Wrist Architecture
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsNicholas Ragosta, Matthew A. Wixey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical device includes an elongated shaft, an end effector, and a wrist assembly. The wrist assembly includes a first outer link, a first inner link, and a second outer link. The first outer link is connected to the shaft and includes first gear teeth. The first inner link is pivotally coupled with the first outer link. The second outer link is pivotally coupled with the first inner link. The second outer link includes second gear teeth that interface with the first gear teeth and control orientation of the first inner link relative to the first outer link and the first outer link throughout a range of orientations of the wrist assembly.
Claims21
-35. (canceled)
A surgical device comprising:
- an elongated shaft extending along a first axis;
- an end effector comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw;
- a wrist assembly moveably connecting the end effector to the elongated shaft, the wrist assembly comprising:
- a first outer link connected to the elongated shaft and comprising first gear teeth;
- a first inner link pivotally coupled with the first outer link to rotate relative to the first outer link around a second axis oriented perpendicular to the first axis;
- a second outer link pivotally coupled with the first inner link to rotate relative to the first inner link around a third axis parallel to the second axis and offset from the second axis, the second outer link comprising second gear teeth that interface with the first gear teeth and control orientation of the first inner link relative to the first outer link and the first outer link throughout a range of orientations of the second outer link relative to the first outer link.
An apparatus comprising:
- an elongated shaft extending along a first axis;
- an end effector comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw;
- a wrist assembly moveably connecting the end effector to the elongated shaft, the wrist assembly comprising:
- a first outer link, a first inner link, and a second outer link;
- the first outer link being connected to the elongated shaft and movably coupled to the second outer link by the first inner link;
- the first outer link, the first inner link, and the second outer link defining a proximal joint;
- wherein a medial surface of the first outer link and a medial surface of the second outer link define a lumen in which the first inner link is disposed;
- wherein the medial surface of the first outer link defines at least a first recess and the medial surface of the second outer link defines at least a second recess;
- wherein a radial surface of the first inner link includes at least a first protrusion and a second protrusion;
- wherein the first protrusion of the first inner link engages the first recess, and the second protrusion of the inner link engages the second recess.
An apparatus comprising:
- an elongated arm extending along a first axis;
- an end effector comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw;
- an elongated drive member extending from the elongated arm and drivingly coupled with the end effector for actuation of the end effector;
- and
- a wrist assembly moveably connecting the elongated arm to the end effector, the wrist assembly comprising a plurality of outer links and a plurality of inner links, the wrist assembly being operable to yaw and pitch the end effector relative to the elongated arm, the inner links defining an inner passage between the elongated arm and the end effector through which the elongated drive member extends.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.