SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND STEERING GEAR THEREOF

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment provides a steering gear (13) for a surgical instrument (1) which has two motorised drives and is designed to spatially align a swash plate (14) via the adjustment angles of the two drives, which is designed to control the distal bending mechanism (9) of the surgical instrument (1). The first drive has a first drive pinion (16) which can be driven by a first motor (17) via a first drive shaft (17a) which defines a first drive axis (C) and which is connected to a first drive wheel rim (19) of a first drive wheel (18) in operative connection. The second drive has a second drive pinion (16′) which can be driven by a second motor (17′) via a second drive shaft (17a′) which defines a second drive axis (C′) and is connected to a second drive wheel rim (19′) of a second drive wheel (18′) in operative connection. The first and the second drive wheel (18, 18′) are designed as double wheels (18, 18′), each of which has the corresponding drive wheel rim (19, 19′) and a deviation wheel rim (15, 15′), wherein between the two drive wheels (18, 18′) which have a common axis of rotation (A), the swash plate (14) is arranged, and the deviation wheel rims (15, 15′) are arranged facing each other on the axis of rotation (A). A surgical instrument (1) with such a steering gear (13) is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A steering gear for a surgical instrument, which can be arranged at the proximal end of a shaft that defines a longitudinal axis and has a bending mechanism at the distal end, wherein the steering gear has two motorised drives and is designed to spatially align a swash plate via the adjustment angles of the two drives, which is designed to control the distal bending mechanism of the surgical instrument, wherein the first drive has a first drive pinion which can be driven by a first motor via a first drive shaft which defines a first drive axis and which is connected to a first drive wheel rim of a first drive wheel in operative connection, and the second drive has a second drive pinion which can be driven by a second motor via a second drive shaft which defines a second drive axis and is connected to a second drive wheel rim of a second drive wheel in operative connection, wherein the first and the second drive wheel are designed as double wheels, each having the corresponding drive wheel rim and a deviation wheel rim, and wherein between the two drive wheels, which have a common axis of rotation, the swash plate is arranged, and the deviation wheel rims are arranged facing each other on the axis of rotation.

2. The steering gear according to claim 1, wherein the drive pinion is a bevel pinion, and the drive wheel rim and the deviation wheel rim are bevel gear rims, and the deviation wheel rim and the drive wheel rim are on opposite sides of the double wheel, and teeth of the deviation wheel rim and teeth of the drive wheel rim are offset from one another by half a pitch.

3. The steering gear according to claim 1, wherein the drive pinion is a bevel pinion, and the drive wheel rim and the deviation wheel rim are bevel gear rims, and the double wheel has a waist in the axial direction, which spaces the deviation wheel rim from the drive wheel rim, which points in the direction of the deviation wheel rim, wherein the distance provided by the waist between the deviation wheel rim and the drive wheel rim are dimensioned such that the drive pinion can be arranged in the area of the waist between the deviation wheel rim and the drive wheel rim.

4. The steering gear according to claim 1, wherein the double wheel is arranged on a bearing axis, which is designed as an axis stub at its free end pointing away from the double wheel, which carries a bearing ring, wherein the bearing ring preferably is a ball bearing or a roller bearing.

5. The steering gear according to claim 1, wherein the double wheel is arranged on a bearing axis, wherein a bearing ring is arranged coaxially on the bearing axis in a concentric bearing recess of the double wheel, and wherein the bearing ring is preferably a ball bearing or a roller bearing.

6. The steering gear according to claim 5, wherein the bearing axis has a thread at its free end pointing away from the double wheel, which thread engages with a counter-thread of a fastening device, the fastening device being firmly connected to a housing component of the steering gear.

7. The steering gear according to claim 1, wherein the swash plate is coupled to a third gear wheel which meshes with the two deviation wheel rims of the two double wheels and whose axis of rotation is at right angles to the common axis of the double wheels, wherein preferably the swash plate is coupled to a fourth gear wheel which is coupled to the two deviation wheel rims of the two double wheels and arranged on the side facing away from the third gear wheel.

8. The steering gear according to claim 1, wherein the drive pinion and the drive wheel rim form a bevel helical gear or hypoid gear.

9. The steering gear according to claim 1, wherein each of the motors can be arranged via its respective drive pinion in any position pointing radially away from the respective drive wheel rim, with the two drive axes running parallel to each other.

