INSTRUMENT INTERFACE
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120289973
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 cylindrical 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…
INSTRUMENT ACTUATION INTERFACE
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120289974
A system includes a medical instrument that includes a termination fixture, an actuated element, and drive members coupled to the actuated element and extending to the termination fixture. The termination fixture provides an interface that exposes portions of the drive member to direct movement by an external system that may include a manipulator and a sterile barrier.
ESTIMATION OF A POSITION AND ORIENTATION OF A FRAME USED IN CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF A TOOL
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120290134
A robotic system includes a camera having an image frame whose position and orientation relative to a fixed frame is determinable through one or more image frame transforms, a tool disposed within a field of view of the camera and having a tool frame whose position and orientation relative to the fixed frame is determinable through one or more tool frame transforms, and at least one processor programmed to identify pose indicating points of the tool from one or more camera captured…
MEDICAL INSTRUMENT WITH SNAKE WRIST STRUCTURE
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120289946
A medical instrument includes a snake wrist structure further including: a first joint disk having a first rim having a first tooth slot and a first toothed gear with the first tooth slot opposite the first toothed gear along the first rim; and a first strut having a first slot bearing and a first hole bearing connected by a first connection strut with the first slot bearing in the first tooth slot.
SELECTIVE ADDITIONAL CONTROL IN A CONTROL CONSOLE FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
Granted: November 8, 2012
Application Number:
20120283745
A control console to remotely control medical equipment is disclosed having a base with an ergonomically adjustable pedal system. The base further has an opening to receive the pedal system. The pedal system includes a moveable pedal tray with a pedal base. The tray includes a first left pedal assembly and a first right pedal assembly, and an upper tier having a second left pedal assembly and a second right pedal assembly respectively in alignment with and elevated above the first left…
SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH ROBOTIC AND MANUAL ACTUATION FEATURES
Granted: November 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120277663
In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical instrument is provided for the control of flows of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site. The robotic surgical instrument may include a housing, a flow control system, a hollow tube, and one or more hose fittings. The housing to couple the instrument to a robotic arm. The flow control system mounted in the housing includes one or more controlled valves to control the flow of one or more fluids. The hollow tube has a…
MODULAR MANIPULATOR SUPPORT FOR ROBOTIC SURGERY
Granted: November 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120277764
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…
FIXTURE FOR SHAPE-SENSING OPTICAL FIBER IN A KINEMATIC CHAIN
Granted: October 25, 2012
Application Number:
20120266442
A first link and a second link are articulated relative to each other via a joint coupled between the first and second links. A shape-sensing optical fiber is used to sense a position of the first link and the second link relative to each other. The fiber passes through a channel having an opening defining a lip and extending from the first link toward the joint. The lip has a curved surface that begins substantially tangent to a wall of the channel, and during bending of the optical…
TARGETS, FIXTURES, AND WORKFLOWS FOR CALIBRATING AN ENDOSCOPIC CAMERA
Granted: October 25, 2012
Application Number:
20120268579
The present disclosure relates to calibration assemblies and methods for use with an imaging system, such as an endoscopic imaging system. A calibration assembly includes: an interface for constraining engagement with an endoscopic imaging system; a target coupled with the interface on as to be within the field of view of the imaging system, the target including multiple of markers having calibration features that include identification features; and a processor configured to identify…
STEERABLE ENDOSCOPE AND IMPROVED METHOD OF INSERTION
Granted: October 25, 2012
Application Number:
20120271109
A steerable endoscope has an elongated body with a selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled proximal portion. The endoscope body is inserted into a patient and the selectively steerable distal portion is used to select a desired path within the patient's body. When the endoscope body is advanced, an electronic motion controller operates the automatically controlled proximal portion to assume the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion.…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ARTICULATING AN ELONGATE BODY
Granted: October 18, 2012
Application Number:
20120265215
Systems and methods for articulating an elongate articulatable body which is adapted to be delivered within a body cavity. Particularly, systems and methods for enhancing an articulating force on the elongate body without increasing an actuation force applied by an actuator.
