# US 12,109,079 B2 · Gross positioning device and related systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,079 B2 - Document ID: US12109079B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/482,959 - Filed: 2023-10-09 - Published: 2024-02-01 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-22 - Assignees: Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska - Applicants: Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska - Inventors: Mark Reichenbach; Shane Farritor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109079B2 ## CPC - A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms - A61B 1/00149: {using articulated arms} - A61B 17/0206: {with antagonistic arms as supports for retractor elements} - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/73: {Manipulators for magnetic surgery} - B25J 9/0087: {Dual arms (double SCARA arms B25J9/043)} - B25J 18/007: {the end effector rotating around a fixed point} - B25J 18/02: extensible - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B 2034/302: {specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities} - A61B 2218/002: Irrigation - A61B 2218/007: Aspiration - 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 Disclosed herein are gross positioning systems for use with robotic surgical devices to provide gross positioning of the robotic surgical devices. The gross positioning systems have a base, a first arm link operably coupled to the base, a second arm link operably coupled to the first arm link, a third arm link operably coupled to the second arm link, and a slidable coupling component slidably coupled to the third arm link. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic surgical system for performing surgery on a patient, the system comprising: (a) a gross positioning device comprising: (i) a base; (ii) a first arm link operably coupled to the base at a first rotational joint; (iii) a second arm link operably coupled to the first arm link at a second rotational joint; (iv) a third arm link operably coupled to the second arm link, wherein the third arm link is rotatable about a third rotational joint; and (v) a coupling mechanism coupled to the third arm link such that the coupling mechanism is moveable along a length of the third arm link between an extended position and a retracted position; (b) a robotic surgical device removably coupled to the coupling mechanism, the robotic surgical device comprising: (i) a device body; (ii) a first arm operably coupled to the device body; and (iii) a second arm operably coupled to the device body; (c) a controller operably coupled to the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device, the controller comprising at least one hand controller; and (d) a processor operably coupled to the controller, the processor is configured to generate control instructions for the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device such that the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operate together to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within a body cavity of the patient. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical system of claim 1, wherein at least two of an axis of rotation of the first rotational joint, an axis of rotation of the second rotational joint, and an axis of rotation of the third rotational joint substantially intersect at a single point of intersection. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The robotic surgical system of claim 2, wherein the single point of intersection is disposed at an insertion point of the patient. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The robotic surgical system of claim 2, wherein the third arm link or the device body is disposed through the single point of intersection. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the control instructions for the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device such that the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operate together simultaneously to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within the body cavity of the patient. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the control instructions for the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device such that a first of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operates to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within the body cavity of the patient while a second of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device is inoperable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hand controller is operably coupled to the processor such that manipulation of the at least one hand controller causes the processor to generate the control instructions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to identify a midpoint between endpoints of the first and second arms and, when the midpoint is positioned outside a predetermined area, to generate the control instructions such that at least one of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operates to move the midpoint back within the predetermined area. ### Claim 9 A robotic surgical system for performing surgery on a patient, the system comprising: (a) a gross positioning device comprising: (i) a base; (ii) a first arm link operably coupled to the base at a first rotational joint; (iii) a second arm link operably coupled to the first arm link at a second rotational joint; (iv) a third arm link operably coupled to the second arm link, wherein the third arm link is rotatable about a third rotational joint; and (v) a coupling mechanism coupled to the third arm link such that the coupling mechanism is moveable along a length of the third arm link between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein at least two of an axis of rotation of the first rotational joint, an axis of rotation of the second rotational joint, and an axis of rotation of the third rotational joint substantially intersect at a single point of intersection; (b) a robotic surgical device removably coupled to the coupling mechanism, the robotic surgical device comprising: (i) a device body; (ii) a first arm operably coupled to the device body, the first arm comprising a first actuator; and (iii) a second arm operably coupled to the device body, the second arm comprising a second actuator; (c) a controller operably coupled to the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device, the controller comprising first and second hand controllers; and (d) a processor operably coupled to the controller, the processor is configured to generate control instructions for the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device such that the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operate together to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within a body cavity of the patient. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The robotic surgical system of claim 9, wherein the single point of intersection is disposed at an insertion point of the patient. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The robotic surgical system of claim 9, wherein the third arm link or the device body is disposed through the single point of intersection. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The robotic surgical system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to generate the control instructions for the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device such that the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operate together simultaneously to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within the body cavity of the patient. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The robotic surgical system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to generate the control instructions for the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device such that a first of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operates to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within the body cavity of the patient while a second of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device is inoperable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The robotic surgical system of claim 9, wherein the first and second hand controllers are operably coupled to the processor such that manipulation of the first and second hand controllers causes the processor to generate the control instructions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The robotic surgical system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to generate control instructions for the first and second actuators. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The robotic surgical system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to identify a midpoint between endpoints of the first and second arms and, when the midpoint is positioned outside a predetermined area, to generate the control instructions such that at least one of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operates to move the midpoint back within the predetermined area. ### Claim 17 A robotic surgical system for performing surgery on a patient, the system comprising: (a) a gross positioning device comprising: (i) a base; (ii) a first arm link operably coupled to the base at a first rotational joint, wherein the first rotational joint comprises a first motor; (iii) a second arm link operably coupled to the first arm link at a second rotational joint, wherein the first rotational joint comprises a second motor; (iv) a third arm link operably coupled to the second arm link, wherein the third arm link is rotatable about a third rotational joint, wherein the first rotational joint comprises a third motor; and (v) a coupling mechanism coupled to the third arm link such that the coupling mechanism is moveable along a length of the third arm link between an extended position and a retracted position; (b) a robotic surgical device removably coupled to the coupling mechanism, the robotic surgical device comprising: (i) a device body; (ii) a first arm operably coupled to the device body, the first arm comprising a first actuator and a first end effector; and (iii) a second arm operably coupled to the device body, the second arm comprising a second actuator and a second end effector; (c) a controller operably coupled to the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device, the controller comprising first and second hand controllers; and (d) a processor operably coupled to the controller, the processor is configured to generate control instructions for the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device such that the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operate together to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within a body cavity of the patient. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The robotic surgical system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to generate the control instructions for at least the first, second, and third motors and the first and second actuators such that the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operate together simultaneously to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within the body cavity of the patient. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The robotic surgical system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to generate the control instructions for the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device such that a first of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operates to position the robotic surgical device and the first and second arms within the body cavity of the patient while a second of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device is inoperable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The robotic surgical system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to identify a midpoint between the first and second end effectors and, when the midpoint is positioned outside a predetermined area, to generate the control instructions such that at least one of the gross positioning device and the robotic surgical device operates to move the midpoint back within the predetermined area.