Manipulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019216563-A1
Application number	US-201916366285-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2019
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Jul 18, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A manipulator is used to operate a surgical device that treats a body tissue. The manipulator includes a drive mechanism having a stationary section to be attached on a housing of a drive unit containing with at least one motor. A movable part is supported rotatably about a predetermined axis on the stationary section and having a connecting portion configured to be connected to the at least one motor when the stationary section is attached on the housing. A cover is configured to seal a gap between the movable part and the stationary section so as to prevent fluid from entering the gap between the movable part and the stationary part. A power transmission member is connected to both the movable part and the surgical device to transmit power from the motor to the surgical device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A manipulator being used to operate a surgical device that treats a body tissue, the manipulator comprising:
a drive mechanism having a stationary section to be attached on a housing of a drive unit containing at least one motor, a movable part being supported rotatably about a predetermined axis on the stationary section and having a second connecting portion configured to be connected to the at least one motor when the stationary section is attached on the housing, and a cover configured to seal a gap between the movable part and the stationary section so as to prevent fluid from entering the gap between the movable part and the stationary part.

2 . The manipulator of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes
a first cover part covering the stationary section around the movable part; a cylindrical second cover portion covering an outer peripheral surface of the movable part and fixed in a close contact state on the outer peripheral surface; and a torsion absorbing portion integrally connected to the cylindrical second cover portion and the first cover part and configured to absorb a torsion caused by rotation of the cylindrical second cover portion associated with rotation of the movable part.

3 . The manipulator of claim 2 , wherein the torsion absorbing portion is formed by folding back an end portion of the cylindrical second cover portion over an entire periphery thereof in a direction along the predetermined axis.

4 . The manipulator of claim 2 , wherein the torsion absorbing portion is formed by folding back an end portion of the cylindrical second cover portion over an entire periphery thereof in a direction intersecting the predetermined axis thereof.

5 . The manipulator of claim 2 , wherein the cylindrical second cover portion is adhesively bonded over an entire periphery thereof to the outer peripheral surface of the movable part.

6 . The manipulator of claim 2 , wherein the cylindrical second cover portion is wound with a thread over an entire periphery of an outer peripheral surface thereof and is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the movable part so that the thread resembles a coil that is adhesively attached on the outer peripheral surface of the movable part.

7 . The manipulator of claim 2 , wherein the cover includes:
a rubber cover part made of a rubber material and having the first cover part, the cylindrical second cover portion, and the torsion absorbing portion, and a frame-shaped cover part made of a resin material and being disposed along and over an entire periphery of an edge of the rubber cover part, fixed in a close contact state on the stationary section of the drive mechanism.

8 . The manipulator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power transmission member connected at one end thereof to the movable part and at an opposite end thereof to the surgical device; and an elongated insert section extending from the stationary section of the drive mechanism in a direction intersecting the predetermined axis, wherein the surgical device is disposed on a tip of the elongated insert section, and power of the at least one motor is transmitted from the movable part to the surgical device via the power transmission member.

9 . The manipulator of claim 1 , wherein the second connecting portion of the movable part has a recessed shape or a projecting shape.

10 . A manipulator comprising:
a drive unit defined by a housing having a plurality of the motors attached thereto, each of the plurality of the motors includes a first connecting portion projected outwardly therefrom; and a drive mechanism configured to be mounted onto the drive unit, the drive mechanism comprises a stationary section having a plurality of movable parts being supported rotatably and being projected outwardly from the stationary section and wherein each of the plurality of the movable part being attached to the corresponding first connecting portion when the drive unit is engaged with the drive mechanism, and a cover being configured to seal a gap between the movable part and the stationary section so as to prevent fluid from entering the gap between the movable part and the stationary part.

11 . The manipulator of claim 10 , wherein the cover is defined by a rubber cover part and a frame-shaped resin cover part disposed along and over an entire periphery of an edge of the rubber cover part.

12 . The manipulator of claim 11 , wherein the rubber cover part includes
a first cover part covering the stationary section around the movable part; a cylindrical second cover portion covering an outer peripheral surface of the movable part and being attached onto the outer peripheral surface; and a torsion absorbing portion integrally connected to the cylindrical second cover portion and the first cover part and configured to absorb a torsion caused by rotation of the cylindrical second cover portion associated with rotation of the movable part.

13 . The manipulator of claim 10 , wherein the drive unit includes two ledge members each of which being attached to respective ends of the housing.

14 . The manipulator of claim 10 , wherein the drive mechanism includes two latch members each of which engaged with respective ledge members when the drive mechanism and the drive unit are attached to one another.

15 . The manipulator of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of the movable parts includes a respective second connecting portion having a recess formed therein.

16 . The manipulator of claim 10 is attached to a surgical device to treat a body tissue.

17 . The manipulator of claim 10 further comprising a power transmission member configured to be connected at one end to the plurality of movable parts and at an opposed end to a surgical device so as to transmit power from the plurality of the motors to the surgical device.

18 . A manipulator being used to operate a surgical device that treats a body tissue, the manipulator comprising:
a drive unit defined by a housing having a plurality of the motors attached thereto, each of the plurality of the motors includes a corresponding first connecting portion projected outwardly therefrom; and a drive mechanism configured to be mounted onto the drive unit, the drive mechanism comprises a stationary section having a plurality of movable parts being supported rotatably and being projected outwardly from the stationary section, each of the plurality of the movable parts includes a respective second connecting portion each of which having a recess formed therein and wherein each of the respective second connecting portion being attached to the corresponding first connecting portion when the drive unit is engaged with the drive mechanism, and a cover being defined by a rubber cover part and a frame-shaped resin cover part disposed along and over an entire periphery of an edge of the rubber cover part wherein the cover being configured to seal a gap between the movable part and the stationary section so as to prevent fluid from entering the gap between the movable part and the stationary part.

19 . The manipulator of claim 18 , wherein
a power transmission member is configured to be connected at one end to the plurality of movable part and at an opposed end to the surgical device so as to transmit power from the plurality of the motors to the surgical device.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Sugimoto Arimasa
• Kikuchi Yuki
• Watanabe Sadahiro

Classifications

• A61B2090/0813

  Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable · CPC title

• A61B2017/2948

  Sealing means, e.g. for sealing the interior from fluid entry · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/29

  Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery · CPC title

• A61B34/70 Primary

  Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery · CPC title