INSTRUMENT, IN PARTICULAR A MEDICAL ENDOSCOPIC INSTRUMENT OR TECHNOSCOPE

Abstract

An instrument, a medical-endoscopic instrument or technoscope, includes a shank (2) and an instrument head (10), which is arranged at a distal shank end of the shank (2) and is bendable relative thereto via a joint. The instrument head (10) includes a tool with two jaw parts (20, 22) which are pivotable relative to one another and are coupled in each case to two pull cables (70, 72, 76), for the control of the jaw parts (20, 22). These pull cables (70, 72, 76), in the region of the joint, are guided around two deflecting rollers (78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92). Deflecting roller pairs are arranged on both sides of a middle axis (A) of the instrument. Deflecting rollers (82, 84, 90, 92) of a first deflecting roller pair have a smaller diameter than deflecting rollers (78, 80, 86, 88) of a second deflecting roller pair.

Claims

1. An instrument comprising: a shank; an instrument head arranged at a distal shank end; a joint arranged between the shank and the instrument head, wherein the instrument head is bendable relative to the shank via a joint arranged between the shank and the instrument head and the instrument head comprises a tool with two jaw parts, said jaw parts being pivotable relative to one another; two pull cables, wherein the two jaw parts are coupled in movement in each case to the two pull cables for control of the two pull cables; and deflecting roller pairs, wherein each of the pull cables, in a region of the joint, is guided around a deflecting roller pair with two deflecting rollers which are arranged next to one another in the a longitudinal direction of the instrument, wherein two deflecting roller pairs are arranged on both sides of a middle axis of the instrument, deflecting rollers of a first deflecting roller pair have a smaller diameter than deflecting rollers of a second deflecting roller pair.

2. An instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first deflecting roller pairs are distanced further to the middle axis of the instrument than the second deflecting roller pairs.

3. An instrument according to claim 1, wherein the joint comprises a double joint and the instrument head is connected to the shank via the double joint.

4. An instrument according to claim 3, wherein the instrument head is bendable via at least one roller body pairing of a toothed roller body arranged at the shank side and of a toothed roller body arranged at the instrument head side.

5. An instrument according to claim 4, wherein the joint comprises at least one joint part which connects the instrument head to the shank and is articulated on a joint pin connected to the roller body arranged at the shank side, and on a joint pin connected to the instrument-head-side roller body.

6. An instrument according to claim 5, wherein the first and the second joint pin form rotation axes for the deflecting rollers of the deflecting roller pairs.

7. An instrument according to claim 1, wherein a covering part is arranged at the outer side of the deflecting roller pair which is at the outside with respect to the middle axis of the instrument.

8. An instrument according to claim 5, wherein an actuation disk, which is coupled in movement to a pull cable pair, is positively connected to the instrument-head-side roller body via a slot nut.

9. An instrument according to claim 8, wherein the actuation disk is arranged in a common plane with the middle axis of the instrument head.

10. An instrument according to claim 8, wherein two deflecting rollers are arranged successively in the longitudinal direction of the instrument, at the proximal side of the actuation disk, wherein the pull cables of the pull cable pair coupled in movement to the actuation disk are led through an intermediate space between the deflecting rollers.

11. An instrument according to claim 4, wherein two roller bodies which are distanced to one another in the direction transverse to the middle axis of the instrument head and which are each engaged with an instrument-head-side roller body are arranged at the shank side.

12. An instrument according to claim 11, wherein the actuation disk is arranged in an intermediate space between the two roller bodies arranged at the shank side and the two roller bodies arranged at the instrument head side.

13. An instrument according to claim 11, wherein the joint further comprises a joint part which radially covers the roller bodies and is arranged in each case at the outer side of the roller bodies in the direction transversely to the middle axis of the instrument.

