Redundant axis and degree of freedom for hardware-constrained remote center robotic manipulator

• US 10,143,525 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2016
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Schena, Bruce Michael, Devengenzo, Roman L., Ettinger, Gary C., Duval, Eugene F., Diolaiti, Nicola, Gomez, Daniel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): FENSTERMACHER, DAVID MORGAN
• Application Number:
  US15/058,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20160278871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• 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 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery

Abstract

A remote center manipulator for use in minimally invasive robotic surgery includes a base link held stationary relative to a patient, an instrument holder, and a linkage coupling the instrument holder to the base link. First and second links of the linkage are coupled to limit motion of the second link to rotation about a first axis intersecting a remote center of manipulation. A parallelogram linkage portion of the linkage pitches the instrument holder around a second axis that intersects the remote center of manipulation. The second axis is not coincident with the first axis. Third and fourth links of the linkage are coupled to limit motion of the fourth link to rotation about a third axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation. The third axis is not coincident with either of the first and second axes. Various combinations of hardware-constrained remote center of motion robotic manipulators with redundant mechanical degrees of freedom are disclosed.

Claims

1. A manipulator for articulating a surgical tool during surgery, the surgical tool including an elongate shaft, the shaft having a distal working end configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient through a remote center of manipulation, the manipulator comprising:

a mounting base configured to be supported in a fixed position and orientation relative to the patient;

a first link coupled with the mounting base to limit motion of the first link relative to the mounting base to rotation around a first axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation;

a second link coupled with the first link to limit motion of the second link relative to the first link to rotation around a second axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation, the second axis not being coincident with the first axis;

a third link coupled with the second link to limit motion of the third link relative to the second link to rotation around a third axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation; and

an instrument holder coupled with the third link and configured to couple with the surgical tool.

2. The manipulator of claim 1, wherein rotation of the first link relative to the mounting base rotates the second axis around the first axis.

3. The manipulator of claim 2, wherein the angle between the first axis and the second axis is between 10 degrees and 30 degrees.

4. The manipulator of claim 3, wherein the angle between the first axis and the second axis is approximately 15 degrees.

5. The manipulator of claim 2, wherein the second axis and the third axis are substantially perpendicular.

6. The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the first axis and the third axis are substantially parallel.

7. The manipulator of claim 6, wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially perpendicular.

8. The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the instrument holder is coupled with the third link to enable rotation of the instrument holder relative to the third link about a fourth axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation.

9. The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the instrument holder is operable to insert the surgical tool into the patient through the remote center of manipulation and withdraw the surgical tool from the patient through the remote center of manipulation.

10. A manipulator for articulating a surgical tool during surgery, the surgical tool including an elongate shaft, the shaft having a distal working end configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient through a remote center of manipulation, the manipulator comprising:

a mounting base configured to be supported in a fixed position and orientation relative to the patient;

a first link coupled with the mounting base to limit motion of the first link relative to the mounting base to rotation around a first axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation;

a second link coupled with the first link to limit motion of the second link relative to the first link to rotation around a second axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation, the second axis not being coincident with the first axis; and

an instrument holder coupled with the second link to enable rotation of the instrument holder relative to the second link about a third axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation.

11. The manipulator of claim 10, wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially perpendicular.

12. The manipulator of claim 11, further comprising a third link coupled between the mounting base and the first link to limit motion of the third link to rotation about a fourth axis intersecting the remote center of manipulation, the fourth axis not being coincident with the first axis.

13. The manipulator of claim 12, wherein rotation of the third link relative to the mounting base rotates the first axis around the fourth axis.

14. The manipulator of claim 13, wherein the angle between the first axis and the fourth axis is between 10 degrees and 30 degrees.

15. The manipulator of claim 14, wherein the angle between the first axis and the fourth axis is approximately 15 degrees.

16. The manipulator of claim 13, wherein the second axis and the fourth axis are substantially perpendicular.

17. The manipulator of claim 13, wherein the first axis and the fourth axis are substantially parallel.

18. The manipulator of claim 17, wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially perpendicular.

19. The manipulator of claim 10, wherein the instrument holder is operable to insert the surgical tool into the patient through the remote center of manipulation and withdraw the surgical tool from the patient through the remote center of manipulation.

20. A surgical manipulator comprising:

a mounting base, a first link, a second link, and a third link;

a first joint coupled between the mounting base and the first link, wherein the first joint rotates around a first axis;

a second joint coupled between the first link and the second link, wherein the second joint rotates around a second axis;

a third joint coupled between the second link and the third link, wherein the third joint rotates around a third axis; and

an instrument holder coupled to the third link, the instrument holder being configured to support a surgical tool comprising an elongate shaft, a center of motion being located on the shaft;

wherein the first, second, and third axes are unique from each other and intersect at the center of motion.

21. The surgical manipulator of claim 20, further comprising:

a fourth joint, wherein the fourth joint rotates around a fourth axis, the fourth axis being perpendicular to fifth axis that intersects the center of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first, second, and third axes.

22. The surgical manipulator of claim 20, further comprising:

a fourth joint, wherein the fourth joint rotates around a fourth axis, the fourth axis being perpendicular to a fifth axis that intersects the center of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the first, second, and third axes.