10. A surgical instrument having a shaft, an actuation unit arranged at the proximal end of the shaft and a tool arranged at the distal end of the shaft with a tool tip that can be bent by means of a distal bending mechanism and can be controlled by a swash plate that can be spatially aligned by means of two drives, wherein the surgical instrument has a steering gear according to claim 1, which has the two drives and is designed to transfer the adjustment angles of the two drives to the spatial alignment of the swash plate.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the swash plate for coupling to a third gear wheel which meshes with the two deviation wheel rims of the two double wheels about the longitudinal axis of the shaft is rotatably mounted in a steering ring via a bearing ring, which is coupled in a torque-proof manner to the third gear wheel, wherein the swash plate is cardan coupled with a main shaft coaxially extending to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

12. The surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the swash plate is pivotably mounted on a universal joint disk via two bearing pins arranged offset from one another by 180°, wherein the universal joint disk is pivotably mounted on the main shaft via two bearing pins arranged offset from one another by 180°, and wherein the bearing pins of the swash plate and of the universal joint disk are arranged offset from one another by 90°, or the cardan bearing is provided by two longitudinally extending guide grooves diametrically present in the main shaft and two pins arranged diametrically and pointing radially inwards on the swash plate, each pin engages in one of the guide grooves, so that an angle of rotation of the main shaft can be transferred to the swash plate.

13. The surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein in the longitudinal direction of the shaft steering wires run which are connected to the swash plate of the steering gear.

14. The surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the fourth gear is coupled to the swash plate via a bearing ring to the steering ring, wherein the fourth gear wheel is freely rotatable with respect to the third gear wheel.

15. The surgical instrument according to claim 13, wherein an actuation element is mounted in the shaft in an axially displaceable manner and is operatively connected to the actuation unit on the proximal side, and that the distal bending mechanism of the bendable tool tip extends from the distal end of the shaft arranged pivoting members which are connected to the steering gear via the steering wires.

16. The surgical instrument according to claim 13, wherein a radial distance of the steering wires from the longitudinal axis of the shaft on the swash plate is greater than at the proximal end of the shaft from which the steering wires emerge, wherein the steering wires extend from the proximal end of the shaft directly to the swash plate, the steering wires running at an angle deviating from 90° to the swash plate, or a wire spreader is arranged on the main shaft on the distal side in front of the swash plate, which increases the radial distance of the steering wires from the longitudinal axis of the shaft, so that the steering wires run parallel to one another between the wire spreader and the swash plate and form an angle of 90° with respect to a disk surface of the swash plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Other embodiments of the steering gear and the surgical instrument, as well as some of the advantages associated with these and other embodiments, will become apparent and better understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures. Items or parts thereof that are substantially the same or similar may be given the same reference numbers. The figures are only a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment.

[0045] Showing:

[0046] FIG. 1 a perspective view of the surgical instrument with the actuation unit shown schematically,

[0047] FIG. 2 a perspective view of a first embodiment of the steering gear according to an exemplary embodiment with motors arranged perpendicularly to the instrument axis B,

[0048] FIG. 3 a top view of yet another embodiment of the steering gear according to an exemplary embodiment with motors arranged parallel to the instrument axis B,

[0049] FIG. 4 a perspective, partially cut-out view of a further embodiment of the steering gear according to an exemplary embodiment without showing the motors and drive pinions with an enlarged detailed view of the swash plate bearing,

[0050] FIG. 5 a perspective detailed view of one of the two double wheels,

[0051] FIG. 6 a further embodiment of the double wheel with a correspondingly engaging drive pinion in eccentric hypoid gearing,

[0052] FIG. 7 a detailed bottom view of the engagement of the drive pinion with the deviation wheel rim and the drive wheel rim with the third gear wheel of the steering gear from FIG. 2,

[0053] FIG. 8 a perspective, partially cut-out detailed view of the swash plate mechanism in an alternative embodiment,

[0054] FIG. 9 a detailed plan view of a double wheel in engagement with the drive pinion and the fourth gear wheel according to a further embodiment,

[0055] FIG. 10 a detailed plan view of a double wheel in engagement with the drive pinion and the fourth gear wheel according to a further embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a surgical instrument 1 with a hollow shaft 2, which has a schematically illustrated actuation unit 4 arranged at the proximal end 3 of the shaft 2 and a tool tip 6 arranged at the distal end 5 of the shaft 2. The tool tip 6 is connected to a tool 7 which can be actuated via an actuation element 8 which is mounted in the shaft 2 in an axially displaceable manner and which is in operative connection with the actuation unit 4 on the proximal side. The actuation unit 4 can be a manually actuable handling or a unit designed for robotic use, that is, one that can also be actuated without manual intervention.

