SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TISSUE CONTACT DETECTION AND FOR AUTO-EXPOSURE AND ILLUMINATION CONTROL
Granted: March 12, 2020
Application Number:
20200078108
A system includes a controller communicatively coupled to an illuminator and to a camera configured to capture a scene including tissue. The controller may change the output optical power of the illuminator from a first output optical power to a second output optical power so that a subsequently captured frame is captured by the camera from reflected light, the reflected light being light from the illuminator having the second output optical power prior to being reflected. The controller…
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INCREASING HEAT DISSIPATION CAPACITY OF A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: March 12, 2020
Application Number:
20200077879
A method and apparatus for improving a heat dissipation capacity. An apparatus comprises an elongate member, a housing, and a heat pump device. The elongate member has a distal end and a proximal end. The housing is coupled to the proximal end of the elongate member. The heat pump device is coupled between the elongate member and the housing. The heat pump device is configured to transfer thermal energy between the elongate member and the housing.
SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR MANAGING MULTIPLE NULL-SPACE OBJECTIVES AND SLI BEHAVIORS
Granted: February 27, 2020
Application Number:
20200061813
A method for moving a manipulator arm. The manipulator arm includes a movable distal portion, a proximal portion coupled to a base, and joints between the distal portion and the base. The method involves calculating a first movement of the joints in accordance with a first objective. The method further involves calculating a second movement of the joints in accordance with a second objective. The first and the second movements are in a null-space of a Jacobian of the manipulator arm. The…
MANIPULATOR ARM HAVING CONNECTION INTERFACE, AND RELATED DEVICES AND SYSTEMS
Granted: February 27, 2020
Application Number:
20200060776
A surgical instrument support arm of a teleoperated patient side cart may include a first arm portion including a first connector end and a second a second arm portion including a second connector end. The second arm portion may be removably connectable to the first arm portion via mating engagement of the first and second connector ends. The first and second connector ends may each include complementary mechanical connections and complementary electrical connections. At least one of the…
MEDICAL INSTRUMENT ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
Granted: February 20, 2020
Application Number:
20200054310
A mechanical interface for a robotic medical instrument permits engagement of the instrument and a drive system without causing movement of an actuated portion of the instrument. An instrument interface can include a symmetrical, tapered or cylinthical projection on one of a medical instrument or a drive system and a complementary bore in the other of the drive system or the medical instrument. Symmetry of the projection and the bore allows the projection to be compression fit to the…
GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR PLANNING A PROCEDURE
Granted: January 30, 2020
Application Number:
20200030044
A system and method of planning a procedure includes a planning workstation including: a display system; and a user input device. The planning workstation is configured to: display image data via the display system; receive a first user input via the user input device; display via the display system a target of a medical procedure within the displayed image data identified based at least on the first user input; display an interactive image via the display system, the interactive image…
MEDICAL DEVICES HAVING THREE TOOL MEMBERS
Granted: January 23, 2020
Application Number:
20200022765
A medical device includes a link, a first tool member, a second tool member and a third tool member, which each have a proximal end portion movably coupled to the link and a distal end portion. The distal end portion of the first tool member can engage a first object and be associated with a first medical function, the distal end portion of the second tool member can engage a second object and be associated with a second medical function, and the distal end portion of the third tool…
ROBOTIC LINKAGE
Granted: January 16, 2020
Application Number:
20200015658
A flexible instrument comprises a first link and a second link that each comprise a first end, a second end, and a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall comprising an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface; an outer ear extending in a first axial direction away from the first end of the link; an inner bearing surface defined at the first end of the link, the inner bearing surface extending between the outer ear and the inner wall surface; an inner ear…
SIMULATOR SYSTEM FOR MEDICAL PROCEDURE TRAINING
Granted: January 16, 2020
Application Number:
20200020249
Implementations relate to medical simulations for medical procedure training. In some implementations, a system includes a simulation processing component including at least one processor and which generates a virtual environment using position signals that describe at least one of a position and a configuration of a physical surgical instrument relative to a physical surgical site. The simulation processing component updates the virtual environment according to changes in the position…
MEDICAL DEVICES HAVING TISSUE GRASPING SURFACES AND FEATURES FOR MANIPULATING SURGICAL NEEDLES
Granted: January 16, 2020
Application Number:
20200015807
A medical device includes a clevis, a first jaw, and a second jaw. The first jaw includes a first proximal gripping portion and a first distal gripping portion, and the first proximal gripping portion includes a first needle alignment portion. The second jaw is coupled to the clevis and includes a second proximal gripping portion and a second distal gripping portion, and the second proximal gripping portion includes a second needle alignment portion. The first and second needle alignment…
JOINT ASSEMBLIES WITH CROSS-AXIS FLEXURAL PIVOTS
