# US 10,864,049 B2 · Docking system for mechanical telemanipulator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,049 B2 - Document ID: US10864049B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/536,539 - Filed: 2015-12-18 - Published: 2018-01-04 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-19 - Assignees: Distalmotion SA - Applicants: DistalMotion SA - Inventors: Ricardo Daniel Rita Beira - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864049B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery} - A61B 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)} - B25J 3/00: Manipulators of leader-follower type, i.e. both controlling unit and controlled unit perform corresponding spatial movements - 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}) ## Abstract A docking system for a mechanical telemanipulator is provided, optionally to be used with a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration. The docking system is configured to allow for safe and secure immobilization of a handle or master manipulator of a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration so as to prevent movement of a slave manipulator or instrument. While the docking element can be deployed on any mechanical telemanipulator, it can advantageously be used on a surgical platform comprising a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration. In this context, the docking system can be used to secure the handle portion or master manipulator of the surgical platform to safely prevent undesirable movement of a slave manipulator or surgical instrument. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A docking system comprising: a surgical telemanipulator comprising a master manipulator and a slave manipulator, the master manipulator comprising at least one master link and a handle having at least one handle link, the slave manipulator comprising at least one slave link and an end-effector having at least one end-effector link; and at least one docking element disposed on at least one reference body of the master manipulator; wherein a master link of the at least one master link of the surgical telemanipulator comprises a docked element configured to be removeably attachable to the at least one docking element of the at least one reference body, and wherein, when the docked element is attached to the at least one docking element, the at least one master link has the same mobility as the at least one reference body while the at least one handle link and its corresponding end-effector link of the at least one end-effector link are configured to move independently of the at least one reference body and movement of the at least one master link causes movement at its corresponding slave link of the at least one slave link. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The docking system of claim 1, wherein attaching the docked element of the master link of the at least one master link to the at least one docking element results in reduced mobility of the surgical telemanipulator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The docking system of claim 2, wherein the mobility of the master link of the at least one master link equals the mobility of the at least one reference body after the attachment of the master link of the at least one master link to the at least one docking element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The docking system of claim 1 wherein the at least one end-effector is configured to replicate the at least one handle in three translations degrees-of-freedom, three orientations degrees-of-freedoms, and an actuation degree-of-freedom. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The docking system of claim 1, wherein the attachment between the docked element and the at least one docking element is accomplished by a system of magnets. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The docking system of claim 1, wherein the attachment between the docked element and the at least one docking element is accomplished by friction forces. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The docking system of claim 1, wherein the attachment between the docked element and the at least one docking element is accomplished by matching geometries, selected from the group consisting of rigid and compliant elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The docking system of claim 1, wherein the at least one docking element comprises a wire-like component where the docked element can be hooked. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The docking system of claim 1, wherein all the links of the surgical telemanipulator placed between the master link of the at least one master link attached to the at least one reference body and the at least one slave link have the same mobility as the at least one reference body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The docking system of claim 1, wherein the surgical telemanipulator is part of a surgical platform to perform open and minimally invasive surgical procedures comprising a surgical instrument with proximal and distal extremities adapted to be placed in a minimally invasive trocar with a first length. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The docking system of claim 10, wherein a reduced mobility of the at least one slave link causes the distal extremity of the surgical instrument to be located within the first length of the minimally invasive trocar.