WO2010068005A2

WO2010068005A2 - Surgical robot

Info

Publication number: WO2010068005A2
Application number: PCT/KR2009/007291
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seung Wook Choi; Jong Seok Won; Dong Myung Min
Original assignee: Rebo
Priority date: 2008-12-12
Filing date: 2009-12-08
Publication date: 2010-06-17
Also published as: WO2010068005A3

Abstract

A surgical robot is disclosed. A bed mount surgical robot, for performing a surgical procedure on a patient lying on an operating bed using a surgical instrument mounted on an end portion of a robot arm, can include: a main unit joined to the operating bed, a support arm rotatably joined to the main unit, and one or more robot arms rotatably joined to the support arm. Since multiple robot arms may be joined to a support arm, which itself may be joined to a main unit mounted on the operating bed, the surgical slave robot can have a slim, compact form as well as greater stability. Also, as the robot arms may be mounted onto the bed, the relative positions of the robot arms with respect to the bed can be accurately identified without having to separately input the position information of the bed when installing the robot arms.

Description

SURGICAL ROBOT

The present invention relates to a surgical robot.

In the field of medicine, surgery refers to a procedure in which a medical device is used to make a cut or an incision in or otherwise manipulate a patient’s skin, mucosa, or other tissue, to treat a pathological condition. A surgical procedure such as a laparotomy, etc., in which the skin is cut open and an internal organ, etc., is treated, reconstructed, or excised, may entail problems of blood loss, side effects, pain, and scars, and as such, the use of robots is currently regarded as a popular alternative.

A conventional set of surgical robots may include a master robot, which is manipulated by the doctor to generate and transmit the necessary signals, and a slave robot, which receives the signals from the master robot to actually apply the manipulation to the patient. Typically, the slave robot may be installed in the operating room, and the master robot may be installed in a manipulation room, with the master robot and slave robot connected by a wired and/or wireless system to allow remote operation of a surgical procedure.

Here, the slave robot may be faced with the conflicting requirements of having to be positioned close to the patient undergoing surgery, while not occupying an excessive amount of space so that anesthetists, clinical staff, and nurses may approach the patient.

To satisfy these requirements, conventional slave robots have been installed in a variety of ways, such as by positioning the slave robot near the patient or mounting the slave robot on the ceiling of the operating room and lowering the robot to the position of the patient as necessary. Each of these approaches has its advantages and disadvantages, and it is difficult to say which one approach is superior.

Also, due to its large volume, it may not be an easy task to store, install, and move the conventional surgical robot within the hospital, and as such, it may be difficult to utilize surgical robots in smaller hospitals.

The information in the background art described above was obtained by the inventors for the purpose of developing the present invention or was obtained during the process of developing the present invention. As such, it is to be appreciated that this information did not necessarily belong to the public domain before the patent filing date of the present invention.

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a smaller, lighter surgical robot that is easier to store, install, and move and occupies a smaller amount of floor area. The surgical robot may double as a bed for a patient, in an integrated form of bed and surgical robot.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a surgical robot which offers the strength, stability, functionality, and precision required for robotic surgery, is small and slim in size, so that the surgeon may readily access the patient, and which also provides greater freedom in pre-surgery preparations for both the patient and the robot.

One aspect of the present invention provides a bed mount surgical robot for performing a surgical procedure on a patient lying on an operating bed. The bed mount surgical robot, which uses a surgical instrument mounted on an end portion of a robot arm, may be mounted on the operating bed. The bed mount surgical robot includes: a main unit joined to the operating bed; a support arm rotatably joined to the main unit; and one or more of the robot arms rotatably joined to the support arm.

The operating bed can include a footing, a core supported on the footing, and a table supported on the core for accommodating a patient lying on the table, where the main unit can be rotatably joined to the core such that the robot arm is able to move closer to or further from the operating bed. In this case, the main unit can be shaped as an arc and can be joined to the core in such a way that the main unit is protracted from or retracted into the core by rotating about a particular point. Also, the main unit can be slidably joined to the core such that the main unit can move closer to or further from the core.

