JP2010253205A - Manipulator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability in an operational part for operating to mechanically drive an end effector to be opened and closed. <P>SOLUTION: A manipulator 10 includes the operational part 14b including a gripper axis input part 104, a distal-end working part 12 including at least one posture axis for changing the orientation of the end effector 1300, a connecting shaft 18 for connecting the operational part 14b with the distal-end working part 12, a motor 60, 62 for driving the posture axis, and an end effector driving mechanism 1320a which mechanically transmits the manual operation of the gripper axis input part 104 to drive the end effector 1300. The part 104 is equipped with a first finger putting part 108 and a second finger putting part 110 which open and close by using an opening and closing axis 106 as a reference. The first finger putting part 108 is fixed, and the second finger putting part 110 opens and closes relatively to the first finger putting part 108. The end effector 1300 closes by closing the first finger putting part 108 and the second finger putting part 110. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a manipulator having a distal end working unit including an end effector.

  In laparoscopic surgery, a small hole is made in the patient's abdomen, etc., and an endoscope, manipulator (or forceps), etc. are inserted, and the surgeon performs the operation while viewing the endoscope image on the monitor. Yes. Since such laparoscopic surgery does not require laparotomy, the burden on the patient is small, and the number of days until postoperative recovery and discharge is greatly reduced, and therefore, the application field is expected to expand.

  On the other hand, manipulators used in laparoscopic surgery are desired to be capable of quick and appropriate procedures depending on the position and size of the affected area, and various techniques such as excision of the affected area, suturing and ligation are required. Done. For this reason, the present applicant has proposed a manipulator that has a high degree of freedom in operation and that can be easily operated (see, for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and Patent Document 3).

  These manipulators, as a basic configuration, include a tip operation unit that is inserted into the abdominal cavity and performs a procedure, an operation unit that an operator (generally a doctor) holds and operates, a tip operation unit and an operation unit. And a shaft for connecting. The operation unit is provided with a grip handle held by the operator, a plurality of motors for driving the tip operating unit, a trigger lever for instructing an opening / closing operation of the gripper of the tip operating unit, and other predetermined members. ing.

JP 2002-102248 A JP 2008-104854 A JP 2008-253463 A

  With conventional general forceps used for flexible and laparoscopic surgery, the external force applied to the distal end working part and the gripping force to grip are not direct, but as a reaction to the hand through the forceps body Accordingly, the operator can feel these forces to some extent, and moderately good operability can be obtained. However, the conventional forceps have a low degree of freedom (for example, one degree of freedom), and are inconvenient due to limited gripping direction, cutting direction, and inserting direction of the suture needle, and skill in operation. Is required.

  In order to obtain a higher degree of freedom, for example, it is conceivable to apply a master / slave remote operation type surgical robot. Although the robot has a high degree of freedom and has the advantage of being able to approach the affected part from any direction and having excellent operability, the external force and gripping force applied to the tip operating part are not applied to the master side. I don't get it.

  In order to obtain a force sensation on the master side in a master / slave robot, advanced bilateral control using a highly sensitive force sensor system and a computer system with a fast sampling time is essential, which is an expensive and complicated system. It becomes. In addition, bilateral control has not been able to obtain practically sufficient performance.

  On the other hand, the present applicant has proposed a manipulator in Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-283323 in which a high degree of freedom can be obtained and an operator can more reliably sense external force applied to the tip action unit. Yes. In this manipulator, a passive wire is provided on a member that moves forward and backward so that the gripper at the tip can be opened and closed via a plurality of pulleys. As a result, the gripper and the trigger are mechanically connected, the opening / closing force of the gripper is transmitted to the trigger, and the gripping force of the gripper can be increased.

  On the other hand, in order to efficiently apply force to the gripper, to adjust the force appropriately, and to further properly transmit the force transmitted from the gripper to the trigger, a place corresponding to the gripper The composition of becomes important.

  The present invention has been made in connection with this, and an object of the present invention is to provide a manipulator that can more suitably operate an end effector that opens and closes when a manual operation force is mechanically transmitted.

  A manipulator according to the present invention includes an operation unit including an input unit operated manually, an end effector shaft that opens and closes, a tip operation unit including one or more posture axes that change the orientation of the end effector shaft, and the operation unit. A connecting shaft for connecting the distal end working unit; a posture axis actuator for driving the posture axis; and an operation transmitting unit for mechanically transmitting a manual operation of the input unit to drive the end effector shaft. The input unit includes a first finger hooking portion and a second finger hooking portion that open and close with respect to an opening / closing axis, the first finger hooking portion is fixed, and the second finger hooking portion is the first finger hooking portion. The end effector shaft is closed by opening and closing relative to the hook and closing the first finger hook and the second finger hook.

  As described above, when the second finger hook portion approaches the fixed first finger hook portion and performs the closing operation, it is easy to apply a force and the operability is improved. In addition, since the end effector is also closed by closing the first finger hook portion and the second finger hook portion, an intuitive operation is possible.

  Each of the first finger hook portion and the second finger hook portion may be provided with a finger insertion ring. Thereby, it becomes a structure similar to the pattern of scissors, is accustomed, and is easy to handle. Also, it is easy to feel the force applied to the end effector. Easy to operate not only in the closing direction but also in the opening direction.

  The finger insertion ring in the first finger hook part may be wider than the finger insertion ring in the second finger hook part and may be longer in the extending direction of the first finger hook part.

  In the second finger hook portion, a side opposite to the side facing the first finger hook portion may have a linear shape extending in a substantially radial direction around the opening / closing axis. Thereby, it is easy to apply force at the base side abdomen of the thumb, and it is easy to feel the force applied to the end effector.

  The distal end working unit has a pivot shaft that can rotate non-parallel to an axis extending from the proximal end side to the distal end side of the connection shaft, and rotates with reference to an axis orthogonal to the axis of the connection shaft. An operation knob for giving an operation command to the pivot shaft may be provided.

  The open / close shaft is provided on or near the axis of the connection shaft, the first finger hook portion extends laterally with respect to the axis of the connection shaft, and the second finger hook portion is You may extend in the base end side diagonal side rather than the 1st finger hook part. As a result, the hand is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, and the operability is improved.

  The second finger hook portion may be closed close to the first finger hook portion from a non-operating initial posture set by an elastic body.

  The open / close shaft is provided on or near the axis of the connecting shaft, the first finger hooking portion extends to the base end side along the axial direction of the connecting shaft, and the second finger hooking portion is The base end side extends obliquely to the side, and may be closed in the direction of the first finger hook portion from the initial posture during non-operation set by the elastic body, approaching the axial direction of the connecting shaft. . As a result, it is easy to apply force by grasping firmly. When not operated, the elastic body can return to the initial posture.

  The posture axis actuator includes a roll axis actuator that rotates the end effector axis, and a roll rotation command input unit that operates the roll axis actuator, and the roll rotation command input unit includes an axis of the connection shaft. And a command signal may be generated by rotating about a substantially coaxial axis.

  The attitude axis actuator includes a yaw axis actuator for tilting the end effector axis, and a yaw axis operation command input means for operating the yaw axis actuator, and the yaw axis operation command input means is the roll rotation It may be provided on the base end side of the command input means.

