Mechanisms and methods to control movement of a head of a medical system relative to an anatomical site

A delivery arm assembly of a medical system, the delivery arm assembly comprising:

• a head having an end arranged to face a reference plane;
• a multistage slide mechanism coupled to the head and comprising:
• a long-range slide mechanism configured to move the head in a direction toward the reference plane;
• and
• a short-range slide mechanism coupled with the long-range slide mechanism and configured to, in response to a resistive force against movement of the head toward the reference plane, stop further movement of the head in the direction toward the reference plane;
• and
• a sensor configured to detect a triggering event, wherein the long-range slide mechanism is configured to prevent movement of the head in a direction toward the reference plane in response to a detection of a trigger event.

A medical system comprising:

• a delivery arm assembly including:
• a head having an end arranged to face a reference plane;
• a delivery arm configured to enable lateral movement of the head relative to the reference plane;
• and
• a multistage slide mechanism coupled to the head and configured to move the head along an axis relative to the reference plane and in a direction toward the reference plane, the multistage slide mechanism comprising a long-range slide mechanism, and a short-range slide mechanism with arranged between the head and the long-range slide mechanism, the short-range slide mechanism comprising a fine backplate fixedly coupled to the long-range slide mechanism and a fine travel plate slidably coupled to the fine backplate and fixedly coupled to the head, the fine travel plate configured to move together with the fine backplate and the long-range slide mechanism along the axis toward the reference plane until a resistive force against movement of the head toward the reference plane is encountered by the fine travel plate, at which time the fine travel plate stops moving while the fine backplate and the long-range slide mechanism continue to move along the axis;
• and
• a brake system configured to transition between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein:
• in the locked state, lateral movement of the head through the delivery arm is prevented and movement of the head through the long-range slide mechanism is prevented, and
• in the unlocked state, lateral movement of the head through the delivery arm is enabled and movement of the head through the long-range slide mechanism is enabled.

A medical system comprising:

• a delivery arm assembly including:
• a head having an end arranged to face a reference plane;
• a delivery arm configured to enable lateral movement of the head relative to the reference plane;
• and
• a multistage slide mechanism comprising a long-range slide mechanism configured to enable movement of the head in a direction toward the reference plane, and a short-range slide mechanism coupled with the long-range slide mechanism and configured to, in response to a resistive force against movement of the head toward the reference plane, stop further movement of the head in the direction toward the reference plane, the short-range slide mechanism comprising a fine backplate coupled to the long-range slide mechanism;
• a fine travel plate slidably coupled to the fine backplate;
• and a short-range counterbalance mechanism configured to define the resistive force that stops further movement of the head in the direction toward the reference plane, wherein the short-range counterbalance mechanism comprises at least one magnetic coupling including structures arranged to provide an air gap that defines the resistive force;
• and
• a brake system configured to transition between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein:
• in the locked state, lateral movement of the head through the delivery arm is prevented and movement of the head through the long-range slide mechanism is prevented, and
• in the unlocked state, lateral movement of the head through the delivery arm is enabled and movement of the head through the long-range slide mechanism is enabled.

A medical system comprising:

• a delivery arm assembly including:
• a head having an end arranged to face a reference plane;
• a delivery arm configured to enable lateral movement of the head relative to the reference plane;
• a multistage slide mechanism comprising a long-range slide mechanism configured to enable movement of the head in a direction toward the reference plane, and a short-range slide mechanism coupled with the long-range slide mechanism and configured to, in response to a resistive force against movement of the head toward the reference plane, stop further movement of the head in the direction toward the reference plane;
• a brake system configured to transition between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein:
• in the locked state, lateral movement of the head through the delivery arm is prevented and movement of the head through the long-range slide mechanism is prevented, and
• in the unlocked state, lateral movement of the head through the delivery arm is enabled and movement of the head through the long-range slide mechanism is enabled;
• and a sensor configured to:
• detect a triggering event resulting from movement of the head toward the reference plane;
• and
• output one or more control signal to the brake system to transition the brake system to a locked state that prevents movement of the head in a direction toward the reference plane.