APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN END-EFFECTOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20140276956A1
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Titan Medical Inc.
• Original Assignee: Titan Medical Inc.
• Inventors: SHVARTSBERG, Alexander, CRAINICH, Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 9,724,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22031 Gripping instruments, e.g. forceps, for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00991 Telescopic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0028 with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0078 actuated by cables
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/104 with cables, chains or ribbons

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling an end-effector assembly having a first working member and a second working member is provided. The apparatus includes a first set of at least one cable, a second set of at least one cable, a first pulley configured to guide the first set of at least one cable, a second pulley configured to guide the first set of at least one cable when the second pulley is in a first position, a third pulley configured to guide the second set of at least one cable, and a rotatable element rotatable about a first axis.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an end-effector assembly having a first working member and a second working member, the apparatus comprising:

a first set of at least one cable, the first set of at least one cable configured to control the first working member;

a second set of at least one cable, the second set of at least one cable configured to control the second working member;

a first pulley configured to guide the first set of at least one cable;

a second pulley configured to guide the first set of at least one cable when the second pulley is in a first position, and the second pulley configured to guide the second set of at least one cable when the second pulley is in a second position;

a third pulley configured to guide the second set of at least one cable; and

a rotatable element rotatable about a first axis, the rotatable element supporting the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley, and the first and second working members, and the rotatable element configured to move the second pulley between the first position and the second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pulley is configured to rotate about a first pulley axis, the second pulley is configured to rotate about a second pulley axis, and the third pulley is configured to rotate about a third pulley axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pulley axis, the second pulley axis, and the third pulley axis are spaced apart.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first pulley axis, the second pulley axis, and the third pulley axis are equidistant from the first axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first pulley axis, the second pulley axis, and the third pulley axis are rotatable about the first axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pulley, the second pulley, and the third pulley are configured to rotate in a first pulley plane.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first pulley plane is perpendicular the first axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third set of at least one cable, the third set of at least one cable configured to rotate the rotatable element about the first axis to adjust a rotation about the first axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotatable element comprises a ball portion, the ball portion configured to rotate in a socket.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotatable element comprises a cylindrical portion, wherein an axis of the cylindrical portion coincides with the first axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotatable element comprises an insulating material.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one set of at least one cable is electrically conductive, the at least one set of at least one cable configured to deliver an electrical current to at least one working member.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first pair of pulleys, the first pair of pulleys comprising the first pulley and a fourth pulley.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second pair of pulleys, the second pair of pulleys comprising the second pulley and a fifth pulley.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third pair of pulleys, the third pair of pulleys comprising the third pulley and a sixth pulley.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second pulley plane is perpendicular the first axis.

22. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotatable element comprises an insulating material.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first pulley and the fourth pulley are configured to rotate about the first pulley axis.

24. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a first pair of pulleys, the first pair of pulleys comprising the first pulley and a fourth pulley.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the second pulley and the fifth pulley are configured to rotate about the first pulley axis.

26. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a second pair of pulleys, the second pair of pulleys comprising the second pulley and a fifth pulley.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the third pulley and the sixth pulley are configuredto rotate about the third pulley axis.

28. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a second pair of pulleys, the second pair of pulleys comprising the second pulley and a fifth pulley.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the fourth pulley, fifth pulley and sixth pulley are configured to rotate in a second pulley plane.

30. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a second pair of pulleys, the second pair of pulleys comprising the second pulley and a fifth pulley.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the fourth pulley, fifth pulley and sixth pulley are configured to rotate in a second pulley plane.

14. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

21. A method for guiding cables, the method comprising:

guiding a first set of at least one cable between a first pair of pulleys and a second pair of pulleys such that the first set of at least one cable is in contact with at least one of the first pair of pulleys and the second pair of pulleys, the first set of at least one cable configured to control a first working member; and

guiding a second set of at least one cable between the second pair of pulleys and a third pair of pulleys such that the second set of at least one cable is in contact with at least one of the second pair of pulleys and the third pair of pulleys, the second set of at least one cable configured to control a first working member.