US 10,292,767 B2 · Double universal joint

Abstract

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 second axis that is transverse to the first axis. Linked tension members interact with attachment features to articulate the wrist. A torque-transmitting mechanism includes a coupling member, coupling pins, a drive shaft, and a driven shaft. The drive shaft is coupled with the driven shaft so as to control the relative orientations of the drive shaft, the coupling member, and the driven shaft.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for articulating a feature of an end effector of a minimally invasive surgical tool, the method comprising:

supporting an end effector with an instrument shaft so that an orientation of the end effector can be varied relative to the instrument shaft about a pitch axis and about a yaw axis, the instrument shaft being elongated along an instrument shaft axis;
rotating a drive shaft within the instrument shaft, the drive shaft having a distal end and being elongated along a driveshaft axis that is offset from the instrument shaft axis;
supporting a driven shaft with the end effector for rotation relative to the end effector around a driven shaft axis;
rotating the driven shaft via the rotation of the drive shaft via a coupling member that couples the drive shaft with the driven shaft so that the rate of rotation of the drive shaft and the driven shaft are substantially equal when the driveshaft axis and the driven shaft axis are non parallel;
and
articulating a feature of the end effector via the rotation of the driven shaft,
wherein the end effector can be reoriented relative to the instrument shaft axis via pivoting of the end effector about the pitch axis and about the yaw axis.

4 more elements

A method for articulating features of an end effector of a minimally invasive surgical tool, the method comprising:

supporting an end effector with an instrument shaft so that an orientation of the end effector can be varied relative to the instrument shaft about a pitch axis and about a yaw axis, the instrument shaft being elongated along an instrument shaft axis;
rotating a first drive shaft within the instrument shaft, the first drive shaft having a distal end and being elongated along a first driveshaft axis that is offset from the instrument shaft axis;
rotating a second drive shaft within the instrument shaft, the second drive shaft having a distal end and being elongated along a second driveshaft axis that is offset from the instrument shaft axis and the first driveshaft axis;
supporting a first driven shaft with the end effector for rotation relative to the end effector around a first driven shaft axis;
supporting a second driven shaft with the end effector for rotation relative to the end effector around a second driven shaft axis;
rotating the first driven shaft via the rotation of the first drive shaft via a first coupling member that couples the first drive shaft with the first driven shaft so that the rate of rotation of the first drive shaft and the first driven shaft are substantially equal when the first driveshaft axis and the first driven shaft axis are non-parallel;
rotating the second driven shaft via the rotation of the second drive shaft via a second coupling member that couples the second drive shaft with the second driven shaft so that the rate of rotation of the second drive shaft and the second driven shaft are substantially equal when the second driveshaft axis and the second driven shaft axis are non-parallel;
articulating a first feature of the end effector via the rotation of the first driven shaft;
and
articulating a second feature of the end effector via the rotation of the second driven shaft,
wherein the end effector can be reoriented relative to the instrument shaft axis via pivoting of the end effector about the pitch axis and about the yaw axis.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Double universal joint

Life of this patent

Double universal joint

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20