[0057] The tool 7 of the tool tip 6 can, for example, be a tool provided with jaw parts, as shown in FIG. 1, or act as an endoscope, an applicator or the like.

[0058] The instrument tip 6 can be pivoted relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 via a joint mechanism 9, wherein the joint mechanism 9 consists of pivoting members 11 arranged at the distal end of the shaft 5, which are connected via guide wires 12 or guide ropes running in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 2 with a drive 13 arranged at the proximal end 3 of the shaft 2, which causes a movement of the drive 13 on the proximal side and corresponding relative movements of the pivoting members 11 on the distal side and thus a pivoting of the instrument tip 6.

[0059] Even if only the term steering wires is used above and below, steering cables can also be used functionally, which is why the term steering wires is also to be understood herein synonymously as steering cables.

[0060] The actuation element 8, which is mounted so that it can be axially displaceable in the shaft 2 for actuating the tool 7, which consists of two jaw parts for example, is designed as a push/pull rod in the illustrated embodiment.

[0061] The drive for the steering wires 12 is designed as a motorised drive in the surgical instrument 1 shown in the figures and described below.

[0062] The core of the drive is a spatially adjustable swash plate 14 (FIGS. 2 to 4 and 8) to which the steering wires 12 are attached in such a way that a displacement of the swash plate 14 causes the tool tip 6 to pivot via the steering wires 12 attached to it. With the motorised drive, the swash plate 14 can be displaced; with it, it is possible to control the steering wires 12 for pivoting the distal-side pivoting members 11 or the tool tip 6 precisely, sensitively in the smallest of steps and also reproducibly. In addition, the number of steering wires 12 to be used for a motorised steering gear 13 can be chosen quite freely.

[0063] In FIGS. 2 to 4 and 8 the steering gear 13 is shown in simplified form, the steering gear 13 having the swash plate 14 in the middle. With the swash plate 14 four gear wheels are connected in the example shown. A third gear wheel 25 and a fourth gear wheel 31 are disposed below and above the swash plate 14 and operatively coupled to the swash plate 14. That is, a movement of one of these gear wheels 25, 31 has a direct movement of the swash plate 14 as result. Double wheels 18, 18′ arranged on the left and right side engage in the gear wheels 25, 31. For this purpose, the double wheels 18, 18′ have deviation sprockets 15, 15′ designed as bevel gear rims, which engage directly in the sprockets of the gear wheels 25, 31, which are executed as partial bevel gear rims, i.e., the bevel toothing are not circumferential, but are only present in the engagement with the double wheels 18, 18′ for the intended range of movement in required peripheral sections. The double wheels 18, 18′ have drive wheel rims 19, 19′, which are also bevel gear rims, on sides pointing away from each other along their centre axis A, which also forms the common axis of rotation A of both double wheels 18, 18′. A drive pinion 16, 16′, which is correspondingly designed as a bevel pinion, meshes with each of these drive wheel rims 19, 19′. This drive pinion 16, 16′ is arranged with its axis of rotation or drive C, C′ at a 90° angle to the axis of rotation A of the double wheels 18, 18′ and can be orientated in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis B along the circumference of the double wheels 18, 18′. For example, each drive axis C, C′ can also lie at a 90° angle to the longitudinal axis B of the instrument 1 (e.g., FIGS. 2 and 7) or parallel to it. The latter is shown in FIG. 3, wherein a drive axis of the drive pinions 16, 16′ (axis of rotation C and C′) runs parallel to the longitudinal axis B of the instrument. The drive pinions 16, 16′ are driven by motors 17, 17′, the drive pinions 16, 16′ sitting on drive shafts 17a, 17a′ which are directly connected to the motors 17, 17′. The axis of rotation C, C′ of the drive pinions 16, 16′ is the same as the axis of rotation of the motors 17, 17′.

