POSITIONING APPARATUS WITH LOCKABLE JOINTS AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20110015647A1
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Salisbury, J. Kenneth JR., Savall, Joan
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• 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 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/20 Ear surgery
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/0275 Universal joints, e.g. Hooke, Cardan, ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0004 Braking devices brakes in general F16D
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/10 Arrangements for locking

Abstract

A positioning system having a base, a manually movable end effector and a first joint interposed between the base and the end effector is disclosed. The first joint may comprise a proximal portion and a distal portion coupled together by magnetic attraction and configured to be intermittently separated by a pressurized gas cushion. The first joint may be configured to be changeable between a movable state and a fixed state. In the movable state, the proximal and distal portions are separated by the pressurized gas cushion and are movable relative to each other. In the fixed state, the proximal and distal portions contact each other and relative movement is thereby impeded.

Methods of precisely positioning an end effector may include providing a device having a base, a first joint located distally from the base, and an end effector located distally from the first joint. The first joint may have two portions separated by a gas cushion, the first joint allowing the end effector to be movable with respect to the base. The method may further comprise manually positioning the end effector, and removing the gas cushion to cause the two joint portions to contact each other, thereby locking the end effector in the precise location in which it was positioned.

Claims

1. A positioning system comprising:

a base;

a manually movable end effector; and

a first joint interposed between the base and the end effector, the first joint comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion coupled together by magnetic attraction and configured to be intermittently separated by a pressurized gas cushion, the first joint configured to be changeable between a movable state in which the proximal and distal portions are separated by the pressurized gas cushion and movable relative to each other in at least two degrees of freedom, and a fixed state in which the proximal and distal portions contact each other and relative movement is thereby impeded.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom comprise at least two rotational degrees of freedom.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first joint is a spherical joint.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the spherical joint is capable of movement in three degrees of rotational freedom.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured without a prime mover to position the end effector.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second joint interposed between the base and the end effector in series with the first joint.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the first and second joints comprises a separately interruptible pressurized gas cushion.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the second joint comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, and wherein the distal portion of the first joint is coupled to the proximal portion of the second joint by a rigid link.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the rigid link includes an internal channel in fluid communication with both the distal portion of the first joint and the proximal portion of the second joint.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least a second joint interposed between the base and the end effector in parallel with the first joint.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second joints are both spherical joints.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a sphere member that serves as a common proximal portion for the first and second joints.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least two parallel links interposed between the base and the end effector, wherein each of the parallel links comprises at least two joints, at least one of which is changeable between a movable state and a fixed state.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the end effector is configured with a lumen for slidably receiving an instrument.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a miniature endoscope instrument having a first portion configured to be precisely received within the end effector lumen and a second portion configured for entering a human cochlea.

16. A method of precisely positioning an end effector, the method comprising:

providing a device having a base, a first joint located distally from the base, and an end effector located distally from the first joint, the first joint having two portions separated by a gas cushion, the first joint allowing the end effector to be movable with respect to the base;

manually positioning the end effector; and

removing the gas cushion to cause the two joint portions to contact each other, thereby locking the end effector in the precise location in which it was positioned.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the manual positioning step comprising moving the end effector in at least two degrees of rotational freedom.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the two portions of the joint are mutually attracted by a magnetic force.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first joint is a spherical joint.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the device comprises a second joint located distally from the first joint and proximally from the end effector.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising positioning the end effector in a relatively coarse manner, removing the gas cushion from the first joint to lock in the relatively course position of the end effector, then positioning the end effector in a relatively fine manner, and then removing a gas cushion from the second joint to lock in the relatively fine position of the end effector.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of removably attaching the base of the device to a bone of a patient.