Manipulator and manipulator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10085612-B2
Application number	US-201615006433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2016
Priority date	Jul 26, 2013
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A manipulator and manipulator system in which a dynamic surplus is rapidly removed and a moving part actuates rapidly in association with the operation of an operating part. The manipulator includes an operating part operated by an operator, a moving part operated by the operating part, a transmitting part for coupling the operating part to the moving part to transmit driving force of the operating part to the moving part, a transmission compensating part for making up for a dynamic surplus occurring in the transmitting part in association with the operation of the operating part, an input part for acquiring a state of at least one of the operating, moving and transmitting part, and a control unit for controlling the transmission compensating part depending on the state acquired by the input part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manipulator including a distal end and a proximal end, the manipulator comprising:
an operating part located at the proximal end and operated by an operator;
a moving part located at the distal end and made movable operated by the operating part;
an operating part-side pulley located at the operating part to drive the moving part by way of a wire associated with rotational operation of the operating part;
a motor adapted to rotate the operating part-side pulley; and
a controller comprising hardware, the controller being configured to control the motor,
wherein when the operating part is rotated in a first direction whereby the operating part is changed from a state where the moving part is bent into a second direction that is a reverse direction relative to the first direction, the operating part-side pulley is disengaged from the operating part to connect the operating part-side pulley to the motor so that the operating part-side pulley is rotated to pull the wire.

2. A manipulator according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls rotation of the operating part-side pulley connected to the motor in association with a direction of rotation of a first encoder provided at the operating part to detect a direction or angle of rotation of the operating part-side pulley.

3. A manipulator according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls rotation of the motor and the operating part-side pulley in association with a speed or acceleration of rotation of the operating part.

4. A manipulator according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the motor based on information about at least one of the moving part and the operating part-side pulley.

5. A manipulator according to claim 4 , wherein the controller controls the motor based on a posture of at least one of the moving part and the operating part-side pulley.

6. A manipulator according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein the moving part includes a plurality of bendable blocks, and a first encoder provided at the operating part to detect a direction or angle of rotation of the operating part-side pulley or a second encoder provided at the motor to detect a direction or angle of rotation of the motor to acquire information about angles of bending the plurality of bendable blocks, allowing the controller to control the motor depending on angles of rotation of the plurality of bendable blocks.

7. A manipulator according to claim 6 , wherein the controller controls the motor depending on angles of bending of the plurality of bendable blocks.

8. A manipulator system, comprising:
a manipulator as recited in claim 1 ; and
a display for displaying images obtained through the manipulator;
wherein the manipulator includes an endoscope having a viewing optical system, an imaging sensor and a lighting optical system, and the controller enables images obtained through the endoscope to be displayed on the display.

9. A manipulator according to claim 1 , wherein the operating part-side pulley is interposed between the operating part and the motor.

10. A manipulator according to claim 1 , wherein when the operating part is rotationally operated in the first direction upon bending of the moving part, the controller gains control such that a slack in the wire disposed between the operating part-side pulley and the moving part is removed upon changing of the operating part from the first direction into the second direction.

11. A manipulator according to claim 1 , wherein after connection of the operating part-side pulley to the motor, the operating part-side pulley is disengaged from the motor and connected to the operating part.

12. A manipulator including a distal end and a proximal end, comprising:
an operating part located at the proximal end and operated by an operator;
a moving part located at the distal end and made movable by the operating part;
an operating part-side pulley located at the operating part to drive the moving part by way of a wire associated with rotational operation of the operating part;
a motor adapted to rotate the operating part-side pulley;
a controller comprising hardware, the controller being configured to control the motor,
a first clutch located at the operating part to be capable of being disengaged from the operating part-side pulley;
a second clutch located on the motor side to be capable of being disengaged from the operating part-side pulley;
a first encoder located at the operating part to detect a direction of rotation of the operating part; and
a second encoder located at the motor to detect an angle or direction of rotation of the motor,
wherein when the operating part is rotationally operated in a first direction whereby the operating part is changed from a state where the moving part is bent into a second direction that is a reverse direction relative to the first direction, a direction of rotation of the operating part is detected by the first encoder, as a result of which the operating part-side pulley is disengaged from the first clutch by the controller, allowing the operating part-side pulley to be connected to the second clutch of the motor and the operating part-side pulley connected to the motor to pull the wire.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• HATAKEYAMA Naoya
• Isoda Takumi
• Iida Masatoshi
• Watanabe Sadahiro

Classifications

• A61B1/044

  for absorption imaging · CPC title

• A61B1/06

  with illuminating arrangements · CPC title

• A61B1/0055

  Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements · CPC title

• G05B2219/39439

  Joystick, handle, lever controls manipulator directly, manually by operator · CPC title

• A61B1/04

  combined with photographic or television appliances · CPC title