DE102012015541A1 - Robotic surgery system for use with instrument assembly having sterilizable drive unit for surgical instrument and manual operation unit, has robot assembly with robot and instrument assembly with instrument that is guided by robot assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The robotic surgery system has a robot assembly with a robot (201) and an instrument assembly with an instrument (205) that is guided by the robot assembly. The instrument assembly has an instrument housing with a drive unit housing section (206) containing a cavity designed to hold a drive unit (212), where the drive unit housing section has a seal (213) for the sterile sealing of an insertion opening of the cavity into a dynamic sterile barrier (211) which delimits the cavity in a sterile manner. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) an instrument assembly; (2) a method for assembling an instrument assembly; (3) a sterilizable drive unit for a surgical instrument; (4) a method for sterilizing a drive unit (5) a manual operation unit for an instrument assembly; and (6) a method, particularly optional, populating of a robotic assembly of a robotic surgery system.

Description

The present invention relates to a surgical robot system having a robot and instrument assembly, an instrument assembly for such a surgical robot system, a manual actuator unit for such instrument assembly, and methods of populating such a robot assembly with an instrument and an instrument having a drive unit.

From the German patent application 10 2012 008 535.4 The Applicant, relating to a surgical robotic system, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated in the disclosure of the present invention, discloses a generic surgical robotic system. 1 shows by way of example by way of example a surgical robotic system according to the invention with three robots 1 . 2 . 3 , each one an instrument 4 . 5 respectively. 6 lead, which at the proximal, robot-near end each have a drive unit and at the distal end remote from the robot an end effector with one or more degrees of freedom for positioning in an operating area 14 exhibit. Between the proximal and distal ends, an instrument shaft extends 7 . 8th respectively. 9 who is the operating area 14 inside a patient through a small opening 10 . 11 respectively. 12 for example, in an abdominal wall 13 to reach. Not shown is a haptic input station, from which the surgical robot system is teleoperiert.

The object of the present invention is to improve a generic surgical robot system.

This object is achieved by an instrument arrangement for a surgical robot system having the features of claim 1. Claim 10 provides a surgical robot system with such an instrument assembly, claim 7, a manual actuator unit for such an instrument assembly, the claims 17, 18 a method for loading a surgical robotic system or instrument under protection. The subclaims relate to advantageous developments.

A surgical robot system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a robot assembly having one or more, in particular two or more, identical and / or two or more different types of robots. In one development, one or more robots of the robot arrangement each have at least 6, in particular at least 7, degrees of freedom in order to position a robot-guided instrument, in particular telemanipulated.

The surgical robotic system further comprises an instrument assembly or set of instruments according to one aspect of the present invention, comprising one or more, in particular two or more equal and / or two or more different instruments, the for attachment to a robot of the robot arrangement, in particular have an instrument interface for attachment to a robot of the robot assembly. An instrument interface is set up in a development for releasable, in particular positive and / or force, in particular frictional, attachment to a corresponding, in particular complementary robot interface of the robot assembly.

One or more instruments of the instrument assembly each have an instrument shaft provided for partial introduction into a patient. For this purpose, the shaft may be formed in sections or over its entire length rigid or movable, in particular articulated or flexible, and / or have a length which is at least 15 times, preferably at least 20 times its maximum diameter. For a more compact representation, a proximal flange of the instrument shaft, which may have a corresponding instrument interface in particular for fastening the instrument to the robot and / or for fastening a drive unit, may also be referred to as part of the instrument shaft.

In a development, the instrument shaft has at its distal end an end effector with one or more degrees of freedom, in particular a scalpel, a clamp, forceps or scissors, a transmitter and / or receiver, in particular a light source, a light guide end and / or a camera. To actuate one or more degrees of freedom of the instrument shaft, in particular of instrument shaft parts relative to one another and / or of an end effector, a drive train may be arranged in the instrument shaft in a development. In the present case, a drive train is to be understood in general to mean, in particular, an arrangement for the mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and / or electrical transmission of forces and / or movements, which in one development comprises, in particular, one or more tension and / or compression rods, cables, belts, gears , Hydraulic lines and the like may have. In this regard is also on the German patent application 10 2012 008 537.0 and the international patent applications PCT / EP2012 / 000358 and PCT / EP2012 / 000719 the applicant whose disclosure content is fully incorporated in the disclosure of the present invention.

To actuate one or more degrees of freedom of the instrument shaft, in particular an end effector, according to one aspect of the present invention, a drive unit provided, which may be modular in design, in particular may have a mechanical drive interface for releasable connection to the drive train arrangement. In the present case, a modular design is understood to mean, in particular, an embodiment in such a way that the modular unit can be handled as a whole or as a structural unit, in particular repeatedly connected to or detached from other parts, and preferably has its own housing.

In one development, an instrument arrangement comprises two or more modular drive units, which can be connected optionally to the same instrument shaft, and / or two or more instrument shafts, which can be optionally connected to the same modular drive unit. In particular, the mechanical drive interfaces of one or more modular drive units and the drive train arrangements of one or more instrument shafts coordinated and connectable, in particular complementary or congruent, for example, have cooperating coupling means.