  The roll rotation command input means may have a plurality of irregularities on the surface.

  According to the manipulator according to the present invention, when the second finger hook portion approaches the fixed first finger hook portion and performs the closing operation, it is easy to apply a force and the operability is improved. In addition, since the end effector is also closed by closing the first finger hook portion and the second finger hook portion, an intuitive operation is possible.

It is a side view of a manipulator. It is a top view of a manipulator. It is a perspective view of an operation part. FIG. 4A is a front view of a roll shaft input unit, and FIG. 4B is a front view of a roll shaft input unit according to a modification. It is a side view of the operation part which concerns on a 1st modification. FIG. 6 is a side view of an operation unit according to a first modification gripped by a gripping method different from that in FIG. 5. It is a side view of the operation part which concerns on a 2nd modification. It is a side view of an operation part in case a motor protrudes in Y2 direction. It is a model side view of a front-end | tip operation | movement part when fully pulling a trigger lever. It is a model side view of a front-end | tip operation | movement part when a trigger lever is pushed out. It is a schematic structure figure of a tip operation part. It is a section side view of a tip operation part. It is a section top view of a tip operation part. It is a section side view in the state where the gripper was closed in the tip operation part. It is a disassembled perspective view of a front-end | tip operation | movement part. It is a schematic structure figure which shows a part of end effector drive mechanism. It is a model side view of an end effector drive mechanism when not operating a trigger lever. It is a schematic cross-sectional top view of the connection location of the edge part of a passive wire. It is a schematic cross section side view of the connection location of the edge part of a passive wire. It is a partial cross section top view of the 2nd end effector drive mechanism when a trigger lever is pushed out. When a trigger lever is fully pulled, it is a partial cross section top view of a 2nd end effector drive mechanism. It is a partial cross section side view of the 2nd end effector drive mechanism when a trigger lever is pushed out. It is a schematic structure figure of the tip operation part concerning a modification.

  Embodiments of the manipulator according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the manipulator 10 according to the present embodiment is connected to a controller 11. The manipulator 10 is basically for medical use.

  The controller 11 is a part that electrically controls the manipulator 10, and is connected to a cable extending from the lower end of the grip handle (first finger hook) 26 via a connector. The controller 11 can control a plurality of manipulators 10 independently. Of course, a controller that controls one manipulator 10 may be used.

  The manipulator 10 is for holding a part of a living body or a curved needle or the like on the distal end working unit 12 to perform a predetermined treatment, and is usually called a grasping forceps or a needle driver (needle holder).

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the manipulator 10 includes an operation unit 14 a that is gripped and operated by a hand and a working unit 16 that is fixed to the operation unit 14 a. The working unit 16 includes a distal end working unit 12 that performs work, and a long and hollow connecting shaft 18 that connects the distal end working unit 12 and the operation unit 14a. The distal end working unit 12 and the connecting shaft 18 are configured to have a small diameter, and can be inserted into a body cavity 22 from a cylindrical trocar 20 provided in a patient's abdomen or the like. Various procedures such as excision of the affected area, grasping, suturing and ligation can be performed. The operation unit 14a and the working unit 16 are integrated, but may be configured to be separable according to conditions.

  In the following description, the width direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 is defined as the X direction, the height direction is defined as the Y direction, and the extending direction of the connecting shaft 18 is defined as the Z direction. Further, the right side when viewed from the front end side is defined as the X1 direction, the left side as the X2 direction, the upward direction as the Y1 direction, the downward direction as the Y2 direction, the forward direction as the Z1 direction, and the backward direction as the Z2 direction. Further, unless otherwise specified, the description of these directions is based on the case where the manipulator 10 is in a neutral posture. These directions are for convenience of explanation, and it is needless to say that the manipulator 10 can be used in any direction (for example, upside down).

  The operation unit 14 a includes a grip handle 26 that is gripped by a hand, a bridge 28 that extends from an upper portion of the grip handle 26, and an actuator block 30 that is connected to the tip of the bridge 28. The grip handle 26 has a length suitable for being manually gripped, and has a composite input portion 24 on an upper inclined surface. The grip handle 26 extends substantially in the Y2 direction from the end of the bridge 28. By making such an angle, it has been confirmed that the operability when moving the entire manipulator 10 is enhanced and the operability of the composite input unit 24 is enhanced.

  The working unit 16 includes a pulley box 32 connected to the actuator block 30, a connecting shaft 18 extending from the pulley box 32 in the Z1 direction, and a tip operating unit 12 provided at the tip of the connecting shaft 18. The cylinder portion 34 extends from the pulley box 32 in the Z2 direction, and the trigger lever (input portion, second finger hook portion) 36 is pivotally supported on the proximal end side of the cylinder portion 34.

  The tip operation unit 12 can perform three-axis operation based on operations of the roll shaft input unit (roll rotation command input unit) 54, the composite input unit (operation knob) 24, and the trigger lever 36. That is, in order from the base end side, a yaw axis operation that tilts with respect to the Y axis, a roll axis that rotates with respect to an axis that points toward the tip (Z axis in the neutral posture), and a gripper axis that can be opened and closed. The yaw axis and the roll axis are electrically driven by turning on a predetermined switch corresponding to the left / right operation of the yaw axis input unit 56 and the roll axis input unit 54. At this time, the motors 60 and 62 cooperate in accordance with the operation, and act as a roll axis actuator and / or a yaw axis actuator.

  The gripper shaft (end effector 1300) is mechanically driven based on the operation of the trigger lever 36. Here, mechanical is a method of driving through wires, chains, timing belts, links, rods, gears, etc., and is a method of driving mainly through solid mechanical parts that are inelastic in the power transmission direction. . Wires, chains, and the like may inevitably have some elongation due to tension, but these are inelastic solid mechanical parts.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the composite input unit 24 includes a base block 50, a housing 52 provided on the base block 50, a yaw axis input unit 56, and three switch operators 58a, 58b and 58c. Have. When the operation of pulling the trigger lever 36 is performed, the rod 192a is also pulled together. Regarding the trigger lever 36, the rods 192a and 192b can be operated by pushing and pulling, and the initial posture is not particularly set. For example, from the initial posture when not operated, which is set by a predetermined elastic body, the grip You may make it close in the direction of the handle | steering-wheel 26 and close.

  The switch operator 58b switches between valid and invalid of the roll axis input unit 54 and the yaw axis input unit 56, and returns the pivot shaft mechanism to a predetermined initial posture (when pressed once, it automatically moves to the initial posture and stops. .), Or a switch for moving in the initial posture direction (moving in the initial posture direction only when pressed, and automatically stopping when the initial posture is reached).

  Similarly, the switch operators 58a and 58c can be used as switches for returning the roll rotation mechanism to a predetermined initial posture or moving it in the initial posture direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the actuator block 30 includes two motors (attitude axis actuators) 100 and 102, an actuator bracket 90 that supports the motors 60 and 62, and a rotation direction of the motors 60 and 62. And a gear mechanism portion 92 that transmits the work portion 16. The actuator block 30 is connected to the tip of the bridge 28.

  The motors 60 and 62 have a cylindrical shape, and are arranged in parallel in the X direction with the actuator bracket 90 extending in the Z direction. Output shafts 60a and 62a are provided in the Z1 direction.

  The gear mechanism 92 is provided as a symmetrical configuration in the X direction in a space surrounded by three plates on the Z1 direction side in the actuator bracket 90.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the gear mechanism 92 includes two drive shafts 116a and 116b, two drive bevel gears 118a and 118b, and two driven bevel gears 120a and 120b.

  The drive shaft 116a is pivotally supported by the bearing at the upper end and the central portion, and the lower end protrudes through the shaft hole by a predetermined amount and extends in the Y direction. Wires 1052 and 1054 (see FIG. 11) are wound around the drive shafts 116a and 116b. The wire shafts 160a and 160b, which will be described later, pass through the hollow portion of the connecting shaft 18 and reach the distal end working unit 12. It is extended. The wires 1052 and 1054 can be of the same type and the same diameter.

  The positions, forms, operation methods, and the like of the composite input unit 24 and the trigger lever 36 in the operation unit 14a are not limited to this configuration. For example, instead of the composite input unit 24, an operation roller, a button, a joystick, or the like may be provided, and a position and a method that are easy to operate may be appropriately selected and designed.

  The manual operation of the trigger lever 36 is mechanically transmitted to open and close the end effector 1300. A load limiter 210a, a trigger wire 210b, a rod 192a, and end effector driving mechanisms 1320a and 1320b (see FIG. 11), which will be described later, are means for mechanically transmitting a manual operation between the trigger lever 36 and the end effector 1300. An operation transmission part is formed.

  The drive bevel gear 118a and the driven bevel gear 120a mesh with each other, and the rotation of the output shaft 60a is converted by 90 ° and transmitted to the drive shaft 116a.

  The pulley box 32 is connected to the gear mechanism 92 of the operation unit 14a as a first function, and has a function of relaying the rotation of the drive shafts 116a and 116b to the coupling shaft 18, and a cylinder as a second function. It is connected to the portion 34 and has a function of relaying the operation of the trigger lever 36 to the connecting shaft 18, and has a function of maintaining an airtight state in the connecting shaft 18 as a third function.

  The pulley box 32 has wire guide portions 160a and 160b and a shaft support portion 154 in the hollow portion inside thereof.

  The wire guide portions 160a and 160b are provided with cylindrical idlers, and guide the wires 1052 and 1054 driven by the drive shafts 116a and 116b into the connection shaft 18.

  By using such wire guide portions 160a and 160b, the connecting shaft 18 can be made sufficiently thin without depending on the diameters of the motors 60 and 62. For example, about 5 mm to 10 mm suitable for insertion into the trocar 20 Can be set to

  Next, the structure of the cylinder part 34 and the trigger lever 36 is demonstrated.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the trigger lever 36 is pivotally supported by a trigger shaft 28b of a bridge 28, and includes an arm portion 200 that is pivotally supported by the trigger shaft 28b, and the Y2 side of the arm portion 200. A ring portion 202 provided on the Y2 side, a finger hooking projection 204 provided on the Y2 side, and a ratchet claw 206 protruding in the Z2 direction side. The ring portion 202 is mainly used for inserting an index finger, and the finger hooking projection 204 is suitable for mainly hanging the middle finger and the ring finger.

  The ratchet pawl 206 is integrally formed with the ratchet release 208, and the tip pawl is urged upward by an elastic body (not shown). When the trigger lever 36 is greatly displaced in the Z2 direction, the ratchet pawl 206 can be engaged with the engaging portion in the grip handle 26 and locked in the closed state. This locked state is released by operating the ratchet release 208.

  The cylindrical portion 34 includes a cylindrical body 210 provided between the pulley box 32 and the trigger lever 36, a roll shaft input portion 54 provided outside the cylindrical body 210, and roll shaft input switches 212a and 212b. Have.

  A load limiter 210 a and a trigger wire 210 b are provided in the cylindrical body 210, and the rods 192 a and 192 b are relayed to the arm unit 200. The load limiter relays the rod 192a and a portion of the arm portion 200 below the trigger shaft 28b, and the trigger wire relays the rod 192b and a portion of the arm portion 200 above the trigger shaft 28b.

  The roll shaft input unit 54 is a means for giving an input command in the roll direction (axial rotation direction) to the distal end working unit 12, and is maintained at a predetermined initial angle by an elastic body (not shown) when not operated. When rotated clockwise as viewed from the side, the roll shaft input switch 212a is turned on, and the roll shaft of the distal end working unit 12 rotates clockwise at a predetermined speed. When rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the base end side, the roll shaft input switch 212b is turned on, and the roll shaft of the distal end working unit 12 rotates counterclockwise at a predetermined speed. The roll shaft input unit 54 has a coaxial configuration with the connecting shaft 18 and allows intuitive operation of the roll shaft. The roll shaft input unit 54 is provided at a position close to the trigger lever 36 and can be operated with, for example, a thumb and an index finger.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the roll shaft input portion 54 has a deformed hexagonal shape when viewed from the front, and has six outer arc portions and six arc recess portions provided between them. Easy to pinch with fingers. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, the roll shaft input unit 54 may have a deformed quadrangular shape (or a deformed octagonal shape or the like) including four arc portions and an arc concave portion. Since the roll shaft input portion 54 has a plurality of irregularities on the surface, it is easy to put a finger on it and the operability is improved. Each unevenness may have a shape extending in the rotation axis direction (that is, the Z direction).

  In the operation portion 14a configured as described above, the grip handle 26 is fixed to the main body portion and the connection shaft 18, and the trigger lever 36 is opened / closed relative to the grip handle 26 to close them. As a result, the end effector 1300 is closed. This makes it easier to apply force to the end effector 1300 and improves operability. Further, since the end effector 1300 is also closed in response to the trigger lever 36 and the grip handle 26 being closed, an intuitive operation is possible.

  Further, since the roll axis input unit 54 generates a command signal by rotating the axis J of the connecting shaft 18 with respect to a substantially coaxial axis, an intuitive operation of the roll axis is possible.

  In normal Rapallo forceps, when the clipper is rotated in the longitudinal direction, the shaft itself may be rotated. However, when the clipper is rotated at a large angle, the index finger is rotated with the index finger to rotate the shaft.

  The operation unit 14a of the manipulator 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the rotation of the gripper at the tip is performed by the roll shaft, but the roll shaft input unit 54 is rotated around the connecting shaft 18, so The operation method is the same, the operation is not mistaken, and the operability is improved. In particular, when the Rapallo forceps and the manipulator 10 are used in combination, it is preferable that there is no confusion if the operation method is common.

  In addition, since the yaw axis input unit 56 is assumed to be operated with a thumb that is not used (free), it is natural to provide the base end side with respect to the roll axis input unit 54 operated with the index finger. The operation is possible, which is preferable.

  Since the roll shaft input part 54 is appropriately separated from the grip handle 26, the operation with the index finger does not become tight.

  Next, two modified examples of the operation unit 14a will be described. In each modification, the same parts as those of the operation unit 14a are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5, the operation unit 14 b according to the first modification includes a roll shaft input unit 54, a yaw axis input unit (operation knob) 102, and a gripper shaft input unit 104.

  The roll shaft input unit 54 is a rotating body provided coaxially with the connecting shaft 18, and the roll shaft of the distal end working unit 12 rotates according to the direction of the rotation operation. The yaw axis input unit 102 is a knob provided below the bridge 28, and the yaw axis of the distal end operating unit 12 operates according to the direction of the left / right operation. The yaw axis input unit 102 corresponds to the yaw axis input unit 56 described above. The operation terminal of the yaw axis input unit 102 faces downward.

  The roll axis input unit 54 and the yaw axis input unit 102 are provided so as to be operable from either the left or right side, and are mainly operated by the index finger.

  The gripper shaft input unit 104 corresponds to the trigger lever 36 and is a part that is mechanically connected to the end effector 1300 and opens and closes the end effector 1300.

  The gripper shaft input unit 104 is provided on the most proximal side of the manipulator 10, and includes a first finger hooking portion 108 and a second finger hooking portion 110 that open and close based on the opening / closing shaft 106. The opening / closing shaft 106 is an axis in the X direction provided on or near the axis J of the connecting shaft 18, and the second finger hooking portion 110 rotates on the YZ plane.

  The first finger hook portion 108 is fixed to the main body portion via the connection mechanism 112, extends in the approximately Y2 direction with respect to the opening / closing shaft 106, and in turn, a bar 114 extending in the approximately Y2 direction and the finger Has a first finger insertion ring 116 into which two fingers can be inserted and an arc portion 118 suitable for hanging one finger.

  The first finger insertion wheel 116 is provided closer to the Z1 side than the extending axis of the bar 114, is longer in the Y direction, slightly narrower on the Y2 side than the Y1 side, and extends in the Z2 direction toward the Y2 direction. It has a gentle arc shape. The arc portion 118 is a substantially semicircular portion that is almost directly below the bar 114 and opens in the middle direction between the Z1 direction and the Y2 direction. An arc recess 120 is formed in the Z2 direction surface of the first finger insertion ring 116 and above the arc portion 118.

  The first finger hook portion 108 is detachable at the connection mechanism 112 and can be replaced with a different shape.

  The second finger hooking portion 110 extends obliquely to the proximal side of the first finger hooking portion 108 (intermediate direction between the Z2 direction and the Y2 direction) and is formed to be rotatable with respect to the opening / closing shaft 106. The end effector 1300 can be opened and closed by moving the rod 192a (see FIG. 11) back and forth in the Z direction. The second finger hook 110 includes a bar 122 extending from the opening / closing shaft 106, a second finger insertion wheel 124 provided at the tip of the bar 122, and a rod connecting portion 125a provided on the Y1 side of the opening / closing shaft 106. And an arc guide 125b provided on the Y2 side.

  The second finger insertion wheel 124 is disposed closer to the first finger insertion wheel 116 than the extending axis of the bar 122, and the opposite side extends in the substantially outer diameter direction about the opening / closing shaft 106. A straight line portion 126 is formed.

  The rod connecting part 125a abuts against a part of the bridge 28 when the second finger hooking part 110 is opened and acts as a stopper, and its base end part is connected to the rod 192a via the load limiter 210a. .

  The arc guide 128 guides the trigger wire 210b and is connected to the rod 192b.

  Since the first finger insertion ring 116 is wider than the second finger insertion ring 124 and is long in the Y2 direction, it is easy to grip as shown in FIG. That is, the first finger insertion ring 116 is mainly suitable for inserting the middle finger and the comb finger, the arc part 118 is mainly suitable for hanging a little finger, and the second finger insertion ring 124 is mainly used for inserting the thumb. Is suitable. The straight line portion 126 is suitable mainly for hitting the base of the thumb (see FIG. 6).

  For example, the gripper shaft input unit 104 can be opened and closed under the action of the thumb inserted into the second finger insertion ring 124 as shown in FIG. 5 and the end effector 1300 can be opened and closed. When the gripper shaft input unit 104 is closed, the second finger insertion ring 124 enters the circular arc recess 120 and is sufficiently closed.

  According to such a gripper shaft input unit 104, it is easy to apply a gripping force and the operability is improved. In addition, since the end effector 1300 is closed by closing the first finger hooking portion 108 and the second finger hooking portion 110, an intuitive operation is possible. The first finger hook portion 108 and the second finger hook portion 110 are provided with the first finger insertion ring 116 and the second finger insertion ring 124. In particular, since it is easy to operate not only in the closing direction but also in the opening direction, it can also be applied to an operation of expanding the object (for example, a peeling operation).

  In addition, the first finger insertion wheel 116 and the second finger insertion wheel 124 increase the contact area with the finger, making it easy to feel the force applied to the end effector 1300.

  Since the first finger hook portion 108 and the second finger hook portion 110 are opened and closed with the opening and closing shaft 106 as a reference, a large force can be generated by the so-called lever principle, and the force applied to the end effector 1300 is applied to the finger. Easy to be transmitted.

  Furthermore, since the first finger hook portion 108 extends laterally (Y2 direction) with respect to the axis J of the connecting shaft 18, the hand is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis J, and the operability is improved. . This can be understood from the positional relationship between the barrel and gripper in the pistol.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the gripper shaft input unit 104 can also be gripped by placing the base abdomen of the thumb against the straight part 126. Thereby, the 1st finger hook part 108 and the 2nd finger hook part 110 can be closed by stronger force. The base abdomen of the thumb is in contact with the straight portion 126 over a wide area, is easy to grasp, and easily perceives the force applied to the end effector 1300.

  The gripper shaft input unit 104 is not limited to the examples shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and can be held in various ways.

  Next, the operation unit 14c according to the second modification will be described.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, the operation unit 14 c includes a roll shaft input unit 54, a yaw axis input unit 102, and a gripper shaft input unit 130. The gripper shaft input portion 130 is a portion corresponding to the trigger lever 36 and is a portion that is mechanically connected to the end effector 1300 and opens and closes the end effector 1300.

  The gripper shaft input portion 130 is a portion corresponding to the trigger lever 36 and is a portion that is mechanically connected to the end effector 1300 and opens and closes the end effector 1300.

  The gripper shaft input unit 130 is provided on the most proximal side of the manipulator 10, and includes a first finger hook portion 132 and a second finger hook portion 134 that open and close with respect to the opening / closing shaft 106.

  The first finger hook portion 132 is an elongated member having an arcuate shape with a gentle top surface, is fixed to the main body portion, and extends to the proximal end side (Z2 side) along the axis J direction of the connecting shaft 18. ing. The first finger hook portion 132 is a main grip portion that is manually operated, and is configured to be slightly thicker than the second finger hook portion 134.

  A roll shaft input unit 54 and a yaw axis input unit 102 are provided in parallel in the Z direction in the vicinity of the tip of the first finger hook 132, and can be operated with a thumb, for example. The roll shaft input unit 54 is provided on the Z1 side slightly from the yaw axis input unit 56 and is disposed coaxially with the connecting shaft 18. The operation terminal of the yaw axis input unit 102 faces upward.

  The second finger hook portion 134 is substantially vertically symmetrical with the first finger hook portion 132 and extends slightly diagonally to the proximal end with respect to the opening / closing shaft 106, and is elastic by an elastic body (not shown). It is urged and is arranged at an angle slightly separated from the first finger hook portion 132 as an initial posture (see a solid line portion) when not operated. The second finger hook portion 134 has a lever portion 136 connected to the load limiter 210a on the Y2 side with respect to the opening and closing shaft 106, and an arc guide portion 138 connected to the trigger wire 210b on the Y1 side.

  At the initial posture, the end effector 1300 is open. The second finger hanging portion 134 is manually operated to approach the axis J direction from the initial posture and is closed in the direction of the first finger hanging portion 132 (see the virtual line portion), and the end effector 1300 is also closed accordingly. .

  In such a gripper shaft input unit 130, it is possible to grip firmly and to easily apply force. Further, when not operated, the elastic body can return to the initial posture. The initial posture here is related to the gripper shaft input unit 130 as an operation unit, and is different from the reference posture defined for the end effector 1300.

  The above-described operation units 14a, 14b, and 14c are suitable for the end effector 1300 that opens and closes, and can be applied to both a gripper type for gripping an object and a squeeze type for cutting.

  In each of the operation units 14a to 14c described above, the motors 60 and 62 are shown extending in the Z direction in the upper portion and arranged in parallel in the X direction. The motors 60 and 62 may protrude in the Y2 direction from the pulley box 32 while being arranged in parallel in the X direction to directly drive the drive shafts 116a and 116b. According to this, it becomes a simple structure which does not require a bevel gear mechanism.

  Next, the configuration of the distal end working unit 12 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the distal end working unit 12 includes a first end effector driving mechanism 1320a including a rod 192a, a passive wire 1252a, an idle pulley 1140a, a guide pulley 1142a, and a passive pulley 1156a, and a second end corresponding thereto. An effector driving mechanism 1320b is provided. The first end effector driving mechanism 1320a and the second end effector driving mechanism 1320b have a basic configuration for opening and closing the end effector 1300.

  The components in the first end effector drive mechanism 1320a are identified by a and the components in the second end effector drive mechanism 1320b are identified by b. The components of the first end effector drive mechanism 1320a and the components of the second end effector drive mechanism 1320b that have the same function may be described typically only with respect to the first end effector drive mechanism 1320a so as not to become complicated. is there.

  In FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the first end effector drive mechanism 1320a and the second end effector drive mechanism 1320b are shown side by side on the paper for easy understanding, but when applied to an actual manipulator 10 As shown in FIG. 11, the pulleys are arranged in parallel in the axial direction (ie, the Y direction) of each pulley, and idle pulleys (columnar members, transmission members) 1140a and 1140b and guide pulleys (columnar members, transmission members) 1142a and 1142b. The rotation axes may be arranged on the same axis. That is, the idle pulleys 1140a and 1140b can be pivotally supported on the shaft 1110 (see FIG. 11), and the guide pulleys 1142a and 1142b can be pivotally supported on the shaft 1112. By making the guide pulley 1142a and the guide pulley 1142b coaxial, the yaw axis operation mechanism is simplified.

  As shown in FIGS. 12, 13, 14, and 15, the distal end working unit 12 includes a wire passive unit 1100, a composite mechanism unit 1102, and an end effector 1300, and a first rotation axis Oy in the Y direction. , The first degree of freedom in which the portion ahead of it rotates in the yaw direction, the second degree of freedom in rotation in the roll direction around the second rotation axis Or, and the third rotation axis Og And a third degree of freedom mechanism that opens and closes the end effector 1300 at the tip.

  The first rotation axis Oy, which is a mechanism of the first degree of freedom, may be set so as to be rotatable in a non-parallel manner with the axis C extending from the proximal end side to the distal end side of the connecting shaft 18. The second rotation axis Or, which is a mechanism of the second degree of freedom, is a mechanism that can rotate about the axis in the extending direction of the distal end portion (that is, the end effector 1300) in the distal end working portion 12, and the distal end portion can be rotated by a roll. It is good to set.

  The mechanism of the first degree of freedom (that is, the yaw direction) is a tilting mechanism (or a bending mechanism) having an operating range of ± 90 ° or more, for example. The mechanism of the second degree of freedom (that is, the roll direction) is a rotating mechanism having an operating range of ± 180 ° or more, for example. The mechanism of the third degree of freedom (that is, the end effector 1300) is an opening / closing mechanism that can be opened, for example, 40 ° or more.

  The end effector 1300 is a part that performs an actual work in the operation, and the first rotation axis Oy and the second rotation axis Or constitute a posture changing mechanism for changing the posture of the end effector 1300 so that the work can be easily performed. It is a posture axis. In general, a mechanism unit related to the third degree of freedom for opening and closing the end effector 1300 is also called a gripper (or a gripper shaft), and a mechanism unit related to the first degree of freedom rotating in the yaw direction is also called a yaw axis. The mechanism portion according to the second degree of freedom that rotates in the direction is also called a roll shaft.

  The wire passive portion 1100 is provided between the pair of tongue pieces 1058, and is a portion that converts the reciprocating motions of the wires 1052 and 1054 into rotational motions and transmits them to the composite mechanism portion 1102. The wire passive portion 1100 includes a shaft 1110 inserted into the shaft holes 1060a and 1060a and a shaft 1112 inserted into the shaft holes 1060b and 1060b. The shafts 1110 and 1112 are fixed to the shaft holes 1060a and 1060b by, for example, press fitting or welding. The shaft 1112 is disposed on the axis of the first rotation axis Oy.

  A gear body 1126 and a gear body 1130 that are symmetrical in the Y direction are provided at both ends of the shaft 1112 in the Y direction. The gear body 1126 includes a cylindrical body 1132 and a gear 1134 provided concentrically on the top of the cylindrical body 1132. The gear body 1130 has substantially the same shape as the gear body 1126, and is disposed in the Y direction with respect to the gear body 1126. The gear body 1130 includes a cylindrical body 1136 and a gear 1138 provided concentrically below the cylindrical body 1136. The gear 1134 and the gear 1138 mesh with an upper end portion and a lower end portion of a face gear 1165 of a gear body 1146 described later.

  The cylindrical body 1136 has substantially the same diameter and the same shape as the cylindrical body 1132. A part of the wires 1052 and 1054 is fixed and wound around the cylinder 1132 and the cylinder 1136 by a predetermined fixing means. The angle at which the wires 1052 and 1054 are wound is, for example, 1.5 rotations (540 °).

  The gear body 1126 and the gear body 1130 can be rotated with respect to the shaft 1112 by rotating the wires 1052 and 1054 (see FIG. 11). When the gear body 1126 and the gear body 1130 are rotated in the same direction and at the same speed, the gear body 1146 swings with respect to the shaft 1112 and the yaw operation is performed. When the gear body 1126 and the gear body 1130 are rotated in the opposite directions at the same speed, the gear body 1146 rotates on the basis of the second rotation axis Or, and a roll rotation operation is performed. When the gear body 1126 and the gear body 1130 are rotated at different speeds, the gear body 1146 performs a combined operation of the yaw direction operation and the roll rotation operation. That is, the gear body 1126, the gear body 1130, and the gear body 1146 constitute a differential mechanism (for example, corresponding to the configuration shown in FIG. 23 in Patent Document 3).

