Minimally Invasive Surgical Tool with Cable-Driven Pitch and Yaw Control
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional minimally invasive surgical tools with rigid shafts are difficult to maneuver due to the lack of bending joints, making dexterous handling challenging, and existing robotic systems are expensive, bulky, and limit tactile feedback.
Innovation Solution
A tool with an end effector that can move in pitch/yaw directions and open/close motions controlled by a manual adjustment handle, featuring a lightweight, compact design with pitch and yaw handling parts and actuating parts connected by cables, allowing for independent motion control without a special drive element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid and long shaft is used to connect the end effector to the handle, then the structural strength is improved, but the maneuverability and dexterous handling are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is divided into multiple rigid segments connected by flexible joints, allowing each segment to maintain structural integrity while enabling overall flexibility. The shaft consists of a proximal rigid portion and a distal rigid portion connected by a flexible joint, creating modular segmentation that resolves the contradiction between strength and maneuverability.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft incorporates dynamic elements including flexible joints and a telescopic mechanism that allows the shaft to change its configuration during operation. The flexible joints enable the shaft to adapt its shape dynamically while maintaining strength, and the telescopic design allows length adjustment to optimize both strength and maneuverability for different surgical tasks.
2Ease of operation
If a robotic assisted platform is used to improve maneuverability, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cost and device complexity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The tool employs self-service mechanisms where the flexible joints and telescopic shaft are controlled through manual manipulation of the handle itself, without requiring external robotic systems. The design allows the surgeon to directly control the end effector's motion through the flexible shaft's passive flexibility and the telescopic mechanism's manual adjustment, eliminating complex robotic control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electronic robotic control systems with a purely mechanical solution. The flexible joints and telescopic shaft provide the necessary maneuverability through mechanical flexibility and adaptability, eliminating the need for motors, sensors, and computer control systems associated with robotic platforms like da Vinci.
3Manufacturing precision
If a robotic system is used to improve surgical precision, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the weight and volume of the equipment are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the heavy robotic platform, motor assemblies, and electronic control systems from the surgical tool. By removing these bulky components and retaining only the essential mechanical elements (flexible joints, telescopic shaft, and handle mechanism), the design achieves surgical precision without the weight and volume of complete robotic systems.
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
Enables easy, high-degree-of-freedom motion control for minimally invasive surgery, reducing costs and improving maneuverability while maintaining tactile feedback, allowing for efficient and cost-effective surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cables for transferring the motions from the pitch direction handling part and the yaw direction handling part to the pitch direction actuating part and the yaw direction actuating part, respectively
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an easy-to-control tool for minimally invasive surgery. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tool for minimally invasive surgery comprising, an elongated shaft having a predetermined length, an adjustment handle manually controllable by a user, a pitch direction handling part and a yaw direction handling part positioned around one end of the elongated shaft for transferring motions in pitch and yaw directions following the actuation of the adjustment handle, a pitch direction actuating part and a yaw direction actuating part positioned around the other end of the elongated shaft for operating corresponding to the operations from the pitch direction handling part and the yaw direction handling part, respectively, an end effector controllable by the pitch direction actuating part and the yaw direction actuating part, and a plurality of cables for transferring the from the pitch direction handling part and the yaw direction handling part to the pitch direction actuating part and the yaw direction actuating part, respectively.