Surgical manipulator
First Claim
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1. A surgical manipulator, comprising:
- a) a base and a first right angle drive mechanism mounted on said base, a shoulder-roll drive mechanism located in said base for rotating said first right-angle drive mechanism about a shoulder-roll axis,said first right-angle drive mechanism including a first input pulley and a first output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said first input pulley, said first right-angle drive mechanism including a first bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said first input pulley and said first output pulley, a first drive mechanism coupled to said first input pulley for rotating said first input pulley about a first input axis wherein rotation of said first input pulley is translated into rotation of said first output pulley by said first bi-directional coupling mechanism about a shoulder-yaw axis which is substantially perpendicular to said first input axis;
a second right-angle drive mechanism coupled to said first output pulley of said first right angle drive mechanism, said second right-angle drive mechanism including a second input pulley and a second output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said second input pulley, said second right-angle drive mechanism including a second bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said second input pulley and said second output pulley,a second drive mechanism coupled to said second input pulley for rotating said second input pulley about a second input axis wherein rotation of said second input pulley is translated into rotation of said second output pulley by said bi-directional coupling mechanism about a shoulder-pitch axis which is substantially perpendicular to said first input axis;
b) a robotic upper arm being mounted at one end thereof to said second output pulley so that when said second output pulley is rotated, said robotic upper arm rotates about said shoulder-pitch axis, a third right-angle drive mechanism mounted in said robotic upper arm, said third right-angle drive mechanism including a third input pulley and a third output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said third input pulley, said third right-angle drive mechanism including a third bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said third input pulley and said third output pulley said third right-angle drive mechanism including a third drive mechanism coupled to said third input pulley for rotating said third input pulley about a third input axis, wherein rotation of said third input pulley about said third input axis is translated into rotation of said third output pulley by said bi-directional coupling mechanism about an elbow-pitch axis substantially perpendicular to said third input axis;
c) a robotic fore arm mounted on said third output pulley of said third right-angle drive mechanism so that when said third output pulley is rotated, said robotic fore arm rotates about said elbow-pitch axis, a fourth right-angle drive mechanism mounted in said robotic fore arm, said fourth right-angle drive mechanism including a fourth input pulley and a fourth output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said fourth input pulley, a fourth bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said fourth input pulley and said fourth output pulley, said fourth right-angle drive mechanism including a fourth drive mechanism coupled to said fourth input pulley for rotating the fourth input pulley about a fourth input axis, wherein rotation of said fourth input pulley about said fourth input axis is translated into rotation of said fourth output pulley by said bi-directional coupling mechanism about a wrist-pitch axis substantially perpendicular to said fourth input axis;
d) a robotic wrist mounted on said fourth output pulley of said fourth right-angle drive mechanism so that when said fourth output pulley is rotated, said robotic wrist rotates about said wrist-pitch axis, said robotic wrist including an actuation mechanism coupled to a wrist output shaft for rotating said robotic wrist output shaft about a wrist-roll axis; and
e) an end-effector mounted to said wrist output shaft, said end-effector including gripping means for releasably gripping a surgical tool wherein when said actuation mechanism is engaged said end-effector is rotated about said wrist-roll axis.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a surgical manipulator including a manipulator arm, an end-effector held by the robotic arm, surgical tools held by the end-effector and manipulator joints, particularly right-angle drive devices for transmitting rotational motion in one axis to a perpendicular axis.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A surgical manipulator, comprising:
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a) a base and a first right angle drive mechanism mounted on said base, a shoulder-roll drive mechanism located in said base for rotating said first right-angle drive mechanism about a shoulder-roll axis, said first right-angle drive mechanism including a first input pulley and a first output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said first input pulley, said first right-angle drive mechanism including a first bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said first input pulley and said first output pulley, a first drive mechanism coupled to said first input pulley for rotating said first input pulley about a first input axis wherein rotation of said first input pulley is translated into rotation of said first output pulley by said first bi-directional coupling mechanism about a