Handling device and method for operating a handling device

A handling device, which is in particular a robot, has a receiving device for receiving different instruments. To this end, the receiving device and the different instruments have mutually compatible connecting elements. In order to ensure error-free connection of the correctly selected instrument to the receiving device, the instruments have changeable indicator devices. The indicator devices are changed with the aid of a control device, for example on the basis of a schedule.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to a handling device and a method for using different instruments with the aid of a receiving device of a handling device.

2. Discussion of the Background Art

Handling devices such as robots, comprise, e.g. on robot arms, receiving devices for receiving instruments, such as e.g. tools. In case of a robot, e.g. of the type used on the medical sector and particularly in surgery, said receiving devices will take up surgical instruments. In such a situation, it can be provided that a given receiving device will take up different instruments. This will involve an exchange of the instruments or tools.

For ensuring that, at a desired point of time, the correct instrument is connected to the receiving device, the instruments can be provided with passive markings such as e.g. inscriptions or the like. With the aid of pre-defined working instructions or a clearly defined working schedule, the required instrument, having been correspondingly marked or identified, will be connected to the receiving device by a user. In medical robots, the connecting of a surgical instrument is performed by a surgical assistant as prescribed by a surgical plan or as instructed by the operating surgeon. This approach is susceptible to faults and is not flexible either.

For avoidance of a wrong connection of instruments to a receiving device, it is further possible to provide unambiguous interfaces. In this case, the interfaces of the components are designed to the effect that only desired connections are possible. The interfaces thus comprise a mechanism which prevents a wrong connection. This approach is inflexible and allows for a mere limited number of connecting options, and, particularly, the approach can be varied only with considerable expenditure.

Further, in machine tools, it is known to provide an automatic changing of tools. For this purpose, the different tools and respectively instruments are kept available in a magazine. In a control unit of the machine tool, a defined working schedule has been preset. On the basis of the working schedule, an automatic changing of tools will be performed. This is achieved in that the machine tool has knowledge of which position of the magazine has which tool arranged in it. Such an automatic changing of tools can be realized only by use of complex devices. In the changing of instruments of a medical robot, such complexity is not practicable.

It is an object of the disclosure to provide a handling device wherein different instruments can be changed in a simple manner while the occurrence of faults is to be avoided. Further, it is an object of the disclosure to provide a method for operating such a handling device.

SUMMARY

The handling device according to the disclosure, which particularly is a robot such as e.g. a medical robot for preferred use in surgery, comprises at least one receiving device. The receiving device, arranged e.g. on a particularly multi-jointed robot arm, serves for receiving different instruments. Thus, with the aid of the receiving device, there can be fastened different instruments, such as tools, surgical instruments and the like, particularly at different times. Of course, it is also possible to connect intermediate elements to the receiving device, which then will have the instruments attached to them. For connecting different instruments to sais at least one receiving device, the receiving device and the instruments comprise mutually compatible connecting elements. The connecting elements are of the mechanical and optionally also electrical type, such as e.g. plugs and the like.

According to the disclosure, changeable and respectively activatable indicator devices are provided on the instruments. Said indicator devices are e.g. illuminants such as LEDs, a display or the like. With the aid of a control unit, the indicator device can be changed. For this purpose, the control unit is connected to the indicator devices of the instruments via electrical lines, by radio or the like. Particularly, the control unit is operative to control the indicator device in accordance with desired control data. The desired control data can be a current input by the user of the handling device, such as e.g. a surgeon. Further, a workflow plan can be stored in the control unit, which then, in accordance with a temporal process, will generate control signals for the indicator devices. An exchange of instruments and thus the changing of an indicator device can of course also be performed in dependence on defined events, such as e.g. that a specific instrument position has been reached, that the completion of a working step has been confirmed by a surgeon, or similar events, and the exchange can be combined e.g. with a workflow plan.

If the indicator device on the different instruments is realized in the form of one or a plurality of illuminants such as e.g. LEDs, the control unit will indicate a desired instrument by activation of the illuminant. A user, such as e.g. a surgical assistant, will then connect the indicated desired instrument to the receiving device. Due to the activated illuminant, it will be unambiguously clear which instrument shall be connected to the receiving device.

