Drive Shaft Alignment Mechanism for Robotic Tool Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical robotic systems face challenges in aligning drive shafts between instrument device manipulators (IDMs) and tools during medical procedures, leading to potential misalignment and latency in force transfer, which can compromise procedure safety and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A force transfer mechanism with alignment features, including a moveable and fixed alignment member, ensures precise alignment of drive shafts between the IDM and tool, allowing for non-visual engagement and reducing relative rotational motion, thereby facilitating accurate motion transfer and determining the 'zero-position' of the tool's effector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If drive shafts are aligned visually during coupling, then alignment precision can be achieved, but procedure time increases and latency occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment members (protrusions and recesses) are pre-configured on the drive shafts and couplers before the procedure begins. This preliminary configuration allows for automatic alignment during coupling without requiring visual adjustment during the procedure, thus reducing procedure time while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces visual alignment methods with a mechanical alignment system using protrusions and recesses. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for visual monitoring and manual adjustment, reducing both procedure time and latency while ensuring consistent alignment precision through the geometric constraint of the alignment features.
2Loss of time
If drive shafts are aligned without visual monitoring, then procedure time is reduced, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual alignment monitoring with a passive mechanical alignment system. The protrusions and recesses are designed with specific geometries that automatically guide the drive shafts into precise alignment during coupling, eliminating the need for visual monitoring while ensuring consistent alignment precision through mechanical constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment members are designed to self-align the drive shafts during coupling without requiring external visual monitoring or manual adjustment. The geometric configuration of the protrusions and recesses automatically ensures precise alignment as the components are brought together, making the system self-aligning and eliminating time loss associated with visual verification.
3Ease of operation
If relative rotational motion is allowed during coupling, then ease of coupling is improved, but force transfer accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment members are pre-configured with specific geometries that guide the rotational positioning during coupling. This preliminary configuration allows the operator to easily couple the components while the geometric constraint automatically prevents relative rotational motion, ensuring force transfer accuracy without compromising ease of coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment features use asymmetric geometries (protrusions and corresponding recesses) that allow coupling in only one specific rotational orientation. This asymmetric design ensures that relative rotational motion is prevented while maintaining ease of coupling, as the asymmetric features naturally guide the components into the correct alignment during the coupling process.
4Measurement precision
If alignment features are added to the force transfer mechanism, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment function is segmented into separate alignment members (protrusions and recesses) that are integrated into the existing drive shaft and coupler components. This segmentation allows the alignment precision to be improved through dedicated alignment features without significantly increasing overall device complexity, as the alignment members are incorporated into the existing structure rather than adding entirely new components.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment features are merged with the existing force transfer components. The protrusions and recesses are integrated into the drive shafts and couplers, combining the alignment function with the force transfer mechanism. This merging improves alignment precision without significantly increasing device complexity, as the alignment features are part of the existing component structure rather than separate additions.
Data Source
AI summary
The systems and devices disclosed herein can include a force transfer mechanism that permits force transfer between an instrument device manipulator and a tool coupled to the instrument device manipulator. The force transfer mechanism can include a first alignment member and a second alignment member. The first alignment member can have a disengaged position in which the first alignment member is out of engagement with the second alignment member, thereby reducing or preventing engagement between an instrument device manipulator base driveshaft and a tool driveshaft and permitting rotation of the base driveshaft relative to the tool driveshaft. When in an engaged position, the second alignment member can permit engagement between the base driveshaft to the tool driveshaft and transfer of rotary motion from the base driveshaft to the tool driveshaft. Additionally, the present disclosure also relates to methods of preparing and using a medical robotic system.