Abstract: A manipulator has an operating unit including a trigger lever, a distal end working unit including an end effector and a yaw axis and a roll axis for changing the direction of the end effector, and a connector shaft interconnecting the operating unit and the distal end working unit. The operating unit includes an actuator block housing therein motors for actuating the yaw axis and the roll axis and a gripper operational quantity corrector for mechanically transmitting an operational action of the trigger lever to actuate the end effector. A controller calculates an interference amount caused on the end effector by the attitude angles of the yaw axis and the roll axis. The gripper operational quantity corrector is controlled by the controller to extend or retract a push rod, for correcting the operational quantity of the operational action of the trigger lever to compensate for the interference amount.

Abstract: A medical manipulator comprises a distal end working unit including a gripper as an end effector, an operating unit for operating the distal end working unit, a coupling interconnecting the distal end working unit and the operating unit, and an attitude changing mechanism for changing an attitude of the distal end working unit. When the operating unit is operated by an operator, the end effector is mechanically operated by a transmitting member. The attitude changing mechanism is operated by a bending drive source and a rotational drive source, which are operated when the operating unit is operated by the operator.

Abstract: A manipulator includes a wire which is movable back and forth, a driven wire both ends of which are connected to the wire, an idle pulley, a guide pulley, a driven pulley which is movable back and forth, and an end effector coupled to the driven pulley. The driven wire passes from a terminal along a first side on the idle pulley and extends to a second side opposite to the first side, and then passes along the second side on the driven pulley. The driven wire is then wound around the driven pulley and passes along the first side on the driven pulley and then the second side on the idle pulley, and finally returns to the terminal, thereby making up an 8-shaped configuration path. The driven wire is crossed between the idle pulley and the guide pulley.

Abstract: A medical manipulator system includes a manipulator, an operating unit for entering operation commands, motors for actuating a working unit, and a controller for energizing the motors based on operation commands supplied from the operating unit. When an activation resetting switch and a resetting switch are operated according to a predetermined procedure, the controller performs a resetting process to return the motors to an origin. The controller is capable of controlling three manipulators. The activation resetting switch is shared by the three manipulators, and there are three resetting switches corresponding to the three manipulators.

Abstract: A working mechanism for a medical manipulator and a cleaning method therefor are provided. A working unit of a medical manipulator is equipped with a hollow connecting shaft, wires of a motive force transmitting member disposed in the connecting shaft, and a distal end working unit disposed on one end of the connecting shaft and which is moved by the wires. A cover covers at least a portion of the distal end working unit. A gap is provided between the cover and the connecting shaft, with oblong holes being disposed laterally on right and left sides of the cover. A cleaning agent is made to flow through the holes and the gap and/or a brush may be inserted through the holes and the gap for cleaning the distal end working unit.

Abstract: A manipulator comprises an operation command unit provided with an attitude adjusting unit and an end effector control unit, a connecting unit having one end connected to the operation command unit, a working unit connected to the other end of the connecting unit and provided with an end effector and a support unit supporting the end effector for motions, and a control unit that transmits an operation command provided by the attitude adjusting unit to the support unit to adjust the attitude of the end effector and transmits an operation command provided by the end effector control unit to the end effector to operate the end effector. The support unit includes a first joint capable of turning about a first axis perpendicular to the center axis of the connecting unit, and a second joint capable of turning about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The end effector can be turned for rolling about an axis substantially parallel to the second axis of the second joint.

Abstract: A manipulator comprises an actuator block and a working unit attachable to and detachable from the actuator block. The actuator block has a motor, the working unit has a connecting shaft and an end working portion disposed at the distal end thereof, and the end working portion is rotated in conjunction with the motor. The working unit further has a two-dimensional code holding an identification signal, and the actuator block further has an infrared camera for recognizing the identification signal in the code and supplying it to a controller, is the camera being not in contact with the code. The controller controls the working unit based on the supplied identification signal.

