# US 11,026,756 B2 · Surgical robot platform

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- Number: US 11,026,756 B2
- Document ID: US11026756B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/473,698
- Filed: 2017-03-30
- Published: 2017-09-14
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2012-06-21
- Assignees: Globus Medical, Inc.
- Applicants: Globus Medical, Inc.
- Inventors: Neil R. Crawford; Nicholas Theodore; Mitchell A. Foster
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026756B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 5/061: {Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body (A61B1/00158 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/062: {using magnetic field}
- A61B 5/066: {Superposing sensor position on an image of the patient, e.g. obtained by ultrasound or x-ray imaging}
- A61B 6/12: Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
- A61B 10/02: Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy {(A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48)}
- A61B 10/0233: {Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments}
- A61B 10/0275: {with sample notch, e.g. on the side of inner stylet}
- A61B 17/025: {Joint distractors}
- A61B 17/1615: {Drill bits, i.e. rotating tools extending from a handpiece to contact the worked material}
- A61B 17/1671: {for the spine}
- A61B 17/1703: {using imaging means, e.g. by X-rays}
- A61B 17/1757: {for the spine}
- A61B 17/7082: {for driving, i.e. rotating, screws or screw parts specially adapted for spinal fixation, e.g. for driving polyaxial or tulip-headed screws}
- A61B 17/8866: {for gripping or pushing bones, e.g. approximators (joint distractors A61B17/025)}
- A61B 34/10: Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
- A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
- A61B 34/25: {User interfaces for surgical systems}
- A61B 34/32: operating autonomously
- A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery}
- A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means}
- A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback}
- A61B 46/20: specially adapted for patients
- A61B 50/13: Trolleys{, e.g. carts}
- A61B 90/14: Fixators for body parts, e.g. skull clamps; Constructional details of fixators, e.g. pins
- A61B 90/37: {Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation}
- A61B 90/39: {Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers}
- A61B 90/96: using barcodes
- A61B 90/98: using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
- A61F 2/46: Special tools for implanting artificial joints
- A61M 5/172: electrical or electronic
- A61N 1/0529: {Electrodes for brain stimulation}
- B25J 9/1065: {with parallelograms}
- A61B 5/064: {using markers (A61B5/062 takes precedence)}
- A61B 6/4435: {the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure}
- A61B 6/547: {involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device}
- A61B 17/17: Guides {or aligning means} for drills {, mills, pins or wires}
- A61B 90/11: with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
- A61B 90/36: {Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for}
- A61B 2010/0208: {Biopsy devices with actuators, e.g. with triggered spring mechanisms}
- A61B 2017/00119: {alarm; indicating an abnormal situation}
- A61B 2017/00203: {with speech control or speech recognition}
- A61B 2017/00207: {with hand gesture control or hand gesture recognition}
- A61B 2017/00876: {magnetic}
- A61B 2017/0256: {for the spine}
- A61B 2034/102: {Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis}
- A61B 2034/104: {Modelling the effect of the tool, e.g. the effect of an implanted prosthesis or for predicting the effect of ablation or burring}
- A61B 2034/107: {Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions}
- A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems}
- A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems}
- A61B 2034/2059: {Mechanical position encoders}
- A61B 2034/2068: {using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points}
- A61B 2034/2072: {Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient}
- A61B 2034/2074: {Interface software}
- A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes}
- A61B 2034/741: {Glove like input devices, e.g. "data gloves"}
- A61B 2034/742: {Joysticks}
- A61B 2034/743: {Keyboards}
- A61B 2034/744: {Mouse}
- A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself}
- A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension}
- A61B 2090/0811: {for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument}
- A61B 2090/365: {augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image}
- A61B 2090/374: {NMR or MRI}
- A61B 2090/376: {using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy}
- A61B 2090/3762: {using computed tomography systems [CT]}
- A61B 2090/3764: {with a rotating C-arm having a cone beam emitting source}
- A61B 2090/378: {using ultrasound}
- A61B 2090/3937: {Visible markers}
- A61B 2090/3941: {Photoluminescent markers}
- A61B 2090/3945: {Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes}
- A61B 2090/395: {with marking agent for marking skin or other tissue}
- A61B 2090/3966: {Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image}
- A61B 2090/3975: {active}
- A61B 2090/3979: {infrared}
- A61B 2090/3983: {Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery}
- A61F 2002/4632: {using computer-controlled surgery, e.g. robotic surgery}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- 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 medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly. The instruction signals can be configured to cause the motor assembly to selectively move the effectuator element and is further configured to (i) calculate a position of the at least one transmitter by analysis of the signals received by the plurality of receivers; (ii) display the position of the at least one transmitter with respect to the body of the patient; and (iii) selectively control actuation of the motor assembly in response to the signals received by the plurality of receivers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A surgical robot system comprising:
a robot base including a display, the display mechanically coupled directly to the robot base;
a robot arm coupled to the robot base, wherein movement of the robot arm is electronically controlled by the robot base;
an end-effector, coupled to the robot arm, wherein the end-effector includes a guide tube configured to receive a surgical instrument; and
a force sensor configured to determine a force applied to the surgical instrument along an orientation axis of the guide tube,
wherein the robot arm includes a plurality of tracking markers configured to track the movement of the robot arm,
wherein at least one tracking marker is mounted and secured to the end-effector, and
wherein the robot arm is not moveable in six degrees of motion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is configured to produce a digital signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The surgical robot system of claim 2, wherein the digital signal is indicative of the force applied to the surgical instrument by the body of a patient as the surgical instrument advances into tissue of the patient.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is a uniaxial load cell.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is coupled to analog-to-digital filtering to supply a continuous digital data stream to the robot base.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is configured to continuously produce signals indicative of the force applied to the surgical instrument.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The surgical robot system of claim 1, further comprising the surgical instrument.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the robot base is configured to determine that the surgical instrument contacts bone based upon the applied force.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is coupled to the end effector.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The surgical robot system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is coupled to the surgical instrument.

### Claim 11

A surgical robot system comprising:
a robot base including a display, the display mechanically coupled directly to the robot base;
a robot arm coupled to the robot base, wherein movement of the robot arm is electronically controlled by the robot base;
an end-effector, coupled to the robot arm, wherein the end-effector includes a guide tube configured to receive a surgical instrument; and
a force sensor configured to determine a force applied to the surgical instrument along an orientation axis of the guide tube,
wherein the robot system is configured to track the position of the surgical instrument and the display is configured to show a digital representation of a patient and a position of the surgical instrument relative to the patient,
wherein the robot arm includes a plurality of tracking markers configured to track the movement of the robot arm,
wherein at least one tracking marker is mounted and secured to the end-effector, and
wherein the robot arm is not moveable in six degrees of motion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The surgical robot system of claim 11, wherein the force sensor is configured to produce a digital signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The surgical robot system of claim 12, wherein the digital signal is indicative of the force applied to the surgical instrument by the body of a patient as the surgical instrument advances into tissue of the patient.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The surgical robot system of claim 11, wherein the force sensor is a uniaxial load cell.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The surgical robot system of claim 11, wherein the force sensor is coupled to analog-to-digital filtering to supply a continuous digital data stream to the robot base.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The surgical robot system of claim 11, wherein the force sensor is configured to continuously produce signals indicative of the force applied to the surgical instrument.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The surgical robot system of claim 11, further comprising the surgical instrument.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The surgical robot system of claim 11, wherein the robot base is configured to determine that the surgical instrument contacts bone based upon the applied force.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The surgical robot system of claim 11, wherein the force sensor is coupled to the end effector.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The surgical robot system of claim 11, wherein the force sensor is coupled to the surgical instrument.