  The mechanism of the distal end working unit 12 is not limited to a differential mechanism. For example, the wire 1052 drives the face gear 1165 via the gear 1134, whereas the wire 1054 directly rotates the main shaft member 1144 (for example, , Corresponding to the configuration shown in FIG.

  An idle pulley (cylindrical member, transmission member) 1140a is rotatably supported at a substantially central portion of the shaft 1110, and a guide pulley (cylindrical member, transmission member) 1142a is rotatable at a substantially central portion of the shaft 1112. It is pivotally supported. The idle pulley 1140a is provided to keep the winding angle of the passive wire (flexible member, transmission member) 1252a wound around the guide pulley 1142a constant at all times (approximately 180 ° on both sides). Instead of the idle pulley 1140a, the guide pulley 1142a may have one or more turns of the passive wire 1252a. The idle pulley 1140a and the guide pulley 1142a may be made of a material with a smooth surface or less friction in order to reduce slippage with respect to the passive wire 1252a (see FIG. 17) and wear due to friction. The guide pulley 1142a is provided on the yaw axis Oy in the posture changing mechanism.

  A main shaft member 1144 is rotatably supported on the shaft 1112 between the gear body 1126 and the guide pulley 1142a and between the guide pulley 1142a and the gear body 1130. The main shaft member 1144 has a cylindrical portion that protrudes toward the composite mechanism portion 1102. A square hole 1144 a is provided in the axial center portion of the main shaft member 1144. Two auxiliary plates 1144b that hold both sides in the Y direction of the guide pulley 1142a and have a hole through which the shaft 1112 is inserted are provided at the end of the main shaft member 1144 in the Z2 direction. The auxiliary plate 1144b has a mountain shape that becomes wider in the Z1 direction and prevents intrusion of foreign matter such as yarn.

  The composite mechanism unit 1102 is a composite mechanism unit including an opening / closing operation mechanism of the end effector 1300 and a posture changing mechanism that changes the posture of the end effector 1300.

  The compound mechanism portion 1102 includes a gear body 1146 that is rotatably inserted into the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion of the main shaft member 1144, a nut body 1148 provided at the tip of the main shaft member 1144, and an end portion in the Z2 direction in the hole 1144a. A square-shaped transmission member 1152 to be inserted, a passive pulley (cylindrical member, transmission member) 1156a rotatably supported by a pin 1154 with respect to the Z2 direction end of the transmission member 1152, and a passive plate (transmission member) ) 1158 and a cylindrical cover 1160.

  A resin-made thrust bearing member 1144c is provided at a portion of the main shaft member 1144 that contacts the gear body 1146. A thrust bearing member 1148a made of resin is provided on a portion of the nut body 1148 that contacts the gear body 1146. The thrust bearing members 1144c and 1148a are low-friction materials, and reduce the friction and torque of the contact portion and prevent the load from being directly applied to the face gear 1165. The thrust bearing members 1144c and 1148a are so-called sliding bearings.

  The gear body 1146 has a stepped cylindrical shape, and includes a large diameter portion 1162 in the Z2 direction, a small diameter portion 1164 in the Z1 direction, and a face gear 1165 provided on the end surface of the large diameter portion 1162 in the Z2 direction. The face gear 1165 meshes with the gear 1134 and the gear 1138. The gear body 1146 prevents the nut body 1148 from coming off from the main shaft member 1144. A screw is provided on the outer periphery of the large diameter portion 1162.

  The passive plate 1158 includes a concave portion 1166 in the Z2 direction, an engaging portion 1168 provided on the bottom surface of the concave portion 1166, axial ribs 1170 provided on both sides in the Y direction, and link holes 1172. The engaging portion 1168 has a shape that engages with a mushroom-like protrusion 1174 provided at the tip of the transmission member 1152. By this engagement, the passive plate 1158 and the transmission member 1152 can rotate relative to each other. The width of the passive plate 1158 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the cover 1160.

  The cover 1160 is sized to cover substantially the entire composite mechanism section 1102 and prevents foreign matter (biological tissue, medicine, thread, etc.) from entering the composite mechanism section 1102 and the end effector 1300. Two axial grooves 1175 in which the two ribs 1170 of the passive plate 1158 are fitted are provided on the inner surface of the cover 1160 so as to face each other. The passive plate 1158 is guided in the axial direction by fitting the rib 1170 into the groove 1175. Since the protrusion 1174 engages with the engaging portion 1168 of the passive plate 1158, the passive pulley 1156 a can advance and retreat in the axial direction together with the passive plate 1158 and the transmission member 1152 in the hole 1144 a, and the transmission member 1152 can be used as a reference. As a result, roll rotation is possible. The cover 1160 is fixed to the large diameter portion 1162 of the gear body 1146 by means such as screwing or press fitting.

  The cover 1160 is coupled to the gear body 1146 on the base side (screwing, press-fitting, welding, etc.), and the cover 1160 and the end effector 1300 perform a roll axis operation as the gear body 1146 rotates.

  The lever portion 1310 and the passive plate 1158 are connected by a gripper link 1220. That is, the pin 1222 is inserted into the hole 1220 a at one end of each gripper link 1220 together with the hole 1218, and the pin 1224 is inserted into the hole 1220 b at the other end together with the link hole 1172 of the passive plate 1158.

  As shown in FIG. 16, in the idle pulley 1140a, two coaxial first layer idle pulleys (first layer idle cylinders) 1232 and second layer idle pulleys (second layer idle cylinders) 1234 are arranged in parallel. The guide pulley 1142a is composed of a coaxial first layer guide pulley (first layer guide column) 1236 and a second layer guide pulley (second layer guide column) 1238 arranged in parallel. It is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the end portion in the Z1 direction of the rod 192a is connected to both ends of a passive wire (flexible member) 1252a by a wire engaging portion 1250a.

  As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, in the wire engaging portion 1250a, a roller 1416 is provided at the tip portion 1414 of the rod 192a, and a passive wire 1252a is wound around the roller 1416. The roller 1416 is supported by a pin 1418 and is rotatable. As a result, the passive wire 1252a is appropriately advanced and retracted while being wound around the roller 1416, and when the rod 192a is pulled in the Z2 direction, the passive wire 1252a is pulled with a good balance in the X direction even when the yaw axis is not bent. be able to. The tip portion 1414 is screwed to the rod 192a. In this embodiment, the pair of tensions in the Y direction of the passive wire 1252a are uniform, and it is possible to extend the life of the passive wire 1252a, and it is possible to achieve a parallel pair of both the upper and lower Y directions.

  Returning to FIGS. 16 and 17, the passive wire 1252a is an annular flexible member partially connected to the wire engaging portion 1250a. In addition to the wire, a rope, a resin wire, a piano wire, a chain, or the like is used. be able to. Here, the term “annular” is used in a broad sense, and the flexible member does not necessarily have to be applied over the entire length. The flexible member may be at least a portion that is wound around each pulley, and the straight portion is connected by a rigid body. Of course, it may be done.

  The passive wire 1252a passes from the rod 192a of the driving member through the X1 direction (first side) of the idle pulley 1140a, toward the X2 direction (second side), and through the surface of the guide pulley 1142a in the X2 direction. It reaches the X2 direction surface of the passive pulley 1156a. The passive wire 1252a is further wound halfway around the Z1 direction surface of the passive pulley 1156a to reach the X1 direction surface, passes through the X1 direction surface of the guide pulley 1142a, passes through the X2 direction, and passes through the X2 direction of the idle pulley 1140a. It is arrange | positioned by the path | route which reaches the engaging part 1250a.

  That is, the passive wire 1252a constitutes a circuit that has the wire engaging portion 1250a as a base point and an end point, passes through both sides of the idle pulley 1140a, is wound around the passive pulley 1156a, and the idle pulley 1140a and the guide pulley 1142a It intersects between the two to form an approximately 8-character shape. Thus, the wire engaging portion 1250a and the passive wire 1252a are mechanically connected to the trigger lever 36 via the rod 192a.

  The idle pulley 1140a, the guide pulley 1142a, and the passive pulley 1156a have substantially the same diameter, and have an appropriately large diameter in a possible range in the layout so that the passive wire 1252a is not bent so much. The wire engaging portion 1250a is provided at a position moderately separated from the idle pulley 1140a so that the passive wire 1252a does not bend excessively, and both ends of the passive wire 1252a have an acute angle with the wire engaging portion 1250a as the top. Is forming. The gap between the idle pulley 1140a and the guide pulley 1142a is narrow, and for example, a gap substantially equal to the width of the passive wire 1252a is formed.

  The idle pulley 1140a, the guide pulley 1142a, and the passive pulley 1156a may be provided with small flanges on the upper surface and the lower surface to prevent the passive wire 1252a from coming off, or the side surfaces may be concave.

  As is clear from FIG. 17, in the first end effector driving mechanism 1320a, the passive wire 1252a, the idle pulley 1140a, the guide pulley 1142a, and the passive pulley 1156a are arranged along the center line from the proximal end side to the distal end side. ing. The end effector 1300 is coupled to the passive pulley 1156a via the transmission member 1152 and the like.

  In the first end effector drive mechanism 1320a configured as described above, when the rod 192a (see FIG. 17) is pulled in the Z2 direction, the first layer idle pulley 1232 and the second layer guide pulley 1238 are counterclockwise in plan view. The second layer idle pulley 1234 and the first layer guide pulley 1236 rotate clockwise. As described above, the idle pulley 1140a and the guide pulley 1142a are configured such that two pulleys are coaxially arranged in parallel, and thus can rotate in the reverse direction according to the movement of the passive wire 1252a that comes into contact, and the operation is smooth. is there.

  The end effector 1300 is a so-called double-open type in which a pair of grippers 1302 operate. The end effector 1300 includes a gripper base 1304 that is integrally formed with the cover 1160, a pair of end effector members 1308 that operate based on pins 1196 provided on the gripper base 1304, and a pair of gripper links 1220. .

  Each end effector member 1308 is L-shaped, and has a gripper 1302 extending in the Z1 direction and a lever portion 1310 extending at approximately 35 ° with respect to the gripper 1302. A hole 1216 is provided in the L-shaped bent portion, and a hole 1218 is provided in the vicinity of the end of the lever portion 1310. By inserting the pin 1196 into the hole 1216, the pair of end effector members 1308 can swing around the third rotation axis Og.

  Each end effector member 1308 is connected to the pin 1224 of the passive plate 1158 by one side gripper link 1220. In the passive plate 1158 of the end effector 1300, two link holes 1172 are provided at symmetrical positions in the Y direction in FIG. 13, and the pair of gripper links 1220 are arranged so as to intersect in a side view.

  As shown in FIGS. 12, 13, 14 and 15, the second end effector driving mechanism 1320b is basically a folding pulley (cylindrical) with respect to the first end effector driving mechanism 1320a (see FIG. 17). (Member, transmission member) 1350 is added. The passive pulley 1156a and the passive pulley 1156b have a coaxial configuration.

  The main shaft member 1144 is provided with a radial shaft hole 1354 into which the pin 1352 is inserted and fixed. The shaft hole 1354 passes through the cylindrical portion of the main shaft member 1144 via the hole 1144a.

  The transmission member 1152 is provided with a long hole 1356 extending in the axial direction with a width allowing the pin 1352 to be inserted. The transmission member 1152 is provided at a position slightly offset in the Y1 direction from the axis of the working unit 16, but only the protrusion 1174 at the tip may be disposed at the axis (see FIG. 17). Of course, the transmission member 1152 may be arranged at the center.

  The pin 1154 passes through the transmission member 1152 and protrudes in the Y2 direction to pivotally support the passive pulley 1156b. The passive pulley 1156b has a width that allows the passive wire 1252b to be wound twice. The hole 1144a has a height at which the passive pulleys 1156a and 1156b and the transmission member 1152 can be inserted. Passive pulleys 1156a and 1156b are axially supported by pins 1154 in the hole 1144a and are independently rotatable.

  The pin 1352 is inserted into the center hole of the elongated hole 1356 and the folding pulley 1350 from the Y1 direction toward the Y2 direction in the hole 1144a, so that the transmission member 1152 and the passive pulleys 1156a and 1156b can advance and retract in the axial direction. The folding pulley 1350 is pivotally supported by a pin 1352 and is rotatable, and its position is fixed. The folding pulley 1350 has a width that allows the passive wire 1252b to be wound twice. In addition, by forming the folding pulley 1350 into two layers, the folding pulley 1350 can be rotated in the opposite direction during the opening / closing operation, and friction between the passive wire 1252b and the pulley can be reduced.

  20, 21 and 22, in the second end effector drive mechanism 1320b, a folding pulley 1350 is provided on the tip side of the passive pulley 1156b, and the passive wire 1252b includes the passive pulley 1156b and the folding pulley 1350. It is wrapped around. That is, the passive wire 1252b passes from the wire engaging portion 1250b of the rod 192b of the driving member through the X1 direction of the idle pulley 1140b to the X2 direction, through the X2 direction of the guide pulley 1142b, and to the X2 direction surface of the passive pulley 1156b. It reaches. The passive wire 1252b extends in the Z1 direction as it is, reaches the surface in the X2 direction of the folding pulley 1350, is wound around the Z1 direction surface of the folding pulley 1350, and is folded in the Z2 direction.

  The passive wire 1252b is wound around the Z2 direction surface of the passive pulley 1156b by half rotation, passes through the X2 side, reaches the folding pulley 1350 again, and is again wound around the Z1 direction surface of the folding pulley 1350 by half rotation and is folded back in the Z2 direction. . Thereafter, the passive wire 1252b extends from the X1 direction of the guide pulley 1142b to the X2 direction of the idle pulley 1140b and is connected to the wire engaging portion 1250b of the rod 192b. The wire engaging portion 1250a and the passive wire 1252b are mechanically connected to the trigger lever 36 via the rod 192b.

