KR-20260066165-A - Wire release and winding coupler for controlling a steerable arm

KR20260066165AKR 20260066165 AKR20260066165 AKR 20260066165AKR-20260066165-A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a steerable arm of a surgical instrument for endoscopic surgery, wherein the steerable arm is capable of bending between a first position and a second position. The steerable arm is structurally biased to be in the first position, but is configured to limit the bias so as not to be fully satisfied in order to ensure a rapid response when a force is applied to induce it to be directed toward the second position. The first and second positions are determined by the length of the wire released from the spool. The limitation that the bias is not fully satisfied is provided as a limitation on the length of the wire released from the spool.

Inventors

곽 카 와이
루이 카 치
호 저스틴 디-랑
허 주오리앙

Assignees

아질리스 로보틱스 리미티드

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231222

Claims (13)

As a surgical instrument, the above instrument is: Steering arm having a bias to be in the first position; wire; and It includes a fixing device that prevents the spool from moving beyond the maximum discharge point; One end of the wire is connected to a steerable arm and the other end of the wire is connected to a spool; The spool is movable in the release direction for the release of the wire, thereby allowing the steerable arm to move to a first position by bias; A surgical instrument characterized by the fact that when the spool moves in the release direction and reaches the maximum release point, the length of the released wire is not sufficient to fully satisfy the bias.
In paragraph 1, A surgical instrument characterized by a spool that is movable in the winding direction for winding a wire, thereby configured to pull a steerable arm to a second position opposite to the bias.
In paragraph 2, A surgical instrument characterized by further including a unidirectional gear that allows the spool to move in the winding direction while preventing it from moving in the release direction.
In paragraph 2 or 3, It further includes a drive gear; and a spool gear that rotates integrally with the spool, wherein the drive gear is positioned to drive the spool gear; The spool gear has gear teeth; A surgical instrument characterized by a fixing device including a discontinuity that blocks additional movement of the driving gear in the gear tooth arrangement of the spool gear.
In paragraph 4, The spool gear is the first spool gear; The spool is the first spool; The wire is the first wire; The fixing device is the first fixing device; The above surgical instrument is: 2nd spool gear; 2nd spool; 2nd wire; and Includes a second fixing device; The steerable arm has a second bias to be in a third position; One end of the second wire is connected to a steerable arm and the other end of the second wire is connected to a second spool; The second spool is movable in the release direction for the release of the second wire, thereby allowing the steerable arm to be moved to a third position by the second bias; When the second spool moves in the discharge direction and reaches the maximum discharge point, the length of the discharged second wire is provided insufficient to fully satisfy the second bias; The second spool is movable in the winding direction for winding the second wire, thereby pulling the steerable arm to a fourth position opposite to the second bias; The second spool gear is rotatable integrally with the second spool; The drive gear is positioned to drive the second spool gear; The second spool gear has gear teeth; A surgical instrument characterized by the second fixing device including a discontinuity that blocks additional movement of the driving gear in the gear tooth arrangement of the second spool gear.
In paragraph 2, A surgical instrument characterized by further including a winding limiting device that prevents the spool from moving beyond the maximum winding point in the winding direction.
In paragraph 5, It further includes a drive gear; and a spool gear that rotates integrally with the spool, wherein the drive gear is positioned to drive the spool gear; A surgical instrument characterized by being configured such that, as the drive gear disengages from meshing with the spool gear, the steerable arm can move freely to a first position according to the bias.
In paragraph 4, The drive gear is a ring gear surrounding the spool gear; The ring gear is: It includes a ring having an outer edge and an inner edge; A surgical instrument characterized by having a gear tooth on the inner edge that meshes with the gear tooth of a spool gear, so that when the ring is rotated, the spool gear is driven.
As a coupler for wire release and winding to control a steerable arm, the coupler is: Spool for wire - The spool is movable in the release direction for wire release -; A fixing device that prevents the spool from moving beyond the maximum discharge point; It includes a drive gear; and a spool gear that rotates integrally with the spool; wherein the drive gear is arranged to drive the spool gear; The spool gear has gear teeth; A coupler characterized by a fixed device including a discontinuity that blocks additional movement of the driving gear in the gear tooth arrangement of the spool gear.
In Paragraph 9, A coupler characterized by being configured such that, as the drive gear releases engagement with the spool gear, the spool can move freely without being constrained by the drive gear.
In Article 9 or Article 10, The spool is movable in the winding direction for winding the wire; A coupler characterized by including a winding limiting device that prevents the spool from moving beyond the maximum winding point in the winding direction.
In any one of paragraphs 9 through 11, The drive gear is a ring gear surrounding the spool gear; The ring gear is: It includes a ring having an outer edge and an inner edge; A coupler characterized by having a gear tooth on the inner edge that meshes with the gear tooth of a spool gear, so that when the ring is rotated, the spool gear is driven.
A method for passing a surgical instrument through an instrument channel of an endoscope, wherein the tip of the surgical instrument comprises a steerable arm capable of bending and straightening into a straight line, and the method comprises: A method characterized by including the step of straightening a steerable arm into a straight line shape before passing a surgical instrument through an instrument channel.