[0064] Of course, arrangements of the motors 17, 17′ and the drive bevel gears 16, 16′ that deviate from the examples shown are also conceivable. The arrangement of the drive units consisting of the motor and the drive pinion can be freely selected along the circumference of the respective double wheel, so that an existing installation space can be optimally used, or the dimensions of the actuation unit can be reduced. That is, the axes of rotation C, C′ do not have to be parallel to the longitudinal axis B of the instrument, but can theoretically be arranged in any orientation and also independently of one another on the double wheels 18, 18′. However, the illustrated arrangement examples from FIGS. 2 and 3 may be preferred for design reasons: Both by the perpendicular arrangement of the motors 17, 17′ to the longitudinal axis B, shown side by side in FIG. 2, and also by the arrangement of the motors 17, 17′ parallel to the longitudinal axis B in FIG. 3, the construction height is reduced. However, it is also conceivable that one of the motor and drive pinion drive units is offset by 180° with respect to the double wheels 18, 18′, so that the motor-bevel pinion arrangements are diametrically offset and point in opposite directions, in particular in relation to the longitudinal axis B with the parallel arrangement of the motors 17, 17′, since this does not increase the overall height.

[0065] The double wheels 18, 18′ are driven by motors 17, 17′ via the drive pinions 16, 16′ attached to the drive shafts 17a, 17a′ of the motors 17, 17′, the axis of rotation of which corresponds to an axis of rotation C, C′ that the motors 17, 17′ are equivalent to. By turning the drive pinion 16, 16′, which engages in the drive wheel rim 19, 19′ of the respective double wheels 18, 18′, the double wheel 18, 18′ is moved in correspondence in a gear ratio between the drive pinion 16, 16′ and the drive wheel rim 19, 19′. Due to the design as a bevel gear, the rotation of the motors 17, 17′ and thus the drive pinions 16, 16′ about the drive axis C, C′ is transferred to a rotation of the double wheels 18, 18′ about their axis of rotation A. The rotary movement of the double wheels 18, 18′ then causes a rotary movement of the third gear wheel 25 or the fourth gear wheel 31 about their axis of rotation D, which is at right angles to the common axis A of the double wheels 18, 18′, and thus a movement of the swash plate 14.

[0066] In FIGS. 5 and 6 two types of double wheels 18, 18′ are shown. FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred double wheel 18, 18′, which is also set in the examples of FIGS. 2-4 and 7 and has a drive wheel rim 19, 19′, and the deviation rim 15, 15′ is present on its rear side, so that both wheel rims 15, 15′, 19, 19′ come to rest back to back. Both the drive and deviation wheel rims 15, 15′, 19, 19′ have straight bevel toothing, in which the teeth run straight radially outwards.

[0067] In FIG. 6 an alternative gearing of drive wheel rim 19, 19′ of a double wheel 18, 18′ with a drive pinion 16, 16′ is shown, which is designed as helical bevel gearing or hypoid gearing. Due to the eccentric arrangement of the drive axes C, C′, which does not intersect the common axis A running perpendicular to the plane of the drawing plane, the drive shaft 17a, 17a′ of the drive pinion 16, 16′ is arranged parallel to an imaginary plane E1 of the steering gear 13, which is defined through the common axis A and the longitudinal axis B or through the common axis A and an axis perpendicular to the common axis A and the longitudinal axis B (the axis of rotation D in FIGS. 2 and 4 corresponds to the swash plate 14 in the neutral position).

[0068] The two wheel rims 15, 15′, 19, 19′ of the double wheels 18, 18′ have the same number of teeth, the teeth of the bevel gear rim 15, 15′ and the teeth of the drive rim 19, 19′ being offset from one another by half a pitch, as can be seen particularly well in FIGS. 5 and 7, so that a particularly compact double wheel is generated. The half division allows the teeth on one side to be formed from the tooth notches on the other side and the axial space requirement is extremely minimised. Since the two wheel rims 15, 15′, 19, 19′ are positioned back to back in this way, one-piece double wheels 18, 18′ with bevel teeth on both sides are produced. This type of tooth profile also enables the components double wheel 18, 18′ and drive pinion 16, 16′ to be pushed together to form a particularly compact arrangement, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7.

[0069] Each double wheel 18, 18′ is rotatably mounted via a corresponding mounting, as is shown in two versions in FIGS. 2 to 4. The double wheels 18, 18′, which are fixedly rotatably mounted in a housing, are defined in terms of their axial location and axial position.

[0070] The double wheel 18, 18′ shown in FIG. 5 shows on its side on which the drive wheel rim 19, 19′ is present, a bearing axis 18b, 18b′ which ends at its free end as an axis stub 18a, 18a′. The axis stub 18a, 18a′ carries in FIG. 2 a bearing ring 18d, 18d′, the bearing ring 18d, 18d′ forming a ball bearing 18 in the example shown. This embodiment shows what is known as a double wheel-side axis stub 18a, 18a′.

