# US 10,869,729 B2 · Robotic surgical assemblies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,869,729 B2 - Document ID: US10869729B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/081,335 - Filed: 2017-02-27 - Published: 2019-01-24 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-04 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: Covidien LP - Inventors: Chi Min Seow; Jaimeen Kapadia; Mark Macleod; Michael Zemlok - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869729B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 90/03: {Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety} - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/3409: {including needle or instrument drives} - A61B 2090/035: {preventing further rotation} - A61B 2090/067: {for measuring angles} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An instrument drive unit includes a hub, a motor pack, and an annular member disposed between the hub and the motor pack. The hub and motor pack each have a surface feature. The motor pack is rotatably coupled to the hub. The annular member defines an upper annular channel, and a lower annular channel. The annular member has a stop formed in each of the upper and lower annular channels. Upon the motor pack achieving a threshold amount of rotation relative to the hub, the surface feature of the motor pack abuts the stop of the lower annular channel to rotate the annular member. Upon the annular member achieving a threshold amount of rotation relative to the hub, the stop of the upper annular channel abuts the surface feature of the hub stopping further rotation of the motor pack. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An instrument drive unit for use with a robotic arm, the instrument drive unit comprising: an outer shell configured to be selectively coupled to a robotic arm; and an inner shell removably received within the outer shell and including: a hub non-rotatably received within the outer shell and having a distally extending surface feature; a motor pack including a proximal end rotatably coupled to the hub, and a surface feature extending proximally from the proximal end thereof; and at least one annular member defining: an upper annular channel having the surface feature of the hub received therein; and a lower annular channel having the surface feature of the motor pack received therein, the at least one annular member having a stop formed in each of the upper and lower annular channels, wherein upon the motor pack achieving a threshold amount of rotation relative to the hub, the surface feature of the motor pack abuts the stop of the lower annular channel to rotate the at least one annular member relative to the hub, and wherein upon the at least one annular member achieving a threshold amount of rotation relative to the hub, the stop of the upper annular channel abuts the surface feature of the hub stopping further rotation of the motor pack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The instrument drive unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the proximal end of the motor pack, the at least one annular member, and the hub has a sensor in communication with one another and configured to sense the relative rotational positions of one another. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The instrument drive unit according to claim 2, wherein the sensor of the motor pack is disposed adjacent the surface feature thereof, the sensor of the at least one annular member is disposed adjacent the stop of the upper or lower annular channels, and the sensor of the hub is disposed adjacent the surface feature thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The instrument drive unit according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the sensors of each of the motor pack, the at least one annular member, and the hub is at least one of a hall effect sensor, a rotary variable differential transformer, a variable reluctance sensor, a potentiometer, a capacitive rotary position sensor, an optical encoder, or a laser surface velocimeter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The instrument drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the threshold amount of rotation of the motor pack relative to the hub is approximately 1 to 360 degrees, and the threshold amount of rotation of the at least one annular member relative to the hub is approximately 1 to 360 degrees, such that the motor pack is configured to rotate approximately 2 to 720 degrees relative to the outer shell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The instrument drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one annular member is a hollow ring having an H-shaped transverse cross sectional profile. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The instrument drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the surface feature of the motor pack is a curved projection slidably received within the lower annular channel of the at least one annular member, and wherein the surface feature of the hub is a curved projection slidably received within the upper annular channel of the at least one annular member. ### Claim 8 A surgical assembly for use with and for selective connection to a robotic arm, the surgical assembly comprising: an instrument drive unit including: a hub having a surface feature; a motor pack having a surface feature and being rotatably coupled to the hub; and at least one annular member disposed between the hub and the motor pack, the at least one annular member defining: an upper annular channel; and a lower annular channel, the at least one annular member having a stop formed in each of the upper and lower annular channels, wherein upon the motor pack achieving a threshold amount of rotation relative to the hub, the surface feature of the motor pack abuts the stop of the lower annular channel to rotate the at least one annular member, and wherein upon the at least one annular member achieving a threshold amount of rotation relative to the hub, the stop of the upper annular channel abuts the surface feature of the hub stopping further rotation of the motor pack. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The surgical assembly according to claim 8, wherein the instrument drive unit further includes an outer shell, wherein the hub is non-rotatably received within the outer shell, the motor pack having a proximal end rotatably coupled to the hub. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The surgical assembly according to claim 9, wherein the surface feature of the hub extends distally from the hub, and the surface feature of the motor pack extends proximally from the proximal end thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The surgical assembly according to claim 9, further comprising a surgical instrument holder including: a carriage housing having a first side configured for movable engagement to a surgical robotic arm, and a second side configured for non-rotatably supporting the outer shell of the instrument drive unit; and a motor disposed within the carriage housing and configured to effect rotation of the motor pack of the instrument drive unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The surgical assembly according to claim 11, wherein the surgical instrument holder further includes control circuitry disposed within the carriage housing and in communication with the motor and a sensor of each of the motor pack, the at least one annular member, and the hub, the control circuitry configured to stop operation of the motor upon the stop of the upper annular channel being disposed adjacent the surface feature of the hub. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The surgical assembly according to claim 8, wherein each of the motor pack, the at least one annular member, and the hub has a sensor in communication with one another and configured to sense the relative rotational positions of one another. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The surgical assembly according to claim 13, wherein the sensor of the motor pack is disposed adjacent the surface feature thereof, the sensor of the at least one annular member is disposed adjacent the stop of the upper or lower annular channels, and the sensor of the hub is disposed adjacent the surface feature thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The surgical assembly according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the sensors of each of the motor pack, the at least one annular member, and the hub is at least one of a hall effect sensor, a rotary variable differential transformer, a variable reluctance sensor, a potentiometer, a capacitive rotary position sensor, an optical encoder, or a laser surface velocimeter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The surgical assembly according to claim 8, wherein the threshold amount of rotation of the motor pack relative to the hub is approximately 1 to 360 degrees, and the threshold amount of rotation of the at least one annular member relative to the hub is approximately 1 to 360 degrees, such that the motor pack is configured to rotate approximately 2 to 720 degrees relative to the outer shell. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The surgical assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at least one annular member is a hollow ring having an H-shaped transverse cross sectional profile. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The surgical assembly according to claim 8, wherein the surface feature of the motor pack is a curved projection slidably received within the lower annular channel of the at least one annular member, and wherein the surface feature of the hub is a curved projection slidably received within the upper annular channel of the at least one annular member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) The surgical assembly according to claim 8, wherein the motor pack has a distal end configured to be non-rotatably coupled to a proximal end of an electromechanical instrument. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The surgical assembly according to claim 19, wherein the motor pack of the instrument drive unit is configured to actuate functions of the electromechanical instrument, and wherein the electromechanical instrument rotates with rotation of the motor pack of the instrument drive unit.