DETECTION OF USER TOUCH ON CONTROLLER HANDLE
Granted: May 2, 2024
Application Number:
20240138942
Implementations relate to detecting user touch on a controller handle. In some implementations, a non-controlling mode of a control system is activated, and in the non-controlling mode, one or more actuators are controlled to cause a vibration to be provided on a handle of a controller. The vibration is sensed with one or more sensors, and a difference in the vibration is determined to have occurred relative to a reference vibration using the one or more sensors, where the difference…
SURGICAL SYSTEM WITH OBSTACLE INDICATION SYSTEM
Granted: May 2, 2024
Application Number:
20240138937
A medical system includes a mobile cart configured to support one or more medical instruments; an illumination source mounted on the mobile cart, the illumination source configured to direct light in a direction of a path of the mobile cart during movement relative to a ground surface; and a control system operably coupled to the illumination source and the mobile cart. The control system is configured to in response to the illuminating, storing a threshold height in a memory; and…
STAPLER CARTRIDGE WITH AN INTEGRAL KNIFE
Granted: May 2, 2024
Application Number:
20240138835
Stapler cartridges and surgical apparatus that include a stapler cartridge can include a knife that retracts into the stapler cartridge after cutting stapled tissue to prevent an operator being cut by the knife during replacement of the used stapler cartridge with a new stapler cartridge. A stapler cartridge includes a staple pushing shuttle, a knife member slidably coupled with the staple pushing shuttle, and a cartridge body. The staple pushing shuttle is slidably coupled to the…
STAPLE CARTRIDGE FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: May 2, 2024
Application Number:
20240138834
The present disclosure provides a staple cartridge for a surgical instrument having a staple and a staple pusher. The staple pusher has a recess forming a pocket in its top surface for receiving at least the backspan of the staple. The pocket is at least partially surrounded by a circumferential supporting element in the staple pusher body to support the backspan. The pocket provides additional vertical space and support for the staple such that a smaller staple cartridge may provide a…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROL OF A SURGICAL SYSTEM
Granted: April 25, 2024
Application Number:
20240130812
Systems and methods are provided for control of a surgical system. Accordingly, haptic feedback is provided to an input device of the surgical system based on a force applied to an instrument of the surgical system. The instrument includes a force sensor unit that has a beam, a first strain sensor coupled to the beam, and a second strain sensor. A first signal is received from the first strain sensor and is associated with a deflection of the beam in response to an applied force. A…
COMPUTER-ASSISTED MEDICAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Granted: April 11, 2024
Application Number:
20240115335
A computer-assisted medical system includes a manipulator, an instrument holder physically coupled to the manipulator arm, and a controller that includes a computer processor. The instrument holder includes an instrument holder carriage configured to releasably couple to an instrument and translate the instrument along a longitudinal axis. The controller applies a signal that represents a movement for the instrument along the longitudinal axis to a filter to differentiate between a first…
TENSION CONTROL IN ACTUATION OF MULTI-JOINT MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS
Granted: April 11, 2024
Application Number:
20240115331
An instrument system includes actuators, an instrument, and a control system. The instrument includes joints and transmission systems that couple the joints with the actuators. A first joint is distal to a second joint, a first transmission system passes through the second joint to couple to the first joint, and a second transmission system couples to the second joint. The control system is programmed to determine a first tension to be applied by the first transmission system, determine…
SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH LOCKOUT MECHANISM
Granted: April 4, 2024
Application Number:
20240108343
Surgical instruments, such as clamping and cutting instruments, are provided. In one aspect, a surgical stapling instrument comprises first and second jaws and a drive member configured to move in a distal direction through at least one of the jaws. The instrument further includes a locking member movable between a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member, and a second position impeding distal translation of the drive member, and a switch movable from a proximal…
DEVICES AND METHODS FOR FORCE SENSING UNIT WITH SHAFT TRANSLATION AND ROLL
Granted: March 21, 2024
Application Number:
20240090959
A surgical instrument includes a support structure, a shaft, a shaft translation carriage including a shaft roll carrier, a shaft roll drive group, and a force sensor unit. The shaft comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and a shaft axis is defined by the proximal and distal ends. The shaft is coupled to the support structure by the shaft roll carrier. The shaft roll drive group is configured to rotate the shaft about the shaft axis and comprises a shaft roll driver, a shaft roll…
INSTRUMENT FLUSHING SYSTEM
Granted: March 21, 2024
Application Number:
20240090972
A medical instrument includes an instrument shaft with exit holes near a distal end of the shaft, a tool coupled to the distal end of the shaft, and a backend. The backend may include a mechanism that manipulates a drive element that extends through the shaft and couples to the tool, a fluid inlet, and a fluid channel assembly providing fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the proximal end of the shaft. Cleaning fluid is directed into the fluid inlet, through the fluid channel…
PRELOADED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT INTERFACE