In one development, a drive unit has a drive part with one or more drives, which in particular has at least one motor, in particular an electric motor, a transmission, current sensor, reference and limit switch and / or a position and / or force sensor for detecting a position of an output shaft or a force acting on an output shaft, and an electronic part with one or more control and / or communication means. A control means may in particular be arranged to control the drive part, in particular its drive (s), a communication means for communication with the drive part, in particular its drive (s) and / or sensor (s), and / or for communication with a robot the robot assembly, in particular a (instrument) control. Accordingly, an electronic part can in particular comprise or form the entire drive, in particular power electronics, of one or more drives of the drive part or a part thereof. Additionally or alternatively, an electronic part may comprise or form one or more signal processing means, in particular sensor signals of the drive part.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the electronics part of one or more drive units of the instrument arrangement has a modular design and has an interface to, in particular electrical and / or mechanical detachable connection with a drive part of the respective drive unit, an interface to, in particular electrical and / or mechanical, preferably detachable, connection to the instrument shaft, and / or an interface to, in particular electrical and / or mechanical, preferably detachable, connection to the robot assembly.

Additionally or alternatively, the drive part of one or more drive units of the instrument assembly may be modular and an interface to, in particular electrical and / or mechanical detachable connection with an electronic part of the respective drive unit, an interface to, in particular electrical and / or mechanical, preferably detachable , Connection to the instrument shaft, in particular its drive train, and / or an interface to, in particular electrical and / or mechanical, preferably releasable connection to the robot assembly.

By this division of the mechatronic drive unit into an electronic part and a drive part, of which at least one is modular, is hereinafter also referred to as electronics module or drive module, and has an interface for detachable connection to the other of the electronics and the drive part, can advantageously reduce the weight and volume of the components to be handled by the operating room personnel and thus improve the user-friendliness of the robot system. For example, an electronic module can be handled independently of the instrument with a fixed or releasably attached to the instrument drive part and, for example, be attached in advance to the robot or (removal) of the instrument (initially) remain on the robot.

From a separation of all electronic assemblies from the motors and sensors of the drive module can result in a high number of electrical contacts between the two modules. Therefore, in one embodiment, one or more control and / or communication means, in particular electronic assemblies, may be arranged in the drive module. In particular, the number of lines can be reduced by integrating the power electronics and / or the current regulation in the drive module according to a development of the present invention.

In one embodiment, an interface of the electronic module can in particular form the mechanical and / or electrical instrument interface for fastening the instrument by the electronic module to a robot of the robot assembly. In particular, the electronic module can be permanently or detachably connected to the robot, so that its interface for connection to the drive part and / or to the instrument shaft forms an instrument interface. Is this Electronic module releasably connected via an interface with the robot, this forms a (further) instrument interface for attachment of the instrument by the electronic module to the robot.

In one embodiment, the electronic module is designed to be sterilizable, for example, in that its control and / or communication means, except for the interface (s), are hermetically received, in particular molded, in a housing. Additionally or alternatively, it may be completely or partially surrounded by a sterile sheath, which in a further development may also completely or partially surround the robot to which the electronics module is connected.

According to one aspect of the present invention, one or more modular manual operating units are provided for selectively replacing a modular drive unit of an instrument of the instrument assembly of the surgical robotic system. In this case, an optional replacement is understood in particular to mean that optionally a manual actuation unit is fastened to the instrument, in particular its instrument shaft, instead of a motor drive unit, or at least one drive unit and at least one actuation unit are coordinated with one another such that they are interchangeable.

In particular, a manual actuation unit can have a mechanical drive interface for connection to a drive train arrangement of the instrument, which corresponds to a mechanical drive interface of the optionally to be replaced drive unit for connection to this drive train arrangement. In other words, the instrument assembly according to this aspect may comprise at least one manual operating unit and at least one modular drive unit whose mechanical drive interfaces correspond to each other. The mechanical drive interfaces of the actuation unit and drive unit, which can optionally be detachably fastened to the instrument, may in particular each have coupling means for connection to the drive train arrangement, which in their function, geometric configuration and / or arrangement relative to each other or to a fastening means for releasably securing the actuator or drive unit on the instrument correspond.

The mechanical drive interfaces of the actuating or drive unit can also correspond to one another in the number of degrees of freedom actuatable by them, for example in the number of coupling means, in particular axes. Similarly, it is possible that by the operating unit and the drive unit different degrees of freedom of the instrument, in particular a different number of degrees of freedom can be actuated, for example, by at the location of one or more axes of the drive train arrangement in the mechanical drive interface of the actuating or the drive unit no coupling means is provided, this axis (s) of the drive train arrangement when connected actuation or drive unit so to speak blind connected, locked in a design in one, in particular predetermined, position, are. In a further development, the actuability of one or more degrees of freedom of the drive train arrangement can optionally be blocked by the manual actuation unit, preferably by optionally blocking a corresponding actuation degree of freedom of the actuation unit or a corresponding axis of its mechanical drive interface, in particular mechanically, hydraulically or electromagnetically. In one embodiment, the actuating unit for this purpose has a blocking device with mechanical elements, with which individual parts of the mechanical drive interface, in particular coupling means, can be fixed in a predetermined position.

One advantage of robotic instruments is the ability to integrate degrees of freedom into the distal end to provide increased flexibility in the area of engagement as compared to manual laparoscopic instruments. At the same time, the operator is enabled by the robotic guidance and actuation of the instrument for easy operation of the instruments. When an instrument originally designed for manual operation is connected to a robot and actuated by means of its degrees of freedom and / or an instrument-specific drive unit, in the event of a malfunction, it can be converted to manual operation technique and continue to be operated with the same instruments.

According to the above aspect of the present invention, advantageously, an instrument having a robotically optimized drive interface can be used by structurally replicating the mechanical drive interface of the manual actuator unit for connection to a drive train arrangement of the instrument of the mechanical drive interface of the motor drive unit. In this way, a human operator interface for a robot-guided instrument with distal kinematics is provided. This can result in particular in the advantage of a simpler construction of the drive unit, a better scalability with regard to the distal kinematics and a uniform control concept.

