US 2018/0280098 A1 · Methods of Controlling Motion of Under-Actuated Joints in a Surgical Set-up Structure

Abstract

Robotic and/or surgical devices, systems, and methods include kinematic linkage structures and associated control systems configured to control movement of passive or under-actuated joints by coordinated joint braking of the under-actuated joints concurrent with driving of one or more driven joints. In one aspect, the methods include driving a set-up structure by pivoting an orienting platform supporting multiple manipulators back-and-forth in opposite directions while selectively braking the under-actuated joints to inhibit passive joint movement away from a reference joint state and releasing braking to facilitate movement of the joints toward the reference until each of the under-actuated joints of the multiple manipulators are at the respective reference states. In another aspect, a joint brake controller is provided that receives a motor torque input and converts the input to a brake control input by determining an impulse applied variable braking to deplete the impulse over time.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A robotic system comprising:

a first robotic arm comprising a first joint;
a link supporting the first robotic arm;
one or more driven joints supporting the link;
and
a processor operatively coupled to the one or more driven joints, wherein the processor is configured to:
accelerate the link by driving the one or more driven joints and imparting a force or moment to the first robotic arm,
inhibit a passive movement of the first joint when the passive movement of the first joint operates to cause the first joint to move away from a reference state of the first joint, wherein the passive movement of the first joint is responsive to the force or moment imparted to the first robotic arm, and
facilitate the passive movement of the first joint when the passive movement of the first joint operates to cause the first joint to move towards the reference state.

5 more elements

A robotic system comprising:

a first robotic arm comprising a plurality of joints and a plurality of joint brakes, each joint of the plurality of joints being configured to be braked by at least one corresponding joint brake of the plurality of joints brakes, and each joint of the plurality of joints having an associated reference state corresponding to a desired configuration of the first robotic arm;
a platform linkage supporting the first robotic arm;
one or more driven joints physically coupled to the platform linkage;
and
a processor operatively coupled to the one or more driven joints, wherein the processor is configured to accelerate the platform linkage by driving the one or more driven joints and imparting a force or moment to the first robotic arm;
wherein the processor is configured to, for each joint of the plurality of joints:
inhibit a passive movement of the joint when the passive movement of the joint operates to cause the joint to move away from the associated reference state of the joint, wherein the passive movement of the joint is in response to the force or moment imparted to the first robotic arm;
and
facilitate the passive movement of the joint when the passive movement of the joint operates to cause the joint to move towards the associated reference state of the joint.

6 more elements

A tele-operational system comprising:

a first robotic arm comprising a first joint and a first joint brake;
a platform linkage supporting the first robotic arm;
one or more driven joints supporting the platform linkage;
and
a processor operatively coupled to the one or more driven joints, wherein the processor is configured to:
accelerate the platform linkage by driving the one or more driven joints, thereby imparting a force or moment to the first robotic arm,
sense a joint torque of the first joint,
determine, using the joint torque, if a passive movement of the first joint in response to the force or moment operates to cause the first joint to move towards or away from a reference state of the first joint,
inhibit the passive movement of the first joint in response to determining that the passive movement of the first joint operates to cause the first joint to move away from the reference state of the first joint by at least partly applying braking to the first joint,
facilitate the passive movement of the first joint in response to determining that the passive movement of the first joint operates to cause the first joint to move the first joint towards the reference state of the first joint by at least partly releasing braking applied to the first joint, and
halt the passive movement of the first joint in response to the first joint being at the reference state of the first joint.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods of Controlling Motion of Under-Actuated Joints in a Surgical Set-up Structure

Life of this patent

Methods of Controlling Motion of Under-Actuated Joints in a Surgical Set-up Structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25