Patent ID: 9517557
Filing Date: 2016-12-13
CPC Classification: A61B,B25J,Y10S,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A manipulator comprising: an elongated main portion, a distal end portion disposed at a distal end of the main portion, and a bendable portion provided between the main portion and the distal end portion; a plurality of linear members that are connected to the distal end portion and that extend to the main portion via the bendable portion; a power generator that generates power; a plurality of power transmitters that are provided in the main portion and that transmit, to proximal ends of the linear members, the power generated by the power generator as linear motion in a longitudinal direction of the main portion; and a linear-member relaxing unit that relaxes the plurality of linear members in which tension is generated between the distal end portion and the power transmitters by pushing and pulling of the linear members in the longitudinal direction by the linear motion transmitted from the power transmitters; wherein the power transmitters each include a shaft member that is disposed in the longitudinal direction in the main portion and that is rotated about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction by the power generated by the power generator, a threaded shaft member that connects the proximal end of the corresponding linear member to the shaft member and that is rotated together with the shaft member, and a nut member that is engaged with the threaded shaft member and that feeds the rotating threaded shaft member in the longitudinal direction.