Joint mechanism, manipulator, and manipulator system

Abstract

Provided is a joint mechanism including a tubular first member having a through-hole; a second member disposed at the distal end of the first member and swivelable about a swivel axis intersecting a central axis thereof; a flexible, tubular guide sheath extending near the central axis of the through-hole and a distal end of which is fixed to the second member; a manipulation wire introduced toward the distal end of the guide sheath; and a turnaround section that is provided in the second member at a position decentered from the swivel axis in the radial direction and that causes the manipulation wire introduced from the first member via the guide sheath to make a U-turn toward the first member. A distal end of the manipulation wire caused to make a U-turn at the turnaround section is fixed to a position decentered in the radial direction.

1 . A joint mechanism comprising:
 a tubular first member having a through-hole extending along a central axis;   a second member disposed at a distal end of the first member and swivelable relative to the first member about a swivel axis intersecting the central axis;   a flexible, tubular guide sheath extending near the central axis of the through-hole in the first member and a distal end of which is fixed to the second member;   a manipulation wire introduced toward the distal end of the guide sheath via the guide sheath; and   a turnaround section that is provided in the second member at a position decentered from the swivel axis in a radial direction and that causes the manipulation wire introduced from the first member via the guide sheath to make a U-turn toward the first member,   wherein a distal end of the manipulation wire caused to make a U-turn at the turnaround section is fixed to the first member at a position decentered from the swivel axis of the first member in the radial direction.   
     
     
         2 . The joint mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the turnaround section is a pulley around which the manipulation wire is wound to cause the manipulation wire to make a U-turn. 
     
     
         3 . The joint mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the turnaround section is a substantially U-shaped tubular member that allows the manipulation wire to extend therethrough so as to cause the manipulation wire to make a U-turn. 
     
     
         4 . The joint mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide sheath, the manipulation wire, and the turnaround section include a pair of guide sheaths, a pair of manipulation wires, and a pair of turnaround sections, respectively, so as to cause the second member to swivel relative to the first member in two directions about the swivel axis. 
     
     
         5 . The joint mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein the pair of turnaround sections are provided to cause the pair of manipulation wires to make a U-turn at positions partially overlapping each other in the radial direction. 
     
     
         6 . The joint mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more intermediate members provided between the first member and the second member and connected in a swivelable manner about two or more intermediate axes that are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The joint mechanism according to  claim 6 , wherein each intermediate member is provided with a sheath pass-through hole that allows the guide sheath to extend therethrough and a wire pass-through section that allows the manipulation wire to extend therethrough, and
 wherein the wire pass-through section is a long hole or a cutout extending in a direction orthogonal to the intermediate axes.   
     
     
         8 . A manipulator including two or more series-connected joint mechanisms,
 wherein the two or more series-connected joint mechanisms each comprise:
 a tubular first member having a through-hole extending along a central axis; 
 a second member disposed at a distal end of the first member and swivelable relative to the first member about a swivel axis intersecting the central axis; 
 a flexible, tubular guide sheath extending near the central axis of the through-hole in the first member and a distal end of which is fixed to the second member; 
 a manipulation wire introduced toward the distal end of the guide sheath via the guide sheath; and 
 a turnaround section that is provided in the second member at a position decentered from the swivel axis in a radial direction and that causes the manipulation wire introduced from the first member via the guide sheath to make a U-turn toward the first member, 
 wherein a distal end of the manipulation wire caused to make a U-turn at the turnaround section is fixed to the first member at a position decentered from the swivel axis of the first member in the radial direction. 
   
     
     
         9 . The manipulator according to  claim 8 , wherein the turnaround sections provided in the respective joint mechanisms are disposed at substantially identical positions in the radial direction and a circumferential direction of the second members. 
     
     
         10 . The manipulator according to  claim 8 , wherein the turnaround sections provided in the respective joint mechanisms are disposed at substantially identical positions in the radial direction of the second members but at different positions in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         11 . A manipulator comprising:
 a tubular manipulator body;   a basal-end joint unit provided at a distal end of the manipulator body; and   a distal-end joint unit connected in series to a distal end of the basal-end joint unit and equipped with at least one joint mechanism,   wherein the at least one joint mechanism comprises:
 a tubular first member having a through-hole extending along a central axis; 
 a second member disposed at a distal end of the first member and swivelable relative to the first member about a swivel axis intersecting the central axis; 
 a flexible, tubular guide sheath extending near the central axis of the through-hole in the first member and a distal end of which is fixed to the second member; 
 a manipulation wire introduced toward the distal end of the guide sheath via the guide sheath; and 
 a turnaround section that is provided in the second member at a position decentered from the swivel axis in a radial direction and that causes the manipulation wire introduced from the first member via the guide sheath to make a U-turn toward the first member, 
 wherein a distal end of the manipulation wire caused to make a U-turn at the turnaround section is fixed to the first member at a position decentered from the swivel axis of the first member in the radial direction, and 
   wherein the basal-end joint unit comprises:
 a swivel member connected to the manipulator body in a swivelable manner about a swivel axis; 
 a tubular guide sheath whose opening at a distal end thereof is fixed to the manipulator body; and 
 a manipulation wire that is introduced via the guide sheath and protrudes from the opening at the distal end of the guide sheath and a distal end of which is fixed to a position decentered from the swivel axis of the swivel member in a radial direction. 
   
