CONTROL PANEL FOR AN ADJUSTABLE ERGONOMIC CONTROL CONSOLE
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120221147
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…
FUSING AND CUTTING SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND RELATED METHODS
Granted: August 23, 2012
Application Number:
20120215220
A surgical instrument can include a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and a wrist coupled to the distal end of the shaft and configured to articulate in multiple degrees of freedom coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The surgical instrument can further include an end effector supported by the wrist, wherein the end effector includes a cutting element and jaws configured to grip tissue and fuse tissue via electrosurgical energy. The surgical instrument can be configured…
COMBINATIONAL SCISSOR-GRASPER FOR USE IN LAPAROSCOPY
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120209305
Disclosed is a four-jawed combinational scissor-grasper surgical tool for use in laparoscopy. Cutting and grasping functionalities are respectively enabled via movement of a pair of such specially contoured jaw members sliding against or splaying apart from the other pair. Also disclosed are means for achieving selectable interlocking of jaw members and mechanical linkage for their actuation by human user.
Methods and Systems for Indicating a Clamping Prediction
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120209314
End effectors with closing mechanisms, and related tools and methods are disclosed. The disclosed end effectors may be particularly beneficial when used for minimally invasive surgery. An example surgical tool comprises a first and second jaw movable between a closed grasped or clamped configuration and an open configuration. The tool further comprises a soft grip mode for grasping the tissue at a first force during which a separation parameter between the jaws is measured, and a…
Telescoping Insertion Axis of a Robotic Surgical System
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120209292
A telescopic insertion axis, a robotic surgical system including the telescopic insertion axis, and a method of instrument insertion are provided. In one embodiment, a telescopic insertion axis includes a base link operably coupled to a distal end of a manipulator arm, and a carriage link movably coupled to the base link along a lengthwise axis, the carriage link including an instrument interface.
Surgical Accessory Clamp and System
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120209291
A surgical accessory clamp, method of use, and a robotic surgical system including the clamp are disclosed. A surgical accessory may be attached and removed from a manipulator arm during a surgical procedure without requiring the use of an intermediate sterile accessory clamp, thus removing the need for a detachable accessory mount or adaptor that needs cleaning and sterilization and allowing for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The present invention further allows for easy…
SEALS AND SEALING METHODS FOR A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING AN ARTICULATED END EFFECTOR ACTUATED BY A DRIVE SHAFT
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120209289
Sealing assemblies and methods are disclosed for sealing a surgical instrument having an internal drive shaft subject to lateral displacement. A sealing assembly includes a rigid portion shaped to interface with an instrument shaft of the surgical instrument. A laterally oriented slot is open at a radially perimeter location and configured to receive an o-ring seal via the perimeter location. Apertures are disposed on opposing sides of the slot and open to the slot. The apertures are…
Indicator for Knife Location in a Stapling or Vessel Sealing Instrument
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120209288
Systems and methods are provided for displaying an image of a tracked tool on a user interface, wherein at least a portion of the tool is hidden from view in any image on a user interface at any point during a procedure. The tool may include a cutting tool having jaws for clamping a material and a knife for cutting the clamped material, and superimposing an indicator of a knife position on the display during and/or after cutting. The knife position may include a location and/or…
METHOD AND STRUCTURE FOR IMAGE LOCAL CONTRAST ENHANCEMENT
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120209287
A local contrast enhancement method transforms a first plurality of color components of a first visual color image into a modified brightness component by using a first transformation. The first plurality of color components are in a first color space. The modified brightness component is a brightness component of a second color space. The second color space also includes a plurality of chromatic components. The method transforms all the color components of the first color space into the…
JOINTED LINK STRUCTURES EXHIBITING PREFERENTIAL BENDING, AND RELATED METHODS
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120209253
In accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present teachings, a surgical device can include a first pair of articulably coupled links, a second pair of articulably coupled links, and a tension member coupled to the first pair of links and the second pair of links such that altering tension in the tension member exerts a force tending to articulate the first pair of links and the second pair of links so as to bend the first pair of links and the second pair of links. The…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DEMOSAICING IMAGES WITH HIGHLY CORRELATED COLOR CHANNELS
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120206582
In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed including an image sensor, a color filter array, and an image processor. The image sensor has an active area with a matrix of camera pixels. The color filter array is in optical alignment over the matrix of the camera pixels. The color filter array assigns alternating single colors to each camera pixel. The image processor receives the camera pixels and includes a correlation detector to detect spatial correlation of color…
Methods and Systems for Detecting Clamping or Firing Failure
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120205419
Systems and methods are provided for detecting failure in clamping of a material and/or firing of a staple into a clamped material and indicating such failure to a user on a user interface. The system and methods are particularly suited for use with end effectors having closing and/or firing mechanisms coupled to an actuator. By monitoring a driving parameter of an actuator that effects the clamping and/or firing, the systems and methods provide an indication of failure in response to…
GUIDE TUBE CONTROL OF MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: August 9, 2012
Application Number:
20120203271
A telemanipulatively controlled guide tube acts as a wrist mechanism for a surgical instrument that extends through the guide tube. The instrument may be removed and replaced with another instrument. In some aspects the instruments are commercial, off the shelf minimally invasive surgical instruments.
