Surgery assistance device with backup power supply
Inventors
Ishikawa, Yoshihiro • Kano, Satoshi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12355297-B2
Publication Date
2025-07-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
A surgery assistance device includes a battery, loads, a manual switch, a power supply, and a backup power supply. The power supply is connected to a mains power supply and to the loads, and outputs a first power supply voltage to the loads. The manual switch is connected to a portion of the loads. The backup power supply is connected to the battery and to the manual switch, and outputs a second power supply voltage to the portion of the loads when the manual switch is closed.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a surgery assistance device comprising a plurality of arms configured to hold surgical instruments, a power supply circuit configured to output a power supply voltage received from an external power supply, and a backup power supply circuit configured to output a power supply voltage received from a battery. The device includes a plurality of loads and a first power supply voltage path arranged to supply the power supply voltage of the power supply circuit to the plurality of loads to control the plurality of arms. The device further includes a plurality of manual switches and a second power supply voltage path arranged to supply the power supply voltage of the backup power supply circuit to some of the loads in response to operation of the manual switches.
The device uses electromagnetic brakes as part of the loads that are supplied with backup power in a controlled subset manner. Each arm has a corresponding manual switch and at least one electromagnetic brake, and the at least one electromagnetic brake included as the some of the loads receives backup power only when the manual switch corresponding to that arm is operated. Diodes are disposed to separate the first power supply voltage path and the second power supply voltage path and connect them to the loads, so that the backup power is provided to the intended subset of loads rather than broadly distributing backup power.
The first power supply voltage path and the second power supply voltage path are connected to a common path on cathode electrode sides of the diodes that leads into the some of the loads. With this arrangement, the some of the loads are supplied with the power supply voltage via the common path, and the backup voltage is delivered through the diode-separated path to the intended loads associated with the operated manual switch. The document describes this as enabling emergency operation during a power failure while not enlarging the backup battery, and it is associated with reduced backup power consumption and improved safety.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims (clm-00001, clm-00003, clm-00005). Across these independent claims, the core coverage centers on diode-separated external and battery power paths with manual-switch-triggered backup delivery to only electromagnetic brakes in the corresponding arm, using a common cathode-side connection into the targeted loads. Additional inventive refinements are included in dependent claims, such as partitioning the backup voltage path and mapping paths to individual arms, and specifying the loads and/or surgical instruments as including electromagnetic brakes (and examples such as an endoscope and/or a forceps).
Manual-switch-triggered backup delivery to corresponding electromagnetic brake subset
The at least one electromagnetic brake is included as some of the loads, and only the at least one electromagnetic brake in the arm corresponding to the manual switch that has been operated is supplied with the power supply voltage of the backup power supply circuit via the second power supply voltage path.
Diode-separated external and battery power paths
The first power supply voltage path includes a first diode connected between the power supply circuit and the some of the loads, and the second power supply voltage path includes a second diode along the second power supply voltage path connected between each manual switch and the some of the loads, separating the external power and backup power delivery to the loads.
Common cathode-side path for combining voltage paths into targeted loads
The first power supply voltage path and the second power supply voltage path are connected to a common path on cathode electrode sides of the first diode and the second diode, respectively, that leads into the some of the loads, and the some of the loads are supplied with the power supply voltage via the common path.
Backup voltage supplied to a portion of loads in response to manual switch operation
The second power supply voltage path supplies the second power supply voltage to a portion of the plurality of loads in response to an operation of a manual switch, with the first power supply voltage path supplying the first power supply voltage to the plurality of loads.
All independent claims require diode-separated external and backup power paths that feed a common cathode-side path into the targeted loads, and require that only the electromagnetic brake(s) associated with the manual switch operated (i.e., in the corresponding arm) receive backup voltage. The independent claims additionally specify the overall architecture using a plurality of arms holding surgical instruments and manual switches that gate backup power delivery to the intended subset of loads.
Stated Advantages
Enables emergency operation during a power failure without enlarging the backup battery.
Improves safety.
Reduces backup power consumption.
Documented Applications
Surgery assistance device for controlling a plurality of arms that hold surgical instruments, including endoscope and/or forceps, and for operation during power failure/emergency operation.
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