Granted: March 21, 2024
Application Number:
20240090958
A surgical system includes a surgical instrument that is sensitive to backlash that would adversely affect the transmission of controlled torque and position to the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument is coupled to motors in a surgical instrument manipulator assembly via a mechanical interface. The combination of the mechanical interface and surgical instrument manipulator assembly have low backlash, e.g., less than 0.7 degrees. The backlash is controlled in the surgical…
HANDHELD TOOL EXTENDER
Granted: March 14, 2024
Application Number:
20240081943
A medical instrument includes a tool extender used to retain and move a tool relative to a flexible elongate device. The tool extender includes a slider that allows a user to move the tool relative to a flexible elongate device with one hand using a portion of the slider that is configured to be engaged and manipulated by the user's hand or fingers. A portion of the slider is attached to the tool shaft such that moving the slider moves the tool relative to the tool extender and to the…
INSTRUMENT PRESENCE AND ROTATIONAL OFFSET SENSING IN FLEXIBLE SYSTEM
Granted: March 14, 2024
Application Number:
20240081915
A medical system may include an elongated flexible body including a channel extending through the elongated flexible body. The elongated flexible body includes an articulable portion extending along at least a portion of a length of the elongated flexible body. The medical system may include an instrument configured to be received in the channel of the elongated flexible body, a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field within the channel, and a magnetic field…
ARTICULATION ASSEMBLIES FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
Granted: March 14, 2024
Application Number:
20240081824
The present disclosure provides a surgical instrument, such as a tissue sealing instrument, with an elongate shaft and an end effector movably coupled to the shaft with a joint or wrist assembly. The wrist assembly includes a first outer link, a second outer link, and an inner link. The first outer link is connected to the elongated shaft and movably coupled to the second outer link by the inner link. The inner link includes a pair of posts, and the first and second outer links each…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ORIENTING TOOLS WITHIN FLEXIBLE ELONGATED DEVICES
Granted: March 14, 2024
Application Number:
20240081628
A medical instrument includes a tool having a mating tool portion with a first set of angled flats and a flexible elongated body having a mating channel portion with a second set of angled flats. When the tool is inserted into a channel of the flexible elongated body, the first set of angled flats engages with the second set of angled flats. The first and second sets of angled flats may be configured such that the tool is oriented into one of a plurality of predetermined orientations…
MODIFIED ANIMAL ORGANS FOR USE IN SURGICAL SIMULATORS
Granted: March 7, 2024
Application Number:
20240078931
Modified animal tissues, organs, and organ systems for use in simulated surgical procedures are disclosed. The tissues, organs, and/or organ systems can be modified by enhancing their electrical conductivity, by including simulated contents mimicking what would normally be present in live animals, and by having fake blood perfusing through them. Portions of different tissues, organs, or organ systems, which can be from the same or different animals, can be adhered to provide…
SURGICAL INSTRUMENT PORTS CONFIGURED FOR USE WITH WOUND RETRACTORS, AND RELATED DEVICES AND METHODS
Granted: March 7, 2024
Application Number:
20240075272
A surgical port includes an end face comprising a channel extending through the end face, the channel having a cross section shaped to receive a surgical instrument cannula, and a lateral wall extending around a perimeter of the end face, the lateral wall and end face enclosing an open volume. An end portion of a wound retractor is received in the open volume of the surgical port and in engagement with an inner surface of the lateral wall, and the surgical port is configured to abut a…
SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS
Granted: February 29, 2024
Application Number:
20240065690
Surgical stapling instruments include mechanisms for identifying and/or deactivating stapler cartridges for use with the instruments. The stapling instrument includes a drive member for actuating a staple cartridge and a locking member movable from a disabled position permitting distal translation of the drive member through a staple firing stroke, to a locking position inhibiting distal translation of the drive member through the staple firing stroke. The staple cartridge may include a…
SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS OF CLEANING SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
Granted: January 25, 2024
Application Number:
20240024069
A cleaning device for a surgical instrument can include a body; at least one passage extending through the body from a first open end of the body to a second open end of the body. The first and second open ends and the at least one passage can be dimensioned to receive and guide a shaft of a surgical instrument during a cleaning procedure. At least one aperture in flow communication with a port and the at least one passage can define a cleaning fluid path from the port to the passage.
SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS OF CLEANING SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
Granted: January 25, 2024
Application Number:
20240024069
A cleaning device for a surgical instrument can include a body; at least one passage extending through the body from a first open end of the body to a second open end of the body. The first and second open ends and the at least one passage can be dimensioned to receive and guide a shaft of a surgical instrument during a cleaning procedure. At least one aperture in flow communication with a port and the at least one passage can define a cleaning fluid path from the port to the passage.
