Surgical tool and robotic surgical system interfaces

• US 10,588,704 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Overmyer, Mark D., Swayze, Jeffrey S., Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Harris, Jason L., Young, Joshua, Yates, David C., Houser, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahmadi, Zakaria
• Application Number:
  US15/374,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20180161111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes

Abstract

Various exemplary surgical tool and robotic surgical system interfaces are provided. In general, a sterile barrier can be positioned between a robotic surgical system and a surgical tool releasably coupled to the robotic surgical system. The surgical tool can be in a sterile environment on one side of the sterile barrier, and the robotic surgical system can be in a non-sterile environment on the other, opposite side of the sterile barrier. The robotic surgical system can be configured to control movement of the surgical tool releasably coupled thereto using a magnetic field that extends across the sterile barrier between the surgical tool and the robotic surgical system.

Claims

1. A surgical device, comprising:

a proximal handle portion of a surgical tool including a stator;

a distal portion of the surgical tool configured to removably and replaceably couple to the proximal handle portion, the distal portion including a rotor and including an end effector configured to be driven by a magnetic field extending between the rotor and the stator;

a sterile barrier coupled to the proximal handle portion and configured to provide a sterile environment for the distal portion including the rotor when the distal portion is removably and replaceably coupled to the proximal handle portion; and

a gear operatively coupled to the end effector and to the rotor;

wherein, in response to torque induced at the rotor by the magnetic field, the gear is configured to rotate and thereby drive the end effector.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the distal portion is configured to removably and replaceably couple to the proximal portion by engaging the rotor with the stator.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the sterile barrier is removably and replaceably coupled to the proximal handle portion.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the stator is integrally coupled to the proximal handle portion.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the stator is removably and replaceably coupled to the proximal handle portion.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field drives the end effector to move without the surgical tool being mechanically driven by the tool driver.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the end effector is configured to be driven to effect at least one of closing the end effector, opening the end effector, articulating the end effector relative to an elongate shaft having the end effector at a distal end thereof, rotating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft, and rotating the end effector and the elongate shaft as a unit about a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft.

8. A surgical device, comprising:

an elongate shaft having an end effector at a distal end thereof that is configured to engage tissue;

a proximal handle configured to be handheld and to removably and replaceably couple to the elongate shaft such that the elongate shaft extends distally from the proximal handle;

a sterile barrier coupled to the proximal handle and configured to provide a sterile environment distal thereof with a non-sterile environment being proximal thereto, the elongate shaft and the end effector being in the sterile environment when the proximal handle is removably and replaceably coupled to the elongate shaft; and

magnetic members configured to generate a magnetic field across the sterile barrier when the proximal handle is removably and replaceably coupled to the elongate shaft and thereby cause movement of the end effector.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the magnetic members includes a rotor of the elongate shaft and a stator of the proximal handle.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the rotor is at a proximal end of the elongate shaft, the stator is at a distal end of the proximal handle, and the proximal handle is configured to be removably and replaceably coupled to the elongate shaft by attaching the rotor to the stator.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the proximal handle includes a power source configured to cause the generation of the magnetic field.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the movement of the end effector includes at least one of closing the end effector, opening the end effector, articulating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft, rotating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft, and rotating the end effector and the elongate shaft as a unit about a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft.

18. The device of claim 9, further comprising a gear operatively coupled to the end effector and to the rotor;

wherein, in response to torque induced at the rotor by the magnetic field, the gear is configured to rotate and thereby drive the end effector.

13. A surgical method, comprising:

coupling a distal portion of a handheld surgical device to a proximal portion of the handheld surgical device with a handle in the proximal portion being in a non-sterile environment and a sterile barrier of the handheld surgical device providing a sterile environment for the distal portion including an elongate shaft having an end effector at a distal end thereof; and

generating a magnetic field that extends between the proximal portion in the non-sterile environment and the distal portion in the sterile environment and thereby causing the end effector to move, wherein the magnetic field causes the movement of the end effector without the surgical tool being mechanically driven by the tool driver.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein coupling the distal portion to the proximal portion electrically couples a rotor of the distal portion to a stator of the proximal portion, and the magnetic field extends between the stator and the rotor.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising, prior to coupling the distal portion to the proximal portion, coupling the sterile barrier to the proximal portion.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the movement of the end effector includes at least one of closing the end effector, opening the end effector, articulating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft, rotating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft, and rotating the end effector and the elongate shaft as a unit about a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the magnetic field induces torque at the rotor that causes the movement of the end effector.