Compact Robotic Joint With 3-DOF Nested Driveshafts for MIS Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive surgical technologies, such as laparoscopy and robotic systems like the da Vinci Surgical System, are limited by mobility restrictions, visual feedback, and high costs, making them unsuitable for complex surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A robotic device with a compact joint design featuring three degrees of freedom, utilizing nested driveshafts and bevel gear sets to enable enhanced mobility and flexibility within a body cavity, allowing for improved surgical precision and reduced size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional robotic systems like the da Vinci Surgical System are used, then surgical capabilities are provided, but the systems are very large, very expensive, and require large access ports
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing multiple driveshafts within each other in a concentric arrangement. The first driveshaft contains the second driveshaft, which contains the third driveshaft, allowing three degrees of freedom to be achieved within a compact volume. This nested configuration enables the robotic arm to achieve complex motion capabilities without requiring a large system footprint or large access ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a planar or single-dimensional actuation approach to a three-dimensional concentric arrangement of driveshafts. By organizing the driveshafts in three spatial dimensions (concentrically nested), the system achieves three degrees of freedom within a compact volume, effectively using dimensional space to resolve the contradiction between capability and size.
2Ease of operation
If rigid tools are used for minimally invasive procedures, then access ports are required, but mobility is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the robotic arm flexible and articulating through multiple degrees of freedom. The concentric driveshafts enable the arm to dynamically adjust its configuration and navigate through the body cavity with enhanced mobility, transforming the rigid tool approach into a dynamically adaptable robotic system that can move freely without large access ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested driveshaft configuration allows the robotic arm to achieve complex articulated motion within a compact structure. This nesting enables the arm to bend and articulate in multiple directions, providing mobility comparable to or exceeding traditional rigid tools while requiring only small access ports for insertion.
3Ease of operation
If compact joint design is implemented, then mobility is enhanced, but the complexity of internal components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the complexity issue by using a nested concentric arrangement of driveshafts rather than separate parallel components. This nesting consolidates three independent actuation systems into a single compact joint structure, reducing the overall volume and simplifying the external appearance while maintaining three degrees of freedom internally.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges three separate drive systems into a single integrated joint by combining the driveshafts in a concentric configuration. This merging of components achieves the compact joint design goal while the modular nested structure allows each driveshaft to be independently controlled, managing the complexity through systematic organization rather than separate discrete components.
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to various robotic and/or in vivo medical devices having compact joint configurations and at least three degrees of freedom. Other embodiments relate to various medical device components, including forearms having grasper or cautery end effectors, that can be incorporated into certain robotic and/or in vivo medical devices.