ATTACHMENT STRUCTURE FOR SECURING A ROBOT ARM TO A SUPPORT STRUCTURE

• US 20190308312A1
• Filed: 11/07/2017
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CMR Surgical Ltd.
• Original Assignee: CMR Surgical Ltd.
• Inventors: JACKSON, Thomas Bates, MARSHALL, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 11,154,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/571 for clamping a support arm to a bed or other supports
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 18/00 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0009 Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases

Abstract

An attachment structure for securing a robot arm to a support structure, the attachment structure comprising: a mount for mounting to the support structure; and a carrier for connecting to the base of the robot arm, the carrier comprising: a carrier rotational alignment feature for engaging a complementary robot arm base rotational alignment feature, a carrier axial alignment feature for engaging a complementary robot arm base axial alignment feature, and a locking mechanism moveable, once the robot arm base and the carrier are engaged, between an unlocked position which does not constrain the location of the robot arm base along an axis of the carrier, and a locked position which does constrain the location of the robot arm base along the said axis of the carrier relative to the carrier, wherein the locking mechanism is independent of the carrier rotational alignment feature and the carrier axial alignment feature such that the locking mechanism is not actuated during engagement of the carrier and the robot arm base.

Claims

1. An attachment structure for securing a robot arm to a support structure, the attachment structure comprising:

a mount for mounting to the support structure; and

a carrier for connecting to the base of the robot arm, the carrier comprising;

a carrier rotational alignment feature for engaging a complementary robot arm base rotational alignment feature,

a carrier axial alignment feature for engaging a complementary robot arm base axial alignment feature, and

a locking mechanism moveable, once the robot arm base and the carrier are engaged, between an unlocked position which does not constrain the location of the robot arm base along an axis of the carrier, and a locked position which does constrain the location of the robot arm base along the said axis of the carrier relative to the carrier, wherein the locking mechanism is independent of the carrier rotational alignment feature and the carrier axial alignment feature such that the locking mechanism is not actuated during engagement of the carrier and the robot arm base.

2. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of carrier rotational alignment features for engaging complementary robot arm base rotational alignment features, wherein the plurality of carrier rotational alignment features are rotationally asymmetric so as to only engage the complementary robot arm base rotational alignment features in one relative rotational configuration of the carrier and robot arm base.

3. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the carrier rotational alignment feature(s) are recesses for receiving corresponding projections of the robot arm base.

4. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein each recess comprises at least one protrusion for securing the robot arm base in the recess.

5. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the carrier rotational alignment feature(s) are roller bearings for being received in corresponding recesses of the robot arm base.

6. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of further carrier rotational alignment features for engaging complementary further robot arm base rotational alignment features.

7. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein each further carrier rotational alignment feature is a roller bearing having a rotation axis perpendicular to the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis, and having a roller surface configured to contact the further robot arm base rotational alignment feature so as to aid axial movement of the robot arm base against the carrier during engagement.

8. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the carrier comprises two sets of roller bearings, a first set arranged in a first annulus perpendicular to the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis, and a second set arranged in a second annulus perpendicular to the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis, the first and second annuli being separated in the direction of the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

9. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising rotational alignment indicators visible from the exterior of the carrier for indicating a relative orientation of the carrier and the robot arm base.

10. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of carrier axial alignment features for engaging complementary robot arm base axial alignment features.

11. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carrier axial alignment feature(s) are rings centred on the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis for engaging corresponding rings of the robot arm base.

12. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 11, comprising two rings centred on the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis, the two rings separated in the direction of the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

13. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 11 or 12, each ring comprising a flange for seating a corresponding robot arm base axial alignment feature.

14. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the locking mechanism is compressible between a compressed state in the unlocked position such that no force is applied to the robot arm base by the locking mechanism, and an uncompressed state in the locked position such that force compressing the robot arm base and carrier together is applied to the robot arm base by the locking mechanism.

15. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a collar rotatable about the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis, the collar being compressible in the direction of the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis between a compressed state in the unlocked position such that no force in the direction of the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis is applied to the robot arm base by the collar, and an uncompressed state in the locked position such that force in the direction of the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis compressing the robot arm base and carrier together is applied to the robot arm base by the collar.

16. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a wing compressible between a compressed state in the unlocked position such that no force transverse to the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis is applied to the robot arm base by the wing, and an uncompressed state in the locked position such that force transverse to the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis is applied to the robot arm base by the wing.

17. An attachment structure as claimed in any of claims 14 to 16, wherein, in the locked position of the locking mechanism, the carrier rotational alignment feature is immovable relative to the robot arm base rotational alignment feature and the carrier axial alignment feature is immovable relative to the robot arm base axial alignment feature.

18. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 15 or 17 when dependent on claim 15, wherein the face of the collar which contacts the robot arm base is shaped so as to increasingly bear down on the robot arm base as the collar is rotated from its unlocked position to its locked position.

19. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 18, wherein the face of the collar comprises an initial detent and a final detent located such that as the collar begins to be rotated from its unlocked position to its locked position the initial detent bears down on the robot arm base, and the collar reaches the locked position just after the final detent bears down on the robot arm base.

20. An attachment structure as claimed in any of claims 15 or 17 to 19, wherein the collar comprises an outer grip part and a compression part separated by a spring washer, all constrained to rotate together about the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

21. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 20 when dependent on claim 18 or 19, wherein the compression part comprises the face of the collar which contacts the robot arm base, and wherein the compression part moves relative to the outer grip part parallel to the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis as the collar is rotated between the unlocked position and the locked position.

22. An attachment structure as claimed in any of claims 14, 15 or 17 to 21, wherein the collar is rotatable about the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis between the unlocked position and an ejected position, the collar further comprising an ejection mechanism configured to apply force to the robot arm base in the direction of the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis prising the robot arm base and carrier apart as the collar is rotated from the unlocked position to the ejected position.

23. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 22, wherein the ejection mechanism comprises one or more wedge-shaped projections which engage one or more complementary robot arm base features.

24. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 23, wherein the one or more wedge-shaped projections engage a robot arm base rotational alignment feature.

25. An attachment structure as claimed in any of claims 14, 15 or 17 to 24, wherein the collar comprises a marking which is only visible in either the compressed state or the uncompressed state.

26. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carrier comprises a hollow opening configured to encompass the robot arm base when engaged.

27. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carrier comprises one or more carrier supporting feature for engaging one or more complementary robot arm base supporting feature.

28. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 27, wherein the carrier supporting feature comprises a groove on an interior surface of the carrier, the groove being in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the carrier.

29. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 28, wherein the groove comprises one or more detent for receiving a robot arm base supporting feature.

30. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carrier has a circular cross-section.

31. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the carrier is rigidly attached to the mount.

32. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mount comprises a mounting surface for interfacing a surface of the support structure, wherein the mounting surface is not perpendicular to the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

33. An attachment structure as claimed in claim 32, wherein the mounting surface is at an angle of 45°

to the carrier'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

34. An attachment structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mount comprises an aperture for enabling a cable connection to the robot arm base.

35. An attachment structure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 33, wherein the mount comprises electrical connectors configured to connect to the robot arm base and an external apparatus.

37. A surgical robot as claimed in claim 33, wherein the robot arm base comprises a plurality of robot arm base rotational alignment features for engaging complimentary carrier rotational alignment features, wherein the plurality of robot arm base rotational alignment features are rotationally asymmetric so as to only engage the complementary carrier rotational alignment features in one relative rotational configuration of the carrier and the robot arm base.

38. A surgical robot as claimed in claim 33 or 34, wherein the robot arm base rotational alignment feature(s) are roller bearings for being received in corresponding recesses of the carrier.

39. A surgical robot as claimed in claim 33 or 34, wherein the robot arm base rotational alignment feature(s) are recesses for receiving corresponding projections of the carrier.

40. A surgical robot as claimed in any of claims 33 to 36, wherein the robot arm base comprises a plurality of further robot arm base rotational alignment features for engaging complementary further carrier rotational alignment features.

41. A surgical robot as claimed in claim 37, wherein each further robot arm base rotational alignment feature is a raised flat surface configured to contact the further carrier rotational alignment feature so as to aid axial movement of the robot arm base against the carrier during engagement.

42. A surgical robot as claimed in any of claims 33 to 38, wherein the robot arm base comprises a plurality of robot arm base axial alignment features for engaging complementary carrier axial alignment features.

43. A surgical robot as claimed in claim 39, wherein the robot arm base axial alignment feature(s) are rings centred on the robot arm base'"'"'s longitudinal axis for engaging corresponding rings of the carrier.

44. A surgical robot as claimed in claim 40, comprising two rings centres on the robot arm base'"'"'s longitudinal axis, the two rings separated in the direction of the robot arm base'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

45. A surgical robot as claimed in claim 39 or 40, each ring comprising a flange for engaging a complementary flange of a corresponding carrier axial alignment feature.

36. A surgical robot comprising a robot arm base connected to an attachment for a surgical instrument via a series of articulated links, the robot arm base suitable for being secured to a support structure via a carrier, the robot arm base comprising:

a robot arm base rotational alignment feature for engaging a complimentary carrier rotational alignment feature; and

a robot arm base axial alignment feature for engaging a complimentary carrier axial alignment feature.

46. A surgical robot as claimed in any of claims 36 to 45, further comprising one or more robot arm base supporting feature for engaging complementary one or more carrier supporting feature.

47. A surgical robot as claimed in claim 46, wherein the robot arm base supporting features comprise spring roller bearings.