[0071] The bearing ring 18d, 18d′ is connected to a housing component similar to the fastening device 33 of the steering gear 13, which is shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 basically another design of the bearing of the double wheels 18, 18′ is shown, a so-called housing-side axis stub, wherein in FIG. 4 the visible double wheel 18 is arranged on a bearing axis 36. The bearing ring 18e of the double wheel 18 is arranged coaxially on the bearing axis 36 in a concentric bearing recess 18c of the double wheel 18, wherein the bearing ring 18e is a ball bearing 40 in the example shown. The bearing axis 36 has a thread 36a on its end facing away from the double wheel 18, 18′, wherein this thread 36a is in engagement with a counter-thread 33a of a fastening device 33. The fastening device 33 is firmly connected to the housing 35 of the steering gear 13. The bearing axis 36 is formed on the housing side as a grub screw and has a notch 37 on its front face, into which a suitable tool, such as a screwdriver, can engage. With this, the bearing axis 36 can be turned in or out of the fastening device 33, as a result of which the double wheel 18 is also positioned accordingly. In this way, the distance between the double wheel 18 and the third gear wheel 25 and the fourth gear wheel 31 can be set, so that a closer or wider engagement can be set. Despite manufacturing tolerances, this adjustment option allows you to adjust the optimal gearing play for optimal performance of the gear wheel pairing: By unscrewing the bearing axis 36, the gearing becomes smoother, but with more play, and by screwing in the bearing axis 36, the gearing becomes backlash-free, but possibly a little more difficult to move. This is implemented analogously for the other double wheel 18′, so that the description also applies to this. Moreover, in FIG. 4 a housing component 34a, which is connected to the housing 35 and surrounds the wire spreader 22, is shown with a thread that engages with a counter-thread on a cup-like housing part 34b that surrounds the proximal shaft end 3. The enlarged detail view shown in FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the cardan coupling of the swash plate 14 to the main shaft 21, which will be described further below.

[0072] FIG. 7 shows a detailed view of the double wheel 18, 18′ in the mounting arrangement in the steering gear 13 in FIG. 2, wherein the driven gear rim 15, 15′ meshes with the third gear wheel 25 which is non-rotatably connected to a steering ring 30 in which the swash plate 14 is mounted. The figures do not show that the inside of the double wheel 18, 18′, which is delimited by the deviation wheel rim 15, 15′ and faces the steering ring 30, is concave in shape, i.e., can be arched in the direction of the bearing axis 18b, 18b′, so that the steering ring 30 has sufficient space to move for the spatial alignment of the swash plate 14 and cannot collide with the double wheel 18, 18′. The gearing of the drive pinion 16, 16′, which is arranged on the drive shaft 17a, 17a′, meshes with the gearing of the drive wheel rim 19, 19′. If now the double wheel 18, 18′, as FIG. 4 explained, is offset laterally along the common axis A, the engagement between the deviation wheel rim 15, 15′ and gear wheel 25 can be adjusted. It is clear here that the gearing of the drive and deviation wheel rim 19, 19′, 15, 15′ offset by half a pitch not only achieves a more compact structure, but also prevents the teeth of the drive pinion 16, 16′ from colliding with the teeth of the third gear wheel 25.

[0073] The particularly compactly constructed double wheels 18, 18′ with the gearing of the drive and deviation wheel rim 19, 19′, 15, 15′ offset by half a pitch shown in the examples of FIGS. 2 to 7, can be used in a preferred variant of the steering gear 13, although other designs of double wheels 18, 18′ are also conceivable in a steering gear 13 according to an exemplary embodiment, depending on the available installation space in the actuation unit 4, for example if a greater distance between the drive axes C, C′ and the longitudinal axis B is desirable. FIGS. 9 and 10 show two examples of alternatively designed double wheels 18, 18′, the double wheel 18, 18′ in FIG. 9 has a greater axial distance between the drive wheel rim 19, 19′ and the deviation wheel rim 15, 15′, with the double wheel 18, 18′ preferably having a bearing recess 18c, 18c′ instead of a double-wheel bearing axis with an axis stub. In the case of the double wheel 18, 18′ from FIG. 10 the axial alignment of the drive wheel rim 19, 19′ is virtually reversed, so that the drive pinion 16, 16′ is located between the drive wheel rim 19, 19′ and the deviation wheel rim 15, 15′ of the double wheel 18, 18′. For this purpose, the double wheel 18, 18′ has a waist 18f, 18f in the axial direction, which spaces the deviation wheel rim 15, 15′ from the drive wheel rim 19, 19′, which points in the same direction as the deviation wheel rim 15, 15′. The distance provided by the waist 18f between the deviation wheel rim 15, 15′ and the drive wheel rim 19, 19′ is dimensioned such that the drive pinion 16, 16′ engages in the area between the deviation wheel rim 15, 15′ and the drive wheel rim 19, 19′ with the drive wheel rim 19, 19′.