IN VIVO ACCESORIES FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE ROBOTIC SURGERY
Granted: October 11, 2012
Application Number:
20120259345
Surgical accessories are presented in vivo and used by surgical tools in the surgical site to perform additional tasks without the need to remove the tools from the surgical site for tool change or instrument loading. The accessories can be introduced into the surgical site by a dedicated accessory introducer, or can be supported on the body of a surgical tool inserted into the surgical site and be manipulated using another surgical tool in the surgical site. The accessory introducer can…
STERILE SURGICAL ADAPTOR
Granted: October 4, 2012
Application Number:
20120247489
A sterile drape with integrated sterile adaptor, a telerobotic surgical system, and method of use are provided for draping portions of a telerobotic surgical system to maintain a sterile barrier between the sterile surgical field and the non-sterile robotic system while also providing an interface for transferring mechanical and electrical energy and signals.
METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING STAPLE CARTRIDGE MISFIRE OR FAILURE
Granted: October 4, 2012
Application Number:
20120248167
Systems and methods are provided for detecting misfire of a surgical staple cartridge and for indicating such misfire to a user on a user interface. An actuation force applied to a staple cartridge is measured and compared to a threshold actuation force. In response to the comparison, a controller determines if there has been a misfire of the surgical staple cartridge. A determination that misfire has occurred is made when the measured actuation force is greater than a maximum threshold…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SURGICAL PLANNING
Granted: October 4, 2012
Application Number:
20120253515
Methods and apparatus for enhancing surgical planning provide enhanced planning of entry port placement and/or robot position for laparoscopic, robotic, and other minimally invasive surgery. Various embodiments may be used in robotic surgery systems to identify advantageous entry ports for multiple robotic surgical tools into a patient to access a surgical site. Generally, data such as imaging data is processed and used to create a model of a surgical site, which can then be used to…
ROBUST SPARSE IMAGE MATCHING FOR ROBOTIC SURGERY
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120237095
Systems, methods, and devices are used to match images. Points of interest from a first image are identified for matching to a second image. In response to the identified points of interest, regions and features can be identified and used to match the points of interest to a corresponding second image or second series of images. Regions can be used to match the points of interest when regions of the first image are matched to the second image with high confidence scores, for example…
Disposable Sterile Surgical Adaptor
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120239060
A sterile adaptor, a sterile drape with the integrated sterile adaptor, and a telerobotic surgical system including the sterile drape are provided. The adaptor, drape, and system allow for draping portions of a telerobotic surgical system to maintain a sterile barrier between the sterile surgical field and the non-sterile robotic system while also providing an interface for transferring mechanical and electrical energy and signals between a robotic arm and a surgical instrument in the…
STERILE SURGICAL DRAPE
Granted: September 13, 2012
Application Number:
20120232566
An improved sterile drape, system, and method for draping portions of a telerobotic surgical system are provided. In one embodiment, a sterile drape includes an exterior surface adjacent to a sterile field for performing a surgical procedure, and an interior surface forming a cavity for receiving the non-sterile portion of a robotic surgical system, such as a manipulator. The drape further includes a fastener coupled to the exterior surface for securing the sterile drape to the…
COMPACT CAPSTAN
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120217457
A compact capstan includes a drum, a coupled hub, a passage extending through the drum and hub, and a shaft extending through the drum and hub. The shaft engages the passage such that the shaft can transmit a torsional force to the drum and the hub which are free to move along the length of the shaft. The drum includes a spiral groove to receive a cable loop wound around the drum. The hub has a thread with substantially the same pitch as the spiral groove to engage a threaded support…
Minimally Invasive Surgical System
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120221011
A surgical instrument is inserted through a guide tube. A telemanipulation system moves the distal end of the surgical instrument in all six Cartesian degrees of freedom independently of any guide tube movements.