Robotic Surgical Systems With Fluid Flow Control For Irrigation, Aspiration, and Blowing
Granted: August 2, 2012
Application Number:
20120197182
In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical system is provided including a master control console and a surgical manipulator. The master control console generates control signals to cause one or more fluids to flow into or out of a surgical site. The surgical manipulator is coupled to the console to receive the control signals and includes at least one robotic arm and a surgical instrument coupled thereto. The surgical manipulator controls the surgical instrument in response…
ARTICULATE AND SWAPABLE ENDOSCOPE FOR A SURGICAL ROBOT
Granted: July 26, 2012
Application Number:
20120190920
The present invention is directed to an articulate minimally invasive surgical endoscope with a flexible wrist having at least one degree of freedom. When used with a surgical robot having a plurality of robot arms, the endoscope can be used with any of the plurality of arms thereby allowing the use a universal arm design. The endoscope in accordance to the present invention is made more intuitive a to a user by attaching a reference frame used for controlling the at least one degree of…
ENDOSCOPE
Granted: July 19, 2012
Application Number:
20120184819
Improved optical devices and methods transmit optical images along elongate optical paths with relatively limited cross-sectional dimensions using an improved objective, relay, and ocular systems. At least one intermediate image is formed within an optical component. For example, a first intermediate image is formed within glass of the most proximal objective lens, with the first intermediate image extending axially along a curved image location within the glass. The last intermediate…
ROBOTIC ARM WITH FIVE-BAR SPHERICAL LINKAGE
Granted: July 19, 2012
Application Number:
20120184968
A robotic arm for a minimally invasive surgical system includes a parallel spherical five-bar linkage adapted to spherically rotationally move a robotic surgical tool coupled to the parallel five-bar spherical linkage about a remote center of spherical rotation. The five-bar spherical linkage is posed in only a range of compact poses. A compact pose is one in which a first pair of links and a second pair of links in the parallel five-bar spherical linkage have only a same handedness.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING AT LEAST ONE FRICTION FORCE OPPOSING AN AXIAL FORCE EXERTED THROUGH AN ACTUATOR ELEMENT
Granted: July 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120174694
Actuator elements such as cables or push rods in an instrument are used for manipulating an end effector or distal end of the instrument. Each actuator element extends within a tubular housing and either the tubular housing is axially rotated about the actuator element or the actuator element is axially rotated within the tubular housing to reduce at least one force opposing an axial force exerted through or movement of the actuator element.
PATIENT SIDE SYSTEMS WITH A COUNTERBALANCE SUBSYSTEM
Granted: July 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120179166
In one embodiment of the invention, a patient side-system is provided that includes a column with a rail and a counterbalance subsystem. The patient side-system may further include a braking subsystem. The counterbalance subsystem includes a spring assembly coupled at one end to the column with a spring member, and a housing movably coupled to the rail. The housing includes a drum to receive the spring member and a plurality of roller elements to guide a movement of the spring member…
ALTERNATE INSTRUMENT REMOVAL
Granted: June 28, 2012
Application Number:
20120165828
Minimally invasive robotic surgical instruments and related methods are disclosed. A surgical instrument includes an interface fitting that couples a proximal chassis of the instrument with a holding fixture of a robotic manipulator. A securing feature releasably prevents relative axial sliding between the interface fitting and the chassis. In response to binding of the surgical instrument within a minimally invasive surgical site so as to inhibit removal of the surgical instrument from…