Additionally, also the receiving device can be provided with a changeable indicator device. In this case, when a changing of instruments is desired, the control unit will preferably activate the indicator device on the desired instrument as well as the indicator device on the receiving device. The user will thus clearly realize not only which instrument shall be used but also to which receiving device this instrument shall be connected. This is of advantage particularly if a handling device comprises a plurality of receiving devices or if a plurality of handling devices are arranged in the immediate vicinity to each other. In the latter case, control of a plurality of handling devices can be carried out by a common control unit.

For making it possible to perform a changing of instruments in a simple and safe manner, it is essential according to the disclosure that at least one of the component parts which are to be connected—and which, particularly in the above described preferred embodiment, are a receiving device and an instrument—is provided with an indicator device. Thus, in the above described surgical instrument, it would also be possible that the indicator device is provided on the at least one receiving device while the instrument is left without an indicator device.

For further enhancement of safety, it can be provided that an instrument is activated by the control unit. For this purpose, the instrument is provided with a corresponding activation device which can be an electronic circuit or an electronic component. Thereby, it can be ensured e.g. that only an instrument which has been activated in the above manner can be connected to the receiving device. The activation can also be performed in that, for instance, from an instrument holder containing the assortment of non-used instruments, an instrument is allowed to be collected only if it is activated. It is also possible to provide a mechanical activation means. This can be a pin, a bolt or the like which e.g. can be actuated or shifted only in the activated state of an instrument.

Particularly, it is preferred to provide activatable activation elements on the connecting elements of the receiving device and/or of the different instruments. Activation is performed via a control unit. Said activation elements can be mechanical or also electronic activation elements. Mechanical activation elements are particularly realized as pins, projections and the like which e.g. are allowed to be moved only in the activated state. Electronic activation elements can be realized e.g. by an exchange or request of codes or keys.

According to a preferred embodiment of the disclosure, the control unit is designed to have stored in it a workflow plan in which the temporal order of the exchanges of instruments is set. Such a workflow plan can be e.g. a planned procedural sequence of a surgical operation. This sequence is determined in the preparatory stages of the operation. Then, depending on the current progress of the operation, activation of the appropriate indicator device of the next required instrument will be performed via the control unit. Optionally, the control unit—in addition to, or instead of, a stored workflow plan—can comprise an input device or be connected to an input device. Via such an input device, a desired exchange of instruments can be activated. In a medical robot, this can be performed e.g. through input by the surgeon. Further, the input device can communicate a confirmation that a certain operational step has been concluded and that the next exchange of instruments is thus being initiated by the control unit.

In an inventive method for connecting instruments to a receiving device of a handling device, an indicator device arranged on the corresponding instrument will be activated by a control unit. The activation is performed via the control unit on the basis of a stored workflow plan and/or by means of an input device connected to the control unit. The exchange of instruments will then be carried out by a user, such as e.g. a surgical assistant, or optionally automatically.

Preferably, the method is advantageously refined as described above in the context of the handling device.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the handling device according to the disclosure and the method according to the disclosure can be applied in medical robots. Also in other types of robots, the handling device and the corresponding method are of advantage. Particularly in a manually guided, robot-assisted assembly of modules, the handling device of the disclosure and the corresponding method can be used with benefit. Particularly preferred is a corresponding use of such robots in the assembly of modules in outer space because, in this situation, work will have to be performed under extreme conditions, particularly under high time and cost pressure.

The disclosure will be explained in greater detail hereunder by way of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The schematic sketch (FIG. 1) shows, by way of example, two components10which can be connected to two components12. Herein, for instance, the components10are receiving devices, and the components12are instruments such as e.g. tools, surgical instruments, intermediate elements or the like. The receiving elements can be connected particularly to a robot. The components10comprise connecting elements, shown as recesses14, which can be connected to connecting elements16schematically shown as projections on the components12. In this arrangement, it is possible to connect one of the two components10to a respective one of the two components12. The pairs of connecting elements14,16herein are compatible. This allows for connections of one component10to a component12in the manner represented by the arrows18and20.

Further, the handling device comprises a control unit22which, via lines24or also in a wireless manner, is connected to indicator devices26. In the illustrated embodiment, a respective indicator device26is provided for each component10,12, said indicator device being e.g. an illuminant, a display or the like.

According to the disclosure, the indicator devices26can be activated by the control unit22. Activation is carried out by a workflow program stored in control unit22, or via an input device28, comprising e.g. a keyboard, a joystick or the like, which is connected to control unit22.

If, due to an input in the input device28and/or due to a stored workflow plan, there shall be established a connection of the upper component10inFIG. 1to the upper component12, the control unit22will control the two corresponding connecting elements16in such a manner that these will light up in the same color. A user of the handling device will thus unambiguously know which components shall be connected to each other for performing the next working step. A connection e.g. of the type shown by the interrupted arrows20is not desired and will not be realized. This prohibition can be additionally supported by providing an activation device, not shown, which is operative to avoid a connecting of components in the manner outlined by said arrows20.

A medical robot as schematically shown inFIG. 2can be designed in a corresponding manner. Herein, a base30of a robot is connected to a multi-jointed robot arm32which at distal end is connected to a receiving device34. The latter is designed corresponding to the two components10,12(FIG. 1) and comprises a connecting element, not shown, and an indicator device36. In the illustrated embodiment, said receiving device34can be connected to three different surgical instruments38,40,42. If, for instance, the existing instrument40shall be replaced by the instrument38, the indicator device44of instrument40will be deactivated and the indicator device46of instrument48will be activated. In case of a color-based indication, the indicator device36of the receiving device will light up in the same color as the indicator device46of instrument38.

The corresponding controlling of the indicator elements is performed via a control unit22which, as explained with reference toFIG. 1, can also be connected to an input device20. Thus, the control unit22, in accordance with a workflow plan which is influenced or activated e.g. by the progress of the surgical operation, will control the indicator devices44,46,48of the surgical instruments38,40,42in combination with the indicator device36of the receiving device34.

In the illustrated embodiment, the indicator device36of the receiving device34could be omitted because only one receiving device is provided. If, however, the system is a robot system comprising a plurality of robot arms and thus also a plurality of receiving devices, the provision of a corresponding indicator device on the receiving device is suitable so as to ensure that the instrument will be connected to the correct, desired receiving device.

InFIGS. 3a-3cshow various embodiments of activation devices to be activated by the control unit22. According to a general design, the control unit22communicates with the activation device14arranged on the connecting element of robot10, and with the activation device16arranged on the instrument. A safe exchange of tools according to the disclosure will proceed as follows: The control unit will activate the desired tool with the aid of the activation device16and will communicate to the activation device14on the robot which tool has been activated. When the activation devices are to be connected, they will realize whether or not they match with each other. Only connecting elements having matching activation devices are allowed to be connected to each other. Whether or not a connection has been achieved will be communicated to the control device by activation element14and/or activation element16via a communication device28. In case of a connected state, said communication can also be performed from16to14via28b.

FIG. 3bshows a variant of the disclosure wherein the instruments from which to choose are arranged in a rack28which includes the activation elements assigned to the instruments. In this case, the control unit22will communicate via28with said rack for activating the desired tool. Only the activated tool can be taken from the rack by the user. In this case, no activation element is required on the connecting element of the robot.

FIG. 3cshows a variant of the disclosure wherein the control unit will directly communicate only with the activation element14on robot10. For performing a safe exchange of tools, control unit22will communicate to activation element14which tool shall be connected to the robot. Thereafter, only the instrument having the corresponding activation element16can be connected at the connecting element14of robot10. In order to detect the corresponding activation element, an exchange of information28btakes place between activation element16on the instrument and the activation element14the on robot (However, there is no need for a direct communication between the instrument and the control unit).

Hereunder, various variants of the activation elements will be explained.

One possible variant is the activation by a specific code which can be transmitted per software, electric signals or mechanical (key-lock).

A variant ofFIG. 3aresides in a corresponding activation by transmission of a key (code), which is valid only for the desired point of time and for a specific connection, from the control unit22to the activation element14to the activation element16on the instrument. A connection will be established if, by exchanging the keys via data communication28b, a congruence is detected.

A possible electromagnetic variant is shown inFIG. 4. The activation element14consists of a recess14bhaving a pin14aarranged in it. The position of the pin within the recess can be changed with the aid of a control unit. This can be carried out horizontally (variant a) or vertically (variant b). The corresponding activation element16comprises a projection16awhich can be inserted into the recess of activation element14only exactly in a specific position of pin14a. Only in this case, a connection can be established.

Said pin can assume at least two different known positions. However, also a quasi stepless adjustability is possible. The number of differentiating positions is determinant of the number of possible connection variants between the activation elements. By arranging a plurality of activation elements at a connection10, this number can be further increased. The communication variant belonging to this embodiment corresponds to the one shown inFIG. 3c, the communication28bbeing realized mechanically.