Removable infinite roll master grip handle and touch sensor for robotic surgery

• US 6,587,750 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Gerbi, Craig Richard, Stern, John, Madhani, Akhil, Minami, Don, Hager, Bob, Guthart, Gary S., Duval, Eugene F., Salisbury, J. Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/964,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 700/57, 700/245, 700/247, 700/246, 700/255, 700/257, 700/248, 700/258, 700/264, 700/259, 700/251, 700/260, 600/102, 600/407, 600/427, 600/429, 600/424, 600/595, 606/1, 606/130, 606/139, 607/3, 607/9, 607/17, 128/897, 128/898, 128/923, 269/236, 269/297, 356/399, 379/88.14, 414/1, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.21, 318/568.25, 901/1
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/06 Details of their grip parts G05G1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/04737 with six degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An input device for robotic surgery mechanically transmits a grip signal across a first joint coupling a handle to a linkage supporting the handle. The handle is removable and replaceable, allows unlimited rotation about the joint, and may optionally include a touch sensor to inhibit movement of a surgical end effector when the hand of the surgeon is not in contact with the handle.

Claims

1. A surgical robotic input device comprising:

a handle actuatable by a hand of an operator so as to define a variable handle input, the handle being movable to define a movement input;

a structural member supporting the handle and pivotally engaging the handle at a joint so that the handle is rotatable about an axis relative to the member, the joint defining the axis;

an actuation indicator extending from the handle toward the structural member, the indicator moving relative to the member in response to the actuation input, at least a portion of the indicator moving coaxially with the axis when the handle is actuated; and

an input sensor supported by the structural member, the input sensor generating a signal in response to movement of the indicator relative to the member, the input signal being independent of rotation of the handle about the axis.

2. The surgical robotic input device of claim 1, wherein the handle is detachably mounted to the member.

3. The surgical robotic input device of claim 2, wherein the indicator detachably couples the handle to the sensor.

4. The surgical robotic input device of claim 3, wherein the indicator comprises a compression rod.

5. The surgical robotic input device of claim 4, wherein the compression rod has a proximal end adjacent the handle and a distal end adjacent the structural member, the rod having a distally oriented surface disposed adjacent the distal end, and further comprising a proximally oriented surface engageable with the distally oriented surface of the rod and coupled to the input sensor, the proximally oriented surface movable along the axis and biased toward a proximal position so as to maintain engagement between the sensor assembly and the rod and to bias the handle to an unactuated configuration.

6. The surgical robotic input device of claim 5, wherein the input sensor comprises a Hall effect sensor, and wherein the sensor assembly further comprises a magnet, a magnetic field of the magnet varying at the Hall effect sensor with the movement of the indicator.

7. The surgical robotic input device of claim 3, wherein the indicator comprises a tension element.

8. The surgical robotic input device of claim 7, wherein:

the tension element has a proximal end adjacent the handle and a distal end adjacent the structural member, the distal end of the tension element detachably coupling to a sensor actuator element; and

the sensor actuator element is movable along the axis and biased toward a distal position so as to maintain tension between the sensor actuator element and the tension element, so as to bias the handle to an un-actuated configuration.

9. The surgical robotic input device of claim 8, wherein the input sensor comprises a Hall effect sensor, and wherein the sensor assembly further comprises a magnet, a magnetic field of the magnet varying at the Hall effect sensor with the movement of the indicator.

10. The surgical robotic input device of claim 1, wherein the structural member is supported by a linkage so as to move with a plurality of degrees of freedom.

11. The surgical robotic input device of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a pair of first and second grip members separated by a variable space, the actuation input comprising a change of the separation space between the grip members.

12. The surgical robotic input device of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a pair of first and second grip members oriented at a variable angle to the axis, the actuation input comprising a change of the grip member orientation angle.

15. The surgical robotic input device of claim 1, wherein the handle can rotate about the axis continuously relative to the structural member without mechanical limitation.

13. A surgical robotic input device comprising:

a handle actuatable by a hand of an operator so as to define a variable handle input, the handle being movable to define a movement input;

a structural member supporting the handle so that the handle is rotatable about an axis relative to the member;

an actuation indicator extending from the handle toward the structural member, the indicator moving relative to the member in response to the actuation input, the handle and indicator define a fist modular handle assembly including a quick disconnect handle interface removably mounting the first assembly to the structural member;

an input sensor supported by the structural member, the input sensor generating a signal in response to movement of the indicator relative to the member, the input signal being independent of rotation of the handle about the axis; and

at least a second modular handle assembly including a quick-disconnect handle interface and mountable to the structural member in place of the first handle assembly.