14. An instrument according to claim 4, wherein a covering part is arranged at the outer side of the deflecting roller pair which is at the outside with respect to the middle axis of the instrument and an actuation disk, which is coupled in movement to a pull cable pair, is positively connected to the instrument-head-side roller body via a slot nut.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In the drawings:

[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of a distal end of an instrument;

[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective representation of the distal end of the instrument according to FIG. 1, wherein the perspective representation is rotated by 90 with respect to FIG. 1;

[0025] FIG. 3 is a lateral view of the instrument according to FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 4 is a sectioned view along the section line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

[0027] FIG. 5 is a second lateral view of the instrument according to FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 6 is a sectioned view along the section line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

[0029] FIG. 7 is a perspective representation according to FIG. 1, omitting certain outer components;

[0030] FIG. 8 is a perspective representation according to FIG. 7, omitting further components;

[0031] FIG. 9 is a perspective representation of a tool carrier of an instrument head of the instrument according to FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 10 is a perspective representation of an actuation disk of an instrument head of the instrument according to FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 11 is a perspective representation of a slot nut for fastening the actuation disk according to FIG. 10, onto the tool carrier according to FIG. 9;

[0034] FIG. 12 is a perspective representation of a distal end-piece of a shank of the instrument according to FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 13 is a perspective representation of a jaw part of the instrument according to FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 14 is a lateral view of the instrument according to FIGS. 1-13, according to a second embodiment example; and

[0037] FIG. 15 is a sectional view along the section line XV-XV in FIG. 14.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Referring to the drawings, the subsequent embodiments firstly relate only to an instrument which is represented in FIGS. 1-13. With regard to this instrument, it is the case of a medical-endoscopic instrument in the form of a forceps. This instrument which can be an instrument to be actuated manually or one which is used in combination with an operation robot, comprises an elongate, hollow-cylindrically designed shank 2, wherein it is only the distal end of the shank 2 which is represented in the drawing for the purpose of a better overview. The control devices at the proximal end of the shank 2 and which in the case of an instrument to be actuated manually are formed by a handle and in the case of an instrument which is part of a robotic operation system are formed by a control interface of this system, are not shown, since this is counted as belonging to the state of the art and is not the subject matter of the present invention.

[0039] An end-piece 4 is arranged at the distal end of the shank 2. As is particularly evident from FIG. 12, in which the end-piece 4 is represented as an individual part, the end-piece 4 has an essentially cylindrical main body 6, onto which a cylindrical section 8 with a smaller diameter connects at the proximal side. The end-piece 4 with the section 8 engages into the distal end of the shank 2, wherein the outer periphery of the section 8 contacts an inner wall of the shank 2. The end-piece 4 is materially connected to the shank 2, in the contact region of the section 8 with the inner wall of the shank 2.

[0040] An instrument head 10 is arranged at the distal side of the end-piece 4. This instrument head 10 comprises a tool carrier 12 which is represented in FIG. 9 as an individual part and which via a double joint 14 is bendable about a proximal joint axis 16 and about a distal joint axis 18 aligned parallel to the joint axis 16 (FIG. 1). The tool carrier 12 carries a jaw tool with two jaw parts 20 and 22 which are pivotable relative to one another.

[0041] The end-piece 4 which is arranged on the distal end of the shank 2, at its distal end comprises two projections 24 and 26 which project in the longitudinal extension of the shank 2 and are distanced to one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal alignment of the shank 2. A through-hole running transversely to the longitudinal extinction of the shank 2 is formed on the projections 24 and 26 in each case, wherein the through-holes of the two projections 24 and 26 are aligned with one another. The through-holes serve for receiving a joint pin 28 which forms the proximal joint axis 16 of the double joint 14 (FIG. 1).

[0042] Two projections 30 and 32 which are distanced to one another and extend in the proximal direction are formed on the proximal end of the tool carrier 12, in a manner corresponding to the two projections 24 and 26 formed on the end-piece 4. A joint pin 34 is also led through the projections 30 and 32 transversely to the longitudinal extension of the tool carrier 12 and forms the distal joint axis 18 of the double joint (FIG. 1).

[0043] At the outer side of the projections 24 and 30, a joint part 36 is pivotably movably articulated on the joint pins 28 and 34 which form the joint axes 16 and 18. In a similar manner, a second joint part 38 is pivotably movably articulated on the joint pins 28 and 34, at the outer side of the projections 26 and 32. The joint parts 36 and 38 form a part of the double joint 14 and connect the tool carrier 12 to the shank 2. The tool carrier 12 is therefore bendable relative to the shank 2, in a plane normal to the joint axes 16 and 18, wherein its bending results from the sum of the bending of the joint parts 36 and 38 relative to the shank 2 and of the bending of the tool carrier 12 relative to the joint parts 36 and 38.

