Adaptatively morphing surgical grasper
AssigneeFondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia
InventorsEdoardo Sinibaldi, Yu Huan, Arianna Menciassi, Barbara Mazzolai
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Abstract
A grasper device for mini-invasive surgery procedures is provided, having two jaws, each of which having two elastically-deformable elements fixed one another and developing according to a main longitudinal direction, in particular a front element which contacts the tissue to be grasped and a back support element receiving a grasping force from a proximal command and having a higher modulus of elasticity than the front element. During the application of a grasping force Fz, the two elements deform along a transverse direction that is orthogonal to the main longitudinal direction and to the grasping force Fz.
Claims19
A grasper device adapted for minimally-invasive surgery, said grasper device is configured to be attached to a support tool, the grasper device comprising two jaws, each of said two jaws having:
- an elastically-deformable front element, which, in operation, is in contact with an item to be grasped;
- and
- an elastically-deformable back support element fixed to the elastically-deformable front element and configured to receive a grasping force (Fz), said elastically-deformable back support element has a higher modulus of elasticity than the elastically-deformable front element, being less elastically-deformable,
- wherein said elastically-deformable front element and said elastically-deformable back support element each develop according to a main longitudinal direction (x) and are fixed one another along respective longitudinal edge portions so as to define a tubular hollow structure,
- the overall arrangement being such that when the grasping force (Fz) is applied to said elastically-deformable back support element, it deforms and transmits the grasping force to the front element which, in turn, deforms,
- both the elastically-deformable front element and the elastically-deformable back support element deforming in a main deforming transverse direction (y) that is orthogonal to said main longitudinal direction (x) and to the grasping force (Fz).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.