14. The surgical robotic input device of claim 13, wherein:

the second handle assembly differs from the first handle assembly in at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of ergonomic shape, number of degrees of freedom, signal device, control button, touch sensor, and feedback mechanism.

16. A surgical robotic input device comprising:

a handle actuatable by a hand of an operator so as to define a variable handle input, the handle being movable to define a movement input;

a structural member supporting the handle so that the handle is rotatable about an axis relative to the member;

an actuation indicator extending from the handle toward the structural member, the indicator moving relative to the member in response to the actuation input;

an input sensor supported by the structural member, the input sensor generating a signal in response to movement of the indicator relative to the member, the input signal being independent of rotation of the handle about the axis; and

a touch sensor coupled to the handle, the touch sensor generating a touch signal in response to contact between the hand of the operator and the handle.

17. A surgical robotic apparatus for performing a surgical procedure on a patient body, the apparatus robotically moving a surgical end effector so as to effect the surgical procedure in response to movement of an input handle by a hand of an operator, the apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor system coupled to the handle, the touch system generating a first signal in response to coupling of the handle with the hand of the operator, the surgical robotic apparatus being enabled to an operative state in response to the first signal.

18. The surgical robotic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the surgical robotic apparatus is reconfigured to an alternate state when the touch system generates a second signal, the touch system generating the second signal in response to decoupling of the hand of the operator from the handle, the surgical robotic apparatus in the alternate state inhibiting movement of the end effector when the handle moves.

19. The surgical robotic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the touch system induces a vibration in the handle, and wherein the touch system senses coupling of the hand of the operator and the handle by measuring the induced vibration.

20. The surgical robotic apparatus of claim 19, wherein the touch system comprises at least one piezoelectric element.

21. The surgical robotic apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one piezoelectric element of the touch system comprises a piezoelectric transducer which vibrates the handle and which senses the induced vibration.

22. The surgical robotic apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one piezoelectric element of the touch system comprises a piezoelectric vibrator, the touch system further comprising a piezoelectric vibration sensor.

23. The surgical robotic apparatus of claim 21, wherein the touch system senses induced oscillation of the joint using a joint actuation sensor coupled to the joint.

24. The surgical robotic apparatus of claim 19, wherein the touch system oscillates a joint motor driving a joint supporting the handle.

25. The surgical robotic apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a display viewable by the system operator for directing the surgical procedure; and

a view sensor system, the view sensor system generating a third signal when the operator is viewing the display and a fourth signal when the operator is not viewing the display;

wherein the surgical robotic apparatus is enabled to the operative state in response to the third signal and is reconfigured to an alternate state in response to the fourth signal.

26. A method for controlling a robotic system, the robotic system including a first input handle, the handle being movable and actuatable by an operator'"'"'s hand, the method comprising:

inputting commands to the robotic system by;

moving the handle with the hand so as to articulate a pivotal joint of the system; and

by

actuating the handle with the hand so as to mechanically transmit an actuation signal across the joint to an actuation sensor of the system;

sensing movement of the handle by measuring articulation of the joint;

sensing actuation of the handle by measuring the mechanically transmitted actuation signal with the actuation sensor; and

moving an end effector in response to the measured articulation of the joint, and in response to the measured actuation signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the mechanically transmitting step comprises moving a compression rod coaxially with an axis of the joint.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the mechanically transmitting step comprises moving a tension element coaxially with an axis of the joint.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the handle movement input step is performed employing a handle support structure which can accommodate unlimited rotation of the handle about the axis.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

removing the first handle;

replacing the first handle with an alternative handle, and

moving the end effector in response to movement and actuation of the alternative handle.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing the alternative handle with at least one different characteristic than the first handle.

32. A robotic method comprising:

enabling a robotic apparatus to an operative state in response to coupling of a handle of the robotic apparatus with a hand of a system operator;

inputting commands to the robotic apparatus by moving the handle with the hand of the operator;

moving an end effector in response to the input commands; and

reconfiguring the robotic apparatus to an alternate state in response to decoupling of the hand of the operator from the handle, so as to inhibit inadvertent movement of the end effector.