Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120277764 | MODULAR MANIPULATOR SUPPORT FOR ROBOTIC SURGERY - 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 plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform, wherein each manipulator movably supports an associated instrument. | 11-01-2012 |
20130096576 | MODULAR MANIPULATOR SUPPORT FOR ROBOTIC SURGERY - 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 plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform, wherein each manipulator movably supports an associated instrument. | 04-18-2013 |
20130165869 | FORCE SENSING FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS - An apparatus, system, and method for improving force and torque sensing and feedback to the surgeon performing a telerobotic surgery are provided. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument, a robotic surgical system, a cannula, a cannula seal, and a method for improved sensing of z-axis forces on a robotic surgical instrument are disclosed. | 06-27-2013 |
20130211423 | LOW FRICTION CANNULA SEALS FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE ROBOTIC SURGERY - Embodiments of a cannula seal are disclosed. In some embodiments, a cannula seal can include a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion that slidebly engages with an instrument shaft such that an insertion frictional force between the seal portion and the instrument shaft for insertion of the instrument shaft is symmetrical and substantially equal with a retraction frictional force. | 08-15-2013 |
20130282024 | POLARIZATION AND TEMPERATURE INSENSITIVE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FORCE TRANSDUCER - A force sensor apparatus, operatively mounted in a surgical instrument includes the force transducer. The force transducer includes a transducer body having a coefficient of thermal expansion, and at least one optic fiber, fixedly attached to the transducer body, including a Bragg grating; and having a coefficient of thermal expansion matched to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the transducer body to mitigate polarization and calibration drift effects on the force transducer. The transducer body comprises a metal transducer body, and the metal transducer body is selected from a group of metal bodies including an aluminum alloy transducer body, a stainless steel alloy transducer body, a maraging steel alloy transducer body, and a titanium alloy transducer body. The at least one optic fiber comprises an optic fiber having a negative thermo-optic coefficient, such as a phosphate glass optic fiber reducing the thermal sensitivity of the transducer. | 10-24-2013 |
20130291654 | RIBBED FORCE SENSOR - In one embodiment, a force sensor apparatus is provided including a tube portion having a plurality of radial ribs and a strain gauge positioned over each of the plurality of radial ribs, a proximal end of the tube portion that operably couples to a shaft of a surgical instrument that operably couples to a manipulator arm of a robotic surgical system, and a distal end of the tube portion that proximally couples to a wrist joint coupled to an end effector. | 11-07-2013 |
20130303945 | ELECTROMAGNETIC TIP SENSOR - A medical instrument having a distal tip through which a lumen extends can employ an electromagnetic sensor including a coil that is in the distal tip and winds around the lumen or a coil that is in the distal tip and defines an area having a normal direction that is perpendicular to an instrument axis that extends along the lumen. Three coils can be oriented so that normal directions of the areas defined by the coils are along three orthogonal axes. | 11-14-2013 |
20130306112 | CLEANING OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FORCE SENSOR - A force transducer is coupled to a distal portion of a shaft of a surgical instrument. The force transducer includes proximal and distal portions, radial ribs, and a plurality of strain gauges. The radial ribs form a plurality of through passages. The surgical instrument further includes a flush manifold that receives a liquid from a proximal portion of the shaft, and that directs the liquid along a first subset of through passages of the plurality of through passages toward the distal portion of the force transducer. A plenum at the distal portion of the force transducer collects the liquid from the first subset of through passages and redirects the liquid back toward the proximal portion of the shaft along a second subset of through passages of the plurality of through passages different from the first subset of through passages. | 11-21-2013 |
20130331859 | MULTI-USER MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR COLLABORATION OR TRAINING IN MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL PROCEDURES - A multi-user medical robotic system for collaboration or training in minimally invasive surgical procedures includes first and second master input devices, a first slave robotic mechanism, and at least one processor configured to generate a first slave command for the first slave robotic mechanism by switchably using one or both of a first command indicative of manipulation of the first master input device by a first user and a second command indicative of manipulation of the second master input device by a second user. To facilitate the collaboration or training, both first and second users communicate with each other through an audio system and see the minimally invasive surgery site on first and second displays respectively viewable by the first and second users. | 12-12-2013 |
20140100588 | WIRELESS FORCE SENSOR ON A DISTAL PORTION OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD - A surgical instrument includes a distal portion. A force sensor is operatively mounted on the distal portion. The force sensor includes a wireless package, which wirelessly provides (1) identification information of the surgical instrument and (2) strain data related to the distal portion. A surgical end effector includes a jaw and the distal portion is on a non-contact portion of the jaw. The wireless package includes a surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The wireless package also includes a small folded antenna electrically coupled to the surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The identification information includes an identification of a type of surgical instrument and unique identification of the specific surgical instrument in the type of surgical instrument. | 04-10-2014 |
20140107627 | WIRELESS FORCE SENSOR ON A DISTAL PORTION OF A SURGICLA INSTRUMENT AND METHOD - A surgical instrument includes a distal portion. A force sensor is operatively mounted on the distal portion. The force sensor includes a wireless package, which wirelessly provides (1) identification information of the surgical instrument and (2) strain data related to the distal portion. A surgical end effector includes a jaw and the distal portion is on a non-contact portion of the jaw. The wireless package includes a surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The wireless package also includes a small folded antenna electrically coupled to the surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The identification information includes an identification of a type of surgical instrument and unique identification of the specific surgical instrument in the type of surgical instrument. | 04-17-2014 |
20140128849 | SELF-ANTAGONISTIC DRIVE FOR MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS - A medical instrument including a shaft and an actuated structure mounted at a distal end of the shaft can employ a pair of tendons connected to the actuated structure, extending down the shaft, and respectively wound around a capstan in opposite directions. A preload system may be coupled to maintain minimum tensions in the tendons. | 05-08-2014 |
20140137667 | Ribbed Force Sensor - In one embodiment, a force sensor apparatus is provided including a tube portion having a plurality of radial ribs and a strain gauge positioned over each of the plurality of radial ribs, a proximal end of the tube portion that operably couples to a shaft of a surgical instrument that operably couples to a manipulator arm of a robotic surgical system, and a distal end of the tube portion that proximally couples to a wrist joint coupled to an end effector. | 05-22-2014 |
20140236177 | ACTUATED CANNULA SEAL - Embodiments of an actuated cannula seal are disclosed In some embodiments, a cannula seal includes a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion, the sealing portion capable of engaging with an instrument shaft, the sealing portion capable of being actuated by an actuator so that the sealing portion is continually in motion relative to the instrument shaft. The actuation of the sealing portion can be accomplished by rotation or vibration of the sealing portion relative to the instrument shaft. | 08-21-2014 |
20140243852 | MODULAR MANIPULATOR SUPPORT FOR ROBOTIC SURGERY - 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 plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform, wherein each manipulator movably supports an associated instrument. | 08-28-2014 |