The support arm can include a major support arm and a minor support arm: the major support arm joined to the main unit such that the major support arm is movable in one direction, and the minor support arm joined to the major support arm such that the minor support arm is rotatable. In this case, the major support arm can be slidably joined to the main unit such that the major support arm is able to move along a lengthwise direction of the main unit, while the minor support arm can be joined to an end portion of the major support arm by way of a SCARA system.

A multiple number of main units can be joined to the operating bed, and the robot arms can be joined respectively to the main units such that the robot arms are manipulated facing a particular point on the operating bed. The main unit can be detachably joined to the operating bed, where the main unit can be shaped as a tower column which, when detached from the operating bed, can be mounted on the floor of an operating room in correspondence with a position of the operating bed.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a surgical robot for performing a surgical procedure using a surgical instrument mounted on an end portion of a robot arm. The surgical robot includes: a first support arm, a second support arm rotatably joined to the first support arm, and a multiple number of robot arms rotatably joined to the second support arm, where the first support arm is supported on a base. The base can be the operating room ceiling, operating room floor, operating bed, etc., and the first support arm can be rotatably joined to the base. The surgical robot can be a slave robot that is operated by a signal generated by a user manipulation on a separate master robot. The second support arm can be detachably joined to the first support arm.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a surgical robot that includes: a base, a support arm supported on the base, and a multiple number of robot arms, which are detachably joined to the support arm, and on an end portion of which a surgical instrument is mounted to perform a maneuver required for surgery.

The robot arms can each be mounted on the support arm, or can be joined to the support arm in such a way that one robot arm is mounted on another robot arm mounted on the support arm. Also, the robot arms can be joined to the support arm such that the center of motion of each of the robot arms faces a patient, so that the robot arms may generally be bent towards the patient.

Additional aspects, features, and advantages, other than those described above, will be obvious from the claims and written description below.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, multiple robot arms may be joined to a support arm, which itself may be joined to a main unit mounted on the operating bed, so that the surgical slave robot can have a slim, compact form as well as greater stability. Also, as the robot arms may be mounted onto the bed, the relative positions of the robot arms with respect to the bed can be accurately identified without having to separately input the position information of the bed when installing the robot arms. In other words, the positions of the robot arms can be configured automatically without the need for separately setting the initial positions of the robot arms when performing surgery.

Also, in cases where multiple main units are joined to the operating bed and the robot arms are mounted on the main units, respectively, each of the main units can be given a reduced size, so that the benefits of the bed mount surgical robot may be obtained with regard to transporting the patient or draping. If the main unit is detachably joined to the operating bed, the main unit can be formed as a separate structure that can be supported on the floor of the operating room, thereby bypassing problems caused by shaky beds and allowing a more stable mode of robotic surgery.

Also, by supporting a first support arm with a base, such as the ceiling or floor of the operating room and the operating bed, etc., extending a second support arm from the first support arm, and joining multiple robot arms to the support arms, the surgical slave robot may be constructed with a compact and slim size that occupies a small amount of space. This makes it possible to position the surgical robot close to the patient while providing space for the surgeon to access the patient.

Figure 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a bed mount surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a bed mount surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a front view of a bed mount surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a bed mount surgical robot according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a bed mount surgical robot according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6, Figure 7, and Figure 8 each illustrate a perspective view of a surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9, Figure 10, and Figure 11 each illustrate a plan view of a surgical robot according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As the present invention allows for various changes and numerous embodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the written description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to particular modes of practice, and it is to be appreciated that all changes, equivalents, and substitutes that do not depart from the spirit and technical scope of the present invention are encompassed in the present invention. In the written description, certain detailed explanations of related art are omitted when it is deemed that they may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present invention.

While such terms as “first” and “second,” etc., may be used to describe various components, such components must not be limited to the above terms. The above terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

The terms used in the present specification are merely used to describe particular embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. An expression used in the singular encompasses the expression of the plural, unless it has a clearly different meaning in the context. In the present specification, it is to be understood that the terms “including” or “having,” etc., are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to preclude the possibility that one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof may exist or may be added.

