# US 10,478,257 B2 · Robotic surgical tool, system, and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,257 B2 - Document ID: US10478257B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/422,735 - Filed: 2017-02-02 - Published: 2018-08-02 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-02 - Assignees: Ethicon, Inc. - Applicants: Ethicon LLC - Inventors: Mark Overmyer; Jeffrey S. Swayze - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478257B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback} - B25J 9/104: {with cables, chains or ribbons} - B25J 9/1694: {characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion} - F16H 19/005: {for conveying oscillating or limited rotary motion} - G01D 5/3473: {Circular or rotary encoders} - A61B 2034/303: {specifically adapted for manipulations within body lumens, e.g. within lumen of gut, spine, or blood vessels} - A61B 2034/305: {Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms} - A61B 2090/067: {for measuring angles} - A61B 2090/0811: {for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument} - Y10S 901/21: Flaccid drive element - 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}) - F16H: GEARING - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract Methods and devices are provided for robotic surgery, and in particular for measuring a rotational position of elongate shafts of surgical tools. For example, a surgical tool is provided with an elongate shaft having an end effector at a distal end thereof. The elongate shaft is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the surgical tool is configured to measure a rotational position of the shaft about the longitudinal axis relative to an initial position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic surgical tool, comprising: a housing configured to couple to a surgical robot; an elongate shaft extending distally from the housing and having an end effector coupled to a distal end thereof, at least a portion of the elongate shaft being rotatable; and a belt coupled to the elongate shaft, the belt being configured to indicate a rotational position of the elongate shaft with respect to an initial rotational position of the elongate shaft, the belt including a stop protrusion surrounding an outer perimeter of the belt and configured to prevent rotation of the elongate shaft beyond a preselected maximum rotation position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the belt indicates a current rotational position of the shaft at positions of at least 360 degrees of rotation from the initial rotational position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor on the surgical tool for detecting a current rotational position of the elongate shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, further comprising a window in the housing configured to reveal a portion of the belt therethrough. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the belt has a length greater than a circumference of the elongate shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein at least one of holes, printed lines, and magnetic stripes are positioned along a length of the belt for indicating the rotational position of the elongate shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, further comprising a first indicator on the belt configured to indicate the initial rotational position of the elongate shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein rotation of the elongate shaft is configured to be driven by the surgical robot. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the shaft includes a gear formed thereon that is configured to be driven by a gear assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The surgical tool of claim 9, wherein the gear has a circular receiving channel configured to receive the belt therein such that the belt rotates with rotation of the gear. ### Claim 11 A surgical system, comprising: a surgical tool including an elongate shaft having an end effector at a distal end thereof, the elongate shaft being rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the shaft, the surgical tool having a belt configured to indicate an initial position in which the shaft has been rotated 0 degrees and to indicate a rotational position of the shaft from the initial position to a position beyond 360 degrees of rotation about the longitudinal axis wherein a toothed gear is positioned on the shaft and is operably coupled to the belt. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one sensor on the surgical tool for indicating the rotational position of the shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein rotation of the shaft causes corresponding rotation of the belt. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one roller engaged between the belt and the shaft such that rotation of the shaft is transferred through the belt to cause rotation of the at least one roller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the belt has a length greater than a circumference of the elongate shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the surgical tool is configured to couple to a surgical robot such that rotation of the shaft is driven by the surgical robot. ### Claim 17 A surgical method, comprising: rotating a surgical tool about a longitudinal axis of an elongate shaft of the surgical tool to thereby rotate an end effector at a distal end of the surgical tool, the surgical tool having a belt and a sensor adjacent to the belt, rotation of the surgical tool causing corresponding rotation of the belt, and the sensor monitoring a plurality of indicators on the belt for indicating a rotational position of the shaft beyond 360 degrees of rotation about the longitudinal axis relative to an initial rotational position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising coupling the surgical tool to a robotic surgical system, the surgical tool communicating the rotational position to the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the robotic surgical system causes rotation of the shaft of the surgical tool. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor monitors the plurality of indicators including at least one of holes, printed lines, and magnetic stripes positioned along an outward facing surface of the belt.