[0074] Depending on the design, the double wheels 18, 18′ can preferably be manufactured in one piece, but multi-part double wheels 18, 18′, which consist of a drive wheel with the drive sprocket and a driven wheel with the deviation sprocket, which are joined together directly or via an axle, should also be scope of protection included.

[0075] The design and operation of the steering gear 13 in relation to the activation of the swash plate 14, which can be actuated via the drive units, and their mounting are explained below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 and 8, where in FIG. 8 for reasons of clarity, only the deviation wheels designed as bevel gears with the bevel gear rims 15, 15′ of the double wheels 18, 18′ are shown.

[0076] Arranged in the shaft 2 of the instrument 1 is a hollow main shaft 21 which extends coaxially to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2, which can be rotated about the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 and extends beyond the proximal end 3 of the shaft 2 into the area of the steering gear 13. The actuation element 8 for actuating the tool 7 is mounted in an axially displaceable manner within this hollow main shaft 21.

[0077] The steering wires 12, which emerge from the shaft 2 at the proximal end 3 of the shaft 2, for which purpose a shaft end piece 3 can be provided at the proximal end of the shaft, in which passage slots 33 are provided for the steering wires 12 in the example shown, are rotationally fixed in relation to wire spreader 22 arranged on the shaft end piece 3 on the main shaft 21 and which is fanned out, as a result of which the radial distance between the steering wires 12 and the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 is increased. While the diameter of the bundle of steering wires 12 coaxially surrounding the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 within the shaft 2 or at the distal end 5 in the area of the bending mechanism 9 is 4 mm, for example, the diameter of the bundle formed by the steering wires 12 behind the wire spreader 22 for example is 18 mm. The increase in the radial distance of the steering wires 12 from the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 achieved with the help of the wire spreader 22 not only simplifies the assembly and manufacture of the gear 13 equipped with the swash plate 14, but also the necessary adjustment angle of the swash plate 14 is reduced proportionally, in order to achieve a desired high pivoting angle of the tool tip 6. With this exemplary increase in the diameter of the steering wire bundle from 4 mm inside the shaft 2 to 18 mm behind the wire spreader 22, an adjustment angle of the swash plate 14 is correspondingly reduced by a factor of 4.5 compared to the pivoting angle of the tool tip 6 that can be achieved at the distal end. In order to bend this by 90°, it is therefore only necessary to pivot the swash plate 14 by 20°.

[0078] The steering wires 12 running parallel to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 are fed to the swash plate 14 on the proximal side behind the wire spreader 22. In an alternative that is not shown, the steering wires 12 exiting at the proximal end 3 can run directly to the swash plate 14 without a wire spreader, so that the steering wires are fed to the swash plate 14 at an angle to the longitudinal axis B. To fix the steering wires 12 to the swash plate 14, through holes 23 are formed in the swash plate 14 for each steering wire 12, wherein in the example shown the steering wires 12 are positively connected and fixed within the through holes 23 via grub screws 24 with the swash plate 14. Alternative forms of fastening the steering wires to the swash plate also include, for example, welding or crimping or other clamping devices.

[0079] The double wheels 18, 18′ as drive wheels are coupled to the third gear wheel 25, which is preferably designed as a bevel gear and meshes with the two bevel gear rims 15, 15′ of the double wheels 18, 18′, so that the axis of rotation D of the third gear wheel 25 is the common axis of rotation A of the double wheels 18 and 18′ and the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 intersects. Due to the three gear wheels 18, 18′ and 25 meshing with each other, every movement of the two double wheels 18, 18′ is transmitted directly to the swash plate 14 coupled to the third gear wheel 25, which causes a direct actuation of the steering wires 12.

[0080] To form a cardan mounting of the swash plate 14 on the main shaft 21, the swash plate 14 in the example of FIG. 8 is pivotably mounted on a universal joint disk 28 via two bearing pins 27 offset from one another by 180°, which in turn is pivotably mounted on the main shaft 21 via two bearing pins 29 offset from one another by 180°. In FIG. 8 only one bearing pin 27 and one bearing pin 29 can be seen due to the partial sectional view.