Figure 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a bed mount surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a bed mount surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. Illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are instruments 1, an operating bed 3, a footing 5, a core 7, a table 9, a main unit 10, a support arm 11, a major support arm 12, a minor support arm 14, robot arms 20, and wheels 30.

A feature of this embodiment is to structure the surgical robot such that the main unit is mounted on the operating bed and the support arm and the robot arms in turn are joined to the main unit. Thus, the surgical robot may be implemented with structural stability, and the relative positions between the robot arms and the patient may be accurately identified.

The surgical robot faces conflicting requirements. That is, the surgical robot may have to be positioned close to the patient when operated, while enabling clinical staff, etc., to access the patient without interference, and the surgical robot may have to be positioned over the body of the patient when operated, while guaranteeing sterilization to eliminate the risk of infection for the patient.

Moreover, the surgical robot may have to provide the levels of strength, accuracy, and dexterity sufficient for operation, while providing a small, slim size and light weight, and the surgical robot may have to be mounted in a stable manner, while being capable of moving freely and occupying a small area. Furthermore, the surgical robot may have to provide freedom in pre-surgery preparations for both the patient and the robot.

Various mounting types have been conceived to best satisfy each of these conflicting requirements, including the ceiling mount type, table mount type, floor mount type, patient mount type, tower type, etc. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.

This embodiment can be referred to as a “bed mount type,” combining the advantages of the table mount type and tower type robots by joining the foundation of a tower type robot to the operating bed 3.

That is, a surgical robot according to this embodiment can include a structure formed under the operating bed 3, with a tower type main unit extending from this structure to move closer to or further from the bed. Several robot arms 20 can be joined to the tower type main unit by way of the support arm 11.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the surgical robot can be of a structure that is mounted on an operating bed 3 and can be a kind of slave robot that is equipped with a surgical instrument 1 on one end, i.e. one end of a robot arm 20, and used for performing surgery on a patient lying on the operating bed 3.

The basic structure of a surgical robot according to this embodiment may include a main unit, a support arm 11 joined to the main unit, and a robot arm 20 joined to the support arm 11, where the main unit may be joined to an operating bed 3. Referring to the part of the operating bed 3 touching the floor as the footing 5, and the part on which a patient may lie as the table 9, a core 7 can be installed between the footing 5 and the table 9, as illustrated in Figure 1, while the main unit of the surgical robot may be joined to the core 7.

Using a variety of mechanisms, the main unit joined to the core 7 of the operating bed 3 can be made to move or rotate further from or closer to the operating bed 3. An example of a mechanism for moving and rotating the main unit will be described later in more detail with reference to Figure 3.

A robot arm 20 may be joined to the main unit by way of an interposed support arm 11. As the support arm 11 is operated, the robot arm 20 may be extended, withdrawn, and/or rotated in relation to the main unit, to be set to a position facing the surgical site of the patient lying on the table 9, ready to perform a maneuver required for surgery. An extension device such as a sliding system, telescoping system, etc., can be employed for the extending and withdrawing of the robot arm 20, and various extension and rotation devices, such as rotation shafts, links, etc., can be employed for the positioning of the robot arm 20.

When the robot arm 20 is used for surgery, the main unit may rotate and extend from the operating bed 3, and the robot arm 20 may be driven such that a surgical instrument 1 joined to the front end of the robot arm 20 faces the surgical site of the patient. When the robot arm 20 is not being used for surgery, the main unit may withdraw and rotate, to be stored in the operating bed 3.

Since a surgical robot according to this embodiment may be mounted on the operating bed 3, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the origin of the driving coordinates for the robot arm 20 may correspond to a particular position on the bed. For example, when manipulating the robot arm 20 for surgery, the point at which the robot arm 20 is mounted on the bed can be used as the origin for the coordinates, without having to input information regarding the positional relationship between the robot and the bed or between the robot and the patient as in the related art. Therefore, the instrument 1 can be accurately manipulated to face a particular position on the table 9 or on the patient lying on the bed.