shoulder-yaw axis which is substantially perpendicular to said first input axis; a second right-angle drive mechanism coupled to said first output pulley of said first right angle drive mechanism, said second right-angle drive mechanism including a second input pulley and a second output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said second input pulley, said second right-angle drive mechanism including a second bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said second input pulley and said second output pulley, a second drive mechanism coupled to said second input pulley for rotating said second input pulley about a second input axis wherein rotation of said second input pulley is translated into rotation of said second output pulley by said bi-directional coupling mechanism about a shoulder-pitch axis which is substantially perpendicular to said first input axis; b) a robotic upper arm being mounted at one end thereof to said second output pulley so that when said second output pulley is rotated, said robotic upper arm rotates about said shoulder-pitch axis, a third right-angle drive mechanism mounted in said robotic upper arm, said third right-angle drive mechanism including a third input pulley and a third output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said third input pulley, said third right-angle drive mechanism including a third bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said third input pulley and said third output pulley said third right-angle drive mechanism including a third drive mechanism coupled to said third input pulley for rotating said third input pulley about a third input axis, wherein rotation of said third input pulley about said third input axis is translated into rotation of said third output pulley by said bi-directional coupling mechanism about an elbow-pitch axis substantially perpendicular to said third input axis; c) a robotic fore arm mounted on said third output pulley of said third right-angle drive mechanism so that when said third output pulley is rotated, said robotic fore arm rotates about said elbow-pitch axis, a fourth right-angle drive mechanism mounted in said robotic fore arm, said fourth right-angle drive mechanism including a fourth input pulley and a fourth output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said fourth input pulley, a fourth bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said fourth input pulley and said fourth output pulley, said fourth right-angle drive mechanism including a fourth drive mechanism coupled to said fourth input pulley for rotating the fourth input pulley about a fourth input axis, wherein rotation of said fourth input pulley about said fourth input axis is translated into rotation of said fourth output pulley by said bi-directional coupling mechanism about a wrist-pitch axis substantially perpendicular to said fourth input axis; d) a robotic wrist mounted on said fourth output pulley of said fourth right-angle drive mechanism so that when said fourth output pulley is rotated, said robotic wrist rotates about said wrist-pitch axis, said robotic wrist including an actuation mechanism coupled to a wrist output shaft for rotating said robotic wrist output shaft about a wrist-roll axis; and e) an end-effector mounted to said wrist output shaft, said end-effector including gripping means for releasably gripping a surgical tool wherein when said actuation mechanism is engaged said end-effector is rotated about said wrist-roll axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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- 4. The surgical manipulator according to claim 0 wherein said shoulder-roll drive mechanism includes a spur-gear mechanism mounted in said base and including a pinion anti-backlash gear meshed with a driven gear, a motor for rotating said pinion gear which in turn rotates said driven gear and therefore the first right angle drive mechanism about a shoulder-roll axis, and including a motor brake.
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5. The surgical manipulator according to claim 0 wherein said end-effector includes
a main body portion including a frame having an interface configured to be attached to said robotic wrist, a tool-yaw motor mounted on said frame, a tool-actuation motor mounted on said frame, a tool holder mounted on said frame and being detachable therefrom, said tool holder being configured to hold said surgical tool, a tool-actuation mechanism mounted on said frame and being detachable therefrom, said tool-actuation mechanism being configured to engage a piston on said surgical tool, said tool-actuation mechanism being coupled to said tool-actuation motor, and a tool-yaw drive mechanism mounted on said frame and being detachable therefrom, said tool-yaw drive mechanism being coupled to said tool-yaw motor, wherein upon activation of said tool-yaw drive mechanism said surgical tool rotates about said tool-yaw axis and wherein upon activation of said tool-actuation mechanism said piston is linearly retracted or linearly extended with respect to said end-effector thereby activating a tool portion of said surgical tool.
- 11. The surgical manipulator according to claim 0 wherein said surgical manipulator is a first surgical manipulator, including at least a second surgical manipulators and configured to be structural mirror images of each other, said first surgical manipulator being configured for left handed operation and said at least a second surgical manipulator being configured for right handed operation to allow the surgical tools attached to respective end-effectors to be brought into closest proximity with each other in a surgical site on a patient.
