Therapeutic Manipulator Arm With 90-Degree Flexing Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatment manipulators face challenges in accessing affected portions near the inserted-portion main unit without interfering with surrounding tissue, due to joint configurations that lead to contact with tissue during movement.
Innovation Solution
A treatment manipulator system with a distal-end arm featuring a first flexing joint that can pivot 90° or more, an intermediate roll joint, and a second flexing joint, allowing precise movement and reduced interference by adjusting the rotation radius and using an endoscope with a viewing-field area to observe the end effector, while a driving wire rod is routed through the joints to prevent protrusion and excessive load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the joints at the distal-end side have gently curved shapes, then the manipulator structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it is not possible to treat an affected portion located in the vicinity of the inserted-portion main unit
Solution Approach 1:
The arm is divided into multiple segments with distinct joint functions: a first flexing joint for large-angle bending (90° or more) to reach near the inserted-portion main unit, a second flexing joint for fine positioning, and an intermediate roll joint for rotational adjustment. This segmentation allows each joint to be optimized for its specific function, enabling treatment of affected portions near the main unit while maintaining manufacturability through modular design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the roll joint at the base is operated to move the treatment tool in a direction intersecting with the flexing joint movement, then the treatment tool can achieve complex motion, but nearly the entire treatment manipulator moves, causing the treatment tool to come into contact with tissue in the surrounding area
Solution Approach 1:
The roll joint function is extracted from the base and repositioned as an intermediate roll joint located between the first and second flexing joints. This allows the roll joint to rotate only the distal portion of the arm (first flexing joint and end effector) rather than moving the entire manipulator, thereby reducing the rotation radius and minimizing contact with surrounding tissue while maintaining complex motion capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the first flexing joint is flexed 90° or more, then the end effector can access positions in the close vicinity of the distal-end surface, but the joint structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The first flexing joint is designed with dynamic capability to flex 90° or more on at least one side relative to the longitudinal axis, allowing the end effector to access positions in the close vicinity of the distal-end surface. This large-angle flexing capability is achieved through a dynamic joint structure that can accommodate extreme bending while maintaining control and stability, balanced against the increased structural complexity required to enable such extensive range of motion.
Data Source
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AI summary
An affected portion located at a position in the close vicinity of an inserted-portion main unit is treated while reducing interference with tissue or the like in the surrounding area. Provided is a treatment manipulator (2) including an inserted-portion main unit (7); at least one arm (8) that is provided so as to protrude forward from a distal-end surface of the inserted-portion main unit (7) and that has an end effector (8a) at the distal end thereof; and an endoscope (9) that is provided in the inserted-portion main unit (7) and that has a viewing-field area in which the end effector (8a) at the distal end of the arm (8) can be observed, wherein the arm (8) is provided with, sequentially from the distal-end side, a first flexing joint (11) that can pivot the end effector (8a) about a first axis orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the arm (8), an intermediate roll joint (12) that can be rotated about the longitudinal axis, and a second flexing joint (13) that can be pivoted about a second axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and the first flexing joint (11) can be flexed 90° or more, at least on one side, with respect to the longitudinal axis.