Layered Spline Carriage for Robotic Surgical Tool Articulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic surgical systems face challenges in providing intuitive and efficient control over minimally invasive surgical procedures, particularly in maintaining natural hand movements and accessing hard-to-reach spaces with limited degrees of freedom.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical tool with a layered carriage architecture and spline mechanism that allows for precise articulation and actuation of end effectors, enabling enhanced control and access through a handle with a first end, splines, and an elongate shaft with an end effector, coupled with an activating mechanism for various functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If robotic systems use traditional mechanical mechanisms to manipulate end effectors, then the system can achieve precise control, but the device complexity increases and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic surgical tool is divided into multiple functional segments including a handle assembly, elongate shaft, end effector, and activating mechanisms. Each segment can be independently controlled and manipulated, allowing complex surgical tasks to be broken down into simpler controlled movements. The handle assembly itself is segmented into multiple activating mechanisms that can be independently actuated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a wrist joint that adds rotational degrees of freedom to the end effector, enabling articulation in multiple dimensions. This wrist joint allows the end effector to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft and articulate at angled positions, providing three-dimensional manipulation capability that enhances control precision without requiring overly complex linear mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If robotic systems incorporate more degrees of freedom for natural hand movements, then ease of operation improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system incorporates a dynamic wrist joint that provides rotational freedom similar to natural human wrist movement. This wrist joint allows the end effector to articulate and rotate dynamically during surgical procedures, enabling natural hand movements and intuitive control. The activating mechanisms in the handle are designed to translate surgeon inputs into natural-looking end effector movements through the elongate shaft and wrist joint.
3Device complexity
If the robotic tool uses a single-layer carriage structure, then the device complexity decreases, but the activating mechanism cannot effectively operate end effector functions
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage is constructed with multiple layers that are stacked and coupled together. Each layer can be independently configured to house specific activating mechanisms or transmit specific movements. This layered segmentation allows the carriage to accommodate multiple activating mechanisms that can independently control different functions of the end effector, such as articulation, clamping, and cutting, while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic surgical tool for a robotic instrument driver that includes a handle having a first end, at least one spline rotatably coupled to the handle and extending proximally from the first end, a carriage movably mounted to the at least one spline and including a first layer and a second layer operatively coupled to the first layer. At least one spline extends through a portion of at least one of the first and second layers and the carriage translates along the at least one spline. The robotic surgical tool also includes an elongate shaft extending from the carriage and penetrating the first end, the shaft having an end effector arranged at a distal end thereof and an activating mechanism coupled to one or both of the first and second layers and actuatable to operate a function of the end effector.