STERILE DRAPE INTERFACE FOR ROBOTIC SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: July 14, 2011
Application Number:
20110168189
A robotic surgical system includes a sterile surgical instrument, a robotic surgical manipulator, and a sterile drape covering at least a portion of the robotic surgical manipulator. The surgical instrument has a proximal interface and a distal end effector. The proximal interface includes a gimbal assembly with two intersecting rotational axes coupled to the distal end effector. The robotic surgical manipulator has a drive plate that bears against the gimbal assembly. The drive plate…
MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH SLIDING MODE CONTROL
Granted: July 7, 2011
Application Number:
20110166706
A medical robotic system has a joint coupled to medical device or a slave manipulator or robotic arm adapted to hold and/or move the medical device for performing a medical procedure, and a control system for controlling movement of the joint according to user manipulation of a master manipulator. The control system includes at least one joint controller having a sliding mode control for reducing stick-slip behavior on its controlled joint during fine motions of the joint. The sliding…
MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH SLIDING MODE CONTROL
Granted: June 30, 2011
Application Number:
20110160904
A medical robotic system has a joint coupled to medical device or a slave manipulator or robotic arm adapted to hold and/or move the medical device for performing a medical procedure, and a control system for controlling movement of the joint according to user manipulation of a master manipulator. The control system includes at least one joint controller having a sliding mode control for reducing stick-slip behavior on its controlled joint during fine motions of the joint. The sliding…
Cooperative Minimally Invasive Telesurgical System
Granted: June 9, 2011
Application Number:
20110137322
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.…
Flexible Wrist for Surgical Tool
Granted: May 26, 2011
Application Number:
20110125166
The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. In one embodiment, a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft having a working end, a proximal end, and a shaft axis between the working end and the proximal end; and an end effector. A wrist member has a flexible tube including an axis extending through an interior surrounded by a wall.…
MOTOR INTERFACE FOR PARALLEL DRIVE SHAFTS WITHIN AN INDEPENDENTLY ROTATING MEMBER
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110118754
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…
METHOD AND SYSTEM TO SENSE RELATIVE PARTIAL-POSE INFORMATION USING A SHAPE SENSOR
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110119023
A shape-sensing segment traverses through at least a portion of a kinematic chain of a tele-operated slave surgical instrument in a tele-operated minimally-invasive surgical system. The shape-sensing segment includes a pre-set perturbation. Shape information from the pre-set perturbation allows determination of relative partial-pose information for at least one link in the kinematic chain.
END EFFECTOR WITH REDUNDANT CLOSING MECHANISMS
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110118778
End effectors with redundant 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 an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a tool body disposed at the distal end of the shaft, a jaw movable relative to the tool body between a clamped configuration and an open configuration, a first actuation mechanism coupled with the jaw and…
Flexible Wrist for Surgical Tool
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110118755
The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. In one embodiment, a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft having a working end, a proximal end, and a shaft axis between the working end and the proximal end; and an end effector. A wrist member has a flexible tube including an axis extending through an interior surrounded by a wall.…
METHOD AND SYSTEM TO SENSE RELATIVE PARTIAL-POSE INFORMATION USING A SHAPE SENSOR
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110118749
A shape-sensing segment traverses through at least a portion of a kinematic chain of a tele-operated slave surgical instrument in a tele-operated minimally-invasive surgical system. The shape-sensing segment includes a pre-set perturbation. Shape information from the pre-set perturbation allows determination of relative partial-pose information for at least one link in the kinematic chain.
