Robotic surgical instruments with a fluid flow control system for irrigation, aspiration, and blowing

• US 20070016174A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Bailey, David, Mintz, David, Hoornaert, Dean, Millman, Paul, Larkin, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00203 with speech control or speech recognition
• 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 2090/506 using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/74 Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/743 by changing the cross-section of the line, e.g. flow regulating valves A61M1/7413 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/76 Handpieces specially for suction-irrigation A61M1/774, aspiration tips A61M1/84
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/003 Blowing gases other than for carrying powders, e.g. for inflating, dilating or rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2473 Valve comprising a non-deformable, movable element, e.g. ball-valve, valve with movable stopper or reciprocating element

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical instrument is provided for the control of flows of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site. The robotic surgical instrument may include a housing, a flow control system, a hollow tube, and one or more hose fittings. The housing to couple the instrument to a robotic arm. The flow control system mounted in the housing includes one or more controlled valves to control the flow of one or more fluids. The hollow tube has a first end mounted in the housing coupled to the flow control system. A second end of the hollow tube has one or more openings to allow the flow of fluids into and out of the surgical site. The hose fittings have a first end coupled to the flow control system and a second end to couple to hoses.

Claims

1. A robotic surgical instrument for control of flows of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site, the robotic surgical instrument comprising:

a housing to couple to a robotic arm;

a flow control system mounted in the housing, the flow control system including one or more controlled valves to control the flow of one or more fluids through the robotic surgical instrument;

a hollow tube having a first end mounted in the housing, the first end of the hollow tube coupled to the flow control system, and a second end of the hollow tube having one or more openings for placement in a surgical site to allow the flow of fluids there-in and there-out; and

one or more hose fittings each having a first end coupled to the flow control system, the one or more hose fittings having a second end to respectively couple to one or more hoses.

2. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein

the flow control system includes

a coupler having a first port coupled to the first end of the hollow tube, the coupler further having a second port and a third port, the coupler to couple the first port, the second port, and the third port together to flow fluids there-between;

a first controlled valve having a first port to couple to a first hose fitting and a second port coupled to the second port of the coupler, the first controlled valve to control the flows of a first fluid through the robotic surgical instrument in response to first control signals; and

a second controlled valve having a first port to couple to a second hose fitting and a second port coupled to the third port of the coupler, the second controlled valve to control the flows of a second fluid through the robotic surgical instrument in response to second control signals.

3. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein

the first control signals and the second control signals are generated by a master control console.

4. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein

the flow control system further includes

a third controlled valve having a first port to couple to a first hose fitting and a second port coupled to a fourth port of the coupler, the third controlled valve to control the flows of a third fluid through the robotic surgical instrument in response to third control signals.

5. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein

the first control signals, the second control signals, and the third control signals are generated by a master control console.

6. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein

the flow control system further includes

a first manual valve coupled in parallel with the first controlled valve, the first manual valve having a first port to couple to the first hose fitting and a second port coupled to a fourth port of the coupler, the first manual valve being manually actuated by hand to manually control the flows of the first fluid through the robotic surgical instrument, and

a second manual valve coupled in parallel with the second controlled valve, the second manual valve having a first port to couple to the second hose fitting and a second port coupled to a fifth port of the coupler, the second manual valve being manually actuated by hand to manually control the flows of the second fluid through the robotic surgical instrument.

7. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein

the first controlled valve and the second controlled valve each include a push arm, the push arm to be manually actuated by hand to manually control the respective flows of the first fluid and the second fluid through the robotic surgical instrument.

8. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein

the flow control system includes

a first hose coupled to a first one of the one or more hose fittings,

a first controlled pinch valve mounted in the housing, the first controlled pinch valve to rotate to a first position to pinch closed the first hose and to rotate to a second position to allow the first hose to flex open, the first controlled pinch valve to control the flows of a first fluid in response to first control signals,

a second hose coupled to a second one of the one or more hose fittings, and

a second controlled pinch valve mounted in the housing, the second controlled pinch valve to rotate to a first position to pinch closed the second hose and to rotate to a second position to allow the second hose to flex open, the second controlled pinch valve to control the flows of a second fluid in response to second control signals.

9. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein

the first control signals and the second control signals are generated by a master control console.

10. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein

each of the first controlled pinch valve and the second controlled pinch valve include a return spring to rotate to the first position to pinch closed the first hose and the second hose when the robotic surgical instrument is decoupled from the robotic arm.

11. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein

each of the first controlled pinch valve and the second controlled pinch valve include a handle to manually rotate the first controlled pinch valve and the second controlled pinch valve by hand to the second position.

12. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein

the flow control system includes

a three-dimensional solid valve body having

a first valve opening to receive a first rotatable valve,

a second valve opening to receive a second rotatable valve,

a first hollow passage between a first port of the first valve opening, a first port of the second valve opening and a port coupled to the first end of the hollow tube,

a second hollow passage between a second port of the first valve opening and a port coupled to a first one of the one or more hose fittings,

a third hollow passage between a second port of the second valve opening and a port coupled to a second one of the one or more hose fittings;

the first rotatable valve coupled into the first valve opening of the three-dimensional solid valve body, the first rotatable valve having a cylindrical shaft with a slanted channel to control the flow of fluids between the first port and the second port of the first valve opening; and

the second rotatable valve coupled into the second valve opening of the three-dimensional solid valve body, the second rotatable valve having a cylindrical shaft with a slanted channel to control the flow of fluids between the first port and the second port of the second valve opening.

13. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein

to seal the fluid flow in the solid valve body each of the first rotatable valve and the second rotatable valve include

a top circular seal coupled to the cylindrical shaft above the slanted channel,

a bottom circular seal coupled to the cylindrical shaft below the slanted channel, and a

slanted seal coupled to the cylindrical shaft substantially parallel with the slanted channel between the top circular seal and the slanted channel.

14. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein

the three-dimensional solid valve body further has

a third valve opening to receive a first manual control valve,

a fourth valve opening to receive a second manual control valve,

a fourth hollow passage between a first port of the third valve opening and the port coupled to the first end of the hollow tube,

a fifth hollow passage between a first port of the fourth valve opening and the port coupled to the first end of the hollow tube,

a sixth hollow passage between a second port of the third valve opening and the port coupled to the first one of the one or more hose fittings, and

a seventh hollow passage between a second port of the fourth valve opening and the port coupled to the second one of the one or more hose fittings;

the first manual valve coupled into the third valve opening of the three-dimensional solid valve body, the first manual valve having a manual actuator to manually control the flow of fluids between the first port and the second port of the third valve opening; and

the second manual valve coupled into the fourth valve opening of the three-dimensional solid valve body, the second manual valve having a manual actuator to manually control the flow of fluids between the first port and the second port of the fourth valve opening.

15. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein

each of the first manual valve and the second manual valve are trumpet valves including a manual push button extending from the housing to be manually controlled.

16. A method for a robotic surgical instrument, the method comprising:

providing a flow control system in a housing, the housing to couple to a robotic arm, the flow control system to control the flow of one or more fluids through the robotic surgical instrument;

mounting a first end of a hollow tube in the housing, a second end of the hollow tube to be inserted into a patient; and

coupling the first end of the hollow tube to the flow control system.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

coupling at least one hose fitting to the flow control system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

coupling at least one hose to the at least one hose fitting, the at least one hose and hose fitting to allow at least one fluid to flow therein to or from the flow control system.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein

the coupling of the first end of the hollow tube to the flow control system includes

providing a coupler between the hollow tube and the flow control system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

the coupler is a Y-branch fitting or a T-fitting.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein

the providing of the flow control system includes

forming a three-dimensional solid valve body having

a first valve opening to receive a first rotatable valve,

a second valve opening to receive a second rotatable valve,

first hollow passage between a first port of the first valve opening, a first port of the second valve opening, and a port coupled to the first end of the hollow tube,

a second hollow passage between a second port of the first valve opening and a port coupled to a first hose fitting,

a third hollow passage between a second port of the second valve opening and a port coupled to a second hose fitting;

coupling the first rotatable valve into the first valve opening of the three-dimensional solid valve body, the first rotatable valve having a cylindrical shaft with a slanted channel to control the flow of fluids between the first port and the second port of the first valve opening; and

coupling the second rotatable valve into the second valve opening of the three-dimensional solid valve body, the second rotatable valve having a cylindrical shaft with a slanted channel to control the flow of fluids between the first port and the second port of the second valve opening.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein

the providing of the flow control system further includes

for each of the first rotatable valve and the second rotatable valve,

coupling a top circular seal to the cylindrical shaft above the slanted channel,

coupling a bottom circular seal to the cylindrical shaft below the slanted channel, and

coupling a slanted seal to the cylindrical shaft substantially parallel with the slanted channel between the top circular seal and the slanted channel.