Multi-component telepresence system and method

• US 9,949,802 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2010
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• 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: Cooper, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Victor
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLM, JONATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/882,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20110028990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,778 Days
• Field of Search: 606130, 606205-208, 606 1, 600102, 242340, 242342, 2424868, 242611, 901 30- 32, 901 36, 901 38
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/506 using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph
• 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 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/13 the drapes entering the patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for performing robotically-assisted surgical procedures on a patient. In particular, a three-component surgical system is provided that includes a non-sterile drive and control component, a sterilizable end effector or surgical tool and an intermediate connector component that includes mechanical elements for coupling the surgical tool with the drive and control component and for transferring motion and electrical signals therebetween. The drive and control component is shielded from the sterile surgical site, the surgical tool is sterilizable and disposable and the intermediate connector is sterilizable and reusable. In this manner, the intermediate connector can be sterilized after a surgical procedure without damaging the motors or electrical connections within the drive and control component of the robotic system.

Claims

1. A robotic surgical system comprising:

a manipulator assembly including a manipulator arm having proximal and distal portions;

a surgical tool releasably coupleable to the distal end portion of the manipulator arm, the surgical tool configured to be driven by the manipulator arm in at least one degree of freedom, the surgical tool comprising a memory for storing a counter signal indicating a number of times the surgical tool is coupled to or decoupled from the manipulator arm, the distal portion of the manipulator arm configured to receive the counter signal from the surgical tool; and

a controller for controlling the manipulator assembly and the surgical tool, the controller configured to downgrade performance of the surgical system in response to the counter signal reaching a predetermined number;

the system further comprising a master device for accepting a physical movement input from an operator, the master device configured to provide a variable level of apparent backlash to the operator, the controller configured to downgrade the performance of the surgical system by increasing the apparent backlash.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a console indicating a status of the system, the system configured to display a warning signal on the console in response to the counter signal reaching a predetermined number.

3. The system of claim 1, the memory for storing configured to increment the number of times indicated by the counter signal each time the surgical tool is coupled to the manipulator arm.

4. The system of claim 1, the memory comprising an integrated circuit chip.

5. The system of claim 1, the controller configured to downgrade the performance of the surgical system by reducing the load deliverable by the system.

6. The system of claim 1, the surgical tool further comprising first circuitry configured to downgrade performance of the surgical instrument by preventing the drive assembly from driving the surgical instrument.