Methods, systems, and devices for causing end effector motion with a robotic surgical system

A surgical method, comprising:

• causing first and second motors of a robotic surgical system to cooperate with each other to drive a first function of a surgical tool releasably coupled to the robotic surgical system;
• and
• causing a third motor of the robotic surgical system to drive a second function of the surgical tool releasably coupled to the robotic surgical system;
• wherein the first function includes one of closing jaws of an end effector of the surgical tool, translating a cutting element along the end effector, rotating the end effector relative to an elongate shaft of the surgical tool, articulating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft, and rotating the elongate shaft and the end effector relative to a proximal housing of the surgical tool;
• and
• wherein the second function includes another one of closing the jaws of the end effector of the surgical tool, translating the cutting element along the end effector, rotating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft of the surgical tool, articulating the end effector relative to the elongate shaft, and rotating the elongate shaft and the end effector relative to the proximal housing of the surgical tool.

A surgical method, comprising:

• causing a first motor of the robotic surgical system to provide a first amount of torque to a surgical tool releasably coupled to the robotic surgical system;
• causing a second motor of the robotic surgical system to provide a second amount of torque to the surgical tool;
• and
• releasably coupling the surgical tool to the robotic surgical system by coupling a housing of the surgical tool to a tool driver of the robotic surgical system;
• wherein the first and second amounts of torque are provided simultaneously to the surgical tool to drive a single function of the surgical tool;
• and
• wherein a total of the first and second amounts of torque is greater than each of a maximum amount of torque the first motor is configured to provide to the surgical tool and a maximum amount of torque the second motor is configured to provide to the surgical tool;
• wherein the tool driver includes the first and second motors;
• wherein the coupling causes a first gear of the first motor and a second gear of the second motor to operatively couple to an actuation shaft of the surgical tool that extends along an elongate shaft of the surgical tool;
• and
• wherein the driving of the single function includes the first and second gears moving to cause movement of the actuation shaft relative to the elongate shaft.