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US 12,618,425 B2Granted
Pneumatic drive device for translational and/or rotational movement
AssigneeTuebingen Scientific Medical GmbH
InventorMarcus Braun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pneumatic drive device includes a housing, a piston, and a first membrane. The first membrane and the piston are coupled to each other in such a way that an axial movement of the first membrane, caused by pressurizing a first pressure chamber, is converted into a translational movement of the piston. The pneumatic drive device also includes an output element, and a membrane. The membrane and the output element are coupled to each other in such a way that a circumferentially section-wise oscillating axial movement of the membrane, caused by circumferentially successive pressurization and depressurization of respective pressure chambers, is converted into a rotational movement of the output element.
Claims10
A pneumatic drive device for translational movement of an actuator shaft of a medical instrument, said pneumatic drive device comprising:
- a housing being substantially cylindrical;
- a piston mounted in the housing so as to be slidable along a longitudinal axis of the piston, a movement of the piston being configured to be coupled to a movement of the actuator shaft;
- a first membrane being elastically stretchable or expandable, the first membrane fixedly mounted in the housing, the first membrane defining a first pressure chamber, the first membrane being configured to be axially deflected by pressurizing the first pressure chamber, and the first membrane having a substantially ring-shaped cross-section such that a through-hole axially extends through the first membrane;
- and
- a piston rod coupled to the piston and axially extending through the through-hole of the first membrane,
- the first membrane and the piston coupled to each other in such a way that an axial movement of the first membrane, caused by pressurizing the first pressure chamber, is converted into a translational movement of the piston along the longitudinal axis of the piston, wherein the first membrane abuts the piston and expansion of the first membrane causes the piston to move along the longitudinal axis of the piston by pushing the piston;
- and
- a first plate fixed to the housing and a first sleeve fixed to the first plate, the first membrane being disposed between the first plate and the first sleeve.
5 more elements
A pneumatic drive device for rotational movement of an actuator shaft of a medical instrument, said pneumatic drive device comprising:
- (i) a housing being substantially cylindrical;
- (ii) an output element mounted in the housing so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the output element, a movement of the output element being configured to be coupled to a movement of the actuator shaft;
- (iii) a membrane being elastically stretchable or expandable, the membrane fixedly mounted in the housing, the membrane defining at least three pressure chambers arranged so as to be distributed in a circumferential direction, and the membrane being configured to be axially deflected in a circumferential region of the corresponding pressure chamber by pressurizing the respective pressure chamber,
- wherein the membrane and the output element are coupled to each other in such a way that a circumferentially section-wise oscillating axial movement of the membrane, caused by circumferentially successive pressurization and depressurization of the respective pressure chambers, is converted into a rotational movement of the output element about the longitudinal axis of the output element;
- (iv) a wobble plate being arranged axially between the membrane and the output element, a wobbling movement of the wobble plate converting the circumferentially section-wise oscillating axial movement of the membrane into the rotational movement of the output element;
- and
- (v) axial pistons arranged to transmit the circumferentially section-wise oscillating axial movement of the membrane onto the wobble plate;
- wherein the membrane has a substantially ring-shaped cross-section such that a through-hole axially extends through the membrane;
- and
- the pneumatic drive device further comprises an output element rod coupled to the output element, wherein the output element rod axially extends through the through-hole of the membrane.
7 more elements
A drive system, comprising:
- (a) a first pneumatic drive device for translational movement of an actuator shaft of a medical instrument, said first pneumatic drive device comprising:
- (i) a first housing being substantially cylindrical;
- (ii) a piston mounted in the first housing so as to be slidable along a longitudinal axis of the piston, a movement of the piston being configured to be coupled to a movement of the actuator shaft;
- (iii) a first membrane being elastically stretchable or expandable, the first membrane fixedly mounted in the first housing, the first membrane defining a first pressure chamber, the first membrane being configured to be axially deflected by pressurizing the first pressure chamber, and the first membrane having a substantially ring-shaped cross-section such that a through-hole axially extends through the first membrane;
- (iv) a piston rod coupled to the piston and axially extending through the through-hole of the first membrane;
- and
- (v) a first plate fixed to the first housing and a first sleeve fixed to the first plate, the first membrane being disposed between the first plate and the first sleeve,
- the first membrane and the piston coupled to each other in such a way that an axial movement of the first membrane, caused by pressurizing the first pressure chamber, is converted into a translational movement of the piston along the longitudinal axis of the piston, wherein the first membrane abuts the piston and expansion of the first membrane causes the piston to move along the longitudinal axis of the piston by pushing the piston,
- (b) a second pneumatic drive device for rotational movement of the actuator shaft, said second pneumatic drive device comprising:
- (i) a second housing being substantially cylindrical;
- (ii) an output element mounted in the second housing so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the output element, a movement of the output element being configured to be coupled to a movement of the actuator shaft, the output element having an output element rod associated therewith;
- (iii) a second membrane being elastically stretchable or expandable and fixedly mounted in the second housing, the second membrane defining at least three pressure chambers arranged so as to be distributed in a circumferential direction, and being configured to be axially deflected in a circumferential region of the corresponding pressure chamber by pressurizing the respective pressure chamber,
- wherein the second membrane and the output element are coupled to each other in such a way that a circumferentially section-wise oscillating axial movement of the second membrane, caused by circumferentially successive pressurization and depressurization of the respective pressure chambers, is converted into a rotational movement of the output element about the longitudinal axis of the output element;
- (iv) a wobble plate being arranged axially between the second membrane and the output element, a wobbling movement of the wobble plate converting the circumferentially section-wise oscillating axial movement of the second membrane into the rotational movement of the output element;
- and
- (v) axial pistons arranged to transmit the circumferentially section-wise oscillating axial movement of the second membrane onto the wobble plate,
- wherein the first and second pneumatic drive devices share a common longitudinal axis, and
- wherein the piston rod and the output element rod are arranged radially nested with each other.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.