SEALS AND SEALING METHODS FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING AN ARTICULATED END EFFECTOR ACTUATED BY A DRIVE SHAFT

• US 20120209289A1
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Duque, Grant, Burbank, William, Dachs, Gregory W. II, Murphy, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,216,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2948 Sealing means, e.g. for sealing the interior from fluid entry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/32 with elastic sealings, e.g. O-rings

Abstract

Sealing assemblies and methods are disclosed for sealing a surgical instrument having an internal drive shaft subject to lateral displacement. A sealing assembly includes a rigid portion shaped to interface with an instrument shaft of the surgical instrument. A laterally oriented slot is open at a radially perimeter location and configured to receive an o-ring seal via the perimeter location. Apertures are disposed on opposing sides of the slot and open to the slot. The apertures are configured to receive the drive shaft there through and are larger than the drive shaft to accommodate lateral displacement of the drive shaft. The slot includes opposing internal sides spaced to interface with opposed axial surfaces of the o-ring seal. The seal inhibits axial transmission of an insufflated gas and/or bodily fluids while accommodating lateral displacement of the drive shaft.

Claims

1. A seal for a minimally-invasive surgical instrument having an internal drive shaft, the seal comprising:

a substantially rigid portion having an outer perimeter shaped to interface with an instrument shaft of the surgical instrument, the instrument shaft defining a shaft axis and the rigid portion is configured to receive an internal drive shaft mounted axially there through for rotation within the instrument shaft; and

a first slot oriented laterally to the shaft axis and first and second apertures configured to receive the internal drive shaft axially there through, the first and second apertures disposed on opposing sides of the first slot and opening to the first slot, the first slot open at a first radially perimeter location of the seal and configured to receive a first o-ring seal via the first perimeter opening, the first slot having opposing internal sides oriented laterally to the shaft axis and spaced to simultaneously interface with opposed axial surfaces of the first o-ring seal, the first and second apertures being larger than the internal drive shaft passing through the first and second apertures, respectively, so as to accommodate lateral displacement of the internal drive shaft relative to the instrument shaft while the internal drive shaft rotates and the first o-ring seal inhibits axial transmission of at least one of an insufflated gas or bodily fluids within the instrument shaft.

2. The seal of claim 1, wherein the first o-ring seal has a cross-sectional radius of sufficient magnitude so as to accommodate a range of lateral displacement of the internal drive shaft relative to the instrument shaft without having any portion of the opposed axial surfaces of the first o-ring seal move out of contact with the opposing internal sides of the first slot.

3. The seal of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a molded portion attached to the rigid portion and including the first slot.

4. The seal of claim 3, wherein molded portion comprises a fluoropolymer.

5. The seal of claim 4, wherein the molded portion consists essentially of the fluoropolymer.

6. The seal of claim 1, wherein the rigid portion is configured to splice first and second segments of the instrument shaft.

7. The seal of claim 6, wherein the rigid portion comprises distal and proximal radially peripheral portions that interface with and align the spliced first and second segments of the instrument shaft.

8. The seal of claim 3, wherein:

the rigid portion is configured to receive a second internal drive shaft mounted for rotation within the instrument shaft;

the seal includes a second slot oriented laterally to the shaft axis and includes third and fourth apertures disposed on opposing sides of the second slot and opening to the second slot, the second slot open at a second radially perimeter location of the seal and configured to receive a second o-ring seal via the second perimeter opening, the second slot having opposing internal sides oriented laterally to the shaft axis and spaced to simultaneously interface with opposed axial surfaces of the second o-ring seal; and

the third and fourth apertures are larger than the second internal drive shaft passing through the third and fourth apertures, respectively, so as to accommodate lateral displacement of the second internal drive shaft relative to the instrument shaft while the second internal drive shaft rotates and the second o-ring seal inhibits axial transmission of at least one of an insufflated gas or bodily fluids within the instrument shaft.