[0081] The bearing pins 27 of the swash plate 14 and the bearing pins 29 of the universal joint disk 28 are offset by 90° to each other. This mounting makes it possible to pivot the swash plate 14 about two axes at right angles to each other relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 and to transmit a rotation of the main shaft 21 about the longitudinal axis B to the swash plate 14, whereby by the steering wires 12 the tool tip 6 (see FIG. 1) is pivotable in all spatial directions relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2.

[0082] The steering gear 13 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 has an alternative cardan mounting of the swash plate 14 on the main shaft 21. This bearing arrangement, which is structurally simpler, more compact and easier to assemble, also makes it possible to pivot the swash plate 14 by two degrees of freedom and to rotate it about the longitudinal axis B, whereby by the steering wires 12 the tool tip 6 can be pivoted in all spatial directions relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2. The main shaft 21 has, in the area provided for supporting the swash plate 14, two guide grooves 20a extending along the main shaft 21 and introduced on both sides or diametrically in the main shaft 21, into which two pins 29 arranged diametrically and pointing radially inwards on the swash plate 14 intervene, wherein in FIG. 2 only the guide groove 20a can be seen. This engagement allows the swash plate 14 to pivot about both the axis of rotation D and the axis of rotation A from a neutral position in which the swash plate 14 lies in a plane defined by the axis of rotation A perpendicular, i.e., at right angles to the longitudinal axis B. Superimposed movements by pivoting about both axes of rotation A, D are also possible. Further, engagement of the pins 29 with the guide grooves 20a allows a rotation angle of the main shaft 21 to be transmitted to the swash plate 14, so that the swash plate 14 can be three-dimensionally displaced relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2. The maximum tilting or torsion or the maximum tilting and rotation angles about the axis of rotation A and D are determined by the length and depth of the guide grooves 20a in conjunction with the inside diameter and strength of the swash plate 14 and the length of the pins 29. In the example of FIG. 2, the main shaft 21 has, in the region provided for supporting the swash plate 14, a spherical portion 20b on which the guide grooves 20a are provided and which fixes the swash plate 14 in the axial direction. The swash plate 14 here has a contoured receiving recess adapted to the ball section 20b.

[0083] How to continue is evident from FIGS. 2, 4 and 8, wherein the spatially adjustable swash plate 14 is mounted in a steering ring 30 coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to the third gear wheel 25. In order to close the gearing chain formed by the double wheels 18, 18′ and gear wheel 25 to form a closed toothed ring, which ensures an even distribution of power, the fourth gear wheel 31 is arranged on the axis of rotation D of the third gear wheel 25, opposite the third gear wheel 25 which is also preferably engaged as a bevel gear with the bevel gear rims 15, 15′ of the two double wheels 18 and 18′.

[0084] The swash plate 14 is mounted via a bearing ring 32 in the steering ring 30, which is coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to the third gear wheel 25, in order to enable the swash plate 14 to rotate about the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2. The steering ring 30, which is coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to the third gear wheel 25, can be rotated freely in relation to the fourth gear wheel 31 by means of a bearing ring 42, so that a rotation of the fourth gear wheel 31 about its axis of rotation D does not cause any rotation of the steering ring 30 and the swash plate 14.

[0085] The described cardan mounting of the swash plate 14 on the main shaft 21 makes it possible to displace the swash plate 14 in three dimensions relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2. If, starting from the neutral initial position shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 8, in which the swash plate 14 is aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2, the double wheels 18, 18′ are driven via the motors 17, 17′ (see FIGS. 2, 3) in such a way that the double wheels 18, 18′ rotate in the same direction, this rotation of the double wheels 18, 18′, due to the meshing engagement with the third gear wheel 25 and the fourth gear wheel 31, causes the structural unit, which is formed by the third gear wheel 25, the swash plate 14 coupled to the third gear wheel 25 via the steering ring 30 and the fourth gear wheel 31, to tilt about the common axis of rotation A of the double wheels 18, 18′. To simplify the functional description, the orientation of the bearing pins 27, 29 of the cardan bearing in relation to the axes of rotation A and D is referred to below. In fact, when the main shaft 21 and thus the swash plate 14 rotates, the bearing pins 27, 29 are no longer aligned with the axes A and D as shown, so that the pivot axes of the swash plate 14 provided by the bearing pins 27, 29 are different from the rotational axes A, D of the steering gear 13.