In a further development, the mechanical drive interface of the manual Actuator also have electrical contacts over which particular information between actuator and instrument can be exchanged and / or energy between actuator and instrument can be transmitted, for example, from or to a sensor on an end effector of the instrument shaft.

According to one embodiment, a manual operating unit has a base, which has a fastening means for releasable attachment to one or several instruments of the instrument assembly, and to which a hand lever is mounted with one or more degrees of freedom, the actuation, in particular scaled, of the mechanical drive interface of Actuator is transmitted so as to actuate the drive train or the degrees of freedom of releasably connected to the actuator instrument or instrument shaft. A scaled transmission is understood in particular to mean a transmission in which a linear or rotational actuation path is over- or under-geared and / or kinematically transformed, in particular to another axis and / or from a translational to a rotary or from a rotary to a translatory movement , The fastening means of the base may be adapted to cooperate with a, in particular complementary, fastening means of the instrument shaft, for example in the form of a plug-in, latching and / or screw connection.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the instrument interface for attaching one or more instruments of the instrument assembly to the robotic assembly has an attachment lock releasable by a drive unit of that instrument, in particular by a drive unit attached to the instrument shaft, preferably only by one correctly on the instrument shaft fixed and / or functional drive unit.

In this way it can be prevented that the robot leads a non-functional instrument.

In one embodiment, the fastening lock can act mechanically and / or electromagnetically, for example, have an adjustable projection or latch which, in the extended state, positively prevents attachment to the robot assembly. The attachment lock can be mechanically and / or sensorily actuated in one embodiment by the drive unit, for example, by a projection of the drive unit actuates a lever of the attachment lock or the drive unit is sensory detected by the attachment lock, in particular via a mechanical switch, inductive, capacitive, optical and / or by means of RFID. For this purpose, at least one drive unit can have an RFID transponder, the attachment lock an RFID reader.

In addition or as an alternative to a fastening lock, the robot arrangement may have a presence detection means for detecting a presence of a drive unit on a robot-guided instrument. For this purpose, in particular, preferably on a robot, in particular on an interface of the robot for connecting the instrument interface of the instrument, a, in particular mechanical, inductive, capacitive, optical and / or RFID sensor or reader may be provided.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an instrument magazine for storing one or more instruments of the instrument assembly is provided, so that optionally unneeded or not robotically guided instruments of the instrument assembly can be stored or stored, in particular during an OP operation, in particular with a modular drive unit provided instruments. Additionally or alternatively, the instrument magazine can be set up to store one or more instrument shafts and / or modular drive units of the instrument arrangement separately or separately from one another. In one embodiment, the instrument magazine can be designed as a translatory and / or rotary change magazine, which can selectively position various instruments at the same location for recording by a robot of the robot arrangement by means of translatory and / or rotational movement.

By means of an instrument magazine, the robot arrangement, in particular during an OP, can be easily equipped with different instruments. Preferably, for this purpose, a contact surface of the instrument magazine for storage of the instrument assembly is sterile or sterilizable formed or covered with a sterile sheath. In this case, the robot of the robot arrangement preferably carries out the depositing or removal of an instrument into or out of the instrument magazine automatically, so that advantageously no additional auxiliary device or an additional robot for changing the instrument is necessary.

In one development, the instrument magazine has an energy supply means for contacting or contact-free energy supply of one or more instruments or drive units stored in the magazine. A non-contact power supply can be done, for example, by means of a transformer magnet arrangement without a closed iron core, in which energy supply means and drive unit (s) Primary and secondary coil (s) have. The energy transfer can preferably take place in the middle frequency range. By means of a contacting or contact-free energy supply of drive units stored in the instrument magazine, in one embodiment rechargeable energy stores of the drive units can be charged. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, one or more drive units of the instrument assembly have rechargeable energy stores.

In addition or as an alternative to the energy supply, at least two of the instrument magazine, the instrument arrangement and the robot arrangement, in particular instrument magazine and instrument arrangement, a communication means for unidirectional or bidirectional wired or wireless, in particular inductive or radio-based, communication between the at least two of the instrument magazine, the Instrument assembly and the robot assembly, in particular between instrument magazine and instrument assembly, have. In particular, at least one of the instrument magazine, the instrument assembly, and the robot assembly may include a transmitter and at least one of the instrument magazine, the instrument assembly, and the robot assembly may have a receiver. As a result, for example, a status of instruments stored in the instrument magazine can be queried and / or such instruments can be initialized, (re) calibrated and / or reset. In particular, instrument magazine and instrument arrangement, instrument magazine and robot arrangement, in particular a controller of the robot arrangement, and / or instrument magazine and robot arrangement, in particular a controller of the robot arrangement, may have the same or different communication means, in particular one or more communication means described above.

For power supply of arranged on a robot-guided instrument drive units these are connected in one embodiment via a sterile cable connection to a stationary power source. Additionally or alternatively, a contact-free power supply can be provided, as already described above with reference to the power supply of drive units stored in an instrument magazine and, by way of example, also in US Pat EP 2 396 796 A1 and EP 2 340 611 A1 whose disclosure content is fully incorporated in the disclosure of the present invention. As described above, in addition to or as an alternative to a power supply, a unidirectional or bidirectional signal transmission between a drive unit of a robot-guided instrument and an instrument controller can also be provided, which is generally understood to be part of the robot arrangement. Additionally or alternatively, as described above, an Enegr- and / or signal transmission can also be provided via an interface of the robot assembly and an associated interface of the electronics and / or the drive part. Thus, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, generally, the surgical robotic system may include a sterile cable connection, interface connection, or wireless energy and / or signal transmission means for power and / or signal transmission between the instrument assembly and the robotic assembly or instrument magazine.

