Interchangeable surgical instrument

• US 7,901,399 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Brock, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Vy Q
• Application Number:
  US11/762,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/130, 606/181, 606/146, 600/102, 600/103, 600/117, 600/118, 600/141, 600/146, 700/275, 700/245, 744/906
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00362 Packages or dispensers for MIS instruments A61B2017/0479 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A robotic medical system comprises a medical instrument assembly having a retainer, a serial array of instruments disposed in the retainer, a chamber, and an instrument driver. The robotic medical system further comprises a user interface configured for generating at least one command signal, a drive unit coupled to the first mechanism, second mechanism, and instrument driver, and an electric controller configured, in response to the command signal(s), for directing the drive unit to linearly displace the array of instruments within the retainer, to displace a selected one of the instruments from the retainer into the chamber, and to distally advance the instrument driver within the chamber to engage the selected instrument.

Claims

1. A medical instrument assembly, comprising:

a retainer having a passage;

a serial array of instruments disposed in the retainer passage;

a chamber;

a first mechanism configured for displacing a selected one of the instruments from the retainer passage into the chamber;

an instrument driver configured for being distally advanced within the chamber to engage the selected instrument;

wherein the retainer has a lateral port, the chamber is in communication with the lateral port, and the first mechanism is configured for displacing the selected instrument through the lateral port into the chamber; and

wherein the retainer has a lateral opening opposite to the lateral port, and the first mechanism is configured for being displaced through the lateral opening to displace the selected instrument through the lateral port into the chamber.

2. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the chamber has a proximal opening through which the instrument driver is configured for being introduced.

3. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the instrument driver is configured for interlocking with the selected instrument.

4. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the instruments have differing functions.

5. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the instruments has an end effector.

6. The medical instrument assembly of claim 5, wherein the end effector is an articulating tool.

7. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second mechanism configured for linearly displacing the array of instruments within the retainer passage.

8. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising an outlet guide tube extending distally from the chamber, wherein the instrument driver is configured for displacing the engaged instrument from the chamber into the outlet guide tube.

9. The medical instrument assembly of claim 8, wherein the chamber has a distal opening in communication with the outlet guide tube.