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 medical manipulator system has an operating unit including a grip handle and a composite input unit, a working unit detachably mounted on the operating unit and including an end effector, and a controller for controlling the operating unit. The controller judges starting and ending of a surgical case and increments the usage count of the working unit based on a manner in which the working unit is mounted and dismounted, and the times at which the working unit is mounted and dismounted, and disables the working unit if the usage count of the working unit exceeds a preset count.

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: Provided is a medical robot system which includes a medical manipulator capable of handling organs such as a uterine of different shapes and sizes. The medical robot system includes a robot arm, a medical manipulator which is detachably provided in the robot arm and supports an organ to a predetermined position, and a controller unit operable by an operator to control the robot arm and the medical manipulator. The medical manipulator also includes a first arm portion in a base side thereof, a second arm portion in a front side thereof for supporting the organ, and a connection portion connecting the first arm portion with the second arm portion. The control unit adjusts a relative direction of the second arm portion and the first arm portion and a length of the second arm portion in a telescopic manner thereby being suitable for organs of various shapes and sizes.

Abstract: In a suturing and ligating method, a suture strand is wound around a gripper a predetermined number of times by turning a proximal end portion of a curved needle with a rolling mechanism. The gripper then grips the portion of the suture strand, which has not been inserted into the tissue. The gripper is then withdrawn through loops of the suture strand, which are wound around the gripper. The distal-end working unit and the gripper are then moved relatively to each other in order to form a knot across the incision.

Abstract: A medical robot system has a plurality of first robot arms supporting respective manipulators thereon; a second robot arm supporting an endoscope thereon; and a controller for controlling the first robot arms and the second robot arm. The manipulators and endoscope are inserted into a body cavity through a common trocar supporting member, wherein each of said manipulators includes a rod-shaped member for insertion through the trocar supporting member into the body cavity, a distal-end working unit mounted on a distal end of the rod-shaped member and having at least one joint, and at least one intermediate joint disposed in the rod-shaped member for bending said rod-shaped member.

Abstract: A surgical system performs a surgical procedure on a patient with manipulators and an endoscope. The surgical system has a display unit for simultaneously displaying a plurality of items of information including an endoscopic image captured by the endoscope, and a wireless image processor for transmitting information to the display unit and processing the plurality of items of information to be displayed by the display unit. The information about the endoscopic image is transmitted from the endoscope to the wireless image processor through a link including at least a portion based on wireless communications.

Abstract: A medical robot system has a plurality of first robot arms supporting respective manipulators thereon; a second robot arm supporting an endoscope thereon; and a controller for controlling the first robot arms and the second robot arm. The manipulators and endoscope are inserted into a body cavity through a common trocar supporting member, wherein each of said manipulators includes a rod-shaped member for insertion through the trocar supporting member into the body cavity, a distal-end working unit mounted on a distal end of the rod-shaped member and having at least one joint, and at least one intermediate joint disposed in the rod-shaped member for bending said rod-shaped member.

Abstract: A medical manipulator system includes a medical manipulator, an operating unit for inputting operation commands, motors for driving a working unit, a controller for driving the motors based on operation commands supplied from the operating unit, and an LED that displays an operational state. The controller carries out controls for distinguishing between an operational mode in which the operation command is validated and the motors are driven, and a stopped mode in which the motors are halted regardless of whether the operation command is present or not. An illumination state of the LED is switched dependent on whether the system is in the operational mode or the stopped mode. The LED is disposed in the center of an upper surface of a bridge, which interconnects a grip handle and an actuator block.

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 includes a yaw axis and a pitch axis disposed as joints on a distal end of a joint shaft and which are actuatable by motors, a needle variable in orientation by the joints, a coaxial connector disposed at a position closer to a proximal end of the manipulator than the joint shaft, and a coaxial cable providing within the joint shaft at least a portion of an electrical connection between the coaxial connector and the needle. A small board providing an impedance matching circuit, and which includes a coil and a capacitor, is interposed between the coaxial connector and the coaxial cable.

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 medical manipulator system has an operating unit including a grip handle and a composite input unit, a working unit detachably mounted on the operating unit and including an end effector, and a controller for controlling the operating unit. The controller judges starting and ending of a surgical case and increments the usage count of the working unit based on a manner in which the working unit is mounted and dismounted, and the times at which the working unit is mounted and dismounted, and disables the working unit if the usage count of the working unit exceeds a preset count.

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: 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 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 manipulator includes a composite input unit that is manually operable by the fingers, a connector shaft extending from an operating unit, and a working unit mounted on the distal end of the connector shaft. The working unit comprises a rolling mechanism, a tilting mechanism, and an opening and closing mechanism. The composite input unit includes a shuttle ring for actuating the rolling mechanism. The manipulator also includes a gripper for gripping a curved needle. The gripper is placed near a DVC, whereupon the rolling mechanism is actuated to roll the gripper and to pierce a living body with the curved needle, until the point of the curved needle projects outside of the living body.

Abstract: A manipulator has a working unit in which when at least a first end effector finger and a second end effector finger are maximally closed on each other, at least the distance between a third joint axis and a first joint axis is greater than the distance between the first joint axis and a distal end of the second end effector finger, or the distance between the third joint axis and the first joint axis is greater than the distance between third joint axis and a second joint axis, or the angle formed between a direction from the third joint axis to the first joint axis and a direction from the third joint axis to the second joint axis is not ?.

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 manipulator includes a distal-end working unit having a rolling mechanism and an opening and closing mechanism. A forceps includes a gripper on a distal end thereof. A curved needle of a suture-needle assembly is inserted through an incision in a body cavity within a living body, while leaving a portion of a suture strand of the suture-needle assembly uninserted in the tissue. The gripper grips the curved needle. The suture strand is wound around the gripper a predetermined number of times by turning a proximal end portion of the curved needle with the rolling mechanism. The gripper grips the portion of the suture strand, which has not been inserted into the tissue. The gripper is then withdrawn through loops of the suture strand, which are wound around the gripper. The distal-end working unit and the gripper are moved relatively to each other in order to form a knot across the incision.