# US 2014/0194899 A1 · Articulated surgical instrument for performing minimally invasive surgery with enhanced dexterity and sensitivity

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- Number: US 2014/0194899 A1
- Document ID: US20140194899A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/204,759
- Filed: 2014-03-11
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 1996-05-20
- Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
- Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
- Inventors: Akhil J. MADHANI; J. Kenneth SALISBURY
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194899A1

## CPC

- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)}
- A61B 17/29: Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
- A61B 34/35: for telesurgery
- A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence)
- A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery}
- A61B 34/71: {Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms}
- A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback}
- A61B 34/77: {Manipulators with motion or force scaling}
- B25J 3/04: involving servo mechanisms (servo-actuated heads B25J15/02)
- B25J 9/104: {with cables, chains or ribbons}
- A61B 2017/2927: {the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft}
- A61B 2017/2929: {with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft}
- A61B 2017/2939: {Details of linkages or pivot points}
- A61B 2034/305: {Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms}
- A61B 2034/306: {Wrists with multiple vertebrae}
- A61B 2034/715: {Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack}
- Y10T 74/20329: Joint between elements
- Y10T 74/20335: Wrist
- 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})
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

An articulated surgical instrument for enhancing the performance of minimally invasive surgical procedures. The instrument has a high degree of dexterity, low friction, low inertia and good force reflection. A unique cable and pulley drive system operates to reduce friction and enhance force reflection. A unique wrist mechanism operates to enhance surgical dexterity compared to standard laparoscopic instruments. The system is optimized to reduce the number of actuators required and thus produce a fully functional articulated surgical instrument of minimum size.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An articulated surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery comprising a support bracket, an elongate support member, a wrist mechanism, a surgical end effector, four actuators and four cables wherein:
the four actuators are mounted on the support bracket;
the elongate support member has a proximal end and a distal end and a support axis running longitudinally along the elongate support member from the proximal end to the distal end;
the proximal end of the support member is coupled to the support bracket by a rotary joint for rotation about the support axis and a linear joint for reciprocal motion along the support axis;
the distal end of the support member is connected to the wrist mechanism;
the wrist mechanism supports the surgical end effector;
the surgical end effector comprises a first work member; and
the four actuators are coupled by the four cables to the wrist mechanism, the rotary joint and the linear joint such that selective actuation of the actuators operates to move the first work member of the surgical end effector about two orthogonal axes with two degrees-of-freedom relative to the support member, extend and retract the support member along the support axis relative to the support bracket and rotate the support member about the support axis relative to the support bracket and thereby move the first work member of the surgical end effector relative to the support bracket with four degrees-of-freedom.