Minimally Invasive Surgical Instrument with Manual Operating Element

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Solution Overview

Problem

In minimally invasive robotic surgery, introducing surgical materials like sutures into the patient's body without creating additional access points is cumbersome and time-consuming, as existing robotic instruments require removal and reinsertion, limiting the ability of auxiliary personnel to manually assist.

Innovation Solution

A minimally invasive instrument with a functional element like a gripper or needle holder, equipped with an external or internal drive and a force, torque, and pressure transmission device, along with a coupling device for medical robots, and an operating element for manual operation when decoupled from the robot, allowing auxiliary personnel to easily introduce materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If robotic instruments are used for minimally invasive surgery, then patient trauma is reduced and surgical precision is improved, but the ability to quickly introduce surgical materials without removing instruments is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient traumaVSAvoidspeed of introducing surgical materials
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic instrument is equipped with an operating element that enables auxiliary personnel to manually operate the functional element (e.g., gripper) to grasp and manipulate surgical materials directly within the patient's body. This self-service capability allows the instrument to serve both automated robotic control and manual operation needs, eliminating the need to remove the instrument for material introduction while maintaining minimal patient trauma.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If robotic instruments are removed and reinserted to introduce surgical materials, then materials can be introduced through existing accesses, but procedural time increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to introduce materials through existing accessVSAvoidprocedural time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The operating element is designed to be continuously available on the robotic instrument, allowing auxiliary personnel to operate the functional element at any time during the procedure. This continuous availability eliminates interruptions where the instrument must be removed and reinserted, maintaining the continuity of useful action and significantly reducing procedural time while keeping all operations within the constraints of existing access points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Ease of operation

If auxiliary personnel operate robotic instruments remotely, then manual assistance can be provided, but control precision and coordination become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manual assistanceVSAvoidcontrol precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The operating element acts as an intermediary interface between auxiliary personnel and the functional element of the robotic instrument. This intermediary mechanism translates simple manual operations into precise control of the functional element, allowing auxiliary personnel to easily grasp and manipulate surgical materials while maintaining the high control precision characteristic of robotic systems. The operating element serves as a mediator that bridges the gap between manual operation simplicity and robotic control precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2846725B1Minimally invasive instrument for robotic surgery
Publication Date: 2020.04.22 DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FÜR LUFT UND RAUMFAHRT E V
  • EP2846725B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3a
  • EP2846725B1 patent drawingFigure 3b~5
  • EP2846725B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a minimally invasive instrument for robotic surgery, comprising a functional element (12), a force, torque and/or pressure transmission device (14) for the transfer of force, torque and/or pressure from a drive to the functional element (12), a coupling device (16) for coupling the instrument (10) to a medical robot such that the functional element (12) can be actuated by the drive, characterised by an operating element (18) for manually operating the functional element (12) in a state in which the instrument (10) is uncoupled from the medical robot.