ARTICULATING ROBOTIC PROBES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS INCORPORATING THE SAME, AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING SURGICAL PROCEDURES

• US 20190321111A1
• Filed: 12/19/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medrobotics Corp.
• Original Assignee: Medrobotics Corp.
• Inventors: Zubiate, Brett, Nunes, Nancy A., Darisse, Ian J., Mordente, Zackery, Castro, Michael S., Johnston, Gabriel, Calef, Thomas, Tully, Stephen, Daley, Eric, Cohen, David, Stand, Joseph A., Anderson, Bob, Kennedy, Kevin, Flaherty, R. Maxwell, Flaherty, J. Christopher
• Application Number:
  US16/225,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20190321111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00314 Separate linked members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2906 Multiple forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3447 Linked multiple cannulas
• 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 2034/306 Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/508 with releasable brake mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence

Abstract

In an articulating probe system, an articulating probe is constructed and arranged to articulate in at least one degree of motion and to transition between a flexible state and a rigid state, the articulating probe comprising a plurality of links between a proximal link and a distal link. The distal link of the articulating probe includes a side port constructed and arranged to receive a distal end of an elongate tool. A tool support is in communication with the articulating probe for supporting the elongate tool, the tool support including a tool tube that extends from the tool support at an intermediate portion to the side port of the distal link at a distal portion, the tool tube having a first flexibility in the intermediate portion and having a second flexibility in the distal portion; the second flexibility being greater in flexibility than the first flexibility.

Claims

1. An articulating probe system comprising:

an articulating probe constructed and arranged to articulate in at least one degree of motion and to transition between a flexible state and a rigid state;

a feeder assembly in communication with the articulating probe to apply forces on the articulating probe to cause the probe to articulate and to transition between the flexible state and rigid state;

a feeder cart on a plurality of wheels that allow manual movement of the cart in a horizontal direction; and

a feeder support arm that couples the feeder assembly to the feeder cart.