Surgical tool systems and method

• US 10,136,954 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Norbert, Stevens, Robert, Salem, Hisham, Cheng, Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Truc M
• Application Number:
  US15/180,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20170354468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00212 using remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2046 Tracking techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3979 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/74 Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/065 comprising joy-sticks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/003 Multidirectional wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2200/26 Medical appliances

Abstract

Devices, Systems, and Methods for controlled movement of the robot system. The surgical robot system may include a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm. The robot may include a plurality of omni-directional wheels affixed to the robot base allowing multiple-axis movement of the robot. The robot may further include sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base and a control system responsive to the plurality of sensors for controlling the multiple-axis movement of the robot by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

Claims

1. A surgical robot system comprising:

a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm, the end-effector including a plurality of tracking markers detectable by at least one camera;

a plurality of omni-directional wheels affixed to the robot base allowing multiple-axis movement of the robot;

a plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base; and

a control system responsive to the plurality of sensors for controlling the multiple-axis movement of the robot by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

2. The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub.

3. The surgical robot system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of rollers are mounted at an angle relative to a central axis of the central hub.

4. The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the multiple axis movement is selected from the group consisting of:

movement in a plane;

movement in a 2-D coordinate system; and

three axis movement in a forward-backward direction, movement in a side direction and rotation about a defined axis perpendicular to the forward-backward and side directions.

5. The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are selected from the group consisting of a strain gauge, force-sensing resistor, a piezoelectric sensor, a piezo capacitive pressure sensor, a piezo resistor and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micro-scale strain gauge.

6. The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are mounted in left-and-right handles of the robot base.

7. The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are mounted in a joystick of the robot base, and wherein the desired movement is indicated by a movement of the joystick.

8. The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are operable to sense a desired front left wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in the forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in a side direction, a desired front right wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a rear right wheel force in a side direction and a rear right wheel force in a backward/forward direction.

9. The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a sensor array mounted in a planar configuration selected from the group consisting of a generally circular array, a generally elliptical array, a generally rectangular array and a generally square array.

10. The surgical robot system of claim 1, further comprising at least one motor under control of the control system for providing power to each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

11. The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tracking markers in the end-effector are active markers having an active state and an inactive state, the active state emitting an infrared signal detected by the at least one camera, and the inactive state not emitting the infrared signal such that the plurality tracking markers are not detected by the at least one camera.

12. The surgical robot system of claim 1, further comprising a surgical instrument having one or more tracking markers to be tracked by the robot system, the surgical instrument configured to be positioned in the end-effector in order to align the surgical instrument along a given trajectory for a surgical procedure.

13. A surgical robot system comprising:

a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm, the end-effector including a guide tube for receiving at least one instrument;

a plurality of omni-directional wheels attached to the robot base allowing three-axis movement of the robot in a general area of a plane;

a plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base; and

a control system responsive to the plurality of sensors for controlling the three-axis movement of the robot base by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

14. The surgical robot system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub.

15. The surgical robot system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement are selected from the group consisting of a strain gauge, force-sensing resistor, a piezoelectric sensor, a piezo capacitive pressure sensor, a piezo resistor and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micro-scale strain gauge.

16. The surgical robot system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of motors, one motor for each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels, each motor controlled by the control system for independently powering one of the plurality of omni-directional wheels.

17. The surgical robot system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sensors are operable to sense a desired front left wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in the forward/backward direction, a desired rear left wheel force in a side direction, a desired front right wheel force in a forward/backward direction, a rear right wheel force in a side direction and a rear right wheel force in a backward/forward direction.

18. The surgical robot system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a sensor array mounted in a planar configuration selected from the group consisting of a generally circular array, a generally elliptical array, a generally rectangular array and a generally square array.

19. A surgical robot system comprising:

a robot having a robot base and a robot arm coupled to the robot base;

a plurality of omni-directional wheels affixed to the robot base allowing multiple-axis movement of the robot;

a plurality of sensors for detecting a desired movement of the robot base; and

a control system responsive to the plurality of sensors for controlling the multiple-axis movement of the robot by actuating two or more of the plurality of omni-directional wheels;

wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a central hub with a plurality of rollers mounted to the central hub.

20. The surgical robot system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of rollers are mounted at an angle to a central axis of the central hub.