Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7109678?dq=%22paul+lyons%22
Timestamp: 2017-03-23 01:06:17
Document Index: 17016189

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 301', 'art 302', 'art 301', 'art 302', 'art 301', 'art 302', 'art 302', 'art 402', 'art 401', 'art 402', 'art 401']

Patent US7109678 - Holding arrangement having an apparatus for balancing a load torque - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsIn a holding arrangement (101) for a medical-optical instrument (103), an electric motor is provided in a rotational joint (111, 119) to compensate a load torque occurring in this rotational joint. This electric motor is supplied with current in correspondence to a detected position of the rotational...http://www.google.com/patents/US7109678?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7109678 - Holding arrangement having an apparatus for balancing a load torqueAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS7109678 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/879,037Publication dateSep 19, 2006Filing dateJun 30, 2004Priority dateJun 30, 2003Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20040263102Publication number10879037, 879037, US 7109678 B2, US 7109678B2, US-B2-7109678, US7109678 B2, US7109678B2InventorsMartin Kraus, Hartmut Gärtner, Martin Poxleitner, Michael Wirth, Alfons Abele, Roland Brenner, Norbert Sporer, Matthias HähnleOriginal AssigneeCarl-Zeiss-StiftungExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (16), Referenced by (28), Classifications (32), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetHolding arrangement having an apparatus for balancing a load torque
US 7109678 B2Abstract
In a holding arrangement (101) for a medical-optical instrument (103), an electric motor is provided in a rotational joint (111, 119) to compensate a load torque occurring in this rotational joint. This electric motor is supplied with current in correspondence to a detected position of the rotational joint (111, 119). A current control curve required for this purpose is stored in a memory. This current control curve can be determined in that the rotational joints are deflected with the electric motor into predetermined positions and the current demand needed therefor is detected.
at least one rotational joint which is subjected to a load torque by said instrument;
said rotational joint having a first joint part and a second joint part which can be moved relative to the first joint part: and,
said apparatus including: an electric motor; a detecting unit for detecting a position of said rotational joint and for providing a signal representing a position value for said position of said rotational joint;
said electric motor being combined with said detecting unit; and, said electric motor being connected to said second joint part by means of a shaft;
a control unit for receiving said signal and assigning a motor current to said position value; and,
said control unit outputting said motor current to said electric motor so as to cause said electric motor to generate a counter torque introduced into said second joint part of said rotational joint to balance said load torque applied to said rotational joint.
2. The holding arrangement of claim 1, said apparatus further comprising a brake assigned to said rotational joint.
3. The holding arrangement of claim 2, said apparatus further comprising a gear assembly for coupling said electric motor to said rotational joint.
4. The holding arrangement of claim 3, said rotational joint defining a rotational axis and said electric motor defining a drive axis offset relative to said rotational axis.
5. The holding arrangement of claim 4, wherein said detecting unit includes an encoder of said electric motor or a position transducer.
6. The holding arrangement of claim 1, wherein said rotational joint is a first rotational joint and said apparatus is a first apparatus and wherein said holding arrangement further comprises a second rotational joint and a second apparatus for balancing a second load torque caused by said instrument and applied to said second rotational joint.
7. The holding arrangement of claim 6, wherein said electric motor of said first apparatus is a first electric motor and said second apparatus includes a second electric motor; said control unit includes two control loops; and, each of said apparatus further comprises means for detecting a time-dependent change of the position of the rotational joint corresponding thereto and for supplying said time-dependent change to said control loops; and, said control loops output two motor currents for corresponding ones of said electric motors which counter the change of position of said rotational joints.
8. The holding arrangement of claim 1, wherein said instrument is taken up with an articulated parallelogram on a carrier arm.
9. The holding arrangement of claim 1, wherein said holding arrangement is configured as a manipulator for moving an instrument.
10. The holding arrangement of claim 9, wherein a handle is provided for moving said manipulator.
11. The holding arrangement of claim 1, said apparatus further comprising an electronic memory assigned to said control unit; and, said electronic memory having a curve of current as a function of rotational joint position or a table of current/rotational joint stored therein.
12. The holding arrangement of claim 11, said apparatus further comprising means for detecting a time-dependent change of the position of said rotational joint.
13. The holding arrangement of claim 12, wherein said control unit includes a closed control loop for receiving said time-dependent change of the position of said rotational joint; and, said control loop outputs a motor current for said electric motor at said rotational joint which counters said change of the position of said rotational joint.
