Remote center-of-motion robot for surgery
First Claim
1. A manipulator apparatus, for assisting surgery, comprising:
- a rotational joint that permits a first direction of revolute motion about a first axis;
a linkage comprising rigid linkage elements connected by two or more pivots with a second direction of revolute motion about the two or more pivots, the pivots having rotating axes parallel to one another, one or more of the two or more pivots being distal attachment pivots and one or more of the two or more pivots being proximal attachment pivots, the axis of each pivot being perpendicular to the first axis and the linkage being connected to the rotational joint at one or more of the proximal attachment pivots, the rotational joint permitting the linkage to rotate about the first axis;
a linear actuator connected to the linkage at one or more of the distal attachment pivots, the linear actuator having a third axis being perpendicular to the pivot axes; and
a connection attached to the linear actuator for attaching a surgical instrument to the linear actuator, the instrument having an instrument axis adapted to be parallel to the third axis, the linear actuator for moving the instrument along the instrument axis to enter a patient at a work point on the patient,where the first axis and the third axis intersect at the work point, the work point being remote, at a first approximately fixed distance, from at least one proximal attachment pivot axis, the linear actuator modifying a second approximately fixed distance from the instrument to the work point and maintaining the instrument axis parallel to the third axis during a rotation in the first and second directions of revolute motion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus used to assist a surgeon in surgery is divided into two parts, proximal and distal. The apparatus has a number of rigid links which rotate about pivots to position and re-position an instrument, like a surgical instrument, at a work point proximal to a patient but remote from the apparatus. The links cooperate in a way to move the manipulator about a center-of-motion with orthogonally decoupled degrees of freedom resolved at the work point.
The proximal part of the apparatus is adjustably fixed to a stationary object, like an operating table, while the distal part of the apparatus holds the instrument. Certain links which can be adjusted in length, move the distal part with respect to the proximal part of the apparatus. In this manner, the work point of the manipulator and the working radius of the apparatus are changed without moving the proximal part. Actuators, manual or remotely (computer) controlled, both rotate the links about their pivots and adjust the length of the adjustable links. All the actuators can be mounted on the proximal part of the apparatus and electrically isolated from the manipulator in order to reduce the shock hazard to the patient.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A manipulator apparatus, for assisting surgery, comprising:
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a rotational joint that permits a first direction of revolute motion about a first axis; a linkage comprising rigid linkage elements connected by two or more pivots with a second direction of revolute motion about the two or more pivots, the pivots having rotating axes parallel to one another, one or more of the two or more pivots being distal attachment pivots and one or more of the two or more pivots being proximal attachment pivots, the axis of each pivot being perpendicular to the first axis and the linkage being connected to the rotational joint at one or more of the proximal attachment pivots, the rotational joint permitting the linkage to rotate about the first axis; a linear actuator connected to the linkage at one or more of the distal attachment pivots, the linear actuator having a third axis being perpendicular to the pivot axes; and a connection attached to the linear actuator for attaching a surgical instrument to the linear actuator, the instrument having an instrument axis adapted to be parallel to the third axis, the linear actuator for moving the instrument along the instrument axis to enter a patient at a work point on the patient, where the first axis and the third axis intersect at the work point, the work point being remote, at a first approximately fixed distance, from at least one proximal attachment pivot axis, the linear actuator modifying a second approximately fixed distance from the instrument to the work point and maintaining the instrument axis parallel to the third axis during a rotation in the first and second directions of revolute motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A manipulator apparatus, for assisting surgery, comprising:
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a rotational joint that permits a first direction of revolute motion about a first axis; a linkage comprising rigid linkage elements connected by two or more pivots, the linkage elements including a proximal element and a distal element, the proximal element having a first end connected to a first end of the distal element, a second end of the proximal element connected to the rotational joint at one or more proximal pivots of the two or more pivots thereby permitting the linkage to rotate about the first axis, a second end of the distal element connected to a linear actuator at one or more, distal pivots of the two or more pivots the linkage elements having a second direction of revolute motion about an axis of each pivot, each pivot axis being perpendicular to the first axis and the linear actuator having a third axis being perpendicular to the pivot axes; and a connection attached to the linear actuator for attaching a surgical instrument, the instrument having an instrument axis adapted to be parallel to the third axis, and the linear actuator for moving the instrument along its instrument axis to enter a patient at a work point; where the first axis and the third axis intersect at the work point, the work point being remote, at a first approximately fixed distance, from at least one proximal pivot, the linear actuator modifying a second approximately fixed distance from the work point and maintaining the instrument axis parallel to the third axis during a rotation in the first and second direction of revolute motion. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A manipulator apparatus, for assisting surgery, comprising:
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a rotational joint that permits a first direction of revolute motion about a first axis; an adjustable linkage comprising linkage elements connected by two or more pivots, the linkage elements including a proximal element and a distal element, the proximal element having a first end connected to a first end of the distal element, a second end of the proximal element connected to the rotational joint at one or more proximal pivots of the two or more pivots, thereby permitting the linkage to rotate about the first axis, a second end of the distal element connected to a holding means at one or more distal pivots of the two or more pivots, the linkage elements having a second direction of revolute motion about an axis of each pivot, each pivot axis being perpendicular to the first axis, holding means having a third axis being perpendicular to the pivot axes; and a connection attached to the holding means for attaching a surgical instrument, the instrument having an instrument axis adapted to be parallel to the third axis; where the first axis and the third axis intersect at a work point, the work point being at a remote position at a first approximately fixed distance from at least one proximal pivot, the holding means for moving the surgical instrument along the instrument axis; and
maintaining the instrument axis parallel to the third axis during a rotation in the first and second direction of revolute motion. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A manipulator apparatus for assisting surgery, comprising:
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a rotational joint with a first direction of rotation about a first axis; a linkage having linkage elements, the elements having a second direction of rotation about two or more pivots, one or more of the pivots being distal attachment pivots and one or more of the pivots being proximal attachment pivots, a rotating axis of each pivot being perpendicular to the first axis and the linkage being connected to the rotational joint at one or more of the proximal attachment pivots to permit rotation of the linkage about the first axis; a linear actuator connected to the linkage at one or more of the distal attachment pivots, the linear actuator having a third axis being perpendicular to the distal attachment pivot axes; a connection attached to the linear actuator for attaching a surgical instrument to the linear actuator, the instrument having an instrument axis adapted to be parallel to the third axis and adapted to pass through a work point; and a mounting means for connecting the manipulator apparatus to a fixed surgical structure, where the first axis and the third axis intersect at the work point, the work point being remote, at a first approximately fixed distance, from at least one proximal attachment pivot axis, the linear actuator modifying a second approximately fixed distance from the work point and maintaining the instrument axis parallel to the third axis during rotation in the first direction and second direction of revolute motion. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification