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A remote controlled actuator includes a spindle guide section (3) of an elongated configuration, a distal end member (2) fitted to a distal end of the spindle guide section (3) through a distal end member connecting unit (15) for alteration in attitude, a tool (1) rotatably provided to the distal en

A remote controlled actuator includes a spindle guide section (3) of an elongated configuration, a distal end member (2) fitted to a distal end of the spindle guide section (3) through a distal end member connecting unit (15) for alteration in attitude, a tool (1) rotatably provided to the distal end member (2), a tool rotating drive source (41) for rotating the tool, and an attitude altering drive source (42) for manipulating the attitude of the distal end member. The distal end member rotatably supports a spindle (13) then holding the tool (1). The spindle guide section (3) includes a rotary shaft (22) for transmitting rotation of the tool rotating drive source to the spindle and a guide hole (30a). A flexible attitude altering member (31) capable of altering the attitude of the distal end member is reciprocally movably inserted within the guide hole (30a).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A remote controlled actuator which comprises a spindle guide section of an elongated configuration, a distal end member fitted to a distal end of the spindle guide section through a distal end member connecting unit for alteration in attitude, a tool rotatably fitted to the distal end member, a t

1. A remote controlled actuator which comprises a spindle guide section of an elongated configuration, a distal end member fitted to a distal end of the spindle guide section through a distal end member connecting unit for alteration in attitude, a tool rotatably fitted to the distal end member, a tool rotating drive source for rotating the tool, and an attitude altering drive source for manipulating the attitude of the distal end member; wherein the distal end member rotatably supports a spindle for holding the tool;wherein the spindle guide section includes a rotary shaft for transmitting rotation of the tool rotating drive source to the spindle, a guide hole defined within the spindle guide section so as to extend to a proximal end and the distal end of the spindle guide section, and an attitude altering member reciprocally movably inserted within the guide hole for altering the attitude of the distal end member about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spindle;wherein the spindle guide section comprises an outer shell pipe forming an outer shell for the spindle guide section and the guide hole is an inner diametric hole of a guide pipe provided within the outer shell pipe; andwherein the attitude altering member is, while a proximal end of the attitude altering member is held in contact with the distal end member, selectively advanced and retracted by the attitude altering drive source. 2. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, in which the attitude altering member is an attitude altering wire. 3. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism unit for transmitting an operation of the attitude altering drive source to the attitude altering member, the drive mechanism unit including a screw mechanism made up of a male screw portion, formed in a base end of the attitude altering member, and a female screw portion fixed to a drive unit housing for accommodating the drive mechanism unit and engaged with the male screw portion, wherein the drive unit housing is coupled with a base end of the spindle guide section, andwherein the attitude altering drive source is a rotary actuator and the attitude altering member is selectively advanced and refracted one at a time by the action of the screw mechanism when the base end of the attitude altering member is rotated by the rotary actuator. 4. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a rotation-reducing and transmitting mechanism for decelerating the rotation of the rotary actuator and transmitting to the base end of the attitude altering member. 5. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, in which the tool rotating drive source and the attitude altering drive source are provided outside a drive unit housing to which a base end of the spindle guide section is connected. 6. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, in which one or both of the tool rotating drive source and the attitude altering drive source is provided outside a drive unit housing to which a base end of the spindle guide section is connected, and a drive force of one of the tool rotating drive source and the attitude altering drive source, which is provided outside the drive unit housing, is transmitted to the rotary shaft or the attitude altering member through a flexible cable. 7. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, in which the guide hole and the attitude altering member inserted within the guide hole are provided at two locations, and the attitude altering drive source is provided for each one of the attitude altering members so that the attitude of the distal end member can be altered and maintained in dependence on the balance of respective working forces of the attitude altering members at the two locations acting on the distal end member. 8. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, in which the distal end member connecting unit is of a type supporting the distal end member for tilting motion in any desired direction and in which the guide hole and the attitude altering member inserted within the guide hole are provided at three or more locations about a center of tilt of the distal end member and the attitude altering drive source is provided for each one of the attitude altering members so that the attitude of the distal end member can be altered and maintained in dependence on the balance of respective working forces of the attitude altering members at the three or more locations acting on the distal end member. 9. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 8, in which the distal end member connecting unit is of a structure, in which a guide member on the side of the spindle guide section and a guided member on the side of the distal end member contact each other on a spherical or cylindrical guide surface having a center of curvature lying on a center line of the spindle and a center of connection between the spindle and the rotary shaft lies at the same position as the center of curvature of the guide surface. 10. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, in which the attitude altering drive source is a linear actuator. 11. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a force increasing and transmitting mechanism comprised of a lever mechanism for force increasing an output of the linear actuator and transmitting it to the attitude altering member. 12. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotation preventing mechanism for preventing the distal end member from rotating about a center line of the distal end member relative to the spindle guide section. 13. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, in which the rotary shaft is arranged at the center of the outer shell pipe and a plurality of reinforcement shafts and the guide pipe are arranged in a row in a circumferential direction between the rotary shaft and an inner diametric surface of the outer shell pipe. 14. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of rolling bearings for rotatably supporting the rotary shaft within the spindle guide section, the plurality of rolling bearings having respective outer diametric surfaces supported by the plurality of reinforcement shafts and the guide pipe. 15. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a cooling unit for cooling the bearings or the tool with a liquid coolant flowing inside the outer shell pipe. 16. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of rolling bearings for rotatably supporting the rotary shaft within the spindle guide section and a spring element for applying a preload to the plurality of rolling bearings, the spring element being provided between neighboring rolling bearings in the plurality of rolling bearings. 17. A remote controlled actuator which comprises a spindle guide section of an elongated configuration, a distal end member fitted to a distal end of the spindle guide section through a distal end member connecting unit for alteration in attitude, a tool rotatably fitted to the distal end member, a tool rotating drive source for rotating the tool, and an attitude altering drive source for manipulating the attitude of the distal end member; wherein the distal end member rotatably supports a spindle for holding the tool;wherein the spindle guide section includes a rotary shaft for transmitting rotation of the tool rotating drive source to the spindle, a guide hole defined within the spindle guide section so as to extend to a proximal end and the distal end of the spindle guide section, and an attitude altering member reciprocally movably inserted within the guide hole for altering the attitude of the distal end member about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spindle;wherein the spindle guide section comprises an outer shell pipe forming an outer shell for the spindle guide section to accommodate the rotary shaft disposed within the outer shell pipe for transmitting rotation of the tool rotating drive source within a drive unit housing to the spindle, and a hollow guide pipe provided within the outer shell pipe and extending to both ends of the outer shell pipe, and further comprising a pipe fixing segment for fixedly connecting the outer shell pipe and the guide pipe with each other; andwherein the attitude altering member is, while a proximal end of the attitude altering member is held in contact with the distal end member, selectively advanced and retracted by the attitude altering drive source. 18. A remote controlled actuator which comprises a spindle guide section of an elongated configuration, a distal end member fitted to a distal end of the spindle guide section through a distal end member connecting unit for alteration in attitude, a tool rotatably fitted to the distal end member, a tool rotating drive source for rotating the tool, and an attitude altering drive source for manipulating the attitude of the distal end member; wherein the distal end member rotatably supports a spindle for holding the tool;wherein the spindle guide section includes a rotary shaft for transmitting rotation of the tool rotating drive source to the spindle, a guide hole defined within the spindle guide section so as to extend to a proximal end and the distal end of the spindle guide section, and an attitude altering member reciprocally movably inserted within the guide hole for altering the attitude of the distal end member about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spindle;wherein the guide hole and the attitude altering member inserted within the guide hole are provided at one location, and a restoring elastic member for urging the distal end member towards a predetermined attitude side is provided to enable the attitude altering member to alter the attitude of the distal end member against a biasing force of the restoring elastic member; andwherein the attitude altering member is, while a proximal end of the attitude altering member is held in contact with the distal end member, selectively advanced and retracted by the attitude altering drive source. 19. The remote controlled actuator as claimed in claim 18, in which the distal end member connecting unit is of a structure, in which a guide member on a side of the spindle guide section and a guided member on a side of the distal end member contact each other on a spherical or cylindrical guide surface having a center of curvature lying on a center line of the spindle, and a center of connection between the spindle and the rotary shaft lies at the same position as the center of curvature of the guide surface.