# US 11,439,434 B2 · Needle-guide robot with preset depth of insertion

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- Number: US 11,439,434 B2
- Document ID: US11439434B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/303,673
- Filed: 2017-05-23
- Published: 2020-10-08
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-23
- Assignees: The Johns Hopkins University
- Applicants: The Johns Hopkins University
- Inventors: Dan Stoianovici; Doru Petrisor
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439434B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/3494: {with safety means for protection against accidental cutting or pricking, e.g. limiting insertion depth, pressure sensors (for the peridural space A61B17/3401)}
- A61B 10/0233: {Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments}
- A61B 17/3403: {Needle locating or guiding means}
- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 50/30: Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments (for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40)
- A61B 90/03: {Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety}
- A61B 90/08: {Accessories or related features not otherwise provided for}
- A61B 90/11: with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
- A61B 90/37: {Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation}
- A61B 2017/3409: {including needle or instrument drives}
- A61B 2050/314: {Flexible bags or pouches}
- A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself}
- A61B 2090/0813: {Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable}
- A61B 2090/374: {NMR or MRI}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a robot structure that includes an MRI-Safe pneumatic stepper motor and optical encoding technologies. The present invention includes a needle guide and a needle depth limiter. The needle for biopsy is inserted through the needle guide and the depth of inserting is limited by the needle depth limiter. The robot is configured to control this procedure. The robot structure is adapted for biopsy, a novel way of setting the depth of needle insertion, image-to-robot registration. The system includes control for the robot.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for needle insertion comprising:
a needle driver device;
a needle-guide, wherein a direction of insertion of a needle can be preset using the needle guide; and
a depth limiter, wherein a depth of insertion of the needle can be preset using the depth limiter, wherein a body of the needle contacts the depth limiter, and the depth limiter thereby limits the depth of the insertion the needle, and wherein the needle driver device actuates the needle-guide and the depth limiter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the needle-guide is a sterile and biocompatible component.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the needle body comes into contact with a stopper surface of the depth limiter at a location that corresponds to a preset depth of needle insertion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein a surface of the needle and limiter come in contact through a bag.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising a motor configured to set a position of the depth limiter relative to the needle-guide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5, wherein the motor is a pneumatic stepper motor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5, further comprising a screw mechanism is configured to set the position of the limiter.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the position of the depth limiter is configured to be adjusted so that a location presets the desired depth of needle insertion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising image registration markers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be MRI-safe.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising a robot that manipulates the needle driver device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising the robot being instrumented with registration markers for image-guided medical applications.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the device is configured to be MRI-safe.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the MRI-safe and MRI-unsafe components are configured to be separated.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11 further comprising a sterile (or clean) bag, such that an entirety of the robot is sterile.

### Claim 16

A device for needle insertion comprising:
a needle driver device;
a needle-guide, wherein a direction of insertion of a needle assembly can be preset using the needle guide;
a depth limiter, wherein a depth of insertion of the needle can be preset using the depth limiter and wherein the depth limiter includes a stopper surface wherein a body of the needle contacts the depth limiter, and the depth limiter thereby limits the depth of the insertion of the needle and wherein a surface of the needle assembly comes into contact with the stopper surface of the depth limiter at a location that corresponds to a preset depth of needle insertion.