# US 11,896,333 B2 · Robotic surgical instrument > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,333 B2 - Document ID: US11896333B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/997,413 - Filed: 2020-08-19 - Published: 2022-02-24 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-19 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: Covidien LP - Inventors: Dylan R. Kingsley; Jason G. Weihe; William R. Whitney; Russell W. Holbrook; Zachary S. Heiliger; Curtis M. Siebenaller; Crystal A. Adams; Kurt J. Anglese - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896333B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery} - A61B 34/71: {Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms} - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 90/03: {Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety} - B25J 15/0028: {with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces} - B25J 15/022: {actuated by articulated links} - B25J 15/0226: {actuated by cams} - A61B 18/1445: {at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod} - A61B 2017/2908: {Multiple segments connected by articulations} - A61B 2034/305: {Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - 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 robotic surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft assembly extending distally from the housing, and an end effector assembly. The shaft assembly has a proximal segment coupled to the housing, a clevis supporting the end effector assembly, and an articulating link pivotably coupled to and interconnecting the proximal segment and the clevis such that the end effector assembly is configured to articulate relative to the proximal segment via the articulating link in at least two directions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic surgical instrument, comprising: a housing; a shaft assembly extending distally from the housing and including: a proximal segment coupled to the housing; a clevis defining a slot in a proximal end thereof; a distal segment fixed to the clevis and having a nub keyed to the slot of the clevis; and an articulating link pivotably coupled to and interconnecting the proximal segment and the distal segment; and an end effector assembly coupled to the clevis and extending distally therefrom, wherein the end effector assembly is configured to articulate relative to the proximal segment via the articulating link, wherein the distal segment defines a depression therein and the articulating link includes a pivot flag pivotably received in the depression in longitudinal alignment with the nub, and wherein the clevis and distal segment are fixed in rotational alignment relative to one another upon operational engagement of the nub within the slot. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the distal segment includes: a body portion received in the proximal end of the clevis; and a pair of opposed, spaced-apart pivot flags extending proximally from the body portion, each of the pivot flags of the distal segment pivotably coupled to the articulating link. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the articulating link has a pair of opposed, spaced-apart pivot flags, and the distal segment includes a pair of opposed, spaced-apart pivot flags pivotably coupled to the respective pivot flags of the articulating link, and wherein the distal segment defines first and second depressions therein, and the pivot flags of the articulating link are pivotably received in the respective first and second depressions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the clevis includes an elongated outer body defining a longitudinally-extending slot therein, the end effector having a proximal flange received in the slot such that the elongated outer body prevents lateral movement of the end effector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the clevis defines a longitudinally-extending central channel therethrough configured for passage of a plurality of actuation components. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of actuation components extend distally from the housing and through the shaft assembly to operably couple to at least one of: the end effector assembly, the distal segment, or the clevis to enable selective actuation of the end effector assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the clevis has a first wall projecting into the central channel, the first wall defining a longitudinally-extending first passageway configured for slidable receipt of at least one of a knife rod or a knife blade. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the first passageway has an arcuate section configured for slidable receipt of the knife rod, and a planar section configured for slidable receipt of the knife blade. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the clevis further includes a second inner wall projecting into the central channel, the second inner wall defining a pair of longitudinally-extending second and third passageways configured for receipt of a pair of first and second electric wires. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the second inner wall has a first opening extending from the central channel into the second passageway to allow for lateral passage of the first wire into the second passageway, and the second inner wall has a second opening extending from the central channel into the third passageway to allow for lateral passage of the second wire into the third passageway. ### Claim 11 A robotic surgical instrument, comprising: a housing; a shaft assembly extending distally from the housing and including: a proximal segment coupled to the housing; a clevis defining a longitudinally-extending central channel therethrough configured for passage of a plurality of actuation components, the clevis including a slot defined in a proximal end thereof; an articulating link pivotably coupled to and interconnecting the proximal segment and the clevis, the articulating link including a pair of spaced-apart pivot flags; a distal segment rotationally fixed to the clevis and articulatable with the clevis relative to the proximal segment, the distal segment including a nub keyed to the slot defined in the clevis, the distal segment defining a pair of depressions configured to receive the corresponding pair of spaced-apart pivot flags of the articulating link in longitudinal alignment with the nub; and an end effector assembly coupled to the clevis and extending distally therefrom, wherein the end effector assembly is configured to articulate relative to the proximal segment via the articulating link, wherein the clevis has a first wall projecting into the central channel, the first wall defining a longitudinally-extending first passageway configured for slidable receipt of at least one of a knife rod or a knife blade. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the first passageway has an arcuate section configured for slidable receipt of the knife rod, and a planar section configured for slidable receipt of the knife blade. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the clevis includes an elongated outer body defining a longitudinally-extending slot therein, the end effector having a proximal flange received in the slot such that the elongated outer body prevents lateral movement of the end effector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the clevis further includes a second inner wall projecting into the central channel, the second inner wall defining a pair of longitudinally-extending second and third passageways configured for receipt of first and second electric wires. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the second inner wall has a first opening extending from the central channel into the second passageway to allow for lateral passage of the first wire into the second passageway, and the second inner wall has a second opening extending from the central channel into the third passageway to allow for lateral passage of the second wire into the third passageway. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of actuation components extend distally from the housing and through the shaft assembly to operably couple to at least one of the end effector assembly or the clevis to enable selective actuation of the end effector assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The robotic surgical instrument according to claim 16, wherein actuating the end effector assembly includes at least one of: articulating the end effector assembly; manipulating the end effector assembly; advancing a component through the end effector assembly; or energizing the end effector assembly. ### Claim 18 A shaft assembly configured for attachment to a robotic arm, the shaft assembly comprising: a proximal segment; a clevis including: an elongated outer body defining a longitudinally-extending central channel therethrough configured for passage of a plurality of actuation components; a first wall projecting from the elongated outer body into the central channel, the first wall defining a longitudinally-extending first passageway configured for slidable receipt of at least one of a knife rod or a knife blade; and a second inner wall projecting from the elongated outer body into the central channel, the second inner wall defining a pair of longitudinally-extending second and third passageways configured for receipt of first and second electric wires; a distal segment rotationally fixed to the clevis and having a nub keyed to a slot defined in the elongated outer body of the clevis; and an articulating link pivotably coupled to and interconnecting the proximal segment and the distal segment, the articulating link including a pair of spaced-apart pivot flags, wherein the distal segment is articulatable with the clevis relative to the proximal segment, and wherein the distal segment defines a pair of depressions configured to receive the corresponding pair of spaced-apart pivot flags of the articulating link in longitudinal alignment with the nub. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The shaft assembly according to claim 18, wherein the first passageway has an arcuate section configured for slidable receipt of the knife rod, and a planar section configured for slidable receipt of the knife blade. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The shaft assembly according to claim 18, wherein the elongated outer body of the clevis defines a longitudinally-extending slot therein configured for receipt of a proximal flange of a jaw member. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The shaft assembly according to claim 18, wherein the second inner wall has a first opening extending from the central channel into the second passageway to allow for lateral passage of the first wire into the second passageway, and the second inner wall has a second opening extending from the central channel into the third passageway to allow for lateral passage of the second wire into the third passageway.