SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING ARTICULATION FORCES
First Claim
1. A system for a robotic surgical instrument, the system comprising:
- a control circuit;
a first motor and a second motor, both communicatively coupled to the control circuit;
a first articulation arm communicatively coupled to the first motor;
a second articulation arm communicatively coupled to the second motor; and
an end effector coupled to the first articulation arm via a first hinge and the second articulation arm via a second hinge;
wherein;
the control circuit is configured to cause the first motor to apply a first force to the first articulation arm;
the control circuit is configured to cause the second motor to apply a second force to the second articulation arm, wherein the second force is antagonistic to the first force such that the first and second forces apply counteracting forces at the end effector;
the first and second forces cause the end effector to articulate via the first and second hinges; and
the end effector is configured to articulate to a prescribed angle based on a ratio of magnitudes between the first force and the second force.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In some aspects, a control algorithm is provided for manipulating a pair of articulation arms configured to control an articulation angle of an end effector of a robotic surgical instrument. Other aspects of the present disclosure focus on the robotic arm system, including the pair of articulation arms coupled to the end effector and guided by independent motors controlled by a control circuit. Each of the articulation arms are designed to exert antagonistic forces competing against each other that are apportioned according to a ratio specified in the control algorithm. The ratio of the antagonistic forces may be used to determine the articulation angle of the head or end effector of the robotic surgical arm.
82 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for a robotic surgical instrument, the system comprising:
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a control circuit; a first motor and a second motor, both communicatively coupled to the control circuit; a first articulation arm communicatively coupled to the first motor; a second articulation arm communicatively coupled to the second motor; and an end effector coupled to the first articulation arm via a first hinge and the second articulation arm via a second hinge; wherein; the control circuit is configured to cause the first motor to apply a first force to the first articulation arm; the control circuit is configured to cause the second motor to apply a second force to the second articulation arm, wherein the second force is antagonistic to the first force such that the first and second forces apply counteracting forces at the end effector; the first and second forces cause the end effector to articulate via the first and second hinges; and the end effector is configured to articulate to a prescribed angle based on a ratio of magnitudes between the first force and the second force. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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2. (canceled)
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12. A method of a robotic surgical instrument comprising a control circuit, a first motor, a second motor, a first articulation arm, a second articulation arm, and an end effector, the method comprising:
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instructing, by the control circuit, the first motor to apply a first force to the first articulation arm; instructing, by the control circuit, the second motor to apply a second force to the second articulation arm, wherein the second force is antagonistic to the first force such that the first and second forces apply counteracting forces at the end effector; and causing the end effector to articulate to a prescribed angle via first and second hinges based on the first and second forces applied to the first and second articulation arms, respectively, and based on a ratio of magnitudes between the first force and the second force. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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13. (canceled)
Specification