A means of transport such as wheels or rollers for moving the bed can be installed on the footing 5 of the operating bed 3, but since the driving coordinates of the robot may remain unchanged as described above even when the bed is moved by the transport means, the robotic surgery procedures can be performed in the same manner as when the bed was not moved.

Also, in cases where the height is adjusted for the table 9 of the operating bed 3, the height of the robot can be adjusted in linkage with the height of the table 9, or the information on how much the height of the table 9 was adjusted can be transferred immediately to the surgical robot, so that the robot arm 20 may be manipulated using the same or a corresponding set of coordinates regardless of the adjustment in height.

Because the surgical robot according to this embodiment is formed in this manner as a structure that is mounted on the bed, the surgical robot can be installed with greater stability, and the relative positions between the bed and the surgical robot can be identified with high accuracy. Here, it is also possible to retrieve preconfigured information according to the type of surgery, so that the robot arm 20 may move automatically to a designated position.

According to this embodiment, the support arm 11 may be rotatably joined to the main unit, while the robot arm 20 may be joined to the end of the support arm 11. That is, in forming the surgical robot, the support arm 11 may be joined to the main unit, and one or more robot arms 20 may be joined to the end portion of the support arm 11, so that the overall surgical robot can be implemented in a slim and compact form.

Forming a main unit for each robot arm 20 can result in a larger volume, lower mobility, and more complicated operation, but by joining the support arm 11 to one main unit and joining one or more robot arms 20 to the support arm 11, a robot can be implemented that is slim in shape and easier to move and operate.

The support arm 11 according to this embodiment can be composed of the major support arm 12, which may be joined to the main unit 10, and the minor support arm 14, which may be joined to an end portion of the major support arm 12. The two support arms 11 may be operated to move a robot arm 20 to a position required for surgery.

For the purpose of operating the support arm 11, the support arm 11 can be joined to the main unit 10 by way of a variety of linking systems, such as a sliding system, SCARA system, etc. The following descriptions will be provided for an example in which the major support arm 12 is joined to the main unit 10 by way of a slide movement system, and an example in which the minor support arm 14 is joined to the major support arm 12 by way of a SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) system.

However, the methods of linking the support arm 11 described here are merely examples, and it is obvious that various robot operating systems can be employed for moving the robot arm 20 to a desired position. For instance, the major support arm 12 can be joined to the main unit 10 by way of a sliding system or a SCARA system, and the minor support arm 14 can also be joined to the major support arm 12 by way of a sliding system or a SCARA system.

By thus joining the major support arm 12 to the main unit 10 such that the major support arm 12 is able to move in one direction, and joining the minor support arm 14 to the major support arm 12 such that the minor support arm 14 is able to rotate, the robot arm 20 can be made to move to a required position.

One or more robot arms 20 may be rotatably joined to an end portion of the minor support arm 14, and a surgeon may perform robotic surgery by operating a robot arm 20 that has been moved by the major/

minor support arms

12, 14 to a required position. Various instruments 1 required for surgery, such as a laparoscope, skin holder, suction line, effector, etc., can be mounted on the end portion of a robot arm 20 for performing the surgical procedure.

By manufacturing the robot arm 20 in a small size and focusing the placement of the robot arm on the end portion of the support arm 11 in this manner, instead of mounting the robot arm 20 directly on the main unit 10, the surgical robot according to this embodiment can be manufactured in a much more compact form compared to existing robot structures, i.e. in a size and weight that enables mounting on a bed.

In order to protect the surgery patient from secondary infection, a process known as “draping” may be performed on the surgical robot that entails covering the robot arms 20 with sanitized vinyl, etc. Whereas each of the robot arms 20 may have to be draped individually for a conventional robot, all of the robot arms 20 can be draped simultaneously by just covering the support arm 11 for robot according to the present embodiment, so that pre-surgery preparations can be performed easily and quickly.

