Flexible Insertion Apparatus Actuator Force Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insertion apparatuses, such as endoscopes, face difficulties in user convenience due to unpredictable behavior when the curving section is curved by a motor and then released, making it challenging for users to maintain or adjust the curving angle effectively.
Innovation Solution
An insertion apparatus with a curving section that has a neutral position and can be curved at arbitrary angles, featuring an input section for holding or adjusting the curvature, a detecting section to monitor input, and actuators to control the curvature based on user input, ensuring the curving section remains at a desired angle without unintended changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a motor is used to curve the curving section automatically, then the curving angle can be controlled precisely, but the inserting apparatus exhibits unpredictable behavior when the user releases the joystick, making it difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The control section continuously monitors the curving angle of the curving section and compares it with the neutral position. When the user releases the joystick, the system automatically detects this state and activates the second actuator to return the curving section to the neutral position, providing real-time feedback control that prevents unpredictable behavior while maintaining precise angle control during operation
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of allowing the curving section to remain in its curved position after motor actuation (which causes unpredictable behavior), the system is designed to automatically return to the neutral position when the user releases the input device. This inversion of expected behavior—where the default state is neutral rather than maintaining the last curved position—eliminates the usability problems while preserving precise control during active operation
2Stability of the object's composition
If the curving section is held at a fixed curving angle by the motor, then positioning is stable, but the user cannot easily adjust the angle without unexpected movements
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the operational state. When the user is actively operating the joystick, the motor maintains the curving section at the desired angle for stability. When the user releases the joystick, the system transitions to a different mode where the second actuator gently returns the curving section to the neutral position. This dynamic state-dependent control provides both stability during operation and ease of adjustment when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The control section acts as an intermediary between the user's input and the curving section's position. It processes the user's commands to achieve the desired curving angle while mediating the transition back to neutral when the input is released. This intermediary control layer协调ates the conflicting requirements of stability during operation and ease of adjustment by intelligently managing the motor and second actuator based on operational context
Data Source
AI summary
An insertion apparatus includes an elongated inserting section having a curving section, an input section which is provided in an operating section, receives an arbitrary input to curve the curving section in a movable range including a first range that includes the neutral input position and a second range that has an operation amount from the neutral input position exceeding the first range, a first actuator, a detecting section, a second actuator which gives a force towards the neutral position to the input section, and a control section which operates the first actuator and the second actuator, when the input amount to the input section is in the second range, thereby giving a force to the input section so that an input amount to the input section is in the first range.