Force sensor temperature compensation
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorStephen J. Blumenkranz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A force sensor apparatus is provided including a tube portion having a plurality of radial ribs and at least one fiber optic strain gauge positioned over each rib of the plurality of radial ribs. A proximal end of the tube portion is operably couplable to a shaft of a surgical instrument that is operably couplable to a manipulator arm of a robotic surgical system, and a distal end of the tube portion is proximally couplable to a wrist joint coupled to an end effector. A thermal shunt shell is over an outer surface of the tube portion.
Claims20
A method to reduce thermal differences between strain gauges located at surface locations of a tube that includes a proximal end portion operably couplable to a shaft of a surgical instrument and that includes a distal end port on operably couplable to a wrist joint of the surgical instrument, the wrist joint being operably couplable to an end effector, the method comprising:
- thermally coupling strain gauges located at opposing surface locations of the tube by providing thermal pathways through multiple radial ribs comprised of a high thermal diffusivity material that run through a centerline of the tube between the strain gauges at the opposing locations.
A method to reduce thermal differences between strain gauges located at surface locations of a tube that includes a proximal end portion operably couplable to a shaft of a surgical instrument and that includes a distal end portion operably couplable to a wrist joint of the surgical instrument, the wrist joint being operably couplable to an end effector, the method comprising:
- thermally shielding the strain gauges within an over tube that extends about the tube and about a thermally insulating region between an over tube and the tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.