Active Surgical Instrument Positioning Device for Compact Robotic Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical robot systems for minimally invasive surgery require large installation spaces and cannot reposition patients during procedures, limiting flexibility and instrument movement.
Innovation Solution
An active positioning device with a carrier plate, port mechanism, guide device, and adjustable actuators that allow surgical instruments to move in multiple degrees of freedom, including x, y, and z directions, using a compensating element and actuating drives, enabling variable angle settings and independent positioning, thus reducing the need for extensive robot arms and allowing patient repositioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If robot arms with passive prepositioning and active moving mechanisms are used, then surgical instruments can be positioned and moved about a pivot point, but large installation space is required
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical robot system is divided into multiple independent mobile robotic units, each capable of performing positioning and instrument manipulation functions. This segmentation eliminates the need for large stationary robot arms while maintaining full surgical capability through coordinated movement of smaller modular units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static robot arms to dynamically mobile robotic units that can move freely within the surgical field. The mobile units can reposition themselves adaptively during surgery, providing the necessary degrees of freedom for instrument manipulation without requiring large fixed installation spaces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If robot arms are used for each surgical instrument, then multiple instruments can be controlled, but the motion sequences can lead to collisions
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple mobile robotic units can dynamically adjust their positions and motion paths in real-time, allowing them to navigate around each other and avoid collisions while maintaining coordinated control of multiple surgical instruments. The mobility enables adaptive path planning that static robot arms cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized control system acts as an intermediary, coordinating the motion sequences of multiple robotic units to ensure they operate harmoniously without collisions. The control logic manages the complex interactions between units, allocating space and time for each instrument's movement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the patient position is fixed before surgery, then the surgical setup is stable, but repositioning the patient during surgery is near impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robotic units can dynamically reposition themselves relative to the patient during surgery, enabling patient repositioning without requiring the entire surgical setup to be fixed. The mobility of the robotic units provides adaptability while maintaining operational stability through coordinated control.
4Measurement precision
If large robot arms are used for instrument positioning, then precise positioning is achieved, but the system requires extensive installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning function is segmented across multiple mobile robotic units rather than requiring a single large stationary arm. Each unit contributes to the overall positioning precision through coordinated movement, achieving accurate instrument placement without the space requirements of traditional large robot arms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical advantage of large stationary robot arms with a combination of mobile robotic units equipped with sensors, actuators, and intelligent control algorithms. This substitution maintains positioning precision while dramatically reducing installation space requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact and flexible surgical robot system that allows for patient repositioning during surgery, reducing biomechanical stress and improving instrument maneuverability, while minimizing the need for extensive installation space.
Implementation Method 1
the compensating element is particularly made from elastic material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an active positioning device for a surgical instrument arranged on a robot arm, comprising a carrier plate (3, 33), which can be connected with a robot arm (1, 31), a port mechanism (4, 34), which is arranged on carrier plate (3, 33) and intended as entry point into the interior of a body, at least one guide device (6, 36, 59) for insertion of a surgical instrument (8, 38, 61) into the body, whereby the shaft of surgical (8, 38, 61) instrument extends through guide device (6, 36, 59) and whereby guide device (6, 36, 59) is variably connected to port mechanism (4, 34) via a compensating element (5, 35) and an adjustment device (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67) for guide device (6, 36, 59) opposite port mechanism (4, 34), which is arranged on carrier plate (3, 33) and/or port mechanism (4, 34) on the one hand and guide device (6, 36, 59) on the other hand, in such a way that the shaft of surgical instrument (8, 38, 61) is movable both in x-direction and y-direction in relation to the starting position, in which the longitudinal extension of the surgical instrument runs parallel to the longitudinal extension of port mechanism (4, 34).