  In order to facilitate understanding of the structure of the distal end working unit 12, a schematic diagram thereof is shown in FIG.

  In the distal end working unit 12 configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 9, when the trigger lever 36 is sufficiently pulled manually, the rod 192a pulls the passive wire 1252a, and the passive pulley 1156a and the transmission member 1152 are moved in the Z2 direction. The end effector 1300 can be closed from the movement. That is, the end effector 1300 is closed by pulling transmission members such as the rod 192a, the passive wire 1252a, and the passive pulley 1156a.

  In this case, with respect to the second end effector driving mechanism 1320b, the rod 192b is disposed so as to be pushed out, and thus does not hinder the operation of the transmission member 1152.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the trigger lever 36 is sufficiently pushed out by hand, the transmission member 1152 and the passive pulley 1156a can move in the Z1 direction toward the distal end side to open the end effector 1300.

  The end effector 1300 is mechanically directly transmitted by the second end effector drive mechanism 1320b to push the trigger lever 36 manually, so that the end effector 1300 can be opened with an arbitrary strong force instead of a predetermined force such as an elastic body. it can. Therefore, it can be suitably used for a procedure in which the biological tissue is peeled off using the outer side surface of the end effector 1300 or the hole is expanded.

  Further, when the object comes into contact with the outer surface of the end effector 1300, the passive wire 1252b, the rod 192b, and the trigger lever 36 do not move further in the Z1 direction, and the operator can move the outer surface of the end effector 1300 to the object. The contact and the hardness of the object can be perceived with the fingertip.

  The tip operation unit 12 can perform a yaw axis operation and a roll axis operation. Although not shown, when the yaw axis operation is performed in the distal end operating unit 12, the composite mechanism unit 1102 and the end effector at the distal end are centered on the shafts of the guide pulley 1142a and the guide pulley 1142b (see FIG. 11). 1300 swings in the yaw direction. Since the distal end working unit 12 is a non-interference mechanism, the opening degree of the end effector 1300 does not change even when the yaw axis operation is performed. Will not work. The same applies to the relationship between the end effector 1300 and the roll shaft.

  Next, a distal end working portion 12a as a modification of the distal end working portion 12 is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 23, the distal end working unit 12a is common in that it has a first end effector drive mechanism 1320a as compared with the distal end working unit 12 (see FIG. 10), but the second end effector. The drive mechanism 1320b is omitted. Regarding the distal end working unit 12a, the same components as those of the distal end working unit 12 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The distal end working unit 12a is provided with a single-open type end effector 1300a instead of the double-open type end effector 1300. The end effector 1300a includes a fixed gripper 1202, a gripper 1212 that opens and closes around a pin 1196, and a spring 1305 that elastically biases the transmission member 1152 in the Z1 direction. The gripper 1212 is driven to open and close via the gripper link 1220 as the transmission member 1152 advances and retreats. That is, when the trigger lever 36 is pulled in the Z2 direction, the transmission member 1152 is also displaced in the Z2 direction by the first end effector driving mechanism 1320a, and the gripper 1212 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 23 to close the end effector 1300a. To do. On the other hand, when the trigger lever 36 is opened, the transmission member 1152 is displaced in the Z1 direction by the bias of the spring 1305, and the end effector 1300a returns to the open state. The trigger lever 36 returns in the Z1 direction.

  As described above, according to the manipulator 10 according to the present embodiment, the second finger hooking portion 110 approaches the fixed first finger hooking portion 108 and closes it to apply a force. It becomes easier and the operability is improved. In addition, since the end effector 1300 is closed by closing the first finger hooking portion 108 and the second finger hooking portion 110, an intuitive operation is possible.

  The manipulator according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various configurations can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Manipulator 12, 12a ... Tip operation part 14a-14c ... Operation part 16 ... Working part 18 ... Connection shaft 26 ... Grip handle 28 ... Bridge 30 ... Actuator block 36 ... Trigger lever 54 ... Roll axis input part 56, 102 ... Yaw Shaft input part 60, 62 ... Motor 104, 130 ... Gripper shaft input part 106 ... Opening / closing axis 108, 132 ... First finger hook part 110, 134 ... Second finger hook part 116 ... First finger insertion ring 124 ... Second finger Insertion ring 126 ... straight portion 1052, 1054 ... wire 1300, 1300a ... end effector

Claims (11)

An operation unit including an input unit operated manually,
An end effector shaft including an end effector shaft that opens and closes, and one or more posture axes that change the orientation of the end effector shaft;
A connecting shaft that connects the operating portion and the tip operating portion;
A posture axis actuator for driving the posture axis;
An operation transmitting unit that mechanically transmits an operation of the input unit by a manual operation to drive the end effector shaft;
Have
The input unit includes a first finger hooking portion and a second finger hooking portion that open and close with reference to an opening / closing axis,
The first finger hook is fixed, the second finger hook is opened and closed relative to the first finger hook, and the first finger hook and the second finger hook are closed. The manipulator characterized in that the end effector shaft is closed. The manipulator according to claim 1, wherein
Each of the first finger hook part and the second finger hook part is provided with a finger insertion ring. The manipulator according to claim 2, wherein
The manipulator characterized in that the finger insertion ring in the first finger hook part is wider than the finger insertion ring in the second finger hook part and is longer in the extending direction of the first finger hook part. The manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The manipulator characterized in that a side of the second finger hook portion opposite to the side facing the first finger hook portion has a linear shape extending in a substantially radial direction with the opening / closing shaft as a center. The manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The distal end working portion has a pivot shaft that can rotate non-parallel to an axis extending from the proximal end side to the distal end side of the connection shaft,
A manipulator having an operation knob that rotates with respect to an axis orthogonal to the axis of the connecting shaft and gives an operation command to the pivot shaft. In the manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The opening / closing shaft is provided on or near the axis of the connecting shaft,
The first finger hook portion extends laterally with respect to the axis of the connection shaft,
The manipulator, wherein the second finger hook portion extends obliquely to the base end side from the first finger hook portion. The manipulator according to claim 6, wherein
The manipulator characterized in that the second finger hooking portion is closed by approaching the first finger hooking portion from a non-operating initial posture set by an elastic body. In the manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The opening / closing shaft is provided on or near the axis of the connecting shaft,
The first finger hook portion extends to the proximal end side along the axial direction of the connection shaft,
The second finger hook portion extends obliquely to the proximal end side, and approaches the axial direction of the connecting shaft from the initial posture when not operated, which is set by an elastic body. A manipulator characterized by being closed in a direction. The manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The posture axis actuator includes a roll axis actuator that rotates the end effector axis;
A roll rotation command input means for operating the roll axis actuator;
Have
The manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the roll rotation command input means generates a command signal by rotating with reference to an axis substantially coaxial with the axis of the connecting shaft. The manipulator according to claim 9, wherein
The attitude axis actuator includes a yaw axis actuator that tilts the end effector axis;
A yaw axis operation command input means for operating the yaw axis actuator;
Have
The manipulator characterized in that the yaw axis operation command input means is provided on the base end side of the roll rotation command input means. The manipulator according to claim 9 or 10,
The roll rotation command input means has a plurality of irregularities on the surface thereof.

Images