Input device of surgical manipulator, robot-assisted surgical system, and controller

A robot-assisted surgical system comprising:

• a manipulator having a distal end to which a surgical tool is attached;
• and
• an input device that operates the manipulator,
• wherein the input device includes
• an arm unit having a joint,
• a wrist unit including a follower link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the arm unit around a follower rotation axis, a first gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the follower link and rotatable with respect to a first reference rotation position around a first gimbal rotation axis orthogonal to the follower rotation axis, a second gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the first gimbal link and rotatable with respect to a second reference rotation position around a second gimbal rotation axis that is orthogonal to the first gimbal rotation axis, the first reference rotation position of the first gimbal link corresponding to a position in which the second gimbal rotation axis coincides with the follower rotation axis, and an operation unit as a third gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the second gimbal link around a third gimbal rotation axis that is orthogonal to the second gimbal rotation axis, the second reference rotation position of the second gimbal link corresponding to a position in which the third gimbal axis is orthogonal to the first gimbal rotation axis,
• a motor that rotates the base end of the follower link around the follower rotation axis, and
• a controller configured to perform interference prevention control of a rotation position of the follower link to maintain the second rotation position of the second gimbal link using a rotation position deviation between a rotation position of the second gimbal link and the second reference rotation position as a rotation position deviation of the follower link by controlling an operation of the motor, wherein
• the interference prevention control is performed only when the operation unit is operated to maintain the second rotation position by maintaining orthogonality between the first gimbal rotation axis and the third gimbal rotation axis to prevent the second gimbal link from interfering with the first gimbal link, and
• the interference prevention control is stopped when the operation unit is stopped.

A controller configured to control an input device that operates a manipulator having a distal end to which a surgical tool is attached, wherein

• the input device includes
• an arm unit having a joint,
• a wrist unit including a follower link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the arm unit around a follower rotation axis, a first gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the follower link and rotatable with respect to a first reference rotation position around a first gimbal rotation axis orthogonal to the follower rotation axis, a second gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the first gimbal link and rotatable with respect to a second reference rotation position around a second gimbal rotation axis that is orthogonal to the first gimbal rotation axis, the first reference rotation position of the first gimbal link corresponding to a position in which the second gimbal rotation axis coincides with the follower rotation axis, and an operation unit as a third gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the second gimbal link around a third gimbal rotation axis that is orthogonal to the second gimbal rotation axis, the second reference rotation position of the second gimbal link corresponding to a position in which the third gimbal axis is orthogonal to the first gimbal rotation axis, and
• a motor that rotates the base end of the follower link around the follower rotation axis,
• the controller is configured to perform interference prevention interference prevention control of a rotation position of the follower link to maintain the second rotation position of the second gimbal link using a rotation position deviation between a rotation position of the second gimbal link and the second reference rotation position as a rotation position deviation of the follower link by controlling an operation of the motor,
• the interference prevention control is performed only when the operation unit is operated to maintain the second rotation position by maintaining orthogonality between the first gimbal rotation axis and the third gimbal rotation axis to prevent the second gimbal link from interfering with the first gimbal link, and
• the interference prevention control is stopped when the operation unit is stopped.

An input device of a surgical manipulator, the input device comprising:

• an arm unit having a joint;
• a wrist unit including a follower link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the arm unit around a follower rotation axis, a first gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the follower link and rotatable with respect to a first reference rotation position around a first gimbal rotation axis orthogonal to the follower rotation axis, a second gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the first gimbal link and rotatable with respect to a second reference rotation position around a second gimbal rotation axis that is orthogonal to the first gimbal rotation axis, the first reference rotation position of the first gimbal link corresponding to a position in which the second gimbal rotation axis coincides with the follower rotation axis, and an operation unit as a third gimbal link having a base end rotatably connected to a distal end of the second gimbal link around a third gimbal rotation axis that is orthogonal to the second gimbal rotation axis, the second reference rotation position of the second gimbal link corresponding to a position in which the third gimbal axis is orthogonal to the first gimbal rotation axis;
• a motor that rotates the base end of the follower link around the follower rotation axis;
• and
• a controller configured to perform interference prevention control of a rotation position of the follower link to maintain a second rotation position of the second gimbal link using a rotation position deviation between a rotation position of the second gimbal link and the second reference rotation position as a rotation position deviation of the follower link by controlling an operation of the motor, wherein
• the interference prevention control is performed only when the operation unit is operated to maintain the second rotation position by maintaining orthogonality between the first gimbal rotation axis and the third gimbal rotation axis to prevent the second gimbal link from interfering with the first gimbal link, and
• the rotation of the follower link is stopped when the operation unit is stopped even if a deviation in orthogonality remains between the first gimbal rotation axis and the third gimbal rotation axis.