Articulated surgical instrument for performing minimally invasive surgery with enhanced dexterity and sensitivity
First Claim
1. An articulated surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery comprising a support bracket, an elongate support member, a wrist mechanism, a surgical end effector, four actuators and four cables wherein:
- the four actuators are mounted on the support bracket;
the elongate support member has a proximal end and a distal end and a support axis running longitudinally along the elongate support member from the proximal end to the distal end;
the proximal end of the support member is coupled to the support bracket by a rotary joint for rotation about the support axis and a linear joint for reciprocal motion along the support axis;
the distal end of the support member is connected to the wrist mechanism;
the wrist mechanism supports the surgical end effector;
the surgical end effector comprises a first work member; and
the four actuators are coupled by the four cables to the wrist mechanism, the rotary joint and the linear joint such that selective actuation of the actuators operates to move the first work member of the surgical end effector about two orthogonal axes with two degrees-of-freedom relative to the support member, extend and retract the support member along the support axis relative to the support bracket and rotate the support member about the support axis relative to the support bracket and thereby move the first work member of the surgical end effector relative to the support bracket with four degrees-of-freedom.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An articulated surgical instrument for enhancing the performance of minimally invasive surgical procedures. The instrument has a high degree of dexterity, low friction, low inertia and good force reflection. A unique cable and pulley drive system operates to reduce friction and enhance force reflection. A unique wrist mechanism operates to enhance surgical dexterity compared to standard laparoscopic instruments. The system is optimized to reduce the number of actuators required and thus produce a fully functional articulated surgical instrument of minimum size.
2734 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An articulated surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery comprising a support bracket, an elongate support member, a wrist mechanism, a surgical end effector, four actuators and four cables wherein:
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the four actuators are mounted on the support bracket; the elongate support member has a proximal end and a distal end and a support axis running longitudinally along the elongate support member from the proximal end to the distal end; the proximal end of the support member is coupled to the support bracket by a rotary joint for rotation about the support axis and a linear joint for reciprocal motion along the support axis; the distal end of the support member is connected to the wrist mechanism; the wrist mechanism supports the surgical end effector; the surgical end effector comprises a first work member; and the four actuators are coupled by the four cables to the wrist mechanism, the rotary joint and the linear joint such that selective actuation of the actuators operates to move the first work member of the surgical end effector about two orthogonal axes with two degrees-of-freedom relative to the support member, extend and retract the support member along the support axis relative to the support bracket and rotate the support member about the support axis relative to the support bracket and thereby move the first work member of the surgical end effector relative to the support bracket with four degrees-of-freedom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An articulated surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery comprising:
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actuator means comprising four actuators for operating the articulated surgical instrument; support means fixed to the four actuators; a surgical end effector comprising a first work member for manipulating human tissues; wrist means coupled to the surgical end effector for moving the surgical end effector with two degrees-of-freedom; an elongate support member coupled to the wrist means for insertion of the surgical end effector into a patient through an aperture; rotary joint means disposed between the elongate support member and the support bracket for rotation of the elongate support member relative to the support bracket; linear joint means disposed between the elongate support member and the support bracket for extension and retraction of the elongate support member relative to the support bracket; cable drive means coupled between the actuator means and the wrist means, the rotary joint means and the linear joint means such that selective actuation of the actuator means operates to move the first work member of the surgical end effector relative to the elongate support member with two degrees-of-freedom, extend and retract the elongate support member relative to the support bracket means and rotate the support member relative to the support bracket means and thereby move the first work member relative to the support bracket means with four degrees-of-freedom. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating an articulated surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery comprising the steps of:
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providing an articulated surgical instrument which has a support bracket, an elongate support member having a proximal end, a distal end and a support axis running longitudinally from the proximal end to the distal end, a rotary joint disposed between the support member and the support bracket for rotation of the support member about the support axis relative to the support bracket, a linear joint disposed between the support member and the support bracket for extension and retraction of the support member along the support axis relative to the support bracket;
a surgical end effector for manipulation of human tissues and a wrist mechanism disposed between the end effector and the distal end of the elongate support member for providing pivotal motion of the end effector with two degrees-of-freedom;providing a cable drive system comprising first, second, third and fourth actuators coupled to respective first, second, third and fourth cables; inserting the distal end of the elongate support member through a small aperture to a surgical worksite inside a patient selectively operating the first, second, third and fourth actuators to drive the respective first, second, third and fourth cables to operate the wrist mechanism and move the end effector with two degrees-of-freedom relative to the support member; and manipulating human tissues with the end effector. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An articulated surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery comprising a plurality of actuators, a plurality of cables, a support bracket, an elongate support member, a wrist mechanism and a surgical end effector wherein:
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the elongate support member has a proximal end and a distal end and a support axis running longitudinally along the elongate support member from the proximal end to the distal end; the proximal end of the support member is coupled to the support bracket by one or more joints having X degrees-of-freedom of movement relative to the support bracket; the wrist mechanism couples the surgical end effector to the distal end of the support member providing Y degrees-of-freedom of movement of the end effector relative to the support member; the surgical end effector has one or more components having Z degrees of freedom of movement relative to one another; the motion about said each degree-of-freedom of movement is provided by an actuator and a cable; the number of actuators is equal to X+Y+Z; the number of cables passing through the elongate support member is no greater than Y+Z+2. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification