Surgical instrument wrist
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- a shaft;
a link including a proximal end and a distal end, the link having a fixed pulley portion on the proximal end, the link being positioned to pivot on an axis fixed at a distal end of the shaft;
a surgical end effector coupled to the distal end of the link;
first and second idler pulleys positioned proximally of and adjacent to the link;
a first control cable that extends from the shaft, around the first idler pulley in a first circumferential direction, and around the fixed pulley portion of the link in a second circumferential direction that is generally opposite to the first circumferential direction; and
a second control cable that extends from the shaft, around the second idler pulley in the second circumferential direction, and around the fixed pulley portion of the link in the first circumferential direction.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A link is positioned to pivot at the distal end of a surgical instrument shaft. The link includes a pulley portion. A first control cable that pivots the link in one direction extends out of the surgical instrument shaft and crosses the width of the instrument in a first crossing direction. The first control cable is then routed around the pulley portion of the link in a first circumferential direction. Similarly, a second control cable that pivots the link in the opposite direction extends out of the surgical instrument shaft and crosses the width of the instrument in a second crossing direction. The second control cable is then routed around the pulley portion of the link in a second circumferential direction that is opposite the first circumferential direction.
174 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a shaft; a link including a proximal end and a distal end, the link having a fixed pulley portion on the proximal end, the link being positioned to pivot on an axis fixed at a distal end of the shaft; a surgical end effector coupled to the distal end of the link; first and second idler pulleys positioned proximally of and adjacent to the link; a first control cable that extends from the shaft, around the first idler pulley in a first circumferential direction, and around the fixed pulley portion of the link in a second circumferential direction that is generally opposite to the first circumferential direction; and a second control cable that extends from the shaft, around the second idler pulley in the second circumferential direction, and around the fixed pulley portion of the link in the first circumferential direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 21, 22)
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8. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a shaft; a link including a proximal end and a distal end, the link having a fixed pulley portion on the proximal end, the link being positioned to pivot on an axis fixed at a distal end of the shaft; a surgical end effector coupled to the distal end of the link; a first control cable that extends from the shaft, across a width of the instrument in a first crossing direction adjacent the fixed pulley portion of the link, and around the fixed pulley portion of the link in a first circumferential direction; and a second control cable that extends from the shaft, across the width of the instrument in a second crossing direction adjacent the fixed pulley portion of the link, and around the fixed pulley portion of the link in a second circumferential direction that is opposite the first circumferential direction. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23)
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16. A method of assembling a surgical instrument, comprising:
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positioning a link to pivot on an axis fixed at a distal end of an instrument shaft, the link having a proximal end and a distal end, the link including a fixed pulley portion on the proximal end; coupling a surgical end effector to the link; routing a first control cable from the instrument shaft, across a width of the instrument in a first crossing direction adjacent the fixed pulley portion of the link, and around the fixed pulley portion of the link in a first circumferential direction; and routing a second control cable from the instrument shaft, across the width of the instrument in a second crossing direction adjacent the fixed pulley portion of the link, and around the fixed pulley portion of the link in a second circumferential direction that is opposite the first circumferential direction. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification