# US 12,376,927 B2 · Surgical robot systems comprising robotic telemanipulators and integrated laparoscopy

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- Number: US 12,376,927 B2
- Document ID: US12376927B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/364,246
- Filed: 2021-06-30
- Published: 2021-10-28
- Granted: 2025-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-07
- Assignees: Distalmotion SA
- Applicants: Distalmotion SA
- Inventors: Julien Chassot; Michael Friedrich; Patrick Schoeneich; Mehrnaz Salehian
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12376927B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence)
- A61B 18/1442: {Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps}
- A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
- A61B 34/25: {User interfaces for surgical systems}
- A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means}
- A61B 34/77: {Manipulators with motion or force scaling}
- B25J 9/1682: {Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators}
- B25J 9/1689: {Teleoperation}
- G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- A61B 90/361: {Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras}
- A61B 90/98: using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
- A61B 2017/0046: {with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable}
- A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)}
- A61B 2034/2059: {Mechanical position encoders}
- A61B 2034/302: {specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities}
- A61B 2034/305: {Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms}
- A61B 2560/0437: Trolley or cart-type apparatus
- G05B 2219/39389: Laparoscopic surgery, camera on center of operated part, view around, scale
- G05B 2219/45117: Medical, radio surgery manipulator
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- 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})
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

Surgical robot systems for remote manipulation having robotic telemanipulators are provided. The surgical robot systems are well adapted for use by the surgeon, seamlessly integratable into the operation room, allow for a surgeon to work between the robot and the patient throughout a surgery in a sterile manner, are relatively low cost, and/or permit integrated laparoscopy. The system preferably includes a master console having a plurality of master links interconnected by a plurality of master joints, and a handle coupled to the master console for operating the telemanipulator. The system further includes a slave console operatively coupled to the master console and having a plurality of slave links interconnected by a plurality of slave joints that move responsive to movement at the master console to permit an end-effector to perform surgery.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for remote manipulation to perform surgery, the system comprising:
a slave console comprising a slave hub, an alignment joint disposed proximal of the slave hub, and a plurality of slave links coupled to a base;
a surgical instrument configured to be received in the slave hub and coupled to the slave console, the surgical instrument including a distal region configured to be inserted into a patient at a surgical site to perform robotic surgery;
an incision pointer configured to be removably coupled to the alignment joint to facilitate an alignment of the alignment joint and the surgical site; and
a controller configured to execute instructions to:
set a virtual remote center-of-motion of the surgical instrument based on the alignment of the alignment joint and the surgical site; and
cause at least one of the plurality of slave links distal to the alignment joint to move responsive to movement applied at a handle of a master console operatively coupled to the slave console to thereby move the surgical instrument to perform the robotic surgery, while restricting movements of the surgical instrument about the virtual remote center-of-motion and maintaining alignment of the alignment joint with the surgical site during the robotic surgery.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the incision pointer is configured to be removably coupled to the alignment joint via a magnetic attachment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set the virtual remote center-of-motion based on the alignment of the alignment joint and a trocar positioned through the surgical site.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising the handle, wherein the handle is removably coupleable to the master console such that the handle can be removed after the robotic surgery and sterilized for additional robotic surgeries.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, further comprising:
a sterile drape interface coupled to a sterile drape configured to cover non-sterile portions of the master console, the sterile drape interface configured to couple to the master console and define an opening configured to receive a portion of the handle,
the handle configured to couple to the master console by having the portion inserted through the opening and into engagement with the master console.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, further comprising a cap configured to cover the opening to avoid accidental contact of a user with an interior of the master console, the cap configured to be removed prior to coupling the handle to the master console.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the sterile drape interface includes a rigid ring.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the handle includes extensions that are configured to engage with a groove in the master console when the handle is coupled to the master console, the engagement of the extensions with the groove configured to prevent lateral movement of the handle relative to the master console while allowing the handle to rotate relative to the master console.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the handle is configured to be released from the master console via retraction of a release grip that causes the extensions to move radially inward and disengage from the groove.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to execute instructions to cause, in response to an input at the slave console, the plurality of slave links to move from a first configuration to a second configuration by retracting away from the patient to expose the surgical site such that a user can perform non-robotic surgery at the surgical site.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to execute instructions to determine that the surgical instrument has been removed from the patient at the surgical site,
the controller configured to cause the plurality of slave links to move to the second configuration in response to the input at the slave console and determining that the surgical instrument has been removed from the patient.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to execute instructions to cause, in response to a second input at the slave console, the plurality of slave links to move from the second configuration back to the first configuration.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of slave links in the first configuration is configured to enable the surgical instrument to be coupled to the slave console and positioned at the surgical site.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the alignment joint remains aligned with the virtual remote center-of-motion in the second configuration.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is disposed in a slave link of the plurality of slave links.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause at least one of the plurality of slave links to move responsive to movement applied at the handle of the master console by:
generating signals indicative of scaled movements corresponding to the movement applied at the handle; and
causing the at least one of the plurality of slave links to move at a scaled degree corresponding to the movement applied at the handle based on the signals.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument includes an end effector configured to move in a plurality of degrees-of-freedom, and the controller is further configured to execute instructions to cause the end effector to move in at least one of the plurality of degrees-of-freedom responsive to movement applied at the handle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to execute instructions to cause the end effector to move by:
causing the end effector to move in a first degree-of-freedom of the plurality of degrees-of-freedom at a first scaled degree based on a corresponding movement applied at the handle; and
causing the end effector to move in a second degree-of-freedom of the plurality of degrees-of-freedom at a second scaled degree based on a corresponding movement applied at the handle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising first and second foot pedals, wherein at least one of the first and second foot pedals, when actuated, is configured to prevent the plurality of slave links from moving responsive to the movement applied at the handle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to execute instructions to prevent movement of slave links proximal to the alignment joint.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the incision pointer comprises a head configured to couple to the alignment joint and a shaft extending from the head.