# US 10,500,006 B2 · Constant force spring with active bias > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,006 B2 - Document ID: US10500006B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/193,653 - Filed: 2018-11-16 - Published: 2019-03-21 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-17 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Roman L. Devengenzo; Paul G. Griffiths - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500006B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms - B25J 9/0033: {with kinematics chains having a prismatic joint at the base} - B25J 9/1689: {Teleoperation} - B25J 19/0004: {Braking devices (brakes in general F16D)} - F16M 13/022: {repositionable} - A61B 90/03: {Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety} - A61B 2090/5025: {with a counter-balancing mechanism} - 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}) - F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS ## Abstract A compensated constant force spring device includes a bracket, a drum rotatably supported by the bracket, and a constant force spring wound on the drum. A motor is fixed to the bracket and provides a compensating force to the drum. The motor may be located in an interior volume of the drum. A control module may coupled to the motor to control the compensating force. A position sensor may be coupled to the control module. The compensating force may be responsive to a signal from the position sensor. The constant force spring may support a load and counterbalance gravitational forces on the load. The compensating force may be adjusted when the load approaches an end of a range of travel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A compensated constant force spring device comprising: a bracket; a drum rotatably coupled to the bracket; a constant force spring coupled to the drum; and a motor having a rotor coupled to the bracket and a stator coupled to the drum. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The compensated constant force spring device of claim 1 further comprising a control module coupled to the motor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The compensated constant force spring device of claim 2 further comprising a position sensor coupled to the control module, wherein the control module causes the motor to provide a force responsive to a signal from the position sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The compensated constant force spring device of claim 3 further comprising a secondary position sensor coupled to the control module, wherein the control module compares the signal from the position sensor to a secondary signal from the secondary position sensor to calibrate the force to be provided by the motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The compensated constant force spring device of claim 1 wherein the motor is located in an interior volume of the drum. ### Claim 6 An extensible support device comprising: a bracket; a sliding assembly fixed to the bracket; a vertical column coupled to the sliding assembly at an upper end and supporting a load at a lower end, the sliding assembly allowing the vertical column to move in a vertical direction; a drum rotatably coupled to the bracket; a constant force spring having a first end coupled to the drum and a second end coupled to the vertical column, the constant force spring counterbalancing gravitational forces on the vertical column; and a motor having a rotor coupled to the bracket and a stator coupled to the drum. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The extensible support device of claim 6 further comprising a control module coupled to the motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The extensible support device of claim 7 further comprising a position sensor coupled to the control module, wherein the control module causes the motor to provide a force responsive to a signal from the position sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The extensible support device of claim 8 further comprising a secondary position sensor coupled to the control module, wherein the control module compares the signal from the position sensor to a secondary signal from the secondary position sensor to calibrate the force to be provided by the motor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The extensible support device of claim 8 wherein the control module further causes the motor to provide an additional force when the signal from the position sensor indicates that the vertical column is approaching an end of a range of travel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The extensible support device of claim 6 wherein the motor is located in an interior volume of the drum. ### Claim 12 An extensible support device comprising: a bracket; a motor coupled to the bracket; a drum coupled to the motor such that the drum can rotate with respect to the bracket; means for supporting a load that is movable in a vertical direction; a constant force spring coupled to the drum at a first end and coupled to the means for supporting the load at a second end, the constant force spring counterbalancing gravitational forces on the load; and a control module coupled to the motor to apply a controlled compensating force to the drum. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The extensible support device of claim 12 further comprising: first means for sensing a position of the load; and means for adjusting the controlled compensating force responsive to the position of the load. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The extensible support device of claim 13 further comprising: second means for sensing the position of the load; and means for to calibrating the controlled compensating force by comparing signals from the first and second means for sensing the position of the load. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The extensible support device of claim 13 further comprising means for further adjusting the controlled compensating force when the load is approaching an end of a range of travel. ### Claim 16 A method for supporting a load that is movable in a vertical direction, the method comprising: supporting the load from a lower end of a vertical column; supporting an upper end of the vertical column on a sliding assembly fixed to a bracket; coupling a motor to the bracket; coupling a drum to the motor such that the drum can rotate with respect to the bracket; coupling a first end of a constant force spring to the drum; coupling a second end of the constant force spring to the vertical column to counterbalance gravitational forces on the vertical column; and applying a controlled compensating force to the drum with the motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the motor has a rotor coupled to the bracket and a stator coupled to the drum. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the motor has a stator coupled to the bracket and a rotor coupled to the drum. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising: sensing a position of the load with a position sensor; and adjusting the controlled compensating force responsive to the position of the load. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising: sensing the position of the load with a secondary position sensor; and comparing the position of the load from the position sensor to the position of the load from the secondary position sensor to calibrate the controlled compensating force to be provided. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising adjusting the controlled compensating force when the load is approaching an end of a range of travel.