Selective additional control in a control console for surgical instruments

• US 8,638,057 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Goldberg, Randal P., Hanuschik, Michael, Millman, Paul, Zabinski, John W., Robinson, David, Mohr, Paul W., Nixon, Thomas R., Bailey, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masih, Karen
• Application Number:
  US13/356,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20120283745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 318/581, 318/432, 318/799, 901/32, 901/30, 901/34, 901/27, 901/28, 700/264
• US Class Current: 318/581
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20 Control lever and linkage systems

Abstract

A control console to remotely control medical equipment is disclosed having a base with an ergonomically adjustable pedal system. The base further has an opening to receive the pedal system. The pedal system includes a moveable pedal tray with a pedal base. The tray includes a first left pedal assembly and a first right pedal assembly, and an upper tier having a second left pedal assembly and a second right pedal assembly respectively in alignment with and elevated above the first left pedal assembly and the first right pedal assembly. Rollers are rotatable coupled to the moveable pedal tray to allow it roll over a floor. A drive assembly is coupled between the moveable pedal tray and the base. The drive assembly applies a force to the to roll the moveable pedal tray over the floor within the opening of the base.

Claims

1. A surgical robotic system comprising:

a master control arm; and

a grip assembly coupled near an end of the master control arm, the grip assembly including;

a central support element,

opposing grip elements mounted on the central support element, the opposing grip elements being configured to be operated by first and second digits of a hand to control a first function of a slave surgical instrument controlled by the master control arm, and

a first switch mounted on the central support element between the opposing grip elements, the first switch being mounted at a position that allows operation of the first switch by a third digit of the hand.

2. The surgical robotic system of claim 1, wherein:

the master control arm further includes a control input wrist to further control the slave surgical instrument with the hand.

3. The surgical robotic system of claim 1, wherein:

the first switch is a master control arm clutch feature control switch, and the master control arm clutch feature disengages the master control arm from control of the slave surgical instrument.

4. The surgical robotic system of claim 1, wherein:

the first switch is a master control arm mouse feature control switch, and the master control arm mouse feature is a three dimensional mouse that controls a pointer over a perceived three dimensional space displayed by a display device when the master control arm is disengaged from control of the slave surgical instrument.

5. The surgical robotic system of claim 1, wherein:

the first switch is a context based programmed control feature switch that controls a controllable feature of the slave surgical instrument in response to the type of slave surgical instrument being controlled.

6. The surgical robotic system of claim 1, further comprising:

an energy device;

wherein the slave surgical tool is an energy tool coupled to the energy device; and

wherein the first switch is an energy control switch, the controlled energy being supplied from the energy device to the slave surgical tool.

7. The surgical robotic system of claim 1, wherein:

the first switch is a tool control swap switch, the tool control swap being between the master control arm controlling the slave surgical tool and the master control arm controlling a second slave surgical tool.

8. The surgical robotic system of claim 1, wherein:

the first switch comprises a sliding switch.

9. The surgical robotic system of claim 8, wherein:

the sliding switch is spring loaded to return to a first position from a second position when released by the third digit.

10. A method of operating a surgical robotic system, comprising:

controlling a first feature of the surgical robotic system in response to a first kinematic movement of a master control arm grip assembly, the master control arm grip assembly including opposing grip elements, the first feature being movement of a first slave surgical instrument in response to the first kinematic movement of the master control arm grip assembly, the first slave surgical instrument including at least one component whose movement is controlled by the opposing grip elements; and

controlling a second feature of the surgical robotic system in response to activation of a switch of the grip assembly positioned near the opposing grip elements.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein

the second feature is clutching the master control arm grip assembly to prevent control of the first feature.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein

the second feature further includes control of a pointer in response to a second kinematic movement of the master control arm grip assembly, the pointer moving within a perceived three dimensional space displayed by a display device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein

the second feature is a controllable feature of the first slave surgical instrument, the controllable feature being determined in response to the type of slave surgical instrument being controlled by the master control arm grip assembly.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein

the second feature is movement of a second slave surgical instrument in response to a second kinematic movement of the master control arm grip assembly.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein

the second feature is a supply of energy to the first slave surgical instrument.

16. A surgical robotic system comprising:

a control console to remotely control medical equipment, the control console including

a base;

a display device coupled to the base;

a first master control arm pivotally coupled to the base, the first master control arm including a first master grip to remotely control with a first hand at least one robotic surgical instrument, the first master grip including a first sliding switch adapted to be controlled by a first digit of the first hand, the first sliding switch of the first master grip to selectively activate an additional control feature to remotely control medical equipment with the first hand; and

a second master control arm pivotally coupled to the base, the second master control arm including a second master grip to remotely control with a second hand at least one robotic surgical instrument.

17. The surgical robotic system of claim 16, wherein:

the first master grip further includes a second switch adapted to be controlled by a second digit of the first hand; and

the second master grip includes a first sliding switch adapted to be controlled by a first finger of the second hand and a second switch adapted to be controlled by a second digit of the second hand.

18. The surgical robotic system of claim 17, wherein:

the first sliding switch of the first master grip to further disengage the first master controller from controlling the at least one robotic surgical instrument with the first hand to reposition the first master controller; and

the first sliding switch of the second master grip to further disengage the second master controller from controlling the at least one robotic surgical instrument with the second hand to reposition the second master controller.

19. The surgical robotic system of claim 16, wherein:

the additional control feature includes one or more of

a multi-dimensional computer mouse over a multi-dimensional space displayed by the display device,

a context based programmed control feature determined in response to a context including a type of the at least one robotic surgical instrument,

selective activation of an energy device, and

selective swapping of tool control between a first robotic surgical tool mounted to a first slave arm and a second robotic surgical tool mounted to a second slave arm.