     
     
         12 . A manipulator comprising:
 a tubular manipulator body having a through-hole extending along a central axis;   a swivel member disposed at a distal end of the manipulator body and swivelable relative to the manipulator body about a swivel axis intersecting the central axis;   a flexible, tubular guide sheath extending near the central axis of the through-hole in the manipulator body and a distal end of which is fixed to the swivel member;   a manipulation wire introduced toward the distal end of the guide sheath via the guide sheath; and   a turnaround section that is provided in the swivel member and that causes the manipulation wire introduced from the manipulator body via the guide sheath to make a U-turn toward the manipulator body,   wherein a distal end of the manipulation wire caused to make a U-turn at the turnaround section is fixed to the manipulator body at a position decentered from the swivel axis in the radial direction.   
     
     
         13 . A manipulator system comprising:
 a manipulator including two or more series-connected joint mechanisms;   a slave device equipped with a driver that drives the manipulator;   a master device equipped with an operation section to be operated by an operator; and   a controller that controls the driver of the slave device based on an input signal input via the operation section of the master device,   wherein the two or more series-connected joint mechanisms each comprise:
 a tubular first member having a through-hole extending along a central axis; 
 a second member disposed at a distal end of the first member and swivelable relative to the first member about a swivel axis intersecting the central axis; 
 a flexible, tubular guide sheath extending near the central axis of the through-hole in the first member and a distal end of which is fixed to the second member; 
 a manipulation wire introduced toward the distal end of the guide sheath via the guide sheath; and 
 a turnaround section that is provided in the second member at a position decentered from the swivel axis in a radial direction and that causes the manipulation wire introduced from the first member via the guide sheath to make a U-turn toward the first member, 
 wherein a distal end of the manipulation wire caused to make a U-turn at the turnaround section is fixed to the first member at a position decentered from the swivel axis of the first member in the radial direction. 
   
     
     
         14 . A manipulator system comprising:
 a manipulator including a tubular manipulator body, a basal-end joint unit provided at a distal end of the manipulator body, and a distal-end joint unit connected in series to a distal end of the basal-end joint unit and equipped with at least one joint mechanism;   a slave device equipped with a driver that drives the manipulator;   a master device equipped with an operation section to be operated by an operator; and   a controller that controls the driver of the slave device based on an input signal input via the operation section of the master device,   wherein the at least one joint mechanism comprises:
 a tubular first member having a through-hole extending along a central axis; 
 a second member disposed at a distal end of the first member and swivelable relative to the first member about a swivel axis intersecting the central axis; 
 a flexible, tubular guide sheath extending near the central axis of the through-hole in the first member and a distal end of which is fixed to the second member; 
 a manipulation wire introduced toward the distal end of the guide sheath via the guide sheath; and 
   a turnaround section that is provided in the second member at a position decentered from the swivel axis in a radial direction and that causes the manipulation wire introduced from the first member via the guide sheath to make a U-turn toward the first member,
 wherein a distal end of the manipulation wire caused to make a U-turn at the turnaround section is fixed to the first member at a position decentered from the swivel axis of the first member in the radial direction, and 
 wherein the basal-end joint unit comprises: 
 a swivel member connected to the manipulator body in a swivelable manner about a swivel axis; 
 a tubular guide sheath whose opening at a distal end thereof is fixed to the manipulator body; and 
 a manipulation wire that is introduced via the guide sheath and protrudes from the opening at the distal end of the guide sheath and a distal end of which is fixed to a position decentered from the swivel axis of the swivel member in a radial direction. 
   
     
     
         15 . A manipulator system comprising:
 a manipulator;   a slave device equipped with a driver that drives the manipulator;   a master device equipped with an operation section to be operated by an operator; and   a controller that controls the driver of the slave device based on an input signal input via the operation section of the master device,   wherein the manipulator comprises:
 a tubular manipulator body having a through-hole extending along a central axis; 
 a swivel member disposed at a distal end of the manipulator body and swivelable relative to the manipulator body about a swivel axis intersecting the central axis; 
 a flexible, tubular guide sheath extending near the central axis of the through-hole in the manipulator body and a distal end of which is fixed to the swivel member; 
 a manipulation wire introduced toward the distal end of the guide sheath via the guide sheath; and 
 a turnaround section that is provided in the swivel member and that causes the manipulation wire introduced from the manipulator body via the guide sheath to make a U-turn toward the manipulator body, 
 wherein a distal end of the manipulation wire caused to make a U-turn at the turnaround section is fixed to the manipulator body at a position decentered from the swivel axis in the radial direction.