Granted: January 9, 2020
Application Number:
20200008827
The embodiments described herein can be used in a variety of grasping, cutting, and manipulating operations. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first joint member, a second joint member, and a flexure. The first joint member includes a first connection portion and a contact surface. The second joint member including a second connection portion. A first end portion of the flexure is coupled to the first connection portion, and a second end portion of the flexure is coupled to…
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENDOSCOPIC COLECTOMY
Granted: January 2, 2020
Application Number:
20200000322
Apparatus and methods for endoscopic colectomy are described herein. A colectomy device having a first and a second tissue approximation device is mounted on a colonoscope separated from one another. During deployment of the colectomy device, a diseased portion of the colon is positioned in between the tissue approximation devices. The tissue approximation devices are radially expanded such that they contact and grasp the colon wall at two sites adjacent to the diseased portion of the…
APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING TREATMENT OF TISSUE VIA IMPROVED DELIVERY OF ENERGY BASED AND NON-ENERGY BASED MODALITIES
Granted: December 5, 2019
Application Number:
20190365205
Methods and apparatus for accessing and treating regions of the body are disclosed herein. Using an endoscopic device having an automatically controllable proximal portion and a selectively steerable distal portion, the device generally may be advanced into the body through an opening. The distal portion is selectively steered to assume a selected curve along a desired path within the body which avoids contact with tissue while the proximal portion is automatically controlled to assume…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING THREE-DIMENSIONAL ORIENTATION OF A STEERABLE DISTAL TIP OF AN ENDOSCOPE
Granted: November 28, 2019
Application Number:
20190357858
A method for controlling an orientation of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument, said instrument comprising at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion may include receiving an input command at a controller for articulation of said steerable distal portion, the articulation correlating to an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion; calculating an approximate overall bend from said approximate y-bend and…
CABLE LENGTH CONSERVING MEDICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: October 31, 2019
Application Number:
20190328467
An apparatus includes a wrist, an end effector, a cable pair, and a transmission. A proximal wrist portion is coupled to a distal end portion of a shaft. Actuation of the wrist moves a distal wrist portion relative to the proximal wrist portion. The end effector is coupled to the distal wrist portion, and can be actuated to move relative to the wrist. The transmission is coupled to a proximal end portion of the shaft, and can move an end of the cable pair to actuate the end effector. The…
SPLAYED CABLE GUIDE FOR A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: October 17, 2019
Application Number:
20190314102
An apparatus includes a housing, a cable guide, a first cable, and a second cable. The housing is coupled to a shaft of a medical instrument. The cable guide is coupled to the housing, and defines a shaft opening into a passageway defined by the shaft. A first guide groove and a second guide groove are defined by the cable guide, with each of the first guide groove and the second guide groove being splayed outward from the shaft opening. The first cable is routed within the first guide…
TENSION REGULATION OF REMOTELY ACTUATED INSTRUMENTS, AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS
Granted: October 17, 2019
Application Number:
20190314101
A surgical instrument includes a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, a movable component coupled at the distal end of the shaft, a force transmission mechanism coupled at the proximal end of the shaft, and an actuation element with a first end coupled to the force transmission mechanism and a second end coupled to the movable component. The actuation element being configured to transmit an actuation force from the force transmission mechanism to the movable component. A coil…
ROUTING MECHANISMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS
Granted: October 17, 2019
Application Number:
20190314098
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a surgical instrument comprises a shaft and an actuation member extending through a bore of the shaft and operably coupled to an end effector. A sleeve is disposed around the actuation member and within the bore of the shaft. A flux conduit configured to transmit a surgical flux to the end effector is at least partially received within a negative feature of the sleeve. In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, a surgical instrument…
CUT AND SEAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: October 17, 2019
Application Number:
20190314081
A surgical system including a cartridge having a first tissue sealing electrode and a surgical instrument including a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein the first jaw comprises a second tissue sealing electrode facing the second jaw, and wherein the second jaw is configured to removably receive the cartridge in a position where the first tissue sealing electrode is opposite the second tissue sealing electrode. The surgical system further includes a cut and seal controller, wherein the…
MULTI-CABLE MEDICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: October 10, 2019
Application Number:
20190307522
A medical instrument includes cable pairs respectively wound around input spindles and connected to actuate degrees of freedom of an instrument shaft structure. The cables may connect so that rotating the input spindles actuates corresponding degrees of freedom. First pulleys in the instrument may receive first cables from the input spindles and redirect the first cables toward the instrument shaft, and second pulleys may receive second cables from the input spindles and redirect the…
