Endoscope stabilizer

• US 5,184,601 A
• Filed: 08/05/1991
• Issued: 02/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: John M. Putman
• Inventors: Putman, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Theatrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doyle, J.
• Application Number:
  US07/740,413
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/6, 128/20, 901/15-17, 901/23, 433/49, 433/77, 433/105, 433/106, 312/209, 606/45, 606/46
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00048 Constructional features of the display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00149 using articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/04 Foot-operated control means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/042 comprising an articulated arm

Abstract

A portable console includes a universal positioning arm for holding a surgical instrument such as an endoscope during a surgical procedure. Coarse adjustment of instrument elevation above an operating table is provided by a reversible drive motor which extends and retracts an upright support shaft from which the instrument is supported. Coarse adjustment of instrument X-Y position within the sterile zone above an operating table is provided by an articulate arm which is rotatably coupled to the upright support shaft. Fine adjustment of instrument position across the sterile zone is provided by a reversible drive motor which extends and retracts the instrument along the longitudinal axis of the support arm. Fine adjustment of instrument elevation is provided by a reversible drive motor which lifts and lowers the distal end of the support arm. The insertion orientation of the instrument is adjustable by a rotatable coupling. Coarse positioning is performed by actuation of console and arm-mounted switches, and fine positioning is performed by foot pressure applied to floor switches by the operating surgeon.

Claims

1. Freestanding surgical instrument support apparatus for use adjacent to a surgical operating table comprising, in combination:

a portable console having wheels for permitting rolling movement of the console from one station to another;

an upright support shaft movably mounted on said console for extension and retraction in elevation relative to said console;

a support arm coupled to the upright support shaft for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the upright support shaft;

a first extension arm movably mounted on said support arm for extension and retraction along the longitudinal axis of said support arm;

a second extension arm movably mounted on said first extension arm for extension and retraction along an axis transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of said first extension arm;

an instrument coupler movably mounted on said second extension arm for rotation about a fourth axis transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of said second extension arm;

electromechanical control means coupled to said upright support shaft, said support arm and said extension arms for controlling the rotational position of the support arm and the extension and retraction of the first and second extension arms; and

,

a floor switch control circuit coupled to said electromechanical control means for controlling the extension and retraction of said instrument coupler along the longitudinal axis of said support arm, and for controlling the extension and retraction of said instrument coupler in elevation with respect to support arm, said floor switch control circuit having electrical switches which may be actuated by foot pressure applied by a surgeon while said surgeon is performing a surgical procedure on a patient lying on the operating table.

2. Freestanding surgical instrument support apparatus for use adjacent to a surgical operating table comprising, in combination:

a portable console having wheels for permitting rolling movement of the console from a storage location to an operating table location;

an upright support shaft movably mounted on said console for extension and retraction in elevation relative to said console;

a support arm movably coupled to the upright support shaft for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the upright support shaft;

lock apparatus mounted on said support arm and releasably coupled to the upright support shaft for selectively locking the support arm in a fixed position on the upright support shaft and selectively releasing the support arm for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of the upright support shaft;

a second support arm movably mounted on the first support arm for extension and retraction along the longitudinal axis of the first support arm;

a first drive motor mounted on the first support arm, said first drive motor having a rotor shaft movably coupled to said second support arm for extending and retracting the second support arm along the longitudinal axis of the first support arm;

a third support arm movably mounted on the second support arm for extension and retraction along an axis transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the second support arm;

a second drive motor mounted on the second support arm, said second drive motor having a rotor shaft movably coupled to the third support arm for driving it in extension and retraction along said transverse axis;

first (up), second (down), third and (extend) and fourth (retract) pressure responsive on/off switches electrically coupled to the first and second drive motors for selectively energizing each drive motor in a forward rotation operating mode and a reverse rotation operating mode, whereby the longitudinal position of the second support arm can be adjusted by selectively actuating the extend and retract switches, and whereby the elevation of the third support arm can be adjusted by selectively actuating the up and down pressure responsive switches; and

,

said pressure responsive on/off switches being adapted for floor installation adjacent to an operating table whereby said switches can be actuated by foot pressure applied by a surgeon during the course of a surgical procedure being performed by said surgeon on a patient lying on the operating table.

