# US 12,178,532 B2 · Robotic alignment of a tool or pin with a virtual plane > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,532 B2 - Document ID: US12178532B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/725,835 - Filed: 2022-04-21 - Published: 2022-08-25 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-24 - Assignees: Think Surgical, Inc. - Applicants: Think Surgical, Inc. - Inventors: Daniel P. Bonny; Joel Zuhars; Stephen M. Howell; Timothy Pack; Kyle Kuznik; Babak Kianmajd - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178532B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/155: {Cutting femur} - A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) - A61B 17/154: {for preparing bone for knee prosthesis} - A61B 17/1622: {Drill handpieces (A61B17/1626, A61B17/1628 take precedence)} - A61B 17/1626: {Control means; Display units} - A61B 17/1764: {for the knee} - A61B 34/32: operating autonomously - A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery} - A61B 17/157: {Cutting tibia} - A61B 2017/00115: {with audible or visual output} - A61B 2017/00221: {with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves} - A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2072: {Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient} - A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself} - A61B 2090/3937: {Visible markers} - A61B 2090/3945: {Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes} - A61B 2090/397: {electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave} - A61B 2090/3975: {active} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Systems and methods for creating cuts on a bone are provided utilizing one or more cutting guides assembled to a plurality of bone pins, where the bone pins are inserted on the bone coincident with one or more virtual pin planes defined relative to one or more of the cuts. Alignment guides are also disclosed herein that aid in the creation of pilot holes for receiving a cutting block in a desired position and orientation (POSE). An articulating surgical device actively positions the bone pins coincident with the virtual plane to ensure the cutting guides, when assembled to the pins, aligns one or more guide slots in the desired POSE to create the cuts. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical system for inserting a pin in a bone coincident with a virtual plane having a predetermined location relative to the bone, comprising: a robotic surgical device for aligning or maintaining alignment of the pin coincident with the virtual plane in response to control signals; and a computer operating software from a non-transitory memory and configured to receive inputs comprising the predetermined location of the virtual plane and a location of at least one of the bone and the robotic surgical device, wherein the computer comprises a processor configured to generate the control signals using the inputs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the robotic surgical device comprises the computer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the computer is separate from the robotic surgical device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the input corresponding to the location of the robotic surgical device is an input corresponding to a position and orientation (POSE) of at least a portion of the robotic surgical device comprising at least one of: i) the pin; or ii) a set of fiducial markers coupled to the robotic surgical device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the input corresponding to the location of at least one of the bone and the surgical device is received from a tracking system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 further comprising a tracking system, the pin, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the computer is configured to wirelessly receives the inputs. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined location of the virtual plane is oriented with respect to a predetermined location for a cut surface to be created on the bone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The surgical system of claim 8 wherein the virtual plane orientation is offset by a predetermined distance from the predetermined location for the cut surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The surgical system of claim 9 wherein the predetermined distance is based at least in part on a geometry of a cutting guide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the robotic surgical device comprises at least one of: a hand-held robotic device; a serial-chain robotic device; a parallel robotic device; or a master-slave robotic device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the robotic surgical device is controlled autonomously, semi-autonomously, haptically, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the robotic surgical device is a hand-held robotic device comprising: a hand-held portion; a working portion movably connected to the hand-held portion; a motor for driving the pin for insertion of the pin in the bone; and an actuator system for moving the working portion relative to the hand-held portion in response to the control signals. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The surgical system of claim 1 wherein the bone is subject to knee arthroplasty. ### Claim 15 A surgical system for forming a pilot hole in a bone for receiving a pin, wherein the pilot hole is formed coincident with a virtual plane having a predetermined location relative to the bone, comprising: a robotic surgical device for aligning or maintaining alignment of a tool coincident with the virtual plane in response to control signals, wherein the tool is configured to form a pilot hole in the bone for receiving a pin in the pilot hole; and a computer operating software from a non-transitory memory and configured to receive inputs comprising the predetermined location of the virtual plane and a location of at least one of the bone and the robotic surgical device, wherein the computer comprises a processor configured to generate the control signals using the inputs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the robotic surgical device comprises the computer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the computer is separate from the robotic surgical device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the input corresponding to the location of the robotic surgical device is an input corresponding to a position and orientation (POSE) of at least a portion of the robotic surgical device comprising at least one of: i) the tool; or ii) a set of fiducial markers coupled to the robotic surgical device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the input corresponding to the location of at least one of the bone and the surgical device is received from a tracking system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 further comprising a tracking system, the tool, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The surgical system of claim 16 wherein the computer is configured to wirelessly receives the inputs. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the predetermined location of the virtual plane is oriented with respect to a predetermined location for a cut surface to be created on the bone. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The surgical system of claim 22 wherein the virtual plane orientation is offset by a predetermined distance from the predetermined location for the cut surface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The surgical system of claim 23 wherein the predetermined distance is based at least in part on a geometry of a cutting guide. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the robotic surgical device comprises at least one of: a hand-held robotic device; a serial-chain robotic device; a parallel robotic device; or a master-slave robotic device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the robotic surgical device is controlled autonomously, semi-autonomously, haptically, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the robotic surgical device is a hand-held robotic device comprising: a hand-held portion; a working portion movably connected to the hand-held portion; a motor for driving the pin for insertion of the pin in the bone; and an actuator system for moving the working portion relative to the hand-held portion in response to the control signals. ### Claim 28 (depends on 15) The surgical system of claim 15 wherein the bone is subject to knee arthroplasty.