# US 10,441,372 B2 · Manipulator arm having connection interface, and related devices and systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,372 B2 - Document ID: US10441372B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/126,734 - Filed: 2015-03-17 - Published: 2017-04-06 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-17 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Roman L. Devengenzo; Alan W. Petersen; Bruce M. Schena - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441372B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - H01R 13/6582: with resilient means for engaging mating connector - H01R 33/00: Coupling devices specially adapted for supporting apparatus and having one part acting as a holder providing support and electrical connection via a counterpart which is structurally associated with the apparatus, e.g. lamp holders; Separate parts thereof - A61B 17/00: Surgical instruments, devices or methods (A61B18/00 takes precedence; dental tools A61C3/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/20) - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A surgical instrument support arm of a teleoperated patient side cart may include a first arm portion including a first connector end and a second a second arm portion including a second connector end. The second arm portion may be removably connectable to the first arm portion via mating engagement of the first and second connector ends. The first and second connector ends may each include complementary mechanical connections and complementary electrical connections. At least one of the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends may include electrical shielding to protect against electrical interference in a position in which the electrical connections are matingly engaged. The electrical shielding may be configured to axially compress when the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends are matingly engaged. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical instrument support arm of a teleoperated patient side cart, the arm comprising: a first arm portion comprising a first connector end; and a second arm portion comprising a second connector end, the second arm portion being removably connectable to the first arm portion via mating engagement of the first and second connector ends; wherein the first and second connector ends each comprise complementary mechanical connections and complementary electrical connections; wherein at least one of the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends comprise electrical shielding to protect against electrical interference in a position in which the electrical connections are matingly engaged, wherein the electrical shielding is configured to axially compress when the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends are matingly engaged. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The arm of claim 1, wherein the complementary mechanical connections comprise complementary primary mechanical connections that provide an initial mechanical connection of the first and second connector ends to pivotably couple the first and second connector ends to each other, the second arm portion being pivotable about the initial mechanical connection to a position in which the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends matingly engage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The arm of claim 2, wherein the first and second arm portions each further comprise complementary secondary mechanical connections engageable with each other in the position in which the electrical connections matingly engage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The arm of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second connector ends comprises a protrusion and the other of the first and second connector ends comprises a recess configured to receive the protrusion when the first and second connector ends are matingly engaged. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The arm of claim 1, wherein the first arm portion is a manipulator arm and the second arm portion is a setup joint of the arm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The arm of claim 5, further comprising a third arm portion comprising a third connector end removably connectable to the second arm portion; wherein the second arm portion is a first setup section of the arm and the third arm portion is a second setup section of the arm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The arm of claim 1, wherein the first arm portion is a first setup section and the second arm portion is a second setup section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The arm of claim 1, wherein the electrical shielding surrounds the electrical connections to form a perimeter about the electrical connections. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The arm of claim 1, wherein the electrical shielding configured to axially compress comprises gaps along an axial length of the electrical shielding in an uncompressed state of the electrical shielding. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The arm of claim 9, wherein the electrical shielding comprises a spring. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The arm of claim 10, wherein the electrical shielding comprises a wave spring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The arm of claim 10, wherein the electrical shielding comprises a beryllium copper alloy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The arm of claim 1, wherein the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends comprise first electrical connections and second electrical connections on each of the first and second connector ends; wherein the second electrical connections comprise the electrical shielding. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The arm of claim 13, wherein the second electrical connections comprise pin arrays configured to contact one another when the second electrical connections are matingly engaged. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The arm of claim 13, wherein the first electrical connections are configured to transmit electrical energy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The arm of claim 13, wherein the second electrical connections are configured to transmit control signals via low voltage differential signaling. ### Claim 17 A replaceable unit of surgical instrument support arm of a teleoperated patient side cart, the replaceable unit comprising: a proximal end and a distal end; a connector interface located at one of the proximal end or the distal end, the connector interface comprising: a mechanical connection feature; and an electrical connection feature; wherein the electrical connection feature comprises electrical shielding to protect against electrical interference in a position in which the electrical connection feature is matingly engaged with a complementary electrical connection feature, wherein the electrical shielding is configured to axially compress when the electrical connection feature and the complementary electrical connection feature are matingly engaged. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The replaceable unit of claim 17, wherein: the mechanical connection feature comprises a primary mechanical connection feature and a secondary mechanical connection feature; the primary mechanical connection feature provides a removably pivotable coupling to a portion of the support arm, the pivotable coupling providing pivotable movement of the replaceable unit from a first position to a second position in which the electrical connection feature and the complementary electrical connection feature are matingly engaged; the secondary mechanical connection feature provides a secondary mechanical coupling of the connector interface to the portion of the support arm in the second position of the replaceable unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The replaceable unit of claim 18, wherein the electrical shielding axially compresses in the second position of the replaceable unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The replaceable unit of claim 17, wherein the replaceable unit is a manipulator arm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The replaceable unit of claim 17, wherein the replaceable unit is a section of a setup joint. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The replaceable unit of claim 17, wherein the electrical shielding comprises a spring. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The replaceable unit of claim 22, wherein the electrical shielding comprises a wave spring. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The replaceable unit of claim 17, wherein the electrical connection feature of the replaceable unit comprises a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection; wherein the second electrical connection comprises the electrical shielding; wherein the first electrical connection is configured to transmit electrical energy.