Expandable instrument actuator
AssigneeAsensus Surgical US, Inc.
InventorsMatthew Robert Penny, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Paul Wilhelm Schnur
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic system assembly comprises a robotic manipulator including an actuator assembly and a surgical instrument having a base body mountable to the actuator assembly. The base includes a first control input and a second control input, wherein the first and second control inputs are positioned on different sides of the base. The actuator assembly is moveable between open and closed positions to facilitate removal and replacement of surgical instruments. When in the closed positions, drive elements of the actuator assembly are positioned to drive the first and second control inputs of the surgical instrument to cause end effector movement or actuation.
Claims16
A method of actuating a surgical instrument using an actuator assembly of a robotic manipulator, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an actuator assembly having a first face and a second face;
- providing a surgical instrument having a proximal body comprising a first control input and a second control input;
- moving the actuator assembly from a first position in which the first face and the second face are spaced by a first distance, to a second position in which the first face and second face are spaced by a second, larger, distance;
- with the actuator assembly in the second position, positioning the proximal body between the first face and the second face;
- with the proximal body between the first face and the second face, moving the actuator assembly from the second position to the first position;
- activating a first motor in the actuator assembly to advance a first drive element with respect to the first face, the first drive element advancing the first control input relative to the proximal body to cause at least one of j aw actuation or articulation of the surgical instrument;
- activating a second motor in the actuator assembly to advance a second drive element with respect to the second face, second first drive element advancing the second control input relative to the proximal body to cause at least one of jaw actuation or articulation of the surgical instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.