Robotic Protective Drape With Rotationally Unconstrained Rings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective drapes for robotic systems often restrict the robot's movement, are difficult to install, and complicate the routing of irrigation tubes, especially in sterile surgical environments where maintaining sterility and conforming to the robot's shape is crucial.
Innovation Solution
A protective drape system featuring rotationally unconstrained rings at the ends of a tubular design that allows the robotic arm to move freely while encapsulating it, with integrated draw cords to manage slack and an optional irrigation tube, facilitating easy installation and maintaining sterility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a protective drape is made larger to cover the robotic system, then the robot manipulator has more room to articulate reducing drape constriction, but the excess material interferes with the surgical procedure and use of the device
Solution Approach 1:
The drape incorporates draw cords that allow dynamic adjustment of the drape's fit around the robotic arm. The draw cords enable the drape to transition from a loose configuration during installation to a snug fit during operation, eliminating excess material interference while maintaining robot articulation freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The drape's effective size and shape are changed during operation through the draw cord mechanism. By tightening the draw cords, the drape conforms to the robotic arm's geometry, reducing excess material while preserving the necessary clearance for articulation movements.
2Ease of manufacture
If a protective drape is made to conform to the robot shape, then installation becomes simpler, but the drape is difficult to maneuver around the robot during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The drape is divided into a tubular body and separate end closures (rings). This segmentation allows the flexible tube to be easily maneuvered around the robotic arm during installation, while the rigid rings provide structural support and conforming capability once positioned, simplifying the overall installation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The draw cords act as intermediaries between the flexible tube and the rigid end rings. During installation, the flexible tube can be easily positioned, and then the draw cords are used to tighten and secure the rings, achieving a conforming fit without difficulty in maneuvering the drape components.
3Reliability
If tubes are routed around a protective drape after installation, then the drape maintains its protective function, but the process is difficult particularly keeping the irrigation tube sterile and oriented correctly
Solution Approach 1:
The irrigation tube is nested within the protective drape's tubular structure rather than being routed around it. The tube passes through the drape from the proximal to distal end, maintaining sterility by traveling through the enclosed space and eliminating the need for complex external routing and orientation adjustments.
Data Source
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AI summary
A protective drape for a robotic system is provided. The protective drape may be used with robotic systems that are required to operate in varied environments that illustratively include industrial applications, a sterile surgical suite for patient care, and a clean room for manufacturing sensitive electronic components. In each of these applications, there is a need to prevent contaminants from infiltrating from the environment to the robot and affecting operation of the robot itself or the robotic system, as well to prevent contaminants from the robot from infecting a patient or contaminating an assembly or process product.