The main unit of a surgical robot according to this embodiment may be joined to the operating bed 3 such that the main unit is able to move away from the operating bed 3, and the support arm 11 may extend from the main unit, while one or more robot arms 20 for performing a maneuver required for surgery may be joined to the end of the support arm 11, so that the surgical procedure may be conducted with the robot arms 20 manipulated directly over the patient.

In order that the support arm 11 may extend the robot arm 20 from the robot’s main unit to the position of the patient, the major support arm 12 and minor support arm 14 can be rotatably joined to the main unit 10, whereby the robot arms 20 may to move to a point in 3-dimensional space according to the manipulation of the surgeon.

Figure 2 illustrates an example in which the major support arm 12 is joined to the main unit 10 by a sliding system. That is, the major support arm 12 may slide along the lengthwise direction of the main unit 10 while extending the components joined to the major support arm 12, i.e. the minor support arm 14 and the robot arms 20, by a particular length.

The minor support arm 14 may be joined to the major support arm 12 by a SCARA system to enable the robot arms 20 joined to the minor support arm 14 to move freely while extended by a particular length.

As a result, the robot arms 20 may be moved to a particular position in 3-dimensional space, such as the surgical site of the patient, for example, according to the operation of the major support arm 12 and the minor support arm 14, and the surgeon may manipulate the master robot to operate the robot arms 20 and thus perform robot surgery. In this way, a surgical robot according to the present embodiment can be manufactured in a compact form while maintaining the strength, accuracy, and dexterity required for surgery.

Although the above description has been provided for an example in which the major support arm 12 is joined to the main unit 10 by a sliding system and the minor support arm 14 is joined to the major support arm 12 by a SCARA system, the present invention is not limited to such modes of joining for the support arm 11, and it is obvious that various robot operating systems can be employed.

The main unit 10 can be formed in a size capable of holding the major support arm 12, in which case the major support arm 12 can slide along the lengthwise direction of the main unit 10, to be retracted when not in use and protracted from the main unit 10 when needed.

By slidably joining the major support arm 12 in this manner such that the major support arm 12 is retractable in and protractible from the main unit 10, the surgical robot can be made much slimmer. Since the robot arms 20 can be made to readily reach the surgical site when needed by protracting the robot to a desired length, the level of dexterity required for surgery can be maintained.

Also, the major support arm 12 according to the present embodiment can be tiltably joined to the main unit 10, and in addition, the minor support arm 14 can also be tiltably joined to major support arm 12. That is, the major support arm 12 and/or minor support arm 14 can be axially joined to the main unit 10 or major support arm 12, or a hinge can be placed in a middle portion of the major support arm 12 and/or minor support arm 14, so that the major support arm 12 and/or minor support arm 14 may rotate about the joint axis or hinge to provide a tilting action.

In cases where the support arm 11 is thus implemented to provide tilting actions, the robot arms 20 joined to the end portion of the support arm 11 can be made to move a considerable amount of distance merely by slightly rotating the support arm 11, so that the robot arms 20 may easily be moved to a desired position.

As illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 1, wheels 30 can be joined to the main unit, in order that the surgical robot may be supported on the floor, etc., of the operating room while connected to the operating bed 3. Details related to the composition and action of the wheels 30 will be provided later in the paragraphs referring to Figure 5.

Figure 3 is a front view of a bed mount surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. Illustrated in Figure 3 are an instrument 1, an operating bed 3, a footing 5, a core 7, a table 9, a main unit 10, a support arm 11, and a robot arm 20.

In order to move the surgical robot away from the bed while remaining mounted on the bed, an arc-shaped structure can be formed, as illustrated in Figure 3, in the core 7 of the operating bed 3 along which the main unit may be protracted.

In this case, the main unit may also be formed in the shape of an arc such that the main unit may be retracted in the core 7, where the main unit may be protracted from the core 7 by rotating about the center of the arc. The main unit may also be retracted into the core 7 by rotating about the center of the arc. The assembly shown in Figure 3 is merely an example of one method by which the main unit of the surgical robot may be retracted in and protracted from the bed, and it is obvious that other retractable structures different from the one illustrated can be applied.