Description

Wire release and winding coupler for controlling a steerable arm The present invention relates to a surgical instrument intended to be placed inside a large device, such as an endoscope. In particular, the present invention relates to a coupler comprising a mechanism for moving a small robotic arm located at the distal end of the surgical instrument. FIGS. 1 and 2 are photographs of some of the early designs of robotic surgical instruments that are still being used to perform minimally invasive procedures. Generally, these instruments include a rigid rod (103) equipped with an end-effector, such as a clamp (101), provided with a pair of claws for manipulating tissue. A coupler (105) for connecting the instrument to a motor box is provided at the proximal end of the rigid rod (103). Inside the coupler, there is a spool for winding or unwinding a wire, configured to pull the clamp to move the clamp (101). The base (107) of each spool is accessible from the outside of the coupler and can be driven by a corresponding driver inside the motor box. The rigid rod (103) limits the use of this device to laparoscopic surgery, in which it is necessary to make a small incision in the patient's skin to insert the clamp (101). In an improved version of this instrument, the rigid rod is replaced with a thinner, longer, and more flexible transfer tube. Accordingly, the surgical instrument is inserted into the instrument channel of the endoscope, which is configured to provide a passage to the gastrointestinal tract through the body's natural openings. The transfer tube can be easily pushed through the very smooth instrument channel and can be inserted without difficulty even if the endoscope bends in several places to move along the curves of the gastrointestinal tract. A small robotic arm is located at the distal end of the transmission tube and is configured to bend or straighten when a wire connected to the robotic arm is pulled or released. Another end of this wire is attached to a spool within a coupler. To distinguish this robotic arm from other mechanisms using the designation "robotic arm" in the same technical field, it is referred to hereinafter as a "steerable arm." These surgical instruments are single-use consumables, but the term "single-use" includes instruments that are reinserted into the endoscope multiple times during the procedure. It has been suggested that these surgical instruments require significant improvement. For example, steerable arms often exhibit a somewhat slow response time to wire control, which reduces the proficiency and efficiency of the surgeon using the instrument. Additionally, as the instrument's control wire slips too easily from the spool, there is a risk of having to replace the surgical instrument in an emergency during surgery. Furthermore, the position of the endoscope shifts easily during the process of repeatedly withdrawing and reinserting the instrument, affecting the reach of the steerable arm. Moreover, it has been observed that the instrument channel of the endoscope becomes increasingly difficult to sterilize even after just a few procedures. Therefore, it is desirable to propose improvement measures that can solve or alleviate one or more of these problems. To explain the present invention, it will be convenient to describe possible embodiments in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same components are given the same reference numerals. Other configurations of the present invention are also possible, and thus the specificity of the accompanying drawings should not be understood as limiting the generality of the present invention as described above. FIG. 1 (prior art) is a photograph of a mechanism having a coupler to be connected to a mechanical drive unit of the da Vinci system of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. FIG. 2 (prior art) is an additional photograph of the apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a coupler as an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a surgical instrument including the coupler of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a photograph of the surgical instrument shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 shows the state in which two surgical instruments shown in Figure 4 are inserted into an endoscope. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the endoscope tip shown as an inset at the top of Figure 6. Figure 8 illustrates the configuration of an endoscopic surgery using the surgical instrument of Figure 4. FIG. 9 illustrates a motor box to which the coupler of the surgical instrument of FIG. 4 can be attached. Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the coupler receiving portion on the motor box of Figure 9. FIG. 11 illustrates the state in which the coupler receiving part of FIG. 10 and the coupler are not coupled. FIG. 12 illustrates the main body of a steerable arm that can be provided at the distal end of the surgical instrument of FIG. 4. FIG. 13 illustrates a bent state of a steerable arm that can be provided at the