PATIENT-SIDE SURGEON INTERFACE FOR A MINIMALLY INVASIVE, TELEOPERATED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110118748
A patient-side surgeon interface provides enhanced capabilities in using a minimally invasive, teleoperated surgical system. The patient-side surgeon interface has components within the sterile surgical field of the surgery. The components allow a surgeon to control teleoperated slave surgical instruments from within the sterile surgical field. The patient-side surgeon interface permits a surgeon to be in the sterile surgical field adjacent a patient undergoing surgery. Controlling…
SURGICAL TOOL WITH A TWO DEGREE OF FREEDOM WRIST
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110118709
Surgical tools having a two degree-of-freedom wrist, wrist articulation by linked tension members, mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle, and minimally invasive surgical tools incorporating these features are disclosed. An elongate intermediate wrist member is pivotally coupled with a distal end of an instrument shaft so as to rotate about a first axis transverse to the shaft, and an end effector body is pivotally coupled with the intermediate member so as to rotate about a…
DOUBLE UNIVERSAL JOINT
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110118708
Surgical tools having a two degree-of-freedom wrist, wrist articulation by linked tension members, mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle, and minimally invasive surgical tools incorporating these features are disclosed. An elongate intermediate wrist member is pivotally coupled with a distal end of an instrument shaft so as to rotate about a first axis transverse to the shaft, and an end effector body is pivotally coupled with the intermediate member so as to rotate about a…
OPTICAL FIBER SHAPE SENSOR CALIBRATION
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110113852
Calibration methods and apparatuses for a shape sensing optical fiber are disclosed. Strain is sensed in an optical fiber that is associated with a kinematic chain, and information derived from the sensed strain is used to determine a calibration relationship between the fiber and the kinematic chain. The strain may be sensed at a plurality of angles between two links in the kinematic chain. The strain may be sensed in a segment of the optical fiber that is associated with a joint in the…
RIGIDLY-LINKED ARTICULATING WRIST WITH DECOUPLED MOTION TRANSMISSION
Granted: May 12, 2011
Application Number:
20110112571
The present invention is a device having a rigidly linked jaw that is decoupled from an articulating wrist. The device provides for articulating motion as well as actuation that may be used in grasping, cutting, suturing or the like.
Real-Time Generation of Three-Dimensional Ultrasound image using a Two-Dimensional Ultrasound Transducer in a Robotic System
Granted: May 5, 2011
Application Number:
20110105898
Systems and methods for performing robotically-assisted surgical procedures on a patient enable an image display device to provide an operator with auxiliary information related to the surgical procedure, in addition to providing an image of the surgical site itself. The systems and methods allow an operator to selectively access and reference auxiliary information on the image display device during the performance of a surgical procedure.
METHOD FOR TRACKING AND REPORTING USAGE EVENTS TO DETERMINE WHEN PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IS DUE FOR A MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM
Granted: April 28, 2011
Application Number:
20110098861
A medical robotic system comprises a number of components that may be monitored to determine their preventive maintenance needs by recording usage-related information for the monitored components into associated non-volatile memories. When usage of the component exceeds a specified usage threshold, the system displays a warning message on its display screen to have preventive maintenance performed for the component. If the usage continues without such maintenance and exceeds a higher…
ARTICULATION SHEATH FOR FLEXIBLE INSTRUMENTS
Granted: April 14, 2011
Application Number:
20110087071
A sheath useful for remote steering, guidance and/or manipulation of a flexible instrument, including e.g. an endoscope, received through the sheath.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING MINIMALLY INVASIVE CARDIAC PROCEDURES
Granted: April 14, 2011
Application Number:
20110087238
A system for performing minimally invasive cardiac procedures. The system includes a pair of surgical instruments that are coupled to a pair of robotic arms. The instruments have end effectors that can be manipulated to hold and suture tissue. The robotic arms are coupled to a pair of master handles by a controller. The handles can be moved by the surgeon to produce a corresponding movement of the end effectors. The movement of the handles is scaled so that the end effectors have a…
LATERALLY FENESTRATED CANNULA
Granted: April 7, 2011
Application Number:
20110082365
A cannula provides access to a surgical site for a camera instrument and one or more minimally invasive surgical instruments. The cannula may include a curved or flexible section when used with flexible surgical instruments. A service port is defined in a sidewall between proximal and distal ends of the cannula, the service port being large enough to allow an object to be transferred between the instruments and a location outside the cannula. An end effector of the surgical instrument…
