130J2 wound around the second jaw-yaw pulley 112P2 moves. At this time, the first jaw wire 130J1 connected to the first jaw 121 and the second jaw wire 130J2 connected to the second jaw 122 are wound around the first jaw yaw pulley 112P1 and the second jaw yaw pulley 112P2 so that the first jaw 121 and the second jaw 122 rotate in the same direction during yaw rotation. Then, such rotational force is transmitted to the end tool 120 via the power transmission unit 130, and the two jaws 121 and 122 of the end tool 120 perform a yaw operation in which they rotate in the same direction.
[0113] At this time, the yaw frame 1123 connects the first handle 114, the yaw rotation axis 1121, the first actuation rotation axis 1131a, and the second actuation rotation axis 1131b, so that the first handle 114, the yaw operation unit 112, and the actuation operation unit 113 rotate together around the yaw rotation axis 1121.
[0114] Next, the pitch operation is as follows: When a user rotates first handle 114 around pitch rotation axis 1111 while gripping first handle 114, actuation operation unit 113, yaw operation unit 112, and pitch operation unit 111 perform pitch rotation around pitch rotation axis 1111. In other words, when first actuation pulley 113P1 of first actuation operation unit 113a to which first jaw wire 130J1 is fixedly coupled rotates around pitch rotation axis 1111, first jaw wire 130J1 wound around first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a and first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b moves. Similarly, when the second actuation pulley 113P2 of the second actuation operation unit 113b, to which the second jaw wire 130J2 is fixedly coupled, rotates about the pitch rotation axis 1111, the second jaw wire 130J2 wound around the second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a and the second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b moves. At this time, as described with reference to Fig. 9, the first jaw wire 130J1 and the second jaw wire 130J2 are wound around the first jaw pitch pulleys 111P1a, 111P1b and the second jaw pitch pulleys 111P2a, 111P2b so that the two first jaw wires 130J1 move in the same direction and the two second jaw wires 130J2 move in the same direction, thereby enabling the first jaw 121 and the second jaw 122 to perform pitch rotation. Such a rotational force is transmitted to the end tool 120 via the power transmission unit 130, and the two jaws 121 and 122 of the end tool 120 perform a pitch motion.
[0115] At this time, the pitch frame 1113 is connected to the yaw frame 1123, and the yaw frame 1123 connects the first knob 114, the yaw rotation shaft 1121, the first actuation rotation shaft 1131a, and the second actuation rotation shaft 1131b, so when the pitch frame 1113 rotates around the pitch rotation shaft 1111, the yaw frame 1123, the first knob 114, the yaw rotation shaft 1121, the first actuation rotation shaft 1131a, and the second actuation rotation shaft 1131b connected to the pitch frame 1113 rotate together. In other words, when the pitch operation unit 111 rotates around the pitch rotation shaft 11111, the actuation operation unit 113 and the yaw operation unit 112 rotate together with the pitch operation unit 111.
[0116] In summary, the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a pulley is formed at each joint point (actuation joint, yaw joint, pitch joint), a wire (first jaw wire or second jaw wire) is wound around the pulley, and rotational operation of the operating unit (actuation rotation, yaw rotation, pitch rotation) causes movement of each wire, thereby inducing a desired movement of the end tool 120. Furthermore, an auxiliary pulley is formed on one side of each pulley, and these auxiliary pulleys eliminate the need to wind the wire multiple times around one pulley.
[0117] Figure 14 is a diagram simply illustrating only the configuration of pulleys and wires that constitute the joints of the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 12. In Figure 14, intermediate pulleys for changing the route of the wires, which are not related to the joint operation, are omitted.
[0118] Referring to FIG. 14, the operating unit 110 may include a first actuation pulley 113P1 related to the rotational movement of the first jaw 121, a first jaw-yo pulley 112P1, a first jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S1, a first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a, a first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b, a first jaw pitch auxiliary pulley-a 111S1a, and a first jaw pitch auxiliary pulley-b 111S1b.
[0119] The operating unit 110 may also include a second actuation pulley 113P2, a second jaw-yo pulley 112P2, a second jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S2, a second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a, a second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b, a second jaw pitch auxiliary pulley-a 111S2a, and a second jaw pitch auxiliary pulley-b 111S2b, which are involved in the rotational movement of the second jaw 122 (since the arrangement and configuration of each pulley in the operating unit 100 are fundamentally the same as the arrangement and configuration of each pulley in the end tool 120, some of the specific notations of the drawing symbols in the drawings will be omitted).
[0120] The first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 and the second jaw-yo pulley 112P2 are also formed to be independently rotatable around the yaw rotation axis 1121. In this case, the first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 and the second jaw-yo pulley 112P2 are formed to face each other and are also formed as two pulleys that are independently rotatable.
