Instrument Retaining Joint Locking With Active Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing holding devices for medical and optical instruments face challenges in effectively damping vibrations, especially when in a locked position, which can compromise safety and increase costs due to the need for additional vibration-damping elements and complex structural integration.
Innovation Solution
A holding device design that utilizes the drive unit to provide vibration damping even when the joint is locked, allowing for minimal movement within a predetermined range to prevent uncontrolled movements and ensure safety, while using balancing weights for mechanical compensation and internal/external sensors for control signals to manage vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If additional vibration-damping elements are added to the holding device, then vibration damping performance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drive unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides both load torque compensation during positioning and active vibration damping when the joint is locked. By equipping the drive unit with a motor current amplifier and control unit, the same actuator serves dual purposes, eliminating the need for separate vibration damping actuators and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The control signals for load torque compensation and vibration damping are merged into a single control system. The motor current amplifier combines both control signals and outputs a combined drive signal to the drive unit, integrating two previously separate functions into one unified control architecture
2Reliability
If the joint is completely locked to ensure safety, then safety is improved, but vibration damping capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed with controlled flexibility through play or elastic intermediate elements, allowing minimal dynamic movement within a predetermined range even when locked. This dynamic characteristic enables the drive unit to perform active vibration damping by generating counter-vibrations, while the brake maintains sufficient holding force to prevent uncontrolled movements and ensure safety
Solution Approach 2:
The braking force is optimized to provide sufficient holding force for safety while allowing minimal movement range. The play or elastic intermediate elements are dimensioned to permit small displacements necessary for vibration damping actuation, changing the mechanical parameters of the locked state from completely rigid to controlled flexibility
3Object-affected harmful factors
If intermediate damping elements are used to isolate the holding device, then building vibrations are reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The holding device uses its own drive unit and control system to generate active counter-vibrations that dampen both building vibrations and post-vibrations. The system serves itself by using its inherent actuation capabilities rather than requiring external passive damping elements, making the vibration damping function self-contained and cost-effective
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 approach enables cost-effective and reliable vibration damping without compromising safety, allowing the holding device to remain secure and functional, even when locked, by using existing drive units for both load torque compensation and vibration control.
Implementation Method 1
The drive unit is designed to move the joint by driving at least one of the parts of the joint that are movable in relation to one another
Implementation Method 2
a magnetic brake can be provided in the swivel joint, which releases or prevents a movement of the parts of the swivel joint that are movable in relation to one another, depending on the activation
Implementation Method 3
Each joint can be selectively locked by means of a spring-loaded braking device. The preload of the spring and thus the locking force can be adjusted via an adjustment device
Implementation Method 4
a spring-loaded braking device
Implementation Method 5
the drive unit acts on the moving parts of the swivel joint in such a way that a load torque introduced into the swivel joint is compensated by a counter-torque
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3e
AI summary
The invention relates to a retaining device (10) for an instrument (12), comprising at least one joint (14) having at least two parts (16, 18) that can be moved relative to each other and at least one drive unit associated with the joint (14). The drive unit is designed to move the joint (14) by driving at least one of the parts (18) of the joint (14) that can be moved relative to each other. The retaining device (10) also comprises a securing device, which has a locking mechanism associated with the joint (14) and a release unit (24) that can be activated, wherein the locking mechanism interacts with the release unit (24) in such a way that the locking mechanism holds the joint (14) in a locked position as long as the release unit (24) is not activated. The securing device is designed to permit a motion of the joint (14) out of the particular locked position within a specified range of motion even if the release unit (24) is not activated. The invention further relates to a corresponding securing device for a retaining device and to an operating method for said securing device.