Rigidly-linked articulating wrist with decoupled motion transmission

• US 8,845,681 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Grace, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Victor
• Application Number:
  US13/633,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20130030449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/130, 606/205, 606/208, 600/102, 744/900.3
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 Pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/75 Manipulators having means for prevention or compensation of hand tremors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20317 including electric motor

Abstract

The present invention is a device having a rigidly linked jaw that is decoupled from an articulating wrist. The device provides for articulating motion as well as actuation that may be used in grasping, cutting, suturing or the like.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end;

a jaw element;

coupled to rotate the jaw element about a rotation axis;

an actuation rod having a distal end coupled to actuate the jaw element about an actuation axis, the actuation axis being orthogonal to the rotation axis;

a hinge attached intermediate the articulation rod and the jaw element; and

a rack coupled to the jaw element, the rack further being coupled to the articulation rod, the rack configured to rotate in response to the articulation rod being driven, the rack being a cylindrical rack having a circumferential channel formed therein.

2. The instrument of claim 1, the actuation rod comprising a pin disposed at a distal end of the actuation rod, the instrument further comprising:

a rack driver pivotally attached to the housing, the rack driver comprising a rack channel fittingly receiving the pin of the actuation rod, the rack driver further having a distal end coupled to actuate the jaw element;

wherein the rack driver comprises a shoulder engaging the rack.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein at least one of the actuation rod and the articulation rod is removably attached to a corresponding actuator.

4. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a second jaw element, wherein the second jaw element is held stationary with respect to the jaw element.

5. The instrument of claim 1, the articulation rod and the actuation rod being provided interior to the housing.

6. A surgical instrument comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end;

a jaw element;

coupled to rotate the jaw element about a rotation axis;

an actuation rod having a distal end coupled to actuate the jaw element about an actuation axis, the actuation axis being orthogonal to the rotation axis;

the actuation rod comprising a pin disposed at a distal end of the actuation rod, the instrument further comprising;

a rack driver pivotally attached to the housing, the rack driver comprising a rack channel fittingly receiving the pin of the actuation rod, the rack driver further having a distal end coupled to actuate the jaw element.

7. A surgical instrument comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end;

a jaw element;

an articulation rod having a distal end coupled to rotate the jaw element about a rotation axis;

an actuation rod having a distal end coupled to actuate the jaw element about an actuation axis, the actuation axis being orthogonal to the rotation axis;

a hinge attached intermediate the articulation rod and the jaw element; and

a rack coupled to the jaw element, the rack further being coupled to the articulation rod, the rack configured to rotate in response to the articulation rod being driven;

the housing comprising longitudinal apertures at the distal end thereof.