[0121] The first jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S1 and the second jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S2 are also formed to be independently rotatable around the same axis. The first jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S1 is also formed of two pulleys that face each other and are independently rotatable, with the two pulleys having different diameters. Similarly, the second jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S2 is also formed of two pulleys that face each other and are independently rotatable, with the two pulleys having different diameters.
[0122] The first jaw pitch assist pulley-a 111S1a, the first jaw pitch assist pulley-b 111S1b, the second jaw pitch assist pulley-a 111S2a, and the second jaw pitch assist pulley-b 111S2b are formed to be rotatable independently of one another about the same axis. The first jaw pitch assist pulley-a 111S1a and the first jaw pitch assist pulley-b 111S1b are formed to have different diameters. The second jaw pitch assist pulley-a 111S2a and the second jaw pitch assist pulley-b 111S2b are also formed to have different diameters.
[0123] The first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a, the first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b, the second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a, and the second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b are also formed so as to be rotatable independently of each other around the pitch rotation axis 1111, which is an axis.
[0124] The first jaw wire 130J1 passes through the first jaw pitch pulley-a 111P1a, the first jaw pitch auxiliary pulley-a 111S1a, the first jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S1, and the first jaw-yo pulley 112P1 of the operating unit 110 in this order, is wound around the first actuation pulley 113P1, and then passes through the first jaw-yo pulley 112P1, the first jaw-yo auxiliary pulley 112S1, the first jaw pitch auxiliary pulley-b 111S1b, and the first jaw pitch pulley-b 111P1b in this order, and the first jaw drive wire 130J1 is configured to move along with the pulleys while rotating them. In this case, the first jaw wire 130J1 may be fixedly coupled to one point of the first actuation pulley 113P1.
[0125] The second jaw wire 130J2 passes through the second jaw pitch pulley-a 111P2a, the second jaw pitch auxiliary pulley-a 111S2a, the second jaw pitch auxiliary pulley 112S2, and the second jaw pitch pulley 112P2 of the operating unit 110 in this order, is wound around the second actuation pulley 113P2, and then passes through the second jaw pitch pulley 112P2, the second jaw pitch auxiliary pulley 112S2, the second jaw pitch auxiliary pulley-b 111S2b, and the second jaw pitch pulley-b 111P2b in this order, and the second jaw wire 130J2 is configured to move along with the pulleys while rotating them. In this case, the second jaw wire 130J2 may be fixedly coupled to one point of the second actuation pulley 113P2.
[0126] Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of pulleys and wires associated with the actuation and yaw movements of the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 12, separately for the first and second jaws. Figure 15(a) is a diagram illustrating only the pulleys and wires associated with the second jaw, and Figure 15(b) is a diagram illustrating only the pulleys and wires associated with the first jaw. Figure 16 is a perspective view illustrating the yaw movement of the surgical instrument of Figure 12.
[0127] First, the wire operation of the actuation operation will be described. Referring to Figure 15(b), when the first actuation rotating part 1132a rotates in the direction of the arrow OPA1 around the first actuation rotating axis 1131a, the first actuation pulley 113P1 connected to the first actuation rotating part 1132a rotates, and the two first jaw wires 130J1 wound around the first actuation pulley 113P1 move in the directions of W1a and W1b, respectively, and as a result, the first jaw 121 of the operating part rotates in the direction of the arrow EPA1.
[0128] 15(a), when the second actuation rotating portion 1132b rotates in the direction of the arrow OPA2 around the second actuation rotation axis 1131b, the second actuation pulley 113P2 connected to the second actuation rotating portion 1132b rotates, and the two second jaw wires 130J2 wound around the second actuation pulley 113P2 move in the directions of W2a and W2b, respectively, resulting in the second jaw 122 of the operating portion rotating in the direction of the arrow EPA2. Therefore, when the user operates the first actuation rotating portion 1132a and the second actuation rotating portion 1132b in directions that bring them closer to each other, the first jaw 121 and the second jaw 122 of the end tool move closer to each other.
[0129] Next, the wire operation for yaw movement will be described. First, the yaw rotation axis 1121, the first actuation rotation axis 1131a, and the second actuation rotation axis 1131b are connected by the yaw frame 1123 (Figure 12), so the yaw rotation axis 1121, the first actuation rotation axis 1131a, and the second actuation rotation axis 1131b rotate together as a unit.
[0130] Referring to Figure 15(b), when the first handle 114 is rotated in the direction of the arrow OPY1 around the yaw rotation axis 1121, the first actuation pulley 113P1, the first jaw yaw pulley 112P1, and the first jaw wire 130J1 wound around them all rotate around the yaw rotation axis 1121. As a result, the two first jaw wires 130J1 wound around the first jaw yaw pulley 112P1 move in the directions of W1a and W1b, respectively, and as a result, the first jaw 121 of the end tool 120 rotates in the direction of the arrow EPY1.
