US 6,236,906 B1 · Process and apparatus for hand-controlled guiding of an instrument in a predetermined movement region

Abstract

A process for guiding an instrument in space, in which the instrument is arranged at the free end of an articulated arm whose arm sections are caused to pivot and/or travel with respect to each other by drive units. The instrument is caused to travel in a limited movement region under the control of a control device. For predetermination of the movement region for points that are situated in the movement region, a respective pivot angle and/or travel position between the respective arm sections is set. The respective position and attitude of the instrument is sensed by at least a first measuring device. For hand-controlled guiding of the instrument, an actuating force exerted on the instrument and/or the articulated arm is sensed by a second measuring device. The arm sections are mutually pivoted and/or moved in dependence on the actuating force, the position of the instrument, and the predetermined movement region, such that the instrument moves within the predetermined movement region substantially in the direction of the actuating force.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A process for guiding in space an instrument arranged at the free end of an articulated arm whose arm sections are driven to at least one of pivot and travel with respect to each other by drive units connected to a control device, the instrument being driven by the drive units to travel at least in a limited movement region under the control of the control device, comprising the steps of:

setting at least one of a respective pivot angle and travel position between respective arm sections and sensing the respective position and attitude of the instrument
sensing an actuating force exerted on at least one of the instrument and the articulated arm by a second measuring device for hand-controlled guiding of the instrument, and
at least one of pivoting and moving the arm sections with respect to each other, under control of the control unit in dependence on the sensed actuating force, the sensed position of the instrument, and the predetermined movement region, such that the instrument moves within the predetermined movement region substantially in the direction of the actuating force.

An apparatus for guiding an instrument in space, comprising:

an articulated arm with arm sections,
drive units that drive the arm sections to at least one of pivot and travel with respect to each other,
a control device connected to the drive units,
a first memory connected to the control device,
a first measuring device connected to the control device that senses the position and attitude of the instrument;
wherein the instrument is connected to the free end of the articulated arm, and wherein in order to predetermine a movement region for the instrument the first memory contains respective first data concerning at least one of the pivot angle and travel position between respective arm sections for points within the predetermined movement region, and
for hand-controlled guiding of the instrument, a second measuring device, connected to the control device, for sensing an actuating force exerted on at least one of the instrument and the articulated arm;
wherein the control device is comprised such that, in dependence on the sensed actuating force and the sensed position of the instrument, the control device causes the drive units to drive the instrument to travel within the predetermined movement region substantially in the direction of the sensed actuating force.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process and apparatus for hand-controlled guiding of an instrument in a predetermined movement region

Life of this patent

Process and apparatus for hand-controlled guiding of an instrument in a predetermined movement region

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31