The main unit according to this embodiment may be joined to the core 7 of the operating bed 3 by way of a sliding system, to be moved further away from or closer to the operating bed 3 as necessary. The retracting and protracting structure and the slide linking structure for the main unit and the core 7 can be implemented as separate structures or an integrated structure.

Driving devices such as a motor, hydraulic jack, gears, links, etc., can additionally be installed for retracting or protracting the main unit in or out of the operating bed 3 or for moving the main unit closer to or further from the operating bed 3. Details on such driving devices will be omitted.

Figure 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a bed mount surgical robot according to another embodiment of the present invention. Illustrated in Figure 4 are instruments 1, an operating bed 3, a footing 5, a core 7, a table 9, main units 10, support arms 11, and robot arms 20.

This embodiment includes multiple main units joined to the operating bed 3. By thus joining a multiple number of main units, the size of each main unit can be reduced, whereby the surgical robot can be implemented in a slimmer form, the bed itself on which the surgical robot is mounted can be used for transporting the patient, and the inconveniences related to the draping process can be resolved.

In other words, referring to the concept of the tower type robot, this embodiment includes several of the main units (towers) mounted on the operating bed 3, where one or more robot arms 20 may be mounted on each tower as described above.

Even in cases where more than one main unit is mounted, the robot arms 20 on each main unit may be joined such that a robot arm 20 is manipulated facing a particular point on the operating bed 3, such as the surgical site of the patient, for example, similar to the case of multiple robot arms 20 joined to one main unit.

Figure 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a bed mount surgical robot according to another embodiment of the present invention. Illustrated in Figure 5 are an instrument 1, an operating bed 3, a footing 5, a core 7, a table 9, a main unit 10, a support arm 11, a robot arm 20, wheels 30, and stoppers 32.

In this embodiment, the surgical robot is detachably joined to the operating bed 3, where the main unit can be detached from the core 7 to be used as an independent apparatus. When the main unit is detached from the operating bed 3, the main unit may serve as the main unit of a tower type robot, i.e. as a tower column, and may be mounted and secured at a position corresponding with the position of the operating bed 3.

When the main unit remains mounted on the operating bed 3, the driving coordinates of the robot may be automatically defined in linkage with the position of the operating bed 3. However, when the main unit is to be mounted and secured after being detached from the operating bed 3 as in this embodiment, the information regarding the positional relationship between the robot and the bed may be inputted separately, or the main unit may be detachable within a range that maintains an associative relation in the driving coordinates without being completely separated from the bed.

For example, by connecting the main unit and the operating bed 3 with a wire or a cable (“C” in Figure 5), the robot can be made to identify where the main unit is mounted, even when the main unit is separated from the operating bed 3, using the tensional forces or electrical signals transferred through the wire or cable.

When the robot is mounted on the operating bed 3, shaking in the bed can cause shaking in the robot arms 20 as well. However, when the surgical robot is thus physically separated from the operating bed 3 and mounted and secured at a different position, the robot may function as a separate structure, and problems during surgery due to shaking in the bed can be resolved.

In order to install and secure the surgical robot at a particular position separated from the bed, the main unit can be equipped with wheels 30, as well as stoppers 32 placed adjacent to the wheels 30. The wheels 30 may enable the main unit to move freely to a certain position after it is separated from the bed, while the stoppers 32 may serve as brakes that secure the main unit by restraining the wheels 30, preventing them from further rotation, when the robot has been moved to a desired position.

The stoppers can also be formed as supports that are installed near the wheel and protracted to secure the main unit 10, in a manner similar to that of an outrigger used in a mobile crane.

As illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 5 (“R” in Figure 5), more than one surgical robots according to this embodiment can be joined to the bed, arranged radially around the bed, for example. As already described above, the multiple robots can be retracted in and protracted out of the bed or can be mounted independently, separated from the bed.