Similarly, it is possible to power a drive unit of a robot-guided instrument via its instrument interface by the robot with energy.

In particular, in the latter case, when changing an instrument or a drive unit from an instrument magazine on or to a robot and vice versa, d. H. be disconnected when connecting or storage of the instrument or the drive unit whose power supply. In particular, for this case, according to one aspect of the present invention, one or more drive units each have an electrical energy storage for, at least temporary, self-sufficient power supply to the drive unit. The energy store is preferably designed such that it can supply at least one control and / or communication means of an electronic part of a drive unit with energy at least during a changeover time or that it controls and / or for at least 10 seconds and / or for a maximum of 5 minutes Can supply communication means with energy.

In a further development, it is also possible to dimension or form the energy store in such a way that it can independently supply the drive unit with energy, in particular during an OP or for at least 30 minutes and / or for a maximum of 5 hours. In this way, a wired energy supply of the instruments with corresponding spatial restrictions and / or interference can advantageously be dispensed with.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the surgical robot system has a first communication channel and one or more further communication channels between the robot arrangement, in particular an instrument controller, and one or more instruments of the instrument arrangement. As a result, in particular the reliability can be increased.

In a further development, one or more of these further communication channels operate on a different physical carrier or mediator than the first communication channel in order to be not only redundant, but diverse to it. For example, one of the first and another communication channel can be current- or voltage-based, the other of the first and the further communication channel electromagnetically, optically, inductively or capacitively. Preferably, at least one further communication channel is designed according to the quiescent-current principle or in such a way that an omission of a signal on this communication channel is identified as an error. At least one further communication channel can be set up in particular only for the transmission of status information. The robot arrangement and / or the instrument arrangement, in particular the robot-guided instrument arrangement, is preferably safely shut down if an error signal is transmitted on at least one further communication channel, by which generalizing, as described above, also the complementary omission of an enable signal is understood. In one embodiment, the presence of an instrument equipped with the drive unit can be transmitted or detected by means of the first and / or a further communication channel.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a surgical robot system has a one-part or multi-part, in particular visual and / or audible, display means for displaying a status of an instrument of the instrument arrangement, in particular a change status and / or operating status. In the present case, a change status is understood as meaning, in particular, a status of an instrument that has been changed, ie. H. to be attached to or detached from a robot of the robot assembly. In the present case, an operating status is understood to mean in particular a status of an instrument which describes its operational readiness, in particular its (residual) duration, and / or its previous operation, in particular its previous operating time or its previous number of uses.

In this way, the OR staff can be provided with a clear and rapid overview of which instruments will soon be exchanged or available.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for, in particular selectively, equipping a robot arrangement of a surgical robot system according to the invention with one or more instruments of the instrument arrangement and / or for, in particular selectively, equipping one or more such instruments with a drive unit.

According to one embodiment, the method comprises a registration of an instrument by a modular drive unit when coupling or connecting this drive unit to the instrument, in particular instrument shaft. The registration can be done automatically in particular. In a further development, a coupling with an instrument is recognized by the drive unit, in particular after the production of a mechanical connection between the instrument and the drive unit, and a registration process for the concrete determination of the connected instrument is activated. The instrument can actively identify itself or actively transmit signals or data to the drive unit, or be passively identified.

The instrument data registered in the drive unit, for example an identification number and / or specification of the instrument shaft, such as its degrees of freedom and / or kinematic parameters, in particular individual calibration data, are transmitted in one embodiment to the robot arrangement or its instrument control, preferably upon registration or connection a robot.

In one embodiment, data of registered instruments in the robot arrangement, in particular their instrument control, in particular in a database, are stored and preferably updated periodically or event-controlled.

In one embodiment, one or more instruments, in particular instrument shafts, of the instrument arrangement are stored in an instrument magazine without a drive unit, the application of the drive unit to an instrument takes place during the change process. For this purpose, the instrument magazine in a further development via a drive unit manipulator for handling the drive unit during the instrument change. The drive unit manipulator preferably does not have its own degrees of freedom of movement - with the exception of a drive unit tensioning mechanism, all positioning movements being performed by the instrument-carrying robot (s) of the robot assembly. As a result, the number of drive units and / or the total number of actuated degrees of freedom contained in the robot system can be reduced. In addition, this concept can reduce the effort to power the drive units, since no power supply of the drive unit stored in the magazine instruments is required, it must be ensured in one embodiment, only the power supply of the drive unit for the period in which it is not adapted to the manipulator and of there is supplied with energy. The power supply of the drive unit during This period can be done in particular via the drive unit manipulator.

In order to be able to handle different drive units, the drive unit manipulator can optionally be equipped with a plurality of grippers, which can also be differently pronounced. In one development, the drive unit manipulator has one or more translatory and / or rotational movement possibilities in order to provide the required drive unit in each case.

Two or more of the aspects explained above and their embodiments and developments can advantageously be combined with one another.

Further advantages and features emerge from the subclaims and the exemplary embodiments. This shows, partially schematized:

1 : A robotic robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2A . 2 B a robotized instrument instrument assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 a robotized instrument instrument assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 a manual operating unit of an instrument assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5A . 5B : the Surgery Robot System 2A in another direction ( 5A ) or with non-attached drive unit ( 5B );

6 : A surgical robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention with an instrument magazine;

7 (a) to 8 (d) a method according to the invention for automatically loading a robot assembly with an instrument of the instrument assembly and an instrument of this instrument assembly with a drive unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 shows, as described in the introduction, a robotic robot system according to an embodiment of the present invention with multiple robots 1 . 2 , and 3 , at the distal end of each a surgical instrument 4 . 5 respectively. 6 an instrument assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is releasably attached.