Abstract: A manipulator has a working unit including an end effector and a posture axis for changing the orientation of the manipulator, a compound mechanism provided on the working unit, and a controller for actuating a gripper axis, a yaw axis, and a roll axis by respectively controlling movement positions of three motors. The controller includes a torque generation detector for detecting a timing at which torque is generated on the gripper axis. When the controller detects the timing at which a torque ?g? is generated on the gripper axis under operation of a given motor, the movement positions of the plural motors are shifted and set, corresponding to the directions at which interference torques are generated with respect to the yaw axis and the roll axis, and to predetermined positions of the same directions.

Abstract: A manipulator has an operation command unit and an exchangeable working unit. The working unit comprises an end effector operable under actions of a control apparatus, and an ID retaining section holding an ID for individualized discrimination of the working unit. The control apparatus includes an ID identification section for identifying the ID and for determining whether the working unit is connected to the operation command unit, an origin point recognition section for recognizing whether the end effector is in a prescribed origin point position or in a non-origin point position, and a warning section which generates a detachment warning when it is determined that the end effector has been detached from the operation command unit, in the event it is determined that the end effector is in a non-origin point position.

Abstract: A manipulator comprises an operation command unit provided with an attitude adjusting unit and an end effector control unit, a connecting unit having one end connected to the operation command unit, a working unit connected to the other end of the connecting unit and provided with an end effector and a support unit supporting the end effector for motions, and a control unit that transmits an operation command provided by the attitude adjusting unit to the support unit to adjust the attitude of the end effector and transmits an operation command provided by the end effector control unit to the end effector to operate the end effector. The support unit includes a first joint capable of turning about a first axis perpendicular to the center axis of the connecting unit, and a second joint capable of turning about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The end effector can be turned for rolling about an axis substantially parallel to the second axis of the second joint.

Abstract: A manipulator comprises a hollow shaft, wires provided on the shaft and a working unit disposed on one end of the shaft and being driven by at least one wire of the wires, the working unit having a tip tool including a rolling mechanism which rotates about an axis Or directed to a distal end thereof. A tip side surface of a proximal end member and a cover of a distal end member are relatively rotated by the rolling mechanism. The cover has a rotation identifier for indicating a degree of relative rotation of the tip side surface. The tip side surface has an alignment indicator for indicating an initial position of the cover.

Abstract: A manipulator includes a working unit comprising an operation command unit, horizontal roller and vertical rollers mounted thereon, drive pulleys rotatable in response to operation of the horizontal roller and the vertical roller, a connector, a first rotational axis disposed on a distal end of the connector, a second rotational axis extending perpendicularly to the first rotational axis, tubular members rotatably supported on a shaft providing the first rotational axis, and wires having rear and front portions trained around the drive pulleys and the tubular members, respectively. A drive mechanism operates about the first rotational axis in response to rotation of the tubular member, and an end effector operates about the second rotational axis in response to rotation of the tubular member.

Abstract: In a manipulator, an actuator block contains motors and rotary shafts extending from the motors. A working unit of the manipulator contains a connecting portion, attachable to and detachable from the actuator block. The connecting portion has pulleys connectable to ends of the rotary shafts, and has a locking plate movable by alignment pins. The locking plate has slits, which are engaged with plate-shaped portions formed on the upper ends of the pulleys. A coil spring is placed between the locking plate and a top plate.

Abstract: A manipulator includes an operation command unit to be gripped by a hand, a composite input unit operable by a finger, a connector shaft extending from the operation command unit, and a working unit disposed on a distal end of the connector shaft. The working unit includes a yawing mechanism, a rolling mechanism, and an opening and closing mechanism. The composite input unit has a shuttle ring for actuating the rolling mechanism, and a pad for actuating the yawing mechanism. The shuttle ring is an angularly movable member having two knobs disposed in respective left and right positions. The pad is disposed inside of the shuttle ring.

