Surgical End Tool Pulley Control for Intuitive Bending Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments with bendable end tools lack intuitive operation, as the motion of the manipulating portion does not match the actual motion of the end tool, leading to difficulty in mastering the use method and potential errors due to mismatched rotating directions.
Innovation Solution
The surgical instrument features an end tool with independently rotating jaws, pulleys, and a guide portion that allows for intuitive manipulation, with the end tool and manipulation portion moving in the same direction, enabling pitch, yaw, and actuation motions through a system of pulleys and wires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the end tool is made bendable to access surgical sites, then accessibility to surgical site is improved, but the operation becomes non-intuitive and difficult to master
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the control mechanism by making the manipulating portion bendable rather than the end tool. The end tool remains straight while the manipulating portion can be bent to different angles, allowing the operator to intuitively control the end tool's orientation. This inversion resolves the contradiction by maintaining direct correspondence between operator input and end tool response while achieving surgical site accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a bendable manipulating portion as an intermediary between the operator and the end tool. This intermediary component absorbs the complexity of bending motions, allowing the operator to intuitively control the end tool without the complexity of controlling a bendable end tool directly. The intermediary translates operator intentions into precise end tool positioning.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the manipulating portion motion does not match the end tool motion, then bending capability is achieved, but operation accuracy decreases due to mismatched rotating directions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts which component is bendable - making the manipulating portion bendable while keeping the end tool straight. This ensures that the bending capability is achieved in the control portion, while the end tool maintains precise, predictable motion that directly corresponds to operator input, thereby maintaining operation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The bendable manipulating portion serves itself by providing the bending capability where it is most useful - in the operator's hand. This allows the operator to intuitively control the end tool's orientation through natural hand movements, eliminating the need for complex coordination between manipulating portion motion and end tool motion, thereby maintaining high operation accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If a complex pulley system is used to enable intuitive manipulation, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bending capability into discrete, independently controllable portions. The manipulating portion can be bent to different angles through separate control mechanisms, allowing each degree of freedom to be controlled independently. This segmentation simplifies the control system compared to a fully coupled complex mechanism, as each segment can be controlled separately to achieve the desired end tool orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic, movable joints in the manipulating portion that allow bending to different angles. These dynamic joints provide the necessary degrees of freedom for intuitive control while maintaining a relatively simple structure. The movable joints enable the manipulating portion to adapt its shape without requiring a complex fixed mechanism, thereby achieving ease of operation with controlled device complexity.
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
This design improves operational convenience, accuracy, and reliability by ensuring the manipulating direction of the operator matches the operating direction of the end tool, reducing errors and enhancing surgical efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a J11 pulley coupled to the first jaw and formed to be capable of rotating around a first axis, a J21 pulley coupled to the second jaw and formed to be capable of rotating around an axis that is substantially the same as or parallel to the first axis
Implementation Method 2
a driving force transmission portion for transmitting a driving force of the manipulation portion to the end tool
Data Source
AI summary
According to the present disclosure, provided is a surgical instrument in which an actual motion of bending an end tool or performing a surgical treatment intuitively matches a motion of a manipulation portion corresponding thereto. In detail, to this end, provided are an end tool having various degrees of freedom, a manipulation portion having a structure to enable intuitive manipulation of a motion of the end tool, and a driving force transmission portion for transmitting a driving force of the manipulation portion to the end tool so that the end tool operates as manipulated by the manipulation portion.