2A . 2 B shows various embodiments of a robot-guided instrument with different drive units, which are releasably connected to the surgical instrument or instrument shaft to ensure easy processing and the most cost-effective design of the instrument. In the execution according to 2A is the modular drive unit 4 ' can be repeatedly disconnected from the instrument during the operation or can be repeatedly attached to an instrument. This is the non-sterile drive unit 4 ' preoperatively with a sterile sheath. Alternatively, the drive unit can also be designed as a sterilizable module, whereby the sterile enclosure can be omitted. In contrast, in the execution of the 2 B a non-sterile drive unit 4 '' preoperatively in a proximal instrument housing of the instrument shaft 7 ' used and sealed this sterile. In this concept, the drive unit remains 4 '' advantageous during the entire duration of surgery in the proximal instrument housing and is taken again after its end and before the preparation.

Optionally, an interface between the drive unit and instrument shaft can have a fastening lock which can be released by a drive unit of this instrument, with which it is prevented that an instrument without a drive unit is accidentally adapted to the robot. For example, the proximal instrument housing may have a mechanical lock which is deactivated or released when the drive unit is inserted. The instrument housing can only be adapted to a manipulator arm with the lock disabled. Alternatively or in addition to the mechanical lock described above with the drive unit not inserted, the presence and / or the correct position of the drive unit on the instrument can be checked with a presence sensor integrated in the interface between the robot and the drive unit.

3 shows a robot-guided instrument of an instrument assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention with a division of the mechatronic drive unit in an electronic module 20 and a drive module 21 , This separation makes it possible to handle the drive electronics independently of the instrument drives, in particular to install them on the robot. This reduces the weight and volume of the modules to be handled by the operating room staff and improves the user-friendliness of the system.

The electronics module 20 contains in one embodiment, the entire drive electronics, but at least a part thereof. Thus, in the electronic module, in particular components of a signal processing for sensor signals, for the control and Control of drive motors necessary units and / or a communication interface for connection to the robot to be included. The drive module 21 For example, for each degree of freedom of the instrument includes a drive motor, optionally a reduction gear, a sensor system for speed and / or position detection, and / or other sensors, for example, force sensors, torque sensors, current sensors, reference and limit switches or the like.

The electronics module 20 is preferably with an instrument adapter 22 at the distal end of the robot 1' appropriate. The instrument adapter 22 establishes the mechanical connection between the robot and the drive unit and ensures a repeatable positioning and fixing of the drive unit relative to the distal end of the robot. Optional is the instrument adapter 22 also the required electrical connections between the drive unit and the robot ago. The electronics module 20 can either be designed as a sterilizable module or surrounded by a sterile sheath, which advantageously also includes the manipulator. Exemplary are in 3 pulled through or dashed two possible courses of such a sterile sheath 24 shown a non-sterile electronic module 20 and a non-sterile instrument adapter 22 together with the robot 1' ( 3 : dashed) or with a sterile electronic module 20 and sterile instrument adapter 22 only the robot 1' ( 3 : pulled through).

Optionally, the described electronic module is suitable 20 also for an instrument with integrated, not removable by the user drive part. In this case, the size and cost of the instrument can be reduced by outsourcing the entire or essential parts of the drive electronics.

Schematically is in 3 also a proximal flange 7.1 as well as a powertrain 7.2 of the instrument shaft 7 ' as well as an electrical interface 20.1 between electronic and drive part 20 . 21 indicated.

4 shows a manual operating unit of an instrument assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, which instead of a modular drive unit (in 4 not shown, cf. approximately 2A . 5A ), as described for example in above 1 to 3 is shown at the proximal flange 7.1 'of the instrument shaft 7 '' is fastened.

The actuator unit of this embodiment is for manual actuation of two degrees of freedom of movement φ ₁ and φ ₂ and a working degree of freedom φ _{e of} an end effector at the distal end of the instrument shaft 7 '' set up. The user interface is a hand lever 31 in a base or hand lever housing 30 is stored with the degrees of freedom φ ' ₁ and φ' ₂ . In the embodiment shown, these degrees of freedom correspond to the distal degrees of freedom of movement φ ₁ and φ _{2 of} the instrument. Also, on the hand lever 31 a further degree of freedom φ ' _{e is provided} for the actuation of the working degree of freedom φ _{e of} the distal end effector. The hand lever housing 30 has a (in 4 unrecognizable) mechanical interface for repeatedly detachable coupling to the instrument shaft, which corresponds to the mechanical interface of the to be replaced (not shown) mechatronic drive unit.

Furthermore, the hand lever housing contains 30 one or more mechanisms and / or gears that control the positioning movements of the hand lever 31 converted into the movements provided in the interface, optionally scaled and connected to the mechanical coupling elements of the interface. Optionally, the interface of the removable actuator unit may also have electrical contacts via which, for example, information is exchanged between the hand lever and the instrument and / or energy is transmitted between the hand lever and the instrument.

Optionally, a means for limiting to selected distal degrees of freedom that can be operated by humans is provided in the actuator unit. For this purpose, the interface of the actuating unit may include a blocking device for mechanically fixing one or more distal degrees of freedom in a predetermined joint position. Preferably, the blocking device contains mechanical elements with which individual parts of the instrument-side coupling elements can be fixed in a predetermined position.

