2011 年 29 巻 6 号 p. 523-531
In recent years, robotic technology has been introduced to medical fields and many surgical robots have been presented. In this paper, an outer shell type 2 DOF bending manipulator using a spring-link mechanism is presented. The mechanism was developed for a surgical robot, which can implement various surgical treatment devices inside of the manipulator. The spring-link mechanism is a simple combination of a flat spring and a rigid link with a passive joint connection. The outer shell type 2 DOF bending manipulator incorporates four spring-link mechanisms. The most unique feature of the manipulator is that these four springs are interconnected in the kinematics. Therefore, it is possible to realize a robust and backlash-free motion by taking into account the interconnections of the springs such as an internal stress of the structure. In addition, by locating the four spring-link mechanisms around the manipulator, it is possible to place medical devices inside of the manipulator. This paper describes the kinematic model, analysis, prototype implementation and evaluation of the proposed mechanism.