SHIFTABLE DRIVE INTERFACE FOR ROBOTICALLY-CONTROLLED SURGICAL TOOL

• US 20120132450A1
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Timm, Richard W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 173/47
• 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 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0684 having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320068 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00314 Separate linked members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0688 Packages or dispensers for surgical staplers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 : characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 : flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 : the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2933 : camming or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2937 : with flexible part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 : for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320071 : with articulating means for working tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 : having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 : specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 : Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/36 : for collecting or disposing of used articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 : Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

A surgical instrument including an end effector that has a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein. The implement is selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto. An elongate shaft assembly is coupled to the end effector and is configured to transmit the rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to the reciprocatable implement from a robotic system that is configured to generate the rotary actuation motion and said rotary retraction motion.

Claims

1. A tool mounting device for coupling a surgical end effector configured to selectively perform at least two actions in response to control motions applied thereto to a tool drive assembly of a robotic system that is operatively coupled to a control unit of the robotic system, said tool mounting device comprising:

a tool mounting portion configured for operable attachment to the tool drive assembly of the robotic system;

an elongated shaft assembly having a proximal end portion operably supported on said tool mounting portion and a distal end portion operably interfacing with said surgical end effector to apply said control motions thereto; and

a transmission arrangement operably supported on said tool mounting portion such that when said tool mounting portion is attached to the tool drive assembly, said transmission arrangement is configured to operably receive a rotary output motion therefrom, said transmission arrangement communicating with the control unit of the robotic system and being responsive to actuation motions therefrom to move between first and second positions such that when said transmission arrangement is in said first position, an application of said rotary output motion thereto by said tool drive assembly causes a first one of said control motions to be applied to said surgical end effector through said elongated shaft assembly and when said transmission arrangement is in said second position, said application of said rotary output motion thereto by said tool drive assembly causes a second one of said control motions to be applied to said surgical end effector through said elongated shaft assembly.

2. The tool mounting device of claim 1 wherein the tool drive assembly of the robotic system comprises at least one rotatable drive element operably supported on a tool holder and wherein said tool mounting device further comprises an adapter portion operably attachable to the tool holder and said tool mounting portion for establishing an interface therebetween, said adapter portion operably supporting a rotatable adapter body configured to operably engage a corresponding one of the rotatable drive elements when the adapter portion is coupled to the tool holder, said tool mounting portion further comprising a rotatable driven element operably coupled to said transmission arrangement and configured to operably engage said rotatable adapter body when said tool mounting portion is coupled to said adapter portion.

3. The tool mounting device of claim 2 wherein the rotatable drive element has a pair of spaced drive pins that are configured to be received in corresponding first drive holes in the rotatable adapter body when said adapter portion is coupled to said tool holder.

4. The tool mounting device of claim 3 wherein said rotatable driven element has a pair of spaced driven pins protruding therefrom that are configured to be received in corresponding second drive holes in the rotatable adapter body when said tool mounting portion is coupled to said adapter portion.

5. The tool mounting device of claim 4 further comprising a releasable latch arrangement on said adapter portion for releasably coupling said adapter portion to the tool holder.

6. The tool mounting device of claim 1 wherein said transmission arrangement comprises:

a first control assembly operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly to apply said first control motion thereto;

a second control assembly operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly to apply said second control motion thereto; and

a transmission shifter assembly communicating with the control unit of the robotic system and configured to receive said rotary output motion from the tool drive assembly, said transmission shifter assembly configured to shift between first and second positions in response to control inputs from the control unit such that when said transmission shifter assembly is in said first position, said rotary output motion is applied to said first control assembly and when said transmission shifter assembly is in said second position, said rotary output motion is applied to said second control assembly.

7. The tool mounting device of claim 6 wherein said transmission shifter assembly comprises:

a shifter drive gear configured to receive said rotary output motion from the tool drive assembly when said tool mounting portion is coupled thereto;

a shifter shaft in meshing engagement with said shifter drive gear; and

a shifter driven gear mounted on said shifter shaft such that rotation of said shifter shaft rotates said shifter driven gear and wherein said shifter driven gear is selectively axially movable on said shifter shaft between said first position wherein said shifter driven gear is in driving engagement with said first control assembly and said second position wherein said shifter driven gear is in driving engagement with said second control assembly in response to said control inputs.