5A shows the robot-guided, with the modular drive unit 4 ' equipped robotic surgery system 2A from another perspective. As well as in 2 and 6 to 8th a sterile enclosure of the robot is not shown for clarity. This encloses the robot in whole or in part, in particular parts of the sterile instrument adapter. In this embodiment, the electrical interface engages 20.2 the drive unit directly to an electrical interface 22.2 of the sterile instrument adapter 22 (see. 3 ), so that the number of contacts to be sterilized can be minimized and thus the contact reliability can be increased. A detail view of the electrical interface 22.2 between sterile instrument adapter and drive unit is in 5B shown. It can be seen that the joining direction F of the electrical interface with the joining direction of the drive unit in the sterile instrument adapter advantageously matches. To compensate for minor positional and dimensional deviations between the contact pairs, the electrical interface can advantageously include devices for tolerance compensation.

6 FIG. 12 shows a surgical robotic system according to an embodiment of the present invention having an instrument magazine for selectively storing instruments of the instrument assembly, as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 were explained.

In the instrument magazine 40 Prepared instruments, in particular with inserted drive unit, can be kept sterile until use and at the same time be supplied with energy. In addition to the power supply, there is optionally a communication connection between the drive units not adapted to the robots and a (instruments) control of the robot arrangement (not shown). The instrument magazine can be designed as a sterilizable unit and / or enclosed with a sterile sheath, which can be advantageously realized as a disposable article. The instrument magazine can in particular two or more receiving trays for single or multiple instrument shafts 7 '' . 8th' and / or drive units. By means of the receiving shells, the individual drive units are positioned at the locations provided and the electrical contacts or other, in particular wireless, energy and / or data transmission units, are aligned correctly with one another. Equally, the instrument magazine can also be designed for free storage of instrument shafts and / or drive units, in particular plate-shaped, ie they can not or only optionally have dedicated receiving shells. This embodiment is particularly suitable for drive units with wireless energy and data transmission, in which the energy and / or data transmission units of the instrument magazine can be arranged in grid form, so that any storage locations for the drive units are possible. An advantage of this solution is in particular the easier cleaning and sterile cover.

To attach an instrument or a drive unit to a robot, it is removed from the sterile instrument magazine. In order to maintain the power supply of at least the signal processing electronics of this drive unit for the period of time after removal from the instrument magazine to adapt to a robot in order to prevent repeated booting and initialization after adaptation to a manipulator arm, the drive unit has an energy store, so that a self-sufficient power supply of at least the signal processing electronics is possible. This energy storage device is located in an embodiment in the modular drive unit and / or can be regenerated or charged when the external energy supply is connected, in particular on the robot or in the instrument magazine. This allows easy operation and maintenance by the OR staff. Likewise, the drive unit can also be supplied by the energy store during the entire duration of an intervention. A further alternative is a sterile cable connection between the robot arrangement and the adapted and / or non-adapted instruments or drive units for power supply and / or data exchange attached to the robot arrangement. In a further embodiment, a wireless energy transmission may be provided to drive units, which can allow a significantly increased mobility of the drive units and instruments compared to particular wired systems. Advantageous over a supply by an energy storage are the smaller size and the lower weight of the drive units. It can eliminate all electrical contacts, making sterile cases can be made much easier and cheaper. The elimination of sterile electrical contacts also simplifies the reprocessing of instruments or drive units.

In particular, to increase the reliability of energetically and / or communicatively wirelessly connected drive units, an additional communication channel can be provided independently of the actual communication channel in an embodiment for status transmission. This additional communication channel preferably operates according to a physical principle different from the actual communication channel, for example optically. It preferably does not serve the transmission of larger amounts of data, but only the exchange of status messages between a robot and a drive unit attached thereto. The additional communication channel preferably runs parallel to the actual data connection. It can operate on the quiescent current principle, so that an emergency shutdown of at least the affected robot and the affected drive unit can be initiated as soon as the connection is interrupted or the status of the robot or instrument or drive unit is changed.

Based on the character sequences 7 (a) to 8 (d) In the following, method steps of a method for, in particular optional, equipping a robot arrangement of a surgical robot system with an instrument and an instrument with a drive unit according to an embodiment of the present invention are explained in greater detail.

• 1) Eine Kopplung mit einem Instrumentenschaft wird erkannt und ein Registrierungsvorgang zur konkreten Bestimmung des angeschlossenen Instruments aktiviert;
• 2) Das Instrument bzw. der Instrumentenschaft kann sich selbst identifizieren, insbesondere durch eine aktive Kommunikation zwischen der Antriebseinheit und einem im Instrumentenschaft integrierten Controller, vorzugsweise Mikrocontroller. Alternativ kann ein angekoppeltes Instrument identifiziert werden, insbesondere mittels eines nichtflüchtigen Speicherbaustein, beispielsweise eines EEPROMs, im Instrument, wobei die Informationen von der Antriebseinheit abgefragt werden können.

Registration of an instrument shaft coupled to a drive unit can take place automatically. In this case, after establishing a mechanical connection of instrument shaft and drive unit, preferably one or more of the following steps take place:

• 1) A coupling with an instrument shaft is detected and a registration process for the concrete determination of the connected instrument is activated;
• 2) The instrument or the instrument shaft can identify itself, in particular by an active communication between the drive unit and a controller integrated in the instrument shaft, preferably a microcontroller. Alternatively, a coupled instrument can be identified, in particular by means of a non-volatile memory module, such as an EEPROM, in the instrument, wherein the information can be queried by the drive unit.

