Driveshaft Alignment Mechanism for Robotic Tool Torque Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 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
The implementation of a force transfer mechanism with alignment features, including a base driveshaft and a tool driveshaft with a moveable and fixed alignment member, allows for non-visual alignment and secure engagement, reducing relative motion and enabling accurate determination of the 'zero-position' of the tool's effector, thereby enhancing procedural safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional drive shaft alignment methods are used, then the system structure remains simple, but misalignment and latency in force transfer occur, compromising procedure safety and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces alignment members (alignment features on the tool and corresponding alignment structures on the IDM) as intermediary elements that mediate between the tool and the IDM. These alignment members facilitate precise rotational alignment and secure engagement, ensuring accurate force transfer while maintaining a relatively simple overall system structure. The alignment members act as the mediator that resolves the contradiction between safety/reliability and structural simplicity.
2Productivity
If visual alignment methods are used, then the alignment process is straightforward, but latency in force transfer occurs and procedural efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment members are designed to automatically align the tool with the IDM before full engagement occurs. The alignment features (such as alignment keys, slots, or geometric constraints) perform the alignment action preliminarily, ensuring that when the tool is fully coupled to the IDM, rotational misalignment is already minimized or eliminated. This preliminary alignment action reduces the time needed for proper positioning and eliminates latency in force transfer, thereby improving procedural efficiency without significant time loss.
3Measurement precision
If relative motion between tool and IDM is not constrained, then the coupling mechanism remains simple, but misalignment occurs leading to force transfer latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric alignment features (such as non-circular engagement profiles, keyed connections, or offset geometric elements) that inherently prevent relative rotational motion between the tool and the IDM. The asymmetric design ensures that only a specific rotational position allows proper engagement, automatically achieving precise alignment without requiring complex active control mechanisms. This asymmetric constraint provides high alignment precision while keeping the coupling mechanism relatively simple in structure.
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.