JP2018065223A - Arm device - Google Patents

Abstract

A technique for easily confirming a rotational position of a working unit with respect to a target object is provided.
An arm device 2 of the present disclosure includes a multi-joint arm 10, a working unit 40, a shielding unit 50, and an interlocking unit 60. In the multi-joint arm, a plurality of links 12 are connected by joints. The working unit is rotatably installed at the end of the articulated arm and performs work on the target object. The shielding part covers the working part and moves together with the working part as the articulated arm moves. The interlocking unit performs the same rotational movement as the working unit in conjunction with the working unit.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a technique for performing work on a target object by a working unit installed at an end of a multi-joint arm.

  A technique is known in which work is performed on a target object using a working unit installed at an end of a multi-joint arm (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a technique of an ultrasonic treatment apparatus that treats an affected part of a human body, which is a target object, by irradiating HIFU from a treatment vibrator installed at an end of a multi-joint arm. HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

  Patent Document 1 further discloses a technique for irradiating an affected area of a patient with an ultrasonic wave different from HIFU from a diagnostic oscillator installed at the center of the therapeutic oscillator and displaying an ultrasonic image of the affected area. Has been. The diagnostic transducer is disposed in the water tank together with the therapeutic transducer in order to suppress the attenuation of the HIFU irradiated by the therapeutic transducer.

JP 2014-204876 A

  As described in Patent Document 1, when a diagnostic vibrator, which is a working unit installed at the end of an articulated arm, is arranged in a water tank, the rotation angle of the diagnostic vibrator covered with the water tank It is difficult for the operator to confirm this with eyes. As a result, when the diagnostic transducer, which is the working unit, is rotated to change the cross-sectional position of the ultrasonic image, the rotational position of the diagnostic transducer cannot be visually confirmed, and the cross-sectional position of the ultrasonic image is not known. There is a problem.

  One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for easily confirming a rotational position of a working unit with respect to a target object.

One aspect of the present disclosure includes an articulated arm (10), a working unit (40), a shielding unit (50), and an interlocking unit (60).
In the multi-joint arm, a plurality of links (12) are connected by joints. The working unit is rotatably installed at the end of the articulated arm and performs work on the target object. The shielding part covers the working part and moves together with the working part as the articulated arm moves. The interlocking unit performs the same rotational movement as the working unit in conjunction with the working unit.

  According to this configuration, even if the working unit is covered by the shielding unit and the operator cannot visually confirm the rotational position of the working unit, the interlocking unit that performs the same rotational movement as the working unit in conjunction with the working unit is provided. By looking, the rotational position of the working unit can be easily confirmed.

  Note that the reference numerals in parentheses described in this column and in the claims indicate the correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiment described later as one aspect, and the technical scope of the present invention. It is not limited.

The block diagram which shows the arm apparatus of this embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the structure which connects the rotating shaft of a probe and an interlocking | linkage part. The schematic diagram which shows the structure which prohibits and permits the rotation of a probe. The flowchart which shows an arm control process.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
[1. Constitution]
As shown in FIG. 1, the arm device 2 includes a robot arm 10, a support unit 20, a HIFU irradiation unit 30, a water bag 50, a probe 40, an interlocking unit 60, a sensor 70, and a changeover switch 100. Arm controller 110.

  The robot arm 10 includes a link 12 constituting a multi-joint arm connected by a plurality of joints, and a motor 14 installed at each joint. The motor 14 drives and moves the robot arm 10 according to an instruction from the arm controller 110 to change the position and posture of the robot arm 10.

The motor 16 installed in the support unit 20 drives the probe 40 and rotates the probe 40 according to an instruction from the arm controller 110.
The support unit 20 is installed at the end of the robot arm 10 and supports the motor 16, the HIFU irradiation unit 30, the probe 40, the water bag 50, the interlocking unit 60, and the sensor 70.

  The HIFU irradiation unit 30 irradiates the affected area of the patient with HIFU. The focal position and irradiation direction of the HIFU irradiated by the HIFU irradiation unit 30 are determined by the position and posture of the robot arm 10. In addition, you may use what can adjust a focus position by HIFU irradiation part itself.

  The probe 40 irradiates an ultrasonic wave toward the patient as the target object, and receives the reflected wave in which the irradiated ultrasonic wave is reflected from the affected area and the vicinity of the affected area. The reflected wave received by the probe 40 is image-processed and displayed on a monitor (not shown) as a tomographic image of the affected area.

  For example, the interlocking unit 60 has the same shape as the probe 40 so that the rotational position of the probe 40 can be understood. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotating shaft 62 of the interlocking unit 60 and the rotating shaft 42 of the probe 40 are connected by, for example, a belt 80. When one rotating shaft rotates, the rotation is transmitted to the other rotating shaft by the belt 80, and the rotating shaft 42 and the rotating shaft 62 rotate in conjunction with each other.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a rotating plate 64 is installed at the end of the rotating shaft 62. A pair of brakes 90 are installed on both sides of the rotating plate 64 in the axial direction. The brake 90 receives a load in a direction approaching each other from a spring (not shown). When energization of an electromagnetic solenoid (not shown) is on, the brake 90 receives forces in directions away from each other by the electromagnetic force generated by the electromagnetic solenoid.