[0086] In the example of FIG. 8, the bearing pins 27, which are aligned with the axis of rotation A of the double wheels 18, 18′ and via which the swash plate 14 is pivotably mounted on the universal joint disk 28, enable this tilting of the swash plate 14 relative to the main shaft 21. This tilting of the swash plate 14 about the axis of rotation A relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 causes, via the steering wires 12, that the tool tip 6 is pivoted on the distal side relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 in a corresponding manner. In the example of FIGS. 2 and 4 the tilting of the swash plate 14 about the axis of rotation A is made possible by the movement of the guide pins 29 in the guide grooves 20a of the main shaft 21.

[0087] If, starting from the neutral initial position shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 8, in which the swash plate 14 is aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2, the double wheels 18, 18′ are driven via the motors 17, 17′ in such a way that the double wheels 18, 18′ rotate in opposite directions, this torsion of both double gears 18, 18′ due to the meshing engagement with the third gear wheel 25, causes a rotation of the structural unit, which is formed from the third gear wheel 25 and the swash plate 14 coupled to the third gear wheel 25 via the steering ring 30, about the axis of rotation D of the third gear wheel 25.

[0088] In the example of FIG. 8 the bearing pins 29 aligned with the axis of rotation D of the third gear wheel 25 allow for, via which the universal joint disk 28 is pivotably mounted on the main shaft 21, together with the free rotatability of the swash plate 14 relative to the fourth gear wheel 31 due to the steering ring 32, this relative rotation of the universal joint disk 28 to the main shaft 21. This rotation of the swash plate 14 about the axis of rotation D relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 causes, via the steering wires 12, that the tool tip 6 is pivoted on the distal side relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2 in a corresponding manner. Analogously, in the example of FIGS. 2 and 4 the rotation of the swash plate 14 about the axis of rotation D is brought about by the pins 29 engaging in the guide grooves 20a and aligned with the axis of rotation D of the third gear wheel 25.

[0089] It is of course possible to superimpose the movements described so that, for example, the swash plate 14 is tilted about the common axis of rotation A of the double wheels 18, 18′ and at the same time is rotated about the axis of rotation D of the third gear wheel 25. The combination of the two movement sequences due to the individually controllable motors 17, 17′ of the gear 13 and the coupling with the main shaft 21 allows the swash plate 14 to be three-dimensionally adjusted relative to the longitudinal axis B of the shaft 2, resulting in a corresponding spatial displacement of the tool tip 6 due to the coupling via the steering wires 12.

[0090] A surgical instrument 1 designed as described above is characterised in that many thin guide wires 12 can be used to control the pivotable tool tip 6, and this control due to the motorised drive 13 for the swash plate 14, on which the guide wires 12 are mounted, sensitive, exact and reproducible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0091] 1 Surgical instrument

2 Shaft

[0092] 3 Proximal end (shaft)/shaft end piece
4 Actuation unit
5 Distal end (shaft)

6 Tool tip

[0093] 7 Instrument tool
8 Actuation element
9 Bending mechanism
10 Drive unit (swash plate)
11 Pivoting member
12 Guide wire
13 Steering gear
14 Swash plate
15, 15′ Deviation wheel rim Double wheels 18,18′
16, 16′ Drive pinion

17, 17′ Motor

[0094] 17a, 17a′ Drive shaft Motors
18, 18′ Double wheel
18a Axis stub
18b Bearing axle
18c Bearing recess
18d Bearing ring
18e Bearing ring

18f Waist

[0095] 19,19′ Drive wheel rim Double wheels 18,18′
20a, 20b Guide groove, ball section
21 Main shaft

22 Wire Spreader

[0096] 23 Through holes
24 Grub screws
25 Third gear wheel
27 Bearing pins
28 Universal joint disk
29 Bearing pins
30 Steering ring
31 Fourth gear wheel
32 Bearing ring
33 Fastening device

33a Counter-thread

[0097] 34a,b Housing component
35 Housing component
36 Housing-side bearing axis

36a Thread

37 Notch

40 Bearing

[0098] 42 Bearing ring
A Common axis of rotation of the driven double gear wheels 18,18
B Longitudinal axis of the instrument or the shaft
C Drive axis of the first drive 17
C′ Drive axis of the second drive 17′
D Axis of rotation of the third and fourth gear wheel