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12. The surgical manipulator according to claim 0 wherein each right-angle drive mechanisms each include
a) a housing and wherein said drive mechanism includes a harmonic drive mounted on said housing and connected to said input pulley for rotation about said input axis; -
an output shaft being connected to said output pulley, said output pulley being mounted in said housing for rotation about said second rotational axis, said input and output pulleys being mounted in said housing and positioned with respect to each other such that a pre-selected angle is established between said input and output axes; each bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said input pulleys and said output pulleys comprising a cable drive mounted in said housing, said cable drive including, at least one flexible cable, said input and output pulleys each including at least one cable guide for receiving therein said at least one flexible cable, idler means for guiding said at least one flexible cable between said input and output pulleys, wherein when the input pulley rotates in one direction about said input axis of rotation, said at least one flexible cable pulls the output pulley and output shaft to rotate in one direction about said output axis, and when the input pulley rotates in the other direction about said input axis, said at least one flexible cable pulls the output pulley and output shaft to rotate in an opposite direction about said output axis.
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13. A surgical manipulator, comprising:
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a) a base and a first right-angle drive mechanism mounted on said base, a shoulder-roll drive mechanism located in said base for rotating said first right-angle drive mechanism about a shoulder-roll axis, said first right-angle drive mechanism including a first input pulley and a first output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said first input pulley, said first right-angle drive mechanism including a first bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said first input pulley and said first output pulley, a first drive mechanism coupled to said first input pulley for rotating said first input pulley about a first input axis wherein rotation of said first input pulley is translated into rotation of said first output pulley by said first bi-directional coupling mechanism about a shoulder-pitch axis which is substantially perpendicular to said first input axis; b) a robotic upper arm being mounted at one end thereof to said first output pulley so that when said first output pulley is rotated, said robotic upper arm rotates about said shoulder-pitch axis, a second right-angle drive mechanism mounted in said robotic upper arm, said second right-angle drive mechanism including a second input pulley and a second output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said second input pulley, said second right-angle drive mechanism including a second bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said second input pulley and said second output pulley, a second drive mechanism coupled to said second input pulley for rotating said second input pulley about a second input axis wherein rotation of said second input pulley is translated into rotation of said second output pulley by said second bi-directional coupling mechanism about a elbow-pitch axis which is substantially perpendicular to said second input axis; c) a robotic fore arm mounted on said second output pulley of said second right-angle drive mechanism so that when said second output pulley is rotated, said robotic fore arm rotates about said elbow-pitch axis, a third right-angle drive mechanism mounted in said robotic fore arm, said third right-angle drive mechanism including a third input pulley and a third output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said third input pulley, said third right-angle drive mechanism including a third bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said third input pulley and said third output pulley, a third drive mechanism coupled to said third input pulley for rotating said third input pulley about a third input axis wherein rotation of said third input pulley is translated into rotation of said third output pulley by said third bi-directional coupling mechanism about an wrist-pitch axis substantially perpendicular to said third input axis; d) a fourth right-angle drive mechanism mounted on said third output pulley of said third right-angle drive mechanism, said fourth right-angle drive mechanism including a fourth input pulley and a fourth output pulley mounted substantially perpendicular to said fourth input pulley, said fourth right-angle drive mechanism including a fourth bi-directional coupling mechanism for coupling said fourth input pulley and said fourth output pulley, a fourth drive mechanism coupled to said fourth input pulley for rotating said fourth input pulley about a fourth input axis and wherein rotation of said fourth input pulley is translated into rotation of said fourth output pulley by said fourth bi-directional coupling mechanism about a wrist-yaw axis substantially perpendicular to said fourth input axis; e) a robotic wrist mounted on said fourth output pulley of said fourth right-angle drive mechanism so that when said fourth output pulley is rotated, said robotic wrist rotates about said wrist-yaw axis, said robotic wrist including an actuation mechanism coupled to a wrist output shaft for rotating said robotic wrist output shaft about a wrist-roll axis; and f) an end-effector mounted to said wrist output shaft, said end-effector including gripping means for releasably gripping a surgical tool wherein when said actuation mechanism is engaged said end-effector is rotated about said wrist-roll axis. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification