SURGICAL ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITH A ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEM

• US 20100030233A1
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitman, Michael P., Malinouskas, Donald
• Application Number:
  US12/499,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030233A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00371 Multiple actuation, e.g. pushing of two buttons, or two working tips becoming operational
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots

Abstract

A surgical attachment includes a surgical tool, an actuator configured to drive the surgical tool, and a power cell for providing electrical power to the actuator, the power cell being configured to accumulate stored electrical energy during an idle state of the actuator and to discharge at least a portion of the stored energy to power the actuator during a peak load of the actuator.

Claims

1. A surgical attachment, comprising:

a surgical tool;

an actuator configured to drive the surgical tool; and

a power cell for providing electrical power to the actuator, the power cell being configured to accumulate stored electrical energy during an idle state of the actuator and to discharge at least a portion of the stored energy to power the actuator during a peak load of the actuator.

2. The surgical attachment according to claim 1, wherein the surgical attachment is self-contained.

3. The surgical attachment according to claim 2, wherein the surgical attachment is removably mountable to a manipulation unit configured to position the surgical attachment in relation to a surgical procedure site.

4. The surgical attachment according to claim 3, wherein the mounting of the surgical attachment to the manipulation unit allows an electrical current to be transferred from the manipulation unit to the surgical attachment to provide electrical power to the actuator and to charge the power cell.

5. The surgical attachment according to claim 1, wherein the power cell is configured to be charged by a continuous electrical power source.

6. The surgical attachment according to claim 1, wherein the power cell is configured to output a current greater than the current of the continuous electrical power source during the peak load of the actuator.

7. The surgical attachment according to claim 1, wherein the power cell is configured to not provide any current to the actuator during the idle state of the actuator.

8. The surgical attachment according to claim 1, wherein the continuous electrical power source is configured to provide electrical power to the actuator during the idle state of the actuator.

9. The surgical attachment according to claim 1, wherein the continuous current source is configured to provide, along with the power cell, current to the actuator during the peak load of the actuator.

10. The surgical attachment according to claim 1, wherein the actuator includes an electric motor.

11. A robotic surgical system, comprising:

a surgical attachment including

a surgical tool,

an actuator configured to drive the surgical tool, and

a power cell for providing electrical power to the actuator, the power cell being configured to accumulate stored electrical energy during an idle state of the actuator and to discharge at least a portion of the stored energy to power the actuator during a peak load of the actuator

a manipulation unit configured to position the surgical attachment with respect to a surgical site; and

a control station configured to receive input from an operator and to exchange control signals with at least one of the manipulation unit and the surgical attachment.

12. The robotic surgical system according to claim 11, wherein the manipulation unit is configured to provide a continuous electrical power source to the surgical attachment.

13. The robotic surgical system according to claim 11, wherein the robotic surgical system includes multiple surgical attachments.

14. The robotic surgical system according to claim 13, wherein the surgical attachments include interchangeable power cells.

15. The robotic surgical system according to claim 11, further comprising a dock, the surgical attachment being selectively and releasably coupleable to each of the manipulation unit and the dock.

16. The robotic surgical system according to claim 15, wherein the dock is configured to provide electrical power to charge the power cell.

17. The robotic surgical system according to claim 15, wherein the dock is configured to allow data transfer between the control station and the surgical attachment when the surgical attachment is coupled to the dock.

18. The robotic surgical system according to claim 17, wherein the data includes a control signal from the control station to cause the surgical attachment to be actuated.

19. The robotic surgical system according to claim 17, wherein the control signal causes the surgical attachment to be actuated to a default position.

20. The robotic surgical system according to claim 17, wherein the data includes at least one of surgical attachment identification data, driver position data corresponding to a position of a driver of the surgical attachment, charge level data corresponding to the charge level of the power cell, and diagnostic data.