  Therefore, when the energization to the electromagnetic solenoid is off and no electromagnetic force is applied, the brake 90 approaches each other by the load of the spring and contacts the rotating plate 64 so as to sandwich the rotating plate 64. Thereby, when the rotation of the rotating plate 64 is prohibited, the rotation of the rotating shaft 62 is prohibited and the rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is prohibited.

  Then, when energization to an electromagnetic solenoid (not shown) is turned on and the brake 90 receives a force in a direction away from each other against the load of the spring by the electromagnetic force generated by the electromagnetic solenoid, the brake 90 moves away from the rotating plate 64. Thereby, when rotation of the rotating plate 64 is permitted, rotation of the rotating shaft 62 is permitted and rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is permitted.

  The brake 90 may receive a load from the spring in a direction away from each other. When the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid is turned on, the brake 90 receives a force in a direction approaching each other by the electromagnetic force generated by the electromagnetic solenoid.

  In this configuration, when the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid is off and no electromagnetic force is applied, the brake 90 is separated from the rotating plate 64 by the load of the spring. Thereby, when rotation of the rotating plate 64 is permitted, rotation of the rotating shaft 62 is permitted and rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is permitted.

  When the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid is turned on and the brake 90 receives a force in the direction in which the brake 90 approaches each other against the load of the spring by the electromagnetic force generated by the electromagnetic solenoid, the brake 90 sandwiches the rotating plate 64. Thus, when the rotation of the rotating plate 64 is prohibited, the rotation of the rotating shaft 62 is permitted and the rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is prohibited.

  You may install a brake in the probe 40 side with respect to said brake structure. For example, you may install the brake which prohibits rotation of the motor 16 on the rotating shaft of the motor 16 which rotates the probe 40. FIG.

The sensor 70 shown in FIG. 1 detects the magnitude and direction of the force applied to the interlocking unit 60 by the operator operating the interlocking unit 60, and outputs it to the arm controller 110.
The changeover switch 100 is operated by an operator and switches between prohibiting or allowing the interlocking unit 60 from rotating.

  The arm controller 110 is configured around a known microcomputer having a CPU and a semiconductor memory such as a ROM, a RAM, and a flash memory. The arm controller 110 controls the rotation and the position of the robot arm 10 by controlling the rotation of the motor 14 installed in each joint of the robot arm 10 by the CPU executing a program stored in the semiconductor memory. To do. Thereby, the water bag 50 is pressed against the patient with a predetermined force.

  Further, the arm controller 110 controls the rotation of the motor 16 installed at the end of the robot arm 10 and controls the rotational position of the probe 40. As a result, the position of the tomogram of the affected area that is imaged by the ultrasonic waves emitted by the probe 40 is controlled.

  Further, when rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is prohibited by the changeover switch 100, the arm controller 110 performs switching control for energizing the electromagnetic solenoid to generate electromagnetic force and attracting the brakes 90 to each other. Thereby, the rotation of the rotating plate 64 is prohibited and the rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is prohibited. When the rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is prohibited, the rotation of the probe 40 is also prohibited.

  When the rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is permitted by the changeover switch 100, the arm controller 110 executes switching control for cutting off the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid and releasing the brake 90 from the rotating plate 64. Thereby, rotation of the rotating plate 64 is permitted and rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is permitted. When the rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is permitted, the rotation of the probe 40 is also permitted.

[2. processing]
The arm control process shown in FIG. 4 is executed by the arm controller 110 when the power of the arm device 2 is turned on. In S400, the arm controller 110 determines whether or not the arm control mode is selected by the changeover switch 100.

  When the arm control mode is selected, the rotation of the probe 60 is prohibited by prohibiting the rotation of the interlocking unit 60. Further, when the arm control mode is selected, the position and posture of the robot arm 10 change in accordance with the movement of the interlocking unit 60 operated by the operator.

  If the arm control mode is not selected, the rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is permitted, so that the interlocking unit 60 performs the same rotational movement as the probe 40 in conjunction with the rotation of the probe 40. Thereby, the rotation position of the probe 40 that cannot be visually confirmed because it is covered with the water bag 50 can be confirmed by viewing the rotation position of the interlocking unit 60 with the eyes.

  Furthermore, if the arm control mode is not selected, rotation of the interlocking unit 60 is permitted, and when the operator rotates the interlocking unit 60, the probe 40 rotates in conjunction with the interlocking unit 60.

  If the determination in S400 is Yes and the arm control mode is selected by the changeover switch 100, in S402, the arm controller 110 energizes the electromagnetic solenoid and inhibits the interlocking unit 60 from rotating.

  In S404, the arm controller 110 controls energization to the motor 14 based on the detection signal of the sensor 70 so that the HIFU irradiation unit 30 and the probe 40 move in the direction of the force applied by the operator to the interlocking unit 60. . After execution of S404, the process proceeds to S400.

  If the determination in S400 is No and the arm control mode is not selected by the changeover switch 100, in S406, the arm controller 110 cuts off the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid and permits the interlocking unit 60 to rotate.

  In S <b> 408, the arm controller 110 detects from the detection signal of the sensor 70 that the operator is applying a force to the interlocking unit 60 in the rotational direction. In S <b> 410, the arm controller 110 controls the motor 16 that rotates the rotation shaft 42 of the probe 40, and rotates the probe 40 by the same angle as the interlocking unit 60. After execution of S410, the process proceeds to S400.

[3. effect]
In the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Even if the probe 40 is blocked by the water bag 50 which is a shielding part, and the rotational position of the probe 40 cannot be visually confirmed, the interlocking part 60 performs the same rotational movement as the probe 40 in conjunction with the probe 40. Thereby, if the rotation position of the interlocking | linkage part 60 is confirmed visually, the rotation position of the probe 40 can be confirmed easily.

(2) Since the operator can adjust the rotation position of the probe 40 by rotating the interlocking unit 60, the probe 40 can be quickly rotated to the rotation position desired by the operator.
(3) When the interlocking unit 60 is operated to move the HIFU irradiation unit 30 and the probe 40, the arm control mode is selected by the changeover switch 100, and the interlocking unit 60 is prohibited from rotating. Thereby, the HIFU irradiation unit 30 and the probe 40 can be moved to positions desired by the operator without changing the rotational positions of the HIFU irradiation unit 30 and the probe 40.

  In the above embodiment, the arm device 2 corresponds to the arm device, the robot arm 10 corresponds to the articulated arm, the link 12 corresponds to the link, the motor 14 corresponds to the first drive unit, and the motor 16 corresponds to the first device. 2, the probe 40 corresponds to the working part, the water bag 50 corresponds to the shielding part, the interlocking part 60 corresponds to the interlocking part, the brake 90 corresponds to the switching part, and the arm controller 110 Corresponds to the control unit.

S400 to S410 correspond to the processing of the control unit.
[4. Other Embodiments]
(1) In addition to the medical act of irradiating HIFU, the arm device may be used for a medical act of irradiating and treating the affected part of the human body with the probe 40 as a working unit.

In addition, the arm device may be used in a field in which the rotation position of the working unit cannot be visually confirmed because the working unit that performs the work on the work target is covered with the shielding unit.
(2) The multi-joint arm of the arm device may be configured not to include a drive unit such as a motor. In this case, the operator operates the interlocking unit to move the articulated arm to move the working unit to a desired position.

(3) The probe 40 as the working unit is not limited to the axis of the rotation shaft 42 but may perform a three-dimensional rotation motion using, for example, a ball and a concave surface as a joint.
(4) A plurality of functions of one constituent element in the above embodiment may be realized by a plurality of constituent elements, or a single function of one constituent element may be realized by a plurality of constituent elements. In addition, a plurality of functions possessed by a plurality of constituent elements may be realized by one constituent element, or a single function realized by a plurality of constituent elements may be realized by one constituent element. Moreover, you may abbreviate | omit a part of structure of the said embodiment. In addition, at least a part of the configuration of the above embodiment may be added to or replaced with the configuration of the other embodiment. In addition, all the aspects included in the technical idea specified only by the wording described in the claims are embodiments of the present invention.

  (5) In addition to the arm device described above, an arm system including the arm device as a constituent element, an arm control program for causing a computer to function as the arm device, a recording medium on which the arm control program is recorded, an arm control method, etc. The present invention can also be realized in various forms.

2: arm device, 10: robot arm (articulated arm), 12: link, 14: motor (first driving unit), 16: motor (second driving unit), 30: HIFU irradiation unit, 40: probe (Working part), 50: Water bag (Shielding part), 60: Interlocking part, 90: Brake (Switching part)

Claims (6)

An articulated arm (10) in which a plurality of links (12) are connected by joints;
A working unit (40) rotatably installed at an end of the articulated arm and configured to perform work on a target object;
A shielding part (50) configured to cover the working part and move together with the working part in accordance with the movement of the articulated arm;
An interlocking portion (60) configured to perform the same rotational movement as the working portion in conjunction with the working portion;
An arm device (2) comprising: The arm device according to claim 1, wherein
A switching unit (90) configured to switch between prohibiting or permitting rotation of the working unit and the interlocking unit;
Arm device. The arm device according to claim 1 or 2,
The articulated arm has a first drive unit (14) configured to drive the articulated arm to move the articulated arm;
A second drive unit (16) configured to drive the working unit;
A control unit (110, S400 to S410) for controlling the first drive unit and the second drive unit;
An arm device further comprising: The arm device according to claim 3, which refers to claim 2.
The control unit (S402, S406) executes switching control for the switching unit.
Arm device. The arm device according to claim 4, wherein
The control unit executes switching control for the switching unit according to an output of the changeover switch (100) operated by an operator.
Arm device. The arm device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Used for medical practice,
Arm device.

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