[0044] The end-piece 4 of the shank 2 and the tool carrier 12 are connected to one another via roller body pairings, in order to permit a defined bending of the tool carrier 12 relative to the shank 2. The distal ends of the projections 24 and 26 formed on the end-piece 4 and the proximal ends of the projections 30 and 32 formed on the tool carrier 12, each comprise a toothed section in the form of a cog segment, for forming these roller body pairings, wherein the toothed sections which are formed on the projections 24 and 26 and the toothed sections which are formed on the projections 30 and 32, which have an identical part-circle diameter, are meshed with one another.

[0045] As is particularly evident from FIG. 9, the tool carrier 12 at the distal side comprises an indentation 40 which is open to the distal end of the tool carrier 12. The two jaw parts 20 and 22 of the jaw tool are articulated in this indentation 40. For this, the jaw part 20 comprises a mounting section 42 at the proximal side, and the jaw part 22 comprises a mounting section 44 at the proximal side. A functional section 46 connects distally of the mounting section 42 of the jaw part 20. A functional section 48 likewise connects at the distal side of the mounting section 44 of the jaw part 22, in a manner corresponding to this. The functional sections 46 and 48 of the jaw parts 20 and 22 are formed for gripping bodily tissue or objects. The jaw parts 20 and 22 with their mounting sections 42 and 44, in a manner lying next to one another engage into the indentation 40 formed on the tool carrier 12, where they are pivotably mounted on a pin 50.

[0046] An essentially circular actuation disk 52 is arranged on the tool carrier 12, in the intermediate space between the projections 30 and 32. An elongate hole 54 is formed in each case on the projections 30 and 32 of the tool carrier, and an elongate hole 56 is formed on the actuation disk 52, for the positive connection of the actuation disk 52 to the tool carrier 12, wherein the elongate holes 54 and 56 serve received a slot nut 58, via which the actuation disk 52 is fastened on the tool carrier 12. A through-hole 60, through which the joint pin 34 forming the distal longitudinal axis 18 of the double joint 14 is led, is formed on the slot but 58. As is evident from FIG. 4, two pull cables 62 and 64 are fastened on the actuation disk 52. Two guide grooves which are arranged next to one another in the axial direction of the actuation disk 52 are formed on the outer periphery of the actuation disk 52, for leading or guiding these pull cables 62 and 64. It is also evident from FIG. 4, that the pull cables 62 and 64 at two peripheral sections of the actuation disk 52 which are away from one another are guided to the proximal end of the shank 2 in an antagonistically acting manner, so that a proximally directed tension force upon the pull cable 62 which is exerted there effects a bending of the instrument head 10 in a first direction, and the application of a proximally directed tension force upon the pull cable 64 causes a movement or a bending of the instrument head 10 which is opposite to this bending, in a second direction.

[0047] A deflecting roller 66 is rotatably mounted in a manner aligned to the actuation disk 52, at the proximal side of the actuation disk 52, for guiding the pull cables 62 and 64 on the joint pin 28 forming the proximal joint axis 16 of the double joint 14. The pull cables 62 and 64 are led from the actuation disk 52, through an intermediate space between the actuation disk 52 and the deflecting roller 66 in an S-shaped manner, so that the pull cables 62 and 64 come to bear on the deflecting roller 66 at peripheral sections which are away from one another. The actuation disk 52 and the deflecting roller 66 are hereby dimensioned such that the pull cables 62 and 64 are each led through the instantaneous center of rotation of the double joint 14, which has the effect that the bending of the instrument head 10 relative to the shank 2 does not lead to an undesirable length change of the pull cables 62 and 64.

[0048] It is to be deduced from FIG. 6 that a region of the mounting section 42 of the jaw part 20 which is directly adjacent the indentation 40 of the tool carrier 12 forms an actuation disk 68 for fastening and guiding two pull cables 70 and 72. The pull cables 70 and 72 represented in FIG. 5 serve for the control of the movement of the jaw part 20. They are guided on the actuation disk 68 in a manner such that they wrap the distal end of the actuation disk 68 in the opposite direction. A region of the mounting section 44 of the jaw part 12 which is adjacent the indentation 40 of the tool carrier 12 also forms an actuation disk 74 for fastening and guiding two pull cables serving for the movement control of the jaw part 22. With regard to these pull cables, only a pull cable 76 is represented in FIG. 6 for the purpose of a better overview in the drawing. This pull cable 76 and the pull cable which is not represented are likewise guided on the actuation disk 74 in a manner such that they wrap the distal end of the actuation disk 74 in the opposite direction.