9. The seal of claim 8, wherein:

the rigid portion includes one or more apertures, each of which is configured to guide a cable or rod routed within the instrument shaft; and

the seal includes a molded portion attached to the rigid portion and including the first and second slots, the molded portion includes corresponding one or more additional apertures, each of which is undersized relative to the cable or rod to provide an interference fit seal for the cable or rod.

10. The seal of claim 3, wherein:

the rigid portion includes one or more apertures, each of which is configured to guide a cable or rod routed within the instrument shaft; and

the molded portion includes corresponding one or more additional apertures, each of which is undersized relative to the cable or rod to provide an interference fit seal for the cable or rod.

11. A method for sealing a minimally-invasive surgical instrument having an internal drive shaft against an insufflated gas and bodily fluids, the method including:

interfacing an o-ring seal with an external surface of an internal drive shaft mounted for rotation within an instrument shaft of a minimally-invasive surgical instrument, the instrument shaft defining a shaft axis;

interfacing opposed axial surfaces of the o-ring seal with opposing internal sides of a slot oriented laterally to the shaft axis; and

accommodating the internal drive shaft within apertures that are disposed on opposing sides of the slot and are open to the slot.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the apertures are larger than the internal drive shaft passing through the apertures so as to accommodate lateral displacement of the internal drive shaft relative to the instrument shaft while the internal drive shaft rotates and the o-ring seal inhibits axial transmission of at least one of an insufflated gas or bodily fluids within the instrument shaft.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the o-ring seal has a cross-sectional radius of sufficient magnitude so as to accommodate a range of lateral displacement of the internal drive shaft relative to the instrument shaft without having any portion of the opposed axial surfaces of the o-ring seal move out of contact with the opposing internal sides of the slot.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the slot is formed in a molded material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the molded material comprises a fluoropolymer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the molded material consists essentially of the fluoropolymer.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

interfacing a second o-ring seal with an external surface of a second internal drive shaft mounted for rotation within the instrument shaft;

interfacing opposed axial surfaces of the second o-ring seal with opposing internal sides of a second slot oriented laterally to the shaft axis; and

accommodating the second internal drive shaft within apertures that are disposed on opposing sides of the second slot and are open to the second slot.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the apertures are larger than the first and second internal drive shafts passing through the apertures so as to accommodate lateral displacement of the first and second internal drive shafts relative to the instrument shaft while at least one of the internal drive shafts rotates and the o-ring seals inhibit axial transmission of at least one of an insufflated gas or bodily fluids within the instrument shaft.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the o-ring seals has a cross-sectional radius of sufficient magnitude so as to accommodate a range of lateral displacement of the corresponding internal drive shaft relative to the instrument shaft without having any portion of the opposed axial surfaces of the o-ring seal move out of contact with the opposing internal sides of the corresponding slot.

20. A method including:

providing an internal drive shaft suitable for mounting within an instrument shaft of a minimally-invasive surgical instrument, the instrument shaft defining an axis;

sliding an annular sealing body radially inwardly into a slot of a valve seat within the instrument shaft so that resilient compression of the annular sealing body within the slot induces axial sealing engagement between the annular sealing body and the valve seat; and

sliding the internal drive shaft axially through an aperture of the annular sealing body so that resilient expansion of the annular sealing body around the internal drive shaft induces radial sealing engagement between the internal drive shaft and the sealing body such that the sealing body is configured to inhibit axial flow of at least one of bodily fluids or an insufflated gas within the shaft while accommodating rotation of the internal drive shaft, axial displacement of the internal drive shaft, and lateral displacement of the internal drive shaft within the instrument shaft.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising molding the valve seat to a metal body so that the aperture of the annular sealing body and the slot define molded sealing surfaces, the metal body having a cable apertures for axially receiving an actuation cable there through so as to laterally position the cable within the instrument shaft, the molded seat body having a cable sealing aperture providing an interference fit seal with the cable.