Robotic guide for brain biopsy

A robotic guide for a biopsy surgical tool, the robotic guide comprising:

• a main shaft;
• an end-effector mounted on a distal end of the main shaft;
• a roll/yaw actuating mechanism, including:
• a first actuating mechanism that includes:
• a first motor,
• a first screw/nut mechanism including a first nut mounted on a first screw coupled to the first motor, the first screw/nut mechanism being configured to convert a rotational movement of the first motor to a linear movement of the first nut along a first axis;
• a first plurality of balls movably disposed within a first curved guiding path, the first nut engaging the first plurality of balls such that the linear movement of the first nut along the first axis urges a movement of the first plurality of balls along the first curved guiding path,
• a bottom reduced bevel gear including two extended parts at either ends thereof, wherein the two extended parts are engaged with the first plurality of balls in a configuration wherein the movement of the first plurality of balls along the first curved guiding path urges the linear movement of the first nut along the first axis to a rotational movement of the bottom reduced bevel gear around a central axis of the bottom reduced bevel gear;
• a second actuating mechanism, including:
• a second motor,
• a second screw/nut mechanism including a second nut mounted on a second screw, the second screw being coupled to the second motor, the second screw/nut mechanism configured to convert a rotational movement of the second motor to a linear movement of the second nut along the first axis,
• a second plurality of balls movably disposed within a second curved guiding path, the second nut engaging the second plurality of balls such that the linear movement of the second nut along the second axis urges the movement of the second plurality of balls along the second curved guiding path,
• a top reduced bevel gear including two extended parts at either ends thereof, the two extended parts being engaged with the second plurality of balls, in a configuration wherein the movement of the second plurality of balls along the second curved guiding path converts the linear movement of the second nut along the first axis to a rotational movement of the top reduced bevel gear around a central axis of the top reduced bevel gear,
• wherein:
• the bottom reduced bevel gear couples to the main shaft via a meshing with a bottom perimeter of a pinion mounted on the main shaft from the bottom,
• the top reduced bevel gear couples to the main shaft via a meshing with a top perimeter of the pinion,
• responsive to rotational movements of the first motor and the second motor in a similar direction, the respective meshing of the top reduced bevel gear and the bottom reduced bevel gear to the pinion urges an arcuate rotation of the distal end of the main shaft about a central axis, and
• responsive to rotational movements of the first motor and the second motor in opposite direction, the respective meshing of the top reduced bevel gear and the bottom reduced bevel gear to the pinion urges a rolling of the main shaft about a longitudinal axis that is orthogonal to the central axis;
• a translational actuating mechanism, including:
• a third motor,
• a middle hollow rod, coupled to the third motor, the middle hollow rod including a first externally threaded section provided on an exterior surface thereof,
• a first internally threaded section provided on an interior surface of the main shaft, the internally threaded section being meshed with the externally threaded section such that the rotational movement of the middle hollow rod urges a linear movement of the main shaft;
• and
• a pitch actuating mechanism, including:
• a fourth motor,
• a first solid rod, coupled to the fourth motor,
• a first hollow shaft, coupled to the first solid rod in a configuration wherein the rotational movement of the first solid rod urges a synchronous rotation of the first hollow shaft,
• a second solid rod including a second externally threaded section at distal end thereof, the second solid rod being disposed slidably from a proximal end thereof in the first hollow shaft, the second solid rod being coupled to the first hollow shaft in a configuration wherein the rotational movement of the first hollow shaft urges a synchronous rotation of the second solid rod,
• a half-hollow rod, the half-hollow rod including a second internally threaded section at a proximal end thereof, the second internally threaded section being meshed with the second externally threaded section in a configuration wherein the rotation of the second solid rod urges a linear movement of the half-hollow rod,
• wherein:
• the end-effector is mounted on the distal end of the main shaft in a configuration such that the end-effector moves/rotates synchronously with the main shaft during yaw motion, roll motion and translational motion of the main shaft,
• the end-effector is connected with a pin to a distal end of the half-hollow rod, in a configuration wherein, responsive to the linear movement of the half-hollow rod, the end-effector tilts about the longitudinal axis of the main shaft through a slider-crank mechanism.

A robotic guide for a biopsy surgical tool, the robotic guide comprising:

• a main shaft;
• an end-effector mounted on a distal end of the main shaft;
• a roll/yaw actuating mechanism, comprising:
• a first actuating mechanism, including:
• a first motor,
• a first screw/nut mechanism including a first nut mounted on a first screw, the first screw coupled to the first motor, the first screw/nut mechanism configured to convert a rotational movement of the first motor to a linear movement of the first nut along a first axis,
• a first plurality of balls movably disposed within a first curved guiding path, the first nut engaging the first plurality of balls such that the linear movement of the first nut along the first axis causing the movement of the first plurality of balls along the first curved guiding path, and
• a bottom reduced bevel gear including two extended parts at either ends thereof, the two extended parts engaged with the first plurality of balls, the movement of the first plurality of balls along the first curved guiding path converting the linear movement of the first nut along the first axis to rotational movement of the bottom reduced bevel gear around a central axis of the bottom reduced bevel gear;
• a second actuating mechanism, including:
• a second motor,
• a second screw/nut mechanism including a second nut mounted on a second screw, the second screw coupled to the second motor, the second screw/nut mechanism configured to convert a rotational movement of the second motor to a linear movement of the second nut along the first axis,
• a second plurality of balls movably disposed within a second curved guiding path, the second nut engaging the second plurality of balls such that the linear movement of the second nut along the second axis causing the movement of the second plurality of balls along the second curved guiding path, and
• a top reduced bevel gear including two extended parts at either ends thereof, the two extended parts engaged with the second plurality of balls, the movement of the second plurality of balls along the second curved guiding path converting the linear movement of the second nut along the first axis to rotational movement of the top reduced bevel gear around a central axis of the top reduced bevel gear,
• wherein,
• the bottom reduced bevel gear is coupled to the main shaft via meshing with a pinion mounted on the main shaft from the bottom,
• the top reduced bevel gear coupled to the main shaft via meshing with the pinion mounted on the main shaft from the top,
• responsive to rotational movements of the first motor and the second motor in a similar direction, the main shaft rotates about the central axis, and responsive to rotational movements of the first motor and the second motor in opposite directions, the main shaft rolls about a longitudinal axis of the main shaft.