[0131] Referring to Figure 15(a), when the first handle 114 is rotated in the direction of the arrow OPY2 around the yaw rotation axis 1121, the second actuation pulley 113P2, the second jaw yaw pulley 112P2, and the second jaw wire 130J2 wound therearound rotate as a whole around the yaw rotation axis 1121. As a result, the two second jaw wires 130J2 wound around the second jaw yaw pulley 112P2 move to the opposite side of W1a and the opposite side of W1b, respectively, and as a result, the first jaw 121 of the end tool 120 rotates in the direction of the arrow EPY2.
[0132] Figure 17 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of pulleys and wires associated with the pitch movement of the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 12, separately for the first and second jaws. Figure 17(a) is a diagram illustrating only the pulleys and wires associated with the second jaw, and Figure 17(b) is a diagram illustrating only the pulleys and wires associated with the first jaw. As shown in Figure 14, there are two pulleys associated with the pitch movement, and two wires of each are wound along the same path, which are represented by a single line in Figure 17. Figure 18 is a perspective view illustrating the pitch movement of the surgical instrument of Figure 12.
[0133] 17(b), when the first handle 114 is rotated in the direction of arrow OPP1 around the pitch rotation axis 1111, the first actuation pulley 113P1, first jaw pitch assist pulleys 111S1a and 111S1b, first jaw pitch pulleys 111P1a and 111P1b, and the first jaw wire 130J1 wound thereon rotate as a whole around the pitch rotation axis 1111. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the two first jaw wires 130J1 are wound on the upper sides of the first jaw pitch pulleys 111P1a and 111P1b, and therefore move toward the arrow W1 side. As a result, as described with reference to FIG. 5, the first jaw 121 of the end tool 120 rotates in the direction of arrow EPP1.
[0134] 17(a), when the first handle 114 is rotated in the direction of arrow OPP2 around the pitch rotation axis 1111, the second actuation pulley 113P2, the second jaw pitch assist pulleys 111S2a and 111S2b, the second jaw pitch pulleys 111P2a and 111P2b, and the second jaw wire 130J2 wound thereon rotate as a whole around the pitch rotation axis 1111. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the two second jaw wires 130J2 are wound below the second jaw pitch pulleys 111P2a and 111P2b, and therefore move toward the arrow W2 side. As a result, as described with reference to FIG. 5, the second jaw 122 of the end tool 120 rotates in the direction of arrow EPP2.
[0135] Therefore, the operating principle of Figures 12 and 13, which show one embodiment, can be explained through Figures 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, and actuation operation, yaw operation, and pitch operation can be performed independently of each other.
[0136] As explained in FIG. 1, the actuation operation unit 113, yaw operation unit 112, and pitch operation unit 111 have their own rotation axes located at the rear of each operation unit, and are configured in the same manner as the joint configuration of the end tool, allowing the user to intuitively perform consistent operations.
[0137] In particular, the surgical instrument 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a pulley is formed at each joint point (actuation joint, yaw joint, pitch joint), and a wire (first jaw wire or second jaw wire) is wound around the pulley, and rotation of the operating unit (actuation rotation, yaw rotation, pitch rotation) causes movement of each wire, thereby inducing the desired movement of the end tool 120. Furthermore, an auxiliary pulley is formed on one side of each pulley, and these auxiliary pulleys eliminate the need to wind the wire multiple times around one pulley, prevent the wires wound around the pulleys from contacting each other, and safely form paths for the wires wound into and out of the pulleys, thereby improving the safety and efficiency of wire power transmission.
[0138] Meanwhile, as described above, the yaw operation unit 112 and the actuation operation unit 113 are formed directly on the first handle 114. Therefore, if the first handle 114 rotates around the pitch rotation axis 1111, the yaw operation unit 112 and the actuation operation unit 113 also rotate together with the first handle 114. As a result, the coordinate systems of the yaw operation unit 112 and the actuation operation unit 113 are not fixed, but rather continuously change relative to each other as the first handle 114 rotates. That is, in FIG. 2 and other figures, the yaw operation unit 112 and the actuation operation unit 113 are illustrated as being parallel to the Z axis. However, if the first handle 114 rotates, the yaw operation unit 112 and the actuation operation unit 113 will no longer be parallel to the Z axis. That is, the coordinate system between the yaw operation unit 112 and the actuation operation unit 113 is changed by the rotation of the first handle 114. However, for the sake of convenience, unless otherwise specified, the coordinate system between the yaw operation unit 112 and the actuation operation unit 113 is described in this specification based on the state in which the first handle 114 is positioned perpendicular to the connecting part 140, as shown in FIG.