14. The holding arrangement of claim 13, wherein said control unit superposes said motor current outputted by said control loop onto said motor current outputted by said control unit to balance said load torque applied to said rotational joint.
15. A holding arrangement for an instrument including a medical-optical instrument, the holding arrangement comprising:
said apparatus further comprising a brake assigned to said rotational joint;
said apparatus further comprising a gear assembly for coupling said electric motor to said rotational joint;
said rotational joint defining a rotational axis and said electric motor defining a drive axis offset relative to said rotational axis;
said detecting unit including an encoder of said electric motor or a position transducer; and,
an electronic memory assigned to said control unit; and, said electronic memory having a curve of current as a function of rotational joint position or a table of current/rotational joint stored therein.
16. The holding arrangement of claim 15, said apparatus further comprising means for detecting a time-dependent change of the position of said rotational joint.
17. The holding arrangement of claim 16, wherein said control unit includes a closed control loop for receiving said time-dependent change of the position of said rotational joint; and, said control loop outputs a motor current for said electric motor at said rotational joint which counters said change of the position of said rotational joint.
18. The holding arrangement of claim 17, wherein said control unit superposes said motor current outputted by said control loop onto said motor current outputted by said control unit to balance said load torque applied to said rotational joint.
19. A holding arrangement for an instrument including a medical-optical instrument, the holding arrangement comprising:
an apparatus for balancing said load torque applied to said rotational joint,
said rotational joint being a first rotational joint and said apparatus being a first apparatus and wherein said holding arrangement further comprises a second rotational joint and a second apparatus for balancing a second load torque caused by said instrument and applied to said second rotational joint;
said electric motor of said first apparatus being a first electric motor and said second apparatus including a second electric motor; said control unit including two control loops; and,
each of said apparatus further comprising means for detecting a time-dependent change of the position of the rotational joint corresponding thereto and for supplying said time-dependent change to said control loops; and, said control loops outputting two motor currents for corresponding ones of said electric motors which counter the change of position of said rotational joints.
20. A method for determining a current control curve for adjusting an equilibrium state in a holding arrangement which includes: at least one rotational joint which is subjected to a load torque by said instrument; and, an apparatus for balancing said load torque applied to said rotational joint; said apparatus including: an electric motor; a detecting unit for detecting a position of said rotational joint and for providing a signal representing a position value for said position of said rotational joint; and, said electric motor being combined with said detecting unit; a control unit for receiving said signal and assigning a motor current to said position value; said control unit outputting said motor current to said electric motor so as to cause said electric motor to generate a counter torque to balance said load torque applied to said rotational joint; the method comprising the steps of:
23. The method of claim 22, comprising the further step of rotating said rotational joint by a rotational angle of |Φ|≦Π or |Φ|≦Π/2 or |Φ|≦Π/4 utilizing said electric motor in order to determine said current control curve.
24. A method for adjusting an equilibrium state in a holding arrangement which includes: at least one rotational joint which is subjected to a load torque by said instrument; and, an apparatus for balancing said load torque applied to said rotational joint; said apparatus including: an electric motor; a detecting unit for detecting a position of said rotational joint and for providing a signal representing a position value for said position of said rotational joint; and, said electric motor being combined with said detecting unit; a control unit for receiving said signal and assigning a motor current to said position value; said control unit outputting said motor current to said electric motor so as to cause said electric motor to generate a counter torque to balance said load torque applied to said rotational joint; the method comprising the steps of:
25. The method of claim 24, the method comprising the further steps of:
26. A method for determining a current control curve for adjusting a state of equilibrium in a holding arrangement which includes: at least one rotational joint which is subjected to a load torque by said instrument; and, an apparatus for balancing said load torque applied to said rotational joint; said apparatus including: an electric motor; a detecting unit for detecting a position of said rotational joint and for providing a signal representing a position value for said position of said rotational joint; and, said electric motor being combined with said detecting unit; a control unit f or receiving said signal and assigning a motor current to said position value; said control unit outputting said motor current to said electric motor so as to cause said electric motor to generate a counter torque to balance said load torque applied to said rotational joint; said rotational joint being a first rotational joint and said apparatus being a first apparatus; a second rotational joint and a second apparatus for balancing a second load torque caused by said instrument and applied to said second rotational joint; said electric motor of said first apparatus being a first electric motor and said second apparatus including a second electric motor; the method comprising the steps of:
28. A method for adjusting a state of equilibrium in a holding arrangement which includes: at least one rotational joint which is subjected to a load torque by said instrument; and, an apparatus for balancing said load torque applied to said rotational joint; said apparatus including: an electric motor; a detecting unit for detecting a position of said rotational joint and for providing a signal representing a position value for said position of said rotational joint; and, said electric motor being combined with said detecting unit; a control unit for receiving said signal and assigning a motor current to said position value; said control unit outputting said motor current to said electric motor so as to cause said electric motor to generate a counter torque to balance said load torque applied to said rotational joint; said rotational joint being a first rotational joint and said apparatus being a first apparatus; a second rotational joint and a second apparatus for balancing a second load torque caused by said instrument and applied to said second rotational joint; said electric motor of said first apparatus being a first electric motor and said second apparatus including a second electric motor; the method comprising the steps of:
29. The method of claim 28, wherein said holding arrangement further includes a third rotational joint and a third electric motor assigned to said third rotational joint, the method comprising the further steps of:
This application claims priority of German patent application nos. 103 29 549.6, filed Jun. 30, 2003, and 10 2004 008 381.9, filed Feb. 20, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to a holding arrangement including a holding arrangement for a medical-optical instrument. The holding arrangement has at least one rotational joint and has an apparatus for balancing a load torque which is caused by the medical-optical instrument on the rotational joint.
A holding arrangement of this kind is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,296. Here, an adjustable stand for a surgical microscope is described. The stand includes first and second rotational joints. An elastic energy store is assigned to each one of these rotational joints. The elastic energy store includes a torsion spring having a pretension which can be adjusted. The elastic energy stores generate a compensating torque which counters a load torque in the rotational joints caused by the surgical microscope accommodated on the stand.
It is an object of the invention to provide a holding arrangement wherein an equilibrium state can be adjusted for the force-free movement of an instrument about a rotational joint with the instrument being accommodated on the holding arrangement. It is a further object to provide a servo-controlled movement of the instrument about this rotational axis.
According to a feature of the invention, the apparatus for compensating the load torque includes an electric motor which is combined with a detecting unit for detecting the position of the rotational joint and can be supplied with current in dependence upon a detected rotational joint position for generating a counter torque balancing the load torque. For this purpose, a control unit is provided which adjusts the required motor current. To compensate the load torque, the control unit assigns a value for the motor current to a detected rotational joint position value and this motor current is outputted to the electric motor and the motor current causes the electric motor to generate a counter torque which compensates the load torque applied to the rotational joint. In this way, a compactly configured holding arrangement is provided which can be motorically tilted and pivoted and is easily adaptable to the different configurations of a medical-optical instrument for torque compensation.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a brake is assigned to the rotational joint. In this way, it can be ensured that the holding arrangement is not moved when no current is supplied to the electric motor.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the electric motor is coupled to the rotational joint by means of a gear assembly. In this way, a precise adjustment of the equilibrium state is made possible in the holding arrangement.
Generally, the described control principle (open loop and/or closed loop) for a holding arrangement has the advantage compared to the classic robot technology that it needs no force sensors and/or no torque sensors and no complex sensor actuating control need be used, which is difficult to manage and with specific dynamic regions which are only accessible with difficulty.
It is also possible to determine a current control curve in that the at least one rotational joint is moved by means of the electric motor in a first direction. The current demand of the electric motor, which is needed for moving the rotational joint, is determined in dependence-upon the position of the rotational joint and thereafter, the at least one rotational joint is moved by means of the electric motor in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The current demand of the electric motor, which is needed for the movement of the rotational joint, is determined in dependence upon the position of the rotational joint.
If several rotational joints are provided in the holding arrangement, which rotational joints have apparatus for compensating a load torque with electric motors, an equilibrium state can be adjusted in that an instantaneous position of a first rotational joint is determined, an instantaneous position of a second rotational joint is determined and an electric motor, which is assigned to the first rotational joint, and an electric motor, which is assigned to the second rotational joint, are supplied with current corresponding to a two-dimensional current control curve stored in a memory. The current control curve assigns a corresponding current value for the torque compensation to the rotational joints corresponding to the specific instantaneous position of the rotational joints.
FIG. 13 is a schematic of a circuit arrangement with a control loop for controlling an electric motor in a rotational joint of the holding arrangement configured as the manipulator of FIG. 9; and,
FIG. 3 schematically shows the rotational joint 111 of holding arrangement 101 of FIG. 1. The rotational joint 111 has a first joint part 301 and a second joint part 302 which can be moved relative to joint part 301. The joint part 302 is journalled on the joint part 301 with support units 303 and 304. An electric motor 305 is assigned to the rotational joint 111 which is connected to the joint part 302 by means of a shaft 306. A torque can be generated with the electric motor 305-which is introduced into the second joint part 302 of the rotational joint 111.
FIG. 4 schematically shows the further rotational joint 119 of FIG. 1. As with rotational joint 111, an electric motor 405 is also assigned to the rotational joint 119 with which a torque, which is applied to the joint part 402, can be compensated. The electric motor 405 is held in a first joint part 401 of the rotational joint 119. The rotational joint 119 further includes support units 403 and 404 which make possible a movement of the second joint part 402 relative to the first joint part 401.
It will now be explained with respect to FIGS. 5 to 7 how a load torque, which occurs at the rotational joints 111 or 119 of FIG. 1, can be compensated with the electric motor in the rotational joints.
The following equation applies: {right arrow over (D)}=LMg sin Φ wherein:
For automatically adjusting such an equilibrium state, the electric motors in these rotational joints are switched in correspondence to a circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 7. The circuit arrangement 701 includes a motor control unit 702 which is connected to the electric motor 703. Signals from a position transducer 704 are supplied to the motor control unit 702. The position transducer 704 is configured as an angle sensor or as an encoder. This position transducer 704 outputs an instantaneous angle position of the rotational joint. Corresponding to an instantaneously detected angle position of the rotational joint, a current control curve is read out which is stored in an electronic memory 705. This current control curve corresponds to the current value, which is required in each position of the rotational joint, for torque compensation by the electric motor.
Accordingly, if the position of the surgical microscope 103 of FIG. 1 is so changed that the rotational joints 111 or 119 are moved by the electric motors, then the corresponding motor control unit controls the motor current in correspondence to the instantaneous rotational joint positions in such a manner that a torque balance occurs in the rotational joints. For this purpose, a current control curve, which is stored in the particular electronic memory, is read out for each rotational joint (111, 119). This current control curve is dependent upon the positions of the two rotational joints (111, 119) and on the mass distribution of the medical-optical instrument taken up at the corresponding holding arrangement. If the mass distribution is changed, for example, in that a peripheral apparatus is connected to the medical-optical instrument, then a modified current control curve must be accessed for the torque compensation in the rotational joints.
Such a current control curve can basically be determined in a simple manner. For this purpose, the current, which is needed for moving the holding arrangement about the particular rotational joints by means of electric motors, is detected as a function of the instantaneous positions of these rotational joints and is stored in the particular electronic memory. For example, the rotational joint 111 is moved into a known position and, thereafter, the current control curve for the rotational joint 119 is recorded. In a next step, the rotational joint 119 is moved into a known-position and the corresponding current control curve for the rotational joint 111 is determined. From the current curve determined in this manner, a two-dimensional set of current data for compensation in each position of the rotational joints 111 and 119 can be determined by means of trigonometric functions.
FIG. 9 shows, in a graph 903, a first motor current curve 901 for a motor current for the electric motor 805 of FIG. 8 as a function of the angular position Φ of the rotational joint 800 of FIG. 8 in order to move the medical-optical instrument 802 in the direction of the arrow 807. A motor current curve 902 corresponds to the motor current of the electric motor 805 of FIG. 8 which is necessary to move the medical-optical instrument in the direction of arrow 803 of FIG. 8.
The motor current curves 901 and 902 have noise caused by measuring operations and are displaced parallel to the abscissa of the graph 903. A non-noisy motor current curve 904 results from the formation of a mean value of the motor current curves 901 and 902 by means of suitable mathematical averaging algorithms. This motor current curve 904 corresponds to a torque at rotational joint 800, which can be generated by means of electric motor 805 of FIG. 8 and which, for a given rotational joint position, makes possible an exact static torque compensation. This motor current curve is neither made erroneous by friction forces nor by acceleration forces because the contribution of these forces are eliminated by the formation of the corresponding mean value.
Since it is known that the static load torque in the rotational joint satisfies the relationship explained with respect to FIG. 6, it is possible by means of suitable mathematical algorithms to draw a conclusion as to a motor current curve in the angular range 0≦Φ≦2Π from the detected course of the motor current curves in an angular range 905 or 906 in FIG. 9.
To record a suitable motor current curve for torque compensation, it is here sufficient to move the surgical microscope 1001, for example, over one of the angular ranges indicated by the arrows 1005, 1006 or 1007. In this way, and even when a movement of the surgical microscope 1001 about the axis 1002 is restricted because of connected ancillary apparatus, a fitting or suitable motor current curve for torque compensation can be determined over the entire accessible angular range.
