Patent ID: 9550293
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: A61B,B25J,Y10T

Claim:
1. A manipulator comprising: an elongated main unit; a distal end portion disposed at a distal end of the main unit; a bending portion that is provided between the main unit and the distal end portion and that is bendable; a plurality of main bending mechanisms that have main linear members that are connected to the distal end portion and that extend to the main unit by passing through the bending portion, main motive-power generating portions that generate motive powers, and main motive-power transmitting portions that are provided in the main unit and that transmit the motive powers generated by the main motive-power generating portions to the basal ends of the main linear members in the form of a linear motion in the longitudinal direction of the main unit; a plurality of auxiliary bending mechanisms that are provided so as to form pairs with the respective main bending mechanisms and parallel thereto and that exert a pressing force and a tensile force in the longitudinal direction on the distal end portion at the same positions as or in the vicinity of the respective main linear members; and a switching portion that selectively actuates either the main bending mechanisms or the auxiliary bending mechanisms, which are paired; wherein the main motive-power transmitting portions are provided with main shaft members that are rotated about center axes thereof by the motive powers generated by the main motive-power generating portions and motive-power converting members that convert rotational motions of the main shaft members to linear motions in the longitudinal direction and that are coupled with the basal ends of the main linear members, and the auxiliary bending mechanisms are provided with auxiliary shaft members that are disposed coaxially with the main shaft members and that are connected with the motive-power converting members and auxiliary motive-power generating portions that rotate the auxiliary shaft members.