Figure 6 through Figure 8 provide perspective views of surgical robots according to an embodiment of the present invention. Illustrated in Figures 6 through 8 are instruments 51, an operating table 53, a first support arm 62, a second support arm 64, and robot arms 70.

A feature of this embodiment is to structure the surgical robot such that multiple robot arms 70 are rotatably joined to the support arm. In this way, the surgical robot can be made slimmer and more compact, occupying a smaller amount of space.

The support arm may be composed of a first support arm 62, and a second support arm 64 rotatably joined to the first support arm 62, while a multiple number of robot arms 70 may be rotatably joined to the second support arm 64. The second support arm can be detachably joined to the first support arm.

The first support arm 62 may be supported on a base. For example, the first support arm 62 can be suspended from the ceiling of the operating room (“B” in Figure 6), as illustrated in Figure 6, secured to the floor of the operating room, or mounted on the operating bed or operating table 53, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 illustrates an example in which a sliding structure is employed for moving the support arm to a desired position, while Figure 8 illustrates an example in which a SCARA structure is employed.

The robot according to this embodiment can be used as a type of ceiling mount surgical robot, if the first support arm 62 is suspended from the ceiling, a type of floor mount surgical robot, if the first support arm 62 is secured to the floor, and a type of table mount surgical robot, if the first support arm 62 is mounted on the operating table 53.

In other words, the surgical robot according to this embodiment can have the parts from the first support arm onward (the first support arm 62, second support arm 64, and robot arms 70) formed as a module, which may be attached to the ceiling, mounted on the operating table 53, or joined to a separate main unit for use.

While the first support arm 62 can be fixed to the ceiling or to a base (e.g. the operating table 53, etc.) such that it is unable to move, it is also possible to join the first support arm 62 such that it is movable along a certain direction or rotatable about the joining position. Thus, the surgical robot can be moved to a desired position or rotated in a required direction to be operated afterwards for robotic surgery.

When using a surgical robot according to this embodiment, it is possible to manipulate the robot itself to conduct robotic surgery, and it is also possible to operate the robot as a slave robot in a master-slave structure. In cases where a robot according to this embodiment is used as a slave robot, the user may manipulate a separate master robot to generate a signal that is transferred to the slave robot, at which the slave robot may be operated accordingly.

Figure 9 through Figure 11 provide plan views of surgical robots according to another embodiment of the present invention. Illustrated in Figures 9 through 11 are instruments 51, a support arm 64, and robot arms 70.

A surgical robot according to this embodiment can include robot arms that are mounted on the support arm 64 by assembly. In other words, the multiple number of robot arms 70 can be fabricated as detachable modules and can be mounted by fitting the modules onto the support arm 64. Furthermore, in fitting the detachable robot arm modules 70, some of the robot arm modules 70 can be connected directly onto the support arm 64, while additional robot arm modules 70 can be connected onto other robot arm modules 70 that have been mounted beforehand, so that the multiple robot arm modules 70 may be fitted on continuously.

A linking structure by which the multiple robot arms 70 join the support arm 64 can be implemented, as illustrated in Figure 11, by designing the support arm 64 in a form capable of receiving each of the robot arms 70, and then mounting the robot arms 70 individually on this support arm 64.

Alternatively, a linking structure by which the multiple robot arms 70 join the support arm 64 can be implemented, as illustrated in Figure 10, by mounting some of the robot arms 70 on the support arm 64, and mounting other robot arms 70 on the mounted robot arms 70, i.e. with some robot arm modules joined to the support arm by other robot arm modules positioned in-between.

If the robot arm modules 70 are fabricated with the controllers required for driving the robot arm modules 70 built into the modules, then each robot arm module 70 needs only to be connected to a power line and communication line. Therefore, by forming contact terminals for the power line and communication line on the connection parts of the robot arm modules 70, for the example shown in Figure 10, or on the support arm, for the example shown in Figure 11, the robot arm modules 70 can readily be mounted continuously.

