LENGTH CONSERVATIVE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- a surgical effector with at least N degrees of freedom, the surgical effector for manipulation of objects at a surgical site;
at least N+1 independently operable input controllers configured to control the surgical effector;
a reciprocal structure comprising at least one armature rotatable about a rotation shaft and a pair of differentials coupled to the armature, the differentials configured to rotate with the armature about the rotation shaft; and
a plurality of cables configured such that actuation of the input controllers manipulates the cables, the cables further configured such that;
at least one cable couples at least one input controller to the surgical effector such that manipulation of the at least one cable with the at least one input controller moves the surgical effector, andat least one cable couples the reciprocal structure to at least one of the input controllers such that manipulation of the at least one cable with the at least one input controller moves the reciprocal structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument is described that includes a surgical effector moving with N degrees of freedom for manipulation of objects at a surgical site during surgical procedures. The N degrees of freedom are manipulated by N+1 input controllers and a plurality of cables, the controllers and cables coupled to the surgical effector and configured to change the orientation of the surgical effector about the N degrees of freedom when actuated. In some embodiments, the N+1 input controllers and plurality of cables are further coupled to a pantograph, the pantograph configured to move in a reciprocal manner to the surgical effector when the input controllers and cables are actuated.
195 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a surgical effector with at least N degrees of freedom, the surgical effector for manipulation of objects at a surgical site; at least N+1 independently operable input controllers configured to control the surgical effector; a reciprocal structure comprising at least one armature rotatable about a rotation shaft and a pair of differentials coupled to the armature, the differentials configured to rotate with the armature about the rotation shaft; and a plurality of cables configured such that actuation of the input controllers manipulates the cables, the cables further configured such that; at least one cable couples at least one input controller to the surgical effector such that manipulation of the at least one cable with the at least one input controller moves the surgical effector, and at least one cable couples the reciprocal structure to at least one of the input controllers such that manipulation of the at least one cable with the at least one input controller moves the reciprocal structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 21)
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- 12. A surgical wrist that moves with at least N degrees of freedom, wherein at least one of N+1 surgical cables are coupled to each of at least N+1 independently operable input controllers, a reciprocal structure comprising at least one armature rotatable about a rotation shaft and a pair of differentials coupled to the armature, the differentials configured to rotate with the armature about the rotation shaft, and the surgical wrist, the independently operable input controllers configured to control motion of the wrist when actuated such that an inverse motion of the reciprocal structure occurs to conserve the length of the surgical cables.
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16. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
Specification