8. The tool mounting device of claim 7 wherein said shifter driven gear is selectively axially movable on said shifter shaft to an intermediate locked position wherein said shifter driven gear is in locking engagement with said first control assembly and said second control assembly to thereby prevent an application of said control motion to said surgical end effector.

9. The tool mounting device of claim 8 wherein said shifter driven gear is axially movable on said shifter shaft by a shifter solenoid communicating with the control unit and receiving said control inputs from the control unit of the robotic system.

10. The tool mounting device of claim 1 wherein said elongated shaft assembly has an articulation joint therein such that upon application of a first control motion to said surgical end effector, said surgical end effector articulates about a first tool articulation axis that is substantially transverse to a longitudinal tool axis defined by said elongated tool assembly.

11. The tool mounting device of claim 10 wherein said articulation joint is configured to enable said surgical end effector to pivot about a second tool articulation shaft upon application of another said control motion to said surgical end effector.

12. The tool mounting device of claim 11 wherein said surgical end effector comprises:

a surgical staple cartridge; and

an anvil selectively movable relative to said surgical staple cartridge between an open position and a closed position in response to a closure control motion applied thereto by said transmission arrangement.

13. The tool mounting device of claim 12 wherein said surgical end effector further comprises a cutting instrument that is axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to a firing motion applied thereto by said transmission arrangement.

14. A tool mounting device for coupling a surgical end effector capable of performing at least two actions in response to control motions applied thereto to a rotatable drive element that is operably supported on a tool holder of a robotic system that is operatively coupled to a control unit, said tool mounting device comprising:

a tool mounting portion operably supporting a rotatable driven element thereon, said rotatable driven element having a pair of spaced driven pins protruding therefrom;

an adapter portion operably attachable to the tool holder and said tool mounting portion for establishing an interface therebetween, said adapter portion operably supporting a rotatable adapter body having a first pair of drive holes therein configured to receive corresponding drive pins protruding from the rotatable drive element when the adapter portion is coupled to the tool holder, said rotatable adapter body further having a pair of driven holes therein for receiving said driven pins therein when said adapter portion is coupled to the tool mounting portion;

an elongated shaft assembly having a proximal end portion operably supported on said tool mounting portion and a distal end portion operably interfacing with said surgical end effector to apply said control motions thereto; and

a transmission arrangement operably supported on tool mounting portion and comprising;

a first control assembly operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly to apply said first control motion thereto;

a second control assembly operably interfacing with said elongated shaft assembly to apply said second control motion thereto; and

a transmission shifter assembly comprising;

a shifter drive gear operably coupled to said rotatable driven element for receiving said rotary output motion therefrom;

a shifter shaft in meshing engagement with said shifter drive gear; and

a shifter driven gear mounted on said shifter shaft such that rotation of said shifter shaft rotates said shifter driven gear and wherein said shifter driven gear is selectively axially movable on said shifter shaft between a first position wherein said shifter driven gear is in driving engagement with said first control assembly and a second position wherein said shifter driven gear is in driving engagement with said second control assembly; and

a shifter solenoid operably interfacing with said shifter driven gear to selectively move said shifter driven gear between said first and second positions in response to corresponding control inputs from the control unit of the robotic system.

15. The tool mounting device of claim 14 wherein said shifter driven gear is selectively axially movable on said shifter shaft to an intermediate locked position wherein said shifter driven gear is in locking engagement with said first control assembly and said second control assembly to thereby prevent an application of said control motion to said surgical end effector.

16. The tool mounting device of claim 14 wherein said elongated shaft assembly has an articulation joint therein such that upon application of a first control motion to said surgical end effector, said surgical end effector articulates about a first tool articulation axis that is substantially transverse to a longitudinal tool axis defined by said elongated tool assembly.

17. The tool mounting device of claim 16 wherein said articulation joint is configured to enable said surgical end effector to pivot about a second tool articulation shaft upon application of another said control motion to said surgical end effector.

18. The tool mounting device of claim 17 wherein said surgical end effector comprises:

a surgical staple cartridge; and

an anvil selectively movable relative to said surgical staple cartridge between an open position and a closed position in response to a closure control motion applied thereto by said transmission arrangement.

19. The tool mounting device of claim 18 wherein said surgical end effector further comprises a cutting instrument that is axially movable within said surgical staple cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to a firing motion applied thereto by said transmission arrangement.