3. A portable console assembly for selectively positioning and stabilizing an endoscope instrument during a surgical procedure comprising, in combination:

a portable console having side panels enclosing an internal storage compartment;

a video monitor mounted on said console for extension and retraction in elevation;

a support arm coupled to said console for extension and retraction in elevation;

a video processor supported on said console, said video processor having an input adapted for electrical connection to an endoscope instrument and having an output coupled to said video monitor;

a first extension arm movably mounted on said support arm for extension and retraction along the longitudinal axis of said support arm;

a first drive motor mounted on said support arm, said first drive motor having a rotor shaft movably coupled to said first extension arm for extending and retracted the first extension arm along the longitudinal axis of said support arm;

a second extension arm movably mounted on the first extension arm for extension and retraction along an axis transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first extension arm;

a second drive motor mounted on the first extension arm, said second drive motor having a rotor shaft movably coupled to the second extension arm for driving it in extension and retraction along said transverse axis; and

,

on/off switches electrically coupled to the first and second drive motors for selectively energizing each drive motor in a forward rotation operating mode and a reverse rotation operating mode.

4. A portable console assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said support arm includes a first support arm section and a second support arm section pivotally mounted on the first support arm section for rotation;

and,

brake apparatus mounted on said first support arm section and releasably coupled to the second support arm section for selectively locking the first and second support arm sections in a fixed angular position and for selectively releasing the second support arm section for rotational movement relatives to the first support arm section.

5. A portable console assembly as defined in claim 3, including:

an upright support shaft movably mounted on said console for extension and retraction in elevation relative to said console, said video monitor being mounted on said upright support shaft; and

,

a drive motor mounted on said console, said drive motor having a rotor coupled to said upright support shaft for extending and retracting said upright support shaft and video monitor in response to clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of said rotor shaft.

6. A portable console assembly as defined in claim 3, including:

an upright support shaft movably mounted on said console for extension and retraction in elevation relative to said console, said support arm being coupled to said upright support shaft; and

,

a drive motor mechanically coupled to said upright support shaft for extending and retracting said upright support shaft and support arm in elevation in response to forward and reverse operation of said drive motor.

7. A portable console assembly as defined in claim 3, including an upright support shaft movably coupled to said console and an electromechanical brake connected between the upright support shaft and said support arm, and including a release switch electrically coupled to said electromechanical brake for selectively locking and releasing said support arm with respect to said upright support shaft.

8. A portable console assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said console has a rectangular frame opening providing access to said internal storage compartment area, including first and second primary door panels pivotally connected by hinges to said console frame, said first and second primary door panels having first and second rectangular window openings, respectively, and having first and second transparent door panels overlying the window openings and pivotally connected by hinges to said first and second primary door panels, respectively, said first and second transparent door panels being operable independently of said first and second primary door panels for providing access to said console storage compartment space.

9. Surgical instrument support apparatus comprising, in combination:

a portable console having a universal positioning arm for holding a surgical instrument during a surgical procedure;

said universal positioning arm including proximal and distal support arm sections which are rotatably coupled together for folding movement relative to each other;

a clamp coupled to the distal support arm section for holding a surgical instrument;

a first reversible driver motor interposed between the clamp and the distal support arm section for extending and retracting the clamp along an axis substantially in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the distal support arm section;

a second reversible drive motor coupled between the distal support arm section and the clamp for extending and retracting the clamp along an axis which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the distal support arm section; and

,

a floor switch control circuit coupled to the reversible drive motors for operating the first and second reversible drive motors in forward and reverse rotation for producing extension and retraction of the clamp along the longitudinal axis of the positioning distal support arm section, and for producing extension and retraction of the clamp along said transverse axis, respectively.

10. Surgical instrument support apparatus for use in conjunction with a surgical operating table comprising, in combination:

a portable console;

an articulated support arm movably mounted in elevation on said console, said articulated support arm having a proximal support arm section and a distal support arm section;

a video display monitor having a viewing screen movably mounted in elevation on said console;

means coupled to said console and said articulated support arm for producing coarse position control of the elevation of said articulated support arm relative to said console;

a clamp coupled to the distal support arm section of said articulated support arm for holding a surgical instrument;

means coupled between the distal support arm section and said clamp for exercising fine position control of the extension and retraction of a surgical instrument held by said clamp along the longitudinal axis of said distal support arm section;

means coupled between the distal support arm section and said clamp for exercising fine position control of the elevation of said clamp and a surgical instrument held by said clamp relative to the elevation of said articulated support arm; and

,

a floor switch control circuit coupled to said position control means for controlling the extension and retraction of the clamp along the longitudinal axis of the distal support arm section, and for controlling the extension and retraction of the clamp in elevation with respect to the articulated support arm, said floor switch control circuit having electrical switches which may be actuated by foot pressure applied by a surgeon while observing said viewing screen.