Modular manipulator support for robotic surgery
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsThomas G. Cooper, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Gary S. Guthart, David J. Rosa
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Abstract
A robotic surgery system comprises a mounting base, a plurality of surgical instruments, and an articulate support assembly. Each instrument is insertable into a patient through an associated minimally invasive aperture to a desired internal surgical site. The articulate support assembly movably supports the instruments relative to the base. The support generally comprises an orienting platform, a platform linkage movably supporting the orienting platform relative to the base, and a plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform, wherein each manipulator movably supports an associated instrument.
Claims22
1-30. (canceled)
A method for preparing a robotic surgery system having a mounting base, a plurality of surgical instruments, and an articulate support assembly movably supporting the instruments relative to the base, the method comprising:
- moving an orienting platform to pre-position a plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform by articulating a platform linkage movably supporting the orienting platform relative to the base so that the surgical instruments supported by the manipulators are orientated towards associated minimally invasive apertures;
- wherein the platform linkage comprises a linear rail, a slidable carriage coupleable to the rail, and at least one arm rotationally coupleable to the carriage on a proximal end and to the orienting platform on a distal end.
An articulate support assembly comprising:
- an orienting platform;
- a plurality of set-up joint arms, each of the arms coupleable to the orienting platform through a rotatable hub, at least one of the plurality of arms comprising a plurality of configurable linkages and joints comprising:
- at least one parallelogram linkage structure for moving a distal end of the arm in a vertical direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.