Surgical robotic cart with selective wheel alignment
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorJames Lattimore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mobile surgical robotic cart assembly includes a vertical column supporting a robotic arm thereon, a base, and a plurality of casters each having wheels and each being attached to the base thereby allowing the surgical robotic assembly to move. Each of the plurality of casters has a wheel alignment assembly configured to lock each of the respective wheels in a plurality of orientations.
Claims15
A surgical robotic cart assembly, comprising:
- a base portion having a robotic arm operatively secured thereon;
- and
- first, second, and third casters pivotably attached to the base portion along a pivot axis, each of the first, second, and third casters having a housing, a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing and defining a wheel rotation axis, and a wheel alignment assembly, each wheel alignment assembly including:
- a first pedal pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position;
- and
- a second pedal pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first and second pedals are configured to fix a respective first, second, or third caster in an orientation,
- wherein when the first and second pedals of each of the first, second, and third casters is in the first position, each of the first, second, and third casters is free to pivot about its respective pivot axis;
- and
- wherein when the first pedal of each of the first, second, and third casters is in the second position each of the first, second, and third casters is fixed in an angled orientation relative to its respective pivot axis.
A surgical robotic cart assembly, comprising:
- a base portion having a robotic arm operatively secured thereon;
- and
- three casters pivotably attached to the base portion along a pivot axis, each of the three casters having a housing, a wheel rotatable on a wheel axis, and a wheel alignment assembly operatively connecting the housing and the wheel, each wheel alignment assembly including:
- a first pedal pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position;
- and
- a second pedal pivotably coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first and second pedals are configured to fix the respective three casters in an orientation.
The surgical robotic cart assembly of claim 19, wherein when the first and second pedals of each of the three casters is in the first position, the respective first, second, and third casters is free to rotate 360 degrees about its respective pivot axis and wheel axis thereby allowing the cart assembly to move in any direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.