[0049] The pull cables 70 and 72 which are fastened on the actuation disk 68 are led from this actuation disk past the double joint 14, through the shank 2 to the proximal side of the shank 2, where they are coupled in movement to a control device. In a corresponding manner, the pull cable 76 fastened on the actuation disk 74 and the pull cable which is not represented are also led past the double joint 14, through the shank 2 to the proximal side of the shank 2 and there are coupled in movement to a control device.

[0050] Each of the four pull cables which serve for the movement control of the jaw parts 20 and 22 is deflected in the region of the double joint, on a deflecting roller pair which is assigned to it, wherein two deflecting roller pairs are provided in each case at both sides of a middle axis A of the instrument. One of these deflecting roller pairs is formed by two deflecting rollers 78 and 80 which have the same outer diameter and which are arranged directly at the outer side of the joint part 36. Hereby, the deflecting roller 78 is rotatably mounted on the joint pin 34, whereas the deflecting roller 80 arranged proximally of the deflecting roller 78 is rotatably mounted on the joint pin 28. The pull cable 76 which is coupled in movement to the jaw part 22 is guided on the deflecting roller pair formed by the deflecting rollers 78 and 80, in a manner such that it wraps the deflecting rollers 78 and 80 in an S-shaped manner and is guided in the intermediate space between the deflecting rollers 78 and 80, through the instantaneous center of rotation of the double joint 14. A deflecting roller 82 is rotatably mounted on the joint pin 34, at the outer side of the deflecting roller 78. This deflecting roller 78 together with a deflecting roller 84 which is rotatably mounted on the joint pin 28, at the outer side of the deflecting roller 80, forms a further deflecting roller pair. The pull cable 70 which is coupled in movement to the jaw part 20 is guided on this deflecting roller pair in a manner such that it wraps the deflecting rollers 82 and 84 in an S-shaped manner and in the intermediate space between the deflecting rollers 82 and 84 is led through the instantaneous center of rotation of the double joint 14. The deflecting rollers 82 and 84 have an identical diameter which however is smaller than the diameter of the deflecting rollers 78 and 80.

[0051] Four further deflecting rollers 86, 88, 90 and 92 are arranged at the outer side of the joint part 38, in a manner corresponding to the arrangement of the deflecting rollers 78, 80, 82 and 84 at the outer side of the joint part 36. Hereby, the deflecting roller 86 is rotatably mounted on the joint pin 34 directly at the outer side of the joint part 38 and together with the deflecting roller 88 which is rotatably mounted on the joint pin 28 forms a further deflecting roller pair, on which the pull cable 72 coupled in movement to the jaw part 20 is guided in a manner such that it wraps the deflecting rollers 86 and 88 in an S-shaped manner and in the intermediate space between the deflecting rollers 78 and 80 is led through the instantaneous center of rotation of the double joint 14. Finally, the deflecting rollers 90 which at the outer side of the deflecting roller 86 are rotatably mounted on the joint pin 34 and the deflecting roller 92 which at the outer side of the deflecting roller 88 is rotatably mounted on the joint pin 28 form a deflecting roller pair for the pull cable which is not represented in the drawing and which is coupled in movement to the jaw part 22. The pull cable which is not represented is guided on the deflecting roller pair formed by the deflecting rollers 90 and 92, in the same manner as the pull cable 72 is guided on the deflecting roller pair formed by the deflecting rollers 86 and 88. The deflecting rollers 90 and 92 have a smaller diameter than the deflecting rollers 86 and 88.

[0052] The instrument which is represented in FIGS. 14 and 15 differs from that instrument represented in FIGS. 1-13 merely with regard to the guiding of the pull cables 62 and 64 which are connected to the actuation disk 52. Here, a further deflecting roller 94 is rotatably mounted on a joint pin 96, at the proximal side of the deflecting roller 66 and on end-piece 4 of the shank 2, in a manner aligned to the actuation disk 52 and the deflecting roller 66. Differently to the instrument represented in FIGS. 1-13, with the instrument represented in FIGS. 14 and 15, the pull cables 62 and 64 which are fastened on the actuation disk 52 are not led through the intermediate space between the actuation disk 52 and the deflecting roller 66, but led in opposite directions through the intermediate space between the deflecting rollers 66 and 94.

[0053] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.