RETROGRADE INSTRUMENT

• US 20110071508A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• 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, Duval, Eugene F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,551,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3447 Linked multiple cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2061 using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/306 Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• 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 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A minimally invasive surgical instrument includes a U-turn mechanism that transmits actuating forces around a U-turn. The U-turn mechanism is coupled between segments of the instrument and has a bend radius that is smaller than flexible arms having a similar cross section diameter. The actuating forces transmitted by the U-turn mechanism are used to move distal components of the instrument, such as an end effector and a wrist mechanism.

Claims

1. A minimally invasive surgical instrument assembly comprising:

a retrograde minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising;

a transmission mechanism;

a proximal body segment, wherein a proximal end of the proximal body segment is coupled to the transmission mechanism;

a distal body segment;

a component coupled to a distal end of the distal body segment; and

a U-turn mechanism coupled between the proximal and the distal body segments,

wherein the U-turn mechanism is dedicated to transmitting actuating forces from the transmission mechanism to the component, and

wherein the U-turn mechanism has a constant fixed shape so that a distance between a point where an actuating force enters the U-turn mechanism and a point where the actuating force exits the U-turn mechanism is unchangeable.

2. The instrument assembly of claim 1:

wherein the U-turn mechanism comprises a plurality of cable guide tubes.

3. The instrument assembly of claim 2:

wherein the cable guide tubes are substantially equal length.

4. The instrument assembly of claim 1:

wherein the U-turn mechanism comprises a single part having a plurality of channels.

5. The instrument assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a joint coupling the U-turn mechanism to the distal body segment.

6. The instrument assembly of claim 1:

wherein the distal body segment is substantially rigid and straight, and

wherein the U-Turn mechanism is fixedly attached to the distal body segment.

7. The instrument assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a guide tube comprising an interior channel though which the proximal body segment, the distal body segment, the component, and the U-turn mechanism of the retrograde minimally invasive surgical instrument pass.

8. The instrument assembly of claim 1:

wherein the component comprises a wrist assembly.

9. The instrument assembly of claim 1:

wherein the component comprises an end effector.

10. A method comprising:

transmitting actuating forces from a transmission mechanism through a U-turn mechanism that is dedicated to transmitting the actuating forces through a retrograde angle to a distal component of a minimally invasive surgical instrument, wherein the U-turn mechanism has a constant fixed shape so that a distance between a point where an actuating force enters the U-turn mechanism and a point where the actuating force exits the U-turn mechanism is unchangeable.

11. The method of claim 10:

wherein the transmitting actuating forces through the U-turn mechanism comprises moving tendons in a plurality of tendon guide tubes of the U-turn mechanism.

12. The method of claim 11:

wherein the moving tendons in the plurality of guide tubes further comprises moving the tendons in a plurality of tendon guide tubes of substantially equal length.

13. The method of claim 10:

wherein U-turn mechanism comprises a single fixed shape part.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting the actuating forces through a joint that couples the U-turn mechanism to a distal body segment of the surgical instrument.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein transmitting actuating forces through the U-turn mechanism to the distal component further comprises:

transmitting the actuating forces through a substantially rigid and straight distal body segment coupled between the U-turn mechanism and the distal component.

16. The method of claim 10:

wherein the transmitting actuating forces through the U-turn mechanism to the distal component comprises transmitting the actuating forces through the U-turn mechanism to a wrist assembly coupled between the U-turn mechanism and the distal component.

17. The method of claim 10:

wherein the transmitting actuating forces through the U-turn mechanism to the distal component comprises transmitting the actuating forces through the U-turn mechanism to an end effector.

18. The method of claim 10:

wherein the retrograde angle is about 180 degrees.

19. A surgical instrument assembly comprising:

a transmission mechanism;

a distal component; and

a U-turn mechanism;

wherein the U-turn mechanism is coupled between the transmission mechanism and the distal component;

wherein the U-turn mechanism has a constant fixed shape; and

wherein the U-turn mechanism is dedicated to transmitting an actuating force from the transmission mechanism through a retrograde angle to the distal component.

20. The instrument assembly of claim 19:

wherein the distal component is selected from a group consisting of a wrist mechanism and an end effector.

21. The instrument assembly of claim 19:

wherein the retrograde angle is about 180 degrees.