REMOTELY CONTROLLING AN ARTICULATING SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20110319911A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 2200 Corporation (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 2200 Corporation (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Conner, Craig, Doyle, Mark, Gennrich, David, Irwin, Curt, Jacquez, Jose, Magers, Corey, Skora, Brooke
• Application Number:
  US12/869,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20110319911A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00442 connectable to wrist or forearm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• 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 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback

Abstract

A surgical device for remotely controlling an articulating surgical instrument comprises an articulating surgical instrument, a control portion, and a slave portion. The control portion is configured for receiving motion inputs in a plurality of degrees of freedom from a human shoulder, arm, and hand and translating the motion inputs into one or more control signals for controlling motion of the articulating surgical instrument. The control signals are generated within the control portion and wherein at least one of the control signals comprises displacement of hydraulic fluid. The slave portion is coupled between the control portion and the articulating surgical instrument. The control portion is configured for moving the articulating surgical instrument in response to the one or more control signals.

Claims

11. A control portion of a device for remotely controlling an articulating surgical instrument, said control portion comprising:

a first set of controls configured for receiving motion inputs in first, second, and third degrees of freedom from a human shoulder, arm, and hand and translating one or more of said motion inputs in said first, second, and third degrees of freedom into one or more control signals for controlling one or more macro motions of a slave portion of said device which is couplable with an articulating surgical instrument of said device; and

a second set of controls coupled with said first set of controls and configured for receiving motion inputs in fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh degrees of freedom from said human shoulder, arm, and hand and translating one or more of said motion inputs in said fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh degrees of freedom into one or more control signals for controlling one or more micro motions of said articulating surgical instrument.

12. The control portion of claim 11, further comprising a clutch safety mechanism configured for temporarily disconnecting said first set of controls from said slave portion.

13. The control portion of claim 11, wherein said first set of controls comprises:

a first transmission configured for receiving said motion input in said first degree of freedom;

a first control cylinder coupled with said first transmission and configured for translating said motion input in said first degree of freedom into a first control signal, wherein said first control signal comprises displacement of hydraulic fluid;

a second transmission configured for receiving said motion input in said second degree of freedom;

a second control cylinder coupled with said second transmission and configured for translating said motion input in said second degree of freedom into a second control signal, wherein said second control signal comprises displacement of hydraulic fluid;

a third transmission configured for receiving said motion input in said third degree of freedom; and

a third control cylinder coupled with said third transmission and configured for translating said motion input in said third degree of freedom into a third control signal, wherein said third control signal comprises displacement of hydraulic fluid.

14. The control portion of claim 13, wherein said second set of controls comprises:

a central frame assembly;

an arm holder assembly coupled to said central frame assembly; and

a grasper handle assembly coupled with said central frame assembly, said grasper handle assembly including a moveable trigger.

17. The control portion of claim 13, wherein said second set of controls comprises:

a central frame assembly;

a grasper handle assembly coupled with said central frame assembly, said grasper handle assembly including a moveable trigger; and

a thumbwheel coupled with said grasper handle assembly.

18. The control portion of claim 17, further comprising:

a fourth control cylinder coupled with said thumbwheel and configured for translating said motion input in said fourth degree of freedom into a fourth control signal of said one or more control signals, wherein said fourth control signal comprises displacement of hydraulic fluid.

19. A method of manipulating an articulating surgical instrument, said method comprising:

in response to movement along a first degree of freedom of a control portion of a device for remotely controlling an articulating surgical instrument, pivoting an articulating surgical instrument associated with said device about a pivot point, said articulating surgical instrument coupled with a slave portion of said device;

in response to movement of said control portion along a second degree of freedom, laterally swiveling said articulating surgical instrument about a shaft of said slave portion;

in response to movement of said control portion along a third degree of freedom, translating said articulating surgical instrument along a longitudinal axis of said articulating surgical instrument, wherein said longitudinal axis extends through said pivot point;

in response to rotation of an element of said control portion in a fourth degree of freedom, rotating said articulating surgical instrument about a primary axis of said articulating surgical instrument;

in response to pivoting of a grasper handle assembly of said control portion in a fifth degree of freedom, actuating a wrist bend motion in said articulating surgical instrument;

in response to rotation of said grasper handle assembly in a sixth degree of freedom, actuating a tip rotate motion in said articulating surgical instrument; and

in response to pivoting of a trigger of said grasper handle assembly in a seventh degree of freedom, actuating a tip grasp motion in said articulating surgical instrument.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said pivoting an articulating surgical instrument associated with said device about a pivot point comprises:

pivoting said articulating surgical instrument about said pivot point in response to displacement of hydraulic fluid generated in said control portion by said movement along said first degree of freedom.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said laterally swiveling said articulating surgical instrument about a shaft of said slave portion comprises:

laterally swiveling said articulating surgical instrument about said shaft in response to displacement of hydraulic fluid generated in said control portion by said movement along said second degree of freedom.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said translating said articulating surgical instrument along a longitudinal axis of said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

translating said articulating surgical instrument along said longitudinal axis in response to displacement of hydraulic fluid generated in said control portion by said movement along said third degree of freedom.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said rotating said articulating surgical instrument about a primary axis of said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

rotating said articulating surgical instrument about said primary axis in response to displacement of hydraulic fluid generated in said control portion by said rotation of said element in said fourth degree of freedom, wherein said element comprises a rotatable arm holder assembly.

24. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said rotating said articulating surgical instrument about a primary axis of said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

rotating said articulating surgical instrument about said primary axis in response to displacement of hydraulic fluid generated in said control portion by said rotation of said element in said fourth degree of freedom, wherein said element comprises a rotatable thumbwheel.

25. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said actuating a wrist bend motion in said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

actuating said wrist bend motion in said articulating surgical instrument in response to displacement of hydraulic fluid generated in said control portion by said pivoting of said grasper handle in said fifth degree of freedom.

26. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said actuating a tip rotate motion in said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

actuating said tip rotate motion in said articulating surgical instrument in response to displacement of hydraulic fluid generated in said control portion by said rotation of said grasper handle assembly in said sixth degree of freedom.

27. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said actuating a tip grasp motion in said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

actuating said tip grasp motion in said articulating surgical instrument in response to displacement of hydraulic fluid generated in said control portion by said pivoting of said trigger in said seventh degree of freedom.

28. A method of articulation control signal generation, said method comprising:

in response to movement along a first degree of freedom of a control portion of a device for remotely controlling an articulating surgical instrument, generating within said control portion a first control signal configured for controlling pivot of an articulating surgical instrument associated with said device about a pivot point external to an operating environment, said articulating surgical instrument coupled with a slave portion of said device;

in response to movement of said control portion along a second degree of freedom, generating within said control portion a second control signal configured for controlling lateral swivel of said articulating surgical instrument about a shaft of said slave portion, wherein said shaft is external to said operating environment;

in response to movement of said control portion along a third degree of freedom, generating a third control signal configured for controlling translation of said articulating surgical instrument along a longitudinal axis of said articulating surgical instrument, wherein said longitudinal axis extends through said pivot point;

in response to rotation of an element of said control portion in a fourth degree of freedom, generating within said control portion a fourth control signal configured for controlling rotation of said articulating surgical instrument about a primary axis of said articulating surgical instrument;

in response to pivoting of a grasper handle assembly of said control portion in a fifth degree of freedom, generating within said control portion a fifth control signal configured for controlling actuation of a wrist bend motion in said articulating surgical instrument;

in response to rotation of said grasper handle assembly in a sixth degree of freedom, generating within said control portion a sixth control signal configured for controlling actuation of a tip rotate motion in said articulating surgical instrument; and

in response to pivoting of a trigger of said grasper handle assembly in a seventh degree of freedom, generating within said control portion a seventh control signal configured for controlling actuation of a tip grasp motion in said articulating surgical instrument.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said generating within said control portion a first control signal configured for controlling pivoting of an articulating surgical instrument associated with said device about a pivot point external to an operating environment comprises:

generating said first control signal by translating said movement along said first degree of freedom into a first displacement of hydraulic fluid.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said generating within said control portion a second control signal configured for controlling lateral swivel of said articulating surgical instrument about a shaft of said slave portion comprises:

generating said second control signal by translating said movement along said second degree of freedom into a second displacement of hydraulic fluid.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said generating a third control signal configured for controlling translation of said articulating surgical instrument along a longitudinal axis of said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

generating said third control signal by translating said movement along said third degree of freedom into a third displacement of hydraulic fluid.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said generating within said control portion a fourth control signal configured for controlling rotation of said articulating surgical instrument about a primary axis of said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

generating said fourth control signal by translating said rotation of said element in said fourth degree of freedom into a fourth displacement of hydraulic fluid, wherein said element comprises a rotatable thumbwheel.

33. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said generating within said control portion a fourth control signal configured for controlling rotation of said articulating surgical instrument about a primary axis of said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

generating said fourth control signal by translating said rotation of said element in said fourth degree of freedom into a fourth displacement of hydraulic fluid, wherein said element comprises a rotatable arm holder assembly.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said generating within said control portion a fifth control signal configured for controlling actuation of a wrist bend motion in said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

generating said fifth control signal by translating said to pivoting of said grasper handle assembly in said fifth degree of freedom into a fifth displacement of hydraulic fluid.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein said generating within said control portion a sixth control signal configured for controlling actuation of a tip rotate motion in said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

generating said sixth control signal by translating said rotation of said grasper handle assembly in said sixth degree of freedom into a sixth displacement of hydraulic fluid.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein said generating within said control portion a seventh control signal configured for controlling actuation of a tip grasp motion in said articulating surgical instrument comprises:

generating said third control signal by translating said pivoting of said trigger in said seventh degree of freedom into a seventh displacement of hydraulic fluid.