US 5,964,780 AGranted

Gripping apparatus for use in minimally-invasive surgery

AssigneeDeutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.

InventorMatthias Balazs

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Abstract

In an apparatus for operating a robotic device (1), preferably in minimally-invasive surgery and/or robotics, at least one movable robotic part (11; 12) of the robotic device (1) is connected to a first holding part (60) by way of a first, flexible connecting part (51.sub.1) of a hinge joint (5.sub.1) Moreover, the movable robotic part (11; 12) is connected to a second holding part (61) by way of a second, flexible connecting part (52.sub.1) of the hinge joint (5.sub.1). This connection is produced in such a way that, when the first holding part (60) moves relative to the second holding part (61) or vice versa, the robotic device (1) pivots the first holding part out of its initial position, and when the part (60 or 61) that has been moved relative to the other part has been brought back, the device restores the part to its initial position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for use in minimally-invasive surgery, comprising

a gripping device (1, 1', 1") including holding parts (60, 60', 60", 61, 61', 61") including a first holding part and a second holding part and movable gripping parts (11, 11', 11";
12, 12', 12"),
each gripping part being connected by way of a respective first, outer, flexible beam (51.sub.1 through 51.sub.4) of a hinge joint (5.sub.1 through 5.sub.4) to the first holding part (60, 60', 60") and by a respective second, inner flexible beam (52.sub.1 through 52.sub.4) to the second holding part (61, 61', 61");
wherein the first beam and the second beam are approximately equal in length, and wherein each of the first beam and the second beam is flexible along substantially an entire length thereof;
whereby, when one of the holding parts (60, 60', 60", 61, 61', 61") moves relative to another of the holding parts, the gripping device (1, 1', 1") is pivoted out of its initial position and is opened and, when the first holding part (60, 60'or 61, 61') that has moved relative to the second holding part (61, 61'or 60, 60') is brought back, the gripping device is closed in such a way that inner surfaces of the gripping parts (11, 11', 11";
12, 12', 12") are adjacent.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.