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US 10,595,944 B2Granted
Surgical robotic cart with selective wheel alignment
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorJames Lattimore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mobile surgical robotic cart assembly includes a vertical column supporting a robotic arm thereon, a base, and a plurality of casters each having wheels and each being attached to the base thereby allowing the surgical robotic assembly to move. Each of the plurality of casters has a wheel alignment assembly configured to lock each of the respective wheels in a plurality of orientations.
Claims19
A surgical robotic cart assembly, comprising:
- a base portion having a robotic arm operatively secured thereon;
- and
- first, second, and third casters pivotably attached to the base portion along a respective pivot axis, each of the first, second, and third casters having a housing, a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing and defining a wheel rotation axis, and a wheel alignment assembly, each wheel alignment assembly including:
- a first pedal pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position;
- and
- a second pedal pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first and second pedals are configured such that selective and independent actuation thereof results in independent fixing of each of the first, second, and third casters in a selected predetermined orientation about their respective pivot axis and independent prevention of rotation of each of the first, second and third casters about their respective wheel rotation axis,
- wherein when the first and second pedals of each of the first, second, and third casters is in the first position, each of the first, second, and third casters is free to pivot about their respective pivot axis, and is free to rotate about their respective wheel rotation axis;
- wherein when the first pedal of each of the first, second, and third casters is in the second position each of the first, second, and third casters is fixed in a first orientation about the respective pivot axis thereof;
- wherein when the second pedal of each of the first, second, and third casters is in the second position each of the first, second, and third casters is fixed in a second orientation about the respective pivot axis thereof, the second orientation being different than the first orientation;
- and
- wherein the surgical robotic cart assembly includes a configuration where:
- the first pedal of the first caster is in the second position and the second pedal of the first caster is in the second position to prevent the first caster from rotating about the wheel rotation axis thereof, and permit the first caster to pivot about the pivot axis thereof;
- and
- the first pedal of each of the second caster and the third caster is in the second position, and the second pedal of each of the second caster and the third caster is in the first position, to orient the wheel rotation axis of the second caster and the third caster at 120° relative to one another,
- whereby the surgical robotic cart assembly, as a whole, pivots about the pivot axis of the first caster.
12 more elements
A surgical robotic cart assembly, comprising:
- a base portion having a robotic arm operatively secured thereon;
- and
- three casters pivotably attached to the base portion along a pivot axis, each of the three casters having a housing, a wheel rotatable on a wheel axis, and a wheel alignment assembly operatively connecting the housing and the wheel, each wheel alignment assembly including:
- a first pedal pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position;
- and
- a second pedal pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first and second pedals are configured such that selective and independent actuation thereof results in independent fixing of each of the first, second, and third casters in a selected predetermined orientation about the respective pivot axis and independent prevention of rotation of each of the first, second and third casters about a respective wheel rotation axis,
- wherein the surgical robotic cart assembly includes a configuration where:
- the first pedal of the first caster is in the second position and the second pedal of the first caster is in the second position to prevent the first caster from rotating about the wheel rotation axis thereof, and permit the first caster to pivot about the pivot axis thereof;
- and
- the first pedal of each of the second caster and the third caster is in the second position, and the second pedal of each of the second caster and the third caster is in the first position, to orient the wheel rotation axis of the second caster and the third caster at 120° relative to one another,
- whereby the surgical robotic cart assembly, as a whole, pivots about the pivot axis of the first caster.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.