Surgical Tool for Robotic Arm with Rotating Handle

A surgical robotic system, comprising:

• a robotic arm;
• a tool rotatably mounted to the robotic arm, the tool being rotatable about a first axis that is at least substantially vertical when the arm is in a horizontal position, the tool including a housing coupled to the arm;
• the housing being at least substantially cylindrical and defining a second axis that is at least substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the housing being coupled to a surgical implement, the housing including a plurality of recesses circumferentially spaced apart around the housing and about the second axis and aligned in plane at least substantially perpendicular to the second axis, the housing being rotatable with the tool about the first axis but not about the second axis;
• a handle including a grip coupled to a sleeve, the sleeve rotatably accommodating at least part of the housing and at least partially covering the recesses, the sleeve coupled to a lock assembly including button including a lock rod sized to be at least partially received in one of the recesses at a time, the button and lock rod being biased so the lock rod is biased radially inwardly towards the recesses;
• wherein, when the button is pressed overcoming the radially inwardly bias and the lock rod is lifted radially outward beyond the recesses, the handle may be rotated about the second axis while the housing and surgical implement remain fixed with respect to the second axis.

A method for rotating a grip of a surgical tool while maintaining a surgical implement of the surgical tool in a fixed position, the method comprising:

• rotatably mounting the surgical tool to a robotic arm, the tool being rotatable about a first axis that is at least substantially vertical when the arm is in a horizontal position, the tool including a housing coupled to the arm and rotatable about the first axis, the housing being at least substantially cylindrical and defining a second axis that is at least substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the surgical tool further including a handle including a grip coupled to a sleeve, the sleeve rotatably accommodating at least part of the housing, the sleeve coupled to a lock assembly;
• releasing the lock assembly from a first locked position;
• rotating the handle to a second position about the second axis while the housing remains fixed with respect to the second axis;
• and
• moving the lock assembly to a second locked position.