It is also possible to connect the detachable robot arm modules 70 in a straight line, as illustrated in Figure 9. In this case, however, the robot arm modules 70 at the ends may be positioned far away from the patient as the number of mounted robot arm modules 70 is increased.

To prevent this, the connection parts of each robot arm module 70 can be formed in fan-like shapes, as illustrated in Figure 10, or the support arm 64 can be formed in a circular or elliptical arc shape, etc. Then, as the robot arm modules 70 are mounted continuously, the center of motion of each robot arm 70 may face the patient. In other words, the overall shape after the multiple robot arms 70 are mounted may bend towards the patient (for example, in the shape of a “C”).

Certain examples of structures for detachably joining robot arms onto the support arm have been set forth above. However, it is not imperative that the support arm according to this embodiment be made from just one member, and it is conceivable to further join another support arm to a support arm and then detachably join the robot arms onto the additionally joined support arm. Of course, in this case, the two support arms can also be detachably joined to each other.

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

A bed mount surgical robot for performing a surgical procedure on a patient lying on an operating bed using a surgical instrument mounted on an end portion of a robot arm, the bed mount surgical robot configured to be mounted on the operating bed, the bed mount surgical robot comprising:

a main unit joined to the operating bed;

a support arm rotatably joined to the main unit; and

one or more of the robot arms rotatably joined to the support arm.
The bed mount surgical robot according to claim 1, wherein the operating bed comprises:

a footing;

a core supported on the footing; and

a table supported on the core, the table configured to hold a patient lying on the table,

wherein the main unit is rotatably joined to the core such that the robot arm can move closer to or further from the operating bed.
The bed mount surgical robot according to claim 2, wherein the main unit is shaped as an arc and is joined to the core such that the main unit is protracted from or retracted into the core by rotating about a particular point.
The bed mount surgical robot according to claim 2, wherein the main unit is slidably joined to the core such that the main unit can move closer to or further from the core.
The bed mount surgical robot according to claim 1, wherein the support arm comprises a major support arm and a minor support arm, the major support arm joined to the main unit such that the major support arm is movable in one direction, the minor support arm joined to the major support arm such that the minor support arm is rotatable.
The bed mount surgical robot according to claim 5, wherein the major support arm is slidably joined to the main unit such that the major support arm is movable along a lengthwise direction of the main unit.
The bed mount surgical robot according to claim 5, wherein the minor support arm is joined to an end portion of the major support arm by way of a SCARA system.
The bed mount surgical robot according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the main units are joined to the operating bed, and the robot arms are joined respectively to the plurality of main units such that the robot arms are manipulated facing a particular point on the operating bed.
The bed mount surgical robot according to claim 1, wherein the main unit is detachably joined to the operating bed, and the main unit when detached from the operating bed is shaped as a tower column configured to be mounted on a floor of an operating room in correspondence with a position of the operating bed.
A surgical robot for performing a surgical procedure using a surgical instrument mounted on an end portion of a robot arm, the surgical robot comprising:

a first support arm;

a second support arm rotatably joined to the first support arm; and

a plurality of robot arms rotatably joined to the second support arm,

wherein the first support arm is supported on a base.
The surgical robot according to claim 10, wherein the base is any one or more selected from a group consisting of an operating room ceiling, an operating room floor, and an operating bed.
The surgical robot according to claim 10, wherein the first support arm is rotatably joined to the base.
The surgical robot according to claim 10, wherein the surgical robot is operated by a signal generated by a user manipulation on a separate master robot.
The surgical robot according to claim 10, wherein the second support arm is detachably joined to the first support arm.
A surgical robot comprising:

a base;

a support arm supported on the base; and

a plurality of robot arms detachably joined to the support arm, the robot arm having a surgical instrument mounted on an end portion thereof to perform a maneuver required for surgery.
The surgical robot according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of robot arms are each mounted on the support arm.
The surgical robot according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of robot arms are joined to the support arm such that one robot arm is mounted on another robot arm mounted on the support arm.
The surgical robot according to either claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the plurality of robot arms are joined to the support arm such that a center of motion of each of the robot arms faces a patient.