MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM HAVNG ENTRY GUIDE CONTROLLER WITH INSTRUMENT TIP VELOCITY LIMITING
Granted: September 4, 2014
Application Number:
20140249544
A medical robotic system includes an entry guide with articulatable instruments extending out of its distal end, an entry guide manipulator providing controllable four degrees-of-freedom movement of the entry guide, and a controller configured to limit joint velocities in the entry guide manipulator so as to prevent movement of tips of the articulatable instruments from exceeding a maximum allowable linear velocity when the entry guide manipulator is being used to move the entry guide.
MODULAR MANIPULATOR SUPPORT FOR ROBOTIC SURGERY
Granted: August 28, 2014
Application Number:
20140243852
A robotic surgery system comprises a mounting base, a plurality of surgical instruments, and an articulate support assembly. Each instrument is insertable into a patient through an associated minimally invasive aperture to a desired internal surgical site. The articulate support assembly movably supports the instruments relative to the base. The support generally comprises an orienting platform, a platform linkage movably supporting the orienting platform relative to the base, and a…
SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH CURVED JAWS FOR SURGICAL SYSTEM
Granted: August 28, 2014
Application Number:
20140243850
A teleoperated surgical system including a rigid cannula and a surgical instrument is provided. The rigid cannula may include at least a portion having a curved longitudinal axis. The teleoperated surgical system may include a force transmission mechanism configured to engage a patient side manipulator of the teleoperated surgical system, a flexible shaft, and an end effector coupled to the shaft. The end effector may have a shape enhancing visibility of the end effector and/or enhancing…
Systems and Methods For Proximal Control Of A Surgical Instrument
Granted: August 21, 2014
Application Number:
20140236175
A robotic surgical system comprises an instrument chassis having a proximal mounting section and a distal mounting section. The system also comprises an instrument guide movably coupled to the distal mounting section and an actuator coupled to the proximal mounting section. A linkage system operably interconnects the actuator and the instrument guide to transmit motion from the actuator to the instrument guide.
IMAGE CAPTURE UNIT AND METHOD WITH AN EXTENDED DEPTH OF FIELD
Granted: August 21, 2014
Application Number:
20140235945
In a minimally invasive surgical system, an image capture unit includes a prism assembly and sensor assembly. The prism assembly includes a beam splitter, while the sensor assembly includes coplanar image capture sensors. Each of the coplanar image capture sensors has a common front end optical structure, e.g., the optical structure distal to the image capture unit is the same for each of the sensors. A controller enhances images acquired by the coplanar image capture sensors. The…
Vision Probe with Access Port
Granted: August 21, 2014
Application Number:
20140235943
An anatomical probe system comprises an elongated flexible body and an elongated probe extending within the flexible body. The probe has a distal end and includes an outer wall defining a channel. The probe also includes an access port in the outer wall in communication with the channel. The access port is spaced proximally of the distal end.
PROVIDING INFORMATION OF TOOLS BY FILTERING IMAGE AREAS ADJACENT TO OR ON DISPLAYED IMAGES OF THE TOOLS
Granted: August 21, 2014
Application Number:
20140232824
An operator telerobotically controls tools to perform a procedure on an object at a work site while viewing real-time images of the object, tools and work site on a display. Tool information is provided by filtering a part of the real-time images for enhancement or degradation to indicate a state of a tool and displaying the filtered images on the display.
ROTATION OF OUTRIGGER DURING MEDICAL PROCEDURE
Granted: August 14, 2014
Application Number:
20140228633
A medical device such as an endoscope, a laparoscope, or other device including an entry guide uses outriggers or arms that are mounted on the distal end of the entry guide and rotationally deployed to provide separation of instruments when the entry guide reaches a work site. Deployment can be implemented with as few as one cable or actuator to operate the arms. This mechanism may achieve working separation in a short axial length without complicating instrument channels that may be…
SHAPE-TRANSFERRING CANNULA SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE
Granted: August 14, 2014
Application Number:
20140228642
A selectively shapeable medical device comprises an elongate tube, an activation component operatively coupled to the elongate tube, and means for actuating the activation component. The activation component has a first state and a second state different from the first state. The activation component alters a stiffness of at least a portion of the tube coupled to the activation component in the first state and does not alter a stiffness of the portion of the tube in the second state.
FEATURE DIFFERENTIATION IMAGE CAPTURE UNIT AND METHOD IN A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: August 14, 2014
Application Number:
20140228639
In a minimally invasive surgical system, an image capture unit includes a prism assembly and sensor assembly. The prism assembly includes a beam splitter, while the sensor assembly includes coplanar image capture sensors. Each of the coplanar image capture sensors has a common front end optical structure, e.g., the optical structure distal to the image capture unit is the same for each of the sensors. A controller enhances images acquired by the coplanar image capture sensors. The…
INCREASED RESOLUTION AND DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGE CAPTURE UNIT IN A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD
Granted: August 14, 2014
Application Number:
20140225992
In a minimally invasive surgical system, an image capture unit includes a prism assembly and sensor assembly. The prism assembly includes a beam splitter, while the sensor assembly includes coplanar image capture sensors. Each of the coplanar image capture sensors has a common front end optical structure, e.g., the optical structure distal to the image capture unit is the same for each of the sensors. A controller enhances images acquired by the coplanar image capture sensors. The…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTICAL STRAIN SENSING
Granted: August 14, 2014
Application Number:
20140224033
Mechanical parameters of an object subjected to a force or condition are measured. A curved portion of a multicore optical fiber is attached to the object, and the multicore optical fiber includes a center core and plural off-center cores. A distributed, optically-based sensing technique is used to obtain information at each of multiple points along the curved portion from multiple ones of the cores of the multicore optical fiber. A curvature associated with the fiber attached to the…
MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH COUPLED CONTROL MODES
Granted: August 7, 2014
Application Number:
20140222021
In a coupled control mode, the surgeon directly controls movement of an associated slave manipulator with an input device while indirectly controlling movement of one or more non-associated slave manipulators, in response to commanded motion of the directly controlled slave manipulator, to achieve a secondary objective. By automatically performing secondary tasks through coupled control modes, the system's usability is enhanced by reducing the surgeon's need to switch to another direct…
SIDE LOOKING MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY INSTRUMENT ASSEMBLY
Granted: July 24, 2014
Application Number:
20140206936
Two surgical instruments are inserted through a guide tube. The surgical instruments exit at an intermediate position of the guide tube and are oriented to be substantially parallel to the guide tube's longitudinal axis as they exit. A stereoscopic image capture component is on the guide tube between the intermediate position and the guide tube's distal end. The image capture component's field of view is generally perpendicular to the guide tube's longitudinal axis. The surgical…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAING AN OPERATOR SELECTED ROLL ORIEINTATION AT A DISTAL TIP OF A ROBOTIC ENDOSCOPE
Granted: July 17, 2014
Application Number:
20140200407
In a robotic endoscope system, the orientation of a captured camera view at a distal tip of a robotic endoscope and displayed on a screen viewable by an operator of the endoscope is automatically maintained at a roll orientation associated with a setpoint so as not to disorient the operator as the endoscope is moved, flexed and its tip turned in different orientations. A processor generates a current commanded state of the tip from operator input and modifies it to maintain the setpoint…
COOPERATIVE MINIMALLY INVASIVE TELESURGICAL SYSTEM
Granted: July 10, 2014
Application Number:
20140195048
Improved robotic surgical systems, devices, and methods include selectably associatable master/slave pairs, often having more manipulator arms than will be moved simultaneously by the two hands of a surgeon. Four manipulator arms can support an image capture device, a left hand tissue manipulation tool, a right hand tissue manipulation tool, and a fourth surgical instrument, particularly for stabilizing, retracting, tool change, or other functions benefiting from intermittent movement.…
ARTICULATED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FOR PERFORMING MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY WITH ENHANCED DEXTERITY AND SENSITIVITY
Granted: July 10, 2014
Application Number:
20140194899
An articulated surgical instrument for enhancing the performance of minimally invasive surgical procedures. The instrument has a high degree of dexterity, low friction, low inertia and good force reflection. A unique cable and pulley drive system operates to reduce friction and enhance force reflection. A unique wrist mechanism operates to enhance surgical dexterity compared to standard laparoscopic instruments. The system is optimized to reduce the number of actuators required and thus…
SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS HAVING IMPROVED WEAR RESISTANCE, AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME
Granted: July 10, 2014
Application Number:
20140194895
A surgical apparatus includes a cannula and a surgical instrument. The cannula includes a curved longitudinal axis along at least a portion of its length. The surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, and an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft. At least a portion of the end effector is configured to contact an inner surface of the cannula during insertion of the surgical instrument into the curved cannula. A…
Motor Interface for Parallel Drive Shafts Within an Independently Rotating Member
Granted: July 10, 2014
Application Number:
20140194894
Mechanisms, assemblies, systems, tools, and methods incorporating the use of an offset drive shaft within an independently rotating member are provided. An example mechanism includes a base and a main shaft mounted to rotate relative to the base, a first drive shaft mounted inside the main shaft, and a first drive feature engaged with the first drive shaft. The main shaft includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a main shaft rotational axis defined therebetween. The first drive shaft…
SURGICAL STAPLE CARTRIDGE WITH ENHANCED KNIFE CLEARANCE
Granted: July 3, 2014
Application Number:
20140183244
A surgical instrument having an elongated shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end. An end effector is coupled to the shaft distal end and includes opposed jaws. A housing is included in one of the jaws, the housing having a housing proximal end, a housing distal end, an upper surface, a distal garage having lateral surfaces that extend above the upper surface, and a plurality of staple openings extending through the upper surface. A knife member is supported within the…
