# US 10,368,955 B2 · Multi-functional foot pedal assembly for controlling a robotic surgical system

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- Number: US 10,368,955 B2
- Document ID: US10368955B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/476,454
- Filed: 2017-03-31
- Published: 2018-10-04
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-31
- Assignees: Johnson & Johnson Innovation-Jjdc, Inc.; Verily Life Sciences LLC
- Applicants: Verb Surgical Inc.
- Inventors: Taylor Joseph Cone; Joan Savall
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368955B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means}
- B25J 13/04: Foot-operated control means
- G05G 1/305: {Compound pedal co-operating with two or more controlled members}
- G05G 1/445: about a central fulcrum
- A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence)
- A61B 90/361: {Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras}
- A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)}
- A61B 2017/00876: {magnetic}
- A61B 2017/00973: {pedal-operated}
- A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems}
- A61B 2034/2059: {Mechanical position encoders}
- A61B 2090/061: {for measuring dimensions, e.g. length}
- A61B 2090/067: {for measuring angles}
- H01H 3/14: adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00)
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)

## Abstract

A foot pedal assembly for controlling a robotic surgical system includes a foot pedal assembly base including an axle, a foot pedal slidably and pivotally coupled to the axle, and a sensor arrangement configured to detect an axial position of the foot pedal along the axle and a pivoted position of the foot pedal around the axle. Different combinations of different detected axial positions and detected pivoted positions are correlateable to different functions of the robotic surgical system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A foot pedal assembly for controlling a robotic surgical system, comprising:
a foot pedal assembly base comprising an axle;
a foot pedal slidably and pivotally coupled to the axle; and
a sensor arrangement configured to detect an axial position of the foot pedal along the axle and a pivoted position of the foot pedal around the axle,
wherein different combinations of different detected axial positions and detected pivoted positions are correlateable to different functions of the robotic surgical system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the axle is a horizontal axle, and the foot pedal assembly is self-contained.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the detected axial position is correlateable to control of a user-selected instrument.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 3, wherein the detected pivoted position is correlateable to control of a function of the user-selected instrument.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 4, wherein the foot pedal is slidable between a first axial position and a second axial position, and pivotable between a first pivoted position and a second pivoted position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 5, wherein the foot pedal is bi-stable between the first and second axial positions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 5, wherein the foot pedal further comprises a third axial position between the first and second axial positions, wherein the third axial position corresponds to a safety lock-out function of the robotic surgical system.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 7, further comprising at least one biasing element urging the foot pedal to the third axial position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 5, further comprising at least one biasing element urging the foot pedal to a third pivoted position between the first and second pivoted positions.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate component interspersed between the foot pedal assembly base and foot pedal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 10, wherein the intermediate component is pivotally coupled to the axle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 10, wherein the foot pedal is laterally movable relative to the intermediate component.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the foot pedal is pivotally coupled to the axle at a location farther from a first foot pedal end than a second foot pedal end opposite the first pedal end.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangements comprises one or more switches.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 1, wherein the foot pedal is coupled to the axle such that the axle is farther from a first foot pedal end than from a second foot pedal end opposite the first foot pedal end.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 15, wherein the foot pedal comprises a positional reference located farther from the first pedal end than from the second pedal end.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The foot pedal assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second foot pedal assembly base comprising a second axle, and a second foot pedal pivotally coupled to a second axle.

### Claim 18

A method for controlling a robotic surgical system, the method comprising:
detecting a translated position of a foot pedal along a horizontal axle coupled to a foot pedal assembly base, wherein the foot pedal and the foot pedal assembly base are in a self-contained foot pedal assembly;
detecting a pivoted position of the foot pedal relative to the foot pedal assembly base; and
controlling the robotic surgical system in response to a combination of the detected translated position and the detected pivoted position of the foot pedal.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein different combinations of different detected translated positions and detected pivoted positions are correlateable to control of different functions of the robotic surgical system.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the foot pedal is translatable between a first translated position and a second translated position, and pivotable between a first pivoted position and a second pivoted position.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein when the detected translated position is the first translated position, controlling the robotic surgical system comprises controlling a first function of a first surgical instrument if the detected pivoted position is the first pivoted position, and controlling a second function of the first surgical instrument if the detected pivoted position is the second pivoted position.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein when the detected translated position is the second translated position, controlling the robotic surgical system comprises controlling a first function of a second surgical instrument if the detected pivoted position is the first pivoted position, and controlling a second function of the second surgical instrument if the detected pivoted position is the second pivoted position.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the foot pedal is further translatable to a third translated position between the first and second translated positions.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein when the detected translated position is the third translated position, controlling the robotic surgical system comprises inhibiting control of one or more functions of a surgical instrument.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein controlling the robotic surgical system comprises controlling an instrument clutch mode in response to the combination of the detected translated position and the detected pivoted position of the foot pedal.

### Claim 26 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein controlling the robotic surgical system comprises designating one or more surgical instruments for control in response to a combination of the detected translated position and the detected pivoted position of the foot pedal.