MINIMALLY INVASIVE LAPAROSCOPIC SURGICAL PLIERS

• US 20120209315A1
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universitat Politecnica De Catalunya
• Original Assignee: Universitat Politecnica De Catalunya
• Inventors: Amat Girbau, Josep
• Granted Patent: US 9,700,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2903 transferring rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2939 Details of linkages or pivot points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms

Abstract

Laparoscopic surgical pliers include jaws mounted on a rotating body and first and second transmissions each including at least one tendon including several cables, and each transmission adapted to transmit movement of the jaws and the rotating body, respectively. The tendons of the first and second transmissions are each respectively formed of several cables arranged so that a cross-section of at least one tendon associated with the first transmission has a variable geometry therealong formed by a first arrangement in which the cables are arranged, in cross-section, with their longitudinal axes in a radial distribution, a second arrangement in which said axes are arranged in a first orientation, and a third arrangement in which said axes are arranged in a second orientation, perpendicular to the first orientation.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgical pliers comprising:

jaws mounted on a rotating body, a first transmission having at least one tendon adapted to transmit movement of the jaws and a second transmission having at least one tendon adapted to transmit movement of the rotating body, wherein said tendons of said first and second transmissions are each respectively formed by several cables that are arranged such that a cross-section of the at least one tendon associated with the first transmission has a variable geometry along its path through an interior of a main body.

12. Pliers as recited in claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional geometry of each tendon has a first arrangement in which the respective cables are arranged, in cross-section, with their longitudinal axes in a radial arrangement, a second arrangement in which the respective cables of each tendon are arranged, in cross-section, with their longitudinal axes in a distribution in a first orientation, and a third arrangement in which the respective cables of each tendon are arranged, in cross section, with their longitudinal axes in a second orientation, different from the first orientation.

13. Pliers as recited in claim 12, wherein said first and second orientations, of the second and third arrangements, respectively, form an angle of substantially 90°

to each other.

14. Pliers as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of said tendons is formed by at least three cables.

15. Pliers as recited in claim 11, wherein the jaws are adapted to be rotated about a first axis.

16. Pliers as recited in claim 11, wherein said rotating body can be rotated about a second axis.

17. Pliers as recited in claim 11 wherein the jaws are adapted to be rotated about a first axis and the rotating body is adapted to be rotated about a second axis, said first and second axes forming an angle of substantially 90°

to each other.

18. Pliers as recited in claim 11, wherein said rotating body comprises rotating drums that are respectively associated with said jaws.

19. Pliers as recited in claim 18, wherein said rotating drums are adapted to be operated independently each by a respective tendon of said first transmission.

20. Pliers as recited in claim 11, wherein the pliers comprise modules for changing orientation of the cables forming each tendon, each module being formed by a block within which an elongated channel is formed shaped to guide said cables of the corresponding tendon causing a rotation on its orientation.