Abstract: A power transmission mechanism comprising: a flexible power transmission element; a pair of a drive pulley and a driven pulley on which the flexible power transmission element is wound, each the pulley having a pin-embedding hole formed to extend from the outer circumferential thereof toward the center thereof, and a slit elongated in the circumferential direction of the pulley to extend to opposite sides of the embedding hole and communicating with the embedding hole; and a pair of columnar or tapered anchor pins each having a path hole penetrating the anchor pin across the lengthwise direction thereof to receive the flexible power transmission element inserted therein, wherein each the anchor pin receiving the flexible power transmission element in the path hole thereof is embedded in the embedding hole of the associated pulley under pressure, and the flexible power transmission element is thereby held on the pulley.

Abstract: A power transmission mechanism comprising: a flexible power transmission element; a pair of a drive pulley and a driven pulley on which the flexible power transmission element is wound, each the pulley having a pin-embedding hole formed to extend from the outer circumferential thereof toward the center thereof, and a slit elongated in the circumferential direction of the pulley to extend to opposite sides of the embedding hole and communicating with the embedding hole; and a pair of columnar or tapered anchor pins each having a path hole penetrating the anchor pin across the lengthwise direction thereof to receive the flexible power transmission element inserted therein, wherein each the anchor pin receiving the flexible power transmission element in the path hole thereof is embedded in the embedding hole of the associated pulley under pressure, and the flexible power transmission element is thereby held on the pulley.

Abstract: A power transmission mechanism comprising: a flexible power transmission element; a pair of a drive pulley and a driven pulley on which the flexible power transmission element is wound, each the pulley having a pin-embedding hole formed to extend from the outer circumferential thereof toward the center thereof, and a slit elongated in the circumferential direction of the pulley to extend to opposite sides of the embedding hole and communicating with the embedding hole; and a pair of columnar or tapered anchor pins each having a path hole penetrating the anchor pin across the lengthwise direction thereof to receive the flexible power transmission element inserted therein, wherein each the anchor pin receiving the flexible power transmission element in the path hole thereof is embedded in the embedding hole of the associated pulley under pressure, and the flexible power transmission element is thereby held on the pulley.

Abstract: A working unit includes a gear body disposed forwardly of a tubular member around which a wire is wound and having a rotational axis disposed substantially parallel to the tubular member, and a first gear and a second gear for transmitting rotation of a gear body to another gear body. The numbers of turns of wires, the size of a main shaft, and the size of a gear body, which are positioned forwardly of the tubular member, have no adverse effect on the manner in which a wire is wound around the tubular member. The wire can be wound around the tubular member over a wide region thereof for increasing the angular displacement of the gear body. The increased angular displacement of the gear body makes it possible to increase the angular displacement and rotational torque of the gear body.

Abstract: A working unit comprises a gear body rotatable in a direction perpendicular to a reference axis, a gear ring including a proximal end surface held in contact with the gear body and rotatable about the reference axis to change the direction of rotation of the gear body, a first end effector body held in contact with an axially distal end surface of the gear ring at an upper portion thereof, and rotatable about a rotational axis perpendicular to the reference axis to change the direction of rotation of the gear ring, and a second end effector body held in contact with the axially distal end surface of the gear ring at a lower portion thereof, and rotatable in a direction opposite to the direction in which the first end effector body rotates, about the rotational axis. The first end effector body and the second end effector body are openable and closable symmetrically with respect to the reference axis.

Abstract: A medical manipulator comprises a working unit (10) that performs operations, an operating unit (20) that generates instructions, a drive unit (50) that drives the working unit on the basis of instructions given thereto by the operating unit, a power transmission mechanism (60) for transmitting driving force of the drive unit to the working unit, and a control unit (40) for controlling the power transmission mechanism on the basis of instructions given thereto by the operating unit. The power transmission mechanism includes a first power transmission unit (61) interlocked with the drive unit, and a second power transmission unit (63) interlocked with the working unit and capable of being detachably connected to the first power transmission unit. A back drive torque of the first power transmission unit is larger than a back drive torque of the second power transmission unit.