Instrument interface of a robotic surgical system

• US 9,439,732 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1996
• 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: Devengenzo, Roman L., Cooper, Thomas G., Orban, Joseph P. III, Schena, Bruce Michael, Loh, Alan E., Anderson, S. Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P
• Application Number:
  US13/960,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20130331858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 600/102, 606/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• 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 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/74 Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/00 Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges protective face masks A41D13/11; surgeon's or patient's gowns or dresses A41D13/12; devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body liquids A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/27 Arm part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 Tool

Abstract

An instrument interface of a robotic manipulator and a surgical system including the instrument interface are provided. In one embodiment, the instrument interface includes a spring-loaded input for providing axial load and torque to a sterile adaptor capable of operably coupling an instrument. In another embodiment, a robotic surgical manipulator system includes a manipulator assembly, including a base link operably coupled to a distal end of a manipulator arm, and a carriage link movably coupled to the base link along a lengthwise axis, the carriage link including an integrated instrument interface. The system further includes an instrument operably coupled to the carriage link via the instrument interface, and a processor operably coupled to the manipulator assembly for sensing presence of the instrument.

Claims

1. An instrument interface of a telesurgical manipulator, comprising:

an instrument input including

an elongated input bar having a length dimension greater than a width dimension, the elongated input bar adapted to transfer an axial load and torque to a sterile adaptor configured to operably couple an instrument;

a spring member defining a load axis extending therethrough and adapted to provide the axial load to the elongated input bar along the load axis, wherein the load axis of the spring member is oriented orthogonally to the length dimension of the elongated input bar;

an output pulley adapted to provide the torque to the input bar;

a shaft, extending through the spring member, the shaft being rigidly coupled to the elongated input bar and movably coupled to the output pulley; and

a slide unit coupled between the shaft and the output pulley, the slide unit adapted to transfer the torque from the output pulley to the shaft and adapted to translate axially along the shaft.

2. The instrument interface of claim 1, wherein the elongated input bar includes a projection extending along a projection axis for engaging the sterile adaptor to transfer the torque, wherein the projection axis intersects the elongated input bar between a distal end of the elongated input bar and the load axis.

3. The instrument interface of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes at least one spline engaged with the slide unit.

4. The instrument interface of claim 1 wherein the elongated input bar is coupled to an end of the shaft and a stop member is adjustably engaged with an opposite end of the shaft, wherein the stop member limits axial movement of the shaft relative to the output pulley.

5. The instrument interface of claim 1 wherein the instrument input is among a plurality of instrument inputs adapted to transfer axial load and torque to the sterile adaptor.

6. The instrument interface of claim 1 further comprising a spring-loaded plunger adapted to provide a preload to the sterile adaptor.

7. The instrument interface of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of electrical contacts that provide an electrical interface with the sterile adaptor.

8. A telerobotic surgical manipulator system, comprising:

a manipulator assembly, including;

a base link operably coupled to a distal end of a manipulator arm; and

a carriage link movably coupled to the base link along a lengthwise axis, the carriage link including an instrument interface including;

an instrument input including

an input bar adapted to transfer an axial load and torque to a sterile adaptor configured to operably couple an instrument;

a spring member adapted to provide the axial load to the input bar;

an output pulley adapted to provide the torque to the input bar;

a shaft that extends through the spring member, the shaft being coupled to the input bar and the output pulley; and

a slide unit coupled between the shaft and the output pulley and adapted to transfer the torque from the output pulley to the shaft.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the input bar includes a projection for engaging the sterile adaptor to transfer the torque.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the the shaft is rigidly coupled to the input bar and movably coupled to the output pulley.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the slide unit is adapted to translate axially along the shaft.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the shaft includes at least one spline engaged with the slide unit.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the input bar is coupled to an end of the shaft and a stop member is adjustably engaged with an opposite end of the shaft, wherein the stop member limits axial movement of the shaft relative to the output pulley.

14. The system of claim 8 further comprising a spring-loaded plunger adapted to provide a preload to the sterile adaptor.

15. The system of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of electrical contacts that provide an electrical interface with the sterile adaptor.

16. An instrument interface of a telesurgical manipulator, comprising:

an instrument input including

an elongated input bar having a length dimension greater than a width dimension, the elongated input bar adapted to transfer an axial load and torque to a sterile adaptor configured to operably couple an instrument;

a spring member defining a load axis extending therethrough and adapted to provide the axial load to the elongated input bar along the load axis, the spring member positioned on a first side of the elongated input bar;

a first projection and a second projection protruding from a surface of a second side of the elongated input bar, the first side and the second side being opposite sides of elongated input bar, and wherein the first projection and the second projection are offset from the load axis by different lengths to facilitate rotational alignment with a disc disposed in between the instrument input and an instrument; and

an output pulley adapted to provide the torque to the input bar.

17. The instrument interface of claim 16, wherein the first projection has a first projection axis and the second projection has a second projection axis, wherein at least one of the first projection axis and the second projection axis is not coaxial with the load axis.

18. The instrument interface of claim 17, wherein the first and second projections align with a first opening and a second opening, respectively, in the disc at a single rotational position.