# US 10,864,051 B2 · Robotic surgical assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,051 B2 - Document ID: US10864051B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/768,519 - Filed: 2016-10-14 - Published: 2018-10-25 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-16 - Assignees: Medical Microinstruments, Inc. - Applicants: Medical Microinstruments S.P.A. - Inventors: Massimiliano Simi; Giuseppe Maria Prisco - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864051B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) - A61B 1/3132: {for laparoscopy} - A61B 10/04: Endoscopic instruments, e.g. catheter-type instruments - A61B 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)} - A61B 17/062: Needle manipulators - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 34/71: {Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms} - A61B 34/72: {Micromanipulators} - A61B 90/20: Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects - A61B 90/25: Supports therefor - A61B 90/361: {Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras} - B25J 3/04: involving servo mechanisms (servo-actuated heads B25J15/02) - B25J 9/1015: {using additional, e.g. microadjustment of the end effector} - B25J 9/1669: {characterised by special application, e.g. multi-arm co-operation, assembly, grasping} - B25J 15/0052: {multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors} - G05B 19/402: characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position (G05B19/19 takes precedence) - A61B 17/29: Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery - A61B 17/320016: {Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes (A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence)} - A61B 17/3211: Surgical scalpels, knives; Accessories therefor - A61B 17/34: Trocars; Puncturing needles - A61B 2017/00345: {Micromachines, nanomachines, microsystems} - A61B 2034/2048: {using an accelerometer or inertia sensor} - A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems} - A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes} - A61B 2034/715: {Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack} - A61B 2090/061: {for measuring dimensions, e.g. length} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - G05B 2219/45117: Medical, radio surgery manipulator - 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}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A robotic surgical assembly (100) includes a support (104), one macro-positioning arm (30), connected to the support (104) and having a plurality of degrees of freedom. The macro-positioning arm (30) includes a support member (38), at least two micro-positioning devices (41, 141, 241, 341), each having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom, connected in cascade to the support member (38) of the macro-positioning arm (30), and at least two medical instruments (60, 160, 260, 360). Each instrument is connected in cascade to each of the micro-positioning device and includes a jointed device (70, 170, 270) having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom including a plurality of rotational joints. Each of the at least two medical instruments (60, 160, 260, 360) has a shaft (65), suitable for distancing the jointed device from the micro-positioning devices by a predetermined distance in a shaft direction (X-X). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic surgical assembly comprising: a support; a macro-positioning arm, connected to said support and having a plurality of degrees of freedom, said macro-positioning arm comprising a support member; at least two micro-positioning devices comprising a first micro-positioning device and a second micro-positioning device, each of said at least two micro-positioning devices having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom, said at least two micro-positioning devices being connected in cascade to said support member of said macro-positioning arm; wherein each of said micro-positioning device comprises: a first motorized slide movable in a first slide rail along a first slide direction; a second motorized slide movable in a second slide rail along a second slide direction; a third motorized slide movable in a third slide rail along a third slide direction; wherein said slides are orthogonally connected to each other; at least two medical instruments comprising a first medical instrument and a second medical instrument, said first medical instrument being connected in cascade to said first micro-positioning device, said second medical instrument being connected in cascade to said second micro-positioning device; wherein: each of said at least two medical instruments comprises a jointed device, having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom including a plurality of rotational joints and a shaft for distancing said jointed device from said micro-positioning devices by a predetermined distance in a shaft direction; and said first micro-positioning device provides at least three motorized degrees of freedom of translational motion to said shaft of said first medical instrument; said second micro-positioning device provides at least three motorized degrees of freedom of translational motion to said shaft of said second medical instrument; said robotic surgical assembly rigidly couples said shaft direction of the shaft of said first medical instrument and said shaft direction of the shaft of said second medical instrument; and the shaft angle between the shaft direction of the shaft of said first medical instrument and the shaft direction of the shaft of said second medical instrument is constant during any motion of any of said plurality of motorized degrees of freedom of said micro-positioning devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least two micro-positioning devices are rigidly attached to said support member so that said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument both reach a common workspace volume. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first micro-positioning device rigidly blocks the shaft direction of said first medical instrument and said second micro-positioning device rigidly blocks the shaft direction of said first medical instrument. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined distance is equal to at least five times the longitudinal extension of said jointed device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said medical instrument comprises a motor compartment suitable to accommodate at least one driving means of at least said jointed device of said medical instrument. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, comprising at least two control devices suitable to determine actuation of said micro-positioning devices and said medical instrument, according to a master-slave type communication. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said macro-positioning arm comprises: a first arm member, connected to said support and movable with respect to said support along a linear sliding guide; a second arm member, connected to said first arm member and movable with respect to said first arm member around a first arm movement axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 7, wherein said macro-positioning arm further comprises a third arm member, connected to said second arm member and movable with respect to said second arm member around a second arm movement axis; and/or wherein said macro-positioning arm further comprises a fourth arm member, connected to said third arm member and movable with respect to said third arm member around a third arm movement axis; and/or wherein said first arm movement axis, said second arm movement axis and said third arm movement axis, are substantially parallel to each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 8, wherein said macro-positioning arm comprises at least one locking system, suitable to prevent relative movement of at least two of said first arm member, said second arm member, said third arm member, and said fourth arm member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said macro-positioning arm is a passive robot. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said macro-positioning arm includes motorized degrees of freedom. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said macro-positioning arm is an active anthropomorphic robot. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first slide direction, said second slide directions and said third slide direction are orthogonal directions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said micro-positioning devices comprises a motorized rotary joint, suitable to move the medical instrument around a longitudinal axis of rotation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 14, wherein said longitudinal axis of rotation is substantially coincident with said direction of the shaft of the respective medical instrument. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the end portions of said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument reach the common workspace volume having a predetermined fixed size, and wherein said macro-positioning arm allows repositioning said common workspace volume in a desired position over patient anatomy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said robotic surgical assembly is suitable to cooperate with a vision system, associated with said robotic surgical assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 17, wherein said vision system is removably attached to said support member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 17, wherein said vision system comprises a digital camera, and/or wherein said vision system comprises a digital microscope; and/or wherein said vision system comprises an endoscope; and/or wherein said endoscope is suitable to be used as a microscope; and/or wherein said vision system includes 3D digital microscope. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 17, wherein the common working volume is within a viewing field of said at least one vision system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 17, wherein said vision system is integral with said support member. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support member comprises a vision system seat suitable to house at least a vision system associated to said robotic surgical assembly. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 22, wherein the spatial orientation of said vision system seat of said support member is rigidly locked with respect to the spatial orientation of said at least two micro-positioning devices. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said macro-positioning arm comprises at least one unlocking button, the at least one unlocking button being switchable between a brake or locked position and a release or unlocked position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical assembly according to claim 1, wherein said macro-positioning arm further comprises at least one rotation dial nut, said dial nut being movable around an arm movement axis and suitable to be manipulated for moving said support member around said arm movement axis.