Methods for Two-Piece End-Effectors of Robotic Surgical Tools

• US 20110167611A1
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Williams, Matthew R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,078,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/428
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3201 Scissors for biopsy A61B10/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00836 corrosion-resistant A61B2017/00853 takes precedence; preventing galvanic or electrolytic corrosion in prostheses A61F2210/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/146 Scissors
• 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 2090/035 preventing further rotation
• 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 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical tool having opposing jaws, the working element of the robotic surgical tool is made of a different material from the drive element of the robotic surgical tool. The two elements may be manufactured independently and assembled together at a later stage. The material comprising each element may thus have properties more appropriate to the function each element plays in the robotic surgical tool. For example, the metal selected to comprise the blade of a surgical scissor may be corrosion resistant and capable of being sharpened to a high degree.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A method of assembly of a robotic surgical instrument, the method comprising:

keying a first working element to a first drive element to form a first end effector;

positioning a first washer into an opening of a clevis positioning the first end effector in the opening of the clevis;

inserting a pivot pin into a first pin hole in the clevis, through pivot holes in the first washer, the first drive element and the first working element, and into a second pin hole in the clevis to pivotally couple the first drive element and the first working element together along a pivotal axis; and

coupling a first drive cable to the first end effector without swaging any material of the first end effector to avoid stress corrosion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein

the first working element has a first opening to receive a portion of a crimp of the first drive cable;

the first drive element has first and second prongs to receive the crimp and press on the first drive cable; and

the first drive cable is coupled to the first end effector by inserting the crimp of the first drive cable between the first and second prongs of the first drive element and into the first opening of the first working element and positioning the first drive cable in a groove around the first drive element in a track between the first working element and the first drive element.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein

the first drive element includes one or more drive dogs to be fitted into one or more drive holes of the first working element to key the first working element and the first drive element together to form the first end effector.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

prior to inserting the pivot pin,

keying a second drive element to a second working element to form a second end effector;

positioning the second end effector in the opening of the clevis between the first end effector and the clevis;

positioning a second washer into the opening between the clevis and the second end effector;

and coupling a second drive cable to the second end effector without swaging any material of the second end effector to avoid stress corrosion,

wherein the pivot pin is further inserted through pivot holes of the first and second washer, the first and second working elements, and the first and second drive elements to pivotally couple the first end effector and the second end effector to the clevis along the pivotal axis.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

insulating the first end effector from the clevis to apply electrical energy to the first working element.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

insulating the first and second end effectors from the clevis to apply electrical energy to the first and second working elements.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

prior to the keying, positioning, inserting, and coupling,

forming the first drive element using a first process with a first material suitable to the task of receiving a force and coupling it to the first working element, and

forming the first working element using a second process with a second material suitable to the task of performing work with the first working element.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

wherein the first working element is a scissor blade stamped out of Austenite stainless steel having an edge and a body, the edge being mechanically hardened and then sharpened by grinding and stropping.