FIG. 11 is a schematic of a circuit arrangement for controlling several electric motors in a circuit arrangement having several rotational joints. The circuit arrangement 1101 has a motor control unit 1102 which is connected to electric motors 1103 1, 1103 2, . . . 1103 n. These electric motors 1103 1, 1103 2, . . . 1103 n are assigned to rotational joints 1104 1, 1104 2, . . . 1104 n. Each of the rotational joints having an electric motor includes a position transducer or encoder with which the instantaneous angular position of the rotational joint can be determined. A multi-dimensional current control curve can be determined in that, first, the respective angular positions of all rotational joints 1104 1, 1104 2, . . . 1104 n are determined. The multi-dimensional current control curve can be applied as the basis for adjusting an equilibrium in a holding arrangement having multiple rotational joints. In the known position of the rotational joints 1104 1, . . . 1104 n, a current control curve as shown in FIG. 7 is recorded for the electric motor 1103 1 of the rotational joint 1104 1 and is stored as an n-dimensional data set in an electronic memory 1105. Thereafter, a corresponding current curve is recorded for the rotational joint 1104 2 at known positions of the remaining rotational joints, et cetera.
After the determination of a current curve set, a current data set can be computed via conversion with corresponding trigonometric functions for all rotational joints 1104 1, 1104 2, . . . 1104 n at known angular positions of all rotational joints. The current data set provides a current for equilibrium for each electric motor 1103 1, 1103 2, . . . 1103 n.
A handle 1214 is provided on the instrument receptacle unit 1212. An operator can control the manipulator 1200 with the handle 1214. Electric motors 1215, 1216 and 1217 are mounted on rotational joints 1207, 1209 and 1211, respectively. The stand 1202 is, in turn, disposed on a stand console 1218 and can there be rotated about a vertical axis 1219. With the handle 1214, an operator can move the instrument 1220, which is accommodated on the instrument holder 1213, in the directions indicated by arrows 1221, 1222, 1223 and 1224.
Angle transducers 1225, 1226, 1227 and 1228 are provided at the respective rotational joints of the manipulator 1200. The instantaneous position of the respective rotational joints can be detected utilizing the respective angle transducers 1225, 1226, 1227 and 1228. The signals of the angle transducers 1225, 1226, 1227 and 1228 are supplied to a control unit 1229 which controls the electric motors 1215, 1216 and 1217 for torque balancing in correspondence to the manner explained with respect to FIG. 11. This permits an operator to guide the manipulator 1200 force-free via the handle 1214 in correspondence to the directions indicated by the arrows 1221, 1222, 1223 and 1224.
FIG. 13 is a schematic of a circuit arrangement 1301 for controlling the electric motor 1303 in a rotational joint of the holding arrangement of FIG. 12 configured as a manipulator. The circuit arrangement 1301 is modified compared to FIG. 7 or FIG. 11.
FIG. 14 shows a schematic of a further circuit arrangement 1401 for controlling several electric motors 1403 1, 1403 2, . . . 1403 n which are arranged in corresponding rotational joints of a holding arrangement configured as a manipulator as explained basically with respect to FIG. 11. The circuit arrangement 1401 has a motor control unit 1402 which is connected to the electric motors 1403 1, 1403 2, . . . 1403 n at the corresponding rotational joints whose rotational joint positions are detected by position transducers 1404 1, 1404 2, . . . 1404 n. In correspondence to the circuit arrangement 1101 of FIG. 11, the circuit arrangement 1401 includes an electronic memory wherein a multidimensional current control curve is stored which contains the data of a motor current for equilibrium ME1, NE2, . . . MEn for electric motors 1403 1, 1403 2, . . . 1403 n, for a given position of the rotational joints.
In the motor control unit 1402, this information is supplied as a control quantity to the control loops 1407 1, 1407 2, . . . 1407 n. These control loops output motor control signals MR1. MR2, . . . MRn as an actuating quantity. Corresponding to the circuit arrangement explained with respect to FIG. 13. each of the motor control signals MR1, MR2, . . . MRn, counters the shift of the rotational joints to which the corresponding electric motors 1403 1, 1403 2, . . . 1403 n, are assigned.
For the sake of completeness, it is noted that a corresponding workpiece or tool can be identified as an item, which is picked up by the manipulator, also by the identification. principle of automatic feed devices in machine tools in the forms of magazines or changers.
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OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:015719/0462;SIGNING DATES FROM 20040719 TO 20040727Jan 16, 2007CCCertificate of correctionMar 15, 2010FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Mar 13, 2014FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services