US 12,296,476 B2
Tendon-sheath driving apparatus
Kyungnam Kim, Seoul (KR); Byung Gon Kim, Seoul (KR); and Yechan Seo, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to Endo Robotics Co., Ltd., Seoul (KR)
Filed by Endo Robotics Co., Ltd., Seoul (KR)
Filed on May 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/804,412.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0068996 (KR), filed on May 28, 2021; application No. 10-2021-0092860 (KR), filed on Jul. 15, 2021; and application No. 10-2021-0092861 (KR), filed on Jul. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0379466 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B25J 9/10 (2006.01); F16C 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1075 (2013.01) [F16C 1/06 (2013.01); B25J 9/104 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tendon-sheath driving apparatus comprising:
a first sheath having a predetermined length, being flexible and having a hollow shape;
a second sheath having a predetermined length, being flexible and having a hollow shape;
a first tendon, a portion of which is placed inside a hollow of the first sheath;
a second tendon, a portion of which is placed inside a hollow of the second sheath;
a first tendon rod coupled to the first tendon;
a second tendon rod coupled to the second tendon;
a first sheath pipe coupled to the first sheath;
a second sheath pipe coupled to the second sheath;
a first actuator configured to drive the first tendon rod;
a second actuator configured to drive the second tendon rod; and
a joint connected to the first tendon and the second tendon,
wherein the first tendon is configured to move through the first sheath and the first sheath pipe as the first tendon rod is moved through the first sheath pipe while a portion of the first tendon rod is inside the first sheath pipe,
wherein the second tendon is configured to move through the second sheath and the second sheath pipe as the second tendon rod is moved through the second sheath pipe while a portion of the second tendon rod is inside the second sheath pipe,
wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to simultaneously cause movement of the first tendon rod and the second tendon rod, respectively, and
wherein, when the first actuator causes the first tendon rod to move in a first direction, the second actuator is configured to cause the second tendon rod to move in a direction opposite to the first direction.