Angle-adjustable Robot Arm for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Surgical Robot and Method for Producing Same

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes a mechanically simplified and robust angle-adjustable robotic arm designed for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The invention introduces a novel mechanism using a rack and pinion system for precisely controlling the bending of the robotic arm, replacing traditional cable or wire-based solutions. The distal segment of the arm pivots relative to the proximal segment, allowing enhanced flexibility and stability for surgical operations performed through small incisions or natural orifices. The design enables strong force transfer, reliable movement, and is suitable for both teleoperated and (semi-)autonomous robotic surgical systems.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Minimally invasive surgical procedures (e.g. laparoscopy, single-port surgery, endoscopic operations).
• Robotic-assisted surgeries requiring high precision and dexterity in constrained spaces.
• Deployment in modular, in-body-assembled surgical robots for reduced incision size and trauma.
• Surgical procedures that benefit from easier or safer instrument triangulation and positioning within the body.
• Other applications in medical robotics where reliable and compact angle adjustment mechanisms are essential (e.g. flexible endoscopy, microsurgery).

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Increased mechanical robustness and reliability compared to cable/elastic-based systems, supporting higher force application and load-bearing.
• Reduced mechanical complexity, manufacturing cost, and assembly time due to integrated and/or additively manufactured components.
• Enhanced precision and stability of arm movement for delicate surgical tasks, improving patient safety and surgical outcomes.
• Supports miniaturization and modular assembly, potentially enabling smaller incisions and less invasive procedures.
• Flexibility to combine with various actuation techniques and adaptable to both flexible and discrete robotic arm structures.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

An articulating robotic arm for minimally invasive surgery, comprising a proximal arm segment extending along a longitudinal axis of the robotic arm and a distal arm segment connected to the proximal arm segment, pivotable about a pivot axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The distal arm segment comprises a pinion segment formed with pinion teeth arranged about the pivot axis in the form of a pinion. A rack element is arranged on the proximal arm segment such that the rack element is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rack element parallel to the longitudinal axis by means of a translation, and rack teeth formed on the rack element are engaged with the pinion teeth so that a movement of the rack element in the longitudinal direction via the rack teeth and the pinion teeth is converted into a rotational movement of the distal arm segment about the pivot axis, and so that the distal arm segment pivots relative to the proximal arm segment about the pivot axis.