• 3) Nach einer erfolgreichen Registrierung ist das mit einer Antriebseinheit bestückte Instrument der Roboteranordnung bekannt, so dass einer oder mehrere der folgenden Schritte durchgeführt werden können:
• 3.1) Weitergabe der Instrumenten-Daten an die Instrumentensteuerung der Roboteranordnung und/oder eine Steuerungsebene der Antriebseinheit, insbesondere an einen Elektronikteil. Dies kann vorzugsweise bereits bei Verbindung von Instrumentenschaft und Antriebseinheit, insbesondere in einem Instrumentenmagazin, oder auch erst bei Verbindung mit dem Roboter erfolgen.

An instrument or instrument cluster preferably contains one or more of the following data: identification code, instrument name, serial number, number of remaining or still available inserts, calibration parameters to compensate for manufacturing and assembly tolerances and / or kinematic and / or dynamic parameters characterize an instrument type, such as weight, centroid, inertia tensor, origin and orientation of the end effector coordinate system, kinematic transformation matrices, joint angle boundaries, and Cartesian workspace, respectively.

• 3) After a successful registration, the robotic device instrument equipped with a drive unit is known, so that one or more of the following steps can be performed:
• 3.1) Passing the instrument data to the instrument control of the robot assembly and / or a control plane of the drive unit, in particular to an electronic part. This can preferably take place already when the instrument shaft and the drive unit are connected, in particular in an instrument magazine, or only when connected to the robot.

• 3.2) Statusänderung der Antriebseinheit nach Bestätigung durch die Instrumentensteuerung, insbesondere Signalisierung des Status an einen Bediener.

For example, if a current control of the drive unit implemented decentralized in this, a position control centrally in the instrument control of the robot assembly, the drive unit can act as a gateway and forwards all instrument data to the instrument control, for example via a fieldbus.

• 3.2) Status change of the drive unit after confirmation by the instrument control, in particular signaling the status to an operator.

All registered instruments can be stored in a database, which can be constantly updated during an intervention. This informational connection of all - not only adapted or fixed to the robot assembly - instruments or drive units to the instrument control of the robot assembly offers both the control of the robot assembly as well as the user some advantages: The surgeon has always an overview of the currently operational instruments ready and their status, the operating state, for example "ready", (various) fault conditions, expired lives and the like, each instrument or each drive unit can be signaled to the surgical staff. This can be done, for example acoustically or optically by one or more single or multi-color signal lights, in particular LEDs, in particular on the drive unit. Analogously, the operating states of all or individual instruments or drive units can be signaled to the surgeon on an input console by means of corresponding overlays.

In the event of a change of instrument, the surgeon may select at the input console a registered instrument for replacement as well as the robot to which the selected instrument is to be adapted. This information can be used to support a manual instrument change and make it easier for the OR staff or to initiate an automatic instrument change.

In one embodiment, one or more robots of the robot arrangement and / or one or more instruments and / or drive unit of the instrument arrangement have a signal device, for example a signal light, in particular a multicolor signal. In preparation for a change of instrument, the signal light of the affected robot is activated in a specific color and / or a particular flashing sequence. This clearly signals to the OR staff which robot (s) is / are affected by the upcoming instrument change. Likewise, the signal light of the instrument to be loaded is activated in a specific color and / or a particular flashing sequence to clearly indicate to the operating room personnel which instrument is to be exchanged. Similarly, the OR staff can be shown a successful change process by a special color or flashing pattern of the signal lights on manipulator and instrument. Alternatively or in addition to an optical signaling, an acoustic signal is also possible.

7 (a) to 8 (d) shows a method according to the invention for automatic instrument replacement or placement of a robot assembly with an instrument of the instrument arrangement and an instrument with a drive unit. For this purpose, the surgical robot system on an instrument change magazine, in which all the necessary instruments are stored ready for use and are kept ready. All instruments are stored in the change magazine without drive unit, as the application of the drive unit to an instrument during the change process takes place. The change magazine has a drive unit manipulator for this purpose 50 (see. 6 ) for handling the drive units during the instrument change. The drive unit manipulator does not have its own degrees of freedom of movement in one embodiment, with the exception of a tensioning mechanism for the drive unit, all positioning movements are performed by the robot. For example, a drive unit with the aid of this drive unit manipulator can be separated from one instrument shaft and connected to another. As a result, the number of drive units can be reduced since not every instrument present in the changeable magazine has to be equipped with its own drive unit. In addition, this concept requires less effort to power the drive units, since no energy supply to the instruments stored in the removable magazine is required. It is only necessary to ensure the power supply of the drive units for the period in which they are not adapted to a robot and are supplied with energy from there. The power supply of the drive unit during this period can be done in one embodiment via the drive unit manipulator.

In 6 . 7 a rotary instrument change magazine is shown. Similarly, a linear instrument change magazine can be used. In order to be able to handle different drive units, the drive unit manipulator can optionally be equipped with a plurality of grippers, which can also be differently pronounced. In this case, the drive unit manipulator preferably has one or more translatory and / or one or more rotational movement possibilities in order to handle the required drive unit in each case.

7 (a) to (d) shows steps in placing an instrument in the instrument change magazine, such as may occur during an automatic tool change. First, the robot is moved from the surgical area to the tool magazine in the starting position to the instrument tray ( 7 (a) ). Then, the drive unit is adapted to the drive unit manipulator, in 7 (b) exemplified as a two-jaw gripper. If necessary, a fixation between the drive unit and the instrument is achieved. Optionally, the energy supply of the drive unit is maintained, in particular contact-based or contactless, for example by the drive unit manipulator. Then the instrument shaft is stored in the removable magazine ( 7 (c) ), wherein the connection between and fixed by the drive unit manipulator drive unit is released. Finally, the robot continues from the changer magazine, thereby or before the connection between the instrument shaft and robot is solved ( 7 (d) ).

8a ) to (d) shows steps for picking up an instrument from the changer magazine by a robot: Firstly, the instrument to be loaded is provided by moving the instrument changer magazine, the drive unit being placed in the correct position by the drive unit manipulator (FIG. 8 (a) ). Then the instrument shaft is fixed to the robot ( 8 (b) ), which transports it to the drive unit fixed by the drive unit manipulator, where it is adapted or attached to the instrument shaft ( 8 (c) ). The fixation of the drive unit in the drive unit manipulator is solved. Afterwards, the replacement instrument-drive unit is ready for use ( 8 (d) ) and can be moved robotically.

It can be seen that in these process steps, on the one hand, the robot arrangement is optionally equipped with an instrument (see in particular FIG 7 (c) - 7 (d) Storage of a robot-guided instrument; 8 (b) Recording a stored instrument by a robot), and on the other hand a robot-guided, stored in an instrument magazine instrument is optionally equipped with a drive unit (see, in particular 7 (b) - 7 (c) Separating the drive unit; 8 (b) → 8 (c) Attached to the drive unit on the instrument shaft).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1; 1 ', 2, 3

Robot (assembly)

4; 4 '; 4 '' 5, 6

modular drive unit

7; 7 '; 7 ", 8; 8 ', 9

instrument shaft

7.1; 7.1 '

flange

7.2

powertrain

10, 11, 12

opening

13

abdominal wall

14

area of operations

20

Electronic module (drive unit)

20.1; 20.2, 22.2

interface

21

Drive module (drive unit)

22

instrument adapter

24

sterile envelope

30

Base (operating unit)

31

Hand lever (operating unit)

40

tool magazine

50

Drive unit manipulator

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102012008535 [0002]
• DE 102012008537 [0008]
• EP 2012/000358 [0008]
• EP 2012/000719 [0008]
• EP 2396796 A1 [0033]
• EP 2340611 A1 [0033]

Claims (18)

A surgical array instrument assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 16, comprising at least one instrument having an instrument shaft ( 7 ; 7 ' . 7 '' . 8th ; 8th' . 9 ) intended for partial introduction into a patient, an instrument interface for attaching the instrument to the robot assembly ( 1 ; 1' . 2 . 3 ), and one, in particular modular, drive unit ( 4 ; 4 ' . 4 '' . 5 . 6 ) for the actuation of at least one degree of freedom (φ ₁ , φ ₂ , φ _e ) of the instrument shaft, in particular an end effector, which has a drive part with at least one drive and an electronic part with at least one control and / or communication means. Instrument arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that an electronic part and / or a drive part of at least one drive unit has a modular design and an interface ( 20.1 . 20.2 ) for connection to each other, the instrument shaft and / or the robot assembly. Instrument arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the electronic part is sterilized or at least partially formed by a sterile sheath ( 24 ) is surrounded. Instrument arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by a modular manual operating unit according to one of claims 7 to 9 for the optional replacement of a modular drive unit ( 4 ' ) of an instrument assembly of the surgical robotic system. Instrument arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the instrument interface for attachment of the instrument to the robot assembly comprises a releasable by a drive unit of this instrument attachment lock. Instrument arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a drive unit has an electrical energy storage for, at least temporary, self-sufficient power supply of the drive unit. Manual operating unit ( 30 ) for an instrument assembly according to claim 4, characterized by a mechanical drive interface for connection to a drive train arrangement ( 7.2 ) of the instrument, which is a mechanical drive interface of the optionally to be replaced drive unit ( 4 ' ) corresponds to the connection with this drive train arrangement. Manual actuation unit according to the preceding claim, characterized by a base ( 30 ), which has a fastening means for releasable attachment to the instrument, and on which a hand lever ( 31 ) is mounted with at least one degree of freedom (φ ' ₁ , φ' ₂ , φ ' _e ) whose actuation, in particular scaled, is transmitted to the mechanical drive interface of the actuating unit. Manual actuation unit according to one of claims 7 to 8, characterized in that by the operating unit and the drive unit, in particular optionally, different degrees of freedom of the instrument, in particular a different number of degrees of freedom, can be actuated. A surgical robotic system comprising: a robot assembly having at least one robot ( 1 ; 1' . 2 . 3 ); and an instrument assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6. Surgery robotic system according to the preceding claim, characterized by a first communication channel and at least one further communication channel between the robot arrangement and at least one instrument of the instrument arrangement. Surgery robotic system according to one of claims 10 to 11, characterized by a sterile cable connection, an interface connection or a wireless energy and / or signal transmission means for energy and / or signal transmission between the robot assembly and the instrument assembly. Surgery robotic system according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized by an instrument magazine ( 40 ) for selectively storing at least one of at least two instruments of the instrument assembly. Surgery robotic system according to the preceding claim, characterized by a drive unit manipulator ( 50 ) for selectively populating various instruments of the instrument assembly with a modular drive unit. Surgery robotic system according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the instrument magazine, the instrument assembly and / or the robot assembly having a communication means for communication between at least two of the instrument magazine, the instrument assembly and the robot assembly, in particular between instrument magazine and instrument assembly. Surgery robotic system according to one of Claims 10 to 15, characterized by a display means for indicating a status of an instrument of the instrument arrangement, in particular a change status and / or operating status. A method of, in particular, selectively populating a robotic assembly of a surgical robotic system according to any one of the preceding claims with at least one instrument of the instrument assembly of the surgical robotic system. Method for, in particular optional, loading at least one, in particular robot-guided and / or stored in an instrument magazine, instrument of a surgical robot system according to one of the preceding claims with a drive unit.

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