[0139] As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but these are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and variations of the embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the technical ideas of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]
[0140] In accordance with the present invention, an end tool for a surgical instrument and a surgical instrument including the end tool are provided, and embodiments of the present invention may be applied to manually actuated surgical instruments, such as those used in industrial laparoscopic surgery or a variety of other surgical procedures.
Claims
1. an end tool including a first jaw and a second jaw, each of which is rotatably formed, and which is rotatable in two or more directions; an operation unit for controlling rotation of the end tool in the two or more directions; a power transmission unit including a first jaw wire connected to the operating unit to transmit rotation of the operating unit to the first jaw, and a second jaw wire connected to the operating unit to transmit rotation of the operating unit to the second jaw; a connecting portion extending in a first direction (X-axis), having one end to which the end tool is coupled and the other end to which the operating portion is coupled, connecting the operating portion and the end tool, and including a bending portion formed to be bent one or more times while connecting the end tool and the operating portion, The end tool is a pair of jaw pulley coupling portions formed to face each other; an end tool hub including a guide portion that connects the pair of jaw pulley coupling portions; a J11 pulley coupled to the first jaw and configured to be rotatable around a first axis; a J21 pulley coupled to the second jaw and configured to be rotatable about an axis substantially the same as or parallel to the first axis.
2. 2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley are housed within a space formed by the pair of jaw pulley coupling portions and the guide portion, and a region of the guide portion adjacent to the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley is curved so that a cross section on a plane perpendicular to the first axis has a predetermined curvature.
3. The end tool is a J12 pulley and a J14 pulley formed on one side of the end tool hub and rotatable about a second axis formed substantially perpendicular to the first axis; a J22 pulley and a J24 pulley formed on one side of the end tool hub and rotatable about an axis substantially the same as or parallel to the second axis, The guide portion is formed in the first axial direction, 2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of jaw pulley coupling portions extends from both ends of the guide portion in a third axial direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis and substantially perpendicular to the second axis.
4. The first jaw wire is formed to contact the J12 pulley, the J11 pulley, the guide portion, and the J14 pulley in sequence, The surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the second jaw wire is formed to contact the J22 pulley, the J21 pulley, the guide portion, and the J24 pulley in sequence.
5. the first jaw wire is wound around the J11 pulley in the first direction and then wound around the guide portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the second jaw wire is wound around the J21 pulley in the second direction and then wound around the guide portion in the first direction.
6. a coupling hub rotatable about the second axis relative to the end tool hub is formed on one side of the end tool hub; The connection hub has: a J13 pulley and a J15 pulley formed to be rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the second axis; 4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein a J23 pulley and a J25 pulley are formed to be rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the second axis.
7. the first jaw wire is wound around the J13 pulley in one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction, and then wound around the J12 pulley in the other direction opposite to the one direction, The surgical instrument according to claim 6, wherein the second jaw wire is wound around the J23 pulley in the other direction and then wound around the J22 pulley in the one direction.
8. two of the first jaw wires wound around the J11 pulley by the guide unit are perpendicular to the second axis and disposed on one side of a plane passing through the first axis; 4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the guide portion causes two of the second jaw wires wound around the J21 pulley to be perpendicular to the second axis and disposed on the other side of a plane passing through the first axis.
9. the first jaw wire is located on an inscribed line of the J11 pulley and the guide portion, The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the second jaw wire is positioned on an inscribed line of the J21 pulley and the guide portion.
10. The first jaw wire passes through the J11 pulley and the guide portion so as to be inscribed therein, 2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the second jaw wire passes through the J21 pulley and the guide portion so as to be inscribed within the pulley and the guide portion.
11. 2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the guide portion further includes one or more guide grooves formed by recessing a surface of the guide portion to accommodate at least a portion of the first jaw wire or the second jaw wire.
12. 2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein a region of the guide portion adjacent to the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley is curved so that a cross section on a plane perpendicular to the first axis has a curvature.
13. 2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a cross section of the guide portion in a direction perpendicular to the first axis is formed to include an arc shape.
14. 2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the surfaces of the guide portion facing the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley are formed to protrude toward the J11 pulley and the J21 pulley to a certain extent.
15. The J12 pulley and the J14 pulley are perpendicular to the second axis and are disposed on one side of a plane passing through the first axis, 4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the J22 pulley and the J24 pulley are perpendicular to the second axis and are disposed on the other side of a plane passing through the first axis.
16. The surgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first jaw wire and the second jaw wire are formed to contact at least a portion of the guide portion.