An enhanced flexible robotic endoscopy apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017332882-A1
Application number	US-201515127398-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Nov 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An enhanced flexible robotic endoscopy apparatus includes a main body and flexible elongate shaft. The main body comprises a proximal end, a distal end and a housing that extends to the proximal end and the housing comprises a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of insertion inlets which reside on at least one of the surface of the housing at the proximal end of the main body, through which a plurality of channels for endoscopy are accessible. Each of the insertion inlets has insertion axis corresponding thereto, along which flexible elongate assemblies are insertable, with the insertion axes of the insertion inlets being parallel to the central axis of the flexible elongate shaft at the proximal end of the flexible elongate shaft.

First claim

1 . A robotic endoscopy apparatus, comprising:
a main body comprising a proximal end, a distal end and a housing that extends to the proximal end, the housing comprising a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of insertion inlets which reside on at least one of the surface of the housing at the proximal end of the main body, through which a plurality of channels for endoscopy are accessible; and a flexible elongate shaft having a proximal end extending away from the distal end of the main body, the flexible elongate shaft comprising a distal end, a central axis, the plurality of channels therewithin for carrying portions of flexible elongate assemblies and an opening disposed at the flexible elongate shaft's distal end for each of the plurality of channels,
wherein each of the insertion inlets has insertion axis corresponding thereto, along which the flexible elongate assemblies are insertable, with the insertion axes of the insertion inlets being parallel to the central axis of the flexible elongate shaft at the proximal end of the flexible elongate shaft.

2 . The robotic endoscopy apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a plurality of surfaces, and the plurality of insertion inlets reside on one of the plurality of surface.

3 . The robotic endoscopy apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising,
a support function connector assembly configured to couple the main body to an external system for supporting functions including at least one of delivery of insufflation, suction, and irrigation through the flexible elongate shaft of the endoscopy apparatus.

4 . The robotic endoscopy apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flexible elongate assemblies is an actuation assembly comprising:
a robot arm and a corresponding end effector configured to perform endoscopic procedures according to forces generated by external actuation elements; a plurality of tendon elements configured to transmit forces from the external actuation elements to the robot arm and the end effector; and an adapter configured to couple the plurality of tendon elements with the external actuation elements.

5 . The robotic endoscopy apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the flexible elongate assemblies further comprises:
a flexible sheath configured to cover the plurality of tendon elements; and a flexible elongate outer sleeve configured to carry the plurality of tendon elements covered by the flexible sheath.

6 . The robotic endoscopy apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the flexible elongate assemblies further comprises a collar element configured to surround at least a portion of the flexible elongate outer sleeve at a predetermined distance away from a distal end of the end effector and configured to engage longitudinal translation mechanism to enable longitudinal translation of at least one of the flexible elongate assemblies across a predetermined distance range.

7 . The robotic endoscopy apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flexible elongate assemblies is a flexible imaging endoscope assembly comprising:
an imaging unit configured to capture images of an environment external to the distal end of the flexible elongate shaft in which the end effectors reside; a plurality of tendon elements configured for coupling the external actuation elements to the imaging unit; and an adapter by which the plurality of tendon elements can be interfaced with particular external actuation elements.

8 . A robotic endoscopy system, comprising:
at least one flexible elongate assembly configured to perform endoscopic procedures according to forces generated by external actuation elements; a transport endoscope having a main body and a flexible elongate shaft comprising a central axis and a plurality of channels therewithin for carrying portions of the at least one of flexible elongate assembly; a docking station configured to be detachably engaged with the transport endoscope, the docking station having a translation unit configured to matingly engage with the at least one of the flexible elongate assemblies and selectively longitudinally translate at least one of the flexible elongate assemblies across a predetermined distance range; a motorbox comprising a plurality of actuators configured to drive each of the flexible elongate assemblies; and a main control unit configured to control each of the plurality of actuators according to external control signal,
wherein the transport endoscope is engageable with the docking station from one of: (a) the same direction as the direction from which the at least one of flexible elongate assemblies is matingly engaged with the translation unit, and (b) a direction parallel to the central axis of the flexible elongate shaft.

9 . The robotic endoscopy system of claim 8 , further comprising,
a support function connector assembly configured to couple the main body to an external system for supporting functions including at least one of delivery of insufflation, positive pressure, suction, negative pressure, vacuum pressure, and irrigation through the flexible elongate shaft of the endoscopy system.

10 . The endoscopy system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the flexible elongate assemblies is an actuation assembly comprising:
a robot arm and its corresponding end effector configured to perform endoscopic procedures according to forces generated by external actuation elements; a plurality of tendon elements configured to transmit forces generated by the external actuation elements to the robot arm and the end effector; and an adapter configured to couple the plurality of tendon elements with the external actuation elements.

11 . The endoscopy system of claim 8 , wherein the motorbox comprises at least one adapter, one of the adapters of the motorbox being coupled to the adapter of the actuation assembly.

12 . The endoscopy system of claim 8 , wherein each of the flexible elongate assemblies further comprises a collar element configured to surround at least a portion of the flexible elongate outer sleeve at a predetermined distance away from a distal end of the end effector and configured to enable longitudinal translation at least one of the flexible elongate assemblies across a predetermined distance range.

13 . The endoscopy system of claim 12 , wherein the translation unit comprises at least one receiver configured to be matingly engaged with the collar element to enable the longitudinal translation.

14 . The endoscopy system of claim 8 , wherein one of the flexible elongate assemblies is a flexible imaging endoscope assembly comprising:
an imaging unit configured to capture images of the end effectors; a plurality of tendon elements configured for spatially positioning the imaging unit in response to applied forces; and an adapter by which the plurality of tendon elements can be interfaced with particular external actuation elements.

15 . A robotic endoscopy system, comprising:
at least one flexible elongate assembly configured to perform endoscopic procedures according to external control signals; a transport endoscope comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a main body and a flexible elongate shaft, the main body comprising a housing that extends to the proximal end, a joint member on an exterior surface of the housing, and a grip disposed toward a distal end of the housing, wherein the flexible elongate shaft includes a central axis and a plurality of channels therewithin for carrying portions of the at least one flexible elongate assembly; a docking station configured to be detachably engaged with the transport endoscope by way

Assignees

• Endomaster Pte Ltd
• Hoya Corp

Inventors

• Yamamoto Tomonori
• PENNY Isaac David
• Sam Soon Christopher Lee Shih Hao
• Tran Hoang-Ha
• Lwin Tae Zar
• Tan Tsun En
• Naito Naoyuki
• Kobayashi Takahiro
• Oishi Makio

Classifications

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B34/37

  Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B1/0125

  Endoscope within endoscope · CPC title

• A61B1/00128

  mechanical, e.g. for tubes or pipes · CPC title