Surgical tools for use in minimally invasive telesurgical applications

• US 20020111621A1
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Wallace, Daniel T., Morley, Tracey A., Julian, Christopher A., Baron, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,936,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• 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 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/715 Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20335 Wrist

Abstract

This invention provides surgical tools or instruments for use in minimally invasive telesurgical applications. The instruments typically include a base whereby the instrument is removably mountable on a robotically controlled articulated arm. An elongate shaft extends from the base. A working end of the shaft is disposed at an end of the shaft remote from the base. A wrist member is pivotally mounted on the working end. At least one end effector element mounting formation is pivotally mounted on an opposed end of the wrist member. A plurality of elongate elements, e.g., cables, extend from the end effector element mounting formation and the wrist member to cause selective angular displacement of the wrist member and end effector mounting formation in response to selective pulling of the elongate elements.

Claims

1. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

a pair of end effector mounting formations, each formation arranged to carry an end effector element and to be displaceable so that the end effector elements move toward and away from each other in a plane of movement;

and

an urging arrangement arranged to urge the end effector elements toward each other when they are moved apart beyond a predetermined amount, the urging arrangement comprising a resilient urging member arranged to cooperate with the mounting formations so as to be resiliently deformed upon movement of the end effector elements beyond the predetermined amount, thereby to urge the end effector elements toward each other.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the resilient urging member extends at an angle relative to the plane of movement.

3. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

a pair of end effector mounting formations, each formation arranged to carry an end effector element and to be displaceable so that the end effector elements move toward and away from each other in a plane of movement;

and

an urging arrangement arranged to urge the end effector elements toward each other when they are moved apart beyond a predetermined amount, the urging arrangement comprising at least one elongate resilient urging member having a first end anchored on a first of the mounting formations and an opposed end intruding into a space defined by the second of the mounting formations, the opposed end abutting part of the second mounting formation when the end effector elements are moved apart by the predetermined amount, such that the resilient member is resiliently deformed by that part of the second mounting formation in response to the end effector elements being urged apart beyond the predetermined amount, thereby to urge the end effector elements toward each other.

4. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

a pair of end effector mounting formations, each formation arranged to carry an end effector element and to be displaceable so that the end effector elements move toward and away from each other in a plane of movement;

an urging arrangement arranged to urge the end effector elements toward each other when they are moved apart beyond a predetermined amount, the urging arrangement comprising at least one resilient member.

5. The instrument of claim 4, wherein the resilient member comprises an alloy comprising nickel and titanium.

6. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

a pair of blade members arranged to be displaceable against each other to perform a cutting action;

and

a mechanical urging member for urging at least one blade against the other whilst the blades perform the cutting action.

7. A minimally invasive surgical instrument as claimed in claim 6, in which the blade members are coupled about a common pivotal connection, and the mechanical urging member includes at least one resilient urging member extending from the pivotal connection to a position against at least one of the blade members, at which position the urging member urges that blade member in a lateral direction against the other blade member.

8. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

an elongate shaft defining a working end;

a wrist member having a first end pivotally mounted on the working end of the shaft;

at least one remote actuator operatively connected to the wrist member to cause the wrist member to pivot in response to actuation of the actuator; and

an end effector mounting formation on an opposed end of the wrist member, the end effector mounting formation being arranged removably to hold at least one end effector.

9. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

a pair of end effector elements, each element having a length, said elements defining free ends arranged to be displaceable closer together and farther apart from each other in a plane of movement, at least one of the end effector elements converging toward the other in a direction in the plane of movement such that, when the free ends abut, a space extends between the end effector elements inwardly of their abutting free ends along at least a portion of said lengths, said end effectors constructed so that upon the application of force to urge the end effector elements further toward each other whilst their free ends abut, said space decreases in size.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the end effector elements comprises a resilient material.

11. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

an elongate shaft defining a working end;

an electrode mounting formation coupled to an electrode;

an electrical conductor electrically coupled to the electrode mounting formation, the conductor extending from the electrode mounting formation in a direction toward an opposed end of the shaft; and

a wrist member having one end pivotally coupled to the working end of the shaft so as to enable angular displacement of the wrist member relative to the shaft, the electrode mounting formation positioned at an opposed end of the wrist member, the wrist member comprising an electrically insulative material.

13. The instrument of either of claim 11 or 12, wherein said electrode is removably coupled to said electrode mounting formation.

17. A minimally invasive surgical instrument as claimed in claim 16, wherein the support base includes a generally planar outer surface and the axes are generally perpendicular relative to the generally planar surface.

12. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

an elongate shaft defining a working end;

an electrode mounting formation coupled to an electrode;

an electrical conductor electrically coupled to the electrode mounting formation, the conductor extending from the electrode mounting formation in a direction toward an opposed end of the shaft;

a wrist member having one end pivotally coupled to the working end of the shaft so as to enable angular displacement of the wrist member, the electrode mounting formation positioned at an opposed end of the wrist member; and

at least one elongate element operatively connected to the wrist member to cause angular displacement of the wrist member about the pivotal connection in response to movement of the elongate element, the elongate element extending from the wrist member toward the opposed end of the shaft, the elongate element comprising an electrical insulative material.

14. An end effector arrangement of a minimally invasive surgical instrument, the end effector arrangement comprising

a pulley portion;

and

a channel formation extending at least partially circumferentially around the pulley portion, the channel formation defining opposed flange formations, one of the flange formations having a diameter less than the other.

15. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

a shaft having a working end;

a wrist member mounted on the working end of the shaft and arranged to have at least one degree of freedom of movement;

at least one elongate element operatively connected to the wrist member to cause movement of the wrist member in response to a force applied to the elongate element, the elongate element having a relatively bendable portion in a region of the wrist member, and a relatively rigid portion in a region of the shaft.

16. A minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising

a shaft having a working end;

an end effector mounting formation positioned at the working end of the shaft and arranged to be angularly displaceable about at least two axes;

elongate elements connected to the end effector mounting formation to cause selective pivotal movement of the end effector mounting formation about the axes in response to selective pulling of the elongate elements;

a support base positioned on an opposed end of the shaft;

at least three spools angularly displaceably mounted on the support base and to which opposed ends of the elongate elements are connected so that selective angular displacement of the spools causes the selective pulling of the elongate elements, the spools having axes which are parallel and spaced apart relative to each other.