Cooling a surgical robot arm
AssigneeCmr Surgical Limited
InventorsChristopher James Roach, Nikki Priyam Su-Ling Phoolchund, Paul Christopher Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooling structure and a method of cooling a surgical robot arm. The surgical robot arm extends from a proximal end attached to a base to a distal end attachable to a surgical instrument via a series of links interspersed by articulations. The cooling structure comprises a loop for circumscribing the surgical robot arm. The loop comprises a hollow interior for feeding cooling fluid through the loop, and a series of orifices directed towards the surgical robot arm for feeding cooling fluid from the loop towards the surgical robot arm. The cooling structure further comprises a feeder conduit attached to the loop for feeding cooling fluid from a cooling fluid source to the loop.
Claims18
A cooling structure configured to cool a surgical robot arm, the surgical robot arm extending from a proximal end attached to a base to a distal end attachable to a surgical instrument via a series of links interspersed by articulations, the cooling structure comprising:
- a closed loop configured to circumscribe the surgical robot arm such that cooling fluid follows a continuous closed path around the surgical robot arm, the closed loop comprising:
- a hollow interior configured to feed cooling fluid through the closed loop, and
- a series of orifices directed towards the surgical robot arm configured to feed cooling fluid from the closed loop towards the surgical robot arm;
- and
- a feeder conduit attached to the closed loop configured to feed cooling fluid from a cooling fluid source to the closed loop.
A surgical robot system comprising:
- a surgical robot arm extending from a proximal end attached to a base to a distal end attachable to a surgical instrument via a series of links interspersed by articulations;
- and
- a cooling structure configured to cool the surgical robot arm, the cooling structure comprising:
- a closed loop configured to circumscribe the surgical robot arm such that cooling fluid follows a continuous closed path around the surgical robot arm, the closed loop comprising:
- a hollow interior configured to feed cooling fluid through the closed loop, and
- a series of orifices directed towards the surgical robot arm configured to feed cooling fluid from the closed loop towards the surgical robot arm;
- and
- a feeder conduit attached to the closed loop configured to feed cooling fluid from a cooling fluid source to the closed loop;
- and
- wherein the closed loop circumscribes the distal end of the surgical robot arm.
A surgical robot system comprising:
- a surgical robot arm extending from a proximal end attached to a base to a distal end attachable to a surgical instrument via a series of links interspersed by articulations;
- and
- a cooling structure configured to cool the surgical robot arm, the cooling structure comprising:
- a closed loop configured to circumscribe the surgical robot arm such that cooling fluid follows a continuous closed path around the surgical robot arm, the closed loop comprising:
- a hollow interior configured to feed cooling fluid through the closed loop, and
- a series of orifices directed towards the surgical robot arm configured to feed cooling fluid from the closed loop towards the surgical robot arm;
- and
- a feeder conduit attached to the closed loop configured to feed cooling fluid from a cooling fluid source to the closed loop;
- and
- wherein the closed loop or one of one or more further loops circumscribes an articulation of the surgical robot arm.
A surgical robot system comprising:
- a surgical robot arm extending from a proximal end attached to a base to a distal end attachable to a surgical instrument via a series of links interspersed by articulations;
- and
- a cooling structure configured to cool the surgical robot arm, the cooling structure comprising:
- a closed loop configured to circumscribe the surgical robot arm such that cooling fluid follows a continuous closed path around the surgical robot arm, the closed loop comprising:
- a hollow interior configured to feed cooling fluid through the closed loop, and
- a series of orifices directed towards the surgical robot arm configured to feed cooling fluid from the closed loop towards the surgical robot arm;
- a feeder conduit attached to the closed loop configured to feed cooling fluid from a cooling fluid source to the closed loop;
- and
- one or more fasteners configured to fasten the cooling structure to the surgical robot arm;
- wherein the surgical robot arm further comprises one or more complimentary fasteners configured to fasten to the one or more fasteners of the cooling structure.
A method of cooling a surgical robot arm, the surgical robot arm extending from a proximal end attached to a base to a distal end attachable to a surgical instrument via a series of links interspersed by articulations, the method comprising:
- forcing cooling fluid from a cooling fluid source through a feeder conduit to a closed loop which circumscribes the surgical robot arm such that cooling fluid follows a continuous closed path around the surgical robot arm;
- and
- feeding the cooling fluid through a hollow interior of the closed loop and through a series of orifices directed towards the surgical robot arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.