Provided is an arm device. The arm device includes: a first gimbal portion configured to rotatably support an instrument about a first rotational axis extending along an axis line of the instrument; a second gimbal portion configured to rotate the instrument about a second rotational axis extending along a direction intersecting the first rotational axis; a distal portion configured to rotate the instrument about a third rotational axis extending to intersect a plane including the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis. The third rotational axis has an inclination angle greater than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees when a horizontal direction is defined as 0 degree and an upper vertical direction is defined as 90 degrees.

Provided is a medical observation device including an imaging unit configured to capture an image of an object to be observed, and output a video signal, and a support unit configured with a plurality of arm units rotatably connected to each other via joint units, and configured to support the imaging unit. An actuator that applies driving force with respect to rotation about a rotational axis of at least one joint unit that defines an attitude of the imaging unit, among a plurality of the joint units that form the support unit, is provided. The at least one joint unit and the actuator are arranged separated from each other, and are connected together via a power transmission mechanism that transmits rotary movement between two rotational axes that are substantially orthogonal to each other.

A surgical electronic microscope device (10) includes a microscope unit (110) and a support unit (120) that supports the microscope unit (110). The microscope unit (110) images an operative site of a patient (330) on an operating table (340), and outputs an image signal. The support unit (120) includes a prop unit (290c). The prop unit (290c) supports a second arm (290b) rotatably around an axis (05). The second arm (290b) supports a first arm (290a) rotatably around an axis (04). The first arm (290a) supports the microscope unit (110). Pivoting the second arm (290b) on the axis (05) while keeping the first arm (290a) substantially level makes it possible to change a height of the microscope unit (110). A length (V) of the second arm (290b) is greater than a length (H) of the first arm (290a). Accordingly, a movable range of the microscope unit (110) in a vertical direction is wide. Both an operation performed by a surgeon at a standing position and an operation performed by a surgeon at a seated position can be therefore covered.

Apparatuses and methods described herein relate to arm carts for transporting and securing a robotic arm to a surgical table. In some embodiments, an arm cart may include an arm support having two joints that can be manipulated to move an arm into a position in which a coupler of the arm is engageable with a coupling site of a surgical table. In some embodiments, an arm cart may include an arm support that is rotatable and translatable to permit movement of an attachment area for receiving and attaching a coupling site of a surgical table to a coupler attached to an arm. In some embodiments, an arm cart may include an arm support that releasably couples to a middle segment of the arm positioned at least two segments away from an end of the arm having a coupler for coupling to a coupling site of a surgical table.

A surgical electronic microscope device (10) includes a microscope unit (110) and a support unit (120) that supports the microscope unit (110). The microscope unit (110) images an operative site of a patient (330) on an operating table (340), and outputs an image signal. The support unit (120) includes a prop unit (290c). The prop unit (290c) supports a second arm (290b) rotatably around an axis (05). The second arm (290b) supports a first arm (290a) rotatably around an axis (04). The first arm (290a) supports the microscope unit (110). Pivoting the second arm (290b) on the axis (05) while keeping the first arm (290a) substantially level makes it possible to change a height of the microscope unit (110). A length (V) of the second arm (290b) is greater than a length (H) of the first arm (290a). Accordingly, a movable range of the microscope unit (110) in a vertical direction is wide. Both an operation performed by a surgeon at a standing position and an operation performed by a surgeon at a seated position can be therefore covered.

A medical holding apparatus includes: an arm including a plurality of links mutually coupled through one of joints, the arm having at least six degrees of freedom due to rotational motion about a rotation axis, the arm being configured to function as a balanced arm with a counterweight and support a medical device; and an arm controller configured to control motion of the arm, in which at least three of the joints in the arm each are provided with an angular sensor that detects a rotation angle of the rotation axis and an actuator that gives the joint an assist force of assisting the rotational motion, and the arm controller controls, based on respective detected results of the angular sensors, the respective assist forces of the actuators such that an amount of force in operation necessary when an operator moves the medical device supported by the arm remains in a predetermined range.

A support structure comprises a base joint coupling a proximal link of the support structure to a base. The proximal link is configured to rotate about a first axis associated with the base joint. The support structure further comprises a linkage mechanism. The linkage mechanism maintains an orientation of an instrument support relative to the base as the support structure is moved from a first configuration to a second configuration. In the second configuration, the support structure is rotated relative to the base about the first axis.

The invention relates to a balancing device (14) for balancing a microscope (12) with respect to a rotation axis (1000), the balancing device (14) comprising a balancing weight (16) arranged around and assigned to the rotation axis (1000), such that the balancing weight (16) is rotatable around the rotation axis (1000), wherein a center of mass of the balancing weight (16) is arranged apart from the rotation axis (1000). The balancing device (14) further comprises a lever (18) for indicating a torque acting on the balancing device (14) and/or on the balancing weight (16), wherein the lever (18) is arranged around and assigned to the rotation axis (1000) to be rotatable around the rotation axis (1000), wherein the lever (18) extends within the balancing weight (16) and is movable by the torque within a predetermined range with respect to the balancing weight (16), and wherein an electrical potential of the lever (18) is set to a predetermined first potential value. Furthermore, the balancing device (14) comprises at least one stopper element (32), which is immobile with respect to the balancing weight (16) and forms at least one end point of the range of the lever (18), wherein the stopper element (32) and the lever (18) are in electrical contact when the lever (18) is arranged at the at least one end point of the range and wherein the lever (18) and the stopper element (32) are electrically isolated from each other when the lever (18) is apart from the at least one end point. In addition, the balancing device comprises control means configured to set an electrical potential of the stopper element (32) to a predetermined second potential value different from the first potential value at least when the lever (18) is apart from the at least one end point, to observe the electrical potential of the stopper element (32) and/or of the lever (18) and to indicate the lever (18) being arranged at the first end point when the electrical potential of the stopper element (32) departs from the predetermined second potential value and/or when the electrical potential of the lever (18) departs from the predetermined first potential value. The invention further relates to a stand (10) for a microscope (12) and to a method for balancing a microscope (12).

A medical observation apparatus including: an arm including a plurality of links connected to each other via a joint, the arm having at least three or more degrees of freedom implemented by a rotation operation about a rotation axis; an imaging device supported by the arm; and an arm controller that controls an operation of the arm. When a posture of the arm is in a predetermined state, and when a predetermined input for moving the arm about a rotation axis orthogonal to a second axis that is a second rotation axis from a side of the arm on which the imaging device is supported and a third axis that is a third rotation axis from the side of the arm on which the imaging device is supported is detected, the arm controller makes one of the links corresponding to the third axis rotate about the third axis.

A weight balance method of a surgical microscope is able to automatically align, in response to a switching operation, a center of gravity G of the surgical microscope 5 with a rotary shaft S. A weight balance of the surgical microscope is easily attained only by slanting the surgical microscope, and therefore, no part of the surgical microscope protrudes upward to interfere with a supporting structure of the surgical microscope.