Surgical End Tool Pulley-Cable Motion Mapping for Intuitive Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments lack intuitive alignment between the manipulation direction of the operator and the operating direction of the end tool, affecting the accuracy, reliability, and speed of surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with an end tool that is rotatable in two or more directions, featuring a system of pulleys and cables that convert rotational movements into linear motions, allowing for intuitive alignment of the manipulation and operating directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional surgical instrument with fixed manipulation-direction mapping is used, then the structure is simple, but the alignment between manipulation direction and operating direction is not intuitive, reducing surgical accuracy and operator convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The end tool is designed to be rotatable in two or more directions, allowing dynamic adjustment of the operating direction while maintaining a fixed manipulation portion. This enables the operating direction to adapt to different surgical needs without complicating the manipulation interface, thus improving surgical accuracy without excessive structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A direction conversion mechanism serves as an intermediary between the manipulation portion and the end tool. This mechanism converts the manipulation input into corresponding end tool rotation and linear movement, establishing an intuitive mapping relationship that improves surgical accuracy while keeping the overall structure manageable through modular design.
2Ease of operation
If the end tool is made rotatable in multiple directions to match manipulation intuitively, then operator convenience and surgical speed improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end tool incorporates rotational degrees of freedom that allow it to orient in multiple directions while being actuated through a coordinated system of pulleys and cables. This dynamic capability enables intuitive operation matching without requiring overly complex mechanical structures, as the rotation is achieved through integrated motion conversion rather than multiple independent actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The pulley-cable system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it converts rotational movement of the end tool into linear movement for actuation, and also enables the end tool to rotate in two or more directions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms, thereby improving ease of operation without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If a pulley and cable system is used to convert rotational movement to linear movement, then intuitive motion mapping is achieved, but the device complexity and potential failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley and cable system acts as an intermediary mechanism that reliably translates rotational movement into linear movement while maintaining a clear mapping relationship. This intermediary design ensures predictable and reliable motion conversion, improving the reliability of the motion mapping while keeping the component count manageable through efficient use of the pulley-cable architecture.
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
Improves operator convenience, accuracy, and speed of surgical procedures by ensuring the manipulation and operating directions are intuitively identical, enhancing the precision and efficiency of surgical operations.
Implementation Method 1
a system of pulleys and cables to convert a rotational movement of the pulleys into a linear movement of the cables
Implementation Method 2
a system of pulleys and cables to convert a rotational movement of the pulleys into a linear movement of the cables
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(f)
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an end tool of a surgical instrument and a surgical instrument including the same, and more particularly, to an end tool of a surgical instrument that may be mounted on a robotic arm or operable manually to be used in laparoscopic surgery or other various surgeries, wherein the end tool is rotatable in two or more directions and is moved in a way that intuitively matches a motion of a manipulation portion, and a surgical instrument including the same.