Wrist and jaw assemblies for robotic surgical systems

• US 10,179,413 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2018
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Rockrohr, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Puig, Gabriela M
• Application Number:
  US15/921,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20180200894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 294111, 294116, 901 29
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2934 arcuate shaped guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 Pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/77 Manipulators with motion or force scaling
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0226 actuated by cams
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0233 actuated by chains, cables or ribbons

Abstract

An end effector for use and connection to a robot arm of a robotic surgical system, wherein the end effector is controlled and/or articulated by at least one cable extending from a respective motor of a control device of the robot surgical system, is provided. The end effector includes a wrist assembly, and a jaw assembly. The jaw assembly includes a cam pulley rotatably supported on at least one support plate of the jaw assembly, wherein the cam pulley is operatively connected to a proximal end of each of the jaws of the jaw assembly such that rotation of the cam pulley results in one of an opening and closing of the jaw assembly.

Claims

1. A surgical tool comprising:

first and second jaws pivotable about a first axis;

a first cam pulley and a second cam pulley rotatable about a second axis and coupled to the first and second jaws; and

a cam follower coupling the first and the second pulleys to each of the first and second jaws;

wherein;

a rotation of the first cam pulley opens or closes the first and second jaws about the first axis; and

a force applied to the second cam pulley rotates the first and second jaws about the second axis.

2. The surgical tool according to claim 1, wherein the first cam pulley multiplies a closure force acting on the first and second jaws as the first cam pulley is rotated to close the first and second jaws.

3. The surgical according to claim 2, wherein the first cam pulley defines at least one arcuate slot formed in a surface thereof, each arcuate slot including:

a first end portion spaced a first radial distance from a pivot axis of the first cam pulley; and

a second end portion spaced a second radial distance from the pivot axis of the first cam pulley, and

wherein each jaw is in sliding and camming connection with a respective arcuate slot of the first cam pulley.

4. The surgical tool according to claim 2, wherein the first cam pulley defines a single arcuate slot formed therein, and wherein a proximal end portion of each jaw defines an angled slot formed therein, wherein the angled slots diverge from one another in a proximal direction, and wherein a cam pin is slidably disposed within the arcuate slot of the first cam pulley and the angled slot of each jaw.

5. The surgical tool according to claim 4, wherein the second cam pulley defines an axially extending slot formed therein, and wherein the cam pin is slidably disposed within the axially extending slot formed in the second cam pulley.

6. The surgical tool according to claim 2, wherein the first cam pulley includes at least one cam plate, and wherein a cam link is pivotally connected to a respective one cam plate and a respective second cam pulley.

7. The surgical tool according to claim 6, wherein the respective second cam pulley defines a longitudinally extending slot formed therein, and wherein the cam link includes a first end portion pivotally connected to the respective one cam plate, and a second end portion pivotably and slidably connected to the longitudinally extending slot formed in the respective second cam pulley.

8. The surgical tool according to claim 7, wherein a proximal end portion of each jaw defines an angled slot formed therein, wherein the angled slots diverge from one another in a proximal direction, and wherein a cam pin is slidably disposed within the axially extending slot of each second cam pulley and the angled slot of each jaw.

9. The surgical tool according to claim 2, wherein the first cam pulley includes at least one cam plate, and wherein at least one cam linkage is pivotally connected to a respective one cam plate and a respective proximal portion of a respective jaw.

10. The surgical tool according to claim 9, wherein the first cam pulley includes a pivot pin disposed along the second axis, and wherein the pivot pin non-rotatably supports the cam plate, and wherein the at least one cam linkage includes:

a first cam linkage having a proximal link non-rotatably extending from the pivot pin of the first cam pulley, and a distal link pivotably interconnecting the proximal link of the first cam linkage and the proximal portion of the first jaw; and

a second cam linkage having a proximal link non-rotatably extending from the pivot pin of the first cam pulley, and a distal link pivotably interconnecting the proximal link of the second cam linkage and the proximal portion of the second jaw, wherein the proximal link of the second cam linkage is radially offset from the proximal link of the first cam linkage.

11. An end effector for use and connection to a robot arm of a robotic surgical system, the end effector comprising:

a jaw assembly including;

at least one cam plate;

a pair of jaws pivotally supported on the at least one cam plate, wherein each jaw includes;

a pivot point connected to the at least one cam plate;

a proximal portion extending proximally of the pivot point thereof; and

a distal portion extending distally of the pivot point thereof; and

a cam pulley rotatably supported on the at least one cam plate, wherein the cam pulley is operatively connected to each of the jaws such that rotation of the cam pulley results in one of an opening and closing of the jaw assembly.

12. The end effector according to claim 11, further comprising:

a wrist assembly supporting the jaw assembly, the wrist assembly including;

a proximal hub defining a longitudinal axis; and

a distal hub pivotally connected to the proximal hub, wherein the distal hub defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the proximal hub and the distal hub are pivotable about a first pivot axis that is oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis of the proximal hub; and

wherein the jaw assembly is pivotally connected to the distal hub of the wrist assembly, wherein the at least one cam plate is pivotable about a second pivot axis that is oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis of the distal hub of the wrist assembly.

13. The end effector according to claim 12, wherein the cam pulley is pivotally supported, on the at least one cam plate, at the second pivot axis, the cam pulley defining at least one arcuate slot formed in a surface thereof, each arcuate slot including:

a first end portion spaced a first radial distance from a pivot axis of the cam pulley; and

a second end portion spaced a second radial distance from the pivot axis of the cam pulley, and

wherein the proximal portion of each jaw is in sliding and camming connection with a respective arcuate slot of the cam pulley.

14. The end effector according to claim 11, wherein the cam pulley of the jaw assembly includes at least one cam plate, and wherein the jaw assembly further includes a cam link pivotally connected to a respective one cam plate and a respective one support plate.

15. The end effector according to claim 11, wherein the cam pulley of the jaw assembly includes at least one cam plate, and wherein the jaw assembly further includes at least one cam linkage pivotally connected to a respective one cam plate and a respective proximal portion of a respective jaw of the jaw assembly.

16. The end effector according to claim 15, wherein the cam pulley includes a pivot pin disposed along a second pivot axis, and wherein the pivot pin non-rotatably supports the at least one cam plate, and wherein the at least one cam linkage includes:

a first cam linkage having a proximal link non-rotatably extending from the pivot pin of the cam pulley, and a distal link pivotably interconnecting the proximal link of the first cam linkage and the proximal portion of a first jaw of the jaw assembly; and

a second cam linkage having a proximal link non-rotatably extending from the pivot pin of the cam pulley, and a distal link pivotably interconnecting the proximal link of the second cam linkage and the proximal portion of a second jaw of the jaw assembly, wherein the proximal link of the second cam linkage is radially offset from the proximal link of the first cam linkage.

17. A method of actuating an end effector of a robotic surgical system, comprising:

coupling a first and a second cam pulley rotatable about a first axis to a pair of jaws pivotable about a second axis using a cam follower;

rotating the first cam pulley about the first axis to open or close the pair of jaws of the end effector; and

applying a force to the second cam pulley to rotate the pair of jaws about the second axis.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first cam pulley multiplies a closure force of the pair of jaws during the rotation thereof.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the pair of jaws are pivoted about a common first axis.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein each jaw of the pair of jaws is pivoted about a respective first axis, wherein each first axis is offset from one another.